The Crystal War Book I: A Spark to Light the Dark

by NatureSpark

Ch.36 A Forest Oasis

~Chapter 36: A Forest Oasis~

The sensation of water trickling down her chest broke through the thin barrier between reality and Star’s peaceful dreams as a snow flake melted on her soft, warm coat. Her eyes fluttered open with mild confusion as she shielded them from the bright, white expanse of the sky. All around her snow fell gently from the heavens, covering the area in a blanket of winter purity. She shivered involuntarily and pulled the blankets that had shifted down her body back up, while simultaneously wriggling her herself down. It looked early in the morning still and Star was unwilling to give up on her warm sleep so easily. Beside her Axel lay still, face and legs exposed to the elements, but seemingly unaffected. Star sighed as she reached over, without letting her leg leave the blankets, and tugged the covers back over her friend.

A quick peek over the edge of the chariot revealed both of their escorts sleeping by the snuffed remains of the fire, wrapped tightly in their own assortment of blankets. Both of the white pegasus looked to Star as if they were sleeping quite peacefully despite the cold weather. She could see the tiniest bit of Brass Heart’s dirty blonde mane spilling out from under the blankets pulled up around his head and part of Dawn Glory’s blue tail twitching slightly along the ground as he dreamt.

A breeze picked up as Star turned her gaze skyward once again, sending a collection of descending flakes swirling away from their original destination. It was certainly cold, she thought as she pulled the blankets up even higher, covering her black muzzle and protecting it from the icy chill. Sleep seemed to be a fickle mistress however, and Star lay under the blankets, breathing softly and steadily, but unable to return to her dreams.

Even if sleep was unattainable, Star refused to leave the warm embrace of her makeshift bed and settled on staying as she was, but thinking about what Axel and she could do once they arrived in Manehatten. It was only another two days away, barring the weather having a sudden, violent turn, and her business at the Equestrian Museum of Natural History would be done with by the end of their first day in the city. There were plenty of highly regarded restaurants in Manehatten, but eating wasn’t exactly an exciting activity, no matter how good the food was. Star considered buying tickets to a stage show, but she would have to see if Axel liked any of them enough to remain seated for a couple hours. It seemed a bit unlikely to the unicorn.

A stirring from Axel’s side of the chariot alerted Star to the rust red mare’s waking and she peeked her head out of the blankets just far enough that her violet eyes could see her friend’s reaction to the snow. Star had expected to see Axel cower into the safe heaven of her bed just as she had, but instead the earth pony simply rolled onto her back and let her mouth hang open. A few small flakes descended into her waiting mouth, melting into cold droplets before trickling down the back of her soft, pink tongue. Star tried to suppress a giggle at the sight. She should have expected something like that from the blonde mare.

“Are you awake?” Axel asked in her ever cheerful voice. Her light, bubbly tone was pleasant, even though she had just woken up and Star envied her slightly for being such an obvious morning pony.

“Mhmm,” Star mumbled her reply, slipping the blankets down enough to expose her muzzle. “Good morning.”

“Morning,” Axel said as she met Star’s gaze. “How’d you sleep?”

“Pretty well actually,” Star replied, “although the snow woke me up a little bit ago.” She followed her response with a glare aimed up at the expanse of clouds hanging low in the early morning sky. Axel giggled at her dour expression.

“What’s wrong? You don’t like the snow?”

“Not when it’s falling on my face without me knowing,” Star said with a frown that quickly melted into a grin. “I do like playing in the snow though.” Axel nodded her head in quick agreement. “I have an idea,” Star told her friend with a sly nod towards the sleeping stallions near the snow coated fire pit. “Are you in the mood for a little mischief?” she asked, knowing in advance what Axel’s answer would be.

“Definitely,” the earth pony replied, matching Star’s devious smile as she kicked off her blankets. Star did likewise, shivering slightly at the sudden absence of warmth.

The two mares grabbed their boots and cloaks, donning them quickly to escape the bitter cold that surrounded them. Once they were dressed, Star whispered her plan into Axel’s ear, eliciting hushed giggles from her as they decided on how best to proceed. Axel nodded her head in acceptance of Star’s idea and began rolling a ball of snow around on the ground. It was soon nearly as large as Star and they were ready to put the plan into action. Star used her magic to lift the hefty ball into the air and she stepped quietly over to the sleeping guards with Axel following close behind.

“One, two, three,” Star whispered, releasing the frosty pile from her magical grip and letting it fall with a muffled poomf onto Brass Heart and his friend, covering them in the freezing substance with a hearty laugh.

Both of the stallions shot up from the pile in a bewildered rush, giving dual shouts of surprise as they feverishly glanced around to figure out what had just happened. Brass Heart’s wild eyes finally landed on the two giggling mares and he shot them both dirty looks as he sprang to his hooves, wings fluttering wildly as he tried to shake the clinging snow from them. Star and Axel fell over laughing at their escorts’ response to the prank, tearing up as they leaned against one another.

“Very funny,” Brass Heart told them as he helped his companion up from the snow. “I’m going to get you two back for that one,” he said as he brushed the last of the snow from his mane and tail.

