The hallway stretched before Willow’s eyes as she walked beside Noctus. The hallway itself, dark stone that seemed to shift at the corners of Willow's eyes, sloped up to a peak near the roof, regularly supported by carved buttresses. Iron candelabras, covered with candles of all shapes and sizes, were placed between rich, detailed tapestries, which seemed to define events of the past: here, a grey unicorn wielded hammer and tongs, forging a wicked blade. There, a yellow pegasus, feathers tipped with weapons, sent creatures scrambling. Beneath her hooves, a carpet, wine red and slightly worn by the passage of many hundreds over many years. Vaguely, she wondered if the color had been a deliberate aesthetic choice, or was selected out of practicality; she doubted that any red liquid would show up easily amongst the dyed fibers.

As the two of them traversed the hallway, she spotted several door that seemed to stem from the hallway they were in, each possibly leading to different rooms. If she were to guess this was probably the dormitory section of the castle- or, whatever this place was. Willow knew one thing: this was far different from the Royal Palace in Canterlot. She remembered the ivory-colored walls and polished stone-tile floors; the lush flower garden that lay outside the entryway. Most of all, she remembered she had the opportunity to meet Celestia in her throne room, sitting there in all her glory, with the light of the sun shining through the stained glass windows that lined the hall.

It was truly a sight for her to behold.

However, now, she was stuck in this dark and dreary place. Though she couldn’t quite place it, the atmosphere of this place reminded her of something heavy and overbearing. As if there was a constant sense of dread. Or perhaps it was of her volition. Her hooves shook with each step, her leg wound was sore and difficult to move with.

“Willow, are you alright?” Noctus asked from her side. Her eyes were fixated on the hall in front of her in a wide-eyed gaze. He tapped her on the shoulder. “I said, are you alright?”

“Huh?” She broke out of her stupor. “I-I’m sorry it’s just… this just doesn’t feel real for some reason.”

“What do you mean?” He stopped her in the middle of the hallway.

“This all feels like a dream or.. or a nightmare” she whispered to him, her eyes glued to the floor, “Everything that’s happened. The thing that attacked me, meeting you, and then taking me to this place. It just doesn’t feel right. It all happened so fast!”

Noctus bit at the inside of his lip then sighed. “Look, Willow,” he lifted her chin up with hoof and stared into her bright green eyes. “Trust me, all the answers to your questions will be provided soon enough. As I’ve said, you’re just going to have to trust me.”

Without waiting for an answer, he turned and continued trotting down the torch-lit hallway. Willow struggled to catch up with him, her left hind leg burning from the effort. An uneasy expression adorned her face as they exited the hallway, entering into another corridor and turned to the left.

For the first time that night, Willow was relieved to see other ponies. This passageway seemed to be a conflux for other corridors, almost as if this was sort of a central hub for the rest of the castle. In front of her, off in the distance, she saw other ponies whom she assumed to be Hunters like Noctus, dressed in a similar fashion he was. From this distance, she couldn’t figure out their features. The same wine red carpet was draped over the gray cobblestone floor, and numerous torches lined the walls, adding more light to the slightly dim area. Moonlight poured in from windows that were set in between the torch sconces, the openings just wide enough to let in a hint of the outside.

Lining the hallway on both sides were different passages, most likely leading to different sections of the building.

“What is this place?” She asked Noctus.

“This is the Main Hallway,” he answered, “From here, you have access to the rest of the Sanctuary. All you have to do is know where you’re going. Now come, we must get moving.” He took off the down the hall and Willow followed suit. As they walked, Willow’s ears perked up as she heard the sound of heavy grunts and shouts. They passed by a doorway and she caught a glimpse of what was inside.

Inside the room were two Hunters twirling and clashing with wooden weapons amongst a cavalcade of wooden dummies that lined the walls along with several other wooden contraptions Willow assumed were used for training.. One was a bright green unicorn holding a wooden broadsword in his magical grasp, and the other was a bright blue earth pony holding a thinner bokken in his mouth. She stopped for a second to observe. The two ponies almost seemed to be locked in a dance; they jumped in the air, twisting their bodies as their weapons clashed. Though the unicorn seemed to have the advantage with his magic, the earth pony was faster and was on the offensive while his opponent did his best to block his attacks.

The two combatants were so lost in their duel that they failed to notice Willow staring.

“Come,” Noctus urged. “We mustn't interrupt. It’d be rude. Come on.” She gave the two of them one last look before turning away. Willow peered through several other doorways they passed by, each room holding different things such as crates, barrels, armor racks, and other items. More than likely, they were all just supply rooms. Each doorway had a rounded arch at the top that seemed to be incredibly worn down over time. Just how old was this place?

That question would have to wait.

Suddenly, a sort of… pony, approached her.

Willow froze in her tracks before the large creature in front of her. He or whatever it was, wore a sort of black buttoned tunic and wore a black feathery coat that was split down the middle, almost as if they were wings. On its was a mask with an elongated beak, much like a bird’s, with two eyeholes. The mask was topped by a black pointed hat. The garb the creature wore completely covered its body and face, so she was not able to see if this thing was a pony or pegasus.

Or if it was equine at all.

“So,” a raspy male voice breathed from inside the mask. “What do we have here? An outsider? How peculiar.”

Willow let out a whimper as she shrunk before the thing in front of her.

“This is quite a sight,” he let out a chuckle, “You don’t see ponies like you in the Sanctuary. In fact, it’s forbidden. I’ve always wondered, what does a mundane pony’s blood taste like?”

She felt her knees were about to give out.

“Had your fun already, Crixus?” Noctus shot him a hard glare as he stepped in front of Willow, who was about to faint. “In case you didn’t know, the Council has summoned us and you are causing an interruption. It would be quite rude if you made us late.”

