A gentle breeze blew through the trees, gingerly rustling their leaves. Birds soared through the air, gracefully swooping above the tree line. The sun was shining and everything seemed wonderful, at least to the cheerful, yellow pegasus.
Fluttershy trotted playfully through the forest, humming as she went. A worn wicker basket sat atop her back, filled with medical supplies. The young mare, in attempt to care for her animals, was out collecting herbs. Fluttershy, despite her lack of experience, was actually very knowledgable when it came to plants with healing properties, most likely due to her special talent. In order to be able to properly care for her woodland critters, Fluttershy had to be able to take care of them when they are sick or hurt. Without the money to use medicine, the pegasus resorted to herbs, among bandages and and other simple tools.
With hardly a care in the world, Fluttershy plucked the herbs she needed from the luscious forest. Moving along, Fluttershy came to a halt when a beautiful flower caught her eye. Upon closer inspection, the yellow mare noticed the flower was a beautiful teal with sleek, shimmery petals. The stem and leaves were a vibrant green, standing out among the dark, lush grass. Gently wrapping her mouth around the stem, Fluttershy clipped off the top of the blossom, gently dropping it into her hooves. Twirling it around, Fluttershy tucked the gorgeous bloom into her pastel mane, just behind her ear.
Continuing on her way, Fluttershy weaved between the trees, picking everything she needed. With her basket full and her mind content, Fluttershy began to head back to her cottage. Just before she turned around, a soft sound could be heard, carrying through the woods. Unable to deny her curiosity, the pale pegasus followed the sound, carefully stepping over the underbrush, as not to drown out the quiet whisper in the wind. Getting closer, Fluttershy could now pick out the gentle sobs of a young pony. A pony she soon recognized as Scootaloo.
Sitting down next to the young filly, Fluttershy laid a soft hoof on her shoulder, bringing Scootaloo away from her thoughts. Getting a closer look, Fluttershy could now tell that Scootaloo had dark bruises spotting her coat, a long gash across her forehoof, and feathers torn from her right wing. Without a word, the older mare let her wicker basket slide to the ground. She flipped the lid back, sorting through her supplies. Pulling out some various herbs and a bandage, Fluttershy set them on the ground. The kind mare gently pulled the sobbing filly's hoof from her body, pressing the herbs into the long gash that ran all the way up her forehoof. Scootaloo pulled back in pain, the leaves stinging in her cut.
"Shh..." Fluttershy whispered gently, hoping to sooth the hurting filly.
Satisfied with the herbs in the cut, Fluttershy picked up the roll of bandages in her mouth, inhaling the familiar scent of elasticon. Gently cradling Scootaloo's injured leg, Fluttershy wrapped up the cut tightly, hoping to stop the bleeding and keep out infection. Unable to do anything about the bruises, Fluttershy packed up her equipment, flipping the lid shut. Sitting back down next to the young Scootaloo, Fluttershy looked down into her eyes. They were filled with a dull, aching pain, rimmed white with a flash of fear.
"If I may ask, can I know how this happened?" Fluttershy asked, her voice soft and sweet, drifting through the air.
Scootaloo sniffled, looking up at the pale mare. She nodded slightly, wiping away her tears. Scootaloo swallowed hard, beginning her story.
"My-my parents did this. They always do. Once a week. Every week," Scootaloo replied, her voice shaking and breaking off at the end of her statements.
"Your parents beat you up like this?" Fluttershy asked, worried and frightened.
