"Hm. I suspected as much, given the location."
The filly was stumped. Shaking her head and trying to rattle some thoughts loose, she absent-mindedly reached for the necklace, only for her hoof to pass through. "Wait, I had it with me... I had it when I... died."
"Aye, we discovered it along with the rest of your mortal remains. We got really lucky we even found them at all." Long Stride replied, putting the necklace back and tapping the same box that he pulled out the clay pot from. There was some kind of bundle of cloth in there, and Agate had a pretty good idea of what was wrapped up in it. "Everything was snowed over, which, while not too thick, still covered the entire mountainside. However, one of the scouts saw some scraps of fabric stuck in a bush, and alerted the others. In the end, we spent the bigger half of the day circling the area, and even then, we probably wouldn't have found anything if the young shamares hadn't worked their magic to track the fabric to where it came from. I think it's best if you don't look inside, by the way. It's not pretty. You fell in an exposed location, and the scavengers did their part. Everything was torn up, and probably the only reason the necklace wasn't taken by some curious crow was the fact that it was tangled up in the remains of your scarf."
"I wasn't going to. I saw my dead body once already, and it was the weirdest thing ever. I don't really want to know how it looks like after it was chewed on," She replied, averting her eyes.
"Understandable. Though our bodies return to nature where they belong after we die, the ways of their returning are rarely pleasant to watch."
"Right. So, uh... What are you going to do with it?"
The stallion blinked slowly, considering the filly. "Well, we were hoping you would be the one to tell us what to do, Agate. Even our separate tribes have some wildly different methods of burial. How do your people do it?"
"Oh." Agate sat down, rubbing her chin in deep thought. After a few minutes, she shook her head. "I have no idea. All I know is something I vaguely remember about a "pale mare" of some kind coming to take you away when you die. Nothing about what ponies do with the bodies."
That made him raise his eyebrows. "Really? Nothing at all?"
She shrugged helplessly, to which Frostbeard spoke up. "It is not too surprising. Foals learn of things as they come, and she is still young. Clearly, she didn't have to deal with any deaths in her family until she met her own."
Long Stride shrugged as well, sitting down in front of Agate. "Well, it's not like this is a hard problem to solve. We'll just do it in one of our snowpony ways."
"So... What are those ways?" Agate asked, glancing at the box now and then. "You said your tribes do it differently? Is there some kind of importance on how you do it?"
"Not really, as long as you don't do it the wrong way. The differences came mostly because of the conditions in the regions that we live in."
"So..."
"Right, right. Well, we northerners gain a great amount of sustenance from the seas, so it is only fitting that we return some of what we've taken when we pass on. Our tribe buries our fallen at sea, which is... Not really an option here, not unless you want to wait for some reason, and have it done when we travel northwards in spring."
"I... Guess not?" Agate shrugged, biting her lip. "Um, and how do the other tribes do it?"
Frostbeard and Oak Bark glanced between each other, the southerner chieftain going first after a small nod from the other stallion. "Cremation. We build a funeral pyre, and scatter the ashes... Or just let the winds do it for us. Once a pony's body is returned to nature, it is up to nature's spirits what to do with it. Sometimes, deaths coincide with the Calling, and we use the same bonfire that's used for calling spirits. Or, when there's no lost spirits to summon, we just build a regular funeral pyre in the ceremonial grounds."
"We also tend to cremate our fallen, though some of the ponies living higher in the mountains began doing what they named "sky burials". There are some rather... Ravenous vultures living out there in the west that are more than happy to help out."
"Wow, okay. So you just... Let them have at it?" Agate asked, wonder in her voice. While she really didn't know how ponies dealt with the dead back in the Empire, letting a bunch of animals eat you after you spent your life trying to avoid getting eaten still sounded odd.
"Sure. A body is nothing once the spirit is gone, after all. Just dead flesh. That's what all the spirits say themselves, anyway. Some ponies used to treat the bodies of their kin with unnecessary reverence in the past, but shamares put a stop to it one day. You didn't feel anything any more after you passed, did you?"
Thinking back to that night, Agate shook her head. "Not really. I mean, I felt very confused and lost, but I didn't feel cold or hungry any more. I was more concerned with what I was supposed to do next, so I just galloped off to try and figure things out."
"I see. So, what's your choice?"
"Oh, right. Uh..." Agate trailed off, scratching her head. "Cremation, I guess? Still a bit weird to be doing this at all. Ponies back home didn't really hang around after they died."
"And I'm certain you've been told before that that's what's weird to us. Just about every pony tends to stay to say their goodbyes, at least," The westerner's chieftain explained, shaking his head.
Agate shrugged helplessly, the whole spirit thing still way beyond her ability to understand. Rising from his sitting position, Frostbeard nodded to the filly, stretching his hindlegs. "It's settled, then. Soon as we have some... Actually, there's still plenty of time in the day. Let's get this over and done with. I think we can call this meeting to an end," He said, nodding to the other two chieftains.
Long Stride nodded back, getting up and cracking a yawn. "Think I'll go get some food in me, then. And maybe a nap. The journey was interesting, but it did take a lot out of me. Be well."
"Thank you for your aid and wisdom, Agate. Moon light your path. Farewell," Oak Bark likewise said his goodbyes, making his way towards the exit.
Frostbeard glanced around, going towards the boxes. Carefully sticking his hoof into the one with Agate's remains, he pulled out the tightly-bound bundle and put it on his back. Looking at it more closely, she could see that it was actually her old trusty crystal wool blanket, though it was terribly filthy, and even moldy in a few spots. Some parts were frayed as well, as if something tried to chew on it. Clearly, the year spent outside was not good to it.
