Author's Note

Short chapter this time. Kind of feels like filler, but I promise there's a couple of little details that will be important later on! See you all next week!

Walls and Pride

Thistle sniffed the piece of dried apple curiously. The pony who'd thought of it was Apple Blossom, a sunset pink mare who shifted her weight nervously as she waited for Thistle's verdict. The piece didn't smell bad. It looked sort of weird but some foods just did. The only real way to know if it was still good five days after being cut was to eat it.

So she did.

"It's still good!" Her eyes lit up! It tasted strange, but was still sweet.

"It worked! I knew it worked, I tried it myself first, but you like it!" Blossom pranced in place happily.

"Oh, I've got so many ideas! I mean, I've been drying pear slices too but what else can be made to last?" Blossom babbled. "Flowers just wilt, so they're out, but I'm sure there's berry bushes around somewhere! My filly can help me gather what I need, and my sister is already looking for more large, flat rocks! We've gotta work fast to get enough dried before winter!"

At this point, Thistle was half expecting the flash of light that signified the appearance of a magic mark. It was just confirmation at this point.

"Congratulations, Apple Blossom." Six ponies with marks. Fifty six to go.

Blossom gawked at the three apple slices on her flank. She barely mustered a numb nod. Thistle chuckled and discretely swiped another apple slice.

"Keep up the good work. Maybe you could consider having somepony sitting nearby to shoo off the birds?" She eyed two crows circling overhead.

"Oh, uh, yes...Of course." Blossom still seemed star struck by her flank.

Thistle chuckled again, resisting the urge to take more fruit. Blossom would come out of it on her own, eventually. Her rounds with the Other ponies had finished. Lucky Streak was fully recovered and hadn't actually needed the check-up. She hoped he'd be more cautious before drinking strange water from now on.

She'd lost Light when they reached Bright Finish. He'd started talking about other places the Other herd had visited and things had escalated from there. She'd left them in the middle of a story about a Lead Stallion who fought off eight challengers, one right after the other, before surrendering peacefully to the ninth.

She was sort of interested in hearing more about that one. Why had the old Lead surrendered then?

She checked the sun's position and decided it was close enough to noon to seek out the Lead Mare. She snorted to herself and set off towards the designated meeting point.

"Lead Mare?" True Blue was playing with Bluebell when she arrived.

"Thistle Burr," She nodded a greeting, only briefly tearing her eyes from her offspring. "Anything new to report?"

"Apple Blossom has a magic mark now. In preserving food, I think." Thistle explained.

"Hmm," True Blue smiled in satisfaction. "Anything else?"

"We should have another shelter done before nightfall, maybe even get a start on a third." Thistle had passed the rocky field a few times during her rounds. The Other ponies were really starting to spread out now. "Pink Peach had four ponies learning under her last I saw, so she'll probably have them trained enough to function on their own in a day or two. I'll have to ask her later to be sure though."

"Uhm, Lead Mare? I think the current consensus is that you should get the first shelter," At least, no pony had said anything to the contrary. "But how are we giving out the rest?"

"I will make an announcement each morning after a shelter is completed." True Blue explained. "Rock Slide gets the second shelter, the third will go to Shiny Rock."

Okay, that handled the first three shelters. Thistle Burr would ask Pink's help in spreading word about the announcements. That should keep the rest of the herd from getting into fights.

"Most of the wounded are fully healed by now." Thistle remarked. "I think that's about it for today."

"Very good." True Blue sighed and placed Bluebell on her back. "Come, Thistle Burr."

"Where are we going?" They were cutting through the orchard. Bluebell's babble kept them company through the journey.

"The highest point, I wish to look over the valley." The big hill then. They didn't exchange another word until they arrived. Bluebell's babble was the only sound that reached their ears.

Once at the top, the two of them looked out over the valley and the herd. Ponies were laughing, talking, running around below them. From here Thistle could pick out Enduring with Camellia. The rocky field was a flurry of activity. Two more shelters were taking shape. It looked like they might be ahead of schedule.

"What do you think of the Lead Mare position, Thistle Burr?" True Blue asked her.

Thistle gave it some thought. The Lead Mare led them places, decided what direction they went, settled disputes within and without. A mare must have had at least one foal to qualify, and then must challenge the current Lead with at least half the mares of the herd supporting her to gain the position.

"...I think some changes might be needed." She admitted. "If we're really not planning on leaving again, then the Lead Mare has to do something different."

"The same conclusion I reached." True sighed, laying Bluebell down to nurse.

"Undoubtedly, there will be new challenges to arise even without traveling. Ponies are still ponies, and there is always the chance another herd will happen by." Thistle listened attentively.

"The challenges we face will be unlike any that came before. Bear this in mind, Thistle Burr, and keep an eye out for potential problems, and solutions." She commanded. "For now, ensure our food is safe and guarded. I do not want ponies fighting because somepony got more food than the next come winter."

"Yes, Lead Mare." So she had to find a pony, or several ponies, who could be trusted to keep an eye on the food without taking any for themselves. Such a position was going to be difficult to fill. Perhaps Pucker would be interested? But realistically a colt wouldn't be able to do much against a determined adult.

"If there is nothing else, I believe today's meeting can be adjourned." True Blue announced. "I shall see you at the announcement tomorrow."

"See you then, Lead Mare." Thistle nodded and set off for the rocky field.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Dim Light walked by the creek bed. Well, a creek bed at any rate. This valley had no shortage of water. The grounds she walked on were fertile and flat, perfect for growing all the seeds Thistle had collected over the past season.

For now, this was where most of the Herd bedded down. The wide open spaces made it difficult for predators to sneak up on them, and everypony could see everypony else. Living in one of those stone shelters would be an interesting change of pace. Would they be cool in summer? Warm in winter? The dark would no doubt play havoc with her already poor eyesight.

