The sinking silver moon shone over Parade Ground One, as the thestrals spiralled out of the night.
Forty-three thestrals landed in front of Luna, leathery wings flapping and folding away. Prey saw how all of their attention was fixed in awe on the night alicorn before them. This was almost certainly their first time seeing the Princess they'd flown all this way to serve.
"Welcome, we welcome thee all to our home of Canterlot, may your stay be long and fruitful." Luna boomed.
Immediately, the new thestrals bowed. They didn't prostrate themselves, but each one bowed deeply in respect, weapons and saddlebags shifting as they did.
"Mistress of the Night." The murmur came from multiple throats.
It seemed to please Luna, because she continued to boom, making Prey wince at the volume, "Thou hast not forgotten the ways of tradition. We art pleased. Come! Whom do thee claim to speak for all of thee?"
There were no looks exchanged or shuffling of hooves, despite the forty-three new thestrals being from two separate clans. All the thestrals clearly knew who among their number they jointly respected the most, and thus, who was their unofficial "leader" for now. And if that leader didn't know who they were, then obviously they weren't much of a leader.
A grizzled thestral mare stepped forwards out of the line from near the back. She was a spotted silvery grey. Despite the darkness, Prey could see the signs of a rough life on her body, although most of his attention was still fixed on Luna and anything she might do, not the mortal mare.
She bowed before Luna again. The grizzled mare was either missing or blind in one eye, for it was covered by an eyepatch. She wore a griffin claw boot on her blinded side, and a wingblade on the opposite side. A smattering of raised scars showed up on her rough silver coat. Prey didn't miss the limp in her left rear hoof either.
"Vivid Edge, at your service, Lady Noctura. It is an honour."
"Rise, Vivid Edge. Didst thou make thy flight unmolested?"
"Yes, Lady Nocturna. It was an easy flight both nights once we were over Equestrian lands, and the skies were calm. Nopony saw us camp during the daylight." Vivid supplied.
That gave Prey a rough estimate about where the ancestral clan caves could be. Vivid Edge obviously hadn't spotted him amongst the ranks of Night Guards or she probably wouldn't have said that. Not that it mattered. Prey could find out at any time by breaking into the mind of any thestral. And he more or less knew anyway.
"That is good. We have been anticipating thy arrival with great patience. There is much to be done in Equestria, and thy brothers and sisters always have need of extra hooves. But come! Dawn is soon upon us. We wilt speak of that later, for thou hast all flown far this night and must be tired. Thou shalt eat and rest for this coming day, and we shalt speak this night. Captain Nighthawk will see to it."
"Thank you Lady Nocturna, we are all honoured." Vivid Edge accepted. The moon was just a sliver over the dark horizon by now.
Luna stepped aside, and Nighthawk took his cue and stepped up. Prey saw pleased recognition in Vivid Edge's posture, and also the faces and postures of some of the other new thestrals as they saw Nighthawk. Obviously, these ones knew Nighthawk and came from the same clan, even if Prey wasn't close enough to see the matching clan earring's in the dark to confirm it.
But his attention never wavered from Luna. No one else seemed to have sensed it, but he'd felt the awesome power just now when she'd lowered the moon. It was impossible to forget.
Prey had always known of the unparalleled magical strength Luna wielded, but this had been a visual reminder.
Not for the first time, Prey bitterly wondered where alicorns had come from down the eons of history. They had to have begun somewhere, because apparently there was a time before even the two sisters ruled. However, no one knew the answer to the big question, and no two wild theories agreed or were based on anything more than conjecture. Celestia wasn't saying, and neither was Luna.
Or if they had said at some point in the past, the knowledge had since been forgotten or purposefully extinguished.
Why did the world need alicorns? Why were ponies the only ones who had living, immortal deities protecting them?
The only other beings which could even come close were the oldest of dragons, and just as little was known about the reclusive and highly dangerous species of flying magical reptiles as was alicorns.
Nighthawk was talking to Vivid Edge, introducing Lieutenant Screech and Starry Wing, briefly explaining about how they would need to double bunk until things could get properly sorted out tomorrow, along with giving Vivid and all the other new thestrals the bare basics of how things were going to work. Princess Luna stood by, an observer but not interfering or helping in any way. She was just passively examining the new additions to her Night Guard.
'-this is wonderful. It also means we can finally release those drafted Royal guards and finally replace them with loyal ponies-', Prey overheard Gloom thinking, sounding greatly pleased and still mightily impressed with his Princess.
Prey wanted to tell him; 'That's the same Princess who sent us blind into Mayflower, gave away Crimson's necklace to Lord Vanish, chose her nobles over us, and blasted out my ear on the very first night we met.'
But he was surrounded by thestrals, and Luna was standing right there, so he'd just be committing suicide. In fact, Prey wouldn't have even dared think that if he weren't a mind leech, and safe in the confines of his own head. No one could attempt to touch his mind without him feeling it.
Now Nighthawk was briskly asking about whether any of the arriving thestrals had any immediate needs that needed to be taken care of. Any non-pressing injuries received on the trip? Anything medical? Or in need of clan wine? He specifically termed it 'clan wine' instead of just saying 'blood'.
Vivid blinked her one eye, then swiftly turned to scan the gathering. She didn't spot Prey though where he stood, only thestrals. Prey's natural height and size really didn't lend to him standing out in a crowd, even when he was the only 'white' sheep in a sea of 'dark' thestrals.
Still, Vivid Edge answered Nighthawk carefully, "That won't be necessary. Wine drinking after a long flight isn't a good idea."
Yet while they were talking, discussing and answering questions, everyone was still firmly mindful of the dark alicorn watching it all. Luna stood there, smiling and presiding over it all, giving her silent approval.
She seemed to be waiting for something, but what, Prey didn't know. Luna just continued standing there as he anxiously waited, regally looking on as Nighthawk and Vivid quickly worked out the details yet while both being careful to remain deferential to their ruler at all times.
But Luna just kept standing imposingly there and waiting while still being the centre of everyone's attention.
'What's she waiting for?'
The moon was fully lowered, but it was still at least an hour until dawn. Unless, of course, Luna decided it wouldn't be an hour until dawn and decided to end the night for the whole world right now because she was an alicorn.
Prey nervously flicked his gaze about and up at the Palace's dark rooftops and balconies, but of course he couldn't spot anyone watching them. But he was surrounded by people who could see in the dark, and none of them were reacting or thinking about anything suspicious.
