A start of a new beginning

Shield walked over the crest of a hill and saw the small town of ponyville. Butter Bun had been very quiet the entire time which he was glad for since he had nothing to calm a disgruntled filly. When he looked at her again and guessed she was a little more than a year old just near the tail end of the war did the father probably come back home. Putting it out of his mind he refused to try and piece together the reason this filly existed.

The snow was now a good foot deep and pulling the cart was becoming increasingly difficult but by what he was told his friend said if ever he needed a fresh start just come and he would provide it. He had sent a letter to him hoping he would get it before he arrived. He was told the mail here was sketchy at times. Arriving into town not many ponies were outside most choose to stay indoors. He walked through town with much difficulty until he saw a sign pointing in the direction of the farm he was headed to.

The Apple farm was covered in a thick blanket of snow as he walked under the arch going towards the home. It looked inviting enough with its rustic feel and homely allure. Arriving at his destination he unhitched himself and knocked on the door with his hoof. The door opened and he looked down slightly at an orange mare with freckles and a long yellow mane.

"Uuuh Hello there friend, can i help you?" she asked slightly turning her head unsure of the new pony.

"Is this the residence of Mackintosh?" he asked

"Yea Big Mac lives here." she said kind of stepping back.

"Hey Big Mac. There is somepony here for ya." she said getting his attention. Big Mac walked out from behind the wall. His scar along his neck and another over his eye, and looked at Shield and his face brightened.

"Shield is that you?" his voice hadn't change still the deep farm pony he had come to know.

"It is good to see you Big Mac." he said smiling his current predicament.

"Who is this Big Mac?" the orange mare asked. Big Mac invited him into the home and stepping into the home gave him a warm

rush of air that began to warm his face from the cold.

"Shield is a friend what served with me." Big Mac explained but didn't go into detail.

"Shield this here is my sister."  Big Mac introduced.

"Oh Apple Jack right? You always talked about your two sisters the other one was Apple Bloom right?"   Shield said as be began to take off his coat. That was when Butter Bun started to cry. Big Mac walked closer to get a look and saw the filly.

"Shield i never knew you to be a dad." he said raising his eyebrow.

"I am not her real father. he said but looked to Big Mac that explained he would tell him later. He turned to the coat rack and placed it on it then turned toward Big Mac showing his left side of his body, it had a long scar and no wing. Apple Jack looked at this and was shocked a one winged Pegasus. Shield looked at her to see her staring at his nub at where his wing once was. He wasn't the most cruel of stallions but he hated when people stared, he was just as capable as any other pony.

"Care to take a picture?" he said annoyed. Apple Jack looked at his face and shook her head slightly.

"I am sorry i didn mean to gawk." she apologized as he removed the filly from around his neck.

"Do you happen to have baby supplies?" he asked Big Mac.

"Yuup." he said going to the kitchen and rummaging around then came back with a bottle.

"I don't know if we have any formula its probably out of date. Apple Bloom is no baby anymore." he said chuckling Shield began to rock Butter Bun causing her to look sleepy again and he was glad for it. The door opened again letting in the cold air and a cream coated with a red man young mare walked in with an old green coated mare.

"Big Mac were home. why is there a cart..." Apple Bloom began to ask and stopped seeing Shield then her eyes went to his handicap then to the baby he held.

"Apple Bloom, Granny this is Shield." Big Mac introduced. Granny Smith walked over to him and squinted at him, then her eyes went wide and placed her hoof over his shoulder.

"Well welcome to Apple Acres sonny. Who's this we have here." she said looking at Butter Bun.

"Her name is Butter Bun." he said

"OOooh she is cute." she said smiling up at him

"It will be good to have another pair of hooves for bucking season. You sure you can keep up with Big Mac and Apple Jack. Buckin

is hard work." she pointed out.

"I will work hard for you to earn my keep." he said solidly. Big Mac walked beside him and placed a hoof on his shoulder.

"Let me show you where we'll be keepin ya." Big Mac said walking just ahead of him leading him to a shed out back. Openeing the door he took it in. The one room was simple with a wood stove to fight back the heat as well as cook on. A cot on the other side of the room as well as a single table with two chairs. It wasn't much but it was enough.

"Thanks Big Mac I owe you." he said putting Butter Bun down on the cot.

"Dont worry about it, you have saved me more than a hoof full of times Shield...if not for a few times i would not be here with my family." His voice caught in his throat as his composure seemed to collapse.

"It is hard. Shield how do you cope, with what we did what we endured." Big Mac asked sitting down as Shield had began to make a fire.

"Mac you and I have survived the war but we will be fighting it for a long time." a shadows seemed to go over Shields facial features.  Big Mac nodded.

"I cant talk to my family about it, i cant. They would be horrified at what i was ordered to do y'know. Apple Jack asks me and i dont have the heart to tell em." he said hie eyes brimming with tears. The stresses of conflict would ravage the mind as well as the body, many of his friends who survived the war ended up taking their own lives not being able to live on with what they had done and seen. Shield walked over to his friend and placed a hoof on his shoulder.

"All we can do is atone for what we have done by living and hoping that we will make something worth while." He said. Big Mac wiped his eyes and nodded. Shield sat across from him now and looked to him looking to change the subject.

"The filly i brought with me is...part changeling." Big Mac seemed to loose some of his red luster as his blood drained from his face.

"H-How? we..." Shield held up his hoof stopping him.

"I know but this filly is a hybrid of a changeling and a stallion...i save the mother before she succumbed to her injuries." he leaned back and stretched out his one wing.

"Never mind how but what drove you to take it!" Big Mac seemed frantic.

"My past." he said simply looking out of the window at the snow.

"Saving one will not absolve you or i of the." Big Mac began but Shield looked at him making him go quiet.

"I will never think myself absolved of anything. Big Mac if maybe i can look after her and raise her i might find some peace in myself. I think you know how i feel, living such a normal life makes me remember more then i care to." He sighed. Big Mac stood up and approached the filly making Shield stand ready to defend. Big Mac looked down at the black filly who opened up her eyes and looked up at him and reached up giggling as she smiled. Big Mac put his nose against the stomach of the filly making her giggle and grab a hold of his muzzle.

"I feel like this is suppose to be wrong... but it is simply right." he looked back at him.

"Shield..." he looked for the words.

"You can be an uncle." Shield chuckled putting his arm on his shoulder.

"Maybe this can be a new beginning for both of us." Big Mac said almost to himself but Shield nodded.

"That's what i hope as well my friend."