Twilight squinted in the darkness, trying to make out shapes. It didn't help. Stepping ahead slowly and as quietly as she could. The only thing she could really see was Ditzy's outline in front of her, so she focused on following that and hoped she wouldn't trip over anything. They hadn't heard anything since the conversation between Coldcrow and Blood Raven. Which was still bothering her.
"Ditzy, did you know those things could talk like us?" She asked in a whisper.
"Yes." Came an equally hushed reply.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Thought you knew."
"How would I know?"
The pegasus slowed down and Twilight saw her twist around to look back. Though how she could seem to see so clearly in this darkness was a mystery. "Camp wasn't told?"
Twilight blinked. "Wait... are you saying the ponies leading the camp know too?"
"Yes. Reported three weeks ago."
Stopping, Twilight stared at the pegasus' dim shape. They'd known for three weeks those monsters communicate, but didn't tell the rest of the camp? "Why would they keep it a secret?" She muttered to herself more than Ditzy.
"Don't know."
Silence resumed as they pressed on. Although she kept following Ditzy, Twilight's mind was elsewhere. She had enough questions about the situation to begin with, but in the span of a day she'd more than doubled them. Where the monsters came from, what they wanted, why they were capturing ponies all of a sudden... not to mention even more she'd never be able to list without an hour or two, quill and very long piece of paper.
A clang of metal from somewhere down the blackened hall they were passing through pushed those questions out of her mind and pulled Spike back into it. Twilight's pace sped up a little bit as the scraping of steel got louder. A clang and Spike's voice crying out in pain met her ears, building her up to a sprint.
Turning into the room the noise was coming from, she was just in time to see the axe flash and blood splatter onto the floor. Somepony collapsed by the wall, bleeding from a long slash along their side, and the axe-wielding monster turned from it to them upon their arrival. Even in her panicked state, she spotted Spike even though he was mostly hidden behind one of the monster's thick legs. All she could see was his tail... stained crimson.
An icy sensation filled Twilight's heart at the sight, pulsing through the rest of her body. She screamed, running toward him as the monster rushed at her. A flash from her horn lit up the room and bolt of lightning ripped through the abomination, leaving a charred, gaping hole in his gut. A split second later it swerved back just short of the far wall, destroying his head as well. Twilight sprinted around the corpse as it collapsed, her eyes falling on Spike.
There was a gash out of his tail and his right arm was hanging limply, but he was still...
"T-Twilight?" He uttered in disbelief, staring at her.
The sound of his voice dispelled the horrified chill running through her. She wrapped a leg around Spike and hugged him, tears streaming down her face.
"Ow-ow-ow!" Spike gasped in pain. "I'm glad to see you too, Twi, but I'm not the one that needs attention right now."
"Sorry..." She murmured, hesitantly letting go and glancing at the pony on the ground. Her eyes widened at the weakly smiling face looking back at her. "Zecora?" Rushing to her side, she examined the bleeding wound, trying to remember the things she'd read about first aid. "Hold on, Zecora... I'll... I'll think of something!"
"Twilight Sparkle you must not worry, just take the other ponies and hurry." She muttered.
"I can't just leave you here like this! Ditzy, what-" Twilight turned to the doorway, but the pegasus was nowhere in sight. However, the other ponies Zecora had mentioned were nervously coming out of the dark cell. A tall creature similar to Coldcrow stepped into view on the other side of the doorway.
"What the... we've got-!" She started to shout, but the axe that had been left on the ground rose up shortly after she appeared, rotated twice as it spun through the air and planted itself firmly into her skull.
The axe was pulled free as the monster fell, floating down until it hovered next to a green coated unicorn with a dark red mane. "Watch the hallway for anymore weeds." It said to a blue earth pony, who nodded and went to peer around the corner of the doorway. The unicorn glanced at Twilight. "If you're looking for the pegasus that was with you, she took off after you killed Griswold."
"That pony really needs to learn to speak up and not run off alone all the time." Twilight muttered. "Does anypony here have medical training?"
It was quiet until the unicorn spoke up again. "I'm guessing the silence means no."
