//------------------------------// // 25. Canterhorn Melody // Story: Wolves of Night and Blade: Book I // by One of Nine //------------------------------// ‘How about… that one?’ “Nah uh.” ‘That one?’ “No.” ‘Ok, what about… this one?’ “Not that one.” I sighed, looking at the legion of expertly crafted Warhammers. “Luna’s birthday is coming up, and I want to get her something that is hopefully special.” ‘Ok then… and since she likes nocking you around with one, you thought you’d buy her a fancier one to pummel your face with? Instead of getting hit in the face with pure iron, you intend to get hit with brass and gold?’ Balder gave me a mental shake of his figurative head. ‘Do you like getting hurt by her? Perhaps she didn’t hit you hard enough last week.’ “No, I just… I just want to get her something that’ll stick out.” My eyes skimmed over the assembly of hammers, my ear perking as the blacksmith beat the glowing metal on his forge. The clank of iron on iron suddenly stopped as the old yellow furred stallion put down his tools and walked over to me, small embers embedded in his black goatee. “It sounds like ya’re havin’ ah one sided conversation, laddy.” He smirked, cleaning his hands off with a rag. I turned to the blacksmith, a nervous smile on my face. “Uh, yeah. You know how Princess Luna has Star?” “The Princess’ alternate self? The one who’s always prancin’ ‘round here?” He smiled, showing off the gap in his lower teeth. “Ah now the lass. Why?” “I have someone in here…” I poked the side of my head for emphasis. “Named Balder. We tend to talk a lot and I sometimes forget that we can mentally chat both ways. I guess I just like talking sometimes.” The old Blacksmith hummed to himself, stroking his beard. I still couldn’t grasp as to how ponies grew facial hair. “Well, jus’ so long as you don’t start goin’ nuts… and you don’t hurt my business, all shall be well.” ‘Too late, we’re already nuts.’ Balder laughed, a small pulse of gold in my eyes. I quietly chuckled along with him, remembering the joke I’d told Luna. “I hear ya.” “Good.” I focused back on the stallion as he moved back to his workspace, claiming his tools again. “But for now, you have twenty minutes till I close up the shop.” I snapped back to him just as I started to turn away, eyes wide. “Why so early? It’s barely even five o’clock.” “It’s Saturday, I close early.” I blinked, remembering a few previous jobs I’d taken. “Oh… sorry.” The stallion grunted in response before returning fully to his work; bending a piece of steel into a pretzel shape. I continued to browse the workshop, at least mentally bookmarking one or two of the weapons for potential presents. After my twenty minutes were up, I was asked to leave and strolled out into the evening air, taking in the sights. Shops, bakeries, diners, and the like occupied the street I was on. Hoofenstien drive, I think they called it. I glanced into the shop’s windows as I walked down the sidewalk, finding numerous items of interest to myself, but none that made me think of Luna. And what could you get for a Princess who probably had everything?! ‘Maybe… we could make her something?’ Chimed Balder as I looked into a five-star diner, filled with small dishes of expensive food. Regardless of how filling I knew it couldn’t be, it still made my stomach complain. I grumbled along with my gut, finding my mind preoccupied with food. “Yeah… but it’s hard to think on an empty stomach.” ‘Agreed there.’ My eyes scanned the street for any restaurant pleasing to them, finding a four-star cafe just on the corner. The Amenity Café. It was a quaint little building with a welcoming atmosphere. Once reached, wave upon wave of delicious scents wafted from the kitchen and counter. Fresh cookies, donuts, bagels, cupcakes, coffee, teas, and many more scents fanned their way into my nose. My mouth was practically drooling for a moment, but that quickly stopped once I caught eye of an attendant behind a booth. She was a little mare with red fur and a green mane, her cyan eyes locked on the forms she was signing. I made sure that there was no line before approaching, quietly coughing into my fist to get her attention. The mare looked up and smiled. She didn’t cower, didn’t step back, and didn’t even flinch. It honestly surprised me. “Hello, what can I do for the Dark Knight of Equestria?” I shook my head, doing my best to shove my slight case of shock away for a later date. “Uh, I hate to sound clueless, but is this one of those restaurants where you seat yourself or wait to be seated? And, is this one for those places where a burger is… like, five hundred bits? I’m not trying to be rude or anything, but I’m just curious.” She smiled politely, stepping out from behind her booth and grabbing a menu. “Yes actually, this café is one where our guests are seated and cared for accordingly…” She began walking deeper into the building, weaving towards a large table seemingly meant for Minotaurs. “Please forgive me for asking, but… why so cautious about how much you spend? Most nobles don’t worry about that.” “I’m not