Agate thought about all the other things that she had with her at the time. Saddlebags, hat, scarf... She didn't care about the clothes and other survival stuff in the slightest, since she didn't need them any more. If they weren't destroyed by the elements, she'd gift them to her friends, not that they'd need them. The snowponies had far, far better cold-weather clothes than what they made in the Empire. The only part that she felt slightly regretful about was the fact that the clothes were gifts from her parents. She'd have liked to keep something as a memento, pointless as it would be to have a hat or a scarf that she couldn't even touch, and which would rot away over the years anyway.
Thinking about rotting brought her thoughts back to the necklace. Gold didn't rust, and neither did gemstones. She didn't really have any sentimental attachment to the necklace, seeing as it was just a random piece of jewelry that her father picked out so that she would have something to trade with, if she needed to. She spent days wearing it and didn't even so much as glance at it, since she had her scarf wrapped around her neck almost the entire time. Still, when she thought about gifting it to someone, she felt a little hesitant.
"Should I keep it? ...Somehow?"
While she was lost in her thoughts, Frostbeard put the armor and spears away, tidying up the boxes. Nodding to Agate, he led her outside, stopping briefly to push the unburnt bits of wood in the firepit onto the glowing coals. His tasks done, he swept his gaze across the spacious building one last time before stepping outside and slamming the large double doors shut.
He led the silent spirit across the village, his long gait forcing her to almost gallop to keep up with him at times. The destination became clear almost immediately - they were going towards the ceremonial grounds in the middle of Snowpitt, which weren't all that far from the Great Hall. The paths were almost devoid of ponies, everyone likely sitting down to eat something after the long meeting. The grounds were completely empty when they got there, the pair the only living beings around.
Well, one living being and one undead filly, to be precise.
Carefully setting down his cargo near the edge of the firepit, Frostbeard examined it with a critical eye for a moment before nodding. "Alright, it's not snowed over too badly, so I won't have to dig too much. Stay here, Agate, I need to go retrieve some firewood. I shall be back shortly."
"Alright."
Agate sat there for some time, staring unblinkingly at her old blanket. She was simultaneously tempted to stick her head inside to take a look, and trying to restrain herself from doing it. She'd seen stylized pictures of skeletons in her schoolbooks, but as she learned, the real thing almost always ended up looking way, way different. Curious as she was, though, she didn't really want to find out what "it's not pretty" really meant in this context, so she managed to keep her curiosity at bay long enough for Frostbeard to come back.
He wasn't alone, three more stallions and two shamares following in tow. The unfamiliar stallions were there just to help him out with the firewood, dropping off thick bundles of branches before trotting off with a nod to the chieftain. The shamares were well known to Agate, though, being her real first contacts with the snowponies.
"Hello, Agate. This is an... Interesting occasion for you, I imagine," Earthsong spoke, eyeing the bundle of cloth on the ground.
"Hrm. Bit unusual, honestly. Normally, a pony either passes on in the village, or their body gets claimed by nature. Can't quite remember a case where we had an entire year between the spirit showing up and taking care of its mortal remains," True Sight remarked, glancing at the bundle with her sharp gaze as well.
Agate shrugged helplessly. "A lot of things about me keep ending up being unusual, or so ponies keep telling me. Most of the time, I'm just confused. Well, I've been less confused lately as I learned a lot about snowponies, but then something like this happens, and I'm back to being confused."
Earthsong nodded sympathetically. "In cases like these, the vast majority of snowponies feel like you, as well. Some are sad, others are apprehensive, but most aren't too sure what to feel about saying goodbye to what was recently a part of themselves. A few, those that feel they have many things left undone, get desperate. "My body is right there, can't you do anything?" And the answer is no, no more than you can blow against the wind or stop the flow of a river with a hoof. Attempting to fight against nature's cycles never ends well. All we can do is accept the undeniable truth before us, and move forward."
Agate tilted her head a little, considering the shamare's words. She wasn't sure what to say, or whether she should even say anything at all, so she elected to remain silent. While they were talking, Frostbeard kicked away the snow from a patch in the firepit, exposing the cold ashes beneath. Grabbing the bundles of firewood, he deftly built a pyre, picking up Agate's remains and putting them on top. With a nod to the shamares, he stepped back, sitting down near the edge of the firepit.
The pair nodded back, approaching the stacked wood. They retrieved a few knotted charms from some of the many accessories they were wearing, whispering something under their breaths and sticking their hooves between the branches, reaching deep inside the pyre. There was a slight glow and a sudden flash of light, at which they quickly pulled their hooves out, flames greedily licking the firewood already.
The fire spell worked differently than whatever magics the shamares cast on the bonfire during the Calling. There was no glow or phantom images this time, but instead, the fire began consuming the firewood at a truly impressive rate, producing so much heat that the snow around it melted right before their eyes. The wool blanket was engulfed in moments, quickly burning away to nothing. The contents were hidden by the flames, rising in a tall pillar from the enchanted pyre.
As Agate sat and watched, her ear twitched as she heard a loud growl from Frostbeard's stomach. "Thank you very much for helping, chieftain, but you don't have to stay here for my sake. You should go eat something."
