It was night time. Five ponies, and one dragon were hanging around a campfire in the woods. Listening intently to a story being told by the princess popstar. Pipp. It was apparently about three mares who got lost in the woods.
“Then, when the three young mares walked beyond those forboding trees… Hoping to find the campgrounds and reunite with their class.” Pipp gnarly told. With a scary voice as she held a torch under face. “They heard the howl once more. Not the howl of the wolf. The howlof the Wild Mare!”
Hitch was nervously looking down at Sparky who looked quiet concerned about the story. Hoping Pipp would not go too far with this scary story like he asked. He gulped a bit as he sat on his camping chair. Next to him was Zipp, sprawled across a log, witha marshmallow impaled on a stick. Roasting over a fire. Unline Izzy who was gulping down a bag of marshmallows like popcorn.
”We must get home soon! Cried Stormer.” Pipp was great at voice acting. She made the characters sound scared. Except for Pepper who did not belive anything. “Nonsense. It’s just a rumor! Pepper responded, making a mistake!” Pipp exclaimed before imitating the howl herself.
“The three mares hurried on. The howl getting louder every time! Sweat soaked their coats as they hurried through, hooves breaking leaves and sticks. One more howl was enough to make them run! Except for Pepper, who kept her pace, she thought it was someone from their class trying to frighten them… Like Billy who was known for pranks like this…”
“This is good!” Izzy commented.
”Wh-what happens next?” Asked Hitch.
Pipp smiled ready to tell the next part. “At that moment Pepper was alone. With the campsite lights in sight. She headed towards them. Knowing her friends was already there, hearing the howl once more. Fear struck her heart as she looked at the rustling bush. She was frozen, her legs were like jelly and her heart was racing.”
There was a dramatic pause.
Pipp jumped forward, as if she was predator pouncing on their prey. Making everyone jump at the sudden movement. ”Then she was ambushed! The last thing she saw had been the face of the Wild Mare before it was night-night forever!” She ended bitterly.“She was never seen again… Only one of the many victims of Wild Mare…” She then ended it with an imitation of the howl.
“Yikes.”
Sparky hugged Hitch tight. Whimpering a little. Sunny and Izzy clapped while Zipp smirked. Knowing she had based this story of an actual rumour that was apparently trending at the moments. She would not stop speaking about it.
“I think its time for bed…” Hitch responded. Hugging Sparky. Everyone agreed. Putting out the fire and heading to their tents. Pipp and Zipp sharing one with each other.
Zipp was suddenly woken up in the morning by a sudden noise, sounding distant. She groaned as she lifted her head. Hearing it once more. The howl that sounded familiar, the one from the story Pipp was talking about. She groaned as she rolled over on her mattress. “Pipp…” She groaned, lifting her head. “Pipp, quit it I-“ she then noticed the still lump in Pipp’s bed was Pipp, snoring peacefully. “Huh?” She groaned. Then shrugged figuring she was either imagining things, or Pipp was pretending to be sleeping.
Then she heard the howl once again. She lifted her head and looked towards her sleeping sister. “Pipp?” She groaned watching her sternly, the peaceful, quiet music. That was not enough to wake any pony up, but enough that Pipp would sleep to it. Her body was calmly going up and down as she was breathing. There was even a snore that come out of her muzzle. She did not move an inch as the next howl happened.
Zipp was a little puzzled. If it was not Pipp. Then who was it? Then groaning, she quietly grabbed a torch and quietly walking out the tent. Looking around. There was nothing but the noise of frogs, crickets and the wind. She took a few steps out into the cool night. Looking around for who could be pranking them. It can’t have been Hitch. It’d just not be something he’d do at this hour. It would more likely be Izzy. Slowly, Zipp made her way to Izzy’s decorated, colourful tent. Taking a quick glance through the window, hoping to catch her in the act.
Much to her surprise, the noise was not coming from Izzy. As she was clearly not making that howling noise when it happened again. Sounding a little closer than last time. Izzy did not move her mouth the slightest. Can’t have been her, or her phone that was off and on the chair next to her bed.
After checking it was not Sunny or Hitch. She had enough after hearing it again. She took out her torch as walked a few steps away from the camp.
“Any pony out there?” She asked. “This is not funny…” She said quickly, before shivering from a chill, she walked away as the wind rustled the bushes. She kept on moving, wanting to put an end on this hoax for once and all. It was already cold enough out here. “Hello?” She called out softly, staying alert as she heard the howl get closer to her.
She whimpered as she took a few steps forwards. Maybe this was not a good idea at all. “This is not funny…” She gasped as she shivered form a cold breeze. Soon hearing the howl once more. It was close. Her heart raced as she decided to head back to the camp. It would not be ideal if she went missing. She grumbled at herself for walking too far from the camp. She knows better than this!
