Days continued to pass and Clara looked to the elder mare who had taken her in. Not sure what else to do or where to go she opened up to her and told her who or what she was. After a bit of a lengthly story the old mare wallked behind the counter pulling out a bit bag. From behind the counter the old gal smiled and tossed it at her. "You will need this, it'll help you on your way until you get settled again. Trouble is begining to brew, our nation can feel it, everything is begining to crumble before our eyes. You mustn't stay here and you know this. You can't hide forever." The old mare smiled at Clara as she spoke.
This was the first time she saw the keeper with a happy expression, "Oh ma'am I can't take your money, you work hard for this.." Clara's face grew red as she began to ramble.
Her mumbles were cut short, "I don't need those, you do though. You earned this. If you ever come back and want a job it's yours, just tell whoever is here at that time that Maggie sent you.
Clara walked behind the counter and hugged Maggie, "Thank you for everything." She whispered.
Leaving the INN and the only mother figure she ever had behind Clara set off for the adjecent town, the one she had just come from. Every step seemed to get longer. Dreadding going back Clara trudged on. 'It is my duty, my purpose.' She reminded herself.
Holding her head up high Clara walked into the town she had fled from. The city appaeared to be in worse shambles then she had left it. Wandering the streets it became clear to her just how unsafe it could be, she knew she could easily defeat any foe without batting a lash, however, this was not the point. She would not assosiate with Luto or drop to her level of manipulation.
"I need to find a place I would be able to stay. I need a safe place with somepony else to watch my back as I watch theirs." Clara spoke gently to herself as she wandered the familiar streets.
Darkness was begining to set in, the moonlight shon brilliantly off of her white coat. Warm air ruffled her mane. Taking a moment to enjoy the small aspects in life she was never able to before the separation Clara drew in a deep sweet breath of air. One moment she was enjoying life the next a bandit had torn away with her bit bag. Clara's eye's went wide in surprise. "Halt!" she hollard staring at the perpetrators hooves.
He had stopped dead in his tracks unable to move. The panicked stallion thrashed his head about in an effort to move. Laughing Clara approached him, "It is in vain, you can not move. Now please kindly pass me my bits."
The theif tossed the bits aside and spit at Clara,"Now that's not very nice. I will just have to leave you here then." Clara picked up her bag and tossed it around her neck, "See you." She sang out into the night sky leaving the theif stuck to the streets grunting and snorting.
"Where is safe?" She pondered aloud trying to recall location and catch her bearings.