Fall's Hearths Warming

by Yosh-E-O

Chapter 7 - A Little Known Secret

Soft Steps’ help and conversation made it so Fall was easily able to get through all the tasks she had become used to being burdened with.

“Thanks, Soft Steps,” grinned the pig tailed Pegasus. “It’s nice to have a friend around here.”

“Of course!” the purple Earth Pony replied with a smile. “But, don’t forget, you can call me ‘Softy’.”

Fall’s face beamed.

“Thanks,” she said. “Softy.”

***

The duo returned to the main room on the first floor to see how some ponies had already fallen asleep in places around the room while others talked, or played.

“Must be bedtime,” stated Soft Steps with a yawn.

“It usually is when I’m done with all the chores,” said fall. “Ms. Care Feather, Ms. Powder Puff, and Mr. Razzle Dazzle usually have all us orphans locked away in our bunk rooms by now.”

“Or they’re yelling about it,” grumbled Soft Steps.

***

Soft Step’s brother, Gallant Gust, noticed the pair of fillies standing near the sealed entryway into the baby pony’s room.

“Hey, you two!” he cheered. “It seems like we’re all on for putting on Hearths Warming on Saturday!”

“Really?” Softy asked with disbelief. “Yep! It seems like coming out of hiding has really paid off. All the ponies here seem to think I’m pretty cool.”

“No surprise,” giggled his sister. “You’re definitely the best big brother a sister could ask for.”

“Ah, sis’,” he blushed. “I’m just glad I can help make things better for you and Fall.”

The mention of ‘hiding’ caught Fall’s attention.

“You’ve been hiding?” asked Fall. “Where?”

“Well,” replied Gallant. “Did you know this place has a basement?”

Fall nodded.

“Uh, huh,” she said. “It’s where the grown-ups keep all the adoption papers.”

“There’s other stuff down there, too,” stated Gallant.

“Wait,” said Fall. “You found a way into the basement?”

“Actually,” the orange Pegasus replied. “Soft Steps did.”

Fall’s blue eyes looked with amazement towards her friend.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I was just walking around near the front office when no pony was looking and heard a different sound while I walked over one of the rugs.”

“Softy came and got me to check it out,” he added. “I then gently moved the rug to find a piece of floor that had a latch being held in place by a rusty-looking lock thingy.”.”

“How did you get it open?” wondered Fall.

That’s the funny part,” answered Gallant. “The moment I learned they were going to separate my sister and I by putting her on the second floor and me on the third floor, I got super angry and stomped my hooves into the floor near where Softy found the trap door. It then just sort of popped off.”

“So,” said Soft Steps. “My brother and I decided to sneak away until Ms. Care Feather would head upstairs. As she went up, Gallant stomped his hoof near the latch, popped it open, and we snuck down into the basement with no pony noticing.”

The brown Pegasus was in awe.

“So how did you two not get caught?” she asked.

Gallant chuckled.

“The grown-ups here made it too easy,” he remarked. “They would turn up the temperature on the heating system before getting up in the morning. That thing is so broken down and noisy that it woke both of us up and we used that little bit of time to get back up the stairs, reposition the latch and rug, and then gradually make our way back into the groups.”

“Since the caretakers didn’t really know, or care, about us,” added Soft Steps. “My brother and I kept finding ways to stay out of sight so we wouldn’t ever have to be apart.”

***

The three continued to talk until Soft Steps starting yawning and drooping her eyelids.

“You look tired, sis,” stated Gallant with a brotherly nuzzle. “I don’t think any pony is going to care where we sleep tonight. How about you and Fall go up to the second floor and I’ll meet you up there when I can?”

“You won’t forget,” mumbled a very tired Soft Steps.

“Of course not,” he assured. “I’m sure you and Fall can enjoy some more time together, too.”

“Yeah…,” said Fall. “Sounds good.

The three parted ways as Fall guided Soft Steps up to the second floor bunk room while Gallant Gust went back to getting to know the other orphans who were still up.