Crunchy white snow drifted heavily onto the ground in front. There was nothing good about the snow, nothing good about winter either, except maybe for the peace but that was beside the point. The point was that Beep hated the snow, she hated everything about it, it reminded her too much of her home country. Something she particularly didn't like to talk about nor did she like to remember it.
By most standards, many would hold her as a bad pony, crude and crass with the ever so distinct feeling of uneasiness from her everywhere she went. She didn't care much for it, ponies just didn't look at her the same as they did others. Beep however trudged on, the snow crunching underneath her boots. Her cigarette gave a healthy orange glow around her face, in the snowy white darkness of the current weather.
"Mmnngh" was all she heard from her left ear. The mysterious mare she had found before the snowstorm, shivering in discomfort.
Beep sighed, she then gently set her down on the ground, aiding the mare's shivering. Taking off her jacket, the last defense she had against the cold and wrapped it around the mare. Picking her up and hoisting her to her back she marched forward again. Home was close, and she wouldn't want to stay out in this weather any longer than she had to. The trail in front of her now becoming clouded with snow, she didn't fret, however, she knew this neck of the woods very well. Following her instincts as the snow packed itself on the ground, crunching behind her footsteps.
*
~SLAM!~
The door shut with a loud bang as the cabin reverberated in response. Beep sighed in comfort, the cabin wasn't warm by any means, but she now could take a breather. Looking around, the cabin was nearly pitch black, save for her vision adjusting to the dark a bit. Walking forward she spotted the faint silhouette of the couch, prompting her to set the mare down again. With that, she set about to stretch her muscles, despite the mare seemingly looking like a vagabond she was quite pudgy, a bit of her weight being mostly present on her flanks and chest. Beep, now relaxed, looked around for the fireplace, spotting it a bit farther from the couch she made a mental note to grab some more firewood from the cellar.
Reaching for the placed flint striker on top of the fireplace, she set to work, grabbing some cloth and tinder from the box next to the fireplace. Arranging a neat little pile of tinder, she then began to ignite it, letting the striker pitch the flames under the wood.
With a satisfying swoosh, the flames quickly set alight the kindling, directing some air toward it to let it burn. The flames then began to lick the firewood, the first few being shards and splinters, easily catching the flames. Slowly the flames reached the firewood, with a warm aura now surrounding them, Beep was satisfied. Walking off to the kitchen she set out to make her guest something to eat once she had awoken. For now, however, she remained asleep, a small smile on her face. Beep smiled, she didn't often, but this was a rare exception, she felt warm, and she felt…happy. Chuckling to herself, she turned her attention to preparing a small dandelion and sweet grass sandwich for the mare.
She didn't expect to come across a half-frozen mare-sicle on the side of the trail path to her cabin. The only present things on her person were her clothes, consisting of what she was wearing. A tank top, a blouse, some weathered pants, and a small folding knife in her hands. Whatever she was trying to do before she ended up where she was is a mystery. One she'd have to ask her guest once she woke up.
"Mmngh" the mystery mare grunted and groaned.
Realizing the mare was still a bit cold, Beep quickly moved to the storage closet near the fireplace. Pulling a spare quilt out she unfolded it and draped it over the mare. Her shivering subsided aided by the warmth of the fire. Beep then returned to the kitchen, finishing up the small sandwich alongside a glass of water, wrapping the sandwich in a handkerchief, and grabbing the glass. Setting them both down on the coffee table for her, reaching for a small notepad near the table she scribbled down a note for the mare. Inviting her to partake in the meal, she looked like she hadn't had a nice meal in a while, so Beep tried her best to suit her lodgings for the time being.
It wasn't unusual for Beep to feel some semblance of pity or sorrow for her fellow pony. Though it was unusual for her to care this much, the other times she had seen the less fortunate, she would spare some coin and bits, never fully aware of what they did with the gift of wealth. She wasn't bothered to find out whether they spent it on food to survive another few days or to drown their sorrows in liquor or drugs, it wasn't her concern.
