War Heart awoke in his bed, like usual he woke in a cold sweat. The dreams haunting him almost every night. He rubbed his eyes and looked out the window to see the morning sun. He sat there in his room, still thinking what he had done during his time in Unex. He had flashbacks of those time, often violent ones, or faces of those he had murdered. For the most part he tried to ignore it, tried to move on. The main reason being that he didn’t want Dash to worry about him. War Heart still thought he was supposed to set an example for everypony, he wanted to be strong for them. It was very taxing on his mind, still remembering DeadBeast calling him by that title, “Monster…”, War Heart said to himself as he sat on the side of his bed, stranded on an island of his own thoughts. He looked to his bedside table, a half bottle of honey wine sitting there, open from last night. He took it and drank from it, letting the alcoholic beverage dull his mind and senses, if only slightly, due to his high threshold for such poison. He rested the bottle at it’s original spot on his bedside table. He got off the bed and walked into his shield hall. He inhaled deeply, his eyes closed. There was a total silence in the room, he exhaled in a melancholic sigh. He moved himself to his cabinet, opening it and examining its contents, eyeing an apple and taking it. He bit into the red fruit, not paying much attention to its sweet flavour, but more consuming it because he had to eat it to fill himself. It has been several months since he returned to Equestria, things have returned to the Equestrian norm. War Heart threw the core away and sat at his throne-like chair at the end of his dining table, taking a moment to brood. He didn’t have much time for peace since there was a knock at the door. He rose from his chair and trudged to the door. His eyes widened upon seeing Princess Celestia standing there on the other side of the door, “Your Majesty?”, War Heart was baffled at this surprise visit.

The princess had a serious look on her face as she stepped in, “War Heart, we need to talk.”, she told him in a foreboding tone.

“About…?”, War Heart asked in suspicion.

Celestia turned to him, “About what happened on your journey…”

“Why?”

“I need to know what you saw. Now tell me.”, she ordered him.

War Heart looked at the ground, closing his eyes tightly as a headache flared up, then opening them and looking Celestia in the eye, “No… I won’t talk about it, I just want to move on, it’s over…”

Celestia rose her eyebrow, “Are you disobeying a direct order from your Princess?”

“I’m not doing anything wrong, I just want to forget this whole mess. I want to settle down, I want to live…”

“What if I told you that Equestria is still in danger?”

War Heart put on a look of surprise, “What do you mean?”

“So long as you have knowledge of such a place, their ideas, their customs, it will lead to the ruin of Equestria’s order.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m sure you wouldn’t want anypony to get hurt because of what you know, would you?”, Celestia’s tone turned to one of aggression and intimidation.

“I wasn’t going to tell anypony in the first place! I didn’t like living in that world, I don’t want to bring it here either!”

There was a pause for a few moments before Celestia spoke again, “I’ll remember this, if you speak of what happened, there will be consequences.”, Celestia spoke as she walked out the door, closing it behind her.

War Heart walked back into his room, the memories of Unex now fresh in his mind. He grabbed the bottle of Mead and gulped the rest down. He put the bottle back down. He was beginning to get drowsy, “I need some air…”, he walked outside, basking in the sunlight. He shook his head and took flight, “Maybe spending some time with Dash will help get my mind off things…”, he said to himself as he flew sloppily, now being impaired from the effects of the alcohol. He started to feel drowsy about half way to Cloudsdale, forcing him to land. He rested on the side of mountain. He walked over to a tree and collapsed, falling asleep under the tree.

