Author's Notes:

{Insert clever typo related reference here}
Special thanks to my proofreader, what's his face.

Ash watched as Celestia left his side to dash to her mother. Wiping at his tearing eyes, he watched with a breaking heart as she ran up and stood over the still form of her sister. With a strangely determined look, Celestia took a deep breath, set her hoof onto her sister's body and closed her eyes. Ash wondered what she was doing when suddenly her body began to glow as her mane and tail billowed up like it was caught in a breeze.

Dove and Strongbuck both gasped as they watched, while Meadowlark turned herself to look back, with her red rimmed eyes wide with astonishment. Waving tendrils of intense light, drifted out of Celestia's chest and into the foal below her.

Ash held a hoof up to shield his eyes as he struggled to step closer. He didn't know what was happening. Celestia's face was contorted in pain as more light poured out of her into the foal. Blinking his eyes, Ash thought he saw for just for a flicker of a blinking eye, what appeared to be two misty looking wings on her shoulders, and an indistinct horn set onto Celestia's forehead, but the next moment they were gone, and Ash was left wondering if he even saw them in the first place.

The light that was coming from Celestia suddenly died down, plunging the hut back into the dim light of the glow flowers. Everything became absolutely silent for a short moment, when suddenly the room was filled with the wailing cries of a newborn foal. Ash quickly moved closer, and saw Celestia smiling down at her crying sister before she wobbled on her hooves, and toppled over limply, onto the ground.

Meadowlark let out an elated cry, as she snatched up her newborn daughter and kissed and snuggled her, before kissing her over and over again with happy tears falling from her eyes. Ash quickly dashed over to see to Celestia, and found her laying on her side with her eyes shut. A flash of color caught his eyes, and he glanced back at her flank and saw that she now had a cutie mark of a golden yellow sun with rays of light radiating out in every direction.

Dove appeared next to him, and bent over Celestia to check on her. "She's only asleep," she said with a relieved sigh.

Ash sat back confused, and looked up at Meadowlark and the new foal, who was still screaming her little lungs out. What did Celestia just do?

Ash's ears swiveled back when a scratching sound came from the door. Turning his head, Ash looked at the door, unsure that he had actually heard something. The door suddenly shook as something on the other side began digging at it. Ash felt a cold chill run through his body as his gut suddenly knotted up in sudden fear as he realized what was trying to get in!

He was moving before he really thought of doing so, and dashed to his spear. "Wolves!" he shouted as loud as he could. Snatching up his spear, Ash turned to stand before the door and the wolves that were trying to get in.

Celestia was scared. She didn't know where she was.

Spinning herself around, Celestia found that she was absolutely alone in some kind of fog that surrounded her in every direction. Drifting throughout the fog, a multitude of sparkling and shining stars of every color imaginable, dazzled her eyes as she looked around.

When she noticed she could not see any ground below her, Celestia's heart began to race in a panic as she feared she was about to fall. After a few moments, Celestia's panic eased a little when she found she was still very much perched where she was.

Taking a slow step forward, Celestia tested the firmness of the unknown surface her senses couldn't detect and found whatever she was standing on to be somehow firm and unmoving under her hooves. Gathering her courage, she took more steps, and discovered that her hooves didn't make any sounds on whatever she was walking on.

As Celestia looked around, she wondered if she was somehow up in the sky. One of the little stars that was floating about, drifted close to her. Curious, Celestia lifted her hoof and watched as the little red star touched her outstretched hoof.

There was a flash of light and suddenly Celestia found herself walking through a dark cave with a strange red light shining just over her head.

"Astral is not going to be happy about this," a mare said, from beside her.

"It's just an eclipse," Celestia heard herself say in a voice that wasn't hers while her eyes looked over to the worried looking orange mare that was walking next to her.

"But it was not caused by any of us unicorns!" The orange mare exclaimed, the light that surrounded her horn on her forehead flickered with her anxiety. "Control of the sun and moon is our domain and the fact that some unknown magic that's as powerful as our own, caused the eclipse to happen is going to make Astral absolutely furious!” The mare gave her head a shake and looked back at her with eyes wide with fear. “And you know she'll end up blaming us for allowing it to happen!"

Celestia saw other ponies with glowing horns walking by as the mare she was viewing everything from and the orange mare talked. "We'll tell Astral that it was those pesky flying pests, the pegasi. That will get her to focus her wrath onto something other than us."

