On The Rocks, Part 7

On the Rocks, Part 7

>Stumbles and Drips useless Fluffies.
>Not know how to build Fluffy Markers.
>Not know which straws are supposed to point which way.
>Stumbles is Earth Fluffy, he’s supposed to be dumb, but Drips Unicorn Fluffy like you, but he’s dumb too.
>Under-Lake cold, wet, bad place, but it also be place Herd grazes when it not safe to go to Overground.
>Moss grows everywhere. Grates overhead let plenty of sunlight and trash through.
>Lots of rocks block off several tunnels. Leaking Pipe on the wall pours out plenty of clean, clear water to drink.
>Lots of dirt down here too. Where there’s not moss, there is grass, although it taste bad, always yellow colour.
>Things in Under-Lake. Small black things in deepest, furthest part of Under-Lake, stick to Fluffies, make Fluffies sick, make Fluffies leak Owies-Water when they fall off.
>Two-Leg Munsta things everywhere. Small white things with strange waters inside, where Herd gets some of the Straws for the Fluffy Markers.
>Stumbles and Drips are busy eating. Eating moss off the walls.
>”Bleh! Taste bawd!” Stumbles, spitting the complaint out around a mouthful of the moss.
>”Wan gwasses! Mauwz yikky!” Drips, that failure of a Unicorn, agrees loudly.
>Yet they both keep going back and tearing mouthfuls of the moss off the wall, only to utter the same complaints moments later.
>Stupid Fluffies.
>Plan needs work. Did not think Drips be this stupid.
>Only SMART Unicorns for your Herd.
>Maybe Pegasus Mares, but no Earth Fluffies, no Dumb Unicorn Fluffies either.
>But they are busy.
>You are looking through Under-Lake for something specific. You saw it a few days ago, and it nearly scared you to death.
>But it not be moving. It be Two-Leg Munsta thing, but it not Mean.
>See it behind Moss-covered rock.
>It’s a rubber snake, badly faded by the elements.
>Grab the snake, still half-expecting it to come to life and give you Biggest Owies.
>Stuff it into an empty plastic bag, and load the bag up with bits of Moss and straws.
>Perfect, Not-Snake hidden. Stumbles and Drips too stupid to notice. Tell them you taking Moss back to Old Fluffies for nummies.
>Stupid Fluffies are drinking the Not-Waters out of the Styrofoam Cups to wash the taste of the moss out of their mouths.
>Stupid Fluffies. Not-Water makes Fluffies too loud, too friendly.
>Drips was trying to hug Stumbles, saying he wants to play the wrestling game, but they are both jumping around too much now, unable to sit still after drinking so much stale cola and cold coffee dregs.
>”Pwaypwaypwaypwaypwaypwaypwaypwaypway!” They are shouting, eyes wide and frantic.
>Last time you saw Fluffies like this, they ran around and around, then Special Hugged anything in front of them, then fell over and were sick.
>Back to Haven.
>You’re tempted to knock over a Fluffy Marker and blame it on a Munsta, but No-Lips scary right now. He unhappy you not wait for Dumb Stallions, and you want to sleep in the Papers tonight.
>Zodd not come back. That annoy you. You Smarty Fluffy, you make Zodd fight No-Lips, kill No-Lips, then you tell Zodd he Bad Fluffy.
>Zodd so stupid.
>Maybe you could make him be your Friend, like No-Lips did.
>Zodd Stupid Earth Fluffy, but he Stupid Strong Earth Fluffy.
>Too late now.
>Probably stood still while the Rat Munstas ate him.
>Patience. Old Plan fail, but New Plan not.
>No-Lips is Old Fluffy. Heart no strong anymore.
>If Not-Snake not scare him to death, maybe ask him to push into Bad Fluffy Pit, and offer to help.
>Push No-Lips into Bad Fluffy Pit while he there.
>Other Fluffies be Wusses, be Stupid.
>Not see you push Not-Snake and No-Lips in.
