Gilda made sure that she got up early to be ready for her visitor. The sun had barely risen before she emerged from her lean-to and shivered as she zipped up her jacket. She normally would let it warm up a little before starting her day, but she wanted to make her campsite look presentable, not to mention preparing breakfast for her and Edge. Caught up in the day-to-day struggle of merely coping with survival, the griffoness did not go to any effort improving the appearance of her unplanned residence. Glancing around, she felt an unfamiliar touch of shame at its shabby looks. She immediately began trying to remedy that, starting with materials that were carelessly discarded until she found the inclination to deal with them. At the very least, the effort would help warm her up.

With that accomplished, she gathered some wood and lit a fire. Next came preparing food. She figured that hot cakes would work well, especially as she had seen some wild honeyberries nearby that she could add to them. With the batter ready, she filled a pot with water from the lake and put it on the fire to boil for coffee. That was halfway heated when she heard a greeting from above. Looking up, she spotted her pegasus friend towing his sky cart. He came in for a landing in an area that Gilda ensured would be clear.

“I hope I’m not too early,” Edge said as he divested himself of his towing harness.

“Nope. Pretty much on time,” Gilda replied. “I didn’t expect you to bring along everything though.”

Edge chuckled. “Not quite everything. The tent and its contents are still back there. I figured that it was easier just to chuck everything else in the cart than guess what I might need.”

“Fair enough, I suppose. Grab a chair while I start cooking breakfast.” Her talon indicated a log that she had dragged onto the campsite especially for her guest.

“Want me to make the coffee first?” he asked, eyeing the pot that was just starting to boil.

“Good idea. The coffee can is over there next to my mug.”

Gilda was surprised when Edge rummaged in his cart and pulled out his coffee instead. “You’re going to have to be economical with what I gave you, so we’ll use mine instead.”

The griffon felt inclined to object as she was the host, but she had to admit that he was right. “Thanks.”

The hot cakes were well underway when the pegasus passed Gilda her mug of coffee. He sniffed appreciatively. “Those sure smell good. You’ve really got my appetite going.”

Gilda smiled. “Have to make sure my renovator is well fed.”

Edge grinned and sipped his coffee as he waited for the first batch to be ready. In the meantime, he looked around, assessing what needed to be done. He did not get much of a chance on his previous visit. His conclusion was pretty much everything needed to be improved if the griffoness intended to stay here long term. His ruminations were interrupted as Gilda passed a plate of hot cakes under his nose.

“Eat 'em while they’re fresh,” Gilda told him.

He willingly complied and was delighted by their fluffy texture and the sweet berries. “These are great!”

“Thanks. I may not be the greatest at making camps, but I do know how to cook.”

Not much else was said until after the second batch was eaten and sufficient quantities of coffee were consumed.

Edge rubbed his belly with a satisfied sigh. “That was a great start to the day. Now, let’s get some work done. First – your lean-to.” The pegasus walked up to the structure, eyeing it critically. “Hmm… not too bad.”

Gilda grimaced. “Yeah, now it is. When I built the thing, it leaked like a sieve the first time it rained. I had to add a lot more to it before it stayed dry. Mostly.”

“Yep. It’s not enough to put up a few branches. You have to build up layers so that if rain gets past one, it gets caught by the next, or the one after that. That said, you haven’t done badly for an amateur. Still, if this is going to be your home for the foreseeable future, you’ll need to do something about keeping warm, and this open structure won’t cut it.”

“So, what do we do about that?”

“Well, we could do this the hard way and just use natural resources, but I’m going to cheat.”

“Oh? How?”

“I’ll show you soon. First though, I want lots more insulation. Gather plenty of leafy branches. I only want the ends of the branches where the wood is thin and there’s plenty of leaves. Like this one.” He picked out a sample from the lean-to.

“Okay. How much?”

“The more, the better. Just keep 'em coming. Meanwhile, I’m going to do something about closing off the ends of this thing.”

Gilda set to work gathering the branches. Edge went hunting for some other materials. Upon returning for the third time with an armful of the leafy limbs, she found that the pegasus had acquired several reasonably straight branches which he used to not only extend the lean-to but also close off one end and partially the other. She tilted her head, eyeing it curiously.

“What are you doing?”

“Turning this into a little hut. A bit cramped but it should be a lot warmer when I’m done. Speaking of which, start weaving those longer branches into this framework.”

Gilda noted the new additions were secured with pieces of lightweight rope, something that she didn’t have when building her shelter. He must have cut a rope he pulled from his cart’s storage. They quickly ran out of the long thin pieces and Edge got her to start adding the shorter leafier ones to the existing material.

“We’re trying to make this as thick and evenly distributed as possible for insulation purposes. The more you have, the better the result. While you’re doing that, I’m going in search of some other suitable branches.”

