So far as it could be seen, the distance once crossed a landscape opened low and large with lakes still punctuating the lazy greens of grass. The same relief repeated, nature quiet, shared the bunch of rough trunks with the rough of rare paths. It was said for medieval times that days long travels were not uncommon, merchants and knights on the road but not only. At a new page of history entire crowds would gather and herds for destinations such as the castle of the princesses, sometimes at such great lengths that they would make the steel of their horseshoes be wrought again in forges. "Would you hurry up?" Her friend shouted from the next hill where the group had stopped, waiting for her. Twilight let down her book and her mood, put it back and ran towards them.
Daylight bright the way was dry a path of dusty soil that their passage in a strong stride would send up and taint their legs, neglected on her grainy coat Applejack maintained an equally strong pace, the mare careless slowed down only at times to let the others catch before the weight of her backpack pushed her forwards again. She took no glance at the colors from flower fields along the plain that her friends some steps behind eager to follow mentioned at every curve, the parts familiar to them. Their saddlebags as a weight sleeping bags over them they were harnessed up to the withers, hooves all the more heavier battling earth with the first traces of weariness. Depending on the hoofpath at turns they would close on their stubborn friend in the lead, a moment to exchange a few words with her before, their direction straight again, she would return to her thoughts.
A pout on her face Rainbow Dash crossed her legs, shook the head then in a dash her skimming flight pushed her aside their friend. "Why so grumpy?" She dealt and behind her gasps of surprise and disarray comforted her. She was not, the earth pony reacted, only they were looking for war and it was no matter for laughing. Yet the sky blue pegasus in her anxious moves reflected as many worries as hers, the only way she knew to handle things, fiercely, and it was no excuse not to lighten up.
So the mare did picking a shoot of lavender at the edge of her path she champed the stalk, a mild smile and the mare was blazing by the full day: "Happy now?" Hardly, they stared at each other before Dash would turn to the others for them to lend her a hoof, only to notice they had reopened Twilight's book and where infinitely absorbed in it. Now it was her who didn't smile the earth pony stated, amused, and to cut the discussion short she lowered her hat on her straw fringe, a cover against the sun at its highest in the sky, they had to move if they wanted to reach their destination before the night.
"What?" It was as if Dash only now realized, Ponyville hidden way behind with only lonely clouds as a last recollection, their shadows thin on the same beautiful day, only a bit fresher. She looked feverishly at every direction, suddenly detached from the group to ramble around where she wouldn't hold her rainbow mane from jolting. Only the weight of saddlebags on her flanks would hold her back, all around at that altitude the plain was quiet with woods disparate further down the path that only she would see.
So she burst down back to her friends, hovered at Twilight's height and inquired, tapping her hooves:
"Eh, girls? Mind if I go ahead?" Then: "I think my wings need a stretch!"
It took a moment for her to notice both Twilight and Fluttershy still plunged in the book to look at illustrations, even so that the leading mare hat down had to turn and answer for them that it was fine. Rainbow Dash didn't wait for more and was about to rush away when the shy pegasus shouted "wait…" Fluttershy wanted for her nervous friend to come and watch the drawing of a medieval court in Twilight's tome, because, she said, it was cute. Later, and a moment later Dash had left.
While the shy pegasus at her side would muzzle the ponies drawn on the page her book passionate friend kept commenting on the comments of the footnotes of notes of the text, the luck she had when her assistant had found it among the shelves. She would skip a chapter again, up to the jousts where pictures looked less pleasant. Nonetheless it was just another game, the unicorn sighed, her magic wavering threatened to let the book fall. Her friend softly replied she couldn't even imagine what awaited them, and it was a bit scary, and a bit thrilling but scary. "Let's ask Applejack!" She decided and as their pace had already turned to trot the mare in front trotted too without even a notice, only to realize she did when a tired mare aside her, panting, promised her she didn't mind, then stumbled, then whispered really it was fine. In that quiet answer was determination that made her friends proud of the young pegasus.
"About what now?" But she took on her to answer: "War's war, I know it's bad and it has to end!" Nothing else mattered.
