Mountain snow: colder than steel

Mountain snow: colder than steel

The far lands of the north, farther north than the Crystal kingdom, sits a small world full of ice and snow. laying between the icy flat lands of the Arctic, and the hilly tundra territory under the rule of Princess Cadence. Between these two is a small country long thought to have gone extinct, Celtreria . the once powerful and prosperous nation in the time before the princess, when the 3 tribes of ponies ruled, of wing, horn, and hoof.

and hand

This beautiful world is extraordinarily breath taking, (when the ice and snow don't work in unison to batter the life that live between these mountains), other wise beautiful. In the morning sun rise, the land would be fulled with thousand of sparkling stars, the shimmering snow, shining off the trees and mountain peeks in utter silence and beauty. Icicles would clink together in the crisp,  chilly wind. Animals would scurry out of there homes to find fruits of bounties on frozen shrubs. The human hunter would trek far and wide, searching for the elusive herd of elk that manged to stay out of his view, hidden quietly in the trees, watching their predator's every move behind low hanging pine branches. behind the hunter, a large mountain lay, the huge structure of nature stay unmoving for thousand of years, watching over a small settlement at its wide base. The one, and only reaming town of the once great nation of Celtreria, Snow Grove. Here, we start our story.

Grandpappa?

Yes Dominic?

When will I be old enough to go with Uncle Chess's and his adventures?

Oh now now Dominic, your still a tweense bit to young to go with Uncle you know.

But Grandpa! I'm old enough, I'm 6 and I know how to tie a not, I know what plants to and not to eat, I know the difference between snow and weather clouds,why cant I go?

well..

And I wanna see all the fantastic things Uncle's saw, he said that there's a place called Equestra, where everybody is happy and nice, where there's magic and flying and a summer!

hehe...Yes your uncle did see a lot of amazing things on his journeys, remember when he brought back Coco?

Yeah! do we have anymore?

Dominic, we ran out years ago, that kind of stuff goes fast you know, being you loved it so much.

oh yeah..

hey, cheer up, how about I make you some Pine needle and Frost berry tea?

Ok!

Little Dominic and his grandfather got up and walked to the kitchen to make some delicious Pine and Frost Berry tea.

------------------------------------------------------------------3 years later

"Hey Grandpa!" yelled Dominic from atop his log cabin roof.

"What is it Dom? did you find that little bugger?" replied his grandfather as he looked around for a small mammal

"Well...kind of" said Dominic as he turned back to his findings an the roof.

A small ground squirrel had been terrorizing the Movchek family since last winter, getting into their crops of tundra wheat and snow pumpkins, as well as eating though a storage shed, and into there food supplies. For almost two seasons they have been trying to capture the culprit and bring him to justice,(and by justice I mean a nice warm stew). He had evaded traps, ruses, bait and a good ol' broom. So how did a ground squirrel evade a skilled retired hunter, and a kid with a  sharp eye? Nature works in strange ways. Dominic even gave a name for the little guy,Cheeky,considering he was so sly and cleaver, the name just kinda fit. But today, he finally meet his fate, upon the very same cabin that kept him well feed throughout many winters.

Th ground squirrel was laying frozen side ways, with what looked like his leg was stuck on the roof,  The poor animal must of got caught in a lose shingle and froze over night while on his nightly food raids.

Well I guess it serves him right thought Dominic as he stared at the frozen body on the roof at his feet.

I shouldn't think such harsh thoughts, but...he did bought this upon him self though

Dominic, still in thought, did not notice his Grandfather put up a latter on the lip of the roof and proceed to climb it.

"So kiddo, what did yah find?" Said Dom's Grandfather as he climbed the last bar and stood atop the roof

Dominic moved out of the way to show his grandfather the dead squirrel. The elder chuckled at the sight, knowing that it was only a matter of time until luck caught up with the small mammal.

"Well, I guess we don't have to deal with him any more, right?"

"Yeah" said Dominic, slightly sad

"Listen Dom, its for the better right? Now we don't have to worry about our crops and food being a few to short"

"Alright...well what do we do with him?"

