Saturday, October 10th, 1700 AFE

For the third time since she'd changed into the uncomfortable short skirt, Dash found herself reaching to try and pull the short skirt down, only to once again find that as uncomfortably high as it felt, it still properly covered her legs to the knee. Aggravation growing, she looked around, attempting to see if the other mares wandering the room had figured out some trick she hadn't yet discovered.

"Rainbow Dash! It's only been twenty minutes! If you can't stop fidgeting with your uniform, I'll see if we can find a pair of the surgeon's scrubs that'll fit you! For now, grab your clipboard and follow me, I've got rounds to do with the night staff before they can go home."

Grumbling the whole time under her breath, Dash grabbed the heavy metal framed clipboard and followed the nurse, still struggling to ignore the feeling that with every step, the vengeful skirt would ride further and further up her thighs. That is, until she caught sight of the half dozen, weary nurses that awaited them on the second floor of the hospital.

The patient wings had been split up into four wings that took up three quarters of the floor, with the last quarter being set aside for the nurse's change room and breakroom, not to mention the massive amount of space set aside for the newfangled elevator. At the nurse’s desk by the staircase and elevator, five weary mares and a tired stallion waited while Redheart and the new staff approached.

Watching as a second heavy metal clipboard was thrust from the duty nurse to Redheart, the mares began pairing off into groups of two, heading into the four wings, save Redheart and the mare who had been on duty. Already feeling fidgety as Redheart read through the report she’d been handed, Dash took a long look at the mare. Something had stained the front of her uniform, and dried on, yet a putrid smell hung in the air, for a moment reminding Dash of the smell of her kitchen for two weeks after her last attempt to cook.

The sound of the metal clipboard slamming closed made Dash jump a little and she handed it back. "Alright, no other surprises? Then go home, seriously. At least you'll be able to see your colt off to school. And if he gives you too much flack? Remind him I can always foalsit again for you, anytime."

Laughing a little, despite how weary she looked; the mare shook her head. "Oh, I wouldn't dare. Poor Button still hasn't recovered from the last time you foalsat him. I only need to mention mushy peas for dinner, and he's suddenly very happy with whatever we're having for dinner." Laughing warmly at this private joke, the tired mare rushed off to the changing room, and Dash suddenly found herself holding a second of the heavy metal clipboards.

Following as Redheart walked to the first of the four wards, Dash's nose wrinkled as the sterilized scent hit her, suddenly making her weak in the knees. "Dear Celestia, no. Please, no!" The thoughts roared through her mind faster than she realized it. A sterile room, a sick mare with no hair in a bed. Pale light streaking through the windows and the young pegasus mare who was so often leaving just as she came in, tousling Dash's short hair on the way out.

Two steps around the doorframe, and she could remember the clean white walls, the way the sunlight fell through the single window, drawing shapes on the far wall. The pale blankets that hung over the edge of the bed, and she could still hear the racking cough, the one that always, ALWAYS made Blitz tense up and swear under his breath when he thought Dash wouldn't notice. The way her mother's frail hand ran through her hair and the noise of the busy clinic. The beep of the machine was slow and she hated it, hated the building, and hated them-

The laughter of foals pulled Dash out of whatever day dream she had been trapped within, as one of the three other nurses in the room sat on the edge of the bed with a filly Dash judged to be hardly more than seven. They were playing paddy cake together, hands clapping with the filly giggling as they played. Dash's eyes couldn't ignore the fact that the blanket over her legs was quite a bit shorter on one leg than the other.

Dash wasn't given time to dwell, as Redheart stood beside one of the beds, where a pale colt with a drip of something clear going from a bag on a pole above his bed and into his arm sat. He smiled up at Redheart, giving her a bucktoothed smile. "I did really good at school this week! Only got kinda sleepy just the one day. Do you think I'll be able to keep going back every week again?"

Holding a hand out for Dash, she accepted the first clipboard, and opened it again, flipping through the pages to the colt’s file while making gentle smalltalk with him. "I'm glad you feel better, Mudd Stomper, but remember what Dr. Hooves said. You’ve been very sick for a long time. If we let you run around too much, it might make you sick again. Give it a few weeks of three or four days of school, and if you're looking as strong as you do today, well, I don't see why the doctor would have any reason to say no."

