A Chance Rescue in the Forest

29 December 2014

06:09 Inky finds a sleeping Serilde and lays down next to them.

06:10 Serilde snores softly, clicking her beak as she snoozes.

06:11 Inky squirms to lay against the larger gryphon, using her for warmth out in the wilds. She falls asleep herself, and is still asleep when the gryphon wakes up.

06:16 Serilde stirrs from her sleep a little early as the sun begins to beat down on her, adding to the unnatural warmth against her feathers. Blearily she opens her eyes, rubbing them with a talon before looking over to see what was up against her...only to notice a pony.

06:20 Inky still snoozes, her eyes squinted shut against the sun. The purple pony shifts a little in her sleep, one of her fangs poking out of her mouth. A gust of cold wind blows by, and the smaller equine shivers in the cold.

06:22 Serilde snorts at the bat pony, a little irritated that she'd curl up next to her, and even more irritated at herself for not noticing her. The griffon gets to her feat and trots around the pony, examining her for her belongings.

06:25 Inky curls up reflexively as the source of warmth at her side is removed, allowing the wind to blow over her. She wore a simple pouch slung over her shoulder, and a pair of deep lilac saddlebags that she was curling around now.

06:29 Serilde leans down and takes the strap of the pouch into her sharp beak and clips the strap, making a face as the taste of the old fabric, before pulling it off of her and begins to rifle through the contents.

06:34 Inky 's pouch contains only two things, a notebook and a pen. The notebook was full of scattered notes and jotted down thoughts, the last written page mentioning something about needing a sturdier cloak. Upon closer inspection, the tattered remains of a cloak could be seen clinging to the bat pony's neck.

06:39 < Inky> Serilde:

06:42 Serilde sighs as she empties out the pouch to find nothing of note, not even a bit and tosses the bag and its contents back down agains the pony before turning her attentions to the saddle bag. She steps closer, her feet brushing against the batpony's fur as she opens up the bag, leaving it where it lay in the center of the curled pony.

06:48 Inky stirs as the gryphon's claws brush her fur. Serilde catches a glimpse of thin books, provisions, and some simple-looking stone jewelry before the bat pony moves to cover it. She blinks awake in the sunlight, taking a moment to realize the gryphon is rifling through her stuff. "Hey, that's mine!"

06:51 Serilde growls at the mare and shoots her a glare. "I was mearly taking my payment for you intruding on my space in the middle of the night. Since I wasnt awake to negotiate a price, I figured it was only fair that I do likewise."

06:52 Serilde reaches a sharpened claw down to try and shove her off the bag.

06:55 Inky curls up around her belongings protectively, hugging them to her chest. "I was cold and tired! I found your lean-to and couldn't walk and further!" The mare holds her bags tightly, resolute despite the sharp claw prodding her.

07:03 Serilde huffs and snatches away the bag she dropped instead. "Well then, if you wont let me have something from there, maybe I'll just keep this instead. I hope that notebook of yours inst too important."

07:07 Inky uncurls and jumps to her hooves, standing protectively over her saddlebags. "Why should I give you anything at all?" Her wings flare out to make her seem slightly more imposing, and fiddle with her mane. "That has no value to you!"

07:15 Serilde keeps the bag grasped in her tallons, putting small holes where her claws gripped the fabric. "Well...maybe not," she responds with a devious laugh, "but it seems like its got quite a bit of value to you. So...what was spending the night in my space, curled up next ot me worth?"

07:19 Inky looks at Serilde, her brows furrowed. "It didn't cost you anything! Why do you want something?" Her wings stop fiddling. "Just a kindness from one traveler to another!"

07:25 Serilde clacks her beak and takes a step closer to Inky, stretching her neck up to seem taller. "Because I did all the hard work, and you piggybacked off of it. Because I had to wake with a strange pony pressed against me. Thats why." She stares Inky down with a feirce expression on her face.

07:30 Inky is completely unfazed by the gryphon's intimidating appearance, looking up at her with bright slitted eyes. "Of course! But you don't have to try to steal from me," she says, then smiles in the face of Serilde's fierce expression. "I'll do you a favor in return! You just have to ask!" The bat pony holds out a hoof for her belongings. "Can I have my notes back?"

07:34 Serilde clutches the bag to her chest as Inky stretches her hoof out and shakes her head. "Thats not how it works. Its a trade. What will you give me for them?" She responds, tail flicking back and forth listlessly.

07:39 Inky blinks, looking confused. "It is how it works," she says. "Those aren't yours to trade with! You've done me a favor, and I offer one in return! But those aren't part of it," she says, pointing at the pouch held to Serilde's feathery chest. The bat pony takes a step closer, still smiling despite the gryphon's demands.

07:48 Serilde flares her wings out to look even more imposing, the feathers brushing against the sides of the shelter. "Well no, but you already stole a service from me, and now wont let me decide whats fair for such a thing. So now I'll hold this little book randsom until you do."

17:26 Inky tilts her head at the gryphon. "I was freezing cold and tired! Surely you understand!" Her muzzle turns up in a bright smile as she looks up at Serilde, not phased at all by the gryphon's flared wings. "What kind of favor do you want? I'm good at lots of stuff!"

18:32 Serilde sighs as Inky approaches her with an offer, folding her wings and putting her talons back on the ground. "A hooful of bits is fine, or the equivallent. That's all I'm looking for. That seems fair for a nights shelter."

18:38 Inky 's ears flatten, the first time they'd done so during the whole encounter. Her wings fiddle briefly before returning to her sides. "Oh," she says, turning to her saddlebags. "I don't have many bits, and I would like to keep them if possible..." The bat pony rummages around in her bags and pulls out a small coin pouch. "Could I pay you with a service instead?" The mare shivers, her wings having lost some of her heat into the cold air.

19:04 Serilde clacks her beak together several times with a disaproving stare. "And what sort of service would you think I might need that you can perform? I dont know what you can even do well..."

19:05 Serilde shakes out her feathers and takes a seat infront of Inky, now knowing she has the situation under control.

19:10 Inky looks up at Serilde, her ears perking back up. "Well, I can see in the dark! And I'm good at keeping watch!" She rubs her muzzle with a hoof. "I can repair books, and paint things, and do little crafts if you need something mended!" The bat pony points at the pouch still under the gryphon's talons. "Can I have my stuff back?"

19:17 Serilde casts a glance to her own large pack at the side of the hut, filled with most of her important personal belongings. She then casts a look down at the bag in her talons and hands it over to her. "Fine...but you better not run off." She pauses for a moment while she thinks, "Can you fix a tent

19:33 Inky takes the pouch back and frowns as she sees that the strap was sliced. "Hey, you cut the strap," she says, her ears drooping. "I'll have to mend that too." She tucks it into her stuffed saddlebags, before looking curiously at the gryphon's large pack. "Um, so your tent ripped, you said?" She gets up and walks hesitantly towards the pack. "Where is it?"

19:45 Serilde rolls her eyes and heads over to the bag, begining to dig through it. "You'll probably have to mend those holes in the pouch too," she snorts. After a brief search, she pulls out a wad of canvas and heads outside to lay it out. "Well, here's the tent." It was a dark green canvans tent that looked like it was just big enough to hold 2 ponies comfortably.

19:51 Inky 's ears droop momentarily at the mention of her damaged neck pouch before Serilde starts laying out the tent. She hops over, looking down eagerly to inspect the damage. "Oh, I see! That little fiddly bit that holds the pole tore clean off!" She bounds over to a pack that she'd hidden behind Serilde's and digs out a sewing kit. "Do you have any repair material?" she says, muffled around the pouch in her mouth. "I can fix it without it, but it'll be better if I can patch it."

19:59 Serilde shakes her head with a frown. I dont see why I'd carry around repair material when I wouldnt know the first thing about getting that repaired in the first place. But, if you think you can mend it long enough to get to the next town, then I consider that good enough for me."

20:11 Inky nods and pulls out a spool of heavy thread before bounding back to the tent. "I can definitely do that!" She sets out her equipment, a pouch of needles and pins along with the thread. The bat pony has trouble threading her needle, though, shivering in the cold wind. "I-I wish I h-hadn't l-lost m-my cloak," she says, teeth chattering.

20:43 Serilde ignores the bat ponies chattering and fluffy her feathers, suddenly looking a lot more cuddly. "Ya... It's getting towards the end of autumn isn't it? Soon enough I mat have to break out the cold weather gear."

20:48 Inky nods, still struggling to thread her needle. "Could I b-borrow a coat? Can't s-sew while I'm s-shivering..." She keeps stealing glances towards the cuddly looking gryphon, wishing she could bury herself in those fluffy feathers to warm up.

21:21 Serilde sighs and turns to head back in. "I suppose you can borrow it while you sew..." She walks inside, grumbling, "Anzu, these ponies need to grow a winter coat or something," she grumbles.

21:42 Inky shivers in the cold, her tail swishing over the frosted ground to curl against her rump. There were the remnants of a dusting of snow on the ground, blown by the wind into tiny drifts. "Thank you," Inky calls after the gryphon. "Oh! How could I forget," she says brightly, "I'm Inky! What's your name!" Despite the cold, the young bat mare's face has a warm smile as she waits for Serilde to return.

21:44 < Inky> *name?

21:50 Serilde returns momentarily with a leather cloak, lined with the fur of some animal draped over her shoulder. The fabric had a heavy fall to it to it leaving it fairly steady as the griffon moved. In one of her talons she clutched a clawful of jerky. "Just Don't tear it OK? The names Serilde.

07:29 Inky puts her needle and thread down before trotting up to Serilde. "Serilde? That's a neat name! Never heard one like that before!" She pulls off the remains of her old cloak while she waits for the gryphon to give her the cloak. "I thought mind was in better shape than it was," she says, her ears flattening. "It tore away while I was flying last night."

07:30 < Inky> *mine

07:39 Serilde pulls the cloak off her back and sets it down unceremoniously on the batponie's head, the cloak falling with a womp and draping around her. "Ya...well...you can use this one while you're busy fixing that tent." She gestures back over to the tent before taking a large bite of her jerky. "Well...how long are you gonna take?"

07:57 Inky collapses to the ground under the weight of the cloak, her front half disappearing under the furs. She flails around, making the cloak squirm, until she manages to get her head to pop back out, ears perked up. "Thanks! This is super warm," she says, bundling herself up. "We don't have so many furs up north." She hefts herself up and wobbles back over to the tent, sitting down for a minute to warm up before she tries to get started sewing again. "It'll be maybe half an hour," she says while she warms up. "Where are you going?" the mare asks in a friendly, conversational tone. "Also, whatcha eating?" The bat pony had never seen jerky before, and had no idea what it was.

08:12 Serilde snickers to herself as the mare collapse to the ground under the fabric, shaking her head, taking another bite of her jerky. "Ya, its pretty needed when you're leading a caravan though some of the pretty harsh weather up north. Furs are quite the export from Griffon territory. " She paces up and down beside the tent impatiently as the mare does her work. "I'm on my way south back towards Equestria, looking for my next caravan to guard. And this is just some jerky, want some?" She asks, offering a stick. "What are you doing out here so unprepared anyways?"

08:27 Inky stops shivering and threads her needle, then sets to work repairing Serilde's tent. She has to tighten up the cloth to get unripped parts to sew into, and the work is not the prettiest, but it'll hold. "I'm heading towards Equestria too! Oh colt, that means I can travel with you for a bit!" She looks up at the gryphon, beaming. "What's jerky? Sure, I'll try some!" The bat pony sets down her needle and grabs the stick of jerky, chomping it and trying to tear off a chunk. She's surprised by the toughness, and chews it thoughtfully. "Really salty," she says around the meat. "And... yech... never tasted anything like this before..."

08:51 Serilde cringes at the thought of the careless mare traveling with her, especailly since she has already shown a penchant for ignoring personal space. "I...I suppose you can...as long as you dont get in the way or anything...You do know a bit about about traveling right?" She asks, not very hopeful about the response. "Jerky is dried salted meat, it makes pretty good food on the go...and I think this pony takes really great~" She responds with a smile, "But...if you dont like it, more for me~"

08:59 Inky nods enthusiastically, still chewing the jerky. "I know tons about traveling! I've read a lot about it!" Her voice is a little muffled by the meat. The bat pony swallows before continuing. "I have food and all my stuff, and at least until last night, I had a nice warm cloak..." Her eyes widen when Serilde tells her it's pony, as the mare was about to take another bite. "Wh- But-" she sputters, before realizing she was probably joking. "Oh, very funny! What is it really?"

09:12 Serilde frowns deeper and sighs, shaking her head. "So...I take that as a no, you dont really have any experience doing things out here on your own. Why in Anzu's name would you not just go with some group that can actually keep you safe out here . It is dangerous out here by yourself..." The griffon breaks out into laughter at Inky's flustered expression, laughing for a couple moments before finally regaining her composure. "Oh, your right, its not really pony, just rabbit jerky. Still pretty tasty though."

09:21 Inky frowns at the implication that she can't take care of herself. "I can take care of myself just fine!" She stamps her hoof. "I don't need some group to keep me safe! That's why I'm going to Equestria anyway, to get away from that stuff!" The mare pulls the jerky away from her mouth, eying it oddly. "You mean... this is rabbit? Eugh..." She holds it back to Serilde. "We don't eat that!" Her ears fold down.

09:36 Serilde huffs and crosses her talons. "Oh? Just like you didnt need to cuddle up again last night in /my/ shelter to keep from freezing to death? The wilderness doesnt care about ponies or griffons. Its not like you're terribly optimised for travel anyways, what with your inability to keep heat with those strange wings and your night eyes," She rants, before taking another bite of her jerky. "Well, you obviously do. I mean, I saw you swallow a couple bites right there. And if you're gonna travel with me, you'll have to get used to it. I didnt pack many green provisions. They dont keep as well."

09:45 Inky 's ears fold down further and she scuffs at the tent. "Well... I would have been fine if I had my cloak," she says in a softer voice. She pulls the cloak tighter around herself, as though to hide her wings. "And our wings are just fine!" The bat pony had been squinting in the sun and tries to hold her eyes fully open, her pupils thin slits in the bright sunlight. "And hey! I packed plenty of food," she says. "At least another day or two! It's not too much further to the border, is it? I figured I could graze a bit on the way." She looks around at the frosted grass. "There's... some stuff!"

10:06 Serilde rolls her eyes, shaking her head, still thinking that bat ponies are a silly race, but isnt in the mood to press the issue. She then looks pretty serious at the mare with a frown. "You packed for only a few days? Really? You do know that its still a couple days to the border, and then from there another couple of days to the nearest town. Please tell me you brought more than that..."

10:10 Inky blinks. "Wait, the border town isn't at the border?" She stares off into space for a few moments, then smacks her forehead with a hoof. "Oh, right! ...whoops." She gives the gryphon a sheepish grin. "Well, uh, I better get back to fixing your tent!" The mare throws herself back into her work, her ears angled out with embarrassment.

10:25 Serilde sighs and shakes his head. "Well...I mean yes...there is a town on the border...but thats a not along the way to where I'm headed. Thats another day's journey to the west if you're heading that way. And yes, please get that tent fixed up...." Serilde finishes up her jerky and nods at her. "Well...I'm going to take a flight to stretch my wings, havnt done that this morning. Maybe get some fresh meat."

10:34 Inky nods, holding fabric pins in her mouth. "I'll fix the tent", she says, a bit muffled. She gives Serilde a wave, then returns her attention to the damaged tent.

10:46 Serilde gives a couple heavy beats of her wing, the powerful muscles rustling in the air as she takes off. She circles the camp several times, watching the bat mare, before taking off out of sight. About an hour later, the griffon circles back into sight, landing in front of Inky with a bloody pigglet clutched in her talongs. "So...hows the tent?" SHe asks, nonchalantly.

10:51 Inky has fixed Serilde's tent and her pouch in the meantime, and she now wore it around her neck again, under the cloak. "The tent's fine," she says, turning around and rearing back with a start as she sees the bloody piglet. "Ack! What's that for?"

11:14 Serilde carries the piglet in her claw as she makes her way over to pack. She wipes her free talon on the ground to clear off the blood before digging for a piece of cloth, which she then subsequently wraps the piglet up in. "Its dinner. Its cold enough that it will keep till the evening. Fresh meat is much better tasting than provisions. And if you dont like it, I suppose you can feast on all this lovely dead grass."

11:19 Inky shudders and shakes her head. "No thanks, I'll manage somehow," she says, leaning down to take a bite of the frosty grass. She tries to conceal her look of distaste as she chews it. "Anyway, the tent is fixed." The bat pony heads over to her back and hefts it on over the cloak, clearly intending to continue wearing it while they traveled. "Ready to go?" she asks Serilde cheerfully.

04:23 Serilde casts inky a doubtful look and takes the tent, packing that and her couple of other supplies in her bag before holding a claw out to inky. I need my cloak back. Gotta pack that away too before we head out.

04:28 Inky blinks, taken aback. "But... I need something to wear, especially if we're flying!" She tries to arrange the gryphon sized cloak to get her wings out from under it, but can't manage to keep it out of the way. "But I guess it's too big anyway..." The bat pony shucks her pack and starts gathering up the cloak, taking too long for Serilde's taste. She tries to suppress a shudder as she sees the blood soaking through bits of the wrapped piglet, but it's still noticeable.

04:46 Serilde snatches the cloak off of Inky's back as she starts to pull it off and swiftly tuckes it away. Seriled pulls the pack onto her back. strapping it around her chest before attaching the piglet to her chest strap. "Well...I guess you'll have to deal till we make it to town, because I dont think I have anything that would fit a pony. Anyways, are you ready to head out? We should be flying hard enough to build up a sweat in no time."

05:04 Inky squeaks in surprise as the gryphon yanks her cloak back, stepping back several paces. Her hooves crunch into the frozen grass, and her breath fogs the cold air as she breaths hard. "O-Oh okay, miss Serilde," she says, shivering from the sudden cold after the warmth of the cloak. "I'll be fine." The bat pony slips on her saddlebags, then her backpack, tightening the straps that held them in place before making a few test flaps with her wings. "I'm ready!" The eager mare jumps into the air, wanting to prove herself to the gryphon.

05:13 Serilde hops into the air after her, having to take a running start in order to lift her heavy load on her back. The griffons body droops from teh weight as she circles above the camp to gain height, finally stopping her ascent about 5 meters above the nearest treetop. She waits for Inky to rise up next to her, shooting the mare a reassuring smile. "Alright, ready then?"

05:20 Inky nods vigorously, her bun keeping her hair out of her eyes as the wing tousles it. "Yep!" She flaps up near Serilde, and starts to fly off. In what might be surprising to the griffon, she actually heads the right direction, or at least within a few degrees. "Hey, Serilde," she asks as they fly, "who's Anzu? You kept saying their name earlier!"

05:56 Serilde flies off after Inky, soon picking up in the lead, only altering course slightly. "Well, at least you seem to know the right direction..." She mutters, before perking up as Inky begins to quesiton her. "Oh...Anzu is the goddess who created the griffons. A long time ago, an enagle and a lion fell in love, and it was through her magic that they were able to have offspring." The griffon has a smile on her face as she recouns the old tales of her people.

06:08 Inky nods, paying rapt attention to the griffon as she tells her the tale. "Oh, wow! That's neat! I've never heard any griffon legends before!" The bat pony swoops around Serilde with excitement, before resuming her level flight and panting a bit. "I've tried to study our own legends about the first bat ponies, but nopony seems to agree on anything..." Her ears flatten briefly, ruffling in the wind, before perking back up just as fast. "I've never met a griffon before, you know! They never come this far north! What's it like?"

06:27 Serilde rolls her eyes at the mares sudden burst of energy and says snarkily, "Well, if you've got that much energy to throw around, I suppose we can pick up the pace a bit." The griffon snorts as Inky explains, responding, "Well, if my race was created by some evil pony to take over my country, I probably wouldnt want to talk about it either. Anyways, we live this far north, just very far west of here, beyond the crystal kingdom..."

06:35 Inky frowns at the griffon's snark. "Hey, that's only one of the possible theories!" she says defensively. "Most of the information I could find said that hypothesis was too implausible; there were too many bat ponies in the great migration if they were really such a new race."

06:52 Serilde gives Inky a sidelong glance and shakes her gead. "Well...it seems to be the most common theory I've heard in all my travels, and I've been to many of places. And from experience, the most common theory seems to be the right one. So, I'd say just embrace your demon magic heritage."

07:01 Inky 's ears flatten again. "We're not demons," she says forcefully, unintentionally baring her fangs. "That's rude! And I've done my research, okay? There were hundreds of us that left Equestria after the banishing... that's way too many to just conjure up!" She snorts and shakes her head. "Let's talk about something else!" The darkness clouding Inky's face vanishes in a flash. "What is it like where you're from?" she asks, trying to change the subject.

07:58 Serilde shrugs her shoulders, and gives an unimpressed laugh as inky snarls. "Well...there's nothing wrong with being demon spawn...It doesnt make you evil or anything like that." She shakes her head at the sudden change in topic. "Well... what do you want to know? Its a society just like anywhere else. With a king and everything."

08:05 Inky shrugs. "I dunno, like... I wanna know everything!" Her eyes sparkle with curiosity, the bat pony's muzzle split in an eager grin. "Like how does your succession work? What are your families like? What do you eat? All that kind of stuff!" Her questions come interspersed with her breaths, the bat pony having to work harder than normal to keep up with Serilde.

18:22 Serilde sighs and shakes her head at the barrage of questions. "Well...its just a hereditary Kingdom, when the king dies or steps down, all of his sons if age can challenge each other for the throne. Though... The laws are generally proposed by a council of Representatives from each of the clans. Everyone's family tends to live under the same clan... But usually just core families live under the same roof. And you already know what we eat...meat and some plantstuffs. "

21:58 Inky nods along eagerly, her excitement letting her ignore the cold wind biting into her fur. Her winter coat wasn't nearly enough to keep out the chill, though she did at least have her hat and scarf. "That's a lot like us," she says brightly. "Your clans sound like our own noble families!" The bat pony can't keep herself from making a face as she says that, but it passes quickly. "Hey Serilde, what's it like guarding caravans," she starts to ask, before suddenly perking up, her eyes widening despite the biting wind. "OH! You've been to Equestria a lot, haven't you? What's it like there?" The bat pony seems somehow even more enthusiastic than before, if that were even possible.

02:38 < GyroTech> Oh...havnt added Serilde to my nick list yet

02:38 < Serilde> ya I had...I'm just blined

02:49 Serilde sees her makes a face and shakes her head amusedly. "Well no...nobles are just a select elite family right? Most of the griffons in a particular clan are related through blood or law. Caravans are usually boring...but occasionally we deal with bandits or the errant creature. THey cant really move fast enough to get away, so we need to diswade what ever bothers them. And, equestria is irritating...its so hard to get decent meat down there. Why are you on your way that direction anyways Inky? You look a little young for this."

02:58 Inky shakes her head. "No, the noble families will have like... Control over little villages and such. It sounded kinda like your clans, but yeah, they're not all related." The bat pony frowns at Serilde's description of Equestria. "Is that really all you care about? That's so silly! What about the ponies? What are they like?" The mare looks a little put off by the question about her age, but she puffs out her chest and puts on what she thinks is her most determined, adult look. "I'm not young! I'm 18! And I'm going to go live there!" she says proudly.

03:06 Serilde snickers as Inky puffs out her chest and shakes her head. "Well...maybe so, but you still seem rather ill equipped for dealing with traveling alone. Do you even know what you're going to do once you wind up in Equestria? I'm definitely not going to babysit you once we get there."

03:17 Inky wilts temporarily, and an ill-timed gust of wind almost sends her tumbling. The bat pony recovers quickly and shakes her head. "I'll find something to do, don't worry! I'll... help out in a library, or something! It'll be fine," she says with the confidence of youth. The mare struggles a bit more to justify her traveling experience, and ends up staying silent on that.

03:23 Serilde shakes her head at the display and even more at her plan, but it was far too late to stop the batpony now, even if she cared. Serilde relishes in the silence as they fly, glad that the mare has finally decided to shut her yapper for the moment, having stopped answering questions.

03:34 Inky flies in silence for a few minutes, the cold starting to get to her. Only the warm sun on her wings kept her from being completely miserable, but some clouds on the horizon lent a poor outlook to that. After almost fifteen minutes, she works up the courage to start another conversation. "Serilde," she calls, "why do you work as a caravan there?"

04:28 Serilde flinches as the peaceful silence is suddenly broken once more by Inky's insessant questions, sighing visibly. She pretends to ignore the question for a bit before finally answering, "Its something to do...Keeps me busy and puts food on the table. Plus, the traveling is nice. I'm not too fond of settling down anywhere."

04:34 Inky blinks and tilts her head at the griffon's response, but doesn't understand her body language. "Oh, okay! But why do you work in Equestria if you don't like it so much?" she asks, sniffling in the cold.

04:37 Serilde snorts and shakes her head. "Do you not know what a caravan guard is? I work here, I work in equestria, I work at home...Its just that I dont have any contacts in Noctania that can land me any work, so I'm going to the nearest place, which happens to be in equstria. Enough questions though, lets focus on flying."

04:38 Inky shakes her head. "No, I mean why do that when it'll take you out of the griffon kingdom? It doesn't sound like you like it that much!" The young bat pony looks taken aback at the suggestion that she stop asking questions. "But--" she starts.

04:42 Serilde turns to look over at Inky with a glare. "I dont feel like answering any more questions right now. Anyways, you should be trying to work out what you're going to do once I finally leave you to your own devices. Did your parents even approve of you leaving?"

04:43 Inky looks down at the leafless trees passing by below them. "N-" she starts, ever honest, before switching to a defensive "That's none of your business!"

04:49 Serilde stares at her, narrowing her eyes at the mare. "No? So then you're basically running away from home then? No wonder you're so ill prepared...You're probably not even actually eighteen are you? Or...maybe eighteen isnt the age of majority in this country..."

04:52 Inky glares back, her slitted eyes squinted against the light. "I am 18!" she yells back, "I am a mare!" The bat pony shuts up after that, this line of questioning apparently one of the few things that would silence her.

04:57 Serilde frowns back at Inky as she goes off on her, suddenly feeling much less comfortable about having her as a traveling companion, lest she get her into trouble. "You know...maybe we'll head to the border town after all...it is closer..." The griffon changes her direction by about 20 degrees to be rid of her sooner.

05:04 Inky 's eyes widen. "Nono," she pleads. "No, we can't go there!" The mare sighs, and shivers, dropping five feet before catching herself. "Brr... it's so cold," she says, sniffling. "Please, I'll... I'll explain?" she offers.

05:07 Serilde keeps up the new direction, frowning as Inky struggles to stay aloft. "Well...you can convince me. But for now, I'm keeping this direction. You're starting to sound a bit like a fugative with your begging...I'm not getting involved in politics am I?"

05:13 Inky veers slightly towards the original direction, trying to get Serilde to change back. "My parents," she starts, panting a bit. "They think I'm a disappointment. I want a fresh start, and I've always been fascinated with Equestria!" The bat pony shakes her head. "I'm not a fugitive. I don't think they're looking for me... but ponies in that town might know who I am, and I don't want to risk it."

05:17 Serilde follows Inky with her gaze, but figures that she'll follow along if she doesnt change course. "If you're not a fugitve and nopony is looking for you, then why does it matter who knows who you are. Seems like a good place for you to get supplies and an actual travel party at least."

05:20 Inky 's mouth twists. "I... I don't want to take advantage of it. I want to prove to... to myself, that I can succeed without them. Y'know?" She keeps veering back, the gap between them widening.

05:28 Serilde continues flying in that direction until it gets to the point that Inky gets out of earshot. She glances over a couple times at Inky, and huffs, turning back and speeding back over towards teh mare, lest Inky get herself killed being out there alone.

05:31 Inky looks back to see Serilde turn and follow her and smiles. "Oh thank you," she says, "thank you so much!" There's another worrying dip in her flight, and the griffon can almost see Inky shivering. "C-Can we stop for lunch?" she asks, locking her wings out and starting to glide down.

05:36 Serilde glances up to see the sun dipping down past the noon mark and nods at her initially before scowling as she starts to descend. "Yes, but not right here. Dont you see the creek about a mile in the distance? Might as well get some water while we're at it."

05:40 Inky blinks and shakes her head, her concentration so devoted to keeping her wings pumping that she hadn't noticed it. "O-oh, of course," she says, flapping back up with some effort. The bat pony's condition deteriorates quickly as she forces herself to push further, the mare visibly shivering as they glide down to the stream. When they land, she almost collapses, her legs shaking and teeth

05:40 < Inky> chattering.

06:05 Serilde winces as Inky drops to the ground, standing over her. "Well, come on, get up and eat. You're going to need that energy for keeping warm and flying some more." The griffon hefts off her back, digging through one of the side pockets fro some stale bread and a wedge of cheese, which she procedes to squish onto the loaf. "Look, I know you may not feel like its my business, but since you would die if I left, you should tell me everything, so I know what I'm getting myself into."

18:21 Inky looks up at the griffon, her legs steadying, though she was still very cold. The mare shakily starts to root through her saddlebags, until Serilde's words sting her defiant spirit. "I w-wouldn't die," she starts to protest, teeth chattering once, before another shiver rocks her body. The bat pony looks like she still might deny it for a few seconds, then wilts. Tears well in her eyes, and the bat pony sniffles. She slowly walks towards Serilde, head hung low and staring at the frozen ground. "P-please," Inky mumbles, as she approaches the griffon and tries to press up against her, "I'm cold..."

18:39 Serilde tilts her head at Inky's protest, as if to say, "Really?" before nodding as she finally admits her folly. The griffon shudders and begrudigngly fans out her wing so that Inky can snuggle up under it. "Yes...but only because you'd die otherwise and I'd feel terrible about it. Once we get you some actual gear, dont expect this to ahppen again." She explains, pulling the mare close.

18:46 Inky gratefully steps into the griffon's wing, hugging the larger traveler and burying her face in her feathers. She takes a while to respond, still recovering from acknowledging her own mortality. The bat pony is cold to the touch, and her tears roll off of Serilde's oiled feathers. She manages a quiet "thank you", though she doesn't make eye contact and her ears are folded flat against her head.

18:57 Serilde shivers as she feels the chilly mare leech the warmth from her body and looks around at the clearing and sighs. "Maybe we ought to just break for camp for the day...you're absolutley freezing...cant have you turning into a popsicle on me. The last thing I need is to need to carry around a frozen chick..." She keeps Inky pressed up against her as she digs for her thick cloak once more, draping it over Inky.

19:09 Inky droops more, suffering a temporary bout of self-pity. "Sorry you have to put up with me," she mumbles. But even even downtrodden like this, optimism was too ingrained in the bat pony's mind for her to stay that way for long. Serilde's resigned sympathy, as though to a filly, was enough to kick her out of it. "I'm not a filly!" she protests, some heat coming back into her voice. "Honestly!" The bat pony pauses, and lets out a small sigh. "My birthday was last week. I thought it would change stuff... but it didn't." As she warms up under the heavy cloak and the griffon's feathery wings, the determination returns to her voice. Her head vanishes from sight to poke through her saddlebags, popping back up with an apple in her mouth and a feed biscuit in her hoof.

19:23 Serilde sighs and pulls her wing off of Inky, trudging through the cold snow, gathering a couple branches that had fallen off the trees and putting them into a pile. She then strikes up a firestarter, struggling, until finally the alight. "You're somthing like 10 years younger than me... and are way too inexperienced...You are very much a little chick to me. Now come, gather round before you freeze to death."

19:36 Inky sighs as Serilde calls her a chick again. The bat pony gathers up the cloak around her and makes her way over to the fire, munching on her biscuit on the way. "Let me start at... well, I'll give you a summary." She stuffs the rest of the ration in her mouth chews it slowly, mulling over how to tell her tale. "My parents always thought of me as a disappointment. It's... it's not important why," Inky says, wincing at some recalled memory. "But... they're important ponies, and and that became who I was. The pony who couldn't." She looks up at Serilde, her yellow, slitted eyes hard. They reflect the dancing light of the fire, mirroring the resolve burning inside the mare. "So I left. I won't let that control me," she says. "I refuse to be defined by my failures!" She stamps a hoof to punctuate her words.

19:49 Serilde sighs and sighs and settles down near the fire as it emits out its lifegiving heat. She lingers for a bit before returning to her pack, pulling out the tent as Inky begins to explain her plight. , shaking her head at the explanation. "Even still...you really should not run away like this...especially if you hadnt prepared, nor had the blessing of your parents. You need to do things the right way, instead of just running away. It wont solve anything."

20:42 Zuthal (watches intently)

20:49 Inky nods, and looks down at the ground. "I know," she says, reaching out and scuffing at it with a hoof. "It was just... if I waited any longer, there was no way I could make it before spring." She sighs. "I tried the 'right' way! I waited 'till I was of age! Look where that got me!" The bat pony shakes her head and looks up to see Serilde taking out the tent. "Wait, what are you doing? We can't stop here," the bat pony says, warming herself by the fire. "I won't have enough food to make it if we only travel for half a day. Just let me warm up and we can get back to flying!"

23:07 Serilde watches as Inky pulls herself closer to the fire, even she protests setting up the tent and shakes her head. "Ya, and look at you. You're absolutely freezing as it is. I somehow you have enough in you to fly more than a couple miles further. I probably have some food to spare...assuming I can keep getting finds like that pig earlier..." She doesnt, however, sound terribly confident in her hunting ability at present.

23:15 Inky looks at the sky, the sun already somewhat low despite the time. The days were growing short as they neared the winter solstice, and there were only a few hours of sunshine left. "I am cold," she admits, "but once I'm warm again, I can fly!" The bat pony looks at Serilde with pleading eyes. "Let me prove myself!" She grimaces and shakes her head. "I don't want to eat your meat!"

23:20 Serilde shakes her head and begins to pitch the tent after lookign up at the position of the sun. "We've only got one or two more hours of sun left anyways. And besides...I have some nonmeat provissions. And you cant prove yourself if you freeze to death. Quit worrying about proving yourself...you've already ran away from home in a terrible position and didnt follow the rules of your tribe in order to work your way out. I think you've proved enough what kind of pony you are."

23:39 Inky is taken aback at the griffon's harsh words, and goes quiet for a little bit. "I... what should I have done, then?" she asks, blinking back tears. "I'm an embarrassment there! And I... Serilde, what would you do if, if you couldn't do the thing you wanted the most in the whole world?" Her wet eyes shine in the firelight, the sun at her back.

23:57 Serilde stops halfway through as Inky explains, a breif look of sadness flashing accross her face. "What would I do? I'd become a caravan guard and work my way up in rank in some fake company for a plithing of honor instead of joining the guard since hens arn't allowed in the military, where the real honor is. Thats what I'd do." She responds solomly, before turning back to finish up the tent.

00:02 Inky stares at Serilde, open-mouthed, even after she turns to finish setting up the tent. "But... but that's terrible!" she squeaks out eventually. "That's a stupid rule! Why do they have that rule?" The bat pony's own sadness lay forgotten, her mind entirely focused on Serilde now.

00:10 Serilde finishes it up, moving her pack inside. "Its not terrible...Its just the way the world works. Tiercel's get to be in the military and tend to be in the ruling positions, and us hens are allowed to be most anything else...Its not terribly different in Equestria...the mares tend to be the ones in power. Same situation, different gender," she responds, sounding much more resigned than bitter. "Anyways...tent's ready."

00:18 Inky stares at Serilde, her ears drooping. "But... that's still dumb! I don't want to live like that!" The bat pony gathers up her borrowed cloak and starts to make her way over to the tent. The gray clouds that had been on the horizon earlier in the morning were rolling in now, promising snow tonight. "I think you should be true to yourself..."

00:27 Serilde sighs as she looks up at teh clouds. "Oh...what I wouldnt give for a team of weather pegasi right now she sighs, moving in after Inky. With their stuff in there, there isnt much room, leaving just enough space for the two to cuddle against each other. "You have to though...you have to play by the rules as they are established and work your way from there. And sometimes...that means settling for less than your dreams."

00:35 Inky looks up, too, and frowns. "That's way too many to clear out on our own," she says. She keeps looking at them, though, an idea percolating in the back of her mind. The mare turns back inside the tent and helps spread the cloak out on the ground for padding. Her sewing job creaks in one of the corners, but it holds. Inky looks at Serilde and shakes her head. "Not when the rules are out to get you. I'm done with ponies choosing for me." She thumps a hoof to her purple-gray chest. "I have to try."

00:44 Serilde waits impaitiently for the mare to finishes laying out the cloak, following in soon after, laying down on the cloak, still warm from Inky's body. "Well...you would have died trying if you hadnt found me...The rules arnt out to get you, even if they go against what you want. You just have to lower your expectations." She looks over to see the frozen pig still attached to her bag and sighs. "Well...if were camping I should probably fix up dinner..."

00:50 Inky 's ears twitch, but she steps up to Serilde and tries to nuzzle her chest anyway. "I am very glad I found you," she says.

00:55 Serilde pushes Inky away and undoes the pig from her pack. "Just because we're huddled together doesnt mean that I want your affection.

03:22 Inky merfs when Serilde puts her hard talon on her nose and pushes. She falls back on her rump and stares at the fur cloak. "Oh..." She sighs. "Anything's better than what I left?" she offers, but her words ring hollow even to herself. "No, I got lucky." The bat pony looks up to see Serilde removing the frozen pig from her pack. "I don't want to settle for something less... Serilde, are you happy? With what you did?"

03:32 Serilde gives Inky a quick nod as she head back out, frowning as it becomes apperent that the fire she'd started was too low to do anything with the pig. "Yes, of course I am. I've done the best with what I was given...even if the travel is tedious...and I still dont have a group under my belt..." She explains, lying a bit to herself. The griffon collects some more sticks, slowly building it back up to a raging fire.

03:37 Inky follows the griffon outside, glancing up at the gray skies. She picks up a few sticks and offers them to Serilde while she's building up the fire, trying to be helpful. "You don't SOUND happy," the bat pony says, in that irritating way that only youths have mastered.

03:47 Serilde huffs as she contniues to press the issue, feeling irritated at the mare for bringing up old wounds. "There is no point in crying over old descisions and things that can never be...I'm content enough with my life. Honestly the worst part is wehn the caravans I'm guarding happens to have eyass. Especially the ones who turn 18 and suddenly think they can take on the world and wont listen to their elders."

03:56 Inky nods along, tufted ears perked up to listen intently. "That sounds annoying!" she says brightly, before realizing that the griffon is talking about her. The mare's ears droop. "Oh. But... I listen to you," she offers. "And thanks again for helping me," she adds quietly. "I would have frozen without my cloak by now, if it weren't for you."

04:09 Serilde rolls here eyes and shakes her head, not that Inky can see her face. "Yes...which is why we're presently on our way to the border town instead of heading straigt south into equestria. It's your duty to work within your culture..." She begins to unwrap the pig, setting it down near the fire to defrost.

04:20 Inky blinks and perks back up with defiance. "What? No!" She gallops around the fire to where she can look Serilde in the eye, unafraid of her sharp, curving beak. "Maybe you're happy, living like that," she says, rearing and putting her hooves on the griffon's shoulders. "And maybe your decisions are old and set and you can't change now!" She presses closer, eyes beseeching. "But I'm not! Let me have my chance!" The bat pony stares at Serilde, her huge, watery eyes pleading with her. "I don't want to go back..."

04:25 Inky blinks and perks back up with defiance. "What? No!" She gallops around the fire to where she can look Serilde in the eye, unafraid of her sharp, curving beak. "Maybe you're happy, living like that," she says, rearing and putting her hooves on the griffon's shoulders. "And maybe your decisions are old and set and you can't change now!" She presses closer, eyes beseeching. "Maybe that's a griffon's duty... but I'm not a griffon! I couldn't be happy like that! Let me have my chance!" The bat pony stares at Serilde, her huge, watery eyes pleading with her. "Please... I don't want to go back..."

04:41 Serilde shakes inky off of her shoulders and glares. "See...exactly what I said, eyass who dont listen. Still...its not like I can very well force you to change your mind, hell even when I tried a different direction you'd rather go commit suicide out in the frozen wastes..." The formel creates a pile of smoldering embers fished out from within the fire's center and burries the piglet in them.

04:49 Inky stumbles back, staring at the ground. She scuffs a hoof in the grass where the frost had melted, and stays quiet. The griffon hadn't really answered her pleas, but she hadn't said no, either. An uneasy silence grows between the two as the small, purple pony takes the opportunity to graze on the damp grass. As though in response, snow began to fall from the heavy skies, in little flakes that melted in the heat of the fire.

04:57 Serilde sighs solomnly in the silence thats taken over the pair. The cracking of the fire and smell of smoke drifts accorss teh pair as the pig cooks in the fire. "I hope that enough grass is clearned for dinner..." She finally speaks, eagerly awaiting the meal of her own.

05:01 Inky wrinkles her nose at the smell of smoke and cooking meat. "There's... some," she says, looking from the ground to her emptying saddlebags. "I have another day's worth packed. Two if I stretch it, or can eat more grass tomorrow." Her voice is subdued, and doesn't have its usual cheeriness. For Serilde, it might even be a blessing, since it wasn't as bright and shrill as normal.

05:06 Serilde grimaces at Inky's dwindling supplies, shaking her head. "Well...its another three days or so to the place I'm headed...or probably a day and a half to that town just inside of Noctia's border that I was going to take you too. Maybe I cant hunt well enough to not have to cut into my own supplies..."

05:20 Inky 's ears perk up at the phrasing "going to", but she doesn't otherwise react. The bat pony continues grazing, slowly working her way around the fire. She considers what might happen if she runs out of food, musing over the idea of eating meat with distaste.

05:30 Serilde considers the situation in her mind and adds, "Well...I guess I'll go ahead and eat only my meats...that way if it comes to it...I'll have some bread and cheese for you..." Finally the griffon pulls the piglet out of the hot coals, letting more of the savory smell of cooked pork waft through the air. "Mmmm, dinner smells pretty good. You can have some if you want," She offers, before chomping down and tearing off a chunk of flesh.

05:43 Serilde considers the situation in her mind and adds, "Well...between your grazing and and the rest of my supplies...we might make it through, but you're going to have to get used to meat more likely..." Finally the griffon pulls the piglet out of the hot coals, letting more of the savory smell of cooked pork waft through the air. "Mmmm, dinner smells pretty good. You can have some if you want," She offers, before chomping down and tearing off a chunk of flesh.

05:45 Inky swallows her mouthful of grass and makes a face. "Yech... I hope not," she says, looking up at Serilde. "I'll pass, thanks," the bat pony says, wrinkling her nose as the smell wafts past her. She looks away as the griffon starts to tear into it, returning to her grazing.

05:53 Serilde swallows her mouthful and tears another chunk with a wet rip, swallowing that down in quick succession as well. "Well...you're not going get any of my blood when we run out of supplies. I need that."

05:55 Inky jerks back in shock, spitting out her mouthful of grass. "What?? Of course I don't want any of your blood!" The bat pony is blushing red, and her fangs are clearly visible with her lips drawn back in revulsion. "I just met you!"

06:01 Serilde stops mid bite, a bit of flesh hanging out of her beak as she turns to look over at the mare with confusion. She slurps it down, coughing, before replying, "You just met me...what?" She asks, clearly not accustomed to batpony culture.

06:06 Inky raises a hoof to block out the sight of the ribbons of meat hanging from Serilde's beak. She rolls her eyes. "We don't share blood for food," she says, explaining her culture for what would be the first of many times to come. "It's very... intimate."

06:11 Serilde sighs and fishes the ribbons off of her beak with her tongue. "Oh...really? I thought batponies just sucked blood left and right off of anyone willing...Well, point still stands, you're not getting any." She turns back to her meal eagerly.

06:15 Inky gasps. "No, we don't!" she says hotly, then hmphs and turns away. "Well I don't want any!" she calls back over her shoulder. The snow is falling in larger flakes now, and the sky grows dark as the sun nears the horizon behind the thick clouds. A cold wind was beginning to pick up too, whistling through the leafless trees. As it ruffles through her mane and messy bun, Inky glances over to the tent to make sure that it's actually staked down.

06:29 Serilde shakes her head and rolls her eyes, turning to her food to finish her meal. There's quite a bit of meat here and she wants to get it all down before going into the thent, despite the quickening snow fall. The griffon sits in silence, eating what remains of her piglet. The tent was sufficiently staked and weighed down with the bags inside, and didnt appear to be going anywhere.

