Sister Floburt, one of the hedgehogs who ran the infirmary, cut the barbed head from an arrow that was sticking out from Twilight's side. She gave the arrowhead to her brother, Egbert, and set about mixing herbs and powders from her shelves. "It went right through. Never hit anything vital, or this pretty one would be dead. I can clean and dress this while she's still unconscious. Good thing the shock and pain knocked her out. Would you see if that arrowhead is poisonous, Egbert? Vermin often do that to shafts. This pony won't be up and about for a while, but she'll live. You can go and give her family the good news."

In the passage outside the sickbay, Cadence and Cregga had tight hold of Fahari, who was struggling and pleading with them. "Let me go in and see Twilight. I must be with her, I must! Please!"

Cregga had a strong but kindly paw about Fahari's neck. "Now, now, don't you fret yourself. You'd only be in the way and the infirmary keepers wouldn't like that. You be a goodbeast and keep still now."

The door opened and Egbert came out. He smiled at Fahari. "Your aunt's not dead, merely senseless. She'll be fine provided that this arrowhead isn't poisoned."

"How do we find that out?" Cadence asked anxiously.

"We'll have to ask my grandfather. He's down in the cellars."

Egbert led them down to the cellar, where his grandfather, Drogg, was brewing wine. Egbert gave Drogg the arrowhead and asked him to test it. Drogg took the arrowhead and licked it, smacking his lips thoughtfully. "Taint poisoned. Any good cellar 'og can taste badness after a lifetime o' brewin' all manner of drinks. Nah, that's clean."

"Did you hear that, Fahari?" Egbert said. "Yore aunt will be right as rain afore the season's out."

Blinking away her tears, Fahari smiled hopefully. "Does that mean I can go and see her?"

Drogg threw a sympathetic paw about her shoulder. "Put one hoof in there an' my granddaughter will physick the tail off ye. Best stay down here with me, an' I'll give ye a flask of me special tea-rose an' violet cordial."

He handed her a flask. Fahari took a sip. "Ooh, 's lovely!"

Cregga and Egbert went off up the stairs, leaving Fahari and her mother alone with Drogg. "Have you been living here long, Drogg?" Fahari asked.

Smiling, he nodded his great spiked head. "I been an Abbeybeast longer'n anyone else here, save for ole Cregga the badger mum. Cregga is wot they call the last of the old uns. I think she's older'n some o' the trees 'ereabouts. Great warrior she was, but blinded in some ancient battle with an alien race called the Diamonds. That was back when my great-grandfather, Gurgan Spearback, was still alive."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

All the Juska vermin were assembled to watch Moon execute Felch. The fox had his paws outstretched, bound to the thick bough of a beech tree. The crowded clearing was silent as a tomb as the Taggerung strode up to Felch, holding the very same knife that Felch had stolen from Sawney.

Moon raised her blade. Felch shut his eyes tight, his head shaking back and forth as his nerves quivered uncontrollably. With a sudden slash, Moon severed the ropes that bound him! Felch slumped to the ground in a shaking heap.

Moon's voice was flat and hard as she turned to face Sawney. "I'm sorry ta disobey your order. Da fox is a sorry thief, but I ain't gonna take da life of a helpless beast."

Sawney's paw shot to his belt, but there was no knife there, because Moon was holding it. Spittle sprayed from the ferret's mouth as he roared, "You'll do as I say! Don't try ta give me excuses! Carry out my command! Do it! Do it now!"

Moon spoke only one word. "No!"

Sawney was beside himself with fury. His voice rose to a scream. "One way or another, I'll make ya into a killer!"

Moon ignored him as she lifted Felch upright and rubbed life back into his numbed paws.

"If she won't croak da fox, I will!" Vallug said, drawing his bow.

"No! Stop dis!" Moon sprang forward and shot a blast of magic from her horn that hit Vallug's bow and broke it. Since she hadn't grown up with any other unicorns around to teach her, she'd had to refine her magic through error and trial. "No one's ever gonna use dis bow again!"

Vallug's eyes glinted. "Dat doesn't stop anyt'ing, Moon. Dere's plenty more bows. Course, we don't specially need bows an' arrows. I can off da guy with a hammer, a brick, a stick, a can of gasoline, or my own paws!"

Sawney's face screwed up in pain as shafts of agony ran like lightning bolts through his stomach. He waved Grissoul away as the seer ran to help him. Glowering at Moon, he pointed an accusing paw. "Traitor! You ain't a true Taggerung to da Juskarath. I made a bad mistake when I took youse in an' called ya my daughter!"

Moon gave vent to her feelings. "Look around ya, Sawney. Rats, stoats, weasels, ferrets, an' foxes. I'm da only alicorn in da whole clan. Dere's no other ponies in sight, not even an earth pony. How can a ferret be father to me? I've never called ya father, but I respected ya as Chieftain until now. I no longer wanna be wit' you or your clan, Sawney. You've become too dangerous for your own good. I've watched ya change over da seasons from a clan chief to a bad old beast. I'm goin' my own way now, ya dig? Our paths will never cross again, so I wish you better times an' hope ya loin ta treat others more wisely!" She turned to Felch. "Are you comin' wit' me, or would ya rather let dem make ya into a tent flap?"

Felch made up his mind quickly. "I'll come with you! If we're each runnin' away from Sawney, we might as well run together."

He climbed on Moon's back and they flew off.

"I hope they don't meet any other ponies, because if they do, we're all sunk!" Grissoul cried. "Any pony she meets is sure to figure out who she is. There aren't too many alicorns out there, after all. And when the other ponies find out we're the ones that took her all those years ago, they'll hunt us down and kill us all!"

Sawney curled his lip in contempt. "Not if I have anyt'ing ta say about it. I'll lead a search party ta hunt 'em down an' bring 'em back dead or alive."