Road to Royalty

by Cassandra

Chapter 5

Celestia, Luna, and Cadance trotted along silently. The wind was calming as it travelled through the trees. The birds chirped and it was a warm, sunny afternoon. The three young alicorns stopped. They heard a noise. Suddenly a green, smelly gas came coming out of nowhere.

"What's that awful smell?" Celestia questioned. Cadence and Luna shrugged but then they came face to face with what was causing it. Timberwolves!

"RUN!" they all screamed. The Timberwolves howled and chased after them. Luna saw a low tree branch and held onto it. When one of them came closer, she let go of it. The wolf ran into it and fell as one big pile of twigs. Luna smirked and continued running. Cadance ran for her life, but the Timberwolves managed to keep up with her. In front of her was a giant rock cliff that was too steep to climb or fly! Cadance turned around in horror. The Timberwolf's mouth drooling all over and coming closer to Cadance. She was trapped. Just then when hope seemed on the line, Celestia burst some magic and the Timberwolf fell into pieces of wood and twigs.

"Come on!" Celestia shouted and flew off. Cadance shook herself and took off to the sky. She flew until she bumped into Celestia and the two fell into the forest. Luna was flying underneath them and squealed when she saw them falling. She got caught in the ball and they all screamed as they fell into the dark unknown forest.

"Uh, what happened?" Cadence groaned. She stood up and brushed herself off and looked around. Where was she? She wasn't in the same forest, or was she? Cadance looked around and saw Luna and Celestia covered in leaves, twigs, and mud. She cringed. Luna and Celestia got up and cleaned themselves. Luna was infuriated.

"CADENCE! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? WHY DID YOU BUMP INTO ME AND CELESTIA LIKE THAT?" Luna screamed at Cadance. Cadence shrunk into herself as Luna towered above her.

"I-I'm sorry. It was a mistake. I didn't mean to do that. I just got scared and I didn't see Celestia in front of me," Cadance apologized. Luna looked at her and her face seemed distorted.

"A MISTAKE? A MISTAKE? YOUR HOPELESS CADENCE! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" Luna shouted at Cadance and walking up to her. Cadance walked back and bumped into Celestia who stood still and looked at her sister.

"Luna, don't talk to Cadance like this. She is older than you thought and you have to respect her,' Celestia said defending Cadance. Luna looked at her sister.

"I can't believe you. You want to stick up for someone like Cadance that nearly killed us all?" Luna questioned. Celestia looked at her sister still, her face in an angry way.

"Luna! I don't care. That isn't the way to talk to her or me as a matter of fact," Celestia responded. Cadence, who was still cowering in front of Celestia stood up and faced Luna and Celestia.

"Luna's right. I could have killed you both. I guess it would be best if I leave you both alone and never return." Cadance turned around and ran in the opposite direction, tears streaming from her eyes. Luna looked at Cadance and immediately regretted everything she just said. Celestia stood shocked. She turned to Luna and fumed with anger.

"Luna! Look what you just did! Now she's gone into the woods and we have no idea where we are! Luna, do you feel proud of yourself now?" Celestia said. Luna started at the ground. Her heartfelt broken and she felt horrible. She couldn't answer her sister. Instead, she turned and ran in the opposite direction, feeling horrible than ever. Celestia stood in the clearing. She was left all alone. The rain started pouring down which totally all matched their moods.

****

Cadance kept on running but stopped when it started raining. She had no idea where she ran and she was cold and frightened. A lone tear swelled in the corner of her eye. She blinked and wiped it away. Now isn't the time to cry. Cadance found shelter under a large beech tree and huddled up against it. She just wished that she didn't mess up like that.

*****

Luna walked into the unknown forest, farther and farther in. She heard some unusual noises and believed that someone was following her. The tree branches were bony and long, and the rain was too much for her. She ran until she found a cave.

"Hello?" Luna called into the cave. No answer came, so she went in but not that far. Thunder roared and she shrieked. She wished that she was with Celestia and Cadance.

*****

"Luna! Cadance! Where are you?" Celestia called out in the raining atmosphere. She shivered as the rain kept on pouring down, harder and harder. She had found a cave, but the fear of anyone being in there and not happy to see her made her change her decision. She found a beech tree but then decided the same so she kept on walking calling Luna's and Cadance's names over and over.

Celestia kept on walking in the rain. At least it died down a bit. The girls should be emerging from their hiding spots and come out soon. Celestia was tired and sore all over and very upset. She tried to keep in her tears. They had so many good times together, and now, it went all down the drain.

*****

Luna looked out and noticed that it had stopped raining. She emerged out of her cave and looked around. The forest looked, different. It didn't look the same. She walked out and was immediately bathed in sunlight. The trees looked more, safe. Luna knew that she had to find Celestia and Cadance. Yes, that was her quest.

Celestia ran and looked around herself. She thought that she saw a horsetail fly by. A purple one! Celestia rounded the corner and bumped into the stranger. The other horse stood up and gasped.

"Luna! Oh, my goodness, Luna, you are alive!" Celestia exclaimed embracing her sister. Luna's eyes swelled with tears. She stepped back from her sister and without her wanting, the tears ran down her cheeks, unable to be stopped.

"Celestia, it's all MY fault in the first place that this happened. If I didn't scowl Cadance, then she never would have run away, and then we never would have separated," Luna explained, hanging her head low in shame. She couldn't look up to her sister after what happened, but what happened next surprised her more than ever.

Cadence swore she heard something. It sounded like... Celestia? Cadence followed the voice, as long as she could hear it, but after a while, it went faint. Cadence strained her ears, but she couldn't detect it. She had followed a path when she bumped into 2 people, she never thought she will see again.

"LUNA! CELESTIA! Oh, you don't know how happy I am to see you too," Cadance squealed. She embraced the two in a huge teddy bear hug. Luna burst into tears. Cadence looked at her.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Luan sniffed and wiped her eyes. She looked at Cadance and repeated what she told Celestia. Cadance looked at Luna and smiled at her.

"Luna, dear. It is okay. You were right about being me a clumsy clot. But this time I was away actually made me think more about my actions and how I need to be more careful," Cadance said. Luna nodded and breathed it. Celestia came forward and embraced them again.

"Let's get going now girls," she said. Luna and Cadance nodded and they set out together.