It was dark in the tranquil alcove. Sleeping bags were scattered around, almost all were full and everyone was almost asleep. A rattling noise filled the air. "Oh great, he's doing it again" moaned Talon, as he stuffed a pillow to his face. The sneasel huffed, picking at his claws. Aurora got up shaking her glowing mane, sparks flew in many directions.

"Oh stop Talon; you know he had a bad past, let him cry it out" Scolded Aurora. "I'm going to talk to him and see if I can make him feel better." She glanced at Dawn, the young pichu was still snoring lightly, the most noise she had heard out of her in a while. Turning, the ponyta slipped outside into the cool night air. The rattling noise continued on as Aurora stepped towards the source, as the grass whistled along with the eerie melody.

"Tibone?" she said "Is everything alright?" The rattling slowed as the skull stopped, leaving an echo to the misty air. Tear filled eyes looked at Aurora as she came over and sat down.

"No...and why would it. Nothing ever goes right with me. "sniffled Tibone.

"Well why don't I help make things go right." softly spoke Aurora. "Start with what burdens your sleep."

Tibone thought back to the painful events that had been keeping him awake each night. As much as he disliked recalling what had happened, he could remember everything in clear detail.

They had a shelter, but it was cold and rickety. His mother felt a storm coming. She told him to gather more materials for their home to reinforce it. He gathered as much as he could, but to no avail. The storm was fast and strong. The rain poured and flooded their home. They had to leave their tribe behind to find dry land. They needed to move fast, so he climbed on to his mothers back. They searched and searched hoping to find something, anything. At long last, they spotted a cave. It was high off the drowned land and was dry. Shaking off the rain, they entered the dark cavern, finally they were safe. He was scared, but he was still a youngling. The storm raged on, Mother huddled close to calm his nerves. Then he heard faint whispers, he thought he was hearing things and turned it aside. The faint whispers turned to harsh cries for help. Mothers eyes became wide with fear, "We are not alone." she said.

"Mama... Mama...MAMA!" the voices cried. Then a formidable roar rang through the night. Lightning flashed and a full grown Ursaring stood at the entrance.

Shuttering, he took off his skull to look back at it as his feet dangled off the cliff edge. Aurora gasped; the entire left side of his face was mangled and scarred.

The clan this Ursaring came from and his tribe have been at each others necks since before Mother was born. The territory is too small for both, and frankly, the Ursaring have been winning from the start. However, the Ursarings had a new tactic by trying to dwindle our population by killing the offspring bearers. Usually they succeed and the cubone youngling would die off. However, occasionally a cubone would survive and live, but they were not allowed back in the tribe. Like him. Tibone let a tear drop off his cheek.

This ursaring was away raising her teddiursa cubs ina secluded cave. She was ferocious when she found out her sworn enemy was in her nest. Mother's eyes formed tears; she knew she was not going to make the night.

"Run!"She screamed to him but he was too petrified to move from the spot.

"How dare you come into my nest and make my cubs scream!" The Ursaring roared, and then she charged.

"I said to run Tibone, run before it's too late!" she faced the ursaring and tried to escape but the enraged mother caught her, leaving a large wound down her muzzle. He finally got the ability to move again, but foolishly used it to try and protect Mother. However, he just got in the way and the ursaring gashed him across the face, almost gouging out his eye. Blinded by blood and tears, he ran behind a rotting log and watched, horrified as the ursaring slowly mangled his mother. One of the deadly, swiping paws sliced through the air in a cruel arc. A sharp crack resounded as one of her horns snapped. The devastation to her skull was absolute. Finally, Mother was put out of her misery. The Ursaring still in a fury, was pelting the limp body repeatedly not realizing she was dead. The usraring groped the lifeless body around the neck, and thrust her out of the cave; he heard the sickening crack as she hit a rock.

"Tribe cub get out before I kill you as well" growled the ursaring. He, still scared stiff, just stood there. She roared louder than a thunder clap, and jolted him out of the near death trance. He ran out into the still strong storm, right to Mother. He cried himself asleep for months, after that. He tried to return to his tribe but that was futile, as they stripped him of his tribe markings and kicked him out, for they did not want a youngling with a broken heart. Tibone put the skull back on his head, twisting to make sure it stayed put.

"This was all in the past now, but it didn't make the pain any less real." Tibone turned to the Ponyta, she had been kind and seemed concerned for his well-being, perhaps she ought to know. Sighing he huffed, "Okay... but it's not really a great story to hear." He quietly began the re-telling of his past. He could feel his voice cracking when he spoke of his mother, and he had to briefly stop his story several times during the gruesome fight to her death. When he was finished, Tibone looked to Aurora and saw she had tears in her eyes. "Tibone, oh Tibone, I-I'm so sorry, I wouldn't have asked if-"

"I needed to get it off my chest. Thank you...Friend." smiled Tibone. The ponyta smiled as well.

"You're my friend too".