In The Love Nest... [CrimsonNova & PonyHooves]

[PonyHooves]

Whisperpaw cleaned his house up. The love of his life was coming to stay at his house for the weekend. He stayed in her humble home last weekend. It had been decided since then that they would visit each other's homes on an alternating rota between weekends. It seemed like the perfect plan. If only he didn't leave the house work until the last minute.

His owl friend, Epistola had been gone for a few days. Whisperpaw had assumed that he had gone back into the wild. The stallion was glad of that as it meant he didn't have as much cleaning to do. But, he was starting to miss the bird. The black stallion had raised that owl ever since it was a defenceless little hatchling. He had tried to set him free when he was old enough to take care of his self. But the owl refused to leave him on several occasions. The unicorn ended up training him to deliver letters to his aunt. He didn't want the bird to disappear without hooting goodbye. But, he was also glad for his feathered friend.

Despite feeling slightly downhearted by missing a wild animal, Whisperpaw remained cheerful because he was going to get to see Seaspray again. Oh how he missed looking into those beautiful eyes. He missed hearing her gentle voice. The stallion even missed that refreshing aroma that seemed to touch the air around her.

[CrimsonNova]

Seaspray was trotting along an unfamiliar route. She was nervous and jumpy; it had been too long since she had seen Whisperpaw, her new-found love, a pony who understood her so well it seemed as though he was a mind-reader. She jumped, startled by a loud hooting nearby. She reared and broke into a gallop, terrified. She suddenly realised what the noise was, and she sighed, slowing down to a trot. She was much more nervous than usual!

She used her magic to check the address on the small scrap of paper. Around here..

She reached the place (at least, she hoped so) and nervously approached the door quietly. She tapped on the door with her hoof, and she stood jittery, waiting for an answer. She couldn't wait to see her coltfriend, but there was no doubt being in an unfamiliar place scared her. Her mane was brushed out down into a long, flowing style that was rippling in the soft breeze. She missed the shore, but this weekend was sure to be delightful. Whisperpaw and Seaspray's relationship was that of such a rarity: there was no need to speak much, and that's why Seaspray always felt so comfortable. It was as though he understood every movement, every single gesture..

She jumped again, startled as she heard faint hoofsteps approaching the door.

[PonyHooves]

After hearing a knock at the door, Whisperpaw picked up his gift for Seaspray. He had raised a baby bunny just for her. He hadn't named it because the stallion believed that she should be the one to name him. The bunny was white with blue eyes. There was a black patch of fur around the bunny's left eye ans it looked as though he was wearing little black socks on. The unicorn couldn't wait to see her face when she saw his little gift for her.

Whisperpaw opened the door. A gentle smile was on his face. He was also blushing bright red. There she was on his door step in all of her gentle glory. He opened the door wider and gestured for Seaspray to come in. She looked radient and full of life. Yet she was as gentle and graceful as a butterfly in mid flight.

"Welcome to my home... I've got something for you." Whisperpaw spoke in a gentle whisper.

[CrimsonNova]

Seaspray straightened her mane as she waited for Whisperpaw to answer the door. She jumped a little when the door opened, but she was soon smiling as she saw her black-pelted coltfriend standing before her.

She moved forward slowly into his home, pecking him a kiss on the snout and nuzzling him as she walked in. "Something.. for me?"

Seaspray moved into his warm and comfortable home, keeping close by his side, and tilting her head. She hadn't thought about bringing a gift.. She wondered if she should have, but she decided not to dwell on it, just yet. "You s-shouldn't have.."

[PonyHooves]

"I know you don't like saying goodbye to animals... So I raised a baby bunny for you and now I want you to have him as a pet." He replied in a tone so gentle.

The tiny baby bunny hopped out from behind Whisperpaw's ears. He hopped towards Seaspray and rubbed his tiny head against her hoof. Whisperpaw smiled. It seemed as though the bunny he'd raised since birth, was taking well to his new mistress. But the unicorn knew that the bunny would instantly take to her. Seaspray was a gentle and sweet natured pony. Bunnies were naturally gentle creatures. Whisperpaw rarely heard of a bunny that wasn't like that. He hoped that she would like it. The stallion did have his owl to keep him company. Except... Epistola still hadn't returned to him. He missed that barn owl dearly. But Whisperpaw knew that he was wild and would leave someday.

