Daring Do wrinkled her numbing brow and spat out another mouthful of snow, shooting a look back at the leg of hers that had been dragging in the light snowfall. Normally, it was the side of hers that she proudly attached her whip to, the whorls and straps of the holster like a clasp to the compass cutie mark on her thigh. It was a small slice of symmetry she always treasured.
Now, the ugly scarring underneath the fur and the purplish bulge under that mark - one that sparked with hellacious pain as she’d walked - only reminded her of her shortcomings. She had no magic to fix the dislocation, no latent strength to numb the pain.
She was the most famous non-Princess pegasus in Equestria, but right now it felt like a burden.
So much had made her feel like that this Hearth’s Warming Week.
But none struck as deep as this one.
And the sideward glance she gave to the Daring-Do-shaped imprint of her in the snow only proved how deep these wounds had struck.
“I’m not normally this sloppy,” she lied. Even on four-day-long benders like she’d been on this week, she‘d always had a minimum of composure. She had to have some awareness of the area to ensure nopony took her by surprise. Caballeron and Ahuizotl often feasted on weaknesses like… well, Hearth’s Warming Dinner.
So the fact that it was a pyramid trap that had launched a knife into Daring side stung hard. Even more than the wound.
“C’mon, Daring, two more steps…”
Twenty-eight, actually. And even with the frosty arches of her house’s roof looming invitingly, Daring knew she might not have the energy to lock the door before unconsciouness took her.
Another fit of coughs wracked Daring’s shaking body, the thin shirt and scarf she wore little salvation against the bitter cold. Even though she was happy to see no red in her ragged breaths, Daring knew that just meant her blood was simply going to freeze over first.
Inwardly, Daring cursed herself again. She’d hoped to curl up with a book of her own; the roster list for Caballeron’s nefarious network that she’d managed to nab from one of his henchponies on Hearth’s Warming Eve. It’d taken a week of negotiations just to nab one, but the possibility of sabotage for his cabal was too tempting to resist.
But with how heavy and hard Daring’s heart was beating in her chest, she knew she’d never concentrate.
As if to further show her helplessness, her injured leg buckled. Thankfully this time, her front hooves braced against the snow and held, keeping her aloft. Her wings got into the mix as well, exhausting as it was to flare them.
Daring’s eyes focused on the door again, and at that moment, liquid resolve surged through her like lightning. This was humiliating beyond belief, and from that humiliation came determination. She’d lost too much time already stumbling home, with no treasure, but she was going to let a span of non-rigged land stop her now?
Neigh, her mind spat.
With another swift flap, Daring launched forward…
And almost crashed into the side of her house. That would have been darkly hilarious. Wobbling slightly, Daring tested her weight, decided to just deal with the fact that her right side was shot for the time being, and pushed the door open.
Right into a room lit by a still-roaring fireplace.
Daring’s heart jumped at the sight. She even ignored the slight prick of something heavier than snow bouncing off her side before clattering into the doorjamb.
Right now, she had bigger issues.
Yes, Daring had this fireplace lit before she set out - but how was it still burning now, hours later? Had she been followed? Tracked? Her eyes swung from side to side, looking for any possible stragglers.
Nothing.
Well, except for the fact her table and chair had been moved in front of the fireplace. And that it was heaped high with salad and fruitcakes and potatoes. Whoever had been here, they’d spared no expense in eating. And if they were planning an attack, it likely would have happened already.
Thank goodness for small favors.
Swaying dangerously, Daring made her way to the spread, deciding to get something solid in her before she passed out. Draping her whip onto the top of the seat, she slumped into it. And then nearly howled as her injured thigh clanged against the base of the chair arm.
Curse it, she thought. Being this fragile on Hearth’s Warming-
A quick look at the clock on her mantle, and it was apparently 4:30 AM.
-After Hearth’s Warming, it's just thoughtless! I should be fixing this wound, locking the door, finding out who left this here!
At least the third question was easy enough to answer. A cursory look at the table uncovered a card sitting on top of the fruitcake, one simile labeled. #1 Fan.
Even before opening it, Daring’s heart swelled as she continued to read. The overly marked swirls, the bright blue ink, the thunder-struck cloud logo scribbled on its back? It could only be one pony.
Well, more than one, it seemed.
Just in case you didn’t see the other card I left on the door - don’t worry nopony's sneaking around here to wallop you. D’ya think I’d be that careless?
Well, I mean, Twilight and Pinkie did, so that’s why they’re helping me with this gift.
Anyways, we didn’t see ya around Hearth's Warming and figured you had other stuff to catch up on. So, happy belated Hearth’s Warming, and I hope I’m the first to get the book on it!
-Rainbow Dash
The sheer selflessness of this gift almost made Daring’s jaw hit the table’s lip. All this time, she’d thought that Dash's journeys - fraught with wonder as they were - had ensured their paths wouldn't meet again after the Ring of Destiny. But that Dash went all this way - metaphorically and figuratively - to make sure she had something nice to return to for the holidays?
It was… unexpectedly generous of Dash. Perhaps this day wasn’t so bad after all.
Daring, with an almost dreamlike candor, set the card back on the table. Then, after giving one last lonely look to the still-ajar door - and a mental note to make sure it was closed and locked later - the harried adventurer dug into her meal.
The only thing that’d be more intolerable than her injuries was cold food, after all.