Author's Notes:

Sorry for the long delay. This took a bit to write. Its a little on the longer side.

Dark was in a dark mood. Sitting in the damp, rain-soaked grass, he stared across the clearing at a mass of web-filled trees. Ponies, aware of his foul mood, stayed well clear of him as he considered the problem before them.

When they had arrived that afternoon, they had found that the wolf den had been completely surrounded by a wall of thick webbing that made it impossible to even see through, let alone get a pony through.

The fate of those trapped inside was unknown. Dark trusted that Mustard and the others would have done the smart thing and sealed up the den's opening. The question now was how to get them out. The spiders had taken up residence in the forest surrounding the den and the rain had soaked everything, making it difficult to use fire.

Dark could only blame himself. He shouldn't have gone rushing back to the settlement like he had. It was because he had acted thoughtlessly that things were like this.

Nearby, Starless had her head close to Ground and was murmuring something to him.

"Do you have something new?" Dark asked.

Starless gave a startled jump. "Ah... well, I'm not sure if it's important, but... my horn is itchy."

"Itchy?" Dark lifted an eyebrow. He had no idea a Unicorn’s horn could get itchy..

"Ah... yes." She reached up to rub her horn. "It happens whenever I'm around strong magic."

Just then, Strongbuck trotted over with Chase following by his side.

"Well? What did you find?" Dark asked, turning his attention to the stallion.

"We circled all the way around and found no way in." Strongbuck answered with a shake of his head. "Even the opening that Bell fell into is unreachable."

Dark felt his heart sink. "I see... Did any of the spiders go after you?"

Strongbuck shook his head. "No. They never made a move. They just stayed inside the trees and watched."

Dark didn't know what this meant. Ever since they arrived that afternoon, the spiders showed no interest in them. Why didn't they attack? Were they waiting for something? A few times, ponies reported seeing something massive moving in the woods, but could never really get a good look at it.

He had brought twenty-two spear ponies with him and one Unicorn caster. Hardly a sizable force to stand against the numbers of spiders hiding within, and taking anymore ponies from the settlement was out of the question.

"Strongbuck. What do you think they’re up to?"

"I'm not sure," he answered with a shake of his head. "It's like there’s something they want."

"The ponies?" Ground asked.

Strongbuck shook his head. "If they were just after ponies, they’d come after us."

"Perhaps it's because of the magic?" Starless chimed in, still rubbing her horn.

Dark looked over at her. "You mentioned magic before. Can you tell where it's coming from?"

"It seems to be stronger the closer I get to the trees." Starless nodded toward the spiders.

Dark once again glared at the wall of webbing. What was going on in there? "Starless. Lift me up with your magic. I want to see what is happening inside."

Feeling her magic wrap around his body, Dark was lifted high up into the air. Looking over the veil of trees, he saw a strange blue fire burning around where the wolf den was. What is that? Waving his hoof, Dark signaled to be lowered back down.

"What did you see?" Strongbuck asked once Dark was back on the ground.

Dark silently shook his head. "Starless. Have you ever seen blue fire before?"

"Blue fire!?" Starless exclaimed. "No, never!"

"Strongbuck. Have the ponies set up camp in the clearing," Dark ordered. "And send a messenger back to Meadowlark and Hoof Strike to tell them what’s happening here and that they are not to send any help." Turning, he stared back across at the trees.

"Okay, hold her down," Dove instructed. "Don't push on her belly, you thick-headed stump! She's pregnant! Hold her here," she snapped at Hoof Strike, indicating Skye's shoulder. When Skye had suddenly appeared, staggering into the settlement, she had been muttering for Dark, saying that he needed to come. She repeated this until she was assured several times that Dark was already on his way and she didn't need to worry.

Celestia and the other fillies watched with concern from the corner as Dove worked to set Skye's wing back into place. Hoof Strike moved his massive hooves to a spot on Skye's shoulder and held her down. Dove gripped Skye's wing, and with a quick yank that made Skye shriek in pain, she set her wing back into its joint. Skye sighed in relief as she passed out. Dove carefully folded Skye's wing back into its proper place and held it there for Bell to tie a line around to secure it into place.

Dove had Hoof Strike lay Skye out onto a mat so she could wash her numerous cuts and scrapes. Moving to Skye's belly, Dove laid her ear down and listened for a time.

Worried, Celestia stepped closer. "Is... she and her foal okay?"

Dove glanced up and smiled Celestia. "With that magic of yours, you could probably answer that more easily than I could."

"I was afraid to," Celestia confessed. "I didn't want to see… in case…"

"I understand." Dove smiled at her softly. "Skye went through a lot and she's going to need to rest for a while, but she and her foal should be okay." Reaching out, she hooked Celestia and pulled her to Skye and pointed to a spot on her belly. "Here. Put your ear right here and listen."

Celestia bent down and pressed her ear to Skye's belly. She remembered doing this with her mother when she was pregnant with Luna. She heard the normal gurgles and groans, but then after a few moments, she heard and felt a slight twitch and thump. Smiling, Celestia lifted her head and smiled back at Strawberry and the other fillies. "Strawberry, you should feel this! It's amazing!"

With the urging of the others, Strawberry slowly approached and set her head against Skye's belly and listened. She stayed like that for a bit then her eyes widened and a soft smile of wonder came to her lips. Lifting her head up, she looked at Dove. "How much longer until it's born?"

"Next springtime. About six moons from now," Dove answered.

"About the same time as this one is due," Bell added, rubbing the small swell to her stomach with a happy smile.

"Are you having a filly or a colt?" Pine asked.

"We won't know that until it's born," Bell answered. She let out a light laugh as she shook her head. "Though, Melodious swears that if a mare carries the foal higher up, it's a filly and if it's lower down near the hips, it's a colt."

"Where are you carrying? High or low?" Tulip asked.

Bell shrugged. "Right now it's somewhere in the middle. I won't know until a few more moons pass and it settles into place."

"Celestia has that magic of hers," Bumble Bee jumped in. "She can just," she vaguely waved her hoof, "and see if its a colt or filly."

All eyes suddenly turned onto Celestia.

"Well, now. That’s an interesting idea," Bell mused curiously. She then turned to look down at Celestia "Can you do that?"

Celestia shifted awkwardly. "I'm not sure. I've never tried."

"Well, there's always a first try for everything." Bell gestured for her to come to her.

Stepping up to her side, Celestia took a breath and reached up to put her hoof to Bell's stomach. Focusing her will, she opened herself to the magic inside her and let it fill her. She easily found the bright spark of life within Bell. Every life had a different color and shade; No two were ever exactly the same. Even Melodious' twins were different from each other. Bell's foal was a lovely, rich shade of emerald green.

As carefully as she could, Celestia touched the foal's life spark. A chaotic flood of wild emotions suddenly bombarded her senses. Contentment, excitement, eagerness, impatience, happiness, and most of all, a warm sense of love toward the mother that carried it. Delving deeper, Celestia brushed the edges of the foal's mind.

