It could be a matter of hours, or days, or even weeks that she had been trotting on the cold snow. Her hooves stung from the cold at every step that she took. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably and her body shook wildly. The thin baggy sweater was completely useless in trapping heat in this harsh weather. It was a miracle that she was still able to survive--usually a filly wouldn’t make it through blizzards, they weren't made for torture.
The pale blue filly blindly walked through the blizzard, not even caring to feel where she was going. She felt as if there was no purpose in living anymore. Many attempts in committing suicide had failed miserably, it may seem that the heavens refuse to end her suffering. What had she done in her past life to deserve this?
The bone chilling wind pierced through her coat, and her whole body felt numb.
“Just try to imagine you’re sitting next to a fire, and ignore the cold. Everything will be alright. Everything will be alright. Everything will be alright….”
For a moment, she felt completely nothing. No cold, nor heat, absolutely nothing. It was so much easier now. She continued on her endless, yet senseless journey to nowhere. There was this strange feeling which she couldn’t describe, she felt as if she were floating and being exposed to snow and ice.
Suddenly, the filly thought she heard something. A faint roar of an animal, perhaps? Or maybe it was her imagination. It could be. Sometimes, she tends to hear roars of animals at night, when there is no animal that roars in the area that she lived… well, where she used to live.
The roar grew louder, causing the mare’s ears to perk up. There it was again. Okay, maybe it wasn't her imagination after all. There was an animal around, and a hungry one perhaps.
Her imagination ran wild again. What animal could it be? It could belong to a polar bear, or maybe the frost monster told in her grandmother’s story. According to the story, the frost monster is a hideous beast covered in frost and ice, making him blend perfectly in the snow where it lives,hunting for lost travellers. It lets out a deafening roar, charges at its victim before swallowing it whole. Most ponies claim that it was just an old mare’s tale made to scare young fillies or travellers, or created solely for entertainment. However, it was not proven if it were really just an old rumor.
There it was again, the roar, louder than ever.
Maybe this was her chance. Maybe she could die, and provide the beast lunch, or dinner, whatever. It would benefit both parties. Genius.
So she stood rooted to the icy ground as the beast charged towards its victim. For once, time stood still. The mare’s life flashed before her eyes in a blur, delving into her memories. The day when she was able to learn how to fly, the day when she scored an A plus in her final year examination, the day when her father abandoned his family, the day when she was brutally beaten up by loan sharks, the day when she became blind…
She waited.
And waited.
And waited.
All of a sudden, she broke into a run. She had no idea why she did this. She wanted to die, didn’t she? Yet, why is she running away? Maybe it was her instincts, or maybe she was dumb? This makes no sense at all. Maybe she was scared. Ppfft, possible. She was a filly after all.
Mustering all the little strength that was left in her little body, she ran faster than she had ever ran in her life, with the beast hot on her trail. The sweater trailed behind, flapping in the wind. She could feel her hooves as she galloped. That was when the cold came back. With heat warming her body as she ran, she could feel again, and no longer numb.
Suddenly, she felt her right hoof trip on something, and she landed flat on her face, the ice left cuts on her face and body. A sharp pain triggered and it made her shiver. She heavily panted and breathed in the scent of snow and ice, not caring if she got a frostbite anymore, for she was too tired to move.
The last thing she heard was a menacing growl before she slipped into unconsciousness.
…
"Hello?” The filly called out as she knocked on the door three times with her hoof. “Anyone home?”
The door creaked open as a dark brown earth pony mare with a crimson red mane and tail greeted her. Her hazel brown eyes flashed in pity as her eyes laid on the shivering filly.
“Oh my stars! What are you doing out here alone in this freezing weather, little one?” The mare asked in concern.
“Umm… I… mmphh…”
“Come inside dear! Let’s get you clean and warmed up, then you can tell me all about it.” She lead the filly in her home, and after taking a shower, she sat on the couch with a bathrobe on and was sipping a cup of steaming hot chocolate.
The mare took a seat beside her and asked, "now, tell me. What's wrong?"
The filly sniffed as she explained, "well, you see... I sort of... ran away from home... cause everypony hates me. They constantly make fun of me, beat me, say awful things about my family..."
“What about your family, dear?”
The filly bit her lower lip. “I… don’t want to talk about it.” She quivered. Her family history was dark, and thinking about it alone was horrifying.
The mare gasped softly, realising her mistake. “Oh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be a busypony. Anyways, did you consult your teacher about your situation?”
The filly shook her head slowly. “Nope. The mean ponies say that if I report to the teacher, they will make my life even more miserable. One day, I couldn’t handle the pressure anymore, so I ran away from home. I tried to find a place to take shelter, but everypony shooed me away, until I came here…”
The mare’s heart melted from the filly’s sad story. Not pity anymore, but pure concern. She was grateful that she knocked on her door. Not only her home wouldn’t be so dull anymore, she helped a soul in distress.
Things went smoothly for the two ponies. They got along well, and developed a mother daughter relationship after a month. The filly went to school again. Even though she only had two friends, she was contented with her new life. She and her adoptive mother would have tea and enjoy each other’s company during weekends, they would go to the tallest hill and stargaze, the filly would often help out at the bakery where her adoptive mother worked, handing out ingredients and worked as the cashier.
