You admit to the creature that you’ve never met anything like it before, and decide to try asking it about itself.
 
Creature: “Su? Eleven deman era ew. Yb detaerc erew ew…”
 
Eleven’s voice trails off suddenly. For a few seconds, it seems to intently watch something next to you that isn’t there. Then, it speaks up again, this time with urgency.
 
Eleven: “Gnimoc si enoemos. Su noitnem ton od. Niaga teem lliw ew.”
 
As it finishes its last sentence, the creature’s body turns to colourful dust, and swiftly scatters in the blowing wind.
 
Apple Basket: “Whoa! That was, uh… did that count as some sorta magic?”
 
You give each other a stumped look, until something shiny to the northeast catches your eye. Squinting, you are able to make out a couple of silver-armoured ponies trotting in your direction; one with a dark gray coat, and the other’s, a faded shade of brown.
 
As the knights get closer, you notice the golden sunrise emblem on their vibrant red tabards, and the horned shape of their helmets. As far as you can tell, the two stallions seem to be regular unicorns.
 
Gray knight: “Halt! In the name of the Crown, we are to inspect your possessions before you proceed any further.”
 
Apple Basket: “Uh, we got nothin’ to hide, do we?”
 
Apple Basket offers one of the knights his necklace pouch, and Moonflower does the same with her satchel. Strangely enough, neither of the unicorns seems to be interested in your sidereal bag, but instead, they grow suspicious of your bat pony companion after seeing her supplies.
 
Gray knight: “Your hat, alchemist. You, check the ship.”
 
While the gray knight ensures that Moonflower isn’t hiding anything under her cap, the brown one takes a quick look around your sailboat, only to return empty-hoofed.
 
Brown knight: “Nothing to report.”
 
Gray knight: “Understood. You are free to go, travellers, but know that it isn’t safe here. You would be well-advised to get to a town as soon as possible.”
 
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