Brother, where art thou?

To this very day mother never talked about our oldest brother, or of the reasonings for his disaperance . Nopony, save our new father, would know the truth without having to ask mother directly, and the few visitations of theirs yielded nothing.

Celestia, or our other siblings may know of our long lost brother, yet none have ever spoken of him either, further adding to the strangest of this mystery. My own attempts of gleaming more from their embolden minds were stopped before they began leaving myself frustrated from the lack of progress, but not defeated. Twilight Sparkle. The Element of Magic, and newest Princess of Equestria will be my winning move.

Retirement has allotted me more time then I know what to do with, and exhuming Sister and I’s forgotten lineage would help alleviate a few weeks at the very least.

Still, the wait for a proper response made all of the waiting seem pointless when I could have teleported close enough to Canterot and flown the rest of the way there before this letter would be delivered. Checking her nonexistent watch, the former princess stood by the mailbox waiting for the arrival of the mail courier with the hopes of the awaited correspondence- a developing ritual since the alicorn’s retirement.

More than ever did the former princess yearn for the day’s mail knowing it could contain more than local coupons to businesses she’s never heard of, or strange unmarked envelopes declaring their intent to rescue her from their crippling financial burdens. Of course they were misaddressed, and meant for Celestia…

“Mother’s name!?” The former princess wondered, feeling a strong gust of air caught among the newly lucid strains of her mane, turned toward west before hearing a metallic click from underneath her foreleg.

Quickly swiveling to check the not so grandiose mailbox constructed of white stone, and imported crystal, to find the flag raised.

A brief feeling of dread, not unlike a frigid night ran down her spine as her horn dimly glowed, grasping the little red flag to reset it. Her eyes flickered in and out of awareness as the magic opened the mailbox designed to look like castle gates(where she got the idea, most ponies could only guess) and reached in to feel something enter its sphere of influence; the blue tendrils latched onto the item and slowly withdrew it, exposing the lone letter into the afternoon sun, and the new Royal Seal declaring the sender.

Immediately, the alicorn knew who it was, and with practiced movements broke the seal without damaging the parchment it’d clung to. The letter had all of the standard flair with embellished borders meant to tell the achievements of the sender, or for nearly all of the nobility it was used to highlight the achievements of a prominent ancestor. For the former Element of Magic, the light magenta border depicted stylized caricatures of the other Elements in combat with the prominent (and not so prominent) villains seeking Equestria’s downfall.

There were other noteworthy scenes with two the former princess didn’t recognized, and noted to ask Celestia later about. This extravagant border was forgotten when her eyes found the opener declaring her former title ‘Princess of the Night and Dreams’, and amongst the stark white paper found a single word emboldened on the page…

“NO.”

“That insolent whelp! Who does that mare believe she is?” Luna cried as she set the letter aflame. “Without us, she would be nothing more than Secretary of Education, or Chief Librarian at most!”

Retirement did little to curb her infamous temper, and after many centuries leading a nation’s army during several of the worst battles in distant memory, there came certain expectations to be met. Demanded even. To be refused so casually like a foal, especially by one the alicorn would even consider a better angered her immensely enough to consider teleporting into that upstart’s throne room this very minute.

Yet, that’s what a mortal would do, and with immortality meant a greater leisure of time.

“A decade or so of silence first. Then we’ll decide.” Luna told herself as she closed the mailbox, and waved to a passerby that seemed distraught on an otherwise peaceful afternoon before stomping up the path toward her home.

Celestia wouldn’t be home from the daycare until early evening, leaving the scornful mare time to otherwise bash her head against another wall halting her progress.

The anger was real, and wouldn’t dissipate any time soon. It’d been enough for the alicorn to consider excusing herself from her part time job tonight out of spite, yet only her former subjects would suffer from her selfishness- the Dream Patrol would continue.

Still vexed by the rejection, and unwilling to do anything else decided she’ll simply wait until the start of her shift. If anything, the comfort knowing she received payment from the Crown for a duty she’d done for free before retirement brought some comfort. Not much, but enough for the alicorn to peacefully sulk.

The Realm of Dreams had been, and forever will be her sacred duty, and nopony’s else. Unable to find a proper student skilled enough to weave dreams together(including that whelp Twilight) she’d been hired to continue performing this task at a generous rate, all tax free of course. In truth, Luna would have done it for free, so what was the former Princess of the Night to say when offered reimbursement for her services? No? As if.