most nobles.” I took my seat as she placed the menu before me, sliding a smaller one after. “Even though I have a good stash of bits, I still like to be careful where and how I spend them.” Her smile broadened, nodding in agreement. “Of course. But getting back to business; would you like something to drink while you wait? Tea, coffee, coke, or maybe just water?” “Water, please.” “I’ll be back to take your order in a few minutes.” With that, she left me to search the menus. I opened the large menu and looked over my options. The menu was filled with vegetarian dishes; apple salad, steamed potatoes with butter and gravy, and a ton of other dishes I couldn’t even pronounce. One of them being Gebratene Gurte (Roasted Pickles). The mare from before returned with a pitcher and a glass, placing the glass down in front of me and filling the glass. “I’d go with the smaller menu, it’s full of predator dishes.” I nodded with a smile. “Thanks.” With her work done, she left me in peace. I then folded up the larger menu and picked up the slip of gold paper that served as the pred-menu. And I’ve got to say, more than half the meals showcased made my mouth drool. There was White Chicken Alfredo, one of my personal favorites. Teriyaki Chicken. Freshly Roasted Turkey with a garlic seasoning and served with a bowl of egg soup. Lamb and Cabbage Stew. A ruckus suddenly broke out at the café’s entrance, prompting me to look over my menu and see Princess Luna entering the restaurant, a platoon of Solar Guards stood outside the building. Almost imediantly, the Princess’ teal and silver eyes landed on me. I nodded back and waved her over, the multitude of ponies spreading a path for their leader as she gracefully sauntered toward me. With a lovely smile of her own, Luna sat across from me and signaled for a waitress to give her a gold menu. “Good evening Princess Luna. How’s your day been so far?” I greeted, remembering to add her title in public. She gave me at adorable smile, her eyes alight with joy. “Very well, Obsidian. How fairs your day? Have you ventured down to the blacksmith shop yet?” “Yes, I did.” “And did you ask for an apprenticeship like you were talking about?” Her eyes looked at me from over her menu, causing a slight flutter in my chest. Once her question reached my brain, I slumped in my seat and groaned, smacking myself in the forehead. “I totally forgot.” “It’s alright, Fang.” She then placed her menu down, reached over, and rested her hand over mine. “You always have tomorrow.” I shrugged along with my response. “’Never put off for tomorrow what can be done today.’ As a famous Spinjitsu master once said. But I see your point.” Luna’s eyes suddenly widened as she looked where her hand lay, cheeks flaring along with mine. We then pulled our hands away from one another, both warm with embarrassment. The Princess took to hiding behind her menu, stunning eyes peeking over the top to watch as I struggled to pick my meal. The waitress soon returned and looked between us, her smile coming into play. She then smiled and bowed to the Lunar Princess. “Good evening your Highness. Same as usual?” The Wargess cleared her throat, probably trying to put aside her embarrassment. “No, actually. I think I’ll have the… Roast turkey sandwich with pickles and wheat bread.” “Excellent choice your Majesty.” She then turned to me as I skimmed over the last page. “And what will you be getting fair knight?” I half-heartily noticed that she’d unbuttoned her shirt to reveal more of her chest, looking at me with bedded eyes. However, my eyes widened slightly as I heard a deep rumble in front of me and I looked up to see Luna glaring daggers at the waitress, lips peeled back, and silver eyes narrowed. The waitress snapped back to the Princess, shrinking back under Star’s glare. As the mare backed off and composed herself, I noticed that we’d attracted an audience. Everyone stared at us, peaking over the booths as the Wargess continued her scowl undisturbed. I decided to rectify that by clearing my throat, catching Star’s attention by eye contact. “Star.” Her eyes darted over to mine for a moment before going back to scowling at the waitress. With my own scowl, I pushed myself up and leaned forward a bit, letting Balder take partial control. We produced a snarl of our own, catching Star’s full and undivided attention as we loomed over her, our golden eyes locked with hers. We let a soft growl rumble through the room, keeping our eyes on hers. She snarled back, starting to rise from her seat, against us. We let loose another growl, louder that time, showing more of our teeth. Everyone in the room gasped, ducking behind their booths or counters. The waitress from before dove headfirst under an empty table, hiding behind the tablecloth. Star herself looked to be in conflict, growing stiff as her eyes darted from the floor to us, slightly gaining a hint of teal. But she still wasn’t backing down, her eyes suddenly flicking over to the table the waitress was hiding under. Seeing this, we stepped to our left and blocked her view with a