The untold story of Princess Luna's student, Dream Catcher.
Everyone knows that Twilight Sparkle is Princess Celestia's faithful student. What they don't know, however, is that Princess Luna had her very own faithful student a long time ago, before the days of Nightmare Moon. Dream Catcher is a young filly with a very special gift, one that will lead her into the tutorship of the princess and to a powerful and long-lasting friendship. The strength of her friendship, however, may just prove to be her undoing in the end...
This place was filled with magic. Not the kind that was used by the unicorns every day. This kind of magic was different. A subconscious kind of magic lived here.
The little filly could feel this truth down to her bones. She could see nothing around her, save for her own ephemeral body floating in space. Within this nothingness, however, she could feel the potential. The emptiness called out to her, begging to be molded into some form of reality. She hesitated as the air quivered around her in excitement, but at last raised a hoof into the air.
From within her own hoof sprung forth a butterfly. She watched it as it flittered around in the nothingness. The air pulsed, as if enthralled by this new addition. She could tell it hadn’t been this excited for a long time, though exactly how she wasn’t sure. The thought did not linger for long, for the thrill of the air soon began to well up within her.
Another small gesture from her hoof released another butterfly. The two creatures floated around each other, dancing in a complex and delicate pattern. A smile spread across the filly’s face. She jumped around and waved her hooves in the air, releasing a cloud of butterflies all around her. They were so beautiful. And they had come from her very own mind and hooves. But something was missing. She thought for a moment until an idea came to her. She waved her hooves around, as if painting with a brush on a canvas, and from her strokes a world formed. A bright sun shone up in the sky, bathing the grassy plain she has created below. The sky was the bluest of blues and held no clouds, save for the living cloud of butterflies that danced with more vigor than before.
The filly marveled at her hoof-work. To think that she had created all this, and as an earth pony! She turned around and around, her hooves waving, bringing forth more feature to fill her canvas. There a bunny. Here a stream. Up there a few clouds. Her creativity knew no bounds and it poured forth from her hooves in an endless torrent.
And then the world pulsed.
The filly stood perfectly still. The liveliness of her world had frozen. The joyous vibrations of the world around her were gone, and in the stillness she could sense something different. Something sinister.
The clouds she had created began to multiply and darken. They boiled up in her sky, fuming and flashing with rage. The filly stepped back in horror. She hadn’t made them do that! She waved her hooves, trying to bring them back under control, but they would not listen. The warmth of the sun was blotted out completely, and the bright world around her was consumed by shadow. The creatures had all but vanished. The filly turned and ran as the growing mass of clouds pursued her. They flashed and roared, a dangerous thirst radiating from every inch of them. They wanted her, but for what she didn’t know and didn’t want to find out.
In her haste to escape the filly tripped over her own hooves and fell to the ground. She lay there for a moment, trying to stop the spinning in her head. A dangerously close flash of lightning soon brought her back to her senses and she spun over onto her back. The clouds were getting closer. She tried to back away from them with her hind legs, but they were too fast. They would reach her before she even had time to scream. Her eyes closed as she waited for the pain.
Suddenly a bright flash illuminated the darkness behind her eyes, and as she opened them she saw the same light reflected on the clouds. They twitched and recoiled, and in a moment they were gone. They had dissipated into back into the nothingness from before.
The light faded slowly. The filly turned over onto her stomach and gasped when she saw the figure standing just behind her. They stared at each other, one examining the other. After a moment’s pause the mare stepped towards the little filly.
“Thou hast a rare gift little one,” she spoke, reaching out her hoof. The filly stared at it, unsure what to do. The hoof remained in place until she finally gained to courage to take it. The older mare helped the younger to stand back up before continuing.
“Dreams are a mysterious realm. Up until now we had thought that we were the only one who could control them. But it seems we were wrong. Thou hast the power to shape these realms into whatever thou wishest them to be. It seems, however, that thou hast also discovered the danger of this?”
The filly lowered her head in shame. The older mare reached out a hoof and placed it under her chin, lifting her little face up to look into her own.
“Do not be ashamed. Thou did not know the danger of dreams. But perhaps thou would like to learn?”
The filly’s ears perked up and she nodded her head in excitement. The older mare smiled and gestured for her to follow. As they walked a hallway appeared, and at the end was a door.
“Yonder door will lead thee back to thine world of reality. Should you take our offer, meet us as soon as possible in the royal city. Thou knowest whom to ask for?”
The filly nodded again. The older mare gestured towards the door, and after a quick glance between them she began to walk back to her world.
“Ah, we had almost forgotten to ask thee thine name. Pray tell, what is it?”
The first rays of the morning sun shone brightly in Dream Catcher’s face, rousing her from her sleep. She blinked a few times, taking in her surroundings. The room around her was small but quaint, filled with only the bed she lay in and a chair in the corner. Two banners hung on the walls in front of her. One was decorated in red, orange, and yellow, and a golden sun adorned the very center with golden rays shooting outwards. The other banner contained darker blues and purples, and a silver moon hung in the middle with a few stars floating around for company.
Dream Catcher stared at the darker banner for a long time, trying to remember something. She racked her brain for a long time until a vision flashed in her mind. She saw a mare of deep navy coat and light purple mane standing before her, offering a hoof adorned in silver.
She remembered now. The dream she had with the beautiful butterflies and the magnificent world. She remembered the clouds and how they had changed and charged her. The memory made her shudder, but then she remembered the mare appearing. She had saved her, and had offered her something.
Dream Catcher shot up from her bed. An opportunity. She had given her the chance to learn to control her dreams properly. And she had said to respond as quickly as possible!
The little filly jumped out of her bed and ran to the door, forcing it aside with a quick jab of her hoof. Beyond it was the main room of her small home. At a table in the center sat a dark brown stallion with a black mane. He looked up at the sound of the door opening and a smile spread across his face.
