CHAPTER 1:The Storm
The sky was dark with heavy clouds that seemed to barely miss the treetops of the forest. A strong wind blew the curtain of rain to one side, trying and succeeding at times to blow the large leaves off the branches.
In a cave were two identical ponies, riding out the storm. But with the bad light, they could be hardly seen, and their black coats didn't help much with their visibility either.
"Why do we have to go to Ferris Castle anyway?" the one complained.
"You know why, Starfire!" the other answered. "They haven't made any attempt to sign an alliance with king Star-Cluster!"
"Why bother asking?" Starfire replied grouchy. "We know what the answer will be! They were as loyal to the Queen as any other kingdom!"
"This will only be their first warning -" the other answered. "Next time we will come with a small army. And if they still refuse, we know how to change their minds!"
Starfire snorted. "I think this is a waste of time!" he replied irritated.
"Greenland changed their minds, didn't they?" the other said. "Usually it is you who is the optimist!"
They were silent for a while, looking at the lightning streaking across the sky.
"Don't worry, little brother!" the other suddenly said with a smile. "The storm looks already if it is coming to an end!"
Starfire sighed and laid his head on his hooves. "You know me too good, Stardust!" he said, turning his blue eyes towards his brother.
Stardust laughed. "We're triplets!" he said.
Starfire cracked a smile, then suddenly lifted his head again. "Talking about triplets ..." he said "I wonder how Skyview is doing! We didn't hear anything form him last time the full moon had been shining!"
Stardust stared into the distance. "Hopefully much better than you did; I hope we'll hear something from him next week." He trailed off. "I'm tired of king Star-Cluster always asking about the princess."
"I thought you were tired of hearing Pretty-Boy's voice!" Starfire smiled, but suddenly his smile faded.
"Who?" Stardust asked with a slight chuckle, raising one eyebrow. He vaguely remembered talking about 'Pretty-Boy' but he couldn't place it. And yet it still seemed new to him.
"I ... I mean KING Star-Cluster!" Starfire replied, but in a tone much deeper than his normal voice, filled with mockery. Then he became serious. "You won't tell him I said that, will you? We have captured ponies for saying less!"
"No I won't ..." Stardust replied. "You are my younger brother! But watch your tongue; you don't want to say it when others are close by!"
"I won't!" Starfire assured him, laying his head back down again.
They watched as the downpour calmed down to a softer, almost misty rain. Lightning still streaked across the sky at intervals, but they were much less and further in between than a few moments before.
"Looks like night is falling!" Stardust remarked. He looked down at Starfire. "We should spend the night ..."
Starfire was already asleep.
"...here!" Stardust sighed, and lowered his head as well.
Early the next morning, some distance away of the cave but still within the same forest, a small thick bush started to shake. A cold, wet pony stepped forth from his shelter, and shook the worst of the water from its coat. He was quite a sight to see: Pitch black, but with a yellowish off-white colour mane and tail! On his side he had a symbol of two rings that formed a very thin dark-gray sickle moon; the two horns of which just didn't meet.
He had wings that shared his strange coloring, with most of it being black, except (of course) his primary feathers which was the same off-white!
"I should have found a better spot! That was a bad storm!" he commented to himself, as he stretched his wings before flapping them quickly to get rid of the most water. Even the thick hairs on his feet got a good shake. He glanced at the bush under which he had hid. "I thought it was much larger yesterday!"
He looked around with dark green eyes and realized that he was lost.
"What happened to the road?" he asked, frowning, trying to remember which way he was going. "The storm wasn't THAT bad! Was it?"
He noticed the barely risen sun.
"So if that is east..." he said to himself turning around "Then Skywood Forest should be this way -"
For a moment he thought of taking flight, but his feathers was still to wet. He sighed sadly and started walking through the thick foliage, hoping to find a trail he can follow.

CHAPTER 2: The Stranger
Stardust stood up and walked out of the cave before stretching. He was completely black, except for a little dark blue in his mane and tail.
"Starfire!" he called, but his brother was still asleep.
Stardust sighed and walked back into the cave, shaking the sleeping pony until he woke up.
"Mm?" he asked sleepily, squinting his eyes against the light that shone into the cave.
"Time to get moving on!" Stardust answered, shaking his brother again just to make sure he got the message.
"Okay, okay! I'm up!" Starfire quickly said and yawned before standing up. He joined his bother outside, also stretching to wake up properly. He flapped his wings a few times quickly, before folding them flat against his sides. They almost disappeared completely against his black fur ... almost. One really did have to glance quickly to miss them! He yawned again.
"Lets go!" Stardust said. They walked off into the forest.
As they followed the dirt path through the forest, Starfire was talking about the town in which the princess was hiding. Stardust was listening. He was curious about this other world. He had been there only once before, for a few fleeting minutes!
"I really think you are going to be more successful with finding the princess then I was!" Starfire suddenly said.
"Don't you think Skyview will find her?" Stardust asked.
"I've got wings, Skyview a horn!" Starfire said. "These characteristics aren't really that common over there! You, on the other hoof, are an earth-pony! You can come and go more easily!"
"Remember, she has both!" Stardust replied. "She has to hide as much as you do!"
"I know, but someone had to have looked after her ... after all we did capture Queen R-" the words died in his throat as Stardust stopped in his tracks.
Coming out from the leaves just in front of them was another black pony, with sharply contrasting white mane and tail ... and (shockingly) primary fathers!
"Who are you?" Stardust demanded, caught off guard.
The strange pony looked at them with an expression of relief on his face, another strange thing.
"Oh, hi there!" he said. "I'm Eklip! I heard your voices a distance off!"
"I thought we were the only black ponies!" Starfire whispered to Stardust, and quickly added "I thought I was the only male pegasus!"
"Can you maybe help me ... I seem to be a bit lost ..." Eklip was saying, still unafraid of the two brothers.
"You are in the kingdom of Ponyland!" Stardust said.
"Well that is obvious!" Eklip said. "You are both black ..." Eklip suddenly noticed Starfire's wings. "Ah, and you're a pegasus! Can you please tell me which way Skywood forest is?"
"Why do you want to go there?" Starfire asked. He didn't like Skywood forest ... or more accurately he didn't like its residents.
"Where are you from?" Stardust asked.
"I'll give you one guess!" Eklip replied with a smile, twitching his one wing as a hint.
"I don't have time for guessing games!" Stardust frowned, looking at Starfire. "Catch him!"
Starfire frowned as well, and his eyes stared coldly at the strange pegasus. Eklip suddenly realised he might be in trouble as they both started walking forward at him.
"I think I'll find my own way home, thank you!" he said as he spun around.
He ran through the forest as fast as he could, zigzagging between trees and the odd rock and jumping over fallen trunks. His hopes to lose the two behind him quickly faded as he turned his head and seeing Stardust catching up quickly.
Stardust silently wished that Eklip had stayed on the path, where he could easily run after him at full speed! Unknown to him, Eklip was wishing the same thing, only so that he could've taken off. He felt he had a better chance against the pegasus. After all, he had …
As if their wishes were granted, they ran into a large clearing between the trees. Eklip quickly took his chance and with a flap of his wings he took off. Stardust, having gained speed, jumped to catch Eklip by the tail. He didn't get a good grip however, and pulled a few strands of hair from the stranger's tail.
As he sat in the grass, spitting the white hairs out of his mouth, Stardust saw Starfire come into the clearing and taking off after Eklip.

