Part 20 - Can I Trust the Brony Pony from the Frosted Peaks of Wheyrune?

"I'd recognize your scent anywhere!” I hear in my head. The voice is soft, but obviously male. It also has a strange quality to it as if carried on the wind, “You're an elf from the Frosted Peaks of Wheyrune. I use to live there until I was captured and brought here, but you've come to rescue me, and take me home!" The flying horse looks at me with big, round eyes, expectant.

This is what you guys see

“Wha-wha-what?” I say to the voice, shocked when I realize its coming from the horse creature, “I don't even know where that place is! Who are you? Where are you taking me? What are you talking about? Please take me down this instant!”

The creature instantly takes me town below the treeline, "Oh...okay. I'm sorry, but you smell just like my home and the people there. If you aren't an elf from the Frosted Peaks of Wheyrune, where are you from?"

"I come from the small town of Eporthnacyl. I lived there all my life, although I was adopted when I was a baby. I don't know why I'm explaining this to you. Who are you really? You're obviously not a horse." I pull at his ears and mane as if the creature were some sort of aberration. Could this be Briar in disguise? "The last horse I helped stabbed me in the back." I explain.

"I am,” there’s a whooshing, whinny sound that quickly dies away. The creature continues, “and you are clearly from the Frosted Peaks of Wheyrune. Just because you don't remember living there, doesn't mean you aren't from there. My nose can tell. That's just awful that a horse stabbed you in the back, though how a horse could hold a knife is beyond me...mind you, I don't know much about horses. I'm an Asperi, you see, and though we look alike, we're actually quite different."

I flush with embarrassment realizing my folly. I should have known the creature wouldn’t have understood what I truly meant, "No, I mean she lied to me about what she truly was; an evil, murdering mare that used me so she could do whatever it was she was trying to accomplish. If I ever see her again..." I trail off darkly, fists clenched.

After some thought I say, "Wheyrune, that sounds like a beautiful place. Is it any better than here?" He seemed trustworthy…Briar was a mistake. I was stupid then – vulnerable even. I wanted so bad to have her that I blinded myself to reason, a mistake I’ll never make again.

"Wheyrune is a wonderful place...or well, I hope it still is,” the creature said, “We were attacked and I was taken captive, but the elves were on our side and the elves are really good warriors, so there's a really good chance that they fought off the attackers.”

I mouth the word elves in amazement, "When my mom - foster mom - told me I was part elf I didn't believe her. I just thought I was like everyone else, but everyone else treated me differently." Her shoulders slump as memories cloud her mind. "I feel like I've changed a lot since leaving Eporthnacyl. I feel like I need to fight. Is that what being an elf is like?" I looked at the Asperi expectantly as if to gain some unforeseen wisdom. Then I shook my head not wanting to delve deeper, "Do you know who, and why you were brought here? Were you being held hostage on this plane? Perhaps you were freed once my companions and I figured out how to obstruct the anti magic field. I wouldn't be surprised if this person(s) is the same one we're after."

"The ones who first caught me sold me to a man named Szen,” he says. My ears perk at the name, “He said I could help him with keeping his Ravid company. So I was kept in the same pen as the Ravid, and we got to know one another. She was a nice Ravid, sad, lonely, and we tried to break out a number of times. We almost were found a few times, but Szen would catch whoever was poking around his shed and stop them."

"What's a Ravid?” I ask, “Is it still around? Where is Szen now? Surely he'll be looking for you. What if he finds you with me?"

"A Ravid is a wonderful creature that gives life to things around it. I don't know where Szen is now; I haven't seen him in a long time. The Ravid and I only survived because the objects it gave life to would bring us food."

My eyes go wide, "Would you be able to find this Ravid again? I wonder if the objects it's been bringing to life have been causing some problems with the people who used to live here." I explain the situation with the towns people and animated objects, the discovery of the under dark and anti magic field, and the events leading up to the Asperi's freedom. "By the way, what do Asperis and Ravids eat?" I had to ask, as if this were some final test.

"I think the Ravid has already made his escape. He did bring a lot of things to life in the hopes of either making Szen release us, or else getting discovered. It sounds like all he succeeded in was chasing the people away. That would explain why we haven't seen Szen in so long...or anybody else.” The creature humers me by answering my question, "Ravids eat just about anything. But I prefer fruits and grains. I can't stand that meat stuff." Sigh, what a relief!

This is what Cortanna sees!!!!!!

"We should go back,” I say, my nerves settled, “The towns people will be happy to know they won't be chased or bothered by animate furniture anymore. Although, I think you should stay hidden. My party members might not react favorably to your presence...and perhaps the towns people too. Will we be able to communicate this way from a distance? Did Szen give you a name? May I call you by it? I can't promise your return to Wheyrune immediately, but if you'd like to join our group, in the mean time, I will make sure it happens. Uh...may I ride you back? My father - adoptive father - was a great horseman and I've learned a lot from him…" I grimace at the stinging memories of my father, "You will be in the best of care!" I say in an affirmed voice.

"Call me Cutie-Pie, that's what Szen called me. And I would love to help you and your friends, after all, you set me free so it's the least I can do. Though I do agree that it would be best if I stay hidden from the towns people until we figure out why Szen kept me, and if he's still around. I don't want to go back to that cage. And I can speak in your mind as long as we're not more than a mile away."

Cutie-Pie takes me back. I instruct him to land in the trees just before the crater and hide there. If I needed him I would use our mental connection to call on him. There is much that needs to be done!