>Then you be Smarty Pony.
>Kick out Earth Fluffies and other Stallions.
>Have all Mares to yourself. Have Unicorn Herd. Smarty Herd.
>No Stupid Fluffies getting killed by Munstas then.
>No Stupid Fluffies eating all good nummies before you.
>No Stupid Fluffies giving you Owies for being Smarty Fluffy.
>Grinning evily around your mouthful of plastic bag, you drag the load back to Haven, ignoring the excited cries of Drips and Stumbles as they play and wrestle in Under-Lake.


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>You are No-Name, and now you face your first battle against other Fluffies.
>New Herd is smaller than No-Lips Herd, but have more Stallions.
>They have two Smarty Friends as well.
>Both Pegasus Fluffies.
>No Unicorns, but lots of Pegasus Fluffies.
>”Owr gwasses!” One of the Bad Smarty Friends yells, stamping a hoof down onto the grass. He’s a bright Red.
>”Owr gwasses! Not yours!” The other Bad Smarty Friend, this one a bright Blue, agrees loudly.
>”Gwasses for Evwy Fwuffy! Aw Fwuffies know dat!” No-Lips replies, loudly but calmly. “No Hewd can eats all gwasses. No-Lips Hewd not stay, only eat gwasses, den go ‘way.”
>”Old Fluffy not No-Lips! No-Lips Great Smarty Friend! Have hugh ... hwuuu ... big hewd,” The Blue Bad Smarty Friend snorts, then spits at No-Lip’s hooves. “Yuu get Owies, yuu lie and say you No-Lips.”
>”But he have no lips!” A Mare in their Herd yells.
>”Stupid Mare! No-Lips is Big Scawy Fwuffie!” Red Bad Smarty Friend yells back.
>You, Wittles, Honey, Wumm-wumm, Bandit and Tricks have all lined up next to No-Lips. Next to the two Bad Smarty Friends, seven Fluffies, mostly Pegasus, have done the same.
>”I No-Lips.” No-Lips says loudly, but you can tell he’s angry now. “Wook at face. Two-Leg Munsta took lips, made No-Lips scawy. What Fwuffie look like No-Lips?”
>The two Bad Smarty Friends scoff, but their Friends don’t look too brave now.
>One of them is actually pooping and shivering.
>Mares of both Herds are crying, saying they don’t want fighting.
>”Wisten to Mares. Pwenty o’ gwasses for aw Fwuffies,” No-Lips is saying. “So Fwuffies no fight. Need be hidey when Sun comes up .....”
>You see a flash of movement to your side. You turn to look ... and see a Fluffy Pony sneaking up on your Herd!
>It’s a Stallion!
>He’s grabbing one of the Fluffy Mumas by the Tail, and is trying to drag her away.
>She had a mouthful of grass, and couldn’t yell past it.
>Her legs are kicking and flailing, but don’t reach the ground.
>Other Mares and Foals are totally focused on the argument between the Smarty Friends.
>”Hey! Who you?” You yell, trotting over to the strange Stallion.
>Other Fluffies are starting to notice.
>”Stupid! Wickers stupid!” One of the Bad Smarty Friend Yells, and there is a lot of shouting now, Fluffies yelling about Mares being stolen, about Meanie Fluffies not letting them have Grass, about Stupid Fluffies taking their grass.
>Mares with Foals are circling around the Fluffy Mummas, but Mares who don’t have Foals are rushing up to join the Stallions.
>The Stallion trying to steal the Fluffy Mumma squeaks as he sees you coming towards him, and lets go of the Fluffy Mumma’s tail.
>”Stupid Fwuffie! Wickers have Mare! Stupid Fwuffie no stowp!” He yells.
>That is one of No-Lip’s Herd Mares.
>Your New Friends.
>Fluffy Mumma has finally managed to spit out the grass and is crying in pain and fear.
>There’s blood on her tail where the Stallion bit her and was dragging her away.
