Raven Sketches

I have not forgotten about my dear Valkyrie ponies! Have some more Raven. Also I thought it might be time to share the story of Raven's birth. So here it is!

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In the early days of Freya Greyfeather's reign a fierce battle against the frost dragons took place, a battle much more fierce than any in recent days. In the midst of this battle, Freya was gravely wounded and had to flee the battle field with only a few warriors to attend her. Once safely away, they stopped to tend to her wounds, removing her bloodied armor and casting it aside. But unknown to them a dragon had seen their retreat and followed them. While the queen was vulnerable and her warriors distracted, the beast attacked, swatting the attending mares aside as thought they were nothing. He raised a mighty talon to crush the helpless queen but the blow never fell. For you see, this battle took place on the day that the Lifebolt was to fall. Each year a magic bolt of lightning fell from the sky and gave life to a filly of steel crafted by the priestesses of the forge temple. The bolt would only give life to one filly each year but this time was different. As the dragon stood poised to slay the valkyrie queen the bolt fell, splitting in two. One half fell on the temple as it always had while the other struck Freya's discarded armor. Miraculously, life was breathed into it and it became a flesh and blood, a full grown mare, coal grey and fiery eyed. Upon her flank there were the runes Dagaz, meaning Day and Nauthiz, meaning Need for indeed she was born in the hour of great need. The newborn mare sprang into battle and within moments the dragon lay slain before the queen. The red eyed mare then took the queen upon her back and brought her home to the city of the Valkyria. When she had recovered a little and after taking council, Freya named the dark mare Raven and took her as her own daughter for she was not born of mere steel but the queen's own armor and the queen's shed blood and in her heart Freya knew that their destinies were bound together.

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In case you haven't guessed, the picture in the middle is the moment of Raven's birth. Other fun facts of note are in the lower right image which is what Raven looks like with her hair down and also that's what Brynie looked like when she was little. Brynie was actually the filly the was born from the other half of the bolt the brought Raven to life so in a way they are sort of like sisters. Only Brynie actually got to grown up unlike Raven who looked like an adult from the get go and so was treated like an adult because nopony knew how else to act around her. So Raven is a bit weird because of that and also she is a grump. Her and Aurora need to have a grump-off.