Animal Passionby briantheratChaptersLate arrivalInsightTruly madly deeplyThe closest two ponies can beA walk to rememberLate arrivalIt was dusk when Blueheart stepped off the merchant cart, handed a few coins from his pack to the old stallion, and watched as he pulled the wooden rig down the path and over the hill. It was a long journey from the city - Blue had left with his few personal possessions early that morning - and he was eager to settle in for the night. He wasn't quite sure where he was headed in the end, but when he saw the lights of the small town from the cart he'd be sitting in, he decided that it was as good a place as any to stop. The path into town was mostly empty, the moon now in full display in the Equestrian sky, and Blueheart was grateful to find an inn run by an elderly mare that had a bed available for the night. He vowed to plan his next move in the morning. "WELCOME TO PONYVILLE!!!!" was what awoke Blue the next morning. He opened his eyes to see a wide-eyed pink pony staring down at him with an enormous grin on her face. "OHMYGOSHWHENIHEARDTALKTHATANEWPONYARRIVEDINTOWNLASTNIGHTICOULDBARELYWAITFORMORNINGTOINTRODUCEMYSELFANDWELCOMEYOUMYNAMEISPINKIEPIEITSSOGOODTOMEETYOUAND..." Blue barely had time wake up, to figure out what this strange pony was doing in his room, or to understand what she was even talking about, when she suddenly grabbed his hoof and pulled him - still half-asleep - from bed. Blueheart was a healthy, young male pony who was fairly strong when he needed to be, but not even he could match the strength and determination of this mare's desire to drag him where she wanted him to go. "Hold on a sec!" Blue managed to exclaim as he found himself being dragged out the door of the inn and through the village square, "What's going on here?" "Your party, silly!" Pinkie Pie giggled, "You need to get to your party! Everypony is waiting to meet you!" "My what?" Blue said, more to himself at this point as he was beginning to wonder if this wasn't some strange dream. It just couldn't be possible that he'd be dragged from his bed by some strange pony in this strange town and brought to some kind of party. The two burst into the hall, Pinkie dragging Blue behind her, where indeed he saw what must be nearly every pony in town there rushing to meet them the moment they came through the door. "My word, we don't get new ponies here often! Nice to meet you!" said a stallion, grabbing his hoof and shaking it vigorously. "Where did y'all come from, then?" "What brought you to Ponyville?" "What does your cutie mark mean?" The questions were coming from all sides, as every stallion, mare, filly and colt in the room crowded around him. He could see the pony that had originally brought him there chatting energetically with other ponies in the crowd, occasionally looking over his way and waving at him with a goofy grin on her face. Blue politely answered their questions as best he could, all the while inching himself across the room and looking for an escape route from the crowd. He soon found himself standing over by the snack table, having gotten away from the majority of the welcoming committee. As he looked down at the rows of muffins, cookies and small cakes his stomach growled as he realized that he'd been dragged from bed before he'd had a chance to eat any breakfast. "Well, this is my party, after all, so when in Ponyville..." Blueheart thought to himself as he took the liberty of stuffing his mouth with the yummy-looking treats. He had just finished stuffing a third muffin in his mouth, when he looked up and was startled to find a mare standing beside him. He coughed in surprise as he choked on his food. "Oh my goodness! I'm sorry if I startled you!" the yellow pegasus pony said meekly - her face partly hidden behind a fringe of pink hair. "I wanted to say hello, but didn't want to get in the way of the crowd. They...umm...sure seemed to want to meet you. I can leave you alone, if you'd prefer." Blue swallowed his food as quickly as he could and shook his head, "No, no...it's fine. They just...came on a bit strong, is all. That Pinkie sure seemed to want me to meet everybody." The pegasus smiled and giggled a little, "Yes, Pinkie Pie is Ponyville's one-pony welcoming committee alright." The two ponies stood in silence for a few seconds, both unsure what to say. Finally, Blue broke it by extending his hoof and managing a smile, "It's...umm...good to meet you; I'm Blueheart." The pegasus looked up at Blue and smiled, her blue eyes twinkling from the lights in the room. She opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly blushed and looked away. Blue pulled back his hoof slowly and shrugged, "Well, I guess I'll see you around." and started to walk away. "Fluttershy." Blue turned around and saw the pink-haired pegasus had walked up beside him. "I'm Fluttershy." she smiled at him, shyly. Blue smiled back at her. Though he had just met her, he felt much more at ease around Fluttershy than the other ponies he'd met so far. There was something comforting about her uneasiness, her quiet manner of speaking and the awkward way that she carried herself. "Fluttershy...I don't suppose...umm..." Blue began, unsure how to phrase what he wanted to say. Fluttershy looked at him quizzically, "Yes?" "I'm not really much for parties. I don't suppose you'd like to, maybe, go for a walk?" "Oh...umm..." Fluttershy said, then blushed and looked away. "It's okay if you don't want to." Blue quickly added. "I'm just...I appreciate what Pinkie did, but...I don't really like crowds." "It...it's fine." Fluttershy said, quietly, "I'd...I'd like to go for a walk with you, Blueheart." "Call me Blue" Blueheart said, smiling. Author's Note I've been out of the writing game for a number of years, so here's my attempt to get back into it. I hope you are interested in reading more. InsightBlueheart was dreaming of his mother again... He was a just a colt, and his mother was lying in bed while he sat in a chair beside her. Her eyes remained bright, but the rest of her body was bone-thin. She had been sick for many months now, and the medicine was no longer working. Blue and his family were finally coming to terms with the fact that she didn't have very long left. Blue was young, but he understood this. He understood, but part of him continued to have hope; hope that, somehow, she would begin keeping her food down and putting on weight again; hope that her mane would grow back full and thick - the way that it once was - instead of falling out in clumps as it had been lately, leaving her nearly bald; hope that, somehow, her disease would go away and she could be his parent again. For the past while - especially over the last few weeks - Blue had felt more like the parent, and his mother like his child. He was the oldest, and so it fell upon him to sit with her and attend to her needs. When he wasn't in school, he would be the one to spoon-feed her oat mush - the only thing she seemed able to keep down lately; he would be the one to dab her face with cold water when she was burning up, or wrap her in blankets when she was cold; he would be the one to empty the bucket that she kept by the bed, both for vomit and to relieve herself in. He would wipe the blood and vomit from her face, then go to school and pretend that everything was okay. He needed to remain strong; he needed to be there for his sister, his uncles and aunts, and of course he couldn't let his mother know that he would often lock himself in the bathroom during morning break and sob uncontrollably. On this particular day, as with many others, he sat with his