“Good morning my little Dream,” he called, dropping the piece of bread in his hoof on the table before walking towards her. She ran up to her father and embraced him.
“Good morning Daddy,” she replied, and squealed when he began to rustle the piece of her mane between her ears. She batted him away with a giggle, to which he replied with a teasing smile.
“So, what kind of dream did you have this time?”
Since before she could even remember, Dream Catcher had always had very elaborate dreams. Some nights she would go on great quests to save Equestria from an unknown evil. Other times she would be exploring a great forest or a hidden cave. No matter what kind of dream it was, she would always share it with her father. This morning, however, she hesitated.
“Well…” she began, not entirely sure how to explain it to her father. Her silence confused him and a look of concern came across his face.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Dream Catcher replied quickly before walking over to the table. She heard her father follow and sit down beside her. “It’s just…well, this dream was a bit…different.”
“Oh?” he questioned.
“Normally I just run around in my dreams having adventures, but I never realize it’s a dream until I wake up. This time though I knew it wasn’t real, and I could control it! I could make things with my hooves like butterflies,” she explained, waving her hooves around in the air like she had in the dream, “and clouds and all kinds of things! Then the clouds got dark and scary and I tried to get away but nearly got caught by the evil clouds. I thought that was it, but a bright light scared them away and when I looked I saw…”
“Ah, Dream Catcher, you’re awake,” called a voice from the doorway, startling her out of her story. She and her father looked to see a light yellow mare with a bright red mane come walking through the door with a basket on her back.
“Hi mommy!” she replied, jumping up from the table to give her mother a hug.
“What were you two talking about? I hope I didn’t miss anything exciting.”
“I was telling Daddy about my latest dream! It was really different from the other ones and…”
“Dream,” her father said gently, placing a hoof on her shoulder, “why don’t you let your mother set her basket down first?”
She smiled sheepishly at her parents, realizing that she was beginning to ramble. She backed out of her mother’s way and sat back down at the table. The piece of toast her father had been eating was just a few inches away, and she eyed it hungrily.
“Were you able to find the seeds I needed?” her father asked as her mother placed the basket down on the counter across the room. Dream Catcher watched as she rummaged around inside and pulled out a small bag tied off with a string.
“This was all I could afford,” she replied with a sigh. Her father never lost his smile, however, and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. Gross, Dream Catcher thought to herself. She turned away from them and went back to looking at the toast. If she could just inch over a bit more…
“It’s all we need,” her father answered. The sound of their hooves approaching forced Dream Catcher to abandon her breakfast mission. As her father sat down at the table, however, he nudged the toast towards her. She beamed at him before gobbling it up.
“Now, tell me about your dream,” her mother said. Dream Catcher looked back up and was about to talk when her mother held up a hoof. “Finish chewing first dear. Manners are important.”
She gulped down the last of the bread in her mouth before continuing her explanation. As she retold her tale, she saw the all too familiar worry behind her mother’s eyes. She could never figure out why her mother looked that way when she told her stories. It was as if she thought they were bad.
“So then the light flashed,” Dream Catcher said, spreading her front legs out wide in the air, “and chased the evil clouds away. When I turned to see where it came from, I saw a pony standing there! She was really tall and pretty, but it took me a minute before I realized who it was.”
She paused for a moment, adding suspense. Her father grinned at her trick and leaned forward in expectation. Her mother rolled her eyes at him.
“It was Princess Luna!” she exclaimed at last, her hooves shooting up into the air. Her father looked at her with mock surprise, placing his hooves against the sides of his face.
“Oh wow, the princess!” he said in awe.
“I know I wasn’t expecting to see her either! But she was there and she helped me back up to my feet. And then…”
She paused again, this time not for effect, but because she wasn’t sure how to tell this part. Her father waited patiently, but the silence was so unusual that even her mother began to look at her in concern.
“And then?” she asked.
“…And then the princess told me that I have a gift. That I can control dreams, and that if I said yes she would teach me how to control my powers.”
Her father and mother looked at each other for a moment. Dream Catcher didn’t know what to expect from them, and she waited anxiously.
“Dream,” her father asked, turning back to her, “did the princess say anything else?”
“Well, she said that I should meet her as soon as possible in the royal city to accept her offer,” she explained, and she hesitated for a moment before asking her question. “Daddy, Mommy…could I go to the royal city and talk to Princess Luna?”
Her father was about to answer when her mother held up a hoof. He closed his mouth, and Dream Catcher looked back and forth between them.
“Sweetie,” her mother began slowly, “I know it may have seemed real, but you have to remember that it was just a dream.”
Dream Catcher perked up in shock. She didn’t believe her? But she had always believed her dreams!
“B-But Mommy…”
“Dream Catcher,” her mother interrupted, silencing her daughter. “I know your dreams are special. Really I do. But you can’t go to the royal city and ask for an audience with the princess just because a dream told you to.”
“An audience?” she asked.
“It’s like a private meeting,” her father explained.
“Look honey,” her mother said, “this is one dream you’re just going to have to put aside.”
“Put it aside?” Dream Catcher nearly shrieked. “But Mommy, what if it really was the princess? What if my dreams really are special? What if…”
“That’s enough,” her mother demanded, placing a hoof on the table. Dream Catcher sunk back down in her place, her ears folding back. She felt like she was going to cry.
“Dear,” her father said quietly, “can I talk to you outside for a moment?”
Dream Catcher didn’t lift her head to see them walk outside. After a moment, however, her curiosity got the better of her and she snuck up to the front door. She placed her ear against the sturdy wood, hoping that she could hear what they were saying. Most of what she could make out was only in bits and pieces.
“You shouldn’t keep supporting these…”
“…not a bad thing if she’s creative…”
“…needs to focus on the real world.”
