The rest of the night passed uneventfully as they all got much needed sleep. Lightning, though shaken by both the fight and the old castle, was also able to sleep at last. The morning eventually came as rays of the sun's light crept over the tree tops, signifying the coming of the new day. Derpy was first to stir in her sleeping bag, as she poped her head out and let out a loud yawn. She got out of her sleeping bag and made her way to the food bag, determined to get her hooves on her most favorite food. She burried her head into the bag and shoved her snout around, hoping to catch a whif of the sweet, baked goodness. After five seconds or so, her nose hit the jackpot. She dove completely into the bag and after a minute of struggling she emerged victorious with muffin in hoof! She returned to her sleeping bag and started to devour the muffin.
It wasn't long before the others got up and joined her in breakfast, as last night left them all with empty stomachs. Thunder started a camp fire as Lightning got some eggs out of the magical cooler. Rainbow Dash had decided to sleep in a tree, and was now discovering the consequence of doing so, as she was now coverd in tree sap. "About last night..." Thunder began. "What happened in that castle before the Timberwolves showed up?"
"I'm not sure...for some reason I felt drawn to it. Like I was supposed to go in there. But when I got in there I found this big statue thing. It had five large ball shaped things on it. When I touched one I felt like...like Rainbow Dash was there...only she wasn't. I felt like there were four others there too, but I couldn't recognise them. Yet they felt familiar to me. Like I've known them my whole life." Lightning said, starting to shake alittle.
"It's OK son...I'm here." Thunder said, hugging his son. "Though this statue of yours is a huge mystery to historians and researchers alike. The only known reference to this place is a book called The Elements of Harmony." He continued. "Oddly, the book is quick to reference another tome, called Mare in the Moon. If your interested son I've got a copy of The Elements of Harmony back in my study at home. Though you'll have to go to the royal library in Canterlot for the other book."
How much farther to the ruin Dad?" Lightning asked.
"Ghastly's Gorge starts just after the ruins of Old Canterlot, which we camped in. So we are less than an hour away." Thunder replied.
Lightning got up. "Hey guys we're almost there!" He cried with joy.
"This is so awsome!" Rainbow said. "This is gonna be such a cool story to tell at Flight Camp!"
"Everypony it's time to pack up camp!" Thunder said. "We're almost there and if we leave now we could be done and back home by tonite!"
The foals' ears all perked at the sound of that. The rest of the morning was quiet as they finished breakfast and pulled camp. The only impact on the site being the destroyed bridge over the ravine. The foursome circled around the ruined castle and before them was the infamous Ghastly's Gorge. As they peered over the edge they saw a deep ravine into the ground filled with razor sharp rocks and mutiple thorn covered plants of various kinds. Thankfully for the adventurers they were pegasi and could fly over it all. They flew a mile in and quickly found themselves surrounded by ruins that, while structurally less damaged than Old Canterlot, look far more ancient.
"This is it guys!" Thunder exclaimed proudly, "We'ved arelrived at the ruins of the lost pegasus tribe: The Thunder Cloud Tribe."
"Who are they?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"They were a pegasus tribe that predates even the pegasus tribe led by Commander Hurrican." Thunder continued. "They were a peacful tribe that practiced weather control to an art form. In fact they achieved such a level of mastery that they discovered ways to control aspects of the weather without clouds."
"woah" The foals' jaws hanging.
"So what happened to them?" Derpy asked.
"Apparently nopony really knows that still lives to this day. Since they even predate the royal sisters themselves." Thunder answered. "But, a popular belief is that at the hieght of their power, Commander Hurricane rose to power in Pegasopholos. He caught wind of this proud, powerful tribe and personally hunted them down. Even going as far as to kill every last stallion and colt, and capture all the mares and fillies. He then indoctrinated them into Pegasopholosian society, thus ensuring the end of the Thunder Cloud Tribe. Some even say that the Windigos were actually an apperation created by the Thunder Cloud Tribe as an act of revenge on Hurricane and everyone whose heart was as cold as his. But now we will know the truth! Come on everypony! It's time we solved this mystery once and for all!" With that they approached the forbidding entrance.
to be continued...