Aid’s vision cleared into a snowy nightmare. Six familiar ponies were arrayed out in front of him; two Unicorns projecting a magical field around the other twelve creatures splayed out in the snow. Two Pegasi were busy shuttling clouds back and forth, using them as a sort of wall to stop some of the brutal wind.

The two Earth Ponies on the ground were darting from creature to creature, continuing to wrap each in blankets and make sure they were awake and alert. Snowflakes blew this way and that; their small dome of protection constantly under siege by the brutal blizzard that lurked just outside the cloud and magical barrier. A grey wall of ice and snow surrounded the group; nothing visible outside of their slightly-calmer dome.

Magic surged from Aid’s horn, the mana crystals igniting along his vest. Lines of arcane energy began to link each creature together, the unicorn skillfully sending multiple spells down each connection. Warmth flooded the bodies of everyone present, each breath warming slightly before it reached their lungs.

“Oh, sweet Celestia that is so much better.” Wind Shear called out as he batted aside a large cloud.
“Keep the victims warm and awake Aid. We just need to stabilize them enough to either ride out the storm or transport them out! Judging from the reports, staying put isn’t likely!”

Aid nodded; his horn still alight as he kept up the solid stream of energy. While a rather crude method of magic, the visible linking method had both the drawback of limited range and slight inefficiency. However, allowing multiple spells to apply to each individual along the chain was a valuable and worthy asset. With his mana reserves boosted by the high-quality mana crystals in his vest, the unicorn had more than enough to spare for every creature, especially in a short-term situation such as this.

“About time though! I was about to freeze my hooves off!” A massive Earth Pony called out through their communicators; his teal body shrouded in orange clothing.
“Good to see you, Aid. As the Monolith put quite well, it was getting pretty nippy here!” A purple Pegasus replied as well, prompting Aid to grin.

“Well glad to help.” he replied, looking over the other members of the team fondly. Fast Splint, (nicknamed the monolith,) was busying himself with securing up the last of the gryphons in heating wraps. One of the Pegasi, Cirrus Breeze, sped this way and that in the air to keep the cloud barrier in place, along with Wind Shear’s assistance.

“Where were you? I know it was your day off.” The second Earth Pony member of the team called out, her orange fur barely distinguishable from the similarly colored vests and bags. Tourniquet Wrap, or ‘Turny,’ was starting to check over the least-alert victims, even as Aid continued to pump magical energy to all present. The team was like a second family to him; and even in disasters like this, while focus was paramount, a bit of chatter was acceptable if not welcome.
“Parents.” Aid replied, prompting an understanding and immediate groan from the entirety of Team One.

“So, this is basically a vacation then? How did that go?” The other unicorn member of their six-pony squad asked. Blending in perfectly with the grey cloud that surrounded the team, Heart Shocker was busying himself with keeping a magical field in place. The second unicorn present had the markings of a Private in the royal guard; likely the nearest individual who knew a shield spell they could find. It would explain why he seemed rather off-put by their banter. He probably had no idea that this was just another weekday for the Team.

“A vacation? Basically. The ‘here’s what I actually do’ hammer finally dropped, so probably not going to stop by there as often.” Aid sighed, Splint then chiming in with his deep base rumble.
“Sounds like when I had to explain everything to my fiancé a few years ago. She was maaaaad. But she came around, obviously, and hopefully they do to. But with nobles…” his voice trailed off, prompting Aid to nod.

“Yup. That’s what I’m worried about. I don’t even know if they consider me a noble, family or not. I don’t know what’s more important to them anymore though. Is it the noble crowd, or their family? But enough about that. We still good here? Stabilization spell is going strong. I’ll start double-checking and marking them.” Aid replied, seeing the ponies present nod.

“Perfect. Start with the mare there, I haven’t gotten to the stable-looking ones yet. We only arrived about ten minutes ago. Some of them have broken limbs; I think they got tossed around by the storm’s leading edge.” Turny called out, placing a magical marker that showed up through the Team’s enchanted goggles.

“Roger that. Miss? Hey, Miss? Can you hear me?” Aid called to a slowly moving mare-shaped bundle of blankets and clothing wrapped up in front of him. The shape nodded, bright orange eyes looking up thankfully as he ran a cursory diagnostic spell on her.
Perfect. No broken bones, just slight hypothermia. Good pulse, good breathing, good temperature. The warming and stabilization spell will handle that.
Aid put a magical marker over the mare, indicating she was stable, and moved on to the next individual.