>Feel the blood boil in your veins.
>You scream in rage and attack.
>You both rear up onto your hind legs, flailing with your front legs and trying to bite each other.
>His hooves only hit your Fluff, but you remember when No-Lips want to make other Fluffies hurt, he hits their faces, their legs.
>Your Hooves crack against the Bad Stallion’s face, making the owies-water come.
>”Owies! Meanie!” The Bad Stallion whines, trying to hold his broken nose with his hooves.
>You grab his ear in your mouth and pull. It’s hard to hold it with your blunt little teeth, but you’re so angry now.
>Shake it back and forth.
>Bad Stallion is screaming now, trying to pull away.
>You not let him. You are going to punish the Bad Stallion!
>Never Hurt Mares! No-Lips always say, Mares more important than Stallions! Herds no survive without Mares!
>He’s pulling away, you have his ear firmly in your mouth, shaking your whole body side to side, refusing to let go.
>Mouth tastes funny. Tastes like Owie-waters.
>Then Bad Stallion is running away.
>But you still have his ear? What?
>Spit it out, and stare at the ear in surprise.
>Bits of skin and fluff dangle off it, but most of the ear ripped right off.
>Fluffy Mumma is babbling that you saved her, you are Best Fluffy.
>Hear more screams behind you!
>Bad Herd is attacking your Herd!
>”Woll Mumma to Hewd!” You shout to the Mares trying to keep the Fluffy Mummas of No-Lips’s Herd safe, charging back towards the fight.
>Tricks is being stepped on by two Pegasus, crying as they try to step on his legs and break them.
>Bandit and Wumm-wumm are wrestling with two Bad Stallions, Bandit is winning, having pinned his opponent and is savaging his neck and ears, and Wumm-wumm has shoved his horn into the mouth of his rival, and is shooting sparks down the Bad Stallion’s throat.
>Bad Stallion is screaming a lot, but is too stupid to stop biting Wumm-wumm’s horn.
>Wittles and Honey headbutt a third Bad Stallion’s head between their own, making him scream and fall to the ground, rolling back and forth, before they move on to tackle the Red Bad Smarty Friend.
>No-Lips is alone, fighting the Blue Bad Smarty Friend and three other Fluffies!
>Mares of Bad Herd are squealing and running away, many of them are bloody. Mares of No-Lips Herd are just as bloody, but there were more of them, and they angry.
>Park is for Every Fluffy. Always been that way. No-Lips Mares are arguing over whether they should keep chasing the Bad Herd, go back to protect the Fluffy Mummas, or help the Stallions.
>No-Lips bucked a Bad Stallion in the leg, making the Bad Stallion fall down with his leg sticking out to the side, but the other Stallions and the Blue Bad Smarty Friend jumped on No-Lips, and are pulling out his Fluff with their teeth!
>You have to help him! He’s your Smarty Friend!
>”No-Name coming! No-Lips, I hewp yuu!” You shout at the top of your lungs, charging towards the melee.


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>You are No-Lips. Smarty Friend. Leader of the Herd. You’ve helped other Herds, back when you still had hope.
>Always been the way of the Fluffies, that Park belonged to everyone. Water belongs to everyone.
>Bad Fluffies who break Old Rules.
>Kick one in the leg, feel a grim sense of satisfaction as the bones snap and the Bad Fluffy goes down, squealing in pain.
>Everything hurts. Teeth, eyes, ears, legs, tail. You’ve been kicked a lot. In the old days, they would be nothing....
>Chest hurts most. Heart feels like burning, hard to breath, eyes not working right.
>Then you are knocked over. Feels like all the air left your body. Bad Fluffies are jumping on you, feel great Owies in your chest from the outside now.
>See No-Name tackle the Blue Pegasus off you, his face and chest stained with blood.
>Thought he too much wuss. Good Fwuffie, fight for Herd! The words cross your mind, and a feeling of pride fills you, before a hoof comes down and smashes into your neck, making stars appear before you, and causing you to cough and curl up involuntarily into a ball.
