//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: It's Raining Mares!? 
// by Synli 
//------------------------------//

“Okay Cin, you went along with the Doc’s suggestion. She’ll be fine. Suuuuper bored, but fine.” The purple-maned Unicorn’s rambling was cut off by a sudden yelp as the door beside her opened. The concerned stallion peered out at her through the threshold of the examination room door. “Cinnamon? Is everything alright?” 

    She wasted no time nodding in agreement and only stopped once the door clicked shut behind the other pony. His expression turned thoughtful as a pondering hoof was brought to rest beneath his chin. As she watched Valor, Cinnamon nervously shuffled her hooves beneath her. Before she could open her mouth to bid farewell to the Earth Pony he beat her to the punch.

    “Before I let you go, Ms. Swirl. I was wondering…” The normally relaxed Doctor seemed to struggle as he worked to find the words he wanted to say. Concern spread across her brow as his lips parted several times before he finally sighed and continued. “We’ll be able to take care of your friend here, just fine. Though, I was thinking that it might be better for her healing process if she stays with a friend instead of cooped up inside the Hospital.”

    “A friend…” Cinnamon’s eyes widened as she tested the word on her lips. Something about the word seemed foreign enough to warrant an attempt to sound it out multiple times. More to herself than the one she was speaking to, she found herself nodding in agreement.

    “That’s wonderful! I’m sure that she’ll be thrilled to get out of here. She hasn’t said more than a couple words since she woke up.” The genuine smile on the Doctor’s face silenced whatever protest she could have tried to voice as her gaze flicked to the door of the hospital room next to them.

    I mean… I do have a couch…

    The idea of the forlorn mare spending day after day silently gazing through the window played in Cinnamon’s mind served to quell each protest that she tried to settle on. Her hooves betrayed the shakiness that she attempted to mask in her voice as she addressed the earth-toned stallion once more. “W-when will she be be ready? To go home, I mean…?”