This meant for several hours a night Luna needed to patrol certain areas of the Dream Realm before she did anything else; this schedule wasn’t too different then the one she maintained back in Canterlot after her return, yet the stark difference now would be the shift in hours. No longer did she have a reason to stay up during the entire night for Court, so she’d redistributed the hours to more practical hobbies until the former princess began waking up by the early afternoon.

It wasn’t like before when her former subjects would have actual nightmares since the start of Twilight’s reign, all was good in Equestria meaning ponies had little to be scared off.

Often Luna found herself bored while performing her duty enough to consider taking some time off. What she would do with this time off wasn’t decided yet, but she’d figured maybe visiting some of the ‘after dark’ establishments would be a start. The new age nightlife had intrigued her, but royal duties always held her back from exploring it any further, and even after ‘retiring’, she had clung to the old ways far longer than Celestia did.

Perhaps it was time to change…

“Mayhap upon another year, but not this one.”

Up the stairs, and to the right was a hallway with three doors exclusively for the Alicorn of Dreams with the door on the right being her study: the door on the left her upgraded bathroom with the largest bathtub in the house, and the door at the hallway’s end being her personal quarters. Her magic brushed over the door, quickly disabling the enchantments only placed over its surface, and nowhere else strangely enough.

The magic dimly flickers showing the enchantments had been neutralized.

Using her massive wings, Luna pushed the door open to find her study had been rearranged yet again, but by whom she couldn’t fathom. Celestia was the likely choice, but even her sister couldn’t break the enchantments without alerting her first. A list of culprits had been drafted, yet every time the room changed, Luna always found her list in the trash with the names crossed out. Every time, and it only seemed to happen with her!

When asked, her big sister would only giggle suggesting breezies, which was not possible because Luna had made sure to apply the proper wardings of sugar and spices all around the property to prevent such a catastrophe. Sure nothing was ever taken or lost, but realizing the sanctity of her private study had been intruded upon sent her stress to new heights.

“NYEHHH! I’ll rather not return a library book than concede defeat!” Luna stomped her hoof into the not as sturdy as marble wood floor, cracking it with a single hoof.

The day was still plenty long enough for the alicorn to rearrange her study back to its original layout before starting her night shift, and by her mother above, Luna would not lose: not to those thieving breezies, her plump Celestia, her niece with the perfect life and family, nor that cold-bedded Twilight.

Today, her room. Tomorrow, the answers she desperately sought.

The Realm of Dreams was quiet as it’s been for the past decade.

Even Luna’s annoyance over Twilight’s refusal to help with her own research wouldn’t allow the alicorn to dismiss the Princess’s achievements. With each passing year, the dreams of all creatures grew more and more calm as the world continued to embrace the ideals of Friendship and Harmony, leaving the former Dream Walker bored more often than not.

With each manifestation of a dream, Luna found herself unwilling to disturb them with her presence, thus forcing herself to keep drifting in an endless sea of content creatures. When she was Princess of Eqeustria, she would often interject herself into a dream so often to properly gauge the citizenry’s opinion of herself, or the nation as a whole. No more. For all the dreams she’d entered after retiring was all goodwill and cheer with excitement for the occasional convention. At first, Luna had been a tad envious of these events since no gathering of fans had been collected in her honor, but feelings were fleeting, and those changed once she learned of the degeneracy often associated with those gatherings…

“Dress up and hoofholding!? Perhaps my sister and I left at a good time if the world is to partake in these vulgar acts.” Luna grumbled, not upset with the acts themselves, but purely to stave off boredom.

Tonight would alleviate the alicorn of this, for she came across her first red tinted dream in several years. These dreams were often associated with anger, and after a second to gather her nerves pressed a hoof against the orb.

Her vision was lost as the magic engulfed her spiritual body. The faint humming of the starry Dream Realm went silent only to be replaced with an ensemble of sharp clanks, and distorted cries being the predominant; as the ‘dream’ came together, so did the understanding that this wasn’t a creature venting their anger while they slept, but a recollection of terrible memories.

For the Dream Walker, the collection was blurring together. All the sounds and scenes would flicker in and out in a never rotation of conflict, conversations, or what seemed to be pivotal moments for the dreamer? Dreamers? Everything was happening so fast Luna couldn’t keep up with information being projected, but centuries of experience allowed her to make at least one assumption- the bipedals were all different. Their appearances: clothing, mannerisms, speech. Not unlike that of a pony like herself watching the world changing with the times while she remained chained to the forgotten past.

“The dreamer… he..she..they.. It's too much!”