The foal's mind was quick and flighty, jumping around from one half formed thought to the next. Sensing her light touch, the foal became curious at her intrusion, showing a surprisingly sharp mind as it considered her. Celestia was worried that her probing may hurt the foal's delicate mind and carefully withdrew herself.

Opening her eyes, Celestia smiled. The foal's mind had a subtle feel to it that told Celestia what she wanted. Gesturing with her hoof, she had Bell lower her head down to her so she could whisper into her ear.

"Oh!?" Bell's ear twitched as Celestia shared with her what she had discovered. "Are you sure?"

Celestia nodded.

Bell lifted her head up and laughed. "Oh! Strongbuck's going to love hearing this!"

"What did she say!?" Pine exclaimed. "Is it a colt or filly?"

"Yeah! Don't keep it a secret" Bumble Bee added.

Tulip hopped in place. "We want to know!"

Bell smiled down at the gathered fillies. "I'm sorry, little ones. I don't want to risk Strongbuck accidentally hearing anything before I have a chance to tell him myself." She turned to Celestia. "I’ll trust that you’ll keep this just between us for the time being, okay?"

"Oh? I do hope that doesn't also include me?" Dove asked with an amused smile as she sat up from tending to Skye.

"You, more than anypony!" Bell said, jabbing an accusing hoof at her. "You've never kept a secret past a day!"

"I have too!" Dove barked in outrage. "You're just sore that I told Juniper that you were the one who stole a whole rack of her fruit slices she had sitting out."

"Wait! You're the one who told her?!"

"Oops. I think I hear Aurora crying," Dove said, rushing off toward the door.

"Hey! You can't get away that easily!" Bell quickly chased after Dove.

By late afternoon, the rain had lightened to a lazy drizzle and Celestia and the other older foals were allowed to go outside for a short time to stretch their legs and play. The ground was muddy from the rain, so Celestia and her friends gathered under the shelter of a nearby elm tree to enjoy the fresh, rain-scented air under the watchful gazes of armed guard-ponies.

In the nearby fields, Greenhoof and the other hard working ponies were out tending the crops. Spiders or no spiders, Greenhoof refused to let a day pass without going out to check on the fields.

From their place under the tree, they watched as the colts chased each other in the mud, splattering their coats and making a complete mess of themselves in the process."Why were those colts we saw inside not allowed to come out?" Soft Step asked, referring to Mighty Oak, Glum, Toadstool, and Journey Stomp. They had seen them sitting tenderly on their rumps in the corner as they left.

Tulip Blossom snickered. "Oh! They got in some really bad trouble, and they're being punished!"

"Really?" Bumble Bee asked with interest. "What did they do?"

"They tried to sneak out past the wall." Misty answered.

Celestia shook her head. Sometimes, she couldn't understand colts. "Why did they try to do that?"

"They got it in their heads that they could find the spiders queen and kill her," Tulip answered with a snort.

"But we don't even know if the spider queen is real!" Soft Step exclaimed. "It was really dark and she was only spotted once. And only for a moment."

"Do spiders even have a queen?" Misty asked.

"Bees and ants do," Bumble Bee answered.

Tulip scratched her head with a thoughtful look. "What about ponies?"

"Ponies?" Bumble Bee cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"Well... the Herd Mother is like our queen," Tulip said. "Everypony loves and protects her, doing things she wants done. Perhaps the spiders are like that as well."

Strawberry, who had stayed quiet up to this point suddenly stood, her face twisted in fury. "How dare you! Comparing those evil, soulless monsters to ponies!" Whirling about, she slammed her hoof into the elm tree, crushing a normal spider that had been climbing along the bark into its trunk. Turning back, she held her hoof out into Tulip's face. "They are bugs! No better than a squashed stain on the bottom of a hoof!" With tears starting to well up in her eyes, Strawberry stormed past Tulip.

Celestia was about to go after her but the sound of running hooves suddenly caught her attention. A stallion, his grey coat splattered with mud from his swift travel, thundered past them as he raced toward the longhouse. Celestia blinked after the stallion. He was one of the ponies that had left with her papa, Comet Tail. Watching, Celestia saw him run up to her mother, who was also out getting some air with some of the other mares. He spoke with her for a time and her mother's face grew troubled.

For the rest of the day, Celestia saw very little of her mother and had no chance to ask her what the messenger had told her. Staying with Dove and Skye, Celestia and the other fillies helped watch over Luna, Aurora, and the twins. The colts had a habit of scampering off and hiding whenever they had a chance and were a constant hoof-full to control. Aurora would cry her head off if left alone for too long so every filly took turns holding and playing with her to keep her happy. Luna was being very cranky, so Skye simply tucked the little filly under her uninjured wing to let her nap.

Celestia, having chased down Summer Rain yet again, carried him back. "Where's Bell? I haven't seen her for a bit."

"I asked her to speak to your mother and the Mares Circle for me since Dove won't let me go myself," Skye answered, shooting Dove a sour look. "She's telling them my story, as well as passing on a request."

"Oh! What did happen to you?" Tulip asked, her ears perking up.

Skye shook her head, "Something really stupid." Her eyes grew troubled. "Mustard asked me to bring a message to Dark and I wasn't watching where I was going and I flew... into a tree."

Celestia sensed that Skye was holding back. There was something more to her story than what she was saying. What message was she sent to give her papa? He was supposed to be out bringing Ash and the others back. Did something happen out there? Celestia nibbled on her lip as she worried over what this all meant.

"Skye?" Celestia looked over at her. "How was Ash when you last saw him?"

Skye's gaze shot over to Dove for a brief moment. "When I left, he was doing just fine," she answered with a smile.

Celestia felt it again. She was holding something back. Something had her very worried and she was trying very hard not to show it.

A short time later, Bell Flower arrived with Sentry following behind.

"Well?" Skye asked, looking over at Bell hopefully. "What did she say?"

"I'm sorry,” Bell said apologetically. “She said no."

Skye's face fell.

"Don't fret," Bell said with a small smile. "Dark and Strongbuck are out there right now. They'll bring Dusty and all the rest back. Trust me."

Noticing the gloomy look on Skye's face, Dove suggested that they have some fun by singing some songs. Dove started off first, singing well known songs like Moondrops in Winter, and the Flight of the Robin. Bumble Bee went next and sang The Rabbit Chases the Fox, which was a whimsical song that was quite challenging due to its quick tempo and wording pace. Celestia went next and sang her favorite song, The First Sight of Spring. She always loved it for the hope it inspired in her. Next, Skye had a turn and treated them all to a Pegasus song about a young Pegasus’ first flight out of the nest.

After they all had their turn, they then worked on creating a new song, falling into gales of laughter at the silly verses they made. As the day grew late, one by one, her friends left to return to their families. All of them except Strawberry, who had already fallen asleep against Bell's side. Exhausted, Celestia tucked herself up with Luna, under Sky's wing, and quickly fell asleep.

