This is the tale of the Phoenixborn, a native pony to the land of Moonlight. Born with the soul of a Phoenix who is destined to determine the fate of the entire world as it crumbles from war and a threat far beyond anything imaginable.
In the land known as Moonlight, a lush wilderness with towering mountains that rise above the clouds, is known as the kingdom of Princess Luna. However due to the Griffin Kingdom overpowering the Celestial Empire, the Griffins forced Princess Celestia to surrender and sign a treaty to allow both nations to form into one power. Princess Luna, disagreed with her sister, leaving to go defend her kingdom and her subjects from both her sister and the Griffins. As the sides prepare for war, a more dangerous threat emerges that was a part of a prophecy to the native tribes that have lived on the lands of Moonlight since the beginning of time.
Believing that the first four Phoenixes had formed the world around them and blessing the ponies with life, otherwise known as the Phoenoc, would bless a pony from the tribe with the soul of their creators. With the end of the world drawing near, the Phoenixborn has come. A young shaman by the name of Mooncatcher who was born with the marking of a Phoenix covering his left hoof. The dangerous world of Moonlight awaits him as he trains to face this unknown threat and to determine the fate of the world. He must journey throughout the land, discovering the truth behind the Phoenixes. Training so that he will be able to fulfill his destiny, as well as saving his tribe from certain doom from the invading forces on his homeland.
Will he succeed? Only through his determination and a promise will see him persevere, as well as some help from some friends he'll meet in his adventures.
The sun shined on the snow covered ground, causing the snow to glisten as a soft breeze blew throughout the forest. As the branches were being caressed by the wind, it sounded as if the land was orchestrating a beautiful song that broke the cold winter silence. A pair of bushes shook as a white unicorn with a brown patches of fur covering her muzzle, her ears, and her hooves walked through them. She had an orange piece of cloth wrapped around her neck and her horn was adorned with two gems, one as blue as water and the smaller gem was as white as her coat that looked as if there was water flowing within the stones. She paused for a moment while glancing around. Her blue eye briefly scanned the snowy woodland when a quick movement darted just in view of her peripherals. Turning her head towards the figure, the mare giggled when she noticed that it was a squirrel running away from two chipmunks. Apparently the squirrel had stolen a number of acorns from the chipmunks, since she could clearly see its cheeks were bulging as it jumped from one branch to another.
While the small scuffle was quite entertaining, the mare diverted her attention to the reason why she was in the forest in the first place. Her son, Mooncatcher, spent his time near a small brook whenever he had something on his mind. Today was the day that he'd have to undergo a ritual that all unicorns went through in their tribe. Since the founding of their tribe, each generation had a shaman that was a unicorn and whenever another unicorn was born, the current shaman would take them as their apprentice. Whenever the apprentice reached a certain age and learned everything the shaman could teach, they would undergo a ritual where they would have pieces of their horn hollowed out for two clear gems to be placed into. Once the gems were set, the unicorns magic would merge the gem into their horn and cause the color of the gems to change based around the unicorn's aura.
"Moon? Are you here, sweetie?" The white unicorn pushed her way through a pair of snow covered bushes. She spotted a tan unicorn lying next to the brook with his head resting on his hooves. His black mane was slightly covered with snow and his ears perked up at hearing his mother's voice.
"Yeah, I'm here," Moon's gaze remained fixed on the flowing water as he felt his mother's soft pelt brush up against his.
"You know I saw the most cutest thing on my way here," She said while she curled her hooves underneath her white chest. "It was a squirrel running away from two chipmunks. Apparently it stole the pairs' nuts, because they were barking up a storm!" The mare giggled at the recent scuffle she saw, however she noticed Moon wasn't paying attention and sighed. "Is everything alright? I know you're probably nervous, but it'll be fine. It's not as bad as you think."
"I know, it's just that I have no idea what to expect," Moon glanced at his mother. "What if they say something about this mark I was born with?" The young stallion presented his left hoof to his mother, revealing a pattern in black fur that resembled a Phoenix covering the lower half of his hoof.
"Relax, it'll be fine. Remember that you're no different than anypony else. I promise," Moon's mother smiled warmly and rested her hoof on her son's.
Feeling his mother's touch made Moon feel some comfort. When he was born, the shaman before his mother had helped with his delivery. He had noticed that a small patch of fur on Moon's left hoof had resembled a Phoenix and he walked out, claiming that he had to commune with their ancestors to understand what this meant. After a day, he had returned telling the chief that the young colt was gifted with the soul of a Phoenix, their creators. The chief decided that none of the other ponies must know about what the shaman had learned. For the other tribes may learn of Moon and it would possibly cause a war to break, both in fear for what this would mean and for the want of having Moon for their own gain. To keep this a secret, Moon was required to stay close within the tribe's territory and to never know the true reason behind the mark on his hoof. This had caused Moon to grow up feeling different than anypony else, since the other foals would occasionally tease him and the older ponies tended to stay away from him.
However, Flowing Brook, his mother, had always made him feel loved. When she took him as her apprentice, she had told him the truth behind his mark and that it meant he was special. Moon had always felt that he could rely on his mother for guidance. His dad, Running Leaves, was also there for him. Teaching him how to hunt and survive out in the wilderness whenever Brook wasn't showing Moon different spell types.
"Oh that reminds me," Brook spoke up as caring voice had gained a more serious tone. She arched her brow while her blue eyes stared into Moon's. "Just because you're no longer going to be my apprentice doesn't you're not going to be my little baby anymore, got it?"
Seeing his mother's piercing gaze struck Moon by surprise, the only time she looked at him like that was when he accidentally set the medicine den on fire.
"Huh?! Oh, o-of course," Moon chuckled nervously as he rubbed his neck nervously.
"Then say it," Brook leaned closer towards him, her gaze becoming more menacing.
Realizing what she meant, Moon sighed. "Fine, I'll always be your... eh. Little Moony Pie," saying this made Moon's face turn red from embarrassment despite the fact they were the only two there.
"See! That wasn't so hard!" The mare quickly wrapped her hooves around Moon's neck and nuzzled him. "D'aww! I love you so much! You're so adorable!"
While his mother tightened her hug around Moon's neck, he let out a small cough as his face burned from embarrassment. "Mom... I can't breathe..."
Hearing his words, Moon felt his mom pause for a moment and look at her son. "Pfft, don't be a wimp. You sound just like your dad." After she said that, Moon felt her give one last squeeze around him before she let him free.
"Alright, let's get going," Brook straightened herself up. "As soon as we get back, we'll need to start the ritual. Once you're in the spirit world there's no telling how long you'll be in the trance."
Moon nodded while he stood on his hooves, clumps of snow had attatched themselves to his fur. A feeling of nervousness had crept its way back into his stomach when his mother reminded him. She must have realized it, because she gazed over to him and gave him a small smile.
"Don't worry, I'll be by your side the whole time. I promise."
~~~~
As they began to walk back to the tribe, clouds had filled the sky and snow began to fall. On the way, Brook showed Moon where she had seen the squirrel and chipmunks were. After a few moments of walking through the forest, the two spotted a small fox rummaging through the snow. It looked as if it were trying to find a meal but when it spotted them, it made a dash towards a near tree and awaited for the ponies to pass. Brook playfully waved at the fox as its head peeked from the side of the tree. When the fox saw her wave, it tilted its head confusingly, trying to figure out what in the world she was doing.
Moon knew the ways around the forest very well. Both from the times he went hunting with his father and the other from when he snuck out every once in a while at night. As the pair passed a fallen tree, Moon recalled the time his father taught him how to use a bow and arrow. Of course since he was a unicorn, it was rather easy for him to learn how to shoot accurately. He could levitate the bow with ease instead of using his hooves. Once him and his father had returned, Moon asked his mother if he could learn how to summon a bow. At first, Brook was reluctant to teach her son but she decided to teach him on one condition, either her or his father had to be with him whenever he used it. Moon agreed and only summoned the bow when his parents were around, usually at least.
