19th Granite, 222
As the sun begins to set, Shooting Star lands back outside the lone and still unfinished structure of Shadytrails, having finished her last patrol for the day.
Patina Dreams is sitting by the cooking fire, scratching out what she can into her journal by the last light of the sun.
“Hey Patina.” Shooting Star greets her expedition member as she carefully remove the bolt from her crossbow to put it in her quiver, pulled the trigger to make the empty crossbow make a ‘Twang!’ noise and tuck it into her back.
“Welcome back Star,” Patina says putting her journal aside, it was getting too dark to write anyway, “See anything while you were out there?”
“Just some more snow and melting snow. Not a living soul to be found.” Shooting Star sighs before taking a seat near the fire. “Not that it’s bad, of course. A day that I don’t see anything dangerous approaching the settlement is a day I’m not risking my life shooting at it.”
“Mhmm, I hope you never have to shoot at anything out there…” Patina said though her tone indicates that she knows that hope is too idealistic to come true, “But look at your mane. All that flying has left it a tangled mess, come here let me fix it for you.”
Patina reaches for her saddlebags and after digging for a moment pulls out a finely engraved silver comb.
“Hm? oh, this? It’s fine.” Shooting Star said and waved a hoof with a smile.
“Nonsense,” Patina says, scooting closer to Shooting Star her comb in hoof, “Just because we are in the middle of nowhere is no excuse to not take care of your appearance.”
The Crossbowpony pouted a little, but sees no way out of this. “Well, if you insist.”
“I do insist,” Patina says sitting herself beside her friend, and beginning to run the comb through the snarled mess of a mane, and trying to be gentle about it.
Even though, her mess of a mane are still pretty tangled, and the Pegasus mare winces every time the comb caught a knot.
Desiring to take her friend’s mind off it as she works Patina asks, “So, Shooting Star, where are you from? What brought you to Shadytrails?”
“Mmm, Was an army scout for Coupledye. Served my times but I never really learned how to do anything else other than what I learned in the army, which is to survive and shoot stuff. And apparently those skills are in high-demands to come out here, so here I am.” Shooting Star said with a little shrugs, her mind taken off somewhat of the wincing pain.
Continuing to pretty up the blue mare’s mane Patina continues her questioning, “But the army? Isn’t that a bit… unusual of a profession for a mare? What made you want to do something dangerous like that?”
“Not sure. Destiny’s calling, I suppose?” Shooting Star said Idly, just laying there for her mane to be combed. “I mean, my Dad was a soldier. And I’ve always looked up to him, but he didn’t want me to go head-first into danger so I’ve joined the Scouts instead. Keeps me reasonably far away from danger enough and still learn all the skills from the Army!. . Not that it mean much out here, I’m mostly going to be our first line of defense for a while yet.”
“So your dad was a soldier? What was that like? Growing up in a military family I mean,” Patina asks as she works out the last of the snarls.
It’s actually much more relaxing now without all of the knots to hurt. “Well, my dad always wanted a colt. But I never had any siblings, so I suppose he kinda raised me as his son? I mean, he’s not making me wear colt cloths or anything like that. But I don’t think any other dads teach their daughters how to punch the breath out of a bully, or how to shoot a crossbow before she was even old enough to go to school.”
“Oh my no I would not think so,” Patina said, putting her comb down as she goes into the bag again for a selection of ribbons, “My father would have never have let me do something like that. He never even liked me working the forge… well at least not at first.”
Patina selects a pair of red ribbons to complement Shooting Star’s blue coat, and begins putting her mane into pigtails, “What about your mother? Was she around?”
“She was around, kind of. . I love her dearly, and she does so to me as well, I’m sure of it. She was a dancer, but had an accident before I was born and lost one of her legs. Said it was a fire and that my Father was the dashing knight that went in through the fire to save her. Said she lost her ability to dance that day, but gained something else in return and that she never regretted it. But I know that she still wanted to dance. . But it’s just not the same anymore, you know? But hey, at least she doesn’t mope all day everyday, that’d be sad. She learned how to cook really well and became a dance teacher after I was born, even taught me to dance! I kinda turn it into a bit of a hybrid combining my mother’s dances and my father’s stances. It’s good exercise!”
“Oh! If we get a musician here in Shadytrails you could give everypony a show,” Patina said happily, finishing the second small braid.
