Shelter
Scootaloo awoke to the sound of snapping, crackling wood. She cracked her eyes open and found herself in some kind of cave illuminated with orange firelight. Gilda was lying at her right, wrapped in a thick blanket and breathing slowly. “Gilda?”
The griffon opened her eyes and looked at the orange pegasus. “Well, look who’s finally awake,” she said with a small smile.
Scootaloo sat up with a moan and adjusted her own blanket. “Where are we?”
“Trottingham shelter,” Gilda replied. “Guess we got pretty close before we passed out.”
“How did we get in here?” Scootaloo asked, taking a closer look at the cave. Her armor was leaning against the wall beside Gilda’s, and she could see a tunnel heading to some unknown chamber. “Did Spike come back for us?”
Gilda shook her head. “Some pony found us outside and dragged us in,” she answered. “I don’t know where Spike is.”
Scootaloo heard soft hoofbeats drawing closer and looked towards the tunnel. A moment later, a mare walked into the room, carrying steaming cups and bowls on her back. She was wearing a strange white suit that covered her entire body, but the hood was pulled back, revealing her yellow face and red mane, which was tied back with a large pink bow. Scootaloo thought she looked familiar, but she couldn’t quite place her face.
“You’re awake,” the mare said with a warm smile as she placed a cup of tea and a bowl of vegetable soup in front of Scootaloo. Her rural accent triggered more bells in in the pegasus’ head. “You’re lucky I found you. That’s one of the worst storms we’ve had in a while.”
“Who are you?” Scootaloo asked.
“My name’s Apple Bloom,” the mare answered as she gave Gilda her food.
Scootaloo leapt to her hooves. “Apple Bloom?” She had to blink several times before she could see the resemblance. “No way! It’s me, Scootaloo!”
“I know,” Apple Bloom said, her smile widening a bit. “I recognized you when I found you and your friend outside.”
“I thought I was the only filly to make it out of Ponyville,” Scootaloo said, sitting down as her head started to spin. “This is incredible. Where have you been?”
“Zebrica, mostly,” Apple Bloom replied. “I escaped with some other refugees from Ponyville.”
“Then what are you doing here?” Gilda asked.
“Collecting herbs,” Apple Bloom answered, pointing at a pair of saddlebags Scootaloo hadn’t noticed before. The bags were filled with strange leaves and flowers. “Zebrica’s too swampy for some of them, so we grow them here.”
“How can you grow anything here?” Scootaloo asked. “It’s just a frozen wasteland.”
“Sunlamps,” Apple Bloom answered. “They’re special lamps that can make plants grow, just like the sun. We’ve been using them to grow food here since Nightmare Moon took power. Please, eat,” she added, gesturing towards their untouched food. “It’s not much, but it’s warm, and you two could use the energy.”
Gilda eyed the soup suspiciously, but her hunger won out, and after a couple experimental sips, she downed the whole bowl in one gulp. “Slow down,” Apple Bloom said with a laugh. “You’re going to burn yourself.”
“I’m too hungry to care,” Gilda replied hoarsely. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo couldn’t help but giggle.
“So, what brings you two to Equestria?” Apple Bloom asked once the soup was finished.
Scootaloo and Gilda glanced at each other, unsure how to respond. “We were just passing through,” Scootaloo said at last.
“To where?” Apple Bloom asked. “Zebrica? That’s a pretty dangerous journey.”
“We can handle it,” Gilda said before chugging her hot chocolate. Scootaloo rolled her eyes.
“‘Course you can,” Apple Bloom said with a laugh. “If you don’t mind me asking, why are you going to Zebrica?”
“Why do you want to know?” Gilda asked.
“Well, it’s not every day a pony and a griffon try to cross Equestria,” Apple Bloom answered. “Nightmare Moon could have killed you.”
“And she still might,” Gilda replied. “It’s hard to know who we can trust around here.”
“Gilda, she’s an old friend of mine,” Scootaloo said, glaring at the griffon. “Besides, she’s been living with the zebras.”
“Can’t be too careful, Scoots,” Gilda replied. She jerked her head towards Apple Bloom’s bags. “I don’t know much about herbs, but I know Magebane and Poison Joke when I see it. What are you collecting those for?”
“Potions, of course,” Apple Bloom answered.
“What kind of potions?”
“Why do you want to know?”
Gilda narrowed her eyes and scowled. “I don’t know much about potions, either, but Nightmare Moon took out half my battalion with a poison made from Magebane and Poison Joke. Now, I don’t know who you are or what you’re up to, but if you don’t tell me what those herbs are for–”
“It’s all right,” Apple Bloom said. “I’ve been helping a zebra named Zecora come up with a potion that will take away Nightmare Moon’s powers. We were really close five years ago, but things didn’t go as planned.”
“You mean that was your potion?” Gilda asked.
“Yeah,” Apple Bloom said. “Probably. It’s too bad Nightmare Moon got her hooves on it. We could have ended all this by now.”
“Shadow Strike,” Gilda growled through her clenched beak. “Guess that’s one more thing I need to punish her for.”
Apple Bloom’s brow furrowed as her eyes darted between the pegasus and the griffon. “You must be the soldiers Colonel Glade sent,” she said at last. “You’re here for the potion, aren’t you?”
“The colonel only mentioned Zecora,” Gilda replied, her eyes still narrow. “He didn’t say anything about any helpers.”
“It’s a secret,” Apple Bloom said. “Zecora doesn’t want anyone to know I’m helping her. That way, if things go wrong, no one will come looking for me.”
“Well, that seems convenient.”
“Gilda, come on,” Scootaloo said with a roll of her eyes. “Nightmare Moon killed her family. Do you really think she’s going to turn around and help her?”
Gilda’s expression hardly changed, but she let out a sigh. “Can you take us to Zecora?”
Apple Bloom nodded. “Once we get both of you fitted with snowsuits, we’ll be on our way.”
“Snowsuits?” Scootaloo repeated.
“These,” Apple Bloom said, showing off her white suit. “They’ll keep you from freezing to death.”
Gilda sighed and rested her head on her talons. “I hate getting fitted,” she muttered.