The Tales of Daisy Claw and Rainbow Thunder

'Just keep running. step step breathe. step step breathe.'

Shadow ran. she made sure to breathe after every second step, both to keep from hyperventilating and to keep circulation going. She could hear the yells behind her as she ran. Her Broken wing kept her from flying but she could run. she could run fast. But she needed to hide. she couldn't overexert herself or she wouldn't be able to fix her wing properly when she escaped. But where? She didn't even know where she was going. for all she knew she was headed for a dead end. Like the cliff bottom she just hit. She turned to run the other way but a batpony warrior swooped in, his spear held in the fetlocks of his forehooves, and landed in her way. She tried to turn around but another warrior landed there. then three more in between the two.

"Alright ShadowBat, you gave us a good chase, but your time is up. come to your with us quietly or we will kill you here," The batpony in the middle said with a smile.

Shadow backed up, "Don't make me hurt you... please..." Shadow pleaded with the group.

The stallion laughed at her then pointed his spear, "Take her in hunters!"

Daisy knew this would happen and had already prepared herself. As the group charged she took a deep breathe and her eyes went solid black. The area grew dark and spires of pure darkness shot up from the ground, impaling every hunter attacking her in the stomach. She saw blood shoot from their wounds as they screamed. another spire shot through each one's head, killing all of them. After several seconds she released the magic and the spires vanished. Her golden eyes went back to normal and the dead end lightened up once more.

Shadow walked up to the middle stallion and placed her dark purple hoof on his cheek, her eyes growing teary, "I'm sorry..." she whispered. Shadow then walked away, leaving the bodys for the colony to find.

"I had no choice... I have to survive..." Shadow reasoned to herself like this for a time before she stopped to rest. The magic and she had used and frantic run from the hunters had left her drained.

**3 years later**

Shadow Claw sat down in front of the fire, exhausted from a hard day's work. She had grown lean since she arrived at this rock farm, her muscles growing larger and her tolerance of sunlight growing exponentially, and there had been no sightings of the hunters in almost a year. She had also started courting the stallion in charge about a year and a half ago. She wasn't trying to get a promotion, he was just a noble stallion and exceptional on the eyes.

'I need to tell him... Why haven't I already?'

She hadn't told him that she was a fugitive from her colony. She hadn't told him anything about herself before she started working at the rock farm.

She looked at her flank, at her cutie mark. three long black parallel scratch marks. out of the scratches billowed dark purple smoke. Shadow Claw. It was amazing how names worked out like that so often.

The door opened and her ears twitched. Shadow turned around and saw her coltfriend, Thunder Stryke, walk in. She wondered why he was running a rock farm. He was alabaster, the same as Princess Celestia herself she had found out, with a wild, dark blue mane and tail. His cutie mark was a silver lightning bolt arching into an open field. She had seen him use his special talent before. While not the strongest flyer he could control and shoot lightning from his own body.

"Good evening Thunder," She said softly.

Thunder looked at her in surprise, "Oh, Shadow, I thought you had went to bed already."

"No, I was waiting for you," Shadow said patting the open space next to her.

Thunder smiled and sat down next to her, wrapping his strong wing around her to cuddle, "Did you have alot of trouble with the southern field today Shadow?"

She leaned into him and sighed contentedly, "Not today no. I think that the rocks just weren't quite ripe enough yesterday.

He smiled, "That's good."

They sat like this, watching the flames of the fire burn, for several minutes before either of them spoke again. Thunder kissed the top of his batpony lovers head before standing up and turning towards the bedroom. Shadow looked at him worriedly. Had she done something wrong? Did she stink? Was he just going to bed?

"I'll be right back Shadow. I have something for you," He said with a wide smile before trotting to their room.

A million thoughts ran through Shadow's head at once, but one predominated the rest.

'What did he get me?!'

After several minutes of frantic mental guessing Thunder came out to the living room with something hidden under one of his wings. He helped her stand and then held out a small box.

He opened it with his other wing and said, "Shadow we have been courting for almost two years now. I love you and I want to ask you: Will you marry me?"

By the time he had said 'I love you' she had a hoof over her snout and tears in her eyes. When he said 'me' she immediately screamed yes several dozen times in rapid succession She tackled him with a hug and kissed him passionately. He gave her the ring after she allowed him up and they walked to the bathroom together. The two lovers took a long shower together before running off to bed. They had their wedding, a small ceremony with only a few guests and the local priest, several months later.

A few weeks later Shadow found out she was pregnant. The birth was rough on her, almost losing the baby in the process, but she survived and had a healthy pegasus colt. They named him Rainbow Thunder. He had a white coat like his father with a red mane that had an orange undertone and matching tail. After another three years Shadow gave birth to another foal. The birth went along much smoother then the previous one and she had a beautiful batpony filly. They named her Daisy Claw. Daisy had a deep purple coat, and a very light bluish-purple mane.

Shadow and Thunder raised their foals for 16 years before the dragon war began. Rainbow Thunder had gotten a cutie mark in rainbow making, making more beautiful rainbows then anypony else in Equestria, as well as inheriting his father's ability's with electricity, although having much more exact control being able to channel it through anything his hooves touched. His cutie mark was a rainbow connecting two storm clouds, each shooting a single bolt of lightning straight down. Daisy had gotten her cutie mark in growing flowers, and her mother's ability's in controlling the shadows. Her cutie mark was three blooming daises, each with a billowing set of dark purple shadow claws coming up out of them.

And then the hunters found Shadow Claw again.