CHAPTER 3: Air Battle
Eklip yelled as he felt his hair being pulled out, but he would rather prefer that than being dragged to the ground by that pony! If he needed to, he would've kicked at the black pony. He glanced back, remembering about his companion and sure enough he saw the pegasus taking off.
Eklip started to gain speed, hoping to outfly his pursuer. He had regularly exercised with his grandfather - when he was still alive - and knew how to lose even the fastest of pegasi!
Starfire noticed Eklip picking up speed, and smiled to himself.
"Finally, someone fast enough for me!" he thought to himself. As all the other pegasi were female, Starfire had no trouble catching them on the wing and had secretly longed for a challenge. "This might actually be fun!"
As they sped away, Starfire did slowly catch up to Eklip. Eklip glanced back once more, and noticing that he won't get away easily, started to do air tricks to try and confuse his pursuer. One moment he would dash straight, the next he would cut to one side or the other. One moment he would climb in the air, the next he would dive to just above the treetops.
It slowed his speed down drastically, but it did help to confuse Starfire. He liked doing air tricks, but was soon feeling frustrated that he couldn't get close enough to Eklip to grab him.
"Just hold on!" he thought to calm himself. "He must tire soon!"
And indeed, just then Eklip was again glancing over his shoulder.
"I have to lose him .. but he's like Grandfather: I cannot hope to outfly him!" he said to himself. He knew what he had to do, but deep down he was scared. He had trained it many times, but the gryphons from the south-west had been quiet lately after they had recaptured White Pearl Castle; and he never had to use the techniques he had learned! And never before had anyone have to use it against another pony! He wasn't armed either, but at least it wasn't a gryphon...
He closed his eyes for only a moment and, gathering all his courage, he committed himself.
What happened next absolutely astounded Starfire. It was the last thing he expected. Eklip seemed to tire out, allowing Starfire to catch up, but just as Starfire was about to grab him, Eklip turned onto his back and kicked Starfire in he chest with his back legs.
The sudden attack caught Starfire by surprise, and he dropped a few meters before recovering. Eklip took his chance to escape, but failed again.
Starfire flew after him, furious. His chest hurt with each flap of his wings, but he was determined to catch the stranger!
Eklip saw the pegasus coming for him, and turned into a tight circle. Starfire followed, but after a few turns he found the young pegasus on his tail! He knew another knock was coming, and ducked in time to miss a blow to the head.
Stardust was trying to follow the two pegasi on the ground, but almost lost them several times through the leafy canopy. He looked up again through a break and gasped when he saw that the two were actually fighting each other in mid-air.
"Wow!" he thought loudly. "That looks amazing!"
Eklip darted in and out of the fight with trained skill, but lacked the fighting experience Starfire had.
Starfire managed to avoid most hits. Though more then a decade older than the stranger, he was still in his prime. He was an excellent flier and he knew better than most ponies how to fight. But it was the first time he had to fly and fight at the same time! Something Eklip seems to have some experience with.
They wheeled and turned, both doing air tricks Starfire had never dreamed of before, just to avoid each other's hooves. Then with sheer luck Starfire managed to plant his first hit to Eklip's head.
Eklip dropped a few meters, feeling dizzy. He forced himself to concentrate, only to see the other pegasus ramming into his side, knocking his wind out.
Eklip recovered before he fell through the canopy and made a dash for safety.
"This won't work either!" he realized and tried to think of something he could do. Then he had a thought: It was something only he and his late grandfather could do; The only thing he could do better than any pegasus around, even his grandfather; Something his grandfather had taught him, saying he had learned it from another pegasus when he was young; Something his grandfather made him practice regularly, almost obsessively as if he knew this day would come...
Now Eklip was glad he had listened to his grandfather - it was his only chance! His pursuer was almost on top of him!
Eklip flared his wings, looking for a moment like a black dot with a white ring around it. It slowed him down to almost a stop in midair. Starfire, seeing Eklip slow down so drastically, cut to one side to avoid the inevitable attack. But when he glanced back at Eklip, he saw that he was diving fast towards the forest below.
"He won't!" Starfire gasped, turning into a dive as well, hoping to keep Eklip in sight.
Eklip crashed at an alarming speed through the leaves and started to fly through the trees. Starfire felt he had no choice but to follow.
Stardust had by now completely lost the two pegasi, but he continued to run in the direction he had last seen them go. He was still playing the scene of the pegasi fight over in his head, imagining several hundreds of them when he heard a loud crash that echoed through the forest.
Stardust stopped for a moment, wondering what that could have been, before changing course slightly in the direction of the bang. He had lost Starfire ... he might as well check it out!
Stardust walked carefully through the shrubs, looking for anything suspicious. Then he noticed something black out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head and gasped when he recognized Starfire, lying unconscious on the ground.
Stardust ran to him.
"Starfire!" he called worriedly. But Starfire didn't wake up.
Stardust quickly checked his brother. He had slight difficulty breathing, but would be fine. He had no broken bones or open wounds, but was already developing a thick red band over his one shoulder where he had flown into the tree. He might have cracked a few ribs though; It will hurt for a few days as well, but knowing his brother he will not let it keep him grounded for long! A few feathers lay scattered around the area, but Starfire had grown them back already.
Stardust shook Starfire again, calling his name. Slowly Starfire started to wake up.
"Wh...What happened?" he asked, still a bit dizzy and finding it hard to focus.
"I was going to ask you that!" Stardust replied, glad that his brother was awake. "How do you feel?"
Starfire tried to sit up, but quickly lay down again. "Painfully dizzy, thank you!" he replied. "But I'll live, I think!"
"I think we should camp for the day..." Stardust decided. "You're in no condition to travel further today!"

CHAPTER 4: Unbelievable Truth.
Just within sight of them, but sitting high up in a tree was a dark figure. He was out of hearing distance, but it didn't really matter to him what they were saying. He just wanted to make sure he will be safe from them for a while longer.
He was still shaking slightly, tensed up from the fight. He sighed softly, forcing himself to calm down.
When he was sure he won't be followed, he silently slipped to the ground and once again took a glance in the direction of the other two black ponies. They seemed familiar though, but he couldn't really place them. He shook the thought and disappeared into the forest.
"Thanks granddad!" he thought to himself. "If you hadn't made me exercise flying through the woods ..." He didn't want to complete the thought!
As he carefully walked through the bush, he realized that he was now even more lost. When he woke up that morning he had an idea where Treetop lay, but now ...
"That was incredible!" he heard a voice behind him say.
Eklip froze very momentarily with fright, but instantly recovered and spun around, staring at the pony in front of him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you ..." she apologised. She was bright blue with dark red hair. "But as far as I know, no one has ever escaped from any of the Black Ponies without help! But you are also black though ..."
"Family trade..." Eklip smiled.
"Are they family of yours?" the blue pony asked nervously.
"I don't remember them, but they do look kinda familiar ..." Eklip replied. "Should be long forgotten cousins ... or something ... who are you anyway?"
"Oh sorry! How rude of me!" the blue pony apologised, still unsure if she could trust the pegasus before her. "My name is Shady."
"I'm Eklip!"
"Eclipse?"
"Originally was ... but the 's' got lost somewhere along the way!" Eklip smiled. "Can you maybe tell me which way Skywood forest is?"
"Skywood forest!" Shady gasped. "Why do you want to go there?"
"Because that is where the town of Treetop is, and where I live ..." Eklip replied. "Nearly all male pegasi comes from Treetop!"
"But the Apetons has their kingdom there ..."
"Apetons?" Eklip gasped. "Have they finally returned?"
"Returned? They've been there from since I can remember!" Shady replied.
"No -" Eklip said. "They disappeared completely almost a hundred years ago! No one knows what happened to them: Some say they were blown away by a strong wind, others said they turned into trees." Eklip suddenly laughed. "You can still see the tree with the old king's crown in it!"
"A Hundred years ago?"
"In the time of the puppet-king!" Eklip tried to help.
"Puppet-king?" Shady asked, knowing she was missing whatever Eklip was trying to say.
"Star-Cluster!" Eklip replied, also feeling he was missing something. "What do they teach at your school?"
"School?"
"Or your parents..." Eklip sighed. How could this pony not know what school is? "Fallon was the real invader back then, not Star-Cluster! Anyway: Later, after the volcano-war Starfire married another pegasus called Snowflake and when bandits started to infest Skywood forest he was ordered to intervene. He became the first duke of Skywood and he founded the town of Treetop there, where most of his descendants still live!"
Shady glanced at him, not sure if she understood what Eklip just told her. It was hard to believe what he was saying, but then he was another male pegasus which was in itself almost unbelievable!
"Do you know who was just chasing you?" she asked.
"No."
"Starfire himself!"
Eklip gasped. "Starfire!" he repeated. "As in: From Dreamcastle? Youngest of the first three Black-ponies? First male pegasus?"
With each question, Shady just nodded.
"Th-that is impossible!" Eklip said, shaking his head. "That Starfire is my grandfather! He died last winter..." For a moment Eklip was silent. "He does look like him, though much younger...but still!"
"If you don't believe me, you can go ask Banner!" Shady replied. "He's at ..."
"Moonlight Castle!" Eklip said. If it was his grandfather that had just chased him, he must be in the time of the puppet-king! And remembering what he had learned in history, Banner held out against the puppet-king at Moonlight Castle. During his stay there, Banner became known as one of the greatest captains of all time, the cut in his ear almost his trademark!
Banner's history and deeds had always fascinated Eklip! When he was very young, he had wished he could have met Banner...
But Banner died almost seventy-three years ago - if he is currently defending Moonlight Castle, then he really had gone back in time!
"Moonlight Castle can use your help, you know ..." Shady added hesitantly.
"Okay!" Eklip finally said. "Take me to Banner!"