>Mares are charging as well, biting the tails and ears of the Stallions who jumped you. Your Mares, even the New Mares, are coming to your rescue.
>”Wah!” The Stallions cry out in pain and surprise, pressed in on all sides as your Mares force them away from you. “Why Mares fight? Mares no fight, only Stallions!”
>”YOU BAD FWUFFIES!” The Mares scream, flecked with blood and foam and tufts of Fluff torn from their rivals. They’re driven beyond reason now, by an instinctive need to protect the Fluffy Mummas and their Herd.
>The Bad Stallions scream again, this time in pain as they are buried under a wave of enraged Mares, all of whom are kicking and biting and stomping furiously with all their might.
>”Scawed Fwuffy Mummas!” “Nevah forgif Meanie Fwuffies!” “Gwasses fo’ evwy Fwuffie!” The Mares yell as they kick and bite the Stallions, the cheering of your Herd in the background urging them on to greater brutalities.
>It seems to take forever to struggle back onto your hooves. Everything .... hurts. Eyes still not working right. Everything is swimming, like you are under water, and everything sounds so far away...
>See one of your Mares reach down and bite the naughty place of a Bad Stallion.
>Other Mares are holding the Bad Stallions in place by lying across them, or holding their ears and tails and pulling back, pinning the Bad Stallions down.
>See that same Mare pull back, and hear a blood-curdling shriek as the naughty place tears off.
>”Yuu Mare now! Yuu no fight no moar!” The Mare screams, spitting the naughty place back at the Stallion’s face. He’s screaming and thrashing around so much he knocks the Mares around him off their hooves.
>You watch him limp away, bawling, owies-water pumping from the wound. Bad Stallion die soon. You sorry for him, but gwasses for every Fluffy. It is Rule, since long before you born.
>Other Bad Stallions are in a complete panic now. They are fighting, kicking, biting, but when the Mares flinch away, the Bad Stallions take to their hooves and try to run.
>Two more get pinned and the Mares of your Herd do more terrible things to the Bad Stallion’s Naughty Places.
>Must help your Stallions...
>Wittles and Honey have Red Bad Smarty Friend on ground. Wittles is holding the Red Pegasus’s head down, while Honey ...
>You feel sick.
>Honey is trying to chew the Red Pegasus’s wings off. One wing is a mangled mess already, the other stuffed deep into Honey’s mouth.
>”Nu huwt Fwiends! Nu twake Mares! Yuu Bad Fwuffie,” Wittles is screaming, biting the fluff on the Red Pegasus’s head and tearing off clumps of Fluff and skin as he struggles to hold the Bad Smarty Friend down. “We teach yuu wesson! No fight No-Lips Hewd!”
>”Owr gwasses!” The Red Pegasus is yelling in defiance, then squeals in pain as Honey changes tactics and pulls back.
>There is a sickening pop, and then the Red Pegasus’s wing comes off, a long fountain Owies Water shooting through the air.
>Bandit is kicking a Bad Stallion off Tricks, who was curled up on the ground, his neck and shoulders plucked bare by his attackers, and Wumm-wumm is shooting sparks at another Bad Stallion, purposefully aiming at the face.
>Wisps of smoke are forming as the constant stream starts to catch on oily, greasy patches of Fluff, and the Bad Stallion is screaming in fear.
>Must never have fought a Unicorn before, you imagine.
>But where is ...
>No-Name! He saved you!
>”Where No-Name? Where fwiend,” You cry in alarm, turning awkwardly in a circle.
>”No-Name? No-Name!” Bandit shouts, moving away from his rival, who takes the opportunity and bolts back towards the tree. “No-Name dere, Smarty Friend! He giving Biggest Owies to Bad Smarty Friend!”
>You stagger past the Mares and their bloody sport with the captive Stallions to wher Bandit was pointing.
>Two Fluffies, collapsed on the ground together.
