Watching on as the scarred pegasus flailed and pushed away at Evergreen’s attempts to get the blue fluffy upright and moving, Glory grew anxious. His struggles against her special friend had gone from lethargic attempts to be left alone to desperate and wild, the scarred pegasus’ eyes going wide as he started to scream, his hooves kicking towards Evergreen.
“*SCREEEEEEE!!! NUUUUUUU!!! NU HUWTIES FWUFFY!!! NU MOWE HUWTIES!!!”
“Bwu fwend! Stahp mobe’n an’ wet Ebah’gween…*SCREEEEEEE!!! Owwies!!! Nu gib Ebah’gween sowwy hoofsies nu mo…*SCREEEEEEE!!! STAHP!!! P’wease stahp bwu fwend!”
“*SCREEEEEEE!!! NU MOWE!!! NU MOWE P’WEASE!!! *SCREEEEEEE!!!”
It was as the lithe pegasus had feared. Her new friend was having another attack, his eyes now wide and bloodshot as his head jerked around frantically, his terrified gaze staring at threats only the scarred pegasus could see. Backing away, Evergreen snorted as he shook his head, fresh blood trickling down his nostril. Peering first at his friend, trembling on the forest floor as he shrieked in terror, Evergreen then shared a look of growing dread with Glory.
“Fwuffies nee’ tu hewp bwu fwend…an’ soon…”
While the pink only knew that the scarred pegasus was suffering, wanting to abate his terror in some way, Glory was catching on to what Evergreen was really saying. All that screaming…it was only a matter of time before the humans heard it. And while a part of Glory didn’t want to believe what her special friend had told her, the thought of what humans had done to Evergreen…had done to the panic addled pegasus were proof enough for now. In a desperate attempt to soothe and placate the blue fluff, Glory rushed over to the struggling pegasus, wincing and shrieking as his wayward hooves struck her in rapid succession. Despite the onslaught, Glory grunted with effort as she turned the screaming pegasus onto his back, quickly rubbing her hooves along his belly.
“Wascaww wuv fwuffy”
“Fwuffy wuv Wascaww”
“Wascaww keep yu safies”
“Nebah be awone”
“*SCREEEEEEE!!! NUUUUUUU!!! NU HUWTIES!!! P’WEASE!!!”
Even as the pegasus shrieked on, flailing wildly as his body tremored, Glory persisted, whimpering as she struggled to do what she had seen Rascal do for the scarred fluffy. As she began to feel him relax, albeit slightly, she continued to massage as she sang, turning behind her with a desperate glance toward the others. Staring blankly at first, Evergreen caught on and strode next to the downed blue fluff, repeating Rascal’s song along side Glory.
“Wascaww wuv fwuffy”
“Fwuffy wuv Wascaww”
“Wascaww keep yu safies”
“Nebah be awone”
“Wascaww wuv fwuffy”
“Fwuffy wuv Wascaww”
“Wascaww keep yu safies”
“Nebah be awone”
Still shaking as his legs kicked and his head whipped about, the scarred pegasus’ screaming began to abate, his haze clearing slightly as his tear stained eyes began to focus.
“Wa…Wascaww? Wewe…am Wascaww? Fwuffy…fwuffy nee’ Wascaww…”
Trying to gently hush the pegasus, Glory wrapped her hooves around the pegasus as she and Evergreen continued the soothing melody. Still startled by the scarred pegasus’ abrupt screams from earlier, the pink unicorn slowly realized that her friend was beginning to calm. Astounded that anyone other than Rascal could manage to assist the blue fluff, she gathered herself and joined the others in song.
“Wascaww wuv fwuffy”
“Fwuffy wuv Wascaww”
“Wascaww keep yu safies”
“Nebah be awone”
“Wascaww wuv fwuffy”
“Fwuffy wuv Wascaww”
“Wascaww keep yu safies”
“Nebah be awone”
“Wascaww wuv fwuffy”
“Fwuffy wuvWascaww”
“Wascaww keep yu safies”
“Nebah be awone”
With the trio reciting Rascal’s song for several minutes, the pegasus finally settled, lying on the forest floor half conscious and exhausted from his fit. Breathing heavily, the blue fluff’s eyes had cleared, fluttering slightly as he struggled to remain awake. Sighing as she rose up from his side, Glory nodded to Evergreen and the pink unicorn, wincing slightly from where the pegasus had struck her.
“Tank yu speciaw fwend…pink fwend…”
“…dat wus scawy…nu wike…”
“Gwowy am welcomes…buh hao speciaw fwend kno hao tu du dat?”
“Gwowy saw Wascaww du same ting…buh Gwowy nu knu if wud wowk wiffow’t Wascaww…am jus’ gwad dat bwu fwend am cawm nao…”
Peering down, Glory saw that the scarred pegasus’ eyes had finally closed, his breaths even and calm. With the momentary crisis averted, she then looked to Evergreen and the pink unicorn, unsure what to do next. While no longer at risk of being found due to the panicked fluff’s shrieks, he was still clearly in no condition to continue onward.