"It's a chieftain's duty, rare as it is. Most ponies have families that watch over the proceedings. Lacking that, a chieftain presides over his tribesfolk. And I do consider you of the tribe, Agate, despite many ponies calling you a "visitor" or "traveler spirit". Either way, it doesn't matter. This won't take long," He waved her concerns away, looking at the bright pyre with lidded eyes, the light appearing extra bright in the gloom of the long night.
True to his word, the shamare-enhanced flames greedily ate away at both the firewood and Agate's remains, the pyre quickly collapsing in on itself, the last bits of fuel cleanly burning away. All that was left was a pile of glowing coals and ash, surrounded by a circle of melted snow. If anything remained of Agate's body, she wasn't able to see it.
"It is done," Frostbeard spoke, getting up. "It's unfortunate that this is the extent of what the expedition was able to accomplish, but some things are simply beyond our ken."
"It's not over yet," True Sight muttered, her expression set in a frown.
The stallion blinked in surprise, looking between the shamare and the remains of the pyre in confusion, before understanding dawned on his face. "Ah, you mean the mystery of the crystal ponies? Yes, I'm certain there will be other expeditions. No telling whether they'll have more success, though."
"We shall see," The elder replied simply, shrugging.
"I suppose we shall. Be well, you three. You know where to find me if you need me."
Before he could trot away, though, Agate suddenly jumped up, turning towards him. "Wait! Just a moment, please!"
"Hm? Something you forgot, Agate?"
"Yes, um, my necklace. The one that Long Stride brought back. Can I keep it?"
"Oh? Ah yes, of course. He may have retrieved it, but it is still yours. You can give it to whoever you wish."
That wasn't precisely what Agate was asking, but she nodded anyway as the stallion trotted off. To be fair, it was a sensible assumption to make. It's not like she could do much of anything with any physical item any more, let alone something that you could wear. And yet... Could she?
"What was that about, Agate? Something else of yours that they found?" Earthsong asked.
"Yeah. Most of my stuff was useless from the exposure to the elements and animals, but they found the golden necklace my father gave me before we left. I'm not too attached to it, but... I kind of wanted to keep it for myself," Agate explained, gazing into the distance with a thoughtful look.
"And how exactly are you going to pull that off?" True Sight inquired, her voice intrigued.
"Well... I can't exactly wear it myself, but... In a way, maybe I can."
Earthsong chuckled with amusement, shaking her head. "I think you've been spending too much time around shamares, Agate. You're beginning to sound like one. Cryptic sentences, saying something without actually saying it."
"Atta filly, you'll be annoying everyone around you with mysterious advice in no time," True Sight joined in the laughter, cackling with approval.
"That's not really my goal, but... Good to know, I suppose. What I was thinking was... Maybe someone could take the necklace and hang it up on my totem. You know, on that wooden bust of me."
"Oh, well. I think that would work," Earthsong mused, tapping her chin.
"You two have fun with that. I'm off to interrogate the younglings a bit more," True Sight nodded to them, shuffling away.
"Would you like me to carry the necklace for you, Agate?" Earthsong inquired after a moment's thought.
"Only if you're not busy with something important," The filly replied, shaking her head.
"No, I'm really not. The others are busy with their questioning, but it's pretty obvious that the two younglings won't be able to tell us much. So, where is it?" She asked, glancing around.
"Oh. Ooh. Darn. I think it's still back in the Great Hall," Agate recalled, grimacing slightly.
"No worries. Let's go retrieve it."
"Alright."
The pair made their way back to the building, Earthsong cracking the door open a tiny bit. Slipping in, they made their way deeper inwards, the mare's hoofsteps echoing surprisingly loudly through the silent interior. Galloping ahead, Agate began sticking her head inside the boxes, trying to find the little clay pot that contained her necklace.
"No, no, no... Wait, I'm silly."
Focusing briefly, she looked at the boxes again, sweeping them with her spirit sight. The vaunted crystal jug sparkled a deep blue on the lid of one of the boxes, and there was a faint glimmer deeper inside a different one, Agate's gem-seeing gaze helping her pinpoint her target. At her pointed hoof, Earthsong stuck her foreleg inside, pulling out the pot.
"Is it in here?"
"Yup, I can see it."
"That talent of yours still fascinates me. I'd love to talk to your tribe's elders about their curious magic."
"Oh, I'm sure they'd be very interested in all the crazy stuff you can do as well."
Making small talk, they left the building, closing the door tightly and making their way towards Agate's totem. Once they reached their destination, Earthsong went to examine the totem with a critical eye, paying extra attention to all the protective wards carved into it. After a few minutes, she nodded in satisfaction, retrieving her cargo from her back. Opening the clay pot, the mare poured the necklace out onto her hoof, letting out a quiet "Ooooh" at the sparkling golden chain.
"This is beautiful, Agate. Many ponies wear beads and braces of various kinds, but this... This is gold, yes? Not many ponies have anything made from gold, let alone something so finely crafted. I'm not sure any of the metal workers even know how to make a metal string like that."
Agate nodded, feeling some second-hoof pride. "Yeah. My parents made it. They're really good at it. The metalwork is my mother's."
"Mmm. Well, metal rarely works well for shamares. A little too... Rigid and inert, so we prefer to make our charms from other materials. Still, I can certainly appreciate the quality. Now then..." The mare trailed off, glancing at the totem again.
Gently picking up the necklace with her teeth, she reared up, putting her forelegs on the totem pole and moving a step forward with her hindlegs. With a twist of her neck, she deposited the necklace on Agate's bust, stepping back and landing on all four hooves again to admire the results.
"...Unusual, but it doesn't look out of place," She concluded after a minute's evaluation. "It won't get damaged by the weather, right?"
