The Mare and the Wolf

Departure

That night, a certain wolf slept uneasily, thinking about an orange cowmare. To him, looks of fear and disdain were not strange. They came with being the kind of creature that all fillies and colts think will gobble them up. Hatred, on the other paw, was something he didn't come across so very often.

"Why?" he kept asking himself. No trivial motives could justify that look she gave him.

The sun rose. For Winter's surprise, Fluttershy was already up when he opened his eyes.

"You're up early." He said, jokingly. "Or did I oversleep?"

"Oh no, I just felt like getting up a little early today." She explained, and started picking the ingredients for the wolf's meal and her own.

When it was ready, she sat next to him and placed the plate on the couch. Usually, he would eat the meal with three or four bites, but his mood only allowed him to nibble at the colorful breakfast.

"Hum…is something wrong? You don't like it?" asked Fluttershy, noticing his lack of appetite. The wolf realized he was being rude, so was quick to answer.

"No, no, it's really good." He said nervously before taking a usual bite, but went back shortly after. "Hey Fluttershy…"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes of course." a worried tone in her voice.

"Why does your friend hate wolves so much?" the Pegasus lowered her head, and threw a poorly faked smile.

"Oh…she doesn't hate them, she's just under stress. I mean, she works a lot."

Winter looked her straight in the eyes, not to scare her, but to make her see this wasn't a casual question.

"Please don't lie to me Fluttershy."

The pegasus looked down to her own plate, defeated, and let out a sigh.

"Well…I can't speak for her but…It might be because of the incident."

"Incident?"

"Y-yes. It happened two years ago, I wasn't there, and Applejack never talks about it, but…from what Big Mac told us, it must have been terrible. In the Autumn, s-something horrible happened in Applejack's farm, t-there was growling, screams, and gunfire. A-And when I got there…" her words were being interrupted by a growing sob "Applejack was p-passed out…later, when I asked her if she was all right, s-she just s-s-said "She's gone, that bas…"" Fluttershy couldn't said the word "G-Granny Smi...w-was on the ground, there was so m-much b-b-bl..." Fluttershy couldn't continue, and drop to the floor, crying at the memory of her friend's suffering.

Winter rushed to her side to comfort her, putting a paw on her back "it's okay, it's okay. You don't have to say anything else." The gesture seemed too whittle the tears down a bit

"I'm sorry I made you remember that."

The wolf didn't need to hear any more of it, while he didn't know who this Granny something was, he knew it must have been someone close to the orange mare, and who had caused the incident, or at least the kind he or she belonged to. It was clear now.

"No wonder she treats me like this." He thought to himself. After a few seconds, Winter got up and put on a happier face "Come on now, show me a smile. I don't like to see a girl crying, you know."

Fluttershy wiped her tears with a hoof, and gave a small giggle. After they finished eating, she took off the bandages from his wounds, they had healed very nicely, and the fur was already covering most of them.

"Nice, I can go back to the forest."

"Yes…b-but…" the sobbing returned "I g-guess this is goodbye…r-right?"

Winter gave a short laugh, sometimes the pegasus's sensibility was just too adorable. He lifted her chin with a paw.

"You silly filly! You really think I could live with myself if I just left like that? You know I'll visit."

"Y-you promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." He promised, imitating Applejack's gestures from days before. The wolf didn't know the dire consequences of breaking a Pinkie Promise, but he had no intention of breaking it anyway.

"Although your coltfriend will probably get jealous if I come by too often." He joked.

Fluttershy blushed fiercely, her face got almost as red as a certain apple bucking stallion's coat.

"W-What… nonono, I don't have a coltfriend."

Winter arched a brow "No way! Not even a crush? You need to get out more."

"W-well, there's…" her words tailed off, she was simply too embarrassed to continue.

"Don't worry, you don't have to tell me. But I hope one of you makes a move." The wolf turned to the Everfree Forest and started walking "A nice pony like you deserves it." he said to himself.

His yellow friend waved a hoof until he was out of sight ad turned back inside the cottage, which was now refilled with bunnies, birds and mice.

A particular white bunny was looking at her like he was saying "What were you thinking getting him here?"