Howdy ya'll. My names Applejack and I'm here to tell ya how Ah dealt with my beloved dogs death, Winona.She was the best lil' dog Ah ever saw, let alone have. She helped me with everything. Farming, herding...absolutely everything she could help with. It all started early one morning and on mah day off go figure. Applebloom came in and woke me up, shaking me hard. Ah rolled over and looked at her with sleepy eyes. Ah blinked a couple times and sat up, my blankets falling to the floor. It was way to early for me ta be up. My head was really fuzzy like it always was in the morning.
"Applejack! Ah can't find Winona! Big Mac left the door open and Ah think Winona got out!" Applebloom said to me, while grabbing something from my dresser. Ah couldn't tell what it was, cause my eyes were still full of sleep.
"Wha...?" Ah asked, slowly standing up. My legs felt a lot like apple jello...It was harvest this past week and me and Mac were tryin' really heard to get the harvest done for cider season.
"Winona is missing and Ah need ya to help me find er'!"Ah could hear what she was sayin' a bit better now. Ah rose from the bed, walked to my bathroom. Ah turned on the faucet and splashed some nice cold water over my face to help me wake up. After that, Ah quickly took the towel and dried my face. When Ah looked at myself in the mirror, my eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. Did Ah really look like this in the morning? Ah sighed and walked over to my dresser, and placed my stetson on my head. I yawned again and walked out the door.
The crisp morning air felt good, but still not better than my bed. Ah could hear the birds chirping and the other animals in the barn all waking up. It made me wonder how birds always seemed so...cheerful. Specially' in the mornin'. Ah tapped Applebloom on the shoulder and she turned ta me with a frown.
"What's going on again?" Ah asked one more time now awake. She sighed and explained to me again how Big mac left this morning and left the door open and now she can't find Winona. She had almost started tearin' up as she finnished. Ah felt bad for her. Winona was probably just out playing with the little critters. Ah put my hoof on her shoulder and looked at her with firm but sensitive eyes.
"Look lil' sis, we'll find her. Ya look that way, " Ah said pointing to the east, "and Ah will look this way." Ah said pointing to the west. She nodded and ran off shouting her name. Ah started off in the opposite direction. Ah called out her name once in a while keeping an eye out for her. The orchard always looked so bare after harvest season. Ah took in the sent of it all...the leaves, the apple sent...all of it. After about 30 minuets of searching Ah turned around and headed back, still no sight of her.
Ah just thought maybe Applebloom found her. When Ah made it back to the farm, Ah saw Applebloom sittin' on a bale of hay, wearing a frown.
"Hey Applebloom did ya find her?" Ah called out to her as Ah neared. Ah doubted it but Ah asked anyways.
"Naw I didn't see her anywhere." She replied. "Should we go out again? And look for her again?" She asked sitting up from the hay bale. She sounded very desperate.
"Sure, you go north and Ah'll go south." Ah said before heading off, her heading opposite of me. Again, Ah called out for Winona once or twice while lookin' for her. As Ah was walking Ah saw a bush shaking. "Winona?" Ah called. She didn't come out. Ah whistled. Winona always came to that. The bush shook a little and a bunny popped out, lookin' at me with it's innocent little eyes. Ah sighed and continued searching and after about 30 minuets Ah turned around and met Applebloom back at the farm after finding nothing once again.
"Ah didn't find her." Applebloom called out to me.
"Me neither." Ah replied. "Let's go to the humane society." Ah said. Applebloom nodded and ran off towards the place, me following her. The whole time on our way there, we were searching and looking out for Winona. We passed many ponies and asked if they had seen her but they all said no. Applebloom had started to fear Winona got hit but Ah wasn't sure yet. When we arrived we had seen none of Winona and nopony else had seen her. We walked inside and a bell chimed over our heads, letting an employee know somepony was at the door. We looked around seein' various toys and leashes and food. Ya could see some animals in the back.
An employee looked over at us while talking to another customer. She smiled and gave us the 'one sec' sign. We waited for a few minuets before she said goodbye to the customer and came over to us.
"Hi, and welcome to the Ponyville Humane Society. How can I help you? Are you looking to adopt?" She asked very cheerfully.
"Uh, no Ma'me. My dog went missing this mornin' and Ah can't find her. We think she got out of the house when my brother left the door open." Ah said calmly, but kindly.
