The Longest Winter
Chapter 17
Ruth awoke to the sound of Honey singing her nursing song. Dozer had already been fed and was eagerly exploring the house, and the other two foals were happily feeding. Ruth got up to stretch and looked down at Honey.
“Momma wook!” Honey said excitedly. “Baby open dew eyes jus wike Dowzew!”
Ruth crouched down and looked closely. The brown alicorn detached from his mother’s nipple and began to explore around his mother, his eyes open and filled with wonder.
“Well look at that!” Ruth said joyfully. She picked up the foal and gently held him in her hands. He squirmed while making tiny peeping noises. She gently pet his black mane. “Brown alicorn with black mane. Most fluffy mothers would have abused or abandoned you as what they call a “poopie baby”.” Ruth said.
“Honey wuv aw babbies!” The mare said with puffed out cheeks and an angry glare. She, being a brown alicorn herself, was well aware of brown fluffy abuse. She had dealt with it her whole life.
“That’s right, Honey!” Ruth agreed. “Good fluffies love all babies equally!”
“Eek wuw wee.” Honey repeated, struggling with the word. “Wub aw babies.”
“You hear that Dozer?” Ruth said loudly, calling out the green earthy as he sniffed around his mother’s food dishes. He came running at the sound of his name, his tiny hooves clicking on the floor as he ran over the Ruth. She set the brown alicorn down in front of his curious brother so they could get a good look at each other.
“Now play nice!” Ruth said, placing a small rubber ball between the two of them.
The green earthy began to chew on the ball while his smaller brother sniffed it. The ball popped out of Dozer’s wet, slippery grip and went bouncing away. The two colts went running after it together, squealing with excitement as they ran.
“They seem to get along just fine.” Ruth said to herself. “I wonder if it’s because their mother is a brown alicorn too?”
The two colts continued to bump and chase the ball until finally they started wrestling and play fighting. The brown alicorn was especially feisty and hounded his bigger brother constantly, hoping to get more wrestling out of him. Dozer seemed more focused on the ball.
Ruth decided it was time to name the alicorn. “Let’s see…” she pondered. “How about we call you pepper, because you’re full of fiery spice!” She declared with a laugh as Pepper chased Dozer’s tail.
“That just leaves you.” Ruth said, looking at the pink runt suckling her mothers teat. “I’ll call you Daisy, after my old dog from when I was young.” Ruth remembered the dog fondly. Such wonderful memories.
“Peppew an dayzee?” Honey confirmed. “Aw babies hab namesies now?”
“That’s right, Honey!” Ruth said with a smile. “Now we’re one big family!”
Honey’s tail slapped against the floor as it wagged with happiness. “Wub mamma an babies!” She said gleefully. “Can we hab sketti?”
“Hungry again already?” Ruth said, surprised since the mare already had spaghetti for breakfast just a couple hours ago. “Let’s get you some exercise first. Want to go for a walk outside?”
“Yay!” Honey replied. “Babies safe in bawks?”
“You got it!” Ruth said, scooping the foals up and placing them into the box with a warm towel where they would be safe. “Won’t be long until we need a bigger box!” She said with a laugh, watching as the two colts tried to climb their way out, squealing in frustration.
“Alright let’s go!” Ruth said after putting on her jacket and boots before opening the door. She didn’t need the leash this time. She knew Honey wouldn’t run away anymore.
The mare galloped out the door and jumped off the porch, over the steps, and landed flawlessly on all four hooves, sliding through grass and leaves on the lawn. She immediately started sniffing around for her favorite potty spots.
“Honey…” Ruth said with a warning reminder. “Don’t do it near the house. Go over by the trees.”
“Otay mamma!” She said, running towards the trees.
Ruth watched as the fluffy ran from tree to tree, peeing and pooping a little bit by each tree to mark her territory. The old war widow walked around her property, watching the last of the autumn leaves fall off of the trees. Before she knew it she was at the edge of the backyard where the woods took over, about a quarter mile from the house.
Honey ran up behind her and sniffed around her feet. Suddenly she perked up and sniffed the forest air.
“Nummies?” She said, walking forward and continuing to sniff.
“There’s no food out here, silly!” Ruth said with a chuckle.
Honey pressed onward, ignoring Ruth’s laughter as she went sniffing tree to tree. Soon she came across the hole she had dug weeks ago. She pulled the branches off of it and started digging at the bottom.
“What on earth are you doing, Honey?” Ruth asked. “You’re going to get all dirty and need another bath!”
Honey then climbed out of the hole with a clump of dirt in her mouth. She placed it at Ruth’s feet and wagged her tail as she looked up. “Nummies!”
Ruth squatted down to examine the dirt closely. She picked it up and realized that it wasn’t dirt at all - It was a truffle!
“Oh my goodness!” The old woman exclaimed. “Honey, these are truffles! They’re very rare! You’re telling me you can sniff them out?”
Honey nodded. “Honey wuv nummies!”
“Well let’s get some more!” Ruth said excitedly. “We can use them to make some delicious food!”
“Yay!” Honey said happily, hopping up and down as she cheered. “Honey wuv yummy nummies!”
Ruth helped the mare continue to dig. Together they were able to collect enough truffles to fill both of Ruth’s jacket pockets. They headed back towards the house and headed up the porch steps, only to realize that the wooden door was hanging slightly open behind the closed screen.
“What the heck?” Ruth said, stepping inside. “I swear I closed the door.” She set the truffles on the kitchen counter as Honey trotted over to the box where they had left the foals.
“Babies?” She asked as Ruth washed the truffles clean and set them in a bowl to dry.
“Momma, whew babies?”
Ruth turned around suddenly. “What?” She asked with a worried tone. She began frantically looking around and calling out for the missing foals. “Dozer? Here boy!” She cried in vain.
“Momma?” Honey said with panic in her voice. “Where babies?”
Ruth looked everywhere, but they were gone without a trace. She looked outside just in case they had gotten out past the screen door somehow, but found nothing. They were gone!
