//------------------------------//
// Appledashery.ru 
// Story: Appledashery 
// by Just Essay 
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	"Why do they call it a 'thicket,' anyway?"  Pinkie Pie remarked, her muzzle scrunched.  "Doesn't look any thicker than the other woods we've passed uphill!"

"Pinkie!  Shhhh!"  Twilight Sparkle pointed.  "We've spotted something!"

"Trixie sees it," Trixie droned.

"Where?"  Pinkie leaned her fluffy head in, blinking.  "Where is it?"

"Over there," Trixie pointed.  "Beyond the third row of bushes, besides the 'V'-shaped tree trunks."

"Where?"  Pinkie squinted.  "Behind the cougar?"

"It is the cougar," Twilight hissed.  "Although, technically, it's a Central Equestrian Gray Backed Mountain Lion."

"Brown-backed," Fluttershy insisted.  Her eyes sparkled from where she hovered.  "And it's soooooooooo cute."

"Heh... well I'll be."  Applejack smirked, leaning against the wagon as she stared into the wilderness beside the path.  "I've had to chase a bobcat or two beyond the orchards, but nothin' like this!"  She adjusted her hat.  "It sure is purdy-lookin', but I'd rather them big cats stick to the high hills than come anywhere near Apple Bloom and Granny Smith, if ya ask me."

"Oh, Applejack, don't be silly."  Fluttershy said, still bearing a dumb smile.  "Cougars have no interest in hunting ponies."

"Even still."  Applejack tossed her ponytail over the other side of her neck.  "I ain't plannin' on bein' in its sights if the dang thing's starvin'."

"Trixie is certain that it gets enough sustenance from these woods," Trixie said.

"My my... look at the way it's moving.  How peculiar."  Rarity adjusted her sunglasses.  "Pray tell, Fluttershy dear, what is the reason for such peculiar behavior."

"I believe it's marking its territory, Rarity."

"Marking its territory?"  Rarity blinked.  "With what, exactly?"

"Erm..."  Fluttershy fidgeted.

"With its cat juices," Trixie droned.

Twilight face-hoofed.

Rarity blinked.  She thought about that... stared left and right... thought about it some more... and finally grimaced.  "Oh Celestia have mercy!"

"Shhhhh!" Twilight insisted.

"Eugh!  Why can't we be watching something more graceful?!  Like a deer?"

"Because we'd probably get in trouble for tresspassin' on their property," Applejack said.

"Oh.  Yes.  Right."  Rarity coughed.  "My stars... sometimes I have a hard time keeping track of... that."

"Did somepony say something about cat juices?"  Pinkie Pie grinned wide.  She grabbed her canteen and bounded towards the woods.  "I wanna sip!"

"No, Pinkie!"  Twilight and Trixie tugged her back with her magic.  "Don't!"

"Awwww!  Why not?!"

While the girls fussed, Rainbow Dash sat in the back of the wagon.  The other ponies' eyes were locked on the distant cougar, so she took the opportunity to sneak into her saddlebag and steal a few quick sips of her medicine.  Exhaling, she sat back in a slump.  Then there was a rustle of leaves to her side.

"... ... ...?"  Rainbow looked over.

A tiny gray squirrel perched on a branch.  It's whiskers wriggled as it looked at Rainbow, then craned his head in the other direction.

Rainbow stared and stared.  At last, she cleared her throat and leaned in towards the rodent:  "Как вас зовут?"

The squirrel flinched.  Then—with purely animalistic barks—it scurried back up the tree and out of sight.

"Hmmmf..."  Rainbow smirked, taking another sip of her potion.  "It was worth a shot..."