Chapter II: Young Instincts

The sun raised high over the horizon and the chirping of birds awoken by Celestia's sun had signaled that the beloved princess's had indeed returned. Feather Duster, the tan mare with a blonde mane in charge of cleaning, quickly awoke from her bed to be joined by others as they raced towards the sacred bed chambers of Princess Celestia. She knocked on the door. "Princess! Princess! Are you there?"

Celestia recognized the voice. "Feather Duster, please, you may come in." Feather Duster slowly opened the door to see the sun princess helping her sister Luna to her royal garments. She ran up to them both.

"Your highness. All of the kingdom were worried sick about you and your sisters well being. we thought-we thought that you may not return. Calming down the pony citizens, that was of no easy task your majesties."

"Of course it wasn't." Luna mumbled. Knowing just how much their subjects would so much as worry shall they be gone even for a minute. All it took to throw the people into paranoia about their princesses was that Luna spent an extra five minutes in the bath. Which did indeed happen. Only for the guards to burst open the door on her and her sister bathing believing that they were drowning.

"My goodness! Princess Luna!" a voice called from the back of the crowd that came to check on their princess's. It was nurse Goodwell (ancestor of Nurse RedHeart) who noticed the poorly bandaged wound on Luna's leg. "Your majesty, please, do not tell me that this is a result of the war."

"Luna was injured during the fight with King Sombra badly but for now we will deal with it later." The only reason that Celestia had brushed it off was due to the fact that Luna had constantly rejected this morning to get the injury looked at. Celestia was patient, but she too grew tired of her sister's stubbornness. Didn't stop her from loving her nonetheless however. "But Princess-"

"Later, nurse Goodwell." Celestia used a harsher tone than normal and this caused Ms. Goodwell to slowly back off into the crowd. Once Celestia was done placing Luna's silver crown on her head and her regalia she turned to the ponies standing before her.

"The fight with Sombra, it was of tragedy. The Crystal Ponies...we were not able to save them." The crowd was shocked at Celestia's statement. They were not used to such terrible news but Celestia and Luna who had been alive far longer than they have and was taught on the early histories of the world knew just how brutal it could get. It haunted her. It bought back memories of the war between two sisters of the seasons who happened to be their ancestors oddly enough, a corrupted ice queen, beasts that savaged the land, a period of Discord, the great dragon war that took the lives of their parents....

Celestia ignored the thoughts and shook them from her head. She continued speaking. "Not every war, battle, and fight will be won. As with the old saying, some will lose and some will win. It is a matter of life even for beings such as ourselves. Sombra...he was corrupted by dark magic and in so was a victim himself but I will not dismiss his actions. What he did was one of great monstrosity and atrocious."

"How? How did it come to be?" asked Feather Duster. "Sombra may have not been powerful enough to stop us on his own but he was of no fool." answered Luna. "Sombra knew what we were capable of from the start, planned in advance and managed to escape from the consequences of his actions. He said that he will return and perhaps-"

"-The kingdom is not dead." Celestia added. "But when he shall return is still up for debate."

"It is truly a tragic event my ponies. This I understand." Their subjects held their heads down low in solemn silence as if to pay respects to the lost ponies in Somba's now embrace. "Light Weight. I want you to deliver news that the kingdom's princesses has returned and a speech will be held today in late morning in Canterlot."  Light Weight, the castles personal messenger, (and ancestor of Derpy) gave a salute and bolted out of the room. Leaving feathers from her wings behind in the gust of wind. "Feather Duster and the others, inform the castle staff and tell them to get ready the chariots for the speech that is to come. We will be announcing in Canterlot as stated."

"Yes ma'am." They all said in unison. "As for you Ms. Goodwell I will be more than happy that after the speech is through, you will take time out of your busy schedule and assist my sisters wounds."

"Yes, your majesty." with that final statement she left the room, leaving Luna and Celestia alone by themselves.

