Outside the Flim Flam brothers' cart stood Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, and Luna. The three all perked up their ears at what sounded like a howl coming from inside.
"What in tarnation was that?" Applejack asked, looking at the door.
Luna walked up to the door and tried to open it. It did not open. She pushed it, pulled it, kicked it, even threw herself at it, but it did not open. She even tried using magic. Unfortunately, being young and untrained, she could not even get enough to make her horn spark.
"Move aside," Applejack said. Once clear, she turned her back to the door. There was a whir of gears as she adjusted her stance. The mare bucked out, kicking the door with both of her mechanical legs. The wooden door shattered under the impact of the metal hooves.
It began to fly inward, but flew out as a blast of ice cold wind burst out of room and struck the three of them. The wind sent a chill up Applejack's spine as she was struck flank-first by it. Luna crouched down, eyes clenching shut as she got hit by the freezing air.
Twilight Sparkle closed her eyes as well. Her horn began to glow with a purple aura of magic. Grabbing Luna, Twilight moved closer to Applejack then encompassed them in a dome shaped shield.
"Something must have gone wrong."
Applejack looked at Twilight, an eyebrow raised.
"Really?" she asked. "What could make you think that?"
"Now's not the time for sarcasm," Twilight retorted. She grabbed Luna and placed the filly on her back. "Come on. We need to help them. Keep close and the shield keep us warm and safe... unless it gets really bad."
Applejack nodded and moved so she shoulder to hip with Twilight. With a nod, Twilight led the way into the room.
The shield hummed and shimmered with power as wind and frost kept striking it. If not for the energy of the magic, it would have started to frost over. As it was, the ice would melt and evaporate before it could form too thickly, leaving a clear path of where they had been. Unfortunately, it also forced Twilight to use more energy to hold and maintain.
"Can you see them?" Twilight asked, looking around.
"I can't see a thing," Applejack replied. Between the steam and the frost, their vision was obscured.
"On the right," Luna called out. "I think I see something over there."
Not seeing much else in the way of choices, the group went in the direction that Luna pointed out. They stopped when the shield shifted and sparked, coming into contact with steel bars. A shadowy black figure moved on the other side.
"Hello?" Twilight called out.
The figure moved closer and crouched down. On the other side of the bars was the minotaur. His arms were wrapped tightly around his chest as he shivered. Bits of ice stuck to his face.
"We need to help him," Luna said.
Twilight shifted, her ear giving a flick. Admittedly, a part of her was worried about the idea. After all, they never met a minotaur before. Could he actually be dangerous?
Then again, considering how things were going, it seemed unlikely that he would have any desire to harm them. It would put him back in danger of freezing to death.
"Step back," she shouted. When the minotaur did so, Twilight turned to Applejack.
"Do you think you could kick this door open, too?"
"Ain't exactly what they were made for," Applejack replied, "but I can sure try."
"Try to hit the lock directly if you can."
Applejack gave one last nod and move toward the bars. She studied the door, looking at the spot the lock was at and trying to figure out the angle.
Okay AJ, you can do this, she thought to herself. Just like bucking the sweet spot on the trees back at the orchard. You've done it hundreds -- maybe even thousands -- of times. Slowly, she turned around. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and slowly let it out, pushing aside the nervousness of trying to kick a steel cage door.
Once again she braced herself, muscles growing tense. Kicking out, she slammed her back hooves into the cage. There was an ear piercing clang as metal hit metal, followed by a shriek as it twisted and tore.
"I can't look," Applejack stated, eyes still closed. "Did it work?"
"It did," Twilight replied before turning to the minotaur.
"Come on. You'll feel warmer in here."
"Thanks," the minotaur said in a deep, scratchy voice as he stepped into the shielded area. "You have Iron Will's gratitude."
"We need to find our friends," Twilight stated. "Do you have any idea where they might be?"
"One was protecting one of the brothers from the griffon," Iron Will responded, pointing. "Should be somewhere over there."
Taking his suggestion, the group made there way in that direction. As they moved, a lump started to come into view. The sight sent a thrill of fear through Twilight. Was one of their friends hurt? Or worse? Had whatever happened now left them buried? She had to resist the urge to run and find out. It would be bad to lose the others because she suddenly darted off, taking the shield with her.
It was a relief to find that the lump did include a familiar pony, and that she was not frozen. Rainbow Dash stood over the unconscious body of Flim (if they remembered which brother was which correctly), wings spread and down to protect her and him from the wind. Pressed against her was the griffon doing similar.
"Y'all okay?" Applejack asked as they approached the group.
"A little frost stuck to our feathers," Rainbow Dash replied, "but otherwise fine. Right, Gilda?"
"Yeah," Gilda grumbled, giving her wings a flick before tucking them away.
"What about him," Twilight asked.
"Unconscious," Rainbow answered, "but alive."
"Here." Applejack moved forward and crouched down. "I'll carry him."
"You should leave him here," Gilda growled, eyeing the unconscious stallion. "Would serve him right to freeze to death. Those two caused this whole thing anyways."
"What happened?" Twilight asked as she helped lift Flim onto Applejack's back. The stallion let out a groan as he was moved, one side of his jaw swollen and purple.
"Not entirely sure," Rainbow Dash replied, "but something happened that let the windigo out of it's cage."
"Windigo?" Luna squeaked, turning pale. She squeezed down against Twilight, trying to get as small as she can.
