"So one thing that I've been wondering is, how were you able to run past me the day we met on the train? I've never met anyone without wings who was faster than me."

Little Strongheart giggled at her friend's boasting and replied, "It is nothing, really. I have always been the fastest in my tribe ever since I was young, and because of my speed I always lead the offensive against the Appleloosans."

"Well, ya definitely caught me by surprise!" The cyan filly smiled, and the two friends shared a laugh. Rainbow Dash decided to fly out to the plains near Appleloosa and visit her new friend Little Strongheart's village to spend the day with her. The pair decided to have a friendly race later on in the day, but currently Rainbow was helping the young buffalo with some village chores, like collecting berries for the buffalos to use as food and face paint.

The two trotted side by side underneath the hot desert sun, searching the dust for any signs of berry bushes. Rainbow beamed excitedly across the barren ground. "Oh! Found a bush!" She flew over to the prickly flora and picked a few hoof-fuls of berries and dropped them into the bag strapped across her back. "Seriously though," she continued as she flew back to her friend, "When I first saw you, I thought you were too bulky to have that kinda speed. I don't know how you can flip through the air like that carrying all that weight!" She waved her hooves in amazement.

"Oh…sorry," She smiled nervously as the little buffalo frowned at her.

"Apology accepted," Little Strongheart nodded, and stated, "Well, we buffalo are naturally big-bodied and bulky. I just spend a lot of time running and practicing my somersaults, and I guess it's made me really agile." She smiled at the Pegasus. "I'll show you just how agile when we get back to the village."

Rainbow Dash smirked and flew up into the sky, hoof pumping, "AaaallllRIGHT!"

"Chief, we're back, and we found a bounty of berries!" Little Strongheart announced to the large buffalo, trotting happily up to him and dropping her basket of brightly colored berries.

"Ah, thank you Little Strongheart, and thank you, Rainbow Dash. We most appreciate the two of you venturing out and replenishing our berry supply." Chief Thunderhooves smiled down at the pair, and gently nuzzled the young calf in adoration. The other three great buffalo who were sitting and conversing with the chief nodded their appreciation as well.

"Alright, alright, you're welcome." Rainbow hurriedly dropped her basket in front of the group, then took to the skies, flying in excited circles. "Come on, 'Heart, let's get racing already! I don't have all day you know!"

Little Strongheart laughed at the filly. "Such an impatient Pegasus! Okay, let's race, Rainbow Dash! We'll start at the edge of the village and end at the Appleloosa city limits." She started to run over to their starting position, with Rainbow flying around and distracting her, and they burst out laughing as they prepared to begin the race.

"You're no match for these wings, baby!" The rainbow-maned Pegasus bragged, flapping her cyan wings and extending her feathers. She pawed at the dusty earth. "So you better warm up those hooves 'cause-hey, what's that?" She paused, and raised an eyebrow.

"Do not try to chicken out now, Rainbow Dash!" Little Strongheart lowered her head to the ground and stuck her bottom up in the air, ready to push off and zoom into full speed. "You have to take this like a big pony…uh, Rainbow Dash? Where'd you go?" The little buffalo raised her head and looked around quizzically, shocked at finding that her racing partner had disappeared into thin air.

Suddenly she heard soft snickering, and turned behind her. She saw the pony kneeling down near a teepee, muffling a laugh and keeping her head low to the ground. The buffalo cocked her head to the side and trotted up to her, loudly complaining, "What are you doing? You were the one who wanted so badly to race me and test my speed. Isn't that what you love doing?"

The only response she received was louder snickering. Rainbow finally turned her head and giggled. "Yeah, it's what I love doing…but it looks like you're in love with something else…more like somepony else!" With that, the cyan filly fell out guffawing, holding her belly and rolling around. Little Strongheart looked in front of her and gasped. It was a ripped picture of the yellow colt Braeburn from Appleloosa. She snatched it up in her mouth and blushed bright crimson. "Um, umm i-it is not what you think! I just wanted a picture of one of the heroes from the battle between the buffalo and the ponies."

"Bahaha! Yeah RIGHT! You have a big pony-crush on Applejack's big cousin Braeburn!" Rainbow burst into another fit of laughter, now crying from the hilarity of it all. "You even keep a picture of him under a rock near your teepee!"

"It is an article from a newspaper in Appleloosa," Little Strongheart squeaked, her cheeks becoming even redder. "That is all!"

The Pegasus just whooped and guffawed louder, until her eyes popped open and she gasped loudly. She popped into the air, wings fluttering wildly. "Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh! You have a big pony-crush on Applejack's big cousin Braeburn! But-but how does that work? He's a pony and you're a buffalo and he's older and he lives in a town and you live in the wilderness-"

"RAINBOW DASH!" The buffalo shouted, waving her hooves crazily in the air. This seemed to quiet her down for a moment. Little Strongheart sighed and looked to the ground sadly. "That's just it. We are from different worlds, and Braeburn does not even know of my crush on him. And then there is Chief Thunderhooves and the tribe…they are so stuck on tradition. There is no way they would accept or understand my love for a pony." Her eyes welled up with tears.

Rainbow frowned sadly and floated down to her friend, enveloping her in a great big hug. "Oh, 'Heart, I am so sorry. I didn't know it was like that. Well, I promise to help you figure all of this craziness out. After," her eyes twinkled mischievously, "we have our race."

To be continued…