The Legend of Ash Frost

by Visiden Visidane

Conception

Look at my foal, Steel Point. Is he not the best-looking foal you've ever seen? How bright and intelligent his eyes are! How firm and strong his grip! How sturdy and large his wings! By the pinions of our Prince, I have surpassed my own mother in foaling. I did not think it was possible. He has my eyes, as you can plainly see. Yes, Moon Rage also has blue eyes, but these are frosty like mine, not midnight like his. These are an archer's eyes. They see details on the farthest targets, notice the smallest weakness, and recognize the briefest opportunity.

Look how firm these forelegs are. Imagine the size of the bow they will grasp one day and the pull weight of the string they will stretch. His shots will penetrate dragonscale as easily as wet paper. Why, every mare in his presence will soak themselves when his withers flex, then slay each other for his affections. Oh, did you see those ears perk? He does that at the slightest unfamiliar sound. No ambush will ever take my colt.

He is such a blessing, my little Longstride. When I married Moon Rage, I thought foaling was just another task to excel at, but this colt fills me with such giddy joy. No other task completed has ever satisfied me like this has.

---

What does an archer see that others cannot? They must see more to make such marvelous shots no matter the stress of battle. And, surely, the greatest of Equestria's archers must see even more. All I saw in Longstride was a healthy, albeit a little shy, foal. He cooed at the attention, cried when he needed his mother's milk, and slept the hours away. Lady Ash Frost saw more, but where did the greatest archer's expertise begin and a mother's blindness end?

I will say that Longstride's birth did have a profound effect. Lady Ash Frost softened her naturally harsh personality just a bit. For a little while. She took more joy bringing up her colt than she did reminding every pony of her greatness. For those earliest years of his life, I believe she was at her most content. A pity the poor colt had to grow up.