EPILOGUE: THE OUTCAST'S FINAL FATE
Back in the past, the gates of Dark Forrest receded from Veil's vision. He woke up in a strange bed, in a strange house. He was alive! A young vixen with a beehive hairdo and a poodle skirt was standing over him.
"I thought I was going to lose you for a minute there," the fox said. "Luckily I'm an expert healer. What's your name?"
"I… don't know." For almost the only time in his life, the ferret was telling the truth. His traumatic near death experience had erased all memory of his life. "Who are you? Why did you save me?"
"My name is Nightshade," said the fox. "I had a vision of you. I dreamed that I would find you on top of a cliff on the High North Coast. When I got there, there were some mice and other creatures nearby, but I didn't let them see me as I took you and brought you back to my home. There was another, older ferret lying dead on the ground next to you; he may have been your father. Anyway, the reason I saved you is because my visions said you would become a great warlord, and that together we could create a mighty army. And my visions never lie."
"A mighty warlord, eh? That sounds good," the ferret mused as he sat up. "If only I could remember my name."
"Well, if you can't remember, we can come up with a new name for you," Nightshade said. "In the meantime, why don't you change into these clothes?" She held up a black leather jacket and a pair of blue jeans.
The ferret put on the clothes. He rummaged in one of the pockets and found a switchblade inside. He held it up, flicking it in and out. It seemed to feel natural in his paw somehow.
Nightshade offered him some cigarettes and they smoked for a while. The ferret felt like a real rebel.
Suddenly Nightshade leaped up and said, "I've just thought of the perfect name for you! You have six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot, so why don't we call you… SWARTT SIXCLAW."
"Perfect!" said Swartt Sixclaw. He tried to adopt a tougher voice. "I mean, poifect."
And that is the story of how Veil, the Outcast of Equestria, became his own father.
THE END… AND THE BEGINNING
