//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Nix and the Umbra Tribe // Story: Shards of the Truth // by Disciple of Chrysalis //------------------------------// Shard trudged through the snow, at most, two weeks had passed since she fled home and she was now, out of food, too tired to fly, and too tired for magic, to list a few of her many problems. She scooped a mouthful of snow and swallowed it uncomfortably, she knew all the snow out here was clean, but that didn't mean she liked it. "I'm so bucking sick of this bucking cold" she muttered to herself, barely able to hear over the howl of the wind and snow. There were points of time when she longed to just sit down and sleep, but that really wasn't an option and she needed to get south and to reach Equestria. Shard kept going, she was more sick of the snow then a wolf was sick of vegetables, but It wasn't up to her, it was up to the elements. Shard felt the the days of exhaustion, lack of food, and lack of sleep catching up with her, she felt so tired and her legs were dragging through the snow. She felt her eyes drifting shut as she walked, It was weird to be falling asleep as she walked, but she couldn't sleep now, there was too much ground to cover, if she slept now, she felt she would never wake again. She felt numb and the soreness in her limbs was strong that it overcame the numbness. Shard never saw the rock jutting from the snow and she probably wouldn't have even if she were fully awake, but she never saw it and thats what mattered. She fell forward and she let out a scream, it had startled her, but her tumble hadn't been the worst of it, she landed with a heavy thud and over the thud she could hear a loud crack. It was the sound of her leg breaking against the rock like a thin twig. She saw a large hoofed figure approaching her, it moved with out effort like it had been living out here its whole life and on its head were a pair of large antlers, she blacked out ~Some Time Later~ Shard woke up to the warmth of a nearby fire and a large body pressed against her, at first she forgot that she was lost and that she was back home with Jade Candle, but then she realized how sore she was and the large body had silky fur, not the crisp and cool fur of Crystal Ponies. The walls appeared to be made of a thick cloth and they kept the heat of the fire inside. She realized she wasn't home and the events of the past few days flooded back into her mind, running away, Her father chasing her, Luna saving her, and blacking out in the snow. Shard now remembered the large shape walking in front of her before blacking out. Shard's head shot up and she was rewarded with a very acute and very painful, pain. "Rest, you'll need it" a gruff voice spoke, and Shard felt a hoof press against the side of her head, forcing her head back down. She was able to turn her head to see the source of the hoof and saw a large brown creature laying beside her. It was muscular and its head looked similar to that of a stallion, telling her it was male. It had a short tail, the underside of which was white, but the most striking part of this creature was its giant horns which resembled tree branches, minus the leaves. She remembered the last thing she saw before she blacked out, the hoofed figure approaching her from the storm. She raised her head again and glared at the creature laying next to her. He placed his hoof against her head and began to gently push her head "Rest" he said, but she kept her gaze on him and refused to put her head down. "Who are you and where am I?" she demanded in a wavering voice, and he just looked at her. "Tell me where I am?" she asked, more politely. He sighed "Your far from your home, pony, I'm not sure if your from Equestria or the Crystal Empire, but judging from your direction south, your from the Crystal Empire, you are in The Village of Shadows, home of the Umbra Tribe". Shard listened to all this, Umbra Tribe?, she was unfamiliar with any tribes nearby and was surprised there were any. "Umbra Tribe, what exactly are you creatures?" she asked her next question. He looked at her and spoke again in his gruff voice "We are Reindeer, we have lived in the frozen Norths longer then your kind, and I suppose your next question will be what my name is, and it is Nix" he said. Nix was right, that had been Shard's next question and she didn't appreciate the fact this 'Reindeer' could tell what her next question was. Shard made an attempt to stand, but Nix put his hoof on her back and kept her down "Rest, take my advice, I have been lost out in the cold for days same as you and rest will help" he said, but Shard really didn't care. She rolled away and stood before he could push her back down, but she collapsed back down when a fiery pain erupted in her leg. She felt tears trickle down her face and she looked to the source of the pain and saw her leg wrapped in gauze. "Your leg was broken when we found you" he said and watched her with pity in his eyes. She glared at the creature and stood again, she was more prepared for the pain this time and she was able to handle it better, she looked and saw the outline of a flap in the tent, she stepped towards it, but Nix blocked her path "Please rest" he said, but Shard just pushed him aside and into the outside. The storm she had passed out in had stopped and she saw a great many reindeer out and about, some had baskets of food, while others repaired holes in tents. As she exited the tent, all eyes turned to her, Shard saw a group of reindeer in a clearing nearby, they had the basic build of a mare, telling her they were female, except they were more muscular then the males and had smaller antlers. They all looked to her and spoke in a language she couldn't understand and all the villagers began to surround her and speak all at once, their tones were questioning, but Shard couldn't tell what they were saying. Shard backed away from the growing crowd, she was wary of them, but anyone would be in her situation. The crowd grew closer and their voices raised in volume, but to her surprise, Nix stepped from the tent she was currently cornered against and, by one look at the crowd, saw her trouble. He spoke in what was apparently his native tongue and all the Reindeer let out a collective "Oh" and left to go back to their own business "What did you say to them?" Shard asked Nix. He turned to her and grinned "I told them you had just woken up and needed time to recover from sleep" he responded and looked forward, a suddenly emotionless expression on his face. Shard turned to gave in the direction of Nix and saw a large Reindeer approaching, he was stronger then the other males Shard had seen and was covered in scars, he seemed to have seen his share of battle. He quickly closed the distance between Shard and himself, his voice was deeper and more commanding then the others and like with Lord Graceling, Shard was unfazed "So, this is the pony that you rescued from the Stone Ice Fields" he remarked to Nix, as if she wasn't there. The Reindeer turned to her now and Shard, though unfazed by his voice, was startled by the authority he commanded through his eyes. "So, Who are you and why have you intruded on our village" he said and Shard huffed, this creature was challenging her, and when it came to challenges, Shard was more stubborn then a mule. "Back home, we usually state our names before we ask questions, unless the question is 'Whats your Name' " she stated, as if he had made an error in introductions and his face showed her she had just won a small victory, but he quickly pulled it back together. "My Apologies, it has been a while since we had a pony in our tribe and I'm not exactly familiar with your customs, My name Tarandrus, Chief of this Tribe" He said, and from his tone, it was clear he was leader around here and she had merely made a mistake, not knowing this knowledge, but Shard knew he was leader, just from the authority his presence demanded. "Greetings, My name is Shard, Princess of the Crystal Empire" she said and now he seemed to tense, he clearly knew of the Crystal Empire and its might. "Well, It it is quite a treat to have a princess among us, if you require anything during your stay here, just call" he said, he probably hoped that when she left and if she went home, she would be grateful to him and she would develop peace with his tribe or something. "Please, that is hardly necessary, once my leg is all healed, i'll be gone, just treat me like one of your own tribe" she said, and she instantly regretted that last statement thanks to the look that appeared on his face and the look of sorrow that suddenly appeared on Nix's face. "If you say so, Wench" Tarandrus said.