• Published 28th Nov 2021
  • 3,843 Views, 690 Comments

Agate's Vigil - Wingnut



A filly trying to escape from the Crystal Empire's takeover by Sombra gets lost in the north, eventually discovering a strange tribe of ponies.

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Laying the Foundations

❅ ❆ ❅

True Sight greeted the morning with her usual morning grumble and her usual jaw-cracking yawn. It was a routine she had perfected over many decades, from the time she was but a wee little filly.

Oh, how things have changed since then. Then again, perhaps not so much. Sure, she grew old, her hair turned white and her joints were getting stiffer every winter. But, she could still recall her youthful years, even if those memories were somewhat eroded by the passage of time.

Casting a net through the more recent waters of her memory, she tried to remember whether any dreams came to her that night. Nothing surfaced, which was probably a good sign. For someone who was usually able to see through riddles and tricks with little effort, attempting to decipher the vague omens of dreams was always a bit of a pain.

Getting up from her bed, the old mare stretched her creaking limbs and reached for a small nightstand. Her hoof found a comb, getting to work on straightening out her bed head. After a few passes through her mane, she moved the comb to fluff out her coat. It got thinner as the years went on, but not bad enough for her to need clothes.

After tidying up, the comb was returned to the nightstand, and various accessories were retrieved by the mare. A few wooden bangles on her forelegs, several pieces of carved bone tied into her mane. She rubbed a protective amulet indecisively for a moment before putting it back. Not likely she'd need to leave the village today.

Her morning preparations done, she walked through the door to the common room. Earthsong was already up, having made a pot of tea and a steaming bowl of porridge for the two of them to share.

"Morning, elder. I hope your sleep was restful, though you certainly couldn't tell it by the expression on your face," she spoke with a faint smile.

True Sight merely rolled her eyes at this. "You know me by now, you goof. I love being awake and doing things. And I love having a deep, restful sleep. It's the time between the two things that annoys me. Lying in bed trying to fall asleep, or waking up and feeling like parts of you are still snoozing. And then you have to drag yourself out of bed anyway to make those parts wake up. Feh." Pouring herself a cup of tea, she glanced at the porridge. Some simple roots, boiled and ground into a paste. Not terribly flavorful, though there was a small bowl of dried cranberries to give it some taste.

Seeing as the porridge bowl was half-empty already, she dumped a hoofful of cranberries into the bowl and started lazily mixing them up. "I see you already ate. You are an earlier bird than me, but you're not usually this fast to finish your food. Trying to get a head start on some things you've planned for today, hmmm?"

Earthsong nodded, finishing off her tea. "Yes, I am heading out in a moment. I decided to take charge of procuring the tree for the totem pole. I'll need to rustle up a team of woodcutters to accompany me, find the right tree, make preparations, speak the right apologies to soothe the spirits of the forest, and so on. I'll likely have more volunteers than I'll need, but it will still take time. Many things to do today, though I'm certain you're not going to be idly sitting by while we're busy working on the totem."

True Sight nodded, slowly swallowing a mouthful of porridge. "Certainly. I'm in a bit of a tricky situation, mind you. A pony's totem is usually carved with their achievements in life, their ties to the family, tribe and land, and so on. Something which we know nothing of in regards to this spirit. So, I suppose I'll just have to get creative with what I tell the carvers."

Getting up, the younger mare smiled. "I'm certain you will come up with something. Even if she can't learn our tongue that fast, you can tell a lot about a pony from just observing them. And I couldn't think of a better pony for that task than you. Good luck, elder." With that, she turned for the door leading outside.

True Sight nodded again, sipping on the tea. What Earthsong said matched her own thoughts quite well. Of course, she couldn't just sit there and stare at the filly. No true insight would be gained that way. She'd just have to tail the little spirit and see what she got up to during the day.

No doubt, the filly would try to stick by Glacier Glider, but the mare likely had things to do. While she obviously felt sorry for the lost spirit, she did have a living family to take care of. However, there was no shortage of bored, listless foals in the village. More than likely, they'd try to involve the filly in some game or other.

Her plan made, the old shamare finished her breakfast in an unhurried fashion before licking the bowl clean and putting the dishes away. Taking the last gulp of tea, she set out to find Glacier Glider's abode. Depending on their mood, the family could already be out and about, or they might be still asleep.

Stepping out into the cold had the effect of banishing any lingering remnants of sleep, at least. Seeing her breath fog up in the air, she considered her options. Ask a northerner for directions, or just go for a walk and keep an eye out for the stray spirit? Seeing no one around, she shrugged and turned left. Some of the northerners built igloos while they were visiting Snowpitt, but there were a few longhouses set aside for the visitors as well. She'd check those first.

It didn't take long to meet a small fishing expedition heading out to a lake nearby and ask them if they knew where Glacier Glider resided, which they did. Thanking the ponies and wishing them a successful trip, she made her way to the longhouse the ponies told her about. The mare was indeed outside, showing her daughters how to replace a broken plank from a sled. The spirit was sitting a little bit further, observing the family silently.