Uh oh…broken leg, moderate hypothermia…
A yellow marker went to this gryphon, Aid spending a short moment to affix a stabilizing splint to the broken limb and then moving on to the next. Magic had quite a few perfect uses in such situations; in this case, managing to retrieve a splint from Aid’s bag and apply it all within moments.
“Doing your job here Splint!” Aid chuckled, prompting an immediate reply.
“Yeah, yeah. Fancy unicorn magic! I’ve got frying pans for hooves!”

I guess even a ‘broken’ horn is a plus!
Heh. Broken. How has that turned out for me? I’d say pretty darn well!
Focus.

The next few victims were thankfully stable- but two more gryphons and a pony needed an extra infusion of warmth and a slightly enhanced magical stabilization spell. The simple arcane spell was a wonderful thing; it bolstered one’s natural body to a healthy equilibrium, providing the energy an individual wasn’t receiving from food or heat. A similar and opposite spell was available for heat stroke victims or those needing to prevent liquid loss.

In this case, they had far too much cold, and not enough heat. The continually dropping external temperature readout on Aid Chaser’s metal gauntlet indicated that much.
“We’ve got to move fast, Team One!” Wind Shear called out, ever creature turning to look towards the amplified voice.

“This is just the edge of the blizzard! Stabilize as many as you can, and get them closer together. We’ll go straight to Canterlot General Hospital! Teleportation runes have already been cleared for use. Aid! Can you do a final stability check before we initiate?”

“On it!” Aid called, their amplification spells barely able to keep up with the howling winds and swirling snowdrifts. Despite the efforts of the Pegasi and Unicorns, the storm was starting to break through the cloud and magical barrier around the group. An angry grey wall eclipsed everything outside of their dome, the blizzard swallowing everything in a blanket of snow and ice.

All individuals stable- mostly green, a few yellows. Double checked stabilization spell to ensure teleportation compatibility. All set!
“They’re ready for transport!” Aid called out as he levitated a few of the individuals closer to the center of the protective dome, the other victims following suit as other rescuers retreated slightly.

“Looks like we’re doing one giant teleportation, we can’t wait to re-cast!” Wind Shear bellowed.
Aid joined the other members of the team as they encircled the victims, a magically-inscribed rune in the snow beginning to hum around the group.
“Stand by!” Wind called out.
As the teleportation spell activated, Aid saw the magical and cloud barriers collapse as the blizzard’s fury began to hit full force. As white magic began to fill his vision, something walloped the stallion right in the chest, sending him tumbling head over tail into the snow.

*WHUMP!*
…Ow.
Shaking his head, Aid saw neither Team nor magical markers in his vision, leaving him to grumble under his breath.
Crud.

“Aid?! Where are you?!” Wind Shear called out, his voice blaring from the embedded communicator in Aid’s helmet.
“I’m good! I think a piece of the cloud barrier broke and walloped me out of the rune just as the spell began to activate. It also hit with enough force to also knock one of my packs out with me.” The stallion replied, casting a simple spell that let him see a short distance through the snow. It wasn’t so much as a visibility spell as it was a tracing one. It allowed the user to see and follow the ‘ground’ or surface, in this case, the snow. It was quite handy when you couldn’t see your own hoof in front of your face.

Snagging the duffel that had likely taken some of the cloud’s wrath first, Aid took a quick look around and frowned.
“I have no idea where I’m at- but there’s some trees close to me! If the compass in my helmet is right, there was a mountain to our east, literally within a stone’s throw.” Aid relayed as he looked at the magical display still pulsing in front of his vision.
“That’s right- keep heading to your east. I saw a rocky outcropping at the mountain base when we first arrived.” Turny’s voice piped up in his ear.
The magical display began to waver however, something beginning to disrupt the spells in the emergency gear.
Uh oh.

Thankfully, the large mouth of a cave opened up to Aid’s magical and then biological vison, the unicorn scrambling inside the double-door sized opening.
“Team Leader, I’m safe! I found a cave, but something is disrupting my gear. I’ll wait out the blizzard in here, and try to contact as often as I can!”
“….firmative…careful….zard…agic….safe!” Wind’s voice became increasingly choppy before the display died completely.

“Well, at least it’s a cozy cave.” Aid Chaser muttered, taking a quick look around. The formation tunneled deep into the mountain- but there was no reason to go further. He’d just wait here, around a bend or two from the entrance. That would shield him from the wind and ice, and still let him be close enough to hear any creature.
At least there’s not going to be any predators out in this.
The stallion shrugged off his emergency pack and the ‘lucky’ duffel bag, frowning as an attempt to cast a magical portal spell fizzled out before it even completed.

