Wandering in a haze of my blessed dreams, I did not want to wake up at all. My dream was so beautiful: for the first time in hundreds of years I was being cared for, bathed and fed. Though I was not in Equestria or even on the Moon, and the one who looked after me did not resemble a steed at all, but it was magnificent. So it was a weight on my mind, that I was to awaken soon in a stone-walled cold, laying on bags, staring at the dim little “sun” on the ceiling or into the pitch darkness.

Having heard some noise, which sounded like a muffled thud, I woke up suddenly. And a fainting unaccountable terror seized me.

”Where am I?!”

This question rang as an alarm bell, shattering that fear into a thousand icy splinters, which cut their edges against my soul. I am laying on something soft and something is covering me. Why is the air so warm and sultry? It does not smell like stuffy air in the basement. I do not feel my right legs, side and all the right half of my body. The heartbeat echoes across my innards and, listening to it, I realize that I am still alive. It is terrifying to move, to open my eyes, to see the reality.

Some fibres tickle my nose at every breath. Having put out my tongue, I touched the thing around my nose carefully. It was fleece. The thought of being wrapped in someone’s hide made me feel uneasy, but terror for life overcame my disgust. Listening to the silence, I vainly tried to understand what was happening around me. All that I heard was my own breathing.

”Princess, always expecting the worst will have your nerves unstrung” - the voice that I heard almost made me scream. With a strangled squeak I flinched, trying to shrink, to seem smaller. At the same moment, my right side and legs burned with a painful itch. By the horse’s apples! I had lost feeling of a good half of my body, laying here. I moved my head a little, stretching a numb neck. The hide, which was covering me, slipped down and my nose thrust outside. Having inhaled a fresh air, I decided to take a look at whatever was behind the edge of the hide.

Almighty Tia! This wasn’t a dream! Am I not at the basement? I examined this rather large room with astonishment. Bright ceiling and light-yellow walls, covered with endless ornate pattern, gave a semblance of warmth and cosiness. The lamp, hanging from the ceiling, resembled a ring suspended on chains. Having had a closer look, I remembered that there were similar lamps in a royal palace. Their tiered rings had burning candles on them. This lamp had a white cowl instead of the candles. Its edges rested upon the ring and there was transparent vial beneath it.

O-o-of, I never forget a voice. So I did not only remember the words, he said yesterday, but “heard” them again, as if they sounded around my ear. That scared me. But really, it may not be so bad. The fabric, which was covering me, turned out to be a woolen blanket, not a hide. It was yellow, with small round spots. Having thrown the blanket off, I got to all my feet, yawned and stretched, feeling a delicious shiver in my every muscle. Then I looked around.

There were plenty of big and small paintings, hanging on the walls. They depicted graceful spotted cats, which were unfamiliar to me. I took a closer look, trying to fathom, to feel the captured emotions. There was a family of cats, having a rest in the shade of a tree. All of them were pleased with their full stomachs. And there was a kitten, licking its mother’s nose. That simple gesture carried so much love and tenderness in it. The next painting depicted a cat, whose amber eyes seemed to look straight into the soul with their penetrating gaze. I moved aside a little - the cat continued to watch me. Having put my forelegs on the back of the sofa, I touched the painting with my hoof hesitantly. I expected the cat to do anything: attack, roar, run away. The image rustled quietly and remained motionless. Emboldened, I reached the edge of the painting and touched it with my lips. It was not papyrus or leather, but instead something thin, smooth and pliant. And the picture itself was so life-like. I feasted my eyes upon the pattern of spots and stripes on the animal’s muzzle. Why those stripes, which ran from its eyes down the cheeks, seemed so familiar, as well as the other, slanting ones, which were drawn across the temples? It was like I saw the same pattern very recently on the face of... Lairy? What can he have in common with those animals?

Having turned to the next picture, I yawned involuntarily. The yawning of the chilling cat was just that contagious. Its jaws were wide open, showing four yellow fangs, great number of sharp teeth and a pink tongue.

