Author's Notes:

The following is another guest chapter, this one by Wendy Crescent, the author of a number of CTS fics including the acclaimed 'Makings of a Songbird', as well as 'Stupid Sexy Succubi' and 'From Dusk to Twilight'. In this chapter she explores the Society's elusive aftercare specialists, the den mothers, and their organization within the society.

This credits for this chapter go to the same amazing team of editors, proofreaders and lore-watchers as the previous chapter.

Now, before we start this off and you get lost in this bombardment of information, you should consider thanking the pony that just popped out of the wall / floor / ceiling / thin air (circle whichever is appropriate) for providing you with this instructional pamphlet. Don't be afraid, they're supposed to just appear. Yes that's considered normal around here. Welcome to the Clocktower Society, where logic sometimes does not seem to exist. You get used to that sort of thing.

Now that that’s out of the way, you did thank the cute mare didn’t you? Good! If you did, you can exchange the coupon she snuck into your pocket for a free cookie. Don’t worry about how she did that, this is, again, absolutely normal!

Now, first let's start with a little introduction. I’m Doctor Starsong Star, one of the resident doctors working at the clinic, usually holding the nightshift alongside the infamous nurse Killjoy Red Heart. More relevant to this chapter of the training manual though, I am the current Alpha Den Mother and it is on behalf of our pack that I welcome you to the Clocktower Society.

This is my guide to everything about Den Mothers. Reading through this you will probably notice that there is a lot here. That is because I feel that knowledge is important. Some of the things relayed herein are very specific to Den Mothers, but they aren’t exactly state secrets. I feel that it is important you know why Den Mothers wear the gear that they do. I decided – with the others, I should add – that the previous incarnation of this manual was lacking in depth. It left ponies that we recruited a bit lost about even basic things. As such, there is a new equipment section that you can freely ignore if you want, but it's there for anypony that is curious or for reference if the need arises. The guild’s organisation is also not a very important fact, but I feel that it is useful knowledge.

We are always on the lookout to recruit ponies with a strong maternal instinct and who truly care about their fellow ponies, with the drive to offer them the comfort they need.

What exactly are Den Mothers
In short, they are the caregivers of the Society. But I don’t think you are here for the short answers. I think that if you are reading this, you’re either genuinely interested or new and have been asked to read this as part of your orientation.

There are three typical services that a Den Mother will provide.

Aftercare: For ponies without a dedicated Master or Mistress things can be a little different.The Clocktower Society tries to promote a healthy BDSM relationship in all aspects. Safe, sane and consensual play are things thrown around a lot. But quite a few ponies seem to forget that aftercare is a very important aspect of the lifestyle. Den Mothers aim to pick up the slack, as it were. They are always approachable if a sub or slave feels that they have not received enough aftercare.

Advice:
There is a time in any dominant’s or submissive’s life when you might not know if what you are doing is right. Your sub or Master is enjoying it, but you have doubts. Maybe you want to try something and are afraid to ask. You can always ask a Den Mother for advice on these sorts of things – most are Switches and are very knowledgeable in both fields.

Counseling: Like any relationship, a BDSM relationship can at times hit a rough patch. This is normal even in a healthy relationship. Still, it can actually hit harder than your average relationship troubles due to the nature of such a bond – after all, BDSM is reliant on a very close bond of trust between dominant and submissive, and sometimes that bond is tested. Maybe a line was crossed, or maybe there was a miscommunication. Whatever it is, the Den Mothers will always be there to act as mediators and counselors to guide both Dominant and Submissive back towards a healthy state of their relationship.