"Now remember, you have to do this before every trip. Examine every spear, every sled, every bag. Many things can go bad when you venture out, and you never know what is actually going to happen. That is why it is extremely important to rule out things that are predictable, and preventable, so you can focus on things that are not. If a blizzard rolls in and you have to rush back home with your catch, you'll more than likely be fine if you prepared properly. If the same happens and your sled breaks down, you're going to have to abandon everything and go home hungry." The sisters nodded, watching their mother tie knots to secure the new plank of wood.

"Good morning, Glacier," True Sight spoke. "I thank you for housing our guest here. I trust she wasn't any trouble? She doesn't look the type."

"Not at all, elder. She seems to be the quiet kind of foal, though perhaps it is her inability to speak to us. She was happy enough to spend the night with us, but I'm afraid I can't do much for her any more." Finishing the knot on one end of the sled, the mare turned towards the spirit. "However, I did manage to figure out one thing, at least. It got awkward not even knowing the name of a guest that was staying with us, so during breakfast, I got her to introduce herself."

True Sight watched curiously while the mare waved the filly over, pointing at herself. "G-l-a-c-i-e-r," she enunciated slowly. "Glacier Glider." The filly nodded, apparently familiar with the exercise. She put a hoof on her chest, sounding out her foreign name. "Agate. Ag-ate." She then pointed her hoof at the mare. "Glaze... Glacy... Gliger." Glacier smiled at the filly's attempt, then looked towards True Sight. The old mare stood there for a moment, before figuring out that she was being invited to introduce herself.

"True Sight. Trrruuuueeee. Siiight. And you're... Agh- Agay- hmm. A-gate." The little spirit lit up at her name, an actual glimmer running through her ethereal coat. That was odd. Just one of the many odd things about her, though.

Her attempt to speak True Sight's name went a little better than when she tried saying Glacier Glider's, though she wasn't all that far off the mark that time. "Mmm... Troo... Troo seight.. Sigh.. Sight. True Sight." The elder smiled at the filly, gently patting her on the head.

"Well, little one, it seems that your host is busy dealing with matters of life. And if this was your birth family, watching over them would be your very duty. But, if we are to find out what happened to you and your own parents, then I'm afraid we'll need to leave them for a while. Will you come along, Agate?" The filly clearly didn't understand anything but the last part, where True Sight indicated the path leading back to the center of the village. She looked back at Glacier Glider uncertainly.

The mare smiled, nodding at the shamare. "Go with her, little one. I can only offer you the simple comfort of a hug and a soothing word. It helped when you were scared and lost, but now that you've calmed down a bit, I'm sure you're itching to learn how to talk with us. I know a curious foal when I see one." Glancing between the two, the spirit came over to the mare for a hug, the two daughters joining in. After a few nuzzles and whispered words, she went over to True Sight's side.

The two walked, a one-sided conversation going on between them. "Wasn't what I was planning, exactly, but the day's not over yet. Far from it." Glancing at the pitch black sky, the old mare continued. "I suppose the others would want to see you either way. I know that it's rude to examine a pony like some exotic catch from the depths of the ocean, but you're just so strange and interesting." The filly kept one ear pointed in her direction, looking around all the time. Some ponies were still in their beds, but plenty were up and about, going about their business. The fishermares seemed to hold a particular interest to the spirit.

Soon, they reached the ceremonial grounds. They were mostly empty of ponies, though a few shamares were sitting on logs set around the firepit. Recognizing Blizzard Heart, the two moved towards the snow-white mare. She was talking quietly to Current Weave about something. Likely giving her more instruction, considering what happened yesterday.

The two elders greeted each other with a hug and a smile, while the young shamare examined the filly with some curiosity. "Hello, little traveler. I hope the morning finds you well."

"Her name is Agate, apparently," True Sight interjected. "That's the only thing we've managed to find out so far, but she did learn how to say my name quite well. I wanted to learn more about her so we'd know how to carve her totem properly, but it's going to be difficult like this. I was hoping some ponies her age would come find her so I can watch how she behaves."

Blizzard Heart shrugged, gently beckoning Agate to approach her. "Just a question of time until that happens, I think. Might be better to teach her at least a few words first anyway. Agate, come." Tilting her head, the filly approached the shamare. "Good foal. Now, listen to me. I am Blizzard Heart." The elder mimed everything she spoke, pointing with a hoof towards the filly's ears, then towards herself. "Current Weave, come closer." The younger got up from her log, coming to stand next to the elder.

The filly was watching the exchange obediently, her ears cocked and alert, intense concentration on her face. True Sight got the gist of it pretty quick, moving away to sit down on a log a bit further away. "Alright, Current Weave, now come here." Sending the young mare back and forth several times, they looked expectantly at Agate every time. Eventually, the filly attempted to string the words together herself.

"Currant... come... True Sight?" The adults smiled, satisfied with her progress. She still mispronounced some words, but clearly was fast on the uptake.

"Alright, now, Agate, come over here," beckoned Blizzard Heart.

The three shamares made a game of it, adding in a few more words now and then. First they added the word "go", sending the filly to one of the other three instead of calling out for her to come. Then they taught her the words listen, watch, follow, tree, snow, how to say hello, and the word "name". After a few hours of this, Agate was able to make some very basic sentences.

