Her eyes threatened to close. Snuffing out the candles, she took Winter Blossom and both ponies climbed onto the bed. Soft mattresses bounced under them as they settled themselves. With a pull from her magic, Cadence pulled the sheets over them, and brought Winter close to her, embracing the already sleeping filly. Winter's light breathing, resounding against her chest, the soft breeze that entered by the half opened window and the cozy bed conjugated with her tired body to pull Cadence into a deep sleep.
Cadence awoke to the sound of heavy rain hitting against the roof. Feeling a strange emptiness, she looked down to find Winter Blossom's absence from her side. Stretching her limbs, she let out a big yawn and left the bed, seeing the window closed, blackened by the rain. She took a brush from a case and went towards the bathroom to clean herself, listening to the sounds of the family moving downstairs. Once satisfied, she put the brush aside and made her way through the stairs, reaching the kitchen, where everypony was already sitting.
"Mornin', Sugarcube!" called out Applejack, sitting exactly in front of the kitchen's entrance. Her words were echoed by all the family sitting down and smiling at her. Winter Blossom left her chair next to Apple Bite to rush over to Cadence and hug her; Cadence returned the hug.
"Good morning, Winter," said Cadence, ruffling her smiling daughter's mane.
"Hi, mommy! Today we're having delicious pancakes!" announced the filly, whose white lips dripped honey.
"And you're imitating cousin Apple Bite?" She levitated a napkin from the table, using it to clean Winter's snout with tender care. She tossed the dirty napkin to a basket in the corner. "Do as you were taught." The filly nodded and ran back to her place, while Cadence sat next to Apple Bloom, reaching for a plate of pancakes with syrup. The constant, loud rain made for a particularly peaceful breakfast as they all ate slowly, with only the occasional comment passing through.
After their meal was over, Cadence accompanied Winter and Apple Bite to the bathroom to wash their teeth and then she saw both foals running to the top floor to play one of Apple Bite's games. She headed towards the main door, passing across the kitchen where Apple Bloom and Bon Bon were putting order. Big Macintosh and Applejack had raced to the barn in order to do a check up on the machinery. In front of the door, only thick, loud raindrops fell, muddying the soil. The air had still a certain warmth, clashing with the humidity, which made Cadence feel a little uncomfortable.
Closing her eyes, she pictured a warm, bright day, not a simple task with the cold feeling on her coat and the constant hit of the rain against the earth. She walked through Canterlot, making her way among the crowds of ponies that populated the city's loudness. Her gaze swept the crowds, in which ponies traveled in groups, pairs or by themselves. Some went around in a hurry. Others walked around at a normal pace and others went slowly, chatting with somepony or peeking at the shops. She walked down a couple of blocks before noticing a couple crossing among the sea of ponies; both were young unicorns of a certain standing, as they were well dressed. They walked next to each other, though without actually touching, and their gazes were set on their front, avoiding each other's eyes except to cast a brief glance towards the other, glance which would intersect sometimes, causing them to blush and quickly look away from each other.
She followed the shy couple as they strolled forward, making sure to keep a certain distance from them. They walked with seemingly no destination on mind, and only brief words were exchanged between them, until finally stopping at a small park, choosing a bench covered by the shadow of a huge palm. Following them a couple of minutes later, Cadence stopped behind the palm and looked at the couple, who were just watching the scenery. She then, with a grin crowning her lips, pointed her horn at them, shooting a wave of hearts which covered the shy couple. Their eyes shone and they turned to look at each other. She smiled widely and he moved closer to her entwining both of their necks together.
Cadence smiled, feeling the warm sensation that invaded her chest every time she helped a happy couple begin to rise from her stomach.
A shadow of that very same feeling warmed her chest slightly, but nowhere near enough to counteract the chills that the rain gave her. Her ears perked up when she heard somepony talking.
"Winter, Bite, come to drink chocolate! You too, Cadence!" called Apple Bloom's voice from the kitchen. Cadence threw a last glance towards the rain falling outside and closed the door, before entering the kitchen, where Apple Bloom and Bon Bon had put several steaming cups on the table. Right after she sat down, loud hoofsteps were heard coming from the stairs and Winter came in, followed by her cousin.
"I love chocolate! Thank you, aunt Bon Bon, sisApple Bloom!"
The older earth pony smiled at the white filly, motioning for the two foals to take their seats next to Cadence, picking up their cups. Winter let it slip from her hooves, causing it to hit the table, spilling a couple of drops on the table.
"You should let it cool a bit, Winter," said Cadence, taking a sip from her own cup, levitated in her magic. The filly looked at the white cup and then nodded, while her cousin did the same.
"This chocolate is delicious, Bon Bon! I'm having quite a good feeling just from drinking it."
"Oh, but it's my work, Cadence. Ah'm happy ya like it, though!" answered Apple Bloom, enjoying her own creation. Cadence's eyes looked at her in surprise; she then shifted to a contented grin, putting her cup back in the table.
"So you've finally decided to take your hoof at the kitchen? I didn't think I'd see the day, really."
A thin smile graced Apple Bloom's lips, as she drank more from the cup. "There were so many times we caused kitchen disasters that ah just wanted a break from it, and then got so tangled in stuff that it was simply forgotten. But Bon Bon here offered to teach me about it and so Ah learnt."
Cadence finished her chocolate cup, feeling the aftertaste of the sweet drink on her throat. "Thank you, Apple Bloom. That was great."
The earth pony smiled, picking up the empty cup. "Ya're welcome, Cadence."
The hours passed calmly, heralded by the rhythm of the heavy rain. By noon, Applejack and Big Mac returned, ready to join a hearty lunch. The grey weather stopped weighing on Cadence's mind as she and Winter laughed and shared with the Apple family. Big Mac set up a fire in the kitchen stove around which all the ponies sat down, talking and relaxing.
"So, Cadence, you're going to visit Fluttershy tomorrow?" asked Applejack, munching on a piece of hay, her blond mane and yellow coat gleaming with the light from the flames. Cadence nodded.
"Yes, she's the only one who I haven't seen that is already here, and it'll be good to see them again." She smiled, thinking of the demure pony and her ever growing family.