Chapter 11: On The River’s Edge
Maggie was at the river lapping up some water when she felt something small hugging up to her, she turned round to see Betsy wrapping her arms around her mother’s side, trying to cuddle as much as she could.
“Bet-see sowwy mummah wose tummeh-babbehs, nu wan mummah hab heawt-huwties.”
Maggie sighed and manoeuvred herself so she could hug Betsy back. “It ok babbeh, mummah nu hab heawt-huwties.”
“Bu mummah wose tummeh-babbehs, an babbehs am bestesh fing eba.”
Maggie tried to find the right words to explain to her daughter what had happened. “Dey wewe bad-babbehs, Cwowwey put dem in Mag-ee’s tummeh wiv bad-huggies, wike wha Cwow du tu Twavis. Mummah wub babbehs bu nu am sad dey gu foweba sweepies, nu wub dem wike Gwen babbehs.”
“Su, it am gud tu gib bad-babbehs foweba sweepies.”
“Nu.” Maggie could see the cogs in her daughters head turning in the wrong direction. “If mummah hab bad-babbehs den mummah stiww wub dem and gib dem wots of miwkies an huggies, neba wet dem knyo dey bad-babbehs, nu babbehs fauwt dey hav meanie daddeh. Wha Cowaw du is VEWY bad, vewy mean, nu shouwd gib anee babbeh foweba sweepies, nu eben bad-babbehs.”
“Den wai mummah nu hab sadies?”
Maggie sighed and licked her daughter on the forehead. “Yu undastan wen yu be mummah.”
Betsy was still confused but her questioning was interrupted by a loud snap of wood coming from deep in the forest, Maggie brought her daughter in close to keep her protected from whatever monster was nearby. Another snap, louder this time, closer, Maggie’s eyes darted around until she heard it, a faint sound of crying, and of… cheering?
She gazed into the distance until she saw the specks of red and yellow and silver getting closer, Crowley and his crew had returned, and clearly they had new blood for the herd.
Silently Maggie wished for a quick death for the poor mares, but she was happy to not have the attention on her for the moment.
“HEWD!”
Crowley made his return known, Onyx and Boulder cheered but the mares only gave a half-hearted welcome to their leader.
“Cwowwey bwing nyu mawes, enuff fow aww stawwions. Nyo hewd can hab wots of babbehs, gwow eben bigga an stwonga.”
The stallions cheered, they were looking forward to teaching their sons to be Toughies and their daughters to be mummahs, the herd would grow in strength and become a force to be reckoned with.
With a quick nod to Roarke and Boulder, the two Toughies bullied Seabreeze, Andi and Ness into a line facing Crowley while Onyx rolled Coral – who had been stuck with her broken leg since yesterday – out in front of them. The peach piece of shit was still complaining about her lost babbehs and how Aqua was hurting them with her bad milk, but a swift kick from Onyx shut her up.
Crowley stepped in front of her, facing the new mares. “Nyu fwiends, wisten. Am Cwowwey, am yuw Smawty nyo. Cwowwey knyo yu aww hab heawt-huwties bout speciaw-fwiends, bu undastan dey wewe weak, dey nu pwotect yu. Cwowwey pwotect yu, as wong as yu in Cwowwey hewd, Cwowwey wiww make suwe yu aww hab nummies, aww hab wawm bedsies, an aww Cwowwey wan is fow yu tu hab babbehs su dat hewd can gwow.”
“Huu, nu wan bad-babbehs.” Andi cried as she felt the first sparks of babbehs in her tummy, her first babbehs, babbehs that weren’t Dug’s, babbehs who she didn’t know belonged to Elm or Pine she they both took turns with her.
“Cwowwey undastan dat yu nu wan bad-huggies ow bad babbehs. Bu yu hab tummeh-babbehs nyo, yu nu cna weave ow ewse yu put yuw babbehs at wisk. Stay wiv hewd, wet Cwowwey show yu dat yu awe safe hewe, dat yu an yuw babbehs wiww be awwight, dat yu aww be gud mummahs fow hewd. Coz if yu nu gud mummah, den yu bad mummah, an Cwowwey nu wike bad mummahs.”