”It is definitely not herbivore” - I thought, having examined the mouth in detail, up to the gullet. The next picture paralyzed me with fright. The spotted animal was lying on dried and worn by the heat land, digging into the neck of some little ungulate. The sun was reflected in the victim’s glazed, bulging eyes, its wounds were bleeding, the tongue was hanging out of its mouth. Inhaling convulsively, I looked away and touched my own neck with the hoof to make sure it was still intact. For a moment it felt as if it was my throat, that the predator’s fangs had impaled. I did not want to examine the paintings anymore. I looked down and it was a very unpleasant surprise for me, that the bedsheet had many spotted patterns as well.

”May Discord tore me! Did I sleep on all of that?!”

I gave a loud disgusted snort and jumped from the sofa down to the soft brown carpet. I was lucky it did not have any spots on it or, by my Moon, I would be sitting on the ceiling. Couldn’t my sister find someone, who was not as bloodthirsty as this, what was his name again, Cheetah? And how can he know her, me, the Equestria? And at the same time how can’t he know who are the earth pony? Come on, recall what else did you blurt out to him? I told him everything about the ponies, but still I did not say anything special about my sister and myself, just mentioned our control of the heavenly bodies. And it was...

”Uh-uh” - The intense tingling feeling in my lower stomach diverted me from the worried thoughts. Having sprang up, I tripped around the house with my tail between my legs. I opened the unfamiliar door. There was bed, table and wardrobe in the room. Not this way. I rushed towards the next door. There was table with crockery on it and the white cabinet. I see, we had a dinner in there I ran out into the corridor and opened the third door, which did not have any peculiar locks or handles. There were tiles on the walls, a bathtub and that... how did Lairy show me? I opened the lid, lifted my tail up and sat down quickly. O-o-h, I made it just in time.

The rest of my gloomy thoughts came with a feeling of a certain satisfaction. The bad things are: I did not know anything of my sister’s or Lairy’s plans. How long will I live there? Will I live at all? I became careless, I could have been killed easily. Those paintings on the walls are not encouraging at all. The good things are: it is warm here. I am being fed, even bathed and talked to. I am not constrained, there are no chains on me and I am relatively free. What should I do? I should pay attention and try to avoid being caught by surprise. It is quite possible for Lairy to be a werecat, and for those pictures on the walls - to be the portraits of his family. In that case I am to become a “dinner”. And I do not want that at all! On the other side he seems to mean me no harm, I am recovering and soon I will try to clarify my fate. Go on, admit it to yourself, at least...

”Yes, I desperately need love and care...” - I whispered, looking at the ceiling, feeling the tears rolling down my cheeks and neck - “Thank you, Celestia, for you are the one who forget me not”

The light from the street was making the entire house bright. It reached the corridor, reflecting from the walls. But there was semi-darkness in the bathroom. Examining the glassy “little sun”, which hanged on the cord, I wondered how it could shine. I remembered, that when the human came in, he touched some place on this wall with his hand. The only distinguished element there was the white square plate, which had a slightly sticking-out upper side. I sniffed that thing and inspected it carefully. Yes, I remembered being asked not to touch anything unfamiliar. But I cannot just eat and sleep all day long, can I?!

Having taken a deep breath, I touched the lower side of the plate with my hoof. I was ready to pull my leg back at any moment. Nothing happened. Wheezing thoughtfully, I poked at it repeatedly, then pushed the sticking-out upper side. The plate moved under my hoof with a quiet click. Having been blinded for the moment by the bright light, I gasped, withdrew my leg and closed my eyes very tight.

Having soon become used to the light, I opened one eye. Aha, so it was the lower side of the plate, which stuck out now. I touched it and the light went out. I saw the pattern. I lit the “sun” again and tried to take a closer look at it.

There was a shining lightning, supported on thin filaments in the core of the vial. It emitted steady heat and uncomfortably bright light, which was burning into my eyes. It appeared to be in kindred with a thunderbolt, although the light was not flashing or dancing like a real fire. The lightning was deadly and dangerous, but the human used its power to light his home. That was quite impressive.

I flushed the toilet, turned out the lightning, waited for the colour splashes to stop bustling in front of my eyes and went to explore the house thoroughly. Having inspected walls of the corridor, I found the “plate of light” easily. It was located far up, but I rose on my hind legs and pushed it by my nose, feeling safe this time. There was a heavy front door with three locks on it. I remembered that its external part was made of iron. So, I was protected very well. Or was I locked as well? And there was the place I bumped into with my horn. The rugged edges have been already put together and stuck up by some limpid tape. It seemed hardly noticeable.

