From the Ashes: Ember's Story

by Zoljen

Griffins, Oh My!

Quicktail grinned as he stared at the familiar house before him. He was currently standing in his home village, the grin on his face hiding the what he was going to say to his parents. He had been standing there for almost five minutes, a few familiar griffins had waved to him and he waved back.

He sighed to himself as he started towards the door, “Going to happen sooner or later,” He resigned to himself as he approached the door. He lifted a clenched paw, ready to knock. The door swung open as he was about to knock, his mother grabbed the paw and pulled him into a tight hug.

“Ack, Mom! Can't… Breathe!” He gasped for air as she continued to hug him. She held the hug for a few minutes before letting the now blue griffin go.

“We were wondering when you’d get some leave to return home!” She tugged him inside and closed the door, all the while grinning. Quicktail chuckled softly as he saw the familiar home from the inside, nothing had changed since he left it five years ago. He slowly walked in, letting out a content sigh as he glanced back at his mother who bounced over to him.

“So, meet any interesting griffins and ponies while being in the Sky Wings?” She asked.

“Uhh…” He trailed off, a faint blush starting to form under his feathers as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “You could say that… Where’s Dad?” He quickly looked around, his eyes momentarily stopping on the little statue of a hippogryph. “I got something to tell you both.”

“Did you finally find somegriff worth your while?” Light Feather grinned as she slid up next to Quicktail, chuckling as he quickly looked away with a blush. “And he’s out back, I can go get him for you.” She kept her grin as she pranced towards the back door, opening it. “HE’S HOME!” She shouted, then closed the door and turned back towards the kitchen.

Quicktail just blinked as he watched his mother prance about. “So, who is she, or he? And what would you like to drink?” His mother asked.

Quicktail looked down, “Jasmine tea, if we have it. Otherwise a good Earl Grey.” He nodded slightly, still looking down with a faint blush as he heard the door close.

“Ah! There ya are, lad!” The older griffin limped up to Quicktail and pulled him into a tighter hug then his mother did. The griffin shared the tabby coloring he had, but looked to be going on in years, showing more white feathers and fur instead of grey. Quicktail returned the hug as best he could. “What has ya so down?”

“He found a special somebody,” Light Feather sang as she grinned.

Quicktail’s blush deepened as he looked between the two.

“Well lad? We ain't gettin any younger! Tell us who!”

“You...both already know her.” They both looked confused, his father rotated a paw, gesturing to continue. “Ember.” He said almost meekly.

Light Feather gasped loudly as Gungnir tilted his head slightly.

“Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that the changelin’ y’all found? And that tended to me wounds?” Quicktail nodded slowly.

Light Feather shakily brought over the tea, setting it down on the table before tackling Quicktail in another hug. “She made it!”

“ACK!” he yelped as he fell under her, chuckling. “Yeah. She works for the Canterlot Hospital now, and… I like her, a lot.” He mumbled near the end, making Light Feather lean back and look at her son questioningly.

“You know that she has a…?”

Quicktail nodded very quickly. “Yes. I don't mind, or care. She was fun to hang around and I got to know her very well.”

“Has a… what?” Gungnir raised an eyebrow as he watched the pair. Light Feather leaned up and whispered into his ear, making him gasp and look at Quicktail, “And yer fine with that?”

Quicktail nodded. “She can be whatever she wants to be, really. That seems so cool!” He grinned widely, earning a pair of chuckles from his parents.

“So, when are ya goin’ to bring her to us, lad?” Gungnir asked as he grabbed his mug.

“She’s busy at the hospital, so I don't know if she could come here. Combine that with the fact she probably has some bad memories of here. I don't think she could visit.”

“Then we go see her!” Light Feather announced, earning a shocked look from Quicktail.

“But!”

“But nothin’ lad! It's high time we go visit Canterlot and yer marefriend! I owe her a big thank ya anyway.” Gungnir had a huge grin as he pulled Quicktail into a bear hug. He squeaked as his feathers started to turn red.