“That was great,” Axel managed to say between breathless laughter as she stood back up. Star reached a hoof out and Axel helped her to her hooves. “I didn’t think that you had it in you Star.”

“It was pretty funny,” Star agreed as she smirked at Brass Heart, who rolled his sky blue eyes dismissively and began scooping snow away from his belongings. Star stifled another giggle as her horn lit up with magic and she lifted both stallions’ blankets into the air, giving them a few quick shakes do dislodge the remaining icy crystals that clung to the damp fabric and sending a fresh spatter of snow onto Brass Heart in the process.

“You did that on purpose,” he huffed as he wiped a hoof across his face.

“I swear, that time it was an accident,” Star laughed.

“Mhmm,” he mumbled as he lifted the polished armor from his bags and began to fit it onto himself. He struggled with the last couple of latches that held his chest piece in place, so Star used her magic to help him while the other guard donned his own equipment. “Thanks,” Brass Heart said as she finished.

“It’s the least I could do,” Star replied, “Now how about you two stallions get a fire started while Axel and I get some breakfast ready.” Both soldiers nodded their heads in compliance and walked off to gather wood, leaving Star and Axel to handle the meal preparations.

Breakfast ended up being a simple affair, but the taste of hot food on such a cold morning was very welcome and it didn’t take long for all three ponies to finish eating. Star and Axel cleaned up afterwards, while Brass Heart and Dawn Glory, which Star learned was the other guard’s name, set about packing the rest of their camp. Everypony was in high spirits after the harmless prank that the mares had pulled and laughter filled the snowy field as they worked.

“I think that’s the last of it,” Dawn Glory huffed as he hefted both his and Brass Heart’s bags across his strong back. It had been his job to pull the sky chariot the day before, but it looked as if he and Brass Heart were switching places today, probably because he was feeling a bit sore after hauling them through the skies for so long. Even if Axel’s new chariot was more lightweight than her last model, it surely couldn’t have been an easy task to fly for hours with the harness strapped to him.

“It looks like it,” Brass Heart agreed as he stepped to the front of the vehicle and allowed Star to help him into the leather straps. “Are you girls ready to take off?”

“Star gave one last look around, making sure that they hadn’t left anything behind, before responding, “I think we are.” The pegasus gave one quick nod before stretching his long wings up to the sky and giving a forceful push down as he started pulling the cart down the snow covered hill, powerful muscles rippling under his heart shaped shield cutie mark. Star let out a soft sigh as she pulled her cloak taught around her midsection and sank down into the cart to try and get out of the cold wind that rushed past as they slowly lifted off of the ground and rose into the sky.

Snow drifted overhead, carried on the soft breeze as Dawn Glory joined them in the air, flying high above the cart where he would have a better vantage point to see potential threats. Star hoped his extra caution was unwarranted, but with the way things had been going lately she was grateful for the extra eyes watching over them anyway.

“I still haven’t been able to decide on something fun for us to do,” Star said to Axel as she pulled her gaze from the pegasus above them and turned to face her friend.

“I told you not to worry about making plans,” Axel scolded her playfully. “Manehatten is a pretty big city, so I’m sure we’ll stumble upon something exciting if we just wander around for awhile.”

“I guess you’re right,” Star admitted.

“You bet your flank I am,” Axel replied. “You have to stay open and aloof during trips like this or you might miss out on an amazing opportunity.” If anypony would know something like that, Star figured it would be Axel, but she was so used to setting specific goals that the thought of doing anything without forethought sat a bit uncomfortably with her. She decided it was best to trust in her friend’s instincts though, and dropped the subject for the time being. “So what exactly are you taking to the museum in Manehatten anyway?” Axel asked after a short silence.

“Oh, well I found this strange artifact during my last excursion into the San Palomino Desert,” Star replied, face visibly glowing as she began talking about her work. After a few minutes of rummaging through her white saddlebags Star pulled out a small slab of rock and showed it to Axel, who glanced at the relic with puzzlement. Star noticed her questioning look and started to elaborate. “There are some very old ruins on the east side of the mountains, near the river that runs through the desert, and I found this artifact while digging there.” Star passed it over and Axel gingerly accepted the fractured stone tablet, cradling it in both hoofs so that it wouldn’t slip and fall.

“What are the symbols carved into it?” the earth pony asked as she studied the pictograms that adorned the artifact. They were meticulously hood carved, Star had noticed upon first finding it, and despite its fragile appearance the slab had stood the test of time fairly well.

“That is exactly what I am hoping to figure out,” Star explained as she took the piece of rock back from Axel’s outstretched hoof. “Doctor Glyph, one of the researchers at the museum and a long time acquaintance of mine, should be able to decipher the writing etched into this artifact.” She tucked the relic back into her bags, where it would be safe until they arrived in Manehatten. “I’m hoping that if she translates what it says I may be able to figure out what part of the decrepit temple it came from. Perhaps I can even find the rest of the old tome.”

“That’s pretty amazing,” Axel replied, much to Star’s delight, “and here I thought that my career was exciting.”

