“Winter Wrap-Up! Winter Wrap-Up!” Snare Trap merrily sang as she pulled her cart full of twigs and ribbons along. Beside her, Olivine Facet grumbled as she pulled her own, smaller cart full of material.

“I still don’t get why there’s so much singing involved with this,” Olive huffed, looking around at the likewise similarly singing ponies, busy with cleaning the town of the remains of winter.

“Oh right, I forgot there’s not many random musical numbers in the Crystal Empire,” Trap remarked.

“Or this ‘Winter Wrap-Up’ thing. It never snows inside the Empire because of the Crystal Heart!” Olive exclaimed.

“Well, here in Equestria we need to clean up the rest of winter so spring can begin. Help the animals, clear the snow, plant seeds, stuff like that,” Trap replied.

“A lot more tedious than that ‘Running of the Leaves’ thing,” Olive said. “And we can’t even use magic!”

“Afraid not.” Trap flashed a sheepish smile. “I think they use magic up in Canterlot though. They surely must, with all the unicorns that live there.”

“This is so dumb! A good spell would fix all of this right up,” Olive complained. “And just what are we supposed to do after we deliver this nesting material?”

“We’re supposed to be looking for critters on the western side of town, making sure they wake up for the coming spring and get them fed,” Trap explained.

Olive sighed. “Well, at least this job’s not a total loss.”

As they rounded a bend, they came across two figures: a kirin dressed simply in a scarf and an earth pony bundled up in a coat, a thick scarf, and a wooly hat. The latter was visibly shaking and chattering his teeth.

“Hey Creek Shine, Hey Pile,” Trap said with a friendly wave. “I didn’t know you two were in town.”

“Just dropped by for a visit after the holidays,” Creek said.

“You alright there, Pile?” Olive asked with a raised eyebrow.

“C-Changelings… n-not meant for… c-cold weather,” Leaf Pile stuttered, followed by a pathetic sniffle. Creek wrapped a foreleg around his shoulders and pulled him close, and his shaking subsided somewhat.

“So what’s going on around here? Everypony seems busy,” Creek said.

“It’s Winter Wrap-Up, where we ponies clean up the last of winter to make things ready for spring,” Trap explained. “You can help, if you want.”

“Can’t use magic though,” Olive grumbled.

“Sure! The sooner things warm up, the sooner my snuggle bug warms up!” Creek exclaimed.

Pile blushed bright red and buried his muzzle further into his scarf.

“So, what jobs are there?” Creek asked, grinning eagerly and tail swishing.

“Well, there’s tilling the soil and planting seeds, there’s helping the animals—which is what Olive and I are doing—and there’s clearing up the snow and ice—” Trap explained, before Creek gave an exclamation.

“Aha! Clearing snow! That should be easy as a kirin falling off a log,” Creek said with a smirk. She used her magic to unwrap her scarf and drape it around Pile’s neck. The disguised changeling snuggled into the warmth. “Alright – someone make me angry!”

Trap and Olive shared an apprehensive look.

“Ah, I don’t know if…” Trap muttered.

“Come on, I won’t take it personally, promise!”

Olive sighed. “You have a poor taste in scarves, and I honestly don’t know why you bothered to wear one, seeing as you’re a walking fireball waiting to happen,” she said flatly.

The three of them stepped away from Creek as she erupted in pink-blue flames. “Perfect!” she growled. “Look out snow, here I come!”

Creek barreled past them, the snow already vanishing in her wake. The three watched her vanish into town.

“You think that counts as magic?” Trap asked with a hesitant wince.

“You think anypony is going to try and stop her?” Olive replied with a smirk.

Author's Note

Fun fact: Headcanon: Kirin are both fireproof and too warm to feel winter. Conversely, changelings, unfortunately, are not well insulated.