Whisperpaw put that sad thought to the back of his mind as he quietly shut the door behind Seaspray. She was his first fillyfriend. He hoped that one day she would be he wife. However, the stallion didn't want to rush the relationship. Nopony wants to feel rushed. Even though they shared so many feelings, he wanted to take her out on several dates before even considering engagement. But if she wanted to marry himat an early stage, he would be more than happy to. He just loved her so much. Whisperpaw nuzzled her softly before kissing her in a gentle manner. It seemed as though they were made for each other.

[CrimsonNova]

Seaspray gasped as the baby bunny appeared, as if out of nowhere. Her eyes widened as it nuzzled her hoof. She bent down to nuzzle the bunny, and she could feel her eyes tearing up. She looked up to Whisperpaw, hardly daring to believe. "You did this.. for me?" She was so touched. It was as if they'd known each other forever, he knew her so well. She had longed for a permanent pet for such a long time, and it was clear that Whisperpaw had noticed this.

She wrapped a forehoof around her coltfriend gently and hugged him, too shy to say anything else, but a quiet "Thank you." She nuzzled the bunny again, smiling from ear to ear. She looked up again to Whisperpaw. "Does he have a name? Oh he's so c-cute!.."

She was having a hard time expressing her emotions, but that was nothing new to her. She wasn't a pony of many words, and that's why she and Whisperpaw got along together so well, she supposed. She took the bunny up onto her back, using her magic carefully so as not to jolt, scare or hurt him. She smiled, her eyes still watery. "I can't believe you'd d-do such a thing for m-me."

[PonyHooves]

"I'd do anything for you..." Whisperpaw replied with a smile. "And I decided that you should name him... He's your pet. I was just raising him so he would be ready for you."

The stallion could tell that his fillyfriend had really taken to his little suprised. It made him feel as though he was over the moon. Whisperpaw loved Seaspray's smile. All he wanted was to make her happy. Her joy to have a pet made him think of Epistola again. Epistola the owl was just like a pet to him. But he was gone. The stallion was used to let him fly freely. But he always came back. But, after a moment of thought, Whisperpaw remembered that the owl also sent letters to and from his aunt's house. Perhaps the owl was carrying him a letter from her. With that thought, he was as happy as can be once again.

[CrimsonNova]

Seaspray smiled widely, and all her nerves seemed to dissipate. She felt so at ease with Whisperpaw, and she felt there was no place she'd rather be right now, not even by the shore. Her imagination then flared up, as the perfect name sprung to mind. "Domino."

She giggled girlishly - something that was unlike her, but she was so happy at being with Whisperpaw again, that she didn't care. "What do you think? Is it a g-good name?" She asked, the question half directed at the bunny himself and half to Whisperpaw.

Suddenly, a sharp pain seared through the place on her head where the scar from her childhood accident was. She winced, but tried not to make a big deal. She knew it was only happening because she was trying to remember something important. She racked her memory, only resulting in a worse headache. She shook her head and smiled weakly at Whisperpaw. "Do you mind if I put my saddlebags s-somewhere? They're irritating m-me - oh!" she had just remembered , and her headache vanished.

"Didn't you say you had a p-pet owl? Is he nearby? I'd love to meet him!"

[PonyHooves]

"Sure, you can put your saddle bags anywhere." Whisperpaw replied. "And Domino is a great name."

He slipped off her saddlebags for her and placed them down in the corner of the room by a coat hook. Whisperpaw had noticed her wince only moments earlier. Then she seemed perfectly fine. Whisperpaw dismissed it as the saddlebags must have been giving her back pain.

"Didn't you say you had a p-pet owl? Is he nearby? I'd love to meet him!"

