Labor of Love

After dinner, every pony lounges around downstairs, relaxing before another hard day of work tomorrow. Apple Bloom returned home before dinner, and her and Granny Smith retire early for the night, leaving you, Applejack, and Big Macintosh awake.

Big Mac walks into the kitchen and comes back with three mugs and a bottle of Apple Vodka.

“What’s the special occasion, Big Mac? Oh, did ya’ll finish the last grove of trees today?” Applejack asked.

“Eeyup.” he simply replied, handing a mug to you and her. He generously fills each of them, and you all toast each other for finishing the long harvest.

Just from one sip you feel the strong alcohol burning your throat and spreading a warm feeling around your whole body. Applejack and Big Mac have a much easier time with the potent brew, knocking back their entire mugs in one gulp and refilling them.

“Whoo-whee! That’s some good stuff.” Applejack says after downing her first drink. “So ya’ll finished today, that means we can now start gettin’ ready for cider season.”

“Eeyup.”

“Best part is we can probably make a dozen more barrels than usual this season.” she says excitedly, throwing a smile and wink in your direction. While you’re already slightly red in the face due to the liquor, her acknowledgement of you makes you blush.

You and the two siblings talk and joke, glad that the long days of doing nothing but bucking apples is done until the next spring. After a few hours Big Mac also heads to bed, leaving just you and AJ alone. You’re amazed how well she can hold her liquor. After all this time, you still haven’t finished your first drink, but AJ and Big Mac each threw down 6 each. Yet after all of them, AJ doesn’t show the slightest amount of intoxication.

She stretches and yawns. “Alright there, sugarcube, ah’m gonna go hit the hay.” she says, starting to head for the stairs.

“Wait!” you blurt out suddenly.

She stops and turns her head to you. “Huh? Somthin’ the matter?”

Taking a deep breath, you know that it’s now or never. Mustering what courage you can find, you finally speak your mind. “A-Applejack… I, well… I like you.”

Her worried face is soon replaced with a relieved look. “Well shoot, sugarcube, ah like you to. You’ve been a huge help to all of us.”

“No, not like that.” you say. “I, well… it’s not like that. I really like you. You’re the most beautiful pony I’ve ever seen. I… I love you.”

“Oh.” she replies, her face turning crimson red. She looks down at the floor in embarrassment, her hoof picking at the ground while her mind races. After what seems like an eternity, she walks over to you and places a hoof on your shoulder. “Look, sugarcube, ah’m real flattered you feel that way about me. But ah just don’t think ah feel the same way about you. You really are a huge help to me and everypony else here. Ah’m sorry, ah really am.” She hugs you and gives you a small nuzzle, then turns to head upstairs. She looks back at you with sorrowful eyes before disappearing up the stairs and to her room.

Morning found you after a sleepless night. Yawning, you get up out of bed and head downstairs for breakfast before another long day. As you enter the kitchen, a familiar red blur darts past you. “Applejack, Big Mac, ah’m off to Zecora’s house!” Apple Bloom yelled as she dashed out the door.

“Don’t be late, ya hear!” Applejack yelled after her. “Ah don’t want you out there past dark!”

Applejack turned around and sees you standing there. “Oh. Hey there.” she says quietly. “Look, I hope you’re all righ’ after last night.”

“I’m fine, really. Just forget I said anything last night, it was stupid of me.” you reply, giving her a weak smile. Before she can speak up, you head for the door. “Come on, we got some cider to make.” you say.

The morning is spent helping Big Mac move the cider barrels to the storage barn as AJ and Granny Smith make the much sought after hoof-made cider. After a few hours, you and Big Mac see a familiar figure approaching the farm. AJ and Granny Smith also see the visitor and come over.

“Uh, hi Zecora. Everything okay?” Applejack asks.

"I was curious and came to see if Apple Bloom could still help me.” the zebra replied.

“Apple Bloom left hours ago. She didn’t get to your house?” Applejack worriedly said.

