Pumpkin's Rein

Sorrow

Emeralds POV:
Blossom was so generous, taking in randoms, two randoms and an old friend she barely knows anymore. Not only was she posh but she was rich, she must have many businesses spread across the kingdom and she must have orders flying in lots, a woman who took her job seriously like the rest of us, just we had to leave our lives behind. I could tell it was affecting Midnight the most, he never normally zoned out but it took alot to snap him back into reality today. Blossom noticed too and tried to make him feel at home, taking it upon herself to see to him the most. She kept running up and down, bringing us blankets and pillows and supplies, asking if we wanted a wash or a feast or a movie put on. Mothering us. Not that I actually knew how it felt to have a mother who cared about anything other then my public image. Sofi had already started snoring on me, she'd leant up against my right side and clearly decided it was comfy enough, her leg twitched as she slept, her mouth open slightly. Her banana hair tickled me but I didn't dare disturb her rest. Midnight wouldn't sleep, I couldn't yet either. "I'm going to get some beauty rest in approximately half an hour, anyone need anything else, aw bless her." She added at the end looking at Sofi with an amused expression.
"Do you have any books?" Blossom nods and sprints back with a box of few books, I'd find one to make myself fall asleep to. "Thank you so much." We both turn our attention to Midnight who's scuffing at the blanket.
"We have apples sweetie, do you want one?" Midnight had grew up on an apple farm, they grew other healthy goods but apples had always been his thing, his back legs proved that, all that bucking and ploughing in the orchard had made him mighty and independent, he probably felt useless here, away from his family, his family was all he had going for him, I think Blossom understood that better then me. They could both relate quite a lot. They both prioritised their businesses, yes, their jobs were their cocoons, yes but I could tell skunkie was big on family just like Midnight and would sacrifice anything, even their businesses for their sake. I'd noticed the millions of pictures scattered across the house of another skunk, she didn't have a big family like our stallion friend but this one skunk lit up her world. It was a small black and white skunk with striking, crystal blue eyes, well looked after by her slightly chunky appearance. It looked like a younger sister but I couldn't be sure. Midnight hadn't heard about the apples but Blossom decided to bring him a basket full anyways, he hadn't ate all day. "I will leave you be now, I'm only across the hall, goodnight."
"Goodnight." I reply, Midnight was munching on the apples now but it seemed to make him sadder. I sort of understood that feeling, having one wing to remind me once I was a great dragon who flew in the sky till my body collapsed, Pumpkins punishment was stripping me but not completely, forever leaving me with the memory of my trophy being stolen. I open up a book, it's called Ellie's cool now, very pink and sparkly but it reminds me of Sofi.

