//------------------------------//
// Quiet Interludes 
// Story: Cold Days and Warm Hearts 
// by moguera 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 11: Quiet Interludes

The remainder of the week that Fluttershy's parents spent in town was surprisingly pleasant.  Caramel was especially amazed that Silverlight was no longer constantly glowering at him whenever the two of them were within eyesight of each other.  At times, it looked as though the older stallion wanted to voice some form of displeasure or objection whenever he saw Caramel and Fluttershy getting close, but it was purely reflexive and Silverlight quickly reined it in.
In the meantime, Dawn was happy to get to know both his grandparents, who managed to tone down their affection somewhat.  Granted, Silverlight still looked as though he wanted to die of happiness every time Dawn called him "grandpa" and Posey would trap him in her arms like a vice at the drop of a hat, but, by and large, Dawn enjoyed getting to know his extended family.  Given how alone he had been in the time before he had met Fluttershy, suddenly going from having no family to having a surprisingly large family was a pleasant change in direction for him.
All told, the season was progressing nicely.  Dawn and his friends worked at the teahouse, then played in the snow.  One day they would go sledding.  The next they built snow-castles.  Dawn and Scootaloo played together frequently, using rapid exchanges of snowballs as a means of training during the winter cold.  Dawn had never enjoyed winter so much before.  Then, as they reached the final month of the year, Dawn showed his friends something he had learned from his Master...



"Okay," gasped Spike as he rested against his shovel, "Is that big enough?"
Dawn surveyed the large, broad mound of snow that he and his friends had piled up and nodded in satisfaction.  "I believe so," he said.
"Okay," said Rumble, eyeing the pile of packed snow dubiously, "Now what?"
"Now we go to the Sugarcube Corner and wait for about an hour...maybe two," said Dawn.
"Huh?"  Apple Bloom looked at the colt skeptically, "First ya have us pile up all'a this snow then ya just have us leave it?"
"For now," said Dawn.
"Well, I've got no problem going in and warming up for a while," said Sweetie Belle, rubbing her booted hooves together, "I'm cold."
"What's this all about?" asked Scootaloo as her coltfriend led the group back to the bakery.
"It needs to sit for a little while to set," explained Dawn.
"Oh!  I get it," said Spike, smacking the palm of one hand with a fist, "You're letting it sinter."  He was met by blank looks from everypony, including Dawn.
"What does that mean?" asked Scootaloo.
"Well, basically, when we packed all that snow down, we broke up the crystalline structure of the snow itself by forcing out the air," explained Spike, "Letting it rest will let the crystals reform into a new structure that's stronger.  That's called sintering."
"Oh," said Dawn, "So that's what it's called."
"You don't know the name for it?" said Spike.
"I only learned how to do it, not what it was called, nor the exact mechanics behind it," explained Dawn with a shrug.
"So I guess we're making a quinzhee then," said Spike, rubbing his hands together eagerly.
"That's right," said Dawn.
"What in tarnation is that?" asked Apple Bloom.
Dawn opened his mouth to explain, but realized that they'd arrived at their destination.  The group went into Sugarcube Corner and placed their orders, mostly various sweet confections, though Dawn ordered the onion soup dumplings that he liked so much (one of the few things on offer he could actually stomach).
As they sat at one of the tables and waited for Pinkie Pie to bring out their orders, Spike answered Apple Bloom's question.
"A quinzhee is a shelter made out of snow," explained the young dragon, "It's sorta like an igloo, but it's made out of packed snow, rather than cut ice."
"So that's what we're making?" asked Sweetie Belle.
Dawn nodded.  "After we've let it rest and...sinter...then we'll go back and hollow it out."
"And then what?" asked Rumble.
"Well," said Dawn, "I was thinking that we could spend the night out there."  His suggestion elicited a gasp from the entire group with the exception of Spike, who was looking quite excited by the prospect.
"Are you crazy?" demanded Sweetie Belle, "We can't stay in a shelter made out of snow.  We'd freeze!"
"Actually, it's supposed to be pretty warm," said Spike, "We'll lay down some blankets on the floor and we'll be just fine with our sleeping bags.  We won't even need scarves and jackets inside."
"How's that work?" asked Apple Bloom, looking at her drakefriend curiously.
"When you pack snow and get all the air out from between the crystals, it's a really effective insulator," said Spike with a knowing grin, "It'll keep the cold outside from getting inside and our body heat will keep the air on the inside warm."
"I also set the shape of the mound so that we'll have room for a fireplace when we hollow it out," added Dawn, "That will make it warmer."
"But won't the snow melt?" asked Scootaloo.
"Not really," said Spike, "The snow's insulation will work on itself too.  We just have to make sure we have a chimney and air vents so that we don't suffocate or anything like that."
"Have you done this before?" asked Scootaloo, looking at Dawn.
The ebony colt nodded.  "When I was living in the Everfree, that was how I weathered the coldest months.  They can be very comfortable actually."
"That actually sounds kinda cool," said Scootaloo, perking up, "We'll be the Cutie Mark Crusaders Winter Campers...and Spike."