He awoke later at night, with a pulsing headache. He looked to the sky to see stars dotting the blackness that was space. He stood up and kept flying towards Cloudsdale. He arrived there to see everypony was asleep. He flew up to Dash’s door, slowly opening it and checking if she was home, “Hello, Dash, You there?”, he called out, but received no reply, “Maybe she’s out at a slumber party or something…”, he wondered as he entered the house, hovering since he was (strangely) unable to walk on clouds like all the other Pegasi. He hovered over to a nearby desk, a book there that looked rather plain except for the word scribbled on the cover, “Diary… What the fir does that mean?”, he asked himself, not knowing of such things. He decided to ignore it, he looked around some more, not finding anything of real interest. He flew out the door, closing it behind him. He flew out of Cloudsdale, “I wonder where she went to…”, he spoke to himself in mid-flight. He decided he might as well just return home and try to sleep so he wouldn’t end up sleeping all day tomorrow, in case Dash wanted to do something. He arrived at his home, he opened the door and walked in to see Dash, Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Twilight all just conversing with each other. War Heart froze as he entered, raising his eyebrow in silence and confusion.

Applejack looked towards the doorway to see the large black stallion, “Oh… uh… Surprise…”, she said with a nervous smile.

War Heart stood there, not quite understanding what was going on, “What… are you doing here?”, he spoke to them collectively.

Dash walked over to him, “Well, we didn’t know your birthday, so we were going to celebrate the day you arrived in Ponyville… We were going to surprise you but… you weren’t home…”, Dash said with the same nervous smile as Applejack.

“Yeah, I fell asleep while I was going to visit you.”, he scratched the back of his head.

“Are you okay?”, Dash asked in concern.

“Just had a rough time today…”

“Is it the dreams again…? You smell like mead…”, she commented.

“It’s a bit o’ the dreams, a bit of… I don’t know…”

“Well, try to have fun, it is your party after all.”, Dash smiled and looked in his eyes.

War Heart smiled back and nodded, “Yeah, I guess I should let loose a bit.”, he said as he walked over to his stash under his bed, bringing out another bottle of mead. Dash and the others were standing at the doorway, all staring at him with narrowed eyes. War Heart had a confused look as they all entered the room, “Ummm… What’s going on?”

“Get him!”, Dash yelled as they all pounced on him, overpowering him with the element of surprise, Applejack tying him up.

“What the fir is going on!?”, War Heart said as he struggled to break the ropes.

Twilight walked over to him, looking down on him, “It’s an intervention, you are drinking too much of that stuff. We’re taking it away from you. We’re worried you may do something you’ll regret if you keep this up…”

War Heart sighed, “Fine… I’ll stop drinking it…”

Twilight looked at the others, “We actually thought that was going to be a lot more difficult.”, the other mares all shrugged.

War Heart just laid there watching the mares take all his mead and dispose of it by taking it far away, probably.

After a while they rid the house of all the mead, War Heart was untied and free to walk about again, “You know you could have just asked me to stop…”, War Heart said in an irritated tone.

Twilight spoke up, “Sorry, I honestly thought you’d be a little more… Hard-headed about it…”

Dash spoke next, “Yeah, we were just worried about you.”, she looked to him and smiled, somewhat embarrassed.

War Heart approached Rainbow Dash, kissing her on the cheek, “I should have figured you would be looking out for me…”, he said with a smile.

There was a silence, until Pinkie burst it, “Now that that is over with, Lets Party!”, she shouted with enthusiasm as she brought out her party cannon and blasted confetti, balloons, and other party necessities into the shield hall.

The ponies walked into the room and started having a grand time throughout the evening. Hours later it was midnight, almost all the mares had left for home, all but one.

War Heart was cleaning up the garbage leftover from the party, “That was rather fun, I needed that…”, he looked around to notice Dash was missing. He stopped what he was doing and walked into his room, to find Dash lying there on the bed, staring at him in a sultry manner, motioning him to approach her. He walked into the room, closing the door behind him.

Over the next few weeks, War Heart’s dreams and flashbacks grew more frequent, he slept less and less each week. He felt weaker, slower, not as aware. Without the alcohol the dreams were also more vivid. He would often end up recalling those he had killed in the frenzy of the dragon blood, only feeling remorse, and sorrow for what he was. There were times that he would not leave his house for days at a time, only coming out when Dash came to him and forced him to leave the house.

