Night.
Up above was the star-dotted sky, Luna's gift to Equestria, so shunned and so forgotten. Ponies slept right through it, missing the twinkling of stars and the white trails as they shot across the sky. Bigger than them all in appearance was the moon, the great white orb that lit up the sky with the help of the stars. Even when the sun would rise, blinking out the stars with each blend and strip of pale yet vibrant color, they always went out in a blaze of glory. It wasn't until one actually looked at the black and blue canvas above them, that they saw more than simple colors. Complex blends and streaks and drips, all fitting together in perfect, simple harmony. Each twinkle starting up an endless chain that spanned across the entire sky and the moon reflecting the glow of the long-since set sun. If one took the time to really just sit back and admire it, they could see the complexity and perfect tune of the scene above them.
The soldiers, however, did not have the time.
"GET YOUR HOOVES OFF OF HIM!"
The aged mare leapt into the air and jabbed with her spear, slicing clean through the soft flesh of her target's throat. Warm blood coated the bottoms of her hooves as she ripped the weapon out, the tip glimmering in the cold moonlight as the crimson-turned-silver dripped to the floor. Placing the spear back in its proper place in the golden armor on her back, she glared down at the dying pegasus mare. She placed one large hoof on the mare's bloody throat, each fresh drop of blood carrying the pulse of a dying heart. "Should I end it quickly?" She asked calmly, the rage dying from her ruby red eyes.
The warrior coughed as blood trickled from her mouth. Her lavender iris looked up into Choconator's eyes, begging for it to be over. "Please..." She gasped out, earning another stab of agony from her ruined throat.
Choconator nodded. As quick as she could, she pressed as much weight as possible onto the hoof over the pegasus's neck. There was a snap, a sigh and then all was still. She took her white hoof off and turned to her son with anger in her eyes. "Titanium, I told you to stay at camp while I went. Get your tail back there right now mister or when we get home there's gonna be hell to pay." She snapped. Even at age fifty-two, the mare wasn't somepony to mess with.
Titanium, age twenty-six, returned the glare. "It's suicide to go alone mom. I can't let you-"
Choconator held up a silencing hoof. "I didn't ask for an argument Titanium. If either of us were to get killed on this little trip, I'd rather you outlive me. Now you get back to camp right now before I tan your hide!" She raised her voice, fire blazing in her bright eyes. Despite age and the fact that she was shorter than her son, she was still an intimidating figure.
"But-"
"Right now, soldier."
Titanium nodded and turned away. When she called him "soldier" instead of his name, she was deadly serious and if he didn't listen she would tan his hide good. His silvery wings snapped out and he looked back at her one more time. "Just be careful, ok?" He pleaded.
Choconator smirked, a flash of her younger self passing over her. "What's the fun in that?" She replied before turning on a back hoof and sprinting in the opposite direction. She heard him take off with a grumble of 'stubborn mare', but she could deal with that later. Her mission? Infiltrate the enemy camp and learn the weak points. She'd have to keep herself from fighting though and keep low to not be detected, so this would be a pretty tough mission.
"Challenge accepted."
Choco crept around the camp, avoiding the lights that threatened to reveal her. "I remember when the only light we had was the sun in the day and the moon and stars at night. Damn technology." She grumbled, pressing herself against the wall as she walked. She looked around for somewhere to hide, and smiled when she saw a wide crack in cliff. She slipped inside and kept her eyes front, watching for any passing warriors.
"Please don't hurt us!"
The mare jumped and whipped around, teeth bared and fur bristling. But instead of guards, it was two small colts who looked positively terrified. She relented and walked up to them, frowning a bit. "Why are you here?" She asked in a whisper. One of them was deep purple with a lime green mane, and the other was deep green with a bright purple mane. Both were covered in cuts and bruises, tear trails in their fuzzy cheeks.