“Well, it can be,” Star replied, “although when I don’t find anything of historic value it can be a bit… dull, but those times when I make a discovery it’s like finding a missing piece of the puzzle that is Equestrian history. I never know exactly what my next artifact will reveal or how it will change the way ponies view our past.”

“Really,” Axel asked, perplexed. “I always assumed that the princesses would have written books about the past. I mean, they have been around for thousands of years.” Star nodded her head, understanding exactly why Axel would perceive that to be true.

“They have helped in filling in much of the past, but they cannot be everywhere at once, so there are many events that they weren’t personally present for,” Star explained. “Not to mention the fact that just because they are immortal doesn’t mean that they don’t forget things over time.” Axel contemplated her answer in silence for a moment, biting her bottom lip absentmindedly, as she habitually did while deep in thought.

“I guess that makes sense,” Axel finally yielded. “I suppose I just assumed that there weren’t any secrets that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna weren’t privy to.” It was a common mistake, one which Star had made in the past. Too many Equestrians viewed their rulers as omniscient beings who saw all and knew all, but that wasn’t the case. Many of Star’s own discoveries were just as much of a surprise to Luna as they were to her.

“During the chaos of Discord’s War for instance,” Star said as she thought through her many conversations with the princess about those dark days, “there were many events that went largely unnoticed by most of ponykind and were therefore never recorded by scribes. It’s actually alarming how much of the past is shrouded in mystery.” Axel listened intently, somehow maintaining concentration on what Star was saying, despite her usual problems with keeping her attention focused on one topic for so long. “The origin of the immortals is probably the greatest mystery in the entire world, but even the princesses have no idea where they come from.”

“Surely somepony must know something, even if Celestia and Luna don’t,” Axel stated with a confused look.

“I would imagine that the remaining immortals know, like the Dragon Lord. If that is the case though, then they have refused to let it slip,” Star replied with a shrug of her narrow shoulders. It was a subject she had often dwelled upon; how the world was created, where magic came from and what granted her mentor and the other immortals their everlasting life, but she had no idea how one would even go about uncovering such things. “It’s a mystery,” she sighed as she shifted into a more comfortable position on the sparsely padded bench of the sky chariot.

A companionable silence overcame the chariot after their conversation, both mares perfectly happy to simply sit and enjoy the ride for once. The sound of Brass Heart’s steadily pumping wings and soft creaking of the wooden chariot filling the gentle breeze that whisked by them as they flew were almost melodic. Star took a deep breath, filling her nose with the damp scent of fresh snowfall as she leaned her head back and stared up into the sky. The sky was dim, just the soft glow of the sun barely managing to shine through the dense storm clouds that continued to thicken as they flew further northeast. It was very peaceful and Star let her eyelids close and enjoyed the feeling of icy flakes gently caressing her cheeks as they passed by her.

“At least we can get a couple rooms at one of the local inns,” Star stated as she huddled closer to Axel, the both of them doing their best to stave off the biting chill of the growing snowstorm. What started as a light, barely noticeable snowfall had steadily escalated throughout the day as more and more clouds were carried south from the Crystal Empire and into northern Equestria, right into the path that Star and her companions were taking to Manehatten.

“Mhmm, and Hallow Shades is surrounded by dense forest, so the storm should be much less severe while we’re there,” Brass Heart added as he tossed another log onto the small fire that everypony was huddled around for warmth. The flame was small and just managing to continue burning as the wind picked up speed and fury. “We’re going to have to fly low for the rest of the trip though. I wouldn’t want to chance passing the town and getting lost in a blizzard.”

“Yeah, th-that sounds like it w-would be pretty awful,” Axel said through chattering teeth as she squeezed herself against Star even more tightly than before. “I t-t-take back wh-what I said about s-s-snow being fun. This is the w-worst.” Star had to stifle a giggle at the sound of the earth pony’s stuttering response. She too was cold, but Axel seemed to be having the worst time out of the lot of them.

The worsening storm had driven them to stop for an early lunch and Axel had already been shivering before they landed, but by the time Brass Heart and Dawn Glory managed to get a fire started she had to be wrapped around Star and shrouded in numerous blankets just so she could stop shaking enough to speak. It was the first snow of winter that Equestria had gotten as far as Star knew, and it was proving to be quite severe snowfall at that. The two stallions seemed to think that they could reach town by nightfall without getting lost though, so Star and Axel had a nice warm bed indoors to look forward to.

“Should we get going soon?” Dawn Glory asked as his eyes bounced back and fourth between the three other ponies. His question was answered by a gust of wind that picked that moment to snuff the last flames of their pathetic heat source, leaving them to either move on or sit there and freeze. “I guess that answers my question,” he sighed.

“Ugh, I suppose you’re right,” Brass Heart groaned as he got to his hooves and slowly made his way back to the sky chariot. The other three sat for a moment longer, unwilling to leave the comfort of their blankets. “Ahem,” Brass Heart sounded out in an attempt to rouse them from their temporary havens.

“Okay, we’re coming,” Star told him flatly. Axel let out a tiny whimper as Star got up and took the blankets they had been sharing into her magical grip as she returned to the vehicle. “You had better hurry up Axel. You don’t want to fr-” Before Star could even finish speaking Axel was tackling her sideways into the small cart, sending both mares crashing to the floor in a pile of blankets.