Light Weight and her assistants went around through out the the towns of Equestria delivering the news that the princesses had indeed returned. Light Weight went to each town as fast she could to deliver the news. When the sun came up this morning, doors swung open and chatter embraced the atmosphere about the royals. The nobles especially took it into grand retrospect. Back at the castle, everything was buzzing. Philomena had been allowed to roam free and the guards and the castle staff were preparing for the royal speech. Ponies were gathering in Canterlot quickly and were catching the train to Canterlot by the fill. Celestia was in Luna's room and saw that the foal that they saved a day before was wide awake. It's eyes sparkling a beautiful golden color. The noise apparently had woken her up.

Celestia walked over to the very young mammal before her lying on the make shift bed, met her at eye level and gave a gentle smile.

"Why hello there little one." The foal simply stared back at her curiously. Now that Celestia thought about it, the young foal could have been no older than a few days not directly a newborn. Though, if that was the case, no older than perhaps three days at most. Luna was busy inspecting herself in front of her vanity mirror. "She's wide awake I see."

"Yes." The foal stretched it's head towards Celestia's even more causing her to come in contact with her nose. Celestia couldn't help but smile. "And quite the curious little thing as well."

"A home will have to be found for her. If she is a Crystal pony than perhaps it should be easy." Philomena flew through the crack of the bedroom door and saw the white young pony from on top of a mounted candle holder. It tilted it's head at her. Celestia left the foal and galloped to where Luna was. She sat down in front of her on a cushion on the opposite side of the coffee table. "Though we know nothing of her origins, we may have a chance at her adoption." She said with her eyes closed. "We will have to tell the public of her as well. She probably is a resident of the Crystal Empire though, with no recognition on who she or her mother is for that matter, we best not make assumptions."

"I am still stuck on why we have to tell them now." Philomena was in the background staring directly into the young foals face.

"Luna, it is important not to keep anything that may be of importance away from the public. That includes the foal."

Luna let out a puff of air and looked away from her sister's gaze. "Whatever." she grumbled underneath her breath. It was clear to Celestia that Luna was still trying to recover from the events of yesterday. All of this ruckus the day after was less than helpful on both of them. Not once so far we're they given the time to  reflect on themselves and the incident. It was the price of being a ruler. Nothing was kept to themselves unless absolutely personal. One of the sacrifices that came of being a ruler.

The foal in the background sniffed the bird. Philomena spread out it's wings and stepped back. Still curious of the new face invading her castle. "If you insist sister. The castle staff should be coming soon to tell us that preparations are ready for the-Ah!" Luna squinted her eyes together in pain from her back leg. "Luna!?" Celestia got up and trotted over to her sister's side. "Luna, Luna are you alright?"

"Yes, just a little hurt that's all."

The foal sniffed the bird. It's scent all to new to her and predatory instincts all to urging.

"Your condition seems to be getting worse dear sister. No more putting it off. I won't allow it. After the speech we will have the nurse check it. Understood?"

"Underst-" A loud squawk was heard from the other side of the room catching the attention of both princesses. The young foal had Philomena's tail in her mouth refusing to let go. "Philomena!" Celestia cried out. She galloped to where the scene was playing out. Philomena flapping it's wings furiously to break free of the foals tight grip upon her tail. Celestia tried to open up the foals mouth. "Ouch!" Before long Philomena managed to break free and flew swiftly out of the bedroom. Luna galloped over to her sister's side noticing the wound. "Sister...your bleeding."

"She broke my skin..." Celestia said eyeing her wound.

"What happened?" Luna knew Philomena had a mischievous streak and was intent on blaming her pet bird. Luna can't recalled how many times Philomena had tricked the vets into believing she was dangerously sick when in fact she was just going through her molting phase."She grabbed Philomena's tail..." Celestia couldn't help but stare at her wound noticing how odd it was. Two small holes, equally spaced apart, were present on her left hoof. Foals did not get their first teeth until they were at least a year old. When they did, the teeth were purely molars, rounded and meant for eating vegetables as with all the other teeth that was to come. Shall they bite something with their newly formed teeth it was a mark that was rounded.

