Chapter 13: …Long Live The King
It had been a week since Crowley’s death and the rise of Crow, the mood had improved if only just. Seabreeze was still depressed over losing her tummeh-babbehs, despite them being conceived from Crowley’s rape she was looking forward to being a mother again, however she found new purpose when Aqua finally gave birth. The poor girl had a litter of six and while she loved them all, it took a lot to feed them and keep them warm.
Seabreeze had just started producing milk when Roarke aborted her foals, so she was there to help with the important first feed, ensuring that all of Aqua’s foals made that crucial first hour with something in their stomach. While she wouldn’t be able to give anymore milk, Aqua found Seabreeze’s company to be comforting, especially as a first-time mother, and asked – quite enthusiastically – for Seabreeze to stay as a ‘Carer’, to help Aqua look after her larger than expected litter.
Thankfully this kept Seabreeze clear of Crow, the little tyrant made it no secret that he was looking to start breeding sooner rather than later, Seabreeze was his first choice until she became distracted. He then looked towards the recently crippled Coral, any familiar connection to his ex-step-mummah dissolved following the death of his father, until Crassus stepped in, not wanting another forced miscarriage during the time the herd was suppose to be growing their numbers.
So naturally, Crow looked towards his initial target, his future mate Iris, only to be told no about her as well.
“Wai dummeh Cwassus nu wettin Smawty hab enfies wiv Iwis?”
Crassus looked over at Roarke, everyone knew Roarke was really in charge, so long as Crow was kept happy Roarke could have him be the figurehead and do whatever he liked. And currently, Roarke was happy to let Crassus dig himself deeper and deeper, all while he stay silent and reap the benefits.
Realising that Roarke would be no help, Crassus looked back down at Crow. “Coz Iwis stiww nu am weady fow enfies, wiww be soon. Dese am hawd times fow hewd afta wosing Cwowwey, nu need mowe foweba sweepie babbehs. Bee-side, Smawty hab mowe impowtant fings dan enfies.”
Crow snorted. “Dewe nuffin mowe impowtant dan enfies wight nyo, hewd need mowe babbehs, need Smawty babbehs.”
Crassus bit his tongue as he thought about the Smawty babbehs that Crow had killed last week and sighed. “Cwassus jus bein cawefuw, nu wan hewd hab mowe heawt-huwties.”
Crow turned to Roarke, expecting a more agreeable response from the yellow Toughie. “Woawke, teww Cwassus he dummeh, Cwow am Smawty nyo, can hab enfies wen he wan.”
Roarke paused for a moment, considering his next words, Crassus didn’t like the idea of Roarke thinking, it was far easier to consider him just a violent thug. Although far more dangerous to think that as well.
Eventually he spoke. “Woawke fink dat Cwassus am bein TUU cawefuw wiv fiwwies. Bu he hab point, Iwis weady fow babbehs bud at nu mean she hab gud-babbehs, Smawty need be swowa wiv hew, nu can jus jum on and gib enfies wen Smawty wan. Nu yet anee-way.”
Crow scowled but he knew it was the best he was going to get. “Su wha can Smawty du tu hab enfies nyo, nu can wait tuu wong, can smeww mawes fwom hewe.”
Roarke looked out at the herd, the calmest they had been in days, if not longer, and saw Tom and Travis play-fighting under the supervision of Crusher and Breaker. And he grinned.
“Woawke hab pwan.”
“Ok Twavis, nyo twy dis. Wen Tom twy gib you sowwy-hoofies, gu unda his weggies an use da pointy on his nek.”
Travis nodded at Breaker’s tutelage, no longer forced to work close to Crassus or Crow or anyone that close to the Smarty sector, Travis had been able to enjoy some quiet time, reconnect with his siblings after being through Hell and back without them. Betsy was overjoyed to have Travis spending more time with them and would often be seen cuddling up to his brother whenever she could, Tom welcomed back his brother with open arms and did the decent thing of giving him just over a day before asking to be his sparring partner since there was no other Fluffy small enough to fight him properly other than Crow and Tom didn’t want to risk hurting the Smarty just yet.
Iris was happy to see Travis back with the family as well but she was less showy about it, Travis could see there was little light behind her eyes these days and she constantly looked tired. He knew it was the growing fear of being forced to have Crow’s babbehs someday and soon, by this point the anticipation was killing her more than the actual act would. But still, Iris kept herself looking somewhat happy towards her siblings, even if she spent most of her time curled up beside her mother.
