The forest wasn't all that ponies thought it was..... They feared it because of the creatures that resided within..... They did not think to look there to find beauty and enchantment in it. They didn't think to look past the trees, through the forests comforting wind, and listen for the sound of music unknown to pony ears.

I walked past a wilting flower, and looked at it sympathetically. I touched it lightly with my horn and it slowly came back from near death. I walked ahead to hear my sanctuary calling to me. I floated over to the sound, calmly flapping my wings. I entered my home, that I had stayed in since that night. I held back my tears at the memory of that heartbreaking eve......

I clung to my mother. As we ran, I saw my father trailing behind us. We came to a glowing tree, and I looked at them, confused. Mother looked to have tears shine in her lovely eyes, while I could tell father was trying to hold back his own. My mother put me down and walked over to the shining tree. She pointed her horn at the knot of the tree, and it started to glow brighter. An opening appeared, and she looked at me. She knelt down to eye level, and cried as she stroked my face. She kissed my forehead and I gave her a sad smile, knowing something was going to happen. She looked at me, looking miserable,

She picked me up and stepped inside, with father right behind her. She put me down again, and looked at me seriously. I looked up at her, ready to listen intently.

"Sirena, this.... is your responsibility, until the time comes for you to return home...."

She indicated the room. I looked around the room, more confused then before. It was glowing with an aqua aura, and it had only one table, with a glowing ball, the source of the glow. It was made of blue strings, entertwined with eachother to make itself. There was a comfortable looking bed to the side and fruit grew in one corner. I looked at my parents.

Father came forward and his horn started to glow as he concentrated. A box appeared and he levitated it down to me. I took it, and looked up for permission. They both nodded, and I carefully opened the box. There were two things that were in the box: a note with the royal seal, and.... I pulled out the second item in wonder. Mothers pendant. I looked up at her with astonishment. Mother would never give someone her pendant unless..... My voice almost yelled in anger and sorrow as I realized.....She was saying goodbye. I started to cry and they pulled me close. My sad tears turned to tears of fear as I heard growls not too far away. My parents heard it too, and father went out, pecking my cheek goodbye, even though I reached out to him. Mother stayed, looking frantic at me. I hugged her leg, and felt her hold me tightly. Tears weaved through my hair as she cried. She gazed at my face once more before, leaving with a sorrowful goodbye.

Tears streamed down my face as I remember their faces. Fathers always calm and loving, strong and fatherly, while mothers was kind and gentle. Mother always was there for me when I was upset, but that night.... she just left me. I , unwillingly, remembered what the Songs did to me.... Showing me how my parents died...

I was sitting in bed, when I heard music coming from behind me. I groaned as I realized what the music was. I got up and turned towards the Songs, calling to me in the middle of the night. I watched a vision form in the enchanted strings.

My eyes widened when I saw my parents, laying in bed with my older sisters beside them. Father and mother looked so sickly I'd swear their skin was green. Mother looked to be shivering, and father looked to be hotter then the sun. Celestia came foreward, looking ready to cry, but, knowing Luna, she was staying strong.

"Mother...Father....Please.... Is there anything we can do? We aren't ready for you to leave...."

I soon understood why they looked sickly, and immediantly tried to look away, and run to them, but something prevented me from doing so. Father looked at Celestia, and beckoned her closer. Luna stayed put, not wanting to come forward until told to. I commanded my hoofs to run out to them, but they did not respond. I was forced to watch the heartbreaking scene. Father looked at her with a proud smile.

"You were ready before we were ill.... Celestia, you will be a wonderful ruler.... I'm so proud of you.... Take care of your sister....."

He closed his eyes and spoke no more. Celestia cried into his chest at losing her father. Luna soon looked at mother, who looked like a leaf in the winter wind. She beckoned Luna come forward now. Luna obeyed, and looked at mother, more worried now then before. I cried out at fathers limp body laying there, and tried again to get myself free from whatever kept me from my parents side. And again, my body gave no avail to my minds orders. I screamed in frustration and sadness at the vision before me. Mother stroked Luna's face, as she did mine when she left me here.