'So are we just going to keep standing here until further notice?' Prey disliked being anywhere near crowds, especially pony crowds, even if they were thestrals and therefore less objectionable. However like any crowd they were giving him a headache, what with being forced to constantly listen in on everyone's cluttered thoughts.
'-Lady Noctura, the symbolism-'
'-there's Blood Orange, she made the flight too-'
'-night is beautiful after-'
'-brought any news of the den-'
What were they waiting for? Surely something must be going to happen. The air of anticipation that had preceded the new thestrals arrival was back. Something further was going to happen tonight. Prey could feel it. Everyone was watching Luna as her mane slowly billowed into nebulas and galaxies.
So when Luna spoke from out of the blue, the single word cut through everything else.
"Hark."
Everyone stopped, some even not breathing. What were they supposed to be listening to? Luna was still standing in the same place, her long horn pointed skywards. Then one by one they looked up into the night.
Prey didn't see it before he overheard it.
'-it's a comet-'
'-falling star?-'
'-no, a shooting star-'
Prey squinted, and finally saw it in the West, the darkest part of the night. Against the endless rich black of the night and stars, a streak of light was moving. He couldn't tell what colour it was. Red? Yellow? Blue? Maybe green?
Silently the comet arched across the night sky, glittering in a colour Prey couldn't quite determine. It was certainly a sight, but Prey didn't see the significance.
'-hang on, a comet on the night of Lady Nocturna-', A thestral in the line behind Prey started to think.
Another one was making another connection; '-the elders told me a story about a rainbow comet, I'm sure of it-'
'-I know this, I'm sure of it. What was it? On the tip of my tongue-'
'-something's Comet. Somethings Comet. That's it, Harmony's Comet!-'
A moment later someone exclaimed it out loud; "Harmony's Comet."
It took a moment for every thestral to recall whatever they were talking about, some faster than others, but there was a general intake of breath all around as they stared up with fresh eyes.
Prey had no idea which obscure piece of clan history was currently being referenced, and didn't really care. One star in the sky out of a thousand. Could it help you? Protect you? Feed you? No. Yet everyone but him was staring up at the multicoloured streak in reverence.
Prey looked around without moving his head. Everyone here but him was caught up in the moment of what they were seeing. But not him. To him, it was just a pretty light up in the sky. He didn't believe in prophecy or a destiny written in the stars. If the night was such a thing of beauty, then why had Luna been banished to the moon for a thousand years as punishment?
There was nothing up there of worth. Just freezing empty blackness. Just the idea of it prickled at Prey's thoughts and made him shiver.
"Harmony's Comet. Only once every five-hundred and two score years may a pony gaze upon its passage."
Luna's loud voice had the storyteller tone you could imagine one of those bards in stories having five hundred years in the past. Or even a thousand. It wasn't an outdated past to Luna, though:
"When last Harmony's Comet did pass, we were sadly not able to gaze up upon it from the warm lands of Equestria. No, we at the time we were banished to the rocks of our moon. T'was not us who did view it's blessed passage overhead, but another in our stead. The filthy demoness Nightmare Moon, who did so cowardly usurp our mind and attack our beloved sister. Knave. Despicable whore. A vile coward of the worst kind. If only we had been but more vigilant, such a loathsome creature should never have caught us off guard."
Prey listened, and felt something different to the anger and regret being projected from all the thestrals round about him. He felt disturbed alarm.
'She speaks of Nightmare Moon as if they were never the same person. Either she's in denial, straight up lying, or Nightmare Moon really was a dark magical parasite. A parasite strong enough to take over an alicorn.'
So which was it?
Luna was still speaking, head slowly turning to track the rainbow comet which had already crossed half the night sky; "When last we witnessed its blessed passage, we were a princess. Now we can say the same. The prophecy foretold the stars would assist in Nightmare Moon's escape. If that be the case, then Harmony's Comet heralds the sign of a different era entirely. One of change and new growth. One of renewal."
Lemon Pink had spoken of this star prophecy, back when she was still a cultist. Prey didn't believe in any of it, but now it seemed Luna was referring to a second make belief prophecy from the way some of the thestrals were reacting.
"Yes," Luna spoke without taking her eyes from the heavens, "We speak of the clan summit nine generations passed of the Autumless Winter, when last Harmony's Comet flew. Your elders met, and from the elders of clan Myrrdon came this prophecy. When next the eye of Harmony graced the heavens, you would witness it from under the wing of The Lady of the Night once again."
Clan Myrrdon. That was Crimson's old traitorous clan. Although that far back in the past, they'd probably been just as upright and respected as the other two clans. What had they been doing, making wild predictions like that? They could've made any sort of prediction back then, safely knowing they'd be long gone before any proof was required.
Luna turned to face all in parade ground one once again. Her eyes glittered fiercely. Prey saw it as pride and arrogance as Luna announced; "The present descendants of Myrrdon have gone astray, but their ancestors spoke true. This day in your eyes, is this prophecy fulfilled."
'Am I supposed to be impressed?' Prey thought. But he was alone in his view. Around him, his sentiment was drowned out because every thestral, and pseudo thestral in Crimson, bowed one after another.
It spread in a crescent wave, plumed helmeted heads and those who didn't yet have, all lowering in acknowledgement of something greater than themselves. And from its center, the reason and origin, Luna looked down at all her assembled ponies and smiled.
------
It was not a big event as far as the world went. No natural disaster, no war or famine. It was a happy event. Although to nearly everyone, it wouldn't be remembered.
In their rich and enchanted mage towers, no doubt the magi noted the passing of Harmony's Comet through their telescopes, scribbled some notes, and ticked it off on their astronomy calendar before going to bed. It was just a single pretty light for a single night every five-hundred plus years. And while that made it rare, it didn't make it important.
Out there in the rugged mountain ranges of Griffonia, the rolling sun scorched plains of Zebrica, the fortress city of Minos, and the rest of the nations beyond, no doubt some noted the comet for themselves. Different scholars, different astronomers. Perhaps some of them even had their own prophecies or historic events of importance?
It was not a big event to the world, but to the small individuals who lived upon the land, it might be made it into one.
------
After all that, it was a rather anticlimactic dawn that rose over Canterlot, or anticlimactic for the Night Guard at least. Both the old, and shortly to be new members were still struck with quiet, contemplative awe of what they'd witnessed tonight.
One thing was for certain, this might've been a time of change, but what had happened here would remain in every thestrals' memory... Regardless of the everyday mundane events which would proceed this momentous event.
Like needing to go get breakfast.