"Thanks," groused the dragon with a sardonic grin before taking a swig of his cocoa.
"Where'd ya learn so much 'bout all this stuff anyway?" Bloom asked Spike, "Ah thought Dawn was the one who knew everythin' 'bout livin' outdoors."
"From Twilight, of course," said Spike proudly, "She's done research on snow shelters, winter survival, and the composition of snow and ice."
"Why would she do that?" wondered Bloom.
"'Cause she's Twilight," said Spike with a shrug, "She does that kind of research for the fun of it.  Guess who gets to help her with all her notes.  That's how I know so much about it."
"Oh," said Bloom.
"What do you think?" asked Scootaloo, looking at all the others, "Why don't we give it a try?"
"Give what a try?"
Rumble let out a rather un-stallionly shriek as Pinkie Pie popped up right beside him, her perpetual grin unwavering as the gray colt settled back into his seat and glared up at the pink mare who had nearly given him a heart attack.
"We're helping Dawn build a quinzhee," said Spike, "And we were talking about having a sleepover in it once we're done."
"Oooh!  That sounds like fun," said Pinkie before tilting her head, "What's a quinzhee?"
Spike let out a resigned sigh and repeated the explanation he'd been giving the others.  Pinkie nodded along as she listened to the little dragon explain things once again.  When he finished, Pinkie was nodding excitedly.  "That sounds real cool!"  She paused to giggle at her own unintended pun.  "You really learned how to make those, Dawn?"
"Yes," replied Dawn with a pleased smile.  He was actually looking quite proud of himself.
"I'd love to learn how to do that," squealed Pinkie, her grin spreading nearly to her ears.  However, she froze when Mayweather trotted past, whipping Pinkie in the flank with her tail.
"Maybe next time," said Mayweather with a sly smile, "Let the kids have their fun tonight and Dawn and Spike can teach you about it later."
"'Kay," said Pinkie, sounding a little disappointed, but not too down over it.
Mayweather turned her attention to the Crusaders (and Spike).  "You'd better make sure you have your families' permission before you go doing this."
"Okay," said the group in unison.
"So how does this work?" asked Bloom, turning her attention back to Dawn, "Ah mean.  What's the plan once we finish gettin' permision fer this here shindig?"
"Once we finish talking, the snow should have settled enough," said Dawn, "So, when we return, we can begin hollowing out the interior.  Then we'll lay down some blankets across the floor and put sleeping bags on them.  Then all that will be left will be to settle down and make ourselves comfortable."
"Do you have the blankets?" asked Sweetie.
Dawn nodded.  "When I told dad what I was planning, he said he'd let me use some old blankets from the closet."
"So I guess you already have permission then," said Rumble.
Dawn smiled.  "Mom was a bit worried, but she gave hers when she heard that I've done this before."  He paused and scratched his chin.  "Though I've never had to make one quite so large before..."
"Will it be okay?" asked Sweetie.
Dawn nodded.  "It should do fine for the six of us."
"Well then, I guess we can delay hollowing it out a little while we all go and get permission," said Spike, "It certainly won't hurt to let the snow set longer."
Everypony else nodded in agreement.  They chatted for a little while longer in the Sugarcube Corner before scattering to get permission from their parents and siblings.



"So is it okay?" asked Spike, looking up at Twilight.
"Well, I've done the research," said Twilight, smiling, "and I don't have any problem with it.  Just make sure you have somepony outside the quinzhee at all times while you're hollowing it out, just in case it collapses."
"Sure thing," agreed Spike, he'd read that part to.  While the snow shelters rarely collapsed if they were made properly, the consequences could be dire if that volume of snow collapsed on somepony while they were still inside.
"Let me get your sleeping bag and you'll be all set to go."  Twilight turned and made her way up to the closet in their bedroom alcove.  Spike had his own sleeping bag, specially made by Rarity from extra-durable materials to keep it from being punctured by his spines or claws.  It was also well-insulated, easily able to handle temperatures below freezing, even though Spike didn't need all that much help regulating his own body temperature.
Twilight brought Spike's bag, which had been packed into a smaller sack so that he could carry it easily, down.  As she passed it to Spike, she gave him a concerned look.  "There's one more thing I need to talk to you about before you go," she said.
"I promise to make sure I brush my teeth before I turn in for the night," said Spike dutifully.
"That's not it," said Twilight with a sigh, "You're going to be camping out with your friends.  Apple Bloom is going to be there, right?"
"Yeah," said Spike, nodding, not certain he was liking where this conversation was going.  She isn't going to talk about that...is she?
"There's going to be six of you now, so I don't think it should be much of a problem," said Twilight, "But, just to be on the safe side, I'm going to tell you this anyway, especially since the others will be there with their special someponies too..."  She let out a frustrated groan.  "There's no easy way to put this but...no sex!  Understood?"
Spike's cheeks flared with dark red color.  I should have known she was going to do this.  Regardless, he nodded furiously.
"Good," said Twilight, running her hoof along his spines, "Now go and have fun."
Spike nodded one last time and bolted out the door.



