Even with the Windegos dead and gone, the singing continued late into the cold night. Cheerfully singing Ponies continued the bucket brigade, passing lumps of wood to each other even as they trailed into the darkness. And as the fire rose higher and higher under Tia's ministrations, more and more Ponies came out of the dark, attracted to the great beacon of light and noise we made.

As more and more came, more and more did the warm light grow, and more and more did the Heartsong swell.

Eventually, the Ponies streaming into the firelight weren't those who had initially ran away, but Ponies who had never been included in the efforts in the first place. Their coats were covered in frost and ragged cloaks as they trudged towards the warmth. But even they soon joined the chorus as they warmed themselves, and eventually joined the bucket brigade hauling firewood to keep the fire fed.

So many Ponies came, we had to push the windbreak forward to make the protected area larger at least twice!

Eventually, even Ponies garbed in various armors and armed with true weapons joined, too frozen and demoralized to even challenge the brandished farming tools before them.

I was immensely relieved to see Appleflower among them, even if she now limped on only two legs, her front right hoof now gone as well, frozen and seemingly twisted off. But she made the effort to get up and give me a hug, even as she was ushered to a comfortable spot in the center of the camp.

But finally, the dawn came.

The singing finally stopped as everypony's jaws dropped.

Around the fire, the snow was nearly totally gone, in fact the windbreak could no longer be stood on it was so melted.

But about ten Pony lengths beyond that?

The world changed drastically.

The light of the morning Sun played over the expanse of an icy wasteland. The wind had eroded the ice and snow smooth, leaving natural sculptures that looked impossible to craft by Pony hooves wherever there was a tree or boulder for snow to gather. The greenery that existed the previous day was utterly gone, buried or flash frozen into uselessness. Strangely however, the air was tolerable, still warm from the true season, but chilled by the icy ambience.

And yet, despite the desolation, it was hauntingly beautiful. Like the never before seen landscape of a strange faraway land.

The spell was broken by Tia calling out.

"Designated team leaders! We need a meeting right now!"

Was I one of those Ponies? Tia had sent me to the windbreak to help, but it was the Ponies themselves who followed my lead...

I glanced around at the Ponies who had made a habit of staying near me over the past few hours.

None moved.

Guess that settles that...

"Keep a weather eye out. Just because the Sun's up doesn't mean we're safe." I ordered, turning my head briefly to make sure they heard.

I saw several nods and heard various voices speak up.

"Gotcha."

"Will do."

"On it boss!"

Now reassured, I trotted through the mud towards where I thought my sister's voice had come from.

A small crowd of Ponies had gathered around Tia, and were engaged in discussion with each other.

"Aye, but it wouldn't hurt to look for more supplies." A stallion I didn't recognize responded to something I hadn't heard.

"Are we that low then?" Tia asked.

"Aye, nearly ransacked the whole camp around us." the nameless stallion nodded.

"Damnit." Tia cursed.

Despite the seemingly bad news, it was strangely comforting to see Tia acting as the de facto leader to even Ponies we didn't know. It meant, to me personally, that I could always trust the one Pony in charge. I didn't want to think about some incompetent, unknown Pony who would blindly walk into an easily avoidable situation.

Or worse yet, try to make me their 'wife'.

The shiver that went down my spine had nothing to do with the somewhat chilly air around us.

Tia was above and beyond, the Pony I trusted the most to not do something worth regretting.

"Ok;" Tia continued, breaking my line of thought. "Organize search parties, if there's anypony who survived out there I want them found. Secondly, there's supplies enough for three armies out there. We're going to need every morsel if nopony can farm in this mess before the Winter."

Oh I hadn't thought about that...

I looked back over to the icy wastes.

Summer had to have been half over already... Or almost half at the very least. Even if all the snow melted by tonight, we would have hours at most to plant enough crops to grow enough for a village to ration through the Winter. And I didn't think this gathering of Ponies qualified as a mere village anymore...

Now exposed by broad daylight, there were enough Ponies for an entire city.

Stars above... There were so many...

"Same tactic as last night?" a mare I also didn't recognize asked.

"No point." Tia remarked. "It's bright and warm enough not to."

"Search parties then?" I asked.

A mare I vaguely remembered jumped slightly at my voice, but relaxed when she realized it was just me.

"Yeah, that'll work." Tia agreed. "Any objections?" Nopony raised any concern, so she continued. "Excellent, split into groups of ten, have at least four weapons. We don't know who or what may be waiting."

The meeting seemed to be over, so I turned to leave to give instructions to the group that had put me in charge.

"No arguments from me." I remarked as I left.

Perhaps it was rude of me to leave first, but I had my instructions. Anything else was unnecessary.

I returned to the Ponies near the windbreak.

"Ponies!" I called out, drawing their attention. "We're going to send out search parties! Looking for any supplies and survivors! We'll be dividing ourselves amongst the scavengers, four militia in every group of ten!" Ponies were nodding along. "Be cautious! Only the stars know if anything's waiting out there for a Pony to eat! And I'd prefer that we all come back to safety! Any questions?"

No pony said anything.

"Good! Off you go!" I called out.

The Ponies dispersed, breaking into a incomprehensible swarm that I could see no rhyme nor reason to. I took a moment to sigh in relief. With all the Ponies splitting up, I was no longer in 'charge' of all of them. At most, all I had to worry about now were only ten Ponies.

I joined the crowd organizing and dispersing themselves amongst last night's scavengers.

I briefly saw Tia again, but she wasn't coming with us. Too busy organizing those who would stay behind.

The first few groups I inquired about were already full, so I continued on my way as they made for the edge of the windbreak.

"Luna!" called a voice. I turned to see Clover, Pansy, and Smart Cookie amongst a group of Ponies who looked like they were getting ready.

"Clover!" I greeted, trotting towards them eagerly. "You're all going out?"

"Yeah, figured we'd at least be less likely to be attacked if we found anypony." Smart Cookie replied.

"Do you have a spot for a sword?" I asked.

"If you're the one holding it, always." Clover winked.

Wait... What did she mean by-

"Oh don't mind her Luna... She just hasn't had a decent lay in a while." Cookie smirked.

My line of thought stopped as it felt like all my blood rushed to my cheeks.

"C-Cookie!" Clover exclaimed, with a blush that might've rivaled my own.

Pansy chuckled softly, but didn't comment.

"Oh pipe down." Cookie replied. "I ain't judging. Besides, it's perfectly natural ta want ta be with somepony."

Perfectly... Natural?

Was that why I wanted to return Summer Glow's affections? Why I wanted to wrap myself around Clo-

Nope, no way that was natural. Forgetting that thought.

"So um... Sword?" I asked, sounding stupid to even my own ears.

Cookie and Pansy shared a knowing look.

Clover was still blushing furiously. She tried to say something but she must've also been flustered because her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

"Yeah, we got room for you." Cookie smirked.

EXTREMELY GAY AUTISTIC HORSE NOISES