The campfire crackled and snapped, sending its radiant heat out to warm our tired bodies and sooth our minds. There was something inherently magical about a well made fire, the colours and sounds alone made you feel safe somehow. I lay back and yawned, I was full of good food, good beer and had a good pipe of some damned fine tobacco.

One of our merry band had thoughtfully brought thick blankets for us all and we lay on them beside the fire while Banjo poked it with a stick, occasionally feeding more wood into it. Stretching out my legs, I closed my eyes and smiled. I still couldn’t believe it, I was a father…again ! I wished that our new foal could play with Sparrow Song, but it was not to be, they lived in two different worlds now. We’d all meet again one day, but not for a while yet, not until this life was done.

Melancholy thoughts aside, it was a wonderful evening, not too cold, with barely a breeze. The sky above us was bright with stars and the moon shining down like it always had. I wondered how Luna was and whether she had mended her bridges with Celestia. The last thing I wanted was to be the cause of a rift between the two, family was the most important thing in a pony’s life and I knew all too well the pain of loss. Right now I missed mine, Tingles and my foal especially. I didn’t know when I’d see them again and the mere thought of being away from them was like a bolt through my heart.

I put those thoughts to one side and tried to simply enjoy the moment of calm out here under the stars. Mitre had promised he would have some news for us tonight, although it would no doubt be something to do with work. One of these days, I’d actually get paid for doing something too…not that I had that many bills these days.

A whistle from one of the sentries caught everyponies attention, two of our number trotting off to investigate. A few minutes later a lone carriage rattled into the encampment, Bingo walking over to talk to the occupants. I could tell who it was without even turning around, Mitre’s voice was like distant thunder. The lucky sod, I’d always envied him that voice. I bet he’d bagged more than a few mares over the years with those dulcet tones,

“Fairlight? Can you come with me a moment.”

I pushed myself to my hooves, feeling my muscles protesting at the effort. We’d been travelling for days, if not weeks keeping out of sight and generally keeping low. My tail alone was a right mess, I’d have to get that washed and brushed out soon or I’d have to get it cut right back and I didn’t fancy that. As for my mane, I dread to think how that looked now. Fortunately, my overcoat and hat covered most of the ‘imperfections’ in the Fairlight style, so whatever it was Mitre wanted to see me about, he’d have to put up with a rather tatty ex-captain.

We hadn’t seen him since the birth of my son. He’d stayed behind to liaise with Princess Luna on some matters which I wasn’t privy to. Although I was a little intrigued as to what was going on ‘behind the scenes’, sometimes ignorance was definitely bliss. The large frame of the Chief was easy to make out in the starlight and I had to admit, it was oddly comforting to see him again.

“Sir?” I asked trotting over to the side of the wagon where he was waiting for me.

“Captain, theres somepony here who wants to speak to you” He took down a saddle pack from the drivers seat and placed it on his back, “I’ll leave you two to chat together while I grab a cuppa”, Mitre looked up to the back of the wagon, “Can I get you anything ma’am?”

Whoever she was, shook her head and Mitre nodded in reply, wandering off to the campfire and a welcome cup of tea.

My mysterious visitor jumped down from the wagon and bade me follow them with a wave of a foreleg. Soon we were well into the secluded woodland, although not so far that we couldn’t see the campfire. We’d need some way to navigate our way back in this darkness.

The pony threw her hood back and I found myself looking into the large purple eyes of a very familiar lilac unicorn.

“Miss Sparkle!”

“Shhhh!” Twilight held her hoof up to her lips, “Yes, it’s me. Captain Fairlight, I promised you I would find out what I could and I have. Please, nopony must know I’m here tonight or what I have to tell you, yes?”

“Yes, Miss Sparkle.”

“Good. Captain, my mentor would disown me if she knew what I’m doing tonight. Celestia is a kind ruler and I love her like a second mother, but in this…I believe she is…wrong. There, I said it!”

She looked around furtively as if the princess would descend on her like an avenging spirit from above at any moment.

“Please miss, go on…” I encouraged.

