On thin ice (Private RP, Opal & Kitsune)

[Opal]

Snapshot opened the door and squinted as the sun reflected off of the snow. The whites and blue tints lightly brushed everything in Ponyville, giving it a cheerful atmosphere. Taking a few steps outside, Snapshot shivered, and quickly put his hooves back inside the building. He wished he could take his fireplace along with him during the short trip, however, he knew that he couldn’t. Snapshot made a quick run through the house, picking up all of the necessary items, (his camera and his tripod) and then headed for the doorway once more, this time fully expecting the cold that would greet his hooves as he planted them in the snow bank outside his house. Walking away from his house, he said hello to a few of the ponies he passed before leaving the town.

As Snapshot wandered, he made his way slowly over to the lake near Ponyville, planning to use the darker blue of the thin ice as contrast to the lighter snow of the surrounding area. Hanging his camera from a tree, he figured a nice place to set his tripod, and started out across the lake. While the ice was sort of thin, he imagined that his light bodyweight wouldn’t do much to break it. He was a very careful pony, after all. Soon enough, he found himself right near the center, and it was the perfect spot to set down the tripod. Taking the device off his back, he set it down right as a resounding *crack* filled the silence. Snapshot jumped at the noise, which proved to be a terrible mistake. As he came down on top of the ice, it split into four or five large chunks, tossing him into the frozen pond. Snapshot’s head went a couple of feet under the water, and he swam to the top, trying to catch a breath. He was unable to, though, when two pieces of ice smashed right where his head was about to be, closing off any chance at air. Unable to hold his breath much longer, Snapshot passed out, unconscious.

[Kitsune]

The reaction was immediate. Realizing the ice had cracked, everypony in earshot turned their head to see where the crack had come from, just in time to see the photographer pony fall in. Quickly everypony got off the ice, and approached the crack from the safety of solid, snowy ground. Two of the unicorns threw the ice away, but without a clear line of sight there was no way to grab the pony and drag him out, and certainly nopony could keep conscious in the cold for much longer than a few seconds. Quickly a bigger hole was cut, and a number of unicorns got to work heating up the lake, but it wouldn't be enough. Somepony would have to go in and fish him out.

Snowball had been in the back of the crowd all this time, the one pony with no coat or snow boots. But as a majority of the group left to retrieve more help, the filly was able to get closer and closer to the hole in the ice, until at last she was standing before it. Taking a deep breath and holding it, she gathered her courage, and - without telling anypony that she might be able to save him - jumped in.

The cold didn't affect her body, but the water did make her wings uncomfortably heavy on her sides. Moreover, the lake, although about 15 feet at its deepest point, was mostly quite shallow and had no hidden dangers in its depths, but that made the darkness no less... well.. dark. Still, he couldn't have gotten too far, and so Snowball was able to find the pony fairly quickly. Getting him out, though, was another story. She could push of the lake floor with all her strength, which might get him above water - she imagined she was about seven feet under here judging from the light, then hopefully kick herself up to the surface. She didn't have much time to think, though - she was running out of time, as was he.

Thankfully the unicorns at the surface had caught him the first time he broke the surface - Snowball didn't think she could do that again, not with her lungs beginning to strain for air like they were. Kicking her hind legs in desperation, she forced herself up, sticking a hoof up before she felt an aura about her body. There was a pull on her body, and she was out.

"Is... is he alright...?" she asked, panting from the effort. She was going to be feeling this tomorrow, but as long as he was alright...

[Opal]

"Heck, I dunno," one of the unicorns told her. "But there's nothing else for you to do here, kid. Run off to your parents or something." They turned away from the filly, dragging Snapshot along with them. Taking him back to Ponyville, they placed him in the corner of a shed until proper treatment could be given. There he stayed the night, still unconsious.

Snapshot woke from his slumber with a fly on his nose. Turning over, he threw up a stomach-full of water into the corner where he had been laying. His body was completely numb, he had no idea where he was, and he felt plain terrible. Not knowing what else to do, he fell back into a deep sleep, rolling over into a more comfortable position, not that there was a comfortable one to begin with.

[Kitsune]

(After taking a moment to take in the fact that Snowball just saved Snapshot's life and the only thing they could think to say was "go home kid"...)

Snowball lay on her back on a small snowbank on the lake's edge, panting for breath as she slowly recovered from the ordeal. It hadn't been cold for her - in fact it was almost semi-comfortable once a pony got over the fact that it was really dark down there. Her wings were wet, her coat was wet, and even if she couldn't feel it she knew that she too had to get somewhere warm as quickly as possible.

~~~~~~~~~

Thankfully Twilight had been hospitable enough to let her in for a cup of tea, even using her magic to dry Snowball off as she walked inside. Apparently, according to what she heard, Snapshot had been placed in a heated shed and given basic first-aid. Tomorrow Nurse Redheart would be making a house call to the shed to see if he needed further care. Nodding, Snowball finished her tea, thanked Twilight for her hospitality, and flew up to her home. Tomorrow she would try to pay Snapshot a visit...

[Opal]

Nurse Redheart entered the shed, and stared in astonishment. So this is where they keep sick ponies these days, she thought to herself. It's amazing the grey pony in front of her didn't die from some sort of infection, it was so filthy. Shed was definately the correct word for this place, although heated was sort of a strech. Turning the stallion over, she checked his pulse, and made a note to get him out of this dump as soon as it was possible. Unfortunately, the hospital was way too overcrowded at the moment to take in any more ponies, but as soon as a spot opened up she would bring him there. The most she could do at the given time was provide a heated pad for the stallion to sleep on, which seemed to ease his pain a bit. Walking out of the shed, she turned to catch one last glimpse of the pony, hoping she could move him out in time to do any good.