Метка судьбы / Mark of Destiny: Chapter III

I had a dream. I was tardily strolling through the savannah, having no more than an old bag for collecting herbs. There were a lot of different animals around and they all welcomed me. From an elephant to a little bat, every creature I'd seen. Even after I crossed the river and entered the bushes of monkeys, they did not shrike but nodded their heads in respect as I passed by.

psychoshy 15.11.18 в 19:50

I woke up with the sun glaring at my eyes. Moon and Stars! I slept half the day! Had I been in the middle of the savannah, I would have long got eaten by a hyena. But since my sleep-mate turned to be a crocodile as huge as three wildebeests, slumbering and snoring quietly at the moment, I was safe here. As I glanced at the sandbank, I found out it wasn't too late. Water had just only started to rise in the afternoon sun. After quickly gathering my belongings, I opened my bag and regarded the tuft of the grey moss with a satisfactory look. With the purpose of my test in the bag, the only thing I had left to do was hastily make my way back home. It might well be that I'd be the first to return.

psychoshy 15.11.18 в 19:54

I swiftly ran across the river, dropped my bags and plunged neck-deep in warm water to wash away the remnants of the smelly anti-monkey powder without spoiling the traditional hairstyle. Then I looked back at the lying crocodile. "Goodbye, Big Mamba!" I shouted. He startled up, turned his head and for the first time stared at me with both eyes.

psychoshy 15.11.18 в 20:11

"See you later, filly," he said. "You and him, you are so alike…" And he flung himself into the water.

psychoshy 15.10.18 в 15:25

I had to reach my old campsite on the hill before sunset while escaping claws of stray lions. And I would be home tomorrow morning. Oh, how many questions was I going to ask the Elder! She had never said who was her father. I was so abstracted that I almost stepped on a huge tree eagle's feather. While you could consider these birds truly a rare find, their feathers were an ingredient for exceptionally strong potions and served as a decoration for a chief's ceremonial headdress. Smiling at my fortune, I gently took the feather and put it away. The path along which I walked gradually expanded, turning into a wide well-trodden road. I breathed in full lungs of warm air and went down in a light gallop. Soon I would have to plunge into tall grass again, so I did not want to miss the chance to stretch my muscles.

psychoshy 15.11.18 в 20:42

However, before long I was stopped. A spear was protruding from the side of the road. A good spear with a forged tip, embellished with feathers and carvings. A spear of our tribe. Who had left it here? You did not just throw away things like this. I looked around for its owner and listened. I heard nothing but the usual sounds of savannah, and saw nothing but tall yellow grass and some spreading trees on the horizon. I shrugged my shoulders and forced the spear out so I could slip it under the belt of my bag. When I brought it home, whoever lost it would get a good kicking.

psychoshy 18.11.18 в 03:38

I continued walking and shortly stumbled upon a bag with the sign of our tribe. The bag was ripped open, its contents scattered in the road dust. Several flatbreads wrapped in leaves, a small gourd of water, nothing special. Suddenly there was a loud rustle in the grass ahead. Whatever it was, it was too late to hide. The closer the source of the noise approached me, the harder my heart pounded. What if there's a lion over there? He could have attacked a member of our tribe, which would explain the abandoned spear and torn bag! But along with this insight came another. If it was a lion, it would be all over for me. Lions did not hunt alone.

psychoshy 15.11.18 в 20:47

But, suddenly, from the grass in front of me ran not a lion but Imara. For a second he stopped and stared at me with wide eyes. He was carrying nothing of what he had when we had parted, instead his entire body was covered with scratches and bruises, and a piece of rope dangled from his neck.

psychoshy 21.11.18 в 09:09

"Imara! You scared the hell out of me! What are you doing here? What happened? Did a scorpion attack..."

psychoshy 15.10.18 в 15:26

"Z-Zecora?" Imara's voice felt sort of changed. "What are [i]you[/i] doing here? Run! I'll take them away!" With that, he limped across the road and flung himself into the grass on the opposite side.

psychoshy 15.10.18 в 15:29

"Them? Who? Imara! Wait a minute!" I cried and rushed after him.

psychoshy 01.10.18 в 15:27

Later I would think a lot about my decision whether I should have run after him or not. It was pretty dumb of me, I guess.

psychoshy 28.11.18 в 17:29

For a good while I saw only his tail flashing in the gaps ahead, but before long we reached the edge of the yellow grass sea to run out into an open field covered with tiny pebbles and scarce short bushes. Imara stopped in hesitation, turning his head from side to side.

psychoshy 28.11.18 в 17:33

"Imara! Stop, please! Who is chasing you?"

psychoshy 28.11.18 в 17:38

"O Sun and Stars, you've been running after me?" the stud blurted out, grievously shaking his head. "I told you to run in the opposite direction!" He spun in place and squinted at the sky. "Stupid, stupid Zecora," he whispered after a few seconds. "Now there's no point in running. They have spotted you."

psychoshy 28.11.18 в 17:40

"Who the hell are you talking about?"

psychoshy 18.09.18 в 23:03

I thought he was going to hit me. But Imara simply turned my head back. I got a sight of some tiny black dot swiftly coming upon us from above. At first I fancied it should be sort of a big bird like a vulture, but soon I realized vultures did not fly so fast and had smaller bodies and longer wings. It was a pegasus.

psychoshy 15.11.18 в 20:47

[hr]

psychoshy 18.09.18 в 22:58

"Why does nobody come to my hut and believe it dangerous just to pass by, you think? Because they are afraid, little Zecora. Afraid of magic, afraid of me, even though I gave them no reason to be so. It is a common fear of unusual things natural to ordinary zebras. They think I can do anything, like, turn them into frogs and cause rain or drought with just a word. Why, you've been thinking the same thing lately, haven't you? But in truth, my—our magic won't offer you unlimited possibilities. In essense, it's not magic at all. Let me show you something."

