Candy Corn Kitten

by pokefreak13

Seven

Apple Bloom felt faint with relief. "Zecora! We were just talking about you!"

Zecora's face was unreadable in the darkness. She swept her black cape out of the way and knelt down besides Sweetie Bell.

"What happened to you filly?" she asked.

Sweetie Bell smiled nervously. "I hurt my ankle." she pointed to her right hoof.

Zecora felt Sweetie's anklebone with a firm but gentle hoof. "No broken bones. But don't you think it's quiet silly to walk in this darkness fillies?"

She suddenly noticed Scootalo and Button Mash hanging back in the shadows. "Who are you?" the zebra inquired.

Apple Bloom made the introductions as the two fillies stared hard at the ground.

"Please to meet you." she said, smiling unexpectedly. "You four look frozen half to death. I'll make a hay stew at my house. Don't worry, I won't turn you into a mouse."

Zecora lifted Sweetie Bell up as is she was a feather, turned her back, and vanished.

"Where did she go?" Scootalo asked.

Apple Bloom grabbed her friends and galloped in what she hoped was the right direction. "Zecora? Where are you?" she hollered.

There was a glimmer of black and white stripes as Zecora turned around. With her back to Scootalo, Apple Bloom, and Button Mash, her long black cape had been the perfect camouflage in the dark forest.

"My house is right up here. Listen to your ears." the zebra explained.

Apple Bloom heard a faint howl. When she squinted her eyes, she could see a timber cub howling a welcome by a tree decorated by masks.

"I really thought Zecora had vanished just then." Scootalo panted and appeared beside Apple Bloom.

"Serves ya right for tellen scary stories." the earth pony scolded, but the grin on her face showed that she didn't mean it.

They waded on through the damp leaves, following an invisible path between the trees until they reached a clearing. In the middle of the clearing sat a large old willow tree with masks hammered into the bark. The timber cub came running up and jumped onto Button Mash's back. Making him scream.

"Oak! You could've given Button's a stroke!" Zecora scolded.

Oak whined and jumped off the bug eyed filly.

Zecora opened the door and motioned the fillies inside.

---

The house was one large room lit by dozens of candles and a blazing log fire. Herbs and flowers hung drying from rafters and misshaped bottles containing powders and colorful liquids lined the long shelves. A tray of cookies sat cooling on a small table. Zecora was tending to the fire. Apple Bloom couldn't help thinking that this was the perfect witch's house. There was even a pot big enough to fit a filly hanging on a hook over the fireplace.

Button Mash and Scootalo stopped dead on the doorstep and looked wide eyed at the pot.

"Don't be shy. For I am not a bad guy." said Zecora. She looked smaller and less scary without her cape.

Scootalo and Button Mash walked in hesitantly and sat down next to Sweetie Bell, who was lying on a long, low sofa. They looked
uncertainly as Zecora spooned five bowls of stew.

The Zebra laughed. "It won't poison you." Then she turned to Apple Bloom who was petting Oak. "Apple Bloom? How about you?"

The filly took a bowl of stew and started to eat it. The hay stew was warm and soothing, with an odd taste that Apple Bloom couldn't quite identify. "Delicious. What's in it?" she said.

"Spiced nettle. My own recipe." Zecora said proudly.

Sweetie Bell levitated a bowl to her and took a sip. Then another. Before long, the stew had disappeared.

Zecora straightened up. "Apple Bloom. I need some daisy tomb for your friend's ankle. It's growing under the window. Could you please collect some for this poor widow?"

"Sure. But what does daisy tomb look like?"

"Sturdy little things with blue beans." Zecora explained.

After hunting around, Apple Bloom found the daisy tomb growing in a sheltered corner under the window. She carefully picked a hooful and went back inside. Where the smell of hay stew had been replaced by the smell of boiling cabbage. Apple Bloom couldn't help wrinkle her nose as she gave the plant to Zecora.

"Daisy tomb and cabbage." Zecora explained. Noticing Apple Bloom's expression. She stirred the leaves into the pot. "It'll bring down the swelling. Though the smell isn't very compelling.

When the mixture was ready, Zecora ladled the steaming daisy tomb and cabbage onto a clean sturdy cloth and placed it gently on Sweetie Bell's ankle.

"That's amazing," the unicorn said in amazement. "It feels better already." She moved her hoof experimentally and winced.

"It won't heal all at once. So stay still and don't be a dunce." Zecora warned.

