Steel Skin awoke the next day at around five o’clock in the morning to be on time to report to Captain White Mane. He tried as best he could to fully wake himself up so that he could be alert for the five-mile trip. He had only lived on the farm for almost a year, but he was used to waking up early for work on the farm but not this early.

Steel Skin searched his uncle’s room for Heavy Hoof, but he was nowhere to be found. Steel Skin stopped and turned his head towards the door of the room and mildly shouted “Uncle, where are you?”

“In here Steel!” Heavy Hoof called from what sounded like the kitchen.

Steel Skin made his way to the kitchen to find Heavy Hoof setting the small circular wooden table for the two of them. Once he was done, he started moving back towards the kitchen. “Uncle, you don’t usually get up this early to make breakfast.” Said Steel Skin with a surprised look.

Heavy Hoof was stirring the carrot stew when he turned his head towards Steel Skin’s to say…“Well my nephew doesn’t usually go away to a mountain to train for many years so I thought I’d like to enjoy our last breakfast together for a while.”

Steel Skin looked at the ground with a sad face. He felt bad for leaving his uncle, even though he knew that he would accept any decision that Steel Skin made as long as he was sure that it was what he wanted.

“You know that I’m not upset with you Steel. Remember it’s your life so you do what you feel you have too. I have a lot of regrets in my life; I don’t what you to have regrets.” Heavy Hoof and Steel Skin both sat down at the table. Heavy Hoof placed a lantern on the table and tried to light it, but it would not catch.
“Something wrong uncle?” Steel Skin asked.

“No, it’s just this lantern has been giving me problems for the past few days now, it’s probably best I get a new one” Heavy Hoof replied. After a few tries Heavy Hoof finally managed to light the lantern and they began to eat. Heavy Hoof continued the conversation before it was interrupted by the lantern “One of those regrets was not marring your aunt Beatrice, she was a wonderful mare. She was the best cook in all of New Canterton. She belonged in the kitchen, as do all mares!” Heavy Hoof said jokingly.

They both busted out laughing for several seconds until the memories started to flow back into Heavy Hoof’s mind, then the two settled down and continued to eat.

Heavy Hoof had met Beatrice one day while out gathering supplies from the town square. They fell madly in love, but neither one of them could afford to pay for a wedding. They lived together in Heavy Hoof’s farm for seventeen years, until one day Beatrice grew very ill. Heavy Hoof worked to the bone to pay a doctor to treat Beatrice, but by the time they got to the hospital it was too late she passed away in the carriage outside the hospital. It had been four years since that day but Heavy Hoof still had a horrifyingly clear memory of it. He was twenty-one when he first met her and is now forty-two.

Steel Skin was very young when he met Beatrice but remembers that she was a good pony and that she always treated him well whenever he came to visit them.

“One day you will find a lucky mare and you two will have the most amazing wedding. I promise you that Steel, if it takes me the rest of my life to help pay for it then that’s what I’ll do. You remember that now.” Heavy Hoof had a sound of confidence in his voice

Steel Skin looked at his uncle and proudly said…“Yes uncle I will, but you needn’t worry because once I become a royal guard for the princess like I plan then you will never need to work another day in your life I will hire plenty of workers for you, even maids to pamper you and make sure you never have to lift a hoof.”

Heavy Hoof looked at Steel Skin with a sad smile “You’re a good boy Steel, your parents would be proud, your father especially. He would be happy to know that you are following in his footsteps, but hopefully not to the same place as him.”

Steel Skin’s father, Coal, was an elite royal guard for Princess Celestia. He married Steel Skin’s mother, Silver String, who was one of the princesses’ advisors. They met one day, about ten years after Heavy Hoof met Beatrice, while Coal was on duty in the palace and Silver String, was looking for the princess to bring her news of her daily duties. Whenever Coal was off duty he would bring her flowers and a love letter. One day he sent her a letter asking her to marry him, and she said yes.

They were married for only three years when they had Steel Skin. Unfortunately Steel Skin’s mother died during his birth leaving only Coal to raise his son. It would be another four years before Coal would be called to do his duty at the battle of Fort Hoof, and die in battle. This was another heartache that Heavy Hoof had to deal with for it was only four weeks earlier his beloved Beatrice had passed.

When the meal was over Steel Skin gathered his things and placed them by the door. Steel Skin turned around and said to his uncle “Uncle thank you for all you have given me, I really appreciate it. As soon as I finish my training I will grow wings like a Pegasus and fly over here as fast as possible.”

Heavy Hoof smiled and said “And I will be waiting for you with a plow and a hoe.”

“I hope not in that order, I prefer the ho first!” Replied Steel Skin. They both shared a good laugh on last time before Steel Skin grabbed his things and proceeded to walk out the door when Heavy Hoof stopped him. “Before you go, there’s something I want you to have.”

Heavy Hoof turned around and when to his room, leaving Steel Skin still waiting at the door. He returned with something in his teeth, it was a short sword. Heavy Hoof placed its sheath around Steel Skin’s waist then took the blade and handed it to Steel Skin.

While Steel Skin inspected the sword Heavy Hoof explained, “This was your father’s personal short sword. He never went anywhere without it. Some how I think he knew how things would end at Fort Hoof, so he gave it to me to give to you when the occasion arose. I can’t think of a better time to give it to you.”

