Into the Blue

by Sky Wishes 7266

Rating: everyone
Tags: Anthro, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Comedy, Romance, Fluttershy, Adventure
Length: 6135

Caden Hart, Georgia farm boy, is going to take a midnight adventure that just might change his life forever.

Caden Hart is a blonde haired, farm boy from rural Georgia. His life isn't the easiest to put up with. He's always wanted to turn is life around and do something he actually wants to do. One night, he discovers a mysterious, blue light in the middle of the woods that takes him to a world that could give him that change. It also offers a new chapter in his life.

This is my first story, so constructive (notice constructive) criticism is appreciated.

Published 2014-01-04 09:20:03 UTC
Last updated 2014-03-12 04:44:15 UTC

Chapter 1: The Strange Encounter

OK, I'll level with you. I'm not the most trustworthy person in the world. I've done stupid things and told many lies about them. I'm not expecting you to believe me when I say that I live in a world of people not like you and I. They're sorta, well, they're kinda. Uh! This is impossible to explain! OK, let's try this again. They're like....half pony and half human. Crazy, huh. Yeah that's what I thought until I met the girl of my dreams. I'd always wanted to turn my life around and do something I actually enjoy, so when I met her, my life was complete. Here's my story:

5 years earlier

It was a night unlike any other. The weatherman had called for a massive storm during the night. I had turned off the TV and started to bed. I lived in an old farmhouse in rural Georgia. It had been a harsh day. I had to get up early to feed the chickens, milk the cows, shovel hay, put the cows out to pasture, sheer the sheep, and go out to the cotton field and pick cotton. I didn't make a lot of money in a month. $75 a month if I was lucky. After all the mooing and clucking and baaing, I was ready to pull my blonde hair out. I just wanted some peace and quiet. But was that going to happen? Nope.

The wind was howling. Dead trees were creaking and hitting against the window from the mighty blows. The moon was full and emitted an eerie glow through the sheer curtains. I tossed and turned in my bed, willing sleep to come to me.

In my dreams, I was in a meadow at night. Everywhere I turned I heard twigs breaking. From the west side of the field came a howl. I then heard it from the east, north, and south sides. The howling continued for several minutes. From somewhere off to my left came a scratching sound......WAIT! I'm in a meadow. The only thing around is grass. I popped open one of my eyes and heard the scratching again. I figured my German Shepard, Bolt was the culprit.

I finally got up and threw on my save Derpy shirt and a pair of jeans, put my worn out, red sneakers on and my favorite blue jean jacket. I went to the back door and whistled for Bolt to come inside. I waited for a few minutes, still whistling for Bolt. When I didn't hear my German Shepard's paw steps approach, I walked out until I found his crouching form.

I bent down to pat his head and reassure him. He had his ears laid back with his mouth twisted up in a snarl. He growled into the darkness. I stood up and looked into the direction he was growling. I didn't see anything except a blue light. At first I thought someone had called the police in the middle of the night. I had paranoid neighbors living across the road. They called the police about everything.

As I walked toward the light, it grew more intense, glowing brighter and brighter. I had to shield my eyes from the blinding light. Bolt padded up to my side, continuing to growl. I rubbed him behind the ears, to which he responded with a satisfied moan. I stepped closer and closer and closer still. It was hard to identify what exactly the light was. I wasn't flashing like a police car's and it wasn't a porch light.

As I looked back I realized how far I had walked from the front door, across the yard, and into the deep woods. The wind was blowing something fierce. I pulled my hood over my head and turned my attention back to the light. I was closer to it than I had thought.

I looked at the curious, blue light. I circled around it once, twice, three times. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen. It had many noticeable layers. The middle was a lighter shade of blue while the outer reaches were a darker blue. If I concentrated hard enough, I could see it swirling. Curious, I stretched out my hand. I couldn't believe what I was seeing! My hand disappeared into where I inserted it. I looked down at Bolt while he stared up at me with an inquisitive look.

I walked towards the light, Bolt right behind me. Once I stepped through the light, everything went black.