“S-so c-c-cold,” Axel shivered as she squeezed Star tight enough to make it difficult for the black mare to suck in any air.

“Can’t breathe,” Star choked out from under Axel’s shaking body. The earth pony glanced down and then hopped back to her hooves with an apologetic look on her face. Star could hear quiet snickering coming from Brass Heart as he fastened the harness to his frosty armor and she shot him a dirty look while catching her breath.

“S-sorry ab-b-bout that,” Axel mumbled through teeth that were practically vibrating. Her red face was practically frozen in a painful grimace and Star couldn’t help but to feel a little sorry for her.

“It’s quite alright,” Star replied as she wiped away the snow and gingerly sat down on the bench. It had grown ice cold, even in just the short time they had been stopped, and Star let out a tiny squeal of surprise which caused another fit of quiet laughter to come from Brass Heart’s direction as he finished tightening the last few straps that held him in place. Axel quickly joined Star on the freezing seat and they began wrapping themselves in every blanket they had.

“I t-take back every nice word I ever s-said about snow,” Axel pouted. Star noticed that being huddled in the protection of blankets had somewhat lessened the earth pony’s shivering and chattering, but it was still awfully cold. Star was grateful for the ride to Manehatten; walking would have been an ordeal she didn’t believe she could have handled, even with two guards escorting her.

“Me too,” Star concurred, “I’m never going to go out in the snow again after this trip.” The two mares glance at each other and broke into giggles. They knew that they would play in snow as soon as they had the chance, but being caught in a blizzard was something they would seriously try to avoid in the future.

The chariot rocked slightly as a particularly vicious gust of freezing wind assaulted them. Brass Heart’s powerful wings fought against the storm, thrusting up and down with slow, deliberate strokes as he tried to maintain their momentum. Large white flakes whipped around everypony, being tossed and turned on the winter winds as they fell from the grey skies and although it was sometime in the afternoon, Star couldn’t tell where the sun actually was. A dull, grey light surrounded them and gave the feeling that they were caught between night and day.

Dawn Glory had taken a new position just over their heads so that he wouldn’t get separated from the group. It wasn’t as if he would have been able to see danger coming through the driving snows anyway. As the sky chariot met with further resistance from the blizzard, Star noticed that they seemed to have lost much of their forward movement and were now creeping along slowly. I appeared the Dawn Glory noticed as well, because he took up position behind the chariot and planted his hooves firmly against the back wall. Both pegasus were panting as they got the chariot moving once again and Star wondered if there was something she could do to help.

Teleporting the four of them anywhere was completely out of the question after what happened the last time she tried moving an entire vehicle of ponies. Star considered levitating the chariot, but it already seemed fairly light, so she didn’t think it would make much of a difference. Suddenly an idea hit her; she could try to part the wind. If she redirected it around them, then there wouldn’t be hardly any resistance for Brass Heart to struggle against. Star pondered the best approach for a few moments before deciding that redirecting wind could most likely be done by adjusting the spell for causing wind to blow in the first place.

The soft, white glow of Star’s magic was a stark contrast to the pure white flurry of snow that swirled around them. She focused on parting the wind, sending it around the sides of the chariot before allowing it to resume its natural path behind them. They lurched forward suddenly as Brass Heart began pulling them with ease, nearly causing Star to lose her concentration and fall onto her flank. Brass Heart glanced back, giving Star a thankful smile and Dawn Glory’s sigh of relief meant that he too was happy to have the extra help. Star flashed a brief grin in return before closing her eyes and returning all of her attention on the spell.

“That right there is pretty amazing,” Axel said as she watched the blizzard passing harmlessly beside them. The last of the earth pony’s stutter disappeared with the freezing wind and she sighed contentedly as they flew through the storm with a renewed vigor. “How far away is the town?” Axel called out to the guards, hoping at least one of them would answer.

“We should arrive before dark… or at least before nightfall anyway,” Dawn Glory replied, realizing that it would most likely get dark more quickly with the storm raging all around.

“Great, I am so ready to be done with this bad weather,” Axel huffed, although she wasn’t sure that anypony had even heard her. Star was completely absorbed in her task, as were Brass Heart and Dawn Glory. Axel resigned to slumping down on the bench and did her best to return feeling to her numb legs while Star continued working her magic on the harsh elements.

The afternoon crept by painfully slow as Star and her escorts struggled to keep fighting the wind. They made good progress during the times when Star was casting her wind spell, but whenever she was forced to take an inevitable break, their momentum was severely decreased. Axel was forced to sit back and allow the others to do all of the work, but she wasn’t happy about it. When she brought the fact up to Star during one of her breaks, the black mare assured Axel that creating a flying machine was more than enough of a contribution to the effort. It seemed to help ease Axel’s mind slightly.

The blizzard seemed to have reached its apex and was beginning to wind down as Star began to use her magic once again. The bitter rage of the winds lessened and Star could feel the resistance against her magic die off a bit, allowing her to move it aside with less effort. Brass Heart seemed to notice the change as well and a smile broke through the grim look of determination that had overtaken his white face as they flew.

