“How long have we been walking?”
“Since we last ate.”
“Was that today, or yesterday?”
“I don’t know where we are, let alone when…”
Rover fumed as he walked ahead of his two companions. They’d been walking nonstop through the forest but they were reaching their limit. Life had been hard since Fido, Spot, and him were kicked out of their pack. Justified or not, the other dogs had not been happy they’d given away all of their gems. 
Ever since, they’d been down in the dumps. Surviving off what they could find and taking shelter where they could, And with all the dangerous creatures in the forest, there were few places where they could rest.
Suddenly, Fido asked “Hey… What’s that noise?”
The three perked their ears. Some distance away, there was a faint noise of movement and hushed voices.
“Ponies, maybe?” Spot suggested, his ears twitching nervously.
Rover let out a pained whine. He didn't want to deal with ponies again, but he was far too hungry and tired to turn down the prospect of food, even if it was a possibility.
“Let's find out,” Rover grunted, motioning for his companions to follow as he walked in the direction of the noise.
After a few minutes of walking, they reached a small opening on a mountainside from which a warm glow emanated. After exchanging quick glances, they shared a resolute nod and crept towards the cave. They were greeted by a long and narrow tunnel, the depths of which were bathed in the warm glow of fire.
“That's… weird,” Spot muttered under his breath.
It was true, but there was no way Rover was going to go back to wandering the forest. If ponies were here, that meant food was with them. The trio crept through the winding tunnels, the voices becoming clearer with each step. Finally, they emerged into a vast cavern, with a handful of robed ponies milling about. There were several crates, little tents, and many more trinkets strewn about the cave, yet what caught their eye was…
The trio bit down to avoid gasping in surprise.
In the middle of the cave stood a gigantic ruby, glistening with an otherworldly light. Surrounding it were numerous ponies, their faces serious and intent. The ponies carefully shrouded the gem in a delicate veil.
Rover’s eyes gleamed with greed. “Look at that! We need that gem!”
“But the ponies are guarding it,” Spot whispered, his voice tinged with fear.
“We wait until they sleep,” Rover decided. “Then we take it.”
The Diamond Dogs retreated to a shadowy corner of the cave, watching as the ponies milled about. Eventually, the ponies retreated into the tents.
As the last of the ponies entered their tent, Rover nudged his companions. “Now’s our chance.”
Spot and Rover brought a large stone with them the size of the enormous ruby they’d seen. With practised stealth, the Diamond Dogs approached the centre of the cavern. Fido, using his strength, carefully lifted the gem and removed the veil.
It felt… weird against his paws, but he paid it little mind. He removed the rest of the fabric and wrapped it around the stone Spot and Rover were holding. Then, the three of them slid it back into its place. The switch was smooth, and within moments, they were making their way back to the cave entrance, the enormous ruby in tow.
Halfway through the tunnel, they heard the ponies coming out of their tents, and forced the trio to run out of the cave.
“That… was close,” Fido said between breaths.
“Yeah… But we managed to get this amazing gem!”
Deep in the cave, they heard the voices starting again, but this time they weren’t just speaking.
“What are they doing?” Spot whispered.
“They’re… chanting something,” Fido replied, glancing back.
A bright light filled the cavern, and a powerful wind began to howl. Soon, however, the voices turned from ecstatic to horrified as a different voice filled the air.
A deep rumble shook the whole mountain, and the warm orange light changed into a deep red hue. Suddenly, the voices turned into screams echoing through the cave until an ominous snap made everything go silent.
The Diamond Dogs stared at each other, the weight of what they had witnessed sinking in.
“Let’s get out of here!” Rover barked, panic rising in his voice.
Without a second thought, the Diamond Dogs bolted, leaving the ruby behind as their howls of terror echoed through the night.