Introduction
As the Midday sun rose over the Celestial Mountains and the cold breath of winter swept the land, two young Pegasus Ponies wandered amidst the snow. The first was tall and slightly hefty but he hung his shoulders low at most times as he walked. He had a short but messy black mane that did stand out over his midnight blue fur. The mark upon his side was a Sun shrouded by a thunder cloud, he had always been proud of it. The second his companion was smaller, almost a runt some would say, but had a longer body. His light brown fur and long white mane kept him warm during the winter months instead of large muscles. The mark he claimed was a Storm cloud and two lightning bolts. However he had no idea why his friend had him walking around the edge of a wood, but he knew one thing it would only end in getting them both in trouble.
"Come on Sky! what are we doing?" the second Pony exclaimed with a sigh.
"Does it matter Storm anything is better than working at that village!" Sky Fixer replied.
"Well, in another month we will be back in Tempest City, we just have to wait out this winter that's all!" Storm Heart said with a hint of disdain.
"Why do you love living on the ground so much?" Sky asked
"It is much more beautiful and interesting down here, plus the Earth Ponies need help and we can help just as much here as up there in the sky," Storm retorted.
"I guess, but i would still rather be sleeping on a cloud any day," Sky replied.
"Well we better be heading back to the village its almost dark and you know that all kinds of creatures roam the woods at night," Storm said
"Yeah I your right it's too bad we can't fly thanks to the stupid winter winds" Sky said.
As the two made their way back towards the temporary town that they inhabited the night grew stronger and the light ever dimmer. The Willow woods were said to be a buzz with activity from the creatures that dwelled within, they would slither, stroll and stomp upon the ground and fight with each other until one would be proclaimed victor, one way or another. However of all them only one could make them all both tremble with fear and calm them with their presence. a creature that held morality close but its enemy's at a distance. Its eyes followed the two young stallions as they wandered in its wood, its gaze never faltering as it kept them unknowing of its plans.
The two stallions arrived at there destination the small earth pony village of Groundhoof, an earth pony village for most of the seasons but a sanctuary for the Pegasus ponies of Tempest City during the harsh winter months. All they had to do in return for safe haven was help feed the villagers when spring returned by keeping the clouds away and the soil fresh and wet. As was typical of villages in this era they were small and not very sturdy as construction was far from advanced. The buildings had no real placement and were wherever the ground was flat, from above the Pegasus ponies would say that is was like an unfinished labyrinth with far to many exits. The walls were large and brown with roofs that barely managed to stay up. The doors, if there were any hardly fit the frames and let the most horrible drafts in and with no way to keep their homes warm except for a small fire that could easily be blown out many slept in the cold. One larger building had a brass bell at the top of a tower with a thin string attached. Its walls made of stone only one on the village to be so and its doors large and ominous. It was the Church of Night and Day that also worked as a town hall and place to eat for many. Truly this was a normal town but a sad sight for many to behold.
Both Sky Fixer and Storm Heart had assumed that most ponies would be in the fields or the town mess hall and not notice them slip back in the village, boy were they surprised to find everyone in the village filling the streets and looking at a caravan of ponies that had just come into town. Not completely unusual for the town as it was on a direct trading root with many other Earth pony settlements, however what was unusual was who was with the caravan.
"Earth ponies, Pegasus and Unicorns... oh my!" Startled Sky.
"In all my years I've never seen such a ridiculous array of ponies," mentioned a older bystander.
"What would make them all come together like this?" a young mare asked.
"Perhaps I may answer that," came a voice from the caravan. "We all come from different places and families but we all have the same goal," as She spoke the unicorn mare wandered towards the crowd. She had a teal mane wrapped in her brown hood with green fur that seemed to somehow compliment her mane. Her mark was that of a rose wrapped in beautiful brown bush that matched the colour of her hood.
"What's that then?" Storm queried.
"We seek the new country that had been made to the east," She replied
"What's so different about this new county miss..." said an old stallion
"Mrs Rosa Flora, this new country is said to be a haven in which all races of ponies are at peace and work as one to keep the land bright and shining." Rosa stated like she was lost in a fantasy.
"Ahh what a load of manure, their ain't no way you gonna get all the Pegasus, Unicorns and Earth Ponies to like each other!" an old Earth mare bellowed.
"Well our caravan seems to be doing just fine," Rosa retorted.