“Ah, right! Yes, well you see Captain, I read up on Starswirls adventures in his diaries and journals. Most are kept in the palace library in Canterlot, but one I found elsewhere, in the temple of the two sisters.”

“Twilight! That place is dangerous!” I exclaimed, “What on earth were you thinking, risking yourself going there for a book?”

She giggled, hiding her smile behind a hoof, “Oh Captain! I didn’t go alone, my friends went with me. I assure you I was quite safe, but listen, I’ve found something…a way to enter the Wither world.”

“What! How…where?”

“Starswirl had a portal he used to travel the realms, it was designed to be activated by one of the crystal beacons and would allow him to travel to the Wither world. Whether he ever managed to reach the plane of the eternal herd however was…”

“Miss Sparkle,” I interrupted, “please, where is this portal?”

She shook her mane in irritation, “That’s just it, I don’t know!”

“Oh…” my heart sank, what was the point of telling me this then?

“But I know a way to find it…here, come closer.”

I stepped up to her and the little unicorn’s horn began to glow with a deep purple light. From inside her cloak’s pocket, a golden chain with a small crystal pendant, floated out and over my head to settle around my neck. My goddesses, was this what I thought it was?

“Twilight…” I breathed.

She blushed, looking away shyly, “It’s the beacon from the exhibition. I…I borrowed it”

“You what?!”

“I didn’t steal it! I just borrowed it and replaced it with an exact copy Rarity made for me. She thinks it’s for my research, but I…I swapped them. You see, according to Starswirls diary, the beacon works on ‘need’, it detects your desire and sends you there. It’s a little more complex than that of course, magical inversion and co-fluxation extingencies etcetera, but I think you get the general idea.”

“I do. Thank you Twilight, I don’t know what to say.” I didn’t either. I had no idea what she was going on about, only that she’d risked so much for a pony she didn’t know and that I had been given another chance to find Shadow.

Twilight smiled at me, “Captain, I read a lot of books. Not just for research, but for enjoyment and I love a good romance. Your story, your lost love…I want you to rescue her and bring her home. That’s what hero’s do right?”

“I’m no hero, Twilight, I wish I was”

“Maybe not, but there’s a damsel in distress and you should go save her mister! And,” she clopped me on the chest, “I want to hear all about it when you get back. If it’s safe to do so, of course”

“Of course”

Yeah, so long as Princess Celestia hadn’t got wind of what she’d done, or else we’d both be in peril. Twilight would probably get off lightly compared to me, Celestia’s warning ‘on pain of death’, was most likely deadly serious. She saw wendigo’s as a threat to the stability of the country, and her student helping one? It was unthinkable.

“Give it a try!” She urged waving at the pendant excitedly.

I nodded, holding up the beacon in my hoof. It was so familiar, like an old friend somehow. I’d worn one in the Withers and had used it to find my way home, in a roundabout way. This one, ironically, would help me return to that very same place I had been so desperate to escape. I smiled to myself, it was a funny old world.

Concentrating, I channelled a tiny stream of my magic into the crystal, picturing in my mind the land of endless black sand, the dark hills and the changeless light. I thought of the Beyond, with its beautiful crystal forests and white grass. I remembered the tribe of the Beyond, the empty city, the great black sea…and finally, my beloved thestral, Shadow.

The thestrals face, so familiar, was as clear as day in my minds eye. Her little horn like ears, her sharp teeth, those fiery red eyes and great dragon like wings. I could recall her with such detail I could almost feel her long tongue tasting my muzzle, kissing me…the scent of spices rich and warm…

“Captain? Twilight to Captain Fairlight, are you receiving me…”

“Wha…? Oh! Sorry miss, I kind of lost myself in my memories there for a moment”

“Ooooh! Look at that!”, Twilight stared wide eyed at the crystal, the tiny pendant glowing with a faint otherworldly light which grew brighter or dimmer dependant upon which direction I faced.

“That…is…amazing!” she gasped, clearly impressed at seeing an ancient relic come back to life before her very eyes. I suppose i’m a little more cynical as I’d used one before, but I couldn’t help but smile at the enthusiasm in the little mare’s eyes. She’d risked a lot to help me with this, risked far too much really.