Odd. Something is dampening my magic.
“Eh, I’ve got enough. Best warm some water and such. Time for a meal.” he mused, pulling out the small emergency kit and setting some packed water to boil. The air was still frigid- enough so that Aid began to stack some stones in a small semi-circle around himself, extending the natural curve of the tunnel outwards. The crude wall would reflect and trap at least some of the heat from his stove or body, and also shield him from the worst of the wind. Perhaps not a lot, but maybe just a bit.

At least I’ve got an emergency blanket in here. I’ll probably use two or three of the things.
As the water began to steam, Aid poured out one of the few hot chocolate packs in the ration kit, enjoying the wafting fumes as he cut off the stove. This was the sort of thing he’d actually do for fun, with a few obvious changes. Go explore a cave, live out of a backpack; a rougher version of camping. Just him, nature, and one’s own thoughts.
And yet….
As the weight of the past hour or two now fully settled in Aid’s mind, the stoic stallion’s demeanor shifted, shoulders sagging slightly.

Straight from having that confrontation with my parents to being alone in a cave. Could be worst, but still not the best place to be, in a physical or any other sense.

As Aid sipped on the hot chocolate, the waylaid rescuer watched the steam rising off the collapsible cup in thought. He enjoyed solitude such as this, and certainly sought it out. Being alone was a time to recharge, while being around other creatures was an expenditure of energy. It certainly wasn’t a negative thing though- going out with the Team to a café or with Wind to go exploring, or browse odd knick-knack stores among the Canterlot crowd. But it was still tiring, and therefore Aid would enjoy a few hours relaxing in his apartment or the back room of his small shop after such an outing.

Solitude was nice, a powerful thing to embrace and enjoy.
Loneliness, however…

Aid shook his head, refusing to go down that mental rabbit hole. He still had to make sure everything was set before he went to bed in a few hours, and such distractions would not increase his chances of survival.
And yet with pleasant solitude came the other side of the coin that one couldn’t escape- the challenges born from one’s own fears and doubts.

“Walking on suuuuunshiiiine…” The gryphoness hummed to herself as she bounced down the rocky tunnel, occasionally stopping to scratch a tally mark on the wall with her talons. Shaking her head, Gabriella paused as she reached a fork in the cave system, claws fidgeting with a blue bow tying some of her grey head feathers back.

“Left? Or riiiiiiight?” she mused, retrieving a smooth rock that had been procured on entering the cave an hour ago as the blizzard hit on the opposite side of the mountain.
“What do you think Jeffrey?” she asked the rock, tossing it towards the middle of the fork. Her keen light blue eyes watched the rock as it bounced off a rough bit of floor, ‘Jeff’ then settling towards the right side of the tunnels.

“Right it is!” Gabby giggled, retrieving the rock as she continued down her merry way. As a courier, rough weather was to be expected as part of her job. This freakish blizzard however had forced the gryphoness to dive to the nearest shelter available. It had been a wall of ice and snow that had instantly coated her dark grey wings and was a non-negotiable change to the courier’s plans. Considering her only cold-weather gear were some blue gloves and a matching scarf in one of her side satchels, a full-blown winter storm was a bit out of her league in terms of comfort.

“Flying in a blizzard, baaaad idea. But at least I got all those letters delivered! That’d be even worse, having to deliver stuff still instead of being on my way home! Still, I probably should have stopped when I saw that giant wall of clouds. Ah well!” she chatted happily to herself. Her job took her all over the gryphon kingdom delivering various parcels and letters- and occasionally Equestria. Always in her side satchels was the small cutie-mark crusader’s symbol, even though it had been a few years. Aside from the worn wooden carvings, a canteen and some snacks were all that resided in her mostly-empty bags.

Maybe it’s silly to keep those carvings after all this time, but I like them! Just a reminder to always help somecreature! I wonder how they’re doing after all? I really should visit them sometime. It has been quite a while…

Gabby had a feeling the three fillies would be tickled to know her efforts hadn’t been totally in vain. As Griffinstone slowly pulled itself from squalor, more and more creatures had been less ornery to her attempts to help. Gryphons were still proud and generally rough around the edges, but there had been more and more creatures returning her cheery waves or comments with the hint of a smile at the edges of their beaks.

