He fell. As he fell he regretted his choice, but figured he didn't have one. When he hit the ground eventually, he rolled. He hurt all over, but at least he could run still. He kept running, straight out into the snow to the cabin. The guards didn't follow him. It was too cold to just follow him, because they knew they'd never catch up to him. He ran into blizzard to escape their watching gazes. He knew he'd find his way to the cabin, because he'd have no where else to go. He couldn't risk not finding it, or else he'd starve to death and freeze. He ran blindly. His fur had not built itself up for the winter in five years. He wouldn't care to stick around to ensure that it could. He just wanted this to be over now. He just wanted to be home, with his furry animal friends, in his log cabin, away from the hate of Shining Armor. He stopped, out of breath. The storm was growing by the second. The snow was causing his newly dyed coat to return to its snowy white and shadowy grey. He couldn't move, his legs like lead. If he didn't move he'd freeze. His journey out here all for nothing. He forced himself forward, the cold foreboding and cruel. He wouldn't allow his body to stop now, but he couldn't move fast. He was cold, he felt really hungry, and he just wanted to take a nap, but he pushed on through the snow. Suddenly a large gust of wind knocked him over and he tumbled through the snow and slammed into a large wooden cabin. He'd have completely missed it, if it hadn't been for the wind. He tried opening the door, but it wouldn't budge. He started slamming his body into it. It eventually opened. There was a fire roaring inside. He trotted around, looking at the items on the walls. Many photos of different ponies in snowy backgrounds hung on the walls, all old looking, black and white. Some of them seemed to have his father in them. A few seemed to have both of his fathers. His own father, and his duplicate from this world. His mother was next to both fathers in one picture. He heard hoof steps behind him. A voice of a mare spoke to him.
"H-Hello. How-How did you find this place?"
He turned to look. A petite mare stood there. White with a few blue spots on her. She spoke with a kind of accent of which he'd not heard. He cleared his throat.
"My father said this was my grandfather's cabin. Mr. Thompson is my father. Do you know him?"
"O-Oh, yes. Mr. Mason Thompson you mean?"
"Yes. He's my father. He said I could stay here."
"Of course. I didn't know Mason had a second son. W-Were the two of you twins, because you look strikingly like him."
"It's complicated. How did you get here?"
"M-Me? I just got lost in the snow one day, and y-your father found me."
"Really? Huh.... well then, I guess you get some company to join you out here."
"So, Mr. Thompson, where's your father."
He'd not thought about telling her that. He'd forgotten all about him, trying to save himself from a frozen grave. He knew she'd never be able to leave here alone. It's too cold, even when there is no storm. He'd begun to stare blankly at the wall behind her while he thought about if he should tell the truth or avoid the question. He wasn't going to just lie. He was taught by the bears and owls that lying wouldn't end well for him. Not that he'd ever be able to get away with it. He'd always been a bad liar. The mare called to him.
"Mr. Thompson? A-Are you okay?"
He readjusted his gaze back to her.
"Y-Yes, just fine. Are you okay? You seem to stutter a lot."
"S-Sorry...."
"It's fine, I'm just concerned about you. You seem like a nice enough lass."
"L-Lass?"
"It's a term I was taught by... some friends. It's just nother way of saying 'filly' or 'mare'. I liked the sound of it ever since I was taught it."
"O-Oh. S-So, where is your father?"
She'd brought it up again, but why? She seemed to care about him a lot. He'd probably still be working at this time, but he wasn't going to tell her that. His gaze had started drifting again. She began to whimper, quietly. He shook his head, and looked at her.
"H-Huh? What's wrong?"
"I-It's just, you seem confused by that question, and-and you seem distant, and-and-and-"
She was quivering, and then began to cry. It was a sorrowful, tear-filled crying. He was startled by it. The animals in his forest never cried around him. He looked around, as if the answer was in a photo. It was, oddly enough. He noticed one of his father's hugging his mother, and so he did the same to this poor mare. She hugging back, tears streaming down his back now. He kept hugging her, and eventually, after many minutes, she stopped crying long enough for them to speak again.
"Look, my father....-"
He paused for thought. He didn't want to think too long. She was a very fragile mare, and he didn't want to see her cry again. He felt awkward just hugging her like that. She wiped some of the tears off her face.
"W-What about y-your father?"
"He's... dead."
She sat down, shocked. She just looked at him, speechless. He began to try and reach out of a hug, but she backed away. She spoke quietly.
"N-n-no. N-no. H-He c-can't be...."
"He is. I watched him die."
"H-h-he said I would go home once the wall was done."
He stared at the ground, sullenly. She began to tear up and cry. He kept looking at the ground and spoke.
"I'm sorry. I got him killed."
She looked at him, eyes filled with tears.
"W-What do you mean?"
"Don't you know who I am?"
She shook her head, her crying had intensified.
"N-no, I don't know who you are."