"No, gold doesn't rust at all, or that's what I've been told. Thank you, Earthsong."
"Don't mention it."
❅ ❆ ❅
Besides the return of the expedition, nothing else interrupted the daily routines of the wintering snowponies. They ate, slept, talked, learned, shared stories, and prepared for their yearly migration once more. Bit by bit, the night sky started becoming brighter each morning, until finally, the tiniest sunbeam shone from the eastern horizon, signifying the ending of the Long Night.
It was met with another celebration, though the visiting tribes didn't rush off to depart just yet. They wanted a bit more than a sliver of light, so they stayed around for a couple more weeks, even though they were clearly itching to go. Over the winter, Agate noticed that the snowponies turned somewhat lethargic, moving little and spending most of their time either listening or talking, or sleeping. She was a bit concerned at first, but the few ponies that she asked about it assured her that it was just a normal "winter sleepiness", whatever that was.
The coming of sunlight certainly woke them up fully, the village abuzz with activity, which was reflected in the celebrations, as well. Instead of the somber songs and stories of the Calling, ponies were dancing and playing music again, happily bouncing around to stretch their muscles after a long period of inactivity. Some scouts went for a gallop through the tundra, to check whether there were any lingering beasts left over from the Calling.
The surge of energy invigorated the elders as well, to an extent. The shamares didn't exactly start galloping around, but they did express their vigor in other ways. True Sight and Sky Breath, who had been quietly sniping at each other all winter, decided to have some kind of poetry/insult contest right in the middle of the village, much to the amusement of the onlookers.
"Bird feather, bird brain, bird mind.
A sparrow's mind and yours are the same.
To flights of fancy you're inclined -
To call you a shamare brings us shame."
Shaking her feathered accessories, the masked shamare grinned, chuckling at her competitor.
"Oh, True Sight - a sight so sad and poor.
She thinks herself oh so cunning and wise.
And yet, she's but a twit with delusions of grandeur.
No magic or skill, her sight the only consolation prize."
Sniffing disdainfully, her competitor tossed her mane, taking but a moment to think up a comeback.
"Oh, just look at you, spreading your sweet lies.
Can't even see straight, so you use your swarms of spies.
Not surprising you can't use your own head.
While I? I need not ask any spirits to know where it's safe to tread."
Making some strange-sounding birdcall, Sky Breath shook again, her tone of voice confused.
"Oh, she's a strange one, she is.
Bragging that she can't make spirit friends like this?
You're not a shamare, something I should have guessed.
Perhaps retiring in shame for you would be the best."
With a flat look, True Sight continued the duel.
"Won't is not can't, especially with a spirit so strong.
I stand on my own, while you need a whole throng.
You can call your birds, I'll slap them all away.
My spirit would stand against a dozen of yours, any day."
The idea of a verbal spar was still alien to Agate, but she couldn't deny that, despite the contestants just standing and talking, it was easily just as exciting as watching the jousting matches during the Crystal Faire, for some reason. The other onlookers seemed to feel the same, listening to the thrown insults with wide grins on their excited faces, trying to keep their laughter down.
After a few more verses, they stopped, snorting at each other. True Sight stuck her tongue out at Sky Breath, the westerner shamare reciprocating immediately. The crowd laughed, slowly dispersing and discussing which insults were better crafted, in their opinion. Agate couldn't help but smile as well, still marveling at the strange behavior of the two elders. She never even thought about fake-insulting her friends to practice actual insults, but it seemed that the two were indeed friends, despite only ever talking rudely to each other, even when they were not rhyming.
Trotting away, she made her way to a patch of land that was occupied by the northerners and their igloos, looking for a big one with special markings. The day before, Blizzard Heart went to visit her, wanting to discuss Agate's agreement to explore some of the northerner's many islands for crystal deposits. She confirmed that she was willing to go, and was told to visit the chieftain at sunup.
Finding the one that fit the shamare's description, Agate stopped briefly to marvel at the structure. She still had trouble believing that it was warmer inside than it was outside, and seeing as she wasn't able to feel cold any more, she'd likely never be able to feel it for herself and get rid of those doubts. Double-checking the few crude runes carved into the ice above the entrance, she went in through the short and narrow entrance, glancing around the cramped interior.
Tiny as it was, the igloo still had the essentials a pony needed to live. A few beds, a fireplace that somehow didn't melt the walls, and some piles of stored food and equipment. Several ponies were lying on the beds, including Long Stride, who was discussing something with an unfamiliar mare, two more mares listening in. Noticing Agate, one of them nodded towards her, getting the other's attention.
"Ah, good, our special-eyed scout is here. Hello again, Agate. How did you fare this winter?"
"Can't complain. I barely felt the cold," Agate shrugged, smiling slightly.
"Right, of course. Silly question," The stallion snorted, while the mares tittered quietly. "Anyway, Blizzard Heart informed us of your offer. Which brought much joy and lifted the spirits of many ponies of my tribe, once they heard about it. Even though they're not really important to our survival , spirit stones have been a valuable resource to us for a long time. We could live without them, but the other tribes need them for rituals and suchlike, as I'm sure you've seen yourself. Are you alright with travelling even further north from your home?"
"Sure. I mean, it's only fair. You went south to look for crystal ponies, the least I could do is go north to find some crystals for you, not that I wouldn't have went anyway. I don't really have anything important that I'm doing right now, or any urgent plans that are keeping me here," She replied with a shrug.
