"Enduring, I'm home!" Thistle couldn't stop the shivering. She had the awful feeling that icicles were forming on her snout.

The house was warm, not anything close to a summer day, but warm enough for her. Somepony was always here, and the house seemed to soak up their warmth a little.

"Goodness gracious, Burr." Enduring leaned forward, worried. "Yew sound like yew gargled ice water. C'mere and get warm."

Thistle gladly dumped her baskets, burying herself in Enduring's side. The old nag stiffened at her icy touch, but lowered her head to nuzzle her. Mountain and Camellia laid down on her other side, bracketing her in a pile of warm bodies.

"Sun and Moon, that meeting sure ran long." Mountain huffed. "What could be that important?"

"Dat can wait til' Burr's melted a touch more." Enduring said firmly.

"Where's everyp-p-pony else?" Thistle asked.

"Light is..." Mountain's answer stopped. "Actually, I have no idea where Light is. Morning went to see if she could find hoof cloves. They're supposed to ease morning sickness. Hornet went with them."

"Light's gatherin' dinner tonight." Enduring told them. "Said she saw some cattails an' wuz gonna...gonna bring us..."

Thistle felt every wracking cough. Enduring struggled for several minutes before her breathing eased. Pressed tight against her side, Thistle could hear her lungs seizing up. She almost swore she could hear Enduring's bones rattling from the force of her fit.

"Are you alright?" She asked in concern, pulling her head up.

"'m fine, eh'm fine." Enduring waved her off. "Ol' nag like me, we cough at da slightest dings when ye get ta our age. Jus' gotta tickle in my droat."

"Are you sure?" She squinted suspiciously. "You've been coughing a lot lately."

"I'm ol', it's cold, course I'm gonna cough." Enduring rolled her eyes. "Don't yew worry none. Our medicine stock's good n' strong. If I get sick ain't no pony in da world more prepared dan yew."

"Thistle, what's these?" Camellia's question surprised them. At some point the filly must have decided she didn't like being pressed against Thistle's icy flank. She had tipped over Thistle's basket and was now curiously inspecting the emerald.

"Those are gems. The green ones are called emeralds. The blue ones are called sapphires. And the red ones are called rubies." She'd left the smooth sapphire with True Blue.

"Oh? Ain't seen da likes o' dees in some time now." Enduring smiled crookedly. "Bring'em 'ere, Cam. Le'see what Burr brought home."

"Actually, Enduring, I wanted to ask you something." Thistle pulled the jagged sapphire closer. "These markings on the gem reminded me of something, but I couldn't figure out what. Do you recognize these?"

Enduring relied more on her hooves than her eyes, but she looked it over with both. She was quiet for several moments, shaking her head back and forth before squinting harder for another pass. They waited patiently until she passed the gem back.

"Don't quote me on dis, Burr," Enduring frowned deeply. "But I could swear dose look like teeth marks. Not quite a wolf's bite, or a lion's, but it's gotta pattern like some predator's done taken a chunk out o' it."

"Something bit through solid rock? You've gotta be kidding me!" Mountain scoffed. Thistle didn't say anything, rolling the gem end over end.

They did look like teeth marks. She'd never seen a predator's bite wound on anything but the Other ponies, but now that she was thinking it they did look similar. Not exactly, but enough to recognize.

Something bigger than twelve ponies had dug straight through solid stone for gems. Gems which, according to the Lead Mare, held no value. Why go to so much trouble for something you couldn't use?

Answer: Because you could use it, as food.

Shivering from more than just the cold now, Thistle told them about the meeting.

__________________________________________________________________________________

True Blue had not declared the twin peaks forbidden, but only because a blizzard had hit before she had the opportunity. After that no pony was willing to go too far from the village. Even Thistle cast a skeptical eye towards the sky before she planned for any travelling.

One pony had not made it home before the storm hit. Their body had been found south of the village. Her name was Flicker Light, she was Light's aunt. Thistle had convinced Rock Slide and Oak Leaf it was best to bury her so her body wouldn't attract scavengers.