Crowley stepped to the side to let the new mares get a look at Coral, all of them scared by her sour expression.
“Wha dummehs wookin at?”
Onyx kicked her in the face again as Crowley continued his speech. “Dis am bad mummah, she gib own babbeh foweba sweepies, she gib Smawty tummeh-babbehs foweba sweepies.”
“BABBEH AM MUNSTAH! Cowaw du gud fing gibben munstah foweba sweepies.”
“BABBEHS NU AM MUNSTAHS, AM FOW HUGGIES AN WUB, AWW OF DEM!” Seabreeze screeched out, the memories of Jonesy and the hatred he got for being a ‘monster’ still lingered in her mind.
Crowley stepped up to stop the argument. “Cowaw am bad mummah, dis wha happen tu bad mummahs in Cwowwey hewd.”
Before Coral could even argue back, Onyx smashed his hoofs down onto her front left leg, utterly demolishing it.
“AHHHHHH! WAI HUWT WEGGIE, WHA COWAW DU?” With both of her front legs now broken, Coral could only scream and cry and howl about not being able to run or play and hug her babbehs anymore. Onyx used that distraction to move around to Coral’s back and smashed his hoofs onto her back leg as well.
“NUUUU!!!” Coral wailed as Onyx pulverised both of her back legs, while Onyx wasn’t as strong as Roarke or Boulder, he was easily the heaviest out of the Toughies and used his immense weight to shatter her bones. Even with Fluffies quick healing she would never walk again.
Eventually all four of her legs were smashed and broken, the sheer weight of Onyx almost turning some of her limbs into dust, and the once special-mare was no more than a dummeh pillow-Fluff. Not a No-Leggie Fluff since her legs were still technically attached, but only by skin and weak muscles, if anything that was worse since Coral would still attempt to move her legs and have the agony burn through her once more.
Coral looked up, through hazy tears she saw the new mares, and while there was a look of abject horror on their faces there was also… disdain. They were looking at her like she deserved this, HER, the Smarty’s special-friend.
The Smarty who was currently waving Pine over them.
Pine stopped in front of Crowley, taking a moment to wink at Andi. “Yeh Smawty.”
“Pine nu hab speciaw-fwiend wight?”
Pine shook his head. “Enf nyu mawe An-dee, bu Bwudda enf hew fiwst, she hab his babbehs nyo.”
Seabreeze wrapped a hoof over Andi as the poor grey mare wept over the memory of her rape.
Crowley ignored Seabreeze’s scowl and continued talking to Pine. “Weww if Pine wan hab speciaw-fwiend, Cowaw am avaiwabew, Pine can gib hew tummeh-babbehs.”
“NU!” Coral screamed as Pine leered at her. “Nu wan poopie-babbehs, nu wan poopie-enfies. NU, NU GU WAY.”
Pine ignored her screaming as he moved to mount her, Crowley smirked at Coral’s final punishment and led the new mares away just as the ‘enf, enf, enf’ began behind them.
Maggie and Betsy returned from the river, both hoping to see Travis again, but as they closed in on their sleeping area they instead found Tom and Iris looking increasingly worried.
“Wha wong babbehs?”
Tom pointed to the corner where Travis had curled into a weeping ball of Fluff. “Bwudda hab wowstesh sadies, huggies nu hewp.”
“Iwis scawed, nu wike Bwudda heawt-huwties.”
Concerned, Maggie approached her son, softly stroking him on his back. “Babbeh? Wha wong?”
“Huu, Twavis nu wan be hewe. Wan gu home, wan daddeh, wan Big Mummah. Hate dis pwace, hate dis hewd.”