Her reply was met with smiles from all four ponies. "Excellent. In that case, I'm leaving you in the capable hooves of Seaweed and her companions here. While I'd like to accompany an honored guest like you personally, I'm afraid that being a chieftain brings a whole host of important duties. They will be your guides and companions on your journey through the north."
"Try not to break my igloo with your girthy stature, chieftain," Seaweed giggled, as Long Stride got up and turned to leave.
The other mares did their best to suppress their laughter as the large stallion rolled his eyes with a small grin. Laying down near the entrance, he slid forward, his frame seemingly getting stuck for a brief moment before he pulled himself forward, his sides audibly brushing against the walls of the narrow entrance. One mare let out a low whistle, while another whispered "Girthyyy..." under hear breath, which earned another round of laughter.
Once their giggles subsided, Seaweed shook her head, giving Agate a small bow. "Apologies, wise spirit. These two are Harpoon and Wave Splash. All three of us reside on Shear and tend to travel the surrounding islands, so we know the local waters quite well. We shall be honored to provide you with directions and transportation on your noble quest," The mare explained, while the other two gave short salutes.
"Okay. I'd prefer it if you called me by my name, though. The "wise spirit" thing makes me feel silly," She explained, feeling tickled by the "noble quest" bit. Was she some kind of fairy-tale adventurer now?
After a bit of thought, she had to conclude that she sort of was. Except it wasn't any kind of fairy tale that she ever read, not that she read all that many yet. Still, what kind of story had the main character die right in the beginning of the adventure?
"Very well. I have never worked with spirits before, or anyone quite so... Young, so you'll have to forgive me for any slip-ups, ah... Ag-ate," Seaweed nodded again, carefully pronouncing the foreign name.
"Don't worry about it. I really don't need any kind of special treatment. I went on a few trips with the local hunters before, so I'm not completely clueless about how to work with other ponies. Still, you're going to have to tell me what to do, I think. I listened to a bunch of stories from your tribe's storytellers, but I haven't even seen the sea before. I honestly don't have a clue what the north's like."
Harpoon grinned at her explanation, clopping her hooves together. "Oh, that'll be a sight, let me tell you. The sea is dangerous and treacherous, but there's beauty in it, too. We get some southerner nomads visiting Nilas every year, to trade fish for plants that they gather during the summer. The younglings that see the waves for the first time get slack-jawed without fail, heh."
"And I don't believe you'll need to actually do anything while travelling. Our job is to get you to the islands so you can examine them with your spirit powers, yes? Just jump in our kayaks, and we'll take care of the rest. And once we land, well, the next part is entirely up to you," Seaweed added.
"Alright, so... I don't actually need to prepare in any way. When do you leave?"
"Three days hence. Plenty enough time to say your goodbyes to your friends. Just come over to our igloo, and we'll move out together. Better than galloping back and forth between the crowd trying to find us."
"I'll be there."
❅ ❆ ❅
"You'll do well," Spear Throw nodded, confidence in his voice.
"I guess? The success of this trip doesn't entirely hinge on me doing something, though. They want me to find crystals, and it won't matter how good I am at finding them if there's no more deposits on their islands," Agate shrugged.
"What are the odds of that? Do spirit stones grow underground, like plants do? How far do they spread?" Gnarled Root asked, applying her experience as a herbalist to the situation.
"I really don't know. Knowing lots of things about crystals and knowing lots of things about finding crystals is not the same thing. There's, uh... Geology, and different rocks, like sedimentary or igneous, and... Well, I don't know. I'm not fully sure I know what those words even mean. I didn't exactly have time to learn all that much."
Chuckling, Gnarled Root shook her head, patting Agate on the head with a ghostly hoof. "You're going to do fine. Even if you lack knowledge, there's nothing like getting some first-hoof experience to help you learn something new."
"I suppose..."
❅ ❆ ❅
"That sounds amazing. I'm not planning to go off and join the northerners, but I do want to see this "sea" they keep talking about," Autumn Ash sighed, her thoughts far away.
"Yeah," Her brother agreed. "I'm definitely joining the nomads when I come of age, even if my parents say I don't need to. All those monsters they have in the north sound scary, but everyone says the southern tundra plains are the safest territory in the three tribe's lands. I want to get out of the village and see what's outside, so that I at least know some of what the storytellers are talking about, instead of just trying to imagine it."
"Mm. Travelling can be very interesting, but, well..." Agate trailed off, raising a foreleg and examining the ethereal, partially see-through appendage. "It can get a little too exciting. Watch your backs while you're out there, and don't get careless."
"Don't worry, it's not like we're going alone and unprepared. There's always a bunch of adults to guide the younger ponies and teach them about survival and all that," Cindertail reassured her, idly playing with his amethyst necklace.
"I know. Good luck with your plants this year. I have no idea when I'll return, so it might be winter again when I get back. Your summers are so short."
"Don't we know it. Spring is just a milder winter until stuff starts melting. Anyway, we'll be waiting for you! Bring back some interesting stories!"
"I will. See you later, you two," Agate said her goodbyes, waving to the two ashen foals.
❅ ❆ ❅
"Hmmm. The time is almost upon us."
Agate didn't even get to say hello to Dreamcatcher before the mare spoke, all without even glancing at the silent spirit. Shaking her head, she waited for a moment to see if the old dreamwalker was going to say anything else before trotting into her field of view.
"Hello, elder. I'll be leaving with the northerners soon, to go explore their islands, as I told you before."
