Around the world through laziness and boredom

      The road back home intended to be a long one. The swift escape did not leave an opportunity to go back for the abandoned gem bag, which would help friends back at homeland. Both of them understood that, and nobody objected - neither wanted to throw themselves at gigantic swords and arrows for some stones.   — What about Fortune? - Sunshine suddenly expressed - We have to warn him! We have to do at least something!   — You can not even walk. Remember what the horned fool said.   — Yet I can fly! Can’t leave our friends! We have to-   — He is no more. Forget. - the bug stayed cold-blooded - Please. He cannot bluff - too hot-headed. He done it all before.   The merchant could indeed be silenced earlier, and only then the rest would be dealt with. Vile and low, but it felt like what Guren would do. Who knows, what else did he keep away from his father? After all, everything went straight through the unicorn, not directly to the ruler.   — This.. Truly is a huge risk. - sad pony realised - Forward. And not a step back.         The survival of their acquaintance was left as mystery with lots of theories. Both friends, moments prior, already hanged on a thread before certain death; too much of a cost for truth. This truth would have satisfied them in any way - hanging, somewhat of a rescue or a gross and painful death.   ..Or a shot from a small cannon, that fits in hooves. What is this long, loud and deathbringing invention, that was used against the fugitives just now? This realm surprises again and again in so many aspects, and if the unicorn still has unused aces, then it is scary to imagine what awaits the company in the future.   Adventurers were not going to be let go, but they did not ask for anyone’s approval, and simply rushed to the walls, one going through land and another through wind. The inaccurate weapon constantly missed, and steel balls hit the sand that immediately got into the air, covering the fields with crops. Friends escaped exactly through them.   — Have to split. - the shapeshifter yelled at his companion - Less chance to get hit!   — Can’t split too far! - pegasus objected - Can’t help each other otherwise!   Arguing, again, at such a moment? It is a good thing that both of them saw the compromise, and the team continued to go forward with an optimal distance from each other. However, compared to everything around them, they were very small and that distance is still insignificant..   So insignificant, that the lap between them and the wall appeared endless for quite a while. The crop field is surrounded by enormous, and seemingly impenetrable barrier: dozens of towers, archers in arrowslits.. The shooters somehow knew that the equestrian folk were hunted.   Not that it really remained a mystery - loud noises from a secret weapon were heard even there, not to mention the city boundaries. And even then, friends remained almost invisible in the fields and between the crops, since they were easily confused with the local farmers.         The bigger the territory, the more weak links there are in the defences. The changeling appeared only at the other side of the barricade, burrowing through the sand in a chameleonling disguise. Winged horse also used trickery and kept close enough to the long wall.   It did not turn in any way for at least a few kilometres, and the pegasus swiftly flew through the archers, repeating that manoeuvre on the other side. Not to mention that shooters’ chances dimmed more, as friends flew towards the horizon - bolts flew too slowly to reach such small, but very fast targets.   However, they should not take it easy, as even though the murderers missed, they still impressed with their accuracy - missing for a few metres, sometimes even sentimetres. One flawed move, and one of the fugitives would get pinned for sure. And followed they were by the shots, until the horizon..   — W-wait! - the pony harshly landed onto her legs.   — Tired?   — Can’t even imagine how..   — Can hear your heart from here. Climb on.         Oh, the adrenaline that helped in the right moment, and left the horse with no strength in the end. Small sleep has taken its toll after all - the pony immediately fell asleep after she got on a smooth surface, yet again leaving all the work to the changeling.   If there would be anyone else in his place, they would have gotten very angry, or at least tried to express their displeasure. But the insect was none the worse for wear, and he had the strength to turn a whole city upside down. What little a run through the whole desert with someone important on the back compared to that?   It appears not as hard, as the orange sleepyhead could neither be woken up by anything, nor brought down from the big carapace. Not a strong wind, not hot weather, not even moving through constant irritations were able to distract her from looking at dreams. Those are probably very entertaining dreams..   As one has to try very hard, to miss another chameleonling attempt at sorting things out with their white brethren. And the unending squeaking of chitin would have gotten on anyone’s nerves already. But no, not even a flight through a field of cacti and a sound of ultra fast wings brought someone out of their head.   However, the insectoid himself had endured enough. Danger lurked at every step, and whiskers caught even the faintest of sounds through wind and his own limb crack. It was not a mystery for the changeling, that someone is following him and his friend. Someone with hundreds of hooves. And the reason for this noise got even closer.   The scroll idea was put away yet again. The risk is too high, just as before - that stop might become the last. And if one messes up with the spell, then not only for the one who opens the portal.. It would not matter if that happens, but the thought itself is stopped by “no” every time it appears, going back to the web of synapses.   And still, one should admit eastern folk’s impressiveness - they managed to get closer to their target even with full equipment, after a head start, all while not stopping for a single moment. Stallions missed days and nights, not staying even for a bite. Only their sworn enemies could compete with such endurance.         For some - vile beasts, for others - marvellous beings, similar to dryads and mermaids. Lots of things are being told about them - that they steal both children and adults, using them both to experience various emotions.. For many, those are simple insects, yet for some - something more.   And for themselves, ponies are strange and weird. Simple amenities and creation of beauty was foreign for the bugs, they did not understand the celebrations and they blended into the cities, so that they could understand other creatures. However, the difference in intellect left a lot to be desired.   Ponies often object to living with something creepy or different, be it spiders or other hooved beings. Especially if their fur is of a different colour, or they had something unnatural, like additional limbs or abilities. Not that they are different from the rest themselves..         Only few changelings were gifted with self-awareness and free will, and even those are bonded with inseparable ties to their birthplace. Out of everyone else, they do understand a bit more the wishes to drown in alcohol or try something new, but the insects still did everything for the hive.   Except, probably, only one representative of their species. And he was getting closer to his first home. Directly through the lifeless lands, surrounded by mountains and many architectural horrors and moults, around which boiled unique and peculiar life.