His name was Heavyhoof, and he’s dead.
It took me most of the night to get the information out of dad. He didn’t want to talk about it. I wasn’t sure why at first, but he spilled eventually. Heavyhoof left the caravan some ten years ago, apparently for this very reason. He was determined to track down whoever his “foe” was before they had a chance to act. He wanted to be ready, because he’d failed the first time. Dad said he became obsessed with accumulating power and protection, and with his band of roving sellswords he “visited” village after village, looking for old grudges or budding problems to snuff them out before they became a threat. Of course, there was no way to ever tell if he’d succeeded. So he’d be off to the next. He became a conqueror by proxy and, eventually, it caught up with him.
Dad was notably worried when I told him I’d seen the ship.
He was able to give me a few details I didn't have; things he’d picked up from Heavyhoof before he left. Heavy claimed the Cheshire was a liar and the whole thing was a scam. A setup. Heavy, supposedly, killed his foe in Naglfar. “Crushed his skull beneath my hammer,” he claimed. Which sounds like a difficult mistake to make, so I suspect it did happen. But he told dad that, when he left, he just...knew...that it hadn’t done anything. There was a presence in his life that hadn’t left. His quarry, whoever it was, was still out there. He claimed the Cheshire had brought him into false combat, and the only thing that had really happened was his life was now consumed with the knowledge that something out there was growing more powerful by the day, waiting to destroy him. Dad said Heavy couldn't explain -how- he knew, it was just a...thing. A feeling. I understood it though, it’s the same one I got when the ship first appeared. I can feel it even now, calling me to the coast, telling me there’s something I need to do. I don’t have much sympathy for somepony that rampaged across the land invading villages looking for...a hunch..but I can feel the sort of weight he felt. After 10 years of it, I don’t know what state I’d be in. Hopefully better than his.
But I’d hate to risk being wrong.
Dad cautioned me to treat any information from Heavy as dubious at best. He was an old warhorse with old stories and many of them were embellished. But his obsession was not, and dad pleaded caution as I left. He agreed, though, that continuing to research was the best option for now. His understanding of the legend is essentially the same as mine, but as i looked at him, I could tell he too was trying to figure out what sort of error had taken place.
Malachite was subdued through most of my visit, which is unlike her. She loves the camp; runs around like a fennec dipped in coffee every time we visit. I think she was just trying to not be distracting, she understands the gravity of the situation. But to be honest, I would have appreciated a little joviality.
From here I have three options: I can stay course and go to White Tail Woods, see if I can link up with Snowblind. The deer have many stories they share with ponies, but from different angles. She may have info I can’t get from my own people. If I head north from there I can board the bifrost near here and sail it over to horseshoe bay, where Windswept is. She may have kelpie legends available, and I can find my final destination off the east coast of Equestria.
Or, I can circle back toward Cloudsdale. Mom’s up there right now, taking care of some business. It might be good to get her input. She has access to the royal library in Canterlot too, there’s bound to be something in there. But Canterlot is inland and it’ll be at least three days gone before I’m through with it. That leaves me two, or less, to get to the coast. The bifrost will get me there in time, but it’ll be tight.
Or I can head south toward the desert. Tezza’s down there. Said she hadn’t finished in Equestria and didn't want to look like she was “fleeing” by going straight home after the hearing.
I’m not sure I want to see her. I know I’m worried about her reaction. Of everyone, she feels like the one most likely to tell me I’m seeing this thing for exactly the reason I’m trying to avoid.
Which, honestly, might be why I need to see her.
The desert is a long haul, but there’s a mountain range between there and here with a temple that Cashmere is currently investigating. If I can find him on the way, I’ll have another source. Both of them are wealth's of information but if they don’t have anything related to this it’ll be a wasted trip, with no time at the end to check anywhere else.
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