The inside of the cottage wasn’t nearly as extravagant as the outside had been. There was a couch, fireplace, kitchen, and assorted rooms, but other than that it was no different from Fluttershy’s cottage, albeit not filled to the brim with animals and their homes. The three ponies sat around the kitchen table, an awkward silence permeating the air between them. Rainbow and Twilight exchanged nervous glances while Winter just stared down into her cup of tea. It was Rainbow who spoke first, hoping to break the silence and get the conversation rolling. “So, Winter, have you ever been to Ponyville?” asked Rainbow, looking up at Winter, who took a while to answer. “No. I've never really left the Everfree Forest all that much. In fact, I've only seen a few other ponies over the past few years when I've watched them stomp through the forest, attracting the attention of every creature out there.” said Winter, looking up from her tea. “Wait, so you've never left the Everfree. Then how have you survived out here?” asked Twilight, her natural curiosity peaked. “Well, since I've always lived here, I know what kind of plants can and can’t be eaten. And Aros and Delos help by gathering any herbs I need. It’s not so hard to live out here when you know what you’re doing.” said Winter.
“She sounds just like Zecora.” said Rainbow, finishing her tea and setting the glass back down on the table. “The zebra?” asked Winter. “How do you know Zecora?” asked Twilight. “Well, I've only really spoken to the zebra a few times, whenever we've crossed paths while gathering herbs. But other than that I only know of her. She is a bit… odd with how she speaks.” said Winter. “Yeah, apparently the rhyming is part of her Zebrican culture or something.” said Rainbow. Twilight was thrilled to finally have the other alicorn speaking, but these questions weren't really answering any of the questions she had about the alicorn. So she decided to take a leap and ask something a little more personal of the alicorn. “So… where are your parents Winter?” asked Twilight, earning a reproachful glare from Rainbow. “Twilight, don’t ask her…” started Rainbow, only to be cut off by Winter. “No, it’s alright, I can tell her.” said Winter, turning back to an expectant Twilight. “My parents were both killed when I was just a foal. I don’t really remember them all that well, and the memories I do have are too hazy to really go off of. I wish I knew more about them, but I just don’t, so i don't beat myself up over the fact.” said Winter, matter of fact.
“Oh. I-I’m sorry to hear that.” muttered Twilight, feeling guilty about bringing it up. Then she felt a comforting hoof on her shoulder and looked up to see Winter looking at her with such, warm, forgiving eyes that she was temporarily reminded of Celestia back before she... changed. “It’s alright, dear. Those memories are in the past and I do not trouble myself with them and instead focus on making new memories.” said Winter. Rainbow was looking at Twilight with an encouraging smile and Twilight looked back at Winter with a similar smile. “Thank you. I hope we can still be friends.” said Twilight, earning a laugh from Winter. Winter’s laughter was like the tinkling of water over glass and Rainbow couldn't help but try to catch every second of it. “I like her laugh.” thought Rainbow nonchalantly before realizing what she had just thought. She shook her head to clear it of the unwanted thoughts. “No, she is just a friend. Just a friend.” she reassured herself. Then she looked back at Winter, who was wiping a joy-filled tear from her eye. “Right?” Rainbow asked herself.
“So Winter, does Princess Celestia know about you?” asked Twilight, her momentary lapse into guilt long over with. “Who is Princess Celestia?” asked Winter, truly unsure of just whom Twilight was talking about. If Twilight had still been drinking her tea, she would have spit it out all over Winter’s dining room table. Rainbow patted her on the back as she coughed, trying to catch her breath. “Y-you don’t know Celestia. Regent of the sun and Princess of Equestria?” asked Twilight, dumbfounded. “I didn’t realize the sun a ruler.” said Winter, cocking her head in confusion. Twilight was struck dumb, unable to believe that there was a pony who didn’t even know who Celestia was. She was about to continue the matter when a Timberwolf came charging into the room and Winter went to go see what it wanted, leaving the two ponies to ponder what they had heard.
“Rainbow, how can she not know about Princess Celestia?” asked Twilight to the cyan mare. “Well, she did say that she doesn't ever really leave the Everfree, so maybe she really hasn't heard about her. It isn't all that hard to believe.” said Rainbow, trying to calm her friend. “But she doesn't know who PRINCESS CELESTIA is?” said Twilight, her stunned expression more than matching Rainbow's cool-headed reaction. Rainbow had to admit, it was quite funny to watch Twilight freak out over nothing like this. It was at that moment that Winter returned with a concerned expression on her face. “It would appear that a matter requiring my attention has returned and I must leave to address it immediately.” she said, quickly gathering her thing and putting her saddlebag on her back. “What could possibly happen that would have you so worried?” asked Twilight, her panic subsiding a bit in response to Winter’s serious expression. “It would appear that a hydra has become injured and requires medical attention. If you wish to follow me, you may, but I warn you to be careful. An injured hydra can be even more dangerous than a healthy one.” said winter as she opened and exited the back door, Rainbow and Twilight at her back.
They could hear the roars before they even saw the hydra, its titanic body writhing on the ground in pain. Twilight and Rainbow stopped following Winter once the first head came into sight; the other four were glaring at it, even though the pain could be seen on all of their twisted faces. But it was the fifth head that looked the worse. They shook in fear at the sight of the enormous beast, but Winter just walked right up to it, her saddlebags already opening, withdrawing what looked like a bundle of dried grasses tied together. She waved it in the air with her magic, its invisible scent attracting the beast, even the pained head. The five heads swiveled to look directly at Winter, their bright green eyes focused on her. “Winter… no.” warned Rainbow, but Winter continued towards the hydra, finally reaching the injured head. It growled at her but didn’t attack, choosing instead to set its most searing glare at her.
