//------------------------------// // Chapter I - Kalki // Story: Frozen Over // by nctransgirl //------------------------------// Chapter One: Kalki The Frozen North is possibly the worst place I could have ever found myself as a little unicorn. I can still recall the feeling of the frigid air slamming against my coat, a chilling feeling a pony could not easily forget. There were no ponies; I was the only one. My only companions in that eternally brumal world were arctic wolves, snow leopards, polar bears and the like. Sounds never graced my ears...none save for the howls of the wolves at night, and the occasional struggle between predator and prey that I never ceased to distance myself from. There was no food, save for the scraps of fish left behind by polar bears and arctic foxes. On a meal a day, sometimes two, I wasn't the biggest filly, but that wasn't something I had to complain about. The world was blank, a desolate white sheet of snow covering nearly every inch of my vision, accompanied only by the mountains far, far in the distance. It seemed like every day, the air grew colder. And it seemed like every moment, the snow grew harsher. And the cold air around me, the snow pounding away against my body...those are the first things I can remember. This is the story of how I left a lonely, cold world behind me. I woke up to another cold day...or was it night? I couldn't really tell. Perpetual darkness was covering the world around me, and in this darkness I found solace for the first time in weeks. For as long as I could recall, I'd lived as a scavenger, surviving off of what little food the predators of the Frozen North left behind. After gathering up rocks in a bag I found one lonely day, I set off from my cavern to try my hoof at gathering fish at a small pond that had frozen over long before my memories can recall. The wind softly blew through my icy blue mane for a moment, and I staggered for a bit out of fear that the arctic foxes had awoken, but when I turned around to check, nothing was there but the snow on the ground and the stars that gazed at me in the cloudless sky. What seemed like hours passed, and I found my way to the frozen pond by following the patterns of snow the arctic wolves left behind with their steps. Though the water was frozen, the fish were lively and excited as always. I bit down on the bag around my back and set it down, pulling out a rock after doing so. If I knew how to speak, I'd tell the fish sorry for what I was about to put them through. I lunged my head back and sprung forth, throwing the rock right at the ice. However, despite my best efforts, the ice wouldn't break, nor crack. Though I tried again and again, it just wouldn't break. In anger and sadness, I walked to the icy pond and stomped my hooves, left and right, left and right, and began to finally hear the ice crack. After a few more seconds, it finally gave way, but to my surprise, I fell straight into the water! My entire body was freezing cold with the water, and yet it burned me with fierce intensity. I screamed and shouted, but despite my cries, nobody came. I wondered for a minute if I was going to die as I lived, as a lonely filly, and soon, my consciousness faded away. When I came to, a fire was rustling by me, and for the first time in my life, I felt warmth. It was the most wonderful sensation I'd ever felt, as if all of the troubles in the world were going to melt away like snow. But the sensation was short lived, as when I looked around, I quickly surmised that I was back in my cave, but something had changed since I was last here. Something was at the entrance. An arctic wolf. It was entirely white, snow covering every inch of its lean body. Sharp black claws protruded from each of its paws, which shimmered like crystals. The eyes of the arctic wolf were perhaps its most frightening feature, as they were completely featureless, reminiscent of the black sky that hovered menacingly above us.I had seen arctic wolves before, but only in packs, and only from afar. Never before today did I even imagine having to confront one face-to-face. I panicked for a second, and thought. Why would an arctic wolf even try to come in here? They're made of snow, so if they got near the fire, they'd surely melt. I calmed down at the thought, and decided to wait until it left. Apparently, having other plans in mind, the beast began to come my way. It even passed the fire, emitting a cold breath on it that froze the flame solid. My heartbeat sped up, and I tried to run, but there was nowhere to go. I had been cornered. As the wolf approached, my breathing grew stronger and my heart raced, I began to think of all the days that I wasted not accomplishing anything, never even making a friend. I even began to cry. As the wolf came even closer, my horn began to glow bright blue, engulfing me in its luminescence, and the air around me grew cold and still. Out of nowhere, a blast of white light flew from my horn straight toward the wolf, letting out a shimmering white light that seemed like it would never fade. When it did, I sat on the ground, clueless as to what had just happened, and I panicked again, but the moment I feared for so much never came. When I looked up at the wolf, it, like the fire, had been turned into ice. Soon, the wolf simply melted away, and as it did, I began to wonder why it was frozen. I released a thankful sigh, and took a moment to regain my composure, but that moment, too, was cut short as I saw another figure at the entrance, a silhouette, standing motionless. Was it yet another arctic wolf? I didn't know if I'd be able to do what I had done again. This figure, however, didn't move. Rather, I heard a voice. "Have you always been this alone?" the voice said. When it came forth out of the shadows, I saw a magnificent creature like no other! It had a head like the birds that flew through the sky and the body of the lions that roam the border of the arctic. Not once, in my wildest dreams, did I ever expect to see such a beautiful thing. When it approached me, I cringed, and with a claw out to me, the creature simply said: "It will be alright, little filly. I won't do you any harm." I was still afraid. With all my heart, I was afraid. What was this fabulous being? These sounds it was making...they weren't angry sounds. What were they? Why was it here? The questions raced through my head like falcons going in for the kill. Cautiously at first, and then with confidence, I began to find my footing and walked over to the winged creature. It didn't seem to have any ill will toward me. I took a note of that, for it was the first creature I had encountered in months to allow me to move freely. When it reached a wing out to me, I shivered, but allowed it to rest on me. It was so soft and welcoming, that for the first time in days, I managed a smile. "Can you tell me your name, little filly?" The creature made its strange noises again. Not