Twinkling Through The Dark

Weather is like a wild animal, hard to control or battle against and is unforgiving to the unprepared. Twilight was seldom unprepared however. She had once asked Princess Celestia why such important tasks were performed in the most undesirable times or circumstances. She said that these tasks test those performing the examinations as much as those being tested. Only now did Twilight realised that the reigns she had been going to were progressively more and more challenging and this was proving to be the most challenging to date.

There was only one small village in the Unicorn Range, and there was only one navigable road to it; the infamous Windigo Pass. It has the distinction of being the only road in Equestria where more ponies died trying to travel though than have lived.

The village where Twilight was heading was difficult to reach even in the best of circumstances. Fierce winds prevented any ballooning or chariot flight for most of the year, the rugged and steep terrain limited train access to just the foothills and the route up the ridge includes sheer drop-offs and very narrow paths. Add the conditions that were enveloping around her, Twilight began to wonder why no pony has come out here for years, it is a death trap!

There were safer roads, however only experienced guides could traverse, and the only living ponies who knew how all lived in the town. Windigo Pass can be traversed by any pony, however the mortality rate was extreme. But Twilight had to do it, just because some ponies are born in inaccessible regions, doesn’t mean they can’t get the same opportunities as others. There was little protection from the cold wind, hardly any vegetation, or natural wind breaks, its full force was beating into Twilight’s body. Her heavy coat was still keeping her warm, although it was showing signs that it was at its limits, and every time the wind blew up underneath her underside, it felt like a bunch of needles stabbing her stomach…. repeatedly.

Twilight hadn’t slept in 3 days, and if she did, she would freeze to death for the wind would blow her tent away and with it, the little protection it provided. That’s if she could even erect one in the first place, for the route was so narrow that she had to rear up on her hind legs. Although her time in the human world got her to walk as a biped, it wasn’t easy to keep balance in her pony form and keeping her balance was now a matter of life and death.
Don’t you buck up know Twilight! Just concentrate! Twilight’s mind was racing on trying to focus on the road and levitating her equipment for she could not wear it and navigate the path at the same time. Although there was an easier path though Windigo pass it was clogged with many metres of snow, and even though Twilight could blast the snow away, it would sap what little energy she had left. For many sections were rich in Manaite rock, the same kind of rock that made up Chrysalis’s throne. Although it was unrefined and in low concentrations, it would sap any unicorn/alicorn magic to the point where even simple magic was very demanding.

Suddenly, part of the lip gave way and Twilight fell. She had just been able to grab the edge of the cliff, however, she could see that she didn’t have the physically strength left to hall herself up or magically levitate herself and her equipment. Twilight had to quickly get back up on the trail because she was weakening rapidly, the Manaite was draining her magical strength so quickly that she was only able to perform the simplest of incantations. Naturally she let go of the pack and barely got herself back on the shelf.

Twilight finally started the downhill section towards the village, but she was on the point of collapse, hungry, exhausted physically, magically and mentally drained, she took a few haphazard steps before collapsing in the snow. As she lay there, the only one thing going through her mind… how she let everypony down and was going to die in this frozen wasteland. Her vision blurring, a shadowy pony shaped figure appeared before Twilight slipped out of consciousness.

The pony in question was Cirrostratus, who was covered horn to hoof in winter survival clothing was on the way home after a supply trip to Vanhoover. As a permanent resident, he knew every way into his home village so took the flanking path behind the town. As he approached the intersection that leads down Windigo Pass he noticed what seemed to be a mound of snow on first impression. As the stallion looked closer he realised that it was a pony and rushed over to help. Without hesitation, Cirrostratus took Twilight in his grip and rushed her to his home. He knew that if he did not get her out of the elements, she would die.

The sun was setting by the time Cirrostratus got home. Although the intersection where he found the unconscious mare was only 25km away, by the time he found her, a blizzard had set in and it was near zero visibility. He then slammed open the door and with just as much force, slammed it shut. His arrival spooked his wife, Sunswirl.

“Honey, are you alright… WHAT HAPPENED!!!?” Sunswirl shouted as she saw the near lifeless pony in her husband’s hold.
“I found her on the road. Now find the thermo-blanket!” Cirrostratus said as he placed Twilight near the hearth. As his wife went to get the survival equipment needed to save Twilight’s life, Cirrostratus took off her saddle bags to try to identify this mare. As he did, a feather with the same colour as her coat came loose. It also was half-covered in blood. Sunswirl then came back into the room with the cold weather survival kit and got a thermos-blanket out and then knelt down to first take off the heavy coat. But before she did, she saw her husband with a shocked expression on his face.
“Honey, what is it? Sunswirl asked before Cirrostratus took off the heavy coat and unveiled Twilight’s wings, one of which was suffering an open, compound fracture.

“Oh. My. Celestia!” shouted Sunswirl who was openly shocked to see a princess in a serious condition on her living room floor.

“I need to find the town surgeon. We can’t lose her! I do not what to know what Celestia would do to us if she dies…” Cirrostratus said with dire urgency. He did not want to be responsible for one of the princesses of Equestria dying on his watch. So he donned his winter equipment to go back out there to get help.

“Cirrostratus, it’s a white out! You can’t go out there! Sunswirl shouted, worried that he’ll do something reckless.

“We are out of our depth, if we don’t get help the princess will die! It’s up to us to save her life and we should do whatever it takes to save her! Cirrostratus answered, determined to do anything to help. He asked his wife to look after her while he went out to find the town surgeon. It was a struggle to move even a short distance to the Village Hospital although he could cast a weather bubble spell, he saved it just in case he really needed it.

As he entered the hospital, Cirrostratus saw the entire hospital staff wrapping up a monthly meeting when he charged into the emergency room.

“Cirrostratus, what brings you here in such a hurry, especially in this weather? Said Dr. Healthshield in a curious manner.
“There is no time to explain Doctor! It’s an emergency!” Cirrostratus said in a desperate tone.

“I’m sorry, we’ve are just about done shutting all of the equipment down. All you could do is try to get to Royal Vanhoover Hospital as they are always open.” Said one of the nurses.

“You’ve got to help, Princess Twilight’s life is in mortal danger!” Cirrostratus yelled out. At which point, everypony’s attention had been captured.

“THE PRINCESS OF FRIENDSHIP!!!!!!!? Get everything back online NOW!” Dr. Healthshield shouted out to his staff. ”I need two nurses with me and Cirrostratus, can you cast a weather bubble spell for us?” Dr. Healthshield went on to ask. Cirrostratus nodded in agreement and all four started to gallop out of the hospital.

When the four ponies got inside Cirrostratus home they saw Sunswirl had trying to keep Twilight breathing and preventing her drowning in her own blood coming out of her mouth. Dr. Healthshield got Twilight in a protective shield bubble and rushed her to the hospital. With Cirrostratus and Sunswirl close behind. The two ponies waited in the waiting room all night waiting for any good news. By the time Dr. Healthshield came back out, he was exhausted, he spent nearly 12 hours in surgery trying to stabilise Twilight.

“Dr. Healthshield, is the princess going to make it?” Sunswirl asked.

“Yes, the princess should make a full recovery. However she won’t be able to fly for the next few months. Although she should be back on her hooves in the next few days. Now I have to write a letter to Princess Celestia about what happened and I will put in you two’s selflessness for that I have to say certainly saved her life.” Dr. Healthshield said as he walked back into the ward.