The campfire crackled, its warm glow dancing with the sun as it sank below the horizon. I sat by the fire, watching the fish cook on the rock. I held my spear in my right hand, waiting for the right moment to pull it out of the fire. My eyes flickered to Rarity, who was sitting by the pond, using her magic to lift clumps of water and slide them over her, clearing away dirt, leaves and sticks that had stuck to her coat and mane. As my eyes inspected the pony, they settled on a feature I hadn’t noticed before. What I saw was a beautiful tattoo of three diamonds on her flank. I’d never seen anything like it before, and my curiosity was punished when Rarity floated a branch over my head and smacked me lightly with it.
“Sorry,” I said, rubbing my forehead and looking at my friend apologetically. I saw her roll her eyes with a smile on her face. I couldn’t tell if she was annoyed or amused. “May I ask what is the story behind that tattoo? It’s beautiful.”
“Thank you, dear, but it’s not a tattoo. It’s my cutie mark,” Rarity explained. “A cutie mark is a magical symbol that appears on a pony’s flank, signifying their special talent and purpose in life. It’s a unique emblem that defines who we are and what makes us special.” She looked thoughtfully off into the distance.
“Well, is it like a skill that someone is really good at? I won’t lie, I haven’t gotten much out of it.” I admitted sheepishly. “So, if someone was trying to build a house, would it affect how well it was put together, or what the pony could do, depending on their cutie mark?”
“Absolutely! A cutie mark represents a pony’s special talent. If a pony’s cutie mark is a hammer, it means they excel at construction. The mark guides them to their true calling, and their passion and dedication determine the quality of their work. But that doesn’t mean your mark limits you to construction. Things like art can come naturally to you, or you can practice to create beautiful paintings.” Rarity paused and looked at me as if to add, “A cutie mark doesn’t lock a pony into anything. Anyone can learn to be amazing at anything they put their mind to over time. Cutie marks just represent what the pony loves most, what brings them joy and passion.
She smiled fondly at me as I nodded, still absorbing the concept. “My talent for finding beauty, my passion for elegance and style, is represented in a unique way that no pony has ever seen before. Creating works of fashion, making sure they are perfect, that is what my cutie mark represents and I am proud of it.”
“Wow,” I said, taking it all in. I felt like a child with wonder, discovering something new. That was so much more than what I had expected, “That’s pretty amazing.”
“Yes, indeed,” Rarity replied. “Every pony discovers their Cutie Mark at some point in their lives, a moment when they realize what truly makes them unique.” She paused and looked up at the sky as the sun set, its golden light swallowed by the darkness of the night. I saw her grow nervous and back away from the pond as she turned to face me. “Darling, may I ask, is the fish ready?”
The sudden change of subject caught me off guard, but I pointed my spear at the fire. “It should be done,” I replied. I watched as she used her magic to lift the cooked fish from the flames. The warm aroma of grilled fish wafted through the air, making Rarity’s stomach growl as she sat down.
Exhaustion set in as Rarity looked at the fish. The day’s events had left me exhausted, and the comforting ambiance of the bonfire and the delicious smell of the fish were making me sleepy. Although I had intended to stay awake during the meal, the gentle warmth and soft sounds of the night lulled me into a peaceful slumber. The flickering flames were the last thing I saw before I fell asleep.
Rarity watched nervously as Arctic Heart slowly lowered himself to the ground. The flickering campfire highlighted the exhaustion on his face, his breathing slowed, the steady rhythm of sleep lulling him until he gave in. Now that she saw him fast asleep, Rarity’s heart pounded in her chest. Her eyes searched the blackness outside the light of the campfire.
She had learned in her short time in this land that there was no natural light at night, no light from the stars, no light from the moon. Instead, there was an oppressive darkness that shrouded the land in a veil, with only the fire shining through. She waited for it to go out and consume her. She was so focused on it that she almost jumped out of her skin when she heard her stomach growling, the panic making her forget that she had not even eaten the fish yet.
