Author's Note
So here's another short story written between the hours of 12-3 AM. Ain't insomnia a peach? 
Anyway, it's probably not very well polished, and could use some editing, so feel free to leave some feedback for me. I would absolutely love to hear why You either liked or disliked the story and what you would recommend for some much needed editing.
It Takes Trust
“H-hello?” the small voice cried out. “Is there anypony there?” Silence. She trembled, not a single sound could be picked out from her surroundings, not even an animal passing by. The lack of sound had drawn itself out to the point that the silence in the forest had almost become deafening. “Hello…” the filly whimpered. How long had she been waiting now? The sun was going down, and the shadows of the trees threatened to swallow her up as the shrill autumn breeze chilled the young filly to the bone.
That previous morning…
“Rosalina! It’s time to get ready for school!” Mrs. Weatherby shouted up the stairs. “You too, Willow Wick! Get a move on!” she could swear that those kids took more after their father than herself. She was a farm-pony at birth, sleeping in was never an option, least of all on a school morning. She finished preparing her children’s sack lunches in time for her husband to peck her on the lips before trotting to work for the day.
“Come on, you two! I said move it!” Mrs. Weatherby shouted up the stairs again. “Don’t make me come on up there!” this time a muffled shout responded indignantly, but at least one of them was up. She turned her attention to the kitchen table where she set out breakfast for her sleepy children, a wide smile upon her face.
“Momma! Momma!” shouted a little filly as she trotted awkwardly down the stairs.
“Yes, Rosalina dear, what is it?” Mrs. Weatherby smiled lovingly down at her youngest daughter.
“I can’t get my dress tied up good in the back!” Rosalina pouted. “I been trying all morning to do it myself, but I just can’t.” Mrs. Weatherby chuckled at the sight of her youngest daughter. She truly admired Rosalina’s enthusiasm for independance, but she wasn’t so good at all of it yet. She was only a kindergartener as it were.
“You silly filly, you got your dress on inside out!” Mrs. Weatherby laughed. “Come on over here now, let your Momma help ya out.” She motioned for Rosalina to come over and sit. It didn’t take long to have Rosalina dressed properly for school and have her hair done up for the day.
“Goodness gracious, Rosie. I swear, you are just the cutest little filly around, you know that?” Mrs. Weatherby said as she fussed over the little filly’s pigtails. Rosalina giggled and blushed.
“No way, Momma, you’re way prettier.” Rosie squeaked in her little voice. Mrs. Weatherby’s heart melted, and she pulled her daughter into a tight hug.
“You are just too sweet today! I love you, dear.” She said and released the filly from the hug, putting her up onto her stool for breakfast.
“Gee, Mom. Wish you treated any of the rest of us that good.” Chimed in an agitated voice.
“Oh! Willow!” Mrs. Weatherby jumped. “I didn’t hear you come down the stairs. Are you hungry?” she asked, offering Willow Wick a bowl of fresh diced fruit.
“Ugh, gosh Mom! For the millionth time, I’m on an all leaf diet! Remember?! Only lettuces and spinaches!” Willow gagged at the fruit as she pulled leftover salad from the fridge.
“Oh, uh, right… For your cheerleading thing. I’m sorry, Willow, but you know, that kind of diet isn’t really good for you. You need other kinds of nutrients in your body to stay healthy.” Mrs. Weatherby insisted worriedly.
“Uh-huh, yeah. And fat.” Willow scoffed and took another mouthful of her breakfast.
“Fat? Willow Wick, you are not fat. You don’t need to be losing weight right now, you’re fine as you are! If not actually a little thin now.” huffed the mother. “And besides, just look at little Rosalina here, she’s had fruit every day this week and she’s not fat!” Rosalina had stopped eating at this point, listening anxiously to the argument.
“Rosalina this, Rosalina that!” Willow shouted at her mother. “Why does everything have to revolve around her!”
“Willow Wick!” Mrs. Weatherby lashed. “She’s much younger than you are! And don’t talk like that when she’s sitting right there! She’s needs extra care because she’s not able to take care of herself yet. ” Willow shrunk back as her mother yelled. “And that’s not all, little missy. She just so happens to adore you. It’s about darn time you started remembering that she’s your little sister, and that you love each other.”