"Hm? Ah, Agate. Yes, I remember. Best of luck on your journey. Don't worry about the missed lessons. I am not certain I'd be able to help you much either way. Something strange has been happening in the dream realm lately, and I can't quite make sense of it. I think I'm going to be busy for a while, trying to untangle this mystery."
"Okay. Is it something bad?"
"Too early to tell. Some strange echoes are shaking the dreamscape. It feels like something is going to happen, but it is too indistinct. I cannot see or hear any ponies in the short glimpses that I manage to see either, only brief flashes of the heavens, sometimes at night, sometimes during the day. Perhaps it is something completely unrelated to events in this world. Still, I would like to observe it, whatever it is."
"I see. Best of luck with your search."
"And you with yours, Agate. Winds carry you on your journey."
❅ ❆ ❅
Sipping on a cup of tea, Earthsong considered the filly sitting in front of her. "Hm. You know, you really flipped our world upside down. Who could have thought that a visit from a lost spirit would change our understanding of the world so much?"
"Um, I didn't mean to?"
Sniggering, True Sight raised a hoof in a mock lecturing gesture. "That makes it even better! When things like that happen, you can claim all the credit without actually having done anything! And if it's something bad, then you can just say that it's not actually something that you did yourself, so you're not responsible for it."
Earthsong gave the elder a well-practiced eye roll as the old mare laughed. "Best of luck on your adventure, Agate. I do hope it's going to be successful."
❅ ❆ ❅
Finally, the time to say goodbye came once again. After having their traditional farewell feast of strange stews made from all kinds of leftover foods that they brought with them, the three snowpony tribes prepared to go their own ways for the coming year. It was still freezing cold, but sunlight was slowly warming the world once more, and after a long winter of mostly resting and eating, the massive herd of ponies were absolutely raring to get moving.
Excited, curious, and slightly nervous, Agate made her way to Seaweed's igloo. The mare had a sleigh full of her belongings prepared to go, attaching the harness to her chest. Harpoon and Wave Splash were nearby as well, all geared up and waiting for Seaweed to finish.
"Lmst thrr", Seaweed attempted to speak, her mouth occupied with the harness.
"Just in time. Our charge is here," Harpoon spoke, nodding at Agate.
"Hello, Harpoon, Wave Splash. Seaweed," Agate nodded in greetings at each one.
"Call me Splash," The mare waved.
"Alright. I don't exactly pack stuff any more, so... Ready when you are."
Done fiddling with the harness, Seaweed grinned widely. "Well then, hop on my sleigh and we'll get going! Some others are still puttering about, but there's no need to wait for every single pony. The tribe's going to form into a column leagues long, anyway."
"Hop on? I can trot myself, I don't really get tired any more," Agate asked, tilting her head quizzically.
"Sure, but you don't weigh anything either, right? Might as well enjoy the ride!"
"Well... Huh. Okay."
Clambering onto the cargo-laden sleigh, Agate curiously looked around from her new, elevated position. With a grin, Seaweed nodded to her companions, and the three trotted away, maneuvering between the tightly-packed igloos. Some already looked abandoned, while others still had occupants, various noises coming from the icy dwellings as the northerners broke down their temporary settlement and prepared to move.
The travelers made their way towards the village boundaries, exiting through a gap in the ice wall. Evidently, it had served it's purpose, as there were multiple clearly pony-made holes in it, allowing for easier access to the outside. Seaweed turned northwest, where Agate could see a small crowd, a few tall forms standing out in the mix. Groups of ponies of all sizes were moving in the same direction, their steps energetic and eager.
The filly recognized the chieftains, with the shamares of all tribes standing off to the side, some of them hugging and saying their goodbyes. She couldn't hear what they were talking about from that distance, but she assumed that it was likely another ritualistic farewell, much like the traditional greetings they exchanged when the other two tribes arrived to Snowpitt.
"So, anything from the scouts?" Seaweed asked the other two.
"Nope. "Strange tracks", as they usually say, but nothing living remains from the Calling. We're good to go," Harpoon replied.
"Awesome. Let's get going."
Despite the chieftains finishing their farewells with a few hoofbumps just then, Seaweed and her friends were not the first ones eager to get moving. Agate could see no small amount of ponies with sleighs in the far distance already, getting a good head start. However, the chieftains giving the signal roused everyone else as well, a great cheer coming from the crowd. With a neigh, Seaweed reared up and galloped away, her companions following alongside her.
Agate never rode a sleigh before, but she decided that she liked it almost immediately. It smoothly glided on the snow, providing her with a good vantage point to pony-watch, which wouldn't be possible if she was on the ground - all she'd see would be the legs of the adults surrounding her.
Some sleighs had foals riding on them as well, though they were mostly really young ones. The ones that could gallop were doing so furiously, with an infectious enthusiasm that matched or even exceeded that of their parent's. The elders were similar, only the weakest and oldest ones getting a lift, some of the sprightly ones even pulling light sleighs of their own, though obviously at a slower pace than the hot-blooded youths were.
There wasn't anything for Agate to do but watch, so that was exactly what she did. Constantly looking around, she felt a prick of satisfaction every time she recognized some part or other of the tundra from her previous exploration trips. Though she got quite far away from Snowpitt on her wild gallops through the plains, she knew that they were going to move much, much further away this time.
After an hour or so of galloping, the excitement and adrenaline wore off from her guides. They slowed down to a steady, distance-eating trot, only stopping briefly to eat some clean snow from the ground. The still-brief window of sunlight came and went, temporarily turning the snowy expanse into a blinding, sparkly canvas. The mares breathed a sigh of relief when the heavens darkened, making the terrain more bearable to look at.
