//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: Fluttershy's Wynter Sonnet 
// by Night Rush 
//------------------------------//

Edited by: NyxiaStarlight
 
It was about three months since they had defeated Tirek, and with peace having retuned to the land Fluttershy had decided to go study the rare Frost Bears in the north near the Crystal Empire. It was during this time that everything in her life would change. It was a cold Wednesday morning and Celestia’s sun had not yet risen above the horizon. The wind came cutting through the mountain, blowing through the rocks and by the open mouths of caves, causing an eerie howling sound to sometimes be heard. It was at times like this, that she wished she had invited Applejack or Rainbow Dash along with her so that she had comfort that she was not alone in this winter tundra. She had chosen to go out early that morning because she wanted to set up her observation point before the bears left their cave and could spot her. She went down the side of the mountain into what appeared to be a deep ravine. On the far side of the ravine, near the western bank of the frozen river, there was a cave where she believed a family of Frost Bears lived. Slightly perpendicular from there was a formation of boulders just high enough to obscure her from the sight of her future friends, while still allowing her to watch them and get to know their habits before she tried to befriend them.

On that first day she learned that the family of Frost Bears consisted of two cubs and a mother bear.  The bears themselves were of an impressive size the cubs alone stood roughly five feet high at the shoulders when walking on all fours and were roughly four to six feet long. The mother stood nine feet high at the shoulder when on fours and appeared to be around twelve to fifteen feet in length. The cubs and mother shared the same silver blue fur like that of an ice storm. The only difference was that the two cubs had darker gray patches on their chests while the mother did not.

On the first day of observation, there was little activity from the Frost Bears and the inactivity continued for almost a full week. It was not until the seventh day that she noticed that the mother bear was acting strange. She was not leaving the cave as often and seemed to be bringing an inordinate amount of vegetation into her cave. This was strange because Fluttershy knew that Frost Bears were omnivores, and it was not normal for them to go out of their way to seek out vegetation in the colder months. From everything she knew from her research in Twilight’s Library and from her own observations of other species of bears. Frost Bears typically searched out fish to eat by breaking the ice with their tremendous strength and razor sharp claws. As more time passed Fluttershy decided that she wanted to figure out what was happening and the only way to do that was to get inside the bear’s den, and the safest way to do that was to befriend them.

Over the next five days Fluttershy slowly introduced herself to the family of bears. On the first day she let herself be seen by the bears but did not approach for fear that it would startle them and get one or all of them hurt including herself. On the second day she moved a little closer to the opposite bank of the frozen river across from the den of the bears. It was on this day that she realized that even the cubs were showing signs of unusual behavior. She noticed that one would always stay behind in the cave out of site. While the mother bear and its sibling went out and scrounged for food. When the bears returned to their cave they brought with them copious amounts of whatever edible plants and fruits they could find as well as the usual fish that was the primary part of their diet. It was as one of the cubs was coming back to the den after an unsuccessful foraging trip that it first approached Fluttershy. The grey patch on the chest of this cub was roughly in the shape of a hook and it was from that that Fluttershy started referring to it as Fisher and the other as Shadow for the young cub was always in the cave and rarely came out. The only exception to this being when it greeted its mother on her return to the cave. When Fisher approached Fluttershy for the very first time, it gave her a tentative sniff as if trying to ascertain whether or not she was threat. After having reached a non-hostile decision, Fisher walked off. That evening after all the bears had returned home, Shadow would was seen to be trying to get as close to Fluttershy as possible without leaving the area of the den’s entrance. The cub’s action further impressed upon Fluttershy that they were guarding something in that cave. Something they were very protective of. The next morning, Fluttershy was awoken by the mother bear’s approach. She seemed to be just as curious as her cubs but much more wary.

Something had changed the mother bear as well as the cubs. Fisher and Shadow seemed to be upset. Fluttershy observed the anomaly from their frantic pacing in and out of the cave and their behavior of acting as if they would approach her but hurriedly changing their mind and walking away from her, as if unsure of whether it was ok to trust her.  Things changed when she was finally approached by the mother bear, who seemed frantic and frightened.   Although frightened, Fluttershy although frightened, Fluttershy withheld a frantic cry as she backed away, shivering. The mother bear looked at her with wide, fearful eyes, seemingly at a loss for what to do. The mother bear recovered from it quickly for whatever it was causing her unusual behavior seemed to have her really stirred up.  Before Fluttershy knew it, the mother bear plucked her off the ground by the scruff of her neck and started running in the direction of her den.

