Six hours in, evening time, and no hope was being seen for the two mares in search. Some sweat dripped off both their cheeks as they trotted along, trying hard to keep up the task at hoof. Even though they felt drained, neither was willing to give up so easily.

So long as there was a small amount of hope left, both the princess and the queen would keep searching regardless of their physical condition. Mosquitoes bit them every so often, only to be swatted away. Frogs bellowed close by, trees were passed, the hanging, grey moss being lifted from their path.

An owl hooted from a high up branch, and some pack wolves could be heard howling over by the mountains. Chrysalis felt a bit stunned to know their echoes could travel so far without fading, and if sound could live on for such a duration, then hopefully, so could her child.

Upon passing one last lifeless tree, Chrysalis leaned on it, and begged, “Please… I can’t keep going. Let’s take a minute to rest.”

Luna, feeling the same way, but having just a little more energy didn’t sound so exhausted, not like the changeling at all. “Very well… How long have we been at it now?”

“I don’t know.” Chrysalis looked down, huffed, and sank to the dry dirt. She was hardly in any condition to keep looking by then. Her mane was tattered and mud-stained. Cuts had been scratched on her hooves, going over the holes, and the infected looking gash on her head, just under the horn desperately needed tending to. For all she knew, Chrysalis might’ve had a concussion. “Don’t you have some sort of healing spell?”

Luna shook her head. “Unfortunately, no. That sort of magic required a lot of energy, and with feeding you what little love I’ve been able to muster…”

Chrysalis glanced up. “... Little?”

The princess brought herself down and hugged the mare tightly, confessing, “The things I’ve heard about you… The rumors, and frightening explanations… I’m trying to put those behind me, and I can see you’re sorry for what you’ve done. In my book, you’re no villain anymore, just somepony who made the wrong decision in life.”

Chrysalis buried her eyes onto Luna’s shoulder, and sobbed, “I was forced by life to do it. Before, I honestly didn’t want to, but I had to sound strong to my subjects… My children. During the attack, I know I looked like I was enjoying it, and maybe I was. Now?”

Luna gripped tighter. “I know… You need not explain any further.”

Chrysalis ignored her. “I wish I could take it all back. I was so foolish back then, to assault those ponies. W-what was I thinking?”

Luna loosened up and looked deep into the queen’s eyes. “You were trying your hardest to be a good mother. It’s not a crime to do that, and if Celestia thinks otherwise, as I already promised, I’ll set her straight.” Chrysalis still felt stiff in Luna’s hooves, and lowered her muzzle. It was quickly brought back up by Luna’s hoof, though. “I’ll protect you.”

For the very first time since Chrysalis and Luna met, the queen smiled. It was brief, and painful to pull off, but suited her majesty well. Luna stood back up and helped her friend do the same. Without much else to say, they both continued chanting. Only every so often did Chrysalis say something other than her child’s name, but one slip of hope took her by surprise.

“What if…”

Luna turned around from leading the search. “Hmm?”

Chrysalis took a deep breath, and asked, “What if we don’t find her, and all this seeking and looking proves to be nothing more than one, big waste of time?”

Luna turned herself all the way around, and said, “That won’t happen.”

“But, what if-”

Once again, this time more stern, Luna confidently stated, “That won’t happen, Chrysalis.” The changeling gulped. “We’ll find her. If you say your doubt of her being executed within the dream is strong, then she’s still out there... Somewhere. We just have to keep looking.”

Not waiting for a response, Luna kept up her pace, and began leaving Chrysalis behind. However, soon enough, Chrysalis caught up, smiling once again. “Thank you…”

The sun was starting to settle towards the right of them, and Luna looked around to make sure the coast was clear. Only a few, fairly distanced trees and bushes circled the two. Before them was a patch of grass, perfect for Luna’s enchantment.

“This only uses a fraction of my power,” the princess said. “So, unlike the healing spell, I think it’s safe to use. Not to mention, it’s sort of needed right now.”