-The next morning-

Vanillas POV:
I had been urgently been summoned into the throne room, Darlington and Pumpkin sat before me, Pumpkin wore a bright smile this morning and Darlington wore a glimmer of hope and pride for once. I bow respectively before the both of them. "Vanilla, mighty solider, I have realised your potential and be honoured, it is very rare we do this so soon, now more then ever we need a second in command, I'm giving you a week trial, fail and we will find another to do the job, pass and you can take the title early with my permission, the rest of the council won't need to know, my word powers theres anyday." No way! Already? I hadn't expected this, such an important role and so many responsibilities and everyone was depending on me. "Of course if you're not up to it you may speak." Pumpkin piped in, she had noticed my doubt and fear, I could atleast try, I puff out my chest and raise my chin to meet both their glares. "No, I will do what it takes, this is a true honour, thank you both, I won't dissapoint." The sunlight lit up the glass windows surrounding the whole room, portraying the biggest moments in history, one day I'd like to inspect them properly, I was a history geek. The sunlight filtered in straight through the window Pumpkin sat before, lighting up her ginger coat and making her look like the sun itself, the brightest star of the bunch. "Very well then, prove everyone wrong Vanilla, prove you're worth young one." Darlington dipped his head at me and they both rose, padding over to leave. "Training today." Pumpkin reminded me, I swayed behind them, I had to get my head in the game today. The rest of the guards were outside in the gardens, waiting patiently for their orders. I sat besides Graham. "Today we will start with dodging practices, something most of you lack." Harsh but needed. It didn't apply to me but I had to show even a big creature like me could dodge. "When I shout a fighting position you will re create it, you will partner up, one of you will dodge whilst the other throws the attack, understood?" Everyone nods, including me, a firm and determined nod from everyone, we all recognised the threat at hand without questions. "Return to your partners you worked with yesterday." Atleast I was stuck with the silent one again, I didn't need any distractions. "You will switch halfway through so that the partner who didn't dodge in the first half does instead, I need to see your fighting positions and your dodging." We all behin lining up in the same formation we did for our last task, I'm so happy there's no spears involved right now. Wilber needed to work on his balance and strikes, this applied for weapons though, weapons dragged him down, he was bare today and would probably be more capable. Sylver and Graham needed the dodging lessons the most. Ronnie needed to work on his fight poses, just in case and Sylvia needed to stop putting her guard down to boast about how great she was. "I will dodge first Wilbert is that okay?" He nods and we both get into our stances, ready, just waiting on Pumpkins word. "Underbelly slash, your opponent is about to claw your belly open, how do you dodge this blow?" She calls out. I drop to the floor with my belly exposed, Wilbert gets into position, rears up, claws at the ready, preparing to rake down and possibly gut me open, I roll onto my back and imitate a kicking pose. Pumpkin purrs happily at my intelligence, another pairs got it right too but Ronnie and Sylver are failing miserably. Sylver doesn't understand what dodging means because instead of dodging he's just showing that he'd bite back. Pumpkin smacks her face. "Next! Back kick." Wilbert balances himself so that his front paws are in contact with the ground but his back legs are about to kick my stomach, normally in a battle they'd kick upwards to thrust you off their back, I roll onto my back and land elegantly back onto my feet. You have to be really quick to get that one right. This goes on for another hour, many positions I didn't even know existed, testing my knowledge but I managed to get every single one right. Only Sylver and Ronnie had done most of it wrong, Sylvia and Graham had improved today. Pumpkin tutted at the pair as they walked past, we were all dismissed for a lunch break. "Follow Vanilla." Darlington instructed, Pumpkin strutted next to him as i tottered along behind. We had returned to the throne room. Pumpkin grinned at me like a silly little girl before Darlington raised his eyebrows, she coughed and put her business face on. "Vanilla well done, you are very trained and well behaved, you follow orders and have lots of great abilities we're looking for, carry on with this attitude and these skills and you'll be second in command before you know it." Darlington is so serious but he's also quite kind I must admit.
"Yes Vanilla, you're dodging and attack poses are on point, you improvised on the ones you or none of the others knew, only the most advanced would know and they took ages to learn, you however, took it and run with it, I'm so proud." She touched her nose to mine. "Your highness! Intruder!" Sylver came racing in, panting. He looked anxious, his eyes darting around and his whole fur stuck up on end, he was petrified. "Sylver! Calm yourself. What has happened?" How could Pumpkin stay so calm in this situation ? Sylvia came racing in too, just as frantic but managed to spit out. "A tiger your highness! A rouge tiger." Pumpkin did not look scared though, she was full of hatred and anger. Darlington mirrored her expression. "Sylver, Sylvia, stay in here, this intruder is not welcome anymore." They sat down obediently, watching the door expectantly. Pumpkin stayed in here too, why was she waiting when we should be fighting them off? Then a muscular tiger, almost as bulky as me came striding in, acting like he owned the place, he looked sick, his fur was matted, scars covered his body from many battles and his paws were stained. He grunted. Darlington instantly leapt up and displayed his antlers, bashing them into this tigers side, he stumbled a bit but not by much. He was furious. "You! You are an embarrassment, you have no right to show yourself here anymore, leave IMMEDIATELY!" Pumpkin had her ears flattened to her head, her claws extended, hissing through her teeth. "Darlington. My old friend, I've come to take what's mine, it was foolish to leave the throne with her." He glares at Pumpkin with just as much hatred. I realise this is the former king and he's not messing about. "NEVER! Your daughter has served this kingdom well, she's done a better job then you and your ancestors combined, she's compassionate and intelligent and brave, not greedy, selfish or unfair!" The tiger rolled his eyes and shoved Darlington to the side, his body slammed the floor, echoing across the whole palace. "JACK!" Pumpkin screamed and I realised this is the first time his real name was spoken out loud. The wolves leapt up instantly, joining Pumpkins side, growling at this imbecile. Suddenly, the big tiger noticed me and growled. "GET AWAY FROM THIS SORCERY! You mean nothing but trouble. Tigers of the snow are all six feet under for a reason!" Pumpkin prowled towards him, snarling.
"YOU WILL NOT SPEAK TO HER THAT WAY!" The former king cut the distance between them, towering over her with a look of pure shame and pity. "You are just as useless of a ruler as you were a daughter." Pumpkin stood her ground, her teeth still on display. "You're pathetic if you think you can stop me, this is my palace."
"Your palace that you abandoned years ago without a word, leaving me to take over earlier then planned! You are a terrible father, a terrible tiger and a terrible ruler! You put shame onto our family name." He sniggers.
"You would know all about shame." He shoulders her out the way and leaps over to me with a feral look in his eye. He kicks me, hoping to make me slam into the floor like he did with Jack Darlington but I was stronger now, I wouldn't accept defeat. I grab his leg in my jaw and bite, he yelps and tries to free himself but my grip is firm. Pumpkin comes up and swipes him on his face, her claws razor sharp, blood begins pouring from his eye and he's screaming like a helpless baby. She's swiped half his face from top to bottom, she had clawed half his face off, I loosened my grip and he fell to the floor. "Sylvia, Sylver imprison him please, he might have info on the dissapearances." They both come skidding to a half in front the petty mess on the floor and begin dragging him out. "What about me?"
"Stay with me Vanilla." She pounces over to Darlington finally, sniffing to see if he's dead, his breathing is heavy and irregular, he doesn't have long, I could tell most of his ribs had shattered from the impact, he led in an awkward angle, pain painted all over his face. His eyes fluttered open and Pumpkin began crying. "Jack!"
"Pumpkin please my time is over, but you must know, your father killed her, she didn't die from birth, he wanted a male heir, I saw him."
"My mother! No! How could he? I will make sure he suffers." Jack coughs blood out and smiles pitifully at her.
"I'm so happy I took you under my antlers, you are so strong, you were destined for greatness. I wish you and Vanilla nothing but happiness for the rest of your lives together." His eyes begin closing again and he lets his head hit the floor, Pumpkin begins sobbing and all I can do is lick between her ears for comfort and lay with her to grieve over her father figures death, the news of how her mother died and the hatred for her father.