“…trip might not be a bad idea…”
“Don’t be ridiculous…”
Dream Catcher sighed and removed her ear from the door. She’d heard enough to know what they were talking about. Neither one of them believed her dream. But it had felt so real…
A few minutes later her parents walked back inside, neither one looking particularly happy. When her father saw her, however, he put a smile on his face and nuzzled her gently.
“Come on my little Dream,” he said softly, nudging her up to her feet, “it’s time to get ready. We’ve got a lot of work to do today.”
She looked up at him, and when she saw his gentle smile she couldn’t help the one that came to her own face. She wrapped her front legs around his neck and gave him a tight hug before she headed back to her room.
When the door was shut she sighed. Her gaze wandered over to the silver and blue banner on her wall as her thoughts swirled within her head.
In the forests to the east of Dream Catcher’s home lay the city of the royal sisters. From their high towers they watched over the lands, bringing forth the day and the night in turn. On this particular morning, however, the Princess of the Night found herself in a happier mood than usual. She strolled through the castle corridors with a smile on her face. Her mood did not go unnoticed by her sister, the Princess of the Day, and after she had raised her sun she searched the halls for her younger sibling.
She found her on one of the bridges between the towers, staring out onto the lands below. The elder sister strode up to her without a word.
“You seem very vibrant this morning little sister,” she said, more as a statement than a question. Her sister flipped her light purple mane out of her eyes but chose not look at her older sister just yet.
“Our land is beautiful this morning,” she replied. The wings upon her back unfolded as a breeze blew past them, and she let the wind caress her feathers for a moment before gently folding them back to her sides. “Dost thou not agree?”
“It is as magnificent as always,” the elder answered, “but I do not think it is the only reason for your good mood.”
The Princess of the Night looked over at her older sister with a sly smile before turning back towards the tower’s entrance. Her older sister sighed. She wasn’t going to make this easy.
“Come little sister,” she pleaded, following her inside, “what has made you so happy?”
“That is for us to know, and for thee to find out,” the younger teased, not bothering to turn her head to answer.
“Have you found someone special?” the older guessed. She heard her sister giggle.
“In a way, but not in the sense thou art suggesting with thy tone.”
“What tone?”
At this the younger sister did turn to face her sibling, one eye raised higher than the other and smug grin on her face.
“The tone that doth insinuate that we hath found a stallion of some kind for company,” she answered, teasing her sister. The elder snorted.
“We both know that cannot be the case. Our immortality would not allow such company.”
The Princess of the Night turned and began to walk again. Her sister followed, still puzzling over what could possibly be putting her in this kind of mood. She could not think of anything else for the life of her, and as they reached the throne room she sat down in defeat.
“Very well,” she sighed, casting a playful glare through her pink mane towards her sister, “don’t tell me then. I will figure it out eventually Luna.”
Luna looked over at her sister, the same teasing grin still upon her face. She would find out soon enough about her discovery, but until the young filly showed up at the palace she would withhold her information. As the first statesman of the day entered the room she turned her attention to her duties, hoping in the back of her mind that the little one would take her offer.
Dream Catcher couldn’t pull her thoughts away from her dream at all that day. Even as they worked the field and planted the newest seeds, she did her duties in an almost half-awake state. More than once her father had to wave a hoof in front of her eyes in order to make her focus on the task at hand. Still, he did not scold her, for having a father named Day Dream entailed some level of distraction in her nature.
Her mother, of course, was much more direct and would snap her out of her reveries quickly. Polestar was always very focused on the task at hand and was more than capable of keep both her husband and her daughter firmly rooted in their tasks. Not that Dream Catcher minded. Sure it could get on her nerves sometimes, but she knew that what they were doing was important. Her mother had come from a family of wheat farmers, so the planting season was very important to her and she had to get the job done to stay on schedule. If anything Dream Catcher admired her mother’s tenacity.
Still, the images from last night kept creeping into her mind. By the time they finished their chores for the morning her head was practically swimming in the visions. They would not leave her be.
Luckily the mid-day break meant she could stop and focus on them. She laid beneath a tree near their cottage with her eyes closed, pretending to nap. In her mind a plan was forming. The only problem was that it scared her immensely.
Her parents didn’t believe her; she knew that for a fact. Because of that they would never give her the chance to get to the royal city. Dream Catcher knew that if she wanted to meet with the princess she would have to travel there on her own. It was a long journey though, and one that she had never taken by herself. Would she be able to put her fear aside in order to chase her dream?
The sound of her mother calling her roused her from her planning, and the family went back to work. They swept the house, did the laundry, and repaired any loose spots in their straw roof. It was all simple work, and it let Dream Catcher continue to deliberate. When the sun’s rays began to wane for the evening at last, she had found her answer.
Later that night, under the dim light of the moon herself, Dream Catcher prepared for her journey. If she remembered right it would take her about half a day’s walk to get to the castle, but in the dark the time could be doubled. She snuck into the kitchen as quietly as she could and grabbed a map and a loaf of bread for her pack. As she tiptoed back to her room, however, she noticed that her parents’ bedroom door was slightly ajar. She paused and stared at her mother and father, both soundly asleep in their bed.
She hated to do this. Running away from home was something she had never considered before in her life. But her dream was too important. She had to answer the princess’ call.
A few minutes later Dream Catcher had everything she needed wrapped up within her pack. She draped it over her tiny body and snuck through the main room as quietly as she could. She opened the door, but before she left she spotted her father’s hood draped over one of the table’s chairs. In a split second decision she grabbed it and placed it over her own head. It was much too big for her, but she had no choice. It was this or nothing.
