//------------------------------// // Act Of Kindness. // Story: Them's Fightin Friends #1 : Bleating Heart // by Earth To Evie //------------------------------// The morning was bright and colorful on this day, the wind was gifted with a soft breeze and the flowers were in full bloom. The canvas of the sky a pale blue hue, white fluffy clouds dotting the horizon playfully. A slender ewe delicately made her way down the open path of this wonderful land, walking upon a neat dirt road taking in the lovely scent of dew covered grass. Her pinkish white wool perfectly groomed, pale turquoise blue eyes sparkling with the light of life. Each step of her tiny hooves ringing out a sweet delicate song into the sky, the melody springing to life from a small collar around her swan like neck with a shimmering golden bell. Her smile was bright and chipper, she knew today would be fabulous it had the feeling of harmony. This land of Equestria was so very different from ‘The Meadow’ she was used to, it was far more open and full of such beauty of nature. She knew once she returned home after her quest, she’d have many sweet tales to share among the Sheepkin herd. As an champion of Foenum the land which she called home, she had been chosen as one of many ‘Key Keepers’ in charge of fighting back an evil force known as ‘Predators’. After many battles between friend and foe, she and her friends were able to lock away the brutes once more. Yet even before she could return to her spot back at The Meadow her sheepkin called upon her once more, saying a magical curse known as ‘Disharmony’ had begun to spread across Foenum like a plague. Friends were turning into rivals as families were being split by greed and spite, the land was in an uproar threatening to tear itself apart. Only the champions could stop such a threat, so splitting up each headed off to Equestria. A land which had focused harmony into a type of magic, such a power might be the only way to restore peace back to Foenum. So with that the journey had begun, the ewe Pom had been scared that this new land might be one of frightful creatures. Yet to her delight it had so far been a lovely stroll across the countryside, even if she was no closer to finding this harmony magic. The melodic song of the birds this morning was soon cut short, a sound of strife filling the air suddenly. Pom could just let a soft groan escape her lips in distress, she had gone and jinxed herself by enjoying the scenery too much. Taking each step closer along the path towards the sound of yelling slowly, the small ewe entered the darker part of the trail which cut into a large forest area. The path was now overgrown with trees and thorns, the light of the sun blotched out by the shade of tangled branches high above. Ahead of her on the main path was the problem, three stallions were teamed up against a single mare on her side upon the dirt road. Their large meaty hooves pounding her slender frame relentlessly, the dark orchid mare curled into a small ball helplessly trying to survive the beating. “Stoap! How come ye brutes beating this lass?” The timid voice of the ewe spoke up shivering, her whole body a trembling bag of nerves. Each stallion suddenly turning their attention towards her in confusion and anger, the leader of the group with a dark umbra coat stepped forward. His eyes full of burning hatred and a sense of revenge, towering over the tiny sheep as if she were nothing. Had disharmony spread this far as well? “This is none of your business, turn tail and run fluffball!” He spoke in such a powerful tone, causing the ewe to kneel down in pure terror. “Ho...how come does she deserve this?” Pom lifted a small muzzle up quivering, doing her best to lock eyes with this monster. “She had terrorized our hometown a while ago with friends, her so called crew busting up our buildings pretty bad.” The stallion gave a huff aloud, his voice filled with annoyance. “I...I said I was sorry, mistakes I’ve made them...Celestia knows that…” The mare spoke up with a gasp for air, bruised and beaten as a hoof slammed down upon her head in a loud pop. “Stoap! Cannae ye see she's keekin fur redemption?” Pom stood up tall as the hoof slammed down, knowing this had gone too far. “We don’t want an apology, we want some payback!” The stallion pushed the ewe down to the ground with barely any effort, Pom hitting the dirt with a small cloud of dust. “Mah doggies seem tae hae gaed sightseeing…” Pom gave a