Author's Note

Wow. So he has major problems. Who would want a life like that where you hate everything you do. We will see how his mood progresses throughout the story!

Chapter 2: Consciousness....I Think.

3rd Person POV

"Huh? Ow, what happened?" Caden asked rhetorically. "I feel like I've been run over by a bulldozer." Caden tried to stand only to fall to the ground. Something weird must've happened when he walked through that light. He sat up and looked around to serve his surroundings. Somehow, he'd landed in a luscious, green meadow covered in brightly colored flowers. Next to him, Bolt yawned and stretched his legs. After the dog had stretched, he padded over to Caden and gave him a big, we kiss on his face. Caden laughed and wiped the slobber off on his jacket.

Caden tried once again to make it to his feet. His knees were so shaky. With success, he stretched, taking in all of the scenery.

Suddenly, Bolt was alert. He was crouched down with his ears pricked growling into a clump of bushes nearby. Caden walked over to Bolt and gave him a comforting pat on the head. With Bolt calm, Caden peered into the bushes. At first he had to strain his eyes to see anything. The he saw a glimpse of yellow.

"Hello?" Caden called into the bushes. Nothing. He pushed branches aside getting stuck with thorns and coming closer to the spot of yellow. When he finally pulled back the last branch, he revealed a girl. While she was female, he noticed she wasn't completely human.

She had fur all over, wings, a tail like a horse, and the biggest, most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen. He and the girl stared into each other's eyes until Caden held a hand out towards her. "Why don't you come out of there?" he asked. She replied with a look of uncertainty. "Hey, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm Caden. May I ask you what your name is?" She shrunk back for a second before timidly taking his hand and standing up.

She whispered something inaudible.

"What?"

She said it again but a little louder.

"I'm sorry, but I can't understand you."

She finally spoke up and said, "I'm Fluttershy."

He extended his hand for a handshake. Fluttershy took it and slowly shook hands. "Where am I?" Caden asked.

"You're in Equestria." Fluttershy answered quietly.

"Equestria? Why does that sound familiar?" Caden thought. While unconscious, his memory must've gone fuzzy. Then it clicked.

Equestria was the name of the kingdom in the MLP:FIM series. It was where the Mane 6 fought the darkness with the Elements of Harmony. That's why Fluttershy seemed so familiar. Caden thought, "Duh moment!".

After his sudden spark of realization, he began to take notice of Fluttershy's appearance.

She wore a light yellow sundress with her cutie mark sown onto the skirt. Her pink mane covered on of her big, sparkling eyes. In her hand she carried a straw basket of freshly picked vegetables and flowers. She kept looking at the ground uncomfortably as Caden realized he was staring.

The sun beat down on the two individuals standing in silence. Beads of sweat poured down Caden's face. Bolt sat by Caden's feet panting. Caden swayed on his feet, then fell. He was out cold.

Panicking, Fluttershy went for help. She barely knew him but she wasn't going to let him just lie there. She had to do something.

Author's Note

Wow! Caden has passed out twice and it's only the second chapter. You'd think that after he walked through a strange, blue light that he would stay awake for a few chapters. NOPE!

Chapter 3: Answers

Caden's POV

"Huh? Where am I?" I thought, "Whoa, deja vu." My vision was blurry. I had to blink like 20 times until it finally cleared.

When my vision returned, I took in my surroundings. I was lying on a couch in a living room filled with various species of plants. I turned my head and instantly held it in pain. Someone had wrapped a white bandage around my head.

I swung my feet off of the side of the couch. Immediately I heard a chattering. I looked down and noticed a small white bunny staring back at me with a scowl. Apparently I put my foot down on his tail.

"Whoops, sorry!" I apologized. I carefully stood up, testing the strength of my legs. I wasn't going down like the first time. I've spent enough time on the ground as it is. Once I was sure that my legs could support my weight, I took a good look around.