"So what do you think the colors of your gems will be?" Brook broke Moon's recollection of his memories.
"Oh that? Well they change to whatever color a unicorn's magic is based around, right?"
"Right, and yours is primarily based around fire. It wasn't too hard to figure that out when you first started to use your magic," the white mare's face grimaced for a moment and she looked up at her mane. "I never thought my mane would grow back after all the times you burned it off."
"Those were all accidents! I swear!" Moon couldn't help but let out a chuckle at his mother's reaction.
"Oh sure, I totally believe you," Brook rolled her eyes playfully. "I was surprised the whole village didn't burn down. You were a little pyromaniac back then. I'm just glad that stage didn't last long."
"Well that's only because you were there to put out the fire," Moon stuck his tongue out while he casted a small flame spell that hovered above his horn. However, Moon suddenly felt freezing water pour onto his head and it caused the stallion to gasp from the cold. He heard Brook's distinctive giggle through his teeth chattering and glared at her.
"You were saying?" Brook innocently smiled at Moon while water was flowing around her horn and into the air. She soon broke out in laughter seeing Moon's expression. "What? At least your mane isn't singed!"
"Speaking of which, your mane looks a little hot," Moon smirked while his horn flashed momentarily, causing Brook's mane to appear on fire.
"Nice try, but I'm not failing for it," Brook gave him a deadpan expression, which caused the flames above her head to disappear. "I should've never taught you that illusion spell, but I did anyway because I'm your mother."
After Moon dried his mane so it wouldn't freeze in the cold weather, the two eventually arrived back into the tribe that was surrounded by fallen trees that protected the inhabitants from the harsh winds. Moon walked behind his mother when they passed a small opening that was left on the outer wall. Glancing around, he saw that the ponies were going on with their daily lives. A group had returned from trading with the neighboring tribe and were placing a bundle of furs near one of the huts that were used for storage. Foals were playing in a small clearing near the nursery as their mothers talked amongst each other, however they still kept an eye on their mischievous offspring. There was also a fire in the center of the village that was big enough to keep burning for hours. The tribe elders were lying next to it as they reminisced on their past while occasionally complaining about the cold weather.
A dark chestnut colored stallion was talking with the group that had returned from trading spotted the two who had just returned from the forest. He was taller than most of the ponies there and had a long black mane that went down past his shoulders. Moon saw him nod to a smaller stallion as he walked towards Moon and his mother. His face lit up when he saw Brook.
"What are you smiling at, you big dummy?" Brook smirked as her mate caught her gaze.
"Yeah, I missed you too," Running Leaves chuckled heavily. He looked over at Moon, who was as tall as him. "I see you found our son, was he hard to find?"
Brook shook her head, "No, of course it was easy for me to find him. A mother's intuition is always right. It's something you'd never understand."
"Let me guess, he was by the brook that's near the bundle of jazberries?" Running Leaves raised an eyebrow with a sly grin.
"Nope, he was totally by the eagle's nest." Brook playfully winked at him. "Anyway, it's time we get his ritual started. It was actually a good thing you found us, I wanted to let you know that Moon can't be disturbed by anything. I'll be with him the whole time, but I wouldn't recommend coming into the den."
Running Leaves nodded briefly. "Alright, do you know how long it will last?"
"Sadly no, it could last a few hours or even a day. It varies with each shaman," Brook nuzzled her mate. "I promise you that when it's finished you'll be the first to know, okay?"
"Okay," Running Leaves returned her nuzzle and then looked at his son. "I'm proud of you, Moon."
"Thanks, dad," Moon smiled at his father. "It means a lot."
"If you need anything before you two start the ceremony, let me know. I'll be helping Creaking Log and Wolf Fang with patching up a few of the huts. Some of the snow broke through the roof and we need to clear it out before nightfall."
"We will, we promise." Brook smiled warmly before Running Leaves started to walk away.
"I love you guys!"
"I love you too!" Both Moon and his mother said at the same time.
~~~~
"Alright, that should be everything we need," Brook walked through the walkway of the medicine den levitating two colorless gems and a bundle of herbs. "I'm going to mix some white willow bark into the mixture. You may not need it because you'll probably be in the trance, but it'll do wonders for you when you wake up."
Moon was sitting on the floor of the den as he watched his mother set the things she was carrying next to a stone bowl that rested above a bundle of sticks. She placed the mixture of herbs into it and began to crush them into a pulp with a small rock. Once she finished, she set the rock aside and started to fill the bowl with a water spell she had casted.
"Now we need it to warm up over the fire," Brook explained while she opened a small hatch on the ceiling. "Moony, can you please light the fire?"
The nervous stallion gave a short nod before he focused his spell onto the bundle of sticks. Within an instant, the sticks were set aflame.
"Thank you," Brook sat down in front of her son. "I'm going to go over what you have to do again before we begin. This is a very precious custom that only happens once a pony is ready to become a shaman." The mare cleared her throat before she proceeded. "First, when the brew is ready you will drink it while I'm reciting the words of our ancestors. The magic that will come from my horn will be a light that will wrap around you and touch the tip of your horn. Then after that, you'll suddenly become unconscious. So in order to prevent you from hurting yourself I want you to lay down. Once you're finally in the spirit world I will begin to perform the ritual by using my magic to place the gems within your horn. It'll take time for them to bond with your horn, but when it's done the gems will turn into a different color, thus showing that the ceremony has been completed. Do you have any questions before we begin?"
"No, I'm ready," Moon sighed heavily while lying down, trying to prepare himself for the unexpected. He was finally going to meet the founders of his tribe, those who had seen the darkest days and those who know about the days yet to come.
"Then let us begin. Take the bowl before you and drink its contents," Brook slowly closed her eyes as her horn began to shimmer before she started to speak.
"Alnahn zii do fin wuth, aal hei gestahdim daar sil wo lost been kiin voth hein onikaan. Gelaad mok wah kos tok wah gevoth voth hei ahst hein fen."
The gems that were embedded into his mother's horn started to brightly shine as a blue light emerged from them, reminding Moon of the sky at night during the winter. As they began to create formations the stallion glanced at the bowl in the fire. Levitating it, he sipped the mixture, which caused his throat to burn. Moon then set the bowl on the floor and watched the beam of light elegantly dance towards him. His heart felt as if it were going to burst from his chest when the light burst forward and touched his horn. The sudden sensation of the immense amount of magic was a surprise to him as it filled his body. However, instead of feeling any discomfort, he only felt a shroud of peace wash over him. Moon's eyes grew heavy while he fell to his side, knocking the bowl to its side. Before his eyes closed, his mother's words rang out in his mind.
"Don't worry, I'll be by your side the whole time. I promise."
"Ugh, my head," Mooncatcher's eyes flickered as he regained consciousness. "Is this the spirit world?"
The last thing he remembered was the light that had struck his horn while him and his mother were performing the ceremony. Now the stallion was lying in the middle of a clearing. It looked as if the seasons had changed overnight, the grass was a soft green that tickled at Moon's stomach while a faint breeze carried the scent of the sweetest flowers that only bloomed during the spring. Birds chirped happily among the fully grown oak trees that were tightly scattered next to each other. Mooncatcher's ears perked up when he heard the distinctive cooing of a dove. Being in this place made an overwhelming amount of peace wash over the unicorn and he felt as if he was in total bliss.
"We have been waiting for you, young shaman," a soft voice that sounded like a mare had arisen from behind Moon. Her tone sounded so heavenly like it was carried by the wind.
