Out in the Cold
By Liquid Rainbows
There were no tears left. It had taken an eternity, it seemed. She had shed a tear for every memory of Rainbow Dash that was forever burned in her mind. A tear for every possible thing she could have done differently to make things better. A tear for every apology she couldn't even work up the courage to make. It didn't matter now, though. She couldn't even bring herself to face south. Just keep moving north, keep moving forward, and let every regret blow away with the wind.
There were no tears left, but the sorrow was still alive.
Icy winds blasted down from the north, slamming against Gilda with increasingly powerful force. The cold kept her awake, the pain kept her focused. But even then, she couldn't keep flying forever. It had already been countless hours, and what had once been gentle snowfall was now a harsh blizzard, each flake biting at the griffin's feathers with a snap of cold. Even her flight had begun to grow erratic from shivering, but she kept on moving, determined to fly as far from the painful memories as she could. The sky was dark overhead, and the cold of night was slowly wrapping the land in its deathly embrace. Every breath Gilda took was more laborious than the last, every second the wind growing colder, but still she pressed onward.
It wasn't until her vision became completely blurred that Gilda began to consider landing. But where could she go then? She was north of nowhere, and everything seemed to be hills and forests for miles in every direction. Gilda was quickly realizing that she didn't have much of a choice, however, as one of her wings was no longer working correctly. Before she couldn't flap it at all and went crashing, the freezing griffin quickly descended to road, which snaked along the side of a nearby mountain. She wouldn't have noticed the road at all if not for the small flicker of light that was just barely visible through the snowstorm.
In moments, Gilda landed in the snow not far from the flicker, shaking to keep steady on her legs. Quickly assessing her surroundings, Gilda found that the light she saw was coming from the glass windows of a wooden, two-story building nearby. A large chimney on the side let smoke out into the air. As she stumbled her way towards it, the weary griffin saw a sign posted into the ground near the front door, illuminated by a large lamppost.
Northern Lights Inn
Gilda came to a stop and sat down near the front door, forgetting the cold for a moment. She could feel remorse overtaking her, and began to cry again. No matter how far she ran, those thoughts never seemed to go away. All running had gotten her was stuck in a snowy wasteland. As she sat, teary eyed and shivering, the front door of the Inn swung open. A few voices could be heard inside, and Gilda quickly wiped her eyes as a dark green earth pony stallion with a scraggly, swept back brown mane popped his head out. For a moment, he seemed to be dumping out some ashes from the fireplace inside, when his light brown eyes caught sight of Gilda sitting alone in the cold. He watched her for a moment, before calling out over the sound of the wind.
"Well, Miss, are you gonna stay out there all night?" Gilda stared at him for a moment, glanced around her at the snow and darkness, then hesitantly rose and walked towards the entrance. The green stallion stood out of the way, holding open the door as Gilda stepped inside.
Gilda took in the sight of the Northern Lights Inn. The bottom floor was one large room, covered with carpets and decorations. There were a few tables off to the side, where two bearded earth ponies played a card game of some sort and two pegasi chatted over mead. The fireplace to the left burned hot, warming up the entire place and giving it a homely feeling. To the right was a staircase leading up, presumably to the rooms, and in the back of the Inn was a bar where the green stallion now stood, idly wiping off the counter.
The door clicked shut behind her, and Gilda wearily started walking across the surprisingly large space to the bar in the back. Paintings along the wall showed images of scenic mountain ranges and snowy forests. There were many plaques and weapons, most engraved to somepony named Greenwood. Gilda finally reached the bar, slumping down on one of the seats. The green stallion eyed her for a few moments, before Gilda glared at him.
"What are you looking at?" She snapped. The stallion just smiled sadly.
"It's nothing, just looks like you've had a rough day."
"Sure have..." Gilda trailed off, her eyes lowering.
"And also," he added. "You’re rather nice to look at, if you don't mind my saying." Gilda smirked, rolling her eyes. After the hell she'd been through, how could anyone think she was good looking? But even so, Gilda could feel the fight draining from her, and merely slouched against the counter and sighed.
