Previous thread: >>42102396
Archive Link:
- https://desuarchive.org/mlp/thread/42102396

>What is this thread about?
This thread revolves around stories about ponies getting bathed and pet.

>Can you elaborate more?
Sure! SPG (Slave Pony General) is mostly about characters dealing with the actual implications of the horrifying thing that is chattel slavery. It's more looking at how people with modern sensibilities deal with the ownership of another sentient being, and how most people aren't total cunts.

Are you new and want to write your own story but have no previous experience?
Check out these guides:
https://poneb.in/V1ujiyJt
https://poneb.in/bnMmZ2T3
https://poneb.in/g4VpEg4f (clop specific)
We have a Discord server! https://discord.gg/b7EFmaj

Remember not to save anything of value on pastebin, use ponepaste.org
Have a broken pastebin link? Replace pastebin.com with poneb.in

---
Featured Story:
---
Lithia (OC) by Icehunt
- https://desuarchive.org/mlp/thread/39256661/#q39261233
(ponepaste nuked)

---
Ongoing Stories:
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Barbarians (Mayor Mare, ongoing) by AspiringWritefag
- https://ponepaste.org/5389
- https://ponepaste.org/7856
- https://ponepaste.org/9738

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Most Recently Completed Story:
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Getting Shy by AspiringWritefag
- https://ponepaste.org/752
- https://ponepaste.org/4185

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Useful Links
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Recommended Stories for New Readers: https://ponepaste.org/1587
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~~~

first for sneed's feed and seed

Meymer update!
https://ponepaste.org/9738#4454

>>42105775
>spread into the space recently won from the Ruslans
Was this considered as the compensation for Adilet?
>It wasn't like she would have been a whole lot safer back in the camp, either.
Exactly what I was thinking about.
>begin to make their culture better
If she would invent more stuff, making their food supply more stable they would not have to fight that much for hunting grounds.
>The Ulan-Zuk didn't accept the deal.
Why didn't they took the women regardless?
>Her head bumped affectionately into Salki's side
Catpony. Or dogpony.
>the man didn't even glance at Salki before accepting her orders
Mayor became the personal assistant to Salki.
>There will be game in the forest
Not with the ruckus a whole camp makes, plus the fire also scares them away.
>try and go to my home
That will be pure chaos.
>If, however
Statistics is a bit advanced to them.
>wait until the night before the snow falls
They have to bee lucky for that to happen tonight.
>Would they simply banish them back?
This seems the most likely outcome, but only after they are out of danger.

Thanks for the update!

Maid vacation is over
Back to work

Emotional support pony.

>>42143438
That's real fucking cute, anon.

>>42143632
not mine, it was on eqd in a plushie post

Walkies!

>>42144015
is that Tord from fucking Eddsworld?

>>42142769
I really missed Meyermer. Thanks AWF!

>>42144062
Seems like it.

Pony has warm seat and master must give attention.
This is the perfect plan.

>>42145210
>evil master remotes into the machine
>starts playing nuclear warning siren

Lap warmer.

Dumb pony. He thought that the cake in the toilet is tasty.

>>42145210
The best laid plans of bedfilly and mare often go awry!

>>42146884

>>42147359

https://ponepaste.org/9738#4454
>misconception that she was a beast of burden
Heh. Well they are not 100% wrong.
>who'd suggested this role for her
I wonder if Mayor scolded him a little after this suggestion.
>trusted to carry more valuable things
Those tend to be the heavy items.
>Thistle hadn't even known the woman had all these!
And now she won't have it long. Mayor will eat them all!
>stopped caring as much about damaging
If any of them is broken, that will be a step back with the relationship between the two.
>trees would help hide them
Until one decides to make fire to warm up.
>frostbite
Is it that cold already?
>tied these so poorly
About that relationship step back...
>Actually, take that pot
That was a quick revenge.
>harmless bit of counter-revenge
Maybe.
>You can't just leave people back there
I agree with her. Either they act as breadcrumbs or they will be tortured to tell where they disappeared to.
>He was ignoring her
Somehow he needs to learn that Mayor is higher up in the food chain than him.
>find the place where we can enter the pony world
I have a hunch that it won't be open. It would not align with the intro paragraph.
>even with weapons
Time to invent thermonuclear warheads. Or just small explosive stuff.
>pony Chieftains will... protect us?
And they will also "protect" the Ulan-Zuk. At least no lives will be lost.
>snowing
Oh, so it is that cold already.
>smoke to point directly at us.
I have not thought about that the smoke is not visible at night (if there is not much moonlight).
>they had nothing against actual *magic*
If they are even affected by it. They crossed the portal, so I guess it works on them.

Thanks for the update!

>>42142760 (OP)
Is she like part zebra, or are those sacrs?

>>42142908
A maid in modest attire? In my slave pony thread? cute. post more less fetishy maids

>>42146884
Do sphynx ponies exist? Is that a reare breed?

>>42148843
It's something ai is strangely good at but i dont know enough about that stuff to guess why.

>>42148843
She's pretty lazy but she got soul

Horses are generally not suited for IT

I like this westerns railroad story. Wish we had more like it
https://ponepaste.org/8628

>>42151577
that writefag has a tendency to start a long ass green then disappear for years only to return, haphazardly "finish" the story with a plot speed multiplier on 50x, start a new green then disappear again

>>42142776
>>42148009
>>42142769
>>42144115

Thanks! S'good to post again. I haven't been as productive as I'd like, but at least I can say it's kinda moving along.

How should ponies deal with Master playing favorites?

>>42152517
downward spiral
not doing chores
get scolded instead of pets
no pets even less chores

>it's kinda moving along
Just like the clan.

F L O O F A

>>42153999
>Tack + Collar
The goodest of possible girls

>>42154769
cuddle material

>>42154769
Work material. To the mines!

>>42156447
BAD PONY!

>>42156636
Unleash the squirt bottle.

>>42157294

Would a pony be cheaper than hiring a 3rd party accountant for my taxes? I could write her off as a business expense

>>42157827
Ponies are, as a species, bad at math.
Their education system in general is a century behind what you're familiar with. Hell, the equivalent of uni is a single school in their nation's capital, open only to the most gifted of magic users.

If you're at the point where you need an accountant, get a human to do it.

>>42157827
If you don't have to pay for hookers or escorts then sure.

> PART FIVE: Subsistence

> Winter was advancing rapidly in the hills. Still no snow, but the puddles of water out in the open would have a crust of ice each morning. All the deciduous trees had lost their leaves, and only conifers remained green. More and more Thistle relied on her animal skin fur in addition to her natural coat.
> She still slept outside, since the communal tent wasn't large enough for all of that. With luck, that would be solved before the snow fell, but until then she had to rely on clothing, a well-stocked fire pit, and sharing her warmth with others.
> That last wasn't ideal, not with the tension which remained between her and Saule, but the four of them, Rangi included, were more comfortable than they would be alone. There was less of a chance that one of them would fall ill, especially now when every able body was needed.
> They'd had to run quite far once the Ulan-Zuk had found their first camp. There hadn't been a battle, but more often than not their hunting parties were followed and harassed. Once the enemy even drove their men away and took the kill for themselves.
> Her people held their own, but she'd argued against fighting them. Attrition would favor the more numerous clan, which could send reinforcements. So far, they'd had no casualties, other than a few bruises and scratches. In fact, the enemy got rather worse, with one man down for the count with an arrow in his thigh, and two others with arm wounds.
> There was a reprieve, of sorts, in the recent chill which dampened the nomads' zeal for fighting. Since their last move, none of the patrols or the hunters had seen any of the enemy. They would probably be safe, at least through the winter. Then, by spring, the Ulan-Zuk would perhaps have lost interest in fighting.
> Darga wasn't too happy, but she she was usually the first to point out that they were in no shape for another war. Their earlier conflict with the Ruslans had left them bruised and drained. There was no choice but to cede their ancestral lands to Youssef and his people, at least for now.
> One day, Salki promised, they would return. They'd grow strong, increase their numbers, then retake their rightful place. The enemy would die, and their women would become slaves.
> That was how it went among nomad tribes, how it had always been. The only difference now was that they had bows, and arrows, and horses.
> The last was a distinct advantage of her own people. They'd brought the animals from the far West, and had managed to keep all of them. They also had a blacksmith, which no other clan in the land could say. Those two things together would give them a strong advantage, just as soon as the horses multiplied into a sizeable herd.

>>42159441

> Speaking of advantages, their new spot was good. It was a natural valley with steep sides, surrounded by sheer rock faces two directions. It was easy to protect, and with her half-remembered history lessons about various Griffin wars, the nomads had dug in and prepared their defenses. They'd laid traps, cleared away the nearest bush, and established looking posts on some of the larger trees.
> That, along with their hunting parties and patrols meant that no sizeable force could sneak up on them.
> With those crucial works completed, the able-bodied men were now digging a hole, which they would cover with leather and animal furs. It would use up less leather and make for a makeshift dwelling until each family could make new tents for themselves.
> In the meantime, Janus was busy making bronze weapons. Their find of copper and tin ore had been another two reasons to pick this particular spot. Before spring, each Borchi-Quin fighter would have a bronze spear and knife, and most of them would have quivers full of bronze-tipped arrows.
> Thistle was trying to explain armor to them, modelled very loosely after the Royal Guard in Canterlot, but without strong, lightweight materials it would have proven more of a hindrance than an asset. Bronze simply wouldn't cut it. Besides, it simply wasn't the way the nomads fought.
>...
> She sat on uneven, shifting wooden logs at the base of a tree. It was a short distance from their camp, but the crude platform at least kept her from squatting in stinky mud. It also meant people were constantly coming and going, so it was easy to hear all the news and stay up to date with what was happening.
> A group of hunters were coming back, laden with a kill. She didn't actually see what they were bringing, but the smell was unmistakable, even from a distance. Wolf. If Salki and Rangi's expressions had been any indication, the meat tasted about as bad as it smelled to her. Then again, perhaps that was due to Saule's inexpert cooking.
> It was food, however, and there was enough to go around. The people were no strangers to hunger and could appreciate regular meals, even if they were monotonous. Besides, they could always use the pelts. Many of the nomads now sported wolf skin coats to help them fight the oncoming cold, and those were also being stitched together for the roof of their dug-in dwelling.
> Of course, being a pony, the prospect of wolf meat meant little to her. She would survive just fine on grazing with the occasional piece of bread or grain stew. Supplies might get tight before spring came, and people were already worried about trade. There was no way any of the trading caravans would find them in the mountains, not when they tried so hard to remain hidden.

