A desolate tribe of ponies surviving in the Everfree Forest harbors a secret that only Princess Celestia know about.
How did Princess Celestia come to be an alicorn? It's whispered by the ponies of Equestria that there once was an alicorn tribe. But it's also said that they're all gone, vanished into the Everfree Forest long, long ago. However, they're not gone, simply in hiding, but circumstances occur that may drive the tribe out of hiding. It's up to Serpent Fang, an alicorn seer, to warn the Princess of the dangers posed to the Hidden Tribe while Falcon Wind, their chief, fights to protect them from the growing the dangers.
“Falcon Wind,” the low voice cut through the darkness.
“What is it, Serpent Fang?” A pair of golden eyes glinted from the shadows.
“Come with me, we can’t talk here.”
Falcon Wind rose, he flexed his black wings, testing them. “Shall we fly?”
“Not now,” Serpent Fang hissed.
With an irritable sigh, Falcon Wind followed Serpent Fang through the heavy hanging branches of the gnarled tree beneath which he lived. He ached to spread his wings, but resisted the urge to take off.
The two ponies paced through the thick growth of trees until they came to a clearing. Serpent Fang led the way to the edge of a pool, the rippling surface reflected the stars overhead and distorted the disc of the full moon.
“Have you seen something, Serpent?” Falcon Wind asked, his voice low and rough.
“I have.” Serpent Fang looked down at the pool before he turned to fix Falcon Wind with his gray eyes. “Something is coming.”
“A lot has been coming,” Falcon Wind said, shaking his head. This wasn’t news.
“No, something else. I’ve felt it, in the shifting of the earth, in the breath of the wind. And now I’ve seen it.” He raised his head, gesturing to the sky. “What do you see?”
Falcon Wind frowned, up followed his friend’s gaze. “I see the moon and stars. I cannot read the signs as you can.”
Serpent Fang bowed his head in acknowledgement. “I've read the stars and I see that something is about to happen. The moon, look at the mare.”
Falcon Wind shook his head and turned to glare at Serpent Fang, “I see nothing out of the ordinary.”
“But I do,” Serpent Fang said, his voice irkingly calm. He paced around the edge of the pool. “Falcon Wind, it’s been nearly one thousand years since Nightmare Moon was banished. The curse will break and she will be freed.”
Falcon Wind looked not at the moon nor at the pool that held Serpent Fang’s gaze, instead he watched the dappled moonlight playing off Serpent Fang’s flank as he passed in and out of the shadows. Serpent Fang’s dark green flank slid in and out of shadow, his dark mane and tail swished as he walked, his grey eyes glinted.
“Falcon Wind, you don’t realize the gravity of the situation. If she is released, it be only the first of many catastrophic events that will plague the land. We will no longer be safe. Everything that we have work for will be gone.” He stopped pacing, his piercing gaze found Falcon Wind again. “Everything we’ve worked for: gone.”
Falcon Wind flicked his wings sharply, unfurling them as though to fly and then snapped them shut sharply. “That won’t happen.”
“You can’t be sure of that. This is what I’ve been trained for, to read the signs and they don’t bode well.”
Silence reigned for a long moment before Falcon Wind finally asked, “What can be done?”
“Go to the Princess, alert her.”
“She will already know. She hardly needs us warning her of something she is fully aware of.” Falcon Wind turned away, swishing his tail as he did so. “Besides, I cannot go. I have to stay here and guard our own. The kingdom is her concern.”
“And we are part of the kingdom!” Serpent Fang said sharply. He spread his wings and launched himself into the air. He landed in front of Serpent Fang, his wings spread wide, his head lowered in challenge, his ears flattened antagonistically. “It is our sworn duty to warn her. Would you go against your sworn duty?”
“How dare you!” Falcon Wind spat, unfurling his own wings.
“Would you?” Serpent Fang pressed.
“Of course not, but I cannot go.” Falcon Wind repeated defensively.
“Then I’ll go,” Serpent Fang said decisively.
For a moment it looked as though Falcon Wind would refuse him, but nodded in assent after appraising him with golden eyes.
“Be careful, my friend,” Falcon Wind finally said. He paced closer to Serpent Fang, studying his face. “Go swiftly and return at once. I cannot protect them alone.”
