//------------------------------// // Flying and Fading Nights // Story: Lightning Storm's story. // by Darkened Lightning Storm //------------------------------// ~3 months later~ Lightning Storm sat on a cloud as she watched a speedy black colt screw up his air dive. "No no no! Red Wing! Fold your wings, don't spread them!" Lightning yelled as she dove after the colt, going into free fall. She quickly caught up with the black colt and used her hooves to keep his abnormally bright red wings tucked by his sides. "Mooooom! I can do this on my own!" Red Wing grumbled and gently pulled away, adjusting his wings and holding his forehooves in front of him as he gained speed. Lightning Storm quickly caught up and passed him, going into a relaxed position as she plummeted towards the ground at speeds that could scare a wonderbolt. Mere seconds before she crashed into the ground, her wings unfolded and she lifted up, gliding centimeters above the grass. she watched as Red Wing unfolded his wings and landed with a THUD "You ok R?" Lightning asked glided over to the colt as Red Wing stood up can shook his head, smiling at his mother his eyes gleaming the excitement. "That... Was... Awesome! Did you see the way I almost landed that!" The colts wings buzzed with pure adrenalin as Lightning chuckled and saw Lowell cantering up with one of his fillies, Paint Drops. "Hiya Low!" Lightning smiled at her friend as Red Wing inched behind her slightly. "Hey Lightning... I need a favor... Could you watch Paint Drops for me?" "Sure! I even have a friend for her to play with... Red say hi.." Lightning smiled down at her shy colt as Red Wing stepped out from behind his mother. "Oh! When did you and RD get this little guy?" Lowell asked smiling a friendly smile down at RW. "We decided to adopt him a month ago considering Twilight didn't have a frickin' spell... But I'm happy I got this little rascal! He certainly turned my life around." Lightning smiled as Red Wing looked up at him and shifted uncomfortably. That's when Lowell stepped aside and gently pushed his daughter, Paint Drops, forward. Mumbling something into her ear softly. The young filly just flattened her ears and whispered something back to her father. After a couple seconds, Lowell smiled down at Red Wing as he spoke. "Hiya there Red Wing! this is my daughter, Paint Drops. Why don't you two run along and go have fun?" Lowell said as Red Wing shrugged and walked next to the filly in silence. Lightning smiled as she walked over and sat down under a tree, watch the foals talk. "So how old is she now?" "13." "Ah. Red's 14." "Huh. He seems shy." "I suppose... He'll just take awhile to adjust to you." "Cool, so do Scootaloo and him get along?" "Sometimes, but not always" As the two carried on with there conversation Lightning couldn't help but getting that feeling that your being watched, like someone was staring at the back of her neck and burning holes into her coat. ~~~~ Lightning walked through the everfree forest with an uneasy gaze. Something was different about the forest at night. Like the dark had it's own bizarre creatures never once seen by a pony eye. That's when out of the no where a black figure fell out of the sky and tumbled into the path, letting out a groan of pain. Lightning's ears shot up and she back up some, quickly pulled out a dagger from her bag and holding it in her mouth. The figure moved a little and rolled over, groaning in pain. That's when LS realized that this was another pony, she quickly ran over and picked up the black stallion, carrying him back to the house. ~~~~ Lightning lied the stallion down on the couch, checking over him. As Storm went back to check his wings, she gasped a little and moved back some. "Your.. Your a Bat Pony!" Lightning whispered as the glared over at her. "Yeah, I am. Do you have a problem with that?" "No. It's just... Oh never mind. Can you open your right wing?" Lightning watched at the stallion attempted to spread his right wing but ended up let out a small cry of pain and started to tremble. LS quickly examined the wing and found it was broken in 3 placed. "Damn. What did you do?" Lightning asked as she started to wrap the wing in an A.C.E bandage and the stallion looked up at her "I uh, fell...?" He avoided eye contact and LS raised and eyebrow. "But... Oh whatever. You won't be able to fly for a long time.. five months tops. You'll have to sleep here tonight, but tomorrow I'll contact somepony and see if they'll come get you. You're in no condition to be out on your own so, make yourself comfortable." Lightning spoke trotted into the kitchen and filled a kettle with water, placing it on the gas stove and letting it sit there to boil. As she cantered back over she heard the door open and she looked over to see it was Rainbow Dash. "Hey Storm. Where are the foals?" "Scootaloo is over at AJ's and Red's with some of his friends." Lightning smiled as she lit a fire in the fireplace. "Oh by the way, we have a guest." Lightning added on to what she said and Rainbow looked down at the couch to see the stallion. "Who the hay is he?" "The names Faded Night." The stallion looked up at her and smiled, and Rainbow responded with a raised eyebrow and a questioning look. "Ok, hi Faded Night, why the hay are you here?" "Your little marefriend's letting me sleep here 'cause I broke my wing." Rainbow Looked over over to Lightning, who was beckoning her to follow. The two walked into the bedroom and LS closed the door and sighed. "Look, I couldn't just leave the guy in the middle of nowhere passed out..." Lightning looked at Rainbow who sighed and mumbled. "Ok, when is he leaving?" "Tomorrow once I can get contact with some pony." "Ok..." Rainbow Dash nuzzled Lightning's cheek and sighed again. "Sometimes your too kind for you own good." "Oh shut up you." Lightning chuckled and kissed RD's nose before trotting back into the room.