Eventually, as Blizzard Heart predicted, some curious foals came across the group. They sat some distance away from the elders and their ghostly pupil, whispering quietly among themselves so as not to interrupt the lesson. Seeing this, Blizzard Heart got up from her sitting position, a few cracks emanating from her joints. "Well, it's been some time now, and this old mare needs to move a little before I turn completely stiff. I think I'll go get some food in my belly. Be seeing you, True Sight. And good work, Agate." With a nod to the other shamare, the elder ambled off, Current Weave following along.

True Sight, meanwhile, took a look at the sky. The sun rose a few moments ago, providing some dim light for the world. It wouldn't stay up long at all, but it was still a sign that the winter darkness was ending. Many other ponies were glancing at the sky as well, small smiles on their faces. It didn't provide any true warmth yet, but the knowledge that spring was knocking on their doors warmed their spirits regardless.

The changing seasons were making ponies restless, including the energetic group of foals. The shamare smiled at the filly, nodding towards the whispering herd. "Why don't you go with them for a while, Agate? I think I need to sit down for a little bit." The filly bit her lip, looking around. With no other options of what to do, she shrugged and went towards the dozen foals watching her curiously. True Sight, meanwhile, discreetly kept an eye on the little spirit.

The first reaction was, predictably, excited babbling as the foals all examined and exclaimed at all the various ways the filly differed from a snowpony. Some looked curiously at her peculiar eyes, while others marveled at her short and shiny coat, wondering whether that was an effect due to her being a spirit, or if she truly looked like that in life.

After the most excited ones stopped talking one over another, introductions were made. It was slow and awkward, but the filly managed to make herself understood. " <...> Agate. *garbled* name Agate," the spirit said, thumping her chest with a hoof.

That led to more excitement, as the foals started introducing themselves all at once. One of the older ones, almost a teenager by the looks of him, rolled his eyes and shushed the rest of his gang. Giving Agate a long-suffering smile, he introduced himself as Windsprint. She smiled back at him, shrugging and saying something in her language.

The foreign sounds caught the interest of the group, and they spent some time urging the spirit to say things in her tongue, even if they couldn't understand a word of it. After a while, some of the more energetic foals started to get bored, and it all went exactly as it always did. One of them scooped up a snowball, another noticed it happening and started making one too, snow was thrown, threats were made, and it all quickly devolved into the usual foalish shrieking and roughhousing.

Agate took it all with remarkable calm, a few snowballs flying through her incorporeal form. "That filly has the self-control and calm of an elder, really," True Sight thought while observing the situation. "Something to remember."

It didn't take long for the other foals to notice that their new playmate wasn't really doing anything, just standing there and observing them all with a wistful expression. They took to rectifying that with their usual youthful enthusiasm, poking and bumping into her, getting the spirit to chase after them in a chaotic game of tag/snowball fight/hide and seek.

True Sight observed it all with her usual attention to detail, though it didn't take long for her to get distracted by her stomach growling. Taking another look at the sky, she saw that the sun was already at the highest point and slowly climbing downwards. Sighing at the shortness of the "day", if it could even be called that, the elder got up to seek out some food.

Shooting a glance behind her, she saw that the foals were still playing. She probably had time to quickly rustle up something to eat and come back before they tired out and left to do something else. Probably just grab a smoked fish from her pantry so as not to bother with cooking.

❅ ❆ ❅

Coming back to the vicinity of the ceremonial grounds, the shamare licked her lips from any leftover grease while looking around for her target. Things quieted down, but she could still hear the voices of young ponies from somewhere nearby. Turning her ears to gauge the direction, she carefully got within listening distance of the group. The whole dozen was still here, though no longer running about.

It looked like the foals either went back to trying to learn about their guest now that they expended some of that youthful energy, or were trying to impress her with their skills. Agate was sitting down watching them all, while the group engaged in various activities. One filly was chipping away at a sizeable chunk of ice she dug out from somewhere, managing to carve out a truly lifelike bust of a mare in what was likely a very short amount of time. A few foals were watching her work, suitably impressed.

A couple of colts seemed determined to find out what her name meant, bringing every possible thing that they could find before the filly, before asking "Agate?" while pointing at the items. A small pile of things accumulated at that point, including ashes, a chunk of charcoal from the firepit, icicles, twigs, a pine branch, a feather and a frayed strand of rope. The filly giggled at some of the offerings, shaking her head firmly every time. With each new thing, she would say something in her tongue, naming the items. Some of the foals tried repeating the odd words, while the eldest of the group - Windsprint, that's right - would say their names in their tongue.

The remaining three were still playing around, though in a rather different way. All three, no doubt northerners to the last, were tunneling through the snow around the group, showing off their mastery of the icy environment. Every now and then, they'd pop up with something, either a chunk of ice for the sculptor filly or a hoofful of grass in their mouths. Other times, they'd run into each other in their tunneling, which would result in a vigorous digging/wrestling match that sent snow spraying in every direction.

The two colts brought a pinecone before the filly this time, which also resulted in a negative reply. She named the item, and Windsprint supplied the name in the snowpony tongue.

"Pinecone. Pine... cone. From the pine tree."

Agate nodded, listening attentively. "Paincone. Pain tree. No... No agate. No agate... <something>," she indicated waving her hooves all around. Probably showing the two colts that they weren't going to find whatever she was named after anywhere around here.

That made their expressions fall a bit. Agate looked around, biting her lip. Her gaze eventually fell upon the firepit. She got up, getting to the edge of the depression in the ground. The foals all stopped what they were doing, watching the spirit with rapt attention. She poked around the snow, looking for something. Ashes? No, that was something else...

