Building Ponies

Chapters

Marehood
Leadership
Merging
Dividing
Learning
Loving
Changing
Reasoning
Trusting
Waiting
Talking
Leaping
Preparation
Shouting
Celebrating
Mourning
Responsibility

Marehood

Thistle rested by the shores of Lake Hope. The season’s Stallion Fights had taken place four days ago. Her first heat had ended eight days ago. They were mares and stallions of the herd.

The wind whistled through the willow’s branches. It was easy to imagine it was the breath of Mother Earth. Sometimes Thistle could swear she heard a whisper that wasn’t there.

She shook her head. Too many ponies depended on her for Thistle to be listening to voices that didn’t exist. A moment now and then to take in the peace and tranquility was fine, but she had responsibilities to take care of.

Up on her hooves, she turned her eyes first to Gem Mountain and then to the village. They’d expanded a bit, adding more and bigger houses as Pink Peach learned to construct them. The Lead Mare’s home had an underground food storage place that Pink called a cellar. Thistle’s family had been kicked out of their own hut at first light so Pink could begin putting in a cellar for their home too.

She had plenty of herbs and the garden didn’t need weeding. Nopony was hurt or sick today, not that she’d heard at any rate. It looked like she had some free time today.

Thistle started walking down the well-worn path through the village. Ponies were tending their own gardens and going about their chores. One young mare was arguing with her groupmate, up until Thistle walked into view anyway. Both mares plastered on false smiles and waved her on.

Maybe Pink would know what they were arguing about. Those two were Petal and Rainfall, each two years older than Thistle. Rainfall was due to deliver in a moon. Petal in three.

“Healer Burr, hey, Healer Burr!” A gaggle of foals galloped over when they saw her. “What’s this? Is it medicine?” The filly in the middle held up a bouquet of dandelions.

“Not medicine, Flower Field. In fact, eating too many of those will give you an upset stomach.” She answered for them. The foals stared at the flowers in awe before dropping them and running off to find something else. Thistle watched them go before picking up the abandoned blooms. Little white puffs flew off at the next breeze, off to grow more of their kind.

“Ho, Healer! Out and about, are ya?” An older mare greeted her. The three year old filly with her squealed with glee at seeing her, trotting forward and bumping into Thistle’s front legs.

“Good morning, Thistle Weed.” She laughed, nuzzling the filly in greeting. Thistle Weed was one of the first foals she’d ever delivered, ages ago at that riverside.

A walk through the village was never just a walk through the village anymore. Older ponies waved and made small talk and foals ran up asking for games. A few had more serious concerns. One mare was desperate for a chance to bear a foal, but so far nothing had come of it.

“Have you been eating any wild carrots? Or Blue cohosh?” She asked as they stepped inside Pollen Dust’s hut.

“I don’t know what blue cohosh is, but I eat wild carrots all the time! I love them!” Pollen confirmed.

“Well, that might be the problem.” Thistle chuckled. “Eating wild carrots prevents pregnancy. If you cut those out of your diet from now until your next heat, I’m sure you’ll be able to conceive.”

“I didn’t know they did that!” Pollen gaped. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Healer! I was so afraid I was barren!”

“Well, with all that know-how I’m sure you won’t have any issues when its your time, eh Healer?” Her stallion, Riverbank, joked.

“My time, right.” She tensed up. Quickly, she said her goodbyes and went back outside.

Her time. Her next heat, when everypony would expect her to choose a stallion to follow.

She had perhaps somewhere between three and five months before her second heat would arrive. Outside it seemed most ponies had either gone to the fields or found something else to occupy themselves with, so she took a moment to lean against somepony’s wall.

Enduring had said it was better for a mare to wait until she was fifteen before trying for a foal. A mare would be almost full grown by then, and there’d be less risk for dam and foal both. Thistle had seen a few bad births and the overwhelming majority of those had come from young mares.

Pushing off the wall, Thistle oriented herself towards the Food Storage hut. Today it was Rockslide standing guard at the door, meaning Bright Finish would be coordinating the patrols around the valley.

“Lead Stallion,” She nodded to him politely as she stepped inside.

“Healer,” He grunted in return.

Inside the air was cold, no sunlight was allowed in to warm up the place, even though Pink Peach had perfected windows two years ago. The cold kept things from rotting when they weren’t preserved. At least according to Apple Blossom.

“Healer Burr, I hardly think your family requires extra food.” Shiny Rock nodded to her. Big lidded pots, invented by Clay Hooves, were sat side by side on the bark fiber mats woven by Summer Showers.

“Indeed we do not.” She confirmed. “I wanted to ask how well the pots are holding up.”

“Grain doesn’t leak from them, water doesn’t rot them, and it takes a blow of some force in order to break them.” Shiny reported, looking down into the biggest pot. “They also make good places for foal naps.”

“They do?” Curious, Thistle stepped forward. She clapped her hoof over her mouth to keep from snorting and waking the filly curled up inside.

“Water Shimmer loves them.” Shiny sighed fondly. “Look at her, three years old and sleeping without a care in the world.”

“And the mats?” Thistle kept her voice down now that she knew Shimmer was sleeping nearby.

“A bit coarse against the fur, so I’m still not sure of her idea of wearing them in winter.” She lifted up a free mat. “But they do make it easier to keep dirt out of the food. How did you say she made this?”

“Back when Pink Peach taught her how to weave baskets, Summer Showers got the idea of weaving something for the floor of her hut because Mercy and Peace were getting that bad cough from the dust.” She started explaining. “So she tried making a flat basket out of straw. It didn’t work so well because there needed to be space for the firepit. Then Starlight figured out how to use bark fiber to make a string that was finer than hemp and that led to Summer wanting to try weaving with that.”

“But it was too fine for her hooves to manipulate it easily. I don’t know how but that somehow led to her inventing the loom.” Four sticks hammered into the ground in a square shape. The top two sticks then had two longer sticks tied to them, one high and one low. The two bottom sticks also got one long stick tied to them at the same height as the lower long stick. Then the new string was tied at the bottom long stick and stretched to the upper long stick. Ten lengths of string were tied at equal distances along the long sticks. Then another long stick had ten more strings tied to it, with those ends being tied to the long stick at the bottom again. So the bottom long stick had twenty strings, the free stick had ten, and the upper stick had ten. The free stick could move up and down between the two long sticks at the top. Then Summer Showers moved the spindle made by Starlight through all the tied up strings, weaving them through. She bunched them up tight at the bottom, lowered the free stick, and wove the string through again for the next line.

She could sit and do this for hours. Unless it was raining or she was needed elsewhere she was always sitting in front of her family’s hut, minding the twins and her baby sister, weaving these mats. She could make a mat the perfect size for a pony to sleep on in about two days.

And, of course, Thistle Burr had received one as soon as Summer had perfected the process.

“Such talented ponies we have.” Shiny hummed, standing up now to put the mat aside. She began carefully transferring the last of last year’s oat grains into one of the pots. The rest of the last year’s harvest had already been planted.

Thistle found herself looking at Shiny’s magic mark. Oat grains, nine of them neatly lined up in rows of three. During that first harvest there had been some confusion on organizing the vast assortment of food they found themselves with. Shiny Rock had found her one true calling.

Ponies with magic marks outnumbered those without. Not counting foals younger than ten, three quarters of the herd now had a magic mark. Marsh Steps had a sprout growing from a little hill of dirt. Holly Berry had a heart with a sleeping foal curled inside. Summer Showers had a basket. Hornet had a wooden shield. Starlight had a spindle.

It was mostly the oldest ponies who didn’t have marks now. They’d come so far since first settling in this valley.

“Well, I’m glad the pots and mats are working out so far.” Thistle climbed to her hooves. “I’ll see you this afternoon.”

“Good day to you, Healer.” Shiny Rock waved her away without looking.

Outside again, it was almost midmorning and last night’s chill had finally gone. She nodded again politely to Rockslide as she left. Nopony else demanded her attention so she was able to head to the fields unimpeded.

Almost everypony had a mark now. How she’d wished for that in those early days. Nopony still claimed she bestowed the marks personally but there were still whispers of Blessed running around.

She healed the herd through sickness and injury and their numbers had grown. The herd was now eighty strong with the most recent births. They’d have been at almost ninety if the winter’s flu hadn’t stolen eight ponies.

Thistle tried not to think of the ponies she couldn’t save. One had been a nag almost as old as Enduring. Losing ponies in winter was the worst.

Ponies were walking through the fields, weeding and watering them under Marsh Steps’ watchful eye. Even with little Lily Pad resting atop her back she was able to lead the other farming ponies through what needed to be done.

Fields of food. So much food they hadn’t even gotten through all the winter’s stores! Nopony went to sleep hungry anymore. Dams did not have to decide which foal to feed anymore. Ponies weren’t left behind as they collapsed from hunger and exhaustion.

The long days of endless travels felt like a bad dream now. The youngest ponies didn’t even remember it.

“Quite inspiring, isn’t it?” The voice behind her nearly had Thistle jumping out of her skin. Woodpecker came and sat down beside her.

“Yes.” She calmed herself. Woodpecker wasn’t so bad a stallion, and he’d made his interests clear. Part of Thistle had been expecting him to show up at some point during her heat. He hadn’t though. This was the first time they’d spoken since she blossomed as a mare.

“You’re a mare now. Tell me, Thistle Burr, what sort of stallions catch your eye?” He faced her directly.

Thistle blushed. Of course she blushed. She’d only spent a week being teased relentlessly by her sister and cousins! And Woodpecker’s name had come up more than once!

“I haven’t thought about it.” She answered honestly. Well, she’d tried not thinking about it.

Woodpecker didn’t look like he believed her.

“If I might state my case for future Lead Stallion?” He offered. “Even against Silent Current, I win more often than I lose. Only Bright Finish and Rockslide beat me, and Rockslide is getting slow in his old age.”

“Twenty nine isn’t that old.” Thistle protested. Oldest stallion in the herd, yes, but not old.

“I know all the patrol routes and have personally killed eight wolves, one bear, and one timberwolf.” She winced at the mention of the monster. Those things had appeared during their second year, in fall just before harvest. Wooden wolves with green light shining from the cracks in their bark. The only way to kill them was to either burn them or shatter the green heart in their chests.

“I know and am allied with every stallion in the herd and no few of the mares. I’ve sat in on every trial since the village founding. I can recite all Herd Laws on demand. My sister is your right hoof mare. I swear to never raise angry hoof to you or any foals I sire.” He promised. “Are there any qualifications I might have missed?”

“I think that’s everything, Woodpecker.” Thistle withheld a sigh. “I’ll give you my answer tomorrow morning, alright?”

“Then, until tomorrow, Thistle Burr.” He smiled, leaning forward just enough to briefly nuzzle her cheek and send her face flaming again.

As he walked away Thistle tried very hard to dispel her blush.

Woodpecker would be a good choice. Silent Current was popular, but mute. A Lead Stallion needed to be able to speak to his herd. Besides those two the only other standout was Pucker Thorn.

“Maybe Pink will be finished with my house.” She muttered, picking herself up.

Pucker and Light were out front. Pucker was training himself with a new weapon he’d made. He called it a sling and it allowed him to throw stones at distant targets with enough force to kill small animals. The first few days after planting he’d spent all his time in the fields using it on birds.

“Hey, Light, he been at this long?” Thistle came up and nuzzled her sister.

“An hour or two.” Light answered vaguely. “I think he’s getting frustrated.”

“Do you know where everypony else is?” She asked curiously.

“Morning is out on patrol, Hornet is gathering fresh shoots, which leaves Mountain watching all the foals.” Light hummed thoughtfully. “I think she may have taken them to the fruit orchard.”

“Did Pink say when she’d be done with the cellar?” She sat down to wait for Pucker.

“She said she’d be done before noon, so soon probably.” Light smiled.

Light was still a year off from being a mare, and still smaller than Thistle. She was quickly turning from a cute filly into a beautiful mare. Her coat was never dirty, her mane was never tangled, and she had a manner of speaking that soothed the fussiest foal.

Thistle wasn’t built for beauty. She was a little too big, a little too solid. Her coat and mane were close to the same shade, and her mane and tail were braided with medicines rather than flowers. When she looked in her reflection by the lake it made her seem like a ropey bird’s nest. She had nice eyes and a shapely flank, but nopony would ever call her delicate.

Pucker grumbled to himself as he chose another pebble from the dwindling pile beside him. He eyed it like the pebble and all its brethren were personally offensive.

“You’re getting really good at that.” She remarked, watching him strike a pinecone off a stump from fifty paces away.

“I keep sacrificing either speed or accuracy. Go too fast, I hit with a lot of force, but don’t hit what I aimed for. Go slow, and I hit what I aim for but not with enough force to do any damage.” He held another pebble up to his eye to inspect it.

Pucker Thorn had grown big in the last three years. He stood a head taller than Thistle did and was nearly twice her weight. There was a scar on his right shoulder where a bear had swatted him last year.

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” Thistle smiled reassuringly. She wouldn’t know where to even begin with that thing. The only weapon she ever carried was a flint knife and that only saw use cutting herbs and umbilical cords.

“Thistle! Light! You’re just in time for an early lunch!” Pink Peach came galloping up the path. Her legs were stained with mud and her tail was clumped up with it. She was beaming though, as happy as ever to see her.

“I’ve been here all morning.” Light commented while Pink caught her breath.

“Is the cellar done already? I thought it would take longer.” Thistle blinked as she and Pucker were whisked inside.

“Got it all finished up with Oak Leaf’s help. The hardest part was making sure the weight of eight ponies wouldn’t cause it to cave in.” Pink rolled her eyes. “You know, Thistle, you guys don’t have to live all bunched up like that. It’s getting a little ridiculous.”

“Me, Light, Morning, Mountain, Hornet, Cam, Busy Bee, and Shaded Brook.” Thistle listed. “Yeah, the hut’s a bit crowded these days, but the foals really don’t take up much room.”

“They will in a year or two. Busy Bee’s already two and Brook turned one this season.” Pink pointed out. “Sure, tying your loose herbs to the ceiling gave you a little more space, but I’m honestly surprised none of you hang out the door at night.”

“And you know it’s no trouble to me to build more huts. We’ve got plenty of room for expanding.” She finished.

“I know, I know.” Thistle sighed, accepting a basket of early blooms for lunch. “We all do our own things during the day but we do sort of step on each other’s tails at night.”

“And faces.” Light gingerly patted her snout, where Busy Bee had stomped on it in his hurry to get outside to do his business.

“You know, I’ve got this idea for a new kind of house.” Pink Peach told her.

“When do you not?” Puck snorted. “This isn’t going to be like when you tried building a bridge over the gully and then it collapsed and made a dam instead, right?”

“I dismantled that!” She fumed. “Besides, we do need a bridge over that thing. Sure, the water’s low in summer and fall, but it gets dangerous in winter and spring! But no, you great lummox, this isn’t going to be like the bridge.”

“This time I was thinking more along the lines of more rooms in one hut, like with a wall dividing them.” She tried explaining.

“Wouldn’t that just make less space? I mean, unless you were thinking of making a hut as big as the storehouse?” Thistle frowned.

“No, its more like, grr! Come outside, I need to draw this!” She pulled them both away from their half finished meals. Pink grabbed a stick left by the wall for this purpose and began drawing.

It was a big square. She talked while she drew. Here was the front door. Here was the firepit, moved to the back of the house and with its own little square that would make a channel for the smoke to go out and the heat to stay in. A line with a gap for another door marked a second room.

Her next picture was the house from the front. The door, a window. The third picture was the back of the house, which showed the channel the smoke could escape from.

“Why is the roof all pointy like that? Thatch doesn’t sit like that.” Thistle asked.

“I won’t be using thatch.” Pink smirked. “You know that colt, Clay Hooves? His pottery gave me some ideas! In fact, after lunch I’m gonna go talk to him for a bit.”

“I hope it works out.” Thistle studied the pictures. What would they look like in real life?

“Is something up, Thistle?” Pink’s smirk dropped. “You look like you’ve got something on your mind.”

Yeah,” She crossed and uncrossed her hooves. “Um, Puck? Do you still want to be Lead Stallion? You talked about it when we were foals, but you haven’t mentioned it in the past few years.”

Pucker scratched himself, thinking of this. He looked at the big stone he used for flint knapping, and the stump he used for target practice.

“I still want to protect the herd from predators and monsters, but honestly, Thistle? I don’t think I want to be Lead Stallion anymore.” He admitted.

“Wow, never thought I’d hear him say it.” Pink blinked at him. “There a reason you’re bringing this up, Thistle? I know I’ve heard plenty of ponies talking about who you’ll choose.”

“Woodpecker approached me with a formal offer to be my Lead Stallion.” She sighed. “It’s not that your brother isn’t a good stallion, it’s just…”

“It’s just that he’s Woodpecker and he’s been flirting with you since the village was founded.” Puck summed up. “He’s turned down mares before. I think he did it because he wants to prove he’s dedicated to you.”

“My dam and brother are both a couple of carrot-chasers, no one can argue that.” Pink rolled her eyes. “But they’re not bad ponies. Honestly speaking? Even if you do follow him, it’s not like you have to love him or anything. Lots of mares don’t even live with their stallions!”

“Besides, your hut is filled to capacity and I wouldn’t wish living with my dam on my worst enemy.” She groaned theatrically. “Not even the likes of Cliff Face deserve that cruelty.”

“I vote we do not invite Woodpecker to live with us.” Light lifted her hoof. “I’m already counting down the days until my first heat when I can follow Pucker and move out.”

“Aw, but who will I kick awake at night when I’m called to deal with a difficult birth?” Thistle snickered.

“Kick Mountain.” Was her instant reply.

“C’mon, Thistle, no changing the subject.” Pink grabbed her chin to force her to pay attention. “I know my brother’s no catch or anything, but what’s bugging you about this?”

“I wanted to wait at least a year.” She sighed tiredly. “The younger mares die more often in childbirth. Enduring said fifteen was the earliest a mare should even try for one.”

“Yeah, hence why I didn’t already have something cute to cuddle with last winter.” Pink nodded along. “But Thistle, ponies are getting excited. I can’t tell you how many ponies I walked by gossiping about your prospects.”

“I don’t understand why they’re getting impatient.” Light’s brows furrowed in confusion. “True Blue is a good Lead, nopony ever has anything bad to say about her.”

“Yeah, she’s a good Lead, but she’s not Thistle Burr.” Pink straightened up, putting on an expression that wouldn’t look out of place on Cardinal’s face. “The first pony to ever have a magic mark, our herd’s healer, started the farming projects, brought us to a new age of ponykind! That Thistle Burr!”

“Oooh,” Thistle groaned, lying down just so she could clap her hooves over her ears. “Cursed Shadows, just stop.”

“Eh, I say give it a go and if you really don’t like him, just ditch him after the foal is born.” Puck shrugged. “You have to raise a foal for at least one year to be eligible so you have until then to decide if you want Woodpecker to be your Lead Stallion.”

“True.” But once he got the title she’d be stuck with him until one of them died.

“At least you don’t have to worry about the title transition itself.” Light offered, patting her reassuringly.

“What do you mean?” Pucker cocked his head to the side.

“Traditionally, the Lead Stallion faces any challenger in a fight to the death and whoever loses the bid for Lead Mare is banished from the herd.” She reminded him. “But since we’ve founded the village, nopony is going to be run out of the herd unless they break a major law.”

“Can you imagine anypony being able to kill Rockslide?” Pink snorted. “Puh-lease, that stallion is built like an avalanche. I’m pretty sure a spear would just bounce off him.”

“It would hurt him just as much as it would hurt anypony.” Thistle rolled her eyes. “It’s the actually hitting part that would be impossible.”

“Especially since he’s been using that wooden shield thing Hornet made.” Pucker sent a sour look to his own shield leaning against the wall. “Re-training myself to use that and a spear has been annoying, but I definitely don’t want to get swiped by another bear.”

“Yeah, I’m all for the not-getting-killed plan.” Pink nodded empathetically.

Author's Note

This story is a sequel to Helping Ponies! It's projected to be a lot longer too. I've already got a little store of chapters set up to be updated weekly. So I guess I'll update again next Wednesday!

Leadership

True Blue’s hut had seen some renovations as well. There was the new cellar, of course. There was also a window, and two poles in front of the door to give a pony room to sit under an awning during rain. The vegetable patch beside the hut was healthy and thriving. Bluebell was laying in front of the patch when Thistle walked up, staring at the fresh shoots of growth. The onions were coming up fast this year.

“Hello, Bluebell.” Thistle smiled at the filly.

“Distle! Distle!” The cheerful filly shrieked in joy and rushed up to hug her. “Hi! Hi!”

“Thistle Burr, good to see you, as always.” True Blue poked her head through the window. “Come inside. Bluebell, you can stay outside so long as you stay in front of the window.”

“Stay at ‘indow!” Bluebell nodded seriously, going back to the vegetable patch to stare at the onions some more.

“Hard to believe she’s only three.” Thistle commented as she walked inside.

“I’d have to tie her to a stake to get her to stay in one place.” True Blue sighed. “Luckily she’s easily fascinated by plants and she’s passed the stage of sticking everything into her mouth.”

“So what brings you here today, Thistle Burr?” She asked.

“I wanted your advice on something.” Thistle started. “You see, Woodpecker stopped me earlier today in the fields and…” She faltered, mortified by the blush springing back to her cheeks.

“And he finally asked to be your Lead Stallion.” True Blue finished for her. “Honestly, he’s the best prospect right now, unless you genuinely prefer Pucker Thorn. And then your sister will have to find someone else to Follow, given siblings are forbidden from Following the same pony.”

“We’re not related by blood.” Thistle blinked in confusion.

“I don’t think anypony would protest, given it’s you, but it sets a precedent.” True Blue allowed. “Later on there would inevitably be a pony who tries to argue that she should be allowed to follow her sister’s stallion, just because you did it. And to most ponies declaring yourselves sisters is good enough in their books.”

That…would make things complicated if Thistle had to rework her family trees. If the laws didn’t only take blood into account that made things a touch more difficult.

“But back to the matter at hoof, while Woodpecker does have all the qualifications for Lead Stallion, that doesn’t mean he’d be a good one. Almost every stallion has those qualifications, but none of them could perform all of Rockslide’s duties.” True Blue told her. “My advice to you is follow each other until your next heat, work together. If he proves incompetent, move on to the next stallion but don’t let him mount you. It would be much harder to secure another stallion as your Lead if you’re carrying Woodpecker’s foal.”

“I didn’t think of that.” She hardly wanted to think of carrying a foal at all. “But how can we work together? I normally spend my days making or gathering medicine, not on patrol or guard shifts. How do you and Rockslide work together when you’re doing different things?”

“Though we don’t sleep in the same hut, we do meet up every morning and every evening to discuss the herd’s wellbeing. He tells me his plans for the day or week and I tell him mine.” True hummed thoughtfully, looking out the window to check on Bluebell. The filly must have been behaving for she soon turned back to Thistle.

“This will be the first transition since the village was founded, perhaps we should set a precedent.” She suggested.

“I thought precedents were bad?” Thistle questioned.

“That depends entirely on how they’re used. You are not altogether against Woodpecker being your Lead Stallion?” She checked. “Then tell him that during this testing phase he must work with Rockslide, learning everything a Lead Stallion must do every day. I’ll talk to Rockslide about it later. Have I satisfied all your concerns, Thistle Burr?”

Thistle meant to nod, but she hesitated. While the decision of who would be her Lead Stallion was important, it did raise another question to her.

“True Blue, aren’t you upset by any of this? The whole herd is just waiting for when I take your place.” She asked nervously.

True Blue sighed, deep and heartfelt. She looked out the window again then sat down in the straw.

“I have been Lead Mare since I was fifteen. I am thirty two now. That’s more than half my life as Lead Mare.” She revealed. Thistle blinked. She hadn’t realized how old True Blue really was. Thirty two was almost past foal bearing years. “In the normal run of things, I likely would have been challenged for leadership at least twice in the past three years, but my reign has been peaceful.”

“Leading a settlement is much different from leading travelers, I find it harder.” She continued. “I am ready to stand down, Thistle Burr. I will hold on until you are ready, but I do expect you to be ready soon.”

“As soon as I raise a foal past one year.” Thistle nodded. “Do you really think I’ll make a good Lead Mare?”

“You’ve been working beside me at it for the past three years.” True Blue rolled her eyes. “Do not doubt yourself, Thistle Burr. You are already a good Lead.”

The graveyard had expanded too. Twenty two ponies were buried there, including foals who’d died before they ever breathed. The most recent additions had large rocks with carved marks on them, the deceased’s magic mark.

Enduring had never gained a mark before she died, though she’d deserved one. She’d more than deserved one.

Enduring was in the Endless Pastures now. She was beyond earthly troubles.

“Come to visit again, Healer?” Thistle turned to see Rose Bud walking between the graves again. She was probably the oddest mare in the herd. Her fur was rose red and she had a two-toned green mane. She visited the graves more than anypony, leaving flowers on them, sometimes talking to them even if she hadn’t known them in life. She was also the one who’d started the practice of carving the magic mark into their grave stone and even gained a mark that way.

“This place is peaceful, isn’t it?” She asked, gently setting some wildflowers on the grave of a young colt. A timberwolf had gotten his leg and he’d bled out before they could reach her.

“It is.” Thistle agreed quietly. It never felt right to speak up here. Rose Bud didn’t say anything more, merely passing over a small bouquet for Thistle to lay on Enduring’s grave. Thistle watched from the corner of her eye as Rose Bud moved from grave to grave, depositing flowers and whispering to each stone like an old friend.

Thistle only half understood laying flowers out for the dead. The Endless Pastures provided all a pony needed, including bountiful food, but the flowers weren’t for the dead, not really. They were for the living. I still remember you. I still miss you. I still love you.

Someday she’d be buried here and ponies might visit her grave on occasion. Maybe they would lay flowers and talk about their problems the way she did for Enduring.

“I’m a mare now, Enduring.” Thistle spoke softly. “My first heat was a little over a week ago. Everypony says its time for me to choose a stallion, and I guess they’re right. I’m not going to put this off and cause trouble for everypony, I just wish I could have a little more time.”

She closed her eyes and remembered the old nag’s voice, her stories and lessons. Legends and unicorns and Pegasus and herbal remedies. There were a few things Thistle knew now that she wished she could tell Enduring about.

But she’d already spent enough time here. She had one more place to check before she went home for the day.

Hope Spring’s hut was empty, as it so often was. But it was fuller than it had been three years ago. There was a necklace of chimera teeth hanging on the wall, a single hydra tooth stuck into the ground, and baskets of rocks, shells, and other little treasures Hope had brought back from her travels. She returned twice a year on average, and always brought word of some foreign herd or great monster.

It wasn’t as though she thought Hope Springs might be here. It was just habit to come to this hut that was even now so much more secluded than the rest of the village. While all her other haunts were public places that anypony could find her at, only her family knew she spent time here and they all gave her space to do her thinking in peace.

It wasn’t that she didn’t like helping ponies, it was just that sometimes she was one of the ponies Thistle needed to help.

She spent a few minutes in quiet contemplation before carefully closing the door behind her. It was almost dinner time.

Morning Dew was facing the door when Thistle came in. She looked good, quiet and thoughtful as ever. Always thinking of this or that thing to help somepony.

“Mama, mama!” Busy Bee buzzed at her side, headbutting her to try to get to her teat. He’d picked up Cam’s name for her and refused to call her anything else. He also called Mountain Mama too, which got a little confusing. Hornet lucked out and was Daddy more often than not.

“Why are colts always hungry?” She snorted as she rolled over enough for him to eat. He was almost weaned now, but he liked milk before dinner. It got him to eat his radishes so she didn’t complain, much.

“Fillies too.” Mountain groaned, looking down at her own little bundle of joy. Where Busy Bee was his sire in miniature with a yellow coat and orange mane, Shaded Brook reminded her of Mountain’s dam. She had a dark blue coat and a silver mane.

“How was your day, Thistle?” Hornet welcomed her home.

“Hmm, I got a lot of thinking done.” Thistle said vaguely, looking over the foals and then carefully stepping to her usual place in the circle.

“Ow! Mama, Busy kicked me again!” Cam complained, trying to scoot herself closer to Hornet to get away from her brother’s hooves.

“Busy Bee, no kicking.” Morning frowned at her colt. “No more milk.”

“Nnooo!” He whined. It would’ve become a full blown tantrum if Cam hadn’t poked him then and pointed to the fruit slices in his eating basket. Mixed in with diced veggies, even the pickiest foal would eat everything down to the basket. And sometimes the basket too.

“Ugh, remind me why we wanted foals?” Mountain flinched. Brook had probably bitten too hard.

“They’re cute and cuddly?” Morning shrugged.

“So are you, and you don’t bite me.” Mountain argued.

“There are marks under your fur that say otherwise.” She waggled her eyebrows at Mountain. Since Mountain was normally the more forward of the two it was always effective in getting out a giggle or snort. Sure enough, Morning was soon congratulating herself on teasing her mate into a better mood.

“Yuck! Stop being gross!” Cam commanded them, now of that lofty age where colts were icky and her Mama and Mom were even ickier.

“Well, if you think that’s gross,” Mountain got a wicked look in her eye.

“No teasing indoors please,” Light requested. “I still have bruises from last time.”

Last time had gotten the foals so riled up they’d ran around the room, running over everypony else.

“We have got to do something about the lack of space here.” Mountain grumbled.

They’d found ways to secure most of Thistle’s medicines to the ceiling. Baskets were set in careful ways and nothing was allowed to clutter the floor. With the new cellar they could keep their food underground and out of the way, which did help create enough room for somepony to stand up and walk to the door, but not much else. And everypony had to walk backwards to get out of the hut because there wasn’t enough room to turn around anymore.

The only thing left to do was for some ponies to move out.

No one suggested it.

“Woodpecker asked to be my Lead Stallion today.” Thistle changed the subject.

“…What did you say?” Mountain asked.

“I told him I’d give him my answer tomorrow, but I think it will be yes, provided he can prove we work well together until my next heat and he learn under Lead Rockslide.” She informed them, picking at her dinner.

“On that note,” Thistle sighed and looked around the room. “We really do need to consider our living situation.”

“Ugh, yeah.” Mountain winced. “The foals ain’t exactly getting smaller.”

“I still plan to follow Pucker when I have my first heat.” Light confirmed for them. “But that might take up to a year. Perhaps it is time to ask Pink to build a new hut for us? She showed us that design earlier.”

“I don’t think she’ll have what she needs for it soon enough though.” Thistle frowned.

“A new design? For a new kind of hut?” Morning leaned forward curiously.

“Apparently she got the idea from Clay Hooves.” Thistle shrugged. “But that would take some time, she’s only got an idea right now.”

“It would have to be us moving to the new hut, wouldn’t it?” Hornet asked. “I mean, as the Healer you should probably stay in the middle of the village where anypony can find you quickly, and all the new huts are being built spread out around the valley.”

“We have to leave?” Cam whimpered.

“It’s not like we’re leaving the village, Cam.” Mountain reassured her. “But this hut is too small for all of us. You’re tired of being kicked all the time, right?”

“Yeah…” She still didn’t look happy.

Fair enough, Morning wasn’t happy either. Busy Bee and Brook had picked up on the atmosphere of the hut, but neither of them were old enough to understand what was being said. Everypony looked around the hut at the life they’d built together.

“Man, I’m gonna miss getting kicked in the face.” Mountain sighed.

Thistle stretched fully in the light of dawn. Close quarters made for cramped sleeping space. Once her legs felt strong and limber again she ducked her head back inside to look at everypony. The foals were laying next to their dams and Cam was lying on the inside of the wall while Hornet was pushed perilously close to the firepit. Light had already shifted to take advantage of the space Thistle had freed up.

Spreading out to a new hut was well and truly overdue, but she’d miss having them all there. She’d miss falling asleep to one of Light’s stories. She’d miss listening to Cam make up little songs. She’d even miss Morning, Mountain, and Hornet flirting with each other and acting like the rest of them couldn’t hear it.

Baskets at her sides, Thistle began walking to the fields with the rest of the early risers.

“Good morning, Healer.” Marsh Steps and Holly Berry walked up to her.

“Good morning, Marsh, Holly.” Thistle smiled at them. “Not bringing Lily Pad today?”

“I had a rough time keeping her from trampling the sprouts yesterday so she’s with Summer for now.” Marsh nodded. “Besides, I need to start weaning her so now’s as good a time as any to start.”

“And you, Holly? Going into the forest today?” She was wearing baskets too and carrying a spear and shield.

“There are these vines with lovely blooms I saw last season, and I want to see if they grew back yet.” Holly nodded, though she looked at the forest with distaste. Thistle was just about the only pony in the herd who would walk beneath the trees unarmed, but even she had been forbidden from going alone.

“Good luck then.” It was too early in the season for timberwolves, but you could never be too careful.

They reached the spot where Thistle usually stood to watch the farmers. Ponies scattered about the fields to weed and water. Every pony came out once or twice a week to do this, sometimes more. Thistle herself almost never got onto the fields proper unless it was planting or harvesting season. Everypony seemed to think she had more important things to do, even when all she did was sit and watch them.

“Thistle Burr, I hope I did not keep you waiting.” Woodpecker trotted up beside her.

“I’ve only been here for a moment.” She eyed the spear strapped to his side and stood.

“Do you have an answer for me?” Was he nervous? He stood stiffly but she couldn’t tell his true feelings.

“After asking Lead True for advice, I’ve decided to give you a test to see if you can do all the things Lead Rockslide does.” She explained. “From now until my next heat, we’ll be working together and you’ll be learning under him, as I have been learning under Lead True.”

“I look forward to working with you then.” He looked self-assured. “Do you know where I might find Lead Rockslide right now?”

“That’s what we’re going to see Lead True about.” She answered.

Bluebell wasn’t playing outside this time. Thistle knocked her hoof against the wall to announce their arrival.

“Come in,” True Blue called.

“Good morning, Lead True.” Thistle led the way inside. Rockslide, Shiny, and Pink were inside too. Bluebell wasn’t anywhere to be seen, so likely she was being watched by one of Shiny’s groupmates.

“Lead Mare, Lead Stallion, please pardon the intrusion.” Woodpecker nodded politely to both.

Rockslide eyed the young stallion and stood to his full height. Thistle stood aside as he committed some inspection.

“…At sunrise, you will meet by the storehouse with the other stallions. Whatever I am doing, you are doing. For now, sit.” Rockslide turned to retake his seat. “Welcome to your first Leadership meeting.”

“If we could begin?” Shiny cleared her throat. “Pink, this week’s report?”

“Field attendance has gone down recently. Most ponies don’t like digging through dirt for weeds when they could be frolicking like foals.” Pink began professionally. “Nopony’s wandered off and gotten lost. A couple of colts trampled Soft Touch’s garden and she threatened to shove their heads under water until they stopped kicking. A few ponies have complained about Rose Bud leaving flowers on the gravestones, and then getting mad when somepony walks by and eats them. Clay Hooves has requested a hut to himself so he can focus on making more pots and other things. He volunteered to help me with a project so I’m inclined to grant it.”

“The planting went well and everything seems to be coming up on time. Pucker made this sling that lets him throw rocks harder and faster than he could on his own, he told me he’s going to the fields today to aim at birds and rabbits.” She finished, scratching her chin as she checked to see if she missed anything. “That’s about it for this week.”

“Clay Hooves is a year off from being a stallion.” Shiny flicked her ears. “Keep an eye on him, he’s been caught going into the forest unarmed twice already.”

“I walk there unarmed.” Thistle blinked in confusion.

“We’ve been encouraging ponies to carry spears to remind them that the forest is not always safe.” Rockslide huffed. “If one pony sees another without a spear, they think its alright for them to leave theirs behind as well.”

“Precedents.” Thistle tucked her ears back. “Alright, so why haven’t any of you told me to carry a spear? I wouldn’t have refused.”

“You are the herd’s healer, and they still call you Blessed.” True reminded her. “They believe you don’t need to carry a weapon.”

“Besides, you can barely stand watching the Stallion Fights, everypony knows you don’t like fighting.” Pink pointed out.

Thistle remembered slamming into Cliff Face’s side. She remembers rage boiling in her veins and a strong new mare sitting quiet and still.

“Moving along,” True Blue directed them to the next subject. “Has everypony given thought to the information Hope Springs brought to us last time?”

“We’ve only been going around in circles about it all winter.” Pink rolled her eyes. “We didn’t even come to a decision before she left again.”

“Pardon me, but what information do you mean?” Woodpecker asked. He held up under their combined attention rather well. “I know she goes around studying monsters and brings back information about them, but I don’t understand why that would cause this council such trouble.”

“Not all monsters have fangs and claws.” Rockslide huffed.

“Some walk on hooves.” Thistle grit her teeth.

“Hope Springs moves between herds, acting as an informant on their own progress after the Light Event.” True informed him. “So far she hasn’t found a herd that has settled in one place like us, nor any herds with magic marks, but they do have their own innovations.”

“And dangers.” Shiny grumbled. “When she returned last fall, she brought word of a herd of ponies unlike any we have ever seen. Ponies with wings on their backs, capable of soaring through the skies and alighting on clouds.”

“My teacher told me about them. They are called Pegasus.” Thistle explained. “Though, when she ran with them they were unable to do more than glide. It seems the Light-That-Wasn’t has granted them full flight now.”

“Flight they will be using to pass over this valley in late summer or early fall.” She finished.

“They really exist? Ponies with wings?” He gaped.

“Apparently, yes. And we still haven’t figured out how we’re going to plan for their arrival.” True Blue sighed, rubbing her temple. “By then the fields will be filled with food and while we likely could survive giving as much as a quarter away to another herd, I fear they would not be satisfied by that.”

“Worse, they would. And then they’d come back next year for more.” Shiny suggested. “But we couldn’t exactly leave the fields farrow. So what can we do?”

“Perhaps we could entice a number to stay with us?” Woodpecker suggested uncertainly. “Our herd would grow larger and they might not come back this way for fear of losing yet more herdmates to us.”

“But those that go on will spread word of the bounty we have here.” True reminded them. “Which would only draw more herds towards us. Perhaps even larger ones.”

“So let them come? We have spears and shields to protect us. Even if they outnumbered us I have a hard time believing they could out fight us.” He argued.

“Did you not hear when we said other herds have their own inventions?” Rockslide narrowed his eyes. “They don’t have marks but they do have wooden spears. Some have learned to face monsters with ropes. Some have harnessed fire and use it fend off predators. And these Pegasus ponies will be able to attack us from above.”

“How good are you at striking straight up?” He challenged.

“All winter we have been trying to come up with some solution.” True Blue placed a gentle hoof on Rockslide’s shoulder. “All winter we have failed.”

“Hope Springs said they’re able to control the weather, at least over small areas.” Pink pointed out. “I still say our best bet is to convince as many of them to join us as possible. The ones that leave will spread word of us, true, but we could never hope to stay secret forever. It’s a miracle no herd has found us yet.”

“I’m sorry but control the weather?” Woodpecker was beginning to look slightly ill.

“They can touch and move clouds. Somehow they are able to make rain fall, and make thunder and lightning.” Thistle explained. “They might’ve just been showing off to Hope Springs, but the fact that they did it before her very eyes is definitely worrying.”

He rallied himself quickly. She could almost see the thoughts flitting behind his eyes as he tried to come up with something to suggest.

“What about…” He paused, marshalling his words. “Alright, my sister’s idea, what if we did that and then planned for what happened after? The remaining other ponies, they fly off and tell others of our village. But even if they’re flying that should still take time, and winter will come on quickly after harvest.”

“We could construct walls first, for the ponies like us who must gallop along the ground. From there,” He paused again before his eyes lit up. “From there we could weave rope into a net over the village using the wall as anchor points! They can’t dive upon us from the sky if our net stops them, and as I recall, dear sister, your stallion has invented a weapon that can strike something from a distance. We train ponies in its use, and those Pegasus won’t be able to get in to steal from us.”

“Build a wall, you say?” Pink blinked. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but that’s a brilliant idea, Woodpecker!”

“There would be ponies out beyond the wall. They’re always are these days.” Shiny frowned. “It isn’t like the old days when ponies were too afraid to go far beyond the main herd.”

“Then we need some way of alerting our own herd.” Woodpecker nodded thoughtfully. “Something for the patrols as well. We’d need to see the danger before it arrived.”

“Look-Out Hill,” Rockslide said. “Pink Peach, you spoke of a tall structure to save ground space as one of your ideas. Could you construct such a thing?”

“I can!” Pink stood up in excitement. “I’ll need to work with Clay Hooves, and I’ll need some time to test a few things out first, but I could have one built before the end of spring!”

“Constructing these defenses means we’d have to tell ponies what we’re defending them from.” Thistle realized. “They’ll want to know why we’re building a wall.”

“The timberwolves make an excellent excuse.” Shiny shrugged. “They’ve come out of the forest before, but they’re not climbers, a wall would stop them.”

“Why not simply tell the herd the truth?” Woodpecker’s ears flicked back.

“Ponies panic, young stallion.” She glared. “And panicked ponies aren’t organized ponies. They’ll run in whatever direction they happen to be facing, or they’ll launch attacks that will only succeed in getting them killed. The purpose of this council is to secure against danger before it happens. Then we give our ponies opportunities to practice against fake danger until they are able to cope with the real thing.”

“Do you remember the phoenix when we first settled here?” Thistle brushed the feather in her mane. It didn’t degrade like a normal bird’s feather, and it carried a hint of heat even years later. “Some ponies hid, some ran, and a few fought. But we killed it without losing anypony to it. So when a new monster made itself known,” She prompted him.

“They knew it could be fought.” He realized. Two ponies had come across the first timberwolf. Two stallions. Stallions who had fought wolves before and seen one monster die already. They hadn’t come out of it unscathed, one almost hadn’t come out of it at all, but they’d managed to lead it into a trap and kill it because they knew it could be killed.

“Woodpecker,” True Blue addressed him. “Remember that your attendance in this council is dependent on ThistleBurr’s decision. If she decides you would not make a good Lead Stallion, then you will be barred from this meeting. This also means we are trusting you to hold this in confidence.”

“What she’s saying is, breathe a word of this to our dam and we’ll make you wish you’d been banished.” Pink smirked. “I usually just tell her the boring gossipy stuff.”

“Well, I’m certainly not going to be ruining my own chances.” He sighed. “I’ve been waiting for this for too long.”

“Here’s hoping we can work together then.” Thistle really hoped they could. She was starting to see that Woodpecker really could be a good Lead.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pink looked ahead to her house and stopped. Morning, Mountain, Hornet, and their foals, were all sitting by her door, apparently waiting for her.

With a feeling that she knew what this was about, Pink picked up her trot.

“Well, hello there! Fancy seeing you here, at my humble hut.” She pranced up to them. “How are the foals? Cam? No mark yet?”