Never before had Luna ever encountered a dream like this one without enough memoires, and trauma to rival her own, and maybe even surpass it. No amount of magic, or immorality in Equis save Discord could a creature live that many multiple lifetimes, and still be sane. Sombra was an example of what could happen by merely extending your life beyond natural limits.

Already Luna could feel her hold over the dream weakening as her mind began slipping further into the abyss of memories; personalities, and their struggles over the course of dozens of lifetimes. The strength of this dream or pool was already trying to merge with her, as precious moments only privy to herself or shared with her sister became distorted with foreign usurpers. Suddenly, places and ponies dear to the alicorn were seemingly being replaced with these strange bipedal creatures- all furless, but different in stature.

Some nearly as tall as herself, but carved from the mountains, while others were little more than walking fish, or birds delivering mail. Some wore skin burned from countless days under the cruel sun, or clear wing beauties no bigger than the average breezie, yet none seemed to know the other, but at other times flawlessly mingled.

Just as Luna felt her very will and personality being lost under the barrage of overwhelming influence, a strong voice entered her weakening mind…

“You almost met with a terrible fate, haven’t you?”

Then it all stopped.

The strings had been cut, and Luna collapsed onto the floor panting from the strain of her overwhelmed senses. Briefly looking around, she noticed the dream looked no different then if she’d cleansed it of all influence in effort to reset it back to a neutral state; laying on the ‘ground’, the alicorn collected herself as she waited for the mysterious voice to speak yet again, but of course it never came. Instead, the soft audible clicks of nails connecting with a hard surface brushed against her ears, nearly dragging Luna to look behind her, and then to the right when the echo changed.

Standing a few strides away stood the form of a creature she’d only recently become familiar with after discovering her mother’s intent on taking a new mate.

“Hello Father. I am surprised to see you again, let alone in the Dream Realm.” The wolf with a blazon outline of three triangles upon his forehead only barked in response.

‘Hello..daughter. Forgive my awkwardness. I’m still learning to be a father to…’

“...to a rambunctious group of divinely ordained siblings?” Luna offered in jest. The years in retirement hadn’t cooled her temper, but it had relaxed her somewhat to the point she began making an attempt to connect with other creatures besides Celestia, or the Elements of Harmony. .

‘Funny, Luna. Your mother never mentioned this side of you before, always saying you hid it on the dark side of the moon.’ The imposing wolf huffed, but never bothered to hide his wagging tail.

“HAZZAH! MOTHER ALWAYS MADE THE EFFORT TO REMIND US OF OUR PLACE, EVEN AMONGST OUR SIBLINGS. SHE CUDDLED TIA TOO MUCH, AND IT SHOWS EVEN TODAY.“ Luna happily bellowed. The dream around her began morphing to the commands of the Dream Walking alicorn as she looked up to the forming moon above them.

“ YUMIGAMI WAS ALWAYS SKITTISH, FINDING IT EAISER TO HIDE IN OUR SHADOW THEN FACE CONFLICT. A RABBIT WITH FUR NOT UNLIKE MOTHER’S OR EVEN CELESTIA’S, YET MOTHER CUDDLED HER AS WELL, BUT TO A GREATER EXTENT.”

‘Ah, I know of her. She seemed standoffish to my presence during our first meeting.’

Luna nodded, raising a hoof.

“Exactly! She and I are of the same belief, two halves of a whole. Yumi’s domain is little more than brightening the sky, while I made sure the mortal realm was safe. Her view of the world is far more skewed than my own, thus believing herself better than everycreature not of her bloodline. It’s infuriating! Even mother is prone to fits of her rage, but is never punished for it.”

‘Perhaps your mother feels pity for her? To be a rabbit growing up amongst predatory siblings would be a challenge. Even myself had hunted rabbits in my youth, and until meeting your mother had never given their lives much thought.’

“I..we never considered that. Celestia and myself were among mother’s last children before the calamity, and even then it was just the two of us as our older siblings kept to themselves.” Luna chuckled as the old memories were slowly filtered through many lifetimes of experiences. “ We were prone to great mischief trying to keep us entertained. Mother did her best, yet the duties of a deity are numerous, and the days are aplenty.”

‘Sounds like you and your sister are close.’ The wolf commented, and if answering his questions the moon above them began displaying some of the alicorn’s happier moments with her sister.

Sharing these personal moments would have angered the former princess, especially in a dream she had little control over, so for her to be almost chuckling as she relieved these precious moments demonstrated how drastic her mood had changed.

“Verily. Nopony save sister will ever understand our life, even as the family grows, it will be the two of us till the end of time.”