"Can I get a drink?" She asked.
"Certainly, Miss, first round on the house." The stallion grinned, grabbing a mug and filling it up with ale.
"It's Gilda." She muttered, taking a chug of the drink. "Thanks..."
"Not a problem, Gilda."
"So…you Greenwood?" The griffin inquired, raising a brow.
"No, no." The stallion chuckled. "That honor went to my father. This was place was his, built with his own hooves. Until a few months ago, that is."
"Oh, sorry."
"Don't be." The stallion began. "Old buck went out kicking. Life goes on, huh? In any case, the name's Hazel." Gilda just nodded, drinking down more of the ale. She kept her eyes away from Hazel. Something about his striking brown eyes, that kind smile, was putting Gilda at too much ease. A part of her didn't want to be happy. She did her best to silence that part of her by swigging down more alcohol. After a few minutes passed of idle chatting and silence, Hazel threw the rag aside and faced Gilda.
"So, what brings you to these parts anyway?" He asked. "This place is little far off from the rest of civilization."
"I...I had a...conflict with my only real friend." Gilda started quietly. "Before that, I had no one. It was why I left home in the first place. Now, I kind of screwed everything up."
"Don't you have any family you can turn to?" Hazel said in concern.
"I don't get along with my family." Gilda replied simply.
"Why come here, though?” He asked. “Clopenhagen isn't far off to the southwest.” Gilda dropped her eyes, recalling everything that had happened in Ponyville. Each memory and mistake flashed through her head in an instant.
"I...I can't do it." She answered, starting to shake and clenching her eyes shut to hold back tears. "I don't trust myself around anyone any more. I just can't..." Gilda's voice faltered, and she felt something warm sliding down her face. Hazel placed a hoof on her forefoot, and she looked up at him.
"Please don't cry, Gilda." He said with a sad smile. "Everyone screws up at some point, and it's never too late to start over again."
"Don't you get lonely here?" Gilda asked, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I mean, everyone you know always has to leave the next day."
"It's not easy," Hazel replied somberly. "But everyone needs a place to call home, even if just for one night." Gilda just gazed into his eyes for the longest time. Hazel just smiled back sadly. Finally, Gilda chugged what was left of her drink, and set the mug down.
"Hey, do you think we could talk somewhere else?" She asked, glancing at the some of the other patrons. Hazel gave a small smile.
"Sure. Just follow me." Hazel trotted around the counter and over to where Gilda was sitting. He held out hoof, helping Gilda to her feet, who was still shaky. She blushed slightly, though from the alcohol or otherwise, Hazel couldn't tell. He looked her up and down briefly, finally coming to rest on her almost glowing yellow eyes. Hazel certainly hadn't been lying earlier when he said she was good looking. The brown eyed stallion beckoned Gilda to follow, and guided her towards the staircase.
Gilda followed silently, feeling slightly dazed from the alcohol. It was then that she noticed the flame symbol that adorned Hazel's flank, who noticed Gilda watching.
"Ah yes, that." He said, looking nostalgic. "Discovered that one after saving a travelers life who was freezing to death. The deeper implications are for anyone to say." The two of them made their way up the stairs, turning left down a narrow hallway lined with doors. Each one was numbered, and Hazel came to a stop outside a door marked with the number zero. The young stallion fumbled with some keys for a moment, before unlocking the door and stepping inside, Gilda close behind him.
The room, like the rest of the Inn, was surprisingly large. Candles set up around the room illuminated the space in their soft glow. A window at the far side looked out over the snowy valley below, and provided an excellent view of the sky. The snowfall was much lighter, now, and some of the clouds had started to break up, revealing patches of sky. Without city lights to hinder them, the stars shone brilliantly where they could be seen. On the left side of the room, right next to the window, was a large master bed facing to the right, where a large shelf sat. Also like the rest of the building, carpets and decorations of all sort completely covered the room. Gilda stepped cautiously towards the bed, turning to face Hazel.
"Um, do you mind if I...?" Gilda asked nervously, gesturing towards the bed.
