PonyHooves

"You'll stay for a little while more..." Whisperpaw replied feeling a sudden sense of relief. "I know your doing this for me and I'm greatful." He started to smile in return. The owl that had been snoozing on his perch woke up. He flapped his wings and rose up into the air. After a few minutes of flight, he landed on Whisperpaw's head. Whisperpaw looked up and let out a soft chuckle. "I've raised this owl ever since the day I found him starved to death and at the age where he couldn't fly. He's a little silly sometimes and likes my head!" He whispered while laughing at the tawny owl which was hooting softly.

"She's severly ill... Unfortunatly, her body's defenses were too weak to handle that chest infection that was passed around her place of work. Until her blood sample is tested it will remain a mystery." Golden Heart explained. "But with an oxygen mask to help her breathe and fluids inside her body, I know she'll make a recovery. It may take some time..."

"I had a feeling you'd say that..." Whisperpaw replied to him. He looked down at his hooves for a moment. He knew it would be lonely for him again without having Inkblot around. "Just promise me one thing... Please come back again someday." He spoke looking at Inkblot. Whisperpaw thought of the day he would possibly see Inkblot once more. He liked the idea of it. He really did. It would give him something to look forward to.

"Well that was fast!" Gerty laughed. "I've never known a pony make soup so fast at the sound of a rumbling stomach." Gerty Greetings then heard the door. A little thought passed through her mind. 'Sometimes I wonder if Granny Smith wants to invite the whole of Ponyville to lunch. Never the less, it's always good to have company to sit and eat with. She's such a kind old mare.' Gerty smiled brightly at Granny Smith. "Thank you so much... Your always so kind to me. I just wish I could thank you properly." The middle aged mare began to eat her soup. It was delicious. Well, all of the apple family's meals were delicious. They were experts on good food. It always seemed that way to Gerty.

Gerty had placed her sketches and her pencil back in her saddle bag. The mare calmly followed Granny Smith. The mentioning of all the foods that came out of the elderly mare's mouth made Gerty's stomach rumble louder than it ever had in a long time. But there was one problem. Gerty Greeting's didn't know which food item to pick. They all sounded so delicious. She red pony trailed off back into her own thoughts again. 'Ooh, apple pie sounds nice... But I haven't had apple cobbler in a long time. I've never tried apple fries before... I wonder if I should pick them. But I love apple fritters too! What about that salad? That sounds just as tasty as everything else. Why is everything always left down to choice? Well, I shouldn't just stand there looking like a statue... I'll have to say something and fast. My stomach is getting so loud that some of my thoughts are really being blocked out here.' After forcing her self out of her own thoughts, Gerty managed to say. "Ooh, err... I can't decide... Everything you've said sounds delicious! But still... I don't want to seem greedy or anything."

Though barely concious, Pixie Parcel could sense Amaranth's lonliness. She coughed several times before being able to speak up. "Please... Stay..." The young mare coughed and wheezed for a few moments before she lost conciousness.

Golden Heart Grabbed an oxygen mask and placed it carefully over his daughter's face. He then began to listen to the rapid beat of her heart and then the rasping sound of her rattling lungs. He frowned momentarilly as he understood clearly how ill his daughter really was. After a moment of sadness, he regained his composure. He then searched for a vein and took a sample of her blood for testing. Quickly, the stallion got fluids into her veins. He hung up the drip bag on it's hanger and watched the fluid as it ran down towards her veins.

Gerty gently rubbed her daughter's head. A look of worry was deeply set in on her face. She loved Pixie Parcel.

"Others come before me... That's the way it was, is and always will be." Golden Heart replied. "Your son's health will always come before my own."

"Pry into our personal lives... You've been the biggest help today and I'm greatful for it." Gerty replied to Amaranth.

"As far as I see it... Your a friend of the family now." Golden Heart added. "You've done a big favour for us."

Gerty grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil. The mare rested her rump in the shade of the apple tree which she had earlier ran into. She looked up to one of the apple trees that was standing tall in her sight. She mentally blocked out the other trees in sight so she could visualize only one. With the pencil in her mouth, the middle aged mare began to sketch a mighty apple tree on her paper. Gerty added as much detail as possible, including how light seemed to be dappled onto the leaves of that tree. She made each apple on that tree shine as much as it really could be. A look of concentration was set upon the land pony's face. Her work meant alot to her because it made other pony folk smile. The mare grapped a send piece of paper. This time she was just drawing an apple on it's own.