Maggie took her crying son into her arms and let him weep into her belly Fluffy. “Mummah knyo, hewd am bad hewd, bu Fwuffies am hewe nyo, nu knyo way home.”
Tom stepped forward. “Bu mummah, yu an daddeh wun way, wai nu du dat nyo.”
“Coz mummah an daddeh wewe big Fwuffies, nu hab babbehs wowwy bout, if famiwy run nyo den mummah spend aww time wowwied bout babbehs, make miss-take, git in twoubew.”
Iris sniffed. “Su famiwy stuk hewe, Iwis hab tu hab meanie Cwow babbehs?”
“Mummah du bestesh, nu wet babbehs hab mowe huwties.”
“Yu can twy.”
All four of Maggie’s foals darted under their mothers legs as the sudden voice, Maggie turned and saw a surprisingly solemn looking Crassus.
“Bu Mag-ee nu can pwotect babbehs foweba.”
“Wha Cwassus du tu Twavis? Wai he hab heawt-huwties?”
“Twavis see meanie fings, wowstesh fings. Cwassus fot he smawt enuff tu handew it, Cwassus wong, fowgit Twavis stiww babbeh.”
Maggie scowled at Crassus. “Weave Mag-ee an babbehs awone, nu wan Cwassus gibben mowe heawt-huwties.”
Surprisingly, Crassus nodded and walked away without argument. Maggie returned to Travis, she and the other foals wrapping their brother in a Hug-Pile.
“It ok Twavis.” Tom cooed. “Famiwy stiww wub yu.”
Betsy gripped tighter. “Twavis am gud bwudda, betta dan meanie hewd.”
Even Iris took in the love. “Nu wan bwudda hab heawt-huwties, pwease nu hab sadies.”
The family took in this rare moment to be together, and for a brief moment they were able to forget this entrapment and the horrors surrounding them.
Crassus looked back at the family and sighed, he’d looked at things all wrong and now he wasn’t sure what to make of them. With a pain in his head, Crassus made to look for Crowely, finding him setting up Seabreeze and the others newcomers with the mares.
“Cwowwey, Cwassus wan tawk wiv yu.”
“In wittew bit, Cwowwey gittin mawes an stawwions together. Yu suwe nu wan mawe.”
“Cwassus nu intawested.”
“Yuw woss.”
“Cwowwey pwease, Cwassus wan tawk. It impowtant.”
Crowley show the look in his friends eyes and understood he was telling the truth. “Ok, Ak-wah, teech mawes bout hewd rules, Cwowwey be bak soon.”
Aqua nodded and took over talking to the newcomers, Zip standing beside her for protection. Crassus led Crowley away from the others to speak in private.
“Wha Cwassus wan tawk bout.”
“It Twavis. Cwassus nu fink he make gud ad-vi-suh.”
“Wai? Am Twavis nu smawt babbeh?”
“Nu, Twavis am smawt, bu he hab head-pwobwems, am tuu huwt by hewd. Twavis hate hewd, hate Cwowwey, hate Cwow, nu fink he can be gud ad-vi-suh if nu hab hewd in-ta-wests at heawt.”
Crowley shrugged. “Su? Cwassus nu fowce Twavis tu wowk fow hewd.”
“Fowce? Twavis hab wowstesh heawt-huwties, he am bwoken in da finkie-pwace. Cwassus nu bwame him, Cwowwey gib Gwen foweba sweepies, Cwow gib Twavis wowstesh enfies. Hewd hab huwt Twavis in wowstesh ways, nu knyo wai he eben wan tu hewp hewd.”
“Coz he had nu choice. Coz Twavis famiwy am hewe an dey can gu foweba sweepies wiv wun wowd fwom Smawty. Cwowwey nu knyo wha gib Cwassus dummeh finkie-pwace, bu need undastan dat Twavis wiww wowk fow hewd and Cwassus gun make suwe he du it.”