wing, forcing her to turn back to us with a warning huff. With a snarl that said, “look at me.” Our wings rose over our shoulders and fur stood on end. It was an attempt to make ourself look bigger, more intimidating. Star’s ears drooped ever so slightly, her posture showing hesitation as she growled back, if slightly quieter. I then noted that a teenaged mare sat at the counter, video taping or taking pictures of current events, mainly the two snarling Wargs in the room. I decided to ignore her at that moment, finding the prospect of an angry Wargess more pressing. I looked back to Star as her demeaner seemed to crack, more teal showing in her eyes. I took a breath before speaking, dropping my voice down into a deep grumble. “’Lassen Sie nicht die Sonne untergehen auf Ihre Wut.’ Ephesians 4:26. (‘Do not let the sun go down on your anger.’ Ephesians 4:26.)” Star blinked, eyes slowly converting back to full teal… and watering up. Balder relinquished control and sunk back into our mind, his work complete. Luna started whispering, but not to me, to someone else entirely. A soft buzz of power filled the air, like the sun’s power had reached through the windows and warmed my fur and muscles. My posture relaxed in the Power’s hold, letting myself sit back down and I grasped Luna’s hand, trying to comfort her. I then looked her in the eye, giving her my best smile. “Hey, uh… after lunch, would you like to go flying? Uh, w-with me?” The Princess looked at me in surprise, a small smile on her lips. “I would like that very much.” “So, I heard that your birthday’s coming up.” Luna blushed in response and nodded. “Anything you want for said birthday? I’d like some ideas before getting anything.” She blinked, then composed herself and smiled dutifully. “That is quite alright, Obsidian. I have everything I could possibly need.” I raised an eyebrow, giving her a suspicious look. “Really?” “Certainly.” My suspicion drifted over into doubt. “Seriously, name it and it’s yours. I would lasso you the moon but that’s been done. That, and they’re already yours.” Her regal posture cracked slightly with her smile. I kept my brow up and leaned forward, looking her directly in the eye. “Seriously Luna, anything. I’d like to get an idea before going into a shopping war blindfolded.” Her entire posture crumbled away with a sigh of defeat, with that sigh came a look of longing. “If it would be anything… I’d like some time off.” “Oh?” I leaned back, keeping my gaze on her. “Yes.” The Wargess relented, relaxing in her seat. “During the past few years I’ve retaken the mantel of the Night Princess, I’ve had few precious minutes where I could just relax. Most nights are spent saving my little ponies from their nightmares. And many of those nightmares are things that are hard to face; friendship problems or one’s fears. Many of these dreams are more chaotic than Discord’s, and that’s saying something!” “Sounds very tiresome.” Luna’s cheek slumped onto her fist, her demeaner slipping into fatigue. “You have no idea.” I rested my chin on my fist in thought, thinking over her unspoken request. After a minute, I came up with something. “How about I make my gift a two-parter? I’ll still buy you something, but I’ll do your Dream Walking duties for three days. Those days could be separate or close together, whichever you pick.” The Princess hummed to herself, tapping her chin with a finger. Before long, she looked to me and genuinely smiled. “Very well Obsidian, I accept your terms.” “Good. You had no choice anyways.” “What?” She gaped, looking at me in confusion. I couldn’t hold back a smile, my sly grin spreading over my muzzle. “It was either I play nice, or I had you sign this contract.” I then teleported an empty mile-long scroll into my grip, holding it up so she could see. She finally got a hold of the situation and slyly smiled at me. “Obsidian Fang, you dare to blackmail a Princess of Equestria?” “I would’ve dared you to sign this, maybe.” “You…” She stopped and peered at the parchment, nearly bursting into a giggling fit right after. “You would’ve had me sign an agreement for the Wonderbolts to use their flamethrowers during their next stunt show?” My eyes widened and I flipped the scroll over, finding a mile-long list of reasons to use said devises at the show. And apparently… Celestia had been in the middle of signing it?!?!?! Whoops… I looked up at Luna over the scroll, finding her desperately trying to hold back a fit of laughter. In response to this, I smiled sheepishly back, my face turning red. “Totally my bad. I’m a dead man, aren’t I?” -=After Lunch, 1:36pm=- Needless to say, Celestia wasn’t too happy that I’d magically swiped her document away from her. But at least she was happy for the much needed break, seeing as her eyes were half open and baggy. Yeah, she needed a peaceful moment. Luna’s wing beat through the air, her strong body lifting her above the clouds. I flew along with her, keeping pace and not overtaking her. We’d been flying for the past several minutes after dropping off Celestia’s document, soaring towards