#elsewhere

Connor leans over the map, and his jaw drops a little. "Hey, I know this guy!"

He pokes a grubby finger at where it says "SNEAKY TREE"

"You DO?"

"Yeah! I DO! I snuffed it the other day when me n' the Baron..." He pauses, and says, "My Papa and me." Glowing happily, "Were out riding. We couldn't get too close though because the horses might have sunk into the swamp of sadness. You wanna go see? We can go now! We can walk! WANNA GO FOR A WALK?"

Tail WAGGING.

"SURE.... i prefer trots, but walks aren't terrible" he says

Blossom looks tempted

A chortle. "If you WANNA go faster, I can get Spark."

"Then we ALL have hoofs."

"Sure...I left my wings at home but I can keep up" Roch grins

Blossom rolls her eyes "MY birds have wings"

Connor races off and returns with the no-longer-so-little Pegasus following behind him! "Here Rochy, you ride with me. Then you don't have to go all Silent Stallion. We're both small and Spark is strong like his papa."

"I wonder if there has ever been a winged Centaur?" Connor wonders, then snickers. "That would be SO MUCH WORSE then a bird plop."

"Ugh" Blossom does follow thoughy, while Rochallor goes along

Spark is only lightly haltered, but so well trained, or so fond of Connor, that he follows without being reined.

The spirited young stallion's tack bears a standard of a certain Knight from Rivervale - there was some argument over this from the prickly Ailil Baron, but in this, Connor had held firm. HIS KNIGHT, HIS HORSE, HIS CHOICE.

Eventually Lord Aiden had acquiesed, which surprised many. But that's some other story.

Soon, the three childlings are on their way, galloping along! Rochallor sitting lead on Spark, a place of honor, and also because HE has the MAP.

Rocholar laughs as they ride, and he waves the map

Soon they come up to the following...

"TELL ME that's not a sneaky tree!" Connor yelps in triumph.

"It DOES look like it got away with something or is trying to" Blossom says, ignoring she knows because she's tried similar

"SO Sneaky, it's Treeky"

That from Rochalor

Rochellor can see that with this landmark, and knowing the way they came, he can navigate, sorta! Towards the mighty X!

And he says "This way to the great Egress" he points

Spark gives a whinny and Conor grins... "Wanna Race, Blossom?"

"I can't fly" She huffs

THen breaks into a run to get a head start

They head through a field that was just marked "flowers!!!!" on the map, and find themselves surrounded by a veritable garden!

Giant, fluffy dandelions that puff out seeds with lion faces - as Blossom steps too close to one, it gives a tiny ROAR and then floats away on the breeze.

Tulips lean in the breeze and whisper to each other, "here they are!" "Oh, they're here!" "Where are they going?" "Ohm they are going there!"

Snapdragons snap towards Rochalor's legs, but... they don't have any teeth, and the petals close harmlessly and then fall away.

Connor looks tempted to stop when he finds the puppy-poppies that yip invitingly.. then he yelps,

"Go, go! Run!"

A flock of butterfleas... like butterflies, but fleas with wings, has descended to battle with the puppy poppies.

"I don't want a flea bath!"

"ARGH! We're under attack by the blitzfleas!!" Rochalor panics and swats with his tail

Blossom takes her water bottle, and shakes it, spraying it into the air

The butterfleas melt away under the water... turns out they were made of butter!

Spark gives a mighty leap and soon they are past that patch.

"I hate fleas" She huffs

"Me TOO." So emphatic he doesn't even LIE.

They keep going "Joe says fleaing is a good strategy in a fight"

As they continue along the meandering path, the terrain starts to shift, sloping upward in a gradual rise until they find themselves at the base of what is, according to the Map, Tumbletop Hill. The hill is lumpy and uneven, with rocks and mossy patches that make it look like it’s always in danger of rolling over onto itself.

"That’s gotta be Jumblebop," Connor says, "Bet I could roll down that and land on my feet!" His tail wags.

"This is almost as bad as stairs" Blossom says, though the ayrie use requires it so she's learn to place her hooves carefully

Several egg-shaped rocks roll free and tumble down the hill as they go up, making BAWK-bawk-buck-buck-BUCKA! Calls as they go!

"Omelets in the making" the other pooka lad salutes

"Rock-a-doodles!" Connor laughs!

"Hah, maybe Gladiola should sit on them until they HATCH!" Blossom joins in