“No.” The filly stuck her lip out.

“Ah well, keep at it. Took me a dozen tries before I figured out where my talents lied.” She flipped her mane out of her eyes. “So what’s up? Did Busy Bee finally kick a hole in the wall?”

“No, but not for lack of trying.” Morning chuckled. “We just think it’s high time we gave Thistle her space.”

“Yup, little Thistle Burr ain’t so little anymore.” Mountain nodded sagely. “Now she’s a big mare who kicks like a stallion when she has to get up in the middle of the night. My sides need breathing room, Pink.”

“Thistle’s hut was one of the first ones I ever made.” Pink thought back with pride. “I’ve improved a lot since then, so I don’t need to make them as small or drafty. I can get you a nice sized hut in about two, three days? Two if I can convince a couple ponies to help me. Sun and Moon know I wish somepony else would get a building mark already, I used to have all sorts of volunteers but now nopony wants to help lug heavy rocks from the gully.”

“You know, I’ve been thinking about that.” Morning grabbed Bee before he could make a break for it. She settled the grumpy colt on her back before continuing. “I’ve been trying to think of a way to make sledges easier to pull and for heavier loads. I’ll let you know when I’ve got something that works.”

“That would be a life saver, especially considering my next big project.” She could recruit other ponies for the wall, but the tower. That would be more complicated and she wasn’t looking forward to pushing rocks up a hill. Especially since there was no way the gully had enough rocks for both projects.

“Project?” Hornet asked politely.

“A stone wall, all around the village, for if timberwolves ever chase ponies all the way back here.” She explained.

“Won’t they just break through the door? Timberwolves are strong, right?” Cam frowned, looking over her shoulder at Pink’s door as if judging it against how big she thought a timberwolf might be.

“I’m honestly not sure how I’ll handle that yet.” She admitted. “Wall first, big door later. Point is, I’m going to be one busy little bee this season.”

“I’m Bee!” Busy Bee chimed in.

“Yes, you are.” She agreed with the colt. “And following that, are the three of you busy for the next week? It seems I’m going to need some volunteers.”

“Patrol shifts, but we always get those in cycles so at least one of us is minding the foals.” Mountain shrugged. “I’m on afternoon shift so I’ve got to be going soon.”

“I have morning shift tomorrow, but I can help afterwards.” Hornet offered.

“I’m off completely tomorrow, I’ll ask Light if she can mind the foals.” Morning decided.

“Great!” Pink cheered, moving towards her sledge. “Any idea where you want your new hut?”

“We want a big place but we don’t really care where it is.” Mountain shrugged. “Well, maybe not near the forest.”

“I can’t really put you near the fields either.” Pink shrugged apologetically. “Marsh Steps might want to expand more before spring lets up.” Especially if Thistle thought of a way to suggest that without letting on that a whole herd would be wandering in their direction.

Then again, Marsh Steps was in charge of planting. All Thistle had to say was that Marsh Steps should plant a bit more and Marsh would drown them all in oceans of oats.

Pink hitched herself to the sledge and turned a speculative eye towards Gem Mountain. It was a longer haul, but there was a lot more stone to be had there. The gem-eating monster had never come back so the mountain had never been declared forbidden.

But lugging stones down a mountain was a fast way to break her back. Pink started marching for the gully.

Merging

“Have I mentioned how much I am not looking forward to this?” Pink groaned as came to a likely outcropping of Gem Mountain. There was more than enough loose stone for them to cart away. They were jagged and much larger than the smooth gully stones.

“None of us are looking forward to this, Pink.” Puck pulled his sledge to a pile of rock. “Everypony keep close and keep your eyes peeled for anything odd.”

“Do misshapen blobs count?” Light smirked, prying at a large stone.

“Okay, everypony but Light keep your eyes peeled.” Puck amended. “You didn’t have to come with us, you know.”

“A chance for the four of us to spend time together, even with the addition of my sister’s stallion?” Light lifted a brow. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“I saw enough of him to last a lifetime when we lived together.” Pink muttered, hopefully quiet enough that Woodpecker, who’d pulled up to the cliff wall, wouldn’t hear.

“Pink,” Thistle scolded lightly. She would’ve liked for the four of them to spend quality time together, but she’d decided to give Woodpecker a chance. They were learning to work together and part of that was actually working together. Woodpecker didn’t know anything of healing and Thistle had never raised a spear against another living creature. This was their first joint task.

Well, the others weren’t likely to include him without some prodding by her. Thistle sighed and pulled her sledge up next to his.

“Pulling these is not going to be easy.” He commented as she unhitched herself.

“I know, but hopefully seeing me pulling some will inspire others to do so as well.” She dug a large stone free and laboriously moved it onto the sledge.

“Are the rumors true? That some monster was spotted on this mountain in our first year and that’s why few ponies come this way?” Woodpecker asked her.

“Pucker Thorn was the first to explore this part of the valley. While he was here, he found footprints.” She started explaining. “Big ones, big enough to trod on a stallion, and belonging to some kind of reptile. There were also chunks of gems, like the ones Starlight has in her hut.”

“Many a mare on the patrol team has wished for such a collection.” Woodpecker nodded along. “What do gems have to do with a monster though?”

“Some of those gems had bite marks in them.” She remembered the sapphire sitting in a basket at home. The one that had been half-eaten she’d kept. The other two gems she’d given to Cam for her games.

“Nothing else was ever found though. No new tracks, no newly bitten gems, the monster left just before we arrived and hasn’t come back.” She wiped her brow, wishing she’d thought to tie her mane up before leaving the village.

“Huh,” He hummed.

For a while they didn’t say anything else. Everypony worked on filling up their sledges without making them heavy enough to break or too heavy to pull. When the last sledge was filled, the five of them sat down for lunch.

“Even with five sledges of stone it’s not going to be anywhere near enough for the wall.” Pink moaned. “In fact, this isn’t even enough for the foundation.”

“Are you sure you’ll be able to build it before the end of summer?” Thistle asked with concern.

“Materials aren’t going to be an issue,” Pink waved her hoof around at all the rocks. “It’s the horse power. Namely, the lack of it. Building their own homes, sure, but try getting them to help me build anything else and everypony suddenly has a million other things to do.”

“We are spreading the word that the wall will protect us from timberwolves, right?” Thistle checked.

“But very few of the beasts have actually chased ponies far beyond the trees.” Woodpecker pointed out. “While nopony will protest the protection, not very many of them will see it as necessary. Everypony knows timberwolves hate leaving the forest.”

Thistle couldn’t think of anything to refute that. Ponies liked the idea of a wall but rocks were heavy and it was a long walk back to the village.

“Hey, Puck, what’s on your mind?” Pink nudged her mate.

“Hm?” Puck pulled himself back to the present.

“You were pretty deep in thought there. Did you get lost?” Pink teased him.

“Ha, ha.” He shoved her. “I’ve just been thinking about the gem-eater. There’s still gems here so why didn’t it ever come back?”

“Who knows?” Pink shrugged. “Just count it as a good thing. Just because the thing eats gems doesn’t mean it won’t step on us too.”

“I wonder where it went.” Light mused. “Did it go looking for another of its kind? More food? While we know it ate gems we don’t know if that’s all it ate.”

“I don’t want to think of something that big being carnivorous, Light.” Pink shuddered. “Why can’t you guys just be happy its gone?”

“I honestly can’t think of a single way we could defend against a monster of the size you describe.” Woodpecker admitted, looking disturbed.

“Ugh, you guys sound like foals. Thistle, back me up on this.” She groaned.

“If it really is a reptile then we should aim for the underbelly. The scales are weaker there. Eyes too.” Thistle presented her wisdom with a laugh. “And most reptiles don’t come out in winter.”

Pink’s groan was even louder this time. She dropped to the ground and placed her hooves over her ears as they continued to laugh. Even Woodpecker was amused, laughing with the rest of them.

“Hellooo?”

Thistle’s ears went straight up.

“Did anypony else hear that?” She climbed to her hooves, ears swiveling this way and that.

“Hellooo?” Everypony else sat up. That voice was coming from the wrong direction to be from the village.

“Hello? Who’s there?” Thistle shouted, walking slowly towards the voice.

“Answer if you can hear us!” Woodpecker bellowed, much louder than she could manage.

“Thank Sun and Moon, other ponies!” They stared as three ponies came into view. They were a little higher up on the path coming from the other side of the mountain.

Another herd had found them? They weren’t flying so these weren’t the Pegasus.

“Pink, would you be our representative?” She turned to her cousin.

“Fine by me.” Pink smiled. She started walking forward to meet the Other ponies. Thistle waited to see who they’d send forward. It looked like two mares and a young stallion, or perhaps a colt. If they were scared or aggressive it would be the stallion.

All three walked forward to meet Pink Peach.

“Thistle,” Puck dragged his hoof in the dirt. “I don’t like this.”

“Wait,” She put a hoof on his shoulder, not daring to tear her eyes from the strangers. Pink had stopped short when they’d all moved, looking over her shoulder tentatively. She turned to face forward again and they could see the stallion say something but not hear what was said. It must’ve been friendly, because Pink looked at them again and waved them forward.

“This is our next Lead Mare, Thistle Burr, and her sister, Dim Light. That’s my brother, Woodpecker, and my stallion Pucker Thorn.” She introduced them. “Everypony, these are unicorns.”

Unicorns. Thistle’s eyes widened. Enduring’s stories came back to her. The stallion was the same size as Pink. The mares were more Light’s size, putting them at Thistle’s chin. The horns that spiraled from their heads matched their coat colors and was around four to five inches long.

“Future Lead Mare,” The stallion bowed his head respectfully. “I am Onyx and these are my mares, Sapphire Cut and Emerald Daze. I humbly beg you allow us to run with your herd.”

“You wish to join our herd?” Thistle blinked. “Where is the rest of yours? Are you scouts?”

“Neigh, Future Lead Mare,” He shook his head. “We are alone. Our herd is many days north of here and heading west now.”

Something inside unclenched now that she knew it wasn’t a monster attack. She looked them over again with a more careful eye.

Onyx was a black stallion with equally dark eyes. His mane was a fine silver. He barely met her eyes at his full height. Sapphire Cut, she thought, was the blue mare with an acorn brown mane. Emerald Daze had a soft white coat and rich green mane. None were obviously injured but Sapphire was heavily pregnant and all looked like they’d had a rough few days of travel. Their legs were caked with dust and their manes were tangled.

“Very well,” She reached for the words True Blue would use. “If you speak honestly, then we will be glad to have you in our herd.”

“Pink, run back and let the Leads know about this.” She ordered.

“Got it!” Pink saluted. She started to trot but stalled by the sledges. “Uh, what about mine?”

“I’m sure one of these ponies can help pull it.” Thistle assured her.

“Pull? These things?” Onyx looked dubiously at the sledges. “Why ever would you be pulling rocks behind you?”

“They’re to be used as material for a building project.” Light answered vaguely.

“What?” They all stared in confusion.

“You’ll see when we get back to the rest of the herd.” Thistle promised. “Now, are you strong enough to pull one of these? We can fix the rope to allow two ponies to be hitched instead.”

Onyx insisted he could pull it on his own. To his credit, he could but not all the way. At the bottom of the path he nearly collapsed. The gravity of walking downward had helped immensely and without it he couldn’t get the sledge to budge. Puck worked the lines until Sapphire and Daze could be hitched together. Even so, it took them a little time to work out how to move in sync and they were starting to flag when they reached the edge of the graveyard.

“I don’t think they’ll be able to get it to the village.” Puck whispered with regret. “Are they sickly? Light’s their size and she doesn’t have any trouble.”

“I think unicorns are just naturally smaller than us. They’re all adults.” Thistle looked back to make sure the two mares were still following. The graveyard was only a few minutes from the village. “That’s far enough, you two! We can leave the sledges here.”

“Thank pant Stars!” Sapphire whimpered, dropping to her knees. “I thought pant I was going pant to die!”

“Stop complaining!” Onyx snapped. “Those mares pulled theirs along without any complaint!”

“We are also bigger and more accustomed to this work.” Thistle reminded him. “Take a moment to catch your breaths, then we’ll continue without the sledges. Somepony will come get them later.”

“Where are we?” Daze hadn’t dropped to her knees, but she was trembling. She’d barely turned her head in order to look at the gravestones.

“The graveyard.” Thistle answered sadly. “This is where we bury our dead. Beneath every standing stone you see is a pony of our herd.”

“A monster attack?” Onyx asked gently. “I am sorry you lost so many.”

“We did not lose them all at once.” Thistle reassured him. “We have been living here for three years.”

She could see they didn’t understand. Well, their herd hadn’t settled down. They still ran through mountains and valleys, didn’t they? Theirs was still the only herd to have built a village.

“Come on, we’re not far now.” Puck encouraged them. “You’ll be able to see the village soon!”

“What’s a village?” Sapphire questioned him. Rather than answering, the four of them left their sledges and led the way.

The village slowly came into view.

“Welcome, to True Village.” Thistle smiled proudly.

It was like nothing he had ever seen before. Onyx had thought he knew what he was dealing with when he realized the group they’d stumbled across were Earth ponies. They had no horn, no wings, but they had strength and size aplenty. The stories he knew said the ground trembled when they ran.

He’d thought them timid when only one mare had dared step forward to meet them.

He’d thought them wise when they revealed themselves to be the honor guard of their future Lead Mare. A mare his size, he felt small under her gaze. Naturally one pony had stepped forward to see if they were hostile, while the rest lingered around her.

The stallions and the pink mare had spears, but these ones had stone tips that seemed more dangerous than the ones he’d seen before. They had blocks of wood too, strapped to one leg for a purpose he didn’t yet understand. The future Lead Mare and her sister had no weapons, but carried baskets.

The future Lead Mare herself had an acorn brown coat and a dark brown mane. Dull, plain colors, but she adorned herself with leaves and strips of bark braided into her mane and tail. Like the forest itself grew from her mane.

He couldn’t imagine what purpose they had for large rocks, though he marveled at the way they were conveyed. These sledges were quite a boon. He could imagine many ways they would be useful.

But why rocks?

The…graveyard…was a shock. They were lined up in neat rows. Twenty-two large rocks marking the place where a pony was buried. Some herds buried their dead, some didn’t, but he’d never known any to mark where the dead resided.

Yes, the graveyard was a shock, especially learning that these ponies had not died in a catastrophic monster attack but had actually died over the course of three years. Why would any herd stay in one place for so long?

And then they saw the village.

A village was a collection of…of shelters…made from stones stacked on top of each other. At the top of each shelter was some kind of covering, built in a smooth arc that must shed rainwater. One he could see had an opening covered by branches, thick ones, tied together and swinging open so a young filly could burst outside and play.

The biggest one was in the middle of the village. It was easily ten times the size of the other huts. It even stood half a length taller and a stony faced stallion of truly mammoth proportions stood guarding the entrance.

Ponies watched them as they grew nearer. Conversations stopped, hooves pointed. Had they ever seen unicorns before? Did they know what the Light-That-Wasn’t had done to them?

One shadow gray mare nearly walked into a wall because she was staring at them. His eyes were drawn by mistake to her flank. He looked away hurriedly, hoping nopony had noticed, but something about it struck him as…odd.

He looked again.

She had fire on her flank!

Not a true flame, he realized after a heart stopping moment. It gave no light and did not flicker. The mare didn’t look to be in pain at all.

There was a young stallion, again nearly his size. This one was clay brown and had a red mane. His flank had a mark too, but he didn’t recognize the object.

That pony had an apple. That pony had a tree. That pony had hoofprints.

Finally, he looked at the ponies leading them towards a structure near the biggest one. The stallions first. Woodpecker’s flank was bare, but Pucker Thorn had crossed spears on his. The mare named Dim Light had two hooves, sharing a star between them. The future Lead Mare Thistle Burr had a pony holding a star on an outstretched hoof.

Were they painted on? They must’ve had a skilled painter, the images looked so sharp and fine. Was it a symbol of status? Stars perhaps signifying a pony of higher status?

Another check and he saw that some ponies didn’t have the marks. The youngest foals and some of the older ones. The ones without were in the clear minority.

“This is the home of our Lead Mare, True Blue.” Thistle Burr informed them. The wooden branches were already open and fire flickered inside. Baskets and woven grasses covered the floor. A few of the strange objects he’d seen on that young stallion’s flank were there too. One of them held water.

He quickly refocused his attention on the Lead Mare. She was an aging mare with a sky blue coat and yellow mane. She had the same look on her face that her eldest daughter had, back when Thistle Burr had inspected them on the mountain. Between her hooves was a young filly with her coloring, save for the black mane. By her side was the stallion who must be her partner. He was nearly twice Onyx’s size, with an orange coat and black mane.

“Greetings, Lead Mare True Blue,” He bowed his head as deeply as he could. “I am Onyx and these are Sapphire Cut and Emerald Daze. We stumbled across your ponies while wandering in the mountains, and promptly asked if we would be allowed to run with you.”

“I have been informed,” She gracefully gestured to Pink Peach, who he now noticed was sitting back by the wall next to a piebald mare.

“…Pucker Thorn, Pink Peach, Light, would you please wait outside? It is a touch cramped in here. Take Bluebell with you.” She nudged her filly towards them. “Close the door on your way out, please.”

“Tell me, Onyx, what do you think of this village, from what you have seen?” She asked him.

“It is…impressive.” He searched for the right words. “I have never seen anything like it. Ponies staying in one place for years? And…” The foals.

How many had he seen just walking here? They’d stopped their playing to stare as they passed by. So many colts and fillies for one herd.

“I don’t understand how you can feed them all?” The words tumbled out of his mouth. Three years should have been more than enough time to strip the valley all but bare of edible things. That was why herds moved, so the land would have time to recover.

“You will, in time.” The Lead Mare chuckled. “Welcome to my herd, Onyx, Sapphire Cut, and Emerald Daze. So long as you abide by our laws, we shall care for you as our herdmates.”

“Thistle Burr,” She looked to her daughter. “It is only you and Light in your hut now, isn’t it? Please house these three until their own hut can be built.”

“Yes, Lead Mare.” He blinked curiously.

“I shall see the two of you at this evening’s meeting.” She sent them on their way.

“Come on,” Thistle urged them to follow her. “I’ll show you the way to my hut and then we’ll give you a tour of the village.”

“Your mother is most kind to accept us into her herd.” He told her gratefully.

Thistle Burr stopped and exchanged confused looks with her companions.

“…She isn’t my mother.” She informed him.

“Oh? Forgive me, your companion Pink Peach told me you were the next Lead Mare, and Lead Marehood passes from mother to daughter in our herd.” He explained, feeling the cursed heat of a blush stain his cheeks.

“Huh, really? What if the filly doesn’t want the job, or just isn’t good at it?” Pink asked. “Is it always the first filly or just any of the fillies, whichever one wants the job?”

“The first, traditionally.” He blinked, now trying to reorganize what he knew. “How is it done among Earth ponies?”

“To become Lead Mare, a mare must raise a foal past one year of age and gain the support of half the herd’s mares.” Woodpecker recited. “Thistle Burr is universally loved among the herd, so she has no competition for the title. Lead Mare True Blue has been grooming her for the role since before we settled in this valley.”

“This is my hut,” Thistle opened the door. Before walking in he noticed a plot of land with plants sprouting from cleared dirt. All the plants were growing in neat little rows. Some he recognized as edible and good for illness, others he couldn’t begin to name.

Thistle Burr’s hut smelled of herbs. Plants hung from the ceiling and walls. Others were bundled in baskets. The fire here was low and Light set about building it up.

“Please, have a seat. Are you hungry?” Thistle Burr looked between them.

“If it wouldn’t be too much trouble.” He watched her pull up a section of the ground. It revealed a small cave that she ventured down into. A minute later she came back with a basket of food, passing it to the three of them. She dropped the wooden cover again and covered it back up with a leaf of woven fibers.

“Future Lead Mare, can you tell us what those things are?” Sapphire spoke up boldly.

“This is a mat.” She patted the woven fibers. “And that is a pot. These structures are called huts, the biggest one is the herd’s food storehouse.”

“And what of those marks so many of you have?” He asked the question that had been burning inside.

“They are magic marks.” He leaned forward eagerly. “They are a symbol of a pony’s truest talent, their purpose in life. Mine is for healing. Light’s is for storytelling.

“Mine is for construction!” Pink looked down at her own flank. “I was the one who invented these huts after all!”

“Mine is for weapons, making and using them.” Pucker ran a hoof over the stone edge of his spear.

“As far as we know, no other herd has magic marks. Thistle here,” Pink elbowed her jokingly. “Was the first pony to have one. Now almost everypony does!”

“Why do some ponies not have them then?” He looked to Woodpecker.

“It simply means that pony has not discovered their truest talent yet.” He shrugged, seeming unconcerned.

“Perhaps it would help you to hear our herd’s story?” Dim Light smiled, as gentle as any unicorn mare he’d ever met.

“It starts, of course, with a Light-That-Wasn’t.”

Thistle found herself awake an hour before dawn. If she didn’t look across the room it was easy to pretend it was her family there, Morning, Mountain, Hornet, Cam, Bee, and Brook. They’d had three days to get used to sleeping with just the two of them and suddenly they were almost as crowded as before.

Outside she could hear the songbirds greeting the new day. There’d be light enough to see by soon.

Sitting up, she shook the vestiges of sleep from her mind to plan out her day.

A walk in the forest was in order. There were a few herbs she wanted to try growing in her garden. Who would be free to join her?

Oh, but she had guests now.

After the story, they’d toured the village. The fields had stunned them into silence. The whole herd seemed eager to greet and welcome these strangers. Showing them everything their herd had accomplished since coming here.

Onyx had put himself nearest the door. Sapphire and Daze were curled together. Onyx had dominated most of the conversation yesterday.

What circumstances had cut these three off from their herd? It wasn’t quite as alien now to think of ponies traveling by themselves since Hope Springs did so to great effect, but most ponies didn’t have half of Hope Springs’ experience. These three didn’t even have spears. A horn required you to get awfully close to your opponent.

It was curious, to say the least. And that also made it suspicious.

But until they did something, until they in some way proved to be monsters, they were now herdmates. Hopefully, they’d all get along. Besides, it would be nice to hear about other herds. Light would love the chance to hear more stories too.

Pink needed help building the wall and while lugging the stones had proven to be beyond their abilities, surely they could help with the actual construction. The presence of the unicorns might even inspire more volunteers since yesterday’s plan hadn’t worked out.

So, meet up with Woodpecker to figure out today’s schedule first. Drop the unicorns off with Pink. Visit Soft Touch and Pine Needle. See who was free to walk through the forest with her. Evening meeting and then dinner.

Maybe she could see how her cousins were doing too, somewhere along the way.

Carefully avoiding Light’s body, she made her way out the door. In the pre-dawn light, Thistle yawned and walked to the trench dug for refuse. The smell woke her up enough to make her wish, again, that there was some way to make the waste disappear.

A quick trot back to the village brought her back in time to meet the other early risers. Some ponies were stumbling towards the trench, others were inspecting their gardens. One mare discovered a rabbit had gotten to her lettuce and was cursing loud enough to wake the occupants of the next three huts.

Outside True Blue’s hut, the two Leads were already talking to Woodpecker.

“Healer,” Rockslide grunted.

“Lead Stallion, good morning.” She returned politely.

“It would appear I am off patrol duty for the next few days, Thistle Burr.” Woodpecker informed her. “Rockslide believes it would be better to keep an eye on the new ponies for a few days.”

“What do you think of them, Thistle Burr?” True Blue looked at her.

“…I want to know how they got separated from their herd.” She admitted. “Beyond that, Sapphire and Daze didn’t talk enough for me to get their character, but I think Onyx is nice enough, if a bit self-important.”

Privately, she thought he reminded her of Cardinal.

“Then perhaps it would be wise to separate them and get their stories.” True Blue suggested.

“I could,” She worked it out. “I could put Onyx with Pink to help with the wall. Daze could be put with Light, she’d like to hear unicorn stories. I can leave Sapphire to Marsh Steps in the fields.”

A quick word with all three of them and they should know the full story in time for the evening meeting.

“Sounds like an excellent plan, Thistle Burr!” Woodpecker sidled up to her. “And once those three are packed off, is there anything in particular you wanted to do?”

“There are a few herbs I don’t have in my garden.” She shuffled to the side, schooling her expression. “Let me just, go have a word with a few ponies.”

She didn’t run, but it felt like a retreat.

Dividing

Sapphire looked upon the fields around her and all she could feel was awe. Fields of food, growing under the tender care of these Earth ponies. Marsh Steps, the giant mare Healer Thistle Burr had introduced her to, had taught her what was a weed and what was growing food. Marsh Steps worked now with a filly sitting on her back, babbling nonsense with the occasional ‘Mama’ thrown in.

A kick from the foal inside her reminded her that soon that would be her. She’d be out here tending these fields with a colt or filly sleeping in a basket or curled up on her back. How did mares know how to carry a foal without dropping it? Did it take a lot of practice?

Oats, radishes, potatoes, carrots, lettuce, broccoli, assorted flowers, even rows of blackberries and blueberries. All this food that they didn’t have to forage for.

She was standing in the carrot field now. She had to look closely to avoid stepping on the sprouts. Marsh Steps had told her that it was best to remove the whole root of the weed or it would just grow back. It was hard on the neck, but it left more room for the carrots and they would grow bigger for it.

Sapphire remembered winters where her dam hadn’t been able to find enough to feed her and her sisters. Her oldest sister was given plenty to eat, but Sapphire and her younger sister had only the leftovers, if anything at all. Rose Quartz hadn’t survived that one winter.

There were so many foals here! She’d never seen so many all in one place.

“Excuse me, Marsh Steps?” She caught the older mare’s attention. “I…that is…”

She used to pity Earth ponies because they didn’t have horns, because they couldn’t lift things with magic.

“What’s your question, Sapphire?” Marsh Steps smiled with utmost patience.

“How…How does your herd care for so many foals?” She forced herself to ask. “I understand that you clearly have no shortage of food, but they take so much time and energy, and every mare over fifteen seems to have at least one.”

“My friend, Holly Berry, watches foals for the ponies who are busy. And well, foal-watching duty gets passed around in most groups.” She shrugged. “There’ve been a lot fewer foal deaths since Healer Burr learned her craft.”

Healer Burr, that’s what everypony called her. Always Healer first.

“Foal-watching gets passed around in most groups?” She didn’t feel ready to ask about Healer Burr just yet.

“Yeah?” Marsh Steps frowned, nodding. “Didn’t your dam ever have one of the other group mares watch you from time to time?”

“Now when you say ‘group,’” She cocked her head curiously. “You don’t mean herd, do you?”

“Maybe you have another word for it.” Marsh Steps looked over her shoulder to check the filly. She’d stopped babbling and appeared to be watching the conversation with great interest. “A group, all the mares following a stallion, with all their foals. Like, I’m following Tender Roots, he’s my stallion. And Holly Berry is in my group, but she’s not following a stallion right now. So everypony in my group is Me, my fillies, Tender Roots, Holly, and her fillies. Get it?”

“I’ve heard the term ‘following’ before, but what does it mean? Your herd doesn’t travel anymore.” She knew that certainly wasn’t the arrangement unicorns had.

“Well, uh,” She stomped her hoof. “Look, let’s sit down for a bit and I’ll explain everything for you. Come on now.”

“Following is…Mother Earth, I don’t know how to explain this. Following just is. Most foals pick it up just watching the mares and stallions around them.” She grimaced. Sapphire watched her slide her foal off her back in a neat, practiced motion. Somehow without dislodging her baskets.

“I can’t quote Herd Law for you, but Following is a big deal. When you Follow somepony, you have a responsibility to them.” Sapphire listened intently.

“A mare Following a stallion is saying she’s depending on him to keep her and their foals safe, and in turn she provides companionship and bears his foals.” She started. “A stallion Following a mare is saying he’ll keep her and all their foals safe, in return for that companionship and carrying on his bloodline.”

“So its just mating?” Sapphire blinked. Marsh Steps was acting like this was a much more complicated concept. Sapphire didn’t need mating explained to her.

“No, it’s not.” Marsh shook her head. “See, me and Holly? We’re also Following Thistle Burr.”

“That means, we’re her go-to mares when she needs something done. Like all this planting?” Marsh waved a hoof over the fields before them. “She put me in charge of all of it. I get to decide what gets planted and where and when. She trusts me to do that and make sure there’s enough to get the herd through winter every year.”

“And that means, I’m also counting on her to…to be herself. To be her Blessed self.” Marsh laughed softly, pulling her filly in for a hug. “I would have died if Thistle Burr hadn’t saved me and it’s thanks to her that I have Lily Pad here.”

“Blessed?” Sapphire repeated softly.

“Magic Blessed and Magic Touched,” She nodded. “Magic Touched is when you have a mark and a passion and you make things, things that last. Like those buildings? They’re gonna be here long after the rest of us have been put in the ground. These fields? Ponies will be growing things here hundreds of years from now. That’s Magic Touched.”

“Magic Blessed, that’s all Thistle Burr. None of this would be possible without her.” She said seriously. “You could trace everything that’s happened since the Light-That-Wasn’t came to us, and none of it would’ve been possible if Thistle Burr didn’t exist.”

“Huh,” Sapphire thought about that.

“Unicorns don’t do groups.” She startled herself by saying. “We…Mares aren’t supposed to take on more than they can handle. My mother had three fillies, and when she couldn’t feed all of us, she chose to feed the two with the best chance of surviving.”

“I remember some mares doing that.” Marsh nodded sadly. “Nowadays the idea makes me feel sick, and nopony has done it since Starlight cast Light out, but that was just a few weeks after the Light-That-Wasn’t.”

“Bloodlines are watched, but if two mares are following the same stallion they usually avoid each other.” Sapphire informed her. “Daze and me? We’d never said more than two words to each other before we left.”

“Far be it for me to criticize how other ponies do things,” Marsh frowned in concern. “But what kind of sense does that make? I don’t live with Tender Roots’ other mares, but if any of them ever needed somepony to mind the foals I’d always volunteer and I know they’d do the same for me. If you don’t have that support then when times are lean, you get left behind.”

“I think it’s just something that started because mares got jealous because sometimes the stallion would spend more time with one mare than the other.” She admitted. “But if all the mares avoided the mares following their stallion, then it was easier to ignore how much time the stallion spent with somepony else.”

“Well, I guess that’s one way to do it.” Marsh’s snout wrinkled. “Geez, if I got in a fight with Flood Plains every time Tender Roots slept in her hut I could definitely see some new rules being made.”

“Flood Plains?” A name she didn’t know.

“Oh you’ll recognize her right off. Flood Plains is the biggest mare in the herd.” Marsh chuckled. “She isn’t more than a hoofstep shorter than Lead Rockslide himself.”

Stars Above they grew their ponies big here.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“And you do this…everyday?” Light didn’t blame the unicorn for her disbelief.

Helping Holly Berry mind the foals wasn’t a job for the light-hearted.

Fourteen foals between the ages of two and eight. Watching one or two foals wasn’t so difficult, but more than a dozen? Well, Holly had a talent for this and Light told stories, that usually drew them in enough to stay in sight.

“Story! Story! Story!” Five foals chanted, building on each other louder and louder.

“Just run along the edges real quick and count them. If any are missing, tell Holly.” Light instructed her charge for the day. Daze left in a…daze.

“Alright everypony, does anypony have a request?” She addressed the crowd. A few foals were lingering nearby, waiting to see if it would be one of their favorites before deciding to run off again.

“The Bad Stallion!” A filly raised her hoof, waving it haphazardly through the air.

“No, the First Pony!”

“Foal of the Wolves!”

“Okay, okay,” Light reared on her hind legs to get their attention. “Today, we’ll be telling the story of the Foal of the Wolves!” A cheer rang out. Some of the older foals came closer. Foal of the Wolves was a favorite among them.

“I counted, everypony’s here.” Daze came back and sat beside her. Light nodded and squinted, trying to make out Holly Berry behind the crowd of foals.

“It starts, as all foals do, with their dam and sire.” She began.

The Dam and Sire were normal ponies. They followed the herd and did everything expected of them. When the Dam’s heat came, she and the Sire worked together to bring their first foal into the world. Job done, the Sire left to service his other mares and left the Dam with their unborn foal. Months passed, and eventually a colt was born. All the other mares the Sire had seen bore fillies, so he was the only colt that year.

When he was small, he played with the fillies because they all loved the same games. He knew when he was older he would run with his Sire and learn everything a Stallion must know, but that felt a long ways off.

One day, when the herd had stopped in a mountainous forest somewhere, he heard a strange sound. It sounded like an animal that had been hurt, and the Colt felt bad about this. He followed his ears trying to find it, never noticing that he was being drawn further and further away from the herd.

Finally he found the creature! It had silvery fur and big ears and a soft, swishy tail. It had fallen into a hole and couldn’t climb out. The Colt realized quickly that the animal was a baby, but he didn’t recognize what kind. It couldn’t be a squirrel, it was much too big for that. And it wasn’t a rabbit, the ears were not long enough.

It looked up at him and whined, sad and scared. The Colt stopped trying to think of what animal it could be and focused on how to get it out of the hole. He found some rope and tied a knot into it, then swung it down to the baby below. Careful to not get it around the neck, he was able to slowly pull the baby up.

He untied it, feeling proud of himself for saving the baby animal. He was sure the other foals would be very impressed.

It was then he heard a terrible growl.

Even a foal knows the sound of a hungry wolf. The Colt wanted to run, but he was too afraid. Slowly, he turned and saw the monster behind him.

It had silvery fur and big ears and a soft, swishy tail. But it didn’t whine. It snarled, flashing sharp teeth. It was then he knew his mistake, for the baby he’d saved was nothing so harmless as a squirrel or a rabbit. It was a baby wolf and the mother was here to eat him.

Too scared to run and too small to fight, the Colt fell to his stomach and covered his head with his hooves. He heard the growling stop, but he could smell the wolf coming closer. It was sniffing him, the same way he sniffed a flower before he ate it. He wished then that he hadn’t left the herd. He wished his Dam was there to hold him and his Sire was there to kill the wolf.

But the wolf didn’t eat him. Maybe it wasn’t hungry right that moment or maybe it felt grateful to the Colt for saving its baby. Either way, it didn’t eat the Colt, but instead picked him up and carried him away.

The Colt was taken to the wolf’s den, where it met the other puppies and the rest of the pack. He thought for sure that they were going to eat him, but they didn’t.

He tried to find his way back to the herd, but they had already given up searching for him and had moved on. Unable to find them, he was left with the wolf pack.

Over time, he began to forget the life he’d once known. He couldn’t remember his Sire’s face or his Dam’s voice. He couldn’t remember the names of his half-siblings. Eventually, he forgot words altogether.

He lived with the pack. Although he didn’t eat their meat, he did sleep with them and played with the pups the way he’d once played with the foals. By the time he’d grown into a Stallion he was more wolf than pony.

It was then that another herd passed through. The wolves stalked these ponies, waiting for them to fall asleep and drop their guard. The Colt watched the herd too, barely remembering that he was of their kind and not merely a strangely shaped wolf himself.

One mare wandered away from the herd. Not far, but far enough. He looked at her and thought she seemed sad and lonely. He thought she looked pretty.

The wolves had noticed her and moving in slowly so as not to alert their prey. The Colt was conflicted. On one hoof, the wolves had raised him and he barely recalled being a pony. On the other, he didn’t want her to die.

The wolves crept out, eager for the hunt and they reveled in the fear the mare showed. They separated her from the herd easily and were ready to run her down.

But the Colt stopped them. He barked and growled just like a wolf, and faced the alpha male with his own icy gaze. Never before had he stood against the wolves, the alpha male was the same pup he’d rescued so long ago.

The wolves left. Maybe they didn’t want to fight the Colt they’d grown up with. Maybe they decided to look for an easier meal. Either way, the Colt knew he would no longer be welcome at the den.

“Kind Eye, is that you?” The strange mare asked him. The Colt did not recognize the name and grew nervous when the herd crowded around him. “It is you, Kind Eye! The colt who vanished from here ten years ago! Look at you now, a stallion who even wolves fear!”

The Colt did not speak. He didn’t remember how.

“Don’t you recognize me? Our Dams were friends and we often played together! It is me, Dawn Flash!” He remembered then one of the fillies he’d once played with.

“It has been so long! How did you survive so long in these mountains without your herd?” They crowded him more.

Finally, he couldn’t take anymore. He snarled like a wolf and drove them back. He galloped a distance away and then stopped, not knowing where to go. The herd approached him again, but Dawn Flash stopped them.

“I can see you have been alone for too long, Kind Eye.” She spoke softly, as if speaking to a scared foal. With no herd and no Dam and no Sire, that’s all the Colt was. Though his body had grown larger, his mind was the same young colt that had wandered too far. “Run with us, Kind Eye, and we will teach you again how to be a pony.”

The Colt did not know what else to do, so he followed them. After some time, speech began to return to him. He told them some of what had happened to him. He taught them the ways he’d learned for fighting wolves and how they hunted. He showed mares to sleep in circles with their foals shielded within. He taught stallions to sleep at equal distance, standing and ready to run.

And what he taught was spread through the herds. Before where wolves had decimated their numbers, now ponies knew how to fight back. They knew numbers was their greatest advantage and that a wolf never truly hunts alone. They learned to treat the wounds caused by claw and fang and they learned to recognize the signs of their passing.

Kind Eye became Wolf Eye and was welcomed as a Stallion. He never became a full pony again, but Dawn Flash stayed with him through all the hard times.

And thus the Foal of the Wolves returned to his herd.

Daze blinked out of her…daze. The foals cheered at the conclusion of the story and began separating themselves into groups of ‘wolves’ and ponies, with one pony to be Kind Eye.

“My, they’re always a little more manageable after a good story.” Holly Berry walked up to them. “I don’t have to worry about any of them wandering off for at least an hour now.”

“Hopefully I’ll have some new stories for them soon.” Light looked sideways at Daze. The unicorn mare took a moment to realize Light was talking about her.

“You want to hear unicorn stories?” She asked in confusion. “Why?”

“Because they’re stories and I don’t yet know them.” She offered honestly. “I’ve always loved stories and I love telling them even more. If we have unicorns in our herd then we should have some unicorn stories too. I’m sure your future foals will appreciate it.”

“Right, my…future foals.” Daze mumbled, fidgeting uncomfortably. “We’re not all that big on stories though, I don’t know more than two or three.”

“Really?” Light boggled at this. “But…how do you pass the winter hours? What do you do to make your foals tired enough to sleep in summer?”

“Well, we sing.” Daze shrugged.

Sing? Some ponies sang, sure, but for that to replace stories?

“Sunstone, oh sunstone,
Shine brightly for me
Moonstone, oh moonstone,
How kind can you be?

Diamonds and emeralds,
Sapphires and more,
Rose Quartz and Feldspar
dug free from the core.

There’s rubies and garnets,
for ponies to take
But beware of the pyrite
that cursed gold fake

They gleam and they glisten
under the light,
Topaz and Zircon
Are a pony’s delight.

So keep your eyes open
and never do fret
The first gem you find
You never forget.”

It was Light’s turn to come out of her daze. That was different from the two or three line ditties some ponies made up while working. The song continued for ages, naming gems Light recognized from her dam’s stories but had never seen. Some of them seemed associated with protection or foalbirth, others were warned against for being unlucky.

Light considered herself to have a good memory but she had no idea how Emerald Daze was keeping all those gems in order. She had her eyes closed as she sang, smiling softly from verse to verse. The foals had all noticed and had abandoned their game to listen.

When she finished it seemed to take Daze a few seconds to gather herself. Light almost thought she’d throw herself into another song, but the foals intervened.

“That was so pretty!”

“What’s a lapis?”

“Are gems like what Starlight has?”

They clamored with their questions. Daze clearly didn’t know how to handle it. Light winced in sympathy, remembering when she first started coming here to help Holly. She hadn’t been any better at dealing with foals then. She couldn’t even play the same run and shout games they enjoyed thanks to her poor eyes.

“Alright everypony, that’s enough!” Holly clapped her hooves together. “Can’t you see poor Emerald Daze is overwhelmed? Be polite and ask your questions one at a time.”

Light settled back to watch.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“So, we are building a wall.” Onyx eyed the pile of rocks. None were smaller than his head. Most were quite a bit larger.

“Not by ourselves,” Pink Peach smirked at his look. Already several ponies were lining up and hefting the largest stones onto their backs. The biggest ones would be the foundation. “I’ve stuck branches in the ground to mark the line for the walls. Should be about as thick as a stallion, well,” She looked him over. “An Earth pony stallion anyway.”

“And…how high?” His eyes followed the ponies spreading out. A dozen pairs looked back at him.

“I’m thinking twice as tall as Lead Rockslide.” She rolled her eyes and elbowed him in the ribs. “C’mon, it’s a big project but this wall is going to save a lot of ponies. There are monsters around and I’d like to keep them out of the village, wouldn’t you?”

“Ah, very well.” He eyed one of the big rocks and narrowed his eyes. She hefted a good sized one onto her own back and looked back over at him.

Still glaring at that rock. He wasn’t going to be moving it like that. Sure he wasn’t any bigger than a regular mare, but he’d pulled a whole sledge for a fair distance yesterday. He couldn’t be balking at the first stone!

Pink’s rock tumbled from her back as a glow wrapped around Onyx’s rock and lifted it into the air. It did not fly with the ease and grace of a bird, but it hovered a full two feet over the ground. Nothing underneath, nothing but a sunny glow wrapped around it.

Onyx grunted, a glowing line connected the rock with his horn as he pulled it along behind him. His eyes darted back and forth between the path he followed and the rock. Every time he looked away from the rock, it fell two inches. Every time he looked back, it rose two inches.

Pink picked up her rock again and followed. When they reached one of the markers Onyx stopped whatever he was doing and allowed the rock to plummet back down to earth. It settled hard enough to kick up some dust. She put her stone right beside it, fitting them as close together as she could.

And then she whirled on the unicorn.

“What in the name of the Good Mother Earth was that?” She demanded.

“Magic.” Onyx took a deep breath. He didn’t look exhausted but it clearly hadn’t been effortless.

Pink wanted to keep gawking. Unfortunately, everypony else wanted to keep gawking too. She stretched a crick out of her neck and turned towards her volunteers.

“Back to work everypony! I’ll figure out what’s what!” She promised. Most of them started moving again, but Pink knew she wasn’t imagining the eyes following them as she pulled the unicorn some distance away.

“You moved a rock without touching it, how?” She narrowed her eyes at his horn.

“When the Light-That-Wasn’t came to us, it took some time for any of us to realize anything had changed. It wasn’t until a Manticore attacked and a stallion lifted a branch to fend it off that we discovered this magic we now have.” He demonstrated by lifting a pebble. Pink poked it. It stayed in the air in defiance of every natural law she knew.

