Message Through Sound

Patches of yellow, red, and brown shades of fertile ground could be seen far and wide. Especially from top of the ridgelines decorating the fertile valleys that was now the Appleloosa territory. It was a strange view, least for the young buffalo. Little Strongheart kept silent, just gazing at the huge party the ponies and buffaloes threw in honor of their new arrangement, and of peace. It was even more beautiful than last time she remembered, since now vibrant colors of green leaves and red apples streched out to give the area more signs of life. A small smile crossed on her lips.

“Whatcha doing up here Little Strongheart?”

“Hm?” Little blinked once and raised her head, turning to look over at the voice speaking to her. “Oh, Braeburn. Nothing much, just looking at the new change of scene and of the party.”

“Change of scene?” The stallion picked up both eyebrows, his hooves moving slowly to join her at the edge of the ridge to look down. “Ya mean the other adults loopy on sarsaparilla instead of fightin’?”

“Well...” Little shut both eyes to giggle. “While watching Chief just dancing with Sheriff is funny, it’s not what I meant.” Her eyes opened a little, turning to look back at the trees. “This place used to be...” She took a second, trying to think of the right word. “Not dead, but not filled with life like it does now.”

“Not sure Ah follow...” Braeburn said, moving to lower his rear and sit on his haunches.

“Did you see this place before the trees you ponies planted?” Little turned her head to look over at her new friend.

“Can’t say Ah do. Spent most of my time farming and such. Didn’t get to look down at it all til the trees started to sprout their first leaves.” Braeburn raised his left eyebrow, turning to look down at her. “Are you saying that thanks to the trees, it looks more downright livable?”

“Maybe. I guess...” The young buffalo shrugged her shoulders. “But I meant active too. Birds now live in the trees. Other critters I’ve never seen before have started to show up. I’ve seen a hare or two, but now I see all kinds I’ve never seen before. Also get to hear of lot of new things.” She stopped there, smiling. “I never heard birds sing like they do now. Most birds I get to see are roadrunners or vultures, and they not very-”

“Can’t carry a tune if it was strapped to their backs?” Braeburn chuckled.

“Heh. Yeah. It’s like you ponies gave this place a new life.”

“Ah think Ah know whatcha mean now. Mind if Ah ask why you buffalo never plant trees or crops before?” Braeburn asked, moving a hoof to lift his hat over his eyebrows.

“Well, we are nomads. Sometimes seasons are too harsh in the area to be reliable. Droughts, sandstorms, and other things can really be damaging. So we learned not to place...”

“All of yer eggs in one handbasket?”

“What?” Little asked, lifting her left eyebrow.

“It means don’t place all of yer hope in one spot. Like whatchamacallits...” Braeburn furrowed his brows, eyes closed a bit and hidden under his mane. “Metaphor. It means be smart, and have a backup.”

“Oh.” Little blinked once, lowering her head to think. Sounds of a dancing and singing Pinkie was quickly put down by “Boos!” from down below. “Yeah. That makes sense now. But it’s also due to the stampede grounds.”

“Now thatcha mention it...” Braeburn moved his head to look back at the large road of ground set aside for the buffaloes to run through. “Ya never told us why it was so important. Ah think yer Chief told mah cousin and her friends it was sacred.”

“Oh... I never did?” Little Strongheart furrowed her own brows now to pick up her head. “Oh yeah. I was about to when I got interrupted by the others.” She thought back, remembering how Applejack spoke for the Appleloosans, while Rainbow Dash spoke on the buffaloes behalf. It was rude of them to cut in like that though.

“Ya mind sharing now?” Braeburn asked, smiling a bit.

“Oh sure! To honor our dead!” Little replied, big smile on her face.

“Yer dead?” The stallion lost his smile quickly, not sure what to feel. His left eyebrow raised, his mouth turning into a confused squiggly line.

“Yeah... Um, is that weird?” The buffalo raised her own left eyebrow now, confused by his reaction at the news.

“Ah’m not sure. Ya mind explainin’ please?” Braeburn relaxed his lips and blinked twice to regain his normal composure.