>>42159446

> Not an immediate concern, though. It was a problem they'd have to think of when the time came. Perhaps, she thought, the Ulan-Zuk would leave their lands for their own, richer ones. There was presumably a road, well-travelled, which provided good opportunities for banditry.
> When the weather turned, they would discuss it and figure out what they should do. For now, Thistle and her people had to focus on surviving the winter.
> She drew her cloak a little closer around her, but after all the travelling and work, it was torn in places and let in cold winds. If she didn't have her own fur, it would have been unusable at keeping her warm. Even so, it was barely fit for the purpose.
"[I will need a new cloak,]" she murmured.
> The tall nomad next to her jerked at her sudden words and lowered the torch he'd been holding up high to see the arriving party. "[It looks torn, yes,]" Buygra commented. "[You should talk to Salki about it. Maybe you can get one of the next ones.]"
"[I don't like the smell of wolf, though.]"
> "[Maybe they will catch a deer, or one of those larger things,]" Buygra suggested. "Bulan."
> Elk. There were Elk in the mountains, but the nomads hadn't yet fully settled on a name for the animals. Perhaps 'bulan' would stick. They hadn't seen these in their old hunting grounds, and the few times they'd sent expeditions up into the mountains they hadn't been looking for game specifically.
> That reminded her and instantly soured her mood. Her ears folded down and she let out a forlorn sigh.
"[Willow said the way is not open. He says they found the exact place, but they couldn't get into Equestria.]"
> "[The old shaman told you this. The way is only open rarely.]"
"[This means Willow was *extremely* lucky to have found it the last time.]"
> He'd been very lucky, and at the same time she had been very unlucky. Perhaps a few weeks, maybe even as little as a few days of difference would have meant she wouldn't be plucked from her home and thrust into this harsh, unforgiving world.
> Buygra didn't respond to that and instead exchanged a few pleasantries with the men who were coming back with the dead wolf. She didn't much care for their conversation and just kept staring into the distance, long after it was too dark for her to make out any significant detail. She glanced up, but couldn't see any of the stars. Buygra's torch was too bright.
"[We should have people there all the time. If the way opens, we have to know about it. We'll be safe if we go through, especially if the way is closed most of the time. The Ulan-Zuk won't know to follow us.]"
> "[Maybe, but you have to convince Salki and Darga, not me,]" her friend pointed out.
"[I know,]" she grumbled.

>>42159451

> After his disastrous handling of the previous Ulan-Zuk leader, Adilet, Salki had lost quite a bit of favor among his people. He was still the Chieftain, nominally, but all the big decisions were made within the group she'd gotten to calling the 'Council'. Darga and Intor, the two rivals, with Darkhan as a mediating presence. Hisein was a part of it, though not officially. He didn't support or oppose any of their decisions, but his opinion was valued.
> The other two voices involved in the decision making were hers, which she approved, and Willow's, which she didn't. Granted, the hunter seemed to be impartial when it came to matters of the clan's survival, but he still didn't like her and would oppose her ideas more often than not, out of sheer spite she suspected.
> That was fine and she could work with that. Dealing with difficult ponies had been a part of her job. She didn't really mind Willow's clumsy attempts to undermine her, but she hated him just the same. He'd been the one to take her from her Equestrian home, and had tried very hard to train her as a beast of burden. She still resented him for that. The fact that it had ended up as her role - repeatedly! - didn't help.
> Well, that was all going to change. If the clan would be stuck in the same spot at least until spring, perhaps she could try and make some of their grain grow - if not as a late autumn crop, then perhaps as an early spring harvest.
> The nomads weren't farmers, but perhaps if she could prove how useful it was, they might change their minds. So far they'd resisted her suggestions, but if she simply went ahead and did it by herself, it could prove to them that she knew what she was talking about. Camped out in the hills, hiding from the others, there would be time for her to figure it out.
> In truth, she only had a very vague idea how one went about planting and tending crops, but she was an earth pony, so growing things would come naturally to her. She was almost certain of that.
> A fat droplet of icy water fell from the tree and splashed down her cheek. It made her shiver, and she quickly raised her fetlock to wipe it away. Unfortunately the movement opened her animal fur coat and what little warmth she'd managed to capture, fled.
> She cursed, using a few choice words she'd picked up from her nomad friends, but stopped when she heard Buygra chuckling.
"[That's it,]" she grumped, "[I'm not sitting here in the damp any longer. I'm going to look for Salki. We should leave some people in the place where the way to my world opens. Maybe someone with one of the horses, so they can come tell us as soon as it happens.]"

>>42159455

> "[Yes, you said,]" he told her, keeping his eyes firmly on the horizon. There were watchers in the tree above, so Buygra's presence wasn't really needed, but it was away from the group of the elderly and the babies in the big tent. He'd admitted to Thistle that he couldn't stand the constant noise and the smell.
> In some ways, he was as grateful as she that there wasn't enough room and they had to sleep outside.
> Things would be better once they'd caught a few more of those big elk and people began to make new tents from their hides and bones.

>>42159459

Slow and steady, but we're back to our regularly scheduled Meyermer!

Looking back through the beginnings, a few minor details have gone differently than I originally planned, and we've done a few detours I hadn't planned at all (which was, admittedly, fun), but this one is gradually coming home to roost.

I reckon part five will include a bit of lightweight timeskipping and eventually bring it full circle.

On this topic, I will most likely edit the intro to match what has actually happened, but that should be more or less superficial details.

Paste: https://ponepaste.org/9738

pony is bored

bump from the mind control thread since this Is the last on board or one of the last.

>>42161109
thanks anon
im too old to understand the kind of autism going on right now but it does get annoying remaking the thread

Double scratchies

Good pony rushes to serve her owner.

>>42159459
>hunting parties were followed and harassed
What's the point of hiding any more if they were already found?
>strong, lightweight materials
Wood?
>Wolf
At least its something.
>I don't like the smell of wolf
Mayor should have "invented" felt.
>the way is not ope
This is good and bad at the same time.
>We should have people there all the time.
Or just her.
>Salki had lost quite a bit of favor among his people
Should have let the Ruslan be executed instead of killing Adilet themselves.
>Dealing with difficult ponies had been a part of her job
She is quite bad at it.
>So far they'd resisted her suggestions
Because she does not put much on the plate. If she were to come up "new" things more often, they would listen to her.

Thanks for the update!

Day one

>>42162114
Pony is in too much of a rush.
Going to spill food on the floor.

F&S 4 when?

>>42163477
This intentional, apparently she's also needs to "vacuum" when required

>>42159459
Poor Meyermer. Rain season without a shelter is misery.
> and they had to sleep outside.
Not even simple tents made with branches?

wash your mare

Attention is required.
Abandon the light box and play with pone.

>>42165357
what does play mean? pets?

>>42166006
Her ball rolled under the couch and now it's lost forever.

>>42166033
oh no

>>42167042
what gives?

>>42167042
>she gets he liquid type of shit if she eats them

>>42167354
she's not a fruitbat
she's a shroombat

>>42167872
Can the mushroom mare make kombucha?

>>42167872
umm what?

>>42168384
Shrooms > mangos

>>42169009
heresy

smooshy poner cheeks

poni makes the best blanket

>>42165357

>>42173650
Twily.... What did you do?

>>42173897
Read all the books. No more is left.

I want a pet pony

Poner is lazy!
LAZY!

Some ponies adapt to an earth diet better than others.

>>42176198
does not seem to be lazy, there are no empty cups anywhere

>>42159459

> Winter was advancing rapidly. Even without a clock, Thistle could tell the days were significantly shorter. What little light there was never came from the sun, which lacked the strength to penetrate thick rain clouds. Everything was slowing down, and the nomads looked like big balls of mismatched fur as they went about their work.
> Despite the cold and the wet, they'd sent a group of their fastest and most nimble scouts all the way down to the plains on Willow's suggestion, and there'd been no sighting of the Ulan-Zuk.
> Perhaps they truly had returned to their own lands. Even so, Salki and Darga had decided together that the clan would spend the winter in the forest. They'd put in too much work to abandon their new camp site, and the trek back would likely be treacherous with all the rain that had been falling.
> Not to mention the strong promise of snow, which would come any day now. Already hunting was becoming more difficult, and it was thanks to the nomads' new, bronze-tipped arrows and spears that they were able to build up their stocks of dry meat and leather. Harder times would come, but that was nothing new to these hardy people and they were busy preparing for a long and cold winter.
> At Thistle's insistence, the clan now had a few youths camping near the border between the two worlds on a permanent basis. It was a rotation, always with one of the somewhat experienced older hunters, and a couple of younger boys, who were barely grown enough to begin learning the spear and the bow.
> They mostly saw it as an adventure, so that was good. Every day they tried the doorway to Equestria, and one of them would come running if anything ever changed there.
> It could eventually mean their escape, but for the moment Thistle was forced to admit that finding the way back would be a lot harder than she'd expected. On the positive side, she now knew where it was.
> She'd gone with one of their groups to relieve another, and returned with the men coming back home. She'd carried their things, for which she'd earned herself a small sack of grain, and she'd seen exactly where the portal would appear.
> It felt strange and overwhelming to be in that spot after so long. Then again, it had only been a year.
> That didn't make sense to her. Surely, with how much had happened, and how much she'd been forced to change, it should have been longer. A decade, if not two.