One of them, the bigger one, held the smaller one. "I-I'm Bright Shade, and this is my little brother Deep Shade," Suiting names, bright mane, dark coat and dark mane, bright coat, "W-We're were taken from our mommy because our daddy said we were gonna go take what he called the 'Growing Sleep.' Our older brother doesn't have to do it because he's already done it. That's what he said." He explained in a shaky voice.
Choco nodded and sat down, bringing them closer to her with her forelegs. They looked like they'd barely just gotten their cutie marks, they had so much life ahead of them. "How old are you?" She asked softly, her tone as motherly and soothing as possible. Families can have no more than one foal in this area... Poor colts. She thought.
Deep looked up at her. "I-I'm nine, he's ten." He answered in a small voice.
I knew it. She thought as she brought them closer. They didn't need to suffer, not wen they were so little. "Well Mama Choco's gonna tell you a little secret, but you have to promise not to tell. Do you promise?" She asked, leaning her head down a bit closer so that they could see her eyes.
Both colts looked at those cold eyes. This was a mare of war, a mare who's eyes would always hold a scrap of a chill. "We promise." They vowed in unison.
Choconator leaned in close. "Well... This is all just a nightmare. None of this is real! I'm a Guardian Angel sent by Princess Luna to protect you from bad guys. I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner, but she didn't connect to your dream before," She heard hoofsteps behind her and knew that the executioners were coming, "But now you need to close your eyes and wake up." She explained softly. She knew she couldn't save them, there were too many soldiers and she could see them starting to come closer.
Bright frowned up at her. Both colts sincerely believed her, they were too young to understand what was going to happen to them. "But we're not tired." He answered in an almost whiny voice.
Choco nearly yelled at him, but held back. "Alright," She looked back to see two guards heading for the cave, "I'll sing you a lullaby. Just lay down and close your eyes." She told them. When they complied, she sat back a bit and began to sing,
"Come little children,
Come with me.
Safe and happy,
you shall be.
So far from home,
So we shall flee.
Time to go back to mommy."
She looked back again to see the two soldiers starting to get closer. A unicorn and an Earth Pony. One to put them to sleep, the other to crush their skulls. Can't be bothered to do it nicely. She spat in her head, beginning to wonder if she should just take out the executioners and run with the kids. But that would bring more soldiers and all three of them would be killed. Sometimes you have to do what's right... But I'm not going down without a fight. When Deep started to squirm, she resumed her soft singing,
"Sweet little children,
Dry your eyes.
Awake to melodic songbird cries.
Free to frolic,
Free to play.
Say goodnight and we'll away.
Little children do not squirm,
Thought the calls of dreams are loud and firm.
Now close your eyes,
The morning calls.
Bright and lovely,
Your defence falls."
The guards were at the mouth of cave now, but she ignored them,
"Do not wail,
And do not weep.
It's time for you,
To leave your sleep.
Little children I'm so, so sorry,
But everything is fine,
Please don't worry."
The two colts asleep, Choconator stood up and faced her enemies. Before she could say a word they attacked. Her legs were swept out from under her, something came down on her right hind leg and she shrieked it pain as it crunched loudly. She opened blurry eyes and saw the children wake, just for a moment. They started crying, put magic surrounded them. A soft golden cloud that lulled them back to sleep. Then there were two crunches and red filled her vision, the gory image before her etched into her brain.
"What do we do about here?"
"Leave her to rot, she can't get out of here with a broken leg."
Choconator heard them leave, but with her shattered leg she had no hope of leaving. She just looked at the remains of the children and cried. "I'm so sorry... I'm so, so sorry..." She sobbed. She cried until she ran dry, then continued to sob dryly. This continued until the pain spread to every nerve in her body, setting them on fire and then darkness.
Choconator woke up in the medical centre of her camp. Almost instantly she tried to fight her way out, screaming for the children. But they forced her back down, told her something about her leg being broken. Something about a permanent limp. She thrashed about and fought, even as they jammed the needle into her foreleg. Drugs flooded her system, travelling through her blood and she grew groggy.
"Bright Shade... Deep Shade..."
I'm so sorry.
