A Medicine Cat among Ponies

by Kitsulestia

Tanks for the Memories

*Twilight's POV*

Icestar and the RiverClan Abyssinians were having a bit of trouble getting their food since the rivers and the lake had frozen over.

"You cats need any help?" I offered.

Icestar spoke "Yeah since we RiverClan cats mainly eat fish."

Spottedleaf and all of the Abyssinians had grown out their winter fur, causing them to look fluffier than normal.

"Hmm... Seiko said that he and his friends were going on a ski trip sometime soon. I'm sure there's sole at where their ski trip will be." I remembered.

Danyelle spoke "Uh Twilight-chan, Icestar doesn't know what a ski trip is. None of the Clan cats do."

"I was just trying to help." I said.

Danyelle spoke "True plus it's the first winter that the clan cats came to this world."

Sonata throws a snowball at Adagio who had dodged, causing the snowball to hit Starswirl in the flank.

Sonata spoke "Oops..."

But to the arctic blue siren's confusion, Starswirl started chuckling.

Sonata asks "H-Huh?"

Spottedleaf giggles "It just goes to show how mellowed out he became since Danyelle told him off."

The Dazzlings sighed in relief.

Danyelle pelts Squirrelstar with snow.

Brambleclaw chuckles "You're all wet Squirrelstar!"

Squirrelstar smirked while crouching with her tail wagging, ready to pounce at Brambleclaw.

Brambleclaw copies his mate's movements.

The two Abyssinians leapt at each other and started tussling.

Alderheart groans "Seriously?"

Squirrelstar soon had her mate pinned down. "Pinned ya."

Brambleclaw spoke "Hey, let me up!"

The two tussled once more, only for Squirrelstar to win again. "Pinned ya again."

Brambleclaw spoke "No fair Squirrelstar."

“How’s this then?” Squirrelstar quipped before she pulled Brambleclaw’s face into a deep kiss.

Yellowfang asks "Uh Twilight, what is Rainbow doing?"

"Huh?" I noticed as I saw Rainbow Dash thinking about something.

Danyelle spoke "I suppose it's about Tank."

"What happened?" I asked.

Danyelle spoke "Long story short, Rainbow-chan doesn't want Tank to go into hibernation... And before Spike asks, it's a way of conserving energy during the winter."

Graystripe spoke "I didn't know that."

A voice spoke "Well, I don't see how we can help her, since it already started."

We turned around to see Big Band behind us.

Danyelle spoke "The most we can do is comfort her."

Big Band spoke "Better wait until the 4th stage for that."

"Hold on, what makes you so sure of that?" I questioned.

Big Band spoke "I've seen this happen before."

"Really?" I asked, skeptically.

Big Band spoke "Eleven times, in fact."

"I'll contact Celestia on what to do about this." I said before contacting Celestia. "Yes, Celestia? I need to ask you about what Dash is going through, right now. What? We can't help here now until the fourth stage?! How many? Eleven times?! O-Okay..." I sighed before I ended the call.

Lan spoke "And that's coming from the alicorn that still freaks the hell out because of quesadillas and lady bugs."

Peacock spoke "Huh, Pinkie’s checkin’ up on Dash."

Spottedleaf teleports behind me before pouncing on me and tickling me.

“H-Hey! Stop!” I laughed.

Spottedleaf giggles "You had it coming Sparkle Butt."

Danyelle spoke "I hate cucumber pranks..."

All of the Clan Abyssinians were confused.

Danyelle spoke "It's a cat thing."

Spottedleaf spoke "I got pranked one time..."

Danyelle asks "What happened?"

Spottedleaf spoke "Back before Luna was purified, Twilight and I joked around a bit. I pranked her with a quesadilla and she countered with a cucumber. You should've seen the look on Crosswind's face!"

Crosswind spoke "That was only one time. ONE!"

Little did Crosswind know, there was a pile of cucumbers behind hir.

Blizzardstar snickers "Whatever you do Crossy, don't turn around."

Crosswind asks "Huh?"

Applejack spoke "There's a pile of cucumbers behind ya..."

Crosswind leapt high while hissing in fright.

Applejack catches her lifemate with magic so Crosswind didn't break any of hir bones.

Blizzardstar was fluffed up in fright, as were the other chakats and Abyssinians.

Rarity spoke "Goodness!"

Erza spoke "I had no idea chakats reacted the same way Abyssinians would with cucumbers."

Nyx asks "Momma?"

Twilight asks "Hmm?"

Nyx spoke "Hungry..."

Akari, Strawberry and Cherry also had rumbling tummies.

“Oh, um, everyone, could you give me some privacy?” I requested.

Spottedleaf asks "But isn't Nyx on formula now?"

I spoke "Right and Spotty, you just volunteered to help me with my younger three daughters."

Spottedleaf groans "Great StarClan... What did I get myself into?"

Danyelle spoke "You’ll get used to it, Spotty."

Spottedleaf spoke "Shut up Danyelle."

Danyelle spoke "Make me furbrain."

Twilight spoke "Both of you calm down."

Rainbow Dash snaps "I AM NOT ANGRY!!! DO I LOOK ANGRY?!"

...Rainbow Dash definitely looked angry.

Spottedleaf slaps Rainbow on the back of the head hard, calming her back down.

Spottedleaf spoke "I miss Aster too but I know she'll be back in the spring, as will Tank."

Bold spoke "Mama mad...."

Rainbow Dash just flew off.

Big Band spoke "Looks like Stage 3’s next."

Danyelle spoke "This will end in disaster, I can feel it..."

Spottedleaf spoke "Denial... Anger... Bargaining... Depression... Acceptance..."

Big Band spoke "That's right. Glad ya caught on. But the third stage is the storm ya gotta look out for."