Trying to get a better angle, True Sight circled the group quietly. Hopefully, no one would see her. Fortunately, the group's attention was locked firmly on Agate.

The filly soon found what she was looking for, sinking her ethereal hoof through the snow. A small flash of light came through there, intriguing the foals. She said something and mimed digging. One of the snow tunnellers eagerly jumped in to retrieve the object, while the others gathered closer around her.

It turned out to be a spirit stone, lightly covered by snow. The foal, eager at first, suddenly froze when he saw just what he was holding in his hooves. He then carefully put the stone down, taking a step backwards. While the spirit stones were not dangerous or held any significant power, they were quite rare. The only place to get them was a small mountain deep in the northern tribe's territory, and breaking one while playing would bring great shame to the foals.

Agate pointed at the stone, saying something in her tongue again. "Citrine. No agate. Agate..." She looked around, likely looking for something to explain the difference between "agate" and "citrine", whatever those were. True Sight raised an eyebrow. Was "citrine" their word for spirit stones? And if agate was something similar...

The filly sighed, and shrugged in disappointment. She then poked the stone, making it light up again. That was followed by various impressed exclamations from the foals, along with another raised eyebrow from True Sight.

"Now this is interesting...." True Sight looked at the filly more closely. "It takes quite some effort for even the most experienced shamares to make the stones light up. And yet, here she is, doing it without any effort on her part."

The other foal's exclamations made Agate raise her eyebrows in surprise as well. It seemed that she really didn't consider this ability of hers anything noteworthy at all. At the other's urging, she shrugged and sat down in front of the stone, reaching her forelegs toward it. As she touched it, she began to quietly hum a simple melody.

The stone, almost completely dark after lying in the snow all winter, started slowly but steadily lighting up. While Agate clearly had a natural gift for it, it was also obvious she did not possess any experience at the craft. She'd slip up and lose concentration sometimes, making the glow flicker wildly before almost petering out. Still, it was far, far more than most other ponies could do.

The stone kept getting brighter, the audience ooh-ing and aah-ing at the display. True Sight kept her eyes trained on the filly, however, and could see that the show would be coming to an end soon. Agate had her tongue stuck out of the side of her mouth in concentration, brow furrowed and the melody that she was previously humming forgotten. She also began to flicker and fade, becoming even more translucent as she used up her spiritual strength in her effort.

The ice sculptor filly noticed it first, letting out an exclamation of surprise and worry. However, it was too late. Agate gasped, letting go of the stone. She had gone almost invisible at this point, confusing and scaring the group. The previously elated foals immediately turned scared, backing up in concern.

True Sight grimaced, making her way towards Agate. She could see the spirit clear as day, as usual - nothing could hide from her piercing gaze. But the foals were not trained in the ways of the shamares, and to them, it looked like their new friend just vanished into thin air.

The filly wasn't doing all that great either, waving her hooves around and screaming soundlessly into the air. Quite clearly, she had gone blind and deaf. Fortunately, it was a very common and well-known issue for lost pony spirits, and as such, it also had very well known solutions. True Sight waded through the panic-stricken foals, going straight for the distressed spirit.

The sight of the confident shamare immediately made the foals quiet down, looking at the elder with hope. The sculptor filly tried explaining the situation, likely thinking that the shamare wasn't fully aware what caused their fear.

"E-elder, there was the foreign pony spirit, and she was making the spirit stone light up, but then she-"

"Hush, little one," interrupted True Sight. "I saw everything. No need to worry, nothing bad or irreversible happened," she explained while firmly grabbing Agate by the scruff and pressing the spirit to her chest. The ghostly filly gasped, pressing her muzzle into the shamare's fluff. The elder patted the filly on the head, waiting for her to calm down.

The foals squinted, watching the scene with some confusion. It looked like the shamare just grabbed at the air, pretending to hold something. But some of the more sharp-eyed ones eventually saw the faint outline of the filly pressed to the mare.

The sculptor filly spoke up again. "Elder? Can you... can you tell us what happened? We didn't do anything wrong, did we? I know that we're not supposed to play with the spirit stones, but we didn't think that anything would happen, and Agh- Agate here looked like she really knew what she was doing..."

True Sight shook her head, putting on a smile to calm the foals. "Nothing special or unusual, little one. Young Agate here just got lost." At their confused expressions, she elaborated. "You all are young yet, but I'm certain you know of the duties of the shamares. Your parents must have told you the basics, at least. While the shamares are known for protecting their tribes and villages from malevolent spirits, the very first and most important thing we are taught is to find the lost spirits of our kind and guide them back to the light of our homes."

Agate was becoming a little more visible at this point, her eyes darting around. She made no move to disengage from True Sight, however. The shamare continued , heedless of the cold seeping into her chest. "The issue is, not all ponies are the same. Just like our bodies are different, so are our spirits. Some have weaker spirits, and when they pass on, they are unable to focus enough to manifest themselves to other ponies, or even see or hear anything. It is a terrible fate, to be lost in the silent dark. That is why the shamares venture out to guide them back home, if they know where the pony lost their life. And if not, that is what the Calling is for."