>There’s blood everywhere.
>So much blood. Both Fluffies are stained with it, lying together, you can barely tell where the Red Pegasus begins, and the Grey Earth Fluffy ends.
>”No ... not wike dis.” You whisper.
>Hear crying, see Little Foal, Clover and Wed come rushing over.
>”No-Name! No-Name!” They are crying, trying to dodge around the blood and fluff-splattered Mares, who try to push them back to the Fluffy Mummas.
>The Bad Stallions that are left are not moving anymore.
>A few more kicks, just to be safe, and then the Mares start limping back to the Herd.
>Tricks is crying, being lifted onto Honey’s back by Bandit, Wumm-wumm and Wittles. He’s so little, it not be too hard for Honey to carry him back.
>This happens. You know it does. Fluffies die, sometimes to Munstas, sometimes to Fluffies, sometimes to Stupid Things like too much Water in Underground or Trash that falls and crushes them.
>But you liked No-Name. He wuss, but he nice to Mares, nice to Foals ... Smarty, but not Smarty Friend. Not able to be Meanie.
>”Yuu Good Fwuffie.” You whisper to the entangled bodies. “No-Name Good Fwuffie. Save No-Lips, fight for Herd.”
>”No-Name ... dead?” Wittles asks softly, trotting up to your side. He has several ugly-looking bruises on his face and legs. Everyone has lots of Owies.
>”He dead.” You sigh sadly, and turn around to face the Herd.
>Fluffy Mummas and Mares with Foals are cheering, shouting that the gwasses are for everyone. They are hugging and licking the Mares and Stallions who fought, telling them they are Brave Fluffies.
>”Fwuffies!” You start to shout, but break into a coughing fit. Still, it’s enough to get everyone to pay attention. “Mares must have nummies, Fwuffy Mummas must have nummies! Need gwasses for Foals!”
>”But gwasses diwty naow!” Somebody whines. It’s true, the grass is covered in blood and fluff and the dead bodies of the Rival herd.
>”Over dere!” You point a hoof towards the grass further into the Park. “Eat nummies dere! Must be in Underground before Sun comes!”
>Whining, whimpering, the Herd starts to roll the Fluffy Mummas towards the new feeding grounds, their injuries slowing them down.
>Honey complains the loudest.
>”Why Honey have to cawy Twicks and woll Mares?” He whines, shuffling along at the back of the Herd.
>”Honey be quiet, cawy fwiend.” Bandit retorts, fluttering his wings angrily. “Honey not see Bad Stallion try to steal Fluffy Mumma, Honey carry Twicks!”
>”Bandit not see Bad Stallion either! Why he not carry Twicks!” Honey snaps back.
>You turn back to the two corpses ... and smile.
>No-Name is moving! He slow, he groaning, but he moving!
>Wittles is laughing, he’s happy too!
>”No-Name no dead! No-Name is awive,” Wittles laughs, rushing forwards to grab No-Name by the scruff of his neck and drag the Fluffy away from the dead Bad Smarty Friend.
>”Thwoat has owies...” No-Name whimpers, staggering to his feet.
>You shuffle over and check. He has nasty bite-marks, but only fluff and a little bit of skin missing.
>”No-Name be fine. No-Name is Good Fwuffie.” You console him, then decide to throw dignity to the wind. He did save your life, after all.
>Give No-Name a great big hug.
>Wittles is staring at you both with his mouth wide open.
>Whole Herd is watching, babbling excitedly.
>”No-Name is siwwy name, Good Fwuffies have Good Names,” You say, then laugh, feeling a great weight fall off your chest. It’s been so long since you had Hugs. Or given them to another Fluffy without a plan in mind. “No-Lips think of name when we go back to Haven.”


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>You are Leaves, Mare and Smarty Friend.
>Left the other Herds behind today. Your Fluffy Mummas are nearly ready to have their babies.