“Miss Sparkle…Twilight…I don’t know how to thank you, really.”

“Oh that’s easy!” She grinned, “Just come see me when all this is over and tell me all about your adventures. Maybe the princess will have forgiven you by then and you can come back to live in Ponyville. I know we’d all love to have you there”

I had to hide my face for a moment as a wave of nostalgia and emotion rolled through me. To go back to Ponyville, to live with ponies who accepted me? But, Celestia; there was no chance of her going back on her decree, and there was no way I was going to put Twilight and her friends at risk on my behalf either.

“Thank you Twilight, I’ll do what I can…again, thank you.”

She reached up, standing on her hind legs and kissed me on the forehead, then stepped back, “You’re welcome.” Twilight blushed, looking away slightly, “Would you mind asking Brandy Wine to come over here now? I think he’s keen to see me home. It’s quite late.”

The cart rumbled off into the night with Brandy and another of the agents escorting the brave little lavender unicorn home. I watched her leave and prayed that she would be safe, that one day all of us would be able to live in the world of sunshine and rainbows Celestia wanted for us. ‘All of us’, eh?…I don’t think I factored into it somehow, but by the goddesses I still had my honour, regardless of what the princess thought of me.

“Hey, you okay?” Mitre clopped me on the shoulder, “Come over to the fire lad and warm yourself up. We’ll need to be off soon, sun’ll be up in a few hours”.

Mitre glanced at me as we walked, “That was some trick back there in the hospital, Captain. I have to say, it sent a chill down my spine. What’s it like when you’re like that?”

I scratched my chin in thought, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised he’d ask, and typically direct of him too, “It’s like, being me, but not me…It’s hard to explain. You have power, magic at your command, yet it comes at a cost…anger, hatred and a hunger that’s ever present. But you know, it’s a part of my ancestry, my heritage… I think it’s what I do that really defines me, not what I ‘physically’ am. Sorry Chief, I guess I’m not making much sense.”

The big blue stallion shook his head, “No…you are boy, and I’d agree with you on that. To my mind, life’s about our actions and deeds, not what you are, be you pony, griffin or whatever. Pop used to say talk is simply that…talk. Without acting on what we say, or on our intentions, words are meaningless. I guess that kind of ties in with this, it’s what you do that makes you…you.”

“That’s quite profound there Chief.”

“Aye”

We reached the fire, one of the ponies wearing a thick overcoat had brought a concertina and began to play. She was good too and I found myself moving to the cheerful sound, even if I didn’t recognise the tune. Mitre and I talked a while longer of insubstantial things; sharing stories of past loves and missions we’d been on. I was glad to hear that Shelly was safe, she’d retired from the watch after Mitre had been ‘killed’ and moved away to start a new life. Mitre and Shelly planned to live in the country when he retired and they’d saved up enough to be comfortable. He’d let slip that had one last mission to complete but wouldn’t divulge any more until the time was right. Bloody typical, the ‘need to know’ line I was all too familiar with from my days in the watch. I guess old habits die hard.

I stretched, working a crick out of my neck and checked the time. It wasn’t long before dawn and Mitre was already getting up from his place by the fire,

“Time to move, ponies. Get that fire put out and the gear in the carriages. Fairlight, give us a hoof please.”

Before long, all the gear was stowed away, the camp no more than a happy memory. The sky carriages flew through the dark sky north toward the mountains and the Everfree, giving me a distinct sense of déjà-vu. Where were we heading? Mitre just gave me that half smile of his, the old bugger was up to something and I bloody well hated surprises. I’d had far too many by far!

Taking a deep breath of the clean air, I sank back into the carriages seat, looking out at the horizon. The sky was just starting to change colour and dawn would be here soon. I’d always wanted to see the sun raising ceremony in Canterlot as a foal, but had never been. I’d more likely be used for target practice if I turned up there now. I’d like to think young Twilight was right though, and someday Celestia would have a change of heart. She had with Luna I suppose, but then she’d already banished her for a thousand years and the night princess was quite obviously second fiddle, even if she was supposed to be ‘co-ruler’.