Meanwhile, at Sweet Apple Acres, a certain yellow filly was receiving the exact same talk from her elder sister.  Fortunately for Apple Bloom, she was much more comfortable with the topic than most fillies her age.  Working on the farm, especially with all the animals around, tended to familiarize oneself with the facts of life rather early on.
"Don't ya worry sis," said Bloom proudly, "Both Spike and Ah know we're way too young to even be thinkin' 'bout that."
"Well Ah'm glad," said Applejack, "Ah'd thought as much, but it wouldn't feel right if Ah didn't cover mah bases with ya, just to be on the safe side.  Now go on and have a fun time with yer friends."
"Ah will!" exclaimed Apple Bloom, galloping out the door.
Applejack watched her little sister go with a wistful smile, remembering the times she and Big Macintosh had gone camping together when they were just foals.  She was distracted from her reverie by the sound of wheezing laughter coming from her grandmother.
"Somethin' funny Granny?" asked Applejack, turning to regard the wrinkled, green mare who came ambling out of the kitchen.
"Well, it's just like Bloom said," commented Granny Smith with a wry smile, "Ah can betcha that Bloom and that little drake of her's weren't even thinkin' 'bout that stuff 'til ya brought it up.  But, if the rest's families are actin' like ya did, Ah wonder if they'll be able to stop thinkin' 'bout it, now that ya've gone and put the idea in their heads."
"Uh..."  Applejack's eyes widened as she considered what her grandmother had just said, "Whoops!"



Had Sweetie Belle had her way, she would have trotted gracefully out the door of her sister's boutique and made her way towards the park, where their pile of snow was waiting to be hollowed out, meeting Rumble halfway and enjoying some quality time with her coltfriend.
Sadly, Sweetie didn't get her way, as she instead bolted out the door, slamming it shut behind her before rushing down the street in a frantic effort to put as much distance between herself and Rarity as possible, her white coat of fur making the brilliant red her face had turned all the more visible.  Only when she was a safe ways away from the Carousel Boutique did Sweetie slump down, only barely resisting the temptation to shove her head into a nearby snowbank in a desperate effort to cool it off.
Rarity had, of course, been amicable to allowing Sweetie to spend the night with the rest of the Crusaders (and Spike).  However, when the topic had drifted around to the fact that Rumble would be there, Rarity had brought up the topic of sex, namely how Sweetie was to avoid it at any cost.  Rarity, being Rarity, had approached the topic with the grace that only the most sophisticated ponies of Canterlot and Manehattan would appreciate...namely by imagining the scandal that would befall Sweetie and Rumble if they "indulged" at such an early age, followed by vivid imaginings of pregnancy and the premature wedding that were sure to follow.
That's it, thought Sweetie furiously, When I get back tomorrow, I'm taking all of Rarity's romance novels and burning them.  Sadly, Sweetie's memories were not so easily purged, not even by fire.
"You too, huh?"
A strangled squeak slipped out the white filly's lips as she whirled around to see Rumble, who was wearing a similar blush on his cheeks, his wings buzzing occasionally, as though he was unable to keep them still.
For a moment, the two of them stood there, staring at one another in awkward silence.
"So..." ventured Rumble cautiously, "How did yours go?"
"Terrible," said Sweetie with a frustrated groan, "The moment you came up, it's like Rarity lost touch with reality and just wrote us into one of her favorite novels."
"That's pretty bad," said Rumble, who'd had a fair bit of experience with Rarity by this time.
"What about you?" asked Sweetie, her two-toned mane bobbing as she tilted her head to regard Rumble.
"Worse...I think," said Rumble, his cheeks flaring up again, "When Thunderlane heard about the sleepover and that you would be there.  He started teasing me about it.  Then Cloud Chaser went and...Ugh!"  Unlike Sweetie, Rumble did not resist the temptation and actually did shove his head into the snowbank.  When he pulled it back out, he shook his head to clear off the excess snow.  "Cloudchaser was actually offering to give me advice on how...how to..."  Once again, Rumble buried his head into the snow.
"She was joking?" asked Sweetie, feeling more than a little nervous, "Right...?"
"Yeah," said Rumble after he pulled his head out again, "But that doesn't really make it any better."
"No it doesn't," agreed Sweetie.
Rumble had been quite glad that Flitter had rescued him.  She had only been too happy to explain that Thunderlane and Cloud Chaser had only been joking.  But the damage had already been done.
"I wonder if the others are doing alright," mused Sweetie idly.
"Let's find out," said Rumble with a sigh.
The two of them set out together, side by side.  In spite of the embarrassment stemming from their conversations with their respective siblings, Sweetie didn't shy away as Rumble pressed up close to her then extended his wing over her back to hold her up against him.  The two of them made their way to the park that way, cheek pressed to red-glowing cheek.



Scootaloo arrived at the park to find Dawn already there.  The colt had set down some bags, which presumably contained the blankets and whatever other necessities he had gotten for the night, off to the side and was situated by the mound of snow.  He had gotten a few tree branches from the nearby forest and was in the process of breaking them into ten-inch pieces, which he was setting off to the side for the time being.