Moon rose to his hooves and turned to face the pony. It was a cream colored unicorn with a blonde mane. Her horn was adorned with two clear gems and she had three feathers in her mane. The outer feathers were white and in the center were colored a calming yellow. The mare's fur gently flowed as if there was a constant breeze surrounding her. On her flank, there was a cutie mark of a pair of leaves being blown by the wind.
"Do not be afraid, I am Whispering Breeze," a warming smile spread across her face as she began to walk towards Mooncatcher. "It is a blessing to finally meet the one who bears the soul of the Phoenoc. We have awaited your arrival for many seasons." The mare was now near Moon and sat down next to him in the grass. "Please, sit."
Moon nodded as he lowered himself next to the shaman. He could feel his fur that was facing her being gently caressed by a breeze that apparently was being created from her body. He could feel her aura, it was light and calming like the air around them. He had never seen a shaman with their element being based off the air, he only heard about them from the stories the tribal elders would tell when he was a small colt.
"Are you here to tell me about why I was born with this?" Moon asked while he raised his left hoof towards the mare.
"Yes," Breeze gently took Moon's hoof into her own and began to gently trace the marking with her other hoof, tickling his fur. She studied it patiently with her emerald green eyes and then spoke. "You will determine the fate of this land, as well as harsh trials will be thrown upon you and your tribe."
"Wait, what do you mean by determining the fate of this land?" Moon tilted his head as anxiety began to emerge in his voice. "Do you mean that we're going to have a harsh year with crops or worse?"
"No, war is coming, you must learn to hone your true power that resides within you and save your tribe." Breeze sighed heavily, Moon could see that sorrow was filling behind her green eyes. "Invaders from foreign lands gather together to claim our home for their own gain. They are at war with a pony who bestowed herself the title of Princess Luna. She claims leadership over our lands, her enemies disagree and are willing to fight over who it truly belongs to."
Moon paused for a moment, he had heard of this Princess Luna once before. A scouting party had returned to his tribe, informing the chief about a group of heavily armed ponies bearing a flag with a symbol of the moon in the center. One of the guards were talking about how Princess Luna wanted the extra defenses along their trade routes. "What about the other tribes? Are they in any danger?"
"Yes," Breeze stopped tracing her hoof along his hoof and stared into Moon's eyes. Her soft voice was filled with sorrow. "You are the only hope for this land. The threat spreads even farther to the Northern realm, where the Krystelletines dwell."
The Krystelletines were a group of ponies that were created when the first ancestors of Moon's tribe were created. The Windigos had helped the Phoenoc form the lands around them, creating the snow, the ice, and the glaciers that filled the north. Once they had finished, the two species wanted to create something that was living and could have feelings like them. So they decided to create the ponies. However, both had different views on how the ponies should be created. The Phoenoc believed that ponies should be blessed with their abilites, the gift of flight, magic, and strength. While the Windigos believed that ponies shouldn't have the ablities of flight or magic, but instead to have the strength of the land around them. That and they should be kept under a strict code of living in order to keep their bloodlines pure.
"But this doesn't even make any sense!" Moon shook his head frantically and took his hoof away from Breeze. "The Windigos should be able to protect the Frosts! The same goes for the Phoenoc! Shouldn't they protect us?!" The stallion asked the former shaman in disbelief.
"It's not that simple," Breeze lowered her hooves and her eyes focused on Moon. "Yes, the Windigos will be able to protect the Frosts, however it is much different for us." She sighed as she continued. "Do you know the truth behind what happened after our creation?"
"Yeah, that once all four Phoenoc guided each tribe to their home, they created smaller Phoenixes to watch over us as they returned to ash to rest, right?" Moon tilted his head in confusion. "What is this mare getting at?" He asked himself.
"Somewhat right. There were actually five Phoenoc."
Mooncatcher's ears quickly perked up while his eyes fixed onto Breeze. "What?"
"Yes, there are five," Breeze nodded slowly as she continued. "You already know the four, Sun, Water, Earth, and Air. The fifth Phoenoc though, is known as Death, or Dinok, in their language. It was responsible for bringing death into this world. For all living things cannot live forever. That is not even a gift that our creators wanted to bless us with. " The mare shifted slightly. "Dinok felt as if he were above the other Phoenoc, even his counterpart, Life."
"Wait, wouldn't that mean there are a total of six Phoenoc then?"
"No, in their tongue, his name was Laas, however you already know him as the Sun," Whispering Breeze flicked her blonde tail around her hooves. "With fire, there is life, with life, there is birth. As every Phoenix dies, it turns to ash. It doesn't matter which type of Phoenix it is, even the Water Phoenixes turn to ash."
Moon silently paid attention to her as she spoke on.
"Now, back onto what I was saying before. Dinok's mind was filled with thoughts that he were the one who was the most powerful of all his brothers and sisters. He had the power to take life from anything he wished and it made him crave to rule over his siblings as well as the ponies. However they did not see eye to eye with their brother, so they banded together to defeat him. It was easy for them to overcome him. In the end, Laas sealed him into the earth behind a barrier. Never allowing him to break free. Once he had finished, Laas was nearing the end of his life cycle and told his siblings that one day, Dinok would return and take control of the Phoenixes in the world, using them for his destruction. Laas foretold of a day where a pony would be born with the soul of a true Phoenoc. That pony would help them destroy the evil that would fill the land. You, are that pony, Mooncatcher. You, are the Phoenixborn."
The words that this pony spoke, his ancestor, had made Moon felt sick to his stomach. He didn't expect to hear that the fate of the world rested on his shoulders. He didn't even want to be held responsible for something that could end the entire world. Moon knew that if he didn't, countless of lives would be lost because of him, even his parents. The young stallion breathed slowly and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down.
"I know this isn't something that you wished to have been born with," Moon flinched slightly when he felt a warm breath tickle the inside of his ear. "I can only imagine the thoughts spinning through your mind. However our creators have entrusted you with this destiny."
"But I'm just a pony! How can I even defeat something that will end the entire world?!" Moon snapped at his ancestor. "The deadliest thing I can cast is a simple fire spell! I'm not a Phoenix!"
"But you are," Breeze sat down in front of him. "There is a mountain to the north, far beyond our territory that borders the Krystelletine lands. It will take you at least a three day journey to arrive. Inside are ponies outside our lands that have studied the way of the Phoenoc and Windigos for their entire life. Go to them, and they will teach you to hone the true power within your soul. They'll know you are coming."
"How will they know I'm coming though?"
"Let me see your hoof," Breeze placed her hoof in front of him.
Mooncatcher slowly placed his hoof into hers, waiting to see what she would do. He noticed that Whispering Breeze began to speak in a different tongue that he couldn't understand. The stallion knew that it was the Voice of the Phoenoc, but he hadn't learned to speak it yet. Suddenly magic had burst from the gems in Whipsering Breeze's horn, the beams of light danced around his hoof as she continued to chant.
"Alok nol fin kii, gorann Phoenoc. Kos orkiin nawah daar lein." Breeze started to chant louder as her magic started to form above the marking on his hoof. The mare immediately opened her eyes to revel that they were glowing a bright white. It had caught Moon off guard when he felt an intense burning in his hoof, as if it were on fire. Gasping in pain, the unicorn tried to snatch his hoof away but failed. His hoof was being grasped in Breeze's magic and the pain intensified as he felt it shoot into his chest. Moon could literally feel his insides burning from the fire within. The unicorn opened his mouth to yell in pain, but instead only smoke filled the air in place of his voice. He could feel the inside of his lungs fill with fire.
A sudden burst of fire shot into the sky from Moon's horn, causing the trees around them to catch on fire. The pain that filled his entire body vanished within an instant and the young stallion fell to the ground panting in pain. The grass around him was singed as his chest heaved up and down. Whispering Breeze was no longer beside him, as if she vanished into thin air. Moon glanced at his left hoof and saw that the marking on his hoof that was once black, was now on fire. However the fur surrounding the mark wasn't even singed. He placed his other hoof over the mark and saw the fire form around his arm. The stallion felt no pain from the fire, only its warm kiss as it caressed his tan fur.
