PyraohXBlaze - Long story short, I made up the language using a 'programmable' cypher I made when I was a kid. Happy Birthday!

ShadowfireAngel - :O But Doctor Who is awesome!

Ponified Bacon Boss - Well, you'll have to wait a bit longer for both :P. The reason for the latter will be in my A/N

PSYCHOPATH - Hmm... I believe that's a simplified version of one of Sun Tsu's tenants...

Fusion Blitz - I don't really know what else to say but 'Thank you' (Lol at least not without getting all sentimental and long-winded ;) ). As for writer's block... just don't think too hard about it. If you feel yourself starting to block up, go do something else, even if it's just a short walk around the inside of your house. That'll give your mind a moment to relax and you'll be able to think more clearly

bobfromsiam99 - Oh, you'll find out more about them soon enough...

xel101 - Lol I love me some fish, but I don't think I could go without meat in my diet... at least not without murdering some people

Mikalzilla - You'll just have to wait and see :P

lonewolf4709 - Lol I'll keep that in mind ;)

Kyguy - Nope, definitely boar. Or it could have been a wild pig ;)

KillerWoW - Lol why wouldn't you want it to be spray-painted?

MortBlackthorn - Lol nah, he's got too many mares back home who want to eat his meat ;)

darksoul78 - Lol I would guess so, I've never been that long without

DragonLord RyuKizoku - GOOD! Lol

DragonLovingBrony - Aww yeah!

Lone The Dark Hearted Wolf - Ah, if only he knew how to turn it into a football...

HYBRID BATTLESHIP INFINITY210 - Hmm... Wouldn't mind joining you ;)

A/N - Howdy Everypony! A bit of sad news this week; my family suffered a tragedy just yesterday, and it has killed my drive to do much of anything. I actually wasn't going to post this week, but I wanted to make this a sort of birthday present for PyraohXBlaze, so I pushed myself and got it done; Happy Birthday Pyraoh! Since I have no drive to write, and forcing myself would produce sub-par quality in my chapters, I'm going to take next week off and not post. My schedule will most likely resume as normal on 07/14/15, and I hope to see you all then. As always, don't forget to follow/favorite, review, and most importantly; enjoy!

The entire time I was eating the near-orgasmic meal the Kokello had prepared, I couldn't shake the feeling of disapproving stares boring into me from somewhere else in the camp. I had little trouble ignoring them however, my body and mind focused as they were on finally being able to fill my belly with meat after so long without. I actually hadn't realized how much I missed the all-important part of the human diet until I actually sank my teeth into that first, heavenly bite. I knew I didn't need meat anymore, but that didn't stop me from wanting it.

The celebrations went on well after nightfall, with the Kokello mares and stallions performing various dances and filling the air with song. Twilight and Applejack joined us again by the fire once we had finished eating. They didn't say anything, but they didn't need to for me to know that they disapproved of me eating the meat from the boar earlier.

"So Blake, are you enjoying the party?"

I smirked as I watched the Kokello stallions performing another dance, though I had no idea what this one was meant to do. It seemed that every dance or song had some meaning, but I didn't bother asking Wanate what each one meant. "Well, it's certainly a nice change from only stopping long enough to eat and sleep. This way, I'll actually get to spend some quality time with you girls without having to worry about something jumping out of the forest and eating us… like those shadow-bones things…"

Twilight was silent for a long moment. "That reminds me…" The tone of her voice told me she wanted to say something other than what she was about to, but that she was holding her piece. "You couldn't see them at all before… how will you be able to know that they're there when you get into the temple tomorrow…?"

I paused, with the small, fruit-filled pastry I had been snacking on halfway to my mouth. "I'm… not really sure… I guess I'll just have to wing it." I thought for a moment and snapped my fingers. "I know! If I could get some kind of spray bottle or something, I could spray the area with the ink Luna gave me! That'd light those plotholes up like a Christmas tree!"

I heard Twilight rummaging around a moment later. "I think I have just the thing… Ah! Here it is!" I looked down to her upturned hoof to see what looked like a tiny billows. "I um… I thought it might be helpful in getting a fire going, but I didn't say anything about it because you didn't seem to need it…"

I plucked the thing from her hoof and examined it; it seemed like any other billows I had ever seen, only it was about the size of a computer mouse. "This should be perfect Twi… thanks…" I leaned in to hug her, but she pulled back.