Yet they all showed preoccupation the moment a new descent opened before them the path extended long curve around a few little woods, the speed they took their hooves heavy would strain on Fluttershy's yellow creamy coat, that much she could take, but she cared for her quiet friends. So she asked, where Rainbow Dash could be right now, stretching! Was the spontaneous answer from Twilight. "But", in hesitation, she was nowhere to be seen. The two of them would begin to scan around aimlessly, no trace of a dash or her jolting mane, a puzzlement for her friend who ventured a heavy stretch maybe, "maybe" she was scheming behind their back, the earth pony between them plainly stated. They were then approaching the woods where it could be seen anywhere within the beams of day streaming through foliages the shadows of trees thin open on plants and bushes like natural paths that could be guessed running wild to brighter glades. "Yep, she ain't telling all" she proudly concluded.
Somehow they were still doubtful, so Applejack sighed. She would insist a bit, now more open they went side by side full of their haste, a sustained rhythm carrying them on the soil path, it made the shy mare adopt a lighter hoofing. That genuine expression the unicorn had lost eyes wide on those lonely clouds amused her the same as the stubborn mare with them, a careful "maybe you're right" from Twilight not giving up on her portion of the sky and she got surprised by a giggle from her friend, that the pegasus couldn't repress, all three suddenly couldn't help but follow the timid trifling. Their voices were low between themselves a mute joy to share when they would look at each other's face, muzzle pleated to hold it so funny it would escape from them again, not reaching further than the soil around them high grass calm and the woods with their own peaceful aspects, not an animal to disturb the ponies even when trees would cross and cover their way.
The sudden voice of Dash came out of nowhere: "Will you just show yourself already!" A frustrated scream.
"What in the land…?"
In the moment that followed they waited for their fierce friend, wonder in their eyes in front of the silent forest, the little woods touching their path would give no clue as to what happened. Then they heard the pegasus again, another inflamed yell softened behind bushes and the shy pony advancing a bit promised the others she saw the rainbow mane flowing between trunks. They left the hoofpath to enter a thickness of plants and flowers grazing their legs at some point up to the thigh. Where space was left between shrubs each would follow until they found an open place with its moss covered stump, its rocks turned over and the hung up mare at her tree yelling again to upper branches. Fluttershy kept approaching, fascinated, but her two friends held her while watching.
The whole location had been searched, grass beaten flat testified of their friend's uneasiness just as she dropped, a flap of her wings then she cut through another bush. "What's she doing?" The unicorn had to ask, and however discreet she wanted to sound Rainbow Dash heard it. And froze, panicked, as ponies in her back would keep whispering to each other if they should worry, what she was looking at, Applejack mumbled something while patting the ground. Finally Twilight took on her to make a move, in a clear voice she called the frightened pegasus who hardly turned to them: "Rainbow Dash? Have you lost something?" She answered the very same instant.
"Nothing! I was doing nothing! Just… looking for…"
And she hurried to find something, anything anywhere she would see between renewed leaves a little animal, so she dashed to grab it:
"This squirrel! I found it, see? This… scared… little squirrel… get off my hooves."
"Oh, I understand." Fluttershy smiled. "I would have wanted to hug him too. He is so sweet."
"Yep." Hiding her grin under her hat. "It's sweet alright!"
"Okay, enough squirreling! Everypony returns to the road now!"
Half bitter and half relieved the blue pegasus pulled her friends away from the glade right back to the path, their departure forced even more so that as she was still trying to dislodge her animal friendly friend from holding the squirrel, teeth on her tail, the two other ponies would interrupt her to ask why she was so eager to go. They tried to imagine why but Dash undeceived them, her only motive was to end the war the quickest the best. "Fine!" Applejack concluded and they all helped to get Fluttershy to leave the critter behind. Soon those woods were away, a new curve hiding them to let only the foliation visible under the tops of mountains in the horizon. For a second the fierce mare took a glance over her shoulder, before trotting back to the group.
Soon all four would feel their discussion dwindling, a bit dull because of what happened and their distances again, by haste, would grow. It turned to an annoyed silence in which the youg pegasus, worried, asked Twilight again to open her book. The chapter, any of them, she wanted to see those drawings. Her whisper mixed with a slow pace all but told of her mood, so the unicorn reassured her, their pace strengthening the leading mare confirmed, brushed those worries aside. "I know!" Twilight cut. It was also a medieval habit to tell tales while traveling, to entertain and keep the morale high. Each of them she proposed would tell a story, taking the lack of answer for approbation the purple unicorn began.
