Hills with bushes became rows of evenly spaced trees on flatter ground. Soon the mulberry mare reached several colorful buildings and a white fence, enclosing a big yard. She went around and noticed two ponies at the edge of the orchard. The bigger one had a yellow coat and an orange mane, the smaller one was gamboge with a yellow mane. The smaller mare noticed the mulberry mare and trotted to her.
“Hi, can we talk?”
Before the mulberry mare could answer, the gamboge mare led her closer to the colorful buildings.
“You see, my brother isn’t feeling well,” she said when she stopped. “I don’t know what to do, so I’m gonna take him to a clinic.”
“Well, it is a good plan. But what happened to him? And where is he?”
The gamboge mare pointed somewhere with her forehoof.
“What do you mean?”
“He is right here,” she said, pointing again.
“Uh.”
There was no one on this spot. She poked her forehoof around the area. She crossed the spot several times in different directions, just to be sure, but hadn't yet bumped into anyone. There was nothing — at least, nothing tangible.
“He’s just avoiding you,” the gamboge mare said.
“I see. What about you, are you feeling well?”
“Sure. I’m good as new.”
“Well, this illness may be related to disappearances of ponies in the town. Could you please come to the library as soon as possible? We can deliver your brother to a clinic afterwards.”
“Sounds like a plan. See you later, then.”
“I hope so.”
The mulberry mare turned around, but the invisible brother hadn’t appeared. She sighed and headed back to town.