>>42177230

> She didn't remember the clearing very well, but those first hours after her and Rainy Day's capture were a bit of a blur, both figuratively and literally. After all, she'd lost her glasses in the scuffle. She remembered how it felt to cross over, though. There'd been a sudden change in pressure, as if the air on this side was thinner than that back home. Her ears had popped, and the sounds of the forest had changed rapidly. She also vividly remembered the tree which had been cut in half.
> Other than that, it felt like a perfectly normal forest clearing. She stood at the edge and looked at it for quite some time, but there were no magical revelations to be had. No mysterious light, or a flash of magic. Nothing which reacted to her presence.
> If there was a way for a pony to open the gateway, it would probably have to be a unicorn. Even so, it'd need a knowledgeable and powerful one. Perhaps the Princesses could do it, but not many others even in Equestria.
> She'd wondered why the way opened on its own, and what drove the schedule, but with her lack of any magical training, and with nothing she could see, hear, or smell in the air, those thoughts were pointless speculation.
> In the end she'd sighed to herself, let her ears fold down in defeat, and walked back to the young men's camp, where at least there was a fire and a bit of old, stale bread to eat.
> The trek back to the rest of the clan had been just as uneventful, except for a small surprise when the party had startled a fox. The nomads had swift reflexes, and the animal had been skewered by an arrow before it had ran more than a few steps. Doubtless, it was already in someone's cooking pot.
> Thistle glanced at the pelt, which was drying on a nearby fire, and went back to contemplating her clay mug of grain broth.
> At least this winter she was rather better fed than the last one, and had a family to keep her warm at night. Any day, she expected, Salki and Saule would get a tent of their own, but until they they slept together to share warmth.
> The hunting was moderately successful, and the clan was gradually replenishing all the things they'd had to abandon to the Ulan-Zuk. Whether the stores they would lay in for the winter would suffice was yet to be seen.
> As an unexpected bonus, it seemed that Saule was warming up a little, especially as the weather cooled. Thistle supposed that cuddling with a person every night to share body heat would work on a human psyche the same way it did on a pony's.
> In fact, some of their morning small talk could be called downright *civil*! More than once, Saule had made food for the mare as she was cooking for herself and Salki. Well, most of those times she'd had Rangi cook for all of them, but it was the thought that counted.

>>42177232

> Perhaps she was finally starting to believe that Thistle had no more interest in Salki, nor he in her, other than as a confidant and advisor in his new role as Chieftain. The liaison they'd shared in the summer was over, and neither of them really wanted to go back to it.
> Thistle might change her mind when she went into heat again, but that was some months off still, and she would figure something out before it became a problem. With her increased status in the clan she was bound to have fewer problems than the last time.
> For now, she was warm, her belly was full, and there wasn't any hard work waiting for her to do before night. In the morning she'd have to walk down into the valley, to the nearest stream, and bring back water. The path had turned to mud, so it would be annoying, but with her four legs she was a lot more stable than a nomad, especially if they were both laden with water skins.
> She'd also have Rangi for company, and to help her fill the skins. Some days, there was also Ning, fetching water for Hisein. She had all but mastered the nomad language, so the two could converse quite fluidly.
> Her bowl was empty, but Thistle pushed her muzzle in and licked the last dregs of her watery stew until the rough clay was as clean as if she'd conscientiously washed it.
> Eventually she lowered it to the ground beside her, and wrapped her tattered cloak more tightly around her body. It was just enough to stave off shivers, if she combined it with sitting near one of the fires.
> Listening to the murmured conversation around her, she felt her eyes start to close and her head lilt forward. In a few more minutes she would go and curl up on her cot and add that blanket to the cloak. It would get her nice and toasty, especially once the others joined her.
> Perhaps there was no point in waiting? She glanced up to try and gauge how late it was, but the sky was dark and had been for some time. Even if it hadn't been overcast the whole day, the light from their fires would get in the way and she wouldn't see any stars, nor the moon, in the truncated patch of sky between the sheer cliffs on one side, and the encroaching forest on the other.
> She snorted in annoyance and was about to rise up, when a hand landed on her withers.
> "[Here, this is for you,]" a voice said. It was muffled because the man had his face wrapped in furs, but when she glanced at him she recognized Zaur. He'd filled out nicely in the past few months of working with the horses. It seemed he and Bulat had taken a special interest and were quickly becoming the clan's two equine experts. Too bad he'd started seeing that girl - Aina, she thought. Wasn't she Yasin's half-sister?

>>42177232

> Thistle almost forgot that the man was offering her a small package, wrapped in fur. She snapped out of her idle thoughts and jerked fully awake.
"[Oh! Sorry. What is it?]"
> "[Here,]" he repeated and pushed the bundle against her chest. She gripped it, her weariness flashing to curiosity. The smell told her it was wrapped in wolf skin, so it probably wasn't food. It also wasn't tied up, so she had no trouble unrolling it with her hooves.
> The ball of fur unraveled, until she came to the center and jumped in surprise. A wolf muzzle was staring at her!
"[Ugh. What is this?!]"
> Zaur chuckled at her expression. "[It's for you to wear. The head goes on your head.]" Even as he said it, he plucked the item from her hooves and draped it over her mane. She shuddered at the touch, remembering that grisly visage of a dead wolf's face, but she mastered herself enough so she didn't immediately shake it off.
> When it was settled on her head, she saw the merest fringe of dark fur. The rest of the pelt wrapped neatly around her body. There were stubs where the paws had been, and Zaur twisted them together at her chest to close the garment shut.
> After a moment, it felt quite snug and warm.
> "[It suits you,]" he said. "[Let me look at you.]"
> She remained still as he came around and inspected her. "[Yeah, you have a good face for it. The wolf looks intimidating on you. Maybe now people will take you more seriously.]"
"[More importantly, it will be a lot warmer than my cloak.]"
> "[Yeah, that too.]"
> Thistle wasn't sure how she felt about wearing the thing. True, her current clothes were also made from a dead animal, but at least the old cloak didn't have an actual face!
> Then again, it was a wolf. She knew first-hoof how dangerous and scary those beasts were, especially in the forest. They'd already lost one clan member to wolves when the old man had gone to relieve himself a little too far from the main camp in the middle of the night.
> Perhaps she would keep it, and maybe Zaur was right and the visage of the dead beast would give her words a bit more weight!
"[Thanks!]" she said and bounded up to her hooves.
> She wrapped her forelegs around Zaur's thigh and rubbed her cheek in his belly. Almost automatically, his hand came down to scratch behind her ears, even if he had to dig for them under her new hat. At least he found her own ears to scratch, and not the dead wolf's.
> That thought made her giggle, and a grin remained on her face as she pulled away from the nomad.
"[How are the horses?]"

>>42177237

> Zaur's face lit up with pleasure. He always enjoyed talking about those, and he made a half step away before he could stop himself. "[Want to come see? Both mares are with child now. You can see how their bellies are getting round! If they are anything like donkeys, they will have young in the spring!]"
> She nodded, even if he wasn't looking at her face anymore. Most animals seemed to have their young in spring, or early summer, to give them the most time to raise their offspring while food was plentiful.
"[Okay, let's go and see them.]"
> He began to lead her away, but before she followed, Thistle pushed her clay bowl closer to the fire, where there was less chance someone would step on it.
> It wasn't extremely valuable, but the land around here didn't have the right kind of dirt to make more pottery, so whatever the clan had would have to last until they could retake one of their old camps.
> Besides, she didn't cherish another argument with Saule over something as silly as a broken pot. The silly woman still kept bringing up the pot of honey Thistle had 'lost' during their escape from the Ulan-Zuk!

>>42177238

There's that signature look for our intrepid little Meyermer!

Paste: https://ponepaste.org/9738

>>42177239
Cutecutecute
She looks like she should be crucifying nomad degenerates

p10 save

>>42179621
It's not my fault walkies take so long

F L O O F A
Poner maximizes the softness for ultimate pillow comfort

>>42180244
Reminds me of Vegas cat-Twilight.

>>42181304
>wfh with a lap heater

>>42180608
That little MINX!

>"so who is in charge of pyrotechnics?"

>>42183310
slaves are not allowed near pyrotechnics

>>42183765
But it's her special talent! Surely she can be trusted

>>42185521
NO EXCEPTIONS!

Where my Jewish slave mares at?

>>42186603
The atmosphere on Earth is toxic for them.

>>42187297
No. We have been to the park today.

>>42177238
>hunting was becoming more difficult, and it was thanks to the nomads' new, bronze-tipped arrows
Umm so its more difficult or easier? The sentence clears it up later, it's just confusing.
>camping near the border between the two worlds
Finally!
>and she'd seen exactly where the portal would appear
Sly fox.
>it had only been a year
More like one and a half.
>Rainy Day
It's been a long time since Mayor thought about her.
>the air on this side was thinner
Could be too thin for Rainy Day to fly.
>why the way opened on its own
My guess is on some kind of cosmological alignment. Or maybe some unknown entity needs to cross once a while to check something and the portal kept being open for much longer than needed.
>Saule was warming up a little
Saule became a two edged knife.
>she was finally starting to believe that Thistle had no more interest in Salki
Poor Mayor, she will never be dicked by Salki again.
>as if she'd conscientiously washed it
Heh.
>wrapped her tattered cloak more tightly around her body
She needs some tailored clothes.
>clan's two equine experts
Just not on Mayor. Or are they?!
>wrapped in wolf skin
A proper gift that needs to be opened?
>A wolf muzzle was staring at her!
Heh. A wolf wrapped in a wolf.
>draped it over her mane
She will hate the smell. Especially if they can't clean the flesh out properly.
>close the garment shut
Heh, I was just said she needs tailored clothes.
>you have a good face for it
On a scale of one to ten, how much was this inspired by the illustration?
>gone to relieve himself a little too far from the main camp
Since when they don't just shit and piss wherever?
>scratch behind her ears
That's an equine expert right there!
>kept bringing up the pot of honey
Just admit it that she ate it all! Even if it's not true. Or make up another lie to confuse and ridicule her about it.

Thanks for the update!

Pleasure mare getting ready for her Master's arrival.

>>42188547
You need to get two ponies so they can help each other.

>>42188827
Those are maids. Master has many maids, but only one dedicated pleasure mare.

