Frozen Family

by Melody Song

Where is Summer's Rose?

"That'th what happened." Fleetfoot told them.

"So you didn't get a good look at who it was?" Soarin asked.

They were sitting in the rec room, Spitfire had chased the other Wonderbolts out, urging them into the kitchen. Dark Shooter had joined them, it was his off day. Rainbow was sitting silently next to Soarin on the couch, cuddling up against the stallion. Soarin draped a wing over her.

"No, I didn't."

"Well, you gave me a pretty good idea on who she was talking about." Rainbow spoke at last, sitting up. "When she told you her friend can walk in dreams. I think she was talking about Princess Luna."

"The Princess did mention to me that she can walk in dreams." Dark Shooter agreed.

"Not just that. I've met her on more than one occasion. The figure called it the Dream Realm. Luna calls it the same thing. She says Dream Realm and Waking World." Rainbow said.

"But what about the roses? Do you know what she might be talking about by those?" Spitfire asked.

"Well, what Fleet said about curing heartaches...kind of reminds me...of this old legend my mom used to tell me about." Rainbow admitted.

"Like what?" Fleetfoot sat up a little straighter.

"The legend was, that certain Pegasi used to make cloaks and blankets woven of stars and the night sky. Apparently, they could mend broken hearts and make you forget about the pain of the day before." Rainbow said.

"So, 'where memories drown' could be a reference to the legend. Do you know what it was called?" Dark Shooter asked.

"My mom called it 'The Legend of the Star Weavers'." Rainbow told him.

"Never heard of it." Spitfire said

"Me neither." Fleetfoot agreed. Dark Shooter and Soarin nodded.

"Well, it's definitely a clue." Rainbow said.

"The Star Weavers...it sounds like it could be true." Spitfire murmured.

"And the pony definitely mentioned weaving the thky. But she thaid it wath in a certain place."

"My mom told me the legend so many times, I memorized it, it goes like this:" Rainbow stood and opened her mouth.

"Wait." Spitfire got up and pulled the blinds closed. "It's more dramatic this way."

The others stifled laughter and Fleetfoot shook her head, giggling. Spitfire shrugged and went to the shelves, where books and board games were stacked up. She moved a few aside and pulled out a metal tin, going back to Fleetfoot.

"What is that?" Soarin asked, as Rainbow sat back down next to him, cuddling under his wing.

"It's my..." Spitfire looked around to make sure they were alone. "...it's my stash of cookies. I've got one in my office too. Don't tell the others, okay?"

"Oh, so Spit's got a sweet tooth." Soarin teased

"Shut up Soarin, or I won't give you any." Spitfire snarled playfully, prying open the tin and taking out a cookie.

"Yum, chocolate chip." Fleetfoot said, reaching and taking one.

"Can I talk now?" Rainbow asked

"Oh, yeah, go ahead." Spitfire told her, passing the tin to Soarin.

"Right." Rainbow cleared her throat and began. "The Legend of the Star Weavers."

"Once, when Equestria was young, some of the Pegasi of our ancient Cloudsdale would fly high above the land, higher than any pony else could go, and gather the stars in their hooves. When they returned, they would weave beautiful blankets and cloaks from the stars. However, they always returned the stars to the sky to replenish them, and in return, they'd get enough from the cycle to make their fabrics. It was said that the fabric sparkled with moondust-"

"Wait, I thought you said it was stars." Dark Shooter interrupted, munching on a cookie.

"Will you let me finish?" Rainbow asked him.

"Sorry, go on."

Rainbow nodded, then continued.

"My mother told me, that the reason it was moondust, is because once the stars had no glow. The Moon felt sorry for all the white dots, so one night, he shook himself until all the excess dust he had was covering the stars. Those stars glowed brighter than anything you’d ever seen, and still glow like that today. The cloaks and blankets the Pegasi made of the stars were also said to mend broken hearts. When you were upset and the day had been bad, you had the blanket of stars to cover you. They were said to fill a pony’s dreams with hope, love, peace, and adventure, so you’d never have a nightmare. The star blankets were something special, and so were the ponies who could weave them. It is said that there are still some Pegasi today that can weave the stars. If they could catch them. It takes a very special pony to touch the stars."

"That all lines up with the riddle. 'Where memories drown' is when the ponies gave up their sadness and hurting to the star blankets." Dark Shooter said.

"Or, maybe it's referring to the night sky, where the blankets were made." Soarin said, and Rainbow nodded.

"That doethn't work, it'th not a thpecific place. We can't patrol the thky until we find it."

"True enough, but my mom also used to tell me that the Star Weavers used to go to a certain place in the sky to collect the stars. She said they'd have to go high enough to touch the sky, and be near enough to a surface to land and wind up the stars. But it doesn't make sense."

"Or...they could be talking about a mountain!" Fleetfoot realized, standing up.

"Yes!" Rainbow cried. "It makes sense!"

"Hate to burst you two's bubble, but there are about a dozen mountains around Equestria." Soarin said, and Rainbow sighed, falling back into his hooves.

"Well, they were Pegasi, so maybe a mountain close to Cloudsdale."

"It's a moving city Spits."

"I meant where it is for most of the year, you know, Canterlot?"

"It'th a thtart." Fleetfoot agreed

"So should we go?" Dark Shooter asked

"Actually, I think maybe we should go at night. The Thtar Blanketth were made from the night, tho we should go at night."

"Agreed." Rainbow said

Author's Note:

This will be split into two chapters, sorry. Also sorry for the wait, the next chapter will come sometime next week.

~Melody Song