The Life and Times of a West Hoof Cadet

My brother did his very best to be an absolute gentlecolt. Holding doors for Nimbus, straightening her cushion, and doing everything else in his power to win his way back into her good graces. Nimbus, for her part, seemed to enjoy the attention while pretending to be immune to his flattery. However, she was fair to him, occasionally giving him some small gesture to let him know to keep up the good work.

With the coming of summer, warmth and sunlight stretched to all corners of Canterlot and Equestria. Nimbus was firmly establishing herself as a member of the Kicker clan in all but law and blood. Unfortunately, this meant that she lost her “guest” status and no longer enjoyed Mom's expert preening, a privilege now reserved for Typhoon only.

As I said before, preening worked towards reaffirming social and familial bonds. Guests took prominence and were usually tended to by the head of the household. In this case, Mom. Typhoon could tend to whomever he pleased and it came as no surprise when he asked to preen me. As the elder sibling, I was usually seen to by Tornado, but he had chosen to see to Nimbus so I saw to him. Nimbus took my place at Mom's back. The entire group looked skewed and wrong somehow, but Kickers never let anything like that stop them.

Once chores and training were finished, we were granted leave to do as we please, which was usually nothing. Once spot in particular seemed to be a favorite by unspoken agreement, the far back corner of the compound. It was a small stand of trees, there of aesthetics mostly, that was large enough to give us room and secluded enough to give us privacy.

Typhoon and I wandered a short distance from Nimbus and Tornado. Finding a spot covered in soft pine needles, I lay down. He settled down next to me and immediately began to play with my ears.

I twisted my head away and nipped at him. “Cut that out.”

He grinned and began to nip at my mane, seizing a few strands and gently tugging. I placed a hoof against his withers and pushed him away.

“Typhoon, what's gotten into you?”

Unable to reach me with his head, he began to flick his tail at my flank. I had seen this, on occasion, when watching the younger fillies and colts. A colt would declare his interest in a filly by knocking her down, harassing her, and generally being a pain.

I noticed the way he kept shifting and, on one of these shifts, I caught a glimpse of something pink between his hind legs.

Sweet Celestia, he was horny.

“Put it away.” I growled, annoyed that he would try to pull such an uncouth stunt within spitting distance of my mother.

His ears fell back. “If you didn't want to play, why did we leave Nim and Tor?”

“Oh, I have no problem with playing,” I clarified, “but we will not be doing that here. Do you understand?”

He seemed to deflate. “Yeah.”

I giggled and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Don't look so glum, Bubby. Just because I said I didn't want to do it here, doesn't mean I don't want to do it.”

Typhoon rolled onto his back and wiggled about to rest his head against my flank. “Wind, do you think we could ever have foals?”

The turn of subject startled me. I had never given the idea of having foals much thought. I was fully-focused on my career and I had to be if I stood any hope of making it through West Hoof. That's not to say I didn't want foals, some part in the back of my mind reminded me of how much fun I had playing with my little cousins and the various foals that passed through the compound throughout the years. I knew raising children, especially Kickers, was difficult work and I couldn't handle anything more.

“I don't know.” I replied, honestly. “I suppose, maybe someday, when things aren't so hectic in my life, but that might not be for a long time.”

“I've always wanted little ponies I could raise in the image of Shadow.”

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. The Shadovar took the legendary stoicism of Shadow Kicker entirely too far. While I admired my ancestor for her logic and loyalty, I knew she had far more flaws than her cult gave her credit for. I had read about the Rebellion and her role in it and knew that Shadow was far from perfect. History glossed over the mare's vices and embellished her virtues.

“If you want.”

He rolled to look up at me. “You don't agree?”

I had to choose my next words carefully. As a direct descendent of Shadow, I had been placed on a pedestal by Typhoon. If I spoke ill of his idol, I risked damaging his beliefs. That was something I didn't want to do, despite the fact that I disagreed with him on many points. “While I respect her in many ways,” I began, “I think that she was anything but flawless.”

“But the fact that she worked past these flaws to achieve greatness makes her all the more worthy of our admiration.”

And a debate was on the horizon. Ty was studying Theology and Philosophy and knew how to counter my arguments, if only by doing the verbal equivalent of sticking his hooves in his ears. Every point I could conceivably come up with, he had a counterpoint ready and waiting. An intellectual debate would devolve into a shouting match as surely as water was wet. I had to think of something to distract him.

He had recently bought a hat, more because he thought it made him look roguish and enigmatic than to actually keep the sun from his eyes. I rolled over and snatched the accessory from his head. “Mine!”