Travis looked back at his brother, Tom came bounding towards him and threw his hoofs – slowly since they were practising – towards Travis’s face; Travis took on Breaker’s advice and ducked underneath the leg and pressed his horn up to Tom’s neck, being careful not to actually hurt him.
Tom laughed. “Bwudda am gud, maybe be stwong Tuffie wike Tom.”
Travis smiled politely, he had no intention of being a Toughie, while he was a unicorn and thus one of the toughie variants of Fluffy, his mind wasn’t that of a killers, after everything he’d seen Crowley and his herd do he never wanted to see death again, though in his heart he knew that was likely impossible.
Breaker chuckled as he walked over to the brother and patted Travis on the back. “Twavis du gud wowk, neba fowgit dat pointies can gib wowstesh huwties ow foweba sweepies. Bweaka knyo dat Twavis nu wan huwt udda Fwuffies, bu dat nu mean udda Fwuffies nu wan huwt Twavis. You bov weady fow neks twick.”
The brothers nodded, Tom a little more enthusiastically than Travis.
“Ok, dis time Tom, wen hab Twavis in hoof-wock, yoose bigga size tu thwow Twavis tu da gwound.”
While Breaker taught Tom and Travis more fighting moves, Crusher waited on the sides with Maggie, Iris and Betsy, Iris was still uneasy about Crusher but Betsy was slightly more welcoming to him.
“How come Bweaka and Cwusha am bov stawwions?” She asked him whilst things were slowed down.
“BABBEH!” Maggie chastised her daughter. “Yu nu ask dat of udda Fwuffies.”
“It ok Mag-ee, Cwusha undastan it hawd fow babbehs. Cwusha nu knyo wai he wan be speciaw-fwiends wiv udd stawwion, jus du. Hab biggesh heawt-happies dat Bweaka wan be speciaw-fwiends tuu, he take wong time tu undastan dat doh.”
“Wha Cwusha mean?”
“Wen Cwusha come hewe wiv bwudda, can teww dat Bweaka wike Cwusha, bu Bweaka nu fink dat stawwions can be speciaw-fwiends. Cwusha show him dat Fwuffies awe fow huggies an wub, nu matta who dey gittin huggies an wub fwom.”
“Bet-see neba fink of it wike dat.”
“Mosh Fwuffies nu fink, jus wan babbehs, Cwusha an Bweaka wike hab babbehs sumtime, bu knyo it nu wikewy. Bu it nu matta who Fwuffies wub, sum mawes wub udda mawes, sum stawwions wub mawes an stawwions. Cwassus neba hab speciaw-fwiend eba, he a Nu Enfie fwuffy. It nu matta, Fwuffies wub who dey wan wub.”
As Crusher continued talking to Betsy, Maggie felt Iris tapping against her side.
“Wha wong Iwis?”
“Mummah, wen Iwis am big Fwuffy, du she hab tu be speciaw-fwiends wiv Cwow. Nu wike stawwion.”
Maggie hung her head and cuddled her daughter closer. “Mummah knyo dat Iwis hab scawdies bout Cwow, bu wunce Iwis hab babbehs den Cwow nu gib huwties, nu wan huwt babbehs. An maybe Iwis wub babbehs, maybe dey be gud-babbehs.”
“Bu mummah.” Iris said looking sheepishly at the ground. “Wha if Iwis nu wike ANEE stawwion?”
Maggie was just letting the undertones of that question hit her in the brain when she saw Crassus approaching them, a sullen look on his face. Iris and Betsy hid behind their mother at the sight of him, Tom tried to appear tough, Travis tried as well but much less successfully.
Crassus looked up at Breaker. “Wook afta babbehs, Cwassus need tawk tu Mag-ee.”
Breaker nodded as a confused Maggie joined Crassus, following him deeper into the forest, away from any other Fluffy overhearing them. Eventually they stopped, and Crassus took a defeated sigh.
“Cwassus hab bad newsies. Cwo am gun fight Tom duwin neks bwite-time.”
“Wha? Wai he du dat?”
“Cwow wan fight fow enfies wiv Iwis, if he win den Iwis am tu hab enfies wiv him. Da fight is tu show dat Cwow am stwongesh Fwuffy, an tu pwepawe Iwis fow habben Cwow babbehs.”
Maggie shook her head disgustedly. “Den Tom nu wose, Tom am stwonga dan Cwow, can win fight.”
“Woawke awweady fink of dat, Tom wiww wose fight on puwpose, ow Cwow wiww gib enfies tu Bet-see.”
Maggie felt herself trapped again, no matter what she did, her daughters were in danger, she fell down to a sitting position, feeling a tightness in her chest.
