//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4 
// Story: The Future: After the End 
// by StelsunDarkstar 
//------------------------------//

Winder's mother, Violett was still at home, resting on the couch. She knew that she had to do her other chores and buy new furniture for the house, but the poor mare sadly gave up and decided to rest for the whole day.
Then she started to think stuff, she remembered that the fillies aren't here and that she's alone by herself, Violett then suddenly thought of trying to do something that "every mare her age" does, and that is, of course, finding a new partner.
Ten minutes after she got her mane done, Violett finally got the courage to go outside and chase her dream. But everything crushed after the are saw her son at the door, with RiverLight at his back.

"Winder?! Wha-!? What happend to you two?!" She ran towards the sad colt and his unconscious friend. Then she picked River up with her hooves and put her in Winder's bedroom upstairs.
Winder sat on the floor, still feeling sad. Then Violett calmly came back downstairs and sat close to her son, just so she can talk to him.
"Hey, sweetie, what happend back there? Did somepony bullied you two? Or.."
"I angered her." Winder decided to tell her the truth. His mother raised her right eyebrow from confusion. Then the sad colt continued on talking. "We weren't at school, mom. We ran away, to the Everfree Forest.."
Suddenly, Violett got up. She was mad. Mad, because her son literally skipped school with his best friend and ran to a dangerous place, forbidden for little creatures. She clearly wanted a full explanation from the poor pony.

After an hour of Winder explaining the situation to his mother, she started to understand even more, but she was still mad at him.
"Huh, i understand you, Winder." She patted him on the shoulder. "But you know that i can't just forget the fact that you and River skipped school together! So it'll be the best if i ground you for a week."
"And me?"
Both earth ponies turned around. They saw RiverLight, sitting on the last staircase and quietly listening to them.
"Winder," She sighed. "go upstairs, i'll have a word with River."

"So, uh.. How did my son.. angered you?"
The kirin daydreamingly stared at the mare for a couple of seconds, then snapped back into the reality and calmly answered Violett's question.
"Hm.. When i really think about it.. it was something really, and i mean it, like, it was something really REALLY stupid! He was asking me questions about my lack of magic, but i wasn't in the mood for that, so, i.. got mad, and turned into a.. nirik.."
After Violett heard those words, she got confused. She has never heard of such a thing as a 'nirik', so she asked River if she can explain to her on what does that means.
After two minutes of explaining, Violett grabbed her hat and decided to send RiverLight home. It was about time.
Winder was told to stay home, to not get in anymore trouble.

Violett and River were at the train station.
"A ticket to Peaks of Peril, please." The stallion from the station gave her the ticket and both waited for the train. Meanwhile, to not get bored, Violett started to talk to River. "Hey... River.. How's it like, there, in Peaks of Peril? Is it.. "awesome"?"
RiverLight didn't answer. She just stared at the railroad, blankly. Violett wasn't happy that the young kirin didn't answer, so she asked her again.
"River, i think that i asked you something. How is it like, to live in a place like Peaks of Peril?!"
River's ears twiched. The kirin heard her and akwardly answered her question.
"Uh, wh.. well, Peaks of Peril.. The kirins there have a pretty interesting history. A long time, like, a REALLY long time ago, the kirins were free to talk and sing. But then, there was the discovering of the.. so called.. 'niriks'. The leader, our leader.. Rain Shine, forced the kirins to enter the Stream of Silence, which prevented them from talking or experiencing strong emotions. But then, some time later, two ponies from here, together with one kirin, helped the kirins find the cure from being mute and they.. kinda solved the problem with the niriks? As far as i remember they did.."

All of a sudden, the two mares heard the loud sound of the train. They've waited two more hours for it to arrive.
Now it was the time for RIverLight to go home. Her true home.
"I hope to see you soon, miss Violett." River's last words as she entered the train and closed the door. Violett just smiled and waved for goodbye.
After ten minutes, the train started. And River was now heading home.
Violett was alone in the station. With no one around. It was time for her to go home aswell.

When she got home, she looked around the front yard. The grass was short and beautiful. The neighbor houses were at their right places as always. Everything seemed perfect from the outside. Then the mare entered the inside of her home. The living room was dark, because the lights were off.
"Hey Winder, sweetie! I'm back!" Violett took her hat off, closed and locked the door. It was really quiet. Violett decided to check her son's room, just in case. When she slightly opened the door, she sighed in relief. Winder was laying on the bed, sleeping. "I'm glad you're okay." She smiled, closed the door, went downstairs again and prepared dinner.

Suddenly, Winder woke up with a yawn. He realised that it's a little late, so he got out of his room to see if his mother's home. She was still home, in the kitchen, still preparing dinner.
"Hey mom! What are you doing?"
"Preparing dinner, you feeling good now?" The mare responded. She was preparing Winder's favorite meal, carrot dogs. The colt smelled the amazingly cooked meal on the plate and took one for himself, because he was hungry like a wolf.
"Mm! Those are good, mom!"
The mare smiled as she sat on one of the dining chairs.
"I'm glad you like them, Wind."
Winder then swallowed the bite he took from the carrot dog and giggled happily.
Some minutes later, the two earth ponies were done eating and out of boredom before bedtime Violett decided to teach her son how to dance, on which he failed. Both of them laughed.

At bedtime, when the mare took her little colt in, he asked her something, out of pure curiousity.
"Mom, will i ever see River again?"
"Of course you will. It's not like she'll disappear one day, Wind! You just need to be patient." Violett said as she booped his little nose. "Goodnight, Winder."
"Night, mom!"
The mare smiled and closed the door. She headed to her bedroom and did her bed, ready for sleeping.
"Maybe one day i should visit that place.. 'Peaks of Peril' huh? It sure sounds like a fun place." Violett thought to herself as she slowly started to fall asleep.