Origin of a Hero

Chapter 9

She once again awoke to find herself as the middle of yet another princess sandwich. Lying there she tried to remember what happened that night just before she blacked out. She recalled seeing her brother, Sinister, being burned up and then seeing the look of surprise and awe in everyponies faces. Then there was blackness and the feeling of being carried away.

She had the feeling to go and find out what else happened that night after she passed out, so she slid out from between the two princesses. After escaping from their warm embrace Moon Shadow turned and looked at the pair and thought, "I wonder if that's normal for sisters to be that close?"

She quietly made her way to the entrance and peered out the flap and noticed that the guard there was one of Heavy Shields. He saw her and said, "Good morning young miss, that was quite a night last night wasn’t it?"

"What time is it?"

"It’s in the late morning, miss. Healer clover has requested that you go and see her once you awoke." the guard said pointing to the medical tent

"Thank you, I'll go see her now."

She made her way across the camp, noticing the mess that was still being cleaned up, and that there were more guards than she remembered there being the previous day. They were milling around the wreckage seeing what could be salvage and what couldn't. Some of them stopped what they were doing when she passed and gave her a "hello" or a "thank you".

Upon arriving at the medical tent Moon Shadow saw Clover finishing up with a patient and then looked up towards her and said, "Come on over dear, I'm just about done and then I'll check up on your injuries." Clover patted the ground next to her

"Yes ma'am." Moon Shadow said and did as she was directed.

Clover turned her attention to Moon Shadow and her horn started to glow as she started her examination. "That was a very eventful night, wasn't it Moon Shadow?"

"Yes ma'am." She replied meekly

"What you did for the princess’s was very brave, not too many ponies your age could've done what you did. In fact Heavy was rather impressed with your actions, and he's a hard pony to impress. That spell you casted was very amazing."

"I never used magic before; I didn't realize how draining it can be."

"Simple spells don't really drain you, but the one you casted was a very powerful spell. I mean I could feel the magic aura coming off of it. In all honesty I have never seen a spell like that before last night." Clover said thoughtfully, "Whatever kind of spell it was, it saved the princesses lives and spared all of Equestria from Alpha Prime Sinister's reign."

"The ponies of Equestria owe you a debt of gratitude." came a new voice to their conversation. The two girls turned and saw Quill entering the tent.

"Councilpony Quill, how good it is to see you. Came to see our little hero?" Clover said as she rubbed Moon Shadows head

"Yes, I was curious as to how she was doing after her battle with that brute."

"I feel sore and a little weak." Moon Shadow said

Clover giggled, "I don't doubt that, after the beating you've had, but I don't think that the damage is that bad. Oh, I don't think that the two of you have been formally introduced, Councilpony Quill this is Moon Shadow."

"It is a honor to meet you more properly. I suppose we were fortunate to encounter you when we did, that immunity to dream smoke truly saved the day." Quill said. Then he left the tent leaving the two of them alone again

"Well that was unusual for him to speak so highly of any pony that wasn't of noble blood. But as for you, Moon Shadow, other than a few bruises and a couple of fractures you seem to be doing alright. You're a very lucky filly. You should be fine as long as you don't do anything strenuous for the next couple of weeks, otherwise you could get worse." Clover said as she rubbed her patients head again

"Thank you Miss Clover. Do you know where I can find Captain Heavy Shield, there's something that I need to tell him." Moon Shadow said

xxXxx

"Once you lot have that cleaned up go help the group near the mess tent." Heavy Shield commanded. He's been busy directing troops in the clean up since before their reinforcements arrived, a hour after the battle had come to its abrupt end. Seeing the leader of the attackers burned to ash crushed their enemies spirit to fight on.

"The cleanup is almost complete, Sir."

"Very good trooper." Heavy Shield said and recognized the pony, "Any more falcon sightings?"

"No Sir. Nothing since yesterday."

"Very well then." Heavy Shield said as he started towards the center of the camp when he bumped into Quill and his aid

"Ah Captain, I see things look like they are shaping up nicely. When do you think we can be on our way?" asked Quill

"Once the princesses are up and fed then we can be ready to move out, Councilpony."

The guard leaned close to Heavy Shield leaned in close and whispered, "Sir, that feather that Councilpony Quill’s aid is using is using to write with is a falcons feather."

"What was that?" asked Quill with a puzzled look

"My trooper here is a bird enthusiast, Councilpony. He was admiring your aids writing utensil." answered Heavy Shield

"Yes, I had quite the collection before the attack last night."

"I see, perhaps we can find some before we leave, just to put your mind at ease."

"My that is very generous of you, Captain." Quill said in surprise

"Well like we agreed before, we need to start acting like the adults around the princesses." Heavy Shield said

Quill nodded and left moments before Moon Shadow came galloping up to Heavy Shield.

"Captain Heavy Shield, I have to ask you something." she exclaimed

"Yes, what is it?"

"Have you ever heard of something called dream smoke?"

xxXxx

It wasn't long till the princesses awoke and preparations to break camp had begun. They made good time to the outpost to rest and resupply after the attack from the previous night. It was there that the captain of the guard did something that nopony saw coming.

Leading a group of guards, he marched up to Quill, "I Heavy Shield, Captain of the royal guard to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, here by arrest you, Coundilpony Quill, for the crime of conspiracy to commit treason against the princesses."

All that were gathered were stunned at this bold declaration.

"Heavy Shield, What did you just say?" asked a confused Celestia

"What proof do you have to make such an outrageous accusation?" Quill said

"My proof took some time to put together, like connecting the dots kind of thing. It started off when one of my troopers observed a falcon taking flight not far from the camp."

"Falcons are a common bird, Captain." Quill said, putting an initiated emphasis on the last word

"True, but not in these parts. The game out here is too big or too small for a falcon to hunt. Owls and hawks could, but not a falcon. The second was a comment that Alpha Prime Sinister made when I spoke to him before the attack. He said that a little bird told him where to find the princesses, and a falcon is a small bird of prey. It told me that he had to have been told of the princesses movements in the region, which meant that somepony had to be tipping him off.

"The third thing was your collection of writing utensils, all of which are falcon feathers. Not exactly your usual kind of feather to choose for writing with."

"So what, most everypony knows that I use falcon feathers, Captain. It seems to me that all you have is open speculation and nothing else. You put your career in danger for nothing, Captain." said Quill

Everypony was silent, looking at Heavy Shield wondering what he would say. "You're absolutely right, Councilpony. Everything I said is just speculation with nothing to support it." Heavy Shield paused and stepped forward towards Quill and continued, "However I do have a question to ask you, what is dream smoke?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Quill replied with a hint of tension in his voice

"Healer Clover heard you talk about dream smoke this morning in the medical tent. You even know the effects that it has on devil ponies. So I ask you again, what is dream smoke?" Heavy Shield said to the silent struck Quill

"The only ones that would know that much about dream smoke are devil ponies and those who serve them." spoke Moon Shadow as she stepped up next to Heavy Shield

"Captain Heavy Shield you are to detain Councilpony Quill till a thorough investigation on this matter has been completed." commanded Celestia

"Yes, your highness." Heavy Shield said as he signaled two of his troopers to restrain Quill

End chapter 9