This may be a bit off topic but there’s another fic that comes to my mind when talking about earthpony magic…namely Tenacious Dash written by Hipster Cloudchaser, where Applejack is capable’ of alluring Dash with her ‘earthpony-seduction-magic’ xD  
…well,at least that’s rainbows attempt trying to explain to herself how AJ possibly can be so incredibly loveable & irresistible kissable  
<3

@patec  
Found it! Fiddlearts. Updated tag and source :D

@patec  
A bit of searching is suggesting iceofwaterflock, but I’m not sure the artstyle really matches…I do recognize the name, but that doesn’t help much.

@patec  
I cannot remember at all. I was at first thinking ryuredwings, but I don’t believe that’s right…  
I’m looking into it. But if anyone recognizes the artstyle, I might remember the name.

@Tchernobog  
So who made this one? The artist tag is missing and the source link is not usefull at all.
 
Gonna tag artist needed for now.

@Background Pony #E4DB
 
That’s news to me!

 
In one of Tchernobogs other stories all earth ponies basically have built in rape-drug-magic, that is how they survive as a species.

@Background Pony #6A7C  
Oh, I guess you’re refering to mood wings!? In this case you’re right of course. Over the time I already forgot most of the fic but I’m racalling parts of it again just now…
 
I was talking about the gesture itself, despite Tchernos or any other headcanons. When im thinking about it, I also can’t see it as common-cultural-pegasi-behaviour. It’s actally way cuter thinking of it as a Couple-kink ^^ xD

@Tchernobog
 
I’d compare it to poking someone in the butt with knuckles of your fingers, while having your arm completely stretched out in front of you.
 
(Butt: somewhat private area, although it isn’t usually another body part in the way)  
(stretched arm: while certainly possible, theres a lot of arkward arranging of possitions, the end result is straining)  
(Knuckels: still to much nerve endings compared to feathers (compare stuck under rock), while part of a dextrous limb, it just seems unnatural)
 
As for the symbolism: to obscure, the wing-touching seen between Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy is just one step more indirect, the cutie mark rubbing between Diamond Tiara and Silverspoon one step less. Is one of them to be interpreted as romantic gesture? @Background Pony #4C5D  
It’s supposed to be a courtship gesture and a cultural thing backed by bioogy. Not some private couples kink. (Derpy does it, so it’s supposed to be pretty universal).

@Background Pony #6A7C
 
Let’s say, just hypothetically, that we aren’t speaking about talking little horses with wings, then I still can’t see how anyone could possibly misintepret that gesture and label it as senseless?! Considering that we already know just how agile & deft they are, capable of performing even the most tricky tasks with their wings, I have no difficulty to imagine it to be a quite smooth & simple gesture for them. The only reason why it may look odd from a viewers point of view is probably due the fact that its not easy to capture quick & subtle movements in one static picture.
 

 
How does ‘giving your girlfriend a sign of affection’ make her a ‘victim’?! Even if you dislike the idea of ‘feathermarking’ being a ‘common pegasi-way’ to show love, in this specific picture it sure is a way for them…  
Its meant to be a lovely gesture among couples, not some kind of ‘you’re gonna get raped’ dance 0_o
 

 
This might be true, but what kind of relationship would it be when you dismiss ways of showing affection, just because they’re unusual? Just because hugs are a more common thing than…idonnu… sneaking up on your girl and surprise her with a crushing embrace or, for instant, put your hands in each others back pockets while strolling down a street, doesnt make them unnecessary. Such gestures doesn’t even need to make sense in the first place, if you know your partner appreciates it you do them either way…

@Background Pony #6A7C  
@Background Pony #6A7C
 
“The symbolism behind the original gesture is the establishment of an indirect conection of the wing that usually rests on the cutie mark of one to the cutie mark of the other.”
 
 
This, pretty much.
 
Plus, pony wings are rather flexible. They aren’t always straight, like shown in those gifs, and seem rather bendy - so there’s a lot that can be done with them beyond what an actual bird could do. I did base some ideas off of birds while writing the fic, but you also gotta take magic/the show into account. Dash’s wing stretching when stuck under the rock… wonderbolts slicing off Spike’s scales…
 
Don’t think too limited ^^;

@Chad Warden  
Thats showing off, beeing seen, not stepping out of the field of view of the recipient or sneakink up from behind.  
The symbolism behind the original gesture is the establishment of an indirect conection of the wing that usually rests on the cutie mark of one to the cutie mark of the other.  
It has little to do with the flashy attention gaining mating rituals of many birds.

@Background Pony #6A7C  
I’m not so certain that “feathermarking” or whatever you call it is as terribly convoluted a courtship wing-gesture as you think:  
 
 

The gesture doesn’t make a lot of sense in my opinion. It’s either a lot of straining or a way to keep someone at distance. The symbolism is too complex/convoluted to be anything but made up/constructed. If the reciever is a pegasus too, their wing would usualy cover the cutie mark, and since the gesture is supposed to originate from pegasus culture, that doesn’t make a lot of sense. (The covering is even part of the supposed symbolism). Even as a formal gesture it doesn’t make sense. Eye contact is difficult, it basically requires sneaking up on your victim.  
There are a lot of ways to show affection that are way more natural. If wings should be involved the good old covering seems more plausible.  

@gittonsxv  
Same, I do hope to see more of it. Almost all that exists was either commissioned or requested by me :X

@Tchernobog  
i love it and hope it becomes an entire thing xD  
i read the story as well, i love it.

@gittonsxv  
It is! I came up with the idea in my fic, “mood wings”, but only named that little ritual a few months ago.
 
I picture it as a silent “heeey sexy!” type thing, or even more affectionate than that.

feathermarking?  
is this some pegasi dating ritual where they touch cutie marks with the wing tips?