Epilogue - 13 Moons Later

I don't know what woke me.

All the outer wall panels of the bedroom had been slid aside to take advantage of the warm summer night, and the waxing gibbous moon was peeking in under the eaves of the veranda roof.

Luna was still asleep beside me, the cool, sensuous touch of her ethereal mane rippling across me like a ghostly surf. She wasn't sprawled across the bed in relaxed slumber, but had her legs neatly tucked beneath her body, with a predatory smile on her lips. She was working, guarding the only realm that was truly hers. I could get up without fear of waking her.

I slipped out of bed and walked out onto the veranda on the side overlooking the Town. It was still and quiet. Dawn was not far off, but the eastern sky had not yet begun to lighten.

I walked along until I could glance into Spike's room. He was flopped bonelessly across his bed, legs, wings, and tail overhanging the edges and twitching a bit as he dreamed. After a solid day's acrobatics practice with Slasher and her company, I assumed he would sleep until noon. Nothing amiss there.

Aside from their watch lanterns, the airships swinging gently at their towers were overlapping black silhouettes, but I could pick out Nebula with ease. High on the shoulder of Black Ridge, Berrytwist and Black Fang floated at their accustomed moorings. All quiet.

The little bejeweled wind chimes that hung along the eaves were also silent. No flashes of warning, no discordant jangle of alarm. Nothing worrying stirred within the aether.

I turned back and went around the corner of the House until I could look out to sea over the shoulder of the rocky headland to the south. Far over the horizon there was a storm, only betrayed by the tiny flashes of distant lightning reflected in the scattered clouds above the ocean. I spread my wings, but the wind was too light and confused to be of much help. The storm would come, or it would move elsewhere, or it would fade away, and there was nothing I could do but wait and see.

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Author's Note

My heartfelt thanks to Cynewulf and Jordanis for the superb editing they did, and to all of you wonderful readers! Special thanks to Reese for post facto line edits!

Dramatis Personae

1. Rain Storm (Rainbow Dash)
2. Whirlwind - Carpenter's Assistant, Deckhoof
3. Hawser - Rigger, Helmspony
4. Clove Hitch - Second Officer
5. Captain Blackmane
6. Summer Breeze (Fluttershy)
7. Spike (Lance - midshippony)
8. Landslide - Carpenter, Deckhoof
9. Tempest Shadow
10. Calvados (Applejack)
11. Khaatarrekket, "Ket" - Third Officer (Zashira)
12. Ao - First Officer
13. Commander Wepaten of the High Song
14. Zephirine Drouhin, "Zeph" - Deckpony
15. Halter Hitch - Rigger
16. Silver Mask (Rarity)
17. Star Dance - Navigator, Deckhoof
18. Shrrbrgrth "Sherbet" - Ensign
19. Half Hitch - Rigger, Deckhoof
20. Zabaa - Deckhoof
21. Lucky Charm - Deckhoof
22. Ralf - Engineer
23. Woundwort - Doctor
24. Mango Tango (Pinkie Pie)