Chapter 1
The fires of Equestria burned brighter a thousand years ago. A time when life was harsh and the alicorn sisters had just recently arrived to bring peace and harmony. The land was covered with both snow and ash from the elements that raged without restraint. Windigoes fought with dragons in the clouds for territory while the smaller creatures scratched their meager existences out below in the dirt. The three pony factions were still separated by their old tendencies for rivalry and awaited the day when they would join together and create a world where they could all live without fear. That day was rapidly approaching when a young phoenix was born. A normal phoenix like any other who was brought up by parents who loved her and only wished the best for her. Little did they know that the young hatchling would live to stand at the side of one of the most powerful entities to ever tread across Equestria.
The hatchling awoke to a world in terror. She looked out curiously from the nest at the fearful ponies that scurried back and forth for cover as flakes of snow and ash fell from the sky. The youngling didn’t understand what was happening as bursts of heat and cold racked its tiny defenseless body. She cried out for her mom as thunderous booms shook the carefully prepared nest that had been constructed on the side of a cliff. No other eggs were with her. She was completely
alone.
The baby phoenix curled up within itself for comfort, covering herself with her flaming feathers as she continued to cry out. The sky still crackled with the war above, jostling the newborn until she felt a gust of wind suddenly pound against her body. She opened her eyes hesitantly at first before letting out a staggering chirp as she recognized her mother. The older phoenix landed gracefully at the edge of the nest, bowing down to nuzzle her baby before regurgitating what little food she had managed to find. They wouldn’t last much longer if these conditions persisted.
Her mother wrapped herself around her newborn for warmth as the skies suddenly began to gain intensity. The temperature would rise to scalding heat before suddenly dropping to below freezing within seconds. It was astonishing that anything could survive. The curious baby phoenix chirped as it tried to wriggle and squirm out of its mother’s grip to see the world outside. Everything was new, was this how the world was always like? Were the heavens always such a dark shade of black with giant menacing shadows darting back and forth throwing bolts of orange and white at each other? Did the ground always shake with the constant struggle above?
She chirped eagerly as she squirmed her way past her mother to see the land below the nest. Her mother cheeped in protest and tried desperately to hold her baby back. Despite her best efforts, the hatchling managed to eventually work her way to the edge and take in the land beyond. Specks of black and white blanketed the ground. Snow covered half of the trees while the other half were set ablaze by collateral damage from above. It certainly didn’t look like a safe place to be. Letting out a contented chirp, the newborn waddled back to her mother and snuggled happily into her warm breast.
Time passed and it became time for the newly born to spread her wings and fly. Her mother nudged her confidently from the edge of the nest, preparing her for the plunge. A second adult phoenix circled the nest from above, ready if anything were to happen. The young phoenix cried out in defiance as she was prodded closer and closer to the edge. She was not prepared for this. What if she were to fall to her death? She would have lived only to be a meal for the first timber wolf that happened to pass by. She screeched in terror as her mother gave one last rough nudge and forced her off the edge.
The youngling hurdled towards the ground, the wind ripping past her feathers and sending up licks of fire as she flailed desperately to survive. The air howled and whistled past her head as she continued to struggle against her immediate instincts. She cried out frantically for any support but there was none. She would either learn to fly here or die from the impact of her body slamming into the hard earth. Finally losing her energy, the youngling shut her eyes tightly and spread her wings to their full length. She could feel the air circulate through the pockets her wings made, pushing her up even though she was still falling. She understood now.
With a triumphant cry she angled her wings down to gain speed before pulling up at the last possible second and soaring high above into the air. The freedom of the air coursed through her body as she dove and banked across the area. She quickly discovered the thermals left by the blasts of heat above and rode them up high above almost to the clouds. The world was hers. She could go anywhere she wanted. The young phoenix circled the nest a few more times before landing clumsily at the feet of her mother with a torrent of cheeps. Her mother tilted her head and listened cheerfully as her hatchling told her all about her first experiences of flying.
The young phoenix chirped on and on about her adventure when suddenly the skies above grew quiet for the first time in the newborn’s life. There were no thunderous booms or sudden temperature changes. She watched as rays of sunshine poked through the clouds and celebratory cries broke out all around her. Even her mother was yelling out happily. The youngling looked around confused before playfully joining in with her own chirps. The clouds quickly moved across the sky as two figures appeared outlined before the sun. The two figures descended slowly until they both landed lightly just before the nest of phoenixes.
“Attention denizens of Equestria! Let it be known that the alicorn sisters, Luna and Celestia, have come to bring peace and security to everypony!” the figures looked around them as all manners of forest creature and pony gathered in a wide circle to behold their majesty. In one brief moment they had somehow stopped the war above.
With her newfound flying abilities, the young phoenix alighted from the nest and swooped around the figures for a closer look. The two looked kind of like a mixture of the ponies that had gathered around them. They had strong, firm muscles but also had both wings and a horn. Chirping lightly, the youngling landed gracefully at the feet of the white one. She looked up and saw the alicorn’s rainbow mane glisten as it waved in the light breeze.
“Well aren’t you a cute one?” the alicorn looked down at her with a smile. The baby phoenix looked up at her and chirped in approval. The princess chuckled softly at the unexpected response.
“Intelligent one too. Well what should we do with you?”
The fledgling ruffled her feathers and looked about her before gazing back up at the princess and giving another quick chirp.
“That’s an excellent idea. You shall come and stay with us as royal advisor of the phoenixes.” the alicorn spoke as if she knew exactly what the young phoenix had said. “Just for clarity I shall name you… Philomena.”
The young phoenix gave another chirp of approval as she lifted into the air again and circled the princesses before taking her place by the side of the white alicorn.