Light smiled despite herself. Even the action she took now, a simple walk, was once too dangerous to partake alone. It would be too easy to wander away from the herd and fall victim to some predator or other misfortune. Before this valley she'd always been careful to be with someone.

But over the past week she'd walked all over this valley. Mostly with Thistle on her rounds, but also with Enduring and those ponies with stories to share. Light had put all her mental abilities into finding landmarks recognizable even to her eyes.

Here was one now, a large rock with darkish gray pieces. It looked as though at some point lightning had struck it. It was large enough for her to pick out even over a considerable distance.

She placed a hoof on the rock and considered her next move. If she turned right she'd eventually come to the orchard. Continuing straight would take her to the large hill, from which you could see the whole valley. Beyond that was the rocky fields, and she was sure she could find the site of the shelter construction by her ears at that point.

Left, far left, was the western forest. She could walk there is she wished, she knows a few paths that are easy to find, but she doesn't feel too confident in that just yet. Maybe someday.

They're not leaving any time soon. She has the time.

She looks down at the rock, studying the gray and darker-gray blurs. The rock is old and crumbly. The part she has her hoof on rocks when she puts more weight on it.

"Hmm," She pushes harder, testing it. Slowly she puts more weight on. She's leaning against it heavily, one hoof poised to catch herself if she slips, when it snaps off. "Whoops!"

She giggles. Righting herself, she rolls the piece she broke off. This one has more black-ish bits than the rest of the rock. It's edges are jagged, reminding her of the rocks Pucker uses to sharpen his spears. They feel sharp. Maybe he'd like them?

Shrugging, she places the rock in one of her baskets and moves forward. She'll head to the rocky fields and see how construction is going. Maybe Pink will have a few minutes to talk.

Her ears catch the comforting murmur of conversation as she approaches. Too indistinct to make anything out yet, but she's getting closer. She's almost reached the big hill.

"Dim Light," The sharp crack of that voice on her ears is familiar. Familiar in the way the crack of thunder was, a sound that reached down into her very bones and made her want to gallop.

"Mother," She turned in the direction of the voice. Coming from around the other side of the hill is Starlight. An elegant blue mare with the finest white mane and the most beautiful amethyst eyes.

Well, or so she says. Light is really no judge of that sort of thing. She's not even sure what an amethyst is, though from the way her mother describes it the gem must be the most brilliant in existence.

If her eyes were green she'd say they were emeralds. If they were blue they'd be sapphires. If they were black they'd be exotic onyx. Starlight had often spoken of dazzling jewels. Light imagines the only reason Starlight wanted a pair of baskets was so she could carry gems if she ever came across more of them.

Light listens carefully, ears twitching. Yes, there's the softest brush of air as her baby sister breathes. It's slow and even. She must be napping.

Is Starlight looking at her? She must be, there's nothing else to really look at. She used to fidget beneath the weight of this gaze. She used to send her mind casting for some percieved fault or flaw.

Her new family has done her so much good. Light hopes she can give them half the love they gave her.

"You are doing...well for yourself." The words sounded vaguely strangled.

"Yes, I am much more confident these days." She nodded in agreement. "Did you wish for something, Mother?"

She feels so bold. Brave, like Thistle. Like the filly who wandered at night in search of medicine, and in doing so saved two lives.

"...I need nothing from you." She is a bit surprised. She can't imagine why her mother would have sought her out.

When Starlight passes her by without another word, Light is forced to assume this meeting was nothing but coincidence. She won't deny there's some hurt still from being rejected by her mother, but the hurt is soothed by thoughts of her family. She has family and friends who know about her eyes and don't care. They love her anyway.

Light stands there for a moment, smiling softly. When the pain is as weak as it ever gets, she continues rounding the hill. It sounds as though most of the herd is there, constructing those shelters. She wonders if Pink will have a moment to sit and talk.

__________________________________________________________________________________

"No, the rocks have to be a certain size!" Thistle listened to Pink scold one of her workers. "The small ones are being piled down by the lake. We'll figure out something to do with them later!"

The first three shelters are done, and Thistle can see the outline of the food storage shelter. It's five times as big as one of the regular shelters. All grass and rocks have been cleared from the floor. Ponies are going around, adding rocks and mud to slowly build the walls.

"We need more gully mud! No, regular mud isn't good enough! It's not as strong when it dries!" She sounded frustrated. Thistle couldn't actually see her through the crowd though.

She could see Holly Berry though. She checked for Marsh and Summer nearby but she didn't see them right away. She'd find them later if she needed to.

The food storage shelter looks massive, at least from what's done so far. Thistle sits herself down to watch the other ponies at work. They're moving rocks, mixing mud, most of them have coats dyed gray by mud. They're talking and laughing. They're not just happy, they're proud.

Look at what we are building. We are building the future.

She feels proud too. A year ago this was unthinkable. Magic was something that only existed in stories and little mysteries. How do the seasons change? It must be magic. Now they have a bit of magic in them too, and it is propelling them further than any pony has gone before.

If this is how much they've accomplished in less than a year then where will next year leave them? By Fall of next year what will they have done? Most of the herd might have magic marks by then. Every group will have a shelter. They'll be bringing in their first harvest.

She catches sight of Holly now, watching her fillies play in the grass, cleared of any rocks. Those fillies won't have any memories of anywhere else but this place. Theirs is a new generation.

She could get up and help with the construction. They're not going to turn away helping hooves. Some ponies are marking out places for more shelters. Pink comes out from around a wall, waving her hoof in a broad circle to demonstrate...something.

She could get up and help, but Thistle has been doing a lot of helping lately. For now, she just wants to sit and watch her herd build itself up in front of her.

Someday she's going to have foals, and she'll get to stand in front of them and say, this is how we changed the world.