The Lost Prince

In the early afternoon, the Peryton awoke to find himself frozen to the bough of a tree. Both he and the limb were on the ground, surrounded by deep forest and woodland. He tried to raise himself from the branch, but his legs wouldn't move. Suddenly, a twig snapped, his head jerked upright and he saw a pack of Timber Wolves approaching him. One was closer than the rest, his teeth bearing and slobber was licked by his long tongue. Panic was about to over take the Peryton, when a bright glowing orb appeared between his antlers. A bolt of lightning vaporized one Wolf, than another, and another. He was just as shocked as they were. What power is this? he wondered. But before he could ask any more questions the pack had dashed off.

Once more he was surrounded by silence. He asked aloud "Can I melt the ice keeping me to this branch?"

Almost without thinking, the ice began to steam. Soon it was as if he were taking a nice warm bath. He kept the water there, letting the heat thaw out his numb limbs and looked around. The forest was still and quiet, a bright shade of greenish gold shed a peculiar light on the Peryton. When he was able to move, and when he noticed he was surprised and walked around. Every which way he turned the light made him look green. Is this my normal color? he asked himself if so, I must look pretty interesting. I wonder who I am.

He walked forward for awhile, slowly meandering his way down paths until he came to a cheerful bubbling mountain pool. He came out of the forest and placed his head down to drink long drafts. When he opened his eyes after enjoying the sweet clear water, he stepped back. Creeping forward to the pool, he saw the reflection of a strange creature. It had long crookedly elegant antlers on its head, and when he moved his shoulders in a particular way, the creature spread out it's wings like an angel. It had sapphire blue eyes and a black nose which flared out when he breathed. It had long straight legs which had cloven hooves, and a white mane and tail. He concluded that it must be himself because there were no other creatures around him when he looked around. Unless, he mused, and then dunked his head completely underwater. He opened his eyes, feeling the cold sting of the pool and looked around. Sure enough, there weren't any other creatures in there, at least, none that he could see.

He took his head out of the water and, with water dripping from his mane, he looked about him. He heard rattling above him as he looked an the graceful voice of someone saying "Are we there yet?"

"Rarity," another voice said in a strange accent "we've been to this camping spot a dozen times! Why do you have to keep asking that?"

"Well," the other voice, presumably Rarity's said "I think it's still a perfectly valid question."

"Seriously," said another exasperated voice "you guys always take it SO slow. Why do we have to dilly dally every time we come here?"

"We wouldn't if some of us would just pack like normal ponies do," the accented voice said.

"Hmph," Rarity said "I don't think it's such as bother as..."

Suddenly the cart, which was carrying an abnormally large amount of baggage, came into view, one of the wheels slipped and was dragging the cart downwards. A pony screamed "Help!"

It wasn't Rarity, but a younger and terrified voice. The Peryton, without thinking, spread out his wings and launched himself at the cart. In a single burst of speed and power, he reached the cart in the blink of an eye and pushed it forward. It was back on the path and the pony who cried out was dangling in the air with the cart holding her up as if with a pair of arms.

"Okay," she said "you can put me down now."

The Peryton gently lowered the cart until the little pony had all four hooves back on the ground. She looked back at her rescuer and screamed again. The Peryton looked at her confusedly. The little pony dashed away from him and the others soon popped out from in front of the cart to take a look. There were a white unicorn, an orange pony with four foals, a younger looking white unicorn, another pony slightly older than the foals,  a blue Pegasus, and an orange Pegasus. There were ten all in all. The Peryton felt sheepish and slightly awkward, but he put on a brave face and said "Hello."

There was an awkward silence and then the orange pony asked "Who are you?"

"I...," The Peryton replied, confident at first, but then he floundered "I..., I don't know."

"You mean," the blue Pegasus said "you don't know who you are?"

"Well," The Peryton said "I...I think I know."

"Oh give me a break," the blue Pegasus laughed "this is too funny."

"Now Rainbow Dash," the orange pony said after seeing the Peryton's crestfallen face "that's rude. Hi there, my name's Applejack, and these are my four foals: Maverick, Ace, Big Sky, Apple Blossom. My little sister Apple Bloom. That over there is Rarity, and Sweetie Belle, and this here is..."

"I think I'm perfectly capable of introducing myself unlike some," she said "name's Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in all of Equestria."

"And I'm Scootaloo," the orange Pegasus said "nice to meet you."

"Yes," The Peryton said "likewise."

After another awkward silence Sweetie Belle walked up to him "I'm sorry I screamed," she said "I was just so shocked and, I've never seen anypony like you before."

"That's alright," he said smiling "I was shocked myself when I saw what I looked like."

"What happened to you?" Scootaloo asked inquisitively.

"I don't know," the Peryton said "I don't even know who i am..."

"Come on," Rainbow Dash whined "can't we please get to the campsite?"

"Would you like to come with us?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Darling," Rarity said "we don't have a spare tent for him."

"Oh that's fine," the Peryton said "but what's camping? and what's a tent?"