Or rather, their lunch, but according to the day schedule, it was breakfast. For the ISND, it was a very late lunch at best. Later, the mess hall's official lunch would be their early dinner, after which their shift would finish and they could finally clock off and get some sleep.
Which meant being reunited with a certain grumpy mare. Cookie the cook.
"Prey dearie! I've been so worried." Cookie exclaimed the moment she realised just who it was standing in the early morning breakfast line at the hatch.
Prey gritted his teeth and put on a bright, totally realistic smile good enough to fool anyone, "Good morning Miss Cookie."
The three of them, Gloom, Crimson, and him, were first into the mess hall, the doors having literally just opened.
The earth pony mare's faced creased into a fond, wrinkled smile, "Just Cookie is good enough, dearie. Where've you been? I haven't seen you for what, going on two months? Have you been doing okay?"
'Oh, and here I was under the impression I didn't answer to you.' Prey sarcastically thought, still smiling happily on the outside up at the mare:
"Oh, it's had its ups and downs, Miss Cookie. We had to go over there, but now we're back. We needed to go do some of this, and some of that."
Prey caught the nearly inaudible sigh from behind him that escaped Gloom at his antics.
'-I heard that!-'
Oops. Seemed the crotchety cook had caught it too.
"You two. Where've you been? Why haven't you been bringing Prey here for three meals a day? He's a foal, for Celesita's sake, do I hav'ta spell out the decent thing to ya?"
Gloom and Crimson were still both in contemplative awe over the night's previous events, and Cookie's words weren't enough to dispel their good mood.
"No ma'am, nothing of the sort." Gloom answered, letting the cook's words flow off of him.
"We've been on leave." Crimson supplied helpfully, not visibly put out either by Cookie's attitude.
"Leave? Extended leave? What for? What'd ya' do?" Cookie demanded suspiciously.
Cookie didn't see the scar tracks under any of their eyes, despite her definitely being close enough to see if she had just looked. Nor did she pick up on Crimson's hidden injuries. However ponies could swing between being mostly blind and startling insightfulness. The latter was highly annoying, but thankfully they were mostly just blind. Like right now.
"I'm sorry, but that information is restricted. We can't tell you. Just that we've been away, and have been on leave ever since we returned." Gloom shrugged.
"You didn't tell me you were leaving the city." Cookie scowled accusingly.
Gloom and Crimson blinked at her. Why under the moon would they have told her?
The cook's scowl grew bigger as Prey watched. He was abruptly tired of this. Tired of playing the innocent lamb and tired of having to deal with ponies' pushy stupidity. Had he ever really found any amusement in this? This tricking the cook and play acting to egg her onto others? He found the answer, not really.
Cookie waved the wooden serving spoon she held in a vaguely threatening way at Gloom and Crimson, "You've been up to something dodgy, I can practically smell it on ya'. You're trying ta' hide something. Mark my words, whatever it is, t'will come out in the end no matter what ya' do. Maybe not to me, but it will happen eventually. It always does. Here, take your food and get. Shoo. I said shoo!"
"Thank you so much, Miss Cookie." Prey said as Crimson picked his tray off the counter for him.
"There's no need. Now, you have a nice day, you hear me?", The cook said, all wrinkled smiles again.
'-oh, if only dear Kelly had been more like him at his age-'
'I'm older than whatever son you might have. In fact I'm probably older than you are too.' Prey thought, pleased to finally be able to get away from the mare and just eat. He was hungry. Neither Crimson or Gloom seemed bothered anymore about how he handled Cookie by play acting.
Although perhaps this morning wasn't such a good measuring stick, with how content they both were at the moment.
As they went to grab a table across the hall, finally a few more early Guards were filtering in for breakfast. Or dinner, since they were thestrals. They also all wore this familiar contemplative look on their faces as they wondered inside.
"Okay, I'm obviously missing some context," Prey said the moment they'd sat down, "Can someone fill me in on what all of that was tonight?"
Gloom, halfway through removing his new shiny helmet, shared a quick look with Crimson. Gloom flicked a tufted ear, Crimson motioned.
'-how best to explain this?-'
Gloom set his sleek helmet on the table, "Okay, so, obviously you picked out the basics about a prophecy being made by clan Myrrdon, right?"
"I got that much yes, but there's something more to it than what Princess Luna said." Prey made himself include the distasteful title of 'Princess'.
Gloom smiled. It was a happy smile, full of genuine positivity. "You saw, well, we all saw something amazing tonight. It was a privilege that Princess Luna granted us all last night. I don't think you'll get all the nuance to it Prey, but..."
Gloom paused, considering how to explain. Crimson beat him to it however.
"It shows that their prediction really came true. I mean, it proves the elders of the time weren't just making it up to inspire hope after the Autumnless Winter. It's been, 'discussed' rather a lot about whether it could ever come true. And now it has."
Not that Prey believed in prophecies for a second, but he could draw his own context from Crimson's words. He frowned, "Ah. There are other prophecies, aren't there? And you're thinking if this impossible sounding one came true, then those might as well."
Gloom raised his brows at Prey's evident scepticism, "It's true though, you saw it tonight for yourself. Harmony's Comet, and Princess Luna was there."
"Okay, and?"
"So it was true."
"Okay, and?" Prey repeated.
"So that proves if one can come true, so can the rest."
"I don't know any of what you are referring to." Prey pointed out.
Gloom blinked, '-oh, yeah that's right. Sometimes I forget with you Prey-'
"I...huh, I guess you'd have to be a thestral to get what that means." Gloom admitted.
Over his plate, Crimson nodded his agreement, "It's probably not important to you Prey, but it is important to thestral kind. It's been a fang of contention between a lot of thestrals for centuries. Those who hoped, and those who did not have hope."
That sounded rather impressive and poignant, but Prey still didn't believe for a second that was proof of seeing the future. For one thing, it was just complete blind luck, and for another, Luna could've summoned the comet for all any of them knew. She could raise the moon, so why not? And Prey had felt that otherworldly power she'd wielded out there on the parade ground, even if no one else had.
'Actually, the more I think about it, the more sure I am it was just Luna taking advantage of their ridiculous prophecy by forcing it to happen.'
Yes. Luna had probably faked the whole thing. With an alicorn's powers, it was quite a realistic likelihood. There were no such things as real prophecies.
But Gloom believed it, or at least, he was willing to suspend disbelief. The rest of the thestrals too. And Crimson. That thought made Prey unhappy. Very unhappy. Luna was a filthy alicorn, utterly unworthy of the devotion the thestrals unswervingly offered her. She was a false hope, promising restoration to the thestrals, but really just playing with the clans.