She'd reminded him about his owl, Epistola. Whisperpaw looked at his empty perch in the corner of the room. He wanted his precious bird to come home. But he hadn't seen him, since he sent the bird off to deliver a letter to his aunt in Canterlot. Canterlot was never too far away from Solstice Heights and the bird always arrived home on the same day. So why hadn't Epistola come back home three days ago? It didn't make sense. Whisperpaw wondered if the bird had gone back into the wild or if he was hurt and alone. He couldn't hide the worry and it began to show up on his face.

"He's been missing for three days... I keep wondering if he's gone back into the wild... I did find him in the wild when he was a helpless little baby." Whisperpaw spoke softly. "I wish he would come home..."

[CrimsonNova]

"I'm glad you l-like it. I think it suits him." she laughed softly as she felt the bunny rub against her ear. She was glad when the stallion helped relieve her of her saddlebags and she watched as Whisperpaw's face dropped a little as she mentioned the owl.

She rushed forwards to nuzzle him, concerned. "Three days? Oh, you p-poor thing. You must miss him so much! Would you like to maybe go look for him somewhere?"

She knew exactly what the poor stallion was going through, and she was concerned. She had experienced this all the time, when she had to leave her newfound friends from the sea go back into the wild. She sighed softy and nuzzled Whisperpaw again. It wasn't the same, though, she thought, consdering he'd had his owl for a while, and not just a few days, so it must be heartbreaking for him right now.

[PonyHooves]

Whisperpaw didn't want to worry Seaspray. But even he felt that an owl he'd had for two years, just suddenly going missing, strange. Epistola never wanted to leave him and Whisperpaw knew that. He always kept on trying to set the bird free. But somehow, Epistola always manage to get back into the house. They had a bond that he thought couldn't have been broken. 'Maybe... Maybe he was tired of being a messenger bird... What if he never liked me? No... He's not that kind of owl... He's always been there and he even played with my mane in an affectionate manner. He'd never leave me... Something bad must have happened...' The thoughts kept pouring through his mind. He didn't know which one to listen to.

"You'd... You'd really help me find him?" He replied to her, flattered by her gesture to look for the owl.

[CrimsonNova]

Seaspray nodded eagerly. "O-o course! I know what it's like, and you must miss him so much! Where should we begin?"

She hoped it wouldn't be any place too scary, but she supposed, if she were with Whisperpaw she wouldn't be too frightened. Besides, he knew the area, and he was bound to be confident in his way. What if they did get lost? What if they couldn't find the bird? Would he be upset and lose his way?

Seaspray shook her head to push the thoughts away. "Come on, l-lets get going."

A little niggling pain was back, and she winced once more. What was it this time? Oh, a jacket.. She went to her saddlebags and pulled out a small jacket, which she pulled on quickly, making sure she wouldn't get cold. "Are you r-ready?"

[PonyHooves]

"Ready as I'll ever be." Whisperpaw replied.

Whisperpaw didn't Want his dearest Seaspray to get lost. So he had decided not to gallop. A gentle trot would do. Even if he was worried beyond compare, Whisperpaw couldn't risk losing the only mare he'd ever fallen in love with. He opened the door with his mouth. The stallion was being well mannered as he allowed Seaspray to exit his home before him. Whisperpaw was worried, but he'd never forget to use his manners. His aunt had taught him to never forget his manners; even in a time of great worry.

"Stay close to me... It's easy to get lost out here." He spoke in a caring tone.

[CrimsonNova]

Seaspray scuttled next to Whisperaw, and kept so close, they were in danger of bumping flanks every time they took a step. She was careful not to trip him or hinder him, and her eyes adjusted to the unfamiliar surroundings. She suddenly remembered the bunny, and made sure to use a simple protective bubble spell to keep him firmly seated on her back, should he fall, or try to escape.

They walked in silence, and Seaspray hoped he had some idea of where to look first, and she spoke softly, scared at how loud her voice sounded out here in the quiet. "U-Um, where sh-should we begin?"

She wondered what she would do, supposing they didn't find the owl. How would she comfort him? Would he be inconsolable? She smiled a little at him, and spoke in a tone so gentle and soft, it was almost a whisper. "Please don't worry, I'm sure we'll find him somewhere."