The moon above them shimmers once more as the dream begins to change yet again to construct the memories of the wolf.

The moon is now high in the sky above a small village nestled by an expansive wood. The occupation of the village reminded the former princess of her interactions with the apple mare, and their passion for tilling the very land; Luna’s hoof pressed into the very earth, the wolf watched as the appendage sunk into it like water causing a ripple before being yanked from it.

“Fascinating. I know few capable of melding the dream realm with this efficiency, and even fewer able to comprehend the magic as a whole.” Somehow she felt her father smile at the compliment.

‘The Spirit realm and the Dream Realm aren’t so different. Perhaps one day I can show you it?’

“Nay father. We would rather keep our spirit anchored to thy body for many years if possible. Perhaps thou could show us around instead?”

‘I would be honored. Unlike what you witnessed only moments ago, these memories are my own.’

Luna immediately understood the implications of her father’s statement, and nearly rejected it out of habit. When she came to, her wolf father was already walking down the dirt path that led from the fenced pasture toward what alicorn assumed was the village, forcing her to gallop to catch up.

“That shouldn’t be possible even with magics of modern Eqeustria, any attempts have yielded little results then migraines for the subjects.”

‘This. All of this is my memories. What you witnessed before was mine as well, but another me.’ The wolf jerked his head toward the cluster of hearths. ‘We are different. No two lives are the same, but our purpose is the same. We are I, but never us nor they.’

“We do not follow. How can you be all, but none? Has mother blessed you without our knowing, or have thee been blessed by another deity?”

Luna’s only reply was her father looking up into her gaze, and gave to simple wags of his tail before continuing down the path.

Though the dream had been grounded in reality as dictated, most of the nuances were lost to her leaving only their paw and hoofsteps on the dirt laden path the only recognizable sound. Now and then there was a shrill whistle off in the distance, but her father would only howl a similar tune in response while saying nothing of its origins. He continued being evasive with his answers to a point the wolf began reminding her of their old magic master, StarSwirl, and his unwillingness to tell them anything unless they researched it first.

It wasn’t lost how even now as the little village gradually thinned behind them, her father kept changing the subject to address a particular hut, or spot where something happened. But never did he linger on it more than he had to. To support her, Luna noted how his forepaw would be raised towered a hut or certain spot before dropping it without a comment to its significance. Hungry for answers kept the alicron from interrupting her new father to ask why he chose to ignore those certain spots; he could recall everything in the village he claimed, yet would deliberately skip everything that related to explaining what he meant the memories weren’t his.

Even when the duo finally reached a lone treehouse located between the village and forest, Luna had nearly stopped listening to her father’s tale until he gestured to its sole entrance, and with a mighty leap cleared the distance. Luna felt her smile sagging as she pondered if there was some truth to him being blessed, for no mortal in a grounded dream could continue interrupting the laws of nature as they saw fit.

“Father is more than he seems.” Luna concluded as she followed his example with the exception of using her wings to clear the distance.

As her hooves touched what her mind told her were beams weathered from many years of exposure, her step-father was absent, but left the wood door ajar. A wind crept in suddenly, nearly knocking Luna off her hooves. The crisis was averted, but gave the alicorn a chance to look back toward the town, and found it very difficult to swallow seeing the vibrant village swept away by the literal sands of time. The creeping wind grew bolder without the mare of dreams interfering, and with this brashness came the destruction…

Trees groaned as they toppled over against the tempestuous wind, followed by a blistering sun (the moon missing) up so high to cast its rays over the village, melting the land below her.

The wind capitalized on this, and began chipping away at the landscape piece by piece until everything was either on fire or spirited away by the rambunctious gale. Before her very eyes, the once lush village among the woods had been stripped away to the barest levels of sand and rock. From this distance even Luna could feel the heat the ground kicked up, yet even devoid of life the alicorn couldn’t help but feel drawn to its mystical beauty.

The Changeling Badlands were a paradise when compared to the misery before her eyes; desolation of any sort of hope, or reason to exist rather than experience pain was the answer this new.. this ancient desert told her.

The wind still whistled here and there as it continued with its purpose when a voice tickled her ears.

“Do you not hear it? "The wind... it is... blowing…”

The voice shook Luna free from the hold keeping her still, and the moment she took that one deciding step back so did the wind howl its frustration, startling the alicorn into nearly tripping yet again. Stumbling back against the bark of the tree as the glaring sun worked in tandem with the deadly wind, its desperation to ensnare another was well known by this moment, was cut short when the sun pulsed once, and grew dim. There was a large sun spot directly in the very center when the darkness began seeping from its dying form to deliver one final message to the frightened alicorn.