"Just you watch. I’ll be back in school full-time before Winter Wrap Up!" Dash watched as the clear drip continued, but it was the foal who broke the silence. "Hey, aren't you Rainbow Dash?" At her nervous nod, he grinned. "You were way ahead on points towards the end of the race, even if you'd lost a lot of distance in the process. Why'd you drop out? Same with Applejack."

Stunned into silence by the boy's questions about the race, Dash looked to Redheart for some form of support, and found the nurse smiling. "Mudd is a keen fan of foot races. He is also the youngest colt to ever complete the four hundred meter Mud Bog Muck-about unassisted."

Grinning, the colt pulled on the blanket, revealing his feet to Dash. "That's how I got my cutie mark!" Revealed to Dash was the colt’s right ankle, and a fat globby mess of mud with a very visible clear path of footprints.

Still trying to catch up, Dash, stumbled over herself. “I- well, it’s just that I could- No, really it’s-”

Redheart winced, and smiled at Dash before standing up. “How about you two stand and talk while I do my rounds. No reason to keep everypony waiting.” Looking to Mudd, she gave him a grin. “If Dash gets too excited for you, just signal for one of the other nurses. I’ll be back in a half hour or so once your treatment is finished, alright?”

Reaching out and squeezing her hand with his good arm, Mudd gave her a grin. “Don’t worry! I’ll keep Rainbow Dash busy telling me stories! I’m sure she must know so many, right??”

More comfortable here, Dash grinned a little and gave Nurse Redheart a nod. “Yeah, go ahead. Me and Mudd will talk a while and see if he’s ever heard of Junior Speedsters. Because I have tons of stories to tell about my time as the star racer!”

Excited, the colt gave her a happy nod before waving goodbye to Redheart, before turning back to Dash. “So, um… Dash? What did happen at the race yesterday?”

Dash turned back to the kid, and made herself offer him a grin. “Oh, it was kinda sad. See, a friend of mine and Applejack’s, Bronze Feather? She got hurt bad while in the Everfree Forest. When we found out, we were really worried for her, and rushed to catch up with Dusk and come help him out any way we could.”

At the name, Mudd looked towards the the floor, and bit at his lower lip. “She’s… she’s the pegasus guard they have down in isolation, isn’t she?” Shocked, Dash gave him a small nod, about to ask how he knew when he answered that question for her. “I-... We get bored some nights. And the night staff nurses are stretched a little thin… Sometimes we go for walks and stuff. Except I’m the healthiest, so it’s usually the little ones asking me to get them stuff. Last night, I went downstairs, and all the other guards were sitting around outside the isolation room and talking. And the really pretty unicorn with wings came out and looked really sad. Is she going to be okay?”

Dash took a moment to look at the earth colt, struggling to place his age due to his height. She’d really only seen the kids around school. “He is probably around twelve, right? Just like Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, sure.” Rather than struggle with how much she should tell the kid, she just pushed forward. “I hope to go visit her this morning if Redheart will let me. But, Mudd, what’s wrong with Bronze isn’t just physical. Something in the Everfree hurt her, hurt her mind. Now she’s gotta deal with all the bad things it made her think. Look, kid, I don’t think she’ll wanna see me, she still won’t see Dusk, and she and Dusk… they were, well-”

Mudd nodded a little, and smiled up at her. “Like Doctor Horse and Nurse Rhymes? They care for each other and he gives her flowers or picks up night shifts to be with her sometimes.”

Dash was once again struggling with the way the colt kept up and kept making suggestions that managed to keep pace with her so easily. “I… oh. Yeah, like that. She and Dusk like each other a lot, but I don’t know if they’re willing to admit it.”

“I hope she'll be okay. The guards and the nice lady talked for a while about taking her home today. Usually, you only get to go home for two reasons, if you're better, or if-"

Dash couldn't hear this. She wouldn't hear it. She cut the kid off with a grin and a nudge on his good shoulder. "So, uhh... How about you tell me about mud bogging. I've never heard about a muck about. Is it hard?"

