The sun was shinning over Ponyville Park as six friends were sitting on a picnic blanket. Their pets playing around them, all except a toothless alligator who seemed to be having more fun chewing on Pinkie Pie’s puffy tail.
“Well, girls, this has been an absolute perfect picnic, don’t you ponies agree?” Rarity chimed as she took another sip of her tea.
Pinkie Pie nodded quickly. “It has been so super fun! We get to spend lots of fun time together and so do our pets!” She rubbed Gummy’s head and giggled. “Isn’t that right, Gummy?” He made a gurgling noise and went back to chewing on her tail.
Applejack bit into a small sandwich. “I reckon this has been one of the best pet get togethers yet. Why, look at little Winona over there! She’s havin’ so much fun with Owlicious.”
Twilight nodded. “Owlicious loves spending time with friends almost as much as we do.”
Fluttershy sighed. “Oh, well I wish Angel would take the time to enjoy playing with his friends more. Every time we come he seems to go off somewhere.”
Rarity wrapped an arm around Fluttershy. “There, there, darling. At least your pet doesn’t try to claw your face off every time you fancy her up!” She looked at Opalescence and sighed in frustration. “That cat drives me to the brink of insanity, but she is good company when I work.”
The girls giggled and continued munching on their picnic treats.
Suddenly, a large stick landed in Applejack’s lap. Applejack turned to see Winona wagging her tail as her tongue lolled out of her mouth. The farm pony laughed, grabbed the stick with her tail, and waved it in the air. “You want it, girl?” Winona replied with a loud bark. Applejack threw the stick far across the field, Winona ran after it.
Twilight smiled. “Aw, she’s so cute.”
Applejack nodded. “She sure is. You should’ve seen her as a pup.”
Rainbow tapped her chin. “Hey, A.J., you never told us how you got Winona.”
Pinkie Pie gasped. “Oh my gosh! She’s right! I don’t even know that story!” She bounced across the blanket right in front of Applejack. “Tell us!”
Applejack raised her hooves in defense. “Okay, I will, sugarcube. Just, calm down.”
Pinkie Pie flew in the air and hoof pumped in success as she floated back to her spot. Twilight just shook her head as Rainbow Dash laughed.
Applejack tapped her chin. “Now where to begin... Ah! Well, I suppose it was a few months after I got back from my Uncle and Aunt Oranges place when I was a filly. You see, we had to go and start harvestin’ the West Orchard, before it got so full of fruit bats and all....”
It was a sunny afternoon as Applejack and Big Macintosh were working in the middle of the West Orchard. Big Macintosh was hauling a wagon full of apples as Applejack was trying her best to buck the apples off a tree with her little filly legs.
Applejack bucked the tree harder as the apples shook and some fell to the ground. “Gosh darnit. This is the last tree and it has to go an’ be so difficult.”
Big Macintosh nodded. “Eeyup.”
Applejack rolled her eyes. “You always say that.”
“Eeyup.”
Applejack shook her head and bucked at the tree for a final time. All the apples shook and fell off their branches. “Finally!” She started picking apples off the ground and tossed them into the wagon. Suddenly, her ears perked up. She turned to her brother. “Big Mac, you hear that?”
He unlatched himself from the wagon and walked beside Applejack and listened. “Sounds like cryin'.”
Applejack turned and began to gallop towards the sound. “Come on, this way!”
Big Macintosh held out a hoof. “Now, you just- Dang it she’s gone.” He took after her at full speed. He soon caught up to her by the edge of the orchard. He panted. “N-now, what had you so-” He looked at the little filly in front of him, she was crying. He put a hoof around her. “What’s wrong, A.J.?”
Applejack pointed at a small figure under a large branch, it was a puppy.
Big Macintosh’s eyes widened. He trotted over to the pup and put his hoof on part of it’s chest. Still breathing. He looked over at Applejack. “A.J., you think you can drag this puppy out if I lift the branch up?”
Applejack nodded and trotted over to where the puppy lay whimpering.
Big Macintosh propped his shoulders against the end of the branch. “Ya’ ready?”
Applejack nodded and gently grasped the puppies legs. Big Macintosh lifted with all his might. The branch was heavier than expected. With an triumphant groan he lifted the branch mostly off the ground. He gritted his teeth. “Now”
Applejack quickly dragged the little puppy out of the way of the enormous branch. Once Big Macintosh saw that the two were out of the way he quickly ducked back out and let the branch slam to the ground.
He panted. “You okay?”
