Author's Notes:

For those who are wondering. Ch 57 moves back to Celestia and Luna.

Within her hut, Starless sat across from Dark as he examined the spear that they captured from the slavers. Sitting next to him, Brightstar was excitedly inspected one of the slavers caps as he bit at the metal.

"What did you say this was called again?" Dark asked, tapping the spearhead against one of the plates to listen to the sound it made.

"Copper." Starless answered, giving the name that Jennet shared with her.

Dark nodded, thoughtfully. "Is all their weapons made from this, copper?"

"From what we've seen, yes." Starless replied with a nod. Looking over at Mirage, she suddenly hissed and snatched the leather whip away from her with her magic. "Please don't touch that evil thing. It's a strap used to savagely beat slaves, and trust me when I tell you that you do not want to know what it is made out of."

Brightstar set the cap over his head and tapped it with his hoof. "I can see how this stuff can be very useful."

"I blasted one of the slavers with a bolt that should have killed him, but he was saved by this plate." Starless pointed to one of the plates that had a massive dent in it.

"Impressive," Dark commented, picking up the plate to look at it more closely. "We can use such armor to protect ourselves against the Unicorns magic."

"Indeed." Brightstar agreed, biting at one of the plates to test it's hardness. "I would very much like to know how this is made."

"The prisoner has not been very forthcoming with any information on it. "Starless said. "He's just a slave hunter so I wouldn't expect him to know much about such things anyways."

"What of the donkey mare?" Dark asked.

Starless nodded. "She was a slave in their copper mine. She would have seen their secrets."

"Right now, that donkey is the most important treasure in our possession," Brightstar stated. "The things we could learn from her."

"That donkey," Mirage said, cutting in firmly, "is not a possession! She's a young mare and I will not have you talking like she's some kind of thing! Do you have any idea what horrors she's gone through!?"

Brightstar blinked at her and cast his eyes down. "You're right. I'm sorry. My excitement just ran away from me."

"My sister is quite right." Dark added. "The young mare is a valued guest and should be treated that way." He then turned back to Starless, "How is she doing?"

"Jennet's doing well living under the care of Tiger Lily." Starless answered. "The slavers nearly killed her with how badly they beat her, as well as the numerous forced matings they inflicted on her. She's lucky to be alive. If Wild Bolt hadn't found her when he did..."

Mirage looked angry enough to bite a dragon. "What are you going to do with the slaver?"

Starless shook her head, her eyes becoming troubled. "I'm not sure. I've never had to deal with something like this before." She turned to look at Dark. "I would like you to decide on what to do with him."

Dark met her gaze solemnly. "You are the leader here and he was captured by you, that means he's your responsibility. You need to make the decision, I cannot do it for you."

Starless sighed, she'd been afraid of that.

"What land are they from?" Brightstar asked curiously.

"A land far to the east called, Minospotamia." Starless answered. "It's one of the few things I know about them."

"I would like to try and question the slaver, if that is alright?" Dark requested.

"I see no problem with you questioning him." Starless said, giving him a nod. "I've sent Dizzy Spin for Stratus Streak so you might want to wait until he gets here, though."

"Very well." Dark said, getting up. "Let's retire this until then."

"Would I be able to speak with the donkey mare, ah... Jennet?" Brightstar quickly asked. "There are so many things I would like to ask her."

Starless shook her head. "She is under Tiger Lily's care. You'll have to ask her. I suggest you ask nicely though, you know how protective she can be."

Frost felt his hoof get caught and he tripped face first into the ground. Around him, he heard the raucous sound of laughter. With night approaching, he was returning to his stall for the night and sometimes certain stallions liked to pick on him during this time.

"What's the matter, little white rabbit? Your mother not teach you how to walk?" A stallion, twice his size, stepped around him with a grin. "Why don't you go run back to her teat little rabbit?" He had a charcoal grey coat with an opal-white mane and tail.