Then she froze in her tracks as she heard the howl. Very close now, as soon as she noticed rustling nearby. She sped up, trotting quickly. Her heart was racing and sweat was running as she ran faster through the bush. Hoping to get there, she was breathing heavily as she heard hoof steps that were not hers.
She kept running, fear rushing through her body. Flying would be an option if the branches were not too low and close together. Flying here would not be a great idea. Going by rumours. This pony is a great climber. She panted as she just reached the area with the tents. She was finally here. Finally safe! Well, she thought she was.
She screamed the loudest she ever did in her life as she was slammed to the ground. Face first, looking back to she a shadowy figure. It was all a blur as the thing tried to bite her neck and she kicked it off in self-defence, shaking as she got up. Only to be pounced on, trying to kick away the beast, only for it to bite her ear. Making her eyes water. She did not notice the lights shining on them both. Then the figure bit her again somewhere else as she screamed out in pain. She did not notice the cries of her friends screaming out her name. The next thing she knew. Something sent it flying off her. In a heavy net it kept trying to break free from, despite it pinning it to the ground.
“Zipp!?” Pipp’s voice cried as she hugged her shaking body. Ignoring the smudges of dirt from a result of being slammed into the dirt. She couldn’t speak as she stood there. Shaking from the experience. Her heart was racing, this was not a hoax. There was something out there and it was ready to attack. How could she have been so foolish?
She thought all the howls in videos were made up. She thought the distant pictures and blurry close ups were costumes. Or photoshop. She closed her eyes for a bit, to try and process everything that had happened. It all happened so quickly. Her heart was still racing, it felt as if her surroundings were spinning as she tried to breath normally.
She was like this for a few minutes before she got up, she actually felt as if she was going to die. She gulped as she stood there, not noticing the tears coming from her cheeks as she stared at the creature stuck in the net. Hitch seemed to be keeping an eye on it. With heavy rocks on the outside of the netting to try and lower any chance of escape.
He stared at it in shock as it calmed own, feeling safe to have a closer glance at it. His friends soon coming to join him, with Zipp understandably not wanting to get too close.
“The-the Wild Mare?” Zipp muttered softly.
“It…” Sunny looked down at it as it hissed at her. “It’s a pony? Like us!”
”Well it is called the Wild Mare!” Pipp rolled her eyes, showing Sunny some videos and memes of it on her phone. Then she sadly looked at it. “I imagined it bigger. And more of a hybrid of a mare and some predatory animal…” She sighed. “That’s what everypony said about it.
The gang inspected it as it crouched under the netting that was holding it down. It seeming had given up on trying to lift or break the netting. It was designed to only be used in the situation where a dangerous animal invades the camp. So of course a pony her size would be unable to break it.
It was a young mare it seemed. It was hard to tell what colour its filthy mane was. But it appeared to be a light yellow and lavender. All ruffled in a mess. Her body appeared even harder to tell what colour it was. It looked brown, but that could easily be the dirt covering it. It hissed as it looked at Hitch as he pondered on his next more. This was not a monster. It was a pony!
But what was she doing out here like this attacking others? They couldn't leave her out here. It did not feel right.
”So… What are we gonna do with her?” Izzy asked Hitch.
We can’t really leave her out here…”Hitch noticed her wounds and sighed. Everyone agreed, wondering who she was.
It was not a surprise that Pipp was just about to reveal it to her fans.
“So… Pippsqueaks. We might have found the Wild Mare… Turns out uh… She’s completely real!” She then pointed the camera at the Wild Mare who was hissing and growing.
“Uh, Pipp. I don’t think this is the best time. She seems scared…” Hitch warned.
“Fine…”
The next day .
The four mares stood in the Brighthouse. Hitch had to leave earlier to do some important business in his office. Leaving Sunny, Zipp, Pipp and Izzy with the Wild Mare who was in a cage. For her own and everyone else’s safety. The friends discussed what to do with her.
“She is literally a feral animal!” Pipp exclaimed. “She is growling, hissing howling! The worst part? She is such a Mess!”
“Hey!” Sunny scolded. “I get what you mean. But… I think we can try to help her… Somehow.”
“Yeah… Like figure out who she is and why she is in the woods…” Zipp muttered. “Why she is acting like this?…”
“Yeah. That too…” Sunny agreed. “Maybe we should start by showing her that we are not a threat…”
Izzy grabbed a net in her magic, just in case of an escape attempt. Pipp gulped nervously was she watched, nudging Zipp to move forward. She was the one that the Wild Mare first met, anyway. She sighed, rolling her eye and slowly moved towards the cage, hoof on the latch as she looked down at it. She was scared of thinking of what could possibly happen once she opened it. She would hate to be attacked like the night before.