As the excitable colt began to rave on about his own favorite sport, Dash tried to push away uncomfortable memories and gave him an occasional nod to show she was still paying attention. When one of the fillies wandered over to the foot of Mudd's bed he stopped his story and smiled down at the girl. "Plumb~! Go back to your bed. You know how worried the nurses get when you go walking around!"

The filly shook her head, extending an arm so thin, Dash could count the bones. Dash felt her stomach attempt to rebel as she watched the bald filly. "She's probably not even six years old. Looks just- just like ma."

Plumb looked up at Mudd and shook her head. "No. I wanna hear story too!!"

The bone-thin filly stared up at Mudd and pouted. The earth colt gave a sigh, and smiled at the girl, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. But only if you climb in the empty bed and wrap up properly. It’s getting colder and you catch colds too easily."

The filly hugged Mudd's arm tightly for a moment before walking to the empty hospital bed just a few feet away, climbing in and wrapping up in the thin blankets. Dash looked around the room, finally taking a proper account of the room's occupants, while Mudd returned to his story for the delighted filly Plumb. Nurse Redheart was gone, but two nurses, both mares in their late twenties or mid thirties, were across the room busy with their work. One was helping a filly around Mudd's age brush her hair, while the other was assisting a colt who looked around 8 years old change into normal clothing. The last occupant was the earth filly with a missing leg, who had sat up and scooched forward in her bed so she could hear Mudd's story better.

"Just... just breathe, Dash. Just breathe and keep calm. Just... in and out." Unable to suppress the memories, Dash felt like her heart was pounding harder than it had ever had before. With her head whirling, she shifted around, hands on her knees as she struggled to steady herself despite sitting on the edge of Mudd's bed. "I- It's too much! I gotta-"

Just as Dash lurched to stand up, the sudden dolefully smiling face of Derpy appeared before her, those askew eyes and her good-natured voice, all were like an anchor of calm that Dash could lash onto. "Oh! Hi, captain! I didn't know you were going to be volunteering here too, Dash!"

Dash was a little wobbly on her feet as Derpy walked over, but the foals were all quick to welcome her, giving Dash a moment to clear her head and get her balance back. Focusing on the mare, Dash tried to act natural, and stay calm. “What? Oh no, I don’t really volunteer here normally. I just, well, you know-”

Derpy beamed and stepped forward to hug Dash for a moment before nodding. “Oh, well, it doesn’t matter!” Looking Dash up and down, she frowned a little. “Hey- wait a second. Why do they let you wear a uniform! That’s so unfair! You don’t know how cute I think Dinky would look when we come visit if she got to wear one!”

Dash finally felt like she had caught up with the world, and shook her head. “Oh. No, it’s not like that, Derpy. I’m just here for the day as Nurse Redheart’s assistant, to pay her... back.” Dash stopped, trying to picture the little filly spending time with the sick children, somehow, it seemed… well, nice.

Derpy gave Dash a warm nod, but then turned, as if she’d only just realized that Plumb was sitting nearby and watching her with a small grin stretched across her thin lips. “Rosewater Plumb! What are you doing over here! You know now that you’ve got this bigger room you don’t have to sleep so cramped together next to Mudd!” Derpy’s grin however told a different story, and as she walked over and knelt beside the filly’s bed, she cooed at the girl. “Was Mudd telling an exciting story again? I know I like his stories too.”

Grinning, the sickly filly extended both arms and wrapped them around Derpy’s neck, nuzzling into her cheek and giggling openly. “Yes! Story. Story about the mud! Mudd tells best stories about mud!”

Watching the way Plumb’s too-thin arms wrapped around Derpy’s neck ruined everything. Memories, too many all at once roared back and Dash felt her stomach flip, while her eyes began to water against her will. “I... er… Derpy, I’m just …. just gonna go to the bathroom.”

Rushing out of the foal’s room, Dash nearly bowled over Nurse Redheart, stopping for a moment and stuttering before finally spitting out. “I- sorry, Red.” She pushed past the nurse and rushed to the change room, turning on a sink and shoving her head under the rushing cold water. “Just… just like ma. No strength. No muscle. Just wasting away, rotting in her own skin.” With her knees knocking, Dash crashed to her knees, resting her damp head against the cold porcelain of the skin.