                    While this is happening Fluttershy could be heard to say, “Stop…Stop please…Whatever it is that is bothering you we can figure it out.”

“...Um please?” Fluttershy asked. The mother bear slowed to a stop and whined... She put Fluttershy down and looked at the demure yellow pegasus with the pink mane as if reevaluating whatever thought process she had been running through. Fluttershy sensed that something was wrong and turned to look at the big Momma bear and noticed the panicked look in her eyes.

“Whatever is scaring you, I’d like to help...um if that’s okay that is?” Fluttershy murmured.  With a nod, the mother bear took off with just a single glance to make sure that the yellow pegasus was behind her. When she arrived at the bear’s den she noticed that neither of the cubs were out near the entrance. She waited a moment and watched the momma bear go into the den. She was trying to decide if it was okay for her to enter when the she bear came back out and stepped to the side as if making way for her to come in. Seeing this, Fluttershy went into the bear's den unsure of what to expect since there was something that made the momma bear so panicky that she would invite a stranger into her den along with her cubs. Toward the back of the cave, where the afternoon light just barely reached, Fluttershy could make out the shape of Fisher and Shadow huddled around something. She could not be sure what it was from that distance, but whatever it was must be the reason for the distress seen in the mother bear and her cubs. As she got closer to the back of the cave she noticed that whatever it was that the two cubs were huddling around was moving. With another few steps, Fisher and Shadow moved away from the small being they were sheltering. What was revealed when they moved was a young, infantile bat pony, or Thestral, and after closer inspection she discovered that the young pony was a filly but in the dim light of the cave that was all she could tell. The poor thing was shaking as if caught in some horrible nightmare. Fluttershy went to gently touch the young foal's face to wake her up only to discover the poor baby was burning up with a fever. After being in the young foal’s presence and seeing her condition she could see why the bear family became so frantic.

Giving the mother bear a measuring look she was heard to say, “Umm...I’m going to take her now…I can help her...She could get better.” the mother bear, still very wary of Fluttershy, was not allowing her to move closer to the young foal.

“Please I am begging you let me take her. I promise to help her all I can!” Fluttershy said as a desperate tear trickled down her cheek. The mother bear sensing no ill will emanating from this demure and gentle pegasus warily stepped aside, allowing Fluttershy to gently scoop the foal into her arms and fly her out of the cave to her camp where she could give the foal a fighting chance. The only thing on Fluttershy’s mind on her trip back to her camp was that she had to get this foal some treatment. The foal was obviously sick and she wanted to give the infant a fighting chance to beat whatever it was that plagued her.

“It is going to be okay.” Fluttershy whispered over and over again as she flew. She was about half way back to her camp when she was possessed by the urge to look behind her. What she saw was the entire Frost Bear family following in her wake just as concerned as she was with the little ones health possibly even more so considering they had been caring for her for probably at least the last couple of days. When she arrived at her camp she hurried inside her tent and wrapped the baby in a blanket to keep her warm. From there, she went to her bag and got out her emergency medical gear that included some herbs and other medicinal substances.

“Just hang in there” Fluttershy whispered as she set the herbs down to go outside her tent.
Once there, she addressed the bears. “Fisher, Shadow” she said addressing the cubs, “I need you to gather around the baby and keep her warm until the fire is ready and I have her medicine ready.”

Going back to pick up her herbs she looked in on the young filly who continued to shudder. She seemed to have a horrible fever dream, if the soft frightened sounds she was making were any indication. Spurred on by this further evidence of the young pony’s dire situation Fluttershy, with the teapot and herb pouch hanging from her mouth, started a fire. After the fire was started, she sat her teapot on its stand over the fire. She hurriedly went back into her tent where she got out one of her canteens of water and poured it into the pot waiting for the water to boil. Fluttershy turned to the mother bear and pulled out some fever weed from her bag of herbs. She held it out in front of the mother bear.

“I need you to find some any plants you can like this one, they should be found growing on the on the edge of warm moist areas. I know it’s cold but, maybe if you found a hot spring or a geyser you might find some...” After having said that the momma bear came up to her sniffed deeply of the herb and took off as if she had fire on her heels.