“Hey…” She said in the calmest voice we could. Wild Mare’s ears were flat as she watched. Whimpering a little as the door unlocked and opened. She was now cowering with her tail between her legs. Why was she scared now but last night, vicious? Most likely because she was caught so easily in her eyes. “Hey… We are not gonna harm you. Okay? We just want to ask questions.”
“Get to know who you are.” Sunny smiled before introducing herself. “I’m Sunny. That’s Pipp and that’s Zipp!”
Izzy nodded, “I’m Izzy and this net is totally unrelated to any of this, okay? Just holding a net for no reason!”
“And uh… Reveal Wild Mare the mon-“ Pipp said before getting a glance. “Was just a misunderstanding this while time!”
She did not move beyond shaking as it cowered in the cage. The group waited patiently for a few minutes with no difference. Besides she was now laid on her belly. It was sad to see a pony in such a state.
Izzy tried her best to convince her. “If we were going to hurt you. We’d have done it already.” She said in a soft tone. Getting a glance from Sunny who then shrugged.
Zipp groaned as a result. Looking back at it, she sighed and just inspected it before getting an idea. She quickly zipped to the kitchen and grabbed an apple. She came back and placed the apple on the floor in front of the cage.
“You must be pretty hungry! Have something to eat!” She smiled as she watched as the mare slowly inched towards the apple. Sniffing at it before kicking it away with her front hoof. She slowly took a few steps back after.
“Confirmed. She is not hungry!” Pipp exclaimed.
“Not helping!” scolded Zipp who picked up the apple and tried again. “You don’t like apples?” The mare looked at her, appearing not to trust her with the apple. “It’s just an apple, nothing else! Maybe you want variety?”
Then she watched as Izzy grabbed an orange and a banana and placed them with the apple. The two of them stepped back and watched as the mare slowly inched out of the cage. Soon revealing herself as she stood up. Looking at the banana in front of her. She bent down and sniffed it, before biting straight into it. Skin and all, much to the other’s surprise.
They didn’t say or do anything, besides Pipp who secretly filmed. They simply watched as Wild Mare gulped down the whole banana. Till there was nothing left.
“Eating the skin?” Questioned Izzy. “That’s a new and unusual way of eating a banana…” She smiled, trying to make the situation not feel so awkward.
Sunny wanted to correct this pony. But only watched as she went for the orange. Violently biting through the skin and gulping down a whole chunk. Lifting her head to keep an eye on the ponies before she took another bite. It was like she was starving as she violently gobbled up what was left of the orange.
Then she gulped down the apple. This time spitting out the seeds when she was eating the core. Leaving little to no waste of the fruit behind.
“You want anymore?” Sunny asked nervously. Watching as it got closer to her slowly. Sniffing her all around, ears perked up. Then she sniffed her butt like a dog would do. Much to her confusion.
“I don’t think that’s the best way… To uh… Get to know me…” Sunny responded. Slightly nervous. Wondering why she was acting this way. She slowly went to Zipp, sniffing her again. It all seemed fine, till her muzzle touched Zipp’s wing. She suddenly seemed alerted. Before anyone could react, she chomping down hard.
“Argh!” She cried out in pain before scolding. “No! No biting!” Zipp shouted in full volume. Holding her wing, the bite was hard enough ti hurt but no damage.
“Zipp!” Pipp exclaimed. Watching as it started to whimper and look at Zipp sadly. "Shouting at it won't show we are here to help!"
“C’mon, Pipp! She can’t just expect to bite us and everyone be okay with it! That hurt!”
“She doesn't know any better…” Sunny watched as Wild Mare hid behind Izzy. Sniffing her behind she did so. “I don’t think she even knows who or what she is…”
Everyone watched as Wild Mare let out a howl. It kinda sounded a bit sadder than usual. Zipp kinda felt a little bad for yelling at her, even if it was kinda deserved. So, she sighed as she looked at her. “Hey… I don’t know your name. But I am sorry for shouting…” The mare poked her head from behind Izzy and stared at Zipp. “You just got me by surprise but… But I want to help. I want to help you find out who you are… I just don’t really like being bitten…”
”Yeah! We are great at helping ponies!” Izzy exclaimed with a grin.
“But I think It’d be great for us to call you anything other than Wild Mare for the time being…” Sunny gave a nervous chuckle. “Any names you want us to call you for the time being?”