"Oh no; not until you brush your teeth mister! I can still smell that poor animal on your breath." I leaned back, not quite sure how to feel about that. Twilight seemed to take note of my unease and put a soothing hoof on my arm. "Listen… I know humans eat meat… I have since even before the first day I met you, Princess Celestia told me when she was getting me ready to take care of you, so I'm not faulting you for doing it… I just… don't really like the smell of it…"

I chuckled and patted her on the shoulder. "Well… I guess it's a good thing we all packed out toothbrushes then…" She gave me a small smile. "Speaking of which, I should probably go do that soon… I don't want you girls to have to be around me while I have pork breath after all."

Applejack let out a chuckle, the first sound she'd made since she came back over. "Hey, what's that thing y'all're eatin'? It smells mighty tasty…"

I looked down at the remains of the once lime-sized pastry. "Actually… I don't remember what they called it, Wanate said they have blackberries, blueberries and some kind of nut mixed in. The dough is really sweet too… he's agreed to give us some for the trip home, but I was thinking about asking him if he could get the recipe in our language so we can make them anytime we want them."

Twilight leaned over and sniffed it. "Can I try a bite? Applejack's right; it smells really tasty…" She licked a droplet of drool from the corner of her mouth as she stared at the pastry.

I smirked at her antics and tore off the end of the treat and split it in half, figuring neither of them would want the end that I had already munched on. I gave each of them half of what I had torn off and took the remaining third or so for myself. We popped them in our mouths at the same time and Twilight almost instantly started moaning her approval of the surprisingly sweet confection. "This is good…" Applejack munched the treat down and licked her lips, but didn't say anything.

The celebrations kept up for some time after that, but eventually started to dwindle down as the tribe members headed off to their own tents to get some rest, likely having chores and other business to attend to early in the morning. I eventually began to feel the trip, as well as the meal in my belly, taking their toll on me, and told Chief Wanate that I would be heading to bed so that I could prepare for whatever awaited me in the temple tomorrow.

Twilight had followed me to the tent the Kokello had so graciously set up for us shortly after, but Applejack stayed up for some time, seemingly talking shop with the tribe's farmers. The bedroll they gave us was more of a mattress, being stuffed with some soft material and made from some woven material that Wanate had assured Twilight was plant fiber. The thing was spacious enough for not only the three of us, but Luna, Derpy, and the fillies all to sleep comfortably with room to spare.

I cuddled up with my newly reaffirmed marefriend and it wasn't long before I felt the silent tendrils of sleep weaving their way into my mind.

The next thing I realized, there was what felt like a hoof over my mouth and the cold metal of a knife against my throat. I turned on my aurasight and saw that I was correct; a young Agra was crouching over me, a vicious snarl spread across his face. He started speaking in a low, hissing tone, though it was in the Kokello language, so I had no idea what he was saying. I noticed him looking over to the girls several times as he talked, and I didn't need to understand him to know he didn't have good things plans for them once he was done with me.

I couldn't tell for sure, but I had the feeling this was the Agra I had clocked earlier today, out for some misguided revenge. I twitched my left arm, activating my magic and engulfing the blade in my levitation spell, causing the Agra to cry out in what sounded like confusion. I levitated the knife away from my neck and wrenched it out of his grasp. His hoof left my mouth for an instant before ramming back down as the Agra attempted to punch me into submission.

He didn't get a chance for a second shot however, as I spun the knife around and drove it into his shoulder, the blade biting into his flesh until it was stopped by its own handle. The young stallion screamed out in pain as I wrapped him in my levitation and hurled him bodily from the tent, Applejack and Twilight waking up with a pair of gasps at the sudden commotion. I had thrown him beyond the range of my aurasight, but I could still feel the vestiges of my magic clinging to him even beyond that, and wrapped him in my spell again, pinning him to the ground as I stood up and made my way out of the tent, a growl humming deep in my chest.

It seemed that the commotion had woken those nearby, as several Kokello scrambled out of their own tents to see what the problem was. The young Agra began calling out, reaching a hoof out to the onlookers as they stood by and watched as I made my way slowly towards the fallen stallion, who seemed to be only just out of his colt years.

