|
Post by Person on Apr 28, 2013 22:16:01 GMT -5
'I'm Major SteelHoof," Rocknote said, much more cleanly than before, "and this is Lieutenant WhiteHeart of the third division, second platoon."
He shot Nightbow a look that said "Just roll with it," and continued plodding along, waiting for the right time to peel away from the ranger.
"So what work do you do here in the forest, and where exactly is this 'Rift' everypony keeps talking about?" Rock asked, figuring if they could keep the mare talking, they might avoid undue attention to themselves.
|
|
|
Post by Nightbow on Apr 29, 2013 3:53:17 GMT -5
The unicorn scurried after the earthlings. The young recruit dared say nothing, but Nightbow caught herself in her odd pace when she felt his eyes on her. Peremptorily she strode after RockNote as fast as she could manage, thinking: damn these short legs!
As Redd Moss led the pair into the increasing density of vegetation Nightbow wondered if it would be appropriate for them to flak the mare, but when she watched the ranger clearing the path for them she decided to stick to the non-existent path behind her. She was clearly the only one who knew where they were going.
"You two have names?" Redd Moss inquired. Thinking it improper to introduce herself Nightbow glanced at the red stallion.
Well, you're the boss.
|
|
|
Post by summerblade12 on Apr 30, 2013 12:32:07 GMT -5
Redd Moss looked over the pair, a Major and Lieutenant...well that sounded kind of right but why did something feel off. She shook it off the ranger could stare down the armored guards and figure them out but that would take all day.
"So what work do you do here in the forest, and where exactly is this 'Rift' everypony keeps talking about?"
"I'm a ranger I do all sorts of things" Redd Moss kept on her path, "I keep track of the plant and animal life out here, act as a guide for hikers, and rescue the ponies that manage to get them selves lost out here. I do the last part a lot." She stopped and looked over her shoulder at the older guard "Why do you want to know where the rift is? that thing is dangerous weren't you briefed before you got here Captain...what was your name again?"
|
|
|
Post by Person on May 2, 2013 20:12:41 GMT -5
"Major Steelhoof, not captain," RockNote replied shortly, "and we're the Guard, not the secret service. We don't get briefed."
Rock waited a few moments to gather his thoughts before actually responding to her first inquisition. Coming up with a feasible reason under false identities and pretenses proved more difficult than he thought.
"I want to know so that, should something or somepony threaten your safety, I can know what direction I should not retreat toward."
|
|
|
Post by Nightbow on May 3, 2013 12:52:00 GMT -5
Nightbow was grasped by an overwhelming fit of giggles, and in order to sallow it she emitted a suffocated snort. While a perfectly logical explanation, her mind warped RockNote's words to make them sound as if he was the biggest coward in Equestria. Not funny, the mare told herself frantically. This is serious! This is dangerous! But it was too late. The youth did her best to cover up her blunder.
"A-hem", she loudly cleared her throat, head pounding with a panicking fear. She had to say something. "Now, about the rift..." she said urgently, hoping to return to the matter at hand by deterring attention off of herself. She had only the rumours to go by. "We've had reports about the wildlife not being quite ... in order." She hoped that Redd Moss would catch on and confirm her wild dreams.
|
|
|
Post by summerblade12 on May 6, 2013 17:14:00 GMT -5
Redd Moss' ear flicked, well the guards did seem to have all their information in order, they were either completely legit or really good fakes either way...
"I want to know so that, should something or somepony threaten your safety, I can know what direction I should not retreat toward."
" Oh well good point...the Rift it's self is deeper in the elder forest, " She pointed down a smaller less beaten path deeper into the woods. " down that way. But the effects of the rift are just about everywhere in the woods now."
"We've had reports about the wildlife not being quite ... in order."
Redd Moss nodded to the younger mare, "Well if you mean 'monsters' I can't really confirm that. I've seen animals be more aggressive than normal and this. " the ranger mare picked up a brightly colored flower that was growing near the path it was a bright blue and gold, "This is a Gold Moon flower they died out thousands of years ago...there are patches of them all over the forest now. I know it might seem like a little thing but it's not right, I've recorded twenty species of plants and ten species of animals that aren't supposed to exist any more that just popped up over night."
She dusted off her hoof and leaned on a tree, " I have herd strange noises at night I can only assume it's the animals but I don't know for sure."
|
|
|
Post by Person on May 13, 2013 18:58:00 GMT -5
[sorry guys]
As Nightbow tried to hide a fit of laughter, Rocknote pulled his helm down to hide his reddening cheeks, despite the fact that the weren't visible through his red coat. His temporarily ashamed mood was lifted as the ranger informed the pair of the rift's location; all they had actually wanted in the first place.
He was interested to hear about the recurring ancient wildlife, and thought about the beginning of a jungle-themed song for his band, but brushed it off with the task at hoof.
The sound of Moss' voice gently thrumming in his ear, the stallion confirmed that they were well away from the guard's camp with a glance backward. He tried to get Bow's attention with a small stamp of his hoof and slightly jerked his head to side in the direction that the ranger said the rift was.
|
|
|
Post by Nightbow on May 18, 2013 2:13:41 GMT -5
Nightbow found herself mentally turn on a dime. When Redd Moss stated that there where no monsters around, she discretely mouthed an 'aww'. Then she looked up in order to examine the flower and had to contain her squees. Admiring an extinct plant outside of a museum, depicted in a dusty paleontological volume, was almost as exiting as hunting for long lost animal species. The thickening layer of canopy overhead steadily blotted out the light, but what still made it through glistened like gold on its silken petals.
"It's beautiful." Nightbow needed to keep this. To draw this. To preserve this. She knew her father had an old herbarium somewhere, but should she risk it? As they marched on, she glanced on the flowery patch that they passed, eyeing it greedily. Maybe once we've ditched the ranger, she thought as the foliage closed around them and Redd came to a stop.
