Riding on the air currents, feeling the sun on my face, was a feeling I had never known before my encounter with the spirit in the Withers. If I could be grateful for one thing alone, it was this. Occasionally, Tarragon would detach herself from my back and take wing, flying alongside me like I’d seen with ducks flying in formation. I guess we must have looked very strange for wildfowl!

I practiced my flying skills, rolling and diving, Tarragon keeping up with me and squawking in delight when we ‘chased’ each other through the clouds. As much as I missed my family, this was an experience I wouldn’t have missed for the world. It was the probably the nearest to a definition for the word ‘freedom’ as I could have imagined.

The little dragon swept under me and playfully batted at the pendant dangling from my neck, squawking a gliding away happily. I normally had it tucked in my pocket and hurriedly took hold of it in case it fell; goddesses help me if that happened. But ‘something’ had caught my eye when I moved to place it back in the confines of my barding, and I lifted up the crystal in my hoof for closer inspection. It was then I noticed just how bright the light was. Not the sunlight reflecting in it as I’d thought at first…no, this was something else. Damn it! Maybe I’d been flying for so long I was seeing things. Was I wrong?

I banked and circled in a wide arc, carefully watching the pendant’s light. There! Below me, by Luna’s backside, this was it, I was here at last! Wherever ‘here’ was of course.

I dove below the cloud layer, Tarragon attached to my harness, squeaking her excitement which echoed my own. Could she sense our goal was near?

Laid out before us was a lush green rolling countryside of grass and scattered tree’s. A small stream meandered its way over a rocky bed past a large collection of white stones, many covered in a thick matting of moss and multi coloured lichen. This was it, there was no doubting the crystals glare now. I flared my wings and touch down, landing neatly on the soft grass near the ruins.

This must have been a large structure as some point in its past. The worn remains of columns, flagstones and large cut stonework still lay where they had fallen. All around me, were the silent memories of a grander past. Everything here showed signs of considerable weathering and by the untouched nature of the surrounding area, I doubted anypony had been here in a very long time.

The pendant felt warm to the touch and I could feel it pulling me onward, but where to ? Following its light, I found myself standing on a set of slightly uneven flags. Judging by the water filled holes next to a few remaining wall sections, there had probably been a substantial set of doors here once leading to…well, nothing. There was nothing here.

The grass bankside before me now marked what must have been an entrance at one time, maybe even leading to the portal itself. Now, it was just…grass.

I trotted up and around it, there was no doubt in my mind; this was where the crystal was pointing to. The portal was gone. Decayed or destroyed, it didn’t matter which…all my effort, all of it…had been for nought. I sank onto my haunches and hung my head. Closing my eyes in dismay, my heart felt like lead in my chest. I just couldn’t believe it…

Tarragon jumped down and jogged over to the grass bank in her own particular lolloping gait, those leathery wings making her flop about from side to side comically. I wasn’t in the mood to laugh; right now I felt like screaming my lungs out to the damned heavens. It was like my whole world was just one giant mess, a huge fuck up from start to finish and what was worse, was that I’d failed to protect the one I’d sworn to…Shadow. I stomped my hoof into one of the ancient flagstones in anger, snorting out my frustration,

“Goddesses!” I screamed to the heavens, “What more do you want from me? What ?!” And what was Tarragon squeaking and squawking at? Bloody hell, what a racket!

Pulling myself up from the pit of my own self pity, I stared in bemusement at the small reptile as she jumped about, clawing at the earth in front of me. What had she seen there? Sometimes she reminded me of a playful kitten, chasing after butterflies and moths, other times her true nature as an alpha predator came to the fore. The intelligence in those reptilian eyes was quite unnerving at times but also strangely adorable, it was hard to describe.

I walked over to her, and looked at what she was pawing at. It was a large block of stone, still partly covered in earth and grass where Tarragon had been digging at it, but there was ‘something’ about it, something familiar that drew my attention. I scraped with my hoof at the stone, brushing away the build up of centuries, uncovering more of the block beneath and what turned out to be a large bronze ring. Resisting the temptation to grip it in my mouth, I used my magic to seize the thing and tried pulling it…nothing. Next I tried turning it to the left…nothing. To the right…was that a ‘click’? Yes! Definitely a click!

I held my breath and waited, Tarragon snaking between my legs and squawking excitedly before jumping up onto my back as the earth before me began to shudder violently. Before my very eyes, the land split asunder and dropped drown into a wide rectangular opening, the deep layer of soil and grass having covered it over long ago, sudden lost its purchase and collapsed into the blackness.

“Well little one,” I called to my companion, “I’ve no idea what lies beyond this, but I’ve brought us this far, so i’ve little choice but to move forward. You sure you want to come along? Could be dangerous.”

Tarragon squawked and turned full circle on my back before snuggling into my mane in response. Goddesses knew what she found so enthralling about my back, but for better or worse, we were heading off into the bowels of the earth and, I hoped, would be one step closer to recovering our lost Shadow.

I floated a flame into the blackness below the entrance, illuminating a long flight of well worn stone steps which lead down until they disappeared out of sight. On the wall to my right the light picked out a thin strip of metal, blue green in colour, possibly copper that was covered in verdigree, I wasn’t sure. Tentatively, I touched it with a hoof. It was definitely metal but at the same time a memory from within was beginning to niggle me about this, something to do with magic, applying it to the metal? Not knowing what would happen, I allowed my magic to flow through me, reaching out a tiny sliver of it to barely caress the metal. The feeling of its cold surface was the first thing I noticed, then a tingle of another magic, one that prickled at my investigation.

From where my magic had touched the metal strip, a blue glow began to pulse faintly. It was slow at first, and then without warning suddenly rushed out down the passageway, on and on into those unknown depths. As it disappeared into the seemingly endless void, at regular intervals on the stone walls a series of louds ‘pop’s accompanied the appearance of peculiar glowing symbols, each one adding it’s own ethereal light to the way down. Fear and fascination warred within me; whatever was down there could very well lead me to Shadow, but the spectre of the caves beneath the hill and the worm creature tugged inexorably at my memory. Stomping a hoof, I shook my mane and gave a loud neigh…fuck it, they were only memories.

“Fortune favours the bold, Tarragon” I said aloud, to which I received a happy chirrup and a warm, if rather damp, nuzzle.

