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// Prologue: Dawn of the Snake 
// Story: Luna's Guardian 
// by LeishiTales 
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Prologue: Dawn of the Snake


Rain beat mercilessly on the roof of the apothecary, while thunder rumbled in the dark distance. The tiny village of Kaoura looked deserted in the night gloom, everypony shut into their tiny huts, trying to get some sleep with mother nature’s racket outside. It was The Season of Rain, so at this time of the year, in mid-August, the only sound outside was the droplets of water pelting down and the strong wind currents most of the day and night. 
Inside the tiny building, made up of only one small room, it was dimly lit and comfortably warm from the heat of the fireplace. Cubbies lined the walls with all different sorts of herbs and medicines, while four soft beds of hay lined the back walls.
In the corner, a young pegasus mare lay in one of the soft beds, the only patient there at the time. Curled up at the mare’s belly was a tiny foal colt, only a few hours old. His coat was the deep purple, a tangled black mane covering his eyes as he slept. The mother of the foal looked especially exhausted, anxiously looking from her new son to the wooden door of the hut. 
Soon enough, the shadow of a hooded pony quickly opened the door and slipped quietly inside. Padding across the dusty floor the figure stepped into the light of the fire and flipped its hood off. It was another mare, a pure white coat with a dark streak running from her nose all the way down her back. Sitting down beside the mother she placed some strange purple leaves in front of her nose.
“Eat this. It will help with your weariness.” She told her, nodding towards them. Without a word, the mare obeyed, licking up the leaves and chewing on them silently. As she did so, the hooded mare turned away, not wanting to look into the mother’s eyes.
“I have everything set. You will have to be going before dawn….” The mare turned her head and gazed fearfully at her.
“What? But my foal! He can’t even walk yet Quetzyl! Can’t I just wait till he’s on his feet, maybe after a few da-“
“NO! You must leave now Poppy, don’t you understand that?! You and your foal will both be killed if anyone sees him!” Quetzal whipped around and glared fiercely at Poppy. 
“But…. I just don’t understand! There’s nothing wrong with him! He hasn’t done anything bad! He’s just…… different…” the mother mare’s voice cracked with heart-wrenching sadness. Ever since she felt him moving around in her belly, she just knew that something wasn’t quite right. She would have never dreamed of giving birth to a thestral, not when she hadn’t any ancestors she knew of with thestral blood. It must have been Lantern’s side of the family… No. She didn’t want to think about him now. It would only cause her more heartache. But looking at him now, she couldn’t see a single thing wrong with her precious foal. 
“Why can’t we just wait, maybe the townspeople will give him a chance.”
“You and I both know that’s never going to happen.” Quetzyl squeezed her eyes shut. “To them, he is cursed by the moon; a bad omen. That’s how it is and how it will always be. Since the beginning of time in Saddle Arabia, thestrals have been-“ 
“DO NOT call him that. Do you hear me?” Poppy growled, a tear rolling down her cheek. “He’s more than just a thestral. Just because his wings are different; just because he has different eyes, doesn’t mean he’s cursed…..” 
“I  know…. I know that he’s not cursed,” Quetzyl settled down close to Poppy and looked into her eyes, “but do you want to risk your foal’s life, just to see if somehow, miraculously, ponies have a change of heart? They’re not going to change Poppy, and you know that; as well as I do...” The mare murmured softly. For a moment Poppy said nothing, grief welling up inside of her. Looking down at the tiny body that was pressed against her side, Poppy licked the top of his forehead affectionately. The little colt opened his eyes sleepily and gazed up at his mother. They where a mysterious color of yellow and his pupils were thin claw marks, like those of a feline. 
“Mama…?” the foal yawned innocently, stretching out his wings. Instead of soft downy feathered wings like his mother’s, the foals wings resembled those of a vampire fruit bat, thin and wiry against his little body. His ears were furry and tufted at the ends as well.  An overwhelming wave of love suddenly flooded over the mother. Not only that, but a surge of fierce maternal instinct, and suddenly Poppy knew that she had to keep her foal safe, even if that meant going somewhere far away from her homeland; the lands she had always known. Finally she took a deep breath.
