The Lake: Part V

>Morning of day five.

>You've spent most of the night trying to rationalize what you did.

>Or rather, what you did not do.

>The two unicorns would have died anyway.  The damage had been done.

>Their stupid killed them.

>You killed Snowflake.

>You drag yourself outside to see how the remaining fluffies are doing.

>It's raining again.

>The two remaining pegasus fluffies don't care.  They're awake and toddling around the island.

>”Where wingie fwiend go?”  “No hide no mo', pway new game wif wingie fwiends!” they say.

>Big sigh.

>The fluffies all survived the night, again.  You're beginning to think they're not quite as stupid as everyone says.

>At least, in some ways.

>You go back in and get your umbrella.

>When you return to the deck, the rest of the fluffies have woken up.

>They graze for breakfast, each one apologizing to the grass when they finish.

>Then they join the pegasus fluffies.

>They also look for the missing 'wingie fwiend'.

>It seems their memories are beginning to improve.

>Maybe they just notice when things vanish now.

>You look over the island and come to a realization.

>They're going to run out of grass soon.

>If they'll graze from the other grove, they should be all right for a while.

>You doubt they will.  Even the fluffies aren't dumb enough to eat where they shit.

>You have a dilemma.

>You could take them in, but you admit to yourself that you have neither the room nor patience for seven of them.

>Hell, your temper couldn't even stand one.

>You could try to catch them, put them back in the crate, and take them to the shelter.

>But for all you know, the shelter is where they came from.  The news this morning even had a story about the rampant overcrowding of fluffy shelters.

>You could buy them food, but then they'd get attached and try to follow you.

>Or, you could let nature cull them.

>Once their numbers dwindle, you could save the survivors.

>You aren't sure you have the stomach for that any longer.

>After Snowflake, the fluffies aren't just dumb little objects you're watching for amusement.

>While you watch them play and hug each other, you decide the shelter option is probably the best one.

>You'll take one when they nap, and see what the situation is down at the shelter.

>If it's all right, you'll return and take the rest.

>With that settled, you return to observing.

>The ground is slippery with rainwater.  The fluffies' stunted hooves offer little grip.

>They can't stop after they get up to speed, and constantly bump into tree trunks.

>A chorus of ”Owwies!” and “Sowwy twee!” fills the air.

>This goes on for at least an hour.  They never seem to get the idea that they have to walk slowly.

>Suddenly, the orange earth fluffy slides off the edge of the sleeping grove and into the lake.

>The water at this end is five feet deep.

>”Hewp!  Hewp!  Wawa cold!  Wawa cold!” she shrieks.

>This time, the other fluffies all rush over to the edge and look down.

>“Wha we do?  Wawa bad fo' fwuffies!” the silver unicorn asks.

>”Do sumfin'!  No mo' wan' fwiends go poofy-bye!” the green pegasus replies.

>The disappearances of their friends actually got through to them.

>My god.

>You have no choice but to act.

>By the time you reach the lake, the orange fluffy is barely treading water.  The rest see you and start jumping up and down.

>”Hewp fwiend!  Wawa be mean to fwiend!” they yell.

>A couple of the dimmer earth fluffies forget about the situation.

>They shout for you to pick them.

>You wade out, then swim to the drowning fluffy.

>The water is freezing.

>Quickly, you scoop up the soggy orange fluffy and take her to the formerly grassy strip.

>The other fluffies mill around your feet, hugging your legs for all they're worth.

>”You hewp fwuffy!”, “Hooman save fwiend!”, “Hooman fwiend!  We wuv you!”

>And those two earth fluffies still want to get picked.

>You feel like a goddamn hero.

>”Fwuffy cold...” the orange one mewls.

>It's still raining.  

>You can't leave her out here.  Her fluff can no longer repel the excess water.

>You take her in, wading back to shore.

>”Hooman no weave us!  Hooman come back!  We be good fluffies!  Pwease go wif you!” they all scream.

>Even bigger sigh.

“I'll be back, okay?  Just take a nap in your box, it's dry there.”

>They refuse, continuing to scream for you as you enter your house.

>It takes six towels to get her dry, and two more for yourself.

>The orange fluffball hugs your leg as you throw towels into the hamper.

>”Fank you fo' hewp fwuffy,” she coos.

>She goes toddling around in your living room while you find your keys.

>Once you get her in the car and start driving, she makes all sorts of stupid noises.

>”Go fast!”  “Vwoom!”

>You arrive in town, but it takes you a few minutes to find the shelter.

>You walk in with the wiggling, babbling orange fluffy in your arms.

>The place looks nice enough, anyway.  From beyond the hole in the wall where the reception desk is, you hear a constant stream of baby-talk.

>The orange fluffy's eyes are wide.  “New fwiends fo' fwuffy?”

“I hope so.”

>There's nobody at the desk, so you set the orange fluffball down and ring the bell.

>She immediately waddles over and starts playing with some blocks in the corner.

>”Bwocks!  Bwocks!” she giggles.

>Finally, someone appears at the desk.

>”Sorry about that, changin' the water in the cages takes a while.  What can I do for you?” she asks.

“Found a stray.  Almost drowned in the lake, had to jump in and get her.”

>”Wawa bad fo' fwuffy!” she whines.  You pick her up and show her to the lady.  She whines some more as her stubby legs reach out for the blocks.

>”Whoa, I've never seen one this color!”

“Just out of curiosity, is this one of those overcrowded hellholes I've heard about?”

>She smiles at your concern.  “Come on, I'll let you see for yourself.”

>She walks out of sight.  Soon, a door to your left opens and she beckons you to follow.

>After going down a hall and turning right, you're in the cage room.

>The left wall has rows of metal cages stacked four high.

>Most of the cages only have one occupant.  A couple of cages have two, and only one has three.  Those three fluffies are all the same color blue.

>They all press themselves to the doors when they see you.

>”Pick fwuffy!”,  “Fwuffy wan' pway!”,  “Pwease wet fwuffy out!”

>The orange fluffy in your arms stretches her forelegs out at each fluffy you walk past.

>”New fwiend?  Wan' hug!  Wan' pway!” she says.

>You stop at the cage with the three fluffies.  They shove and push trying to get to you, stubby legs waving through the wire.

>”Pick sissies!  We all go wif you!  Wan' pway togetha!”

“Sissies?”

>”These are triplets,” the woman explains.  “They cry really hard if you try to separate 'em.”

>You are satisfied with the state of the shelter.  Every cage is clean, the water is fresh, and for whatever reason there's bowls full of spaghetti every fucking where.

>”Wan' pway!” the orange fluffy demands again.

“All right, I think she'll be fine here.”

>”Okay.  You're a good soul for not letting her drown,” the woman says.

>She takes the orange fluffball.

>”Wha?  Where you go?”

“I'm going home.  You'll be fine.”

>”No weave fwuffy!  Wuv you!  Wan' go wif you!” she cries as the woman puts her into an empty cage.

>Mega sigh.

“Be a good girl, okay?”

>”Wan' go!  Wan' go!  Pick fwuffy!  Fwuffy be good poni!” she bawls as you walk out.

>”I'll take it from here,” the woman says.  “Thanks for giving a damn.”

>You feel like a hero.  Sort of.

>Even amongst the explosion of 'new fwiend!' and 'hi fwuffy!' from the back, you can still hear the orange fluffy crying for you to take her with you.

>You walk out and drive home.

>The seven fluffy ponies are now six, but at least you don't feel like an ass this time.