"You mean," Ace asked "you've never been camping before?"

"Hush dear," Appleajack said "that's also rude. You don't have to poke fun at him. Come on, we'll show ya a good time."

They hiked a little bit longer with the Peryton stopping to smell every flower, look at every mountain view, and generally being overawed by his surroundings. "Look! He said to Rarity "have you ever smelt this flower? It's amazing!"

"Yes," she said haughtily and gently pushing it away from her nose "I have. It's called a rose."

"I've never smelt a rose before," he said "and what's this one?"

"It's a Li....Li....achoo!" Rarity sneezed.

"So it's a Li...Li....achoo?" the Peryton asked still holding it up.

"It's a lilac," Sweetie Bell said giggling slightly "Rarity's allergic to them."

"Yes," she said her eyes watering "please get that thing away from me."

"Oh," the Peryton said chucking the flower away "okay."

Rarity looked at Sweetie Belle and whispered "Not very bright is he?"

"Rarity," Sweetie Belle said reproachfully "he's just enjoying himself. Maybe you could take a lesson from him."

"I," she said shocked at Sweetie Belle's "I enjoy myself all the time thank you very much."

"Rarity," Apple Bloom said "sometime's you're about as fun as a pig in a bath."

"I...," she began but the other's laughed. The Peryton walked up to Rarity carrying a bundle of Lilacs "It's okay Rarity," he said "I think you're loads of fun."

She sneezed "Oh why do these things keep happening to me?"

After awhile they reached their campsite and began setting up their tents. Scootaloo was making a strange something the Peryton had never seen before.

"Scootaloo," he asked "what's that?"

"Oh this?" she said "it's just a s'more."

"What's a s'more?"

"It's a type of camping snack," she said "it's a real treat. You wanna try one?"

"Sure," he said plopping himself next to her "how do I s'more?"

"I'll show you how to make one," she said "first you take a Graham cracker, then you put chocolate on the cracker."

She reached down an pulled out a stick from the fire which had something on fire at the end of it. The Peryton jerked back when he saw it but then calmed down when Scootaloo laughed "Silly," she said "this is one of the most important parts. This is a marshmallow."

"Marshmallow?" he asked "do they normally look like that?"

"No," Scootaloo said "this is only when they're cooked right. Wanna try a normal one?"

"Okay," the Peryton said and stuffed the Marshmallow handed to him in his mouth. He chewed a couple of times, and then his eyes popped open. Suddenly, he reached over to the bag and began wolfing them down.

"Easy there," Scootaloo said "or you'll make yourself sick. And besides, we gotta save enough for everyone."

Slowly, and reluctantly, the Peryton put down the bag and watched Scootaloo finish making her s'more "Then," she said "you put the marshmallow on the chocolate. You put another layer of chocolate on top of the marshmallow, then another Graham cracker. And then, you eat it."

She took a big bite and chewed, melted chocolate covering her lips "You try," she said through mouthful of s'more.

The Peryton looked hesitant, than took a bite. He had never tasted anything so rich, so dark, so enchantingly delightful that he relished every single morsel. He didn't know when the last time he ate was, and he enjoyed every bite. Sounds of glee emanated from him as he chewed. "Mmmmmmhm," he said "do you have this all the time?"

"Not all the time," Rainbow Dash said "only when we go camping."

"I think I like camping," he said "do you do this often?"

"Every once and a while," Apple Blossom piped up "but we like to keep it a treat so we don't do it every day."

"I can see why," the Peryton said.

Over the next day he learned what a tent was and how to set one up, how to set up a sleeping bag, and the different stars and constellations were when they went star gazing. He treated all of them with almost a boyish innocence, but was respectful and kind. He laughed a light contagious laugh when he heard Scootaloo's jokes which she usually told on these kinds of trips. She laughed at the pranks Ace and Maverick would pull on their brother Big Sky. He helped Apple Blossom braid her hair and Sweetie Belle build a camp fire. Even Rarity grew to like him by the end of the trip. When they were packing to leave the Peryton looked down at his hooves and shuffled them.

"What's wrong Antlers?" Apple Bloom asked. Antlers was the nickname they gave him because they didn't want to have a nameless friend.

"Oh, well," the Peryton said "I suppose you'll be leaving today and...well..I don't know what to do..."

"Oh shoot darlin'," Applejack said "you can come along with us!"

"Really?" the Peryton excitedly "can I?"

"Sure," Apple Bloom said smiling "we might even be able to find out who you are?"

The Peryton was even more excited when he heard this "You mean? I can find out my name?"

"Duh," Rainbow Dash said "we'll take you to our friend Princess Twilight."

"Who's she?" The Peryton asked. He felt a warmth and joy when he heard that name, Princess Twilight.

"The Princess of Friendship," Sweetie Belle said "she's really smart too."

"If anypony can help you," Applejack said "she's the one who can."

"Oh," the Peryton said "that would be wonderful!"

With that, they trotted down the hill happily to Ponyville.