Applejack nodded and was petting the little puppy softly as it shuddered. “She’s hurt bad, Big Mac.”
Big Macintosh nodded. “I’ll go get the wagon. We’ll get her back to Granny and see what she can do for the little guy.” He galloped away, leaving a trail of dust in his path.
The puppy whimpered again. Applejack patted her head. “Don’t worry none, girl. You gonna be taken good care of, okay?”
Applejack ears perked up to the sound of wooden wheels heading their way. She turned to see Big Macintosh galloping full speed towards them. He stopped next to them and wiped his brow. “Now, Applejack, I need ya’ to pick her up, gently now, an’ place her in the wagon, understand?
Applejack nodded and placed her hooves under the puppy. As she lifted her up the puppy whimpered loudly. Soon enough the puppy was laying in the wagon panting, her tongue sprawled out of her mouth.
Big Macintosh turned towards the Apple Barn in the distance, then turned to his sister. “You ready to gallop with all your heart, lil’ sis?”
Applejack stomped her hoof on the ground in determination. “Uh-huh. Let’s get going!”
The two made their way as fast as they could to the barn, careful to avoid the bumpiest of paths, so the wagon wouldn’t jump as much. Soon they were outside the door of their home.
Applejack pounded on the door. “Granny Smith! Granny come quick!”
The door opened up and an old green mare yawned. “Now what in tarnation has got you two so worked up-” Her eyes laid upon the injured puppy in the back of the wagon. “My stars...” She trotted over to the back of the wagon and laid her hoof on the puppy’s chest. “Hm... Big Macintosh, go get some ice. Applejack, help me get her on the couch.”
The two nodded and went to work. Applejack helped Granny Smith get the puppy on their backs and carried her to the couch where they laid a little blanket on top of her.
Soon Big Macintosh appeared a bag of ice in hoof. Granny Smith thanked him for the ice and laid it on the puppy’s side. Applejack sat there next to the couch and looked at her Granny. “Granny, is she gonna be okay?”
Granny Smith thought for a moment before sighing. “You’ll just have to wait an’ see, darlin’. Why don’t you go get some rest?”
Applejack shook her head and put her hooves up on the edge of the couch. “I wanna stay here.”
Granny Smith nodded and patted Applejack on the back. “Alright, dear. Call me if ya’ need anythin’.”
Applejack nodded and looked at the small puppy, whose eyes were closed tight. Applejack sighed. “You’ll be okay. I know you will... Winona.”
The sun hit Applejack’s eyes and she groaned as she rubbed them. She had fallen asleep on the floor in front of the couch. No, wait, she was in her bed. How- Wait, Winona! She threw off her blankets and galloped down the stairs into the living room. The couch was empty. No. She began to panic. “Granny?! Granny?!” She ran into the kitchen only to see Granny Smith and Big Macintosh sitting at the table having breakfast. Tears began to fill her eyes. “The puppy...”
Granny Smith got out of her chair and and hugged Applejack. “Is just fine, sweetums. Look.” She pointed over to the corner of the kitchen where Winona was eating out of a bowl. She had bandages around her sides but her tail was wagging as she attacked whatever was in her bowl.
Applejack rushed over to the eating puppy. “Winona!” The little puppy barked and hopped on top of the little filly, licking her face. Applejack giggled as Granny Smith and Big Macintosh smiled. Looks like there was a new addition to the Apple Family.
“...And that’s how we came to have Winona.”
All the ponies jaws were dropped. Rarity was first to speak. “Why, Darling, That is one of the most touching stories I have ever heard!”
Twilight nodded. “It’s so sweet how you and big Macintosh worked together to save her life.”
Applejack blushed. “Ah, I don't know about that. The older I get, the more it seems like she's saving my tail.”
Pinkie Pie stuffed a whole cake into her mouth. “Whell I fought it was FREAT!”
Rainbow Dash shook her head and laughed. “Now I’d like to know how Pinkie managed to get a toothless alligator as her pet.”
Fluttershy nodded. “Me too. It sounds... Interesting.”
Pinkie pie swallowed the cake. “Well, it is a pretty good story and all. But, I gotta run to the Cakes cause we got to bake up some super tasty treats and I can’t be late!” She began to bounce away, Gummy still latched onto her tail. “See you later girls!”
They all waved goodbye and laughed at the sight.
Applejack stood up and stretched. “Well, I better get a goin’ too. Come on, Winona.”
Winona barked and rushed after Applejack. Applejack turned back to the girls. “See y’all later.”
They all said their goodbyes and headed their separate ways with their own pets, their family.