She found herself standing in an endless blue field of flowers. A light breeze carried petals up into the air and swirled them playfully about as Celestia watched. The sky was filled with dazzling stars that flickered and danced in the night.

"Celestia."

Celestia looked around, trying to find the one who had called to her.

"Celestia."

Who was calling to her?

"Celestia. Please, help me."

That voice. She knew that voice.

"Ash!" Celestia shouted as she spun herself around. "Where are you!?"

"Celestia. Hurry, please."

His voice was being carried to her by the wind! "I'm coming!" Celestia shouted as she started to run, her hooves kicking blue petals up to drift in her wake. As fast as her legs would carry her, she raced into the wind across the endless fields of blue flowers, her mane and tail streaming out behind her like the trail of a comet.

Tirelessly, she chased the sound of Ash's calls until at last she came to a hill that rose high over the land. Ascending to the top, Celestia found a lone tree made of glittering crystal perched in the center with a light lavender filly, about the same age as she was, waiting for her under it.

"There's not much time. You must go to him," the filly said, her voice filled with urgency..

"Who? Ash?"

"Yes," the filly answered hurriedly. "Please, you must! You are the only one that can save him."

"What did you do to him!?" Celestia demanded. "Did you hurt him!?

"No!" the filly shook her head. "My name is Cherished Ties, and he's my friend. Please, he doesn't have much time left."

"Celestia."

Celestia spun about and gasped. Ash was standing in the flowers just beyond the strange crystal tree. Tucked up against his sides were two feathery wings and he had a horn atop of his forehead. Despite the strangeness of his appearance, Celestia was relieved to see him. "Ash!" She shouted his name and was about to run to him but then she noticed that he was struggling to hold the sky up on his back.

Ash's head was bent down and his legs quivered with untold strain as he bore the weight of the sky upon his body. Tears dripped off his nose as he fought to hold himself up. His calls for her were growing weaker. "Celestia... Celes... tia."

Celestia saw that the flowers at his hooves were not flowers, but instead were ponies! If he wavered for even a moment and allowed the sky to fall, the ponies beneath him would be killed! She then noticed the spot of red mixed in with the blue and realized that it was from the tears of blood that he wept as he fought to keep himself from succumbing to the relentless crushing force that bore down onto him.

"He's dying," Cherished said sorrowfully. "His bones will crack and they will splinter until they are crushed into powder, and yet he will never give in. It's his nature... his element. He is the Father that provides and protects. You must go to him. Find him and save him. Only you can do it and no other. You bear the Element of Light. You are the Mother that guides and nurtures. Go. Go now. Go before it's too late. Go and save him!"

Celestia woke up with her heart pounding in her chest. Extracting herself from under Skye's wing, Celestia ran to find her mother.

"Look at everything we have accomplished in our time here!" an older mare named Graceful Swan said. "You want to give it all up and return to wandering the land again!?"

"Open your eyes!" another mare named Blue Daisy, shouted angrily. "We are doomed if we remain here!"

A very tired looking Meadowlark lifted her hoof to forestall any more arguing. "Please, everypony. Let's not start fighting among ourselves."

"The Herd Mother is of course right," another mare agreed. "We should discuss this like reasonable ponies."

"That's right. Remember. The Herd Father is out there right now," an emerald-colored mare pointed out. "He'll drive those nasty spiders off."

"Don't be a foal!" a dark blue middle aged mare snapped. "The Herd Mother should send to have him return to protect us here!"

"What about the others!?" the emerald mare argued back. "Are you suggesting that they be left to die?"

"I am saying that we should prioritize what is important and not waste our best fighters trying to save ponies that can't be saved."

"No!" Celestia's clear shout cut across the room causing every pony to suddenly fall silent. Stepping out, Celestia glared about at the faces around her. "How dare you! Those are ponies out there that need help and you want to leave them to save yourselves!?" Celestia's eyes settled onto the dark blue mare, causing her to flinch back from the fire she saw burning in Celestia's gaze. "You should be ashamed of yourselves. There are loved ones out there. Family that needs our help! I won’t sit here and hide! Not when there are those who need me! I am going to go to them and if there are any here who wish to come with me can come too!”

"Celestia," Meadowlark called to her sternly.

Celestia turned and rushed up to her mother. "Mama. I have to go. I had a dream!"

Bending down, Meadowlark spoke softly to her. "Celestia. You can't go. You're just a filly. It's entirely too dangerous for you to go out there. You need to stay here where it's safe."

"But, Mama! Ash is going to die if I don’t go! It was in my dream!"

Meadowlark enfolded a hoof around Celestia. "Sweetie, you just had a bad nightmare. Your papa is out there right now and you know that he would never let anything happen to Ash."

Celestia fought to control herself. "It was not just a dream! It was real! I know was!" she snapped angrily. "Papa didn't even take half of the fighters we have! There are much more you can send! I can go with them and stay safe! I promise, Mama!"

"I am the Herd Mother. My role is to nurture and guide the herd. I cannot order our spears out there. I don't have the right." Meadowlark answered. "Papa is the Herd Father. His role is to provide and protect the herd. He ordered that we were not to send any ponies to his aid and Hoof Strike is following that order. No matter how much I would want to, I can't change it. I'm sorry."

"But, Mama..." Celestia felt her heart sink to her gut. What was she to do now?

Meadowlark pulled her in and hugged her. "It was just a bad dream. Try not to think about it. Go back and get some sleep. I'll join you once I'm done here, okay?"

Celestia felt herself nodding but her mind was racing. She needed to do something! She was halfway back when she came to a stop. If her mama wouldn't let her go, then she will just have to go herself. She was going to need some help. Turning, she set off to find the one pony she knew would help her. As luck had it she found the colt sleeping alone on his mat.

"Journey Stomp. Wake up." Celestia said as she shook him.

Snapping awake, Journey blinked at her in sleepy surprise. "What do you want?"

"I need your help."

Sitting up, Journey rubbed at his eyes. "I'm still in trouble. If I so much as step one hoof off my sleeping mat my mama is going to strip my hide from my rump."

"This is really important, and I'll take all the blame when the time comes, but I need you to show me how to get outside without being caught." Celestia whispered.

"Really?" Journey's ears came up with interest. "Why would you want to go outside?"

"I need to go to the wolf den."

Journey cocked his head at her. "Why do you need to go there so badly?"

"Because Ash and the ponies with him will die if I don't," Celestia answered. "This is really important. Please. I only need you to show me how to get outside. I think I can make it the rest of the way on my own."

Journey hardly thought about it before he quickly nodded. "I'll help, but only if I come with you."