"Leave off Phantom Dawn," Frost Conjure warned off the stallion as he started to gathered himself from the ground.

Suddenly, Frost felt a hoof shove him from behind, throwing him back down. "Oh? Looks like the little colt's horn is getting too long for him," another stallion said, mocking him. "He can't stay up."

Phantom Dawn laughed and leaned down to look at Frost. "Perhaps we should clip it a bit shorter for him?"

Summoning his magic, Frost's horn crackled as he threw up a shield around himself, cracking the stone ground under him as he slammed it into place. "Leave me be. I'm warning you!" Frost cautioned.

Phantom Dawn smirked as his horn glowed with his own power. "You want to test yourself against me, foal!? I'm the son of a high Patreon! My blood goes back a hundred generations! What kind of bloodline do you have, rabbit!?"

Stallions drew around as they watched.

Phantom Dawn's horn flashed brightly and Frost suddenly felt a great force crush down around his shield. Gritting his teeth, Frost focused on holding his shield as the air around him grew thick with magic. Each moment, Phantom's magic pressed in on him ever harder, the stone ground under him split and cracked under the stain of the force exerted on it. If his shield faltered for even a moment, he would be crushed before he could even blink! Meeting Phantom Dawn's gaze, Frost wondered if he was really trying to kill him!

"Phantom Dawn!" One of the stallion called out to him. "Casters!"

Phantom Dawn grunted in annoyance and released his magic.

Frost let out a gasp of relief as he let his shield go just as three Caster came hurrying into view.

"What's going on here!?" The lead Caster demanded, her gaze falling onto him.

"Just a bit of playful fun, that's all," Frost quickly answered. He could have told her the truth, but he knew that doing so would just make things worse.

"Really?" The mare asked, not sounding convinced. She looked to Phantom Dawn. "Is that true? Were you two just fooling around as he says?"

Phantom Dawn smiled and nodded. "Why yes, Caster Starshower. We were just having some fun."

Starshower considered the two, her eyes hard. It was obvious she doubted their claim. "Okay fine, but that's enough fun for today. I want you both into your stalls, now. If I find you two having anymore fun tonight, I'll have to tell your fellow matriarchs about this. Understood?"

Frost was quick to nod while Phantom Dawn only grunted his assent. Moving off, Frost hurried into the stables opening in the side of the volcano’s rim. The High Blood stables was made of a honeycomb of old lava chambers and tubes in the side of the old volcano's rim. Lighting his horn, Frost hurried down the dark well worn tunnel, until it opened up into a larger room. Moving over to one of the walls, Frost set his hooves into little hoofhold along the wall and ascended up until he came to a small opening higher up.

Ducking inside, Frost entered a small chamber that was just tall enough for him to stand in. Along the far wall was straw and leaf bedding he had laboriously hauled in to sleep on. Setting his horn against a small crystal, sitting in a cleft in the wall, he let a small trickle of his magic flow into it, making it glow brightly in the small space.

Lying in his bed, Frost sighed and rolled onto his back. Without Rising Dusk there, Phantom Dawn was picking on him more and more. This time had been the most serious encounter yet. Perhaps he should tell one of the Keepers? He quickly dismissed that idea. Phantom Dawn was the prized son of one of the highest Patreons, there's wasn't much they could do about it anyways except tell his mother.

Frost groaned, when was Radiant going to get back? He'd not seen her for a week!

"Frost Conjure?" a voice called up to him. "Would you please come down?"

Moving over to the opening, Frost stuck his head out. "What's the matter!? I went to my stall just as Starshower wanted!"

Standing below him was a Keeper named Crackle Zap. She shook her head. "You're not in trouble. Please, just come on down."

Frost couldn't imagine what she wanted from him. Climbing down, he joined the waiting mare. "Ah... what is it you need from me?"

"Please, come with me." She turned and led him to the stable opening where they came to a pair of Casters.

