//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 
// Story: The Future: After the End 
// by StelsunDarkstar 
//------------------------------//

Violett and Winder were both surprised that they let a real kirin filly inside their home.
"Oh, uhm.. I didn't think of you being a.." Violett has started to feel akward.
The little kirin faced the mare and spoke up.
"You don't have to worry Miss. Even a single house is safe when there's a kirin around!" The filly smiled innocently, while Violett and Winder were still a little confused of the happening situation.
"Did you said.. ki.. rin..?" Winder asked in pure confusion. Then the little kirin faced him and answered his question.
"Yes, you heard me right! It's really common for us to get confused for regular ponies, so it's not a big deal for me. Also, thank you guys for accepting me to stay the night. I could just go home by myself if i had enough magic, but.. Haha! I guess that's how things went for me." The kirin sat on the wooden floor with tilted head.
"So, you say that your magic is too weak?" Violett asked with concern. "Sorry if this sounded harsh, but isn't there supposed to be somepony teaching you how to use your.. horn, to produce magic? I'm not an unicorn, so it's reasonable that i'm not really familiar with those things."
"Hey, we didn't got your name?" Winder pointed out.
The kirin filly got up in surprise and told them her name, RiverLight. She explained that her name was given to her, because her parents shared love for rivers, and water in general. So they would go to one specific river close to their home village everytime when they're free.
"Wow, you seem to have a pretty peaceful family." Winder assumed.
River's pupils got a little smaller, she felt kinda uncomfortable, but she kept things cool.
"No, they're not really 'peaceful'. They're more of an.. energetic kind of parents that won't shut up, if you know what i mean!" River laughed as she said that.

Everyone went silent for a moment. Then Violett got up and went to the closest window to open it. The wind was howling and the air was warm. Really strange for a summer night.
"So, how did you got lost, River?" Violett asked, while closing the window. River looked at her with a neutral look.
"Well, it's kind of embarrassing, but i'll tell you."
The mare Violett sat close to her son and said in a calmed and relaxed tone.
"We're listening, go on!"
RiverLight felt a little bit more confident with telling them her story.
"Um, it pretty much started after i finished my friendship lessons at the.. School of Friendship, but i also had extra lessons at the normal schoolhouse. Right after i was done, i ran as fast as i could to get my train. My parents were supposed to wait for me at the other station. And.. of course, i missed the train. I could just use my magic to teleport to the station, and i did tried, but it didn't work. Even tho i DID had magic lessons, it still didn't work for me.." River paused for a second to take a short break from talking, then she continued. "After i realized that i have missed the train, i, of course, paniced. Then i started to run in different directions. I was so scared to ask the other ponies-unicorns if they can teleport me back home, or the pegasi, dragons, griffins or even changelings to give me a flight to home.."
Violett stared at the kirin with a sad expression, trying not to tear up. Winder was feeling the same, except that he was a little calmer.

Suddenly, Violett interrupted RIver as she was just about to continue telling her backstory.
"My! I'm sorry dear, i just forgot to check the time!" The mare galloped towards a small drawer, where there was a tiny clock, just placed there. The little clock said '12:00am'. It was already getting late, and Winder had school tomorrow on top of everything! "Okay fillies, time for bed! River, you can sleep with Winder, understand?"
RiverLight nodded in agreement and she, together with Winder, walked up the stairs, onto the second floor, where the fillies's bedroom was located.
"Good night, mom!" Winder yelled across the room, so his mother can hear him. Then he recieved an answer from her. He wrapped himself and River with the sheet made out of old bear fur. "Hey River, would you like me to light up a candle?" He wispered.
River opened her left, tired red eye and answered, even if she didn't want to.
"I'm good, Wind. Let's sleep now.. We're all tired. . . " She fell asleep. Winder sighed akwardly, as fell asleep too.

The next morning was pretty hard. Winder woke up first and tried to wake River. She was really taking sleep seriously. But after a soft slap in the face with his hoof, the kirin opened her eyes in shock, like she had a nightmare or something else.
"Come on, we have school." Winder informed her.
RiverLight got up, with low effort, then brushed her mane and tail, washed off her face and shined her hooves, her parents taught her that when she's at someone else's home, it's polite when you shine your hooves even one time a day.
"Kids, quick, grab a éclair and run!" Violett said in a high tone to the two fillies. They indeed hurried and grabbed an éclair from the plate that they were placed in.

On their way to school, they talked to eachother like every normal filly.
"What exactly are those.. éclairs? I like them!" River asked curiously. She really enjoyed the éclair that she took from the plate.
"Well, as far as know, the éclairs aretypes of pastry. I like to call them 'carrot dogs made out of sugar', if you get what i mean." Winder then smiled at River, who didn't really understood anything, but nodded in agreement.

The two fillies continued walking down the streets of Ponyville, where every single creature was welcome. River stared around while walking because it was her weird habit to stare at the villagers, even Winder found it weird.
"Wait!" River stopped. "This is not the direction leading to MY school!?"
Winder stopped too and started sweating. He knew that he has to tell her the truth.
"Uh, i thought that your school is just an excuse to get distracted, so i decided to lead you to my school-"
RiverLight was furious at Winder. She wanted to curse at him, but at the same time she didn't, because she was afraid of the pony races splitting up again because of them.
"Do NOT call the School of Friendship a tool for distraction! Oh," She started whispering. "be thankful that i'm not taking a beat on you, because i would be the reason the pony races would split up again. Got it?"
Winder nodded, he understood that it'll be a really bad idea, even on accident to make a creature of other race really angry.
"Winder, listen, i'm already late for friendship classes, you're already late too."
The two fillies looked at eachother with akward expressions.
"Well, uh, then would you like to skip?" Winder asked the young kirin. River, feeling down for being late, agreed, because she was afraid of the consequences. Then the two galloped into a different direction, far from the two schools.

"Where would you like to go?" The earth colt asked the kirin. Both have found themselfs close to the Everfree Forest, once a forbidden place, where only the bravest, strongest and oldest were allowed to go, and now a place where only the youngest and weakest were not allowed to go.
River looked around the branches of the huge trees, and spoke the up the things on her mind.
"Maybe we should take a look at the ruins? I, personally have never seen them in real life, only in textbooks!" RiverLight really wanted to see those old and beautiful places, so Winder couldn't agree more, mainly because he kinda wanted to see them too.
"Well, here goes nothing!" Winder said loudly in a cheerful tone. Both fillies then walked towards the mysterious forest, with no knowledge on what's gonna happend next.