We began our descent into the oddly lit tunnel, the doors behind me grating shut with a deep dull boom which echoed around us. I glanced back briefly, before shrugging and continuing downward. The glowing symbols were fascinating. They must have meant something to somepony once upon a time, but to me they were just odd, colourful shapes. It was a shame really, but occasionally, one may remind me of something…a tree, a flower, grass…all very organic and each one unique. There was some high end magical construction at work here. We had many magical items in Equestria, true, and some were even designed to be operated by non-magical ponies as well, but to make something to last beneath the earth for who knew how many years? No, this was on a level that only the best of the best magic smiths could have accomplished.

We walked on. The stairs never deviated, the descent straight and precise like an arrow heading unerringly toward its target. It was right at the point where I was beginning to wonder when we would reach the bottom, when our progress was brought to a halt by a heavy wooden door, affixed with enormous iron furniture.

My horn began to itch, the surest indication that some sort of magical warding was at play here. There was no lock that I could see, no handle even…what the hell was I supposed to do here? I scratched my head, taking out the pendant to see if it was still glowing. In the eery light of the symbols on the walls, the pendant glowed like a star in the night sky. I held it up to the door to help me see if there were any inscription, some clue to what lay beyond and how to reach it. What I didn’t expect was the pendant to suddenly glow so bright I was near blinded and the door, like the one to Luna’s chambers, opened inward as the magical key activated the ancient lock.

Whoever had designed this place, this pendant, had known what they were doing alright. Starswirl, the crafty old beggar, i’d put bits on it. Not that he’d been that much help to me to be fair, more the prophet of doom.The fifth pony of the bloody apocalypse.

My heart was beating rapidly in my chest. I really didn’t like being underground and I’d done it twice recently. This time, I wasn’t being shot at of course, but it didn’t exactly help my state of mind knowing that I was willingly walking into the unknown, goddess knows how far into the bowels of the earth.

I pushed on the door and it swung open in complete silence, effortlessly. I’d half expected a lound ominous groaning from the thing, but somehow this felt even worse. There was a complete absence of sound, only my heart and the occasional squeak from Tarragon gave any life to this place.

Around me, like the stairs, magical lights flared. Sconces filled with flickering blue flames, merging with more of the strange images on the walls of the small circular chamber. A table sat to one side with a chair, some writing implements, lanterns and other detritus. A bookshelf stood next to that, the dusty books still in remarkable condition considering their age and all in a language I couldn’t make head nor tail of. It was what was in the centre of the room however, which drew my attention.

It glowed with an energy I’d only felt once before, when i’d stood atop the giant plinth in the dead city what seemed like a lifetime ago. Magical runes inscribed around its edge glowed with the same blue light as the rest of the room, several steps leading up to it promising a journey to a land far beyond this one. I held up the pendant, the light bright as the sun, shining a light out to the portal which responded with a light of its own. Liquid silver began to coalesce, swirling and rolling like the surface of the sea, until, as a uniform pattern, it hung there, a silver curtain between this world and the next.

I tucked the pendant away and gave Tarragon a rub, “All set?”

She let out a high pitched chirrup before flapping her wings and stared straight ahead at the portal.

“Right then,” I pulled up my harness and double checked all the fittings, “Off we go…”

I never thought I’d be back here again, at least not willingly. What a damnable place. Black sand as far as the eye could see, the dark unending sky, the hills which never seemed to get any nearer no matter how far you walked. The Wither world was never going to be on anypony’s choice for a weekend break.

I lifted the pendant and turned to follow its light, gradually it brightened in intensity to point straight back at the portal. I had to laugh. Yeah…well, maybe I did just want to go home, but not without my beloved thestral. Still, I was here at long last and my link to Shadow, my will, and my heart, would light the way to her regardless of any ancient crystal.

First off though, I had to investigate the cylinder lying half buried in the sand by the portal…

My first reaction was one of caution, somepony apparently was expecting me; the cylinder had been magically keyed and my name appeared in bright red letters on the brass bound object as I reached out a hoof. This was beyond suspicious, but the real question was whether it had been left by a friend as a means to contact me, or a trap. Celestia had used them before and I sure as hell wouldn’t put it past her to get rid of me using a trick like this. I sighed inwardly, I would have to make a choice and take a gamble here one way or another, so, with a nudge of my magic, I gingerly lifted the cylinder. It glowed suddenly and I nearly dropped it in surprise as the lid popped off like a cork from a bottle, narrowly missing Tarragon who squeaked in indignation. Inside the thing, sat a rolled up scroll and a compass of sorts.

The scroll looked fresh and was written in Equestrian, albeit in a very old style;

My Dearest Fairlight,

I pray that this message finds you in good health and in time.

The compass which accompanies this note will show you the way to the Beyond. Seek me out when you arrive.

Star Beard.

‘In time’? Luna’s arse, that didn’t sound good. I hefted the compass and oriented myself to the direction the needle was pointing in. No time to lose, I clicked my tongue to Tarragon, who jumped back up to her now familiar perch. With a hop and a strong push of my wings, I took off in the direction of the Beyond.

The bleak and boring landscape felt almost stationary as I flew. With no real features to the land, it was seriously disorientating. The compass however, its needle unerringly pointing me towards my old friend, gave me heart. Of course, I’d have to remind him he’d actually ‘killed’ me the last time I’d seen him, albeit with the best of intentions, but I’d still be polite about it. I’d just buck the living shit out of him once I had Shadow back…maybe.

The old bugger was strange, even by thestral standards. He’d been a student of Starswirl the bearded, and was the closest his kind ever came to being a wielder of magic. He’d told me once, that thestrals ‘had a magic of their own’. I’d been doubtful at first, thinking he was speaking metaphorically, but now I knew them better, I didn’t doubt it at all. I’d seen Shadow let fly with a blast of purple and black lightning once and the males regularly fought with jets of fire complementing their use of the sword…or axe, or scythe; in fact pretty much anything that could crush, cut and maim. They were brutal creatures on reflection, mostly warriors and terrifyingly efficient at killing. Despite that though, they still had a strong sense of honour, duty and loyalty which bound them together in their tribes, also providing the race with a gentler side which was not so unlike many of the ponies I’d known. I could see why Celestia wanted them gone from her world, but regardless of her reasoning, it didn’t excuse the mass killings that I, or rather Maroc, had witnessed.

Tarragon chattered and squawked in my ear. There directly ahead of us, was the oddly familiar crystalline landscape of the Beyond, its white grass and crystal tree’s standing out in stark relief to the black sand. The two didn’t even seem to blend, it was like somepony had just drawn a line in the world and placed the Beyond on top of the black sandy nothingness and that was that. Simple. Weird.

