//------------------------------//
// Chapter Two: The Cowcolt and the Indian 
// Story: Tirek's Last Chance 
// by DrewCarriker6231993 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Two: The Cowcolt and the Indian
Trouble Shoes, wearing only his hat and was carrying a saddlebag, was taking a hike by himself since he was not busy making ponies laugh. He was singing to himself, "Oh my darlin', oh my darlin', oh my darlin' Clementine....". He came a long way and sat down close to the mountain. "I can see all of Appaloosa from here." he said looking down. "I'm also surprised I hadn't run into any trouble yet.", as soon as he said that a scorpion snuck up on him and used it's pincers. "YEOW!!!!" Trouble yelled in pain as he jumped and went rolling down the mountain causing a rock slide. He made it down the mountain and he looked at himself, "I'm okay!" then a boulder landed on his head. The boulder cracked in two then he groaned and blacked out. He vision was a little blurry when he woke up. When it cleared up he saw a light brown mare with a feather in a red headband around her head; her mane and tail was long and black; her eyes were brown; she wore an sand colored Indian dress; and her Cutie Mark was a tepee. Breathless, he asked, "An angel? Am I dead?".
The mare giggled, "No, you are not dead. But you had quite a nasty fall." she answered rubbing a medicine on his head.
"Who are you?" Trouble asked.
"My name is Wind-In-The-Mane, but you may call me Windy." she smiled as the wind blew through her mane.
"The name's Trouble Shoes, the Rodeo Clown."
"A rodeo clown?"
"A rodeo clown is someone who does anythin' he can to make others laugh."
"You entertain?"
"Exactly...." Trouble Shoes got up and put his hat back on his head. "Thankee kindly for helpin' me ma'am."
Windy smiled, "You are welcome. You would have done the same for me."
"Oh, of course I would."
"Where do you live?"
"I live down in Appaloosa. Yer more den welcome to visit."
"Can I come with you?"
"Sure. Just follow me." They walked the road and talked along the way to Appaloosa. "Where are you from and what brings ya here around these parts?" Trouble asked.
Windy looked sad for a minute and said, "I come from the Thunder Horse Tribe. We share a friendship with the buffaloes and we believe all creatures can coexist with one another even if we are different. My father is Chief Eagle-In-The-Sky and is very overprotective of me. Being the daughter of the Chief he plans things for me."
"Like livin' yer life fer ya?"
"Yes. And I was going to be married to a stallion I didn't love. I only loved him as a friend, but not the other way. My father wouldn't let me grow and become independent so I ran away from home to make new friends and find a stallion who loves me for me."
"I'm mighty sorry to hear about that. How long have ya been away from home?"
"Let me see...... about nine days."
"You ken stay at my house if ya want too." Trouble invited.
"Much obliged. Thank you. By the way, why are you named Trouble Shoes?"
"Well, it's mostly because I'm....." he tripped over a rock, "Oof! Clumsy."
Windy helped him up, "You okay?"
"Yep! It happens all the time. I use my klutzin' to make ponies laugh and I can't help causin' an accident."
"I don't blame you for that. Have you ever gotten into trouble?"
"Plenty of times. Back when I was a colt I wanted to be a Rodeo Star, but because of my clumsiness I couldn't be one. I always thought that ma Cutie Mark meant bad luck so I gave up ma dream of being a star, but I never kept away from the rodeo. And every time I visit I cause a really bad accident. Because of my accidents the citizens of Appaloosa thought I was an outlaw. If it weren't for three brave fillies I wouldn't have had these misunderstandin's cleared and I wouldn't have realized I was lookin' at ma Cutie Mark all wrong. I was supposed ta be makin' ponies laugh because of my klutzin'. After makin' up for da trouble I caused I became a full-time rodeo clown and I was accepted in Appaloosa."
"Wow, that is quite a story. Is there a rodeo going on now?"
