Silverstream swam towards the surface, the current constantly forcing her off course. Seaquestria was currently being hammered by an undersea storm, so everyone was inside so the currents couldn’t take them further out to sea. Well, except for her. She had wanted to see what a storm on the surface looked like. Was this dangerous, reckless and stupid? Yes. Would it be worth it. Absolutely! Hopefully, at least. She couldn’t be sure since she hadn’t reached the surface yet.
Nearing her destination, Silverstream found that the currents weren’t nearly as strong this close to the surface. It seemed the storm was mainly hitting Seaquestria, but wasn’t as severe the higher you went. Breaking the surface Silverstream found a very different scene than the one she was used to. First, the wind was a lot louder and stronger than normal. Second, the normally blue sky was grey, almost black. Third, water was falling from the sky. Silverstream held out her flipper and let a few water drops fall onto it. Despite living in water Silverstream never knew where it came from. Was this the answer. From the sky?
Suddenly she heard an alarming sound coming from the sky, followed by a crash of lightning. Silverstream yelped and dived back under the water. She may not know much about the surface world, but every Sea Pony had been taught to recognise lightning. After all, the Storm King’s emblem was duel lightning bolts.
Silverstream poked her head back above the water and looked around for any sign of the Storm King or his forces. Was he behind this storm, trying to force the Sea Ponies out of hiding? She began swimming around, scanning for Storm creatures. First sign of danger and she’d dive back down and return to Seaquestria. Eventually she heard something splashing in the water by the shoreline, the sound barely audible over the howling of the wind. Looking around she spotted something light blue floating in the water. She swam over and grabbed it. It felt… feathery. Bringing it over to the shore she looked down at it… and gasped.
For a moment, she wasn’t sure what she was looking at. The creature she had just saved had blue feathers all over it’s body, save for a few yellow ones on top of it’s head. It had a yellow beak and claws, along with a tan underbelly, yet this was no Hippogriff. It had no mane, and it’s tail and hind legs were different. Silverstream thought for a second about what this creature could be, and that’s when it hit her.
“A… a Griffin.”
Suddenly said Griffin started groaning and coughing as it began to come to. It opened it’s eyes, which fell on her… then the Griffin sat up so fast it’s head collided with hers.
“Ouch.” Silver muttered as she withdrew back, rubbing her head with her flipper. The Griffin was likewise rubbing it’s head with it’s claw.
“Who… what are you?” it, no he asked.
“I’m a Sea Pony.” Silver answered, tilting her head in confusion.
“A Sea Pony?” he muttered. “I thought I was in Hippogriff territory.”
“Technically you are,” she answered. “Hippogriffs and Sea Ponies are the same species. We can change forms.” As a demonstration, she clutched her necklace and turned into a Hippogriff, walking onto the shore to stand in front of him. “See?”
The Griffin raised a talon and opened his mouth to ask a question, then lowered his talon. “Okay, then.” He extended his claw. “I’m Gallus, by the way.”
Silverstream took his claw in her own and shook it eagerly. “I’m Silverstream.”
Silverstream then circled Gallus, getting a good look at him. Gallus’ eyes followed her, getting an equally good look at her.
“Sorry,” Silver apologised as she stopped in front of him again. “I’ve just never seen a Griffin before.”
Gallus chuckled. “It’s alright. I’ve never seen a Hippogriif before either.” He tilted his head slightly. “Or, is it Sea Pony?”
Silverstream shrugged. “Depends on the individual. Me personally, I prefer Hippogriff.”
Gallus nodded, then glanced over his shoulder. “Hey, is that one of yours?” he asked, pointing.
Silverstream turned to see what Gallus was pointing at and found it was a boat… a boat with a double lightning bolt emblem on the hull. Quick as a flash Silver grabbed Gallus and dived behind a nearby rock.
“I’m guessing that boat is bad news?” Gallus said as Silver checked to see if they had been spotted. Fortunately they hadn’t been caught. Sighing with relief, she turned to face Gallus.
“It’s one of the Storm King’s.” She answered.
“And who’s the Storm King?” Gallus asked.
“Hippogriffs used to live at Mount Aris,” Silverstream explained. “But then the Storm King came looking for a magical artefact the royal family held to increase his own power. To escape him the Queen used that artefact to turn us into Sea Ponies so we could flee underwater. We’ve been hiding there ever since, never coming near the surface for fear the enemy finds us.”
But you’re at the surface.” Gallus pointed out.
“I know. I’m really curious about the surface world so I sneak up all the time. I’m not supposed to be here.”
Gallus glanced over the top of the rock, then back to Silver. “Looks like that boat is going to be here for a while. We’d better find shelter from the rain while we wait for it to leave.”
“Rain?” Silver was confused. “That’s what the falling water is called?”
Gallus looked at her. “You really don’t know anything about up here, do you?”
Silverstream shook her head.
Gallus smiled. “Come on. I’ll show you a few things.”
Silverstream had spend her whole life underwater. Or at least that’s what she told others if they asked. She had been three when the Hippogriffs had had to flee their home. If she tried really hard Silverstream could remember the mountain somewhat. She could remember the sound of the waves and the wind. She could remember bouncing around the place back before she learned how to fly, energeticly greeting her fellow Hippogriffs as she passed. She could remember carrying her newborn brother around after she did learn to fly, showing him all her favourite sights. But Silverstream had to try very hard to remember those things. The one memory of the mountain she could remember with painful ease was the sounds of echoing screams as she fled with her family. It was the one memory of the mountain she wished she could forget.
Silverstream and Skystar were cousins, but everyone claimed they were more like sisters. And if you spent so much as five minutes with the two of them in the same room you’d see why. Both were as cheerful, outgoing and as friendly as the other. Something the two were less known for having in common was a fascination with the surface world. Both were eager to see the world beyond the boundaries of the former Hippogriff kingdom. Both longed to return to their old home, the mountain. More than once Skystar suggested to Silverstream sneaking off to the surface. To retake their original Hippogriff forms, leave Seaquestria behind and explore the world as they saw fit. But Skystar was the Queen’s daughter, too heavily watched to go through with such a plan. Silverstream on the other flipper was merely the Queen’s niece, not as heavily watched. She could sneak up to the surface if she wanted to. And she did. She had been doing it for the last three years.
Every time she broke the surface of the water, it felt like the first time. She could hear the sounds from her early childhood. She could see the shore. Sometimes if she ventured in that direction she could see it, the mountain. Sometimes she transformed into a Hippogriff and spread her wings, flying around for a bit. Yet every time she returned to the water, to Seaquestria. Her head told her to just leave, but her heart told her she couldn’t without Skystar. The two of them would explore the world together, someday. Maybe they could even convince Terramar to come with them.
For three years Silverstream barely saw any creatures whenever she snuck up to the surface. Sometimes she would see birds flying overhead and briefly fly alongside them. Sometimes she would see Storm creatures looking for Sea Ponies and quickly have to hide from them. For three years nothing new happened and even Silverstream began to grow bored with the regularity of it all. Until one faithful trip to the surface when she met a creature that would change her life for the better.
A blue Griffin. Named Gallus.