The two spent some hours getting the shelter up to Edge’s standard, including a basic door. Then he brought out the final component. He hauled a large tarpaulin out of the cart. Unfolding it, he handed one end to Gilda.

“Hold this side while I pull the other over the top.”

Gilda noted that it was not lightweight material – it was top-quality stuff! “You’re giving this to me?”

“Well, there’s no point in taking it back with me when I leave,” Edge replied with a smirk.

“That’s not my point, you dweeb! This thing can’t be cheap.”

“I don’t need it for this trip, so you might as well have it.”

“Are you being deliberately obtuse? I have no way of paying you back for this.”

“I didn’t ask you to. Now, are you going to help me put this into place or not?”

Stunned by his indifference to just giving her stuff, the griffoness numbly complied.

Edge flew backward over the shelter, dragging his end of the tarpaulin with him. He then threw his arms wide, spreading it out as much as he could while Gilda imitated his actions. Still airborne, the pegasus pulled parts of the tarp into a better position on top of the structure before landing and doing the same at ground level.

“Hmm, looks like I could have made the extension a tad longer after all. Oh well, at least I won’t have to struggle to make it fit.” He pulled out a ball of twine from his pocket and began securing the tarp through the eyeholes onto the branches of the doorway. He noticed the griffoness looking at him with a stunned expression. “Why don’t you hunt up some rocks to secure the tarp to the ground?” he suggested.

Gilda shook herself and glared at him. “What? Don’t you have some proper stakes for that?”

“They’re back at my camp being used on my tent,” he replied cheerfully.

“Of course, he has them,” she muttered as she left to find some suitable rocks.

Soon, the pair stood back to admire their handiwork.

“There you are – one small but cozy insulated and weatherproof hut,” Edge declared.

Gilda turned to look at him. “You’re too much, you know that?”

“What? Don’t you like it?”

“It’s great, but don’t think I don’t know what a quality tarpaulin like that would cost. You’d be eaten alive in a griffon community with that kind of attitude.”

“Good thing we’re not in one then. Unless you feel like eating me?” He waggled his eyebrows.

Gilda’s cheeks pinked and she turned away from him. “Perv!”

Edge chuckled. “Why don’t you pay me back by making us lunch instead?”

Gilda surprised him by showing him a couple of fish that she had caught yesterday. “I decided to try some moonlight fishing. It seems my luck has been running hot lately.”

So, while the griffoness was frying those, the pegasus worked on a few other smaller tasks. He noted that there was some clothing hanging out to dry on tree branches. Instead, he used a rope to make a clothesline that was out in the open where the sun could assist in drying.

“What’s your food storage situation like?” Edge asked as the smell of fish titillated his nose.

“Besides flour and some other basics, I don’t really have anything to store. I’ve been pretty much been living day-to-day foodwise. If you’re worried about animals raiding me, well, this isn’t the Everfree Forest and the local wildlife isn’t much of a problem. The bigger predators know better than to mess with a griffon.”

“Something like a raccoon might be more of a problem for you, I suppose. Try to keep food out of easy reach.”

“Duh!” was Gilda’s sole response.

Edge discovered that her hygiene situation was decidedly inadequate and set about making her a proper bush toilet downwind from her camp. He barely made a start to that before he was called to the meal. He went straight back to work on it afterward. Gilda was as grateful for that as for the hut.

“I bet you would like a hot shower too occasionally,” Edge mentioned.

“Yeah. Bathing in the lake may do the trick, but the water is going to get unpleasantly cold in a few months.”

“You can use my set-up if you want. I’ll leave it with you when I go home.”

Gilda blinked. “How do you manage that?”

“It comprises of a magically fireproof bladder which you fill and put into a fire to heat up the water. When it’s the right temperature, the bladder turns red. You then hang it from a branch, screw in the shower head to activate the flow, and enjoy it while the water lasts. It doesn’t go for long, but it beats a cold bath.”

Gilda grabbed Edge’s shirt and pulled him nose to beak. “You’re going to let me shower tonight,” she growled.

The pegasus laughed. “Well, that wasn’t a hard sell.”

Gilda let him go, blushing again. “Sorry. I’m dying for a hot shower though.”

“I don’t blame you one bit. That’s why I have one after all. You can also use the bladder to make hot water for washing clothes. Just pour the water out of the fill cap.”

“I don’t suppose you have a wash tub among that lot?”

“Sorry, no. I have spare clothes to cover my needs for a two-week trip, but if I really need to clean something, I use my biggest pot.”

“That’s what I’ve been doing too. Oh well, can’t say you haven’t been generous enough already. I’m surprised by what you already pulled out of your cart. Do you always pack that much for every camping trip?”