“Ok?” Little turned her head to the left side and turned to look over at her Chief. The elder buffalo begun to sing a traditional buffalo song to entertain them all. His rich and deep voice was soothing a bit. A lot of loopy ponies and buffalo stopped in their merrymaking and listened to Thunderhooves' song. “We buffalo have been roaming these lands for generations...” She stopped herself, making sure she didn't follow in the Chief’s hoovesteps. “A really long time. But its not easy. We got drought, diseases, low food, and even worse during our travels. Even those lucky enough to survive get old, and their time comes.” The young buffalo lowered both eyelids a bit, recalling the harsh reality the real desert could be.

“So with time, they die while yer all moving?” Braeburn suddenly got a really bad feeling in his gut where this story was going. "Oh please, please, please let it not be what Ah'm thinking," he begged inside his head.

“Yes. We buffalo believe we came from the earth, so we must go back. We bury our dead, and move on.” Little opened her eyes, smiling again. “And their spirit lives in the earth.”

“So.. any tombstones? Markers or flowers?” Braeburn frowned a bit, confused by how a little one could just smile and talk about death like it was nothing. Just, how much death had Little Strongheart been a witness to?

“Nope! Don’t need them!” Little Strongheart moved to sit on her haunches and lift her forehooves up. “Not when we got these!”

“Aw horseapples,” the stallion thought to himself. It was what he was thinking. “Go on.”

“Well, we move from place to place, so there’s no way to know where some of ancestors were buried,” Little explained while she lowered her hooves down again. “But if we all stampede, we can make the earth roar! Then their spirits can hear us, and know that we buffalo still live. We flourish despite nature. We march with our heads high, letting our ancestors know we’re still here. The spirits will smile with pride.”

“Ah see. That.. That is a fine reason to fight for yer land,” Braeburn said, a sad smile forming on his face. No wonder the buffalo were so mad at the ponies moving in. It made even more sense why they were mad at the trees more than the actual ponies. The apple trees were covering the stampede location, and could very well be placed on the final resting grounds of a proud ancestor of Little Strongheart.

“What’s wrong?” Little asked, lifting her head a bit. “You look sad.”

“Ah’m so sorry. Believe me, if we ponies heard about ya’ll reasons, we wouldn't have planted our trees here,” Braeburn said as he lowered his head. His left front hoof moved to take off his hat to hold it against his chest. “Sorry to ya’ll too down there.”

“Why are you sorry though? You ponies didn't know.”

“But this is a serious thing,” Braeburn added, moving his hat back on.

“Don’t be sad!” The buffalo raised her left hoof to point at the trees. “I bet my ancestors would be happy! We buffalo have more friends, more food, and I even bet their happy that these grounds look so much better!”

“Better?” Braeburn asked, confused again.

“Remember what I said about more? Their spirits must get awfully lonely. Nothing but boring earth to look at.” She stopped a second to relax her smile and frown a bit. “I know I would be sad if all I ever got to look at the same earth and colors day after day. And even more lonely since I would only get to hear the stampede once or twice a year.” She stopped there to smile again. “I’ll be happy to know that a tree grows to give fruit and have ponies or buffalo visit me. It will give me something to smile about, don’t you think?”

“Ah... Ah reckon so Little,” Braeburn said, smiling a bit. She was a lot more mature than he gave her credit for. Leave it to a young one to put a positive spin on things.

“Come on, let’s go back the party. Rainbow Dash warned me not to be away too long or Pinkie Pie would leave no more food,” Little said to move towards the path. It was strange. She actually felt better now than she did before. With any luck, ponies would understand buffalo a little bit better now. It also felt nice to share. Hm... She stopped a second, turning to look over at Braeburn as he started to follow her. Speaking of sharing... “Say Braeburn?”

“What’s up?” He moved to join her, walking alongside her now.

“What do ponies believe with their dead spirits?” Little asked, head tilted up to look at her new friend.

“Aw shucks. We ain't noble as you buffalo are,” Braeburn replied with a blush.

“Hey, we all learned a valuable lesson about sharing today. Your turn.”

“Fine. You know how Princess Celestia controls the sun, and Princess Luna controls the moon?” Braeburn asked.

“Sorta, but I’m not sure if I can believe they can do that,” Little confessed.

“Well, where do ya think stars come from?”