“This is something all unicorns can do, provided they are above a certain age.” He explained. “We call it telekinesis. Most unicorns are only able to lift two or three objects at a time, and even then only of a certain weight. Stronger unicorns can lift more heavier objects, such as large stones.”

“Is that so?” Pink scratched her chin. “How high can you lift things?”

“Pardon?” She poked the pebble again.

“I mean, if you had a rock like one of the foundation stones, how high could you lift it? How close do you have to be to lift something? Could I chuck this pebble to the other side of the village and you pick it back up from here?” She asked. “Work with me here, this could make my building project so much easier.”

“I can only move something if it is within my line of sight and no heavier than what I could lift with my body. Small things are obviously easier to move.” He lifted up two more pebbles.

“Now this could be useful!” Pink rubbed her hooves together. “C’mon, Onyx, let’s see how much foundation we can lay before running out of rocks. After that little display I’ve got a feeling my volunteer rates are going to soar!”

Learning

“It’s no stranger than a bird made of living fire.” Thistle decided as the Leadership Council digested the information Pink had brought them.

“They move things with their minds.” Woodpecker repeated the point. His perfect, upright posture had slackened into something resembling existential horror.

“Could be useful for construction.” Pink offered. “I wonder if they can lift other ponies, or themselves! Might help with the tower.”

“Back to the matter at hoof, Pink Peach.” Lead True sighed deeply. “Pegasus can fly and control the weather, unicorns can move things with their minds, and Earth ponies can grow more food than they could possibly eat.”

Thistle jumped. More food than they could eat. It was true that a good portion of what the herd grew didn’t get eaten. Most ponies had stopped foraging at all now that the fields provided such bounty.

What about that fact caught her attention so strongly? Something about the Pegasus herd coming their way?

“I still want to know why three ponies were so far from their herd.” Rockslide huffed. “It seems suspicious to me.”

“Do you think they were banished from their herd?” Shiny Rock asked him.

Banished? All three? But…

“Unicorns don’t have the same laws as Earth ponies.” Thistle realized.

“What do you mean by that, Thistle Burr?” True raised her brow curiously.

“Marsh Steps spoke with Sapphire about it at length. Unicorns have very different laws in regards to Following, to the point she didn’t even recognize a Group.” She explained. “If they were banished I don’t think it would be for something we recognize.”

“Huh, you might be on to something there.” Pink blinked. “When we ran into them you sent me up as the representative, but all three approached me instead of sending just one. So clearly they’ve got different customs.”

“Which could prove troublesome.” Woodpecker frowned. “Perhaps I should have a talk with them about Earth pony Herd Law.”

“That might be wise.” Lead True nodded. “Find time to do that, if you would.”

“Of course, Lead Mare.” He bowed his head. “Perhaps after my guard shift tomorrow?” He looked inquisitively at Rockslide.

“Fine by me.” Rockslide allowed.

“Then, if there is nothing else to be brought up for this meeting?” Lead True looked them over. “Good evening to you all then. Shiny, I’ll walk with you to collect Bluebell.”

“Thistle Burr, if you have a moment?” Woodpecker caught her outside the door.

“Yes, Woodpecker?” She slowed to a casual stroll so they could find a place with some privacy.

“Are you and your sister safe with those three?” Despite their private corner, he still leaned his head in close so he could whisper to her properly.

“You had no concerns yesterday.” She pointed out, trying not to shy away from his attention. This wasn’t a conversation she wanted anypony overhearing.

“Yesterday we did not know they had a silent means of raising weapons.” He pointed out seriously.

Not all monsters had claws and fangs. Right.

She sighed, giving the matter serious thought. In all honesty, she didn’t have any concerns for their safety. She simply didn’t feel threatened by Emerald Daze, Sapphire Cut, or Onyx.

Part of that, maybe even most of it, was because she was the Healer. She was well aware of her importance to the herd.

“If they ever did manage to hurt me or even kill me, do you really believe they’d get away with it?” She asked him. “By now, they are fully aware of my standing. They’d be fools to try and none of them strike me as particularly stupid.”

“You have a point there, dear Healer.” He lifted her chin. Thistle’s whole body suddenly stiffened, realizing how close they were. “And on that note, I bid you good night.”

“G-Good night,” She returned, hastily backing away.

The whole walk home, Thistle keep a look out for her lost dignity. She was certain she’d dropped it somewhere around here.

The door to her own hut was a welcome sight. Inside, everypony had sat down for dinner. Thistle sat in her usual place and looked upon the bowl of water and basket of fresh greens.

More food than they could possibly eat.

“Long day, sister?” Light inquired with a smile.

“And growing longer still.” Thistle confirmed, digging into her meal. “Mm, I need to do my rounds tomorrow and I really should find time to speak with that Clay Hooves colt.”

“His pots and bowls are becoming very popular.” Light held up her own bowl, drinking from it gracefully. “Everypony wants some.”

How long did it take him to make one? Could others be taught how?

She closed her eyes and willed the questions away. They’d wait until tomorrow. She’d meet Woodpecker in the morning and then work her way down to Soft Touch’s hut, then work her way through the village.

“You certainly keep yourselves busy.” Onyx commented from the other side of the fire. “I’ve spent all day laying rocks at the instruction of your cousin, Pink Peach.”

“She’s pleased with your work so far.” Thistle offered. “And you, Sapphire? Daze? How was your day?” Both mares looked a little surprised to be addressed.

“Marsh Steps taught me how to weed the carrot fields.” Sapphire informed them. “My neck is rather sore from the work but it’s rather amazing how much food you provide yourselves this way.”

“I got to ride herd on foals. All day.” Daze looked suitably traumatized. “Sun and Moon, I’ll never understand how anypony can do that all day.”

“Don’t complain, Emerald.” Onyx sniffed. “This is the work our new herd demands of us.”

“There are other tasks you could set yourself to if you don’t find your current one fulfilling.” Light assured them. “If you speak to Lead Rockslide or Bright Finish you could join the patrols through the valley or take guard shifts outside the storehouse. If you speak to Apple Blossom you can work in the orchard, tending the trees. You can work in the fields or on the wall or any other job you can think of.”

“Patrols are the most popular.” Thistle nodded along, talking around a mouthful of greens. “But it’s really up to you.” She swallowed and looked directly at Onyx.

“Woodpecker wants to talk to all of you tomorrow, some time after noon. It seems Earth pony and Unicorn Herd Laws might be a little different.” She explained.

“I see,” Onyx nodded. “Where should we meet him?”

“Outside the storehouse.” She watched them nod.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Woodpecker saw Emerald Daze first. She came from the direction of the fields, not Holly Berry’s hut. She stared at him for a moment before planting herself in some shade and laying down. It only took a few minutes before Sapphire Cut followed from along the same path. The blue mare looked between them and then hesitantly joined Emerald Daze in the shade.

Woodpecker didn’t move. He didn’t smile, nod, or speak. He was still guarding and he wouldn’t be done until Oak Leaf arrived to take over.

He did adjust his spear and shift his weight a little. He was only equine. No pony could stand absolutely still for hours on end.

“Mornin’, Woodpecker.” Riverbank nodded on his way inside the storehouse, carrying with him a basket of fresh shoots.

Onyx arrived before Oak Leaf did. Woodpecker saw him coming from the direction of the wall. His sides were already damp with sweat and he was squinting hard enough to make his headache obvious. He made a mental note to ask his sister how much work Onyx got done in the span of one morning.

“Healer Burr told us you wanted to speak with us?” Onyx made a visible effort to appear unaffected by his hard labor.

Woodpecker had seen better.

“After my shift.” He nodded stoically. Oak Leaf would be here any moment now.

Onyx stared at him. Looked back at his mares, back at him.

“Why can’t we begin the discussion now? I believe Pink Peach is expecting me back after lunch.” He asked.

“I’m on shift.” Woodpecker gestured to the door. “Ponies on guard duty aren’t supposed to talk.”

Granted, with Shiny Rock in there he wasn’t sure how any pony expected to be able to sneak out extra food. That mare had a magic all her own for when somepony had messed with her neatly organized food stores. And she held a grudge.

Woodpecker could see Onyx resist rolling his eyes. The smaller stallion went over to his mares and fell into a quiet discussion. No matter how he strained his ears, Woodpecker wasn’t able to catch what Onyx was saying. Whatever it was made Emerald Daze sit up straight and made Sapphire Cut bow her head submissively.

Woodpecker didn’t really need to hear what Onyx was saying. His dam had taught him how to manipulate ponies to get what he wanted. She’d never personally used it on him, but he could recognize a brow beating when he saw one. Onyx was in full control of his group and he made sure they knew it. It wasn’t a happy arrangement.

If that didn’t change after today’s talk then things might get interesting. Sapphire Cut, he doubted she’d leave Onyx, but Emerald Daze clearly held no fondness for him. What Unicorn custom led to them ending up together?

Ah, finally! Oak Leaf was turning onto the main path towards the storehouse.

“Woodpecker,” Thistle Burr’s sire nodded in greeting.

“Oak Leaf, I hope you have a good shift.” He smiled pleasantly. Thistle Burr didn’t have much to do with her sire, but she was a mare. Even now, most stallions had little to do with their fillies.

Stepping away from his post, Woodpecker allowed himself a brief moment to fantasize about the foals he and Thistle Burr would have. Smart and wise as their dam, strong and cunning as their sire.

He blinked the daydream away. Foals were a long way off. He was still in the ‘Trial’ period.

“Alright, you three,” He stepped over to the unicorns. “Follow me, we’ll take this somewhere we won’t be interrupted. And don’t worry about my sister,” He locked eyes with Onyx.

“I’ll explain why you’re late.”

“Did Thistle Burr tell you what this discussion would be about?” He asked as he led them through the fruit orchard. Apple and pear trees loomed overhead with the buds of their flowers not yet in bloom. Apple Blossom and her group had mostly cleared the underbrush. It made for a much easier trot than the western forest.

“Herd Law, she said.” Onyx answered. “Apparently Unicorns and Earth ponies differ on some accords?”

“Here’s as good a spot as any.” Woodpecker decided. “I trust you’re all familiar with your own herd’s laws? Since you’re living with us now, we’ll start with Earth ponies.”

“The First Law is and always has been Obey the Leads.” He went into the particulars. How a Lead was decided, both Mare and Stallion. What the qualifications were. How to banish a Lead should they prove unworthy or incompetent.

The Following laws were more complex.

“Oh, Marsh Steps explained that to me!” Sapphire Cut lit up. “Ponies ‘Follow’ each other so they’re responsible for each other, it’s like a deal they make!”

“More or less.” There was nothing wrong with that argument. “You know what Following is, but the laws regarding it are a different matter. For one thing, foals cannot Follow anypony. Colts become stallions at fourteen, fillies are declared mares when they have their first heat. I trust this is the same for Unicorns?”

“Fourteen is the traditional age.” Onyx confirmed.

“Another thing, it is considered a great crime to force a following.” He consciously did not look at the mares. “All ponies in the group must be there of their own free will and any pony in the group is allowed to leave whenever they see fit.”

“What about…foals?” Sapphire Cut laid a hoof over her stomach.

“Foals go with their dam. If the dam leaves the group, they go with her, and enter with her into any new group until they are declared adults of the herd.” He explained easily. “Now, in the old days stallions wouldn’t have much to do with their foals at all unless it was a colt they needed to teach, but these days many stallions are raising their foals with their mares, both fillies and colts.”

“Moving on, some ponies do try to force others to Follow them. One of the most hated crimes in the herd is rape. Stallion on mare, Mare on stallion, Stallion to Stallion, Mare to Mare, Adult to Foal,” He listed them. “If you rape an adult, the punishment is banishment from the herd. Rape of a foal earns death.”

“Wait, did I hear you right? Stallion to stallion? Mare to mare?” Onyx cut in.

“How can stallions and mares rape each other?” Emerald cocked her head in confusion.

Suddenly, Woodpecker wished he hadn’t been volunteered for this.

“I myself have no such desires, but some stallions prefer to Follow other stallions. Some mares prefer to Follow other mares.” He shrugged.

“But they can’t have foals that way!” Onyx reared back.

“They usually form a group with somepony of the opposite sex to provide foals. Mountain Shadow and Morning Dew both prefer mares and Follow each other, but they brought Hornet into their group in order to have foals.” He tried explaining. “But that was their choice. Strange though it seems, some ponies go without foals of their own for the sake of their desires.”

“And your herd allows that?” Onyx gaped.

“Well, yes.” He huffed, blowing his mane out of his eyes. “Ponies can Follow whoever they please, so long as they aren’t forcing anyone. Ponies love whoever they love.” He gave them a hard look.

“I think I’ve been sitting on this question long enough. Unicorns don’t ‘Follow’ each other, fine, but then how do mares and stallions end up with each other?” He pointed at the three of them.

They looked at each other first. A silent conversation full of you say it, no, you! Sapphire sunk into herself without compromising her posture, managing to pull herself behind her groupmates without actually getting up. Emerald had a bit more fight in her, he noticed. She just looked up at the canopy overhead and pretended she couldn’t see Onyx’s frustrated glare.

“The Lead Mare keeps track of the family lines and gives ponies options on who to mate with.” Onyx sighed through his nose. “Every stallion gets at least two mares and of the options available to me, I chose Sapphire and Emerald. I spoke to their mothers and kindly requested for them to be my mares.”

“You asked their…mothers?” He almost stumbled over the odd word. Most ponies were fine with dam and sire. Words like Mother were for ponies with more complicated family trees.

“It wouldn’t be proper for a stallion to pressure a mare into mating with him. Ponies would talk.” He defended.

Where did that leave mares without dams? Mares who came alone from another herd?

Perhaps, in the event the dam was gone, they asked the sire? He briefly toyed with the idea of having to ask Oak Leaf for permission to Follow Thistle Burr. The daydream didn’t quite work. He just kept imagining Oak Leaf frowning at him and dragging his hoof along the ground.

“That’s one way to do it, I suppose.” He allowed with a nod. “Let’s continue, shall we?”
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thistle sometimes wondered what went through ponies heads the moment before they did something to get themselves hurt.

It probably amounted to ‘I thought I could do it and there was a pretty mare/stallion watching.’

“For the record, using blackberry bushes to show off your high jumping isn’t recommended.” She informed the colt she’d spent half an hour treating. Scratches and brambles all along his undersides and legs. And, yes, there’d been a pretty filly watching. “Next time, just use a rock.”

“Thank you for your help, Healer. I can’t even begin to understand what my colt was thinking!” The colt’s dam spoke for him. Hickory, the colt in question, blushed right down to his hooves.

“It’s no trouble, this is what I’m here for.” Thistle assured them both, packing up her supplies again. She needed more salve. Good thing she was heading for Soft Touch’s hut.

Outside again, she checked the sun’s position and put an extra trot in her step. Up ahead was Bright Finish’s hut. Over the last three years Bright Finish had started Following Apple Blossom and had a young colt to show for it. Mimic and Melody were almost young mares, and all three still argued back and forth and lived with Bright Finish and Silent Current.

Current was in a group with Soft Touch, at least so ponies said. Thistle knew that the two had never been intimate, the closest they’d gotten was sitting in the same hut with Pine Needle seated between them. Thistle knew Soft Touch was only using him to keep other stallions away. Current didn’t seem to mind.

Pine Needle, now seven, stood guard by the vegetable patch. His little unsharpened spear was used to bat away any birds that thought the garden might make a tasty meal.

“Healer! Good morning!” He beamed, abandoning his post to hug her.

“Hardly morning anymore, Pine.” She laughed. “Is Soft inside?”

“Yeah.” He rolled his eyes. “And poking her head out the window every ten seconds to make sure I haven’t been gobbled by a manticore.”

“Well, who knows, maybe a phoenix will decide carrots look like a tasty treat.” She offered with a shrug. “Call if you need us.”

“I don’t even go past that stone there. I gotta be the only colt in the whole herd who’s gotta stay within ten body lengths of their door!” He grumbled.

He might’ve grumbled, but he never stepped past the stone that marked the hut’s boundary line. As Thistle walked inside, she knew he’d be picking up his unsharpened spear and standing guard. He might outwardly claim to be guarding the garden from birds and rodents, but he stood closer to the door than the rows of vegetables.

“He has to be the most well behaved colt I’ve ever met.” Thistle commented as she sat down.

“He’s a good colt.” Soft Touch agreed with a nod. “So, shall I start with how I’m absolutely devastated by my barren state or that I’m completely desperate to have a foal of my own?”

“You shouldn’t joke about those things.” Thistle reminded her for the umpteenth time. “Some mares do suffer from such things.”

“And they see you for it. And if they don’t? The rest of the herd does it for them.” Soft Touch scoffed. “You coming here every couple weeks keeps them from talking to me about it.”

“I know, I know, I think we’ve covered that fact a dozen times by now.” Thistle waved her off, resisting the urge to roll her own eyes. “I still don’t see why you have to joke about it every time.”

“I don’t see why these visits are still needed. You’d think after three years of regular visits the rest of the herd would get the clue that you can’t fix me.” Soft grabbed her spear off the wall and put her baskets on.

“You don’t need fixing. If you wanted, you’d be perfectly capable of conceiving and carrying a foal. You just don’t want to.” Thistle sighed.

“But ponies would still pity me. Until Current and I worked out our little arrangement, I was getting solicitations from every colt and stallion able to get it up.” Soft scowled darkly. “All thinking that their dick had the magic to make me want sex again.”

“Now are we going herb picking or what?” She lifted an eyebrow in challenge. “Frankly, I’m more interested in talking about your stallion problems. I mean, Woodpecker?”

“Oh, uh,” Thistle’s cheeks burned. “You’ve heard of that, huh?”

“Somepony saw the two of you nuzzling last night.” Soft Touch nodded wryly. “By the Great Mother Earth, I never imagined Healer Burr would go stallion mad for Woodpecker of all ponies.”

“It’s more of a trial thing.” Thistle tried to defend herself. “Lead Mares typically need Lead Stallions.”

“Why Woodpecker though?” Soft Touch led them outside again. “Pine, let’s go. Keep close.”

“Yes, Soft.” The colt groaned.

“Woodpecker is a good stallion.” Thistle continued. “He’s got all the Herd Laws memorized, he’s strong, he’s got lots of good points.”

“He’s also been flirting with you since the village was founded.” Soft Touch looked at her skeptically. “He’s a carrot-chaser, just like his dam.”

“He’s…persistent, yeah.” She allowed. “Honestly, he’s just…the best choice. Besides, it’s not official yet. I’ve given him until my next heat to prove he’ll be a good Lead.”

“Uh-huh,” Soft Touch sneered at the mention of heat. “Well, if you need a pony to keep a stallion off your back, you know who to talk to.”

“Soft, Woodpecker’s not that kind of stallion.” He wasn’t cruel or mean, just ambitious. Thistle couldn’t fault ambition.

“Whatever you say, Healer.” She rolled her eyes again. “So what kind of plants are we looking for again?”

After collecting what she needed, including cuttings for her garden, Thistle decided to use what time was left of the day to visit Clay Hooves. For the moment he was still living with his dam and her group. Pink wouldn’t be able to commit any time building him his own hut until significant progress on the wall was mad.

He had some construction talent to go with his mark. Where most groups had put vegetable patches, he’d dug a fire pit and over that made a very small hut. It had holes in the bottom where bits of sticks and the light from the fire peeked out, and there was an opening in the top where he presumably put pots to be heated. He was tending the fire when she walked up, laying branches over the top opening.

“Healer Burr, good afternoon.” He scrambled to his hooves, nearly stepping on a pile of kindling. “How can I help you?”

“I’ve been meaning to come see you since you got your mark.” She told him. “I’m sorry it’s taken so long. Things have gotten rather hectic lately.”

“Yeah, I noticed.” He reached up to brush his mane out of his eyes and succeeded only in gooping them up with the clay on his hoof. His body, already a dull gray that reminded her of gully mud, was streaked with clay. “Them horned ponies and the big wall they’re building and your job and all, that makes for a busy day. I’m up to my haunch in orders for pots and bowls and cups.”

“Cups?” She hadn’t heard of that one. He motioned for her to wait a moment, then he walked inside his group’s hut. A second later he came out again with two small objects in a basket. Wordlessly, he handed them over to her.

They were round and had a flat bottom with an opening on one end.

“Drinking from bowls gets your whole snout wet.” He pointed out. “This, you fill it with water and lift it to your mouth and you don’t spill it! My sister got her mark yesterday when she started using a twig to put in those sketches before I fired’em up.”

“Oh,” It did have lots of little sketches on it. A stick-pony and a little stick-tree. The other cup was neater and had lots of tiny triangles all branching out from the bottom like mountains. “They look very nice. Congratulate her for me, would you?”

“Sure thing.” He smirked and sat down. “I tell ya these clay things are great! Everypony wants some! I’m pretty sure they’ll want cups too when I make more of them.”

“How long does it take you to make these things?” She asked, returning the cups to him. The idea of not getting water up her nose every time she was thirsty certainly had its appeal.

“Shaping them takes an hour, depending on size. I can fire up to about three big ones at a time and they take most of a day to finish.” He shrugged. “Most of that time is just keeping the fire burning in the kiln.”

“Kiln? That’s this thing, right?” She checked.

“Yep.” He nodded proudly. “The holes in the bottom bring air in and the air makes the fire burn hotter.” He paused. “I mean, I can’t use it when its raining and its sometimes hard to dig the stuff out when they’re done, but that’s why I’ve been asking Pink Peach to build me my own hut. I can help build a new kiln directly into the wall and use it even when its raining and I can keep it going at night. She’s been by almost every day because she wants my help with a project she’s got her eye on, only she’s got to work on the wall and something called a tower first.”

“Herd projects come before personal projects.” Thistle nodded, sighing. “I’m pretty sure every pony in the herd wants one of your pots.”

“Heh,” He laughed, his chest expanding with pride. “Wait til they get a load of the things my sister’s making. Since she made those pictures on my cups she’s been talking non-stop about other things she wants to pretty up. I’m pretty sure she’s coming with me when I move.”

“Is that the healer? Why didn’t you say you were talking to Healer Burr!” A younger filly poked her head out the door. She ducked back inside before Thistle could think of something to say. Clay Hooves chuckled bemusedly when she looked at him. He never got the chance to say what he was so funny because a second later the filly was back and she had something wrapped around her neck.

Little round things were strung around her neck. For a heart stopping moment, Thistle was certain a snake had somehow latched itself onto the filly. Half of her was already running back to her hut for her snake venom cures.

But no, they clicked when they moved and between them she could see hemp string.

“Like them? They’re beads! I made’em myself!” The filly boasted. “I even drew little pictures on them! It was sooo hard getting them to stay round and neat, even with Clay’s help, but I did it!”

“Wow,” Thistle breathed, letting the panic leave her stance. She leaned in closer, the better to make out tiny flowers and curls in the fading light. Most of them were reddish brown, but a few had streaks of gray that reminded her of water. “They’re very pretty.”

“I know!” The filly laughed, sitting back on her haunches. “I’m not so good with braiding, I keep knotting my tail up, but I wanted something pretty and Clay’s been working with his, well, clay, for weeks now so I thought I’d ask him! Then I started helping him get more clay and sticks to burn and yesterday I got my mark after I put pictures on his cups, he promised we’re not giving those ones away because I helped make them and they got me my mark,”

She hardly seemed to breathe. It was a steady stream of words with no beginning and no end. It was like a current sweeping her away. Thistle was helpless to do anything but sit and listen and learn all about how Pretty Pebble made beads.

Author's Note

I've started taking extra shifts so I'm not updating next week. Updates will resume November 7th. Thank you and have a nice day!

Loving

The first morning after the unicorns had moved into their own hut, it began to rain. The rains always fell at this time of year. Steady downpours, violent thunderstorms, light sprinkles, and when none of those were available there was the ever present humidity to contend with. Still, Thistle loved the smell of rain.

“I must admit, I’m enjoying all this leg room.” Light sighed from the other side of the hut. To emphasize her point she rolled onto her back and kicked all four legs in the air, then splayed them wide. “My bruises have almost all healed.”

“Haha, very funny. It’s not like I knew Rainfall would go into labor after we laid down.” Thistle pouted and wished briefly that Light’s eyes were good enough to see the pout. Why did most labors begin at night anyway?

“How did it go by the way?” Light asked, still cheerfully basking in all the freed up room. They’d see who was laughing when her heats began and she moved in with Pink and Pucker. Thistle had it on good authority that Pink snored and Pucker kicked.

“Long, almost too long.” She’d been contemplating a gallop back to the hut for more specialized supplies when things had finally started progressing. “A healthy filly though, good lungs. They were debating her name when I left.”

“Remember when Enduring told us about foalbirth?” Light grinned wickedly.

“I remember how difficult it was to walk with my tail tucked against my rear.” Thistle snorted, remembering. “And then Pucker came up behind us and we galloped.”

They shared a laugh. Light even got up and came back around the fire so they could cuddle. Thistle listened to the rain outside and enjoyed the comfort of her sister. In Thistle’s experience rain was a good thing. It kept ponies indoors and encouraged them to sit together and be cordial because nopony wanted to get shunted out into the rain. Nopony expected her to go out and make her usual rounds and unless there was an emergency nopony would come to her. She still had the Leadership meeting to attend, but that was…

Sooner than she’d hoped actually. She’d slept in a little after the late night.

“I have to get going.” She sighed, tired and older than fourteen. Tired and older than forty.

“I do not envy you.” Light tilted her head, a sure sign she was listening to the outside world. “It doesn’t sound like it’ll stop any time soon.”

“And nothing short of a blizzard is a good enough excuse to miss the meeting.” Thistle quoted.

“Well, I’ll be here when you get back. Maybe we can go visit our cousins afterward?” Light suggested, bumping her shoulder.

That cheered her up a bit. It turned out that living on different sides of the village made it a lot harder to find time to be with family. Passing moments, a brief meal together and even that had been rare with the unicorns to get settled in. It was amazing how much could be missed when you didn’t share sleeping space anymore.

She was soaked in seconds, even galloping. She had half a mind to just barge into True Blue’s hut without knocking, but a few extra seconds under the clouds would make her no wetter than she already was. So she knocked as usual and waited to be let inside.

“Well, I can see you’re enjoying the weather just as much as I am.” Pink snickered, rivulets running down her body.

“Not another word, Pink.” She sent a scathing glare at her cousin. The older ponies in the room smirked or openly chortled depending on their personality. She was the last one to arrive.

“How goes construction of the wall?” True Blue brought the meeting to order.

“Construction itself is steady, we’re still having issues getting rocks hauled though.” Pink admitted. “Morning thinks she’s come up with a way to make that easier, but apparently that’s gonna take a little longer. She said she’d get back to me when she had something that worked. I think it’s a new kind of sledge.”

“Do you believe it will be completed before harvest?” True asked, frowning in concern.

“…We haven’t even finished the first section.” Pink groaned, rubbing her temples. “Nopony likes hauling rocks, and the only reason I have as many volunteers as I do is because of Onyx and his levitation thing.”

“We need to provide some sort of incentive for work.” Woodpecker’s brows furrowed. His eyes turned upward in thought. “Something that will make ponies want to work every day, and not just so they can watch Onyx lift rocks with his mind.”

“The patrols and guard shifts never seem to suffer for volunteers.” Shiny sniffed. “I suppose the incentive there is that it keeps the herd safe and keeps anypony from taking more than their fair share of food.”

“Attendance in the fields is steady too,” Thistle realized. The numbers went down a bit when it was mostly weeding and watering, but Marsh Steps never had a hard time getting help. “But the wall would keep us safe. How can we get them to see it?”

“An incentive, hmm,” Shiny’s face twisted into a scowl. “I suppose we could offer extra rations for the ponies on construction. Pink would only need to vouch for the ponies who actually did the work. But the rest of the herd,” She winced.

“They’d see other ponies getting more than them, and either they’d flood the construction and make it so we couldn’t afford to give extra to everypony, or they’d be jealous and resentful of the construction ponies.” Woodpecker reasoned with a shake of his head. “Besides, most ponies use the storehouse because its less work than foraging. If they have to haul rocks all day, then the foraging will become more popular.”

“Maybe a trade?” Pink suggested, rubbing her chin. “If they work so many days on the wall, then…” She paused, trying to think of an equal trade.

“Let’s not allow ourselves to be drawn in another endless debate.” True lifted her hoof. “We’ll all try to come up with ideas and solutions. For now, let’s move on. The unicorns?”

“Settling in nicely, I think.” Thistle straightened, scooting just a little closer to the fire. The smoke might burn her eyes but at least it was warm. She hated having wet fur. “They’re still very strange, and more than a few ponies have brought their concerns to me. I’ve been trying to set them at ease.”

“I’ve been giving them personal lessons on Earth pony Herd Law in my spare time.” Woodpecker leaned towards her a little, putting him a bit closer to the fire as well. “I’ve also been learning about Unicorn Herd Law, just in case a herd of them ever appears.”

“Have you learned what drove them from their herd?” Rockslide spoke for the first time that morning.

“I haven’t outright asked because I don’t want to put them on the defensive, but I do think it was a kind of banishment. However, if it was banishment, then I believe Onyx was the only one to earn it.” He told them.

“What about Emerald Daze and Sapphire Cut?” Shiny frowned in confusion.

“Yeah, why would they leave the herd with him? I didn’t get the impression they liked him that much.” Pink scratched her mane, messing up some of the finer braids.

“From what I’ve learned, they didn’t have a choice. Unicorns don’t Follow. Mares are…are,” He struggled with himself. “Hoofed over to stallions by the Lead Mare and their own dams. He calls them his, as if they were a pair of baskets or something.”

“I admit, I became a little concerned that he was forcing them to group with him, but neither mare has expressed a desire to leave him.” He finished.

“Hmm,” True scowled darkly for a moment. “Thistle Burr, see if you can speak to them privately, without arousing Onyx’s suspicion. Such practices might be acceptable among the unicorns, but not us. Ensure that they understand they are free to leave whenever they choose, and we will protect them from him should it come to that.”

“Yes, Lead Mare.” Thistle bowed her head. She hoped it didn’t come to that. Onyx didn’t come across as a monster to her.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Morning did her best to not scream in frustration. The foals were nearby and really didn’t need to see her cursing a round piece and its likely heritage. Even if it probably grew from the most diseased, bug-ridden Shadow-Cursed tree in the world!

Wood scraps and carved pieces littered her work area. Most of these normally sat outside, but she didn’t want to lose a day of work just because of the weather.

“What’s that?” Busy Bee pointed at the part she’d been glaring at all morning.

“I’m calling it an axle.” She answered.

“Why?” He blinked up at her.

“Because it was cut with an axe.” She explained, bracing herself for the next question. There was always a next question.

“Why?” There it was.

“Because Mama is trying to help Pink Peach make it easier to move lots of rocks.” The problem right now was that the wheel and axle parts kept spinning out from under the flat pieces she put them on. She had no way to secure them without preventing them from spinning.

Which defeated the whole purpose.

While they stayed on the sledge, they made pulling easier. A lot easier. But soon they’d spin out from under it and she’d have to put them back. It didn’t work like she wanted it to.

“Why?” Her colt, her firstborn, her wonderful, smart, and handsome foal…

“Because Pink Peach needs rocks to build the wall, but the rocks are up high on the mountain and they aren’t easy to get.” She sighed.

“Mama! Thistle and Light are here!” Cam walked into the bedroom, a big grin on her face. “They’re soaked! Come and see!”

“Okay, that might be worth leaving the work alone.” Morning admitted, grabbing up Busy before he could get out of reach.

In the main room the others had already fallen on Thistle and Light, either ignoring or not caring how wet it got them in the process. Cam herself was looking more than a little damp and even Hornet’s forelegs showed signs of water. Morning happily dropped Busy into the foalpile and waited for one of her cousins to pull themselves out. Thistle was the first to wriggle herself free and Morning cheerfully dropped on top of her, trapping her back in the foalpile.

“Everypony! Quit it!” Thistle giggled unconvincingly. “Can’t you see we’re wet?”

“You’re always saying how the cold and damp makes ponies sick, you should be thanking us!” Mountain cackled, pulling Light back before the filly could escape. “We’re drying you off with the heat of our love!”

“Well, I feel loved.” Light’s voice was a little hard to make out with Brook seated on her face. “But I did not miss the bruises.”

“You bruise easier than an apple.” Mountain snorted. It was several more minutes before the foalpile fell apart. And that only because Brook announced that she had to pee.

After saving Light from another dousing, the family gathered around the fire in peace and harmony.

“It is nice of you two to visit,” Morning reassured them. “But in this weather?”

“We were bored and lonely.” Light shrugged, as difficult to tease as ever. “How are all of you enjoying your new home?” She addressed the foals.

“It’s okay, I guess.” Cam rolled her shoulders, looking up at the walls decorated with flowers instead of healing herbs. Granted, more than a few healing herbs were up there too. They made the house smell nice. “Nopony tells stories as good as you though.”

“Ooh, ooh, stories!” Busy reared happily. “Tell us a story, Light!”

“Stowy! Stowy!” Brook chirped, repeating the word she liked best. Getting that little filly to use full sentences, even small ones, was going to turn into another exercise in frustration.

“Yeah, Light, don’tcha got a story for us?” Mountain elbowed her.

“Well,” She drew it out, smirking at their smiling faces. “I do have a new story today. Does anypony want to hear it?”

“New story! New story!” Busy whooped, almost bucking Cam in the face until their older daughter pinned him down.

“Stowy!” Brook agreed. Morning was just glad she wasn’t as rambunctious as Busy Bee.

“Alright, settle down everypony.” Light cleared her throat. Mountain went around the group until she could sit beside Morning with Hornet on her other side. “This is a story about Unicorns and stars.” The foals gasped.

Unicorns have always looked to the stars. The Sun, the Moon, and all the Stars Above were the most beautiful gems in existence. The gems found in the northern mountain ranges they called home couldn’t begin to compare with the glory above their heads.

There was one Unicorn in particular who loved to look at the stars more than anything else. He loved them so much that he’d stay up all night to watch them twinkle and shine. In the morning, when the Sun rose and the herd began to move on, he’d be tired and sore from looking up all night long. He stumbled when he walked. He tripped on every root and rock to come across his path. He even bumped into ponies. His head would droop with tiredness and he’d use every break as an opportunity to nap.

But every night he’d look up again and be caught in the beauty of the stars. Some stars, he found, moved position with the seasons. Others were found in the same place every night without fail. If lines were drawn between the stars they made pictures! Ponies and animals and even plants! Some were big and bright, others were small and dull. And to him, each and every one was beautiful and worthy of song.

For Unicorns love to sing, don’t you know? They sing when a foal is born, when a pony dies, they’ll sing at the turn of the seasons and when day turns to night and night turns to day. Unicorns love singing just as much as they love the stars.

But nopony sings after the sunset song. That’s the time to sleep. The time to watch for predators. All is still and silent.

He sang quietly. It started with humming, trying to find a tune just as beautiful as the stars. The other stallions in watch whipped their tails and snorted, but they let him be. Let him hum if it kept him awake, they thought.

The next day he was even more tired. He trotted near the back of the herd with his mates and foals close by. When they stopped to eat and drink, he hummed rather than sleep. He had still yet to find a tune he thought worthy of the stars.

The next night, he debated words. Comparing the stars to gems didn’t seem good enough. It felt like an insult. The grandest of gems could not compare to the dullest of stars, he felt.

Again, the stallions on guard took offense to his noise. They looked to each other and then forced themselves to focus on protecting the herd.

The next day the Unicorn was even more tired. He barely kept up with the herd at all. He intended to sleep when the herd stopped, but the Leads approached him. The Lead Stallion and Lead Mare stood before him and he made himself stand to meet them.

“We have heard you have been disturbing the guards with night singing.” The Lead Stallion informed him. “What purpose do you have in disturbing the stillness of night?”

“O, Lead Stallion, my purpose is a noble one, I assure you!” The Unicorn bowed his head respectfully. “I have been composing a song fit for the Heavens. A song to capture the majesty of the Starry Spiral, the elegance of the Winding River, the peace of the Roosting Bird, and the endurance of the Three Guards. Night after night has passed and the more I look upon them, the more I feel they are deserving of song, my Leads.”

“Deserving of song, you say?” The Lead Mare looked down at him. “There is truth in what you say, but there is also the safety of the herd to consider. Wolves and other predators stalk us at night and you draw their attention with your noise. How do you propose to protect the herd and honor the stars at the same time?”

The Unicorn did not have an answer. Instead, he knelt at their hooves and swore to think of one before returning to his composing.

Days and nights passed. He was a little better rested, but still spent most of his nights looking above him for inspiration. He studied the wild beasts his herd was so cautious of. Their horns were sharp, but predators are fast.

When the herd sang their songs, it made a lot of noise. That’s why they only sang during the day. They sang as they travelled and sang when they played.

He thought on this for a while and could think of no solution. Days passed, the moon shifted faces, and the seasons turned. Spring to summer, summer to fall, and, finally, fall to winter. The longest night of the year arrived and though he still had no answer for his Star Song, at least he could content himself with hours beneath their glow.

It was a lean winter. Little remained under the snow to be eaten and everypony was hungry. More than a few laid awake at night with their grumbling bellies. The ponies were not the only ones desperate for food though. No. The wolves, too, hungered.

The Unicorn heard them coming. Ponies were awoken from sleep and the herd gathered in a circle. Stallions on the outside, mares, and foals at the center. The ones at the edge of the circle brandished their horns, worn sharp.

The Unicorn looked up for what he feared might be the last time. Above him the stars glowed and it was as he gazed at their majesty that he was struck by inspiration.

No one star could light up the night, but all of them? In concert?

He looked to the stallions at his sides and he said to them, “The wolves are coming and our mares and foals stand behind us. A battle for our very lives looms in our futures. Might we sing, my brothers? Might we sing?”

“We’ll sing with you, O’ Brother.” They said to him. “We’ll sing with you.”

It wasn’t a song of stars and their ethereal glow. He didn’t have the time to compose something of that sort. No, this was a song of battle and glory. This was a song of survival.

First it was just the three of them, but more ponies added their voices. They were scared and cold and hungry, but they would gather their courage against the predators who wished to feed on them. The song travelled around the circle, from pony to pony, young and old, mare and stallion, filly and colt, until their voices were an echoing avalanche.

The wolves…hesitated.

A lone, starving herd, that they might have tried their luck against with the lean winter and cold. But a herd that sounded as powerful as this? A herd that met their yellow eyes with toothy grins and bellowing voices? There was no prey to be found here. None at all.

For hours, the herd sang as one. When one song finished, another began. They stomped their hooves to match the beat and brandished their horn at any lingering shadow. And above them? Above them the stars watched as they turned the wolves away.

They greeted the sunrise with the appropriate song and it was still louder than any they’d sang before. They left the deadly valley they’d sheltered in, eager to make distance from the hungry wolf pack, but they sang as they walked. When they stopped for the night, the Unicorn stallion watched as ponies sang, no more united, but still strong.

“So you have found a way for us to sing at night, Brother Unicorn?” The Lead Stallion and Lead Mare found him.

“Yes, my Leads.” He bowed in respect. “For just as no single star can light the sky, no single voice can turn away the dangers of the night.”

“Ponies will sing of this, you know.” The Lead Mare laughingly informed him. “They will sing of the star obsessed stallion who wanted to sing at night. And I dare say they shall sing every year on the longest night, in your memory.”

She was right. The herd became less fearful of singing at night. They didn’t do it often, for yes, most ponies liked to sleep at night. But every year on the longest night, they gathered in a circle and lifted their eyes to the stars and sang. A star song, yes, but songs of love and dedication as well.

Songs about a Unicorn stallion who loved the stars.

Changing

Thistle Burr stepped beneath the willow tree. The leaves rippled and danced overhead in the breeze. Water lapped at the shore and for a moment everything was peaceful.

Her ears pricked forward, listening to a whisper that was barely there. No words, only feelings.

She opened her eyes and leaned against the trunk of the tree. Another day dawning, another day closer to her second heat. Her tail lashed out against the thought but it stayed in place.

Even with the worry about the unicorns and the approaching Pegasus she hadn’t been able to forget about Woodpecker’s proposal. One moon of the three month trial period was already gone.

And every moment she had alone her mind galloped in circles. He wasn’t a bad stallion. In fact, he was a pretty good stallion. It wasn’t like she preferred anypony else so why was this so difficult?

Maybe it was the foal she really dreaded. Thistle knew better than anypony else the difficulties that came with pregnancy and foaling. She knew all the ways it could go wrong. She’d seen most of them in her tenure as healer.

The pregnancy itself was no laughing matter either. So much could go wrong in those first months. It was common for a mare to miscarry at least once in her life and sometimes the miscarriage could be deadly. She could do everything right and still be unable to carry a foal to term.

And things could go wrong inside too. Maybe the foal would be born with a weak heart or lungs. Maybe they’d be born deaf or blind or lame. A twisted hoof, cleft lip, a missing leg, or some other unseen disorder.

The birth itself was commonly difficult. Until she had her first foal she had no way of knowing how her body would react to foaling. Some mares spent hours in labor, others mere minutes. Some mares could laugh and joke through the whole thing, pausing only for contractions. Others cried in pain until she dosed them.

The foal could be breeched. Sun and Moon Above, that had been a terrifying ordeal and she’d lost dam and foal both that night. There had been nothing she could do. There could be tearing. Dams could lose a great deal of blood and medicine could only do so much. The cord could get tangled. The foal might be physically perfect and still never draw a breath.

And the dangers didn’t even end after the labor was over. Many mares got slight fevers after birth. The foal might not nurse correctly. The mare’s milk might not come in when it should or may not be enough. Foals grew sickly so easily. Colic, wisp breath, cold and heat were equally dangerous!

Thistle took hold of her thoughts and roughly shook them away.

Yes, foalbirth was dangerous. But mares a hundred years ago had done it and mares a hundred years from now would too.

So maybe it wasn’t Woodpecker or mating or being Lead Mare she was afraid of. Maybe it was just the foal.

She couldn’t afford to be scared of this. The herd depended on her.

She turned away from the willow and started making her way through the village. Mares with their young foals were stepping out of their homes to tend their gardens. Tiny snouts and little hooves and wispy manes and tails.

She’d delivered Busy Bee and Shaded Brook and been surprised at how quickly she loved them. Would it be that way with her own foal?

Actually, there was an idea. She changed direction to move towards her cousins’ house. She picked up her pace as the idea finished forming.

Ask Morning and Mountain how they felt before having foals. How had they felt when bringing in Hornet?

Their home was on the edge of the village, close to where the orchard began and near the path leading up to the graveyard and Gem Mountain. Cam was playing with the foals out front.

“Busy, you can’t climb on that!” Cam growled, attempting to get her brother down off the woodpile.

