There was something magical about Faroefield when it was blanketed with snow. There were a few hoofprints here and there where the normal walking paths would have been, but other than that the white covering was pristine. A grin appeared on Lyric’s tan, freckled muzzle as she took in the sight. She drew in a breath, the scent of evergreens filling her nostrils, and stepped onto the road that would eventually lead her home.
As she made her way through the town, the edges of her raspberry-colored cloak dragged along in the snow. Her lute, wrapped in its oilcloth, and a saddlebag stuffed with gifts gently bumped against her flank. Passing the occasional pony, she would wave heartily and call, “Happy Hearth’s Warming,” her grass-green mane with its forest-green streak bobbing into her eyes as she did so. It didn’t matter that the holiday was a small ways away. There was mirth on everypony’s face as they took the time to return her well-wishes as well as to welcome her home.
Home. It had only been a few months since her last visit, but it almost felt like eternity. Especially with all the events she had been a part of since. She could imagine her nieces’ and nephew’s expressions when she recounted her experiences in the Never. She could imagine her parents’ wonder and joy at her being summoned to Canterlot by the Princesses themselves. And she hoped that she would be able to teach her sister and brother-in-law the song she had created from the story of the Era family so that they might sing it together.
All of these things filled the bardic pony’s mind as she worked herself into a canter, the wind rushing in her ears. But when she heard voices even over the wind, she paused, head tilting, ears turning in the direction of the commotion.
“That’s not how you make a snowpony head!” a colt’s voice cried. “It’s just a big mushy blob!”
“It is not!” a filly’s voice hollered back. “Gem, does it look like a mushy blob to you?”
Giving a playful eye-roll and chuckling to herself, Lyric made her way to the source of the din. “And just what do we have here?” she asked, approaching three foals and the supposed body of a snowpony.
Turning to see who had spoken, the three foals cheered, “Lyric!” and ran to give her a hug. Lyric’s eyes filled with mirth as she embraced Bluebell, Zip, and Sparkling Gem.
“Lyric, you’re back!” Zip flapped his wings, flying into the air in front of Lyric.
“I’m so happy you’re back!” Bluebell, the earth pony filly, exclaimed as she pranced in place. “Are you gonna sing and tell us stories on Hearth’s Warming Eve?”
“Why, of course,” Lyric replied. “It is my favorite part of the holiday, after all.”
“Yaaaay!” Bluebell did a little dance and Zip cartwheeled in the air.
Lyric then turned her attention to the unicorn filly who was drawing small circles in the snow with her hoof. “What is the matter, Gem?” She put a hoof to the filly’s back. “Are you not excited?”
“I am, but Hearth’s Warming is so far away,” she murmured.
“‘So far away’?” Lyric repeated. “’Tis only a tenday, dear Gem.”
“But it feels like forever.” Momentarily meeting Lyric’s earth-brown eyes with her own, she begged in a small voice, “Can you tell us a story now?”
“Yeah! Tell us a story!” Zip spun in the air.
“A Hearth’s Warming story!” Bluebell added.
Lyric’s fore hoof reached for the lute strapped to her back. “Well, I suppose I—”
“No way, you can’t tell a Hearth’s Warming story before Hearth’s Warming. That’s not how it goes.” As Zip faced Lyric once more — the tongue Bluebell stuck out at him going unnoticed — he said, “Tell us a story about winter, Lyric.”
Now Bluebell “ooohed” at this, and Gem perked her ears. Then the two looked up at Lyric, expectant. Lyric tapped her chin with a fore hoof, her lute’s protective wrapping neatly folded on the ground before her. “A story about winter, hm?” A smile crossed the bard’s lips. “Yes, I do believe I have one of those, after all.”
Lyric strummed the strings of her lute, a sonorous tone rising into the air. The foals sat before her.
“Many years ago, merely two generations after the events of the first Hearth’s Warming, there lived a trio of pegasi — the Cloud siblings. The eldest was Cumulonimbus. He was brave, strong and proud, and was the leader of the pegasi at the time. He would do anything to help the ponies under his care.”