It appeared the mare thought long and hard about what she was going to say. She seemed a bit puzzled as she opened her mouth. As if she was trying to talk. It sounded pretty jumbled as she made a few noises. Trying to speak. Which made the ponies concerned. Had she never spoken before in her life?
It was like a baby trying to say its first word. Until she finally said something. “Grey.”
”Grey?” Sunny asked. “If that’s what you want us to call you for the time being, then okay!”
”What a nice name!” Izzy complimented. Wanting to make her feel less lonely, scared and more welcome. “It’s nice to meet you, Grey.”
Grey perked up a bit, feeling less scared as she saw the group of ponies. The orange one being the most friendly in her eyes. While the ones with the wings and horns still looked kind of scary. But seeing the earth pony being okay with being right next to them and talking to them gave her comfort. But she did not exactly trust any pony to touch her just yet.
“Ugh…” Pipp sniffed the air a little. “When do you think we’d be able to give Grey a bath?”
“I feel when she gets to know us and feels more safe around us first…” Sunny noted as she watched Grey walk around. Sniffing places in the Brighthouse. Stopping at a chair and raising a hind leg. It took a few seconds before anyone realised what she was going to do.
“Grey! No!” They rushed to try and stop her.
Sunny joined Zipp as they both led her into the bathroom. She started sniffing everything, getting alerted as Zipp called her name and pointed at the toilet. “This is where you do your business. You sit on top of it and uh… Do what you need to do. When you are done, you close the lid, because it’s more hygienic if you do that…” She then pointed to the top. “Then you press the button on top to flush.” She closed the lid and pressed the button to demonstrate.
Sunny them smiled as she pointed at the bath. “This is called the bath. This is where we wash up when we are dirty.”
Grey went into the tub itself and walked around, sniffing everything before coming out. It would be kind of useless to sniff everything if you were a pony. But they were gonna work on that later. Besides, if sniffing things made her feel comfortable in a different place, it was no big deal.
The two lead her into the kitchen. Where Pipp and Izzy were making lunch. Izzy was piling vegetables on a piece of bread while singing a song about piling vegetables on a piece of bread. While Pipp was live streaming herself do a popular sandwich recipe.
“How is it going?” Izzy asked.
”She seems more comfortable about this place..,” Sunny said with a smile. “A bit quicker than I thought. But I got the feeling we’ll need to wait a bit longer before we introduce her to other ponies.”
”And maybe teach her to say the few words…” She looked at her. “Her behaviour makes me feel like she was either lost or abandoned at a young age and had to fend for herself. It would explain her behaviour and her lack of knowledge of things that should be familiar…”
Zipp’s claim made everyone feel a bit sad as they looked at her. Hoping that was not the case at all. Who would abandon their child at a young age? Maybe Zipp might be wrong, but she had a point. She did only know a few words. Each one were one’s they’d learn at two or three. She also howled occasionally, as if she was calling out. Like a wolf.
Pipp put her phone down and looked at Grey who was taking some oranges. She had quick wiff. “Ugh… We better get her a bath soon. Mother is visiting tomorrow…”
”True… But I got a feeling she might not like it…” Zipp looked at Grey. “Maybe I can convince her it’s not dangerous…”
”You sure? She’s a bit jumpy?” Worried Sunny.
”It’s worth a shot.” She said before noticing Grey walk over to the couches before sniffing them. Then she proceeded to sniff a pink rug that was on the ground. It was round and had a yellow pair of wings on it. It had a nice fuzzy texture. They watched as Grey started trying to dig at it like it was dirt. Much it her confusion, nothing happened as she sniffed it again. Soon lying down on it and curling up. Closing her sleepy eyes. “Maybe when she’s less sleepy…”
Pipp watched, a little unamused since she had only brought that rug a week ago. Now Grey and her filthy fur was going to make it dirty. All she could do was sigh and hope she could wash it out. It was a custom, too.
”You know… I think she’s been through enough today. Why not let her be more restful for the rest of the day?” Sunny suggested.
Zipp nodded. Even if she had a scary first impression with Her. It likely wasn’t her fault. Maybe she was scared or thought she was food. Whatever the reasoning. She hoped that they would be able to help her. Somehow. She couldn’t wait to figure out the backstory of Grey.
It was early the next morning. Zipp had convinced Grey to follow her into the bathroom. But this time, without Sunny. Who had succeeded in convincing her to follow. It ended up working when Sunny explained if Zipp tried anything to hurt her, which she wouldn’t, she’d be there in a flash.
For the first night, it was not so bad. If she hadn’t emptied the fruit bowel and made a mess of cereal and made howling noises at night. It was hard to imagine the mess if she managed to open the fridge.