Success. He immediately rolled to his hooves and tried to retrieve the garment. “Wind, give it back!”

I shot up and flipped it onto my own head. “You want it? Come and get it.” I taunted, turning and trotting away from him, keeping my steps small. There was a thundering behind me and I looked to find Ty charging. I had the advantage of being lighter and more agile, able to twist away from him faster than a thought. He chased me as I wove between trees, doing my best to keep his attention.

“C'mon, big boy. Can't catch me!”

“Wind, seriously.”

“You must not want it that bad. You don't seem to be putting that much effort into it.”

I burst through the brush to find my brother and Nimbus. I thought they had been too quiet and, now, I saw why. He had her pinned on her back and was currently tongue-wrestling her.

“Nice to see the two of you have made up.” I chirped as I galloped a circle around them. Startled, Nimbus suddenly closed her mouth, biting Tornado. He squealed and jumped back, only to be clobbered as Typhoon tried to leap over him. Both stallions tumbled across the ground before Ty disentangled himself and continued pursuit. Laughing, I poured on the speed, ducking my head to streamline my body.

Suddenly, I felt his fore hooves wrap around my hind legs as the momentum swung me around. My hooves were yanked out from under me and I hit the ground hard. I took the hat from my head and held it under a hoof, keeping my body between it and Typhoon.

He clambered over my back, pinning me to make sure I didn't take off again. “Wind, give it back.”

“No,” I giggled. “Mine!”

He bit my ear and pulled at my head, trying to move it to give him a shot at his prize. “Gimme,” he growled through gritted teeth.

When it became apparent that I had no intention of returning his hat, he released my ear and settled his weight.

“Ty, what are you doing?”

His wingtips brushed along my flanks, slowly and gently at first, but building speed gradually. I sucked in a gasp and began to laugh as Typhoon tickled me. I strained against his bulk and my hooves scrabbled in the dirt, but I could not move. Twisting and pushing, I tried to escape but he held me fast. I twisted and tried to bite at his wings. However, I could not reach them. Finally, I kicked away the hat. With his prize within his grasp, he released me and rushed to seize it before I recovered. I rolled over and fought for breath as I watched as he took up the garment and dusted it off with a shake of his head. He returned it to his head and, with a hoof, lowered it to hide an eye. He was, once again, going for the roguish approach. The incorrigible stallion who broke hearts and made foals, but, because the hat was filthy and crushed, he just looked silly.

I stepped towards him. “Take that thing off.” I said softly, “You look ridiculous.” I took the hat in my teeth and pulled it off, tossing it to the ground. We leaned closer together, staring into each others eyes. Slowly, he began to lean toward me. My heart began to flutter and I found it hard to breathe. I felt hot and sick. I wanted to puke, but this was my first kiss. I would not be sick on Typhoon Season.

“Aww, aren't they adorable?”

Immediately, I backed away, shooting a murderous glare at Nimbus and Tornado. Typhoon lost his balance and fell to the dirt.

Tor draped a wing over Nimbus' back. “A truly beautiful moment. Typhoon, if you break her heart, I'll break your legs.”

“Duly noted.” Typhoon replied from the ground, his voice somewhat muffled from the dirt.

A shrill whistle sounded from across the compound. Mom was calling and it was urgent. Tornado and I shared a look before taking to wing, flying as fast as we could for the house with Nimbus and Typhoon on our tails.

Mom was waiting when we landed, a scroll tucked beneath her wing. Without waiting for us to catch our breath, she offered the scroll to me. I took it and, noticing it was a direct correspondence from Instructor Line, wasted no time in opening it.

Nimbus, ever nosy, leaned in to read past my neck. “What's it say?”

“Apparently, your sister's been spotted,” I responded, “in Freeport.”

Freeport. A hive of scum and villainy. It was a haven to those who had run afoul of Equestrian law. It made sense that Skyy Gust would seek refuge there.

“Did they get her?” I could hear the note of hope in her voice.

I shook my head. “The guard was about to apprehend her when she fled with a few others. They searched the inn that she'd been staying in and found some information.”

“What kind of information?”

“It doesn't say. Just a warning from Line to keep our ears up and to remember that they'll be increasing the security at the school with checkpoints and random screenings.”

“Horseapples.” Nimbus muttered, turning away.

“You're telling me.” Tornado growled. “How are we going to sneak booze onto campus now?”

A low growl caused him to look up. Mom's glare burned into his soul.

His ears fell back. “Oops.”