Hollowed Ruins (Dunder, Andifferous, Winter, Sturmmann, and Phil the Time Wizard)

[Dunder]

Dunder glanced back at the griffon female, she was still talking. This time something about treating the diamond dogs the same and fairly, making sure they didn't rip each other's heads off. The diamond dogs all looked like they were ready to lay their weapons down and do what their griffon masters told them. He knew that if they had to fight, they wouldn't put up much of one against both the griffons and diamond dogs. They needed to make a decision now. He turned back around to the ponies.

"The way I see it, it'll be nearly impossible if we try to go through the front and out where we came in. We fell down too far, and only two of us can fly. I'm also not going to be the hero and be left behind if I don't need to." He said before thinking some more. He was distraught that Winter hadn't said anything, his opinion could have been a deal breaker, but he couldn't ask and wait for a response from the stallion. "We can't wait here too long, going through the front is suicide and staying behind to try to make the diamond dogs and griffons fight is too risky if it doesn't work. We need to slip away, hopefully Dusty can navigate us out and maybe away from the danger. These tunnels can't be too small." He trotted after midnight to get his stuff back.

"Midnight, you and me are staying in the back... if they try to catch up, Winter and Dusty will help Muggo' to not run on his bad leg. You and me are staying in the back... if anything gets out of hoof, leave me behind." He said casually. "Alright, everypony, move out." He said while pointing a hoof at a nearby entrance to another system of tunnels.

[Andifferous]

Dusty nodded at Dunder's orders. That female gryphon obviously had a way with words, which was bad. Still it was time to make their escape. "Okay.... here goes.." He said softly, taking a deep breath before charging into the cave, leading the way. He kept a sharp eye on his surroundings, trying to take paths that led uphill. He tried to think back to his books, trying to remember any situations like this, but with all that was going on it was difficult to focus on old memories.

"Guys keep an eye out for any signs or markers... anything to say where we are.." he said over his shoulder. So far he hadn't seen anything like that around this cave, but there had to be something... he hoped.

[RarityDash]

Leave him behind? The selfish order of a leader facing a desperate situation. One she had once been quick to give. It had been part of her orders on the pivotal day. If things turned south in the fight with the hydra, her squad was to pull back and let her hold the threat back. In her case, this order wasn't followed and a single pegasus hadn't pulled back with the rest. Her life was exchanged for that of another, and she was left feeling shattered and empty. How would she react with the tables turned, facing a similar order and one involving a pegasus who had done nothing but remind her of the one from her past?

After a second of thought, the answer became immediately clear to her.

"Quit the dramatic talk. Nopony is getting left behind here," she said to Dunder as she moved along with him in the back of the group. "All of us are coming back from this. Anything less than that isn't even worth considering."

It was clear. She'd been through much worse than this and come out alive. This was nothing. She stayed back, her weapons at the ready to defend her group with all she had as they tried to find a new exit.

[Snowshoe]

Muggo' Ale nodded at what Dunder said. "Don't ya worry 'bout me none, b'y. Me leg's not banged up that bad. I can probably take the splint off." he said. It wouldn't be ideal but at least he could run on it if need be. He grinned. "I've been through worse, trust me." he said. And with that, he let Dusty charge into the cave, looking back at Dunder. "If ya stay behind, I'm draggin' ya by yer tail." he said simply, thumping the pegasus gently on the foreleg with his hoof before charging up behind Dusty to get their show on the proverbial road. "Train's a movin', Winter. Starn in gear there, b'y!" he called out to the pegasus. He took a moment to stop at the mouth of the cave, grinning at the fight that was probably about to start, then ran after Dusty.

"Don't get us lost now, b'y. I got me a bar to run." he teased, looking around for any indicators at all. If he had his knife, he'd be able to mark things off in the stone, like where they were, but they would just have to find some other way of marking that. He couldn't really look back due to the tight confines of the cave, so he trusted the others were behind him.

[Winter]

"Yessir!" Winter responded to Dunder before bounding off after Muggo', who had, for some reason, said something about trains. He'd have to ask him about that later. Winter moved himself close to the stallion so he could be ready to help at a moments notice. Running on a bad leg wouldn't be good for anyone in this situation. He could wind up hurting himself more and start running even worse... or not at all. The rockiness of the tunnel didn't look like it would be too fun to run in either. A random rock could stick out anywhere and wind up hurting somepony. Winter decided to watch his step extra carefully. Though he was a pegasus, Winter did enjoy the tighter spaces provided by the cave. It gave him more obstacles and surfaces he could use to his advantage in case he needed a quick escape.