"We need to find the others," Twilight stated. "Our best chance of getting through this is to get everypony together in here."
"Why's that?" Gilda asked, moving over toward Iron Will.
"For one," Twilight replied, "the more bodies we have in here, the more body heat we can generate, which will keep us all warmer.
"For another, if we all get together, we might be able to do something about it. It's a long shot, but we might be able to put an end to this the same way they did in the story...
"And if not, then at least we can all get out of here together."
"We should probably head this way then," Rainbow Dash stated. "Pretty sure that most of the others were near the changeling cage. If we keep to this side and head that way, we should find most of them."
The small group started to move, following the suggestion.
"Hey, Twi," Rainbow spoke up. "There's something I don't get." She turned to look at Twilight. "Why didn't the windigo just leave when it got loose? Why is it still in here?"
The question made Twilight Sparkle slow her pace as she considered it.
"That... that is a good question..."
It was actually something that she had not really thought about before. If the windigo had managed to get free from its cage, why was it still in the cart? More so now, since they had broken the door open. Nothing was holding it in the cart, was there? Twilight had not felt any magic when she came in (save for the cold and wind), nor had she seen any sort of markings on the outside of the cart for a powerful spell.
She let out a sigh and shook her head.
"We'll have to figure it out later. Now's not really the time to try and work on theories."
Twilight picked up her pace, moving with the others. They made their way past several cages, some times stopping to check on the creature inside. It did not do much good since most of the time, whatever was in the cage seemed to prefer avoiding the door and the shield than the possibility of being released and warm.
After making their way through the cold and searching, the group found the other four. Pinkie Pie laid unconscious, her earth pony look gone to reveal her changeling form. Fluttershy sat beside her, one of the large bat wings wrapped around Pinkie and holding her close to the batpony's side. On the other side of Fluttershy -- pressed close to her side -- was Rarity. She was stretched out on her stomach, but awake. Occasionally she would cringe in pain as Zecora ran a hoof along her spine.
"Fluttershy!" Luna shouted as she jumped off Twilight's back and lunged into her caretaker's chest, getting a hug. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Fluttershy answered, "and so is Zecora. As for Rarity..."
"She is sore," Zecora stated, "but shall be fine. The blow to her back has not damaged her spine."
"And as for Pinkie Pie..." Fluttershy turned to look at her under the wing. "She's alive, but I don't know. I found her knocked out."
"It might be the cold made her go to sleep," Twilight suggested. "I mean we don't know much about changelings, but many insects sort of hibernate in the winter, so that might be what happened with her."
"Okay, egghead," Rainbow Dash called out to Twilight. "We're all together at the moment. Now what?"
"I have to ideas," Twilight answered. "One is that now that we are all together, we try to head for the door. It should be easier to get back out now that we are all together and know where to go. The second is... a little bit odd..."
The others all looked at her, saying nothing.
"We try to do what they did at the first Hearth's Warming... Try to create enough friendship and happiness that it forces the windigo to flee..."
"If you don't mind," Zecora spoke up, "I would suggest, that we try the latter as it may be best."
"Seriously?" Gilda asked, raising an eyebrow. "You want us to try and banish it with happy thoughts?"
"It worked in the story," Twilight insisted. "Besides, that was three ponies against a lot of windigoes. There are more of us here and only one of them."
"I'm in," Fluttershy said.
"Me too," Luna agreed.
"Shoot," Applejack said with a sigh. "Sounds a bit out there... but I'm willing to give it a go."
"Dash?"
"...Do you really think this will work?"
"I don't know," Twilight admitted, "but we can at least try."
Rainbow Dash looked at her a moment, then around at the others.
"Alright. I'm in."
"Seriously?" Gilda repeated, now staring at her friend.
"If it doesn't work, we just wasted some time. We can still make our way for the door." Rainbow Dash moved to place a hoof on Gilda's shoulder.
"Trust me."
Gilda rolled her eyes and let out a huff.
"Fine. Let's just get this over with so we can get out of here."
"Good," Twilight said. "Now, everyone get as close to each other as you can. I know it might be uncomfortable for some of us -- " Including me " -- but it should help us."
The nine that were conscious did so. Soon, they were all pressed tightly against each other. Shoulders pressed against flanks. Wings were spread out to encompass multiple bodies. Ears flicked against each other.
"Rarity," Twilight continued when they were all close, "I need you to use some of your magic. Nothing specific yet, just summon it and be ready."
"Very well." Rarity closed her eyes and concentrated. Her horn began to glow with an aura of blue magic that shifted as she held it.
"Now, everyone close your eyes and think about the happiest, warmest moments in your lives."
Twilight did as she had suggested immediately, as did Luna. The others looked at one another moment before slowly closing their eyes one by one. They let their minds wander, settling on moments when they felt incredibly happy.
We are so proud of you.
You will have a family and home here now.
I see a lot of potential in you.
Look at that sunset.
Your mother would be proud.
Meet your little sister.
Family dinner.
We will always love you.
There was an audible pop as the shield vanished. In its place was a glowing pink aura of raw magic. The power suddenly burst outwards, spreading throughout the room. Everywhere it touched, the magic would melt the frost. The creatures still in cages shifted as they were reached, feeling a calm warmth spreading throughout their bodies. Soon, the warm magic filled the entire room.
When the power struck the windigo, it let out a massive whinny. Pushed by the warmth and kindness that was spreading, the windigo fled from the cart and into the night.