Falling Backwards

The sun did not shine but instead glowed from around a sky of gentle gray clouds. Its light shimmered on the snow but nothing sparkled in that beautiful winter way. Only around the corner of one's vision could the little flakes be seen glistening, and only near a warm little cottage, with all its warm candle lights, could the ice be seen shining. The morning was cold, with just a few winter birds singing their songs to the empty forest. The rabbits and foxes burrowed through the snow, searching for the last berries and nuts. Occasionally, a squirrel would chatter triumphantly as he unearthed an acorn but that would be his last victory of the day. He would scoot up a tree with his loot and hide out in a barren, hollow branch.

A small wind dusted a fine layer of snow into the air, rattling through the leaf-less forest. With every gust, more snow dusted the trees and the creatures. My hooves kicking up flakes did not help matters, either.

I trudged through the thick blanket coating the forest. The cold seeped through my boots but it did not penetrate my thick coat, or the warm little scarf bundled around my chin. With a covered basket clamped firmly beneath my wing, I trekked on. The clouds above seemed to follow me every yard. Every so often, the day would grow dreary and the clouds would threaten snow but they never worked up the nerve to follow through. I paused and gave them a small encouraging smile but only a few flakes drifted about before they lost the will. And so the day went on, my slow trudge through the snow and the sky's reluctance for any change.

The first tree I stopped at was a large applewood. I dropped the saddlebags from my waist and the basket from my wing and rummaged through them, drawing out a small pile of nuts. It was a meager supply, but it would get the young squirrel family by for another week. Leaving the pile with them, I gathered my things back up and moved on. After a few more families, I found a little bunny den. The babies were steadfast asleep, but the momma was wide awake. She looked up at me with large, sad eyes before nosing a particularly tiny infant. After leaving the bowl of leaves, I settled down to watch the two. Despite momma's best efforts, the bunny would not respond. Its eyes were closed. Forever.

A small tear pricked my eye and I reached it, gently whispering and stroking the momma. She squeaked up at me and I scooped the infant away, tucking it into the lidded basket. Appologizing thoroughly, I left the mother to mourn and watch over the rest.

A good many yards away was a twisted old tree. Its roots struck up from the tough, icy ground. Across its wide, flat trunk was a little divot, making a miniature cave-like space. Holed up inside was a fox and her four little cubs. They nursed hungrily at her thin belly while she stared off into the forest, eyes blank and fearful. I paused beside her hole and took a deep breath, opening my basket. Inside was the worst sight a pony could possibly ask for. A collection of preserved meats, along with a little stillborn bunny. I took a deep, steadying breath and upturned the basket, letting the sad mixture topple at the foxhole entrance. The momma's nose began to twitch and she lifted herself away from the babies, pawing carefully toward the pile before ravenously biting at it. I sat beside the hungry animal and stroked her fur, closing my eyes to the carnage.

The hardest lesson I ever had to learn was when I faced an owl in the woods. It swooped down silently through the trees of my new home and in its horrid little talons, it scooped up a helpless young mouse. I had just bought my cottage and trotted through the forest, meeting all the wonderful new creatures when it happened. A happy little mouse was wrenched up into the sky by a vicious killer. I cried out and I chased the bird. I made it give up the mouse and I kept it close from then on. I knew birds liked seeds, so that's what I always gave it. The next winter, the creature died. Nothing I did could save it, it had starved. Owls were carnivorous, as were the snakes it tried to eat, and foxes and cats. I had vowed to help and protect all animals, so the idea of taking one's life seemed horrid, evil. But my kindness to the mouse was what killed the owl. I had to learn that sometimes, for another creature's safety, something had to be given up.

With my bag and basket properly emptied, I gathered them in my hooves and took flight, brushing the clouds above that still hung indecisively around the sky. My cottage was only a short ways off now but by the time I made it home, I was shivering.

The world was coated in ice. Beautiful heavy flakes in piles up to a pony's knees. Or, a certain tan pony's knees to be exact. He walked across the short bridge along the driveway, pushing through the snow piles. He slowly made his way to the front door when I finally arrived. "Caramel?" He turned just in time to see me shrug away the saddlebags.

