Stars in the Shadow of Night

by Melody Song

Into the Dreams

Shadowstar was thrust into cold, and he looked around. The land was dry and barren, with only a few scraggly tree branch-like things. Then, he looked closer and realized that he was in a tree. Griffonstone was built within a tree's branches, so Shadowstar recognized where he was instantly. He used his magic to detect the dreamer, it could be any of the three griffons. There was snow everywhere on the ground, indicating it was winter. He then came across a young Gallus standing in shock before a burning house that had collapsed in on itself.

"Mom? Dad?" the young Gallus asked, and Shadowstar heard a sob. He turned to see Gallus, as he was now, hunched in a corner.

Shadowstar took a few steps towards him.

"Mom said dreamwalking comes with the responsibility of knowing when to step in. I hope this is one of those times." Shadowstar thought nervously, as he touched his hoof to the griffon's back.

Gallus looked up, and Shadowstar smiled kindly at him. He lit up his horn, making the dream disappear in a flash. Gallus sighed and looked down.

"Sorry...seeing Ember like that made me remember my family." Gallus looked up to meet Shadowstar's eyes. "They were griffons, so they weren't, like, the best parents. But, they were mine. And I know they loved me, in some way."

"I'm sorry." Shadowstar looked around at his flank. "My family abandoned me when I got my cutie mark, because it wasn't a useful talent."

"Oh." Gallus looked away. "Does it get better? The pain, I mean?"

"Eventually. You have your friends to help you now, it should make you feel better to be closer to those around you." Shadowstar told him.

"Really?"

"Mm-hmm. And you may want to pay extra attention to one in particular. I'm not Cadence, but clearly the pony's got something for you." Shadowstar smiled, horn glowing.

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Purple washed around them, and Shadowstar made another door appear. He waved his wing at Gallus, before opening it and stepping through. Gallus opened his eyes. He found himself curled beside Sandbar. The pony was still nestled in his grip.

"S-Sandbar?" Gallus whispered.

Sandbar yawned in his sleep and buried his head into Gallus' feathers. Gallus smiled at him.

"...you may want to pay extra attention to one in particular. I'm not Cadence, but clearly the pony's got something for you." Gallus recalled what Shadowstar had said and lifted Sandbar closer to him.

"You're the only pony in our group." Gallus whispered. Sandbar smiled in his sleep. "I think I'll stay up and watch over you for a little bit." Gallus mumbled.

Sandbar yawned again and then cuddled into Gallus' chest fluff, unaware of what he was doing. Gallus leaned against the bed and closed his eyes again, gazing at Sandbar through blurry vision.

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Shadowstar entered the next dream. This one was set in a rocky terrain. He wandered until he found the dreamer. Smolder, who was seen surfing on a stream of lava, using a rock slab as a board. She looked up and saw him, then steered the rock towards him.

"Shadowstar? What are you doing in the Dragonlands? Wait...is this a dream?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Shadowstar nodded "Did you think you were home?"

"Yeah." Smolder sighed, rubbing her arm. "I just want everything to go back to normal. Except for one thing."

"What is it?"

"C'mere." Smolder knocked the board away and led Shadowstar into the land. "Can you fly in dreams?"

"This is your dream Smolder, you tell me."

Smolder flapped her wings and rose into the air, pumping a fist. Shadowstar smiled and spread his wings, following her. Smolder then took him to a large, open cave.

"What is this place?"

"It's the cave of the Dragon Lord." Smolder replied

"You said your dream had something changed from the present Dragonlands. Is this the different thing?"

"The cave, no. That is." Smolder pointed.

Ember was sitting on a throne made of rocks. She clutched a scepter in her hand.

"Ember?"

"There's never been a Dragon Lord who was a girl." Smolder explained. "I'd be Dragon Lord myself, but that's really more my brother's ambition. Even though his great plan for being leader is taking whatever he wants from Equestria and burning the rest."

"It's nice that in your dream, where you could be or have whatever you want, that you give your friend such a big role."

"Yeah. But Ember deserves it anyway." Smolder said

"True enough. So you have a brother?"