“I know,” Serpent Fang said, his expression softening. His expression became serious once more and he returned to the pools edge. He turned to face Falcon Wind, nodding for his friend to join him. “You cannot read the signs as I can, but I can give you the gift of the Mirror Pool.”
Falcon Wind looked down at the rippling surface and at his own reflection. His golden eyes seemed, even to himself, over bright in the darkness. His inky black coat seemed to melt into the shadows, his black mane and tail rippled in the slight breeze.
“You know I cannot use the Mirror Pool,” he said, looking away from his reflection.
“No, but as I said, I can give you that gift.” Serpent Fang said.
He closed his eyes, screwing up his face in concentration and his horn glowed, the magic shining around it, white and bright.
Falcon Wind braced himself, watching Serpent Fang as he worked the spell in silence. It was like when they were colts and Falcon Wind knew instinctively what to do. When his black horn came in contact with Serpent Fang’s horn the sound of bone striking bone echoed through the clearing.
Pain, sudden blinding pain washed over Falcon Wind. Followed by the sensation of burning. If felt as though his insides had been set on fire, the pain seared through his very muscles. And then extreme cold gripped his insides, closing around his heart and lungs, cutting off his air supply. Then nothing.
Falcon Wind collapsed gasping. He was shaking uncontrollably, as though fevered. He looked up at Serpent Fang, but saw only darkness. Panic washed over him, threatening to drown him.
“Serpent Fang!” He cried out, turning his head this way and that, trying to see, to discern anything.
“Be calm, Falcon, I am here,” Serpent Fang’s soothing voice was like a light in the darkness. Falcon Wind focused on it, latching onto it for dear life.
“Look into the Pool, Falcon Wind, and you will see as I have seen,” Serpent Fang instructed. “Touch it with your horn and you will know.”
Serpent Fang watched as Falcon Wind turned blindly and bowed his head over the water. He touched the cold surface with the tip of his horn and stood frozen as though carved from stone. Serpent Fang knew all too well the feeling of icy tendrils that would leach through Falcon Wind from when his horn had touched the water. Terrible and beautiful all at once.
Finally, Falcon Wind drew a shuddering breath and raised his head. He turned to face Serpent Fang, his golden eyes wide, but focused.
“You have now seen what I’ve sensed and dreamed of for many moons,” Serpent Fang said. He didn’t have to ask Falcon Wind what he’d seen.
“Is there any way to stop it?” Falcon Wind asked, his usually crisp voice was brittle with fear.
“Perhaps, but only the Princess will know. Now, I must go. Return to the Tribe and protect them. I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Serpent Fang’s voice was brisk once more. He unfurled his wings and was about to take off when Falcon Wind spoke.
“Be safe,” Falcon Wind murmured. He touched Serpent Fang’s cutie mark with his hoof, but kept his gaze trained on Serpent Fang’s face.
“I will,” Serpent Fang assured him, turning to embrace his friend fleetingly before he took off and soared through the night, vanishing into the darkness above the trees.
Falcon Wind watched the sky for a long while even after Serpent Fang was gone. Fear still gripped his heart, but he pushed the thoughts away as he spread his own wings and flew through the close growing trees to return to the village. It was in Serpent Fang and Princess Celestia’s hooves now.
Falcon Wind stood on a boulder at the center of the clearing, his great black wings spread. His golden eyes scored the ponies gathered below.
“Everypony, listen and listen well,” his voice carried, bringing silence in its wake.
Several ponies exchanged worried looks as they settled about the Great Rock. The murmuring that had broken out when Falcon Wind had soared up onto the boulder and assumed his customary position of when he addressed the tribe died at once with his words.
“As you well know, we have lived in piece for many longs years,” Falcon Wind began, his strong like thunder in the silence. “We built this sanctuary to protect us against threats, but that is going to have to change.”
“What do you mean?” Ebony Wings shouted, standing up. She glared up at Falcon Wind, his wings spread and his eyes narrowed.
“I mean that our sanctuary has been threatened,” Falcon Wind said bluntly.
Muttering exploded throughout the clearing. Some ponies exchanged terrified looks while others stared up at their leader.
“How can you say that?” Wither Wings cried, standing up beside Ebony Wings. He paced forward, scowling up at Falcon Wind. “We’ve been safe here since Starswirl the Bearded’s last visit!”