“It looks like the storm is dying down finally,” Brass Heart shouted back without turning his gaze from the direction they were traveling. “We should arrive at Hallow Shades in an hour or two.”

“Thank god,” Axel sighed. “It’s so boring sitting here while everypony else is having all the fun.” Star opened one eye and fixed her friend with a look of utter disbelief, but Axel was smirking like she had expected that reaction from the unicorn.

“I suppose I’ll let you cook dinner for everypony tonight as a way to make it up to you then,” Star replied with a devious smile. Both mares got a good laugh out of that.

“Fair enough,” Axel agreed with a nod. “I am the better cook anyway.” Star let out a mock gasp of surprise before breaking into more laughter. A few minutes passed with Star returning her focus to parting the wind and Axel digging through their saddlebags to see what supplies she had to work with. “Is there anything fun to do in this town?” Axel asked as she sorted through what little food they brought for the trip.

“What, Hallow Shades?” Star asked as she cracked one eye to look at Axel.

“Mhmm,” Axel mumbled her reply before latching the bags back up and pulling her cold forelegs back into her itchy brown blanket.

“Nothing to write home about,” Star said flatly. “I’ve stayed there a few times on my way to or from the city, but it’s a fairly small town.” There were a few inns and residences, as well as the usual small town shops, but nothing exciting enough to stick out in Star’s memory. “I suppose we can always take a look around town to be sure, although you would have to walk through the snow to get anywhere,” Star added, knowing how distasteful walking anywhere in the bad weather would sound to her friend.

“Never mind,” Axel retorted. “That sounds just awful now that I think about it. I would much rather stay inside where it’s warm and dry and not windy.” Star closed her eye and snickered quietly. There was something that could slow down Axel after all.

“Who knows, maybe the blizzard will let up early enough for us to go out,” Star said as she continued to cast her spell. It was beginning to give her a minor headache using her magic for such prolonged periods, but they were close to landing so she tried to push the pain out of her mind.

“Not likely,” Axel snorted in reply.

“I think I can see light up ahead,” Brass Heart broke in, causing Axel to hop up from her seat and peer out into the oncoming wind. “Up there, do you see it?” Brass Heart pointed to a small speck of light on the ground below and Star opened her eyes long enough to confirm his suspicions.

“Looks like a town if I’ve ever seen one and obviously I have,” Axel told him, her usual bubbly tone returning at the thought of getting out of the cold.

It wasn’t long before they were flying over the light that they had seen and as Star released her spell she gazed over the edge of the sky chariot and could just make out the outline of buildings against the snowy ground. The vehicle rocked as the wind resumed its assault against it and Star decided she should at least keep using her magic to assist Brass Heart until they landed, so she grit her teeth and made one last effort to part the gust.

“Going down,” Brass Heart called back as he adjusted his wings and brought them into a slow descent. Axel rechecked their saddlebags, making sure everything was packed up so that they could get inside as quickly as possible before taking her seat again. Star’s horn continued to glow as they dropped the last few yards onto the ground, landing in the thick snow with a muffled thump.

“Thank Luna,” she huffed as she let her magic die out and slumped back on the bench, exhausted from the effort of her spell casting. “That was quite an ordeal.”

“Mhmm, hopefully the weather isn’t as bad for the rest of the trip,” Dawn Glory agreed as he landed next to the chariot, kicking up a flurry of snow as he shook off his icy wings. “It’s my turn to pull the chariot tomorrow.”

“I guess we will just have to wait and see,” Star said as she lifted her saddlebags onto her back. Axel did the same while also snatching up the assortment of blankets they had been using and draping them over her bags. “Is that everything?”

“I’m pretty sure,” Axel said with a nod. “Let’s get going.” Both mares jumped down from the chariot and started walking towards the snow covered cottages ahead of them, pausing only briefly to see if Brass Heart and Dawn Glory were following them. The two soldiers were a few steps behind, Dawn Glory carrying their belongings while Brass Heart pulled the chariot through the thick snow.

The first few building they passed by were all cottages, belonging to the ponies who had made Hallow Shades their home. Most of the streets were empty, but soft light could be seen streaming through the windows of the buildings and smoke trailed out of every chimney, confirming that the town was very much alive. It looked very serene Star noticed as they walked across the town, their hooves crunching softly with each step and the chariot leaving twin paths cutting through the fresh snow only to be filled in as more flakes fell upon the dirt.

Hallow Shades was a small town, nestled in the midst of a thick forest and cut off from most of the outside world. Few travelers came through, but those who did knew how peaceful it could be. Star was one of those few and although she generally only stayed for a night at a time the innkeeper at the Village Inn always remembered her face. Star led her companions along the quiet streets and to the familiar log structure, forcing the door to open with her magic, despite the large pile of snow that had collected before it. The warm air that rushed out to greet them was a welcome relief.

“Hello,” she called out into the dimly lit interior of one of the few two story buildings around. She looked back to Brass Heart, who appeared confused about what to do with the chariot, and told him, “You can take that out back. I doubt anypony in this town would vandalize it.” It was a very close knit community, so even if something had happened, Star was sure that somepony would know who had done it.