War Heart walked into the shield hall, taking account of what he had left in his cabinet. He took note he was almost out of maple syrup, even though he didn’t partake in eating pancakes very often. He sighed, “Looks like I have to go home for some more…”, he told himself as he started loading up his saddlebags for the trip. He was interrupted by a knock at the door, “It’s open!”, he shouted to the door, hearing it creak open after.

“What are you doing?”, a familiar voice asked from behind him.

“I’m going home, I need to get some things.”, War Heart explained as he turned to Dash who had entered the room.

“How long will you be gone?”

“Two weeks, maybe more if I end up staying for a while.”

Dash looked at the floor, feeling a bit down at the fact she won’t see him for so long.

“You can come if you want, just dress warm, it’s very cold.”

Dash’s eyes lit up, “Okay, I’ll go home and grab my stuff!”, she said excitedly as she galloped out the door and flew home.

War Heart waited outside his cabin for her, thinking what his parents will say after being away for so long. He looked to the sky to see Dash on her way back to him, saddlebags and a scarf on her, “I’m back, we ready to go?”, she asked, excited to see what Caneighda was like.

“Yeah, let’s get moving then.”, He said as he took off to the northeast, Dash flying beside him. They soared over plains and mountains, the air become colder hour by hour as they headed north.

Dash’s teeth started chattering from the cold, she was having a hard time adjusting to it while flying, where the air in the sky is colder.

War Heart descended to the path below, Dash following him. Upon landing he motioned for her to come to him. She did so, and found herself at his side, his wing wrapped around her, “We walk from here…”, he told her before stepping forward.

Dash nodded, shivering from the low temperatures of northern Equestria. War Heart’s body heat kept her from freezing.

They marched on for two days, resting under the natural canopies of the evergreen trees of Caneighda so they didn’t sleep in the banks of snow. Dash was still not adjusting to the cold of Caneighda, shivering unless she was right against War Heart’s side.

“Well, how’s it goin’ there, eh?”, a familiar Caneighdian accent from a familiar voice called to War Heart.

“Jean Luc, good to see you.”, War Heart replied to his old friend. He put out his front hoof, Jean Luc tapping it with his own hoof, creating a clack noise on impact.

The moose looked down at Dash, towering over her, “How’s it goin’, eh? You one of those Peggy-sauce, things too, eh?”

War Heart spoke up, “Yes, she is. I was running out of syrup, came back to get some, probably see the parents while I’m at it.”

The moose nodded, “Sounds like a good time, eh? I gotta go do some stuff, seeya later, eh?”, he said as he walked away into the forest.

“What was that?”, Dash asked War Heart.

“He is a moose, the native ones around here, my family are the only ponies up here.”, War Heart explained as he kept walking.

“I wonder why…”, she said jestingly with a smirk.

They approached the large log cabin, “I have to warn you, my sister is a bit… touchy…”

“You have a sister?”

“Yes. An older sister. Her name is Sweet Heart.”

“I’m a bit nervous about this…”

“Don’t be, they’re friendly ponies.”, he said as they walked up to the door. He knocked in the door with his hoof.

“Coming!”, a very enthusiastic voice shouted from the other side of the door. The door opened and revealed a Pegasus mare with a light grey coat, freckles on her face, and a dark purple flowing mane, “War Heart!”, she screamed as she tackled him in a hug, War Heart not even flinching. She released him and looked at the mare next to him, “Who is this?”

“This is Rainbow Dash, my mare friend.”

“Oh my gosh, my little brother is growing up!”, she covered her mouth with her hooves.

War Heart covered his face with his hoof.

“I’m Sweet Heart, would you like some butterscotch?”, she asked Dash excitedly.

“Ummm… Sure?”, Dash said hesitantly, being grabbed by Sweet Heart and dragged to the kitchen immediately after finishing her sentence.

War Heart looked around the living room of his old home, remembering his childhood, smiling slightly.

A mare with a dark purple coat and a mane of hot pink and plum colours entered the room, “Looks like the hero finally returns home.”, she said with a smile. She approached War Heart and hugged him.