Mount Canterhorn’s peak. The sky had grown dark and the stars shown bright in the void, casting their light onto the earth and moon. Luna had said that she wanted to share something with me. I didn’t know what, but she seemed hesitant about it, as if this were something sacred to her. With a final push of my wings, I met the Princess’ side and looked over the horizon. A brilliant night sky lay before us, the flicker of the Aurora above the far mountains. We touched down on the grassy peak and continued to gaze on in wonder. The silence stretched on, neither of us interrupting each other’s skygazing. That peace was broken with my comment. “This is… amazing.” “I know,” the Wargess sighed as she stepped to our right and sat down on a boulder, still looking up at the night sky. “It’s one of the reasons I adore this place.” “And the other reasons?” I joined her, leaning against the rock. “The quiet. I often come here for the peace, to clear my head after a long night and to relax.” “Yeah, I hear you.” I sighed, remembering the long summer days at work. “After a long and exhausting day, it’s nice to just sit back and take a breath.” “I agree.” Luna then turned to look at me, her smile appearing. “One can’t perform well if all they do is work… of course, that never stops Tia.” “She likes to work?” I questioned with a raised brow. “Too much.” The Princess rolled her eyes. “That mare does not know how to relax.” “We could always tie her to a lounge chair and have…. uh…. someone who’s not Blueblood take over.” She snorted playfully at my suggestion. “If we do that, I was never there.” I then put my hands up and moved them about in circles. “You didn’t see anything.” “Didn’t see what?” She gave me a sly grin, a mirthful look in her eye. We laughed for a moment, then calmed and paused in thought. Luna suddenly frowned and asked, “Forgive me, but… have you ever tried to howl?” I looked down at the ground, pondering her question and shrugging. “No. But, in truth, I’d never really thought of a time to do it. Why do you ask?” “I remember hearing the Timberwolves do it every so often in the Everfree and was curious if we could do it.” I gave a chuckled at the thought, but ultimately got curious myself. I was a dog/wolf based creature, so maybe we could. My face grew serious as I spoke. “Only one way to find out… but please don’t run away if I sound like a dying cat.” “Not to worry.” She said as she brought her hands up to her ears, ready to plug them should my croaking become too much. I then pushed off the bolder with another snickering huff, walking closer to the mountain’s peak and standing straight. Rolling my shoulders and popping my neck to get them loose, I took a deep breath, holding it for a moment. What I released was a pitiful bark, one that would be affiliated with a Chiwawa. I turned around as I facepalmed, trying to hide my red face. Luna just stood there with her hands over her muzzle, trying in vain to hold back her giggles. I turned back around and tried again, meeting the same result. In response, Luna doubled over in her fit of laughter. I shrugged it off and tried again, and again, and again. Nearly half an hour in and the Wargess was rolling around in the grass, drying her streaming tears as she laughed even harder. At this point, I’d just given up and slumped onto a nearby rock. “I-I’m so-so sorry!” She wheezed, sitting up. “I j-just couldn’t help it.” “Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up.” I sat up to meet her eyes. “You want to give it a shot?” Her laughter imediantly stopped and she looked me dead in the eye. “I will try.” I shook my head as a wide grin stretched across my snout. “Do, or do not. There is no try.” The Princess rolled her eyes at me and stood up, marching next to where I sat on the rock. Her back straightened, head held high, wings ruffled, and eyes on the horizon. Then her head tilted back, and she took a deep breath, holding it for a moment. The sound that was heard was like a musical instrument reaching its full potential and then some. Like a siren’s call; alluring, beautiful, harmonious, and shown like a beacon on the wind. The sound sent chills up and down my spine, making my fur stand on end. With the howl came a desire. A desire to hold her in my arms and claim her, to say to the world “she is mine and no one else’s”. All besides God, of course. But the desire was still there, even as her song ended. Beating strong in my chest. -=Far away, on the outreaches of Appleoosa=- Down in the depths of the earth, where heat and orange glow came from stone. A single eye opened for the first time in several hundred years. It’s slitted pupil flexed in the dark, adjusting to the soft glow that seeped through cracks. A thin forked tongue breached the creature’s massive mouth, it’s long ivory fangs glistening in the dim light. The creature’s long body twitched as it regained its senses, its limbless body coiling around the rocks that served as its bed. “The pests have entertained themselves long enough,” Mused the giant serpent, its lips curling into a wicked smile.