Autumn

by canonkiller

The Wind is Rising

~If there's something that doesn't make sense, it's because I keep going back and making minor changes, like introducing Applesauce (Saucey) and now, as you will figure out, the first keening was coming from Ponyville, and it stopped while the bird was teleporting~

Luna scrambled to her feet as the keeing stopped, looking over her shoulder, back at the barn. She squinted, trying to see through the trees. Some black bird? She heard galloping hooves and a distant scream, and the bird vanished. Trying to calm her rising panic, she shot out of the tree cover and flew towards the small group of cowering ponies.

Seeing a flicker of orange in the corner of her eye, Luna checked her speed and turned.

"Fire." She whispered. "Fire! Ponyville's on fire!"

Yelling, she flew low over the remaining group, pointing towards Ponyville before flying over to help. There was a flicker of releif as she saw the weather force moving rainclouds, but it diminished as the clouds dissolved in the raging heat.

"You guys, go to the Everfree, to Chibi's house. Stay there until we come and get you! Do you understand?" Scootaloo asked, wings twitching as she prepared for flight.

The kids nodded, watching as the only older help they had flew and cantered towards the blaze. Sunrise felt tears well up in her eyes as she watched the flames.

Tigerjay was the first to notice. "Hey, Sunny, what's wrong?"

She wiped her face with one claw. "My dad's in there..."

Tigerjay turned her face away from the fire, and Chibi silently led them towards the Forest. Crimsonleaf was carrying Squishy, and her curled tail bounced with his steps.

Chibi nosed open the door of the hut, sighing as she held it open. "It is still empty, that I feared; I believe our rescuers still aren't here."

"You don't need to rhyme everything, Chibi. Zecora isn't here." Saucey whispered.

"Sorry. I wasn't thinking. It's just normally when I come home, my mother..." She broke off with a sniffle, and wandered away to light the firepit.

The remainder settled down, Sunrise picking a book off the shelf and curling up to read it, mouth moving silently on a few words. Crimsonleaf stated he was going on guard and trotted outside. Chibi was kneeling beside the fireplace, vainly trying to start a fire to warm her friends. Tigerjay had already gotten out ingredients for cupcakes, and was set on finding a bowl. Squishy was handing out blankets, not getting one for herself and not caring. Applesauce was muttering about Applejack and fire in her sleep.

All looking up as the door swung open and Crimsonleaf trotted in, holding it open as Scootaloo ducked in.

"Sorry, guys. The fire's still blazing, but everyone's accounted for. I couldn't bear how I left you guys out here alone, so I came back."

Tigerjay looked up from his batter. "How can we help?"

Scootaloo smiled. "We're setting up a camp here. There's enough clear space that ponies can come and sleep here. It's closed in, and I'll get Belle to magic up a sheild for the night. You guys are doing great already."

All nodded in agreement, and most of them settled down to go to sleep. Squishy handed Crimsonleaf a blanket, and he accepted and went up against the wall, curling up and closing his eyes. Scootaloo blew out a few of the lamps, lighting the room from the kitchen.

Scootaloo lay down against the door, as if blocking anything from getting in. Squishy, shivering in the cold, trotted over and lay against Scootaloo, who rested a wing on her back to warm her.

Sunrise closed the book and replaced it on the shelf, turning to check on Tigerjay. He was banging flint together, trying to light the cooking pit. Hopping down from her chair, Sunrise padded over, sending a small spark into the pit. It caught on the dried twigs, and soon there was a nice smell wafting around the hut as pine needles and cupcakes heated. Sunrise sat on one side of the fire, warming her cold blood, while Tigerjay made sure his precious goods didn't burn.

After all, it was basically the only thing he could cook, and he was - other than Sunrise - the only creature there with fingers. He could see the fire from here.There was a storm building up over Ponyville, the Pegasus squad working overtime to slam clouds together and move them in place. Unicorns and Earth ponies were digging a wide trench around the outside of the fire, creating a wide brown ring.

Tigerjay sighed. With that precaution, they must have been pretty sure they couldn't stop it.

Spike woke up with a faint warmth on his back. Opening his eyes, he glanced up at the roof. A thick layer of smoke covered it. Grumbling, he calculated where he was before puching the thin layer of earth between him and the surface, sending the smoke swirling into the sky.

He squinted, trying to see the sun to figure out what time it was. Instead, there was a large, dark cloud, and most of the Weather Squad was flying around it.

Confused by the sudden cloud, he enlarged to hole, pushing his head through. He looked around, his eyes focusing on the ruined, blackened buildings and toppled trees. His eyes narrowed as he saw a group of Unicorns fiercely defending the library, being forced back inch by inch.

With a roar of rage, he climbed out of his tunnel, the ground collapsing around him as he struggled to escape. Pouncing on the flames, he smothered them under his paws, wings unfurled. The unicorns cantered away as Spike single-talonly protected his childhood home.

Luna, after nudging a cloud, finally saw him. Her eyes quickly connected the rising blaze and the new escape route for it, formed by Spike's sinkhole.

"Spike! Spike, the library tunnels!"

He heard her, and decided to take a last-second measurement. Taking a deep breath, he set the library alight in green messanger flames, and it dissloved and drifted away to the Palace. Now that his disraction was gone, he got to work on the worst of the fire.

The wind howled against the trees, and sent a chill into the small hut. The cooking fire had gone out a while ago, and everyone was sleeping.

There was a sharp rap at the door. Squishy jumped up, suddenly awake. It was quiet again. Squishy looked around, confused. Had she been dreaming?

There it was again. On light hooves that she gained from her mother, she tiptoed over to the door, pulling it slightly open.

It wasn't a giant demon, like she had thought. It was a stallion, with a pale gray mane and tail and scarlet fur. He knelt down to Squishy's eye level.

"May I come in? I haven't seen anyone for days."

"Are you lost?"

"No, but I need to rest before I can find my home." He looked past. "May I come in?"

From where she had been watching, Scootaloo stood up, narrowing her eyes, but relaxed. "Yeah, warm up by the fire."

He walked around Squishy instead of over her, and sprawled around the fire pit. He was an Earth pony, and his Cutiemark seemed to be an orange-rimmed star. Without looking up, he responded to her gaze. "Pointless, isn't it?"

Squishy, shocked by him noticing, bolted beside Scootaloo again. She sighed.

"By the way, my name's Starlight."

Spike stood in the center of town, watching the rain pound the last few embers into nothing. He sighed at the amount of destruction. Ponies had mentioned both a bird and a dragon, but Spike doubted there were two. Luna had mentioned the bird she saw at the farm, that had taken the remnants of the Mane Six and their friends. A giant, black bird.

Where had he heard of that before?

His pupils shrunk to dots. The legend of Creation. Nothing was a giant raven, who tore off his own wings and heart as gifts... it fit the demon perfectley.

If nothing had taken Twilight...

Spike's talons curled into fists and lit with a foxfire that definatley wasn't for messaging.

If nothing had taken Twilight, than nothing was going to pay.

Comments

[ThatBastard]

Maybe a link directly to your cover art would be a better idea?

[canonkiller]

8569 (SuperFrodo)
Okay. http://iceofwaterflock.deviantart.com/gallery/32946227