//------------------------------// // 12) Hearths Warming Eve #1 // Story: Us Against the World // by Chelis //------------------------------// For a farmer, snow was a bad thing. It meant that nothing was growing, nothing was living, and that nothing was thriving. There was no field to till, no seeds to plant, no apples to buck, no farm animals... Scratch that. There was no fresh hay or clovers to feed the farm animals with. But with the bad part of the winter solstice there was also the good that came out of it... More time to spend with friends and family. It was why that farmers always had children in the spring or summer, there was nothing else to do but to stoop around and have future inheritors of their life's work. As for Big Macintosh, there was always something to do at the farm so the concept of getting a gal and getting married was never on his mind at his young age, even if there was the occasional crush. The other farmers around his age were already courting, already dating, and already going steady with their girlfriends or boyfriends. There was always something to do, which was why he was standing in the snow that was once the fertile grassland between the now bare forest and his farm with two thermal cups in hand. Winona was with him and was enjoying the snow that was slowly flaking in. Winona always loved snow, even if she was still a pup. Big Macintosh would watch her play, kicking up a ton of the white powder in the air while looking to the forest every other second for what he was waiting for. He was getting restless himself, waiting for the person who was coming out of the forest to spend Hearth’s Warming Eve with him and his family. It only took a half an hour before the figure in a pale yellow long skirt and pink heavy jacket appeared from the woods and continued her walk down the snow covered road, or what was believed was the road that went into the forest. Winona stopped her playing and looked at the figure intently, trying to determine who it was. As if by magic she knew who she was, Winona sprinted to the figure, barking, whining, and kicking up snow behind her as she went. After the long sprint, Winona stopped in front of the figure, her tail wagging intensely as she rolled to her belly, expecting the rubs she desperately desired. The figure picked up the young puppy and carried her to Mac, scratching her belly as they went along. It caused Winona’s hind leg to kick and nearly made the figure drop therestless pup. "Hey," Fluttershy said as she let the dog down. Big Macintosh handed her the thermal, exchanged a hug, and went along their way back to the farm. The heavier snow was not expected to pick up until Hearth’s warming day, so there was time to have Fluttershy over, enjoy her company, and walk her home. With luck, it would be a fun, uneventful evening. "Who’s at the farm?" Fluttershy asked, peering into the mug to see what kind of contents was waiting for her. "You're the last one we are waiting for," Big Macintosh said with a grin, eyeing the farm that was calling them with its feeling of warmth and food. "That's a nice way to put it," Fluttershy smiled as she took a sip of the soup that was inside the thermal. She smiled as she tasted the soup that became her childhood favorite: chicken noodle. "Eeyup, we have enough food to feed the town for the month and then some!" Big Mac proudly proclaimed. Fluttershy giggled at his boldness. "Well, I'm glad my parents allowed me to go. I was worried they were going to say no when I first asked them." "They wouldn't have?" he asked in curiosity "Well, they think Hearth’s Warming is a religious holiday, so they don't celebrate it at all and treat it as a normal day. I tried to convince them it wasn't but ... Well they already believe it since they were kids and they keep to it. But at least they let me go because I get to spend time with my friends and they can have some alone time." "That's good," he replied. Y-yea, at least I can spend time with you, friend," she said as she wrapped her arm around his waist. He had his hand over her shoulder as they continued the march to home. There was a certain charm to Sweet Apple Acres during the winter, the roofs and trees were covered with snow, the smoke stack was spewing a healthy amount of smoke in the air with no signs of letting up. From the farm, you could have seen the town, with the same situation: the town was dead, no one outside, no one in the shops or at the stores. The lights were on in every house, each one with their chimneys spewing the same smoke that Sweet Apple Acres was. It gave the small-town feel that Big Macintosh loved with all his life, a feeling that didn’t lose its luster. "Were here!" Big Macintosh announced as they entered the house. It was strewn with the red and green of Hearth’s Warming Eve. Tinsel and stockings were hung, the tree was as tall as the living room and had rich dark green splotches with white and red decoration to it. The smells of the food cooking in the kitchen were a concoction of heaven, with the thick smell of sweet ham roasting in the oven the more dominating aroma. Fluttershy's friends surrounded her the second she walked in the door. Greetings and hugs were part of it.s for Applejack, she performed the same to hug her older brother. "Thanks again for walking her!" She graciously thanked. Big Macintosh just shrugged and placed his and Fluttershy's heavy jacket on the coat hanger, as if it was expected of him to do so. "I'm hungry!" He said. "When's dinner?"