"But the pegasi don't have that kind of magic!" The orange mare pointed out, in her whiny voice.

"Who else can we blame? Those lowly dirt ponies?" Celestia heard herself say with a scoff. "From what I heard, they don't even have any magic! She'll believe that it was them even less than the griffons!"

With a bright flash of light, Celestia blinked as she suddenly found herself back in her own body as the little red star drifted away from her hoof.

She didn't know what had just happened, nor what those strange ponies with horns where. Looking around herself, Celestia flinched back when another star drifted too close. She didn't like this place. It was strange and scary and she wanted to go back home! Turning about, Celestia did the only thing she could think of, and ran away.

"Mama!" Celestia cried out desperately, her panicked breath coming in great huffs. "Papa!" Her frantic cries disappeared out into the strange fog that appeared to continue on for what seemed like forever. Where were they?! Never had she ever felt this lost and alone before. She wanted the comforting feeling of her parents’ embrace to make everything better again. She wanted the reassuring feeling of Ash back by her side.

Celestia ran on for as long as she could, until she finally stumbled to a weary stop. Plopping her rump down, she wept in despair of ever finding her way out of this strange place and getting back to her family. With her head bowed down, Celestia's tears ran down her muzzle and dripped off her nose.

"Why do you cry, little one?" a soft voice asked.

Celestia gasped and whirled around in surprise. Standing only a few steps away was the most beautiful mare Celestia had ever seen. The mare's silvery coat sparkled along the full length of her elegant body, while her mane and tail shone with every color Celestia had ever seen, including many she never knew existed. And despite the still air, the mare's mane and tail flowed back in an undulating motion, as if it was being blown by some unfelt wind.

Celestia felt a strange kind of warmth emanating from the mare that made her feel comforted by her presence, and her fear and anxiety melted away.

"I... I'm lost, and I can't find my way back home," Celestia answered. Looking up at the mare, she suddenly noticed a long elegantly shaped horn protruding from the mare's forehead, just like the ones she saw on the ponies when she touched the red star. She didn't remember her having a horn a few moments ago. How could she have missed that?

The mare smiled, and gently brushed her hoof down Celestia's tear streaked cheek. "There is no need to weep little one. I have found you, and I will see you returned back to your family."

Celestia sniffed and wiped the back of her leg, across her runny nose. "Who... who are you?"

"I am the Mother of All Things," the mare answered with a soft voice that somehow echoed out into the white misty void.

What a strange name, Celestia thought, looking back up at the kind mare, and blinked in surprise when she saw the horn on the mare's forehead was no longer there! Instead, she now had a pair of beautiful feathered wings folded at her sides!

The mare stepped closer and sat down next to her. "When I said I would return back to your family, I noticed that you looked sad," she said, looking down at Celestia. "Why would that that sadden you?"

Celestia stared down at her hooves."I... I'm worried about my sister. I tried to save her... and I don't know if she..." Celestia's voice failed her as fresh tears started to come to her eyes. Celestia felt soft feathers settle over her back, as the mare draped her wing over her. Wiping her hoof across her eyes, Celestia looked up and met the mare's warm gaze.

"There is no need to worry for your sister," the mare said, looking down at her with a kind smile. She then held up her hoof, and a little dark blue star drifted down and stopped just above her hoof. "Because of your most generous gift, your sister’s life now burns bright and strong," she said holding the star before her.

Celestia gazed in wonderment at the little dark blue star that sat just about the mare's hoof. "Is that...?"

The mare smiled, and nodded. "It is," she answered, as she lowered her hoof down so Celestia could see more clearly.

It was tiny, but as Celestia watched, it pulsed with a soft warm light that caused tears to blur her eyes as unbridled joy filled her. Her sister was alive!

She suddenly wanted to leap up and hop about in happy celebration. It had worked! Whatever she had done had worked!

The mare's wings were now gone and her horn was back on her head as the mare turned and held her hoof out to let her sister’s star float free. "You showed a great love of life for what you did for your sister, and that marks you as very special little pony. I'm looking forward to seeing what other wonders you will accomplish in your time," The Mother of All Things then bent down, and touched her lips to Celestia's forehead, and kissed her. "Your time here ends. Go now, my little pony, and be with your family. Let your time here fade away like a dream."

Celestia abruptly felt heavy, and a wailing cry suddenly came to her ears. Blinking her eyes in the now dim light, Celestia looked down at a deep blue wailing foal that lay at her hooves. She realized that she was somehow back in her home, and the wailing foal she was looking down on was her very much living, newborn sister.

