In Silence, There is the Thunder's Sigh
Softly, she stepped over the planks of her bridge, careful to place each hoof with certainty before putting weight on it. There was no room for mistakes today, she had to be certain. Another few steps and she would be able to relax a bit, another few steps beyond that and she might even be able to spare a moment to enjoy the afternoon sun before it would begin to dim.
Just a few more steps, she promised herself, just a few more steps and the trip will be almost done.
She didn't really believe it, but she knew it to be true none the less... after all, any trip that was started must eventually come to an end, even if only to rest before continuing on. A warm breeze lifted a few strands of her pink mane, causing her to lift her gaze just as she stepped off the bridge. Her hoof crunched softly on the small patch of gravel on the other side of the stream that passed her cottage. As she paused to feel the gentle caress of the suns light and the soft touch of the summer breeze, she let the ghost of a smile haunt her features for just a moment before returning to the task at hand: she had a trip to make, and it would be miles before she could truly rest.
With deliberate care, she adjusted her wings before setting off once again, the breeze playing softly with her mane and coat, feeling as nothing so much as a comforting presence as the afternoon sun continued to drift slowly across the sky.
A meadowlark called somewhere, its melodious voice singing out into the summer skies, heedless of the autumn storms that would soon grace the land, happy for the sake of being happy. Fluttershy could certainly understand its joy. The afternoon was lovely... a perfect afternoon for a walk in the woods. She smiled as she started to hum along with the lark's song under her breath.
There was a soft rustling from a patch of heather off to her left but she wasn't worried. She knew these woods as well as Rainbow Dash knew the skies over Ponyville or Twilight knew facts and figures - there was nothing to be worried about from the small family of rabbits that made their den there.
Fluttershy smiled softly as she passed, wishing them well as Mr. and Mrs. Willowfluff came out to greet her, their little bunny babies clustering about them as she passed. With a moment's consideration, Mrs. Willowfluff darted out and offered her a tiny blossom as a gift. She, of course, accepted it with a warm smile and a gentle nuzzle before resuming her walk, the bridge disappearing behind the weathered trunk of an old oak tree.
Off in the distance, she could just begin to hear the faintest hints of the river. It wasn't loud or harsh, more of a low tremble that was just enough to pretend to be sound... the sound of water flowing over smooth river stone and around the roots of trees which drank in its life giving waters. She knew it was still quite a ways off, but she could still remember the last time she passed this way: it had been years ago... far too long ago she thought as she stepped around a fallen branch that partially blocked the trail she was taking through the Whitetail woods.
There were leaves this time of year - vibrant, glorious, healthy leaves that spoke of the woods' verdant life. The trees here basked in Celestia's sun and stretched into Luna's night. Nearby, a maple rose through the gap created by a lightning strike from a storm last season, its limbs bent ever so slightly to reach into the glowing pillar of light which shown ever more brilliantly than its surroundings. Fluttershy found herself drifting towards the scene before she realized that if she did, she might not complete her trip, and it was simply too nice a day not to get there before sundown.
With a smile, the pegasus stepped back towards the center of the trail and resumed her walk, listening to the song of the woods around her.
There was the rustle of her hooves on sparse grass and moss of course, but there was also a melody crafted by the woods itself. The chipmunk, which watched her from the safety of it's nest, chittered cheerfully while the wren took flight, adding its wing-beats to the whispers of the trees which had begun to sway in the light breeze. The sing-song calls of jays and finches provided backup to the chirping of crickets and the soft footfalls of the ermine which had come to investigate the yellow pegasus. Overhead, a bat adjusted its wings unconsciously as she passed, completely unaware of the visitor to its woodland home.
Taking a moment to rest, she closed her eyes and simply felt the calm of the woods around her. The path was soft and slightly moist, warmed by the afternoon sun and springy from the loam which undoubtedly rested beneath the thin layer of detritus. The breeze was tender and fresh, carrying the scents of earthy leaves, the deep rich tones of fallen timber and the vibrant notes of the wildflowers which bloomed unseen in glades throughout the woods. Faintly, barely noticeable, the tang of the evergreens, which knelt in the shadow of the rocky outcroppings which her friend Applejack had hastily taken during last season's running of the leaves, could be smelt. There was even a light taste of something ... floral... in the air, likely the result of having skipped breakfast in favor of her walk
Taking a slow breath and savoring the moment, she once more resumed walking softly through the wood.