“Just a moment,” came the sweet, singsong voice of Caresma, the owner and proprietor of the inn. “I’m just removing my tea from the fire and I’ll be right there.”

“Take your time Cary,” Star replied as she walked up to the rough wood counter, followed by Axel and Dawn Glory, who both seemed to relax upon entering the cozy room. It was dimly lit by candles placed on various tables and along the front counter where Caresma did her business. The walls were logs that had been left in there naturally rough state and decorated by various paintings. It was a cozy little oasis from the storm outside and everypony seemed to relax just being there.

“Is that Star I hear in my humble little inn?” Cary called from the back room, where she made her home. “It is!” she added with a gleeful shout as she trotted over to Star and picked her up in a twirling hug, as she always did upon seeing the young unicorn.

“And I brought friends,” Star replied with a gesture towards her companions after Cary finally released her from the embrace. “Cary, I’d like you to meet Axel and Dawn Glory.” Cary was an earth pony in her early thirties, sporting a magenta coat and a dark pink mane with light pink highlights that she wore in a tight bun. She gave a big smile as she nodded to each of Star’s companions.

“Please, call me Dawn,” the soldier replied with a polite nod.

“Very pleased to meet you,” Cary said as she turned around and walked behind the counter to take care of business. “I’m guessing that you three didn’t come all the way out to my neck of the woods just to visit though.”

“You guessed right,” Star replied, “Although there is actually one more stallion who will be joining us. He is just taking our chariot to the back.” Cary glanced up at Star with one eyebrow raised suspiciously.

“Oh, are you four on a romantic getaway or something,” she asked, much to Star’s embarrassment.

“No, nothing like that,” Star blushed. “I actually have business in Manehatten and Axel is accompanying me. These two gentlecolts are simply our escorts.” Dawn nodded his head, as if to confirm Star’s statement and Axel stifled a giggle at Cary’s insinuation.

“Well that’s their loss,” Cary replied with a flash of her white teeth. “Star here would make a lovely wife.” Star gave a sigh at the innkeeper’s antics, but it didn’t seem to faze Dawn in the slightest. “I assume that means that you’ll want separate rooms then?” Star nodded her head just as Brass Heart walked through the front doors.

“I parked the chariot out back,” he told his companions as he walked up to join them at the counter.

“Great, now you can enjoy this glorious warmth with the rest of us,” Axel replied, clearly ecstatic to be out of the foul weather. “Cary was just getting our sleeping quarters sorted out and then we can get some food.” Star hadn’t realized how hungry she was, but at the mention of dinner she felt the effects of her hard work from earlier.

“Sounds good to me,” Brass Heart said.

“Okay your rooms are opposite of one another, up the stairs and to your left at the end of the hall,” Cary explained as she handed over two keys. Star picked them up with her magic, giving one to Brass Heart and keeping the other for herself. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

“Mhmm, thank you so much Cary,” Star replied to the magenta mare as she turned to away from the counter, followed by her three companions. It wasn’t hard for them to find their rooms, the inn only had about a dozen of them, and soon they had split up, the stallions heading into their room to unpack while Star and Axel did the same.

“How long have you known Cary?” Axel asked as she casually inspected the small room, her eyes resting momentarily on the lone painting that hung above the single bed. “You two seem to get along pretty well.”

“I’ve known Cary for, um…” Star had to think back to the first trip she had taken to Manehatten that left her staying in Hallow Shades overnight. “Three years I think.” Axel jumped onto the bed unceremoniously, bouncing into the air a few inches before coming to a rest and sprawling out with a yawn.

“Wow, so you’ve been traveling all over Equestria for quite a while now?” Axel asked as she let her drooping eyelids close over her hazel eyes.

“Mhmm,” Star mumbled as she set her folded cloak on top of her winter boots and turned around to face Axel. “Hey, you’re supposed to make dinner tonight, you can’t fall asleep!” Axel’s eyes shot open again and the blonde mare groaned as she rolled off of the small bed, all four hooves making a scraping sound across the wood floor as she shuffled over to the door.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember,” Axel yawned.

“Where are you going?” Star asked, darting glances between their saddlebags, where she was certain their food was, and Axel who had opened the bedroom door and was halfway out into the dimly lit hallway. “Our bags are right here.”

“I know, but I was going to go ask Cary if I can use her stove. I remember her saying that she was taking her teapot off of it, so I know she has one and I’m pretty sure that everypony would rather have a hot meal than a cold one,” Axel rattled off without stopping. “I’ll be back in a second.” The earth pony shut the door behind her as she left, leaving Star alone in the small bedroom.

“I hope she hurries up,” Star mumbled aloud as she walked over to the single bed and slumped onto the tan, flower patterned blankets. Axel and her had no problem sharing a bed, that was just the sort of thing that two mares their age did if they were friends, but Star realized that she hadn’t thought to ask Dawn and Brass Heart if they wanted separate rooms. Unless they didn’t mind sharing a bed either; the thought caused Star to giggle uncontrollably. One of them would probably just sleep on the floor she decided as she stared up at the plain wood ceiling, illuminated by the two candles sitting on the single desk.