"What going on?" I heard Wanate's voice, but it was a few moments before I could see him walking methodically over to us like he already knew the answer to his own question. "He say you attack him… if this true, why he outside your tent?"

I pressed a little harder on the struggling stallion to keep him still and pointed to the knife handle still jutting out of his shoulder. "I woke up to him pressing that to my throat and speaking rather angrily towards me… and these two." I gestured back to Twilight and AJ, who had only now managed to disentangle themselves from their blankets and make their way out of the tent.

Wanate walked over to the young stallion on the ground and started speaking to him. I let up slightly on my spell to allow the stallion to speak. The two went back and forth for a minute or so, with the stallion becoming more and more vehement as time passed, while Wanate stayed as placid as ever. Eventually, the Kokello Chief turned and walked over to me. "He say you steal his honor, he think sending you to spirit-walk bring his honor back. What he do disgrace whole tribe." He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, like he didn't want to say what he was about to. "In morning he be sent on spirit-walk in shame." The stallion whimpered behind him and the girls gasped behind me.

I thought for a moment. "I may have a better idea Chief, if you'll let me…" He nodded silently for me to continue. "Instead of spirit-walking a young warrior, who still has potential, for letting his ego get the better of him, why not do this; strip him of his Agra status and send him into the temple with me. If the two of us come back out again, give him the chance to earn his status back, and if not… well, at least he'll have an honorable spirit-walk."

Wanate was silent for quite some time. "What if he betray you in temple and you not come back?"

I shrugged. "If I don't come back, whether he betrayed me or not, then feel free to assume that he did and spirit-walk him then."

The Chief was quiet for an even longer time, everypony in the village waiting on bated breath, wondering what we were talking about and what the brash young warrior's fate would be. "This good plan; I not want to send young Agra on spirit-walk. I will tell him what you say and we see what he decide to do." Wanate turned back to the young stallion and started talking to him.

The stallion became rather agitated sometime into his Chief's talk, and I increased the pressure on him to silence him. Wanate continued talking, and the stallion eventually calmed down. Eventually, Wanate stopped talking and the stallion was quiet. He hung his head and uttered a single word, bringing a small smile to the wizened stallion standing above him.

"He agree to go to temple. He know if he betray you, he spirit-walk in shame, but if he prove himself in temple, he has chance to become honorable Agra again." I let go of my levitation spell and let the stallion climb to his hooves. He walked over and said something to the Chief, though I could tell he was looking at me. "He say he want to test himself against you in fair fight when you return from temple. He say his honor not allow him peace until he know his opponent in dentana, in combat."

I gave the chief a shrug. "Sounds good to me. Though I just thought of something," I pointed to the small knife still imbedded in the young stallion's shoulder. "will he be ok to fight with a wound like that?"

Wanate spared but a glance back at the stallion, who was now gripping the knife's handle in an attempt to pull it out. "He be fine; I have shaman heal him. He ready to fight beside you by fire-rise. You should rest; tests of temple not wait for he who unprepared."

I nodded to the elder stallion and turned back to the girls. "Welp, you heard him, back to bed for us."

I shooed the girls back into the tent and we started getting back under the comfortable blankets. "I don't think I'll ever understand you Blake Marshall." Twilight's tone was laced with traces of concern. "I mean, not only are you going about facing down a temple full of deadly traps and challenges without batting an eye, but you're letting the stallion who just tried to kill you help you do it… And don't even get me started on how you actually told the chief to go ahead and 'spirit-walk' him if you failed in there…"

Applejack shuffled next to me. "Listen Twi, If'n there's one thing Ah learned from tha buffalo in Appleloosa, it's that ya can't expect a whole lotta folk ta change their ways just b'cause y'all don't agree with what they're doin… Ah don't agree with it none neither, but t'ain't our place ta tell em different. As fer letting that stallion help, Ah think it's a dang fool thing ta do, but Ah trust Blake's judgment, and anythin' that'll give him better chances o' comin' back ta us is a good thing in mah book."