“Heheheh, I assume the Council has summoned you because of this one?” he glanced at Willow, his mask covering his smirk. “You best be careful, Noctus. I’m sure you know bringing in outsiders is deeply forbidden.”

“I’m well aware of that,” he muttered in reply, “However, this case is different, I assure you.”

“Oh? Then what is she? A potential mate?” the stallion teased. “Are you going to receive permission to breed with this mare? If so, then her blood must be strong, indeed. I wish I was able to sample her.”

Willow gasped and immediately hid behind Noctus.

“Alright, enough, Crixus,” he growled, “We must be on our way. Please go bother somepony who isn’t busy.”

“I suppose I shall, heheheh,” he cackled, “Make sure you keep doing your job right, Hunter. Or I’ll have to do my job, hahahah!” His raucous laughter echoed from down the hall as he trotted away.

After he left, Willow was able to regain control of her breathing.

“Wh-Who was that? What was that?” She whimpered.

“That was the pegasus known as Crixus,” he replied, “And as for what he is, he’s a Raven.”

“You mean like, he’s part bird or something?” Willow asked, but mentally slapped a hoof against her face. Of course he’s part bird you idiot! He’s a pegasus for Celestia’s sake!

“No, Ravens are Hunters who keep other Hunters like me in check by making sure we follow the Rules of the Hunt, as well as staying true to our oaths as Hunters of the Order.”

“So they’re like, a police force?”

“Precisely,” he nodded, “They make sure that us Hunters don’t become drunk from bloodthirst, and fall to the Lust.”

“What happens if you disobey the laws or… do whatever you just said?” she asked. Noctus suddenly turned away from her. “Noctus?”

“If a Hunter ever went rogue, the Ravens immediately hunt them down,” he answered. “Ponies in the Order don’t particularly like the Ravens.”

“Why is that?”

“Because of what you just saw,” he gestured for her to follow as she continued down the main hallway. “The Ravens often let their pride consume them, which is why they act as if they’re better than the rest of us.”

“That’s so horrible, ya know?” Willow gasped, staying close to Noctus. “I already kinda don’t like this place.”

“You’ll get used to it, trust me.”

They continued down the hallway, passing by several Hunters along the way; many of whom would stop to greet Noctus, but would only give Willow as suspicious glare when they finished. Eventually, she had to ask why the Council wanted to see her.

“So,” she began, glancing over at him, “Why does the Council, or whatever want to see me?”

“The Council is going hold a special session regarding your fate,” Noctus answered.

Willow’s ears fell. “What the heck does that mean?”

“Please stop with the questions,” Noctus begged irritably.

Suddenly, another pony stopped in front of them, this time a bright red unicorn stallion with a white mane and tail with streaks of crimson. He was dressed in a sort of white hooded robe, its color clashing with his red coat.

“Oh! Noctus! Hello!” he greeted brightly. “How goes it?”

“Very good, Bones,” Noctus smiled back and the two of them bumped hooves.

Well, at least not everypony here is a brooding cynic or a cocky asshole Willow giggled to herself.

“So, how is my former patient?” He turned towards with a wide grin etched on his face. “Doing well I hope? After all, you did have a severe class III laceration near your jugular vein, as well as a class II laceration with a tibial fracture on your left hind leg. Luckily Noctus here used a hardening salve to cover up the wounds before they got infected or worse, as well as properly dressing it. Sanguinaire taught you well, didn’t she?”

“That she did,” Noctus laughed. For the first time, she had seen Noctus show a different side to his seemingly stony persona. “But I believe she’s been recovering well. Right, Willow?”

“Uh,” her eyes darted between the grinning unicorn and Noctus,who bore an uncharacteristic smile. “Uh, I guess? I’m sorry, I just- I don’t really know who you are.”

“It seems introductions are in order,” the stallion chuckled, “My name is Crimson Suture. I am a Healer for the Order, but most ponies address me by the name of ‘Bones’.”

“So it’s kind of a nickname, then?” Willow asked.

“I suppose you could say that,” Bones shrugged, “Now, your wounds appeared to have healed nicely. I injected you with a couple of blood vials as to replace the blood you lost during the little… altercation you experienced in the forest near Ponyville.”

“I can hardly remember what happened,” Willow rubbed her bandaged shoulder, the feeling of those teeth sinking into her flesh made her shiver. “Somehow, I think that’s a good thing, ya know?”

“Yes indeed,” Bones’s grin shrank into a grimace for a moment before he perked himself back up. “Nevertheless, I’m glad you’re back in good health.”

Willow felt a warmth in her heart. “Thank you, for all your help,” Willow grinned sheepishly as a shade of red fell across her muzzle and she flicked her gaze to the floor.

Bones laugh, and she looked up to see him smirking at her, before he shifted his gaze to Noctus. “She really is impressionable isn’t she, Noctus?”

A small smile appeared on his face.

Willow scrunched up her nose in adorable anger; a deep red blush on her cheeks.

“It seems this is where I take my leave,” Bones chuckled. “I’ll see you soon, Noctus. We should have a drink in the dining hall before you go out on your next hunting trip.”

“Yes, we should. Goodbye, Bones,” the two of them bumped hooves and Bones made his way down the opposite end of the hall. Noctus watched his friend trot away then looked back at Willow.

She had an angry look on her face. That wasn’t a good sign.

“Something the matter?”

Willow began to growl at him. “Why you- you- you’re a big jerk, ya know!” she lifted a hoof and attempted to slug him a good one across the face.

In the blink of an eye, Noctus lifted a hoof and blocked her jab with relative ease.

Willow stared wide-eyed at Noctus' unbelievable reflexes. “How did you…?”

