We Are Born From The Mist

by NeverEatTheLemonsAlone

XI

“So let me get this straight. You guys, four ialtaeg, followed the Nimbus Ring when the pegasi made the final trip to Equestria?” Gloom and Moondark nodded, followed after a moment by the battered and bruised third, the one with the navy blue mane. Dusk, Moon had called her. Hurricane’s eyes flicked over to Star. “Except for you, who followed me directly when I made my last flight before meeting up with them, completely by chance, about two months ago?” A forth nod, and Hurricane groaned.

“So it never struck you, not once, to ask the pegasi, or any other pony, for that matter, if you could come along? Never?” The reactions ranged in between disbelieving, shocked and chastised. “We thought that the ialtaeg agreed with their ruling council on guarding the Frozen Sepulcher. You certainly didn’t give us any reason to doubt it.” Another groan, and Hurricane dropped her head into her hooves.

“Y’know what? I’m done with you ponies. Seriously, just…ugh. Go south, you’ll find a home in Equestria. Except for you, Star.”

Taken by surprise, the ialtag stepped back some. “Hmm? Where am I going, then?”

Hurricane’s lips, unable to control themselves any longer, turned up sharply at the ends. “You’re coming with me, Star, and we’re going to chase the Ring to the ends of the earth and beyond.”

Star grinned broadly. “Well, why didn’t you say so sooner? Let’s get going. It was going north, right?”

Hurricane nodded. “Yeah, due north, straight as a compass needle. Something I need to do first, though, and you three,” she gestured to the other three ialtaeg, “are coming with me.”

Moon frowned, confused. “Well, what do you need us for?”

Hurricane lifted one hoof first. “First, you, Moondark, are going to tell me what that sword is. I’ve never seen one, and I’ve seen a lot of swords.”

Taken somewhat aback by the odd question, she complied immediately. “It’s called a khopesh. Ialtaeg found it in the far south of the Homeland a few years before the exodus to Equestria began. We kept it secret, since it has so much cutting force.”

Hurricane thought for a moment. “Hmm. Interesting. Now then,” she placed the hoof down, then raised it again. “Second, you’re all going to come with me, and we’re going to visit someone. Sound good?”

The ialtaeg murmured unhappily, but acquiesced. Hurricane smiled smugly. “Well then, shall we?”

With a bang, Hurricane slammed to the ground outside of a small house, raising her voice to be heard. “Hey! Thunder! Arc! I have something to show you!”

The duo of unicorns emerged cautiously, jumping backwards as the four ialtaeg landed softly in a rough half-circle around Hurricane. Thunder’s voice was shaky and unsteady. “H-Hurricane, lass, what are they?”

She grinned cheekily. “These are your monsters. Thunderbird, Arc Crackle, meet the ialtaeg Moondark, Gloom, Dusk and Starlight Armour!” The four ponies slowly walked forwards, weapons sheathed. Arc held her hoof to her mouth and gasped, and Thunder backed up steadily, his brow furrowed angrily.

“How dare ya show yer faces around here! Ye’ve scared me wife, me daughter and me half to death! What were ya doin’ creepin’ round in the dark like that, anyway?”

Moon stepped hesitantly forward. “W…well, to put it bluntly, Thunder—may I call you Thunder?—We were stealing.” An expression of outrage came upon the stallion’s face as he stomped forwards, but before he could respond further, she hastily began speaking again. “My race—the ialtaeg, that is—can only eat fruit. We’re starving this far north, but we thought that if we went south, we would be killed. Everybody that lived around here moved except for you. You and your orchard.”

Thunder began to see where she was going with this, and his abject fury began to die down a little bit as she continued. “So we started to steal from you. We took a little bit of fruit every night, just enough to live. You didn’t even notice. It stayed that way until the ring of clouds passed overhead, and Hurricane came with it. We thought we could use her as a ransom to get into the southlands, so we started terrorizing you at night. We needed to make you afraid so you wouldn’t go out as much, because we started taking so much more food. We needed it. Hurricane is legendary for her fighting skill.”

“So that’s why we were playacting as monsters. We didn’t actually want to hurt any of you.”

Thunder, having heard the story, planted all four hooves on the ground. He caught Hurricane’s eye and she grinned at him, motioning for him to go ahead. He heaved a long sigh. “Ya four do realize that yer gonna hafta work for yer food, right?”

It took a moment for them to really understand what he was saying, and for the first time, Hurricane saw them smile. Gloom stepped forward, his hoof out. “Thank you, Thunderbird. We’re used to earning our keep.”

It was then that Arc noticed that Star was staying back and motioned for her to join. “Com’ on then, dear. We’ll get ya some food!”

Star smiled. “Nah, I’m fine. Thanks, though. I’m going with Hurricane, into the North.”

Arc smiled warmly at her. “I won’ pester ya, then. I’ll have me hooves full just dealing wi’ three. I wish ya the best!” With that, she turned to the remaining three, the smile still on her face. “Com’ then, all. We’ll get ya inside and get ya some food. I’ll introduce ya to Fire.”

Smiling, Hurricane turned away, motioning to Star. They quietly took off, leaving the household more full then when they’d arrived. As they flew off, Star chuckled. “I’m surprised at you, Hurricane. You never seemed like the type to dye your coat.” She motioned at the black forehoof. Hurricane sighed.

“Do I have one story to tell you, Star.”

Hours later, long after they had gone, and after the farmhouse was winding down for the night (excepting the nocturnal ialtaeg), the door creaked open and Thunder stepped out, directing a stare of startling intensity in the same direction they’d gone. “I’ll com’ find ya, Hurricane. I’ll show ya that even without wings, I won’ be left behind.”

Author's Note:

And thus comes the conclusion of the Ialtaeg micro-arc.