“Yes, I can!” He refuted, standing proudly at the top.

“No!” Cam looked ready to pull her mane out.

“Busy Bee,” Thistle trotted up and grabbed the disobedient colt by his mane and dropped him on the ground. “I’m pretty sure your Moms and Dad said you can’t climb the woodpile.”

“But I can!” He emphasized, throwing his hooves up. She poked him on the nose before he could work up a tantrum.

“But you’re not allowed.” She said sternly. “You could fall and get seriously hurt. And bad colts don’t get fruits with dinner. They only get grass.” She warned him.

“Cam, where are your Moms and Dad? I would think one of them would’ve poked their head out to see what the commotion was about.” She turned to the older filly.

“Dad’s on patrol and Mom and Mama are inside having sex.” Cam smoothed out her pink mane now that her brother was sullenly behaving himself.

“What’s sex?” Busy’s ears perked up.

“It’s what grown-ups do when they want to feel good and have foals.” Cam answered him absently.

“Why?” He asked.

“Because the herd needs foals. Adults have foals ‘cause they like’em.” She shrugged. “Right, Thistle?”

“Pretty much.” She nodded, trying not to smile at the simple way they saw things. “Any idea when those two will be done?”

“It’s been an hour so I dunno.” Cam shrugged again, looking over her shoulder to check that Shaded Brook was still playing nicely with her twigs. “Brook will wanna eat soon.”

“Then they’re probably just about done.” Thistle remarked, stepping around to the door and tentatively putting an ear to it. When she didn’t hear anything embarrassing she knocked on the door.

“Uh, just a sec! Don’t come in!” Mountain cried.

Thistle rolled her eyes. She could hear them scrabbling and splashing with the water pot to wash off. As if anypony outside other than Brook didn’t know what was going on.

“Busy! Stop! Climbing! The! Woodpile!” Cam’s scream was full of frustration.

“Busy Bee, you’d better listen to your sister or I’ll tan your hide!” Mountain wrenched the door open and yelled. A coltish yelp and the sound of a tumbling woodpile followed. “Ugh, why? Why did I say I wanted foals?” She dropped her face into her hoof.

Thistle cleared her throat.

“Eep!” Mountain flushed. She stared for a second before sighing in relief. “Oh, it’s just you, Thistle.”

“I hope I’m not interrupting.” Thistle withheld a snicker.

“Eh, we were just basking in the glow.” She gave an easy smirk and a waggle of her brows. She turned her head to address Morning. “Hey, Morning, Thistle’s here to visit!”

“Cursed Shadows, give me a minute!” More water splashing.

“She’ll be a minute.” Mountain turned back to her with another smirk. Thistle only rolled her eyes and waited for the actually mature mare to join them.

“Thistle Burr, always good to see you!” Morning’s cheeks were still a little red when they came outside to join her. “What brings you by?”

“Well, I just wanted to ask you two a few questions.” Thistle felt her own cheeks heat up. Sun and Moon, this shouldn’t be so hard!

“Yeah?” Mountain flopped down onto the ground. Morning leaned against her and soon all three were laying in the grass while the foals played on the other side of the house.

“What made you…” She struggled for the right words. “Was it…difficult to bring Hornet in when you decided to have foals?” She finally asked.

“Kinda, at first.” Mountain frowned, remembering. “It was hard to get…ya know, excited for a stallion at first. I mean, even now I usually need a little warm up first.”

“Less hard for me,” Morning shrugged thoughtfully. “Mares and stallions both get me excited, I just loved Mountain more.”

“D’aww,” Mountain gave a dopey grin until Morning shoved her. “You’re still carrying the next one.”

“Why do you ask?” Morning cocked her head curiously. Thistle flushed clear down to her hooves and said nothing.

“Ooohh, this is about that Woodpecker stallion, ain’t it?” Mountain grinned.

“Mountain!” Morning shoved her harder, causing the gray mare to roll over and have to right herself. “Thistle, you don’t have to mate with him if you don’t want to. I know there’s a lot of pressure on you but you’re young, you’ve got time. Mountain and I were mares for over a year before we even considered foals.”

“Is he getting too touchy with you?” Mountain suddenly straightened up, all serious. “Because if he is I’ll introduce him to my hooves, no questions asked.”

“There’s nothing wrong with Woodpecker.” Thistle sighed. “He’s not really the part I’m worried about.” She paused to reconsider. “Well, not the main part anyway.”

“Oh, is it because it’s your first time?” Morning asked her. “That’s really nothing to worry about, even if neither of you know what you’re doing at first.”

“You should really be warmed up before any sex with a stallion.” Mountain warned her. “If there’s no slick, then it burns going in. Some mares are into that, but definitely no good for a first time. And if he tries to tell you that mares can’t or don’t need an orgasm, then kick him between the back legs.”

“I’ll…keep that in mind.” Thistle buried her face in her hooves.

“There’s a little nub on the vagina near the end that feels really good, and there’s a spot inside that feels amazing if you’ve got a mare friend who can reach it with her tongue or if you have a stallion with good aim.” Mountain continued, utterly unashamed of the conversation topic. The worst part was that she wasn’t even teasing anymore, just giving a factual list of tips to make sex enjoyable for mare and stallion.

“Stop, just…stop.” She whimpered. If her cheeks got any warmer they’d burst into flame. Even her mane and tail must be red by this point.

“Is there anything else you wanted to ask us, Thistle?” Morning showed her mercy.

Thistle took a few moments to try to forget everything Mountain had said.

“Well, uh,” She looked up gingerly and jumped as Cam came running around the house with Brook on her back.

“Mom, Brook’s hungry!” She announced, depositing the filly at Mountain’s side before running back to Busy Bee. Probably to stop him from climbing the woodpile again.

Thistle watched Mountain nose the filly into place to nurse. Mountain’s smile was much softer this time. Morning even leaned over and nuzzled the filly as she ate. For a moment, both mares were lost in their own little world. Nothing but them and the hungry foal.

“Oh, sorry, Thistle.” Morning giggled. “You were saying?”

“Uh,” She looked at Brook again. “I think I got what I came for.”
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was kind of funny how quickly the days were passing. When she was paying attention it felt like the Sun would never set. When she was distracted she could look up and find herself surprised by starlight.

The day was half gone when she finally made it to Pink’s house. No major emergencies today. The Leadership meeting was later. She should really stop by Holly and Marsh’s house before then.

Thwump!

Thistle nearly jumped out of her skin. That sounded like something large had fallen. She picked up the pace, suddenly worried.

“Pink! Pink, are you—!” She froze in her tracks. The big birch wood tree stood to the far left of the house. Pucker used the stumps around it for practice but Pink had decided to leave the biggest tree standing. Right now, she was standing at the foot of it looking up into the branches as if she wished for a torch to burn it down.

“Uh, Pink? Are you alright?” She approached slower now. By Pink’s hooves was a door, but this one was made of young trees strapped together with boughs. Some rope lay tangled atop it. “What’s this?”

“A door.” Pink snarled, still scowling up at the tree.

“Okay…” Thistle looked up. The lowest branch was half a body length higher than their heads. “And this door…it made you mad with the tree because…?”

“Uuurrggghhh.” Pink growled, turning and bucking the tree soundly. She took a deep breath and made a conscious effort to smooth her braids.

“This door is a practice run for the big door for the Wall.” She explained.

“Ah,” Thistle nodded without any real understanding.

“The door has to be strong enough to keep a bunch of ponies from kicking it in, but it’s also gotta be easy to open and close so we can get in and out of the village, right?” Pink gathered up the rope, straightening it out into two long strands. She tossed them over the lowest branch until their ends dangled by her face.

“To make the door strong enough I figure we’ll have to make it out of tree trunks. Bound like so.” She grabbed both ropes in her mouth and pulled until the door was hanging up, resting lightly on the ground. “We’fe gotta ma’e it sho it can’t be ofened from ou’shide doo.”

She leaned far to the right, close to a large rock she’d pulled up to the tree and tied one rope to it. Then she walked to the left and tied the other rope to a rock she’d pulled there.

“These rocks are kinda like counterweights, they keep the door closed.” She explained. “Then, when you want to open the door, just untie the ropes and presto, big open doorway!” She beamed. A few strands tugged themselves loose from her braids.

“Sounds simple enough.” Thistle nodded along.

“You’d think so, wouldn’t you?” Pink suddenly scowled, face going red as she turned and pointed at the door. “I will figure you out, you Shadows Cursed thing!”

“Ooo…kay.” Thistle tilted her head. “What’s causing the issue?”

“Do you know how heavy one good sized tree trunk is?” Pink deflated.

“Pretty heavy.” Thistle had seen ponies carrying them to be chopped up for lumber. It took two mares or one healthy stallion to move a tree once it had been stripped of branches.

“Yeah, and this big door would be, like, ten really big tree trunks.” Pink sat down and huffed. “So, once the big door is open, how do you close it again?”

“Well, a lot of stallions pulling at once could do it.” Thistle suggested.

“But how fast?” She fretted. “This Wall, this door, it’s meant to keep other ponies out so they can’t hurt us or steal our food. And if they get in, they could hurt some of our ponies.”

“Take out the ponies closing the door, and suddenly the whole bad herd can just trot on in and we’ll be trapped.” She finished.

She hadn’t thought of it like that. She’d only thought of walls as something used to keep things out. Like bad weather, wolves, and bad ponies.

“I’ve got the basic concept for a door,” Pink took a fortifying breath and stood. “Now I just need to make it even better and figure out a better way of opening and closing it. This thing won’t beat me.”

“There’s nopony else who could ever do the things you do.” She laughed.

“Heh, you got that right.” Pink smoothed out her braids again. “Hey, what do you think of putting the door on the western side of the village?”

“Near the forest.” If the village line ended a bit beyond Soft Touch’s hut that would make her home the first place anypony would pass. It also put the storehouse near the center of the village. “Sounds good to me but you should probably ask the Leads what they think.”

“I’ll ask’em tonight.” Pink decided. “Maybe I’ll even be able to come up with a better design by then!”

“And in the meantime?” Thistle asked.

“In the meantime, I’m about to go see how everypony on the Wall is doing. Wanna come with me?” Pink chuckled.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“It’s really coming along, isn’t it?” Progress slowed as ponies had to boost each other to reach higher, but the foundations were all laid and now the portion nearest Gem Mountain had some height to it. By this time next year it would encircle the entire village. Protecting them.

“Yeah,” Pink sighed proudly. “And Morning told me we should have another cart ready by noon tomorrow!”

“Healer, good day to you.” Onyx greeted her politely. “Pink, I was hoping I’d see you. I’ve got an idea for the Wall.” He gestured for them to follow.

“Unicorn herds travel over mountainous terrain fairly often, and when they reach a spot too steep for easy travel, they find stepping stones.” He started explaining, leading them to a pile of cast off rocks. Some rocks had broken into pieces too irregular or too small for Pink to use and had been piled up to be dealt with later.

“Stepping stones, like over a river?” Thistle raised one of her brows in confusion.

“More like, this.” With his magic, he held up three stones and lined them up in ascending order, each one bigger than the last. “Ponies would then walk on them to reach high or low places safely.”

“And you want to make these stepping stones for the Wall?” Pink checked, scratching her chin.

“The Wall, by your specifications, is going to be wide enough for a pony to run along.” He reminded them. “I figured you’d like some way for a pony to get up and down easily.”

“Huh,” Pink looked at the rocks, then measured the height of the unfinished Wall with her eyes. Her eyes widened. Slowly, she turned her head, following the line of the Wall’s foundation all around the village. Thistle exchanged a look with Onyx but he didn’t seem to have any idea what was happening either.

“Yes! It’s brilliant!” Pink whooped, grabbing Onyx and pulling him around in a jubilant circle. “Arrange these stepping stones in the right places, we’re going to need more clay cement, I’ll talk to Clay Hooves! And it solves the tower problem! I might actually get that done before next summer! Oh! Oh, and, Thistle!” She whirled around and grabbed Thistle, who yelped.

“This solves my big door problem!” She cheered.

“I’m. happy! For! You!” Thistle bit her tongue trying to shake herself loose. “Please, stop spinning meeee!”

“I didn’t think she would get this excited.” Onyx offered by way of apology. Once Pink had stopped spinning her, she’d taken off for…something. Thistle hadn’t quite caught it.

“Yeah, well,” She checked her braids. “That’s Pink for you. I don’t know how stepping stones solve all her problems, but so long as she’s happy I guess it’s okay.”

“Stairs.” Onyx corrected absently.

“Say what?” Thistle blinked. Onyx’s mouth dropped open and then clicked shut. A lesser stallion might have blushed.

“That is, these aren’t really going to be stepping stones, as such.” He coughed awkwardly. “They’ll be permanent, fixed, a tad carved perhaps, they’ll be something new. And I’ve noticed, when your ponies come up with something new, they name it. That’s my name for these; Stairs.”

“Stairs,” Thistle repeated. “Well,” She looked around. “Pink’s gonna get back sooner or later with whatever she ran off for. Maybe we ought to see about getting some stairs started before she does.”

“That might be wise.” He admitted. “Alright then, time to bring an idea into reality.”

“We lay the foundation first, right?” Thistle found the biggest rock in the cast off pile and rolled it free.

“Er, yes.” He looked at her in confusion. “Do you mean to help?”

“I know it’s been a while since I’ve done any construction work, but I’ve a strong back and sturdy hooves.” Thistle chuckled. “Just tell me what to do, Onyx. You already have more experience than I do.”

“Ah, I see. Then yes, we lay the foundation first. Here, along the wall. I’ve already marked the spot.” He showed her.

“Oh good, you’re laying foundation!” Both jumped in the air as Pink returned, bearing a large pot on her back. “I’ve got the clay cement! C’mon, everypony!”

The Wall curved, naturally, in order to encircle the village. It was difficult enough to get rocks to fit together without making sure they had flat tops to walk on. Onyx narrowed his eyes at stone after stone, choosing only the ones that would be easiest on hooves. Occasionally he muttered something about smoothing them down.

Thistle moved rocks where she was told and held them in place while Onyx or Pink slathered them in clay cement.

“Somepony needs to come up with a better way to carve rocks.” Pink declared after they discarded a dozen rocks before finding one that would do. “Something better than what Rose Bud does for the gravestones.”

“Well, when you find something that’s harder than rock, I’ll get somepony on it.” Thistle snorted.

“I’ve seen ponies break rocks to move them more easily or to make those stone tips for your spears.” Onyx commented. “I think there is a way to carve rocks. I’ll have to think on it some more during my free time.” He grunted and lifted another rock with his horn. “Next time I have free time at any rate.”

“It’s almost mid-summer, free time’s in short supply and only getting shorter.” Pink shook her head sadly. “Until winter anyway, but then nopony’s gonna want to be out in the cold.” She perked up suddenly and turned to Thistle.

“By the way, what are those herbs that help you conceive again? Pucker and I are planning for my next heat and that’s in a moon so I want to have a few around. Hopefully by this time next year, I’ll be a dam!” She grinned excitedly.

“Really?” Thistle lit up a little. With her own worries it was a little hard to remember that most mares looked forward to their first foals. “There’s Mare’s Delight, you know those little three stemmed plants with the red bulbs on the tips? Eat some of that for the week before and during your heat and that should encourage conception. Or red clovers and red raspberries work too, but those grow deeper in the forest.”

“That stuff grows in shady places, right? Guess I’ll have to find time to take Pucker into the forest.” Pink laughed.

“Hmmph,” Both mares turned to look at Onyx, catching him rolling his eyes.

“Something wrong there, Onyx?” Pink raised a brow in warning.

“Get a couple of mares together and all conversation turns to foals and heats.” He shook his head. “Is that all mares talk about?”

“So the stairs and work talk doesn’t count as conversation to you?” Pink huffed. “And Thistle’s the healer, if I need an herb to do its job, of course I’m gonna ask her about it.”

“What else do you use herbs for besides causing or preventing conception?” He challenged. Pink opened her mouth to answer, but this argument had officially entered Thistle Burr’s domain.

“Soft-Shoot leaves, mixed with purple oleander and a few other things, is used to treat venomous snake bites. A venomous spider bite is better treated with orange fluff-pods, mixed with water. The root of the loco-weed numbs pain. Dawn’s Glow takes away your appetite. Highland nettles, softened in water, are used to treat nausea.” Thistle began listing them, helpfully pointing out the plants she named and their places in her mane. Then, she turned so her tail was facing him and continued.

“Hollend’s hemp, causes vomiting. Foal’s Breath, causes hives when brought into contact with fur and skin. Poppy flowers, causes hallucinations and numbs pain, also good for putting ponies to sleep when mixed with water and Passion Flower or Magnolia bark.” Her mane for straight medicines, her tails for poisons. The only difference between the two was dosage. The Foal’s Breath, though useful for clearing out infection when made into a poultice, she kept wrapped in leaves to keep it from hurting her.

“There are all sorts of herbs that do all sorts of things. Even some magic ones I’ve found.” Like the flowers that glowed in moonlight in that one clearing. The Light-That-Wasn’t had changed all sorts of things.

“I can heal a broken leg, wrap wounds, treat illness and poison, and, yes, deliver foals.” She turned back to face him directly. “Of them all, foal birth is still one of the most dangerous, to dam and foal. There are a hundred and one ways for things to go wrong. Even here, even now. Eight ponies have died of wound or illness since we came to this valley, Onyx. Eight.”

“Every other pony buried in our graveyard died in foal birth.” She informed him. “Of coursemares talk about it! It’s something we have to live with, something we have to worry about and prepare for. And it helps when they have somepony who understands to talk to about it! Like other mares!”

“Conceiving? Is the easiest part.” She finished. “All it takes is a stallion and five minutes.”

Onyx looked…shaken might be a good word for it. Aghast might be a better one. His mouth hung open and he kept looking at her tail then quickly back to her face. It took him a minute to compose himself. Finally, he sat down. His ears drooped and he took a deep breath.

“I apologize, firstly, for upsetting the two of you.” He started. “I…I’ve never…I know of healing herbs and poisonous herbs because my sire pointed them out to me as he trained me to be a stallion. All stallions teach their colts this way. But the only herbs I’d ever seen a mare bother with were, well,” He made a vague gesture to indicate the kind of herbs he’d seen mares use before. He bit his lip and pressed on.

“Is foal birth really so dangerous? I mean, mares do it all the time.” His brows drew together.

“The mare can die, the foal can die, both could die.” Thistle sighed. “I’ve seen most of the ways it can happen. And even if both survive the foaling that doesn’t mean there aren’t complications. Pregnancy and foal birth puts a lot of stress on the body. It’s very easy to miscarry in the first few months, and deadly to miscarry in the later months. There’s just…so many ways for things to go wrong. And even if you do everything right, things still go wrong.”

“If a mare is lucky, if she’s healthy and the sire’s healthy, and she eats the right things and doesn’t stress herself too much, and if she’s lucky, then things can still go wrong. For no reason at all.” She grimaced. “No reason that anypony’s been able to figure out anyway.”

Onyx stared for a moment longer before dropping his gaze. He looked at the stairs instead. Thistle followed his gaze, taking in what they’d managed to do so far. The stairs were a head and a half taller than her now, nearly as tall as the Wall. To build any higher, ponies would have to climb them.

“Sheesh, gloooo-my.” Pink chuckled awkwardly. “Uh, yeah, Onyx, the next time you imply that foals and heats are all mares think about, I’m gonna whap you upside the head with a rock. Thistle, one day I want to talk about why you’ve got literal poisons braided into your tail. But today I want to finish these stairs so let’s stow away our gloomy thoughts and get back to work, ponies!”

“Right, well,” Onyx stood up and began to climb the stairs. “We’re just about finished, I think. This will certainly make building the rest of the Wall easier if ponies don’t have to climb on each other’s backs to do it.”

“Yeah, I’ve almost had to send a few to Thistle when they fell.” Pink nodded.

“Wait, what?” She hadn’t heard of that.

“They were fine! Nothing more than bumps or bruises!” Pink gave her a cheeky grin.

“If you two would be so kind as to concentrate?” Onyx called down to them.

The rest of the work passed in silence. Thistle tried not to stew on it too much. Onyx hadn’t meant anything by it, but the way he’d just…dismissed her healing knowledge? She’d worked hard to memorize everything Enduring had to teach her and healing had been such a large part of it. It was like, without ever meeting her, he’d insulted Enduring.

“Stars Above, you two have to see this.” Onyx jolted her out of her thoughts. He’d stepped off the stairs and onto the wall. Exchanging confused looks, Pink and Thistle joined him.

Walking up stairs was interesting. Not unlike the smooth ramp of dirt that led down to her cellar. She felt like she’d trip if she tried running on them though. And with all the bumps that would not be a gentle fall.

At the top of the stairs, they could see down and around the village. She could see the graveyard from this point of view, and the path to Gem Mountain, becoming more well-worn every day. Along the Wall she saw ponies working, building it up and talking to each other.

Over her shoulder she saw the village. She could see Holly Berry and Light watching the herd’s foals. True Blue was in her garden with Bluebell. She could even see her hut, including the slumped part of her roof that looked like it needed repairs.

“It’s like standing on Lookout Hill,” Pink took it all in. “You can see the whole village like this. Once the Wall’s finished you can walk along it and you’ll be able to see the fields from the southern end. The forest from the western end. The orchard from the east.”

“You Earth ponies will be able to see everything you’re building from here.” Onyx smiled proudly.

There was a flash. A familiar flash of Light-That-Wasn’t blinded them for a moment. And then it was gone, but in its place was a brand new magic mark.

“Shadows take me, what was that?” Onyx pranced in place. Thistle said nothing, eyes glued to his flank.

“Pfft! Congrats, Onyx, guess this means you’re officially part of the herd now!” Pink cracked up.

“What? What are you going on about? Did you see that? It was the same Light-That-Wasn’t that changed us!” He cried.

“And changed you again, Onyx! Look at your flank!” Pink fell to her knees, sides shaking in laughter. “It’s stairs!You have a stairs magic mark!”

“I do?” He nearly hit Thistle in his haste to turn around to check. There on his flank was a set of stairs, climbing ever higher. He gaped at it and then began desperately groping for his horn. Once he found it was still there he sighed with relief. “Well, now, what does this mean?”

“The Light-That-Wasn’t comes back to visit every time somepony gains their mark. The Light bestows it.” Thistle explained, feeling her lips twitching into a smile. “It comes when you discover your talent and purpose. Congratulations, Onyx, you are the second pony with a creative construction mark.”

Reasoning

“We knew when the Hope Herd joined us that the marks were not limited to our herd, now we know they are not limited to Earth ponies either.” True murmured. Around her the full Council had gathered. Rockslide frowned into the fire, as he so often did. Shiny looked disgruntled, her ears pinned slightly back. Pink looked the same as ever and Thistle and Woodpecker both looked concerned.

“It’s not a bad thing,” Thistle argued. “I know better than most that marks are seen as status symbols, ponies without them are constantly trying to get them. If unicorns weren’t capable of getting marks then eventually our ponies would begin to look down on them.”

“Yes, but the marks as a symbol worked for us.” Woodpecker pointed out. “Ponies feel proud to have them, especially considering you were the first. Once outside ponies start getting them, it’ll stop being special and start being as normal as different colored manes and tails.”

True watched Thistle look away, clearly biting her tongue to keep from saying what she really thought. Thistle didn’t like that the marks were considered special. She wanted them to be normal, despite nopony claiming she bestowed them anymore.

At least she was good at keeping those thoughts hidden when necessary. A Lead Mare couldn’t let the herd know her every little thought.

“The stairs themselves are really gonna help though.” Pink perked up. “We were having some issues building up the walls high enough to keep ponies from climbing them, but that won’t be an issue now. And this is really going to help with my tower idea! And since Onyx has a construction mark now I should be able to leave the Wall under his supervision for a few hours at a time so I can start work on that!”

“Once the tower is completed we’ll have to work out a series of signals for the herd.” Rockslide made his contribution.

“A signal for ponies to come inside the walls, a signal for incoming danger,” Thistle’s eyes crossed. “How would we contact ponies out on patrol?”

“Uh, hmm,” Pink scratched her chin. “We might have to try a few things out to see what works. For now, I just want to get the Wall done.”

So many things to consider. So much still left to do. She almost longed for the days of hard travel. Decisions were easier to make then.

Looking down at the filly sleeping between her hooves, True pushed away those thoughts. Bluebell was her youngest, maybe even last, foal. She was also the third of nine to survive past two years of age.

She refocused on the present with a force of will.

“We’ll revisit the topic of signals at a later time.” She decided. “For now, are there any other bits of news we should discuss this evening?”

“Food supplies are holding steady, Marsh Steps says we can expect an especially good harvest this year.” Shiny straightened up to report. “Although, if I’m considering our current rate of growth correctly, I believe we will need to both expand our fields and our storehouse next year.”

“Expand the storehouse?” Thistle’s eyes went wide in shock.

“Expanding it wouldn’t be easy.” Pink winced. “Building techniques have improved, sure, but I’d probably have to demolish the whole thing in order to expand it. It would be less trouble to just build a second one.” Her ears suddenly pricked up and the corners of her mouth lifted. “Oooh, idea!”

“I could use the stairs to build an improved cellar in the storehouse, more space to store food, and if I do have to build a second storehouse later then,” True held up a hoof to stop the babble.

“Pink, while we all appreciate the genius you apply to your work, I feel we are getting a little off topic.” She explained.

“Oh, right, sorry Lead Mare.” Pink flushed, ducking her head slightly in embarrassment.

“No harm done. Shall we continue?” She looked around the room.

“I have no more to report, Lead Mare.” Shiny waved her on.

“Some signs of Timberwolves have been seen, but so far the monsters have been avoiding our patrols.” Rockslide reported. It seemed the wooden beasts could learn after all.

“Anypony else?” She looked between the three youngest ponies.

“Nothing new, Lead Mare.” Woodpecker spoke solemnly. Thistle and Pink both nodded in confirmation.

“Then, until tomorrow.” With that, everypony said their goodnights and began to leave. True placed a hoof over Rockslide’s to keep him from following Woodpecker out. Shiny left, but she returned as soon as the three younger council members had turned for home.

“How goes Woodpecker’s training?” True began the second meeting.

“Well.” Rockslide sighed deeply. Shiny, rather than remaining sitting poised across from them, took up his other side and leaned against him so they all three lay before the fire. “He does not complain, he’s skilled enough at physical skills and is friendly with most of the other stallions. I do not believe any will challenge him when the time comes.”

“He’s…ambitious.” True couldn’t see Shiny, but she could well imagine the pursed lips that accompanied the words.

“So were we.” She reminded them, far more gently than she did with any other ponies.

Ambitious, yes. They’d wanted to lead the herd. They’d wanted to be followed.

She didn’t feel ambitious anymore. Maybe that was age. Wisdom. Maybe it was the Light-That-Wasn’t. Either way, True was tired of being the Lead Mare. They’d never say it, but she knew Rockslide and Shiny were tired too, in their own way.

Two years, give or take a few months, and the reins of power would be given over to the next generation. Nopony would call her Lead Mare then.

“Thistle Burr will keep him under control.” She said instead of what she’d been thinking.

“We’ll need to talk to her about teaching somepony else to be the healer.” Shiny reminded them with a huff.

“There’s time.” Rockslide leaned over her and looked over Bluebell. Recognizing the look on his face, True gently stood and relocated her filly to the soft sleeping mat on the other side of the fire. When she walked back over she saw Rockslide had already begun nibbling at Shiny’s neck. Gracefully, True laid down and began to knead her stallion’s muscles.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thistle woke up first, just like always. Light was a little harder to wake up in the mornings and she normally didn’t wake until Thistle had already left.

She took in a deep breath, smelling the morning dew on the breeze. She stretched luxuriously as she stood.

Herbs dangled from the ceiling and walls, gourds laid in baskets, both on the floor and down in the cellar. She checked the water pot and saw it was a little low. She grabbed her baskets and carefully balanced the pot on her back. Pots held water a lot better than the waterproof baskets Pink had made. They could be made larger and couldn’t be eaten by snackish foals.

Outside, the first thing she did was check the garden. The rabbits didn’t bother her garden as much as others, due in large part to the variety of herbs she grew, including many that could make living things sick for eating them. She pulled a few weeds, sprinkled them with the rest of the water from the pot, then made her way to the lake for more water.

She crossed over the Wall’s foundations along the way. Once the Wall was built it would make it harder to get water every day. She hesitated a moment before continuing on her way.

Most of the herd got their daily water from the lake. A few creeks ran through the southern portion of the valley where the fields were and there was the gully that flowed in every season but summer. Since coming here nopony had ever worried about where to find water.

But once the Wall was up? Once they were stuck inside with an invading herd waiting beyond those stone Walls? What would ponies do for water then?

She filled her pot up by the big willow tree. Standing under its leaves usually helped organize her thoughts. It had worked so well when anxiety over Woodpecker and foals was overwhelming her. Now, she closed her eyes and tried to summon that peace of mind.

An old lesson came to mind. Maybe even the oldest lesson she knew. How to find water.

The ground in the village was fertile soil, good and dark and soft. There was water aplenty in the valley, in the lake and creeks and river and even from the rain. Maybe Clay Hooves could make some very large pots to catch rainwater in.

No, no, she shook her head. That only worked when it rained. In winter they could melt snow for drinking water. But summer? It didn’t rain much in summer.

Her ears pricked forward and she turned around, startled to hear…

There was no one there. Thistle frowned and checked harder. She couldn’t hear anypony anymore but for a moment she could’ve sworn she heard somepony talking.

It was probably just the wind. Rustling through the willow leaves, it probably sounded like a pony’s voice.

Even though she hadn’t felt any breeze.

Thistle Burr snorted and dragged her hoof across the ground. She wasn’t going to be spooked by wind just because she was worried about their water supply. The Wall wasn’t anywhere near being done yet. She had time to talk to the others and come up with a solution.

After taking the pot home to Light, she set off for the graveyard. The Wall was finished in that section so she had to go a ways around it. She did see Onyx building another set of stairs and she passed Pink on the path towards Gem Mountain, gone to gather more rocks with the cart.

The graveyard was the same as last time. Stones with magic marks carved on them and stones with no marks at all. Was that Dew Drop’s grave or Quiet Glade’s? Neither had gained a mark before dying. Rose Bud would know.

Rose Bud didn’t seem to be here yet. Thistle shrugged and forced the questions from her mind. Dew Drop had bled to death in foal birth. Quiet Glade had been an old nag who’d gotten the flu and died two winters ago.

Enduring Rock’s grave was a welcome sight. Thistle couldn’t help but sigh in relief as she finally sat before her old mentor.

“Hello again.” She greeted her, knowing Enduring was beyond greeting her back.

“You’d be amazed how fast things are changing now.” She told Enduring. “The Wall that’s being built, the unicorns, did I tell you about the unicorns? Three of them, one stallion and two mares, have joined the herd. We haven’t met any others yet, but we might soon meet a Pegasus herd. I’ve told you about that, haven’t I?”

She had to keep checking to make sure Rose Bud didn’t sneak up on her. Only the Council was supposed to know about the Pegasus coming.

“I stood on top of the wall and was amazed by what I could see. It was different from standing on the hill.” She told her. “I was standing on something we made. With our own four hooves. Well, and Onyx’s horn, I suppose. The Light-That-Wasn’t gave the unicorns magic to move things with their minds. The Pegasus have true flight and can control the weather, we’ve heard.”

“It’s…frightening, to think we might have to fight something like that.” She grit her teeth. “I know there are bad ponies in every herd, but surely most ponies are good and wouldn’t seek to destroy what we have here.”

What would her herd have done if they’d come across a village back when they were still wandering?

If they’re herd had not been so lucky, if their ponies were a smidgen less talented and they hadn’t found somepony who could lead them around the monsters.

The image wouldn’t come. No matter how hard she tried she just couldn’t imagine living that way. Frankly, she had a hard time remembering anything before meeting Enduring.

The crunch of hooves on soil reached her ears. She turned and saw Rose Bud making her way through the far end of the graveyard with her basket of flowers. She’d stopped for a moment to speak to one of the graves with that enigmatic smile she always wore.

“I’ll be going now, Enduring.” Thistle sighed. “There are things that need doing. I’m supposed to meet up with Woodpecker in a bit actually. I’m…still not sure about him, but at least I’m not mindlessly panicking anymore.”

Right, not panicking. She was definitely capable of making a sound decision about Woodpecker.

Thistle sighed through her nose, banishing such thoughts to the shadows where they belonged.

She weaved through the village, exchanging nods and waves with the other early risers she met. She trotted by the foal field where Holly and Light spent most of their days. Sapphire was with them today. Emerald was probably in the fields then.

“Good morning, Thistle Burr.” And there he was, Woodpecker. He had his spear, shield, and a pair of baskets strapped to his back. He was fully prepared for their outing.

“Good morning, Woodpecker.” She nodded politely, stepping up beside him and steering them towards the forest.

With the shadows of the leaves on their backs, they walked. There were a few footpaths worn by ponies who still preferred wild greens, but most of the forest was the same untamed wilderness they’d lived their foalhoods in. The chatter of insects, birds, and squirrels filled the air as a welcome relief from the village noise.

Thistle didn’t come to the forest for peace though. Her eyes scanned the ground and her ears swiveled back and forth, trying to catch every little sound. When she found an herb she wanted she pulled out the flint knife Pucker had given her and she took some cuttings. If it was an herb she didn’t know or didn’t have, she’d pry its roots free of the dirt to replant in her garden.

From the corner of her eye she saw Woodpecker scanning the forest, one hoof on his spear at all times. He never allowed himself to be distracted from his chosen task. In this case, protecting her while she gathered herbs.

“Am I making you nervous?” Her ears flicked back at his question.

“I’m sorry?” She started hesitantly.

“When we first got here you inspected every patch of ground, but I’ve now seen you twice trot past a collection of herbs I recognize from your garden.” He pointed to a patch to her left that she hadn’t even noticed.

Yes, Dawn’s Flowers. They had pink and orange flowers with blue-tinged leaves. She’d discovered them last year and found they worked very well for treating cracked hooves.

Sheepishly, she began to take a few cuttings. She did have a small group of them growing in her garden, but with all the construction work she tended to run out fast.

“I apologize for making you nervous, Thistle Burr.” She didn’t sigh, though she wanted to.

“Its not your fault.” She reassured him. “I suppose it’s just that I’ve never gone gathering with a patrol pony before. It’s always been with friends and family, so we tend to talk more. I do appreciate you coming with me, Woodpecker.” She added.

“Well, if it’s conversation you want.” He smirked. “Why not tell me how you think we’ll fare when the Pegasus arrive?”

“I’ve been trying not to think of it lately.” She admitted tiredly. “I hate planning for what the worst ponies will do. Do you think other herds get so nervous at the thought of running into each other?”

“Hmm,” He gave the question some thought. “From what I can recall, yes.”

That wasn’t the answer she’d expected.

“Really?” She asked curiously. When they’d met the Hope Herd she remembered it as something exciting.

“I was almost a stallion before the Light-That-Wasn’t arrived.” He reminded her. “I remember this one time we came across another herd and things nearly erupted into an all-out fight. I believe it was caused by some stallion attempting to draw some mares away from another stallion.”

“Though admittedly, my memory of the time is rather blurred.” He shuffled a little, looking uncomfortable. “Thistle Burr, I hope this doesn’t come off as rude, but what do you remember about your dam?”

“My dam?” She repeated. “She was…named Water Lily, she was the herd’s water finder. Why?”

“Is that all you remember?” He pressed.

She stopped and thought harder. Water Lily, a water finder, she’d died three days before the Light-That-Wasn’t appeared. Hadn’t she? Thistle couldn’t remember now what she’d died of.

“What did she look like?” Woodpecker asked her.

“I…I don’t remember.” She realized. “Blazing Suns, I don’t remember what my own dam looked like!”

“I don’t remember my granddam, though she died only shortly before the Light-That-Wasn’t appeared.” Woodpecker told her. “I don’t remember what I did before the Light-That-Wasn’t. I know we traveled, I know we ran into another herd now and again, but honestly? That’s all. Even when I try I can’t summon forth any specific memory before that time.”

Thistle nearly sat down in shock. Hadn’t True Blue said something similar at the riverside? That ponies were changing since the Light-That-Wasn’t?

She hadn’t known Enduring for even a full year, but she still felt her loss keenly. She’d lost her dam just days before meeting Enduring and hadn’t cared except for the fact it was harder for a filly to survive alone.

“Seeing all the things that have changed since the Light-That-Wasn’t,” He continued. “I believe that it enlarged our minds in some way, made us able to think and feel new things as well as giving us magic. What do you think?”

She ran that over in her mind. Before the Light only a few ponies could do new things. Enduring had known how to heal and make gourds and find water, but she hadn’t done any of those things until after the Light-That-Wasn’t. Afterwards? She’d adopted an orphaned filly and taught her everything she knew.

“I think you may be right.” She decided at last. She took a deep breath and led them towards a clearing she knew near the gully.

She opened her mouth to say something. Then closed it so sharply that her teeth clicked.

The birds weren’t singing anymore.

Woodpecker seemed to realize it at the same time. His tail lashed side to side and he lifted his spear. Their ears turned this way and that. They wouldn’t hear any breathing: Timberwolves didn’t breathe except for when they howled. If they were lucky they’d hear leaves rustling or twigs snapping. If they were very lucky they’d see a green glow before it got close enough to pounce.

“Thistle Burr, when I say ‘now’, run for the village as fast as you can.” Woodpecker whispered. “Don’t slow down and don’t stop for anything. Go straight to the village.”

“A-Alright,” She nodded. Right, the village. She slowly turned in a circle so she was facing east.

There was a green glow in the shadows behind them.

“Woodpecker!” She hissed, tensing harder than she’d ever tensed before.

“Festering Shadows!” He cursed. She didn’t dare turn her head to look at him. She didn’t want to look away from the eyes glowing in the shadows.

“Okay, okay,” He stepped forward until their sides were touching. “Southeast then, don’t stop, don’t slow, do not allow them to herd you anywhere.”

She shivered. This was the closest she’d ever been to a monster before. Her heart pounded so fast she worried it would break her ribs.

“Now!” They took off. Thistle beat her hooves faster than she ever had before. Trees and bushes blurred past them. Behind them and to their sides they could hear great lumbering beasts following and a haunting howl followed them.

There was a flash of green on her right and she would’ve jumped left if Woodpecker hadn’t been on that side. He shoved her back onto the path and kept them going straight, preventing them from being knocked off course.

“Don’t slow, don’t stop!” He yelled in her ear.

Tree, tree, bush, timberwolf! It was so hard to run in a straight line. She jumped over a ditch and a timberwolf nearly burst through a bush on her left. Woodpecker caught her mane and pulled her back onto the path before she could take off straight south.

Thistle tried to think but terror clouded everything. Had they really gone so far into the forest during their talk? It hadn’t felt like it. She didn’t even know where they were now. There was no time to stop and look for landmarks.

“This way!” Woodpecker called for her, turning more east than south. But there was a timberwolf there! Standing right in the middle of the path and glaring at them!

“Don’t stop, don’t slow! Jump!” She did it without thinking. She just pushed off as hard as she could. Her leap carried her over the timberwolf’s head and snapping jaw. She heard cracking wood and then a fizzling sound behind her but as soon as her hooves touched the ground again she was off. She didn’t even have time to realize Woodpecker wasn’t at her side anymore before he caught up, huffing and puffing and lacking a spear.

“Keep going!” He panted harshly.

Keep going. Don’t slow, don’t stop. Keep going. Branches whipped at their hides and in her panic she thought they were timberwolf claws. Howls and snarls followed them.

Her lungs and legs burned. Her heartbeat was faster than her hoofsteps. Any second now the pack would overrun them. Any second now and they’d be caught.

They burst from the trees without slowing a whit. Thistle barely registered the intense sunlight. She saw the village in the distance and didn’t once think of slowing until they passed Soft Touch’s hut.

She might’ve kept running until she passed the village entirely if Pine Needle hadn’t been sitting by the back of the hut.

“Healer? What?” Pine gasped. “SOFT TOUCH!”

“Pine! Who’s there!” Soft barreled out of the hut with her spear gripped in her mouth.

Thistle tried to explain. Her lungs seized and a cramp made itself known in her side. Her body was covered in froth.

“Timberwolves!” Woodpecker gasped out. “Chased us! Barely got away!”

Thistle wrenched her head back towards the forest. Two timberwolves were standing at the edge of the tree line but they hadn’t followed. Timberwolves never left the forest. At least not far. These ones watched them for a moment before fading back into the shadows. Soon, they were out of sight completely.

Groaning, she swayed. There wasn’t enough air for her lungs and her legs burned from exertion.

“Whelp, guess it’s timberwolf season.” Soft clicked her tongue. “Healer, feel free to come inside and get some water. Pine, bring a pot out for the stallion.”

“Yes, Soft Touch.” Pine went to do as ordered. Thistle let Soft nudge her inside. The hut was cool inside and she gratefully fell on the closest mat.

“Ow.” She whimpered.

“Yeah, a panicked run will do that to you.” Soft Touch nodded, patting her shoulder. “Take your time.”

They’d survived. They’d escaped the pack. That was the closest she’d ever come to dying.

Woodpecker had saved her life.

Trusting

Thistle was still in a state of shock when she finally caught her breath. Her legs were shaky as she walked back outside. Woodpecker had abandoned all prior dignity to roll in the grass, letting his legs dangle in the air with his eyes closed.

It was just so unexpected. She’d never seen him anything less than perfectly composed and now he was lying on the grass like a colt, playing dead while Pine Needle poked him with his tiny spear.

“I think he might be dead.” Pine informed her solemnly, again poking Woodpecker in the side. Woodpecker didn’t flinch, but Thistle did see his lips quirk in amusement.

“I, ah,” She had to pause to get her giggles under control. “I don’t think he’s dead, Pine.”

“Pine, stop bothering him. Get over here.” Soft rolled her eyes.

“Yes, Soft.” The colt sighed, glumly trotting over. Woodpecker chose that moment to roll over and give a full body stretch before rising to his hooves.

“Thank you for your hospitality, Soft Touch, Pine Needle.” He nodded, tone carefully measured. The effect was somewhat ruined by the bits of grass stuck in his mane.

“Yes, thank you both.” Thistle coughed to cover up another bout of giggles. “I’ll be seeing the two of you soon, alright?”

“See ya, Healer!” Pine hugged her leg quickly before posting himself at the corner of the garden again.

“Yeah, yeah, don’t go running into anymore monsters, alright?” Soft elbowed her in the ribs. Thistle withheld a wince and nodded.

“Well, this has been quite a day, hasn’t it?” Woodpecker remarked as they walked away. “Not even noon and already we’ve had a brush with death. I’m amazed you didn’t lose your baskets.”