Zecora shook her head. “Apple Bloom never did arrive today. I’ll start a search to see if she’s okay.”

Before anypony could move, Applejack was dashing off towards the Everfree Forest. “You fellers go, I’ll git some help.” Granny Smith said. While one of the oldest ponies in town, she could still move at a respectable pace when needed, and she went off towards the center of town. The remaining three of you rush off after Applejack, Zecora and Big Macintosh running on the ground while you take to the skies. Even though you can fly faster than most earth ponies can run, you’re only able to catch up to Applejack when you find her stopped in the forest, staring at the ground.

She hears you land behind her and turns to face you, and you see a deep look of concern on her face. Walking up to her, you see what she was staring at; Apple Blooms hoof prints, and right next to them the unmistakable tracks of a timberwolf.

Applejack is visibly shaken, and her normally calm demeanor is now replaced with overwhelming worry. “You… you don’t think…” she says, tears welling up in her eyes.

“No. I’m sure she’s okay. We have to find her.” you reassure her. You use your hoof to draw a crude but noticeable arrow in the ground. “Zecora and Big Mac are right behind me, and Granny Smith went for help in town. We’ll find her. Come on.”

Determination comes back on her face, and the two of you race off, following the hoofprints on the ground. Suddenly, Applejack stops and motions you to stop also. “Shhh!” she hisses. The two of you creep forward and come across a small clearing. A full grown adult timberwolf paced back and forth by a small outcrop of rocks, its concentration completely focused at it. Looking closer at the rocks, you see a small amount of movement. A familiar flash of red…

“Apple Bloom!” Applejack gasps. A brief moment of relief spreads over her face, but it is quickly replaced by anger as her sister is trapped by the wolf. “We gotta get her outta there now!” she says as her mind races for any idea of how to get Apple Bloom out of there.

Zecora and Big Mac finally catch up to the two of you as you finish thinking of a plan. “I think I know how to get her out.” you say. “I’ll get the timberwolf to chase after me and lure him away. When I do, you three get Apple Bloom and get back to Sweet Apple Acres.”

“Woah there, ya’ll ain’t gonna have that wolf chasing after you alone!” Applejack protests. “Ah can’t let you take that much of a risk for mah family.”

“No offense AJ, but you’d slow me down. Once I get him away from here, I’ll just fly up and out of the forest.”

“Fine, ya have me there. But still, ah can’t ask you to take that big of a risk for…” she tries to argue.

“Let him go, sis. He knows what he’s doing.” Big Mac interrupts.

She doesn’t look happy, but she finally gives in. “Fine.” she says. Walking up to you, she gives you a quick kiss on your cheek. “Be careful, sugarcube.” she says.

You can see the genuine worry and fear in her eyes, and you try to reassure her. “Don’t worry, I bet you an apple pie I’ll be back at the farm before you all get back.”

Turning to the task at hand, you know that there’s only one way to get the wolf to follow you for sure; piss it off as much as you can. Taking off as fast as you can, you speed off and lower your head and ram straight into the wolf’s stomach. A loud CRACK can be heard as you connect with your target, and you both go tumbling to the ground. Slightly dazed, you stumble to your hooves and quickly glance to where AJ and the rest are hiding, and can see the shock on her face at what you just did. Your attention is quickly brought back to the timberwolf as it too recovers from the violent impact, its eyes settling on its new target, you.

The wolf threw back its head and let out a piercing howl before lunging at you. You manage to dodge its attack, and take off deeper into the Everfree forest. Taking one last look behind you, you see Zecora, Big Mac, and Applejack rushing over to where Apple Bloom. You leave the clearing and turn your attention to getting the wolf as far away from the others, figuring a good five minutes or so should be more than enough for them to get away.