She continued to play the tune, though it lightened and sped up somewhat. “The middle sibling was Cirrus. Although she was brash and sometimes jumped to conclusions, she had a good heart, and tried to do right by the ponies in Equestria. She was Cumulonimbus’ right hoof, and would often help him with affairs that he could not attend to himself.”
Now the melody changed. It was soft, almost timid, and the notes were few and far between. “The youngest of the siblings was Stratus. He was not as strong as Nimbus, nor as bold as Cirrus, but he was quite curious of the world about him. Whereas Nimbus and Cirrus mainly focused on pegasi affairs, Stratus found himself spending much time with the unicorns and the earth ponies, and acting on diplomacy matters.”
Lyric took a breath to continue, when Zip interrupted with, “Okay, but what do they gotta do with winter?”
“I am glad you asked.” The music fell silent, and Lyric became somber. “Because it was relatively soon after the windigo incident, the ponies who remembered it were quite fearful and bitter when winter came about. And the rest of the ponies — the ones who struggled to grow enough to feed themselves or to bring in their harvests before the first frost — were quite distressed when winter arrived as well. Because the pegasi were the bringers of winter, they were seen as an ill omen when the time for the season came.”
“But that’s not fair,” Bluebell stated, Gem and Zip nodding at that.
“No, it is not,” Lyric agreed. “But the ponies back then did not have all of the amenities we have today, and it was much more difficult for them to make a living. However…” Here, Lyric’s hooves plucked a tune, one that evoked astonishment and awe. “Nimbus had an idea. A grand idea that, he hoped, would end their troubles.”
Zip leaned in close, not wanting to miss a word of Lyric’s tale. Lyric herself sat on her haunches, facing the foals. “Nimbus called for a meeting with the other pony leaders, and also invited the many ponies of the land. They were all abuzz as they filed into the Grand Summit, gossiping about what Nimbus could possibly have to say.”
Lyric stood on her hind hooves and whirled about, holding her fore hooves wide open as if there were a large gathering before her. “‘I’m sure you’re all wondering why I asked you to come,’ Nimbus declared, for he felt no need for lengthy introductions, ‘so I’ll get straight to the point. Let’s end winter.’
“At this, ponies cheered, gasped, and talked amongst themselves. Cirrus stood proudly by Nimbus’ side, though Stratus glanced out of the corners of his eyes at his siblings, his lips drawn.
“When the crowd had quieted, the earth ponies’ leader spoke. ‘Nimbus, explain.’
“‘Yes,’ said the unicorns’ leader. ‘Because, quite frankly, this sounds like an absurd idea.’”
A new, low melody sang through the air, carrying a hint of tension with it. “Everypony’s eyes were on Nimbus, waiting for his response. Nimbus lifted his head, his voice resounding throughout the Summit. ‘Think about it,’ he told them. ‘With no more winter, ponies will be able to grow and forage for what they need year-round. There will be no more worries about the harvests. Nopony will have to shiver in the cold anymore. And there will be no fear of starvation ever again.’
“There was much mumbling amongst the gathering at Nimbus’ declaration. The leader of the unicorns and the earth ponies asked to be excused so that they might discuss the matter in depth. Their wish was, of course, granted, and the Cloud siblings came together to have a discussion of their own.
“‘You did great,’ Cirrus said to her elder brother. ‘You definitely got their attention.’
“‘Yes, and I’m certain they’ll agree with my plan.’ He snorted. ‘It would be insanity not to.’
“‘I don’t know,’ Stratus said. His siblings turned their gazes to him, eyebrows raised. ‘I’m still not sure that this is a good idea…’
“Cirrus placed a wing around Stratus, giving him a confident grin as she did. ‘You worry too much, Stratus,’ she said to him. ‘Nimbus knows what he’s doing, and you know that he wouldn’t do anything to hurt us.’
The lute fell silent. “At that, Stratus said nothing. After all, he had already voiced his concerns to his siblings. ‘We have no idea what no winter will do to Equestria,’ he’d advised. ‘It just isn’t right.’ And they had done everything they could to reassure him, giving him the same reasons that they had given the Summit. Stratus had no counterpoints to this, and so he had kept silent. But even so, he wondered, and he worried.”