Keeping her eyes on the approaching darkness, she magically tore off a piece of the fish and placed it in her mouth. The first bite was an unexpected pleasure. She chewed slowly, savoring the flavor that unfolded on her taste buds. Normally, fish for ponies had to be prepared with herbs and vegetables to bring out the full flavor of the fish. But it was surprisingly tangy and slightly spicy, a soothing spice dancing on her tongue. Rarity would be fussy with her fish, but this was beyond what she expected. Either Arctic Heart knew how to grill a fish, or this one was special.
Her mouth watered as she savored the flavors dancing on her taste buds. Closing her eyes, Rarity let the moment sink in, savoring the exquisite taste before she swallowed. The warmth of the grilled fish lingered, leaving a pleasant aftertaste. Tearing off another piece, she couldn’t help but marvel at the unexpected pleasure of a simple meal cooked over a campfire.
Rarity relished it until she felt something different in the air. Opening her eyes, she stared into the darkness. The feeling of nervousness returned as she stood up, her ears pricked as she listened intently. A whisper, an unintelligible whisper, but there it was. Every night those whispers would be barely audible. As if someone was trying to speak to her from afar. But now it’s as if said creature is standing in front of her. Hidden in the darkness encircling the light from the fire.
Rarity’s horn glowed brighter, creating an aura that hovered over her like a spotlight. With each step, she drew her eyes forward, drawing closer to the whispers until she saw something at the edge of her light. A snout, barely visible but a pony’s snout, poked out of the darkness. It was transparent, black as a shadow, seamlessly blending into the night.
“Hello,” Rarity’s voice was a mixture of caution and curiosity as she approached the pony. The whispering continued. Her eyes strained to make out more details until the light revealed it fully. It was a pony, but not really - only the general outline and shape. Its body lacked detail, except for the face with two holes where eyes should be. No lips, yet she could hear whispers coming from it.
Rarity’s initial curiosity turned to unease as her light revealed the pony-shaped shadow. The two empty holes where eyes should have been remained fixed on her, seeming to follow her every move as she carefully circled around it. The face may be emotionless, but she could feel it staring into her soul.
“Arctic Heart,” Rarity’s voice called urgently, glancing quickly back toward the glow of the campfire only to see a shadowy hand hovering over the flames. In an instant, the shadow grabbed hold of the fire, its light extinguished as darkness quickly took over. Fear gripped her heart as she desperately cried out Arctic Heart’s name.
“Arctic Heart, wake up!” I jerked awake at the sound of Rarity’s scream. My eyes snapped open to find her standing over me, her eyes wide with fear. Bits and pieces of my dream clung to my mind, quickly fading as I looked around. The fire was out, and the only light around us was the small one that shone over Rarity. Instinctively, I reached for my spear, my senses heightened as I scanned the shadows for any sign of danger.
“What happened, why is the fire out?” I asked, confusion and concern in my voice as I thrust my spear into the darkness. Rarity looked at me with a mixture of fear and distress, her eyes shifting nervously as her horn cast another light, replacing the one above her head when it went out.
“I-I don’t know,” she stammered, her voice shaking. “There was... A hand-shaped shadow hovering over the fire. As soon as I saw it, it put out the flames.” Rarity’s eyes darted around, as if searching for something hiding in the dark. “Darling, I don’t know if you can sense it in the air. But I sense that something is here. Magic that feels familiar, but I can’t place it.”
“You mean there is a presence here?” I furrowed my brow, a feeling of unease settling in. I pricked my ears, trying to listen for something, but all I could hear was Rarity’s breathing and my own. “I don’t hear anything, the forest is dead quiet.”
“It’s there, darling,” Rarity said, her voice a mixture of concern and fear. “I’ve felt it every night, especially in places where there is little light. It was always at a distance, but believe me, don’t linger in the dark. Whenever shadows surrounded me, I could feel the magic approaching. We must get the fire ablaze again,” she turned to me, “I can’t maintain this light indefinitely.