“Willow, please,” he scowled at her. “Can you not?”

“But, but I- how did?” she stammered. “Oh never mind.” She put her hoof back down onto the ground in defeat.

“Enough dawdling,” Noctus grunted. “We must get to the Gathering Hall. Come.”

Fortunately, their little spat did not catch the attention of passersby. Willow and Noctus resumed their journey through the Sanctuary. They turned left into a doorway that lead downwards onto a small staircase.

The room before them was slightly bigger than the hallway they had just been in beforehand. In the center of a room was a long oak-wood table that ran down the length of the chamber; draped over the table was a wine red cloth. Atop it sat several candelabras, and around the table were numerous wooden, cushioned chairs. On the far side of the room was another table, but it sat on a raised platform above the other table with a total of eight chairs sitting behind it.

To her, it almost seemed as if that table was more important than the other one.

Hanging above the longer table were three banners with the same trident symbol, but this time the banner was the same color as the table cloth. Another set of banners sat behind the smaller table, with a larger one in the middle. If she were to take a guess, she would say that this room was a gathering place for the Hunters. On the wall opposite the small table, was a set of double doors under an archway. More than likely that lead to a kitchen.

Willow spared a glance upward at the large iron chandelier, Noctus not even paying the slightest of notice to the mass of metal, and was surprised to see that it was quite detailed for a thing made of such practical and common material. Beautiful swirls and delicate whorls of the black metal spider-webbed between the main arms, the occasional candle perched on the delicate fingers that spanned the mass: even the candle holders were delicately and loving crafted in a feathered design. The effect was similar to that of a flock of white birds perched on the branches of a tree, and was quite lovely, in its own mysterious way.

“Is this the place?” She asked curiously.

“No, this is the Dining Hall,” he replied, “The Gathering Hall lies in a corridor beyond that passageway over there, on the other side of the room.”

Willow took another look at the banners hanging from the arched ceiling. “Noctus, what does that symbol mean?”

He stopped in his stride and glanced at the banner. “Ah, I haven’t explained that yet, have I?” Willow shook her head. “In short, it is the symbol of the Hunter Order. As for what it represents, well… you’ll have to learn another time. Now come on, and save your questions until later.”

They passed through the dining room and approached another doorway that lead into yet another passageway, this one more compact. In front of them stood a staircase that ran up the wall and lead to the second level of the area they were. To their left and right were hallways that lead to other parts of the castle. Noctus and Willow began climbing the staircase.

After reaching the second level, Willow and Noctus trotted through another doorway and out into another hall, this one was more cavernous than the rest. To their right was a dead end, so the two of them turned to their left and made their way down the large corridor.

Willow’s eyes scanned the area as several little trinkets and treasures caught her eyes. Gigantic tapestries lined the walls, each of them depicting a portrait of ponies, all standing in a wide variety of positions and poses. However, to her they all seemed to hold the same expression. Below the paintings were cases that held weapons that were simple in design, but as they walked further down, they became more complex and modernized.

As they stepped out into another corridor, Willow could not help but blink. The previous passages had been decorated, to be sure: elegant in their design and their assembly, their carefully constructed tapestries and candelabras. This corridor, however, was nothing short of opulent. The walls were lined with a number of decorations and displays: sets of armor, no two completely alike. Paintings, depicting scenes of incredible variety from picturesque cities to dark chambers: a few hurt to look at, the world seeming to twist around her as she did so, and her eyes avoided them. Cases, crystal clear and free of anything resembling age or neglect, lined with the softest and most luxurious velvet and holding weapons of startling array, some polished to a mirror sheen and others stained permanently from long years of use.

“Noctus, what is this place?” Willow asked stopping in her tracks on the wine red carpet that covered the floor. “There’s these huge paintings and stuff all over the place!”

Her voice echoed off the walls.

“This, is the Hall of Masters,” Noctus answered, gesturing to the area with a hoof. “These paintings are of all the different Masters of the Order that have long since passed. Come, I’ll show you an interesting one.” He walked a little ways further down the hall until he stopped in front of a painting. “Look.”

Willow stood next to him and eyed the painting. Depicted was a pony with fur as black as night, standing next to a small pedestal with an urn full of something she didn’t want to imagine the origin of. His grey eyes clashed with his dark coat, and his mane was a slightly darker shade of grey than his eyes and coat. He wore a leather trench coat, much like the one Noctus wore -perhaps a little too similar- and held what looked like a cane in his left hoof, the bottom of it resting on the floor below him. On top of his head was a top hat, ears poking through holes in the brim.

As if to complete his get up, he wore a very stern look on his face. Willow could feel his piercing gaze burning into her soul. What also creeped her out was it seemed like his eyes seemed to follow her.

“Who is this?” She asked.

“His name was Nox Luminis,” Noctus replied, wearing a somber expression yet… there was a sense of pride in his voice. “He helped settle the Order during the Great Scourge of the Second Era. After that, he was named the sixth Master of the Order, thus ushering in the beginning of the Third Era.”

“Wow that’s, uh…” Willow bit her lip, an unsure expression forming on her face. “Great? I mean, he did the thing with the the whatchamacallit, and Nox Loo-loo-men-iz…? Sounds like a great guy, ya know!” She finished on a high note and bounced on her hooves to show for it.

Noctus simply looked down at her bemusedly, his brow arched. Willow felt herself shrink under his piercing gaze.

Piercing gaze. For some reason she felt that the stallion in the painting and Noctus would have gotten along a little too well.

“Uh, what?”