She had refused to sleep in the bedroom. Meaning Sunny had slept downstairs on the couch, to keep an eye on her. Grey was noisy but both her and Sunny managed to sleep well.
Zipp stood in the bathroom, not closing the door too much, as she knew Grey would be more fearful if she felt trapped. She did not know how to open doors yet. So of course she would likely not like the feeling of not being able to escape.
“Remember what I told you about the toilet?” She asked. A little fearful of her from the night before. But the others were close by, having Breakfast. So if anything happened, then they were near to help. It was pretty scary being with a pony who tried to kill you like predator and prey. But she had hope that it would not happen again. But she had to be careful. Because it appeared she had some wild animal instincts and is not familiar with many things that she should be.
Like Pipp’s phone ringing earlier gave her a fright, for example.
Hitch was at his station, however. Dealing with an issue about a robbery. Plus a few other small things. But when he could. He was looking through his files for any information of Grey. Wondering if Zipp was right about her being lost or abandoned at a young age. Or if anything else was the case. All they could know that there was a whole civilisation deep in the forest with ponies like her. But that’s kinda unlikely. But would explain why she would be howling out like she is calling for someone.
Grey looked around. Looking a bit more confident about being in this room that the last time she was. She looked around, jumping back as she heard the noise of the shower head being turned on. She yelped as she jumped. Hissing at the tub.
“Hey, it’s just a shower…” She calmly assured her. Watching as Grey looked very unsure about it. She watched as Zipp put her hoof under. “See? Harmless?” She watched suspiciously, tilting her head as to tell Zipp something who soon seemed to have understood and put her foreleg further under the shower. Wetting more of her white fur.
But Grey kept tilting her head and even nudged Zipp towards the tub. Before growling a bit. She groaned as she looked at Grey. “You… You want me to go in the whole way?” She asked. Not looking forward to it, but if it had to be done, she would.
Grey nodded and nudged Zipp again. She sighed, knowing she had to do it to prove Grey it was not going to hurt her. Of course she wanted to see her do it first.
“Right. Right… Fine…” She responded. Putting both her forelegs into the tub. Water spraying onto her face as she put each leg in and ducked her head under the shower. Her mane getting all droopy and heavy as it got soaked. Just to show Grey that it did not hurt. She rose her head as her mane drooped down, dripping wet. She felt was the warm shower rinsed down her body, she felt it drip from her wings and into the tub. She was completely drenched now, that should be enough.
After a few minutes, she climbed out, sopping wet. Pipp would hate to be in her hooves right now, likely. Complaining that her mane would be ruined for her mother's birthday. To Zipp it was just a minor inconvenience. She looked at Grey. “Happy?” She asked. Watching as Grey slowly got in, bits of mud already washing off her coat and her mane. As she reached for a twig, she noticed Grey growling at her. She ignored as she took some twigs and leaves out. “See? Just a twig?”
Grey grunted as she sat there. The water was not gonna wash away all the dirt and the smell by itself. Grabbing a bottle of shampoo, she noticed Grey put her ears down and crouch, looking at the bottle itself. Looking very nervous.
“Oh c’mon..” She groaned leaning over the tub to show her the bottle. “It’s shampoo! It makes you clean!”
She curiously sniffed the bottle, soon biting it curiously as she smelt the smell inside. She appeared to like it as her ears perked up and her sopping wet tail wagged like a dog’s. She made loud sniffs and started to actually look kinda excited.
“See? Harmless! I just need to put this stuff on your mane, okay?” She noticed as Grey suspiciously watched her squirt some on her own hoof. As she expected, Grey hissed and cowered as her hoof came closer to her. Ears back and snarling like a wild animal. “I’m gonna assume you want me to prove it?” She grunted before scrubbing some in her mane making it all soapy before she washed it out with the water coming out the shower. “There. See? Harmless? I just did it to myself and I am fine.” She said, swiping some excess away that was going towards her eye. Having some shampoo make her eyes sting would not be very good at convincing her that it is safe.
Gey took a nice long sniff at a random splotch that dropped down onto the side of the tub when Zipp put some on her own hoof. It smelt like apple and another plant of some sort, the tool that the strange liquid came out of had a pink flower on it. She had never seen the flower before. That’s even if it was a flower. Could have been a strange animal of some sort, but it did look like a flower.
“If you are wondering about the smell. It’s apple and sakura…” Responded Zipp, looking at the bottle. It was the first one she picked up. It was actually Pipp’s but she has so many of her own shampoo products in the bathroom that everyone came to an agreement. Izzy, Sunny and Zipp are allowed to claim two to use themselves. Well, there wasn’t that many shampoo products of hers. But considering there were 10 of her products in the room, with matching conditioners kinda made an unnecessary amount for four ponies.