Feeling the urgency in Rarity’s words, I quickly reached for my pack, hoping to find some sticks and grass to relight the fire. My paws felt the cold skin of rocks as I dug through it, but that was all I could feel. Panic flashed across my face as I realized the predicament we were in. “I’m out of sticks and grass,” I admitted, “but I remember seeing tall grass behind us. Stay close and keep the light on.”
I turned as Rarity moved to my side as I walked into the darkness. Each step felt like a blind stumble in the dark as I kept to the edge of the light, my surroundings illuminated just enough for me to make out the shapes of the tall grass. I swallowed hard, trying to suppress the panic that built up as I reached for it. I held the spear in my right hand,as I grabbed the grass with my left. Using the weapon like a pair of scissors, I sliced through the tall grass with quick strokes. Clumps of it now in my grip, I moved on to the next tuft of grass.
I cut through two more clumps of grass until I had a paw full. I looked back at Rarity and saw her pacing nervously as the light above her flickered. “I’ve had enough,” I called, the urgency in my voice clear. But just as I approached with the grass, the light above Rarity continued to fade until it went out completely. Panic flooded my mind as darkness surrounded us.
“Oh dear, oh dear,” Rarity’s voice quivered, her horn flickering weakly as she tried to produce another source of light. I could hear her breathing quicken as I stumbled to get my footing. The fur on my back stood on end as I felt something brush past me. A cold touch sent a shiver down my spine. My ears strained to hear any sound, no footsteps, no breath but mine and Rarity’s. Just a breeze that made my fur stand on end, but I could feel that something was close.
My heart pounded as my ears picked up a distant sound, like a low rhythmic hum. I could hear it more clearly as it came closer and closer. Something was wrong with it, it was distorted with a whisper. Once calm, it was now warped and erratic, like a melody gone awry. A shiver ran down my spine, I could hear it as if it were right in front of me. It’s humming now grating against my ears as I extend my spear, trying to feel for something to swing it at.
I could feel nothing, but I could hear it. So I raise my right arm and swing the spear down. The stone tip connected with nothing but the dirt below. There was silence for a second before the hum turned into an unholy shriek. I instinctively raised my arms above my head, my ears ringing as I reflexively closed my eyes, waiting for the thing to strike me.
But the sound was gone, the buzzing and whispering gone in an instant. The cold chill of the air was gone when I opened my eyes. Light shone over me, pushing the darkness back far enough for me to see my two paws again. I turned to Rarity, another ball of light passing over her, this one a little brighter than the last.
“Darling, I would strongly suggest that you rekindle the fire. I simply can’t maintain this illumination indefinitely,” her voice carried a hint of exhaustion, as if the energy had been drained from her. Without wasting any more time, I took the grass to the fire pit, threw it in and pulled out a flint and a rock from my bag. A spark ignites the flames, creating a warm glow around us.
“Any longer and I would have fainted,” Rarity explained, a hint of exhaustion in her voice. I turned to her, a frown on my face as I did so. “Don’t worry about me, dear. My magic seems to be less potent in this environment, which makes it harder for me, at least until I get used to it. I’ll be myself again after a short rest.”
I nodded and opened a pouch in my pack. My paws traced the familiar texture of an old diary. It was my personal diary, its pages filled with thoughts and sketches, a link to my world before I was sucked into this strange one. The only thing that came with me when I was pulled in. Secured in the rings that bound the pages together was a number two pencil.
I opened to a blank page, the pencil ready in my right paw, when my eyes fell on Rarity. She was fast asleep, curled up on her side like a contented cat. An adorable sight that begged to be immortalized on the page. With a gentle smile, I began to sketch, capturing the moment in the lines of my journal. The comforting familiarity of my sketches calmed my nerves and brought peace against the uncertainty of this world.