No. There was no point dwelling on what he already knew, it wouldn't help. Prey instead turned his mind to analysing what he didn't yet know, 'What does this change?'
Now that the thestrals had a reason to believe that prophecies could come true, what did it change? Not much, actually. This night was of momentous importance to the thestrals, but not to Prey. From his point of view, all this Harmony's Comet had done was harden the clans' loyalty to Luna even more. She'd already had them wrapped around her hoof, but now it was just more so.
'I should find out what these other supposed prophecies entail.' Prey decided, making a mental note to do so. After breakfast. He'd ask Crimson, although Crimson didn't seem the sort to have memorised ancient historical predictions, but he could still ask. If Crimson knew any, he'd happily fill Prey in on them.
But later. Right now he was hungry, and free food was free food.
After subtly checking for poison, (because you could never be too careful), Prey grabbed his fork in the cleft of his hoof, and began shovelling down the salad and porridge, alternating between the plate and the bowl.
"That's disgusting." Gloom informed him flatly.
"One by itself is bad enough. Why must you mix them?" Crimson echoed.
Prey pulled his breakfast closer defensively and waggled his spoon at them as he furiously chewed, then swallowed, "Free-"
"Free food is free food. We know. You've only said it a hundred times." Gloom joked.
Crimson resignedly ate a limp kale leaf, "This is the second thing I have not missed."
"The first being paperwork?" Gloom guessed.
"Yes. But this is definitely second. I mean, it's still better than..." Crimson trailed off, letting the sentence hang. He didn't need to finish it.
"Yes. Better than." Gloom agreed soberly. There was a moment's uncomfortable silence, as the Night Guards who'd come in after them got served and moved to find tables.
Crimson shuffled his wings, "Yes, well, but I am still surprised you eat that stuff, Prey. It never fails to amaze. And dismay."
Prey, having not stopped eating despite the grim moment of reflection, had his mouth full. He twitched one ear in question at Crimson, who effortlessly interpreted the gesture without any of them even noticing how he did so.
"I mean, you happily eat this slop, but I've seen you cook better food than this yourself." Crimson elaborated.
"Really?" Gloom asked in interest.
"I mean, Prey's food is not amazing," Crimson bluntly evaluated, "But it is better than Cookie's."
'-not exactly setting the bar high there-', Gloom thought, tempering his expectations.
Prey shrugged and held up a hoof for them to wait until his mouth was empty again, "It's not that I know anything about cooking, it's just that I'm not completely incompetent. You could try doing some yourself, you know."
The truth. It wasn't him, it was the remnant of Garrow who had known how to cook. Actually, Snake knew how to cook too, it just wasn't the type of cooking you ate. It was the type your enemies ate.
Prey paused, peering between Gloom and Crimson to the doors at their backs, which he'd been half watching out of habit, "You never told me much about your clan Gloom. Or the clans in general for that matter. But did you know any of those who arrived tonight to join?"
It only took Gloom a second to realise why Prey was asking and he twisted around on the bench. Coming through the mess hall doors, led by Starry Wing and a few uniformed Night Guards as guides, came the forty-three new thestrals. They'd divested themselves of their packs and weapons, but even putting aside the lack of normal Guard armour, they would've stood out. It was impossible for them not to.
Discounting the missing uniform, firstly they were new faces, and second, the number of them all arriving at once. The Night Guard was always busy and overstretched.
The new thestrals were peering around, heads swivelling in both interest and wariness at everything, squinting as they passed by bright lanterns. It was understandable. Never before would they have seen such a building as the Palace.
And while Prey didn't imagine for a second their clan caves were the damp, dripping affairs one might associate with the word 'cave', they still could've been nothing like anything in Canterlot, let alone the opulent Royal Palace itself.
"So, you know any of them?" Prey asked again.
Gloom smiled in recognition, "Yes."
'-there's Blood Orange, and Weft and Thorny. I thought I wouldn't get a chance to greet them until tomorrow-'
"Starry Wing has brought them for breakfast," Crimson pointed out the obvious, then added, "Or perhaps as a warning so they know not to come here in the future, if at all possible."
"Think of their first mess hall meal as an initiation ritual." Gloom said as he stood up, still smiling in pleased surprise.
Gloom started walking over to say hello to his old clan mates, or possibly even relatives, leaving Crimson and Prey behind at the table.
Prey spotted how Crimson was thoughtfully reviewing the new arrivals too, or more specifically, reviewing how they carried themselves. It was the unconsciously controlled, balanced walk of every step that loudly pronounced to anyone who knew what it meant; 'Trained warrior'. Prey remembered the other Night Guard initiation ceremony.
"No." Prey said over his half finished porridge and salad.
Crimson half twisted back around so he could blink at Prey uncomprehendingly with one yellow eye.
"You're still recovering from your last bout of training. You're not going to be the one to fight a round with any of them in the cage." Prey admonished the full grown and armoured pegasus.
Crimson hesitated, shifting in his seat to check how his stitched injuries and bruises felt. "You're right." Crimson conceded after reviewing himself.
"And nothing so stupidly over the top ever again either, right? It's just training." Prey pressed.
"Training is highly important, and you are not a warrior, Prey. What I mean is, if you balk in the face of harsh training, when death really comes, how will you win?" Crimson responded, turning fully back around to converse with Prey.
Prey wasn't deterred, "Fine, I'm not a warrior of any kind. I don't and can't fight, but I can still tell when something's too much. If your life is genuinely in danger while 'training', you're doing it wrong."
"I'm not disagreeing. I am aware I foolishly went... overboard. I just mean that there is no such thing as completely risk free training. There are always accidents." Crimson said.
Prey remembered the horrible 'training accidents' which used to happen in the Resistance, and also how Torment cruelly used to use him as her personal display dummy. Thestrals were far too disciplined to do anything like that though, so Prey conceded the point with a shrug and a nod.
Gloom was currently speaking with a few of the newcomers, locking forelegs in greeting with each other and even exchanging a wing hug with one of them. He wasn't the only one catching up with the new recruits. Other Night Guards, still wearing the old, re-purposed Guard armour, were doing the same as they lined up outside the breakfast hatch. Prey spotted the eye-patch mare, Vivid Edge, at the back listening to Starry Wing as the Lieutenant provided what was probably a tonne of information.
It was going to be a busy few days for all of the Night Guard, for certain.
'But then, when is it ever not?' Prey thought with a mental shrug of acceptance. He only really cared how much of a headache it was going to make for the ISND specifically.