Pictures and bookshelves lined the walls. I staggered over to a gold mirror to examine my head wound. In the center of the bandage was a large red stain. My head was bleeding.(Duh) I turned away from the mirror and went over to a shelf and scanned the titles. Ponypedia and Horseshoes Weekly were among the thousands of titles. I changed my attention to the walls, looking at all of the pictures.

One caught my eye. I faltered toward a beautifully framed picture. In the picture were 6 girls. One wore a white blouse and a checkered shirt with a pencil behind her ear. I guessed that she was Twilight Sparkle, most prized student to Princess Celestia. The next one wore a royal purple dress with three sky blue diamonds sewn onto the skirt. I recognized her as Rarity. There was Rainbow Dash dressed in track shorts and a rainbow tank top, Pinkie Pie(Do I really have to explain her outfit?), and Applejack dressed in a buffalo print shirt, blue jeans with the bottoms rolled up, and her Stetson. The last one was unmistakably Fluttershy. She wore a light pink top and a darker yellow skirt with her cutie mark sewn onto the skirt. her big, blue eyes were sparkling in the sun.

All of a sudden I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. I turned around to find Fluttershy staring at me. She said with a sigh, "It's good to see that you're awake."

"Yeah, I'm feeling better. Thanks." I responded. There was a long pause before either one of use said anything. To end the awkwardness, I spoke up and asked, "What happened, why do I have a bandage wrapped around my head, and how did I get here?" It was while before she answered.

"I ran to get help when you suddenly collapsed. I asked my friend Big MacIntosh to help me carry you back to my house. You landed on a rock and hit your head when you fell. You've been asleep for 2 hours. Did that answer all of your questions?"

"Yeah. Wow!" was all I could say. I was out for 2 hours. Then I suddenly remembered Bolt. "Did my dog follow us here?!"

"Yes. He's out back playing. I gave him some food and water and a place to sleep while he waited for you to wake up." she answered.

I took a sigh of relief. Bolt was OK and that's all that mattered.

Outside, Bolt was playing with Fluttershy's animals. Angel wasn't too thrilled with the new addition to the yard. Bolt, carefree as always, was chasing a butterfly when he heard a rustle in the bushes. A pair of glowing red eyes stared back at him. Bolt let out a deep growl and laid his ears back.

Inside, Fluttershy had made a pot of tea, and she and Caden sat down to chat.

"So." we said together. Fluttershy giggled. I just sat there staring at her.

"Uh, more tea?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks." I said. She lifted the pot towards my cup.

Then there was a loud barking that without a doubt was Bolt. I jumped up and ran out the door with Fluttershy on my heels. What I saw was something I'll never forget.

Author's Note

Lots of awkward staring going on between these two. What could be hiding in the bushes behind Fluttershy's house and will Bolt be ready for it? We shall see.

Chapter 4: Help

Fluttershy's POV

When Caden opened the door, we stood in shock. Our mouths dropped and I was frozen in my tracks. Caden was subtly turning a bright shade of red and almost steaming from frustration. A few feet from the back stoop was Bolt on the ground wrestling a timber wolf! Caden ran out to Bolt screaming at the top of his lungs and flailing his arms wildly.

The wolf had Bolt pinned to the ground by his shoulders. Both Bolt and the wolf were growling. I noticed some nasty scratches and some blood. The only problem is that I couldn't tell if the blood was the wolf's or Bolt's.

Bolt was trying to kick the timber wolf off of himself, but was too weak. The dog was snapping at the wolf's muzzle trying to distract him, so he could escape. With no luck, he started to struggle. Sadly he couldn't shake the beast off. Luckily, Caden wasn't too far from the two wrestling animals.

As Caden grew closer the wolf changed his stance, still pinning Bolt, and looked at him with his beady red eyes. Caden grabbed a stick and swung at the timber wolf. The wolf eased off of the dog and I thought the fight was over. I figured that wolf would leave peacefully. Then the timber wolf turned on Caden. The oak canine stepped away from Bolt, letting him roll away from danger, and inched towards Caden slowly. Though all of this, the only thing I could do was stand in the doorway in fear.