Contacting a Den Mother: There are a few ways to get in contact with a Den Mother.
* The first (and simplest) is approaching them in the back of the Slave Pits. There are always Den Mothers present there to help you. For Dominants there is also another option. There is a special section in the Dominants’ Lounge on the top floor where a few Den Mothers are always on standby to offer advice or comfort.
* The second way is to enter a Safeword or Aftercare room and simply call for a Den Mother. The safety monitoring magic in the room will lead one towards your location, though this might take a few moments.
* The last way – reserved only for emergencies – would be to use the Towertop safeword in one of these safe rooms. This will instantaneously summon the nearest (non-busy) Den Mother to you, as well as alerts the guards.

A Brief History
The Den Mothers were formed during the Age of Unification. (For the sake of brevity, this is largely the story of Hearths warming. If you’re interested, I will offer a list of reading materials at the bottom.) Their roots lay in being the dedicated healers on the field of battle during the Age of Unification. They specialized in Fire of Devotion-powered healing spells and producing condensed Fire of Devotion healing salves and potions.

In the past, when it had become known that Windigos were powered by hate and disharmony. Den Mothers came into a sort of hybrid military police and morale officer role, tasked with helping resolve disputes in the army camps and preventing disharmony from spreading.

Now you might be wondering how they got the name “Den Mothers” – that isn’t something very military sounding, now is it? There is a simple explanation for it though. It all started with the six ponies of the three tribes being driven back into what we now call the Hearths warming Cavern. While the exact manner things played has been either been forgotten, or never revealed by any of the six, we do know the result.

The First Fire blessed each of the six ponies with the knowledge to tap into it, to wield it and manipulate it. One among them, Private Pansy, was blessed with the art of healing. She could manipulate the fire into potent healing spells, or even condense it into potent healing draughts. She watched over the others like a mother lioness protecting her den. Caring for her cubs and treating them if they got injured in the fight. She very quickly became known among the troops as the den matron which over the course of was adapted, and adopted as the name for ponies with her mindset.

Their Organization
The Den Mothers are organized in perhaps the most unique way in all of the Society. Not only are they in part a military organization working in conjunction with the Clocktower Guards and the Torch Legionnaires, but more recently – and I am using recently as a pretty loose term here – they have developed a more civilian division more concerned with being dedicated healers and caregivers.

A Den Mother can hold one of the following ranks, listed in ascending order of seniority:
Apprentice Den Mother: This is a pony who has only recently become a Den Mother, having been officially sponsored by a senior Den Mother. They have only begun learning how to care for our cubs. They are assigned to follow a fully-fledged Den Mother around to learn the craft through first hoof experience rather than studying dusty old tomes (although the latter is definitely part of the path). For more information, see the Den Mother Apprenticeship guide.

Novice Den Mother: This is the rank carried by Den Mothers who haven’t yet decided on which division they will be joining. They are allowed to act as full Den Mothers when the situation calls for it, but they are not allowed to act in the capacity of a guard. Should they choose the path of a Shield Mother they will receive more advanced training. For more information see the Shield Mother chapter in the Den Mother Novitiates guide.

Den Mother: This is the rank held by all the Den Mothers of the civilian division (it is also the catch-all term for Den Mothers in general). These are the ponies that keep the Society running as smoothly as, apologies for the pun, clockwork. They are the ones who act as counselors and caregivers to ponies that need it (yes, dominants too!). Acting from the shadows in the form of leaving specialized care products for particular couples that may need a little extra care than what the standard items that the Den Mother's keep in stock in every Safe Room cover. Or acting to provide additional aftercare if a sub feels like they haven’t gotten enough – which is more common than you might think, especially in the Slave Pits where play can be very one-off. As a side note, it is not uncommon that the rank of Den Mother is awarded to stallions. (Although they are officially called Den Fathers.)

Shield Mothers: The Rank held by every Den Mother within the military division of the Den Mothers. Even to this day, they maintain their traditional role as the military police and dedicated healers of the Clocktower Guards.

Alpha Den Mother: The overall leader of all Den Mothers in their respective Clocktower location, second only to Den Matriarch Cadance herself. Every few years an election is held and the Alpha is chosen through a democratic process. Although the Star family has held the title for quite a few years here at Equestria East, the Sparkle family is the current record holder with over 40 years of consecutive service. That streak only ended with Twilight Velvet’s retirement to let the new generation have a turn.

