TFE October Event: Sumit's Hallow

Brave Storm gasped in awe as the bat pony pulled the curtain aside. She wondered for a moment if somehow Sumit’s Hollow was submerged. But without a moment longer to think about it, she rushed ahead of the group with a smile split across her face. The cool cave air felt perfect across her thick coat as she ran deeper into the cave.

A shadow flew over her and she saw a pair of bat ponies flying close to the ceiling, blocking the holes that allowed small rays from the moon and sun into the cave. She reared onto her hind legs, wishing as she always did when a pony flew that she was born with any ability to fly. She released a happy whinny before dropping back on all fours. As terrifying as the earthquake was, at least it revealed Sumit’s Hollow to Equestria. 

“I’m glad there’s one surface pony that isn’t intimidated by us.” a bat pony commented as she landed next to Brave Storm. She had a brown coat with red hooves and wings. There was a notable feistiness in her icy ices. The bat pony offers an elegant hoof to Brave Storm. “You may call me Velvet Wing. To whom do I owe the pleasure?”

“Uh- Brave Storm. It’s nice to meet you.” She answers as she connects her hoof to the bat pony’s feeling herself having a softer hoofshake than she normally would.

“Hm. I figured you would have had a less… limp-wristed shake.” Velvet Wing commented. “I advise you not to confuse my elegance with fragility. Try again.”

Velvet Wing offers her hoof out to Brave Storm once again. This time, Brave Storm connects her hoof to the bat pony’s like she would have anypony else. The bat pony seemed pleased with Brave Storm’s new greeting and Brave Storm felt herself relax. She didn’t even notice herself tensing up around the bat pony. Velvet Wing had a commanding air about her that demanded respect.

“You don’t have your cutie mark….” Brave Storm observed with a pang of sadness creeping into her voice. Velvet Wing looked well into adulthood and she knew for certain bat ponies got cutie marks. 

“Hard to find one’s life purpose when you’re stuck in a cave, I suppose.” Velvet Wing offered with little more than a shrug. “Cheer up, love. You and your compatriots may very well help fix that issue in the coming weeks.”

“You were stuck here?” Brave Storm asks and was surprised when Velvet Wing began laughing. 

“Yes, we all were. But you might have learned that with the rest of your companions if you weren’t so eager to be in our humble village first.” She answered with a twinkle in her eyes. “Now don’t look so ashamed! I’m glad you were so comfortable coming into Sumit’s Hollow.”

“Well, the earthquake opened an entryway. I’m sure you could leave now?” Brave Storm offered. 

“Love, would you like me to personally show you why you’re stuck in here as well, or do you think you could believe what I tell you?” Velvet Wing asked turning her head slightly to give Brave Storm a more dramatic view of her face. 

“I think I’d need to see it to believe whatever you’d say.” Brave Storm answered with a frown. “How could we already be stuck? The entryway is wide open and there wasn’t another earthquake to close us back in.”

“I appreciate your honesty. Follow. Songbird,” she called to a nearly hairless unicorn who was quietly humming to herself in an echoey part of the cave, “do you know a light spell?”

The unicorn jumped slightly and her face flushed in mild embarrassment. She nodded and approached the party of two.

“Great. Would you mind coming along? You seem like you could use something to keep your mind off of things.” Velvet Wing offered and gestured to Brave Storm. “I’m taking her back to the entrance and she’ll need light to get around.”

“Are you s-sure?” the unicorn asked, her knees notably shaking. 

“I would not have asked otherwise.” the bat pony confirmed with a gentle and firm smile. The bat pony lead the two surface ponies back up to the tunnels that they came through and lead them easily through the corridors. She had a confident strut, clearly knowing how to get around. 

“Oh, I thought I knew you from somewhere.” Brave Storm finally speaks up, not used to meeting two new ponies at once. “You’re Swan Song, right? You were performing for, uh, Cherry Chatter’s charity event when I first got to Canterlot.”

