Everypony in the Apple Family were getting ready for their days. Applejack's traveling to Manehatten with Rarity to help Coco Pommel with her sickness. Granny Smith's visiting Golden Delicious at her little cabin. Big Mac's going visiting Sugar Belle at her bakery in Starlight's old village. And Apple Bloom, along with her two best friends and Twilight Sparkle, are traveling to Mount Aris, because the for the first time in forever, the Cutie Mark Crusaders discovered their first friendship mission. She was so happy that she told her siblings and her grandmother.
Mount Aris, one of the areas that the main six discovered while they were on their big adventure while the Storm King took over Equestria. The three little fillies were really excited that they were going to take a look at the place. How great it is, and what great creatures that live there. They just hope that the place is excited and not boring.
Applejack patted her sister on the head a couple times. "Ah must say, I'm very proud of ya, sis.", she crooned.
"Eeyup.", Big Mac agreed.
"Now, ya be sure to be safe, Young Filly.", Granny Smith said, heading for the entrance door. "Don't want ya gettin' eatin' bah sharks."
Apple Bloom groaned in annoyance. "Granny, Ah'm pretty sure there're no sharks around Mount Aris.", she scowled.
"She's just teasin' ya, Apple Bloom.", Applejack reassured, rubbing her sister's back.
"Let me do all the eatin'.", Big Mac taunted, raising his eyebrows two times.
"Big Mac!", Applejack snapped.
Big Mac flinched. "Ah'm kiddin'. Geez.", he said, nervously. He quickly glanced at the clock. "Well, Ah should get goin'."
"Me too.", Applejack agreed, as she and her big brother began to walk out the door.
Something slipped Apple Bloom's mind. "Wait!", she protested.
"What?", Applejack and Big Mac asked in unison, stopping in their track.
"Who's goin' to take care of Winona?", Apple Bloom asked, pointing to Winona, sleeping in her bed next to the couch.
"Oh, yeah.", Applejack thought. "Never thought about that. Ya think we should get Winona a dogsitter?"
"Ah guess so.", Big Mac answered. "But, who?"
Apple Bloom tapped her chin in thought. She then gasped happily. "Ah think Ah know who.", she cheered.
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Apple Bloom galloped along the dirt trails of Ponyville, looking for Zipporwhill, a filly who is great with dogs. Heck, she even has her own dog that she found and took home years ago, and that dog she found was the reason she got her cutie mark. Years later, she started to have trouble getting her dog excited and play with her, until it finally happened.
The yellow filly started thinking since she has a dog, then she can have Zipporwhill come to her farm and watch Winona. She continued to look left and right to and fro, until she finally spotted her friend.
The sand-colored filly was sitting on a bench, looking around while humming a little tune and her back hooves dangling off. She was just off in her little world, staring at the sky.
Apple Bloom approached her and greeted her. "Hah, Zipporwhill.", she said, panting. She was glad to be stop running after a couple minutes of galloping.
Zipporwhill's right ear wiggled a little and turned to where Apple Bloom was hanging her head and sticking her tongue out to catch some fresh oxygen. "Oh, hi, Apple Bloom.", Zipporwhill greeted back. "How's it going?"
"Thank goodness Ah found ya, Ah need ya to do something for me and mah family.", Apple Bloom said.
"Really?", Zipporwhill asked, getting off the bench. "What is it?"
"Ya know how good ya're with dogs, rahght?", Apple Bloom asked.
"Um, yes.", Zipporwhill answered, raising an eyebrow to Apple Bloom's question. "Why?"
"Ya see.", Apple Bloom started. "Me and mah family are leaving the farm for almost the whole day, and we need somepony to take care of our dog, Winona."
Zipporwhill smiled. "Oh, I would be glad to watch your dog while you and your family are away.", she said joyfully. "But, is the dog tamed? Because, some dogs can be agressive."
Apple Bloom chuckled. "Oh, don't worry, she's very tamed... And sweet.", she said. "Ya'll lahke her, Ah promise."
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Back at the farm, Winona was sitting on her haunches at the front door, patiently for Apple Bloom to come back. Before the filly left, she told her that she'll get a dogsitter for her while nopony's home to take care of her. It got her excited, because she's never been dogsat by anypony else than Applejack or Granny Smith.
"Winona!", a voice called.