"If yous doing so good then how comes there's hardly any of ya huh?" The old mare said
"There was more of us but we feel into hardship and trouble," Rosa Said looking to one side with a tear falling upon the ground.
"What kind of trouble?" Sky asked reluctantly.
"Humans ambushed us as we wandered in the forest not far from here... we l-lost my husband and six-sixteen others before we managed to escape," Rosa managed to squeak out. Some of the crowned looked down as a sign of respect while others looked around in distress but one mare remained unconvinced.
"Baa what a bunch of horse-apples... everypony knows there ain't no Humans that close, the closest we got are are the Kunfunga miguu and they live in the mountains and don't come down this far for no reason and I don't think we bothered them recently so your just lying to make up for your poor numbers!" the old mare said with venom in her voice.
Rosa turned to face the mare with a stern look in her eye with tears no longer flowing "Believe what you will Mule... but know this I will not stand hear and be called a lying with my fillies sleeping not far." The old mare gave a look of disgust. "It does not matter we will be out of your mane soon enough and I hope for the rest of your sake's that the Humans don't set their eyes on your village," Rosa said and with that she walked on with her caravan. Then all the caravan left all the ponies returned to their business or walked to the mess hall.
" Well that was interesting wasn't it," Storm said
"You can say that again storm... anyway we better move on before..." Sky claimed
"Before what?" called a voice from behind.
Both stallions turned slowly knowing who the voice was from Storm started to sweat while sky gulped and but on a sly smile. The voice in question came from a middle aged Pegasus mare with a long brown mane that almost touched the ground it flowed with the wind but that may had just been from her wings flapping with impatience. Her fur was a lighter brown but some was covered in dirt, no doubt from working in the fields all day, Her mark was a quill and scroll both laced with a black ink that matched her rage on a bad day.
"Well i'm waiting for an answer Sky Fixer you layabout," She said harshly.
"M-Mayor Quill Edge j-j-just how I was looking for you see m-me and Storm Heart and I got lost on our way to the fields and we..." Sky stuttered out.
"Stop lying to me Fixer... now Storm Heart tell me what you have really been doing today and do be a dear and TELL THE TRUTH!" Quill Edge bellowed.
"We were patrolling the outer layer of Willow woods!" Storm spat out faster the a foal did their dinner.
"Gah...again how many times have I told you both that that is a job for the Earth pony guards and that the woods are far to dangerous to be messing around near!" Quill screeched.
"But the Earth ponies..." Sky started to say
"Do a better job than you could...'sigh' I know you want to join the Pegasus guard but its acting like this that gets you rejected from the academy," Quill said. "Just both of you go to the mess hall for food and i'll give you your punishment in the morning." She continued.
"Ohh What," Both stallions groaned.
"I see you want it to start now then!" Quill Edge shouted.
"N-No Mayor Quill Edge!" they both stuttered, and with that they both galloped away as fast as they could.
"Gaia help me they need something to teach them a lesson, but what?" Quill queried.
An Hour or so later the two stallions Sky Fixer and Storm Heart left the mess hall and began trotting to their respective homes for the winter, but they also started to wonder back to the caravan they had seen earlier.
"Do you think that there really could be a country in which everypony gets along?" Storm asked.
"It's a nice thought but I don't think after centuries of hostility that all the races would just suddenly become friends," Sky replied.
"True but still it is a nice idea I would defiantly live there" Storm said.
Sky just laughed and said "Ha Ha Ha I can see it now you and an Earth pony mare fall in love at first sight but 'gasp' neither of your parents approve and so you run away to be together forever in this new country HA HA HA,"
"Whatever at least I will have somepony," Storm retorted.
" Yeah but an Earth Pony no way my friend that's too... hey that's a low blow no need to be all defensive!" Sky said.
"I'm sorry," Storm said.
"Me too... anyway this is me I will see you tomorrow for you lovely punishment," Sky said as he walked towards his abode.
"A punishment that you got us you mule!" Storm shouted.
After waving his friend goodbye Sky Fixer wandered into his small shack that barely had enough space for him. It was a circle shape with nothing but a small stack of hay to munch on for breakfast and a thin cover to sleep in. It had no windows and what can only just be described as a door as it was on one very rusty bolt and had to be older than Sky Fixer himself. The Earth ponies had to keep what could be considered the 'best' homes for themselves obviously as the Pegasi were in many eyes just invaders and wastes of space. Sky slugged slowly towards his makeshift bed and fell into it thinking only of what tomorrow could bring.