Hey, it’s progress! And that old gryphoness finally let me help her cross the street the other week!
The gryphnoness’s eyes then dilated slightly, a familiar smell reaching her senses. It was not something she’d expect to find in a cave however.
“Chocolate? Huh. Well, time to follow that yummy smell!” she remarked, trotting off down the tunnels, and unable to restrain a giggle.

“If in doubt, Gabriella, always follow your nose.” she said, trying her hardest to speak in a deep base tone.
“I mean, I guess that quote doesn’t apply teeechnically to me, because I’ve got a beak, not a nose. But I have nose holes! Sooooooo sorta? I mean, they were also in a mine, and this is a cave, so I guess it works!” she mused with a grin, rounding a few more corners.
“Huh. Slight draft. Maybe another entrance? No scratches on the wall, so I haven’t been this way before…”

Climbing up a slight incline, Gabby rounded a few more corners and then was greeted by a rather odd sight. A lone unicorn was settled against one of the walls, a few rocks piled up in a half circle around himself and a small camp stove. The source of the lovely smell was currently floating in his telekinetic grip, the stallion seeming focused on the wisps of steam emanating from the cup. Clad in a strange orange vest along with some matching warm wrappings around his limbs, the Stallion’s black mane instantly drew Gabby’s gaze as a few stranded of gold peeked through. His brilliant golden eyes seemed to light up the cave itself, the captivating orbs turning her way in surprise.
A pony? Huh!

“Hey there! You stuck in here too?” Gabby asked cheerily with a wave.

Blinking in surprise, Aid Chaser set his cup down as the gryphoness waved to him. Of the things he expected to find in a cave, a cheerful gryphon wasn’t one of them

It was a nice surprise though. Most weren’t nearly as pleasant, and that was putting it mildly.
“Hello to you too. And yep- not by choice obviously.” Aid remarked calmly, rather enjoying the distraction from his own thoughts.
“I’m Aid Chaser by the way. May I ask your name?”

“Gabriella! But that’s a mouthful, so you can call me Gabby.” The gryphoness replied with a smile, her own attitude already causing Aid’s spirits to lift as she walked a bit closer.
“Well, nice to meet you Gabby. How did you end up here? And would you like some hot chocolate?” Aid asked, now not able to resist a smile as Gabby let out a happy nod.
So cheery for a gryphon…I like it. Such an odd demeanor for one though- just happy
Huh. She’s also a bit smaller than other gryphon’s I’ve met.

“Oh, I’d love some! I smelled it from down the tunnels, and just followed my nose! Well, nose holes, beak, y’know.” she giggled, then gesturing down the tunnel. “How I got here? Well, I’m a courier! I just finished delivering some packages and letters to the nearby settlement and was on my way back. Mister Blizzard had a different idea though, so I found this cave after my wings nearly iced over. What about you?” she asked, taking the newly-boiled cup of hot chocolate and sipping on it with a sigh of enjoyment.

“Oh, that’s so good….”
Aid smiled, gesturing to the two bags and his helmet set next to them.
“I was part of a rescue team. There was a group lost in the nearby slope, so me and my team were making sure they were warm and safe. They were able to transport out, but I got smacked by some dense cloud. So, here I am. It’s odd, my equipment isn’t able to function very well, so I’m just riding out the storm.” he explained, head tilting curiously as Gabby’s teal eyes seemed to light up.

“You help ponies?” she asked, and Aid could feel a boundless amount of energy behind the question, as though there was a barely hidden well of excitement behind the topic.
“Yep. As best I can, any creature really. Thankfully my cutie mark helps with that.” The stallion couldn’t help stare as Gabby immediately let out a squeak, wings flaring slightly.

“I love helping creatures too! Your curie mark helps? How so? I was really focused on cutie marks a while ago actually. I even painted myself one, but I had tooootally the wrong idea about them! I thought I’d have to earn one to help creatures more, but that was completely wrong! Thankfully the crusaders helped me with that! I just try to help anycreature I come across! It’s kind of hard since everygriff is usually pretty grumpy, but lately it has been getting easier! I always-erm…oh. Sorry…” her voice trailed off, light grey face lighting up in a blush as the gryphoness’s feathers fluffed slightly.

Aid chuckled, shrugging as he leaned back against the lumpy duffel bag with a wave of his hoof.
“Sorry for what? Sounds like it was something you were excited about- shouldn’t be sorry about that.” He mused, not able to resist a smile at his own words.
I’ve been on the giving end of that whole ‘word vomit’ deal far too many times. Getting excited about something is a good thing, and if I can make anycreature not feel bad for being passionate about something, I know that’s a nice feeling indeed.
Well, and that blush is pretty ador-

“Erm, well, thanks.” Gabby mumbled bashfully, then refocused and gestured to Aid’s own cutie mark. “But if I may ask, what do you mean that your mark helps? It’s really cool looking; a first aid cross and two wings?” she asked, apparently toning down the bounce-off-the-walls excitement a bit. It didn’t seem to be in response to anything Aid said, but more of a self-regulation.