“I came back for some syrup, I was running out.”

“It sounded like you brought somepony with you, where are they?”

War Heart shifted to the side, staring at the door to the kitchen.

The mare looked to the door, then rolled her eyes, “Oh, that filly is just so friendly and free with her candy. She was considering moving south to open a shop down there.”

War Heart shrugged, “I don’t know, they seem to like our syrup well enough.”

“Question is, who wouldn’t like it?”, the mare chuckled as she headed to the kitchen.

War Heart followed her to the kitchen, entering through the swinging door after her.

“Mom! This is Rainbow Dash, War Heart’s Mare friend!”, Sweet heart said giggling.

Dash blushed a bit, “Hello…”

“Hello, I’m Wild Heart, War Heart’s mother.”

“Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Heart.”

“How are you adjusting to the north temperatures?”

“It’s very cold outside, I don’t know how anypony can stand it.”

“Well, our family is very tough, War Heart was the only one to become emotionally cold, he was never the one to partake in hugs or other things.”

War Heart rolled his eyes, “It just feels uncomfortable…”

“Even when he was just a young colt, he would go outside and stand there in the snow without anypony out there to help him keep warm. More than a few times did he catch a cold from pulling that stunt.”, Wild Heart shook her head and smiled.

“I don’t see why you don’t just have a winter wrap up around here.”, Dash said.

“A what?”, Wild Heart asked in confusion.

War Heart spoke up, “In Ponyville, the Pegasi and all the other ponies melt the snow and change the weather.”

“Odd, might explain why it’s always cold, but the wildlife around here is used to it.”

“I guess so…”, Dash said as she took another piece of butterscotch and put it in her mouth.

The front door opened and closed, all the ponies in the room looked towards the kitchen door to see a large stallion Pegasus with grey coat and black mane and tail as well as a black beard. He wore a plaid sweater.

“I see you’ve returned, War.”

“Yes, a lot has happened since I left.”

“I heard you were declared a hero.”

“He also has a mare friend, Dad!”, Sweet Heart shouted.

He rose his eyebrow, “Really now?”, he leaned over, looking behind War Heart to see Dash. He smiled, “We should drink to celebrate!”, he cheered.

“I can’t, I stopped drinking.”, War Heart told his father.

“What? Why?”

“It was getting to be that it changed me… I promised my friends that I’d stop.”

“Very well…”, his father thought for a moment, “Why are you here?”

“Well, I ran out of syrup, they don’t have any maple trees down there.”

“Hmm… maybe I’ll send some saplings with you, grow your own trees and make your own syrup.”, his father suggested.

“That could work.”, War Heart replied nodding.

“Alright, I’ll load up the wagon with some bottles of syrup and saplings, then you can leave tomorrow. You and your mare friend can stay in your old room.”

“Okay.”

War Heart’s father left the room and went back outside. All went quite for a few seconds before Sweet Heart spoke up.

“So, Dash, you think they could use a candy shop in Ponyville?”

“Ummm… I don’t know, but everypony usually goes down to Sugar Cube Corner, it’s a bakery.”

“But you ponies don’t have any butterscotch, do you?”

“I don’t think so…?”, Dash replied hesitantly, not really sure if she was right.

War Heart yawned, “I’m feeling kind of tired, I’ll be in my room.”, he said as he left the kitchen. He walked into his room and collapsed on the bed, the weeks of losing sleep finally catching up to him. He eyes closed and he drifted back into the dreamlands.

“I’ve never seen him go to bed so early…”, Wild Heart commented.

“He’s been losing sleep a lot lately, he won’t say why, but I think he’s been having nightmares.”, Dash explained.

“Poor War Heart…”, Sweet Heart replied in concern for her younger brother, having no clue what he’s been through.

“It might be something to do with the fact that he disappeared a while ago, he only came back to Ponyville recently.”

“Really?”, Sweet Heart asked.

Dash nodded in reply.

