"Seven... Eight... Nine..."
Little hooves scrambled, and a blur of yellow and red slid through the doorway and skittered to halt.
"Fourteen... Fifteen..."
The little foal looked nervously back over her shoulder in the direction from which the voice was cast.
"Eighteen..."
So little time left!
"Nineteen."
Where could she go?!
"Twenty."
The little foal screamed.
"Aw c'mon, Apple Bloom!" called the voice of Applejack from down the hall. The older orange filly ceased counting and turned the corner to trot over to where the squeal had been emitted. "What's the matter now?"
"I don't wanna play hide and seek!" The little one sniffled. "It's too scary!"
"Aww, t'ain't neither," the older pony said softly. "It's like a treasure hunt! And your the treasure! That's why ya gotta stay quiet, so's it's a challenge for me to find you!"
"I-I don't wanna." Apple Bloom rubbed at her wet eyes with a foreleg.
Applejack sighed in defeat. "Fine. Well, seein' as ya ain't much good at seekin', we might as well do somethin' else." The orange pony put a hoof to her chin in thought. "How's about I read ya a story?"
Apple Bloom perked up immediately. "A story! Yay!"
"Alright, I'll tell ya a story... but ya gotta promise to take yer nap right after."
The younger sister scrunched her muzzle up in disgust, replying begrudgingly with, "Fine."
"Super!" Applejack grinned, leading the way. "Follow me!"
---*---
"There! Now, ya all comfy?"
"Yep."
"Got yer dolly?"
"Yep."
"Ya ain't thirsty?"
"Applejack!"
The older sister chuckled. "Fine, fine! Ah'll read it now."
"Good."
"Now, this is the tale of Rockhoof," Applejack said, pointing to the cover. She flipped to the first page. "Once, there lived a pony named Rockhoof. He was a little scrawny for a stallion, but he had a good heart and a willing—"
Suddenly, Applejack was interrupted by the sound of the bedroom door creaking open. The sisters looked up to see Granny Smith peeking her head through the doorway, smiling. "You youngin's readin'?" she asked.
"Just startin' to, Granny," Applejack replied. "Do ya need help with anything?"
The elderly mare smirked. "Well, now that you mention it, there is something ya'll could help me with."
The two fillies looked to one another with a shared look of curiosity.
---*---
Applejack and Apple Bloom followed Granny Smith to the family room where Big Mac was already waiting. The young colt sat on an armchair rigidly, his eyes fixed on a plain brown box that sat upon the carpet just a few hoofsteps away from him.
"Can Ah open it now, Granny?" came the colt's voice.
The old mare chuckled. "Ah was thinkin' Apple Bloom would open it, Bic Mac, her bein' the youngest and all."
"Aww," Big Mac moaned, earning a laugh from Granny.
"Now don't you worry, sonny. What's inside still belongs to all a' ya's."
"What's in it, Granny?" came Applejack's voice.
"Well," Granny said, "why don't Apple Bloom open it up so's we c'n all see?"
Little Apple Bloom left her sister's side and trotted excitedly over to the box. She sat on her haunches beside it, and pulled the top off, looking inside. The little filly gasped.
"What?" Applejack asked. "What is it?"
Abruptly a little head popped out of the box.
"A puppy!" the three children chorused, the older ones on the floor next to the younger in a flash.
The little brown pup had a large pink bow tied around her neck, and a happy expression on her muzzle as she panted, looking from one new face to another. She let out a cheerful bark of greeting.
"Aww!" Apple Bloom squealed, patting the animal's head. "It looks so perty!"
"Now, Apple Bloom, ya shouldn't use your hoof," Big Mac corrected his sister. "Use your fetlock, like so," he told her, illustrating the point. "It's softer on the head."
The little filly nodded in understanding and did as her older brother had asked, earning a smile of approval from him.
"Can we really keep it, Granny?" Applejack asked, starting to giggle when the puppy leaped up on her and started licking her face. "H-Hey! That tickles!"
Granny Smith grinned. "As long as ya all take good care of 'er, she's yer's for the keeping!"
"We'll take real good care of 'er, Granny!" Big Mac piped up.
"We sure will, Granny!" Applejack added.
"She's so soft!" Apple Bloom remarked happily, feeling the puppy's fur as her fetlock ran gently down its back. "What's her name?"
Granny Smith smiled. "That's up to all y'all," she told them. "Now, whaddya reckon would be a good name?"
"Fang!" Big Mac put in. "That's a tough dog's name!"
"No!" Apple Bloom disagreed vehemenently. "She's a perty and gen'le dog! How 'bout Celestia? On a count'a the princess!"
Applejack chuckled. "Ah don't know that that's the best idea, Apple Bloom. She should have a more... original name. Somethin' not many other folks are called." She looked to the happy puppy, with her smooth brown fur and sparkling little dark eyes. "Winona," she said decidedly. "I think we should call 'er that."
"Hmm." Big Mac put a hoof to his chin in thought. "I reckon that's a good name for 'er."
"I like it!" Apple Bloom exclaimed. "Win-oh-a-na," she tried to say, feeling out the syllables with her tongue. "Win-o..."
"Winona," Applejack corrected, smiling.
"Winoana!" Apple Bloom exclaimed, hugging the puppy's neck. "I love it!"
Big Mac and Applejack just shook their heads smiling.
Granny Smith chuckled. "Well, why don't you's all take Winona to the kitchen so's we c'n feed 'er? Ya'll will have to take turns fillin' her dishes every day."
"Sure thing, Granny!" Applejack agreed, her voice as chipper as ever. "Lead the way!"
Big Mac took the pup carefully into his forehooves, and the children followed the elderly mare as she made her way to the kitchen.