Ahead, she could just make out the glistening flicker of sunlight reflecting off of the rippling waters she knew crisscrossed this part of the woods. There was a brook, possibly another branch of the same one that passed her cottage, about a quarter mile ahead. She knew the water was cool and sweet, clear as a silver bell's peal. Within that brook lived bluegill and perch, a few bass and even a number of crayfish. She used to come and visit them more often, especially when she had first moved to Ponyville, but had come less and less frequently. She doubted she would find the small dock she had constructed from fallen logs some time ago... it had likely washed away in one of the storms over the years... but she didn't mind. The waters were alive, they deserved to change and grow just as much as the woods or the animals that lived within them.
Taking a moment to gingerly stretch her wings, Fluttershy tucked her head to sip some water from a small bottle she kept held against her side. While it wasn't hot out, the thin canopy of greenery providing weak shade, it was warm enough to remind her of her thirst. She reflected that she may just drink from the brook on her way back through this evening.
With a careful twist of her teeth, she recapped the bottle and tucked it back under her wing before stepping once more onto the path ahead.
Faintly, she heard the echoing song of a pack of wolves, their throaty voices barking and hooting in play. A smile graced her lips as she remembered stumbling across them some time ago, the pack tumbling across this very same path and coming to rest at her hooves with a very embarrassed pack leader tangled in a bit of cord, likely lost by some careless hiker. She had spent the better part of that day enjoying their company and eventually parting ways with smiles all around. It was not often that the elusive wolves of the Whitetail woods were even seen, let along interacted with... their primal nature compelled them to avoid ponies most of the time.
She trotted on for a few feet before tilting her head as her ears perked at a sound just at the edge of her hearing. It was soft, so soft that at first she believed she had imagined it but, after a moment to listen, determined it to be the faintest of hisses... most likely the breeze picking up as the afternoon continued to cool as Celestia slowly drove the sun inevitably towards the horizon.
Sighing, she picked up her pace just a bit, reducing her trek from silent passage to a whisper that a summer breeze would be envious of.
She wasn't in a hurry really, there was no reason to hurry after all, but she wanted to make sure that she got there before sundown. The little cliff overlooking Mirror Glass lake was just lovely on a summer evening like tonight and she wanted to be there for the moment when the sun finally sank below the horizon. It was her favorite time of day when she had nothing else to do... it was so peaceful and calm and...... nice.
Just thinking about the little rise overlooking the still lake brought a smile to her gentle face and she quickened her pace, almost imperceptibly, again. Somewhere off in the woods, a number of deer took notice of the yellow pegasus softly trotting through their home and turned to listen as she sang softly to herself - her voice a sweet echo of spring blossoms and warm nuzzles from their parents in half-remembered moments.
Fluttershy passed a small tangle of old mare's mane, the dry moss hanging from a long dead willow, as she entered the Silent Thicket. Once again, she paused to enjoy the view before continuing out across the clearing. Here the grasses took on alternating golds and blue-greens as their tufted heads swayed gently in the breeze, looking as if a puddle of liquid gold floated upon a small sea of rippling blue-green water. The sweet scent of wild grass and honeysuckle caused her to close her eyes as she continued to move through the chest deep grasses, their blades softly tickling her sides and belly as she kept her wings pinned tightly. As gentle as they were, she had no desire to pick their tiny seeds from her feathers later, a lesson she had learned the first time she had found this clearing.
With a contented smile, she once more opened her eyes and waded through the clearing, sending ripples of golden fronds out across the grasses and a silently closing gap in her wake. The trail was just visible as a cleft in the treeline across the clearing, a tiny carved lantern enchanted to provide light at night, stood dark beside it. With a wistful sigh, she glanced back at the rippling sea of grasses before turning once more to the trail and stepping into the woods.
