Sweeper waited for Summer to make a comment, she turned around and looked at Winterjet. Oh goodness, she looks soooooo adorable like that! thought the alicorn. She put on a big grin.
"You have a beautiful mane, Jet. It shines so wonderfully even without my presence… but you could use a bit of a trim…" she said tilting her head a bit, the sun gleaming off her scalp. "I'm quite the good beautician despite my lack of mane, after all."
All of sudden a rare moment had occurred - Sweeper had a logical thought. Wait… Jet seems more frightened than excited. Uh oh, if I worry her too much, Scroll's girlfriend might break up with him. Quick, I gotta do something!
Sweat had formed on the alicorn's scalp despite an attempt at a joviality. She closed her eyes and rubbed a hoof behind her head. "Ha ha ha, but since we only just met, let's wait on the beauty shop stuff. In fact, when Thea comes back, you can ask her about tips on manestyles. She's much better at that stuff than I would ever be." The alicorn turned back to Summer Winds, and tried to change the topic.
"Oh yes, this -" Sweeper indicated the braid , "- is what happens to anypony who dares to commit sacrilege. The leader of some bandits threatened me - she was lucky I didn't cast a spell to make it permeant."
The pegasus was a bit bewildered by Torrential's response. Dancer had expected something much more… fantastic? She had thought Torrential's action was part of a grand plan to accomplish his divine mission. After seeing the spell that left the Earthborn in a drought, the alicorn's demands seem almost mundane. His demands were nothing complex nor burdensome, but as simple as an apology and safe passage.
She wondered if Torrential was bring humble. Or that he was simply not playing around, straight to the point and as brutal as a sledgehammer. Dancer began to shiver at the thought. Though, It wasn't an like Torrnetial's retribution was unwarranted. Already, the Scholar was angry that anypony would have the gall to commit such sacrilege. If a pony tied to frag me, I'd be furious as well, she thought. But to do it to Torrential?! I would have called for the plague to fall upon them.
"A just punishment, though I do feel for those of innocent Earthborn caught up in this," Dancer said. "But you do speak the truth. A harsh education, yet it may be the only way the Earthborn will learn. And they are a strong folk and can bear much suffering. Perhaps they can survive the pride of Applejack." Despite this, her heart sank a bit. Justified or not, a punishment was not something to be enjoyed.
Dancer's thoughts were interrupted by Torrential's hail. In the distance she saw a white pegasus flying low. But something was wrong. For one thing, the newcomer didn't reply. Second, the flyer's path was rather wobbling. And finally, the traveller landed fast several meters away, collapsing face first in the mud, and continued to slide for another meter or so.
Snow Tail lay in the muck for several moments, eyes spinning, mane soiled, and clearly confused. "Ahhhh, Patty did we have to go on the Tilt-a-whril?" she said.