“Nothing,” Noctus grunted, shaking his head.“Follow me, the Council chambers are this way.” Willow hesitated for a second, inspecting the tapestry more closely. Beneath it was a case that held the same cane from the painting. If she had to guess, she would say it was a weapon of sorts. Considering everything she’s seen, she wouldn’t be surprised if it was. On the top of the painting was a plate with engraving notched into it. She squinted her eyes to read what it’s said.

“Nocty!” She called out.

The young Hunter felt the hairs on his back stood up as the name reached his ears. He slowly back pedalled until he stood next to Willow again. He felt his eye twitch.

“Care to explain why you called me that?” He half-growled.

“C’mere!” she beckoned him with a hoof. “What does the thing at the top of the painting say?” He looked up towards the engraving for a moment.

“It says, ‘Inducet Lucem Noctis Paenitentiam’,”he recited perfectly. The language was something that Willow had never heard in her whole life.

“Uh…” she stared at him, mouth agape and ears flat. “And that means?”

“It means, ‘Bring The Dawn, Relent The Night’,” he answered. “Every Master has their last words recorded and emblazoned on their tombs and their tapestries in this hall. Nox was probably one of the most talented Hunters that ever lived.”

Willow scratched at her mane. “This all sounds interesting, but honestly, I have no idea what any of it means. And for some reason, I’ve been feeling that a lot lately, ya know!”

“You’ll learn in time, Will-”

“You keep fuckin’ saying that!” She pointed a hoof at him accusingly, frustration boiling up inside her. “You haven’t given me any of the answers I need, ya know! And what was with that language you spoke? I’ve never even heard of that! Another thing, I wanna know why- mmppff!”

Next thing she felt was Noctus’ hoof forcibly covering her mouth.

All the while he wore that familiar look of bemusement. “Honestly, would it help if I took you to a room for you to scream in? Because this is hardly the place to be doing so.”

She knocked his hoof away from her mouth, an indignant look on her face.

“Yes, yes it would actually,” she closed her eyes and turned her nose upwards.

“Right, well, perhaps later,” Noctus continued down the hall. “Come. We’re already late as it is.” Willow galloped to catch up with him. “And a fair word of warning to you, I’d advise that you keep your emotions in check when you’re speaking with the Council. I guarantee they won’t take kindly to an outburst of confusion and rage like the one you demonstrated. I promise you’ll get all the answers you seek, but you must be patient.”

Willow sighed and lowered her head. “Yeah, alright, I guess.”

At the end of the hall stood two wooden double doors, carved with scenes of figures in a variety of clothing and wielding an array of weapons battling with twisted beasts. The doors exuded authority, majesty, and a certain sense of foreboding, which was reinforced by the pair of guards that stood to either side. Willow noted, with a certain sense of apprehension, that they greatly resembled Crixus, the pony that had made such strange, veiled threats to Noctus. Their faces were masked, but Willow had the unsettling feeling that they were watching her intently, simply waiting for a chance to do… something. She shuddered slightly, and edged a little closer to Noctus, who acknowledged her movement with a flicker of his ears, but said nothing.

He, however, approached them without faltering. “The Council has summoned us. May we go in?”

“You’re late, Noctus,” the Raven on the right growled through his mask. His voice was not as creepy as Crixus’, but there was a strong sense of disapproval in his tone.

“Yes, quite late,” the Raven on the left added, however this voice was feminine, yet glided like smooth silk across satin. “The Council has been expecting you for some time. I suggest you go in posthaste.”

Without another word, Noctus nodded and walked past them, pushing past the door. Willow, of course, hesitated again, but after receiving blank yet terrifying stares from the Ravens, she quickly high-tailed it into the next room, the doors shutting closed behind her.

“You are late, Noctus.”

A shrewd-sounding voice echoed around the room as Willow entered. The chamber before her was quite a marvel. Alcoves with brightly-lit flames burning inside them lined the walls of the cavernous Gathering Hall. It had a domed ceiling with a chandelier hanging from it; its candles currently lit. In front of her sat an arched table, similar to that of a semi-circle oak table. Behind the table sat a group of ponies, whom she assumed was the High Council Noctus warned her about. In front of them were two chairs set behind a smaller wooden table. There were eight of them in total, with red and white striped banners hanging off the edge where each seat was placed.

The room itself was quadrilateral, and the wall behind the Council were three banners; each with different designs. The to the left held a coat of arms; from what she could see, it was designed with a shield crossed by a sword and a wing. In the quadrants of the shield were several designs that she couldn’t make out from this distance. The one on the right bore a similar design, a shield but with the black silhouette of what looked like a bird. She assumed it was from the Ravens. And the larger one in the center stood out. It was the same shield coat-of-arms, but with the familiar trident crossing the shield, two wings spread out on its sides, a sun and moon emblem in its center, along with two swords crossed near the bottom of the shield, with what looked like two scrolls of parchment rolled across the top and the bottom.

On the parchments were words that she could not even begin to pronounce.

“Please, sit,” one of the ponies asked. She was far too nervous to look any of them in the eyes. Their presence alone weighed down on her shoulders; a dense air about them that reeked of authority and demanded respect.

Willow carefully sat down on the cushioned wooden chair, crossing her back legs as they dangled off the edge, tail protruding out from the back. Noctus took the seat next to her. She glanced over at him to see if he had anything to say, but his eyes were focused on the Council before them. His face bore no legible expression, but she could feel that he was as nervous as she was, though he was trying to hide it.

“Now, shall we begin?” she heard a stallion’s voice speak up. Willow looked up and saw a unicorn mare stand up from her seat, while the others remain seated. She had a cobalt blue coat with a purple mane and teal-colored eyes. The mare seemed to be middle-aged, as there were visible wrinkles on her face. In fact, most of the ponies all seemed to be pretty old.