Rising to his hooves, the young shaman glanced around to see the once green and healthy forest he had first seen was now a forest of fire. He looked in amazement while the smoke filled the sky, a pang of guilt struck him for doing this to the forest, but then a calming breeze blew past him.
"With fire, comes new life. The forest will grow again, young shaman. It will be grow even bigger than it was before, thanks to you..."
Moon's eyes flickered open, he had returned from the spirit world and he was now back in the hut. The unicorn felt groggy while there was a dull pain in his horn. Something was stroking his mane softly as Moon's vision started to clear. It was his mother, she was sitting beside him with a small smile and he could see the joy in her eyes.
"Congratulations, Moon," Flowing Brook said when she noticed her son waking up. "You're now officially the tribe's shaman. I'm so proud of you!" She nuzzled him lovingly, causing Mooncatcher to grunt somewhat.
"How... how long have I been asleep?" Moon spoke as he rose up so he could sit, his hooves felt heavy.
"Well, for about six hours," Flowing Brook grinned sheepishly. "But it ritual was a success! How are you feeling? Are you hurting or anything? I tried my best not to hurt you too much."
"Yeah, I'm fine," Moon rubbed his muzzle while the mare stood up and began looking over him worriedly. "Relax, mom, I just feel really exhausted. My horn hurts a little bit but that's about it. I'll live."
The cream colored unicorn lowered her gaze to look at his hoof. "Alright, but if you feel anything is wrong you let me know. How's your hoof?"
"My hoof?" Moon quickly glanced down at his left hoof to see it the way it was before he spoke to his ancestor. "It looks fine, what happened?"
"Well, while I was placing the gems into your horn, the strangest thing happened," Brook sat down in front of Moon and took his hoof into hers. "Once your horn merged completely with the gems, there was a sudden burst of magic. I was honestly quite surprised when I noticed that your hoof was on fire. However, it was only your mark that was aflame."
Moon felt his blood turn cold from hearing his mother's words. His mind suddenly awoke as he remembered Whispering Breeze and the things she told him. Her air element awaking his flame, his soul, causing his body to fill with fire. Images of the forest burning flashed throughout his mind as he stood in the center, with the marking of a Phoenix burning on his hoof.
"I have to tell you something," Moon's tone quickly became serious. "I learned of something in the spirit world."
"What happened?" Brook looked into her son's eyes, her blue eyes shimmering with worry. "Is it about your mark?"
"Yes," Moon nodded.
~~~~
After Mooncatcher explained to Flowing Brook about Whispering Breeze and the truth about how there was actually a fifth Phoenoc instead of four original Phoenoc. Also about how his ancestor freed his soul, he could see his mother was shocked as she stood there in the hut. She was lost in thought while she stared at the floor.
"Mom?" Moon gently touched his mom's shoulder. "Are you okay?"
Brook flinched slightly as she quickly turned to meet her son's eyes. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry, sweetie, I just. I can't believe it. After all this time..."
The tan unicorn thought he noticed that a deep pain in Brook's eyes, as if she had a memory with the events he told her. Before he could ask, she spoke up.
"Do you know when Dinok is returning?"
"As far as I know, no," Moon shook his head. "But Whispering Breeze told me that when he returns, he will gain control of the Phoenixes across the world and use them for his own gain."
"This is going to be utter chaos. Especially now from what you've told me about this Princess Luna and the war that is coming to this land. There won't be anything left." Tears quickly filled Brook's eyes as she wrapped her hooves around her son. "I'm so sorry, Moony..."
"Hey, don't worry about it," Moon nuzzled his mother to reassure her. "I'll be fine. After all, The Phoenoc have entrusted me with this gift. That must mean I'm the only one who can do this." Despite the fear that had crept into his stomach, Moon still gave a warm smile. The words Whispering Breeze told him still offered him some type of comfort.
"I know," the mare tightly hugged Moon again. "I just wish that you didn't have to go through this. I believe in you, but I'm going to worry so much about you. You're my baby..." Brook let him go for a moment. "I love you."
"I love you too, mom," Moon felt his heart break at seeing Brook like this, he had rarely seen her cry at all. The stallion gave Brook another hug.
"What about that mountain you're supposed to go to?" The mare wiped her cheeks. "You need to leave as soon as you can to go train."
"They already know that I'm coming," Moon nodded briefly. "It kind of makes me wonder if they have someone coming to already get me."
"Well we can't wait for them, you need to go on ahead and find them. You have to train as much as you possibly can so you'll be ready."
"I know, I know," Moon sighed at his mother, she couldn't stand it when anyone, especially Moon and his dad, procrastinated.
"Okay, I'm just worried about you," Brook nuzzled her son lovingly. "First we need to inform the chief and your father about this. Then you can leave in the morning."
Moon watched as the mare walked away from him and towards the hut entrance. Before she left, she turned around and looked at him.
"I almost forgot, you should go look at yourself sometime. Those gems and that feather in your mane make you look absolutely handsome. The mares in this tribe better watch out." She winked playfully at him as she exited the hut, leaving Moon alone, blushing with embarrassment.
~~~~
The day was winding down to an end as the sun rested on the horizon. Moon was now alone in his room that was a part of the shaman's den, packing up his saddlebags with the supplies that he would need for the trip. He had just came back from the discussion him and his mother had with the chief and Moon's father. Both of them were stunned at hearing the news, but still kept their composure. The chief told Moon that he must leave before daybreak in order not to raise suspicion from the other members of the tribe. Once Moon had left, the chief would later call a meeting to say that Mooncatcher had left to go on a journey that the ancestors had given him. Sparing the details in order to keep the peace. He had also told Moon that before he left, his mother and father were allowed to walk with him to the northern border of the clan to say goodbye.
Everything had happened so fast that the young shaman still couldn't believe what was happening. However knowing that his parents were supporting him with their love made things easier for him. They had always been their for him growing up and Moon knew that they would always be there for him. However he began to feel his heart drop with sorrow when he thought about leaving his parents the next day. He had always been with them, Moon had no idea when he would be seeing his mom and dad again. Tears started to flow down his cheeks. He didn't want to leave them.
"Moony? Sweetheart?" Flowing Brook's voice came from the outside of Moon's room. "May we come in?"
"Uh hold on!" Moon frantically wiped the tears from his eyes as he went back to packing his supplies. "You guys can come in!"
The brown flap that covered the entrance to his room lifted as his parents walked in. They were both smiling warmly at him as his father spoke.
"How are you doing, son?" Running Leaves sat down near a pile of herbs that Moon had taken from the medicine den.
"I'm okay," Moon replied while levitating a folded fur blanket into his saddlebag. "I'm still a little in shock, I guess. This is happening so fast." The young unicorn sighed as he looked at his dad.
"I can understand that," Running Leaves chuckled slightly. "To be honest I'd be scared out of my mind."
"I am quite scared actually," Moon rubbed his neck nervously. "I've never been out of the clan's borders before and I have no idea what's out there. Not to mention that the whole fate of the world kind of depends on me."
"It's a lot of responsibility, especially for one pony," the chestnut colored stallion rested his hoof on Moon's shoulder. "But I know you can do it. I'm proud of you, Moon."
Hearing his father's words made Moon pause for a moment, the thought of him leaving his parents once again flooded his mind and he felt tears starting to pool up in his eyes. Before he knew it, Moon was sobbing softly.
"Aww, Moony, what's wrong?" Flowing Brook quickly sat next to her son and wrapped her tail around him. Feeling her warm coat against his made Moon feel somewhat comforted.