"No, you're not," Snap Dragon broke in, stepping up from behind giving the pair a disapproving look. "You're already in a lot of trouble, Journey. When Mama hears about this,"

Celestia felt her gut twist with sudden apprehension. How long was she there!? "Snap, please." Celestia pleaded stepping between her and Journey. "He will die if I don't go. I need Journey's help! Please don't stop us. I beg you"

Snap Dragon paused as she looked down at Celestia her expression suddenly becoming alarmed. "What do you mean? Who would die?"

"I had a dream," Celestia explained. "But it wasn't a normal dream." She described her dream to Snap in every detail, leaving nothing out. Snap listened without interrupting, her expression growing serious.

"Did you see Ground there too!? Was he one of the ones that would die!?" Snap asked in alarm.

Celestia could only shake her head. "I'm not sure. I just saw that if I don't go, a whole lot of ponies would die. I tried to tell my mama, but she didn't believe me. Please, I'm telling you that the dream was real. I know it was!"

Snap Dragon didn't say anything for a time as she considered what Celestia had told her. Then she let out a long breath. "Mama is going to be so angry with me," she muttered before looking at Celestia . "I'm coming with you."

"Fine," Journey agreed before turning back to Celestia. "So when do we go?"

"Right now."

After Snap retrieved Journey's spear and another for herself, and sneaking past the meeting that was still going on, Journey lead them to the far back of the longhouse. Pausing next to the back wall, Journey put his hoof to one of the stones and started to push. Celestia gasped when she saw the stone slide out leaving a hole in the wall. Once the stone was far enough out, Journey slipped through the hole and waved for them to follow after. Celestia slipped through without a problem, but Snap Dragon had trouble wiggling herself through. She was older than them and was almost twice their size, though she still had a few seasons to go before she was fully grown enough to be called a mare.

Journey and Celestia had to help pull Snap through. Once she broke free, Journey muttered about Snap's fat hips as he slid the stone back into its place in the wall and sealed the seams with sod to cover up their exit. Journey then lead them quickly to a nearby hut and hid behind it in the shadows.

There were ponies out with torches, patrolling the grounds around the longhouse. When the way was clear, Journey dashed across to another hut and waited for Celestia and Snap to join him. Slowly, they worked their way across to the north west wall where it met the river. "This is how far we made it before Toadstool cowered out and ran off to tell on us."

Journey then led them out onto some stones in the water and they made their way around the wall. Celestia slipped and splashed a hoof in the water. Hearing the splash, one of the guards behind them called out and torches started to approach as they came to investigate.

"Hurry!" Journey whispered, urgently waving his hoof at her to continue.

Regaining her hooves, Celestia leaped from stone to stone until she was clear with Snap following behind. Once they were back on the shore around the wall, Journey quickly led them along the river to the nearby woods. Celestia’s heart was hammering in her chest; they were about to start a path they would not be able to turn away from.

Stumbling, Celestia nearly walked into yet another tree. It was dark and they were forced to follow the sound of the river to keep from being helplessly lost.

Worried about running into any spiders that might be lurking in the area, Celestia summoned her magic and let her senses extend out to feel the life surrounding them. Every living thing suddenly came into clear focus to her, from the tiny squirrels curled up in their warm hollows, to the very trees they lived in. At first it was all a bit overwhelming until she learned to ignore all the various insects and small rodents that filled the forest around them.

They had gone only a short ways when Celestia suddenly sensed something coming up from behind them. "Hold it!" she whispered. "There's something following behind us.

Journey turned and held his spear ready. "What is it? I didn't hear anything."

"I sense it." Celestia explained. "It's about a hundred steps back and coming up on us quickly."

"Should we run?" Snap suggested, looking nervous.

"How many are there?" Journey asked.

"Just one."

They all held as still as they could, hoping whatever it was would miss them and just pass by.

Focusing her magic onto the approaching creature, Celestia probed it and let out a breath when she recognized who it was. "It's okay. It's just Sentry."

"How did he find us?" Journey asked, lowering his spear.

"Well, he is a wolf," Snap answered snidely.

A moment later the young wolf silently stepped out of the darkness and padded up to Celestia and licked her face in greeting, his tail wagging.

"What do we do with him now?" Journey asked as Sentry moved over to greet him.

"We'll just have to take him with us," Celestia answered. "Even if we somehow convinced him to go back, he would just lead the others right back to us."

For some reason, having Sentry with them made them all feel a bit better. Like he was there to keep an eye on them. Continuing on, they followed the river along the northern edge of the western woods. None of them had ever been to the wolf den, but all of them had heard the story and knew that it lay rather close to the river they were following. Journey figured that if they continued all night, they would arrive around sunrise.

The river narrowed further on and became rapids and the forest around them was filled with the roar of the water tumbling over the stones. After a time the river widened back out and the stillness of the night returned as they left the rapids behind. They were about halfway to the den when Sentry suddenly stopped and started to growl low in his throat.

"What is it?" Snap whispered.

Closing her eyes, Celestia sent out her magic to feel what was ahead. She sensed the normal things like trees, flowers, mushrooms, and insects. But as she looked around she didn't find anything else. No squirrels, raccoons, birds or even a wandering skunk. Sending her magic flowing up into the trees, Celestia found the reason. Bright spots of life hung ready to drop down on anything passing below it. Probing deeper she sensed a coldness and hunger to it that sent chills down her neck.

"Spider," Celestia hissed. "Up there." She pointed ahead.

"What do we do?" Snap asked, her voice shivering with fear.

Celestia looked around. "We'll have to go around. Come on, this way."

Celestia turned southward and moved deeper into the trees. Casting her magic ahead, she sent it flowing through the trees, feeling out the life that existed all around them. Everything was alive with its own light and color, showing Celestia a beauty she had never known before. Behind her, she heard Journey bump his head into a branch, then a moment later, Snap tripped on an exposed root and stumbled, nearly falling into a thorn bush. Celestia realized that Journey and Snap couldn't see in the darkened forest.

"Here, take my tail," Celestia whispered holding out her tail to Snap. "Journey, take Snap's and I'll lead you both around."

"Eew, I don't want to hold Snap's tail," Journey complained. "Why can't I hold yours while she holds mine."

"Journey!" Snap whispered aghast. "A colt does not grab a filly's tail unless..."

"Unless what?" Journey asked, confused.

"Ah... never mind that," Snap answered with a quick shake of her head. "Just believe me when I say that it's not right. At least not until you're a bit older. Just take ahold of my tail and stop complaining."

Grumbling to himself, Journey reluctantly bit the end of Snap's tail and she took ahold of Celestia's. Ready, Celestia lead them on, steering them around until they circled back around to the river on the far side of the spider. Safely back onto their path, they resumed following the river upstream toward the wolf den.

As they walked, a light rain began to patter against the leaves around them. Celestia scowled at the thought of getting wet. Letting out a sigh, she wondered if their absence back home had been noticed yet. She felt horrible for the worry she was sure she was causing her mother by her reckless act. Tiger Lily must be literally chewing rocks as well. Snap and Journey were in for a hard time when they got back. That is, if they got back. No! Celestia shook her head. They were going to make it!