She hates the bath time.

pony is not allowed on the table and pony knows it

>>42188890
Unless you have frequent and numerous guests to entertain, or run a seedy boarding house, dedicated pleasure mares are usually a waste of money and resources. They will only perform pleasure duty for a couple hours per day at best for the average master, while the remaining time is spent in simple companionship and bed duty. Unless master has remote employment, their working period also contains a large gap where master is away from home.
Pleasure maids are far better for the average owner. A couple hours of pleasure duty will rarely impact their maid duties in any noteworthy manner, and unlike dedicated pleasure mares, they are able to remain working even while master is away. Furthermore, maid work is not often performed at night, freeing up a large time slot for maids to perform the bed duties of a pleasure mare. Assuming master gets an appropriate 8 hours of sleep and does not work remotely, this leaves dedicated pleasure mares with between 2/3 and 3/4 of each day wasted compared to pleasure maids, taking "wasted" to mean "time in which maid work and pleasure mare work does not overlap."

Shady Hollows has always been isolated from the rest of Equestria. Dark colors and an omnivore diet create a bit of a rift between bat ponies and the rest of ponykind, not to mention being nocturnal and the whole Nightmare Moon business tainting their image for a thousand years. But when the portal opened up, they found out the new visitors are okay with all of that and they've been very eager to welcome humans into their little town.

Unfortunately, they're a bit awkward.

Maid!

>>42193817
Sexy Maid!

Uh oh..

>>42177238

> The crisp snow was so cold that it almost sounded like it squeaked as Thistle walked through it. The frogs of her hooves had long since gone numb, and the unpleasant sensation was spreading up her legs. Even with both of her animal fur coats tightly wrapped around her body it wasn't enough.
> It wasn't by choice that she was out, but by necessity. Everyone had to pitch in, and her place was with Buygra's hunting party.
> She couldn't track, shoot a bow, or throw a spear, but by carrying their gear and food she freed the others in her group and allowed them to move more freely. The troop had spread out, and each man had a bow in hand, as well as several spears strapped to his back. If their passage frightened any animal, they would catch it.
> Some proof of their skill was already tied to Thistle's pack. She could smell the sharp tang of blood in the air, and she felt the small bodies bump against her flank. It wasn't enough, though, and the group had decided to go further.
> There was little danger from the Ulan-Zuk - everyone in the camp agreed that the enemy had likely returned to their own lands. Willow and a few of his friends had gone as far as their original camp, and had brought back some of the better tents. There was talk of sending a larger expedition and the horses to fetch the rest.
> Apparently the enemy hadn't plundered the place, or at the very least hadn't taken the tents. Willow did say that the firewood and the food they'd left was gone. Wild animals could account for the latter, though most creatures in the steppe didn't want to eat smoked meat, but wood would have been of no interest to anyone except a nomad.
> Some of her people were saying they should go back, and that hunting would be better in the lowlands. Others recognized the bounty of the forest. Even in winter, there were rabbits, foxes, wolves, and even the occasional deer or elk. A few of the hunters had learned to find sleeping squirrels and raccoons, which were easy to reach with a bronze-lined shovel.
> No, the reason the people were going hungry was because they'd spent too much time fighting, or scouting for the enemy, and hadn't had time to put in a good amount of stock for the winter. It would be worse if they travelled again.
> All that led to Thistle joining the hunting parties to make her contribution, however small. The memory of the children eating when they brought back game gave her consolation when her muscles ached, and when the cold bit especially deeply. It warmed her during the nights she spent shivering, despite several layers of animal furs and the bodies of others surrounding her.

>>42194428

> It also meant she would continue to be fed. Grazing was no longer an option, since the ground was covered with snow even in the thickest parts of the forest. The only thing remaining to her was nibbling the pine needles from some of the smaller trees, but that was unpalatable and not very filling. More and more she relied on the stocks of grain and rice the nomads still had.
> She was worried it would run out before spring, which was why hunting was so important. The people could eat meat, but she couldn't.
> A twang to one side drew her attention and she saw one of the wrapped and hooded figures hurry off. She focused her ears on the man's crunching footsteps and heard his happy little exclamation. It made her smile when she saw him turn back, a fat badger in his hand. That was much better than a rabbit, and several of the others went to pat the lucky hunter on the back.
> She stopped so they could tie their newest catch to her pack, which also let her recognize the man.
"[Good shot, Zaur!]"
> He pulled down the grubby bit of cloth he'd wrapped around his face against the cold and flashed her a smile. "[Soon you will be too heavy to walk!]"
"[It will be a good problem to have.]"
> That would also mean they'd head back. If their luck held, they might even decide to return today, which would mean she didn't have to sleep in a flimsy tent on the snow. She'd be able to stretch out in the camp, in a comparatively comfortable tent, with the central firepit and the layers of dried grass and animal skins for the floor.
> It was crude, especially when she remembered her spacious and warm house in Ponyville, but it was the height of luxury to be able to lie on something soft and dry, and hold her hooves out to a hot fire. Perhaps with a clay bowl of grain broth, or maybe just hot water with a few pine needles and touch of honey, a combination which made for a passable tea.
> Zaur patted her head through the hood and pulled the cloth back over his bearded face. She resumed her walk, and the nomads spread out once more. She glanced at the sky, which was a deep blue and crystal-clear. The sun was only just beginning their descent.
> There was still a good chance they'd catch enough game to return. She set her face against the cold and concentrated on placing one hoof in front of another. At least the snow wasn't too deep. At least it didn't cling to her fur.

> ~~~~

> She heard the rustle at the same time someone yelled: "[Deer!]" Before she could really react, there was a twang of a bow string and a sharp scream. The men shouted in triumph and ran. All she could do was follow, careful not to fall or drop her cargo.

>>42194431

> In moments she was alone. She could see the bright red splashes of blood on the snow, and she could hear the animal crashing through branches. The men yelled as they pursued. Whoever had shot at it hadn't hit it properly. The buck was wounded, but not dead.
> In a few more stumbling steps she was at the first crimson stain. All she had to do was follow it, and she would find the deer and her friends. Judging by the size of the splatter she didn't think it would run very far.
> Thistle tried to close her nose to the stench of fresh blood and the stink of the deer's panic, and began to trudge along the trampled path as quickly as she could.
> She would have preferred an elk and her mouth twisted with distaste as her ears caught the occasional distant scream or shout. Partly because they were larger, and would feed more people, but there was also a strange kind of anguish inside her at the thought of killing a deer.
> It didn't make sense, and there was no logic to it, but hunting elk felt less cruel to her than deer. She was fine with the nomads killing wolves, and bears, and even foxes. She'd been numbed to the death of smaller game, like rabbits and birds. For some reason, however, she didn't like to think about deer.
> At least it wasn't a doe.
> She heaved a sigh and hastened her steps. The sounds were getting closer, which meant that the men had caught the animal, or at least cornered it. With luck, they would finish it quickly, and then they could go home.
> One of the nomads yelled something. She thought she recognized Buygra's voice, but couldn't make out his words. A moment after, there was another shrill scream from the wounded buck.
> The noise guided her in a straight line, so she didn't have to rely on the trail of blood. Soon she burst through two small pine trees and came into the clearing.
> Her friends had circled the dear, but none of them wanted to approach. They'd switched from bows to spears and it looked like they were waiting for the loss of blood to weaken the animal. There were two arrows sticking out from its midriff, making Thistle wince in sympathy.
> A dribble of blood ran from the buck's mouth and it was having trouble breathing. It was still standing, and it swung the sharp antlers warily toward the hunters.
"[Fuck, just kill it already!]" she yelled at the men. "[Buygra! Your bow!]"
> "[No,]" he said, holding his hand up to forestall the others. "[Don't damage the hide any more. It will fall soon. That is a kill wound.]"
> She glanced at the poor creature. It was sagging, but it wasn't giving up, however hopeless the situation. It struggled to draw breath, letting out a cloud of steam on each exhalation. Its eyes swiveled wildly to try and keep all of the hunters in sight.
"For Celestia's sake!"

>>42194433

> She swore some more in the nomad language as she hurriedly shrugged out of her pack and ran to Buygra. If they weren't going to do it, then it was up to her. Necessity was one thing, but needless suffering was another, even if a part of her agreed with Buygra to keep the pelt whole.
"[Give me your knife! The big one. Give me!]"
> He looked at her strangely, but obeyed and pulled the bronze dagger from his belt.
> She accepted it into her mouth and walked cautiously toward the buck. It didn't react, or at least it wasn't attacking her immediately. Perhaps it was dazed from the loss of blood, or maybe her shape didn't worry it, but the deer let her approach, even if it watched her very carefully. From up close she could hear liquid gurgling in its lungs, and smell its musk of pain and terror. It made her wince in sympathy.
"I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice as gentle as she could make it with the knife in her mouth. "I'll make it quick."
> The equestrian words seemed to do something, at least on some level, and the deer looked at her strangely. It even lowered its head to sniff at her, which gave her the opportunity she needed.
> She reared up on her hind legs to reach.
> Her swing was fast and accurate, and the sharp blade neatly opened the buck's neck. It screamed and jumped back, stumbling as it tried to flee from her, a torrent of its life blood spraying from the open wound.
> It didn't get far, and in moments its legs buckled under the weight. It fell to its side, chest heaving. Its eye focused on her and its mouth opened helplessly.
> She watched it, tears welling in her eyes and the blood-stained dragger falling from her mouth. It wasn't long until the animal stilled. With a last shudder, it let out the last breath.
> At least it was out of its misery.
"[What in the ancestors' names was that shooting!? Which one of you idiots can't hit something that big in the heart?!]"
> She was angry for what she'd done, however necessary it had been. She'd done the creature a mercy, and she was even more sure of that now that she saw the arrows. They'd failed to hit any important organ!
> It would have taken the buck a long time to drown in its own blood. It would have been excruciating. The throat had been a lot quicker.
> One of the men cleared his throat, and she rounded up on him. From this close she could easily recognize who it was.
"[Usman! Did you shoot the first arrow?]"
> He gave a nod, but didn't say anything.
"[Stupid! You hit it in the gut! You're lucky you even caught it!]"
> Zaur pointed a finger. "[It fell and drove the arrow deeper. It couldn't get up right away, and we cut it off. Buygra shot it in the lungs.]"