"Nope! So I decided ta take a hike. I was sitting close to da edge when somethin' pinched me and I fell. Ya know da rest. Here we are, this is Appaloosa."
Three ponies ran up to the two, "Trouble Shoes! Where have you been all day?" a cowcolt asked. He notices the mare and did the wolf whistle, "Who's yer friend?"
"I would like ya ta meet ma new friend, Wind-In-The-Mane." Trouble replied.
"But you all may call me Windy." the mare added. "Are you okay?" she asked the stallion staring at her.
"Yer beautiful!" he said. Windy chuckled.
"TROUBLE SHOES!!" three voices yelled. They looked towards the direction and saw Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom running towards the big horse.
"Youngin's!" he bent down and the three fillies hugged him. "How yal been?"
"We're doing great! How have you been?" Sweetie asked.
"I've been doing alright."
"Are these the fillies that helped you?" Windy asked.
"Yep! This is Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom. Kids, this is my new friend, Wind-In-The-Mane. But yal ken call her Windy."
"Nice to meet you, children." Windy greeted.
The fillies looked her over, "I like your dress." Sweetie Belle said sweetly.
"Did you make it yourself?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Yes, I did. Thank you."
"What brings yal here?" Trouble asked.
"We came to visit our cousin." Applejack said approaching them with Wild Forrest.
"Howdy Applejack! Who's yer friend?" the colt ran up to Trouble Shoes as he asked.
"My name is Wild Forrest. You must be Trouble Shoes."
"Yes, yes I am. Nice to met ya."
They, except for Trouble Shoes’ other friends, went to Trouble Shoes' new wood house. It was surprisingly clean, but they were some holes or damaged places. "What happened here?" Sweetie asked pointing at a big hole.
"I tripped over ma firewood and hit ma head." Trouble told her.
"Ouch!"
"Got apple pie ready. You want some?"
“Sure!”
They all sat at the table in the dining room each with a plate and a piece of apple pie. “This is delicious!” Windy said eating hers fast.
“Yeah, you’re a good cook!” Applejack complimented.
“Thankee. Glad I didn’t smash it trippin’ ova my rug.” Trouble replied pouring apple juice into his cup, “But yal know, klutzy me.”
“Um, Trouble Shoes? Your juice.” Windy said making Trouble Shoes realize he was pouring to much into his cup.
“Oops!” he dropped his jug on the floor, “Ugh, clumsy me!”
Trouble Shoes and Windy reached down to grab the jug and they both hit their heads, “Yeouch!”
“Ow!” they both looked at each other and blushed.
“Darn! The apple juice is on the floor too.” Trouble said getting out of his seat to get a towel. On his way he slipped on the juice and stumbled into the living room crashing into a pile of firewood, “WHOA!!” 
The others looked and made painful faces.
Windy rushed over to him and helped him up, “Are you alright?” she asked caringly.
“Yeah. Happens all the time.”
“It’s something you can’t help?” Forrest asked walking up to him with the kids. Applejack got a towel and wiped up the juice.
“Nope. Yal know, klutzy me.” he said making himself and everypony laugh. After cleaning up the mess, Applejack, Wild Forrest, and Apple Bloom went over to Braeburn's house while Windy, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stayed at Trouble Shoes' house. The two fillies described their lives in Ponyville which seemed to delight Windy.
"It's sounds like you have good lives down in Ponyville. Ooh, how I wish I can see Ponyville and many other places known!" she smiled when she said that.
"Why don't you come with us when it's time to go home?" Scootaloo suggested.
"Yeah, and you can use Twilight Sparkle's teleporter so you can travel fast." Sweetie Belle added.
"That's very nice of you kids, but if I used such magic I may miss out on things that can be seen or heard while traveling." Windy told them.
"Oh, good point. What about the train? It has windows." Scootaloo suggested.
"I'll think about it." Windy replied.
"Are ya worried about da dangers while travelin'?" Trouble Shoes asked.