“Oh, simply put, it lets me know when some creature needs help in a medical way. It’s a weird buzzing tingle, like when your limb falls asleep. Sometimes it’s just helping with a cut, other times it’s full-blown CPR. It’s pretty much the reason I had to get training and be part of a rescue team.” Aid mused.

What else could I do? Just let a pony suffer because I wouldn’t learn? I suppose it could seem like it was forced. But I never found a creature outside my expertise to help. Some strange magic with cutie marks I guess- I’ve always been able to help, never not known what to do…
No, not never. But those cases are rare…
Aid then noticed that after speaking, his shoulders had slumped slightly as the stallion’s vision had shifted to stare at the wall behind Gabby.
Whoops. Zoning out.

“Huh. That sounds pretty interesting.” Gabby mused; eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but not saying anything about the change in the Stallion.
“Well Gabby, I know this isn’t a five-star hotel, but I’ve got plenty of rations, water, and some blankets if you’d like to wait here or nearby.” Aid offered, digging out some of the mentioned supplies.
“The blizzard was barely getting to full strength when I got in here, so it’s probably going to be a long night or so.”

Gabby smiled, taking the offered supplies with a happy chirp.

“I’d like that! Having some-creature to talk to other than Jeff would be nice. It’s a pretty one-sided conversation.” she giggled, digging the stone out of her pack and showing Aid. “Jeff, Aid. Aid, Jeff.”

The amused stallion waved, then gesturing to the pile of rocks to his left.
“Nice to meet you Jeff- I have a rock hotel here if you’d like.” Aid Chaser chuckled as Gabby tossed ‘Jeff’ near the pile.
Ok, I like him. A pony with a quirky funny side? Bonus friend points.

“But yea, I’d deeefinitely prefer staying put than wandering those tunnels for another hour. It’s getting kind of late though, isn’t it?” Gabby mused, checking a small watch strapped to her left wrist, somehow still functioning. In the brief time they had spoken, the light in the cave had significantly dimmed- an intimidating darkness now wrapping around every nook and cranny. The lantern Aid pulled out helped somewhat, but it was still a bit eerie.

“I think I’ve got a gryphon sized blanket…ah!” The stallion mumbled, then pulling out two large foil packages. “No sleeping pad though- feel free to use the duffel bag. I can use my own pack.” Aid offered, scooping out the contents of the container and offering the three items to Gabby.

She blinked, taking the empty bag and two blankets with a genuine smile. Moments where she was rendered speechless were more uncommon than not; but finding a creature who just helped without a second thought…
I know it’s his job, but still. It’s just such a strange thing to me. After being the only one in Griffinstone for years who just…
“Gabby?”

The gryphoness blinked, shaking her head and shrugging her wings.
“Bwa? Sorry. Lost in thought! Thanks for these. I assume they’re just…” she mused, unfolding one of the blankets and examining it curiously. “Ooooooh it’s a giant sleeping bag! Neat! Never used one of these before!” The gryphoness munched on some of the grainy ration bars and took a swig from her own canteen, then settling down on a semi-flat spot. Most gryphons could tolerate some grains- and she was one of the types that could actually subsist off them. It made eating much easier when fish wasn’t around.

And so much more food to enjoy too!
“The blankets may be thin, but you’d be surprised how warm it keeps you. It just reflects your own body heat back in on itself- and being a gryphon, you’ve already got fur and feathers, so a double bonus.” Aid explained, settling down after a small snack and drink as well.

“Well, thanks Aid. Can I call you Aid? Or Aid Chaser?” Gabby asked, sliding inside the foil blanket with a happy hum.
Oh that feels…weirdly soft! Huh!
“Aid is fine. And…nah, nevermind.” The stallion mused, and Gabby’s ears perked up as she looked over to him curiously.
“Whaaaaaat?”

“It’s really not any of my business.” Aid replied, prompting a grin from Gabby.
“Well now I’m really curious. What is it? I promise I won’t get mad!”
Aid blinked, brushing a stray golden strand of mane from his eyes with a sigh.
“It’s just nice to meet a gryphon who isn’t terribly grumpy, that’s all.” he remarked, trying to phrase his thought as nicely as possible.
That’s a nice way of putting it!

