Apple Bloom sighed and took another bite of her apple, chewing boredly as even more nothing happened. Three days the crusaders had been taking turns at this, watching Silver Slice's house from the CMC clubhouse after school. Stakeouts were even more dull than she expected, or maybe their target was the most boring pony in history. As far as any of them had seen, the colt had barely been outside during that time, except to take the garbage out or help his mom in the little garden plot they were putting in. He didn't seem to have much in the ways of hobbies, or friends, and Bloom felt a sting of sympathy as she recalled her own isolation before she'd made friends with Scoots and Belle.

Every day it was the same thing. The clubhouse had a pretty fair view into the kitchen and living room area, which both had large windows facing the road which separated their property from Sweet Apple Acres. Silver Slash would get home from school and head into the house, dropping his bag off in the kitchen where his dam was busy being domestic. He'd usually either break out his schoolbooks and do homework at the table while chatting with the mare, or they'd head out into the yard and work the soil. About an hour before suppertime he'd retire to his room and do who-knows-what, until his sire would get home from work and the family would have dinner.

"Oh!" Apple Bloom's ears perked up as she noticed Silver's Pa coming up the road, much earlier than usual. "What's brought ya'll home so early, mister?" She mused to herself as he approached the front door. It opened to reveal Silver's ma, all fancied up in a floral dress and pearls, with Silver himself a dark shadow in the hallway behind her. Husband and wife embraced briefly, there was an exchange of words and then an affectionate hoof ran through the colt's mane. With a final admonition from his parents, the young stallion closed the door, and the pair turned south for a night on the town. "Must be date night."

Fifteen minutes later, the adults were well out of sight and a cautious movement drew Apple Bloom's gaze to the rear corner of the house. Silver Slash poked his head around the corner to check the coast was clear, before crossing the road into the south orchard again. She struggled to follow his form through the thickening canopy but quickly lost him "Where can you be goin'?".

Bloom backed out of the window, and hurried to the door. If she was fast enough, she'd be able to trail him to wherever he was going and hopefully learn something useful. An involuntary grin sprouted on her face. Finally!

Her hooves hit the ground running. She angled through the browning apple grove on an intercept course for where last she'd seen her classmate, finally slowing her pace and looking around. She wasn't worried about losing track of him, least not while he was on her land.

The other tribes couldn't quite understand what an earth pony meant when they talked about their land. The Apple family had worked this soil and these trees for generations, and both were as much their friend as any pony of flesh and blood. Bloom pumped a burst of magic out of her hooves and felt the familiar earth mingle with her senses. It was faint, but she could feel the slight disturbance Silver Slash's passage had made through the grove and set off in pursuit.

Minutes passed with periodic pauses to reacquire the trail. It went almost straight northwest, and with dread Bloom realized she'd run out of orchard. She stood in the shade of her trees and glared out across the thin strip of cleared land and the rail fence that divided her home from the wilderness of Everfree. There was a break in the old fence and just beyond it, what looked like a game trail. Her magic wouldn't be able to track anything in there and she hesitated.

"Ah've got hours yet till night. Ain't no different than takin a trip to visit Zecora..." the words were scant comfort, but they rallied her courage enough for her to venture out into the unknown.

The first step was the hardest, and soon the shadows of the thick Everfree canopy had embraced her. Little of Celestia's sun could penetrate here, and she spared a look back to the rapidly fading wall of light behind her. The trail was barely wide enough for her filly hooves, and she hoped that meant she wouldn't run into anything big. Twisted trunks twined and embraced each other on both sides, and unfamiliar birdcalls echoed eerily. She quickened her pace, no longer giving thought to stealth. If Silver Slash spotted her following, she'd be more happy for his company than embarrassed to explain her reasons for stalking him.

The gentle murmur of water, and the smell of damp earth warned her that something had changed before the sudden turn of the trail dumped her into a small glade. There was Silver Slash, laying on his belly on a raised hillock where a turn of the stream had cut a deep channel on three sides. A ray of light broke through the canopy and illuminated the area around him, nurturing a lush bed of grass dotted with little white flowers. The earth pony colt was gently rocking from side to side, humming a wordless tune to himself with eyes closed.

Aside from the burbling of flowing water, the normal sounds of the Everfree had faded away. This place felt... safe, but Apple Bloom tensed and took an awkward step backward. It was like she was intruding on something deeply personal. "Maybe ah should head back." she thought to herself.

Ice ran through her veins as Silver Slash's Broncs accent rang through the still air. "Who's theah?"

Maybe she could still get away, if she ran for it before he opened his eyes, before he got a chance to turn towards her. Instead she gathered her courage and took another first step forward.

Author's Note

Been a while! Don't know if anyone is following this story, but I've been inspired by some other good stories I had thought dead posting after long breaks. If they can do it, I guess I can too.