Edge nodded, “Because I like to go to somewhere new each time, I never know exactly what I’m going to need. Just like when I came to your camp today, I find it easier to pack everything that might be useful in my cart. It’s a bit harder to lug around, but I don’t have any regrets because I forgot something. It also serves as storage, so I don’t have to unpack. I just have to add my food supplies and I’m ready to go.”

Gilda gave him a flat look. “Don’t you think you’re taking the colt scout motto a tad far?”

The pegasus grinned. “I might like camping but I’m not that keen on doing things the hard way. I’m out here to relax and enjoy myself, not do it tough.”

“Speaking of enjoying yourself, now that we’re done here, what would you like to do for the rest of the day?”

Edge pondered for a moment. “I’m thinking of hiking below the waterfall, following the river. When it gets late, we can fly back here to collect my cart and then to my campsite for dinner. We’ll leave enough time for you to have that shower afterward.”

“Sounds like a plan. Gotta warn you though – it’s pretty rough down there from what I’ve seen from the air.”

“Do you think that’ll deter me?”

“Not in the slightest. Don’t blame me if you slip and fall though. If you break a wing, I’m not carrying you back.”

“Will you at least feed me as I crawl back to camp eventually?”

“If you insist. I’m sure that food chest of yours has plenty to spare for payment for my efforts.”

“My hero,” Edge said with a smirk. “Shall we go?”

Gilda answered by taking off and heading in the direction of the waterfall. Edge was mere moments behind, appreciating the view as usual.

Downstream was just as ruggedly scenic as the pegasus expected. While the catbird proved to be more agile under the circumstances, the birdpony managed not to leave himself at Gilda’s mercy despite scrambling over some very slippery boulders. So, when the time came to head back to camp, both took wing, although Edge did so with some reluctance. He knew he needed to return and explore more of that beautiful landscape.

After retrieving Edge’s sky cart and Gilda’s dried clothes and toiletries, the duo made good time to Edge’s camp. There, they made an extra big fire so that they could simultaneously cook their dinner and heat the water bladder. Although there was no meat available, the pegasus was able to find plenty of acceptable pony foods in his chest. The bladder changed color about ten minutes after finishing the meal and they were cleaning up.

Gilda realized that there was a problem. “Okay, how do I go about this? Won’t that be too hot to carry?”

“Nah,” Edge replied, walking over to the fire. He picked up the bladder by the incorporated handle and threw it over his shoulder. “Enchanted so heat goes in but doesn’t come out. That’s one other reason why it changes color. You don’t want to keep heating it indefinitely. Otherwise, the water will turn to steam, pressure will build up, and boom!”

“There’s no pressure relief valve on it?”

“Technically, the filler cap has it, but you never rely on those things. So, where do you want to shower? I’m thinking that this handy branch might not suit you.” He pointed to a tree a couple of meters away.

“I know it would suit you, perv. Take it down the shore and out of sight of the camp.”

“Your wish is my command, milady,” Edge replied with a grin. “Grab a towel, a change of clothes too, if you’re into that kind of thing—”

“Perv!”

“—and follow me.”

They found a spot with a suitably high branch from which to hang the bladder. Edge handed the shower head to Gilda, saying, “When you’re ready, screw this into the outlet. The water will start flowing immediately. You can stop it temporarily by unscrewing it again. That way you can soap up, scrub anything needing extra attention, then rinse off.”

“Got it. Now, make yourself scarce.”

The pegasus did so with a chuckle.

Edge finished cleaning up and had a couple of beers ready when the griffoness returned. She was still damp but Gilda felt a lot better than in a long while. She put aside her dirty clothes and accepted the beer from Edge. They sat around the fire and quietly enjoyed the brew. The pegasus finally broke the silence.

“What has you so quiet for a change?”

Gilda chuckled. “Just thinking about the biggest mistake I almost made.”

“What’s that?”

“Trying to make you leave. I still can’t figure you out though. Why would you do so much for me? Give me so much without asking for repayment?”

Edge looked away, a wistful smile on his face. “Do you have any idea how nice it has been for me to be able to do something for a mare without them expecting it from me? Okay, so you’re not actually a mare but the circumstances are the same. If I did what I’ve done for you to a typical mare, they’d see it as a response to their overtures for attracting a mate when all I wanted was some pleasant company. Instead, I’d be hounded by them. With you, I could indulge my desire to help while getting some interesting company. And I mean that in the most non-pervy way despite my tastes.”

Gilda stared at him for a long moment before chuckling. “You really are an overgrown colt scout, aren’t you?”

“Guilty,” he replied, turning back to her with a smile.

“Huh! I’m not used to being regarded as interesting company rather than a potential mate. Kinda nice.” She swallowed the last of her beer and tapped the empty can with a talon as she stared over the lake. After half a minute, she said, “So, what do you want to do tomorrow? More hiking?”

