Farm Savings

by Dj Mooncheeks

Riki's Nose

Twilight Sparkle had stuck her nose into the school library, because she had heard that the Cutie Mark Crusaders were doing a reading from a newly published book. She also heard that the author was in town for the day and was potentially at the reading. Her curiosity having gotten the better of her, she had trotted down to the school to find out what was up. After all, the Princess of Friendship had to find out what all this commotion was all about.

She rounded the corner and entered the room, then stopped, in shock, just as Apple Bloom, was finishing up.

“Riki knew she had to do something about it,” said the Cutie Mark Crusader.

“More!” Echoed several foals, sitting in a semi-circle in front of Apple Bloom, including one positively excited Element of Loyalty, Rainbow Dash.

“You gotta keep going, Apple Bloom! You just gotta!” Rainbow Dash wrapped her forehooves around a foal and gave the surprised youngster a squeeze. “What does Riki do next?”

“If ya’ll settle down, I’ll keep on going, but first, I think it’s time for a hay break.”

The foals cried various exclamations of joy and ran out for a quick run for ‘hay.’ Twilight’s eyebrow shot skyward, when she saw the author’s table populated by Applejack and, of all people, Big Mcintosh. What drove her curiosity even more was that it was his name that was listed as the author!

“You’re the author, Big Mac?”

“Ehyup.” His bisyllabic replies went straight to the point.

“But when? How? Why did you write these?”

“My brother wrote them because foals love stories, especially of other foals. Riki is just one of multiple books that he’s written, haven’t you, Big Mac?” Applejack questioned the stallion.

“Ehyup.”

“Big Mac?” Twilight’s eyes fluttered. “You have to tell me where you came up with the ideas! ‘Riki’ is just your first one, right? Do you plan on doing others? How many?”
............................
“Ehyup. Ehyup. Many,” Big Mac replied to the overflustered Twilight who had slid right up beside him. Her fluffy wing had slid across his back in a gentle hug. He was slightly taken aback with the attention from the Princess of Friendship, and tried to pull away.

“So, how does this one end?”

“Ye’ll just have to find out fer yerself!” Apple Bloom eyed Twilight up and down. No one was going to be taking advantage of her brother if she had any say of it. She gave Twilight a look that spoke volumes to the Princess, and reluctantly, the alicorn took a half step away from Big Mac. “That’s better. When all the foals are back in from their hay break, I’mma gonna keep on telling the story. It gets better with every reading, don’t it, Big Mac?”

“Ehyup.”

Apple Bloom took her spot back where she had been reading when most of the foals had already returned, and many were settling back down again.

“When ya’ll are ready, I’ll begin again.”

Riki let the poor, frighted house mouse go, then introduced herself. “I’m Riki Tiki Tavi, the moongoose.”

“Squeakers,” the grey coloured mouse repled. “I watched you scare away Mister Hisster. You’re my hero!”

Riki twitched her nose, catching the whiff of the snake on her whiskers. She turned downwind to catch the scent. Mister Hisster was upwind of her and his ugly stench made her whiskers twitch. With a cautious slide, Riki went off in search of the creature who was terrorizing the garden.

“Where are you off to?” Squeakers asked, following the moongoose.

“It just wouldn’t do to allow a set of breeding snakes like those to stay on a farm like this, now would it? Not with that little colt. Did you see his mama’s belly? She’s got another on the way,” Riki chittered, and noticed that the wind had changed direction and the scent she was tracking was gone. “It wouldn’t do at all.”

Riki slinked off into the grass, parting it where she went, trying to get that snake scent again. Instead, she turned back when she saw the ponies heading to the house. It had been a long, hot day stalking the snake. Some loving by her colt would do her good.
That night, tucked up against the colt’s chin, she heard the unmistakable sound of scales on the floor. As quiet as she could be, Riki shimmied down the bedpost and into the kitchen. There, Mister Hister was moving in the darkness.

“Get out of my house!” Riki’s teeth chattered.

“Thisss iss my houssse!” The snake hissed, rearing up to strike. The moongoose raised herself on her hind paws and steadied her nerves. This was no time for her to panic.

The snake lunged and the moongoose darted out of the path of the strike. She turned on a paw and struck the snake on the back of his head. Over and over, in the near dark, the two fought, until a victor was triumphant.

Riki spat out the snake’s blood from her mouth as the body of Mister Hisster fell limp to the floor.

“Ohhhh,” Squeakers worried his forepaws as he came forward, “Miss Hiss isn’t going to like this.”

With a smile towards the grey mouse, Riki Tiki Tavi, the moongoose, strolled back to her colt’s bed.

There would be more for Riki to do in the morning.

Author's Note:

This has been half done for months now... Really it has. I was just too... out of it from that horrid fall I took.

Comments

[Damaged]

*makes huge eyes and gives a whine*

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