All the foals were listening quietly, a few of them coming to hug the still badly distressed Agate. They flinched in surprise at the cold, but then proceeded to latch on to the filly with all their strength. True Sight chuckled. "You noticed the cold, yes? The spirit can get tired, too. It doesn't look like it, but spirits do take effort to accomplish things, especially the kind of magic Agate here managed to pull off. And if they overexert themselves, well. You saw what happened." The shamare glanced sideways at the still impressively glowing spirit stone. "And just like with a pony that spent too much time in the cold, you can fix them up with a good cuddle pile. We can't share our food or drink with spirits any more, but sharing our warmth is still an option. There are other ways, but those are usually limited to shamares."

"Thank you, elder," spoke the sculptor filly, quickly followed by the other foals. True Sight nodded, sighing in relief that Agate truly had excellent self-control. Said filly was now looking around, ears turning every which way, like she was trying to make sure her surroundings were real.

"Well," exclaimed True Sight. "I think it's time for us to go our separate ways. It's been a long day, and while it's certainly not over yet, you've been playing with Agate here for quite some time. Enough for me to go have some food and come back to find you all still here. While our spirit friend doesn't need to eat, you all certainly do. Perhaps it's time for you all to go find your families and fill up. And Agate could use some rest too, I think."

The foals smiled sheepishly, several growls emanating from their stomachs now that they were reminded of food. One by one, they all dispersed, though not without a firm hug and a kind word for Agate. The filly watched them go, before taking a step away from True Sight and giving her a long look. The old mare tilted her head in a questioning manner. "Something wrong, little one?"

The filly bit her lip, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She came towards the elder again, giving her a firm hug and quietly whispering something that most likely was an expression of gratitude. True Sight smiled, patting the filly again. "There there, little one. It's okay. Just doing my duty, really. It looks like you're not going to let go of me any time soon, so I suppose I'm going to have to take you with me, eh? Let's go see if Earthsong came back yet. Follow me, Agate," she spoke, using one of the few words she knew the filly understood.

The filly obediently went along, keeping as close to the shamare's side as she could. The two made their way southwards, where most of the woodworkers lived. The only source of wood around was the forest on the foothills of the mountains to the south, so all the workshops were concentrated in that part of the village.

True Sight cantered along in her usual unhurried pace, giving nods and quiet greetings to the few ponies that they passed. While there were a number of ponies capable of working wood into all kinds of things, from a slim spear haft to the huge logs needed to build their homes, the totems needed special attention. The trees were brought in whole, which meant that ponies would need to work outside, instead of cutting the material down to more manageable chunks and bringing them to their workshops. To that end, a clearing had been put aside for these special occasions.

"Been some time since I've passed through here," the old mare reminisced. Navigating past the last building before the clearing, she was greeted with the sight of an impressive pine tree, suspended above the ground on a number of large wooden blocks. The ponies were already working on it, though it was clear that they started only recently. Several of the larger branches have been removed, while a few shamares were measuring the length of the future totem pole, marking down the spot where to make the cut.

While Agate was taking in the scene with wide eyes, True Sight scanned the area, homing in on Earthsong. The mare was leaning back against a table stacked with various woodworking implements, a steaming cup in her hooves. She looked tired, but satisfied after a day's of hard work. More than likely, she didn't just perform the proper rites for the event, but also helped drag the tree here herself.

Making her way between all the ponies cutting, sawing, debarking and otherwise preparing the tree for it's new purpose, True Sight clicked her tongue disapprovingly. That mare really needed to learn to relax a little bit. Overwork would just lead to your mane getting gray early.

"So, how did it go? The tree looks like a fine one, and things are usually still quiet in the woods this time of year."

Turning her ears towards the elder, Earthsong kept her gaze on the working ponies. "Everything went as well as you could hope for. No beasts or anything else got in our way. I made the proper apologies to the forest spirits while the stallions swiftly uprooted the tree. We only got back recently." Taking a gulp from her cup, she turned her eyes towards Agate, who was still watching the work going around her with curiosity. "And how did your day go? Anything interesting you managed to learn about our visitor?"

"A few things. Her name, for one, though naturally it doesn't carry any meaning for us. Her character, what little I managed to see in the hours I spent watching her. And, quite importantly, I saw that she has an interesting talent in manipulating spirit stones. Her tribe certainly has some unusual skills. Her totem will be something unusual, that's for sure."

Glancing at the spirit, Earthsong nodded. "I am glad to hear that, elder. I knew you could do it. Well." Sweeping her eyes around the ponies working on the pine tree, she finished her drink and started to get up, leaving the cup on the table. "It looks like they have things well in hoof here, and if I stayed around, I'd just get in the way. I think I'll make my way home now. Will you come along?"

Looking around, True Sight hummed in thought. There would be plenty of work for her here tomorrow, but there was little to do now. The woodworkers had a lot of cleaning and cutting down to size to do before the shamares could be let loose upon the lumber.

"No, I think you're right. Let's go back. After you get some food, I'll introduce you to Agate here. We'll see if we can teach her some more words."

Hearing her name, the filly turned her head towards them with a questioning look. True Sight beckoned her to come along, nodding towards Earthsong. With one last look towards the busy ponies, the filly turned to follow.

