1001 Equestria Nights

Cookie Breath

Off in the corner Dinky sat drawing circles in the dust. Above her head was the window she had the habit of sitting at whenever the night grew long and her mother hadn’t returned home. Tonight was a terrible night to be out, the thunderclouds rolling over the land without mercy.

A loud noise woke the little unicorn from her stupor. “Lightning?”

Lighting did follow thunder right? Or was it the other way around? The school trip to the ground station of the weather factory wasn’t even a few days old and she had already forgotten.

“No Dinky, that was just me.”

“Sparkler? Wha’cha doing” The little unicorn called out, leaving her vigil, but it would only be for a moment she told herself. She wasn’t going to miss being there when her mom landed. She never missed Mom’s landing.

Peering around the corner that lead to the warmly lit kitchen, Dinky was met with the palm of a gentle hoof. “Nope. You’re not gonna spoil the surprise. Give me a few more minutes and I’ll call you back when I’m done. Kay?”

“Kay…” Dinky said, disappointed. She dragged herself back to the corner, laying her head on the window sill. The rain outside pounded against the glass; each beat making her heart sink a little lower. Mom would be home soon, right?

“Done!” Sparkler appeared with a covered tray. With a wisp of magic she presented the wide eyed filly with a tray of the chocolatiest, sprinkle covered marsh-mellowy goopyness that was physically possible to pack into a batch of perfectly baked cookies. Without a second thought Dinky snatched one up delighting in the warm sweetness.

With a smile Sparkler set the tray down. “Good huh?”

“Mmmmhmmm!” Was the garbled replied behind a happy grin.

Derpy’s landing was not her smoothest, but after a trip like that she was just in a hurry to get inside and dry off. Most importantly she wanted to see her daughter. Dinky would never admit it, but the look of worry she carried every time Derpy left for work was eating up the poor girl. Dropping her bags off at the door the soaking wet delivery mare was confused when she wasn’t immediately greeted with a hug.

Dinky would never miss a hug, right?

The seed of worry vanished the moment the pegasus smelled a soft scent. Curious, she followed it through the house, up the stairs, to Dinky’s bedroom door. Opening it quietly, she was met with a beautiful sight. Dinky and Sparkler were munching on cookies and playing a very intense game of checkers, Dinky’s teddy bear sitting in as the stoic referee. The filly had totally forgotten.

“I call winner.”

“Mommy!” Dinky squealed. “You’re home!”