"Okay if you would like, we can show you to all the missing dogs and see if you find her." She offered still smiling
"That would be lovely, thank ya kindly." Ah responded. Ah looked down at Applebloom who smiled for the first time since this mornin'.
"Okay then ladies, please follow me." She said before turning around and down a hallway. After passing through a door we stepped into a room with many dogs. "Okay ladies you can go look around for your dog now." The employee said before walking away. Me and Applebloom started looking for her, searching up and down many isles. We saw many dogs, barking and playing with each other and toys. One even looked almost exactly like Winona. We met up at the front of the room and both found nothing.
We returned to the front and told an employee that we didn't find our dog. They told us to fill out some paper work. They handed me the paperwork and a pen. Ah didn't know what exactly what the paperwork was for but Ah filled it out anyways. By now it was noon and Big Mac should've been home. Just before Ah was done filling out the paperwork, a mare came running into the building, ringing the bell. Ah think she was looking for somepony. She spotted me and galloped over to me.
"Are...you...*gasp*...Applejack?" The mare asked me clearly out of breath.
"Uh...yes Ah am." Ah answered my hopes rising. Maybe she fond Winona!
"I...think...I found...your...*gasp*...dog..." She gasped.
"Really?!" Ah asked my hopes now really high. Ah looked at Applebloom who wore a huge smile on her face. Ah guess we were thinking the same thing. The mare came up to me and whispered into my ear, "I think she got hit...I'm so sorry..." Ah stepped back in shock. Applebloom got worried and started crying, fearing what that mare said.
"A-Ah...w-where?" Ah asked as sternly as possible tryin' not to let a tear fall down my cheek. She gestured for us to follow and walked out the door.
As we walked, Ah thought about what happened. Who could've hit her? Were they not paying attention? Ah was so mad...and sad at the same time. But there was a spark of hope. Maybe the dog wasn't Winona...just maybe...We walked for about 4 miles before we stopped. Applebloom had been silently crying the whole way.
"I think it's your dog about a quarter mile from here." As Ah looked around, Ah noticed that this road was right next to the farm. Ah turned to the mare.
"Thank ya kindly Ma'me. Do ya happen to know who hit my dog?" Ah asked. Applebloom tugged at my forehoof.
"Applejack, we don't know if it's Winona or not." She said with teary eyes and a quivering voice. Ah sighed. Applebloom was right.
"Do ya know who hit the dog?" Ah asked again.
"No I don't...I'm terribly sorry." She said before walking off. Ah looked at Applebloom.
"Go back to the farm and grab Macintosh. You stay at the house." Ah instructed. She nodded and ran off to the house. This gave me a few minuets to think. Ah was 99% sure this dog was Winona. Ah sighed and sat down on the dirt. Ah finally let a tear fall from my eye. It quickly was removed as Ah saw Big Mac nearing. When he reached me he bent his head down in shame. And from exhaustion probably.
"Ah'm really sorry sis'..." He apologized. It was a sincere apology. Ah could here it in his voice. And Ah know he didn't mean to leave the door open. But that didn't make me any less upset.
"Ah know...it was an accident...let's go..." Ah said before Ah started down the road, Big Mac following behind me. We walked in complete silence. In truth...Ah was scared...really scared. Ah didn't know if this here dog down this road was Winona or not. If it was Winona...I didn't know what the hay I'd do. If it was...how bad was it? Did she get hit in the face, in the side, from behind? Ah didn't know and that killed me. Part of me wanted to rush ahead and see fer sure if this dog was Winona, but part of me wanted to just go home and wait for Winona to come back. But if this dog really was her...she would never come back...
As we walked Ah felt the cool breeze playing with my mane, making the individual strands dance around. Ah kinda zoned out...Ah heard the wind whispering in my ears...Ah felt it playing with my hair...Ah felt the dry dirt under my hooves...swaying in the wind...Ah heard the trees autumn leaves Ah just walked forward...not even thinking. The sun shone brightly down on me making me sweat a little. Before Ah knew it...there she was...Ah knew it was her...the brown and white fur...the red collar...
Ah couldn't take it...Ah rushed ahead to see her. As soon as Ah reached her...Ah froze...one side of her face was smashed in...with blood everywhere...her tongue stuck out of her mouth...Ah knelt down and grabbed her in my two front hooves. Her eyes were closed...Big Mac finally made it over and put a hoof on my shoulder...I couldn't help it...a single tear slowly slipped down my muzzle, escaping it's prison. The warm tear stung my cheek. Another tear fell. And another...soon Ah was openly sobbing holding Winona close to me.
