The shadow that watches us

1 Week aftermath

Darkness a void of black that filled an empty space the only source of light being a small spot that showed a foal sleeping. The mother runs to protect him from an unseen danger.

Fire it came from the ground it self consuming the path to her son but she pushed on past the flames to rescue him.

Blood it poured from her body causing pain to cloud her vision it was almost to much for her to take but she had to get to him she had to keep him safe.

Shadows they appeared from behind her running at the same spot of light that he was headed for she picked up the pace to make it there first to save him.

She was so close to him but when she got near the ground itself opened and sucked the foal into the cracked earth and shut. She slammed her hoof into the ground for what was an eternity trying to dig or even scratch the dark surface but to no avail.

Cry all she could do was cry a puddle formed around her of tears soon it was a lake then a ocean then a sea of sadness that she floated out to. She could hear nothing but her own words "I'm sorry it was my job to protect you and I failed" she let herself sink into the sea.

How long did she sink it felt like days she reached the bottom of the water only to see a light she swam for it.

"So close."

"Just a little farther."

"Almost"

Bolting awake she realized it was just a dream. she looked around this was not her room neither was this her house. Surveying her surroundings she noted every detail. This room was small not much on the walls except for some shelfs with many bottles and some cabinets also a zebra mixing som-...

A zebra huh

She had only heard of zebras from some off hand conversations and what her family told her "nothing but criminals that will steal from you the moment they get the chance" she thought back to what her father said. But she never met one to know for herself so she reserved judgment, but she was in an unknown place with an unknowns situation. Was she a prisoner or a guest in this place was he a guard or a friend. She did not know and didn't want to find out the hard way she was a prisoner. Her first and only option was to sneak out find her son and run to the nearest town all she had to do was get out of the bed and...

"AAAAHH!" As soon as her hoof touched the floor her rear leg was filled with pain she could only describe as being set on fire and thrown into broken glass.

"Hay your awake don't move that leg I stopped the bleeding but it will be painful to move it for another week. I can give you some medicine for it if your not allergic to the herbs I use, are you allergic to anything?" He stated calmly as to not worry her.

Half of his words where to fast for her to hear but what she got was that he was trying to help.

"No I'm not can I ask where I am" she asked timidly.

"You are with reason to ask." Preparing his voice for her " In relation to where we found you we are about a hundred miles away from there. As for where we are specifically we are setup near a town called foalsin we are resting till we decide to move or we are told to move."

"Where is my son"

"I'm not sure?"he could see panic in her face "What I mean is we are taking turns looking after him I'm not sure who's turn it is." Seeing her calm down he went back to mixing and finishing what he was working on.

"Here take this it will help with the pain" handing a vile to her she gulped it down it tasted horrid but it did help with the pain.

"Can you bring him to me."

"Sure give me a moment"

He left out the door and left her to her thoughts her the first thing to do is get to the guard and report what happened maybe the could get who did this.

"Here he is." Walking back in and handing her the boy.

A smile graced her face as she carried him she was happy to see he was safe for minuets she just laid there holding onto him.

She spoke looking at the zebra "what is your name?"

"Everyone just calls me healer I think they forgot my real name you can just call me that." he stated with some mirth in his voice.

Another zebra walked in he looked older than the healer and had a staff on his back his voice was neutral and soft at the same time when he spoke "I see your awake that is good."

The healer left to give them some privacy. She stayed silent and just nodded to him.

"Now there is a matter we need to discuss of grave importance" he pulled out a paper and showed it to her "I wanted to hear what you say before I did something is this you?"

The paper was a wanted poster with a sketch of a similar looking mare similar but not exact what worried her was the almost perfect picture of a cross-air cutie mark. The charges on the bottom where murder, kidnaping, and conspiracy against the crown rewarded 15,000 bits dead 20,000 bits alive.

"We'll is it true?"

"No! Where did you get this?" With a mix of anger and sadness in her voice.