Here, again under the soft lighting of the woods, she took in the hint of heather and laurel as she passed what had once been a bucket. The wood had long since rotted through, having held rainwater and collected dead leaves until finally spilling its rich soil through breaks and gaps in the old vessel. As she passed, she was happy to see the small flowers and sprouts that had laid claim to its bounty, as well as the small jackalope which looked up from its meal of flowers to watch as she passed. Normally she would have stopped to talk to the young creature but she could tell by its stubby antlers that it was a yearling and most likely would have been frightened by her approach. Instead, she simply smiled and continued on, leaving the curious little creature to its meal.
A few minutes longer and she spotted the brook through the trees. Small fronds danced lazily as she approached, glowing golden in the afternoon sun as the occasional bead of water decorated their leafy boughs. The water burbled as it danced and dove over stones smoothed by time and collected by the seasons for years uncounted while the soft shifting of leaves and branches complimented the murmur of nature. Fluttershy carefully placed a hoof upon the first of four stepping stones as she felt the cool touch of the brook's crystal droplets, as they spattered the stones - as they had for generations.
The light tang in the air caused Fluttershy to look up, noticing the edge of a thin gray cloud hidden behind the canopy to the east.
It won't be long now, she thought as she guessed she had only another half hour to travel. Taking the last few steps across the brook, she felt a slight chill in the breeze that hadn't been there when she started out. The clouds must be moving in earlier than Rainbow expected, she thought, I hope they don't block the sunset.
Even with the slight chill in the air, the pegasus continued on. Despite her tendency to stay at ground level where it was warmer, Fluttershy was no stranger to cold winds or icy conditions, she had grown up in Cloudsdale after all, and like any other pegasus, she felt no real concern for the elements. If she did end up feeling worried later on, she could always just fly up over the treetops and make her way back home, or in a pinch even just collect some tufts of cloud to weather whatever came her way.
Flitting her wings out for just a moment, she took another sip of water before resuming her trek, leaving the small brook behind her as she stepped into the thicker trees at the edge of the Whitetail Woods.
She continued on, past mossy inclines and fern strewn clusters of life, simply enjoying the brisk walk as she took in the world around her. A pair of doves startled from a bit of brush and took wing, but circled back around after recognizing the timid pegasus. She smiled kindly and took a moment to nuzzle them as they landed at her hooves, but continued on after wishing them a warm night. The doves cooed their thanks and hopped back over to their nest, hidden under the concealing arm of a blackberry bush, still green with the long springs growth.
As she continued on, she became aware of the feeling of eyes upon her. Somewhere, nearby, some elusive critter was watching her intently. It wasn't a comforting sensation - far from it actually - but it was a feeling she had grown used to over the many years she had been taking care of animals. None the less, she squeaked in surprise when she heard the distinctive sound of brush sliding through thick fur behind her. Swallowing her panic, she turned to see what manner of creature had decided to follow her.
For a moment, she stared into the woods behind her. Having been walking with the sun, looking back seemed darker, almost frightfully so, and the shadows seemed to be too long and deep. She stood still, looking over the scene behind her with a critical eye, searching for whatever had caused the sound behind her. It must be a mammal, they were the only animals with fur (save her friend Discord), and it would likely be a predator of some sort since it had decided to approach her from behind. It should also be at least shoulder height if its fur had been able to catch on the briars she had just passed, but she simply didn't see anything.
Taking a breath to calm herself, she timidly called out: "H-hello? I'm not going to h-hurt you little one." She stopped to listen for a moment before a chilly breeze caused her to flinch as her fur and feathers ruffled. Lifting a foreleg to pull her mane back behind her right ear, she suppressed a gasp as one of the shadows seemed to pull away from a nearby tree, the silk-soft sound of leathery paws forming around twigs and gravel, rather than snapping or crunching, was both unnerving and oddly soothing. She stood, frozen, as the shadow padded slowly closer. As it approached, it stepped through a thin collumn of golden, late afternoon, sunlight, causing one of its brilliant amber eyes to gleam before dissolving back into the dark shape. It stopped when it was perhaps ten paces away and snuffled softly, sending an icy shiver down her spine, before sitting upon its haunches.