The mark Celestia had was one that was reminiscent of a snake bite. It wasn't normal. At all. "Celestia?"

"Luna, it is merely a small scar but I want you to look at this bite mark. What do you notice about it?" She raised her hoof to Luna's face.

"It looks like a predatory creature did it. A snake bite perhaps?"

"Exactly."

"It came from the foal?" Luna said in shock. "She bit me accidentally when I was trying to pry apart her mouth from Philomena."

The doors of the bedroom flew open. It was Celestia's guard. "Your highness! We are ready for your presence in canterlot. The chariots are ready to bring you both." Celestia nodded her head and with that the guard was dismissed, closing the doors behind him. "I will have Nurse Goodwell check her later. Including you as well. Maybe she can provide some answers for us."

The guards blew the horns of royalty. Signaling the sisters arrival. The flags attached to them slightly waved from the force of the blow. The servants of the princesses stood at the corners of the balcony at the sounds of the trumpets announcement. Presenting the crowd with their two ruling sisters. Once the trumpets sounded the whispers and chatter among the crowd came to a halt as they waited for the princesses to speak.

Celestia cleared her throat.

"My dear ponies, I have come onto you today that you may know of the conditions in which made me agree to this announcement at such a rush in the morning. The Crystal Empire in which had been the pride of Equestria for it's beauty and wealth was sadly tainted by the evil well bringing of his corrupted mind and dark magic. When the two representatives of the Crystal Empire king came to me to tell the news of what had happen I must say that most of Equestria, if not all, was surely devastated at the bringing of the sorrowful news that the king was dead." Whispers came from the crowd. "With the news of what King Sombra have done spreading through out the kingdom, we, the rulers will not standby and watch as our ponies lives be ruined. Weather here or far away.

With the power of the elements at our side we sought to best Sombra and most of all free our beloved ponies from the clutches of Sombra. And though, my it not be popular, free Sombra of the hold in the dark magic had upon him. But Sombra is of no fool. We ourselves know that all to well. Sombra knew the great powers in which we held and with cunning planning planted a magical spell unknown to us surrounding the kingdom. When victory looked in our reach, only the sounds of the cold blizzard confirmed our failure. The only thing that was left a dark crystal and a echoing bellow of Sombra's promise to return. When or how we do not know but shall he return we will not forget the pain and suffering that he bought to the Crystal Ponies nor his unforgivable sin to the royal family. For now, the most we can do is simply look past what was yesterday and continue on into the sunlit future. Luna, my dear sister, will be relinquished of her duties as she had been seriously hurt in the fight. That is all we have to say."

The sisters turned there backs to loud murmurs and gossips of the crowd and stepped down from the stage and onto their readied chariots. Celestia's brimming a bright gold with a sun emblem on top and Luna's brimming a black color. Bearing more detail with Gothic accents and was pulled by two bat ponies. They rode off leaving the crowd behind in a disarray of talks, discussions, and the simple question of where to go from now.

Back at the old castle Ms.Goodwell was addressing Luna's wounds in Celestia's chambers. Wrapping the bandages carefully around her hind leg. Celestia was looking out her window, captured in thought. "I thought you were going to tell them about the foal that we found."

"I decided against it at the last minute. Telling them and then putting her up for adoption...." Celestia thought on it. "Would only cause a storm of adoption papers to come through." she finished. "I would recommend princess that you best stay in bed for the time being." said Ms.Goodwell.

"I can see a long line stretching from here to all around Equestria." Luna smiled. Celestia, still by her window looked down at the wound the foal had gave her. the blood had been cleaned off by her before the speech and the two small holes were beginning to scab up. "Dear princess, if you don't mind me asking, what foal are you talking about?" Ms.Goodwell finished wrapping her wounds.

"The foal we want you to see." said Celestia who turned her head away from the window to face the curious nurse.