Celestia smiled down at her new sister as she suddenly felt her strength give out, and she found herself falling into darkness.

The moon was completely dark, and Bell Flower was having trouble seeing anything. Occasionally she would catch a brief glimpse of something dashing by, but she had no way to tell what it was. Nearby, she could hear Morning Sky and Dark Storm following along with her as they searched through the settlement.

"I can't see anything!" Morning Sky complained after having walked into yet another hut.

"The eclipse will pass soon and the moon will return," Dark replied. "Just do the best you can in the meantime."

Morning Sky suddenly let out a scream as she tripped over something and fell down. Bell Flower let out an irritated sigh at the clumsy mare.

As Dark Storm moved in to help Morning Sky back up, a lone foal's wail could be heard off in the darkness. All around them, wolves began to yelp and howl as Bell heard them move off towards the wailing foal.

"They are going for the foal! Come on, we have to stop them!" Bell shouted as she took her spear in her teeth, and rushed off.

"Wait! Don't go off alone!" Dark shouted out as he helped Morning Sky back up.

Bell ignored his warning as she ran. She knew what it was like to be gnawed on, and the thought of those dirty wolves doing the same to an defenseless foal made her hooves run all the harder. A sliver of the moon was starting to come out, and the little light it gave off was enough to let Bell Flower avoid running herself headlong into a hut as she recklessly ran through the hamlet.

The sound of the foals cries grew louder, as she drew nearer the center of the settlement. She wondered if it could it be one of Melodious' twins she was hearing? The moon glinting off yellow eyes to her right, alerted her just in time to slam her hooves down and slid to an abrupt halt as she slashed her head to the side. The spear she held in her teeth whipped around and she felt the sharp stone tip hit resistance as a wolf yelped in pain.

Panting around the shaft in her mouth, Bell Flower watched as the wounded shadow quickly dashed off, leaving the scent of fresh blood behind. Bell let out a snort, then turned and hurried off to find the source of the foal's cries.

Ash stood ready just before the door. Behind him, Meadowlark was trying to quiet the foal's cries, but the filly was proving to be rather stubborn and headstrong on the matter. Dove had taken the unconscious Celestia over to Strongbuck and set her down with him. Standing over them, Dove readied herself to defend them.

The wolves had given up on trying to get through the door and was now digging at the earth below it. Ash could see their paws as they scooped at the dirt, and he knew that it was only a matter of time until they got in. Stepping closer, Ash readied his spear. The moment a wolf's head appeared under the door, Ash stabbed at it, just barely missing when the wolf quickly jerked his head back to avoid it.

Another wolf tried to crawl under and Ash thrust at it but also missed when it pulled back out of the way. Another wolf snapped it's jaws at his spear and grabbed it in his teeth. Ash struggled to reclaim his spear when another wolf started to wiggle himself under the door.

Ash knew he needed to get his spear back before the wolf made it all the way in. Grabbing the shaft of his spear in his teeth, Ash lifted his hoof and smashed it down as hard as he could into the wolf's face, causing the wolf to let out a squeal of pain before he angrily bit into Ash's leg before he could pull back out. Despite getting bit, Ash’s plan worked, and he regained his spear.

The other wolf had worked his way all the way up to his shoulders, and was only moments away from pulling the rest of his back end inside the room! Ash knew he couldn't let that happen! Ignoring the searing pain in his leg, Ash turned and thrust his spear at the larger beast as hard as he could. He felt the shock travel up his spear shaft as the point sank into the wolf's neck. With blood pouring out of the wolf's wound, Ash struggled to hold the mortally wounded wolf back as it bit and snapped at his spear shaft!

He was not going to let any wolf get at those he loved! Not if he was there to stop it! Gritting his teeth, Ash threw all of his weight and strength into his spear and he felt a sickening crunch, as it sank in further with a jerk. Blood bubbled and spewed out of the wolf's mouth.

When Bell Flower found the source of the foal's cries, she was surprised to find that it was at Meadowlark's and Dark's hut. Her heart leaped in panic when she saw dark shadowy forms excitedly running around it, with several digging at the door. Heedless of her own safety, Bell Flower wildly charged forward into their midst.

At first the wolves were surprised when she rushed in kicking and swinging her spear around, and they scattered away as she forced her way to the door, and held herself there panting for breath.

