Chapter 7: Colourful Characters
As Maggie followed Crowley deeper into his home, Travis took a look around this strange new world. Crowley’s Home was a large patch of dirt in the forest protected by a ring of leaves and tufts of grass, it didn’t completely hide the colourful Fluffies but it gave them a small advantage. All around Travis could see hovels in the few trees inside the ring where Fluffies could sleep, as well as a small semi-circle of stones creating a crèche for the foals.
Inside one of the hovels of a dead tree, Travis saw a number of stallions taking out the food for Crowley’s feasts, there was a decent amount left over from the winter, Travis guessed that whatever happened between Crowley and Burke had dropped their numbers by quite a bit, allowing them to have a good horde of food left over. And though he couldn’t see it, Travis could hear the soft running water of a nearby stream, he wished that he could avoid the scary wawa for as long as possible.
The herd itself was still a fair size, Travis counted four lots of four Fluffies which was higher than he ever thought possible. Crowley and Coral he already knew about, as well as the five Toughies that attacked his home, Breaker, Crusher, Roarke, Copper and Zip.
He counted 4 more mares near the crèche, two of them showing early signs of pregnancy. But only one of the pregnant mares; a turquoise unicorn with a peach mane, seemed happy as Zip ran up and nuzzled her, the other three looked upset, scared, even distraught with the other pregnant mare, a pink Pegasus with a red mane, needing to be comforted by her two friends.
There were two more Toughie Stallions that Travis could see guarding the mares, both burly looking earthies though neither as big as Roarke, one of them, a hulking moss green creature with a brown mane, said something to the pregnant mare and licked her cheek, causing her to start wailing even more. Travis guessed the green monster was the father of her tummeh-babbehs, and their huggies had not been special.
The last three Fluffies that Travis could see were all stallions as well, they were the ones gathering the food for the feast, two of them were unicorns and the other a Pegasus, one unicorn and the Pegasus were both different shades of brown, the Pegasus lighter than the unicorn, while the other unicorn, a much older looking silver Fluffy with a purple mane, watched over the brown Fluffies work.
As Travis passed by them though, he could’ve sworn he saw a small pair of purple wings on the silver unicorn’s back. But that was impossible, Fluffies couldn’t have both.
Of course there was one more Fluffy, laying against one of the trees on the outside of the ring, a low branch pierced through his skull was a blue Pegasus with grey mane. Crowley saw Travis and his siblings staring at the violent sight in front of them.
“Dat am Buwke, he Tuffie befowe he twy tu be nyu Smawty. Cwowwey show wha happen tu dummehs who twy tu gib Smawty foweba sweepies.”
Judging but the rot in his body and the blackened blood drying on his fluff, Burke had been up there a while. Travis covered Betsy’s eyes as Maggie walked deeper into the den.
Eventually Crowley stopped. “HEWD! Smawty han wetuwned wiv owd fwiend.”
The herd all looked at Maggie, the Fluffies who remembered her all starting whispering to each other, why was she here, what happened to her, where was Glen?
Crowley smirked at the reaction. “Dummeh mawe nyo caww hewsewf Mag-ee, fink she inside Fwuffy. Hab hoomin mummah tu gib hew nummies, wook afta hew, make hew weak. Hew an hew speciaw-fwiend, dummeh caww Gwen… at weast he yoose be cawwed dat.”
Roarke triumphantly cried out. “GIB DUMMEH FOWEBA SWEEPIES, NU-WUN TWEAT SMAWTY WIKE A DUMMEH!”
Maggie fought back from crying as all the Toughies cheered, but the tears fell off her face all the same, she felt her four children hug her back, trying to stop the sad wawas.
Crowley lifted a hoof to silence his herd. “Dis dawk-time, Fwuffies hab big nummies, den in da bwite-time, Fwuffies pwepawe fow cowd-times, find nummies, find udda mawes, hab stwong babbehs.”
The Toughies cheered again, Zip nuzzled against his mate’s pregnant stomach while the Green Toughie dry-humped his pink victim’s side, causing her to cry some more. The two non-pregnant mares huddled together, trying to avoid the glares of the other Toughies.