>Too many Fluffies together, Foals not know who Fluffy Mummas are, or they get hugged so much they not get miwk and go cowd-hardies.
>It quieter too. Smoke and Smelly and Eggs all busy fighting over who is Smartiest Smarty Friend.
>Stupid Stallions. Who care who leads, so long as they Smarty?
>Have a few more Fluffies than before too. More Mares, a few Stallions, but mostly Mares.
>They like having a Smarty Friend who understands Mares. Stallion Smarty Friends not understand Mares get scared when Foals get taken away or left behind, that Foals are their whole world, even when the Foals are too big to nurse.
>So you take your Herd to Safe Place, Place where Fluffy Mummas can spend the next few days in peace.
>Not go to Soft Bed. Coal is bad Fluffy, would not come with Other Herds, bit Fluffies who tried to tell him it safest with many Herds together.
>Coal is a Meanie Fluffie who hurts his Herd. Bullies the Foals, kicks the Stallions in the Naughty Places when they not do what he says. Has Special Hugs with Mares even if they not want.
>Soft Bed was good place, but it not safe with Coal around.
>So you go to another Safe Place.
>One only you know about. It’s where you crawled to when No-Lips abandoned you.
>Even your Herd is scared. You’re moving so far from Stinky Waters now, towards Park.
>Sun will be coming up soon, but you drive them on, forcing them to graze as they walk.
>Safe Place in the Park, where the bushes grown thick and tangled. Where Trees are high and block out the sky.
>Too tangled for Munstas to come in, for cold winds to make Fluffies cold and Foals Cold-Hardies.
>You have to circle the bushes a few times to find the opening, and it’s hard to snap the branches out of the way, and pull them out.
>Stupid Fluffies try to make other holes, but you yell at them, and make them stop.
>”Only one way in!” You shout as a dumb Stallion tries to force his way in. “Only one way in, so Munstas can’t get in! Eat, get gwasses for Fluffy Mummas, we hide till Foals big enough to walk! Then Hewd go back to Stinky Wawas!”
>A ragged cheer goes up. Everyone hates Stinky Waters, but it’s safe from the worst of the Munstas.
>Everyone was worried about coming to the Park with the Sun glaring at them from behind the Hooman Towers. Hoomans be running around soon, bully Fluffies, hurt them and kill them and make everyone sad.
>But Leaves is Smarty Friend, and you have told them they will be safe.
>It takes the better part of ten minutes, but finally you push, pull, snap and chew enough old, dead branches and twigs out of the way to make a decent passage into the heart of the bushes.
>Memories flood back as you wander around the dead patch inside the bushes. Of being cold and alone, of the hunger when your fear kept you from going out, of when that Herd found you, and you thought you were saved.
>Bad Smarty Friend, and Bad Herd. Hurt you, gave you Bad Special Hugs, wouldn’t let you graze, kept on kicking you in the tummy and making your naughty place bleed.
>”No baybehs, Dumb Mare no need to woll.” One of the Stallions had remarked when you had begged him for help. “Dumb Mare be slave, give Special Hugs till you not move no more.”
>When Smarty Friend and Stallions had started to fight over who had first Special Hugs, you ran. You ran and ran until the Park was so far behind you....
>The Stallions were too busy having Special Hugs with smallest Stallions of their Herd then. No more Mares left, they not get up after daily tummy-kickings, or they not want to eat and were too weak to walk.
>Your Herd has followed you in. Fluffy Mummas squeaking about Meanie Sticks poking them go silent in awe as they are rolled around the dead space inside the bushes.
>The floor is covered with dead leaves, and the bushes, while dead inside, still have a lush, green outside, so unless you were looking in from the ground level, it would just be one solid mass of bush.
>”All Fwuffy Mummas into Safe Pwace!” You bark, and the Stallions and Mares rush to obey. They know you are Smarty Friend, that you are a Good Fluffy who looks after them.
>Shortly, every Fluffy is crowded inside. It’s tighter than you thought, but nobody minds. Smells of dirt and fresh grass and Fluffies.
