Generations-Chapter 15
Generations-Chapter 15Sweetsong and Waterfire had barely spoken three words all morning, but Sweetsong wasn't upset. She was finally used to Waterfire and his quiet ways. Besides, she had so much on her mind, she hadn't even noticed the silence herself. Walking next to each other, looking out to the horizon, each could be alone with their thoughts without it being awkward.
It wasn't until they stopped for lunch and sat facing each other that the silence became awkward and unbearable for both. Waterfire broke it first, "Sorry I've been so quiet all morning..."
Sweetsong smiled and tried to brush it off casually. "Don't worry about it. I know I've been too." Waterfire nodded, but then there was silence again for another few seconds. "It's just that I had this dream last night that's been on my mind."
"Really?" Waterfire seemed very surprised. In fact, he was just about to tell her about a dream of his own. But since she brought it up first, he allowed her to tell first. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Sweetsong took a deep breath and began her story, "Well, it started out with me flying through Dream Valley. I had wings in the dream," she explained...
| Sweetsong continued... At first it was a lot of fun just flying over the open fields and feeling the wind on my face. But after a while, I was flying more with a purpose. I wasn't just looping around, having fun; I was trying to get somewhere, but I didn't know where. It was very overcast and cloudy, and after a time it started to rain. I kept flying though, instead of seeking shelter because I realized that I was trying to get to you somewhere, Waterfire. After quite a while of flying though the rain, I eventually had to stop because my wings were completely waterlogged. So I landed on the ground, but again, instead of seeking shelter, I starting running at a full gallop in the same direction. I now had this sense of urgency that I had to get to you. After almost a whole day (in dream time) of flying and running, I started to approach the north end of the valley. I was completely worn out and exhausted, but I just kept going. Instead of heading west toward Jewel City and Butterfly Island, I veered off to the east toward the Snowy Mountains. Something just told me you were up there. So I started climbing the mountains, and after a time, the rain turned into snow, but I just pushed on. The temperature dropped and I was freezing. I was forced to slow my pace to a walk as I climbed the steep incline. I had no coat or other protection from the storm, and the wind, which was gentle before, was now cutting into me. The dampness in my wings from the rain and the bitter temperatures made them completely frozen. I was starting to get frost-bite in my feet, and a numbing of my legs and tail, but I just kept going. I was now almost desperate to get to you. After walking for what seemed like forever, I finally came into a clearing. It appeared to be a village. Or at least it used to be. Snowdrifts were up to the roofs of the buildings on one side, and there was snow coming out of some of the broken out windows. It had obviously been abandoned for many years, but somehow I knew that you were here. So I started calling for you, but instead of calling out the name "Waterfire", I kept saying Barnacle's name. But somehow it was your name too. In the dream, it didn't seem odd or out of place. It's only now looking back that it doesn't make sense. Maybe I've just been reading too much of that diary, who knows. So anyway, I was calling out "Barnacle", trying to find you. My voice was raspy and very faint. Suddenly, I got stuck in a particularly deep snowdrift, and tripped and fell. I started crying because I was so exhausted and didn't think I was going to find you, and suddenly you appeared next to me. You said my name, and the same strange thing, you called me "Twilight". Then you carried me over to one of the buildings. As we approached it, I could see a faint glow coming from one of the windows. When we got inside, there was a fire burning in the old fireplace. You set me close to it and brought me blankets and hot cocoa, but I just kept shivering. I had no energy left to even lift my head, and you tried to help me by drying off my coat and wings. But even after I was dry, I was still shivering violently and you just held me in your arms to comfort me. You kept saying "Hang on, you'll feel better soon," but I kept feeling worse and worse. After a very long time, I finally mustered enough energy to lift my head and look into your eyes. I took a deep breath, and told you I loved you. Then I laid my head back down...and I died. |
"And right then, I woke up," Sweetsong's voice was choked up and there were tears involuntarily welling up in her eyes. Waterfire said nothing, but just stared past her at the horizon. Sweetsong figured he was probably embarrassed at her getting emotional, so she quickly dried her eyes, and recomposed herself.
A few more minutes past and Waterfire still had not spoken. Sweetsong wanted to know his thoughts. "Isn't that just sad?"
