Summer Nights

The sun had set below the horizon, darkness enveloping the clear, open sky. It was a very cool summer night in the open field, stars twinkling overhead. Misty was looking on at the bonfire that she and her friends had started not too long ago. The flames crackled and flowed up into the air above, performing a very intricate dance of orange light. All around her, she could hear busy conversations, laughter, and the excitement of s'mores being made. However, as she looked around, she noticed that her best friend was nowhere to be seen. After a moment or two, Misty approached you with a smile, "Hey, I'm going to look around for Sunny, I'll see you in a bit okay? I think the group over there is taking turns telling ghost stories if you're interested. We even have haydogs and s'mores at the ready too! I'm sure you could find some of your friends around if you look for them." she nodded before heading off in a different direction.

Acry was completely comfortable and relaxed at her spot upon a log just the right distance from the flames, which she had been watching. Her fur was faintly glowing under the light of the stars, but was mostly cancelled out by the warm orange glow of the bonfire. In her hooves she held one of the home-made cookies she had brought to share. She wondered what one would taste like in smore form... She was about to go find out when Misty approached, she freed up one hoof to wave. “Hello! That’s just fine. Think I’ll go make myself one of those smores first, then perhaps I’ll go check out what stories ponies have to share.” She waved Misty off, “see ya later, and good luck!” The little unicorn finished her first cookie of the night and then retrieved two more from her tub before heading over to the fire to make her new treat.

Ephee happily plops herself down by the fire from a fair distance like the early arrival she is. The summer nights were still cold but didn't need that much of warmth to combat, and she had enough of a coat to keep her in healthy range. She still has to get up and close for the s'mores, and from the looks of it she's holding a ton of sticks with a whole load of them to eventually give to the ones who came after her! "S'mores for everyone!" She cheers, waving the sticks around happily.

She of course just mooshes herself nose to nose with Acry, narrowing her eyes as her wings spread aggressively...before smirking. "Watcha got there? I was hoping someone would bring something to curb my sweet tooth aside from s'mores. I find s'mores way more anxiety than they're worth. Always burn the marshmalllows, the chocolate melts on my hooves and gets in my fur, the graham crumbs explode everywhere...every time I convince myself it's worth it, then I'm just regret."

"You mean like theeeeeese?" Lyle produces a small box with flowers on it. He opens it to reveal... cheesecake cookies. Cookies made out of cheesecake, rows of them. He picks one up and eats one in a single bite as they're small enough to eat in a bite. His eyes roll back in his head and he shudders. They've been slightly chilled and pair well with the warm summer air and the heat of the fire, the creamy cheesecake mixing with the bits of raspberry inside to created a beautiful ballet of flavor on his tongue. He's been saving them for the bonfire and was surprised she hadn't sniffed them out sooner. Tera was on his back, whom he brought to make smores with. It was her first summer after all it would be frankly silly to leave her out of it.

She could just, you know, politely take one and move on. But instead, she keeps swooping past every time Ephee turns her head and snatching a marshmallow off a stick and flying off and eating it, giggling madly every single time. This is way more fun.

Acry blinks in surprise and squeaks before smiling wide at the two of them. “I made some cookies too earlier so I brought them with me, ya can have some if you like! They are for sharing after all,” she levitated the tub from her saddlebags and clicked off the lid, “here! They’re rather regular cookies, but I hope you’ll both enjoy them too.”

One that isn't giddy and excited about some get-together with a whole bunch of strangers they've been invited to would have probably noticed the subtle disappearances of her careful delicious creations. She just blinks... tilts her head, and puts together another. There's stock for tons of s'mores, not to worry!

"Hnnnnfffff deal. Cookies are better than s'mores to me..." she shows off her new ability to cheat by grabbing Lyle's cheesecake cookies AND Acry's cookies, carrying them on her wings. The extra storage really isn't fair, but all of this is going to her flanks later so Liath can't be too mad.... "Thanks Acry. You've sustained me this night!"

She can smell the roasting objects from here and is licking her lips. She can see Aunt Ephee in the distance impaling and roasting soft white sacrifices over an open fire, charring their flesh, before putting them on graham cracker sandwich with an offering of chocolate. She desires to analyze and possibly participate in this barbaric ritual!!

Lyle lets the girls have the cookies, he did after all already eat a few. He sets Tera down in front of him and helps her put a marshmallow on a stick, sitting down with her in his lap he instructs her to hold the piece of white fluffy goodness into the fire carefully making sure she doesn't burn herself. She's a good filly but accidents can happen. Smores were good and everything but with his furry fetlocks sometimes things can get in them, and sticky gooey marshmallow is kind of hard to get out of fur. He kisses the head of the blueberry filly while he roasts a marshmallow of his own over the fire, gotta make one with her after all even if it might be messy.

Ephee kinda noms on one of the s'mores she's made while gazing at Tera, giving a bit of an excited wave towards her and Lyle! She doesn't know what's going through the blueberry's head, just knows observing is being made!

nightshade stopped as misty approached him, he had just reached the edge of the everfree forest after leaving his home, he had his saddle bag with him that was full of sweet and savoury foods that he had made. "okay, i hope you find your friend, i will be at the bonfire telling ghost stories with the others, see you later. he then heads to the bonfire and finds an empty section of log to lay on, as he lays down he lets out a relaxing sigh and using his magic, takes his saddle bag off and places it on the grass next to him, he then looks around at everypony gathered there, hoping to see a familiar face

She eventually retires from stealing Ephee's treats and cuddles up between her sis and Li, grinning. "The smell of wood smoke will always cause love to spring for in my heart, it's a smell of kinship and the will to exist as old as time itself. Every time we start a wood fire, we are doing what we have done from our earliest days of existence, created light and warmth to carry us through the night. And around those bastions of safety, we rally ourselves and draw closer to one another in love and camaraderie..." she says as the flames reflect in her mahogany eyes. "...oh gosh that got philosophical all the sudden. Maybe I should have brought cider coolers..." she jokes as she flattens her ears.

nightshade looks around and see's Acry, he waves to her and starts to walk over to her, but then stops and starts to walk back, not wanting to disturb the good time she is having