Winona's ears perked up as she heard the voice. It was Apple Bloom, finally coming back with the surprise dogsitter. With joy, she jumped up, wiggled her rear in the air, and ran over to the two ponies. She came to a screetch in front of the two fillies.
"Winona, this is Zipporwhill, your dogsitter.", Apple Bloom introduced.
Zipporwhill took a few steps closer to Winona, only for the dog to give her a gentle lick on the left cheek, making her giggle. "She's so friendly.", she chirped, petting the dog's head.
Apple Bloom chuckled. "Just spend some tahme with her until me and mah family get back... Or at least one of us, because we're going our seperate ways.", she said. "Oh, if she gets hungry, her food is in the pantry."
"Will do.", Zipporwhill said. "What exactly are you doing today?"
"I'm going to Mount Aris with Twilight, along with the other crusaders.", Apple Bloom answered. "See ya." She galloped off into the distance until she disappeared.
Zipporwhill watched her leave. She turned around to see a stick in Winona's mouth. "You want to play fetch, don't you?", she asked, taking the stick from Winona. She liked playing fetch with her dog, Ripley, so it won't be that bad playing with somepony else's dog. She swung her head, releasing the stick, sending it flying over to the front door of the house.
Winona chased after it, picked it up with her teeth, ran back to the pony, and dropped it in front of her.
Zipporwhill picked up the stick and once again swung her head, launching the stick in the air. This time, the stick flew over to the front of the barn.
Winona ran over to where the stick landed in front of the barn and picked it up with her teeth once again. She ran back over to Zipporwhill and her stomach growled before she dropped the stick.
"Looks like little doggie's hungry.", Zipporwhill cooed, walking into the house alongside the dog. She reached the pantry door and opened it up. She scanned the small room full of food to find the dog food. She paused at a box with the top ripped off that says 'dog cereal' and picked it up with her teeth. She walked over to Winona's metal bowl and poured some of the food in, until the bowl was completely full. "Here you go."
Winona dug her nose into her food and began gobbling it down. Chunks were flying everywhere.
"Um, I'm gonna back off, so you'll be alone with your food.", Zipporwhill said nervously, heading towards the stairs. She walked up them and reached to the top to glance through the hall full of doors. She spotted the door that leads to the bathroom, she walked up to it and entered the room cautiously. She just needed it to wash her hooves.
A minute passed and the filly exited the bathroom. She walked back down the stairs to see Winona's bowl empty and she wasn't around to be seen. She raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Hey, where did you go?"
She went outside to check the front yard, still no sign of the dog. "Doggie, where are you?!" She heard a bark on her left side. She turned and saw Winona running toward her. She let out a little scream as Winona tackled her to the ground. She then burst into a fit of laughter as the dog began to lick her, smothering her muzzle with slobber. Her glasses were knocked off by the dog's tongue as she licked and licked.
"You got me.", the filly giggled, as the licking came to an end. She gently pushed Winona off her with her forehooves and stood back up. She smiled widely at the dog and reached a hoof over to scratch behind her right ear. "I can believe I'm saying this, but you're the friendliest dog I've ever met." She got access to rub Winona's belly after she tumbled to the ground and rolled over on her back. She rubbed for only a couple seconds and gave the dog's belly a few pats. Winona quickly got back on her feet. "I'm just glad Ripley isn't here, watching me have fun with you. He could get jealous."
Winona tilted her head in confusion.
"Oh, haha, Ripley is my dog.", Zipporwhill said in response to the dog's confused expression. "She's friendly, just like you are."
Winona smiled and gave Zipporwhill's neck a little nuzzle, with her fur tickling under her chin, making her giggle. She let out a tired yawn and her eyes drooped.
"Is Little Doggie tired?", Zipporwhill cooed. "Looks like it's time for a nap." She was about head into the house with the dog, but she saw Winona settling down on the grass. So, she decided to do the same. She connected her belly with the grass and laid her head on her forehooves.
Winona opened her eyes a little bit to see Zipporwhill snoozing next to her and smiled. She got up, walked over to the filly, and rested her body on her back, surprising Zipporwhill.
She looked back at the dog, resting and pinning her to the ground, and smiled. She was glad she got to dogsit Winona if it weren't for Apple Bloom. It would be a while for her to become an official dogsitter, maybe someday it might happen. She rested her head back on her hooves and dozed back off into the calming darkness in her mind.
