Apples and Cinnamon

The morning light shines in Applejack's eyes forcing her wake up. "time to start the chores." She goes downstairs to see Granny smith eating a huge helping of waffles. There was a large assortment of breakfast delicacies on the table. Big Mac, Applebloom and Sugarcane were already stuffed with their third helpings. Applejack looks around for her guests but Granny tells her that he already finished and were outside waiting for her to finish breakfast. So Applejack sits down to eat she hated eating without her guests, but she also couldn't resist the aroma of the hot waffles. After breakfast Sugarcane takes the dishes and starts washing them Applejack insists that she could do it, but Sugarcane says that is the polite thing to do when you are at another's home. So Applejack heads outside to see Cinno doing some kind of training with a strange looking stick the ends were much larger then the rest of it. She could feel the whiplash of air as Cinno spun the staff with great speed. His muscles were glistening with sweat in the morning light. He slams one end of the staff into the ground making a rather large pit where it struck panting hard he looks at Applejack with satisfaction.

"Thought I'd get some pole arm training in while I waited. Don't worry about your chores I already got them done before daybreak." Cinno states as he takes some loose soil out of a bag and fills the hole he just made. His hindleg twitches making him grit his teeth while grabbing the staff for support. Applejack rushes towards him but he recovers by the time she gets to him. "And don't you worry about me either. I've been dealing with this fur awhile just overworked it a little is all." Cinno states as he looks at the concern on Applejack's face. Once he catches his breath he takes apart the training staff and puts it up into its carrying case.

"Ya know ya could a waited until after we had breakfast together to do whatever that was."

"Sorry. Years of military training puts one on a short sleep cycle. Didn't want ta bother ya so I ate first and then got things ready for the rest of ya."

"Well ok. So what are your plans for the day?"

"I'm hear in Ponyville for business but that can wait. How about a tour? I could use the company of a beautiful mare such as yourself. What do you say Applejack?"

"I think I can manage tha... Wait you think I'm beautiful?"

"Course. No pony ever tell ya that before?"

"No can't say they have."

"Well that's a crying shame. Such indignities must be remedied! Applejack you are a young beautiful mare and it would be a great pleasure if you could accompany me for the day." Cinno smiles as he bows.

Applejack chortles but quickly corrects herself and with a southern belle accent "Why good Sir Cinnamon Snap it would be my greatest pleasure to accompany you on this fine day. However I do insist that you make yourself decent. After all it would be a travesty if such a fine and upstanding stallion such as yourself were to be seen covered in grime in the presence of a lady." both of them laugh to which Cinno replies.

"My fair lady you are too right give me but a moment to cleanse myself of this unsightly filth and I will be with you."

"Please do make haste good gentlecolt after all it is most uncouth to keep a lady waiting" with that Cinno bows and makes his way to the bathroom but not without Applejack looking at his firm glistening haunches.

Soon after Cinno cleaned himself up the two went into town to meet with the other girls and one by one the group became larger. The mares showed Cinno the more interesting parts of town from the town bell to the market and everything in between. Eventually the group arrived at the Everfree forest. They told stories of how dangerous their adventures in the dark forest were and how they overcame challenging obstacles that strengthened their bonds of friendship. Cinno in turn tells the mares of his own adventures of how he himself had to overcome similar challenges while he was on various missions for princess Celestia. The most interesting story was of him and a scouting party getting lost in a sandstorm, while in Saddle Arabia and wound up having to defend themselves from a horde of giant scorpions and sand wolves.

"Wow! How did you manage to fight both giant scorpions and sand wolves?" asked Rainbow Dash

"Well ya se miss Dash we originally ran into the pack of sand wolves while looking fur a source of clean drinking water. While we'r dealing with them we riled up a nest of sleeping giant scorpions. Thankfully we had an accomplished unicorn in the group that was good with fire spells; so we didn't lose any pony just a few scrapes and bruises."

"That is amazing! Do you think you could tell us about Saddle Arabia's infamous sand wolves? I've always to see them." noted Fluttershy with a most cheerful tone.

"Not much to tell miss Shy. Only that they are bout the same size of them timberwolves, and hard to kill since they're made of sand and all. I will say that they are quite beautiful when not trying to tear yer face off." answered Cinno

An ear piercing scream filled the air. It was coming from the Everfree Forest. The scream was soon followed by more screams accompanying the first they were the screams of fillies. Before the group could even look at each other Cinno went sprinting like a mad pony into the forest making a beeline towards the screams. The mares follow suit chasing the stallion into the forest.