I’m writing this on my phone and it’s fucking up my autocorrect. I’m now saying “pwease” and getting mocked for it help.
“Nao put da weeds in the piwe!” Lilac directed the fluffies towards the compost. It took a few days of working with her to teach her what was a plant and what was a weed. Once she got the hang of it you sorted out some the smarter members of the herd for her to teach. So far there was only one incident of a mare being unable to resist one of the ripening tomatoes. She got put in the “sorry crate” for a few minutes, her sobbing made an excellent deterrent for the rest. You had also set up some extra garden beds with quick growing greens and grains to cut back on the amount of feed they would need. At least until winter it seemed like the herd could feed themselves.
“Fwuffies done weeding daddeh!” Lilac crowed proudly. The fluffies behind her grumbled slightly, there was a bit of jealousy over her and Clover getting to call you Daddeh, you weren’t quite sure how to explain it so you just threatened to send any complaining fluffy to the sorry farm. Not a long term solution but… A solution.
“Good job guys! Come line up for your treats!” The fluffies formed a line with minimal pushing and shoving, and each took a Super Sketty™ treat from you. Being ferals you could get them to do just about anything for a treat, so you saved the actual spaghetti for special occasions or situations where obedience was essential.
Like John coming by for the checkup. He inspected every member of the herd individually and declared them in surprisingly good health for ferals. They all needed flea treatment and their vaccines, so you had to bust out the canned spaghetti as a bribe. Bluebell volunteered to go first this time, and was a model fluffy. She got an extra treat after everyone was done for being a good leader. John gave special attention to the injured foal, who unfortunately had to had the limb removed, but was taking it in stride. His mother was honestly more upset than him.
Once everyone had their treats, you herded them all back into the pasture. “You did a good job today! I’m sure I can find some more work for you to do tomorrow!”
“Wike wowk!” Shouted a yellow stallion named Sunshine. He was a bit of a problem child, he was far too smart for his own good. You found he tended to act out when he was bored, so getting him on the work crew was a good idea.
The fluffies rejoined their herd, telling them all about picking weeds and how it went. Lilac sat down at your feet, leaning against your leg. “Was Wiwac a gud teachew?”
You picked her up and hugged her to your chest, eliciting giggles. “You were the best teacher! Let’s go see what Clover is up to.”
The alicorn had mostly kept to himself since the barn incident. He was sitting in the grass by the berry bushes, picked blackberries and gently setting them in a bowl. “Hewwo Cwovew!!” Lilac lept from your arms, flapping her tiny wings wildly but still landing roughly on the ground.
“Hi Wiwac.” He didn’t turn to her, just pulled another berry with his teeth and deposited it in the bowl.
Lilac’s ears drooped. “Cwovew… Mad at Wiwac?”
Clover sighed heavily, and turned to nuzzle her. “Nu, nu mad at speciaw fwend.” She happily nuzzled him back.
“Hey Lilac, why don’t you look through the garden and decide what we’re gonna have for dinner?”
“Otay!!” She scampered off as you sat down in the grass next to the surly fluffy, pulling a berry off the bush and depositing it in his bowl.
You picked berries in silence for a bit, trying to figure out how to broach the topic. “…What’s on your mind, buddy?”
“Nuffin.” He dropped another berry in the bowl.
“It doesn’t seem like nothing, do you want to talk about what happened in the barn?”
He paused. “Fwuffies am meanie cuz Cwovew am munstah.” He went back to berry picking. “Das aww.”
You sighed and sat back. “You’re not a monster, bud.”
“Den wat am?”
“Humans call you an alicorn.”
He bit down on a berry still on the vine, sending juice down his chin. “Den awicown am munstah.”
You sighed heavily. “I’m sorry bud. I don’t have much else to say. You’re not a monster, you’re a good fluffy.”
“Den why hab hown?! Why hab wingies?!” Clover shouted. “Nu ask to hab! Nu want!” Tears started to form in his dark eyes.
“I… Don’t know buddy. It was just how you were born.” You tried to put a hand on his shoulder but he shrugged you off. “You didn’t deserve to be treated the way you did.” He just stared at the ground, pushing the grass around with his hooves. “You’re a good fluffy. Better than most. I don’t know why fluffies hate your kind but… You didn’t deserve it.”
Clover didn’t reply. His hooves had worn the grass away to the dirt below. He sniffled softly, a tear dripping down his cheek. “Cwovew wish… Wish Cwovew nu bown.”
“Oh don’t say that bud…” You scooted closer to him. “I love you, Lilac loves you, and we love you just the way you are.”
Clovers sobs turned into a loud wail, and he rushed into your arms. You patted his back soothingly, rubbing the fluff between his wings. You had no idea how to deal with a suicidal pet, were fluffy therapists a thing? “Huu… Huu… Cwovew sowwy…”
“Oh don’t be sorry buddy, it’s okay. We still love you.”
Lilac rushed up frantically, “Cwovew otay?? Cwovew cwying??” She pawed at your leg, wriggling her way into the hug. “Wiwac hewe! Speciaw fwend hewe!”
Clover wailed, burying his face in her fluff. You squeezed them tight to your chest. “You are a good fluffy Clover. One of the best.” You stood and brought the fluffies into your living room and continued the hug on your couch.
For the rest of the night you and Lilac were especially nice to Clover, you making them jam toast for dinner and Lilac grooming him extensively. He cheered up a bit when you put on cartoons, giggling at the jokes. You watched it late into the night, when the kids cartoons ended you watched some comedy shows with him on your lap and Lilac asleep on the other side of the couch.
He spoke up quietly during a commercial break. “Mummah wuv Cwovew. Eben tho munstah.”
You scratched his neck. “Of course she did, you were her baby. Mummahs love their babies.”
He nodded and continued. “Mummah and bwuddah wuv Cwovew. But bwuddah gu fowevah sweepies, an den mummah too.” He stared at the screen while he spoke. “Cwovew aww awone untiw meet Wiwac.”
“And then she loved you.”
He looked at her, curled and snoring against the side of the couch. “Wiwac wuv. But… Wiwac nu want babbehs with Cwovew.”
“She doesn’t?”
“Nu. Nu want munstah babbehs.”
You looked over at her. She was so tolerant of him, had never said anything about him being a monster or anything like that. “She really said that?”
“…nu. But Cwovew kno.”
Aw Jesus. “You don’t know that. She might have her own reasons. Weren’t you not allowed to be special friends in your old herd?” Clover nodded. “Then that might have been why. Maybe she just didn’t want to be in trouble.” He didn’t reply, but seemed thoughtful.
You watched a few more episodes in silence, letting him think. “I think I’m going to head to bed, you going to be okay out here?”
“Yes daddeh.” Clover hopped off your lap and curled up next to Lilac.
“You know the door is open if you need me, right?” He nodded. “Good, goodnight Clover.”
“Night daddeh.”
