Night fell and Winter followed. A newborn shadow in a sea of darkness. Out the window, and over the walls, a pegasus flowed and tumbled. Her wings never spreading, even when falling distances that others of her race would have gasped at. She had her goal in mind. To reach the open window on the other side of the castle. To go unseen by the guards and servants. To steal the object of her desire. And to do so without ever relaying on the aid of her wings.
Some would question her sanity, for one must truly be insane to steal from the princesses. But she was not most. No, she was The Winter Thief, the greatest and sneakiest pony in all of Equestria. None could even hope to match her superb burglary skills.
But why was she going to steal this object in particular? And why would she not use her wings? It was simple, really. Winter had been challenged, and she was never one to pass up a challenge. Her contact, a rather shady unicorn, known only as “The Buyer” had given her this challenge with the promise of great riches. Not gold or bits, mind you, but something of even more value: a rare and extremely valuable brick of the finest Prance chocolate.
Winter ran atop the battlements of the inner walled courtyard, counting the guards below. Four, five, six, seven… where was eight? There are always eight, unless one is doing rounds…That sudden thought caused her to stop mid jump. Winter dropped like a stone and rolled into a nearby shadow. Just in time too, as the eighth guard came around the corner ahead of her not a second later. His path brought him within inches of her, but Winter wasn't worried. Her dark blue coat ensured that she would remain hidden, and the new moon cast insuficent light to reflect off her blond streaked dark blue mane. The guard continued on his path none the wiser, and The Winter Thief slid silently from her hiding place.
Her goal was in sight now. The open window stood across a narrow gap from the roof she now stood upon. Winter cautiously looked around for any observers, and then started sprinting across the roof. Just as she reached the edge of the roof, Winter leapt into the air, tucking her body into a graceful front flip and coming out in a roll on the interior castle tiles.
She had made it. Her mission was almost at a close. There in front of her on a pedestal was the treasure she had been sent to retrieve. A book, but not just any book, a gold inlaid diary belonging to the sun diarch herself.
Winter warily approached the pedestal. It towered over her, clearly designed for the use of an alicorn instead of a pegasus barley older than a filly. Winter stood up on her hind legs and ever so gently slid the golden diary off the pedestal, silently hoping that there were no weight sensors in the pedestal.
The book dropped off the pedestal into her hooves with a muffled thud. Winter tucked the book into one of her hidden pockets. Now that’s done, time to get my chocola-
CHRAAASSSHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
The doors to the room slammed open as a dozen guards rushed into the room, their leader bellowing at the top of his lungs “STOP THIEF!”
Winter grinned at the sudden appearance of guards. This made things MUCH more interesting.
Within a matter of minutes the entire castle was rather rudely awoken to the sounds of rampaging guards clashing through the halls with shouts of the guards perusing an adolescent filly.
“SHE’S OVER HERE!”
“I’VE GOT HER!”
“NO, YOU’VE GOT MY LEG, YOU DOLT!”
“SHE’S HEADED FOR THE ROYAL SUITE!”
Not one to feel left out, Winter added her voice to the cacophony. “YOU’LL NEVER CATCH ME! I AM THE GREATEST THIEF IN ALL EQUESTRIA!”
Winter was almost to safety. Her escape route of choice: an open window at the end of a long hall way. The guards were all behind here, struggling to keep up in their heavy armor. The window was fast approaching.
Winter launched herself out of the window, bellowing at the top of her lungs “I AM THE WINTER THIEF! AND I AM THE GREATEST THIEF IN EQUES-ooofff” Winter’s words were cut off as all her forward momentum suddenly vanished as she was held fast in the rock solid grasp of midnight blue magic.
Oh no. Oh this isn’t good at all. Winter was slowly turned around in the magical grasp. This is totally not fair! I was sooooo close! She was floated back to the window she had just vacated. Man, I am in so much trouble. She was now inside the window, and had a full view of all the guards and Princess Celestia. Maybe I can pretend I was sleep walking again… Winter paid no heed to any of them though. Her attention was solely placed on the Princess of the Night. I am never going to get that chocolate now. Luna stood staring at the young thief, her left eye slightly twitching. She quietly said a name. “Snowy Night.” The thief’s ears went down at the mention of her real name. Oh, she said my whole name. She must be REALLY mad!
Luna took a breath, before letting loose the staggering force of her Royal Canterlot Voice “WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT OF BED! YOU HAVE SCHOOL IN THE MORNING!” Snowy Night, aka The Winter Thief, was almost blown out of Luna’s magic by the force of the night princess’ voice. Snowy tried to come up with some sort of an excuse, but her head was still ringing from Luna’s shouting.
Luna pulled Snowy right up to her face and stared into the young thief’s eyes. “What do you have to say for yourself?” Her tone leaving no room for excuses.
“…Sorry mom.” Snowy said, her gaze pointed at the ground. Luna glared at the young thief a moment longer, before calling toward the group of guards behind her. Two bat ponies approached.
“Take my daughter back to her room, and make sure she stays there this time.” Luna commanded. The bat ponies saluted with their wings before taking up flanking positions on either side of Snowy Night. Luna gave her daughter one last look, a glare that promised a lecture in the morning, before taking her leave.
Snowy was escorted back to her room, sulking at the prospect of never tasting that sweet Prench chocolate. It’s a difficult life, being the greatest thief in Equestria. Having a Princess for a mother doesn’t make it any easier.
Author's Note
I should really be studying for finals right now. Wrote this in an hour in between slacking off and actually getting work done.
