Sunflash the Mace straightened up from his labors, arching his mighty back. Little Apple Bloom and her two friends, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, imitated his movements impishly.
"That's enough apples for one day, good work!" Sunflash said, winking at the ponies.
"An' there's lots of apples left fer another time," Apple Bloom put in.
"Ee-yup," said Big Mac who was also there.
The big badger looked around at the Apple family's orchard. Sunflash had worked hard alongside his friends. He liked cultivating the land, finding he had a natural flair as a farmer.
Sweeping the Cutie Mark Crusaders up with both paws, Sunflash deposited them on top of the basket of apples they had gathered. With a single swing he lifted the basket onto one shoulder and strode off back toward Applejack's house. Sunflash's deep voice blended harmoniously with those of the Crusaders as all four of them sang the riddle song:
"Arm not alas sand, way south in the west,
So star land a mat, there's where I love best,
Sand not as alarm, lone seabirds do wing,
And alas most ran, list to me while I sing."
Rainbow Dash was sunning herself on a cloud near the house. Applejack came out, saying "Bright ole day out here, ain't it?"
Sunflash marched up, nodding to one and all. Carefully he lifted the basket down, with the Crusaders sitting atop. "Some nice apples in here for you, Applejack," he said. "How's the store chamber coming along?"
Applejack pawed dust from her eyes with her hoof as she answered, "Near done, Ah'm just about finished. Lined it with those rock slabs ya found last winter."
Granny Smith came out with a pie. "Mm, is that apple and blackberry?" Sunflash asked. He sniffed the aroma, his gold-striped face alight with pleasure. Apple and blackberry was his favorite.
"Come away, sugar cubes, you'll burn yore muzzles off again' that hot thang." Granny shooed Apple Bloom and her friends off as they crowed round to smell the pie. "That pie is supposed t' be fer the feast tonight anyway."
"Can't wait for that!" Rainbow cried excitedly. "Will there be apple cider?"
"Yeah, we know how much ya love yore cider," said Applejack. "Don't worry, there'll be lots an' lots o' cider."
Rainbow licked her lips.
On the sward outside the Apple family's dwelling, the older creatures lay about, watching the young ones play. Sunflash stretched luxuriously and set his back against the sun-warmed rocks as he watched the Cutie Mark Crusaders trying to lift his mace between them.
"Twill be many a long season before they can lift my mace," he said. "Let us hope that they never have to. Learning the trade of a warrior and living in times of danger can rob a young creature of all its happy seasons and make it grow up fast and hard, as I did. Peace is a precious thing."
"You look pretty peaceful right now," said Rainbow Dash.
The badger had a distant look in his dark eyes. "Oh, I do like the life here. I am happier in this place than I have ever been, and I wish I could stay here in Ponyville forever."
Rainbow spread her wings at the happy scene surrounding them. "Why can't ya? Everypony here loves you."
Weighing his words carefully, Sunflash explained. "Listen to what I must say, friend. If I stayed here it would mean great trouble, possibly death for those around me. Make no mistake, if I make this place my home, then one day Swartt Sixclaw will turn up here with his army. But even if he did not, my warrior spirit would grow restless and I would need to go and seek him out. We are sworn lifelong enemies, he and I."
"Fair enough," said Rainbow Dash. She was silent for some time, but when she next spoke, there was an uncharacteristic note of seriousness in her voice. "But when you do return to face your enemy, the six-clawed ferret, I will be standing right by your side."
"Of course," replied the badger. "In the short time I have known you, Rainbow Dash, I can tell that you are different from the rest of these peaceful, simple pony folk. You possess the soul of a true warrior, just like me."
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had tired of trying to lift the heavy mace. They now sat nearby, hero-worshipping Sunflash and Rainbow Dash.
"Maybe we could git our cutie marks fer bein' warriors like Sunflash the Mace," said Apple Bloom.
"You know, I think I look a bit like Rainbow Dash," said Scootaloo. "Except for being smaller and a different color."
"Course ya do. Ah'm like Sunflash- pretty quiet an' very brave- or Ah will be when Ah'm older. Just wait an' see."
"Come on, mateys," said Sweetie Belle. "Let's go out into the woods and see if there are any ferrets and vermin to fight. We can slip away quietlike."