"Stallion's aren't allowed out at night." one of the Casters said, stepping in the way. "Return him to his stall."

"He's been summoned by the Matriarch," the Keeper assured the Casters.

"Oh?" the Caster said, looking at him. "What's so important that it can't wait until the morning?"

"That is not your concern." the Keeper answered. Please step aside."

"How do we know that she really summoned him?" the Caster challenged her.

The Keeper blinked at her in surprise. "I assure you that I am telling you the truth."

The Caster leaned in, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "A likely answer, if you were here to steal stallions!"

"I am not a thief!" The Keeper exclaimed in outrage.

"What is going on here!?" another Keeper asked, walking over to them.

"I caught this mare trying to slip off with one of the stallions." the Caster answered smugly.

"Don't be ridiculous!" The older Keeper scoffed. "I've known Crackle Zap since her time in training. She's no stallion thief."

"That's right!" Crackle Zap agreed, nodding. "I was told to fetch Frost Conjure and bring him to the Matriarch."

"Then do your duty and be off with you." The older Keeper ordered. Turning, she looked at the two Caster. "You will allow her to pass."

The two Casters looked uncertain and the older Keeper simply pushed her way through them to open up a way for Frost and the young Keeper to pass through.

Following along with Crackle, Frost wondered where they were going. Crossing the crater to the exit, Crackle spoke to two more Casters who let them through. This was the first time Frost had left the High Blood stables since he arrived. Descending the winding trail along the side of the old volcano, Frost got a good view of the surrounding land as the light slowly faded to night. After the long descent, they finally came to the main entrance into the mountain.

The cave opening was nearly twenty ponies tall and a dozen ponies wide. More Casters stood guard here as they passed them on their way inside. Mares watched curiously as he was led further into the mountain. He recognized the path from when he'd been taken to the Matriarch when he first arrived.

Moving down a long dark tunnel, they came to a large chamber with glowing crystals embedded in the walls and ceiling. There, he saw the Matriarch speaking with a gathering of Casters. Crackle stopped and waited.

Frost noticed one of the Casters holding a odd looking flower in her magic. The flower looked like it was glowing, its colors shifting like it was made of a rainbow. After a time, the Casters finally finished with Matriarch Astral and moved off, taking the strange flower with them. Frost wondered why they had a flower with them, and why the Caster was holding it so protectively?

Glittering Crystal suddenly moved over to them. "Good, he's here. She's been waiting."

Glittering Crystal led them forward to the Matriarch. Coming to a stop, Crackle bowed her head down low. "As you have desired, I have brought Frost Conjure to you."

"Very good." the Matriarch said, turning to look at Frost. "You've gotten taller."

"Nearly half a hooflegth since I arrived, matriarch," Frost answered nervously, with a little bit of pride.

"Excellent," the Matriarch nodded, pleased. "Have you been getting enough to eat?"

"The food has been very good. Thank you." Frost answered, politely. Why did she summon him? It couldn't be just to ask him him about how he was doing? Glancing around, he was disappointed when he didn't see Radiant. Wasn't she back yet?

His examination of the room didn't go unnoticed. "Looking for Radiant?" the Matriarch asked.

Frost blinked and felt his face flush. "I ah... I was just wondering when she was coming back."

"Worried?" Matriarch Astral looked almost amused.

Frost felt his face flush even more. "It's just that... she's been gone for so long..."

"Your concern for her is commendable," Matriarch Astral said, "but unnecessary. I will allay your fears by telling you that her search for the taken stallions has concluded, and she will be returning shortly."

Frost felt a sense of relief. She was safe.

"Now, to what I brought you here for," Matriarch Astral continued. She turned and nodded to Glittering Crystal who moved off to a side chamber. "As my ward, there are tasks that are expected to do, being Radiant's mate being chief among them. To a lesser degree, but not less important, you are also expected to oversee any other wards that come under my care."