Crassus stared at his friend, wondering if he had always been this cruel. “Wai Cwowwey su foh-cussed on Twavis, can find udda smawt Fwuffies. Can teech Cwow be gud smawty wivout him, Cwassus stiww hab sum bwite-times weft in him.”
“Cwassus fink Cwow wisten tu us? Aww he fink bout is enfies, aww he wan is gud-feews, nu knyo how tu be gud smawty. Cwowwey need sumwun he wisten tu.”
“Wha make Cwowwey fink Cwow eben wan wisten tu Twavis, he fink dat Twavis am jus enfie-dummeh.”
Crowley grinned. “Cwow wisten coz Twavis wiww gib gud advice. If Twavis nu gib gud advice, den Cwow enf him, ow gib his sissies smawty babbehs, ow hab Tuffies gib bwudda wowstesh sowwy-hoofies. Twavis am smawt babbeh, he weawn pwace soon.”
Crassus was shocked. “Cwassus fot yu wan wook afta Mag-ee an famiwy, make dem pawt of hewd. Yu jus wan huwt dem mowe.”
“Mag-ee wose chance tu be in hewd wen she weave wiv Gwen, she nu wan be hewe, hew babbehs nu wan be hewe, be ee-see-ew if dey du bu wife nu ee-see wike dat. If Smawty hab tu keep dem hewe by thwets, den dat wha Smawty du.”
Crassus scoffed. “Fow a Smawty dat am dummeh pwan.”
Crassus saw Crowley’s cheeks start to puff up before Crassus turned away with the last word, he wasn’t upset about the violence – god knows he was guilty of a few acts himself – but it was the continuation, Travis was already broken down and Crowley intended to keep him under a mountain of heart and head hurties?
Crassus half-expected Travis to die before him if this kept up.
Crowley seethed with rage as his friend turned his back on him, it was only because it was Crassus that he didn’t do anything. Anyone else and he would’ve had them killed in a heartbeat. Still fuming, Crowley turned around, finding Onyx waiting by a tree.
“Wan On-ix gu gib Cwassus foweba sweepies?”
For a brief second, Crowley felt himself tempted to say yes, but he knew that would cause more troubles than it was worth.
“Nu, weave Cwassus fow nyo, Cwowwey dee-side wha du wiv him wata.”
“If dat wha Smawty wan. On-ix gu enf Med-oh an Day-see gain.”
“Nu be wong, awmosh sweepies times.”
Crowley turned to leave but stopped himself as an idea came to his head.
“Teww Mag-ee tu meet Smawty by wawa befowe she gu sweepies. Smawty wan see hew.”
Onyx nodded and stomped off to the two sisters, now that Pine and Elm had their own enfie-toys he was free to play with the two sisters as he pleased. Crowley took off in the other direction, his anger with Crassus sated somewhat but the anticipation of Maggie.
Now with Coral out of the picture there was nothing stopping him from giving her Smarty babbehs.
Maggie was just settling down for the dark-time when Onyx found her, she already knew why he was there before he even opened his mouth.
“Du Mag-ee hab tu du dis? Smawty hab nyu mawe, nyu speciaw-fwiend. Mag-ee stiww hab speciaw-pwaces huwties fwom wosing tummeh-babbehs.”
“On-ix nu cawe, yu teww Smawty dat.”
Maggie sighed and resigned herself to her fate, before leaving she gave each of her children a small lick on their heads
“Gud sweepies babbehs, mummah bak soon.”
And once again with a heavy heart, she followed Onyx towards the river stream. Even with the hot-times coming in fast, it was still quite dark when she reached the river, if not for the moonlight in the water she might have lost her way. She kept walking until Onyx stopped and out of the gloom, Crowley appeared.
“Hewwo Mag-ee.”
Maggie looked at Crowley, her face expressionless, then she turned to Onyx.
“Yu can gu nyo.”
