Dawn broke gray with an unexpected shroud of drizzling rain. Mariel and her companions were abroad early.
"Hey, this is fun!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. "The trees leanin' over are like an umbrella, doncha think?"
Apple Bloom shook herself. "No Ah don't, if taint churnin' up the path into mud this rain is a-drippin' off those trees onto the back of mah neck. Still, as mah Granny Smith always says, if it's rainin' then there's water pourin' from the sky."
Mariel smiled and winked at Pinkie. "A wise pony, your granny."
Apple Bloom nodded in innocent agreement. "Oh, yeah, Granny's never short of wise sayin's. There's no better way o' eatin' than with yore mouth, a full apple barrel's not an empty 'un, an' you can always tell a squirrel by his tail."
Spike chuckled, "Hmm, that makes sense."
"A course it does. Bet ya never saw a squirrel without one o' those lollopin' great bushy tails, did ya?"
"Er, ah, no, don't s'pose I did really."
"There, that goes to show ya then. You can always tell a squirrel by his tail, jus' like Granny says."
The rain got heavier. There was a distant roll of thunder. Lightning illuminated the sky. As they trudged on Apple Bloom whispered to Spike, "Lookit, Mariel's dropped back. Ah think she's unhappy about somethin'."
They hurried back to Mariel. She was clutching herself, rain dripping from her face and paws, shivering as she faltered along the path.
Spike looked worried. "Mariel, what's the matter with you?"
The mousemaid leaned against a spruce tree. "Thunder, the rain and the lightning… Reminded me of being thrown in the sea by Gabool… Terramort, my father…"
"She must be suffering from PMS," said Pinkie Pie.
"You mean PTSD," said Spike. "PMS is something different."
"Well, she'd better get some rest. We'll get her under some dry trees and light a fire."
Slightly off the path on the east side they found a fir grove. Apple Bloom dug a shallow pit and kindled a small fire with dead branches and dry pine needles. With her back against a fir, Mariel sat dozing, soaking in the warmth of the fragrant dry atmosphere. Beyond the trees the rain pounded hard on the ground, sending up brown splotches as it churned the dust to mud. Pinkie brewed some tea from her provision pack, and they sipped it gratefully.
About halfway through the morning the rain stopped. Mariel opened her eyes. "How are you feeling?" Spike asked anxiously.
"I- I'll be all right. Yeah, I'll be all right…" Suddenly she looked off to her left.
Spike was instantly alert, putting his hand on his sword. "What is it?"
"Something's watching us. Over there, in the long grass."
All four of them rose and moved toward the grass until they could see the watcher. Slithering coils, a flickering tongue, a pair of cold eyes staring at them.
"It's a snake," Spike whispered.
Mariel swung her Gullwhacker. "Nothing to worry about. It's just a little snake. Right then, you dreadful snake thingy. Move out or I'll brain you on the bonce with my Gullwhacker, d'you hear me?"
But the snake didn't listen. It kept gliding toward Mariel.
"Ah don't reckon that's no snake after all," Apple Bloom said.
It was right in Mariel's face now. Mariel brought the knotted rope down on the reptile's head with a mighty crack. The snake instantly dropped like a limp piece of cord, stunned by the sudden impact of the blow. But their troubles weren't over.
They heard roaring and bleating. Something leaped out of the grass. It had two heads, a tiger head and a goat head, and the "snake" was its tail!
"A chimera!" Apple Bloom yelled.
"I remember you," the goat head said. "You got away from us once, but you won't get away from us again."
"What do you want?" Mariel demanded.
"We want food," the tiger head said. "We haven't eaten in days."
"Well, I've got lots of food in my bag," Pinkie said.
Both the heads started chuckling. "Oh, you won't be servin' food," said the tiger. "You are the food. We'll have mouse pie with a side of filly fillet."
Spike brandished his sword. Mariel tried to hit the chimera with her Gullwhacker but it dodged. It slashed at her with its tiger claws but Spike leaped forward, swinging the sword. He struck the chimera in the paw and it let out a roar of rage and pain. The chimera whirled around and kicked Spike in the stomach with its goat hooves. Spike fell to the ground.
Pinkie Pie charged at the chimera and managed to knock it over. But it got right back up and went after her. Pinkie ran and it chased her. Soon it had her cornered up against a tree. It lowered its goat horns and charged.
At the last second Pinkie stepped to the side and the chimera's horns stuck in the tree. "You idiot," the tiger head said to the goat head.
Mariel, Apple Bloom, and Spike ran up. "Quick, let's get out of here," Spike said, clutching his stomach. "We're not stopping to argue with a chimera."
Grabbing their packs, they dashed out of the grove, stumbling and squelching as the angry sounds the chimera was making faded away behind them.
"Now that's what it's all about," Pinkie said once they were a safe distance away. "Teamwork!"
Apple Bloom shuddered. "Ya should've chopped off her three heads with that sword, Spike."
Mariel shook her head. "No, we do not need unnecessary killing. As long as we are safe and in one piece, the chimera has a right to life, the same as any creature."