The Cold

It grips me. It surrounds me. It tries to penetrate my skin like a sharp spear looking for a point of weakness. It looks for somewhere to cut me open and freeze my blood. It feels like a thousand fire ants think I’m their dinner. It is so cold that it burns.

As I rest in my bedroll, I try to think of warmth. I imagine myself curled up in the embrace of my mother in front of a fire. It’s hard to keep imagining this fantasy when another growl of wind rips its way through the cave and digs another hole into my deteriorating bag.

Hearing a distant howl reminds me of the things that lurk outside. Some hate hearing the calls of lonely monsters, but personally, I like the reality check. It reminds me to stay alert and not to drift too far into my fantasy world of warmth. My mind drifts to the two ponies posted on watch. We take it in shifts, children excluded. I think of the poor unfortunate souls that have to suffer in the rain and chill of the cave mouth until dawn. In a few nights time it will be my turn, but I try not to think of that. I cherish my sleep. It is the only time that I am truly free of this world. I start to drift into the warm blurry haze of sleep. Sometimes all you can do is hug yourself and hope that you will wake up.

I wake up to terrified screams. My fur is plastered to my body by cold sweat. The one torch that we always keep lit for the watch is out. Its pitch black. The scratching of scurrying hooves and the shrieks of flailing bodies forms a cacophony of fear that roars through the cave. They cast vivid shadows on the cave floor as they rush to the back of the cave, gathering children and loved ones on their way. Some dive behind loose boulder, some grasp iron spears, while most huddle in a mix of their own fear, sweat and piss.

Massive talons snap onto the cave lip and hoist up a giant black feathered body that boasts two webbed wings. Its eyes are only two red dots in the darkness. Its deafening screech causes my ears to throb and bleed. Out of the shadows a second screecher appears and joins in the bloody choir. Scrambling pony limbs strike my stunned frame, knocking me to the hard floor.

Then I see black.

My hearing is the first thing to come back. Grunts of fierce ponies, the war cries of fearless defenders and the pained howls of the screechers guide me back to consciousness. The crisp zap of precious magic tears through the air and buries itself deep within the creatures’ bodies.
Next my sight returns. It is black and white but slowly fading into the colour. Rich purples, yellows and reds briefly light the cavern as the rip violently through the atmosphere. Through the blurred haze I watch in admiration as a pony I feel quite dear to bravely wield her magic against this strange world. I can see the tears the shed from her eyes from the pain of focusing weak magic. My attention shifts as a taller pony moves into position beside her. The two princesses, Twilight and Luna. The only ones strong enough to still retain some of their magic.
More of them have arrived. What was once a party of a few screechers has developed into an entire flock of hungry predators. My weary eyes slide shut just as Twilight collapses from exhaustion. Her body, covered in sweat, lies at the feet of the ever-strong night princess who still fights fiercely to keep her head held high.

“Get back!” She cries with royal authority to the onslaught of shadows.

Razor-lined beaks snap and bite at the princess’s perfect figure. They tear out triangles of flesh but still she keeps her focus on now the only light in the cave and what feels like the last light left in the world. As one screecher snaps her wing between its powerful beak, a surge of power enters Luna’s horn and the light grows to twice its size. It arcs its magical fire at approaching screechers and commands them to stand at bay.

“Foul beasts you shall be slain!” The desperate princess screamed once more.

It was as if she thought that these creatures of hatred and death could understand her, and that they would accept the authority of a pony who was once such a great ruler.

I watched as a cage of mangled black talons reached for her. I saw the pure terror in her eyes as they coiled around her throat like armoured snakes. I watched as her horn stopped glowing and as she took her last breath. Just as her frame went limp and collapsed into death’s arms, I felt a pair of cool claws slowly wrap around me. I wanted to scream. I wanted to fight, but after all of these years I had no desire within me. I let it take me. I feel the air rush to fill the void beneath me when it brings me off the ground. I feel my head fall limp backwards and my feet dangle in the night air. I feel the soft beating of its wings and the dry rasp of its throat as it calls to its brethren to leave. They have either slaughtered all of my friends or have taken as much food as they need for the coming winter. I find some comforting in thinking that I may be taking the place of some young filly. They can feast on me, someone who has already been dead along time, instead of blood that hasn’t yet been tainted by this land.

I feel saddened knowing that this is the most free I will ever feel, being trapped in a cage of talons.

Author's Note

I am thinking of adding a gore tag, I am not sure exactly if this chapter qualifies as gore.
I know this story is a tad dark.
If you think it's too intense, or you like it, please comment to let me know!

I apologist for the chapters being short but I work best in short bursts and I'd like to keep building up the story.
Expect frequent updates!
I know that if I stop and build up a long chapter I will never finish it.
Thank you!

If you are interested in helping me work on this story please find the Google Doc Link Here.

Change Log
[21/12/15] - Fixed Some Spelling and Grammar Errors