CHAPTER 5: Converging Paths.
Eklip and Shady had been traveling first north and then east for a few days now, going in a wide arch to try and avoid towns and other ponies as much as possible. If Eklip really is from the future, then he wanted to have as little to do with the current affairs as possible; he shuddered when he tried to imagine what might happen if he caused the history to play out differently.
But then again, maybe he had to have come back to this time ... it would explain his grandfather's obsession with flying through the wood! If he was captured a few days ago before he could do what had to be done...
He shuddered again.
"We need to hide your wings when we go through Woodlock -" Shady suddenly said.
"That is easy: Just throw a cloak over my back!" Eklip said absentmindedly, thinking of his history lessons and his grandfather's stories, trying to pinpoint the exact time it may be. It could be anytime in a thirteen year period! "Hiding my black fur is going to be more difficult!"
Suddenly he stopped as he realized what he had said. "How are we going to hide my black fur?"
"I never even thought about that!" Shady agreed.
For a moment, the 'Cherry'-story his grandfather had told him crossed his mind, but he was not sure if he should use it. It might interfere with his grandfather's future - his past! Anyway, the berries probably weren't ripe yet!
"We'll have to travel through town during the night!" Eklip replied.
"Or maybe we'll be able to think of something before tomorrow night!"
"Maybe ..." Eklip smiled still thinking of his grandfather's story.
Stardust and Starfire walked out of Dream Castle. Although Starfire still felt a little pain, he was almost fully healed.
"I told you King Wispy won't join King Star-Cluster!" Starfire said.
"I didn't argue with you!" Stardust agreed. "And having met him, I don't think he will ever change sides!"
"King Star-Cluster ordered us to bring back his heir!" Starfire replied. "That's serious ... Are you sure he won't change?"
"No! It might actually tip him into war against us..." Stardust answered, matter-of-fact. But Starfire knew he was worried ... Ferris Castle was the strongest of the other pony kingdoms!
Stardust looked towards the eastern horizon where the moon was already starting to rise. "But we'll do that when we return from Mooney Mountain."
"Why are we going there?" Starfire asked.
"It's almost full moon!" Stardust answered. "We must meet with Skyview if he returns to the Gate!"
"We aren't going to start traveling there now, are we?" Starfire asked shocked. He had hoped to sleep in his own bed after the trip. "The sun is about to set!"
"If we want to reach the Mooney Mountain Gate in time, we have to hurry up! If we start now, we still have about an hour's traveling left." Stardust said. He looked over to Starfire. "Do you think you'll be alright?"
"Sleeping in a bed tonight would've been better ..." Starfire remarked.
"I mean walking to Mooney Mountain!" Stardust said.
"Walking isn't the problem!" Starfire sighed, longing to fly again for longer than a few painful minutes. He was still furious with that strange pegasus; Eclipse. "If we ever capture him ... We haven't told King Star-Cluster about him yet!"
"I don't want to give him another reason to be angry at us!" Stardust replied. "I still cannot believe that pegasus actually tried to fly in between the trees! He must have been desperate ..."
"He didn't try; he succeeded!" Starfire groaned. He had already decided to try and learn it himself - as soon as he has regained his full strength!
They walked through the castle gates and started heading east.
"Do you think Skyview had captured the princess." Starfire asked.
"Hopefully we'll find out tomorrow night."

CHAPTER 6: Proof of the Impossible.
Eklip walked through the deserted streets of Woodlock. He had a dark blue cloak on, with the hood drawn over his head. It hid his white mane and tail ... and feathers! Shady walked beside him. Most of the houses had lights on, as everybody was at home. Shady felt uncomfortable, fearing someone might look out the window and see the two of them walking in the street.
But Eklip figured that, despite the full moon, his black fur would hide him from view in the dark, and thus if anybody would see them, they would only notice Shady. Anyway, he was in a hurry to reach Moonlight Castle and see if Banner really was defending the famous building.
Shady jumped again when she thought she heard a sound behind them.
"Will you relax?" Eklip asked. "Your jumpiness is making me nervous!"
"Sorry." Shady answered. "I hope we get through town quickly."
Not very far away, Stardust walked uphill, heading towards the gate. Starfire was just behind him. The pain was now completely gone, and he walked the steep path with ease. He was even confident that he could fly all the way to Dream Castle again.
Suddenly they saw Skyview walking their way, with a soft cloud-ball following him.
"What is he doing here?" Starfire asked irritated, not having noticed the cloud-ball. "He can't be fed up already - I've spent years in the other world! We're supposed to meet him on the other side..."
Eklip and Shady had made it through town seemingly unnoticed, and had just started uphill. Suddenly Shady stopped.
"What now?" Eklip asked.
"I thought I saw something ..." she said, walking off the path. Eklip sighed and followed her.
"This better be goo-"
Eklip never finished his sentence, for there in a large meadow sat all three triplets. They were arguing about something, apparently over the bright white pony with light green hair.
However, the strange pony was glowing...
"Why is that female glowing?" Shady asked.
"It must be the archaeologist!" Eklip said to himself, not remembering a name - it wasn't something he had learned in school. "Oh, by the way; It is actually a he!"
"He? But he doesn't have hairy feet!" Shady objected.
"It's a bit hard to explain;" Eklip replied with a frown. "In fact, it would be best that you forget what you are seeing here!"
"Why?" Shady asked, not taking her eyes off the glowing pony.
Suddenly the black unicorn's horn lit up and a cloud appeared, wrapping itself around the archaeologist before turning into soft ball.
"Oh!" Eklip gasped, remembering his grandfather's unicorn brother had command over clouds.
"What?" Shady asked. But before Eklip could reply a group of five solders appeared from the thick forest on the other side of the meadow.
"Take the prisoner!" Stardust yelled as the solders closed on them. Skyview started running, with the cloud-ball following him.
"Oh no!" Shady gasped as she realised Skyview was heading straight for them. They dived out of the way and lay beneath the bushes as Skyview ran past. He had been looking back at his brothers, and didn't notice the two trying to get out of the way.
But just as he thought he was clear, two other solders appeared from nowhere, running into him.
As Skyview fought the two new arrivals, the ball dissolved and the glowing pony fell through the clearing mist. For a moment he just sat there, stunned, staring at the battle around him before he finally snapped out of it and fled.
But Skyview noticed him escaping. He hit the light blue solder hard, sending him into his mint-green companion, and then took his change to chase down the escaping prisoner.
The two fallen solders didn't waste time on the ground, but quickly jumped up and ran after him.
"Buster and Charades..." Eklip whispered to himself. He just wasn't sure which one was which, for they were the unsung heroes of these times.
"Who?" Shady asked.
"We need to get out of here!" Eklip said, and hurried into the forest again.
"But Banner is right there ..."
"I know I've been in a hurry to meet him, but now is not a great time!" Eklip picked up speed as he walked through the bushes, trying to keep as quiet as possible. "My most urgent question has been answered, but I have new ones which I must think about first before meeting Banner!"
Shady frowned, looking over her shoulder to the fighting that was taking place. Some of the solders were already laying on the ground. She sighed and hurried after the pegasus. She will probably never understand him!