While you could easily out-fly the wolf, stick to the ground to make sure that the wolf doesn’t lose interest in you. You’re running at full speed, but so is the wolf, leaving the two of you almost evenly matched. Running through the thickly wooded forest is no easy feat, but you manage to keep on your hooves and avoid the scattered rocks, roots, and bushes. In your head you estimate that the group must be almost out of the forest, and you should start planning your exit also. A small spot of sunlight ahead tells you that there’s a break in the treetops that you can fly out of and leave the wolf defeated on the ground. With a final burst of energy, you race for that spot, stretching your wings as you lift off the ground.

A loud crash to your left reaches your ears. Turning your head just in time, you see something you hadn’t taken into consideration; a second timberwolf heard the first wolf’s howl and had joined the hunt.

You try to desperately take off but your reaction is too slow. The second wolf lunges at you with its jaws wide open. You manage to avoid its open mouth but not the wolf, and once again you and the wolf go violently tumbling to the ground. The wolf’s heavy body lands on your body, and an extreme sharp pain suddenly strikes your back. Scrambling from its twisted limbs, you try to take off before it gets up. However, the sharp pain returns, causing you to yell out in pain. Looking backwards to identify the source, a wave of horror clouds your mind as you see your left wing hanging lopsided, broken and unable to allow you any chance of flight.

The low growls of the two wolves force your attention to your current situation, and you have no choice but to take off running again, each step sending pain to your broken wing. You have no choice but to ignore the pain, the two wolves back on your trail and thirsty for blood. You are now running with no idea which way you are headed, your one surefire means of escape gone. Glancing left and right, you just see tree after tree, no hiding spot to be seen.

Your mind races for a solution, any solution, but you can’t think of anything to get you out of this mess. Just as you’re starting to think that there’s no hope, the trees begin to thin out, signaling the edge of the Everfree forest. Finally reaching open ground, your feeling of joy is quickly extinguished as the ground opens up to a wide, deep canyon; Ghastly Gorge. Before you can turn back into the forest, the two timberwolves have caught up to you, blocking any chance of running.

Your back to the canyon, your thoughts race once again, but like before no easy answer appears. The wolves finally make their move, one dashing at you while the other one stays put. The first wolf rushes at you with jaws gaping wide open, eager to finally catch its prey. With no other choice other than accepting death, you roll to the side at the last moment, causing your already broken wing to crumple under your body and reignite the burning pain. But the move works, the wolf missing you and, unable to stop its forward momentum, falls into the deep gorge with an anguished howl.

Ignoring the searing pain, you turn your attention to the second wolf. Unfazed by what happened to its comrade, the wolf paws the ground before charging you also. “Stupid animal, I guess this is it.” you think to yourself, the ordeal finally coming to a close. As before, you wait until the last second and side step the wolf, rolling out of the way just in time again.

Well, almost in time.

As the wolf begins to go over the edge of the canyon, it begins to twist its body back around. It’s too late to stop itself from falling to its fate hundreds of feet below, but the wolf takes one last swipe at you, its wooden claw catching your tail. You dig your hooves desperately into the ground, but the heavier timberwolf and gravity win as you’re pulled over the edge. Flailing its limbs, the wolf lets go and joins the first wolf at the bottom of the canyon.

Your one good wing flaps furiously, and even though it causes you excruciating pain to do so, you try to use your broken wing also, regaining flight your only option to survive. You manage to slow your descent but it’s not enough as you continue to plummet to the earth below. With only mere seconds left, you pull every ounce of remaining energy and will into your wings.

But the ground keeps rushing at you, and then time runs out.

Hours later you slowly regain consciousness, the first thing registering in your head being the pain your body is in. You don’t even try standing up or even moving your body; the feeling in your two front legs more than enough to tell you that they’re both broken. The most you can do is move your head slightly side to side, enough to see that you’re lying on your back at the bottom of the gorge, lifeless pieces of timber strewn around you. The sky above you is an orange-red, no doubt Celestia is lowering the sun, ending the day. No doubt the quarray eels will have an easier time getting you than those timberwolves did. Exhaustion is finally catching up to you, and despite your best efforts you begin to close your eyes. You swear you’re starting to hallucinate, as the last thing you see is a small rainbow-colored streak hurtling towards you.