mother and held her hoof in his own while she slept. He tried to spend time with her as much as possible. He tried to convince himself that his presence might keep her around longer. It might make her feel less pain than she seemed to be in nearly all the time now. "Blue..." He turned to his mother as she weakly said his name, "Yes, mom?" "I'm sorry, Blue..." "For what, mom?" "Everything. I'm sorry I couldn't be a better mother to you and your sister. I'm so sorry..." She had been apologizing a lot lately. Sometimes it was for specific things, like the time she told Blue and his sister she was too busy to take them to the fair, and he missed watching the Wonderbolts perform. Sometimes, like now, it was general things. At first, he would excuse himself to another room so that he could cry without her seeing him; but lately he just kind of felt...numb. He would hear his mother tearfully apologize for everything, and he would just feel void, and empty, and emotionless. He worried that this made him a bad person; that he didn't care anymore. He would listen to his dying mother, and feel nothing. Then, hours later, he would be lying in bed, be overcome with guilt and just cry and cry until he fell asleep. "It's okay, mom." Blue said, with a sigh. "You have nothing to be sorry for. You were..." he caught himself. "You are a great mom." His mother closed his eyes and smiled, then was overcome with a coughing fit. Blue leaned over and propped her up in bed with pillows, and held her until she stopped. After she was done, he dabbed at her mouth and continued to sit by her, awaiting the next apology, or regret, or stream of vomit to come from her mouth. Blue was at school when he was told that she died. He was called into the headmaster's office and they offered to let him go home early that day to be with his family. When he rejected their offer, they insisted. He remembered walking home, unsure about how he was supposed to feel. He felt sad, but also relieved that her suffering was over. And a part of him was even a bit happy that he wouldn't have to sit with her anymore, cleaning up after her and caring for her. Then he felt guilty about the part of him that felt happy, and he felt so frustrated that he kicked a tree. Then he felt the pain of an injured hoof. It was all more than a young colt should have to deal with. Somehow, though, caring for his mother over those many months left a void in Blue's heart after she was gone. In the weeks following burying his mother, Blue realized what his purpose in life was and ended up getting his cutie mark: a teardrop falling on an extended hoof. He tried caring for other sick ponies, but it just left him with the same numb feeling that he got looking after his mother. Then one day, he found his calling. He was walking to the market in the rain, when he came across a family of kittens huddling in a dark alley. Seeing nobody around, he was overcome with an urgent desire to help them, and he realized then that he could find the greatest joy in life by helping the city's most vulnerable creatures. He used whatever money his mother had left him in her estate to open up a place where animals could go, and be assured food and shelter. Blue threw himself into his work, and gained satisfaction from every creature that he helped, every injured bird that he healed and every lost puppy that he found a home. But he still felt empty. He felt happy...but he felt that he was missing something in his life. So, despite loving what he did, he said goodbye to his family, packed his bags and prepared to set out on the road to find himself. His sister, crying, hugged him as he left his home in the city. He could feel the moisture of her tears on his face. Slowly, as his eyes began to open, his sister's face faded away and was replaced by the worried, tired face of a familiar pink-haired pony staring down at him and dabbing his face with a damp cloth. As Blue opened his eyes further, he saw the Pegasus pony's face break out in a wide smile. "Oh! Oh my goodness! You're...you're okay!" she exclaimed, and hugged him tightly. He felt moisture on his neck, and, though he thought at first it must be the water from the cloth dripping down his face, he felt her trembling against him and realized that she was crying against him. "Fl...Fluttershy..." he managed to say, his voice hoarse and sore. She pulled up quickly, wiping away the tears from her eyes, "Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! I mean, I was just so worried about...well...I'm just so glad you're okay." Blue pulled himself up in bed and looked around. He appeared to be lying in a bed inside a small cottage. There were little animals running all over the floors, and a rabbit appeared to be stirring a pot of stew on the stove. "Where am I? How long have I been here?" Blue asked, still trying to regain his focus. Fluttershy sniffled, wiped away the last of her tears and said, "Well...when you fell down outside of town, you were hurt pretty bad. Lots of cuts and scrapes. You also must have hit your head pretty hard. You...I guess you passed out. Pinkie and some of the other ponies helped me bring you to my cottage and...well...I've been caring for you ever since." Blue tried to shake the cobwebs out, and ran his hooves over his body. He was covered in bandages, particularly around his head, and one of his back legs was propped up on pillows. "Caring...for me? How long have I been out?" Fluttershy bit her lower lip and responded, "Umm...a couple of days, I think. I wasn't actually sure that you were going to make it at first. You were covered in so much blood that I had to bathe you to wash it all off to see how badly things were." Blue's eyes suddenly opened wide, "B...bathe?" Fluttershy blushed and looked away, "I'm sorry. I know that I don't know you very well, but I wanted to make sure you were okay. I...didn't look at...that, if you're worried." On one hand, Blue was grateful that Fluttershy cared so well for him when he was injured, but there was something...strange and violating about the fact that she had bathed him. Despite his injuries, and perhaps his better judgment, he felt a stirring in his loins that this beautiful young mare had seen him in such a compromising fashion. Fluttershy sat down on the bed beside him and said, "I'm very sorry if you're upset with me. I tried to be only professional with you while you were hurt." Blue sat up and replied, taking Fluttershy's hoof, causing her to turn toward him, "It's fine. I know that you were only trying to be helpful." "Oh, I was! I'd never do anything like...well, I mean I look after sick animals all the time, so I thought I'd try to help. When I thought that you might not wake up, though..." Fluttershy's voice trailed off, and tears filled her eyes again. Blue squeezed her hoof and smiled, "I know, and I'm sorry I was so clumsy and scared you so much. It's just...you kind of startled me, I guess, and I lost my footing." Fluttershy was quiet for a few moments, and Blue took the opportunity to let go of her hoof and stand up, trying to locate the best place to relieve himself. He wasn't even going to ask how Fluttershy managed to help him with that while he was out. When he returned from the outhouse, Fluttershy was sitting at the table, silently watching him. There were two bowls of stew at either end. Blue sat down and started down at it. It smelled good, and he assumed he hadn't eaten for a few days, so he started digging in. He was a few spoonfuls in when he realized that she hadn't touched hers, so he looked up at her. "Yes?" She bit her lip again and said