. Deeper Into The Alchemy Woods .
The weak confirm the strong survive...

The Alchemy Woods are a fearful place, you confirm with an unconscious nod. Walking just beside and a little behind Keltag, uneasy in both his preasence and the folds of the woods, you begin to doubt youself, and your sanity, and your safety. You shake your head against harsh shadow thoughts that filter into your mind, tormenting you, taunting you with wicked visions, images of a harsh and lonely death. You sob involentarily, hugging yourself against the chill, despite the warmth around you.
Keltag turns, his heavy set frown glaring at you. "You alright?" He asks, in a tone that would suggest that he couldn't care remotely either way, save for the fact that if you were about to die, he would be able to get to where he's going a lot faster without your burden. You shake your head.
"Why did you say you don't take kindly to humans," you ask, the words spilling from your mouth before your good sense can stop them.
Keltag snorts, his ears flicking back in agrovation, and makes no attempt to answer.
He stops short of a clearing. You can see that it is a clearing by the firelight in the centre; the first real light your pupils have been honoured since you stepped foot into the dense woodland.
"We're here," he announces, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "You can meet the other Vagabond Ponies....I'm sure they would be...delighted to see you."
Walking into the clearing, you feel the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. Eyes, all around. Watching, waiting. You feel the flush of blood run from your face. These are not little ponies. These are demon horses.
No....that's your silly imagination getting the better of you again. These are just...ponies. Slightly different in their looks and ways, sure. But ponies nontheless.
Without ease, you sit down, and Keltag joins you.
"This human was out walking in the woods," he nods towards one particular pony who is sat at the far end, staring at you intently. "She has met that weasel Sprightly....she was...lost...she claims."
"Was she now?" Chortles the pony, standing heavily to his hooves. He takes a step towards you, and the fire, and gestures for you to come closer. "The fire is only a small one," he states, "but it will keep the cold out of the soul, I do say."
"This," Keltag tells you with a strange incomprehensible glint in his eye, "is Raylock. Leader of the Vagabonds."
You feel compelled to bow, or curtsey, or do something to honour this noble beast. He is nothing like the Keltag pony, though he is nothing like the little ponies of Dream Valley either. Tall, heavily built with crimson hair, framed by his flowing black mane and tail, Raylock looks stunning, noble, proud. He walks with an air about him that simply begs for you to kneel and respect him. His black hooves are huge, perfectly matching to his mountainous body, and he has a black blaze reaching from forhead to between his nostrils.
More than all that, Raylook seems kind. That alone was enough for you to be grateful. Too many of Keltag's kind would have had you fearing for your life, you realise with a shudder.
"Yes, yes....we are daunting, human," chides a new, cold voice from beside you. You turn to gaze at a female pony, gaunt, slight, with hollow, glaring eyes and a straggly, unkept mane and tail. Did she just read your thoughts? No, that was impossible!
"Actually, it's quite possible, human," she states, reading your mind yet again, answering your question in two ways. "Or at least, it is to a superior creature such as myself. And not one of your lower IQ."
"Devanshi!" Snaps Raylock. "Keep your comments to yourself until we find out what this creature is like. She may not be of the human ilk we so despise," he flicks his ears towards you, "we shall see, shant we?"
Huffing, this Devanshi stands to her hooves and slinks away, her back a downward sloping arc. You begin to wonder if she is old or just ill, but you quickly change your frame of thought when she flashes an icy glare over her shoulder, and you remember her strange ability of mind reading.
"You look famished," Raylock cuts in. "Rhylla, fetch some soup from the kinders." He then turns to you. "Make yourself at home. Don't worry about this lot," he gestures to the various vagabonds skattered around. "They mean no harm. Well..." he corrects himself, frowning, whispering this time. "They do mean harm, actually. And will pay you it, too. So keep yourself to yourself for the time being, eh?"
You nod, dumbly, and a rose coloured female arives with a cracked ceramic bowl containing some thick brown soup. While it doesn't look exactly appealing, the smell is delightful, and you down it in an second. After doing so, you realise perhaps you should have been more cautious, but Raylock's kind gestures seem so convinsing, you fail to feel very threatened or paranoid.
"Who are you?" you ask at last, finding your voice amidst the confusion.
"Ah, we are vagabond ponies. Let me introduce ourselves." He sits back on his haunches like a dog would, and gestures awkwardly with a right hoof.