06:34 Inky nods approvingly at the staking job, then sighs, looking out at the snow quietly falling in the forest. It was dark now, only the flickering light of their fire lighting up the surrounding trees. Nothing seemed to be moving out there, not to her eyes and not to her ears. After a few last bites of grass, Inky shakes herself off and trots into the tent. She makes sure to knock the snow off her hooves before stepping inside -- the bat pony had been camping before and was no stranger to snow. Once inside, she curls up in the center of the cloak, feeling very alone.

06:37 Serilde takes about half an hour to finish her meal, ending up eating the whole carcass, bone, fur and all, before trotting back to the tent. She pulls it open to see Inky in the dead center and wedges herself between the mare and the tent, shoving her over against the bags.

06:39 Inky 's eyes blink open when she feels Serilde touch her, only to be rudely shoved against the bags at the edge of the tent. "Hey... don't take up all the room," she protests, trying to crawl back onto the cloak.

06:40 Inky 's eyes blink open when she feels Serilde touch her, only to be rudely shoved against the bags at the edge of the tent. The mare yelps, ending up in a tumble of limbs. "Hey... don't take up all the room," she protests, untangling herself and trying to crawl back onto the cloak.

06:43 Serilde was pressed up against the side of the tent and had left about a third of the space of the cloak for the mare to lay on, but it would be tight and snuggly, much to Serilde's chagrin. "Sorry...didnt mean to push you quite that hard. And I think its going to be pretty tight in here. You're gonna have to be comfortable against me."

06:49 Inky crawls back up to Serilde, though she avoids pressing too close to the griffon. The mare can't help but eye the flecks of blood dried on her beak and talons. "Great," she says, still unhappy after the abrupt end to their conversations earlier.

06:58 Serilde punches up part of the cloak into a pillow and lays her head down on it, pleased that the mare wasnt bothering too take advantage of the fact that they had to cuddle. "Well...you could sleep outside if you prefer...but then you probably wouldnt wake, especially in this snow."

07:02 Inky bunches up her own section of the cloak and flops her head down on it, rolling to face away from her tentmate. She can't avoid her back pressing into the fuzzy curve of Serilde's cat half, though she couldn't deny that she appreciated its warmth. "No... I'll stay here, thank you," she says begrudgingly. The bat pony suddenly stiffens, her ears perking up. The only faintest image of her silhouette would be visible to Serilde in the darkness. Inky almost thought she heard a distant roar, but after listening intently for a while, dismissed the thought and settled back down. Only the quiet sound of snowfall surrounds their tent as she tries to get some sleep.

07:10 Serilde slowly drifts off to sleep next to the batmare, glad that she had finally quieted up for the night. Maybe if she was lucky, the pony would even listen to her advice in the morning, though she didnt really expect it.

07:21 Inky couldn't sleep. The mare wasn't dead tired like last night, and felt the prickling cold seeping in through the tent walls. She tosses and turns, trying to find a comfortable position to stay warm. She looks at the griffon, and lets out an annoyed sigh when she sees the larger creature is asleep. The mare lays back down and does her best to sleep. Half an hour of minor adjustments later, she finds herself huddled up against the griffon's feathers, hugging her for warmth, and yet she was colder than ever. She pings the griffon again, to see that she was still asleep, and the hairs on the back of her neck prickle. The canvas walls of the tent... they sounded different. Inky reaches out a hoof to find them covered in frost. A creeping frost, progressing down the walls and towards them, on the cloak. The mare blinks, then yanks her hoof away, shaking it to get off what little frost had crept onto it. "Serilde!" she hisses, rolling back towards the griffon and shaking her. "Serilde! Wake up! Serilde!"

07:25 Serilde startles awake at the shouting, quickly getting to her feet in the darkness, accidentally knocking into Inky as she scrambles. She reaches a claw to her side to grab for her pack, but ends up scraping her talons against Inky instead. "Whats wrong Inky?" She hisses, finally finding her pack and grabbing the lantern that hung on the side, lighting it.

07:26 < Serilde> Eerie shadows dance dance across the walls in the flickering lamplight as the griffon aproaches the tent flap to peak out.

07:31 Inky yelps in pain when the sharp talons gouge her side, a little trickle of blood oozing out from three parallel scratches. She grits her teeth and pushes forwards, beating Serilde to the exit in the darkness and pushing against the tent flaps. The griffon's lamp reveals their tent walls coated in white frost, the ice crystals slowly creeping towards the cloak on the ground. "Windigo!" she says, keeping her voice low. "We need to *leave*!" The tent flaps had already partially frozen over, resisting Inky's strength, though the thin ice was weak enough for Serilde to break.

07:40 Serilde blinks in confusion initially, before noticing the ice creeping onto the tent. She strikes the freezing flap, shattering the ice to rush in and grab their bags, tossing them out. "Wendigos? I thought those were just from some silly pony story..." She responds, acting quickly, but yet, at the same time, making sure to grab all their equipment and tossing the cloak over herself.

07:49 Inky hops outside, motioning Serilde onwards. "Leave that stuff! They are quite real," she hisses, "and if we are lucky, it hasn't noticed us. And is actually alone." The bat pony waves a hoof frantically at the griffon's lantern. "Turn that off!" There's still a stinging pain in her side, but she doesn't pay it any attention, adrenalin letting her ignore it for now.

07:57 Serilde twists a nob on the lantern, causing the fire to quickly die, and hooks it back on the pack. "No, if we leave this stuff we /will/ die of exposure. Now get that pack on and we'll get out of here," Serilde hisses back at Inky, situating her pack on her back and trudging forward in the cold snow.

08:09 Inky had already trotted halfway across the clearing by the time Serilde tells her to put her pack on. Before the light winks out, Serilde can see Inky dripping crimson spots in the snow. She looks back to her pack, and the griffon struggling with her own pack, and slows, considering going to get it, before an unearthly whinny echoes through the trees. "No," she hisses, "they'll be there in the morning, if we get away. If we don't..." The bat pony lets the unfinished sentence hang in the air. Whatever phase the moon was, it didn't matter, the thick cloud cover blocking out almost all light. Inky was just a blob of shadow when she reappears at Serilde's side, urging the griffon onwards. "Take your cloak," she whispers.

08:15 Serilde shivers in the cold as she struggles with the pack, moving, but not having it situated well enough to go very fast when she gets within earshot of the mare. She turns to argue before hearing the noise again, reluctantly letting the pack slide off her back and into the snow. "They wont destroy it?" She asks, wrapping herself up in the cloak as she leans against Inky, the mare obviously able to see better in the dark than she can.

08:21 Inky shakes her head. "No," she whispers, then grunts as the larger griffon leans on her. "Covered in ice, probably." She starts walking towards the edge of the clearing, leading Serilde with her. "I can't talk while... seeing, so I'll be quiet. Just hold on, and be quiet." The bat pony's left side was sticky with something warm, but there wasn't time to worry about that in their rush. The mare leads her away from their campsite, weaving around trees in the darkness. "Slash some trees," she hisses, forgetting the griffon couldn't see the trees to begin with.

08:34 Serilde leans against the mare enough to keep a feeling of where she is as she leads her through the grove. "Alright, sure thing..." she says, following silently. She frowns at the slick warm liquid on her feathers, getting a little bit of an idea of what that came from. The dark cold silence lulls her into a bit of a trance as she walks, startling as Inky hisses at her. "Umm...its pitch black...I cant see squat..."

08:40 Inky stumbles occasionally in the supernatural cold, but presses onward, knowing if they fall here they'll be easy prey. "Right," she whispers, "well... just hope we can follow our tracks back." The mare feels like she has a stitch in her side, but she refuses to slow down. For another ten minutes, she leads Serilde onwards into the night, finally stopping when she comes across another clearing. "We might be far enough away now," she says, panting for breath. "If we weren't arguing today..."

08:50 Serilde feels her shivers as they walk and flares the cloak out to cover both of them, trying to keep her guide warm in the blackness. When they finally stop she pulls the mare close, huddling for heat in the freezing elements. That is, until Inky speaks. "If we weret arguing today...?" SHe then remembers the legends around them and pulls away, causing the cloak to slip off the bat pony, and glares in her general direction. "Oh...so this is your fault that we have to deal with these things. If you had just listened to me and let me take you to the border town, then maybe we wouldnt have had to fight so much."

08:53 Inky squeaks softly as she feels the cloak pulled off her, the biting cold rushing back in immediately. Her eyes widen in the dark. "No! Don't--" she starts, but she's too late. An unearthly howl sounds in the distance, and the wind picks up around them. "Now it's found us for sure!" The bat pony sighs. "Alycone preserve us..." She scoots forwards and throws her forelegs around Serilde, wanting to feel her warmth again.

08:59 Serilde freezes as she hears the howl, turning her head back towards the sound. "See? This is what happens when you dont listen to your elders. Now lets move again before you get both of us killed."

09:02 Inky shakes her head slowly. "It knows us now," she says, "and we can't outrun it." The bat pony tries to get to her hooves, but a shooting pain in her side puts a quick end to that plan, and she lets out a yelp of pain. "Ah! My side!" The bat pony takes in a shaky breath. "There's another way, maybe," she says, as the wind swirls around them. "The fire of friendship..."

09:15 Serilde feels Inky collapse and reaches down to help her get back to her hooves, giving her a body to lean on. She then snorts at the mare, shaking her head. ""Fire of friendship? What? I've only known you for 1 day, and that was when I caught you sneaking into my bed. I dont think what we have is a friendship here. Just begrudging aquaintances. Now...get on me and direct me I guess..."

09:23 Inky leans heavily on Serilde, breathing hard. "It might work," she protests, but does her best to climb onto the griffon's back. Her side no longer burns, feeling numb. The bat pony squirms under the cloak, sighing at the brief respite from the biting cold, and rests her head on the griffon's neck. "Okay, turn right," she says softly. "If we change direction, maybe we can lose it." The bat pony helps guide Serilde around some trees, telling her when to veer right and left to miss them, though it's slower going than when she was leading. "Think about that friendship thing, though," she says weakly, after there's another louder howl, sounding like some combination of a wolf's howl with a horse's whinny. "I know... I know we don't see eye to eye about stuff. But if we can put that behind us, maybe we can get it to work."

09:33 Serilde grunts as the mare climbs on top, following her directions as best as she could, though occasionally she bumps into a tree with a grunt and stumbles blindly in the snow. The process is slow going and painful, but they continue to make thier way. "Well...how do you propose we do that? I dont really know you enough to consider you my friend..."

09:41 Inky pats the griffon's neck. "Neither did the ponies in the legend," she says. "And you cared enough to help me, even though you thought I was annoying..." The wind had been steadily increasing in force around them, and a spectral neigh reinforced that their pursuer was closing in on them.

09:55 Serilde sighs and flattens her feathers as she's patted, feeling a little worried about their present situation. "Well...how do you propose that we activate this fire of friendship or whatever? And are you sure that that is actually even somethign that would work?" She asks, skeptically.

10:04 Inky slides down from Serilde's back, leaving her feathers feeling sticky. The cold is like a knife in her side, but she stumbles in front of the griffon and prods her talons with her hooves. "Hold my hooves," she says, sitting down in the snow.

10:14 Serilde feels the mare slide down off her back and turns to face her in the dark. Sitting in the cold, she grabs hold of Inky's hooves as instructed, with a sigh. "Well...now what then?"

10:29 Inky scoots closer to Serilde. "Just... talk about... stuff," she says. "I wouldn't have gotten this far without your help, Serilde." She leans forward to rest her head on the griffon's chest. "I'm sorry for prying into your history earlier, I just get really curious and stuff." The bat pony waits for her companion to speak, huddling closer to her as the wind whips around them. She can 'see' something circling above the trees, but chooses not to mention it.

10:37 Serilde sighs and pulls the cloak off her back to bring it around the both of them. "Even if I think you're being stupid, running away like this, you remind me of myself when I was younger, irrationally idealistic. And...I'd hate for anything to happen to you before you come around."

10:47 Inky smiles, feeling warmer already as more than just the cloak helps to drive away the supernatural chill. "I hope I don't have to come around," she says, "but thanks." The younger pony gives Serilde a weak squeeze. "I know you just want what you... what's best for me. I just want to try for myself. Make my own mistakes. So.. thanks for helping with that; it's more than what most ponies back home did." The griffon could feel the warmth too, though if she looked up now, she'd see the glowing blue eyes of the windigo as it circled above their heads. The spectral horse couldn't close in on them for some reason, and though ice had started to creep up their legs, its progress had halted.

10:58 Serilde returns thw squeeze with a faint smile in the darkness. She shivers as the chilly ice creeps up her legs, achoring her in her spot. "I know you dont want to...but it will happen. It took me a couple years to get things sorted as well. Just remember...your family is important and they care about you. Just remeber, you're my eyass until we get to Equestria, so pay attention."

11:09 Inky sniffles and nods. "I'll write them letters," she says. "I promise. And maybe I'll go back someday." She buries her muzzle into Serilde's chest feathers, and so doesn't notice at first when the two of them are limned in a faint, pink glow, pushing the unnatural cold away. The circling windigo certainly notices, though, and screeches its frosty displeasure at them. Inky starts and pulls back. "It-it's working!" she gasps, the surprise visible on her dimly-lit face. The winter spirit screams again, disappearing into a cloud of wind-whipped snow as it summons icy winds to batter them. "Umm, how did it go," mumbles the mare, scrambling to recall the words. "The fire of friendship lives in our hearts," she recites, sounding more like a ritual chant than a carol. The wind rises to a crescendo, whipping at their cloak and threatening to blow them over. "As long as it burns we cannot drift apart--" It seemed that she wouldn't even need to recite the entire thing as the windigo tries to swoop through them, skeletal jaws yawning, only to be repulsed with a shower of purple sparks that insisted on falling in heart-like patterns. With a final ear-piercing screech, it departs for the skies like a rocket, punching a hole in the clouds through which the moonlight beamed through.

07:39 Serilde gasps in suprise when the faint pink light eminates fromt heir body, leaving her just slightly warmer than she'd been before. She watches defiantly as the spirit is held at bay, though that gaze soon falls back to Inky as she begins to sing. The griffon opens her mouth to tell her to shush her stupid pony songs, but when she sees the beat getting pushed back, she decides to just tough it out. Serilde shivers and looks at Inky with a smile as the light breaks down upon them once more. "Ugh...thanks...I wouldnt of known what to do..." She admits, wrapping inky up in a quick hug before catchign herself, and pulling away with a blush at having lost her steely resolve.

07:50 Inky leans into the warm hug, exhausted after their efforts. She looks up at Serilde with a weak smile, but when the griffon pulls away, she falls forwards with a little "oof". The supernatural cold had been repelled, but the wintry night was still below freezing, and Inky had exposed herself to it and the wind while they'd performed the ritual. The bat pony looked gray in the pale moonlight, but her left side was black and wet, and occasionally she dripped a spot into the pale snow. "It'll leave us alone now," she says, struggling to get back to her hooves.

07:56 Serilde feels the adreniline leave her body as she settles down, the cold returning to bite her in full force. And then, she glances over Inky to see her looking fairly sick. "Thats good...but we have to find us a place to camp tonight. We' cant just lay out here in the snow..." She glances around in the darkness, not making out much in the way of shelter. "Do you see anyplace we could hunker down? If we could get somplace free of snow, we could probably curl up under the cloak and be fine..."

08:09 Inky uses the griffon to pull herself back up, leaning heavily on her for warmth. "Huh? Can't we go back?" she says, before looking around. The bat pony opens her mouth, her ears swiveling about. "Over there... there's a big rock, and a tree," she says, pointing a hoof. The outcropping jutted out a ways, and the ground underneath was free of snow. A large tree blocked one side of it, making the whole thing rather cozy.

08:22 Serilde holds Inky close, shaking her head at the question. "No...I couldnt see well enough to mark a path on the trees and we were rushed...so no chance of that...plus the snow has covered up our tracks." She waits paitiently as Inky finds them a spot and leads the mare over to it. The ground is damp, but free of snow, and she gives an approving nod. "Yes...this will do well enough."

08:28 Inky droops slightly at that. She thought could see something of a trail behind them, but she didn't know how far back it extended. The mare huddles up to Serilde as they walk over, shivering in the cold. "Glad that worked," she mumbles, leaning her head against the larger griffon. "And they said studying history was useless."

08:32 Inky droops slightly at that. She thought could see something of a trail behind them, but she didn't know how far back it extended. The mare huddles up to Serilde as they walk over, shivering in the cold. "Glad that worked," she mumbles, leaning her head against the larger griffon. "And they said studying history was useless." She winces at the renewed pain in her side, the throbbing noticeable again without the adrenalin rushing through her. "Ahh... my side," she pants. "I think you might have..."

08:41 Serilde lays inky down on her side to inspect to inspect the wound, wincing as she sees a set of deep gashes in her side in the pale moonlight. "Oh...sorry I didnt mean to slice you. I'm not used to sharing a tent," She explains, her feathers drooping a bit. She undoes her light cloak and eases it around Inky's body, tying the leather tight to attempt to hault the bleeding. "We'll have to wash it in that creek in the morning...but for now, we'll just have to rest."

08:45 Inky lets the griffon lift her up and lay her out, laying limp on the ground. She doesn't flinch as the sharp talons press against her fur, despite her already hurt side. "It's okay," she says softly. "I'm sure it'll be fine." The slashes started behind her shoulder and ran along her side, trailing off underneath her wing but leaving it, fortunately, unharmed.

08:59 Serilde grimaces and pulls the cloak tight around the mare, tieing it tight against her body tightly. The cloak presses down hard on her fur, clinging tight to her body with quite a bit of pressure. "It will be...you might even have a scar you can show off in the future to prove yoru mettle."

09:06 Inky squeaks when Serilde tightens the makeshift wrap, curling up as it spikes pain through her side. "Hahh..." she pants. "Maybe! I can tell the story of how I fought a mighty griffon, hoof and fang..." The bat pony giggles, then winces as it makes her side hurt.

09:09 Serilde rolls her eyes, shaking her head disaprovingly. "I think thats probably not the right story...what if someone wants you to prove your mettle?" The griffon presses her body against the mare for warmth, and pulls the heavier cloak over the both of them. "This is going to be a miserable night..."

09:16 Inky smiles, despite the pain in her side and the freezing conditions around them, and wraps her legs around as much of Serilde as she can reach. "Then I'll tell them it was a joke, and we'll all share a good laugh!" The bat pony buries her muzzle in the griffon's chest feathers, nuzzling at them for warmth. Underneath the cloak, she was feeling warmer already, though the ground was cold, hard and damp. "It will be," she says, her voice slightly muffled, "but you're not spending it alone."

09:25 Serilde sighs and leans into her arms, huddling close to the mare to keep the warmth trapped between them, and to stay under the fabric. She grimaces as Inky burries her snout against her chest, but neither of them can afford to be apart at the moment. "That it is...otherwise I would probably freeze to death instead."

09:31 Inky giggles at the griffon's response. "Well, I'm glad you'd rather cuddle me than freeze to death," she teases, punctuating her words with a rub of her head on Serilde's chest. The bat pony yawns, her exhaustion catching up with her, and settles down to try to sleep as best she can in the uncomfortable conditions. She was smaller, and so got the inside of the overhang, with the griffon's bulk and the cloak between her and the winter weather outside.

09:41 Serilde rolles here eyes at the mare and pulls her talons into her feathers. "Well...yes, if it wouldnt kill you or me, you'd be sleeping with at least a couple inches of seperation. Now good night." The griffon catches Inky's yawn and pulls her head against her chest, tucking her beak into her feathers and closing her eyes.

09:45 Inky squeezes Serilde and presses herself closer into the warm griffon. "Good night," comes the muffled reply from underneath the cloak, as Inky tries to get to sleep herself. She has a much easier time now, tucked up against the griffon's feathers and fuzzy lower body, and despite the cold ground it isn't long before she's squeakily snoring away.

09:54 Serilde ruffles her feathers as Inky pushes in, groaning, "I'm going to have to preen something awful when we wake up..." She shivers once more as the ground sucks heat away from them, yawning one final time before she drifts off into a restless sleep, tossing and turning next to the mare.

09:59 Inky stays asleep for a long time, the thick cloak keeping her in the dark even as the sky begins to lighten. It was still cloudy, but it wasn't snowing. The bat pony's squeaky snores emanate from under the lumpy cloak, her mouth open a crack and drooling into Serilde's feathers.

19:11 Serilde 's eyes slowly open in the morning light. It was later than she'd anticipated getting up, judging by the sun, but with their sleep so heavily disturbed as it was the previous night, that wasnt much of a suprise. Silently, shey pulls away from inky and fans otu her wings, begining to preen her feathers that had been ruffled by sleeping so clos to the mare. She figured Inky could sleep a little longer while she took care of her grooming anyways.

19:16 Inky curls up under the cloak, hooves questing for the griffon who was no longer there. She wraps herself up a little bit more, just visible as a lump underneath the makeshift blanket. Sleeping off the excitement of last night, as well as the blood loss from her injury, the mare does not yet wake.

19:19 Serilde finally finishes up after about 10 minutes of work, combing her beak through her oiled feathers and straigtening them out. While they weren't perfect, they were acceptable for flying and they had wasted enoug time anyways. THe griffon steps forward and puts claw down on the cloak,stepping right below the mares injury, and begins to shake her awake. "Cmon Inky, get up, its time to move on."

19:27 Inky yelps in pain as she's shaken, flailing around underneath the cloak until she manages to get her head free. The mare's bun had come undone in her sleep under the cloak, after multiple days of no attention being paid to it, and her mane now hung low over her shoulders is a messy tangle. "Ow," she squeaks, rubbing her eyes with a hoof. "It's still sensitive!" The cloak tied around her side was spotted with dried blood, the dark splotches showing where it seeped through.

19:33 Serilde retracts her leg at the yelp, having accidentally hurt the mare, and waits for her to struggle free. She frowns at the complaints and shakes her head. "Well...it will heal in time, but you need to get up. We gotta go back to the camp and /hope/ we still have our gear or else neither of us is going to survive out here. Not without food."

19:46 Inky crawls out of the cloak and winces as she's exposed to the cold after the warmth of the cloak. "Brr, it's cold," she says. The bat pony unfurls her wings to help her put her hair back up, and yelps as her left one makes her side twinge. "Ack," she says, wiggling the wing around gently to try to loosen the tightness. "It's all stiff and tight, I need to stretch it out." She manages to tie her mane up using just her hooves and her right wing, gently flexing her left all the while.

19:51 Serilde sighs and shakes her head at Inky as she gets out and complains. "Oh, you'll be fine...You get a cloak today and I guess I'll have to fly with my heavy one on...You can keep the small one though...by the looks of it I'll need a new one anyways." When the amre begins to stretch, she facehooves and shakes her head. "I should have woken you up while I was preening."

20:13 Inky looks at the blood staining her borrowed cloak. "What? No, it's just blood, I can wash it right out," she says. Then the mare blinks. "You preen, like birds? Do pegasi preen too?" She stares at the griffon with curiosity. "I've never really seen feathered wings before." The bat pony gives her wing a tentative flap and winces. "It'll need a bit more. Can we walk back to camp?"

20:21 Serilde rolls her eyes and fans out her wings for the curious mare. "Yes, we preen, especially when somepony gets really snuggly and messes up ones feathers." She responds with a biting tone. she shakes her head and folds them back up after a breif moment. "Well...no...I dont know the way back from the ground. We can rest for a little longer though..." SHe says, and then suddenly begins to hack and cough.

20:27 Inky hops closer to inspect her wings, leaning close enough that her breath blows against them. "That's no weird!" she says. "It must feel funny to have all those feathery things poking out of you." The mare sighs when she hears that they can't walk back. "I might know the way back. I was leading us, after all." She rubs her injured side with her hoof. "Maybe you could fly up and find the way?" she suggests before the griffon starts to cough. "Serilde! Are you alright?" The bat pony steps even closer, looking up at her with concern.

20:32 Serilde coughs harder several more times until a large black pellet begins to slide out of her mouth, landing on the ground before her. the object is about half the size of a football, and roughly the same shape. Bits of white bone, with various fractures in it, poked through the slimy surface, which itself was made up of the fur and other indigestibles of the piglet she'd eaten the night before. Steam rises up off of it in the cold, giving off the odor of Serilde's insides. THe griffon makes a face and spits a couple times to get the taste out of her mouth. "Ya, Im fine...its just, thats always the worst part of eating something substantial. Perfectly normal."

20:41 Inky blinks as she sees a bulge slide up the griffon's neck, barely jumping away in time before the pellet splats onto the ground next to where she was standing. The bat pony's hair stands on end and her lips pull back in revulsion as she smells the foul odor, making her gag. She manages to keep her dinner down, but looks a little green. "That's... *normal*?" she asks, incredulous. "I remember reading something about pellets, but I didn't know what that meant..."

20:51 Serilde grins over at Inky, laughing at the mares obvious disgust before kicking snow over it, hiding it away as is polite. "Yep, that's normal. You dont think I can digest bone and fur do you? Only the marrow inside of bones. Now am I going to have to scout, or can you fly yet?"

20:58 Inky shakes her head. "I didn't think you *ate* bone and fur," she says, shuddering. Once the revolting pellet is hidden from view, she looks a little better. The bat pony flaps her wings, gently at first before using enough force to take off. She yelps again and lets them fall limp, panting hard. "No, not yet," she says, looking at the ground.

21:11 Serilde rolls here eyes, and shakes her head with a half smile. "Well, why wouldnt we? It seems a bit of a hassel to go through the trouble of removing them. Especially when one is traveling and one shouldnt waste food that comes from an animal anyways." She explains, before turning away from Inky, and taking into the sky.

21:15 Inky holds up a hoof to shield herself from the snow tossed up by Serilde's powerful takeoff, watching the griffon soar into the sky. Her feathered wings were very functional, she noted, but they still seemed odd to her. The bat pony shuffles away from the little lump of the pellet in the snow, and sits down as far back in the overhang as she can, huddled close to herself for warmth. She keeps massaging her side, but the whole area is stiff with dried blood and needs to be cleaned.

21:23 Serilde cirlces up initially, climbing high into the sky and then setting off in a direction to try and find their camp. It takes her about 15 minutes of searching, but finally, the griffon returns, touching down infront of Inky with a frown. "Well...I found our tent...but its pretty covered in snow and ice. I didnt see our bags though...hopefully we will stumble accross them..."

21:26 Inky had made her little corner somewhat warm, and says huddled there. "As I feared," she says. "My side is covered in dried blood, we'll need to clean it." She flaps her wing experimentally. "I... I might be able to fly, but it could make it worse."

21:31 Serilde aproaces Inky and gives a small nod, and becons her over. "Ya...I figured we'd have to clean in this morning. Unfortunatly that creek is now frozen solid it looked like. Maybe there's still water underneath, but we'll have to break the ice. Anyways, lets get moving."

21:34 Inky gets to her hooves and walks over to Serilde, avoiding the pellet buried in the snow. She takes her beckoning as an invitation to get rather chummy, and leans her good right side against the tercel for warmth. "Which way?" she asks. "I know we got here from that direction last night." The bat pony points a hoof off into the trees.

21:40 Serilde gives Inky a small glare as she huddles close, but doesnt pull away as she notices how cold her companion is. "Well yes...but I think we managed to get turned around in our hasty flight. The camp is actually in this direction," She says, starting off about 45 degrees offset from where Inky was pointing.

21:42 Inky nods. "Right, because we changed direction at the clearing," she says. "Should we retrace our steps or head straight there?" The bat pony ducks her way under Serilde's cloak to insulate herself from the cold.

21:49 Serilde flares a wing out to help shift the coat over the side of Inky's body before moving forward once more, trying to match Inky's maximum pace. "We ought to just head straight there. Walking will eat up enough tim as it is..."

21:52 Inky leans gratefully into the warmth, starting to walk at a regular pace. She nods at the griffon's logic. "You'll have to lead then," she says, looking up at Serilde. After a moment, she says, "and thank you for sharing your cloak" in a soft voice.

21:59 Serilde pauses at Inky's gratitude, but doesnt acknowledge it any further as they begin to walk through the forest. "I'll get us there soonish, I just hope we dont run accross anything that we have to run from..."

22:03 Inky goes quiet, concentrating on matching her steps to Serilde's to minimize the annoyance of sharing the cloak across two backs. They make good time on the flat ground, the sun keeping it a bit warmer when it's out between the patchy clouds. As they plod onwards, they find an odd snow drift in their path, with what looks like a furred ear poking out.

22:12 Serilde sees the ear tuft in the snow, but just barely, and appraoches it to inspect the drift. "Hey, I think there' ssomthing over hear," she says, and then begins to dig, revealing quite a large animal. "Hmm...well...I wish I could carry /all/ of this...but maybe I could take about a third..."

22:16 Inky steps away as Serilde uncovers the frozen boar, shuddering as she looks at it. The creature was covered in a thin layer of ice; it had definitely been alive yesterday. It was a chilling reminder of what might have been.

22:23 Serilde looks over the boar hmms to herself. "Well...I cant very well divide this up without any equipment. Hmmm...I can probably carry it on foot anyways. Help me heft this onto my back and we'll wal with it.

22:25 Inky blinks. "What? Oh... okay." She trots up to the frozen creature, unsure of where to begin. "Just tell me how to help."

22:27 Serilde takes the two f ront legs of teh creature in her claws. Fortuantly, they'd been frozen in such a way that the legs would be able to hook on oeither side fo the griffon. "Well just lift those back legs up and help me straddle it on my back." She presses her head down under the creatures chest and begins to lift, trying to slide it over herself.

22:30 Inky grunts and pushes the boar, and together they manage to get it situated on Serilde's back. "Okay, got it!" The bat pony tries to slip underneath the formel's cloak again as they resume walking.

22:40 Serilde makes a noise of excertion as the boar is loaded onto her back and beings to walk forward once more. "Boy...this guy is heavy. But...I dont think we're terribly far from teh camp now..." She says, walking forward

22:47 Inky tucks herself back against Serilde's side, providing them both with some much-needed warmth. She resumes walking in silence, helping keep the boar balanced. After another few minutes, they come upon the clearing that held their tent. It's still standing, but as the griffon said, it is iced over and covered in snow. There's no sign of their bags, but there are some suspicious snow drifts that Serilde could have missed from the air.

22:52 Serilde aproaches the tent and leans to the side, causing the cloak to fall off Inky, but also the boar to slide off of her back and plopping down onto the snow. "Well...you think you can undo the tent? I'll go see if those piles happen to be our stuff."

22:55 Inky tilts her head. "But I don't know how your tent works, and it's covered in ice! I don't want to break it or anything," she protests. "I'll search the drifts. I might be able to find the stuff under the snow without even looking, too!" The bat pony trots around to the snow drifts, ears at the ready if any of them sound different.

23:05 Serilde stops moving towards the drifts and shrugs, going back to the tent. "I just figured that you wouldnt be able to carry the packs back over if you did find them...but sure, that sounds like a plan to me then." She moves back over to the tent and begins trying to figure it out.

23:08 Inky pings and feels around in a few drifts before finding one with something. "Aha!" she cries triumphantly, brushing away the snow to reveal Serilde's hefty pack. "I found yours!" The mare clears away as much of the snow as she can, letting the pack sit in the sunlight. She trots around to the other drifts, searching for her own saddlebags, backpack and pouch, which she finds all close together near the tent. The griffon can easily break the ice off her tent, though the fabric is damp from frost and what had melted in the sun.

23:11 Serilde inspects the tent, giving it a few tentative pokes before she goes to work, smashing the sheets of ice off of the fabric with a smile. Then she digs aroudn the tent, finding each of the stakes and pulling them up, working to take down the tent as she finishes finding the equipment.

23:13 Inky flexes her left wing as she brushes off their equipment, having carried her own closer to the snowy firepit. The bat pony trots over to the frozen stream, tapping at it with a hoof from the banks to see if she could break the ice.

23:19 Serilde gets the tent all bundled up and trots over to her bag of equipment, shoving it in before going over to where Inky was. "Here...let me get that for you..." she says, pulling out a hammer from her pack and giving it a couple solid wacks, causing craters in the ice and slowly chipping it away.

23:22 Inky steps back when Serilde pulls out a heavy hammer, wincing at the cracks of the impact. "Oh... thanks," she says. The bat pony tries to reach her head over to her side to undo the cloak, but it's just too far to reach. "Could you help me with the bandage after that? Oh, no, we should get a fire going if we're going to use water from that stream..." While the griffon clears away the ice from the creek, Inky goes over to the firepit and clears away the snow from what remains of the logs. She starts to collect other wood from around the clearing, fishing it out from the snow.

23:26 Serilde puts quite a few heavy hits into the glass before finally managing to get all the way through the ice to the water, and by the time she has, she's panting with exurtion. "Well...it looks like its not completly solid. I'll get us a fire going an dhten we can fix your bandages. We'll have to fly late tonight though to make up lost time." She head over to the collected pile of logs and struggles to slowly bring the kindling to light.

23:30 Inky sits in a cleared spot near the fire, fiddling with the knot in the makeshift wrapping. "Sorry," she says, looking down at the ground, "I shouldn't have woken you so suddenly." The bat pony nods. "I'm sure I can do it once we fix up my side."

05:35 Serilde shakes her head and brings a hoof up to better undo the knot. "No...you're wrong there. If you hadnt of waken me, we probably wouldnt have made it. I think I'll just sleep between you and the bags for the rest of the trip so that no more accidents happen." After undoing the knot, Serilde scoops some fo the frigid water into a cup and sets it by the fire to warm up.

05:38 Inky blinks. "Huh? Oh..." The mare shuffles her hooves. "But it'll be cold over there," she says. "Can't I just sleep on the non-pointy side of you?"

05:42 Serilde shakes her head and tests the water with a hoof, deciding that it'd warmed enough and begins to rinse Inky's gashed side. "Well...not really. You would have been fine if I'd been next to my bags, as I'd have grabbed my equipment and not you, so you'll have to deal with the cold, for your own safety.

05:44 Inky tilts her head. "But if you're next to your bags, and I'm on the other side, then you'll grab them instead of me! Doesn't that fix everything?" Her side looks bad, the grayish-indigo fur matted with blood, and Inky jerks and twitches as Serilde rinses it. As the blood comes out, it doesn't look so bad anymore, though there is some swelling and the skin is tender.

05:47 Serilde face talons and shakes her head. "That's what I just said Inky. I'll be next to the bags, and you'll be on the other side of me...Now...how does that feel?" She asks, taking the opportuniyt to rince the light cloak too, though it was evident that the blood stain wasnt going to lend itself to easy removal.

05:54 Inky blinks again. "Oh, I thought you meant something else," she says happily. "That sounds just fine!" The mare opens her wing, the muscles shifting under her hurt skin as she spreads the membrane between the bones. Inky winces slightly, but it feels a lot better now that it's been cleaned. "It feels much better!"

06:02 Serilde nods in aproval, glad taht soon enough Inky shoul dbe able to take off and get to allow them to continue their journey. "Well... I hope that means you'll be able to get to fly soon...we're probably going to have to fly till after sundown with as much time as we've lost..." Serilde turns away from inky and begins to go to work hacking at the frozen boar that was near the fire, placing some in the flames and dividing up other portions.

06:07 Inky spreads her wings in front of the fire, using them to absorb its warmth. She sighs happily, slowly moving them through the range she'd need to fly, and doesn't feel any sudden twinges or stabs of pain. The mare tries to ignore Serilde hacking away at the frozen boar, but she does wrinkle her nose at the smell of cooking flesh.

06:14 Serilde takes quite a bit of time getting the boar hacked to managable pieces as Inky warms up and massages her wing. Eventually she wraps up a large chunk in that wrap she'd used the previous day before turning to her cooked meal. "Did you get anything to eat Inky?" She asks, before indulging of the flesh.

06:19 Inky shakes her head, noticing now the growling in her stomach. She looks at the grass around the campfire, but she'd already grazed it yesterday, and it was too short to be more than a mouthful. "Oh no, I forgot," she says, and opens her lightening saddlebags with a sigh. She munches on a feed biscuit, looking at what little food remains and sighing again. The bat pony really couldn't afford to stretch it too thin, especially now with her injury.

06:27 Serilde meanwile, digs into her monsterous meal She wouldnt be able to carry it all, so she wanted to eat as much as she could of what remained. Her chest slowly bulged out as she took more of the meal in, filling up her crop with the delicious meat. The savory flavores and delicious scent filled the air as she pulled off strips and swallowed them down.

06:37 Inky munches on her biscuit. She only had three left, but just wasn't really a full meal. One now, half at lunch, one at dinner, and the other one and half the next day... The mare frowns. There was no way she could stretch them until they got to the town. "Serilde, what kind of provisions do you have? Non-meat ones," she specifies. "I'm going to run out..." The bat pony does a double take when she sees the formel gorging herself. "How much have you eaten?" she asks. "Can you really fly after all that?" She points a hoof towards the bulge in Serilde's neck, ever curious despite her faint revulsion at how messily she was devouring it. "And why's it up there...?"

06:42 Serilde frowns as she thinks to herself and then turns to the pack behind her. "Oh...Well...I've got a block of cheese, A loaf of bread...and about 4 pounds of jerky left..." She says, frowning as she goes over her remaining provisions. "Its not enough to support both of us...but maybe huting will continue to be good." She takes another bite of her boar, making an mmmm of enjoyment. "And waht here?" She asks, indicating to the bulge in her chest. "Thats my crop. When I eat more than my stomach can handle, food sits there till I move it out. Its handy for long flights and skipping lunch." She says with a smile, ignoreing iNky's other quesitons.

06:47 Inky blinks. "Huh, I didn't know that was a thing," she says. "You learn something everyday!" The mare scratches her muzzle. "But why not just have a bigger stomach?" The mare looks back to her dwindling provisions. "I might have to resort to eating meat," she says, and sighs. She reaches in and takes out a half-biscuit. "No sense in going hungry, I'll need all my strength for the flight today."

06:54 Serilde takes a couple more bites of her meal before setting what little remained of what she'd cooked aside with a frown. "Well...there's some left here if you want...I dont think I can eat another bite. And...its not like I get to choose what organs I have, but it does make it very convinient to carry some things, like when one is bringing food home to their little chicks."

06:58 Inky has finished her half-biscuit and steps over to look at what remained. She wrinkles her nose when Serilde mentions bringing food home, imagining the griffon hurking up some chewed up meat. That image, and the sight of the meat, makes her lose what little appetite she has left, and she shakes her head. "I'll pass, I guess," she says. The harsh conditions have been wearing on the mare's cheerful spirit, but she does her best to shake it off. "Can you please fix up my bandage so I can get my saddlebags on?"

07:05 Serilde shugs ant tosses the meat asside. "Well...I have as much as I can carry, and I cant eat any more, so I guess whatever critter can have this and wahtever remains...I'm probably good till morning even without breaking into the boar." She notes, steping forward towards the batpony. Serilde begins to wrap Inky's wound up once more in the cloak, this time tying it a little better so that it would also cover most of her lower half to keep in the heat.

07:10 Inky smiles up at Serilde as the griffon looms over her, smelling the musty smell of her feathers. "Thanks, that feels great," she says, leaning to touch her head to the griffon's chest. She tries to figure out how to best convey her appreciation to the griffon, scuffing a hoof at the ground. "Not everypony would have done this," she says. "You're a good pony-- er, griffon."

07:14 Serilde grunts in response without giving inky any other further acknowledgement of he thanks besides the briefest of slimes that Inky might even miss, intsead merely pulling away and moving towards her pack. "Well...I think we ought to head on out," she says, working to fasten herself in. "Its getting close to 10 or 11...

07:16 Inky thinks she might have seen a smile on the griffon's beak, but it might have just been her imagination. She wasn't that good at reading griffon expressions. The optimistic mare chooses to believe that it was a smile though, and wears one on her own face as she straps on her saddlebags and backpack. "I'm ready," she says, her equipment helping to keep out the cold. "Let's go!"

07:19 Serilde gives her a breif nod and finishes strapping on her bag before taking a running start and taking off to the air. It was apperent that Serilde was straining a little harder to get airborne today than she had yesterday, with all the new weight of her food attached to her. She circles around wordlessly waiting for Inky to catch up before taking off in the proper direction.

07:22 Inky runs and jumps into the air after her, circling to gain altitude. Her packs were lighter than before, though she took a moment to get used to the new cloak tied around her body. The mare joins Serilde above the treetops and follows her into the cold winter sky.

07:31 Serilde flies steadily though the air and for the moment they appeared to be making decent time despite the earlier hickups with getting out on time. The formel was feeling a little warm under the heavier cloak, and it interfered with her wings more than she'd like, but she would tolerate it and not complain.

07:40 Inky flies along after Serilde, having an easier time keeping up with the laden-down griffon. Her borrowed cloak helps keep her warm, and her injured side performs just fine... at least at first. As their flight continues, it starts to throb. Inky notices Serilde's occasional struggles with the heavy cloak and her lack of complaints, and stays quiet like her. The bat pony looked up to the griffon, and put on a brave face despite the growing throbbing in her side.

07:45 Serilde was enjoying the silent flight, only occasionally taking a glance backwards to make sure the batpony was still with them. She was kinda supprised that the mare wasnt nearly as talkative today, but she liked that and so wasnt going to say anything.

07:50 Inky pushes herself to keep flying even when she grows tired and cold, not wanting to disappoint Serilde. The sun lowers towards the horizon on their right, a beautiful sunset over the snowy forest and mountains.

07:52 Serilde keeps here eyes focused on the terain ahead, intent on flying till it got far too dark to see and thus to fly, figuring she can rely on Inky to find them a place to touch down.

07:56 Inky keeps on flying, her wings aching and her side throbbing constantly now. She grits her teeth, expecting that Serilde will say they're going to stop before the sun sets, but they keep flying even as the light starts to fade from the sky. "Shouldn't we land?" she calls out as the day turns to dusk. "You can't fly when it's dark!" There aren't any clearings in sight for the moment, though, so they would have to keep going to at least find a good spot.

08:04 Serilde shakes her head, continuing to fly as she scans the ground for clearings. "Well...I can fly well enough when I cant see...since we're not flying through trees or anything, but the landings on the other hand...well I could use a guide for that," She says, turing to Inky and giving her a wink. "Anyways..its getting about time. I just down want to stop until you see us some water..."

08:10 Inky shakes her head. "Yeah, you're good at flying... until you descend too much because you can't see the ground and fly into a tree!" The mare grunts and powers forwards, pulling past Serilde so that she can lead in the fast fading light. "Streams are hard to hear, okay?" They're currently flying over a particularly dense section of the woods, the evergreens white with snow from yesterday's snowfall. It looked like they might not find anything until it grew dark, and clouds on the east horizon were covering the rising moon.

08:19 Serilde blinks a couple times at Inky's complaing and turns to look at her. "Hard to hear? I thought you could see in the dark? Hopefully we'll come accross a clearing soon, because those clouds are looking to make things difficult, and it will be a hard landing w ithout much light..." The griffon was already begining to regret her decision of pressing on.

08:25 Inky shakes her head. "I'll explain once we're on the ground." She was panting with exertion, but kept up her speed in the hopes of spotting a clearing soon. As the dusk turned to night, she dropped closer to the tree level, since she could only see things much less than a hundred feet away. "I'll warn you if you drop too low," she calls. It's a nerve-wracking few minutes of flying in darkness, with one reminder to fly up, before Serilde hears Inky call out. "There's a clearing to the right!" A few seconds later, she adds "And I think there's a stream?"

08:27 Serilde perks up as he hears Inky's call and gives her a nod of approval. "At this point, stream or no stream, its probably best that we land and I dont trust landing in anything other than a clearing this dark," she responds, "Now just take the lead and guid me down Its getting a bit dark for me to feel comfortable." She shivers in teh dark, feeling quite nervous about the flight.

08:31 Inky flaps back up to near Serilde, her wings muscles burning from the effort. "Okay, bank right," she pants. "Now straight. Down." Under the bat pony's short, barked guidance, the pair make it over to the clearing. Even with Inky's best efforts, and shouts to slow down, the griffon lands mere feet from a large fir tree. The moon starts to peek out from behind the clouds, but Serilde probably wouldn't notice the tree until she lit the lantern from her pack. Inky, meanwhile, slumps in relief as she lands and is able to rest her aching wings.

