Two young griffons find themselves dragged into a conflict they wanted nothing with, but when gods fight, mortals dance to their tune.

Soldiers fight with guns, blades, and grit.
Politicians fight with money, words, and alliances.
Gods fight with souls, rules, and ideas.
And everyday people are collateral damage.

This story is part of the Samsaraverse!
It happens concomitant to Piece of Parchment and Fólkvangr. While Gallus and Gabby need to deal with their problems, Twilight and Cadance fight Farseer in Manehattan’s harbor and Gilda’s caravan prepares to leave Frozenlake. All the relevant context is contained in the story, though.

In a burgeoning city a hunter donates food to an orphanage. The old griffoness caretaker pays him with more than coin. She shares wisdom with a young griffon at the brink of doing things he would regret.

Approved by Lady Gwendolen of Griffindell for griffons of all bloodlines.

Sunny enjoys a smoothie with her friends now that unicorns got their magic back and pegasi could fly again. The fear was gone and the pony races could live together in harmony and friendship again. Unfortunately for them, things didn't go exactly as planned... Nor would have If anyone had planned at all.

Geordi led a nice life with his humble shop in the little known city of Whitelake. It wasn't much, but life in the hot countryside of Griffonia was easy enough for the young griffon that he could pursue his dreams.

But things changed when the weight of corrupt politicians became too much for their their country to bear for so long. It also didn't help that griffons were kind of dumb when it came to politics and kept electing the worse leaders possible.

At least Geordi would have a home and food during his time in Fort King Grover by Griffonstone. And since he was there, he would become the best soldier he could!

The sex tag is for conversations and an overly imaginative teenager. No actual scenes in this story.

This story is a prequel to Geordi's short participation in Piece of Parchment.
And will be followed by a sequel.
Fólkvangr is Gilda's own spinoff story from Piece of Parchment and it touches further into the griffon part of the alternate universe.
But it can be read independently.

Special thanks to Heavy Weapons Guy for helping me proofread this thing as of chapter 2!

While checking the ward spells in her palace's library, Cadance discovers a strange letter sent to King Sombra by someone she didn't know existed, from a nation that never existed. The search for answers sends her and Twilight, along with their friends, on a journey to uncover certain secrets of the past, only to realize that secrets abound in the present, and at the center of it all, there is one particular truth that very important ponies would very much like to keep a secret.