Travis could see his mother looking at the mares, a look of pain on her face.
“Wha wong mummah?”
“Mag-ee wememba dose mawes, dey hewe wen mummah an daddeh hewe. Daw un wiv Zip am Ak-Wah, onwy Fwuffy Mag-ee knyo dat nu scawed of wawa.”
Travis looked over at Zip and Aqua, the two of them almost seemed normal despite the circumstances surrounding them. Maggie then pointed to the Green Toughie and the pink mare.
“Mawe am Bwossom, she use be Buwke speciaw-fwiend, fink Cwowwey gib hew tu big gween meanie afta Buwka gu foweba sweepies, nu knyo who Gween Fwuffy is.”
Travis looked over at the Green Fluffy – Travis would later learn his name was Boulder - and his dry-humping of Blossom and noticed two things immediately. Firstly that Boulder looked frighteningly similar to Roarke, both in size and in features, and secondly, Blossom was missing her two front legs.
Travis suddenly felt sad that she wouldn’t be able to hug her babbehs.
Maggie pointed to the last two mares, both Pegasi, both had yellow Fluff, one with a green mane, the other with a blue one, they held each other and cried as the last Toughie, a black coloured brute with an orange mane argued with the two brown food keepers over which one of them didn’t get enfies.
“Mawes am sissies, Med-oh an Day-see, dey stiww fiwwies wen mummah weave hewd, Mag-ee hope dey wun way befowe Cwowwey weawise dey mawes nyo. Bwack Tuffie am On-ix, nu knyo who Bwown Fwuffies awe, Cwowwey neba wet bwown Fwuffies stay befowe, caww dem poopies.”
Travis watched as the two brown Fluffies – he’d find out later they were brother, the darker unicorn was Pine and the lighter Pegasus was Elm – argued with Onyx about the two yellow mares. Travis guessed that Burke’s coup must’ve weakened the herd’s number more than Crowley was letting on, two brown Fluffies would make for good foragers since they could hide from humans easier.
Travis then looked over at the final Fluffy, the silver unicorn, and the silver unicorn was looking right back at him, his eyes held no comfort nor malice towards Travis, but if anything that scared him more, he couldn’t tell what the silver Fluffie’s reaction to him was and he didn’t know what the think about him.
Clearly he wasn’t the only one, as Travis felt Iris and Betsy shiver with fear at the sight of the older stallion.
“Mummah? Who dat?” Iris peeped quietly from Maggie’s back.
“Dat am Cwassus, he hewe wong time, Mag-ee wememba wen he Tuffie fow Cwowwey daddeh. Vewy smawt, vewy dangawous, be cawefuw wiv him babbehs.”
Tom, ever the little brave colt, squinted his eyes at Crassus, staring him down, Crassus stared back but didn’t say anything. Eventually Tom stepped back.
“Mummah, wai du Cwassus hab wingies? He nu pointy-Fwuffy?”
Maggie shook her head. “Cwassus am wingie-pointy, Fwuffies sumtimes hab both, bu nu see dem awot.”
Iris shook with fear some more and squeeked out a single word. “Munstah.”
The family heard laughing beside them, they all turned and saw Crowley sauntering towards them. “Cwassus nu am munstah, bu dummeh Fwuffies fink he is, make ee-see-ew tu twick dummehs tu fink we am munstah hewd. Wittew babbeh nu am dummeh, wight?”
Iris shook her head but she didn’t look at Crowley or Crassus. Travis did, he was scared of Crassus but not because he was a monster with wings and a horn, but because his cold stare was clawing right into his soul and Travis was afraid that if he turned away, Crassus would find some way to hurt him.
Eventually Crowley spoke up again. “Mag-ee gu hab nummies, been wong twip, feed babbehs.”
Maggie was stunned. “Mag-ee can hab nummies?”
“Yu pawt of hewd gain, yu git nummies tuu. Gun need stwenff up fow dawk-times.”