“Gah, Dad!” He struggled to get free, failing as Gungnir held him down, laughing.

“We can leave in a few days! You can get plenty of rest before we go!”

“There is something else I wanted to tell you,” He managed to wiggle free and gasp for breath as he stood a little from them. “I want to stay over there. I put in a transfer request to the Embassy, and...it went through.”

Gungnir chuckled, “As long as ya write us, ya can go to the Crystal Empire fer all I care!”

“Really?”

“Yeah, why would we say you have to stay with the Sky Wings? This is what you want, isn't it? And it makes you happy, right?” Light feather grinned warmly at Quicktail, making him hug both of his parents as best he could.

“It does!”

“Just as long as that trainin’ don't go to waste,” Gungnir poked at Quicktail.

“Canterlot has seen its share of trouble, I’m sure it won't go to waste.” Quicktail chuckled as he sat back, enjoying his tea.

---

Ember casually sat by her fire place, enjoying a peaceful evening while reading her latest book, a Daring Do novel. She grinned as she flipped a page, then grabbed her tea in her magic and brought it to her lips. She paused, though, glancing towards the door as she suddenly detected excitement. A few moment later a knock sounded against it.

“Who is it?” she asked, tilting her head some, suspecting foals at play.

“You know who it is.” A familiar voice sounded, making her squeak. The door opened as she grinned, her horn aglow as Quicktail stepped in with a sheepish grin on his beak.

“How was your visit to the Griffin Kingdom?” she asked as she sat down the cup.

“You tell me,” he said, as he pushed the door open and a familiar, if aged, beak poked in and looked around.

Ember let out a gasp as Light Feather looked at her, grinning and bouncing in. They quickly closed the distance between each other in a hug. Ember glanced over Light Feather’s shoulder, seeing the aged tabby colored griffin standing there, with a smirk.

“Ya hug my mate as tightly as I do, lass.” He chuckled as he stepped in, a noticeable limp in his walk as he made his way towards a couch. Ember blushed and quickly released Light Feather, scooting back from her and looking towards the male griffin.

“You must be Quicktail’s father, I'm afraid I don't know your name, sir.” She closed the door once they were inside.

“I'm Gungnir, lass. And ya can relax. We have meet before, Miss Glowy Paws.” He chuckled as Ember blushed.

“I am surprised you remember that.” Ember looked him over. “I could probably fix your arm.”

“T'is a scar and I wear it with pride. So I will politely decline that offer, Ember. Although, I hear ya won the heart of our son.” He looked to Quicktail, who was trying to hide a blush.

Ember nodded, and started towards the kitchen. “Yes, that is true.” She paused, glancing back to Gungnir. “You only remember me as the drake, don't you?” He nodded at her, she chuckled back and glanced to Quicktail. She grinned, and in a flare of crimson fire, took on a form he hadn’t seen before.

Standing before them was an emerald drake, a pair of wings closed at her sides as she looked each one over. Quicktail squeaked in surprise, as did Light Feather, Gungnir, however.

“Yup, I remember ya, clearly.” He chuckled, glancing to Quicktail as he kept squeaking. Ember grinned widely, retaking her unicorn form and stepping into the kitchen.

“What would you all like to drink?” She asked, getting more tea ready for herself.

“Whatever ya got in this humble home, lass. I hear that Jasmine tea is pretty good.” Gungnir chuckled as the other two nodded.

“Jasmine tea it is, noble guests.” Ember chuckled, setting up her kitchen to make some. “So, why did you two want to visit?”

“Aside from seeing you again?” Light Feather grinned as she looked at Ember. “We had been meaning to visit Canterlot since the war ended. We just never really had any time to do it.”

“Didn't Gungnir here retire from the Sky Wings? You could have then.”

“Yeah, but… That was pretty much directly after the war, we figured the ponies didn't want to see any griffins so soon. I guess we waited until now to do so, and Canterlot is so big. We could get lost here.”