It was clear that Grey did not know the smell of sakura as she looked at the blob with confusion. She licked it and instantly recoiled in disgust by leaping back. Scrunching her muzzle and poking out her tounge. She started to shake her head as if to shake the taste from her tongue. She growled a bit.
Zipp tried not to chuckle as the head shaking continued. Then she was just about to rub her tongue on the tub until Zipp stopped her.
“Okay! Okay. That’s kinda gross… It’s not supposed to tase good. It keeps your mane clean and healthy!” She exclaimed as Grey looked at her. She yelped as Zipp roughly ran shampoo through her mane, being careful to not let a drop in her eyes. She scrubbed hard and rined it out. Doing once more before rinsing. She quickly grabbed the matching conditioner and scrubbing through her mane and tail. Letting it set. Now they were almost done.
Mud and dirt still remained on her coat despite being wet. It also reeked of unpleasant smells. Zipp trued her best to ignore this, groaning as she grabbed a sponge and some soap. As soon as Grey saw the sponge, she was wary. She snapped at Zipp as it came close. Growling at this strange looking object.
“Hey…” Zipp assured in a calming voice. “Just a sponge, for cleaning? See?” She was getting a little tired at explaining simple thing to Grey. But reminded herself that there could be a whole list of things going on. Being abandoned at a young age being one. But she made sure to rub the sponge all over herself to convince Grey it was harmless. It felt a little silly. But seemed to work.
Almost…
Grey stepped back to the other end of the tub, snarling a bit, before she sniffed the sponge and rubbed her face against it. That was when she decided it was safe. Allowing her to start scrubbing the dirt off. Which Zipp did, rough enough to clean but soft enough not to hurt. The first few gasps, she was met with a surprise.
White fur. Grey was not a light brown or orange! She was white! The buildup of dirt and who-knows-what had stained her coat. So she kept scrubbing, getting all the stains of the coat of this mare. She was getting cleaner by the second. Zipp discovered rough patches that would grow back now they are clean and scars that are lucky to have not been infected. But most of all. Her cutiemark was revealed. Being a bow shooting an arrow through a log.
But she kept scrubbing. All this stain had to go. She was gentle around the face. Grey was growling when it was done. But it had to be done. So she kept going. Finally, not a speck of dirt in sight. Zipp smiled slightly as she dropped the sponge into the tub. Soon noticing something on her hoof. Something tiny… On closer inspection she discovered a flea! Right on her foreleg.
“Fleas?!” Zipp exclaimed in shock as she saw the flea leap who-knows-where. Hopefully not planning to use her as a home. No one in the royal palace had fleas before. This was the closest she had ever been to one. But they were treated very seriously, a little overkill to be honest. The royal guards and the family themselves had to use flea-killing shampoo every dang month! The palace was also sprayed with stuff that would kill fleas. Which did not work most the time. It was a scam, it was actually just water that smelt like cherries...
When Queen Haven discovered the scam. The scammers were greeted with a fine and a nice list of stores that might employ them for non-scamming work.
Thankfully this flea paranoia did not last long. Eventually, a plant was discovered that killed fleas instantly. This flower had no impact on how shampoo worked or how it smelt, so it was used in that. So no more stinky smelly flea-killing stiff that stunk the whole bathroom. The earth ponies and unicorns were happy to have these when magic retuned.
But it is kinda expensive due to the plant’s rarity. Also, earth pony magic-grown ones had no effect on fleas. But that didn’t matter now. Zipp had used shampoo that would have killed those fleas. So they were gonna be out of Grey’s hair. Literally.
“Felling any better, yet?” Zipp asked Grey who was getting the conditioner rinsed out. Her tail was waging a lot. So perhaps she did, going by how dogs react when happy.
Once she turned off the shower, she was thanked by getting splashed and soaked by Grey shaking herself like a dog. Water flew everywhere, putting out her hooves was pointless as water hit her. “Ugh…” She groaned. Not expecting her to do that, she wished she did, but whatever.
As Grey jumped out. She took another look at her coat. The white fur, the light grey socks and brown hooves. She was not expecting that. But all the smelly stains were out. Finally. She looked pretty happy! But as soon as Zipp grabbed a towel, she ran out the room. As she did, she knocked Zipp to the ground, into a puddle left.
"You're welcome..." She grunted, moving her limp mane out her face.
Zipp was sopping wet as she walked out the shower, she sighed as Grey started tp roll around on the rug. As if she was trying to dry herself or wanted to roll on it for no reason at all. She smiled a bit at her silly antics. She looked so silly doing that. She noticed Pipp make a long sigh about that rug, it appeared she had given up and accepted it was gonna end up dirty.