Twilight sighed and snuggled into me. "I'm sorry Blake, it's just… I'm not as used to the whole concept of death as you are… it's never really been a part of my life until recently…"

I hugged the both of them closer to me. "It's ok Twi. I guess living through it, so to speak, really changes your perspective on things…" I felt Applejack stiffen next to me.

"Ah… Ah ferget 'bout that sometimes… Feels like y'all've always been a part o' Equestria, so it's easy ta ferget ya died on another world, somewhere out among all them stars, then got brought here by the Princesses." She let out a sigh and relaxed against me. "And Ah'm sure glad they did too; Ah can't imagine mah life without ya no more Sweetheart."

"Yeah, I feel the same way… It's like you came here, and even through all the bad things that have happened since, things are brighter than ever."

I felt my eyelids starting to grow heavy as the adrenaline began wearing off. "I'm glad I decided to let them bring me here… between heaven and Equestria, I'd choose Equestria and you girls in half a heartbeat."

The next time I woke, it was to the hustle and bustle of stallions and mares throughout the camp going about their business. I sat up slowly, not wanting to wake the girls, and stretched. I let out a quiet, relieved groan as the various joints of my body popped, bringing sweet relief from the tension of sleeping in an unfamiliar bed. "Man… never thought I'd miss coffee so much…"

I felt Twilight stir next to me. "I think the café back home sells it…" Her words were slightly slurred by sleep.

I brushed my hand lightly across her shoulder. "I'm sorry Twi, I didn't mean to wake you…"

She shifted and gave me a small smile. "'S ok… I was already kinda wakin' up… I didn't sleep much last night."

I heard a yawn on my other side. "Ah didn't neither Sugarcube, what with all tha commotion last night, not ta mention what Blake's gonna hafta do today…"

I hugged the girls close. "Aww, come on girls, don't be so down in the dumps… I think I handled myself pretty well against Nightmare Moon and her goons, all things considered. What's a dusty old ruin gonna have that can top that?"

Twilight sighed, and snuggled closer. "But, this is a human ruin we're talking about; nopony knows what kind of traps they might have set up to protect it…"

"Well, yeah, but who's to say those traps are even meant to keep out other humans? Maybe they're just there to keep out other nosy races who might want its secrets. And heck, after such an incredibly long time, they may not even work anymore."

Twilight was quiet for a moment. "I… never really thought about that… I suppose it's possible, but… I still want you to be safe."

"It ain't that we don't think ya c'n do it Sugarcube, it's just… aww heck, how do Ah put it...? Even if there weren't no traps 'r nothin', we'd still worry 'bout ya. We love ya Blake, it's our job ta worry. Gotta tell ya though, Ah's sure feel a whole heap better 'bout all o' this if y'all had yer sword."

I sighed and started standing up. "I know, and I'm glad you girls care enough to worry, I just… don't want you to. Besides, I may not have my sword, but I did bring the amulet that lets me summon my armor, so I have that at least." My stomach suddenly growled as the smell of breakfast hit my nose. "Tell you what; instead of sitting in here worrying, why don't we sit out there, eating? I promise I won't eat anymore meat."

The girls laughed and got to their hooves. "Sounds good to me, I'm actually pretty hungry."

I opened the tent flap and held it for the girls as they walked past, drawing more than a few stares in our direction. The stares didn't last long however, with the Kokello going back to their work, hopefully not paying much mind to our differing ways of life. "Good, you awake, just in time for morning meal." I looked over to see Wanate walking towards us at an odd angle to our tent, which meant he was likely just passing by on his way somewhere else when we came out. "You eat good today, need much strength for trials of temple. Come, we join Quickhoof. He the one who join you today." We followed the chief to a small cooking fire somewhere towards the edge of the camp.

The young stallion, Quickhoof, was sitting on the far side of the fire from us. He barely even shifted as we approached, just enough to give the Kokello's respectful, half-saluting, half-bowing gesture to the chief. "So, looks like we'll be working together for awhile. We'd better bury what happened yesterday if we hope to come back out of that place."

I felt a hoof on my shoulder. "He not understand; only Chief know Negara language. Shaman working on way for you to talk, but he not sure if he be done before you face trials."