As she got closer, Dawn looked up and his draconic eyes swept up to meet her own.  The moment their eyes met, Scootaloo's cheeks bloomed in a furious blush as she averted her own gaze.
"Is...is everything alright?" asked Dawn, getting to his hooves and approaching, a bit concerned about Scootaloo's suddenly strange behavior.
"Uh...yeah...sorta," said Scootaloo.
Dawn blinked and raised an eyebrow.  "Sort...a?"
"Well...Mom said it was okay for me to spend the night out here with everypony," explained Scootaloo, "But she said she was a bit worried about you being here."
Dawn blinked and tilted his head in confusion.  "Why?"  As far as he knew, Melon Cream trusted him with Scootaloo and had no problem with them being together.  He wondered what development had suddenly made Scootaloo's mother so worried about her spending the night with him.
"Uh...isn't it obvious?" asked Scootaloo, her blush intensifying.  The blank look Dawn gave her told her that it wasn't obvious at all.  "You know...a filly and a colt...special someponies...spending the night together..."
Dawn merely stared at her uncomprehending.  Scootaloo stared back, just as bamboozled by Dawn's lack of comprehension.  "Uh...didn't your mom talk to you about anything?" she asked, putting a careful emphasis on the last word.
"Um...no..." said Dawn, blinking slowly, "At least...I don't think it was the anything you're talking about...whatever that is..."
"Wow!  Really?"  Scootaloo could only stare, unable to imagine that Fluttershy or Caramel had neglected to bring up The Talk, even as a warning for Dawn.  Did they trust in his maturity that much?
"What is it that you think I should have talked with mom and dad about?" asked Dawn, still wearing an expression of confusion.
"Uh...sex," said Scootaloo lamely.
"What about it?" asked Dawn.
That made Scootaloo freeze.  "You know what sex is...right?"
"Of course," said Dawn, "Sex is the means by which ponies and other animals reproduce.  But what does that have to do with our sleepover?"
Scootaloo's jaw went slack as she stared at her coltfriend, the realization slowly seeping into her bones that, while Dawn clearly knew what sex was, he didn't seem to be making the connection at all between sex and romance.  It was simply amazing, to be honest.  Even taking away his mastery of the martial arts, Dawn had an impressive repertoire of knowledge and skills that had enabled him to survive on his own for an extended period of time in one of the most hostile environments imaginable.  The unfinished snow shelter behind him was a testament to that.  However, Scootaloo came to the realization that there was a very glaring gap in Dawn's knowledge.  On top of that, he’d come into school during midsummer, just missing the sex-ed lessons Cheerilee had given the rest of the class.
It wasn’t much of a surprise to Scootaloo that Fluttershy and Caramel hadn’t spoken to Dawn about the same topic that Scootaloo’s mother had.  They had probably assumed that Dawn’s Master had taught him about it.  However, it was now clear that they had been gravely mistaken.  The consequences were…awkward…to say the least.
To make matters worse, Scootaloo was fairly certain that all of her friends had gotten the same lecture in one form or another.  When they got here, it would be on all their minds…except for Dawn’s, who would be left out in the worst possible way.  But the only way to include him would be for her to explain what the problem was…and Scootaloo wasn’t sure if she could do that.
Still, the only other option would be to send him back to Fluttershy, which would really put off finishing the quinzhee.  But...can I really do it?  If anything, the fact that Dawn was her coltfriend only served to make things even more awkward to Scootaloo.  Still, she decided to give it her best shot.  She could only hope that she wasn't making a big mistake by doing this.
Scootaloo took a deep breath.  "Listen Dawn," she said, "The thing about sex is...it's considered a really important part of relationships."
"How so?" asked Dawn.
"Well, before I got here, mom was talking to me about this.  The thing is...when ponies who are special someponies spend the night together, for older ponies it usually uh...means..."  Scootaloo dipped her head, trying to think about an easy way to say this.  "The ponies doing it tend to start thinking about...doing it."
"I don't get it," said Dawn, still looking at her blankly.  The utter lack of comprehension on the colt's face made Scootaloo want to laugh.  The embarrassing subject matter kept her mirth contained though.
"I'm really not all that good about explaining it," said Scootaloo, "'Cause it's something I only partly understand myself.  The only thing I do know is that we're way too young for it.  I wouldn't have even thought about it if mom hadn't brought it up."
Seeing that Dawn still only had the barest notion of what she was talking about, Scootaloo let out a defeated sigh.  "Listen, it's something you need to talk to your mom and dad about.  I don't know if you should do it today before we actually start this whole thing or after you get back, but you do need to talk to them about it."  Then you can be properly embarrassed with the rest of us.
"Okay..." said Dawn, "Perhaps we should finish the shelter first.  Then I'll head back home and talk to mom and dad about it."
"That's probably a good idea," said Scootaloo.  Part of her felt guilty about subjecting Dawn to this on a night when he had been innocently expecting to have a fun time with his friends.  But, at the same time, this was clearly a conversation he needed to have with somepony and Scootaloo didn't feel nearly qualified to give him the full explanation.
