Survival

[Neikos 968]

As soon as she had quit the bush she started to question herself, mostly about what she was doing and if she was crazy... she replied to herself that she couldn't let Cloud just like that, should anything happen... she quickly shook her head and turned her head. The bears were now following her, and quickly approaching too! She was no runner so she has to quickly think of something or risk getting mauled... She closed her eyes and concentrated. Her real body would disappear for the bears, and instead there would be now two ponies running into another direction. She hoped that she managed to also trick their noses... One bear quickly chased after the replicas she creates, while the other one did not seem to be interested by them, it turned out to be the female. Blanc was standing still, invisible to the bears eyes but visible to Clouds's. The bear was just a few meters away from her right now and she was not moving...

[Strong Hooves 289]

Cloud was frozen, he saw Blanc just ahead of one of the bears, but the bear didnt seem to see her. The bear looked around, scanning the ground for where the pony had disappeared to, she could still smell Blanc, but smelling didnt mean anything if she couldnt see the pony. In an aggravated huf, the bear turned and ran after where the other bear disapeared to. Cloud breathed a huge sigh of relief and trotted toward Blance, a look of absolute relief shown on his face .

[Neikos 968]

Blanc would make the replicas run far away before they disappear. She also sighed out of relief. Her coat was completely drenched out of fear. She then sat down, shaking a lot.

[Strong Hooves 289]

Cloud saw her shivering, out of concern and other feelings he couldnt quite unterstand, he set down his load of apples and trotted over to her. He wrapped her in a tight hug, not caring that she was drenched, just relieved that she was safe. "Its ok Blanc... dont be scared... Im here" he told her gently

[Neikos 968]

Blanc blinked as he hugged her, she didn't move at first but would soon blush to a bright red, she wasn't sure how to react, should she hug him back? Was this a good Idea? What if something happens? In the end she was completely overwhelmed from her feelings... earlier the fear from the bear, she had never encountered a hostile one from so near, and now his hug. She certainly liked him, perhaps even more than she might admit to herself, but something's holding her back, she didn't know what though. She would then just stay in his hooves, waiting, calming down, and feeling safe. In the end she also managed to tell him lowly, "Thank you..."

[Strong Hooves 289]

Cloud smiled as she spoke, looking into her eyes as he did. He slowly released her when she stopped shivering and said gently, "Come on... lets get back..." he turned to pick up the apples once more, and waited until Blanc was next to him before walking back to the overhang...

[Neikos 968]

The mare nodded, she would have wanted to help him carry but was unable to concentrate right now. She did walk next to him though, silently, glancing towards him from times to times, making her heart jump each time... Once they arrived at the overhang she felt already better and asked him, "Where do we put the apples?"

[Strong Hooves 289]

Cloud looked around, trying to find a place that would not get the apples dirty or spoil them. getting an idea, he set the apples on a grassy part of the ground and looked for sticks that littered the ground. He gathered as many as he could find, then looked for vines that grew alongside the stones on the mountain. He then tried to weave the roots to bind the sticks and make a makeshift basket, him having hooves though, made it very difficult. Giving up, he turned to Blanc, "Do you think you can bind these together? I cant do it on my own"

[Neikos 968]

Blanc would nod, happy that she was able to help. She would use her telekinesis and the sticks were quickly bound together, "I remember this from the 'Wrap Up." she would tell him as she finished, placing the makeshift basket on the ground.

[Strong Hooves 289]

Cloud smiled and placed the apples in the basket, "Well good thing you remembered" he said happily. He then grabbed two apples, one for him and one for Blanc. Biting into his apple, he walked over to the edge of the overhang and sat down looking over the land. He saw storm clouds beginning to form on the horizon.

[Neikos 968]

She would follow him, her apple in her mouth. Once she was next to him she would sit down, quietly eating her apple, also seeing the storm brewing further away. "Think it's going to come this way?"

[Strong Hooves 289]

Cloud thought a moment, looking to his right, he saw a large rock, climbing up to the top, he felt the wind blowing, also smelling the air as well... "Yep... coming our way... heavy rains.... some lightning... nothing too serious at the moment though". he climbed back down rejoining Blanc, "the storm wont reach us in the overhang, but we may want to stay near the back tonight just in case". he then looked back to the clouds, then asking Blanc, "So are you doing ok? You were pretty shaken after distracting those bears..."

[Neikos 968]

Blanc nodded, "I am doing... better.", she had never been as scared in her life as at that moment. "I thought for a moment I dropped my spell...". She gulped and would bite off another piece of the apple. "But at least we got the apples for now..."

Edited February 16, 2012 by Neikos

[Strong Hooves 289]

Cloud smiled, playfully nudging her, "Well I'm just glad you didnt drop that spell... that was a pretty gutsy move back there" he smiled at her. He realized there was more to her, something he never realized, and he was beginning to like being with her...

[Neikos 968]

Blanc smiled feebly, "Thanks.", she would then finish her apple, wondering what she could do with the stem, she actually never eats.

[Strong Hooves 289]

Cloud finished his apple and threw the core to the ground away from the overhang. He then went to work gathering all loose branches and sticks to bring in the pile so the rain wouldn't soak them. As he finished his last trip, the first raindrops began to fall, Cloud looked to Blanc and said, "Well seems like it's time to head in for the night"

[Neikos 968]

Blanc nodded and would also help with the clean up process, she would then follow the advice he gave earlier and go to the back of the overhang, lying into a corner, looking at Cloud for now. "Yeah, it's getting dark.", she would then say.

Edited February 16, 2012 by Neikos

[Strong Hooves 289]

Cloud started another fire then laid down next to Blanc, intending to keep her warm until the fire grew large enough. He would then leave he with the choice if she wanted to move away from his side or not.

[Neikos 968]

Blanc wouldn't move, although she was not used to somepony being that close to her she still managed to not freak out or anything. So right now she would just lean herself gently agains Cloud and relax, closing her eyes and trying to ignore the storm that is becoming louder and louder.

[Strong Hooves 289]

The storm continued to escalate in violence outside, but the overhang provided great cover from the rain... sadly though, an occasional gust of wind would buffet them with a cold chill. Cloud did his best to keep the wind from hitting Blanc, He extended his good wing so he could use it as a wind block to keep the wind from reaching her. He didnt understand why, but he felt a caring, almost protective sense of her...

[Neikos 968]

Blanc saw the gesture and would thank him for that, not necessarily with her voice, but her gaze would tell him that. She then closed her eyes again to finally fall asleep, still leaning onto Cloud. She was smiling a bit.

[Strong Hooves 289]

Cloud looked into her eyes as she gazed at him, he smiled and laid his head down, soon he was asleep as well...

[Neikos 968]

The storm would deploy its full force a few hours later, the wind and the rain working together, trying to get to the two ponies hiding in the back of an overhang. It seemed though as the rain would stop trying several hours afterwards, the wind also calmed down. Blanc has not been able to sleep troughout the most of the night, Cloud would probably feel her move around. After some time she would then just lie on the ground, hooves in the air, on her back.

[Strong Hooves 289]

Cloud felt Blanc's moving, it kept him awake most of the night as well. He opened his eyes and saw the position she was laying, he couldnt help but chuckle a bit, resting his head on a forehoof, he looked at her and said, "Well... thats a new way for laying down"

[Neikos 968]

Blanc would smile and look at him, "Well it works." She wiggled with her hooves a bit, chuckling. "Got any ideas on what to do? You know to pass time..."