knowing what the beast was doing, I simply stared at it. "My name is Kalki." It pointed a wing at itself while it uttered these words. For a moment, I continued to stare blankly into its eyes. "Kal...ki?" I managed to utter the name. I had never heard my voice so soft or calm before today. "Little unicorn that has been alone for so long, I have watched you for days now. It saddens me to think that you have had nopony to talk to, or to learn from. But that will change. From this day forth, you will have me." I didn't understand what this creature, Kalki, was saying. But something inside me said that it meant good fortune. Kalki took his wing off my back and made his way to the entrance my home. He looked outside, somewhat solemnly, at the white world that lay just outside of my abode. There seemed to be no end to the snow that fell from the stars tonight, for in the snow, I could not see anything but white. I was trapped in my cave, and yet, with this winged beast at my side, I no longer felt alone. He turned to me with a smile, walking back over to me, and placing a claw on my shoulder. "The magic that I witnessed you perform was strong, much like the snow squall that we are faced with outside of this cave. For this reason, I believe I will name you Snow Squall." He pointed a wing at me. "You are Snow Squall." "S...Snow...sus..." I whispered the words to myself. The sound of my voice was beautiful. It was high-pitched, like the humming of the birds that perched on the branches of old fir trees, and held a certain grace to it, not unlike the falling of delicate snow on a calm day. "Good. That was very good. Snow Squall, tomorrow, we will find food to eat. And if you feel afraid outside, you can find peace in knowing that I will lay down my life to protect you." Kalki walked over to the fire, which was still frozen in a block of ice, and smashed it with his hind paws. "The ice forged from the breath of arctic wolves does not melt, for it has been enchanted. I believe you learned how to freeze the wolf by watching it freeze the fire, though your ice does melt." He sat down by the fire, taking two rocks out of my bag, which I could only assume he found along with me, and began rubbing them together until, finally, sparks formed a fire once more. "We should sleep. The hour is late, and the creatures of the night are prowling." As he said this, I found myself yawning. He gazed at me endearingly, and sat next to me, a wing of his gently perched once more over my back. I lost myself in its warmth, and after just a few minutes, I found my vision fading to black. The next morning, I awoke to find that Kalki was standing by the entrance of the cave again, this time looking at the sky which was an astounding sight for he and I both. Having not seen the sun in the sky for the last day, its reappearance shocked me. The sky was beautiful, full of white pillows that seemed to drift ever so slightly with the wind. After getting up, I walked over to Kalki, who spoke these words: "I left early this morning and traveled to a far off city to learn more about the rising of the sun today. Apparently, a group of six young fillies were able to stave off a threat of eternal night and bring light back to the land. Mere fillies, and they've already accomplished much. I'm sure I'll be hearing more about them." I looked up at him upon hearing these words, and asked him: "Morning?" He pointed out at the light blue sky and all the wondrous birds it harbored. There was one bird in particular that captured my eye, one with wings of white and brown, that spread out with such elegance that I almost felt unworthy to see it. "That, Snow, is a gyrfalcon. It's the largest falcon in the land. Who knows? Some day you might meet one up close!" He looked back down at me with a slight grin. It was a beautiful creature, the gyrfalcon, but not as wondrous as Kalki. "Come, Snow, it's time to gather food!" Kalki shouted out for me, already beginning to walk out of the cave. I galloped his way, eventually catching up. Kalki looked happy this morning, like me when the snow leopards left behind entire fishes for me to eat! I wondered if it was me being there that made him smile the way he did. The more we walked, the more familiar I got with the path he was taking me down, until finally, I was sure. "This is where I found you last night." And it was, back at the once-frozen fish pond that I nearly lost my life at just yesterday. "Snow, why don't you try to use your horn again? You could make it easier to catch the fish in this pond." He touched my horn. Did he want me to turn the water into ice like it used to be? It was worth a try...But I had no control over what happened yesterday! I looked up at Kalki, who smiled warmly at me. "Snow, keep trying." He touched my horn again. Not wanting to disappoint him, I tried to concentrate hard...my horn started to glow like last time! I was so excited I would've burst if I could have. But my excitement got the better of me, my horn beginning to lose its glow bit by bit, until only a spark came out of it. I was so embarrassed, not to mention ashamed. I'd let Kalki down... "You did well, Snow. I didn't think you could harness your magic, but you did. I'm so proud of you..." Kalki rested a wing on me and hugged me. "I'll handle dinner. You just watch." Kalki dipped his head ever so slightly into the pond and grabbed a juicy-looking fish in his beak. I couldn't wait to take a bite...until the fish jumped out and slapped him right on the beak! The sight of such a silly thing made me giggle, and soon, he started giggling too. He had a laugh that was deep, much like his voice. It was rich and sincere, like no laugh I've heard since. After a good laugh, he tried again and grabbed the same fish, but this time, he tossed it on the ground and clawed at it until it stopped moving. Once the fish ceased struggling, we made our way home. Over the rustling fire, Kalki was preparing the fish for dinner. I'd never seen a fish in a fire, but then again, I only saw fire for the first time last night. The smell of the juices of the fish dripping was absolutely captivating, and by the time it was ready, I was literally drooling with excitement. Kalki took a claw and slashed the entire fish in half, and slid one half to me. I was so hungry that I dove right in, and once I started, I couldn't stop! It was the most delicious thing I'd ever eaten. "Snow Squall, I have much to teach you. The world outside of your cave is vast, filled with ponies just like yourself. Someday you'll have to go into this new world and meet these ponies. I'll teach you all I can. Snow, I promise that as long as there is breath in my body, you will not feel sorrow." He seemed serious. I stopped eating the fish and walked over to him as he spoke, and took a seat in his lap. He smiled down at me, and started to pet my blue mane with a claw. With a certain shine in my eyes, I simply said, "Kalki..."