Hills covered in tree’s, shining brightly with their own inner light, lead inexorably on towards a famililar bowl shaped depression in the land and the neat rows of huts I remembered so well. Beyond those, sitting atop the rise at the far end of the village, was the great hall of the tribe and my destination.

Sweeping low around the perimeter of the village, I saw a few of the thestrals milling around chatting until one looked up and saw me, shouting to his fellows. Allowing the magic to sing through me, I treated them to a display of wendigo magic; hopefully to avoid any misunderstandings too. I remembered all too well the reception I’d received the first time I arrived here. Hopefully though, Maelstrom, Shadows mother, had been put in the Wither world equivalent of a rubber room and the key unceremoniously thrown away. That one would have been dangerous as bag leather.

Streaming white cloud behind me, I flared my wings to brace my descent. In a blast of cold air and sparkling white cloud, I landed neatly at the foot of the steps that lead to the great hall…and waited.

At first glance it seemed little had changed here whilst I’d been away. It was the same hall, the same banners with the white helmet motif on them, almost like time had stood still. I was half expecting Maelstrom to appear in all her broiling insanity, screaming for my head on a spike. Luna’s arse, I hoped it didn’t run in families.

A thestral appeared briefly in the doorway to the grand hall and shot me a worried look before ducking back in when they saw me smile. I couldn’t help but grin at their reaction, after all, with these teeth I probably looked like I’d eat the poor creature for dinner. Speaking of which, my similarly toothy friend jumped from my back and began chattering at me, blinking her eyes meaningfully. If only she could talk…

I would have to ponder Tarragon’s attempt at communication later, as two burly thestral guards marched out from the hall wearing that eye removingly sharp armour their kind liked wearing so much. One of them looked vaguely familiar,

“My lord, the Duchess awaits you within the grand hall. Please follow me.”

The two bowed slightly and turned back to the steps. I thought I recognised him, he was the charmer who was going to remove my lordly head from my shoulders on the orders of the Duchess last time I was here. I probably had nothing to fear from the rest of the thestrals, but this guy? I never forget an axe.

Inside was as bright and colourful as the last time, only without the chains and death threats of course. Word had apparently spread of their visitor too, as there were already a fair number of thestrals standing either side of the long carpet leading to the throne. Walking through the throng, I scanned the assembled thestrals, several of whom were desperately trying to look anywhere but at me. These were most likely the same ones who’d been baying for my execution not all that long ago. I treated them to an especially hard stare…and a grin.

From a chair atop the dais, a midnight coated thestral mare with burning yellow-red eyes stood, and with a cry of emotion, rushed down the steps to embrace me just as one of the guards opened his mouth to announce my attendance. The look on his face was priceless.

“Fairlight!”

“Ember? Good goddess, it is you!” I took her hoof and kissed it, bowing before her, “Are you well?”

She nodded and waved the guards away, “I am, thank you, but what of you? We have not heard from you in such a very long time.”

There was something in her tone of voice and…was she bigger? She was! I almost dreading asking,

“Ember, how long have I been away?”

The thestral mare looked at me askance before retaking her seat on the throne and motioning me to sit beside her. A young thestral in a white robe brought a silver tray to us laden with food and wine.

“Star Beard warned us of this”, Ember sighed taking a draught of her wine, “Fairlight, you’ve been gone nearly five years.”

“What!?” I nearly fell off my chair in shock, “I can’t have been!”

She shook her head slowly and watched me with those otherworldly eyes. I knew…Luna had warned me about the difference in time between here and the mortal realm, and now reality had come crashing in on me. I’d left her alone for five years while I was arsing around and…oh goddesses, what had I done…

Ember clopped her hooves together, motioning to a thestral in a deep red robe. In my confused state, I barely noticed the hushed tones of the hall being cleared until the large doors closed with an echoing thud.

“Come with me”, she said quietly and lead me away to a chamber behind the throne room. Ember whispered to one of her hoof maidens who curtsied before rushing off.

“I’ve asked Star Beard to join us, I hope you don’t mind?” she asked kindly.

“Hmm? No…no, thank you Ember…I’m just a bit, you know…”

Ember nodded, closing her eyes, “I understand, it must seem strange for you.”

You could say that! After all this time, anything could have happened. I shook my mane and released my hold on the power, feeling it recede back inside me once more. The thestral mare watched in fascination as I morphed back to the more usual ‘me’.

“Ember, what’s happened since I’ve been gone?”

She smiled sadly, “After you….’left’, we tried everything we could to send her through the main gateway to you. For some reason, whatever it was, we just could not invoke the magic necessary to do it. Star Beard tried, he laboured for months on end but the results were always the same…nothing. I’m sorry, Fairlight.”

I put my hoof on Embers shoulder, “It’s alright Ember. I know you all tried your best for us, but tell me, where is she now?”

The thestral stared at the wine in her glass, taking a deep breath before answering, “She’s…gone”

I think my face must have been a picture right then. Ember looked up at me and I saw a tear run down her cheek to land sizzling on the floor. My heart sank like a stone. I sat on my haunches, lifted my head to the ceiling and closed my eyes, “What do mean she ‘gone’?” I was terrified of hearing the answer.

“We…that is, ‘I’, don’t know where she is. Star Beard has been trying to track her down ever since she left.”

This wasn’t making any sense. I had the feeling there was a story here and I was only getting snippets of it; she was hiding something from me. I was set to all but interrogate Ember when the chamber door swished open and a familiar old face appeared. The effect was somewhat ruined by the thick blue smoking cap, dressing gown and fuzzy slippers.

The ancient fellow mumbled to himself as he walked up to me, peering into my eyes, “You took your bloody time, Captain.”

I opened my mouth to speak but the Colonel clopped me hard on the shoulder, “I’m damned glad you made it boy, welcome back.” My thestral friend, his eyes still burning like hot coals, treated me to a toothy smile and eased himself into a chair next to Ember and myself. With a wave of a hoof, another of the white robed thestrals rushed in with a basket and yet another with a box. I could tell what was in it already and my nose twitched in anticipation.

Star Beard looked up at me from under his thick eyebrows and sniggered knowingly, “Don’t stand on ceremony Captain, do the honours…”

Magicking the box over, I removed the dark wooden lid and took out the two elegant long stemmed pipes which were nestled within. They were works true works of art, beautifully carved with swirling designs that shone with an inner light which was strangely calming. I stared at them, my mind wandering. It didn’t seem five minutes since I’d been here last with everypony and yet it had still been five years. I couldn’t seem to get my head around that fact; maybe I didn’t want to. I sighed, regardless of whether I believed it or not, I was here and I could only move forward.