Brazier-bearers: This is a special rank. One held by nearly every Den Mother at least once in their line of service. You might think that there is only one Fire of Devotion. This is technically true, but most Clocktower sites have at least a few smaller fires. These satellite units serve to ensure that every last little spark of devotion isn’t wasted.

Once every six months during a ceremony, each of the flames is drained, brought to, and added onto the main Fire of Devotion, kindling it further and keeping it going. This is a highly ritualistic event which is accompanied by celebration. Den Mothers are selected at random for this. It is considered a great honour to bear the flames and eventually to show their devotion upon the altar before the Flame.

About Den Mother Gear
[Collar Image]
Every Den Mother is given a standard kit the moment they start their apprenticeship. This kit contains some essential items that may seem trivial if examined from an outside perspective. In fact much of their equipment may appear mundane.

If this list seems excessive to you, well, you're probably right. In all honesty we are probably better equipped than some of the Royal Guard units. At least when it comes to the day-to-day things that we do.

The Work Collar: By necessity Den Mother Collars are a lot more sporty in design. Unlike the more traditional Clocktower collar, they don’t have the padlock to lock it in place. Due to how they move in the tunnels it was deemed a safety precaution to have all collars be a snap lock design – if they manage to get it caught on something, the collar will safely come off rather than choking the pony. There have never been any accidental hanging issues within the Tower, and we definitely want to keep it that way.

The enchantment on the collar is the most important aspect of it. If a Safeword or Aftercare room is occupied, the closest Den Mother will be notified through the enchantment on the collar. This is generally done through stimulating a part of the brain that points them to the right place. It works somewhat like instinct. It´s actually very complicated magic and I should probably refer you to Clocktower Research Laboratories if you want details on the exact workings.

The Hoofcuffs / Leg Wraps: These do not feature a snap-lock design. Instead, they are buckled around the hoof just on the lower part of the cannon bone. They are secured with a simple belt buckle that comes with an emergency quick release in case it snags on something. More importantly though, these hoof cuffs come enchanted by default with a slow-fall spell. Within the tunnels that the Den Mothers call home there are many sheer drops (many of which are quick ways to get to lower levels).

The leg wraps that come with the hoofcuffs have multiple functions. They offer a bit of additional support and help prevent scuffing when slipping through tight places. They also give a bit of support against the strain of lifting, and do a fair job of preventing damage from impact.

The Saddle Pack: Perhaps the most important piece of kit a Den Mother has with her is this smooth, sportily-designed Saddle Pack. This is a saddle-mounted bag of holding containing up to 250lbs and 30 cubic feet of equipment. Regardless of what is put into the pack, it weighs a fixed amount of 15 lbs. This wonderful piece of arcane magic is used primarily to store items you will be needing on your day to day activities such as specialized lotions and ointments for rope burns, minor vaginal and anal irritation, painful rumps post-spanking and lashing, etc. Other use is not specifically prohibited, but please do not let your toys get in the way of your duties.

[Clocktower Research Laboratories Note: If a bag of holding is overloaded, or if sharp objects pierce it (from inside or outside), the bag immediately ruptures and is ruined, and all contents are lost forever. If a bag of holding is turned inside-out, all of its contents spill out, unharmed, but the bag must be put right before it can be used again. Please make sure to read the accompanying instruction manual! also know as page 172 of the O&O master equipment guide]

The Clocktower Den Mother’s Uplifting Primer: The Den Mothers' Uplifting Primer is a small, white-covered book issued to all Den Mothers, be they novice or Alpha, that is full of handy tricks and advice for performing their duties as a CTS Den Mother. Den Mothers are encouraged to read and memorise most of the Primer. In its most simplified function, the Primer is basically a guide-book to the duties and equipment of a Den Mother, full of advice and tips from more senior Den Mothers, going all the way back to Private Pansy.