They set aside an area just north of the orchard for burials. Light's mother had cried as they lowered her into the ground. Flood Plain rolled a small boulder over the grave to keep anything from digging it up.

Sometimes Thistle looked towards the twin peaks when she walked along the lake shores. The Light had been kind to her herd and they hadn't personally encountered any monsters. This might be the first beast her herd would ever contend with. She wanted to know what it was, where it's weak points were, and if it ate only gems.

Not badly enough to risk her life though.

She sat near Flicker Light's final resting place and pulled out the jagged sapphire. She'd taken to carrying it with her. It really was beautiful, like a little piece of the sky. She wondered if gems came in other colors, and what those were called. Maybe Enduring would know.

"Healer Burr?" She jumped, whirling around to see who'd managed to sneak up on her this time.

"Starlight," She stood up, absently wiping snow off her tail. "I'm sorry, were you coming here to visit Flicker Light? I'll get out of your mane."

"Wait," Starlight held up a hoof, eyes locked on something. Thistle froze and followed her gaze. Starlight was looking at her sapphire. "Where did you get that?"

"My friend gave it to me." She answered. It probably wouldn't be wise to tell her where the gem had come from.

"A sapphire." Starlight sighed with open longing. "I haven't seen one since..." She shook her head, stopping so suddenly that Thistle thought she'd slip. She set her hoof down and looked away. Thistle looked down at the sapphire, then up towards her sister's mother.

"Would you like it?" She offered.

"Why would you offer it to me, Healer?" Starlight frowned. "Was it not a gift?"

"Of a sort." She nodded. "But I have no use for a gem, while you find it enchanting. Would you like it?"

"...Yes, I would." She smiled softly as she passed it over. "Thank you, Healer."

"You are welcome." She silently bid goodbye to the little piece of sky. "Have a nice day!"

Warmed by a good deed done, Thistle returned to the village.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Winter was settled into a routine. They woke up, shivered over breakfast, a few would go out to forage, obligations would be seen to, Thistle would meet with the Lead Mare, and then they'd shiver together over dinner before turning in for the night. It was a boring way to spend a season. Hours ticked by with nothing to mark them. There was no spare grass to weave into baskets, food stores were holding, and no dangerous beasts had stumbled upon their home.

Luckily, they had Light. By this time the cobalt filly had gotten what she felt was the story of the entire herd. When the family came together they could listen as Light told stories of ponies and places they would never see.

Tonight, for Camellia's benefit, was the story of the First Ponies.

Long, long ago, before Earth became Mother, the world was still. Earth looked upon herself and sighed at how bland and lifeless she seemed, for there were no plants or creatures to decorate her surface.

Her sigh drifted across the valleys and hills, weaved through the mountains, whispered in canyons, and everywhere the sigh went life began to bloom. First the grass, which was small and fine. Then the flowers, which came in every color imaginable. Then the bushes, with their sweet rewards and warning thorns. Then the trees, towering over everything else.

Earth gazed upon herself and began to weep, for though she was now beautiful she was still, and Earth detested all that stood still. The tears rolled from her eyes and filled the rivers and lakes and oceans of the world. The waters flowed and babbled and raged and waved, providing motion for the world.

Yet she was not satisfied. Blinking away her tears, she felt a tickle in her throat and began to cough. The shakes and tremors these caused opened up mighty cracks in the world, from which crawled the first creatures. Earth became Mother as they spilled from her womb. Birds and squirrels and rabbits and wolves and fish and bugs all emerged and made their lives upon her surface.

Entranced, Mother Earth watched her creations for many days and nights. They crawled and ran and flew and swam over her surface, in ways she could neither control nor predict. Stillness had been forever banished and she loved her children dearly.

And yet, as time wore on, she grew lonely. Her children were numerous, but they could not speak to her. They lived without ever knowing their Mother. They died with no way to call them back to her loving embrace.

With this in mind, for the first time in history Mother Earth sought to create with purpose. She concentrated very hard on this, designing a child that could understand and love her the way she loved them.