Suddenly, her stomach rumbled loudly. Gerty Greetings blushed slightly. She knew she shouldn't have had a light breakfast before she left her home. It wasn't enough to sustain a pony who happened to be hard at work. Her stomach rumbled once again. Gerty was really hungry. 'Shouldn't have left the house after eating a meal that small, especially since I'm going to be surrounded by apples for most of the day... It isn't wise to ignore my hunger, even if I want to get these little sketches finished so I can leave the apple family in peace. A pony can't work on an empty stomach... I just wish my husband would see it that way. The number of times he's forgot his lunch isn't worth the count.' The thoughts were swimming in her head. She couldn't help it though. Gerty always ended up thinking about so much when she was hungry.

"It's brilliant..." Whisperpaw spoke after it had ended. "I've never heard of a poem so good." Whisperpaw then silenced his self completely. After those words, the animals recovering in his home made their usual sniffling, scraching and the occasional sleep hoot from the tawny owl that was sleeping on its perch in the corner of the room. "I really liked it." Whisperpaw finally managed to say. He had never heard a poem with so much meaning. It had everything in it; days of joy, days of lonliness, friendships made, friends leaving and never fearing life because of friends.

"Of course I would." He replied with a smile. Whisperpaw sat down beside Inkblot. He went silent as he prepared to listen. As Whisperpaw went silent, so did the animals that were resting peacefully in his home. His first pony friend was as special as the many animals he had befriended. He was unique, quiet and respectful with a liking of animals. Though Whisperpaw hadn't seen Inkblot around before which meant that he'd either moved to Solstice Heights or he was only planning on visiting. The thought of having to watch the pegasus leave was quite saddening, so he tossed that thought to the back of his mind as he listened.

The door opened and a young filly walked out with a bandage on her leg. She limped out of the clinic, alone and in tears. Gerty spotted her huband standing outside of the office. "Looks like he's done. We can go in now." She told Amaranth. Gerty stood up and headed towards her husband.

"Hey Gerty... It's no suprise seeing you here. But it's always nice to see you on a day filled with so many tears." Golden Heart Spoke as he watched the filly disappear from sight. He then turned his attention back to his wife. "So what brings you here today?"

"Its not me this time... Its Pixie... She's as weak as a newborn foal. So with the help of a friend, I've got her to you." Gerty Greetings explained.

"Bring her into my office... Immediatly." He spoke calmly. Though a look of worry had set in on his face.

"You haven't put me through any trouble at all... Your my friend and I'd do anything to help you." Whisperpaw whispered with kindness in his tone. "Your the only pony friend I've got... Before I met you, I only had animals as my friends." Whisperpaw washed the carrots before chopping them into tiny pieces and mashing them up. He gently lifted the rabbits from the box and fed them their meal. After they had eaten, he carefully wiped their mouths clean before placing them back in ther box. He watched them fall asleep again before turning back to Inkblot. "And Corvus may be a bird, but birds can understand friendship just like we can. They are intelligent creatures who are often misunderstood. He's clearly a good friend to you. He keeps the promises you want him to keep."

Gerty reached the clinic doors. She opened the doors and entered swiftly. After a quick conversation with the receptionist, Gerty turned back to Amaranth. "He's in with another patient at the moment. So we'll have to wait in the waiting room." Gerty Greetings explained. "Hang in there Pixie... Remember, you can be strong if you believe."

Pixie Parcel smiled weakly. She was fighting for breath. A clear look of determination rested on the young mare's face. The pegasus refused to let the illness beat her even though she felt exhausted just trying to breathe.

"What about when he wants to start a family of his own?" Pixie asked before coughing so much that her face turned bright red.

"I don't understand. Every time I help a badger back to the set, the other badgers rub their heads against my legs and then they all go down the hole together." Whisperpaw explained. Once he reached the house, he opened the door. He went inside and grabbed his first aid equipment. "You can just rest over there in the comfort area where the pillows are." Whisperpaw pulled out some antiseptic wipes and gently cleaned up the wound. Then he bandaged it up. "I'm sorry the bandages are bound around your leg in a messy way... It's much easier to do on the animals." He whispered apologetically.

"It is better for us this way... She needs to spread her wings and find a special somepony of her own. She needs to raise her own family." Gerty explained. "She's got her free spirit from my side of the family. Down my side of the family we are always given the choice to be free, who we are and leave becuase anywhere is home and we're never alone. She's never alone because we're always with her in her heart."