The dark scenery below looked familiar, only vaguely though. It was, after all, variations on the theme of grass, hills and tree’s. Being this close to the Everfree, there was probably a good chance that any sight seeing would land you a first class ticket to a timber wolfs stomach; unless they really were behaving themselves now, but I doubted that. I was just glad the bloody things couldn’t fly.

We began to lose height and the carriage banked into its landing pattern. The pilot was good, but nowhere near the quality of my Pegasus mare. Goddesses, I missed her, and the little one too…

With a relatively soft bump, we landed on the outskirts of the village. Now this place really looked familiar; the dilapidated cottages, the old tavern…’Welcome to Smiling Borders’…pfff, my hairy arse!

Mitre trotted up to the weathered front door of the Wyvern’s Tail and knocked. A shuffling from inside, the click of a lock and the delightful smiling face of Heather the hulking minotaur greeted us. I couldn’t help but smile, this place had a certain peculiar charm all of it’s own. Heather snorted and waved us into the warm interior, the fireside chairs looking particularly inviting to a pony who’d been living under the stars for days.

“Time for me to be off then boy,” Mitre announced from out of the blue, “I’ll be in touch about that job when you get back. Things have been put back so we’ve more time than we originally planned.”

“What?! Chief, whats going on?” I said, startled, “Don’t just bugger off and leave me here without an explanation!”

He stopped and looked over his shoulder at me, a surprisingly cheeky smirk on the old stallions face, “You’ve got a mare to rescue haven’t you? Oh! And this is yours too, don’t spend it all at once. Call it ‘thanks for services rendered’.”

He threw a large bag of bits to me and disappeared out the door. I rushed out after him but the sky carriage was already disappearing up into the early dawn…Damn it! I neighed in frustration and dropped into one of the chairs by the fire. I hated all this bloody cloak and dagger stuff, what the hell was I supposed to do now? Curiosity prevailed however, and I opened the bag he’d given me. I whistled through my teeth, there was a small fortune in here! What the bloody hell was I going to do with this lot?

“My lord, you’ve returned! This is wonderful news!” the exuberant griffin exclaimed appearing from the stairwell, “You are in room one, as last time. And I’ve taken the liberty of preparing some of your favourite items too, by the hot spring. Should I take your coat?”

Grimble smiled expansively, no mean feat with a beak, and held out his claws in anticipation. Gratefully, I hoofed him my overcoat but kept my saddle packs. Not that I didn’t trust him, but the way ponies had a habit of sneaking up on me…well, better to be safe and all that…

The hot spring was bubbling and steaming in the cool dawn air, the golden light in the sky just starting to broach the treeline and glint off the distant mountains. I remembered the last time I was here, the timber wolves, the fortress…it all seemed unreal now, like a dream that had happened to somepony else. Or a nightmare.

As I sank into the blissful hot water, I closed my eyes letting the steam envelop me. Maybe it had been somepony else, maybe I was still in the Wither world and I’d wake up surrounded by an expanse of nothingness, or maybe I was just a regular day to day pony with an active imagination? In a world of magic, anything was possible. Here, floating in this amazing warmth, feeling it soaking into my aching bones and muscles, nothing mattered anymore, even if only for a few minutes in the present.

I probably shouldn’t have, but I could feel myself dozing off in the heat and thick white steam. Goddesses, it was sooooo goooood!

My hind leg bumped into something and I paddled my forelegs to pull away, I liked floating, it was…hey! Something had my hoof. I looked up quickly, the hot water sloughing off me, to look into the eyes of…”Tingles!”

“Why, hello there Captain, what brings you here?”

“What…how…Gah! Mitre, the old bugger, that’s what all the mystery was about!”

“Mmhmm, and here I have you…my stallion…”, she reached out and grabbed me round the neck, planting a kiss right on my lips. Surprised, it took me a moment to react, but quickly, I returned it until we had to break apart for air. I was already starting to broil in the hot water and the temperature had just shot up another few degrees.

I nuzzled her soaking wet neck, “Goddesses, I’ve missed you love. Where’s the little one, is he okay?”

