Snowfall Frost's seach for Windigos


                                            >Decided to head north. The spirit of the Hearth's Warmings to Come warned me of the windigos I'd have unleashed. Since then, I've always been morbidly curious about those creatures of cold who thrive on strife.

                                            >My alchemist works and royalties from the sanitized account of my encounter with the spirits, published under a pseudonym, leave me with plenty of bits to be able to embark properly on this journey.

                                            >I've set my affairs in order, and don't expect to return. One last personal expansion of knowledge for pony kind.


                                            >I had no idea how cold it can get so far north. Not only that, but that there are locals who inhabit the cold wastes. Their open hearts and friendly countenances brought me more warmth and comfort than my finely crafted winter clothing, and they practically forced extra supplies on me (still haven't got used to eating fish of all things!)

                                            >Their wise-pony advised me against my quest once I'd explained it to her. "Leave them be, their attention is best kept averted from ponykind, thin-coats such as you and us of the north alike".

                                            >But I have to see them, to know they are real and to understand what my change of consciousness prevented from flooding the world over. Closure perhaps.


                                            >It's so cold. Cold beyond cold. Were it not for the firestarters and wood sleigh I'd dragged puffing and panting with me the whole way, I'm not sure I'd have made it this far north. Seen less and less of the natives, and more unpleasant creatures.


                                            >Wolves howl at night, and finding safe shelter is becoming tricky.

                                            >I've seen an entire forest of trees of crystal, their light scattering like the most incredible display of light and mirrors I've ever seen.

                                            >The last tribe of locals advised me against passing through the forest proper however. "Nighttime alone in there, would probably be your last, one so far from home", the "shamare" proclaimed.

                                            >So I've reached now places probably unseen by ponykind.

                                            >Vast bleak plains of snow and ice, no trees.

                                            >Huge icebergs, their forms unsavory and shadows within...are windigos the danger up her, or is there more to it?


                                            >Tired. This perhaps was a foolish endeavor after all. A mare of some years like myself is doing well to make it this far. My unicorn magic, while it might have caught the imagination of snowfoals for the past few months, has been essential at keeping me alive. Haven't wanted to draw upon it too much, but its unavoidable now.


                                            >Who is that? Another pony, this far north?

                                            >She looks oddly familiar. But where is her equipment? How did she make it here?

                                            >"Hail, Snowfall Frost"

                                            >She knows me!

                                            >"Who are you? How do you know who I am", I asked.

                                            >"Cirrus Wisp is the name I am known by best, and as to how I know you, Snowfall, you have spoken with spirits, and had visions of prophecy"

                                            >"I too speak to those beyond myself".

                                            >She turns from me, and I see from the increasingly thick snow ahead of her, figures in the sky

                                            >Windigos!

                                            >They are as dreadful as I imagined


                                            >Moreso infact, they are coldness itself, through my thick furs and enchanted scarfs I feel the knife edge of malice

                                            >This Cirrus isn't moving, she is just standing there

                                            >And then I hear singing, singing that can't be normal

                                            >It reminds me of times long past, listening to my mother

                                            >Pure and undiluted halcyon tones drifting through the cold sky

                                            >Cirrus is crooning to the windigos

                                            >They hover still in the air

                                            >Raw emotion forged into audible nostalgic harmony keeping them back

                                            >Tamed? Sated? Never, but amused? Curious? Perhaps

                                            >After a time unmeasurable to my heart but to my mind only minutes, they drifted away to the deep north.

                                            >Cirrus turns back to me.

                                            >"Walk with me, Snowfall Frost".

                                            >"W-where to?" I ask with trepidation.

                                            >"To the spirits" she smiled.

                                            >Only now do I realize I hadn't been able to see my breath for some time.

                                            >I'm not of this world anymore, but ready to go on.

                                            >"It would be an honor, Cirrus"

                                            >Laughter, and this journey ends. But another, just begun.


                                            Addendum: Snowfall may have published her story under a pseudonym in her time, but in more recent years ponies put two and two together, and they were put out with her true name on the cover, explaining how Twilight knew her true name.