That is, when one fateful day, two gruffy and muscular stallions approached at the door. They had various tattoos and scars on their bodies, baggy sweaters and soul piercing eyes.
“Hey, kid, is ya mother home?” One of the stallions asked, his foul breath smelling like rotten fish.
“Y-ya… why do you… ask?” The filly replied, trying her best not to faint from the horrid smell.
As soon as she finished speaking, they barged into the cottage, pushing her aside roughly, causing her to land on her flank. The stallions started to rummage the household items and the rooms.
Oh no! They must be looking for mom! The filly thought in panic as she heard her mother scream in horror.
"If you want the money, go to Artold for it! He's the one who borrowed from you, and thus he shouldbe the one paying you back!"
"Too bad, ma'am. We have been hunting all over Equestria for him, and he'd vanished to thin air. You're his wife, and thus you should pay us back."
"I'm his ex-wife, and I have cutted off all ties with that no good of a stallion! Leave me and my daughter alone!"
The two stallions paused and stared deeply into the eyes of the dark brown mare. A smirk crawled onto both of the snouts of the two stallions. "Hmm, let's make a deal then. If you don't pay up, we'll take your daughter as payment. Pay up and she can stay with you. Your choice."
The pegasus filly gasped in shock. There was no way that she'll leave with those mean, filthy ponies!
"W-what? No, never! Don't you dare lay a hoof on my daughter! Take me instead! Leave her alone! She's innocent!"
One of the stallions stared at her as if she was a retard. "You! Pu-lease! You're old, febble, and completely useless! She, otherwise--" he pointed a hoof at the filly who was staring blankly, "is a healthy, young filly who can do somuch better! She will grow up to be a mare of value! Give her to us, and we'll assure you that she's in good hooves! It benefits both parties, don't you think?"
The earth pony's left eye twitched violently. "Good hooves? *GOOD HOOVES?! I DON'T TRUST YOU TWO WILL TAKE GOOD CARE OF MU DAUGHTER! YOU'LL PROBABLY JUST SELL HER AS A PROSTITUDE! I'M NOT A RICH PONY, AND THERE'S NO WAY I CAN RAISE THAT MUCH MONEY, EVEN IF I WORK TWENTY FOUR HOURS EVERYDAY AT THE BAKERY!"***
The stallion just rolled his eyes. "Whatever. We're taking the girl with us. Hurry and say your last goodbyes."
"RUN, SWEETIE! RUN AND NEVER COME BACK!"
She wasn't needed to be yelled at twice. The pegasus filly dashed out through the door and into the cold winter. She could hear the hollers of the stallions and the clopping of hooves on the snow. She didn't dare to look back as she galloped as fast as a bullet, far, far away from her beloved mother and home...
...
"Wake up..." a melodic voice spoke. Oh, how much I want to see her!
"Wake up, child!"
The filly's eyes snapped open. She sprang up, panting furiously. She turned her head to fave a pony in a dark blue coat, an ethereal mane that rippled without the aid of wind and it looked like it contained all the stars in the universe. Oh, how she yearned to touch it! Her moderate cyan eyes twinkled with concern and curiosity at the same time, calming the filly. She then noticed a pair of wings on her back, a black crown on her head and she wore a necklace with a white, crescent moon on it.
Could this be… Princess… Luna? Was that her name?
The presence of royalty made the filly shrink and curl up in a ball. Was she supposed to bow? Was she supposed to greet? Was she rude for keeping silent? Was she going to be sent to prison for not doing what she should do when somepony meets with the royals?
“Don’t be afraid little one, I’m not going to hurt you.” The alicorn reassured in a silver voice, wrapping a wing on the filly, calming her once again.
“Oh, I’m sorry Princess. What are you doing here?”
“I was doing my duties in visiting ponies dreams, and yours drawn my attention. It seems that you have… family issues, I believe?”
The filly nodded gingerly. "Am I in heaven?"
The princess' eyes widened. "Oh no! What made you think that way?"
"I was being chased by the frost monster..."
The princess giggled. "What? The frost monster? It's just a legend!"
"Oh, so I was probably being chased by a polar bear. But... how did I survive, and how long was I asleep?" She darted her head to and fro, to realise a body of an adult polar bear lying a few meters away.
"You were out for 12 and a half hours, to be exact. Luckily, I zapped the polar bear before it could turn you into pony stew."
The princess saved me, out of all ponies. The filly thought to herself in awe.
A bone chilling wind swept past the two ponies, causing their teeth to chatter. The snowfall started to become heavier, and the sky darkened.
The princess narrowed her eyes and tilted her head up to the sky. "We should head back to Canterlot. Looks like a blizzard's heading this way."
The filly tried to get onto her hooves, but fell flat on her flank, hissing in pain.
"Can you walk?"
"No..."
The alicorn levitated the filly onto her back gently, and she spreaded open her feathery wings and gracefully soared into the sky.
"Are you Princess Luna?"
"Why yes. What's yours?"
"My name is Snowdrop."
