Building Ponies

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.