“Wat am fwuffies gowna du nao? Bwu fwend nu wan gu upsies…Hao fwuffies get bwu fwend tu pwace Wascaww wan tu gu? Wat shud fwuffies du speciaw fwend?”
It was a good question. As the lithe pegasus looked towards Evergreen, it was clear that her special friend was as lost as she was. His gaze lowering to the forest floor, the stallion slowly shook his head.
“Ebah’gween nu kno…Bwu fwend hab scawy nu-see huwties…awways ba’ buh Ebah’gween nebah see dem wike dis,ow dis manies…”
Somberly glancing towards the scarred pegasus, Evergreen noticed that the blue fluff had drifted asleep, exhausted from his ordeal. Letting out a sigh, he was elated to see his companion finally so calm, but was uneasy. With the pegasus’ constant fits and inability to cooperate with the other fluffies, it was going to make following Rascal’s orders nigh impossible.
“Fwuffies am gowna haftu stay hewe tiww next bwite time…See if bwu fwend can wawkies den…”
“Buh…buh Wascaww sai tu keep wawkies tiww fwuffies weach da end ob da wivah…”
“Ebah’gween kno…buh wat ewse can fwuffies du? Pink fwend, Gwowy, Ebah’gween nee’ fwuffies tu maek a nestie. Twy an’ wook fow bwanches an’ weaves su fwuffies nu am cowd wen b’wite time obah…buh nu gu tu faw fwom dis spot. Ebah’gween stay hewe an’ wook aftah bwu fwend…”
While the pink unicorn simply nodded, Glory saw the deeply preturbed look on her lover’s face. Clearly there was more to why Evergreen was adamant that they stay nearby, the lithe pegasus assuming it involved the humans in the woods with them.
“Otay Ebah’gween…Come on Gwowy, wets gu…”
Despite the unicorn having apologized for her behavior earlier, Glory was ill at ease being alone with the pink mare. Thankfully the unicorn was well distracted, focusing on the task at hand as they scoured the nearby clearing for branches and edible leaves. It wasn’t until the sun was starting to set when the fluffies had gathered enough materials for a makeshift nest. Smaller than the one Glory had first shared with Evergreen, the lithe pegasus grew worried that it would do little to hold back the evening chill she could already feel blowing through her wings. As the pair prepared to head back out to gather the needed supplies to finish the nest, Evergreen trotted towards them.
“Dats gowna hab tu be enuf…Am gowna be tu dawk soon…”
“Buh fwuffies nee’ mowe nummy weaves an’ bwanches tu stay wawm…”
“Deww am nu mowe nummies ow bwanches cwose enuf fow fwuffies tu get…Wascaww wus wite…nu as mani nummies furdah in dah woodsies…Nestie wiww hab tu du fow nao…”
Gathering in the branches and leaves, Glory laid next to Evergreen, the pair snuggling far closer to the scarred pegasus and unicorn than they had the previous night, as the sun continued to set and the evening chill set in. Despite being surrounded by a fluffpile, the lithe pegasus shivered, trembling as her teeth chattered. Unable to recall ever being as cold, Glory huddled against Evergreen for warmth.
“Gwowy am su cowd Ebah’gween…Nu wus dis cowd wast nu-bwite time…”
“Nestie wus bettah wast nu-bwite time…an’ sum’times it am jus’ cowd…it wiww be otay Gwowy…”
While her special friend was clearly also uncomfortable in the light autumn breeze, a life led mostly outdoors had hardened him against the elements. Pulling her closer against his body, Evergreen wrapped his hooves around the shuddering mare, holding her until she finally fell asleep. While Glory tossed and turned, occasionally muttering in her sleep, the lithe pegasus gasped as she awoke violently before the sun had risen. Trying to catch her breath, Glory glanced around frantically, nearly forgetting where she was. Seeing Evergreen stir slightly as the lithe pegasus pulled away from him, Glory attempted to calm herself.
Nearby were the pink unicorn and the scarred pegasus, the latter of which was strangely calm compared to the terror laden display that she’d seen the evening prior. Sleeping soundly, Glory was pleased to see that her broken friend wasn’t beyond help, and that their efforts earlier had soothed his fragile psyche. The simple sight of the scarred pegasus slumbering undisturbed took her back to when she was a young filly, watching as her mother Queen Agatha had tended to a younger foal that was finicky and upset. It had taken the old mare several forevers to calm the peeping fluff, made all the more difficult by the fencing that separated her from her young, only allowing enough space for them to feed when necessary. As her little brother had finally fallen calm enough to sleep, Queen Agatha had simply smiled, despite looking exhausted, and even a little sad. Glory struggled to remember what her mother had said, until she recalled that she had called her brother something strange. When the curious young pegasus had questioned her mother about it, Queen Agatha simply said that it was something humans said. As Glory watched the blue pegasus shift slightly as he suckled his hoof, the lithe pegasus smiled.
“Gwowy am gwad dat bwu fwend am sweepies wike an angew…”
Calmed by both the pleasant memory and the scarred pegasus’ gentle slumber, Glory tucked herself back against Evergreen and quickly fell back asleep, oblivious to the light stirring of the blue fluff as his eyes partially opened.
“Fwuffy…fwuffy am Angew?”
