LINK TO PART 12 HERE
đFrosty winds blew over the vast expanse of snow. The moon hung luminously over the lands, giving the snow an eerie glow.
The stream ran clear and cool. Under the frost of winter ice began to form within the water.
A shriek rang out.
âNUUU! WAWA BAD FOW FWUFFIES!"
Zebra sighed.
He ushered his mate down into the ditch, ears flattened as he tried to block out her incessant screaming.
On the other side Muscari was helping out Cucumber, Strawberry, Dandelion, Chocolate and Gold, the latter still clambering out.
âDewe.â
With a shove, he aided Sandy to the other side, turning to Rose after.
She was pacing the lip of the ditch, ears flattened in anxiety.
âHuwwy.â
He gritted his teeth, a shiver running up his spine. He was given the most unfortunate job of standing in the frigid water and helping everyone up.
âOtay, Wose cumin down nao.â
The mare began her descent down, eyes wide with innate fear. Everything in her screamed to jerk away, back to the safety of the grass.
A peep from within her fur.
She reached the bottom of the ditch.
Freezing water swirled and coiled around her legs, she couldnât help but whimper as she stood and gazed up to where the rest of the herd were standing.
âPay âtenshion.â
Zebraâs curt voice cut right through her, snapping her out of her frightened daze.
She placed a tentative hoof onto the mud. After a herdâs worth of fluffies trekking upon it it was slick and slippery.
She grit her teeth and clawed her way up the ditch, the tri-coloured earthy behind her pushing her rear.
It was a struggle. She couldnât move too much, else the six balls of fluff nestled within the fur on her back could fall.
Still, Zebraâs raw strength was ample enough, and the mare was being pulled over the edge in no time.
Then it happened.
She got too careless.
As Gold and Chocolate helped pull Rose out of the ditch, a shrill but quiet screech sounded from behind the pink mare.
She knew, even before everyone elseâs eyes widened in horror, even before the calamity hit
That she had lost another foal.
âSCREEEE!WAWA BAD FOW WDDEW BABBEH! NEE SABE BABBEH!â
âBABBEH!â
âWAWA BAD FOW FWUFFY!â
All at once the fluffies erupted into a cacophony of obvious proclamations of the negative consequences one might face if submerged in water.
Zebra tried his best, roaring above the noise.
âKWIET! NEE TU HEAW BABBEH, TU DAWK TU SEE!â
No reaction. The rest of the herd either couldnât hear him from down in the ditch, or didnât care.
He yelled out in frustration. How could those fluffies choose such an inadequate, unexperienced fluffy over him? He was the only one brave and strong enough to overthrow March, he was merciful enough to spare the then sacks of shit that were his offspring, yet here he is, the lowest of the low in the herd he helped liberate.
Huh, funny how karma works.
Water swam around his hooves. The stream was hardly a threat to any fluffy with a braincell and some height on them, for any adult fluffy itâd only submerge their hooves, younger ones might have to wade through.
This was not the same for foals though.
âSTOOPI HEWD! STAWP SHOUTIN! OU MAKIN ID WOWSE!â
This wasnât looking good at all.
It had only been 10 seconds at most, but 10 was enough to drown a fluffy at such a fragile stage of life.
âNuâŚBabbeh⌠Dis nu⌠my fauwtâŚâ The panic stricken leader was frozen in horror, his eyes wide and fearful.
It seriously pissed Zebra off.
âMUSCAWI! DUN JUS STAN DEWE! DU SUMTIN! DE HEWD WIWW WISTEN TU OU!â Stomping his rear hoof he screamed, flecks of spittle flying from his lips.
This FOAL was clearly not meant to lead: in the face of a relatively small disaster he had done nothing but stare and stammer!
It was over for Roseâs foal. Even as he scanned the water, Zebra had already stopped searching in his heart, perhaps it was good that this happened, less mouths to feed. Now how would he get out of the ditch? The path upwards was wet and slippery with mud, thisâll be hard with only one foreleg-
âGOWD SABE GUD BABBEH!â
From above a glittery fluffy leapt, his golden fur illuminated in the gentle light of the now risen moon.
To Zebra, it was a beautiful sight. His amber eyes caught Goldâs emerald ones and for a split second time seemed to stand stillâŚ
But these are all fluffies.
âSCREEEE! POINTIE FWING FWUFFY NU CAN FWYYAAAAAA!â
Gold smashed into the stream at the bottom of the ditch. The landing was rough, but the worst part was it drenched the little fluffy in freezing water.
With a gasp he staggered up, to the surprised face of Zebra. After a long silence he snapped out of his stupor, shaking the water from his head.
With attentive eyes he fished around the ditch before diving his snout under the water.
After a tense few moments, he reared up, a sodden foal in his maw.