Chapter 3
Spike clings down onto Rainbow Dash's mane for warmth, the second leg of the trios flight taking them into winds even colder then what came from the emergency storm. Twilight's only shielding from the cold is her own coat and the warmth of Rainbow Dash below her.
Feeling Twilight lower down on top of her back sends a blistering heat into Dash's cheeks and wings. She feels her mind sway away from what she was doing from the idea of how close they are. Her wings miss a beat and the tracking of her thoughts jumps back before they fall out of the sky. A hard hoof presses into her side and she slows down to find out why she is being kicked.
"Dash!" Twilight yells out over the still speeding wind, "What happened, do you need to land?"
Rainbow Dash shakes her head as hard as she can without messing up her flight path. "Just – just a head rush. I'm fine!" she quickly picks up her pace, going even faster then she did when leaving Ponyville causing the two on her back to wheel in protest from the wind.
The northern edge of Equestria passed below them unseen as the three look on at a new storm looming ahead. Twilight goes through everything she remembers from her maps and books about the outer lands. 'We're over the wilds now,' she thought to herself. A cold buffet of wind knocks into them and forces Twilight to consider how far they've gone. 'That means we should be at our next stop just inside those clouds.' Twilight leans forward, pressing into Spike and moving her muzzle as close to Rainbow Dash's ear. "Rainbow Dash, land before the storm!"
Rainbow Dash pulls up and slows almost to a stop. "I though the next stop was farther then that?"
"It is, but the side of the storm is close enough that it won't ruin our time."is Twilight's replay.
With an unsatisfied nod, Dash turns downward and aims for the ground just before the storm clouds.
Circling the nearby expanse reveals little more the a pond of half frozen snow melt that, though too cold to drink comfortably, was quickly brought up in temperature by an all to proud Spike. His green flames burn a puddle into the ice and a small patch into the dirt for them to sit on. "Is there anything else I can do?" Spike asks with all the pride he can muster. The two mares laugh in unison at his boasting.
It wasn't quite noon yet by the look of the sun above them but staying an hour would push them too far without eating so Twilight lifted the books from the saddle pack and reaches her magic in farther for the food, pulling some pieces out and setting up for a small simple lunch. Rainbow Dash gives no hesitation at the sight of the apples and hay pucks and dives into them with glee.
"Rainbow, I need to ask you something." Twilight starts as her friend forces an apple into her mouth. Dash stops and turns her head up, eyes looking onto Twilight's. "That storm is close enough that I can almost tell it is likely going to turn into a blizzard deeper in, and I'm wandering what the difference between flying thought it and going over it. Would it be safer to go up?"
"Well, it'll be cold either way but going up will make it hard to see where to land-" Rainbow Dash pauses and looks underneath the dark clouds. "and those clouds are outside of Equestria so I might not be able to do much to them other then fall through and hit one of the mountains."
Twilight nods, understanding that going high would do nothing but make them lost and blind to everything on the ground. "Then we'll have to go slower then we have been."
Rainbow Dash groans at the thought of going slower but at the same time she nods, thinking that since they were still on time they wouldn't be late if they get through the storm alright.
"If we're going slower, can I take out the packing blanket and cover myself with it?" Spike asks with a hint of desperation. "If I get any colder I'm going to pass out before we get half way there."
"If Rainbow is alright with the drag it will cause then I don't see why not."
"Of course I'm fine with it, a little drag won't stop me!" Rainbow Dash shouts before stuffing another apple into her mouth. "The real problem will be if I get my wings caught in it," she looks over to Twilight and smiles "but you'll keep an eye on my wings right Twi?." a flush of heat slams into Dash's chest the instant she realizes what she's said.
The second bag that hung off of the saddle is pulled open and Twilight carefully unwraps a green blanket from a small number of metal and nylon contraptions. She also pulls up a small first-aid kit, pops open a roll of gauze, and spins it around the equipment until the roll runs out.
When the hour of rest finally runs out the three pack up and strap themselves back in, the green blanket covers all but Spikes head and half of Twilight's body. Rainbow Dash stands resolute before the storm and looks for a path along the ground that she could use if the sky gets to hard to move through.
"Just focus on flying stable and I'll do my best to keep the snow from knocking you out of the sky." With her horn glowing, Twilight conjures a sphere of purple magic that with hope will block all but the most persistent strength of the storm they were flying into.