08:41 Serilde follows Inky's orders to the letter, trusting the mare to guide her safely down to the ground, having been early blinded by the encroaching clouds. Finally she hits the ground hard, legs giving way as she collapses forward, dropping down into the snow with an uncomfotable oof. Serlide pants with effort, laying in the drift for a bit as she recovers. "UGh...I hate flying at night..."

08:43 Inky pants for a bit, before she walks over to Serilde, her hooves crunching softly in the snow. "I didn't know this was your plan," she says from a point above and to the right of the griffon. "I'd have told you it was a bad idea before it was too late." The bat pony sighs. "We can't hear very far, so we're lucky I could even find this clearing." The moonlight peeks over the edge of the trees, but it's not yet shining down into the clearing itself.

23:06 Serilde slowly gets to her feet and reaches for her lantern on her pack, striking it up and looking around the clearing. Immidiately she notices the tree that was mere feet away from her touch down. "Wow...That was quite the risky landing...umm you probably should have directed me better..." She comments, before looking around the rest of the spot, trying to spot a good place to set up a tent.

23:11 Inky frowns, the bat pony's wings hanging limply at her sides. "I tried! I told you to slow down!" she protests, looking a little hurt. The clearing had a gully running through the side opposite them, but it was dry. The snow crunches under Serilde's feet, a bit deeper here than where they camped before. The trees had kept it from reaching the ground in the dense forest, so they would be able to find dead branches for firewood. Inky massages her side with her hoof and hisses. She'd pushed herself hard today, and was paying the price now.

23:16 Serilde settles on a spot near the center of the clearing and begins to walk around all over it, doing her best to crunch down enough snow that the tent would be fairly even underneath. "While I get the tent set up, why dont you get us some firewood so that I can get a fire started?" She asks, avoiding addressing the sore feelings any further.

23:19 Inky sighs. "Okay, I will," she says. The bat pony sets her pack down near the tent spot and slides off her saddlebags, grimacing as they knock against her hurt side. Then she walks off into the woods, vanishing into the darkness underneath the trees.

23:24 Serilde gets the tent setup with much effort and moves her saddle bags inside before heading on over to where teh would be stream was. Upon reaching it though, she lets out a grown of frustration and kicks at the snow. She'd have a word with that mare when she finished gathering all the wood.

23:27 Inky walks back after 15 minutes, branches held under her good wing and balanced across her back. The bat pony had already noticed the dry gully on her way into the woods, and crosses it with a resigned sigh. Her crunching hooffalls announce her return as she walks back into the clearing.

23:36 Serilde waits by where she expects the fire to be built and helps Inky unload her pile when she arrives. "Well...looks like there's plenty of dead wood to burn around here at least. Its a shame that your 'stream' is just a non existant dry gully. I thought you found water here? Bah...no matter I guess we can heat up some snow and hope it doesnt kill us..."

23:44 Inky frowns. "I said I *thought* I heard one," she says. "We can't see in the dark!" She waves a hoof at the dry trench. "I heard a trench, and I figured it might be a stream." The bat pony sits down and sighs. "Just be glad we found a clearing at all before my wings gave out. We're lucky we practically flew over one."

23:56 Serilde sighs and pulls out her firestarter, working hard to get the the wood to light up as she glares at Inky. "What do you mean hear? I thought you ponies see in the dark or whatever." She finally gets the fire going strong, stopping a moment from her work to enjoy the hot flames.

00:08 Inky sits in front of the fire while Serilde lights it, letting her wings hang at her sides. She points to one of her tufted ears. "No, we use our ears to find our way around." The bat pony opens her mouth, but no sound comes out. "See, I just pinged you a few times." Her mouth twists. "But since it's sound, we can't hear very far. It has to go out and then back, and sound is kinda slow..."

00:24 Serilde narrows her eyes in the crackling firelight and tilts her head in disbelief. "That is the single craziest thing I have ever heard. I'm not sure if I really believe that...close your eyes and prove it to me..."

00:27 Inky shrugs. "Sure," she says, and closes her yellow eyes. The bat pony's tufted ears swivel towards Serilde, and she opens her mouth. "Hold up some talons or something," she says, waiting expectantly.

00:34 Serilde watches as Inky's eyes are close and then rustles around in the snow, and then raises 3 talons up on the right claw, and 1 on the left. "Ok, fine, how many talons am I holding up? And on which talons," she asks smugly.

00:36 Inky 's ears twitch now and then, staying angled towards Serilde. The bat pony's brows furrow in concentration, then she grins. "3 on the left, and 1 on the right," she says, crossing her forehooves in front of her triumphantly.

00:38 Serilde opens her mouth, stunned and nods her head. "Y-yes. thats right. But that was just a lucky guess," ther formel declares. "I'm gonna do it again. Keep your eyes closed." This time she silently burries both talons into the snow with a grin on her face. "Ok, now how many talons am I holding up?

00:41 Inky rolls her eyes behind her eyelids, but nods and plays along. She takes longer this time, and her furrowed brows deepen. "None," she says after several long seconds. "They're in the snow."

00:52 Serilde drops her jaw, dumbfounded as Inky manages to get it right yet again. "Ok...thats...actually kind of impressive. Might be useful later, but it'd be better still if you could actually see in the dark..."

01:23 Inky opens her eyes and beams at Serilde, the deep black pools of her pupils contracting in the firelight. "Thanks! I'd say it already has been really useful," she says, pointing to the stack of firewood next to the merrily crackling fire. The mare rubs at her side again and shudders. "Could you help me with my side again?" she asks, looking at the griffon hopefully.

01:27 Serilde gives Inky a reluctant smile and nods at her. "Ya...if it helped youf ind all that then I'd say its been pretty useful indeed. And sure, but after that I think we need to eat." She scoops snow into a pot which she sets next to the roaring fire and steps closer to her, begining to undo the bindings to take a look.

01:32 Inky smiles and holds her wing out of the way, revealing the stiff cloak. There was some more dried blood there, from when the slashes had reopened during the flight, but much less than the first time. The wound didn't look very happy, with how much the bat pony had pushed herself today.

01:42 Serilde grimaces as she sees the new scabs, shaking her head. "If we were in town, I'd tell you to keep off this wing for 2 weeks or so till it healed up enough...but thats not that much of an option all the way out here," she explains, picking up the container of melted snow and working the chilled water into the wound to clean it once more.

01:49 Inky shivers as the cold water washes away the dried blood. "I know," she says, wilting slightly before her eyes harden. "But I'll be fine. I can make it even with that! I did fine today," she says proudly. "Thank you for the cloak," she adds. "It helps keep me warm up there."

01:53 Serilde nods at her, smiling at her resolve and working even more water into the wound. "Well...I hope so, because I dont think I'd be able to carry you all the way there without ditching supplies. You're alot of extra weight you know..."

01:54 < Serilde> "Anyways, we should probably eat now, your wounds as good as it'll get for the moment."

01:55 Inky hisses as the griffon rubs her sensitive side, but tries not to show any other signs of her discomfort. "You won't have to," she says, her voice full of determination. "I can make it!" The mare nods and spreads her wings to absorb the fire's warmth while she roots through her saddlebags. She takes out a biscuit and a half and starts to munch on them.

02:08 Serilde nods her head gets up to go pick supplies from her pack. "Yes, I know you will. We'll make it and then you can get some propper treatment." The griffon returns with some of her jerky this time, still feeling quite energised from gorging herself earlier that morning, when she notices what Inky was eating. "Is that /all/ you have? You're eating a little light..."

02:09 Inky looks up with her mouth full of compressed feed biscuit. "Hrm?" She swallows. "Yeah, just these," she says, indicating the biscuits. "It'll be okay... it's just two more days, right?"

02:11 Serilde frowns even deeper, but nods at her question. "Yes...two more days...but...thats not alot of food yoru eating either...Hopefully some stuff will come up from teh fire..."

02:14 Inky looks at the ground skeptically. The snow was deeper here, and the fire hadn't melted through yet, but she didn't like what it felt like under her hooves. She shrugs helplessly. "Unless you want to share some of your food with me, this is all I've got..."

02:20 Serilde holds out some jerky to the mare with a sympathetic smile on her face. "Well...if you dont eat you cant fly, so yes I would share some of my food with you."

02:28 Inky takes another bite of her biscuit and stares at the jerky for a long time. She almost reaches out a hoof to take it, before remembering that she hadn't seen Serilde finish off her bread and cheese. "But... don't you have bread and cheese still?"

02:31 Serilde sighs and looks nonplused at the mare's refusal of her meat, holding it out for a bit longer before finally defeatedly getting to her feet. "Yes...I suppose I do..." She admits, making her way to her bag and returning with a third a loaf of bread and some cheese. The bread itself was stale, but the cheese was a delicious sharp cheddar. "Here you are," she says, offering it over reluctantly.

02:34 Inky notices the griffon's begrudging attitude and tries to look as grateful as possible. "Thanks so much, Serilde," she says with a smile, hugging the bread and cheese to her chest. "I don't know how I'll repay you for all of this."

02:36 Serilde sighs once more, turing to the fire. "Ya...just dont end up in a situation where I'll have to carry you because you didnt eat enough..." She responds, watching the fire crackle in the darkness.

02:42 Inky takes a big bite out of the bread, not minding that it was stale in the least. "I don't have much money," she says sadly, "and what I do have, I'd like to keep for when I get to Equestria." The bat pony stares into the fire herself, the winter cold putting a damper on her normal cheerfulness.

02:45 Serilde thinks to herfor a moment, the fire dancing and gleaming over her feathers. "Well...you said yoru aprents are wealthy right? Maybe you could just give me a letter proclaiming that I saved your life and ask them to reward me. I'm sure I can take a caravan to Noctania again soon enough..." The griffon fans out her wing and begins to preen her feathers while she waits.

02:50 Inky sighs. "Maybe. I was thinking about that... but I'm not sure if they'd reward you or not." She fiddles with her hooves. The bat pony sighs, and opens her mouth to respond, but gets distracted by the sighs of the griffon preening. She stares at Serilde, mouth open in a little grin, until the griffon notices.

02:58 Serilde shrugs and continues to preen, not noticing Inky's staring until she finishes half of her right wing. "What are you staring at? And I'm sure they'd be willing...I saved their daughter afterall."

03:02 Inky blinks and shakes her head. "Oh, I was just watching you, uh, preen," she says, blinking to clear her head. "Fascinating how you manage those feathers..." The bat pony coughs and looks into the fire. "Yeah... I will write that, if that's what you want." She tilts her head and turns back to Serilde. "Which reminds me... can I send you mail? Does your organization-thingy handle that at all?"

03:19 Serilde stares at Inky, shaking her head dismissivly at her facination. "Its not that hard...nor is it terribly impressive any griffon that can fly has to know how to preen well. And yes... that would be great if you write me that letter. Our caravan's main headquarters is in the griffon kingdom, but, I usually report to an office in hoofington. If I get transfered, someone will handle the mail." The griffon turns away from the fire, trying for a bit to preen in the dark.

03:22 Inky nods. "I'll have to think about what to write... and I'll need better light to do it in. Can't write in the dark." The mare perks up when she hears that she could send the griffon letters after she gets to Equestria. "Really? That's great!" She fumbles with her pouch and pulls out her notebook and pen. "What's the address?"

03:30 Serilde gives up on preening without being stared at and reluctantly turns back to face the fire as she works on her other wing. "Oh umm its..." Th egriffon thinks for a second and proceeds to provide the address to the mare. "Dont expect me to get anything in a timely manner though...sometimes I'm gone for over a month."

03:35 Inky scribbles down the address and shows it to Serilde for confirmation. "This it?" The bat pony watches Serilde preen for a bit before tearing her eyes away and going back to her gifted meal. "I'll be sure to send you letters when I get settled in Equestria!"

03:42 Serilde looks over the address and nods as at it. "Ya...that should work. I take it I should be expecting to add yet another pony to the list of ponies I sometimes write too?" She asks, shaking her head, before returing to finish up that other wing.

03:46 Inky nods excitedly. "Yeah! I wanna show you that I can make it out there! And I wanna hear what you get up to too!" She tilts her head. "What other ponies do you write to?" she asks, between bites of cheese and bread.

03:50 Serilde shrugs at her. "well, there are a clawful that I write to. Just different ponies I've met on my travels...most of them admittedly headstrong eyass who I've had to watch over at one point or another..." She gives a long sigh, staring into the flames.

03:53 Inky finishes her meal and wipes her mouth, before standing up. "Sounds like I'll fit right in?" she says cheerfully, trotting over to Serilde and trying to give her a hug. "How'd they turn out?" she asks.

03:59 Serilde reluctantly gives Inky a hug back, a very small one before pulling away. "They all turned out pretty fine...none of them have gotten into too much trouble.../yet/ and are productinve. Though they're all still so young."

04:02 Inky lets out a very soft eee of happiness as she feels her hug returned, and hops with joy when the griffon lets her go. "That's good!" The bat pony yawns, showing off her fangs in the light of the fire. "I'm really tired after all of that flying..."

04:35 Serilde shakes her head and makes her way back into the tent. "Ya...I was just about to suggest that we get some sleep. We'll have just as long of a day tomorrow, but hopefuly we wont have to fly as late." She opens the tent flap and climbs inside, settling down next to the supplies. Slipping the cloak off of her neck, she drapes it over herself.

04:47 Inky sips some of the melted snow water, then trots in after Serilde, knocking the snow off her hooves at the entrance. "Hopefully," she says, yawning again. The bat pony lays down next to Serilde, pulling the cloak over herself and wrapping her cold hooves around the griffon from behind. "What does your organization do, besides guard caravans?" she asks softly, her voice coming from behind Serilde's head.

04:53 Serilde shivers as Inky puts her hooves on her body, scooting more towards the bags instead, though now she was just cold on both sides. "Well...mostly that...or any other thing that requires some hired muscle. Technically we're mercanaries, but there hasnt been an actual war in so long I dont see having to fulfil that dutie."

04:58 Inky scoots with the griffon, still cuddling her as she warms up underneath the heavy cloak. "And if you guard enough caravans, then you'll get promoted or something?" she asks. The bat pony closes her eyes, resting her head with her muzzle slightly propped up on Serilde's neck.

05:00 Serilde sighs kieeping her eyes closed in the dark. She scoots backwards against inky and off of the bags. "Well...something like that...its a mix of seniority and record and...gender..." She adds the last bit with some disapointment in her voice. "But....eventually I should overcome that..."

05:03 Inky nods, hearing the melancholy in Serilde's voice. "I'm sure you will," she says, squeezing the griffon and nuzzling her neck feathers. "I've only known you for a couple days and there's nothing that'll stop you!"

05:07 Serilde gives a halfhearted, "Thanks..." as she settles down, shifting in her spot to find a comfortable place to sleep. Soon she begins to drift off slowly into sleep.

05:12 Inky has never known a problem that couldn't be solved by more cuddles, and applies them generously to the griffon as she, too, falls into a deep sleep. Her side still ached, but it was nothing she couldn't handle, she thought.

00:13 Serilde wakes up at the break of dawn, having gotten more rest this night than she had the night before. She ruffles her wings a bit and pushes Inky away wo escape her cuddles and gets to her feet. The griffon wanders outside to prepare a fire to give Inky just a little more time tor est.

00:16 Inky stirs slightly as the warm body next to her is pulled away, and the cold air let in. She wraps herself up tighter in the cloak, but her slumber has been disturbed, and in only another fifteen minutes the bat pony wakes up. She looks around the empty tent, and notices the dancing light of a fire through the canvas. "Serilde?" she asks, poking her head out of the tent. "Good morning!"

00:23 Serilde had setup a chunk of meat from her provisions next to the fire, cooking it for another large breakfast, though she still had about half of her boar leftover and wrapped up. "Well I'm glad to see the lazy pony is finally up," She teases, with far less frustration in her voice than it would have ellicited the day before.

00:31 Inky grins and trots out of the tent and up to the fire, picking the side opposite the roasting meat. "I slept pretty well," she says. "How about you?" The bat pony uses the fire to keep out the chilly air, and starts to stretch. The three parallel slashes of her injury are clearly visible on her side when she opens her wings.

00:34 Serilde grimaces as she sees the wound on Inky's side, frowning. "Well, I slept well enough. Its a little tight in there for two really, but...I guess I'll have to tolerate it till your out of my feathers..." She wanders closer to inky, examining the wound. "We should probably wrap that up again before you take off."

00:36 Inky nods. "It wasn't too tight," she says with a smile. "I didn't mind, anyway." She could feel her side aching, but she couldn't really see what it looked like very well. "How does it look?" she asks, craning her neck to try to look at her own flank. "It hurts a little bit, but I think I'll be fine!"

00:39 Serilde shakes her head as she looks at them. "Well...they're looking a little better, but we cant have them opening up again mid flight. Plus...you probably need that cloak more than I do, since I can manage the heavy one." She then disapears into the tent to reappear shortly with the small cloak.

00:42 Inky smiles. "That's good!" She waits for the griffon to come back with the cloak, then holds her wings open so the formel can tie the cloak on underneath them. The bat pony didn't seem to harbor any enmity at all towards Serilde for hurting her, her expression as cheerful as ever as she watches the griffon bandage her.

00:44 Serilde hooks her claws around Inky's back and ties on the cloack, sinching it tight against her wound to help hold it closed. "And...You man not care...but I've never been one for being so close to someone...especially whilst sleeping," She mentions, quickly getting the cape tied down. "You should probably get somethign to eat."

00:51 Inky grunts softly as Serilde tugs on the cloak, shifting her weight to try to stay as still as possible while she works. The bat pony tilts her head. "You aren't?" she asks. "Why not? Don't you huddle to share warmth with other ponies -- er, griffons -- when it's cold?" She rummages around in her saddlebags and pulls out her last biscuit and a half of food.

00:55 Serilde tilts her head back, raising an eyebrow. "Umm...why would we do anything like that? Its enough just to have a warm blanket and a well built house on a cliff to keep the chilly air out. Not even partners will always share the same bed as their mate."

00:56 Serilde gets the cloak wrapted nice and tight, thankful that the mare wasn't fighting him.

01:03 Inky flexes her wings to test the wrapping before folding them at her sides, and shrugs. "Well yeah, in houses you're fine, but what about when you're not at home? Do your teams of griffons all pitch their own tents and curl up by themselves?" The bat pony seems to find this idea funny, and giggles as she imagines it.

01:07 Serilde snickers and rolls her eyes at Inky suggestion, shaking her head. "Of course not. That would be silly. We just use tents with dividers to create rooms for each griffon, or sleep barracks style, 1 bag 1 griffon. What, does yoru kind get all cuddly when their out and about? I had figured you were just a 'special' one.

01:10 Inky shrugs again. "Kind of! When we traveled in groups and roosted in caves, we'd do a huddle." She rubs her muzzle. "It's not really 'cuddling', though. I just don't get what you have against physical contact!" The mare finishes off her biscuits and licks the crumbs from her hoof.

01:16 Serilde steps away to grab her hunk of meat before taking a seat next to Inky and tearing into it. "And I dont get why your kind is so insistent upon doing it. Bat ponies...normal ponies. You guys seem to want to lay with each other all the time...Though I suppose when you have no feathers to ruin..."

01:19 Inky leans towards Serilde, looking like she was going to nuzzle the griffon's shoulder before the formel starts messily devouring her meal. The bat pony pulls back, faintly disgusted. "It's just... not a big deal," she says. "I dunno." The mare looks into the fire to avoid looking at the eating griffon.

01:28 Serilde catches Inky halting her nuzzle and smiles a bit to herself as the mare withdraws. "Well, I'm not so weak as to need somepony to cuddle me while I sleep. Griffons are a self reliant race." She responds with pride in her voice, pausing her meal only to speak.

01:32 Inky snorts quietly at Serilde's proud declaration. "Maybe you are," she says, "but I'm glad there were two of us to take on that windigo. That's something you can't do alone." She pokes the fire with a stick. "Accepting help from others doesn't make you weak."

01:41 Serilde grunts and takes a couple more bites of her food before turning abck to Inky in response. "No...asking for help and accepting help makes one weak. You can trade for assistance, but never should you get help for free."

01:48 Inky doesn't respond to that, though her ears twitch. She was pretty sure that Serilde was talking about her, and the worst part was that young bat pony wasn't sure the griffon was wrong. She had come out here unprepared, after all, and she wouldn't make it without Serilde. Didn't that make her weak? The mare stares silently into the fire, wishing she could prove herself to Serilde... to her parents... to herself.

01:56 Serilde gestures to the tent as Inky sits in silence. "Since you're done eating or whatever, you can probaly go break down the tent for us. I'll finish up and then we can go ahead and get on the wing. Just 2 more days if we can keep up this pace," Serilde commands before she gorges on the last of her meat.

01:57 Inky starts when Serilde speaks to her, shocked out of her thought. "Huh? Oh, right," she says, hopping to her hooves. The bat pony trots over to the tent and starts pulling the stakes out, one by one, before carrying out their gear and starting to disassemble the tent. She works quickly, and in silence.

02:05 Serilde eats quickly, ripping chunks of meat off the flesh with sicening wet noises, slicing them apart with her beat and gulping it down. Soon, she's down to the bones which she swallows in turn. Finally the formel kicks snow over the fire and packs away the tent which Inky had taken apart. "Alright...I guess we're ready to fly then."

02:09 Inky puts on her saddlebags and pack while Serilde gets herself ready, making sure it was all securely fastened. "I'm ready," she says, and takes off, eager to show the griffon she could handle herself. Even though her pack was lighter than ever with her food eaten, it felt heavy on her back. The bat pony pushes herself to fly at their fast pace anyway, her side aching in complaint.

02:19 Serilde throws on her heavy cloak and sets up her saddle bags, taking to the air infront of Inky as she leads them through the sky towards their next destination. "No snow, clear day, If it wasnt so cold out it'd be the perfect day for flying."

02:23 Inky nods and grunts a curt acknowledgment. "It's nice," she says, focusing her attention on keeping her wings pumping. Despite her best efforts, the griffon seemed to be pulling ahead of her, the distance between them slowly widening as they flew on. The bat pony felt like she had a stitch in her side, her muscles burning as she pushed herself onwards.

02:25 Serilde slows down a bit to let Inky match pace with her, but she was wary of letting their speed deteriourate too much. "Inky...are you sure you're doing alright? You seem to be having a little trouble keeping up today," The griffon notes with an air of worry in h er voice. "We have to keep up if w'ere going to do this in 2 days..."

02:29 Inky briefly glances to the side to look at Serilde, who had fallen back to fly alongside her. "I'm, fine," she grunts through gritted teeth. The bat pony shrugs to readjust her pack, shifting it on her back. She's breathing hard and has obviously been exerting herself. Squeezing out a burst of speed, the mare pulls ahead of Serilde for half a minute, before dropping down to an even slower speed than before.

02:36 Serilde shakes her head at the mare, sighing. "No, no you're not fine but the looks of it..." The griffon matches paces as she pulls ahead, but looks a little worried for the bat, catching her visible straining. "No Inky...why dont we land and I'll lighten your load. Otherwise this slow pace is going to cause us problems. You're already out of food..."

02:39 Inky gasps for breath as she recovers from her exertion. "What?" she pants. "No, I can, I can keep going!" The bat pony flies onward, but as she sees Serilde start to descend, there's not much she can do. She can't leave the griffon behind, and somewhere deep down she knows that Serilde is right. The bat pony starts to glide down after her, approaching a clear spot on the shore of a frozen lake.

02:45 Serilde begins to descend, knowing that Inky will be forced to land with her. amd after a minute of slow circling, she touches down gently on the shore and undoes her packs, dropping them to the side while she waits for inky to touchdown nearby.

02:47 Inky follows Serilde to the ground, landing heavily in the snow. "I told you, I can manage my own gear!" she protests, wings hanging limp at her sides while she pants for breath. The bat pony makes no move to remove her pack and saddlebags, refusing to give up and admit that she couldn't do it.

02:50 Serilde moves up beside her and begins to undo the mares saddlebags herself. "Well no, I dont think you can. I can hear your exhurtion. Your breathing heavy and sounding dead tired, and I'm not going to let you get both of us killed by slowing us down till we starve."

02:57 Inky tries to pull away, trying ineffectually to keep Serilde from undoing her saddlebags. "Is this because you think I'm weak?" she says. "I didn't ask for your help!" The bat pony felt a hotness rising in her cheeks, and she knew she should stop, stop and thank the griffon for her help. Instead she heard herself yelling "I'm not weak!"

03:03 Serilde finally pulls the bags off of her as Inky rants, shaking her head. "You arnt weak. You've already paid for my assistance with your letter, so this is not charity. Its a deal you've made with me, and I'm honoring my portion." She takes the bags and begins to find space amongst her own gear.

03:18 Inky grunts as the bags are pulled off of her, swaying a bit in on her hooves. That wasn't the response she'd been expecting, but somehow it was almost as bad realizing she'd made a fool of herself. The bat pony stares off across the lake as Serilde puts her bags into her own pack. Everything should be okay now, but she didn't feel that way at all. It wasn't her own strengths that she'd used to trade, it was her family's. She wanted to be capable on her own... Her emotions were a confusing jumble, and she hated it. Her vision blurred -- from exhaustion? No, something hot and wet was trickling down her cheeks. Inky squeezes her eyes shut, trying to hold back her tears. She wouldn't, she couldn't let Serilde see.

03:23 Serilde fiddles with the pack before settling on taking out some of the contents and stuffing them into different bags before tying the bulk of the pack on. "I hope you know what you had, because I'm not going to be able to manage it all together..." The griffon is too wrapped up in her logistics that she doesnt notice Inky crying, or at least not at first. With a hefty grunt whe pulls the weight onto her pack and ties it on, before looking once more at the mare who was facing away from her. "Alright, I think I'm ready to go..."

03:34 Inky blinks rapidly, unable to stop her tears. She manages to choke out a "thanks" before getting a better grip of herself. I-I'm ready, let's go!" The young pony takes off running towards the lake, the direction they'd been flying. Her wings unfurl and flap hard when she jumps, soaring up over the ice. The bat pony pumps her wings hard, wanting to get away as fast as possible. Serilde would catch up, of course, but she wanted a little bit of time alone. Her side burns, and the stitch is back, but the mare pushes herself anyway. She didn't know what it was; normally she shrugged off this kind of stuff like it was nothing. The mare had been through a lot on this trip, and it had worn her down. She sniffles, and finds her tears have stopped. All of her concentration on flying let her step away, and see the situation in another light. The mare swallows and slows down, letting Serilde catch up so she could give her an apology for how she'd been acting today.... which is when her wing cramps. Pain shot through the muscles of her left wing, leaving it held clenched to her side. Inky yells and flails with her one working wing as she starts to plummet towards the ice below.

03:46 Serilde shakes her head as Inky takes flight and begins to charge forward as well, picking up speed before leaping into the air with a grunt. He wings give a number of straining flaps as it seems Serilde hangs tentitivly in the air, before she finally catches the wind and begins to climb after Inky. Already she could feel a bit of increased strain from Inky's extra pack, though she told herself she could manage. Just a minute or so into the flight she see's Inky drop towards the lake. "Inky!" She calls and dives down after her, hoping to catch the batpony midfall.

03:52 Inky feels the wind whipping through her fur as she falls, the land and sky spinning around her. Her mind goes blank, but her body remembers the training drilled into her when she learned to fly. The mare uses her working wing to stop her tumbling, then tucks it to her side to keep herself stable. She shifts her position into a dive; if her left wing would just *open*, she could pull out. With a grunt she tries to force it open, but the muscle doesn't respond. A second try: nothing. Third try-- The bat pony doesn't have a chance to try again, and barely has time to throw out her forelegs in front of her to protect her face. In the middle of the lake, the ice was thinner, and offers only cursory resistance to the falling pony. It shatters under her hooves, and she dives into the lake, leaving only a hole smashed in the ice to mark her passage.

04:00 Serilde calls out another time as Inky plummets down. Serilde continues her dive but she couldnt catch up to the mare. Finally she has to pull back up, or risk crashing into the ice herself. Serilde panted and turned towards the shore. She had to drop her bags or she would drown, but if she dropped her bags into the ice, they'd be lost forever and then they'd both freeze to death instead. While Inky disapears into the water, Serildemakes a noise of pain, and lands on some thicker ice.

04:07 Inky 's first thought is that she's dead, floating in the dim light under the lake. But then why does everything still hurt?, she muses to herself. The freezing water was like a knife, stabbing into her from all directions. The mare forces herself to open her eyes, and looks around wildly. There! Up there, that hole in the dim ceiling! She kicks her legs, thrusting herself towards the surface. Her hooves scrabble on the ice from below, forcing herself towards the hole she fell in through. Finally, her lungs burning, she surfaces amidst the broken chunks of ice with a loud gasp. The mare flails around in the ice hole, trying to find something to hold onto, but her hooves just smash the ice around the edges. None of it is thick enough for her to use for support.

04:18 Serilde drops her pack on the thick Ice as quick as she can, struggling to pull the straps off of her and undo it before it slips down off her back with a loud thud, but fortunately the ice doesnt break. She dashes back towards teh hole, taking flight and soaring inches above the surface as she rushes forward. Just about when she reaches the hole, Inky pops up much to Serilde's relief. She hits Inky like a ton of bricks, hooking her in her talons and digging into her flesh some as she pulls the mare free of the water and above the ice as she carries her back to the packs. Her wings strain and her balance is dificult from such an awkward angle, but they make it, and Serilde drops her amongst the gear.

04:21 Inky has barely taken in her fresh lungful of air when the griffon plows into her, making the bat pony yelp. The bat pony takes a few moments to figure out what was going on, and that the thing carrying her just under her forelegs was Serilde. Her eyes widen, just before the griffon drops her among the gear. She hits the ice with an oof, and sprawls out, shivering uncontrollably.

04:29 Serilde settles down next to Inky and the gear, but as she looks around, noticing that there were hardly any trees nearby. It would be quite difficult to manage to build a fire in their current location. The griffon goes up to the shivering pony and takes off her cloak to wrap her up. Sadly she notes several talon punctures where she'd grabbed the mare, but it couldnt be helped. "Inky, are you alright? We're going to get you through this. I hope that cloak will provide enough warmth."

04:35 Inky knew she was done for. They had no fire, and she probably wouldn't last long enough to build one. But with this knowledge came a sort of fatalistic clarity. "Serilde," she says in a shaky voice, looking up at the griffon, "I... I'm sorry. F-For earlier." The bat pony is limp in Serilde's talons, letting her pick her up and wrap her in the cloak. It shields her from the biting wind, but the mare is freezing, and won't warm it up herself.

04:44 Serilde looks back and forth around the clearing, but no immidiate answers present themselves, leaving the griffon cursing. "Shit shit shit. We've got to get you warmed up INky. It will be alright. Where's a blasted unicorn when you need one." She thinks as she looks at her pack. "Ugh...I've got nothin in there either..."

04:48 Inky seems oddly calm and unconcerned with the situation. "It's okay," she says, "but I can't w-write you that letter now..." The mare frowns. "If you're ever in the area... m-mmaybe you could tell them..."

04:51 Serilde shakes her head and looks at the bundle again. "No! It will be fine...we'll just..." Her eyes drift over to the bundle of meat and she gets a little bit of an idea. "Well...I think I could carry you nice and warm...but I dont think you're going to like it..." The griffon says with a flat expression.

04:56 Inky blinks and looks up, confused. "Huh?" she says. "How?" The mare had a blueish tint to her extremities, but some fire had rekindled behind her eyes.

05:01 Serilde grimaces and looks down at her once more. "Well...I could carry you...in...my crop..." She says, bracing herself for the mares reaction. "I mean...I havnt swallowed a pony before...but...I probably could..."

05:03 Inky doesn't seem like she's in full control of her faculties, as she tilts her head at Serilde, keeps tilting it, and almost falls over. "Crop? Oh, okay," she says, not really seeming like she understands. "'m mean, I don' really *wanna* die..."

05:07 Serilde sucks in a deep breath as she looks down at the mare and then gives a nod. "Ok...well, just hold still..." The griffon opens her mouth wide and leans forward, the smell of her boar from earlier washing over Inky's snout as she leans down. She wraps her talons around Inkyk's head and pushes her in, scraping her hard beak accross the flush of her under jaw.

05:11 Inky lifts her head up and stares into the griffon's throat like a deer caught in headlights. "Ew, your breath stinks," she says with a little giggle, her voice sounding rather dopey. The bat pony has no idea what she's in for as Serilde leans forward over her and pushes her into her mouth. Inky grunts as the griffon's beak scrapes her muzzle, but the hardest was yet to come. The mare's shoulders were still wrapped in Serilde's cloak, but they would definitely be a stretch.

05:15 Serilde forces her beak open wider and presses Inky's soaked face into her maw, covering the cold fur with her warm slime. Slowly she creeps down the mares body, giving a swallow every couple of minutes until she reaches the her shoulders. The griffon slips the cloak down lower and undoes the one covering her wound as she strains to pull Inky in past her shoulders.

05:19 Inky feels the biting cold wind replaced with a warm, sticky wetness as Serilde slowly takes her entire head into her mouth. The bat pony's cold nose pokes at the back of her throat, then slips in, beginning the long journey down. Her shoulders and forelegs had a little blood on them from her violent rescue, which would add a little metallic tang to the flavor of lake water and sweaty, unwashed bat pony. Inky's ears fold down as Serilde soaks them in her saliva, the fluffy tufts getting slicked back.

05:22 < Inky> The sound of the griffon swallowing echoes in her ears as her head is squeezed into Serilde's throat, bulging out her neck. The next bit is easy going, the bat pony's neck thinner than her head, but her shoulders prove problematic. Inky tries to say something from inside the griffon's slimy throat, but it's too muffled to make out.

05:33 Serilde strains her jaws as she presses against the shoulders, her mouth aches, but after a few long moments she finally manages to slip them through her beak too, pressing down aroudn the mare. She can feel the throat constrict around her face, matting her fur tight to her skin as Serildestruggles to gulp her down.

05:38 Inky can't see anything in the blackness, and can only feel the hot, slick muscles squeezing around her head. They keep trying to pull her down, but her shoulders prevent her from moving until finally Serilde manages to stretch her beak over them. As the griffon leans down, she feels herself squished further down the tight passage, the bulge shifting lower under Serilde's feathers. She squeezes her eyes shut as the throat ripples and clamps down around her face, mushing the thick slime into her fur. In her state, Inky didn't really know what was going on, but at least part of her didn't feel so cold anymore so that was good! The mare's forelegs also have small punctures in them, and are pressed tight to her belly from the encroaching beak. It was somewhat painful, swallowing something this size, but there was no way Serilde could go back now.

05:43 Serilde drools a bit as she tastes the the salty sweat and spicy musty fur that covered the mare, giving a small coo of aproval at the strange but tastful flavor that washed over her tongue. " Soon, the familiar taste of blook mixed in as she took in teh forelegs, earning Inky another aproving rumble. Soon Inky would feel herself begining to curl up in a soft muscular sack, pressing into some of the meat that remained from Serilde's breakfast.

05:49 Inky hears what sounds like a happy rumble around her, and giggles. The mare tries to move to pat Serilde back, but she's held completely immobile by the tight muscles. As the griffon presses herself further down the bat pony's body, her beak making its way over Inky's chest, then her belly, the bulge the mare makes in her chest sinks lower and lower. It meets up with another slight bulge, just above the griffon's chest. Inky feels her nose press into something, but she can't tell what it is. Her nostrils are completely covered in the griffon's throat slime, and she hasn't been breathing through them for a few minutes now. She tries to push it away with her nose so she doesn't get forced into it, but that proves difficult as the griffon keeps swallowing her down. Each hard gulp pushes her a few more inches into Serilde's crop, and mushes her face into the chunks of partially chewed meat. "Whas all this?" the bat pony asks loudly, her voice audible from outside. "It's squishy!"

05:56 Serilde can feel her beak nearing the mares wings, so brings her claws up to make sure they' stay tight against the ponies body, not wanting to injure them anymore. She can hear Inkys voice, but her mouth is too stopped up to respond, plus she doesnt know waht Inky is talkign about anyways and shrugs. A few more painful swallows and alot more struggling later, the formell manages to get much of INky in, and tilts backwards, leaving a a pair of hips and hind legs sticking straight up in the air.

06:05 Inky feels her shoulders enter the somewhat open space, the mare starting to curl up inside Serilde's crop. The bat pony shudders involuntarily as her wings are pulled into the griffon's beak, the feeling of them getting covered in saliva, then esophageal slime very odd to her. This is in addition to the ticklish feeling of Serilde's tongue licking at her belly fur, as the griffon seems to enjoy her flavor. Her shuddering sends tremors all up the griffon's throat, and Serilde would definitely notice the odd sensation. As the griffon keeps gulping her down, she has less and less saliva to lubricate the bat pony with, forced to rely on the dampness from her soak in the lake. It makes each swallow hurt more each time as her throat clamps down on the rough fur and tries to squeeze it downward. The bat pony's wet tail hangs down against Serilde's chest, and her hind legs wiggle in the air gently as their owner wonders why she can no longer feel the ground. Inside Serilde's crop, Inky uses her forelegs to try to scoop the meat she's sharing the space with out from behind her back, so it isn't digging into her. The griffon could faintly feel the movement within, another unusual sensation.

06:14 Serilde shivers in time with inky, giving a small squeak as the unfamiliar but not uncomfortable sensation of Inky shaking within her gut. She'd never swallowed anything nearly as big as a pony before, though she'd heard of griffons who'd done similar, and with all the pain, she couldnt imagin why. One talon reaches up to her gut as Inky begins to move, pressing down hard to try and stop the batponies errant motions. As the fur begins to stick to the back of her mouth, Serilde's throat convulses a bit, coughing around the mare. Still, despite the pain and difficulty, she presses on, and eventually manages to close her beak around the hooves, leaving just a bit of tail exposed to the cold.

06:23 Inky was doing her best to get comfortable inside the tight space of Serilde's crop, when suddenly the slimy wall is forced against her head. The mare whines and stops moving, and the griffon could feel the general outline of Inky's head under her talon. Lost in the utter darkness, the bat pony holds still, not wanting to incite another harsh push. As more of her slowly empties out into the muscular sack, she is forced to curl up even more, and feels the odd substances sharing Serilde's crop with her squish against her fur. The mare suddenly realizes that she can't feel the biting cold of the outside on any part of her anymore, and smiles despite her discomfort. Suddenly, the throat convulses around her, dragging her up a couple inches before she's forced back down. The movement prompts another yelp from inside the griffon. Inky's left in an odd position, with her head and part of her chest inside Serilde's crop, and the rest of her stuck in her throat. Slowly, she feels her belly and hind legs get coated in the same sticky slime that covered her upper body, paving the way for one final, powerful swallow to seal her into Serilde's crop.

06:30 Serilde slurps up the tail and then gives a final gulp, sealing the rest of the mare inside her damp cavern. Serilde then collapses forward onto the damp cloak that lay before her, panting mightily as she tries to recover from taht impressive feat. One talon traces teh bulge of her hoof, all the way down to her crop as she deposits the rest of the mare in that smelly sac. "Inky...are you...alright...in there?" Serilde asks worriedly. "I hope it isnt too bad..."

06:37 Inky waits for what feels like hours, but is only a couple minutes as the griffon's throat produces more lubrication. She feels the throat muscles go still, as Serilde prepares to swallow her down, then they constrict mightily. More and more of the bat pony is forced down the griffon's neck, the bulges traveling down and down as they head towards her swelling crop. Inky squirms a bit as her chest is pushed in, then her belly, having to curl up to make enough room in the tight sac. She still couldn't smell anything, but would be in for an unpleasant surprise as soon as she cleared her nose. Serilde's crop stretches around the bat pony's body, feeling almost painfully tight as it's forced to accept the bat pony's hindlegs, too. Her 'prey' squirms around, trying to get remotely comfortable inside the cramped, dark space. The bat pony's movements grind the chewed and unchewed meat against her fur, though she doesn't know it yet. Inky's ears perk up as she hears a voice, though she is still a bit delirious. "I'm just peachy," she says in her dopey voice. "S' all raindrops and gumbows..."

06:44 Serilde lays forward on the cloak for quite a while as she tries to not only catch her breath, but also get used to the squirming figure inside her. The mare created quite the bulge on her chest, lumping out unnaturally from her form. "Y-you dont sound alright...and ACK! Please, try not to move to omuch, it kind of hurts to have you in there." Though at teh same time, a more primitive part of Serilde's mind enjoyed the squirming bulge of 'meat' despite the tightness. "Just...we'll fly off soon enough. Are you warm at least?"

06:47 Inky finds something that approximates a comfortable position, with her head tucked between her hindlegs and forelegs. She doesn't really understand why Serilde wants her to stop moving, but does so anyway. "'M super warm," she says, the temperature positively sweltering inside the griffon. As she warmed up, she would probably come back to her senses.

06:53 Serilde finally slowly gets to her feet, though her entire body feels quite a bit more unweildy with the mare altering her center of gravity. "Mmmmm, thats good," she notes, stepping forward. The movemnet causes her crop to sway a little. Around her, Inky could hear the griffons beating heart, her deep breathing and the wet squelching sounds as her gut processed food. She glances at her pack with a frown, starting to put it on. In the back of her mind, she had a feeling that she might have to leave some of her gear behind, but, the griffon would get to that if she had too." Slowly she begins to strap herself back in, preparing to take flight once more.

06:56 Inky slips into a half-sleep as Serilde gets her gear all ready and prepares to take off, lulled by the griffon's rhythmic heartbeat. As her body warms back up, Inky gradually comes back to her senses, and wake up. Her memories feel a bit fuzzy, like she'd been dreaming, but she does notice that it's dark, cramped, and slimy. The mare can feel slime covering the outside of her eyes, but can't get her forehooves anywhere near them to rub them clean. She can't see even a fraction of light sneaking through her eyelids, though, and assumes it's just actually that dark. "Ugrh..." she groans. "Where... where am I? What happened?" She tries to stretch, finding the slimy walls around her unyielding. There was some regular thumping sound, amidst a wet, burbling background. The bat pony had no idea what was going on.

07:02 Serilde gets her gear all set and strapped on when Inky finally returns to lucidity, graoning and wincing in pain as Inky begins to move around. "Inky stop moving. You're safe, but you're hurting me." She says, her voice booming around the mare in her chest. "We're just about to take off. Do you not remember what happened?" The griffon reaches up and gives her bulge a couple comforting pats.

07:07 Inky freezes as she hears Serilde's voice loud around her, louder than she'd ever heard it before. "I'm hurting you?" she says, sounding worried. "I didn't mean to!" The mare furrows her slick eyebrows. "Safe? From what? 'We'?" She racks her brain, trying to remember what had happened, but finds it difficult. "Let's see," she says, her voice sounding odd with her clogged nose. "I was... flying, yeah... and I was going to apologize to you..." The bat pony trails off as she tries to remember. "And then... and then... I was falling? And it was cold?" She puzzles over that for a few moments before starting suddenly, making a sudden jerking movement. "I fell in the lake?! How am I still alive?" The mare feels something pat her back, only confusing her more about her strange location.

21:07 Serilde strains to hear Inky's voice through her thick flesh. The noise sounds muffled and hollow, but she can manage to make it out the sounds enough to understand. "Well...I pulled you from the water and had to warm you up somehow..." She then lowers her tone of voice even more and holds Inky harder for the inevitable freak out. "So...I kind of had to eat you," She states, quickly adding, "But you should be safe." The griffon tenses her body, constricting the walls of her crop around the mare, unintentionally forcing meat against her muzzle.

21:21 Inky listens to the voice booming around her, the familiar voice of the griffon sounding odd when it's transmitted through her flesh. The pressure on her back increases when Serilde pushes on her, forcing her into a tighter ball. The bat pony's eyes snap open when Serilde reveals that she ate her, but she can't see anything in the pitch black chamber. "You ATE me?" she squeals, forgetting what she'd learned about the griffon's crop in her panic. "That's not safe! Why save me if you're just going to eat me!" She struggles and opens her mouth to say something, but all that comes out is a muffled "Mmmph!" when the slimy walls clench around her, forcing a chunk of meat into her mouth. The powerful muscles hold her mostly still despite her attempts to struggle.

21:29 Serilde cries out in pain and collapses forward onto the ice putting immense pressure on the struggling mare as her movements stretch and strain her already taut crop walls. "Inky! Calm down," She responds in a mixture of commanding and pleading. "You're in my crop. While you're there you'll be perfectly fine, and I wont let you go further. Your struggles are hurting me though. Believe me when I say this was the only way." Serilde lays forward, splayed out, taking labored breaths as the mare's form put pressure on her lungs. Inky could feel the rise and fall of the organs behind the sac, moving with each breath.