"I... I don't want to leave you guys," Moon spoke between his sobs. "I don't know when I'm even going to be back. I'm going to miss you both so much!" The tan stallion squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to stop himself from crying.
"Sssh, it's alright, my little Moony," Brook's voice had became soft and full of love as she began to stroke Moon's black mane. "We're not going anywhere, I promise."
"She's right, Moon," Running Leaves spoke up as he moved next to his son's side. "Your mother and I aren't going anywhere. Besides, maybe whoever is teaching you will let you come back to visit us once you've learned a good amount. You're a quick learner, I'm sure within a week you'll be back to visit us."
Moon feeling both his mom and dad beside him, giving him comfort, had made him feel better. He was able to look at both of them, however his cheeks were still wet from his tears.
"But what if I'm not good enough? What if it takes me a long time to learn what they have to teach?"
"Oh no, don't you dare say those words, mister," Moon's mother answered back with a stern, yet playful voice. "You're my baby and I know for a fact that you'll be able to learn anything those ponies can teach you. You were a very fast learner when it came to being my apprentice!"
"The same goes for when I taught you how to use your bow and how to live out in the wilderness. I was amazed at how fast you were able to do everything I taught you after I showed you how to do it only a few times. You're going to be fine, I promise." Running Leaves smiled while he playfully bumped shoulders with his son.
Moon was grateful for his parents, they always knew what to say to make him feel more at peace. They both taught him lessons that would help him as he grew up and always told him that he could do anything as long as he set him mind to it and never gave up on his dreams. That was the purpose on how he earned his cutie mark. When he was a small colt, Moon had seen the full moon that was floating above the sky. He had wanted to be able to touch the moon, so he found a log near the bonfire that burned constantly in their village and pushed it by himself so he could use it to help him. The young unicorn had then climbed it and began galloping across it to jump off the end so he could touch the moon. However time and time again, Moon failed, but he never stopped.
Worried about their son, both Running Leaves and Flowing Brook walked out of their home and spotted Moon in the center of the tribe, jumping off a log over and over again. They quickly ran over to him and asked what he was doing, only to have their colt reply that he was trying to catch the moon. Both parents looked at each other and realized that Moon wouldn't be able to touch the moon, until his mother thought up of a plan.
She quickly winked at her mate and excitedly told Mooncatcher that he'd be able to touch the moon if he never gave up. That confused Running Leaves, however he continued to let Flowing Brook encourage their son. After she was finished talking to Moon, Brook then whispered in Running Leaves' ear and told him her plan. Nodding in approval with a wide grin on his face, he called her a silly filly and allowed her to continue.
As Moon began to gallop across the log once again, this time as he leaped with all of his might, Flowing Brook quickly casted an illusion spell of a small moon in front of her son. Moon suddenly reached out with his hooves as he landed on top of the moon. Before he realized it, the small, fluffy colt had finally caught the moon. His mother was right, he didn't give up and he achieved his dream.
Gasping in excitement, Moon bounced to his hooves while he shouted as his parents to look at what he did. Both his mom and dad were at his side congratulating him by nuzzling him while he continued to look at both of them in amazement. There was a sudden flash on his flank, surprising his parents. They soon realized that their son had earned his cutie mark and told Moon to look at his flank. Moon never forgot the excitement he felt when he earned the dreamcatcher on his flank that had the moon resting safely inside it. Nor his parents being there for him.
"I have an idea," Flowing Brook's voice broke Moon's memory as her horn shimmered brightly. The orange bandanna that was wrapped around her neck was then levitated into the air. "Hold out your left hoof, please."
Moon nodded and extended his left hoof out towards his mother. She then began to wrap it carefully around his forehoof, covering the mark. When she finished, she tied a knot and smiled at him.
"Now no matter where you go, one look at this and you'll know that both me and your dad are with you. I promise," Brook rubbed her muzzle against Moon's. "I love you so much, Moony, I'm so happy to be your mom." She then back away with tears in her eyes while continuing to smile.
"And I'm so proud to be your dad," Running Leaves hooves wrapped around Moon's shoulders which had caught the unicorn by surprise. "No matter what you do, just know that I couldn't have asked for a better son. You're everything a stallion should be. You have such a bright destiny ahead of you. I love you."
"I love you guys too," Moon felt the sorrow dragging at his heart lift away and was now replaced with a warming love. "I promise you guys that I'll do my best."
"We know you will," his parents both replied at the same time and hugged him lovingly.
After a few moments, Flowing Brook quickly spoke up in a more serious tone. "You're still my little Moony Poo. Just because you're going off to save the world doesn't mean that I'm not going to stop treating you like you're my baby."
~~~~
Snow blanketed the forest floor, snowflakes were slowly floating to the ground while the clouds blocked the sun's light. Three ponies were trudging through the snow, soon they had all stopped near fallen tree that was lying across a flowing river. Snow blanketed the top of the tree as the flakes fell into the water. The air was silent while one of the ponies took a step near the base of the natural bridge and turned to the other two.
"Promise me you're going to be okay, no matter what," Flowing Brook told Mooncatcher as she held Running Leaves' hoof.
"I promise," Moon smiled at his mother. "I'll try to visit you guys as soon as I can."
"Remember to use your flame to keep yourself warm, son," Running Leaves reminded Moon as he hugged him. "Thank the Phoenoc your magic is fire, it'll save you if you get stuck in a blizzard."
"I will," Mooncatcher nodded at his dad. The morning Moon had woken up, his body felt more alive than ever. He had wondered if that was from his soul being awoken or from the gems that were now a part of his horn. The two gems appeared as if there was an everlasting fire dancing within them. "I love you, dad."
"I love you too, son," the chestnut colored stallion hugged Moon tightly and took a step back. "Remember, we'll always be here if you need anything. If you need us, send us a message and we'll come to you as fast as we can."
Flowing Brook slowly stood in front of Moon, she then suddenly reached forward and gave her son one last hug. Moon could hear her trying to hold back her tears. The stallion rested his muzzle on her shoulder and lovingly wrapped his hooves around her.
"Please be safe," Brook sobbed loudly while she tightened her hug around Moon. "I don't know what I'll do if something happens to you. Also remember that I'll always be with you as long as you have my bandanna wrapped around your hoof. Okay? Oh don't forget to brush your teeth and don't talk to strangers." The mare chuckled sadly. "I love you so much."
"Don't worry, I won't," Moon felt a tear fall down his cheek as he laughed at his mother's joke. "I promise you I'll never take your bandanna off and I won't do anything stupid. I love you."
Flowing Brook nodded as she wiped her eyes. She then went back to Running Leaves' side and he nuzzled her.
"I'm not going to say goodbye, because I plan on coming back soon," Moon gave one last smile before he jumped onto the fallen tree. "I promise you guys that when I come back, I'll protect you both and the entire tribe. I'll stop Dinok. Then we can go back to our lives as a family once again. I love you guys."
With that being said, Moon turned and began to walk across the tree. The snow was slick underneath his hooves, however Moon was easily able to keep his balance until he made it to the other side. Looking back, he gave a final wave to his parents before he set off into the snow covered wilderness. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Moon saw his breath rise into the air.
"Everything's going to be fine, as long as I have my mom's bandanna I'll be safe." The unicorn felt comforted when he felt the orange fabric snugly wrapped around his hoof. "Oh Laas, please be with me..."
A blasting wind pelted Mooncatcher's coat, a blizzard had suddenly appeard as if it came out of no where. The stallion's teeth chattered ferociously as he slowly marched on through the snow. "I need to find a place to rest..." he thought to himself. Moon could hardly see even a few hooflengths away from him.
The stallion's hoof gave way when he pressed his weight on it, causing him to fall on his muzzle into the cold powder. Pain shot through his shoulder as he realized that he accidentally stepped into a burrow. Lifting his head and trying to regain his posture, an intense flash of red appeared in front of him. Moon couldn't clearly see what had caused the bright flash due to the blizzard disrupting his field of vision, but soon after the red flash was accompanied by a turquoise light that looked as if it were ice.