slowly, "Umm...now that you're feeling better, are you still going to be...I mean, you said that you were just going to stop in for the night before, and..." her voice trailed off again and she looked off with a frown. "Well..." Blue began, "I'm still somewhat sore, so I'm not really up to travelling yet, I guess. But I don't really have the coins for more than a couple more nights at the inn, so..." "You can stay with me!" Fluttershy interrupted suddenly, then softly added, "I...I mean, if you want to. I have a spare bed, and...I don't mind." Blue smiled, "I guess that could work. You have a nice home and...I guess it'd be interesting to learn more about you and the town." Fluttershy nodded shyly, "Okay...I'd actually like to know more about you too. Um...if you wanted to share, I mean." Blue nodded and, after another moment of silence, the two ponies began eating their stew. Blue felt something brush his hoof under the table, and while he assumed it was one of the myriad of animals running around Fluttershy's home, when he looked up at her, he caught her looking at him with a peculiar look in her eye. She looked away suddenly, her cheeks flushing slightly. Truly madly deeplyIt must have been early morning still... Blue's eyes opened and he looked around the room he was in - the spare room in Fluttershy's cottage that he'd been staying in for the past few days while his injuries healed. He heard movement in the room, but this was nothing strange; all manner of forest creatures had the run of the Pegasus pony's home all all times. But suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shadowy figure approaching the bed. He turned and saw Fluttershy standing a few feet away, her blue eyes flickering in the light of the single candle that illuminated the room in a soft orange glow. "I'm...sorry if I woke you, Blue." she whispered, softly. "I was just having trouble sleeping, and I thought that maybe...um...you might be awake too." He smiled at her gentle face and replied, "Well, I am now." "I'm sorry. I can go, if you like." Blue shook his head, "No, it's fine. So, what...what did you want?" Fluttershy walked the remaining feet over to his bed and sat down beside it, "Nothing. Well...no...nothing. How are you feeling?" "I'm a bit sore this morning, I guess, but I'm all right. I just be back to normal in a couple of days, I wager." "I see. And...and then you'll be leaving Ponyville, I guess?" Blue propped himself up on his elbow, "I'm not sure yet. I mean, I like this place, but it's not like I can just live here with you for good." Fluttershy looked away and whispered softly, "No...I suppose not." "It's not that I haven't thought about staying, though!" Blue added, "Everybody here has been very nice to me. Pinkie brought me cards and balloons the other day; Applejack baked me a pie; Twilight brought me some books to read if I got bored. And you..." Fluttershy looked up at him and smiled sadly, "I know." Blue sat up in bed gingerly and put his hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder, "You have made me feel so welcome. You have given me a place to stay, made me meals...and your love of animals makes me feel like, if I did stay, I'd have someone to share that with. The way you look after them, and care for them...I think it's wonderful. I think...:" Blue trailed off, and, standing up, walked into the kitchen and started making a pot of tea. Fluttershy remained standing in the bedroom for a few moments, before joining Blue in the kitchen. "Blue, I think what you did in the city was wonderful too. I'd love to visit the city someday and help all the kitties and puppies like you did. Why would you leave that?" Blue put the tea kettle on the fire and, turning around he sighed and said, "Honestly...I don't know. Just as you devoted yourself to caring for the forest animals, I threw myself into looking after any city animals that needed help. From kittens and puppies, to rats and even skunks. One day, though, I just realized that...I had given myself so much to it that I didn't have time for friends or family." "Well, I care for the creatures in Ponyville, but I still have lots of friends. I'm never too busy for Pinkie, or Rarity, or anypony. Maybe...umm...if you still wanted to look after animals..." Fluttershy blushed, "...you could stay in Ponyville and help me. I'm sure you'd have lots of friends here." Blue shrugged, "I'm no charity case. Honestly, after my mother died, I began to wonder if I could ever feel close to another pony. When you devote so much time to caring for somepony, and then...well, sometimes I wonder if it's easier to just be alone." Fluttershy walked up beside Blue and, looking out the window, she said softly, "Sometimes...even if it's easier to be alone, it doesn't make you happy. I was...am...quite shy around other ponies. I used to feel like being alone was better than having to confront new things...scary things. But then I made all of these friends in Ponyville, and...I'm trying to be more social...so, now I'm happy." Blue felt tears well up in his eyes, "What's the point?" Blue was startled when Fluttershy hugged him suddenly from behind. When she let him go, he turned to her and could see she had tears in her eyes too. He opened his mouth to say something, but seeing that he had made this beautiful pony sad filled him with guilt. He didn't know whether to apologize, or simply pack his bags and leave. "Blue..." Fluttershy softly said. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to make you sad." "Blue..." Fluttershy said again, "When you were hurt, there was nothing that mattered more to me than making sure you were okay. Not my animals, not myself. These last few days of having you here...from the moment I met you, I felt that...well...we shared so much in common. From the moment I met you, I..." Fluttershy hugged him again, and this time he hugged her back. "I'm so sorry I made you sad, Fluttershy." Blueheart repeated again, holding her closely against him. She pulled back just enough to look him in the eyes and said, "I'm not crying because I'm sad, silly. I'm crying because...I don't know why...and I know I just met you, but I..." Her cheeks flushed and her mouth hung open slightly, leaving the sentence unfinished as she tried to find her words. But she didn't have to finish. Blue's front legs went up and wrapped around Fluttershy's neck. He pulled her tightly toward him and their lips met. With both their eyes closed, they shared a deep kiss for what seemed like hours, but was probably several seconds. After it was over, Fluttershy took Blue's hoof in hers and motioned with her head toward her bedroom. "I want to be with you, Blue; and I promise to never leave you." she said, smiling at him. The closest two ponies can beBlue gazed into Fluttershy's eyes as the two ponies stood facing each other in the light of the rising sun coming through the Pegasus' bedroom window. "Blue..." "Yes, Fluttershy." "I wonder...if you might make me a promise before we...do anything?" Blue smiled and nodded. Things were moving so quickly - he still hadn't fully decided whether he was staying in Ponyville or not - and suddenly this beautiful yellow pony that had looked after him and nursed him back to health was apparently interested in being intimate with him. "I wonder...Blue...if you might promise me that if I give myself to you...that if we...make love...that you won't...leave me afterwards." Blue could see a deep red glow had come over her face and she turned away from him as soon as she finished speaking. "Fluttershy, I care very much for you." Blue said, stepping closer to her and