Bruised Apples, Lightning Storms

Trust and Truth

She ripped the bandage off without even glancing at the injury, sliding down the ladder of the bunk bed and standing behind me, bouncing up and down, obviously overjoyed at the unexpected invitation. I stood, astounded at the pale pony. Her leg, miraculously healed, was bending and straightening as she bobbed, eagerly waiting for me to take the lead.

That leg had been broken, I knew for a fact. My silent contemplation must have looked weird, me staring at her leg with a glare on my face. It wasn't something I addressed anymore, how I looked when doing things. She faltered, ears drooping.

"Sorry." Her voice was clear, no hesitation or sadness to the declaration, like she believed every word she spoke with a passion. " I'm being weird, huh. "

"Yeah, ya are. Give me your hoof a' second."

Her eyes widened into a look of shock and confusion, and the hardened stare I had adopted for the unfamiliar situation cracked an infinitesimal amount. Hesitantly, she raised a hoof in front of her, holding it out to me, both extremely awkward and anxiously. Other than the fact that she'd used the wrong leg, it was a precious sight.

Shaking myself mentally, I rebuilt my defenses. Did she actually think I was just gonna hold her hoof? Please.

"Other hoof. The one that had the bandages." Realization dawned her face, as did a light red tint. She swapped her hooves in an embarrassed silence, looking intently at the floor, as if pleading for it to cave in.

Whether on purpose or not, she had moved back in terror, and I couldn't reach her from where I stood in the doorway. Huffing my discontent, I stepped towards her outstretched hoof and grabbed it forcefully in my own, making her eyes snap into mine, ridden with panic. Smirking, I yanked her towards me. Yelping with surprise rather than pain, she stumbled forwards. We were now inches apart, and our height difference was explicit; the top of her head resided just below my eyebrow. The tension built as we stared yet again into each other's eyes, like earlier, although this time my motives were practical.

Breaking the connection before it started this time, I traced the leg, pinpointing the spots which had been incapacitated. I had done this before, been up close, her coat accidentally brushing against mine as I bandaged the damages, but this time was much more distracting: as I analyzed, I could see her chest rise and fall, felt the gentle expulsion of breath against my neck. Swiping the impulses away, I refocused my efforts, applying occasional pressure on the spots that had been sensitive, listening for a reaction. Nothing was wrong, other than the fact she was skin and bones, the veins visibly twisted up her leg, to a body in which every bone was visible under a thin layer of pale white skin.

But the leg was healed, as if never broken.

Sighing, I dropped the hoof, blankly turning away from her confused gaze. It didn't make any sense...but then again, neither had she.

I walked to my door frame, pausing to look at Rainbow, signalling for her to follow. She automatically perked up, then stopped herself; half suspicious, half curious.

"Who says I can trust you?"

I shrugged. "No one. Difference is, you're the only other one here."

A glint of something shone behind her eyes, and she trotted firmly, taking her place by my side, barely restrained nerves and excitement in her stance. It was contagious, really, and I felt a bit calmer, knowing we partially trusted each other, at least for the time being.

We were going to have some trouble navigating down the steps, I could already tell. With the added weight of another mare, these steps would cave faster than day-old apple crumble. As I was aware of each particular step to take in order for them to not cave in, it made the most sense for me to go first.