They didn't talk much besides the most basic things throughout their journey, stopping to eat some dried fish and grass that they dug out from beneath the snow, and continuing right on. Once it was finally time to rest, the three quickly and efficiently set up a small camp, putting their sleighs in a triangle formation around the middle and building a small tent, curling up together in a fluffy pony pile.
"Do you need anything, Agate? I could set something up for you..." Seaweed asked from the tent, her voice slightly uncertain.
"Not really. Not only I don't feel hot or cold any more, I don't feel whether the ground is rough. Falling asleep outside of my totem is a bit hard, but I could probably sleep on a pile of pointy rocks in the middle of a campfire. Don't mind me, get your rest," She waved the mare off, lying down right in the snow.
"Very well. Goodnight, Agate."
"Goodnight, Seaweed."
❅ ❆ ❅
The journey went on like that for over a week, various ponies that more or less matched each other's speed and endurance naturally forming together into groups, building camps and moving out at the same time. It didn't take long for them to leave the area that Agate had explored, though the terrain didn't exactly change much. It truly looked like the tundra plain went on forever, vast and endless, the only breaks in the monotony being the guidestones the snowponies built, and the odd remains of strange beasts they saw now and then.
"What do you think that was?" Wave Splash asked, eyeing the large skeleton of some unknown predator with impressive claws.
"No clue. It's big like a bear, but it's not shaped like one. Though, to be fair, I don't think I saw what a bear's skeleton actually looks like," Harpoon replied, shaking her head.
"Looks like floewolf shards," Seaweed remarked, picking up a jagged chunk of blue-colored ice. "Guess they had a fight. Pretty easy to tell who won, I think."
"Is there any danger that it's still around?" Agate asked, staring at the blue shard of the mythical beast with unabashed fascination.
"No, all the crazy monsters clear out after a few weeks after the Calling. Guess they fight it out, and the winners quickly get bored and wander off back from where they came. Despite the tracks and bones and all that, no one's been attacked on a return trip... I don't even remember for how long. Anyway, we're actually getting close to Nilas. We should be there by tomorrow, if, spirits protect us, no sudden blizzard decides to dump a bunch of snow on us," The mare explained, tossing the piece of ice away and nodding to the others.
Without a word, they moved away, leaving the gruesome remains behind them without second glance. Agate's gaze lingered on them for a while, but eventually she turned forward again, eager to see the northerner's seaside village, though her main interest was the sea itself.
Despite the sea's description as something absolutely massive, nothing could be seen in the distance, not that day, not the day after, not even when the three mares began smiling widely, sniffing the air with pleased expressions. No matter how much Agate looked around, though, she couldn't see anything but the same old tundra on all sides.
"Are we... Close yet?" She asked politely, trying not to appear impatient.
"Oh yes! I can smell the seaweed already. Don't worry, not much left now. You'll be able to see everything as soon as we get closer to the edge of the cliffs," Seaweed reassured her, the others nodding along.
"Alright then."
As they kept moving forward, though, Seaweed's happy expression turned into a light frown as they came across a large mass of ponies, most of them sitting down and resting, while a small trickle kept moving forward. With a roll of her eyes, she gestured to the others, leading them off to the right. Curious, Agate glanced behind her.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, not really. It's just that the paths down the cliffs are a bit narrow, and with that many ponies, they always get clogged. They really should carve out a few more so it doesn't happen. Fortunately, there's more paths off to the side, by the seal beach. Might as well go the long way around and say hello to some friends," She explained, quickly moving away from the crowd.
"Seal... Beach?" Agate confusedly asked, which made the mares break out in wide smiles again.
"Oh yeah, you couldn't have seen a seal either, could you? Come on, they're right down there! You're going to love them," Wave Splash gushed, taking the lead.
They soon came close to the edge of the tundra, and finally, Agate could see the fabled sea. Or ocean, she wasn't entirely sure - the snowponies would sometimes call it one or the other. The plain abruptly ended in a sheer cliff, the instant change in terrain slightly jarring. There was a fairly even slope leading downwards, going past a rocky cliffside and leading towards a wide sandy beach, a good part of it still covered in snow.
The sea itself... As Agate stared at it, she concluded that it did not look like a large lake, or anything quite like she ever saw before. While there was indeed plenty of water, it was not the relatively calm and placid water of the lakes, oh no. Even from all the way up there, she could hear a constant, neverending dull roar of sorts, the water foamy and dark, crashing on the shore in great waves that produced a shocking amount of sound. As the mares made their way towards the beach, the sound only increased, making her wonder whether she'd even be able to hear anything at all once they reached the sand.
"Take a good look. It's quite a sight, isn't it? Feel free to stare for a while. Most ponies tend to do that," Wave Splash encouraged Agate, waving towards the roaring waters.
"Alright..."
Tentatively, the filly walked up to the waterline, to the edge of where the crashing waves reached before receding back into the waters. She knew that she couldn't get hurt, but the whole sight was just so alien to her that she still hesitated. Much like the tundra, it was yet another endless landscape that had no borders or mountains in the distance that would neatly mark where one part of the terrain began and where it ended. She didn't know what she expected, but it was still odd to see the horizon receding further still into the distance.
"Perhaps that's why they're such enthusiastic explorers. There's just no end to the world, so they simply keep going. Though that sea doesn't exactly look all that easy to travel through," She mused, thinking about the snowpony's adventurous spirits.