" We feed him to the hawks of course, they need food more than we do, plus, it encourages them to hunt more of the little bastards so we don't have to deal with them"

said his grandfather nonchalantly as he pick up the frozen corps and chucked it a crossed the back yard into the snow field below.

Dominic was walking towards the latter, about to climb down, when his Grandpa nudge him, Dom turned around to look at him, when he saw his Elder pointing to the field below. He shifted his eyes to see a large, white and brown hawk swoop down from the trees, and land gracefully next to its new meal. As it started feasting, it let out a loud Screeee, the call echoed through out the valley range and landed on the ears of the two Movcheks, as they watched in awe at the powerful bird.

"Woah..." Whispered Dominic

"See Dom" said his Grandfather, never taking eyes of the raptor

"Even what we find trash or rubbish is always usable for nature"

The two still stood on the roof, watching the bird of prey happily eat its dinner. After around ten minuets, the hawk finally stopped and, with a huge powerful flap, was airborne in seconds flying off into the far away mountains.

"Hey Grandpa? What's over those mountains...beyond our town?"

"Go ask your uncle when he gets back, and I'm pretty sure he told you all ready."

" I know I know, but ill never know untill I see it for my self." Said Dom as he looked up to his grandfather.

"True, True my boy."

They both then proceeded to climb down the latter and head inside, the sun was setting over the now, misty purple mountains, and was casting a lavender hue over the town below. The world was getting ready for sleep, and when it wakes up, it will have some changes for young Dominic.

______________________________ 1,000 miles away, The Crystal Kingdom

"Princess! I have..troubling news" Said the guard as he entered the throne room, exhausted from running across the city.

"What is the urgency Javelin? said Princess Candace, in a worrying tone

Now, Now Candace, nothing to get troubled over. probably just another threat by some anti war goon, again

Ever since the changeling invasion, other nations have started to question Equestria"s hold on the world, and its power. Nations leaders are willing,(but cleverly) trying to provoke a small conflict, almost in which to really test the two Princess's , (and their nations power) in battle. But no other country is willing to take on the "Big Guy", so to speak. Only one though, has the guts and power to take on the world mightiest nation

The Gryphon Kingdom

After the attacks, they have been oddly (and purposely) building up there already huge army. And tensions have been rising though out the world, some nations are so caught up in the stand off, they are already picking sides for the "End War"

as they call it. No one is to sure what will happen though, only time will tell,

and now time is speaking

"Princess, reports are coming in that a small squadron of Gryphon air units have been spotted crossing over the border and surveying the air space over Cloudsdale."

The Princess's face drained of blood, though not an act of war, the actions that the Gryphons showed a militaristic and tactical move,

send out a small group of air units

scout out the intended target

report back, and make plans for

"War"

Candace closed her eyes, trying to understand the overwhelming amount of information, information that is so clear, so undeniably mistaken, the Gryphons where gearing up for war, and she knew it. Candace opened her eyes and let out a drawn out breath with words riding on top,

"how many active troops do we have currently?

"well.."said the guard, trying to think.

"In Canterlot, 2,000 active, here, 1,500, and stationed all around Equestria, about 500, your highness."

"so about...4,000 correct?"

"yes Ma'am"

And how many the Gryphons?

The guard stop to think, pausing and looking up at the high ceiling above them, then as if he saw the Holy spirit of Faust, his eyes bugged out of his head in fear and horror. Looking at Candace, he, with a shaky voice said,

"Ah-about o-ver a m-million, and r-rising."

Candace, then to, showed the same face of fear he did, but on a lower level, internally she was horrified at the sheer amount of troops they had, and those numbers are rising as well.

4,000 against 1 million, its as if the predicament was pulled out of a Mythos book she thought

Hmmm..I must talk with Celestia and Luna on the matter, I'm sure they know already, but we still need to brain storm a way she can defend our country if war breaks out

If, I just hope not

"Princess?" asked the guard,but was quickly silenced by Candace's powerful wing flap as she took to the air.

with in seconds she conjured a powerful spell, and, with a bright flash of light, she was gone in an instant. leaving the guard alone, only to imagine what conservation his three leaders where going to discus about,

and he didn't have to imagine for to long.