light whisper, mind racing wildly at her next move. “Now get out of here! Damn Bleating Heart!” The stallion gave a mighty chuckle, stomping towards the mare to finish the job. “Och dear!” Pom swallowed a large lump in her throat, looking down to a small stone at her hooves. In a swift movement she kicked the small sharp stone into the sky, swatting the object with a loud pop as it sliced through the air at top speed. In a flash of light cutting across the main stallion’s cheek, the fresh open wound trickling with crimson. “Grrr, you’re in deep trouble!” The leader barked in rage, his two cronies rushing away from the mare and towards her. Pom gave a loud scream in fear quickly dashing away from the group, a crony cutting her off by pouncing in front of her. The ewe quick to ball up her small frame, sliding perfectly under his hooves in a cloud of dust. Spotting a low hanging branch before her covered in thorns, she bit upon the bare tip tightly and pulled back with all her might. A loud swish later the branch swatted the stallion on his arse, cutting in deep as he gave a loud yelp. “Stand still!” The second crony hissed as he dashed at the ewe, Pom only able to scream in horror taking wild steps backwards. The delicate sheep tumbling back into a small ditch off the side of the road, just as the stallion lunged like a wolf towards her. His screams filling the air as he simply plummeted into a drop off, hidden behind a deceptive bush beside the ewe the sounds of his body hitting branches filling the air. “I’ll kill you!” The first crony screamed in pain rushing over, his arse looking like a pin cushion covered in thorns. Pom gave a soft yelp, mighty hooves lifting her high above his head with such ease. She quivered in a small ball frightened, the monster aiming to toss her off the hidden cliff as well. Eyes darting to the bloody thorns on his plot, Pom lifted up her slender long legs and roughly spanked them ever deeper into is flesh. His scream that of agony before dropping her to the ground, the clumsy stallion leaping high into the air and vanishing off into the abyss with ease. “That's a guid lad.” Pom gave a delicate sigh, shaking off the dust from her wool. ‘Pow!’ The thunder like pop echoed across the forest loudly, Pom being slammed across the open road like a ragdoll. Turquoise eyes weakly gazing up to the leader, a small trickle of blood pouring out of her lower lip. “You just wouldn’t leave!” The leader placed a large hoof atop her throat with ease, pushing down hard as the ewe struggled to breathe, his ears waiting for the sound of a snap. Yet within seconds the last earth stallion was sent flying down the road, his body scorched by unicorn magic in a loud blast of energy. Pom gave a gasp for air the mare limping forward in silence, the stallion lifting his head to her in anger. “I’ve made my mistakes and seen the pain my actions can bring others.” The mare spoke with regret in her voice, eyes gazing to the ground before the stallion lunged at her swinging a large hoof. Pom watched in awe as the mare deflected it with her own hoof, intertwining her own around his leg and twisting it swiftly. A loud snap filling the air as he winced in pain, the mare pushing him away with ease to the ground. “Vengeance solves nothing! Just know when I say…” The stallion screamed swinging his spare hoof towards her, a bright flash of magic exploding him back once more in a small blast. Yet a second bolt stronger in power striked a tree next to him, melting it down to the roots in a loud blast of energy. “Sorry, that I mean it.” The mare narrowed her icy blue eyes to his own, the stallion simply glancing down in shame to the dirt beneath his hooves. Without a word he dashed off down the path, loud hoofsteps echoing into the horizon till he vanished from view. The mare offering a bruised hoof to the ewe before her, the tiny sheep taking it without a second thought being lifted back to her hooves. “Thank you, not many creatures would ever show such kindness...to one such as I.” The violet mare gave a soft spoken thank you, her body trembling with pain. “A' body deserves a seicont chance.” Pom simply gave this odd mare a sweet giggle, the mare holding back a slight bit of mist in her eyes. “Who are you?” She asked with a gentle tilt of the head. “They ca' me Pom lassy!” The ewe flashed a beaming smile of happiness, knowing she had made a new friend today. “That is interesting, they call me...Fizzlepop Berrytwist.”