"So," she said, changing the subject, "What's next with this thing."  She examined the mound that they had built.  It seemed much more solid-looking, now that it had been sitting out for a while.
Apparently relieved to be back to a topic he actually knew something about, Dawn smiled and held up one of the sticks he had been segmenting.  "We need to plant these into the sides and top," he said.
"Why?" asked Scootaloo.
"They're guides," explained Dawn, "The walls need to be a certain thickness in order to hold up the shelter.  When we're digging it out, we'll eventually reach the sticks and that will tell us that we can't dig any further."
"Cool," said Scootaloo.  She took half the sticks from Dawn.  She watched as he moved around the perimeter of the mound, pushing the sticks into the snow until only a couple of inches stood out of the snow.  Following his example, Scootaloo went around as well, doing her best to keep the sticks evenly placed.  Then they fluttered up and planted another line of sticks higher up before Dawn flew all the way to the top and punched a few sticks down into what would be the shelter's ceiling.
As they were finishing, Sweetie Belle and Rumble arrived, with Spike coming up behind them.  Apple Bloom would take the longest getting back, seeing as she had to go all the way up to Sweet Apple Acres and back.
"Alright," said Dawn, turning his attention to the mound, "We'll start carving out the inside.  I'll go first.  I need everypony else to clear out the snow behind me.  We'll need someone outside at all times, just in case."
The others nodded and Dawn set to work.  The first thing he did was use one of his feathers to carve a circular opening on one side of the dome.  Then he began to dig it out.  The snow had hardened considerably, thanks to the time it had spent sintering.  Still, Dawn was able to tunnel in fairly quickly.  Behind him, Spike and Rumble were moving the snow out of the way as Dawn deposited it behind him.
Once he had gotten far enough in, Dawn began to dig out around either side of the entrance, making the beginnings of the single large room that the shelter would contain.  Before long, he had enough room that Spike was able to join him, the young dragon's clawed hands making quick work of the packed snow, while Rumble moved in behind them to keep clearing the snow out the entrance, where Sweetie and Scootaloo would shovel it away.  Before long, they were joined by Apple Bloom, who came inside to assist in digging out the interior.
According to Dawn's specifications, the floor around the entrance was dug out more so that it was lower than the section where the group would be sleeping.  According to Dawn, this would give the cold air a place to pool and then move out through the door opening, helping to keep the sleeping space warm.  At the far end of the shelter, Dawn allowed the walls to close slightly before digging out a second, almost separate room.  In that second room, Dawn dug through the snow in the ceiling all the way out.  Beneath the new chimney, Dawn laid out a large, flat rock he had found.  This would be the fireplace.  After that, he dug a channel that split the raised section of the floor in two, running down into the sunken section by the door.  Dawn then withdrew a few of the sticks he had inserted and slightly widened the holes they'd left behind to serve as vents to allow fresh air in.  The rest of the sticks were pulled and the holes they left were plugged.
Once they had finished digging out the interior, Dawn began laying out the blankets he'd gotten from Caramel, until the entire floor was covered.  After that, he and Spike set out a few firefly lanterns to provide light in the dark, cavern-like confines of the shelter.  As a final touch, Dawn pinned a pair of smaller blankets to the walls by the entrance so that they draped across it, creating an effective door.
"And we're done," he said with no small amount of satisfaction.  He had every right to be impressed with his work.  The quinzhees he'd made during his time in the Everfree had been single-pony affairs, very small and cramped.  This was the largest and roomiest one he'd ever made.  The whole space was long and low, with the ceiling high enough that they could stand, but without much more room than that.
The others came in and laid out their sleeping bags and cushions.  Already, their combined body heat was making the interior of the shelter warmer than the air outside.  Everypony began unpacking, revealing snacks and thermoses of cocoa or cider.
Looking around, Scootaloo could see that everypony was more concerned with setting up for the evening than the conversations they had probably just had with their siblings and parents.  She figured that, if they kept themselves entertained well enough, they wouldn't have much reason to think about it.  She quietly pulled Dawn aside.  "Why don't you wait until tomorrow to talk to your parents," she suggested quietly, feeling a little bit off about including Caramel as one of Dawn's parents, though Dawn was clearly getting quite comfortable with calling Caramel "dad."
"Okay," said Dawn, nodding slowly.  He was still confused by her worries for the whole affair, but decided to keep it to himself unless the conversation came up again.
"So, how about that fire," suggested Spike, rubbing his claws eagerly.  As a dragon, he enjoyed fire, even though he didn't necessarily require the warmth of one.
"Just a moment," said Dawn.  He took the pile of sticks that he'd removed from the sides of the quinzhee and used a arranged a few of them in the fireplace at the end of the room.  Extending two of his primaries, Dawn allowed a spark to jump between them before it streaked out and into the wood.  A few short seconds later, a modest fire was crackling away.
"Wow," said Scootaloo, grinning widely as she settled down next to Dawn, "This is awesome!"
"I'm glad that I was able to share it with everyone," said Dawn, looking around and taking the sight of their friends chatting.
