Hearth’s Warming Eve was just around the corner, and every pony and creature was getting into the festive spirit. Twilight managed to get the decorations out to deck the School of Friendship’s corridors. Every student is in the lounge, along with their professors. Applejack managed to get out her apple spiced cider to get every creature in the holiday spirit, something Rainbow Dash immediately set her tastebuds to. Outside, the clouds were gathering, thanks to the weather factory’s hard work up in Cloudsdale. What was there was a thick, crunchy layer of frost, paralysing the grass and thick icicles hung from the windows.
In one corner of the lounge where a certain group of six students, currently engaging in a friendly chat about what they have in mind for the holidays, though Gallus was somewhat hesitant on going back for the holidays for some reason. In addition, they talked about what this term had taught them about friendship, Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s disastrous but surprisingly active field trip, and everything in-between. They had their mugs of beverages, hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream for Ocellus and Silverstream, warm cider for Smolder, coffee for Gallus and Yona, and tea for Sandbar. Silverstream was fishing around for the melted marshmallows out with her claws, complementing how she never experienced anything so sticky and delicious in her life.
That activity ceased when she leapt out of her place by the windowsill, startling her friends and causing them to spill their beloved drinks. A mixture of annoyed and surprised faces flashed amongst the other five in the group and they wondered what caused the hippogriff to act that way. Their faces turned into understanding when they realised Silverstream wore a face of wonder and fascination. They had grown accustomed to that look ever since Silverstream got so excited about stairs. Having been living underwater for so long during the Storm King’s rule, there were a lot of things she was missing out on. It looks like today was the day she was going to discover something new and exciting again. Her friends had to give her credit, she really took pleasure in the most simple and mundane things which the others were familiar with and take for granted.
"It's what Granny Smith says to me," Applejack told them at one lecture, "You never miss the water until the well runs dry."
“You guys!” Silverstream exclaimed with her bubbly excitement, which they also have grown accustomed to, “Check that out!” She pointed outside, where the fist clusters of snow and flakes began to fall. The other students and their professors had noticed Silverstream’s excitement and looked outside through the windows, smiling at the sight before returning to their conversations.
“So?” Gallus shrugged and raised an eyebrow.
“What are those strange white fluffy things falling out of the sky?” Silverstream asked in awe, before panicking, “Are clouds falling apart? Do clouds even fall apart and shatter?”
“I guess you’re close,” Smolder rolled her eyes, “It’s called snow.”
“What is snow?” Silverstream scratched her head. The others gave her deadpanned looks.
“By definition, snow is atmospheric water vapour frozen into ice crystals and falling in light white flakes or lying on the ground as a white layer,” The smart changeling answered as if it was the most simplest thing in all of Equestria.
“Amazing!” Silverstream cooed before turning back to the window where the snow started to increase in intensity, “It’s so beautiful.”
They watched as the snow increased in intensity and soon heavy clumps were falling from the sky. Silverstream was a deer caught in the headlights, staring in awe at the sight outside. Her eyes were glistening and what looked like tears formed in her eyes.
“Yaks have snow all the time,” Yona shrugged, “Nothing new.”
“And Griffonstone, being so high up in the mountains, gets heavy blizzards during the winters,” Gallus added.
“We dragons don’t have snow, since it’s super hot in the Dragonlands with all the volcanos and lave,” Smolder waved a claw, “We just get the odd ash shower, but nothing serious.”
“It does snow from time to time in at the Changeling Hive,” Ocellus smiled.
“Professor Rainbow Dash says all our weather is produced at the weather factory,” Sanbar said.
“Everything is just wet down in Seaquestria,” Silverstream explained as she was transfixed to the weather outside, “Water was only water since, you know, you’re constantly living and being surrounded by it.” She then looked at he friends.
“Is it safe?”
“Well, duh,” Smolder sighed, “It’s frozen water?” She added with a slight bit of sarcasm. Silverstream rushed towards Headmare Twilight.