putting his front leg on her back, "And I'm not leaving Ponyville...or you. I promise. Even if we don't..." Fluttershy suddenly looked up at him and exclaimed, "No, I do! I want to! I just worry that...afterwards...you will not be...satisfied. I've always been so distracted by my work with the creatures of the forest that...well...I've never been with a stallion before." Blue laughed despite himself as Fluttershy blushed a deep crimson and looked away again. "Why do you want to be with me, then? I mean...in that way?" Fluttershy slowly turned around and, her wings clenched tightly on her sides, she arched her back and moved her tail aside, revealing her hindquarters fully to Blue. Blue was mesmerized by what was before him, his eyes widened and his mouth hung open slightly. He had found Fluttershy to be utterly breathtaking from the front, but from the back... "Blue?..." Blue was roused from the vision of beautiful marehood before him by the sound of his name. "Uh...yeah?" "Do I...look all right to you?" "Huh?" He heard Fluttershy let out a squeak and softly say, "What I mean is...does what you see please you?" Blue slowly approached Fluttershy and whispered, both to himself and to her, "More than anything." As he got closer to Fluttershy, he could see her trembling slightly. He bit his lower lip and said softly, "Are you sure?" Fluttershy turned her head to look back at Blue. Beneath her pink mane, he could see a look in her eyes that answered his question without her having to say a word. He saw desire. "Please..." she whispered to him, "Please have me." Blue wrapped his front legs around Fluttershy's body and pulled her against him tightly. He felt himself entering her slowly, and as he did she braced herself against the edge of her bed and clenched down tightly against him, letting out a squeak and continuing to tremble against him. His penis trapped tightly within Fluttershy's passage, he leaned his head down close to hers and whispered, concerned, "Are...are you okay?" "I'm...I'm fine. Just give me a moment." They remained like that for several seconds before Blue could feel her relax somewhat and he managed to slide more of himself inside her. With every tremble and shudder of Fluttershy's body, Blue could feel the warm moisture of her marehood caressing him...drawing him deeper. Once he had nearly his entire length buried within her, he pulled back and thrust himself deeply within her. "Ooooh...Blue." she moaned softly and pushed back against him, her tail swishing back and forth against his legs. Blue wrapped his front legs around her body tightly and continued to thrust deeply inside of her. Her breath came out in squeaks and moans as they united as two ponies, joined together as one. After several minutes, Blue whispered to Fluttershy, "I...I think I might...I mean, is it okay, or..." "Yes, please! I need to feel you, all of you, inside me!" she panted back. Blue thrust several more times, before he buried himself deeply within her and, holding her body tightly, he sprayed her insides with his seed. He remained holding her for another moment, before the two ponies collapsed on the floor together in a sweaty, panting pile. As Blue lay there, he could feel Fluttershy's legs wrap around him and the warmth of her breath as she nuzzled his neck. "Was...was I okay?" he heard her whisper inquiringly in his ear. He turned around and looked into the shimmering eyes of Fluttershy's sweaty face, "You were wonderful. But...you didn't...I mean, I don't think you..." he trailed off, blushing. But Fluttershy understood and smiled shyly, "Oh, you don't have to worry about me. I'm...I mean, I can look after things later." Despite having expressed himself fully within her, Blue felt another stirring in his loins. He gently eased Fluttershy onto her back and gazed longingly in her eyes, "I don't mind helping out..." She bit her lip and, a blush coming over her face, she nodded. He lowered himself slowly down her body, eager to please his new love fully. Author's Note Well, that's it... I really hope you enjoyed this tale. It didn't turn out as I originally hoped it would, but I can always try a sequel down the road. A walk to rememberThe party was still in full-swing when Blue and Fluttershy snuck out the back door of the hall and found themselves walking through the main square. Blue still couldn't quite understand what was going on; how he managed to stop over for the night and ended up getting dragged into a town-wide meet-and-greet. "So...Fluttershy?" Blue began hesitantly. "Hmm?" Fluttershy responded, the thick, pink fringe of her mane forming a barrier between the two of them as they walked together. "What's up with this town?" Fluttershy pause her trot for a moment and peered one eye over at Blue. "Wha...what do you mean?" Blue smiled at her as they both began walking again, "I mean...is everybody here so...friendly as that Pinkie?" "Umm...I...I guess so. Well, of course nobody is ever quite as friendly as Pinkie Pie. But...I think...we all try to get along and work together to make the town nice. So...umm...why are you here? I mean...where did you come from?" Blue shrugged and replied slowly, "Well, I come from Whitehorse, a city nearly a day from here. I was passing through the area and I noticed the town from the road. I thought about spending the night, getting some supplies and moving on the next day..." "Oh...so...you're not staying, then?" Fluttershy replied, her voice tinged with a bit of sadness. Blue stopped and turned to look at Fluttershy. She was casting occasional glances over at him, especially when she thought he wasn't looking, and Blue had to admit that there was something very...attractive about the young pegasus mare with the bright blue eyes. Although he had just met her, and they hadn't spoken very much, he found himself wanting to be close to her. "I don't have to leave!" He found himself saying as he started walking again. "I mean, I think this town is nice and everybody seems very welcoming. And you seem very...." "Wait!" Fluttershy exclaimed suddenly, putting one of her front legs in front of Blue. He stopped and watched as a family of ducks crossed in front of their path. After they were safely across, Fluttershy turned to Blue and said - sensing that perhaps an explanation was in order - "I'm sorry...I just really care about animals." Blue smiled, "That's really sweet. I actually love animals a lot too." Fluttershy turned to Blue and looked at him directly for the first time since they started walking, "Really?" she said, sounded much more lively than before, "Did you have many in the city where you're from?" "Actually," Blue said, trying to sound modest, "where I'm from, I ran an animal shelter." "REALLY?" Fluttershy exclaimed loudly, in a way that startled Blue so much that he tripped over a branch in his path and fell hard on his face. "Oh my! Oh goodness! Are you okay, Blue?" Fluttershy squealed, kneeling down beside and looking him over. Blue stumbled back upright and shook his mane of branches and gravel, "I...I think so. Actually, I think I may have hurt my face a bit." He looked over at Fluttershy, who gasped at him, wide-eyed, and put her hooves in front of her mouth. Blue could see in the reflection of the mare's eyes that he seemed to have quite a bit of blood on his face. "Actually..." Blue said, suddenly feeling faint, "I think...I think I may have to sit down for a bit." As Blue passed out, the last thing he heard was Fluttershy's cries for help. Then darkness. Author's Note In case anybody is concerned, I know things are moving a bit slow right now. I'm trying to find my groove for this story; I promise things will pick up.