>>42194434

> Almost before he'd finished talking Buygra retorted: "[At least it was a kill shot! Well, it would have been! I almost hit the heart, but the deer moved!]"
> The mare let her head hang. She looked into the open, unseeing eye of the animal and drew a shuddering breath. Anger had masked the pain a little, but now it was coming back.
"[Well, it's done now.]"
> "[How did you get close to it? Usman tried with a spear, but nearly got skewered with the antlers,]" Buygra asked.
"[I look like an animal. I'm similar to a deer. It was hurt and confused.]"
> "[Well, nicely done. I'll tell Janus to make you a dagger too.]"
> Her mouth twisted in distaste, but she didn't decline. It would be better to have it, even if she never needed it, than to need it and not have it.
> Up until now it just hadn't been a priority. All the hunters needed spears, and the first few knives Janus had made went to the women for cleaning the animals and cooking. Only now was there enough for some of the hunters to get one.
> Her eyes strayed to the fallen buck and she averted her gaze from that accusing, lifeless stare.
"[You three,]" she pointed a hoof at the nomads, "[pick up my pack and divide it between yourselves. Zaur, you and me, we'll drag the deer. Start tying ropes to it.]"
> No one objected, not even Buygra who was supposed to be in charge of their group. She turned to face him, too.
"[Buygra, you hold on to your bow. Despite this,]" she waved her foreleg at the animal, "[you're still our best shot. Keep an eye out, maybe we can get another rabbit or something on the way back.]"
> It was unlikely, not with the amount of noise they were likely to make, but perhaps they would frighten a couple small critters into running, and then Buygra would be their best chance of skewering them with an arrow.
"[Let's get home. The people need the food and I want to sleep somewhere warm tonight!]"
> There was a chorus of agreements from the others, and even Buygra's "[Yes, Thistle,]" sounded like meek obedience.
> She walked a few steps away, trying to escape the smell of blood, and stared at the snow while the others got ready. Their fingers were a lot better suited to the tasks she'd set them, and Zaur would call her when he was ready to start tying the deer to her.
> It would be a long and gruelling trip back, dragging the thing on cold-numbed hooves, but the promise of a dry tent and a warm fire would see her through it.
> She just had to keep telling herself that the hunt had gone well.

>>42194436

Oh my, our little sweet Thistle is turning into quite a hard mare, isn't she?

Paste: https://ponepaste.org/9738

>>42194438

Hmm, did my trip change? Am I doing it wrong? Maybe I mistyped the name, lemme try this.

Maid and maid in training

tummyrubs

>>42197745
>socks
She knows what she is doing.

>>42193392
They're not very good at this.

>>42200221
Feed the bat. It's like a cat cafe, where you can buy treats

Treats jar is empty.

>>42194436
>had brought back some of the better tents
Question is, was it looted by the Ulan-Zuks?
>enemy hadn't plundered the place, firewood and the food they'd left was gone
That's good.
>make her contribution
Hopefully not stomping on critters.
>eat meat, but she couldn't
She would happily take some meat in her mouth from time to time.
>At least it didn't cling to her fur.
What about the smell of the dead animals she is carrying?
>stink of the deer's panic
Yellow snow!
>then it was up to her
What?!?!
>neatly opened the buck's neck
Poor dear, it just got betrayed.
>she pointed a hoof at the nomads
Now she acts like a proper leader.
>we'll drag the deer
Drag? Just get a thicker stick of wood, orient it lengthwise to the deer, tie its legs to it and two people lift it from the ends.

Thanks for the update!

>>42203520
Filthy horsies

>>42204217
Filthy filly.

>>42205040
I think that little pet bat is a colt

>>42205976
*Filthy foal

Bat storage closet.

>>42194438
Awesome update as always! This is easily the best green on /mlp/. Thank you!

Smooshy cheeks

Pet the poner

Pony does the shopping

>>42167872
I like her.

Sorry, no Meyermer today. It's been a helluva week, full of meetings and boring documents. Also, apparently my IP has been banned since 2020, so I'm typing this from phone

>>42213248
Sad.
>apparently my IP has been banned since 2020
Appeal if you can't change it. I had it many many times.

>>42209589

oops

>>42164303
There’s a 3?
Or are you counting Fires Heart?

>>42220856
Yes, FH is 3.

>>42221682
This pony is plotting something.
I can feel it.

>>42223071
She secretly stores ergot in a jar.

>>42223184
It's just for an experiment. Honest

>>42223195
Sad that the writefag is MIA

Maid and ᵐᵃᶦᵈ

>>42223781
maid^2

Naughty

>>42227456
Luv me a floofy mane

Pony made dinner.

>>42229224
you're telling me a horse fried this rice?

>>42229314
Worse.... A bat

>>42194436

> It got easier, even as winter advanced. Despite the cold and the snow, despite the darkness early in the afternoon when the weak sun had gone down, the people were surviving.
> Perhaps she couldn't quite call it 'thriving', but they were less hungry and less cold than they were. Thistle had helped with some of that. After the big deer, she'd gone out with the hunters again and again. Most of the time they returned with small game, rabbits, foxes, birds. A few times they even surprised wolves.
> Sometimes, very rarely, they found something larger. One evening, after they dragged an elk into the camp was particularly memorable. The merriment of the people at the abundance of meat and hide was lasting well into the night, even though the hunt itself had been far less dramatic than the deer she'd been forced to kill.
> That evening Thistle stayed up with Buygra, Salki, and Saule, talking well into the moonlit night while the people sang and danced. The air was crisp, and she could hear the nearby trees groan and squeak as the very sap inside them froze. The nomads, decked out in layer and layers of furs, and surrounded by big bonfires, fared rather better.
> She herself was quite comfortable, now that the chill had left her hooves and her two fur cloaks had had a chance to capture some of her body heat.
> Walking, that was the problem. Her garment was crude and didn't close properly around her body. There were large gaps, exacerbated when she moved, which let all of her precious body heat escape. She wasn't in danger of freezing, thanks to her natural fur, but it was supremely uncomfortable, especially on her legs.
> Thistle examined her forehoof, grimacing a little at the jagged, uneven rim. She would have to get Janus to make a file, and then teach one of the nomads to use it. So far, it had been pure luck that she'd worn her hooves down about as quickly as they grew.
> That wouldn't do much for the cold, though.
"[Salki!]" she piped up into a thoughtful, contemplative silence.
> The man wrenched his eyes from the fire and looked at her expectantly.
"[I need shoes.]"
> "[Shoes?!]" he blurted in surprise, even as Buygra started to chuckle. "[You don't have feet. You have hooves! You don't need shoes!]"
"[I do. It's cold!]"
> He gave a shrug and went back to looking at the flames. "[The horses and the donkeys are fine,]" he pointed out, almost absentmindedly.
"[I'm not a horse, and I'm not a donkey! Ponies wear shoes in the winter!]"
> Rather than argue, Salki spread his arms in a helpless gesture. "[Fine,]" he said, "[but you have to get Darkhan to make them. He won't listen to me any more.]"
"[Why not? You're the Chieftain!]"

>>42230595

> Buygra snorted in amusement and she looked at him for an answer after it became obvious that Salki didn't want to talk about it. The hunter obliged. "[Darkhan won't listen to Salki because of all the stupid ideas!]"
"[What stupid ideas!?]"
> Growing interested, Thistle turned from the fire so she could face Buygra and give him her undivided attention. Her hood shifted a little as her ears perked up under the wolf head.
> "[Well, there was that one about cutting up the big tent and making small tents for all the families,]" Buygra said.
> Thistle shook her head.
"[Wouldn't work. There is not enough material. Small tents need more leather.]"
> "[I know that!]" Salki growled.
> Buygra nodded and patted his back. "[He does, yes. Now!]"
> All of them except for Salki laughed. Even Saule joined in, although she placed a hand on her husband's shoulder in a show of silent support.
> "[Then,]" Buygra went on, "[there was that one with the sticky fur!]"
"[What? What was that?]"
> "[You know the fur we strip from the leather?]" Buygra asked.
"[Yes?]"
> He started to chuckle so hard it made his words almost unintelligible: "[Get this- Salki said we should stick that fur to other fur coats to make them warmer! Hah! Can you imagine?]"
"[Stick how?]"
> Buygra shrugged expansively. "[Tree sap, I think. I don't know. He said if we stick more fur to our fur coats they would be warmer!]"
> Thistle leaned her head to one side. On the face of it, perhaps the idea wasn't exactly wrong, but the nomads certainly didn't have the tools and materials which would let them do something like that.
"[Well, it's not entirely a bad idea,]" she commented.
> "[What!?]" said both Buygra and Salki at the same time.
"[It wouldn't work, but that's because we don't have a way to stick fur so it stays dry. If you cover a fur coat with tree sap, then it will no longer work as a fur coat. The hairs must be dry. There must be air between them.]"
> They all looked at her strangely. "[That's silly! It's the air that is cold!]" Buygra pointed out.
> She shook her head firmly.
"[Trust me on this one. Clothes and fur work because they trap some air. The air caught in the fur becomes warm and that keeps the heat around your body. If you get hair wet, it will not be warm anymore, like when you wash your head in a stream.]"
> They didn't argue, although Buygra still looked doubtful. Salki grinned in vindication. "[So it was a good idea!]"
"[It wouldn't work, because we can't attach loose fur to a fur coat. The sap would make it wet.]"
> He subsided, but he didn't look as miserable as before when Buygra had started recounting his blunders.
> "[Well,]" the hunter said after a moment's silence, "[there was that other thing, too. He said we should put bits of metal in our shoes.]"
"[Why?]"