Caden and the wolf squared off at each other. The beast growled and Caden gripped his branch like a sword. It was like a duel between two suitors for the hand of a lady. The wolf lunged at Caden, but missed. Caden suddenly had an look that told me that he had an idea. Without hesitation, Caden ran as fast as he could, leading the wolf away from the hurt dog. He sped around the corner of the house with the wolf in hot pursuit. For a few short minutes all you could here were the growls and heavy pants of the wolf and Caden's loud footsteps on the gravel.

I eased from my place on the stoop, after taking a moment to make sure the coast was clear, and rushed out to Bolt. He whimpered and tried standing only to fall to the ground. I frantically searched his body for major scratches and open wounds. I noticed that he had a deep gash in his shoulder and some minor scratches on his face. I didn't see any broken bones, but that didn't mean they weren't there.

I went back into the house. I raced up the stairs, into the bathroom, and got a towel, some hot water, and some bandages. I carefully walked to the back door, so as not to spill the water, walked back to Bolt, and got to work.

I treated the worst looking wound first. It was oozing blood from where I guessed the timber wolf grabbed him. I soaked the towel in the water and pressed it against the gash. Bolt whined at first from the stinging, but soon relaxed. The scratches didn't look too bad but I washed them off just to be sure, and finished dressing his shoulder by wrapping bandages around his bad shoulder. I examined his body for broken bones, and, thankfully, didn't find any. When I was finished, he struggled to stand up.

"Bolt you can't get up just yet." I laid him back down. He looked up at me with his big puppy dog eyes. "Aw, you poor thing. You've been through a lot today." I gave him a good petting and then moved him inside. He wasn't too heavy, but I was out of breath when he was finally inside. I placed him on a comfortable dog bed and fixed him some food and water.

I went to the living room, patiently waiting for Caden to come back. Surely he wouldn't be stupid enough to get himself killed. Timber wolves are vicious. They are capable of terrible things. Tearing limbs. Inflicting paralyzing injuries.

Putting these thoughts aside, I went to care for the other animals that called my home their home. I filled food and water bowls, checked litter boxes for my feline friends, and check on those who were hurt or sick.

With my chores(Although I never called them that.) out of the way, I returned to the living room. I didn't see Caden. I went into the kitchen, upstairs, and out in the backyard thinking maybe he happened to sneak past me. After checking, there still was no sign of Caden. I began to grow worried.

I hurried over to the coat rack and put on my jacket. I was going out to look for Caden. I told Angel to look after the house for me while I was gone and barreled out the door. I barely knew Caden, but I wasn't about to let him get killed. I had to find him.

Author's Note

Poor Bolt. At least Fluttershy is an expert on animals and how to take care of them. Yay!! :) And Fluttershy is showing us some courage. Good for her.

Chapter 5: When Wolves Attack

Caden's POV during Chapter 4's events

When I opened to door, I didn't expect to find my dog on the ground wrestling a timber wolf!!! The wolf was twice the size of Bolt. I'd never heard Bolt whimper like he was. He was usually calm.

The wolf had Bolt on his back, pinning him by his shoulders. Bolt and the wolf were both growling. Bolt was trying to kick the off of himself, but the wolf was a bit stronger than he was. My canine companion was snapping at the wolf's muzzle, planning to escape. When his previous attempt failed, he tried shaking him off, with no results.

As soon as I snapped out of my state of shock, I leaped out the door and started screaming threats and at the wolf. Still pinning Bolt, he turned to stare at me. His beady red eyes were piercing my soul, but I didn't let that distract me, especially since my best friend was in trouble. I grabbed a stick and swung it at the wolf. He took several small steps towards me. He got far enough away from Bolt that he could get out of danger. The wolf and I circled at each other, looking for the right time to attack. He lunged towards me, but fell short.

Suddenly I had a brilliant idea. I was going to lead the wolf away from the house and into the woods. Hopefully he would lose interest and leave.

I turned tail and ran as fast as my legs could take me. I ran around the corner of the house with the wolf trailing. My feet hit the hard gravel and I was gone. I made a b-line for the thick underbrush of the Everfree Forest.