Thistle paused and sure enough, her baskets were still strapped to her sides. There were scratches along her legs and sides from branches catching her and her mane braid was unraveling, but she hadn’t lost any of her medicines. Woodpecker on the other hoof had lost both baskets and spear in their run.

“I’m grateful, it would be difficult to re-gather some of these.” Especially given she wasn’t in a hurry to return to a monster infested forest.

“It seems the Timberwolves are wise enough to hunt for ponies on their own now.” Woodpecker frowned and stopped walking. Thistle noticed him looking between them and fought the urge to blush.

“Perhaps we should postpone our return to the village proper?” He suggested, gesturing to the lather in their fur. “And you might, say, wish to fix your mane.”

“I know, the herbs are coming loose.” She ran her hoof gently over the mess. Ugh, she was going to need Light’s help untangling all this.

“That, and our current appearance might give some ponies the wrong idea. We aren’t Following each other after all, at least, not yet.” He smirked, walking on now and playfully whipping his tail back and forth.

All Thistle’s efforts to appear unfazed immediately vanished.

After a bath in the lake spent avoiding Woodpecker’s eyes, Thistle went home. She had cuttings to transplant, seeds to plant, a new herb to consider the uses of, and a mane and tail in terrible disarray.

She sighed to herself and undid the braids. She kept each strip of bark and every flower separated using only her hooves. Some were missing, blown free in their frenzied rush for safety.

She could rebraid her tail easily. She’d need help with the mane though. It felt a little weird to have her mane loose after so long keeping it in a braid. It kept blowing into her eyes.

“Thistle?” Light came home for lunch. “I wasn’t expecting to see you back so soon.”

“Yeah, well,” Thistle groped for the right words. A lot had happened since she’d left her sister sleeping in their hut.

“Did something happen between you and Woodpecker?” Light asked in concern.

“Light, have I got a story for you.” Thistle chuckled uncomfortably. “Sit down and let me get us both something to eat first.”

“Is your…mane loose?” Light squinted, leaning forward to see better.

“Uh, yeah,” She descended into the cellar ahead of any further questions.

But gathering food didn’t take very long. She couldn’t delay forever.

“So, I met Woodpecker as agreed and we went into the forest together,” She started, explaining how uncomfortable she’d been with the awkward silence and then glossing over the conversation they’d had. She’d like to tell Light about the Pegasus but…Was it better not to?

“Then we both realized that it was quiet, too quiet,” She forged on. “I swear I could feel them watching us.”

“Timberwolves!?” Light gasped, eyes round with shock. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? Is Woodpecker?”

“We’re fine, Light.” She pulled her sister closer so she could check for herself. “Woodpecker and I are just fine, we got away.”

“It was…He…” She swallowed and tried again. “I panicked, Light. I couldn’t think at all! If Woodpecker hadn’t been there and known what to do,” She left it unsaid but not unheard. Light held her even tighter.

“We ran.” Thistle quickly brushed away some tears. There was a rock lodged in her throat that made speaking difficult. “Woodpecker kept us from being herded into the main pack. He even managed to kill one without falling behind. We got to the edge of the forest and didn’t stop running until we almost ran face first into Soft Touch’s hut.”

“Sun and Moon,” Light whispered. She didn’t say anything more. Somehow the soft curse conveyed everything it needed to.

“We’re fine though, we’re alive.” Thistle took a deep breath to steady herself.

She’d never been more scared in her entire life. The kind of raw panic that caused stampedes. Her legs were aching now from the exertion earlier and she knew the ache would get worse before tonight.

And Woodpecker had saved her. And then…He hadn’t made anything of it. It would’ve been easy for him to play it up more and given how unsteady she felt even now anything he tried would’ve been extremely effective. But he hadn’t. He’d…sat outside and amused Pine Needle. He’d thanked Soft Touch for the water. He’d teased her about their sweat slicked appearances without a single pressuring word.

Light didn’t seem to be in a hurry to let Thistle go after that story. They ate their lunch and settled down for a nap, still holding each other. Neither really drifted off. Thistle couldn’t pretend to know what Light was thinking, but Thistle’s head was full of Woodpecker.

Finally, she couldn’t bear to lay down doing nothing any longer. She got up and made Light get up with her to rebraid her mane. Once that was done, Thistle stepped outside to deal with the seeds and cuttings she’d taken.

With the garden tended she had just an hour or two left before the Leadership Meeting. She wasn’t looking forward to sharing the story of today a second or third time, but she went to True’s hut anyway.

True…actually wasn’t home. Thistle blinked owlishly through the window for a moment before shaking her head. Of course True didn’t spend all day in her hut. She was probably at somepony’s house right now dealing with some issue or other. Ponies went to the Lead Mare to solve their problems.

Well, so much for that idea.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cam mixed the potatoes into the water with her hoof. The air was hot near the fire but she figured it would make the mash feel as warm as mare’s milk and make Brook more likely to eat it.

“What’cha doin’?” Bee sat down beside her.

“Making these potatoes soft for Brook to eat.” She explained. Bee wrinkled his snout and then ducked his head under her hoof to lick up a helping for himself. “Hey!” She pulled the bowl away from him.

“It’s good!” He declared, licking a white dollop from his lips.

“It’s for Brook!” She repeated. “Go outside and play.”

“No! Mom and Mama are being gross!” He refused. “Come play with me!”

“I’m busy!” She grumbled, turning to block any further attempts at thievery.

“No, I’m Busy!” He corrected her smugly.

Were all little brothers so annoying? No, Pine Needle was good for Soft Touch. He always listened to whatever she said the first time she said it. Pine didn’t climb the woodpile or try eating poisonous mushrooms or run off and get lost in the orchards.

He was going to keep bugging her and stealing potatoes unless she agreed to play with him. But she didn’t want to play with him. She was trying to earn her magic mark here and she didn’t want to play Wolves and Ponies today.

“Go play with Brook.” She tried convincing him.

“I don’t wanna play with a foal!” He glared at her.

“You are a foal!” She threw up her hooves.

“No, I’m not!” He shook his head.

“Yes, you are!”

“No, I’m not!”

“Yes, you—AAARRRGGHHHH!!!” She slammed her hooves into the ground. Unfortunately, she managed to hit the bowl in just the right way to send it into the fire, somehow without spilling any of the water to put it out.

“Oh no!” She cried. How was she going to get the bowl out without spilling the food?

“Everything alright in here?” Both foals looked at the door to see Mountain standing in the doorway.

“Busy came in and started bugging me and stealing the food and he made me push the bowl into the fire and now it’s stuck, Mom!” Cam cried, lying down and covering her eyes with her hooves.

“Nu-uh!” Busy Bee defended himself.

“Do not lie to me, Busy Bee.” Mom’s tone was angry. “I’ve told you time and again to listen to your sister. Go sit on the stump.”

“But I don’t wanna!” Busy wailed, right in her ear.

“Now, young colt.” Cam cringed. How could Busy behave so badly?

“NOOOOOO!” Busy screamed. Cam heard Mom clop forward and pick him up. Only when the door closed behind them did she move her hooves away and try to wipe away her tears. She was nine now. Too old to cry just because another project got ruined by her brother.

Every time she tried to make something, every time she tried to figure out what her special talent was, there was Busy Bee to ruin it. He broke the stick hut she made to play in. He ate the rope of flower vines she made to decorate the house with. He dug up the seeds she planted.

And now her idea of a food that would help Brook get weaned sooner was ruined, stuck in the fire where she couldn’t get it. If the water spilled out of the bowl it would put the fire out and make it difficult to light a new one after dark.

But she couldn’t just leave it there either. The clay would get stained with soot and ash and the water would all boil away and the potatoes would probably catch on fire too.

She got two long sticks from the woodpile and doused them in water so they wouldn’t catch fire.

“That looks a little dangerous, Cam, why not let me do it?” She dropped the sticks in surprise. Mom was back and she gently took the sticks and started working to ease the bowl out of the fire, leaving a little trail of soot where it dragged on the ground.

“There!” Mom nodded in satisfaction. Then she paused for a second, sniffing. Cam watched her lean forward and place her snout directly over the bowl. Before Cam could ask what she was doing she’d already taken a bite of the food.

“Oooh, ooh, hoooot!” Mom talked around a mouthful but didn’t spit it out. Cam’s jaw dropped as she swallowed the steaming hot food.

“Mom!” Didn’t that hurt?

“Not bad.” Mom grinned at her. “Potatoes always tasted kind of bland to me but this smelled pretty good and it tastes even better!”

“Bu-That’s—!” Cam couldn’t form words.

“Maybe should’ve let it cool down a little first.” Mom chuckled, sticking her burned tongue out. “Burned my dongue, dee?”

“Mom!” She groaned.

“Okay, sorry, sorry.” Mom sat down next to her. “No more joking around, honest. Still mad at your brother?”

“Yeah,” Cam tentatively nodded.

“Well, he’s on the stump with Morning watching him from now until dinner time. High past time we teach that colt to behave.” Mom harrumphed, then schooled her expression again. “Are you mad at me?”

“Huh?” She cocked her head to the side. “Why would I be mad at you?”

“For taking a bite of your food? I dunno,” She shrugged. “I think I was mad at everypony when I was your age, at least until I met Morning. Just thought I’d check.”

“I’m not mad at you.” Cam reassured her. “It’s just…” She looked at the bowl and the other foods she’d gathered. She’d gathered all of these herself so she could try them. “Mama said foals don’t like getting weaned because their teeth aren’t strong enough for grown up foods yet, so I thought I’d find softer foods for her. Fruits good but you need more than fruit to be healthy and food gets soft if its soaked in water so,”

“Well, I think you did a bang up job!” Mom laughed. “I don’t even like potatoes, but I liked what you made.”

Cam frowned skeptically. She’d chosen to do the potatoes first because they were filling and bland so she thought it might be easier to get Brook to eat them. Now she held her own nose close to the bowl and took a good sniff.

It did smell good. She stuck her snout in and took a bite. She had to breathe with her mouth open to cool it down but it tasted good too! Kinda burned like the time she’d tried eating singed straw but it wasn’t bad!

“It is good!” She blinked in astonishment.

“See? Told ya.” Mom nodded. “I’m pretty sure Brook’s getting hungry, wanna go see if she’ll eat this?”

The bowl was still hot so Mom carried it. Mom said she was used to getting burned and could handle it better and it wasn’t hot enough to really hurt.

Outside, Busy was on the stump, sulking. Mama was watching him and Brook. Cam hesitated before following.

“Hey, Morning, you’ve gotta try this.” Mom slid the bowl smoothly to the ground in front of Mama. Cam watched her lean in to sniff it first before trying a lick.

“Mm, is that potatoes? They taste pretty good, Shadey.” She smiled.

“Cam made’em for Brook to help with weaning. Wanna see if she’ll take it?” Mom explained.

“You made this, Cam?” Mama leaned around to look at her.

“Uh, yeah.” She checked her flank on reflex. Still no mark. “Me, Mom, and Busy all liked it too so maybe Brook will like it?”

“One way to find out.” She turned around and grabbed Brook by her mane, plopping her down directly in front of the bowl. “Look Brook, yummy!”

“No!” Brook shook her head, trying to stand and move around to the teats.

“Let’s try this.” Mom got some potatoes on her hoof and stuck it in Brook’s face until the filly got interested by the smell. Foals would put almost anything in their mouths. Part of being a big sister was making sure Busy and Brook didn’t eat anything that could kill them.

Brook didn’t like to eat from the bowl at first. Mom and Mama took turns getting potatoes on their hooves and letting Brook suck on them. Slowly, they led the filly to the bowl. By time the potatoes were gone most of them were inside Brook’s belly.

“Can I come down now?” Busy groaned.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Light counted huts as she walked. After four she turned left and continued walking. Three more huts beyond that was Marsh Steps’ and Holly Berry’s hut. As usual, Summer was sitting out by her loom weaving mats. Lily Pad was wandering nearby with a length of rope tied to her ankle.

“Good day, Light.” Summer greeted her.

“To you as well, Summer. Lily Pad is with you today then?” Light sat down where she wouldn’t be in the way. Lily Pad noticed her and wandered over for a nuzzle.

“And tomorrow I get to watch Peace and Mercy.” Summer snorted. Light could almost imagine her rolling her eyes too.

“Exciting day.” She commented.

“Yeah, not really.” Summer sighed. “Foal watching at least gives me a break from weaving though.”

“I thought you liked weaving.” Light frowned in confusion.

“Sure, I do!” Summer hastened to reassure her. “I’m just…a little bored I guess. It’s pretty much all I do anymore and it doesn’t exactly take much creativity. Leaves a lot of time for thinking though.”

“Why not take a break? Surely everypony in the herd has a mat by now.” She suggested.

“There’s not a lot of other stuff for me to do. I don’t like working in the fields like my dam and I don’t enjoy watching little foals either like Holly.” Summer complained, putting down her weaving sticks.

“I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if you decided to try something else. You don’t have to only follow your family, Summer.” Light reminded her.

“I could try the orchards.” She shrugged. “I really want to go into the forest and gather some flowers but Holly said she’d tie me to a stake if I even thought about it. It’s not like I’d go in alone.”

Light did her best to not reveal her true thoughts on the matter. This morning, she would have offered to speak on Summer’s behalf to Holly and Puck. Now? Knowing how her sister had come within a hair’s breadth of being torn apart by the monsters that dwell in that forest?

“Maybe…” She didn’t even have to check to know Summer was looking at her hopefully. “Maybe you could speak to some ponies who go on patrols. I’m sure Morning, Mountain, and Hornet wouldn’t mind getting you wild flowers on their patrols.”

“Oh…” That hadn’t been what she wanted to hear, clearly. “Yeah, I could do that.”

“Summer,” Light sighed and tilted her ears back and forth for anypony nearby. Finding nothing, she continued. “Timberwolves aren’t afraid to attack two or three ponies on their own.”

“They’ve been quiet so far.” Summer argued half-heartedly.

“No, they haven’t.” She slumped. “Thistle was attacked today, Summer. She was with Woodpecker and they barely got away. Holly and your dam would be devastated if anything happened to you.” She placed a hoof on the younger filly’s shoulder. “Please, don’t go into the forest.”

“I…didn’t know.” She heard Summer gulp. “Thistle Burr was attacked? But I thought,” She didn’t continue, merely waving her hoof towards her own flank.

She just thought Thistle Burr could go wherever she pleased without fear of consequence. Light heard more than a lot of ponies gave her credit for. Thistle Burr didn’t need to carry weapons. Thistle Burr didn’t need to defend herself from pony or beast. Thistle Burr was Magic Blessed.

Light didn’t bother pointing out that Thistle hated such thoughts. Even Thistle didn’t argue them anymore. She just ignored them. Besides, most of it was true. Thistle really didn’t have to carry any weapons and, until today, she’d never had cause to defend herself against anypony or anything. Thistle had only recently agreed to always take someone with her into the forest but it hadn’t been because she felt unsafe.

“She’s fine, they got away.” She repeated. “But monsters don’t care who you are, mare or stallion, young or old,” Magic Touched or Magic Blessed. “Every pony is at risk.”

“That’s why we’re building the wall, right? To stay safe.” Summer fidgeted, looking nervously at Lily Pad. The little filly was amusing herself with the rope tied to her ankle, tangling it and herself, it looked like.

“Yes,” Light could just barely hear the construction work from here. How much progress had Pink made so far? Perhaps she’d go see after finishing this conversation.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thistle finished recounting the morning’s events and waited to hear True Blue’s thoughts. After finding her in the orchards talking to Apple Blossom, the two of them had returned to True’s hut for a private talk. Bluebell was outside, playing in the garden.

“Hmm, so you are prepared to accept Woodpecker as your stallion? Fully?” True checked.

“Yes, Lead Mare,” She swallowed her nerves. “He is the best option and he’s a good pony. I think I could work with him as my stallion.”

“Your next heat is due in, what? A moon’s time?” She asked.

“Around then, yes.” Thistle answered with a sigh. “And if all goes well, I’ll have a foal in mid-spring. A year after that,” She stopped.

“And you will be the Lead Mare.” True smiled and finished for her. “Two years.”

“I’m still nervous.” Thistle sighed. “I’ve decided, I’m resolved, but I’ve seen the ways pregnancy and foaling can go wrong.”

“Yes,” True nodded, now grim. “The Healer will need a healer. You will have to mentor a student of your own.”

She opened her mouth to name Light. She’d gotten almost all the same training Thistle had. She remembered the remedies just as well as Thistle did.

But as much as Thistle loved her sister, Light’s eyes were weak. Very weak. Yes, some medicines could be identified by smell or taste, but there were others that could not. There were medicines that smelled the same as any others and were deadly when consumed. There were plants that smelled almost identical but one was a darker shade of blue. One was poison and one was good for sore gums.

Light had the training and she could recite remedies with ease, but making and administering them was impossible for her.

And…Light didn’t want to heal. She didn’t enjoy it. She would if she had to but…

“A student.” Thistle withheld a groan. Yes, she believed the knowledge she had was worth sharing and worth passing down for the herd. But Thistle had never been the one teaching before. It was a little intimidating to think about.

“Maybe Cam?” She considered. Cam was still looking for her magic mark. Maybe she’d have a talent for healing. She was only a little younger than Thistle had been when she started learning.

“Your cousin?” True’s look grew thoughtful. “Yes, I suppose she is about that age, isn’t she? And if she proves to not have any talent for healing then I’m sure anypony would be happy to throw their foals at you for the chance to become the next healer.”

Thistle swayed. Yes, if the rest of the herd knew she needed to take on a student…Visions of smiling mares and stallions holding out their foals to her filled her mind.

She was all for passing down important knowledge for the betterment of the herd. But she did not need every dam and sire in the herd throwing the fruit of their loins at her!

If Cam didn’t work out then her next choice would be Pine Needle. He was a good, obedient young colt. Soft Touch would trust Thistle to look after him. Next on the list? Peace and Mercy were four now, right? Was that too young?

She wasn’t personally friendly with any other foals in the right age range. At least none that were still trying to discover their purpose in life.

She shook her head, chasing the worries away. Things would work out.

“Having second thoughts, Thistle Burr?” True huffed a quiet laugh.

“More like fourth and fifth.” She admitted. “I don’t think I’m a very ambitious mare.”

“No, you are not.” She agreed. “But you are the best mare for the job and I know you will do it well.”

“Thank you, Lead Mare.” She straightened a little. Before either of them could come up with something else to say there was a knock at the door. It was time for the Leadership Council meeting.

“Come in!” True called. Shiny Rock stepped through the doorway.

“I’ve left Water Shimmer outside with Bluebell, I hope you don’t mind.” She nodded to them as she took her seat.

Thistle looked outside and saw the blue filly and the dappled filly clapping their hooves together.

“How are things at the storehouse?” True asked politely.

“Well enough,” Shiny settled her baskets on the floor and knelt to build up the fire. “Marsh Steps stopped by and we started talking about the prospective crop. I believe we’ll have just enough room for everything, though I’ll feel better if Pink can find the time to put in that cellar.”

“We’d have to move the food outside while she’s building it.” Thistle surprised herself by saying. Both mares looked at her for a moment before nodding with matching grimaces.

“I hadn’t thought of that.” Shiny sighed, rubbing her temples. “I’ll have to talk to Rockslide to arrange for extra guards.”

Extra guards, extra construction ponies too if they wanted to get it done all in one day. All that extra pony power with so many other projects and the fields were going to need every available hoof for harvest.

And nopony had figured out what kind of incentives to offer to encourage extra work. It was Thistle’s turn to grimace.

Hopefully somepony had some ideas. There was another knock at the door and this time it was Pink who strode in, forehooves caked with dust and dried mud.

Author's Note

This is a little note to inform everybody that after the 19th I will be taking a three week hiatus for the holidays. So I will not be updating on Dec 26, Jan 2 or Jan 9. Regular updates will resume on Jan 16. Thank you for your time! Please leave a comment and have a good day!

Waiting

Emerald held her spear in her magical grip. This field was where the patrol ponies gathered before and after they set out. It was also where stallion fights were held apparently. And where they came to practice with their spears. There was a large weeping willow standing at the edge of the water.

Pucker Thorn, the stallion who’d invented the spears, passed out freshly sharpened ones to everypony who came. Today, that included Emerald herself.

Most of the ponies gathered were stallions, but not all of them. It was more of a sixty-forty split. It was the only reason she’d agreed to come.

All these mares here to train with their spears before setting out into a potentially monster infested forest. All these mares fighting next to stallions and nopony was acting as if it was strange or a waste of resources. Every pony was welcome.

“You look a little lost.” Emerald jumped, brackish green aura flickering out and dropping her spear. “Ah, whoops, didn’t mean to startle ya.”

She was the biggest mare Emerald had ever seen. An ivy green coat and purple mane atop an absolute mountain of a mare.

“The name’s Flood Plains.” She felt like a foal next to her mother. Great Stars Above, they grew their ponies big here.

“Flood Plains, ah, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Emerald remastered her tongue just before things could get awkward. “I am Emerald Daze.”

“Emerald Daze, pretty name. This is your first time with a patrol group, right?” Flood Plains checked, grinning. “Or are you just here to learn how to use a spear?”

“Ah, both? Perhaps?” She fumbled a little. Where had Mountain Shadow gone?

“Well, here, I can give you a few pointers.” Flood Plains didn’t seem to notice her nerves, directing her to pick up her spear. “If you drop stuff with that magic every time you get startled, probably not a good idea to rely on it. Use your hooves and mouth til you’re a bit less skittish.”

“Um, okay.” She let Flood Plains show her how to hold the spear. This way to stand at rest without poking somepony else, this way when walking, and that way when charging.

Stallions were the ones who were supposed to run at dangerous predators. Mares gathered the foals and ran the other way.

Well, unicorn stallions and unicorn mares anyway. As with everything else the Earth ponies just had to be different.

She wanted to ask why but she thought it might be the same answer she’d gotten for a lot of questions. Why did some stallions watch the foals while the mares worked? Why did some mares lug rocks? Why did both mares and stallions learn to use weapons?

Because they just did. Because that’s the way things had always been. Why shouldn’t the stallions help with foal care from time to time? Why shouldn’t a mare pull a heavy cart or sledge?

It was like any job that a stallion could do, a mare could as well. And the same when reversed. Jobs and tasks weren’t kept separate. And ponies didn’t even have the decency to stick to the job they were given! Here she was, after moving between the fields and watching foals and now she was going to do a patrol? And no pony had said anything about it yet?

“Is this really okay?” She asked without thinking.

“Yeah, your grip’s good. Actually hitting something is gonna jar you though.” Flood Plains’ reply reminded her that she was in the midst of a lesson.

“No, um,” She took a deep breath. “I meant, my being here? Is this really okay?”

“Are you pregnant?” She actually looked a little concerned when she asked.

“No, I didn’t catch on my last heat and I’m not due again for a few moons.” She answered, confused.

“And you’re not sick or hurt.” Flood Plains said, rather than asking. “And as far as I know you haven’t broken any rules to get you barred so there’s nothing stopping you.”

“Won’t I just be in the way?” Maybe it was okay for them to be here. Earth pony mares. They were bigger than unicorn stallions so they probably offered up more to a fight.

But the only Earth pony mare around her size was a full year younger and sickly. And she didn’t go on patrols. She tended to foals every day.

“You’re just starting out, you’ll be fine. We’ll keep an eye on ya.” Flood Plains patted her on the back hard enough to nearly send her toppling. “Don’t worry so much, Em.”

She started to correct her but…stopped.

Every pony here was at the once so much more expressive and so much more cooperative. It was just like Sapphire had said. Herds within herds. Everypony looking out for every other pony.

Mares and stallions didn’t keep separate. Mares and mares didn’t keep separate. The stallions definitely did not keep separate.

“Yo, Emerald, sorry to keep you waiting. I was just talking with Puck and apparently he and Pink are trying for a foal! Can you believe it?” Mountain popped up, mouth running a mile a minute.

“No foolin’?” Flood Plains’ ears perked up. “Ha! Can’t wait to see what Pink’s like when she can’t see her back hooves! Tender Roots’ been telling me she’s got a temper on her already!”

“Yeah, I know I’m definitely going to be watching my step around the construction site.” Mountain smirked. “I almost feel bad for Light, given she’ll probably be moving in with them near the end of the pregnancy.”

“Light? You mean Healer Burr’s younger sister?” Emerald blinked.

“Yeah, that’s been their plan for a few years now.” Mountain nodded absently. “Pink and Puck planned to Follow each other when they were still foals, and Light decided to join their group some time in the past few years. She’s just waiting to have her first heat so it’s all proper.”

She started to ask how their mothers felt about the match and just barely caught herself in time.

Mothers had very little say in who their foals matched with here. Almost no say, it seemed. And yes, she knew Dim Light had been cast out by her mother but surely Pucker Thorn’s mother had something to say about him ‘Following’ a nearly blind mare?

Evidently not.

“Pink Peach and Pucker Thorn decided to ‘Follow’ each other while they were still foals?” She asked the safer question.

“You’ve gotta consider these things early.” Flood Plains nodded seriously. “You don’t wanna wake up on the day of your first heat and find yourself with no idea what to do with yourself? And it’s not so much a risk now we’re settled down here, but when we were moving around there was always the risk something would happen to your dam and then nopony would have any stake in watching out for you, so foals would make alliances with each other.”

“Foals can’t really Follow each other,” Mountain rolled her eyes with a smile. “But they can still look out for each other. So yeah, around ten or eleven is usually when foals start looking at each other.”

“Oh.” She bit her lips.

“How old were you when you started looking at the colts around ya?” Flood Plains nudged her.

“Oh, I was,” She thought about it. She’d always noticed the stallions and colts but never with any real purpose. “I suppose I was twelve when my mother began discussing possible matches with me.”

“Matches?” Mountain raised her brow at her.

“It’s a bit like Following.” She started explaining it the same way Onyx had explained it to Woodpecker. “Only it’s just one mare and a stallion. It does not involve any other mares he may have.”

“Oh right, I forgot unicorns don’t do groups.” Mountain’s eyes widened.

“What, really? But then who looks after the foals when you need a break? Do you at least bunch up when it’s cold out?” Flood Plains looked equally surprised.

Emerald might have been content to keep talking with them on this. Once she learned to ignore Flood Plains’ fantastic size and Mountain’s occasionally vulgar mouth the two were quite agreeable companions. Maybe even friends.

Unfortunately, that was when Lead Stallion Rockslide chose that moment to rear up and whinny loudly for their attention.

“My group goes northwest towards northeast, going around Hope Lake! Oak Leaf’s group goes northwest towards southwest through the forest and around the fields! Woodpecker’s group goes southeast towards northeast, back through the empty fields and through the orchard towards the Gem Mountain path!” He announced.

“My group will be Hornet, Mountain, Moss Glade,” He continued listing ponies, both stallion and mare. He did not call Emerald’s name for his group. Mountain left her with a word of encouragement and a sardonic grin.

“Oak Leaf’s group will be Flood Plains, Lucky Streak, Juniper, Emerald Daze, and Riverbank. Woodpecker’s group will be Silent Current, Grass Bluff, River Stone, and Petunia.” He continued.

“Guess you’re with me, Em!” Flood Plains laughed, dragging her along towards Oak Leaf. Emerald gulped and ran through what she knew of the ponies in her patrol group. Oak Leaf was Thistle Burr’s father but had little to do with her. Stoic and currently matched with three mares. Lucky Streak was matched with Apple Blossom, the mare who ran the orchard. She didn’t know who else he was matched with, if anypony. Juniper, she didn’t know her. Russet mane and violet coat, her left ear was torn. Riverbank, young stallion but she didn’t know who he was matched with.

‘Following, not Matched.’ She reminded herself.

“Our route is the most dangerous,” Oak Leaf spoke as if he was addressing all of them but Emerald knew he was talking to her, the new one. “There are timberwolves in this forest. They don’t usually attack groups bigger than four or five but they are still a risk. There will be no turning back once we’re in the forest.”

“Pair up, walk in twos.” With that, he nodded to Lucky Streak who fell into step beside him. Flood Plains took up the spot behind Oak Leaf and pulled Emerald along beside her. Behind her she heard Juniper snort and fall into step, with Riverbank walking behind Flood Plains.

The six of them turned towards the forest and began to walk.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Okay, Cam, do you remember what goes into a copperhead antidote?” Thistle’s temples were pulsing. She normally loved spending time with her little cousin and it wasn’t as if Cam was misbehaving. No, she was paying attention and sitting straight as a filly possibly could.

Thistle just had no talent or patience for teaching.

“Soft-shoot leaves, purple oleander, plantains, and yarrow bark.” Cam answered confidently.

Thistle’s ears pricked forward. That was right. That was exactly right.

“Correct.” She began pulling those ingredients from their baskets. “Now, you mix these together and eat them to relieve the effects of the poison. You can also use the soft-shoot leaves by themselves, pressed against the bite, to draw out some of the poison, but it works better when eaten.”

Cam nodded along to her explanation. She was having a hard time earlier remembering the uses of various plants, but something seemed to click for her. Thistle motioned for her to mix the ingredients and Cam retrieved an empty bowl and a smooth stone. Confused, Thistle sat on her haunches and watched.

Cam pounded the dried yarrow bark until it was a fine dust, then she added the plantains, oleanders, and soft-shoot leaves and continued pounding and grinding them into the bowl with her rock. She didn’t stop until they were all a fine mash.

“What would happen if I add water to it?” Thistle blinked at the odd question.

“Well,” She gave it some thought. “The few times I’ve had to administer this cure, the pony in question couldn’t keep it down unless he drank a considerable amount of water with it, simply due to the taste. I don’t think water affects its use.”

Cam scratched her chin thoughtfully and then grabbed a water gourd. Slowly, she added water to the mash. After adding a little she stopped to stir it with a stick. She added a little more and stirred again. Once it was a thin paste, she stopped, apparently satisfied by what she’d done.

Thistle leaned down and carefully licked the contents.

It was medicine. Medicine never really tasted good.

But it wasn’t a battle to swallow it this time. The mixture tasted right, she didn’t feel like it was any weaker than before, it was just easier to swallow now.

“Huh,” She sniffed it carefully, looking for any trace that something was wrong. Again, it came up clean. “What made you think of this?”

“I was trying to make a soft food that we could use to wean Brook and I mashed up some potatoes and mixed them with water.” She started. “Then Busy came and annoyed me and I ended up pushing the bowl into the fire. Mom got it out though and she tried the potatoes and said they tasted good! She doesn’t even like potatoes normally!”

“Wow, you got her to eat potatoes? That is impressive.” Thistle smirked, shaking her head a little in amusement. “So, that gave you the idea that medicine might go down easier when mixed with water too?”

“Yeah!” Cam grinned. “Nopony likes taking medicine, even when they know it’ll make them better. And I know you usually carry fruit to get foals to take it, but I thought…maybe this would help?”

“This actually could help, Cam!” Thistle assured her. “I might need to talk to Clay Hooves to get some more pottery, something to hold the medicine in, but this should help me a lot!”

“Do you think it would taste better heated?” Cam asked, looking towards the low fire. “Cold mashed potatoes don’t taste much better than unmashed ones. Maybe warming the medicine up will make it taste good.”

“Worth a try.” She shrugged. “Here, let me.” Carefully, she used a stick to nudge the bowl into the fire.

“I should ask Mom if there’s a better way to heat something than just putting it in the fire.” Cam muttered as they waited.

After a few minutes, Thistle pulled the bowl out. A few sparks landed on her snout but she managed the task without spilling anything. They waited for it to cool enough to keep from burning before trying it.

She’d been hoping for more improvement. Now the paste had become dry and flaky. Cam added more water and stirred it again, muttering too quietly for Thistle to make out.

Another taste. It was back to the thin consistency it had before but the taste hadn’t improved by heating. It tasted almost the same.

Thistle opened her mouth to reassure her but Cam didn’t seem to notice. She was already pulling honeysuckle out of her mane and mixing it in.

Honeysuckle didn’t have any medicinal properties. It just tasted a little sweet.

“It doesn’t taste bad anymore.” Thistle tried another lick. It wasn’t good, in fact it was still a little bitter, but it wasn’t bad. Ponies could eat it without wanting to scrape off their tongues.

She was thinking of that and what else she could try that with when there was a flash of Light-That-Wasn’t.

“Was…Was that?” Cam froze in place.

Thistle held back a laugh. Her little cousin had a talent for a kind of healing after all! Together, they inspected the mark that had appeared on Cam’s flank. A bowl filled with a green sludge, steam curling off it in a heart shape above.

“Congratulations, Cam.” Thistle pulled her closer for a hug.

“I got my mark!” She cheered. “For making medicines! I-I’m gonna be a healer, Thistle!” A few tears dripped down over her beaming grin.

“You are.” Was this how Enduring had felt when Thistle learned a new part of the craft? Chest bursting with pride?

She hoped so.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pink stamped over the cleared summit of Look-Out Hill. She laid down and eyed it carefully. Everything looked level so far.

She grabbed a foundation corner stone and put it in place. It was good, meditative work. Cleared her head and worked her muscles over fine. The breeze at the top of the hill was nice too, even when it whipped her braids into her face.

The foundation for the tower wasn’t much bigger than the average hut. She finished it in two hours and then inspected her work thus far.

The tower would have three levels if everything worked out the way she planned. Her tail flicked as her thoughts went over everything again.

She had plenty of good flat stones for the stone floor for the first level. Not a dirt floor like every other dwelling. The tower didn’t really need a stone floor for the first level but she wanted to see how it would work and she didn’t have a lot of excuse for experimentation with ponies’ houses.

A stone floor might be easier to keep clean. Other half-constructed uses flitted through her mind but she shook them away. She looked up to where the second level would begin.

That floor, and the one above it, would be wood.

Logs cut in half by Brown Branch and her fillies. The round part would make the first level ceiling. The flat part would be the second level floor.

The idea of using trees and wood honestly felt a little strange. Doors were made of wood but houses? What would keep them from burning down around everypony’s ears? Stone was her material of choice.

A stone floor might keep a wooden house from burning. Pink paused in her work and imagined a fire pit in the middle of the tower floor. Would the smoke pour up between the wooden slabs?

Maybe not the center of the floor. But up against the eastward wall? Clay Hooves had an idea for a kiln he could work from indoors so he could keep making pots even when the weather was foul.

She walked over to a clear patch of dirt that had the basic plans for the tower scratched into it. Next to the first floor picture she drew a picture of a kiln on the side. Build the smoke tunnel up high along the tower walls and the smoke could escape without choking anypony in the upper levels.

With the height of the hill and tower together the smoke would probably be visible from a great distance away. Maybe to the edge of the valley even.

“Hmm,” Pink looked at the third level picture. Wooden beams at the four corners would hold up the roof and allow anypony standing there to see in all directions. A net covering would keep any Pegasus, or birds, from flying in.

“Something got you stuck, Pink?” She nearly jumped at Puck’s voice. There he was, spear and shield forever strapped to his legs. There was a basket of food balanced on his back.

“Ooh, is that for me?” She sauntered over, fluttering her lashes.

“Mm-hm,” He smirked, hoofing over the basket and settling down on the grass.

Her work would be there after lunch.

“So, does something have you stuck?” He asked again after she’d inhaled half the basket’s contents.

“Ugh, it’s the stupid signal thing.” She grumbled.

“Signal?” His brows furrowed in confusion.

“Yeah, you know to…” She paused. Had she mentioned the signal to Puck? She was almost certain she’d grumbled about every other aspect of construction on both the Wall and the tower but the signal wasn’t really about building things, was it?

“This tower is a place for patrol ponies to look out for any threats heading to the village.” She straightened up to explain. “If something happens then the ponies at the tower are supposed to signal the rest of the herd to get inside the walls where they’ll be safe.”

Look-Out Hill was inside the Wall perimeter, barely. It sat five body lengths before the southeastern border.

“But if there is a threat, how do the tower ponies alert the rest of the herd? Especially any ponies out on patrol at the time?” She asked him.

“Hence a signal.” He nodded in understanding. “Okay,”

“Yeah, and I haven’t had a lot of luck in coming up with something yet. I think it’s gonna have to wait until I actually build the tower but,” She stopped herself. Pucker didn’t know about the Pegasus coming. He didn’t know about the deadline they were working under.

He stared at her, waiting for her to continue. Puck had always been a good listener. A little silly, sometimes immature and with a skull denser than rock, but he was smart too. Sometimes bouncing ideas off him led to new ideas and innovations.

But only the council knew about the Pegasus. They’d sworn not to tell anypony else.

She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. Puck didn’t ask her what was wrong. He just shifted so he could nuzzle her. The best thing about Pucker Thorn was that he understood that she couldn’t tell him everything. And he never pushed her on it. He never poked or prodded or asked question after question about every last juicy detail—!

He wasn’t like her dam.

“You know, I think your heat’s starting.” He commented.

“Really?” All gloomy thoughts instantly vanished.

“Yup,” He gave a loud sniff in emphasis. “I noticed yesterday but it’s definitely stronger today.”

Pink counted days in her head. It had been almost three moons since her last one, hadn’t it? Who knew, maybe eating those conceptive herbs sped things up a little.

Puck began grooming her, going slow in case she told him to stop. Pink had no plans to. She wriggled until their bodies were pressed together.

Her heat was here and hopefully they’d conceive. Thistle was due in, what? A moon and a half now? Two moons? It was likely she’d Follow Woodpecker when that happened and that would put them pretty close together in terms of due dates. Light would probably get her first heat in fall or early winter.

Pink sighed, letting Puck move southward with his teeth and nimble tongue.

By this time next year she’d be a dam.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Woodpecker returned from patrol and gladly bid farewell to his group members for the day. The constantly shifting groups did make it easier to forge alliances with a larger amount of ponies but it could also bring about conflicts of interest.

Today’s conflict of interest came in the form of River Stone and Petunia, two lovely mares. River Stone was sixteen and still not Following anypony. Petunia’s stallion had died last year.

Both were interested in him.

The attention was rather flattering and either mare would be good additions to his group. But first he had to have a group.

If he was to be Lead Stallion then Thistle Burr had to be his main mare. Once she was safely with foal he could bring up potential additions to their group.

He checked on the progress of the reports. No patrol groups had run into anything strange or suspicious. Rockslide would dismiss them soon and then the two of them would leave for the Leadership meeting.

He noticed Emerald Daze sitting in Flood Plains’ shadow. Mountain and Hornet were with them and all four were discussing something. It was good to see the unicorns being given stronger ties to the herd. And seeing Mountain and Hornet reminded him of something.

Camellia.

Without turning his head, Woodpecker looked for Petunia. She was sparring with Juniper, another mare from the old Hope Herd.

Petunia was Camellia’s aunt, wasn’t she? It was hard to recall the details after so long but she’d carried Camellia after the filly’s legs had broken and then abandoned her after the Hope Herd merged with the True Herd. Camellia had quickly been adopted by Mountain Shadow and Morning Dew. Hornet joined their group shortly after the village was founded.

He couldn’t help but feel relieved that he’d remembered that before bringing it up to Thistle Burr. She loved her family dearly and while she’d never expressed any animosity towards Petunia or Starlight that didn’t mean she didn’t feel any.

So Petunia, at least, was crossed off his list of potential groupmates.

He’d discuss the matter further with his Dam when he got home. River Stone might still be an option but he wanted to run through the herd’s family trees again to be sure. Refresh his memory and make sure he didn’t choose anypony with a grudge.

Ponies were leaving in twos and threes now. Flood Plains was saying her goodbyes and Mountain, Hornet, and Emerald were all leaving together. Woodpecker met Rockslide’s eyes and nodded, ready to leave as well.

They entered Lead True’s hut and found everypony but Pink present. He took the opportunity to claim the seat directly next to Thistle. Pink normally sat between them.

It was a few minutes later that Pink Peach herself arrived. Her coat was freshly washed and her mane unbraided. He doubted she was going on panicked runs through the forest.

He’d wait a few weeks to ask if there were any congratulations due.

“Now that we’re all here, let’s begin tonight’s Leadership meeting.” Lead True began. “First, does anypony have anything new for us? Rockslide?”

“No further action from the timberwolves. Oak Leaf found some sign of them, but no confrontations.” He summarized.

“Anypony else?” Lead True looked around them. Curiously, he noticed Thistle growing tense beside him.

“If nopony else has anything new to report, then, Thistle Burr,” She nodded.

“I have come to a decision.” Thistle Burr spoke calmly. She made a good show of appearing confident. “Woodpecker, I’ve decided to end your trial period. When my next heat begins, we’ll Follow each other.”

Later, he’d be glad she didn’t pause for dramatic effect. The notion that she might’ve ended the trial early and all his work could’ve been for nothing was terrifying and he was glad she’d spared him more than a heartbeat of panic.

“Truly?” He couldn’t help but check. Once he saw her jerky nod he smiled reassuringly. “I swear to be a good stallion to you and a good Lead to our herd.”

“Aw, I was hoping she’d drag this out for the full three months.” Pink groaned on his other side. “I lost that bet with Light.”

“You had a bet with Light on when I’d end the trial?” Thistle blinked. He admitted to some curiosity himself.

Had Pink known Thistle would accept him? She might’ve saved him some anxiety by mentioning it sooner.

“And now Light’s going to be utterly insufferable about it. You know that smug little smile she gets? That’s all I’m going to see for the next week.” Pink dropped her head into her hooves.

“Oh, well,” Thistle blinked again before she rallied herself. “I’ve, ah, also begun teaching Cam how to heal.”

“Oh?” Shiny leaned forward with interest. “Any talent for it so far?”

Woodpecker knew the answer immediately. Thistle just couldn’t stop the proud smile from overtaking her face.

“Making medicines! She has a talent for making medicine!” Thistle bragged.

Yes, it was probably for the best that he cross Petunia off his list. Thistle Burr was as proud of her family’s accomplishments as her own.

He’d passed the trial. He’d passed the trial and she was agreeing to Follow him. He would be Lead Stallion within the next two years.

Life was good.

Talking

Days got busier with a student. Thistle had never really lacked for things to do but she did find herself putting things off now. She didn’t have time to spend hours with her family or foraging in the forest anymore. Granted, foraging had lost most of its appeal after the timberwolf attack. She’d only made one trip since and it had been in the company of a patrol group.

Now most of every day was spent with Cam. Cam came to her in the morning and they’d work in the garden together. After the garden was watered and weeded they went on their rounds. Door to door, making sure everypony was healthy. If there was an injury Thistle would walk Cam through diagnosing and treating it.

Like now, dealing with the small gash on Bird Song’s foreleg where she’d cut herself with a flint knife while chopping vegetables.

“Make sure to clean it really well, Cam. Infection kills more often than the wound itself.” Thistle instructed quietly while Cam gently washed the cut. Bird Song sat patiently, not making a fuss despite the pain.