[Dunder]

Dunder smiled as Midnight spoke to him. He barely knew her and she was already willing to take his side if things turned bad. Something more had to be behind it, he wasn't sure what, though. Anyway, she felt confident enough to stand up and tell him to quick his dramatic talk, though it was a serious thing. "I'm not hoping I will need to get left behind, just if it happens.... You all are my responsibility anyway." He said, and it appeared he was doing a bad enough job with all the injuries with the exception of her. He hoped it didn't change.

He was interrupted when Muggo' hit him lightly with a hoof. Dunder was on edge, so he jumped and backed away from Muggo'. "Drag me by my tail and I'll go to your pub and spit in your ale!" He teased back before following, he galloped beside Midnight and behind Dusty, Muggo, and Winter as they made their way through the tunnels. It seemed like they didn't know where they were going, he just hoped Dusty knew what he was doing.

Meanwhile, the griffin glanced around the front cave for the ponies and they all were gone. She tried to keep herself calm even though she was furious on the inside. She pointed at the cave where they had obviously made their escape, it being the only on she was out of line of sight with. "Go! Now! After the ponies! Whoever brings them back gets a pay and food raise! Go! Now!" She commanded them. They did her bidding, all of them chasing after her and the two other griffins behind.

[Andifferous]

Dusty's mind was racing as he let the way at a full gallop, pausing only for an instant or two when he wasn't sure which direction to take. He had realized that the slope of the ground could probably be misleading, and apart from a few chipped stalagmites there were no markers around to keep track of where they were. He could hear the shouts of pursuit, which meant there was no time to slow down, and try as he might he was starting to panic a little. Having nothing else to go on he ended up judging their direction by the smell in the air, trying to navigate toward cleaner smelling air, and away from the natural dank musk of stale cave air. He really, really hoped it was working and not just getting them more lost.

[RarityDash]

Midnight gave a shake of her head at Dunder's response. That wasn't quite good enough from where she stood.

"And I'm saying you shouldn't even leave room for that possibility when--" Midnight spoke, but cut herself off at the interactions between Muggo' and Dunder. She smiled a little. That was the sort of spirit she needed to see from Dunder. There wasn't anything left for her to say. If the leader kept bright, facing ahead, Midnight had confidence there would be no room for defeat to even be an option here.

As the group began to run, Midnight could hear some of the faster diamond dogs gaining on them. They needed to get out, and quick! She looked toward Dusty; he looked a little lost and unsure. She really hoped he could do this and find them a way out, and before the entire pack of pursuers descended upon them.

"They'll be upon us any second now," she said, as she looked back to see dogs not too far behind them. "If we possibly can, we need to move faster."

[Snowshoe]

Muggo' Ale heard the pursuit behind him, and at the same time, got inspiration from the lack of pain in his leg. Either he hadn't injured it that bad, or the injury had healed. He moved as best to the side of the tunnel as he could and stopped. "Keep runnin', I'll catch up! I got me a plan!" he called out to the others, working quickly to untie the rope that held the log to his leg as the makeshift splint. He quickly tied the rope across the way between a rock and a stalagmite. If all went well, their pursuers wouldn't see it and trip, causing a pileup that would delay them. To add to it, Muggo' bucked the piece of wood down the tunnel, hoping it caused some confusion. With his little plan complete the Earth pony took back off, running hard to catch up to the group again. He did, but was now their rear-most guard, unable to get back to his old position in the line.

"Keep us goin'!" he managed to call out in between breaths. He was breathing hard from the exertion, but being an Earth pony, he had enough stamina to probably outlast his companions at the pace they kept running.

[Winter]

Winter struggled to keep up with the other ponies as they fled through the dark cave. It was very under lit so Winter had to constantly scan in front of him for any debris or jutting rock he might have missed. He was surprised when Muggo' started to pull off to the side of the tunnel and got ready to bring him back up to speed before realizing the look on his face. Muggo' had a plan and a smiling look of mischief on his face to match. Winter decided to focus back on himself, the older stallion clearly had his own well being perfectly under control. Winter was taken by surprise when he saw Muggo' start to catch back up with the group, this time his leg bare of both wood and rope. Winter laughed aloud with joy to see the old pony that had previously been injured running now with them like he was of youth and full of energy.