I cocked my head to the side as a younger mare walked into my field of view, a trio of bowls balanced neatly on a foreleg, not even a trace of wobble on the precariously perched wooden dishware as she walked. "This Saot'ae. She my granddaughter, her name mean; Gentle Dance of Leaf and Wind."

"Wow… Would you mind telling her I think she has a very pretty name?" The chief nodded to Twilight and relayed her message, bringing a delicate smile to the young mare's face.

Just as she was turning to leave, I heard a rustle behind me. Turning my aurasight towards the direction of the noise, I noticed another stallion, this one dressed in an assortment of bits and bobs, there were bits of dried herbs woven into his dreadlocks, and the bones of some small animal used to pierce his ears and nose. I felt the girls shiver to either side of me, and had to admit that the stallion was pretty unsettling.

He leaned in close and started talking to Wanate in hushed tones, as if we could somehow understand him. The shaman, or at least, that's who I presumed this to be, slipped something to Wanate, acting like it would quite literally be his head if anyone found him with the object. I noticed that whatever he had handed Wanate was pulsing softly with magic, and there seemed to be two, almost identical pressures radiating from the Chief's hoof.

When I widened my field of view again, the strange stallion was already gone, seemingly disappeared in the few seconds that I was inspecting what he had given his Chief. "Shaman finish his work." He walked over to me and gave me one of the objects. "You both wear, then you can know what other say."

I looked down, and in my hand was a small gem, bound up in what seemed to be some kind of bark cordage with feathers and small beads for decoration. The gem itself was resonating faintly with a magic I had never felt before. I watched as Wanate gave its twin to Quickhoof, who looked back and forth between it and his Chief several times. He took a few steps back and addressed both of us, first in our language, then in theirs. "You put on necklace, it make whoever wear the other understand you. Shaman say the magic only last until fire-rise tomorrow, then it be useless." He turned and reiterated what he'd just said to the former Agra across from us.

I shrugged and put the thing on. As soon as the loop went around my neck, I felt the magic flash through my mind, making it tingle for a moment. Quickhoof did the same, and his eyes went wide at the sensation. "Well… why don't we see if this actually works?"

Quickhoof actually jumped a little when I spoke, probably not expecting to be able to actually understand me. "Y-you know what I am saying?" I cocked an eyebrow; I'd been skeptical myself, but it seemed the shaman had really pulled it off. I was also surprised that he sounded even younger than he looked.

"Yes, I understand you." Something buzzed around in my head when I talked. "Man, this is gonna take some getting used to." The buzzing sensation never stayed still for long, so it almost felt like a large bug was flying around in there.

The former Agra nodded. "I agree. This sensation is strange… distracting." The stallion took a few more bites of his food. "I should thank you; what I did was foalish, and I should be dead right now for it, but you gave me a chance to get my honor back."

I took a few bites of my own food, which was slightly sweet, but somewhat bitter, almost like grits. The flavor was strangely complimented by the mix of fruits that had been mixed into the odd substance. "Don't worry about it. People from where I'm from probably wouldn't have given me the chance to wake up if they'd tried what you did, they'd have just straight up killed me and did what they pleased with the girls." I didn't miss his slight flinch, but decided to ignore it for the moment; I could always kick his ass for it when we fought later; no need to carry that kind of baggage into a dangerous situation after all.

"What're you two talking about Blake? Is he apologizing for last night?" I could tell she was trying not to sound angry, but she wasn't doing the best job of it.

I gave her a quick kiss. "More or less. Now, why don't we eat before we talk more? The last thing I want is to start getting tired in the middle of a fight because I don't have enough food energy to keep it up." Quickhoof and the girls all nodded, and dug in to the oddly flavored food.

After we had polished off our bowls, Quickhoof made a strange gesture, and a mare brought over another pair of bowls for us. When we had finished seconds, he called for thirds, and another mare obliged.

With three empty bowls apiece sitting next to us, the former Agra finally stood. "Come, it is time."

I got up and helped the girls to their hooves, and we followed him through the camp to an area I hadn't seen before. The girls both started stuttering at whatever was in front of us, but it was too far away for me to see. That didn't stop me from being able to feel the magic radiating off the stones of the ancient temple though.

The temple was straight in front of us, and it was nearly the size of Ponyville.