Fluttershy swallowed again as she realized the creature was at least as large as Big Macintosh, and much more solidly built. While she wasn't completely sure exactly what it was, she could see the sillohette of what looked like a wolf, albeit much much larger than any wolf she'd ever seen in the Whitetail Woods. Had it been the Everfree, she would have assumed it to be a Timber Wolf that had somehow been covered in a fur rug or perhaps a strangely proportioned bear given its size.
After another moment of near panic, she wet her tongue before quietly addressing the creature behind her.
"O-oh. Hello there ... um... mister? Oh! It is mister right? I hope I didn't offend you! I just assum-" she trailed off as the creature tilted its head slightly. Swallowing, she tried again. "I'm Fluttershy. I take care of all the little animals around here, but I've never seen something like y-you before. Are you injured? Did you need help?"
The large, dark gray canine seemed to consider her for a moment before getting back to its feet and approaching her.
Fluttershy felt her heart beating faster as her senses went into overdrive. Everything became more vibrant. Colors took on a vivid glow while each and every sound seemed to become somehow deeper, taking on a slight echo. She suddenly noticed the slightly coppery taste of the first hint of blood in her mouth as she realized she was clenching her teeth on her lip. Trying to reign in her panic, she willed her mouth to relax, causing the blissful lack of suppressed pain to finally abate. She realized she could smell a musky, mildly oily, scent that seemed to come from everywhere at once. It was almost like Angel bunny after a long bit of sprinting, or Beary when he came to her with a sore neck, but much much stronger. Suddenly, she felt hot breath on her mane, and willed herself to look up into the face of the creature that was staring down at her.
She was greeted by the sight of an enormous dark muzzle, a small brush of gray whiskers that fanned out several hooves to either side, a moist black nose, and a set of bright amber eyes which seemed to be searching her face for something. She momentarily froze when she noticed the four or five curved teeth that seemed to have escaped their mammoth home, each the length of an egg and easily as sharp as one of Rarity's pairs of scissors.
She was just about to yelp when the creature seemed to snuffle again, causing her mane to flutter across her eyes. Blinking reflexively, she squeaked in surprise when her face was unexpectedly slathered with a massive tongue, but quickly recovered, reaching up to softly stroke the massive chin as it rumbled.
Fluttershy smiled to herself. She was good with animals, quite good really, but despite a natural talent, she didn't know everything. Thankfully, even though she might not know exactly what the large creature was, she could tell that it was more curious than threatening to her. You're not so bad, are you you big softy? she thought to herself as she was turned around by the large canine as it groomed her mane with its tongue.
After a few more moments, she tentatively took a step, eliciting a confused snuffle from the creature.
"Oh, thank you for fixing my mane, but you see, I need to get to the lake before sunset... would you like to come with me?" she asked with a soft smile back at the large creature which sat behind her, head cocked as it listened.
"You don't have to, of course, I know you must be very busy, but it's such a lovely place to just sit and enjoy the sunsets. And, " she looked down for a moment before smiling back up at it, "I- I wouldn't mind sharing it if you wanted to see it too."
The creature continued to watch her for a moment before it looked up over her head and blinked its large amber eyes. She was tempted to look but before she could glance back, the large creature rose to its paws and leaned its head down to gently nudge her chest, causing her to stumble.
Smiling once she caught her balance, Fluttershy turned and started trotting again and was rewarded with the muffled step of the creature behind her. She turned back to look at it right as she stepped through a golden beam of sunlight and finally caught enough definition to decide that the towering animal behind her was indeed a wolf... of some sort.
A massive, shale gray, heavily built, feral wolf with paws nearly as large as her forelegs were long. She smiled warmly back at her new friend and turned to continue along the path. Overhead, a chill breeze caused a lone maple leaf to fall from its branch, spinning and wobbling through the air as it fell, landing in her mane and catching.
The rest of the walk was remarkably calm despite the growing chill in the air. Though she didn't see any more of her animal friends, Fluttershy understood why they would be frightened to come and see her while her newest friend padded, nearly silently, behind her. She couldn't blame them, after all, he was easily the largest wolf she had ever seen. Even if he was very sweet, she knew that to a deer, rabbit, squirrel, or likely anything else she was likely to meet today, he would be simply terrifying. She doubted even Beary would have happily come over to see her except to, perhaps, make sure she was alright.
