The group reached the river, replenished their water supplies and made camp. The next day, they continued their flight to the large rock formations in the distance. Another day passed without any major problems, disregarding Dust Demon’s and Little Strongheart’s refusal to say anything when near each other.

“Honestly, it’s nothing more than an argument over sexual preferences.” Eclipse sighed as they packed up camp on the morning of the third day. “Give it up.”

Dust Demon grunted in response, refusing to give an actual answer. Little Strongheart didn’t respond at all. The closest they came to communicating to each other was onetime when Sagebrush relayed messages between them and even then they had little to say to the other besides more arguments.

Eclipse sighed again as they reached the first of the colossal formations.

“We’re here.” Little Strongheart called. “The Elder’s Cradle.”

“Doesn’t look like much of a cradle.” Eclipse noted sarcastically, staring at the great spires and loops of stone.

“It’s not a literal cradle.” Little Strongheart spat, narrowing her eyes at him. “It’s meant to signify the energy that permeates the area. It is a holy site for my people as a whole, not just my tribe, who are now somewhere amongst the stone.”

Eclipse perked up, suddenly interested. “What energy?”

Little Strongheart waited in silence a moment before answering. “Only shamans can feel it. Only shamans can describe it. Only they will know its secrets.”

Eclipse rolled his eyes, reaching out with his chaos magic in an attempt to find this mysterious ‘energy’. He was interrupted when Little Strongheart lashed out at him, striking him hard on the skull and in the ribs.

“You won’t corrupt it!” She hissed. “Keep your dark magic in check, or I will end you!”

Eclipse shook his head. Once his senses returned, he back-hoofed Little Strongheart, jostling the vehicle they were in. Next, he grabbed her and pinned her to the floor of the chariot. “Ending me,” He growled out, his voice low and guttural. “Is not an option.”

“Much as I enjoy the show, could you two maybe not shake this thing so much?” Dust Demon yelled at them over the wind. “It’s falling apart as it is!”

Eclipse picked up Little Strongheart and unceremoniously threw her into the basket of the balloon. He grabbed Braeburn and hauled the stallion into the chariot, evening the weight out. “Dust demon!” he called forward. “See any buffalo? Preferably nice ones.”

“Sorry, Eclipse.” Came the reply. “Can’t say I do. How do we know they ain’t in a cave or something?”

Eclipse stared down at the expanse of land that made up the Elder’s Cradle. The area was several square miles, at least, but Eclipse knew that there had to be something they could look for to quicken their search.

The screech of a bird of prey sounded nearby, just as an eagle perched itself on the chariot’s railing. The bird moved its vision from one being in the vehicle to the next, taking stock of its fellow passengers.

Sagebrush and Braeburn paid the eagle no mind, believing it to be nothing more than a bird looking for a place to rest, though a moving chariot-balloon was an admittedly strange choice. Dust Demon kept his sight on the ground and in front of him, scanning for the buffalo while he avoided any rocks that came too close. Cactus Bloom gaped at the eagle, curiosity getting the better of her.

When the eagle sidled closer to Eclipse, who was trying to think of a way to not provoke the buffalo when they found the tribe, Little Strongheart tried to shoo him away. “No.” she begged in a whisper to avoid being overheard. “Leave him be. Don’t draw his attention to you.”

The bird ignored her, hopping onto the top of Eclipse’s head. Eclipse glanced upwards to the bird. He waved the bird away with a hoof, watching as it glided away from the chariot.

The bird’s flight brought a large canyon into Eclipse’s vision. The canyon had a large main section which sliced across the landscape like a great mile long scar. Smaller cracks snaked out from it, twisting, turning and spider webbing across the landscape. The main crack was at least a hundred feet wide, more than enough room to allow a hot air balloon entrance.

Eclipse glanced at the sky. Despite it being the desert, several large rain clouds were gathering overhead. Due to their position in the deeper desert, this was obviously a naturally occurring storm. That is to say, pegasi were not involved in its making, so it was unnatural as far as Equestria was concerned.

Braeburn tugged at Eclipse’s foreleg. “Don’t mean to interrupt, but I don’t like the look of that there storm.” A thunderclap washed over them, startling the group.

Eclipse nodded. “We can take cover in that canyon!” He shouted so everyone could hear. “This storm’s got lighting, so the air is the last place we want to be! Dust Demon, make it happen!”