>>42230598

> She glanced at the Chieftain, who lowered his gaze and pressed his lips together, unhappy to go over the embarrassment again.
> "[Something about not slipping in snow and mud. He said if there were bits of metal sticking from our shoes it would grip the ground better. Some fools actually tried it!]"
> Thistle switched her gaze to Buygra.
"[What happened?]"
> "[What do you think?]" he asked derisively. "[The metal pierced their feet. They couldn't walk for a few days. Besides, the holes in their shoes let in snow and mud.]"
> Buygra began chuckling again, but Thistle poked him with a hoof to shut him up.
"[That one could work, but you have to think differently,]" she told Salki.
> "[What?!]" he lifted his gaze to her, the light of hope burning in his eyes. "[How?]"
"[Make a shoe from wood. Drive the bits of metal in the bottom, then sew leather on the top. That way the wood protects your feet from the metal.]"
> The two men looked at one another in shock. After a while, Buygra swore: "[Fuck.]"
> "[You try with Darkhan this time,]" Salki pointed out. "[You can tell him it's my idea if it works.]"
> "[Fuck that,]" Buygra retorted. "[If it works, I'll tell him it was Thistle's idea. I'll tell him it was yours if it doesn't work!]"
> "[Hey!]" Salki yelled and punched his friend on the shoulder, but all that did was make Buygra laugh harder.
"[I'll go talk to Darkhan tomorrow,]" Thistle said with finality. "[I need him to make me shoes anyway. I will try this idea.]"
> She had a feeling it wouldn't be as simple as hoofguards, at least if she wanted something then nomads could walk on. Their feet were a weird shape, and much softer than she'd expected. The thought of someone driving metal nails through their shoes and then trying to walk on them made her wince.
"[Tomorrow,]" she said.
> Her gaze fell to a clay bowl by her hooves, and she picked it up. There was a residue of pine needles in the bottom and she looked around for the water skin.
"[Is there any honey left?]"

> ~~~~

> It felt strange to walk on hooves wrapped in leather, but on the plus side it meant she wouldn't be covered in mud up to her ankles. She'd get used to it, Thistle figured. Besides, it was only for the winter. The hassle of tying the crude, makeshift shoes on, and then removing them, was too much.
> Rangi didn't mind helping her, but she couldn't rely on a nomad to be around each time she needed to go out of the tent, and she couldn't tie the straps herself, at least not around her hind hooves.
> They did keep her a little warmer, though, so it was worth some trouble.

>>42230600

> Despite the benefits of footwear, Thistle was happy when her group got out of the camp, onto clean, white snow. It was trodden down in a crude path, but not enough to squish it into mud. It was far less slippery, too.
> She hoped her wooden clogs with metal cleats would help. The ground among the tents was dangerous, especially early in the morning when the slush had frozen over. Already there had been one broken leg and a number of twisted ankles among the nomads.
> At least her little party had made it past the dangerous 'streets' without incident, which was a good result, especially laden as they were. Thistle herself had a large pack, albeit fitting rather better than the one from that dreadful night they'd escaped from the Ulan-Zuk. Beside her was Zaur, with a smaller sack tied to his back, and Bulat. Their presence was the only reason the little party was allowed to take two of the horses.
> The mare was showing a noticeable bump around her belly, although it didn't seem to bother her in the slightest, yet. She still had a lighter load than the gelding, who kept snorting and swishing his tail in complaint.
> She'd asked Zaur, but he assured her the horses would settle down after a time. They weren't used to walking, having stayed still in the mountain valley for so long.
> The only reason they were being taken now was because the group had to travel light and fast, so they needed all their food. There would be no time for hunting.
> Now that they were out of the camp's hubbub, talking became possible once more, and Thistle angled herself closer to the two nomads.
"[You're sure they won't fight us? Try to drive us off?]"
> "[Not sure, but I don't think they will,]" Zaur replied.
> Her ears folded down underneath the hood, but it was as good an assurance as she was likely to get in these lands.
"[Fine. I still don't know why no one told me. No one thought to ask his son?!]"
> Again it was Zaur who answered her: "[It was a crazy time. The Ruslans were attacking almost every day. They didn't even notice he was dead until the next morning. It was months before we came back from the East!]"
> She shook her head in exasperation. The old Shaman had a son! The young man, Aibek, hadn't followed his father's profession, which was an oddity in itself in this society, but apparently he wanted nothing to do with his dad. She didn't know why there'd been such animosity, but the kid's unwillingness to follow in the 'family trade' was probably at the root of it.

>>42230606

> The whole story had come up as a random point of curiosity, only because Saule was gossiping with one of the other women, and Aibek was the topic. Apparently the young man, riding high on his group's success in bringing back a bear, had gotten into a fight because of what he'd done with of the girls. With her father, no less.
> Thistle could read between the lines well enough to guess at what that meant. The hapless girl would probably find herself married before spring, and Aibek would become a father before the next winter.
> One she'd realized who the man was, or more importantly, who his dad had been, she'd chased him down. It was her only lead to the way back to Equestria, after all!
> Unfortunately, Aibek didn't want to talk, and he knew next to nothing to his deceased father's trade. Some of the others had told her how the two had fought and argued, which was where she'd learned that the son didn't want to follow in the old man's footsteps. He'd wanted to become a hunter, instead.
> She'd thought her stroke of luck would turn out to be completely useless, but Aibek did remember one particular fact. His father had spent some months with another tribe. That had been years ago, and the only reason it had stuck in his memory was because of the payment they'd both enjoyed.
> The old Shaman had gone to train an apprentice for one of the other groups down in the plains. 'Andronoskaya', she thought they were. Even for a nomad word it was hard to pronounce.
> Crucially, that meant there was someone whom the old Shaman had taught. Perhaps, if her luck held, they would know about the way to Equestria. It was obscure and occult enough that it might be considered an important enough secret for a new shaman to learn.
> More importantly, she had enough pull in the camp to get herself an expedition. None of the best hunters, of course - those were needed to keep the camp supplied with meat. She got Zaur and Bulat, mainly because they'd volunteered. They also took two of the horses, since the animals weren't much use in the winter. Beside them, there was Rinat, who was getting on in years and couldn't quite keep up with the younger hunters in the snow-covered forest, and herself.
> Not much of a party, but all the men could navigate well enough to find the Andronoskaya people.
> She'd also gotten a good collection of bronze knives and a couple of wolf skins, in case they needed to trade for the information.
> Beside that, Thistle suspected Darga only allowed them to go because they were supposed to ask about the traders. The camp was running low on important supplies, and they had to make sure the trading caravans would know to look for the Borchi-Quin in the mountains come spring.

>>42230609

> The only reason Intor condoned the expedition was because Rinat was Kantuta's husband, and he would be sure to relay everything She said and did. Thistle thought her relationship with him was cordial enough, but she was still determined to guard her mouth around him.
> She blew the air out of her nose, trying to get rid of the stink of the camp. The winter chill lessened the impact a little, but any group of nomads, she was coming to realize, living in one spot for any length of time, would produce the most Celestia-awful stench.
> That was probably part of the reason they moved from place to place, come to think of it.
> Her lungs clear, she took a deep breath of the clean, forest air. There was even a faint light above, with the occasional ray of sunshine poking through the torn and patchy clouds.
> Perhaps, once they left the mountains, it would be less cold, too!
> She couldn't help smiling to herself, and her steps lightened.
"[Zaur,]" she called. "[Would you like to practice the pony language?]"
> After all, if these Andronoskaya and their shaman could tell her the secret of the way, she might have her friends in Equestria before long. Knowing the language would definitely be useful, and would gain Zaur much standing in the camp.
> He exchanged a glance with Bulat, then shrugged. "[Sure. It will pass the time.]"
"[Good! Okay.]" She slipped smoothly into her native tongue: "Tell me about your day!"

>>42230613

A ray of hope, or another crushing disappointment? More importantly, will Thistle make the clan another enemy?

I guess we'll find out soon!

Paste: https://ponepaste.org/9738

>>42230613
Ooh more equestrian deeplore!

>>42233209
9
what are we counting down to?

>>42233637
the next awf post
hes carrying this thread

>>42234418
he definitely does

pet the poner

>>42237669
catpony

>>42238098
well, bats do get the zoomies in the middle of the night...

>>42239339
pet the pone

H00fcare is important. Take care of the h00fa

>>42239719
If you would take care properly, you would not need the end cutting nipper, instead you would file it down every few days.

>>42152517
source?

>>42237287
bellyrubs is life

>>42240209
She doesn't let me touch her hooves until it's bad. Must be some kind of maresochist

>>42230613
>less cold than they were. Thistle had helped with some of that
What a cuddlebug.
>exacerbated when she moved
What a fat mare!
>The horses and the donkeys are fine
Or they just can't tell their problems.
>Salki growled
Heh.
>Trust me on this one
Ms Inventalot Mare should really invent stuff. because she barely does anything but embrace the current level of advancement.
>Something about not slipping in snow and mud
At this rate Salki will make laps around Thistle with his inventions.
>driving metal nails through their shoes and then trying to walk on them
You know they could just asked Janus to make a custom shape which is flat on one end and spiky on the other right? Also, they could just use rocks or something, does not have to be metal. Copper is too soft anyways.
>Is there any honey left?
Glutton.
>hooves wrapped in leather
Again, Janus + proper horseshoes? They have horses already. Making something for Thistle which she can take off would be better than a simple leather wrap.
>allowed to take two of the horses
How's Thistles horse riding skills?
>Try to drive us off?
If they are even there.
>The old Shaman had a son!
Does not seem to be a point of interest.
>It was her only lead to the way back to Equestria
Why? If he did not want to become the next shaman, he probably does not know anything.
>Perhaps, if her luck held, they would know about the way to Equestria
Would be good to know if its possible to trigger the portal.
>get herself an expedition
She might have the "pull" but they don't have the resources right now.

Thanks for the update!

Patiently waiting for walkies.