Falcon Wind regarded Wither Wings for a moment before he turned his attention to Ebony Winds. Beside the black mare sat their young colt and filly, Mist Wings and Silver Wings. He tilted his head back and looked up at the sky, just barely visible through the tangle of tree branches overhead.
“The fact of the matter is that something is coming,” Falcon Wind said as calmly as he could. The things he’d seen in the Mirror Pool raced through his mind. A shadow passed across his face, he was sure that With Wings saw it as his fierce expression faltered.
“What is this supposed threat?” Wither Wings asked, continuing to look coldly up at Falcon Wind.
“Nightmare Moon is going to return. And soon.”
“But that’s…that’s not possible!” Ebony Wings said. She stepped in front of her foals as though to shield them from Falcon Wind’s words. “She was supposed to be banished for a thousand years! It hasn’t been nearly a thousand years!”
A ripple of agreement ran through the gathered ponies.
Falcon Wind laid back his ears and shook his head. “Serpent Fang has seen and so have I.”
“Where is Serpent Fang?” Nova asked, leaning forward. Several others looked around the clearing, just now realizing that their Seer was nowhere to be seen.
“He’s gone to warn Princess Celestia,” Falcon Wind said firmly.
--
The cold air rushed beneath Serpent Fang’s wings. It had been so long since he’d flown in the open. He let out a slow breath, fighting to keep his elation contained. He had a mission and couldn’t allow himself to become sidetracked. But, still, he gazed up at the sea of stars and down at the patchwork quilt that was the ground.
The full moon sank low on the horizon as Serpent Fang saw Canterlot rising before him on the mountainside. The moonlight played off the white and gold spires accented with rich purple. He circled the still sleeping city before he tucked his wings in and dove.
A spell suddenly shot past him.
He banked hard and swerved aside. Another spell shot at him and another and another.
With a gasp he threw up a shield spell, deflecting the next spell that was shot at him. He dove, pulling his wings in as close to his sides as he could without dropping from the sky like a stone. He shot down toward the ground and flared his wings at the last moment.
A Pegasus hurtled toward him from one of the spires and was closely followed by a second and a third. The rising sun flashed off of their bright metal armor. Eyes burning from the sudden brightness, Serpent Fang screwed up his face, trying to make out his adversaries, but they had simply vanished.
From nowhere rose a tower. Serpent Fang pulled a hard left and felt his wings straining in protest against the sudden movement. He had to land!
Desperate and unable to see, he pulled his wings in again and dove. Blinding white light hit him and pain shot through his chest. He was suspended in the air for a single moment before he plummeted from the sky.
…
Everything ached, the muscles in his body screamed in protest. Serpent Fang opened his eyes slowly. The first thing he was aware of, aside from the pain, was the soft pillow beneath his head. He blinked and looked around the room. Heavy curtains were drawn across the window, muting the terribly bright sunlight.
Letting out a slow breath, Serpent Fang slipped from the bed. He carefully folded his wings across his back as he approached the window. Using his magic, he drew the curtain back, allowing a tiny sliver of sunlight into the room. The red tinging the sky told him it was late in the evening.
He allowed the curtain to fall shut again and turned away from the window. He had to find Princess Celestia.
Serpent Fang’s hooves clacked against the marble flooring, sharp and loud to his ears. Everything here was alien, so distant in his memory it was like a dream of a dream.
The door swung silently open as he used his magic. A guard was stationed on either side of the door. One of them jerked sharply as the door opened slowly. Serpent Fang stood back as both swung round to face him. The Pegasus threw opened his wings and the unicorn dropped his head and pawed the ground.
“Enough,” Serpent Fang said impatiently. “I don’t have time for this. I must speak with her Highness, Princess Celestia.”
The guards exchanged a look. The grey unicorn nodded slightly to the orange Pegasus.
“Sir, we’re not supposed to let you leave this room,” the unicorn said uncomfortably in a low voice. “We can send word to her Highness, but we can’t let you leave.”
“Of course,” Serpent Fang said he sighed, frustration rising, but he forced himself to remain calm. Of course the colts wouldn’t know what was at stake. “Send for her then, please.”
He waited for the orange Pegasus to hurry off before he turned back to the room. He paced the room, using his magic to draw the curtains back and flood the room with pale moonlight. He stood gazing out the window and watched the moon rise above the spires of the castle. He heard the door open.
Turning slowly, Serpent Fang braced himself for what he was about to see.