Having opened the wardrobe, I touched the clothes, which were hanging in there, and tried on the shoes out of curiosity. They were long, tight and did not resemble the rounded hoof-shoes at all. Did I really expect them to take the form of my hooves? But, why not? That would be very practical.

I moved from the wardrobe to the other side of the corridor. There was a big cabinet with short legs and small white box on the top. The front sides of that cabinet could be opened. I had a look behind them, found pieces of iron there, limpid little bags and jars, some of which emitted an acrid smell.

The face of that small white box was reclined heavily and had a disc with round little holes on the left side. There was also a thing lying on projections above the disc. Its ends were sharply curved downwards, one of them was tied to the box by a short twisted wire. And the same energy as in the “little sun” could be felt gleaming in the box.

Having put my elbows on the cabinet, I took the thing from the box with my both hooves, fumbled with it, trying to have a better look. Quiet hooting could be heard from the holes on the one end of that thing. I leaned my ear close, listened to them for a while and finally put the thing on its place with an uncomprehending sigh.

The lower end of the large mirror, which hanged on the wall, could almost reach the floor. I examined myself critically. My mane was tangled, tail was dragging over the floor, wings were rumpled after waking up and the look belonged to some exhausted overdriven horse. And still Lairy said that my eyes were beautiful. Either he lied to me crudely or had no conception of beauty at all. But could he mean something else? Yesterday I was literally sparkling with joy. So, do I agree to live like this, being miserable and gloomy, or do I allow myself to be happy here and now? Having closed my eyes, I took a deep breath, trying to recapture my yesterday happiness, and could not help smiling. I flapped my wings, shook my whole body and felt a lot better, even inclined to sing something. My magic would spruce my mane and tail up in no time, but since I lacked it now, I hoped that Lairy would not mind to comb my hair. Having winked to my reflection, I turned the light off. Leaving the corridor, I stopped between the living room and the kitchen. I was not particularly hungry, so I decided to have a breakfast after I had a look at the other rooms.

My eyes were drawn to the cupboard in the living room. There were books, golden cups and small statues behind its glass doors. I opened it, drew the chair near the cupboard and began to examine the contents of the shelves comfortably. I took out one book at random, opened it in the middle. My eyes quite ached with those tiny, neat lines of an unknown text. I tried to use the magic of all-reading, which could allow me to read even the ruined pages, rubbed the base of my horn vigorously, but all that I got was a headache. And the contents of the book remained mysterious. The cover depicted a slender horse and a human on its back. He held a long stick with widen lower end in his hand. The clothes of that human were unfamiliar to me and he wore a beautiful head-dress made of many feathers. Lairy was right: I was very lucky to understand humans’ speech and speak to them, otherwise it could be much worse for the silent me. I put the book back to its place, straightened the row and took one of the cups from the shelf. It turned out to be strangely heavy - I had to hold it firmly with my both hooves. Trying to put the cap on the chair next to me, I lost my balance, staggered and kissed the metal with my nose, which left a moist mark on it. At least the chair had the high back and I did not fell down. Finally having placed the cup near me, I breathed at the mark and wiped it clean. I took a look under the lid. The vessel was full of ribbons. Having picked one wide bright ribbon up with the edge of my hoof, I pulled it out carefully. So that’s why the cup was so heavy - there was a big golden thing hanging on the ribbon. I turned it over, admiring the specks of light, and took the other one out of the cap. This one was silver. I wondered, what did that mean? Having put everything back, I placed the cup on its place.

There were many statues of humans, unfamiliar animals, some angular creatures and boxes with the wheels on the lower shelf. Having taken a closer look, I took one of them. It looked like the exact copy of the carriage, in which Lairy brought me here. I put the carriage back and took the statue of a walking cat. It was probably a cheetah. At any rate, it did look like cats on those pictures.

Author - Lusilie

Then I concentrated on some skeleton-like creature. At the first glance the humanoid figure was made of metal. It turned out to be movable and very light. It held long and flat item in its right hand and an angular silvery squiggle in its left. While I was turning it round, looking at it from all sides, the scarlet sheens were glimmering in its empty eye-sockets.