“Yeah, fine, whatever.” She said, tears welling in her eyes. With a sigh, Mrs. Weatherby pulled her eldest daughter into a hug.
“Your father and I love you too, Willow. Don’t ever forget that. When she’s old enough to take better care of herself, things will get easier. I promise.” She blinked back her own tears and let her daughter go. Glancing at the clock, he jumped. “Oh goodness, you’re running late… Here, you two, take your lunches and coats and get yourselves to class.” Mrs. Weatherby sniffed.
The children did as they were told and went out the door. “Keep track of each other, don’t get lost!” Mrs. Weatherby shouted from the doorstep. She watched until her children were out of sight, before returning to her kitchen with a sigh. She worried that her relationship with Willow was deteriorating, but what could she do? With a young one still in need of help and a household to cook and clean for, it wasn’t so easy…
Willow muttered to herself as she and her sister walked to school. It was totally unfair. Why was it that when her parents weren’t paying attention to the brat, it was her job to watch over her? Since when was little Rosie so much better than herself?
She was pretty too, and she could be funny and smart. And she was a fantastic cheerleader… The best in her class, in fact. She suddenly felt her hoof sink into mud as she accidentally stepped into a puddle in the road left by the previous night’s rain. Willow stopped and stared down at the puddle. The reflection staring back at her was a little gaunt, but not unhealthy… Was it?
Suddenly another face poked it’s reflection into view. Rosalina. “Why’d you stop, Willow?” asked the filly.
“Oh no reason, just looking at this puddle.” Willow said in a spacey tone. Her attention was drawn to her sister’s face. It was much like her own in a way, before her diet at least. Soft features, and green eyes beneath bangs of rosy red hair. They even had the same light creamy-orange coat color…
Her mother was right though. Rosalina was adorable, and when she got older, she’d probably be beautiful too. Not just beautiful, but gorgeous! Far more gorgeous than herself… this was a problem to Willow. She would always be out-shined by her baby sister. Her parents loved Rosalina more, her whole family loved Rosalina more, and soon enough the colts would love her more. Everyone. Everyone would love her... But was that really wrong?
“Oh… Well come on, slowpoke! We’re gonna be late for school.” Rosie giggled and galloped off towards the schoolhouse. Willow did follow, even picked up her pace a little. But she brooded internally, she needed to think things through.
That afternoon…
“How was your day, Rosie?” Willow asked brightly as she picked up her sister from class. The kindergartener smiled excitedly and put on her coat and saddlebags.
“It was so great, Willow!” she said. “Are you happier now than you were this morning?” Rosie asked curiously.
“Much. I’ve taken some time to think about things... I think I’ll be a lot happier from here on out.” Willow smiled, and Rosie brightened up greatly. “So what did you to today in school?”
“Today, Mrs. Buckleberry taught us how to make cupcakes, and we even got to frost them! And after Music period, we had an Autumn Harvest party! There was apples, and pumpkin bread, and the cupcakes from before, and punch, and-“
“Oh-okay, I get it.” Willow said through a somewhat gritted smile. “Did you have fun then?” she asked as she led her sister out of the building.
“Oh, yes!” Rosie exclaimed, “I can’t wait to go back tomorrow. We’re gonna make paintings about the first Zap Apple harvest that we’ll take home and everything!” she began to bounce excitedly around and continue on about all her plans for the painting and the following day.
But Willow wasn’t really listening, she’d tuned out fairly early in. But the longer her sister was distracted, and well, happy, the better. She let her ramble as their walked their usual route. They soon came to the crossroads where they ordinarily went straight in order to get home. But not today, Willow decided. Today they were going to take a fun detour.
“Hey, Rosie!” Willow smiled, glad to interrupt her younger sister’s explanation of what they learned about the color green that day. “Do you want to take a shortcut with me?” she asked the surprised filly.
“A shortcut?” Rosie was clearly unfamiliar with the word.