The cool night air greeted her as she stepped outside. She closed the door as quietly as she could, and after a few more cautious steps she bolted away from the house. Her legs carried her tiny body as quickly as they could, but as she reached the entrance to the forest she froze in place. Before her stood the unknown. Dream Catcher couldn’t help glancing back towards her house. She could turn back. It wouldn’t take much, just a few strides and she’d be back safe and sound in her bedroom. Her hoof lifted for a moment, but she quickly shook her head and stomped it back on the ground.
“No,” she whispered to herself, looking back up at the dark forest in front of her, “I have to do this.”
A few moments later nothing remained in front of the forest, save for a few leaves blown about by the wind.
By the time her sister had gone to raise the moon for the evening, the Princess of the Day had noticed a significant change in her sister’s demeanor. No longer was she as upbeat as she was that morning. Now she seemed disappointed about something.
She waited outside her sister’s door patiently, knowing better than to interrupt her sister’s duties. As time went by, however, she began to wonder what was taking so long. A glance out the window revealed that the moon was already in place. With a sigh she raised her hoof and opened her sister’s bedroom door.
The princess found her younger sister’s main room empty, but she was not worried. If anything it only confirmed where her sister actually was. She turned her head towards the double doors to the left and found them wide open. Out on the balcony sat her sister.
Now she understood why her sister had not stirred inside her room. She was in the middle of one of her “journeys” through the dream worlds. Only a few decades ago she had discovered this power, and now it seemed she took every opportunity to practice her skills. Sometimes, however, the elder sister wondered if she spent too much time within the dreams and not enough in the real world.
“Luna?” she called gently, tapping her sister’s shoulder. She did not stir. The older sister sighed and sat down next to her sibling on the balcony. Her sister’s stars were lovely this evening. She never said it out loud, but she had always admired her little sister’s creativity in the night sky. To think that she could come up with so many complicated patterns.
A small moan beside her signaled her sister’s return, and she saw a navy hoof reach up to massage its owner’s forehead.
“Are you alright?” the elder asked, raising a hoof in concern. The younger swatted it away.
“We are quite alright,” she answered. “Our practice tonight was more focused than usual.”
“Focused?”
“Thou should not worry about our doings, we are fine,” Luna said bluntly. Her sister was silent, not sure how to respond. She hesitated before bringing up her concern.
“You seem much less happy this evening little sister,” she remarked. “Does it have something to do with this morning?”
Luna did not reply. She kept her gaze up on her moon, but her older sister could see that she was thinking deeply. She waited.
“Yes, it doth concern our behavior this past morn, but thou should not worry so.”
“Luna,” her sister snapped, catching the younger off guard. “First of all, enough with the Royal Language. You and I both know that is only for show. Second, it does concern me; I’m your sister and I care about you.”
The Princess of the Night stared at her older sister in shock. Rarely did she use such a demanding tone with her. She lowered her head and sighed.
“I’m sorry Tia,” she replied, dropping the formalities at last, “it’s just that I’ve been practicing as much as I can with the language. It’s tradition after all to speak to subjects like that.”
“I know,” Celestia answered as she placed a hoof on her sister’s shoulder, “but you are among family here.”
Luna smiled.
“Now tell me, what is the matter?”
“It’s…complicated,” Luna began, not entirely sure how to explain herself. “Part of me still can’t believe it.”
“Just explain it as best you can,” Celestia replied.
“Well, I was practicing my dream walks again, going from dream to dream and changing a few things here and there. Only to make them better,” she explained quickly in response to the dubious look on her sister’s face, “I assure you. As I was jumping, however, something odd happened. I felt another there in the space between the dreams.”
“Another?” Celestia asked in honest surprise. As far as she knew her sister was the only one who could walk among and control the dreams of ponies.
“Believe me,” Luna replied with a chuckle, “I was just as surprised as you. I drew closer to the source and found a filly prancing about and creating all sorts of things. It was incredible. To think that there is another out there that can control the world of dreams.”
Luna went silent for a moment, and Celestia’s curiosity only grew.
“Unfortunately,” Luna continued, “the nightmares also took notice and began to converge on her. I was able to hold them back, and as I escorted the filly back out of the space between I managed to ask her name and a very important question.”
“Oh?”
“…Sister, I asked her to be my apprentice.”
“You what?” Celestia exclaimed, her wings shooting out in rage. Luna hadn’t expected her to take that part well, and she prepared for the onslaught she knew was coming.
“Luna,” her older sister sighed, placing a hoof over her face, “you know we’ve both talked about this.”
“I know, but things will be different this time, I know it!” Luna replied quickly, standing up. “She has so much potential, and I know that with some focused study she could…”
“That’s what we thought about Starswirl,” Celestia retorted, rising to her own feet, “and look how that ended. He was unable to reach his full potential. He couldn’t join us on the throne like we planned.”
“But he was too old when we began to train him. This one is still very young. Please sister,” she begged, “I know that she can do it.”
Celestia was silent. Her sister was obviously convinced that this little one could become the next to share their rule. Still, the past was a heavy weight and it cast a long shadow of doubt upon her judgment.
“Are you sure?” Celestia asked. Luna nodded her head firmly. As she looked she could see the hope in her little sister’s eyes, a hope that had not been present in either for a long time. With a sigh she turned back to the double doors.
“Very well little sister, you may…”
“Oh thank you Tia!” Luna squealed, hugging her sister. Celestia giggled and hugged her back, but leaned away after a moment to look down at her.
“So who is this little filly?”
“She said her name was Dream Catcher,” Luna answered. Dream Catcher. How fitting, Celestia thought.
“And when exactly are we going to meet her?”
Luna pulled back from the hug and hung her head slightly.
“I was hoping she would turn up today, but it seems that she was unable to come…”
So that explained her change of mood. “Why not seek her out instead?” Celestia asked after a moment. Luna gave her a sheepish smile.
“That’s what I was trying to do before you interrupted my dream walking. I was hoping to ask her where to find her, but it seems she is not in the dream world tonight. She must not be asleep yet.”