“Headmare Twilight! Headmare Twilight!” The hippogriff hurried over to the started Princess of Friendship, “May I go outside to see my first snowfall?” Twilight looked at the beaming hippogriff, then towards the snow falling on the other side of the glass.
“Well, alright,” Twilight chuckled before turning to Silverstream, “But don’t stay out-“
That was all Twilight was able to get out before a pink-blue blur left the lounge.
“For too long,” Twilight uttered, “I don’t want you to catch a cold and be absent during an important lecture on friendship.”
Silverstream didn’t even consider wearing a scarf, claw-gloves or hat as she burst open the doors of the School of Friendship. She held out a claw and watched as a pretty snowflake landed on it before melting into a cold dot of water.
“So pretty…” Silverstream uttered before leaping high and landing in the new layer of freshly fallen snow. She giggled as she felt the cold against her fur and feathers. From inside, her friends watched her antics with smiles on their faces.
“And now she’s making snow angels,” Gallus’ talons met his face, “Sooner or later, she will make snow-creatures or something.”
“I think you might be right,” Sandbar nodded. Gallus looked through the window and watched as Silverstream began gathering the snow into piles, along with collecting sticks and pebbles. Her friends watched as she created life-sized snow sculptures of her friends, with the sticks and branches for ears, spikes and horns and pebbles for eyes and noses. She began sticking her tongue out to taste the falling flakes of snow, shivering at each taste. She looked at her reflection in the frozen stream around the school and flew into the clouds.
“Well at least she’s enjoying herself,” Ocellus giggled as she looked at her snow lookalike.
“Should we tell her to something get warm?” Yona asked, “Yak know not good staying out too long.”
“But she’s having so much fun,” Gallus gave a mocking smile, “Let the hippogriff have her fun.”
The following day was the class, and Twilight was taking the register. She was particularly looking forward to teaching them a bit of Equestrian History, particularly Discord’s first imprisonment into stone. She was currently doing the register for all the creatures so that their respective kingdoms could get a good record with their representatives. Her name then fell onto Silverstream, and she looked up at the other five students. The other students then turned to the empty spot where a certain pink and blue-white maned hippogriff should have been.
“Do any creature know where Silverstream should be?” Twilight raised a brow, “She’s not normally this late.”
Her five friends looked at each other before it clicked. She smiled sheepishly and then turned to each other.
“May we go and check her room?” Sandbar asked, “I think we know what happened to her?” Twilight soon got onto what Sandbar was implying. She sighed.
“I tried to warn her, but she just dashed off,” She shook her head, “I’ll put a sick mark for her, but please see if she’s doing okay. I think she would like a visit from her good friends who care for her very much.”
The others nodded in understanding before dashing off to where the living quarters were at the school.
“This is my fault,” Gallus sighed as he flew low alongside his friends, “I was the one thinking that she should be out fun the fun.”
“Not griffon’s fault,” Yona shook her head as she walked next to him, “Yona knows snow not good for short fur. Yak fur warm to keep out cold.”
“It’s all our fault,” Ocellus sighed, “We should have calmed her down and wrapped her up with a scarf or something.”
They finally arrived at Silverstream dorm and Sandbar knocked on the door. A sneeze could be heard from the other side of the door and a muffled, “Come on.” Sandbar gently pushed the door open and the others followed the pony in.
Inside they were met with a pitiful sight. A bin was overflowing with soggy tissues and tissue boxes. Silverstream was shivering and sweating with bags under her eyes. Her beak nostrils were runny and her feathers badly ruffled and unkempt.
“H-hey you guys,” She sniffed, “What’s wrong with me? Last night I tossed and turned in my bed, felt hot all of a sudden and now I couldn’t stop blowing my beak. M-my throat is all numb and sore. I-I think it was the snow. Is it poisonous?”
The others gave her a wry smile and shook their heads.
“You’re just having a cold, Silverstream,” Ocellus explained, “It’s just a short illness due to exposure to a long time in the cold for too long.”