It didn't matter though, her walk was beautiful and the woods were beginning to thin out again as she drew nearer to the small rise overlooking the lake. Somewhere out in the woods, she had started to hear the faint hissing sound more strongly with an occasional rumble that was more felt than properly heard. It finally clicked that she was likely hearing the distant sound of a gentle rainstorm slowly drifting over the woods.
She smiled as she passed the last line of maple trees and gazed upon the rise to her little secret overlook. Here, the grasses were a deep shade of green, looking more like one of Rarity's emeralds than proper grass. The scattering of wildflowers graced the air with a delicate sweetness while the numerous mulberry trees that lined the clearing lent their flavor to the pallet even at this range. She smiled as she cast her eyes back to her towering friend and was surprised to see him holding back at the treeline.
Tilting her head, she smiled and slowly beckoned him over, trying to coax the suddenly reluctant giant from the trees. She smiled at how silly she must look, trying to convince a massive wolf to follow her out into the open.
Eventually, the wolf took a tentative step and then another, slinking out of the protective cover of the trees as he watched the skies with a curious expression. Fluttershy couldn't understand what a wolf of his size could possibly be afraid of but offered comfort and assurances none the less as she led the towering wolf out into the open and, eventually, up the hill.
Finally reaching the crest, she lay beneath an old oak tree whose trunk was as thick as one of the town's pull-carts. A cool breeze tugged at her mane as she looked over the still waters, pristinely reflecting the setting sun as well as the rolling clouds that were crawling across the woods towards them.
She drank in the peacefulness of the scene. Over across the lake, she could just make out a clearing where a family of deer were starting to depart, their tails flipping as they began to bound off into the woods. Not far away, she spotted a colorful splash of flowers that she knew Rarity would simply love would she ever be willing to walk this far into the woods, risking dirt and grime. The thought brought a warm smile to her face as she considered her friends.
With a contented sigh, she glanced over to the oncoming storm, watching as it slowly overtook the far side of the lake, causing a rippling silver curtain to decend upon the mirror surface in a beautiful remastering of a waterfall and rainbow. The fading light of Celestia's sun caught the rain, sending a shimmering ribbon of golden light to dance and sway across the lake, making the whole of the cloud bank alive with its warm glow. So entranced was she that she jumped a little when the ground unexpectedly shuddered. Before she could panic, she felt her entire back and neck warm as the musky scent of her friend descended upon her. A moment later, and she found herself warmed by the wiry coat of the massive wolf laying down next to her.
Sighing in contentment, she leaned into his thick fur, feeling the strong throb of his heart and the powerful rush of his lungs as they watched the sunset. A tremble of thunder echoed across the lake as the curtain of rain drew nearer. Fluttershy looked up to her friend and noticed his eyes were closed, though he faced the sun. His profile was bestial, rough and harsh, fur thick and matted in places where trees had obviously snagged it. In the golden glow of the setting sun, she could see that what she once thought to be solid, shale gray, fur was actually peppered with patches of gray and even white, crisscrossed with scars and remnants of old injuries that made him look, for all the world, like an old general or a resting titan. Suppressing a gasp, she saw that his coat was slicked in places with dried blood and noticed for the first time that there were a number of quills and barbs even in his muzzle.
She was about to offer him some help when the rain finally overtook their tree, catching the lingering rays of sunlight to give the scene a surreal quality as it wreathed them both in a shimmering golden halo.
She gasped as a great amber eye opened, the black of his pupil swiveling to find her as she saw for the first time the silver glow of cataracts reflecting the light. Tears welled up in her eyes as she reached out a hoof, realizing that, if he wasn't already, he would be blind within months.
The great wolf turned his head to her and lowered its nose to gently sniff her once more, a deep rumble escaping its chest as it nuzzled her softly. She reached out and hugged his muzzle and nose, tenderly stroking him and taking a moment to gently remove a number of quills. To her credit, the wolf didn't seem to feel any pain, though it might well have been due to his size as well as her gentle ministrations.