“And you didn’t ask her the other night because…?”
Luna looked at her indignantly. “I would have if I hadn’t been holding off the nightmares!”
“Fair enough,” Celestia chuckled at her sister’s exasperation. “Now come, it is time for you to rest.”
“I was hoping I could continue my search actually,” Luna replied, turning back to the balcony. Celestia was about to protest, but realized that her sister’s idea wasn’t a bad one. It couldn’t hurt to let her stay up for another hour or two.
“Alright, but don’t stay up too late,” the older sister replied as she walked back inside. Luna rolled her eyes.
“Yes mother,” she teased. Celestia smiled to herself as she walked back towards the door to her sister’s room. She paused before opening it and glanced back towards the balcony. Concern swirled within her mind. She was glad to see her sister so excited about finally having found an apprentice, but she didn’t want her to face the same disappointment as before. Still, only time would tell if their efforts paid off.
The wind blew through the trees, rustling the leaves as it slipped by them like a ghost in the night. The only other sounds that Dream Catcher could hear were her own cautious steps and her short breaths. The silence that filled the void was unnerving.
She dared not stop to sleep despite having been traveling for hours. The stories that ponies told when they stopped over on their farm told of terrifying beasts and strange apparitions that walked about these woods. They had warned of straying off the beaten path, and she took that tip to heart. Unfortunately the map she had taken with her was useless. Sure it had the major roads about the lands, but when it came to the woods there was no information. The royal city was surrounded by green, and only those who had the knowledge of the paths handed down to them could find the way. Even then, those journeys were taken during the day.
A snap came from her left, and Dream Catcher spun to face the source. She couldn’t see a thing in the darkness. She held her breath, straining to hear anything else. Another snap came from behind her and as she turned about again she began to feel her legs shake.
“W-Who’s there?” she called. No response. She didn’t know whether to run or stay still, but she soon got her answer when a loud howl sounded off not too far from her. Her legs reacted before her mind, and the next thing she knew she was sprinting down the path. The wind whipping past her ears made it impossible to hear if anything was following behind and she didn’t want to look back. She just had to keep running.
Suddenly the forest opened wide, and she found herself in the middle of a cleared area. In front of her lay a great stone wall with a wooden gate built into it. The insignia on it was of two alicorns, one of each gate, outlined in some kind of metal. It was the royal city! She made it!
Dream Catcher let herself stop in front of the doors to catch her breath. A quick glance back revealed that whatever had been following her had given up its pursuit. She was safe for now. Her gaze turned back to the wall, and she noticed a large rock just to the right of it. She walked around the back of it and noticed there was just enough room for her to lay there. It wasn’t much for protection, but at least she would be blocked from the view of the forest.
She rested her pack on the ground and laid her head upon it as her eyes began to droop, not even bothering to take off the hood. She hoped that when the day came she would finally be able to find the princess.
“Hey you, wake up.”
Something jabbed at her side. Dream Catcher groaned and rolled over, trying to ignore whoever was bothering her. Another poke, this time on her back.
“Five more minutes Daddy,” she moaned, covering her eyes.
“I’m not your Daddy kid. Now come on, wake up.”
Dream Catcher’s eyes shot open, and instead of her bed she found herself staring at a bunch of grass. She rolled over quickly and saw a guard standing just a little way from her, the blunt end of his spear ready to poke her again. The sun shining off his uniform blinded her for a moment.
“What…where am I?” she asked. The guard tilted his head.
“You’re outside the royal city,” he answered in confusion. She looked around and noticed the great wall with the two wooden doors.
Oh. Right. Now she remembered.
She glanced past the guard and beamed when she saw the gates were open. In a flash she was up off the ground and had her pack back on. She was just about to walk over to the gate when the guard stopped her.
“And just where do you think you’re going?” he asked firmly. Dream Catcher shrunk back.
“I-I’m going to meet someone in the city,” she answered. If she told him that she was going to meet the princess he would never believe her. She would have to leave out a few details if she wanted to get in.
“By yourself?”
“I’ve traveled her before,” Dream Catcher huffed, trying to sound convincing. The guard raised an eye at her, seeming to deliberate what to do. After a moment he lifted his spear out of her way.
“Fine,” he answered, “but I’m going to escort you from here on out.”
Her ears drooped. Oh no, what was she going to do now? If he found out that she had lied, what would he do to her? Throw her in jail? Could they do that to fillies? She didn’t want to find out. Without a word she began to walk towards the gates. The steps of the guard told her that he was right behind her.
As she entered the city, however, her concerns vanished for a moment. Her home was just a simple cottage out in the middle of nowhere. This city, however, was like nothing she had ever seen. Magnificent houses lined the cobble road in front of her, each seeming more grand than the next. Ponies were strolling around – most of them were unicorns – dressed in all different kinds of outfits. Some had on simple hoods like her own, but most of them wore fancy dresses and ruffled collars. Banners hung from the lamp posts on either side of the street, each on alternating between gold and navy. They reminded her of the banners in her own room back home.
Soon they came to a market, which only increased Dream Catcher’s awe. The stands each had their own unique combination of colors, all bright and alluring. There were so many different kinds of fruits and vegetables for sale at each one. She didn’t recognize half of them but they all looked delicious.
A loud rumble came from her stomach. She had completely forgotten to eat that morning. She was about to get the loaf of bread out of her pack when she heard the guard sigh from behind her.
“You forget to bring some food?” he asked. Dream Catcher was about to protest, but then she got an idea. She mustered up the most pitiful face she could and nodded. The guard smiled.
“Oh alright, I’ll get you a little something, but just this once.”