Her horn flickered at the tip, soon shimmered down to the very base, and shot a quick ray of azure light at the ground. Chrysalis observed with confusion, but interest as well, and quickly recognized the patterns to be that of a map. Before them was the Everfree forest. All the sections they’d been through was blotched out with purple light while the rest was sky blue.

Luna cleared her throat, and pointed to a small, pink dot that stood out, some purple circling around it. The majority of the woods seemed to have been explored, but many parts still remained, yet to be traveled upon, and only a few spots behind them were missed.

Luna explained, “I believe our best bet is to go-”

Chrysalis cut her off. “Right.”

Luna curved her eyebrow in disbelief. “Why right? I was about to suggest we go left.”

The queen couldn’t be sure, but something about going in the opposite direction would be the better route. “Call it a mother’s instincts…”

They remained silent, looking at the map, thinking. After some time later, Luna nodded. “Very well.” While her magical manifestation was returned to its horn, she began walking. “I hope we find her… I’d hate it if we wound up going the wrong way.”

Once they went through the patches of greenery, and left the dimming area, Chrysalis questioned, “How do you think I feel?”

Another hour, and nothing was found. It was getting darker and darker with the sun coming so close to the ground. Through the tree leaves, Queen Chrysalis and Princess Luna viewed the shimmers that went right on by the spaces, the dusty fog around them creating transparent rays that they walked by, not even thinking about stopping, even for a moment more to catch their breath.

Over and over again, they cried out, almost in unison, “Coad!” That’s all one could hear by then, for their chanting had scared away all the birds and wildlife. Not even the crickets were out and about that afternoon. It’d become dead silence, all except their shouts for her majesty’s daughter.

Luna started to fall behind, as did Chrysalis, but each fought the strain of continuing, and kept up the search. Even when neither could barely see anymore, they kept trotting together. One leaned on the other, Luna and Chrysalis keeping one another elevated to walk as far as possible. Every five or ten minutes, either the princess or the queen blacked out with their motor functions on auto-pilot, until some point around the end of the woods, both collapsed.

They panted, held to each other, Chrysalis tearing up yet again, but quiet. So much serenity could be heard in the winds by then. Their chants for Coad had ended, and was immediately replaced by soothing silence…

But, something else could be heard. Not necessarily some thing, but a yawn. A young, nappy yawn that belonged to somepony Chrysalis knew, and loved dearly. Her worn out head lifted for her to ask aloud, “D-did you… hear that, Luna?”

The princess snapped herself out of the trance reluctantly, and asked, “Hear what, Chrysalis?”

The changeling stood back up, shaking a little, and said, “That voice… I know that voice!”

Almost instantly, she was off, racing for Coad with sudden inner strength. “It came from this way, I just know it!” Only a few steps away, through the bushes, and into a dome of vines, Chrysalis found her sweet, sleeping child. All this time, she’d been resting underneath a palm tree in the middle of a creek.

Water surrounded the miniature island, butterflies floated everywhere, and fruit hung from above by the scraggly vines. Somehow, Coad had found this sanctuary within the hellish world of the Everfree Forest. Such a place was able to keep her safe, guarded and fed for months on end, until the day her mother would find her.

Chrysalis stepped forward, into the water, and began kicking up beads of liquid while running right for the little filly. Luna entered, and was stunned to see the sight. Not the dome sanctuary, but Chrysalis hugging her child like she’d never let her go again, kissing her forehead repetitively, and crying all the while. Not because she was sad, but because most of her sorrows would finally be laid to rest.

Luna came to the small, single palm tree island, and grinned with glossy eyes. “I… suppose we should head to Canterlot, then?”

Chrysalis sniffled. “... I suppose this was unavoidable. As much as I’m going to hate confronting Princess Celestia, I know I’ll be fine.”

With the young filly under her mother’s loving care, all that was left to do was for Luna to bring her friend to the palace of Canterlot, and speak with her sister. It wouldn’t be easy for Chrysalis to return to the town she’d threatened, but at the same time, she knew and understood it was what had to be done.

Author's Note

Coauthored with RainbowBob