“It’s like a faster, more fun way to get home.” Willow explained. “All the big kids use them.” She tempted. The filly’s eyes lit up to that, and she swiftly agreed that she’d follow on the shortcut. “Great! It’s right over that way!” Willow pointed to the edge of the nearby forest.
“Th-the forest?” Rosie shrunk back. “B-but Momma said we’re not supposed to go in there.” She took a step or two backwards and shuddered a bit at the thought.
“Oh, don’t be silly. I’ve been there lots of times. You wanna be a big kid, right?” Willow prodded her little sister gently. Rosalina nodded and perked up a bit, but was uneasy. “Well come on then, let’s go.” Willow grinned and began walking towards the forest.
“But Willow!” Rosie started.
“Well, I guess you can take the other way then. But I’m going this way.” Willow was beginning to worry that Rosie wouldn’t follow, and that they'd have to take the same old boring way home. But after a few moments her little sister galloped to catch up. A worried frown upon her face.
They walked through the small field leading up to the treeline. They paused briefly at the edge of the forest before stepping into the trees. Rosalina practically clung to her sister’s side the entire time. To her, every minute they walked deeper into the woods, the trees looked larger and more intimidating than the ones at the edge. About an hour or so later, they came upon a grotto. Willow did not look pleased though, and began to fidget nervously.
“Um… Willow?” Rosie ventured. “I… I don’t think this way is quicker.”
“Okay, okay! I think we’re lost alright! I’ve been trying not to scare you, but I think we took a wrong turn a ways back, and I don’t know how to get back there now…” Willow huffed. Rosie gasped and began to tear up.
“What are we gonna do, Willow?” she sobbed. “We can’t find our way back to Momma, and she’ll awful sore at us when they have to come to get us out of here!”
“If… If they come to get us out of here. They don’t know where we’ve gone or where to find us in these trees if they do discover we came here…” Willow sulked. Rosie sobbed hysterically for a few minutes, her sister stroking her back comfortingly to stop her. Once she had settled, Willow spoke up again.
“Okay… We're likely only a mile or two into the woods right now, but we will either only be going deeper into the woods, or closer to the edge. Right here is a safe spot to stay. No animals, no holes to fall in or anything like that. But if we stay, they may not find us. So, here’s what we’re gonna do. You stay here Rosie. Don’t move from this grotto, don't wander, don't explore, don’t nothing. Got it?” Willow said sternly.
Rosie nodded, but asked. “What about you? You're staying too, right?” Willow paused.
“No, Rosalina. I’m going to go and try to find the edge of the forest. From there I can bring back help for you. But if we go together we may both get too lost to do any good. So you need to stay here. I’ll go for help.” Willow explained. The filly whimpered anxiously at the prospect.
“You’ll be okay, Rosalina. Just remember, don’t leave this little grotto here in the trees. Just in case though, if anything flies overhead or comes nearby, just hide in one of the trees. And stay out of sight!” Willow instructed and turned to leave.
“Willow!” Rosie screamed, and clung to her sister’s leg. “I don’t want you to go. I don’t wanna stay here all alone.” She sobbed.
“Rosie. I need you to be strong right now. I need you to be a big girl.” Willow said encouragingly. “Everything is going to be fine. If I don’t find the forest edge, I’ll come right back here, okay?” she assured.
Rosie finally relented and let her sister go. She watched, terrified as her sister wandered out into the trees and eventually out of sight. The further she went, the less she could hear her movements, and the quieter the forest got. Minutes ticked slowly into hours, and eventually the sun began to set.
“H-hello?” Rosie’s small voice cried out….
At the forest edge, Willow sat, astounded for a moment. Her endeavor had left her covered in cuts and bruises, but urgency soon took hold, and she bolted for home as fast as her legs could carry her. She met her frantic mother at the door and quickly scrambled for words.
“Mom! Mom!” she screamed. “It’s Rosie!” Willow gave a solemn explanation to her panicked Mother. Mrs. Weatherby’s face went pale and with Willow in tow, she ran to the guard station.
“Help! Please help! A stallion has stolen my baby!” she shrieked to the guards.
With an internal smile, and a satisfied sense that justice had been done, she hid away her relief. Willow was in complete awe of the moment. It worked. It had actually worked…