“Dummeh mawe nu teww On-ix wha…”
“It ok Onix.” Crowley interrupted him. “Mag-ee jus wan pwy-vah-see. Yu gu bak, git sweepies.”
Onyx nodded at his Smarty’s order and left, making sure to push passed Maggie when he did. Maggie waited until she couldn’t hear him anymore before turning back to Crowley.
“Can Mag-ee hab dwinkies fiwst.”
“Suwe, Mag-ee need strenf fow what Cwowwey wan du tu hew.”
Trying her best not to shudder with disgust, Maggie walked towards the river stream and slowly took a few laps of the water. After a moment, Crowley took up a space beside her and starting drinking too.”
“Befowe Cwowwey gib bad-huggies gain, can Mag-ee ask sumfing?”
Crowley nodded.
“Wai Cwowwey gib Mag-ee bad huggies wen Scowch gu foweba sweepies?”
Maggie saw something angry flash across Crowley’s eyes but he kept himself composed. “Cwowwey hab wump huwties, Mag-ee jus in wong pwace at wong time.”
Maggie shook her head. “Nu, if Cwowwey wan enfie dewe udda mawes he couwd hab, Cowaw weady eben befowe Scowch gu foweba sweepies. Cwowwey choose Maggie, wan knyo wai.”
Crowley was so tempted to attack her, to pummel Maggie into the ground and have his way with her, but the memory of his special-friend, his one true love Scorch was making him more sad than angry. With a heavy sigh, he looked up at the moon, a single tear illuminated by the light fell down his face.
“Cwowwy an Scowch nu say aneefing, bu fink Scowch was soon-mummah gain, had tummeh-babbehs wen wingie-munstah took hew. Wen Cwowwey see Gwen and Mag-ee be su happy bout tummeh-babbahe, it gib Cwowwey wowstesh angwies, wai yu an dummeh Gwen be happy an nu Cwowwey. Cwowwey wan huwt yu su Mag-ee feew wha Cwowwey feew.”
“Cwowwey gib tummeh-babbehs foweba sweepies coz he jeh-wous?”
Crowley nodded. “Nu gud ex-coose, bu onwy wun Cwowwey hab. Wub Scowch su mush, wan hew bak hewe ebewy-bwite-time, she smawt, she knyo how tu hewp Cwowwey.”
Suddenly Crowley felt something touch him, he looked and saw Maggie putting a comforting hoof onto his neck, a smile of pity on her face. He smiled back, thankful that Maggie was there with him during this moment.
Maggie leaned in closer, putting her lips to his ears and whispered into them.
“Dis am fow tummeh-babbehs.”
And before Crowley could react, Maggie slammed her front hoofs down onto the back of his neck and slammed Crowley’s face into the running water.
Crowley panicked, his screaming muffled by the river, his frantic splashing unheard over the babbling of the stream, he didn’t know where he was, he didn’t know who he was, all he knew was the taste of water and the burning of his lungs.
Maggie pushed down with all her might, she didn’t have the strength to hold Crowley there for long but Fluffies and water were a dangerous mix, she just needed to use the surprise to her advantage. She looked down and saw Crowley trying to lift his nose out of the water, so Maggie jumped on top of him, holding the red unicorn down with her whole body.
Crowley screamed as his face was pushed so deep into the river his chin was running against the bottom. With every cry for help his small lungs were filling with more and more water, his visions going blurry, his ears bursting from the pressure until…
Something snapped inside his head and everything went black, his body went limp, his limbs stopped moving. Maggie waited a little bit longer before climbing off of Crowley, with nothing holding him down his body drifted down the river, still face-down, still never moving.
Crowley was dead.
Maggie felt a smile grow on her face at the sight, she had done it, she had avenged Glen, avenged her first litter, the bastard was dead and it was by her hands. Of course she had one more thing she needed to do.
Wiping the smile off of her face, Maggie bit her tongue until tears were welling her eyes, then she took a deep breath and she screamed.
“HEWP!”
wha-WHAAAA???