Dust Demon pulled the chariot-balloon into the canyon, taking care to avoid the edges and the canyon walls. Once they had landed, Braeburn pointed out a shallow cave nearby. The group parked their vehicle outside the cave, while they themselves hurried inside, the first drops of rain beginning to fall.

The rain had been going on nonstop for an hour. Eclipse sat right outside the cave, making sure that he had been more than obvious with his desire to be alone after several minutes of rest in the cave.

Braeburn sat next to Dust Demon. “Poor fool’s gonna catch his death if he doesn’t get warm an dry.”

Dust Demon snorted. “I’m more concerned with why he wants to be in the rain.”

“I though it was to get away from Little Strongheart.” Braeburn answered.

“Then why ain’t I out there?” Dust Demon questioned. At Braeburn’s confused stare, he elaborated. “This cave is more than big enough for me and her to stay well away from each other, even with the rest of ya’ll thrown into the mix. So why’d he decide to sit around outside?”

Eclipse perked his ear as he heard this, the passive flow of disharmony magic through his system heightening his senses more than enough to hear the question. He got to his hooves, calling back to the cave. “I’m going for a walk.” His tone was more than enough to convey that he didn’t wish to be followed. “If I’m not back by morning, continue the search for the buffalo.”

Cactus Star called his name, but Eclipse was already galloping away at a pace impossible to match without either flying or magic. Little Strongheart frowned deeply as she watched him leave.

He rounded a corner, drifting across the mud as his hooves slid even as he ran. Abandoning the main section of the canyon, he took a side path. Snaking his way through the maze of cracks and rock, Eclipse soon came upon another small cave. Unlike the one where they had taken refuge, however, this one burrowed deeper into the stone of the rock wall.

Eclipse stopped outside the cave mouth, halting his chaotic energy as he prepared to enter. Despite now panting for breath, he trod inside, wary of any potential dangers.

The cave floor was rough, but firm. The walls even more so. Eclipse ran his hoof over several markings he found carved into the cave wall.

The first was a simple drawing of a buffalo, worn down with age. The craft and care put into the carving lent it great weight despite it’s simplicity. Or rather, it’s complexity disguised as simplicity. Even as Eclipse watched, minor details that were not seen before seemed to be added. The horns were more defined than initially thought, and the fur had texture and pattern that could only be noticed by touching the carving. Whoever this buffalo had been, he was a being of great importance in ancient history.

The next image was of a twisted being, his body a mismatch of many different things. Unlike the buffalo, however, the gnashes that made up Discord’s unmistakable image were rough and chipped, as if they had been put into the stone more forcefully. He also lacked the detail and care put into the previous carving. The cave wall itself seemed to darken as Eclipse moved his gaze over the carving, as if it did not enjoy showing its scar.

Despite now being almost a hundred feet into the cave, the darkness did not close in. It was still as bright as when Eclipse had first entered. The air was not cold, as would be expected, but instead warm. Eclipse felt his coat and was surprised to find that it was already dry, the little moisture that remained barely more than a few damp patches.

The next carving Eclipse found was of an alicorn. The lines were smooth once more, flowing into each other and abundant with the same craftsmanship seen in the buffalo. The alicorn’s mane flowed as if in a wind. She stood in a regal manner, as was to be expected of one of the princesses.

“One of the princesses?” Eclipse wondered aloud, his own thoughts catching him off guard.

Eclipse couldn’t tell which of the two sisters it was supposed to depict, but it hardly mattered at the moment. He frowned, unsure what to make of this strange trio. A buffalo of ancient time, Discord and one of the royal sisters.

He continued, plodding further into the cave. When he found the fourth carving, his breath nearly caught in his throat, the connection becoming apparent.

The fourth drawing was of a simple earth pony. She had both pairs of legs crossed and a friendly smile on her face. The first identifier Eclipse found was her hat. Despite it being just as simple as the drawings before, lacking a cutie mark just as the princess had, that large stetson gave away everything Eclipse needed to know.

“Applejack?” Eclipse asked, despite being alone. “With those other three, that could only mean…” He trailed off, the unfinished sentence hanging in the air.

Eclipse looked ahead into the cave and found that the path ended just a few feet away from him.

He gritted his teeth, pondering what he should do. When he finally reached a decision, he was conflicted. Doing so was a great risk, even more so if Little Strongheart found out. Still…

Eclipse sighed. Spurring his disharmony magic on, he goaded it into searching for the mysterious energy of the Elder’s Cradle.

After a few minutes of looking, however, it had found him.