Now Gem looked around them, at the snow covering the ground, at her breath as it frosted before her. She whispered, “So… what happened, Lyric?” She peered at the snowpony that she and the others had made. “Why do we still have winter?”
“Yeah,” Zip chimed. “Did the Summit say no or somethin’?”
“Actually, they agreed to it,” came Lyric’s reply. “The leaders and their ponies all conferred with each other, and decided to give Nimbus’ plan a try. After all, they saw no downsides, and could only agree that no winter would be a benefit. What harm could it possibly do?”
The song that floated from Lyric’s lute was quick and joyous. “At first, things went well for the ponies. Everything happened exactly as Nimbus had said it would. Food, herbs, and other plants ponies used to make a living were abundant, there was warmth and sunshine year-round, and happiness spread throughout the land. But it was not to last.”
The music slowed, the notes melancholy. “As the years passed, the crops grew less and less, until they simply stopped growing at all, or whatever plants did emerge from the earth were withered and barren. There was no possible way that they could sustain the ponies who strove to grow them. In the beginning, the ponies were hopeful that this could be reversed. The unicorns worked to enrich the earth with their magic. The pegasi followed a strict weather regimen. And the earth ponies searched for more fallow lands. Yet these efforts were for naught.
“The earth pony leader was in a panic, while the unicorn leader saw how her unicorns were draining themselves in the effort to restore the earth. The only things saving the land from starvation were the food reserves that had been stored, and even these had to be carefully rationed. The leaders called for another Summit, which Nimbus and Cirrus were quick to attend. Stratus, meanwhile, set out to speak with the residents of Equestria and to attempt to find a solution.
“As Stratus landed in a meadow, the grass, dry and yellow, crunched beneath his hooves.” Lyric tiptoed in a line before the foals, plucking her lute’s strings, playing the tune she had played for Stratus before. “He had no connection to the earth, but even he could see how dire the situation had become. Everywhere he went, he saw more wilted grass, dried-up fruits, and desolate fields. And no matter whom he spoke with, nopony seemed to have an answer. Until he came to a particular farm.”
The tone that sounded now was bombastic as Lyric, her voice gruff, shouted to the sky, “‘I’m tellin’ ya, it’s because there’s no winter!’” Her young audience jumped, and Lyric, cheeks brightening, cleared her throat and resumed her tale.
“Of course, Stratus had to go and investigate. As he neared the stallion, he also spotted two younger ponies attempting to shush the elder. ‘Do you really think so?’ Stratus asked the trio, approaching them. They froze, the younger two tensed, their eyes wide and darting, the elder stallion with his jaw set.
“‘Yeah, that’s right. But not like a pegasus like you’ll listen to me anyway.’
“‘That’s not true. I—’ Stratus tried to say, but the stallion interrupted him.
“‘Go outside of Equestria, and you’ll see. I was there, and everythin’s green and healthy ’cause winter just ended there.’ The stallion looked away and his gaze turned wistful. ‘It hasn’t felt like that here in ages.’
“‘But how do you know it’s because of winter?’ Stratus stepped closer, hanging on the stallion’s every word.
“‘Because I could sense it. Winter gives the land time to rest and heal.’ Hearing the younger ponies’ whispers, the stallion whipped around to face them. ‘I ain’t crazy!’
“Stratus put a hoof to his chin—” and Lyric did the same “—pondering what the stallion had said. ‘No, I don’t believe you are.’ And with that, he took off, soaring into the sky and heading for Equestria’s borders.”
The lute’s song was quick, urgent in order to match Stratus’ desperation. “Now, it was true that what the stallion had said about sensing the earth wasn’t much to go on for Stratus, but winter allowing the land time to rest? That made sense. After all, everything was dormant in winter. It was something he could prove himself, if he could find the evidence to support it.
“When Stratus reached the border of Equestria, the difference was almost immediate. As the stallion had said, winter was ending, and the land was awakening once more. Buds were on the trees. Flowers were peeping through the snow. Bushes were full of berries, and the grass was verdant. This went on for many miles, and for many more, he suspected, but he had seen enough. He turned around and sped towards home.”
