The pearlescent moon hung high in the sky that night, the deep blue canvas littered with twinkling stars that formed an intricate set of patterns, each cluster of twinkling lights only occasionally being obscured by night blackened clouds. It was truly a sight to behold, and it's true depth only few could fully appreciate and understand.

Rainbow Dash was not one of those ponies.

She was, however, happily stargazing atop a cloud, her head resting on her hooves in thought. Tomorrow was the day… Tomorrow, she and Fluttershy would be wed. Her heart raced at the mere thought of it, her heart so full of love for the shy mare that she was certain she'd burst at the seams. She never knew that she could love someone as much as she loved her.

However… Fear and panic gripped at her heart too, trying to take full control of her thought process. The cyan mare had been trying to shake it off for the past few months, happy to live in peace for a little while longer, but her paranoia wouldn't let up.

'... How am I going to tell her?'

The thought was loud, bringing the rainbow haired mare great discomfort. She was keeping a BIG secret from Fluttershy, one that she's been keeping hidden her whole life. She was sure that the others would hate her if they found out…

Suddenly, a familiar hunger struck her, her pupils shrinking to little slits. There was an ominous, almost feral glimmer to her Rosy eyes, her wings ruffling with an urge to take flight. She bit her lip, debating whether she should succumb to her urges, or if she should just head back to Twilight's Castle and try to sleep. As she did though, she felt the sharpness of her teeth against the flesh of her lip, and had to stop before she drew blood.

That finalised her decision.

Suddenly, she jumped to her hooves, her wings flaring out briefly before launching herself into the air with a powerful flap of her wings. She soared straight up, feeling the cold wind against her body as she slowly reached the peak of her launch - leaning backwards as she began the exhilarating fall. Everything blurred past her, the wind roaring in her ears, before she pulled up and began her search.

Her eyes shot around as she flew over Ponyville, the moonlight causing her to cast a large shadow over the sleeping little village. Her nose scrunched up, frustration starting to build up in the impatient mare. Where was it, where was it!?

Soon, a blur passed by beneath her - a squirrel bounding through the fields next to the Everfree Forest. She liked her lips excitedly, and silently banked to the side to follow it. She didn't have much time, she knew that - it would probably hear her descent soon, and if it was close enough to home, she'd have to find something else.

She really didn't want to have to do that.

As she expected, moments later its tiny ears pricked up at her approach - the little thing looking back at her before the squirrel's scrambling retreat began. Unfortunately for it though, she was faster.

In seconds, she had shot forwards with her hooves tucked tightly against her chest and opened her mouth - white, pearly fangs were bared, each one incredibly sharp and very dangerous - and they were sunk into the squirrel's soft flesh in a swift swipe. When the blood hit her tongue, her magenta eyes pulsed a deep crimson, and she hungrily drew in the liquid life with little to no hesitation even as she rushed into the darkness of the Everfree Forest.

The brown squirrel squirmed in her grasp desperately, fighting for its life from her literal death grip, but slowly its will faltered, and soon enough it was limp in her grasp.

Everything was quiet for a few minutes, as Rainbow Dash slowly drained the rodent of all of its blood and relished in the quenching, metallic taste of it. Once she was done, she released the limp creature into her hooves and set it to the side, sighing in satisfaction as a wave of calm washed over her. Blood dribbled down her chin from her red stained lips, needing to be licked up before the blood dropped to the grass below. Now all she needed to do was bury the little squirrel and clean herself up in the nearby river discreetly.

As she dug at the ground to create a faux grave, she thought back to the words of her mother, who told her to always pay respect to the lives lost when she feeds. She always felt weird when doing it, her voice more accustomed to Equish than the ancient tongue of her mothers ancestors, but it felt worse to say nothing at all. So, as she gently lifted the little furry creature off of the grassy floor and began the simple burial, she softly spoke to pay proper respect to her deceased prey.

"Gratias ago tibi, puer de Gaia, pro sacrificium, quod hac nocte. Te volo, tutum loco in altera mundi, et spero, te sentire pacem in armis nostris solaris mater…"

At the end of her quiet words, she pushed the dirt over the makeshift grave, burying the squirrel in an oddly caring manner - almost ritualistic in her movements. Her hooves smoothing over the mound of dirt to neaten it up, and drawing a moon within a sun in the dirt before just sitting silently for a few moments. Then, after a beat, she stands up and walks away, following the clear sound of running water a few paces away.

Without a word, she cleaned up her reddened lips and front hooves. Her throat felt thick as she quickly gulped down a few mouthfuls of the clear, pure liquid to wash out the bitter taste from her tongue. Her fears were welling up within her again, just as clear and bright as the beautiful moon hanging in the starry sky. Trying to ignore the quenching warmth spreading through her at the lifeblood she'd just devoured.

She, the Rainbow 'Danger' Dash, the greatest flier there was and the one and only Element of Loyalty… Was a Vampony. And none of her friends were aware.

She stared into the flowing water as her heart raced, focused on her visible fangs and the slitted pupils in her Magenta eyes. She took in each and every off detail about her, like her brightening colours and shuddering coat, the way her chest barely rose and fell from her incredibly slow breaths. She had to tell her… But how could she do so, after all of the animals she'd preyed upon? Would she ever forgive her? Could she ever love a broken best like herself?

Smack!

Her hoof collided with her forehead, snapping her out of her thoughts. No, she couldn't be thinking like that now, she had to get home and try to force herself to sleep. She was getting married tomorrow, and she needed to get some rest so Pinkie Pie could actually wake her up later that morning.

So, with a strong flap of her wings and a twirl to dry herself out, she flew out of the forest and back to Twilight's Castle.

Author's Note

Translation notes! I'll be doing this on every chapter that has another language other than English, specifically because I'm using Google translate for translations purposes. I apologise if anyone know's Latin and can see all of the obvious mistakes XD

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"Gratias ago tibi, puer de Gaia, pro sacrificium, quod hac nocte. Te volo, tutum loco in altera mundi, et spero, te sentire pacem in armis nostris solaris mater…"

(I thank you, child of Gaia, for your sacrifice this night. I wish you safe passage into the next world, and I hope you feel peace within the arms of our solar mother…)