"Oh. Ah, go ahead." Hazel slowly closed the door behind him, clicking the lock shut. Gilda patted the area of bed next to her with a wing, beckoning Hazel to join her. The green stallion carefully trotted over, taking a seat on the bed beside her. They sat in silence for awhile, Gilda staring out into the sky as more and more of it became visible. She shifted awkwardly, feeling a familiar itch. Finally, shaking her head, she turned to him with a sigh, ready to tell her story.
And so she did. From first coming to Ponyville, to after she left, Gilda told him everything. When it was over, she looked at him with quivering eyes that seemed to ask what she should do next.
"Gilda..." He said, frowning slightly. "I think you need to wait. If they're not ready to forgive you, and you aren't ready to be forgiven, then there isn't really anything you can do right now."
"B-but...how long? I can't just run forever." Her beautiful yellow eyes pleaded, tears forming again.
"That's up to you, Gilda. You'll know when you're ready, and you can only hope they will be too. Until then..." Hazel lifted a hoof and wiped one of the tears from her cheek. "Just remember, you don't have to be alone." Gilda abruptly leaned forward, pressing her beak to Hazel lips, whose eyes widened momentarily. To Gilda's surprise, however, he didn't pull away, but instead leaned in and kissed her back. After what felt like forever, they finally broke away, Hazel grinning and Gilda stunned.
"Wait," she began, eyes wide. "You mean you don't mind the whole...beak thing?"
"There are a lot more griffins around these parts than down south." Hazel chuckled. "I've already had some mouth to mouth experience."
"No doubt." Gilda muttered, before adding. "But don't you think it...feels weird, or something?"
"It's an acquired taste." Hazel replied, giving the flushed griffin another deep kiss. The moment he pulled away, the sky outside the window exploded into florescent colors. Gilda turned and stared out through the glass, awed at the sight before her. In the sky was a glowing aurora, shining with a brilliant neon green. Hazel smiled, watching as it reflected back into Gilda's eyes.
"Amazing, isn't it?" He whispered to her. "It's called the Northern Lights Inn for a reason." Gilda turned back to him. Be it drunkenness, or something else, she knew exactly what she wanted in that moment. Without warning, she smiled and forcefully rolled Hazel onto his back, positioning herself over him and pushing her forefeet into his shoulders to pin him. Hazel grinned, the two of them beginning to kiss feverishly. Gilda slipped her tongue into Hazel's mouth, who eagerly returned the gesture.
Hazel smiled deviously as they embraced in the candlelight, sliding his tongue down the side of Gilda's neck and making her moan. He used that moment of weakness to free his shoulders, Gilda's arms resting on either side of him. Hazel returned his mouth to hers, this time caressing along the curvature of her torso as far as his forehooves could extend in his position. Gilda pressed harder against him, trying to regain control. Hazel could feel his lower half pushing into Gilda's stomach, causing him to gasp as a surge of heat flushed through his body. Sweat formed on the stallion's brow as Gilda started grinding into him at an excruciatingly slow pace. Before she could take complete advantage of him, Hazel lifted his waist, one of his thighs rubbing against Gilda’s nethers.
Gilda gasped and shuddered, Hazel taking advantage of her moment of vulnerability by slipping out from under her. Gilda continued to shake, the seemingly endless contraction fluttering through her. She could feel Hazel moving, feel a hoof being placed on her backside, feel a surge of heat and pleasure as a wet tongue met her groin. Gilda's front legs collapsed under her, and she simply arched her back and let Hazel have control. The grinning stallion now rested both forehooves on her flank, his muzzle taking in her scent and licking gently along her slit. The heat coursing through Gilda's body made her completely forget the cold world outside. She could feel herself growing wet, moaning with every wave of pleasure as Hazel pushed his tongue further and further into her. His slow, deliberate movements became faster and more passionate as Gilda shook and pressed her beak into the blankets to stifle her elated gasps. When Hazel came to a stop, Gilda practically convulsed, her eyes gazing back at him pleadingly.
