So. Fuck if I’m Editing this shit for you this week Dave. You can just have every scrap of remotely relevant footage from my side. I mean, you didn’t need my help posting or editing the little drama George arranged for you. So clearly, you have both the software and the time. If you have trouble I’m sure Kal can help. He’s going to have more free time as well.
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File too large? Fuck it. I’m still sending it all, even if I have to do it in chunks!
Outside footage. Unedited compilation part one
The blue mare is still huddled in the barrel shelter, her handful of foals wriggling around beside her and peering at things with new opened eyes. Tucked in along side her as best they can are two more heavily pregnant mares, neon green and chartreuse, their manes discordant shades of red and purple, curled tightly into each other with the ease of long practice. At the entrance, more fluffies are sprawled into each other. A near lavender pegasus nuzzled contentedly at a red and orange earth mare before resting his head almost protectively over her back. Beside them, a deep, forest green stallion with a rich walnut mane purrs, pressing his nose to the slightly swollen belly of a golden brown mare, carefully chewing a knot out of her soft blue mane as a light green unicorn divided his attention between the resting mares and the tangles in his own yellow tail. A solidly midnight blue unicorn sat with his head up, an equally alert brown pegasus at his side.
“Why Smawty Wawwock nu nappies? Hewe sumtin?” the pegasus asked, his voice low as he directed his attention away from the drowsing pile of fluffies.
“Doows. Hoomins. Nu guud. Nu ob dis am guud.” Warlock murmured, ears twitching as he surveyed the pen. “Wike nyu hewd fwuffies, bu’ dis nu guud.” From the barrel, sleepy humming and murmurs of “mummah wubs babbehs. Bestest mummah’s babbehs awe bestest, an’ dis babbeh bestest ob aww,” could be heard, and the blue unicorn huffed quietly. “Weww, wike mos’ ob nyu hewd.”
“Astaw am nyu mummah, am stiww youn’. Wiww weawn fwom udda, owda mawes. Mapw’ hab seen it afowe. Wose an’ Gwape seen nyu mummahs wike Astaw afowe too, wiww hewp Astaw be guud mummah.” The pegasus murmured, his tiny wings fluttering. “Bu’ wat ewse Wawwock nu wike hewe? Fwuffies hab nu-ucky wawa, wots ob nummies fow aww hewd tu hab fiww, eben soon-mummahs. Hab safepwace hewe.”
“Nu safepwace. Dis twap. Twap jus’ wike deep hidies howe an’ tangwies, wike tu sweetie nummies dat wed hewd tu doggie munstas an’ hoomin wit big vwoom munsta. Dis pwetty, bu nu safe fo fwuffies.” Warlock flicked his ears again, focusing on a sound before turning to stare at the wide open gate. “And dat wowse,” he muttered, flattening his ears as the human who had just opened the gate leaned over the fence watching them.
“Mayb’ dis hoomin nice?” the light green stallion suggested, tugging the last of the tangle out of his tail and stepping over to join the other males. “Wike Mapwe said, dis wook wike safepwace, Wawwock. Nu wike fenciewaww, bu’…owd pwace nu hab nummies nu mowe. Onwy ucky mud an’ pwicky sticky bushies. Hewd nee’ nyu pwace su soon-mummahs nu wose babbehs, an’ hewe am guud. Am nice, hewd finwy hab nu ucky in fwuffs.” Warlock and Maple just looked at each other, glancing between him and the human still standing on the other side of the fence. “Hoomin hab pwetty fwuff. Mint gu tawk!”
“Mint…” the blue unicorn said quellingly, climbing back to his feet as the green stallion started trotting over to the fence. “Stawp. Stay wit hewd! Mint! Why Mint nebew wisten? Wowse awmos’ tuffy eba.”
“Mint awways mean weww, jus’ nu tinkies.” Maple stretched, giving the herd leader a brief hug before he trotted after the green unicorn. “Mapwe gu wook afta Mint, nu wowwies.”
