The camp was quiet in the hours after the council meeting. The distant sounds of the injured being tended to and soldiers preparing for the next phase of the war filled the air, but the tension of battle had, for the moment, subsided. The weight of the day still pressed heavily on Celestia's chest, but she tried to breathe through it. Victory had come at a high price, and even though the immediate danger had passed, she knew this was just the beginning of a long and painful struggle.
She made her way to the edge of the camp, her boots crunching softly against the frostbitten earth. The night was cold, the sky above a deep indigo studded with countless stars. It was a rare moment of stillness—a rare moment for Celestia to allow herself to feel something other than the demands of leadership.
