"Fluttershy! Rainbow Dash!" Apple Bloom exclaimed. She'd never been so happy to see anypony in her life.
Rainbow put her hooves on her hips. "Where in Equestria have you been Apple Bloom! Apple Jack is worried sick!" she asked.
Fluttershy frowned. "And um..who were those fillies?"
"I'll tell ya later. But right now we've gotta go ta Zecora's. Sweetie Bell hurt her ankle."
She told the pegasi the whole story and they listened attentively. "Zecora's house is incredible! She even has a pet timber cub!"
"Oh my." Fluttershy replied.
Just then, the yellow mare's backpack gave a familiar yowling meow, and Pumpkin's head popped out.
"Pumpkin?" Apple Bloom asked with surprise.
Rainbow Dash picked the filly up and Fluttershy took the energetic kitten into her arms.
"Looks like that pest finally woke up." Rainbow huffed.
"Pumpkin is not a pest. He just has a lot of energy and like to play with hair." Fluttershy informed.
Rainbow sighed and the two pegasi took off to the Everfree. With Apple Bloom clinging onto the blue mare's back.
Soon they were all inside, eating Zecora's hay stew while Apple Bloom told everypony about the group of fillies in town.
"That's awful! Somepony needs ta teach those punks a lesson." Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
"The ringleader sounds like Spot." Button Mash said. "The mare you described is his sidekick, Orange Blossom. They always hang around Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara at school, causing trouble."
"They recognized your cape Zecora. Did ya speak ta them yesterday?" Apple Bloom asked.
"I certainly did. I saw them throwing lids at the ducks. So I told them about what I though about their actions and uh..luck." Zecora replied.
"I um..don't like the sound of the threat they made about paying you a visit." Fluttershy said. She stroked Pumpkin who gave a nod in agreement.
Zecora gave a dismissive snort. "They don't scare me."
Rainbow Dash checked her watch. "We should get going. Apple Jack is sick with worry, Sweetie Bell will need to see a doctor, and Scootalo's dad is almost ready to call in a search team."
Suddenly, two bright green eyes and a striped snout appeared around the side of Zecora's armchair. Apple Bloom felt the same thrill of excitement that she'd had two hours earlier when she first saw Brock. I'll never get tired of looking at him, she thought.
Fluttershy squealed in delight and raced over to the badger. Knocking Pumpkin to the ground.
"Oh my." the mare smiled as Brock nuzzled her chest.
Oak jumped off of Zecora's bed and trotted over to Pumpkin. Who hissed and meowed in fear as the timber cub shoved his nose into the kitten's chest.
"Hey Fluttershy. We should go now. Before.." Everypony gasped as Pumpkin jumped onto the ceiling and clung onto it with his sharp claws.
Zecora shook her head. "This is why I hate cats Apple Bloom." Then the Zebra looked up at Pumpkin who was swatting at Oak.
"He'll come down soon." she said flatly.
Fluttershy looked up from the badger and gasped in horror at the kitten. Then she flew over to Pumpkin and got him down.
"Thanks for letting us stay here Zecora." Apple Bloom said.
Zecora nodded her head and smiled. Then she closed the door behind the filly.
"Let's go!" Rainbow Dash shouted.
Scootalo climbed onto her idol's back while Fluttershy put Pumpkin back into her backpack. Then the yellow mare picked up Sweetie Bell gently and the group of ponies headed into town.
"There ya are sport." Scootalo's dad picked her up and nodded at Rainbow Dash. Who smiled and flew back to the group of ponies.
"Oh my Sweetie Bell!" Rarity gasped in horror as her muddy sister was carried into the Carousal Boutique. "Set her into the tub Fluttershy." the unicorn ordered. Fluttershy nodded and headed upstairs.
"Apple Bloom!" Apple Jack squeezed her sister tightly. "Ah was so worried!" she sobbed.
"C..can't breath." Apple Bloom replied.
"Sorry." Apple Jack let go of her little sister. Who collapsed onto the ground. Gasping for air.
"Thanks Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy."
"No problem." the pegasi replied simultaneously.
Once they left, Apple Jack glared at her sister.
"Ya have some explaining ta do."