Hoop and his herd woke up in their alley home with the raising sun. The day had finally came. The babies from that summer were old enough to get names. And with their names came the decoration that that were big fluffies. They had survived into adulthood. Hoop had made the decision that no baby got a name until they were big fluffies. He was both happy and sad at the same time.
Hoop led the sixteen members of his herd to the community garden. He had made a deal with the humans. He and his herd could eat anything that wasn’t in the planting boxes and the “bad plants.” All they had to do was make good poopies in the compost heap, good peepees in the gutter and keep other fluffies and birds out of the garden. This was until the plants stop bearing. They could take some of the growing plants then for the winter.
Hoop looked at the sub-adults in his herd. All ten looked big and strong. The three stallions keeping watch for the mares as they ate and the mares doing the same for them. He had trained them right. Soon they would be made into groups. None of the mares in the groups would be related to the stallion.
Hoop gathered the adults and told them it was naming day. They adults wanted to cry but didn’t. They had to be strong for their children. It was the right thing to do. It was the best thing for the herd. It was the best thing for their survival.
After they left the garden, and back into their alley, Hoop made the announcement. “Am bwight time babies… nu, big fwuffies get namsies. Wine up an’ weadew giv namsies.”
The sub-adults lined up against the wall. Hoop smiled. He went to the first stallion. A dull green and gray unicorn. “Am Gweentea.” Next he went to a pink and red pegasus mare. “Woveheawt.” He pushed her to Greentea. He turned to a yellow earthie mare. “Dandewion.” Last for his first group was Loveheart’s brown and gold unicorn sister. “'Ou am Wustic.”
Hoop moved on to make the next group. An Orange and sky blue earthie stallion he named Wrap, a purple and green earthie mare dubbed, Violet, and a white and yellow unicorn mare named Seed.
The last group was the yellow and purple earthie stallion, Laker, Violet’s twin Lilic, and a green and dark pegasus mare named Hiddy.
Hoop sighed. He couldn’t put it off. It was the best thing for the herd. “Fwuffies must weave. Gweentea, Woveheawt, Dandewion, Wustic, yu am own hewd nu. Hewd nu can be big, humins nu wike, give big hewd fowevew sweepies. Must du same fu own babbehs. Wiww give maneh heawt huwties. Wemembew what weadew… Hoop towd yu. Mummahs an’ Daddehs wove yu fowevew. Wiww wemembew fowevew.”
Greentea didn’t understand, but Hoop was wise and had saved them from hurties many times. He knew and understood humans. Greentea and the others had seen the night off the yearly culling. Humans came into the other alleys and there were screams and the smell of blood filled the air. Hoop’s herd remained untouched because of his deals with humans. They knew that they didn’t need to understand to know Hoop was right.
Greentea left with his group followed by Laker and his group. They went different directions. Hoop had Wrap and his group leave about an hour later. He couldn’s have them meet up and forming a large herd.
Hoop went to his box and cried. He missed his babies already. He may have not fathered all of them, but he was still their father. He loved and raised them. Taught the how to survive and be good fluffies. He knew he did good. He knew he did what was best for his children and his herd. Six fluffies had an easier time surviving the cold times. He knew that. And yet it didn’t stop his heart from breaking. It didn’t stop it from breaking every year. Every Name Day the heart break got worse.