21:41 Inky grunts an mmf of pain as she feels a heavy weight land on her. The mare whines softly around the meat in her mouth, but goes still when she hears Serilde's noises of pain and her pleading. She spits out the chunk of meat, taking deep breaths of the smelly air to calm herself down. "Okay," she says, still sounding shaken. "Okay. If you promise I'll be safe." The mare moves very carefully, trying to ease the pressure on herself. She could hear the griffon's heavy breathing, and thought she could even feel a slight pressure in time with it behind one of the walls of her 'room'. The labored noise makes her conscience twinge. "Sorry.. about hurting you," she says. "Ngnh... it feels like you're sitting on me..."

21:52 Serilde slowly gets back up to her feet as her breathing slows now that the mare isn't fighting her tooth and hoof to escape, pulling much of the pressure off of her. Her breathing slows as she mentally prepares herself for takeoff once more. Now that Inky was being calmer, the shifting about of prey inside her felt strange, but not altogether unpleasant, awakening some of the feelings she gets when she hunts by claw. "Ya...sorry about that. Please do try to keep still while we fly though...I'd hate to start plummetting from a sudden spike of pain...Still you are alright in there right?"

22:00 Inky sighs with relief when the pressure is removed, though she still has to curl up in the small chamber. "I'm okay," she says. "Sore, cramped, and my ears and nose feel like they're burning from the heat, but... it's better than the alternative." The mare giggles, which turns into a choking cough, the slime clogging her nose finally making her let out a powerful sneeze -- so loud that Serilde can hear it from outside. With her nose cleared, she can finally partake of the rank smell of digesting meat and griffon slobber. "Eurgh! It smells awful in here!" she complains, having some trouble holding down her breakfast. Her forelegs are near her ears, and the bat pony tries to get the slime out of the them so she can hear better. She opens her mouth and finally inspects her surroundings with her echolocation, curious about what was actually in there with her.

22:13 Serilde smiles faintly when Inky reveals that she's alright and gives the bulge a comforting pat. "Well I'd say so, better uncomfortable than dead, though I must say, I'm not terribly enjoying having to carry you around either. Gorging this much makes it difficult to fly..." The formel winces as she hears Inky cough and sneeze, getting a little worried until she finally hears her complain, eliciting a hearty chuckle from the griffon. Her chest tightens and loosens around the mare with each laugh, making Inky feel it as well as hear it. "Well...what do you expect being covered in griffon slime. I imagine you smell quite a bit like a pellet, and /that/ is not a pleasant smell." When Inky flashes her 'sight' around the chamber she can see that much of what isnt filled up with her is filled up with meat, though it only takes up about a tenth of the space Inky does. The flesh is torn into various sizes and moves about almost like a liquid as the chamber undulates. Amongst the flesh, Inky can make out fur and some small to medium sized bones that poked at her body on ocasion.

22:25 Inky feels the pat from outside around where her shoulder is, and tries to lean and gently rub back to show she's okay. The bat pony makes a face when her rubbing makes an unpleasant squelching sound, though, and pulls back. Serilde's laughter ends up rubbing that wall against the side of her head anyway, though, smearing against the already slimy bat pony. With the laughter-induced contractions gently shaking Inky around, Serilde can feel her movements inside her crop, the way a single, solid pony moves much different than the little chunks of meat she was used to. As she inspects what's sharing her space, Inky's lips pull back in disgust. "Is this your breakfast?" she squeals, noting that little bits and pieces of meat had stuck all over her fur. "This is gross!" She tries to shove the meat next to her away, but there's nowhere to push it to, and it's so soaked in Serilde's slime that it behaves more like a goopy, chunky slurry. When she sees the bones, she realizes what that poking sensation was, and turns faintly green. "I can't believe you eat the bones and fur too!" she yells out. A faint squelching emanates from the bulge in the griffon's neck as her passenger tries to get the remnants of her breakfast as far away from her as possible, to little success.

22:38 Serilde blilnks a couple times as Inky's complaining gets more specific. "How can you see in there..." She muses before suddenly remembering what she'd learned the other night. "Oh ya...right...Well...I told you that my crop keeps food for awhile when I eat quite a bit. It'll probably take much of the day for that to fully empty, though...you might have to help it along some. Its a little harder to control with a huge solid think in there, and frankely feels kinda strange..." The griffon spreads her wings and gives a couple test flaps, causing the chest muscles to constrict around her with each flap. The trip down Serilde's gullet ruined the mares bun, causing her mane to stick flat against her body, and get decorated with bits of food. "Well...if you're all settled in, I think I want to try moving on."

22:47 Inky groans. "The whole day?!" She listens, gears turning in her head when Serilde says she might have to help it along. "Help it along?" The bat pony scans the walls, looking for where she thinks the other exit might be. "Hold on..." She scoots backwards, rotating her body so she was in closer to a hunched over sitting position rather than laying in Serilde's crop like a fleshy hammock. Her weight shifts, but now she can poke around under the soup of meat chunks and slime with her rear hooves. The constrictions from the griffon's flapping wings nearly topple her, but she presses her hooves to the side and opposite wall to keep steady. It takes a little bit, but her hoof catches on something in the wall, and she grins. "Like this?" she asks, shoving a rear hoof and a few chunks of meat through into the second part of Serilde's throat. With a grunt, she tries to pull her hoof back out.

23:01 Serilde feels a tightness in her chest as she flaps, but its not terribly different than when she ahs a full belly, just that it feels a little tighter and doesnt give as much. As she's testing out her ability of flight, she feels a little bit of meat slip out of her crop and past the point of no return. She gags a bit as Inky gets her hoof caught, but the muscle spasms help her pull it free eventually. "Yes like that kinda...just be careful. I dont really have any control past my crop," She warns, "Now I'm taking off." Serilde begins to charge forward to pick up momentum. She can feel Inky's body shift and pick up speed a little after she does, a forien sensation in her chest. Finally she leaps into the air, feeling her chest strain as Inky's body catches up before finally catching airborne with a number of powerful hard flaps. Her wings strain against the air as it takes Serilde a few minutes to adjust to her new load in flight.

23:12 Inky pulls her hoof free with a squelch, and makes a mental note to push more gently next time. The mare yelps as her carrier starts to run, the acceleration pressing her into the slimy walls and soupy puddle. Serilde's takeoff makes her passenger grunt, pushing her into the 'floor'. She can hear the griffon's powerful heart pumping as her ear is forced against the crop wall, accompanied by a fainter 'whoosh' of her wings. "This feels really weird," the young pony says, feeling the jerky movements of flight but unable to see anything about her surroundings. As Serilde gets used to the new weight, she feels the movements become a bit more steady, and starts to slowly move around and get back to her previous position. Reaching out with a hindleg, she gently pushes another few chunks of meat against and through the lower exit of the crop. "I'm just gonna push all of this meat out, okay?" she says, squishing some more slimy meat and fur out. "I'm already coated in it, but I don't want to have to stew in it all day!" The mare shakes her head and grimaces when she feels her mane squish against the slimy wall above her and stickily pull away from her back. The straight hairs were covered in slime and little bits of meat. "Ugh... my mane..."

23:19 Serilde slowly steadies her self in the air. While Inky couldnt see it, Serilde was getting the feeling that she might not be able to fly as fast as she'd want to be able to do. The addition of a pony was a lot, and the gear on top of that was even more weight. As she's considering these things, how far she needed to go and if she needed to drop some weight, she's interupted by Inky's question. She takes a couple seconds to comprehend it, though by that time Inky had already started. "Wait, dont do that. You'll give me indigestion, which would be unpleasant for both me and you...If I could handle all that meat at once, why would it store like that?"

23:25 Inky had been steadily pushing out little bits of meat during Serilde's complaint, the griffon able to feel them traveling down her second throat. "What? I don't know how you griffons work," she protests, but sighs and pulls her hoof away. The bat pony lets herself slide back down to the bottom of the slimy organ, resting in the hot darkness. She'd gotten used to the smell by now, though she could still detect the unpleasant odor. The mare sighs and tries to get comfortable in the tight space, settling on something that was almost passable. She starts to sweat in the heat, her body not used to being so warm.

23:32 Serilde 's heart beat and breathing begins to slow down from the initial takeoff and accomidation, though its still at a harder and faster rate than it had been when they were both on the ground. "Well, why else would it bee like that? You'll just have to live with it though...Anyways, you get to sit and be comfy while I do all the hard work." Serilde keeps to herself the fact taht she isnt sure she'll be able to maintain this pace, but continues to push herself. "Now...I dont think I'll be able to talk to much today..." She says quietly, scanning the sky. "But, you should talk a bit, just so that I know you're alright..."

23:37 Inky looks at the legs tucked around her head, and imagines how she'll feel after half an hour of laying like this, let alone a day of flying. "It's not exactly comfy," she says, then yawns softly. The mare can hear even Serile's quiet voice pretty easily, with her acute hearing and the reverberations of where she lay. "I'll do my best," she says, but without any indicators of the passage of time, the bat pony has trouble remembering to speak up now and then. Worse, the warmth makes her drowsy, and the rhythmic beating of the griffon's heart in her ears helps to lull her into a light sleep.

23:47 Serilde had been hearing Inky speak up every half hour or so for a bit but after a while, Inky's movements still even further and she goes completly silent as she falls asleep. Serilde doesnt notice immidiatly, having spent much of her attentions on keeping going. Her breathing was becoming more labored as she went on, having to slow her pace even further too keep moving. Eventually though...after Inky hasnt spoken in about 2 hours, Serilde suddenly remembers and and gets worried. "Inky! Inky! I cant feel you moving and your not talking! Are you alright!" She shouts, voice sounding quite a bit out of breath.

23:50 Inky jerks awake as the griffon's shouts resound through her crop, the bat pony wincing from how loud they were. Serilde would feel her sudden movement first as the mare tries to sit up, but only manages to rub her slick, sweaty body on the walls of the griffon's crop. "Huh? What?" she says, dazed. "'M fine, I just.. nodded off, or something."

23:55 Serilde gasps and her movements falter for a second as inky jerks, causing her to drop some altitude suddenly before she recovers, though Inky can feel the momentary free fall. "Oh...ok...good," she responds between breaths. "I was worried...I guess you do like it in there if you can sleep..."

00:03 Inky eeps as she feels herself press into the roof of the crop, then be weightless for a moment, before squishing back into the floor when Serilde catches herself. "Thanks for making sure I'm okay," she says with a smile, reaching out a hoof to rub one of the slimy walls. She's not actually sure the griffon can feel her hoof rub, but she reacted to her movements earlier, so she might notice. The bat pony snorts at Serilde's suggestion, her legs feeling stiff after she'd fallen asleep. "I don't like it," she says. "It's hot, I'm covered in sweat and... and *slime*, it's really cramped, I'm becoming fast friends with your breakfast... sleeping is about the only thing I can do to pass the time." The mare sighs. "Though... at least your heartbeat helps me sleep, for some reason." She turns her attention outwards, noticing the griffon's labored breathing. "Are you doing okay? You sound out of breath."

00:17 Serilde feels the subtle pressure of the mare rubbing against her, but its not not enough to cause her pain so Serilde doesnt really mind, knowing that such things are inevitable. "Well...I'll cough you up by a fire this evening and then you can fly normally tormorrow, how does that sound?" She asks, though Inkys followup on her breathing leaves her with a scowl on her face. "No, I'm fine. I'm fine," She lies, "Besides...we've only got about two more hours of flight before it gets too dark..." Serilde takes a long time to respond as she speaks having to keep breathing quickly to supply oxygen to her aching wings and chest muscles. "And it does does it? thats good...I guess."

00:24 Inky keeps up her gentle stroking, since it makes her feel better to be giving the griffon some sort of thanks even if she's not sure Serilde has noticed. "That sounds great," the mare says, muffled by the flesh and feathers. "You don't sound fine," she says, a worried tone creeping into her voice as she listens to the griffon breathing hard. "Serilde, that's how I fell -- I pushed myself too hard, and my wing cramped up." The bat pony twiddles her slimy hooves together, having remembered that she never apologized to the griffon for how she acted this morning. She thinks about how to phrase it, panting slightly herself in the hot chamber.

00:32 Serilde shakes her head and says, "No. I'm fine, I'll keep going and we'll continue to make alright time. I wont be lectured by a pony who has no clue about this sort of thing," She responds, though part of her knew that Inky was right. "Its only a couple more hours anyways..." she notes, looking at the position of the sun. Inky can tell however, that Serilde is pushing herself quite hard, as she has more difficulty speaking than their previous days. The griffons heart is also beating at a faster pace than Inky's normally does midflight. The chamber is much much hotter than it had been before she fell asleep, heated byt he hard work of Serilde chest muscles pulling them forward in the air.

00:39 Inky lays back in the slimy chamber, the sweltering heat making it hard for her to do much besides just stay still. At least she didn't seem to be getting any hotter, and the walls wrapping her from all sides actually felt cool sometimes. Serilde's protests kindle Inky's defiant spirit, and the bat pony had all the sounds of the griffon's body to back her up. "Maybe I don't know that much about traveling," she admits, "but I did just fall from the sky earlier today. And my heart, and breathing, were just. Like. This." She taps a hoof against the wall with each of her three final words.

01:07 Serilde clenches her jaw and shakes her head at Inky's logic, but she knows it to be true in her heart. "But...but..." Serilde begins, wanting to continue arguing, yet she gives up and begins to circle to the ground having spotted a clearing, though she doesnt let Inky know this. The descent is gradual and the batpony might not even notice as they begin to land.

01:11 Inky does notice the griffon's breathing steadying as she shifts to a more gliding descent, and smiles, assuming that she'd slowed down. She doesn't push the issue, knowing how she herself would have taken it earlier. Instead, the mare tries to figure out how to word her apology. "I'm sorry I was so... so snippy with you this morning," she says, a little hesitant. "Um... thanks for all of your help, especially going this far for me."

01:23 Serilde doesnt respond initially until with a soft wump and some increased pressure in her chest as Serilde's legs bare the weight of the pair, the griffon finally lands, still taking deep breaths. "Well...alright then...you get what you want...I'm going to take a short break...And a deal's a deal. I'll get you through this safely." She responds, refusing to acknowledge that there might be more too it than that." Serilde pulls the waterskin that hung against her body to keep it unfrozen to her lips, and begins to drink. The freezing water travels down her throat and over the mare, providing quite a cold shock to her body.

02:24 Inky smiles wider when she feels Serilde touch down; this was even better than slowing down! "Great! And, um, I mean I know we made a deal, but I still wanted to--" The griffon doesn't get to find out what Inky wanted to say, because that's when the cold water from her waterskin reaches her, dousing her passenger in frigid water. The bat pony yelps in surprise, twitching and shivering involuntarily as the water pours over her. Serilde could feel her shaking inside the slimy sack as it fills with water. "C-c-cold!" she squeals.

02:31 Serilde jerks in shock as she hear's her cry, pulling the waterskin away from her beak, though more cold water still flows down from what she'd already drunk. "Oh...ya...I suppose you would feel that...Sorry. Thats not filling up in there is it?" She asks, sounding a little worried. The water warms up rather quickly afterwards, sucking heat away from both of their cores till it reaches an equillibrium, probably feeling nice to the mare after the initial shock. It pools a little around her, but mostly makes its way further down along the passage.

02:43 Inky keeps shivering inside the crop as the water leeches the heat from her. Her shaking makes the water slosh gently, compounding the waves from Serilde's sudden movement. The bat pony had managed to cover up the exit to the crop by accident, so the cold water pools around her, mixing with the meat and slime. "I-It's okay," she says as more water splashes down onto her, then stops. It doesn't stay cold for long, and the mare's shaking stops. "Actually, it was really hot in here, so this is kinda nice," she says. Shifting her position slightly, Inky uses the water to try to get some of the sweat and meat off her fur. It's fairly effective, and the mare smiles. "Plus I feel a little cleaner too!" It suddenly strikes her how thirsty she is, but there's no way she's going to drink the water she was half-swimming in. "Um," she starts, "Serilde, I'm kind of thirsty... once I say I'm ready, could you drink some more?" She's forgotten that the griffon was probably planning to drink a lot more anyway, once she made sure that her 'passenger' would be okay.

02:52 Serilde smiles, her worry instantly vanishing as Inky tells her to go ahead. "Alright then," she responds with a smile, and brings the waterskin to her mouth and gulping down even more before Inky gets any more words in edgewise. It probably begins to fall down upon her before Inky can get into proper position to drink some, showering her face with even more cold water. Serilde only stops drinking momentarily to take a breath before she resumes flooding her crop with water, draining about half of the waterskin.

03:03 Inky yelps when the water starts to pour down on her again. "Wait, wait!" she squeaks, squirming around so that she can get her mouth near the top of the sack she was curled up in. Her squirms uncover the lower valve of the crop briefly, letting a little water out, before the bat pony sits back down. She presses down on the floor of the crop to lift herself up, and thrusts her nose back into Serilde's throat. Opening her mouth, the mare gulps down as much water as she can before reaching her fill. Some of it gets in her nose, some it trickles out around her muzzle, and it all tastes not so faintly of griffon spit, but it was otherwise clean water and Inky was happy to have it. The bat pony sighs happily and lets herself slide back down into the stretchy sack, curling up again as the water continues to flood down on top of her. She sputters a few times as she clears her nose, then notices with alarm how fast the water was rising around her. Inky's body took up most of the space in Serilde's crop, and the water was filling in the rest. "Ack! Serilde, stop!" she squeals, worried. "It's not draining!"

03:11 Serilde gags a little at the batpony's antics in her throat, finding the feeling quite strange as Inky presses herself up into her gullet, but still manages to swallow down her fill of water. She had just pulled the waterskin from her lips when she suddenly hears the mare call out, elliciting a worried squeak from her beak. "Oh shit sorry Inky. Just umm...I dont know, keep upright and squirm. I thought you said it wasnt filling?" She asks frantically. The griffon arches her chest high, hoping that she'll manage to get Inky to drain a little better if the sack was closer to vertical.

03:21 Inky breathes a little easier when the water stops pouring in, leaving her with her head safely above the water level. "I'm okay, it's not too high," she calls back. "I guess there wasn't enough for me to notice before!" The water-filled crop sloshes noisily when Serilde leans back, the water splashing against the walls. Inky shivers slightly in the cold water, and starts to squirm around, though with her back to the bottom of the crop, her squirming doesn't actually unblock the exit. On the bright side, the mare's movements help to clean her up a bit, some of the slime getting out of her fur, though the water quickly becomes well mixed with slime and chunks of meat.

03:30 Serilde sighs in relief as Inky says she's safe shaking her head. "Oh the logistics of having someone inside of you are complex...Is it draining better now? You have been steadily pushing meat along right?" Serilde asks, sounding a little concerned for her occupant still. The mare trots around the clearing stretching her wings, trying to relieve them of their achyness. "I dont think I'm gonna rest for more than ten more minutes though...we've got to get going."

03:34 Inky giggles at her host's complaint, finding the entire concept of it amusing. "Not draining yet," she says. "Oh! I think I'm laying on that other hole-thingy!" The bat pony squirms more, making some loud sloshing sounds come from the bulge in Serilde's chest. "Steadily? Um... no, I haven't pushed anything since you told me not to," she says. "Should I have?" As she squirms to one side of the water-filled sack, leaning her head over to the other side and using her forelegs to support herself, she uncovers the exit in the formel's crop.

03:39 Serilde face talons and then drags her claws down through her feathers as Inky admits to having forgot. "I told you to steadily push it out...I guess yes...please push more of my meal down that way. It should have been mostly cleared out by now..." Serilde grumbles at the situation, "Thats probably part of the reason why I'm tired..." Her movements cause the water to slosh back and forth, coating inky in the watery mixture of slime and food. Inside her she can hear loud squelches and sloshing from the chamber. "I cant say I've ever had my crop fill with water before...it feels kinda strage," She notes, poking at the organ a bit.

03:41 Serilde can feel the pressure in her crop lesson some as what she assmumes to be the water flows out slowly out of the organ.

03:47 Inky tries to keep her face out of the splashing mixture as it rocks back and forth inside Serilde's crop. "Sorry," she says, "I thought you just meant to leave it alone! And I fell asleep, too!" Even though she was being coated with watery slime and bits of meat, it was an improvement to before, when she was completely covered in the thick slime from Serilde's throat. When the griffon pokes at her distended crop, Inky's hoof slips, making her fall into the sloshing liquid. The splash was audible from outside, and the increasing squirming as the mare struggles to get her head above water was certainly noticeable. All of her squirming does open the exit to the crop, though, leaving the bat pony gasping as the water level recedes. It takes most of the meat with it, gurgling as the mixture travels down towards Serilde's stomach.

04:03 Serilde panics and arches up even higher as she feels the mares struggle and here's the flailing around within her. She tries to find inky's head with her hoof to try and push it towards the top of her crop. "Cmon Inky, you'll be fine," she says, hoping her words to be true. The mare's flailing hurts her, but she's more worried about Inky than her pain. When the mare finally begins to cough as her stomach relaxes, Serilde gives a long sigh of relief. "Oh...good. I'll try to drink water in small doses from now on..."

04:14 Inky struggles to lift her head above the water, having slipped so that she was now curled up with her head down, rotated nearly 180 degrees from her earlier resting position. The panicking griffon doesn't help, her stress making her muscles clench down and tighten the space around the bat pony. Inky's hooves struggle to find purchase, since she can't 'see' when underwater and Serilde keeps shoving at the bottom of her crop, making it lurch and change shape. The mare had started to scoot her rear forward and try to pull her head up that way when the water drains away, leaving her coughing. "That was... kinda scary," she admits, once she's stopped coughing. "You sorta clenched up around me when you panicked, and I got stuck." The bat pony starts to squirm again, but much more gently this time, rolling around so that she lay on her back. "I guess that wasn't such a good way to uncover the exit." She looks around and notices that almost all the meat is gone, except for a chunks here and there, and some that was left on her fur when the water receded. All in all, she feels a lot cleaner after her impromptu bath. "Up until that though, it was nice! I got to cool off and have a sort of bath!" Her optimism was showing through again, the mare sure that she would have been able to get her head above water even if it hadn't drained.

04:26 Serilde takes a seat in the snow as she tries to recover from the pain remains after the struggles had mostly ceased. "No...I'd say that was a terrible way. You had me scared that I'd accidentally drowned you after that," she admits solomnly. Her heart is still pounding from the jolt of adrenilene that happened during the height of the action. "Well, you can forget getting another bath like that. I'm only drinking in moderation from now on. I'm not going to carry you all this way only for you to drown in my gut."

04:32 Inky shrugs. It's not like it would matter, since she was going to get let out in a few hours anyway. "Sorry," she says, cowed by the solemnity of Serilde's voice. "I didn't think I'd slip." The mare reaches out a hoof towards the pounding sound of the griffon's heart, and strokes the slimy wall softly. "I hope I didn't scare you too much." Another thought crosses her mind. "Oh no, I didn't hurt you with my flailing, did I?" Her softly rubbing hoof helps to ease the pain caused by her struggles, letting the stretched flesh relax.

04:38 Serilde gives a small rumble and rubs her back with a hoof. "Well...matters is that you're safe right now. Just...we need to be more careful in the future..." She says, and then begins to purr a bit as the stroking eases her pain. "And...it doest matter, you'lre safe now and thats what counts." She remains sitting in the snow, rubbing her aching chest for a little bit longer.

04:48 Inky squeaks in surprise when there's a rumble around her, and again, a bit more confused when she feels Serilde rubbing her back from outside. "Okay, I guess," she says, finding the griffon's response unhelpful. "So, um, is this helping? If I hurt you I want to make up for it somehow!" The bat pony presses all four of her hooves against the slick, taut walls and ceiling of the chamber and starts to rub gently. Her movements make her back and head shift slightly from side to side, massaging below her at the same time. All this exertion was only possible thanks to the cool water, which Inky was still a little chilly from. Given a bit longer, the sweltering heat would return in full force. When the griffon starts to purr, vibrating the sack around Inky, she squeaks again and freezes, stopping her rubbing. "S-Serilde, what's that sound?" she asks, worried she'd done something bad.

04:59 Serilde continues to rumble happily as Inky rubs her body around in her, enjoying the soft massage that mare was providing to her. "Have you never heard a griffon purr before Inky?" She asks, poking her a couple times with a talon hoping that her motions continue. "Those soft movements...they feel nice. you should keep them up~" she responds, her voice lightening up. "Now, we're about to take off," she informs, spreading her wings wide and charging into a jump once more. The movement is less choppy than the first time, though Inky is pushed hard into the walls as she gains speed and altitude. Fortunatly for her, there isnt too much meat left in the crop to get crushed inot.

05:05 Inky blinks in surprise. That terrifying rumbling was *purring*? Maybe it sounded a lot different on the outside. "Purr?" she asks, bursting into a fit of giggles as she imagines Serilde curled up like a small, cute animal, purring as somepony scratched her feathers. "That sounds adorable!" She mrfs when the talon pokes her, squirming slightly in response. "Okay, I will!" she says brightly, glad to have found something she could do that the gruff griffon seems to like. Inky had just started to resume her massaging when the griffon takes off, forcing her into the slick floor of the crop. Serilde's passenger squeaks as she rolls onto her side, her face pressing into the slimy surface until the griffon levels out. Then, the mare resumes her gentle rubbing, though she was now facing a different direction. After a few minutes, her temperature warms to match the griffon's, and the bat pony starts to pant and slow down her movements.

05:11 Serilde feels slightly renewed as she takes to the air, still purring as she breaths deep to fuel her powerful flight muscles. "I am not adorable," Serilde maintains, though she was begining to greatly enjoy the feeling of Inky squirming around inside of her, giving her spikes of pleasure as she continued her flight. The exhurtion causes the crop to heat up quite quickly as the muslcles work, and Serilde's heart picks up its stead thumping as well. "Now...dont forget to actually push whats left in there through occasionally...I cant feed myself or I risk taking y ou as well..."

05:18 Inky tries to keep her rubbing and gentle movement going for as long as she can, the griffon's purring providing proof that it was working, but with Serilde's exertion heating up the chamber too she has to stop all too soon for the griffon. The mare lays there, panting, listening to the steady thump-thump of the griffon's heart. "Um, well, almost all of your breakfast is gone," she says, speaking between her pants. "Can I just push down the rest of it?" The mare lays on her side in the slimy sack, and squirms very slowly as she collects all the remaining chunks of meat. They squish under her hooves, and she shudders in disgust. Having lived half covered in meat for a few hours now, she really hoped that she never had to eat it.

05:25 Serilde 's purring subsides soon after Inky stops her movements, causing her to sigh. "Aww are you getting tired already? I'm doing all the hard work," she complains, showing a hint of weakness in her cool steely exterior. The formel sighs and shakes her head at the mares request. "Did you /just/ shove most of it down? We should probably wait another half hour at least before moving more of it. I'd rather not have to deal with heartburn, and you wouldnt want that either." She explains, flying along smoothly. Inky soon notices that the contraction of her chest muscles combined iwth the steady extreting of slime from her crop soon has her covered in the same thick layer of goop that she was before, though this time with noticably less meaty decorations.

05:31 Inky sighs, and settles for piling the meat in front of her, where she curled around it. At least that way it wasn't digging into her back, or under her hooves. "It went down with the water, so I guess we'll wait," she says, figuring that the griffon knew best. "And," she says with a yawn, "it's really hot in here. Makes it hard to do anything." The bat pony lifts up one hoof, and slides it around the griffon's stretched crop walls. "Maybe I could manage one? Is there a spot you really like rubbed or something?" As time passes, the bat pony feels herself get coated in Serilde's slime again from the regular flying movements that smeared the slimy walls against her fur. Without the meat, she didn't mind so much though.

05:40 Serilde resumes a slight purr as Inky rubs over the soft walls, but other than that flies on in silence, not caring too much where Inky attended to in her gut. As time goes on, the sun begins to near the edge of the sky and Serilde begins to scan the ground. However she notices, in the distance, a swiftly aproaching set of storm clouds. "Well...shit Inky...It looks like it will be pouring soon...That storm system is quickly aproaching. She couldnt see any immidiate spots, but she prayed to Anzu that they'ed come accross some before the weather bagan to get bad.

05:46 Inky hears the quiet purring, and smiles, keeping up the gentle rubbing with her hoof over the slick walls that squeezed around her, deep in the griffon's gullet. The mare giggles to herself, because she knew Serilde would never let her rub her belly -- or anything like that -- from the outside, but somehow the griffon was okay with this! After a long while, the mare figures it's time, and pushes the lumps of meat towards Serilde's stomach one by one, until they're all gone. She sniffs; maybe it was her imagination, but she thought that the slimy sack smelled a bit better now that the meat was gone. A bit after that, she hears her host's voice. "Um... you have some kind of canopy, to keep off the rain, right?" she says, not realizing the full implications of a rainstorm.

05:58 Serilde frowns even deeper as she doesnt see any immidiate clearing. "Well, the tent itself is waterproof as are both of my cloakes, though you'd have to move slowly in order to not get soaked. The real problem will be starting the fire if we cant find a place to land before the rain soaks all our tinder...I'd rather not have to spend the night with you in me..."

06:30 Inky perks up her ears when Serilde mentions staying the night inside her. She was already cramped, and really didn't want to stay inside the griffon overnight. "What? Oh no, I really hope I don't have to!" The bat pony rubs a hoof on the wall of the chamber, and urges Serilde onwards. "C'mon, I know you can find a place!"

06:45 Serilde frowns as she looks around trying to spot a place. "Well, I dont see anything yet, but I'll land as soon as I can," She says, trying to reassure the mare inside her. She flies forward towards the storm, and soon into it. Inky can hear the picking up of the wind and the patter of the rain on the griffons cloak as she presses onward. After about half an hour in the rain, Serilde finally makes a noise of excitement and dives towards a spot. Not a moment too soon either, because the shower develops into a full blown thunderstorm with lightning arcing through the sky. A blast of thunder echos through the forest for each strike. The formel touches down and rushes under one of the trees.

06:48 Inky nods. "I believe in you, Serilde," she says. What noises she can hear from outside the griffon worry her, as the conditions sound like they're getting worse. She can feel the dive as she's lifted into the roof of the griffon's crop, and the wumph as they land, forcing her into the bottom. "Did we land? Did you find somewhere?" she asks, excited that she'd be able to get outside and stretch her legs out again.

06:49 < Inky> As thunder booms through the air, the bat pony squeaks and curls up tighter inside Serilde. "You're okay, right?"

06:54 Serilde slowly removes her bag from her back and sighs, looking around. From the looks of the wetness and the dampness of the ground, it appeared that this thrunderstorm had ben here for quite some time. Fortunatly the spot under the tree she'd chosen was reletivly dry. "Yes...we've landed, but with this wind and as wet as everything is I dont have much hope for a fire..." She responds with a bit of a sigh.

06:58 Inky hears the bad news and frowns. "But.. I can still come out, right? I'm hungry! And I really need to.. do some stuff," she adds, fidgeting. "Are you sure you can't make a fire?"

07:00 Serilde ponders her question for a bit and sighs. She wasnt sure that it would be terribly safe to bring her up, but at the same time, she couldnt really have Inky doing her businiess inside of her. "Well...I guess I could, but only for a little bit. Just be quick about it."

07:01 < Serilde> "are you ready?"

07:03 < Inky> /me starts to squirm around inside the griffon, pressing her hooves at the entrance to Serilde's throat. She arches her back and rubs at the muscle with her nose, trying to press through. "Ready!" she calls back, rear hooves shifting around on the bottom of the griffon's crop.

07:03 Inky starts to squirm around inside the griffon, pressing her hooves at the entrance to Serilde's throat. She arches her back and rubs at the muscle with her nose, trying to press through. "Ready!" she calls back, rear hooves shifting around on the bottom of the griffon's crop.

07:08 Serilde takes in a deep breath and closes her eyes, trying to force herself to go through the same procedure she does ash when she's clearing a pellet, which her body was telling her it was also time for. "Alright Inky, just dont squirm..." The griffons crop begins to squeeze and massage into the bat ponies fur as it tries to get a good grip on her, smearing her body with even more slime to ensure that its ready for the trip back up. Meanwhile her stomach contracted and squeezed as well. it was having a much easier time with its maliable contents and begins to push the ball of fur up and out of her stomach. The griffon begins to cough and gag as just the tiniest bit of Inky goes up her tight throat as it squeezes around her rear like a tube of toothpaste.

07:11 Inky couldn't squirm if she wanted to as the muscular sack constricts around her body, squishing its slime all over her. She tries to press forwards to help, and slips her head into the griffon's throat. The muscles squeezing all over her body were like a full-body hug, one that didn't let up as Serilde gagged and tried to cough her up. The slime covering her body helped her slide through the tight throat, bulges reappearing in the formel's neck as Inky slowly moves upwards.

07:15 Serilde could feel her body straining to bring the mare up, though the process was quite slow going. The constricting muscles bind her hoove to her side and nearly force the air out of Inky's lungs as she's pushed upwards. More and more of the mares body could be seen bulging out as she neared the end of her tunnel. Deep inside Serilde however, the pellet she'd also been regurgitating makes it to inky, and the formel's body merciously presses it inot the mare's tail, mixing the short fibers of fur and bone into her long hair.

07:20 Inky tries to hold her breath in as the muscular throat ripples around her in reverse, but it's a struggle. Each powerful wave of peristalsis nearly squeezes the air out of her. Even though the grip was even tighter than inside Serilde's crop, Inky already felt better, since her legs were fully extended again. The bat pony could feel something encroaching behind her, and tries to kick her legs at it to force it away, but she can barely shift them at all, let alone kick. Her hooves poke into the back of Serilde's mouth, followed shortly thereafter by her nose. The bat pony takes a welcome breath of fresh air as the next squeeze forces her a few inches further, now able to see the ground framed by the inside of Serilde's beak. "Freedom!" she squeaks, still completely inside the griffon's body.

07:25 Serilde gags even harder as the mare's snout presses up through her beak, showing the last dim rays of light through the cloud darkened sky. The formel collapses forward, leaning her head down now that Inky had reached so high so that she could leave easier. A couple mor gags and her entire head slips out of her beak, scraping her jaw along the tough surface and sharp hook. Inside, the pellet was looking much less like a pellet as the muscles worked it thoroughly into her tail, despite her flailing.

07:29 Inky winces as her head presses through the griffon's beak, scraping against the tough, hard surface. She reaches out with her forelegs to catch herself as she slips towards the ground, panting to get her breath back as she stops being squeezed so tightly by Serilde's throat. While it had taken a long time to get to this point, now everything seemed to happen at once, as gravity starts to help Inky slide out and the bat pony pulls herself forwards, up and out of the griffon's gullet. She was thoroughly covered in slime, her long mane slicked back and stuck tight to her back.

07:42 Serilde coughs and gags, reaching a talon up to try and pull Inky out much faster now that she could get a reach. Between their combined efforts, the pair manages to get Inky slipping out much faster as she coughs her up, pulling the mare out to her belly. Serilde coughs and gags as she slips free. Her throat strains and she winces. Inky was feeling worse to cough up than the worst hairball she'd ever had, though she didnt taste nearly as bad at least.

07:46 Inky oofs as her hind legs land on the ground, the mare wobbling as she used them to stand for the first time in many hours. She was steaming softly in the cold, the hot slime from Serilde's innards glistening in the dim light. She pants for air, breathing deeply of the fresh, forest air, a welcome change after the stale air inside the griffon's gut. "Oh, it feels so good to stretch," she says, cracking her joints with glee. When her tail falls to the forest floor with a 'splat', she looks back at it, and yelps. "Serilde! What happened to my tail?" she squeaks, horrified.

08:02 Serilde gags and makes a face as she spits the last bit of Inky out, her tail tasting just as foul as a pellet, and after a couple more loud coughs to clear her throat, the griffon takes a seat and examines the mare. Saliva hangs from her beak, and a tendril links her to the mare, for a few long moments before it breaks. The acidic taste of vomit sits on her tongue, fouling up the lingering flavors of the mare. Inky was looking much worse for wear. Her entire body was enveloped in a sheen of slime that seemed to hang above her fur, though it was also much deeper in. Her mair was completly matted to her body, bun completly undone and stuck in all sorts of crazy angles. Her tail hung limply to the ground and interspersed with it were patches of short black fur and broken bones that were well tangled with the hair. Her body releases its foul scent into the air, smelling quite a bit like Serilde's sour breath, kind of like a vinegary smell, though the scent of savory meat hangs on her coat as well. The smell coming from her tail however, was enough to make anyone gag as it smelled like bitter vomit overpowering all other scents. Inky might feel warm at first, but the wind chill from the storm would be enough to quickly begin the cooling process.

08:22 Inky couldn't smell what most of her smelled like, having grown used to the stench of Serilde's slime after hours in her crop, but she could definitely smell the pellet mushed into her tail. She turns and steps close to the griffon, looking up at her with wide eyes and wafting the smell of her own breath in her face. "That wasn't there when I was in there!" The bat pony gasps as she realizes what might have happened. "Is that, is that," she squeaks, "is that one of your pellet-things?" The mare shudders. Slime oozed down her body, occasionally dripping to the forest floor. She twitches her tail, trying to flick the black stuff out of it. Some of it does fly off, but most of it stays right where it is. "Can you help get it out?" she pleads, gagging as the smell reaches her again.

19:41 Serilde wrinkiles her face as she smells the vile smell of the mares tail, staring dwon at it. "Ewwww, thats kinda gross. I think you're right, that would be, or rather, was a pellet. You can still see all the bones and stuff. I dont know if I /want/ to touch your tail after that...Dont you ahve a brush or something?" she asks, turning her head away. "While you deal with that, maybe I'll get the tent setup."

20:33 < Inky> /me grimaces. "I have one! Or... had. Where's my stuff?" the mare asks, having forgotten about her bags until now. When Serilde turns away, she hops after her, wide-eyed. "Please, you can't make me go back in there with *that* still in my tail! You'll have to taste it again too!"

20:33 Inky grimaces. "I have one! Or... had. Where's my stuff?" the mare asks, having forgotten about her bags until now. When Serilde turns away, she hops after her, wide-eyed. "Please, you can't make me go back in there with *that* still in my tail! You'll have to taste it again too!"

20:43 Serilde gestures towards the packs with a talon. "Well, surely you can brush yourself right? The packs are over there. Just look in the, " Serilde turns to look at the packs and then catches a glimpse of inky again, suddenly getting reminded of her coat of slime. "Yech...Uhh actually I think I'll get that brush for you myself..." Serilde fishes into the pack and, after a bit of searching, finally stumbles accross the mares brush, tossing it to her.

20:49 Inky waits for Serilde to retrieve her brush, and is relieved to see that her stuff is still there. "Thanks, but..." she says. The mare opens her mouth to ask the griffon to help her brush it out, then thinks better of it. "Nevermind." Leaning down, she grabs her brush in her mouth, and leans back towards her putrid tail. 'Fortunately', only the lower parts of the tail had been mashed in with the pellet, so Inky could actually reach all of the parts that needed to be brushed out. Wrinkling her nose, the bat pony tries not to breathe as she picks out the foul-smelling bits of fur and bone lodged in her tail. A single whimper escapes her, but otherwise she works in silence. After she's made some progress, the mare steps out into the rain. It was cold, but the water helped to rinse off slime and other residue coating her body and tail. Her mane, plastered to her back, dripped with water and slid down to hang off her withers.

21:00 Serilde hears her whimper and sighs, shaking her head as she returns to getting the tent all set up. Still, she isnt about to offer to do that work. Its her fault for falling into the ice afterall. Serilde works in equal silence as she stakes up the tent and gets it all together. By the time she's finished, she turns about to see Inky standing in the rain. "Well...is everything alright? You should probably eat some..." She says, not realizing Inky had exhausted her supplies.

21:04 Inky shivers in the cold rain. She'd brushed most of the physical gunk out of her tail, and the rain had done a passable job about the rest. The slime coating her body had been traded for rainwater, though there was still slime in the crevices of her ears and in her mane. It had been worked deep into her fur, and the young pony needed a proper bath with soap to really get clean. "I-I'm out," she says, walking back under the tree. "I ate all my food this morning." The bat pony shivers, dripping where she stands.

21:16 Serilde looks at the damp mare with a bit of a smile seeing that she's got most of the mucous off of her body and nods approvingly. "Well, it looks like you're clean. I'd say that you're even clean enough to eat," Sh teases with as much of a grin as her beak can muster. "Still, it wont do for you to go without any food...I dont have much of my nonmeat supplies left, but you can have a third a loaf and some cheese." She says, digging trhough her pack and pulling it out, seperating some rations. "Plus...I suppose you could always eat some pine needles or something, You grass eaters eat that right?"

21:21 Inky reaches out a hoof to playfully shove at Serilde, the griffon's teasing making the cold mare smile. "You're not looking forward to it, are you?" she jabs. The mare gratefully accepts the bread and cheese, and chews them while she ponders. "I.. sometimes, we do," she says. She opens her fanged mouth and takes a bite of some nearby pine needles, then chews thoughtfully and swallows. "They're okay. Wouldn't want to eat only them, though." She bites off some more needles, supplementing them with bites of bread and cheese.

21:38 Serilde rocks backward at the shove, giving much more than she would if she'd been resisting. "Well, I dont know, I kind of like how you taste, and it'll be much better now that you're all clean too I bet," Serilde says with a bashful look. "So, maybe a little bit. Plus...the squirming...I like something about it." Serilde makes a face as Inky grabs a bite of pine leaves, shaking her head. "That stuff...I dont understand how yall can tolerate it . Greens are only ok when cooked..."

21:45 Inky tilts her head at the griffon, a little confused by her reaction. Serilde had never acted at all embarrassed around her before! "You... actually like it?" she repeats, confused. "I remember you complaining about it! And you said me moving around was painful!" The bat pony returns her attention to some pine needles, chomping on them as she puzzles out Serilde's reaction. "They're not bad," she says around her mouthful. "Don't you guys eat stuff like lettuce, or spinach? Do you not eat salads?"

21:50 Serilde blushes even deeper and turns her head away from teh mare. "Well...its just, you taste really nice. I can see why I've heard of griffons eating pony...and well when you arnt struggling but just moving a little it feels kinda good..." She shakes her head and scoffs at the ideas of salad. "I dont. Anything green should be flavored with the meat it was cooked with," she says emphatically.

21:58 Inky eats the last of her bread and cheese and bounces over in front of Serilde, looking up at the blushing griffon with fascination. "You really do like it!" she says, grinning widely. "That's so funny!" She reaches up a hoof to poke where she remembers seeing Serilde's crop bulge, and prods the formel. The smaller pony looks up at Serilde, still smiling in front of her. "Griffons don't *really* eat ponies, though," she says, as though asking her to confirm it. The formel's completely wrong opinions about salad have slipped Inky's mind, the current subject much more interesting to her.

22:13 Serilde shirks back as Inky pokes her upper chest and pushes the hoof away from her, scowling at her with irritation. "Well...even if I didnt I'd be forced to eat you tonight. Its probably some old ancestral leftover so dont think too much about it," She says, huffing a bit as Inky finds it too amusing. "And yes, well, its not a very common thing, and its totally illegal up there, but ponies do disapear on occasion. There are rumors..." Serilde says with dead seriousness.

22:17 Inky finds the more familiar emotion of irritation comforting, somehow, and smiles anyway. "Maybe if you ask nicely tonight, I'll squirm for you a bit!" the bat pony says, giggling at the idea of Serilde 'asking nicely' for anything. She sighs when the griffon further explains the rumors, but she supposed it wasn't all that different from the rare pony gone blood-mad. "There's bad eggs everywhere," she says, not thinking about what idiom might mean to a griffon. The bat pony changes the subject. "I'm a bit thirsty, could I have some water?" the mare asks. "And you finished eating already, right?"

22:18 < Inky> * what that idiom

22:27 Serilde shrugs at her explanation, shaking her head at her saying. "I should hope there arnt bad eggs everywhere. I can think of many a brooding formel who would be disapointed at such a revelation. Anyways though, I can see why those griffins might have done it," she reveals. She ignores the implication of asking nicely. She was far to proud to make any such request. "I'm sure you'll squirm wether I ask or not. Not that it matters to me," She says.