“Nu, den Wawwock jus’ wowwy ‘bout Mapwe an’ Mint!” the blue smarty huffed after then. “Dwuid, wook afta hewd? Wawwock nee’ gu hewp.”
The deep green earthy sat up immediately with a last nuzzle at his mate, assuming a far more alert, guarding stance. “Otay, bwudda. Gu tawk tu nyu hoomin wady? Mayb’ hoomin nice wike owd Daddeh?” he asked in a hopeful tone, which just caused his brother to huff before he charged after the others.
The light green unicorn and the brown pegasus ran straight to the fence, missing the open gate to put their hooves up and peer at the blue haired woman staring down at them. “Hewwo! Mint wan say tank ‘ou fo nice nummies an’ safepwace an’ fo’ nice wady sab hewd fwom doggie-munsta an’ucky sowwy boxes!” He cheerfully told her, tail swishing happily behind him. “Nice wady hab pwetty mane! Wook wike smawty Wawwock fluff, su nice wady mus’ be jus’ as guud an’ pwetty!”
“Mapwe tankfuw tu nice wady tu! Onwy wan ask if nice wady seen Cwoud ow Biwch? Nu see hewdfwiends since sowwy boxes, an’ Mapwe worry.” Behind the cheerful Mint and only slightly less optimistic Maple, Warlock stood, studying the fence and the human behind it with all the pep of a looming dark blue storm cloud.
“Aww. Aren’t you two sweet,” Shadow murmured, but she was wearing a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Maybe I should start waiting for them to be cleaned up before I sort.” She met the apprehensive, wary look the herdleader was giving her, and her lips twitched, before she surveyed the rest of the pen, eyes lingering on the paired fluffies glancing their way. “I am suddenly very grateful Foxfire is out of the upload footage, because that… that would have been very tricky.”
“See! Mint told hewd! Nice wady am nice!” Mint suddenly raced for the gate, bolting straight around the chainlink towards Shadow’s feet. He skidded to a stop just as suddenly, face to face with the charcoal alicorn who had been sitting just behind her ankles, the one glaring at him with spread wings and pinned ears as he put himself between the unicorn and the human. “Eeep! Scawy!”
“Rook, leave it. Heel.” With only a briefly incredulous look, he did as he was told, tucking his wings back and taking the two steps back to line himself up with her calf. “It’s okay, see? Rook’s not going to hurt you right now, you just startled him. Seems like you were a little startled too.”
“Uh-huh. Mint nu see munsta-fwuffy fwom udda side ob da fenciewall,” Mint agreed, edging closer to Shadow, a fair bit more caution in his posture. Rook’s ears flattened again at the comment, pulling his wings in unhappily before Shadow ran her hand soothingly over his head, curling her fingers in his mane. The gesture calmed him immediately, and he merely pressed himself into her leg a little tighter as she crouched closer to the green fluffy. “Bu if nice wady say munsta nu huwt fwuffy, den Mint be otay!” He eagerly scuttled forward the last foot to press his muzzle and head into her outstretched hand. “Nice wady gib bestest scwitches, Mapwe!”
Maple was hovering at the threshold of the gate, wings fluttering as he hesitated. Warlock bumped consolingly into his side as he passed, wary, measured steps taking him closer to the human staring him down and the fluffy who had outright rolled over to solicit belly rubs. “Well. You must be the smarty this little fellow mentioned. Warlock, was it? Interesting name.”
“Fwuf-fwuffy name am Wawwock. Owd daddeh name aww ob witta. Hab Wawwock an’ Dwuid an’ Pawadin an’ Bawd.” He dropped his head, gaze flicking nervously between her and the herd still on the other side of the fence. “Pwease nu huwt hewd. Am guud fwuffies, twy hawd be guud fwuffies. Gwad and tank ‘ou fo’ nummies an’ bawwew nestie fo’ soon-mummahs, bu’ pwease nu huwties.” He seemed braced for impact, and Shadow’s expression twisted, a brief flicker of sorrow before that odd smile returned.