Just then, Glittering Crystal walked out with a colt slowly following behind her. The colt was young, about the same age as Radiant's younger sister, Dazzling Evening. His coat was a soft green and he had a deep red mane and tail.

"This is my new ward ," Matriarch Astral introduced the colt. "I want you to watch over him from now on."

The colt looked scared and kept hiding behind Glittering Crystal. Stepping over, Frost peeked around Glittering Crystal and smiled at the colt. "Hello."

The colt blinked up at him nervously. "Ah...hello."

Normally, a colt wouldn't be sent to the stables at such a young age. He must have been the colt Rising was exchanged for, to be Dazzling's future mate. "My name is Frost Conjure. What's yours?"

The colt glanced at Glittering Crystal for a quick moment before looking back to Frost. "Horizon Flicker."

"Well Horizon, how would you like to be friends?" Frost asked.

Horizon smiled and slowly moved around Glittering Crystal.

Moving in close to Glittering Crystal to collect the colt, Frost caught her rich scent and a sudden vision of being held down while she was leaning over him with her face filled with passion, flashed through his mind. A sudden stab of pain shot through his head causing him to flinch as the memory quickly slipped away.

"Are you alright?" Glittering Crystal asked, looking at him with concern.

Frost smiled and shook his head. "I'm fine. Just a little bit of a headache. That's all," he assured her. Picking up the colt with his magic, Frost set him down onto his back. "Come on. I'll give you a ride up and you can tell me about your journey here."

Taking the colt, Frost rejoined Crackle Zap, and followed her back out.

Wild Bolt woke to the sound of a wailing foal. This was not the first time he'd been awoken in such a way in recent days. During his time here, he discovered that foal's apparently cry a lot. Lying on his mat, Wild blinked his eyes open. He had been shoved up against the far wall by Ground and Hoof Strike to keep him away from Snap. Looking over, he saw Tiger trying to comfort the wailing foal. Beside her, Hoof Strike slept like a dead log. How can he sleep through that?

"What's wrong?" Snap Dragon asked, sitting up to rub at her eyes.

"I think his tummy is upset." Tiger murmured, rubbing at the foal's stomach.

"Colic?" Snap asked, sounding concerned.

"I don't believe so." Tiger shook her head. "I think it's because Dove's milk a bit more richer than he's used to. That's all."

"What about yours?" Snap asked, "is your milk coming in?"

"Not yet." Tiger answered, with a sigh. "It's possible that it won't come in. It doesn't always work."

"What are you going to do if it doesn't work?" Snap asked.

"Well... we could try it with you." Tiger mused, thoughtfully.

"Me!?" Snap's ears shot up. "You want me to try nursing him?"

"You are old enough, and your udders are nicely developed." Tiger pointed out. "I'm sure it would work better now then when you tried to nurse Journey when you were younger.

"Mama!" Snap protected, sounding embarrassed.

"It’s a shame that Starless is so busy." Tiger said regretfully. "She'd be perfect for this. With her being a Unicorn, her milk would be more suited for him."

The foal's cries had lessened until he finally slipped back to sleep.

Wild watched as Snap settled back down onto her mat. He viewed her differently now than he had before starting out on this journey. Before, he'd wanted to claim her as his, but now... now, he didn't want that. Snap deserved a stallion better than him. A stallion that could make her happy.

He was ashamed of what he had nearly done to her. He was a monster, just like those slavers. It would be best for Snap if he'd just leapt from the heights above and dashed his life out on the rocks below. She was too good for him. Too kind and caring for a grotesque monster like him.

Rolling over, Wild stared at the stone wall. It was a long time before he finally nodded off to the darkness of sleep.

In the morning, he heard the others getting up and moving about with their morning tasks. Food was set out and everypony ate as they talked about what they were going to do that day. Wild didn't listen as he slowly chewed his food. Dove later examined his shoulder and announced that he was mending well and could start going outside.