Strong hands pushed a white towel around her shoulders, brushing the thick cotton through her hair, Redheart’s strong voice calling for her back from the real world. “Just breathe, Dash. Just calm down and breathe. Look, you did great. Most can’t handle more than five or ten minutes in the foal’s room. Nothing to be embarrassed about, it’s just a little depressing, right?”

Dash leaned into the heavy towel, struggling to keep from sobbing now that somepony else had come into the room. “Huh? I’m fine. Really- I didn’t … the foals didn’t bug me, I just… wanted a drink of water, really.”

Redheart rolled her eyes, laughing a little. “Dash, you’re on your knees kneeling against a sink, a sink that thankfully, isn’t full of things you should have found a toilet for instead. I’ve had nurses with years of experience breakdown in the foal ward, so stop acting tough, alright?”

Swallowing, and looking up at Red as her tone got harder, Dash looked up, and caught a hint of sympathy in those eyes. “It’s… It’s not like that, really Redheart. Look. It’s the filly. Plumb, right? She’s dead, isn’t she? Whatever she’s got, whatever it’s called. It’s eating her from the inside out and she’s just the walking dead who hasn’t realized it yet, right?”

Standing back and crossing her arms, Redheart’s voice got defensive and cold. “That’s rather harsh, Dash.”

Dash turned her head away from the nurse, trying to force her emotions back into place, while clenching her jaw tight, losing the struggle to hold back the words. "I know what I'm talking about, Red. I watched it happen to my mother. Watched her wither from near about a hundred and sixty pounds down to seventy-six. That was in the first eight months. Don't tell me that filly's got some bright and shiny future ahead, okay?"

Redheart was silent for a moment, then Dash felt a comb pushing through her damp hair, while a hand rested on her shoulder, strong fingers kneading into the tense muscles of her neck.

Dash slowly gave in, relaxing back, and leaning into Redheart's kneading fingers. The nurse's voice finally caught her attention again. "So that's why you're so jumpy around the hospital? Because of how you lost your mother?"

When Dash slowly nodded, Redheart gave a sigh. "You are probably right about Plumb. She probably has figured it out by now too, but she stays happy and encourages the others to fight. She's the reason Mudd talks to us. Nine months ago, he was refusing to take his meds and was getting so weak we had to change his bedsheets twice a day. But Plumb was in the bed beside him, and one day, she grabbed his hand, and asked him to tell her a story. He refused. Every day he kept refusing. But she kept asking. Now, Mudd's made so much progress, we're about to let him return to school full-time. We'd even let him move home in a few weeks, but when we talked to him about it, he said he wants to stay. He wants to help us take care of Plumb and the others."

Dash slowly nodded, relaxing forward while Redheart continued to rub at her shoulders. Dash realized it was her turn to speak. It was hard, hard to even take a breath, but she did. And as breath filled her lungs, Derpy’s words came back to her. "So. You guys take volunteers here?"

Redheart gave her a shoulder a squeeze as she answered. “Yes, though Derpy’s usually the only one who volunteers regularly.”

"I... I was thinking. If it wasn't... if you and Dusk and Cadence hadn't... well, if you hadn’t taken an interest in Scootaloo, she'd probably have ended up in that room too, right?"

Redheart sighed, and sat down on the wood bench behind her, nodding a little at Dash. "Probably, Dash. She wasn't getting any worse, but if she'd have gotten hurt, I don't think her wings would have been able to heal. These days? I tested one of her pinion feathers a week ago, and Princess Cadence's concoction has nearly killed off all but the faintest traces of wingrott."

Dash smiled a little. "Maybe me and Scoots can come volunteer sometimes? She's a tough punk and could probably show the others a thing or two, right?"

Redheart laughed warmly, taking Dash by the hands and forcing her to stand up. "Better now? Good. Then let's get you cleaned up. We can talk to Scootaloo about volunteering after work tonight.”

Derpy nearly couldn't hide her delight as Dash and Nurse Redheart returned. She'd seen them crash into one another as Dash left the room, almost at a run. To see them return, eased her worried heart. "Poor Dash. She's a good captain, but she really is still a filly when it comes to life away from work and adventure."

