The events in this story take place about 2 years before Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon. It started on what would seem to be a usual night in the palace, with Luna waking up at the usual time to raise the moon. This is where our story begins.
"Princess Luna, Princess Celestia sent me to wake you up." One of the royal guards said to the princess of the night.
"Oh. ok. Thank you." Luna stood up from her bed wearily and walked out the door of her bedroom. She began to make her way outside to the balcony so she could perform her nightly ritual of raising the moon.When this task was finished, she set off from the castle to make sure all was well this quiet evening. As she flew, she noticed, as she always did, that the ponies where all starting to head indoors for the evening. Mothers and fathers where peeking their heads out of windows to tell their children to come inside and get ready for bed. As she observed the usual nightly activity, she felt a pang of jealousy towards her sister. Celestia was the one who was loved more. Everypony knew it. They would all be out and about in the daytime when the sun was up, but as soon as Luna raised the moon, they would all wander inside and wait for night to pass. In truth, Luna had been feeling jealous for quite some time now, she just hadn't told anypony about it. As Luna was flying over a rather empty field, she spotted someone. A lone mare with a black coat and red and blue mane, laying in the grass and gazing up at the stars. This piqued Luna's interest, as she had never seen any pony out past this time of night. Why hadn't she ran and hid indoors? Luna couldn't help but be curious about her, but her curiosity would have to wait until she was done with her patrol. Luna was slightly afraid that the pony wouldn't be there by the time she was done, and she had all the reason in the world to believe this. But her fears never came to pass, and by the time her patrol was done and she flew by again, the pony was still there. Luna landed a few feet away and walked up to her. "Why do you not hide inside, like all the other ponies?" Luna asked. She was so exited to be talking to somepony else besides her sister and the guards that she forgot to be shouting.
"Oh, uh, Your Highness!" the pony stood up and formally bowed. "Well, I couldn't sleep and thought it would help if I came out here and looked at the stars."
"You are lying. Your princess demands the truth!" Luna said. The pony looked sheepishly at her.
"Well, actually, I really like to look at the stars. It's just, I'm not used to seeing any other ponies out here besides me, so I figured you thought I was up to something suspicious and well...."
"No, we didn't think that you where up to anything. Nopony ever just sits and watches the stars, so we were curious as to why you are not inside like all the other ponies."
"Is that so? Well, I'm not surprised that I'm the only one here. Everypony else is usually in bed at this time of night."
"What is your name, subject?"
"Swift Shadow, your Highness." The pony lay back down on the grass and looked up Luna.
"Would you mind if we, uh, I joined you?"
"No, not at all, your Highness."
"And would you please stop calling me that? It makes me feel uncomfortable."
"But what should I call you if not that?"
"Call me Luna." Luna said. She lay down in the grass next to Sift Shadows and they talked all night.
