When Melon Stride's sister leaves the Stable that has always been their home, and accidentally locks them both outside of it, Melon has to figure out how to survive in a cruel, lawless world. Her life of rules, routine, and safety is over. She'll have to brave the wasteland if she wants to find Blossom and put her life back together.

Before the Windigos arrived in Equestria, three tribes were starving for food. There was no friendship between the separate pony species, and things are only growing worse.

This story follows Cobalt, a young unicorn prince who was brought up to be selfish and cruel towards all other pony species. His life changes when he meets Dahlia, a lowly earth pony mare, and forms a tentative friendship. When his father declares war on the earth ponies and his new friend's life is at risk, will Cobalt be able to blindly turn away and stay loyal to his family and home? Or will he betray them for the mare who wants nothing to do with him?

Taking place prior to the backstory told within Hearth's Warming Eve, this story tells the tale of just how badly the relationship between the three tribes was before the Windigos arrived in Equestria.