Waterfire nodded, and continued to stare at the ground. At length, he spoke, "Not so much sad, as scary." Sweetsong was confused, but waited for him to clarify himself. He finally looked up, and looked her square in the eyes. "I also had a dream last night." Sweetsong wasn't sure how to react. "You know I'm not one to make up stories or tell lies. I swear this is true."
Waterfire took a deep breath and began, "My dream began in a mountain lodge covered with snow�"
| Waterfire continued... It was late afternoon and I was waiting for you to get there. I wasn't really worried, because I didn't expect you until much later. But then when it started to snow, I started to feel anxious. And when night fell and the snow turned to a blizzard, I was beside myself. I paced up and down the room, and kept looking out the window for you. I found some old wood in a corner, and built a fire. That passed the time while I waited for you, and tried to keep my mind off it. When the fire was going, I gathered together some blankets I found in the attic of the old house and made some hot cocoa in case you were cold when you arrived. As it got later and later, I assumed you had found shelter and decided to wait until morning. I tried to sleep, but after tossing and turning for half an hour, the worry got the better of me, and I went out to find you. I made it just to the edge of the village when I heard a crying sound. As I looked around, I saw a purple wing sticking out of the snow and I knew it was you. Even though you don't have wings in real life, you did in the dream. I ran over and called you, except just like in your dream, I said the word "Twilight" instead of "Sweetsong". When we got back to the lodge, I was glad that I'd had the fire and blankets prepared. I did everything I could to keep you warm and dry you off, and I thought after a while you'd recuperate, but you didn't seem to get any better. Now I was out of ideas, and didn't know what to do for you. I felt helpless and guilty for making you travel so far. The only thing I could do was just hold you and try to reassure you. Finally, you looked up at me, and I got a glimmer of hope that your strength was back. But you just said simply, "I love you," and then you died. Just like that, you were gone in my arms. I cried out loud for a long time, and hugged and rocked your body, unable to accept it. By morning, the blizzard had ended, and I had made a plan. I gathered some supplies and carried you on my back down the Snowy Mountain and back though Dream Valley. I don't know how I know this, because I've never been in the valley in real life, but in the dream I seemed to know where I was going. It was a very long walk, but eventually I reached a waterfall. I walked behind it, and there was a cave that had an opening leading up a steep incline. It finally leveled off and opened up to the valley again. I walked out on a small ledge and laid you down gently. I started digging under a small tree to the left, intending to bury you there. It took several hours because it was very hard rock, not exactly suitable for a grave, but I was intent on it. Almost desperate, I had a blind ambition to accomplish this one last task for you, and I worked without paying any attention to my surroundings. Finally, a noise brought me back to reality. As I took a shovelful, I heard a deep groaning and looked up. But there was no one around, and the sky was now a brilliant blue after the tempest of the day before. So I took one last determined shovelful, and a loader groaning was heard from the rocks around and above me. I climbed out of the hole quickly and tried to run over to your dead body, but I never made it. A loud snap was heard accompanied by a large crack forming in the ledge. The rocks gave way beneath me and I tumbled head over hooves to the earth below... |
"And that's when I woke up," Waterfire concluded.
Sweetsong was shocked; she didn't know what to make of it. But she believed every word he said. He would never make up something like this just to toy with her feelings. Besides, the way he described the waterfall, cave, and ledge, it had to have been Barnacle and Twilight's special place. And he'd never been there. In fact, no one had ever been there except Twilight and Barnacle almost two hundred years ago!
There was silence between the two ponies for almost an hour, as the reality of the situation fully sunk in for both of them. Sweetsong was the first to speak, "I think our dreams must have been how Twilight and Barnacle really died..." she said tentatively.
"More than that," Waterfire added seriously, "I think that you and I were Twilight and Barnacle in a previous life." Sweetsong nodded, it is what she had thought too, but was too afraid to say. Everything added up; it was the only explanation.
The thought was too much for either to handle at the moment. They both kept turning things over and over in their minds, and kept coming back to the same conclusion. But it was too much to put into words. The two ponies walked shoulder to shoulder in silence into the western sinking sun.
Done by Wildshadow for an art trade at the Arena for Winter 2005. This is Twilight flying in the Snowy Mountains to find Barnacle, and him finding her half alive in the snow.