This, Pumpkin Spice decided with a shiver, was the stupidest thing she had ever done in her entire life. Bar none. Not even leaving her life in Canterlot had been this stupid.
Here she was, far north of Equestria in some Celestia forsaken land, low on strength and the will to continue on. Whatever was out here calling her wasn't worth freezing over she was sure of.
The natives were even worse if it was possible than the weather. Yakyakistan was a bucking joke of a country if she had ever seen one. What little she had been able to get out of them hadn't helped her mood either.
Something big had changed recently and the whole country was on edge. Or at least that's what she had been able to glean in the yurts she had stayed at.
The gods were angry they said. The Mother of Mountains would soon vent her wrath on those who displeased her.
Utter nonsense of course. There were no gods on Equus, let alone angry ones. Pumpkin had only pretended to listen to the yaks rambling on and on.
Backwoods idiots still believed Celestia and Luna were some kind of sun and moon gods respectively. Though both denied it all the time, some refused to listen.
Pumpkin knew better of course. She loved and respected the sisters as much as any, but she had grown up with a clear mind. If gods were real, then they would be beyond any comprehension and not be concerned with such small and insignificant matters.
She had kept all this to herself of course. No use annoying her hosts anymore than she already was just by being there in the first place.
In all the nonsense though, she had been able to learn one thing that would help her on her journey. Mount Everhoof had recently changed drastically. One whole side of the mountain had detached and crashed to the valley below.
Growing up in Canterlot as she had, even Pumpkin knew that name. Everhoof was the tallest mountain on Equus. Things like that just didn't happen overnight. But apparently, that was exactly what had happened. So now she found herself on the way there.
There was also the fact that something was calling to her from the base of the mountain. It was growing stronger by the minute as well. Assuming she didn't freeze to death first of course. Just her luck she didn't pack anything warm and now she was paying for it.
If nothing else, if she did freeze to death, she would stick out in all this snow. Her pumpkin orange coat was hard to miss, and her mane was only a few shades lighter at that. Her pumpkin pie cutie mark couldn't be missed either.
She was brought back to the present as she noticed the ground begin to slope up. If she remembered right, this would give her a perfect view of the mountain.
"Anything but snow would be nice at this point," she grumbled as she began to climb.
***
Pumpkin could only stare in shock at the mess that covered the valley floor. It looked nothing more like an icebox had exploded, and then had babies.
Ice block bigger than most towers in Canterlot lay in a confusing jumble all over the place. Beyond them lay the base of Mount Everhoof itself. Gigantic didn't do it justice she thought as she picked her way carefully down the slope, trying to avoid all the pieces of ice that lay there.
As she came to the bottom of the slope, Pumpkin felt two things all at once. The cold no longer affected her as it once had. In fact, it felt rather pleasant all of a sudden. And the feeling that had drawn her here was now at its peak. Whatever it was, it was close now. Very close if she had to guess.
But where though? Pumpkin didn't want to spend more time here than she needed too. With that in mind, she turned where the feeling was strongest and began to walk.
***
For over an hour, Pumpkin picked her way through the ice field, slipping and falling more than once. Hooves were not meant for this kind of thing she decided. More than once she had lost her way and the feeling had faded. Retracing her steps took time, but in her heart, she knew she must be close now.
Even as the thought crossed her mind, Pumpkin saw a gleam out of the corner of her eyes. Turning, she was surprised at what she saw. Up against a piece of ice, an orb lay glistening in the sunlight. It almost blended in except for its off white color. It was just large enough to fit in her hooves.
As she walked over, Pumpkin could the exquisite craftsmanship that had gone into the orb. Whoever had crafted it had been an expert for sure, but why leave it out here?
She shook her head. If nopony else wanted it, then it would be a shame to leave it out here in the cold north. And the feeling that had lead her here? It leads right to this spot, to the orb. Pumpkin only felt it was right she took it with her.
Before she could even begin to think of how she would carry it, the orb gleamed a moment before vanishing. Pumpkin yelped in surprise as she felt it fasten itself comfortably around her neck.
Looking down, she saw that the orb was now encircled by a golden band in the shape of a dragon curling around itself. The eyes seemed to look right at her.
Pumpkin giggled as she played with the orb a moment. "I guess that means you really do want to come with me huh?" The dragon almost seemed to nod excitedly, but that might have been the cold talking.
With her quest complete, Pumpkin turned around and began to pick her way back out of the valley and the way home. The cold no longer bothered her at all. But she would be glad to get back to Equestria and the warmth. If she ever saw snow again it would be too soon.
***
In the flooded basement, another head on the mural glowed a moment before revealing a white head on the dragon's body. All three of its forward heads now had color in them.
As that change ended, another began. The water began to drain away and out of the room, the broken pottery began to reassemble itself, and even the walls began to have color restored to them as the grime of millennia was washed away.
On the surface, the walls began to reassemble themselves as well as the ruin began to rise from the swamp. It would take time of course, but soon the building began to look like something once more, and now only waited for it's master's birth.