Late arrivalIt was dusk when Blueheart stepped off the merchant cart, handed a few coins from his pack to the old stallion, and watched as he pulled the wooden rig down the path and over the hill. It was a long journey from the city - Blue had left with his few personal possessions early that morning - and he was eager to settle in for the night. He wasn't quite sure where he was headed in the end, but when he saw the lights of the small town from the cart he'd be sitting in, he decided that it was as good a place as any to stop. The path into town was mostly empty, the moon now in full display in the Equestrian sky, and Blueheart was grateful to find an inn run by an elderly mare that had a bed available for the night. He vowed to plan his next move in the morning. "WELCOME TO PONYVILLE!!!!" was what awoke Blue the next morning. He opened his eyes to see a wide-eyed pink pony staring down at him with an enormous grin on her face. "OHMYGOSHWHENIHEARDTALKTHATANEWPONYARRIVEDINTOWNLASTNIGHTICOULDBARELYWAITFORMORNINGTOINTRODUCEMYSELFANDWELCOMEYOUMYNAMEISPINKIEPIEITSSOGOODTOMEETYOUAND..." Blue barely had time wake up, to figure out what this strange pony was doing in his room, or to understand what she was even talking about, when she suddenly grabbed his hoof and pulled him - still half-asleep - from bed. Blueheart was a healthy, young male pony who was fairly strong when he needed to be, but not even he could match the strength and determination of this mare's desire to drag him where she wanted him to go. "Hold on a sec!" Blue managed to exclaim as he found himself being dragged out the door of the inn and through the village square, "What's going on here?" "Your party, silly!" Pinkie Pie giggled, "You need to get to your party! Everypony is waiting to meet you!" "My what?" Blue said, more to himself at this point as he was beginning to wonder if this wasn't some strange dream. It just couldn't be possible that he'd be dragged from his bed by some strange pony in this strange town and brought to some kind of party. The two burst into the hall, Pinkie dragging Blue behind her, where indeed he saw what must be nearly every pony in town there rushing to meet them the moment they came through the door. "My word, we don't get new ponies here often! Nice to meet you!" said a stallion, grabbing his hoof and shaking it vigorously. "Where did y'all come from, then?" "What brought you to Ponyville?" "What does your cutie mark mean?" The questions were coming from all sides, as every stallion, mare, filly and colt in the room crowded around him. He could see the pony that had originally brought him there chatting energetically with other ponies in the crowd, occasionally looking over his way and waving at him with a goofy grin on her face. Blue politely answered their questions as best he could, all the while inching himself across the room and looking for an escape route from the crowd. He soon found himself standing over by the snack table, having gotten away from the majority of the welcoming committee. As he looked down at the rows of muffins, cookies and small cakes his stomach growled as he realized that he'd been dragged from bed before he'd had a chance to eat any breakfast. "Well, this is my party, after all, so when in Ponyville..." Blueheart thought to himself as he took the liberty of stuffing his mouth with the yummy-looking treats. He had just finished stuffing a third muffin in his mouth, when he looked up and was startled to find a mare standing beside him. He coughed in surprise as he choked on his food. "Oh my goodness! I'm sorry if I startled you!" the yellow pegasus pony said meekly - her face partly hidden behind a fringe of pink hair. "I wanted to say hello, but didn't want to get in the way of the crowd. They...umm...sure seemed to want to meet you. I can leave you alone, if you'd prefer." Blue swallowed his food as quickly as he could and shook his head, "No, no...it's fine. They just...came on a bit strong, is all. That Pinkie sure seemed to want me to meet everybody." The pegasus smiled and giggled a little, "Yes, Pinkie Pie is Ponyville's one-pony welcoming committee alright." The two ponies stood in silence for a few seconds, both unsure what to say. Finally, Blue broke it by extending his hoof and managing a smile, "It's...umm...good to meet you; I'm Blueheart." The pegasus looked up at Blue and smiled, her blue eyes twinkling from the lights in the room. She opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly blushed and looked away. Blue pulled back his hoof slowly and shrugged, "Well, I guess I'll see you around." and started to walk away. "Fluttershy." Blue turned around and saw the pink-haired pegasus had walked up beside him. "I'm Fluttershy." she smiled at him, shyly. Blue smiled back at her. Though he had just met her, he felt much more at ease around Fluttershy than the other ponies he'd met so far. There was something comforting about her uneasiness, her quiet manner of speaking and the awkward way that she carried herself. "Fluttershy...I don't suppose...umm..." Blue began, unsure how to phrase what he wanted to say. Fluttershy looked at him quizzically, "Yes?" "I'm not really much for parties. I don't suppose you'd like to, maybe, go for a walk?" "Oh...umm..." Fluttershy said, then blushed and looked away. "It's okay if you don't want to." Blue quickly added. "I'm just...I appreciate what Pinkie did, but...I don't really like crowds." "It...it's fine." Fluttershy said, quietly, "I'd...I'd like to go for a walk with you, Blueheart." "Call me Blue" Blueheart said, smiling. Author's Note I've been out of the writing game for a number of years, so here's my attempt to get back into it. I hope you are interested in reading more.
InsightBlueheart was dreaming of his mother again... He was a just a colt, and his mother was lying in bed while he sat in a chair beside her. Her eyes remained bright, but the rest of her body was bone-thin. She had been sick for many months now, and the medicine was no longer working. Blue and his family were finally coming to terms with the fact that she didn't have very long left. Blue was young, but he understood this. He understood, but part of him continued to have hope; hope that, somehow, she would begin keeping her food down and putting on weight again; hope that her mane would grow back full and thick - the way that it once was - instead of falling out in clumps as it had been lately, leaving her nearly bald; hope that, somehow, her disease would go away and she could be his parent again. For the past while - especially over the last few weeks - Blue had felt more like the parent, and his mother like his child. He was the oldest, and so it fell upon him to sit with her and attend to her needs. When he wasn't in school, he would be the one to spoon-feed her oat mush - the only thing she seemed able to keep down lately; he would be the one to dab her face with cold water when she was burning up, or wrap her in blankets when she was cold; he would be the one to empty the bucket that she kept by the bed, both for vomit and to relieve herself in. He would wipe the blood and vomit from her face, then go to school and pretend that everything was okay. He needed to remain strong; he needed to be there for his sister, his uncles and aunts, and of course he couldn't let his mother know that he would often lock himself in the bathroom during morning break and sob uncontrollably. On this particular day, as with many others, he sat with his mother and held her hoof in his own while she slept. He tried