"A member of the caravan saw it in the town while she was getting supplies."

We'll now the guard is out of the question who ever attacked is now framing her for crimes she didn't commit. She needed to go into hiding lay low she ant go into any populated areas what was she to do.

"I believe you when you say you are innocent."

"Thank you for believing me, but the real problem is where will I hide. I need a place to stay while I decide my next move." She said going into thought.

"What is your talent?"

Bringing her out of her thoughts. "Why?"

"If you are going to stay with us I need to give a reason to tell everyone why. We stay on the move and people avoid our camp so it would be good to lay low and out of peoples way."

The more she thought the more it sounded like a good idea it would solve both her problems a once "Well my cutie mark is for targeting with mostly bows and spears I've also got a good set of eyes for long range spotting. I competed professionally in archery before I married my husband and settled down." She stated very simply.

"Where is your husband?"

"He told me to run when we were attacked I ran into the forest, he stayed behind to fend off the monsters." Tears started to role down her face. "I don't know what happened after that."

"Monsters?" Curiosity slipping into his voice.

"I don't know what they were, they just looked like suits of armor filled with black mist."

"Dark magics are at work I will see what my books say. As for your situation we could us a lookout you will stay here until you are healed after that you will move to a new sleeping quarters." This was good news for her she only had one thing to say.

"Thank you for all of this." She said smiling at him.

"Get some rest what's your name?"

"Nightshade my name is nightshade."

"And his name?"

"Aidan."

"Sleep well nightshade." With that the elder Left and the healer came back in grabbing a vile from the shelf.

"Take this it will help you sleep."

Taking a swig from the container she felt herself leavening day and entering the sleep realm. Pulling her son closer she drifted off for the rest of the day.

(Main guard post canterlot)

In the dark office of the royal guard captain crimson lance. A privacy spell protected the room from wondering ears and pop in officers.

"Madam blood there has not been any word on the mare or the foal yet." He spoke in a calm tone to the small standup mirror that showed his master.

"Nothing? There has been no word not a single work in all of Equestria?"he nodes yes "Are you sure Celestia knows nothing about this and has not involved herself?" She asked with anger in her domineering voice.

"She felt the shift on the winds but has other things to worry about like the griffons attacking pony settlements along the border and the nobility bugging her about her new social reforms." He had a little to much confidence in his voice.

"Well I'm glade to see your so sure" anger flowing off her words "raise the bounty to 45,000 dead 60,000 alive and put extremely dangerous on the new poster I want every eye in Equestria looking for her."

"Yes madam blood it will be done." Saluting then putting the mirror away he dropped the privacy and gave a sigh. A tap was heard at the door with that he said "come in."

"Sir I've just come for this weeks patrol schedule." He said meekly to the much larger captain.

"Give me a second to grab them."

(Unknown location a fancy mansion)

Leaving her study blood decided to gets drink in the kitchen something strong to help ease the stress of the last week. No leads no trails not even and people around to know what happened she had her knights combing the forest for three days and nothing.

Entering the drink cabinet she grabbed a large bottle of stalliongrads finest vodka and proceeded to pour her self a glass. Taking the glass with her to the dungeons she came up to the one prisoner she had she did not have a habit of leavening enemies alive. Coming up to his cell she could hear him trying to get the magic suppresser of this horn when she got close he stopped and refused to look her in the eyes.

"Well your rude why do I let you live?"

"I have no idea maybe your just really stupid or you just hate me so you let me live."

"Cheeky today are we"

"Piss off and die!"

"Not before you." It gave her great joy to torment this prisoner other than the drink it was the only stress reliever she had.

Walking up to her quarters thinking what she will try next to locate her target going over the facts in her head

Fact one Celestia was to busy to interfere with what she was doing the griffins did make a good attention hogs.

Fact two she basically had the royal guard looking for the mare and all of Equestria was her eyes.

Fact three she still had no idea where to look neither did anypony else.

With all this she decided tomorrow was a better day to work on this.