“As Head Councilmare,” she began, her voice sounding stuffy and refined, “I hereby commence the 282nd session of Council, date Year 999 Anno Celestia in the Third Era, marked as urgent session due to special circumstance.”

Off to the far right of the table was a bespectacled stone-colored unicorn stallion with a silver mane and light blue eyes, who was writing down things on a sheet of parchment. More than likely, she was making record everything that was being said.

“Now that we have begun, I would first like to introduce our... newcomer to the current Council members so that she may address them correctly,” she gave Willow a stern look. “Currently residing as the 9th Master of the Order is Master Powder Keg , seated to my right.” An olive-colored stallion with a gray mane and ash grey eyes. He chewed on a lit pipe in his mouth, smoke wafting out from the tip. On his head he wore a hunting cap. From what Willow could see, he was also sitting in a wheelchair.

“To the right of Master Keg, is the current Vice Councilor, Master Arion.”

A midnight blue stallion with a pitch black mane and maroon eyes smiled at her genially and nodded in acknowledgement.

“Seated at the far right is our current Weapon Master, Master Iron Side.”

An ebony stallion with an arctic blue mane with eyes of the same color sat there with his hooves crossed. He nodded at her and smiled.

“Next to him is our Chief Medical Officer, Mistress Sanguinaire.”

A mare with a mauve coat, wine red mane and eyes sat there with a neutral expression, offering no acknowledgment to Willow.

“And last on the right is our Quartermaster, Mistress Patience.”

A mare with a buttery-yellow coat ginger mane and brown eyes sat there with a toothpick in her mouth and her forelegs crossed, a somewhat angry scowl on her face.

“To my left, is our current Disciplinarian, Master Zeron.”

A pegasus stallion with a slate blue coat, sage mane, and golden eyes sat there with the same look as Patience had. Only this time, Willow felt legitimate fear as she looked the stallion in the eyes.

“And last, but certainly not least, is our current Historian, Master Moonlight.”

The stallion paid Willow no heed as he focused on recording what was said.

“Now that you know their names, I expect you to address them properly,” she croned. “As for me, I am Head Councilor Minela. You shall refer to me as only Head Councilmare. You are to address the others by their titles as well, however you will not speak unless spoken to. Are we clear?”

Willow nodded her head meekly.

“Speak up, filly!” she ordered.

“Y-yes!” Willow gasped out.

“Correctly!” she heard Zeron growl with a gruff voice.

“Y-yes, Head C-councilmare…” Willow’s voice failed her as she saw the looks they were giving her.

Minela frowned, clearly dissatisfied with her answer, but continued regardless.

“With that out of the way,” she looked down at the table, shuffling through papers with her magic. “Does anypony have an opening statement before I begin?”

Zeron raised hoof, his scowl wrinkling his scarred face. “With your permission, Head Councilmare, I would like to give my opinion on the matter.”

“Permission granted.” Minela nodded at him, sitting back down in her seat.

“Very well,” he rose up from his seat and cleared his throat. “Now, my fellow Masters of the Council, as the Chief Disciplinarian and Master of the Ravens Guild, I feel it necessary to express my disdain for this special session we are holding.”

His voice echoed like a thunderstorm within the Council chamber.

“As you all are aware,” he resumed, “That mare Noctus has brought before us is an outsider! Head Councilor Minela!”

She raised an eyebrow at him.

“I’m sure you along with everypony else are aware that ponies like her do not belong here!” Zeron slammed a hoof down onto the table. Willow was sure that it caused a crack or two. “According to the laws set by Lady Artemis and the First Council, outsiders, mundane or otherwise, are forbidden from entering the halls of the Sanctuary!”

“Let me ask you, my fellow Hunters, what is there to discuss?” he asked, “Why are we holding a session regarding whether or not we should cast this mare out into the night? We are Hunters of the Order and we must obey the laws! I-”

Minela silenced him with a hoof.

“Thank you, Zeron,” she groaned, “However, there is no need for you to remind us of that particular law, I’m certain that we are all aware of it and the ramifications that follow if it is broken.”

The brash stallion opened his mouth to say something more but thought better of it. He sat back down in his seat, his hooves crossed.

“Anypony else?” Minela asked, looking at her fellow councilors. Arion cleared his throat. “Yes, Arion?”

“I believe that this session is being held under special circumstances. Why, pray tell, is that?” he asked.

“That will be addressed in a moment,” she answered briefly. “If there are no more opening statements, we shall begin the session.” Minela gathered some papers in her hooves and straightened them out. “Now, Noctus, would you care to explain your case to the Council?”

Noctus exhaled deeply, closing his eyes as he centered himself. Meanwhile, Willow was struggling to control her breathing. Every single nerve on her body was on edge.

Oh, how did I get into this mess? She thought to herself, fiddling with her hooves. I’m gonna need a drink after this is over.

Noctus arose from his seat in front of the Council. All eyes were on him.

“Councilors, I have asked you to gather tonight, because I believe I have found something that can be of help to the Order,” he glanced over his shoulder back at Willow. “Head Councilmare, I believe I have found a Hunter.”

Eight sets of eyebrows were raised at once, including Zeron’s. They all looked at each, as if waiting for someone to say something.

“Heh heh heh,” Powder Keg’s dry, wheezing chuckle reached Willow’s ears. He coughed a few times into his hoof before looking up. “Oh, you found yourself a Hunter? Tell me Noctus, how would this mare be a Hunter, if she is not in the Order?”

Noctus opened his mouth to answer, but Powder Keg cut him off by raising his hoof.

“Bear in mind, Noctus,” he warned. “I know the name and face of every single Hunter that walks these halls. Do not think to try and fool me, boy. I may be an old stallion, but not that old.”

“With all due respect, Master Keg,” he began with caution in his voice. “I do not mean to try and fool you. What I am saying, is that she is a Hunter, but she is Unawakened.”

