[Everfree Forest Outskirts] The Second Encounter [Open]

[Dunder]

Dunder looked back at them near the river. Before he went back, he thought this question was appropriate. "Are we even sure if you do need to find gravel in order to find Flint? And are you even sure that gravel is found near water?" He called through the cave. His voice echoed.

[Winter]

Storm looked towards Dunder while still walking forward. "Yes, of course gravel can be found near water, especially in a cave... I did my homework when I was a foal!" She stayed silent a while wondering if the flint would actually be in the gravel. "Well... I don't know for sure that flint is found in gravel... But Inkblot said he read somewhere it is, and you said it is, so I believe it!" Storm turned back to following the stream and walked along a few paces more before looking back over her shoulder at Dunder, "Besides, even if we don't find any, it is still fun to go cave exploring with friends."

[SirShadowdeath]

Inkblot spoke up, a bit hesitant.

"Oh...yes, I'm quite sure. Flint can usually...be found from breaking gravel...so gravel near water...is more likely to have flint...because the water may have...eroded the gravel already."

The pegasus took a moment to breath, then continued his quest for gravel.

[Dunder]

[When are they going to find flint?]

Dunder nodded then realized that it was too dark for them to see his nod, so he spoke instead ."Well, if you say so. You seem to know more about finding flint than me, so I'll take your word for it." Dunder said as he rejoined them. He figured going his own way wouldn't be of much use. Anyway, staying together was a good idea.

[Winter]

(We can find gravel now Not sure about flint, though, it is up to you all. I don't want to rush, either. This is fun.)

As Storm listened to Dunder's response, she stepped in something wet and grainy that gave way beneath her claw, leaving a little impression in the ground. "Uh, guys... I think I found something!" She called to the others. She clawed around in the ground a little longer, feeling the small, wet rocks rubbing and crunching beneath her. "I think I found us some gravel! Come quick, let's see if we can find that flint in this mess!"

[SirShadowdeath]

(*Stares through darkness* Soon. After we find flint we can continue on with our adventure as well)

"Gravel! That's great, Miss Storm!" Inkblot

shouted as he ran to her side. Surely enough, a small amount of gravel was laying on the cold gold. "I knew...that you would find it!"

He whistled a bit, calling over Corvus to his side. Once the raven arrived, Ink began to gently dig through the gravel with his hoof.

"Hmm...nothing yet..."

[Dunder]

"Too bad there are no unicorns here... this would be a lot easier if they had a spell to help us. Even if they could make light." Dunder said as he crouched down. He started to sift through the gravel slowly in the dim light. "curse this cave! There is like no light!" Dunder said as he sifted through the gravel with his hoof.

[Winter]

Storm began to claw through the gravel, heaping a small pile to her side. "Hey... wait. How do we know if we found flint if we can't see... What does flint feel like!?" She queried. "This... is going to be difficult. If finding gravel was finding a needle in a haystack, this is finding a bit in a junkyard."

[SirShadowdeath]

Inkblot retreated a bit back to his imaginary shell.

"Oh...I...I didn't really...consider that..." he tried to say. "I...seem to have messed...up quite badly..."

He wiped his face with his hoof and sighed.

"My fault again..." the pegasus started again. "...maybe we could start a fire in a different way...?"

[Dunder]

"How else are we supposed to start a fire?" Dunder asked. "We could just not start a fire." He suggested. It seemed like it was going to be too much trouble to start a fire. After the failed flint search, he wasn't sure anymore.

[Winter]

"Er... well... we did put forth all that effort into finding gravel... But a fire isn't really *that* important. It is the company that is fun, right? We did just have a fun time finding gravel, and that was a great adventure. Let's just... Go exploring some more! Maybe not in this cave, though... it is a bit dark." Storm replied, trying to think of alternatives. "We could always mark up this cave on our way out with something and go explore the forest some more!"

[SirShadowdeath]

"Yeah..." Inkblot said a desparately cheerful voice. "I'm sorry for wasting...everypony's time..."

The pegasus looked to the ground and frowned a bit.

"I didn't mean...to mess all of you up..."

He shook his head and took another breath.

"I just wasted so much time..."

[Dunder]

"Wherever you want to go Storm. I'm just here because you guys are letting me." Dunder said with a smile. He already felt unwelcomed as it was, and he knew he had no place to lead them. He looked down at Ink. He knew he couldn't do anything effectively as Storm. He whispered in her ear soft enough that it was almost inaudible at such short range, "Do something." He said.