Travis felt his mother shudder at Crowley’s words and he could guess why, but being so little and still sore from Crow’s attack, he knew there was nothing he could do to save her. There was nothing he could do to save any of his siblings.
As Maggie left, Crassus walked over to Crowley. “Mawe nu happy tu be bak.”
Crowley shook his head. “Had hoomin mummah and speciaw-fwiend, fink she safe fwom Smawty. Nyo Gwen am foweba sweepies wike Buwke, nu-wun tweat Smawty wike dummeh.”
“Wha gun du wiv dem?”
“Mag-ee stiww need pun-essed fow weaving hewd, Cwowwey see tu dat. Fiwwies be gud-mummah wun day, fink gib pink babbeh tu Cwow wen she smeww wike mawe, git gud-babbehs fwom hew. Anee Fiwwies gib mawe smeww wen Cwowwey gun?”
Crassus shook his head. “Nu, aww stiww fiwwies.”
“Bah, Cwow hab fiwst enfies, nyo aww he wan is gud-feews. Need teech him bout Smawty wules, enfies to gwow hewd, fink maybe Cwowwey shouwd wait wittew wonga befowe wetting Cwow enf.”
“Cwow yung, wet him hab fun, he weawn soon enuff. Wha bout cowts?”
Da bwue cowt am stwong, make gud-tuffie, wet Cwusha an Bweaka twain him, maybe git dem Shuddup bout babbehs.”
“Dey stiww wan own famiwy?”
Crowley nodded. “Nu jus dem, nu enuff mawes in hewd, stawwions gu aww cowd-times wiv nu enfies, nyo hewd in hot-times an need mawes tu stawt habben babbehs su dey weady fow neks cowd-times. Cwusha an Bweaka knyo hewd need du Enfie Waid soon, fink dat way dey can hab babbeh fwom udda hewd.”
Crassus shrugged. “Dey am wight.”
“Yeh bu hewd need be weady for Enfie Waid, need twaining, hewd git soft oba cowd-times, bu nu can weave tuu wong, ow udda mawes stawt habben own babbehs. Wha Cwassus fink?”
“Hab Tuffies fight Woawke an Boh-duw, teww dem nu can hab enfies tiww dey beat Tuffies.”
“Bu nu Fwuffy eba beet Woawke ow Boh-duw.”
“Ex-ak-wy.”
Crowley chuckled, seeing the wisdom in his advisor’s words. “Gud pwan, Cwowwey teww Woawke an Boh-duw, git weady fow neks bwite-time.”
“Smawty nu say bout udda babbeh, da pointy wun.”
Crowley smiled. “Twavis, he smawt babbeh, bu nu smawt enuff. Twy sabe sissy fwom Cwow enfies, su Cwow enf Twavis. Wan him wib Cwassus, teech him be smawta Fwuffy, teech him ways of da hewd.”
Crassus looked confused. “Fot yu wan Cwow be neks Smawty.”
“Cwow stiww be Smawty, bu Cwow need smawt fwiends tu hewp him. Cwow need own Cwassus, fink Twavis be dat fow him.”
In the middle of the den, the Fluffies gorged themselves on the feast that Crowley had issues for them, Copper, Crusher and Breaker all quietly tucked in while talking among themselves, Roarke and Boulder playfully fought with each other over a large branch of blackberries, Onyx ate quietly beside them whilst side-eyeing Elm and Pine, while the enfie-argument had subsided in favour of food it was clearly not over yet, Zip picked up some fresh nuts to give to Aqua and Coral just took as much as she could, not caring who she elbowed or knocked along the way.
The three mares left over stayed to the side, huddled together for safety, the sisters Daisy and Meadow tried eating but were too scared to do much, Blossom just stared at Maggie, tears welling in her eyes.
Maggie could tell Blossom was looking at her, but she tried to ignore it, focussed on eating what she could for her children’s milk.
“Wai yu come bak?”
The voice was soft, heartbroken, and clearly coming from Blossom, but Maggie put her head down and chewed on some leaves.