Dusk would soon fall with the sun already low turning the sky and ground frontier into a burning red dark on the dark clouds accumulated, almost nothing had been left of the path but marks of tracks from wagons in the grass and the stamping of numerous hooves reaching the top of a hill. Just as they reached it the army finally appeared before them, dozens and dozens of tents of every striped color erected by flocks all along the relief, all crowded with ponies like in a market day. "Finally!" Fluttershy laid down her forelegs on her ears. With that discovery Twilight had given up on her story halfway to watch the vast encampment even at this distance filling her line of sight, wagons isolated behind the tissues or near piles of boxes and casks. Dash seemed to awaken, would hiss a yes hoof up then jump forward wings open to tell the others to make haste, now that they were there, to join that crowd of ponies and meet Celestia before night had a chance to come.
The moment they stopped the group had felt the weariness shake their bodies, yet they saw in each other their own will reflected, all ran from there in direction of the first tents. They eventually found themselves among the first few troops, ponies like those of Ponyville idling around through different games, waiting for the day to end. Only a bunch of guards were visible among them, a couple in patrol able to tell them where the princess was, dominating the camp on one side. Applejack immediately asked if they saw her brother, again if they knew where he could be, with those vague instructions she straightened her backpack and prepared to go.
"Wait!" Twilight scrambled. "We must see the princess first!"
"Ya've your priorities, Twilight! I've mine!" Those words said she left. "Just wait, I won't be long!"
In a thought the unicorn quickly decided: "Fluttershy, could you accompany her? Me and Rainbow Dash will wait for you two at the princess's tent."
It was a hurry for the shy pegasus who nodded, a bit intimidated, around her all those pavilions in an unfamiliar setting where the mare had run, she tried to catch on following her hat before it disappeared. At that point she panicked, began asking around her if they saw her friend with freckles on her face, as she wandered looking for her the young mare could only see flat grass from so much stamping, groups of ponies absorbed in their talks their expressions welcoming, stallions and mares playful by the end of the day. She finally got a direction when she asked for Big Mac, a few having seen him so the pegasus began to trot down the slope where tents would be more and more spaced.
Still, she was a bit lost, about to panic again when one tent isolated, in evidence, caught her attention. It wasn't striped, but made of only one color, a rich purple pitched by shiny wires like chords of a harp. It was big too, as she went the entrance appeared and before the entrance she gasped, surprised by the armor. Standing still superb in the dusking light a stallion dominated everything, the plain and the flags and even the few guards she had seen. He was entirely covered by metal plates lily-white with precious ornaments, gildings and interlacing connecting the shoulders and haunches, his helmet among all so beautiful it was making her heart pound heavier. She couldn't tell if that was a statue or if really there was a pony in it until the head moved a bit, in a hiss.
Whether by wonder or by convenience she carefully approached the stallion so big she felt tiny in comparison, and she called him for attention without any result. So she insisted and patted his foreleg in hope he would notice her.
"Excuse me… I am looking for my friend… she has a hat, and freckles… and she is very good at farming…"
A moment she thought he was ignoring her, yet he moved again and his hoof raised pointed at a precise point down the slope where she finally noticed a red stallion, strong with his tail like hay, sit with a few other ponies at an improvised table.
"Thank you! I mean… thanks a lot."
Her feelings made her walk back a bit, face covered by her mane, still impressed she waited for this armored stallion to put his leg down before she would dare to leave. Only once returned into the crowd where everypony was rushing for dinner did Fluttershy calm down, troubled, she promised aloud she would tell the others what she saw.
Near the end of the camp almost where grass returned to wild was Big Mac, her sister stopped after all the running she had done to find him, came close now ambling the most quiet she could. That clay coat was not the only familiar sight she saw, around him other ponies she knew who let her perplexed, cutie marks of fruits and fruit candies at their flanks, throwing dices on a plate over the cask. They had noticed her, most greeting while her brother turned, as surprised as her, his mouth open.
"Orange Wafer? Red Delicious? Violet Fritter? Wait, 'tis a war or a family reunion?"
Between salutations some of the family not seen since quite a long time the mare's embarrassment was obvious, mane stirred, words sharp, she cut it and put down her backpack. "Here", cereals and vegetables from the farm, two pounds of bread on top tied in a napkin. It was welcome, by Orange Wafer especially as she was to cook for tonight, yet all Applejack cared was for her brother's reaction. He couldn't say much, the two knew each other too well to have to say much, the questions he had, the answer she lacked written on their foreheads every feeling they shared, that made her uneasy in front of the Apple family. They would be both left alone for a moment, the time to lit a fire, so the mare circled the bask where dices were left in the goblet, then stomped on the plate making the goblet fall:
"I can't believe it!" A sincere outburst. "I was mighty worried over nothing!"