CHAPTER 7: Finding a Safe Spot
Banner stood and watched as Charades and Buster walked through the gate. They walked on towards Lunarstar, where she sat in the grass, looking up at the stars. He could still see them through the stone archway, but the image was distorted like looking at something at the bottom of a shallow pond. Charades and Buster sat down next to her. She was really upset, but he knew he did the right thing.
He sighed a sigh of relieve now that she was save again. They couldn't afford to lose her to Star-Cluster. At least they knew all three the black ponies were in this world ...
"You two ..." he told two of the solders close to him "I want you to guard the gate tonight, until I send someone to relieve you!"
"Yes, sir!" they answered, dutifully taking position on either side of the gate.
"Be careful! The black ponies will want to send one of them through the Gate tonight!"
"Why not go through the gate at Dream Castle?" another solder behind Banner asked.
"It is too far away for them to reach before the sun rises," Banner answered. "But it is my guess that they will prefer this gate to the other on the full moons simply because it nearly looks out onto the princess's adopted town!"
The yellow captain sighed tiredly. He felt bad for asking those two solders to stay up even longer, but he had no choice. At least he'll make sure they won't have to stay up till sunrise!
"Let's return to the castle!" he said as he turned around. But suddenly he stopped, and looked again over the handful of ponies with him.
"Where's Masquerade?" he asked.
"He said he saw two strange ponies close to the battle, and is following them." another answered. "Didn't you hear him?"
"No, I didn't!" Banner replied worriedly. He had lost many ponies escaping from Dream Castle, and many more to the black ponies. He didn't want to lose any more!
"Which way did he go?"
Eklip hurried to the base of the mountain on the far side of town. He hoped to find a cave where they can stay while he decided what to do.
"Running away from Moonlight Castle makes you look like your on their side!" Shady argued.
"They are family, you know!" Eklip snapped back, not slowing down. "That aught to be condemning enough, don't you think?"
"At least go talk to Banner!"
Eklip suddenly stopped and turned around to face Shady. "You know I am from the future, right!"
"Y-yes!" Shady hesitated. It was still hard to believe, but nothing else made sense.
"Now, one of two possibilities is the right one." Eklip continued. "ONE: I am not supposed to be here which means that anything I do, no matter how small, will change the course of hist... the future!"
"TWO: I am supposed to be here, sent to do something specific on which the future depends."
Eklip stared hard at Shady, seeing realisation set in.
"So now I ask you: Which one is it?" Eklip whispered, sounding almost threatening.
"I ... I understand now!" Shady stammered.
"I need to be alone to think this over!" Eklip sighed as he turned around.
"Okay, so where do we camp tonight?" Shady asked.
"Haven't you heard me?" Eklip asked. "I have to be alone."
"I have, but think of it this way ... you've already changed my future, so it is too late to save the situation. But you might need my help! So whether you like it or not - I'm staying with you a little while longer."
Eklip sighed, knowing she was right. "Why don't you go back to your life?"
"After my father was killed by bandits, my elder brother decided to search for the queen, hoping she will be able to stand up against Star-Cluster. He blames him for the dangerous conditions on the outer roads, you see. But he was caught by Stardust a few days ago. Now I'm trying to get as many ponies to join Moonlight Castle in the hopes that one day my brother will be freed!"
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that!" Eklip said softly.
Shady didn't reply. For a moment she thought of asking Eklip if Star-Cluster will ever be defeated. But then, Starfire is supposed to become duke of Skywood Forest...
"Thank you!" Eklip interrupted her thoughts, and actually felt a heavy burden lift off his back.
"So while we decide what to do, let's take a rest in that small cave there!" Shady proposed.
"Cave?" Eklip asked, looking to where Shady was pointing. He could barely see the opening in the small rock face. "Oh, there! It looks like a good idea!"
Carefully they climbed into the hole and made themselves as comfortable as they could in the small space.
"Okay, so it is more of an overhang than a cave ..." Shady complained.
"But it is the best we'll find for a while!" Eklip replied. "And it does provide what we need!"
After they had lay down, they quickly fell asleep.

CHAPTER 8: Meeting Banner
"Wake up!" someone said.
Eklip felt someone shaking him, but it felt as if he had barely fallen asleep - he didn't want to wake up yet.
"Eklip, please wake up!" Shady repeated.
Eklip opened one eye slightly.
"It is still dark!" he complained.
"We're in a bit of trouble!" Shady continued.
Eklip yawned and lifted his heavy head. "What kind of ..." he started to ask, but then snapped wide awake. Never before in his life had he woken up that quickly!
Barely a few inches from his face he could see the iron tip of a spear pointed at him.
Eklip gasped, and quickly sat up straight, staring at the solder in front of him. Turning his head, he saw a scared Shady was also confronted with a spear. He noticed there were more solders cornering them in their cave.
"You have trouble waking up, pegasus!" a voice said softly. Eklip looked around, not knowing who spoke.
"Family trade!" Eklip replied, trying to sound brave. "Who are you?"
A yellow pony stepped forward. His hair was blue and purple that made his yellow fur seem even brighter. He looked at Eklip with a serious expression on his face, that told that they were in trouble. But at least his eyes weren't cold as Starfire's had been nearly a week ago!
"I am ..." he started to speak, but then Eklip interrupted him.
"Banner!" he gasped, and started to scoot himself deeper into the cave. However he just bumped against the back of the cave, bringing dirt crumbling down onto him.
"Er, he came from west of Dream Castle to see you - " Shady started to say, but quickly fell silent when Banner looked at her.
"Then why didn't you two come to see me after the battle? - Yes, I know you were there!"
"He ... er ... he isn't ..." Shady stammered, but Eklip have recovered his pose. Standing up proudly in the cave entrance, he addressed Banner, locking his eyes on him.
"My name is Eklip, youngest son of Greenleaf!" he said, ignoring the spear at his chest and speaking like the pony Shady had come to know. "Before I came to you, I wanted to clear up some questions so that I won't waste your time on them!"
"I know that you claim to be from the future; Which is a very unlikely story!" Banner suddenly said, glancing at one of the solders behind him. "But I also know that you claim to be family of the Black ponies! And that I can easily believe!"
"My father, Greenleaf, is the eldest son of Starfire!" Eklip admitted without blinking. He was still scared, but managed to ignore the fear, for he knew it will serve no purpose. It is too late for any kind of action now!
"That makes you ..." Banner replied in a questioning voice, lifting an eyebrow.
"His grandson!" Eklip replied.
"But your ... what? Twenty years old?" Banner asked. "Starfire is not that old!"
"Eighteen to be exact!" Eklip replied defiantly. "You said you knew I am from the future!"
"If that is so, then will I ever win this war and recapture Dream Castle? Will Queen Royal Heart ever rule again?" Eklip could hear Banner didn't really believe him.
Out of the corner of his eye, Eklip could see Shady looking at him. It was clear she wanted to ask those same questions, but could never bring herself to ask.
"Will you ever win this war?" Eklip repeated the question, knowing that he has to pick his words carefully. "No!"
There was an audible gasp from everyone around, except Shady who had expected such an answer.
"The battle that will turn this war will not be fought by hundreds or thousands of ponies clashing on the open plains of Dream Valley!" Eklip said. "It will not be fought with blood and steel! It will not even be fought in this world!"
Seeing Banner's reaction to the mention of the other world, Eklip cursed himself inside, but continued: "You are already doing as much as you can, there is nothing left you can do! You see, it is out of your hooves!"
"Okay, but that doesn't really answer my question!" Banner replied. "It still doesn't say if Queen Royal-Heart will ever rule again!"
"Exactly!" Eklip smiled. "I'm going to stay as far away from making a prophecy as possible!"
"Why?" Shady asked.
"Why?" Eklip repeated the question with a deep sigh. "Banner: If you were to know that Dream Castle would be attacked when it was, what would you have done?"
"I would've been ready for them!" Banner exclaimed. "Dream Castle wouldn't have fallen!"
"Wrong!" Eklip replied matter-of-fact. "You would've been ready, true, but when the castle fell even fewer solders would've escaped. Star-Cluster's solders would've secured the Gate before the queen and the princess could escape through it. And all hope would've been lost!"
Banner stared at him, shocked. He had never thought of knowing about the attack could have left him being off worse!
"But didn't Star-Cluster's solders secure the castle gates early in the fight?" Shady asked, but she was ignored.
"It is something you have said yourself shortly after the recapt..." Eklip stopped in mid-sentence, clearly biting his lip.
"...The recapture of Dream Castle?" Banner completed his sentence, knowing in his heart that was what the pegasus wanted to say. "You did say before: 'The battle that would TURN this war...'"
"But how can Starfire become the Duke of Skywood if Star-Cluster falls?" Shady asked.
Eklip sighed. "Knowledge of future events is not a blessing, it is a curse!" He turned his head away from Banner, staring into the dark forest. "I have already said too much ... I will say no more!"
"Your friend does have a point ..." Banner started to say, but Eklip ignored him. Banner squinted his eyes, staring hard at the pegasus and sighed. It was clear that he is planning to do as he had threatened.
Banner shook his head. Did he actually believe the story of Eklip coming from the future?
Or was it a trap of Star-Cluster to get a spy inside Moonlight Castle?
King Sea-Mist will have to make the decision as to what to do with this pegasus.
"Whether you are from the future or not -" Banner said suddenly "you will accompany us to Moonlight Castle!"

