On the Verge of Collapse

Snowdrop slowly woke to the light chilly air inside the small makeshift house. She let out a yawn and sleepily looked around, her eyes slowly adjusting to the dark room. She spots Belle curled up on her side, her chest slowly rising and falling with the pattern of deep sleep that she, Snow, had yet to enjoy for weeks now. Nights seemed sleepless now for her and it didn't help her worsening condition and soon enough Belle would be on her own.

Snow's stomach growled for food, but she didn't feel hungry for some reason. Another growl came, this time a little louder. Time seemed to pause as she rotated her ear towards the sound, searching for its source. Her heart had started to beat faster and she let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

Outside the makeshift house she could the quiet footfall of a predator stalking its prey, circling the hut. Another low growl is heard from outside, much closer than it was before. Snow finally realized what was outside waiting for them. She quietly got up and crawled over to where Belle laid and gently shook her. "Belle...Belle get up we ne--" Snow was cut off as two large glowing yellow eyes looked up at her. Belle's soft fur suddenly became a hard word and collection of sticks and twigs.

Snow's heart now pounded in her chest with fear as she backed herself into a corner and what used to be Belle stood up and snarled at her. The growls outside grew louder and ear splitting cracks came from the walls as the wood started to cave in. In seconds a timber wolf burst through the wall of the hut, it's yellow eyes searching for Snow. It turned to face and and snarled in anger before creeping up on her, watching her.

Snow could only watch in horror now knowing she had met her fate. It was bound to happen sooner or later. Her heart was pounding hard, threatening to burst out of her chest and save her from being torn limb for limb by the creature in front of her. Finally the large timber wolf stopped, it waited, and leaped--

Snow shot up, fully awake and breathing heavily and frantically searching the hut, only to find it empty save for the few items tey still owned. She felt something shift and looked down to find Belle curled up next to her. Snow calmed and let a small smile cross her lips, the moment ruined by a clash of thunder causing Snow to jump and let out a yelp. Snow could now clearly hear the rain outside and realized she was dreaming.

"Mom?" Belle's groggy voice called, rubbing her eyes in attempt to wake herself. She looked up and met her mother's worried gaze. "You okay?"

Snow nods her head. "Yeah...I'm....I'm fine." she laid before laying back down, Belle snuggling into her again. Both mare close their eyes to go back to sleep. The sound of the rain slowly began to lull Snow back to sleep until she heard a crack. Her heart started to pound in her chest again.

The cracking came again, then again until it sounded like a tree was falling. Seconds later a large Everfree tree splits the small hut in half, leaving one side crushed and the other side with a large hole in the roof soaking both mare. Snow wanted to scream, never had expecting this but a lump in her throat prevented her from doing so. Belle had scrambled to her hooves, backing herself to the back wall trying avoid the onslaught of rain.

Snow continued to stare at the fallen tree, part of its trunk scorched black. Lighting lit the area up for a brief moment showing the destruction. Twigs and broken logs of what use to be the roof of their home were crushed, sharp ends sticking up and others laying on the ground, smashed to dust. The ground inside the home- or what was left of it- became muddy and slippery, large puddles of water already forming from the heavy downpour.

"Mom!" Belle's voice brought Snow's attention to her. Belle was huddled up in a corner trying to avoid the rain, fear filling her pleading eyes for escape from the rain.

"Come on sweet heart." Snow said calmly, lifting a wing up for Belle to take shelter under which she quickly darted to. Belle clung close to Snow, shivering from the cold rain. Snow began to lead Belle to the door- which had been spared the wrath of the tree by a stroke of luck- and outside where the flat area was flooded about half a leg deep, the small raised are the hut was built on just about to be taken over.

They began to trudge through the water, moving slow so not to splash and get themselves wetter than they were. By the time they had reached higher grounds in the thick part of the forest Snow was soaked to the bone and shivering violently and her breaths coming out shaky.

The mares let out sighs of relief when they got under the thick leaves, less rainfall reaching them and were able to navigate the forest with relative comfort. Snow wasn't sure but she figured the had passed by now sense the thunder was getting harder and harder to hear as they went. The minutes also seemed to pass by slowly, with Belle still shivering and some distance till they reached the border of the forest.

Unfortunately to Snow's dismay she could hear the rain starting ip again, though a lighter drizzle than before. They continued through the forest for what seemed like forever until they found the border. Snow was finally able to see the sky, the stars blocked out by the massive rain clouds as the rain drizzled downward. Snow continued towards town with Belle still plastered to her side and shivering, she lazily looked through the homes, each one with their lights out and the owners most likely asleep.

