A Crystal Forest Rescue


                                            >Ice Elation lets out a sigh.

                                            >The Crystal Forest, even during daylight, makes her uneasy.

                                            >And a storm is on the way, a bone-chiller.

                                            >So she's rushing, trying to make it to the other side before nightfall

                                            >Wishing she didn't have to wear the glare-reducing goggles that make the dazzling reflections tolerable, but also make it hard to tell what's going on around you.

                                            >Her hooves crunching into the crisp snow and the panting of her breath the only sounds, the wind in abeyance as the storm approaches.

                                            >Making good time, perhaps she wi-


                                            >The abominable walks softly for one so large. Her mane woven with crystal leaves, her mouth holding on to small tree burning at one end, a torch fitting for one of her size

                                            >She heard a shriek in the forest, far off, and even with the sun beginning to set, went out of her cave to rescue the stricken pony

                                            >Already she has had to fend off crystalline wolves, and skitter-bugs fled the flames of her log as they leaped from the high branches

                                            >With true night settling in, she is afraid, afraid she won't make it in time

                                            >Suddenly she hears moaning!

                                            >Charging forward as only one so strong can in the rapidly falling snow, trusting her nose and keen hearing, she hopes she is in time...

                                            >There! A little one!


                                            >"You hear me, little pony?"

                                            >Ice groans, and blearily opens her eyes

                                            >A large hoof prods her

                                            >"LITTLE PONY, WAKE UP!" a frantic and loud voice shouts.


                                            "Wha-"

                                            >"Good, little pony alive. Come, me carry."

                                            >Ice can't really resist and has to be ponyhandled out of the pit she has fallen into

                                            >"You in trap, no want meet trapper"

                                            >That's for sure, thought Ice.

                                            >"You bleeding, strong pony, hold on!"

                                            >Ice passes out, spread on the abominable's back.


                                            >The little one is hardy for her kind, but even so, she's faint

                                            >Thank the stars she was heard.

                                            >Mere wolves couldn't have set that trap...

                                            >The abominable wonders who did while heading back to her cave

                                            >All the while her log begins to splutter and fade...


                                            >Just in time, she reaches her cave, and settles down the little pony.

                                            >Removing her thick and torn coat, the abominable smiles.

                                            >The coat absorbed the worst of it, the blood is from a nasty scrape on the forehead mainly, and similar on the legs.

                                            >She beings to hum while reaching for her herbs and medicines.


                                            >Ice wakes. She sees a scarred abominable's face looking at her, a crude eyepatch over one eye.

                                            >Understandably, she jolts in fear.

                                            >"Ha! Little one find me scary!"

                                            >But the abominable looks aside.

                                            >"Me name Scar Eye. Scary, scar eye. Hurr hur. But me save you!"

                                            >And smiles again at Ice.

                                            "Thank you, Scar Eye! Sorry for flinching...you are a bit, well..."

                                            >"SCARY!" shouts Scar Eye, who jumps up and down.

                                            >Ice laughs.

                                            >"You stay in me cave, rest up. Me make new coat!"

                                            >Ice sees a "coat", more like a simple cloak with a crude wooden clasp

                                            >"Made from sheddings, warm!" explains Scar Eye.


                                            >Ice hugs Scar Eye's leg.

                                            >Scar Eye is the one to jump this time.

                                            >But she crouches down and hugs Ice back.

                                            >"Little pony need be careful. Crystal wood no safe, no time".

                                            "I wouldn't have made such a mistake if I wasn't rushing to beat nightfall...

                                            >Scar Eye shakes her head.

                                            >"Safer to camp with fire than rush. Learn?"

                                            "Learn...yes, I've learned."

                                            >Scar Eye beams, and hugs Ice hard.

                                            "Ow ow, I'm hurt"

                                            >"Oh, me sorry", Scar Eye backs off, rubbing back of her head embarrassed.

                                            ---

                                            "And that's why I lost the coat you made me, Bundle"

                                            >"Ok....nearly dying excuses you".

                                            "Oh come on"

                                            >"Only teasing. That abominable coat suits you, not many white abominables."

                                            "Yeah. Scar Eye wasn't that scary."

                                            >"Ooh, did you like her?"

                                            >"BUNDLE!"

                                            >Ice's sister, Cold Shoulder, sat listening to this exchange, just snickers, glad her sister is safe home again.