[Dunder]

Dunder took off, in the back, a little behind Midnight and to her left. He kept his wings tight on his body, the last thing he needed was to agitate his broken wing more or possibly break the other on a stalagmite. After all, even if he got into a fight, he'd still need his wings for better balance. With one or both out, he might not be able to compensate. No way he'd tell Midnight, though, he knew that she would react very deeply knowing if Dunder was in some pretty exceptional danger in a fight. Not that he planned on getting in one anyway.

As Muggo' started to get behind, Dunder stopped. He looked back at Midnight, "Keep up with Winter and Dusty!" He said waiting for the pony, getting impatient as the earth stallion was setting up this trap. Dunder couldn't argue, not now at least. He was just standing there, himself turned and impatient, ready to leave. He knew the diamond dogs were coming. The earth stallion was back to running, "Are you sure you're okay running on that sprained ankle?" He asked before glancing back. The growls and snarls of the dogs were just around the dark corner of the cave, he kept watching to see the dogs fall over in a pile on Muggo's trap. "And that was worth it, good thinking." He said to Muggo' giving him a quick pat on the back with a wing.

Dunder and Muggo' caught back up, "Alright, they'll be occupied from Muggo's trap for a bit, we need to collect ourselves and think about where we are going. Dusty! Slow down!" He called to the front.

[Andifferous]

Dusty slowed his gallop down to a trot, to allow the others to catch up to him. He panted a bit, looking about the dark caves nervously. He was definitely worried now, and despite his efforts to hide it and appear calm, it was starting to show through. He had to admit to himself at this point that he had no clue where he was going; true the air smelled a little fresher and less dank, but there didn't seem to be any other changes, the caves were still dark, and still no markings anywhere. Every turn he took seemed the same as the last, and in his memory it was all a jumbled mess. There wasn't enough detail to take in to tell any of it apart; for all he knew he'd been leading them deeper into trouble.

The pegasus slowed to a halt in the cave, looking at the rock walls around them.

"I... I don't think I can do this." he said quietly, "I have no idea where we are."

[RarityDash]

Midnight did as ordered and ran ahead as Dunder oversaw the trap Muggo' set. Midnight was impressed. Her fellow earth pony had come up with a stroke of brilliance with this trick. While, that was of course in the case that he really didn't need the splint any longer. Abandoning it if his leg still needed it would be a mistake even if the trap had worked.

At Dunder's call to slow down, Midnight again did as told, coming to a halt. She glanced to the rest of the group and gave a faint nod. Dusty's subsequent expression of doubt came as something of a hard blow. That was unacceptable. Midnight stomper her hoof in frustration. They simply could not allow this cave to beat them.

"The second you start actually believing it is the second we fail," Midnight spoke with quiet intensity. "Believe in yourself and its possible! Only you can guide us out of here. All of us... we're counting on you to pull through."

[Snowshoe]

Muggo' Ale felt a shooting pain up his leg for the first few steps, but it quickly faded, telling him whatever injury he had wasn't permanent. He was pleased to hear a howl of confusion and pain from down the tunnel...obviously his little trap had worked.

He stopped at the call and let out a snort to help clear his lungs a bit. Dusty spoke up, saying he didn't think he could get them out. Letting Midnight speak her piece, the Earth pony thumped his shoulder lightly.

"B'y, we're not askin' ya to find us a way out. We're tellin' ya to find us a way out." he said. He said it not in a mean way, but in a way that implied that they all knew Dusty could get them out, he just had to lead them.

"Ya got this, b'y. Take a few deep breaths an' let's get back. We haven't changed course yet, the dogs'll figure this out simple as pie."

[Winter]

Winter stared confused at Dusty as he slowed and stopped. Just moments ago they had been running what seemed full speed away from the diamond dogs. Was he tired already? As Winter got closer he heard Dusty say he didn't have any idea where they were. This was terribly disheartening news; he was the navigator! If he couldn't do it, nopony could. After Midnight and Muggo' gave their bits, though, Winter felt confident Dusty would be able to build up some confidence and get them out. "We have hurt ponies, Dusty, and you are the only one that can get us out. I'm sure you can do it." He said to the pony, hoping it would help him focus and give him the will to straighten out his memory and get them all out of these tunnels. Though the rest gave Winter and the others a small chance to rest, he still knew they had to get moving soon. He could hear the dogs' trundling steps getting closer and closer.