Scootaloo examined their friends too.  She noted that Sweetie and Rumble were both blushing a little more than usual, given that the two of them had gotten very used to being special someponies.  Spike's cheeks were a shade darker than normal, the only indicator that the young dragon was blushing.  Bloom looked completely normal, though Scootaloo was fairly certain that the farm filly had gotten a similar talk from her older sister that Scootaloo had gotten from her mom.
It seemed that the sheer novelty of the experience of being tucked inside a warm, cozy hut made of nothing but snow was enough to keep their minds off the uneasiness that they would have been feeling otherwise.  Scootaloo could only hope that they would keep that part of the conversation in check as the evening progressed or Dawn would be in an even more awkward position than he had been earlier.
"So this is how ya stayed warm when ya were in the Everfree," said Bloom appreciatively, snuggling up against Spike.
"When it was possible," said Dawn, "The weather in the forest is unpredictable, so there wasn't always enough snow to make one."
"You mean you had to keep making one over an over again?" asked Rumble, a little distressed by the idea.  Building the quinzhee had been a fun project for them, but one that had taken the better part of the day, taking into account the time spent waiting for the snow to sinter and solidify.  Dawn wouldn't have had the Sugarcube Corner to shelter in while he waited.
"One of these can last a few days," said Dawn, looking around room, "But they are a temporary shelter at best.  There is always a chance of collapse, especially after a few days, depending on the weather."
"Why not build an igloo?" asked Spike, "They're more permanent."
"The snow and ice weren't the right quality," replied Dawn, "The advantage of a quinzhee is that it can be built from any kind of snow, so long as you have enough of it."
"What was it like, living in the Everfree?" asked Sweetie from her comfortable position beneath Rumble's wing, "Was it scary?"
"Somewhat," said Dawn, "It takes getting used to and you can't afford to let your guard down."
"That's why you're such a light sleeper?" asked Scootaloo.
Dawn nodded.  "There are plenty of nocturnal predators in the Everfree Forest.  But the most dangerous times are around twilight and dawn-"  He was cut off by a collective snort from his friends, a sound that he echoed when he realized what he'd just said.  "-around nightfall and daybreak," he amended, "when most of the monsters are out hunting."
"You must have seen a lot of monsters there," said Spike, "Twilight says that ponies have only officially observed a few of them because nopony wants to go too far into the forest.  I don't think me or the girls have gone farther than the old castle."  Except for that one time I ran away...I think.
"I did see quite a few," agreed Dawn, "I know all the ones you're talking about.  I did see cragodiles, manticores, hydras, and way too many timberwolves.  Then there were wyverns, thunderbirds, a roc..."
"But probably not any rous," muttered Spike.
"No, they exist," countered Dawn, "But they weren't too troublesome.  I've also seen a few that I didn't see in any of Twilight's books.  But they were in the deeper sections of the Everfree, far away from any pony settlements."
"What kind 'o monsters?" asked Bloom eagerly.
Dawn frowned and closed his eyes, searching his memories of the year he'd spent in the forest.  "Let's see...There were the exploding shrub monsters...Those were annoying.  Then there were these monsters I called dragon-dogs.  They looked like somepony had mixed a greyhound with a dragon.  They were about the size of an adult pony and they were relentless hunters."  A grimace crossed Dawn's face at the memory of them.  "I had to exterminate an entire pack that picked up my trail because they wouldn't give up."  He thought a little more.  "Oh, and there was that...pony...thing..."
"Huh?"  Rumble's head came up.  "There were ponies?"
"Not a pony," said Dawn, "But something that looked like one.  At first I thought it was a pony too.  But the more I thought about it, the more convinced I became that it wasn't."
"Why not?" asked Scootaloo.
"Its proportions were all wrong," said Dawn, "Its legs were too long and it was too thin.  I can't remember what it's face looked like.  Also, I can't imagine what anypony would be doing wearing a suit in the Everfree."
"Yeah, that sounds weird," agreed Sweetie.
Dawn shrugged.  "In any case, I only saw it once.  It practically vanished the first time I saw it and I haven't seen it since.  I haven't given it too much thought really."
"Probably for the best," said Spike, to which Dawn nodded.  There were some things that were probably better off not being pondered.
"There were a few other things," Dawn added quietly, "But nothing really worth noting."
The others wondered about that, but Dawn had clearly said enough on the subject.  Instead, Spike took a different approach.  "Did you see any other dragons in the forest?"
Dawn nodded.  "At a distance.  I felt it was best not to bother them and avoid them if possible.  One time, I was seeking shelter from a wild storm in a cave and stumbled across a dragon's treasure hoard.  I left as quickly as I could."
"Did it chase after you?" asked Rumble, leaning forward.
Dawn shook his head.  "The dragon wasn't in and I figured it might have been out hunting at the time.  I thought it best to be gone before he or she came back."
"Did you take anything?" asked Sweetie, "Sis was always talking about how she wished she could have gotten some gems from that dragon that settled on the mountain that one time."