After a few rows of homes Snow was about to give up and chose a random home to seek refuge until noticed the lights in one house come on. They were dim and she probably would have missed them had she not looked in the direction. Snow rushed Belle over and peeked in the window where the lights were coming from.

Inside was the kitchen, the dim light produced by a fee candle sticks that sat on a slab of smooth marble countertops. The counter tops led to a stove with a kettle on it and a very tired looking light-chocolate brown colored stallion. His mane is a generic black an had green eyes. The stallion was lazily watching his kettle heat up, looking bored and probably about to fall asleep then and there.

Snow quickly moved to the door along with Belle and knocked on it a few times and waited. She could hear the sound of slow moving hooves on a hardwood floor before the door cracked open, the stallion peeking around the corner. "Can I help you?" he asked, obviously not happy from the sudden company at his door.

"May we come in?" Snow asked quietly. The stallion opened the door slightly more before his eyes shot open.

He swung the door open wide and stepped to the side. "Yeah, of course!" he stated finally realizing that it was two mares standing on his porch. Both Snow and Belle swiftly strode in to escape the rain, their wet coats dripping water onto the wood floor. Snow said a quick thank you before the stallion closed the door and rushed up stairs, only to come back moments later with a plethora of towels and blankets. "I'm sorry, it took me a moment to reali-"

"It's okay." Snow cut off the stallion in his apology, before taking a towel and wrapping it around Belle. "Thank you again."

"Yeah... it's not a problem really." he replied standing where he was, not entirely sure what to do. "Could i get you two some tea?" he offered stepping towards the kitchen. Snow had simply nodded before the stallion left him.

"He seems nice." Belle stated to her mother as she dried her off.

Snow let out a short sigh. "We're only staying tonight sweetie."

"But why? He's letting us stay."

"Because I said so!" Snow hissed back before drying off Belle's mane. "We're staying tonight only."

"Gee, someone's up tight, and I can dry myself off I'm not five!" Belle snatched the towel from Snow and glared at her. "If I were you I'd stay until we could get back on our own four hooves! This is your problem, mom. Stop being so arrogant!" Belle shot back as she finished drying herself off and wrapped herself in a wooly blanket, hopping onto the couch in the living room.

"I am not--" Snow cut herself off as the stallion came back with a tray balanced on his back. He set it down on the coffee table. "Not sure what you two like. There's sugar and honey there if you're interested." he said poring tea into each of the three cups. "My name's Hammer." Hammer offered a cup to Belle with a warm smile. Belle sheepishly took the cup and brought it close to her letting the heat warm her coat. "You are?"

"Belle." she replied before sipping at the tea.

Hammer smiled before turning Snow and offered her a cup as well. "Snowdrop." she replied looking at the cup of tea for a moment before taking it.

"Beautiful name." Hammer commented. "So, just out of curiosity why were you two out in the rain?"

Snow hesitated on her answer for a moment, looking down at the tea. "We were... are homeless..." she admitted, hopping Hammer wouldn't think any less of them. "We needed somewhere to stay for the night."

"You're her, aren't you?" Hammer realized after a moment.

Snow lifter her eyes to meet Hammer's then nodded. "Yeah, but I'd rather not talk about it." Snow hissed at Hammer. "I'd also like it if you wouldn't try poking your nose into our buisness!" Snow put the untouched tea back on the tray. "It's late, we should be going to bed."

Hammer sat there with an unfazed expression. "You're right. I'll show you where the huess room is." Hammer set his own cup on the tray along with Belle who hopped off the couch with the blanket still wrapped around her. Hammer led the mares upstairs and stopped in front of one of the doors. "Here you are, hopefully there's enough room."

Snow pushed past Hammer with Belle right behind her. "We'll be fine." Snow replied not bothering to look at Hammer. With out a word the door closed and Snow let out an exasperated sigh before climbing onto the bed.

Belle climbed in next to her a curled up. "You don't have to be so rude you know."

"We're not here to make friends Belle, now stop talking about it."

"You just can't accept we need his help. Or anyone's for that matter." Belle went on in a hushed voice.

Snow was growing furious. "We don't need his help!" she growled back before angrily laying down under the sheets. She missed the feeling of laying under them and being warm. It was a nice change. "We were fine on our own."

Outside the door Hammer had been listening and let out a sigh before trotting his own room for the night.
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