Tingles nibbled my ear, “Sleeping, Heather’s with him. He’s been up for hours and I needed a break to re-charge. By the goddesses, Fairlight, I’ve missed you…so much, I….” tears started to well up in her eyes and I reached forward and held her,

“I’m sorry love, but I’m here now...”, and I was. I didn’t know what the future held for us, and Celestia’s soldiers were probably looking for me too, but to hell with them. All that mattered was I was here with my tangerine pegasus and very soon, I’d be able to see my son again.

“Oh!” I squeaked, realisation dawning on me.

“What?”

“Oh, no…Meadow…Luna’s mercy, what have I done…”

“Fairlight? What about Meadow? I was hoping we could go see her tomorrow and show her our little one.”

“That’s wonderful, love, really. But…”

“But?”

“I think I said some things I shouldn’t have when I saw her last…”

“Oh, Fairlight! What have you done now?!”

I told Tingles the whole sordid story; the way I’d felt, the fear I saw in the eyes of both her and Meadow when they’d seen me as a wendigo, how I’d flown off and killed the vermin who started all of this. I didn’t go into the graphic detail of ‘how’ I’d dealt with Gates and Melon Patch though, that was something she didn’t need to hear and a burden I’d have to bear.

Tingles shook her head, “You….!” she bopped me on the forehead, “Agh! Fairlight sometimes…” The tangerine mare gave my ear a hard nip,

“OW!”

“That’s for upsetting Meadow!” she clicked her tongue and climbed out of the water to a waiting towel, “Honestly, I don’t know…She’ll be furious with you, but I can understand how hurt you were, you know. I…I did some terrible things too, things that…hurt you. Maybe it’s me who should have flown away…”

I reached over with a towel and began to dry her mane, “Don’t ever say that again, please. There’s been too much of this ‘running away’ business to begin with, and I’ve probably been the worst culprit too. If we do have a fight or a misunderstanding in the future…and we probably will…can we talk about it, like we are now?”

“Of course love…like we are now…” she took another towel and began to dry me off as well. Unfortunately I was starting to feel particularly warm in a certain place and Tingles noticed it too, giving a coy giggle when she noticed.

“Someone’s happy…” she purred.

I covered myself with the towel and kissed her on the nose, “But I’m so tired love, can we go back to our room?”

Tingles winked at me playfully, “Of course, my dear Captain Fairlight…I’ll get my things.”

As we turned to walk back down the hillside to the tavern, I paused, a thought crossing my mind, “Tingles, do you remember much about what happened in the hospital?”

“Hmm, not much really, it was all very unreal. Like this strange doctor who sounded like somepony I knew, smelt like him too.”

She smiled at me, nuzzling me lightly before whispering in my ear, “He did things to me, you know…examined me, touched me in my secret places. He did such naughty things to me…so…very…naughty”, with no more than her breath, she sent me over the edge.

With a bellowing neigh, I grabbed Tingles and kissed her hard on the lips, taking her to the ground. She gasped and pulled me down on top of her, “Oh goddesses Fairlight, it’s been so long…”

The two of us rolled around the warm gravel near the hot springs, pawing at each other and grunting like the animals we were. I kissed her before pulling myself into the willing mare, my tiredness and fatigue gone in the fires of a wild need to become one with this beautiful tangerine pegasus. Tingles’ wings shot out and quivered as we rutted, her gasps heavy through her gritted teeth. There was no foreplay, no gentle build up…we just wanted this, here…now.

Tingles shrieked and dug her hooves into the ground, ramming her rear up to meet me. I’d lost control completely, I think we both had. Yelling, screaming and shouting, we came together in a cacophony of whinnying and neighing, before we collapsed on top of each other completely spent. Tingles’ eyes were unfocussed, her mane wild and chest heaving. Goddess knows what I looked like.

We simply lay there, panting, the sun now well up in the dawn sky. The way it shone on Tingles, sparkling on her sweat slicked fur, her breath joining with the steam from the hot spring…it was enchanting. She was amazing, and I realised just how incredibly lucky I was to be her stallion.

“Fairlight…” she whispered.

“Mmmm…?”

“I think I need a bath”