“And now the poultice?” Cam checked with her.

“Which one?” She prodded.

“The plantain one with the three-braid twine on it.” Cam answered confidently, pulling the right gourd out of her basket. Thistle only needed to look, sniff, or taste to know what medicine she was using, but Cam had decided to use a series of braided twine strings to mark them apart. It wasn’t a bad idea. It would definitely cut down on the amount of times she’d had to taste a foul mixture to make sure she was using the right one.

“Good. Do you remember why we use that one?” She asked as the filly carefully spread the poultice over the wound. She was using a little too much but it wasn’t like it would hurt. It would just be a little messy.

“It numbs the pain a little and if there’s any infection already in the wound then the crushed pripeen seeds will kill it.” Cam recited. Thistle could hear her rolling her eyes.

“I’m not just repeating all this because I like the sound of my own voice, Cam.” She scolded lightly. “This is important stuff to know and you could hurt somepony by getting it wrong. I have to make sure you know everything you need to.”

“I know, I know.” Cam huffed, now wrapping the wound. She muttered something about the fragile leaves used. Thistle had often cursed them too. Having to rebind a wound seven or eight times a day got old quickly.

“Try to stay off this leg as much as you can, Bird Song.” Thistle turned to face the wonderfully patient mare.

“I’ll do what I can, Healer.” The honey coated mare chuckled. “Perhaps I can ask Foggy or Meadow to watch my foals so I won’t have to go chasing after the four of them.”

Outside, four foals were running and shouting in circles around the hut.

“You know you can leave them with Holly Berry if you need to. She doesn’t a mind a few extra foals.” Thistle told her.

“Oh, Mother Earth, I couldn’t!” Bird Song shook her head. “That poor mare usually only has Dim Light’s help and maybe one of the unicorn mares. I dare say she has her hooves full enough.”

“Dam, Frog Croak won’t let me be a wolf! Tell him I can be a wolf!” A honey maned head poked through the doorway. The filly was eight or so and big for her age.

“Frog Croak, give your sister a turn to be the wolf!” Bird Song called.

“I dare say you have your own hooves full.” Thistle shook her head in bemusement. Four foals, and Bird Song was thinking of another? Her eldest was still two years from being a stallion.

“Oh they’re the light of my life, Healer. Truly.” Bird Song laughed again. “You’ll understand when you have one of your own.”

“I suppose I will.” Her cheeks flushed.

“Are you gonna have a foal soon, Thistle?” Cam asked after they left Bird Song’s hut. The four foals were running around screaming and it indeed looked like Leaf Rustle was the wolf in this round.

“Not soon really, but when my next heat comes I’ll be trying for a foal with Woodpecker.” Thistle sighed. For the betterment of the herd.

“When are you gonna teach me about foaling?” Cam smiled big and wide.

Thistle, remembering her own education, almost felt bad about what she was going to do next.

“Why don’t we find a shady spot in the orchard and we can start?” She offered.

“Yeah! C’mon, hurry!” Cam playfully raced behind her and began pushing at Thistle’s hind legs to move her faster.

“A moment of your time, Healer Burr?” Cardinal’s voice intruded.

The red mare came from around the back of her hut where she’d clearly heard their conversation. She smiled, warm and motherly.

“Of course, Cardinal.” Well, this was still their rounds. Might as well see what Cardinal wanted.

“Aww.” Cam groaned. She followed Thistle into Cardinal’s hut.

“Woodpecker told me a few days ago that you’ve chosen him as your stallion.” Cardinal opened with a smile. “It came as a bit of surprise, I’ll admit, but he’s a fine young stallion and he’ll serve the herd well, I’m sure.”

“Yes, I’m looking forward to working with him.” Thistle replied casually.

“Did I hear you correctly when you said on your next heat, you will try for a foal?” She leaned forward eagerly.

“That’s right. I’m not due for another moon and a half though.” Thistle confirmed, nodding.

“Excellent! And such wonderful timing! That means your foal will be born in mid-spring!” Cardinal laughed. “I truly believe that’s the best time to have a foal, even in this era of bounty we find ourselves in.”

“It doesn’t grow too cold at night, not too many rains, and plenty of food to keep a young dam fed.” Thistle nodded. Where was she going with this? Did she just want a conversation?

“Oh yes, definitely the best time for a foal.” Cardinal sighed happily.

“Thistle was gonna take me to the orchard to teach me about foaling.” Cam chose to announce.

“Oh, was she? And are you to be our next healer, Camellia?” Cardinal’s smile turned softer but it didn’t reach her eyes. They stayed sharp, focused.

“That’s right!” Cam puffed out her chest. “I’ve even got my mark for it. It’s a bowl of medicine! Thistle says I’m really good at making medicine!”

“She is.” Thistle withheld a sigh.

“And she was going to teach you the ins and outs of foaling?” Cardinal hummed and looked back at Thistle. “Will she be attending your birth, Healer?”

“She will. I’ll make sure she’ll well trained before that point, and a few mares are due to deliver in the coming months so she’ll have some practice.” Sapphire was due very soon actually. Two more mares due sometime after her within a few weeks of each other. Then a gap before the next birth in fall.

“So wonderful to think of our herd growing larger.” Cardinal smiled again. “Though, my dear, there is something else I’ve been meaning to ask you. Related to you and my colt.”

“Yes?” So they’d gotten to the heart of the matter.

“Have you given thought to who you’ll invite into your group next? I understand if you want to wait until you’re well along with foal before making any decisions, but surely you have some idea of who you’ll invite?” Cardinal’s words couldn’t have been more unexpected if she’d tried.

She probably should’ve thought of this sooner. Groups comprised of many mares and a stallion. Rockslide had six mares including True Blue!

The thought hadn’t even occurred to her.

She was quiet a little too long. Cardinal shifted to a more relaxed position and Cam looked between them in confusion.

“Oh, don’t worry yourself overmuch. There are a number of young mares with exceptional talents.” She reassured. “Oh, granted, it’ll be a small group, but you’re young and there’s time. If I might make a few suggestions?”

“Suggestions?” She was going to regret asking.

“There’s River Stone, formerly of the Hope Herd. She’s a little older than you and her stallion died last year, remember? No blood ties to the herd so you won’t have to worry about bloodlines mixing.” Cardinal pointed out. “She’s got a talent for path finding, never gets lost, and she’s usually attached to the patrol groups.”

“Or, well,” She hesitated. “Mimic and Melody are cousins so it’s a bit close, you may only want to choose one of them, and you’ll of course have to wait a year for them to mature. There’s your Followers to consider as well. By the time you are named Lead Mare, Summer Showers should be old enough to join a group. I know that seems a long way off but she’ll be a fine catch once she’s of age.”

“I—Thank you, Cardinal, uhm,” Thistle fought to regain control of her tongue. “I haven’t really…given thought to any groupmates just yet, I mean I’m just…I’ve got so many other things to occupy myself, I just,”

“Oh, I understand, dear. I understand.” Cardinal’s smile was too knowing to be comforting. “But, well, once you’re with foal other mares are going to be looking if you catch my drift and you may wish to know which ones will be of use to you. After all, it is the Leadership group we’re talking about here. A very prestigious position in the herd.”

“Ah, true.” Thistle honestly didn’t give much thought to herd hierarchy. She was already one of the elites and with Lead Mareship looming in her future there really wasn’t any higher she could climb.

True Blue and Rockslide were the leads, and Shiny Rock, Starlight, Foggy Meadow, and Flower Fields were all in that group. Beyond Shiny Rock though, Thistle didn’t have much to do with the other mares. Even Light’s dam, for all she’d turned her sister away years before.

She found herself trying to form the herd into a chain, from most important member to…least.

It was difficult to do. How could she decide which ponies were more important than others? Did she put Apple Blossom higher or lower than Marsh Steps? Despite the fact both mares brought in the bulk of their foods. Where did foals fall on the chain? With their dams or at the bottom? Who was the bottom? The newcomers? The unicorns? Soft Touch, for her unwillingness to socialize?

A chain didn’t quite work for her, but she imagined that’s how Cardinal saw it. The whole herd lined up like a chain of braided flowers. One pony at the top, one at the bottom, and a hundred links in between.

“I can honestly say you’ve given me much to think about, Cardinal. Thank you for that.” She breathed in deep.

“Not a problem, Healer. Always happy to help.” Cardinal looked pleased.

Thistle bit back her first response. And the second. The third, she decided, was polite enough to say out loud.

“As am I. Now, I thank you for your hospitality up to now, but I do have lessons for Camellia and much still to do before nightfall.” She said, standing and directing Cam towards the door. The filly opened her mouth to say something and Thistle nudged her back to stop her.

“Of course, don’t let me keep you. And do stop by if you ever want to talk, Healer.” Cardinal nodded politely.

Outside, Thistle shook her head at Cam. The filly’s mouth closed with a click of her teeth. It was a silence that couldn’t last.

The trip to the orchard wasn’t long enough.

“I don’t get her!” Cam groaned, flopping onto her back and rubbing her eyes. “She talks so nice but the things she says!”

“I know,” Thistle held back a groan of her own, choosing instead to lie down and let the sun’s rays chase away a little of her chills. She only allowed herself a moment before she looked up. “Cam,”

“Yeah?” She looked up through her soft pink mane.

“What Cardinal said today,” She braced herself. “I’d appreciate if you didn’t tell anypony else about it. Not even our family.”

“What? Why?” Cam’s jaw dropped.

“Because,” She struggled for the words. “I don’t want ponies to start thinking the same way Cardinal does. And if you tell them, they might tell somepony else. Yes, I should have been thinking of a group before this, but not because I’ll be picking the next elite. I should be thinking about whether or not we can get along, if they’ll be the kinds of ponies I can trust with my foals for a few hours, not their social standing.”

“Isn’t it…? I don’t…” Cam gulped and started again. “Isn’t that how it’s supposed to be? You’re supposed to love your groupmates, right? And then they become family so you love them even more?”

Oh…Oh. She’d never considered things from Cam’s point of view before. She was too young to remember much about her dam or sire and what she’d seen since then had led her to the belief that families started as groups and eventually grew closer. Hornet had originally been nothing more than a sire, now he was a Dad. Light had been a friend, then she was a sister.

So in Cam’s experience, groups started with love. Morning Dew and Mountain Shadow loved one another so they Followed each other. Enduring Rock and Thistle Burr loved each other so they became granddam and grandfoal after being teacher and student. Thistle Burr and Dim Light started as friends and became sisters. And Cam had been there for all of it. Sun and Moon, Cam had started as a strange filly with a broken leg and become a daughter and cousin.

So in Cam’s eyes, what did she see when she looked at Thistle and Woodpecker? Love? Or the start of it at least?

While Thistle sat there ordering her thoughts, Cam had grown more and more nervous. Fidgeting, gluing her eyes to the ground, ears tucked back and eyes starting to water.

“Cam,” Her heart squeezed inside her chest. “That’s what makes family different from groups. That love. But…”

Cursed Shadows, why couldn’t they have just had an embarrassing talk about foaling?

“Most groups aren’t decided that way. Love, if it ever comes, it comes later. If it comes at all.” She gingerly held her forelegs out for Cam to fit between for a hug. She held the younger filly and did her best to make the blow soft. “The reason Woodpecker and I are going to Follow each other is because he would make a good Lead Stallion. And the herd needs a good Lead Stallion. I don’t love him and I don’t know if I ever will. Or if I’ll love any other mares invited into my group. I might just…choose other mares because they have skills I like or because…or because I want to tie a pony from another herd to ours, to make our herd stronger.”

Cam was quiet for a while. Thistle didn’t know what else she could say. She’d never expected to have a talk like this before and it made her question everything she knew.

True Blue had outright told her that she and Rockslide were partners and that was the deal. Did either of them have any genuine fondness for the other after all these years?

Lots of mares didn’t live with their stallions. Apple Blossom and Lucky Streak did. Did they love each other or was it just easier for them to live together?

When had Morning and Mountain begun to love Hornet? Was it during that first winter when he became a Dad to Cam? Or later? After Busy Bee was born?

Would she ever love Woodpecker like that? He flustered her, flirted every chance he got. He was smoother than his dam or maybe it was just his well-groomed pelt deceiving her. Making her deceive herself. Would he ever love her that way?

She thought of him playing dead for Pine Needle. She thought of him leading them away from the timberwolves. She thought of him leaning in close to whisper to her, close enough to be mistaken for nuzzling at a distance.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Rose Bud wasn’t surprised to see Healer Burr sitting in front of Elder Enduring Rock’s grave. She came every few days, rarely did a week pass without a visit. Sometimes Rose Bud was able to see Healer Burr’s lips moving as she spoke to the dead.

But other times, Healer Burr didn’t speak, even when Rose Bud was too far to hear. Sometimes she just sat there, looking tired and sad.

It was usually after a funeral, more often in winter. Winter made everypony melancholy.

She crept closer in increments, giving the healer plenty of time to notice her. She stopped at every grave, removing weeds and placing flowers. Finally she was only two graves away. She stopped at a polite distance and waited.

Waiting was no hardship. Rose Bud found herself waiting an awful lot. Waiting on the dead, waiting on the living. Healer Burr wasn’t the only pony who found her way here, merely the most common.

Healer Burr had more goodbyes to say than most.

“Come to visit again, Healer?” She spoke lowly, wary of startling the Magic Blessed mare.

Healer Burr didn’t startle but she did blink, turning her head only slightly to face Rose Bud. She didn’t say anything.

“Hmm,” She hummed. “I must say, I usually only see you in a mood such as this after we have laid somepony to rest. But nopony has come to dig any graves and I’ve heard of no illness, no injury.”

“No one has died, Rose Bud.” Healer Burr sighed, turning back to the grave stone that marked Elder Enduring Rock’s resting place. Rose wished she could have met Elder Enduring Rock. Perhaps she’d have the chance when she moved on to the Endless Pastures.

“And yet you are melancholy.” She commented. “What ails you, Healer?”

Rose thought she was pretty good at reading ponies, even when those ponies didn’t want to be read. So she could see the momentary disbelief as it flashed through the healer’s eyes. Had anyone ever asked about her health before? Ah, but who healed the healer?

“I had…a very difficult conversation with my little cousin, Camellia.” Healer Burr spoke haltingly.

It warmed Rose’s heart every time she heard Healer Burr claim somepony as family, even when there was no blood relation. Such kindness and generosity in one soul. Truly, the herd was blessed to have her.

“Difficult?” She carefully refrained from adding her title. There were days even the healer needed to be a pony.

“Cam has always been surrounded by love, ever since she was adopted by Morning and Mountain. She doesn’t have many memories of her birth herd anymore, so that love is all she knows.” Healer Burr explained. “And today…” She stopped and tried again, clearly trying to make her voice more even.

“And today I had to tell her that that sort of love is rarer than it should be. That’s it not the first thing anypony looks for in Following.” Her shoulders slumped ever so slightly.

Ah, indeed that would be a difficult conversation. Rose herself had once been very confused over why other ponies grouped together instead of having one dam and one sire as she and her younger brother did.

Rose had seen the love her parents had for one another and been so…confused at how every other pony in the herd treated it.

Ponies had called her dam selfish for keeping her sire all to herself. In her younger years Rose had waved between the two ideals, that of Selfish and Unselfish Love. But neither really existed in truth. Though both were very real.

Young Camellia was in some ways better off than Rose Bud had been. No, she was definitely better off for having a more conventional seeming family. But there were similarities.

“Love is for everypony’s choosing.” Rose stated, drawing the healer’s full attention. She smiled softly and explained herself.

“Love means different things to different ponies. For one pony love might be a mare and a stallion and the passion of their bodies. Love might also be between dam and foal. Love might be mare and mare or stallion and stallion. That is a choice every pony makes, and sometimes it’s a choice they take back later. Ponies change their minds or fall out of love. But that’s a choice too.” She explained.

“My dam and sire decided they would only love each other and their foals. Our family is smaller for it, but no less loved.” She watched Healer Burr straighten slightly, a curious light sparking in her eyes.

“Your cousins, Mountain Shadow and Morning Dew, they decided they loved each other. And when they desired a foal, they found a stallion to sire it, but it didn’t become love until later.” She continued. “It’s still love, but it means something different to them.”

“Perhaps I should’ve brought Cam to you instead. You seem to have a better understanding of it all than I do.” Healer Burr chuckled, a little bitter but mostly amused.

She knew Healer Burr didn’t mean to sound bitter. And indeed, Healer Burr was quite adept at hiding any trace of bitterness no matter her mood. Rose Bud was simply…better at seeing it than most.

But that same bitterness told her that her work was still undone. Something about Healer Burr was still aching and wounded. Rose only hoped she was up to the task of healing it.

“Is there more?” She pressed, taking a sedate step closer.

She saw Healer Burr’s conflict. It was brief but intense. Too green eyes darkening for a single heartbeat. Breathtaking.

“…Not at the moment, Rose Bud. Thank you for listening though, it helped.” With that, Healer Burr stood and began making her way through the graves.

Contrary to what others might expect, Rose was actually pleased by this. Multiple times she’d seen Healer Burr in such a mood and often the Magic Blessed mare was able to pull herself out. Sooner if she had friends or family to speak to, but those hadn’t been an option for this. Not if Healer Burr was seeking her Elder’s company.

But having a near stranger to simply exist and show willingness to listen? That helped too.

Rose pulled a bouquet from her baskets and laid it at the foot of Elder Enduring Rock’s grave.

“Be at peace, Elder.” She whispered softly so only the dead could hear. “I will do my small part in keeping our Healer in the Land of the Living. You just enjoy the Endless Pastures. We will watch over her.”

The dead never replied but they never needed to. Rose understood them well enough.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Onyx was the first one back to their hut today. Emerald normally beat him here. The hut didn’t look very welcoming when empty. The fire was banked low and cast shadows that made it look like nopony had been home in a very long time.

He forced himself to shake away the feeling. The looks would improve once he built up the fire a bit. Maybe he’d even go into the cellar and bring dinner up for Emerald and Sapphire.

It didn’t take him long to do this and neither of the others had arrived by time he was done. Onyx sighed down at his dinner and looked around the hut.

There were three mats situated around one wall. Onyx slept in the middle. He’d hung a spear on the wall above his mat where he could magically grab it quickly. Emerald had added her own spear but she left it leaning against the wall near her mat.

He stared at her spear for a while. Mares fighting was so strange. In his experience mares only had to fight when the stallions weren’t doing their jobs.

Not so among Earth ponies. Here, anypony could fight if they wanted to. Anypony could do anything.

He liked to think he was adjusting well but there were still bumps along the road. Would he ever be okay watching a mare risk her life in his place? No, never. He’d die first!

He hadn’t forbidden Emerald from joining the patrols.

He hadn’t thought he’d need to! Emerald wasn’t as well bred as Sapphire but surely she had more sense than to throw herself at danger like that! And he couldn’t say anything to the Earth ponies because, well, most of them were bigger than he was. And he couldn’t tell Emerald ‘No’ because—!

Because she might leave.

He winced, wishing the thought would burrow back into the shadows of his mind.

She could leave. They could both leave. Find new stallions. Even Sapphire carrying his foal was no obstacle if she decided she no longer desired his company. In fact, from what he’d gathered listening to other stallions at work that might actually make her more desirable. They already knew she was fertile.

Emerald wasn’t with the patrols today, as evidenced by the fact her spear was here. He didn’t have to worry about a monster attack because they were too far from the forest for the timberwolves to strike. This breed of monster couldn’t move far from the tree line it seemed.

She was either in the fields or watching the foals. He hoped it was the foals, personally. He hoped they were both with the foals. It would give them good practice for when his and Sapphire’s foal was born. And Emerald’s next heat should come around sometime before or after the birth, and then there’d be another on the way.

More unicorns. Maybe more unicorns would make him feel less like a cuckoo among jays.

But they’d be raised like Earth ponies.

There was no getting around that. His future foals would have mates among the Earth ponies and would live and grow all around them. He could instill in them the same bearing as a unicorn but what would it matter when all they had to do was look outside to see the exact opposite.

‘And,’ He acknowledged, ‘It would make them strangers here, their birth herd.’

“I’m home.” He jumped, turning to see Emerald standing in the doorway. Her forelegs were caked with dust and mud. The fields then.

“Emerald, welcome back. Have you seen Sapphire?” He greeted her with a nod, watching her walk over to the basket of food left out for her.

“She went to the foals today. She’s too big around to be of much help in the fields anymore and Marsh Steps thinks its important to do something more restful near the end of a pregnancy.” Emerald kept eye contact for most of the explanation. She let out a breath that was almost a scoff as she continued, “Though I can’t imagine why she thinks running after almost twenty foals is in anyway restful.”

“I see,” In more ways than one.

Every day it felt like Emerald was becoming more and more like an Earth pony. Keeping eye contact, speaking without being spoken to, going on patrols!

Onyx wasn’t really afraid of Sapphire leaving. He’d willingly left their old herd with her rather than leave her to die all alone. He’d do it again, even if he hadn’t known what would be on the other end of that long trail.

But Emerald? There were days he almost missed the horn on her head. Emerald hadn’t wanted to come with them but they’d already been Matched. She hadn’t had a choice.

She had lots of choices here.

Could he convince her to choose him?

Author's Note

Okay folks, I am officially on break for the next three weeks! Updates will resume on the 16th! Have a good day and I hope you've enjoyed the story thus far!

Leaping

Author's Note

I'm baaack~~~!

Leaping

Red clovers and red raspberries were two herbs well known for increasing the odds of conceiving. They were sweet tasting too. Common enough that nopony really went to the trouble of cultivating them. They grew in the orchard so there was no difficulty in getting them.

Thistle chewed through hers with as much nervousness as any young mare trying for her first foal.

“You still have a Leadership meeting tonight, don’t you?” Light asked around a mouthful of her own greens.

“Yep,” She swallowed. She could swear the leaves were sticking to her teeth. “I don’t think it will run long.”

“Well, would it help you if I stayed with our cousins for the evening?” Light blinked innocently.

Thistle nearly choked on her salad.

“Uh, hack, w-what?” She stammered.

“Thistle, I can smell you from over here.” Light wriggled her nose in demonstration. “If I’m away then after the meeting you and Woodpecker can come here and do as nature intended.”

Her cheeks were on fire. Real, legitimate, potentially life-threatening fire. Oh no. Guess she wouldn’t make it to the meeting tonight after all. Somepony should probably go start digging a grave. She was sure Rose Bud would have some lovely flowers to leave on her grave.

“Dim Light!” Thistle buried her face under her hooves.

“Well I didn’t think you were the type to raise your tail in mixed company…” She trailed off, smirking teasingly before she made a visible effort to be serious.

“Are you still nervous?” She asked.

Thistle would’ve liked to lie but she couldn’t. The very idea of what she might be getting up to with Woodpecker later sent her into cold sweats. She knew the mechanics of the act in depth, partially from healing training and partially from Mountain. She didn’t find Woodpecker objectional. In fact, he was a rather handsome stallion. It was just…

Somehow the idea of having sex and bearing a foal was more nerve wracking than any major injury or illness she’d ever had to treat.

“I am.” She admitted with a sigh. “I have tried again and again to lay my fears to rest, Light. And again and again, I have failed. Do you think other mares are ever so nervous about their first time?”

“I don’t know,” Light tilted her head thoughtfully. “When I think of myself with Pucker Thorn in less than a year’s time, I’m…not excited exactly, but I’m not worried either. It’ll happen when it happens. I merely have to wait for biology to catch up.”

“Morning and Mountain weren’t this nervous even when they brought Hornet in.” Thistle remarked sourly. “Pink was the one who pulled Puck away for privacy. And who else can I ask in trust?”

“Lead True, perhaps?” Light suggested, sounding unsure.

As embarrassing as talking to family was she didn’t even want to think of asking True Blue. No, not for anything did she want to do that. She had no idea what direction such a conversation would turn and every last possibility terrified her.

“Holly Berry or Marsh Steps?” Were Light’s next suggestions.

“Both still call me Magic-Blessed, even if not to my face.” Thistle’s ears drooped slightly. To ask one of them if they had ever been nervous about sex and, if so, how they moved past it, would be difficult to say the least. Neither ever hazarded to say they might know better than she did, even in regard to their own specialties.

“The unicorns?” Light shrugged helplessly.

Thistle didn’t refuse that immediately. She turned the idea over in her head. Sapphire was expecting her first foal and Emerald had been with Onyx long enough to experience a heat, even if she hadn’t caught. Both were still a little removed from the herd and better yet none of them held her in as high regard. They were respectful, but personable.

It was an option.

“I believe if you go now you may have time for a brief conversation with them before the meeting.” Light smiled, glad to have hit upon a solution.

“Light, dear sister, thank you.” Thistle climbed to her hooves to go.

“Remember, I’ll be with our cousins should you need me.” Light threw out one last jab as Thistle went out into the late afternoon.

Now, how could she convince one of the unicorn mares to step outside for privacy?

By the grace of the Mother Earth, she didn’t have to figure that one out because she caught sight of Sapphire’s blue coat heading home after a day watching foals. The mare’s belly was roundly distended, large enough that Thistle automatically moved her prospective due date up half a moon.

“Sapphire! Sapphire Cut! A moment, please?” She called, picking up her trot a bit.

“Healer Burr,” Sapphire’s head came up in surprise. “To what do I owe the honor?”

“Nothing too serious, I assure you,” She resisted the urge to cast a look for nearby eavesdroppers. “Walk with me a bit? I believe construction is done for the day so we can sit by the wall and talk, if it’s not too bothersome.”

“Not at all, Healer. I’m sure Onyx and Emerald will understand why I’m late.” Sapphire beamed.

It took Sapphire a moment longer than Thistle to settle down fully, and she gasped halfway down as the foal within kicked something sensitive.

In a few months that would be her.

“How are you doing? Not straining yourself, I hope?” Thistle couldn’t hold back the concern if she tried.

“Doing well enough, Healer. I swear this foal is determined to bruise me from the inside-out.” She joked, stretching her head back to nuzzle her own stomach briefly. “What did you wish to speak about?”

The words wanted to be caught in her throat. She had to push hard to get past the blockage.

“I’m afraid it’s rather personal, I hope you don’t mind.” She found herself staring at her hooves and then quickly looked back up. “It is only, my heat is here and,” Here and driving her to distraction as this whole mess had ever since Woodpecker approached her by the fields.

“Soon, very soon, Woodpecker and I will endeavor to have a foal together.” She forced herself to continue. “I have asked the members of my family and my friends for advice, and received it, but I wanted to ask a mare who is on the verge of having her first foal for her perspective. And, admittedly, of the mares in the herd that fit the description, you are the one I am closest to. I hoped you might, perhaps, have some advice?”

“Oh.” Just that one little exhale had Thistle scrambling to go over everything she’d said. Behind her ribcage her heart was pounding like the hooves of a pony at gallop. Sweat began to collect along her brow.

“Healer Burr, you have every right to be worried and anxious.” Sapphire told her. “I was too when Onyx and I were first matched. I didn’t know what to do with myself, if it would hurt and how much, what if something went wrong? I nearly burst into tears our first time.”

“Oh,” Thistle sighed, the relief strong enough that she laid limp on the grass. “Thank Mother Earth, nopony else I’ve talked to was nervous before their first time! Praise the Sun, it’s not just me.”

“Some mares are more nervous than others. It’s simply the way things are.” Sapphire sighed, maybe remembering her own past anxieties. “In fact, I was nervous about the second, third, and fourth times as well.”

“You’re not…nervous anymore?” She frowned.

“I came to learn what to expect and Onyx was never too rough or cruel. He’s really kind in his own way.” Ah, somepony had probably told Sapphire about the lecture Thistle had given Onyx when they built the stairs.

“But even though there is worry, there is also excitement.” Sapphire told her. “Someday soon, within the next two moons, I’ll be holding my foal for the first time.” She sighed in contentment. “I can’t wait to see my filly or colt, hear their first cries, see what color their magic will be, watch them learn and grow in peace with your herd. I’ve always wanted to be a mother.”

Thistle’s own smile softened as she listened to Sapphire. She was soft spoken, maybe a little too submissive, but she already loved the foal on the way and she was doing her part for the herd.

She checked the sun’s position and winced. The Leadership meeting began at sundown. If she didn’t leave now she’d be late.

“Thank you for taking the time to talk with me, Sapphire. I hate to cut this short, but I’m due for the Leadership meeting and I don’t want to be late. Give my regards to Onyx and Emerald, won’t you?” She requested.

“Certainly, Healer. Have a good evening.” With a smile, both mares parted ways.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Woodpecker nodded to Thistle as she entered. She was panting a little but nopony made mention of her tardiness. A few minutes wasn’t bad.

“Now that we’re all here, we can begin.” Lead True straightened up. “Who has new business for us?”

“I’ve almost got all the foundation for the Wall finished.” Pink said brightly. “And I’ve got a good start on the tower too. Still no idea what to use for the signal though. And, one more bit of good news,” She shuffled in place, grinning ear to ear. “I’m pregnant!”

“Pink!” Thistle gasped, delighted.

“Congratulations, sister.” Woodpecker inclined his head. Good to have confirmation. Dam would be pleased. He made a note to tell her when he got home.

“Yeah, waited a bit to make sure I caught, but I’m pretty sure now.” Pink looked rather proud of herself.

“We’re all very happy for you, Pink Peach.” Lead True gave her a small smile. “Do you have any other news for us?”

“Nothing more on my end.” She shook her head. “Shiny?”

“Food stores are, as usual, holding just fine. But there is a bit of news I’ve heard just recently.” She looked at Pink. “Have you met Pretty Pebble?”

“Clay’s little sister? Yeah. Why?” She nodded.

“She’s created these things called beads and now wears them draped around her neck and in her mane and tail.” Shiny described. “She hasn’t seen fit to share them with the rest of the herd, which I know because I heard both Blueberry and Blackberry complaining about it. Riverbank and his younger brother, Cold Stream, were collecting their food at the same time and also expressed interest in the beads.”

“So, do you think we should ask Pebble to teach somepony else how to make them, if she doesn’t want to do it herself?” Thistle asked in confusion.

“On the contrary, I believe I’ve thought of a way to incentivize work.” She smirked.

“Oh?” Woodpecker leaned forward curiously. “Using the beads?”

“It may require some explanation to young Pretty Pebble to explain why, but if she controls the amount of beads present in the village, then we can give some out to ponies who are willing to do extra work for the herd.” She explained. “For instance, five beads for a night shift guarding?”

“Do you believe the beads will prove popular enough for that?” Lead True frowned.

“They will,” Shiny declared confidently. “That is, if our illustrious Healer would consent to wearing them herself.”

“What?” Thistle blinked.

“Think of the braids, Thistle Burr.” Shiny ran a hoof over her own. “You and your friends spent a spring afternoon braiding flowers and herbs into your manes and tails, pretty soon the whole herd was following suit. Now nearly everypony has either their mane or tail or both braided at all times, simply because that’s what you do.”

“I,” She opened and closed her mouth several times. “That’s just…That’s…It’s an easy way to carry lots of medicines around without lugging about an extra set of baskets and it keeps my hair out of the way. It’s practical.”

“It did start getting pretty popular after that, didn’t it.” Pink traced her own braids contemplatively. “Huh, I didn’t even notice! It just became the thing to do, you know?”

Woodpecker looked around the room. Stallions didn’t braid as much as mares did, but he and Rockslide both had a few small ones in their mane. The mares in the room hardly had a hair out of place in their own braids. Thistle Burr’s was of course adorned in herbs while Pink had yellow flowers. Lead True and Shiny Rock had plain braids.

Young foals didn’t braid their hair. He ran through the faces of the foals he knew by sight. Most of them didn’t start braiding until they were almost ten. About the age Thistle Burr had begun.

“I begin to understand Shiny’s plan.” His eyes must have lit up. “Ponies see Thistle Burr wearing beads and they’ll want to as well. Spread a rumor that the beads are a reward for extra work and I do believe we’ll see a lot fewer ponies wasting their time doing nothing.”

“It would also mean Pebble can’t teach anypony else how to do it though.” Thistle pointed out. “If beads are common they won’t be worth as much.”

“She may have already taught her brother how to make them, but if so it won’t be too difficult to convince him to abstain. He has his hooves full with his own work. He’s putting that kiln into his house, isn’t he?” Shiny checked.

“Yep. I think he’s just about done with that.” Pink confirmed.

“It sounds like what the unicorns do.” Thistle looked unhappy.

“The unicorns?” Woodpecker tilted his head curiously. After running them through Herd Law he hadn’t had much reason to speak to them. Emerald Daze now joined them on patrols but she had only been assigned to his group once.

“With unicorns, one pony knows how to do one job.” She stressed. “There’s one pony making baskets in their whole herd. If anypony in that herd wants a basket, they have to do something for the weaver. So if we make Pebble be the only pony to make beads, and make ponies do things for us in exchange for beads, it’ll be like what the unicorns do.”

“Ah, a rather neat arrangement, though this will be more centralized.” Shiny nodded in understanding.

“I just,” She paused to take a breath. “I don’t much like the idea of only having one pony who knows how to do a specific task. Light knows as much as I do in regards to healing, and I’m training Cam now. Marsh Steps isn’t the only farmer, Holly isn’t the only foal watcher, Apple Blossom doesn’t work alone in the whole orchard, Pink isn’t the only pony building things. Bead making is small, yes, but we’re about to make it very important. And we don’t even know how long it takes to make them! How much effort is put in? How many can she make at a time?”

“Well, it is likely Clay Hooves knows how to make beads as well,” Woodpecker hesitated. Thistle Burr honestly seemed worried about this. How could he reassure her?

“Perhaps we should bring Pretty Pebble in to tomorrow’s meeting and ask her.” Lead True suggested. “I understand your fears, Thistle Burr, but beads, however pretty or popular, are not vital to the herd’s well being.”

“As you say, Lead Mare.” She sighed.

“Shiny, see to it Pretty Pebble attends tomorrow evening.” Lead True ordered. “Moving on. Does anypony else have any news?”

“The patrols found signs of timberwolves, but the monsters are keeping their distance.” Lead Rockslide informed them. “I did, by chance, have an idea for your signal, Pink Peach.”

“Really?” Her ears pricked forward.

“A fire.” He stated simply, pointing at the fire in the middle of the room. “At night, it’s light would be seen from the storehouse, yes? And during the day, the smoke would be visible from some distance.”

“Huh,” She scratched her chin thoughtfully. “That could work. It’ll have to wait until the tower is done for testing, but yeah! That might actually work! Thanks, Lead Rockslide!”

“Woodpecker, anything to add?” Lead True looked at him.

“I believe Lead Rockslide has covered everything on the patrol’s end.” He shook his head. “Thistle Burr?”

“Cam’s training is going well, I think.” She began. “We take a few hours every day to work on potions. That’s the heated and bottled medicines she invented. I’m actually running out of gourds. I, ah, also,” She winced and looked between him and Lead Rockslide.

“These potions are new, and potentially dangerous to test on a pony.” She bit her lip. “Do you…Do you think it might be possible to catch a squirrel or rabbit? Alive?”

“Perhaps with a slip knot?” He gave the matter some thought. Testing potions on animals wasn’t a bad idea. He, for one, knew not all the herbs Thistle Burr carried were medicinal and he didn’t want to put anypony at risk drinking an experimental medicine. “But they’d eventually chew through that?”

“We could build something to put them in.” Pink’s stared up at the ceiling in thought for a moment. “Brown Branch might be able to make you something out of wood.”

Woodpecker listened with half an ear. Most of his thoughts were drifting into future plans. The things he would tell Dam, the prospective mares to invite into their group. Should they try to attract a Pegasus? It might help tie them closer to the herd.

He tuned in now and then to make sure he didn’t lose track of the conversation. Pink suggested asking Clay for a cup that a cork could be put in. Clay cups were quicker and easier to make than gourds. Thistle agreed to speak to the colt about it tomorrow.

“Is there any more news?” Lead True looked around the room. Nopony spoke up. “Very well then. I believe this meeting is over.”

Woodpecker followed Thistle Burr out. She didn’t immediately turn towards her hut, so he chose not to head directly home either. Once the others had passed them by, he looked over at her.

“Woodpecker,” It was hard to tell in the moonlight but he thought he could see a blush on her cheeks. “I, ah,” She broke eye contact and dug her hoof through the dirt. He waited for her to gather her courage.

“Would you…like to come to my hut with me?” She pointed unnecessarily.

“My dear Healer,” He grinned, he couldn’t help himself. “I would be delighted to!”

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It was very rare for a mare to catch after just one time. Twice and even three times sometimes wasn’t enough. And it was sometimes difficult to know exactly when a heat began and ended.

So it was a week, some mares said two, of dedication in order to conceive a foal.

A week of sex.

If all went well and the herbs did their job, she was pregnant right this very moment. She wouldn’t know for sure for another week or two. But it was probably a good idea to assume she was pregnant.

Thistle had had the hut almost completely to herself except for when Woodpecker was…Ahem. Well, Light hadn’t come home except to check on her now and again. Now that her heat was over she should probably tell Light it was safe to come home.

Thistle tossed her head, feeling the beads hit her head. Woodpecker had put them in for her given she couldn’t braid her own mane easily. Her tail had more beads but she’d done those herself.

They were kind of a pain honestly. They thumped against her head every time she shook it and distracted her. They forced her to use multiple, smaller braids instead of the one large one she preferred. Granted, the silver and gold wavy coloring in the beads were quite eye catching, but they didn’t feel worth the effort.

Would ponies really want these just because she wore them?

Pebble had been so excited to be given a special project by the Leadership council. They’d explained as much as they could without mentioning the Pegasus. She’d promised not to just give beads away. She’d promised not to teach anypony but her brother.

Thistle turned her head to look at the beads in her tail. The gold color came from crushed seeds, the blue silver was a naturally occurring part of the clay. Pebble’s work was fine and detailed. Woodpecker said they looked nice in her sap brown fur and acorn hair.

Thistle took a deep breath and pushed away the blush. Woodpecker…liked to talk.

Well, she wasn’t getting anything done sitting in here. She’d put off Cam’s lessons long enough already. There were the rounds to do. Bird Song’s cut should be almost healed by now. She should find the time to thank Sapphire too. Without her words Thistle might not have been able to drum up the courage to invite Woodpecker to her hut.

Thistle had to take a moment to adjust the lighting. She hadn’t seen very much of the sun for the past week. Now, where to first?

Well, Cam’s lessons could be put off one more day. She’d head to Pink’s hut first. Let Light know she could come back. See how pregnancy was treating Pink. It had been a while since she’d sat and talked to Puck too.

She came upon their hut soon. The practice door was still sitting on the ground where Pink had left it. Thistle had walked by the site marked for the big door a few times and wondered what she had in mind for it.

“Puck? Light? Anypony home?” She knocked on the door.

“Come in, Thistle!” Puck called out.

“Thistle, good morning.” Light smiled from her spot. Puck was carving a shaft of wood on the other side of the fire. He nodded as she walked in.

“Good morning,” She returned politely. “How have you been? Pink already gone to work?”

“Yep,” Puck looked up from his carving. “She knows she’s gonna have to slow down later on so she’s trying to get as much done as possible now. I’m planning to steal her away for an early lunch soon.”

“I do believe Pink is already getting pre-foaling jitters.” Light smirked wickedly. “And what about you, sister? Anything to report on your stallion?”

Her cheeks lit aflame. She did her best to ignore it and hoped it died down.

“He was…kind, polite.” She coughed.

“Eh, so long as he doesn’t hurt you.” Puck shrugged, picking up his knife again.

“Yes, well,” Thistle looked away. “Time will tell if our efforts were successful.”

“Are you planning to visit our cousins soon?” Light raised one brow in question.

“Honestly? I kinda don’t want to subject myself to that level of teasing just yet.” Her cheeks were already burning. She could almost hear Mountain already.

But she didn’t regret it. Most of her nerves had already faded, those that remained would be dealt with in time. The event hadn’t been as bad as she’d expected. This was just the next step on life as a mare.

A foal on the way, harvest and the Pegasus due to arrive at almost the same time, Cam to teach, winter to prepare for, and come spring there would be a foal. A colt or filly all her own.

But fall wasn’t here just yet. There was time still to make preparations.

“I had better be going. My garden needs tending and I should make sure nopony was injured in the past week.” She announced, getting up to leave.

“I’ll see you at home this evening then.” Light chuckled.

“See ya around, Thistle.” Puck waved.

Now then, her garden or her rounds? Which came first?

Well, tending her garden would allow her to put off Mountain’s teasing a little longer.

Preparation

Holly Berry had been keeping a special eye out ever since the word had gone out. Healer Burr and Woodpecker had conceived a foal. The future of the herd was assured.

It took time for any changes to be visible. Healer Burr was an active mare and still growing a little. It was much too soon for there to be any visible weight gain. But there were other, less obvious, changes. One change, Holly saw on a bright mid-summer day when Healer Burr had to be called to tend to a young colt who’d injured himself in rough play.

Healer Burr had pulled out a gourd and began cleaning the skinned knee with green liquid when her face had scrunched up, her nostrils shutting and her head leaning as far back as she could get.

Then her face went nearly as green as the potion.

“Ah, forgive me,” She stood and moved rapidly for an unoccupied spot to be sick upon.

“Ooh,” Holly winced before approaching. “Healer, are you ill?”

“Not ill,” She coughed and spat. “Merely dealing with some uncomfortable morning sickness. The smell of the potion got to me a little.”

“Oh dear,” She rubbed her back. A healer made sick by the scent of her own medicines, poor dear. “Would you like me to finish cleaning it? I’m sure Elm wouldn’t mind.”

“If-If you would?” Healer Burr nodded gratefully, pointing back to the gourd and waiting colt. The poor foal looked even more upset than when he’d fallen down.

“Nothing to worry about, my little ponies!” Holly presented a bright smile. “Healer Burr is fine, she just needs a moment. I’ll finish cleaning out your wound for her, Elm. Be a dear and hold still now.”

“Why’d the healer throw up?” Elm demanded.

“Because she’s pregnant and sometimes pregnant mares get sick.” She explained. “It’s perfectly normal and nothing to be worried about. Let’s all give her a moment to catch her breath and wash her mouth out, alright?” Holly saw Light moving beside her sister, offering a shoulder to lean on. A good girl, that one.

With the ease of long practice, Holly looked over the crowd of foals. Thistle Weed and Thistle Patch, two young fillies who were among the first Healer Burr had ever delivered, but who were not related. Peace and Mercy were playing with them, kicking a ball of hemp back and forth. Little Flower Fields was making a chain of flowers with some of the older fillies. Water Lily was napping with Morning Mist in the shade. Carrot Top was playing with his cousin, Sapling.

She always checked on the youngest foals first. They were the ones more likely to wander off and be eaten. Or fall in water and drown. Or get lost and never be found. Or…

She always checked on the youngest foals first.