22:31 Inky tilts her head when Serilde mentiosn "brooding formels," and files it away to ask her about later. The bat pony pokes at the griffon's chest again and grins. "I heard you purring, I know it matters," she says triumphantly. "But seriously, before you, um, eat me again," the mare says, looking and fiddling with her long, wet mane, "can you finish eating dinner first? I don't want to have to sleep covered in meat. It'll be hard enough already with how cramped it is in there."

22:36 < Inky> "Er, I meant that there's always going to be a few ponies -- um, or griffons -- that make bad choices," she explains, scratching at the back of her neck.

22:39 Serilde sighs and turns to her pack, pulling out a couple pounds of beef jerky and beginst to bite off pieces, sucking on each strand, before swallowing it down. "Well sure, I suppose, though I can understand it a little bit more now. And you may have heard what you /thought/ was purring, but that was probably my bodies natural noises. You were probably delerious in there," Serilde explains turning away. She Doesnt respond to Inkys request, but she does noticably pick up the pace of her consumption.

22:42 Inky shrugs. "I asked you what it was, and you said it was purring," she points out, catching Serilde in a small lie. "But anyway, I have to go do some stuff. I'll be right back!" The bat pony waves and then trots off behind another tree to take care of her business. A couple minutes later, she trots back, looking to see if the griffon was done with her meal. The mare fiddles with Serilde's waterskin, trying to get a drink for herself.

22:46 Serilde finishes up her meal while Inky is behind the bush, taking care not to eat more than she could manage to push along without any problems, leaving her a couple pounds of beef jerky lighter. She see's inky messing with the leather bag and ondoes the screw with a claw. "Well, here you go. We're almost out...but one good thing about the rain, it shouldnt be too hard to collect more."

22:50 Inky hefts the bag to judge how much was left, and drinks most of it. The bat pony holds the waterskin towards Serilde. "Can you drink the rest?" she asks. "To help clear out your crop." She eyes the griffon's chest, wondering what Serilde looked like with her inside. As the mare waits, she fidgets and stretches her legs and wings, taking advantage of her last few minutes of freedom before she has to return to the cramped, slimy chamber.

22:56 Serilde watches silently as Inky drinks much of the water. Its chilly temperature would cut right to her core and probably make Inky want to warm up even sooner than she'd been anticipating. As she sits, she grabs the bag, considerably lighter than it had been moments ago, and begins to drink what little is left before wiping her beak with her claw. "Well, thats as much as I can. As far as I can tell my crop is empty." She goes silent, staring at the damp mare. "So...when do you want to do it?"

23:00 Inky shivers as she stands there, the chilly water removing heat from within. "Um, n-not yet," she stammers. "I can hold on f-for a bit--" Another shudder runs through her body as the wind picks up, rustling the pine needles and stealing more of her warmth. "M-maybe now, though." She looks up at Serilde, a bit hesitant, since she wasn't fully lucid the first time this happened.

23:04 Serilde waits paitiently for the mares response, figuring that it would be soon, but she wasnt going to rush the eyass in her decision. "Well, in that case, I'm going to set some stuff up." She turns away only to hear the mare change her mind. "Gosh...so finicky..." The Griffon quickly returns and opens her mouth, leaning down to hover the open maw around her snout. The griffons breath wafts over it, smelling a mixture of sour and meaty and strands of saliva drip from the soft pink roof beyond the hard yellow interior of her beak.

23:06 Inky shivers. "It's colder than I thought," she protests. The mare looks up into the black and pink flesh of Serilde's throat and balks. The pulsating palate made her rather uncomfortable, and her nose wrinkles as a few strands of drool fall on her muzzle. The bat pony takes a step back. "A-actually can I go the other way," she asks, looking a little fearful. "Hindlegs first? It'd be easier to curl up that way."

23:42 Serilde gives a a hearty laugh, noticing the mares hair stand on end and her wavering voice and steps closer, leaning into Inky's ears to whisper, "Dont mind that, that's just your instincts telling you to run from a predator to avoid being lunch." The mare's words have a teasing and yet serious quality to them as she grins. A little bit of saliva runs down her beak, and the way she's looking down at Inky gives her a feirce appearance. "Well, I supose we can try. Thats probably harder though..."

23:49 Inky takes another step back, and fear is obvious in her eyes as she looks up at the drooling griffon. "S-Serilde, you're scaring me," she whimpers, teeth chattering. The bat pony tries to back away further, but her rump bumps into the trunk of the tree they were hiding under. Her instincts were telling her to run, but the mare fought them. Serilde wouldn't hurt her, she repeated to herself, but couldn't keep herself from glancing left and right to search for possible escape routes.

23:59 Serilde grins even more sinisterly at the mare and hunches down on her talons whilst her hindlegs stay coiled preparing to pounce as Inky takes a coupe steps back. As soon as Inky's rump hist the tree she springs forward, claws outstretched and lands on the mare, treating her as she might another griffon, playing as a kid. Serilde is rough, wrapping Inky up with her talons and working to pin her to the ground, but she's careful not to dig them into the flesh.

03:26 Inky looks up to see the griffon leap at her, sharp talons reaching for her flesh, and screams. The mare collapses under Serilde's weight and struggles to get away, but she's no match for the experienced fighter. She lands a single kick to the griffon's chest before getting pinned to the ground, rolling in the dry pine needles. The pony ends up underneath Serilde, whimpering faintly as tears fill her eyes. She doesn't notice that she's unharmed, her cold body shuddering with terror in the formel's grasp.

03:40 Serilde holds Inky down on the ground trying to still her struggles. She oofs at the cick but its not neough to dislodge the formel. She shakes it off and presses down harder. After a little bit of struggling she gets Inky splayied out and leans down, giving her a solid lick accross the cheek, leaving a trail of saliva up her wet muzzle.

03:46 Inky whimpers louder as she feels the long, warm lick up her cheek, tears flowing freely from her eyes now. In addition to the bat pony's normal flavor, Serilde could taste the salt of the tears rolling down her muzzle. The mare's body was cold, wet, and still a bit slimy in places; the slime rubs off onto Serilde as she pins the mare down in the pine needles.

03:58 Serilde smacks her lips as she tastes the salty flavor on Inkys cheeks. It couldnt be sweat, she hadnt been that active since she got her self cleaned off. Serilde pulls her head back a bit to see Inky broken out in tears. She moves her eyes upwards as if to ask "really?" before busting out into laughter on top of her, collapsing chest to chest. "Oh cmon, you didnt think I was really going to...well I guess I still am going ot eat you, but you'll still be safe.

04:06 Inky oofs when the griffon flops down on top of her, then closes her eyes and buries her head in Serilde's chest feathers, her tears taking a little while to stop. "I... I don't know what I thought," she says, sniffling. "I..." The mare shivers, and tries to hug the griffon for warmth, still looking rather distraught.

04:13 Serilde allows the mare to hug her for just a second, till she realizes that the mare is getting slime into her coat and then pushes away, rolling off onto the damp ground, though taht was still better than slime. "Ugh...you're still slimy underneath and its all over my feathers," she groans. "Anyways, as I said, you're fine. If I was going to kill you I'd have done it ages ago. We have a deal anyways. Doesnt mean that I cant have fun."

04:23 Inky lays on the ground for a few seconds before she rolls onto her hooves. The bat pony shakily stands up, and brushes some pine needles off that clung to her damp body. "I-I know, I just... maybe you changed your mind, or..." The mare shrugs helplessly. "Instincts," she says. She wipes her eyes with a hoof, taking a moment to recover her composure while she shivers in the cold.

04:38 Serilde continues to laugh a hearty laugh as Inky gets to her feet, shaking her head. "Instincts? Instincts? I'm in perfect control of my instincts though you appear not to be in control of yours~" She crys, breaking into another fit of laughter.

04:40 Serilde continues to laugh a hearty laugh as Inky gets to her feet, shaking her head. "Instincts? Instincts? I'm in perfect control of my instincts though you appear not to be in control of yours~" She crys, breaking into another fit of laughter. Serilde slowly regains her composure and shakes her head. "Anyways, a griffons word is better than gold, so you dont need to worry about me going back on that...You should trust me more."

04:44 Inky stands there, getting colder and colder, and looking rather miserable. "I-I m-meant m-mine," she says through chattering teeth. "C-consciously, I t-trust you!" The bat pony huddles around herself, trying to be as small as possible. "C-Can we do it now? I'm r-really c-cold," she squeaks. "Tail first." The mare gets up and turns to present her rear to the griffon, glancing behind herself nervously. Serilde would probably have to pick her up to properly eat her the way she wanted.

05:03 Serilde rolls to her feet and shakes her body to clea herself from pine needles before turning to get a face first of pony rear end. "Alright, well, just be still then," the griffon says calmly. Without much more warning, she suddenly lifts Inky's hind legs up and manouvers them towards her mouth, snagging the tail in her claws too. She pushes them through her beak and licks over a couple times, tasting some pine from where she'ed stepped, leaving thick globs of saliva. Soon she can feel her hooves quite a bit wider as they reach the back of the griffons throat, and Serilde feels a noticable chill against her pharnyx.

05:12 Inky yelps as she feels her hind legs lifted unceremoniously off the ground and shoved into Serilde's beak. "A little warning would b-be nice!" she squeaks. The mare shudders at the strange feeling of having her legs licked. As her hooves reach the griffon's throat, she can feel the warmth on them, and her ears twitch. "Oo... it's warm," she says. She widens her forelegs, the pair looking like they were doing some kind of wheelbarrow race.

05:22 Serilde breifly considers removing Inky's hooves before she swallows to respond to the mare, but after a moments consideration she changes her mind. Serilde lowers her body so that its inline with the mare and jerks her back wtih a hard swallow. The griffons tongue rises up against the mare's legs, shoving them back there as the slippery muscles grab tight around the hooves, drawing them deeper in and pressing the fur tight to her skin.

05:28 Inky squeaks as she feels something wrap tight around her hooves and tug, making the bat pony stumble back. The griffon's neck bulges out slightly as her hooves and the start of her hindlegs are pulled in. One of her forelegs slips on the pine needles, and her legs are pulled out from under her. She hits the soft floor with an oof, and starts trying to get her legs back under herself. The bat pony's hips are just outside Serilde's beak now, as Inky notes with each glance back.

05:44 Serilde winces as inky suddenly takes a nose dive and grasps tighter on the mare's legs so that she doesnt lose any progress on her consumption. Rather than let Inky struggle to get to her feet, Serilde leans her body closer to the ground so that she can lay hooves forward. Another hard slimy swallow and Serilde's beak gets close up and personal with the mare's hips. Her tonuge inadvertently grazes accross the mare's puffy lips as she struggles with the largeest part of the pony. Her jaws ache and strain and progress is slow, but slowly she creeps along.

05:51 Inky grunts when Serilde tightens her grip on her legs. The mare winces as she feels the hard beak prodding at her rump, scraping against the top and bottom of it. Inky's legs had some of her taste, but not as much as her actual body -- or the lips that Serilde's tongue grazes against, sending a shudder through the mare's body. When she feels her nethers get slathered in griffon spit, Inky squeaks, blushing despite the cold. "H-hey!" she squeaks, scandalized.

08:18 Serilde the pharnyx is a fance word for the throat :P

08:21 Serilde licks a little bit more as Inky slips down. She had a faint idea of what she was doing, but she wasnt sure, and anyways, the mare needed to be nice and slick for her journey down. Slowly but surely the slimy chamber envelopes Inky further till her hips were down the griffons throat. If Inky looked back she'd see a rather comedic scene where Serildes neck bulged out to twice the size as usual. Lumps where her legs were disapeared into the griffons chest where a large lump apeared, the griffons crop obviously. She could feel her hooves reach a slimy but soft surface that streched a little before forcing them to begin to curl.

18:19 Inky shudders more as Serilde's tongue lashes over her flower, extracting some of the taste of her juices from between her lips and making her eee softly. "S-Serilde!" she whines, trying to struggle a bit now, but the formel's swallows overpower her. Fortunately, it isn't long before her hips are pulled into the tight grip of the griffon's throat, out of reach of her questing tongue. Inky pants briefly to recover, then glances behind her as she feels her hindlegs press into something deep within the griffon. "Ooo... I think my legs are in your crop," she says, fascinated and a little scared by the bulge forming in Serilde's chest. The bat pony wiggles her legs, rubbing them against the slimy surface and making the lump in her chest move around. She felt the griffon's beak digging into her flavorful belly, and winces, trying to lift herself up so it didn't press into her so hard. As Serilde swallowed more of the mare, and her fur soaked up her throat's natural slime, getting her slick before swallowing became even more important.

20:43 Serilde slows down her swallows as the mare's fur begins to stick uncomfortably against the back of ther throat. The strands leave her flesh feeling dry and scratchy as the mare progresses slwoly down. Fortunately for her, Inky was still soaked from the rain, but that still didnt provide enough lubirication to keep the hair from sticking. Serilde's tongue moves under and aroudn the mare's belly, filling her tongue with a spicy musty flavor, though she missed the salty taste of sweat she got the first time. As Inky moved her hooves she could see the bulge jiggle, but the form of her legs wasnt very visible behind the flesh. The bulges in the formel's neck, however, did rougly aproximnate the shape of the mare's body as it traveld down.

07:46 Inky can't help but giggle when Serilde's tongue lashes over her ticklish belly, the bat pony shaking with laughter as much as she is able inside the tight gullet. "Hehehe! That, heh, that tickles!" She wipes a tear from her eye, the slick muscle squirming under her belly sending shudders down her spine -- some out of fear. "What do I taste like?" the bat pony asks between laughs, feeling warmer now that half of her was inside Serilde's steamy throat. There was still some hint of all the boar meat that Inky had been marinating in, adding the flavor of savory meat. As the mare laughs, her hindlegs wiggle around involuntarily inside the griffon's crop, squishing the slimy flesh about. One of them suddenly catches on something, and Inky feels it press deeper in, into an even tighter passage. "Serilde!" she squeaks, hair standing on end. "Serilde stop! My leg!"

08:31 Serilde licks vigorously over the mare, making sure to get her nice and slick for the journey down as well as filling her mouth with a wonderful assortment of tasty flavors. The mare's gentle wiggling sends pleasant sensations through her body as she recives the internal massage, though her constant laughter elicits an eyeroll before she closes her eyes. She clamps the mare's forelegs to her chest and sits backwards, tilting Inky upwards a bit to ease her passage. Shortly after Inky's question as small rumble travels through her body as if to answer her question, the gentle puring vibrating everything inside. Serilde's eyes snap open, however, when Inky gives a shout holding her still. It took a second for the griffon to figure out what Inky was complainging about, but then she noticed a strange sensation in her gut.

08:34 Serilde holds Inky tight in her talons and strains to still her throat to prevent her from moving any further down. Serlide hoped by holding her still Inky might be able to dislodge the hoof.

08:48 Inky yelps when Serilde grabs her forelegs and presses them to her body, the wind whooshing past her ears as the griffon sits up. She feels the gentle vibrations of the formel's purring, and smiles, before feeling her hoof slip past the second gate. As the mare starts to panic, she feels Serilde's talons tighten around her sides and hold her steady, keeping her from going further. The bat pony breathes heavily, taking a moment to recover from her scare while she figures out how to extract her hoof. "Thanks, Serilde," she pants. "I... I'm still stuck. Working on it." She tries to wiggle her hoof around, and pull it free.

08:55 Serilde 's throat convulses and gags around the mare as she's held still, saliva begining to pool at the back of her mouth, and soon, Serilde gives an involuntary swallow, causing Inky to slip a llittle further in, pushing that hoof just a little deeper downt he second tunnel. The griffon takes a deep breath around her and tries to lift up with her talons, causing an uncomfortable friction in her throat as inky pulls against its natural direction. Serilde thinks she feels her slip out a bit, but cant be sure.

09:04 Inky grunts as the throat still pulls at her despite Serilde's efforts. The bat pony squeaks out in fear when Serilde swallows around her, pulling her down a few inches and making her hoof sink deeper. "N-No!" As the griffon sucks in a deep breath, ruffling her wet fur, Inky feels her grab hard and pull. She grunts in discomfort, Serilde's throat reluctant to let her move back, but can feel her hoof traveling back up. After a few seconds of struggling, Inky manages to pull her hoof out. She immediately moves it as far away from the hole as possible, kicking the side of Serilde's crop. "It's free!" she gasps out.

09:13 Serilde grunts in discomfort as Inky kicks her internal walls but when the mare says its free she lets out a sigh of relief, relaxing her muscles and letting the mare sink lower into her gut. After a coule more swallows the mare's elbow's press into the formel's beak binding her front legs to her sides without the effort of Serilde's claws.Serilde takes it slower now though, conscious not to lick as much across Inky's chest anymore lest she get trapped again from giggle wiggles. Now free, one of her claws moves up to trace the form of Inky in her gullet, pushing in hard enough for the mare to feel the external pressure.

09:20 Inky feels the sigh of relief as a blast of warm air. Her belly and part of her chest slips into the griffon's tight throat, constricting her and making it hard to breath. "Ngh... tight," she wheezes. As the mare feels some pressure feeling over her body, she tries to wiggles slightly in response. "Heh... I can feel that," she says. "Feels... weird." The bat pony starts to get antsy as this part of the swallowing drags on, not liking being unable to move. She watches the edges of Serilde's beak slowly encroach on her vision, and her heart starts to pound. Deep inside the griffon's gut, she could feel her legs and hips curling up in the crop, so she knew she was safe, but she couldn't shake the feeling of finality pressing down upon her.

09:29 Serilde watches as anxiously as the mare's snout disapears out of sight and into her hard beak. She hoped that their previous scare would not be repeated at least on this trip down and so far it seemed to be going pretty well. At long last the tip of her nose clears her jaws and so Serilde curls her tongue up, pressing against her soft snout, giving it a couple licks The beak closes around her vision, slowly though, as the formel didnt want to hurt her passenger. Finally the lights go dark on inky, heightening the bodily noises and slimy sensations that pressed around her. The mare can smell herself on the griffons hot humid breath, mixed with a sour meaty smell from her jerky earlier. Finally, Serilde presses her tongue up to the roof of her beak and curls it backwards, shoving the rest of the mare into her eager pulsating throat.

09:39 Inky gets more and more skittish as the inside of Serilde's beak frames her vision, starting to shift around anxiously inside the griffon's gullet. When the wet tongue curls up to lick her nose, she squeaks, scrunching up her muzzle to fruitlessly try and pull it away. As the beak closes in front of her, Inky shudders in fear. "S-Serilde, I'm scared," she whines softly, her instincts screaming at her that this was a terrible situation, and she was going to die. Serilde's beak shuts with a final clack, sealing the mare in darkness. There's wet noises from all around the bat pony, and she couldn't move practically any of her body, trapped in tight, slimy confines all the way down. It's too much for Inky, and she starts to struggle ineffectually, squirming as best she can to try to get out. In her position, she has no chance, and after a long few moments, Serilde's tongue presses up in front of her and forces her head down into the tight throat. The muscular tube squeezes around her face, drenching her in thick slime, and shoves her downward towards the griffon's crop. Her body makes distinctive lumps in Serilde's neck, traveling down towards her swelling crop.

09:48 Serilde 's heart thumps loudly at a heavy pace, echoing in inky's ears ears as the mare travels down. She can hear each long heavy breath as as Serilde breathes easier without such an obscruction in the way. The griffon gives Inky's for a pat as it travels down her neck for reassurance. "You're struggling a bit hard Inky. You knwo you're going to be fine," She comments groaning from the paniced movements. She squeezes her crop tight in an effort to still her, making Inky curl up even tighter as she's forced into the cramped chamber. Soon enough, the travel is over as the muscular tube squeezes her snout out inot the sac.

09:54 Inky whines in response as she feels the patting on her body from outside. As the mare is squeezed down in wet, slimy darkness, the reminder that Serilde cared for her helped her calm down. The thump-thump of Serilde's heartbeat is loud in her ears as her body squishes and curls up in the griffon's crop, and after what feels like ages to the bat pony, her head is squeezed into the crop to join the rest of her. The griffon's clenching forces her nose against her belly, her legs held on either side of her head in the hot, cramped space. Inky pants hard, still unsettled, but the familiar warmth and lack of burning pain were helping her rational mind win out over her fearful instincts. Her struggles slow down to a gentle squirming as the mare fights to regain control.

10:02 Serilde takes another couple deep breaths, easing the tightness around the mare as her movements change from painful to uncomfortable and then to pleasant as she begins to calm down. The griffon rubs her talons over her distended chest, trying to ease the tension in the strained walls of her crop, pushing in and rubbing the mare on top of her head inadvertently. The crop smelled faintly more pleasant without the cooked meat stewing around her, though the acidic scents of the stomach still drifted into the chamber. As Inky regains control of herself, Serilde finally brings herself to speak once more. "Well, how are things in there? Are they as nice as you remembered them being? And for the record, I am /never/ swallowing you hoof first again. You struggled much worse and went down the wrong tube..."

10:09 Inky mrfs when the slimy wall presses inward and rubs her head, finally in control enough to lay still in the tight space. She's still breathing hard, though as Serilde relaxes, she can uncurl a bit and get more comfortable. The space did smell better than before, the mare thought, though that wasn't really saying much. She was at least the only thing in there for now, so that was good. The bat pony doesn't respond to Serilde, occupied with introspection about why she was so terrified just a moment ago. She's silent long enough to make the griffon worry.

10:17 Serilde gets up and starts towards the packs as she awaits an answer from the mare. She pulls out a small channel and snaps it onto the tent so that the runoff from the tent could run into the waterskin. As she's working, she notices that Inky hasnt responded, and worse still she's gone mostly motionless. Serilde urgently taps a talon on her crop, trying to rouse the mare. "Inky! Inky! Is everything ok in there? I havnt heard a peep from you."

10:22 Inky starts when she feels the poke, not having meant to make Serilde worry. "Yeah! Yeah, I'm... I'm okay," she says. "I'm fine. I just... needed a moment." The bat pony sighs. "It's fine in here. Nice having the place to myself, for once," she says. "But, um, about what you said. About swallowing me hoof first." She takes a deep breath. "If you swallowed me head first, and that happened? I wouldn't have been able to tell you!" She shudders. "No... I just need better control of my instincts."

10:30 Serilde jumps a bit at the sudden movement before relaxing as it becomes clear that the mare is safe and sound. "Just...try not to stay quite too long on me next time. I cant really just see that you're safe..." Serilde explains, returning to her work. At the mare's rebuttle she scoffs and gives Inky another hearty poke. "Well, if I'd have swallowed you head first you'd have been over your instincts before you reached dwon there," she counters. Serilde smiles as much as a griffon can smile as the steady trickle of water fills the skin.

10:33 Inky nods, knowing the griffon can't see her. "Sorry, I was just thinking, and forgot." She grunts as she's poked again. "Maybe," she says, "but... it might have happened anyway. It seems much safer when I can warn you." The bat pony snorts. "It's not like you're going to swallow me more than once or twice again anyway."

10:42 Serilde picks up the container and swallows down the couple gulps that have collected in the container before replacing it. Serilde then begins to strain, pulling the bags into the tent. "If at all...but still, if it does happen again I'd just rather that you just be safe..." Serilde says, with more than a hint of carying in her voice. "At least we only have one more day of travel...then hopefully a healer can take care of those wounds in your side. How are those feeling, by the way? I cant imagine the constant irrigation has done wonders for letting them heal..."

10:47 Inky yelps when the cold rainwater splatter down upon her, making her start again inside the slick space. "Hey! Some warning, please," says Inky's voice from the bulge in Serilde's chest, with a hoof thrust against the walls containing her to emphasize her point. "And wait, at all? Aren't you going to let me out tomorrow morning? When you do, we can do tail first again, just don't tickle me so much!"

10:50 Serilde sqeals in pain as Inky's hoof pushes hard into the taut walls, stretching them beyond what was comfortable. In return, the formel baps Inky through her throat walls and scolds, "Hey! Gentle! Gentle! and you said you liked the cold water last time. Anyways, I want to make sure we arrive tomorrow. We're pobably going to have to do some night flying as it is, and I'd rather not delay any longer than nessesary. So no, you're stuck in there till we reach town."

10:55 Inky yanks her hoof back when she hears Serilde's squeal of pain, not having meant to hurt the griffon like that. But she couldn't take it back now. "Sorry!" she squeaks, then oofs when she's bapped in retaliation. "I didn't mean to do it so hard. And I do, but it's still surprising," she says. The mare sighs when she hears Serilde's explanation, and can see the logic in it. "I suppose you're right... it does take a pretty long time to get me in and out of here." She mulls over the consequences of that. "How am I gonna eat in here, though? Or drink? It's gonna be miserable..."

11:01 Serilde huffs and lays down rather suddenly, though she soon finds that her normal sleeping position is uncomfortable since much of her weight rested on her filled crop. She shifts around, finally settling on her side, though her movements rocked the mare in the slick chamber. "Well sorry...I'm not used to having to explain every little thing I'm doing to somepony inside of me. And dont worry about it. I'm sure we'lll figure something out. Just know that I'm /just/ as miserable having to carry you as you are being inside of me. Thats alot of weight on my chest."

19:48 Inky grunts when the griffon suddenly lays down on her, squishing her in her chest. Every time the griffon shifts, Inky shifts a moment after her, being swung around in the dark, slimy chamber. As Serilde finally settles in one spot, the bat pony ends up laying on her head in a most uncomfortable position. "Urg... are you done moving?" she asks, starting to squirm to try to bring her head up to the top of the chamber. Her hooves dig into the slimy flesh surrounding her as she pushes herself around, rotating her body and dragging her fur all over the walls. "I know, but.. I appreciate it when you remember," the bat pony says, her voice muffled by the layers of flesh in the way. She hmphs. "You're miserable? You try being stuck somewhere so tight you can't really move for hours at a time, and it's so hot you're drenched in sweat, and you're covered in slime, and it smells like somepony threw up and then something died in it!" The mare sighs after her outburst. "Trust me, I'd fly if I could..."

19:56 Serilde rests her claw against the wiggling bulge as Inky shifts around inside of her as a very slight coo escapes her beak as she enjoys the motions if the mare within. The griffon chuckles a bit at her complaints and says, "Well, if you're already drenched in sweat, I imagine that water from earlier was a welcomed relief. And you seem to move well enough in there for it to be /too/ cramped. At least my dinner isnt with you this time. And trust me, if i thought you could survive outside, I'd spit you out in an instant." Serilde notices Inky stomp her moving as she gets into a comfortable position and rolls over to her other side, hoping to engender more squirming without having to ask the mare to do so.

20:00 Inky notices the weight resting against her, and hears the coo reverberated through the chamber. "I can't stretch anything out," she says, "I have to shuffle around all curled up." Once the mare finally gets into a 'comfortable' spot, she sighs and relaxes, only to have her world rudely flipped over. "Hey!" she squeaks, then grunts as Serilde's full crop hits the ground, making her oof. "I just got as comfortable as I could!" The bat pony starts to squirm around again to flip herself back, then freezes. "You just want me to move around for you!"

20:05 Serilde gives her head a subtle shake, knowing that Inky couldnt feel it, and reaches over to pull her cloak on top of her. The chilly night air sucked heat away from her damp body, causing the griffon to shudder a little bit. "No, I'm just trying to get comfortable," she lies, "Its really hard to find a good spot to lay comfortably with such a large object inside of you." The griffon, prods the lump after its frozen, however, trying to get her to move some more.

20:08 Inky tries to cross her forelegs, but doesn't have enough room to maneuver inside the griffon's crop. "Fine," she says, but as the bat pony starts to turn herself over, she keeps her ears perked for any coos, purrs, or other signs that Serilde was enjoying this. The prods already make her very suspicious, but she doesn't mention them, waiting for more evidence to spring on the griffon.

20:12 Serilde quits prodding the mare, and instead just rests her claws gently agains the wiggling bulge. She closes her eyes, focusing on the amusing and pleasurable feeling fo having a creature moving aroun inside of her. Serilde's tail begins to flick back and forth idly as her chest begins to rumble from the gentle massage of Inky's body moving against the slick muscles.

20:14 Inky wriggles back so she was laying in the griffon's crop like a slimy hammock, then prods the wall. "I know you're enjoying this," she says, "I can hear you rumbling in enjoyment, and I felt those prods." The bat pony hmphs. "If you help make me comfortable, I'd do it willingly!"

20:21 Serilde starts as Inky prods against her and accuses her of liking it, ceasing her rumblings nearly instantly. "W-what? I dont know what you're talking about. Thats just something that happens sometimes when I try to go to sleep," she responds, though the agitation in her voice gives her away. "But...I guess I can help you, or you'll keep me up all night. What do you want?"

20:26 Inky rolls her eyes at Serilde's protests. "Just try to relax," she says. "Hopefully that'll give me a little bit more room. And don't roll over." The mare shifts back and forth to get as comfortable as possible. "Um, I dunno. It'll be rough for me tomorrow, so I might ask for more favors then, okay?" She rubs a single hoof through the slime on the taut wall next to her, showing what she was offering.

20:32 Serilde arches her chest out a little more, hoping to give herself and the bulge more space to lay down, though Inky would find the increase in room minimal. Serilde's deep long breaths cause her lungs to expand and contract against the mare in a steady rythym. "I'll try not to...but I can make no such promises once I'm asleep." The mare brings a single talon to rub back against the hoof gently. Serilde really wanted more, but she didnt want to admit that to herself, let alone Inky.

20:35 Inky nods as the griffons agrees as best she can. "Thanks," she says, relaxing as the chamber expands just a bit, letting her uncurl slightly and stretch out her legs more. She can hear Serilde's steady breathing, feeling her chamber expand and contract in time with each breath. "Here, this is for helping." The bat pony gently brings all her hooves to bear on the soft walls, and starts to rub, pressing out on the griffon's crop with her slimy hooves. As the mare rubs, she feels a twinge in her wounded side, and gasps, just loud enough to be heard outside.

20:41 Serilde feels Inky shift and rub against her sides, slowly bringing the griffon back to her happy place as the gentle motions ease the tightness of her crop. Inky would notice that the more she stroked it, the more the walls would stretch to accomidate, though only ever so slightly. The Formel's purring returns in full force until she hear's Inky's gasp. Serilde instantly tenses up, undoing all of the mare's progress. "What? Whats wrong Inky?"

20:44 Inky grunts as Serilde tenses and clenches the walls around her, forcing her to curl back up. "Ngh, you just... tensed up," she says. "And, um, you asked about my side?" The bat pony struggles to reach a foreleg across her body and press a hoof to the slashes, then winces. "They're... tender," she says. "And they feel kind of puffy."

20:48 Serilde blinks a couple times, and tenses up even further as Inky describes her symptoms. "Puffy? Oh Anzu I knew I should have looked you over before I swallowed you back down. Its even more imparitive that we get you back to a healer tomorrow. I wish I had something to better treat your wound..."

20:48 Serilde blinks a couple times, and tenses up even further as Inky describes her symptoms. "Puffy? Oh Anzu I knew I should have looked you over before I swallowed you back down. Its even more imparitive that we get you back to a healer tomorrow. I wish I had something to better treat your wound..."

20:51 Inky feels the griffon get even more tense, her crop squeezing around her tightly. "Serilde," she squeaks, "relax, this hurts!" The mare tries to rub at the tight walls to get them to relax. "Can't do anything about it now," she says. "Let's talk about something else! Um..." The bat pony thinks. "Oh, um, hey Serilde? What do I taste like? Since you seem to like that..."

20:58 Serilde 's breath quickens and is still quite tense, but she lays back down at least, though her muscles are still tight around the mare. "But...I guess you're right. But that means doubly so that I'm not spitting you out tomorrow morning. Something like that needs ot be treated immidiatly." At Inky's question Serilde goes silent for a moment, thinking about it. "I dont know...its hard to describe. Why dont you lick yourself and find out?"

21:01 Inky grumbles as she feels the tight muscles around her. "You're not... really relaxed," she says. The bat pony sighs when Serilde says she won't let her out, but she understands the logic. With some effort, she brings a foreleg to her mouth, and licks it -- only to taste the griffon's spit and slime. "Yuck!" she squeals. "I'm covered in your spit, so that's all I can taste!" She starts to resume massaging the crop around her in the hopes that her gentle rubs will make Serilde relax again.

21:08 Serilde giggles a bit at the mare's exclamation, the chuckles rocking the chamber with each contraction. "Ya...I suppose that would be the case. Well...then...I say you you taste a bit spicy, and the meat did alot of favor to your floavor. It added a nice savory hint. You also have a bit of a weird musty taste mixed in? Something like the smell of a new book," Serilde muses at her, "But I hate that you washed off all your sweat...the salt brought out your flavors better."

21:10 Serilde 's gut begins to loosen once more after a bit of stroking, slowly resuming a more relaxed state.

00:51 Inky squeaks softly when Serilde laughs and shakes her crop around, being jostled around inside the slimy chamber. "You're foaling," she says, "I actually taste like books?" The bat pony snorts. "And spicy? If you say so..." She sounds surprised when the griffon says that she's disappointed she washed herself off. "I would have thought sweat tasted *bad*, not good," the mare says. She keeps up her rubbing, sighing in relief as the crop loosens around her.

01:01 Serilde begins to rumble happily as Inky rubs against her slippery muscles with her hooves, causing the griffon to relax a little further. "I'm not lying, that's what you taste like. THough I've never actually tasted books, so I cant say for sure. And its like a mild spice. Anyways, sweat tastes like salt, and salt brings out the flavor of many things, esepcially, apperently, ponies."

01:11 Inky giggles softly at Serilde's explanation. "I suppose that makes a sort of sense," she says, "but I still think it's funny you thought I tasted better while sweaty." The bat pony starts to slow down her rubbings as she feels the griffon become relaxed, stretching out as much as she can in the tight crop without actually pressing out against the slimy walls. "There... now you're nice and relaxed," she says softly, and yawns. "Nice and loose." Serilde's heartbeat and her breathing echo in the bat pony's ears, helping to soothe her, though it would be quite some time before Inky managed to actually fall asleep. Slime dripped from above, oozing down her body as the griffon's crop coated her in its copious secretions. And not all of the noises of Serilde's body were so calming; every now and then something would gurgle loudly, startling the mare. "Goodnight, Serilde," says the lumpy bulge in the griffon's chest, muffled by flesh and cloak.

01:20 Serilde continues to purr as Inky's motions slow down and pull sthe cloak tight around her body. The mare could feel Serilde shiver in the cool are around her despite the cloak, as the damp fur leached heat away form her. "Ya. well...whatever you're doing in there helps out a little bit..." She admits reluctantly. "Anyways, good night to you as well. May sleep find you quickly," the griffon blesses, snuggling into her pillow. Slowly Serilde's breathing gets deeper and the time inbetween breaths gets longer as she drifts off to sleep. Serilde's body temperature would lower a bit as she sleeps, making the chamber feel slightly less hot to her passenger. Throughout the night, the griffon would continue to shake occasionally from the cold.

01:28 Inky nods and smiles to herself. "I'm glad it helps," she says, then echoes the griffon's odd blessing: "May sleep find you quickly, Serilde." She hears Serilde fall asleep before she does, judging by the slow, steady breaths she could hear. Even the slight drop in temperature helped the bat pony comfort immensely, and finally she was able to yawn and nod off herself. She slept fitfully inside the griffon, resting her head on the slimy wall as organic noises echoed around her. Towards the end of Serilde's sleep, the occasional ripples of her crop and her rare cold shakes pushed one of Inky's rear hooves along into the griffon's second throat. By the time that Serilde awoke, Inky was still fast asleep, and her leg was firmly lodged in the next part of the griffon's gut. Something would feel off to the formel, but the majority of Inky's bulk was still bulging out her crop, so it's not clear exactly what's wrong.

01:38 < Serilde> ----Morning the next day---

01:38 Serilde slowly opens her eyes as the sounds of birds outside chirping and chittering away reaches her ears, and as the brisk morning light penetrates her tent. She stirs from her position, stretching out her legs. Her movements put some pressure on her distended crop, immidieatly reminding her of her passenger. The formel feels a strange sensation in her chest beyond that of having a passenger, but cant very well identify the cause. Regardless, she gets to her feet, causing her crop to sway back and forth as the griffon begins going about her normal duties. There wasnt any point in waking the mare if she wasnt coming out anyways, the griffon figures.

01:42 Inky wakes up a good while after Serilde, around fifteen minutes after the griffon first stirs. She blinks blearily awake, having only gotten a somewhat restful sleep, and is confused for a few moments as to why she can't see anything. A ping of her surroundings reminds her where she is -- but then why couldn't she move her leg? The bat pony cranes her head to get in view of it, then yells in fright. "Ahh! Help!" she yells, starting to struggle and try to pull her leg out of the deeper throat. Her struggling makes the odd sensation stronger, but also makes it clear that Inky is still very much in the griffon's crop.

01:52 Serilde drops the stake she'd just pulled up from the ground and clutches her chest with her talons. "Ow Inky! Calm yourself!" She calls out loudly. "You're fine, remember, you went to sleep inside of me." The formel presses down hard on the mare and squeezes her tight with her muscles, inadvertently causing her hoof to slip a little further down the tube. Serilde suckes in a deep breath and grimaces as the struggles continue. "Calm those insticnts"

01:55 Inky yelps as the chamber squeezes around her, making her slip further down. "Nonono!" she squeals. "I know that! It's not that! My--mmfm!" Just then, the formel shoves at her head, keeping her muzzle from opening against the slimy flesh of her crop. Inky pushes back, as hard as she can without worrying that she'd hurt the griffon, and manages to free her muzzle. "My leg is getting eaten!" she yells out, which isn't very helpful. "It's stuck where the food goes!" The bat pony keeps struggling, though a little bit gentler now to avoid hurting Serilde.

07:48 Serilde takes a seat back on the ground to avoid crashing to the ground should Inky start to thrash around again. "Oh Uhh, cant you pull it out like you did last time?" She asks, racking her mind on how she could help the mare. Serilde decides to try and cough her up partially to maybe free the hoof, causing the walls to churn Inky around as they squeeze tight against her, pushing her towards the throat.

07:56 Inky feels the world shift, and grunts as she scrabbles for purchase on the slimy walls. "I'm trying! I'm trying!" she yells. As the walls ripple and start to clench and churn around her, she squeals in fright. "Ahh! Serilde, what are you doing?" she yelps, muffled when the walls squish into her face. It's too chaotic inside the griffon's crop for Inky to tell where she's being pushed.

08:06 Serilde begins to cough and gag as her gut struggles to bring the mare up through her throat. However, vomiting her up prevented Serilde from being able to respond in any conherent manner. Slowly and painfully, Inky begins to slip upp her throat, propelled by the forcefull muscles, dislodging her hoof. However, in the chaos, Inky might not be able to realize that she's come free as she moves upwards, forming a bulge in the griffons throat.

08:12 Inky grunts as she feels herself forced into a tight, constricting passage. Her hoof was still in the other pipe, so this had to be Serilde's throat? Was she being brought back up? The mare feels her leg freed as it's pulled into the larger space of the crop, though the convulsing organ didn't give her much room to move around. "It's, free," she gasps, wheezing in the tight space. Her voice was so quiet that Serilde might not even hear it though her neck and over the sound of her gagging.

08:16 Serilde gags and coughs as Inky's brought up further into her throat, straining her ears and paying attention to her body to feel if she's slipped free. When the mare calls, Serilde doesnt realize, and continue's to force the mare up. After quite a bit of work Inky's head slips up to Serilde's beak, exposing her eyes to blinding light once more as she sees the world framed by her beak.

08:21 Inky feels a surge of relief as she sees the bright daylight, framed though it was by the griffon's beak. She takes as deep a gulp of fresh air as she can with her chest constricted by Serilde's throat. "Serilde!" she says. "Oh, thank you!" The bat pony's instincts have no idea what to make of this, and all she feels is relief that the griffon was getting her out. "It's so nice to see sunlight after that," she says.

08:25 Serilde tastes Inky for a second time as her slime covered fur drags accross his tongue, though this time it was much less pleasant than before. The griffon continues to convulse, but as she here's Inky's thanks and speech she gets the idea that Inky is probably thanking her for getting the hoof free. In the middle of her second sentence, the griffon moves her tongue back to swallow, inadvertently pushing it into the mare's mouth and touching her tonge. The beak clacks together and with one hard motion, Serilde swallwos Inky back down. The tongue pushes backwards nearly into the back of Inky's throat as it shoves her. The bulge slowly travels back down her throat and into her crop.

08:34 Inky was in the middle of talking when Serilde's tongue suddenly rises in front of her, blocking out her vision and then pushing against her snout. It slips into her open mouth, making her freeze at the accidental 'kiss'. The bat pony holds still, not wanting to skewer the griffon's tongue with one of her fangs, but instead of Serilde pulling it back like she hoped the griffon shoves it forward. Inky gags when the griffon's tongue fills her mouth, its sides pressing against her fangs, and it almost goes down her throat. She hears a loud clack and feels the throat squeeze and grab her, and suddenly the formel's tongue isn't a problem anymore. The bat pony is yanked backwards, her head sucked back into the slimy grip of Serilde's throat. As the griffon's tongue slides out of her mouth, the bat pony tries to yell, and one of her fangs grazes the slippery muscle. Blood beads on Serilde's tongue from the thin scrape. The lumps in her throat sink downwards, Inky feeling the now-familiar feeling of peristalsis shoving her towards the slimy sack below. She lands in the griffon's crop with an unceremonious squelching sound, bulging out the formel's chest yet again.

08:39 Serilde winces and then brings a claw up to rub against her tongue, finding that there was indeed blood on the stinging muscle and then cleans her talon off on the ground below. "UGhh, you bit me..." Serilde says, sounding mildly irritate. She vies the pony inside of her a few short moments to get aclimated before her motions resume, tearing down the tent. "You are safe now right? I think you said your hoof came free..."

08:43 Inky curls up in the tight space, a bit dazed from being forced around by Serilde's internal muscles. "Uh..." she says, gathering her bearings. "Hey! I didn't bite you, you *shoved your tongue* into my mouth!" she yells. "You're lucky you didn't impale it on my fangs by accident!" The bat pony sighs, and does her best to get comfortable inside the swaying, shifting sack. "I'm fine now," she says. "That was... scary. I'm not sure if that tube can fit all of me, but I don't want to find out."

08:51 Serilde picks up the waterskin and goes to take a drink, when it suddenly occurs to her to remind Inky this time. "Water incoming..." she says softly, moments before she takes a couple gulps to clean off her tongue and hydrate herself. The cold water washes down her throat to splash on the mare. "Well ugh...whatever...its nothing but a small cut anyways." She puts away the tent and looks over her provisions, finding that the boar meat had partially defrosted, though there wasnt much other food left. "Say Inky, are you hungry?"

08:57 Inky moves her head out of the way of Serilde's throat, so the cold water only splashes down on her belly, making her squeak. "T-Thanks," she says. The mare holds a hoof to her belly, and nods. "I am, yeah," she calls back. "You have that bread and cheese still?" She frowns. "But... how am I going to get it, unless..." She trails off. "No! Ew! It's way too slimy in here for you to swallow them or whatever!" Serilde feels her passenger poke a hoof at the wall of her crop. The bat pony had been thoroughly coated in slime and swallowed saliva overnight, and her recent trip up and back down the griffon's throat had only made it worse. "Can I please have a little bath of water to get less slimy first?" she pleads.

09:05 Serilde shakes her head and pulls the food out of the bag, trying to figure out how to best get it down for her. "Yep, just enough for this morning. If we have to go into tomorrow you wont have any plantstuffs to eat..." When Inky then asks for another 'bath' she stops and gives a firm, "No. No I'm not risking you drowning again. We've already had far to many near death experiences with you in my crop, and I wont ahve another."

09:08 Inky isn't worried about drowning or anything like that, and the optimistic bat pony rubs a hoof on the wall of the crop. "Please, Serilde! I'll be super careful and I'll tell you when to stop drinking, and I'll keep the water level low!" She brings more hooves to bear on the slimy walls, softly massaging Serilde's crop to remind her of the favors she owed. "It would make me a lot more comfortable in here," she says. "Especially if you're going to make me sit in here with a bunch of meat all day, too..."

09:13 Serilde gives a small rumble of approval as Inky strokes at the muscles and then sighs, bringing a digit to her beak as she thinks about it. "Well...fine...I guess we can get away with a little bit of water, but be very conservative..." Serilde raises the waterskin to her beak and then adds, "And you should probably drink some too," before she begins to gulp it down, starting out fast, but then slowly down as she drinks more, waiting for the mare to tell him when.

