Beneath the Surface (Adventure, slight Gore)

"Decent. Too many royal butts around in this camp for me." Griff says as he begins sliding out of the tent. "I'll let you rest for now, you'll need it." he says as he leaves the tent.

"Thank..." He yawns loudly. "Thank you, Griff. I'd appreciate it if you could also make sure all the defenses are going up quickly now, in case we're attacked. Or something."

"I'll be damned if I know what you meant by that... I never knew what 'proper defense' means." he says as he transforms back into unicorn form again outside.

"Oh, you know, wall construction, sufficiently deep ditches, and... and..." He yawns. "... troops... stationed around the... perimeter..."

His voice trails off as he falls back to sleep.

"Guess I'm gonna have to let you down this time, Ician. Defenses are your thing, not mine." Griff says silently as he goes back to one of the shadows outside and falls asleep on the sand.

The sun hangs low in the sky. Evening approaches with the swiftness and certainty of impending danger.

Eclipse surveys the construction work. The walls are going up speedily, but not speedily enough to be completed before nightfall. Half the encampment is still untouched by the new guards.

Either they work through the night, or we break. He considers the possibilities. We should probably break when night comes.

He watches the work progress, his mouth shut in silence.

Storm wanders through the camp. He was angry, with himself and with the changelings. He'd never be able to sleep like this hence his wandering. He'd watched the airships land, keeping his sword lose and three attack spells in his mind in case he needed them. He was passing by the wall currently under construction, and spotted the lieutenant. Having nothing better to do and knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep he wanders over to him. "Looks like it's going to be a nice night doesn't it?"

"Yes, sir, it is." Eclipse continues staring at the wall. "Or it might not be. It all depends, really." He shudders, briefly, muttering something about 'the stars' under his breath.

Griff finally wakes up, stretches and decides to take a nice stroll through the camp before going for a hunt. He later noticed Storm and Eclipse by the wall so he decided to join them. "Good morning, fellas." He yawns and tries to get the sleep out of his eyes.

"Evening, sir." Eclipse says. "It's evening. And soon it will be night." He tears his gaze from the wall and looks up into the sky. "A dark, dark night."

"Meeh, I just woke up. Pretty much morning for me." Griff says and grins. "Well, wild animals aren't going to get eaten by themselves." He says as he turns into a sabretooth cat form, but doesn't leave yet.

Eclipse stares at him, his face neutral. "An interesting ability, sir. Though if you're going out hunting I must advise against it. We have a rather well-stocked rations tent, now."

"Worried about the Changelings?" Storm asks picking up on the pegasus' unease. "Don't worry too much, I'm too worked up to sleep and I'm sure Changelings fear fire like any bug." Storm said, allowing the flames to rise from his back a little. "Didn't you say you're a mage? How does a pegasus get that ability?" He asked curiously.

"I think he likes the sport rather than the catch." He added looking to the large cat. "You won't catch much like that, too obvious." He says.

"Egh, you royal butts will never understand the amazing feeling of being a free animal hunting." Griff says and chuckles. He then turns to Storm. "You know nothing. I catch most of my food with ease in this form."

Eclipse sighs. "We're all worried about the changelings, sir. This wall wouldn't be going up if we weren't. They are dangerous. That's why it is inadvisable to go out hunting, though I couldn't stop if you insisted." He pauses for a moment, then turns to Storm. "Yes, I am a mage. And it's a long story. I don't remember some of it, but I do know what I know." He gazes back up into the sky. "And I know enough to fear a night away from the embrace of my Princess."

And then, in a sombre, sepulchral voice, he looks Storm in the eyes and intones, "The stars will aid in her escape."

"I'm sure they won't harm me if I don't attack them." Griff says. "I've done a few jobs from changelings before, they aren't that bad when they don't want to take over your kingdom or murder you..." he then turns around "Now where's the exit of this royal-filled camp... It's contagious.. "

"That way, sir." Eclipse points towards the opposite end of the camp. "The side without the wall. Just be careful about the ditch, it's a bit hard to see at night."

Griff grins. "Not for cats it isn't..." he says, nods and runs towards the exit and out in the desert.

"Good hunting, sir." Eclipse returns his solemn gaze to the wall. "And good luck."

"'The stars will aid in her escape?' What do you mean? Isn't that the story about Nightmare Moon?" Storm asked, he was starting to remember why ponies shunned the night guard. He liked them they were just so damn cryptic.

"Yes, sir. That is the story of Nightmare Moon." Eclipse's gaze never wavers, but his eye twitches almost imperceptibly. "It was she who both cursed and blessed me. But I am not bound to her any longer." He sighs. "I have some measure of her power. But also a measure of her dark affliction. And I carry the wounds of my servitude still."

"So is that how you're able to cast magic? You have a bit of the Nightmare's power?" 'Her dark affliction? Wounds of his servitude? Why do all these guys have to be so cryptic?' Storm stood for a moment quietly.

"Indeed." He notices Storm's expression. "I'm sorry, sir, would you like me to go into further detail? You seem a bit... lost."

"If you wouldn't mind. I've spoken to a few of the night guard before, It seems you all have a knack for being a little more cryptic than most ponies." He sat down and formed a small ball of fire between them enough to warm them both since it was starting to get cold. "If you don't mind could you explain what you meant by the wounds of your servitude?"

"Oh." Eclipse pauses to think. "I was once a normal pegasus in Ponyville. But upon Nightmare Moon's arrival, she cursed three pegasi - myself among them - to do a dark deed in the Everfree Forest." He shudders. "We were to tempt the Element of Loyalty, Rainbow Dash. To facilitate this end she gifted us with some of her power. We failed, of course, and Nightmare Moon was defeated, but when that happened all three of us were badly affected. The other two... did not survive. I did, but at the cost of many of my memories predating the event, and... well, now I look like this." He faces Storm, his cat-like irises glittering with a thousand starry pinpricks of light. "I recall faintly that I was not always this way. But I am now."