Lyric put a hoof to the strings of her instrument, its song fading away. “When he returned, the Summit was still in session. It had been many days, but there had been much arguing and postulating with no one being any closer to a resolution. Stratus, however, burst into the room, proclaiming, ‘We need winter again!’
“This stunned all present into silence, but especially Cirrus and Nimbus. ‘Stratus, what on earth are you talking about?’
“All eyes were on Stratus as he replied to his sister. ‘Cirrus, listen to me. I went outside of Equestria. Everything’s different there. Winter is ending and things are growing. They have grass and leaves and flowers and fruit and so much more! It’s nothing like it is here.’
“The silence stretched on. Finally, Nimbus was the one to break it. ‘Stratus… are you certain?’
“Here, Stratus faltered, for he realized just how feeble his argument was. Yes, he had seen the proof, but how could he convince all those present? But, as he caught sight of the earth pony leader out of the corner of his eye, his ears straightened, and he stood proud. ‘I am certain, Nimbus, but I met one who is more certain than I.’ He faced the earth pony leader. ‘It was an old earth pony stallion. He told me that the earth had always felt healthy after winter, that winter gave the earth time to rest.’ Stratus took a step forward. ‘But what do you think?’
“Now all eyes turned to the earth pony leader. He seemed to shrink into himself as all waited for him to speak. ‘Well…’ he said, drawing out the word, ‘I have to agree. The earth did feel that way after we had winter…’
“One by one, the earth ponies who were in the room started to nod and speak in low voices, conferring with their leader. The unicorns and pegasi listened in wonderment. Nimbus and Cirrus shared a glance while Stratus and the other leaders looked on. The two deliberated amongst themselves, until Nimbus pulled away with a sigh. ‘I suppose we have no choice,’ Nimbus announced. His voice boomed into the crowd. ‘We will bring back winter.’ And, to this, the other two leaders heartily agreed.”
The notes that flowed from Lyric’s instrument were slow but light, carrying with them a feeling of hope. “It was not long before winter was returned to the land, but it did take much time for the earth to return to its former state. In that time, ponies began to forage outside of Equestria’s borders, which eventually led to the expanding of Equestria itself. But the ponies’ beloved nation was saved thanks to Stratus, though he’d always insisted that the old stallion was the true hero. For it was thanks to him that Stratus — and so the rest of Equestria — finally saw the need for, the beauty of, and the wonder of winter.”
As Lyric quieted her lute for the final time, the foals clapped and cheered, and she gave a bow.
“So it’s because of Stratus that we can play in the snow?” This came from Bluebell.
“Him and the old stallion,” Lyric reminded her with a gentle smile, straightening once more.
“And that we still have Hearth’s Warming?” Gem asked, her voice soft.
“And that we can get presents and hear stories!” Zip exclaimed.
“Yes, yes, all that and more.” It was then that Lyric took in the trio's rosy cheeks and crimson noses, and she gave a sheepish grin. “Though, as much as we all love winter, I believe I’ve kept you out here too long. What do you say we all head inside and have some hot chocolate?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Zip and Bluebell cried, Gem nodding enthusiastically, all three leaping to their hooves.
Lyric chuckled. “Come along, then! We have plenty for all.” And, with that, Lyric gathered up her oilcloth and set off on the path to home once more, the foals prancing along beside her, a trail of hoofprints left in the snow behind them.
Author's Note
While this story is meant to be a standalone piece, it does call back to some previous works.
"She could imagine her nieces’ and nephew’s expressions when she recounted her experiences in the Never." - Night Terrors by Will-Owl-the-Wisp
"She could imagine her parents’ wonder and joy at her being summoned to Canterlot by the Princesses themselves." - Flight by myself
"And she hoped that she would be able to teach her sister and brother-in-law the song she had created from the story of the Era family so that they might sing it together." - And Then, There Were None by MelancholyIguana
And if you would like to see more of Bluebell, Zip, and Gem, you can also find them in my story The Earth Ponies' Specialty.
Thank you for reading!