“Wai yu come bak?” Blossom said again, her voice a little firmer.
“Mag-ee nu wan come bak, had happy home wiv Big Mummah an speciaw-fwiend. Cwowwey find us bwing Mag-ee an babbehs bak, nu wan be hewe.”
“Bwossom fot yu gun, fink yu escape. Bu yu bak, dewe am nu escape, nu way fow Bwossom tu weave, am stuk hewe, fowce tu hab meanie babbahe an…”
Suddenly Blossom was cut off by a swift kick from Coral. “Dummeh mawes am ungwatefuw, dis am gud hewd, mawes hab wots of babbehs and neba gu hungwy. Wai nu be happy wiv dat?”
Blossom rubbed her sore cheek. “Huu, nu wike hewd, nu wike meanie stawwions, nu wike meanie Cowaw.”
Coral snorted. “If yu be speciaw-fwiends wiv dummeh Buwke, maybe yu hab gud-babbehs, stead of dummeh babbehs yu hab nyo.”
Blossom burst into tears again, even with Meadow and Daisy trying to hug her she kept crying, Maggie kept her head down, she already didn’t want to be here, now it turned out her return hurt the other mares as well since it proves Crowley could and would find them if they escaped.
This place was even worse than she remembered.
That night, after their first decent feeding in days, Travis and his siblings curled up together in a Fluff-pile, made all the warmer by their slightly extended bellies, Iris and Tom were conked completely out from their feeding whilst Travis and Betsy were comfortably full and resting peacefully.
That was until Travis felt something moving beside him, he slowly opened his eyes and saw his mother slowly standing up while Crassus stood waiting.
“Mummah?”
Maggie turned round. “It ok babbeh, mummah jus need du sumfing, nu be wong.”
“Am mummah in twoubew?”
Maggie shook her head, but Travis could tell from the look in her eyes that something was going on, his glanced flashed at Crassus and he knew better than to say anything.
“Be cawefuw mummah.”
Maggie gave Travis a quick hug before turning and following Crassus, as she left, Travis felt Betsy stir next to him.
“Mummah?”
“Shh, it ok, mummah jus gu make pee-pees, be bak soon.”
Betsy, in her half-away state, accepted the lie and closed her eyes again, cosying up to her brother in the warm air.
Crassus led Maggie away from the den, towards the river stream not far away. Crowley was already waiting for them.
And Maggie knew why.
“Du Cwowwey weawwy hab tu du dis?” She asked defiantly, she knew she had no choice but wasn’t about to make it easy on the red prick.
“Mag-ee knyo wules, hewd need make babbehs an Smawty git fiwst pik of mawes.”
“Nu can wait tiww babbehs nu need miwkies?”
“Babbehs awmosh weady for big nummies, nu twy tu git out of dis nyo. Nu hab speciaw-fwiend tu sabe yu.”
Crowley stepped towards Maggie, her eyes catching a glint of his erection in the moonlight.
“Bu if mawe fink she can wun aneeway, den Smawty hab Woawke enf yuw babbehs, fiwwies be tuu bwoken tu hab own babbehs, cowts pwobabwy jus gu foweba sweepies.”
Maggie’s brave facade was cracking, she knew Crowley’s threats were serious. “Can Mag-ee hab wun pwomise?”
“Wha?”
“Nu wet Cwow enf Twavis nu mowe, he onwy wittew babbeh, tuu smaww fow enfies.”
Crowley smirked, he was already looking for another outlet for Crow’s libido, this was too easy.
“Ok, Cwowwey nu wet Cwow gib Twavis enfies nu mowe.”
Maggie breathed a sigh of relief that her son had a chance of a normal life now, and turned around to fulfil her part. With heavy limbs she presented herself to Crowley and moved her tail out of the way, when she felt his hoofs on her back she had to bite her hoof to keep her crying unheard by the others.
Travis didn’t sleep that night, he spent the whole time covering Betsy’s ears from the faint sounds of ‘enf, enf, enf’ coming from the river, and hating himself for being too weak to save his family again.