psychoshy 21.11.18 в 09:18

Grandma led me to the table where she kept all her books. She lit a couple of candles, took one of the books and began to look it through.

psychoshy 28.11.18 в 18:01

"Uh huh, now... Ah, there it is. Look!"

psychoshy 18.09.18 в 23:04

She opened the picture of some strange creatures. They were like zebras, but without stripes. They had a vibrant coat, a set of vibrant eyes and long manes just as vibrant and combed out in many different ways. We always had our manes cut short and set in a special hairdo so that they did not obsure eyesight; that, and eyes of all zebras but me were pitch black. These creatures looked funny and weird in comparison with us.

psychoshy 28.11.18 в 18:04

"These are ponies, my sweetheart—earth ponies, to be exact. They live far away, beyond the savannah and the sea and the mountains, on the other continent. They're very much like us zebras. Save for their big villages called 'cities.' Their life is far less dangerous than ours. They even get their Marks of Destiny in a natural way, without a Test. You can read it later if you want."

psychoshy 30.09.18 в 13:45

Grandma turned a few pages and showed me another picture. It depicted the same pony species, only with small bird wings on their backs. It looked even more ridiculous and funnier.

psychoshy 28.11.18 в 18:21

"And these are pegasi," continued the Elder. "With their wings, they can fly through the sky. And not only fly!... they can walk on clouds, build homes made of clouds and do whatever they want with them. They can cause rain by simply driving the clouds they need into a mass above the place they need. It's a great gift and a great opportunity. No potion or herb can give us what they can do from birth."

psychoshy 30.09.18 в 13:41

Grandma flipped several pages again. This time the picture showed ponies without wings, but instead each of them had a strange spiralled horn in the middle of their forehead.

psychoshy 28.11.18 в 18:24

"Unicorns. They don't have wings, but they don't need them. They can conjure. Just imagine: they just want something, and it happens. They can get wings to fly, or breathe underwater, or turn stone into food. While you and I need to gather the ingredients, mix them up properly and pray to Sun to make it work if we want to do something, they can do it just by thinking about it. See a jar of dried berries on the shelf over there? I'd have to move a ladder and climb to get it, risking to fall and break my neck. If a unicorn wanted it, the jar would simply fly to him."

psychoshy 30.09.18 в 13:33

"Woooow," I gasped.

psychoshy 18.09.18 в 23:05

"Oh yes, they live a good life. But don't you think that they are so powerful. The life of theirs is easy and carefree. And this life made them lazy and idle. Most unicorns never use their horns for anything other than writing, creating light or putting food into the mouth. And for all their advantages, you've got something that makes you superior to all of them."

psychoshy 30.09.18 в 13:23

I eyed Grandma with suspicion. She raised her hoof and touched my head.

psychoshy 28.11.18 в 18:37

"It is your knowledge and your wits, little Zecora."

psychoshy 18.09.18 в 23:06

[hr]

psychoshy 18.09.18 в 22:58

The pegasus circled above us a single time, then stopped and made a deafening whistle. Another whistle replied him from the road. As I stood there, mouth open, and stared at the newcomer, Imara snatched his spear I had on me and threw it. The pegasus easily dodged it and flew higher. He had a blue coat with a gray mane, a wide-brimmed hat on his head, a short baton dangling on his flank and a rope in his hooves. All the time his squinted gaze was fixed on me.

psychoshy 28.11.18 в 18:43

"Run!" said Imara and turned away, but after a few steps he cried out and fell to his knees. I finally came to my senses and ran up to him.

psychoshy 28.11.18 в 18:51

"Something's wrong with my leg... What the..." he hissed.

psychoshy 28.11.18 в 18:54

"Lie still, I'll help you," I said and rummage through my bag. I had hoarded a remedy somewhere...

psychoshy 28.11.18 в 18:55

"Leave me! Run before it's too late, or they'll catch us both!" hissed Imara, trying to push me away.

psychoshy 28.11.18 в 18:56

Meanwhile, three more earth ponies scurried out of the grass. The pegasus flew down to them and started to say something, pointing at me with a hoof. One of the ponies spat and came closer to us.

psychoshy 28.11.18 в 18:57

"Well, well, well," he said, but suddenly stared directly at me. "Hey, Stinky, come here."

psychoshy 28.11.18 в 18:57

The second pony stepped to the first. "Called me, boss?"

psychoshy 30.09.18 в 13:48

"Look at this filly. Do you notice anything?"

psychoshy 30.09.18 в 13:49

"She looks nice, boss."

psychoshy 18.09.18 в 22:58

The first pony rolled his eyes. "Celestia, send me patience... Watch closely."

psychoshy 30.09.18 в 13:53

"Uhh... She's a little shorter than you but has no cutie mark, that's it?"

psychoshy 18.09.18 в 23:08

"They don't have cutie marks at all, you idiot!"

psychoshy 18.09.18 в 22:59

"Sorry, boss..."

psychoshy 18.09.18 в 22:58

"Hey, Migle! Come here. What do you see?"

psychoshy 15.10.18 в 19:22

The third pony, who had been watching around, approached us with a smile. "I see we're lucky todady, Mr Rope," he said. "This babe has turquoise eyes."

psychoshy 15.10.18 в 19:24

"At least somepony here has brains," Mr Rope sighed.

psychoshy 18.09.18 в 23:02

"Zecora, run!" cried Imara.

psychoshy 18.09.18 в 22:54