Chapter Thirteen

> Stalking prey was a delicate process, requiring complete concentration. You would never catch your prey unless you made absolutely no noise
> Even the slightest noise, the smallest rustle, the tiniest snap of a twig…
*SNAP*
> Yeah, like that
> You throw your head back and groan in frustration
“Seriously, why can’t you just leave me alone?”
>“I told you,” Gilda replied from behind you, “I owe you a life debt. Griffon honor and all that.”
“And your griffon honor demands you follow me everywhere I go?” you ask, annoyed that she broke your cover again
> “No,” she replies, grinning, “It’s just funny.”
“We’ll see how funny it is when there’s nothing to eat tonight.” you snap back as you continue walking
> “Oh please, calm down dweeb. I could catch something to eat within an hour. I am the top hunter around here after all.” she bragged.
“Oh yeah? Since when?” you call back.
>“I did bag that elk before those wolves showed up. Or did you forget that little detail?” she taunted.
“Hmmm… I think I was too busy killing four of the five wolves and hauling your sorry ass all the way back to camp to notice.”
> Gilda stammers for a bit, struggling to find a decent retort
> “I distracted them.” She finally says
> You open your mouth, about to press the advantage in your verbal sparring, when you hear something on the edge of your subconscious
> You freeze in place, trying to pinpoint the faint noise
> Gilda’s notices you stop, sensing the sudden tension in your form
> “What is it?”
“Shh!” you hiss, “Do you hear that?”
>Gilda cocks her head to one side, listening intently
> “Yeah, I do. What is that?”
> The sounds are closer now, it sounded like footsteps.
> Or hoof beats
“Hide! Now!”
>You quickly climb a nearby tree, scurrying up into the branches
> If Gilda was surprised by your sudden outburst, she didn’t show it. She leaps up with a powerful flap from her wings, landing in the branches beside you.
> You find a good vantage point and silently wait, the hoof beats getting closer
> Your breath freezes in your chest as the p0nies come into view
> They’re royal guards, you would recognize those white coats and golden armor anywhere. There are three of them, two standard p0nies and a unicorn
> What where they doing here? The last time you saw any guards was weeks ago, and those were always pegasi.
> They never sent in search parties on foot, it would be too slow and there was too much land for them to cover. It was completely infeasible to try unless…
> Unless they narrowed down where to look.
> The fillies from earlier! Of course they would tell the other p0nies what they saw. Even if their direction were vague, the trail you tore running from Big Mac was so rough anyone could’ve followed it.
> You silently curse. Your camp was well hidden, but it wouldn’t be long before they found it if they were already this close.
> The guards pass without noticing you. You wait a few minutes to make sure the coast was clear before dropping to the ground
> “What was that all about? Scared of a few p0nies, anon?” Gilda teased, gliding down from the tree.
“Those guards were looking for me” you explain flatly, not in the mood for banter, “I’d rather not get caught.”
> Gilda seems genuinely shocked
> “Wait, hold on. You’ve got the Equestrian royal guard on your tail?” she asks, incredulous.
> “Well, you must be more badass than you look. So, what’d you do? Arson? Thievery? Piss in some noble’s cereal?”
“I ate meat in front of Princess Celestia”
> Gilda stares at you, stunned. Her mouth agape and jaw moving slowly up and down
> “Wow, are all humans that stupid? Or is it just you?”
“I don’t see how you’re being so passive about this.” you retort, “Won’t they execute you too?”
>“What for? I haven’t done anything. Well, they don’t have proof I’ve done anything” she clarifies
“What about the fact you eat meat? That’s all the reason they needed to try to kill me”
>“Most p0nies don’t even know griffons exist.” She explains “Even when they do meet one, it never occurs to them we might eat meat. They just assume we don’t.”
> That was news to you. You assumed she was living out here as a fugitive like you.
“So if the p0nies aren’t after you, what’re you doing out here?”
> “I just like it out here.” She shrugs, “What about you, how did you escape?”
> The memories of your imprisonment and Twilight’s mental invasions still haunted you. It wasn’t something you liked to think about, much less discuss.
> Besides, you don’t want to incriminate Rainbow Dash, you owe her that at least. The less people who know about what she did the better.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
>“Alright jeez. No need to go all emo on me.” Gilda said, holding up her talons “So, what’re you going to do now?”
“I don’t know really,” you reply, “Probably just find another place to hide.”
>“Why not leave the country? You know, get out of Equestria?
“And go where exactly? I doubt the p0nies anywhere else would be more tolerant.”
> Gilda scratches the underside of her beak with her claw, thinking
> “You could go to Gryphonia.”
“Gryphonia?”
> “Yeah, Gryphonia. The land of the griffons. I was born there. It’s past the northern mountain border of Equestria”
> You start to warm up to the idea. A nation of griffons wouldn’t have a problem with another omnivore. And the more distance you put between you and Celestia the better.
“Alright, how far is it?”
>”Well…” Gilda replies, suddenly sounding unsure, “It’s about a solid three weeks flight from here…”
> You heart sinks. You could only hope to cover a fraction of the distance a flier could per day, even in the best of conditions.
> Plus, you would have to work through the terrain. Crossing rivers, working through forests, not to mention avoiding towns and roads…
> A three week flight would end up being a multi-month trek
> You sigh in resignation, it was still better than staying here
“Lead the way.”