Amber Harvest gave Derpy a smile, gently brushing her fingers through the filly's hair. "So, Amber, what do you want to do today? We could draw, or write a letter. Maybe you'd like to play with dolls?"

The filly looked around the room, watching the other foals for a moment, smiling at Mudd who was helping little Plumb read from a picture book. Turning back to Derpy, she pointed at the mare. "Can you tell me about the first time you fell in love?"

Following the filly's gaze, Derpy laughed gently after taking a moment to watch the young pair reading. "Alright, Amber. But it all starts in a small hospital much like this, so I won't be telling you about grand heroes or even the time I met the princess." When the filly nodded, Derpy shrugged and began her story. "It all started fifteen years ago, in a small hospital on the outskirts of Canterlot..."

I was nineteen at the time, and the doctor I had been seeing for years refused to see me anymore. He'd decided that I was unfixable. But one of his nurses, she had a sister who'd recently opened a new little hospital in Canterlot, so I collected what little I owned and left my parents behind in Cloudsdale to try and find my future in Canterlot.

[What I’ll never tell the poor filly, is that in truth, I often wonder if my parents were happy to see me go. While I’d never caused a lot of damage, over the years… I… I began to feel a gulf between us.]

At nineteen, alone in the big city, I did what I knew was important first. I found a local mare boarding house and set up residence, and was lucky enough to find work at a cafe in the lower marketplace. The little hospital was very new, and far closer to the poor parts of Canterlot than any others that had been built, so the demand was high, and I ended up with a few weeks of waiting before I’d get my first appointment.

[I didn’t really mind the wait, I had real freedom, like I’d never had in Cloudsdale, and every day I felt like I met somepony new and interesting. Like the baker’s boy down the street from the cafe I worked at. If things had gone differently... he might have been Dinky’s sire instead… Oh, right, the story. Better continue it before she thinks I’ve drifted off.]

One afternoon, during my shift at the cafe, a rather charming young stallion came for a late lunch, all the time flashing these awe-inspiring golden eyes. I could tell the mare serving him fancied him; who wouldn’t? Even with his pale blond hair damp from sweat, he had a smile that melted your heart. I think she even asked him out that day; well, who wouldn't have? A handsome unicorn stallion who came to our little cafe outside of the usual breakfast or lunch people? We were too small and remote for any real important business ponies to come visit.

What? Oh right, sorry, the story!

Well, a few days later, I finally had my first doctor's appointment. It was scary, but the Doctor was a kind, if gruff, mare, and she had made me take a journal home, to record when the headaches came, and how long they lasted, what I took to help with them, you know, all that little stuff doctors like to do to find patterns in why you felt sick. Anyways! As I left the hospital, there was the stallion again, his purple horn sticking out through matted blond hair. He was wearing a soaked pair of pale blue scrubs that really made his golden eyes glow, and even leaning against the wall while talking with a doctor, I felt myself blushing.

The doctor stallion was apologizing that it would be a late lunch for the blond, and offered to take him out for dinner as an apology. I admit, I used the excuse of feeling light headed to sit down and listen to them talk. When the stallion admitted he would just go back to my cafe, I… well, I knew I had to get the chance to talk to him.

It was easy to get one of the other mares to trade shifts with me, afternoons were always dead after lunch, and we got almost no dinner rush. But when the stallion arrived, one of my coworkers walked over and kissed him, right there in public! Oh, I felt so out of place, and like such a huge fool. I’d traded a friday night off just to stalk some cute stallion!

What? The mare? Oh, I don’t remember her name, she turned out to be a cousin of his. No! Not that kind of cousin! Please, just let me tell the story.

Well, I saw him a few times over the next few months, mostly at work, occasionally at the hospital. My next appointment a month later, he said ‘Hi.’, and I was so embarrassed because I was sure he’d remember me showing up at work that day just to wait tables on him, that I couldn’t bring myself to answer. A few times, I got to serve him, and I was so sure I’d make a fool of myself again. I took a lot of time, and probably would have lost any tip from anypony else. He let me have five bits instead and told me he’d probably see me at the hospital when my check-up came next week.

