The Shadow of the Moon

The Shadow of the Moon

Chapter 2

Foresight

Slowly the world came back in view, as the blackness faded to the edges of my vision and a hazy forest sprouted up around me. The dense canopy blocked out the sun and strange noises could be heard all around.  I was standing at the edge of a small clearing with a hut in the center. Many foreign masks decorated the exterior of the structure. From where I was standing I could see a zebra hard at work inside the building, brewing one thing or another.

I looked at my flank which now featured a pair of crossed swords over a full moon. Nopony in Ponyville could tell me what it meant or what my special talent could be for certain. Most could only guess that I was meant to serve in the guard, likely Lunar judging by the moon. When my mom heard this, she teared up. Not from happiness, but fear. As much as she respected those fine ponies, she didn’t want me putting myself in that kind of possible danger. Personally I thought it would be cool to be a member of the guard. The romance of fighting and being a soldier played through my head.

I heard the cry of a timberwolf nearby and the screams of some woodland creature being eaten. I wasted no time as I darted up to Zecora’s doorstep. I knocked on the wooden door.

“Come in whoever knocks on my door; please do not stand outside no more,” Zecora spoke in that mysterious rhyming voice of hers.

I pushed open the door and stepped inside, slamming it shut behind me.

“Ah, brave little colt, what do you want; the Forest is not some meaningless jaunt,” she intones.

I hyperventilate a little and calmed my nerves.

"I'm safe now. It's safe."

“Miss Zecora, I have been asking other ponies in town what my cutie mark means, but nopony knows for certain. I was hoping you may have some way of telling me what it means because I have no clue what it means as a special talent,” I explain and turn so that she can see it better.

“Hmmm, I must be quite frank; that’s a strange mark on your flank,” she says while she threw some different herbs into her cauldron, “The answer the future maybe holds; let me peek into how your life unfolds.”

I watched her throw even more herbs into the pot. She mixed it a little and motioned for me to come over. Once I was close enough, she reached over and plucked a hair from my mane.

I winced, “Ouch, what was tha-”

She placed a hoof over my mouth and shook her head. She removed her hoof and began chanting something in a strange language. As she chanted, the brew began changing its colors, which lit up Zecora’s face all different shades. I couldn’t see what was happening as the cauldron was too tall, so I just sat and waited and watched. Zecora’s eyes began to glow bright white and her voice distorted. It sounded like her, other ponies too, speaking at the same time as her. The hairs on my flank began to stand on end as she started to speak.

“Oh little pony take much care;

Your future is one to beware.

Into the guard you go;

This much I know.

You will protect the princess of night;

With your body, soul, and might."

The cutie mark on my flank began to get warmer and warmer.

"With her will find danger and love;

This much you can be sure of.

Into a battle you are thrown;

your true strength will be shown."

By this point my flank felt like it was on fire and I whimpered a little.

"You and another will fight to the death;

Up until your very last breath.

Win, and you will save us all;

Lose and the night princess will fall.”

I couldn't hold it in anymore and let out a blood-curdling scream. She snapped out of the trance and looked down at me in confusion and concern. Now that she had stopped, the pain was going away.

“I’m not so sure I like the sound of all that Zecora,” I whisper, terrified of everything that had happened, “Are you sure?”

“The future can be quite obscure,” she looked at me, a little worry splashed across her face, “But of this, I am quite sure.”

****

 The blackness came back and the hut faded away. The brightness came back along with the voices. I listened, and made out something that sounded like somepony saying my name. I tried replying but I faded to blackness once more.