Patina looks over her patient, status of mane… acceptable.
“There, much better, your mane is all fixed,” Patina says as she moves to sit next to her friend. She removes her gold and jade circlet, holding it in her lap with both hooves, as she magics the elegant silver comb to Shooting Star.
“Here, it’s your turn,” Patina says happily.
The other mare accepted the comb, looking at it a little confusingly. “Me? really?” She asked.
“Mhmm,” Patina replies turning her back so that Shooting Star could comb out Patina’s mane.
Shooting Star was unsure if Patina was aware what it was like when two mares comb each other’s mane, but she’s not going to assume that her friend’s some ignorant foreigner, and will start to carefully comb her mane, being cautious not to hurt the delicate mare.
“mmm,” Patina relaxes as Shooting Star grooms her. Sitting here by the fire, chatting, and brushing each other reminded her of home.
“I’ve never got to comb another mare’s mane before..” The pegasus murmurs. “well, beside my mum’s.”
“It’s nice though isn’t it?” Patina says softly, “My sisters and I used to do this for each other every day. We’d sit and talk, and just… be there for each other. You know?”
“Y-you.. combed manes with your sisters?” Shooting Star asked, her face flushed a blush as her wild imagination took her to places.
“Yeah. We all shared the same room growing up… well until Golden Ratio, my eldest sister, got married… and I went to University,” Patina says, “But I remember when I was little, we’d all groom each other, then fall asleep together while Golden Ratio would tell us a story.”
Patina appears lost in thought, remembering the past, her grip tightens on her golden headpiece a bit.
“Homesick?” The other mare asked, still gently combing Patina’s hair gently.
Patina takes a moment to reply, “Yeah… a bit. But it’s okay. I’ll… see them all again someday.”
“Yeah, keep up the hopeful Attitude.” Shooting Star beams and finishes combing Patina’s mane to be all nice and smooth.
The sun was now starting to disappear altogether, Patina sighed, “Looks like it’s time to get some sleep.”
She stands up and starts to pack up her journal, quill, ink, and comb into her bag. She doesn’t put her headpiece back on, but keeps it held in her magic.
The two mares then head towards where the tents were all set up. Being the time of night that it was, the area was starting to get crowded by those busying themselves for sleep.
Patina enters her tent and puts her bag at one end, and her golden circlet next to it, ontop of a bit of cloth to keep it out of the mud. She removes her bracelets and puts them with her other things, before crawling under the blanket, using her bag as a pillow and curling up tight preparing to sleep.
Shooting Star followed, and dragged her own pillow and blanket over to Patina. Leaving her Crossbow just at the entrance where she can easily reach it, the mare lay down as well next to the other mare.
Patina sits up, pulling her blanket tight around her, "What are you doing?"
“Hm? It’s cold. We should huddle to share bodily warmth. I learned it in the army, keeping body temperature warm is essential to our survival!” Shooting Star said, pulling the cover up as she scoots a bit closer to Patina.
Patina looks her new friend over, but then a cold chill blows through the air, her tent barely blocking it, she shivered. She really hadn’t been looking forward to another cold night of shivering.
"That... that is a good point," she concedes, "okay," she scoots over and lifts her blanket for Shooting Star to join her.
Shooting Star scoots in and adds her own blanket for a second layer of warmth insulation. “Much better?”
Patina already feeling a bit warmer sighs, "Yeah... it's bit strange. I've never shared my bed with anypony except my sisters, but it is much more comfortable like this."
Patina lies down next to her friend, turning away and letting her back rest against her.
The Pegasus brings a wing over to warp around Patina as her hooves slides around to cuddle the mare, pressing her chest against the Patina’s back and squeezes a little. “I hope I’m not making you uncomfortable?”
"Hmm, It's okay..." Patina says sleepily, warm for perhaps the first time since embarking.
Shooting Star let out a warm content sigh as she rests her muzzle on the other mare’s neck, enjoying the much-needed warmth. The long tiring days were more than enough to send her to sleep with ease.
Wrapped in her pegasus friend's wings, Patina sinks happily into slumber.
For the rest of the time before the shelter was built, Patina Dreams and Shooting Star shared a tent like this. When beds are finally built, they continue to share warmth at night, at least until summer comes.