Ah rapped my arms around the lil' dog and held her tight to my chest. Mac pulled me into a hug and held me tight. He didn't shed a single tear that Ah know of. After a few minuets, Ah slowly stood up and began walking home...Winona on my back...Again Ah zoned out. I looked forward and nowhere but forward. Ah wasn't even thinking, Ah just...walked. When we made it home Applebloom was out front with her friends, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. They were all in a tight embrace. Ah think Ah felt another tear roll down my cheek.
Applebloom looked up and burst into tears when she saw Winona on my back. She ran into the house and into a room. Her bedroom Ah'm guessin'. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo followed right after. Me and Mac went to the creek by out home. Winona loved to play here. Especially in summer. Heck, she would sometimes play in the creek in the winter. Ah placed her down by the bank and sat next to her, just petting her fur.
Big Mac went to the shed a couple hundred feet away and grabbed a shovel. When he returned, he immediately began to shovel a hole, just big enough for the lil' dog. It took about an hour. Ah just sat there petting her beautiful fur. Not carin' bout nothin'. The breeze continued to play with my mane and now Winona's fur. The leaves of the trees swayed in the breeze. Applebloom came out with her friends just as Big Mac finished the hole. Applebloom's eyes were red, clearly from crying. Her friends hugged her and patted her on the back. She came to me and hugged me. Ah gladly returned the hug.
"Ah'm sorry fir not askin' if Sweetie Belle and Scoots could come over...Ah just really needed some friends to comfort me..." She whisper into my ear holdin' back tears.
"Aww Sugercube...ya'll can have friends over anytime ya want..." Ah whispered back. We held the embrace a little while longer, and Ah didn't want to let go...she made me feel warm...and happy in this sad time. But eventually we had to let go...Applebloom knelt down to Winona's cold, empty body. She just sat there...petting her. Ah joined my sis and began petting Winona with her. Her body was cold...very cold. And very empty...the chill of her body combined with the breeze sent shiver through my spine.
Ah shut my eyes real tight and just emptied my mind...Ah didn't think at all. A single tear slowly rolled down my cheek, onto my muzzle, and off the edge of my muzzle. The warm tear felt good against my cold skin. The tear landed right on Winona's face, and rolled off her muzzle. Ah looked up to see Applebloom openly sobbing, with Big Mac comforting her. Even him...the strongest pony in Ponyville...was cryin' a bit. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were still here...jus watchin'. After bout'...thirty minuets or somethin, Ah stood up.
"Ya'll...it's time..." Ah said to Mac and AB. They both stood up and Mac grabbed Winona, carrying her to her grave.
"Wait!" Applebloom shouted before runnin' to the shed. Ah could hear some clatterin' and banging and some stuff falling from inside the shed. She soon returned with two pieces of wood, and a nail and hammer. Ah knew exactly what she was gonna do. She placed one piece on top of the other, making it look like a cross. She then nailed em' together with the hammer. She was havin' a hard time hammerin' the nail into the wood, so Ah helped her. soon we had it finished. She the hammered it into the ground in the side where Winona's head was gonna be.
"That's...real sweet...sugercube..." Ah barely choked out, with tears threatenin' to come out. Big Mac slowly and gently place the lil' dog into the hole. Takin' the shovel, he began to place the dirt over Winona's body. Applebloom couldn't take it anymore and ran inside and into her room again. Her friends followed her. Ah stepped closer to the grave.
"She was...right there..." Ah mumbled.
"Uhh...what's that sis'?" Big Mac asked me still shoveling dirt onto her.
"She was like...not even a quarter mile away..." A said barely above a whisper. But Mac heard it.
"T'aint yer fault sis'. Ya know that. If it's anypony's fault...it'd be mine." He replied.
"Ah'm so stupid..." Ah said again.
"No ya ain't." He disagreed with me.
After he was done placin' the dirt he set down the shovel and as he walked pass me he whispered to me, "T'aint yer fault. Ya ain't stupid." before walkin' inside. But that didn't help...Ah felt stupid...She was right there and Ah didn't see her...not once...Ah laid down on the dirt right over her and whispered to her, "Ah'm...so...so sorry..."
Author's Note
This is my second story so any constructive criticism is welcome and I hope you enjoyed!
