Character A: Cinderfrost

Character B: Frostfire

Character C: Crabwing

Cinderfrost cantered across the trampled grassland, her silver mane teasing the wind. Ahead, a muscular white stallion was leading his platoon towards land, the stallions neighing to one another over the deafening sounds of beating wings. Frostfire landed and dismissed his platoon, his mismatched eyes surveying the herd.

Cinderfrost slowed to a trot, raking her gaze across his light blue wings and muscle-bound chest. His neck was arched, and he glowed with authority only an over-stallion or captain could muster. Cinderfrost’s breath hitched, and her chest tightened. Frostfire was perfect.

The captain flew over to Rockwing and started speaking to him. Cinderfrost followed at a distance, still staring at him. She wished he would notice her, but why would he notice a filly? Tears pricked her eyes, and she blinked furiously.

A screech drew her out of her thoughts. Cinderfrost smiled as the seagull landed on her back, nestling between her light blue and white feathers. She turned her head so she could see the bird. “Hello, Crabwing,” she said fondly.

The two had been friends ever since she had accidentally dropped a blackberry on the ground and the bird had swooped down and ate it. Cinderfrost nickered at the white bird. “My wings aren't a bed, you know,” she told him.

Crabwing squawked, flaring his small white wings.

Cinderfrost shook her head mockingly, before looking at Frostfire again. The captain had finished speaking to Rockwing, and his wings were open for flight. Crabwing squawked again, and Frostfire’s head snapped around, anger dancing in his mismatched eyes. Cinderfrost shrunk back, but he saw her.

“You, filly! What are you doing, spying on me?” Frostfire’s wings vibrated in anger. Cinderfrost’s heart leapt into her throat.

“I-I-I can explain,” Cinderfrost began, trembling.

Frostfire kicked her so hard she tumbled over. Cinderfrost’s head hit the ground hard, and stars danced in front of her eyes. She cried out, staring at the burly white stallion.

Frostfire huffed and walked away.

Cinderfrost lay in the dirt, feeling her wounds throb. Tears filled her eyes, dropping onto the trampled grass. Everything hurt. Cinderfrost glanced beside her, but Crabwing wasn’t there.

Ancestors, help me, she thought, looking at the patchy clouds. I’m in love with a stallion who doesn’t notice me… please, find a way for us to be together.

The next day, Cinderfrost was grazing on the trampled grass, a little way off from the herd. Her wounds from Frostfire still throbbed, but the ones on the inside hurt more. Why did she have to love a stallion who didn’t love her back? She shook her head, angry tears forming in her eyes. She had been naive to think that Frostfire would see her.

Then wingbeats filled her ears, and a shadow crossed the sun. Cinderfrost tilted her head to see four strange stallions diving towards her. She reared, panicking, her eyes wild. The stallions were white and grey, clearly from Snow Herd. Her thoughts gathered into one heart-pounding realization- this was a raid!

Cinderfrost whinnied an alarm, leaping into the air. She bolted into the clouds, followed by the four stallions. The white mist blinded her and soaked her hide in moisture. A grey pinto snapped at her tail, and she dived down, her neck flat and wings gripping the wind. A huge white stallion dived into her flank, sending her spinning. Teeth gripped her wings, and she struggled, causing amused nickers.

“Move out,” ordered the white stallion. An ugly scar divided his face, and his golden eyes were hard.

Then a stallion slammed into the steed, causing an explosion of violet-tipped feathers. Cinderfrost’s heart skidded to a halt. She’d recognize those feathers anywhere- it was Frostfire!

The two stallions snapped at each other below the cloud layer. A silver steed dived down to help his leader. Frostfire reared and clubbed his head. The silver pegasus fell onto the grass, dead.

Cinderfrost struggled as Frostfire circled the golden-eyed stallion. He lunged at him, striking his chest. The stallion paused, and Frostfire flew up to her Cinderfrost’s captors. He slammed into a pinto, sending them spinning. Frostfire closed his jaws around the pinto’s neck, and his eyes quickly emptied of life.

Cinderfrost tugged free of her other captor and flew to help Frostfire. The two steeds flanked him, their eyes glowing with violence. Frostfire lunged at the white stallion, and he kicked his chest, slicing open the skin. The other steed, a grey, grabbed his tail. The scar-faced captain flew above him and plummeted him with kicks to his back and wings.

Cinderfrost pinned her ears and slammed into the white stallion. Surprised, he lost his grip on the wind and started to fall. She ripped a chunk of thick white hair from his mane, kicking him in the back. The stallion bit into her blue and white feathers, causing her to scream. He kicked her knee and let go, circling back up to her.

Frostfire flew up to him. “Leave,” he ordered. “You’re outnumbered.” He nodded towards the stallions lying motionless on the grass. The scar-faced stallion pinned his ears, anger in his golden eyes, but left.

Exhausted, Cinderfrost glided down to land, followed by Frostfire. The captain wrapped his light blue wings around her. “It’s okay, you’re safe,” he reassured her. Then he stepped back and opened his wings, about to fly away.

“Wait,” Cinderfrost cried.

Frostfire turned around. “What is it?”

“I-” Cinderfrost looked down at her hooves, summoning her courage. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to look up. “I-I love you.”

Frostfire reeled back as if Cinderfrost had kicked him. “What did you say?” he asked.

Cinderfrost shrunk back. “I-I…” She looked into Frostfire’s eyes and saw the confusion there. Not anger. She let out a breath, realizing that if she didn’t tell him now, there wouldn’t be another time. Cinderfrost straightened and looked into Frostfire’s eyes. “I love you.”

Frostfire’s mismatched eyes widened, hundreds of emotions running through them. Finally, he exhaled, wrapping his wings around her. “I love you too.”