“I hope she will be okay.” Fluttershy said, thinking of both the young filly and of the mother bear. She then turned and went quickly to her tea pot which just let out a loud piercing whistle letting her know the water was ready. In the background she could hear the foal let out a pained cry having been disturbed by the high pitched piercing noise caused by the teapot.  Fluttershy carefully picked up the lid of the pot moved it aside and dropped a couple sprigs of the fever weed inside so that it could steep in the boiling water. Having done that she rushed back inside to check on the foal only to find the two cubs doing their best to comfort her and calm her down from being startled by the noise she heard. Having checked on the foal and reassured herself of her safety she decided to go and gathered some snow in her scarf to make a compress for the foal while she waited on the tea to be ready. After carefully wrapping some snow into her scarf she brought it into the tent where the cubs were huddled around the filly she placed the snow laden scarf on her head and prayed it would bring down her fever.

After placing the cold scarf on the baby’s head she stepped back and got her first good look at her she was very small her body was a light teal blue . The filly had pale indigo, medium blue maine with streaks of mint shot through both her mane and tail that was matted against her face from perspiration. Taking her eyes off of the filly, Fluttershy set her mind back to the remedy she was concocting. She went back to her fire and checked the tea pot. From the smell emanating from the teapot and the color of the liquid inside, she could tell that the mixture was ready. She took the pot off the fire and on her way inside broke an icicle off and dropped it into the pot so as to bring down the temperature of the tea. She carried the teapot inside to where she gently lifted the foal’s head and dripped the remedy into her mouth a little at a time until Fluttershy thought she had enough.

At that moment a commotion could be heard outside the tent. Fluttershy hurried outside to see what it was only to find the mother bear she knew along with some other animals all carrying a variety of herbs and vegetables. It appeared that the mother bear not knowing what else to do enlisted the help of some of the other animals in the area and they all went looking for things that might help. Fluttershy took stock of the things that had been brought to her with a smile. They had brought her tubers, ice mint, fever weed, and believe it or not some carrots and potatoes. She just hoped they did not steal them from anypony’s home. With all of this, she had enough supplies to make a good healing vegetable soup.  She went to the momma bear and hugged her neck.

“Thank you.” Fluttershy whispered to the bear, “You did great, I will take it from here.” Over the next few days, Fluttershy continued to make the herbal tea and vegetable soup under the watchful gaze of the mother bear and her cubs just hoping for a miracle. She hopedthat the young filly would get better. It was the sunset of the fourth day after she started caring for the baby and she was singing a lullaby to try and ease the young filly to sleep when the foal opened her eyes and started babbling.  It was not until Fluttershy took a breath to continue the soft hum that she realized the baby was awake and babbling. With shock and relief Fluttershy smiled for this was the first sound she had made, besides the pained whimpers and cries that the little filly had made. Fluttershy placed a gentle hoof against the foal’s forehead to test for signs of a fever. When it was clear that the little one had recovered, Fluttershy returned to her humming and the infant giggled and even gave a faint smile before drifting off to sleep. It was when she awoke that she started packing up so as to take the young filly somewhere safe. Seeing the commotion the mother bear cornered her seeing her as a possible threat to her young charge.

“Please Miss Bear let me take the foal with me. She will be safe and I promise to look after her. She will grow up happy and healthy. I promise to bring her back to visit just let me take her with me...Please.” Pleaded with the bear. Having come to a decision the bear left imparting the message that she had better come and let the cubs say goodbye to the foal before going.

Having packed up her camp she hoisted the young filly into makeshift pouch that was strapped to her chest and went to say goodbye to Fisher, Shadow and their mother. When she finally arrived at their den the mother bear hurried out to see her. Seeing the young filly smiling and cooing the mother bear nuzzled her with her nose lovingly. Looking up from the filly the bear mother rubbed her head alongside of Fluttershy’s as if in thanks and returned to her cubs. It was at that point that Fisher and Shadow approached her and the foal giving the little one comforting nuzzles and licks causing her to smile and chortle at the two of them. Having said their goodbyes to the young Infant foal the two cubs gave Fluttershy a measuring look, as if to say “Take care of our sister Miss.” and walked away returning to their mother.  After coming back together the family of bears looked to be at peace, more so than any other time she had seen them in since she first laid eyes upon them. With that thought she gathered her gear and left to catch the train from the Crystal Empire to Ponyville so as to start her search for whatever answers she could for this little beauty who was slowly claiming her heart.