With a good shake of my mane, I returned to my task, loading the pipes and taking a good whiff of the spectacularly good tobacco. Well, I presumed it was tobacco, out here it could be something terrifying. Thestrals appeared to make half their items from a type white leathery material and as for the tobacco…well, best not to overthink things Meadow always told me.

After hovering my flame over Star Beard's bowl, I settled back and drew smoothly on my own. It was like floating away on a stream of starlight. Magnificent…

“I hope you’re up to some story telling, boy.” Star Beard smiled.

I face hoofed, “Oh no…”

“Oh yes!” he laughed and blew out a smoke ring, “But I’ll take the abridged version. You have an important job ahead of you and the less time we spend chatting, the better. Wouldn’t you agree?”

I nodded and accepted a proffered crystal goblet of wine from one of the attendants. It gradually dawned on me, surrounded by these dark coated skeletal creatures with their fire pit eyes and teeth, that I saw them now as no more strange than any pony I’d ever met. Griffins, minotaurs, thestrals, alicorns, I hadn’t really seen any of these before coming into contact with the spirit, at least not many. Once, I would probably have been freaking out over such strange encounters, not that I was xenophobic, it’s just…I don’t know, I was still a pony with a small town view in some ways. The roller coaster of weird had brought me to see beings that would terrify most ponies as perfectly normal.

That said, what the hell did I look like to others when I was stood there, all teeth, blue eyes and looking like my arse was on fire with all the white fog pouring off it? Ah, who cared? The tobacco was great, the wine was warming, and my friends where here. Soon, Shadow would be too.

I finally reached the end of my tale and Star Beard got up to stretch his archaic body. His xylophone ribs stood out from his hide a lot more than your usual thestral. The old chap scratched his ear with a fore hoof and stood before the fireplace,

“After you left, I tried to send her to you”, he turned to me, “you know that don’t you?”

I nodded sadly.

Star Beard shook his head and continued, “I was so sure, Fairlight, so certain I could send her after you. Your spirit had already returned, but something was blocking Shadow from crossing the veil. I…I failed her.”

He hung his head, “I’m sorry, boy. I tried everything I knew, I even managed to find the portal Starswirl used, but that too was blocked. I left the message for you there in case somehow, you managed to come through it.”

I stood up in shock, “What, so this could be a one way trip?” My heart felt like lead in my chest.

Star Beard sat carefully on his haunches and stared into the flames of the fireplace, “I don’t know. I don’t think so, but there’s more to this. Something, or somepony, has blocked my access to my old mentor in the herd as well as the portal. It had been difficult to contact him before, but now it’s like the connection has been completely severed.”

The firelight glinted off his bony frame as he spoke, “I have a plan, but I need your help and that of an old friend of mine.” Star Beard took a bowl of fruit from the basket and passed it to me, “You still want to find the lady Shadow don’t you?”

“Of course!” I exclaimed, “With all my heart I do! Star Beard, Ember, I’m so sorry it took me so long to return, but now I’m here, I’ll do whatever it takes to get her back.” If she still wanted me back. Would she, after five long years? Goddesses, I just didn’t know.

Ember must have read my mind. She leaned forward, smiling, “Fairlight, Shadow still loves you, of this I am certain. My sister is a passionate mare and would not give up on her feelings for you so easily.”

‘Not so easily’? It had been five years!

Star Beard looked tired, as if the weight of the world pressed down upon his old bones, “Boy, Shadow left after I had exhausted every avenue I could think of to send her to you. One day, the girl had simply…vanished. Her travelling gear was gone and all she left me was a note saying she was going to find a way to you by herself.”

He popped a berry into his mouth and chewed slowly, “I tracked her down as near as I could to the northern most mountain range, past the lands of the Purple Sands. Thanks to you, Ember is now the Duchess of both tribes, otherwise I’d have been spitted on some warriors pike by now. No respect for age, young thestrals these days…”

I took one the berries and put the bowl down next to me, “Ember’s the Duchess now?”

She smiled at me, nodding, “Mother, Maelstrom, couldn’t take the loss of another daughter and flew away to the wastelands. Father went after her, but we’ve not seen anything of them since. In their absence, and being the eldest, the mantel was passed to me.”

“What of Short Stride?” I asked her, “Is she safe?”

The Duchess smiled, “Yes, she’s safe. Married and with foal too, another addition to the tribe. She’s married to the new Earl of the Purple Sands tribe.”

“The new Earl ?”, I asked reaching down for another berry. Weren’t there more there a minute ago? Hmm, I must have eaten more than I thought.

Ember smiled, “My sister has married well, her mate is a strong and brave thestral warrior from their tribe. With our family ties to both tribes, as Duchess I have responsibility for both. With Short Stride and the Earl governing the Purple Sands, we have grown stronger than ever.”

Ah, politics. Never my strong point, I would read about it in the paper but I was usually more interested in the ‘what’s happening’ section…and the cartoons.

Star Beard gave me a quizzical look, “You seem different somehow Captain, more…content? Is that the word?”

“Sorry?” I asked taking another berry.

“When you were here last, boy, you were a mess of emotions. Although your body was still in the mortal realm, your spirit was in complete turmoil. The wendigo within you was unsettled and the two of you were pulling apart from one another, it was a tragedy to see.” Star Beard scratched the stubble on his chin, “But now, you seem…whole. You have melded with the spirit?”

I didn’t really want to think about it too much, that episode in the chamber at the fortress was the stuff of nightmares for me. I supposed I’d have to explain it in a way that didn’t make me sound like a….what the hell was that noise?

I could hear a little chirrup every so often, was it this chair? I wobbled the thing back and forth but couldn’t manage to get it to do it again. Ember raised an eyebrow, “Is something wrong?”

“Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“Like a sort of squeaking noise?”

Ember looked at Star Beard and the two shook their head. Never mind, maybe the trip had unhinged something inside my head. Sighing, I explained what had happened at the fortress but left out the more ‘explicit’ details. Star Beard nodded sagely,

“It is for the better my boy. Over time the two of you would have pulled each other apart completely and I daren’t imagine what would have befallen you if that had happened”

Turning to Ember I noticed she was staring at my pannier with an intent expression.

“Ember?” I asked questioningly.

“Your…your bag, it…it moved”

“What?”