[Dunder]

Dunder sighed. The point of them stopping was to collect their thoughts, not for this pony to give up and lower the morale of the group. How he approached Dusty giving up would determine how badly the morale would be hurt, at least he thought. He was mildly surprised but ultimately glad to hear the other ponies still had confidence in Dusty. Dunder would just have to choose his wording carefully to make sure he didn't collapse what the other ponies had built up for their doubtful navigator.

Dunder took a few more deep breaths before speaking, "Yes, Dusty, we know you don't know where we are. None of us know where we are, that's why you are getting us out of here." Dunder said, somewhat flatly. "But get up... we need to move out again. I can almost smell the diamond dogs getting closer... Down that cave, there!" He said while pointing a hoof down one of the off chutes of the small clearing they were in.

Meanwhile.... the diamond dogs and the griffons were all getting back on their feet. The trap had disorientated the dogs' simple minds after they all collapsed upon eachother. The griffons were originally leading the group, so they got several armored diamond dogs of weight on them. And of course, they were all a little annoyed at eachother and the ponies, but they didn't take off just then to persue.

[Andifferous]

Dusty took a deep breath and nodded. Everyone giving their encouragement helped a bit.

"T-thanks everypony. I.... I just sort of panicked a bit there." he said. "I think I just need a minute to try and re-gain my bearings." he looked around, re-tracing the steps in his head from outside the mountain. "This mountain is practically a sponge with all these caves inside." He paused as Dunder pointed.

"Dunder, wait a minute." he stated as the leader was ready to move down another tunnel. If his suspicions were correct though, that would just lead them deeper underground.

Looking at the various paths they could take, he pointed toward the one that, by the map he'd put together in his head, should lead them toward the base of the mountain, and that much closer to the surface. "This way." he said, a little uncertain, but starting down it. At the very least it was at a near perpendicular to the direction they had been going, might throw their pursuers off a bit.

[RarityDash]

Midnight had been happy to work alone since the incident that had been the end of her military career. Even before that she had never been much of a team player and certainly not the sort to start some sort of rallying call to improve morale. The years and the hardships of her life had evidently changed her somehow, for at that moment, she couldn't be more happier to see the team come together as one to support and encourage the young pegasus, and convince him to believe in himself.

As Dusty not only snapped out of it, but took the reigns in leading them through the caves once more, she had to smile. She had confidence in him. She had confidence in all of them to escape that place with their lives and find the surface once more. As Dusty began to run in the direction he pointed, Midnight followed a little ways to the back, ready to protect the group if need be.

"Good. Let's continue onward!" she called out, pressing the group to get moving again.

[Snowshoe]

Muggo' thumped Dusty lightly on the back. "Great work." he said once he'd pointed out another direction. It might have been the wrong one but at least it got them going. He trusted in his companion's sense of direction however, and soon they were off and moving again, down the tunnels away from the sounds of the griffons and diamond dogs. He'd been pleased that his trap had worked as effectively as it did to disorient and delay their approach, but they still had a ways to go...and while the ponies had the advantage in these tunnels, he didn't want to mention they'd have to outrun griffons once they got outside...griffons who could fly likely much faster than they could run.

He didn't bring it up though. No need to scare his companions.

"Aye, let's keep it movin' along. I got me a bar to run." he said with a chuckle.

[Winter]

Winter rustled his wings in anticipation as he ran through the underground labyrinth with his companions. Eventually they would make it out and he'd have to use them. Griffons were fast, but he was confident he could be just as fast if not faster. He was a racer just as much as an adventurer; he had been a flyer his whole life, after all. Maybe him and Dusty could create an air-born distraction for the griffons once they got out of the caves. Winter made a mental note to toss the idea to Dunder once they made it out. He was confident they could make it. Even with a few wrong turns, they were a resourceful bunch of ponies.

[Dunder]

Dunder looked surprised that Dusty just denied an order and corrected him. He grinned, "Alright, lead the way." He said to Dusty. It was probably better that he denied the order anyway, Dunder hardly knew which was was up in that Celestia forsaken cave. He never rally appreciated how lucky he was Dusty was there, without him they'd be lost for sure.