[PonyHooves]

http://www.canterlot.com/topic/8514-midnight-sun-final/

In the distance, a tiny foal trotted towards Whisperpaw. She had a very angry look on her face. She was also using magic to hold what looked like an exhausted owl. The foal immediatly recognised Whisperpaw and headed towards him. However, she didn't have a clue who the mare was. But she didn't have time to think about the small things. She had his owl. His owl had flown to Manehatten and was too lazy to fly back again. The paint foal stopped in front of Whisperpaw.

"I believe this is your bird. It's got a letter in it's beak. Too Lazy to fly home indeed! It flew to my home in Manehatten but when I told it to lead the way, it was taking a nap. Even a mail mare can send letters faster than that pathetic excuse for a bird." She grunted and complained.

Whisperpaw sighed. The last pony he wanted to see would be his own cousin. She was such a stuck up snob of a foal. He looked at Seaspray. "Seaspray... This is my cousin Midnight Sun. I suggest you wear ear plugs until she leaves." He told her. Whisperpaw used his magic to take control and hold Epistola for the complaining litte foal. He was glad to have his bird back though and now he understood why Epistola was gone for such a long time.

[CrimsonNova]

Seaspray jumped a little as she noticed a foal trotting towards them. She hid behind Whisperpaw, until she realised what the foal was carrying. She looked to her stallionfriend, and nudged him, but he didn't seem to notice.

She risked coming out from behind Whisperpaw, and was a little taken aback at his comment.

"Seaspray... This is my cousin Midnight Sun. I suggest you wear ear plugs until she leaves."

Whisperpaw's gentle and kind demeanor had vanished, and she was surprised by the tone of his voice. She moved closer to him and nuzzled him, trying to calm him. She then looked to the foal and managed to stutter out: "H-hello, little o-one."

She was wary of this little foal. Midnight Sun looked as though she would take a bite out of Seaspray, and she didn't doubt the foals ability to beat the timid mare in an argument either.

Oh, I hope there won't be an argument..

[PonyHooves]

Midnight Sun shot a deep stare at her cousin as if she was trying to stare into his sole. The foal was far from close to even liking her cousin. She felt irritated by his presence and she knew the feeling was mutual. Midnight Sun then saw a mare step out from behind her older cousin. This one seemed more frightened than annoyed by her behaviour. However she made an attempt to speak to the foal. But her voice was in a stutter. The foal didn't approve of the nervous stuttering that was being displayed in front of her.

"Stop stuttering mare! By the sound of things you must have never learned to speak correctly and I thought having a cousin who shares his home with filthy creatures was bad enough! But stuttering... Its shameful!" Midnight Sun hissed bitterly.

Whisperpaw couldn't stand the way she was picking at Seaspray. He felt so angry. But his magic wasn't strong enough to force the foal's mouth shut. He could only use it to help little animals. The worst part about it was that she was much better at magic than he was. A little bit too good if anypony asked him. There had to be a reason for the foal to just show up the wasy she did and that letter Epistola was holding, probably answered all of his questions.

"Don't let her get to you..." Whisperpaw told Seaspray as he nuzzled her gently. "Midnight Sun... If you say one more bad thing about my filly friend, I'll take you camping out into the woods where all of the animals live!"

Midnight Sun's ears flattened against her head. She didn't like the idea of sleeping outside on the filthy ground in a tiny tent surrounded by bugs and other dirty creatures. She liked being indoors where it was clean. She looked at the ground. Her eyes were still deeply angered and she looked like she was going to snap at Whisperpaw. However, she said no more.

[CrimsonNova]

Seaspray's eyes pricked with tears as the foal snapped at her, and she tried her hardest to look indifferent, although Whisperpaw's kind, reassuring words did calm her slightly. She could feel Domino on her back, and this gave her a little more strength, and a sudden steely glint appeared in her eye. She was not going to let this foal walk all over her! Especially not in front of Whisperpaw!

