//------------------------------// // To the Capital // Story: Stars in the Shadow of Night // by Melody Song //------------------------------// Shadowstar went out to the balcony and gazed out at the shining expanse of stars. "It is beautiful, is it not?" Shadowstar didn't have to look behind him to know Luna had spoken. "I used to look to the night sky for answers every time I was worried...or didn't know what to do. It was comforting." "You are a lot like me, young one." Shadowstar kept his gaze trained on the night sky. "...My parents abandoned me when I was ten years old, after I got my cutie mark in dreamwalking and 'nothing useful'. I never had a real family...until you came back." "Well, I heard Cadence refer to you as brother. Perhaps if she considers you a brother, you could be a nephew." "Or...a son?" Shadowstar asked hesitantly, unsure what Luna's reaction would be. "Perhaps. I would like that." Luna agreed, and Shadowstar moved closer to her. The two observed the night a while longer, flinching at the sounds of battle in the distance. Luna shook her head. "I hope this fighting does not last years. Our ponies will not survive a battle that lasts that long." Luna said. -------------------------------------------- The next morning, as soon as it was light out, Gilda and Ember led the way through the forest. They passed by what seemed to be an abandoned town. Sandbar looked over at it sadly. "My home...it's so different without the ponies that made it so special." "It's okay buddy." Gallus wrapped a wing over his back. "Buddy?" "We are friends, right?" Gallus reasoned, and Sandbar nodded, leaning into him. Gabby and Ocellus took off and flew above the treetops. Ocellus turned and her eyes widened. "Guys, there's a skirmish going on near Canterlot!" Gabby called down to them. "Great, how are we supposed to get to the Capital now?" Thorax asked. "Come on baby bro, we can't stop 'cause of a little fighting." Pharynx urged. "But...what if you get hurt again? What if I lose you? I can't let that happen, you're all I have, what if you-" Thorax was cut off as Pharynx hugged him. They glowed pink again as he shared his love with his frightened brother. "I promise, I'll never let that happen. You mean the world to me little bro, and I know how much you'd hurt if I died. For that, I'll always be careful, for you Thor." Thorax hugged Pharynx back, then they let go. "Anyway, did you forget we still have those potions from Zecora?" Gilda asked. "Well, the first one didn't work on Pharynx, so who knows whether or not these will work on any changeling. She said the potions are originally designed to be used by ponies." Ocellus objected. "Well, we should get going anyway." Smolder said, heading forward. "Hold on." Sandbar ran off, and Gallus started. "Hey, where are you going?!" Gallus ran after him. "Gallus!" Gilda and Gabby ran after their friend, and the others followed the two boys. Sandbar reached his destination, a field of apple trees. They all looked around. "We should stock up on food, climbing the mountain to Canterlot is no easy trip." Sandbar explained, rearing onto his back legs and kicking the tree. Some apples fell. "Who does this farm belong to? Will they mind?" Ocellus asked. "Let's just do what dragons do: not ask." Smolder said, collecting the apples. "The Apple family owns the farm, but the two older siblings that work the farm were drafted." "Hey! What're you doin on mah family's farm?!" a small voice exclaimed. "Time to go." Ember said, lifting off. Gallus grabbed Sandbar, pulling him into his arms before they all took off. A small filly with a pink bow in her hair came running up, a basket on her back. Two more fillies followed her, a pegsus and a unicorn. "Apple Bloom?" Sandbar murmured in shock, and the earth pony filly cocked her head. "Sandbar? What're y'all doin with them creatures?" "W-we're heading for Canterlot." "Why?" the pegasus filly asked. "Not all creatures want to fight for their lands. We're trying to stop the fighting, we're the Resistance." Gilda replied, clenching a claw. "Sorry we tried to take your crops Apple Bloom." Sandbar apologized. "No problem. Ya might as well take 'em, saves me an' the others the trouble of havin' to gather 'em." the filly, Apple Bloom, shrugged. "Others?" Sandbar asked "Yeah, Granny Smith's lookin' after all the foals o' Ponyville. Coral's doin' okay, by the way." "That's a relief." "Can we go before anyone else sees us?" Smolder asked. "Good idea. Thanks Apple Bloom!" Sandbar called as the others grabbed a few more apples from the treetops before flying off. "Don't mention it! In return, ah'll tell the others 'bout yer resistance!" Apple Bloom responded, running back to the farm with the pegasus and unicorn. "Have fun storming the castle!" the unicorn called. "Who was she talking about? Coral?" Pharynx asked. "Coral Reef, my little sister." Sandbar explained. "I had to leave her behind when we were all drafted, all of us had to leave foals behind, whether siblings or children." "Huh. I never thought about the fact that families might be torn apart." Ember murmured. "Well, we're not going to help them standing around here. Are we going or not?" Pharynx asked. "Oh, right." Sandbar blushed. The group landed, gathered more apples, then stowed them in one of the baskets the foals had dropped. Sandbar opted to carry it since he was the only one that didn't have wings to hinder his ability to carry things. "Well, let's go." Gilda glanced around. "Are we