Chapter 54: The last town

Luna slept close to her father with Blizzard sleeping next to her uncles trying to keep warm. When morning came, Luna was surprised to see it had snowed over night. The ground had patches of snow but it wasn't deep, she could still see the dirt and grass.
Luna packed her blanket in her bag and hung it around her neck. Stardust handed out the breakfast, cold sandwiches, fruit and carrots. They all quickly ate not wanting to stay for to long in the cold. The wind was colder than it was a few days ago. The ground was to cold to sit on.
Luna stood up and began walking with Blizzard, Stardust and her uncles.

Morning flew by quickly as Luna continued to hug her body against Stardust. She hid her face from the wind and tried not to step on the snow.
Blizzard wore his hood over his head with his bag around his neck trying to keep warm. Starfire hung his wings low using them as shields, Skyview walked behind Stardust using him as a shield from the wind.
The sky was covered with dark blue and gray clouds, it was hard to tell what time of day it was. They hadn't seen the sun in a few weeks.

After hours of walking Stardust saw a castle. It was small but it still looked like a castle.
"There's a castle. A town has to be near by," Stardust pointed.
"That's got to be the last kingdoms on the map," Skyview told him.
"Lets hurry and get to that town," Stardust exclaimed.
They walked faster as they thought about the town and forgetting about the cold wind. They walked through what looked like a forest but there was so little trees.
"Stardust, where should we hide and wait?" Starfire asked, "Everything is open spaces."
"I think it'll be alright for you three to come to town. As long as you two keep your cloaks on and Skyview leaves his hood on, it should be alright," Stardust answered.
"Are you sure?" Skyview asked, "It won't take much to take my hood off and see my horn."
"Then I'd suggested you do what ever it takes to keep your hood on," Stardust answered, "Luna change, we're almost there."
Luna's horn began to glow. Blizzard watched with fascination as her long white hair turned purple and her wings and horn disappeared.

They eventually reached a small town with several houses around the castle. There were very few ponies in town walking the streets, most of them were inside to keep warm. The buildings were all make of stone.
Stardust looked around as ponies stared curiously at them. Then two ponies rushed past them.
"Sorry, excuse me," a yellow pony exclaimed.
The two ponies were carrying a dull pink pony who's legs looked burned.
Blizzard recognized the burns and knew it could only be Teriney but the two ponies were in such a hurry Blizzard didn't even get a chance to ask about it.
"Did you see his leg?" Starfire asked.
"Believe me, I didn't miss it," Stardust replied.
"Dad," Luna muttered, shivering from the cold wind that was blowing harder.
"We can find out about that pony later. First I think it's best to find something warm for all of us," Stardust said.
They followed Stardust to a few stores away. They hurried inside and immediate felt the warmth rushing to their coats. Blizzard noticed a stove nearby which is were the heat seems to be coming from. A male pink pony and a female orange pony stood by the stove keeping warm when they notice strangers entering their store.
"Welcome," the pink pony said, "You all must be travelers. We don't get to many up this far north."
The dark orange pony approached them, "oh my. You all look cold. Please warm yourselves by the stove."
"Thank you," Stardust replied.
Stardust, his brothers, Luna and Blizzard gathered around the stove warming up. Luna's cold body was quickly warming up.
"I was wondering, do you guys have anything warmer for us to wear?" Stardust asked.
"Oh certainly. One doesn't live up north without having something warm to wear," the pink pony answered, "I'll get it." He left the stove and went behind the counter. A few minutes later he brought out five thick furry cloaks, "This is what you'll need in this weather."
"Thank you," Stardust replied, "We'll be camping out too. Do you have anything that can shelter us too?"
"Yes we sure do," the pink pony replied. He turned and walked to a wall. He took a large yellow cloth that was folded, "This is like a tent. You cover yourselves from the wind with it. It's very large and should fit all of you in it."
"What do you mean, in it?" Starfire asked.
"It's got a zipper. You climb inside and should be fine from the wind and snow when your sleeping," The pink pony explained.
"Got any food?" Stardust asked.
"Yes, plenty. How much do you want?" The orange pony asked.
"Just enough to fill my yellow bag," Stardust answered.
The dark orange pony gathered the food and sat them on the counter.
"That will do. Thanks," Stardust replied. He quickly paid for the stuff. Then they all put on the furry cloaks over their own cloaks. Stardust put the food and yellow cloth in his bags.

Then they turned and left the shop. They continued walking out of town as the wind blew even harder.
"Hay," A pony yelled from a building.
Stardust looked and saw the pony motioning him to come. Stardust, his brothers, Luna and Blizzard walked across the street and entered the building. Inside were soft seats along the wall with a few ponies inside, including the two ponies they saw earlier.
"Are you guys crazy?" a red pony asked, "The wind is picking up. You won't be able to stand outside for long."
"I'm sorry, we didn't know," Stardust replied.
A light blue pony approached them, "Please, wait inside with us till the wind pass. The wind can get very cold this time of year. It blows and freezes everything in the afternoon. Do you mind of I ask where you're all heading to?"
"North," Stardust answered.
"Oh...the north. There's nothing out there but snow. Not many ever comes back," the light blue pony replied.
"Why? what happens to them?" Stardust asked.
"They freeze or gets lost and starves to death or they simply disappear," the red pony answered.
"Disappear?" Starfire asked curiously.
"Yes, It doesn't happen often but I hear some ponies have disappeared out in the snow. They leave here and are never seen again. Some like the one that was just brought in here are lucky to return," the red pony explained.
"The one with the burns?" Blizzard asked.
"Yes, he claimed to have ran into a red pony that could breath fire and had strange eyes. It all sounded like a made up story which he loves to tell everyone from his travels in the north," The light blue pony answered.
Just then a yellow pony approached them, the same one that almost ran over them, "We found him not to far from town. If you ask me he was burned from his camp fire. He can be a clumsy pony."
Just then a dull pink pony hopped in the room on crushes moaning in pain till he sat down on the soft seats.
"It's true!" the dull pink pony exclaimed.
"Oh come off it. That's the most ridiculous story you made up yet," the red pony cried.
"I didn't make it up. He breathed fire and burned my leg. His eyes weren't normal either!" the dull pink pony exclaimed.
"Did he have a golden necklace around his neck?" Blizzard asked.
The dull pink pony gasped, "You've seen him too?"
"Yes, I most certainly have. He is indeed real and can breath fire. His name is Teriney," Blizzard answered.
"We are after Teriney. He is a very dangerous...pony. He's taken something very important and we're here to get it back," Stardust explained.
Skyview turned from the door and looked at Stardust, "I think the wind is gone."
Stardust opened the door and saw the wind had indeed stopped blowing.
"How did you know?" the light blue pony asked.
"I can hear the wind dying down," Skyview explained.
"Umm...get what back?" the red pony curiously asked.
Stardust didn't answered he just left the building and walked out of town with his brothers, Luna and Blizzard.
"He's here," Blizzard muttered, "He's in the north somewhere."
"We will find him eventually," Stardust replied.