This is going to be a great day.
I know it as soon as I wake up because Little Apple is there, holding my favorite treats. I leap out of my bed, bounding around her as she gives me the treats. Usually treats comes after food, but today is special.
I smell more food. I run around, following the scent to the kitchen, where Smelly Apple and Big Apple are in front of the big metal hot thing, where the good smells are coming from. They look at me and smile, and I bark right back at them, which makes them smile more.
Then, I hear the door open and close, and it’s another scent I definitely recognize. I spin around, leaping into the hooves of my owner, Applejack. She’s my owner because she found me at Old Home and brought me to her Home. She smiles as she runs a hoof through my fur.
“Today’s a big day, Winona.” I can’t quite understand horse-speak, but I do hear my name, which makes me happy even more. Now I know this is going to be an even better day.
The Apples eat their own food on the Git-Offa-That, but drop lots of scraps for me to eat. Most of what they eat is plants, which isn’t my favorite, but it was made by them, so I love it anyways.
After they eat, Big Apple, Smelly Apple, and Little Apple fill a basket and give it to Applejack. I smell amazingly good things in the basket, but Applejack taught me well to not try to eat what a pony didn’t give me. She pushes open the door and beckons to me. We’re going somewhere! Together! This is an amazing day!
Applejack takes me through the rows of trees we keep watch over. She’s really quiet today; I try to get her to play with me, which makes her a bit happier. Then we come to one of our favorite spots: a hill in the middle of the farm, with only one tree at the top.
I bound forwards. All of my friends are here! Soft Feather Pony with Angel, Loud Feather Pony with Tank, Poofy Pony and Gummy, Owlowiscious and his owner, the Feather and Horn Pony, and Opal and Prissy Pony. All of them are so so happy to see me!
We play a lot today. We all have so much fun today. I have so many favorite times. Opal gets upset at some point and goes up the tree. I try to encourage her to come down, but Prissy Pony has to actually do it. Poofy Pony has a lot of treats for me. Usually Applejack and Poofy Pony get upset when I eat Poofy Pony’s treats, but these treats are special-made just for me. Little Prissy Pony and Little Loud Feather Pony are there too, and the other Apples show up at some point, making it even more fun. Everyone pets me and says stuff to me and gives me so much love.
One by one, however, all of my friends leave. Poofy Pony holds me tight while Gummy just stares at me before grabbing his owner’s tail as she goes away. Owlowiscious nuzzles my head with his beak when he and Feather and Horn Pony have to go. Loud Feather Pony and Little Loud Feather Pony don’t even say goodbye. I just look where they were, and I see Loud Feather Pony and Tank flying away. Oh well. I’m sure I’ll see them later. Opal and her owner and her little owner stay kinda distant; Opal never liked me too much, but I like her, so we are friends.
Eventually, all that is left is Applejack, the other Apples, and Soft Feather Pony and Angel. Then another pony arrives, Helpful Pony. She helped Applejack whenever I got hurt, or got fleas, or got sick. She has a small metal thing with her. It is at this point that Soft Feather Pony pets me, says a few horse-words to Applejack, and leaves, taking Angel with her.
She was the first one to see me in pain. I tried to hide it from Applejack, because I don’t want to see my owner worry over me. I’ve felt it for a long time, the lump in my side. It hurts every time I run, but I stay strong because Applejack would want me to stay strong. Even though it’s gotten so big. After Soft Feather Pony found it, Applejack took me to Helpful Pony, who poked and prodded it and did that weird pony thing some ponies do with their horns. Whatever Helpful Pony told Applejack upset her, but I was able to cheer her up.
I hear a shout. Looking around, I see Little Apple running down the hill. Big Apple goes after her, with Smelly Apple following slowly after.
The food is all gone, the party is over. Applejack holds me as Helpful Pony opens the thing. They are talking; the talking seems to make Applejack upset again. She just pets me, refusing to look at me.
Then I feel it. A little prick into my skin, then a slow, creeping cold spreads through me. I look up at Applejack, whining a bit. She still doesn’t look.
I guess she doesn’t get it. This is just a new adventure, one I have to face alone. Her face is wet. As the coldness spreads further, I use what strength I have to reach up and lick the wet off her face, which finally gets her to look at me.
I bark, and she smiles, even as the cold reaches the center of my body. I feel myself slowing down, a darkness filling my vision, making Applejack the only thing I can see. I reach out and lick the tip of her nose. The darkness overtakes Applejack, and I close my eyes, resting my head on her even as I lose feeling in my paws, then my legs, and finally everything else.
Thank you, Applejack.
You gave me the best day ever...
