Children of The Night

Mysterious Sounds

FLASH SENTRYS POV:

Galloping through the Everfree Forest was no trip to candy land, if you were to ask me. It was gave me the creeps, and every sound we heard put us all on edge, even our toughest warriors were a little jumpy! Giving up...sounded perfect about now. The trees seemed to have faces of their own, every one of them grimacing at us as we walked past them. An owl screeched while we crept through the wet marshes and sent a chill down my spine. There were so many horrid smells from the swampy waters that it felt like the inside of my muzzle was lit with a fire made of stench. We had passed Zecoras hut long ago, in the middle of the forest. What is THAT? I-it's light! Since the trails were covered by a canopy in the treetops, we hadn't seen any light from the moon for hours. We had carried lanterns through, and now we were finally at the end of the road. Galloping was never so easy before as everypony raced for the exit. Finally! That was over, now to continue farther into who knows what. Hopefully, the worst part was already over.

SHINING ARMOURS POV:

"Good work men. You made it through the Everfree Forest. Now maybe we will find Princess Luna." I'm pretty sure we won't find her for a while, but now all that my troops are going on is hope. Honestly, I had never noticed just how amazingly stunning the night truly was. I sort of understand how Luna fells actually. When Cadence gets too caught up in keeping the Crystal Heart alive with her magic, I feel like she never has time to notice how hard I work to keep her and the Empire itself safe. I know she realizes it, I just get a bit jealous I guess. I peered up at the clear nights sky and stared in awe, as did the rest of the ponies. The stars didn't seem like just glowing balls of fire and gas anymore. They meant so much more now that Luna was missing. They twinkled and shimmered, just like they belonged in her eyes. Granted, her eyes were beautiful alone, but just think if you put stars in those magnificent violet beauties. I gazed over the rest if what Was visible from atop the hill outside the wooded forest. The moon did give it a certain 'touch' perse. After a few more moments of gazing at the stars with everypony, we set out to continue our quest.

About 3 hours later...

Obviously, it was still night. Nothing could change that now. The only possible way to fix the balance of night and day was to find Luna, persuade her to go back to Canterlot, and put an end to this madness. But other than that, nothing we can do. Flash suddenly stopped us. "Shining, you hear that?" I hadn't heard anything. "Everypony shh!" He ordered, and they did as they were told. I listened harder. Faintly, I heard soft giggles. Almost like children. I have to admit, it was fairly nerve wracking to hear a child's voice in the night this far from any civilization. The laughter wasn't very far away, but it would take some serious stealth to come across the children who were making the sounds. We took out steps very carefully, sure not to produce any sounds of our own. We didn't want to frighten whoever it was giggling. The chuckling amplified as we drew nearer and nearer towards it. I held a hoof up, signaling the others to stop. Sneaking ever so quietly, I poked my head out of a bush, just enough to see two little fillys prancing around together, playing some sort of game. One was white all over and had light purple streaks in her pastel pink mane, with sparkling purple eyes. The other, was a darker grey color with white from her knees down on all four of her legs, making it seem like she had socks, and a white muzzle. Her mane was black, and had electric blue streaks scattered throughout it, accompanied well by her magnificent emerald green eyes. Soon after they had lied down to rest, another little pony came prancing up. This colt was brown, with a lighter brown mane and a muzzle I match it with honey golden eyes, and they ran at him, tackling him to the ground as they all laughed. Could they be a part of Lunas colony? I'm not quite sure, but I was guessing that if they were, we wouldn't be too far from finding Princess Luna.