“...no matter when it came, the wind carried the same thing... Death.”

The voice fell silent as did the sun, its wisps of flame lashing against the sky as they flickered out until only the chalky husk of the dead sun remained. Luna gulped and found herself staring into the rebirthed moon when a more pleasant voice grabbed her by the tip of her very tail, beckoning the terrified alicorn into safety from the madness of her father’s memories.

‘In here Luna.’

Her father’s voice called out, and with a single blink Luna found the strange house carved into a tree had been replaced with a simple cottage.

The desert was gone, and in its place was a fortress castle of considerable size, with a single wall and multiple ramparts. From the cottage’s door frame, Luna could make out armored clad bipedals patrolling from the top when she felt the faintest touch of little hooves combing through her mane. Already on edge from what she’d seen only moments ago, Luna brought forth her magic ready to confront whatever creature(s) felt brave enough to fight with the Dream Princess when a pitched chime whip passed her right ear.

Reacting to the sound, she turned to catch the source in the act only to find the dream had reverted back into a forest, but one far older than the first by many centuries.

The chime sound returned, and quickly spinning on her hooves to catch the culprit discovered one of the few creatures in mythology to truly leave the former princess petrified…

“FAIRIES!”

There were about a dozen of them. Balls of light of differing colors with translucent wings similar to the breezies she’d heard about from Twilight and her friends, yet the wings reminded her more of changeling wings. These fairies kept their distance first as they effortlessly hovered in the sky, when suddenly one of them began bouncing up and down, the pitched chime from before alerted Luna this was the one that buzzed her ear. In tandem with its movements, the pitch would go higher or lower until it stopped, and was answered by another fairy surrounded by a purple light. It bounced up and down giving off a deep clinking sound that sounded like an old bell about to give out.

The other four fairies all bounced up and down in response before turning toward the worried alicorn, all 6 of them giving off that bell or chime sound as they flew erratically in front of her before flying off into the deep forest. Unsure what happened, Luna took a step toward them when she felt a radiant aura wash over her: warmth and serene.

‘They nearly led you astray, daughter of mine. Lost souls are doomed to wander these woods till the end of times.’

“Tis a dream no? We would be safe…”

‘Perhaps. Perhaps not. Why take the chance at all?’

“Would harm befall upon me?” Luna asked herself while observing the path the fairies took, watching as the landscape changed yet again.

Instead of more trees, the alicorn was treated to a vast beach that stretched as far as she could see, only rivaled by the endless ocean being serenaded by the low, nearly muted calls of seagulls overhead. The breeze here held no temptations or desire for destruction, but the opposite. A calling to caress the weariness from the living with a gentle touch reserved for lovers and offspring.

‘She never wanted you or Celestia to know the truth about you brother. Either to spare you from his legacy, or her own shortcomings. Ammy wouldn’t tell me. It’s why I came in her stead, to share what I discovered.’’

This time when Luna turned around, the world changed one last time to reveal a simple pasture under the watchful moon, and illuminated by a vast field of moon lilies. Sitting in the very center of this field was the wolf, the first and only creature she’d ever called ‘father’ waiting for her. She obliged his request to join him.

The wolf looked up to his adaptive daughter’s eyes, and felt pity for once again forcing a burden onto another.

‘Your brother is dead.’

“Impossible. To kill a god, let alone an immortal, would require considerable effort and preparation to stand some chance. Brother is simply hiding…”

‘What if a god were to fight an immortal, Luna? What then?’

“Then…” Luna had to catch the mysterious sob working its way up her throat, yet turned away trying to hide the wetness collecting along the edges of her eyes “...banishment or…”

‘...Worse, Luna. We all have our secrets, including your mother, that would remain buried if we had our way. You’ve known her far longer than I’ve been alive. Would you claim her to be a terrible person?’

“Of course not. Tia and I are no exceptions either, but…”

‘But what? You would allow everything you cherish to perish because it isn’t ideal? Luna if the world was perfect, no creature would suffer because of the misery of other’s will. Your mother has done it. I have done it. Your sister has done it. You have done it.’

“Things were different!” Luna shouted, slamming her hoof onto a single moon lily. The moon above them dimmed a little bit.

‘Are they? Your brother led a rebellion against your mother hoping to claim the Celestial Heavens for himself. Doesn’t that sound familiar?’