Arion stepped in. “Oh? And do you have some sort of evidence to prove that?”

“Tread carefully, Noctus,” Sanguinaire warned. “You are making an incredibly bold statement.”

“If I were you, I could be careful with what I say.” Zeron added.

Noctus only nodded once before continuing. “Master Arion, I do have evidence to prove that this mare,” he pointed back at Willow with a hoof, “is indeed a Hunter.”

“And what would that be?” Minela asked.

“She survived a mauling by a Scourge beast,” he explained. “That wound on her neck, that’s the work of a beast.”

“Then why didn’t you put her down if she was bitten?” Zeron asked.

“Because any mundane pony that is bitten would turn within seconds! After I slayed the beast, she retained her form. Aside from that, she was able to resist the Blood Moon’s influence. If that does not prove she’s one of us, then I don’t know what would.”

“This is absurd!” Zeron exclaimed, causing everyone in the room to turn their gaze towards him. “Head Councilor Minela, why are we even still listening to this? The answer to this problem is a simple one! She is an outsider and she should be cast out into the night. Our top priority is to slay beasts and stop the Blood Moon from lasting for all eternity. Not to shelter unaware civilians like her.”

“Zeron if you please,” Sanguinaire interrupted. “Permission to speak, Head Councilmare?” She nodded her head at her. “I am aware that Noctus brought in an outsider, however, making a claim that she is a Hunter? That alone is already surprising, but I believe that it is baffling that this mare was able to resist being turned into a fledgling or simply going mad upon being exposed to the moon’s influence. Moonlight?”

“Yes?” he looked up from his notes.

“Has there ever been anything on record that refers to mundanes being able to resist the Blood Moon or the infection of a Scourge beast?” The shuffling of papers could be heard as the bespectacled unicorn shuffled through his notes.

“Erm, let’s see her- no, that’s not it, not there… not there either- ah… no,” he concluded, looking up from his scrolls of parchment. “My records are inconclusive based on the parameters of Sanguinaire’s inquiry. There has not been any record of mundanes surviving a beast attack, nor exposure to the moon.”

A moment of silence passed through the council chamber.

“So what does this mean, then?” Patience spoke up for the first time. “Our supplies are already limited, the last thing I need is to ‘ave another mouth t’feed. But, in all ‘onesty, if she is a Hunter, then I say she be tested.”

“And just how do ya s’pose we go ‘bout that there, Patty?” Iron Side chuckled. “The poor lass doesn’t seem to have a single abrasive bone in her body. Hah!”

“Look, let’s say she’s actually a Hunter,” Patience resumed, leaning against the table. “Her little flank would have our symbol on it!”

Willow felt the need to clutch at her tail protectively upon them mentioning her flank.

What does she mean by little?! I’m a mare for Celestia’s sake! My flank is just the right size! At least… I think it is… I wonder what Nocty would say if I asked him about it...

“Willow!” She was broken out of her stupor when Noctus called out for her. “Willow! Allow the Council to inspect you.”

“U-uh, c-coming!” she slowly got off her chair and carefully trotted over to Noctus’ side.

“Step forward,” Minela ordered.

Willow could feel their eyes on her. A cold shiver ran through her body.

“Turn to your left, so that I may confirm that your mark is of the Order,” A blush appeared on her muzzle as she did what she was told. Glancing back at Noctus, she noticed something about his eyes, or more specifically, where they were pointed at. His gaze shifted away from their previous focal point and he noticed Willow staring at him, before he looked away in what seemed to be embarrassment.

Was he… checking me out?

“What in the blazes…” Minela breathed out.

“I don’t believe it.” Arion added.

“That’s not right no matter how you look at it,” Iron Side chuckled.

“What- what’s wrong with my cutie mark?” Willow asked, panic edging into her voice. “Somepony tell me!”

“In all my years, I’ve never seen something like this before in my entire life,” Powder Keg marveled.

“What?! What is it?!” Willow craned her neck at an angle and tried to look at her cutie mark. What she saw next shocked her to her core.

Her cutie mark was simply distorted, as if someone tried to rub it out with a rubber eraser. It was once a light blue diamond entwined by willow leaves, but now the image was heavily blurred.

Willow felt a loud shriek coming up her throat, but with surprising resilience, she was able to stop it. She was already on the verge of tears, the very thing that made her special was now blemished. Besmirched. Almost as if a part of her died. Immediately, she felt as if the memory of the day she got her cutie mark and the celebration that followed was disappearing.

Sobs escaped from her mouth as she stared at her vanishing cutie mark. The strong urge to break down and weep loudly overtook her. Meanwhile, the Council silently debated to themselves, but she was deaf to the world.

Suddenly, her knees gave out and she sat back on her rump, eyes glued to the floor in shame.

Why… why is this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this?

Willow felt her whole world begin to crumble.

She felt a hoof on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Noctus with a somewhat soft expression on his face.

“Willow…” he whispered to her. “Come, get up. You’re making yourself look bad.” In her heart, she wanted something or someone to hold on to. She wanted someone to tell her it would be alright. She wanted her mother, or anyone that could comfort her.

But she would not receive any of that here. Her life was at stake.

“If I may interrupt our debating,” Powder Keg silenced them all with a hoof. He exhaled and placed his hooves on the table in front of him. “This is an unforeseen turn of events. Councilor Minela, what do you suggest we do?”

“As the Head Councilmare, it is my duty to interpret the rules accurately and to follow them,” she affirmed. “I suggest we do what is necessary and cast her out.”

“I second that motion,” Zeron agreed unsurprisingly.

Willow gulped.

“Now hold on there,” Iron Side urged. “If what we see is indeed true, I say we give the lass a chance.”

