For a United Equestria

The bringing of a stranger into her home was putting Nightengale on edge. Whatever, or whoever this creature was they were large. To be honest alot of things were large to the small statured Thestral. She always was quite small even for a female, but she made up for this with seemingly boundless wells of positivity and energy. Which she used in her daily job working at the small recently established clinic.

While she was no doctor, at least not to the ponies standards. She knew how to care for a sick patient, and had plenty of experience dealing with creatures that were suffering from hypothermia. Even as the creature lay on her floor still shivering Nightengale held out hope that they would survive under her care.

Moving quickly she flipped the creature onto it back reaching for its neck with a finger to check for a pulse. It was weak, but there was one, and leaning her ear down to its nose and mouth she heard ragged breathing. While in the clinic she was very professional and almost never reacted unprofessionally there was something different about this. She was not in the clinic, this was her home, and this creature was dying.

She felt like she wanted to scream, to panic, to run for the actual doctors who worked at the clinic. But she knew if she left now this creature would probably be dead long before any help actually arrived. So Nightengale managed to swallow her anxiety, and think what this creature needed. First was obviously warmth, but not to quickly as a reintroduction of warmth that quickly into the bloodstream. Could send the creature into shock, and all but assure its demise.

It was then that she remembered something. In her small cottage she had a spare cot, for whenever guests would come over. Though unfortunately she was never able to use it, as....no guests ever came over. Putting those saddening thoughts aside Nightengale stood up and retrieved the foldable bed and laid it out onto the floor. Scooting the sled closer to the piece of furniture she took in a deep breath as she rolled the creature over onto the cot. Managing to roll it completely 360 degrees onto its back once more.

She gave a small cheer at her success, before she pushed the sled aside. Her hands were soaking wet she had noticed. The ice and snow that had clung to the creatures clothes was melted by the fire when it was brought inside. If it were any other situation in her home she would dread having to undress a strange creature. But with another gulp of nervousness she began the process. Most of its attire was segmented especially on the forearms, legs, and upper torso. It was made a very heavy and hard material. It was too soft to be metal but to hard to be any kind of cloth. It looked like it could function as some sort of armor. As the placement on the body was very reminiscent of the villages gaurd precinct.

The clothing beneath came next. It wore a crimson colored outfit. The top sporting gold accents, while the bottoms had green accents. Certainly a strange combination in her eyes, but this did not stop her. What she found the most interesting were the multitude of scars that dotted its chest and back area. More and more she noticed similarites between her own species, and whatever this one must be. It muscle structure seemed identical to a male of her species if its flat chest and thin stomach was anything to go by. Regardless she only saw this type of physique on gaurds or solider who trained their whole life. Perhaps they were some sort of solider, or gaurd? Oh.....he.....perhaps he was some sort of solider....Nightengales face turned a very deep shade of red when her gaze traveled further downwards. Tearing her gaze away from...that she quickly threw a very thin blanket over him. Having the creatures gender revealed to her did not make the matter any better.

Nightengale gave herself a few moments to clam down from what she had just saw. If her father found out she had a naked male of any species for any reason in her home, he'd skin the colt alive, and then yell at her for making him do such a horrible thing. As her mind started to spiral it was suddenly grounded by a somewhat scary thought. What would the rest of her village think about this creature?

Outsiders were hardly ever welcome in this village. It took years before the council even considered letting the ponies from the south into their borders. And even longer before a small amount were allowed to live here. So how would they react to this creature. With these thoughts in her head she turned back towards him. The thin blanket leaving little to the imagination. She couldn't help the blush on her face as she approached getting onto her knees beside the cot. Trying to be roughly chest level with the cot itself. Focusing on the creatures face Nightengale began to examine him. It was then in the light of the fire she noticed something, a small gasp escaping her lips, as she saw the many cuts and bruises that covered its face. Previously unseen due to the ice that had clinged to every part of him.

Standing up from sitting on her knees Nightengale quickly walked over to the cabinet at the far end of the room. Passing by her room door in the process she sighed and spoke aloud, as if the stranger was awake and listening. While grabbing supplies to clean and bandage the wounds.