“I’m sure he’ll be better in no time, he’s always been strong at heart.”, Wild Heart told them.

The mares proceeded to make small talk throughout most of the day, Dash eventually feeling tired herself and retiring to War Heart’s room to fall asleep with him.

“I like her, she’s a nice pony.”, Sweet Heart commented while making more candy with her mother.

“Yes, she seems to care about War Heart a lot too. He seems to have many friends that care for him, maybe it was best that he went out into the world.”

“Can I go with them to Ponyville?”, Sweet Heart asked, somewhat excited to see the warm climates and all the other ponies again.

“I don’t see any reason you can’t go.”, Wild Heart replied with her usual smile.

“Yay!”, Sweet Heart said, bouncing up and down excitedly. She bounced out of the kitchen and went to her room to pack up.

That night, War Heart was having another nightmare. He woke in the morning in a panic, not waking Dash this time. He covered his face with his hoof, “Again… Almost every night…”, he said to himself. He looked out the window to see the dawn arrive. He got out of bed and walked into the kitchen to see Sweet Heart making pancakes.

“Hi, War Heart!”, she said in an excited tone, putting down a plate of pancakes for him, “How was your sleep?”

“Could’ve been better…”, he said rubbing the back of his head. He slowly picked at the pancakes, not feeling too hungry.

War Heart’s father walked into the kitchen, just waking up himself, “I guess you’ll be leaving soon.”

“Yeah…”, War Heart replied unenergetically.

“One of those nights?”

“You could say that…”

War Heart’s father sat down at the table, Sweet Heart put down another plate of pancakes. He started eating them.

War Heart pushed his plate away from him, “I’m not very hungry…”, he said as he left the kitchen and walked outside. War Heart stood outside in the frozen air of his home, brooding on his dreams once more.

Dash awoke an hour after War Heart, noticing she was alone in the room she walked into the kitchen to find Wild Heart cleaning up.

“Oh, you’re awake! Come here, I want you to have something.”, she motioned for Dash to come to her.

Dash approached, curious about what she was talking about.

Wild Heart put a small jewellery box on the table and smiled at Dash, “War Heart’s grand mother gave me this when his father brought me to see his parents. It’s the symbol of their family line.”

Dash looked inside that box to see a wooden carving of a heart, polished and shining.

“It’s carved from an evergreen tree, a symbol to show that even in the coldest of times, love will not wither. I’m giving this to you as a way of saying, ‘Welcome to the family.’”, Wild Heart wrapped her front legs around Dash in embrace.

Dash felt something she wasn’t familiar with. She had not had an actual family that embraced her like this. She felt she was a part of something bigger than just her and War Heart. She now felt like she had another home to go to now, and for that one moment she felt happier than she thought she could. She hugged Wild Heart back as tears welled up in her eyes, “Thank you…”, she whispered before letting go.

“You’ll always be welcome here, Dash. Now you better head outside, War Heart and Sweet Heart are waiting.”, she said as she returned to cleaning.

Dash took the jewellery box off the table and left the room, putting it in her saddlebags. She put on her bags and scarf and headed outside where War Heart was loading up a large wagon.

Sweet Heart looked in Dash’s direction, “She’s up! She’s up! Let’s go!”, she shouted ecstatically.

War Heart walked over to Dash, “It seems that Sweet Heart is moving to Ponyville…”

“Yeah, she was talking about that last night.”, Dash replied.

War Heart sighed, “Oh this is going to be just dandy…”

“It’ll be fine, Pinkie will be excited.”

“Oh for Faust’s sake, those two will be out of control…”

Dash chuckled, “It’ll be interesting at least.”, Dash replied as she walked over to the wagon and got inside.

War Heart sighed once again, walking over to the wagon and strapping himself to the front, ready to pull it to Ponyville, “You two ready?”

Sweet Heart bounced up and down, “Mush!”

War Heart stood there glaring at her, then shook his head before he started pulling the cart. He only looked ahead towards the horizon, heading back towards his new home, wondering what future he has in store with Dash.