“I think you’ve been spending too much time in your forge, Iron Side,” Zeron retorted.

Sanguinaire let out a snort and stood from her seat. “Head Councilmare, if I may?”

“The floor falls to you, Sanguinaire.”

“Good,” she clears her throat. “Now, you all may not be aware of this, or do not wish to be, the Hunter Order is in danger. Simply speaking. Every year, more and more Hunters fall in battle or become victims of the Lust. There is a very simple explanation for that: our blood is growing thin and pale. Ever since the last Heir left the Order, we have had nopony to help generate a stronger breed of Hunters. And due to the breeding laws put into effect less than a millennia ago, our gene pool has grown stagnant. Which is why our Hunters have grown weaker, along with our powers. And this also may have been easy to miss, but every year, the night becomes longer. As our power wanes, the night lengthens.”

“She’s not wrong,” Powder Keg added. “I feel it too. The night grows longer with each passing year. Which leads me to say that if this mare is a Hunter, then perhaps we should take all the help we can get. Although, how she came into possession of Hunter’s blood is lost to me.”

“With all due respect, Master,” Minela began. “I am unconvinced by all this. If she is a Hunter, then I feel she should prove it.”

“I second that,” Patience chimed in.

“And either way, she is untrained and Unawakened. She wouldn’t last one skirmish if we allowed her to participate in the hunt.”

“Sanguinaire, is it possible to determine her legitimacy by examining her blood?” Arion asked, looking over to his colleague.

“I believe I can examine her, yes,” she nodded. “What say the Council?”

Patience, Iron Side, and Moonlight nod their heads, sans Zeron and Minela.

“Minela?” Powder Keg asks. “The Council believes she should have her blood examined. Do you agree as well?”

“Mmm,” she rubbed her chin, looking down at the table for a moment, “I do not approve of this at all, but I cannot ignore the facts. I allow the motion to be put to a vote. Those in favor of the defendant undergoing a blood examination to determine Hunter status?”

“Aye,” Arion, Sanguinaire, Iron Side Patience, and Moonlight agreed.

Zeron remained silent, scowling at the others.

“Very well then, the vote is a split decision, but the majority rules in favor of the defendant,” Minela cleared her throat, gathering up her documents with her magic. “This session will be put on hold for now, but in the meantime, Sanguinaire will perform a blood test on the defendant to determine if she is indeed a Hunter. Once we know the truth of the matter, the Council will decide what to do next.”

“Thank, you Head Councilmare.” Noctus bowed towards her.

“However, she is to be restricted to your quarters only,” she ordered. “She is still considered an outsider and therefore does not have the right to wander freely about the Sanctuary. This is a sacred place, and I will not have it desecrated by the hoofsteps of an outsider. Are we clear?”

Willow remained silent, expecting Noctus to answer.

“I’m speaking to you, filly!” she raised her voice sharply, causing Willow to jump out of her hide.

“Y-yes! Head Councilmare, sir, I mean ma’am! I mean I- mmpf!” her mouth was forcibly shut by Noctus’s hoof.

“She complies, Head Councilmare,” he added graciously.

“Very well, then,” she cleared her throat. “Anything to add Master Keg?” The old stallion shook his head. “Sanguinaire, when can the defendant go to your lab?”

“I would like some time to prepare,” she replied. “I will send for her when I am ready. However, Noctus, I would like to speak with you after this. Follow me to my lab.”

“Very well,” he nodded.

“That is all Head Councilmare, if you do not mind, I would like to take my leave immediately.”

“You may go.”

“Thank you, come, Noctus,” she ordered. The young Hunter glanced at Willow for a brief moment before following Sanguinaire to the door.

“Noctus!” She whispered sharply, but her paid her no heed.

“Outsider,” she heard Minela’s voice call out and she slowly turned around. “You will be escorted to Noctus’ chamber by the two Ravens stationed outside. And, a word of warning, do not try to make any sudden movements or an attempt to run, because I can guarantee you will not get very far. You are to stay in Noctus’ chambers and you will not make any attempt to leave his room. If you do, then we are not responsible for any harm that may befall you. Is that understood?”

“Yes… Head Councilmare…”

“Good, now leave us at once.”

Without another moment to waste, Willow turned tail and trotted quickly to the door which was now closed since Noctus had left with the other mare. Upon exiting, the two Ravens outside stood eerily in front of her.

Their mere presence made her uneasy.

“So, you’re gonna, like, take me to-”

“We heard already, outsider,” the stallion cut her off. “Follow us and don’t wander off. We have our eyes on you.”

“C’mon then, move it,” the mare nudged Willow’s rump with a gloved hoof, causing her to gasp and glare back at the masked mare. “Eyes front.” She grunted as she shoved her again.

Willow wanted to say something back, but realized how horribly wrong that could go and kept her mouth shut.

They took the same route that she took with Noctus in reverse, which meant Willow wasn’t able to see more of the castle.

Well, at least they’re not putting me in some sort of dungeon.

Although things could be worse, Willow felt as though they already were. With her cutie mark looking like a misprinted newspaper, her life being put on the line, and this adventure she’s suddenly found herself on, she felt as though life had decided to bend her over a table and call her a bitch as it went to town on her.

The journey to the room was a blur, and she found herself standing in front of his bedroom door. The stallion opened the door and Willow was roughly shoved into the room by the mare.

“Augh!” she lost her footing and face planted in front of them. She heard a faint chuckle come from one of them. Straightening herself out she turned back towards the Ravens behind her, who stared at her back behind their masks.

“We will be standing guard out here, outsider,” the stallion growled.