“Her coat! I thought she was orange or yellow. Or even a light brown!” Sunny exclaimed in surprise. Noticing the white coat and light grey socks on the mare.
“Yeah! A complete surprise!” Izzy exclaimed.
“Yeah. That just goes to show how dirty she was…” Zipp nodded in agreement. Ignoring her mane dropping down and almost looking like a mess. She noticed Grey jump around and act like an excited dog! The shower must have improved her mood. “Ack!” She cried as Grey suddenly muzzled her and nudged her playfully. “Yeah-yeah. You are welcome!”
“Zipp!” Pipp cried out, alerting her ws she hurried over.Putting her forehooves on Zipp's chest. Shaking her a little “You did good. But hurry up and dry off! Mother’s almost here!” She exclaimed loudly.
”Huh?” Zipp looked at her dripping body.plus her mane that was drooped down her head as far as it could go. She smirked at Pipp and rolled her eyes. “Oh yeah, right. Good point!” She said before hurrying into the bathroom. Knowing her mother would not be very amused if she was sopping wet at her birthday lunch.
By the time Zipp was dried, and her mane was back to normal. The front doors opened. Revealing Thunder and Zoom walk in with the queen behind them. Grey had ran off in a dash. Possibly scared of these ponies who were new to her. Which was fine, no one had a problem with her observing from a distance.
”The queen has arrived!” Thunder cheered in a voice as Zoom glanced at him. The two of them stopped as Queen Haven walked forward, Cloudpuff flying around her.
“Girls!” She exclaimed with a smile, greeting them both with a hug. “I am so happy I get to spend lunch witch you on this special day!”
”Where’s Alphabittle?” Asked Zipp, looking pretty puzzled. Moving from the hug.
“Oh, He will be here in a few minutes. Just running a little late due to an incident at the tearoom.”
”Oh! sure.!”
Zipp noticed Cloudpuff fly around the couch, only to be frightened by the growling of Grey. Just by looking, you could see that this was not going well. Grey was acting like some wild animal when they see an intruder in their territory.
“Hey, hey!” Zipp slowly came over, Cloudpuff going behind her. “Uh… This is Cloudpuff. He’s not an intruder… He-,” She looked at Grey. Wondering what to say next. There was a risk that whatever she says would not work well. She only knew Grey for a day. But it appeared she mostly had the mind of a wild animal. Perhaps a wolf. “Our territory is very big and welcoming! He doesn’t come to this part all the time and just wants to welcome you.” She said with a smile.
“Yep. We are all friends here, see?” Sunny pointed at Zipp who was petting Cloudpuff. “He’s just a really close friend of the queen.”
Grey’s ears perked up as soon as she heard “queen.” She stared at Queen Haven with awe. When said pony came closer, she looked a little concerned as she looked at Grey. “Is everything alright?” Haven asked. “Cloudpuff did not mean to give you a scare…” She did not really get a response besides Grey backing up with a tail between her legs. Observing from behind the couch.
“It may take a while for her to warm up…” Zipp warned.
“That’s alright. Pipp told me all about her when you found her.” She said, putting a wing around Zipp.
”She did?” Zipp realised that her mother knew about her being attacked. But she accepted the hug anyway. Not noticing Grey watching with awe and running to the kitchen.
Alphabittle quickly rushed through the doors. “Sorry I’m late! Something happened…” He looked a bit nervous. He was carrying a bosquet of flowers and had a box of bottles in his hooves.
“That’s alright, Alphie,” She smiled as she went to greet him. Zipp looked towards where she thought Grey was. “See? Nothing to fear…”
The ponies all sat at their table, about to eat their burgers. The two guards standing near the queen, also eating burgers. Soon there was a whimper from Grey as she headed towards the seat Haven was in.
”Oh, hello there.” She said with a smile. Watching as Grey gently placed a coconut right near Haven’s plate before bowing to her. Sunny wondered where she got a coconut from. While Haven simply thanked her and looked at the coconut with a but of confusion.
Zipp started to think. It really does appears that she must think she is an animal of some sort. Once she realised Haven was. Queen, she acted a bit more differently. She even gave her a gift, kinda made Zipp think about ants or bees. How they bring gifts to their queens.
But what would make Grey do this? Unless she was just trying to be nice once she realised she was some important pony. She realised she was maybe thinking too into it. Yeah, she most likely just wanted to give her a gift, maybe got inspired by seeing ponies gift her things since it is her birthday.
Wait. Grey does know what birthdays are, right?