You could have boiled eggs on my face I was blushing so hard, and he waved goodbye to his cousin and left, all the time whistling to himself. I finally got the courage to ask her his name, she told me. His name was Gilded Panacea. Three days later, I was in the clinic and the head doctor was looking at my eyes again while asking questions from my journal when there was a knock on the door and the stallion of my dreams entered. You see… well… it turns out-

See, some unicorns have magic talents. Really, really strong ones can learn magic outside their talent and get really good at it. Gilded? He was even rarer. He could heal! Not one unicorn in a thousand can do that! What? No, not even Dusk. Well, okay, he can heal little things, like papercuts. But not like Gilded Panacea. I remember watching him set a broken arm, and then focus, and the glow spread over the arm, and then the poor foal suddenly started crying and hugging him, with the formerly broken arm!

What? Oh right, the appointment, sorry! Well, it turns out the head doctor had asked for him to come in, and I was so embarrassed and shaking a little, because suddenly he was getting all these personal details about my life, and my headaches and my heat cycle and … well, everything. I could hardly sit still, but he simply smiled and asked me to put on a blindfold. Then he took my hand and got me to walk a few laps around the hospital, all the while, he was holding my hand and talking very softly. It was strange, cause my head kept feeling fuzzy and yet as we continued, I eventually felt calmer, and when he let go of my hand and had me continue walking beside him just by the sound of his voice, I did it. I think we talked and walked for an hour, maybe even two. In the end, he took the blindfold off and he’d walked me all the way home! Well, here he gave me a little smile and grinned. I don’t even remember exactly what he said, but he promised they were sure my headaches could be fixed, and that unless my eyes ever hurt me, they wouldn't be worrying about them again.

It felt so good! To have doctors taking my headaches seriously while not letting my eyes get in the way of finding a cure! A week later, they had me lay in an isolation pool at the hospital. What? Oh, it’s a pool of water that they use to cut out all outside distractions. Just silence, darkness, and water; you float in a world filled with only your own thoughts. I felt so alone, and then Gilded’s voice entered my mind and whispered to me in silky tones. I felt my brain tingle and ache, and then it was hours later, and he was drenched with sweat and laying over a chair. I wanted to rush over and check on him, but even in the dark, I was naked and embarrassed, so I wrapped a towel around my body and rushed out of the room.

It was a few weeks later when he came to the cafe again, and I hadn’t had a headache since that night. When I said ‘Hi’’, he smiled, and I felt so good! I nearly kissed him then and there. It took six more months before he and his aunt, the head nurse, were satisfied that they’d burned away the bad thing in my brain that made my headaches. The next day, I asked him out, and he said yes!

Derpy continued to stroke the filly’s hair, smiling gently and leaning back in the bed. When she was quiet for too long, Amber looked up at her while leaning against her chest. “So? And then what?”

Unable to help herself, Derpy laughed a little. “A lot happened. Not all of it was good, but not all of it was bad. Dinky was born from it, though, so I’d go through it all over again. Because, I love her.”

Amber gave her a solid nod, snuggling in closer and grinning. “I don’t want to make Plumb jealous, but I think you tell just as good of stories as Mudd does, Derpy.”

Silk looked over the sergeant's paperwork, at last shoving it back to him and nodding. “Alright, fine. I’ll accept it for now. Look, your orders are the same, just shut up and don’t let anypony else into the room, right? And if any of your guards have a habit of including too many details in their reports, make sure you edit out these extra names, alright?”

Confused, the guard simply gave her a sharp salute, nodding at the spymaster. “I think I understand. Nopony else came here, and nopony else entered the room. Princess Cadence was left undisturbed with her patient all day.”

Silk gave him a nod and then looked over her shoulder at the two short unicorn mares behind her, nodding to them before leading them into the isolation room. Inside, the sterile smell filled the air, and Princess Cadence sat on the edge of the bed, humming softly to herself while her fingers stroked across the scar on Bronze Feather’s forehead.