CHAPTER 9: Moonlight Castle
Eklip lay on a dark gray blanket, looking at the blue sky through the bars of his cell. He had fallen asleep shortly after being taken to the dungeon. Next to his cell he could hear Shady shuffling about in the gloom. He could hear Shady didn't have much of a pleasant night.
"Don't worry, it's just a dungeon!" Eklip said.
"JUST a dungeon?" Shady asked, clearly sounding on edge.
"Gryphons eat ponies, you know!" the pegasus replied softly.
"Gryphons?" Shady asked again. Eklip's remark didn't help at all. "What are gryphons?"
"Winged lion-eagles ..." Eklip started to explain, but became quiet. "Never mind, forget it! You'll never meet one anyway!"
"Lion-Ea...Eagles?" Shady asked, trying to imagine such a monster. "Sounds dangerous!"
"What is this about lion-eagles?" a familiar voice asked. Eklip looked up and saw Banner at the cell door.
"Gryphons!" Eklip corrected him. "They are also from the future, and thank goodness none had returned with me to this time!"
Banner looked hard at the pegasus. He was equally prepared to believe to his stories of the future than these flying monsters. He shook his head and turned to Shady's cell.
"King Sea-Mist wants to talk to you!" Banner said. Dutifully, Shady left her cell and followed Banner down the hall.
They were gone for a long time. A small slither of sun had found a way through the window that was high up in the wall. Eklip lay in it, warming his body. The blanket helped little against the damp cold, and the little bit of sun was welcoming. But the sun won't last long, so he had to use every opportunity to warm up.
Banner returned Shady to her cell, and walked on to Eklip's door.
"It is your turn now!" he said.
Eklip sighed and stood up. The one solder unlocked his cell door and stood aside for him to leave. Two more guards took up position on either side of him as he walked down the dark aisle. He glanced at Shady as he passed his friend's cell. The blue pony lay curled on her blanket, frightened but all right. Eklip thought of asking for Shady's release, but decided against it: it might just make things worse.
He was lead up the stairs and down the corridor to the king's thrown room.
"The king has sent for us!" Banner replied as he stopped before the guards. One of them disappeared through the doors, returning after a while.
"You may go in!" he said, and glancing at Eklip, opened the door for them. The small group stepped through and walked to the center of the room. Banner and the solders bowed their heads, while Eklip just nodded his head in the typical manner of a noble showing respect to a foreign king - something the blue king noted immediately.
"I understand you are Eclipse, son of Greenleaf?" king Sea-Mist asked, and added with a raised eyebrow "Son of Starfire?"
"That is correct, king Sea-Mist!" Eklip replied.
"The black ponies are beyond normal," Banner said. "Skyview can control clouds, Stardust is incredibly fast, as is Starfire. Since you claim to be family of theirs, what is your ... what shall I call it? Ability?"
"Ability is the right word!" Eklip smiled. "I've got lightning reflexes! Hence I can fly through a forest ..."
"Your friend claims you come from the future?" his queen added.
"Apparently so, queen Snow-Fall!" Eklip replied, glancing at Banner. "I know Banner died fifty-five years before I was born, and yet he stands beside me now."
"Do you have any real proof that you come from the future?" the king asked.
"Not really -" he said, wondering if he should risk a prophecy. "Nothing big is supposed to happen for a few months" Eklip eventually replied. "Skyview and Starfire will join Stardust in the other world in three month's time;"
"All three black ponies are in this world!" Banner interrupted him.
"Actually, Stardust slipped through the gate last night, before your guards could take their positions again!" Eklip replied.
"Star-Cluster won't send Stardust to the other world; he is the leader of the three black ponies, and is needed here!"
"And yet you won't see him for another five full moons!" Eklip smiled.
"Five?" Banner asked.
They talked for a while, but Eklip didn't reveal much more. Banner returned him to his cell, before joining the king in the throne room.
"What do you think, Banner?" king Sea-Mist asked. "Your advice had been of great value in the past."
"I really don't know what to think!" Banner replied. "He is a black pony, and doesn't even try to hide the fact that he is family of Starfire - but his stories seem ... unbelievable. In fact, the cornerstone to his explanations doesn't add up!"
"What do you mean?" queen Snow-Fall asked. She was inclined to trust him, but she didn't clearly know why. "His friend did say he was almost captured by Starfire!"
"He admits that Star-Cluster will be defeated! But some time after that Starfire will become duke ... or remain duke of Skywood Forest!"
"That suggests again that Star-Cluster will not be defeated!" king Sea-Mist thought loudly.
"I think this important contradiction gives him away!" Banner finally said. "He and his friend should remain in the dungeon."
"I agree with you!" king Sea-Mist replied. "Thank you, Banner!"
Banner bowed and left the throne room.

CHAPTER 10: Life Goes On
Starfire flew through the morning sky. He glanced around, making sure that there was no one around, before he turned into a dive. He crashed through the leafy canopy of the forest below at a good speed. It wasn't as fast as that first time when he tried to catch Eclipse, and the forest was much more open, but he still had trouble to concentrate on the trees and branches that flashed by.
Small twigs and leaves fell to the ground as he crashed through the foliage. Then he underestimated the strength of one branch...
He stood up from the ground, shaking his wings in frustration. Looking up at the branch into which he had flown, he shook his head. If he had flown his full speed and hit that little twig only a glancing blow, it would've snapped his wing! There's a reason why pegasi don't fly through the forest!
But how did Eclipse do it? Eclipse had done it in the forests north of Dream Castle ... some of the thickest forests around! Where did he learn it? And how long is it going to be before Starfire will be able to do the same ... even at this slow speed and on such an 'open' forest as this?
"Something definitely happened while I was gone!" he heard a familiar voice behind him. Starfire jumped when he heard the voice.
"How long had you been standing there?" Starfire asked without looking around. He ran his hoof over his black fur to try and get it to lie flat again.
"Long enough!" Skyview replied with a smile. "I never thought I'd see you up and active this early!"
"It's not that early!" Starfire replied. "And there is no one around to care either!"
"It's early enough! And I'm here!" Skyview said, standing next to Starfire. "What happened to get you this worked up?"
"I've told you of the strange pegasus?" Starfire asked.
"The one that gave you the slip? What was his name again?" Skyview asked with a chuckle. It was good to have found something to tease his younger brother with for a change.
"Yea -" Starfire agreed quickly, staring into the forest. "He flew into the forest to escape!"
"He did what?" Skyview asked, still chuckling. He had only known the strange pegasus escaped his two brothers.
"You heard me! He flew between the trees until I inevitably rammed into one! I've never seen it done before," Starfire finally turned to the unicorn "and when he tries that again I'll be ready for him!"
"Well, you can practice dodging branches later." Skyview replied, becoming serious again. "King Star-Cluster has ordered us to secure Ferris Castle's alliance."
"Again?" Starfire sighed. "You know Stardust thinks this is the wrong approach?"
"You've told me that already! But it doesn't matter what we think, we must obey Star-Cluster!"
"I know!" Starfire replied, and followed his brother to Dream Castle.
Eklip lay on the dark gray blanket, looking at the sky turning from orange to purple. He didn't like being trapped in the cell; He was a pegasus that needed the open skies!
But a part of him was rather glad that he was here locked up! The worries he had of interfering with the past while he roamed freely outside was itself now a thing of the past.
Shady had calmed down, when she realised that this won't be the end of her.
"Excuse me ..." a voice said. Eklip looked towards the door and recognised the tan unicorn with red hair. "I've brought the pegasus' dinner."
"What about us?" one solder asked as the other quickly scanned through the tray, before allowing her into Eklip's cell.
"You'll get yours soon enough!" a pink pony, that brought Shady's dinner, answered.
"Thank you, Flury!" Eklip said as he stood up and walked to the tray. He had heard her name many times from the guards.
Flury quickly sat the tray down and quickly left the cell. She didn't feel threatened by the black pony, but she didn't want to make friends with him nonetheless! She had heard that he is a bit odd...
Eklip lifted the covering and found he had gotten soup and a few bread rolls. He sat down and started eating. He had only taken a few bites, when he noticed the guards staring at him.
"M-m" he said as he took a bite of bread. "This is really good!"
"Very funny!" one of the solders replied sarcastically. "You know we are also hungry!"
"It is you who want to watch me eat!" Eklip laughed. "Don't worry guys, your food is on its way!"
And sure enough, they could see the two servants return with two extra platters.