The sound of somepony opening the door stirred Star from her musings and she glanced over to see that Axel had returned. The rust red mare had been serious when she said she would only be a second.

“Cary said it was fine if I use her stove, so I’m going to go make us some food and I’ll get you when it’s ready,” Axel hurriedly reported as she scooped up the bags and rushed back out of the room before Star got the chance to respond. It was fine with Star though, she was perfectly content to let Axel handle the preparations on her own. Fighting against the strength of a blizzard for so long had left Star physically and mentally exhausted and she was having a hard enough time simply staying awake. She let her eyes closed, deciding to give them a quick rest before dinner.

“Wake up!” Axel’s exclamation was punctuated by her jumping onto the bed, sending Star flying into the air, still half asleep with panic in her wide eyes. Star’s heart was racing like mad as she landed back on the mattress with Axel staring into her face with a wide smile that Star seriously considers smacking off of her.

“What the hay was that for?” Star asked her hyperactive friend as she sprawled out on the bed and waited for her pulse to slow. She had no idea when she fell asleep or how long she had been out of it, but Axel had told her that she would come get her for dinner, so it couldn’t have been more than a half hour or so.

“Well you just looked so peaceful sleeping there and I don’t often get an opportunity like this because you wake up earlier than me, so I thought I’d give you a little surprise,” Axel explained, between an infectious laugh that Star had to fight against returning.

“Next time, just a little nudge on the shoulder would be fine,” Star replied as she sat up on the bed. “Did you finish cooking?” Axel nodded her head enthusiastically as Star hopped down from the bed and gave a quick stretch of each leg, followed by a drawn out yawn.

“I made a big pot of soup and there’s some fresh bread too,” Axel said as she practically shoved Star out of the room and into the hallway, where Brass Heart and Dawn Glory were already waiting for them. “Cary helped me make it and between both of our skills I think this meal is going to be amazing.” By the last word the volume of Axel’s cheery voice had risen to nearly a yell and Star shushed her as they trod over the worn carpet that ran the length of the floor.

“There are probably ponies sleeping already Axel. You need to keep your voice down,” Star explained as they descended the rickety stairs of the inn and were met by Cary. “Hello again,” Star said with a quick wave to the older mare.

“Are you all ready for some dinner?” Cary asked with a sweet smile, “Because I think with Axel’s help I have managed to outdo myself this time.” It certainly smelled like the truth, Star thought as she caught the aroma of squash laced with various herbs and spices. The enticing scent was enough to get her mouth watering and a quick glance to her companions showed them to be under the same effect.

“Mmm, that smells so good,” Brass Heart said as they followed Cary, who led them around the front counter and through the open archway that separated the main lobby from her home.

“Mhmm,” Dawn hummed in agreement as they walked into Cary’s dining room and saw the spread of food that she and Axel had set out for them. There wasn’t only soup and bread, as Axel had mentioned, but also grilled vegetables and what looked like a large carrot cake.

“When you said you would make dinner I never thought it would be so extravagant,” Star told Axel as she let her gaze drift from one end of the table to the other. “I’m not complaining though.”

“Yeah, I guess we may have gone just a tiny bit crazy with the cooking, but we got around to talking while we worked on it and before either of us knew what happened we had cooked up all of this,” Axel explained with a smile and an absentminded gesture towards the meal. “Anywho, how about we all dig in?” Nopony had to tell them twice. Brass Heart and Dawn waited until the mares had taken their seats before finally sitting down and giving in to their temptations. Everypony filled their plates until it looked as if food would spill over the edge and there was still plenty left over.

Normally Star enjoyed a bit of conversation while she ate, but her friends were so preoccupied with getting their fill as quickly as possible that she had time to let her mind wander. A glance around the small room didn’t reveal any changes since the last time she had been to the Village Inn. Cary had the same simple painting hanging on one of the log walls and the usual green rug, worn down from years of abuse, spread out across the floor. It wasn’t overly large and there were no unnecessary luxuries, but Cary had always seemed to like the place that way, even though she probably could have moved into a bigger house.

The sound of a serving spoon scraping lightly on the bottom of the large pot of soup alerted Star to the fact that she had sort of tuned out and slowed her eating while everypony else was ready to grab seconds. She immediately dove back into her food, shoving down bite after bite with gusto, but only because she was secure in the knowledge that her friends would be far too busy eating to pay her bad manners any mind. It wasn’t long before she finished her first plate and helped herself to some more, although not nearly as much the second time.

“So how long have you been operating the inn,” Brass Heart asked, able to talk now that his eating had slowed to a normal pace.

“Just over a decade now,” Cary replied after she finished chewing and swallowing the food in her mouth. “Ugh, I just realized how old that makes me sound.” She shot Brass Heart a smile, which he returned with a chuckle.

“Well you certainly don’t look it,” he told her.

“Oh, I like him,” Cary said with a wink to Star, who was too occupied with her chewing to acknowledge the older mare’s gesture.

“Pardon me if I’m being rude, but are you married?” Dawn asked.