Dawn shook his head vigorously.  "That wouldn't have been wise at all.  My Master told me that, while much isn't known about dragons, it is known that they are fiercely protective of their hoards.  Dragons apparently know everything about the treasure they possess and can tell immediately if something has been taken from it.  He also said that some ponies think that a dragon can instinctively track a piece that has been stolen from his hoard, even if it has been taken miles away and will pursue it relentlessly."
"Whoa!  Scary."  Spike was trembling at the thought, imagining what might have happened had the dragon he'd met in the Everfree tried to follow him back to Ponyville.  The consequences could have been horrifying.
"Besides," said Dawn with a sigh, "I was literally in the middle of nowhere.  Any treasure wouldn't have been worth a thing.  It would have only slowed me down."
The conversation shifted and the other members of the group shared various stories from their own lives.  Scootaloo started up telling scary stories, which didn't really phase Dawn or Apple Bloom, but had Sweetie Belle and Spike huddling up with their respective someponies while shivering in a way that had nothing to do with the cold outside.  They shared snacks, drank cocoa and cider and generally wiled away the hours.  Though there had been some time before nightfall when they had first finished the quinzhee, the sheer novelty of the experience made the foals and dragon reluctant to leave its warm confines as Dawn continued to maintain the modest fire in the fireplace.
By the time they ran out of wood for the fire, night had fallen.  Dawn buried the last remaining embers with snow from the floor.  The chimney wasn't much wider than the vents that Dawn had dug in the walls earlier and would serve as another source of fresh air for the shelter.  The cold would seep down into the channel to join with the rest of the cold air in the room, helping to keep the sleeping area warm.
"Any last trips to the bathroom?" asked Spike, eyeing the entrance.  With the amount of sweet drink the group had consumed, they'd had to break on several occasions so that one or more of them could make a quick trip outside to relieve themselves.  Luckily, there was a public restroom not far away, a factor that had helped Dawn decide on this location.
Dawn's eyes narrowed slightly.  "I have to step out for a moment," he said.
"Don't take too long," called Scootaloo behind him as the colt put on his winter jacket and wrapped the scarf around his neck.  Dawn opened the door and stepped outside, closing it quickly behind him.  He had already checked with Rainbow Dash regarding the prevailing winds, so the door was on the leeward side of the shelter, which meant the wind wouldn't be blowing in.  But the important thing was to keep as much heat as possible from leaking out.
The difference between the warm air inside the quinzhee and the winter chill outside was stark and Dawn, in spite of all his experience with the harshness of the season couldn't suppress a shiver.  However, instead of making his way to the restroom, he instead turned and spread his wings, hovering just a short distance above the snow.  His flight carried him a short distance away from the quinzhee to the place that he sought.
Dawn had begun to feel it partway through the evening, as the sun was going down and the night setting in, a faint pulling sensation.  From the way she'd occasionally acted distracted during their conversations, Dawn knew that Apple Bloom had been feeling it too, but hadn't realized it.  It was subtle, but he suspected that it was earth pony magic, which he had been able to sense only by virtue of his trained sensitivity to his surroundings and his numerous sparring sessions with Red River, which had given him a great deal of familiarity with the sensation of earth pony magic.
The pull was incredibly light and subtle.  Dawn hadn't even consciously realized it when he'd first begun to sense it.  It was like somepony had tied a string to his head and was, very gently, tugging at it.  When he realized what he had been sensing, Dawn's first instinct had been to rush outside and confront the source.  However, he quickly realized a complete lack of hostile intent to the feeling.  Dawn had decided to leave it for the time being.  Only when they were preparing to turn in for the night did he set out to confront the source of the feeling, partly to satisfy his curiosity and partly to be absolutely certain that he and his friends weren't in danger.
True masters of the martial arts could supposedly veil their intent just as well as they veiled their presence.  Dawn had been warned about Terra Heart before.  If Terra Heart was truly a master, then he could very well be lurking nearby, biding his time, silencing his desire to kill and preparing to attack.  While Dawn didn't believe that Terra was here, the cultist would have probably attacked already, he felt the need to be absolutely certain.
As Dawn approached the source of the sensation, he began to recognize the presence.  By the time he arrived, Dawn knew exactly who was waiting for him.
Arkenstone stood there, amidst the trees of the nearby forest.  He was almost completely unclothed.  The only concession to the weather was the lavender scarf wrapped around his neck and even that seemed to be more for appearances than its actual utility.
"Good evening," said the blind stallion softly and genially, as though it was perfectly natural for him to be standing out in below-zero weather with nary a thread of protection against the elements.
"What are you doing out here?" asked Dawn, curiosity, rather than frustration or anger, coloring his tone, "Have you been watching us?"
Arkenstone cracked an amused smile and opened one blank, white eye.  "In a manner of speaking," he said, "In spite of her trust in her younger brother, Twilight was still a bit worried about him and your friends.  To help put her at ease, I offered to come out and…chaperone…as it were.”
“Okay…” said Dawn, canting his head, still a bit confused by what all the older ponies seemed to be worried about.
Arkenstone couldn't help but chuckle at Dawn's confusion.  "I'm sure your mother and father will be able to explain it to you."