CHAPTER 11: Banner is Confused
Banner walked into the castle and headed towards the throne room. He was deeply troubled, thinking of Eclipse in the dungeon. And especially what he had said to him in the throne room.
Stardust was gone.
No one had seen him anywhere for several weeks now. And yet, both Starfire and Skyview were busy in the western kingdoms, doing Star-Cluster's bidding without question.
Eclipse had said that Stardust had gone through the gate before his guards could retake their positions, and apparently he was right!
What is more, he had predicted that his two brothers will soon join him in the other world.
Banner was already wondering if he should reinforce Charades and Buster. Should he send reinforcements for Charades, or should he not? The two of them aught to be able to handle Stardust alone, but what if Eclipse was right and his two brothers will join him?
Still thinking to himself, he turned down the passageway that lead to the kitchen, but turned left at the last door. If Eclipse was working for Star-Cluster, he would play right into their hoofs and weaken the castle defenses...
But Charades will not be able to fend off all three of them! It might not be such a bad idea to have a few ready to go through the Gate if Eclipse was right. But then, what would the pegasus have to say about it?
Eklip was stretching his wings after he had flapped them in quick succession. Then he jumped a little into the air, still spreading his wings wide, trying to slow his descent to the cell floor. He looked like a young eagle chick trying to learn how to fly!
"What are you doing?" Banner asked him.
Eklip snapped his wings shut and spun around with a surprised look on his face.
"I'm trying to exercise my wings!" he answered. "I cannot go outside to fly around, you know!"
"I see-" Banner replied. "Make sense!"
"I guess you didn't come here for a friendly chat;" Eklip said.
"Stardust is missing!" Banner said flatly.
"He is searching for the princess!" Eklip answered. "I told you so!"
"And his brothers will join him soon?" Banner added. "Why shouldn't I send some extra solders to help guard the princess?"
"That wont be a good idea!" Eklip replied quickly.
"Why not?" Banner asked curiously. He had actually expected the pegasus to encourage him to weaken the castles defenses.
"More ponies around her might give her secret away prematurely!" Eklip answered, then suddenly added angrily: "Why ask me? You suddenly believe I'm from the future?"
"No! I'm just wondering if this isn't a really good ploy of yours to make me trust you!"
"Whatever!" Eklip sighed and lay down on his straw bed. "I just hoped I could go flying"
"If you want to fly so desperately, then tell me, if Star-Cluster will fall, why can Starfire became duke of Skywood forest after the Apetons will abandon it?"
"I cannot tell you that!" Eklip answered.
"Why not?"
"At best, you will not believe me until it does happen," Eklip replied "and at worst, it might destroy your chances to defeat Star-Cluster."
"On who's side are you on?"
"No one's! I just want the present to play out as it should!" Eklip said and turned his head away from Banner.
Banner decided that Eclipse won't say anymore, and turned around. As he walked up the stairs, he felt as confused as he had been before he had decided to go and speak to Eclipse.
Banner stood on the wall, thinking. Something Eclipse said bothered him, but he didn't know what. He looked in the direction of the Gate, wondering how Charades was coping with Stardust ... that is if Stardust was actually with them! However, there hadn't been any trouble when the Gate was last open - nothing he knew about...
A call suddenly brought him back from his thoughts.
"Please open up!" a light brown unicorn with dark yellow hair was calling. She was clearly scared of something, continuously glancing back over her shoulder.
"Who are you?" Banner called down. "What do you want?"
"I'm Caramel, and I must speak to the king!"

CHAPTER 12: Whispers from the Future
Banner stood by the doors to the throne room. He could see no reason why he should be present when Caramel told her story, whatever it could be. His thoughts returned to Charades and Buster. He wondered what exactly they did for a living there. Maybe he should go through the gate one night to check up on them. He had always wanted to have a look at the town where the princess was hiding!
He quickly shook the thought away; he doesn't even know where to look for them!
Suddenly one of the guards appeared from inside the throne room.
"The king requests your presence, Banner!" he said with a nod to his companion.
Banner frowned worriedly and followed the guard through the doors. Caramel had collapsed to the ground, where she was sobbing loudly. Queen Snowfall was trying to comfort her.
"Banner," the king spoke softly, motioning him to come closer to him. "Star-Cluster has either revealed his most dangerous allays, or all the pony kingdoms are in grave danger!"
"What has happened?" Banner gasped, glancing at Caramel. The unicorn had seemed in fine just a minute ago.
"This unicorn and her spouse were walking in the woods just south-west of here ..." the king said, also glancing at her. "Then they were attacked by some kind of creature ... she managed to wink out to safety, but her husband was apparently caught ... Banner, I want you to take a group of solders and try get to the bottom of this."
"What did this creature look like?" Banner asked.
"I'm not sure ..." the king replied, worriedly. "She has seen it only from behind after it had separated her from her husband; She says that it was a lion."
"We cannot ask her where this had happened, yet!" Banner replied, looking sadly at Caramel. She had stopped crying, but was still sniffing. "Lions are dangerous, but not that bad; I'll get rid of this..."
"Banner, she has also mentioned wings ..."
"Wings?" Somewhere deep inside he knew it was familiar, but couldn't place it. "What kind of lion has wings?"
"I don't know, that is why I want you to investigate it." the king said. "The unicorn should stay here until she has recovered from the shock, but after that we must decide what to do about this creature! How are we going to get rid of it?"
"Very well, your Majesty!" Banner said. "I'll get to the bottom of this!"
"Banner!" King sea-Mist called as Banner turned to leave. When Banner looked around he continued: "Be careful! I have a bad feeling about this!"
Banner left the throne room, deeply disturbed. He had never before heard of lions with wings, he could hardly imagine one!
Some ponies do have wings though, and he knew what they looked like. So he tried to apply the same principle...
He shook his head. He didn't know what was worse: Lions with wings that were catching ponies; or that it was familiar to him and yet he couldn't tell from where!
He quickly rounded up a few solders, telling them what had happened and that they will be going to investigate it the next day - the sun was already setting and it will only be foolishness to hunt a winged lion down in the darkness.
"Everybody, get a good night's rest!" Banner dismissed the solders. "We are leaving at first light!"
That night in the castle's barracks, Banner had a nightmare. He was dreaming of an orange male pony with green, blue and pink hair. He had his sword drawn and was pointing it in all directions around him as if he was expecting an attack but didn't know from which direction it will come.
Suddenly he heard a noise behind him. As he turned around a large lion, almost twice the pony's size, with a dark brown, almost black, mane jumped on him, knocking him over and sending his sword through the air.
The pony yelled in surprise and fear, but quickly became silent. The lion stood there with the limp body, before suddenly growing a set of large tan wings which he flapped with great power.
"Gryphons eat ponies!" he heard a voice say as the monster flew away. The voice was familiar, but he didn't know to whom it belonged. As the lion flew away, it started to change into something that resembled an eagle more than a lion. First its head, and then chest and finally its forepaws morphed into those of the birds of prey, but the lion haunches still remained...
"Gryphons eat ponies!" the voice said again, but much more urgently!
"Cameroun!" Banner yelled as he woke up. He looked around, bewildered before he realised it was just a dream.
"Are you all right, sir?" a solder asked.
"I'm fine, thanks!" he replied. "I just had a bad dream!"
He lay his head down, thinking of his dream.
"Gryphons eat ponies ..." he mumbled, trying to remember who had said it.
"Excuse me sir?" the solder, who was about to leave Banner's room, asked.
"Gryphons eat ponies!" Banner answered him.
"What is gryphons, sir?" the solder asked.
Banner thought for a moment. He knew he knew, but he wasn't sure what it was.
"Lion-Eagles!" Banner suddenly remembered, smiling at Eclipse's story. Then suddenly he could feel his body turn cold as realisation set in!
"That doesn't sound very good, sir!" the solder replied, not sure if Banner was serious or not.
"Lion-Eagles!" Banner gasped again. He suddenly jumped up and ran out of the barracks, into the castle.

