A few weeks later…
“Mummah wuv tummeh babbehs… tummeh babbehs wuv mummah…”
Sparky sat on her nest of cardboard and paper, singing to her soon babbehs. In front of her a selection of nummies, constantly being replenished. Behind her a small piece of cardboard on which landed her poopies, ready to be dragged away and replaced with a fresh one. All this done by her special friend.
You sat watching her, it was midday now, throughout the morning you had been hunting nummies. Now that Sparky was well fed, you could rest. Except you couldn’t. Sparky had swelled, big enough that you knew the babbehs would be here any day. Every minute you were awake you were alert, listening for anything and everything that wanted a shot at your precious babbehs.
You knew what was out there. Watching Sparky now, you knew you would defend her and your babbehs from whatever came, and if you couldn’t do that…
‘Daddeh gon’ gib poopie bawkie monstah hu-‘
You shook your head, driving away the thought. If the worst ever came, you already had an example to follow.
The sound of rustling trash came from nearby, followed by the softest panting. Maybe the worst had already come.
You darted to Sparky. “Speshaw fwiend nu mak noisie! May be munstah! Speshaw fwiend go an’ mak munstah go’ way.”
She nodded. As you carefully turned and began to follow the noise, you heard her whisper one more thing.
“Spawkie an’ tummeh babbehs wub ‘ou!”
You turned, and managed a smile. “Daddeh wub speshaw fwiend an’ tummeh babbehs tu!” And off you went.
Even if it was the last time you’d see them, you’d make sure the monster would stay away.
Sure enough, the panting got louder. You crouched down, moving out of the gated area that you had dubbed your home for some time. You entered the sidewalk that lined the road and moved forward. On the road cars darted in both directions in a rush.
Meanwhile, inside, Sparky sat quietly watching her special friend leave. Speshaw fwiend am so bwave, she thought. She sat there for a few minutes more, wondering when he would come back, if he would come back. Then she felt it.
No, not now, it couldn’t happen now!
You had lowered yourself to the ground, scooting yourself forward towards the opening of a nearby alley. Peering in, you could see the wagging tail of a stray dog, its head dipped into some trash.
A wet puddle pooled around Sparky, and she couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“SCREEE! Biggest poopies! Speshaw fwiend!”
You and the dog both froze. You heard it, and you knew he’d heard it too. You needed a plan, a well thought out plan. But you didn’t have time to think. You jumped into the open alley.
“Bawkie munstah! Daddeh gon’ gib ‘uo wowstest huwties!”
Sparky panted as her nest was soaked. “Nuu babbehs! Huu, speshaw fwiend com’ back!” The contractions were starting, they were coming whether it was time or not. “Babbehs stay in mummah tiw munstah gon!” They weren’t going to listen.
The monster peered into you with its dark eyes, hearing the screaming of the nearby mare, but seeing you.
“Com’ get daddeh!” You yelled, awaiting the end.
But the monster stood instead. Turning its head towards the noise. It turned around down the alley, towards your home.
“Babbehs nu!” Sparky yelled as the first landed with a Splat!
Your heart was beating hard, the monster chose to follow the noise instead of you.
Splat!
So you ran towards it.
Splat!
Faster and faster.
Splat!
Into a charge.
Sparky sat, tired out by the ordeal, yet still she turned herself to face her babbehs. There were four of them. Well… three.
You crashed headfirst into the monster. It gave a loud bark, clearly agitated as it had ever been. After a moment for you both to regain yourself, you ran the other way. As fast as you could, yet still the snarling monster began to catch up.
Out of the alley you flew, and into the road. Paying no mind to anything else but moving as fast as you could. Cars zipped by, making loud noises.
HONK!
BEEP BEEP!
Vrrrrrrr CRUNCH!
And all at once a loud squeal rang out behind you. You reached the sidewalk at the other end. Turning behind you, you saw people emerge from a vroom-vroom, while others gathered around in front. Panting hard, you couldn’t see what they were looking at, but the painful moans told you enough.
You were alive, and you chuckled slightly to yourself. You didn’t think you’d ever felt this much relief, then you remembered… babbehs.
As fast as you could, you ran back home, the humans seemingly paying you no mind. Crawling under the gate, you found Sparky. She sat up, drinking from her teats were two foals. A pink unicorn, and a blue earthy. In her hooves was a green pegasus. She held it to her face, licking it clean.
Your adrenaline faded as you stepped towards your new babbehs. There was only relief now, relief and babbehs. You were safe…