"I hope so," said Dawn, looking the stallion over, "Did you wish to come and join us?"
"I think I will stay out here," said Arkenstone, "I am chaperoning your little outing, but I figured this would be some fine time for training as well."
"So that is what I sensed," mused Dawn.
"Correct," replied Arkenstone, "I am not drawing on much power now, but every little bit adds up.  If you look inside me, you could 'see' for yourself."
"How am I able to look inside?" asked Dawn.  His wind-sense picked out Arkenstone's form and his heightened awareness allowed him to sense the stallion's presence, though it was considerably muted.
"The Gale King is the art of mastering the flow of the air," said Arkenstone, "But one's breath is also air.  Therefore, you also have the potential to sense what lies within an opponent by using their breath to draw your wind-sense into their body. "
Dawn frowned slightly and extended his wings, letting his awareness fully infuse into the air around him.  He allowed his awareness to encapsulate Arkenstone's form.  As Arkenstone breathed in, Dawn moved his awareness to the air being drawn into the stallion's mouth.  Half a second later, when Arkenstone breathed back out, Dawn felt it.
Arkenstone's presence completely infused his breath and with it, Dawn got a sense of just what lay within the unassuming beige stallion.  His power burned like a miniature sun within him, small, almost impossible to perceive, but blazing hot.  Dawn got that sense that Arkenstone's power was being contained and compressed, carefully refined over hours, days, and years of ceaseless practice.
"Amazing," gasped Dawn.
"It can teach you a lot about somepony," said Arkenstone, nodding his head in agreement, "It is also an incredibly useful way to read your opponent, even better than your basic wind-sense.  It requires a bit more attention to detail, so you will need to practice it."
"How is it better for reading my opponent?" asked Dawn.
"Breath is central to nearly all martial arts.  It is the means by which we generate power, channel it and release it.  A pony can mask their presence, and their intent, but they cannot mask their breath when they are about to strike.  Breathing also teaches you their rhythm and intervals, marking the difference between action and inaction.  If you can perceive that, then you can move as one with your opponent.  If both of you move as one, then it is the same as neither of you moving at all.  Then, if add your own motion to your opponent's motion, then you will be the only one moving."
Dawn's lips formed a tight line as he thought Arkenstone's words over.  He wasn't sure they made sense, but then, a great many things the stallion had told him didn't always make sense.  But he supposed that was the way of the world.  If the answers could all be simply told, then there was no point to learning through one's own experiences.
Deciding that he could ponder what Arkenstone had told him later, Dawn decided to shift the conversation.  "So why did you decide to train out here?"
"A Knight, even one on furlough like myself, must maintain a state of readiness at all times.  One cannot afford to slack in their training, no matter the circumstances.  This is just as true for masters as it is for novices.  The are particulars to my exercise that are a bit difficult to explain to a non-earth pony, as you cannot sense the same flow of power that another of my tribe can.  For us, there is always time for training.  Perhaps you haven't noticed it, but Apple Bloom has been training the whole evening, even as she was passing it with you and the rest of your friends."
"She was?"  Dawn blinked.  He'd never noticed a single sign.
Another chuckle escaped Arkenstone's mouth.  "She has been stationary for the whole evening.  What better time to practice stillness?  She has progressed quite far to be able to do so and hold a conversation at the same time."
"She must be quite talented," observed Dawn.
"Perhaps," said Arkenstone, "But talent is immaterial to mastering earth pony magic."
"How so?"
"Because talent only means it is slightly easier to learn the basics.  Once an earth pony has learned the basics, talent will be of no help to her.  The only thing that can affect true improvement is diligence.  Never neglect an opportunity to train, to improve yourself, to get the most out of the time you have.  Tap the flow of power within the earth and practice drawing it into yourself until it has become as natural as breathing.  Every minute and every second moves you forward until, ultimately, you attain mastery."
Arkenstone took a deep breath.  Dawn suddenly felt as though his orientation had completely changed direction, as though the ground beneath him was now a wall and he was plummeting straight for Arkenstone.  His flight instincts kicked in automatically and he reared back, flapping his wings furiously for lift to keep from falling.
Arkenstone relaxed, breathing out and the feeling vanished.  Dawn abruptly overbalanced and launched himself onto his back, skidding through the snow away from Arkenstone as the stallion laughed heartily.
"For us earth ponies..."  He stepped forward and offered Dawn a hoof, helping the colt get back on his hooves.  "...mastery is as simple as that."
"And yet, there seem to be very few earth pony masters," said Dawn.
Arkenstone shrugged.  "Simple and easy are not one in the same.  Diligence is not an easy thing to practice.  It requires that one makes a commitment to never spending an idle moment.  Every waking instant is devoted to Cultivating one's power.  Believe me, it is amazing that Apple Bloom hasn't slacked in the slightest when it comes to her training.  I suppose she has good motivation."
Dawn wondered what Arkenstone meant by that.  He was about to ask when he heard Scootaloo calling his name through the night.  "Sorry," he said, "I have to go."
"That's fine," said Arkenstone, "Go have fun."
The cold nodded once then took to the air, his ebony wings blending into the darkness.