"Im glad I found you...whoever you are. Much longer and I might have been too late. What were you doing out in that storm, you certainly don't look like your from around here"

There came no response from the creature as it lay unconscious on the cot. But the words kept flowing from her mouth without any sort of filter. Kneeling back down beside the cot using some warm water to clean any dirt of debris that might have been caked on his face.

"You know...you actually don't look that different from a Thestral or Pony. You poor thing....I wonder who you were calling out to in the storm..."

Raising his head with her soft leathery wing she began to wrap his face and head in the bandages. Thankfully the damage was mostly limited to the upper part of his face, and his eyes seemed to be untouched. Then again she had no idea to truly know if they were un-damaged. As the anatomy of this creature was extremely limited. Nightengale was just thankful he seemed to resemble Ponies and Thestral so much.

Once she had finished wrapping his head in the bandages she gently set the creatures head down on the pillow. Pulling the thin blanket over the creatures form again while placing a soft furred hand on his forehead. His body was still shivering heavily from the cold, and she hummed about what she could do to help. A few thoughts came to mind and they made her blush heavily. But she quickly shook them away, and pulled her hand away with a sigh. If he was in any immediate danger Nightengale might have considered sharing her body heat.

As she thought about the ways she could help another thought passed through her mind. If Nightengale was to keep this creature alive she was mist definitely going to need help. She had no idea what he ate, she could barely move him without exhausting herself, and he might need medicine to minimize the pain he'll feel later on. But she couldn't take him anywhere without getting spotted... but maybe she could bring somepony else here! The pony doctor that ran the clinic she worked at that pony had taught her everything she knew. If anyone knew how to help it was Scarlet Scalpel, the best doctor this side of the great divide!

Nightengale wore a hopeful smile across her face, of course it was quickly dashed away by a sudden light coughing. She had her back turned to the creature as she had been lost in thought. And when she turned back around she that started coughing on his cot. At first they started light, but eventually they graduated into a full on coughing fit. His body convulsing on the cot, and Nightengale but a hand over her mouth when crimson red blood started to spew from its mouth. Quickly staining the thin blanket and its remaining skin that the blanket didn't cover. But soon after she started to hear it gurgle the blood in its throat and mouth making it impossible for air to seep through.Thinking on her feet she quickly tied a clean cloth around her muzzle and mouth. Moving closer to the creature while his coughing fit continued.

Remembering her training she managed to wedge her hands beneath the creature heavy bare body. Before she started to lift from one side tilting the creature up until it laid on it side. Her ears perking up as she saw more blood spew from its mouth with every cough. But the gurgling stopped as it was able to take in the warmer air. It's possibly inflamed lungs having a visceral reaction to the sudden change. Though within a half minutes time the coughing fit calmed down. Now it was only occasional coughs, and no more blood spilled out of its mouth after she cleaned it with another clean towel. Nightengales ears fell as she gently lay the creature back on his side. His breathing heavy and wheezing it seemed like there was no doubt its lungs sustained some form of damage.

"By the gods....you certainly gave me quite the scare. For a moment I thought I was going to have to explain to the elders why there was unmarked grave behind my home hehe..."

Nightengale said to the creature, but when it did not respond to her poorly timed joke. She simply walked across the living room and collapsed in a heap in her chair. The events of the night starting to catch up with her. Crackling and splintering wood once again garnered her attention. And another heavy groan escaped her lips as she noticed that she still had not gotten extra firewood.

Pinching the bride of her nose between the fingers of her right hand. Nightengale could only growl in frustration, but another cough pulled her back. A smaller sigh came out as looked at the little amount of wood she had left.

"I suppose....this could last the rest of the night. I cannot make it to warm in here after all. Oh I hope Scalpel is in tomorrow if she isn't. I'm not sure there is much I can do to help you anymore. I know I just met you Mister Stranger, but I hope we can be friends...if you survive that is."

These grim thoughts were weighing on the small Thestrals mind. So much so that a yawn forced its way out of her mouth. The chair she sat in wasn't enough to sleep in at least fot her, but her room wasn't far. After soaring the stranger another glance she stood from her chair, and trudged over to her room. Pushing the door open removing her boots and collapsing onto the soft mattress. Leaving her room door open in case the stranger started having another coughing fit. She let her eyes flutter close, as sent up a small prayer on the strangers behalf to god's. Praying that Scarlet would be in her office tomorrow often as she often wasn't. As that pony may be his only chance at survival.