"Eyup."
With that Applejack stood speechless, then laid down her head on the plate pitiful and with the muzzle pushed a dice to get a two. From every part of the camp she could hear bursts of joy, a few songs, long discussions before the night. Her brother was still looking at her so quiet she would lay her cheek on her hoof. Then she noticed Fluttershy coming, the pegasus coat bright in the evening who would slow down and wait at a voice length, shy in her cautious steps. Still, Applejack wouldn't move. She kept rubbing the wooden plate in embarrassment, something she wanted to say that wouldn't get past her at the sight of the stallion still a bit upset.
Eventually: "Ya sure ya don't need any help?"
"Eyup."
"No bad guy around?" A hopeful smile. "No challenge needing a good kick?"
He frowned, looking at her on the defensive, answered a simple "nope". A burst of flames as the fire was lit suddenly turned dark into blaze, members of the family were coming back to invite them but before they could, the shy pegasus had come and reminded they had to meet the princess. "I'm coming" Her friend answered, cold. With that she left, muzzle down and legs dragging, not an effort to hide the new feelings that were getting on her. Behind followed the sorry pegasus, unsure if it was her fault, but it wasn't, she still felt her family looking at her departure, or the sad look Big Mac had, the move he sketched to go after her, that he would keep for himself.
"What do ya mean a knight?" Yet before her friend could answer, the slope they were on almost turned to mud at that point so steep they didn't see the two guards that had come at their encounter, told them they would lead them to the princess. It was almost at the opposite side of the camp, among tents a tent only a bit wider with yellow stripes curved like waves, hardly visible in half-dark. Candles gave light to the entrance where the inside seemed like daytime. They were startled by Twilight appearing from the shadow nearby, waiting for them outside in an anxious pacing. She said their late arrival was fine, her worn out mane told the contrary, the sun was soon to disappear in the horizon and hooves on Applejack's shoulders the student stressed that she couldn't convince the princess to let them help her.
The princess was celestial, her flowing mane emerging from cushions to float on floor carpet. More cushions of silk had been flocked around in a circle, for sole furniture candlesticks whose flames weren't needed as Celestia's horn was glowing, and near the tall alicorn a coffer engraved with silver, on which a basket of fruits was put. She turned to her guests as they entered, greeted them in her millenary softened voice. "Please, lay down" she asked while they bowed, and with her hoof covered by a gold lily she showed Rainbow Dash already comfy, a cushion squeezed like cloud on her head. Just seeing her would steal a yawn from the earth pony, a bit of shame to have shown that but the princess didn't formalize.
"Now," she began as they were all around her, "does any of you want a fruit?"
A quick glance to Twilight who shook her head, the basket was a gift from the army general, the right food for the right mood, understanding the situation they all humbly declined.
"Your highness," the earth pony followed, almost getting up, "we're here to help with the war!"
"Yeah!" Dash had suddenly woken up. "Like I said, just give the go and we'll kick it back to Tartarus!"
Which she showed too well, an apology to Twilight who sent back the pillow but Celestia, after a pause, asked them to understand. They had taken up many ordeals, indeed, but it all summed up into one thing: they were still too young. And to a rebel Applejack she asked, if she would agree to send Applebloom alone in the Everfree Forest. "No." But it was unfair, they knew how to fight, and they could use the elements of harmony.
"Again" the faithful student intervened, repeating the lesson, "the other side isn't evil, just misguided. Technically they still believe in harmony."
"Are you telling me Harmony can't stop a war?" Dash stomped.
It was all the much perplexing to Fluttershy, because, she muttered, if no side wanted to fight there should be no fight, normally. It was another explanation for the princess to give, and she did talk with griffons to try and solve this, yet a battle would be unavoidable. Twilight put her muzzle down in the silk, as a sign of remorse.
"Don't worry, all of you" the princess continued. "It will only be one battle, then peace will come back."