Danyelle spoke "Aye, Rainbow-chan will try everything she can to stop Tank from falling asleep."

Big Band spoke "Least we can do is keep the damage and drought to a minimum."

Spottedleaf spoke "Brace yourselves everyone! Leafbare is coming! And it's coming hard!"

Soon enough, everyone was covered in snow.

digging his way out of a pile of snow, Jayfeather asks "What in StarClan's name was THAT for featherbrain?"

Rainbow Dash dug around, and brought up Tank. "Y-You okay, Tank?"

Tank just yawned as Rainbow Dash's ears pinned down.

"Rainbow Dash, are you alright?" I asked.

Rainbow spoke "...No. *Falls onto her back*"

We didn't see Rainbow Dash for a while after that. Must be the fourth stage Big Band talked about. So we went to RD's house, only to find the speedy alicorn on her bed beside Tank, who yawned.

Pinkie spoke "Knock-knock!"

With Spottedleaf's magic acting as support, Jayfeather spoke "I may not be able to see how upset you are but your scent alone is enough. But Rainbow Dash, your leafbare will be petless."

That made Rainbow Dash freeze before looking at us as her eyes started building up tears. But then something I never expected for Rainbow Dash to do happened... She started bawling and sniffling freely.

Rarity asks "Whatever did you do that for?!"

Jayfeather asks "It's a well-known fact that most animals, including cold-blooded ones have to hibernate during leafbare. Shy alicorn, you have animals that hibernate during leafbare right?"

Fluttershy spoke "Yeah, I do."

Jayfeather spoke "It's a hard fact that all Clan cats know."

Fluttershy spoke "And she'll never get past this until she lets it all out."

Rainbow Dash kept bawling as I shoved AJ to help try to help RD feel better.

Applejack spoke "Uh... It's okay. Tank'll come back in a few months."

Rainbow cries "MONTHS?! *Bawling* I don't want him to goooooooooooo!"

Applejack asks "Alright, alright. There there. *Whispers to Jayfeather and Fluttershy* Nice goin', you two. How do we get her to stop?"

Fluttershy spoke "She's gotta be about done now, can't be too much left in there."

Jayfeather spoke "Agreed and for some odd reason, my back itches..."

Fluttershy asks "Feeling better?"

Rainbow Dash whimpers "*Sniff sniff sniff* U... Uh-huh..."

Rainbow Dash started bawling again.

Fluttershy spoke "Oh... You poor, poor thing... *Whimpers with eyes building up tears*"

Uh-oh... This isn't gonna be pretty.

Spottedleaf spoke "For the love of StarClan Rainbow, you're an emotional wreck today."

Rarity spoke "*Whimper* I can't bear to see Fluttershy..."

Pinkie spoke "*Tears flowing* It's just... heart-wrenching..."

Pinkie, Rarity and Fluttershy started crying too as Applejack tipped her hat.

"You too?" I asked.

Applejack spoke "Nope, Ah'm good."

Jayfeather spoke "She cries on the inside."

Applejack spoke "It's true."

Rainbow Dash spoke "*Whimpering* It's alright, Fluttershy... It's alright."

Applejack asks "You think she's done or just gettin' a third wind?"

"I don't know." I answered. "Rainbow Dash, are you okay?"

Rainbow Dash spoke "*Sniffling* I-I think so... I feel better. Really, I do. Thanks, everyone. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Spottedleaf spoke "We look out for one another."

Azure soon appears with a sickly Mint Leaf.

Azure spoke "Dashie, something's wrong with Mint."

Rainbow asks "H-Huh?"

The filly was rather feverish plus a small horn was forming on her forehead.

Bold was worried about his sister.

Pinkie was suddenly gone.

Big Band spoke "Must be on her way to find Zecora."

Spottedleaf spoke "Have you forgotten already? We got two medicine cats here already. But since I'm actively using my magic to keep Jayfeather on clouds, he'll have to treat the filly. Plus my magic's still not strong enough to support a lamia."

Pulling out some feverfew from Spottedleaf's tailfur, Jayfeather crushes the herbal plant up into a pulp before feeding it to Mint Leaf.

Jayfeather spoke "She'll need lots of rest to recover."

Spottedleaf asks "You gonna be okay Rainbow?"

Rainbow Dash looked at Tank. "And... I wouldn't know what to do without him... either... *Sniffle* Oh Tank, I'm sure gonna miss you."

Spottedleaf spoke "You'll see him again in three moons from now."

Soon, we were outside.

"Well, guess we're starting winter with a bang." I noted.

Applejack spoke "*Bucks a snowball* The fun's come early. YEEHAW!"

Pinkie dodged, falling to the ground and making snow angels. "You think we could mess up winter every year? It's way less work."

"Uh, I don't think Rainbow Dash could handle it." I said as RD showed up with Tank.

Danyelle pelts her brothers with snowballs.

Rainbow Dash spoke "Riding that entire season from Cloudsdale to Ponyville was pretty awesome. *As Tank yawned* I thought you guys might like to say goodbye to Tank. He’s ready to hibernate."

Pinkie spoke "*Gasp!* You’re using the word! Oh! She’s using the word! And when Tank finishes hibernating, I’m gonna throw him the biggest welcome home party ever! Or wait, should it be a welcome above ground party? Or a happy wake-up party? Maybe it’s about time party."

Spottedleaf spoke "Glad to see you're handling this maturely Rainbow."

Big Band spoke "Yep, the grand finale is the best of the five stages."

Rarity spoke "And I’ll design him a very special suit just for the occasion, whichever one it ends up being."

Applejack spoke "Ah’m glad yer feelin’ a little better, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow Dash spoke "Yeah. Me too."

End