An Unexpected Friendship

The sky was gloomy with rainclouds as a mare stood waiting on a train platform. Amidst a group of chattering ponies, she did her best not to make eye contact or stand too close to any of them- out of fear of possibly being invited in conversation. The mare need not have concerned herself, however, as everyone was far too preoccupied with their own discussions to notice her. So she stood quietly off to one side, a lonely stranger amidst this group of friends.

With a sigh, the mare walked over to one of the benches on the platform and sat down, wondering how long it would take before the train arrived.

As she sat alone, the mare thought miserably of the conversation that had taken place earlier that morning with her parents. She felt her mouth twitch in a weak attempt at a smile as she anticipated what was to come. Maybe going to this Friendship School wouldn't be so bad, she thought. I need to learn how to make friends somehow. Even though the very thought scares me. The mare swallowed hard- and nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the ear-grating screech of the train as it slowly came to a halt in front of her. Leaping to her hooves, the mare headed over to it at once- and was promptly shoved aside as the other waiting passengers eagerly forced their way in ahead of her. In their eagerness to board, one of the mares- an elderly one who was talking to her granddaughter and not paying attention to where she was going- stepped hard on our mare's foot, causing her to let out a sharp squeak of indignity and pain. The old mare never even looked at her. Instead, she continued on to her granddaughter inside the train. Now limping, our mare limped onto the train, her eyes watering slightly.

Casting a glance around her, the mare's heart sank. Nearly every seat was now occupied with these mares, who were still gossiping loudly to one another. None of them acknowledged the shy mare as she passed. At the rear of the compartment, there was a row of seats that were mercifully empty. Moving to a seat beside the window, our mare sat down and sighed. Reaching into her saddle bag, she extracted a small, ginger tabby plush. Hugging it to her chest, she bowed her head slightly and gazed out the window as the train began to move again.

The rain was falling heavier now. The mare watched as the raindrops struck the glass, the voices of the other passengers fading into the background as she watched the rain fall. Then, as a fork of brilliant lightning split the sky, the droplets of rain seemed to shine like a thousand stars. It lasted only for a second, but it was enough. The mare smiled, feeling a sense of peace in her own heart. Closing her eyes, she was soon fast asleep.