Endeavor

Struggling to get up first thing in the morning, I had to be out the door by sunrise to meet up with Cumulus, whom I spotted trotting up the path towards my house. Going downstairs, I gathered together a few fresh apples from the kitchen for the day ahead, placing them in to the spare pouch of my saddlebags. The regular spaces were taken up with documentations and some of my tools.

Certainly, it wasn't one of my specialties in life as it was when bestowed upon those granted such a cutie mark of the lumberjack trade, but it was only I that could securely turn the Everfree timber in to lumber for practical purchase. I was far from being considered a master of the trade as some lucky ponies were out there, but I was learning and getting along with the wood reasonably well at my own pace.

Over time I would become more connected with these trees and more understanding of them than those I'd hold close to my heart. Despite having a library's worth of information in my head about the Everfree Trees, there was still a lot to learn - especially from the trees that surround my home.

I could have hired a well-trained lumberjack to be my apprentice, instructing them on how to care for these trees when doing their job, but doing it myself gives me a stronger sense of bonding with the trees, also giving me something more to do with my time.

Exiting the house, I spot Cumulus standing relatively still - knees wobbling, as she smiles a nervous smile towards me. Concerned, I make my way towards her, pacing as I go as I didn't want to startle her in case she was feeling nervous about seeing me rather than something else.

'Could... use a bit of help!', she gasps out a bit breathless.

It is then I notice the saddlebags she'd been carrying with her. I couldn't believe how distracted I had been by her nervous appearance that I hadn't taken notice of the predicament she was in. I sprint the rest of the way towards her, reaching to keep her steady, holding her up by a forehoof as the saddlebags on her back slip slowly off her side. I hold her up in an embrace with my supporting forehoof as the other reaches around her back to lift the saddlebags up from their slip-slide escapade.

Having completely misjudged the weight of the saddlebags that were on her back, I stumble backwards, backpedaling as the the pressure on me had become near-unbearable, causing me to fall over backwards. Cumulus, having been lifted up by the motion, had landed on top of my overturned form, resting herself upon my stomach. Her saddlebags skidded past the side of my head, a loose apple from one of the now-open pouches rolling towards the side of my head. I halt the apple's perilous journey, holding it between my teeth as I look up sheepishly to Cumulus who began to giggle as she slowly leaned down towards me and with half-lidded eyes she took a bite from the apple, licking her lips after having swallowed the chunk she took out.

Looking at her from that position had proven maddening as my senses began to flare, yet I kept a cool head and only allowed the few sweat drops to slide down the side of my face as she did so. Some of the apple juices having spilled from her mouth and on to my cheeks were cleared up alongside the sweat with a long lick of her tongue, running up my neck. She smiles as her eyes open fully again before winking at me, my façade clearly having come apart during the action as I felt my cheeks burn like the sun that's rays were peeking past the canopies up above, almost as if Celestia herself had been spying upon the whole thing.

I watch as her body bounces off of my own as she bounds overhead, leaving me with a rather clear and... enticing view, as her tail whooshes just behind, flicking at my face as it went.

I roll over, my four hooves splayed across the path as the remaining part of the apple falls from my now jaw-dropped open mouth, my gaze drawn to her swaying tail as she makes the rest of the way towards my house, stopping to look back, giggling at me and my position.

Getting up, I thank Celestia that none of the goods in my saddlebags had been crushed by the fall and the added weight had their been any. It came to me in realization that Cumulus was very light on her hooves for a reason; she was near-weightless herself. She would provide but a simple, gentle touch that could only ever hold the weight of emotions that it provided, but never the physical weight itself.

Over the next few days we would get to know each other as work with the trees progressed, turning Everfree timber in to lumber and having a few breaks here and there from working amongst the trees.

She was a playful, cheerful and an all-around happy mare who would always make my days that used to be spent alone leagues better than before. Each day she would bring with her some goods she purchased at the town market, mainly apples, flour, sugar and jars of custard amongst a whole range of other ingredients.

It became a habit of mine to help her out as she volunteered to cook some meals for us whenever it came around to lunch time and towards the end of our work days together. Apple crumble and custard was by far the most enjoyable (and may I add fun) dishes we ever made together.

She would on occasion, given my permission, invite some friends with her on the trip here. It gave us a lot more hooves to work with if they were willing to volunteer, but they would be working with the smaller jobs for the time being. Cumulus would keep her eye out for them to make sure no funny business was going on. Not that she didn't trust her own friends to cause trouble but because of what they could've been up to when we weren't watching ...if you catch my drift.

Despite having peeked on them and their... private antics (between my trees, no less), before being dragged away, teeth on the tail by Cumulus that one time, her friends proved to be an otherwise pleasant and helpful bunch to be around, albeit leaving me having to face a few awkward situations by the end of some days where Cumulus would just give them a stern yet silent gaze before wearing a triumphant grin, her friends' heads drooping to the ground apologetically, explaining what they had done, often leaving me feeling at the rate it was going, my coat would just become a permanent shade of red. I would scold them for their actions, but I couldn't bring myself to go out of my way to stop their fun entirely. It was nature's course as it were and I was never originally one against it. Cumulus would over time come to agree.

The job, having come to completion, was a great experience for all involved and we all came to know each other a lot more.

The day after the job was all done and finished, we had planned a night out in Ponyville to attend a party that was being put together by Pinkie Pie. She would be hosting a double party in celebration of two events; the 'Congratulations on getting engaged!' party and the 'Congratulations on a job well done!' party. Of course, the majority of the ponies attending were to celebrate the former, but that didn't stop the confectioner (as she had corrected me) from coming over to our far less-crowded area to celebrate with us.

We had a great time all together, being the first party I'd had fun attending as everyone else was clearly more relaxed and eased in to the flow of things than I was at first. Pinkie Pie had started bringing in more... surprise party games as the night went on. To say the least, by midnight, both parties were equal in terms of level-heads. Even the lavender unicorn Pinkie introduced to us as Twilight Sparkle over at the opposite party who was claiming herself to being a responsible drinker had begun to lose her sense of things, before loosing balance and tumbling down on to a heap of three other ponies who had collapsed from either exhaustion or intoxication.

I wasn't against others drinking but I chose to opt out when offered glasses by both a tipsy Pinkie Pie and Windy Pipes, one of Cumulus' friends who she had yet to introduce but was attending the other party. Eventually, I would be offered a glass by Cumulus herself. Despite self-reasoning, the pouting look on her face caused me to cave in as I would drink a glass... then another... and another... and there goes the neighbourhood.