While none of Rose’s stallions broached the subject with her directly, the way Xolani and Aberash monitored Burnished Bronze on their way back to Aura, made it clear that they were sure she was now with foal. Rose too thought it was likely, but she knew that more than anything else, Bronze needed someone to be there for her and since she seemed hesitant to get close to any of the zebras - Rose’s stallions doubly so - Rose took it upon herself. Bronze, for her part, welcomed her company, staying close to the pegasus’ side at all times. Whenever Rose moved to interact with one of her stallions, Bronze would simply hang back a little bit, still uneasy about interacting with them. All in all, it seemed to amuse the zebra to no end watching the big mare cuddle into Rose’s side, towering over the pegasus that it seemed she was actually deferring to. None of them commented though, not wishing to insult either mare.

Instead, the lot of them chose to focus on the relief they felt upon entering the familiar town, the stallions grinning and sharing victorious hoofbumps. Rose leaned into Bronze’s side, giving her new friend an affectionate nuzzle as a welcome home, one that was readily returned as the big mare led them on. In almost no time at all, they made it to her home on the outskirts of the town; it was actually two buildings side by side. One was a two story tall structure that looked just big enough to house a living area on one floor and a bedroom on the other. The second was all one story, with two large wooden doors taking up half of the front and a long covered window taking up the other half. If the sign above the window was any indication, this was Bronze’s forge.

“This is yours?” Rose asked Bronze, sounding rather impressed.

Bronze nodded with a sheepish smile, “Yeah. My Pa helped me work up enough to get it built. Then, when he and Ma moved back to Equestria, he left me all of his supplies.”

“Wow, it’s a nice little place.” She trilled, a small, proud smile on her face.

“Thanks.” Bronze placed a kiss on her mare’s cheek and stepped forward, opening the door to her house with no trouble.

As her stallions approached the little house, Rose turned about to address them. “Alright now, have any of you been in a house before?” All of the zebra stopped and blinked, looking to one another uncertainly, before Zephania raised his hoof. “Alright, your first time can be a little disconcerting. If you feel panicked, or claustrophobic, don’t hesitate to cling to one of us. It’s perfectly safe.” She reassured the zebras with a confident smile.

“They’re big stallions and mares, Rose.” Bronze snickered with a roll of her eyes, “I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

Without further ado, Bronze trotted inside, waving them after her. The assembled zebra filed in one by one with confident smiles, each of them giving Rose a kiss as they passed.

“We have been in buildings before~” Uzoma chuckled as he trotted by.

Rose rolled her eyes. “Right, it’s only the pegasus that has a problem with walls she can’t fly through…” She grumbled quietly, before following her herd inside.

Inside, they faced a single long room, separated into two sections. The first portion they found themselves striding into was clearly the living area. It boasted a sturdy wooden coffee table and a wood framed sofa, with a few wicker chairs scattered about. A few of the walls sported shelves lined with books and oddly shaped metal trinkets. Hanging about the room were framed pictures of Burnished Bronze at varying ages with an earthbound stallion and a pegasus mare. One wall even held a zebra mask and a pair of bronze tipped spears. The second portion of the room was the smallest and held what was clearly a kitchen with a table barely big enough to possibly hold the current company. As the collected zebras milled about the center of the room, clearly curious but polite enough not to touch anything, Bronze moved about the edges of the room lighting a series of oil lamps.

Rose approached the picture curiously, before her eyes went wide. “You’re half-pegasus?”

“Yup.” Bronze shot a small grin back over her shoulder as she lit another lamp, “Wouldn’t expect it because of my size, but yeah.”

“You’re right, caught me off guard.” Rose nodded with a surprised expression.

Bronze chuckled as she moved to light the last lamp in the corner closest to Rose. “Her name’s Silver Skies. Blacksmith like Pa.” She shot Rose a proud smile. “They met on the job after coming to Aura. I was born eleven months later.”

“They look very happy together.” Rose offered in return with a small smile of her own.

“They are.” Bronze nodded and trotted over to lean against Rose, “Though I think I drove them nuts sometimes.” The big mare gave a sheepish chuckle.

“I think all children do…” Rose chuckled guiltily.

“I think they probably thought my friend Bolanle was a bad influence on me.” Bronze giggled slightly and turned Rose slowly about to face the rest of the herd.