“Don’t even think about trying to leave,” the mare added. “And don’t try escaping through the window. The only kind of freedom you’ll be getting is freeing your soul from your body when you die from the fall, heheheh!”

With that, the two of them shut the door in her face.

Silence fell across the room. The fire crackled gently. Willow felt a wave of exhaustion hit her, and she turned towards the bed, which seemed to beckon her with its soft pillows and cool sheets. Left with nothing else to do, Willow saw fit to take a nap.

A wave of relief fell over her body as she settled into the covers. However, another sensation hit her almost immediately. She felt a large lump in her throat form, and she clenched her teeth.

Where did things go so wrong?

Soon, her sadness became too much to bear. Then, she had done something she hadn’t done in quite a while: cry.

Her eyes were clenched shut as hot tears poured out from them like a waterfall of sorrow. Silent sobs echoed through the bed chamber. Willow curled up in the fetal position; with no one else there to hold her, she wrapped her hooves around her shoulders and held herself tightly. She rocked her body back and forth as she wept and let out everything she kept bottled inside.

She laid there on the bed and sobbed for several more minutes before finally tiring herself out. Her eyes became heavy as exhaustion finally overtook her. Within moments, her breathing steadied, and fell fast asleep.

“I cannot believe you would do something like this, Noctus!”

Noctus winced as Sanguinaire thumped him on the head.

“Ow, was that really necessary?” Noctus asked as he rubbed his head. “And what is the problem?”

The two of them walked down a hallway that lead to the Medical Wing of the Sanctuary, where Sanguinaire made her lab

“What is the problem?” she repeated incredulously. “The problem is that the Order has enough issues of its own without you bringing an outsider into the mix!”

“And what would you have had me do?” Noctus asked. “I could not stand by and allow her to be killed.”

“It matters not,” Sanguinaire replied as they turned down another corridor leading to her personal lab. “Noctus, it’s one thing to save a mundane, but bringing one into the Sanctuary is a very. Serious. Offense! You could face exile, or worse!”

“I would allow myself to be exiled or executed the day I am punished for saving an innocent life,” he scoffed, “Sanguinaire, you know as well I do that the Order’s views on saving ponies are highly illogical.”

“Ugh, you have too much of your father in you,” she groaned as they came to a stop in front of her lab, “Noctus, I knew your father well. He would not want you to act out so openly this way, nor would he want to see his own son exiled from the Order or executed for treason.”

“I feel he’d be more devastated by the fact that the Order has lost all sense of morality,” he said, opening the door to her lab.

Upon entering, the metallic odor of cleaning materials pierced Noctus’s olfactories. The lab was well lit with torches along the walls, as well as candles upon the the tables and shelves. Along the walls of the rectangular room, was a table that ran along the length of the entire room. Perched on the walls were countless shelves that held various items, most of which looked grotesque.

In the center of the room was an island table, which held a disparity of medical instruments, vial racks, Bunsen burners, and several empty beakers laid out across the table. Among that were several massive books with bookmarks protruding out from the pages. On the very top above the shelves were various volumes of books that lined the walls. Next to the island table was a stool .

“That is not the point, Noctus,” she sighed, walking up to her table as she brushed a lock of her mane out of her face. “The Council does not care what you think, and will interpret the laws as they see fit. No matter what, they must be upheld, even if some of us don’t agree with it. Those laws have held the Order together for centuries.”

“Yes, but they also restrain us from doing what is right,” he argued, “I would understand if the Council was upset if I brought in a mundane, but Willow is no mundane. I can assure you that.”

Sanguinaire leaned against the table and hung her head in frustration. “Noctus,” she exhaled. “Why are you going so far to defend this mare? Have you taken a fancy to her?”

“Why would you even assume that?” he shook his head and frowned.

“Because, Noctus,” she turned back to smirk at him. “I’ve yet to see you try and mate with another Huntress, nor do I ever see you interact with mares of the Order. Did this outsider catch your interest? Or do you simply prefer stallions?”

Noctus bit his cheek in frustration. “Sanguinaire, I’m only trying to do what’s right,” he argued, “I’m certain that Willow can be of help to the Order.”

“Noctus, the poor mare is a milk sop!” she groaned, “She seemed about ready to pass out in front of the Council, what makes you think she has the courage to stand up to a beast?”

He remained silent. Sanguinaire turned away from him, sighing as she organized some things on her table.

“Go fetch her for me, Noctus,” she ordered, “The Council wants the results as soon as possible, and I am not one to be tardy. Go, now.”

He nodded in compliance before turning towards the door.

Before exiting the room, he turned around to look at her.

“Sanguinaire,” he said. “What would my father do in this situation?”

“I fear even I do not know the answer to that,” she pursed her lips, “But no matter what happens, promise me you won’t lash out at the Council. You’d be doing your father a disservice.”

Noctus gave a ghost of a smile and nodded. “I’ll try not to.”

The door closed with a soft click.

“Oh, that boy,” she sighed, slamming her head onto the table. With a sigh, she lifted her head up and pulled open a hidden drawer underneath her table, from which she pulled a small golden picture frame, tarnished with age. Within the frame was a black and white picture of a stallion standing next to a mare. The stallion’s coat was dark in the black and white coloring of the picture, and the mare’s coat was lighter.

The two of them looked happy together as they grinned ear to ear.

“Arctos…” she exhaled. “What am I going to do with him?”

End Chapter 2

Author's Note

Hey, guys! Here's the next installment for Night of the Hunt! I hope y'all enjoy it!

Thanks to my editor/co-writer for helping me with this one as well as supplying ideas I really appreciate. And a big thanks to you guys for giving this a read!

I'll be uploading another littler oneshot next after this one. Then after that... I suppose I'll be starting the next chapter for this.

Anywho, I'll see you guys in the next chapter!