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// That friendship we call love 
// Story: I'm coming home 
// by Dead Nation 
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      It was a warm breezy day, a slight breeze flowing through the forest. I was down by the stream collecting fresh water for drinking and brewing tea with. The slight breeze ruffled my pitch black mane slightly, and splashed cool water on my dark grey coat. I was humming a tune while I gathered water. 
"Are you, are you, coming to the tree? Hmm, hmm." I hummed softly as I stood up once more to find the leaves and berries I used to make a herbal tea that soothed head aches. I was again humming my small tune while I gathered my herbs. It was only when a small rustle in the leaves behind me did I become alert to the two ponies approching me.
"Miss, can you spare me and my friend some food? We're making our way away from Canterlot and are very hungry." One spoke in a smooth voice. I turned to see two ponies that looked tired, hungry, and sickly. They looked like they might have been about thirty years old. Both earth ponies. The one who had just spoken had a light gray coat and light blue mane, with a cutie mark of a green star. His friend had a purple mane and dark blue coat, his cutie mark was a simple hammer and nail. 
"And you two are?" I asked as I raised a brow.
"I'm Amythist, this is Stone Cold." The dark blue stallion said. His voice was a bit more deep. I suppresed a small giggle.
"Amythist, eh? Pleased to meet you. Yeah, I have a bit of meat back at my cave if your interested." I said, they looked at each other and nodded.
"Alright, we'll go with you. By the way, we did't catch your name." Stone Cold said.
"Nightwake," I responded as I turned and began heading back to the cave.
It was around noon by time we got back to the cave. Up on one of my poorly fastned shelves I had a couple slabs of cooked meat that I pulled down and offered them. They both sat down and held their hooves out hungrily. I gave them their meat and they dug in. Within mere minutes they had devoured what would normal last me a week. 
"Can you spare us some water to?" Stone Cold asked me hopefully as he licked his hooves. In response I handed them both a bottle of water and watched them gulp it down thirstaly.
"Don't neither of you worry, you don't owe me anything. Kindness is something the forest needs more of." I said making them both smile. 
"You wouldn't mind if we rested here tonight would you? It seems wrong to ask, after all you've done." Stone Cold asked as they both stood up, looking a lot better than before.
"There's always a little room for those in need." I said as I pointed a hoof to my loft that would easly house us comfortably. They nodded. "I'll be out collecting plants for dinner, you two can stay here."
"Thank you kindly." Amythist said as he sat up against the wall. I spent the evening out in the woods looking for ediable to put on a salad. It was sunset by time we actually ate. It wasn't anything special, just some berries, mushrooms, and other greens. Still, they seemed more than happy to eat at all. Amythist was the first to climb up into the loft and go to sleep. Stone Cold and I stayed up for a while longer.
"Kindness is hard to come by out here anymore. Thank you. You might have saved our lives." He said as we sat at the mouth of the cave and watched the stars in the sky.
"It was the least I could do, Equestria is dying. We all need to stick together now." I shrugged. "At least thats what I belive."
"Let me cut it to you stright, life is short and hard around here." He said as he looked me in the eyes. I returned his gaze, looking into his perfect eyes. "Your the first pony thats been kind to us any, and I was thinking your kinda cute. I was also thinking about if you might kinda like me?" I smiled at him, and he smiled back. I retsed my head next to his in response and looked back up at the sky. Maybe he would stick around. He'd be the first.
"I'd be glad to be yours. Just don't leave my side no matter what." I said as I staired at the endless night above us. We spent the next few hours cuddled up asleep. A warm feeling of happiness I hadn't felt in a long, long time. I felt safe again, as if maybe I would wake up tomarrow and my life would be normal again. I knew it wouldn't, but a pony can dream.