The zebras had all shucked their saddlebags into a couple of the chairs at the coffee table. Xolani sat on the sofa chatting with Abeni and Aberash, while Uzoma and Zephania admired the hanging mask and spears. Zuberi sat back in one of the chairs, eliciting an ominous creak that no one seemed to notice. The pegasus smiled proudly, looking about her herd, and none of them appeared to be the slightest bit anxious; in fact, many of them seemed downright relaxed. Rose then turned to Bronze with a smile still on her face.

“Bronze, to thank you for taking us in, I would like to make dinner for you.” Rose proclaimed.

“I should still be thanking you.” Bronze’s smile faded a little and she pressed her forehead into Rose’s neck; in almost an instant, something seemed to change in the bronzy mare and she seemed fragile leaning against Rose’s side. “Without you, I never would have seen this place again...”

Rose looped a wing around Bronze, pulling her close, and then smiled. “Well, if you really feel that way, how about we cook dinner then? How about that?”

“I’m a terrible cook.” Bronze snorted with a weak smile, “I burn oatmeal.”

“Would you like to learn?” Rose offered her with a smile and a tender nuzzle.

“If Bolanle and Grassy couldn’t teach me, I doubt I’m capable of learning.” Bronze chuckled, her mood picking up bit, “I only survived living alone for four years because I always had one friend or another over who could cook.”

“It’s your choice, I’m willing to try if you’re interested.” Rose offered Bronze a peck on the lips.

Bronze blinked in surprise and there was a subtle blush in her already bronzy coat, “I...suppose I could give it one more shot~”

In short order, the mares had congregated in the kitchen, banishing the stallions to the main living area, to let them work. It was then that they discovered just how bare Bronze’s cupboards were without a friend to cook for her. All she had, aside from some spices and sweeteners, were some apples and some bags of cooked oats.

“Well...um, this limits things.” Rose mused with a sheepish expression on her face, glancing skeptically at Bronze, “It’s looking like dessert for dinner.”

Bronze chuckled sheepishly and nodded slowly, “Yeah, I don’t usually keep much around the house.”

“I’m sure we can work with this and some tubers I’ve collected.” Aberash assured them with a motherly smile.

Rose snorted and gave Aberash a playful bump, “You don’t mix tubers with apples~”

“So tubers and oats for dinner, apples for dessert!” Abeni piped up with a smile.

“Tubers and oats?” Rose’s nose scrunched up comically, “I think we should celebrate with something sweet, what do you think?” She asked looking to Bronze.

“Do I look like a picky eater?” Bronze smirked and gestured to her body with a hoof.

“I’m asking your preference~” Rose nipped playfully at her.

“I haven’t had a proper meal in a week. I say cook it all.” Bronze declared with a sagely expression.

Rose looked to the two zebra mares with a big grin on her face, “You heard the mare, all of it.”

Aberash and her daughter grinned in return, “I think we can handle that~”

“You two work on the tubers, we’ll take the apples, and we can split the oats between us as needed.” Rose declared, reaching in to take ahold of the basket of apples with her teeth. With a nod of agreement, Aberash went to retrieve her own supplies, while Bronze and Abeni each grabbed some of the oats. “Abeni, are you ready to try the best knife you’ve ever had?” The pegasus asked, offering the young mare a steel knife handle first.

Abeni blinked curiously as she gingerly took the knife, “Is it better than bronze?”

“You’ll see~” Rose smiled knowingly.

Abeni quirked her head at that, before shrugging and turning to help her mother, who had returned to lay a selection of tubers on the counter. Only a few moments later, the young mare was staring in awe as the knife in her hoof neatly and cleanly peeled her tubers better than any bronze knife ever had. Rose tittered softly and nuzzled Bronze, before leading her through prepping the apples. Bronze hesitated for a moment, before nuzzling her thankfully and setting to peel them.

“I can’t imagine having so little in my pantry…” Rose murmured as she worked.

“Big family, or just rich?” Bronze wondered curiously.

“You have no idea~” Rose groaned theatrically.

Aberash chuckled softly, “I imagine you’ve lived a far different life, whatever the case.”

“It won’t be long until this outing will be the longest I’ve ever lived on the ground.” Rose revealed, ruffling her wings.

“You...did not live on the ground?” Abeni asked with an owlish blink.

“Nope.” The pegasus shook her head with a chirp, “I am cloudborn, lived most of my life in Cloudsdale.” She added, “...A pegasus cloud city.”

“You build cities...on clouds?” Aberash murmured in awe.