Celestia turned to Snap Dragon. "I want to thank you for your help."

"I'll admit, I should have gone straight to my mother instead," Snap confessed, "but if Ground and others died because I failed to act, I would never have forgiven myself." She smirked. "My mama is going to snap a birch branch over my rump for this, but I think that a few welts is a good trade for saving my dear big brother."

Soaked and shivering with the cold, they broke out of the trees and walked out into a large clearing. Looking up into the dark, cloud laden sky, Celestia wished she could see the stars. Even if it was just a glimpse. Wiping the water out of her eyes, she looked across to the wall of black pines and gnarled oak trees that made up the far side of the clearing.

They were getting close. She could feel Ash's life burning like a sun, lighting up the night ahead of them. He was burning much too brightly. The image of Ash being slowly crushed under the weight of the sky flashed through her mind. He was drawing strength from his own lifeforce! He needed to stop or he was going to die!

Rushing across the clearing, Celestia suddenly felt her leg being painfully grabbed as Sentry held her from entering the trees. "Let me go! I need to go to him!"

"Celestia! Stop!" Snap shouted. "There's something wrong. He doesn't want you to go in there!"

Celestia stopped and looked out into the forest before them. Sending her magic flowing out into the trees, she found what Sentry had stopped her from running into. Spiders. Running up and down the tree line, she checked and found more spiders waiting for somepony to wander in.

Celestia's heart sank and her rump collapsed to the ground in disrepair. Her way was blocked!

"What do we do now?" Snap asked.

Celestia didn't answer. Her thoughts were in turmoil.

"I think we should just go straight through," Journey said confidently, holding up his spear and jabbing it at the trees. "I'm not afraid of a few stupid spiders."

There were only a few options Celestia could see. Turn back, stay, go around, or go forward. Turning back would mean admitting defeat and letting Ash and the others die. Staying there would amount to the same thing. Going around would likely take too long. And going forward would likely kill them.

"Journey, don't be an idiot," Snap said with a sigh. "Running in there would be insane."

"We're going forward," Celestia declared. Both Snap Dragon and Journey looked at her with shocked expressions.

"What!?" Snap exclaimed.

"Just like how we went around that spider earlier." Celestia said. "Just take my tail and I'll lead us through them."

"But there was just one spider then," Snap pointed out. "There must be dozens of them in there. If we're discovered, they'll descend on us en mass." Snap shook her head. "There would be no way for us to run or fight off such numbers."

"Let's do it!" Journey said eagerly.

"Its our only choice," Celestia said, standing to face the forest before them. A mist started to drift off of Celestia's rain soaked coat as it began to steam off her. Snap and Journey felt a warm wind pushing at them as it swirled about Celestia, her golden-sun cutie mark beginning to shimmer on her flanks.

The air around them grew sweet and Snap felt a calmness settle over her as her fears faded away. Looking at Celestia, Snap sensed that there was more to the filly than just what she could see. Something greater hidden inside her small frame that was both vast and powerful.

"I must go to him," Celestia said, her voice firm and unwavering. "I will not allow spiders, manticores, hydras, or even great fire drakes to stop me." Walking forward right up to the edge of the trees, Celestia turned to look back as she waited for them to join her.

Just like before, they lined up behind Celestia and each took the other's tails. Snap taking Celestia's, and her little brother taking hers. Proceeding into the dark woods, Celestia cast her magic out to find their way. The woods felt cold and oppressive, and reeked of despair. They quickly found themselves shivering.

Sensing a spider waiting ahead, Celestia turned and lead them around. Sentry was pressed close to her side, his ears alert for the slightest sounds of danger. Sensing another spider ahead, Celestia turned to the right and after a short distance found another blocking their way. Turning back, Celestia lead them around the other way.

Celestia couldn't sense any of the webs the spiders had laid out and a few times she nearly walked right into one, but Sentry was always quick to block her from stumbling into them. Their careful progress through the woods was slow and harrowing. At one time, Celestia lead them right between two nesting spiders, forcing them to step as lightly as they could as they held their breaths.

Suddenly, their way was blocked by a cliff wall. Celestia couldn't sense it, but when she reached out and touched it, she felt cold, unyielding stone under her hoof. Following it to the north lead them to a drop off into rapids below them. With no way up from there, they turned and followed the cliff face to the south until they found a steep incline that Celestia hoped would lead them to the top.

In the dark, it was hard for them to find footing for their hooves and Celestia was forced to focus her attention on keeping herself from sliding back down the slope. Suddenly, Journey let out a cry and there was a jerk on her tail that nearly dragged her down. Below her, she heard a rumbling crash as rocks tumbled down to the bottom of their slope.

"What happened!?" Celestia called down.

"Journey slipped and knocked a rock loose!"

"I dropped my spear too," Journey added mournfully.

Celestia quickly summoned her magic and sent it down into the forest below them. It didn't take her long to discover that their commotion didn't go unnoticed. "Hurry! Get up to the top. They're coming!"

Scrambling up as fast as they could, they kicked loose more stones that rolled down the slope below them. The spiders swarmed in on them, quickly reaching the cliff and climbing up in pursuit. Being more nimble, Sentry swiftly reached the top before them and barked down at them to hurry. Rushing up the last few spans, they joined Sentry at the edge of a large clearing. Without pausing to catch their breaths, they ran just as a dozen spiders crested the cliff around them.

Looking to their sides, they saw the spiders overtaking them and rushing around to encircle them. They were trapped! Coming to a stop, Snap stepped in front of Celestia and leveled her spear while Sentry snarled and bit at the closing spiders.

Journey clomped his hooves together as he smiled back at the ones behind them. "Come at me! I'll buck you all until you go squealing back to your mamas!"

Watching the spiders eagerly drawing nearer, Celestia's cutie mark suddenly blazed with light as a fire suddenly explode inside her, matching her fury. "Stop!" she commanded, her mane and tail suddenly erupted in golden-orange flames that licked at the air. The spiders leapt back from her in terror.

With eyes blazing with the light of the sun, Celestia looked into them and saw their life-sparks. Reaching out with her magic, she wrapped it around their lifeforce and squeezed. The spiders suddenly let out agonized clicking screams and collapsed, writhing to the ground in pain. She could do it. With just a little more pressure, she could snuff out all their lives. It wouldn't even be that hard. A mere flex of her power. They deserved to die. They killed Strawberry's mother and family. They were trying to kill Ash! They take lives and give nothing back! Even wolves served a purpose and reached a natural balance with their prey. These things just consume life with an insatiable hunger. They were monsters! Monsters that deserved to be destroyed!

Something within her held her back just as she was on the brink of crushing the life out of them. She felt a nagging sense that this was wrong. Tears of molten light ran down her cheeks as she struggled with her conflicting feelings. Why!? Why couldn't she bring herself to do it!? She wanted to scream and hurl the sun down upon these vile creatures. She hated them. She reviled them. They hurt so many ponies!