“Why, are you interested?” Cary responded with an amused giggle. “In all seriousness though, I was married at one point, but my husband passed away.” Although she still wore a smile, everypony gathered around the table could see it had lost some of its sincerity.

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” Dawn replied.

“Me too,” Cary told him in a quite voice, “but let’s not spoil this pleasant evening with that sort of talk. Does anypony want thirds?” Her question seemed to effectively change the subject, although Star figured it would have been dropped anyway. Everypony let out a groan as they stared at the remaining food and clutched their overburdened stomachs. There was no way any of them could fit another bite.

“Thank you for the offer, but I think I’m going to quit while I can still stand,” Brass Heart explained as he forced his body up from the small wooden table. Dawn nodded his head in agreement, disheveled light blue mane spilling over his green eyes before being brushed away with a limp hoof.

“What about this delicious cake that Axel and I made?” Cary asked them, feigning a wounded expression as she caught Brass Heart’s blue eyes with hers.

“A rain check,” Star interjected before Cary could guilt her companions into eating until they burst. “I say we all have cake for breakfast.”

“I’m sure that’s healthy,” Dawn replied in a sarcastic voice as Axel and Star got up from the table and joined him and Brass Heart by the doorway of Cary’s dining room.

“I’ll hold you all to that,” Cary assured them before waving them off.

“Don’t worry Cary, I wouldn’t miss eating some of that amazing cake,” Axel called back to her. “Thanks again for helping me cook dinner. I couldn’t have done such a great job without the extra hooves.” Cary gave her a nod and a smile before they all left the comfort of her small home and stepped back into the open lobby of the inn.

Star looked from Brass Heart to Dawn and finally to Axel; every one of them looked like they were on the edge of being sick from overeating and Star was no exception. She regretted how much she had consumed, but it had been delicious and everypony else had been doing the same thing, so she got caught up in the rush. Her stomach groaned in mild protest as she took the first squeaking step up to her room.

“I am going to sleep so well after that meal,” Axel said with a slightly dreamy look on her face, as if she might fall unconscious at any moment. The two stallions mumbled their agreement and Star nodded her head with a yawn. She could feel the corners of her eyes being tugged down as the lethargy of so much food began to set in. All four ponies slowly made their way to the end of the hall, pausing for a moment to bid one another a good night.

Axel and Star wordlessly sank on to the bed, relaxing as their heads hit the soft pillows. Star felt like she was sinking into molasses as she fought against the drowsiness she felt, long enough to squirm under the thick blankets. Axel didn’t seem to have as much trouble and after letting out one final yawn she was fast asleep. Star’s was about to join her in sleep until she realized that they had left the candles burning on the desk. One light flicker of magic and she solved that problem.

Now that she had confronted her issues, Star was content to let her mind wander on its own while she sank into her dreams. There was a wonderful joy to letting them happen naturally and as colors and sound shifted around her, Star found herself relaxing in a way that she hadn’t for awhile. She had almost forgotten what it was like to dream walk without having fear and worries pressing on the edges of her mind.

“Discipula Star,” Princess Luna called out as she passed through the boundaries of Star’s wandering mind and touched down on her dreamscape. “I have been wondering when you might be falling asleep.”

“Good evening Princess Luna,” Star called out with a smile as she stood up and met her teacher at a table she had conjured for the two of them. She bowed once before taking her seat, while Luna remained standing where she was. Star had expected her mentor to join her for awhile, but Luna looked as if she only had a moment. “Are you busy tonight, princess?”

“Yes, but I thought it would be nice to stop in and see how your trip has been thus far,” Luna replied with a smile. “I was told that there was a bit of foul weather up north and I wanted to be sure that you were safe.” The princesses concern was well founded, a blizzard of that magnitude was nothing to take lightly, but they had been relatively safe in the sky chariot.

“I appreciate the concern, princess, but we arrived in Hallow Shades earlier this evening without much trouble,” Star explained. “I am more curious to hear how you have been though. Are you and Princess Celestia still arguing?” Luna shifted uneasily from hoof to hoof, as if she was unsure if it was a good idea to burden Star with the truth.

“We are still in disagreement over some policies, but nothing to be worried about, my little pony,” Luna assured her. “Now as much as I would love to visit for awhile longer,” Luna added as she glanced around the pleasant scene Star’s mind had created, “I really must be off to visit other dreams.” Star nodded her head in understanding.

“Farewell, princess,” she replied as she stood up and gave another quick bow.

“Good night, Star,” Luna replied as she gave a mighty push of her wings and ascended into the skies of Star’s dream, causing a shimmering ripple as she passed out of the borders and into whatever lay between the worlds.

Author's Note:

As I wrote this story I began to collect a folder with various notes that I used which includes things like; a map of Equestria, a pony anatomy chart, a timeline of events that occur before and during the story and a character list with various traits recorded. I'm a fairly organized person, but not necessarily a planner. I'm still figuring out the best methods of writing for me, personally, but I'm slowly improving. If I hadn't had the map, then I wouldn't have even known about Hallow Shades, because I don't recall it ever being mentioned in the show.