"No. They are many ways to avoid dangers: always be aware of your surroundings, such as the ground and sky, be kind to the creature if you meet one or just leave them alone if you spot them. And there is berries, bark, honey and roots that are safe to eat and are not safe to eat. And there are plants that can be used for healing injuries and plants you need to stay away from."
"But how would you know?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"I grew up close to the nature and I learn these things wherever I go." Windy replied.
They all looked outside and saw Wild Forrest standing on his hind legs walking backwards on a barrel making it roll forward, "Whoo-hoo!"
Braeburn, Apple Bloom, and Applejack chased after him. "He'll make a good rodeo clown." Trouble Shoes said watching. Then there was a crashing sound. 
He crashed into a stack of barrels! The three dug through the barrels, "Where are ya?" Applejack asked.
"Yoo-hoo! Up here!" Forrest answered back. They all looked up and saw Wild Forrest on a roof. Apple Bloom sighed in relief.
"Get down from there before ya hurt yourself!" Braeburn ordered.
"Nah, I can jump rooftops all day!" Forrest yelled jumping to another roof, "Better keep up!"
"That boy is so energetic, and a little wild. How can yal stand him?" Braeburn asked his cousins.
"It's easy once yal get the hang of it. Hey, wait up!" Apple Bloom yelled running after her friend.
"Now, don't ya go jumping rooftops!" Applejack yelled going after her sister with Braeburn following behind.
"He's..... somethin'...." Trouble Shoes said.
"You should've seen him swing on vines, his acrobatic moves, and his strength. It's awesome!" Scootaloo told him.
Wild Forrest jumped from a roof and Applejack caught him in an arm. "That was pretty impressive." a cowcolt said.
"I'll say he has a future bein' in a circus!" another said.
"Applejack? What's a circus?"
"A circus is a place where ponies and trained animals perform in front of others."
"Entertaining?"
"Exactly!"
"Yer really a good acrobat for yer age!" a stallion said.
"Oh, thank you."
"Were yer parents like that too? Acrobatic and all?" a filly asked.
"I have no parents." he answered sadly.
The filly's mother gasped, "Oh, yer an orphan? That's too bad...." her daughter rubbed against her.
"Friends and animals are my family now." Forrest said looking at Applejack who wrapped an arm around him.
"What's yer name, son?" Sheriff Silverstar asked.
"My name is Wild Forrest, sir. I was raised by my parents, grandmother, later animals before Applejack and her family took me in."
Windy came through the crowd, getting some of the stallions' attention. "You're from the Everfree Forest, are you not?" she asked nicely.
"Yes, I am." he answered.
That night many of the ponies, even Braeburn, Trouble Shoes, Windy, the CMC, and Applejack, gathered around a campfire. Wild Forrest told his story to everypony present. "After I got hurt and sick Zecora the Zebra found me and nursed me back to health. Then the Apple Family took me in and I started living with one friend after another. One by one they taught me everything I needed to know like science, manners, farming, sports, parties, more about animals than I already knew. When I started going to school, I've learned a lot more, made more friends, and had many adventures."
"Wow!" a colt said.
"Isn't that somethin'?" a stallion asked.
"Yer mighty special!" said the sheriff.
"Very brave too!" a mare added.
"You are a legend back at my homeland." Windy told Forrest surprising everypony.
"Really?" Forrest asked.
"Yes, and according to the legend a wild colt, like yourself, was born and raised in the wilderness. During the time spent in the wilderness he learned to survive, understand animals, their habitats, and the plants. And he also became strong and agile. And his senses increased a lot. When I saw you and your Cutie Mark I assumed you were the reincarnation of that Legendary Wild Colt."
"Cool! You're a legend!" Scootaloo said to Wild Forrest patting his back.
Wild Forrest smiles then he sniffs the air. "Somepony else is here." Forrest told everypony, "And he's not from around here."