"Hey, li'l filly." His sweet voice dripped like honey, practically melting the snow around me. His sky blue eyes sparkled brighter than snow in the sun and his brown hair waved gently in the wind. Three perfect metal horseshoes sat evenly on his flank, not that I was looking, of course. Color flushed to my cheeks and I bowed my head.

"Oh, h-hello Caramel." I cast my gaze anywhere except his handsome, smiling face. "What brings you here?"

"My psychic connection told me there was a disturbance in the force." He raised his chin, brow dropped seriously. I took a step back, heart skipping a beat. Disturbance?

"Oh gosh, is anypony hurt? Are the deer okay?" I turned frantically toward the meadow.

"No, wait," He chuckled, "Your mom stopped by the shop and told me you needed some help."

"Oh... Oh, she did, did she?" A smirk grew on my face. Of course she had, the silly filly.

"Yeah, something about a dirty flue?"

I laughed quietly and bowed my head. "Ah, w-well, uhm..." Long, thin strands of hair breezed across my vision. Caramel stood there for a while longer, looking me over expectantly.

"Are you gonna invite me in?"

"Well, thank you, Caramel, but... I can always clean it out."

"Don't be silly, I'd be happy to help."

Of course. I swallowed hard, heart beating in my ears. "I really do need to take care of Angel, though. He doesn't like the winter."

Caramel smiled softly and put a hoof on the door. Light from the many warm candles inside was spilling out into the day, lighting the driveway around us and putting a faint yellow tinge on the world. Above me, Caramel's brilliantly blue eyes glistened. "Come on, Fluttershy. I'll help take care of the chimney. Then I'll be out of your hair, I promise." With a hoof on the handle, he continued to wait for an invitation. Mine, of course.

My ears drooped slightly and I kicked at the snow. "O-Okay, if you insist." The wind kicked up and swept my scarf out from around me. I reached out to snag it but the breeze caught it first. The beautiful pink cloth flew away and down the road. "Oh no, Rarity's scarf!" I galloped after it, with the stallion at my side. On down the road it went until just at the meadow. I stopped short. There was the pretty little fabric, clenched firmly in a strikingly familiar red stallion's teeth. He gazed up the road, half a smile on his face.

"Thank goodness, right?" My companion laughed. He started down the hill after the newcomer, a friendly smile on his face. I watched after him.

"Yeah, thank goodness." It was a long while before I took another step. By that time, the two of them had already met.

"Sun Blaze," The newcomer offered the scarf. "This yours?"

"No, it's my friend Fluttershy's." He took it back and shook Blaze's hand. "I'm Caramel."

Blaze's eyes focused on me and never let go. "Fluttershy!" I walked calmly toward them, looking the pony over. He looked no different. The same messy, unkempt mane, the same bloodshot orange eyes, the same deep bags under his eyes. The same brand whiskey hanging from his saddlebag, which was the only winter apparel he wore. The stallion stumbled toward me and grasped my shoulders in a hug. "I'm so glad to see you've finally come 'round. Good to be away from the wicked queen, eh?" He clapped my back with a loud chuckle.

"You know Flutters?"

There was a long pause as Sun Blaze turned to the third. He raised a brow before plastering on a smile. "Well of course. I'm her big ol' daddy!" Another one hoofed hug that nearly knocked me off my hooves. "And who're you?"

"Caramel, sir." He offered a hoof, like a gentlepony. Blaze merely looked it over.

"You two buckin'?" A wave of heat struck my face. I scrambled back, brow furrowing. Blaze merely shrugged. "Honest question, so answer it, bucko."

Caramel's face was a proper crimson, though not as hot as mine. "N-no, sir. We're just friends."

"Then make your move already, kid. Let me tell you something, Caramel, right?" The pony in question nodded mutely. "Interesting name." Blaze sat in the snow. "You're father named you, didn't he?"

"What?"

My ears dropped. "Blaze," I warned.

"Now hold on. I got this picture of your mom, see. She's as round as a beach ball and she starts getting these cravings. So she's stuffing her face just full of little caramel candies. And she's getting it all over the house and her fur when she goes into labor. And it gets on the doctor and, and, on little baby. So she thinks, hey, Caramel!"