"Celestia?" Snap's shaky voice called out to her.

Standing with Journey protectively behind her, Snap was holding her spear pointed at her.

Celestia looked into her eyes and saw terror. Snap's spear quivered in her grasp. She was afraid. Afraid of her. She was looking at her like she was a monster. Celestia's eyes opened and she suddenly understood. Her magic was life. It comes from life and returns to life in an endless cycle. If she used her magic to destroy the spiders, she would be using life to kill. It would be a corruption of the true purpose of her magic. Such an act would twist and deform her into a true monster. A monster of Death.

The words of the filly in her dream came back to her. A mother guides and nurtures. Her mother said the same thing when she spoke to her last. Was it a coincidence that they both said the same thing? Was there something she was supposed to understand about it? A mother brings life. A mother guides life. A mother nurtures life. These are the things she learned from her mother. Things that she cherished and loved about her.

The clouds above them started to break apart, and the first rays of the sun broke over the horizon behind them, bathing the land in it's warm light. Celestia released the spiders from her power and they quickly skittered away to hide. Turning to Snap and Journey, Celestia smiled at them as she let her power go. "There is no need to be afraid," she assured them. "I am still the filly you know." Sentry padded over and affectionately licked her face. Snap relaxed and lowered her spear with a relieved smile.

They saw no more spiders as they walked across the clearing. As they drew near a cluster of trees, Celestia knew that Ash was just beyond them. Suddenly a group of ponies came over a rise to the south. Watching them approach, Celestia recognized Strongbuck in the lead with Chase running alongside him. Ground and Starless followed just behind.

"Big brother!" Snap exclaimed and dashed over to fling herself around her startled brother's neck and dangle down like a fruit from a tree.

"Snap?" Ground said, looking down at his little sister in confusion.

Strongbuck frowned down at Celestia and Journey. "What are you all doing here? Did you come here all alone?"

"Don't be mad at Snap and Journey. They were only helping me," Celestia said, meeting Strongbuck's disapproving gaze. "There is something I need to do, so would you please take them back with you?"

Strongbuck shook his head. "Whatever game you are all playing ends now. I'm taking you all back to Dark. I'm sure he is going to be very angry, especially with you, Celestia. Coming out here was very dangerous. You could have all been killed. In fact. I'm surprised you even made it this far."

"I'm sorry, but I can't go back with you," Celestia said. "Papa can punish me later, but I have to go to him."

"Go to who?" Strongbuck asked, confused, then shook his head. "No, never mind. I'm not going to argue with you. Pick up your hooves and get moving. It's not safe here." Stepping forward he went to pick her up.

"Strongbuck!" Starless suddenly screamed. "Stop!"

Celestia's eyes flashed into light and Strongbuck suddenly found himself straining against something. Celestia's mane and tail slowly drifted up and flowed back like in a slow breeze. "I must go now. Please tell my papa that I'm sorry." She turned and walked off toward the wolf den.

"Starless! Stop her!" Strongbuck shouted urgently, still struggling against whatever was holding him back. "Use your magic!"

"I can't! I don't understand it," Starless answered, her horn crackling. "My magic keeps slipping off of her. I can't get a grip."

"Ground! Grab her!" Strongbuck ordered the stallion.

"I'm trying, but I can't move." Ground said, straining to step his massive hoof forward.

Strongbuck noticed that everypony, including Chase and Sentry couldn't move toward the filly. Some force was holding them all back.

Walking up to the trees, Celestia gazed in. She could feel them. Hundreds of spiders milling in the branches, waiting for Ash to falter and his barrier to fail. With her magic blazing inside her like a sun she walked into the trees. Webs seared away as she walked through them untouched. Spiders quickly rushed in to grab her but were held away by the force of her power.

Ash was just ahead of her, she could feel how close he was. Stepping out of the trees into a small clearing, Celestia saw a fiery blue dome enveloping part of the clearing ahead of her and much of the hill further in. A mass of spiders were swarming the perimeter of the dome, keeping themselves just outside its deadly touch as they waited. Hordes of spiders swarmed in at her, clicking and eagerly reaching for her, but were also repulsed by her magic.

Spiders tried to block her way but were forced to the side. Walking through their midst, Celestia could feel it. A cold, gnawing hunger that twisted and tormented them, driving them to feed. She felt the wrongness of it.

Walking up to the wall of blue fire, Celestia stepped through.

Dark heard Strongbuck shouting for him as he ran in. He had left not long before to patrol with Ground and Starless and it was too soon for him to be returning, unless something happened. Following behind Strongbuck was Ground and Starless with what appeared to be two foals with them as well as two wolves.

"What is it?" Dark asked as Strongbuck skidded to stop before him.

"We found three foals wandering in from the west." Turning he nodded to the two that were with Ground and Starless.

Dark recognized them as Tiger Lily's foals, Journey Stomp and Snap Dragon. "You said there were three?"

Strongbuck shook his head, unable to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry. We tried to stop her but she did something to us."

"Who?"

"Celestia," Strongbuck answered. "She was the one who talked those two into helping her travel out here."

"Celestia!?" Dark felt his gut drop. "Where is she!? What was she doing, coming out here!?"

"She went in there." Strongbuck pointed up at the wolf den. "She said that she needed to go to him. I think she was talking about Ash."

What was she thinking?! "Why didn't you stop her!"

"We couldn't." Ground answered, looking down at his hooves. "She did something to us with that magic of hers," he explained. "We were being pushed back."

"And I couldn't grab her with my magic either." Starless added. "I've never seen anything like it. She shrugged me off like I was nothing. The others didn't see it, but when I looked at her, it was like looking at the sun. She was so beautiful. I'm sure that she made it through.

"She asked me to tell you that she was sorry," Strongbuck said.

"Not half as sorry as she is going to be," Dark snapped angrily. "Everypony get yourselves ready for a fight! Full protection is to be worn! Gather the new torches and pass them out!" he shouted with a booming voice. "Starless, I am going to need your help. Do you think you can blast a hole through that webbing large enough for us to charge through?"

Starless thought about it and nodded. "I think I can do it."

"Good." Dark said. "Then we're going to end this today.

Passing through the barrier, Celestia saw the opening to the wolf den ahead of her. Ponies stepped out and watched as she approached.

"Celestia!?" Mustard called out. "How did you get in? And why is your mane acting all weird and flow-y?"

Celestia had heard that Mustard had been changed into a mare when her papa told her mama about it. Seeing how beautiful she looked as a mare was surprising, but not as surprising as noticing the other thing about her.

"Good morning, Mustard," she greeted the mare with a pleasant smile. "Things are going to be very exciting for you for the next season, especially when the little one arrives."

"Little one?" Mustard ask with a confused look.

Celestia paused. "Would you like to know if its a colt or filly?"

Mustard's eyes shot wide. "Do you mean...!?"