As I ran, I was hit constantly in the face by low branches. While barreling through the forest, my clothes were ripped to shreds. I tripped over a couple of tree roots, but I continued on with the wolf right behind me. After what felt like hours, I came to the edge of a large meadow. It just so happened that this was the meadow in which Fluttershy and I first met. I ran to the bushes where she was hiding and hunkered down.

I was breathing hard, but I soon heard sniffing and knew the wolf was close to me. I covered my mouth and sat absolutely still. I'm glad that I was down wind so that my scent wouldn't carry. A sudden wind change carried my scent towards the wolf. He doubled back behind me and jumped out of the bushes in front of me. I was quick and rolled out of the way. He missed and landed where I had been. I tackled the wolf and we rolled out of the bushes and into the open. I had dropped my stick, but I snatched it up and started whacking the wolf over the back.

Well. What was I supposed to do? I didn't have a weapon on me. The wolf howled out in pain as I made another attempt to whack him. He had learned my strategy and bounced out of the way. He sunk his teeth into my ankle causing me to fall to the ground. Yes, I was back on the ground.

He locked his claws into my shoulder, similar to the way he did to Bolt. I was determined not to let this beast have me for lunch, so I took the sharp end of the stick and plunged it into its back. It gave a final howl and fell limp on top of me. Finally, it was over.

I wiggled out from underneath the body and made sure I wasn't badly hurt. I didn't have any broken bones, but I'd sprained my ankle when I tripped on the tree roots. Other than that, I had a deep scratch on my ankle and one on my shoulder.

Then I heard rustling in the bushes. I grabbed the stick and got ready for an attack. I figured other wolves had heard the howl from the now dead wolf and came rushing. The rustling grew louder. I inched towards the bushes, ready to defend myself. Then, I heard a little "ouch" come from the bushes and out walked Fluttershy.

She had on her jacket and boots, and she was covered in thorns. When she saw the stick, she froze. I quickly dropped the stick and ran, or hobbled, to her as fast as I could and pulled her in for a hug. She didn't resist and hugged me back. I heard her weeping. I broke the embrace and looked at her. Her big, beautiful eyes were welling up with tears.

"Hey. What's wrong?" I asked.

" I thought you got yourself killed." she said with a sniffle.

"I'm tough as nails. It would take more than that to kill me." I responded, trying to sound heroic. The truth is, I was scared to death, but I didn't want her to know.

She giggled and wiped a tear that escaped, making its way down her face. I grimaced as I shifted my weight from my bad ankle to my other one.

She then noticed and started making a big deal out of it. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry. I didn't even notice that you're hurt."

"It's ok." I told her. I started to hobble back into the woods.

"Oh. Let me help you. Here put your arm over my shoulder." she said.

I did as I was told and draped my arm over her shoulder. She placed her wing and arm around my arm to support me. We walked back into the woods, and I told her of the fight. We walked, well I limped, and she was hanging onto every word.

Author's Note

I know that the chapters are short and I'm sorry. In all fairness, it is my first story. Hopefully as I get older I will get better. But a lot will happen soon. I promise. :pinkiehappy:

Chapter 6: Moments

Caden's POV

When we got back into the cottage, Fluttershy and I were bombarded by animals. Birds alighted on our shoulders and squirrels and chipmunks crawled up my legs. The only animal that I didn't see was Bolt. "Bolt, come here boy!" I called out. I heard something rustling in the kitchen. It was a few minutes before anything appeared, but then out came Bolt just as happy as ever. His tail was wagging a mile a minute. It was as if everything he'd been through today had never happened. I noticed his bandages and the dressing on his minor scratches. I knew Fluttershy had done it and for that I was grateful. I turned to look at the mare and little tears streamed down my face. I wasn't sad but quite the opposite.

"Thank you. It means a lot to me that you would help Bolt like that when I couldn't. He's more than just a pet to me, he's my best friend. Is there some way I can repay you?"