"What is that?" The unicorn mumbled to himself as he shook his hoof, squinting to see if he could make out what was causing the flashes.
Suddenly a loud screech filled the air, Moon's eyes widened when he saw a flaming object breach through the blinding snow. The object flew over his head and crashed into the ground. Mooncatcher quickly turned to see what it was, but within an instant, he recognized what it was. It was a Phoenix.
<i>"Why is there a Phoenix all the way out here?!"</i> Moon felt his heartbeat quicken rapidly when he saw it stare at him as it regained its footing. The Phoenix screeched loudly at the stallion, spreading its enormous wings that were aflame. A bone chilling neigh sounded behind Moon, causing the hairs to stand on his back while he turned slowly to see what had created the noise. Within the blowing winds, a pair of glowing white eyes appeared. A bright flash appeared behind it to reveal that it was a Windigo, its glare caused Mooncatcher to freeze where he stood.
The Phoenix screeched behind Moon once again, this time as it flew over the unicorn's head and landed in front of him. It spread its wings and waved them towards the Windigo, sending a large flame hurling towards its icy adversary. However, before it struck the Windigo, the creature dispersed into thin air as it turned into snow. Moon could see the Phoenix was surprised while it glanced around quickly, trying to discover where the Windigo disappeared to.
Before both Moon and the Phoenix realized it, the Windigo charged directly into the firey bird, knocking it over onto its side while the Windigo stood over it. The Phoenix struggled beneath the creature's weight, shooting fire directly into its face. Before the flame struck the Windigo's face, it summoned a wall of ice so the flames would miss its target completely. The Windigo then slammed its hoof into the Phoenix's throat, causing the fire to end while the bird gasped for air. Mooncatcher could see the fear filling the Phoenix's eyes as its gaze met the Windigo's chilling, heartless stare. The large bird flapped its wings in a panic, trying to break free from the Windigo's grip.
Blowing in disapproval, the Windigo created two spikes of ice out of the thin air around it. Its stare not wavering from the Phoenix's as it quickly shot the giant spears of ice into the bird's wings. A blood chilling shriek broke through the air as the Phoenix laid there in the snow, its wings lying still while its chest heaved in pain. Moon also felt a sharp, piercing pain fill his shoulders, which caused the stallion to fall onto his side in agony. His cry of pain echoed with the Phoenix lying in front of him.
A warm liquid seeped underneath Moon's fur while he panted, soon the snow beneath him was stained red from his blood. Mooncatcher attempted to move, but to no avail, his body felt numb and limp. All the stallion could do was watch the two beings in front of him stare at one another as time seemed to slow down. Moon saw the Windigo summon another ice spike from thin air, he could see the snow spiraling and forming into hard ice.
The Windigo lowered itself down to where its muzzle was almost touching the Phoenix's beak. It blew out, lightly covering the feathers on the Phoenix's face with small ice particles while it levitated the spike of ice over the bird's chest. Mooncatcher felt his adrenaline pumping through his body, he tried to call out to catch the Windigo's attention so the Phoenix could have a moment to defend itself from its attacker. However only a weak whimper escaped his frozen lips.
Within an instant, the Windigo thrusted the ice spike into the Phoenix's chest, piercing its heart. Moon felt a sharp pain fill his heart at the same time that was soon followed by a wrenching sensation as he watched the Windigo twist the spear deeper into the Phoenix's chest . He felt the air escape from his lungs as his vision began to fade away. As his eyes slowly closed, Mooncatcher watched the Windigo's body turn to snow while the breeze carried it away into the blizzard.
~~~~
Mooncatcher awoke with a sudden gasp, he grabbed his chest while his eyes darted around in distress. It was only a nightmare.
"Oh thank the Phoenoc," the young shaman sighed in relief while he looked up into the sky.
Mooncatcher glimpsed over at the horizon, seeing if the sun had risen yet. It had been two days since he left his tribe to begin his journey. Within another day, he would have finally reached the mountain and begin his training to hone his power of the Phoenix. The Phoenoc had blessed him with clear weather and safe travels for the past two days. This was the only time he had this nightmare, so the stallion decided to push it out of his mind while he began to pack his belongings before he continued his journey. However the nightmare still haunted his mind.
Once he had finished, Mooncatcher put the fire out. The first night Moon had set up camp, he decided to try out his magic to see if it had changed it all, it definitely had. The fire within him had grown and he felt as if he could cast any type of spell without tiring as quickly.
"There we go, now it's back on the road," Mooncatcher yawned slightly while he stretched, getting his muscles ready for the final trek before he had to climb the mountain. The stallion could actually see the mountain off in the distance, it was the tallest one that he had ever seen before. "Oh Laas... why did it have to be so tall?"
~~~~
The sun had now reached its peak, it shined straight above Moon, telling him that it was about midday. The unicorn was walking through a large forest that had been rather quiet then how the wilderness was for the past few days he was walking through it. The only thing Mooncatcher could hear was the soft wind blowing past the bare tree limbs. Soon, the sound of a river tickled the stallion's ears that he guessed was just over a small hill in front of him. He decided that it'd be a nice place to take a small break and to drink whatever he needed.
As Moon made his way over the small hill, the river was now within sight. Stones had covered the shore while the flowing water was so clear, Moon could see the trout swimming beneath the water's surface. Mooncatcher soon made his way down to the shore, the smooth stones shifting beneath his hooves while he levitated his satchel onto the ground.
The freezing water was the best Moon had ever tasted in his entire life. It's pure taste quenched his thirst as he gulped down mouthfuls of the life giving liquid. Once the unicorn had his fill, he then walked into the river. He let out a small gasp when he felt the cold seep through his fur but continued to walk until the water was flowing beneath his belly. Inhaling, Moon held his breath before he dunked his entire head underwater. The flowing water filled his ears as he exhaled, watching the bubbles flow upward past his muzzle.
Mooncatcher lifted his head out of the water and took a breath of air, the cold filled his lungs. The young stallion felt fully awake now while he made his way out of the river. His fur was weighed down from the water, he soon shook his entire body to dry himself off. Once he shook off as much water as he could, Mooncatcher concentrated his magic, casting a small fire spell and ran the flames over his fur to dry himself off completely. Over the years of being his mother's apprentice, she had taught Moon how to control the temperature of his flames that he casted. Making it perfect for him to be able to keep warm no matter how cold the winter was.
"Much better," Moon smiled to himself while he walked back over to his satchel.
Upon opening it, Mooncatcher levitated out a hoofful of snowberries that he had found while on his journey. He put the red berries into his mouth and chewed them, enjoying their sweet yet slightly bitter taste. It was a nice change to eat these instead of eating the plain grass that covered the forest floor. Not to mention having to dig through the snow to even find a suitable patch of grass that could fill him up.
The tan unicorn laid down next to his satchel, watching the trout swimming through the river. Soon, the trout began to leap out of the water, causing a loud splash whenever they landed. Moon chuckled to himself while the trout continuously leapt into the air. He thought that it was funny how they were meant to live in the water, but even they had a little fun by flying into the sky.
Suddenly, a loud crash startled Mooncatcher. He quickly jumped to his hooves and tried to discover where the source of the noise came from. It sounded as if it was lightning cracking across the sky, but Moon knew otherwise, it was a clear day.
A grey mare came crashing through the trees behind Mooncatcher and he could see that she was afraid. She was an earth pony with a black mane and red eyes. She was wearing some type of armor that was made of worn leather. When she had noticed Mooncatcher, the mare quickly dashed towards him.
"Please! You have to help me!" The mare panted as her hoof slipped somewhat underneath the smooth rocks.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Mooncatcher tilted his head curiously at the sudden interruption.
