"Bye Thunder!" I called, trotting out of the front door.
"Where are you off to?" he asked, removing a washcloth from the mare's forehead.
"School" I replied.
"Oh...yeah, forgot- you need me to get you there?"
"No thanks," I said "I know the way"
"Alright, be safe"
I rolled my eyes and left the house, I flew down to the ground and went on my way through town, on my way to the schoolhouse.
X X X X X X X
'I hope she wakes up soon...' I thought, looking at the mare 'She almost looks like she's dead...'
I shook my head, ridding it of the morbid thought.
'I'll need to go and get a doctor from the hospital, a medical professional could make sure she's alright'
I made sure the mare was comfortable before I left, I adjusted her blanket and pillow I'd placed underneath her head, then left for the hospital, flying as fast as I could.
X X X X X X X
"So...have you seen the mystery pony lately?" I asked slowly.
Featherweight, Twist, and I were sitting at the same table, working on a collage project Cheerilee had given us- all of the class was divided into groups of three.
'At least I didn't get stuck with Diamond and Silver Spoon' I thought, glancing over to the table with the two fillies, plus Pipsqueak.
"No, it's really weird" Featherweight replied "It's like it just disappeared, I've been looking everwhere for it, not a trace"
"Thath a relief" Twist said "It could have been thome thcary monthter"
"She" I replied, then immediately clamped a hoof in my mouth.
"What?"
"Um...what if the creature is a she?"
"It's a possibility" he shrugged.
'Whew...'
"It could altho be a he" Twist interjected.
"Yeah..."
"Hey, d'ya think Ms. Cheerilee would know anything about it?"
"Know about what?" Applebloom asked, trotting up.
"The creature in the foretht"
"Ah sure hope it doesn't come near Sweet Apple Acres"
"Why?"
"Applejack's been havin' a time with pests eatin' the apples, she said if anythin' tried somethin' funny, she'd buck it into next week"
"Oh..."
'Somehow, I don't think you need to worry about that...'
"So, no sign of it?"
"Nothing"
X X X X X X X
"I'm not in the mood for jokes Mr. Thunderlane" Nurse Valeheart said, stamping a folder as she sat at the nurse's station "I'm a very busy pony, I've got more important duties to attend to, than fly all the way acrosstown, and give a check-up to some creature you made up"
"I'm not joking!" I said, slamming my hoof on her desk.
A number of ponies in the waiting room turned to stare- I cleared my throat as I removed my hoof from the table.
"This isn't a joke, I need somepony to check on her, medically, she fell through my roof last night during the storm"
"Mr. Thunderlane, there's not one creature that's alive today that fits the description you've given me" she said sternly.
"But it's true" I hissed.
"Give me one reason why I should believe you"
"How about the hole in my roof?"
"That could have been caused by a number of things"
I face-hoofed, and groaned.
"Fine...is there a pegasus doctor you can refer me to?"
"Mr. Thunderlane, if I won't believe your pony-tale, what makes you think somepony with a Ph.D. will?"
I could just scream...
"I don't have time for this" I said, rolling my eyes as turned and ran out of the hospital.
X X X X X X X
'I wonder if she's okay' I thought, boredly staring at the chalkboard as Cheerilee taught.
"Rumble"
'Did Thunderlane get to the hospital?'
"Rumble!"
'Maybe she'll teach me how to talk like she does...when she wakes up'
"RUMBLE!"
I flew back in my seat as I was startled by Ms. Cheerilee.
"Sorry...um, what?"
"I asked you to turn in your report"
"Oh, sure, here" I said, taking the paper out of my saddlebags and hoofing it to her.
"Thank you"
'Will she be alright?'
X X X X X X X
'Alright...the hospital won't believe me...what about a vet? Where's the nearest vet?' I thought, practically buzzing through the streets of Ponyville.
'There's got to be-'
I stopped as I spotted a certain cottage at the edge of the forest, teeming with life.
'Fluttershy! Of course!' I realized, running to the door of the cottage.
I knocked in rapid succession, and impatiently waited as the door slowly opened.
"H-hello?" the mare in question asked quietly.
"Hey Fluttershy" I said hurriedly.
"Oh, hello Th-thunderlane" she said, the door opening a little more "Can I ask what brings you here? If you want to, that is..."
"I, um, think an animal I found is sick, the hospital can't help- I was wondering if you could"
"Oh no, I'll be right back"
She disappeared into the house, and returned with a medicine bag in her teeth.
"Should we go?" I asked.
She nodded, and both of us set out for my house.
X X X X X X X
"Hey bro, what's up?" I asked, spotting Thunderlane walking with Fluttershy.
Both of them were standing on the street, below Thunderlane's house.
"Rumble? What are you doing here?" he asked.
"School was over, I wasn't going to stay there any longer than I had to"
"It's that late? I must've lost track of time..."
Fluttershy gently nudged him.
"Huh? Oh! Yeah, come on, we gotta get the...animal...checked out"
"Animal?" I asked.
"You know- the one that fell through the roof?" he said, winking conspiratorily.
"Oh...oh! Yeah! That...animal..."
Fluttershy, Thunderlane, and I wasted no more time in flying up to the house- Thunderlane let us in, and we all trotted inside; Fluttershy set her bag on the floor, stopping as she saw the mare, sleeping on the floor.
"Y-you said it- it was an animal-" Fluttershy squeaked.
"I'm sorry Fluttershy," Thunderlane apologized "the hospital didn't believe me, she needed medical attention...I didn't have any more ideas"
"It-it's alright-" she said, inching towards the mare.
She put her hoof to the mare's forehead, then went to her bag.
"Well, she's not running a fever, she's just unconcious..."
"Is there anything else you can tell us? We kind of knew that already"
"Sorry...let's see..."
She rooted around in her bag for something, and apparently found it, removing a thermometer and a stethescope from the bag. She trotted to the mare, then gently pulled back the blanket; she put the stethescope into her ears, then prepared to place the other end over the mare's chest, and stopped.
"O-oh my..."
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"I-I- I think she might be pregnant..."
"WHAT?!" we both cried.
Fluttershy shrank back at the outburst.
"What makes you think that?"
"Well...um...usually with animals...when the mammaries are swollen, it means they're getting ready to give milk for the baby..."
"Oh...no, I don't think she is, but that's why I needed a doctor- well, not that, but I wanted to be sure she was healthy"
"I'm not a doctor...but I could give her an examination..."
"That's all I'm asking"
Fluttershy went ahead and put the stethescope over the mare's chest, measuring her heartbeat.
"Hey Thunderlane?" I asked.
"Yeah?"
"What are 'mammaries'?"
His muzzle turned a dark shade of red as he looked skyward.
"Why don't we talk about that when you're a little older?"
"You always say that..."
"Because I think you're too young to know about those kinds of things...you can ask mom and dad when they get back, but I think they'll give you the same answer"
"Alright..."
"Hey, cheer up," he said, ruffling my mane "you'll get it eventually"
"Yeah-"
"Um, Thunderlane?" Fluttershy asked.
"Yeah?" he replied.
'Why is she shaking?'
"Sh-she's waking up-"