Having put the skeleton back on its stand, I had already withdrawn my hoof, when the statue fell and lost its item. Having given a terrified snore, I picked up the skeleton carefully and found out that he had lost not only the item, but also a half of its hand.

”Oh, it is not good” - wheezing contritely, I tried to restore everything as it should have been. I manage to fasten the skeleton to its stand, but it was too delicate work for my hooves to return the hand to its place, so I put it next to the statue. I did not risk to touch anything else, saddened by the breakage and possible anger of the owner.

Having been tinkering at the figure, I did not notice when the sky cleaned up and sunrays touched my back. Was it the sun? It was so long since I had seen bright, real sunlight. Its novelty made me squint, when I looked through the window. The nearby door was open slightly, letting the cool breeze inside. I went out on the balcony and took a deep breath of the chilly winter air. The boxes and jars in here contained food. Bunches of small red berries were hanging in the corner. Having reached out to berries with my lips, I nipped off some of them and shuddered. Their inexpressible sourness drained my head empty. If those berries were used to clear one’s mind, they surely were efficient beyond any expectation. Having swallowed somehow, I rubbed my numbed cheekbones and noticed a latch on the window-frame of the balcony. Was it possible to open that window? Having examined the latch, I twiddled with it with my hooves and then with my teeth.

”Ow” - the window opened inwards with a sudden clang, its iron frame hit my nose. Whimpering and liking my sore nose, I opened the window wider - or else I could be hit on the back of my head. I looked out from the balcony and the amazement made me forget about my troubles.

”Now that is the height...” - I exclaimed, as I glanced downwards. I could not imagine that I lived so high and that my home was just a little part of a giant building. From a pegasus’s eye view I could clearly see the serene blue sky, the land covered with snow, delicate crowns of trees, narrow paths and grey roads with colorful boxes moving along them. Having taken a better look, I noticed the humans go out of those boxes from time to time. Examining the building, I saw windows and balconies below me, next to me and even above me. And I saw the similar building across the street. Could they be countless houses made of stone and stacked end on end? How could someone live in there? I cast a thoughtful glance from the balcony to the living room. Well, it was quite possible. But can I fly out of here if anything happens? I estimated the width of the window and my sides by eye. It seemed I would have to squeeze through the window with my wings up. But I would not succeed in flying. I became certain of that as soon as I tried to spread and strain my wings for the flight. At best I would slow and break my fall, at worst I would smash myself up. Having let out a sad sigh, I adjusted the distorted feather, folded my wings and tried to close the window. While I was busy with the latch, something fell on my leg. But I did not want my head to be hit by the window, so I shoved the stubborn piece of iron in its place at last and only then looked down at my feet.

There was a board. At least it looked like an ordinary long grey board with its ends being slightly curved upwards. The upper side of the board had a rough relief surface. It did not lie on the floor, but seemed to be floating above it. It intrigued me, so I turned this thing around carefully just to snort. It had wheels at the bottom. And I had hoped naively that it would be magic. I put the board down, placed my left legs on it and moved a little. Yes, it would be very interesting to have a ride.

There was some draped hoop next to the wall. I leant the board against the wall and lifted the fabric. The hoop had many sparkling spokes, which were coming together in the centre, and was fixed to the corner of some iron frame. There were several cog-wheels and a chain, which led to the big wheel in the other corner. It was the second hoop with spokes. Or was that the wheel too? I became tired of examining this unknown machinery, wondering about its purpose. I released the fabric and was ready to leave, when I suddenly saw a real garden blooming on the next balcony. My stomach knotted as I realized the inaccessibility of those beautiful potherbs, growing just a several meters away, behind glass. What I wouldn’t give up to eat those juicy fleshy leaves to my heart’s content. I hiccupped and left the balcony with grievous disappointment.

I pressed my croup against the door to close it and found myself staring at my reflection in the grey front side of some... o-o-oh, it seemed that the whole world of humans was made of stone, iron, glass, edges, wheels and all kinds of boxes. This box was black and large, wide at the front. At the back it was a bit narrower. I touched the featureless side with my nose. It looked like a glass, so it would be better not to touch this mirror with a hoof. What else could it be? There were some goldish symbols written below the glass and no hint I could understand.

