//------------------------------// // The Search // Story: Ember: Twilight's Search // by FallenLaughter //------------------------------// The Norther Mountains weren't a nice place. Abandoned by the ancestors of the euestrian citizens during the Windigo incident and the joining of the three revaling pony tribes under one united flag, only the strongest and thoughest of creatures dared to live in this barend wasteland of ice. From the sentinent beings known to equestria only one griffin tribe dared to live there, outcasts from the griffin kingdom laying behind the great sea to the east of equestria and even they didn't dare to wander in the deeper parts of the mountains out of fear of what would live there. There were also the Snowstorms remenants of old windigo magic, strong enough to freeze one alive. Truely only the strongest of Warrior and finest of Mages would even think of going there. It was the perfect hiding place for all of those who didn't want to interact with the world and its inhabitants. But still even this hellish circumstances couldn't stop certain individuals to come here, if they had enough encouragement to do so. *Thud. Thud. Thud.* A lone mare made her way through the icy blizzards of the northern mountains, her hoofsteps the only thing disturbing the silence of her surrounding. She was covered in a long brown mantle designed to protect her from the chilling cold. The mantles hood covered most of her body only leaving a small speck of a lavender muzzle visible. Next to her a long hiking staff floated in a magical glow, a safety measure should she need it. The mare kept an steady pace neither runing nor walking but unstoppable on her way to the mountain top. Small clouds of breath were visible in the air while she kept scanning her enviroment for any suspicious movements. While it was impossible to imagine why someone like her should come to such a place her behavior made it clear that she was searching for something. Her constant looking to her sides or the sudden twitchs by every little movement around her where only the most obvious indicators. Each time she seemed to relax when nothinghappened and yet she became more and more irascibly. Suddenly the mare stopped. Slowly she turned around in a circle studying everything around her. She removed her hooded revealing a sharp horn and a long dark mane with a single highlight. The mare frowned her ears twitching. She had heared something. It came closer starting rather silent but becoming louder and louder. The mares eyes went wide and she spun around and not a moment to soon. From behind her she could see an avalanche coming down one a the mountains behind her. Without another moment of hesistation she started running. Her legs moved as fast as they were able to but the snow slowed her down, making it rather difficult for her to move forward. Meanwhile the avalanche didn't have any of those problems. It kept thundering sown the mountain burrying everything under its snowy body. The mare started to feel fear. She wasn't supposed to die here, no she wasn't allowed to die here under any circumstances until she finished her mission. With a grunt she tried to move faster but to without succes. She was exausted, hours of wandering had drained her body and she had planned to rest soon. She had only looked for a safe place to do so and now she would rest here forever. A quick glance over her shoulder made it clear she wouldn't make it with any ordinary ways. She sighted frustrated. She didn't want to do this not quite yet. In her current state nobody knew what would happen to her, but if she wanted to survive she had no way. She let her body slamp in defeat and stopped moving. She started to concentrate the avalanchee now nearly above her. Then a blinding withe light engulfed her body an she disappeared from sight. She reappeared a fe miles away in a safe distance. She only had enough time to smile in relief before dropping down, lying unconscious in the snow. The mare woke up in a small comfy tent. First she thougth she was still dreaming but then she felt the pain in her body and smiled. "Pain is always a good thing Twilight", she thought to herself "it means you are still alive". After staying low for a while and enjoying the warmth of the thick blankets wraped around her body, Twilight decided that it was time to move. Slowly she moved, bringing her body in an upright position. After that was done she began to study the tents furniture. A big fire burned in the center a steaming cookingpot over the flames. Many vases, chests and pots surrounded the walls of the tent. Here and there strange constructs from stone and wood hung from the ceiling. In one corner she could see pelts, what seemed to be food and to her surprise a few spears. Her packages and her staff also lay there. Suddenly she heared a loud cough from the fireplace. Slowly Twilight looked over there seeing an old griffin sitting right next to it. His coat was a dark brown and his feathers were a shade of light grey indicating his advanced age. His eyes were surrounded by red paint, his pupils a dark brown. Twilight could feel his piercing gaze while she positioned herself so that she could see him better. "I see you survived" he said solemly. Twilight just nodded. "You're a fool for traveling alone so completly unprepared You're lucky your blood's still flowing", he scolded her. With a shake of his head he offered her a bowl of the brew he was cooking. "Thank you" was the only thing Twilight said. The old griffin said nothing, he just walked to one of the chests decorating the walls and reached inside. He withdrew his claw again holding an old pipe. He ignited it took an deep breath and continued: "So... what brings you to the land of the gatekeepers" "I'm searching for someone" The griffin looked curious. "Someone really dear? a kindred Spirirt?" Twilight looked up from her bowl and said: "A Dragon."