Emeralds POV:
I had somehow managed to sleep, probably because of Sofis warmth and comfort, she was already awake reading my book I had picked out last night. "Emerald! Good morning, you have such good taste in books, this one's soooo SPARKLY like sprinkles on a cake." I giggle and nuzzle into her cheek, finding it funny that she enjoys the one I picked out because it reminded me of her, her beautiful pink fur smelt like donut icing and I couldn't help but inhale. "Hey that tickles!" Midnight stirs in his makeshift bed, he'd managed to sleep, he turns his head towards us. Sofi whispers into my ear. "Blossom told me there's a athlete track round the corner, maybe you should offer to go on a run with him, you two would enjoy that, sim being forced to be a test model." Yikes, anything to avoid being a test model, plus my friend needed cheering up. "Thank you Sofi, good luck." She shrugs and begins laughing, she'd find a way to make it fun. I stretch and go and sit infront the stallion. "Midnight, fancy a run? Stretch your bulky legs back there." He squints his eyes in suspicion but then slowly rises and nods, looking happy to get out of here. "Of course I fancy a run yall, lead the way." I lead the way downstairs, trying to keep as quiet as possible, I didn't know when Blossom woke up and it felt rude waking her in her own home, Midnight also kept quiet but the second I pulled the lever down on the door Blossom came running down the stairs. "Oh jellybeans where are you off to? It's cast to rain all day again, are you not coming with me and Sofi?" We both shake our heads and shrug in apology.
"Rain won't bother us sugar-cube, I've had to work outdoors in storms, we're going for a run." Blossom gasps and begins nodding. "Yes! Stretch your legs and enjoy the fresh air while you can, meet me and Sofi in my salon later." We begin heading out and following the directions we'd been given. It was only five minutes away, Midnight abled to track it down pretty quickly and whinnied at the sight of it, rearing back on his back legs in excitement and sprint full speed ahead to it. I followed closely behind, my remaining wing giving me extra speed boost. We found the beginning point and found it was empty meaning we could be as wild as we pleased. "Ready to get some steam off your plate?" I ask him.
"Darn tootin sugar-cube, let's see who's faster, a friendly competition really." I smirk and glare at him.
"You're on!" I spread my wing out letting the wind take it with it, we start, I let my feet do their thing and let the wind carry me forward with my wing acting as a propellor, Midnight is equally as fast, his legs being well built and balanced perfectly, a horse was designed for hard work but dragons were designed for fighting. I was always the fastest up in the sky but on ground was a bit different. We laughed in amusement as we raced side by side, we kept nudging each other now and again, trying to knock each other over. "Wait sugar-cube!"
"Yeah right stop trying to distract me!" I began pelting full speed before realising he had stopped and there were two figures infront of me, I bumped right into both of them, knocking us all over, Midnight came sprinting over, trying to help the strange figures up. "Chestnut! Did the palace kick you out already?" He sounded genuinely concerned though for his brother for once rather then cocky. "Emerald!" I hear someone squeal and suddenly I'm being thrown into a tight squeeze. "Rupert?!" I squeal in amazement.