New Moon (My Little Pony)

23 The Story of Thestrals (1/6)

The story that I will tell you took place far within the past. Around nearly decades after Equestria was founded by the three tribes of ponies. The event began one night when I had risen the moon amongst a night of quiet and anxieties. It was a common foreboding that every pony shared. After the cerulean sky of the day had long left the ponies in place of a black void, they would become alerted of the safety of their wellbeing. Ponies would shun themselves into their shelter, fearful of what may lurk within the massive shadows.

My castle at the time would serve as a comforting beacon to the frightened ponies, for I had installed glow stones to its exterior that would beam light to the surrounding homes. The castle I am referring to is not this one at Canterlot. No, it is the long-forgotten one that sadly lies in ruin within the Everfree forest. You see, before I reigned ruler of Equestria, the lands were managed by grandmothers: Princess Platinum, Commander Hurricane, and Chancellor Puddinghead. By genetics, Platinum's daughter and Hurricane's son had birthed me; however, the nature of my relationship with Puddinghead bore similarities with the others.

Regardless, Princess Platinum had tasked me to begin my training as a Princess after my radical ascent to alicornhood. She desired for me to find an area within Equestria where I can establish a settlement that I would run as my own.

Before the arrival of timber wolves and cockatrices, the trees were more dispersed and resembled more of a meadow that stretched far into the horizon. The homes of ponies that were built with stones and thatch roofs encircled my castle, providing the necessary light to reach them.

I was honestly anxious that I would not be able to earn the confidence of ponies since I was not my grandmas. For decades, they had led ponies; I was concerned that their trust would be a struggle to achieve. However, the ponies found comfort in my presence. Through the guidance and protection of harmful foes, I was able to attract a throng of ponies to welcome in my settlement.

What was the name of the settlement? It was called the Everfree. The town bore boundless levels of expansion because of the place I chose for it to be built. If not for some daunting occurrences, Canterlot may never have existed.

The florals that grew at Everfree were a sight to behold. The wild colors of dandies and shrubs spurred across the seasons. I particularly favored the ones that shimmered within the darkness. Imagine the sight of a garden of fluorescent flowers. How could I not settle for that place? I hoped that such a virtuous land would ease the mind of ponies, however, there was a plight that roused their anxieties.

Ponies from Everfree came to my throne room with countless pleas and I would send my guards to investigate the issue. To my dismay, there was a troubling trend brewing under my watch.

My ponies described to me a mysterious presence lurking within the crevices of their home. They were unable to tell if it was because of the darkness or the paranoia they were becoming ill with, but they could feel something observing them. They discovered their belongings were missing after a moment of negligence. During their professions, their leisure, their sleep they could feel something following every moment of their consciousness.

During that one night, I remembered gazing through the tall windows within my throne room, where the moon had risen its reflective light upon my growing town. In a few more years, all of Equestria will be bound to my responsibility after my grandmother has finally stepped down from their long years of leadership. Resolving this issue would serve as another assurance to my elders that I was indeed prepared for the task and they can finally enjoy their long-overdue rest.

The only issue was that I did not know where to start. I had instructed my small platoon of guards to patrol across town to find any signs of this mysterious presence, but none had anything substantial to report. All they could tell me were similar things that my citizens had informed me: that something was following them. How was I to learn more of this figure if it left nothing as clues and conceal even hints of its presence?