going to head towards the battle, or...?" "There's a path on the mountain that caravans take sometimes, but I've heard the pathway is sometimes rocky and crumbles easily." Sandbar said. Gilda took off, narrowing her eyes. "Yep, I see it. The battle's right under it." "The ponies are probably protecting the pathway." Sandbar reasoned. "Well, that makes this a lot more difficult." Smolder sighed. "They won't be letting us pass through that easily." "We've got to try. This Alicorn prince may be our only hope." Thorax protested. "So proud of you right now Thorax." Pharynx murmured, and Thorax smiled at him. -------------------------------------------- The small band of friends made it to the base of the mountain, where Sandbar stopped them to get his bearings. "The trains to Canterlot run through this pathway." Sandbar pointed to a dark tunnel. "But there could be guards placed inside. So we'll have to take the caravan's path. It will be a lot more risky to pass through the battle though." "Well, then what's the plan?" Gallus asked. "I've got one." Pharynx said. "We stay together. Don't let any fighting creatures separate you from the group. Only attack if absolutely necessary, we don't want to draw attention to ourselves. If you do get separated, try to keep in pairs. Once we're on the other side of the battle we regroup if needed and slip past the remaining guards. From there, Sandbar leads us up the mountain. Sound good?" "That works." Gilda agreed. "Then let's put his plan into action. Come on crew." Ember put on the helmet that completed her disguise, then beckoned them forward. The group headed to the battle, where they entered the fray. Pharynx, Ember, and Gilda led the way, heading for the rocky cliffside in the distance. Thorax found himself between Ember and his brother, while Ocellus pressed close to Smolder, and Sandbar stood like a barrier between Gabby and Gallus. Pharynx's strategy was ultimately needed, the crowds of fighting creatures separated them almost instantly. -------------------------------------------- A few times Sandbar saw blood stains on the grass and gagged. He suddenly leapt back as a changeling came out of nowhere. A few of the apples they'd gathered fell out of the basket. The changeling moved towards him threateningly, and Sandbar tripped over a rock. The basket fell off his back and their food rolled everywhere. "You're definitely not Pharynx, Thorax, or Ocellus." Sandbar thought, terrified. "G-get away!" Sandbar yelped. The changeling ignored him, not that he'd expected it to listen. "You heard him, bug, he said LEAVE!" Gallus came out of nowhere, expanding his wing in front of the pony protectively. Sandbar scrambled up, hiding behind the griffon. The changeling began hissing at him instead. Gallus let loose a sound that seemed half bird screech, half lion roar at the changeling. It backed off. "Thanks Gallus." Sandbar sighed. Gallus smiled at him. "No problem. And that was just a warning. You should see how loud my roar can get. Gilda's is even louder." -------------------------------------------- Ocellus yelped as a griffon and pony collided near her. Blood became splattered all around them as the griffon dug its claws into the innocent pony's flank. Ocellus whimpered, and she felt a set of claws pick her up. The creature's arms wrapped around her and she looked up to see Smolder carrying her. Smolder then placed Ocellus on her back and lunged, dragging the griffon off the barely stirring pony. Ocellus clutched Smolder's neck with her hole-covered legs. They locked easily into place around the young dragoness' neck. "You okay up there?" Smolder asked. "Y-Yeah. Thank you Smolder." "What are friends for?" Smolder shrugged. Ocellus rested her head on Smolder's shoulder, unintentionally drinking in a bit of the love radiating from her. But at the same time, Ocellus was giving her own love to the dragon, balancing it out. Ocellus' body glowed pink momentarily, and she smiled, knowing what it meant. -------------------------------------------- Gilda, Pharynx, and Gabby were being ganged up on by a dragon. He growled at them, and Pharynx hissed right back, opening his mouth as though to steal his love. Pharynx had no intent to, but it was enough if the dragon thought he was going to do it. A blast of fire came from nearby, and Ember and Thorax emerged from the fray. Thorax was supporting Ember slightly, it appeared that her wing was injured. But Ember stood defiantly, fists clenched, glaring at the other dragon through her disguising helmet. The dragon glared at Ember, not knowing who was under the armor but knowing they were definitely a traitor. "Thanks. Let's go." Pharynx said. They kept making their way through the fight. -------------------------------------------- Eventually they all managed to break free of the battle, and looked around at each other. "Is everyone okay?" Thorax asked. "M-my wing really hurts, but I'm fine." Ember replied, taking off her helmet. "What happened to it?" Smolder asked. "I jumped in the way of a griffon that was trying to have a go at Thorax. I'll be okay." Ember flapped the wing, wincing. "You...did? Why?" Pharynx asked. "I know how much you care about him, I just figured you wouldn't want him to end up hurt." Ember replied. "Thank you." Pharynx said. "Come on guys, there's no one guarding the pathway, this is our chance!" Sandbar ran to the path, and they followed him, running up the steep path, heading for the spires of Canterlot in the distance.