“Ch-chatter Cherry.” Swan Song corrected before addressing Brave Storm’s questions. “And yes, that’s me. Did you enjoy the per-performance?”

“I did! You have a beautiful voice and you sounded so passionate!” Brave Storm complimented. “And your light show complimented your act beautifully!”

“I-I appreciate y-your attendance.” Swan Song thanked her graciously as her jaw began to clatter together. Her shaking began to dart the light from her horn around the cave in a way that disorientated Velvet Wing.

“Songbird, are you sure you can do this?” she asked, stopping the escort. While the words may have seemed a tad short, her body language implied genuine concern.

“Y-yes!” Swan Song replied defiantly, almost angrily. “I c-can do this!”

Brave Storm shrunk back a little. Sure, this unicorn seemed pretty nervous but she felt she was doing great to push past her fears. But maybe she was being inconsiderate for not asking if Swan Song was okay.

“You’re almost shaking out of your hoov-”

“I p-promise you, I’m fine!” Swan Song defied again, the anger becoming more apparent. The light of her horn caught her breath in just the right way and revealed the thick fog it made in the air. She was cold! Brave Storm felt dense for not connecting the dots sooner. She was doing fine because of her long coat so naturally, a pony with such fine hair would be freezing.

“Hold on, hold on.” Brave Storm attempted to defuse as she exaggeratedly tossed off one of her packs to draw attention to herself and pulled out a thick blanket that she packed. She carefully draped it around Swang Song whose shaking immediately began to ease. The three sat in silence while the blanket worked its miracle in warming up the thin-haired singer.

“Thank you.” Swan Song said to Brave Storm, her eyes betraying more meaning behind the two words. She turned her attention to Velvet Wing, “I’m sorry for yelling at you.”

“No, it’s I who should apologize.” Velvet Wing denied with a raised hoof and shaking head. “I should have taken you at your word. Even if you were frightened as I suspected, it wasn’t on me to deny your bravery.”

“I’m sorry for assuming you were scared, too.” Brave Storm chips in. “This wouldn’t have happened if I asked from the start why you were shivering.”

They took a moment longer to casually converse as Brave Storm passed around dried fruit jerky and recollect themselves before Velvet Wing set them back to their journey. Notably in better spirits as they were more comfortable in each other’s company and Swan Song getting the warmth she needed, the group made great progress. Velvet Wing stopped them just before the last bend to reach the entryway, her wings unfurled as she turned to face her company.

“The residents of Sumit’s Hollow have been trapped within these caves since the Wild Magic surges started.” She began, dropping her wings and stepping aside. She gestured for Brave Storm and Swan Song to walk ahead of her. The two ponies gasped as they rounded the bend and saw their exit was already blocked off. Not by rubble like Brave Storm had thought, but by thick webs. 

“What could have done this?” Brave Storm asks, turning to Velvet Wing. 

“We call her Moon Widow.” She answered, approaching the web with a raging fire in her eyes. “A storm could wash away a covered hole, time could erode a new way, the caves themselves could collapse and she and her brood would cover them all before any of us had a chance to get away.

“The earth itself split open-” Velvet Wing stomped a hoof, a furious tear streaked down her cheek “-and she only didn’t seal it off immediately because she knew she could trap more ponies if she left it open!”

“That’s horrible.” Swan Song whispered. 

“Even if I could leave,” Velvet Wing began, sauntering back to the caverns before unfurling her wings dramatically. “I wouldn’t. With you all here I finally have a chance to show Moon Widow exactly what I think of her!”

“I’m with you!” Swan Song declared, the light from her horn getting brighter as she stood defiantly with Velvet Wing.

“Hear, hear!” Brave Storm cheered in as she reared, feeling fired up from Velvet Wing’s speech. She had to help free these bat ponies. To her, they were affected by Wild Magic just as the refugees were, which wouldn’t stand in her book.