Then Winter laid her hoof upon the injured head and started stroking its scales, receiving a contented purr from the creature as the five heads lost their glare in exchange for a more pleasant expression, if a hydra can have such a thing. Then the fifth head gritted its teeth again, letting out a pained growl. “Shh, it’s okay. I’m here to help.” said Winter, continuing her gentle stroking. The fifth head looked at her with a pleading expression and she just nodded, ceasing her stroking and backing up a few steps. Rainbow and Twilight had cautiously approached the beast, stopping a few feet away from Winter, an awed expression on both their faces.
The fifth head then opened its mouth wide and to the shock and horror of the two observing ponies, Winter wiped her hooves in the grass and stepped into the hydra’s gaping maw. Rainbow tried to run forward to stop her, but was stopped by Twilight’s magic as she gestured for her to look more closely. Winter’s horn was alight with a soft green glow as she swept its light from side to side, a puzzled frown on her face that seemed to have nothing to do with the fact that she was standing in the mouth of one of the most violent, pony-hungry, and largest creatures known to ponies.
Soon however, a smile graced her face as she found the object obviously causing the hydra so much pain. “Don’t worry, I found what’s hurting you so bad. I’m going to put a sedation spell on you so that you won’t feel any pain when I pull it out, okay.” said Winter, once again lighting her horn and casting a sedation spell on the hydra, covering it in a green coat as she focused on the obstruction. A light sheen of sweat appeared on her coat as she yanked on the object. A shard of stone the size of a small carriage dislodged itself from the creature’s gums. Almost instantly the hydra seemed to relax, its source of pain gone. Winter walked out of its cavernous mouth and patted the side of its head gently, receiving a cacophony of licks, from the hydra, resulting in her mane and coat being stuck out in all directions. But then she turned and faced the hydra, a stern motherly expression on her face. “Now, I thought I told you to stop gnawing on boulders. It’s not good for you, as I've told you before.” said Winter, scolding the hydra. It shamefully lowers its heads, but then Winter smiled and patted its head again. “But it’s okay, because I forgive you. Now go on home.” said Winter as the hydra licked her once more before tramping off back into the woods.
Twilight and Rainbow were staring wide eyed at the event they had just witnessed as Winter approached. “Well, shall we head back to the cottage?” said Winter as she trotted back the way she had come. Twilight and Rainbow followed in silence, still stunned by Winter’s actions. It was a few hours later that Twilight and Rainbow departed from Winter’s home. They had sat around and talked a bit more, mainly the two ponies asking the older alicorn how she had tamed the hydra so easily. Winter just told them that she had that kind of calming effect on anything she was around, animals, ponies, and even plants, although she couldn't explain how it happened. Twilight offered that it might be her special talent, but Winter dismissed it immediately, saying that she knew what her special talent already was, but said that she wasn’t going to tell them, at least not right now. So after saying their goodbyes and being teleported back to Ponyville by Twilight, Rainbow and Twilight went their separate ways.
Twilight sat at her desk with Spike waiting patiently at her side. She hadn't told him what the letter was about or why it was so important, but he trusted her and so waited to send the letter, despite it being so late. Twilight on the other hand was abuzz with activity. She had found a brand new alicorn, one that even princesses Celestia and Luna knew nothing about. An alicorn with untold abilities who could possibly help Equestria, depending on how she was introduced to the princesses. For all she knew, Winter could be a princess herself, unbeknownst to the new alicorn. And so, as soon as she had arrived back at the library, she immediately called for Spike, but chose to write this one herself. This peaked Spike’s interest, but he knew better to barge in on Twilight’s business when she got like this. And so, quill and parchment in hand, Twilight began to formulate her letter to Princess Celestia.
Dear Princess Celestia,
You are not going to believe what I found out today. I don’t know if I believe it myself honestly. But I saw it with my own eyes. I saw HER with my own eyes. A full grown alicorn. Not you, me, Luna, or Cadence, but an unknown alicorn whom we had known nothing about. Her name is Winter Song. She says that she herself does not remember her own origins, if she even knows what they are. I cannot say for certain, but when I was around her, there was some kind of… atmosphere… that just seemed to affect me and Rainbow Dash. I can’t… really explain it. You kind of have to experience it for yourself to really understand what I’m talking about. She’s amazing though. She has pet Timberwolves and tamed a full grown hydra like it was a little dog. A HYDRA. But, she’s not exactly comfortable around other ponies. I don’t know why, because she won’t tell me or doesn't know herself, but I think something happened to her when she was younger that caused her to be afraid of other ponies. I hope you can help me figure out how to handle this, as I’m sure you have much more experience with this kind of thing than I do.
Your fellow Princess,
Twilight Sparkle
Once her letter was composed, Twilight let out a loud yawn and gave the letter to Spike to send to Princess Celestia. She stayed there to make sure he didn’t read it and once he sent it, she got up from her chair and headed up the stairs to her room, which now had a bright blue wand engraved on the door next to her cutie mark. Trixie had her own room now, but she usually just kept her show things in it and only really used it when she wanted to be alone. She preferred to share Twilight’s bed, an action that Twilight didn’t really contest, not that she wanted to. In fact, Trixie was currently curled up in Twilight’s sheets; her mane messed up in a way that only made her look even cuter while she slept. Twilight smiled and went over to the bed, snuggling up to Trixie and nuzzling Trixie’s cheek, receiving a happy mumble in return as Trixie snuggled deeper into Twilight’s embrace. Stifling a yawn, Twilight placed a wing protectively over the showmare’s sleeping form before finally falling into a well-deserved slumber.