“Well, Mint and Maple here seem well behaved. Tell me about the rest of your herd, Warlock.” Maple had joined them as well, creeping past the blue unicorn to nudge hesitantly into the hand petting Mint.
“Wawwock an’ bwudda Dwuid fin’ udda fwuffies afta’ daddeh- afta’ Pawadin an’ Bawd gu foweba sweepies. Fin’ Biwch an’ Wiwwow an’ Mapwe, stiww wit mummah, an mummah hewp Wawwock weawn how fin’ nummies, pwotect udda fwuffies. Dwuid hewp tu, Dwuid guud fin nummies. Dwuid an’ Wiwwow bestest nummie findas hewd hab. Mapwe guud fin’ nu safepwaces an’ nesties fo’ hewd. Biwdie munsta gib mummah foweba sweepies, bu’-” he ducked his head again at that, taking a small step closer to her. “Bu’ hewd fin’ nu safepwace, an’ den fin’ Gwape an’ Wose an’ Mint. Gwape an’ Wose awe guud mummahs, guud fwuffies, hewp hewd. Mint awways twy hawd tu hewp howeba can. Cwoud fin hewd, an’ Cwoud guud tuffy, wisten to smawty an’ awways du bestest to pwotect hewd.” He still would barely look up at her, risking just the occasional glance up through the mane tumbled over his face, near cowering at her feet.
“Oh? And if Maple here is the best safeplace finder, and Druid is the best nummie finder, what does that make you, Warlock?” she asked, as Maple rubbed his head into her hand as blissfully as Mint had. “What makes you the smarty of the herd, makes you a good fluffy?”
“Wawwock am bestest at pickin’ fwuffies!” Maple enthusiastically burst in at the question. “Wawwock fin’ wat fwuffies bestest at anyting, make suwe aww da tings get dun an’ hewd am safe wit nummies!” Shadow responded to the outburst with a gentle pat between his ears, her eyes not leaving Warlock.
“Wawwock twy. Du wat can tu pwotect hewd, wook afta aww fwuffies. Twy be guud fwuffy an’ smawty.” Warlock ducked his head, risking another step closer despite the way Rook’s feathers ruffled and raised as he did. “An’… an’ now hab Wawkspu’ an’ Hazawd. Wawwock nu knuw fwuffies wong, bu… Wawwock tink Wawkspu an’ Hazawd guud fwuffies tu. Astaw’s babbehs guud babbehs, mayb’ guud fwuffies wen gwown. Pwease, nice wady, nu huwt hewd.” He looked up at her directly for the first time at that, sitting back on his haunches as he gave her the most pleading look he could manage.
“Those were remarkably compelling little speeches, from both of you. But those nummies your herd are eating, that safeplace they’re in? None of this is free. Neither was getting you from the doggies and the ‘sorry boxes’,” Shadow remarked, still idly petting Maple and Mint. “Cloud and Birch are living inside, but their babies will either come live out here with you or go to new homes to pay for what they are given.”
Warlock spared a long look at the rest of the yard, clearly trying to find a way out, looking back at his herd as Rook slowly bared his teeth at him. “Wat…Wat nice wady wan fwom hewd?” He kept glancing at the fluffies playfully pushing for more of her attention, ears flattening.
Her smile brightened at that, one of her hands leaving the feral in front of her to pet Rook again, to his obvious pleasure. “I need two fluffies from your herd today, as a start. You can either let me pick, and go back to your nummies and nestie, or you can pick for me. Pick two of your herd for me, and I’ll bring you and the rest of you a gift.”
“Couw’ mayb’ wet hewd weave an nu gib mowe nummies ow…” Warlock flicked his ears and looked away, clearly reading his answer in her face already. “Wady gun take fwuffies eidaw way?” Shadow nodded, and the blue unicorn sighed, dropping his head into his hooves for a moment. “Otay. Mapwe, gu back an’ wook afta Dwuid an’ da soon- mummahs.” He took another unsteady step forward, settling next to Mint.