There was a strange shuffling sound in the corner of the room, and Oak gave a playful bark as a furry figure waddled into view.

"Ah..badger?" Apple Bloom said.

"His name is Brock. He's as active as a rock." Zecora explained.

The badger sniffed the air with a funny, nodding motion and batted one claw at Oak. Who was play biting the badger's ears. Button, who never saw a badger before, was speechless with amazement. Apple Bloom smiled as Brock tried to waddle away from the overexcited Oak.

"Let me get this straight. You not only have a pet timber wolf, but a badger as well!" Scootalo said.

Zecora shook her head. "You are incorrect little filly. Oak is mine, however owning a badger is a little silly."

"So Brock doesn't sleep here?" Sweetie Bell asked.

"On and off." Zecora replied. She hoofed out some hot chocolate. Apple Bloom took hers gratefully and cupped it between her hooves. The heat spread through her hooves and up her legs. Warming her all over.

Zecora settled herself comfortably in a shabby purple armchair besides the fire and looked at her visitors. "So. Had you planned this visit, or did our paths simply cross by chance?"

"We were on our way ta git this ta Fluttershy." Apple Bloom informed. The filly pulled out the remaining envelope and poster from the basket, straightened it out, and showed it to Zecora. Who read it thoughtfully.

"A kitten? What is it's name, Mitten?" the zebra said.

"His name is Pumpkin." Button Mash explained.

"Would ya like to adopt him?" Apple Bloom asked hopefully.

Zecora shook her head sadly. "My hooves are full taking care of these two. However, I hope that you are not screwed."

Apple Bloom nodded her head sadly. Then she looked out a window and gasped.

"What's wrong?" Scootalo asked.

"It's really late out! Ma sis is ganna kill me!" Apple Bloom replied.

"Why don't you get your sister? I'll watch your friends and maybe we can play Twister." Zecora suggested.

"OK." said Apple Bloom. "I'll go and git my sis and a wagon to put Sweetie Bell in."

Button Mash and Sweetie Bell looked nervous at the prospect of being left behind with Zecora. Scootalo didn't look veryy happy either. Apple Bloom smiled encouragingly at them.

"Ah won't be long." she promised.

"Before you go, take my cape. It'll keep you warm from this windy..um..shape?" Zecora blushed

---

Apple Bloom was out of the forest within ten minutes, feeling very relived at how easily it was to take the path Zecora showed her. It wasn't long before she was galloping into town. However, when she turned around a corner, the filly almost galloped straight into Silver Spoon. Who was standing by the side of the road.

Apple Bloom dug her hoof into the dirt and fell onto the ground.

Silver Spoon helped the country filly up. "Are you OK?" she asked, sounding concerned.

Silver's friends appeared behind her.

"Who's this Silver?" a black and white colt looked Apple Bloom up and down. His dark almond eyes bore into the country filly, "Your marefriend?"

Silver Spoon stepped back from Apple Bloom as if she'd been stung.

"I know that cape!" exclaimed a stocky orange mare with a book on her flank. "It belongs to that crazy witch!"

Apple Bloom glared at her. "Zecora is not a witch." she said.

"Zecora's not a witch." a blue unicorn mocked. His friends laughed. Silver Spoon laughed too, but quietly. As if she felt uncomfortable.

"You must be a friend of hers if your defending her blank flank." Diamond Tiara sneered.

"We don't like the witch." the black and white colt leaned forward and thrust his face aggressively towards Apple Bloom, "She's somepony who should keep her opinions to herself."

It sounded like Zecora had told these trouble makers off the day before. Apple Bloom felt glad.

"Since we don't like the witch," he continued, "I guess we don't like you too." He grabbed at Apple Bloom's red mane. "Nice hair though." he added slyly.

"Git out ov my way!" Apple Bloom snapped. She tried to push back the group of fillies, but they laughed and grabbed at her and the cape. Silver Spoon joined in, but Apple Bloom noticed that she avoided her eyes.

Suddenly, two pegasi shined flashlights at the fillies. They shielded their eyes and the ringleader leaned towards the country filly.

"We know were that witch lives. Tell her to expect a visit from us soon."

Then they all melted into the darkness as Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash landed next to Apple Bloom.

Author's Note:

So far, would this story be considered comedy?

Comments

[Aura Zero]

I wouldn't say comedy, more just a slice of Life with a mix of sadness Just my opinion tho. It doesn't warrant a tago for sad tho.

Silver Spoon laughed too, but quietly. As if he felt uncomfortable.

She*