Leaving the stuffy confines of the hut and the wailing foal, Wild slowly limped through the settlement. His shoulder felt tight and stung whenever he overextended his step. He paused for a short time to watch a group of Unicorns as they practiced some new spell they were trying to learn. A young mare standing in the front of the group, lowered her horn and sparks flew out and snapped in the air as it emitted bright flashes. The watching Unicorns murmured in approval at her display.

Wandering away, Wild noticed a group of stallions gathered before Hoof Strike as he spoke with them. They had always been taken care of back in their stables and never really learned to make decisions for themselves, so Hoof Strike was trying to teach them how to be a proper stallion. Moving past them through the settlement, Wild slowly headed for the lake at the head of the valley. He didn't know why he was going there, it just seemed like a good place to go to be alone.

Outside her parents hut, Snap laid on a mat with little West Wind. With a long stem of foxtail grass, Snap fluttered it before the foal's mesmerized gaze of amazement. Everything was just so new to him. West Wind's face suddenly scrunched up as he sneezed, spraying spittle into Snap's face.

"Wow! What was that!?" Snap exclaimed to the foal in mock wonder as she giggled, rubbing at the foal's rounded belly. This was not the first time she'd been sneezed on by a foal, nor likely the last. She idly considered her mother's idea for her to try nursing too and wondered what it would feel like?

Rolling onto her side, Snap picked West Wind up and settled him against her side. She had seen this done many times before and knew basically what to do. Taking him by his crest, she brought him to one of her teats and began brushing his lip across it, encouraging him to open his mouth and take it. It took a few tries, but eventually he opened up and clamped his mouth around her teat and began suckling.

Snap gasped at the powerful sensation as the colt suckled strongly at her sensitive teat. It was so intense it almost hurt! Was this what it was like every time a mare nursed!? She could feel his gums mashing down every time he drew at her, trying his best to force milk from her dry udder. She began to think that she'd made a mistake. After a time, the colt's suckles grew slower and she noticed that he'd fallen asleep. As carefully as she could, she removed him from her and laid him into his basket, letting out a sigh of relief as she felt the cooling air flow across her moistened treat.

A little while later, the sound of hoofsteps announced her mother's return with Dove from taking Jennet to Starless and Dark. With her wounds largely healed now, Starless and Dark asked to talk with her in more detail.

"We're back," her mother's singsong voice announced as she approached. "And how is my mighty stallion doing!?" she asked, sticking her muzzled into West Wind's basket to nuzzle the foal affectionately as Dove disappeared inside the hut.

"He's been a perfect little gentlecolt," Snap answered with a smile. It was nice seeing her mother like this again.

Her mother looked around. "Where's Wild? Hasn't he come back yet?"

Snap shook her head. "No, not yet."

Dove came out of the hut and set the foal carrier onto her mother's back.

"Where are you going?" Snap asked as she watched her mother carefully extract West Wind out of his basket and settled him into her pack.

"We're going off for a bit to find that Shaman," she answered. "Dove wants to talk to her and perhaps learn a few new things."

"Oh! Can I come too?" Snap asked, standing.

Her mother shook her head. "No. I want you to find Wild and bring him back. We don't want him overdoing things and making himself sick again."

"But mama!" Snap complained.

"Snap dear," Her mother said, looking at her. "You are not a filly anymore. You must learn that as a mare there are responsibilities you must do. Whether you like it or not."

Snap flinched at the rebuke. "Yes mama."

"Good. Now go find that colt and bring him back," her mother ordered.

Snap sighed and nodded. Moving off, she began her search. Where would he go? This would have been a good task for her little brother, Journey, but he was off with Ash, way up on one of the clifftops, sitting on watch for the day. Asking around, she was told that he'd been seen heading up towards the lake.