Crassus looked down at her and knew this was the right time to ask her.
“Wai Mag-ee gib Cwowwey foweba sweepies?”
Maggie looked up in shock. “How du…?”
“Cwassus am smawt Fwuffy, can teww wen udda Fwuffies wying. Knyo wince Mag-ee teww bout Cwowwey dwownin, bu nu say aneefing coz nu wan udda Fwuffies knyo.”
“Wai nu wan udda Fwuffies knyoin?”
“Coz wan knyo wai Mag-ee du it, Cwowwey am munstah bu he gud Smawty, keep hewd safe.”
Maggie scoffed. “Safe? Yu fink hewd am safe? Cwowwey wan gib famiwy wowstesh huwties coz he jeawous, coz he wose Scowch and nu wike dat Gwen an Mag-ee hab heawt-happies. Nu matta wha Mag-ee du, Cwowwey awways wan huwt Mag-ee, huwt babbehs. Mag-ee twy make suwe dat nu happen.”
“Did Mag-ee nu fink of Cwow? Nu fink of udda Fwuffies wen giben Cwowwey foweba sweepies? Hewd am in twoubew, Cwow am dangawous Smawty, Woawke hab tuu mush powa nyo. Cwassus twyin tu hewp Mag-ee an babbehs bu nu can du dat mush wonga.”
Maggie looked Crassus dead in the eye, the most serious look in her eye that she’d ever mustered. “Mag-ee knyo dat Cwow am dangawous, an am sowwy dat See-bweeze wose tummeh-babbehs. Bu if hab tu make choosie between Smawty munstah an enfie dummeh, Mag-ee choose da dummeh. Nu cawe bout dummeh hewd nu mowe, yu hab da Smawty yu aww desewve nyo.”
“Wha bout babbehs? Mag-ee cawe fow babbehs, nu fink Cwow huwt dem? Ow am Mag-ee gun keep gibben Smawties foweba sweepies tiww babbehs hab nu mowe huwties.”
“Mag-ee du whaeba she need tu du as mummah tu pwotect babbehs.”
Crassus could tell she was serious, which is why he had a proposition for her. He leaned in closer to speak in a hushed voice, even with their privacy he was being extra careful.
“Den Cwassus hab pwan tu hewp Mag-ee. Yu wun way wunce, wai nu wun way gain?”
“Tuu many babbehs, nu can find nummies fow aww dem wen twyin tu wun way fwom hewd.”
“Den…wai nu Mag-ee take onwy sum babbehs?”
Maggie was visibly disgusted by the suggestion. “Wha Cwassus saying?”
“Mag-ee wun way, take Twavis an Bet-see, dey hab nu pwace hewe, need betta wife way fwom hewd. Weave Iwis an Tom, Iwis be gud mummah an Tom am stwong Tuffie, dey be gud hewd Fwuffies. Cwassus pwomise wook afta dem, make suwe dat Cwow nu gib dem tuu many huwties. Den wen Cwow gu foweba sweepies, Iwis babbehs be nyu Smawty, hewp hewd be gud Fwuffies gain.”
Maggie pondered Crassus’ words, she could see the wisdom, but she also knew she couldn’t abandone any of her children.
“Cwassus say smawt fings, but Mag-ee say nu, Mag-ee nu weave anee of hew babbehs tu dis hewd, eeda Mag-ee an aww babbehs weave. Ow Mag-ee stay hewe tu wook afta aww babbehs. Watha gu foweba sweepies den weave babbehs awone.”
Crassus nodded, knowing it was a long shot, he motioned that Maggie was free to leave. As Maggie returned to her children he considered what she said, that she killed Crowley to protect herself and her foals from a monster. No matter what Crassus or the other Fluffies thought of Crowley, Maggie would always see him as a monster, a monster that needed defeating for the safety of her young. Was that the right choice to make? Opening the door for Crow and Roarke? Or was this Crassus’ fault for not listening to Crowley, for not helping guide Crow sooner?
In the end, he decided it didn’t matter, he could never understand Maggie’s position as a parental Fluffy and even if he could, they couldn’t change the past. All they could do now was prepare for the future.
And the future was already looking bloodier.
Slightly shorter chapter, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to put this one and the next chapter together as one but I figured they’d benefit more as separate entities, and to give a slight breather after all the excitement of the last few chapters.
Chapter 9 will be the final chapter of this arc, and the way people have been theorising I can already tell this isn’t going to go the way most of you are thinking so it’ll be interesting to see the reactions to that once I’ve written everything up.