>>42245656
I just bought a bed for my cat who hates anything and everything new. For some reason after giving it a sniff, she instantly started kneading it then lay down in it.

master refuses to cuddle, because the house is too warm during the summer

>>42246744
Pony employs ice magic to refrigerate the house
Pony gets the snuggs

Carry the pone

>>42247704
you can hear this image

>>42230613

> Once again Thistle was surrounded by staring nomad faces. Most were curious, some were afraid. A few, especially younger ones, looked at her in wonder.
> She'd pushed the hood of her cloak back, partly so the wolf head wouldn't send the wrong message, and partly so her mane might trigger curiosity rather than fear. It was working, as far as she could tell. People pointed and murmured, and the children pressed forward against their mothers' restraining arms.
> It hadn't occurred to her before, but if her little party didn't have enough items to trade for information she could always let them cut some of her mane. She'd miss the warmth, but some discomfort would be worth learning what she came there to learn.
> At least they hadn't attacked, and she couldn't see any signs of the Andronoskaya preparing to do so. There were plenty of weapons, but only spears, and only with stone tips. That gave her people a distinct advantage, with their bows and their metal weapons.
> Those wouldn't be enough, but any ambush would be costly. She hoped the others knew that.
> More likely was that they didn't feel any particular animosity toward her and the men around her, nor toward the Borchi-Quin. The Andronoskaya lands were sufficiently far from their own that the two had probably never really fought. At the very least, if they had, it must have passed from living memory.
> Her party was therefore only an opportunity to trade, and perhaps to exchange news. That had earned them the permission, if not quite an invitation, to enter the camp and speak with their chieftain. Rinat, being recognized as their leader due to his age, had graciously accepted the offer, just like they'd agreed the night before.
> Soon they were told to wait while their guide, a young man who'd identified himself as Shakir, pushed into the tent. Thistle looked at Rinat and murmured:
"[If they want you to speak for us, ask for their shaman to join the meeting.]"
> A few of the people gasped and the murmuring among the crowd became louder. People were pointing fingers at her and talking animatedly. The overall impression was fear, and some even drew back a little.
> Thistle's ears folded down and she averted her gaze from the nomads. She'd gotten used to her own camp, where everyone knew her and had gotten used to the fact that she could speak their language.
> "[So this is true?]" a new voice spoke from the tent. The flap was being held open by Shakir, and an older nomad sat inside. His face was crossed with thin, white scars where it wasn't covered with a graying beard. His hair was held back with a leather cord.
> "[This is the Chieftain, Anwar,]" Shakir explained. "[Go inside.]"

>>42248173

> She was only too glad to get out of the uncomfortable scrutiny, so Thistle didn't hesitate. She found a place around the central fire pit, opposite the Chief. She thought there were other people in the tent, but the interior was dim and her eyes would need time to adapt after the brightness of the snow outside. Besides, this man was the most important one she needed to consider, so she kept her focus on him for now.
> "[You can talk?]" Anwar asked impatiently as the others filed in, except for Bulat who opted to stay with their animals.
"[Yes I can,]" she confirmed.
> "[This is unusual. We heard rumors, but we thought they were no more than fanciful stories the traders spread. Well, well.]"
> The flap closed, plunging the interior of the tent into near darkness, with the only light coming from the small fire in a central pit. Rinat sat right beside her and even nudged her a little so he could sit opposite the Chieftain, while Zaur took her other side, between himself and the man.
> Shakir sat himself opposite Zaur, which told Thistle that he was either the Chieftain's son, or someone very important in the camp. Perhaps the lead hunter?
"[I would like for your shaman to join us.]"
> "[What for?]" Shakir asked.
"[There are things I want to ask. We will trade for the answers.]"
> The Chieftain spoke almost as soon as the last word left her mouth: "[Is that why you're here?]"
"[We are here to trade.]"
> Shakir and - presumably - his father glanced at each other. Thistle was inclined to believe they were related, otherwise she doubted the younger man would be so forward in his questions.
> "[It seems the traders did not lie, for once. You speak as a leader among the Borchi-Quin, yet you are an animal, and a female. How odd.]"
"[Never mind that! Will you trade or not? We can go elsewhere!]" Thistle lied.
> Anwar inclined his head. "[We will hear your proposal,]" he said guardedly.
"[We want grain, and salt, and honey. Linen, if you have it. Tubers, if there are any left. Roots.]"
> "[That is a lot of things,]" the man replied, his voice calm and thoughtful. "[What do you bring in return? You only have two of those horses. Are they laden with gems and trinkets? Are the horses a part of your trade?]"
"[Not the horses, and no gems. Better than that. Metal weapons. Spears and knives.]"
> The son pointed a finger at Zaur. "[What about those? Those are new weapons.]" He meant the bow slung across the young hunter's shoulder.
"[Those we will not trade.]"
> "[We can take them if we want to!]"
> Anwar put his hand on the younger man's arm, as if to keep him from rising. "[No, Shakir!]" he hissed. "[Will you shame me by breaking hospitality?!]"

>>42248175

> For a moment Shakir seemed embarrassed, then he lowered his face and stared fixedly at the fire. "[Rude my son may be,]" Anwar went on, confirming Thistle's suspicions, "[yet he asks a valid question. Will you not trade these new weapons? There are stories...]"
> "[What kind of stories?]" Rinat asked, the first words he'd said during the interview.
> The Chieftain's mouth quirked up in an amused smile. "[You know the tales traders spread. I did not believe them when they described how the Ruslans were defeated. And yet... I see how you carry these weapons. Now I am thinking there may be some truth to the stories.]"
> "[We said they are not for sale,]" Rinat began, but Thistle raised a hoof and he fell silent.
"[They are not for sale now,]" she said. "[Perhaps, if you are trustworthy. Perhaps, if we make an allegiance.]"
> She felt Zaur's mouth brush the soft fur on her ear as he whispered: "[What are you doing!?]"
> Despite the amused, knowing looks their hosts were giving her, Thistle turned to the man and whispered back:
"[I am not promising anything. We may need friends against the Ulan-Zuk.]"
> "[Then we end in the same situation as we are in now! Do you never think before you promise things?!]"
"[We will discuss it later! I'm not promising them anything.]"
> Rinat watched their exchange, eyes flashing in dark anger as the youth and the woman completely ignored him during such an important discussion. Thistle gave him a small shrug, then faced Anwar again.
"[I will not promise anything, you understand? It may happen, depending on whether our people become friends. You and Borchi-Quin have never fought, correct?]"
> "[We have not.]"
"[Our lands do not touch. There is no need for fighting.]"
> "[There is not.]"
> Thistle gave a slight nod.
"[Good. So we trade with you our metal spears and knives, and fine wolf pelts, for grain, and tubers, and salt. Honey, if you have some.]"
> Anwar considered this, stroking his beard. "[You do not have many weapons on your beasts outside. That will not bet you much grain.]"
"[We will take as much as you will trade. If your people like, I will trade some of my hair. You have not seen this color before.]"
> The man shrugged, showing that he didn't care much about such things, but neither would he stop any of his people who might.
"[We will also ask some questions to your shaman.]"
> "[Why?]"
> She'd thought about this. The questions would have to be circumspect so she didn't give away the fact that the way to Equestria existed. She did not want to start an exodus of nomads into her home land.
"[Our shaman was killed by the Ruslans. We wish to make sure the stories are not forgotten among our people. We must know how to placate the spirits.]"

>>42248178

> That was accepted with nods of agreement, even from Rinat, who knew the real reason they'd come. Thistle made sure her expression remained neutral.
"[Our shaman came to visit you, many years ago. He taught your shaman. This way, his stories and his knowledge will return back to the Borchi-Quin, who have lost it.]"
> Another round of contemplative nods. She knew the nomads considered tradition very important.
> "[Very well, you may speak with the shaman. I do not know how many stories he can tell you. I guess it depends on how long you intend to stay,]" Anwar said.
"[Tonight, perhaps tomorrow. We want to ask about some stories, but we will be back to ask for more. We will bring you more weapons to trade.]"
> "[Good. Now, let us eat and drink like allies. You may call your other man inside too. No one will touch your animals, you have my word on that.]"
> Thistle smiled and inclined her head in gratitude. She leaned over to Zaur:
"[Go get Bulat. Bring all the things we have to trade inside, so we can show them.]"

> ~~~~

> It wasn't a good haul, even with some clippings from her mane and tail thrown in. Despite the novel color, the strands of hair weren't long enough to be very useful, so the most Thistle could get for them was a small linen sack of yams.
> She was pleased with the deal, though, especially with the bag itself thrown in.
> Their weapons got them a few more sacks of wheat, and a very small leather bag of salt.
> None of it was very important, although it would help her people through the winter. The reason they'd come was information, but she had to keep up the act.
> To her relief, Rinat did most of the haggling and she was happy enough to let him. It helped the man feel important and freed her to observe and to think.
> The Andronoskaya shaman joined them after the meager meal of broth and dried meat. She hadn't taken any, of course, but after their trading was done she munched on one of the yams to tide her over until her group could make camp again.
> It was quite good with a pinch of salt Zaur had gotten for her out of the small bag.
> Their hosts were generous, but that wasn't very surprising. The weapons Thistle and her group had brought were excellent. With the new metals they'd found, Janus had been able to produce very strong blades.
> The best and largest knives went to the Chieftain and his son, of course, but Thistle had insisted the shaman take a small blade as a personal gift. She'd calculated correctly, and the gesture really loosened his tongue.
> Despite that, she began by exchanging stories - anecdotes about the old Borchi-Quin shaman. She didn't know very many, having not spent a lot of time with the crotchety old man, but both Rinat and Bulat related a few of their personal experiences.

>>42248183

> In return, the Andronoskaya's shaman, a balding, middle-aged man called Cengiz, was happy to tell them of his training.
> To Thistle's ears it sounded like ad-hoc and imprecise, but over the course of a few months the then-youth had learned about herbs, and weather, and how to treat injuries and illnesses. He'd learned the stories, and how to interpret messages from the spirit world, from their dead ancestors.
> She kept her face neutral as the man explained about the flight of birds, and the entrails of small animals.
> After a while, Shakir excused himself and left for bed. She caught a glance at the outside, where the sky was dark and full of stars. She saw Zaur out with the horses, wrapped up tightly in his cloak, but his figure unmistakable as he rubbed down the mare's back with a bit of rough cloth.
> She glanced at Anwar, trying to gauge if he wanted them gone so he could go to sleep, but the man's face was impassive and he seemed to be listening intently to their stories.
> Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to speak just a little bit longer. If she could steer the conversation to the way to Equestria perhaps her party could head back to their camp site. It would mean one fewer nights spent in a cold, uncomfortable tent.
"[I would like to hear stories of how a nomad man grows up,]" she said.
> Cengiz tapped his lips with a finger. "[What in particular? His first kill? How he takes a wife?]"
"[No. The Borchi-Quin have a strange custom. Some young men, coming of age, must go into the mountains and hunt unusual pray. Those who want to become leaders. Do you know anything about that?]"
> He gave this some thought, then shrugged a little. "[My teacher did not say,]" he admitted. Of course, the word might not have been really 'teacher', but it seemed to fit how he was using it, so Thistle had translated it as such for herself.
"[That is a shame. No one among Borchi-Quin remembers why this must be done. I do not like to see old ways die.]"
> That was a lie, even if a convincing one. She'd very much like to see *some* of the traditions die, like their habit of taking and keeping prisoners as slaves, and what they did to female prisoners. She also wouldn't mourn if that whole springtime circle hunt disappeared forever.
> If she got the people to Equestria, it *would*. She vowed it to herself.
"[Do your people not have such a custom?]"
> "[No,]" the shaman said. "[Young boys who would be men take a tent, their best spear and go into the wilderness. They stay away until they kill large prey. When they come back, I will paint their body with the blood of their kill so they can gain the animal's strength, or quickness, or wisdom.]"