She beamed in response and followed him over to one of the stalls. It was particularly crowded this morning, and the second she saw her chance Dream Catcher took off into the crowds. A sudden commotion behind her signaled that the had noticed her disappearance, but she did not stop running. She slipped away into a side street and waited. As she watched she saw the guard go running past, a worried and slightly annoyed look on his face. She smirked. That went better than she had expected.
After waiting a few more minutes to be safe, Dream Catcher walked back out of her hiding place. She reached up and dropped the hood down, letting her dark red mane fall back out. It felt good to feel the sun on her face again.
For the next few hours the young filly let herself explore the market, eavesdropping on conversations to try and figure out the best way to get in contact with the princess. Listening the bobbles and bits, she found that she wouldn’t be able to sneak into the palace. It was heavily guarded, especially after a recent incident with someone named Sombra. Subtlety wouldn’t do it. She would have to do something else, something more direct.
“It was quite funny you know, how bold she was the other day.”
Dream Catcher’s ears perked up at the nearby conversation between two elegantly dressed unicorns. She sidled over to the booth and tried to act like she was surveying the types of bread there.
“You don’t mean she actually did it?”
“She did! She just waltzed on up to the guards and demanded an audience with the princesses!”
“That mare is absolutely crazy!”
“Oh believe me, that’s not even the craziest part. Apparently the guards have to send in a messenger to tell the princesses that someone wants to see them. Princess Celestia is trying to win favor with her subjects by being more open to them no doubt. Very clever if you ask me.”
“Indeed. Makes the people feel like she’s listening. Whether that’s actually the case we may never know.”
Dream Catcher couldn’t believe it. She’d spent all morning and afternoon trying to come up with some clever way to get in to see the princesses, and all she had to do was walk up and ask! In a flash she was gone, headed straight for the palace.
The townspeople hadn’t been kidding when they said the place was guarded well. On every balcony and at every corner there was a guard either in gold. No pony could sneak in there. She walked up the cobble stairs and came face to face with an ornate door, decorated with an insignia similar to the gates at the outer wall. In front of it were three guards, all standing at attention. She hesitated for a moment, intimidated by their intense stares. Dream Catcher took a breath to steady herself before walking right up to them.
One of the guards looked down at her without a word. She waited for him to say something, but as the silence thickened she realized that she needed to be the one to speak first. She puffed out her chest to look confident and spoke.
“I would like an audience with the Princess of the Night…please,” she added, not wanting to be rude.
“And who is requesting this audience?” he answered in a stony voice.
“Dream Catcher.”
The guard stared at her for a moment before glancing over to her companion on the right. He gave a small nod, and the guard slipped inside the doors.
“Wait here. We’ll let you know if your request is answered.”
Dream Catcher sighed in relief and backed away a few paces. She sat down and pulled out the loaf of bead in her pack, breaking off a piece and gobbling it up. Now all she had to do was wait.
Luna was bored out of her mind listening to the daily weather reports of the nation. Sure she knew they were important, but most of the major concerns for the day were daytime occurrences. There was literally nothing for her to contribute, so she sat by her sister’s side and tried not to fall asleep.
She had stayed up much later than she was used to last night. For hours she had searched the dream worlds and the space between for the little filly. There was no sign of her, and after a while she was forced to give up for the night. She couldn’t help but worry about her. Was she alright? Hopefully she hadn’t done anything that had brought harm to the little one.
A small knock on the meeting room door drew everyone’s attention away from the old Pegasi’s chart.
“Forgive us Meteo, but would it be possible to interrupt thine lecture for a moment?” Celestia asked. The old stallion nodded respectfully, placing his pointing stick down on the table. Both princesses bowed their heads to him before standing up. The door to the room opened slightly and a guard walked in.
“Pardon the interruption your highnesses, but someone has requested an audience.”
Luna had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. This new idea her sister had put in place was making things difficult around the palace. Any pony could interrupt a meeting with an audience request nowadays. Years ago no pony would have been so bold as to demand a meeting.
“Who doth wish to meet with us?” Celestia asked.
“A little filly, to be honest,” the guard answered sheepishly. Luna’s ears perked up.
“Didst they give a name?” she asked quickly, catching her sister off guard with her sudden interest.
“Yes princess,” the guard answered, also surprised at the Princess of the Night’s sudden attention. “She said her name was Dream Catcher.”
Luna looked over at her sister, and they stared at each other in wonder. After a moment her older sister turned back and nodded to the guard. He bowed respectfully and left the room.
“We apologize for the sudden interruption,” Celestia said to Meteo, “but thine report shall have to continue some other time. The present issue warrants our utmost attention.”
“As you wish princess,” he replied, bowing again before gathering up his charts. Luna quickly exited the room and began to walk towards the grand hall.
“I knew it,” Luna whispered to her sister as they trotted onwards, “I knew she would come!”
Celestia was silent. So this little one that Luna had been gushing about last night had finally appeared. Time to find out if she really could live up to her expectations.
The sound of the door creaking open caught Dream Catcher’s attention. She stood quickly, placing the remains of her bread back in the pack. The guard who appeared whispered something into the other’s ear. He nodded solemnly and turned his head back to her.
“Dream Catcher, was it?” he asked, and she nodded. “Please follow me.”
She beamed and ran up to him, slowing down to a walk as they entered the hall. The floors, walls, pillars, and even the ceiling were made a shining white marble, and a number of multicolored banners and rugs gave the room a splash of life. Sun streamed in through the glass windows, giving the room a holy sort of feel. Dream Catcher dared not speak within these walls. She didn’t feel worthy.
She followed the guard through a number of hallways, and soon she couldn’t remember which way they had come. She hoped she would remember how to get back out. Getting lost in the royal palace didn’t seem like a good thing to do.
As they turned one final corner the room opened up suddenly to reveal a grand hall. The windows in here were colored, depicting different historical images within their panes. She saw an image of a great beast, made up of all sorts of creatures, and two alicorns fighting against it. Across the hall was another, this time of the two alicorns from before but standing atop a grand hill as ponies all around cheered. There were many other scenes, but she did not have time to examine them. The two figures sitting at the front of the room had captured her attention.