“I just want to keep him safe…..OK. We will go now.” He voice was steady with determination. Quetzyl sighed with relief and stood up quickly. “I’ll get your saddle bag and will meet you outside.” She rushed away, leaving Poppy with her baby, who was by that time, about to fall asleep again. Poppy slowly and painfully stood up on all fours. Every muscle was screaming in protest. She quickly yet carefully wrapped her baby up in worn cloth nearby, tying the ends around her neck to make a tiny cradle against her chest. The foal wailed in protest. 
“Shhhh….” Poppy hushed, a desperate tone edging her voice. “Come little one, we have to go now. We are going to a new place. You will like it there.” Once the colt settled down, the mare swiftly exited the hut into the dark downpour outside. Her grey fur was soaked to the bone in a matter of seconds, but at least her little bundle was dry. Looking across the grassy yard of the apothecary, she saw Quetzyl in the middle of the flooded road, talking to a huge black draft stallion who was wearing a hood similar to hers. Moments later she turned abruptly, headed back over to Poppy, and pointed to the stallion.
“My cousin; he’s from a tiny village just north of Saddle Arabia. My aunt lives there, and she’ll help you, I promise. Her grandfather had been a thestral. But you must get a move-on, it’s starting to get lighter in the east.” Quetzyl attached Poppy’s saddle bag to her side as she spoke. Poppy gave her a slight nod, her face expressionless as she climbed into the cart. The rain was starting to slow to a drizzle by the time they were settled in the vehicle and the clouds had cleared a bit, enough to see a few of the frosty stars, glowing low in the sky as dawn approached. Maneuvering around in the cart, Poppy turned to Quetzyl standing at the side of the cart. She grasped her friend’s hoof desperately. 
“Will I ever see you again?” Her voice shook in weak terror, wondering of what the future had in store. Quetzyl gazed at the mare, a sorrowful smile forming. 
“Of course you will, my friend. I will see you again soon, once I make things right here for your foal…. Speaking of your foal, I think you should think of some names for the little guy.” The hooded mare nodded towards the little the bundle on the floor of the cart that was curled up in an attempt to get warm.
“I will,” Poppy smiled for a moment. She didn’t know how she would do this without her only true friend, but she had to stay strong for her foal. 
“Thank you… so much Quetzyl. I’ll miss you.” She gave her one last hug over the cart rim.
“I will miss you too…” A tear ran down Quetzyl’s eyes as she backed away. She whistled to her cousin, who without saying a word, reared up and started galloping stiffly through the mud.
“May the sun shine on your path. Farewell Poppy Shade.” Quetzyl called as the cart bumped farther and farther away and out of the village boundaries.
“Good bye Quetzyl Dawn.” Poppy whispered. She looked into the distance until the hooded mare was no longer visible through the predawn mist. Snuggling up close to her foal to warm him up, she saw that he had already fallen asleep. Names…I need something perfect …something that will make him proud of what he is…… she racked her brain, but couldn’t seem to find a fit. She gazed up at the setting crescent moon, as if expecting the answers to be held there. Her eyes glowed with the soft lesser light as an idea came to her. Well, when I saw him for the first time, I knew he was going to be just like his father; quick, fierce and clever, but loving, when you never expect it. H e will be a true warrior of the night, as threstrals of old have always been.
“Adder…… I’ll call you Adder Shade.” Poppy murmured, happiness welling up inside of her at her new son’s name, a name he would be proud of when he came to doubt himself most. Poppy was hoping he wouldn’t have to go through all of the cruel loneliness of being different; an outcast. I promise to keep you safe, my precious.... she thought to herself, curling up around her Adder and closing her eyes as the cart tumbled and raced on through the chilly desert moors.