>>42248189

> He gave this some thought, then added: "[Naturally, the best hunters want to bring down the strongest and largest prey. The unworthy die in the attempt.]"
"[What if someone does not want to risk such danger?]"
> "[Then he is not a man. A boy must become a man if he wishes to marry.]"
> At least the Borchi-Quin weren't quite *as* backward, Thistle thought. The little ritual of going to look for Equestria was reserved for those who wanted to prove a whole lot.
> Willow, the intrepid social climber, had only done it because his ambitious mother had pushed him into it. Salki might have had to do the same, but his trip out West had counted for much the same, even if it was unorthodox. Thistle resented Darga for not telling her as much before they set out. It wasn't that she would have done things differently, but it would have been nice to be taken into that woman's confidence!
> Her thoughts were interrupted as Cengiz said, a little doubtfully. "[There may be one story. I am not sure I remember it, but teacher told me.]"
"[Yes?]"
> "[A man who would seek greatness must find the land of the spirits. He must go into the mountains when the rains turn cold, and if he is worthy...]"
"[Yes?!]"
> The man shrugged. "[I suppose the spirits will visit him, or something. Perhaps that is what your young men do in search of glory?]"
> She found herself nodding enthusiastically.
"[Yes! That's it! Do you know why that time? Why must the rains turn cold? Is there something else the shaman must do, or give the man, before he can leave?]"
> "[I'm sorry. It is not something the Andronoskaya do, so teacher did not say much. All I know is that it would be done soon before winter.]"
> Her watchers had been at the spot in the fall as it turned to winter! The path didn't move around, or at least Willow had been sure about the exact spot they were to seek. He'd described the landmarks exactly! Bits of cliff, mountains, valleys, rivers! It had all fit!
"[Please try to remember! I want the Borchi-Quin to remember right. We do not want to anger our ancestors by forgetting something so important!]"
> "[Perhaps your shaman should have thought of that,]" Anwar said, his first contribution to the conversation in a long while. "[He did not train a successor.]"
"[His son didn't want to become a shaman. I think it made him angry, and he didn't want to teach anyone else.]"
> "[Pity.]"
> Cengiz was scratching his rough-shaven chin with a low rasping sound which was very clear to Thistle's sensitive ears. She transferred her gaze to the man, and he pursed his lips. "[There was one more thing teacher said,]" he volunteered slowly. "[Let me see if I can remember...]"

>>42248191

> Thistle smiled encouragingly at him, but held her breath out of fear of disrupting his concentration. Everything in the tent seemed to fall quiet.
> "[Though a man visits the mountains every year just before winter, he may never be judged worthy to find the impossible land. If his son visits every year, he might find it when he is old and grey.]"
"[What does that mean?]"
> "[I believe,]" Cengiz said, "[that the spirits do not grant their blessing lightly. They will only give it once in two generations. That is why great leaders are so rare among Borchi-Quin.]"
> "[Do not put them down,]" Anwar said. "[Borchi-Quin always have good leaders, at least when they do not let a woman hold the strings of the entire clan. If what you have just told us is true, that explains why every once in a while there comes a great man to Borchi-Quin, and their strength grows. Every clan in the steppe knows that, once, Borchi-Quin were powerful.]"
> He gave Thistle a grin and a wink. "[Perhaps, when next one of your young men finds the land of the spirits, you will be great again!]"
"[Perhaps,]" Thistle said.
> It spoke to just how inept Willow had been. With this kind of a legend attached to his name, he should have gotten the Chieftainhood.
> Maybe, she thought smugly, it was partly her doing that they'd kept him out of it and managed to get Salki into the position.
> It was interesting to think about, but unfortunately it got her no closer to an answer. If Cengiz's recollection of the old shaman's ramblings was to be believed, the way would only open in late fall, just before winter, and that only once every sixty or eighty years.
> That was as much as the shaman had told her, and it didn't make her happy to hear it repeated.
> Maybe there was something they'd all missed. Why late fall, for example? Why had it been the middle of the summer in Equestria, and late fall *here* when the link had been made?
> Besides, if people only visited the place rarely, then their chances of finding an open path would be very slim. Perhaps small enough to justify the impression of 'once every couple of generations'.
> Now that she had the spot watched constantly, perhaps they would see the way open. Even if she missed it, that would imply a far greater frequency than what the old shaman had believed.
> If it opened, even briefly, perhaps she could work out why and when.
> She got to her hooves.
"[It is getting late. I thank you for your honest trade, and please remember to send the trading caravans to us, in the mountains. We have scouts and we will meet them if they come close. We will be back with more weapons to trade for more things.]"
> "[The Andronoskaya and the Borchi-Quin have never fought. Your trade will be welcomed.]"
"[Thank you.]"

>>42248195

> Rinat, feeling left out, quickly added: "[The Borchi-Quin consider Andronoskaya friends.]"
"[Oh, one more thing. It is dark, so we will camp nearby. Is that okay? We do not wish to intrude on your lands.]"
> That made Anwar chuckle and he gestured with an open palm. "[Please, make your tent among ours, at the edge of the camp. The wilderness is dangerous,]" he said, then added with a wink: "[though not so dangerous to such skilled and well-armed hunters as you are. You may leave in safety when it is light.]"
> Once again her party made their thanks. With that cleared up, the three of them who were in the tent bowed and slipped outside. Bulat looked at her with a raised eyebrow, and she gave him a slight shrug, followed by a half-smile. He knew enough not to ask. Friendly or not, this secret was too important to let slip.
> She would tell them her thoughts, and get any insight they might have, when they were alone. It would have to wait for the next day.
> Being allowed to stay in the relative safety of the camp was good, and Thistle was convinced Anwar had meant it when he said they would not be harmed. Perhaps he'd heard about the Ruslans, and feared they might do the same to his people. Maybe, seeing the fine weapons they'd brought to trade, he believed it was a real possibility.
> Whatever the reason, Thistle had looked pointedly at Rinat when Anwar had made his offer, and saw the old man nod in agreement.
> She would chat with Cengiz again in the morning, on the off chance that a night's sleep might jog his memory, then they would strike out for home in daylight.

>>42248197

Disappointing, but perhaps there is still something useful in there? Maybe our witty Meyermer will brain it out eventually!

Paste: https://ponepaste.org/9738

Slaves trying to run away are you? Off the end, back to page one, and clean it while you're there!

>>42248858
what?

>>42248197
Mehr mehr treasures the old ways. Trust her. Just look at her. Also spears *squee*

>>42249869

>>42250344
This thread was last on the board, so I bumped it.

>>42252784

>>42253995
cute

>>42253995
>>42252784
>>42249869
80% cat

>>42248197
>wolf head hood
Heh.
>she could always let them cut some of her mane
It's been a long time since she used her home grown money.
>she couldn't see any signs
Especially if those signs are more than a few paces away from her.
>That gave her people a distinct advantage
This just occurred to me, why didn't Thistle invent a story that the shaman cursed her this is why she is a pony instead of a woman? To make the Ulan-Zuk fear the shaman. Oh and obviously tell her that the spirit of the shaman can possess any other human permanently, so they can't kill it.
>Andronoskaya lands
Ah, so they are not meeting with the Ulan-Zuk.
>overall impression was fear
Good.
>opposite the Chief
Salki has to fear too. There is new Chieftain in town!
>Will you shame me by breaking hospitality?!
Thistle will like this Chieftain.
>What are you doing!?
Finally acting like she's been supposed too.
>he didn't care much about such things
But I'm sure his wife will.
>weren't long enough to be very useful
Huh, when was the last time she cut her mane?
>She hadn't taken any
Her next step of becoming a nomad will be when she eats food with meat in it.
>How he takes a wife?
Thistle knows how a nomad takes a mare.
>springtime circle hunt
Oh yes, that will be soon!
>strength, or quickness, or wisdom
Don't forget the smell of rotting flesh.
>Borchi-Quin weren't quite *as* backward
Really...
>it would be done soon before winter
Another year in the nomad paradise then!
>Thistle smiled encouragingly at him
She is really getting her hopes up again.
>What does that mean?
What she already heard a million times. It is a once a lifetime event.
>when next one of your young men finds the land of the spirits, you will be great again!
Willow would have not made a good leader.
>he should have gotten the Chieftainhood
If by any chance Salki were unable to be a Chieftain, Willow will get his 2nd chance.
>perhaps they would see the way open
Again, getting her hopes up.
>make your tent among ours
I don't know why Thistle suggested that they leave the camp's protection.
>Anwar had meant it when he said they would not be harmed
Well, Anwar just said that he holds the Borchi-Quin high for how they defeated the Ruslans. So he does not want confrontation.

Thanks for the update!

the little green menace is going through a rebellious phase

>>42256440
It's the first sign of a worldwide pony uprising

>>42258053
I had 3 cats (now I only have one, RIP other two). Two of them completely ignored the robot vacuum, while the third one goes into panic mode if it starts up and immediately runs to the door to be let outside.

Spooky slave, this horse just showed up one day with a collar and started doing things around the house

>>42258818
maid's haunted

Bad pony got her magic rights removed permanently.

>>42248197
>>42248199
Great update to a great story! Thank you!

>>42261124
I wanna snuggle that pony.

>>42261844
>pony at 3am

>>42261844