❅ ❆ ❅

It was getting late in the evening, though not yet time to go to sleep. Earthsong was lying down in front of the firepit, stretched out lazily. True Sight was chewing on some dried berries, while Agate was staring at Earthsong in some kind of horrified fascination.

When the trio returned to the shamare's abode, True Sight only got some dried grass and moss to snack on. The fish she ate earlier was quite filling, and she wasn't feeling very hungry. Earthsong, however, needed to get her strength back after a whole day's worth of hard physical and spiritual labor. She retrieved two whole smoked fish from the pantry, tearing into them with a ravenous hunger.

Agate was busy examining all sorts of knick-knacks and carvings that were usually present in every shamare's home, so she didn't see just what Earthsong was eating at first. By the time the mare started on the second fish though, the filly idly glanced her way, before snapping her head towards the sight in surprise.

With how quiet the filly was, Earthsong didn't even notice anything until she had finished eating. Only after licking her lips clean and making sure there were no scraps left on the bones did she notice that Agate had been staring slack-jawed at her for some time. Her first reaction was confusion, wiggling her ears and checking if there was something stuck on her face.

"Is something wrong, hmm... Agate? Did I get messy while eating? I was kind of hungry..."

"You're clean," replied True Sight. "Not entirely sure what confused her so terribly. Perhaps it was the fish? Maybe it's a variety they don't have where she lives? Or... at all?"

"But..." Earthsong paused, thinking it over. "We do eat mostly plants here in the southern plains, but everyone loves a good fish. Our river fish are not near as impressive as the ones the northern tribe brings in when they come around, but they're still very good. Eating just hay and moss all the time would get dull, not to mention not very filling. Surely they have rivers in their lands? Or lakes?"

The elder shrugged, looking at the confused filly. She didn't seem scared or disgusted, only completely flabbergasted. Did her tribe truly not have any fishing spots in their lands, or they just never learned how to catch fish? Yet another odd thing about her. With so many everyday things causing surprise to the visitor, it was hard to imagine what her tribe was even like.

Meanwhile, Earthsong cleaned up the remains of her dinner and put away the plate, tossing the bones into the fire. All the time, Agate kept looking at the mare while glancing at the fish bones now and then. "What's the matter, Agate? Did you never have fish in your life? Goodness, now I feel even more sorry for you. Such a thin coat, and then not- wait." The mare pursed her lips, looking at the filly. "Is that why your coat is so short? The northerners do have the shiniest and thickest coats, and they eat so much fish..."

Naturally, Agate couldn't really answer such a complex question yet. She kept sitting silently, pondering the mare in front of her. Earthsong shrugged, stretching out her tired legs in front of the firepit. Silence fell over the cabin for a while, every pony silently trying to puzzle out each other's mysteries.

It went on for a little while, until Earthsong couldn't take it any more. "Alright, this is getting us nowhere. I'm not going to fall asleep after such a big meal just yet, so why don't we do something useful? Elder, you said you managed to teach her some words? How did you do it?"

"Well. Lots of demonstration, usually. Or pointing at something and repeating its name until she was able to say it back properly. Nothing too hard. It took some time to learn just a few words, but I think she's picking things up faster already. She's a quick study, or at least a good listener."

Earthsong nodded, looking around for something simple within reach. "Alright. Not much we can do inside, but we can probably teach her quite a few names of items around us. Hm. Perhaps I should grab another fish from the pantry, just to see if she has a word for it in her tongue. I'm really itching to find out if her tribe knows what fish are."

❅ ❆ ❅

True Sight greeted the morning with her usual morning grumble and her usual jaw-cracking yawn. Yesterday had been interesting, but it didn't change the fact that mornings were the creation of some terrible spirit.

Stretching out her tired limbs, the shamare got out of bed and started her usual routine. Comb, accessories, go through the door, meet Earthsong. The mare tired herself out yesterday, so she wasn't up so early this time. There were some roots boiling in the pot, with the mare sitting by the table, trying to stifle a yawn.

Agate elected to stay by the fire last night instead of sharing a bed with them after their lesson concluded. She was still in the same spot, shooting a curious glance at the interior of the cabin now and then. They managed to teach her some more words, including "eat" and "fish". It seemed like Earthsong's suspicions were proven correct, when, after some prompting, the filly told them "Agate no eat feesh", while shaking her head. Truly, her tribe were some odd ponies.

Nodding at the two, True Sight took her seat by the table. It seemed that none of them were in a talkative mood this morning, which suited her just fine. Sometimes, you just needed to spend some time in silence. It helped to clear your mind of the immediate concerns of here and now, which was particularly useful for shamares.

After the roots were done, Earthsong took a pestle and got to grinding. Agate watched her quietly, while True Sight went around to dig around for more dried berries. Retrieving a hoofful in a small bowl, she set it down on the table.

"That's almost the last of them," she noted. "Guess that's it for us until autumn."

"You do love your berries, elder," remarked Earthsong with a smile. "I'm sure some other ponies would be glad to share some, though something tells me that they wouldn't last long, either."

"Darn right they wouldn't, berries are for eating. I'm only doing what's proper," True Sight replied in her best "wise old pony" voice.

Earthsong chuckled, serving out the portions of porridge. Breakfast passed by quietly, each mare considering their plans for the day, glancing at their visitor now and then. The filly's totem would need to be carved out, and it was best to finish the work today. Tomorrow was the last day before the greeting of spring, when the tribes would go their separate ways again. The ponies would be too busy with their final preparations to lend a hoof.