He was glad to see the other ponies moving along fine. Except Winter, he was being pretty quiet. Dunder gently bumped him with a hoof. "C'mon. Go ahead with Muggo' and Dusty. Midnight! Get close to me." He ordered before they all took off.

The griffons and Diamond dogs came to the same fork in the cave where the ponies had just been. The female griffon could be heard yelling at the diamond dogs for not being faster.

[Andifferous]

Dusty could hear the shouting echoing down the caves from behind them, which meant the gryphons and 'dogs were closer than he thought. He wasn't entirely sure, but he thought he could hear sounds coming from up ahead too. That could either be very good, or very bad depending on what it was. He very much doubted that he'd led them around in a circle, but maybe another group had taken another path and was trying to cut them off?

"Guys I think there's something up ahe-Whoah!"

He cut off abruptly, hooves skidding in the soil and stone as he ground to a halt. The tunnel had rounded a sharp bend and abruptly cut off as it joined with a much larger cavern. The tunnel emerged about halfway up the wall of the cavern, with a steep but navigable rocky slope down to the cave floor. More pressing was the issue that this seemed to be the main chamber of the mine. Small groups of Diamond Dogs were all about, some lounging about in neglect of their guard duties, others digging at various parts of the cavern, working to unearth more gems. Thankfully none of the gryphons were in here, and judging by the slow pace and relaxed guards, news of their escape hadn't gotten here yet.

"Huh." He said quietly, taking all of this in, eyes playing over the chamber, before they fixated on something in particular. A very battered rusty old minecart, sitting at the end of a set of rails. The tracks meandered off into the shadows of another cave.

"I think I found our ticket out of here." He said, a grin forming on his face.

[RarityDash]

Midnight was kind of surprised when Dunder stopped her and encouraged the others to go ahead. Interesting? Did he intend for the two of them to fight some of them off while the others continued to search for an exit. Not a bad plan. If they could buy Dusty time he just might be able to find a working escape plan, and if they could pick their spot in the tunnel, they'd hold a terrain advantage on the approaching dogs and griffons. She nodded to Dunder and stood her ground.

"At once," she said dropping back and getting close with Dunder. "Ready to fight as hard as you need me to, Captain!" she replied in a voice echoing a more youthful her, still in service.

She meant it too. As the gap closed and their pursuers neared, she was nothing but prepared to fight every last one off is she needed to.

[Snowshoe]

Muggo' looked around the cavern they'd emerged into, nodding a bit. This was...unexpected. They also had to get going, quickly, before their pursuers caught up or somehow word was sent to this group ahead of them.

He spotted the minecart just as Dusty did, nodding. "If ya can get me hooked up to it I can get us enough momentum to get goin'." he explained. It would be tough, but not impossible. And it seemed a lot of the track went downhill, so all he'd have to do is run with it for a bit to get it up to speed, and hop in with the rest of his group.

"Question is, how do we get past the dogs? Quiet as can be?" he asked, looking back at his companions. They had to think quickly, before those shouts started to echo into the chamber and alert anyone.

[Winter]

Winter stared between Muggo' and Dusty down at the dogs in front of them before glancing back to Midnight and Dunder. It seemed the front of the group would be devising an escape plan while the back was formulating a strategy on how to hold of the dogs a little longer. It seemed everyone had an important role to fill. Everyone, that is, except him. He tried furiously to think of a way he could help. He couldn't fight, that much was sure. Therefor, he focused his attention on planning a way to get past the diamond dogs ahead without alerting them of the escape. It was what Dunder had told him to do, after all. Nothing he thought of seemed to be of use, though. Sliding down the hill and making a run for the cart was nearly out of the question, as the dogs would almost assuredly notice them, even if their work really was extremely distracting. Neither would making a run for it with the more combat trained ponies on the side fighting the group's way through. Although... maybe, just maybe Winter did have a workable idea. "Muggo', Dusty, I think I know a way to get through this. I don't think you are going to like it, though... I could fly through and distract the dogs long enough for the rest of us to get to the cart. Then, after one of you calls out or gives some sort of signal, I could race after you. Since the cave here is more open, I could probably fly around... And I'm guessing that the mine cart tunnel is pretty open too. I am pretty sure I could out-fly these diamond dogs any day."