She remained silent, and looked from Midnight Sun to Whisperpaw, curious see what they would do next.

At least he has his bird back, she thought, a hint of a smile on her face. Goodness knows that should be some comfort.

[PonyHooves]

"Well... Now that we've found Epistola, my owl, we can head back home." Whisperpaw told her.

He stayed close to Seaspray. Whisperpaw was calm now. Bur he knew what his cousin was like. She was a Manehatten snob who hated to get her hooves dirty. The stallion knew that she thought he was uncouth because of the way he lived. However, he knew that being with his rich aunt, she was treated like royalty and had an attitude to go with it. Whisperpaw wouldn't mind her if she wasn't so insulting towards everypony that didn't act the way she did. He began to lead the way back to his humble home.

Midnight Sun was trailing behind Whisperpaw at a rather slow pace. When she was getting too far behind, she would quicken her pace. The foal didn't want to be left behind. His house may be full of filthy animals. But there weren't as many as there were living outside.

[CrimsonNova]

"Epistola. What a nice name. He's a beautiful bird," Seaspray commented, holding her head high and speaking calmly. She may not know much about anything, but she certainly knew her way around most animals she met. Granted, it wasn't every day she saw an owl, what with living by the shore, but she had encountered them before.

Seaspray walked in silence with Whisperpaw, letting Domino run along beside her. She kept her spell around him, but the bunny didn't show any sign of wanting to run away, and kept close to her. She was so grateful to Whisperpaw, as she was already feeling a strong bond between her animal. She glanced back to the sulky foal, and moved a step closer to Whisperpaw. She spoke softly to him. "What do you suppose the letter says? I mean, I don't want to pry! You don't have to tell me, letters are private things!"

A red tinge appeared on her cheeks, and she lowered her head a little, worried she had offended him by asking.

[PonyHooves]

"I'd tell you if I knew... But its a mystery for this to happen." Whisperpaw replied.

The stallion kindly opened the door for Seaspray to enter before him. He entered his home after her. Whisperpaw used magic to place his exhausted owl back on his perch. Epistola immediatly fell asleep after dropping the letter on the floor in front of Whisperpaw. Whisperpaw picked up the letter and took it out of the envelope. He began to read it.

'Dear Whisperpaw,

I am sorry that this is such short notice. But, she's better off with you. Midnight Sun's behaviour is less likely to improve here in Manehatten as she has picked it up from the other foals at her school. I know you two don't exactly get along because you are opposites. But... Opposites attract and maybe she'll start looking up to you if she spends more time with you.

I am sorry that I caused so much trouble. But I had previously sent a letter to my sister, asking if she can send your owl to me next time it gives her your letter. You must have been awfully worried. She told me how you two have a strong bond and you care quite a lot about this one bird. But, your bird is the only one I've ever known that was a natural hatched leader for foals. Please don't be mad at me for borrowing him.

Just to let you know, I would prefer it if Midnight Sun lived with you. Your a great influence towards little ones. I'm sure she'll warm up to you eventually. And don't worry about her changing schools. I have sorted all of the paperwork out. Since her magic is much more advanced than your magic, I have enrolled her in one of Canterlot's fine schools. She'll start on Monday. Oh and don't let her go alone.

Take good care of her,

Auntie M.'

Whisperpaw gulped. He didn't like the idea of his little cousin living with him. He gave the letter to Seaspray and sighed. This was going to be a long and unpleasant day.

"I don't see what your gulping about... Your not the one who got sent away from your own home!" Midnight Sun made her statement. It was clear that she didn't like her mother's arrangements either.

Midnight Sun wandered off upstairs into the spare room. She didn't want to breathe the same air as her cousin. She wanted to be alone. The foal slammed the door shut; which startled Epistola. However, the owl was so tired, that he went back to sleep. She let out a deep sigh before climbing into the bed. Midnight Sun burried her face in the pillow and screamed, so that nopony could hear her.

[CrimsonNova]

Seaspray took the letter from Whisperpaw,and read through it slowly. She looked up to Whisperpaw and tilted her head. "Perhaps your aunt is right. It might be good for her to stay with you. Of all people, I believe you could be the one to mellow her down a little."