"Celestia!" Mirage exclaimed in surprise when she stepped out of the den and saw her. "I was told that somepony just arrived from outside, but you!? Where's your father? Where's Dark?"

"I'm here to see Ash," Celestia said, ignoring her questions. "Please show me to him."

Mirage blinked down at her, then she nodded. "He's just inside." She turned and lead Celestia inside.

Walking down a narrow corridor, the den opened up into a large chamber. Sitting in the back and along the walls, ponies slept or ate their morning meal while talking quietly. Sitting right in the center of the chamber was Ash. His eyes were closed and his mane and tail were rippling with blue flames. A glowing blue gem hung suspended in the air just before him.

"He's been like this since we got here." Mirage explained, her voice filled with concern. "I've tried to wake him, but I can't get close to him. He hasn't eaten or had any water for over a day. I'm worried for him. He needs to stop."

Celestia could feel it. Mirage was right. Ash was burning much too hot and he wasn't going to last much longer. Celestia turned to look back at Mirage. "Please stay here."

Walking towards Ash, Celestia felt the air crackle and snap around her. Noticing her, ponies stopped what they were doing to watch. Pressing forward, Celestia broke her way through the aura of raw magic that emanated out from the gem and drew up close to Ash. His eyes were closed and his breathing was so shallow, she couldn't even see his chest moving.

Reaching out, she tenderly touched Ash's cheek and spoke to him. "Ash. It's okay now. You can stop holding up the sky. Everypony is safe."

Ash didn't respond to her.

Bending closer, Celestia spoke softly into his ear. "It's me, Celestia. Please come back to me. I miss you and I don't want to lose you. You're my best friend and I love you."

Ash's eyes fluttered weakly.

Celestia's heart leapt up. "Please, listen to my voice and follow it back to me."

Slowly, Ash's eyes opened. "Celestia?" he muttered weakly. "Are they safe?"

"Yes. You did it. You saved them," Celestia assured him. "You can let go now."

The blue gem drifted into Ash's chest and vanished inside. His mane and tail faded and returned back to their normal, dull state. Outside, his barrier vanished. The waiting spiders suddenly surged forward, but Celestia was ready for this and pushed out with her own magic. The mass of spiders suddenly found an unseen force in their way, holding them back.

Ash let out a tired sigh and fell forward, draping his head over her shoulder. "I was in a strange place. A place where the stars fell like rain. I was alone for so long."

"Shh. It's okay. I'm here now." Celestia wrapped her hoof around him and held him close. She could feel his lifeforce flicker and waver weakly inside him like a failing heartbeat. The strain he had been under over the last day had been enormous. Opening herself, she gave some of her strength to him, letting her life blend and join with his.

She had thought about what it would feel like to experience the closeness and intimacy like that of when two ponies joined their bodies together, but none of her imaginings ever came close to what she felt at that moment as their souls intertwined. She saw into Ash's heart and felt the vast love he held for the ponies close to him, especially for her. Celestia started blushing and knew that he saw the same feelings she held within her own heart.

Celestia couldn't tell how long they remained like that. She didn't want to leave him. It felt too good. It was like she had been missing a part of herself and now she was whole. It was Ash who began to pull away first. Celestia tried to resist and hold on tighter, but Ash was firm with his withdrawal and Celestia regretfully relented and let him go.

Opening her eyes, she met Ash's gaze. What they had just shared was beyond intimate. It was a joining of two souls. Even now, she could still feel a part of him within her, just as she knew a piece of her remained with him.

"I ah... am not sure what I just saw, but I'm positive that you two are still much too young to be doing it," Mirage said, giving the two a suspicious look.

"How do you feel?" Celestia asked.

Ash grinned that stupid grin he always did. "I feel like I can take on the whole spider swarm!"

"Good," Celestia said, smiling back. "Because that is what we are going to do."

Celestia and Ash left together with Mirage and Mustard following with others. Outside, the spiders were clustered tightly around the opening as they continued to struggle in vain to force their way through Celestia's magic. Without fear or hesitation, Celestia and Ash walked out into their midst. Standing just before them was an enormous spider, more massive than any other spider there. Was this their Spider Queen? She stared unblinking down at them as they walked right up to her.

Suddenly, there was a blast of light as a bolt of magic seared through the webbing, ripping a large hole in it. Moments later, ponies started to pour in through the breach with their spears and spider-hammers held ready. In the lead was a familiar looking pony wearing a hydra mask, charging with his spear leveled down. He was roaring in rage as he bore down on the surprised spiders who were turning to face the unexpected threat from behind.

Ground Pound and Starless Night followed closely in Dark's wake. Carrying no weapons, Ground looked no less dangerous as his thundering hooves shook the ground with his every step. Flowing gracefully at his side, Starless looked like a delicate flower next to a bolder as her horn crackled brightly with power. Strongbuck, with Chase and Sentry, lead another group of torch and spear bearing ponies to the side to secure their flanks.

The Spider Queen issued a series of loud clicks and growls that caused a portion of the horde to suddenly rush in to surround her and the two foals.

Celestia and Ash gazed out in alarm at the chaos that broke out around them. Ponies and Spiders were savagely fighting each other. Celestia's mane and tail flashed into golden fire as her fury erupted. This needed to stop! Papa was ruining everything! Her magic exploded out of her "Stop!" Her voice rang out to every spider and pony fighting around her and froze them in place as they were unable to resist her command.

Ponies and spiders glared at each other as they all backed away.

"Celestia!" Dark shouted as he rushed toward her only to stop as he came to a protective wall of spiders.

Ignoring her father, Celestia turned to the Spider Queen and spoke to her, using her magic to carry the meaning of her words directly to her. "Why do you bring death to the land?"

Her reply sounded like clicks and growls, but Celestia found that she understood them."My children hunger. They must feed."

"But your children strip the land and feast without end. Why?"

"During the day of the sleeping sun, an endless hunger beset my children and drove them out into the lands to hunt."
Celestia guessed that she meant the long night. "My children have gone wild and will not listen to me. All they know now is hunger. Relentless, unending hunger."

Celestia was beginning to understand what it was she was feeling inside the spiders. A cold hunger. "Have your children ever hungered like this before?"

"This hunger is unknown to us. It came suddenly to my children during the time of the sleeping sun. Some went so wild they attacked and fed on their brethren."

During the long night, some kind of dark magic must have infested the spiders and was now driving them to ceaselessly hunt and feed without satiation. Could this have been done on purpose? "I think I understand what has happened," Celestia told the Spider Queen. She then turned to Ash and explained everything to him.

"So what do we do?" he asked, looking to her.

"I want to try and cleanse this dark magic from them," Celestia said. "I think if we work together, we can do it."

Setting her shoulder against Ash, Celestia closed her eyes and summoned her element. An amber-colored gem appeared in the air before her. Opening herself, she let the magic of her Element of Light fill her until she felt like she was about to burst apart in a flash of burning light.