"Yes, actually there is." she replied with a grin. I looked at her confused and she said, "You can sit down and let me take care of your injuries. I don't just help animals." I sat down on the couch while she went upstairs and brought everything she needed, sat down, and went to work. She started by cleaning up the worst looking scratches. She then moved on to the bite on my ankle. The water stung for a while and the pressure she was applying was a little too much, but I didn't want to say anything that would hurt her feelings. Besides, she's the one that knows how to keep me from bleeding to death.

When she was finished, she stood up and told me to lay down for a bit. I was thankful for the chance to lay down and shut my eyes. I tried to squeeze them as tight as they could go. I hadn't planned on dreaming any, but that didn't stop it from happening.

In my dreams, Fluttershy was in the clutches of a timber wolf ten times the size of the one I fought today. I charged in the help, but I ran right through it. I could hear Fluttershy's shrieks of despair. It was horrible. I was watching the timid girl who saved my life twice being attacked and I couldn't help her. I watched as she went limp in his paws. When I saw her like that, I didn't know what to think. I didn't know if she was dead or fainted. I let out an earsplitting yell, trying to wake her up. And that's when I woke up.

Fluttershy's POV

After I got Caden home, I set him down on the couch and dressed all his wounds. I told him to lay down and rest while I went to the kitchen to make dinner. I led Bolt back into the kitchen with me so he wouldn't disturb Caden while he slept. He followed me over to his bed and laid down. Before I went to the stove to begin, I filled his food and water bowls.

With Bolt in his bed with fresh water and a full bowl of food, I went to work making dinner. I was going to make some soup to try and shake of the chill from outside. I hoped that it would also help make Caden as comfortable as possible. The water was boiling and I was cutting up the vegetables and putting them in the pot when I heard a scream come from the living room.

I dropped the carrot I was peeling and ran to the doorway, knocking into everything as I went. My dress got snagged on the cabinet door which slowed me down a bit. I fumbled with it for a while before freeing myself and continuing to rush to the door. I had finally made it to the door way. I found Caden sitting up screaming, so I rushed over to him in a panic.

"CADEN!!!! Are you ok? I heard you screaming all the way in the kitchen." He looked at me. Without warning he pulled me in for an aggressive hug. "What's wrong!?" I asked with a mixture of alarm and confusion.

"I.....I had a dream that you either were killed by a timber wolf or fainted. Either way, the thought of that happening to you just scared me." he said shaken up.

"Hey, that won't happen. Not as long as you're here. You are too good a friend to let that happen." That really wasn't the whole truth. I thought that if I told Caden the real truth, that it would ruin our friendship.

We sat for at least 5 minutes, and I could tell that Caden was holding in his tears, trying to make sure that I wouldn't see.

"Well......I think I'll try to get some sleep." he said finally, and I took that as a hint. It had been a long day and he needed his rest. I slowly backed out of the living room and turned towards the kitchen.

Then I heard a loud, high pitched sound. It was the smoke alarm, and I remembered the soup I had been making. The sound caused Caden's eye to pop open and him to sit up straight.

"It's ok. It's just dinner burning." He closed his eyes and laid back down while I rushed into the kitchen and turned the stove off. Smoke filled the entire kitchen. Bolt's ears were perked and his head cocked.

"It's ok, Bolt." I said through coughs. I opened a window and used my wings to air out the kitchen as best I could. Apparently, the soup started to boil over into the scorching hot eye and it started to burn. I turned the dial to the eye I was using off and poured the soup down the drain. What little flame there was, I put out with a few cups of water.

With dinner destroyed and smoke in the kitchen, it was all I could do to make myself look presentable again. I had thorns all over me with cobwebs in my hair and twigs sticking out of weird places. I went up to the shower, ran the hot water, climbed in, and washed my hair. When I got out, the mirror was clouded with fog. I didn't know how long I'd been in, but I really didn't care. I put my night gown on and combed my hair.

When I went back downstairs towards the kitchen, I didn't see Caden laying on the couch. Terror struck me. I spent 10 minutes looking all over the house looking for him. With every room turning out negative, I stepped out the front door. Surely he couldn't have gotten far. Right?