First, she made their hooves, the better for travelling across her vast surface to see all the wonders she'd made. Next, she made the legs, making them fleet of foot to avoid the predators who hungered for their flesh. Next, she made their barrels, making them large and well-muscled to throw off those they could not outrun. Next, she made their head, with eyes wide to catch every loving detail. Finally, she made their manes and tails and coats, to provide beauty.

With their body completed she laid a kiss upon their brow, giving them life and love and understanding. She set them upon her surface and watched them awaken.

Thus, the first pony was born.

This pony stood on shaky legs, like a newborn foal. She sniffed the air and found it sweet. The wind caressed her like a mother's touch and the sun kept her warm. She smiled upon all she surveyed and, noticing Mother Earth's watchful gaze, she spoke.

"I am new to this world and this life and all I see is good. Mother Earth, I am in awe at your beauty and your kindness. I feel unworthy next to one such as you, but I understand my purpose, is there anything I can do for you?"

"Seek out all that lies upon my surface, dear child, and only remember to speak to me often so I might be content." Mother Earth smiled upon her daughter. "Ask me for your needs and I shall tend to them, but be warned, never ask for my blessing in greed or I shall not answer."

"I understand, Mother." And so the pony walked through the wilds of the world of old. She climbed mountains and swam oceans. She explored caverns and wandered deserts. Every day she found something new and shared her discovery with her Mother, and every day she was content.

Until her Heat began.

"Mother, I am ill! Some deadly fever now wracks my body and I know of no cure. I am scared!" She called out.

"Have no fear, dear child. This is a natural part of life. You are in season, as I am, and your body wishes to create new life as I do." Mother Earth spoke soothingly.

"But I am not as you are, Mother." The pony cried. "I cannot create life from myself with nothing! All other creatures must have a partner, and I am your only Knowing Child!"

Mother Earth knew this was true, and felt sorry. She had not realized that her daughter would one day wish to become a mother as well.

"Be patient, my dear child, and I will make for you a male to father your children. Speak to me in three days time and I shall deliver them to you."

So Mother Earth closed her eyes and concentrated. First she made the hooves. Then the legs. Then the barrel. Then the head. Then the mane and tail and coat. When she opened her eyes again a new pony had been made. With a tender kiss she gave them life and love and understanding.

"Daughter, here I have made for you a partner. He shall share in life's trials and walk with you upon my trails. He will fight for you against any foe you care to name and all he asks in return is your care and compassion. Go forth, my children, and multiply."

So Daughter met Son and together they bore the first foals. Those foals grew under their parents and became adults themselves and asked the Mother Earth for partners of their own. It took many days to make a pony though, and so Mother Earth decreed that she would only make one male for every five females. The ponies agreed this was fair and continued to roam her lands, always seeking new discoveries and joys.

Mother Earth watches us all, and though ponykind has long forgotten the ancient tongue in which she speaks, we still hear her voice. We hear it in the rush of wind and the sigh of night. We fear it in the rumble of quakes and crack of thunder. We love it in the bird's song and babbling brook. And she hears us, in every prayer we offer.

One day when our Journey's done we will leave this life behind. We will tell her of all the things we saw and ponies we knew and she will welcome us as only a mother can.
"
And that is the story of the First Ponies." Light finished.

"Tell it again!" Camellia pleaded.

"Camellia, it's late." Morning scolded her. "You can have another story tomorrow."

"Aww, but I want to hear more about Daughter and Son! And their foals! And what about Sun and Moon?" She looked between them all.

"I'll tell the story of Sun and Moon tomorrow." Light promised. "But only if you go to sleep right now."

At once Camellia collapsed, spitting fake snores as loudly and sincerely as she knew how. Peeking through her eyelashes the whole while to see if anypony bought it.

"You tell really great stories." Thistle whispered.

"Everyone knows that one." Light shrugged, laying down to sleep. "Remind me to tell you the story of Seed Counter some time. That's a really good one."

"I've never heard of Seed Counter." Thistle murmured thoughtfully. "Good night, Light."

"Good night, Thistle."

Author's Note

Ta-da! Ancient pony folklore! There's more to come from that, but for now have this peaceful chapter to tide you over until next week!