“From clouds.” Rose nodded, “A pegasus can walk on clouds as if they were ground.”

Abeni stared at her own hooves curiously for a moment, “Could...could others do so as well?”

“I don’t know,” Rose shrugged, looking to the daughter, “maybe with unicorn magic?” She paused a moment in thought, “I think I remember something about some mares from Ponyville visiting a while back to cheer on one of their friends…?”

“Magic...” Aberash murmured thoughtfully, “The Savannah abounds with spirits of air. Maybe the right potion, or talisman?”

“Why would you want to?” Bronze commented with a playful smirk, “Keep your hooves on the ground and let the pretty little birdies have their clouds~”

This earned Bronze a teasing nip that happened to be just a hair on the side of stimulating, causing her to flinch in surprise, before steadying herself with a softer smile.

“I will have to work on this.” Aberash declared with a determined expression, not seeming to notice, “To walk the clouds of the sky, to escape the worries of the world below...”

“Yeah, don’t let the rainbow factory fool you, we have our fair share of troubles in the clouds too.” Rose remarked casually, nuzzling Bronze in a friendly manner after nipping her.

Abeni’s owlish expression returned in full force, “Rainbow...factories?”

“I mean it’s technically a weather factory, but everyone in Cloudsdale calls it the rainbow factory, because of the way it spills out rainbows.” Rose educated the zebras working alongside her.

“Your people are...strange.” Aberash declared, “Controlling the weather is not natural.”

“It’s the way things work in Equestria, the weather needs pegasi.” Rose waved her wing dismissively, as if it were elementary, “Probably has something to do with all the magical disasters Equestria’s had…”

“Have you thought of trying to find a permanent fix?” Abeni wondered, “What about working with spirits?”

“There’s one spirit that lives in Equestria and he would be the first one I’d suspect of breaking it in the first place!” Rose snorted softly.

“Equestria does not sound like a pleasant place to live.” Abeni commented, earning a chuckle from Bronze.

Rose quickly waved her wing dismissively, either missing or possibly ignoring Bronze’s laugh, “No, no, the Princesses have done an excellent job making Equestria a beautiful place to live!”

“If you say so.” Abeni shrugged, “Needing to work for weather in a land with only one angry spirit does not sound beautiful.”

“Trust me, you’re better off here~” Bronze snorted amusedly.

Rose glared at Bronze, but she found herself unable to protest, despite her love for Equestria, “Discord isn’t a problem, the Elements of Harmony trapped him in stone.”

Aberash blinked slowly, “A spirit trapped in stone...” The little mare shook her head slowly, “Bronze is correct. I do not wish to visit Equestria.”

Rose blinked, “Why? He’s dangerous.”

“It is strange and unnatural.” Abeni replied evenly.

“Is it so strange to defend yourself from a dangerous being?” Rose asked pointedly.

“We have other ways of dealing with bad spirits.” Aberash explained, “And no spirit is ever trapped in some corporeal form.”

“He didn’t give the Elements much choice…” Rose protested.

“I shall take your word for it.” Aberash hummed softly.

“Are zebras always so defensive of spirits~?” Rose stage whispered to Bronze.

“The spirits are more important to them than the Princesses are to Equestrians.” Bronze explained with a shrug, earning a nod from the other mares.

“That’s strange.” Rose blinked in disbelief, looking to the zebras, “You’re strange~” She remarked playfully.

“We don’t control the weather and trap spirits in stone.” Aberash retorted with a playful smirk.

“No, you live on the ground in yurts and work with spirits to manipulate magic.” Rose reminded with a playful grin.

“Yes, like a normal mare.” Abeni snickered.

“Normal for a zebra~” Rose snickered in turn, bumping Abeni playfully with her snout.

“I suppose that means only zebra are normal~” Abeni sighed with a sagely nod as she returned the gesture.

“And earth ponies.” Bronze remarked casually.

“Keep telling yourselves that, even the earth ponies are looking at you funny.” Rose teased, before trying to deepen her voice to sound more like Bronze, “What do you mean you don’t farm and build houses out of stone, and wood?”

“I don’t sound like that.” Bronze declared evenly, earning a giggle from the zebras.

“Of course not, Bronze~” Rose cheekily patted her head, earning a playful nip from the big mare that caused her to squeak in surprise.

“So, what were your parents like~?” Bronze wondered.