On the right sat a tall white alicorn, her wings folded at her sides. Her pink mane cascaded down her back, and a matching tail was folded against her side. Atop her head stood a golden tiara, and around her neck and on her hooves were similar garments. She had a kind face, but Dream Catcher could tell there was something else there. She seemed guarded almost, but against what she did not know.
The mare on the left, however, was the one that truly caught her attention. It was the exact same mare from her dream. From her light purple mane to her navy coat she was exactly as she had been, though this time she had a silver tiara and matching neck and hoof pieces like the other princess. Her face was much easier to read. It betrayed an excitement that threatened to burst out of her at any second.
“Your highnesses,” the guard declared, startling Dream Catcher. She had forgotten he was there. “May I present Dream Catcher.”
“We thank thee,” the white alicorn answered in a regal tone. “Wouldst thou permit us time alone to speak to the young one?”
The guard bowed and exited the hall. No one said anything for a moment. Dream Catcher had no idea how to even start. What should she say?
Luna couldn’t pull her eyes away from the little earth pony standing before her. It was incredible that this small filly, with her light brown coat and dark red mane, had managed a trip here by herself! She had courage that much was obvious. Or she was very foolhardy. The little golden eyes stared back at her with as much curiosity and wonder as she felt herself.
“Welcome little one,” Celestia finally spoke, breaking the stalemate between them. “We’ve been expecting you.”
“I know,” Dream Catcher replied. “I-I mean, I figured you were, since the princess asked me to come and all.”
Come on, Dream Catcher scolded herself mentally. Focus. You need to focus on why you’re here.
“We did,” Luna replied, standing and walking down the steps to greet her. “Though we must admit thine journey surprises us. Pray tell, where art thine parents?”
“Oh…well, I didn’t tell them I was coming.”
Luna stopped in front of her. She had run away from home? She had feared something like this would happen.
“Why not?” Celestia asked, walking up beside her sister. Dream Catcher looked over at her for a moment before turning back to Luna.
“I tried to tell them about my dream, but they wouldn’t believe me! I didn’t have a choice…”
Celestia looked over at her sister and noticed the pained expression on her face. She truly felt regret about the situation. She hated to see her sister so sad when such a moment should be one of joy.
“Dream Catcher,” she began, “wouldst thou prefer that we talk to thine parents?”
Dream Catcher and Luna both looked over at her in shock at the same moment.
“You want to talk to my parents?” the little filly replied in awe. Celestia smiled.
“But of course! We would hate for them to be worried about you. Dost thou not agree sister?”
“Of course,” Luna answered, catching on to what her sister meant. “We should send them a message, to let them know of thine safe arrival.”
“Actually sister,” Celestia interrupted, “we were thinking that thou should escort Dream Catcher home and speak to her parents in person.”
Luna blinked. “Come again?”
“Is it not only fair that her parents be made aware of the situation by the one who started it?”
Luna had to hold back her indignation. To think that she was calling her out, and in front of this little filly! She said nothing for a moment, thinking deeply about the idea before letting out a sigh.
“Thou hast a point,” she admitted before looking back up at Dream Catcher. “Wouldst thou permit us to accompany you back home?”
“Really?” Dream Catcher nearly squealed. Luna couldn’t help the smile that came to her face.
“It would be an honor to meet the family of such a gifted little pony,” she replied, giving a small bow. Dream Catcher couldn’t hold back her squeal this time. Celestia chuckled.
“We shall handle the discourses of the day here sister. Dream Catcher, how far is thine home from here?”
Dream Catcher had to think for a moment. To be honest she wasn’t sure how far it was, but then she remember the map in her pack. She reached back and grabbed it, rolling it out on the floor in front of the princesses.
“I live over here,” she answered, pointing to a spot just east of the forest. Luna was surprised. That was a long journey for someone so young, and on foot no less.
“Thou should be able to reach thine destination by nightfall, shouldst thou hurry to leave,” Celestia mused, looking back up at her sister. Luna nodded in response and used her magic to roll the map back and place it back into Dream Catcher’s pack.
“A flight should take less than that,” she began, but noticed the suddenly panicked look on Dream Catcher’s face. “What is the matter little one?”
“We’re going to fly?”
“Tis the fastest way to reach our destination.”
“But I’ve never flown before…”
Luna sighed. Of course. As an earth pony she would not be accustomed to the heights of the Pegasi. This journey really was going to take until nightfall. Oh well, a walk would do her legs some good.
The castle gates opened wide, and Dream Catcher has to shield her eyes for a moment from the afternoon sun. Beside her was the Princess of the Night, her royal regalia still in place but not covered by a black traveling cloak. The hood rested on her back so that her face was still in view, and upon it she thought she saw a hint of anxiety. The princess’ eyes caught hers and it instantly vanished, replaced with a noble a confident gleam.
“Our royal escort should be arriving momentarily,” she declared. Dream Catcher nodded in response. The sound of hoof steps drew her attention behind them, and the two guards that approached made her eyes go wide. They looked like normal ponies for the most part, save for a few key differences. The first was their eyes. The pupils were more like slits, almost like the garden snakes she had seen slithering around in the wheat fields back home. Their irises were the same yellow as her own, only brighter. Their ears were also different, with extra fur on the ends that stuck straight out. The big difference, however, were their wings. Instead of feathers they were one singular limb of skin. She could see the outlines of the bones even with them folded up by their sides and partially hidden by intricate light blue and black armor. In short, they looked like bat wings. Creepy, big, bat wings.
She realized that she was staring, and quickly drew her gaze away. The princess noticed.