Plus, this would all help serve as a distraction to anyone who might've been waiting for the ISND's return. Prey just wanted to slip back into the cracks, where he, Gloom, and Crimson could get on with their work, or rather appeasement of Luna, without getting embroiled in anything else ridiculous. Such as Guard politics, or interfering nobles.
Prey sat and polished off his rather unappetizing breakfast, (dinner if you were being technical), while Crimson made steady, if reluctant, progress on his own.
The other thestral Night Guard, both old and new, continued to mingle and get reacquainted. In a reserved, thestral sort-of-way.
Prey stopped half way through gulping down his glass of water. He cautiously lowered the glass, looking at Crimson over the top of it as he looked between the gathered thestrals and his only friend:
"Do you feel... left out?"
Crimson was the only person from his whole clan in Canterlot. Crimson had privately explained what'd happened between him and his old clan, but even so, they'd been his extended family at one point. Love or hate, those sort of connections didn't just disappear. For better or worse.
Crimson's face smoothed into blankness. He looked Prey in the eye, "I could ask you the same question."
Prey was surprised for a moment, but yes, it was just him and Crimson sitting here, alone, separated from the rest of the Night Guard. A pegasus exile, and a runt lamb. Prey thought it was kind of funny that he hadn't even realised how he was also in the same boat as Crimson.
Prey pushed the water glass to the side of his tray, "If you're asking me, then no. I don't feel left out. I was never a part of anything. It's always just been me, just Prey. Plus, you know, sheep don't have any sort of illustrious history of clans or anything. We've no strong bonds or long family trees. No nobles, no royalty, no ancestral lands or castles or historical deeds. No magic or flight or connection to nature. Sheep don't have an acclaim to anything, except quietly living."
"Oh. I see. I mean, living quietly is not a bad thing, I wasn't implying, I didn't mean-I meant, every race has its own culture, each just as important as every other race. It doesn't matter how humble." Crimson said.
Prey shrugged awkwardly, but not agreeing. It was easy for Crimson to say, he wasn't a runt sheep, "So, anyway, do you feel left out? If I can ask, that is?"
"You can ask anything Prey," Crimson said automatically, then considered the question, "Not... Not really, no. You know how they never accepted me from when I was born a pegasus, because of... some bad history with past throwbacks, so I was never a part of clan Myrrdon anyways. I mean, it is hard to miss what you've never really known."
Crimson shuffled one wing, stretching and refolding it as he hesitated over what he was going to say next, "If I can ask, that is...?" He echoed Prey's own words.
"You can ask anything Crimson." Prey echoed right back, trying to inject some levity.
"Well, so, you said you weren't part of anything either, but, I mean, that doesn't include your family, right?"
Prey's jaw worked, "Ah."
Truthfully, the question didn't really catch him off guard. With the heavy tone of the conversation he himself had started, perhaps a bit foolishly, he'd been prepared for it. Or thought he'd been prepared. But now Crimson had asked him, and the question was different when you actually heard it out in the open where it couldn't be taken back.
'I don't have any family. Gossamer had a family.' Prey told himself. Besides, they were all dead regardless.
"No. Family is family. You can choose your friends but not your family. No matter where they may go or what they might do, they'll always be family."
Crimson misinterpreted Prey's words as insecurity. "You speak the truth Prey, and when you finally go back, I'm sure they'll be waiting for you. I mean, I doubt it'll be easy, but you said it yourself. They are and always will be your family."
Gloom was still busy catching up with old comrades that weren't that old. In actual fact, Gloom had certainly known some of those thestrals before he was old enough to fly.
Prey ran the tip of his hoof around the rim of his cup, "I guess. In a sense."
Crimson frowned. He half motioned with one wing, then seemed to reconsider in indecision.
"What?" Prey asked, looking up.
Crimson looked troubled as he stared at Prey. He spoke slowly, "When you finally go back to your family's farm, whether because you're finished or just visiting, might I please go with you?"
'Well damn.' That wasn't what Prey wanted to hear. He didn't have a clue how he would fake that. Even thinking about family made him utterly miserable with guilt, and here Crimson was asking to visit a burnt out village sixty years long gone. But it was Crimson asking.
'No, this is a simple problem to solve. I just never go, and therefore, Crimson won't have any reason to try and go with me.'
Prey slowly nodded, "Sure. When I go, you can come."
"Thank you Prey. And, I don't mean to pressure you, but I think you should write to them more." Crimson said awkwardly.
"I do. I wrote to them just this Monday actually." Prey lied.
Crimson seemed satisfied with that, and went back to dutifully eating his way through his dinner, and Prey went back to thinking over his other concerns and problems. For example, the strange 'Other' magic he'd seen Luna use tonight. 'Alicorn Magic' he was calling it from now on.
Then there was Lemon Pink and her annoying coltfriend and worrying over if he'd made the right decision there. Whatever was happening with the mimics, he didn't know, but he hadn't seen anything since back in Mayflower, so Prey was tentatively putting that worry on the back burner for now.
But there was always the ever present worry over being discovered, the need to flush out any more of the crazy thief crusaders, finding a new lair and cleaning out the old collapsed one, maintaining a good rapport in the Night Guard, getting the ridiculous still ongoing therapy sessions over with, dealing with the mysterious annoyance Strange Happenstance, his enforced probation restrictions, the new thestral recruits and the changes they'd bring, looking out for and secretly guarding Crimson, the Solar Guard, his other ongoing projects and time investments, all wrapped up in the constant pressure of maintaining a perfect act at all times.
And there was the one which was always at the back of his head and never far from his thoughts. Freedom, and escape.
Prey morosely rested his chin on the table after pushing his dangling ears out of the way first, 'No rest for the wicked.'
---
It was inevitable though, that Prey would not get his wish to go unnoticed and undisturbed. For one thing, the newcomers were thestrals, so of course they took note of the strange lamb and pegasus duo sitting in the corner, and for another, Gloom brought his old-new friends over.
Prey heaved a sigh and sat himself back up straight as Gloom came back with a pair of thestrals in company. A stallion and a mare duo, looking to be of similar age to the Sargent himself. It only took the briefest glance up at their ears to confirm that yes, they were both clan Cilldara too.
Gloom wasted no time, "Crimson, Prey, I'd like you to meet Felled Grace and Sharp Edge."
Grace was the mare, and Sharp was the stallion. They were both rather average of most thestrals Prey had seen, the only strong characteristic defining with each being Grace having an ebony black coat, and Sharp one leathery wing which was a discoloured, plain white.
