The fillies and colts were shivering and laughing as they called a truce, stopping the most epic snowball fight of the day. “Well, reckon Ah’m bout as cold as a fish in a freezer,” Apple Bloom joked as she shook some snow from her ear, “who’s interested in seein’ the clubhouse?”

The colts hopped up and down shouting their approval and excitement.

“Well,” Scootaloo said pushing Rumble’s side lightly, “we’ve got a warmer there so we can… warm up,” she chuckled as she looked at Rumble.

“Feathering awesome!” Rumble shouted.

They all fell in line behind Apple Bloom and followed her, giggling and talking the whole way.

“...Wait up, y’all. Ain’t no pony s’posed ta be here, right, Scootaloo?”

“Heh, yeah, duh. Unless Sweetie Bell came back and didn’t tell… us,” she stopped and looked at the ramp and the adult sized hoofprints leading up it.

“Well, Ah better not find squatters,” Apple Bloom grunted as she galloped to the base of the ramp and stopped, holding a foreleg out and stopping Scootaloo and the others. “Let’s move slow’n catch’m, so when we tell the police who it is.”

“The police?” Gallop said softly and took a step back, “I don’t know if we need to go that far.”

“Don’t worry,” Rumble reassured Gallop, “it isn’t like the city, here. C’mon, let’s just be quiet. I wanna see what’s going on.”

Without a word, Apple Bloom began creeping ahead with the others following, restraining humorous giggles and fighting whispers amongst each other. When they got closer to the top Apple Bloom turned to whisper. “Ah see they found the light.”

“Hey,” Scootaloo frowned, “that was expensive,” she hissed as she moved faster and past Apple Bloom, peeking into the window she froze and held her breath.

The others approached her and looked in and cocked their heads.

Applejack was wiping her muzzle while Rainbow rolled to her side, beginning to weep, facing the children outside the window.

With pensive breaths Scootaloo watched as Applejack walked around Rainbow and lay on her belly, facing the crying mare before she turned away and shook her head. “C’mon, my mom’s are just having some alone time. We’ll show you the clubhouse later,” she said as she took quick steps ahead and down the ramp.

“Well,” she looked back and forced a smile, “I’ll show ya the area, I guess. There’s a spot where I leave my snowboard, we can slide around for a bit,” she said in a quieter tone, but confident.

Looking amongst themselves they nodded and left the clubhouse and the mares to themselves.

Scootaloo swore to herself she’d never bring up the fact she’d seen Applejack’s tongue inside Rainbow, just before the others looked in. And she smiled to herself, knowing her parents were truly happy.

Next Chapter: Happy Hearths Warming Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 49 Minutes