Celestia picked up the foal by the nape of the neck and sat her down on her make shift bed. The toy she had  grabbed, a stuffed teddy ursa, stayed in place as she chewed on it. Or at least tried to with her gummed filled mouth. "This is the foal me and my sister found while we were coming back from the fight with Sombra. We believe she is the only survivor of the Crystal Empire's disappearance. She was not found far from the sites of the incident." Celestia refused to say anything about the foals mother. Perhaps it would be because it would stir up even more curiosity and more questions within Ms. Goodwell. Whatever the reason Celestia didn't want to be bothered with it.

"My, she is surely a lovely thing to have come out of terrible circumstances. She also seems very well fed and taken care of."

"Yes, indeed. But what I really want to know is about something that happened right before the speech. When the foal grabbed Philomena and I tried to pry her apart, she bit me and the cause was two small holes present in my left leg." Celestia showed Ms. Goodwell the barely visible scars. She noticed how they were two  tiny holes and was similar to a creature with fangs.

"That's odd....a pony foal does not get their first teeth until they are at least a year old. Let me get a look." Ms. Goodwell approached the snow colored foal and opened it's mouth gently. She noticed the only two small white objects just barely poking through her gums.

Ms. Goodwell froze at the sudden realization. She looked to Celestia nervously.

"Is something wrong Ms. Goodwell?"

"Your highness, how old is the foal?"

"I would say no older than probably a few days at most."

"She is no older than about a week and a few days but even still, pony foals do not start getting their teeth until they are a year old. Even though she clearly has teeth poking through her gums it would probably take some time before her other teeth come in. More than not, she was probably born with those teeth already showing. Also, your highness, as this is very important." Ms. Goodwell walked to the side of the princess leaving the young foal to continue gurgling and chewing gleefully at the stuffed toy. "The foal's teeth are canines ma'am."

The information caused the princess to jump back in shock. She had to be joking. Carnivore? She didn't even have the scent nor body of one. "Ms. Goodwell are you sure your not just getting something mixed up?"

"Follow me Princess and bring the foal. This would be much more easier proved in the royal treatment room."

Celestia had taken the foal into the personal treatment room where the nurse did X-rays on the foal. The teeth were shown to be baby teeth but Goodwell was correct. They were canines and this more than frightened, or at least worried Goodwell's assistant a little. Carnivores are rare in Equestria and one may question if one was present at all. As ponies, they had every right to be scared as they weren't exactly at the top of the food chain. That was better left to the bears, crocodiles, and even the griffons but thankfully at least two of them could be tamed. The griffons had a mind of their own, and a civilization at that. During the X-ray examination Celestia and Goodwell ended being surprised twice. Not only did she have one set of canines but a grand total of four. All of which would be present at the front of her mouth. Her back teeth were to be molars but like the others, those were still being formed in the gums. Ms. Goodwell had also warned her that she would probably start showing hunting and predatory instincts in the future.

Celestia was back in her bedchambers (Belle back in Luna's room asleep), laying on a mat going through paper work in front of her warm fire. Philomena stared at her through her cage with a relaxed posture. Luna had managed to crawled earlier in the day back to her room but the assistants had stated that Luna had not left once she did. Once again however, because Luna was barely seen during the day nor a peep was heard, the guards and castle staff were immediately panicked believing that their beloved princess was dying. Didn't help that the door was lock but Celestia managed to calm them of there fears. She couldn't help but smile at the thought that her subjects loved her as much as she loved them. She continued flipping through paper work. The paperwork she was going through were all papers that were to be handed out in adoption.

She needed a name for the young filly. She remembered hearing an almost ringing noise whenever the foal was up and about trying to run around. It wasn't annoying but pleasant and was reminiscent of the bells one would here on Hearths Warming Eve. "Ah ha!" Celestia levitated a pen and wrote down the name with a smile upon her face. "Her name shall be Belle." Celestia got up and set he sun making way for her sisters beautiful moon. She removed her royal wear and plopped down on her bed but one question remained.

How would she be able to explain that the very foal she was going to put up for adoption, was carnivorous?