“A cold?” Silverstream asked, “I’m having my first cold on land? It feels terrible.”
“We all get them,” Gallus smiled, “Sure it feels bad, but in a couple of days you’ll be back to your old happy self.”
“About that,” Sandbar walked over to the bed, “We should’ve probably told you to wrap up warm.”
“I was making fun of you enjoying yourself too much out there that I ignored what was important for my friend,” Gallus bowed her head in shame. Silverstream’s eyes widened and waved a claw at them.
“No, no!” Silverstream croaked, “I should have listened to Twilight before rushing off like that. If there was any creature to blame for this it’s me.”
“I guess you all learned a valuable lesson.”
The students jumped as Twilight came into Silverstream’s room. She walked into the room with a concerned look as she looked over Silverstream's sickly form.
“How are you feeling Silverstream?” Twilight asked as she placed a hoof to Silverstream’s head, “You’re burning up.”
“Like a silly hippogriff chick who didn’t listen to their mother’s advice,” Silverstream sighed.
“I’ll go get Zecora’s herbal tea mix. They do wonders for colds like this. Maybe you all could keep her company whilst I mix her some tea?” The others nodded in agreement as Twilight trotted out.
“Lucky for you it’s just a mild cold, so it will go just in time for the Hearth’s Warming Celebrations before we break up for the Winter Holidays,” Twilight smiled, “Don’t worry about class. I’ve made a list in case of absence emergencies, so they will be plenty of tips to help you all catch-up.”
“Thanks, Headmare Twilight,” Silverstream smiled. Twilight nodded and headed towards the direction of the kitchens.
“So how was your first snowfall after all?” Ocellus smiled at her friend.
“It was nothing I’ve ever encountered before,” Silverstream lay her head on the pillow and sighed.
“Snow was noting compared to bubbles rising,” She continued with a whisper so as to not strain her throat, “Those tiny flakes of snow were so beautiful, dancing as they fell from the clouds. How you can just clump it all together like sand to make different shapes was also fun. And those strange things that didn’t match one another-“
“You mean snowflakes?” Ocellus cut in with confusion.
“Yes,” Silverstream nodded, “They were like the most beautiful shells I’ve ever seen.”
“Well, I’m glad you had a good time,” Gallus chuckled, “But next time, wrap up warm. If you do forget, we will always remind you.”
“No need to remind me,” Silverstream giggled back, “I don’t want to relive a cold again.”
The others joined in the laughter as Twilight game in with Zecora’s special tea mix of honey, ginger of a mix of various herbs.
“Here’s the tea,” Twilight smiled, “We should probably give you some time to rest.”
“Thank you,” Silverstream reached out to take a sip of her tea, wincing at the heat. The others wished her to get well soon and quietly made their way out. Silverstream yawned and tucked herself in to let her cold go away. Twilight was the last to leave, ensuring that her student was sleeping before closing the door softly with a click. Twilight turned to the others.
“I’m afraid despite all this, you are all going to have to be punished for putting your friend in this state,” Twilight berated.
“Harsh,” Gallus sighed, “But fair.”
“You will write a friendship report to me, saying how important it is to let your friend have their fun, but also caring for their health at the same time. I expect them to be on my desk by tomorrow after lunch,” Twilight instructed.
The others nodded in resignation but smiled. Twilight was about to turn but remembered something
“Oh,” Twilight smiled, “And Happy Hearth’s Warming. Tell Silverstream I wish her happy holidays as well for me.”
“Will do,” They said in unison. Twilight nodded and trotted to her office to report their absences.
"Yona going to help her friend," Yona told the others, "Yona knows special yak soup to help keep warm."
"We can all help make it," Ocellus suggested, "It's something friends do, right?"
"I have nothing better to do than write a friendship report," Gallus shrugged, "I'm in."
"Sure," Sandbar and Smolder added. They headed towards the kitchens to ask for Professor Pinkie's permission to get access to the kitchens. Silverstream will be getting a nice bowl of warm soup made by her friends.