'Wonderful. More ponies I don't know or care about, but that I'll be expected to remember.' Prey thought.
Should he act the child? Put on a smiling mask like he did with the cook? Both Grace and Sharp were looking at him in particular in surprise.
Prey didn't get enough time to act on any decision he might've made, because Gloom wasn't finished, "Crimson and Prey are both in my division. There should be five of us actually, but two of our members-never mind. As I was saying, Princess Luna hoof picked them both to be in the ISND."
Grace and Sharp were both taken aback by Gloom's confirmation of Prey's position.
'-a filly's allowed to be in the Night Guard at that age?-'
'-Lady Luna chose them both. What a privilege-'
"Night watch over you." The ebony mare greeted them both formally, being exceptionally careful not to show any teeth when she smiled politely at Prey.
Prey wasn't impressed. He answered back anyway with his own polite, "Hello." But that was all he said, his crossed forelegs leaving no further avenue for conversation.
But obviously, both thestrals were still intrigued. There was a lamb in the military organization they'd just joined, how could they not be? But then they were distracted, eyes drawn to the ribbon as Prey absently twirled the blue silk.
And just like that, they forgot and everyone moved on.
"Night watch over you too," Crimson returned to their previous greeting, "Your name is Sharp Edge. Are you related to Vivid Edge?"
"Yes, I'm blessed to call her my mother. I won the stone toss, so she allowed me to fly here instead of my father to swear service to Lady Luna. He'll have to wait until next time." Sharp Edge said with serious joviality, a contrast that only a thestral could really pull off.
"How's he doing by the way?" Gloom asked, "Is your father well?"
"As well as anypony. I had to promise to serve twice as hard in his stead here in Canterlot before he'd even let me out the cave. I think it helped that Grace was coming along." Sharp said with a wing bump to the mare next to him, who shoved him right back good naturedly.
"After you swore to serve twice as hard, he came to me next and made me swear to keep you safe." Grace returned.
"He did not." Sharp protested.
Grace raised one dark brow, "No? You can go ask your mother. She was there."
"Hmph." Sharp groused. '-alright, it must be true then-'
Grace was still looking all around the mess hall, hers and Sharp's trays of breakfast still untouched, "This is still so strange. Is everywhere like this?"
"You'll get used to it, although part of the strangeness never wears off. But yes, most of the Palace is like this. Except bigger, and brighter." Gloom answered.
'-know what it's like. Still remember my first time here. It feels so long ago. So much has changed, but today I've gotten back my two friends-'
"If it's nothing secret, can I ask why you've outfitted in different armour to the rest of the Night Guard I've seen?" Sharp asked in interest.
"Sure, it's no secret. Take a seat. The reason is just that the ISND got some of the first new armour sets. You all and the rest of the Night Guard are going to be getting the same too. Eventually."
Sharp took a second look at Gloom and Crimson, "That's impressive. You bring honour to Princess Luna."
His thoughts explained his word choice, '-your squad must have done something exceptional to be chosen first-'
As a fellow thestral, Gloom got the context, "Err, it wasn't quite like that." He hedged.
"What did happen?" Grace asked.
Prey caught Crimson's wings tightening at his side, and Gloom's mood unexpectedly took a sharp nose dive, but Gloom told himself; '-Grace doesn't mean anything by it, she hasn't been here and doesn't know-'
"Trouble seems to find us. There was a griffin salt dealer, and then this dark magic incident over the border... I guess Captain Nighthawk just thought it best the ISND were properly armed against next time."
'-I don't want to tell them anymore than that. Why not? We all grew up together-', Gloom asked himself.
"You fought against griffins?" Sharp asked, ears perking.
"Griffin. Singular. Only the one." Crimson helpfully corrected.
"No, we didn't 'fight' per-say, more like..." Gloom vaguely waved his hoof and didn't look at Prey, "We were in the wrong place at the right time. Or wrong time. There was a big fire. It didn't end well."
Gloom was aware he was being overly evasive. Weren't Grace and Sharp both thestrals he'd known for years? And weren't they both here to become Night Guards on top of that? But even so, '-I trust them don't I? But I also don't want to tell them-'
Prey hid a snort. This was all an annoying waste of time. He didn't care if Gloom reconnected with his two childhood friends or never saw the two of them again outside of work. Just as long as it didn't involve him.
He watched the conversation unfold in front of him as the two thestrals continued to ask to politely but blithely ask Gloom uncomfortable questions. It occurred to Prey that although Grace and Sharp were both thestrals, and thus knew about the harsher realities of life and weren't afraid of hard work, both of them were still young.
They knew how to fight, but they hadn't killed anyone. Not that either would ever wanted to, they weren't mad, but it still meant they didn't understand.
They hadn't seen the cellar, or the kindersnatches, or the reaper king, or survived the Wolfing Wood.
Experience had driven a wedge between Gloom and his old friends, one which the Sargent hadn't even known existed until this very moment. Prey knew Gloom wrote letters back to his clan regularly, but meeting them here in person... It had shaken Gloom.
Gloom looked at his two childhood friends and tried to keep his smile even through the sinking feeling:
'-they're strangers. No, I'm the stranger. It isn't fair on them, but they're not my friends anymore-'
Still, Gloom tried for politeness sake and out of a hope that everything would click back into place. He talked, answered their questions as they ill-advisedly tried the mess hall food for the first time, tried to include Crimson and Prey both into the conversation to build common ground, but...
But it wasn't the same. It wasn't working, and Grace and Sharp were slowly both becoming aware something was wrong too. But they didn't know what to do about it any more than Gloom did, so they all kept playing along and hoping to trick themselves into connecting again.
And Prey? He refused to be drawn into conversation, not even when it finally occurred to Grace and Sharp he wasn't an ewe but a runt ram, and they apologized. He sat back on the bench as he looked at the two new thestrals and just thought:
'How boring.'
Felled Grace and Sharp Edge were just both so boring.
They didn't matter to him. Their actions wouldn't impact him in any way. They were just two new Night Guard Privates.
Prey didn't know their motivations, and he didn't need to know anything further than that they didn't mean him any harm. He didn't care about their goals or their personal reasons for coming to serve Luna, because he'd already figured them out. Family duty and tradition, and that was it.
Their lives and stories were utterly normal, as far as thestrals went. Unimportant. Unthreatening. Boring.
They were so boring, and Prey couldn't even pretend to care.
So he just sat there, a silent, mostly forgotten observer, and just waited until Gloom and Grace and Sharp had the excuse of breakfast finishing to split up.