to spend time with her as much as possible. He tried to convince himself that his presence might keep her around longer. It might make her feel less pain than she seemed to be in nearly all the time now. "Blue..." He turned to his mother as she weakly said his name, "Yes, mom?" "I'm sorry, Blue..." "For what, mom?" "Everything. I'm sorry I couldn't be a better mother to you and your sister. I'm so sorry..." She had been apologizing a lot lately. Sometimes it was for specific things, like the time she told Blue and his sister she was too busy to take them to the fair, and he missed watching the Wonderbolts perform. Sometimes, like now, it was general things. At first, he would excuse himself to another room so that he could cry without her seeing him; but lately he just kind of felt...numb. He would hear his mother tearfully apologize for everything, and he would just feel void, and empty, and emotionless. He worried that this made him a bad person; that he didn't care anymore. He would listen to his dying mother, and feel nothing. Then, hours later, he would be lying in bed, be overcome with guilt and just cry and cry until he fell asleep. "It's okay, mom." Blue said, with a sigh. "You have nothing to be sorry for. You were..." he caught himself. "You are a great mom." His mother closed his eyes and smiled, then was overcome with a coughing fit. Blue leaned over and propped her up in bed with pillows, and held her until she stopped. After she was done, he dabbed at her mouth and continued to sit by her, awaiting the next apology, or regret, or stream of vomit to come from her mouth. Blue was at school when he was told that she died. He was called into the headmaster's office and they offered to let him go home early that day to be with his family. When he rejected their offer, they insisted. He remembered walking home, unsure about how he was supposed to feel. He felt sad, but also relieved that her suffering was over. And a part of him was even a bit happy that he wouldn't have to sit with her anymore, cleaning up after her and caring for her. Then he felt guilty about the part of him that felt happy, and he felt so frustrated that he kicked a tree. Then he felt the pain of an injured hoof. It was all more than a young colt should have to deal with. Somehow, though, caring for his mother over those many months left a void in Blue's heart after she was gone. In the weeks following burying his mother, Blue realized what his purpose in life was and ended up getting his cutie mark: a teardrop falling on an extended hoof. He tried caring for other sick ponies, but it just left him with the same numb feeling that he got looking after his mother. Then one day, he found his calling. He was walking to the market in the rain, when he came across a family of kittens huddling in a dark alley. Seeing nobody around, he was overcome with an urgent desire to help them, and he realized then that he could find the greatest joy in life by helping the city's most vulnerable creatures. He used whatever money his mother had left him in her estate to open up a place where animals could go, and be assured food and shelter. Blue threw himself into his work, and gained satisfaction from every creature that he helped, every injured bird that he healed and every lost puppy that he found a home. But he still felt empty. He felt happy...but he felt that he was missing something in his life. So, despite loving what he did, he said goodbye to his family, packed his bags and prepared to set out on the road to find himself. His sister, crying, hugged him as he left his home in the city. He could feel the moisture of her tears on his face. Slowly, as his eyes began to open, his sister's face faded away and was replaced by the worried, tired face of a familiar pink-haired pony staring down at him and dabbing his face with a damp cloth. As Blue opened his eyes further, he saw the Pegasus pony's face break out in a wide smile. "Oh! Oh my goodness! You're...you're okay!" she exclaimed, and hugged him tightly. He felt moisture on his neck, and, though he thought at first it must be the water from the cloth dripping down his face, he felt her trembling against him and realized that she was crying against him. "Fl...Fluttershy..." he managed to say, his voice hoarse and sore. She pulled up quickly, wiping away the tears from her eyes, "Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! I mean, I was just so worried about...well...I'm just so glad you're okay." Blue pulled himself up in bed and looked around. He appeared to be lying in a bed inside a small cottage. There were little animals running all over the floors, and a rabbit appeared to be stirring a pot of stew on the stove. "Where am I? How long have I been here?" Blue asked, still trying to regain his focus. Fluttershy sniffled, wiped away the last of her tears and said, "Well...when you fell down outside of town, you were hurt pretty bad. Lots of cuts and scrapes. You also must have hit your head pretty hard. You...I guess you passed out. Pinkie and some of the other ponies helped me bring you to my cottage and...well...I've been caring for you ever since." Blue tried to shake the cobwebs out, and ran his hooves over his body. He was covered in bandages, particularly around his head, and one of his back legs was propped up on pillows. "Caring...for me? How long have I been out?" Fluttershy bit her lower lip and responded, "Umm...a couple of days, I think. I wasn't actually sure that you were going to make it at first. You were covered in so much blood that I had to bathe you to wash it all off to see how badly things were." Blue's eyes suddenly opened wide, "B...bathe?" Fluttershy blushed and looked away, "I'm sorry. I know that I don't know you very well, but I wanted to make sure you were okay. I...didn't look at...that, if you're worried." On one hand, Blue was grateful that Fluttershy cared so well for him when he was injured, but there was something...strange and violating about the fact that she had bathed him. Despite his injuries, and perhaps his better judgment, he felt a stirring in his loins that this beautiful young mare had seen him in such a compromising fashion. Fluttershy sat down on the bed beside him and said, "I'm very sorry if you're upset with me. I tried to be only professional with you while you were hurt." Blue sat up and replied, taking Fluttershy's hoof, causing her to turn toward him, "It's fine. I know that you were only trying to be helpful." "Oh, I was! I'd never do anything like...well, I mean I look after sick animals all the time, so I thought I'd try to help. When I thought that you might not wake up, though..." Fluttershy's voice trailed off, and tears filled her eyes again. Blue squeezed her hoof and smiled, "I know, and I'm sorry I was so clumsy and scared you so much. It's just...you kind of startled me, I guess, and I lost my footing." Fluttershy was quiet for a few moments, and Blue took the opportunity to let go of her hoof and stand up, trying to locate the best place to relieve himself. He wasn't even going to ask how Fluttershy managed to help him with that while he was out. When he returned from the outhouse, Fluttershy was sitting at the table, silently watching him. There were two bowls of stew at either end. Blue sat down and started down at it. It smelled good, and he assumed he hadn't eaten for a few days, so he started digging in. He was a few spoonfuls in when he realized that she hadn't touched hers, so he looked up at her. "Yes?" She bit her lip again and said slowly, "Umm...now that you're feeling better, are you still going to be...I mean, you said that you were just going to stop in for the night before, and..." her voice trailed off again and she looked off with a frown. "Well..." Blue began, "I'm still somewhat sore, so I'm not really up to travelling yet, I guess. But I don't really have the coins for more than a couple more nights at the inn, so..." "You can stay with me!" Fluttershy interrupted suddenly, then softly added, "I...I mean, if you want to. I have a spare bed, and...I don't mind." Blue smiled, "I guess that could work. You have a nice home and...I guess it'd be interesting to learn more about you and the town." Fluttershy nodded shyly, "Okay...I'd actually like to know more about you too. Um...if you wanted to share, I mean." Blue nodded and, after another moment of silence, the two ponies began eating their stew. Blue felt something brush his hoof under the table, and while he assumed it was one of the myriad of animals running around Fluttershy's home, when he looked up at her, he caught her looking at him with a peculiar look in her eye. She looked away suddenly, her cheeks flushing slightly.
