As the sun began to rise the following morning the ears of the young foal twitched in time. Keeping rhythm of the happy song the birds were tweeting. Gently Fluttershy lifted the infant out of the basket as she yawned from a lack of sleep from the night before.
Her mind had been racing with questions she hope to ignore till she spoke with her friends. But the thought of bringing an infant changeling to them, let alone through the town, only made her mind race with more questions. As well as fill her with a bit of fear of what everypony might try to do.
Would they accept the foal though it was a changeling? Would she be shunned for taking him in and caring for him? Would her friends demand that she get rid of him, leaving him to fend for himself?
Fluttershy didn't want to face the worst that would come from taking him through the town. Holding him close to herself she floated into a rocking chair. As she rocked back and forth trying to think of what to do, she felt the infant nuzzle her chest as it yawned.
Slowly it's eyes began to open as it gave a toothless smile, "Hello there sleepy head." Fluttershy greeted him with a warm loving smile.
In that moment she didn't care what anypony thought. As she rocked him she felt the same feeling from last night from when he last fed.
"Oh..." Though she had felt it before it was still rather strange to her, "well you do need to eat."
As the infant finished it yawned once more as it nuzzled her before falling back asleep. Looking around Fluttershy found an old scarf Rarity had made for her. It was far too long and thick to wear most days even in the fall.
Wrapping it around herself, she soon turned to the infant and laid him with in the scarf. It wasn't a naturally made one, but a decent sling for her to carry him around in as she took care of some outside chores.
~*~
It was a wonderful Spring morning. The dew on the ground glistened in the early morning light. A good distance from her cottage Fluttershy could see the early morning fog that often came in.
A gentle breeze greeted her as it passed through the area. Grabbing her canteen she walked towards the outdoor water pump at the end of her home. She was careful as she both pumped and filled the canteen with water, hoping she didn't wake the little one she carried in the sling.
Occasionally he would yawn letting out a faint squeal like most infants do. Walking down the dirt path with the canteen in her mouth, she hummed as she gently rocked the foal. Starting with her garden patch Fluttershy raked up the leaves that had fallen, along with some other refuse that some how managed to get into the garden.
Looking over to her watering pitcher she saw that it had collected some of the morning dew. Gently she spread the water across the garden, ensuring that she tended to the tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, and cabbage. Of the batch some appeared to be ready, but she felt it was best to wait till Applejack came by with more seeds to take any of them.
Tending to the hen house Fluttershy gathered what few eggs there were, as she tidied up their little nests.
As she left the hen house she heard the infant cooing as it sighed, "Why hello there, did you have a nice nap?" He reached out for Fluttershy with a smile.
Raising her hoof she let him hold it between his tiny hooves. He giggle a little as Fluttershy wiggled her hoof in his grasp. Before long his attention was captivated by a butterfly gently floating towards him.
He stared at the tiny creature as it soon landed on his nose. The moment was brought to an abrupt end as the infant sneezed at the butterfly.
Though Fluttershy giggled at the cute little moment, his eyes slowly started to water up from the loos of his new friend, "Oh there, there..." Fluttershy rocked him trying to keep him calm, "it's alright, I'm sure he'll be back before too long."
~*~
Finishing the last of her tasks, Fluttershy felt the foal growing fussy. To her it was a clear sign he needed another nap, but was refusing to go to sleep. Regardless of how long she cradled and sang to him.
Going back into her cottage she pulled one of the many children's books off the shelf. Each one she had carefully picked out over the years for her animals, each one for a different reason to help them sleep. Stormy nights, restless nights, even when they had their own little nightmares and were to scared to go back to sleep.
Pulling him out of the sling as she sat in a rocking chair, Fluttershy opened the book showing the little foal a picture of somepony
Clearing her throat she began, "Once upon a time there lived a young farmer to tended to the land. Galant was his name, and oh so cheerful was he. His harvest was grand, the flock he cared for all wandering the land." Turning the page she gently rocked in the chair watching how he stared at the images on the pages.
For a time she continued reading about the area he lived, "Then one day he was approached by a traveler carrying many kinds of wares. The traveler spoke unto him with a cheerful glee, 'I have traveled the world seeking out those who are in need. You my fine stallion, yes you there indeed are in quite good need.' He shouted his voice echoing around them, 'But I have what you seek, yes I do indeed.' He pulled from his wagon a sword none had ever seen, 'I give this to you, for it is what you need.'"
The young foal smiled at how the sword seemed to shine even in just the art itself, almost as if it was alive before him. He let out a bit of gibberish as he patted the image of the sword with his hoof.
Fluttershy giggled as he looked up at her, "That's right, that sword is very special. See, even the traveler says it is." She continued to read, "The Galant turned down the sword saying he was a farmer not a soldier and suggested the traveler take it into town. Alas the traveler chuckled as he waved his hand, 'Give it to those children who know not their own loyalties I think not. This sword was forged through ancient magic. A hero much like yourself gave up his own soul to the metal so that only one like himself my wield it, adding a few drops of dragons blood and runes to seal it. This blade cannot harm a living thing, and yet it is the most powerful weapon in all the world. Take it young hero as it was always yours since you were born.' Having the sword forced into his hooves Galant looked up only to find the traveler was gone."
Turning the page Fluttershy heard him yawn as he snuggled against her chest. Slowly she rocked as she continued the story. A few pages in the infant began to dream that he was the farmer with that sword, and how it was used to vanquish evil.
As he slept Fluttershy set down the book and carried him up to her room. Gently she laid him down in the basket covering him up as he let out an exhausted coo.
Giving him a little kiss she whispered, 'Sleep well little one.'
Sneaking out of her own room she went back down stairs to clean what little required it.