The wolf’s gaze was treacherous. To have been asked the previous day, Luna would have claimed her new father to be a gentle soul unprepared for the free spirit that was her mother; after seeing glimpses of his past lives the alicorn would hesitate to call him anything but soft, if anything it was her mother that was unprepared.

The former Princess of the Night flinched, and wisely remained unspoken.

‘I can only reason why Ammy hid this from the both of you without fully taking her side, and even that keeps me leashed. Your mother had her reasons, as I had mine for meeting with you. I never met your brother. My only judgement is what the other constellations were willing to share, and even that was limited.’

The spectral wolf rose to his paws and looked toward the brilliance of the full moon, unaware how it illuminated him in a golden aura.

‘I’ve lived many lives with as many faces, all of them different. Some peaceful, most not. With each awakening I get the chance to start again, and try something different; you are long lived, but only have this single life to experience, so do yourself a favor and live it without regrets.’

Before Luna could process what was said or even reply to her step-father’s speech, he raised his head up, and gave a mighty howl.

Hearing timerwolves howling wasn’t uncommon when ponies lived near the Everfree Forest, and over many centuries had grown to fear their calls- not this one. Her father’s howl was different than anything she’d ever heard before; a comforting sensation brushed against her in a manner not too different when she was a foal, and her mother would speak. There was a warmth accompanying this mysterious act with enough power mixed in between to leave her feeling better.

The doubt, anger, and a host of other emotions were spirited away by the time her father finished his howl leaving the alicorn stunned by the experience.

“It has been a great many years since I’ve felt this way father. The earliest I can recall feeling this free would be before Nightmare Moon, and even those are…”

‘...Questionable?’

“Aye. Questionable.” Luna’s ears fell as the memories came back. “The Elements did more than free me from darkness, and it terrifies me father. I’ve felt so empty ever since, yet told no soul out of fear I’d been seen as unrepairable. Incapable of my duties as a Princess of Equestria.”

‘And now?’

“Whole. Doubts, and misgivings are missing almost entirely. Even our recent anger toward the wonderful Twilight Sparkle seems muted, and foalish in hindsight Pray tell father, what have thee done?”

The restored Mistress of the Night asked her adoptive father, noting what looked like a smirk upon his muzzle.

‘They say music heals the soul, and dear daughter of mine, your soul needed some healing.’

“Most unexpected, but a welcomed experience nonetheless. It has been years since I could properly think without the anger and guilt clouding my judgement, content I’d been to wallow in my misery I’d sooner scorn those around me then accept their help. To do so would be seen as charitable when I deserved it…circumstances have changed father. I must depart quickly.”

‘What of your brother? Do you still wish to learn more of him?’

“Na. What you told us has satisfied our curiosity, and if mother desires, she can tell us. Would thou pass that message to her?”

‘I will.’ The wolf bowed his head slightly, a gesture Luna returned before the pair turned their gaze to the sky of this dream.

The moon still hung low, yet now it was accompanied by a plethora of stars the mare’s trained eyes recognized as the celestial embodiment of her siblings, which would make moon the one she’d sought answers from.

“Mother. Siblings.” She greeted the moon and celestial constellations with some reservation.

Of course stars said nothing in return. This silence didn’t put off the alicorn, instead she turned to her father and after offering another goodbye departed the dream she’d sought to cleanse of its hatred, only to have her own removed. As the proprietor of his dream and memories, the wolf turned to the field of moon lilies just as the slender form of another wolf emerged from a nearby flower bed. Her own coat was a fairer hue of white under the sun, but bathed in moonlight, the subtle glow blended between the realties of the waking and dreaming worlds near perfectly. To catch a glimpse would be to question if it was a trick of night, or another old wife’s tale come to life.

The she-wolf sauntered toward her weathered mate with a grace unbecoming of a wolf, but for a literal god the simple walk made the act another feat no mortal could ever attain. For her mate, and fellow blessed wolf, he knew there would be words exchanged, and retribution to extract later, but for now he would stand by his decision wholeheartedly, and forever cherish the moment he’d just shared with his daughter. Few moments in his many lives allowed him the chance of becoming a father, let alone long enough to guide his offspring to adulthood- he relished these moments, and then some.

Appearance wise, he was a sword and shield. In his heart, the hero was a teacher, and nurturer.

His deceitfully angry mate stopped in the midst of another moon lily patch, and made no reaction to them wiggling before exploding into a plethora of colorful flowers: yellow, pink, red, blue.

‘Hello Ammy.’ The hero of many pasts, and current father of all the star constellations greeted his mate- Amaterasu.

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