//------------------------------//
// Adaptation 
// Story: Warm Hearts 
// by Twisted Gears 
//------------------------------//

After our great success, we all felt filled with energy again. We had a driving motivation to survive this winter, one that we put to use as quickly as possible.

After shoving that stallion away from my accidental embrace, and feeling a rush of red emerge to my face, I quickly retreated towards my belongings, walking through groups of friends cheering this feat of survival. I hauled my saddlebags onto my back, and then walked towards that one Unicorn that seemed to be the voice of our leader. Whoever the Captain was, that is. Then I asked; "Sir, can I have a word with the Captain? It's important."

After his attention was caught, he looked down at me, the quick movement of his head allowed me to see beyond his covers. Above his blue snout and that oddly entertaining gray moustache, I saw a pair of deep violet eyes, tired and experienced. The kind of eyes that Father had. "Yes? Oh. If it is your illness, we are planning on opening a medical tent soon, worry not." He said, quickly dismissing me, much to my surprise. Although those were good news, that wasn't what I really wanted to know.

"N-No, it's not that." I said, stepping sideways to get back onto his sight. "I wanted to speak to him about our housing problem. We're eighty Ponies in here, the foals taking more than half of the avaliable tents and leaving space for only ten adults to sleep under a roof. Forty ponies sleeping on tents while the rest of us freezes doesn't sound fa-"

And he quickly retorted back, cutting my last statement. "The Obelisk is emmiting warmth. It is a temporary solution to this problem, while we plan ahead, you will not freeze tonight at all. Our primary concern right now is the lack of food, missy. And we are going to focus on that right away. In fact..." He said, beaming down at me; "You, as an Earth Pony, could help with that. We need food grown in a record time, and your kind can manipulate plant growth. I pressume that you have little else to do, hm?"

He was more or less right, even if I was more qualified as an engineer or a foremare over being a farmer. "W-Well, I-"

"Then it is settled." He stated again, not even giving me time to start. "You will aid with the farms tomorrow. When your shift starts, gather up some seeds and plant them on the warm soil. It should be watered thanks to the molten ice. Now go, have some rest. You will need all the energy you can muster for tomorrow if you wish to earn your share of food." He said, dismissing me completely.

I was about to complain, but as I rose my hoof to get his attention again, his head faced up to the sky, his horn lighting up in a bright Violet. At the same time, the other Unicorns in the camp did exactly the same, in unison, all their horns lighting up in varying colours and intensities. Even the few Foals that were unicorns did this too... And slowly, the day became night. The clouds above went dark, like if the sun was pulled down from the sky. One by one, they started to fall, like if drained out of every energy they had avaliable, until only this Unicorn in front of me remained, standing proudly for a few more seconds, until it was pitch black, the Moon soon emerging from the other side, telling us that the night was upon us now.

With a tired huff, he walked away, completely forgeting about me, his figure dissapearing into the tents. Blinking, I could only sigh, and hope that whoever the Captain was, had a plan for us. We really needed one at this point. But sadly, it included me being a farmer.

I shook my head, and resignated to accept this fate, walking off to a good, dryish spot by the structure we made. Just then, my Brother pulled from my tail -The most effective way we had of catching eachother's attention. Even if little Temperate hated that. "I heard you talk to that horned basta... Er. Yes, what was that?" He asked, sitting besides me, his hooves going off to gather his back, pulling off his saddlebags and dropping them next to me. This would be our spot for the time being..

Looking at him, I shrugged. "I, just... Asked him about the housing issue, and the food situation. He says the Captain has everything covered, and they assigned me to farming. They need as many Earth Ponies for that as possible... Oh! He also said that we'll be getting a medical tent to treat the sick soon." I said, looking up and back at him after I was done packing things up again, glad that my Diary was still in my saddlebags, alongside my ink and my quill.

He looked at me dead in the eye, with a brow raised. "He put you in charge of farming? That's... Weird." He commented, his ears focusing on me, alongside his amber eyes. "I guess that he's trusting you after that initial scratch."

"Not exactly in charge. More like... Just helping grow the seeds we have stored away somewhere." I said, looking towards the stockpile. "I really hope that there's wheat in there. I could do with a loaf of bread over these rations."

"You and I, Sister. I would kill for some of Mother's cookies..." Cold grumbled, eventually laying down, enjoying the warmth that hummed off from the Obelisk.

"Don't say that! Though... I would love some of them. We'll have to put them high up though, so Temperate doesn't take them all!" I said with a little chuckle, laying down besides him, shoulder to shoulder.

"Heh. Remember that one time she got stuck on the pantry? I still don't know how she got up there!" He said, yawning, tired after this harsh day of work.

His yawn eventually bounced on me, as I snuggled up to his side, laying my head above my hooves, a more comfortable surface than the ground. "I... Still think that she used a bucket to get up there..."

My eyes started to close against my will, the last thing I saw being the first row of tents slowly close up, other Ponies doing the same that we did. Lay down... And sleep.