She stood there, radiant and unchanged from the day he’d first seen her. She was talker than him, but not by more than a head or so. Her pearly white coat seemed to gleam with its own light, her mane and tail streamed out behind her, shimmering with every pale color of the rainbow.
Serpent Fang sank to the ground in a deep bow.
Princess Celestia regarded Serpent Fang for a moment, her clear purple eyes unreadable until her face melted into a smile. “Rise, Astral Gaze, I’m sure you haven’t come for formalities or pleasantries.”
Serpent Fang rose to face Celestia. “Princess Celestia,” he began. “You’re right. The matter that’s brought me here is urgent and requires immediately attention. But please, don’t call me that. I’m known as Serpent Fang, now.”
Princess Celestia’s gaze fell to the cutie mark on his flank, the unusual sign that it was, but said nothing. “What brings you here, my friend?”
“Please, let us walk,” Serpent Fang said.
Princess Celestia nodded and allowed him to take the lead. They made their way from the room and down the hall. Serpent Fang allowed the distant memories to guide his hooves as he walked.
“I’m sure that you’re aware of the number of years it’s been since you had to seal your sister away,” he said, casting a sidelong glance at Celestia.
“Of course I am,” she said stiffly.
“One thousand years is a long time, but it’s coming to a close.” Serpent Fang went on. They came to stand in front of the high stained glass windows and he gaze to the windows with a curt nod. He frowned at the window, taking in every detail. Luna had been immortalized there. “She’s coming back, and soon.”
“I know, Serpent Fang,” Celestia said shortly. His eyes narrowed as she said his name, like it left a bad taste in her mouth.
He sighed and turned to a different window, walking slowly. “Princess Celestia, I’ve been having visions and reading signs beyond that of the return of Nightmare Moon. You’ve had some of these visions too, if I’m not mistaken.” He paused and looked over his shoulder at where she stood rooted to the stop. “Worse is coming. My visions have been unclear, but our own are threatened.”
Serpent Fang turned back to face Princess Celestia and spread his wings. “They will awaken soon. All of them. But with their awakening, we will weaken beyond what we already have.”
He crossed the hall to stand level with Celestia, his gaze never leaving her face. However, Celestia refused to look at him, instead she stared up at the stained glass window. “Celestia, you are weakening. Over the millennia, you have been tied to the Elements, but I know that will fail and soon. They must be passed onto another. When you are no longer connected to them, the protection that Starswirl and you put in place with crumble away. We are weak, only a shadow of what we once were and I fear that without the protection you offer, we will fail completely.”
“How bad has it gotten?” Princess Celestia finally asked.
“They have forgotten,” Serpent Fang murmured, his voice dropped and he looked away from Celestia. “The stream of time and the spells have caused…problems…that I did not foresee. None of us, but a select few have any strength remaining, but our village lives in ignorance. I can no longer protect them, my spells have failed. I bestow the power upon Falcon Wind that I did has cost me more that he knows. We are no longer safe because I have failed them…”
Serpent Fang looked back at Celestia and said in a low voice, “We are dying, Celestia, and you are too.” He sighed deeply and went on. “Our blood grows thinner with every generation born. Our youngest have almost no magic left in them. They do not know this, not even Falcon Wind. They don’t know what has become of them.”
Serpent Fang paced the length of the hallway and turned back to face Celestia once more. “There must be more young alicorns, Celestia, but they cannot be born to us. They will have no magic and they will die. None but you have enough magic to pass this gift on to those who are worthy. For when a new alicorn is born…or made…they will receive all of our magic. We are living on borrowed time, my friend. We must act and quickly.”
Celestia said nothing, but watched Serpent Fang as he paced and spoke. She listened intently to his every word. She closed her eyes before she spoke, “I was afraid that was why you’d come. Fortunately, I’ve had a feeling that this was going to happen sooner or later. I’ve one safeguard in place and I hope for another soon enough.”
“Oh? A new Princess, if I’m not mistaken?” Serpent Fang asked, his grey eyes piercing as he watched her.
“Her name is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza,” Princess Celestia’s gaze scored him as he nodded slowly.
“I felt when she was transformed, our magic was severely depleted then, but who is this other you hope to carry the future of your kingdom?” Serpent Fang asked.
“Her name,” Princess Celestia said proudly, almost defiantly, “is Twilight Sparkle.”