"Your fathers right, Luna..... You will both be wonderful and true rulers..... Both of us are so proud of you..... Be good to eachother.... Never.... Never lose sight of what's important..... My dear daughters...."

She let out one last breath before becoming like father, still as stone. Both Celestia and Luna cried out at losing both our parents. I screamed and finally got free from whatever kept me in place. I collapsed to the floor, letting my tears flow freely. The vision dissipated in the strings and I growled, furious at what the strings had done. I wailed in agony as the picture of my parents, on their deathbed, gone forever, fresh in my mind.... I turned around to the strings and cursed them for their cruelty at making me witness something like that, and not letting me see it in person.... I got no sleep that night, for the memory was too sad and heartbreaking to want to sleep with the knowing that my parents... were dead......

I wiped off the tears, knowing crying wouldn't bring them back to me. It has been 1,010 years since that night, and I was only ten when they left me here, twenty when they.... passed on. I am 1,020 now , and I understood what my responsibility was more then I did then. Even though they left me here instead of keeping me with them, I needed to understand they did it out of fear and love all at once.

I went to one of my drawers and found the note they had left me with mothers necklace, which I kept on at all times. While I read the note for the hundredth time, I, instinctively, touched mothers necklace in remembrance. Even though I felt hurt and angry at them because they left me here, without warning, the necklace was dear to me.

Our dearest daughter, Sirena,
Please understand we love you with all our hearts, but it was foretold that one of our three daughters must be the Keeper of the Songs of Destiny. Celestia needed to raise the sun when she was older, and Luna the moon and stars. We did not wish to give up you, honestly we didn't. We loved you more then anything because you made us smile with your music and your laughter. We had no choice, but please take care of the Songs of Destiny, we cannot let anything happen to them. The Songs are powerful so, when you hear music coming from within, a foal has a destiny that needs weaving. A single string glows when it's someone's destiny. When it glows, weave it into the trees branches. Know that we love you so much and that you will come back to us when the tree glows gold.
With all our love, your Mother and Father.

I heard the music again and put down the note and looked into the swirling songs. I saw an image in the spirals of the ball, and began to weave. An earth pony filly, that had just been born, with blue hair, and a sky blue coat. I took the string that glowed bright and weaved it with another, the other who's destiny had part in this fillies. I carried it outside and weaved it through the branch that the song was beckoning. It melted into the tree, making the destiny complete. I went inside to see the fillies parents looking lovingly at their little one. I growled in envy. I looked away quickly, trying to force the tears back. I knew it wasn't the fillies fault for what my parents did, but I couldn't help but feel a little hate towards the filly. I saw the filly smile while asleep, and I didn't want to look at the picture any more.

I walked back to the dresser , when I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I stared at the mare inside, and sighed. I looked nothing like my parents, nor my sisters who looked at least a little like our parents. I, on the other hoof, had eyes of gold, hair and tail like water, and coat like an ocean at sunset, a slightly green cyan. I looked away from the accursed mirror, not wanting to remind myself that I had nothing, but a few personality traits from my parents.

My sisters..... If I knew my parents, I knew they would have erased all memory that I was ever there, to ease the pain of losing me. I did become upset when I first realized they'd do such a thing just to remove the pain, but I did miss my sisters immensely. Luna, with her calm demeanour, but was fun at times. And Celestia, with her sunny behaviour. An enemy tear escaped my eye as I thought of them. I heard a rumbling coming from the tree and I quickly looked around. The blue glow disappeared and a bright gold took its place. I gasped and remembered the note.

I stood there for a few seconds before grinning widely. I grabbed my saddlebag and packed my things: the note, some food, hairbrush, and warm clothes. I was about to leave, when I remembered my responsibility. I turned to the Songs of Destiny, and carefully placed them in my other saddlebag. Carrying both bags out, I took one last glance at my home for years.

The Forgotten One

by Angelic Wing

The Forest