Air Horse: Darkening Skies

Charades

"Ah, we are just in time," Jupiter said, then added to Cloudy. "I would suggest not looking too closely at Luna before she lands or Solis while he takes off."

Cloudy didn't have to be told twice. She was already squinting at Luna's brightness. Her light might be gentle at Rocky Cliffs, but it was blinding up close. She closed her eyes until Jupiter said she could open them.

Luna was a lot older than Cloudy had thought. She was swaybacked and bowlegged. Her coat was magnificently white, though, and her transparent horn gleamed in the bit of light she still provided.

"I am off," Solis said, spreading his wings.

A "wuff" from around her hooves drew Cloudy's gaze. She gasped when she saw the whuffs. There must have been fifty of them! Every one had semi-transparent fur that was white and glowed at the tips. Their eyes were bright blue.

"Where did all the whuffs come from?" Cloudy asked Luna

"Star whuffs have always lived here, same as the ground whuffs," Luna said in a clear, steady voice. "They have a liking for other glowing animals."

"They are friendly," Cloudy commented.

The star whuffs leaped and rolled in front of Cloudy. They seemed to be trying to outdo all the others in gaining Cloudy's attention.

"Maybe they just like white," Luna murmured.

"So, how do we go about this?"

"Go about what?" Jupiter asked

"How do I give my gift to Luna? That is why you called me here."

"Right, of course.... To be honest, I don't know. Luna had a vision that you came to Peak, made a wish, and then she was glowing as bright as her first night as moon-horse," Jupiter said.

"What kind of wish?"

"I didn't hear," Luna said. "I am assuming that you wish your seer gifts to me, and that will give me some more strength to keep being the moon-horse."

"How long do you live?"

"That is something at which we can only guess," Luna said. "I saw you go Above. Did Jupiter explain how we came here when you went above?"

"Yes."

"Solis made a wish that our lives would become much longer, but we don't know how long exactly."

"If you don't live forever," Cloudy hesitated. "What happens when you die? Will we be without a moon-horse?"

"Jupiter took care of that with her final wish. When each of our times come, someone will come to take our place. They will inherit the same abilities and long life of the horse preceding them."

"How will you know who will take your place, though? Is there a signal of some sort?"

"No. No signal. At least, there is none as far as we know," Jupiter said.

"It will most likely be one of those times that you just know," Luna said.

"Woah!"

Copper pried an eye open and groaned. "It's still dark, Toby. Go back to sleep."

"No, it's daytime, see!"

Toby raised a leg and thrust it through the cave's entrance. Snow tumbled down from around his hoof and into the cave, letting in sunlight. The blizzard has blown so much snow that it had covered the entrance!