More importantly, the Primer also contains several techniques for Den Mothers to use for themselves in order to distance themselves from their duties and simply relax, preventing their tasks and chores within the Society from overwhelming them. A Den Mother sees many things within the Society, not all of them pleasant. So please, stop and thank your Den Mothers for their invaluable services – which they give freely without asking for anything in return – next time you see one.

The Fire Maps: These maps have had many names over the years, but they are collectively referred to as Fire Maps. They are old, some of the maps in existence are practically ancient and have been in use for hundreds of years. Frighteningly easy to use, too, if you know the right methods. Without this knowledge they are simply blank pieces of parchment. Every Den Mother has their own personalised little prayer to activate it. Once activated, it will guide you to where you need to be. Simply tell it where you need to go and it will quite literally show you the quickest route.

Just speak politely to it. And yes that is a prerequisite. While not entirely sentient, they are pretty temperamental things. When you have finished with it, simply thank it with the phrase “Thank you very much. I'll be able to find my way now.” Although again, everypony has their own way of doing this. It works by recognising your sincerity more than anything else. (Although as it looks these are perhaps going to see very little use with the release of the newer model of PipSub. Personally I will stick to my Fire Map, it has been with me since my mother inducted me into the Den Mothers, even though my Kindlesprite Star Nova is adorable as all hell.)

The Aegis Armour (Shield Mothers only):
This is very similar to the standard armour for Clocktower Guards. The only real, noticeable difference is the saddle that they wear. On the right side there is the typical Den Mother saddle pack with all their normal potions and ointments and other assorted gear that you have already read about. On the other side, they bear a miniature Fire of Devotion brazier – this object contains an ember of the Fire of Devotion set atop a lavishly-adorned altar. It is through this small fire that they practice their special brand of healing magic.

About the Den Mother’s Den:
The Den is a place shrouded in mystery. Not many get to visit and those that do – well let’s say they usually don’t remember much of it. Generally a blissful pleasure and not much else. What, did you really think I was going to tell you what and where it is? I can tell you a little, but its location and what it looks like will remain a mystery to all you non-Den Mothers. It isn’t just more fun like that –there are some things that should remain secret out of necessity.

I would like to start off by stating that The Den is not a place for play. It is a very strictly-enforced Green Room. The Den is, in its essence, a sanctuary for Den Mothers. It is a safe haven for us, a place where we, much like how ponies can come to us, can go to retreat for our own moment of comfort. As such, having it be a play area would be antithetical to what we want at the end of the day. We’re all ponies, and we need rest and relaxation. If one must draw a comparison, a spa would be the most apt comparison.

That probably leads you to one simple question: just what in Tartarus goes on down there?

That is a simple question to answer: it's a secret. I know, I am evil, sue me.

Frequently Asked Questions:
How does one become a Den Mother?
This can be achieved in one of two ways.
1. You are hoof-picked by one of the senior Den Mothers, nominated at the bi-weekly meeting and, after votes are cast, if the majority approves, you are taken on as the apprentice of the Den Mother that sponsored you.
2. You can apply through the administration within the Clocktower Society, though it is rare for ponies to be picked from a random pool like this. A Den Mother will be evaluating you while you are at the tower – unobtrusively, of course. You are then given an invitation by the Den Mother if she judges you as worthy.

Who does a Den Mother go to for help?
This is really simple: They go to see a therapist/professional counselor of the Society.

Additional Instructional Material:

Excerpt from ‘The Hunt for the Elusive Den Mother’
By Wood Wise

Greetings and salutations, my friends. I would like to welcome you to the Clocktower Society Sub Watch and thank you for joining me, at least in spirit, on my journey to find the elusive Den Mothers of the Clocktower Equestria East location.