>”Nobody makes poopies in Safe Pwace,” You begin, clopping your hooves together to draw wandering attentions back to you. “Onwy Fwuffy Mummas can, it they no can move, it okay for dem. Every Fwuffies who can move go have poopies far away from Safe Pwace!”
>Complaints. Whining and muttering and selfish grumbling. They don’t want to leave, its warm here, safe. If Fluffy Mummas no have to leave for poopies, why do they?
>”Leaves, why no make poopies?” A younger Mare whines, shuffling her hooves in the dirt.
>”Wan have sweepies in poopies? Wan baybehs craw-wing in poopies?” You snap back, fixing the younger Mare with an evil look.
>She squeaks in alarm and rapidly shakes her head back and forth.
>”We at Safe Pwace fo’ Fwuffy Mummas! So baybehs come in Safe Pwace,” You explain, gazing out over your Herd, noting with pride every single head is fixed on you. “When baybehs can wawk, when baybehs be Foals, den we go to Stinky Wawas. Park no Safe Pwace for long, but for few days, is okay.”
>”If Fwuffy Mummas make Poopies, Fwuffies must push away,” You continue, picking up a dead leaf in your mouth and pushing it along the ground, pushing the dirt up and towards the edge of the bushes. “Push away from owr Fwuffy Mummas, so Fwuffy Mummas and Baybehs smell pwetty, no get ickies.”
>You get the rest of the Herd practicing with the leaves. Some are just hopeless, but a handful seem to pick up on what they are supposed to be doing fairly quickly.
>By the time everyone knows what they are to do, the Sun is right overhead.
>But the trees and the bushes block the worst of the heat.
>Hoomans walk past, Metal Munstas roar past on the Black Paths, but Hoomans not come into trees, Metal Munstas and their Black Path far away from the trees too.
>Herd busies itself with making the Fluffy Mummas as comfortable as they can. Shallow holes are dug, and the Fluffy Mummas rolled into them on their sides, to that they can rest comfortably without all their weight being put onto just their bellies.
>Sticks and Twigs poking into the hollow space of the Safe Place are snapped off, and you direct the Herd to use them to help push dirt up around the edges of the Safe Place, to help block out the cold winds that come at night, and will come up through the bases of the bushes.
>Some Fluffies complain that they are hungry again, but you and your Friends shush them and tell them to be quiet. Hoomans might here, come and hurt Fluffies.
>When Fluffies cry and try to run, you have to hit them with your Hooves and hold their faces into the ground until they stop.
>You’re scared too, but the Herd must stay here, and be quiet.
>Then one of the Fluffy Mummas starts to whimper.
>”Hiccups sowwy! Poopies! Big Poopies!” She whines, struggling in her shallow hole, and you shuffle over, stepping over sleeping Fluffies to clean up the mess.
>But it’s not Poopies.
>”Foals! Hiccups, you Mumma,” You whisper, staring at the tiny little creature that is slowly being pushed out of Hiccups’s Naughty Place.
>Small, wet, slimy, blind .... your heart warms as it plops heavily onto the ground, struggling feebly.
>You lick it clean, then gently grab it by the scruff of the neck and place it at Hiccup’s teats.
>The teats are nice and fat and plump.
>You made sure that all the Fluffy Mummas got first pick of any food the Herd found.
>A lot of Fluffies grumbled, but you also didn’t eat sometimes. That made most Fluffies share their food as well, although you know a few were greedy.
>Other Fluffies are coming as well. Hiccup’s Special Friend, Wick, is nuzzling Hiccup’s face as she whimpers and starts to strain again. An older Mare has joined you, staring at Hiccup’s naughty place with a worried expression.
>You’re worried too. Hiccup is small Fluffy, only three months old. But she so fat .... so many Baybehs inside her.
>The next baby is squeezed out and gives a healthy cry, and you hope that, perhaps, you are only worrying too much.