Hazel smiled at her, rising to his hooves and positioning his body behind her. He rubbed his shaft along Gilda's flank, before gently prodding the head of his member against her wet slit. Without waiting for Hazel, Gilda pushing back against him, taking his full length inside. She felt his rod filling up the space in her groin, and as Hazel began to slowly push in and out, she could feel him massaging and caressing her velvety inner walls. He began to pick up the pace, and Gilda assisted him by pushing her hips back with each thrust. The blissful sensations were driving her wild, and Gilda clenched herself against Hazel's rod as she moaned.
Hazel could feel Gilda's tight groin squeezing his length, could feel intense surges of pleasure with every thrust, could feel the heat and sweat from her body as he rubbed his hooves along her flank and back. Hazel leaned forward, running a hoof along one of her wings and watching Gilda shudder as he caressed the sensitive appendage. The soft candlelight glowed from within the room as the aurora continued to shine from without, but neither Hazel nor Gilda paid heed in that moment. The brown eyed stallion’s haunches slapped against Gilda’s flank, the griffin moaning as he pushed deeper and deeper into her. Gilda could sense Hazel groaning tired as he slowed his pace, and she swiftly moved out from under the exhausted stallion. Her superior strength allowed Gilda to easily force him onto his back, positioning herself over him just as she did before.
"No one can hold you down, huh, Gilda?" Hazel huffed with a grin. His cheeks were red hot and sweat was running down his brow.
"Are you my therapist?" Gilda panted in reply. "Sex therapy, that's a new one, Doc." The two leaned in and kissed passionately in the candlelight, before Gilda rose and positioned the head of Hazel's member into her. In moments, she was bouncing on top of him, Hazel thrusting up into her as she did so. He wrapped his forelegs around Gilda's own, holding tight as she moaned and pushed into him harder and harder with each thrust. Waves of bliss resonated throughout both their bodies, time losing its meaning in the sea of euphoria. Gilda clenched down tightly against Hazel's length, both feeling the rising sensation of a coming climax.
Gilda cried out, her orgasm striking her with the force of a lightning bolt. The shock of feeling culminated in her groin as she felt herself burst, the heat overtaking her. Hazel thrust upwards as his body was wracked with pleasure, feeling Gilda squeezing onto his member as he shot his load up into her. Gilda finally collapsed, rolling off Hazel and falling into a panting heap on the bed next to him. Hazel himself sat up, leaning his back against the wall and huffing in exhaustion. The silence that followed in the room was thick, broken only by panting, but as the two of them caught their breaths, a peaceful aura soon hung soothingly in the air. Gilda eventually crawled up to sit next to Hazel, leaning against the tired stallion. After sharing in the calmness together for some time, Hazel finally asked the question that had already been in Gilda's mind.
"So...Gilda…what now?" He asked her quietly. "What's next for you?"
"I've been trying to figure that out myself." She answered solemnly.
"I guess...you could always go to Clopenhagen. It's really not a bad town."
"Yeah, I guess...” Gilda replied. “It's just that..." She trailed off, looking into his vibrant brown eyes.
“You know, Gilda, if you’re not ready for that…I-I could always use some help around this place.” Hazel explained, gesturing around him. “I mean, I’ve got a spare room and everything.” He looked at her sheepishly. “So, what do you think?”
Gilda’s eyes immediately lit up, and she squeezed Hazel in a tight hug. Just as the Northern Lights Inn kept out the cold of the world outside, she could feel a fire lighting up inside herself, keeping out the cold that had threatened to consume her. She released the young stallion, looking towards the window and out at the glowing lights one last time, before turning and gazing into Hazel’s eyes again.
“Yeah. I…I think I’m ready to start over.” Gilda whispered. Hazel gave a warm smile, and the two of them shared one more kiss before lying on the bed together in each other’s embrace. For the first time in a long while, Gilda felt happy. Happy to be alive, happy to be warm and safe, and happy to finally have someone who wanted to be with her. As she slowly drifted off to sleep, Gilda promised herself that she’d return to Ponyville, sometime soon, and apologize for everything. For now, though, she had a new day awaiting her, and she wouldn’t have to face it alone…
The End