So, the farm pony concluded coldly, there was nothing to do but return to Ponyville and wait. Their disappointment was clearly visible, all mares distressed at the idea of leaving begging the princess to help them help her. "Of course" they could, if they wanted, stay by her side the princess said, her warm voice doing miracles on ponies mood. They exulted, then Dash skeptical asked what she meant, and it would be to observe the battle from afar "like a staff?" Twilight grasped sparkles in her eyes. As long as they stood away from harm, the alicorn confirmed, they were welcome to stay. "More like advisers." And to the fierce pegasus's surprise, Applejack was glad to accept. Only Celestia would then notice how the pegasus felt, grumbling for herself.
Not a moment later a guard showed, a nod to let know the general was there. He was waiting outside ready to lead the group around the camp, so spirited they could hear his hooves stamping the few rocks there was to stamp on assertively. The mares bowed again as Celestia would let them leave, rolling her eyes discreetly after Twilight's thanking had ceased before she noticed the sky blue pegasus hesitating to follow her friends. "What is it?" She asked, whatever the burden she was ready to hear it.
"Well..." Dash rubbed her ear in uneasiness. "I have this friend... and she asked me for help but I kinda' let her down..." She stalled here, short.
"Isn't she your friend?" The princess finally answered. "If you trust her, she will trust you." And with that she pulled a fruit from the basket: "Now, are you sure you don't want a fruit?"
"Thank you! For the advice... and the proposition, but I must go now."
A gasp outside made her leave even sooner, her friends surrounding the general all muscles and confident, two horns flanking his head strength written on his ink colored fur. Fluttershy had greeted him naturally, taking her friends by surprise, "hello mister Iron Will". The minotaur laughed heavily, happy to see his first success here on the battlefield and he was certain she would bring doom to her enemies, making her blush. The other mares were speechless, eyes wide in front of that brute force with a tie. With that he took out a branch, covered one end with his fur lotion then scratched it to let it inflame, a torch to see through the beginning of the night.
Of course they had questions, given they wouldn't ask them the shy mare took on her to inquire why he was the general. A sudden pose brutal Iron Will gave his line at the very instant then specified, he was there to prepare the army for the battle to come. "How so?" Applejack intervened, and to turn to her the minotaur struck another pose. He clenched his fist, then yelled "by being assertive!" They weren't convinced, Twilight among them especially suspicious as there had been no chapter about it in her book, she showed the cover to the minotaur who dismissed it immediately, wars weren't gained by books, sweat was what it took! So he rectified his tie, the flame of his torch near one horn then he made sign for them to follow him as he would present them his greatest result.
Everywhere in the camp ponies were returning to their tents or around fires where pots and sticks would let food cook, smells of corn and celery floating between their pavilions. It was dark, yet the sun was still visible partly faded behind the horizon in a very warm blade of light. Ambling down the slope again Twilight had to ask what the organization of the camp was because she couldn't find any, because there was none the minotaur supposed, he didn't care much for this. For all he knew ponies simply arrived and put their tents where there still was some place left. He stopped a remark with a sudden move of his arm, almost slashed the air and fixed, asked them if they saw it. Before them was a flat space left empty and delimited by poles, in which a group of ponies lead by a guard was walking. They did notice the group, they simply couldn't see what was special about it.
"Pay attention!" And he fiercely pointed to them: "Their walk is perfectly paced! It's as I say, show some spine, stay in line! Their enemies will never break them now!"
Fluttershy was hesitant, risked a: "Are you sure?"
"When in doubt, give no thought!" With a new pose: "They will stamp on the other side in a breath!"
"Sure, if them stamping don't turn into a stampede..."
He would reassure them again, his nostrils fuming at the light of his torch every single step had been taken to ensure ponies would win. Plus, he added with a little less enthusiasm, it was a given as they would be the only ones having guards in their ranks. "What?" The friends reacted altogether, a flow of questions harassing the minotaur before he shouted for silence, fixed a new pose to make them walk back a bit. No, griffons had nothing like the princess's guards, so whatever the outcome those would still win the day eventually. It was lowering the merits of his work, so he preferred to hide it, yet tomorrow would be nothing but a breath when the guard and their armors would shine under Celestia's sun. "When you put it that way..." Dash admitted, still unconvinced when her friends finally reassured about the upcoming battle had returned to watching ponies walk in rank.
"Maybe," the sky blue pegasus forced herself to say, "maybe it will be alright..."