>Wicks insists on taking the second baby, and showing it to Hiccups, who cuddles it to her chest and tells the baby it’s the most precious thing in the world, before the older Mare impatiently tells Hiccups that the baby must have milk.
>Then the third foal comes ... and something is wrong.
>Too many lumps. Too many lumps on baby, all of them moving.
>The Older Mare whimpers, her face going deathly pale.
>Two little mouths on the Baby open and close, but no sounds come out. Too many legs flex and shudder.
>”Baybeh?” Hiccup asks weakly, and Wicks starts to trot around to see, his face beaming with pride and excitement.
>”No baybeh. Poopies dis time.” The Older Mare grunts loudly, moving to block Wicks. “Smarty Friend push poopies away?”
>You find yourself doing just what the Older Mare asks, you heart frozen inside you, your mind blank and numb with horror and sorrow.
>The strange little baby is squirming and struggling, the heads thrashing, but it’s not making any noises.
>Your leaf covers the tiny, misshapen little thing, and you push it far, out of the opening that leads into the Safe Place, and further still, until you’re clear of the trees.
>Hoomans ... none have seen you yet.
>You went too far, too busy thinking. Put your entire Herd at risk!
>Why baby have two heads? Why have so many legs?
>Back away, leaving the leaf covering the misshapen foal, and shuffle back to the Safe Place, feeling very cold and small. Not right to abandon Baby, but ... no can leave with Herd. Just thinking about the Baby makes you feel sick to your stomach.
>Hiccups is in labour again, groaning in pain as Wicks licks her face and tells her she is Best Fluffy. There are five foals now, suckling eagerly and making happy little noises even as their mother shudders with birthing pains.
>You feel sick, deep inside, like when you ate rotting food, but far, far worse, like have cold sickness in your belly.
>Older Mare is cooing, telling Hiccups she is almost done.
>A baby slides out. Whole. Normal. It gives a small wail of protest at the light and the cold before the Older Mare starts to clean it, and Wicks takes the baby to introduce it to its Mumma.
>You sigh in relief and lean against the dead inner branches of the bushes, heedless of the pain as small twigs poke through your fluff and scratch you.
>Other Fluffies are crowding around Hiccups and Wicks, asking to see the babies.
>The Older Mare shuffles over to you, looking very, very tired.
>”Why ... why happen?” You whisper as she leans her head against your shoulder, shuddering. “Why baybeh have .... more things?”
>”Mink no know.” She whimpers softly into your fluff. She’s shaking, crying in fear and confusion. “Mink have baybeh once, all wrong. Mink be good Mumma, gif miwk, hugs, wuv baybeh, but it always have owies, weggies nevah work, no could bweave. It went cowd-hawdies, Mink heart hurt so much....”
>”Mink is good Fwuffie.” You assure her, nuzzling the older Mare as she leans into you for comfort. “We no tewl Hiccup an’ Wick. No wan dem be saddies.”
>”Leaves is good Smawty Fwiend,” Mink whispers, her shaking slowly going away. “But Mink .... Mink scawed. No see Ugly Baybehs till Stinky Wawas. Stinky Wawas bad for Fwuffy Mummas...”
>She might be right. Stinky Waters is full of bad things for Fluffies, but those Bad Things also keep the Munstas away.
>Watching your Herd crowd around Hiccup, Wicks and their three beautiful children, cooing and giggling as the babies suckle eagerly on their mother’s teats, you find the sick feeling inside of you giving way to a cold, harsh feeling.
>Haven. No-Lips. You must have Haven for your own Herd.
>Haven is scary too, but it not have bad water or stinky air like Stinky Waters.
>Once the Fluffy Mummas have given birth, and the Babies become Foals, you’ll have to go back to the Herds, and find a way to get to Haven.
>There is no other alternative. You can’t let the Herd become like that twisted, horrible thing. Fluffies aren’t meant to have two heads, or so many legs.
>There is no other way to survive.