Moving up through the settlement, she came to the lake and looked both ways along the shore. Far off to her left, she saw what looked like a pony sitting along the water's edge. It was either that or a strangely shaped rock. Letting out a sigh, Snap moved off down the lake shore towards the distant pony form. Looking down, she could see hoofprints in the sand, and that heartened her that she was on the right trail.

As she drew closer she noticed that he wasn't looking across at the waterfall like she'd assumed he'd would be. Instead, he was gazing down into the water at his hooves. His shoulders appeared to be quivering. Was... he crying? Suddenly, she realized that he was looking down at his reflection in the water!

Snap didn't know what to do! She felt like she'd just walked somewhere where she wasn't welcome. She thought about leaving, but quickly stomped that thought to death and buried it deep under a rotting log. He was in pain, she couldn't leave him to suffer alone. Even if he was Wild Bolt. He needed her help.

Her step into the gravel-like sand crunched under her hoof, causing Wild's ears to snap up.

"Wild? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he grunted without looking back at her.

"This isn't nothing," Snap pressed with concern. "Something is bothering you. What is it?"

"I said it's nothing!" he shouted, keeping his back turned to her. "Now go away and leave me alone!"

Snap felt hurt at his gruff dismissal of her, but kept her place. "No. I'm not going away. Not until you tell me what's wrong."

"Why?" Wild groaned, dropping his head down into his hooves. "Why won't you just leave me be? I'm not worth your kindness."

"That's not true," Snap exclaimed.

"It is true!" Wild suddenly roared, whirling about on her in fury. Snap gasped and shield back a half step at his rage. "I'm a monster! Can't you see that!?"

Snap felt her chest tighten painfully at the suffering and self loathing in his voice. "Wild. You're not a monster!" she said, stepping closer.

Wild leapt up and stumbled away from her, his eyes filling with panic. "Don't come near me! I don't want to hurt you!"

Snap hesitated. "Hurt me!?"

Wild blinked at her. Suddenly, he turned and started walking away. Heading not for the settlement, but instead, back down the valley.

"Wait! Where are you going" Snap shouted, trotting after him.

"Away from here." Wild answered. "Don't try to follow me."

Snap leapt into a run and raced around in front of him and stood in his way. "Stop." Wild turned to go around her, but Snap moved back into his way, baring his path.

Anger flashed across Wild's face. "Get out of my way!"

"No!" Snap shook her head as she held her ground.

Wild attempted to shoulder her aside with his good shoulder, but Snap pushed back.

"I said get out of my way!" Wild roared, shoving at her.

"And I said, no!" Snap shouted back, keeping her place.

Suddenly, Wild's bad shoulder gave out and he fell forward.

Snap cried out and reached out to catch him, but Wild's weight carried her down too and they both rolled down the hill, coming to a stop at the bottom with Wild laying on top of her. Snap starred up into Wild's eyes, their two gazes locked into each other. Snap was surprised to find that Wild's eyes were a mix of both green and blue. Starting out a rich green near the center and fading into a deep blue at their edges. Why hadn't she noticed how beautiful his eyes were before? Her heart started pounding in her chest.

Wild started to climb off of her, but Snap quickly wrapped her hooves around him and held him in place.

"What are you doing!?" Wild demanded. "Let me go!"

"No," Snap stubbornly refused. "Not until you talk to me."

"Why won't you let this go!?" Wild growled.

"Because I'm your friend." Snap blurted it out without really thinking and was surprised to find that she had spoken the truth.

Anguish suddenly flashed across his beautiful eyes. "Please... just let me go," he pleaded as he struggled to free himself from her.

Snap shook her head, holding on tighter. "Never."

Wild shut his eyes and took a shuddering breath. "How can you say that you are my friend!?" Tears began to seep out of his tightly clenched eyes. "I forced myself on you and tried to breed you against your wishes. What I did was unforgivable! I deserve to be gelded and exiled for what I nearly did to you!" Wild's body began to shiver. "I am no better than those monsters that hurt Jennet and her companions! I'm a monster just like them! You should hate me!"

