Moss Moon and the Lunar Spring, Part 15

>You are Moss Moon
>You stand in front of the stronghold's orphanage, your hoof poised to open the door
>Smoke rises from the village center, and with it the smell of fear and fire
>This place hardly feels like home
>After sneaking in through the back way, you'd had to avoid humans stalking the streets
>The windows of every house were dark, and not a single bat pony was to be seen
>Here in the far corner of the stronghold, all is abnormally quiet
>Where foals once played, there is now only a trampled garden
>You pray that they're all in one piece
>Cautiously you open the door
>A silver spearpoint greets you
>Quickly backpedaling, you glance up into the face of your aggressor
>One of the largest bat ponies you've ever seen is holding the weapon
>Her mane and coat are white as snow, and her eyes are like fierce ice blue daggers
>They narrow as she glares down at you
>When she speaks, her voice is thick with the northern accent
>"Why have you come?"
>The mare wears a silver half-plate barding
>You realize with a sinking feeling that it bears the crest of the Asperi
"I'm here to give medicine to the foals."
>She doesn't budge.  Her eyes flick over you, then flash with recognition
>"You are witch," she says.  "Bound.  You will leave."
>This one has a fearsome presence, but you aren't going to back down now
"The foals are sick, aren't they?  They need someone to take care of them."
>"This is not concern of yours.  Go.  Now."
>Something in her eyes makes you uneasy
"You've seen it before, haven't you?" you ask.  "The wasting illness."
>The mare hesitates, and you press on quickly
"You know what will happen, if they don't get any medicine."
>"There is no cure," the mare snaps.  "Stupid bound.  Anja know this from foal."
"That's where you're wrong.  There is a cure."
>Anja watches you coldly as you fish through your saddlebag
>When you produce one of the glowing vials, you can't help but feel proud when you see the awe in her face
>The awe vanishes as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a grim glower
>"Is trick," she says.  "You lie."
>It's only after a moment's indecision that you decide what to say next
"I'm not lying," you reply.  "It's sacred water from a faraway spring.  It can cure any sickness."
>You'd thought you'd need to be more convincing, but to your surprise, the mare looks taken aback by this information
>She looks between you and the vial in your hoof, then hesitates for only a moment longer before lowering the spear
>"Get in, before others see you."
>Exhaling, you trot inside
"Are you not with those men?" you ask, as she takes you into the orphanage
>She spits on the ground
>"Human trash.  Asperi scum," she says.  "They are nothing."
>You're finding your new friend to be a little intense
>But your attention on her melts away as you step into the orphans' sleeping quarters
>Some are on the floor, playing quietly, but most are in their beds
>You can tell from the redness of their eyes and the ragged patches in their coats that they are in the later stages of the disease
>One of the foals on the floor looks up at you as you enter
>She's bigger than before, but still recognizable
>You have only a moment to steel yourself before she slams into you, grinning toothily
>"I can't believe it, you're really back!" Hex squeaks, burying her face against you
>This time you have the composure to return her hug, gently holding her
>When she pulls away, her wide eyes are full of concern
>"Please, you have to help them, they're all sick…"
>She directs you to the cots of orphans
>Among them is her brother, Nightstone
>One of his eyes is swollen shut
>He stares listlessly at the ceiling, rasping breath escaping from his parted mouth
>Hex looks at you, her eyes full of tears
>"Is… is he gonna die?"
"He's going to be just fine."
>The other foals keep their distance as you go about your work
>None of them trust you nearly as much as the twins
>You hear them murmuring as you pull out a glowing vial and pour its contents down Nightstone's throat
>He coughs and gurgles, and then suddenly sits up
>A collective gasp goes up as the swelling in his eyes rapidly goes down, and the fur grows back in on his patchy coat
>"What happened?" he asks, his voice hoarse
>The orphans crowd around, peppering you with questions and shouting with excitement
>Anja belts out a booming command, telling them to be quiet, and instantly they shut up
>They still follow you from bed to bed, watching as you tend to the rest of the sick
>In total, 8 foals require the lunar springwater, leaving just 3 vials remaining once you've finished
>Nightstone and Hex bounce on you, overjoyed by your reunion
>"Did you fight monsters and find treasure?" Nightstone demands, already bursting with energy when moments before he had been near death
>"Can you teach us to make medicine like you do?" Hex asks shyly
>You beam with pride
>She's the first pony to ever ask for your tutelage
"Of course I can.  But we have to wait and be very quiet until all those mean soldiers leave, okay?"
>The foal, now almost a filly, gives a fervent nod, smiling widely
>When you finally pull yourself away for a moment, Anja takes you aside
>She'd been watching you intensely from the doorway as you'd administered the springwater
>Now she leans in the doorway, eyeing you with something a little closer to respect
>"You did miracle, witch."
>You look her over
"Are you a believer too?"
>"Was not," she says.  "Maybe now, I am."
>You hesitate for a moment
"If you aren't with the humans or the Asperi, who ARE you with?"
>"I am sworn to Hunter Killer.  He is my Captain."
>"Ordered me: stay here.  Wait.  This was over month ago.  I wait."
>You feel a twinge of guilt
>You have no idea what happened to that stallion, and she doesn't, either
>Grandmother's curse comes to mind
>"I smell a bad future for that one," she'd said, laughing in her unpleasant way
"Look, I have to go," you say.  "I need to meet my friend…"
>"I will stay.  Guard foals."
>You move to the door, but stop with your hoof on the handle
"Thank you for trusting me, Anja."
>"Was no trust," the mare replies flatly.  "If you lied, I kill you."
>Anja glad I didn't?
>You almost make the joke, then think better of it.
"Hope to see you again."
>You slip out the door and into the shadows of the Stronghold
>Heading to to the hidden orchard to meet Anon
>Praying that he'll be there waiting for you
>The glow of fire flickers on the rocky ceiling
>You have no idea what you're going to do about the occupying soldiers
>You've saved the foals from illness, but can you save them from the Asperi?