The pegasus shifted uncomfortably, “I didn’t grow up in a herd, or tribe. I was the child of one mare and one stallion.”

Abeni blinked a few times, clearly trying to process the declaration, “Your mother would not share?”

“It’s quite common for ponies not to form herds, about half of the families I knew were not herds.” Rose explained, smiling softly, “I actually think it was Father that had eyes for none other…”

This drew a quiet round of d’aws from the other mares, and Rose rolled her eyes.

“They must have cared for you greatly.” Aberash hummed softly.

The pegasus took a deep breath and a frown painted her face as she regarded the young mare. “You would think so...” Rose shook her head.

“Rocky relationship?” Bronze wondered with a quirked eyebrow.

“All the way to the bottom.” Rose sighed, focusing on her work, clearly not wanting to talk about it.

“Ouch.” Bronze frowned as she and the zebra resumed their own work.

That evening after everyone had ate their fill, Rose and Zephania slipped out, leaving the others to their celebration. The others, meanwhile, did their best to distract Bronze with good food and conversation. In short order, the big mare seemed to forget about losing her companions, for the moment, and allowed herself to revel in her freedom. Rose and Zephania, however, had the task of delivering the news to the mare who sent them out on their quest. Going on nighttime, Polar’s last customer was departing just as the two arrived. Looking up from what she was writing, her ears perked and she looked to the two anxiously, clearly both hopeful that they had succeeded, but also fearful of the absence of the others.

Zephania stepped over to her with a gentle, comforting smile, “Polar, we come bearing some good news, but it comes with a great cost...”

The unicorn mare perked up momentarily, only for her ears to fold back in apprehension; Rose nipped her stallion softly and offered her fellow mare a hopeful smile. “We just got back from Bronze’s…”

Polar perked up, “Bronze is back?” Earning a nod from Rose.

Zephania winced briefly at his mare’s nip, before returning his attention to Polar, “Yes, she is doing well, and I’m sure she would appreciate a visit from a friend, if you wish to come over.”

Polar appeared bashful a moment, before speaking hesitantly, “I-I wouldn’t want to impose.”

“Believe me, Polar, it’s not an imposition.” Zephania trotted forward to place a gentle hoof on her shoulder, “I believe she’ll need some good friends for a while.”

Suddenly, the mare’s attitude changed to worried once again, looking to the stallion with concern, “Why? What happened?”

“Their visit with the tribe they encountered did not end well...”

Polar paled a little, “What happened?” She reiterated firmly.

“I will allow Bronze to tell you of her own ordeal, if she so wishes,” He spoke gently, “...but your friends, Grassy and Tin Cup...”

Just as the mare looked ready to snap at the stallion for not answering, Rose stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Polar, laying her head against the back of her neck. The unicorn was dumbfounded as she finally came to the realization they were not coming back. A tear slid down her cheek and she collapsed as her legs gave out.

“What happened?” She murmured a third time, with a haunted expression.

“The tribe, calling themselves the Kuchomwa, took Bronze captive.” Zephania explained slowly, moving to offer her a hug, “When Grassy and Tin Cup tried to save her, they were slain.” The unicorn mare seemed to lose all touch with reality as she succumb to shock, staring past the two embracing her, somewhere very distant as silent tears slid down her cheeks. “I know you have suffered a great loss, but Bronze is still here. She will likely need a good friend such as you, before all is said and done.”

After a few minutes of softly shaking, crying quietly, she nuzzled the two thankfully. “I’d like to see her.” Polar whispered.

“I’m sure she’d like to see you as well.” Zephania nuzzled her with a comforting smile.

Pulling back and wiping her red eyes, she nodded to them. “Just gimme a minute to close up.” Polar sniffled, earning a soft nuzzle from Rose, “I want to stop at Dumpling’s and borrow her cart, I’m sure Bronze could use some comfort food right about now.”

“I’m sure she’ll appreciate the gesture.” Zephania gave her cheek a soft kiss, “Would you like us to come with you?”

Polar blushed softly, “I wouldn’t mind the company, if you’re offering.”

Rose glanced knowingly to Zephania and nodded. “I don’t mind.”

Zephania offered both mares a quick kiss then, “Good. Do you need any help closing up, Polar?”

“If you want to lend a hoof.” Polar nodded, quickly turning to start closing up, with the intent to hide her blush.