'Finally.'
------
A day. A new day. A good day for many in the Night Guard. It was even a good day for those normal Guards who'd first been reassigned to the Night Guard when it started months ago now, and who would imminently be dismissed and replaced by the influx of new thestrals. None of those Guards had been happy about being in the Night Guard in the first place.
Well, now they'd be getting their wish to leave and go back to the Royal Guard, however, their return wouldn't be with any recommendation from Nighthawk for diligent service.
But it was still a good day, and one which would be bringing much change with it.
There would be both good and bad changes in the future to come, certainly, but Canterlot would just have to wait and see how the ratios balanced out. But just as surely as the seasons, change had come.
------
But the day wasn't over. Actually, calendar wise, it'd only just begun, since it was barely past nine in the morning. The night was over, the sun was up, the golden spires of Canterlot were shining. The ISND's day however, that was over. And while at some point Nighthawk was aiming for them to shuffle up their working hours all again, but right now that was neither here nor there. Their shift was officially over.
Their self imposed duties however, unfortunately weren't.
They stood on the sidewalk outside the door to Lilly Blossom's new apartment. The curtains were drawn in both windows. Gloom took a fortifying breath and knocked.
They waited.
Prey suspiciously watched everyone on the street who came past. There were plenty passers by, both coming and going, and all of them were choosing to cross the street rather than walk by on the same side as Gloom and Crimson. The new Night Guard armour may be a strict upgrade, but 'friendly' and 'approachable' it was not.
Gloom knocked again. They waited some more.
'-I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. She's certainly just out visiting-', Gloom thought. But where would someone like Lilly possibly be going to visit?
"Sir?" Crimson asked, his question encompassing whether if they should be worried.
'-I'm sure it's nothing, but...-', Gloom pursed his lips, "It would be rude to just barge in."
Gloom knocked loudly a third time, "Lilly, if you're in there, it's us. Can we please come it?"
No answer. Gloom tried the door handle, but it was locked of course. Prey sighed, and reached under the lip of the doorstep where there was a point where the cement had fallen out, and a spare key had been slipped into this gap. 'Not quite as bad as under the doormat, but not much better.'
"Here." Prey tossed the key up rather than passing it physically over.
Gloom effortless caught it, "Oh, good job Prey."
'-this is definitely an invasion of privacy, but she's from my squad and I'm worried-', Gloom justified to himself.
'I swear if we're about to walk in on her suicide, I will not be amused.' Prey thought coldly as Gloom unlocked the door and pushed it open. Actually scratch that, he didn't want to walk in on any dead body, thank-you-very-much.
But there was no sign of Lilly inside. Her new house wasn't large by any means, only about twice as big as Crimson or Prey's flats, and it took less than thirty seconds to check the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, spare room, and living room to see that Lilly Blossom wasn't in.
It was an obvious worry off both Gloom and Crimson's shoulders. It's not that they'd really expected to find something wrong, but, well, it hadn't been that long ago that Lilly was expressing suicidal wishes. How could you not be worried after that? And while it was a disservice to the recovering individual to doubt their mental state all the time, still, you couldn't just forget that they'd once been suicidal. It was something of a dilemma.
"Well she's not here, so she really must be out." Gloom said, stating the obvious as they stood in the living room.
"We should try again tomorrow." Crimson said.
"Yes, now lets stop snooping around, it's not polite. We've seen she's not here, so lets get out." Gloom agreed, gesturing towards the door.
They trooped back out, making the ponies passing by outside on this sidewalk squawk and speed up. Gloom relocked and hid the spare key under the step again.
"We'll try and get here a bit earlier tomorrow." Gloom decided, shading his eyes to look up at the bright blue sky and squinting.
Crimson nodded in agreement, and Prey just nodded along because it was expected of him.
'Well at least that's one problem that's been forced on me that can wait until another day.' Prey thought, not feeling any responsibility towards Lilly. It was unfortunate that Crimson and Gloom, and by extension Nighthawk didn't think the same, but oh well.
There was a carriage coming quickly up the street. Actually, it was more of a covered rickshaw, built light with wood and canvas, no glass or metal, nothing fancy like a noble's carriage would have. It was one of those public ones you could hire if you were too lazy to walk like a normal person, and was being drawn by two swiftly cantering earth ponies wearing uniform caps. It was one of the other few jobs in Canterlot in which an earth pony might actually find gainful employment.
Prey idly wondered if they found their job humiliating or degrading, since no unicorn would pull a carriage themselves, only travel inside of one, and pegasi had no need of one in the first place.
Except the hired carriage was slowing to a stop, both uniformed earth ponies pulling it looking with some alarm at the armoured forms of Gloom and Crimson, who were waiting on the doorstep to the exact house they were stopping in front of.
They were in the middle of a public street, in broad daylight, but still Crimson and Gloom both instinctively took a few guarded steps back as the two ponies drawing the carriage brought it to a halt.
The flimsy door opened, and out got Saffron Swirl. The dress, silk shawl, and veiled hat she wore as a disguise didn't fool any of them for even a second. She however was quite surprised to find the ISND here, blinked wide eyes at them, frozen halfway out the carriage:
"Oh, Sargent Gloom, this is a surprise. I didn't know you were coming to visit Lilly today."
'-oh dear. Now isn't a good time to meet-'
Gloom glanced over the mare's rather fashion conscious disguise, and so greeted her without using her name, "Good morning to you too. Are you here to check up on Lilly Blossom? I'm afraid she's out, we just checked. Did she say she was going to be expecting you at this time?"
'-if Lilly knew Saffron was coming by this morning, why did she go out?-', Gloom thought, a hint of worry creeping back.
Saffron Swirl was still standing half-in, half-out of the carriages door, "Ah, no, that's not quite it." She hesitated.
The mare was an excellent actor, she was a model after all, and she even kept masterful control over her ears which was usually the unconscious tell of all the pony race. But trying to think up a lie on the spot was evidently not her forte. Plus, she wouldn't have been able to fool any of the three of them anyway.
Crimson took a silent sniff of the air, "You've brought Lilly back with you." He stated.
"You're escorting Lilly? That's very kind of you." Gloom said.
Saffron hesitated again, half glancing back into the confines of the carriage, "We've been out for a little trip. Unfortunately Lilly dear started feeling unwell, so I thought it best to get her back home as soon as possible. You see, well..."
'-how can I politely convince them to come back in a minutes time?-'
A muffled hoarse voice came from behind Saffron in the cab, " 'S fine. I jus' wanna' go in, I don' care."