This mare, however, was different. There was an aura of well-being that radiated from her, something Beep couldn't grasp well from just looking at her. She just did…like a small light in the dark, the mare simply stuck out as such. Hope is what Beep settled on, the hope that just around the corner could be a gift. What the gift was, Beep couldn't tell, but it was something good. As of now, Beep was content that she had most likely saved the unfortunate mare from a cold and frozen death. Relaxing on the opposing loveseat to the right of the couch, Beep closed her eyes and let her mind wander into the land of dreams. Sleep had caught up, and it was now a good time to conceive of its influence.
*
Beep's eyes opened slowly, the room still warm, the crackling of the fire now whittled down to the occasional soft splitting of wood. Beep blinked and cleared away her eyes, the world now focusing away from the blur. She looked to her left, the mare was still asleep by the looks of it, but now with a heavy shiver. Deciding to check on her, Beep stood up, stretched, and relaxed her muscles and joints, moving over to the mare, Beep quickly examined her.
Her breathing was a bit ragged, almost as if hard to breathe. Her brow was covered by a thin layer of sweat, placing a hand on her she quickly discovered she was running a fever, her forehead being uncomfortably hot. Beep then sighed, to top it off, she now had to aid the mare in health. Moving to the kitchen once more she opened up the herbs pantry, chock full and stuffed to the brim with herbs and spices as well as powders and diluted liquids in glass ampules. Beep by all standards and certifications wasn't a witch doctor, not even a witch or a doctor respectively, but she knew tons of herbal remedies and concoctions to cure anything, close to an actual panacea.
"Guhhh…fuck…" the mare suddenly awakening from her sleep, rose. Sitting upright, letting the blanket drape around herself, Beep watched her. Quietly grabbing a mixture of herbs and liquids to make a small remedy for the mare. Soon drawing a mortar and pestle to ground the mixture together.
*
Leech's head was pounding, she felt nauseous and dizzy. Her vision occasionally twinkled white and her surroundings felt freezing and nearly absolute zero. Drawing her attention was a sandwich and a glass of water on the coffee table in front of her, forgoing any sense of how she ended up now, she took the glass and guzzled the liquid within it. Gasping with desperation as she finished her drink she felt as if she had sated a thirst she never experienced before, with a loud thud, she placed the glass down in its original place. Snatching the sandwich next to the glass, she unwrapped it and took an experimental yet big bite.
Her taste buds seemed to explode from the taste. It was a bit simple, but the sweetness mixed with the fresh taste of the dandelions made it taste like heaven. Quickly stuffing the rest of it in her mouth, she finally could relax and let her migraine settle. Looking around to her right she found herself in an adorned cabin, the fireplace in front of her seemingly still lively. Scanning around more, the white flashes were only slightly annoying, did her eyes land on a mare across the room looking at her with a calm smile. She had orange scarlet hair, a gray coat similar to hers, and was chopping some herbs onto a mortar to grind down.
"So, you're awake now eh?" she said. Stopping her actions, only to pick up a kettle and proceed to fill it with water from a spigot on a barrel.
Leech didn't say a word, her head was in near agonizing pain and her body felt as if it had run a marathon. She continued to stare if not slightly, hoping the mare would continue talking to grab context of where she was.
"You're probably wondering how you ended up in here I assume" the mare spoke again. Grabbing the herbs she had ground up, she deposited them into the kettle. "Well, before that, I'm gonna have you drink what I'm cooking up first, I don't know if you've noticed, but you've got a pretty stubborn fever and cold."
Leech winced a bit, she was right, her head felt as if someone ran a rail spike through it. Not to mention her chest felt as compressed as a soda can in a crusher. Her breathing was scarce and almost painful, whatever happened to her before she woke up had done a number on her. She didn't know what had happened either, her memory felt like a blur, the last thing she did remember was setting up camp. Now she was here, whatever had happened she'd have to figure out later.
For now, it seemed she was stuck in here. The snowstorm outside only made the situation she was in more foreboding.
Author's Note
Written at 3 a.m. with a half drunk half asleep mentality. Mostly inspired by a short art piece I'm making.