She watched as the foal began to throw her tantrum, and she glanced uneasily to Whisperpaw, and she jumped as the door slammed shut. She gazed at her coltfriend and nuzzled him softly, pecking him on the cheek. She sighed as she felt how tense he was. "I can go back home if I'm intruding, you know."

Seaspray didn't want to go back home. She was happy here with Whisperpaw, and to be honest, she was angry at this foal barging in on their time together, but she knew and understood the reasons why. She hated seeing Whisperpaw wound up like this.

[PonyHooves]

"Your not intruding... My little cousin has always been that way. She doesn't want to know about animals or ponies who open up their homes to animals." Whisperpaw explained. "She likes the stars and making up her own rules."

Whisperpaw had calmed down. His cousin was out of his way. That was good because he didn't want to see her face for a while. She didn't seem to notice that she was saying hurtful things. But the stallion was sensative to her words. As long as she stayed up in the spare room, he felt like he could relax. But when he thought about it, he felt cruel for wanting to keep her locked in that room. He didn't want to seem mean. It was just wrong; even if she was a spoiled brat. She was family to him.

"It will take a while for me to get used to her being around... But that's okay because I've got you by my side. You know how to soothe me and I love you." He spoke to his filly friend. Whisperpaw nuzzled Seaspray softly. The stallion inhaled her scent as he began to caress her beautiful features gently with his horn.

After a while of screaming into the pillow, Midnight Sun kicked the pillow off her bed. Her face was bright red. It seemed as though she was trying to suffocate her self. But she was only trying to relieve her anger without attracting unwanted attention. The tiny foal panted heavily for a few moments as she caught her breath. Her face turned back to its normal shade of blue. Midnight Sun then stared at the floor near the end of her bed. She began to shed a few tears. 'I don't want to be here... This isn't my home... This is Whisperpaw's home. He's not my mother! And... I don't have any friends here. I wonder what mother is doing right now. Does she even miss me?' She began to think as she was already feeling homesick.

[CrimsonNova]

Seaspray smiled a little and tilted her head. "What should we do now? Did you have plans?"

She wondered whether Midnight Sun's presence would effect their time together, but she knew in her heart that if she had enough sense to put her hoof down to the foal, then there shouldn't be a problem.

Seaspray's head now felt soothed, and the painful stabbing pains had ebbed away at last. She smiled again at Whisperpaw. She felt so relaxed and safe with him, and she didn't want that to change now that the foal had arrived. "I love you too."

[PonyHooves]

"Well, I did plan on a picnic. But I have a feeling Midnight Sun won't like it." Whisperpaw replied. "But if we take her to the library first and have her take out any book she wants then she'll let us enjoy the picnic."

Whisperpaw had remembered how much Midnight Sun loved reading. 'If she has a book she likes, then that will distract her and keep her quiet. Maybe she'll stop being such a snob if she sees that I thought about her.' The stallion thought to his self as he smiled. He looked at his exhausted owl and thought about his needs.

"But first, I'll feed Epistola. Some high energy owl mash food will soon perk him up again. He usually goes out hunting for his next meal. But it looks like he'll need a little boost to get him going again." He added after quickly kissing his filly friend on the cheek. Whisperpaw trotted off into the kitchen. He began to mix up the special owl mash formula so that it was just right. He came back into the living room with a bowl full of owl mash. The stallion placed the bowl onto the bowl stand. "When he wakes up, he can have a nice meal. Seaspray, would you like to tell Midnight Sun about going to the library?"

Midnight Sun used magic to close the bed room curtains. She didn't want to be seen by the outside world; not when she was crying. The tiny foal then got off the bed and began to kick the pillow she had kicked off the bed earlier. She didn't understand why her mother had sent her away. The mare didn't even give her a decent reason as to why she was being sent away. Midnight sun rested her rump on the pillow and covered her eyes with her front hooves as she sobbed. 'Maybe... Maybe she doesn't love me any more...' The foal began to think.