I reached into the bowl to take the last berry just as a tiny head shot out of my pannier like lightning, plucked the sweet fruit before I could get a grip on it, and disappeared back inside.

“WHAT WAS THAT!?” Ember shrieked leaping onto the chair, keeping her hooves off the ground.

Pandemonium broke out around me as guards charged into the chamber weapons drawn and white robed staff rushed about in a panic at their mistress’s cries of alarm. Star Beard face hoofed and gave me a hard stare.

“I’m sorry everypony…sorry, no need for alarm, it’s my friend that’s all, she’s harmless don’t worry!” I held out my hooves trying to show there was no need for concern.

The guards glowered at me and looked to the Duchess for orders. Thankfully, despite her worried looks, she waved them away. My axe wielding friend shot me a look that threatened bloody retribution if he had to come in here again today; or tonight, couldn’t they get bloody clocks here?

The munching and chirruping noises from the pannier lessened when I lifted it up and carefully placed it on the floor before me. Unstrapping the flap, I tapped the side, “Come on Tarragon, come and meet my friends. Its okay…”

The tiny creatures head popped out, covered in berry juice and gave a little burp. Ember laughed and trotted over to have a closer look, her previous fright already forgotten, “By the moon, Fairlight! She’s a dragonling, what are you doing with her in your pack?”

Star Beard was less impressed, “Fairlight! Good goddess Captain, don’t bring one of those creatures in here! If the mother finds out she’ll raze the whole village to the ground!”

I gave Tarragon a pet and she quickly clambered back up onto my back to nuzzle my mane, “She’s from my world, Colonel. Her father let her come with me. Look, it’s a long story and I don’t think now’s the time”

Star Beard frowned, “I’ve never heard of such a thing boy, never. Dragon’s are solitary creatures and deadly when roused. I find this really most peculiar, he would let a child follow you here? His own child?”

I shrugged, “I saved her life and she decided to follow me, what more can I say?”

“’What more can you say…’”, he repeated quietly, “I don’t know Captain, you never cease to amaze me.”

We passed the time talking about what had happened in the Withers since the last time I was there. Surpringly, very little had changed with the exception of some border disputes with other tribes. Whether this was as a result of the joining of the Purple Sands and the Beyond, was anyponies guess and, being blunt, not particularly of any concern of mine.

I was saddened to hear that Shadows parents had vanished. Far Sight considered me to be his ‘adopted’ son, but Maelstrom, his wife hated me with a passion bordering on insanity. Wherever their travels had taken them, I wished them well.

Star Beard clopped his hooves together and one of the servants appeared carrying a quantity of gear, which she placed on the floor before me.

“Captain” He began, “When you…’left’ our world, these were left behind. I think you may wish to be re-acquainted with them?”

I felt a wave of nostalgia pass through me. My battle scythe was there, still as solid and dangerous as I remembered. There too, was Starswirl’s beacon and some other odds and ends I’d collected along the way. Something was missing though, one item I’d been given as a parting gift. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned it, I didn’t want to appear ungrateful, but my bloody words were already out,

“Thank you, Colonel. But, may I ask, do you know what happened to the dagger?”

“Dagger? No, I don’t remember there being one Captain. Was it a trophy of some kind?”

I shook my head, “No…it doesn’t matter really, what’s important is how to find Shadow and bring her back safely”

Star Beard nodded, “I understand. First though, allow me tell you what we’ve managed to find out so far…”

The old thestral’s assistant hoofed him a large scroll, which he placed on the floor between us. Hoof drawn, stained and smelling distinctly musty, the scroll turned out to be a surprisingly well detailed map of the Wither world. It was incredible. Judging by the amount of features noted, lakes, rivers, mountains and so forth, I hadn’t seen even a fraction of what I’d assumed to be just a vast expanse of nothing.

Unfortunately, the old map’s place names were written in a language I didn’t understand and would have to rely on Star Beard for interpretation. Ember trotted over and sat next to us, looking intently at the map as if Shadows location would suddenly materialise before us. Star Beard tapped the map with his hoof,

“We had scouts out looking for her as soon as we knew she’d gone, but being able to fly makes tracking nigh on impossible. Fortunately, information from others who’d seen her showed that she was heading across the Purple Sands’ and on to here.”

He tapped on a portion of the map that looked like a field of little mushrooms, “The Tallow Marshes; Beyond them, dragon country.”

The way he said ‘dragon country’ worried me, there was something in his voice that made my mane twitch nervously. Dragons, eh? I looked down to Tarragon who was sleeping next to me, a leg occasionally twitching as she dreamt. It was hard to imagine one day she’d be the size of her father, or bigger. Maybe he’d been cute once too.

I raised an eyebrow, turning to Star Beard, “So that’s where the trail went cold?”

He nodded, “Maelstrom, ordered her found, but when we discovered she was heading toward the mountains past the marsh, we had no choice but to call off the search. Maelstrom was furious and…well, I think you know can guess happened next.”

I could, I’d seen Maelstrom’s temper in action and after the incident in the city, the cracks in her sanity where there for all to see. She’d already lost one daughter to the lake creature and another had run off looking for, what her mother considered at any rate, to be a demon.

I looked over at Ember who was busy petting Tarragon, a smile on her toothy face, “I don’t understand,” I said, “why stop at the mountains? Is it a barrier of some kind?”

Ember shook her head, “The mountains are forbidden to our people, they are dragon territory.”

Star Beard eyes were downcast, “It’s an old animosity going back to the great war. They believe that the rest of the forces of the moon abandoned them on the field which resulted in their exile along with the rest of us. Since then, any thestral who enters the mountains is liable to be seen as…” a pained expression crossed his face, “…as food.”

I closed my eyes against the realisation that Shadow may not have been seen because, goddess help me, she was already dead, eaten by one of those terrifying creatures. But if she was dead, wouldn’t she be with the herd? Surely Meadow would have said?

Star Beard gave me a beaming smile and slapped his thigh suddenly, making me jump, “Ha! Listen to the old fool droning on! I have faith she’s still alive boy, and that you’ll find her. But, Fairlight, you must realise that we can’t send any warriors with you past the marshes or else risk war with the dragons. The peace has held for a long time and our numbers are too few to take those monster’s on.”

He turned to the Duchess, “Ember my dear, it’s late and I must attend to some matters. Would you please excuse us?”