Grey started to sniff Zoom, who simply looked down at her in confusion. She started to look kinda annoyed as her personal space was being invaded. Zipp noticed this quickly and gulped, watching as she push her aside with a hoof. She sighed in relief. Expecting more that the yap that followed. She was expecting Zoom to be bitten. Now she thought about it. She was the only one that had been bitten by Grey. Why was that?
Maybe she learned not to bite anymore after last time. Which was a good thong, so no one else would be bitten. Hopefully. Maybe she will soon learn that she is a pony and not a wolf, or any wild animal. She noticed as she looked up at Thunder, keeping an eye on both pegasi guards as she walked past them. Inspecting them but still wary.
Zipp simply watched as she took her own burger from her own plate. Dropped it on the floor completely dismantled and started wolfing it up. Maybe she didn’t get table concept of chairs and table manners yet. Obviously.
“This pony needs to learn manners…” Whispered Zoom.
“We are getting there…” Groaned Pipp.
“Y-yeah. At least it’d going faster than I thought…” Zipp groaned, then scratched her foreleg that was suddenly itchy. Then she scratched her mane. “Ugh…”
Pipp looked at her with a but of concern. “Are you okay, Zipp?” She asked.
“Y-yeah!” Zipp mumbled to her. “Just so… Itchy!”
“You don’t have fleas do you?” Asked Queen Haven. A little concerned but a smirk was on her face. There was no flea-related disease recorded for generations. So they could not make her ill since she was not allergic to them either.
“Hmmm” Zipp paused. Noticing Sunny start scratching herself. She eyed Grey and thought slightly. “Maybe we should have a shower tonight. Just in case…”
“Good idea Zipp.” Sunny mumbled as she instinctively scratching with her hind leg.
“Great…” Zoom grumbled. “Fleas…”
Alphabittle put the cake on the table. Izzy eyeing the cake, she was so amazed by creative cakes. Grey would agree as both of them watched it like they have never seen a birthday cake before. Well, Grey had likely not. But Izzy was the one that assured Alpha that she’d love the design for her. Even if he rarely had any skills with icing. It still came out great!
The queen was also at awe at the work put into this cake. It was a chocolate cake with periwinkle icing. There were dollops of turquoise buttercream around the edges. The sides had the crown’s jewel etched in it and on the top it was there too. But purple.
“ Alphabittle!” Exclaimed Pipp as she took photos. “The cake it is so gorgeous!”
“Yeah. You actually did a wonderful job.” Thunder smiled. “I almost feel bad for having a slice.”
“You’re not having a slice, Thunder.” Zoom muttered, nudging him a little. Thunder’s face and ears falling as he stared at her in disappointment.
“What! Why not?” Thunder asked.
“Because we are royal guards and we must stand here to protect the queen. Not eat cake…”
“Aww…” Thunder looked disappointed.
Haven looked at her birthday cake and at everyone who was seated. She over heard Thunder and Zoom’s speech and kinda felt a little sad for them. Zoom did sound a bit like a jerk, but she was following rules and making sure Thunder stays alert and on guard. It would not be fair if they had to watch everyone have a slice of a beautiful cake while they stand there and keep watch.
“There are exceptions to every rule, Zoom.” Smiled Queen Haven. “No one’s stopping you from having a slice.” She pointed at two open seats. “Why not have a seat?”
Thunder’s expression lit up as both he and Zoom exclaimed. “Really!?”
Zoom and Thunder smiled as they looked at the cake eagerly. Sitting down happily. Haven smiled a bit as they looked excited. She watched as candles were placed into the cake and everyone sung the birthday song together.
“Now blow the candles, Birthday Queen!” Exclaimed Pipp with excitement before Haven blew out the candles. Everyone cheering along. Except the Grey who was hiding from the noise.
Everyone happily got a nice slice at their desired size. Zoom and Thunder had huge smiles on their faces.
“Thank you so much, Your Majesty!” Zoom exclaimed.
“It’s alright Zoom. You two are such great guards. Also, it wouldn’t have been very fair for you two to just stand there and eat cake, would it?” Haven smiled as Zoom took a bite from her slice. Then looked at the plate with a small slice that was put on the ground earlier. For Grey, wherever she was.
“I do hope you girls suceed in helping her. It’s a shame to see anypony in such a state she is in…” She said sadly. Zipp nodded in agreement.
“Same…” She sighed.
Soon Grey came out of her hiding place and sniffed the cake. She poked it with a hoof and scooped some up. She took a close sniff and licked it before tilting her head. She took a small bite and suddenly looked surpised as she looked down. Then suddenly. As fast as lightning, she gobbled down the rest of it. Completely devouring it, making a mess as she did do. She liked cake it seemed.