09:17 Inky smiles when her efforts are rewarded with a pleased rumble. "Yes! Thank you so much, Serilde," she says happily. The bat pony is quick to shove her muzzle into Serilde's throat this time, and drinks her fill of the cool water rushing down the griffon's gullet. She lays back down in the crop, using her body to cover the exit and trap the water in with her, and keeps careful watch of how it rises. "Now, stop!" she yells out once it's almost reached her belly, and pokes the wall for good measure.

09:23 Serilde cuts off her gulping soon after she hear's the mare shout, though a little more water yet flows into the stomach before the trickle ends. It felt cold as ice, probably a welcome relief to the hot batpony. "Just, be quick, I have to eat two meals worth of food now, one for you and one for me, and I'm pretty sure you'd prefer yours first."

09:29 Inky starts to rub the cold water all over herself, shivering from the abrupt temperature drop. "Okay, I'll let you know when I'm done," she calls out, then returns to merrily sloshing around inside the griffon's crop. Serilde felt the odd sensation of her crop half-full of water again, and her bulging chest sloshed and splashed noisily. The bat pony wipes at her belly, and what of her sides she can reach. She takes a moment to give her wounded side some special attention, cleaning it as best she can. The mare splashes her face with the increasingly slimy and not-so-cold water, clearing the slime off of her muzzle. She presses her mane back, slicking it to her head and keeping it out of her eyes; at least the slime was useful for that. As she finishes rubbing over her legs, or at least what of them she can reach, the mare grinds her slimy back against the bottom of the crop. Finally, as clean as she can make herself inside the depths of Serilde's gut, she rolls to the side to let the water drain. "Okay, I'm done," she calls out as the water-slime mixture empties, leaving her, for the moment, blissfully almost slime free. "And I would prefer mine first!" The bulge in Serilde's chest giggles.

09:37 Serilde giggles a bit as she feels her belly slosh around with the bat pony, and even raises a claw to press against the bulge, causing the water to slosh back and forth even more so. The sound of the water's movement is loud enough that she can hear it waving and splashing around inside of her. "I cant imagine that helps too much...dont you get covered in slime again rather quickly?" She asks, shaking her head. As soon as Inky calls out that she's done, Serilde picks up the remaining third of a loaf and brings it to her beak, ripping off a small portion and holding it in her mouth till it got soaked enough to travel before swallowing it down. Bite by bite she works her way through the loaf, though by the time the pieces reach her crop, they're falling apart and have absorbed as much slime as they can, tasting more of Serilde's insides than bread.

09:40 Inky shakes her head. "I get slimy again kinda fast, but it's so nice to be relatively clean, even for a short period of time," she says, sounding as bright and cheery as she had been the first day they'd met. "And it keeps me cool!" Bit by bit, the rest of the loaf splats down onto Inky's belly, and she gathers up all the slimy pieces. She puts one of them into her mouth and makes a face. "Ew... these taste more like you than they do bread," she complains. "Can you do me a favor? Just swallow that cheese in one big chunk, it'll be a lot better down here! You swallowed *me*, so I bet you can do it!"

09:49 Serilde rolls her eyes as she hear's Inky complain about the state of the bread and gives her a couple pats through her chest. "Well...I cant really swallow bread down dry, it doent go down very well, but I guess the cheese I could...but cheddar tastes so good. Its not like it absorb my spit anyways...Plus swallowing whole isnt terribly easy..." Serilde protests and procedes to begin to eat the cheses as she had the bread, murring at its tasty flavors.

09:56 Inky groans as bits of cheese start to fall down on her. "Oh, fine," she says, stuffing some cheese into the mushy bread and popping it into her mouth. The mare chews, finding the taste of sharp cheddar easily overpowers the vague taste of griffon spit. "At least the cheese helps to drown out your spit," she says, and eats the rest of her meal that way. It's a fairly disgusting way to eat breakfast, but it's better than no food, and since it wasn't even her food to begin with, Inky is thankful. She squirms to dig out the last bits of food that had fallen off of her belly, her hooves dragging against the stretched walls as she retrieves them. "Thanks for the food, though," she says in a soft voice. "And for letting me eat first." The bat pony gently rubs the walls enclosing her, which had already started to coat her in a layer of slime again.

10:07 Serilde soon consumes the last of the cheese and, while Inky was eating, goes to unwrap and prepare the boar meat. With dispaointment, she finds that the rain hd left the wood still to wet to light a fire to cook the meat and to chase off the morning cold. She sighs once more as she looks at the hunk of raw meat on the ground. A small purr escapes her lips as Inky begins to rub against her once more. "Well then, does that mean you're all done? Because I'm ready for /my/ breakfast now...and I have a feeling you wont appreciate it mixing in with your own food..."

10:12 Inky nods. "Yeah, I'm done," she says, "you can go ahead and bury me in meat again." Her voice has an air of resignation. The mare is curious, though. "Is it possible that you could eat just enough that all of it could go straight through?" she asks, hopeful. "I'd like to avoid sharing your crop, if possible!"

21:36 Serilde shakes her head in in response to the mare's question and says, "Well...no not really. You're gonna have to tolerate it because I'm not carrying around that boar if we expect to make it there this evenging. THat's a lot of extra weight. Anyway

21:39 Inky sighs, then blinks. "Wait, but it'll weigh the same amount in here as out there," she protests. "And don't you have to stop to drink anyway?" The bat pony really doesn't want to spend the whole day covered in chewed up meat, and does her best to

21:41 Serilde takes a bite of the meat, making a face at the taste of raw flesh as she rips it with a sickening tear and then swallows it down. The griffon shudders, but she could handle raw meat, even if it wasnt the best. "Well...if I wasnt leaving much o

21:42 < Inky> (bigger problem: she probably actually just can't store that much meat in her crop with Inky taking up most of the space)

21:46 < Inky> (since you had her gorge until it bulged before, and now Inky is taking up most of that room....)

21:49 < Serilde> (Hmm, true...we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Serilde might have to try cutting stuff up and carrying that.)

21:51 Inky hmphs as she hears Serilde eat something anyway, the gulp echoing in the tight chamber. "I suppose," she says, then yelps when the cold meat falls onto her belly with a splat. The bat pony starts, putting a brief, sudden strain on the formel's cr

21:55 Serilde gurnts at her comment. "Yes, you're right its cold...I wish it wasn't as much as you do." She kind of wonders how long it will take for the mare to realize that the meat is raw as well. Serilde follows that bite up with another and another, co

22:00 < Inky> (inb4 Inky got an infection from all the raw meat :B )

22:08 Inky could barely tell the difference between cooked meat and raw meat in broad daylight, and isn't likely to notice when it's dark like this. It does smell different, though, and more metallic, which the bat pony doesn't really mind. "Brrr," the mare

22:10 Inky her already limited movement even more restricted by all of the meat. "It's... kinda cramped in here," she says, understating the real conditions. Serilde feels full already, even though she knows she hasn't eaten nearly enough.

22:10 Serilde shivers and ruffles her feathers as she feels quite stuffed despite having only eaten a portion of what she actually needed for such a grueling flight. "Ya...its not enough either..." the griffon replies with a grimace, "Could you maybe push a

22:13 < -> Tihan is now known as Tihan|Noms

22:15 Inky grunts. "I can try," she says, and starts to squirm around so she can get her hooves in position. A series of lumps shift about on the outside of the griffon's crop as the bat pony struggles to get herself oriented in the extremely cramped space.

22:19 Inky boar. "Okay, I think I can do it now," she says, after a minute of hard effort. The bat pony feels around with her hoof, and forces a too-large chunk down into the next part of Serilde's gut.

22:19 < -> Tihan|Noms is now known as Tihan

22:23 Serilde grunts and squirms as the mare moves around inside of her, causing an uncomfortable amount of pressure as she slowly gets inot position. She feels her crop settle a bit with more room and swallows down two more bites as Inky pushed it further

22:27 Inky doesn't want to risk pushing her hoof through into the depths of the griffon. She trusts Serilde, but waking up with her leg stuck down there was terrifying, and the bat pony wants to avoid a repeat. So the mare tries to assemble a large enough b

22:29 Inky crop, but she manages it. Thinking she's doing her best to help Serilde, Inky pushes hard with her hoof, and the awaiting tube begrudgingly accepts the hunk of meat. This one actually hurts going down as it stretches things deep inside Serilde's

22:29 Serilde works all the while she feels Inky moving around in her crop, figuring that the mare was just trying to get comfortable as works on the meat, when she suddenly feels an uncomfortable sensation followed by a sharp pain. The griffon drops her kn

22:33 Inky smiles to herself before she hears the formel's cry of pain, the sound even louder inside her crop. "Ah! What?" she squeaks, her sensitive ears ringing. "I just pushed more meat down like you asked! What's wrong?"

22:34 < Inky> (I'm not sure what you're imagining going wrong :o )

22:34 < Serilde> (Really, probably a serious case of runs...or other gastroinestinal issues)

22:37 < Inky> (is her stomach really that sensitive?)

22:37 < Inky> (eating a whole pony must make them literally explode, then :V )

22:42 < Inky> (I'm just not familiar with whatever effect you're thinking of..)

22:42 < Serilde> (Hmm well that's all noncanon stuff :P

22:46 < Serilde> (I mean when people and animals gorge themselves they have gastroinestinal issues :/ I mean the difference here with the crop and the stomach is it feeds it at a reasonable rate...

22:46 < Inky> (ah, I'm just questioning that two heaping hooffulls is really too much at once. I don't know how serious you were planning on having her react though)

22:51 < Serilde> (I mean it'll definitely be uncomfortable for her later on...the real problem is more of along the lines of such things will make a grueling pace all the more diffucult)

22:51 < Serilde> (And you said the second one was enough to be painful. And I imagine you meant painful enough that Serilde wouldnt ignore it as Inky moving and stuff)

22:58 < Inky> (ah, okay. well, as long as she can make it to the town tonight, it doesn't matter how tired she is :D )

22:58 < Inky> (yeah, and in a different location too)

22:58 < Inky> (lower down, and not in her crop, like she swallowed too big a bite of food)

23:05 < Inky> (except I guess apparently she doesn't get that given that she swallowed Inky :V but I assume you've swallowed too much at once before)

23:05 < Serilde> (Oh, I did say gravity of the situation hub :P)

23:10 < Inky> (aye, you did :v )

23:10 < Serilde> (Ya I have. Bird stomachs arnt very large...since its closer to a continuous feed. It looks a lot more like a tube than a stomach.

23:17 < Inky> (fair enough, I suppose, but she's also half cat. also good luck getting a continuous feed with Inky in there :V )

23:17 Serilde takes a deep breath as she recovers from the strange pain and frowns as she listens to Inky. "I said a couple pieces...not what ever large amount you just pushed into me..I just hope that I dont end up with the trots while flying today..." Ser

23:17 Inky 's ears fold down, and the bat pony sighs. "I'm sorry," she says, her voice quiet and hard to hear from the griffon's crop. "I didn't think it was that much!" She relaxes and flops forwards onto the mass of meat in front of her, able to use it so

23:22 Inky change from the griffon's sweltering insides. Inky squirms to get comfortable before doing her best to settle in for a very long flight.

23:22 Serilde sighs and gives a couple reassuring pats on her crop, hoping Inky could feel them through her chest. "Well...what's done is done. I dont suppose that you could occasionally push food along for me? And I mean every so often and in smaller piece

23:25 Inky feels the pats against her left side, and her ears perk up again. Her left side was tender, but she knew the griffon hadn't meant to hurt her. "Okay," she says. The bat pony has her head resting on top of all of the meat, with the top pressing in

23:25 Inky could poke me when you want me to do it, that'll probably work better," she says. "And it's really hard to keep track of time in here."

23:25 Serilde nods at her. "Yes, I'll do my best to poke you when I think it should happen...its kind of mostly an automatic process unless I'm tryign to repress it." The griffon then begins to move forward, going form a trot to a gallop in a short amount o

23:30 Inky grunts as her host's movements force her down, against the packed meat. Takeoff is the hardest, and Serilde can feel Inky's weight hanging heavily off of her front, but once she starts to ascend slower, it doesn't feel too bad. The bat pony tries

23:30 < -> Tihan is now known as Tihan|ZZZ

23:33 < Inky> (so, how much of this do we want to do?)

23:35 < Inky> (type here so it's logged :3 )

23:35 < Inky> (eh, just like, have her poke her awake once, then we can skip until lunch, and from then probably until dinner)

23:35 < Inky> (er, s/dinner/arriving in town/)

23:35 < Serilde> (Fine...well we've actually already flown with Inky in there...so it snot terribly important.)

23:36 < Serilde> (Ya, those are probably the key parts.)

23:36 < Inky> (and I'll describe how miserable Inky is, just for you :P )

23:36 < Serilde> (THank you~)

23:40 Serilde flies for about half an hour in the brisk air before she gives the mare a poke, trying to rouse her from her sleep. "Alright Inky, its time to get up and press a little bit down into my crop." She had suffered some pretty painful heartburn abo

23:40 < Inky> (given what heartburn actually is, would that have affected Inky at all?)

23:41 < Inky> (at least perhaps in smell..)

23:44 < Serilde> (Probably the smell...there's enough meat there that she'd be fine.)

23:44 < Inky> (I mean, yeah, stomach acid is way weaker than people think it is :P slash enzymes )

23:47 < Serilde> (Yep)

23:47 Inky starts when Serilde pokes her awake, trying to uncurl and mashing the top of her head into the wall of Serilde's crop. She winces and stays curled up, her back aching. "Huh? Oh, right," the bat pony says, sounding out of it. "Just a bit, you said

23:49 Inky reasonable amount through. Only then does she notice the acidic smell singeing the hairs of her nose. "Blech! It smells awful in here," she squeaks. "Well... worse than usual, at least!"

00:03 Serilde continues to fly as she feels Inky shift around in her crop, smiling as a little bit of meat slips down further. "Oh...that's much better. A much more reasonable amount," she says and then frowns as Inky complains. "I thought you got used to the smell after a bit? It cant be that bad..."

00:33 Inky wrinkles her nose and tries to pull away, though she has nowhere to go and can barely move in the hot, constricting sack. "No, it smells like acid," she complains. "It's not like before."

00:43 Serilde reaches a talon up and presses it inot the squirming form as Inky pickes up her motions. "Well...I told you to shove in only a little earlier. That's probably from the heartburn you gave me from all that meat. I'm sure it hurt me more than it causes it to stink in there. It'll be gone later..."

00:50 Inky feels something pressing on her from outside, forcing her face into the mass of meat. Her movements hadn't accomplished anything, other than make her feel more cramped when she stopped. "Bleh," the mare says, but the smell was already deadening her nose. "Sorry, I didn't know," she mumbles, her quiet voice emanating from the feathered bulge above Serilde's chest. The tired pony grunts and tries to find something resembling a comfortable position so she can sleep again.

00:57 Serilde sighs and shakes her head, giving a couple more gentle strokes as she makes her way towards the city. It'd be a long day of flying ahead of her and her wings were already aching a little from the days before. "Ya...well now you know for the future. Just dont do that again...for mine and for your sake."

01:03 Inky grunts an acknowledgment, trying to get back to sleep. Every little annoyance was magnified, from the slime and meat caking her fur to the sweltering heat making her lethargic. Even Serilde's gentle stroking only aggravated her as it squished the slimy walls against her coat. The bat pony drifts in and out of sleep, snatching a few minutes at a time before being jolted awake by the griffon's flying or a particularly loud noise from her body.

01:06 Serilde flies on for a couple of hours without stoping, waking Inky up every half hour or so to push more meat into her crop. This time, however, she wakes Inky up though she doesnt realize there's no meat left to go. "Alright...time to get up again. Next chunk has to go."

01:09 Inky groans softly as she wakes, looking blearily around the chamber. "'s no more," she mumbles. "Did it all." The bat pony uses the opportunity to sprawl out as much as she can in the relative emptiness, though it's impossible for her to straighten her legs and they stay frustratingly bent.

01:12 < Inky> (I don't mean she's like, putting her legs against the opposite wall and pushing)

01:12 < Inky> (she's just like, spreading out as much as she's able without exerting any real force)

01:15 Serilde perks at what Inky' says and begins to scan the ground for a nice clearing to land in. "No more? Alright then...I suppose it's just as good as any of a place to stop for lunch. Thanks for going slow and stuff..." She say begining to circle down towards a spot she sees. "I'm out of food for you though...sadly."

01:19 Inky holds a hoof to her belly, and sighs. "Well... it's the last day, right? I'll be okay," she says, sounding very tired. The bat pony lays on her right side, curled up in a tight ball in Serilde's crop.

01:24 Serilde nods and then remembers inky' cant see her and says, "Yes, it should be the last day. We should make it soon after nightfall at this rate." The griffon soon touches down with an oof. "Alright...well now its time for lunch~"

01:29 Inky listens to the griffon's odd, muffled and yet loud voice. "Good," she says, then sighs as it seems her relative freedom is about to disappear again. "Go ahead and bury me in meat or whatever," she says listlessly.

01:39 Serilde unrolls her pack of meat that was attached to her harness and looks down at the chunks, now fully defrosted and only slightly chilly. "Well, good, this will be the last time though before we get you out of there." The griffon grabs a chunk and swallows it down. "Alright, incoming." she warns before swallowing down even more food.

01:45 Inky doesn't even react as the meat splats down onto her injured side. The mare stays still as Serilde eats, slowly filling up her crop around her and forcing the muscular sack to stretch even further. She tries to tune out the wet, squelching feeling of the meat piling around her, and is so still that it might actually worry the griffon.

01:48 Serilde swallows down the last piece of meat, having eaten rather quickly. The waterdense food would provide her most of the liquid she needed as she flew, but she follows it with a gulp or two from her flask. She suddenly realizes that Inky hasnt moved for a bit and pokes her a couple times. "Inky! Are you alright in there?"

01:56 Inky is buried in meat, straining the griffon's crop to its limits. The poor bat pony has her eyes squeezed shut and her ears folded down to try to block out her surroundings, but she couldn't escape the slimy, bloody meat piled atop and around her. Serilde's pokes jolt her attention back, though, and make the bat pony grunt. "What?" she says, sounding grumpy. "Except for being covered in meat and unable to move? Never been better," she snarks back. As she feels cool water trickle down past her and briefly pool beneath her, the mare realizes how much she needs a drink. "Wait, Serilde," she says. "I need... some water." The bat pony tries to shift herself around, finding it almost impossible in the tightly packed chamber. After rolling onto her back, she manages to crane her neck up enough for her muzzle to reach the opening at the top of the crop. "Please," she croaks.

01:57 Serilde hears Inky's cries right after she's put away the canteen and sighs, picking it back up and opening it up. "Alright then. Just let me know when you're ready." She responds, raising the canteen to her lips and preparing to drink. "Just know that it'll be over soon. Just a couple more hours."

02:00 Inky nods. "Ready," she says. The young mare pushes her muzzle up into Serilde's throat and opens her mouth, wanting to catch as much of the water as possible.

02:02 Serilde grungs as he feels the muzzle press up into her throat, leaving her feeling a little weird, but still Inky' needed water and soon Serilde begins to give it to her, gulping slowly but steadily as it trickles down her throat towards teh waiting mare.

02:07 Inky feels the precious liquid trickle into her mouth, and swallows it down gratefully. The water splashes down against her nose, and gets into her nostrils. She winces, but holds her breath and keeps drinking greedily, knowing that she won't get more for a while.

02:10 Serilde continues to gulp the water down since she can feel the mare moving inside and she hasnt said for her to stop yet. Soon, the last precious drop runs down Serilde's beak and into Inky's mouth. "Thats all I've got for now...."

02:15 Inky takes her last swallow and pulls her nose back into the smelly crop. The mare coughs and sneezes, clearing her noise of the accumulated water. Despite that, she feels a lot better. "Thanks, Serilde," she says, sounding a bit more perked up than before. The mare gives the wall of the crop a little rub before she lets herself slip back into the squishy mass of swallowed meat.

02:19 Serilde nods with a slight smile and gives Inky a couple pats as she rubs pleasurabley against her walls. "No problem. Cant have you dying of heat stroke after I've gone through all this trouble to keep you alive." The griffon charges forward and after a leap and a number of hard flaps she takes to the air once more.

02:24 Inky grunts a response as the takeoff forces her downwards, and tries to get more sleep. The bat pony remembers to push a little meat onwards for her host before she returns to trying to sleep, squirming slightly to get herself into a comfortable position underneath the stewing raw meat.

02:35 Serilde flies on through the day, sweating from exhaustion. Every so often she'll wake the drowsy mare up as they get closer and closer to the town. Slowly the sun goes down around them, drifting into darkness. Finally in the distance she can see the torches and other lights from the town.

02:49 Inky 's body complained at her more and more as the day wore on. She'd been unable to stretch her limbs for many hours now, and everything ached. Most of the loose meat was pushed on by the time the griffon flew in sight of the town, but plenty still stuck to Inky's slime covered body. The bat pony sleeps restlessly as Serilde flies into town.

02:55 Serilde finally touches down in town several hours after dark and stretches her wings as she feels the muscles finally cramping up and groaning. She gets advice from one of the towns ponies as to the local healer and goes into the pony's house. "Hey. I've got a patient for you." She says to the mare with a grin. The Griffons appearance was rather intimidating, especially with teh pony sized bulge in her chest.

02:56 < Inky> (er, I was imagining it would be much later -- several hours after dark is when everypony is asleep!)

02:57 < Inky> ( Serilde: So she can get directions from some guard or something, but the healer will be asleep)

03:00 < Inky> (the door would be locked, so she couldn't just barge in, Serilde

03:01 Serilde was shouting and banging hard on the door, trying to wake the mare up.

03:18 Dove wakes with a start when there's a heavy pounding on her front door downstairs. The mare rubs at her eyes blearily, and starts again when the knocking repeats. She scrambles to get out of bed, leaving her covers in disarray, and throws open the second floor window. Poking her head out, she stares down at Serilde, or what little of her she can see in the dim light outside. With a scowl, the mare turns and trots downstairs. "Hold on," she calls, "I'm coming." The door swings inward, revealing a middle-aged mare with an off-white coat and a pale blue mane. She was still wearing a fuzzy, polka-dotted nightcap. "What's the problem?" she asks, rubbing at her drooping eyes with a fetlock.

03:18 < Inky> (and then I'm posting again)

03:21 Inky had fallen into a deeper sleep while Serilde walked through town, though the recent yelling had started to wake her up. Still, the heat and her encroaching sickness made the mare very tired, and she hadn't gotten any decent sleep all day. The pony bulges out Serilde's chest, but while she's not moving it just looks like the formel had gorged herself almost to bursting.

03:22 < Inky> (you should have Serilde end up needing the healer's attention as well! for whatever reason. that'd sting her honor)

03:23 < Inky> (other thoughts: would Serilde ask for a tub or basin to release Inky into, or would she use the floor?)

03:23 < Serilde> (I was already typing that up :P She's gonna use the floor, and ossibly the poor Earth pony :B)

03:24 < Inky> (aw, at least draw it out a little bit!)

03:26 Serilde gives a faltering smile as the sleepy looking earth pony appears at the door and sighs. "Well...a pony friend of mine needs a little bit of medical attention...and probably a nice warm shower and a place to dry off. She nearly died of hypothermia..." Serilde explains, "This is the right place for that right?"

03:33 Dove nods along, still half asleep until the griffon mentions her friend nearly died. "Hypothermia?" she repeats, shaking herself more awake. "Yes, this is the right place, but where is she? Is she warm?" The mare leans out her door and peers around, looking for this friend that Serilde mentioned. She's only seen one or two griffons before, and so her sleepy mind doesn't realize that the bulge in the formel's chest is unnatural.

03:34 Inky stirs half-awake from the talking going on around her, and notices that the rhythmic jolts of flight have stopped. Serilde could feel her reposition herself slightly as the bat pony slowly wakes up.

03:35 < Inky> (it'd be more amusing if Serilde doesn't explain.. hmm)

03:36 < Inky> (she might push her way inside and look for something to chuck Inky into)

03:36 < Serilde> (I kind of like the idea of her vomiting her up on the porch

03:36 < Inky> (but then Serilde probably has to help carry her :B )

03:36 < Serilde> (She might not htink that far ahead :P)

03:36 < Inky> (though... Inky might be able to walk)

03:37 < Inky> (heh, that would be even more amusing then if Inky gets Serilde all gross)

03:37 < Inky> (maybe just inside instead of on the doorstep? it is cold out after all)

03:39 < Serilde> (Nah, because then she'd have to push past Dove and then might be facing away when she starts to cough)

03:40 < Inky> (fair enough)

03:41 < Inky> (but I did have this amusing image of Dove being confused and wringing her hooves and repeating the importance of checking on this friend if it happened recently)

03:41 Serilde smiles at doves and says, "Dont worry I've got her...she's sort of alright." The formel then closes her eyes shut and looks down towards the ground, begining to grunt and cough as her crop muscles force Inky into a tight ball and slowly knead her up her throat, likely leaving a very confused pony in front of her.

03:45 Dove tilts her head at Serilde, the end of her nightcap swaying in the air. "You've got her? I don't... Only sort of? What's wrong?" The confused healer struggles to make sense of what's happening as she watches Serilde close her eyes and start to cough. "Sir?" she says, trying to get the griffon's attention. "Sir, are you alright?" When the bulge compresses and starts to lurch up the formel's neck, Dove figures out that it was in her crop, but she doesn't yet realize it's a pony.

03:46 < Inky> (wait, it sounds like Serilde's trying to cough her up while curled into a ball ?)

03:46 < Serilde> (ehh not quite probably But the musles would be squeezing her kinda like it. She'll come up normally)

03:48 Inky lets out an audible yelp when the muscular sack clenches down around her, forcing her to curl up even tighter. It pressures her into a tight ball, squeezing her until her nose preses up into the griffon's throat. Powerful peristaltic muscles wrap around her, rippling and pushing the mare upwards. She's fully awake now after this treatment, and squirms a bit in confusion. Were they actually there? Was she getting let out finally?

03:55 Serilde hacks and coughs as Inky slowly made her way up her throat, pressing uncomfortably up the tight muscular tube that clenches around her. The griffon puts a claw on the bulge, trying to push the mare up faster as her snout begins to appear between the formel's beak.

03:56 Serilde briefly flashes a bit of irriation in her head she hear's Dove calling her a sir, but she's to preoccupied to actually deal with the mistake at the moment.

03:59 Dove blinks in surprise when she hears a pony yelp. Where had that come from? There was nopony around. She watches with growing concern as Serilde hacks and coughs, and steps closer so she can see better. "If you're going to throw up," she starts to say, then trails off as Serilde presses her talons to the obvious solid bulge traveling up her throat. When the griffon hacks and Inky's slimy purple snout appears in the back of her mouth, Dove gasps and stumbles backwards. "W-w-what the," she stammers, shocked.

04:03 Inky feels the now somewhat familiar crushing grip of Serilde's throat muscles, as they squeeze the breath out of her and push her upwards against gravity. The formel's shove with her claw provokes another grunt. As the bat pony's muzzle emerges from the depths of Serilde's throat, she takes a deep breath of fresh air. She sees a shocked pony bracketed by Serilde's beak and tries to give her a reassuring smile, but caked with gunk like she is the meaning doesn't really transfer.

04:06 Serilde begins to bring Inky up even faster as first her head spills from her open beak, pressing out more of the mare. The griffon holds up a talon as if to say one minute to the poor pony but still has no opportunity to stop and explain. Soon Inky's shoulders spill out, causing the slime coated fur to press into the wooden floor.

04:10 Dove takes another step back and stumbles, falling onto her rump. She stares up at Serilde as she disgorges more of Inky, her jaw slack as she watches the pony slip from the griffon's mouth. "How," she squeaks. "Is... are they..." As the rank stench of raw meat and Serilde's innards rolls off of the slimy bat pony, Dove gags and struggles to keep her dinner down.

04:13 Inky groans as the throat clenches down on her tightly to keep bringing her up. Her head emerges into Serilde's mouth, then slips out, dragging her slimy body over the griffon's tongue. The bat pony grunts as she is pushed into the floor face first, unable to catch herself with her forelegs pinned to her sides by the griffon's maw. She's thickly covered with slime and strips of raw boar meat, and does not smell good in the slightest.

04:16 Serilde takes about a minute longer, stepping backwards as more and more of the bat mare comes to rest on the floor before her long hairy tail finally slips from her beak. "Yech...You dont taste nearly as good coming out as you do going in Inky..." The griffon complains, wrinkling her nose up at the terrible scent in the air. "And you really need a bath." The griffon turns to Dove with a half smile and gestures to the mare. "Well, there's my friend. Would you mind helping her out?"

04:22 Dove watches in shock as Serilde continues to deposit more of the bat pony onto her floor. She doesn't know how to respond to this, and her mouth opens and closes without any sound coming out. The poor healer does manage to keep her dinner from joining Inky on the floor, choking down her complaining stoamch. When Serilde speaks to her, she starts, then just stares at the formel. "I... you /ate/ her?" she says, incredulous.

04:25 Inky grunts as finally, all of her falls with a wet splat onto the floor. The bat pony lays there for a good ten seconds before she tries to get her hooves under her and stand up. She finds her hooves too slippery, and her legs too weak to support her, though, and only succeeds in splattering the gunk covering her over more of the floor. "Kind of," the mare pants to Dove. Steam rose from her hot body as it cooled in the night air.

04:27 Serilde gives a soft giggle at Dove's shock and nods at the pony before frowning as Inky fails to get to her hooves. "Well...I couldnt really let her freeze to death...and she sorta fell through thin ice and there was no ability to light a fire. So that's waht I had to do. Now do your doctor thing and make sure she's alright. And...its madaam to you. Not Sir."

04:28 Serilde looks down at Inky with a frown and nudges her a little with a talon. "Are you feeling alright there Inky?"

04:34 Dove blinks and shakes her head, never having imagined such a thing was possible. She nods as Serilde explains, and takes a few seconds to process the information. "Yes, s- um, ma'am." The older pony quickly shakes her head to wake herself up, then starts to take charge. Wrinkling her nose, she leans down over Inky and quickly inspects her, pushing hooves against her slimy body to check her pulse and other vitals. "She's not in any immediate danger," the healer declares. "We need to get her cleaned up. Help me get her on her hooves."

04:36 Inky nods as Serilde explains. "It's true," she says. "And I'm.. good," the bat pony says to Serilde. "Haven't gotten to use my legs in.. a day." The healer's hooves elicit a squeak of surprise from the prone pony.

04:39 Serilde watches intently as Dove works to make sure that her friend is alright, glad that Inky should now be in safe hooves. "Ya...I didnt think she'd be too bad. You did see that nasty cut just under her wing right?" The formel leans down and tries to pull Inky up to her hooves once more, trying to get as litlle of the foul slime on her feathers as possible.

04:43 Dove looks up at Serilde. "What?" she says, and steps over to look at Inky's left side. The healer gently pushes away a thin strip of meat stuck to the pony and blocking her view. When she sees the wound, she hisses and sucks in her teeth. "This looks bad," she says. "I'll need to look at this after it's cleaned." When Serilde helps Inky to her hooves, Dove motions for them to follow her. "Oh, I need your name, Miss...?" she says, looking at Serilde.

04:46 Inky winces as Dove's hooves graze her tender side, and her wince turns into a frown when she hears that it's bad. "Not too bad, I hope," the mare says. Serilde finds Inky light and easy to lift up, though her talons are immediately coated in her own throat's slime. Once Inky is back atop her wobbly hooves, she immediately steps and stumbles against Serilde, using the griffon for support and defeating all of the formel's efforts to keep herself clean.

04:49 Serilde shrinks back as she sees that the wound has festered a bit more, growing much more angry in the time spent without treatment. "Oooh...that does not look pretty...but you can heal it up right?" She groans as she feels Inky stumble against her body, coating her sides in the slime that dripped from the mare's fur. "Ughh...that's so gross..." She complains, begining to lead Inky onwards following Dove. "Oh, My name is Serilde, and my companion here is Inky."

04:54 Dove 's mouth forms a thin line. "I can do my best, Miss Serilde," she says. "It depends how bad it looks once it's cleaned off." The healer leads them through the small clinic, with Inky dripping slime and the occasional bit of meat onto the floor behind them. They soon arrive at a shower, big enough for a couple ponies to work.

04:57 Inky leans heavily on Serilde, her legs cramping and refusing to support her full weight. "Yeah it is," the bat pony says crossly, "and I had to put up with this for two days!" When they get to the shower, Inky gets one leg in by herself, but her other three shake and wobble, the mare needing more help to get in.

05:04 < Inky> (I think it's cute that Serilde really likes how Inky tastes :P )

05:06 Serilde glares a little at Dove when she doesnt sound fully confident in her abiliyt to get Inky back together once more. "What do you mean you'll do your best? You can heal her right? I didnt carry her like that for two days only to have you not be able to get her safe..." The griffon gripes at the earth pony. Once they reach the tub, she tries to lift Inky up and over into it so that she could be cleaned. "Ya..well its not like carrying you and your equipment was that much eaiser.

23:48 Dove eeps and shrinks under the griffon's intimidating gaze, turning her attention to the batpony who was dripping slime onto the tiled floor. "You're going to be all right, miss," she says reassuringly to Inky as she helps her into the tub. "Are you able enough to wash yourself?"

23:53 Inky is easily lifted off the ground, her dangling legs kicking at the air as she suddenly finds nothing below them. The mare latches onto the shower's grab bar, using it to stay standing on her wobbly legs. "Oh, um, thank you," she says to Dove, realizing that the healer hasn't introduced herself. "I'm Inky, but what's your name?" When she reaches for the faucet, she nearly slips and falls, returning to clutching at the bar with both forelegs. "M-Maybe not."

23:53 < Inky> (your post, Serilde )

23:55 < Inky> (do you think she should actually be a doctor? do ponies have the same "actual Dr."-ness as us?)

23:56 < Serilde> (Hmmmm Idk...)

23:56 < Serilde> (There was an actual doctor in the broken wing episdoe

23:57 Serilde continues to watch Dove like a hawk, or maybe even an eagle, as she watches her turn to help her friend. Her stern gaze turns to one of concern as Inky slips down and reluctantly the griffon climbs into the shower after the mare to help steady her. Once Inky is braced, she reaches forward and turns on the shower, wincing initially at the rush of cold water before it begins to heat.

00:04 Dove tries to ignore the griffon's piercing gaze, shifting in visible discomfort. She tries to give a reassuring smile to Inky, and steps back in surprise when Serilde climbs into the shower to join the bat pony. "Oh, um, sorry, that must have slipped my mind," the earth pony says. "I'm Nurse Dove." She reaches for the shower controls, only for Serilde to beat her to them, and looks somewhat miffed.

00:08 Inky turns and looks at Serilde gratefully as the griffon gets in behind her and helps steady her. "Hi Dove!" she says, returning the nurse's smile with a cheerful one of her own, one that showed off her pointed fangs. The blast of cold water makes her squeak and back into Serilde, smearing her tail against the griffon's front. As the water warms, Inky spreads her wings to catch the water and clean the gunk off of where it felt the worst.

00:15 Serilde catces doves look and returns a glare. "I'm sorry...it didnt look like you were going to do anything but watch as my friend here flounders around. She grimaces as he feels yet more slime get smeared into her body from the mare's motions and growls. "Hey! Carefull...I'm already going to have to spend a couple hours preening after this mess...dont make it worse."

00:17 < Inky> (she doesn't have to preen her fur :v )

00:22 Dove wilts again under Serilde's harsh look. "I was about to," she protests, then trails off as she notices the fangs in Inky's smile. "Miss, um, Inky," she says, trying to get her attention. As the bat pony spreads her membraned wings, Dove gasps and takes a couple steps back, shocked for the second time that night. "You-- You're a bat pony!" she stammers. The purple-gray mare had been so covered in slime and meat that her identifying features had escaped Dove's notice until now.

00:26 Inky hears the growl from behind her and thinks nothing of it, figuring that they were both already in the shower anyway. She manages to sit down, though a bit harder than she intends, and starts to wash herself off. The mare blinks at Dove's reaction, not understanding her surprise. "Um, yes," she says, giving one of her wings a shake. "I am!" As she cleans she avoids her left side, any touch near it bringing some pain.

00:33 Serilde sighs and looks at the earth mare and gestures towards Inky with a talon. "So? Its not like they suck blood or anything...so this one tells me, and she never went after mine. And Noctania isnt /that/ far from here even though there arnt any close towns." The griffon grabs a rag and holds it out expectantly to dove and looks around for the soap.

00:38 Dove blinks, open mouthed, then closes her eyes. "Sorry, I," she says, "there's been a lot to absorb tonight." The earth pony opens her eyes and gives Inky an attempt at a smile. "You're the first I've met. That's all." The healer steps forwards and takes the proffered rag, grabbing the soap from where it lay and getting it nice and sudsy. She holds out the soap for Serilde while she gets to work scrubbing the thick slime off of Inky's coat.

00:40 Dove finds herself having to peel more than few thin slices of meat off of the mare, and looks up at the pair in confusion. "Why is she covered in meat?" she asks. "Raw meat, too!"

00:40 < Inky> (Wait, didn't Inky give her the like... actual explanation about blood?)

00:40 < Inky> (eh, maybe Serilde forgot)

00:43 Inky looks a little shifty when Serilde mentions that they don't suck blood, but doesn't say anything. She turns towards Dove to make it easier for the earth mare to clean off her front, and uses her own rag to gently clean the slime from her wings. After enough effort, she has her right wing folded neatly at her side, and her left wing held loosely away from the festering wound underneath it.

00:47 Serilde watches satisfactorily as Dove grabs the rag and applies soap, and then takes the bar herself and rubs it on her rag, begining to clean all the gunk off the mare's tail, pulling off the bloody bits of boar that mingled with it. "Well...if I could have had a fire to cool food with, I'd have done it. Suffice to say it's all we had and I needed to get us here as quickly as possible."

00:55 Dove frowns as realizes what Serilde is implying. "Wait... you ate raw meat while Inky was in your crop?" she asks. "That may have complicated things..." The earth pony finishes with Inky's chest and belly, gently but firmly cleans her neck, and finds that the bat pony has already taken care of her own face. With everything else taken care of, she turns her attention to the wound on Inky's left side. Her frown deepens as she inspects it. "How were you hurt?" she says. "It looks like you were clawed by something!"

00:58 Inky washes off her forelegs and what she can reach of her hindlegs, leaving Serilde with her back and Dove with her left side as the only bits of her that still needed thorough cleaning. The bat pony hisses when Dove prods at her side, her ears flattening. "Um... an accident," she says, not wanting to explain the circumstances of her injury.

01:02 Serilde finds that now it's her turn to shrink backwards as Dove responds in a disaproving voice. "I...Well it was all we could do. You can fix it though right?" She asks, with a little uncertainty in her voice. The griffon then lets her talons fall to the ground and bites her beak as Dove inspects the marks. "Well...umm...I accidentally clawed her when I was startled from my sleep..."

01:08 Dove sighs. "I think so," she says, rubbing very gently at the oozing wounds with a clean rag. She slowly starts to make progress on cleaning the accumulated blood, pus, meat and gunk from Serilde's crop. "It depends how sick she gets." As the griffon confesses to having inflicted the wound, Dove looks up at her with unease. "You did?" she says, fear creeping into her voice. "But it was an accident, right?" The nervous mare asks despite both other ponies already having said the injury was accidental.

01:11 Inky makes noises of pain and discomfort and Dove gently wipes at the tender wound. She can't stop herself from twitching and squirming reflexively. "I'm going to get sick?" the mare asks, her ears lowering further. "I don't feel /that/ bad..." When the nurse pulls away, the temporary respite from pain in her side lets the bat pony reach out a reassuring hoof. "Don't worry, Dove," she says, "Serilde's nice!"

01:17 Serilde turns her head away from the mare as she works on cleaining Inky's side, instead tyring to focus on getting the gunk that'd been spread onto her off in the running water. At Dove's question, however, the griffon cant help but snort. "No. I clawed her up badly, swallowed her down, carried her for a couple days and spit her up infront of you on purpose. If I'd have wanted to harm her, I've had ample opportunity to leave her behind or declare her to be lunch." Seridle replies with quite a bit of irritation in her voice.

01:23 Dove nods, her fear being more instinctual than rational. "R-Right," she agrees, and steps forwards again. "Sorry." She returns to working on Inky's side, slowly washing away the gunk. "Frankly, I'm surprised you're not sick already." As she works, her efforts are hindered by the bat pony's squirming. "Please try to hold still, miss," she says. "Um... miss Serilde, if you could help hold her...?"

01:27 Inky smiles at the nurse when she steps forward, but her smile vanishes when Dove reaffirms that she's going to get sick. "Oh... are you sure?" The bat pony does her best to hold still, but it's just not possible for her to do so.

01:33 Serilde groans and lets the rag fall from her grasp, still having not gotten all of the gunk off of herself, but she wanted to get Inky alright. The griffon steps to the far side fo inky and wraps both arms around her, one on her belly and the other on her chest to try and hold the mare in place. "How's that Dove?"

01:39 Dove nods at Serilde, still nervous about annoying the griffon. "Yes, that's perfect," she says, and returns to her work. "I'm afraid so. And I know this hurts, miss, but I have to get this wound clean so it doesn't get any worse." She gives the bat pony a reassuring pat. "Once we get you cleaned up we can get it properly dressed and bandaged, and then you can have a nice bed to sleep, okay?"

01:49 Inky 's ears fold down. "I'm trying," she says, before Serilde steps behind her and grabs her. The mare eeps as she's unexpectedly hugged by the wet griffon. She whimpers when Dove returns to cleaning her wounds, ears twitching. "That sounds good," she says in a quiet voice. As the healer continues to work on her wounds, the bat pony turns her head to the side and buries it in the griffon's feathers, using Serilde for support in more ways than one. The griffon can feel shudders run through the young pony's body whenever the process is particularly painful.

01:52 < Inky> (I want Dove to have a reason to want, or have to have Serilde stay here for the night too)

01:53 < Serilde> (Hmmm...any ideas?)

01:55 < Inky> (Serilde's overexterted from flying, Dove wants to get her to drink something to disinfect her crop, Serilde actually gets some minor form of food poisoning because all her food has touched Inky..)

01:56 Serilde stands stalwortly as Dove works hard to clean the mare's wounds, remaining in stony silence as Inky shudders and whimpers in pain, but she knows it needs to be done and trusts Dove. Her resolve begins to fade partway through as she begins to feel her stomach cramping up and her face begins to look a little green around the gills.

02:01 Dove is focused on cleaning off Inky's wounds, and doesn't notice Serilde's discomfort. The griffon bore it in silence, not drawing any attention to herself, and the earth pony might not even recognize the signs if she looked. "Almost done," she says, patting Inky's shoulder. "You're doing great."

02:03 Inky nods at Dove's words, steeling herself for the final stretch. As the bat pony turns back towards Serilde, she sees the griffon's ill look, and tilts her head. "Serilde, are okay?" she asks, concerned.

02:05 < Inky> (*are you okay)

02:07 Serilde bites her beak as Inky seems to notice Serilde's expression and gives a nod. "Ya...I'm fine. I'll be fine. You're the one who's sick here...not me," she responds, though the wavering in her voice gives a pretty clear indicator that she's hiding something. Soon afterwards, Serilde shifts a little to press Inky into her stomach and bites her beak, looking even more queezy.

02:15 Dove finally finishes cleaning the gunk off of Inky's side, and pats the mare. "Okay, we're done with this part," she says, and turns off the shower. "Let's get you dry, and then I can disinfect and dress it." The nurse looks up at Serilde uncertainly, not sure what to make of her declaration.

02:18 Inky hears Serilde's voice waver and frowns, concerned for her friend's well-being. When the griffon presses her against her belly, she hears an unhappy rumble from inside the formel. "You don't sound okay," she says.

02:20 < Inky> (Are you going to have Serilde throw up all over them or something? :P )

02:22 Serilde takes her legs off from around Inky and waves them away before bringing a talon to her gut with a pained grunt. "No...I'm fine...I just need a minute. you two go on ahead." She says with a forced smile before clutchign her gut and doubling over.

02:28 Dove helps Inky climb out of the tub, and passes her a towel to dry off. She helps very gently pat her injured side dry. Looking up to see Serilde doubled over, her eyes widen. "Miss Serilde, what's wrong?" she says with concern. While she's not as sure about the signs in griffons, the healer has a hunch and grabs a trash can for the formel. "Here!" she says, holding it out.