Author's Note

Sorry about the short chapters and the huge wait. Family issues. Anywho I hope you liked the chapter, but if you didn't I'm sorry. I promise though that more action will happen.

Chapter 7: A Young Boy's Strength

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." ~Nelson Mandela 1918-2013

Fluttershy's POV

I had just come down the stairs from the shower to try and fix dinner again when I noticed that Caden wasn't on the couch. I knew he couldn't have gone far because of the condition his ankle was in. I ran back upstairs thinking maybe he snuck up there while I was in the shower. I checked the guest bedroom, my bedroom, and the bathroom.

With negative results, I ran back downstairs. I checked the animal room, where most of the food bowls are, and the kitchen. When I reached the kitchen, I looked over at where Bolt was supposed to be laying. The bed was empty, as were the food and water bowls. I don't even see how Bolt would've been able to move with the injuries he received. I figured the only other place they could be was outside.

I ran to the front door thinking that Caden couldn't sleep, so he went for a walk. I flung the door open and ran out. I looked down the path, but I couldn't see Caden or Bolt. Maybe he's in the backyard. I slammed the door shut and ran back into the kitchen where the door to the backyard was. I slung it opened and took a sigh of relief.

There Caden and Bolt laying down in the grass watching the clouds. Every time Caden pointed out a cloud, Bolt would yip with delight. I stood in the doorway giggling then decided to join them.

I went and laid between Caden and Bolt and just laid there enjoying their company. After a little while, Caden said without looking at me," My dad and I used to do this when I was seven. We'd go to my favorite meadow and watch the clouds roll by like we didn't have a care in the world. He'd point out clouds and asked me what I saw. I told him and we'd lay in the grass laughing together. Those were the good days. But one day, he was called to deploy over to Afghanistan to help strengthen the front lines. He was there for seven months. I missed him each and every day and prayed that he would come back to me safely, so we could do what we used to do together. During his eighth month in Afghanistan, we received a call from a close friend of his who went with him. He told us that his group had been ambushed by the enemy. He said that my dad fought like a true soldier. I'd never realized how precious my time with him had been until that day. "

" I'm so sorry." was all I managed to say.

" My life was never the same. I'd wake up every morning hoping that if I walked down the stairs that my mom and dad would be sitting at the kitchen table sharing a pot of coffee. I'd hoped that he would see me and give me the kind of hug a father gives. My dreams never came true. My mom fell into a sense of despair and abandonment. I tried to stay strong for her. One day she just couldn't go on a sent me to live with my grandparents until she could get her life back on track and bring me home. That happened about 11 years ago. She never came back. I was given the farm when my grandparents moved to a retirement home together. I'd take care of the animals, tend the fields, and go to the farmer's market to sell my goods to get by. I'd always dreamed of going to a different place to forget the past and start fresh. The day I came here was night time in my world. I was scared of what I might find when I came here. But I'm glad I came. If I didn't, I wouldn't have made a friend as great as you, Fluttershy." He finally finished and continued to stare up at the sky.

I heard his voice start to crack as he began to say something more. I didn't want him to have to say anything else that would upset me and him. He'd already been through so much. During his story, I couldn't help, but feel his pain. I couldn't believe that a guy like him could have been were he had gone.

I wrapped my arms around him. He's story really shook me way down deep.

We spent the rest of the daylight hours, enjoying the peacefulness of the backyard. All the while I was thinking of what Caden had told me. I never wanted him to go through anything like that ever again. I cared.

Author's Note

Ok. Granted that this chapter is really short, I think I make up for it with the power and emotion I feel I put into this. I was nearly brought to tears while writing.

I have an army dad. He was deployed twice to Iraq. I would lay awake at night thinking of what might happen. This chapter tells exactly what I felt all those nights.

This chapter gives a glimpse into Caden's past, and those days he spent with his dad.

I hope that you all feel the emotion I feel, and stay tuned for the next chapter.

Your author,
~Sky Wishes