It was quite a chore to find one to observe. Den Mothers are notoriously elusive creatures as they can be submissives, switches or even dominants themselves, so it can be notoriously hard to spot one, especially if they do not want to be spotted. After hours of patiently observing in the slave pens under the cover of an invisibility cloak – courtesy of the Clocktower Research Labs (CTRL), I finally spotted one of these majestic creatures in action.

The mare was large, a fair head taller than me. I would hazard a guess that she rivaled Princess Luna herself for height. She was grey of coat with a braided, two-toned blond mane. Her stride was slow but confident, her piercing blue eyes held a fierceness that nearly made my heart freeze. She approached a mare that had been used and then simply discarded in her cage, coated in sweat and seed. The little thing was still lost in the afterglow of her service to the Masters that sampled and subsequently used her.

I watched her eyes soften into a caring smile as she unlocked the cage and stepped inside to retrieve the small peach-coated mare with her bright golden mane. The tiny thing had a satisfied smile but was shivering slightly. The Den Mother – who I assumed by her size was the pack alpha – took the smaller mare by her withers, and slowly lifted her up, the faint glow of telekinesis surrounding the smaller mare. It was a soft silver aura that almost seemed to radiate warmth.

Watching the smaller mare – whom I will be referring to as the cub from here on – snuggle into the Den Mother’s chest was heartwarming. As a Dominant, I myself am not usually privy to the inner politics and relationships of the slave pens. To me, spending hours observing the submissives in their natural environment was odd. Most of them seem to have formed herds with the mares in the cages around them. There seems to be a strict social structure in which the Den Mothers, much like the Saddle Arabian Sphinxes, appear to be the leaders.

I had expected the Den Mother to return to her cage to tend to her Cub. Instead, I was surprised to see her move towards the back of the Slave Pens. I gave chase in as careful a manner as I could while keeping pace with the big mare’s long stride. I could hear the soft whispers, that light motherly tone. I couldn’t make out the words, but even I felt soothed by her dulcet tones. The Cub seemed to respond in much the same way, smiling happily and curling up.

I was surprised to see her glancing around conspiratorially before lowering herself down, and slipping into a cubby-hole that was set just around the corner. I doubted any dominant had actually been here before me. This was their domain. I remember seeing a mare dominant actually get a spanking for even daring to come back here.

The place I stood was at the wall opposite to that cubby-hole. It was tight there, the entire floor was actually a giant bed with large pillows. I almost screamed upon seeing a mare sitting on a pillow. She was smaller than the Alpha with a charcoal black coat and an off-white mane, a pegasus with a serene look about her. She had a bit of a belly, I guessed she was about three months pregnant. She was looking right at me. I feared that I had made a sound, but then I saw her smile sweetly, a glance behind me saw a timid, buttery-yellow pegasus with a cotton-candy-pink mane approaching her.

The yellow pegasus, I knew very well. She was a switch and a harsh mistress to her pets. Seeing her meek and timid was actually quite a strange occurrence. She snuggled under the other pegasus’ wing and nuzzled into her neck. There wasn’t an exchange of words, it seemed that looks were enough to convey messages and feelings. I slowly set out towards the cubby-hole now that I was happy the mare was distracted with the adorable Fluttershy.

Approaching the hole, I noticed one thing: it was hot, but not unpleasantly so. The lighting was dimmed giving it a homely, comfortable atmosphere that felt very welcoming. Standing there, the room made even me feel safe. There were plenty of nooks to hide away in, and satellite rooms almost like a rabbit warren. It lent some credit to the rumours that the Den Mothers had tunnels leading to every Safeword Room and play area in the Society. There was also the unmistakable scent of mares – the sweet scent sent a shiver of excitement down my spine. I imagined this what it was like for a male lion to walk into a den of females while they were in season.