“Not you. However will the herd deal without their stalwart leader? You can’t pick yourself, Warlock. You will stay here, and look after your little herd, speak for them when I visit.” Shadow abruptly cut off his decision before he could present himself. Her eyes had lit up almost as bright as her smile, but without even a trace of the warmth it presented as the fluffy opened his mouth, flinched violently and shut it again. “Maple said you’re the one that’s best at picking fluffies.”
“Wawwock… Wawwock wiww gu pick nudda fwuffy fo’ wady,” he muttered, shuffling from hoof to hoof as he looked at between Mint and the hand still softly petting him. In a dash, he pulled the green unicorn into a hug, nuzzling briefly into his mane before backing away. “Wawwock wub Mint, Mint guud fwuffy. Guud hewd fwiend. Mint stay wit…Stay wit nice wady, otay? Wawwock be wite back. ” With a muffled, choked back sob, he bolted back for the gate and the pen beyond.
Shadow ruffled Rook’s mane again, fondly. “Just a little longer, sweetheart. Thank you for being patient today.” He leaned into her, wrapping a foreleg around her calf and stretching his wings slightly. “You’ve been a very good boy with this.”
“Wook wub Mummah,” he crooned, lifting his muzzle into her palm. “Mummah hab’n funsies wit fwuffies tu?” She nodded, tapping his nose softly before reaching for Mint. “Dat eben betta den. Mummah stwongest, bestest ob Pack. Mummah hab bestest gamsies an’ funsies. Wook tink mayb’ wike dis mowe dan nummie time.”
“Oh, I knew there was a reason you were my favorite, Rook.” she hummed softly, scooping up the green unicorn and holding him in the crook of her arm like a small dog. Mint purred and snuggled closer as she stood up, still murmuring about bestest scritches and nicest ladies.
Warlock was breathing hard by the time he got back to his herd, frantically hugging Druid and Maple. “Why Wawwock saddies? Nice wady nu gib Wawwock guud scwitchies tu?” Maple asked, pulling back from the hug in confusion. “Wook, Mint hab upsies an’ scwitchies!” he enthusiastically pointed out, waving a hoof back at what was visible over the fence. “Hoomin bewy nice wady.”
The purple pegasus roused at the loud voice and almost immediately cringed back, staring in terror over the fence at the human holding the green unicorn. Through the chainlink, the charcoal alicorn was visible at her feet, and larkspur’s fear somehow doubled. “Nu! Nu nice wady! Munsta! Munsta hoomin an’ munsta fwuffies an’”
Warlock whirled on him, thumping a leathery hoof across his muzzle, and Larkspur fell back, clutching his nose as he stared at the smarty.“Nu. Nu say dat. Caww hoomins munsta an’ hoomins gib fwuffies wowstest huwties. Ebewy time. Eben bestest hoomins daddehs an’ mummahs be wowstest meanies wike dat if fwuffy say hoomin munsta!” Warlock was breathing even hearder, his eyes wild with panic as he stared down his newest herd member. “Neba. Nu wose hewd wike wost Pawadin an’ Bawd.” Larkspur nodded desperately, hooves still held to his nose as he edged back into Hazard’s comforting embrace. “Hewd wiww fowwow wules, hewd wiww be guud fwuffies.”
“Hewd wub nice wady wike wubbed owd daddeh?” Druid asked very quietly, planting himself firmly between Willow and the gate, ears flattening for the briefest moment when his brother nodded. “Otay. Wub nice wady. Nice wady gibs hewd nummies an’ safepwace, and hewd wiww be guud fo’ nice wady. Fowwow aww wules.”
“Tank ‘ou, Dwuid. Dwuid guud fwuffy, guud bwudda.” Warlock murmured, looking around at each of his little herd. He looked at the way Hazard and Larkspur clung to each other and avoided his gaze, how Willow hid herself behind Druid’s thick tail and Maple was staring at him in disbelief.