Ember nodded and Star Beard rose to his hooves, motioning me to follow him. We walked slowly down a rear corridor before arriving at a large silver scroll work door. The old thestral warrior leaned a foreleg against the wall, he looked tired, and old,

“Goddess…I’m feeling my years boy, forgive me.” He stretched his hind legs out groaning, “Stay in here tonight Fairlight, I need to see to a few things. I’ll call for you in the morning, do you think you’ll be ready to set out then?”

I nodded, “I will, I don’t want to waste any time Storm Colonel.”

He looked up at me quizzically, “No, no you don’t Captain. I didn’t want to say anything in front of young Ember, but I fear for her sister. Shadow is in a dangerous place, very dangerous indeed. You’re going to need to focus your strength for this, but for now, I want you to think of her…only her. Can you do that?”

Star Beard sounded so insistent, it had my mane bristling. “Of course”, I said honestly.

He reached out a hoof and tapped the crystal hanging from my neck, “Keep that on tonight. Don’t take it off, understand?”

His eyes fixed me in their fiery stare, “I will. Star Beard, what’s all the mystery about?”

He just shrugged, “I’ll tell you in the morning, for now just remember what I said.”

The old thestral walked away down the corridor, “Goodnight boy”.

“Goodnight Colonel.”

He was a strange creature, and that was saying something. By thestral standards he was something of the local mystic or shamen. He was supposed to be the priest for the tribe, but I’d never seen him conduct any form of ceremony. I just had to admit I knew incredible little about thestral society, and as awful as it sounded, I didn’t plan on staying around long enough to find out either. I had to find Shadow and bring her home.

The door opened easily and I walked inside the spacious room, closing it behind me. The bed chamber had been constructed of the same glittering crystal as the rest of the thestral buildings I’d seen, only this one had been adorned with a number of large tapestries and pictures hanging on the walls. For what I took to be such frightening warriors, whoever had used this room enjoyed a particularly delicate touch. Elegant filigree vases and caskets sat neatly arranged on a white dresser, tastefully painted gold leaves and vines adorning its surface.

The tapestries really caught my eye. They were scenes from nowhere I’d seen in the Withers, in fact, from the style I’d have said they were of Equestria. Just how old were these? The paintings too were of green rolling hills, forests and blue skies. They were really quite beautiful, all of them. I couldn’t see any artists name but then my knowledge of artistry was roughly the same as what I knew about meteorology…zero.

The whole room was well appointed, and had a large window with a thin crystalline type of glass which allowed in what passed as natural light in the Beyond. Curtains in a deep maroon fabric framed the window, co-ordinating nicely with the deep carpets and the chair cushions.

The bed was another matter altogther. It was huge, heavily carved crystal posts held a canopy of the same colour as the window curtains. Golden rope ties added an extra touch which made me wonder how I’d come to be here when only recently I’d been sleeping on cardboard sheeting in a sewer. Star Beard had been right about one thing, it must have been late, as a wave of fatigue suddenly passed through me making me yawn expansively.

With a sigh of relief, the heavy gear, packs, boxes and strapping was unceremoniously dumped on the floor, after which I wriggled out of my flight suit. That bed looked incredibly inviting, yet I felt a twinge of guilt. This room was somepony’s home and I would just walk in and wreck it? No…

I picked up my gear and neatly arranged it on a blanket chest for the morning. I hadn’t been born a slobby pony and I sure as hell wasn’t going to start becoming one now. Not that I’d ever describe myself as a neat freak of course, it’s just that it felt like the right thing to do. There was a knock at the door.

“Hello?” I trotted over and opened the door.

Two young thestrals in white robes bowed to me as they entered, whispering to each other and giggling. I couldn’t help rolling my eyes at their girlish behaviour, was this room service of some sort? I was just about to shut the door when another of the hall’s staff pushed it back open, shooting me a haughty glare. She was a real charmer too and made the others look like tugboats next to a liner. I’d never seen a fat thestral, but by Luna’s ample arse, here was one now. The creature held her nose in the air and harrumphed as she passed me, giving orders to the younger two who curtsied to her respectfully. I caught sight of one of them surreptitiously smirking at the other who playfully stuck her tongue out a little at the larger female. Thankfully, their ample colleague didn’t notice the cheeky gesture.

“Can you speak our language? Do you understand me?” she bellowed at me. Great goddesses, what a bloody racket! These things spoke straight into your head and I’d only just gotten used to Ember and Star Beard speaking normally. My brain cells must have been vibrating with the mental onslaught, but she wasn’t finished yet,

“You follow us, yes? We bring you to cleaning place, understand?”

She spoke slowly, pronouncing each word with deliberate overemphasis that had the other two shaking with silent laughter. I’d play along.

“Duhhhh?” I mumbled, cocking my head on one side like some village idiot.

The large thestral tutted irritably and waved to the other two who trotted round to take station behind me. With numerous nudges and shoves, I was propelled back through the door and along a new set of corridors, the stuck up female leading the way.

It felt like somepony was pulling on my tail, an occasional tug would have me looking back over my shoulder to the two who quickly looked anywhere but at me with feigned innocence. Returning my eyes to the front, the giggling started again until I let out an involuntary squeak. Something, or more likely, some ‘thestral’ had nipped my backside. I shot them a look, one of the cheeky buggers smirking at me and running her tongue over her teeth in what I could only describe as a suggestive manner. Unfortunately, my bloody body started to react and I had to take my mind off it by staring at the huge thestral arse in front of me. That was enough to cool off any dirty thoughts alright.

My galleon sized chaperone opened a large set of double doors and we trotted inside. A walk in bath lined with baskets, bottles and all manner of assorted grooming tools lay arranged, ready for what I suddenly knew was coming.

“Oh no! I can groom myself, thank you very much!”

The older mare stared open mouthed at my miraculous understanding of her language and spluttered in indigation before giving out more orders to the younger ones. With another extra loud harrumph, she flounced out of the room leaving the other two alone with me and the steaming bath water.

“Ladies, thank you, I’ll be fine thanks”, I smiled.

They looked at each other and began taking off their robes.

“Hey! Wait, no!”

One of them chuckled, flicking her robe onto a hook before nudging me into the bath water. The other waded in on the opposite side of me, taking a bottle in her mouth and a large sponge in her hooves. Before long, I was soaked, lathered and sponged down. The girls efficiently curry combed and scrubbed, getting all the tangles from my coat, mane and tail. It felt, I have to say, amazing; particularly when one started to sponge me…somewhere else.

“Thanks ladies, I can wash there my’….oh!”