“Thou should no be afraid,” she said, walking over to the strange ponies, “these ponies art my trusted guard, and shall accompany us on our journey.”
The guards stared down at her, and Dream Catcher did her best to stare back. She realized that they seemed just as curious about her as she felt about them.
“Hello little one,” the guard on the right greeted, giving her a smile. Dream Catcher half expected him to have pointed teeth, but much to her relief his were the same as any other pony’s.
“Hello,” she replied. She didn’t know what to do now, but just then the guard stuck his hoof out to her. With a little hesitation she took it in her own and shook it. He was gentle with his shake, much to her surprise. Turned out they really weren’t as intimidating as they looked. She let herself smile back at him.
The filly’s reaction to her guards left a small smile on Luna’s face. She did not fear them as she had expected. She watched as her second guard joined in the formalities and couldn’t help but chuckle as Dream Catcher marveled at the guard’s now open wings. The first guard looked over at the sound in surprise, a curious smile on his face. She quickly returned to her serious attitude.
“Come,” she commanded to the group, “we must depart, lest we arrive at thine home after dark.”
Dream Catcher walked over to the princess’ side as the guards took their places on either side of them. The four of them exited the palace together. The guards that had been at the door bowed respectfully to the princess, but Dream Catcher noticed their amazed faces as they spotted her next to their leader. She couldn’t help but smile to herself.
The reaction of the marketplace, however, nearly made her laugh out loud. Every pair of eyes, whether buyer or seller, landed on the small entourage. The shouts of the vendors in their brightly colored stands were all but silenced. She could have heard a pin drop on the other end of the cobblestone street. As they made their way through the stalls she saw the two fancy unicorns from earlier gaping at them in awe. She would have to thank them later for revealing how to talk to the princesses.
While she watched the ponies on either side of the street bow, a pair of hoof steps made her ears twitch. She took it as just another person running past the stands in as hurry, but as they grew louder she couldn’t help looking back. A guard in golden armor was approaching them quickly.
“Princess!” he called, and the sound of his voice made her ears drop.
“Oh no,” she murmured to herself. It was the same guard she had ditched earlier! She hadn’t been able to get a good look at him before – her hood had still been on, plus she had more pressing concerns at the time than memorizing what he looked like – but as he came trotting closer she could examine him more clearly. His coat was white, she had noticed that much before, but now she could see his straight light blue and orange mane sticking out of his helmet. He had a sturdy build, his snout was quite chiseled, and his green eyes were vibrant. She couldn’t quite see his cutie mark though, but she didn’t have time to worry about that. Right now those green eyes were dead set on her and he was obviously fuming.
“I’m so sorry your highness,” he rambled out, bowing low to the princess, “this filly got away from me earlier in the crowds. She won’t be of any more trouble to you, I swear.”
He reached out one of his hooves and began to pull her away, but then one of the princess’ guards slapped his hoof away. He recoiled, landing firmly on his rump in shock. The night guard stood between her and him, and Dream Catcher took the opportunity to stick her tongue out at him. His face contorted into a scowl.
“Enough,” the princess yelled in her Royal Canterlot Voice, causing everyone within earshot to jump. “What is the meaning of this intrusion?”
“F-Forgive me,” the golden guard managed as he stood back up and bowed again. “I was escorting this filly through the market earlier today. She slipped away from me when I tried to buy her something to eat, and somehow managed to lose me. I hope she hasn’t been causing you any trouble.”
“Nay,” the princess answered, “this little one came to see us in the royal palace at our own request.”
The guard’s eyes widened, and he looked back and forth between Dream Catcher and the princess.
“But she told me she was coming to meet someone in the city. I had no idea she meant you!”
“Address the princess by her proper title,” the guard bellowed, and her quickly saluted him.
“My apologies, sir!” he responded. “I meant only that I didn’t know the person she was to visit was the Princess of the Night, sir!”
“What’s your name soldier?” the guard asked, standing tall above the other.
“Morning Glory, sir!”
“And what is your rank?”
“Staff Sergeant, sir!”
“Ah. So you’re the new Staff Sergeant the Day Captain mentioned,” the night guard mused. Morning Glory’s chest puffed out a little with pride, making Dream Catcher snicker. She looked up at the guard in front of her and saw a sly smile spread on his face.
“Princess Luna, if I may suggest something?”
“Of course. What didst thou have in mind?”
“May I request that the new Staff Sergeant accompany us on our journey?”
Dream Catcher and Morning Glory’s mouths both dropped open. What?! They wanted him to come with them? Surely the two guards they already had were enough.
“Dost thou have a reason for such a request?” the princess answered, seeming as confused as Dream Catcher felt.
“As a test, princess. After all, the royal guard must be the best in the lands. We need to make sure he can handle anything thrown at him, so to speak.”
“Though it seems he can’t even keep up with a filly very well,” the other guard added with a chuckle. Morning Glory’s face went bright red.
Luna looked at the guard for a moment. He was still very young, younger than any other pony she had seen with his rank. Despite his apparent failure with keeping up with Dream Catcher, he seemed like a responsible pony. After all, he was still here, trying to find her. Her guard also had a point; a test might not be a bad idea. The filly would need a personal guard at some point. Perhaps this could be the one, given that he could learn to control the filly.
“Very well,” she decreed at last, “he shall accompany us.”
Dream Catcher whirled around to face her in shock.
“But princess…”
“Allowing him to come would be only fair after thine little escape earlier,” the princess continued with a knowing glance. Dream Catcher lowered her gaze, an embarrassed blush spreading across her cheeks.
“As you wish princess,” the night guard between her and Morning Glory answered, bowing his head. He turned back to the guard in gold.
“Go and get your travel pack. You have fifteen minutes.”
“Yes sir,” Morning Glory answered before running off through the market and out of sight. Dream Catcher sighed. This was going to be a long trip.