“Now you just rest up, sugar, and focus on getting better. We can handle things around the farm just fine for the time being.” Granny Smith finished tucking the blanket under the mattress and gave it a light pat. The immediate response was a snort and a cough from a miserable looking Applejack. 

“I’m sure I’ll be right as rain tomorrow, granny. Ain't no cold ever kept an Apple down long.”

Her grandmother leaned over and kissed her brow, “We’ll see how you feel then. I’ll be back later with some soup.” She turned and left the room, leaving the door open a crack. Applejack wiggled around to find a comfortable position before closing her eyes and letting sleep take her. 

[hr]

Applejack awoke to something digging into her back. Barely conscious, she nudged it with a hoof and felt something roll off the bed, hitting the floor with a soft thud. Getting her bearings, she rolled over to get a view of what she had knocked off and saw a bright red apple coming to a rest near the wall. Applejack tilted her head in confusion, wondering why an apple was in her bed. Despite being curious, her tired body cried for sleep so she filed the mystery away till after she had more rest. Readjusting herself once more, Applejack let out a cough before shutting her eyes.

[hr]

“Where in tarnation did those come from?”

Applejack opened her eyes, the voice of her grandmother waking her. She gave a quick stretch and yawn before moving herself higher on the bed so as to sit up. Her grandmother was setting a bowl of what looked like hot soup on her nightstand, but her gaze was directed to the end of Applejack’s bed. Following the gaze, she could see three more apples lying in a nice neat row on the end of her bed. Remembering the apple she had knocked off earlier, Applejack leaned over to see that it was no longer on the floor. 

“I hope ‘Bloom ain't pulling some kinda stunt, she should know better than to play pranks on a sick pony,” Granny Smith moved the apples off her bed and onto the tray she used to carry the soup. “I’ll have a word with her later, how you feeling, sugarcube?”

After a short bout of coughing, Applejack was able to get enough breath to answer. “Better,” she said truthfully. While she knew she wasn’t over it yet, her nose did feel less stuffy and she was coughing less frequently. Her grandmother straightened the blankets that had become entangled from a restless sleep.

“That’s good, hun. Now obey your elders and eat this soup, then it’s right back to sleep wit'cha.”

“Yes, granny,” Applejack obediently picked up the bowl and started slurping down the hot and, like all granny's cooking, delicious vegetable mixture. Once she had completely emptied the bowl, under the watchful eye of the Apple matriarch, she was tucked back into bed and left alone to rest. The heat from the meal in her stomach overcame her lack of sleepiness and she soon drifted off.

[hr]

Applejack was once again awoken by something touching her back, but instead of something digging in, it felt like something was being pulled off. Rolling over to get a look, she could see Winona pulling on her blanket trying to straighten it back out from the rolled up mess it had become. Seeing that she was being watched, Winona let go of the blanket and stared up at Applejack with worried eyes and a short wine. 


“It’s Ok girl, you trying to help me, huh?” She reached a hoof down and gave the dog a couple of pats. Out of the corner of her eye could see something red on the end of her bed. She turned to find five large red apples sitting in a neat row just below her back hooves. 

Applejack turned back towards Winona, “Did you bring those here? Were you trying to make me feel better?”

Winona let out a bark in response. Applejack still felt awful, but couldn’t help but smile. “Good girl, it’s working.” She pat the space next to her and scooted over to allow Winona up. Applejack pulled her into a quick hug before they both lay down and got comfortable. On Sweet Apple Acres, when one apple is down then the other apples pitch in to help out. Whether they are a pony, fruit or furry companion.