Fresh snow squished beneath her hooves, a fine layer just starting to cover the fallen leaves on the forest floor. After several winter fake-outs, the ground was finally cold enough for the snow to stick.
She walked slowly, as if an invisible force was holding her back. A glance behind revealed a trail of brown hoof prints, a smaller set of tracks close by.
Snow was falling at a fast clip, swirling in the breeze. Rainbow had wings outstretched, despite the chill in the air. There was someone else to think of now.
She looked down at her side, and smiled. A soft, bittersweet smile. Nopony watching would have believed that this was Ponyville’s number one flyer, as brash and uncaring as she often was.
Tank the tortoise walked beside her, plodding along slowly. His propeller was missing from it’s usual spot, stored in a safe place. He wouldn’t need it where he was going.
This wasn’t goodbye. This was… see you later. At least, that’s what Rainbow Dash kept telling herself. She had tried so hard last time, everything she could have done to keep her pal Tank from leaving her, but in the end it was futile.
He left her, but only for a while. When spring rolled around it was like he had never been gone in the first place.
Summer came, then did fall, and now they were out of time. Right back to where they started.
Tank’s impending hibernation was upon them, and she found herself once more tempted by crazy schemes and half baked ideas to keep her little friend at her side for the winter months. She wasn’t the same pony she was last year though. This time she knew better than to go against nature.
It was what was best for Tank, anyways. And she’d do anything for him, even if it meant…. meant that she wouldn’t get to see him for a few months.
All too soon, they reached his resting place. It was one tree among many in the barren forest, nothing particularly special about it now. But she and Tank had scouted it months back when it was in the prime of summer, so they knew what it was. It was a cherry blossom tree, and when spring rolled around she’d know just where to find him: under the cherry blossoms.
Tank looked at her once more with tired but happy eyes, then he turned around and began to dig among the tree’s many roots. As he disappeared from sight, Rainbow Dash sniffled and began stuffing snow into the opening. It was quick work. What she wouldn’t give for a few more minutes.
As she patted in the snow on top of her friend, she wiped away the hot tears on her cheeks. No, she told herself once more, this wasn’t goodbye. Happier days were ahead. The winter would fly by in a flash and then they’d have fun together again.
She leaned down and whispered into the snow,
“See you soon, Tank.”