Autumn and Winter passed uneventfully. The rationing of food was strict, but everypony agreed it was nessessary. Even more so, as Ponies came from the North by the hundreds. The Village, it didn't have a name yet, didn't so much as grow, as explode into a full city. The only saving grace, was the stash of food the war camps had was meant to feed thousands of now dead soldiers.

Starswirl kept watch on Tia and I. He'd ask about ourselves. About our magical ability.

He was surprised to learn Tia barely had been taught the basics.

With that revelation, he took it upon himself to give us both a 'proper education'.

He said it was because 'it wasn't right that two Duchess' of the realm didn't know how to properly cast spells. I was pretty certain he just didn't want Tia's potential to go to waste. He definitely didn't like teaching me, but if it was because I kept getting into situations that required his help to get out of, or if I just didn't learn as much as Tia, I didn't know.

Whenever I had a problem, he'd look at my work, shake his head, and then ask "By the stars how did you do that?!"

By evening, Tia and I took lessons from the old stallion, honing our spell craft. However I split my time between the magic lessons and practicing with the Unicornian sword. Of my Pegasoplian spear, I think it had been given to somepony else the night of the Windegos when scavengers found it, because I never saw it again. Regardless, I had quite a few sparring partners to learn how to properly use the sword from.

By day, Tia ran the city as unoffical Mayor, and I worked at the newly build Blacksmithery working metal for whatever was needed. Nails, plows, pitchforks, wood axes, and mattocks, all were made and sharpened by my hoof. My anvil joined the choir of pounded metal as other displaced blacksmiths from the North did the same thing I did. I worked with Master Brickwork, Flame Etch, and Ironplate again, this time as fellow journeyponies. Despite the cold Winter outside, it wasn't unusual to be drenched in sweat while inside the workshop.

To save on firewood, Ponies would gather in crowds outside the door, which was kept open.

We were ultimately the ones responsible for feeding the City's construction efforts. Lumberjacks used our newly made axes to fell trees, which were turned into firewood or used to construct buildings. Which also used the nails we made. The farming equipment however, were only made when there was time. They weren't needed immediately, but everypony knew they would be desperately needed come Springtime.

With each hammer blow, the City grew.

We didn't melt down any of the weapons or armor left behind by the three armies. Those were sequestered away in a sturdy warehouse. Safe, and out of the weather. Instead, our ore came from a few enterprising Ponies who had found a ravine nearby, in which a vein of iron ore was found.

Ponies were busy at all hours of the day. Earth Ponies made sturdy homes for all to live in, Pegasi kept most of the snow away, and the Unicorns kept the fires lit.

Eventually however, the hock deep snow melted Moons earlier than I was used to. In March and April to my astonishment. As the weather finally rose above freezing, the farmers were out in the area of the forest we had cut down. Stumps were pulled up with teams of Unicorns and Earth Ponies both, who ever could provide the strength to pull up the thick stumps as wide as a Pony was long. To speed things along, Unicorns worked to melt the snow faster with conjured heat, while Earth Ponies dragged plows across the cleared land, wherein Pegasi would swoop over the newly plowed field, and sprinkle bags of seeds en masse.

Spring had finally come.

The sturm and drang of work in the City came to a screeching halt when a familiar Pegasus half crashed half landed in the roof of a family's home.

"Hurricane!" Tia exclaimed as she rushed towards where the Pegasus was clearly seeing stars.

I followed close behind Tia. We had been sharing a lunch of young grass, barely green, when we heard the crash.

"Somepony find that house... Drunken bucker jumped in front of me... Think it landed over there." she pointed.

I rolled my eyes as another Pony whose name I didn't know pulled the mare out of the indented roof.

"I think she hit her head..." the Pony informed.

Hurricane shook her head and seemed to sober up.

"Guh... I'm too old to try tackling buildings anymore..." she groaned. "Is a Pony by the name of Celestia nearby? I've got urgent business with her."

"Hurricane! I'm here! I was nearby!" Tia spoke up.

"Oh... Cool that makes my job easy." Hurricane said, still slightly dazed.

Cool? What did she mean by that? What was cold?

"Uh..." Tia asked, equally confused. "What was it you had to say then?"

"Was Court Martialed, was scheduled for execution for treason, escaped." Hurricane slurred.

"Then... Then..." Tia started to gasp.

"Then we have a problem." I finished.

Tia's usual band of dependable Ponies had gathered in our home, all sitting at the simple wooden table. Tia was at the head, while I sat against the wall, more as a witness than actual participant.

Several Ponies were arguing amongst themselves.

"What are we supposed to do?! It's not like we can just walk up to Pegasoplis and demand that they join, we'll be flooded away before even a 'How do you do'." Split Decision argued.

"What I'm concerned about is if they all refused... We haven't heard from any of them all Winter." Plowshare added.

"It's never a good idea to travel while it's cold. Too much can go wrong. There's a reason Ponies only travel during the Summer Moons." argued Quick Wind.

"Ok ok ok!" Tia interrupted, cutting everypony off. "We can't argue about the why, we have to figure out the what to do in response."

"We can't really do anything without knowing who's with us or against us!" Shelled Seed spoke up.

"Alright, now we're getting somewhere. Step 1, find out the state of the tribes." Tia announced. "Everypony can agree to that right?"

"I don't disagree, but what we do with that information? We don't have an army to challenge any of them with." Plowshare replied.

Tia chewed her lip in thought.

"How many Ponies do we have?" she asked.

"About 22,000." Timber Sprout informed. "Give or take."

"That's got to be a lot from every tribe..." she thought out loud.

"As it warms up, we won't have as many jobs that need doing." Shelled Seed added. "It'll be easier to forage for larger amounts of food, and we won't be cutting as much fire wood."

