Don't think about it, Cinderburn told herself desperately, her dark mane clamped against her neck from the rain that poured out of the sky the way Darkside's blood had. The wet snowflakes went blurry to Cinderburn's eyes and they flashed, suddenly crimson as the sky shuddered and roared. Cinderburn shook her head, eyes stinging as the image vanished.

Cinderburn was escaping. She had too. It was all she ever thought about these days... and Darkside's death seemed have done it. His death. The words rang in Cinderburn's ears and she gasped. Cinderburn, wheezing, fought against the wind that battled with her, biting at her face and making her muscles sting desperately, begging for rest. Her legs were shaking at every step and her wings felt heavier then normal, trying not to slide off her back and drag like they used to do before she was a weanling.

Turn back, Cinderburn, a tiny voice whispered in her mind. Turn back, black foal. Turn back.

Cinderburn, breathing hard now, holding back her tears, kept going. The image kept replaying in her mind: The snow, the hail, swarming from the sky. Darkside, confident and being his amazing, fearless self, shooting through the sky and towards Cinderburn. Relief had danced in Cinderburn's eyes. She remembered it as clear as the summer days, being trapped in the frozen branches of the dark, lone tree that stood in the middle of the snowstorm, seeming to be the only one that was still standing in Snow Herd's land. One of the herd's evil captions, Greyfire, had been ordered by their over-stallion to murder Cinderburn while the rest of the steeds were distracted by the outrageous snowstorm. Greyfire, vicious and cruel, decided it would've been more fun to trap Cinderburn in the tree and wait for her to die from the snowstorm that swarmed through the land, snatching dead leaves and snapping trees.

And Darkside had known. He had-

No... stop, please... oh please... stop, Cinderburn thought, her ears flat against her head and her black wings clamped against her black hide, her tail swiping behind her like a twisting blade. Her hooves crunched against the frozen snow. The wind snipped at her feathers and tossed them around Cinderburn's head mockingly. She snatched one out of the air and stomped her hoof on it. "You deserve to die," she said to the feather... to herself, before looking back into the distance. She watched as the scattered clouds softened, darkening as the sun slowly buried itself from sight. The last of Cinderburn's anger disappeared along with it, leaving only the heavy sadness that dragged along with Cinderburn, chaining her up and bounding itself to her. A sparkling tear dripped down Cinderburn's face and vanished into the snow.

Darkside had zipped through the storm. Cinderburn had seen him. "DARKSIDE!" She had screamed. Cinderburn had remembered the relief that had washed through her, which had then been replaced by coldness and fright.

Greyfire had still been near by. When he had heard Cinderburn, he had snapped his cold silver eyes to Darkside, for the storm was fading and Darkside's silver dapple body could be seen, and had streamed towards him.

"NO!" Cinderburn still heard her own scream ringing in her ears, with Darkside's coming after it. Cinderburn remembered fanning her wings over her ears and face, but she still heard the snap of Greyfire's teeth and the lash of his hoof as it swiped across Darkside's throat, cutting off Darkside's battle cry.

Cinderburn leaned over, gasping for breath as the images shook and spun in her mind, making her feel sick. She clenched her teeth and bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. She coughed, spiting blood and saliva into the pure white snow.

Finally, crying hard, she collapsed. She felt her heart fluttering in her chest, wanting out. Cinderburn couldn't blame it. Her skull felt like it would've felt if Arcticwing had done what he said he would, kill her. Her wings felt naked and frozen as the snow rained down on them, as if someone had ripped each one of her shimmering jet black feathers off.

Get up, something urged. You won't get anywhere in the snow, a voice teased gently, a voice that only Cinderburn heard, a voice that belonged to the someone she didn't want to say the name of, a name that would only make her cry from grief and loss.

"Go away," rasped Cinderburn. Cinderburn blinked hard as she felt empty once again.

"What's the point?" Cinderburn gasped, asking no one in particular. "Black foals. The bitter legends. Why, oh why," she choked.

She tried to press her black face into her black wings, but they were soaked. The water that dribbled through and in-between her feathers was starting to freeze.