Sending out tendrils of magic, she probed a nearby spider, seeking out the contamination she suspected was within them. Following the scent of hunger, she discovered a dark mass of magic embedded like a weed deep within it. Touching it made Celestia feel sick and she wanted to recoil at the slimy feel of it. That had to be it. Grasping it as best as she could, she firmly ripped the mass free. She nearly retched when it started to squirm in her grip as she drew it out. Going to the next spider she repeated the process and added the wiggling mass to the first.

The process was long and exhausting. One by one, she removed the corruption from each spider. She felt sweat dripping down her brow as she worked. Sometimes, the dark magic would try to hide by driving itself deeper and it look Celestia longer to dig it out. Once she had finished with all the spiders that were gathered there, she then sent her magic questing out to find others that were hidden in the surrounding forests.

The sun was high in the sky when she was finally satisfied that she had found them all and cleansed them of their magical parasite. Exhausted, Celestia opened her eyes and looked at what she had gathered. Held floating in the air before her in her golden power, a sickening black mass of slime undulated in place.

Celestia turned to Ash. "Please remove that revolting thing from my sight."

Ash smiled. "I'll be happy to."

Walking a few steps closer, Ash summoned his Element and a blue gem appeared in the air before him. Closing his eyes he focused his will and released it into the gem and a stream of blue fire shot out of it and enveloped the evil mass.

Like a living thing, the dark magic suddenly jerked and writhed as Ash's fire began to sear it from existence. Celestia struggled to keep it contained as it frantically fought to escape her magic. She was already exhausted from her long use of magic and her will was strained to the breaking point.

Ash's legs began to tremble as he fought to keep himself standing as he poured everything he had left into destroying the dark magic. It struggled violently, flinging itself repeatedly against Celestia’s will as it viciously fought to break itself free of her. Cracks began to appear in her magic and dark oily tendrils started to leak out. Bracing his stance, Ash gritted his teeth and redoubled his efforts and released a surge of flames that seared deeply into the mass. It needed to be destroyed before their strength ran out!

Suddenly, there was a thunderous clap, and Celestia screamed as her amber colored Element of Light shattered into two, hurling her back to lay motionless on the ground.

“Celestia!” Ash cried out, looking at her unmoving body.

Freed, the dark magic surged out of Ash's flames and rushed right at the colt. Ash only had time to gasp when the Spider Queen suddenly stepped in the way. The dark magic struck her and Ash watched in horror as it quickly tore itself into her body. The Spider Queen shrieked in pain as she writhed and twitched on the ground. Suddenly, her struggles stopped. Ash’s blood ran cold as she turned and looked at him with eyes that burned with darkness. The dark magic had taken her!

Suddenly she charged at him, her movements jerky and awkward as she reached out to grab him. Ash’s legs were shivering under him with exhaustion and he couldn’t focus his will enough to use his magic. He didn’t have the strength to fight her! The Queen’s legs tore at the dirt as she bore down on him.

Suddenly, Dark shot past Ash and drove his spear deep into the Queen’s body. Letting out an agonized scream, the Queen jerked back, clutching at the spear lodged in her and yanked it free. Black ichor gushed out of her wound and pooled below her on the ground. Letting out a furious hiss, the Queen viciously lashed out with Dark’s spear, shattering it across the stallion's face and lodging the stone spear-head into his mask. The force of the blow sent Dark hurling to the side until he tumbled to a stop on the ground.

Screaming in fury at what had just happened to Dark, Ash managed to summon the last of his strength to send a blast of blue fire into the Queen. Tears streamed down his face as Ash poured everything he had left into his fire. The Queen screeched as his power seared into her and drove her back. Ash’s vision began to darken as his heart fluttered painfully in his chest.

With her head throbbing in pain, Celestia sat up and looked over at Ash. Her heart suddenly leapt up in horror when she saw his legs crumpling under him as if he was being crushed down, and trails of red ran down his cheeks as he wept blood! He looked liked just like he did in the dream!

Clambering up onto her unsteady legs, Celestia ran. “Ash!” Celestia’s scream tore out of her throat. She saw his elemental gem flicker as his flames weakened. She needed to reach him in time! Her hooves tore at the soil below her as legs found new strength. Ash’s legs buckled and he started to fall. Crossing the distance, Celestia leapt and smashed herself into Ash, tackling him to the ground. His flames vanished and his elemental gem dropped to the ground, its light going out.

Gathering herself, Celestia found Ash’s eyes were closed as he lay unmoving against her. Panic seized at her chest. No! Pressing her ear to his chest, Celestia listened for his heartbeat. Silence. Desperately, Celestia reached for her magic to give some of her strength to him, but found nothing there. She suddenly remembered her Element of Light had shattered. She no longer had any magic! Her heart plummeted in despair. She failed to make it in time. The dream had come true.

A shadow fell over her. With tears filling her eyes, Celestia looked up as the Spider Queen loomed just above her and Ash. Wispy shadows leaked out of her various wounds as the dark magic ravaged through her body. Celestia nearly smiled. If Ash was dead, then she was going to soon join him. Perhaps they would be together in that place that Pine described. The place among the stars. That would be nice.

The Spider Queen reached out and Celestia prepared herself. Instead of striking Celestia down, the Queen picked up Ash’s Element of Guardianship. Holding it to herself, she let out a strange crackle of victory as she turned and quickly staggered off, disappearing into the woods with her prize.

She was still alive. Celestia felt a sense of disappointment as she laid her head down onto Ash’s chest to weep. It felt like a piece of her was being torn out of her. “Please. Don’t leave me,” she whispered into his chest.

She felt something touch her. Looking up, she found one of the spiders standing over her. It was larger than the others, but not as large as the Spider Queen. It was holding something out to her. Lifting her hoof up, the spider deposited a piece of Celestia’s Element of Light onto it and stepped back.

Looking down at the amber shard, Celestia felt a flicker of hope. Setting the piece onto Ash’s chest, Celestia pressed her hoof over it and closed her eyes. To those watching, her body glowed with a golden light. Celestia felt the shard burn under her hoof as she let her strength trickle through it into Ash. The magic only lasted a few moments before it died. Lifting her hoof, Celestia watched as glittering dust floated away in the wind. The shard of Element of Light was gone. She prayed to the stars that what little bit she had been able to give him was enough.

Dropping her head back down to Ash’s chest, she held her breath and listened again. Nothing. Then she heard it. A light thump of a single heartbeat followed by another. Slowly, Ash’s chest rose and fell as he took a breath.

Her tears of grief turned into tears of joy. Looking back up at the spider, Celestia smiled at her. “Thank you.”

The spider clicked something back at her, but Celestia didn’t understand what she was saying. Turning, the spider rejoined the others, who gathered around their new queen as she lead them away.

Watching her leave, Celestia hoped that someday, they could be friends. Laying her head back down onto Ash’s shoulder, Celestia closed her eyes and listened to his breaths as she fell into exhausted sleep.