CHAPTER 13: Nightly Visit
Eklip was sleeping peacefully. The waxing moon just shone in through the narrow window of his cell. He was dreaming of home:
The huts of the small town was clustered around most of the tree trunks, stacked three high though there were also trees with just one building hanging around the trunk. It was designed very much like the old Apeton city that had once decorated its own trees by the clearing not to far away, though Treetop was built much lower than those mean monkeys would have cared for.
Rope bridges with wooden planks for walkways connected the hut-clusters to neighboring trees and a few of the thicker trunks had a set of wooden stairs that was set into the trunks and spiraled lazily down to the ground where there were even more buildings, or up to a second much higher town level (This level was about same height as the original Apeton city!) where the pegasi families had built their private huts.
There were about only six full-sized huts at this level...
Pegasi and the odd flutter pony flew up and down the two levels, and between trees. There were a few unicorns and earth-ponies on the bridges or climbing up and down the staircases.
He was lying on the walkway around his house, watching everybody come and go when a black pegasus with bright green hair landed next to him. He had a symbol of a leafy ivy branch that curled across his side.
"Wake up!" Greenleaf said. Eklip looked up at him, frowning.
"Wake up!" Banner called through the bars of Eklip's door. Eklip was still asleep.
"Family trade!" Banner muttered under his breath, then turned to the on guard. "Let me in!" he ordered.
"What is going on?" Shady asked sleepily.
"I've got no idea!" the other solder replied as his companion opened Eklip's door. Banner walked in and shook Eklip until he was awake.
"It's still dark!" he complained. He had had a nice dream!
"You've mentioned Gryphons before ..." Banner said.
At the mention of gryphons, Eklip sat up.
"Yes, what about them?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.
"What are they, exactly?" Banner asked.
"They are lion-eagles that eat ponies!" Eklip replied with a yawn. He was still sleepy.
"What do they look like?" Banner asked. "I need a better explanation than lion-eagles!"
"They are monsters that looks like a child cut parts of animals up and pasted them randomly together!" Eklip said. "They have the head and wings of eagles, but the body of a lion."
"So from behind ..."
"They will look like a lion with wings!" Eklip replied. All the questions of gryphons were worrying him, and he forced himself to wake up more quickly. "Their front paws also looks like the talons of an eagle!"
"Have you ever seen one?" Banner asked.
"Yes I have, many times! After they had surprised all the pony kingdoms and even captured White Pearl Castle, they threatened Treetop for nearly a decade before Dream Castle could retake White Pearl Castle!" Eklip said. "You see, gryphons were unheard of when they appeared for seemingly no reason at all from the south-west! But Treetop was almost built with attacks of such a nature in mind and was successfully evacuated many times when I was young. But since it doesn't have a stronghold, the gryphons never stayed long!"
Eklip was silent for a while. Banner ran what he said over in his mind, then suddenly turned and headed back down the corridor.
"Why did you ask?!" Eklip demanded, sounding much more awake. "Has a gryphon been spotted?"
"You aught to know!" Banner replied. "You're from the future!"
"I've never learned about myself in school, nor about gryphons before they attacked White Pearl Castle!"
At the mention of school, Banner looked back at him with a surprised look on his face.
"If there is a gryphon out there, we must kill it!" Eklip continued.
The next morning Banner walked to the throne room.
"I must speak to the king!" he said. "It is urgent!"
"The king is preparing for breakfast!" the solder replied.
"I know, and I'm sorry, but it is urgent!"
The solder disappeared for a while. Banner paced around while he waited for an answer.
"Is it really THAT important?" the other solder asked, looking at Banner.
"I thought of calling upon the king last night ..." Banner agreed. Just then the first guard reappeared.
"You may go through!" he said.
Banner followed the guard into the throne room. King Sea-Mist walked up to meet him.
"What is wrong?" he asked worriedly. "Is it about the winged lion?"
"Yes, king Sea-Mist!" Banner replied. "I had planned to have left already, but I want to request that you release the pegasus Eclipse into my service!"
"Eclipse?" King Sea-Mist asked shocked. "I thought we should keep in the dungeon ..."
"He has predicted that Stardust will be on the other side of the gate ..." Banner hesitated.
"But that could be a trick from Star-Cluster!" the king voiced Banner's doubt. "Or even Stardust; you know how smart he is!"
"I agree, your Majesty!" Banner continued "but he has also talked about this monster; Even before the unicorn came to us! He calls them Gryphons!"
"He has?" king Sea-Mist asked.
"I didn't take him seriously, your Majesty." Banner replied. "I am sorry!"
"And you believe he might be able to help you?" king Sea-Mist added.
"Yes sir! When he got the idea that there might be a gryphon out there, he wanted to have it killed." Banner said.
"He might want to use it to kill you -" king Sea-Mist said worriedly.
"That is if these gryphons are on Star-Cluster's side!" Banner said. "But if he kills it, it will prove either that he isn't working for Star-Cluster, or might even give credit to his story that he is from the future! Either way, I don't want a gryphon, from the future or not, on Moonlight Castle's doorstep!"
King Sea-mist was quiet for a while, thinking it over.
"It will be as dangerous as going alone -" Banner added.
"What about his friend?" King Sea-Mist asked.
"I think she should remain where she is!" Banner said. "At least until Eclipse had shown where his loyalties lie!"
"Very well then!" king Sea-Mist agreed. "But be careful! Even more than ever!"
"I will, your Majesty!" Banner bowed. "Thank you!"

CHAPTER 14: The Hunt Begins
Eklip stood still for a while as he stepped out of the castle. He had forgotten the smell of fresh air, the feeling of the breeze against his face, the warmth of more then just a slither of sun on his black fur.
He sighed.
"Come on, we don't have all day!" Banner urged him on.
"Sorry!" Eklip apologised. He quickly walked down the steps towards the group of solders that stood waiting for Banner.
"You walk out in front of me!" Banner said.
The castle gates opened and the small party walked through it. They walked in silence for a while. Eklip enjoyed his limited freedom: He hadn't realised just how much he had missed the smells and sounds of the forest. But he still longed to fly...
However, he soon started to think about the gryphon. It was clear to him that the monster had come with him from the future - most likely during that same stormy night! How could it have survived so long without anyone noticing it?
'Probably hunted forest animals.' he decided. Gryphons didn't just eat ponies!
"Where was this gryphon seen?" Eklip asked.
"Somewhere in the forest south-west of here." Banner replied. "Between the castle and the swamp. We are heading there now!"
"You know gryphons can fly between White Pearl Castle and Dream Castle in a day?" Eklip asked. "It will be long gone by now ... unless it has found a cave in those mountains; one large enough to stay in!"
Eklip eyed the mountains just south of Mooney Mountain.
"You suggest that we go look there?" Banner asked, keeping in mind king Sea-Mist's warning.
"No!" Eklip replied. "I want to see the spot where the gryphon was spotted; make sure there is only one!"
"Could there be more?" a light green solder asked.
"They usually stay in groups of three to seven, but have been known to gather in large numbers especially if they plan an attack! There had been about a hundred and fifty staying at White Pearl Castle permanently during their occupation. And they rarely go out alone!" Eklip answered, looking over his shoulder. "I don't want to go into a cave, thinking to kill one and end up with more of them!"
"That makes sense!" Banner said, thinking about it.
For the whole day the group walked around, searching for answers, talking to other ponies, asking them if they had heard the story and where it had happened. Some had heard about it, but didn't believe it. Others did believe, and tried their best to help them. The most, however didn't even know what they were talking about.
There were also rumors of a second pony being caught, which confused the hunting solders even more...
Each time they would come close to other ponies, Eklip would turn away with two solders. It was the only wish Banner allowed him: He didn't wish to be seen by other ponies.
But at the end of the day they were no closer to finding out more. They had found the site of the second sighting, but it didn't reveal anything more to them, than footprints in the sand. It was gryphons beyond any doubt, according to Eklip.
As the sun began to set, Banner called to Eklip. "Since you are the gryphon expert, how do you propose we camp for the night?" he asked.
"However you like!" Eklip replied. "Gryphons aren't very active at night - it's as if they cannot see clearly! We think it is because they have eagle eyes which is adapted for the daylight!"
Eklip smiled. "That was how we managed to recapture White Pearl Castle!" he added.
"We'll make camp as usual." Banner decided, turning to the solders. "You can take the first watch with me, and you two the second!"
The next day, as they were walking along, Eklip suddenly stopped.
"What is it?" Banner asked.
Eklip stepped off the road and picked up a tan feather. It was dirty and slightly messed up, So he started to brush it off, aligning the tufts again to form a more recognizable feather blade.
"A pegasus feather?" one of the solders asked as Banner stepped closer to Eklip.
"No, it is too big!" another replied.
"It's a gryphon feather," Eklip said to Banner. "Look at the fine darker lines it has ..."
"There's another feather!" a third solder replied, picking up a gray feather.
"So there is at least two gryphons here!" Banner said.
Eklip, Banner and the solders looked around for more clues, but the scene was too old to reveal anything else.
"We should go search the mountains next..." Eklip guessed. "We've discovered as much as this place is going to tell us!"
"You sure they will be somewhere in the mountains?" Banner asked.
"Yes, they need a secure place to overnight!" Eklip said. "Remember they aren't very active during the night..."
Banner stood and thought for a moment. If Eklip really tried to get the gryphons to kill him, he would have kept the fact that there is more than one secret. Blowing it would have been a fatal mistake! He was feeling he could trust this black pony more!
"Okay," he finally said. "But we should do that in a few days' time!"
"Why not now?"
"I would like to be at the castle during the full moon in case Charades came back with an update!"
They agreed and turned back to Moonlight Castle.