The older fillies and colts were next. Any older than nine were likely with their dams or sires, learning the things they needed to know to be mares and stallions. Six, seven, eight? They were content normally to play chasing games of Ponies and Wolves or to listen to Light’s stories.

Holly was the herd’s collective foalsitter and she took such responsibility seriously. The dams of the herd were relying on her to keep their foals safe while they worked the fields or patrolled the valley or built the Wall. Her day wasn’t over until every last foal had been safely returned to their dam.

Once Elm’s scrape was thoroughly cleaned and given a kiss (which tasted foul enough she could completely understand how it made the healer sick) he was sent off to play again. A scrape probably didn’t call for the healer’s personal attention, per se, but Holly didn’t like to take chances. If she could call for Healer Burr, why not?

Speaking of Healer Burr. Holly turned her head to check on her again.

She already seemed much better. She was standing straight, head tilted up to the sunlight and taking deep breaths. Light pulled a gourd from Healer Burr’s baskets and Holly watched Healer Burr take a long draught and then spit it out, rinsing out the foul taste.

“Feeling better, Healer?” She asked respectfully.

“Yes, thank you.” She accepted her medicine gourd back. “I am sorry about that. I’d take some nausea medicine but some of it reacts badly with pregnant mares.”

“No need to apologize, Healer. Truly!” Holly reassured brightly. “You just take care of yourself now. Focus on the coming foal and in training your student.”

“Where is Cam anyway?” Light questioned.

“Watching her brother and sister today. Morning’s helping Pink with the tower and Hornet and Mountain are both on patrol.” She explained. “I was planning to stop by and make sure everything’s alright. Busy’s been a bit of a hooffull lately.”

“We won’t keep you then.” Light gave her a quick nuzzle. “Remember to drink plenty of water.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Healer Burr rolled her eyes. “Nag, nag, nag,”

“An’ don’t yew go dinkin’ dat yer own health aint as important, Burr.” Light squinted her eyes, smiling as she took on the affected accent.

Holly smiled sadly as she watched them joke about before saying their goodbyes. She hadn’t gotten to know Elder Enduring as well as she could have and Holly regretted that now. Elder Enduring had been a truly kind soul to take in two young fillies left all alone. Thistle Burr to her dam’s death and Light from her dam’s abandonment.

“Light, Light, can we get a story?” Some foals raced up as soon as Healer Burr had vanished from sight.

“One about the Healer!” A filly piped up.

“Yeah, the Healer! Tell us about the Healer!” The crowd chanted.

“Okay, okay!” Light laughed. “I have a new story about Thistle Burr, if anypony is interested?”

Holly kept an ear turned her way, even as she went around the clearing counting the foals.

“Alright, this story starts in the early morning, when the Sun hadn’t yet fully risen above the horizon.” Light began steadily. “Our Healer, Thistle Burr stood waiting by the great weeping willow by the lake for her stallion to arrive. Woodpecker came to her, carrying spear and baskets both and as good friends they went to the forest together.”

Oh, this one. Holly shuddered. Healer Burr often walked the forest without a weapon. Indeed, she seemed to have no fear of the monsters that dwelt within. To think the herd had come so close to losing their Magic-Blessed Healer.

The Wall couldn’t be built fast enough, in her opinion. Sure, right now the timberwolves didn’t leave the forest but who was to say they were the only monsters around? There was that fire bird from the first winter for starters! And all the monsters she’d seen right after the Light-That-Wasn’t.

Holly would sleep easier at night with thick stone walls between her foals and everything that went bump in the night.

She shook the thought away. There was no point dwelling and there was a Wall being built. She just had to be patient. The really important thing to focus on right now was Healer Burr’s impending motherhood.

She looked up and saw the Blueberry and Blackberry returning from the fields. It was about that time, wasn’t it? She beamed, trotting over to share the gossip of the day with them. They’d certainly appreciate the confirmation that Healer Burr really was pregnant!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“They want to what?” Shiny managed to keep from scowling through sheer willpower, but it was a close thing.

She had to have heard wrong.

“The herd wishes to celebrate Thistle Burr’s pregnancy.” True repeated, looking rather bemused herself. “With a feast.”

“With a what?” Her tone came out a little harsher than she intended but Shadows, Curse It! It was hard keeping track of the food and how much the herd had and how much they needed! And with the Pegasus on the way?

Shiny shook her head numbly. The amount of recalculating that would require. The Bead Plan was still in the beginning stages. She’d only just starting spreading rumors that beads would be traded for labor! And a feast? A feast!?

In the old days a feast was a celebration for when a herd found a new foaling or wintering ground. A new place that nopony had ever been before, with food aplenty to sustain them for weeks.

“I understand them being pleased with the news,” Woodpecker looked fairly confused himself. “But a celebration?”

“It’s not that bad an idea actually.” Pink remarked thoughtfully. Shiny whirled on her immediately.

“Explain.” She demanded. Because if her student thought it was a good idea to just give away heaps of food when they were scant weeks from harvest and invasion then, then,

Ooohhh, Pink Peach would be in for such a kicking. Shiny hadn’t spent three years tutoring the rambunctious young mare for her to dump all her brains out now.

Pink flinched back, which Shiny found slightly satisfying. It actually took a moment for the usually unflappable mare to respond.

“Well, I mean, ponies have been complaining about working since we settled here.” She pointed out. “Before, the most they had to do was canter for a few hours and raise their foals, maybe fight off some wolves or bears and that was it. Now? We’ve got the fields, patrols, construction, the orchard, there’s always more to do.”

“And ponies aren’t happy about it, but they do it, because they know it’s better for the herd and everypony needs to contribute in some way.” She continued. “That’s why I think a celebration is a good idea. Not necessarily for your pregnancy, Thistle,” She added with a wry smile.

“But as sort of a…” She licked her lips. “reward for working hard all year? Like, having one day where nopony has to work. It doesn’t have to just be a feast either,” She added directly to Shiny.

“It doesn’t?” Thistle cocked her head to the side.

“No, see? The problem is all the work, right? So we can dedicate this one day to play!” Pink raised her hooves. “Like, maybe we could have a set of practice fights for all the patrol ponies? Like the stallion fights, but for everypony. Or races or jumping contests. Games for the foals too.”

“Hmm,” Woodpecker’s brows furrowed in thought.

“Your thoughts?” True prodded him.

“Well, Lead Mare, it occurs to me that my sister may be on to something.” Shiny had to resist the urge to scoff. The insanity was catching.

“And this day doesn’t have to be unproductive either,” He smirked, catching their full attention.

“How so?” Thistle frowned.

“There are still a number of ponies who have not settled on any one job or skill, aren’t there? What if we had, say, a few ponies openly demonstrating their skills and abilities to hopefully entice these younger ponies to find their path and convince older ponies to take on students.”

Oh, now that…Shiny forced herself to not think about the waste of food. It was true that there were ponies who flitted between jobs or only worked one day out of ten, and even more true that there were foals who were waiting still to find their talents.

“And yes, Dear Thistle, this means we can turn the attention away from your baby bump.” Woodpecker added for his partner’s benefit.

“Clever,” Rockslide huffed. “And if we get the craft ponies to go along with it we can even speed up the Bead Plan. Convince’em to trade beads for better quality goods. I know a few ponies who’d like to trade their sledge in for a cart.”

“Oh,” Thistle’s eyes went wide. “And if we hold off a little on the celebration, put it off until a little before harvest maybe, then they’ll all have some beads to trade with. Especially if we let slip they can be used for that, right?”

Thistle hadn’t seemed so enthused by the Bead Plan before, but she was even less enthused by the idea of a celebration centered around her stomach.

Shiny huffed, seeing the opinions of the room begin to change. If a vote was cast now she’d be outvoted. And, she had to admit, it wasn’t a bad idea.

She sighed and closed her eyes, already feeling the incoming migraine. There would be a lot of counting and recounting in her future. A few things could be harvested earlier than others but that still left very little room for error.

Making sure the whole herd was fed was infinitely harder than simply keeping track of them all. With their numbers and the rate of expansion it was only going to get harder. Two of the mares in the room were currently pregnant and she and True weren’t exactly past foal bearing years either. It was entirely likely one or both of them would catch on their next heat unless they took steps against it.

“Shiny?” True asked in concern. Fair was fair, if True ever showed such turmoil she’d be worried too.

“I think I can no longer deny it, Lead Mare.” She kept her turn of phrase formal. “I must find my own student; A pony who can help keep track of our food stores.”

“Real glad that’s not gonna be me.” Pink sighed with apparent relief. “Keeping construction moving forward is more than enough for me.”

“Who would you pick though? You’d likely want to start right away if you wanted them competent enough to aid you during the celebration.” Woodpecker raised one brow.

Bird Song was her immediate answer. Bird was good at numbers and keeping track of them. The only real problem with that was that Bird was of the same generation as them and had four foals to mind.

Shiny discarded Bird Song with a shake of the head. No, Bird was too busy already.

Starlight was similarly rejected. She wouldn’t be a popular choice, having turned out Dim Light and she was one of the lazy ponies who only worked when they had to. That kind of behavior shouldn’t be rewarded.

Bright Finish? The foals he’d adopted were mostly grown now and didn’t require his constant care anymore. He hadn’t chosen any new mares though. That wasn’t a big issue but she didn’t deal with him directly very often. Was he good with numbers? Would he be susceptible to sob stories? How was his memory?

“Tch,” She clicked her tongue and forced her eyes open upon the room. “This will take some thought.”

It would be better to pick somepony younger. Somepony who’d still be around after Shiny moved on to the Endless Pastures.

If Thistle Burr hadn’t taken Camellia as her student Shiny would have considered her. She was young, clever, not afraid of hard work, well-bred. She would have been a good choice for training. Who else did she know in that general age bracket?

It had to be a pony who didn’t already have their path in life decided. So preferably somepony without a magic mark.

Maybe it was because she’d just been thinking of Bright Finish, but the name Soft Touch came to mind.

Now there was an idea.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

By the end of the meeting they’d decided on a name for the celebration. Something they could refer to easily. Since it took place at almost the same time they’d decided on calling it the Founding Festival.

And by naming it they’d basically guaranteed that this would be a regular, maybe yearly, thing.

Thistle flicked her head, changing the side her braid hung on. The action made the beads click against each other. She was starting to get used to them, though rolling on them in her sleep tended to be painful.

She was thinking of taking out the ones in her mane and putting them in her tail. She was less likely to roll on that and she might be able to use them to better separate some of the poisonous herbs.

“I’m home!” She called as she entered their hut.

“Welcome back, Thistle.” Light smiled. “How was the meeting?”

“Interesting,” She sighed softly. “There’s going to be a celebration just before harvest. We’re calling it the Founding Festival in honor of our settling here.”

“Truly?” Her ears flicked in interest.

“There will be games for the foals, contests for the grown ponies, some ponies will be showing off their talents in hopes of enticing more students to their cause.” Which left Pink muttering furiously trying to think of how she could attract more construction workers.

“The Founding Festival, huh.” Light repeated, pursing her lips in thought. “This ought to be intriguing.”

“Shiny isn’t too happy about it. It’s a large expenditure of food just before harvest.” She reported. “She’s also now looking for a student of her own.”

“I thought Pink was her student?” She frowned uncertainly.

“In regards to being my confidante and keeping track of the herd, yes. But apparently Pink is too busy to help with keeping track of our food stores on top of everything else.” Thistle explained tiredly. “She seemed thoughtful when the meeting ended so hopefully she’s thought of somepony. I only hope whoever she chooses is able to learn fast enough to be of help for this festival.”

“Hmm,” Light nodded, then passed out their dinner bowls. “I wonder how the herd will react. And there’s not that much time before harvest, really. A moon and a half perhaps.”

“Perhaps,” She should really ought to find time to see Marsh Steps soon. See how well things were progressing. She’d take Cam that way tomorrow.

So many things to do. How long had it been since she had taken a day to do nothing without being stormed in?

She’d have to watch herself. It would be easy to overwork and cause a miscarriage. Hadn’t that been what killed her dam so long ago? Or had it been something else? The memories were so vague.

So distracted by her thoughts, Thistle almost didn’t notice Light standing up and walking over. Her sister laid down leaning against her side and sighed in contentment.

“Comfortable?” She huffed a laugh, though she didn’t move.

“Very.” She couldn’t see Light’s smirk, but she could hear it. “Thistle, I know you are often busy but I wondered if I might ask a favor?”

“Name it, sister.” Thistle nuzzled her. Whatever Light wanted that was in her power to give.

“On this festival, I assume ponies will not be working on that day?” She continued without waiting for an answer. “Then might we spend the day together? I don’t mind being around other ponies, but it feels like a long time since we’ve enjoyed each other’s company in anything except our meals.”

“Of course, Light. I’d be happy to spend the festival with you.” Thistle promised easily.

Author's Note

I LIIIIIIIVVEEEEEE! My laptop died, completely kaput, so I had to wait for taxes to come in to buy a new one. And it is HERE! BEHOLD! Regular updates will resume starting next wednesday but I didn't want to wait another week before posting this! I'm so glad to have a laptop again!

Shouting

Thistle had never seen the herd so excited. Chains of flowers were strung between huts. Ponies with crafts were working day and night to make things to show off and trade at the festival. Summer Showers was showing a new kind of woven basket with darker reeds showing pictures along the sides, like ponies or trees or mountains. Clay and Pebble were burning the kiln non-stop. Brown Branch and Morning built new carts.

As the day of the festival crept closer more preparations appeared. Ponies began wearing beads in their manes and tails. Mimic and Melody practiced their music. Thistle even heard a rumor they’d invited Emerald to sing with them. Some ponies dragged logs to the flat clearing that had been declared as the Festival space and split them, providing places for the food to be set out. There were hurdles set up and markers for some kind of race. By the willow tree somepony had marked three spots with circles for the fighting bouts.

And ponies were talking about it. It was just about all they were talking about.

“Are we going to show something at the Festival, Thistle?” Cam asked, stirring another pain relief potion over the fire.

“Medicine isn’t really shown off like that,” Thistle shook her head. “Besides, I’m not trading medicine for beads and I’m not looking for a student, as I’ve already got you. There’s no need to make a showing.”

“Sooo,” Cam cleared her throat nervously. “Since everypony is taking the day off, does that mean we get the day off too?”

“Unless there’s an emergency, yes.” Thistle chuckled. “We’ll both have plenty of time to enjoy the Festival.”

“Yes!” Cam pumped her hooves, momentarily forgetting that she was supposed to be stirring. She nearly lost the stirring stick in the pot and scrambled to get it before it fell all the way into the boiling liquid. “Uh, whoops? Eheheh.”

Thistle shook her head, amused. She ruffled Cam’s mane, still unbraided but tied back for the moment. Pretty soon Cam would start wearing braids, like all the older ponies.

First braids, now beads. What else would she introduce to the herd as a trend setter? Some days she honestly feared the answer.

She looked out the window and saw the light. It was well into the afternoon now. There should be time for one more errand before she sent Cam home.

“Cam, how’s the potion?” She asked.

“Nearly done, we can take it off the fire now.” Cam decided. She was better at judging when a potion was finished. Thistle had to rely on what she could see, smell, or taste. Cam just seemed to know. Was that her mark? Her magic?

“Let me,” She nudged the filly away from the fire. Her biggest pot had a thick branch worked through the upper lip. It jutted out for a hoof’s length from opposite sides and gave a place to grip to move it safely. A special commission from Clay after she’d grown tired of fighting her normal pots off the fire without spilling any precious medicine.

The pot was easier to move with two ponies, but Cam was too little to help her balance it properly so she did it on her own. Now they had to let it cool. Thistle would pour it into gourds later in the evening.

“Alright, grab your baskets, Cam. We’re going to go see Soft Touch.” She announced.

“Soft Touch? How come?” Cam did as she was told.

“Every so often I deliver a bushel of special herbs to Soft Touch. After we finish this errand you’ll be free to go home.” Thistle told her.

“Oh, okay. What kind of herbs do we give her?” Cam began eyeing the bundles tied to the ceiling.

“I’ve already got them packed up.” Thistle shouldered her own baskets.

“Aren’t you gonna tell me what they are?” Cam pouted.

“Cam, these herbs are special ones for Soft Touch. And she doesn’t want anypony to know what they are. It’s private.” She couldn’t exactly say they were contraceptive herbs. “One day, when you’re the herd’s healer, somepony will require help that they find embarrassing or personal, so they’ll ask you not to tell anypony else about them. It’s best to respect such wishes. After all, you wouldn’t want somepony spreading your secrets around, would you?”

“I guess not.” She pouted. “Then why am I coming with you?”

“Because I plan to ask Soft Touch if she minds you knowing, and if she says it’s okay then I’ll tell you about her medicine.” Thistle promised. “You can play outside with Pine Needle while I talk to Soft Touch.”

“Pine Needle’s nice!” Cam perked up. “Sometimes I wish Busy would act more like Pine does and listen to me.”

“You do, do you?” Thistle’s lips twitched. Now there was a colt who needed a firm hoof.

“I love him and all, but he’s so annoying!” She complained. “Mom told me he was so bad yesterday that he spent half the day on the stump.”

“Really?” Thistle raised a brow at that. Busy Bee was rambunctious and prone to misbehaving, but to be that naughty?

“Mama says they let him get away with it too long and now they’re not allowing it anymore so they have to teach him to do stuff the first time they say it.” Cam kept up a steady stream of words as they left the hut. “I’m glad I don’t have to foalsit him anymore. I don’t think I could make him stay on the stump for the whole punishment.”

“Sounds like I ought to be preparing headache remedies for your family.” She commented. “You remember how to make those?”

“Willow bark, steeped in water with flower petals for taste because otherwise its bitter. Steeping it in hot water makes it more effective.” Cam recited diligently.

“Good, can you tell me what else helps with headaches?” Thistle prodded her.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“I blame you for this.” Soft scowled as the healer walked in.

It sure took the good healer back. She actually froze in the doorway, one hoof still raised and eyes gone wide. Soft decided to put her out of her misery and gestured for her to get inside and shut the door.

“I don’t know how, but you’ve somehow led Shiny Rock to think I will be a good student for her. And I don’t have a good reason to refuse anymore!” She stood and turned her flank towards the healer.

“You got your mark!” Thistle gasped. She struggled to keep a straight face but Soft could see that smile from a mile away.

Some of the spite drained out of her.

“Yeah,” She groaned, flopping down onto her sleeping mat. “A little pyramid of stacked apples. Turns out my talent is counting stuff or whatever.”

“Not pleased?” Healer Thistle coughed awkwardly, setting her baskets down by the wall.

“Ugh!” Soft rubbed her temples. “It’s not that the job’s difficult or anything, but the festival is tomorrow and instead of doing whatever I want all day I now have to go see Shiny Rock first thing every morning.”

“What does Pine do when you’re at your lessons?” Healer Thistle asked, cocking one ear towards the window. Soft focused for a moment and could make out the sounds of a young filly laughing. Healer Thistle had brought her student then.

“Holds his spear and watches Water Shimmer, usually.” Soft shrugged.

It wasn’t…Okay, it probably wasn’t the best thing for him to be following her around all day. At home she could set him at the garden and he’d roam and romp their shared space, playing guard. She couldn’t take him into the forest anymore, not after Healer Thistle herself had been chased out. And the patrol groups wouldn’t allow foals to come with them, so likewise Soft had been staying away from patrols.

The garden only needed so much work and without the option of foraging or patrols Soft Touch had been feeling a little cooped up. Shiny Rock’s offer had come at the perfect time and, against her better judgement, Soft Touch had agreed to it.

It probably wasn’t healthy for a young colt to follow his sister around everyday. He should’ve been running around with his friends, watching the patrol ponies, trying to find his Magic Mark.

Not trying to stand guard over his big sister.

“Soft Touch?” She’d been quiet too long, now Healer Thistle had that dopey concerned look on her face.

But…well, Healer Thistle was genuinely the only pony she could talk to about this. Keeping herself to herself kind of limited her options for advice and Current wasn’t much of a talker.

“Healer,” She settled her shoulders. “Am I restricting Pine too much?”

The healer’s eyes darted to the window. The foals were playing outside now, Soft could hear their hoofbeats. They’d better not run into the garden.

“…He thinks he needs to protect you.” Healer Thistle sighed, sitting down. “I do believe he’ll make a good patrol pony someday, how can he not with all the practice he does now? But it stems from not being able to protect you.”

“And I don’t want anything happening to him either, so I keep him close to home even though he’s at that age where colts should be running wild and free and getting into trouble.” Soft groaned.

“You could try leaving him with Holly Berry during the day,” She offered. “At the very least he may meet some friends. And Holly and Light can keep him out of trouble.”

“Eeerrggghhh, but they watch so many foals,” She argued. “How can they keep track of all of them?”

Healer Thistle didn’t respond immediately. It was one of the things Soft Touch liked about her, she always thought before she said anything. As a result she very rarely said anything stupid.

“To be honest, I have no idea.” She also wasn’t a liar. Much better than those simpering mares who talked about her behind her back.

“There are days when Sapphire Cut, the blue unicorn mare,” She described, knowing that Soft didn’t get out much and certainly didn’t talk to anypony. The description was appreciated. “She helps out with the foals. More often now that her pregnancy is making it difficult to work in the fields. Emerald, the other unicorn mare, helps out occasionally but I don’t think she really enjoys it.”

“He’d be in the village, and if he’s so set on guarding somepony, then you could probably just tell him to help guard the foals.” Huh, now there was an idea.

“Think he’d go for that?” She wrinkled her nose. Foals were…Not something she’d ever have now, not if they required a stallion’s touch.

But once upon a time, Soft Touch had looked forward to having a family again.

“I think so,” Healer Thistle looked thoughtful for a second. “And I’m sorry, Soft Touch, but there was something I wanted to talk to you about and I don’t want to keep Cam long.”

“Yeah?” She raised one of her eyebrows.

“I brought Cam today to ask for your permission to tell her the truth about your condition.” She explained.

Her tails lashed. Her instinctive reaction was to refuse and refuse hard. Curses might be involved. Bucking might be involved.

Mares were supposed to, to want to, have foals. So the Herd could grow stronger. To be able to and not? There were easier ways to make herself an outcast. It was bad enough when they pitied her but to be actively turned against would break her.

Her and Pine Needle. He’d feel the sting by association. No mare would want to Follow him, he’d end up as alone and bitter as she was.

Soft didn’t want that for him. She could handle it, she worked hard for that reputation, for the strength to be able to look stallions in the eye without flinching.

Pine didn’t need that.

Healer Thistle was watching her reactions. There was a voice in the back of Soft’s head that told her to pick up the nearest pot and fling it at her head. Soft told that voice to go buck itself.

Healer Thistle wasn’t like the vipers that masqueraded as the herd’s gossip mongers. She was kind and thoughtful and always wanted to help. It was amazing a pony like Healer Thistle even existed!

She wouldn’t throw Soft Touch to the wolves like that.

“Can she keep a secret?” She made herself ask.

“Yes.” No pause, no hesitation.

“Why do you want her to know anyway? Can’t you just keep doing it?” She glared.

“I could,” Healer Thistle nodded, though one hoof began to rub her stomach. “But as time goes on I’m going to get more busy. In two years I’ll be Lead Mare.”

A year to have the foal, a year to raise it. Ponies were probably making notches on sticks to count down the days.

“And the herd is only growing bigger. I have a hard time keeping up with everything as it is, so it would be helpful if I could delegate some tasks to Cam instead.” She considered. “Things like delivering herbs and medicines without worrying she’s going to discover what’s inside them, and she would discover it sooner or later. I haven’t gotten to that part yet, but we’ll be covering foaling pretty soon.”

“Yegh,” She stuck out her tongue. Healer Thistle did crack a small smile at her expression though.

Soft Touch thought for a moment. Well, it was more like stalling if she was honest with herself. She knew Healer Thistle took time out of her busy day every week to bring her those herbs. Herbs Soft Touch would be glad to grow in her garden if it wouldn’t draw questions. And Healer Thistle had never complained about it. Complained about Soft making fun of everypony’s perspective, but not the task itself.

For three years. Just helping Soft keep her body from going into heat. Helping her perpetuate the illusion that her rape had somehow damaged her, made her barren.

After everything Healer Thistle had done for her, couldn’t Soft do just one thing to make her life a little easier?

“Ugh, fine!” She barked. “But she’d better not breathe a word of this to anypony.” She bit her lip to keep from adding Or I’ll hold you personally responsible. Healer Thistle would hold herself responsible regardless.

“Thank you,” Stupid, dumb dopey smile.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“AND IF I EVER CATCH ANY OF YOU DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS AGAIN I WILL PERSONALLY ESCORT YOU TO THE ENDLESS PASTURES MYSELF!” Pink finished off the tirade by rearing up and slamming her hooves down. The three ponies in front of her were doing their absolute best to appear small and harmless.

They had, possibly because they were inbred morons, decided it would be fun to lay a log on a finished portion of the wall and then roll it towards an unfinished part just to watch it crash down.

Crash and ruin a WEEK’S WORTH OF PROGRESS ON THAT SECTION!

“What made you think that would be a good idea?” She growled. Please, Sun and Moon, let there be some sort of rationale behind this. She could accept a week’s delay if there was something innovative behind it!

“We just…” The mare of the group shrunk back. “thought it would look cool and get it to the festival grounds faster.”

“YOU THOUGHT--!” Pink physically restrained herself from pouncing. These were still her workers. She couldn’t afford to banish them to patrols or the fields. As much as she might want to.

“It kinda worked,” The stallion on the left offered weakly. “It just, um, kinda broke that part of the wall there. But it landed in the festival grounds so that’s good!”

“And what if somepony had still been working in that section?” The section closest to the lake. They started the earliest and thus went home the earliest. Thank Mother Earth for small favors, no pony had been hurt.

This time.

“I don’t want to hear another word out of the three of you!” She stomped her hoof when they looked like they would open their mouths. “The festival is tomorrow, but the day after? I want you three here bright and early to fix this mess. And that will be all you’re doing. No patrol, no field work, not until you’ve fixed what you broke and made up for the time lost.”

“What!?” They protested. The stallion on the right recovered faster. “But Pink Peach, we’ve got responsibilities! Marsh Steps is expecting me back in the fields the day after tomorrow!”

“Not anymore she isn’t, I’m going to go and inform Marsh Steps and Lead Rockslide of what you three did here.” She saw them blanch. Good.

“And if the three of you complain about fixing WHAT YOU BROKE,” She paused to give her throat a small rest. “Then I will expand that punishment. Is that clear?”

“Yes, ma’am!” They stood to attention.

“Good, now the only reason I’m not having you start now is because it’s getting dark and I don’t trust you three idiots with a fire, so go.” She pointed back at the village. “And if I were you? I’d stay out of my way tomorrow because I will not be in the mood for your foolishness.”

“Yes, ma’am.” They groaned, nodding.

Pink waited until they were gone to lean up against the wall. Her Wall. Her baby as much as the foal in her stomach was. And now it would take an extra week to build and she’d have to tell everypony in the council why she was late.

She’d known it would be impossible to finish before the Pegasus arrived, but so much progress had been made that she’d started getting hopeful about getting it done by mid-winter.

With an ache in her throat and a throbbing in her head, Pink turned towards Lead True’s hut for the meeting.

“Pink Peach, we were starting to get concerned.” Lead True welcomed her with an arched brow.

“My apologies, my Leads,” She settled into her place. It felt good to sit down after a long day. “Some…Some…Someponies with the brains Mother Earth didn’t give to fleas, decided today was a wonderful day to demonstrate how awful it would be to allow them to procreate!”

“My, oh my,” Woodpecker tutted. “Whatever did they do to so earn your ire, dear sister?”

She told them.

“I see,” Shiny Rock’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, that would be quite vexing wouldn’t it? And how did you respond to this?”

“I gave them a good tongue lashing and then I told them that until I was satisfied they’d made up the difference, they’d be doing nothing but construction work.” She informed them. “Oh yeah, and Lead Rockslide? The ponies involved are Grass Bluff, Steep Hill, and Round Rock. If they try to go on patrol, can you turn them away? I’m going to go to Marsh Steps and ask the same thing.”

Rockslide nodded seriously. At least that was one thing done. She’d have to hunt down Marsh Steps tomorrow, during the festival.

“They’re lucky work was finished for the day,” She sighed, letting Thistle shuffle closer to nuzzle. “If that log or those rocks had landed on somepony,” She didn’t finish the thought.

Ponies died and sometimes there was nothing that anypony could do about it. But by the light of Sun and Moon that didn’t mean they had to die from stupidity!

“I’m glad there’s not going to be any work tomorrow because I need a break.” She decided. Ugh, she felt way too tired and sore for a normal day’s work.

“How are preparations for tomorrow?” Lead True asked Shiny.

“Good, everything’s well in hoof.” She answered tiredly. “Soft Touch has been a good help and she’s absolutely ruthless when it comes to ponies trying to wheedle extra food out of her.” She sounded approving.

Pink would almost like to see somepony try that on Soft Touch. She’d especially like to see how far Soft Touch could buck them away after they annoyed her. What was the record now? Ten, eleven body lengths?

“She showed me her mark today.” Thistle mentioned, straightening up now. “A pyramid of apples.”

“The same talent as mine, but a different image.” Shiny nodded curiously. “Curious, isn’t it? I don’t believe I’ve seen any marks repeating, even in ponies of similar talents.”

They all took a moment to think of the marks they knew. There was her little pyramid of rocks, Onyx’s stairs, nopony else had a building mark.

Even ponies with similar looking marks had different talents. Thistle and Light both had stars, but Thistle healed and Light told stories. Apple Blossom had apple slices and Lucky Streak had an apple falling into a basket, but her talent was actually working with apples and his was being lucky.

“Something to ponder, but perhaps we should get back to our discussion?” Lead True cleared her throat.

Celebrating

The day of the Founding Festival dawned hot and bright. Almost before the sun had crested the horizon the village was wide awake and beginning the festivities. The Leadership Council gathered together in groups of twos. Lead Rockslide with Lead True, Shiny Rock with Pink, and Thistle with Woodpecker. Together they stood before the entire village.

“My ponies!” Lead True reared on her back hooves to grab their attention. “Our herd has enjoyed much peace and prosperity since the coming of the Light-That-Wasn’t! Our healer rose to her station, we met friends who led us to this valley, and together we built a home for our foals to grow up in. Now begins our fourth year residing here and look at what we have accomplished!”

“Our herd grows in number every day! Our fields are laden with food and ripe for harvest! Our future is assured!” She spoke passionately.

“Today we’ve decided to celebrate, for today marks the anniversary of when we first reached this valley so long ago! Eat and be merry, my ponies! There are games for the foals and contests of skill for the mares and stallions! New crafts are being displayed and new marks may be found today!” Now the entire council stepped forward and spoke as one.

“Let the Founding Festival begin!”

Light was at her side in an instant. Thistle couldn’t help the giddy smile on her face if she tried. Ponies were running hither and yon now that the preparations had all been completed. The flowers and laughter and cheer in their air were contagious and made her feel like a little filly again, eager to frolic.

“What shall we do first, Light?” She bumped her sister.

“Partake of the food perhaps? We did skip breakfast.” Light sniffed the air and angled her head towards the food. Logs cut lengthwise held the food brought out from the storehouse. Fruits and berries and vegetables were all arranged artistically. More than a few ponies were already there stuffing their faces.

It all looked good but there was a smell that acted as a siren’s call. Exchanging looks, they and the rest of the crowd followed the scent to where Mountain and Cam had set up a small bonfire. A pot with a handle, like Thistle’s big medicine pot, was bubbling away with cut up vegetables floating in water. Cam was carefully sprinkling some herbs into the mix and stirring it, her tongue stuck out in concentration.

“Step right up, everypony! You’re gonna love this!” Mountain waved at them. “Cam, is it ready?”

Cam lifted the stirring stick and revealed that there was a knot of wood at the end that had been smoothed out and hollowed to hold a small portion of the mix. She sipped and licked her lips for a moment.

“Ladies and gentleponies, may I proudly present, vegetable soup!” Mountain whooped.

“It smells great!” Light sighed deeply.

“And tastes even better! Try some!” Cam used the stirring stick to fill up a bowl. That was much neater than trying to scoop from the pot and she didn’t have to wait for it to cool down. Thistle made a note to ask where she got it.

Light and Thistle got the first bowls. The gathered ponies looked on in interest as they sipped from the steaming soup.

It was warm and filling. The vegetables were soft and she could taste the herbs, basil, thyme, and oregano, without being overpowered by them. Seeing their obvious enjoyment, the rest of the gathered ponies began clamoring for bowls of their own.

“We’ll be here all day folks! One at a time! One at a time!” Mountain served to keep the peace while Cam dished out bowl after bowl. “Thistle, Light, try to swing by Morning and Hornet, see how they’re doing!”

“Will do!” Thistle assured her. Once their bowls were done they left them to be reused and trotted away again.

“That was even better than the mashed potatoes.” Light licked her lips, chasing the last essence of taste.

“Maybe tomorrow I can ask her to teach me how to make it.” She could put off rash treatment a little longer.

“Shall we see what our cousins are up to?” Light asked.

“Let’s.” Thistle had to rear up on her hind hooves to see where they were. Not quite on the other side of the field but close enough. But there was plenty to see along the way.

Summer Showers had her own space that she was sharing with Starlight. She displayed woven baskets of a different style. These ones weren’t plain, but had darker reeds somehow woven into the shapes of ponies, trees, and mountains. Some baskets were decorated with squares and triangles. She had a few decorated mats as well, but what she was really showing off was some kind of new mat, one she was wearing.

“Summer, what is that?” Thistle asked. Starlight stepped back and both she and Light pretended the other was not there. This was somewhat complicated by the fact Light decided to greet her baby sister.

“It’s called a mantle. It’s softer than the sleeping mats are and well,” She shrugged, which looked odd under the woven material. “I figured when it gets colder ponies might like to have something between them and the wind.”

She handed off a second one to Thistle. The material was softer, much finer than what the sleeping mats used. How did Summer work with such fine material? There were no gaps anywhere and when she tried it on she found it draped over her back and sides, almost down to her knees. The was a flap at the back of the neck too. Summer reached for it and pulled it up over her head. It came down to her forehead, covering her ears and somewhat obscuring her vision, but she could already tell this would keep her much warmer in winter.

“Honestly, it’s kind of sweltering in this heat.” Summer acknowledged with a grimace, sliding her flap on and off. Thistle took the opportunity to untie the mantle and slide it off completely. “But what do you think?”

“I think ponies are going to be pounding down your door in winter.” She chuckled. “Are you trading any for beads today?”

“They take longer to make than mats so I’ve only got three for trade today. I think, ten beads?” She suggested. “Oh! But, you don’t have to trade me, Healer Burr! I made that one just for you anyway!”

“Let me pay, Summer. The herd does so much for me already.” Thistle sat down and began untwining a strand of beads from her tail. She was wearing plenty of beads today and she was hoping to get rid of most of them.

“Are you sure?” Summer shifted her weight back and forth.

“I’m sure. You can use them to get something for yourself later.” She suggested.

“Pfft, maybe, if I have time.” She snorted. She was looking at something over Thistle’s shoulder.

Thistle looked. And immediately wished she hadn’t.

“Are my eyes deceiving me or is that a rather large group of ponies following us?” Light whispered in her ear.

“Just this once, Light, I wish it were your eyes.” She did her best not to sigh too obviously. She finished paying Summer and left with the mantle folded on her back. Behind her, Summer and Starlight were swarmed by ponies wanting mantles of their own.

“Summer’s going to have a lot of beads by the end of the day.” She smiled ruefully.

“Cam too.” Light commented. “I don’t think you noticed, but as we left I heard the clicking of lots of beads.”

Huh, the Bead Plan might be working better than expected. The Council would be happy to hear it, she was sure.

Apple Blossom’s eldest daughter, Pom, was offering up clay jars of apple sauce to ponies. Thistle bought a jar and they moved on fast. Finally, they got to the space shared by Brown Branch and Morning Dew where they showed off a line of new carts and sledges. Brown Branch also had a few other wooden implements.

“These are spoons, you can use them to stir and portion out things. I don’t expect them to be real popular yet since cooking is so new.” Brown Branch explained, poking the bowl of stirring sticks with hollowed notches. “Cam’s the one who came to me about it a while back and she mentioned it’d be useful in your medicines, Healer Burr.”

“It would. I was planning to ask where she got hers after I saw it.” Thistle nodded. “How much for two?”

“Eh, call it four beads?” Brown Branch shrugged. Thistle appreciated that she actually wanted to be paid.

“Brown Branch, if you don’t mind my asking, what are these for?” Light leaned over a large pot filled with blocks of wood.

“Toys for foals. I noticed my foals loved playing with them, stacking them up and building tiny huts with them. I figured other foals would like’em too.” Brown Branch explained. “I wish I’d thought to carve something pretty onto them. Lots of other ponies decorated their stuff.”

“What do you think, sister? Should we get a few for your foal?” Light teased.

“It’ll be more than a year before my foal could play with anything, Light.” Thistle rolled her eyes. “I’ll think about buying some then.”

“By then I’ll have some carved ones.” Brown Branch chuckled. “And over here I’ve got something else you might be interested in, Healer Burr.”

She turned around and dragged something out of her cart. It looked like a big block, but Brown Branch had bored little holes in the top and sides and she’d carved it somehow so the top could slide off, revealing the hollow inside. There were wooden latches on opposite sides that, she demonstrated, would keep the top in place even when turned upside down.

“Somepony mentioned to me that you needed something to keep a rabbit inside.” She smirked. “Been working on this ever since. The holes let air come in, the latches will keep the rabbit from busting out, clever, huh?”

“Indeed.” Her eyes went wide. Thistle had mentioned the idea during a meeting once. Who was it that had brought the idea to Brown Branch’s attention? Woodpecker?

“A rabbit, Thistle?” Light cocked an eyebrow in question.

“I need a better way to test medicines and I can’t keep testing them on myself now that I’m pregnant and I don’t want to put anypony at risk.” She explained, eyeing the box with apprehension. “I’m not especially comfortable testing on rabbits either, but it’s better than testing it on a pony.”

“Rabbits are everywhere and they’re always getting into gardens and such.” Brown Branch sniffed harshly. “I say, have at, Healer! And I know you probably don’t wanna carry this thing all day, so I’ll send it to your hut with my colt. That sound alright by you?”

“Thank you, you don’t have to go to any trouble on my account,” Thistle tried to refuse.

“Nah, c’mon, let the herd give back to you for all you do!” Brown Branch laughed.

Hadn’t she said something similar to Summer earlier? It stung to have her words turned back on her.

“Did you have to stop at every stall along the way?” Morning pouted playfully as they finally came to her half of the shared spot.

“They all had such interesting things.” Light grinned. “And you’ve only got the carts to show today? Sad.”

“Ha! I’ve already traded away three of them!” Morning pointed to three carts that had been set off to the side. That left her with six sledges and two carts. “I don’t suppose I could interest one of you lovely young mares into buying a cart?”

“No.” Thistle deadpanned. Morning didn’t take it badly, simply beckoning them to sit with her. Brook was playing with a few blocks and Busy was lying on his back, kicking his legs in the air. Morning saw Thistle’s look and whispered to her,

“He’s been quiet since yesterday. Still grumbles when we tell him to do something, but I think he’s learned that disobeying gets him nothing but a time-out.” She seemed glad.

“And Brook?” She asked.

“Loves mashed potatoes.” Morning chuckled, tossing her mane. “She doesn’t want to nurse at all anymore!”

“Hmm,” That was a fast weaning process. “How is her stomach taking it?”

“She had the runs for a day or two,” Her cousin grimaced. “That was a nightmare. But now she’s happy as can be. Which is good, because Mountain can finally stop complaining about getting bite marks on her teats.”

Thistle covered her mouth to stop the bubble of laughter that inspired. For some reason trying to stifle the laughter only made it more funny. She choked on her giggles while Morning and Light stared.

“Funny?” Brook abandoned her blocks.

“Hey there, Brook.” Light laid down so she could be eye level with the filly. “Still talking in one word sentences?”

“Yeah!” Brook beamed.

Thistle took a deep breath. It wasn’t that funny. It wasn’t!

Morning was still staring at her, but slowly an evil grin stretched across her face. She gave Thistle ample time to realize the danger coming but no hope of escaping.

“Of course, that just means she’ll start complaining that her teats feel too full.” And there she went again.

“Stop it!” Thistle gasped between giggles. “Shadows Curse it, why is that so funny to me?”

“Ha! You’ve got the mood swings!” Morning laughed victoriously. “Yes! Hornet owes me a massage!”

“I do, do I?” Hornet, just now returning from the food tables with a basket full, entered the conversation.

“Thistle got the giggle fits outta nowhere!” Morning crowed. “And you bet she’d be too level headed to get the mood swings!”

Oh, well, it had been kind of him to have such faith in her. Too bad she’d just proven it was unwarranted.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In the shade of the Wall, Onyx lounged with Sapphire and Emerald. The three of them had been through the stalls once already. They hadn’t traded many beads, but a few useful items had been chosen. Now they were reclining in a good spot where they could see the willow tree and the practice bouts being prepared there.

Onyx looked out of the corner of his eye at Emerald. She was watching the preparations with an inscrutable expression. Did she wish to be over there? Testing herself against the Earth ponies?

Her heat was on its tail end, and he was hopeful that she’d caught. She wouldn’t be allowed on patrols if she was pregnant.

Another potential foal on the way and Sapphire due any day now. She was leaning against his side and her stomach rose and fell with her breath. She looked even more serene in her sleep.

With Sapphire asleep he and Emerald didn’t have much to say to each other. It was odd to think he spent his days in the company of more mares than stallions but the conversation hardly changed. If Coal could see him now he could imagine what his brother would say.

“You allow them to soften you, weaken you.” His brother’s phantom voice drifted into his ears.

Onyx didn’t feel weakened. On the contrary, his magic had never felt stronger. Perhaps lifting stones every day was helpful in building strength.

No pony had ordered him to fight. No pony had sent him on patrol. He had a spear, but it was smooth and unnotched. Emerald’s had more wear than his.

He didn’t have to fight if he didn’t want to.

He looked at Emerald again. Instead of looking at the practice bouts as they started, her gaze had been turned towards the food tables.

Ah yes, it was getting close to lunch time, wasn’t it?

“Emerald, I’m going to collect lunch for us. I’ll only be a moment.” He carefully shifted Sapphire off himself without waking her.

“Remember to snag some strawberries if you see them!” Emerald called softly after him. “Sapphire loves those.”

The split logs fashioned into tables were piled with food. Veggies, fruits, and flowers decorated every surface. Young Camellia, healer-in-training, was adding chopped vegetables to a pot for more soup. Ponies were sitting nearby drooling in anticipation.