Vagabond Pony Profiles:
(These are rather vague. I had intended them to be very detailed but realised that in doing so, I was spoiling all my up-and-coming fanfics. So vague it is, folks! Pictures coming soon!)

	Name: Raylock Rank: Leader Colour: Crimson red Mane & Tail: Black Birth Mark: A ravan General Info: Raylock was originally from Dream Valley, who, sick of the un-eventful day to day existance there, craved something more. He wandered into the Alchemy Woods and met the Vagabond Ponies, who immidiately took him prisoner and was due to be killed by them...but through a tangle and a rather twisted web of trouble, Raylock became leader instead...
	Name: Laviathan Rank: Warlock Colour: Midnight blue Mane & Tail: Purple and silver Birth Mark: None General Info: Laviathan, like Raylock, was not borne into the Vagabond folds, but was in fact summoned by the gypsy medium Devanshi by mistake. Once he was there, she couldn't 'magic' him away, so they were stuck with him.  He is secretive, very private. The others don't get mixed up in his affairs and most certainly don't argue with him, for he is one of the most powerful creatures in Equin. If only he himself knew how much so.
	Name: Keltag Rank: Warrior Colour: Dark purple Mane & Tail: Blood red and golden Birth Mark: None General Info: Keltag was born into the Vagabonds. He is heavy, but swift, with a history of (rather bloody) battle behind him. He is rarely amused, often more willing to fight than to talk. He would take on a hundred and not once have a vague flicker in his mind that he would come off the loser. The scars on his face relfect his victories in battles, but those on his flanks hide a much darker story...
	Name: Sprightly Rank: Scribe Colour: Dark Green Mane & Tail: Yellow Birth Mark: None General Info: One of the younger Vagabond ponies, Sprightly is more open minded and open hearted than his older companions. He often ventures into Dream Valley and other parts of Ponyland, telling stories to anyone who wants to listen, helping others on their way.
	Name: Wolf Rank: Warrior Colour: Brown Mane & Tail: Dark brown and red Birth Mark: A wolf's paw print. General Info: Wolf never originally had a name. He was named Wolf by the Vagabond ponies, who took him in as a foal when they found him wandering alone in the Alchemy Woods. He'd been raised by wolves, and the nickname stuck. Because of his unusual upbringing, Wolf is a strange, strange beast. Unlike any creature of equestian nature, Wolf is a hunter. Raised by pack animals, animals that kill to survive, Wolf sometimes find it hard to live the 'humble' life of a mere pony. He is swift, and brave, though kind, at times. The presence of a birth mark means only one thing; Wolf was a Dream Vallian before he was raised by wolves in the woodlands. Where are his real family? Wolf often ponders his roots, and often, much to the distaste of his fellow Vagabonds, wonders what life outside of the woods, in the magical Dream Valley, really is like.
	Name: Devanshi Rank: Mystic Colour: Blood orange Mane & Tail: Golden Birth Mark: None, though there is a hint of...something, on her flanks. General Info: Devanshi is a gypsy, a mystic who is in touch with 'the other side', though in doing so, she called up Laviathan. She is very manipulative and will fight to the death if need be. Something.....links her with Dream Valley, though she will never admit to what.
	Name: Solitare Rank: Whisperer Colour: White Mane & Tail: Blue and White Birth Mark: None General Info: Solitare is another whisperer. He doesn't live with the vagabonds, but lives alone, hense his nickname. One extraordinary feet Solitare has is that he is a tree-climber. He doesn't live in the Alchemy Woods. He lives *above* them.
	Name: Rhylla Rank: Whisperer Colour: Rose pink Mane & Tail: Red and white Birth Mark: None General Info: The daughter of the former leader of the Vagabonds, Rose is a whisperer, in that she can speak to the flora and fauna around her, understanding their replies.

"All is fair in hoof and claw..."
- Vagabond Motto

My Little Pony is © Hasbro
All original site content, such as the pictures and text, is © Selena EMA Thomas unless otherwise stated. Do not steal my art without permission!! I am registered with PAIN!!
All views here are my own. This is in no way a reprisentation of the 'official' Hasbro version of "Ponyland", but the way I see it.