Pixie Parcel blushed slightly. "Aww, mother... Even though I got my sense of freedom from you, you still suprise me by saying the nicest things." She coughed even more after speaking.

"I just wish you didn't have your father's sense of duty towards work. You know, just the other week he came home at half past three in the morning because he was helping out three colts who had injured themselves by trying to run away from home, just to stay out late. He just got through the door and passed out before he even reached the stairs!" Gerty Greetings told them both.

"Father always puts the health of others before his self." Pixie agreed.

"Oh my..." He sound shocked. "What happened? Did you wake the napping wolves or something?" Whisperpaw was worried for his new friend. He had never known anypony to get hurt by going to the local badger sets. He knew that there were a few wolves that often took quick naps nearby. But they were shy and always avoided conflict. The vultures that were lined up, scattered and flew away back into the trees which they originally perched theirselves on. "Let my help you to my home. I've got a few medical supplies there..." He finally managed to whisper out of worry.

That one word, 'child', was enough to make Pixie snap out of anger. "Child! Child! I'm a fully grown mare... I'm old enough to have a foal of my own! Why else would I live on my own in the clouds when my mother and father live down in Ponyville?" She coughed a little bit before she continued on. "Sure, I've only just left my filly years, but by no means am I a child!"

"You hit a touchy subject with her there... She takes her age as serious as her job." Gerty muttered in a low tone to Amaranth.

After a few seconds of being in a fuming rage, Pixie Parcel calmed down. "And I had no choice but to do it... No pony wanted to deliver on those streets... It's a tough pony job and the toughest got sick." She coughed a few more times afterwards.

Gerty saw the clinic up ahead. She continued walking at a gentle pace, so that Amaranth could keep up.

"Work... Is my... Life..." Pixie Parcel panted. "I love delivering letters... And... Parcels..."

"Your being so kind Amaranth... Sometimes it's hard to give up work or even take a day of rest. But even though you live you in Cloudsdale Pixie, your still my daughter and I have a right to worry about you." Gerty spoke kindly.

Pixie Parcel gave in. She accepted Amaranth's offer. With what little strength she had, Pixie Parcel made it onto the stallion's back.

"I'll lead the way..." Gerty said. "I know the clinic inside out because of the number of times I've been."

"Well, it's just you and me now Corvus." He spoke in a whisper to the raven. Whisperpaw then took a look around him. He hummed a dark tune. The leaves on the trees rustled loudly. A few dark shapes darted across the sky. Then, several vultures landed in a line right infront of Whisperpaw. "Now if you stay lined up counting your numbers will be very quick." He whispered to them.

"You got that right..." Pixie Parcel said. She tried to stand up, but she fell over again in her haste to redeem her composure. Pixie was still trying to catch her breath. "He sure acted very apologetic... But he was nice." She spoke through her heavy breathing.

"Pixie... I think you must have caught what's going around at work... Your as weak as a newbron foal." Gerty spoke with concern in her tone. "I'll get you to your father's clinic... Just to be on the safe side."

"I'm fine... I'm... Just a little worn out..." Pixie panted for air. "I don't... Want to miss a single... Day of work..."

Whisperpaw heard him say the word 'friend'. The unicorn smiled even brighter. He had finally made a friend. "Please could you take this badger back to his set... I have all of the badger sets pointed out on this map. Your a real friend." He whispered. The stallion pulled a map out of his saddle bags with his teeth. He carefully handed it over to Inkblot. He then looked at the badger. "I want you to go with my pegasus friend here... He'll make sure you get home nice and safe." He whispered in a gentle tone. The badger slowly walked up to Inkblot and looked up at him.

The sound of beating wings caught Gerty's attention. She looked up to the sky to see her daughter dodging trees gracefully. "Pixie what are you doing?"

"I've finished work for the day mother... My saddle bags are empty. Now I'm free!" Pixie Parcel cheered. She gently landed beside her mother. She was sweating heavily after all of her hard work.

"Pixe Parcel, did you do more than your share of the work load again? You look more tired than I've ever seen you." Gerty spoke with worry in her tone.

"Stop worrying mother... One of the postal workers was off sick, so I offered to take his route as well as my own. It wasn't that much more." Pixie Parcel explained. She suddenly fell over. Her wings were flat out on the ground.