Snap felt her heart tighten in her chest. He had called himself a monster before. Was this what he had meant!? He was comparing what had nearly happened between them and what the slavers did to Jennet!?

"You idiot."

Wild's eyes shot open.

Snap relaxed her grip around Wild's neck and met his eyes. "I was a young fertile mare in the throws of her first heat and you were a young virile stallion who found himself way over his head. I don't blame you for what nearly happened between us. We were both lost to our desires. I am just as much to blame as you. Well..., maybe not quite as much," Snap amended. "Next time we'll be more prepared."

"Next time?" Wild asked, blinking down at her.

Snap leaned up and kissed him. It wasn't a kiss filled with passion, but a kiss filled with hope for the future. Breaking her lips from his with a light smack, Snap smiled up at him. "You've become a lot more interesting recently. I want to get to know the stallion you're becoming."

Wild Bolt looked like he was in a daze as he gazed down at her.

Snap traced her hoof along the scar that slanted across his face. "You shouldn't be ashamed of this. I think it makes you look more handsome."

Wild moved off her and sat up. His eyes had trouble meeting hers as his hoof went to his scar. "You really think I'm handsome?"

Snap smiled at his awkwardness. "I much prefer this face over the older one."

Climbing back to their hooves, the two started back together.

"Snap?"

"Yes?" Snap turned to look at Wild.

Wild suddenly looked nervous. "Thank you. I would like to be your friend too."

Starless sat with Dark inside her hut, her mask set down before her.

"What am I going to do with her?" Starless asked with a sigh.

"She's one of your mares. It's up to you to decide." Dark answered, unhelpfully.

"Things are going to become more dangerous because of this." Starless said, looking into the low burning fire. "I know that she was only doing what she thought was right, which she probably was, but I wish she'd waited a little longer before pulling this on me. Now I have to go and try and fix this."

There was a light tap at the door. Picking up her mask, Starless settled it over her face. "Come."

Moonglow ducked through the door flap and slowly approached the pair, her eyes downcast. Stopping before the two, she bowed her head down and waited. Starless said nothing for a long while as she considered the mare. The moment dragged on as sweat formed on Moonglow's brow.

"Moonglow," Starless said, finally breaking the long silence. "Do you understand why you are here?"

"Yes, my Mistress." Moonglow answered.

"And are you ready to accept the consequences?"

Moonglow nodded. "Yes, my Mistress."

"Good." Starless said with a satisfied nod. "Then I want the preparations ready for tomorrow night."

Moonglow's eyes snapped up in surprise. "Mistress?"

"The welcoming celebration for the stallions." Starless explained. "I want food, music, and festive attire readied. Since you have shown an exceptional head for planning, this will be a perfect task for you."

Moonglow blinked at Starless with her mouth hanging open.

"Is there a problem?" Starless asked.

"Ah.. no, Mistress," Moonglow stammered.

"Then you have my leave to go and start preparing."

Moonglow bowed low and turned to go.

"Oh and Moonglow," Starless called out, halting the mare by the door. "The next time you have one of these crazy urges to go and do something like this. Please share it with me first."

"Yes, Mistress." Moonglow smiled and ducked outside.

The room stayed quiet for a time as the two stared off at the door. "Well, that went much more differently than I was expecting," Dark said, breaking the silence.

Starless slipped off her mask and set it down. "I thought about setting a suitable punishment that would make her cry for days, but that wouldn't solve anything. The deed is done. Now let's use it."

"Interesting way to look at it." Dark said with a thoughtful nod. "Now what are you going to do with the other problem?"

"Other problem?" Starless asked, looking at him.

"Yeah." Dark said, climbing to his hooves. "You now have a herd of liberated and might I add, virile stallions, living among all these mares. It's not going to be long before you’re neck deep in foals around here."

Starless blinked in alarm as the magnitude of the situation dawned on her. "Oh my..."