The Farm Girl and the Drake

Later that night, as Applejack lay crying in the barn, a large Timberwolf crouched nearby, watching her. He was waiting for her to fall asleep so that he could slip into the warm house. But AJ was too upset to sleep. She was feeling sad and lonely. She wished that her parents and Big Mac would come back.

She had promised them that she would protect Apple Bloom. And now, she felt like she had failed.

The Timberwolf was growing impatient. Seeing Winona chained far from the house, and having watched AJ send Spike away, the Timberwolf thought his opportunity had come at last. So, he decided to take a chance. He left his hiding place behind the woodpile and quietly sneaked toward the house.

Applejack watched Spike leave, and wondered if she had been too cruel, not to let him try to explain—that’s when Winona saw it—that Timberwolf slinking toward the house—toward Apple Bloom!

Winona watched in terror as the Timberwolf climbed up the tree next to the house and jumped onto the roof. She began barking frantically to get Applejack’s attention, and Applejack saw the Timberwolf just as it was slipping through the open window to Apple Bloom’s room.

Winona went wild with rage! Barking wildly, she lunged towards the house but was jerked to a painful halt. She’d forgotten about the chain again and almost strangled herself once more.

Upstairs in the house, Miss Harshwhinny had been awakened by Winona’s barking.

“What is that little beast up to now?” she said, putting on her robe. “If she keeps barking like that, she will wake up the baby!”

She opened the window and snapped, “Stop that racket immediately!”

Winona continued to bark.

“Hush!”

Then she slammed the window shut and turned away.

The Dazzlings, who had been sharing the bed in Big Macintosh’s room, heard the uproar.

“What is it, Adagio?” Sonata asked, wide awake.

“Nothing, Sonata,” Adagio, who was still half-asleep, groaned in reply.

“Just that dog carrying on because she’s chained up,” Aria added, putting a pillow over her head to block out the noise.

“But she’s never carried on like this until now,” Sonata said, almost worried. “Could someone be trying to break into the house? Maybe we should go down and see?”

“Go back to sleep, Sonata!” Aria snapped.

Meanwhile, outside, Spike had been sulking nearby when he heard Winona barking and came running back.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“A Timberwolf!” cried Applejack.

“Where?”

“Upstairs. In Apple Bloom’s room!”

“How do I get in?”

“The kitchen! There’s a key under the welcome mat!”

“I’ll take care of it!” Spike shouted.

And with no thought for his safety, Spike sprinted across the yard, grabbed the key, and entered the house.

In the darkness, Spike crept through the kitchen, then into the hall and up the stairs. Spike walked down the upstairs hall, past the rooms Miss Harshwhinny and the Dazzlings were sleeping in, and stopped short just inside the door to Apple Bloom’s room.

And not a moment too soon, because there, crouched in the corner by the window, was the Timberwolf, ready to pounce.

Spike growled as he pulled out one of his switchblades and cautiously approached the beast. He knew what to do. He had to stop it before it could hurt Apple Bloom.

Spike struck first. Sparks flew and teeth flashed as the two rolled around on the floor, knocking over lamps and chairs.

The Timberwolf climbed up onto the crib and Spike jumped on top of him, snarling ferociously. Startled, the Timberwolf lost its balance and fell back onto the floor. Spike landed next to it and the two continued to fight.

The Timberwolf was fast and fierce, but he was no match for the angry Dragon.

Meanwhile, with one last tug, Applejack snapped Winona free of her chain and they raced fearlessly for the back door.

They ran into the house, side by side, and when they got to Apple Bloom’s room, her crib was still standing upright and the Timberwolf lay dead behind the chair in the corner – Spike had won.

Applejack looked at Spike, who was still panting from the fight and trying to clean his wounds. He was a bit scratched and his right hand was bleeding, but that was all. The noise had wakened Apple Bloom, who began to cry. Applejack tended to Spike while Winona stood guard over the crib.

Applejack poured water from the pitcher into the china basin that was on the dresser. Then she spiked the water with some alcohol. She dipped a washrag into the mixture and rubbed Spike’s bleeding hand, hoping the alcohol would be enough to lessen the pain.

Applejack was thanking Spike when Miss Harshwhinny and the Dazzlings burst into the room. Miss Harshwhinny was purple with rage and carrying a broom. She and the Dazzlings didn’t even notice the dead Timberwolf.

They only had eyes for the two teens.

“You two!” Miss Harshwhinny exclaimed. “Get them!”

She grabbed Applejack while Sonata grabbed Winona, and Adagio and Aria restrained Spike.

The two unlucky kids found themselves downstairs. First, the Dazzlings forced Applejack and Winona into the coat closet and locked them inside before they turned their attention back to Spike.

“Take him down to the cellar!” Miss Harshwhinny instructed them. “It’s prison for you, you vicious brute – and this time it will be forever!”

Adagio and Aria dragged Spike outside by his arms while Sonata opened the cellar door and they thrust Spike into the darkness.

While they were locking the cellar door, the Dazzlings felt that something wasn’t right. And for once, they felt sympathy for Applejack as they walked back into the house, past the coat closet and into the parlor.

“I still don’t understand,” Sonata told the others as she took a seat on the couch. “Why would some guy—and Applejack—?”

“She’s jealous of the baby and brought one of her vicious friends in to attack the child!” Miss Harshwhinny said. “Thank goodness she wasn’t hurt.”

Sonata still couldn’t bring herself to believe that Applejack would do that.

“I think she saw the guy and came in to protect the baby,” she said.

“Rubbish!” said Miss Harshwhinny. “This is our responsibility. If you ladies don’t know your duty, I know mine. I will notify the authorities. They’ll take care of him once and for all! In fact, I’ll call them this minute!” she said as she went for the telephone. “I won’t be able to sleep a wink with that brute down there!”

Miss Harshwhinny didn’t waste another minute and called the police.

Applejack tried to force the closet door open, but it would not budge. Then she heard Miss Harshwhinny on the other side.

“I don’t care if you are alone there!” she shouted into the phone. “I insist that you pick him up immediately!”

“No!” Applejack shouted.