//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: Clearing the Slush // Story: Winter's Howl // by 71NYL-5CR4TCH //------------------------------// Winter’s Howl Chapter 10: Clearing the Slush ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Snowstorm took in a deep breath of the crisp, wintery air before releasing it in a cloud of steam. He smiled, the day was beautiful, and it was only just beginning. He felt a chill on his head and looked to Rainbow Dash. Her raimbow mane, carefully divided into sections of vivid color, hung lower than usual, weighted down by the water of their recent shower. His own mane was still wet as well, and he knew better than to air-dry it in weather such as this. Rainbow turned to him with a large, enthusiastic smile, meeting his gaze. “You know, before we go out, we might want to dry our manes…” Snowstorm began. “Heh, yeah, I don’t really want chunks of my mane freezing off. I’d offer to give you my signature Rainblow dry, but that normally needs to be outside…do you have a normal mane dryer?” “I have towels…” He gave her a hopeful glance, hoping it would be enough to satisfy Rainbow. “Well, I guess will just have to wait in the room for our manes to dry, wont we?” She flashed him a sly smile, before planting a kiss on his cheek. “I guess I could live with that…” he said with a smile before kissing her back. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rainbow and Snowstorm wandered back out of the hotel room, manes dry but suspiciously messy. Once again, they opened the door, and the same beautiful serenity outside. For a few seconds. A quiet scream was heard in the distance, high and shrill, piercing the still winter air. Slowly, the scream began to grow. As its source grew nearer, it became identifiable that the source was not one, but three, likely small, fillies. Rainbow began to bring a hoof to her head. “Oh no…” Rainbow moaned, her hoof now sliding down her face. Snowstorm turned to Rainbow and raised an eyebrow, “What? Who’s screaming-“ “CUTIE MARK CRUSADER SLEDDERS YAY!!!!” A large toboggan suddenly shot over the hill with insane speed, leaving the snow-covered ground. Snowstorm’s mouth dropped open, widening his eyes as the toboggan flew through the air, flying towards its destination. Snowstorm. Rainbow simply rolled her eyes. “Here we go again…” The toboggan crashed into him full speed, sending him spiraling to the ground. His world spun briefly before he managed to make out three small fillies beginning to crowd around him, whispering. One had a light yellow coat, with a red mane. She was the first to speak. “Oh no! Is he dead? Did we kill him?” Next, a whit coated unicorn with a swirled light purple mane spoke, “I don’t think so…he’s still moving…” Finally, an orange coated pegasus with a purple mane spoke. “I think he’s fine, come on girls lets go!” Her voice seemed rushed and nervous. Rainbow Dash interjected, “Oh no you don’t! You are going to stay here and apologize as soon as he comes to.” Snowstorm stood up wobbly, shaking his head. “Ugh…what happened?” Rainbow chuckled, “These three rugrats over here just crashed into you with a sled at full speed.” He shook his head again, and his vision finally cleared as he looked the three fillies over. Suddenly, the orange pegasus stuttered. “Uh…uh…I really gotta go guys, catchaya later!” She bolted of into the woods before Snowstorm got a look at the filly’s face. He shrugged. I guess she really didn’t want to get into trouble… He turned to the other two, who were now watching their friend disappear into the surrounding woods. Rainbow hovered off the ground as if to go after her, but apparently decided against it. The filly with a yellow coat turned to him first, her eyes still turned somewhat in her friend’s direction. Finally, her gaze met snowstorm. She had soft, yellow eyes, with a large red bow in her mane. She spoke softly, with a familiar southern drawl, “Um…Ah’m a might sorry we crashed into ya like that…we thought we could control the sled Mr…uh…” “Snowstorm,” He finished. “We are really sorry Mr. Snowstorm, we just wanted to have fun in the snow! We got a SNOWDAY! But Rarity said we couldn’t stay in the boutique because we were ‘absolute ruffians’” This time, the white unicorn spoke, her voice changing at her last phrase to mimic high society speech. “Rarity eh? Are you her little sister?” Snowstorm raised an eyebrow. He could see the resemblance, but there was no way the Rarity he met was old enough to be her mother. “Yup! I’m Sweetie Bell, and this my friend, Applebloom!” She beamed, extending a hoof at the yellow earth pony. She smiled, “Yup! Ah’m Applejack’s little sister! Do you know her?” Snowstorm’s face lowered. “Um…yeah…we’ve met.” Snowstorm turned to Rainbow, whose face also sunk. They still had yet to talk to Applejack, and she probably didn’t know Rainbow had found Snowstorm yet. “Actually, do you know where your sister is? We should probably talk to her…” Rainbow nodded beside him. “Well, she’s back at the farm, but she hasn’t been wanting to talk to anypony…” “I think she’ll make an exception…anyway, don’t worry about the crash, accidents happen. But we should get going. You tykes take care now!” Snowstorm and Rainbow began running through the snow in the general direction of Sweet Apple Acres. While it was difficult to run in snow this deep, it was a much better alternative to freezing ones wings off. Arriving at Sweet Apple Acres, Rainbow gave the front door a few knocks with her hoof before standing back. After a few moments, the door opened, revealing a large, red colt in the door. He was actually slightly shorter than Snowstorm, but was much heavier, and probably stronger. “Hey Big McIntosh, is AJ in?” Rainbow asked cautiously “Eeyup.” He answered with a slow southern drawl. “Can we go see her?” He opened the door fully now, and extended a hoof, inviting them in. “She’s upstairs.” As the pair entered the home, they noticed nearly everything in the house was wooden and run down. It was obvious the home was very old, but had a pleasant, welcoming feel and an inviting odor of baked apple treats. Snowstorm and Rainbow walked up the old wooden steps of the barn to an upper hallway, which was quiet except for a few sobs coming form a cracked door. Rainbow looked at Snowstorm with sad eyes, before turning back to the slightly opened door. Rainbow knocked on the door, causing it to slightly open a little more with each knock. The sobs quieted to gentle sniffles, before a voice came from within the room, “Come on in Mac…” Applejack spoke between sniffles. “Heh, guess again AJ…” Rainbow spoke quietly, faking a smile. “Rainbow! What are you-how did-why?” “Whoa there! I just came by to check up on you, I told you I’d come back, didn’t I?” “Ah…ah thought you’d never want to see me again…” She closed her eyes, allowing a few tears to drip on the bed she sat on. “Why in Equestria would you think that?!” Rainbow asked through laughs. “Well…’cause I ruined your chances with that Snowstorm fellah, and Ah bucked it all up…” “Not quite…” Rainbow said with a smile, motioning for Snowstorm to come in. “Hey there AJ, good to see you again.” Snowstorm walked in, smiling. “SNOWSTORM! B-but ah thought you left, we all thought you were gone…” “I almost was, but Rainbow here managed to catch me before I got too far. So now, here I am.” He smiled, putting a hoof over his chest. “So…ah didn’t ruin…everything?” Rainbow laughed before pecking Snowstorm on the cheek. “You didn’t ruin anything AJ…” “So…you don’t hate me?” “AJ, you’re my best friend! Even if I never saw Snowstorm here again, I’d never hate you. “ Applejack smiled, stifling her tears. “Thank you, Rainbow…that means so much to me…” “All right all right, enough of this mushy stuff…” Rainbow smiled, waving a hoof. “Now, if you want to help us, one of Applebloom’s friends still owes Snowstorm here an apology…”