They were intent of washing me completely and by the goddess, they were good at it too. I felt hot, burning hot and it wasn’t just from the water. Thankfully, the torturously exotic experience came to a halt when I was led from the bath and towelled down. A hot air vent in the wall was opened and blew across me as the girls brushed and smoothed my coat and hair. I’d never been to a salon before, but if this was what the hordes of mares who went experienced, I’d been missing out.

One of the thestrals giggled, taking extra special care to dry me off between my haunches. I had little choice but to stand there and endure it, naturally. But as with everything, all good things come to an end and that end belonged to the glacial sized mare who re-appeared before me.

She treated me like I was a prize entry in a show, clicking and clucking over the work the other two had done before clicking her tongue at me, “You’re done. Follow me”

The miserable mare wasn’t talking to me like I was a dullard at least and the three of them guided me from the bath and back to my room, clean and neat. I had to admit, I felt great too and despite the scar and glowing eyes, I thought I must have looked pretty damned good. My tail and mane were in the best condition they’d been in for ages and flowed nicely, swishing the way they should. Even that felt great.

Back in the room, my entourage left, but not before one of the younger mares grabbed my muzzle and gave me a quick kiss before rushing out after her exaggeratingly scandalised friend. The door shut behind them leaving me standing there like a stone statue.

Smiling to myself, I stretched out my legs and moved to the side of the bed…thestrals, who could fathom them? It wasn’t that long ago I’d have been scared witless of these pony-like beings with their sharp teeth, glowing eyes and skeletal bodies. Before I got to know them better, I’d thought they all looked alike but now…now I knew better. Speaking of which, how come I could understand what they were saying? A quick feel of my ears confirmed that I hadn’t inadvertently put on the magical translator. It was, as I already knew, in the pile with all my other gear. Was this a side effect of the merging of my spirit with the wendigo?

Deciding it didn’t really matter anyway, I shrugged. I mean, what’s one more mystery? I pulled back the heavy sheets and slipped beneath their cool embrace. This was more like it. I let out a pent up sigh, my stresses and strains disappearing in the enveloping comfort of the roomy bed. My mane and tail, my coat and hooves, all clean and neat, I breathed in the fresh smell of linen and…mare. I opened my eyes, expecting to see somepony there, but no…just me and the pillow; the pillow which smelt of warm cinnamon, of exotic spices and femininity, of…Shadow.

I closed my eyes, feeling the sharp prickle of a tears building and let my feelings flow out. She’d be with me soon, and I with her. The smell of Shadow was intoxicating and I rubbed my nose against the pillow, taking it in, imagining her with me in my forelegs. I could see her, touch her, smell her…she was in my heart and my soul, the beautiful, terrible creature of the nightmare world and my deepest desire.

“Shadow…” I moaned, hugging the pillow and whispering into it, “I miss you love, where are you? Show me the way…”

It was morning. At least I presumed it was because first off I was awake and secondly, the gargantuan maid was brutally yanking the covers off me with zero consideration for my need for a lie in. Yawning, I had a good stretch and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. A quick breakfast of porridge with berries and a glass of fruit ‘something’ and I was good to go. I was pleasantly surprised to find my flight suit had been cleaned and laid out for me. Goddess knows how they managed to do that without me noticing; oh, they were good!

Star Beard was in his quarters, pouring over a number of old tomes when I was unceremoniously deposited by the helpful maid.

“Ah! Fairlight my boy, come in…please”, he chirped. Star Beard seemed to be in rather good spirits this morning, his weariness last night had concerned me a little. The old fellow was no spring chicken.

His room was just as I remembered it, a right bloody mess. Books, maps, candle wax and discarded clothes lay haphazardly across the desk, floor and goddess knows what else. I presumed there was a chair in here somewhere, but it was probably lost in time beneath a layer of paperwork. Star Beard looked up from his musings,

“You look a lot better. Freya have a good go at you did she?”

“Freya?” I wrinkled my brow in thought, “Oh! The maid I presume?”

He snorted out a laugh and scratched his ear, “She’s not the gentlest, but she’s got a good heart. Takes care of me in my old age too.”

I’d read into that what I may. She certainly did bugger all with his room.

“Anyway my Equestrian friend, we have a visitor…” He held out a hoof.

“Good Morning Captain”, came a familiar voice from behind me.

I turned round to find myself face to face with the time worn features of the leader of our last mission in the Wither world, the warrior I had the honour of fighting beside,

“Major Thorn! Are you well sir?”

He grasped my hoof and shook it firmly, a broad smile spread across his face displaying those lethal teeth, “I am Captain, very well. I’m pleased to see you once more.”

Star Beard nodded to the Major before leaning across the map on the table, “Gentlecolts, I’m not going to procrastinate over this so I’ll get to the point. Captain Fairlight…” he looked into my eyes, “Shadow’s in trouble. The difficulty I have is knowing exactly where she is, but my sources inform me she is either here…” he pointed to a large mountain to the north-east of the marsh,”…or here”.

Star Beard moved his hoof to point to another mountain range west of the first one. There was no scale on the map so I had no idea of the distances involved, but it didn’t matter right now, I felt relieved that at long last we were getting something concrete.

“We officially cannot enter dragon territory or risk war,” he explained, “the Duchess will not risk it and neither will I. As much as I love Shadow, Captain, our people’s survival is at risk if we provoke open war with the dragons. I’m sure you understand this, yes?”

I nodded in response. ‘We’ meaning ‘They’, couldn’t enter the dragon’s domain. It didn’t relate to me, the wild card wendigo. So, essentially this looked like another solo mission then. In a funny way, it was ‘plausible deniability’ once more, just in a different guise. That way, if I was caught or killed, they’d just say, “He’s not a thestral though, is he?” Problem solved.

Star Beard gestured to Thorn who explained further, “One source indicates that the lady Shadow may have been…’taken’…by the dragon of the Coal Spike mountain. If she has, then I fear the worst. He’s a vicious bastard and one who many of us believe inspired the rabid hatred of us with the Celestians in the first place.”

Thorn examined the map, a wisp of smoke rising from his nostrils, “One other source suggested that she may have headed here…”

He tapped the second mountain range, “Emerald Fires, the home of a female fire dragon called ‘Etrida’. Goddess help her if she’s there, that one is the mother of the worst of them.”

All very positive then, this was going to be a walk in the park. Inwardly I groaned, couldn’t somepony give me some good news…for once?!

“How do we know any of this information is correct, are these ‘sources’ reliable?” I asked them directly, “Why would she go there? There must be something in the mountains that’s attracted her, or else this could all be a wild goose chase based on rumours of sightings and nothing more.”