“Why smawty am meanie now? Nu am bad fwuffy, Warkspu’-” This time, all it took was a single glare from Warlock to shut him up, to make him bury his face in Hazard’s fluff.
“Wawkspu’ nu bad fwuffy, jus’ nu unnastan’. Wawwock twy pwotect hewd, eben if dat mean Wawwock gotta du meanie tings, otay?” Maple was still staring at him, but had stepped over to Larkspur, hugging him and Hazard both until they stopped crying. “Mint am gunna gu wit nice wady, an’ nee’ one mowe fwuffy gu wit wady tu.” Warlock explained as best he could, still seeing the rest of his herd pulling back. “Wawwock pick-” his ears shot up suddenly, and he dashed for the barrel, wriggling past Rose and Grape.
“-Scree-Nu! Nununu! Nu take bestest babbeh! Babbeh tu wittw! Nee’ mummah! Mummah nee’ bestest babbeh!” Aster shrieked at the top of her lungs as Warlock scrambled out of the barrel as swiftly as he had gotten in. “Nu! Bad fwuffy! Wowstest Smawty! Nu take bestest babbeh! Babbeh nee’ mummah!”
The dark blue unicorn didn’t look at the other fluffies he passed, ignoring the frantic peeps and chirps from the tiny sky blue filly he held by her bright yellow tuft of mane. Without a single look back, he returned to the gate, sliding to a stop to gently lay the foal down at Shadow’s feet. There were tears in his eyes as he nuzzled at her, before he took a single step back. “Wawwock picked nudda fwuffy fo’ nice wady.” he mumbled, ears pinned flat back in misery.
“Clever. I’ll let that count this time. Next time I ask you to pick fluffies for me, I mean adult fluffies. Stallions, mares- maybe I’d even let you give me mostly grown fillies and colts. No more babies.” Shadow informed the unicorn refusing to meet her eyes anymore, not acknowledging any of Mint’s sudden questions. “Rook, carry that inside. Nicely.” The dark demonfluff carefully snagged the still squalling foal by the scruff of the neck, falling perfectly back into heel position. “Other side of the gate, Warlock.” He slunk back into the run just as she shut the gate, barely wincing when it caught the edge of his tail. “Glory! Come on, we’re going inside now!”
“Bu’ Gwowy nu hab nummies! Gwowy tink mummah Shado’ an’ Wook gu fin’ nummie-” the ivory fluffy paused as he came around the corner of the tunnels, tilting his head to consider the fluffy his handler carried, the still crying foal dangling from Rook’s mouth. “Oh. Wat…Why…. Pwease teww Gwowy dat nu nyu Mawnie.”
“No, as much as I like Marnie, one is enough. And she actually has a shred of brain. Or maybe just self preservation, hard to say,” Shadow hummed, still petting the green fluffy happily cuddled into her arms. “Inside, kiddos. I’ll meet you in the kitchen near the floor drain.”
“Fwoow dwain am wound fwat ting unda wewe Mummah gets nummies weady, wite?” Rook asked, setting down the foal for a moment as she opened the door. It was finally quieting, too tired to keep up the constant screaming, eventually managing a tiny “mummah? Miwkies?”. The demonfluff rasped a tongue over its belly, eliciting a soft attempt to hug his nose. “Shh, wittw nu- pack babbeh,” he soothed, letting it cling to him for a moment longer before he picked it up by the scruff again.
Shadow nodded, considering the tiny scrap of life he held. “Yep, that. On a related note, do you want to give that to Pepper?” Rook dropped his gaze, ears flicking and wings rising into a shrug. “Well, it would be a lot more for you if we let it…” She stared down the hall, eyebrows raised high at the man leaning against a door, grinning sheepishly at her with his best attempt at nonchalance. “Oooookaaay…Kal, what are you… Fuck, what set them all off this time?” With a last warning point at the large man down the hall, she pushed open the nearest door into the chaos erupting in the Kennel.
TBC
First Chapter- The Pack- because what we need is more fluffies bred to eat other fluffies. (1) by :Shadowfox
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