Tribal Instinct - CH 1: A war is upon us

I. “After all, Queen Eclipsa, you couldn’t get rid of your sins, could you?”

Hoofsteps echoed across the dark hall. The dark mare, imprisoned in a cage in the middle of the tent, lifted her head and opened her eyes. She looked like she was resting, but not asleep, just waiting. The faint light of the moon shone over her from the hole in the roof, making her white with purple strands mane glimmer. The tall stallion approached the cafe, dark intent written all over his face.

“Good evening, Your Majesty”, he said, emphasizing the words “Your Majesty”, as if he was teasing her.

“Good evening, King Drakon”, the mare replied, acting as if she hadn’t noticed his sarcasm.

“What beautiful weather it is outside! The warmth of the summer came after the spring rain, filling the forest with life. There is so much beauty in nature! And so much prey, it feels like we could never run out of food! And the rabbits are so fat and delicious! Ah! I could never get enough of this!” The king spoke dramatically, walking around the cage, and after a short break he continued: “Too bad you can’t see any of it… you’d be free to enjoy it all you want, if only you would tell me what I want…”

The mare smiled for a second, then frowned and spoke:

“I may have been a tirant, back in the days of my rule, but I have always loved my village. I will never betray them, you’ll have to do better to get that information out of my mouth.” She then turned her look away. The king smiled.

“You are right, Your Majesty, aren’t you? But don’t think I was such a fool, as to not have thought of that.”

He knocked on the ground two times with his hoof, and steps started to hear from the hallway. Two guards walked in, some grifix being pushed between them. With their magic, the guards threw the grifix on the ground in front of the cage. It was a grey colt, with blue mane with teal strands. He was tied up and full of blood, breathing heavily.

The mare widened her eyes, stunned for a moment, before turning back to her cold, composed self.

“And who might this be?” She asked.

“Oh, you know very well who this is. After all, Queen Eclipsa, you couldn’t get rid of your sins, could you?”

* * *

II. “As soon as possible, my dear, your life must come to an end.”

“They say she lives deep in the lake. You must bring three offers with you. One for when she finds you, for her to spare your life. One for when you speak to her, for her to hear your words. Lastly, one for her to answer you, and share her knowledge with you. She knows of all the secrets of this world. She’ll guide you to your mother - if your offers are to her liking. Or she shall end you life if they are not.”

*Slap!* she slammed the covers of the book closed.

“But hey, does it even sound real? Still, it’s your only chance to find who you truly are.” The blue maned mare added with a warm smile.

“Thank you, Dusk Garden.” Star Seeker replied, turning around to leave.

“Tell me, when you get back, if the story is true!” She said, waving her paw as he walked out of the library.

*

He looked up at the dark forest of pines, shadows lurking through the trees. He stepped in.

They captured him.

They tied him up.

Now he was lying on the ground, in front of the legendary queen of the village.

Her eyes were glowing, striking fear into his soul. The bars she was behind didn’t bring him any comfort.

Why was Queen Eclipsa there?

Why was she still alive?

Why was she in a cage, and him outside of it?

Why did the Poison Waters guide him to her?

Was she… His mother?

“I don’t have any clue what you are talking about, King Drakon.” Eclipsa spoke. “Who is this? From your expression I take he is a village grifix?”

The King narrowed his eyes, then turned around.

“He’ll be your cellmate for the time being.”

He then left, leaving the colt tied up on the ground, his eyes opened wide with fear. Eclipsa, left alone with him, looked at him pitifully.

“As soon as possible, my dear, your life must come to an end.”

* * *

III. “You did good, Haru.”

The scout entered the King’s tent in a rush. He stopped by the door to announce his presence, then spoke:

“My King, we have finished analyzing the magic traits of the prisoner. If we hurry up and no rain starts soon, we’re positive that we can track them all the way to where he came from - possibly, the village.”

A large grin spread from one ear to the other on the King’s face.

“Order everyone to gather the tents.”

*

The little grifix sniffed the ground, then lifted her head up and a large smile was visible under her mask - a grey bag with ears and buttons stitched to it, resembling a rabbit.

“Ki ki ki, he was here! For sure!”

A taller grifix with a dark coat with green markings came from behind.

“And you are saying that this grifix is not from the tribe?”

“Oh, most surely he isn’t! His magic smells differently. And I saw him - he got captured by them. Both sides were just as surprised to meet. They never saw him before.”

“You did good, Haru.” the dark stallion spoke, giving her a pat on the head.

* * *

IV. “A war is upon us”

“It’ll all come to an end, it’ll all come to an end, IT’LL ALL COME TO AN END!” A dark stallion with burns all over his body crouched on the ground, trembling in terror.

“What are you talking about, you idiot? You’re talking nonsense again.” Haru spoke to him, a large grin showing from under her rabbit mask.

A grifix with an owl mask poured some tea that she boiled on the campfire in a cup. She then approached the grifix on the ground and tried to gently calm him down.

“Come on, get up. Drink some of this, it’ll make you feel better.”

*

He looked up, the world seemed covered in a strange green light. A grifix was tilting over him with a warm voice and a cup from which vapors went up. But the light and the noise made it all terrifying.

They were agitated.

They screamed.

Something wrong was happening.

Why did all the spirits go crazy?

A dark silhouette popped up in his field of vision. A dark, menacing mare.

“A war is upon us.”

She spoke.

* * *

V. “You poor grifix, the gods didn’t even bother to come pick up your soul!”

He was once a normal grifix, living his life in the tribe, believing in the First Warriors to protect him and his soul. But he was left to rot on the ground, so close to death as he could never come back. His body couldn’t die. His mind saw the world of the spirits. The spirits can’t hide their true intentions, but they are hunted by the delusions of their life. No reason is in what they speak. Rarely could he make something out of it.

His mind remained in that world. Hunted forever by their cries and screams.

She was there as well - his wife, the person who he always loved, and thought she loved him. But she laughed at him every time. She mocked him for his misfortune, giggled at his misery.

“You poor grifix, the gods didn’t even bother to come pick up your soul!” She laughed.

* * *

Blades will cross, the harsh sound of the metal will fill the forest.

Blood will fall, screams will agitate the spirits.

Those in the dark forest will feel once more the hatred which brought them there.

The fungi who grew on the fallen branch of the tree will spread to feed on the rotten roots of the trunk it fell from.

The birds who nest in the tree will either be consumed or fly away.

It will all crumble.

* * *