Truly madly deeplyIt must have been early morning still... Blue's eyes opened and he looked around the room he was in - the spare room in Fluttershy's cottage that he'd been staying in for the past few days while his injuries healed. He heard movement in the room, but this was nothing strange; all manner of forest creatures had the run of the Pegasus pony's home all all times. But suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a shadowy figure approaching the bed. He turned and saw Fluttershy standing a few feet away, her blue eyes flickering in the light of the single candle that illuminated the room in a soft orange glow. "I'm...sorry if I woke you, Blue." she whispered, softly. "I was just having trouble sleeping, and I thought that maybe...um...you might be awake too." He smiled at her gentle face and replied, "Well, I am now." "I'm sorry. I can go, if you like." Blue shook his head, "No, it's fine. So, what...what did you want?" Fluttershy walked the remaining feet over to his bed and sat down beside it, "Nothing. Well...no...nothing. How are you feeling?" "I'm a bit sore this morning, I guess, but I'm all right. I just be back to normal in a couple of days, I wager." "I see. And...and then you'll be leaving Ponyville, I guess?" Blue propped himself up on his elbow, "I'm not sure yet. I mean, I like this place, but it's not like I can just live here with you for good." Fluttershy looked away and whispered softly, "No...I suppose not." "It's not that I haven't thought about staying, though!" Blue added, "Everybody here has been very nice to me. Pinkie brought me cards and balloons the other day; Applejack baked me a pie; Twilight brought me some books to read if I got bored. And you..." Fluttershy looked up at him and smiled sadly, "I know." Blue sat up in bed gingerly and put his hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder, "You have made me feel so welcome. You have given me a place to stay, made me meals...and your love of animals makes me feel like, if I did stay, I'd have someone to share that with. The way you look after them, and care for them...I think it's wonderful. I think...:" Blue trailed off, and, standing up, walked into the kitchen and started making a pot of tea. Fluttershy remained standing in the bedroom for a few moments, before joining Blue in the kitchen. "Blue, I think what you did in the city was wonderful too. I'd love to visit the city someday and help all the kitties and puppies like you did. Why would you leave that?" Blue put the tea kettle on the fire and, turning around he sighed and said, "Honestly...I don't know. Just as you devoted yourself to caring for the forest animals, I threw myself into looking after any city animals that needed help. From kittens and puppies, to rats and even skunks. One day, though, I just realized that...I had given myself so much to it that I didn't have time for friends or family." "Well, I care for the creatures in Ponyville, but I still have lots of friends. I'm never too busy for Pinkie, or Rarity, or anypony. Maybe...umm...if you still wanted to look after animals..." Fluttershy blushed, "...you could stay in Ponyville and help me. I'm sure you'd have lots of friends here." Blue shrugged, "I'm no charity case. Honestly, after my mother died, I began to wonder if I could ever feel close to another pony. When you devote so much time to caring for somepony, and then...well, sometimes I wonder if it's easier to just be alone." Fluttershy walked up beside Blue and, looking out the window, she said softly, "Sometimes...even if it's easier to be alone, it doesn't make you happy. I was...am...quite shy around other ponies. I used to feel like being alone was better than having to confront new things...scary things. But then I made all of these friends in Ponyville, and...I'm trying to be more social...so, now I'm happy." Blue felt tears well up in his eyes, "What's the point?" Blue was startled when Fluttershy hugged him suddenly from behind. When she let him go, he turned to her and could see she had tears in her eyes too. He opened his mouth to say something, but seeing that he had made this beautiful pony sad filled him with guilt. He didn't know whether to apologize, or simply pack his bags and leave. "Blue..." Fluttershy softly said. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to make you sad." "Blue..." Fluttershy said again, "When you were hurt, there was nothing that mattered more to me than making sure you were okay. Not my animals, not myself. These last few days of having you here...from the moment I met you, I felt that...well...we shared so much in common. From the moment I met you, I..." Fluttershy hugged him again, and this time he hugged her back. "I'm so sorry I made you sad, Fluttershy." Blueheart repeated again, holding her closely against him. She pulled back just enough to look him in the eyes and said, "I'm not crying because I'm sad, silly. I'm crying because...I don't know why...and I know I just met you, but I..." Her cheeks flushed and her mouth hung open slightly, leaving the sentence unfinished as she tried to find her words. But she didn't have to finish. Blue's front legs went up and wrapped around Fluttershy's neck. He pulled her tightly toward him and their lips met. With both their eyes closed, they shared a deep kiss for what seemed like hours, but was probably several seconds. After it was over, Fluttershy took Blue's hoof in hers and motioned with her head toward her bedroom. "I want to be with you, Blue; and I promise to never leave you." she said, smiling at him.
