//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: Melody of an animal sanctuary and the luck of a crush (edited) // Story: Party for one, Party for all // by darkmage1997 //------------------------------// While walking through town from Carousel Boutique, Melody and Clover were both smiling at how friendly the ponies seemed to be, especially a mint green unicorn they saw with a big smile on her face. Once out of the town, the girls noticed that they were close to a dark forest. "Mommy, what's that?" Clover asked, pointing at the forest. "That would be the Everfree Forest. Its home to some wild and dangerous plants and animals. We try to avoid that dark place, except when we go to visit our Zebra friend, Zecora, who's a wiz at making potions and herbal teas," Pinkie explained, looking back at her daughters. "It's also home to the old castle that Celestia and Luna once lived in, as well as the tree of harmony," Twilight added on, with a smile. "Oh, ok!" Melody said in understanding, with Clover nodding in agreement. "Oh, girls, look! That's my animal sanctuary right there," Fluttershy said, pointing to her cottage by the forest. The two girls were amazed at how many animals there were, "Wow Auntie Fluttershy, these are all your pets?" Clover asked, shocked at how one pony can take care of so many animals at once. "Why yes, I just love taking care of all sorts of animals who can't take care of themselves," Fluttershy replied with a squee. "Would you like me to show you two around, if that's ok?" Fluttershy asked her nieces, who nodded in unison, which made Fluttershy giggle. "Well, out front is my garden, where I keep some of my birdhouses, and my otter habitat," Fluttershy said, motion towards under the bridge to her house, where some otters were playing in the water. "Aww, they're so cute!" Melody said with a blush. "And if you come back here to my backyard," Fluttershy said, motioning the group to follow her, "you can see my chicken coop, where I keep all my chickens," Fluttershy said, showing her nieces the wooden coop in a chicken wire fence. "Are there a lot of chickens?" Clover asked. "Why yes, and all of them are real sweethearts," Fluttershy said, smiling at her niece. Just as Fluttershy was about to show the two girls some more animals, she heard a stallion call for her, "FLUTTERSHY! I NEED YOUR HELP!" the stallion called. "Oh my, that's Thunderlane!" Fluttershy said, trotting towards her front porch area, to find the black stallion with a silver Mohawk mane standing with a worried look on his face, accompanied by his little brother, Rumble. "Thunderlane? What's wrong?" Fluttershy asked. "Its our pet falcon, we think he's getting ill," Thunderlane replied, giving Fluttershy a brown and white falcon, who looked to be in terrible condition. "Oh my goodness!" Fluttershy said, taking the bird inside for treatment. "I'll see what's wrong, then I'll get back to you both," Fluttershy said, turning back to the brothers, who nodded in understanding. "Do you think he'll be alright?" Rumble asked his brother. "We just have to wait and see," Thunderlane replied, trying to keep his little brother from getting worried. "Thunderlane? What are you doing here?" asked Rainbow Dash, as she and the others came out from behind Fluttershy's house. "Our falcons sick, so we thought Fluttershy might know something as to why he's feeling under the weather," Thunderlane replied, with Rumble nodding in agreement. "Well, alright, as long as you aren't shirking from weather patrol," Rainbow said, giving Thunderlane a stern look. "OH! Before I forget, I want you two to meet my nieces, and Pinkies daughters," Rainbow said, looking towards her party friends back, with the two girls realizing that their auntie was talking about them, quickly hide in their mommy's poofy mane, "C'mon girls, there's no need to be scared, Thunderlane might be a tad lazy, but he won't hurt you," Rainbow whispered to her nieces, who carefully poked their heads out of Pinkies mane. "Girls, this is Thunderlane, and his brother Rumble," Rainbow said introducing her nieces to her Pegasus friends, "Guys, these two are Melody *motions to Melody*, and Clover *motions towards Clover*. They were recently adopted by Pinkie, so they're living with us from now on," Rainbow said, introducing her friends to her nieces. Looking at the two girls with a smile, Thunderlane carefully trotted up to the two girls, "Why hello girls, there's no reason to be scared of me or Rumble, we're nice ponies," Thunderlane said in a gentle tone. "And I hope to see you in school at the end of summer," Rumble said, smiling up at the two girls. "Its nice to meet you Thunderlane, and we hope to see you in school too Rumble," the girls said in unison. Just then, Fluttershy came out with the falcon, "Ok, it seems to be just a stomach-ache, so I would recommend you getting a fresh bag of bird seed," Fluttershy said, looking to the brothers. "Ok, but do we need to give Skylar any medicine?" Thunderlane asked. "I don't think any medicine will be needed, but make sure to give him plenty of rest," Fluttershy said sternly, to which the brothers nodded in understanding, and flew away with their falcon. "They seem nice," Melody said with a smile, with Clover only nodding slightly in agreement as she kept her eyes on Rumble. "Well, how about we finish up the tour of Ponyville at my castle?" Twilight suggested, to which the two girls nodded happily in agreement. "GREAT! Now lets go," Twilight said, leading the group back to Ponyville. While the others weren't looking, Clover gave a soft blush at her memory of Rumble. However, none of them noticed the clouds above began to swirl around in a vortex like manner. To be continued...