Finishing their meals, the two mares licked their plates clean before getting up and putting them away. Nodding at Agate to follow, the two set off towards the woodworker's corner of the village again. It didn't take long to reach the clearing, and they were both satisfied with the sight before them.

The clearing was lit up by some torches and thick clay pots with crackling fires in them, strategically placed to keep the pre-dawn gloom at bay. The impressive pine had been cut down to the proper size, the bark removed, and the roots trimmed down a little bit. In these cases, ponies didn't actually remove the roots from the tree, as they were an important symbol of the ties to the land. The clearing now had many tables with more tools stacked on them, along with jars of pigments, chunks of charcoal, and other ingredients besides. A dozen shamares were milling about while the woodworkers were putting the final touches on the pole before the engraving and enchanting could begin.

Sky Breath was there, wearing her avian mask. Noticing True Sight and her entourage, she waved them over. The western tribesmare was standing next to a table with a number of chisels, picking up and evaluating each one. As the trio approached, she nodded at them, removing her mask.

"It's been a while since I've done this. The last pony that wanted to stand sentinel over our tribe made his choice almost fifteen winters ago. I'm not sure I still have the strength in my legs to work the wood myself, but you have some sprightly young ponies here. I'm certain I can lend my aid by directing them, at least."

True Sight nodded, smiling in gratitude. "And your aid is appreciated. We are going to need it, both considering that this is a rush job, and the spirit that we're preparing this for is quite unusual." Glancing at Agate, she called all of the shamares and woodworkers over. "All right, all of you, listen up. You all did excellently so far, considering the short amount of time you had to work with. The tree is very fine, and you prepared it well. Now comes the hardest part, though. Each totem is unique, carved and painted in a way that best represents the pony it is dedicated to." Gathering her thoughts, the elder quieted down for a minute. The ponies all looked at the spirit by the elder's side, observing their mysterious visitor thoughtfully.

"Her name is Agate," True Sight said, pointing at the filly. "Alas, we do not know what her name actually means. We barely know anything at all, but we know some things. She came from far away, either the southern mountains or beyond. She is calm, patient, and highly observant, from what I have been able to see. We do not know if she was a traveler in life, or if she made her journey here after her passing. Either way, she crossed a great distance to reach us. Her tribe is mysterious, but I saw her perform some truly amazing things with the spirit stones, something no snowpony foal would be able to do, no matter how gifted they were. So, the decorations on her totem are going to be different than anything you've made before."

All of the gathered woodworkers had their ears perked up and turned forward, hanging on to every word the shamare said. Making something in a fashion no one in their tribe ever made before was both a challenge that they relished, and a great testament to their skill.

Asking Agate to sit down and wait, True Sight walked towards the bare tree. She turned her head to examine it from every angle, squinting and picturing the finished work in her mind. Eventually, she nodded, turning her head towards the group. "Let us begin from the beginning. Here, from the roots. Carve the shapes of the southern mountains here, all around the trunk. A symbol of patience and strong will, but also the place from which she came. Very apt, in every meaning."

Nodding, a few of the woodworkers immediately set upon the tree, working at it with their chisels and hammers. True Sight continued walking along the trunk, lightly brushing it with a hoof. "Leave a gap here. Hoofmarks in the snow on the second circle, with birds flying overhead. She is a traveler from far away, come to our lands. And, heavens willing, she might yet make the journey back to her tribe's lands someday." Sky Breath smiled at this, joining the woodworkers and quietly explaining the best techniques to carve out the shapes of far-travelling migratory birds without spending too much effort.

Coming up further on the trunk, True Sight nodded towards a particular spot, tapping at it with a hoof. "Yes. Here. No branches or twists in the tree. Carve her likeness in this spot. The wood should not give you trouble." Glancing back at their subject, the ponies set to work on carving out Agate's bust from the tree.

Most of the woodworkers were busy chipping away at the wood, while the shamares were making their own preparations. Glancing at all the tables in the clearing, True Sight nodded to the several remaining ponies that didn't have a task yet. "You three, I need you to go and retrieve something for me. Go to the ceremonial grounds, and gather up the spirit stones surrounding the firepit. You will need to bore out holes in the tree, and affix the stones in them." Those orders raised some eyebrows, but they each nodded slowly. "Don't look so surprised. I did say that this is going to be different, isn't it? You gathered up all the usual materials, but we need something special this time. Now go." Setting off, the trio debated on how to best carve the totem in such a way.

True Sight took in a deep breath, looking around. Everyone was working efficiently, busy with their own tasks without interrupting others. Leaving the woodworkers to do their thing, she briefly went to the pony this was all being done for. Agate was still sitting where she left her, her usual calm expression on her face. "Now, I know that asking a foal to sit still for a whole day would usually be fruitless. But I know you're not a usual foal, and you don't have the heady winds of life making you rush everywhere any more. So, do you think you can sit here and wait for some time, Agate?" True Sight emphasized the few words the filly knew, hoping she'd understand the question.

The filly tilted her head, turning one ear downwards in thought. Looking around at all the activity happening in the area, she eventually looked back towards the shamare, shrugged, and laid down on the snow. True Sight smiled, patting her on the head. "Good foal. Suppose I should get to work myself, now." She turned towards a line of tables where the other shamares had flocked to.