"Are you sure Lilly dear?" Saffron asked over her shoulder gently, "I'm sure they don't mind leaving for a minute or two-"
"Said it's fine. Don' care, I just don' care."
Saffron sighed quietly, shooting a sad look to all of the ISND as she stepped down and turned to offer her hoof, "It's okay Lilly, it's going to be fine."
Out of the carriage Lilly awkwardly stumbled, her meld wood leg hidden in the sleeve of a pink shirt was stiff and difficult as Saffron helped her down the step. Lilly was a mess, but that assessment had nothing to do with the hideous root growing out of her face. Prey was used to seeing such deformities, not to mention he'd seen this one before. Lilly was wearing a hat and a scarf to hide as much of her affliction as she could, but it didn't hide her tangled mane, eyes red from crying, and the matted wet fur of her cheeks.
Lilly looked at the three of them, hiccupped once, then dashed passed them to her front door. Except she couldn't dash, not with a wooden leg. It was pitiful to watch, but she brushed off Gloom and Crimson's hooves as they moved to assist.
"Leave me alone." She choked out.
It was even more awkward as she fumbled, clumsily trying to get her key into the lock. For her whole life up until a month ago, it was an instinctual action she would've undertaken with magic. But not anymore.
Crimson stepped forwards to help again, but both Prey and Saffron signalled for him to stop. Lilly continued to fumble, hiccupping more steadily, sounding on the verge of bursting into tears once again as she couldn't get the door open. Gloom shot a worried look at Saffron, asking for answers. Sadly she shook her, heart shaped face full of sympathy.
'-life can be so cruel to some pony's at times-'
Lilly finally got the key to turn, and pushed the door open. She stumbled inside, making for where Prey knew her bedroom lay. She didn't even bother shutting the front door or removing the key from the lock, she just left it all as it was and made for her bedroom. Prey's ears caught the sound of she starting to sob messily from within.
"What happened?" Gloom asked, looking into the house after Lilly.
Saffron sighed, beginning to fish in her hoof bag for the carriage's fee, "Lilly's had... a rough day."
"What can we do to help?" Crimson immediatley asked.
"I'm sorry, but I think it would be best you don't try. It's not anything you've done," Saffron assured them as she counted out the fee from a purse full of bits, the earth pony nervously accepting the money while avoiding even looking at Gloom, "Please don't take this the wrong way, but I think I'm the better choice to help Lilly at the moment. I'm a mare who can sympathise and understand her feelings at the moment."
"You can say that with confidence?" Crimson asked carefully.
Snapping her purse shut, Saffron turned to face Crimson squarely as the two earth ponies hurriedly began to pull the carriage away. "I can. Please, trust me to help."
Crimson straightened his wings at his side, "Alright then, I'll trust to your judgement. I don't know what's wrong, but Lilly is obviously in distress."
"I will do my absolute best, I promise."
Prey listened in as Saffron thought back on her own mistakes and self imposed misery, '-Lilly, my heart goes out to you. But by Celestia, I'm going to help you get through this-'
"What happened?" Gloom repeated in worry.
'-would it be wrong to tell them?-', Saffron wavered, '-well Lilly did say she didn't care-'
"Ahh... Lilly Blossom asked me to go with her today, as back up you could say. She wanted to see her parents for the first time." Saffron looked at the still open door, "The meeting, it, well... It didn't go how any of us wanted."
------
Gloom walked with them both back to their apartment block in silence rather than taking flight, despite his own apartment being ten minutes away from theirs.
The sun was annoyingly bright. Ponies on the street smiled, chatted, laughed, gossiped, and then nearly jumped out of their skin when they turned to see who was coming and found the grimly silent Gloom and Crimson just behind them, all plated up in their new intimidating Guard armour.
Gloom trotted up with them to the second floor, still brooding. It had been such a good night to start with, with amazing revelations and reunions, but it had all gone down hill since morning. Prey found that morbidly amusing.
"Do you have the address of Lilly's parents, Prey?" Gloom finally asked.
Prey gave him a level look, "Why?"
"That's the sort of thing you would've memorised. I'd bet you know where all Scenic Paint's family lives too."
Well, Gloom wasn't wrong. "And what do you intend to do with their address?" Prey asked.
"Pay them a visit. Have a talk and make them see how much they're hurting Lilly."
"And is that all?" Prey asked.
'-I don't know yet-', Gloom shrugged.
Crimson shifted, carefully refolded his wings, "Sir, you're making a mistake. I mean, I think you'll only make it worse if you do go and confront them."
Gloom grimaced. He'd been thinking the same himself. This was a family affair, and there were no good answers, '-but it's got to be better than doing nothing. Lilly needs their help, not their harm-'
Gloom let out his breath as they entered the ground floor of Prey and Crimson's apartment block, "You're right, of course. I know it's a bad idea. But even so-"
"-Just leave it. Lilly only asked Saffron for help for a reason. This was something she wanted to do on her own. Don't get us involved." Prey interrupted as they took the stairs. The last thing he wanted was to get dragged into this mess by Gloom's noble sense of duty.
"They're her family. They've had long enough to cool off already, now they need to step up and start doing their duty." Gloom stated.
"Yes sir. But I agree with Prey. It is... we'll only make it worse."
"I know, I know, however I can't help but think maybe it'd do some good. And it's just Gloom. We're not on duty." Gloom sighed as they ascended the stairs up to the apartment block's second floor.
'-what would Screech do if he were in my place?-'
"Fine. Their address is 23rd Skylon Place, Trotters Road. If you want to go, then you can go. It's your choice, but I'm going to sleep." Prey announced, apartment doors passing by on their left and the open air of the long balcony on their right.
Reaching up, Prey stuck his key in the front door lock and turned it, going inside without looking back. He went down the dim, short hallway to his own door, but there he waited, listening.
Outside in the open corridor, there was a short silence, then a few muffled words between Gloom and Crimson.
"You're sure?"
"Yes. You're both right. But I don't like it." Gloom sighed tiredly.
"Me neither. Nor Prey, I can tell. A family should never treat each other like this."
"I know. Let me know if you think of something though.
"I'll try. See you tonight on duty."
"Meet you both at the Palace. Night watch over you both."
"You too, Gloom."
"Ha, you finally remembered we're not on duty. Until tonight." There was a leathery *thwap* of wings opening, then a *swoosh* as Gloom jumped over the railing and took off.
Prey opened his flat's door and went inside to get some well deserved sleep.
---I---