CHAPTER 15: Lunarstar's Second Visit
Eklip was sitting on the wall, looking at the mountains that stretched south from Mooney Mountain. He wondered if he was right that the gryphons will have found a cave there, or were they just passing through? There had been a second pony caught ... Either way, he knew he had to find them. The past doesn't have space for gryphons yet!
He noticed the full moon in the sky.
"I wonder if the princess will be coming here tonight?" he thought to himself. He knew during this conflict she visited the castle twice before staying here, but he wasn't sure exactly when that was supposed to happen. And that is ignoring the time she had come to call Banner when the Archaeologist had been caught!
He smiled to himself. He could already hear the other ponies teasing him about it: 'You're supposed to be from the future!'
"This place is incredible!" a familiar voice said. Eklip glanced over his shoulder at Shady before he lay his head on the wall, staring again at the mountains.
"I remember it bigger though!" he replied.
"Bigger?"
"Some time after Star-Cluster were defeated -" Eklip started to explain. Now, he didn't bother trying to hide the fact that Star-Cluster will fall - the secret was long out! "- the king of Dream Castle will help king Sea-Mist to expand this Castle, thus thanking him for helping Banner and his daughter in this time of need."
"But ... Dream Castle didn't have a king ..." Shady said.
"So I've heard!" Eklip replied dryly.
They were still talking when three strange ponies came walking out of the castle. Many of the solders stared at them as they walked past. The larger two ignored the stares, but the younger white one was still shy of the strangers.
But then the younger one noticed the black and white pony on the wall.
"Oh, that must be the one Banner told us about!" she said, starting to walk towards Eklip.
"Lunarstar!" The mint-green pony next to her called.
"I want to meet him!" Lunarstar replied. "We're inside Moonlight Castle, Charades! He won't do anything!"
"But still!" Charades said.
"I would also like to talk to him;" his companion said.
"Thanks Buster!" Lunarstar cried happily, starting off again towards Eklip.
"Thanks Buster!" Charades said in a low voice.
"I would just like to hear what he has to say!" Buster replied shyly as they followed Lunarstar. "We're not going to make friends with him!"
Charades sighed. He had to admit, Buster did have a point; he also would like to know what the black pony has to say.
"Hi there!" Lunarstar called as she climbed the steps, startling both ponies on the wall. Unlike nearly all the solders, they hadn't been paying attention to the castle.
"Princess!" Shady gasped as she saw her horn and wings. "It is true then?"
"Lunarstar ..." the mint-green pony began to say.
"I'm Lunarstar, and this is Charades and Buster!" Lunarstar introduced herself and the other two. "You must be Eclipse!"
Eklip smiled. "That is right! But everybody just calls me Eklip!"
Eklip pointed to Shady. "This is Shady!" he added.
"Banner says you say you're from the future!" Lunarstar said excitedly.
"Don't take him too seriously, Lunarstar!" Charades warned, eyeing the black pony.
"Will I ever see my mom again?" Lunarstar asked, ignoring Charades's advice.
"Yes, you will!" Eklip smiled.
"And my dad?"
"Lunarstar ..." Charades said seriously, but she interrupted him.
"I just want to know what he will say!" she said innocently. She couldn't deny that she was curious about the black pony; all the other black ponies (except maybe for Raspberry's baby sister) tried to catch her, but this one seemed friendly enough.
"Yes, you will see him too!" Eklip replied, chuckling to himself at her young curiosity. So she hadn't changed much over the years!
"When?" She insisted.
"Sooner then you think, but not quite that soon!" He replied with a smile.
"But that doesn't mean anything ..." Lunarstar complained.
"Exactly!" he winked his one eye.
"Who is her father then?" Buster asked, clearly not believing him.
"We only recall serving a queen, not a king!" Charades added.
"Now that is something I won't tell!" Eklip replied with a 'naughty boy'-expression on his face. "You won't believe me anyway! Remember, you only recall serving a queen!"
Buster sighed. He would like to stump the pony with a good question, but he couldn't think of any.
"Lunarstar, it is time to go back." Charades said.
"Okay!" Lunarstar sighed. She turned to Eklip. "It was nice meeting you!"
"It was good seeing you agai...I mean meeting you to!" Eklip replied.
Buster glanced at Eklip, but Lunarstar didn't seem to have noticed the slip of his tongue.
"This is the second time Lunarstar has visited Moonlight Castle, right?" Eklip asked Charades as he turned to go.
"Yes, why?"
"Just curious!" he replied. "Good Luck!"
Charades stared at Eklip, wondering what he meant by that. Then he hurried after the other two.
Banner walked up to the black pegasus. For awhile he watched the three walk through the castle gates. Eklip was right: Stardust had gone through the Gate, and once almost caught the princess! But Charades and Buster managed to beat him back, although he almost broke Buster's leg in the process!
"Good luck?" he asked, making the pegasus jump again.
"I didn't notice you behind me!" Eklip complained as he brushed his fur down.
"What did you mean with 'Good luck'?" Banner repeated worriedly.
"Don't worry! The princess won't be caught!" Eklip quickly said. "She will only have a close call this time!"
"Close call?" Banner asked, still worried.
"Stardust will chase her, but they both will fall down a mine-shaft. They will spend some quality time together! When they escape the mine, Stardust will surrender her to Charades and Buster! So you see, everything will be fine; Anyway there is nothing you can do about it..." Eklip gave Banner a queer look. "Do you suddenly believe I'm from the future?"
"Of course not!" Banner replied sternly, but then suddenly noticed Eklip's smile: he had asked that question just to get that response!
"Very funny!" Banner replied and turned around.
"I agree!" Eklip laughed. Banner fumed, but inside he realised that Eklip was right ... It was funny! And more disturbingly ... he is actually considering that Eklip was indeed from the future.
'But how can Starfire become duke...' he reminded himself, and decided to ignore Eklip's remark.
"Sooner than you think," Shady asked when Banner had left them again "But not that soon ... What does that mean?"
"When she will first see him, she will not think that he is her father." Eklip smiled. "So she will see him very soon, but only know who he is much later!"
"You are weird, do you know that?" Shady sighed. Eklip just laughed.

CHAPTER 16: The Southern Mountains
Eklip, Banner and a few solders walked out of the castle gates early the next morning. Every pony except for Banner and Eklip wore a spear, a bow and a quiver of arrows. Banner had his usual sword, but Eklip was unarmed.
Banner trusted him much more easily, but king Sea-Mist insisted that he should remain unarmed.
It was Eklip that had suggested taking archers, and arming them with spears as a backup weapon instead of swords.
"A pony's only real chance against a gryphon is safety in numbers, or to keep out of reach of its talons and beak!" Eklip had said. "It will be foolish to try and attack it with a sword - though some ponies had managed to do so ... most of them pegasi but then again the average, lighter male pegasus is faster in the air as the average, heavier gryphon."
The only weapons they could use at a distance were spears and arrows...
They walked in silence through the woods, almost expecting a gryphon to jump at them from behind the next bush.
"How will we be able to say if a cave is used by a gryphon?" Banner asked.
"Look for the usual signs you'd expect from a winged carnivore: Shed feathers; Abandoned carcasses ..." Eklip replied.
"Will they all be there?" Banner asked.
"It depends how many of them there are and the size of the cave they are using! I think they'll stay together for a while though, considering they will be as unfamiliar with the times as I am!"
Banner sighed at the hint of his origins!
"But I wouldn't attack their lair now, but ..."
"See how many gryphons there are, and then plan a proper attack!" Banner said. When Eklip looked at him with a surprised look he added: "I'm not a captain for nothing you know!"
Eklip admired his childhood hero once again: He had never before faced such a dangerous enemy but still had a good idea of how to take them on!
"Do you think we'll run into a gryphon?" a solder asked nervously.
"Maybe, maybe not!" Eklip replied. "I hope we don't yet!"
"Me to!" Banner agreed.
Skyview stood on the red carpet, next the the large square fountain that stood in the throne room. He glanced at it, again wondering exactly what its purpose was - it didn't look like it would do anything but look pretty.
Maybe Queen Royal Heart was one of those ponies who liked the sound of running water ...
It did help a lot with the several sea ponies he and his brothers had already captured ...
Star-Cluster was pacing in front of the throne that was standing left of the center of the room. He wore his favorite necklace with a key hanging from the golden band. Skyview wondered which door's key it was that he so rarely left alone. And why, if it was so important, was the key not always with him?
And why couldn't he shake the thought that there should have been a second throne.
"Stardust has failed as well!" Star-Cluster shouted.
"Give him time, sire!" Skyview tried to calm him down. "If anyone can find the princess, it is Stardust!"
"Starfire has found her eight months ago!"
"Starfire has found the town where she hides, but not exactly where she stays during the day!" Skyview added a little hesitantly. "Give him some time -"
"That is not good enough!" Star-Cluster yelled.
"The Gate is closed now, there is nothing we can do about it now!" Skyview exclaimed. To his surprise Star-Cluster calmed down.
"How are you doing with those rebels at Moonlight Castle?"