Steel Skin placed it back into it’s sheath and they both gave each other one last silent goodbye and Steel Skin walked out the barn door, for the last time.

It was still dark outside by the time Steel Skin was at the Ramping River, just three miles from the Captain’s camp. It was only five forty-five; he was making good time and had not run into any problems so far. He felt that he would be early to report to the general, “A good first impression” he thought to himself.

Steel Skin watched as the river quickly carried away a branch almost as big as him. He looked around and saw a way across. He made his way across the river on a tree that had fallen from a recent storm, and almost fell in, but caught himself at the last second. “That was too close.”

Steel Skin managed to go another mile without a hitch. Steel Skin’s hoofs pulsated with pain. He had never traveled so far alone by himself with no one to carry him he got tired. He threw any thoughts of doubt behind him and pressed on. He motivated himself by repeating phrases like “Almost there” “just gotta keep moving.” It was now six fifteen and the sky was in limbo between light and dark or twilight.

Steel Skin only needed to scale one more hill and he would be able to see the Captain’s camp in the distance. He was just about to be half way up when he heard the howl of a wolf just barely out of sight towards the right of Steel Skin.

Steel Skin knew that there were wolves in the area but had never had any problems with them. Then again he had never been this far from the farm alone before. He quickly drew his father’s sword and prepared for battle.

Steel Skin had fought plenty of times with bullies in St. Poniesburg, but he had never used a weapon before. He had only seen his father practice with it at the training grounds near their home in St. Poniesburge.

Steel Skin Stood completely still in his battle stance with his legs spread for balance and his body lowered for quick maneuvering. His eyes were scanning the tree line for movement, but there was none for the moment. Steel Skin slowly stared to move up the hill again his gaze fix on where he heard the sound come from.

He figured that the wolf must have gone in another direction, and turned around. Just as he did his face was met by the snarling snout of the wolf he had heard. Steel Skin stared into the wolfs eyes with an angry face and said “Aw, shit.”

Steel Skin quickly and almost instinctively jerked his head right, slashing the wolf in the face and causing it to rear back in pain. Steel Skin used this to jump back and put some distance between him and the wolf. When the wolf regained focus on Steel Skin it was furious. Steel Skin was just older then a colt and was not very strong so the slash he gave the wolf was only a flesh wound. The wolf charged Steel Skin with its mouth wide open, hoping to end the battle quickly by going for his jugular.

Steel Skin Saw this and positioned the blade to where it would strike the wolf before it got him, and closed his eyes waiting for the impact. When he expected the wolf to hit there was only a quick gust of wind and that was it. Steel Skin opened his eyes and saw that the wolf was rolling down the hill struggling to catch its balance. Steel skin look towards the top of the hill and saw two young ponies, about his age, a boy Pegasus and a girl unicorn, twins from the looks of them. They both had white coats that were almost brown with dirt and dark blue manes.

Steel Skin looked back down to confirm if the wolf was either crippled or leaving. He was wrong about both. The wolf was even angrier and was charging full speed at Steel Skin. He drew his sword one more time to finish off the beast, but the shouts of the ponies screaming, “MOVE!” caught his attention and he jumped just in time to dodge a huge bolder speeding down the hill.

Steel Skin turned his head round and caught a glimpse of the bolder crushing the wolf with a sickening crack as its bones broke one after another in a span of about two seconds. The bolder rolled down the hill with the remains of the wolf and they both disappeared into the forest. Steel Skin got up and started to gallop up the hill to meet the ponies that had, more then likely, saved his life.

When he got to the top of the hill he thanked the two ponies and introduced himself. The Pegasus pony responded with “Your welcome dude, I’m Sky Splitter and this is my sister Enchanta.” Steel Skin hoof bumped Sky Splitter and reached out to do the same with Enchanta but she just shyly looked away.

Steel Skin was confused and looked back a Sky Splitter. Sky Splitter motioned Steel Skin over and whispered, “She’s kinda shy around new people, but she’s really nice.”

“That’s ok” Steel Skin said with a reassuring voice and asked where they were from. He had never seen them before, even around the city.

Sky Splitter said with an embarrassed look, “We’re from the brown quarter.”

Steel Skin had heard of the brown quarter. It was where all the poor ponies that had nothing lived, if you could call it living, and crime and disease ran rampant there. They were more than likely orphans, but Steel Skin didn’t ask to avoid offending them.

Once the introductions were done the two ponies asked Steel Skin if he was on his way to report to Captain White Mane at seven. Steel Skin was surprised at first, but then remembered that the Captain said that they were looking for new recruits. “Yes actually I guess you two were on your way as well?” Steel Skin asked.

“Yah it’s just over this hill, we don’t have a lot of time left so we should get moving, wanna come?” Sky Splitter asked with a smile. Steel Skin definitely didn’t want to travel alone anymore and they did save his live.

“Sure, I’ll tag along.” Sky Splitter flew up in the air with a “YAY” and did a loop before returning back to the ground with joy. Steel Skin caught a glimpse of Enchanta smiling, which quickly turned back into an embarrassed frown after she turned her head. When Steel Skin noticed she was blushing he quickly looked away as if he didn’t notice.

Steel Skin had just met these ponies, but he knew that they were all going to be great friends. He started to wonder what his next adventure would be when he saw the Captain again at the camp, and then they all trotted down the hill towards the camp.