02:30 Inky reluctantly steps out of the shower and takes Dove's towel, wincing when her left side is patted. She does a cursory drying job before Serilde's plight captures her attention. "Serilde!" the bat pony cries, rushing to the side of the shower.

02:36 Serilde feels her stomach aching and heaving as something she'd eaten begins to disagree with her. She makes some uncharacteristic noises of pain as her stomach twists and turns inside her. Not a moment too soon does Dove get the trashcan to her does the griffon begin to heave even harder, spewing out not only the pellet that had been forming from her meal, but raw chunks of meat and bile painting the air in an acrid smell.

02:36 < Inky> (did she take it or just throw up while Dove was holding it?)

02:36 < Inky> (took it, okay)

02:44 Dove lets Serilde take the trashcan and holds up a hoof to block the sight of the griffon disgorging her stomach contents. "Are you alright now?" she asks. "Get it out?" She wrinkles her nose at the smell of vomit.

02:49 Inky turns away when Serilde empties her stomach, ears flattening. "I'm glad that didn't happen when I was still in there," she says quietly. "You're okay, right?" The bat pony has both hooves up on the lip of the shower. propping her up as she looks at Serilde with concern. The smell makes her a little green, and she has to back away. "Ugh..."

02:52 Serilde holds the trashcan close as she loses the rest of what was in her before setting it aside. The formel looked even worse as she wiped the spit away than she had before she began to throw up. "I'll...I'll be alright. Just go take care of Inky and I will be along soon..." the griffon says in a strained voice, shooing them away with her free talon.

02:57 Dove nods, going along with the griffon's request. "Yes, ma'am. This way, miss Inky," she says, gently pulling Inky away and leading her to a raised cot. "Lay here, and I'll get you all fixed up. Then I'll go check on your friend, okay?"

03:01 Inky is reluctant to leave, wanting to stay by Serilde's side. "But.. Serilde," she says in protest, letting Dove pull her away after the griffon shoos them both. The bat pony's legs support her this time as she follows Dove, laying down on her right side. She holds her wing up and out of the way, exposing the swollen and angry red slashes in her side. "It hurts," she says, ears folded down.

03:07 Serilde continues to clench a claw to her gut in pain as she watches the two walk out of the room and as they make it down the hall she feels another round of heaving come upon her, though she'd given all she had already, leaving her dry heaving. The poor griffon collapses down in the tub laying there and feeling miserable as Dove works on her friend. She'd remain in there the entire time until Dove was finished and came to check.

21:27 < Inky> ( Serilde: so, alcohol based topical disinfectants? good idea, bad idea?)

21:27 < Serilde> (Should be fine)

21:43 Dove nods as she inspects the now-clean slashes. "I imagine so! You're a strong mare to have put up with this," she says to reassure the bat pony. The healer gets some disinfectant from a nearby shelf and applies some to one of her hooves. "Now, this is going to sting some, but I have to make sure your side is as clean as possible before I bandage it up. Just do your best to hold still." Dove gently rubs her hoof over the mare's side, wincing at the momentary ear-piercing shriek. When she's done, she cleans off her hoof and gently rubs the whimpering bat pony's head. "That was good," she says with a smile, "now just hold on a little longer." She pulls out some bandages and gently covers the slashes, trying them around the bat pony's body. The strange wing anatomy gives her pause, but are similar enough to a pegasus's that she doesn't have any trouble attaching the bandage around Inky's wing. "There, all done," she says with a small smile. Dove helps her patient off the cot and starts to lead her towards the beds.

21:52 Inky watches Dove work as she lays on the cot. Without the pain and annoyance of being cooped up in Serilde's crop to distract her, the pain in her side was really noticeable. She nods at the nurse's warning, but that doesn't stop her from squealing loud enough for Serilde to hear it in the showers. The bat pony clamps her mouth shut and just whimpers loudly until Dove's done, By the time the earth pony finishes getting her side bandaged, she's recovered enough to walk, and steps slowly after Dove. "Um, Dove," she says, "your bathrooms?"

21:52 Dove sighs as Inky asks where the bathrooms are when they're almost to the beds. "Of course," she says, "they're near the showers." The tired earth pony turns around and leads Inky back, directing her off to the side when they get back to the showers. Inky assures her she can find her own way back, leaving Dove to go help out her friend. The healer's hooves clop loudly on the tiled floor as she approaches the shower, wrinkling her nose at the pervasive smell of griffon sick. "How are you doing, miss?" she asks softly, peering into the shower to check on Serilde.

21:59 Serilde flinches as she hears the mare's shrieks from within the shower, wishing she could be there to make sure everything is alright. The griffon finally gives up heaving and pushes the bucket asside as Dove comes back in. Her gut still ached and she felt miserable, but at least she wasnt vomiting anymore. "I'm...I'm fine..." She says with a wavering voice. "Hows Inky, is she alright?"

21:59 < Inky> (is she still laying down?)

22:00 < Serilde> (I'm gonna go w/ yes.)

22:00 < Dove> (yes, okay)

22:04 Dove leans over the edge of the shower and looks down at Serilde, finding the griffon much less scary when she was bedraggled and miserable-looking. "She's fine," the nurse says. "She should be on her way to bed in just a bit. I did the best I could to clean out her wound, which hurt a bit, but she's all right." The mare points at the bucket. "Will you need that again, or can I go get rid of it?"

22:07 Serilde looks at the bucket and then looks back at Dove and slowly gets to her feet, groaning miserably as she does so. "No...I think I'm done with it for now..." The griffon hands her the bucket and climbs out of the tub. Her motions were slow and strained, and every so often the griffon would grimace and rub her stomach.

22:15 Dove nods and takes the bucket, setting it down on the ground. "I'll be right back, okay? Don't push yourself too hard," she admonishes. The earth pony unfolds the handles from the side and grabs them in her mouth, doing an impressive job of not looking disgusted by the occasionally sloshing contents. She carefully walks away, reappearing a minute later after having disposed of the bucket's contents and leaving it to be washed out later. "Okay, now follow me, please," she says, slowly leading Serilde to the cot where she'd worked on Inky. She keeps an eye on the griffon to see if she needs help.

22:21 Serilde grimaces and watches as the earth pony leaves the room and cleans up her face in the sink, finishing up right as Dove returns to her. The griffon manages to move behind Dove well enough, though right before she gets to where Inky is staying she asks, "Do you have anything for my stomach? Its hurts pretty bad..."

22:21 < Dove> (er, not to where she's staying, she's going to give her stuff first :I )

22:22 < Serilde> (Oh...I see what you mean)

22:35 < Dove> ( Serilde ?)

22:39 Dove gestures for Serilde to climb onto the cot, though it would be a bit small for the griffon. She sees Serilde's grimacing and strained movements, and tries to help the formel climb up and get situated on the cot. "Yes, though I need to figure out what happened first," she says. "Can you tell me what you felt like back then, before you got sick?"

22:39 < Dove> (Inky's not there)

22:40 < Dove> (she may be spying, though :I )

22:47 Serilde reluctantly lays down on the cot, though her paws stick on off of the fabric and hang in the air. She rests a claw on her aching gut as she squirms to get moestly comfortable. "Well...I was feeling fine and then suddenly I felt terrible and had a stomach ache and that happened."

22:50 Dove nods at Serilde's explanation. She has to get a small stool to sit on to be able to easily reach the griffon, who was larger than her normal patients. The earth pony gently feels at the griffon's furred belly with her forehooves, prodding and watching Serilde to see where, if anywhere, gets a reaction from her. "Okay," she says. "That could be some sort of food poisoning; what did you eat in the past few days?"

22:54 Serilde grimaces as Dove pushes down on one of her aching spots and shfits away from the hooves. "Well...I ate a batpony yesterday and the day before...and due to the circumstances this morning...I was forced to eat raw boar meat...which is less than ideal, but I"ve had raw meat before..."

22:59 Dove flinches slightly, but noticeably at the phrasing "ate a bat pony". Then the healer rubs her muzzle with a hoof. "Hmm... I'm sorry, I'm not too familiar with griffon anatomy, but you said Inky was in your crop?" She places a hoof on Serilde's chest where she guesses it is, and is off by about half a foot. "And she had... meat, stuck to her, so you ate while she was inside?" A theory was percolating in her mind, and she wanted to get more information to confirm what she suspected.

23:02 Serilde gives a small chuckle as Dove flinches, shaking her head despite her pain. "Oh cmon....maybe swallowed a bat pony would be more to your liking? But yes, she was in my crop which is actually right here." The griffon moves the hoof up to where her chest meets her neck. "And yes, I ate several times while she was in there, and even swallowed food down for her to eat.

23:07 Dove shakes her head. "No, that's about the same," she says. She presses gently on Serilde's crop to feel it, then pulls her hoof away. "So your food had to go past her, then?" The nurse is quiet for a moment before nodding to herself. "Here's what I think happened: Inky was inside here," she taps the griffon's crop, "where it's warm and wet, the perfect breeding ground for an infection. Some of your food picked up something from her injury, went down here," she traces her hoof to Serilde's belly, "and got you sick."

23:22 Serilde snorts and giggles again as Dove makes another face. Her crop doesnt really hurt and so pressing there doesnt bother the griffon too much. As Dove explains her thoughts the griffon's face gets grimmer and grimmer. "I guess thats what I get for going out of my way to help somepony..." She grumbles and shakes her head. "So...do you have something to make it better at least?"

23:28 Dove smiles and runs a hoof over the griffon's head. "I think it was very noble of you," she says. "Now, I do, but I'm worried whatever it was might be lingering in your, uh, crop." The healer places her hoof on Serilde's neck again. "Can you drink something to here, then spit it out?"

23:28 < Dove> (trying to make Serilde be annoyed at showing weakness or whatever :3 )

23:36 Serilde bites down on her beak and pushes Dove's hoof off of her head with a grunt. "Ya...ya...noble and all that...Being noble doesnt earn you any bits..." When Dove seems concerned about having an infection the griffon shakes her head. "No...I fine. Just give me the medicine and I'll be out of your mane, and gone before Inky decides to follow me all the way home..."

23:41 Dove takes a step back when Serilde shoves her foreleg away, but she's determined not to let the griffon walk out unless she's sure she's cured. "No, wait! I mean that anything you eat afterwards might get you sick again! You don't want that, do you?" She rubs her muzzle thoughtfully. "I'm not an expert in griffon biology, by any means, but I think it's a possibility. Could you just answer the question, please?"

23:48 Serilde frowns at Dove and shifts on the cot. "Well...no...but I'm sure it was just a one time fluke. But yes, I could drink something down and cough it back up. But I'm sure I'm not carrying anything. My body can handle it..."

23:54 Dove nods, and rummages around in her cabinets for a bottle of mouthwash before the griffon can complain again. "Here," she says, pouring a large cup. "Drink this and try to... swish it around? If you can?" Her unfamiliarity with griffons was showing, the mare unsure how much voluntary control Serilde actually had over her internals.

00:00 Serilde watches Doves with a steady eye as she goes to grab the mouthwash out of the cabinet. shaking her head. When dove returns the griffon cocks her head at Dove and gives an exasperated sigh. "Have you even had a griffon patient before? Do you know anything about us?" Serilde asks without actually taking the drink. "I cant just swish it around...the most you'll get is me swallowing it, jumping around like some pidgeon and then coughing it back up.

00:06 Dove wilts under the griffon's assault, but the tired pony was reaching her limit. "No, I haven't," she says stiffly, "but I'm trying to keep you from throwing up everything you eat." She holds out the cup again. "Then do that, or use your.. talons to move it around." The mare eyes Serilde's neck critically. "Just leaning back and forth should work."

00:10 Serilde sighs and reaches a claw out to grab the claw as it's forced upon her once more. "Fine. Just fine...I'll swallow your stupid mouthwash and cough it up. She takes a sniff of the liquid and turns her head up at it. After a couple seconds she gulps it down and begins to rock back and forth to get it to swirl. "couldnt you have just given me vodka or something?"

00:15 Dove hmphs. "Vokda!?" she says, looking scandalized. "Of course not!" The nurse passes Serilde a bowl to spit the mouthwash back into, and refills the glass with water for her. "Spit it in there when you're done, and I'll get you some light food to eat to settle your stomach."

00:23 Serilde raises and at Dove as she reacts to her comment. "What's wrong with vodka? Or better yet some grain alcohol? Surely thats high enough to kill anything, and its way better for you than drinking mouthwash." The griffon decides that she's sufficiently rinsed and begins to hack and gag. After about a minute she gets most of the fluids back up."I...think I'll pass on anything to eat...thanks."

00:24 < Dove> (are they high enough percent to kill anything? /shrug )

00:30 Dove empties the bowl and passes Serilde the glass of water. "Well, I don't have any," she says, "and even if I did, I wouldn't want you drinking heavily on an empty stomach." The white earth mare gives the griffon a stern look. "Eating a little will help your stomach feel better," she says. "Or at least it would if you were a pony." The healer sighs. "I wish I could help you more, but..." She gets up and trots away to retrieve the food she mentioned, returning with some simple salted crackers. "If you think you can stomach them, I'd recommend it," she says.

00:42 Serilde drinks the water down slowlyl, still feeling quite a bit of aching in here stomach. "Ya well...maybe if I had enough to drink I could forget this pain..." She grumbles as the mare walks out of the room. When Dove returns with the crackers she turns her beak up at it and says, "No...I still dont want anythign to eat. Just give me some medicine to calm my stomach or something..."

00:47 < Dove> (she should either feel better after throwing up, or not be done throwing up, approximately I think)

00:47 < Dove> (but Dove can give her stuff against nausea)

00:48 < Serilde> (Not really, you can feel terrible a long time after throwing up...)

00:48 < Serilde> (at least I totally have before.

00:50 Dove shrugs. "Fine," she says, searching through her cabinets. She pours a small cup of some red liquid, and from its smell it was clearly trying so, so hard to taste good and failing miserably at it. "Drink this, and then I'll get you a bed," she says, holding the cup out to Serilde.

00:53 Serilde makes a face as she smells the liquid in the cup, but dutifully takes the liquid and gulps it down, coughing several times after she swallows. Much to Dove's suprise the griffon follows it up with a couple of crackers just to cleanse her pallet. "Ewww...tastes as terrible as all medicine.

00:55 Dove smiles when Serilde takes some crackers, and pats the griffon's shoulder. While the griffon munches, she cleans up the things she'd gotten out, then turns back to Serilde. "Okay, this way," she says, motioning for the formel to follow her.

01:07 Serilde eats only a couple crackers, just enough to bpush teh flavor out of her mought before pushing the package aside as she watches teh earth pony work. After she's motioned, she gets up out of the cot, leaving the package where it lay and heads towards dove with a smile. "Alright then..." She says, following behind. "How much do I owe you for this anyways? And Inky's on her own bill."

01:08 < Dove> (something something reasonableBitAmount)

01:24 < Dove> (also spelling was not your friend there, Serilde. "bpush teh flavor out of her mought")

01:31 < Serilde> (ya well... /shug

02:09 < Inky> (this won't make Serilde not want to eat Inky later, will it?)

02:09 < Serilde> (nahl)

02:12 < Inky> (hooray!)

02:12 < Inky> (just the concept of Serilde licking her sometimes because she likes the taste is amusing to me)

02:17 < Serilde> (Oh thats funny actually. And then she denies it and calls it an accident~)

02:18 < Inky> (oh totally, that's great. When they say goodbye, and Inky coaxes a hug, for instance)

02:21 < Serilde> Serilde will never let herself be coaxed into giving a hug!

02:22 < Serilde> except maybe probabaly thi sone time

02:24 < Inky> Hehehe

02:25 < Inky> and when Inky shows up with a sob story about her house?

02:26 < Dove> She already got Serilde to admit that hugs are okay when you haven't seen somegriffon in a long time

02:28 < Serilde> yep thats true

02:31 < Inky> and the only way Inky won't drop everything she's holding to flying tackle Serilde when she sees her after the fire would be if she's physically restrained, or Serilde is sparring or covered in spikes

02:31 < Inky> but that'll just delay the inevitable :B

02:33 < Serilde> oh man, it'd be cool for inky to find her in her armor :P

02:33 < Serilde> maybe drive the fact home that Serilde's job isnt a nice one :P

02:33 < Inky> it's impossible to drive anything home to Inky

02:34 < Inky> but that might get something across :B

02:38 < Serilde> Maybe she should be cleaning off blood, just to be super edgy :B

02:38 < Inky> wow I almost cut myself that was so edgy

02:39 < Inky> I feel like blood doesn't bother Inky, though

02:39 < Inky> the sight, anyway

02:40 < Serilde> True

02:42 < Inky> There'll be a ton of opportunities to shock Inky though, she will plan to stay with Serilde for a few days or something

02:43 < Inky> which Serilde would strongly oppose, I'm sure

02:44 < Inky> How sympathetic would she be to Inky having lost her house?

02:44 < Serilde> You mean for one very long night right?

02:45 < Serilde> Oh ya that too. I doubt Serilde would be too happy to have her after sunrise and things clear up.

02:46 < Serilde> She'd tell Inky to pull herself up by her bootsyraps

02:46 < Inky> Er... No? That happened before

02:46 < Serilde> I thought this happened during that...

02:47 < Inky> I was imagining it would happen after, but I'm open to alternate interpretations

02:47 < Inky> where would Serilde be in your scenario?

02:48 < Serilde> Caravan puts her close. Maybe she's in an extended stay or a barracks.

02:49 < Serilde> Though inky being in the headquarters town might be a bit much... Unless this maybe is a secondary office thingy.

02:49 < Inky> like I imagined Inky had just found out where Serilde would be for a while, NMM happens, Inky's house gets burned and she holes up at a local friend for a day or two before ditching town and heading to find Serilde

02:50 < Inky> that was my chronology, but I'm not super attached to it

02:50 < Serilde> I am, however, super attached to the inside of my eyelids though. Nini

02:50 < Inky> Hee

02:50 < Inky> Gn'ight

13:56 < Dove> (so how much should Dove charge her, Serilde?)

13:57 < Serilde> (You could hoof wave it by saying Dove responds with a reasonable amount...I dont know how much bits are workth...)

13:58 < Dove> (oh, yeah, I could just literally say a reasonable amount)

14:07 Dove leads Serilde towards where she kept the beds. "I'll give you the exact amount tomorrow, if you're well," she says with a yawn. "But I can give you an estimate, factoring in being woken up in the middle of the night." The earth pony thinks for a bit, before giving the griffon a not-unreasonable figure. She does look at Serilde oddly for a bit when the griffon insists that Inky be on her own bill. "For the injury you inflicted?" she says. "Well... that's between the two of you."

14:11 Serilde snorts and opens her mouth exasperated at Dove. "Well, I save her life, so its only fare that she covers her own bills. I didnt even want to escort her in the first place. A less caring griffon probably would have left her," Serilde responds in a huff. "Especially since she has nothing on her to trade..." As she looks into the room and sees the beds she shakes her head. "No...I think I'd rather just bunk in an inn. I'm fine, I promise."

14:15 Dove blinks when Serilde mentions that Inky has nothing for trade. "But.. then how is *she* going to pay me?" the healer whispers. She looks over to the bat pony sleeping peacefully in one of her beds. "I'll figure that out in the morning," she says with a sigh. "And miss Serilde, not an hour ago you were retching your guts into a bucket," she hisses. "I would like to keep an eye on you and make sure you're all right."

14:23 Serilde sighs as Dove insists she stays there, and sulks down a little. "Fine...I guess I'll stay the night then...But I'm sure I"m fine now. ANd...she says she's good at some things and has rich parents...I hope the latter is true and I can collect...because otherwise I've been paid in empty promises..." frowns as she looks over at Inky. "I guess I'll have to spend one more night with her then..."

14:28 Dove 's mouth twists at Serilde's explanation. "Well, that's for the morning," she says, the interruption in her sleep catching up with her and making her yawn again. The mare leads Serilde to one of the beds, and pulls back the sheets for her. "I've done all I can for you two for now." The healer doesn't want to get involved in whatever the deal was between the pony and the griffon, though she fears she might get dragged in anyways.

14:34 < Dove> (boop Serilde :V )

14:38 Serilde catches her yawn and responds with her own as she follows the mare to the bed. "Ya...I suppose there's not much we can do this evening with her asleep..." the griffon whispers in annoyance. Serilde casts Dove a glare as she pulls back the sheets. "I can help myself..." She says with a hmph before getting in and pullint the covers back over her. "Good night..."

14:42 Dove hmphs. "As my patient, I'm trying to help you," she whispers. "Good night, miss Serilde." The earth mare turns and walks out of the room, turning off the lights when she leaves. Serilde can hear the back door open again as Dove takes care of cleaning the bucket out, then finally climbs the stairs back to where she lives.

14:48 Serilde watches silently as dove leaves and turns out the lights, before shifting over to her other side and closing her eyes. After a couple minutes, the griffon finally drifts off into sleep, content not to be cuddled for the first time in days.

15:03 < Dove> (oh, whose like, post is it)

15:04 < Dove> (I guess Dove should wake up first?)

15:15 < Serilde> (I donno

15:27 Dove groans when she wakes up, having slept in and still not gotten enough sleep to make up for her interrupted night. The earth mare gets up and fixes herself a small breakfast, then putters around doing paperwork while she waits for her patients to wake.

15:27 < Dove> ( Serilde look I actually posted a thing )

15:30 Serilde is the next to wake, fluttering her eyes open and rolling out of bed with a groan. She stretches her wings wide, wincing as she feels the muscles tighten and stiffen to protest her long hard flight the days before. She lets out a little growl as she sees bright daylight behind the curtain informing her that she'd slept in. Serilde isnt terribly quiet as she putter around, and decides to dig through her pack, pulling out Inky's junk and setting it asside in a clatter.

15:36 Dove hears noise from downstairs, and sets aside her paperwork to go check on her patients. The earth pony tiredly clops down the stairs, and walks into the room with Serilde and Inky. "Good morning, miss Serilde," she says. "Feeling better?"

15:37 < Serilde> (how sound of a sleeper is Inky?

15:37 < Dove> (I was planning to have her wake up)

15:38 Inky stirs when Serilde starts making noise, shifting under the covers and groaning softly. Her eyes flutter open, then squint against the daylight. She sleepily watches Dove and Serilde, not fully awake yet.

15:42 Serilde seems exceptionally perky despite her reletivly little sleep as she sees Dusk walk in. "Oh, good morning Dove. I'm just tyring to help sort out Inky's few material possessions from my stuff. Wings ache a bit...but nothing I cant handle. And yes, my stomach is fine. I could have stayed the night at an inn afterall..."

15:44 Dove nods approvingly. "Better safe than sorry," she says. "Will you be going now, then? I'll go write up your bill." The healer notices Inky stirring and steps closer to check on her, feeling the mare's forehead with a hoof.

15:47 Inky feels a bit warm to Dove, making the healer frown. She looks up at the earth pony standing over her and lets out a wide yawn. "Morning, Dove," she says. "Morning Serilde." The bat pony looks over at the pile of stuff in the corner. "Hey, is that my stuff?" she says slowly.

15:57 < Serilde> (brb)

16:04 Serilde continues to work, getting everything that she doesnt recognise out of her bag and into a pile. "Yes, I'll be going soon. I'd like the bill please." She says with a half smile. As Inky speaks to her, she looks over and smiles a little more genuine. "Good morning INky. Would you please tell Dove that you'll take your half of the bill? And yep, just getting it all out."

16:10 Dove gives Inky a smile and strokes her mane when she pulls her hoof away. "I have to get something for miss Serilde, so just keep resting, okay?" She turns and heads up the stairs to write out Serilde's bill.

16:12 Inky 's face falls when Serilde reminds her about payment. "Oh..." she says. "But I don't have that much." The healer's already gone, though, leaving her alone with the griffon. "Serilde, could you pass me my bits?" she asks softly. "And you made sure to get my hat and scarf, right?"

16:17 Serilde gives Dove a nod and closes her bag as she walks out. "Well, I'm sure you can work it out like you did with me...speaking of which, you havnt written me that letter yet." The griffon grabs her bits and preemtivly grabs paper and a pen, giving them to Inky. "Your hat and scarf? I think you lost those when you crashed into the lake..."

16:29 Inky 's ears droop further. "Oh... I liked those," she says sadly. The bat pony picks up the pen Serilde gives her and tries it, then makes a face. "Could you give me one of my pens? They're much better than this," she says. "What kinds of things should I say in the letter?"

16:43 < Inky> (I'm gonna vanish soon to go to lunch then D&D 9_9 )

16:48 Serilde looks at Inky and then looks at the pen and tilts her head. "What's wrong with my pen? I think it works just fine." Still the griffon shakes her head and digs through INky's stuff. "I dont know...maybe that I saved your life and escorted you to safety and that you were unable to pay or something of that sort...."

21:36 Inky shakes her head. "I mean it would write, sure, but it wouldn't be neat! I'm used to my pens!" She points when Serilde uncovers a set amongst her stuff. "There, give me one of those!" While she waits, she smooths out the paper and squirms to get i

21:39 < -> Tenno|Class is now known as Tenno

21:42 Serilde rolls her eyes and grabs the pens that she pointed at, the case containing a rather nice set of Ink pens with various nib sizes and a bottle of Ink, which she hands over to the mare. "What do you need with all these? Doesnt just one pen work w

21:46 Inky takes her pens and sets them out on the nightstand, taking only a moment to select a specific pen that to Serilde looked just like the rest. She inks it with practiced ease, then shifts the pen to the side of her mouth so she can talk. "Um, no?"

21:49 Inky "I mean there's all different kinds of writing, you can't just use the same pen!" The bat pony leans down to the paper and pauses for a moment, then writes out a salutation with quick, precise motions.

21:51 < Inky> (Dove'll come down while Inky's in the middle of writing, since that'll take the most time)

21:55 < Inky> (do griffons use feather pens? :V )

22:00 < Inky> (quill pens are made with molted feathers, so I don't see why not)

22:08 < ZeroItamae> (Seems practical. Do griffons make wigs? Would be the same principal I'd think!)

22:10 < Inky> (the main problem with quills is how ponies would have to hold them)

22:10 < Serilde> (Twilight uses a quill pin :P)

22:13 < Inky> (you couldn't get away with the pretty, stylized kind that leave some barbs)

22:15 < Inky> (yes but she's a unicorn)

22:19 < Inky> (Serilde )

22:19 Serilde turns her head side to side as she looks at the pens, frowning as the mare selects one. "I...dont see anything really different about them...And they're so fancy...but I suppose batponies dont molt do they? Feathers are more convineint for us.

22:23 Inky rubs her muzzle with a hoof before she starts her letter. "Molt? Oh, shed feathers? Nope!" She grins, showing a fang. "I do use quills, though, I just didn't bring any. They're hard to get!" The mare eyes Serilde's folded wings. "Must be nice to

22:27 Inky griffon's surprise, the crisp mouthwriting was better than most of the griffons that Serilde knew.

22:27 < Inky> (and Dove will come downstairs now)

22:33 Dove trots down the stairs while Inky was busy writing, a sheaf of papers held in her mouth. She walks up to Serilde and takes them into a hoof, wetting her lips before she speaks. "Here you are, miss," she says, passing the griffon a summary of treat

22:34 Serilde shuffles away as Inky glances at her wing, figiting a bit. "Well...you wont get any of mine...I dont think I'm due to molt any time soon." Serilde looks at the wonderful mouthwriting and frowns as it beats her own script and then frowns even h

22:34 < Inky> (gonna make me haggle? uuu)

22:37 Inky chuckles and waves a hoof at the silly griffon while she writes, not wanting to take the time to shift her pen and respond verbally. The bat pony gives Dove a little wave too, then returns to her letter.

22:37 Dove returns Serilde's look with a stern, even gaze. The griffon wasn't so scary during the day, and this was something she didn't like to back down on. "I think it's just fine, considering the hours I had to work," she says, then quotes something jus

22:42 Serilde has a neutral look on her face as she looks down at dove and shakes her head. Serilde counters with another offer, this one only about 5% lower than Doves counter offer. "And you're not getting a bit more from me than that. I think, considerin

22:42 < Inky> (hmm, should she ask them for their full names, or have them fill out some papers?)

22:46 < Inky> (important questions, Serilde !)

22:46 Dove 's eyes narrow as Serilde again criticizes her care, and she firmly taps a hoof against the floor. "No. You owe what I said, and not a bit less." The nurse steps past Serilde, signaling that the discussion was over, and stands over Inky's bed. ma

22:51 Dove already had the papers she needed, and Dove hoofs Inky a paper. "And, um, what are you doing, miss?" she asks, not knowing why Inky was furiously scribbling away.

22:51 Inky doesn't pause her writing when Dove asks her the question, since she was nearly done. "'mm wighing!" she says around the pen. The bat pony sets her nearly completed letter aside to fill out the form, and hoofs it back to Dove after a minute. Then

22:58 Serilde grumbles to herself as Dove rejects her counter offer, but aquieseses. "Fine, and not a bit more either. You should revise the bill to account for that." She says, and then takes the document. She then looks at Inky's pens for a moment and gra

22:58 < Inky> (so what's Serilde's last name? Does she have one? :V)

22:58 Dove takes the completed forms from Inky and Serilde, hmphing at the griffon. "Inkstone Brustroke," she reads, the name giving her pause. "Brushtroke," she repeats to herself. "Why is that familiar...?" She looks off into space for a few seconds while

23:05 Dove of trade agreement, I think the mayor said they wrote it up. Very pretty writing. So you're...?" she asks, eying the mare's signature.

23:05 Inky squeaks in protest when Serilde snatches one of her pens. "Hey, don't touch those!" she says, but the bat pony is trapped in bed and can't stop the griffon. When she signed her letter, she'd switched pens to one of the smaller calligraphic tips,

23:10 Inky parents," she says, looking down.

23:10 Serilde puts the pen back carefully in the case, inevitably picking the wrong spot for it to go in. "Oh its not like I harmed it Inky..." She says, before snorting back at Dove. "Oh...hmmm...so maybe you are telling the truth about this afterall. Good

23:17 Dove gives the young mare an approving nod. "Certainly looks it, by your writing," she says. "Now, while we're talking about payment, I was told that you might have some trouble paying your bill..."

23:17 Inky groans when Serilde puts the pen in the wrong spot, and drips ink on her case. "No!" she says, smacking the griffon's talon away. "These aren't just normal pens, Serilde," the mare says, giving her the closest thing to a glare that she could must

23:17 Inky subject of payment. "Um, well," she says, "here are my bits." She gives the earth pony her small, sadly light pouch of bits.

23:22 Serilde pulls her talon away as inky knocks it, shrinking back a bit as she hadnt seen Inky so worked up about anything. "Alright...sorry, and yes...that form didnt turn out very well..." the griffon admits with a bit of a frown. She turns towards her

23:22 Dove counts out Inky's bits and frowns. The mare could barely cover what she already owed, and from how her forehead felt she was going to be here for a few more days. "We'll need to work something out, miss," she says. "I don't suppose you have any u

23:25 Inky hmphs, but Serilde's apology mollifies her. The bat pony finishes putting her pens away and flops back down in her bed, tired. She leaves the finished letter on the table for the griffon. "Um," she says, staring at the sheets. "I can write? And I

23:25 < Inky> (maybe Serilde could suggest taking her as a helper so I don't feel like I'm just giving myself a reacharound here)

23:25 Serilde returns with a pouch and plops it down in front of Dove, nodding. "She can sew a bit too. Mended up my tent just fine. Just dont ask her to plan a trip, unless you want to run out of food in the middle of it. Looks like she can write just fine

23:30 < Inky> (hahaha, wow)

23:30 < Inky> (what a ringing endorsement)

23:33 < Seaward_Skies> (Did you expect anything else? :p)

23:35 Dove sighs, not finding Serilde's endorsement very reassuring. "Well, I could use an assistant," she says, after a bit of pondering. "I'll keep treating you, of course." The earth pony sighs again. She takes Serilde's bits and hefts it, finding that i

23:35 < Inky> (not really)

23:35 Inky facehooves. "Thanks, Serilde," she says. She sits up with her ears perked at Dove's offer, though, and nods quickly. "I could do that! I'd be good at it! You'll see," she says brightly. The bat pony holds a hoof to her head and lays back down, re

23:35 Serilde smiles at Dove as she takes the bits and turns back to Inky. "Well...I couldnt lie to the kind mare, even if I think she's overcharging," Serilde says with a half smile. "So, did you get that letter all done? Think your parents will accept it?

23:36 Dove nods at the mare's enthusiasm. "I'm sure you will," she says encouragingly. When the bat pony lays back down and makes a pained noise, she steps forwards to feel her forehead again. "You're running a temperature," she says.

23:36 Inky 's mouth curls in a scowl, but doesn't stay that way for long. The bat pony sighs. "Yeah, I finished it," she says. "They'll take it." The letter starts off with an oddly formal "Dear Father and Mother," then continues to say that she's fine, and

23:36 Inky provide her with supplies. The letter doesn't mention exactly how Serilde saved Inky's life, or why Inky ran away.

23:40 Serilde tucks the paper into her pack and puts them on. She then raises a talon to the two ponies and heads towards the door. "Well you two, I'm off. Hope yall have a good life," she says, wishing them well as she quickly makes her way out the door.

23:40 Inky raises a hoof at Serilde, wanting to say goodbye to her. "Wait, Serilde," she calls, but the griffon is already out the door. "Goodbye!" she yells, hoping that the formel would hear her. As it sinks in the the griffon is gone, she sighs, and slum

23:44 < Inky> (so, Serilde finds out that she's stuck in town for a few days, at least if she wants to travel with a caravan and get paid.)

23:44 < Inky> (and I would hope that she feels at least a little responsible for Inky's well-being, since she inflicted the injury..)

23:47 Serilde learns later that day that one of the caravans that'd been passing through the town had broken a wheel and would take a couple days to get the damage repaired. Better still, they were looking for a guard to replace one that had been urgently n

23:47 Dove pulls the door open quickly, in case it was someone needing help. She's a little surprised to see Serilde, and tilts her head. "Miss Serilde?" she says. "Do you need something?"

23:49 Serilde smiles at Dove and nods at her. The griffon was conspicuously missing a pack on her back. "Why...I just wanted to come see how Inky is doing, since it seems like I'll be in town for a couple of days afterall."

10:39 < Inky> (so.... should Inky be sleeping, or awake, or what...?)

10:45 < Inky> (I don't realy know)

10:45 Dove nods. "Certainly. I think she'd appreciate that. She seemed rather disappointed when you left so suddenly." The earth pony turns and motions for Serilde to follow her. "She's sick, and she's resting right now."

10:46 Inky lay in bed with her eyes closed, her tangled mane strewn out behind her. "Who is it, Dove?" she asks, her voice a bit quieter than usual.

10:48 Serilde nods at Dove and follows her to the back room once more. "Oh, well I hope she's awake...not really that great sitting next to a sleeping pony..." Serilde enters the room and frowns as she sees the mare appearing to be asleep, but gives a faint

10:53 Dove steps to the side to let the two visit, and returns to her own work upstairs.

10:56 Inky 's eyes snap open when she hears Serilde's voice, her huge black pupils contracting to slits in that always unsettling way. "Serilde?" she says, as though she doesn't believe it. "Serilde! It is you!" The bat pony smiles up at the griffon from he

10:58 Serilde shakes her head a bit at Inky's enthusiasm, snickering to herself. "Yes, yes, it is me. Seems that there's work for me here if I'm willing to wait a couple of days, so I guess I shall." She gives Inky a soft hoof bump with a closed talon. "How

11:02 Inky 's smile widens when Serilde gives her a hoof bump, and she pulls her hoof back under the covers. "That's great, Serilde," she says. "I'm feeling okay, but kind of tired... and my head hurts sometimes," she says, letting out a sigh. "And my side.

11:06 Inky sluggishly, demonstrating how tired she was.

11:06 Serilde gives the mare a soft smile as she starts to talk and explain how she's doing, still feeling a little bit sad about the accident. "Well, thats good. Have you and her worked out what you can do to help her out?" She asks, curiously.

11:10 Inky 's tufted ears droop. "She says not to worry about that until I'm better," she says. "I'd make a good assistant, right?" The bat pony looks up at Serilde hopefully.

11:13 Serilde hesitates for a moment and then gives a nod. "I'm sure you'll do just fine. Though...you know...since your parents have connections here, I'm sure you could get them to pay for your care, if you sent a letter."

11:18 Inky sighs, the griffon's suggestion obviously having taken the wind out of her sails. "I don't want to rely on them like that," she says. "And if they know I'm here, they might send some ponies to bring me back." The young mare stares dejectedly into

11:22 Serilde just shakes her head at the mare and looks down at her. "Well...I suppose...but are you sure you know where you're going? How are you going to live out in Equestria or whereever if you arnt that confident in your skills to sell them here?"

11:37 Inky fidgets under the covers. "I'll.... I'll figure something out," she says. "I don't know what, but I'll manage." The bat pony doesn't sound too sure of herself, though.

11:51 Serilde sighs as she looks down at Inky. "You're hard headed you know that? I hope for your sake that you can figure something out. I suppose maybe you could do something with that pretty writing of yours."

11:51 Inky shakes her head. "No, that's what I wanted to get away from," she says, then lets out a wide yawn. "Maybe a library," she mumbles. "I like books."

11:56 < Inky> ( Serilde )

12:02 Serilde frowns at the mare, a bit of a puzzled expression on her beak. "What? But you seem sufficiently good at it. Why wouldnt you want to use your skill?"

12:14 Inky points at her rump under the covers, making them lump and shift oddly. "S' not my talent," she says. "It's complicated."

12:16 < -> Tihan is now known as Tihan|ZZZ

12:16 Serilde rolls her eyes at the mention of her talent and asks, "Well then...what is your talent? Since it certainly doesnt seem to be surviving in the wilderness...And does everypony work with thier talent? Seems like some of them might not be particul

12:16 < Inky> (yeah, I'm gonna call it so I can phrase her answer properly :P )

12:30 < Inky> (I would have thought Serilde would have complained about the notion of talents all together, since griffon and all)

12:30 < Inky> (something something, buttstamp)

12:31 Serilde rolls her eyes at the mention of her talent and scoffs, "You ponies and your 'talents.' Its not like someone else can be just as good without having a butt stamp that tells them what they're supposed to do in life. I think us griffons manage q

00:37 < Inky> now... am I remembering to make Inky actually be sick?

00:39 < Inky> Serilde: can you help me parse what Serilde just said

00:39 < Inky> did you mean "it's not like someone else can't be just as good"

00:40 < Serilde> Oh gosh...RP posts made when I'm dead tired

00:40 < Serilde> yes thats what she said

00:45 Inky 's ears fold out to the side. "Tell that to my parents," she says, her voice quiet. "Since my talent isn't calligraphy, like theirs, I can't be anything but a disappointment to them." She sniffles.

00:48 < Inky> (Serilde)

00:54 Serilde shakes her head as Inky folds her ears down and frowns at the mare. "Well...you've certainly got quite the ink blot on your ass. Anyways, you've certainly go tthe prettiest writing I've seen. I think you should consider it..."

00:54 < Inky> (wow, such post. very quality. you've certainly got it down :V )

00:55 < Serilde> (I dont know where to go from here either :V )

00:55 < Inky> (I was making fun of you saying "certainly got" twice in a row)

00:56 < Serilde> (Oh hmm oops -_- )

00:56 < Serilde> (I do that occasonally but I think I almost always catch myself when I do)

00:57 < Serilde> (I dont know how I did that...I'm gonna take out my contacts and get a drink.)

00:59 Inky 's mood seems to get even worse when Serilde calls her cutie mark an ink blot. "Exactly," she says, "it's not a pretty stroke, it's all drippy and terrible!" The mare buries her face in her pillow, trying to hide from her problems.

01:03 Serilde feels her heart sink as Inky hides her face away and takes a step forward, gently stroking her mane with a talon. Even though she wasnt much for physical comforts the formel knew Inky liked them...and she felt bad about making her feel bad. "Oh...it looks just fine...and if its not related to writing, then what could it even mean?"

01:10 Inky stops sniffling when she feels the griffon stroking her mane, and after a few more seconds she turns her head and looks up at the formel. "I-It's about record-keeping, and history," the mare says. "The way that learning more about something affects what we know about other things, too. Knowledge bleeds." From her tone of voice, this seemed to be something that she'd explained before.

01:10 < Inky> (Serilde: first time I've actually tried to write out an explanation like that :V )

01:15 Serilde pulls her talon away as soon as Inky stops cryin, having done enough to calm her. "Record keeping huh? Sounds like the sort of task that belongs in government work..." She says, sounding less than enthused. "Well...probably can find something in keeping a cities records..." She looks down at Inky with a neutral expression. "Or perhaps in keeping patient records straight," she responds with a wink.

01:18 Inky reaches for Serilde's talon, but the sick bat pony is far too slow to catch it. "I mean, my real passion is history," she says, a bit defensive of her talent. The mare perks up when Serilde mentions patient records, and nods. "That's what I'm hoping for!" she says, smiling. "You think Dove will let me?"

01:22 Serilde inspects some paper that's in Dove's hoof writing that's near Inky's bed and nods, "Well...I seriously hope she does. If her records are anything like this, its well...like its written in doctors mouthwriting," the griffon astutely notes. "And what are you going to do with history? Go be a teacher or something?"

01:24 < -> Tihan is now known as Tihan|ZZZ

01:25 Inky smiles at the griffon's 'encouragement'. She opens her mouth to respond to her question, but it turns into a yawn instead. The bat pony doesn't even cover her mouth while she does it, too tired to move her forelegs. "I dunno," she admits. "I want to do research..."

01:25 < Inky> (I keep forgetting to make Inky actually more tired, so she falls asleep on Serilde)

01:32 Serilde opens her mouth wide and yawns back, exposing her mottled back throat for a moment before she coveres hier mouth wtih a talon. The griffon shakes her head and recovers before tilting her head curiously at Inky. "Research...? I hate to tell you this Inky, but you're not a unicorn. THere's no way you could ever achieve a time spell..."

01:33 < Inky> (I like how you just assume that griffons have mottled throats/mouths because I said so :V I don't know anything about bird mouths)

01:33 < Serilde> (:P I mean enough animals do)

01:33 < Inky> ( http://featuredcreature.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/227.jpg they look weird )

01:33 < Zuthal> (Inky, just do a google image search for bird mouth :P)

01:34 < Inky> ( ninja'd :V )

01:35 < Inky> (oh, was Serilde meaning that Inky couldn't go back in time to do first-hoof research on history? :P )

01:35 < Serilde> (Yep)

01:36 Inky shakes her head on the pillow. "Not that kind of research! Historical research," she says. "Trying to piece together past events! Reconstructing old cultures! That sort of thing." The mare stifles another yawn. "Why would I be trying to research magic? That's just silly," she says sleepily.

01:38 Serilde tilts her head at Inky and shakes her head. "Not magic research...but how the heck are you going to discover what happened in the past that hasnt alreayd been recored without witnissing it first hand? That's not something you can acchieve with books," She says rolling her eyes.

01:41 Inky blinks. "Cross-referencing," she says. "Finding things that have been recorded where you least expect them, then collecting them and making them useful." The bat pony's eyes are drooping. "You can achieve anything with books," the mare asserts, with drowsy confidence.

01:44 Serilde narrows her eys at Inky in disbelief and shakes her head. "Sounds like a waste of time to me...You're not going to glean anything new. And...if you can achieve anything with books, I guess that just means you havnt read enough calligraphy books," she says pointedly.

01:44 < Inky> (wow, mean! :o )

01:47 Inky tries to explain herself. "It's new, because ponies forget. Always trying to condense, reorganize information, so that it's not lost." The mare squeaks at Serilde's jab, and rolls over to face away from the griffon, hugging a pillow to her chest. Her ears are flattened like before, and her eyes are squeezed shut. She doesn't respond.

01:53 Serilde shakes her head with Inky's explanation, still not figuring it to be of much real use. Whe Inky turns away and looks extremly sad at her gentle joke she sighs and looks down at the mare. "Look...I'm sorry Inky. I was just trying to prove that books cant do everything..."

01:55 Inky doesn't respond to the griffon's apology. The bat pony has actually fallen asleep, her sickness catching up with her. At least the young mare doesn't look sad in her sleep.