Standing before the door, Bell turned to face out as she panted for breath. "Is everypony okay!?" Bell Flower shouted out at the hut behind her.

"Bell?" Dove called out.

"Yes, its me!" Bell shouted back. "Are you all okay? Is any pony hurt?" Bell was alarmed at the sight of the rear half of a dead wolf laying out from under the door.

"Ash got bit in the leg, and he won't leave the door so I can see to it, and Meadowlark had her foal, as you can probably hear." Dove answered.

Bell gave a smile. "Yeah, it's kind of hard to miss a pair of lungs like hers."

"I killed a wolf!" Ash shouted out in excitment.

"That's great! Dark is going to be so proud of you!" Bell's smile faded when she saw the shadowy forms of wolves closing in from all around her. Kicking her back leg back, Bell quickly shoved the rear half of the dead wolf to the side to block the rest of the hole under the door. "Hold tight in there, things aren't done out here yet!"

Bell dug her hooves into the dirt as she took her spear in her teeth. This was definitely not looking good. All around her she could see the wolves closing in on her with their teeth bared and snapping.

Folding her ears back, Bell lowered her head and widened her stance. "Come and get me you filthy wolves," Bell growled out from around the spear shaft in her mouth. "Because that is the only way you're getting by me!"

Just in front of her, in the center of the pack that had her surrounded, was the largest wolf she's ever seen. His snarling teeth shone under the half moonlight as he stepped closer to her. Gripping her spear shaft harder, Bell prepared herself.

The sudden thunder of hooves was the only warning the wolves got when a host of ponies abruptly charged in on them. With Dark Storm leading the way, a dozen mares following in his stead as they descended on the pack with their spears held out. Two wolves were run through before the rest of the pack could react, and in a panic they all bolted off into the night.

Bell Flower watched the pack quickly melt away, but not before seeing the large wolf pause to turn and look back at her to meet her gaze. A moment later, he was gone, and Bell let out a relieved breath as she sagged down. She had thought that she was about to meet her end, at the end of a bunch of snarling fangs.

Dark wiped his bloodied spear onto the body of the wolf he had just killed, and looked over at her. After a quick look around, he stepped over to her. "Are you okay?" He asked, his voice filled with concern.

Bell Flower let her spear fall to the ground, and lifted a shaky hoof to run across her face. "I'm alright, thanks to you. Your arrival could not have been more welcomed."

Dark lifted his hoof and lightly whacked it across the back of Bell's head. "Next time, listen to me and don't go off alone!" He glared at her for a moment before he lowered his hoof to her shoulder and smiled. "You did a good job tonight. Things would have been much different if you hadn't had been here."

Bell gave her head a nod, before she turned to look back at the body of the wolf under the door. "More than you think."

Dark let out a gasp. Shoving himself past her, Dark grabbed the dead wolf in his teeth and hauled it out and tossed it to the side. Quickly he pulled the door open. "Meadowlark!" he cried out, his face contorted in worry and near panic.

Just inside, a bloody looking Ash stood, still holding his spear. "I did it, Papa. I did as you told me. When they stuck their heads in, I gave ‘em the sharp end of my spear!"

Since he was the first one he came to when he rushed inside, Dark quickly snatched up the colt and crushed him to his chest. "Ash, you have no idea how proud of you I am!"

"Dark," Meadowlarks voice gently called to him. When Dark looked over, Meadowlark smiled and nodded her head down to the deep blue little filly, that was snuggled up against her side. "Come meet your new daughter. Luna."

Bell watched, as Dark released the colt, and slowly cross over to Meadowlark, and his new daughter. With tears welling up in his eyes, he lowered his head down and took a long sniff of his newborn daughter, to take in her scent. He then gently nuzzled her before he turned and kissed Meadowlark. "She's so beautiful, just like you."

"Always the flatterer," Meadowlark answered with a smile.

Dark paused and looked around. "Where's Celestia!?"

"She's over here with me," Strongbuck answered, gesturing with his head down to the still unconscious filly, whom he had tucked beside himself.

"What happened!?" Dark barked out as he rush over to her. "Did she get hurt!?"

"No," Dove quickly answered. "She's not injured in the least."

Dark looked up at her from his daughter. "Then what happened to her!? Why is she asleep!?"

"Dark, there's something I think we need to tell you," Meadowlark said, giving both Bell and Dark a strange look.