He saw a basket of strawberries and stretched his magical grip out for a few.

“Oh!” A rose red mare with a two toned green mane gasped in surprise, having reached for the strawberries just as he lifted them away.

“My apologies, miss,” He cleared his throat.

“None are necessary,” He did a quick double check at her words, her tone. She spoke softly, with a gentle sway to her voice that made him think for a moment a unicorn mare was standing before him.

But no, she was an Earth pony. No horn adorned her forehead and on her flank, though he quickly ripped his gaze away, he saw a gravestone mark.

“I’ve surprised you.” She stated, confident without being blunt.

“Ah, forgive my lapse in manners. I am Onyx. Might I know your name, miss?” He bowed his head politely.

“I am named Rose Bud. It is a pleasure to meet you, Onyx.” Spoken with such impeccable diction and grace.

“I apologize if this comes across as rude, but may I ask, your mark? What meaning does it hold?” He found himself asking.

“Most of the herd would assume it means I have a talent for carving markings into stone, carving the deceased’s magic mark so their graves can be found.” She smiled, inviting him in on a joke.

“But that is only most of the herd,” He noted her word choice. “What do you think?”

“I?” She turned her head, making her braid swish most fetchingly. “I believe my mark means for me to tend to the dead, to their memories, so other ponies can visit and remember those who have moved on to the Endless Pastures.”

“Endless Pastures, grave keeper?” He blinked, curious.

“When we die, our spirit, our soul, is called away to the Endless Pastures. There, we have no fear of predators, for there are none. There, we do not hunger, for there is food for every stallion, mare, and foal. There, we do not thirst, for there is water wherever we may take our rest. The weather is always fine and our loved ones await to lead us in peace and safety.” She closed her eyes as she recited.

“A beautiful notion.” He commented. “You know, the unicorns have a similar belief. We call it the Shadowlands.”

“Shadowlands, stair builder?” She smiled in challenge.

“When eyes close for the final time they open again to the Shadowlands. All is shaded as dusk is, and the stars shine endlessly above to light our way.” He straightened up. “Sweet songs drift on the breeze and the paths are smooth. It is in the Shadowlands that we take our eternal rest, sleeping with our mother’s lullabies always in our ears.”

“How sweet it sounds.” She sighed. “I would stay and speak with you longer, stair builder, but today I promised to turn my attention to the living. I promised to spend time with my family, and so I shall. Good tidings to you and may you find the sweet rest you are looking for.”

“And may you wander in peace, grave keeper.” He watched her walk off, tail lightly swaying, to rejoin her family. An older mare and stallion, her mother and father? And another stallion he recognized as Pink Peach’s mate, Pucker Thorn.

A stiff breeze swept her tail to the side and Onyx realized he was staring. Fighting back the blush, he shoveled some food into his baskets and hurried back to Emerald and Sapphire.

Blazing Stars, it wasn’t proper for a stallion to ogle a mare so! At best he should have a talk with her mother about…perhaps…

Ah, but Rose Bud was an Earth pony.

He stopped in his tracks for a moment, caught on the possibilities. He didn’t have to prove himself as an able warrior to gain a mare’s blessing to pursue their daughter. He only had to convince the mare in question to ‘Follow’ him.

Maybe Earth pony herd laws weren’t so bad after all.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Woodpecker faced Silent Current in the fifth bout of the day. As always, he did not allow the silence to unnerve him. Silent was by far his greatest rival in fights, aside Lead Rockslide himself. He had to prove he was strong enough to win.

Silent Current sped towards him, dull spear held for a charge. Woodpecker almost side stepped, but thought better of it and moved into a charge of his own. Before they clashed, he ducked his head down then up again, rocking his spear against Silent’s. It unsteadied the other stallion, nearly knocking him off his front hooves. Woodpecker kicked off with his hind legs and slammed into his opponent.

Silent grunted. He stumbled back two steps, three. Woodpecker tried to bring his spear around for another strike but Silent was faster. A sharp rap to his right knee nearly sent him tumbling. He forced himself into a roll to avoid a downward stab.

On his hooves, he turned and bucked. He struck Silent’s chest and pushed him back, nearly knocking him over.

A twist and he was the one charging. He hadn’t managed to knock Silent’s spear out of his mouth but Silent wasn’t in a good position. He was stumbling back on his hind hooves. Then, forehooves flashing, he tried to slam his full weight onto Woodpecker.

He dodged, swiping his spear against Silent’s side. That would bruise later. For now, Silent huffed and struck out with a leg to force Woodpecker back.

Separated, they circled each other.

Again, Woodpecker pushed himself forward. He tossed his head and angled his spear. Silent blocked but Woodpecker was ever so slightly larger than he was and used the weight to his full advantage. Back, he knocked Silent. Back!

Silent lost balance. He fell onto his back and before he could roll away Woodpecker had placed the tip of his dull spear against his vulnerable belly.

“Winner, Woodpecker!” Lead Rockslide announced. The herd began to cheer and stomp in appreciation.

“Good fight,” Woodpecker panted, spitting his spear out. His sides were heaving and his legs were shaking. His knee throbbed where he’d taken a blow earlier but that seemed to be the worst of it.

“Hey, Woodpecker, congratulations!” Tender Roots called to him on his way to the circle.

“Finally wore Healer Burr down. Can’t wait to see what your foals will be capable of!” A stallion he didn’t see laughed boisterously.

“Shoot, I’m just excited for Healer Burr!” Flood Plains joined in. “Snagged herself a good stallion and she’s got the Lead in the bag!”

Ponies were happy with the direction things were going. He’d worked hard to make himself popular with the stallions and patrol ponies. Now that his most important match was over he could take his rest near his dam.

“Good show, Woodpecker.” Cardinal smiled proudly. “Tell me, how does it go?”

“I have their full support. If any feel differently, they’re keeping quiet.” He smirked. “And Dam, have you given more thought to our prospects?”

“Mm, there are a number of young mares who’d do well in your group.” She adjusted herself.

He’d mostly settled on River Stone. She was a good, solid mare. His dam had cautioned that he might want to look for an older mare as well, one with some experience in foal rearing. There weren’t many unattached mares that matched that criteria though.

He had secret hopes that a suitable Pegasus might turn up in a few weeks, but he hadn’t breathed a word of that to his dam. No, there’d be no faster way to turn the entire council on him than to share the secrets they’d discussed. With Shiny Rock’s, and Pink’s, skills it wouldn’t be long before they discovered where the leak had come from.

Learning Pink had been mentored by Shiny Rock was an enlightening experience. He’d never thought his sister had taken to the subtle arts. They had more in common than he’d once thought.

A shame he couldn’t tell his dam that. She’d often despaired of turning Pink into a proper little gossip.

“Any more plans for today, Woodpecker?” She brought him out of his musings.

“I was thinking of tracking Thistle Burr down for a bit, let the herd see us together.” He hummed thoughtfully. “Then again, she may not appreciate that. She seems to be dedicating the day to her family.”

“Stroll by and see if your company is unwelcome, dear.” She advised him. “Before you go, any good gossip on how the Leadership Council plan to close out the Founding Festival?”

“We’ll gather near the food tables and Thistle Burr will speak,” He was quite looking forward to that. “Then I believe Mimic, Melody, Chime, and Emerald Daze will be providing music before everypony goes home.”

“Music? My, how delightful!” Her eyes gleamed. “And the unicorn mare is involved? I’ve heard she’s a rather wishy-washy mare, flitting here and there.”

“She’s unfocused.” He confirmed. “I’m unsure if that’s simply her personality or if she’s unhappy about her…living arrangements.”

“Not fond of her stallion I’ve heard.” She hid a smirk behind a delicately raised hoof. Nopony looking at them would even begin to guess their true conversation. “Think it might be possible to tempt her away?”

“I’ve laid the foundations in letting her know it is possible to leave her stallion if she finds him wanting.” He sighed. Truth be told he wasn’t that fond of Emerald. She struck him as flighty and insecure. He would’ve preferred Sapphire but she seemed perfectly happy with Onyx.

“Good, good.” His dam lowered her hoof and started stomping in time with the crowd. Oak Leaf had just beaten Tree Stump, his sire.

Thistle’s dinner sat uneasily in her gullet. This morning Lead True had made the opening speech. Now the sun was beginning to set and after a long day of games and fun it was her turn to speak to the herd.

Woodpecker stood beside her looking as unflappable as ever. Pink was occupied with waving to Puck. Shiny Rock was standing a little apart from them, openly staring at the much reduced food on the tables. Rockslide and True Blue stood together, just as she and Woodpecker did.

Now the herd was gathering. Foals were covered in fruit juice and dust from roughhousing. Mares and stallions had their braids shaken loose by the busy day. They were all talking to each other, occasionally looking over to the Council.

She had to get their attention. And then she had to speak.

“You’ll do fine, Thistle Burr.” Woodpecker whispered.

She couldn’t afford to do anything less.

Taking a deep breath to steady her courage, Thistle reared onto her hind legs and whinnied.

Quickly, the herd fell quiet. They watched with gleaming eyes as she settled back down.

Words, words, words!

“Thank you, everypony!” There, just the tiniest hitch in her voice. At least she hadn’t stuttered. “Today marks a new era for us, an era of peace and prosperity and I am so grateful to be sharing it with you!”

That sounded good. How to keep going?

“Everypony has worked so hard to build this home for us, from the ponies constructing our homes to the ponies in the fields, the ponies patrolling the valley against danger and the ponies who take it upon themselves to watch our foals so we might focus on our endeavors.” She continued, “This is the start of our fourth year here and I hope there will be many more to come! Tomorrow, we’ll all go back to work and continue building this great home of ours. But tonight, let’s celebrate our arrival to True Valley!”

The crowd cheered. She nodded to Mimic, Melody, Chime, and Emerald. Together they stepped forward and arrayed themselves in front of the herd. Mimic stood beside Emerald while Melody held up a set of reed pipes and Chime sat down in front of some upside down pots.

There was a moment of quiet.

And then they sang.

“True Valley, the land I see
A land of bounty
Our Leads guide us
So we can live free

True Valley, a land of love
We always feel such hope
We’ll work together, make new things
True Valley, our new home!

Author's Note

Publishing this one kind of early because I won't have access to my laptop in the morning. Have a good week, everybody!

Mourning

Author's Note

Warning: GRAPHIC DEPICTION OF DEATH BY CHILD BIRTH IN THIS CHAPTER!

Mourning

Thistle was awoken by hooves pounding on her door an hour after midnight. Once she’d recognized Onyx she’d scrambled for her supplies. She’d told Light to fetch Cam for her and then galloped to the unicorn’s home.

“I’m here, Sapphire. I’m here.” She gasped, rounding to the mare’s side. “Come now, let me see. Emerald, could you build up that fire for me? Thank you.”

“The pains come…” Sapphire bit her hoof, shaking from the contraction. “Often.” She finished with a moan.

“These herbs help with the pain.” She hoofed them over then rounded behind Sapphire and lifted her tail. She was already starting to open up for the foal, but there was a lot of progress left to be made before it was time to push. “How long ago did the pains start?”

“An hour?” She answered uncertainly.

“An hour and some few minutes, Healer.” Onyx shifted back and forth. “How…How does it look?”

“Has her water broken yet?” She checked. The mat beneath their hooves felt dry.

“No, Healer.” Emerald was the one to speak up, now having built the fire up enough to give them adequate lighting.

“Best settle in then, foals don’t come quickly.” She advised them. She set her baskets down in reach and gently rubbed Sapphire’s belly.

“How long do you think, Healer?” Sapphire asked after swallowing the herbs.

“Several hours, perhaps around dawn. Things might speed up after your water breaks.” Thistle hedged her bets. “Cam should be here soon.”

“Is it…supposed to be so painful?” Sapphire asked quietly.

“Some mares feel it more than others.” She sighed. “Don’t try pushing until I say so, the opening isn’t wide enough yet.”

“Thistle? Thistle, I’m here!” Cam’s voice called from outside.

With the addition of Cam the hut suddenly felt too small. Onyx couldn’t hold still, Sapphire was in pain, and Emerald looked pale in the firelight. Cam at least was using every ounce of self control to appear calm, though her narrowed eyes gave away her nerves.

“Onyx, I think we’ll need more firewood soon.” Thistle offered the nervous stallion an easy out. Numbly, Onyx rose to his hooves and went outside. A moment later they heard the chop of an axe.

“Sapphire, do you want some water? A little food?” Thistle tried to tempt her.

“Water, please?” Sapphire seized with another contraction.

That wasn’t a lot of time between contractions. But the water hadn’t broken yet?

Time passed. She got Sapphire to drink as often as possible. A few times she had her stand and walk in circles around the hut. Little by little the vagina opened up and after two and a half hours the water finally broke, nearly putting out the fire.

There was blood in the water.

Thistle could smell it immediately. Blood in womb water was never a good sign. Was it Sapphire’s or the foal’s?

“Cam, run to my hut and get the bowl of webbing. I’ll also need soft-shoot leaves.” She instructed.

“Okay, I’ll be back soon!” Cam promised.

“Sapphire, can you stand again? The gravity will help push the foal out and I think you’re almost ready to push.” A lie, a partial one anyway. She would’ve liked to wait longer but if one or both of their lives were in danger then she’d have to rush things along.

She had to stay calm. Onyx poked his head in every few minutes and all three unicorns were taking their cues from her. So long as she stayed calm, hopefully they would too.

“My legs feel weak.” Sapphire groaned and swayed.

“Emerald, stand beside her please. Sapphire, lean against the wall here. You’re doing very well.” Thistle lifted her tail again. The vagina was open a little wider but the smell of blood was stronger. Thistle furrowed her brows and forced herself to take a good, strong sniff.

Eck. Okay, not womb blood after all. Tearing. At such an early stage too? The only times a mare had torn under her hooves was during the pushing!

“Ooh! It hurts! It hurts, it hurts!” Sapphire cried, trembling under another contraction. Emerald had to focus entirely on supporting her.

The scent of blood was getting stronger.

Thistle grabbed a gourd from her baskets and began rubbing the goo into Sapphire’s folds. The mixture was meant to numb and relax the flesh, hopefully it would prevent further tearing.

“Thistle, I’m back!” Cam was panting hard. It was clear she’d run the whole way there and back.

“Good, Cam.” She quickly squashed the part of her that wanted to tell Cam to come over and smell the blood, rub the medicine in. Now wasn’t the time for teaching.

“Can I….Can I push, Healer?” Sapphire shivered.

“Just wait a bit longer, Sapphire. You’ll be holding your foal soon enough.” Thistle promised her.

Mother Earth, please, let her keep that promise.

“Cam, ready the webbing. Sapphire, on your next contraction, push.” Thistle prepared herself. The scents mingling in the air were nauseating but she beat it back fiercely.

“HNNNGG!” Blood began to trickle down Sapphire’s thighs.

“Ease up,” Thistle withheld a wince. “Ease up, Sapphire. There you go.”

“There’s blood.” Emerald gulped.

“There’s always some blood with foaling.” Thistle forced herself to say. “It’s not dangerous yet.”

“Is th—…Is the foal…okay?” Sapphire’s sides heaved for air.

“So far it doesn’t look like the foal’s in danger.” Because Sapphire was the one bleeding, she didn’t say.

“I feel…another!” Sapphire hissed.

“Good, remember to breathe.” Thistle waved Cam and the webbing closer.

She pressed the sticky webbing to the tearing.

Thistle kept giving encouragements. Trying to keep everypony calm. It helped keep her calm too even as it looked more and more likely that she’d be losing somepony tonight.

Guiltily, she wished it would be the foal. Losing a foal was hard, yes, but a foal was only a potential pony. The dam was a pony with hopes and dreams and loves and fears, a history of friends and family.

Losing the dam felt worse.

Sapphire grew weaker. Thistle did her best to fortify her with herbs and mixtures but little by little her life was bleeding away. The relaxing goop and the webbing only helped so much.

But she could feel the foal moving into place.

“Almost there, Sapphire. A few more strong pushes and your foal will be here.” Thistle kept her voice from shaking.

“I see a hoof, Sapphire. Keep going.” She took the hoof and gently tugged in time with the next push.

“Oooh! I feel it!” Sapphire sobbed, gasping for breath. “It huuuurrtts!”

“C’mon, Sapphire,” Emerald shuddered. “Just, hang in there!”

“There’s the other hoof and, yes, I see a horn!” A little nub covered in a white film. Maybe that film kept the foal from goring the dam in the womb? “Just a little more, Sapphire. We’re almost through!”

Thistle bit back a swear as a fresh wave of blood appeared. She directed Cam to catch the foal while she tried to stem the bleeding. Bit by bit the foal slipped out. She used up all the webbing, feeling it go wet with blood.

Blood on Sapphire’s legs, Thistle’s hooves, blood in every breath.

No, don’t think about that. Bite it down.

She could not be sick right now.

“Waaah!” A thin, reedy cry. Thistle watched Cam gently catch the foal, laying it in a bed of fresh grass in a basket just for it.

“A filly!” Cam announced.

“A filly.” Sapphire repeated. “I’m a…mother now.”

“There’s still the afterbirth, Sapphire.” Thistle tensed. “Emerald, don’t let her collapse just yet.”

“I heard crying. Is the foal…?” Onyx poked his head in again.

“A filly,” Sapphire repeated weakly.

“Yes, a filly, Sapphire. I think she has your coloring.” Thistle ground fresh herbs into her vagina, trying to get the wounds to close. “One last push, Sapphire. Give me just one more.”

One more was all she had. The afterbirth slipped away easily but Sapphire had lost too much blood already.

“Lay her down on a clean mat, carefully.” Thistle helped move her. The foal kept crying.

“My filly,” Sapphire whimpered.

“Do you want to hold her?” Thistle blinked back tears.

“Yes.” Sapphire’s smile wobbled as the foal was placed in her front hooves.

Thistle tried everything she could think of. She turned Emerald and Onyx to cleaning but even as the bleeding finally slowed to a halt as sunlight filtered in, Thistle knew it was a lost cause.

There was just too much blood. Sapphire wasn’t recovering. Gently, she laid the foal at Sapphire’s teat and let her nurse.

“Oh, Sapphire, she’s perfect.” Onyx’s eyes were watering. “She looks just like you!”

“Yes,” Sapphire didn’t lift her head. Stricken, Onyx laid down and adjusted her until her head laid in his forehooves.

“Healer, is she alright?” He looked at her.

“She lost a lot of blood.” Her heart and stomach roiled within her. “I’m sorry, there’s…nothing else I can do. Either she recovers or…” Or she doesn’t.

“Thistle?” Cam’s eyes spilled over. Thistle wasn’t sure when Cam had realized things were more serious than Thistle was saying.

“Nothing you can do?” Onyx nearly raised his voice but Sapphire’s weight on his forelegs stopped him. “How can there be nothing? You’re the Healer!”

“I can’t make more blood for her. I’d give her mine if I could.” She closed her eyes tight, then opened them again. The bleeding had finally stopped completely and the foal was still nursing. With a pang in her heart, she turned to Camellia. “Sometimes you do everything you can and you still can’t save everypony.”

All the fight left the room. Emerald busied herself cleaning and re-cleaning the same spot. Going in and out to get more water. Sapphire slept and woke, gaining a fever before mid-morning. Thistle sent Cam for more medicines, then sent her home. She didn’t have to stay for this part just yet.

“Am I dying, Healer?” Sapphire croaked. She couldn’t keep down any water.

“I’m sorry, Sapphire.” The sickness in her stomach wasn’t physical this time. How could Mother Earth take Sapphire now? She’d been so excited to meet her foal, to hold her for the first time, raise her!

“I’m dying,” Sapphire accepted with a sigh. “My filly?”

“Strong and healthy, it seems.” Thistle picked the filly, now cleaned up, and set her where Sapphire could see without having to lift her head.

“She’s beautiful, Sapphire.” Onyx nuzzled her mane. “What…What do we name her?”

“Diamond, my most precious little gem. Name her Blue Diamond for me, please?” She asked sweetly.

“Blue Diamond. It’s perfect.” His voice cracked.

“My filly,” Sapphire Cut closed her eyes.

She would never wake again.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Rose Bud wished that Sapphire had lived long enough to gain a magic mark. Erecting a plain gravestone felt sadder somehow. In time, it would be impossible to tell who was buried here.

Mountain had come and offered to wet nurse the filly. Onyx had passed the foal over without blinking. Emerald Daze hadn’t even looked up.

Yesterday she’d had an enjoyable conversation with Onyx. Today, she buried one of his mares.

The Mother Earth had a strange sense of humor. Hopefully someday she’d explain it.

Healer Burr always lingered when they laid a pony to rest, but sooner or later she would leave the family to grieve in privacy. Rose watched her leave now, head hung low and ears tucked back. She suspected she’d be seeing a lot of the healer for the next few days.

Mountain pulled Emerald gently aside and asked her how she wanted to handle Blue Diamond’s needs. Rose kept half an ear on that but there was no argument, no rising tempers. Emerald Daze offered nothing to the conversation and Mountain didn’t have the heart to fight a mare facing such loss. So she took Blue Diamond and said they could come see her whenever they chose.

Emerald didn’t stay long after that. Rose wasn’t sure if she was the type to visit graves. She didn’t think so.

Finally, when it was just her and Onyx, she stepped forward and laid some flowers on the graves. Violets.

“Why flowers?” He asked after some time had passed.

“Remembrance.” She answered simply.

Some ponies cried. Some raged. Some, like Onyx, resided in numb shadow. He had that in common with Healer Burr.

“I loved her.” He grieved.

“You love her still.” She corrected gently.

She watched the words touch him. His ears, already drooping, tucked back completely. His whole body twitched like she’d physically struck him. His face crumpled up in an effort to prevent tears.

Not entirely like Healer Burr then.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mom brought the filly home. Her name was Blue Diamond. Mom’s milk was drying up now that Brook was weaned, but there’d be other mares willing to nurse an extra foal.

Cam fled outside, running past the garden and past the barrier of trees that led to the orchard. Apples, filled to bursting and soon ripe for harvest, dangled overhead. Cam didn’t pay attention to any of it. She just ran.

Ran and ran and ran. Until her hoof snagged on a root and sent her tumbling end over end.

Cam came up sobbing. Less from pain and more from…Sapphire had died. Thistle had sent her away but that didn’t keep her from knowing it. Sapphire was dead and her filly was in Cam’s house.

Cam covered her eyes and cried. It felt like all she could do.

“Cam? Camellia, answer me please!” Daddy. He was calling for her.

Cam didn’t answer him. Sapphire was dead. Cam was training to be a healer but even Thistle hadn’t been able to save her!

“Cam! Oh, sweetness.” Daddy found her and laid by her side. “Did you fall? What hurts?”

Cam sobbed harder, shaking her head and refusing to lift her hooves. Sapphire was dead and Cam hadn’t been able to do anything.

“I’m sorry, Cam. I’m so sorry.” He sighed, sweeping her into a warm hug. Cam buried her face in his fur and kept crying.

Every day learning more and more about wounds and illnesses and still, none of that was a guarantee. There were lots of graves in the graveyard. Every pony there was a pony Thistle couldn’t save.

Someday there’d be ponies there that Cam couldn’t save. Sapphire felt like the first.

“It hurts to lose somepony, I know.” He rubbed her back. “Especially when you tried so…hard to save them.”

“…Daddy?” She sniffed, looking up for the first since he’d found her. His fur was damp from his own tears now.

“I lost my sister, she was right beside me and our dam’s final words were begging me to keep her safe.” He revealed. “And I failed. And there was nothing I could do.”

Sometimes, she forgot that she hadn’t always been part of the True Herd. That, once upon a time, there was a Hope Herd and they ran into monster after monster after monster!

Cam had lost her dam. She had an aunt she never spoke to now but no other family she knew of. Not blood family. And there was Holly who’d held back from giving birth for ages until it was safe. Until Thistle and the True Herd made it safe. There was Bright Finish and still Silent Current and Mimic, Melody, and Chime. There was Soft Step and Pine Needle. There was Hope Springs.

Their herd had been much larger once. Everypony had lost somepony. Everypony had failed somepony.

“I tried!” She was dribbling snot now. “I did everything Thistle said, I did my best!”

“I know, Cam. I know.” He rubbed her back. “Sometimes there’s nothing anypony can do.”

“But why? She wanted to be a dam so bad, Daddy! She knew she was dying a-and, she just wanted to hold her!” She cried. “It’s not fair! Why did she have to die?”

“I don’t know why anypony has to die, Cam. I wish I did.” He closed his eyes briefly, sending tears spilling down his cheeks. “It’s just the way nature works. Everything lives, everything dies. We just try to stay alive as long as we can. And when we can’t, then we move on to the Endless Pastures.”

Was Sapphire in the Endless Pastures? Somewhere always warm and safe, filled with good food and water and friends and family? Did Sapphire have friends and family waiting for her in the Endless Pastures?

“I didn’t want her to die.” She whimpered.

Healers couldn’t save everypony. Thistle couldn’t. She could try and try and still fail and when a Healer failed…

When a builder like Pink failed, their hut came apart or their bridge turned into a dam.

When a farmer failed their plants didn’t grow.

When a healer failed…ponies died.

Responsibility

Hornet shifted his weight from side to side while he waited for Morning to be satisfied with the harness. Rather than rough branches, this new contrivance had been constructed with the help of Brown Branch and her group. The bark had been shaved away and the wood smoothed, notches and holes had been cut into parts so they could fit together without rope holding them. Now instead of a rope harness that would chafe and might snap under pressure, there was a wooden harness with a part he could bite into and pull the cart behind him.

He looked over his shoulder. The cart had sides about a foot tall. The back wall could be latched in place the same way some ponies had learned to latch their doors. It all rested on the two wheels on the bottom.

When a pony wasn’t hitched to the front, the balance of the cart tipped it so the harness touched the ground. That kept the cart from rolling away when it wasn’t in use. Morning had fussed and tinkered with smaller versions of wheels and slats of wood for days when it rained until she’d finally figured out how to make it work.

“Alright, Hornet, trot around a bit and let’s see how it does.” Morning nodded when she was sure everything was exactly as it was supposed to be. Hornet nodded and bit the mouth-grip.

It wasn’t difficult to pull. In fact, it was so easy that he nearly overcompensated. He was used to far more drag than this. Even an empty sledge provided more resistance when it first started moving.

He started at a walk, going around their home. It didn’t do sharp turns well, but it performed better than the sledge. The only problem he could feel was that one wheel was slightly smaller than the other. He could feel it list to the side a little.

“Okay, little ponies, all aboard!” Mountain opened up the back wall so the foals could climb in the back. It would be easy to tell if the cart could handle the extra weight and the foals treated it like a game.

It was a little harder to get moving, but not by much. He started an easy trot, nothing spectacular but enough to make Busy and Brook whoop and cheer. Cam held her little sister firmly and kept a close eye on Busy.

“It works! It works!” Morning pranced in place as he circled around again. Her light blue braids nearly came flying loose as she celebrated.

After another few trips around the house, the foals were left with Mountain while Hornet and Morning went to show their progress to Pink. She was working on the wall again with the unicorn stallion and her other volunteers. He noticed their rock pile was almost completely gone. Morning had finished her cart just in time.

“Morning, Hornet, is that…?” Pink blinked, cocking her head to the side to inspect the cart. “The thing you were working on?”

“A cart! It can handle heavy loads much easier than a sledge! And its easier to pull too!” Morning informed her gleefully.

“Wow!” Pink looked between Hornet and the rock pile. “Say, Hornet? You wouldn’t mind a demonstration, would you?” She clasped her hooves together to plead. “Just one little trip up the mountain? Please?”

“Of course, Pink,” He had to spit out the mouth-grip to answer. “One load of rocks, coming right up.”

“Yes!” She laughed victoriously. “Alright everypony, you heard him! We’ll be back with some rocks soon! Oak Leaf, you’re in charge until I get back!”

“What am I to do until we get more rocks?” The unicorn stallion asked, stepping forward with his eyes glued to the cart.

“Rest up that horn of yours.” Pink told him firmly. “This is the rainy season, so we’ve got to get as much work done when we can. If you need something to keep you busy, run around the village and make sure all the markers are still in place.”

“Yes, Pink Peach,” He sighed, turning away.

“He seems alright.” Morning commented once he was out of earshot. “What do you think, Hornet?”

“I’m not sure.” He admitted.

“He’s fine, just sorta quiet and a little…uh,” Pink rolled her hoof thinking of the right word. “Condescending, I guess. ‘Specially towards mares unless they’re directly above him in the food chain.”

“Now c’mon,” She snorted. “We’re wasting valuable daylight here!”

Hornet was astounded by how much easier it all was with the cart. Going uphill was no struggle at all and soon he was able to unhitch and they began loading rocks inside. Hornet even found a few small gems to take home and he put them in his baskets when Morning wasn’t looking.

“Alright, moment of truth,” Pink rubbed her chin. “Let’s see how it does going downhill.”

“Oh boy,” Hornet licked his lips before hitching himself up. There were a lot of rocks. Big ones. Tentatively, he began to pull.

It was definitely harder now, but he’d pulled a loaded sledge before and this was many times easier. Still the real test was yet to come. Pulling it over level ground was doable, and he felt he could pull the fully loaded cart for some hours if he had to, but downhill?

He took it slow. The last thing he wanted was to be trampled by a cart loaded to the brim with rocks. Pink and Morning walked on either side of him, ready in case the cart tried to run him over. The wooden harness proved its worth here, though it nearly yanked itself from his mouth with the pressure and he had to brake with his hooves in the really steep parts.

“You’re doing good, Hornet!” Morning encouraged him. “Looks like everything’s holding together.”

“Morning, this thing is amazing!” Pink gushed. “Sun and Moon, can you imagine how much easier this is going to make things!”

“I’ll have to make more.” Morning said, sighing. “It took two days for Brown Branch and I to make this. We’ll have to chop down some more trees. Cursed Shadows, I would’ve had it sooner if it hadn’t taken me so long to figure out the axle-and-frame.”

“What matters is you did figure it out, and we’re almost to the bottom of the mountain already!” She reassured her. Hornet checked ahead and saw the ground level out below them. He was a little tired but not bad. He felt he could do another load after this. Maybe even two.

The only bad thing about this new cart was that he couldn’t talk while he was pulling it. He glared down at his snout. Morning was one of his mares and Pink was family through Thistle, he didn’t feel shy around them anymore.

“Hornet, are you okay?” Morning must’ve seen his glare. He smiled around the bit in his mouth and tried to nod. It didn’t really work well.

“Do you want to stop and take a break?” She asked.

“Enn-nuh,” He tried to shake his head. They were almost at the bottom, he’d stop once they were on flat ground again.

“Phew!” He gratefully let go and stretched out his jaw muscles. His jaw was maybe a little sore but he felt good. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I actually missed being able to talk.”

“Does your jaw hurt?” Morning gently ran her hoof over his jawline.

“Just a little sore, Morning.” He smiled around it. “I guess I’m just not used to using those muscles yet. But that cart’s so easy to pull I think I could do another load as soon as we finish with this one.”

“Really now? You don’t say?” Pink’s eyes lit up.

“Well, we still have to finish this load, you mustang.” Morning rolled her eyes and snorted.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Morning decided to stay with the Wall ponies. Hornet and Oak Leaf went up the mountain and Pink began leading everypony back to building. Morning found herself drafted as well but that was about what she’d expected. She hoped Mountain was having fun with the foals.

“Your name is Morning Dew, isn’t it?” She looked over her shoulder to see the unicorn stallion. His horn was aglow and a line of sunny gold was connecting it to a rock.

“And you’re Onyx, settling in alright?” She asked politely. The Wall for the section closest to the lake was just over a body length high. Onyx was the only pony not having any trouble lifting his stone into place.

“Fairly well. My mares and I do enjoy our new…home.” He paused on the word like it was still strange.

Morning had watched it all grow up around her. She’d been part of it. It made her feel good inside to see a stranger from another herd admire her home.

“I was told you invented the sledges, and now you’ve built the cart.” He told her.

“Mountain broke her legs a couple weeks after the Light-That-Wasn’t,” She explained, happy to tell the story. “We were really worried about what would happen when the herd moved on, if I’d be able to carry her or not, and then I just got the idea for the sledge!”

“And you gained your magic mark that way?” He asked as they walked back to the pile for more rocks.

“Yep!” She looked back at her flank. It was a little funny to see the crude little sledge there. The first sledge she’d made had been rough, kept getting caught on roots and rocks, and had fallen apart after crossing a river. It still filled her with pride to see how far she’d come.

“You know, among unicorns you’d have considerable status for such an accomplishment.” He didn’t meet her eyes as they started back towards the Wall, another rock in his glowing grip.

“Does your herd have anything like the stuff we do?” She asked him curiously.

“Spears,” He shrugged, looking down at his hooves briefly. “And a mare from another herd joined us and made baskets. She was allowed her pick of stallions for that.”

“Huh, really? Just for teaching you how to make baskets?” Her eyes widened. Did her pick of stallions include the Lead stallion? Burning Sun, she’d heard the unicorns did things differently but that was something else.

“No, she didn’t teach us,” He corrected her, lifting his rock up high and setting it in place. He was even kind enough to lift hers too. “If a pony wanted a basket, they gave her food or perhaps a gem in trade.”

“Wait, so there’s only one pony in your whole herd who knows how to make baskets?” She checked. “But…But…What if something happens to her? She gets sick or dies and your herd would have no new baskets. Does she at least teach her foals?”

“Her only foal was just a newborn when we left.” He shrugged. “And, I suppose, if she dies then the herd will treasure what baskets they have until they find somepony else who knows how to make them. I’m more surprised that you are surprised. Doesn’t only one pony make pots and mats and now carts?”

“Yeah, right now.” Morning waved her hoof at the other ponies at work. “But Clay is already teaching his sister to make things out of clay, and I’ve seen Starlight sitting with Summer Showers to learn how to make mats. And Mountain and Hornet know how to make carts, and they’ll help me build the next ones.” She looked around and checked the path but Hornet wasn’t back yet.

“But it’s like…it’s like…” Suddenly an idea flashed through her head. “It’s like Water Lily!”

“Water Lily?” Onyx repeated, flummoxed.

“Water Lily was Thistle’s Dam, she died just a few days before the Light-That-Wasn’t came!” She explained excitedly. “And among the herd, she was our water finder! She was the only pony who knew how to find water wherever we went. So when she died…” She prompted.

“It…put the whole herd at risk.” He followed. “I see.” He frowned, considering.

Morning watched him for a moment. She imagined what life might’ve been like if Earth ponies were more like unicorns. Would they have to give Thistle food before she gave them any medicine?

She couldn’t imagine Thistle ever doing something like that though. She wasn’t shy about sharing the healing knowledge she had, and Light knew almost as much. Besides, if ponies tried trading food for treatment then Thistle’s whole hut would be filled to bursting with just food!

She focused back on Onyx. He looked like he was still thinking over what she told him. Slowly, his eyes came back up to meet hers.

“Hey, uh, if it doesn’t bother you too much, what made the three of you leave your herd?” She asked.

“I believe…you are the first pony to outright ask that.” He sighed. “It’s a rather long story though.”

“We can talk and work at the same time.” Morning got back on her hooves, unsure when she’d sat down. “Besides, if it’s a story then Light is gonna want to hear it someday. That young filly loves stories more than anypony I’ve ever met.”

“It starts about a year ago, when my brother and I were old enough to take mares of our own and be proper stallions.” He began. “Coal and I are half-brothers through our mother, and we both fought a chimera just before we were full stallions. Do you know what a chimera is?”

“I know what it is, but I’ve never seen one.” Morning shuddered. “There’s a pony I know who lost her eye to one. And Cam sometimes has nightmares about it.”

“I delivered the final blow and killed it and we carried the tail as a trophy. Then the Lead Mare summoned us forward and said we’d proven ourselves as worthy stallions. Since I killed the chimera, she told me I could have her younger daughter, Sapphire, as my first mare.”

“Wait, she just gave you her filly?” Morning pulled her head back in shock.

“Sapphire could’ve refused if she truly found me wanting.” He defended himself. “I know you Earth ponies do things differently, but it was a great honor to both myself and Sapphire for her mother to give us her blessing.”

“Okay, okay,” Morning waved him down. “What happened next?”

“Well,” He took a deep breath. “Coal’s a year older than me, but he hadn’t really proven himself against a predator yet. I think he was jealous that I was the one who delivered the final blow to the chimera. He kept the tail as his trophy, but I was the one who got one of the Lead Mare’s daughters.”

“We’d never really gotten along before then, always rivaling each other, but it got worse after that. I did my best to ignore him and even asked Emerald’s mother for her to join me. Then we found out Sapphire was pregnant.” He got a small, brief smile at that. It quickly faded as he continued.

“Her older sister, and our future Lead Mare, was Lapis Lazuli, and our current Lead, Rainbow Quartz, hadn’t chosen a stallion for her yet. But then Rainbow Quartz grew sick and died.” He explained, “And there can’t be a Lead Mare without a Lead Stallion. The Herd Laws here are different, I know, among the unicorns the Lead Stallion is the sire of the next Lead Mare, and since Sapphire was pregnant and Lapis was not, there was…conflict.”

“Oh,” Morning gulped. She couldn’t even imagine that. True Blue had been the Lead Mare for Morning’s whole life and everypony looked forward to the day Thistle succeeded her. The idea of a herd being torn apart because they couldn’t agree on who the new Lead was? She shivered.

“Lapis Lazuli declared that she was taking my brother as her stallion and, to preserve peace, she banished Sapphire and myself from the herd.” He went on. “Emerald didn’t want to come with us, I know, but she was already my mare by that point and no other stallion would’ve had her so she had to come with us. The rest, you already know.”

“That must’ve been hard on all of you.” She winced in sympathy. He nodded sadly.

“Now, Lapis Lazuli is the Lead Mare and Coal is her Lead Stallion, but somehow I think we got the better end of the deal.” He shook his head and chuckled. “Because while they are still running over the mountains, we are here, prospering with your herd.”

“Your herd too, you know.” She elbowed him. “You, Sapphire, Emerald, and the foal on the way, you’re all part of True Village now.”

“And someday soon the Burr Village?” He smirked.

“Maybe, maybe not.” Morning shrugged, blowing her mane out of her eyes. “I think we’ll probably keep the name in honor of the Lead who settled us here. So we’ll still be the True Village even when Thistle is leading us.”

“This is by far the strangest herd I have ever met.” Onyx decided.

He probably would’ve felt better if Morning hadn’t started laughing.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pink finished recounting what Morning had passed to her. The council sat around Lead True’s fire as they processed this. She stretched out her back, sore from the day’s work, and waited for somepony to say something.

“That’s better than what we were thinking.” Thistle eventually pointed out.

“I don’t much like the way the unicorns do things.” Woodpecker frowned, looking so much like their dam that she unconsciously straightened her spine.

“Makes you wonder what the Pegasus ponies will be like.” Shiny pursed her lips.

“I think we can put our concerns about the unicorns aside for the time being.” Lead True decided. “How goes progress on the Wall, Pink?”

“Things are going to be picking up thanks to that cart!” Pink beamed. Ten loads between two stallions, all in one afternoon. That might almost be enough for the rest of the foundation! “If we continue at this new pace I’m thinking we’ll have most of it done before harvest. If winter is mild this year we might finish the whole thing before spring!”

“There are some moons still before the Pegasus herd arrives.” Lead True sighed. “Rockslide, when they arrive I’d like if you could put two ponies on the storage house, day and night if possible.”

“I don’t think I could sell that right now.” He frowned deeply. “But when the Pegasus arrive? Yeah, I could talk a few into working nights and maybe convince’em to double up.”

“How much food are we willing to share, exactly?” Shiny cut in. “Because some of that is needed for seed if we’re to have a harvest next year and our herd is only growing. And our own ponies eat a great deal already.”

“No more than a quarter, I believe.” Lead True stated. “Would that be acceptable, Shiny?”

“Holding back the quarter for seed, that leaves just half for our ponies to eat and we don’t know how big this Pegasus herd is.” Shiny mouthed a few words that were probably facts and figures. Pink was glad being a Confidante didn’t automatically mean she’d someday be in charge of the food stores. She could calculate how much rock and horse power was needed to build a wall but keeping track of all that food and who had so much of it was definitely beyond her.

The scary thing to consider was that someday they’d have to find a replacement for Shiny.

“Thistle Burr, I’m afraid I’m not so familiar with the local grazing anymore,” Shiny turned regrettably towards Thistle. “Is there wild food enough in the valley to feed another herd?”

“Not for a whole season.” Thistle answered quickly. “A few weeks, maybe a moon, but no more than that. And there’s a thought that just occurred to me,” She looked around at all of them.

“We’ve been assuming the Pegasus will fly over us, see us, and perhaps stay through most of fall before going on their way again, minus whatever number of them we convince to join us.” She said.

“What if they decide to winter here?” She asked them.

If Pink was a wolf her hackles would’ve gone up. Herds stopped moving in winter, at least for the most part. And winter came soon after harvest. But to have these strangers alight upon their fields, eat their crops, and demand to stay for the whole winter?

“We don’t have enough food for that.” Was Shiny’s immediate, panic-stricken, response. “At a certain point we’d have to stop giving them food or starve ourselves.”

“Thistle, you said yourself the valley can’t support two herds for that long.” Woodpecker’s brows nearly met in the middle.

“No, it can’t, but do you think the Pegasus know that?” She worried at her lip.

“If they think we have enough food,” And they would, Pink’s thoughts sought to remind her, once they started feeding them. “Then they might think to stay for the winter. And keep being fed.”

“Calm down, everypony.” Lead True stamped her hoof to get their attention. “Thistle Burr, thank you for sharing your concerns with us, this is a potential problem we’ll have to consider carefully.”

And they did consider it. The rest of the meeting passed in near silence, broken only when one of them produced a thought worth sharing and the whole council spent a few moments going over it until the thought collapsed. Pink couldn’t think of anything except denying the Pegasus their homes unless some of them joined the herd. Maybe they won’t want to stay if they don’t have warm shelters to keep the winter cold out.

After they gave up the meeting for the time being, everypony went their separate ways. Woodpecker didn’t even take the opportunity to flirt with Thistle before turning for home. Thistle herself looked to be in a daze.

Just outside her home, Pink leaned against a tree and breathed a deep sigh. She’d built this village from the ground up with her own four hooves. Everypony had, everypony contributed.

In the night air there was just a hint of coolness and it made her think of winter. The first winter had been hard, at least until fire was tamed by Mountain, but they’d had enough to eat. The second winter had been merry, joyful, ponies had seen winter coming and laughed because they were so well off.

Pink shook off the depressing thoughts and went inside to her mate. She was past fifteen now. Maybe it was time to start thinking of a foal of her own.