The Swarm

Complete and outright chaos. That's what I expected when all the members of our family started charging through the fog. But surprisingly after the initial praise pretty much boiling down to. "Hello Light Step! We've been waiting for you." It is surprising to see them all setting themselves around the room in a neat semi-circle, all fang filled smiles and happy waving. It only takes five or so minutes for everyone to find a place to stand, when all are seated I find myself looking at each marking on the hooves again.

One sister of mine in the right-front row has a symbol of a hatching egg, another the symbol of a red heart surrounded by swirls. It seems they all have a role to play, the symbol telling more than the face.

That aside I hear Rem clear her throat, I glance to my left to see her looking down at the swarm of white. "As you all know, Light Step here is our newest family member." The chorus of approval was surprising considering I hadn't well met any of them yet. But it felt good. "I'm sure most of you can assume that she is going to take up an important role here since it is rare I ever call a family wide gathering for a birth. As much as I want to, we need to keep productive."

"But I deviate from the purpose of this. She will be taking the role of princess." The crowd sits still for a few tense moments, the idea of me being a princess hits my mind like train. She'd said that in the hallway, but I thought it a jest. I fidget in my hooves while the crowd seems to give positive approval for me.

I feel some blood run to my cheeks, though nobody could see that if they wanted to. The embarrassment passes when Rem raises a hoof for silence. "All that formal tradition out of the way. Let the feasting begin!" That won a noticeably bigger cheer from them.

I was led by a number of them out of the room and back into the chamber outside the fog, looking now I a could see that large indents in the walls going up to the rather high ceiling had been made into booths for food. Tables and chairs carved from ice, the architecture around here seemed simplistic.

Being led to a big booth that looks slightly more official, holding more of those /warm/ cushions, ugh. But once I reached the wall where it is I realize it's too high for me to jump. My distress only ramped up when one of my brothers calling himself "Risen Flurry" suggested I use my wings.

Even with the buzzing in my mind explaining the concept of flight and some visual aids from Flurry who seems very happy to help I am frightened. The fear is short lived, when I hear him speak again "Just try my sister, I'll be here to catch you when you fall."

It is a sweet offer and I think I might take him on it, stretching out my long and alabaster wings. They appear to be see-through, but with a lovely tint of white that camouflaged into the snow. I try to start them up, flapping up and as as fast as I can. It seems to work to an extent as I quickly found lift. If slightly off center.

It feels well and good to be in the air, even if only slightly.  With much effort I feel my wings begin to rise me the roughly ten yards high booth. I almost lost control halfway there, my wings almost giving out. But I only fall a foot before I feel the body of Flurry catch me in his forehooves. "T-thanks." I mumble out of embarrassment, my considerably small form easy for him to catch.

"No worries." He lifts me the rest of the way, placing me up in the booth. The amused smile of my mother meets me when I look to the round table, a cushion placed next to her expectantly waiting for me to sit. I shuffle over to the cushion, sitting down. But I notice Risen Flurry leaving after placing me down I reach my hoof at him. "Wait!" He doesn't hear me because he's too far from me. But he stops, looking back at me, the mindlink? Most likely.

My mother looks at me with amusement. "Well, already playing favorites with your brothers and sisters?" I'm only shocked a moment before I can feel mirth from her over the link. I wave him over from his hovering position outside the booth. "Thank you my sister, but any of us would have helped you." I don't really let those words go to heart. "Doesn't matter. I want to meet you personally." I say.

Only after the short exchange do I notice the multiple other lings flying to and fro with plates made of what appears to be organic brown stuff...The only think I haven't seen made of ice or wax so far. "What's that?" I point to the first place being placed on the table in one of the few sitting in the booth with me and mother. "Wood. Taken from a kingdom to the south, made from trees." The ling placing them says as if it was common knowledge. "Why didn't the link tell me that?" He looks at me with curious eyes. "Oh, apologies my princes-" "Sister." I interrupt, he regards me with a less formal tone. "My sister, the link only works if you actually ask it. You were concentrated on from hatching until the ceremony. Just grab the attention of one of our voices and we will assist." He said before going to fly off, as he flew off I caught sight of the red symbol of his. A platter with a....Block of snow on it?

Before I can ask about it he is already gone and the plate in front of me has just had snow placed on it. Strangely though, it holds a strange glow to it. "Ah! As your first taste of emotion infused snow. I want you to have malice, it's very rare and hard to come by!" I hear the joyful voice of my mother say.

"What?"