“I’ve been here nearly two decades and I still haven't fully explored it. There are places I haven't been, and some places I frequent. Rusty’s Diner is one place I love to go to. Along with the Fine Brew Tea Room.” She chuckled. “I don't know how they’d take to seeing a griffin family though.”

“Or a changelin’,” Gungnir commented.

“Actually, uh, sir. Not many here know what I truly am. Only my boss, a miner, and… you three,” Ember looked down. “I don't think it's wise to reveal myself, not after…”

“We heard about that wedding,” Light Feather sighed. “World wide news, bug-like ponies attack during a time of love. At first, we thought you were a part of it.”

Ember quickly shook her head, “Oh no! I would never do that! Besides, I was in Manehattan at the time. My vacation was kind of cut short because of it.”

“Called back to help with wounded?” Gungnir asked, watching Ember as she brought cups over to them.

“Er, no. The ponies I was with were called back, Admiral Gold -” She was cut off by a squeal. She turned to see Quicktail staring at her, wide eyed.

“You know Gold Star?!”

Ember chuckled and shook her head. “Just how famous is he?”

“Very!” Quicktail bounced. “We heard about him in the Sky Wings training. If you ever run into a gold earth pony with a black mane, just surrender. You’ll save your feathers that way.” He chuckled and grinned.

“He ferried my tail across the sea, from the fort,” She glanced to Light Feather with a light glare. “That you claimed was a village.” She lightened up, chuckling. “Inspired their crew by appearing as an alicorn during a drake sneak attack.”

“In my defense, dear. It looked like a village to me!”

“In any case,” she floated over the teapot, pouring each of them a cup. “I made it here eventually.” She paused, glancing to her chest. “I earned this scar protecting you two from those drakes.”

The older griffin’s leaned closer to look at it, Light Feather wincing, but Gungnir nodding in approval.

“But I thought you could hide it in your disguise?” Light Feather asked as she leaned back, sipping her tea.

“I could, but why? It's a reminder of those who first trusted me, and those I first protected because of that trust.” Ember explained as she put a hoof on her chest, above the scar. “So yeah, sure. I can hide it, but why? It's a part of who I am now.” She looked at Gungnir. “Like you and that limp.”

“Scars tell stories, lass,” Gungnir mused with a grin. “The bigger the scar, the better the story.”

“And they are often… sexy.” Quicktail mumbled, making everyone look at him, and him blush in return.

“Are you saying my scar is sexy?” Ember slid up to Quicktail, making him blush more and hide his face with his wings.

“I am a soldier, and… yes.” He murmured from behind the wings.

“Say, lass. Can I see what ya look like underneath that fur?” Gungnir queried, glancing at Quicktail for a second.

Ember blinked, then moved to stand in between them. In a flare of fire, she took on her natural form. Allowing Gungnir to see her for she was actually was, as she stretched her wings out. He tilted his head, looking her over.

“Huh, ya certainly don't look like what attacked Canterlot, but I can see why ya’d hesitate to show off. Ya certainly stand out.”

“And that is why I don't plan on revealing myself unless I have to.”

“Oh yeah!” Light Feather chirped as Ember took her unicorn guise again. Light Feather turned around, reaching into her saddle bag that she had and pulled out a wooden statue. It looked similar to the one she had seen around Quicktails neck, only this one was bigger.

The statue had the hind quarters of a pony, complete with Embers little mark, while it's tail looked like a dragons. It's front half looked eagle, and it's bat like wings were spread apart. A top the eagle head was a single horn, and it's face was captured in one of pride. The statue itself was taking a pose that looked to be defending something.

Light Feather grinned as she held the statue towards Ember. “Here, I made this for you when I heard that Quicktail had found you again. It's not the same one we have above our mantle, but this one is better by far.”

Ember looked it over, holding it up in her magic. “It looks beautiful.” She hugged Light Feather as she floated the statue to the mantle, setting it down gently as she grinned to the older griffin. “Thanks.”

Author's Note:

Hey look, another warm and fuzzy chapter!

Comments

[harts fire]

aww this is a really super happy chapter.

[The Forgotten Comrade]

Keep it up.