Ocellus had donned her lightweight cloak, but it was more suited to keep the sun’s rays off than to fight off a chill. The halls of the school were nearly empty with the other students either in town or visiting the nearby city of Canterlot. At the main door of the school, her friends stood, most with their cloaks on. Sandbar and Gallus had the simplest, being made of cotton, and held no grandeur to them. Smolder’s was light, but with the dragoness’s inner fire, it was no doubt far warmer than it looked. Silverstream’s was a pale blue with two hippogriffs holding a shield, while Caecus’s was red and emblazoned with a crowned gold eagle.

“Morning Ocellus,” the group greeted her as she reached them. Afterward, they started for hiking path.

The spot the group had picked for the hike was alongside the lake. A few trees were along the path and a few leaves fluttered in the wind as they strolled. There had not been much said up to this point. Ocellus knew it was due to her friends being uneasy around Caecus, as he did come across as cold at times. She knew she would need to start any conversation.

Well, Caecus is a warrior, a prince, has a good bit of knowledge of myths, and has two older brothers, she thought, hoping to find anything to start with. “Smolder, are you still looking for a pony to spar with?” Ocellus asked.

“Yes, but I doubt I’ll find anypony willing. It’s a bit dull without any serious competition.” Smolder sighed a bit.

Ocellus glanced back to Caecus who seemed unsure if he should say anything. “Caecus, did you tell me you missed being able to spar?” she asked, hoping he would catch the hint.

Caecus didn’t reply at first, seeming to think it over. “Aye… just never sparred against a dragon. However, I have gone over fighting techniques that my ancestors wrote down.”

Smolder laughed a bit. “What, worried you won’t be able to beat me?” the dragoness taunted. “I mean, only a few great ponies have ever won against my kind.”

“Just come with the time and place,” Caecus replied with a hint of a smile. “Then we shall see which of us is the better warrior.”

“Next weekend, near the lake. I hope you can handle a bit of fire.”

Most of her friends whispered who they thought was going to win, and nearly all agreed that Smolder would. Silverstream didn’t say either, and instead glanced toward Ocellus. “How about you, Ocellus? Who do you think will win?”

Ocellus bit her lip a little. She didn’t want to favor either of her friends. “I… I think Caecus has the better odds, but then again, Smolder has flight and armored skin. So I really can’t say either way,” she replied, trying not to take sides.

Caecus glanced around the group of friends and the area they walked, he had fallen behind the others, with only Sandbar still walking at his pace. The earth pony seemed a friendly sort, however, lazy he appeared. Had Sandbar been from Aquinas he would be an apprentice or had joined the legion.

“So, any interests?” Sandbar asked in a laid-back manner as they walked.

The prince thought for a few moments. “Well, I have taken part in a few melees and entered into the joust a few times. Other than that, strategy and mastering swordponyship,” Caecus said, leaving out the more foolish things that nopony would care about.

“Ever win any?” Sandbar asked as they want along the dirt path, the others talking just ahead.

“Aye, the melee once or twice, the joust nay. I lack the motivation to do so, as gold and fame is nothing, and I have nay a mare in my life of whom to win the favor.” Caecus recalled how Lord Redhoof had bested him in the third round, only for Aurum to beat Redhoof in the final round.

Sandbar chuckled, “I’m sure you’ll find one, not like you’re a prince or anything.” This time she heard both of them laugh. “So are we bad as you thought?” the earth pony asked.

Sandbar glanced ahead toward the rest of the group. “So are we bad as you thought?” the earth pony asked.

“Nay, though I don’t know enough about most of you to say either way,” Caecus replied. Even if he found them the oddest group of friends he had ever met, and he has seen many strange parties come to his father’s court.

Sandbar smiled a bit. “Well, you seem to like Ocellus,” he pointed out.

“One could call it that, but respect would be a better word.”

Sandbar titled his head a bit, “Well, what do you respect about her?”

“She’s smart, kind, eager to learn, and would nay doubt make a fine scholar, keeper of wisdom, or even ruler of a piece of land,” Caecus replied. I could call her a friend as well, he thought.

They passed by the lake, the wind making small waves over the water’s surface. Ocellus could feel her cloak flap a bit in the breeze, the cold making her shiver. She would need to get a warmer cloak before winter, as she was not looking forward to the snow this year. After a bit, they started up a hill that seemed steeper than it was, and after reaching the top they rested. Sandbar handed out a few snacks he had bought for everypony.

Ocellus enjoyed the cupcake, but she could feel a strong chill carried by the wind. She missed some joke that Gallus told but seemed to get a good laugh from the rest of the group. As she looked toward her friends Ocellus felt a warm, soft cloak placed around her. The changeling could only glace at Caecus.“But, don’t you need your cloak?” she asked.

“Nay, this is nothing to Autumn in Aquinas,” Caecus replied before going over to Smolder. The pair seemed to both be trying to one-up each other in their boasting.

Ocellus loved the softness of the lamb’s wool cloak, and couldn’t help pulling it tighter around herself. She couldn’t help but study Caecus, using a bit of her early training to remain inconspicuous while doing so. She had never taken note of his bright gold eyes, unlike those of other ponies she had seen. There was a warmth to them behind the coldness.

It was not long before they started down the hill and passed close to the Everfree. The forest still gives her a feeling of dread and forlorn feeling that came as they walked along the outskirts. Some said it the battle between the royal sister that had cruse this place, other than some ancient war was waged with spells of unspeakable power. Either way, the place could take the heart of the bravest warrior.

With a smile and a glance back Ocellus could see the nervousness of Caecus as they passed by the forest, and his relief once they were on a path back to town and away from the cursed forest. The wind seemed to pick up as they went along, and it made Ocellus thankful for the cloak, yet she also wondered if Caecus was putting on front and hiding how cold he was.

They stopped for another break by the side of the lake. Smolder and Gallus skipped stones across the face of the water. Sandbar, Yona, and Silverstream watched the rock jump over the water, while Caecus paid little mind to the skipping stones. “I think I’m going as a zombie this year for Nightmare Night, what about the rest of you?” Sandbar asked.

“Oh, a siren… no wait, a mummy! Then again…” Silverstream seemed a bit lost as to what to be.

“Skeleton dragon for me. What about you, Ocellus?”

Ocellus wondered if she should use her changeling magic or dress up like the rest of her friends for the holiday. “I haven’t made up my mind yet, but I still have time,” she replied.

“Okay, and what about you, Caecus?” Smolder turned to face the prince.

“I will not be partaking in the festivities, as the whole thing seems strange to me. That and I’m unsure if a follower of Lux should celebrate a night dedicated to a demon,” Caecus replied.

The group gave him strange looks. “It’s just a night to have fun and goof around, it’s not like we’re doing anything wrong,” Gallus spoke up. “If anything, the whole night is meant to keep the nightmare away.”

Caecus shook his head. “Be that as it may, I’ll stay far from the festivities all the same.”

“Your loss. More candy and games for the rest of us,” Gallus replied.

After an hour the group made their way back toward the school. The town was busy as ever with ponies going about their day. Once back inside the halls, the warm felt odd after hours in the cool autumn air. Ocellus was about to return Caecus’s cloak when he said, “Nay, keep it. I have a few more.”

Ocellus blushed a little. “No, I couldn’t keep it,” she said meekly as she offered it back.

Caecus smiled a bit. “Nay, I insist it. As a gift for a new friend.”

He sees me as a friend, Ocellus thought happily. “Thank you.”

I really need to think of a cover art for this story.