"I have not worked for just alright!" Iron Will reacted. "I will accept nothing short of a crushing success!"
The confidence he had, the strength he showed just as the lines would break to return to their tents, the final exercise finished to persuade the group so happy now they could know, even in the dark, that the others had shining smiles. Their voices rejoiced added to the clamors of the army dining in the beginning of the night, their multiple fires lit throwing columns of black smoke in the black sky where only a handful stars had appeared. "General Iron Will?" The unicorn asked, her mane almost engulfed in the obscurity, she wanted to know where the enemy was, she had so many questions her books wouldn't answer but the others called her immediately, it was late and they had to sleep. Not at the royal tent so Applejack told them about her family, an invitation for all to stay among them as long as they wanted.
Still, as they went the unicorn merged in darkness kept a slower amble, muzzle low skimming the flat grass, she kept looking at the minotaur who would follow them, still spirited, still talking about his amazing work. The mare finally decided to insist, come to his side she wanted to be shown at least where the battle would happen. Even if it was night time, now, it was such a puzzlement for her, Iron Will finally accepted. They left the group and in a completely different direction, gained the second hill where tents where the most compact and most of the boxes and barrels had been piled. He began to climb one of those piles, not even bothered when on its summit he told her to follow if she really wanted to see the enemy.
"I'm pretty sure that there is no griffon on those boxes."
"Less reflection, more ascension!" He shouted back.
It was an argument she couldn't win, Twilight followed stumbling a bit, in mid-course the minotaur just strained his arm and lifted her up to the top, as he told her he had done with the entire army. "No you've not" but he cut her short, showing her the surroundings that could be seen from this highest position. There were unicorns from Canterlot, pegasi from Cloudsdale and ponies from everywhere he guessed, and the tents aligned where those of Celestia's guard as her sister Luna and her own troop would keep Equestria safe in their absence. He kept going, yet the passionate mare wouldn't hear much, in contemplation of the plain. Far away behind the landscape were columns of black smoke rising that numerous stars would allow to see. On the ground were blazes of fires, just tiny lights that the night would reveal. They covered a vast distance, so many fires she couldn't count them. She quickly opened her book, consulted a few pages then the index, nothing about this, a lost attempt trying to find wherever there was something even comparable.
Her search made Iron Will stop, the minotaur upset to have talked for nothing growled for her to listen, he was mentioning the captain of the unicorn force Blueblood but the mare closing her book excused herself, the fatigue and stress had taken their toll. She jumped from the pile then ran away leaving the general behind, she kept running down the slope until tiredness would really take on her. "I don't understand" her words quickly vanished among the tents. At that moment she figured she didn't know where the others were, over her a sky full of stars and the moon slowly rising, all white. By chance guards were still on patrol, the unicorn could ask and like her friends before, find where the Apple Family had set their tents.
A new one had been put for them, in a matter of minutes it had joined the other pavilions almost touching the wild grass, Twilight immediately knew the group was there as a guard was in post in front of it, and she would hear their voices all excited from inside. "What's happening?" She asked to the guard who explained, he had delivered a letter from Ponyville, by Celestia's order. Under covers or in sleeping bags her friends were commenting on those news, the little gossips of their village so harmless. The unicorn entered, put down her saddlebags and deployed what would be her bed.
"So, ya found all the answer ya wanted?"
She was slipping her dark purple mane into the sleeping bag: "No. Not really."
"There ain't no way to satisfy ya!"
Cozy and comfy the cold of night wouldn't reach them, they kept talking about the letter, the answer they would write tomorrow, if it was fine to bother the princess with that. "It is" the student affirmed, rolling her back to the other side. It was then that Applejack told the shy pegasus she could mention her knight to Rarity. An immediate wonder, they never heard of that night, it sounded impossible yet Fluttershy would promise, she really did see one, she muttered, he was wearing a white armor. Maybe a guard captain, or they would ask the general tomorrow. They had time now.
For all she knew Twilight concluded it was possible, and for once it was something the book would talk about. No, she added slipping into the bag, that was the only thing that made sense. No other pony did hear that mumble, mane on the bag her hooves hiding the muzzle she called for dreams, the group exhausted would already forget the letter and let the night take them. A list time the unicorn opened her eyes, slightly, a sound she thought she heard but the tent was now still. She would mutter again, if everything would be alright, those words as soon as pronounced sleep would leave only one pony awake.
