I yawned, the big male Thestral had pulled every grain of memory he could from me, examined it and went back for more. I wondered if he were a friendlier version of the memory eating river monster, at least with that I had been able to fight it off. Far Sight was utterly merciless.

Ember and her sisters were curled up next to each other sound asleep. Apparently my story telling was as riveting as ever, I’d need to brush up on that when I put Sparrow to bed at night. Meadow would……..I closed my eyes and clicked my tongue, not now damn it.

Far Sight nodded, thinking his great Thestral thoughts. A quick preen of those huge wings and a snort brought back my attention.

“Fairlight of Equestria, whether my daughter has chosen well or not remains to be seen. Your character pleases me, I am confident that you will protect her with your life if there is the need. It is the Thestral way, and now, it is also your way.”

He stretched out in the sand, adjusting his legs, “I am however, disturbed by this ‘power’ you used to defeat the river demon. How came you by such a destructive force ?”

I answered as honestly as I could, “Truthfully, I have no idea. It just seemed to appear after I arrived in the Withers. Whatever it is, I cant enter the Eternal Herd until its gone.”

“And you still want to enter this… ‘Eternal Herd’ ?”, Far Sight asked.

“I…..”. Did I ? I wanted with all my heart to be with Meadow, with my daughter. Why was I trying to get back to the mortal world after all ? To take revenge on the ponies who murdered me, my wife and unborn foal ? Shouldn’t I be trying to purge myself of this…thing…inside me ? What about Shadow ? She was bonded to me now and as much as I wanted it to be otherwise I….I wasn’t sure any more. If some pony had asked me earlier if I saw the Thestral as nothing more than an otherworldly travelling companion, I would have answered yes, but now….

I looked across at the black coated creature with the fiery eyes who was busy cleaning her coat with light nibbles from those wicked teeth. She noticed my gaze and looked
up at me silently. She’d stayed awake throughout my recollection and drank in every word. Her eyes hot red glow warming my soul in this cold land.

“I don’t know”, was all I could manage. Pathetic, Fairlight…bloody pathetic.

Far sight looked from me, to his daughter and then back to me, nodding slowly. “You will know when the time comes. Do not be in such a rush to join them, my Equestrian friend. Your time will come….in time.”

“Lord Far Sight ?”, he waved a hoof for me to continue, ”Do you remember a pony called Starswirl the Bearded ?”. I described his appearance and the Thestral turned his head to stare out across the water, apparently in thought.

“Yes. I remember. He was an Equestrian, like you. A traveller of worlds, a pony of great power. He was a friend to my father.”

“Do you know how he crossed the lake ? Is there some way Shadow and I can cross it safely ?”

Far Sight bit at his foreleg for a moment before answering me.

“I do not know how he crossed the great lake Equestrian. You, will fly”.

Oh bollocks, not again. I had a horrible feeling this was coming. I hung my head, even the memory of vertigo made my stomach turn somersaults. But if this was the only way, or at least the quickest, it had to be done. We’d come too far to turn back now. To Tartarus with it, lets do this !

I stood, shaking the sand from my coat, mane and tail. “Very well, Lord Far Sight, I thank you for your wisdom”.

“And so you should Equestrian”, he laughed as he too rose to his hooves. His daughters, woken by his movement, similarly stood up and shook off the sand.

I walked over to Shadow and she nuzzled me softly. I noticed some sand caught in a fold on her wing and blew it free. She gave a little shudder and a small chirrup escaped her lips. “Are you ready love ?”, I asked, helping her to her hooves. “Yes”, the little Thestral said pushing into me, “Love”. Oh Celestia ! I heard a deafening neigh from behind me and tentatively turned to find myself muzzle to muzzle with Far Sight. “Wha..!”, I started back but he moved forward with me. “You are my daughters mate…Fairlight…it is only to be expected. However…”, his eyes flared a blinding crimson, “…there are young Thestrals here. Please, keep your displays for when you are….alone.”

I felt my cheeks burning and covered my face with a foreleg. I peeked out to see Shadows sisters giving us side long glances and giggling in that odd clicking, squawking way of their kind. Shadow looked away, a reddish hue to her cheeks. Damn, blast and buggeration ! This was all I needed right now and even worse, I was

starting to feel hot inside, really hot. I had to keep my focus on something else….that was it ! Flying ! Oh…bollocks…..