[Winter]

"Er, uhm..." Storm stammered, trying to come up with something to say. "It wasn't... Wasn't a waste of time at all! It was fun going in here looking for gravel with you, really. Let's all cheer up and get some fresh air... We need to enjoy ourselves..." Storm paused for a second, pulling in breath before yelling with a flying leap towards the cave entrance, "Last one out of the cave is a rotten hatchling!" She then ran forward towards the cave exit as fast as she could.

[SirShadowdeath]

Inkblot laughed a bit blandly, trying to find some humour once again. He smiled a bit, with relevant thoughts of Storm in his mind. At least she was trying to make him feel better. She was pretty good at her job, honestly. The black pegasus trailed along after her, but found that he wasn't very fast. Not that ever expected himself to be. Corvus tagged along behind him as usual, flying casually.

"T-Thanks...Storm...for helping me feel better...but I'm sorry...even so."

He stopped short of running and turned to Dunder.

"Sorry for...any trouble I might have caused you...Dunder..."

Then he continued trotting back to the enterance of the cave.

[Dunder]

Dunder was about to take off when he heard Ink say his name. Dunder only smiled at him, "You haven't caused any trouble. When you cause some real trouble, then you can be sorry." He said before trotting off, "Now go, be happy." He said as he walked off

[Winter]

Storm looked back to the other two ponies, "Haha, slowpokes. Glad to see you caught up." Storm gazed up at the moon, then back to the two pegasus ponies. "So... Now that we are out here, shall we explore, then?" She said softly, staring at them. "Who knows what we will find?"

[SirShadowdeath]

"I guess we could, Miss Storm..." Inkblot replied. "Or we could sleep. But that...wouldn't be as much fun...would it?"

He smiled and stretched his front hooves out, and then looked to Corvus, then to Dunder, and finally back to Storm.

"So...I'm up for pretty much anything...I guess."

[Dunder]

When Ink mentioned sleep, Dunder couldn't help but feel responsible. Maybe they were more worried about entertaining him than sleeping? the thought made him cringe. "I'm up for anything." Dunder said as he sat down. He smiled.

[Winter]

"Well, I don't know... you two do seem awfully tired..." Storm teased. "I'm always up for fun, so let's go exploring a little more. It can't hurt, right? I mean, after all..." Her words trailed off as she began to walk into the trees surrounding the cave. The forest sure was dark... Storm cringed at first, thinking of all the things that could be out here... She almost wanted to go back to the safety of the cave. She cleared those thoughts away with the thought that she was with two capable pegasus ponies. It would be fun!

[SirShadowdeath]

"No...it can't really hurt," Ink replied. "Adventure is always good..."

He took a deep breath and smiled in Storm's direction.

"I guess journeying through the Everfree...is definately quite the experience," he said with a small laugh. "I certainly wouldn't want...to give up on something as interesting as...this."

[Dunder]

"Alright.... Journey into the Everfree sounds good." Dunder said as he started to trot off. He followed beside Storm. "This will probably be fun. Unless we run into trouble...."

[Winter]

Storm laughed at Dunder. "Trouble? Out here? We already walked through here once and are okay, I'm sure nothing too bad can get to us. I mean-" A loud snap cut her off, seeming to come from the left of them all. She paused a moment, looking around there for the source of the snap she had heard before resuming. "I mean... We all have wings. If something bad happens, we can all just fly away, right?" She walked through the woods with dapples of moonlight shining down from clear patches in the trees above, as did the rest of the landscape, giving it an eerie type of glow. "It sure is nice out here at this time... Dark... Mysterious... A bit pretty..."

[SirShadowdeath]

Inkblot trailed behind Storm, catching as many glimpses as he could of the mysterious forest. Observing it awe, he observed anything he could. Trees, animals, and terrain landmarks never went unnoticed by his eye. As he trotted along, he called out to Storm and Dunder happily.

"I'm...sure nothing will go wrong...it's already been a good night...I'm sure it'll continue on like that..."

[Dunder]

"We can't be too sure. This is the Everfree where manticore's and ursa's come out at night." Dunder said as he glanced out into the dark trees. "But, whatever you guys want. I'll go with you."