Star Beard took out his pipe, hoofing me one; Thorn politely declined, “My sources are trustworthy, Captain, of that you can have no doubt. And, yes, there is something there, or at least Shadow believes there to be. The Rift.”

“The Rift?”

“It’s a place in the mountains which, allegedly, is where the veil is thinnest between all the realms. A sort of ‘natural fault line’, I can’t say for sure. I for one have never been and I suspect no living thestral has either. I can only speculate that is where she’s heading, but after all this time…I just don’t know.”

I had to ask, as much as it pained my heart to even consider it, “How do you know she’s still alive?”

Star Beard let out a puff of smoke, “She was seen recently, no more than a week ago, near the Coal Spike.” He pointed his pipe stem at me, smoke flowing from his nostrils, “This, is why I said you need to hurry.”

I banged my hoof down on the desk, “So what’s the plan? I need to get going as soon as possible”

Thorn grinned, “We’re going with you, to the edge of the marshes at least. I wish we could go further Captain, but this time, you’ll be on your own for most of your journey; behind enemy lines, so to speak. Think you can handle it?”

By the way his eyes blazed, he knew my answer already, “Does an Ursa shit in the woods?”

Thorn sniggered, Star Beard just rolled his eyes, “Have you looked at your pendant this morning Fairlight? Starswirl’s beacon?”

I deftly extracted the elegant pendant from my flight suit pocket, holding it up for the other two to see. It was glowing as usual and I turned on the spot to face the direction it was brightest. Star Beard oriented the map with the aid of a heavy brass compass he fetched down from the bookcase and tapped at a landmark, a beaming smile on face.

I scrubbed at my mane irritably, “So much for that, It’s pointing back to the portal again. Not sure how that helps if the bloody thing won’t let us back through”.

Star Beard stepped round the table with the compass and a ruler, drawing an invisible line with his hoof, “No, its not pointing to the portal Captain, it’s pointing toward the dragon’s territory. Did you do as I asked last night?”

“You mean thinking of Shadow? Yes, of course. Was that your idea, to put me in her room?”

He nodded, a wry smile on his lips, “The pendant works on need, what your heart truly desires. That, and it can only be used by Celestian’s…no offence.”

I involuntarily scowled at him, a flare of temper bursting through me, “I’m not a fucking Celestian!” I snapped, “Do you know what those bastards did?! Do you know the suffering…” I paused, rubbing my face with a foreleg, “…Sorry…sorry my friend, I didn’t mean to…”

Thorn clopped me on the shoulder, “We know, Captain. We were there, we know what they did; some of it anyway.”

Star Beard shook his head sadly, “You’re right to be angry Fairlight, but you’re a part of their world now whether you like it or not, and in this age Equestria is Celestia. You must find your place within that world and I can only pray for you and your family’s safety and prosperity in the future.”

“There are other places outside of Equestria,” I replied,”Saddle Arabia for example, the Griffin Kingdom. It doesn’t have to be Celestia’s ‘perfect’ society.”

Star Beard nodded knowingly,“True lad, true, but you’re the new lord of the four winds and your heart will always lead you home. Believe me, I know.”

Thorn gasped, “Lord of the four winds? Precious Goddess! Star Beard you old goat, you never told me that!”, Thorn turned to me, looking me straight in the eyes, “Of course! Its all so obvious I can’t believe I hadn’t realised it before now. By the nightmare’s grace, you’re the descendant of Maroc, Captain?”

“Apparently so.” I said rather embarrassed by Thorns reaction, “Not that there’s anything to be ‘lord’ of to be honest. There’s nothing there now, only rubble and memories”

“Dragon shit!” he spat, “Stone remembers stone…”

“What?”

Star Beard slammed a hoof on the table, “We’re wasting time!”

We stopped and turned to face him. He was right of course, every moment counted and we needed to prepare for the journey. Star Beard continued to explain his plan and I listened in rapt attention until there were simply no more plans and no more questions.

It was quite simple. We would set off that afternoon which would allow us time to travel to the Purple Sands. We would overnight there and then head across their land to the marshes. At the edge of the marsh, I would head off alone into dragon territory, locate the two places marked on the map and, with the grace of Luna, find Shadow. What we would do to get home to Equestria, was a problem for another day.

We were about to part when Star Beard walked over to me and looked at the pendant closely, giving it a tap with his hoof, “You didn’t let me finish what I was saying earlier”, I hung my head in embarrassment, “the pendant will lead you to Shadow, boy. Believe in her, and in yourself. You can do this”.

“I will do this Colonel,” I said confidently, “of that you can be certain”

My packs, belts and other assorted gear were stowed and ready, the pulse gun was disassembled and in its storage case, my PDW fully charged and in order. My war scythe I’d left in Shadow’s room along with other items I didn’t think I’d need. Perhaps for sentimental reasons, I don’t know for certain, I’d brought the scythe my friends had prepared for me, rather than the one I’d used in the Wither world the last time I was here. That was an enemy weapon, but this one had been hoof made by myself and modified by Smiling Borders very own blacksmith. There was a certain significance in that which made it special to me; guess I had a heart after all then.

A loud chirrup behind me caught my attention and I span round just in time to see Tarragon leap onto my head and then claw her way painfully down my neck to nestle into my back. Goddesses the little beggar had sharp claws. Ember followed her in,

“She’s so friendly, I’m sad to see her leave.” Ember smiled,”You too, Fairlight. Goddess speed you on your journey”.

I bowed, “Thank you my lady, your kind words give my heart hope.”

She sniggered, “My name’s Ember, Fairlight, not ‘Duchess’ or ‘My lady’, at least not to friends. Or would you prefer I start calling you ‘My lord’ as well?”

“Oh goddess, no!”

We all chuckled, except Thorn who was busy preparing several of his troops, issuing them their orders for our trip. Star Beard rummaged under the table before hoofing me a copy of the map we’d look at last night.

“All set?” he asked me, raising an eyebrow.

“I am, Storm Colonel. I’ll bring her home, come hell or high water, I’ll bring her home.”

He turned to Thorn and his troops who’d already begun filing out the door into the courtyard, “Give my regards to Short Stride, Major. I expect to see foals before my days are done”.

Thorn gave a single nod, clopping hooves with his old friend before following his troops outside, myself in tow. With a shout, the old veteran’s wings snapped out and as one, our band, myself included, launched into the air…and the unknown.