There was a moment of warmth as he softly nudged her to look once more out over the lake, a soft sound close to a huff or a snuffle making his intentions clear. She took a moment to look and gasped as she saw the sky, once aglow with brilliant sunset to have changed into one of shifting, glimmering, golds and reds as the storm clouds bottoms caught the last rays of sunset even after the ground had grown dark. As she watched, they too faded into a trembling silver and then gray, as the night stole across the woods.
It wouldn't be long before Luna would raise her moon, but for a precious few moments, it was as if the night itself were holding its breath.
And then it happened.
The storm unleashed its lightning, painting the sky in blues, yellows and purples as arcs of white leapt from pillowy spire to billowing tower. Thunderous booms echoed out across the woods as the lake reflected the glorious display back upon the clouds themselves. The hiss of raindrops grew as the storm seemed to draw strength from the dark of twilight.
Beside her, the massive wolf lay, eyes closed as he listened, ears twitching now and again. Slow, deep breaths sent regular waves of warmth across her body as she lay by his side, watching the storm rage above and all around them. At some point, she noticed that his musky scent seemed richer in the rain, as if the tang of ozone and the earthy glut of the woods somehow complimented the old wolf... which, perhaps, they did.
She watched as a series of lightning bolts webbed across the sky, painting it in a tapestry of rich colors and smiled as the sight was mirrored by the silvery lake below. With a smile, she spoke to her friend "I'm glad you decided to come up here with me. No one should miss something this beautiful."
Another flash of lightning and Flutteshy closed her eyes to feel the deep vibrations of the thunder as it rolled across the land, echoed in her coat and feathers as the storm's voice trailed off from the booming bellow to a soothing rumble and finally, a fading whisper. Taking a breath, she smiled. It was so beautiful here. She turned to look at her friend and opened her eyes gazing up at the wolf as he shifted to a sitting position under the great oak.
Curious, she watched as his chest expanded, powerful muscle and sinew stretching and pulling across a chest larger than the wagons Applejack used to move hay bales, and then he began to sing.
It wasn't a song with words or rhythm. There were certainly no lyrics and no instrument she knew of could hope to recreate it, but it was a song, of that she was sure. The wolf craned his neck, rising higher into the night beneath the branches of the old oak, and crooned with a voice like mourning dreams and joyful infants. His call rose and fell, trembling with the rumble of thunder and the whispered accompaniment of the rain. Somewhere, the wind in the woods struck up an airy howl of its own, and the timbre of the lake weeping in the storm echoed back to his flowing song.
It was a symphony... in the heart of the storm, Equestria was singing a duet with the great wolf.
Fluttershy lay awestruck as the trembling of her chest matched that of the plaintive howls and the lonely echoes in the night. She stared, tears running down her cheeks, as she felt the decades, perhaps centuries, the great wolf sang into the twilight. She couldn't help but feel insignificant before such a song, and she couldn't help but feel guilt at not knowing what it was specifically that he was saying.
She hadn't known him long enough to truly understand his voice, but she could feel the raw emotion that he poured into his song.
Swallowing, she took a breath and sang out wordlessly. She couldn't know what he was saying, but she could sing with him. She could let him know that his voice was beautiful, that he wasn't a monster. She sang with as much volume as she could muster, straining to be heard within the storm, willing her voice to carry across the hill, across the waters, and above the trees. She pushed herself, forcing her voice to reach out to the clouds and echo as her friend wept and laughed through his song, all the while sitting with his head thrown back to the sky.
She could call out to the world and send her voice to the sky and let the woods know that she was his friend. She could let him know that he wasn't alone.
She didn't know how long she sang, but when she finally realized that she was breathing out silently while straining into the night, she collapsed and wept, shedding silent tears in the gentle rain that continued to fall.
There was no thunder, there hadn't been for hours, and the great wolf hadn't sung in years, but she could still hear the echos of his song when the storms came to the Mirror Glass lake at sunset. At times like these, she could still hear his voice in the twilight, in that time between day and night, between now and then. The maple leaf pulled free from her mane, caught on the cool wind as Luna's moon crept from the far away horizon towards her hidden sky, and drifted out somewhere into the night.
She could still sing with her nameless, resting friend.
No. Not nameless, she chided herself, Thunder had a name. It was just too beautiful to stain with a voice.