The next week, Stygian surprised Twilight at the castle with a silver-wrapped gift box. Inside was a hornwritten sympathy card, a small stained glass pendant in the shape of an owl, and some sweet calming tea.
“You’re a good friend, Stygian,” she said as she admired the pendant.
“Not bad for a pony born before the age of friendship,” he joked.
“It was always in you. Sometimes, it just takes special ponies to bring it out.”
“Or other creatures.”
“Yes.” Twilight put the pendant down. “Them too.”
Together, they adjourned to one of the castle’s many formal sitting rooms. They set some of the gifted tea to steep and settled in for a relaxing afternoon.
“What was your owl’s name?” Twilight asked.
“Stax,” Stygian said. “A similar breed to Owlowiscious. He had a very different personality, though. Less kind to others. Very protective of me.”
“What ever became of him?”
“He’s gone now, same as everyone else I knew. But he was still alive when I was trapped in limbo.” Stygian frowned. “I hope his later years were peaceful. Not like he really needed me to survive, though. Some pets need us to keep them alive. But the ones who don’t--why do they stay?”
“They need us in different ways,” Twilight said. “We’re just as animal as they are on some level. Look at all the crazy things we do for companionship.”
“Do you think they could fathom the freedom they could possess, they’d give up being pets?”
“No. I think they need love just as much as we need it.”
Stygian chuckled. “We’re like owls to mice when it comes to love.”
Twilight chuckled nervously. Stygian tried to imagine the look on her face when she cleaned out the mice cage in the den.
The tea was ready a moment later. As Twilight went to pour some, she accidentally knocked one of the cups off the table.
Stygian reached out with his magic and caught it inches before it shattered on the floor.
“Close call,” she said. “Thanks for the save.”
Stygian smiled broadly. “That’s what friends are for.”