Get up, the voice tried again. You'll freeze, and you know it. Go on, black foal. Go on. Cry those tears. But soon there will be none left to cry. Leave them for later. Get up, go on. You know what today is.

Cinderburn ignored the voice once again, but something deep inside of her told her to do as it said.

Cinderburn blinked her dark lashes, the snowflakes that had stuck to them slowly melting, but leaving frozen water on her face.

Night was here. The dark sky matched Cinderburn's soaked coat and Cinderburn cocked her head up at the stars... and at a particular one. The Hundred Year Star.

Cinderburn, still breathing hard, shuffled to her hooves. The feathering swished as she stood.

Wiping her tears with her wing and shaking the water from her mane, Cinderburn blinked, all at once feeling shy. Emotion and hope washed through her and she looked at the snow, suddenly embarrassed.

"You probably know this already, but's my birthday," Cinderburn murmured as she looked back up at the Hundred Year Star.

Stop it, Cinderburn, her mind ordered her. Stop. Go hide in your cave. You don't have to do this, and you don't want to. Think... all the things that could happen. You could turn into Nightwing. Or what if the legends aren't even true? This could be fake. You're life is lie, it's always been. You know it, just accept it. Let it all go. Darkside is gone, your mother is dead because of you, and so many more deaths will come along after theirs.

Cinderburn lifted her chin, letting the thoughts swirl away as she gave herself a mental pat on the back. Cinderburn... no...

"Let's give this a go, shall we?" Cinderburn nickered, staring up at the Hundred Year Star. She no longer felt alone. Whatever happened, she would live with it.

Cinderburn felt a pull in her core, and her soul danced in her bones. A breeze ruffled her feathers, trying to push her off her hooves and toward the sky.

Midnight is here, Cinderburn.

Cinderburn opened her wings, and after a moment's hesitation, she leaped into the air. Eyes narrowed, neck arched, wings pumping, she flapped towards the star... the one that had given her a purpose.

She collided with the star the hung in the dark night sky, waiting for her. Cinderburn gasped and lifted her head, her eyes squeezed shut. The star's fire poured into her gaping mouth, licking her forelock. It rushed through her like fire, burning hot yet ice cold. It made her wing tips sizzle, and her eyes stung with emotion that burst through her, making her eyes hot and her lips cold.

Screams and thoughts exploded in her mind, desperate, confused, fearful yet fearless.

Cinderburn eyes flew open and she fell, her wings slack and her mane pressing against her neck. Tears streamed from her eyes.

It's okay, the voice murmured into her pinned ears. Cinderburn flung her head back, her body jerking and sparks flying off her body. Let it in. It won't hurt you.

Yes, yes it will, Cinderburn thought. But she relaxed.

It won't... the voice washed through her and suddenly sounded so much like the colt she once and always loved... the one she always cherished and stared at in admiration... the one she hoped to be... the one that was there to be her wings when she felt broken.

She exhaled. "Darkside," Cinderburn breathed. "Who am I?" She asked. You're the Destroyer, her mind screamed at her, but Cinderburn pushed that thought away when suddenly she snapped out her wings.

And then she knew. She knew then and there that Darkside was with her, and what he was going to say. It was the words she had longed to hear from him since his death. The words that he had whispered to her just about everyday when they were younger. The words that made her flush. The words that made her smile in such a goofy, proud way that would end up making them both burst into a giggles and squeals. The words that made her shy, the words that flicked Cinderburn's ears.

You are my Lightside. Darkside's face appeared in Cinderburn's mind, at the corner of her eye, and Cinderburn exhaled with a grin.

"You may be gone," Cinderburn choked after a moment, staring up at the sky. "But please stay with me. Because I need you," she mouthed. A gentle hum vibrated through Cinderburn and her eyes and hooves glowed gold. Cinderburn's hide dried and the scratches healed; her feathers straightened and turned glossy; and her heart thumped confidently, matching her beating wings that flapped with grace and hope.

...Thanks for reading :) A random "line" had suddenly popped into my head earlier today: "You are my Lightside", and then it morphed into... well... this short story XD I have to admit, I actually made myself cry... which is... errr ya XD

Hope you enjoyed <3 (And yes, I am very well aware it is almost 11 p.m.)