"Maybe it's yer allergies." a stallion joked making some of the ponies laugh.
"His nose never lies." Apple Bloom said sticking up for Forrest.
"Yeah, when he's a sniffin' yal better listen." Applejack said as the wild colt started following his nose. He came to a barrel with a small hole in it, turned around and used his hind legs to kick it over. A red stallion with blue tattoo lines on his cheeks, black mane and tail, brown eyes, and a white feather in his mane came out of the barrel. He wore a multi colored beaded necklace and his cutie mark was a torch.
"Was that really necessary?" he asked scornfully.
Windy gasped, "Red-As-The-Sunset!" she ran over to him.
"Wind-In-The-Mane?!" he ran over to her and they hugged.
"What are you doing here?!" Windy asked.
"Father was really worried so I came searching for you! Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine." Windy looks over to the ponies watching, "Everypony, I would like you to meet my elder brother. Red-As-The-Sunset!"
"But you may call me Red." he added motioning his sister to come with him. "We need to talk." he said. "What on earth are you doing?!" Red demanded.
"Please don't make me go home again!" she begged.
"Answer the question!" he raised his voice again.
"I'm traveling and making new friends. Brother, I'm sorry!" she started to sob a little.
Red sighed and lowered his voice, "Traveling and making new friends is okay, but running away from home without telling anypony is another thing."
"I'm a full grown mare; I can think for myself and I don't need permission to go anywhere."
"That may be true, but our father is worried about you and orders you to come home."
"And make me marry a stallion that doesn't love me for me? Live my life for me? No thank you. Think about it brother, when you're on your own you can live the way you want to live, see what there is to see, hear what there is to hear, and learn what there is to learn, you can get to try many new things, and you can become independent. If I want to return to our tribe, I must do so on my own."
Before Red could say anything Applejack and Wild Forrest found them. "I couldn't help overhearin', but I think your sister is right. It's mighty understandable that you are probably concerned for your little sister, but she is old enough to make her own decisions."
"She may not be a child anymore, and no matter where she goes or what she looks like she'll always be your sister and nothing can change that. And I can see it in your eyes that your father didn't really send you and you went on your own." Forrest told the red stallion.
"Is that true, Red-As-The-Sunset?" Windy asked.
Her brother sighed, "Yes, it's true. Our father understands why you left, but I didn't. I love you little sister, and I would never, ever would want anything bad to happen to you. That is why I left so I can bring you home." his eyes teared up a little, "Little sister, I am sorry for yelling at you. I am your brother and...."
Windy hugged him, "I love you too, Red. And I always will love you, the rest of our family, and our friends, and our tribe no matter where I go. I forgive you...."
Apple Bloom began to tear up a little, but Applejack came and nuzzled her. The four siblings and Wild Forrest went back to the campfire. A colt gave Red a toasted marshmallow. "Have you ever tried roasted marshmallows?" the colt asked.
Red shook his head, "Never...." he took a bite. "Not bad." he put the marshmallow in his mouth and chewed, "It's really sticky!" he said.
"Hey, it's something new." Windy replied making herself and the ponies laugh.
A few days later, after making up with his sister and making friends with Windy's new friends, Red started heading back home. "It's time we headed home, too." Applejack told the kids, much to their disappointment.
"Can I come too?" Windy asked, "I would really love to ride a train for the first time."
"Why of course you can! You're gonna love it." Applejack replied.
Windy turns back to Trouble Shoes, "I'll come back soon." she promised the big horse.
Trouble Shoes smiles, "I know we haven't known each other long, but I'll be missin' ya." Windy smiled and nuzzled against his chest and left with the other five. "She's a mighty fine mare...." Trouble said putting his hat on his chest.
"Ah think she likes ya, big guy!" Braeburn said.
"Ya think so?" Trouble asked.
Windy stuck her head out the window on the train, "Whoooooo! Hoooooo! Hoooooo!"