"You aren't seriously considering raising an army?" Split Decision asked. "I thought the whole point of this unified tribe business was to stop waging war."

"I don't think we have an alternative." Tia remarked. "We know at least Pegasopolis is against us. That means we need to at least consider the possibility of being raided."

"With all the tools fer farming made, we can focus all the metal ore they've dug up towards forging armor and spears." Master Brickwork grunted. "At least get a start with the equipment fer when we need it."

Tia tapped a hoof on the table in thought.

"... Sun and Stars I wish I knew what the other two tribes are doing..." she spoke to nopony in particular.

The (former) Commander Hurricane chose that moment to kick the front door open.

"Hold everything!" storm blue mare slurred, still slightly dazed.

"Hurricane, you need to lay down." Tia admonished.

"Nawww." Hurricane waved off. "I got more news."

"You do?!" Tia exclaimed. "Please! Anything you can give us about the North!"

"Puddinghead's ok, but she's dealing with the Earthbreaker Order, Platinum was also locked up, but she ain't about to be executed because she's royalty, so she's safe." Hurricane explained.

"How do you know this? I thought Pegasi didn't deal with land news?" I spoke up.

Quick Wind, whom, other than Tia, I happened to be closest to, jumped in surprise.

"Somepony put a bell on her!" she exclaimed, pointing at me.

I rolled my eyes.

It was her fault for forgetting I was here.

"Oh we don't, not directly anyway." Hurricane replied.

"What are you talking about?" Split Decision asked the mare.

"Scout corps." Hurricane explained simply. "We send lone scouts on regular routes all over the continent. Helps keep the higher ups in Pegasopolis informed about what's going on ground side."

"Why would a disgraced Commander, facing execution, be told that information?" Master Brickwork narrowed his eyes.

"Wasn't arrested until day before last." Hurricane shrugged. "They finally got sick of my shit and threw me in a cell. Escaped as they lead me to the edge."

"You flew all the way down here in a single day?!" I asked loudly.

"Naw." Hurricane slurred. "Flew all the way down here since sunrise."

"Sunri-?!" I started to exclaim.

"Wait a moment! The... Edge?" Split Decision interrupted.

"Yeah, to tie or clip my wings and toss me over." Hurricane said casually. "Why bother with a hanging or beheading when a long drop will do?"

"... I'm glad I can't walk on clouds." Split remarked.

"Eh, it's not too bad." Hurricane shrugged. "I mean really, what's worse? A long drop or dangling from a rope unable to breath for a few minutes?"

"We're getting off topic." Tia interrupted. "Are you sure? Puddinghead is with us but Platinum is imprisoned?"

"Certain. The Clans are in a stand off, and the Crown is practically trumpeting to anyone with ears about how 'the mud Ponies and birds' were lesser Ponies because they resort to lies." Hurricane nodded.

"Thank you Com- Hurricane." Tia nodded gratefully. "Now could you please go lay down? You're still a bit dazed."

"Bitchin'." Hurricane grinned as she turned, tumbling as she lost her balance.

What the-? Did she just call Tia a bitch? What were all of these strange phrases coming out of Hurricane?

"I'm ok!" Hurricane exclaimed, leaning on a wall as she pushed herself straight.

Or maybe she just hit her head harder than any of us thought.

"Split, could you go make sure she gets to the infirmary?" Tia asked. "I'll catch you up with anything you miss later."

"Of course." Split nodded. "Come Commander, er... Former Commander Hurricane."

"Naw. They can Court Martial me, but they can't stop me from calling myself ComANd-er..." she choked on the word and froze for a second. "Well what'd y'know..."

"Split?" Tia asked.

"Right." Split picked up the smaller, but more muscled mare and opened the front door way.

"They don't own the name! I can call myself whatever I want!" Hurricane ranted as the door closed behind the pair.

"Ok." Tia sighed in relief. "Now that she's taken care of... Do we have any qualms with the army idea now? It sounds like even the only tribe on our side is having problems with rebels."

"If what she said is true." Plowshare remarked.

"It's the only way. We can send messengers to Puddinghead to confirm, but we need the army anyway when Pegasopolis decides to be a nuisance."

"You're acting as if anypony can lead an army!" Shelled Seed argued. "You can't take anypony and expect them to be a General!"

I rolled my eyes, it was obvious Tia was considering me as General, but I didn't blame the stallion. He had arrived after the Windegos, so he hadn't seen me lead the defenders against them.

"Good thing I know just the Pony." Tia beamed. "Lu? Are you willing to pick up that sword again?"

"I am." I nodded.

"Then I appoint you as General of the- What are we calling the town again? I'm still a bit unclear on that..." Tia admitted sheepishly.

"I think Unity is the popular choice right now." Timber chimed in.

"Commander of the Unity Army?" Tia asked, looking as if she had bitten something sour. "That doesn't sound quite right..."

"We'll work on it." Plowshare shrugged. "Nothing's quite official yet anyway."

"Right..." Tia sighed. "Uh... Luna, I appoint you General of... The Army of Unity-?" she trailed off again. "No still not liking it..."

"I understand Tia." I laughed. "I don't care what you call it."

"Then as my first militant order, I order you to bring the North under control." Tia stated formally.

"I understand." I nodded.

"I don't make this decision lightly or because of nepotism." Tia looked around the table. "I can think of nopony I trust more to fight for our cause. Luna? Do you have anything to add?"

Tia stepped aside, and allowed me her place at the table.

"Uh..." I began nervously.

You've done this before Luna. And Tia believes you can do this. You can do this!

"For my first order of business as General, I want word spread across the city. I'll take anypony who wishes to volunteer."

Here! We! Goooooooo!

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