There was another, silvery box, lying under the black one. It looked attractively and had many small projections with stripes and triangles on them, and two shining sparkles, green and red. I touched the projection, which had horizontal stripe and triangle on it, carefully with the very edge of my hoof. Somehow this exact symbol intrigued me the most. The sparkles went out, the box growled, its mouth opened suddenly and spat some black object out. Having bitten my lower lip in fear, I pushed the object back. Three sparkles began blinking, I heard hum, rustling, the click and the object was thrown out again. The box wanted me to take it? Lairy’s words came to my mind again. He asked me not to touch anything I was not familiar with. I decided to agree quickly this time and made my way towards the kitchen.

Yesterday I was hungry and busy with the food and conversation. So I was not paying attention to the furniture and decor. But now, sitting on stool and calming myself, I looked around the kitchen. There was a white seasoned wooden table, big yellow jug, which had those spots again, little teapot with flowers on it. That jug had a long thin string. The fork with two tines was attached to it. Puzzled, I twisted the fork in my hooves. I knew what were forks for, but why would someone tie them to the jugs? All the more, the tines were not only blunt, but rounded. You could not spear anything with it. There was also a cup of juice and an upturned bowl. I found the plate of sliced apples and bread under it. Another filled cap and bowl were far away from my side of the table, and I would have to reach for them. Maybe he did not want me to eat everything at once? The apple turned out to be tasteless and hard like a piece of wood, but at least it was food.

I did not notice the usual firewood and a stove and began to think. The house should be heated in winter somehow, but in what way? I already knew that food was kept inside the white cabinet and was heated in the black and white box. But what was heating the rooms if not the warmth of fire? Intrigued, I jumped off the stool and strolled around the kitchen, sniffing the air. It was cooler above the floor and warmer beside the table. Having bent, I looked under the table. There were iron columns, lined in the corner beside the rear wall. They were emitting the heat. I touched the outermost column with my hoof. Yes, it was hot. So this was a stone house, lighted up by lightnings and heated by iron... I became a bit sad - being not able to see a bright, burning dance of fire in here. I finished eating the apple in silence, took a sip of juice, but did not touch bread. I did not know, how difficult or easy was it there to get food, but in Equestria the Earth ponies had to work very hard to grow cereals, vegetables and fruits. In this world it could hardly be different. And I did not want to be a burden for my savior. I did not want to become a sponger. If I were to return to my motherland, I should repay his kindness generously.

I heard a slow and regular rumble. I turned my ear, and then looked back to the sound with caution. It was heard from the white cabinet. I touched its side. The cabinet was shaking notably, and there was a flow of energy circulating on high. Or could it be that someone was freezing inside? Worried, I intended to find it out at any cost and opened the door bravely.

A cold draught blew at me. It turned out to be bright inside the cabinet. And there was no one here. No living creature was waiting for help. There were only shelves with pots, jars, several plates and bottles on them.

Sitting on the floor in front of the cabinet, I examined the shelves and was pleased to find the familiar products, such as eggs, milk, sour cream, juice in the packs. I fiddled with some paper for a while, unwrapping frozen butter, then took a bite of its edge and neighed quietly, enjoying tender taste of the butter, melting on my tongue.

The highest, closed shelf of the cabinet was emitting cold. Having opened it, I saw the real ice.

”And what is that?”

Having taken the heavy package out, I wiped the hoar-frost off the transparent film and sniffed it. It was something red, with yellow and white veins. I did not recognize its smell. But its colour...

I looked around thoughtfully, trying to recall where I could notice this saturated crimson tint earlier. My eyes stopped at the bandage, which was covering my injury. Yesterday Lairy washed the wound and I saw my naked live flesh, which had the same colour as...

The package crashed down like a stone. The icy dust skittered over the floor. My legs weakened, I did not sit down. I almost fell.

”No, no” - I sobbed, looking at the frozen remains in horror. Regarding my fate there was no doubts anymore: I was saved to be killed.

Author's Note

1) This book is being translated from Russian. It is not reccomended to use google translator to read it, because many beautiful moments will be lost that way.

2) The usual request is to feel free to point out any errors in the comments. We are also looking for the regular beta reader.

3) Be patient, the translation is a slow process.