"No time to explain!" She quickly dug her hoof into a saddlebag that was near her hip. The earth pony pulled out a small jeweled necklace and threw at Moon. "Here! It's yours!"
Before Mooncatcher had anytime to react, the necklace had fell down on his horn and it hit him in between his eyes. "I don't understand, what is wrong-?"
"There she is!" A small group of armored ponies bursted through the treeline where the mare had came from. Their armor was made of bronze and had the emblem of a sun engraved into the front of their helmets. "Halt! By the name of Celestia, you both are under arrest for stealing jewelry from a caravan under our protection!"
Moon felt his heart stop while his eyes widened. "Under arrest?! What are you talking about! I don't even know this pony!"
The words Mooncatcher shouted were simply ignored, because soon the group of ponies were charging towards him and the mare he just met. The earth pony that was actually a thief looked around in a panic and quickly made a break for the river. However one of the armored ponies was a pegasus and attacked her from the air, sending them both flying into the river. Moon felt a brute force that had the same power of a tree knocking into his shoulder. He smacked into the ground with a loud thud and grit his teeth when the rocks underneath him pierced his shoulder.
"What are you doing?! I didn't steal anything!" Mooncatcher hissed at the pony who tackled him, a large white stallion that towered over Moon.
"Oh really then? Well what are the odds of a pony traveling out here all by himself?" The stallion scuffed at Moon. "Even if you aren't a part of that thief's scheme, you're still considered an enemy of the Celestial Empire!"
"Celestial Empire?! I don't even know what the hell that is! I'm just a traveler!"
"Um... Captain, what if he's telling the truth?" A brown unicorn walked up behind the white stallion. She had a small frame compared to the other ponies there and her blue eyes were actually filled with concern. "You remember how General Ironwall informed us that there were native ponies living out in the wilderness of Moonlight."
"Yes, but then how you would you explain the gems that are in this piece of dirt's horn?" The captain huffed loudly as he shoved Moon's horn into the ground, sending a sharp pain throughout Moon's body. "Or he could be a spy for the Lunar Republic, disguised as a simple native of this land! You know all ponies who live here are the scum of the earth anyway! They don't even know of Her Majesty's grace! If it weren't for her, the sun wouldn't even rise!"
"But, Captain-"
"Enough! We're taking him in as a prisoner!" The white stallion barked over the brown unicorn, causing her to cower slightly.
Mooncatcher quickly casted a flame spell that ignited the stallion's hoof that was standing over him, causing him the howl in pain. When Moon felt the weight over him lift away, the shaman rushed to his hooves and tried to flee. However when he did, the smooth rocks slipped out from underneath his hooves and he tripped back onto the ground. Before he could regain himself, he felt a blunt force strike him on the side of his temple. His vision blurred while his consciousness faded in and out briefly. The sound of the river filled his ears once more before he saw a hulking figure standing over him.
"He'll be executed with the rest of the prisoners..." the figure above him spoke deeply as it raised its hoof over Moon's head. It then slammed its hoof into Moon's head, knocking the stallion unconscious.
Something prodded Mooncatcher in his shoulder, causing the tan stallion to stir. His eyes opened to seeing a grayish blue blur sitting across from him. Shaking his head, Moon's vision focused on the object to reveal that it was an earth pony. His weathered face bore scars from what Moon had guessed had been from fights while his brownish blonde mane touched his shoulders. The stallion once again poked the unicorn in the shoulder.
"Good, you're finally awake. I was beginning to think that the Celestial guards were a bit too rough on you."
"Celestial guards? What are you talking about?" Mooncatcher shook his head in confusion. His shoulder was bruised and his head ached as if a rock slammed into him. "Where am I, anyway?"
"Oh boy," the earth pony rolled his eyes. "I guess they were rough with you, you don't even remember how you got here."
"No, it's not that. Last thing I remember was that I was beside the river and some thief ran up to me- the thief!" Mooncatcher immediately rose up to his hooves. However he soon noticed that they were buckled together and landed face first into the floor.
"Easy, big guy," the stranger gazed down at Moon as the unicorn struggled to pick himself up. "You don't want the guards to come back here and beat the hell out of us. Honestly, I think they get off on the whole whipping thing." He then chuckled at his own joke while Mooncatcher sat down on his haunches.
"What? That doesn't even make any sense," Mooncatcher tilted his head confused. "None of this does. I'm not even supposed to be here!"
"Sure, just like how everypony else here isn't supposed to be here for something they didn't do," the grayish stallion sarcastically replied.
"But I'm not!" Mooncatcher snapped. "I was traveling and had to take a break near some river! Then some little thief comes bursting out of the forest and throws some necklace at me. Next thing I know, a lumbering stallion is standing over me and slams my head into the rocks!"
"Quiet back there!" A booming voice rang behind Mooncatcher.
"Great, now you've upset the guards. You can't keep your mouth shut, can you?" The stranger grunted in disgust as he looked over at the guard who was driving their carriage. "Sorry, your highness! We promise that we'll use our inside voices while we're being dragged off to our deaths!"
The guard only mumbled under his breath until he looked over at another guard walking with him and started a conversation. Mooncatcher felt a quick flash of anger rise up underneath his chest. The stranger that was locked inside this cage with him was quickly getting on Moon's nerves.
"Why don't you just shut your mouth already and tell me where I'm at before I set you on fire?" The young shaman growled deeply while his eyes glared into the stranger's green eyes. He began to focus his magic into casting a small flame above his horn, however Moon immediately felt a sharp pain shoot back into his body. "Agh!" The unicorn cringed.
"Pfft, it seems like you're a bit of a hot head, aren't you?" The stallion smirked slyly while watching Mooncatcher grit his teeth in pain. "Don't even bother using your magic. The guards placed a clamp that obstructs the flow of magic throughout your horn. Once you cast a spell, it builds up and gets sent right back to you."
While rubbing his horn with right hoof, he felt some type of cold ring brush against his fur. No matter how hard the unicorn tried to remove the device, it continued to snugly stay put wrapped around his horn. Glaring up at his cellmate, Moon sighed in defeat.
"What's up with the gems in your horn? You some kind of high class daddy's boy with a jewel obsession?" The stallion nodded towards Mooncatcher as he eyed the gems embedded in the shaman's horn. It looked as if he were tempted to try and steal the gems for himself, if they weren't locked up in a cage with their hooves bound.
"No, it's none of your business," Mooncatcher turned his head and rested it against the metal bars. He sadly looked out at his surroundings to see where he was. They were in a snow covered forest, the trees were closely packed together and the sky was gray. Snowflakes were heavily falling down and they shrouded Moon's visibility. As the tan stallion exhaled, he watched his breath slowly rise into the air. Thoughts of his parents filled his mind while he closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry, mom and dad. I promise you guys I'll find a way out of this. I have to."
"Hey, look at it this way," the stranger's voice broke Moon's train of thought. "Soon you'll be dead and you won't have to worry anymore."
"I don't plan on dying today," Mooncatcher replied bluntly.
"Oh I'm sure you'll do well with that plan. I bet you've already figured out how you're going to get past all the guards, break out of your bonds, and escape out of the walls of whatever village we're going to without even getting a scratch."
Moon only blew out with frustration. Only he'd have the type of luck to get arrested for no reason at all and then get thrown in the same cage with some stallion that seemed more related to an ass than a horse.
"Can I say one thing?"
"What?"
"That thief friend of yours is locked up in one of the carriages in front of us. If you're lucky, you'll get to see her executed first."
Mooncatcher only ignored the stallion's statement, resting his head on the cold, metal bars once again and looking out into the wilderness. Thoughts raced in his mind, trying to create some type of plan that would be able to let him escape from being executed. However soon afterward, the young shaman gave up and started to pray to the Phoenoc that he'd be able to get out of here. The only way Moon was leaving here alive was by a miracle.