Gabby let out a soft ‘pfft’ and giggled, waving a set of talons at the pony.
“Oooooh. Yeah, I’m not really a grump, unless I wake up super-duper early. But I understand, and am glad you find it nice! I just am who I am. And who I am doesn’t usually include nasty, pouty, or grumpy! It makes talking to other gryphons interesting though.” she grumbled, prompting a grin from Aid.

“Sounds like me and the nobles. Personally, not a fan of stuffy-stuff.” The stallion mused as Gabby tilted her head curiously.
“Hmm?”
Aid shifted to glance over the interested gryphoness- Gabby’s eyes widening slightly. Contrasting from his dark blue fur, the pony’s golden eyes sparkled with life, seeming to give the cave a bit more warmth. It was only now, when Gabby was close enough, that she noticed a ring of deep blue surrounding the gold in Aid’s eyes. It was almost like a gem set within a precious metal- the darker color making the lighter jump out even more.

Ok, golden eyes ringed in blue, and that matching gold strand of mane? Gotta say, not a bad look at all.
“I’m technically a noble, but not a fan of ‘noble-y’ things. Big parties, trying to climb a ladder of ‘who talked with an important pony today’, everything just based on who you knew, not what you did, if that makes sense.” Aid mused, waving a hoof dismissively.

“Sorry. My turn to ramble- it’s a bit of a sore spot today.”
“Nah, it’s fine. I don’t really know much about all that; but sounds rather similar to gryphons.” Gabby mused, thoroughly enjoying the conversation more than she’d care to admit.

How long HAS it been since I’ve talked to a creature for more than a few sentences?
Deliveries to Griffinstone, the other settlements…other than Gilda…huh.
“Well I’d be happy to educate you in the boring and generally mind-numbing ways of Canterlot nobility when we wake up, but as you said, it is a tad late.” Aid remarked, then seeming to remember something. His horn lit up- teal magic floating a helmet and strange mask over.

“Dispatch? This is Aid Chaser, come in?” He called into the mask, then frowning as the attached earpiece only crackled softly. “Weird. This blizzard seems to have shorted out all my gear, or at least jammed it. I’ll try again in the morning. At least I’ve got plenty of food, water, shelter, and pleasant company.” he mused, apparently not noticing a certain gryphon’s cheeks warm.
Ok is this guy trying to be charming?
…if so, it’s working, oddly well.

“Well, we’ll just have to see tomorrow? I’m just happy I found somepony to talk to. The chocolate and supplies are a bonus too!” Gabby chirped, prompting a rather sly smile from Aid.
“Are you sure it wasn’t just the chocolate?”
“Well the chocolate led me here and the blanket is nice, but the company is why I’m staying.” The gryphoness replied with a giggle.

Ooooh wow. I didn’t know a blue pony’s cheeks could flush that fast!
Heh, too easy. I could have some fun, especially since it’s a good look. But not TOO much.
Serves him right for making my feathers fluff though!

“I-erm, glad to help.” Aid mumbled, then settling back down and turning off the lantern.
“Well, nice to meet you Gabby. I do hope the cave hotel is to your liking. Sleep well.”
Gabby smiled, snuggling inside the emergency foil blanket further and fluffing her feathers out a bit.
“Nice to meet you too Aid. It’s great- certainly beats being curled up in some corner alone. Hopefully it’ll be clear in the morning. I hope you can get some sleep too!”

The comfort of not weathering the storm alone quickly lulled the two creatures into a blissful slumber, even as the winds outside continued to howl. The blizzard was only now unleashing its full wrath on the mountain, yet the two individuals inside were shielded from its icy fingers, at least for now.

Author's Note

Gabby and Aid meet! Huzzah! She's a fun one to write; just happy and excitable. Not quite to Pinkie Pie levels, but just a bundle of joy.
I certainly would love feedback if anything seems a bit out of character! I plan on certainly fleshing our her character more however- (all stemming from her official character description.)
Also, I'm hoping the PoV switches are easy to follow (using the page breaks)

While not main characters, here's the members of Aid's Team, to better keep track of.
Team Leader: Wind Shear- Best friend
Earth Pony: Fast Splint (Monolith), Tourniquet Wrap (Turny)
Pegasi: Cirrus Breeze
Unicorn: Heart Shocker
Basically, two of each pony race, so strengths and weaknesses can balance out.

(Fun fact; those foil blankets actually DO feel kind of soft.)