Taking a few steps forward, she watched the water rush back and forth through her ethereal forelegs, completely unaffected by her presence. There were small pebbles and other pieces of debris on the bottom, getting ground against each other with each wave and producing strange, whispery sounds. A few odd-looking plants floated in the water here and there as well, most likely being Seaweed's namesakes.
Agate didn't know how long she stood there, hypnotized by the sea, but in the end, she knew she had to move. They were places to go and things to do, and she was sure she'd have plenty of time to stare at the sea later. Turning around, she went back to her guides, who took the opportunity to have a quick break to eat while she was busy.
'Ready to go?" Wave Splash asked her.
"I think so," Agate nodded in reply, glancing behind her as a particularly loud wave crashed on the shore.
"Then let us away! We still have the seals to meet!"
Agate followed along, electing to trot on the ground by herself rather than returning on the sleigh. It only took her a few moments so see a large group of strange, indistinct shapes dotting the beach right ahead. At first, they almost looked like a bunch of old, darkened logs that were laying on the ground, but it didn't take long for her to notice that some of them were moving.
"SEAL FRIENDS!!!"
Wave Splash was particularly enthusiastic about greeting the seals, unhitching herself from the sleigh once they were close enough and trotting over to the seal colony. For their part, they appeared surprisingly indifferent, not reacting to her with either fear or aggression. A number of them raised their heads and turned their whiskered muzzles towards the mare, but that was it.
"Huh..." Agate wasn't quite sure what to say yet. They certainly weren't like any kind of animal that she saw before. They were big, but they didn't look dangerous, their muzzles almost looking like a pony's. At the same time, they looked odd, what with their blobby bodies and very short limbs.
"They're cute, aren't they?" Seaweed commented, trotting over to Wave Splash, having unhitched herself from her sleigh as well.
"Well..." Agate thought, sweeping her gaze across the beach. One seal was hugging Wave Splash with its flippers, its bulk jiggling as the mare patted its side, nuzzling against it with a giggle. A trio of curious smaller seals, probably their young, were curiously sniffing Harpoon, who was snoofing and sniffing them herself, gently patting their heads. The rest were still relaxed, sleeping or seemingly just lazing about. One apparently tried to relocate to a different spot, bouncing and wobbling all over, but barely moving at all. Eventually it gave up, and just rolled sideways downhill before stopping and closing its eyes lazily. Overall, their bodies seemed to be ridiculously squishy, the one that Seaweed approached pulling its head so far back into its body that it practically made itself into a ball when she tried to boop it on the nose.
"...They're very silly-looking. Very, very silly," She eventually concluded, smiling a little at the strange, goofy creatures.
"Heh! I know, right? The first explorers weren't sure what to think of them. Just about any bigger animal usually turned out to be a danger, so they were quite confused when they found these guys. All big, fat, and round, with no claws, huge fangs, or any other things that made them appear dangerous. They suspected that they'd be able to spit acid, or breathe fire, or something crazy like that. In the end, though, none of that proved to be true. Not only that, but some of them were outright friendly," Seaweed explained, still trying to boop the seal, which seemed to be enjoying evading the mare's hoof.
"So you... Made friends with them?" Agate asked, glancing at the other seals again. A number of them were making noises that almost sounded like foals trying to say their first words, but they didn't manage to form anything coherent.
"Yup. They're still animals, but far as animals go, they're pretty smart. We have been working together to survive the harsh conditions of the north for many, many generations now."
"Really? How?"
"They help us fish. They chase great schools of fish right into our nets, and we share our catch with them afterwards. Also, we protect the colonies that form near our villages from various predators. We can't stand guard day and night, of course, but we still do our best, for which they are grateful. Some seals even learned to bring us seaweed from the depths of the sea, once they saw ponies pulling them out of the water. Even though I'm pretty sure both seals and ponies could survive without each other, it's been a very fulfilling partnership regardless. What with everything in the north trying to eat you, it's just nice to see a friendly face now and then, you know?" Seaweed explained, nuzzling the seal she was playing with, the seal snorting wetly at her and wiggling its whiskers.
"Oh, huh. I guess they really are smart. That sounds nice. We had crystal ewes that liked to live with us back in the Empire, but they weren't that clever... I think. Maybe."
Wave Splash extricated herself from the hug by then, trotting over to the rest of them. "Well, that was satisfying. I miss these guys during the winter, you know? Makes me worry how many they lose when we're not around to protect them. Wish I could take them with me, but I know that's not really an option."
"They are creatures of water, even if they rest on land," Harpoon shrugged. "Just like we have to return to land, even if we travel the seas sometimes. Can't defy nature."
"Mmmm-hmmm, and my nature is calling me north, towards my home," Seaweed exclaimed, standing up. "Come on, let's get to Nilas. It's right around the corner. Bye, seal friends!"
With a wave towards the resting seals, she trotted over to where she left her sleigh, the others following along. The seals made some noises at her exclamation, a number of them slapping their bellies with their flippers a few times before lying down again.
They weren't the only ones that got the idea to use the other path down, a few families trotting past, the foals shrieking excitedly at the sight of the seals. Hitching up again, the three mares and one ghost made their way forward, turning a corner which hid the village from their sight. The natural bay around which Nilas was built opened up before them in all its glory, ponies busying themselves around their homes that they sealed for the winter, checking for damage and settling in once more.
They had reached Nilas, the first settlement of the northern tribe. A fair distance already, and yet, merely the first stop before moving out even further north, across the freezing waves.