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!