//------------------------------// // Winter Woof Up, Part 3 // Story: Twilight gets a Puppy // by TDR //------------------------------// Twilight Gets a Puppy By TDR Winter Woof Up, Part 3 Twilight smiled as she watched Pinkie Pie skate across the lake impressed at her skill. Rahs sat next to her grumbling to himself as he worked on his foot paws, trying to get the ice out from between them as he complained and talked about of investing in boots next year. “I still don't get this... Why does the ice need to be scored?” Twilight shouted down the rise to Pinkie Pie. “So that it can be broken apart evenly when the weather team gets to it.” Pinkie Pie responded doing a triple hoof loop jump before landing perfectly. “But why does it need to be broken evenly? I get why it needs to be broken up, but do the animals drinking out of it have to have perfect ice cubes? Wouldn't a big rock work, or your party cannon?” Twilight questioned.” Plus aren't there a whole bunch of lakes and ponds in Ponyville?” “Tell me about it, there seem to be tons. And since I'm the best skater since I've been doing it since I was a itty bitty tinky winky Pinkie I get the job every year.“ Pinkie Pie sighed.” Which kinda sucks cause I wanna go and help every pony else like I did four years ago. I'm not really sure why I need to score them perfectly though. Every pony was super insistent though.” “Woof?” Rahs asked “Yeah four years ago I ran around and helped every pony with what they were doing.” Pinkie Pie chimed doing a rather graceful Salchow into a fore hoof stand. Twilight considered, recalling some of the information she had read on the towns scrolls.”Wasn't four years ago the worst Winter Wrap Up in the towns history, the snow lasted until June.” “Yeah, it was crazy. After all the help I gave every pony too.” Pinkie Pie hummed.” After that Mayor Mare made sure that I was assigned to this job every year since and it takes me all day. Just when I think I've got it enough to finish early next year some pony adds more lakes and ponds during the summer. So you wanna help?” “Umm no thanks I'm not a decent skater and you look like you have it.” Twilight responded urging Rahs to get up so they could leave having a bit more respect for the Mayor at this point. “Okay Twilight have fun! I think Fluttershy needs some help, she's up past those trees there.” “Okay how many of them are actually your pets?” Twilight asked looking at the collection of burrows on the hillock curiously. “Oh, only a few of them Twilight.” Fluttershy offered. “So why are we waking them up?” Twilight asked looking at the small silver bell she was given. “Well once the snow melts it tends to flood some of the burrows, it's better we wake them up now before the weather team gets here and melts the snow.” Fluttershy explained. “Ooh good point, we don't want any of them to drown in the snow melt. This is important.” Twilight smiled. “Oh no, it's not that they would drown, the snow doesn't melt fast enough for that, but no one wants to wake up with ice cold water dripping on them.” Fluttershy stated. “Ummmmmm.” Twilight blinked her ears drooping.” And the bells?” “Well we don't want to startle them.....” Fluttershy claimed. Twilight rubbed her temples at the logic. “Okay.....” “Is there something wrong Twilight?” “A bit .. I mean isn't this incredibly inefficient?” Twilight suggested looking again at the little silver bell Fluttershy gave her. “ There must be hundreds of burrows to check.” “Two hundred and thirty four on this hill, yes.” Fluttershy stated. “And how many have been done?” “About six.” Fluttershy admitted. “Right.....” Twilight sighed. “ Do you mind if we try something?” “Ummm I don't know about....” Fluttershy stammered. “Rahs you know what I'm thinking right the' Spike you overslept' special?” Twilight asked getting a nod from the Moon Dog. “ Don't worry Fluttershy this won't hurt any of them and it will expedite the preparations considerably.” “Well I understand that but....” Fluttershy protested as Twilight's horn lit up casting a spell on herself to affect her brother. Rahs cleared his throat as the spell took hold. “WOOF!!!” The bark echoed over the hill shaking snow loose from a number of trees and knocking a Pegasus off a cloud where they had been napping nearby. Surprisingly it wasn't Rainbow Dash. “Oh dear.” Fluttershy winced as the loud wake up call did it's job and sent countless critters running crawling or slithering from their nests in a panic. “See I told you it would work.” Twilight said from where she had jumped atop of Fluttershy's back the moment she saw the snakes. “Highly efficient.” “Yes it is Twilight, but there's a reason I use the bells and wake them up one at a time.” Fluttershy commented . “Really? What reason would that be? I can't think of anything that would need such a slow method.” Twilight questioned hopping down from Fluttershy's back the moment the snakes were out of sight. A blur of white erupted from one of the holes launching through the air and impacting Rahs in the stomach sending the Moon Dog flying away from the point of impact and into a tree that dropped the last of it's snow on his head. Standing where he landed in front of where Rahs had been was a frazzled looking white rabbit with bloodshot red eyes. It wore a look of pure malice on it's face as it stared at the lump of snow that covered the creature that woke it up. “Angel bunny is very cranky when he wakes up. We need to coax him out quietly with the little bells rather than loud noises.” Fluttershy stated. “Oh.” Twilight frowned as Rahs burst out of the pile of snow flinging himself at the white menace starting off round two of the pairs epic conflict. “Maybe you should go see if Applejack needs any help. “ Fluttershy winced as Angel Bunny was punted through the air by an irate Rahs. “ I think it might take me some time to get them to calm down. Hopefully before they destroy anything expensive.” Twilight flattened her ears with a wince as her brother took a bunny sized rock to the face before he lept at the white rabbit again. “Yeah maybe I better before I make this worse.” Twilight muttered slowly backing away.