“Got any suggestions?”

“How good are you at swimming?”

The next morning, Gilda turned up at breakfast time with a satchel slung over her shoulder. She extricated a bag containing a batch of scones that she provided as her contribution toward breakfast as they had agreed upon the previous day. He prepared baked beans on toast for both of them… and coffee, of course.

After cleaning up, they headed out on a hike with Gilda in the lead. She knew quite well what some of the scenery Edge was admiring but she didn’t mind. In fact, she was starting to feel quite flattered. She found it harder to navigate to her destination from the ground but there was a distinctive landmark in the surrounding mountains that kept her on track. Over three hours later, they encountered a small stream which the griffoness followed uphill. Eventually, they reached a point where it cascaded over a rock shelf which they climbed up.

“Here we are,” Gilda declared.

Edge looked around, noting several natural rock pools formed over the millennia by the waterfall over the cliff ahead of them. There was one big one that qualified as a small lake, two to the left and one to the right that were made by the terrain above splitting the stream into small side rivulets. At the moment, hardly any water flowed into the smaller pools and the main one had only a modest fall.

Gilda said, “I think these rock pools are seasonal. When it rains a lot, those smaller pools get a decent amount of water. Right now, though, so little enters that the sun has a chance to warm them up. I’ve been bathing here since I spotted them. Nowhere near as good as a hot shower but way better than the cold lake. The big pool is colder but great for swimming, and seeing as I’m hot from the hike, I’m ready to cool off.”

“So, this is the bathing spot you promised to take me to. I was wondering after we headed away from the lake.”

“Yep. Last one in is a plucked chicken!” With that, Gilda stripped off her shirt and dropped her pants, revealing the bikini she was wearing underneath. She posed for the pegasus briefly before she took off her sunglasses and dived into the rock pool.

Edge elected to wear his bathing shorts, so all he needed to take off was his T-shirt. When Gilda surfaced, she found him in the water beside her.

“You forgot so many things in your rush to leave Griffonstone but remembered to pack your bikini and shades?” he pointed out ironically.

“They were already in the bag that I threw my clothes into,” she replied, poking her tongue out at him defiantly.

“Makes sense,” he conceded. “I’m glad that I got to see them on you.”

“I bet you did, perv. Get a good eyeful?”

“Yes, ma’am!” he replied.

She laughed and then dunked him. The war was on!

A while later, the pair dragged themselves out of the pool and grabbed their towels. After getting the worst of the water out of her fur, Gilda spread the towel out on the ground and lay face down on it. Edge dug out some snacks and drinks from his backpack. When he turned back, he saw that the griffoness had untied the strings of her bikini top and fanned her wings out to catch the sun better. She noticed him staring and frowned in return.

“What?”

“Nothing. I just find it odd that someone who ran away from a griffon who was only interested in her sexually would be so willing to let me admire her ass… ets.”

Gilda rolled her eyes. “There’s a big difference between escaping from a potential rapist who only wanted to use me as a breeder and showing off to somepony I actually like. Every hen likes to be considered beautiful and you’re gallant enough to not take liberties. If you were a griff, I’d seriously consider dating you. So, look as much as you like, birdpony – you’ve earned it.”

“Thanks. I’m honored. Would my sexy griff like a muffin?”

“After that workout, I’m starving,” she admitted.

“Me too,” Edge said as he put a muffin in front of her along with a drink. Then he settled down on his towel with his snacks. “This was a great idea,” he said after a few mouthfuls.

“I thought so. I would have come here more often except I was too busy trying to survive. Thanks to you, that hasn’t been a problem the last few days.”

“Glad to be of help. Hopefully, things will improve after I’ve left. The more you learn about the territory, the better your chances of foraging for food. And your new hut should be a lot more comfortable too.”

“Yeah.” Her mood turned more somber. “Cozy but lonely. Gotta admit that I’ve appreciated the company too. I’ll have to try to get my sister to visit more often. I didn’t take that into consideration when I decided to become a crazy hermit.”

“I’d reconsider checking out your pony friend. I’m sure it would be better for you in the long run.”

“Like I said, it’s too soon. When I burn bridges, I do a heck of a job of it. I made a thorough jackass of myself.”

“Don’t let pride stop you if you really need help, Gilda.”

“You’re my pervy friend, not my psychologist, Edge.”

“Noted. Shutting up now.”

The two decided to fly back to Edge’s camp and try their luck at fishing. At worst, it was a nice way to relax after the active morning. However, they did manage to catch three and, although the pegasus bagged two of them, the griffon gleefully ate the extra one.

# # # # # # #

Author's Note

Gilda is definitely thawing.

Art by Baron Engel. Not only used with permission but I also bought the originals. Help me afford more like this by donating to my Ko-Fi!