"Yeah, Garble. He's more invested in the war than me."

"What's that thing Ember's holding?"

"The Bloodstone Scepter. Whoever holds it is the Dragon Lord."

"Interesting. Clearly it's magical. You'll have to tell Twilight about that, she'll be fascinated."

"Yeah...we're probably not gonna stay long."

"Where would you go?" Shadowstar asked, and Smolder sighed.

"I guess to other towns? We could help injured creatures fighting."

"If you're going to be a Resistance you should focus on trying to get as many creatures as possible to stop fighting, so there will be no citizens to fight for their leaders. From there it will become a stalemate. So I guess it is a good idea to help the fighters, maybe convince them to join your cause."

"Yep." Smolder said.

"I think you're okay here. I'm going on to the next dream now, alright?"

"Yeah, alright." Smolder said.

Shadowstar created a doorway with his magic. He stepped through, letting it close behind him. Smolder turned back to Ember, watching her order a dragon to do something.

"...you could be or have whatever you want..." Smolder remembered his words, then closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, she was standing next to Ember. By her side was Ocellus, on Ember's other side was Thorax. Gallus and Sandbar stood before them, Pharynx, Gabby, and Gilda beside them as well. Smolder beamed.

"Much better."

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Shadowstar stepped through the door, and was immediately thrust into a place made of gray, hole-filled walls. Shadowstar walked forwards, and saw a hole close up.

"Where did it go?" Shadowstar murmured

"The Changeling Hive shifts and changes like we do."

Shadowstar turned to see Pharynx behind him. The only way he recognized the male changeling was Ocellus and Thorax's pupil-less eyes were a light blue rather than purple. Pharynx also had a red frill down his neck, same with his tail, and his carapace was deep purple. It was obviously different from their usual appearance, considering Thorax's carapace was teal and Ocellus' carapace was dark blue.

"This is your dream Pharynx? To be back in your kingdom?"

"Not really. The Thorax in my dream is scouting outside, technically I'm dreaming about infiltrating the Hive and freeing the prisoners."

"Prisoners?"

"Yeah, if Chrysalis hadn't been able to start the war her backup plan was to take a bunch of Equestrian citizens until they agreed to go to war."

"You would rather have that outcome?"

"No. That's why I'm freeing the prisoners before the war starts." Pharynx replied

"How can you find your way there if your home moves?"

"Only Changelings can navigate it. I'll be fine. Do you want to join me?"

"I will for a little bit. It does sound interesting, almost like Spike and Shining Armor's favorite roleplay game, called Ogres and Oubliettes."

"Okay..." Pharynx seemed confused, but led Shadowstar through the dream replica of his home.

Shadowstar watched as Pharynx wandered through the Hive. Pharynx kept glancing back at him.

"You know, we knew who you were before we arrived in Canterlot."

"You...did?"

"Well, we didn't know your name. We just knew you were there. Chrysalis mentioned you, she said you called her names to distract her."

"Yeah, I did."

"Nice. No one's ever had the guts to call swiss-cheese legs names."

"You just did...and you have those legs too."

"I only do that in my head. Fitting, since that's where we are now. And believe me, I wish I didn't have these things."

"I understand how you knew who I was. But did the others? I wasn't a Prince long enough before the war for citizens beyond Canterlot to know about me."

"We told them, when we were in the Zebra's house. She was the one who advised we seek your help."

"Mine?" Shadowstar stopped. "Specifically my help?"

"Yeah. She didn't know who you were either, but somehow she knew you'd help." Pharynx shrugged. "I thought at first she knew more than she was letting on, but I tasted her, she had no clue who you were."

"I'll...consider helping you, for now." Shadowstar told him, lighting up his horn. "But I think I should go into another dream now."

"Fine by me. You were slowing me down anyway." Pharynx said, then sped up, leaving Shadowstar behind.

"Three dreams down, five to go." Shadowstar murmured, preparing himself for the next.

Author's Note:

I am sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. And yes, I had to split it into two, I'm sorry. I hate cliffhangers as much as the next reader and yet I still write them. But the next chapter will come out sometime next week.

~Melody Song