"We'll have to take Winona outside after she's eaten," Applejack said to her siblings, "I wanna show 'er around the farm."
"Mmmhmm," Big Mac agreed. "And Ah wanna try and teach a few tricks. She can sleep with me in mah bed!"
"No, mine!" Apple Bloom cried.
"Ah don't think either would be a good idea," Applejack put in. "Puppies ain't housebroken."
"What's housebroken?" Apple Bloom asked, tilting her head.
"Uhh... It means—"
"Alright, youngin's," came Granny Smith's voice, "now here's where we keep the food Winona'll be eatin'." She opened a cupboard down low, chosen specifically so that Apple Bloom wouldn't need help reaching it each time it was her turn to feed the dog.
"Whew!" Applejack sounded, relieved that she didn't have to explain the word to her sister.
"What's housebroken?" the little filly repeated.
"And these are the dishes ya'll will be usin' fer 'er food and water," Granny continued, pulling out the empty bowls from the same cupboard. "Now, she'll sleep here in the corner," the old mare said, pointing to a spot covered with newspaper. "Any questions?"
Apple Bloom's muzzle scrunched in confusion. "Granny?"
"Yes, Apple Bloom?"
"Why's the floor got newspaper all over it? Wouldn't blankets be softer?"
"Well, I reckon they would be, darlin', but Winona ain't housebroke yet."
"What is it she's gotta break in the house a'fore you'll let 'er sleep with me?" the little filly asked.
Apple Bloom's family members all burst out laughing and Granny wiped a mirthful tear from her eye. "Darlin'," the old mare said, "the only thing that Winona here needs ta break is a habit, then I reckon we c'n work somethin' out."
Still a bit confused, but reasonably satisfied with that answer, Apple Bloom pursed her lips and gave a nod.
"Now then," Granny Smith continued, pointing to the wall calendar, "this here's where ya'll write down whenever any one of you's finish fillin' 'er bowls..."
---*---
With all the details of Winona's care worked out with the children, Applejack carried the puppy outside to a nice grassy spot, her brother beside her and her younger sister skipping behind. The orange filly set the dog gently down and loosened the ribbon around the canine's neck, discarding the bow off to the side - which Apple Bloom promptly picked up.
"Whaddya reckon, girl?" Applejack spoke to the dog.
Winona barked happily in reply, and commenced to move her little paws, running around on the grass and wagging her tail.
"She's on the move!" Big Mac said, watching the dog lollop it's way towards the barn.
The siblings all trotted leisurely after her as she explored the barn, wanting to make sure that she didn't get into any trouble.
Applejack looked to her little sister. "Apple Bloom? Why do ya have that ribbon around yer head?"
The little filly turned her nose up. "Ah think it's pretty!" She blew a stray strand of pink out of her face, only for it to fall back into the same spot.
Applejack and Big Mac snickered.
"That may be," Applejack said, grinning. "But I think I c'n make it so's it doesn't hang down in yer face like that. C'mere."
Apple Bloom complied and walked over, holding as still as the hyper little filly could manage while her big sister tied the bow up properly.
"Quit squirmin'" Applejack told her.
"Ah'm tryin'!"
A few moments passed.
"There!" the older sister said in satisfaction, the pink bow tied neatly in Apple Bloom's hair.
"How does it look?" the little filly asked excitedly.
"See fer yourself," Applejack replied, gesturing to a nearby trough filled with water.
Apple Bloom walked over and looked down at her reflection in the water and gasped. "It looks so perty!" she gushed, turning her head this way and that to see her hair from different angles.
Applejack smiled. Suddenly her younger sibling lunged at her, almost knocking her down with a surprise hug. "Woah!"
"Thank you, sis! I love it!" Apple Bloom said.
Applejack smirked and returned the hug. "Aww, yer welcome."
Winona barked, eliciting a laugh from the group. "See?" Applejack said. "Even Winona likes it!"
"And I like Winona!" Apple Bloom said, loosening her grip around her sister to pet the puppy again.
"Lunch, youngins!" came Granny Smith's voice from the farmhouse doorway. "Come get it while it's hot!"
"Oh boy!" Big Mac remarked, quickly scooping up the puppy as it let out a quiet sound of surprise. He began trotting toward the farmhouse, his sisters galloping past him. The colt didn't speed up though, as he didn't want to give Winona too bumpy a ride.
"Set Winona down and come wash yer hooves," Granny Smith instructed.
Suddenly, Apple Bloom enveloped her grandmare's front legs in a hug.
"Oh!" came Granny's surprised voice. "What's all this, darlin'?"
"Thank ya for the puppy, Granny," Apple Bloom said, looking up at her guardian with a beaming smile. "She's the best gift we've EVER had!"
Granny Smith chuckled. "Yer welcome, sugar cube. Oh, I like yer bow. Wait... isn't that the same one that was tied around Winona's neck?"
"Yep!" The filly grinned. "Applejack helped me with it!"
Granny laughed. "Well, it does look nice. How 'bout I get you a few new bits of ribbon and teach ya how to tie yer hair up like that after lunch?"
Apple Bloom smiled just as big a smile as ever. "I'd love that! Thanks, Granny!"
"Yer welcome. Now, wash those hooves!"
"Yes, ma'am!" Apple Bloom affirmed, skipping over to sink next to her siblings.
Granny Smith regarded the little ponies for a moment, a softness in her eyes and a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. They're growin' up so fast. Their ma and pa would sure be proud of the young mares and stallion they're shapin' up to be.
"Winona," Applejack repeated helpfully. "Win-oh-na."
"Winoana."
So proud.
THE END