The sky chose that moment to work up the courage to snow. Heavy, delicate flakes drifted down from the sky. They caught the wind and kicked up across the meadow. a fine layer began to build atop the ice and fence and trees. Wind rattled through the forest and tossed the fresh flakes back up from where they came. A few weather pegasi flew by and the skies darkened behind them. In the distance, a rumble of thunder rolled through the clouds and shook another downpour from the shy grey clouds. For several long minutes, that was the only sound to be heard.

"We'd better be going." I suddenly burst. Both stallions suddenly looked to me and I shrank away. "I really do have to tend to Angel and Blaze has to unpack. Right?" Please let him say yes!

"Yeah, I guess." Blaze snatched his new pal's hoof and shook it thoroughly. "It's been a real pleasure to meet you, young colt." He gave a wide, yellow toothed grin. "Seriously though, if you don't catch a good filly now, you may never get the chance. Just know, I've got my eye on you."

Caramel put on the best smile he could, glancing toward me for half a second, before trotting quickly down the road.

Back to the cottage, Angel was waiting beside the door. He thumped his foot impatiently as I settled my bags and things in their usual places. Sun Blaze dropped his in the middle of the living room and trotted about. I settled for a moment on the couch and watched him, frowning.

"What's with all the birdhouses?"

"I have a lot of birds around the forest who have troubles finding good nests. They're about as numerous as the bunnies but they're really territorial. I keep homes for some of the nicer ones who can't find a nice home."

Blaze nodded a few times before moving into the other room. I followed him.

Not as much furniture decorated this room. Instead, a million animal beds and cages littered the place. It was well organized, from doggy dens to bunny pens and the like. Everything was spacious and clean. All the way in one corner, a giant brown mass was hunkered down. Blaze looked around at all the sleeping pets before coming to the giant fuzzball. He peered at it for a long while before rearing back.

"Good Goddess, it's a bear!" He zipped back toward the door. "Fluttershy, what th-"

"Shh!" I put a hoof to my lips and eased the door shut. The little kitty flap at the bottom clicked. "That's Harry. He's hibernating, so keep your voice down."

"B-but, it's a bear! That thing'll-"

I raised a hoof to silence him. "Harry is very kind. He sleeps here every winter, don't worry. He mostly eats berries in the winter, so that's what I feed him." A candle nearby popped and I glanced back. The clock behind it had struck one. That meant another round through the forest and then the meadow. I sighed and turned back to the red stallion, who continued to stare fearfully at the door. Beyond him, the snow was once again beginning to pile along the windowsills. The animals would have to hunker down for the day, then, but the deer...

"So, you're gonna need the grand tour." I stamped a hoof, drawing his attention back to me. "Let's see what we can do about that."

Blaze glanced between me and the door and whistled shortly. He shrugged and trotted toward his bag, withdrawing a long necked amber bottle. "Ah, the tours can wait for tomorrow." The cap popped with one swift bite and he took a long swig. "I haven't seen you in a while, let's catch up." After one more minute-long gulp, he settled onto the couch with a satisfied burp. "Where's the tv?"

"I don't have one."

"That's what I have beer for, then." He belched and laughed. I hovered there for a full minute, watching him. The old pony slouched on the couch, bottle poised on his belly. Swallow after swallow, it was not long before half the bottle was depleted. He looked at it somberly. "Where's your fridge? I have a few more I'd like to keep cold."

Seconds ticked before finally, I sighed. "You can leave them outside in the snow." My nose scrunched and I pivoted toward the stairs. "There are pots by the fireplace, food's in the pantry. Unpack, get settled. I'll bring down some sheets." I stared away before he could object. Not that he tried.

I stared into the linen closet longer than necessary. The towels and bed sheets mocked me from inside. Strange, inaudible jeers that circled ruthlessly in my head. Pinning my ears, I snatched a blanket and slammed the door (really, just gently closing it). Sun Blaze was just one stallion. This was just one month. I could do this. He was a changed pony. I could handle this... Right?