The closest two ponies can beBlue gazed into Fluttershy's eyes as the two ponies stood facing each other in the light of the rising sun coming through the Pegasus' bedroom window. "Blue..." "Yes, Fluttershy." "I wonder...if you might make me a promise before we...do anything?" Blue smiled and nodded. Things were moving so quickly - he still hadn't fully decided whether he was staying in Ponyville or not - and suddenly this beautiful yellow pony that had looked after him and nursed him back to health was apparently interested in being intimate with him. "I wonder...Blue...if you might promise me that if I give myself to you...that if we...make love...that you won't...leave me afterwards." Blue could see a deep red glow had come over her face and she turned away from him as soon as she finished speaking. "Fluttershy, I care very much for you." Blue said, stepping closer to her and putting his front leg on her back, "And I'm not leaving Ponyville...or you. I promise. Even if we don't..." Fluttershy suddenly looked up at him and exclaimed, "No, I do! I want to! I just worry that...afterwards...you will not be...satisfied. I've always been so distracted by my work with the creatures of the forest that...well...I've never been with a stallion before." Blue laughed despite himself as Fluttershy blushed a deep crimson and looked away again. "Why do you want to be with me, then? I mean...in that way?" Fluttershy slowly turned around and, her wings clenched tightly on her sides, she arched her back and moved her tail aside, revealing her hindquarters fully to Blue. Blue was mesmerized by what was before him, his eyes widened and his mouth hung open slightly. He had found Fluttershy to be utterly breathtaking from the front, but from the back... "Blue?..." Blue was roused from the vision of beautiful marehood before him by the sound of his name. "Uh...yeah?" "Do I...look all right to you?" "Huh?" He heard Fluttershy let out a squeak and softly say, "What I mean is...does what you see please you?" Blue slowly approached Fluttershy and whispered, both to himself and to her, "More than anything." As he got closer to Fluttershy, he could see her trembling slightly. He bit his lower lip and said softly, "Are you sure?" Fluttershy turned her head to look back at Blue. Beneath her pink mane, he could see a look in her eyes that answered his question without her having to say a word. He saw desire. "Please..." she whispered to him, "Please have me." Blue wrapped his front legs around Fluttershy's body and pulled her against him tightly. He felt himself entering her slowly, and as he did she braced herself against the edge of her bed and clenched down tightly against him, letting out a squeak and continuing to tremble against him. His penis trapped tightly within Fluttershy's passage, he leaned his head down close to hers and whispered, concerned, "Are...are you okay?" "I'm...I'm fine. Just give me a moment." They remained like that for several seconds before Blue could feel her relax somewhat and he managed to slide more of himself inside her. With every tremble and shudder of Fluttershy's body, Blue could feel the warm moisture of her marehood caressing him...drawing him deeper. Once he had nearly his entire length buried within her, he pulled back and thrust himself deeply within her. "Ooooh...Blue." she moaned softly and pushed back against him, her tail swishing back and forth against his legs. Blue wrapped his front legs around her body tightly and continued to thrust deeply inside of her. Her breath came out in squeaks and moans as they united as two ponies, joined together as one. After several minutes, Blue whispered to Fluttershy, "I...I think I might...I mean, is it okay, or..." "Yes, please! I need to feel you, all of you, inside me!" she panted back. Blue thrust several more times, before he buried himself deeply within her and, holding her body tightly, he sprayed her insides with his seed. He remained holding her for another moment, before the two ponies collapsed on the floor together in a sweaty, panting pile. As Blue lay there, he could feel Fluttershy's legs wrap around him and the warmth of her breath as she nuzzled his neck. "Was...was I okay?" he heard her whisper inquiringly in his ear. He turned around and looked into the shimmering eyes of Fluttershy's sweaty face, "You were wonderful. But...you didn't...I mean, I don't think you..." he trailed off, blushing. But Fluttershy understood and smiled shyly, "Oh, you don't have to worry about me. I'm...I mean, I can look after things later." Despite having expressed himself fully within her, Blue felt another stirring in his loins. He gently eased Fluttershy onto her back and gazed longingly in her eyes, "I don't mind helping out..." She bit her lip and, a blush coming over her face, she nodded. He lowered himself slowly down her body, eager to please his new love fully. Author's Note Well, that's it... I really hope you enjoyed this tale. It didn't turn out as I originally hoped it would, but I can always try a sequel down the road.
A walk to rememberThe party was still in full-swing when Blue and Fluttershy snuck out the back door of the hall and found themselves walking through the main square. Blue still couldn't quite understand what was going on; how he managed to stop over for the night and ended up getting dragged into a town-wide meet-and-greet. "So...Fluttershy?" Blue began hesitantly. "Hmm?" Fluttershy responded, the thick, pink fringe of her mane forming a barrier between the two of them as they walked together. "What's up with this town?" Fluttershy pause her trot for a moment and peered one eye over at Blue. "Wha...what do you mean?" Blue smiled at her as they both began walking again, "I mean...is everybody here so...friendly as that Pinkie?" "Umm...I...I guess so. Well, of course nobody is ever quite as friendly as Pinkie Pie. But...I think...we all try to get along and work together to make the town nice. So...umm...why are you here? I mean...where did you come from?" Blue shrugged and replied slowly, "Well, I come from Whitehorse, a city nearly a day from here. I was passing through the area and I noticed the town from the road. I thought about spending the night, getting some supplies and moving on the next day..." "Oh...so...you're not staying, then?" Fluttershy replied, her voice tinged with a bit of sadness. Blue stopped and turned to look at Fluttershy. She was casting occasional glances over at him, especially when she thought he wasn't looking, and Blue had to admit that there was something very...attractive about the young pegasus mare with the bright blue eyes. Although he had just met her, and they hadn't spoken very much, he found himself wanting to be close to her. "I don't have to leave!" He found himself saying as he started walking again. "I mean, I think this town is nice and everybody seems very welcoming. And you seem very...." "Wait!" Fluttershy exclaimed suddenly, putting one of her front legs in front of Blue. He stopped and watched as a family of ducks crossed in front of their path. After they were safely across, Fluttershy turned to Blue and said - sensing that perhaps an explanation was in order - "I'm sorry...I just really care about animals." Blue smiled, "That's really sweet. I actually love animals a lot too." Fluttershy turned to Blue and looked at him directly for the first time since they started walking, "Really?" she said, sounded much more lively than before, "Did you have many in the city where you're from?" "Actually," Blue said, trying to sound modest, "where I'm from, I ran an animal shelter." "REALLY?" Fluttershy exclaimed loudly, in a way that startled Blue so much that he tripped over a branch in his path and fell hard on his face. "Oh my! Oh goodness! Are you okay, Blue?" Fluttershy squealed, kneeling down beside and looking him over. Blue stumbled back upright and shook his mane of branches and gravel, "I...I think so. Actually, I think I may have hurt my face a bit." He looked over at Fluttershy, who gasped at him, wide-eyed, and put her hooves in front of her mouth. Blue could see in the reflection of the mare's eyes that he seemed to have quite a bit of blood on his face. "Actually..." Blue said, suddenly feeling faint, "I think...I think I may have to sit down for a bit." As Blue passed out, the last thing he heard was Fluttershy's cries for help. Then darkness. Author's Note In case anybody is concerned, I know things are moving a bit slow right now. I'm trying to find my groove for this story; I promise things will pick up.