When they entered, she looked up, and for a moment as she looked over the mares following Silk, a look of confusion filled her eyes, before one of them threw her hood back, revealing a mane of deep pink hair and even paler pink horn. Understanding, Cadence gave a small nod. “Hello again, Summer Orchards. I apologize, I didn’t know you were coming back, I thought we were going to wait until I brought her back to Canterlot.”

The elderly mare gave a small shrug, stepping up to the bed and letting two fingers trace the line of Bronze’s jaw, sighing a little before looking up at Cadence’s towering figure. “I know. I would have left it be, but Dusk’s letter this morning worried me, and I simply had to come. Princess Celestia is very worried, and-”

From behind, the other mare removed her hood, stepping up to the other side of the bed, stroking the other side of Bronze’s face. “And Princess Luna has seen her dreams. She fears the mare has taken her thoughts while under the influence of the Poison Joke deadly seriously, and she now harbors thoughts and feelings that make Princess Luna very, very worried.”

Cadence gave a nod, quickly picking up on the code the two short unicorns were using, and attempted to follow it. “I’ll repeat my report to the princesses here. I’ve begun delving into her memories. Mostly through hypnosis, a little with my magic. I know she’s harboring somewhat suicidal thoughts, but other than refusing to see any guests, I think she’ll be fine, it just might take a few months of care to help her feel better about herself.”

Summer Orchards shook her head a little, moving to stand so she could hold Bronze’s hand. “Princess Celestia has asked that I attempt to impress on you how important it is she recovers. Currently, she is a weight on Dusk’s shoulders and a massive delay to the their plans for the stallion. He is feeling very guilty, and we don’t think he will feel better until she is better.”

Cadence looked to the younger unicorn, crossing her arms over her chest. “What about you, Moonlight Dreamer? Does Princess Luna wish me to push the poor mare faster than I feel appropriate?”

The pale azure-haired unicorn stared at the sleeping Bronze Feather in silence for some time before finally answering, her voice distant and sad when she finally did answer. “Princess Luna asked to impress upon you the danger of the Wolf of the North, but at the same time, she abstains from putting forth any vote on this matter. She knows how fragile a mare’s sanity can be, and doesn’t wish to risk breaking the poor mare by rushing her recovery by a second.”

Cadence turned to Silk, glaring at the spymaster. “Then I vote against any further action beyond what I outlined in my letter to the Princess. And that means we are tied, one for, one against, one abstained. Silk, do not dare give the answer I don’t want to hear.”

Guilt darkened Silk’s eyes, and she looked down at the ground. “I… I abstain as well.” When Summer turned around and stood taller, Silk shook her head, but refused to look into the short mare’s eyes. “I’m sorry, but as angry as Princess Celestia might be at me, I’ve seen what happens to a soldier pushed too far. I’ve put down a stallion I caught eating a griffon’s liver. I’ve had friends who just sit and laugh or whisper to themselves for hours at end. I can’t. I’m sorry.”

Summer hissed a sigh between her teeth, but slowly sunk down again, and gave Cadence a slow nod. “Alright. Then I will explain to Princess Celestia, and we will delay all plans until Bronze Feather recovers. She won’t like this. We are losing so much time.”

Walking around the bed, Moonlight Dreamer put a hand on the older mare’s shoulder. “We understand, dear sister, but breaking her just to rush this process forward is wrong. We can spend this winter looking for more signs of the Wolf. Besides, Dusk could use the time, to rest, to recover. We-”

Summer cleared her throat at Moonlight, and the mare went quiet while Summer took over the conversation. “I agree. I will explain to my Princess. She will understand. I’m sorry if I sounded disrespectful.” Turning slowly to Cadence, who still glared at her in return, Summer gave a single nod. “Please bring Bronze home to Canterlot as soon as she wakes up today. I can not be away for too long, but I can help, even if I am not as good with minds and healing as you are, dear.”

Princess Cadence bowed low to the old healer, smiling a little now. “I remember, teacher. You taught me so much, I’m sure you still know some secrets of the mind I’ve yet to discover. You’ve had so much more experience than I do.”

Author's Notes:

A little shorter, but I felt the change of tone after this makes this the logical point to break the chapter off. Also, it's my 31st birthday on the 9th so I may take a while with the next part. Thanks for all your ongoing support and see you soon.