Caught up in a train of thought that now regarded what the strange noises that Redd Moss spoke of could belong to, she didn't at first take notice that RockNote was calling her attention. As he motioned to the side she understood what he was trying to say, icy needles of realization penetrating her brain. Pay attention, stupid. This is your que.
The purple unicorn didn't dare to run for it, so she started to look for a distraction between the trees in the opposite diretion - and found it. Muzzle fell agape as she pointed a hoof at what looked like a white tree trunk and gasped: "What is that?" On the other side of the flower patch grew a giant mushroom that had once stood in the Mushromp.
|
|
|
Post by summerblade12 on May 20, 2013 19:08:57 GMT -5
Redd Moss looked over at the patch of mushrooms, the giant species of fungi hadn't been seen in decades especially here. And the ranger certainly didn't recall seeing them before today... "The effects are spreading...this is bad these mushrooms can not be here.."
All the plants that had been seen recently were from one time, now these mushrooms were from another...the cross pollinating of plants that were not supposed to be in the same time could cause so many many problems. Not to mention any animals that might be associated with the plants. What worried Redd more than the Mushrooms were the scratches across them.
"Moldy Timber wolves...this is bad." Redd Moss pawed at the ground sniffing and studying the marks , " if they came through we're in trouble."
|
|
|
Post by Person on May 20, 2013 22:03:54 GMT -5
"Well that sounds lovely," RockNote muttered, "but I have something I've been meaning to get to all morning."
The red stallion abruptly dropped the armor on the ground and bolted in the direction of the rift. The whole nature destruction chaos and stuff sounded all fine and dandy, but he wanted to get a look at the thing then get out. He had a gig tonight that he'd rather not be late to.
He dashed maybe thirty feet when a rank, rotting smell assaulted his nostrils, making him pause. He took a quick look around, and his eyes were met with two more, luminescent green and small as they were. He backpedaled a few steps, narrowing his eyes. From the underbrush emitted a growl, then revealed itself to be a large wolf-like creature the size of a carriage comprised of various sized logs, twigs, and branches.
He ran back to the two by the mushrooms, and jabbed at the creature with a hoof. "I'm assuming that's what you were talking about. Now what the buck is that, and how do we kill it?!"
|
|
|
Post by Nightbow on May 21, 2013 12:53:20 GMT -5
Nightbow had been prepared to bolt just like RockNote did, but she picked up on something in the ranger's eyes. She felt a chill running down her spine as the mare denied the existence of the fungi, but she didn't fully understand why - the giant mushrooms where just as out of place as the beautiful Gold Moon flowers. Then the unicorn too discovered the marks and frowned, turning to Redd Moss for clarification. She was quite familiar with the present wildlife, but... "Moldy...?" Her voice trailed off.
Everything happened very fast. In an instant the colt stood before them with a monstrous timber wolf in his trails. Nightbow was too shocked to even scream.
|
|
|
Post by summerblade12 on May 22, 2013 18:10:50 GMT -5
It's funny the reactions you have when you see a suposively dead and gone plant or animal in real life. Some ponies just don't know how to react to it, in recent weeks Redd Moss had be busy cataloging and recording all the long gone plants that had popped up.
'Major SteelHoof' how ever was reacting in a way you might expect anypony to react to finding a moldy timber wolf
"I'm assuming that's what you were talking about. Now what the buck is that, and how do we kill it?!"
"Yep that would be a Moldy Timber." Redd could barely keep her voice steady, " Booth of you run head up the hill we need to run now!" Redd nudged the younger Unicorn in an effort to get her started up the hill.
Timber Wolves used to prowl the forests where magic was pervelent, they were nature's way of protecting the plants from herbivores that would over run and over populate the woods. Moldy Timber wolves prowled the mushroom forests and stank like rotten mushrooms. Not only did they stink but Moldy Timbers had a bad temper.
This one was no acceptation, the Moldy Wolf let out a twisted howl.
Redd Moss had to think quick while on the run, fire was the best way to get rid of Timber Wolves but they were too deep in the woods a fire could do more harm then good. The only other way was to shatter the wood body of the Timber Wolf. "we're near my cabin there's a catch of stones up the hill we can use those."
|
|
|
Post by Person on May 26, 2013 21:27:19 GMT -5
"Alright!" RockNote took the order in stride and ran up the hill as fast as he could. He saw the rocks piled up near a woodsy cabin and rushed over to it.
He raised his hind legs to kick a rock down at the timber wolves, but hesitated for a moment. The ranger was still back down the hill, if he launched a stone projectile, he might harm her. The stallion lowered his legs and turned around, waiting for the ranger to get up.
|
|
|
Post by Nightbow on May 27, 2013 2:51:46 GMT -5
Naturally the unicorn decided to leg it. The armour, albeit an almost perfect fit, was heavy and the little mare felt it rattle at her flanks. It was when she felt the jaws of the giant beast snap shut around the tip of her tail that Nightbow realized that she was falling behind. Atop the hill awaited her partner in crime.
"RockNote!" She gasped as her longest strands of hair were ripped out, "Kick it! Kick it!"
|
|
|
Post by summerblade12 on May 28, 2013 16:28:09 GMT -5
Redd moss stopped half way up the hill when she saw the smaller mare falling behind. The armor was obviously weighing her down. Moss kicked a hoof full of dirt at the timber wolf hopping to catch the beast's attention. "Hey over here how about a bigger bite hu over here!"
The timber wolf growled and looked over at the brown ranger mare she was making more noise than the little purple one. "Kick the rocks now!" Red Moss yelled up to the Stallion at the top of the hill.
|
|