About half an hour later, the wind began to pick up, causing one of the guards to shiver and mention something about a blizzard rolling in. Mooncatcher brushed off what he overheard, a simple blizzard wouldn't even be enough to give him a chance to escape. The unicorn's cellmate had occasionally started to sing a few songs that were unfamiliar to Moon. It did interest him, despite the earth pony's horrid singing ability, the rhythm actually felt soothing. As if it told a story of a great battle that a lone warrior had won when all hope was lost.
Suddenly something caught Mooncatcher's eye. A black silhouette had appeared standing next to a tree. It resembled a pony only standing there, staring at him. The sight had caused an unfamiliar chill to creep down his spine. It had reminded him of the nightmare he experienced. However Moon was unable to clearly get a good glimpse at what the figure was when an abrupt breeze carrying snow blew past him. He quickly squinted, trying to see past the snow. Once it the breeze had past him, the figure was no longer there, as if it was only a mere illusion.
"What in Celestia's name is with this snow storm?!" The guard hauling the cage Mooncatcher was in shouted towards his companion. "It's as if it came out of nowhere!"
The blizzard had became so harsh that now Moon could only see a few feet in front of him. A distant scream sounded in front of them, followed by a thunderous crash with the sound of metal breaking. Moon felt his blood run cold at the noise of the screaming being cut off. He felt the carriage he was in stop as everypony else around him was alerted to the sound. The stranger in the cart with him stood on his hooves and peered out into the unknown.
"Hey, guard, I think that was one of your buddies," he snickered loudly before the guard swiftly glared at him.
"Will you keep your mouth shut!"
"Ooh, I think I can see fear in your eyes. What's wrong? Shouldn't your Sun Goddess protect you?"
"Enough!" The guard slammed his hoof down. "I've had it with your remarks-"
Before the guard could finish yelling at the prisoner, a whirring sound filled the air as the guard was thrown into the snow. A giant spear of ice had impaled itself into his throat while he gagged. The force from the object being thrown into him had caused his bronze helmet to go flying into the air, crashing into the stone road with a loud clang.
"Huh, I guess not," the prisoner frowned as he watched the dying guard's last breath escape from his body. The sight of seeing the blood stain the white snow red seemed to not bother this earth pony even the slightest.
"Is this your doing?" Mooncatcher quickly glanced at the other stallion. "Why aren't you scared?!"
"Not that I know of," the grayish blue pony shrugged, unphased with what was going on around them. "Either this is the work of the Thieves Guild or this is some necromaniac who's going to use our dead bodies for experiments. The Thieves Guild doesn't kill ponies though, unless Runebearer is on one of his secret missions again. So that means it's probably some magical nutjob."
Before Mooncatcher could react, the stallion next to him broke the bonds that were holding his hooves together. The earth pony noticed Moon's surprise and gave him a wink.
"I've been biting through these things the whole time while you were busy moping around," he quickly dashed towards Mooncatcher and began to untie the rope that was bound around the unicorn's hooves.
"Wait, why are you helping me?" The shaman asked when he rubbed his hooves once they were free.
"Because you seem like a good kid. Plus we're all a bunch of misfits, whether we like it or not. It's job to make sure we keep each other safe. Now let's get out of here."
The two quickly dashed over to the back of the carriage as they heard more shouting around them. Mooncatcher had guessed that the guards were all attempting to try and fight off whomever, or whatever was attacking them. However by the sound of the scuffle, it sounded as if they were losing this fight. The grayish blue pony reared his hindlegs and bucked the cell door with all of his strength. The door soon fell onto the ground with a loud clang and the two stallions jumped down onto the stone road.
"Alright, I got you this far. Now you're on your own," the earth pony winked at Mooncatcher before he began to take off.
"Wait! What?!" The tan unicorn shouted out loud. "What do you mean I'm on my own?!"
"I can't hold your hoof through everything, kid. You got to do things by yourself," the stallion backed away slowly. "If you're ever in a Hold named Fornax, I'll buy a you mug of mead on the house!" With that, he galloped away into the relentless blizzard.
As Mooncatcher prepared himself to run out into the unknown, a voice shouted at him.
"Halt!"
Moon spun around instantly to see the an orange unicorn levitating a pulled back bow at him. The guard's armor was covered in blood while Mooncatcher noticed that the arrow was shaking uncontrollably. It looked as if this unicorn had just stared at death itself.
Reacting to seeing the stallion in front of him, Mooncatcher quickly tried to summon a flame spell so he could defend himself. Soon the memory of the device clamped around his horn filled his mind while his body reacted to the pain of his magic being shot back into him. He heaved over, trying to remain on his hooves instead of falling over into the ground. The only thought that ran through Moon's mind was that he had to escape.
The guard standing in front of him took a step forward, keeping the arrow trained on Moon's head. The tension was growing, Mooncatcher could hear the blood pumping throughout his ears while everything around him seemed to slow down. He readied himself to dodge out of the way if and when the unicorn released the arrow. If he made one wrong step, Moon's journey that had just began would soon be at an end.
Watching the arrow being released, Moon could see its shaft flex back and worth. As he quickly shifted his body to the side, Mooncatcher pushed with his hind legs as hard as he could to jump out of the way in time. He prayed to Laas to spare his life and to allow him to make it through this. A sharp pain penetrated Moon's shoulder, he could feel a blunt force knock into him and felt the jagged arrowhead tear through his muscle. Falling onto the ground, the tan unicorn glanced over at his attacker and saw that they had suffered the same fate as the guard pulling his carriage. A giant ice spike was sticking out of the guards neck while his lifeless eyes stared out into the sky.
Forcing himself to his hooves with the arrow still sticking out of his shoulder, Mooncatcher galloped off into the wilderness without looking back. With each step, the pain in his shoulder throbbed. While glancing around to find a place to treat himself, the stallion found a small opening to a cave and made his way towards it. Once he was at the entrance, he tried to catch his breath, only to end up having a coughing fit from the cold air stinging his lungs. Once he had caught his breath, the stallion bent his neck down to his side so he could grip the arrow in his mouth. Preparing himself, Mooncatcher yanked as hard as he could, ripping the arrow free from his shoulder. Blood splattered onto the rocky ground as he threw the arrow into the snow.
A faint jingling sounded from behind the stallion.
"Who's there?" Moon asked while turning around. He spotted the same figure that he had seen before the attack he had escaped from. He was cornered.
It was a pony wearing a black cloak, the hood they were wearing covered their eyes as they silently stood in front of Moon. The only thing he could guess was that this pony was a pegasus. He could see their grey wings folded against the black fabric. A light teal colored scarf was wrapped around their neck with two little bells gently flowing in the wind.
"Get away from me!" Mooncatcher started to limp away while he felt the warm blood drip down his hoof. This was the pony that had attacked the guards escorting the prisoners to what seemed like a better death than this. That prisoner Moon was with was right, it was some magical nutjob who was after them. How could a pegasus even have the ability to use magic?
"You're hurt," the gray pegasus mumbled as she took a step towards him. "Let me heal you."
Mooncatcher was about to retort, until his hooves buckled from underneath him. The injured unicorn's chest heaved as he coughed once again. All he could do was watch as the stranger neared closer to him until she was standing over him. She raised her hoof slowly over Moon's shoulder and forcefully pressed it into him. His body flinched as his wound screamed in despair feeling the mare's hoof dig into his side. Mooncatcher felt an intense freezing sensation shoot throughout his body. The stallion grit his teeth while he hissed in agony, it felt as if he was being burned by the cold.
"I've finally found you," the mare spoke as she lifted her hoof off Moon's wound. "Come, we'll set up camp here for the night. I'll need you to make a fire."