If Zephania noticed, he said nothing, merely trotted along beside her to help with whatever she required. Rose on the other hoof did, silently wondering if she could trust the mare not to do anything untoward with her stallion, before shaking that pesky thought out.

In relatively short order, the three of them had stopped, picked up a familiar looking dumpling-cart and returned to Bronze’s. Rose led both Polar and Zephania inside, extra mindful of getting her hooves clean.

“Bronze, we’re back~!” Rose called out gently.

Bronze immediately trotted out of the kitchen, where she’d been chatting with Aberash, only to freeze when she saw Polar, her smile slowly fading. It took all the willpower the aquamarine mare had not to frown at that reaction, though she did start to wonder if she had overstepped. Rose too noticed their reactions and quickly began to wonder if she had made a mistake.

“H-hey, Polar,” Bronze did her best to put on a smile, but found herself unable to meet Polar’s gaze, “...I’m back.”

“I’m glad.” Polar admitted, if a bit awkwardly, “I was worried when you didn’t return-”

“I figured.” Bronze murmured, before swallowing softly, her ears pinning back, “I-I- Grassy and Tin, they- I-”

“I know, Zephania told me.” Polar nodded, stepping up to offer Bronze a comforting nuzzle.

Bronze shuddered and sniffed at her touch, closing her eyes tight, “I-I’m sorry...”

“Shh~” Polar wrapped Bronze in a hug, before Rose too trotted forward and offered her own from the side.

Bronze promptly wrapped the unicorn in a tight hug and buried her face in her neck with a quiet whimper. Meanwhile, Zephania held back, letting the mares have their moment. Polar nuzzled her friend quietly crying into her mane, while Rose held her tight, laying her head on Bronze’s withers for her support.

“Forgive me, Polar.” Bronze pleaded quietly, giving her a squeeze. “It’s all my fault, I got myself caught.”

“Caught?” Polar asked confusedly, nuzzling Bronze encouragingly.

“The tribe we visited-” Bronze shuddered and took a deep breath, “-they...captured me...used me.” She murmured.

“They foalnapped you?” Polar offered hesitatingly; Bronze merely nodded, further words dieing in her throat. “I’m sure you did everything you could to try and escape.”

“It wasn’t your fault, Bronze.” Rose spoke up, softly nuzzling her back, “You couldn’t have known their motives.”

“Their actions were monstrous.” Zephania snorted softly, “No sane zebra would do what they did. As soon as the Mwezi Wafuasi learn of this, I know there will be war.”

“I know.” Bronze nodded shakily, “I know most zebra are good people, I know...I know I couldn’t have known. I still feel- If I hadn’t...” Once more, she closed her eyes and trembled against Polar. “I just wanted a quick romp.” She whimpered.

This time, she actually received a soft nip from Rose. “Bronze, stop.” The young pegasus commanded her gently, “It was their intention to foalnap you from the moment they laid eyes on you, that’s just the kind of monster Abidemi is.”

Bronze flinched at the nip, but did not outright object, “That doesn’t make it feel better.”

Polar pulled back from the hug, holding Bronze by the shoulders. “We’re going to avenge Grassy and Tin.” She declared, looking for any hesitation from the larger mare.

Bronze smiled softly and gently punched her shoulder, “You know it, Polar.”

Despite a small wince from the smaller unicorn, she bumped noses with Bronze. “Then you have nothing to seek forgiveness for.”

Bronze drew her into a tight hug again, “Thank you.”

“Come on, we’re celebrating your freedom tonight. We can mourn tomorrow~” Rose gently urged Bronze, looking to Polar for help that came in the form of a firm snout-bump.

Bronze chuckled and pulled back with a nod, “I think I might be up for a small party.”

“Good. Just tell me what you need from the rest of us.” Zephania declared with a grin, “My fellow stallions and I are at your disposal, good mares.”

Polar turned around to look at Zephania, “Can you cook?”

“A little, but you’ll want Xolani.” He offered with a sagely expression.

It was then that Xolani’s head poked out of the kitchen, his ears perked up with an eager smile, “You require Xolani’s service?”

“Two gorgeous stallions at my service, yes please~” Polar tittered teasingly at Rose, bumping Zephania to join her outside.

Both stallions chuckled amusedly and made to follow, each offering Rose a loving kiss before they went. Taking but a moment to watch them go, Rose turned to Bronze, urging her back inside to make herself comfortable. After a moment of hesitation, Bronze smiled and sidled up to Rose, gladly following her lead.