01:59 Serilde looks at the mare as Inky lays there. "Inky?...Inky?" She says softly, stepping forward and putting a talon on her and discovering she was fast asleep. With a sigh, the griffon heads on out of the room and back to her room.

19:10 Serilde was up in her hotel room during the mid afternoon with all her equipment laid out and sorted. She had been double checking her supplies to make sure she didnt need to pick up anything else but food, but everything seemed in order. At the moment, however, the formel had a set of metal sheaths on her claws and a leather strap on her beak held on a wicked looking metalic beak guard. Serilde was running through a series of comabt manouvers, keeping herself in practice.

19:15 < Inky> (running through combat maneuvers inside her hotel room? :v )

19:16 < Serilde> (Yep :P)

19:29 < Inky> (many apologies!)

19:31 < Inky> (debating if Inky had snuck out or not)

19:34 Inky 's fever had broken last night, and the mare had felt much better when she woke up this morning. She'd convinced Dove to let her do a little organizing, and to her delight the healer had seemed pleased with her work. Now the bat pony was going to visit her feathered friend, swaddled up in one of the extra coats from Dove's closet. She knocks on Serilde's door, still wearing the hood on her coat. With her wings and mane covered up, the bat pony didn't stand out at all.

19:42 Serilde perks up as she hears a knock on the door,, not having expected any company and then moves to open it. The formel is clearly sweaty from exhurtion and is decorated in her armor and weapons. She shakes her head at the mare, blinking in suprise. "I-inky what are you doing here?"

19:45 < Inky> (Maybe Serilde pushed all her furniture around to have space to practice )

19:45 < Serilde> (Probably)

19:46 Inky grins as the door opens to reveal Serilde, though seeing the griffon decked out in her armor comes as a shock to the bat pony. "Hi Serilde!" she chirps, trying to step forwards and into the room but finding that Serilde effectively took up the entire doorway. These rooms were made for ponies, after all. "I'm just visiting you! You look, uh, impressive! And sweaty." The mare takes a step backwards, a little intimidated by the fearsome display.

19:47 < Inky> (there, now you can mention how the bat pony was delirious or whatever yesterday)

19:52 Serilde looks down at the pony and cocks her head to the side. "I umm....didnt expect you to be up and about so soon. I went to visit yesterday and you were out of it with fever." The formel continues to stand infront of her door without letting Inky in. "As far as the sweat...I was just doing a little bit of warming up."

19:59 Inky looks down as she tries to remember the previous day, finding it a mash of strange dreams. "I must have been," she says, then perks up. "But when I woke up this morning I felt great! I even got to help Dove with some of her records!" The bat pony smiles up at Serilde. "Warming up for what? Where'd you keep all that stuff, anyway?" She gives up waiting for the griffon to step aside and tries to squeeze into the formel's room.

19:59 < Inky> (how pointy is her armor, anyway?)

20:02 < Serilde> (Not spiked armor so you're fine.)

20:03 < Inky> (I think this is a good change of pace. Good idea!)

20:05 Serilde sighs as Inky continues to ask questions and says, "It was in my bags. It breaks down pretty easily, and I didnt need to wear it. And warming up for some excercises. I gotta keep in practice afterall...even if there are no opponents here to spar with. As Inky tries to squeeze in she recluctantly steps aside to let her enter.

20:13 Inky squirms past Serilde, getting a good whiff of the sweaty griffon before she steps aside to let her pass. "Phew! I didn't know you were carrying all that stuff," she says, trotting into the middle of the griffon's room. "Whoa, what'd you do to this place?" All the furniture was pushed into the corners, leaving a large open space in the middle of the room. Inky walks right to the center of it before she looks back at the griffon and tilts her head. "What kind of exercises? Like stretches and stuff? Dove said I should start doing those to make sure my side doesn't get all tight!" Inky stares at the armor and talons with a bit of confusion. "Why d'you need to wear all that for exercising?"

20:24 Serilde moves back towards the center of the room, following Inky and then gently shoving her off towards the bed. "I just had to make a little room to actually do anything. And...what did you think I did? Defend the caravan with my bare claws and uncovered? This is much better." After Inky gets out of the way, she begins to do a series of swipes and pounces across the room. "No, nothing like that," she says, "Combat excersises, so that I can take on any dangerous creatures or ponies."

20:26 < Inky> (gonna vanish after this post for dinner)

20:29 Inky stumbles, then trots over to the bed, now occupying its own corner, and hops on before turning around to look back at the griffon. "I didn't think you had to fight anypony off at all!" she says. The bat pony watches Serilde practice, eyes wide. "Are there lots of dangerous creatures or ponies?" She takes off her coat, revealing a fresh bandage on her side. "Do you wear that stuff all the time when you travel with a caravan?"

21:05 < Inky> (are you gonna post while I'm gone?)

21:08 < Inky> (boop Serilde)

21:35 Serilde pauses her exercise to adress the questions. "Well...I said I was a guard...What did you thin that meant I did? Usually its just dangerous creatures and keeping them from doing anything, but occasionally there's a pony or two that needs to be dealt with," she explains, shaking her head. The griffon winces as she takes note of the bandage, a reminder of the incident before, but, she tries to push it from her mind, flurrying into a sequence of blows and leaps once more.

22:40 < -> Dazuk is now known as Dusk

23:24 Inky shrugs. "I don't know, I guess I didn't really think about it," she says. The bat pony watches Serilde swipe and claw and winces herself, having some trouble reconciling the image she'd built up with what she was seeing. Watching Serilde makes her feel like she should be doing something herself, so the mare gets to her hooves on the bed, unfurls her wing and starts to gently stretch her side.

23:34 Serilde continues her workout, switching to different methods of attack. Her tail twitches with each violent motion, putting on a messmerizing display. When she notices Inky start to get up and stretch, Serilde pauses once more and looks over at her. "Oh? Are you wanting to jump in with me?"

23:36 Inky blinks and shakes her head, holding out a hoof as though to stop the griffon. "What? No no, I'm just stretching like Dove told me to," she says. "I'm not really a... a fighting kind of pony." The bat pony tries to give Serilde a smile, but it comes out looking kind of forced.

23:41 Serilde snickers at the mare and gives a terse nod. "No, I didnt really take you for one, but you wouldnt believe the number of ponies I've fought in a bar fight who thought they could challenge me, so, you never know," she responds boastfully. Serilde watches her for a bit as she continues to stretch before going to the table and pouring herself a glass of water from a pitcher.

23:44 Inky gets a bit nervous when Serilde just watches her, shivering under the griffon's fierce gaze. "Well, I mean, I try to accomplish stuff without fighting," she says, her voice wavering a little bit. "I think it's better that way!"

23:54 Serilde snorts at Inky's pacifictic comments and gulps down a glassful of water, still keeping her under her watchful gaze. "Well, I'd like to see you try and stop a marauding manticore from terrorizing a small troupe of ponies without figting. I dont think you could."

23:59 Inky wilts at that example, her ears folding outwards. "I, I don't know," she stammers. "Manticorns don't usually attack ponies, do they?" The bat pony stares down at her hooves. "Well, at least with other ponies, though!" she says, perking back up. "Ponies can be reasoned with!"

00:04 Serilde turns the corners of her beak up as Inky wilts, feeling just a touch of satisfaction at as she concedes her point. Serilde shakes her head at the next example, "While...most ponies can, the sort that will attack a caravan are just looking for some easy bits, so you have to meet them with force. There's a reason why there are town guards afterall. If nopony was violent, we wouldnt need them."

00:06 Inky sighs again. "I mean... I guess," she says, begrudgingly admitting that the formel had a point. "But I think you can reason with most ponies, at least! Everypony's good at heart," she says, secure in her naivety.

00:12 Serilde puffs her chest out a little further, grinning fiercely when Inky brings her next point out and sighs. "Well...I'm not quite so sure that that's true. What about the mass murderers you occasionally here about? Do you think they are good at heart? Or what about Nightmare moon?"

00:17 Inky frowns and stamps her hoof. "Most ponies, I said! And Nightmare Moon literally was a good pony at heart," she says. "Just... consumed by jealousy." The bat pony sighs. "Princess Celestia didn't try to reason with her hard enough," she says, staring at the bed.

00:28 Serilde clacks her jaw together and throws her claws up in the air in exasperation. "Well I dont deal with 'most ponies.' The ponies I deal with are the scum of equestria and beyond who are trying to harm some peaceful merchants."

00:34 Inky crosses her forelegs. "Well... I'm glad that there are ponies -- er, griffons like you, at least," she begrudgingly admits. "Though I do wonder why ponies even try to rob caravans..."

00:39 Serilde removes her talons and then pulls the metal beak off her face, turing away from inky for a moment. "You better be. Because without us, there would be no good honest merchants left. And there's a lot of money to be had in capturing a wagon, or pilfering rare items...."

00:42 Inky hmphs. "I wouldn't go that far," she says. "You're not the only thing keeping Noctan- um, Equestria, from descending into chaos." The bat pony eyes the metal talons and beak with curiosity, but stays sitting on the bed.

00:54 Serilde picks up a cloth and begins to polish off the objects, taking care to remove any oil and sweat off of them from her practice. "Well, I mean most ponies would function and follow the law without guards in place, but the ones who wouldnt would be enough to plunge Equestria, or Noctania into chaos."

00:56 Inky shakes her head. "I don't think so," the mare says. "I think ponies are better than that!" The bat pony gets up and trots over to the sweaty griffon, watching her take off her gear.

00:58 Serilde rolls her eyes and continues to work on getting the metal nice and shiny. She doesnt even notice Inky approaching her till she's right on top of her. "I thought you already agreed that some of them werent though? Wouldnt they just take advantage of those who are?"

01:01 Inky frowns, but the optimistic mare doesn't think the 'threat' is as serious as Serilde does. "I think they'd figure out a way," she says. "Ponies are good at that!" The bat pony reaches out and picks up one of the metal talons, holding it up to examine it.

01:12 Serilde puts on a knowing smile and shakes her head. "Well, I' dont see a way that they'd do it without resulting to force. It would be the same situation as we are now." Serilde quite polishing her beak and turns to stare intently at Inky as she picks up the talon. Its a simple multijointed set of segmented metal that goes over the talon ending in very sharp bladed points. Little leather clasps on the undersides of the plate hold them to the claws themselves. "Careful, those arnt a toy..."

01:15 < -> Tihan is now known as Temmo

01:17 Inky glances up at Serilde to see the fierce griffon staring right back, and immediately looks back to the weapon in her hoof. "This looks nasty," she says, gingerly putting it back down. The mare avoids eye contact with the formel, finding her intense stare a bit unnerving. "And... I guess, but still, only as a last resort," she says, sounding a bit unhappy with the position she'd reached.

01:18 < -> Temmo is now known as TennoMare

01:19 < -> TennoMare is now known as Tihan

01:25 Serilde sets her beak down next the the weapon and gives it a once over to make sure Inky didnt get it dirty. "Nasty? No this is a beautiful work of art." She picks up the talon and and holds it up to Inky. "See the marvelous condition of this blade? Perfect for rending flesh. And these flexible joints keep your talons protected whilst giving full mobility," she explains with a gleam in her eye. "Not as ornamental as some you might find, but certainly practical. And yes, violence isnt usually the first option, unless its brought upon you first. Then there's nothing left to do."

02:28 Inky shudders at the griffon's description of the weapon, taking a few steps back and averting her eyes. "T-That sounds great," she says, clearly faking it. "But, um, I'll just leave to you to what you do."

12:23 Serilde snorts as the mare takes takes a step back and then picks up her beak tip, and presenting it to the mare. "This one is pretty nice too. The metal's so sharp that combined with the force I can put out with my beak, I can, and have, sliced through bone before." This piece was a littl emore ornate, with little feathers eched up the side.

12:29 Inky shivers violently and starts to look a little ill from the imagery. "That's... great," she squeaks out, backing into the bed and shrinking down.

12:30 < Inky> (ought to ping you here too, I suppose, Serilde :P )

12:34 Serilde notices the mare shrink backwards and sighs, shaking her head."I thought you seemed interested in these just a couple minutes ago. Didnt you want to know more about me earlier?" She offers, before turning to set the beak on the table.

12:38 Inky stares down at the floor and scuffs at it with a hoof. "Well, I did, but hearing about it like that, I... I don't really want to anymore," she admits, her ears flat.

12:43 < Inky> (I feel like I'm playing Inky all wrong...)

12:44 < Serilde> (I dont know...I think this might be the sort of thing that could kill her mood, at least short term...)

12:47 Serilde shrugs and then fills herself another glass of water, gulping it down. The sweat on the formel's feathers was finally starting to dry, crusting over them. The formel lets the awkward silence hang over the both of them as she lingers there. "So...."

12:49 < Inky> (I'm just not into this for some reason :S )

12:51 < Inky> (Inky would change the subject, but I don't know what to)

12:55 < Serilde> (Alright~ We can do a different one :P)

12:55 < Inky> (no, I fixed myself)

12:57 Inky glances around the room, wanting to look at anything besides the formel for a little bit. As the silence grows and broods over them, the bat pony casts about for anything else to talk about. "Uh," she says, before perking up. "Hey! Did I tell you that Dove let me help her with some of her records today?"

12:57 < Serilde> (Are you sure?)

12:57 < Inky> (I think so!)

13:01 Serilde clicks a talon on the ground and gulps down her water during the lull before turning to the mare once more. "I think you mentioned it in passing...but thats pretty good. How many records are you going to have to copy over before your debt is paid?"

13:04 Inky gets back to her hooves and shrugs. "I was actually hoping I could work for her after I pay off my treatment, too," she says. "I need a job after all!" The bat pony stretches, her tail swishing as her usual cheerfulness returns. "And it's the kind of work I like, too!"

13:09 Serilde brings her claw up to her beak and scratches gently under her chin. "Oh? I figured you'd have wanted to get a little further from the border than here...You're probably still in reach of someone looking for you. Though, I'm glad you like your position. See, I knew that you should stick with writing."

13:13 Inky nods, then shrugs again. "Yeah, but I don't really have any money," she says. "I, uh, I learned a little about trying to travel unprepared recently, you see," the mare says with a sheepish chuckle. "I'm counting on the winter making travel from Noctania impossible. Hopefully, I can head further south come spring!" The bat pony smiles.

13:21 Serilde gives a satisfied nod at the mare's explanation and turns her beak up in a grin. "Oh? Have you? Maybe this eyass can learn something afterall. That's a very wise and mature decision of you." The griffon glances out the window, lookign at the snow outside. "However, as you saw with me, some determined ponies might be able to make it, but thye'd have to know where to look anyways." Serilde steps forward and ruffles Inky's mane.

13:25 Inky smiles wider and presses her head into the rubbing talons, closing her eyes and making a soft eeee noise of happiness. "The weather will only get worse," she says. "I think it'll be okay!" The mare tilts her head slightly to try to get Serilde to scratch at her ears.

13:31 Serilde 's claw lingers there for only a little bit longer before she retracts it, giving only a brief scratching behind the ears. The griffon could only show so much affection afterall. "Yes, it most certainly will get worse, and worse still, they'll probably assume you didnt make it out of the country safely in the cold like this. Though...you probably shouldnt send word that you're okay until you're ready to flee...otherwise they might get some ponies to retrieve you."

13:33 Inky sighs as she gets a few ear scratches, opening her slitted yellow eyes again when Serilde takes her talons away. "There's not much I can do about that," she says. "It'd be hard to even get a letter back to them now, with how late in the season it is." The bat pony's mouth twists; she didn't really want her parents to think she was dead.

13:47 Serilde gives a solemn nod in agreement. "You might be able to find a traveler headed that way for whatever reason, though I think most of the smart ones would avoid that travel till spring. Still...even if you find someone making that journey, its probably best not to send that letter. If they know where you are, they'll come bring you back home."

13:50 Inky nods slowly. "Well... maybe if I could get them not to say where they got the letter from," she says, still grasping at possible options. "That could work, right?"

13:55 Serilde shrugs and shakes her head. "I mean...I suppose you might get someone to promise that...but...you'd have to find a pony who wouldnt cave under a bag of bits," she responds nonchalantly, taking a seat on the bed as well.

13:57 Inky wilts at that. "Oh... I suppose you're right," she says, and leans against Serilde. The bat pony only lays there for a moment before pushing off and sticking out her tongue. "Yech, you're all sweaty!" she says, fanning her wing.

14:03 Serilde shifts in her seat as Inky lays there, before breaking out into laughter as Inky complains about getting her sweat on her. "Oh come now~" she chuckles, "You've been covered in far worse fluids of mine than my sweat." Serilde shifts closer to inky again, leaning up against her this time.

14:05 Inky squeals as the griffon leans up against her, her sweaty fur rubbing all over her side. "Gross, Serilde!" she squeaks. "I didn't like that either! I don't want any of your fluids!" Still, the bat pony finds some measure of comfort in the griffon's presence, and leans back against her.

14:10 < -> Tenno|Sleep is now known as Tenno

14:11 Serilde giggles at the reaction and begins tor rub her fur and feathers against the mare's body. Her feathers tickle against the mare's fur as she moves. "Oh no? Because I can think of one I wouldnt mind getting you covered in." She leans over and gives the mare a teasing lick along the ear.

14:18 Inky groans as the griffon starts to deliberately rub against her, but it's quickly replaced by giggles as the feathers tickle at her side and wing. "S-Serilde!" she squeaks, amidst fits of laughter. The lick along her ear makes her squeal again, the bat pony shuddering against the griffon and flatting her ears. She tastes of spice and salt, from when the griffon had rubbed her head against her sweaty neck.

14:23 < Inky> (Serilde, btw)

14:23 < Serilde> (Oh..oops!)

14:29 Serilde moves a little faster as Inky laughs, dilliberatily shuffling her wings to tickle the mare a little bit more. She abates for a second, bursting into her own fit of laughter as Inky squeals. The formel smacks her beak as she savors the flavore.

14:34 Inky collapses into a twitching, laughing heap against Serilde as the griffon brings her wings into play. The bat pony pants for breath as the tickling pauses, giving her a brief respite. "You're silly," she gasps, hearing the griffon clacking her beak.

14:46 < Inky> (Serilde :P )

14:48 Serilde smiles down at the mare ans slides to the side, creating a small airgap of space. "Well...I'm pretty serious there. I think I might miss your tasty flavor when I have to go off with the caravan tomorrow."

14:53 Inky pants and catches her breath. "Wait, what?" she says, her face growing warm as she blushes. "You're serious?" The mare stretches out on Serilde's bed, looking up at the formel from the sheets. "I dunno if that's a good idea," she says, glancing back at her bandaged side.

15:04 < Inky> (Serilde )

15:04 Serilde watches the mare's gaze to her bandaged side and sighs, deflating and slumping a bit. "Ya...I suppose you're right...wouldnt want that to get infected any worse. You've had a hard time as it is, and Dove would probably talk me to death." The griffon looks dispaointed for a moment before hiding it once more behind her stalwart composure.

15:10 Inky sees Serilde slump, and can tell that she's disappointed. "Well... I mean, you can still nibble on an ear," she offers, not wanting the griffon to be sad. "That would be fine! Dove couldn't complain about that," she says brightly.

15:10 < Inky> (and then Serilde wants it even more :V )

15:18 Serilde stops to think for a second about the mare's offer, mulling over the idea in her head. "Well...I mean...I doubt I'll come across any other ponies who would be willing to let me do that to them...but...still...maybe I shouldnt..."

15:20 Inky giggles at the idea of Serilde asking around for ponies willing to let her nom on them. "How would that work?" she asks. "'Hello there ma'am, you look particularly tasty'?" The bat pony shakes her head and giggles some more. "Here!" She sits back up and angles her head towards Serilde, offering the ear that the griffon hadn't licked yet.

15:25 Serilde sinks down even further at Inky's musings, realizing just how unlikely it was that she would get to mess with a pony like that again. "Ya...probably no real way to do that..." The griffon stares at the ear in front of her beak for about fifteen seconds before she finally opens it up and curls her tongue around it, nibbling on the ear.

15:32 Inky can only see Serilde out of the corner of her eyes, but she can see the griffon wilting. She twitches her ear in what she hopes is a tempting manner. When the bat pony feels the tongue on her ear, she shivers and scoots back against the formel.

15:40 Serilde closes her beak around the sensitive protrusions softly, though the hoo, on her beak would dig uncomfortably into the cartildge. Serilde begins to purr as the rich flavorful taste of the mare filters across her tongue and then wraps Inky up in her claws, pulling her against her vibrating chest.

15:45 < Inky> (people are around)

15:50 Inky breathes gently as she feels the beak closing on her ear. She squeezes her eyes shut when the hook digs in, but tries to keep her discomfort quiet. Her ear gets tugged on when she's pulled against the formel's chest, making the bat pony yelp. "Careful," she says, her head forced to stay at an odd angle to fit with Serilde's beak. "That's sensitive!" Despite the pressure of the hooked beak on her ear, the mare was enjoying the hug she was in, with the griffon's purring at her back.

15:58 Serilde jerks initially when Inky yelps, invariably making it worse momentarily before she loosesns up the pressure from her beak. The tongue explores around her ear and even a little inside, scuking off some of the residual salt and leaving the appendage nice and slimy. The flavor begins to weaken as she lingers, and finally the griffon pulls off, leaving the ear glistening with spit. "Its still not the same...I wont get to feel you wiggling..."

16:02 Inky whimpers when the griffon pulls on her ear, dragging her head along with it. She's able to relax after Serilde loosens her grip, sinking back into the purring chest and clawed hug. The sensations make her giggle, feeling the rough tongue questing about inside her ear. The bat pony's slimy ear flops against her head when Serilde pulls away, weighed down by her spit. The mare sighs, echoing the griffon's disappointment, then giggles. "I thought you didn't care about that," she teases, nudging the formel's belly with a foreleg.

16:11 < Inky> (Serilde )

16:15 Serilde blushes and turns her head away as the pink shows brightly through her cream feathers. "I...I mean fine...I guess I sorta do enjoy having a pony squirming around in there...sometimes..." She admits, and then quickly shakes her head. "But...I can live iwth it not happening again. I dont need it," she says, reassuring herself.

16:19 Inky chuckles at the griffon's reaction. "You're a funny griffon, Serilde," she says, leaning back against the formel. The bat pony idly feels at her side, lost in thought. She starts to undo her bandage, loosening the wrap. "If you really want to, I'm sure it'd be fine for a little bit," she says. "We can clean up afterwards, and it'll be fine!" The mare still felt like she owed Serilde, and wanted to make her happy.

16:27 Serilde leans down and begins to shcew on the mare's hare, sucking out the delicious flavors contain within it. She's lost in the sensations, continuing to purr until Inky decides to offer herself. The griffon startles, taken aback by it and shakes her head. "No, I'm not oging to risk that wound getting infected again, and having to swallow yet more mouthwash."

16:34 Inky mrfs as the griffon starts to chew on her mane, getting it all wet. "It's a lot better," she protests, pulling off the bandage to show Serilde the thin pink lines in her fur. "A little alcohol and it'll be fine!" The bat pony shakes her head, feeling her damp, slick bun sway, and sticks her tongue out. "Better than you sticking the rest of me in that beak one bit at a time."

16:39 Serilde pulls off the bun to take a look at the wound and gives a nod as she looks at it. "That certainly does look quite a bit better, but still...I dont think we should...anyways, I'd still be sticking you in one bit at a time." Serilde leans over and gives a long lick, from the tip of Inky's snout all the way up to her forehead.

16:43 Inky nods as the griffon agrees with her, then opens her mouth to protest. She just gets a lick from her nose to her forehead for her efforts, squeezing her eyes shut as the griffon's tongue drags past them. "Serilde!" she squeals, shoving a forehoof at the griffon's head to push her away. The mare's hoof misses, and she instead shoves it into the formel's open maw.

16:50 Serilde laughs open mouthed until Inky shoves her hoof into her beak, gagging for a moment before reflexively swallowing around the appendage and drawing it in. She felt a familiar pleasant sensation as the hoof causes her throat to bulge out and the tasteful flavors drift over her tongue. The formel looks down at inky with a raised brow, lingering there for a moment.

16:52 Inky eeps as she feels slick flesh around her hoof instead of feathers, opening her eyes to see it buried in the griffon's beak. She watches her foreleg get pulled further when the griffon swallows, making her lean awkwardly towards her. "I missed," she says when Serilde raises an eyebrow at her. The bat pony tugs on her hoof, trying to pull it free.

16:55 Serilde clamps her beak down in response to the tugging and gives it another swallow. Serilde has a thought that maybe just the mare's hoof could give a decent enough massage if she could get it all the way down. The griffon tightens her grip around Inky, eager to not let her free.

16:58 Inky squeaks when the griffon clamps her beak down and swallows again, the throat muscles squeezing her leg and pulling it forward. "What-- hey!" she says, confused. "I thought we weren't doing this!" The bat pony tries to pull on her leg, digging the hoof into the slimy throat, but there's no purchase to be found. Serilde has to lift her up or lean down further to swallow more of the leg; she'd be unable to reach otherwise.

17:05 Serilde grins as best as she can at inky and shakes her head, trying to best convey that things have changed with some difficulty. As she fines Inky's hoof reaching it's limit, the formel leans down and begins to lay on top of inky, taking it in further. The mare can hear and feel the griffon purring happily as the hoof sinks ever deeper.

17:06 < Inky> (how deep should her hoof reach? :P )

17:06 < Inky> (if Serilde shoves her beak against Inky's shoulder, I mean)

17:08 < Serilde> (Hmm...it should certainly make it into the crop...though I dont know that it'd be able to reach more than the top half.)

17:10 Inky is shaken back and forth when the griffon shakes her head, a little dizzied. "This isn't going to work," she says, still trying to pull her foreleg back but having no leverage to speak of. "There's no way you'll fit me like this!" The bat pony is pushed back as Serilde leans forwards, held down underneath the griffon. She feels the hot throat vibrating with the formel's purrs as it pushes her hoof deeper. As Serilde's beak reaches the end of her foreleg, her hoof bumps against something inside her.

17:10 < Inky> (so she can still open her mouth and shove in Inky's shoulder as much as it'll fit inside her beak)

17:11 < Inky> (Inky won't figure it out though, I want to see Serilde try to communicate what she wants to her :V )

17:14 Serilde continues to swallow up until she finally hilts her beak on Inky's shoulder. She presses forward enough to cause the pressure to be uncomfortable but not to the point of pain. The griffon lingers there for a second, hoping that the mare would move her hoof about, but when she doesnt get the message, she decides to try a different tactic. She extends a wing and slowly moves it up and down the mare's body, trying to tickle her and cause motion.

17:15 < Inky> (might be vanishing)

17:24 Inky grunts when the griffon presses forwards even more, shoving her beak against her shoulder fur. The hooked beak drags against her back and chest as Serilde tries to reach as far as possible. "I don't-- what are you trying to do?" the bat pony asks, still completely confused. She can feel her hoof press through the barrier into a more open area, but doesn't move it around. "Couldn't swallow all of me, so you just wanted a leg?" When the griffon drags her feathertips up and down her side, the bat pony squeaks and squirms involuntarily. Trapped underneath Serilde, she can't squirm away, and bursts into giggles. Her swallowed hoof curls and digs into the slimy walls of the crop, rubbing around with the mare's spasmodic motions.

17:30 Serilde rumbles even louder as she feels the motions of the hoof against her slimy walls continues to stroke Inky with her feathers as her motions become increasingly more spastic from the laughing. After a little bit, the formel finally lets up and glances her eyes up at Inky's face to see if she got the idea yet.

17:35 Inky flails as she's brutally tickled, unable to escape the griffon's wing. When Serilde finally stops, the bat pony goes still, panting heavily. "What was that all about?" she says, once she's caught her breath. The bat pony glares down at the griffon biting at her shoulder, only to be met with a hopeful expression. "What is it?" she says, confused. Thinking back over how the griffon reacted, she remembers the loud rumbling and purring she felt, and puts two and two together. "Oh, do you want me to move my hoof around?" she asks, straining to wiggle the swallowed appendage. The mare leans into Serilde's beak and presses her hoof into the wall of the crop, shuddering as she can feel it through the griffon's feathers. "That's so weird," she says as she rubs her hoof around.

17:43 Serilde watches expectantly as Inky tires to work out what she wants, hoping that the mare would figure it out without having to tickle her again. Once Inky hits on the right answer she gives a subtle nod, unable to move her head much in her present position. As Inky rubs a little more methodically, the gryphon resumes her gentle purring. With a talon, she grabs the mare's free hoof and presses it against her crop where the other hoof was moving.

17:47 Inky relaxes as she feels Serilde resume purring atop her, knowing that the gryphon was enjoying this at least. She makes a little surprised sound when the formel grabs her free hoof and presses it to herself, and tilts her head at Serilde. "You want me to rub the outside too?" she asks. With a shrug, or as much of a shrug as she can make with her shoulder buried inside the griffon's beak, she starts to massage the crop from the outside as well. Inky's hoof swirls inside the gryphon, rubbing at everything she could reach. But like scratching an itch, it only made the formel's need for the rest of her crop worse.

17:57 Serilde had merely intended to make Inky feel at her own hoof, but she wasnt going to deny that the outside rubbign felt pretty good as well. As Serilde lays there, eyes closed and enjoying the wonderful sensations eminating from her gut, she begins to shift forward a tad, getting a couple more milimeters deeper, but still she wanted more. Her tail began to twitch back and forth as she fought in her mind over what to do.

18:01 Inky grunts as the gryphon's sharp beak starts to dig into her shoulder, and prods at the formel's insides. "Serilde, not so hard," she says, continuing her rubbing. "This is as deep as I can reach, okay?" The bat pony grins. "This is actually pretty clever," she says as she rubs at the gryphon's crop. "You get a nice massage, and I don't have to get all slimy! Less mess, and fun for everypony!"

18:07 Serilde gives a soft nod as she lingers there. Her purring is growing softer and more infrequent as the cravings get stronger, though she was resisting the urge pretty well for the moment. Inky, however, would probably notice the change in intensity as she continues to rub against the slilck warm insides of the griffon. The formel clenches her crop in an attempt to bring more of the slippery flesh into reach, and only partially suceeding.

18:11 < -> Tenno is now known as Tenno|Camp

18:11 Inky continues to rub her hoof in spirals, noticing that Serilde wasn't purring so much anymore. She blinks in surprise when she feels the chamber clench around her hoof. "You okay?" she asks, not sure what that meant, and worried by the lack of purring. The mare digs her hoof into the smooth walls, feeling it skate around in the slime. She was glad that she didn't have to get covered in that to make the griffon happy! Instead of rubbing from the outside with her other hoof, Inky brings it up to the griffon's head and strokes it down her crest.

18:21 < Inky> (Serilde )

18:22 Serilde lingers just a little bit longer as the mare transitions to rubbing her crest before finally deciding this isnt doing it for her anymore. She begins to cough and gag, causing the chamber to clench around the mare's hoof and help the formel pull back off of it. Quickly Inky's slime covered hoof slipped back into daylight, glistening and reaking of her smelling internals.

18:24 Inky makes a little squeak when she feels the griffon gag around her hoof, the muscles clamping down and forcing it back up as Serilde pulls back off of her. "Was that good?" she asks brightly. The bat pony holds her slimy leg in the air, not wanting to let it rest against her fur. She takes a sniff and wrinkles her nose, smelling the insides of the griffon. "I like this way a lot more than the other one," she says. "There's way less of me to have to clean off afterwards!"

18:32 Serilde gives a quick nod as her tail swishes back and forth playfully and looks at Inky with a lustful look in her eye. "Yes, I must say I quite enjoyed that, however..." the griffon trails off, blushing a bit as she struggles with asking Inky to go a little deeper for her this time.

18:34 Inky stares up at Serilde, still pinned underneath the griffon. "However what?" she asks, catching the look in the formel's eye and starting to get a little worried. The bat pony tries to squirm back, but can't extricate herself from underneath Serilde. "What is it?" Her usually bright voice sounds a little strained.

18:36 Serilde brings a claw up to trace over Inky's head, giving her gentle scritches behind her ear in order to get the mare to be more receptive. "However...well...you see...you only can reach the top portion...and well I was thinking, maybe...I could swallow you up to your torso? And then you could rub it all?"

18:41 < Inky> (ordering food)

18:56 Inky relaxes a little as the griffon strokes her head and scratches behind her slick ears. She tenses up again at the suggestion; despite having offered earlier, the mare was getting cold hooves when faced with the very real possibility. "Umm," she says, stalling, "I mean, if you could make it up to me somehow, then I guess I could..."

18:56 < Inky> (Serilde )

19:02 Serilde squirms on top of the mare and looks down at her, considering the offer for a moment before rolling off, twitching undecidedly. "Umm...what did you have in mind for 'making it up' anyways? You know the caravan heads out tomorrow..."

19:08 Inky blinks. "It does?" she says, eyes wide. "I forgot!" She mulls this over. "That means this is the last night, huh?" The bat pony sits up, eyes downcast. "Well... if you'd let me sleep next to you, then I'd do it," she says, looking up at Serilde with hopeful eyes.

19:19 Serilde bites her tongue at the offer as she considers it, looking down at the hopeful batpony with a wavering expression. After a little bit of deliberation, the formel responds, "Well... what if I just let you share my room instead and I'll get them to bring in a cot?" She bargains back, still not fully comfortable with snuggling the mare like that.

19:23 Inky shakes her head. "If this is the last time I'm going to see you for... a while," she says, "then I'm not going to settle for just sharing a room." Serilde can see in her eyes that the mare wasn't going to back down about this. "That's what I want."

19:31 Serilde gives a soft chuckle at the mare and looks back at her with a half smile on her beak. "Well then...what If I just happen to say that I'm not sure if I think having a massage will be worth that price?" The griffon counters, seeing if Inky would cave to her demands.

19:32 < Inky> (uh, that's not how bargaining works, I think)

19:32 < Inky> (Unless Serilde has more stuff she can make Inky do :P )

19:32 < Serilde> (Nah, see Serilde has something Inky really really wants. Bargaining can totally work like that. Thats strong arming)

19:33 < Inky> (Well yeah I mean like Serilde has to propose more services Inky can do for her0

19:34 < Serilde> (Oh no I meant Serilde was implying just turning her down altogether, and so Inky woudl have not even a room shared.)

19:34 < Inky> (I don't think sharing a room matters that much to Inky :P )

19:35 < Serilde> (Well Serilde will actually cave to Inky, but shes still testing :P)

19:37 Inky shrugs. "Then you won't get one," she says. "Sharing a room isn't going to cut it." The bat pony stares at Serilde, and narrows her slitted eyes just slightly. "Your last chance for something like this, and you're going to let it slip away?" she says, knowing how much the griffon liked her weird crop massages.

19:48 Serilde meets Inky's gaze and narrows her eyes, holding silent for a long time, trying to get the mare to cave. When Inky doesnt seem to budge, the formel deflates some and lets out a long sigh. "Alright...fine Inky...I guess you win. You can sleep here tonight, after you do this for me, IF Dove allows it that is. You can ask her later though." Serilde's tail twitches in the air as she stares at the mare, lickign over her beak.

19:51 Inky squeals with joy and clops her hooves together, only to make a face when instead of 'clop' they go 'splat'. "Hooray! Don't worry, Dove'll let me!" she says with complete confidence. The bat pony notices Serilde's twitching tail and licking beak, and looks up at her, a little apprehensive. "So, um, I guess you wanted to do this now...?"

22:08 Serilde looks down at the mare with a predatory grin and opens her beak wide. Little bits of drool and some of Inky's purple hair sits in her pink beak. "Yep, I think we should do it now. Remember, I'm only sending you as deep as it needs to be." Serilde moves her open beak a little closer to the mare's snout, waiting expectantly for hooves to be inserted.

22:12 Inky stares into the pink beak, able to see straight back to the griffon's glistening throat without any teeth to block her view. Some strands of drool hang between the top and bottom of the beak, and there's even some of her fur... The bat pony shudders. "O-Okay!" she stammers, forcing mock cheerfulness into her voice. Talking about this was one thing, but actually doing it? The mare had forgotten just what it had been like to be swallowed by the griffon. "I'm putting my hooves in," she says, stalling for another couple of seconds. "Right now!" The bat pony shivers again, looking into that pink cave, then reaches up and places her hooves just inside the griffon's beak. They weren't nearly deep enough for Serilde to swallow them.

22:18 Serilde raises a feathered brow at the mares hesitance as her tail flicked back and forth in eager anticipation of having her crop rubbed. She gives a soft growl that lets up as soon as the mare's hooves go inside her hard beak. She pushes her head forward to take them in, licking over the hooves and paying special attention to the dry one to get it nice and soaked. Finally, just when the tip of her beak is againt inky's snout, she's deep enough to swallow, the tight ring of muscles pulling the hooves deeper inside.

22:22 Inky shivers as the tongue licks over her hoof, staring into the damp cavern as it grows closer and getting ever more unnerved. Her instincts were rebelling again, but right when the bat pony was about to give in to her cold hooves and pull out, the griffon swallows, tugging her deeper instead. She lets out a whimper as she's forced to lean forward just a little, undoing her unconscious pulling back and making her nose slide into the warm maw. Still, the mare didn't want to let her friend down, and tries to be strong for Serilde... ...even as she's forced to watch her hooves and forelegs disappearing into those glistening pink folds.

22:22 < Inky> (yeah, this is... much more effective than that other one xP )

22:25 < Inky> (but that's okay, it just means that it won't really be ERP for me!)

22:26 Serilde pauses mid swallow as she hears the mare whimper and sighs around the hooves, worried that her friend would pull out afterall, even with their deal. Her tongue licks over the soft snout that that sat in her sharp beak, but she didnt dare swallow yet, instead giving a small chirp as if to ask for confirmation. Even without her gulping though, the hooves steadily get drawin in by the slippery muscles

22:26 < Serilde> (Hehe well as long as you enjoy them in a non erp fashion)

22:30 Inky wrinkles her nose as the griffon sighs right in her face, the hot, slightly smelly air rushing past her and ruffling her mane. The wet tongue licks at her snout, making her giggle, and the mare hears the querying chirp. Realizing the griffon's concern, a warmth bolsters her, helping her push away her frightened instincts and trust the formel. She lets out a smaller sigh of her own and closes her eyes, blocking out the sight of that smooth, pink mouth funneling her towards the throat, where her hooves were steadily disappearing into the rippling tunnel. "Y-You can keep going, Serilde" the bat pony says in a small voice. "I'm okay."

22:31 < Inky> (aye, yeah. you might have to work harder to set up interesting scenarios, though! :V )

22:32 < Inky> (can't just rely on fetishes to sell it :B )

22:32 < Serilde> (hehehe thats always hard huh?)

22:33 < Inky> (you probably get one "GyroTech insults Grimma and gets nommed" RP free, but the rest are gonna need to be more involved ;) )

22:35 Serilde gets a whiff of Inky's sweet breath on her nose as she speaks and tips the sides of beak turn up in happyness, glad that she will continue afterall. Serilde's short tongue licks over her cheek once more before she brings a talon up behind the mare's bun and roughly shoves her head into the steaming beak. Hot humid breath washes over her face and ears as the griffon gives another swallow, feeling the tip of her snout disapear down her throat.

22:38 Inky lets out a yelp that ends in an mmmf as she's rudely shoved deeper into the griffon's beak, the back of the mouth forcing her own muzzle shut. She hears the swallow loud in her ears as the muscles tug on her legs and pull her nose into that tight tube. Inky has her eyes squeezed shut tight, so that she can't see the pink folds spread around her snout, ready to swallow the rest of her head. The bat pony shivers, having never been swallowed head first before. The hot breath in her face and the slickness around her hooves and nose were deeply unsettling, but she trusted Serilde.

22:43 Serilde pulls out the tie in Inky's bun as she sinks deeper, finding that it was getting in her way taking her head first and then flicks it across the room as her mane falls down. Serilde purrs happily as she gives yet another swallow around the mare, causing her neck to bulge out as Inky's shoulder spressed into her beak. Serilde Shifts into a laying position and eases inky that way to make it easier on the pair. About this time she would feel her hooves pressing out into a more open chamber.

22:44 < Inky> (Serilde laying forwards or backwards?)

22:44 < Inky> (forwards I assume)

22:45 < Serilde> (Forward or backwards? She's laying in place...)

22:45 < Inky> (...laying in place?)

22:45 < Serilde> (I guess forwards maybe? I just dont quite follow...)

22:45 < Inky> (I thought she was sitting down, so would rotate to laying down either forwards (on her belly) or backwards (on her back))

22:46 < Serilde> (Ya she's on her belly, leaning forwards.)

22:48 Inky makes a muffled noise as she feels the griffon pull out her hair bun, but with her mouth squeezed tightly shut by the throat she can't say anything understandable. The next swallow pulls the rest of her head into that squeezing, rippling tightness, shutting out the sounds of the outside world and Serilde's breathing and replacing them with the organic noises of the griffon's body. Slime covers her face and mane, slicking her down and squelching as the throat pushes her deeper. The bat pony tenses and flails her legs when Serilde lifts her up, trying to find the bed -- once the griffon sets her back down, she relaxes. Further ahead, Inky can feel her hooves slide into Serilde's crop, and starts to spread them apart, making movement under the griffon's tawny feathers. All the while, Serilde could taste the mare's flavor on her tongue, though it faded if she stayed in the same place for too long, tempting her to keep swallowing.

22:48 < Inky> (Is Serilde gonna be strong enough to not eat her all the way? :O )

22:49 < Serilde> (I think so...yes)

22:49 < Inky> (good for her!)

22:49 < Inky> (poor Inky's going to have her head stuck in the throat the whole time isn't she xP )

22:51 < Serilde> (yep)

22:52 < Inky> (also I can make much more... voluminous posts for this sort of thing, for some reason. //shrug. maybe just because it's easier as prey)

22:57 < Serilde> (It is easier as prey xP)

22:57 < Inky> (hey, I dunno man, you're biased :V )

23:02 < Serilde> (Gah! I missed your post >.<)

23:02 < Serilde> (Alright this will be the last one of the night)

23:02 < Inky> (I wonder how, since it split twice xP )

23:05 < Serilde> (Oh I know how. Its becuase the last line didnt ping, and when I glanced I saw the blue action line, and you pinged me with a question after that xP)

23:06 < Inky> (xP)

23:06 < Inky> (well now you're just going to get a hilariously bloated with pre-typing post xP )

23:10 Serilde purrs as she feels the gentle rubbing of the hooves inside her slippery crop, though they were rubbing about where Inky had been previously. Eagerly, her tongue sucks up the mare's tasty spicy flavor as she gulps her down further. Soon the griffon reaches the wings and stops, biting down gently and digging the beak in enough to stop Inky's forward progress down her gullet. A soft rumble surrounds the mare as does the beating of her heartbeat, which quickens as the batpony massages the supple walls. She could reach everything now, though unfortunatly Her head was stuck surounded by the squeezing muscles of the formel's esophagus.

23:11 < Serilde> (Anyways shower time. If you're lucky you might get a post after I'm out.)

23:11 < Inky> (~)

23:18 Inky keeps sliding down, down, deeper into the formel's gullet, the bulge of her head sinking lower and lower in the feathered neck. A muffled squeak sounds from that lump when the griffon bites down, digging her beak into the bat pony's back and soft belly. Her stopping point put her injured side just inside Serilde's beak, right in range of her tongue if the formel got curious. It did feel different than normal fur after all: it was smooth and slightly raised, a very interesting feeling. Back inside the griffon, Inky starts to rub her hooves against the smooth walls of the crop, digging them in and massaging all the parts she couldn't reach before. She works the slick flesh, smiling to herself as she hears the rumbling purrs around her and the quickening heartbeat -- until a pressure in her lungs reminds her that she hasn't taken a breath in a while. The mare tries to grunt something at the griffon, but she can't form words. She wishes that Serilde would swallow her just a bit more so that she could actually speak. Saliva slowly drizzles down from behind her, pooling behind the blockage in the formel's throat and sliding around to drip down her face with every involuntary swallow. In front, slimy walls pressed against Inky's nose, filling her nostrils whenever she tried to clear them. The mare was having having trouble getting her muzzle air, having to fight to pry open the muscular throat just to get access to the stale contents of the formel's crop. The rippling throat muscles constricted her chest and squeezed her forelegs together every few seconds, making it even harder for the poor pony. She rubs her hooves around the inside of Serilde's crop with increasing urgency, breathing shallowly as best she can inside the sweltering tube of flesh.