A moment later, Ditzy sped into the room, the cloth they'd used to sneak in flapping behind her. She dropped onto the ground next to Twilight, tossing the cloth at her. "Use this."
Once Zecora's wound had been roughly dressed with the cloth, as well as Spike's using a smaller piece they'd cut off, Twilight and Ditzy ventured back into the dark hallway, looking for a way out aside from the way they'd come. Even if the things weren't too bright, they were bound to notice all their prisoners strolling out the front door.
"Scouting's easier alone." Ditzy whispered as they searched.
Twilight frowned. "I wanted to talk to you."
"Now?"
"Yes, now." She answered stubbornly. "You're worrying me, Ditzy. Speeding off on your own all the time, sometimes not saying a word... something could happen to you. You shouldn't be so reckless."
Ditzy remained silent as they entered another room, the furniture toppled and smashed. No way out to be found, either. "Worry too much." She said as she turned around and flew over Twilight to check the other passages.
As much as she didn't like the idea, the front door remained the only way out they'd found. Guards and dead ends were found everywhere else they tried to go apart from the little route between the prison and hole in the wall to the foyer. They were going to have to fight their way out... but if Blood Raven had left, they'd most likely taken some of the troops along. That would help. Though whether or not it was enough to keep most of them alive was another question entirely.
Waiting as Twilight told everyone the plan, Ditzy kept watch for anything coming to check on the prisoners. It didn't take long to get everypony ready, but Zecora was having trouble moving. Understandable, but it would slow them down when they got outside and would probably have to start running.
Once they were going, Ditzy led the way, Twilight stuck close to Zecora and Spike in the middle and the axe-wielding green unicorn brought up the rear. They didn't run into any problems on the way, but once they got to the hole leading to the foyer, they encountered a rather big one.
Coldcrow was pacing in the middle of the room, at least a dozen things around that looked similar to her but were wearing different colored clothing. She was muttering about something, possibly to do with the scene they'd witnessed earlier.
Twilight looked out next to Ditzy, a serious expression on her face. "What do you think she's planning?"
Ditzy shook her head, and Coldcrow shouted.
"How in the world could Lady Andariel trust that pony enough to put her in charge instead of someone that's been loyal to her for years?" She snapped.
One of the look-alikes around her stepped forward. "We understand your frustration, ma'am. Please know our bows will always be yours to command, no matter what."
The others murmured in agreement and Coldcrow grinned. "I'm glad to hear it... but for now, I have other things on my mind."
"Your usual stress relief, ma'am?"
She nodded. "Get me one of the prisoners. That green unicorn that tried to take a bite out of me, to be specific."
Twilight and Ditzy looked back at the pony in question, who was sitting nearby with an odd smile. "Aww, she remembers me. I must have left quite the impression. Only a pity it wasn't my teeth in her throat."
"You can turn off the psycho talk anytime, Sanny." A blue earth pony whispered to the unicorn.
"Would if I could." The unicorn turned its attention to Twilight. "Shall I go axe the one before it gets to the prison? If they find it empty they'll go on alert and we'll never get out of here."
"I know, but that will just give us a little delay until they wonder why she doesn't come back." Twilight replied. "We have to get out of here now. If we could make a distraction of some kind..."
"Twilight." Ditzy said suddenly, getting her attention. "Thanks."
"Thanks?" Twilight wondered. "For what? Did I give you an idea?"
She smiled sadly. "For caring."
With a leap forward, Ditzy bolted out of the hole, sped at Coldcrow and introduced the back of the archer's head to the bottom of her hoof. Coldcrow staggered and the others shouted, pulling out their bows. Twisting and spiraling at each one in sight, she was able to take down three of the archers in the sudden confusion before the hail of arrows now whizzing around her became too thick for comfort, some skimming her neck and wings.
Flipping around, she planted her back hooves on one of the archers reaching for another arrow, pushed off from her face and tore down the hallway deeper into the building. Coldcrow's voice snarling for them to give chase gave her more reason to smile. They were following her like she'd hoped, giving Twilight and the others a better chance to escape. It was all she could ask for at this point. One last successful job... no matter the cost.