A great many esoteric items were stacked on the tables. Bird feathers, little pieces of bone, wood, mortars and pestles, sharp knives made of bone or stone, dried herbs, jars of oil and ointments and so on. The shamares were all breathing rhythmically or humming quietly, focusing their spirits for the tasks ahead.

Earthsong was busy carefully shaving off pieces of her mane and tail, adding them to a small clay pot half-full of resin. Two other shamares were doing the same thing, chanting under their breath. Once they deemed the amount sufficient, each one of them put a hoof on top of the pot, raising their voices higher in unison before lowering them again. Earthsong then proceeded to take it to one of the fires, holding the pot over the flames with a length of stick. Soon, smoke and bubbling began to emanate from the inside.

Several shamares were tending the fires, poking the coals with lengths of stick and pulling out any pieces that caught their attention. They added the smoldering bits of wood to clay cups along with some dried herbs, waiting for the plants to burn down before adding more ingredients and grinding them down into a paste.

True Sight grabbed a shallow stone bowl herself, adding a vivid red powder from a sealed jar and a dash of oil from another. Most of the runes and carvings made by snowponies were stained black, simply because soot was the most easily available source of paint. However, that did not mean they did not have access to other colors. Some flowers made excellent paints, if prepared properly. Their scarcity meant that those colors usually were saved for special occasions such as this one, though.

The clearing was filled with the cracks of chisels, grinding noises of the mortars, and the quiet murmurs of the woodworkers and the chants of shamares. The ponies were so focused on their work that they didn't even notice the sun rising. Having prepared their mixtures, the shamares soon joined the carvers at the totem pole. Various symbols and runes were etched, burned or meticulously carved into the empty spaces. Wards to safeguard the totem pole from getting worn down, runes to grant strength to the spirit inhabiting it, beacons to bring light to their eyes and make sure the spirit never got lost in the darkness.

With their minds and hooves busy, hours passed like minutes. Some ponies left now and then to retrieve food, bringing baskets loaded with various foodstuffs for their coworkers. Eating quickly, everyone soon returned to their work. The woodworkers finished their carvings by the time the sun started disappearing again, laying down on the snow to catch their breaths. The shamares then took over, using sharpened sticks, brushes and their hooves to paint over the carvings with their resin mixtures and paints, giving the images depth and beauty.

The ponies tasked with decorating the totem pole with spirit stones had some trouble at first. They managed to bore out holes for the stones without much effort, though getting them just right so the stones wouldn't fall out took some very, very meticulous carving. Eventually, one of them got an idea to pack the holes with a mixture of tiny wood chippings and resin, making sure the stones remained firmly in place.

True Sight was examining the bust, glancing between the carving and the immensely confused Agate, who was looking at the totem pole as well. "Something... something... seems off. The work is fine, but... hmm... But no, not off. Something's... missing." Slipping into her spirit sight, the old mare stared at the carving for a minute, then turned towards Agate. The filly twitched, momentarily surprised by the mare's glowing eyes. After examining the filly's face for a while, the shamare glanced a few times between her and the totem pole, and gasped.

"The stones... the stones! Oh, I've been a fool not to see it. Her coat and eyes are not like fractured ice... she's not an ice pony at all. They're more like the spirit stones... Even stranger, but who am I to question the truth before me? Hmm..." Waving over the few woodworkers that were listening to the mare talk to herself, she quickly laid out a small alteration that needed to be made. They nodded, grabbing their chisels and getting to work.

The eyes of the bust were carved out, and the pupils replaced with a couple of the roundest spirit stones that they could find. They glimmered in the firelight, showing fractured reflections to the ponies that looked at them. Just like the spirit's eyes.

True Sight smiled, the ponies patting each other on the back for a job well done. "Outstanding. I think we did everything we could today." Quickly sweeping her gaze over the entire painted, carved and decorated totem pole, she saw no defects or mistakes. "I see no faults in this. We all outdone ourselves today. It is early evening yet, but I'm certain you all are as tired as I am after working all day long. And tomorrow, there will be more work yet. Let us leave the paint to set in, and we will come back to finish everything off after a good night's sleep. I am certain our guest is dying to know just what we've been making for her all day long."

Her declaration was met by cheering and exclamations of agreement from the tired but proud group. Some stopped to gather up the more expensive tools and ingredients, while the more sturdy items were left for tomorrow. Slowly, the ponies dispersed in various directions, putting out the fires as they left. True Sight stopped by where Agate was sitting, still staring at the carving of her face with confusion. The old mare couldn't help but chuckle at the filly's expression. Earthsong joined them, smiling as well.

"Well, doesn't she look confused? Never ate fish, and now I'm guessing that you never saw a totem pole before either, huh?" Messing up the filly's mane, she giggled. "I really can't wait until you learn our tongue properly so you can tell me all about your tribe." Shaking her head to get her mane back in order, the filly stuck her tongue out at the mare.

True Sight shook her head, smiling. "It's sure going to be a tale worth listening many times over. But, that will have to wait for another evening. Let's go home. Come, Agate. You'll learn what this is all about soon enough."

The two mares started to walk away. With one last glance towards the totem pole, the filly soon turned to follow.

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