"Can we vistit the Mothers and Babies?" you ask. Icicle frowns sadly, but nods.

"This island is my least favorite to visit. It almost always makes me cry." She shugs and leads you over a bridge, to a gloomy, foggy island surrounded by murky water.

As you step into the swirling mists, you can hear the miserable sound of weeping and sobbing. When you ask Icicle about it, tears trickle down her face and she says, "It's the sound of miserable mothers mourning their missing offspring."

The mist parts to reveal a yellow pegasis. She is beautiful and oddly out of place in this dull, gray place. Tears stream down her face as her feet wander absently through numerous ballet routines. Pink and blue butterflies cover her body and one adorns her nose.

"Hellow, DB," Icicle says softly. To you, she whispers, "Dancing Butterflies is one of our older herd members. Her daughter has never been here before and DB didn't really notice because she had her hooves full taking care of Baby Lofty. About a year ago, Lofty came here and now DB is childless. Ever since Lofty came, DB has lived here, mourning her missing daughter. We hope somoeone will reunite mother and daughter, but DB has just about given up hope." Icicle wipes tears from her face. Dancing Butterflies pirouettes and collapses into a sobbing heap in the grass. Icicle tugs you away and you leave the lovely, yellow pegasis to her tears.

As you walk along, you ask Icicle, "Do you know where Baby DB is?" She shakes her head sadly. "If I ever found her, how could I contact you?"

Icicle perks up at the thought. "My address is filis57@hotmail.com. You can email me there or just sign our guestbook." As you ponder this, a whinny from overhead startles you and a pink pegasis with purple hair and a purple compass as her symbol breaks through the mist.

"Hi, Icicle!" she says cheerfully. Then, to you, she adds, "Welcome to the Pony Islands. I'm Northstar."

"Northstar was one of our lonely mothers, but she was reunited with her daughter several weeks ago. Now, she still tries to help the other lonely mothers and orphans find their matches. I think I'll leave you with this fine pegasis for awhile. I have other matters to deal with, as long as I'm here," Icicle says. Then, shevanishes into the fog around you.

Northstar whispers to you, "Icicle is alot braver than she wants to seem. Her brother, Ice Crystal, is missing too, but you wouldn't catch her saying anything about it."

Northstar leads you to a small reflection pool with several earth ponies wandering around nearby. "This is our meeting pool. Our more sociable mothers meet here to talk and wish for their babies." She indicates the nearest earth pony, white with a pink mane and tail. Her symbol is an odd pattern of hearts and triangles. "This is Sundance. Baby Lucky rescued her from a bargain bin not far from here. Her daughter is a beddy-bye eyes baby and has never been to our herd."

Next is an orange earth pony. Her hair is golden yellow and her symbol is seven red and green apples. She is talking with a blue earth pony with pink hair and white bows as her symbol and a yellow earth pony with purple hair and purple drops as her symbol. "These three are Applejack, Bow Tie and Lemondrop. Their babies are in another country! I expect that they are safe, but their mothers miss them."

A glint catches your eye and you see a striking white earth pony with jewels for eyes drinking from the pond. Her hair is a rainbow of blue, green, yellow and pink and on her hip is a duck holding an umbrella. You point her out and Northstar smiles.

"That's Quackers," she tells you. "Now, she was fortunate. Lucky found her on a trip to Mexico, of all places. She was at a flea market in Tijuana last summer. Her daughter is a first tooth baby and was best friends with Baby Bouncy, one of out newest acquisitions."

"I'll bet Baby Bouncy's mom is excited to have her back," You say. "Where is Bouncy?"

Northstar beams. "Bouncy and Baby Bouncy are in the 'reunited area', where most of the mamas and babies that have found each other live. Before her mama was found, Baby Bouncy lived in the orphanage." Northstar flaps her wings and nudges you. "Come on! I'll show you the orphanage. I'll bet that's where Icicle is, too!"

Northstar leads you away from the meeting pool to a small building in a sheltered glade. As you approach, the scream of a small pony throwing a tantrum crashes against your ears.

"You not my mommy!! Me no hafta listen to you!!" A baby pegasus gallops out of the buildling and collides with Northstar.

"Baby Surprise! You get back here this instant!" Icicle's voice preceedes her light green self out the door. She pauses in embarrasment when they see you and the tangle of pink and white legs and wings, and neon yellow and purple manes and tails that is Northstar and Baby Surprise. Baby Surprise sits up and begins to wail. You pick her up and cuddle her. Soon, she calms into sobs and the hiccups that come from hysterical tears.

"Baby Surprise is one of several babies in our orphanage." Icicle tells you. "Her mother has never been here before." Icicle smiles. "She's been a hoof-ful since she arrived last week. When she found out her mother wasn't here, she started throwing tantrums. I'm really hoping we find Surprise soon."

"Has anyone seen Baby Ribbon?" Northstar asks, looking around.

"I'm here! cries a little voice. You look around for the source of the cry, but don't see any ponies that you haven't met before. "Can't you see me!?" the voice says again.

"Oh, I know!" Icicle grins sheepishly. "She winked out and didn't wink in all the way again." You then spot a pair of blue, disembodied ears floating next to Northstar.

"There she is!" you say, pointing her out to the others.

Icicle thanks you quickly, winks out and winks in again with a cute, blue unicorn with neon yellow hair and a reddish orange stripe running through her mane. Her symbol is a white ribbon tied into a bow. She smiles at you shyly.

"Me not wink very good. My mommy's never been here to teach me."

Icicle looks embarrassed. "Not to say that the other unicorns haven't tried to teach her. She just doesn't seem to catch on that well."

Suddenly, a little white earth pony with trees and apples as her symbol wanders over and nudges your hand sadly. Her mane is yellow with a pink stripe and her tail is pink with a yellow stripe. "This is Baby Apple Delight," Icicle explains. "She's missing her whole family: Mother and Father! Naturally, we want to get them together again as soon as possible."

"The last baby is Baby Lucky," Northstar interupts. "He's an orphan and we're looking for a father for him. I personally vote for Quarterback." The two adult ponies exchange a look and they both start to giggle. "Never mind. Private joke. Icicle and I have always had a crush on Quarterback." Northstar grins sheepishly.

"What's with all the noise?" A little blue boy pony is standing in the doorway of the orphanage. He is all blue with a purple horseshoe as his symbol and you are surprised that he speaks so well.

"I suppose we should explain his lack of speech impediments," Northstar comments. "Lucky was our U.S. pony scout for a long time, but Majesty ruled that it was too dangerous for a baby pony. He had to step down and Moonstone, one of the ponies from his last find, took over. Baby Lucky is much more worldly than most baby ponies."

Icicle takes Baby Surprise from you and you watch as all the orphans start a game of tag. "That's all of our Lonely Mothers and Abandoned Babies," she says. "If you're a little depressed by all this talk of unhappy ponies, I suggest you visit the success stories before going anywhere, but you don't have to. I also recommend the Hall of Missing Ponies."

Maps unavailable at this time. Please come back soon:)

List of Currently Available Islands:

Beach
Port
Hall of Missing Ponies
Meeting Hall
Library
The Crosswinds Cafe
Stable
Clubhouse