I controlled myself, for the most part – my wings didn’t leave my side. I can’t say the same for another part of my anatomy though. I treaded carefully as I was about to enter their den. This was officially their domain. The sight before me was different than I had expected. Instead of seeing the Alpha, there were six mares there. They were all as lovely as the other and each attended to a curled up little submissive. One of the mares even had her submissive buried under her soft and inviting-looking fluff, like a mother hen brooding her egg.

Each of the mares laid in a nest made of blankets and pillows. It dawned on me that this was what they defended so fiercely. I slowly snuck into a corner to lay down myself, to watch and to observe the mares. The Alpha was the closest to me, she was taking great care in cleaning the Cub with a tongue bath. Slow, delicate licks with a whispered "Shhhh... rest little one."

It was a beautiful sight to behold. The Alpha let one of her hooves brush the Cub’s cheek, letting the Cub snuggle into her for the aftercare that she needed. I watched her smile a happy smile that only a mother could harbour for her foal. “Mommy’s here for you,” cooed the Alpha in that low, comforting tone.

A running noise startled me. I watched a small mare run in through the entrance hole with tears that ran down her cheeks. She threw herself at one of the mares and recounted a falling out with her Master and not knowing what to do. The poor thing, who will remain undescribed and unnamed, was hysterical. It was quite heartbreaking to watch a submissive so distressed over an argument.

I watched in rapt attention as the pegasus Den Mother simply wrapped her hooves around the mare, and pulled her close, cooing and murmuring into her ear. Although she spoke softly to her, it seemed almost wordless – more primal and animalistic in how she soothed her. Simple warmth and closeness seemed to help her calm. Having been soothed, the Cub was pulled onto the Den Mother’s back with a gentle kiss on the cheek. “Let’s go have a chat with your Master, hmm little one?” I couldn’t help but smile as the Cub nodded her agreement and they left.

It is one of the tasks of the elusive Den Mothers. Comfort a submissive when they need somepony to talk to and their Master isn’t an option. Aside from that, they are responsible for providing extra aftercare for submissives when they need it to help them clean up. They are also the ones who feed the little cubs if they haven’t eaten yet, and, for some, act as part security in the case of an incident.

I know that when a new submissive joins they are taken to at least one Den Mother and introduced. They are shown around the places where dominants are not allowed. Like this, or one of the many, many other rooms where a submissive could retreat and seek calm. Even if there is no Den Mother there, rumour has it one shows up as if by instinct.

It was then that I noticed something off. The Alpha was approaching where I lay, she was even sniffing at my position. I had been assured that the cloak masked my scent too, it was zebra design – zebras don’t lie, RIGHT!?

Wrong. The mare pulled the cloak off me, and there was a collective gasp.

“You have some explaining to do, little colt,” growled the Alpha menacingly.

Note: there is a film version available upon request.
Additional note from Den Mother Starsong: We made sure that it's the entire film, including what happened when we found him. I highly recommend it, it's a good watch! It can be purchased relatively cheaply at Sweet Saddles Media Store.

Afterword:

Wow, that sure was a lot of information, wasn’t it? Maybe it’s a bit much to take in. Or perhaps it left you with questions? Well if you do have questions, comments, or concerns you can find a Den Mother who will relay them to me and I will get back to you on it. Just don’t be shocked if I suddenly appear out of the ceiling, or the floor, or the walls… or thin air. You get the idea. We kind of come from everywhere, but for us that is a part of the fun!

Anyhow, I shouldn’t start rambling. I do sincerely hope that you have found this informative, that it has enlightened you on what we do for ponies and what our role is within the Clocktower Society. I hope to see all of you lovely subs and doms eventually. So, next time you see one of these elusive mares out in public, give her a hug? They are there looking out for your well being and giving their all to make the society a better place for everypony involved.

Oh, right, before I forget. We had a little discussion among the senior Den Mother and well… if you have any erotic fantasies about what goes on in the Den, do feel free to share them in at least 10,000 words or more. I will personally enjoy reading them, and ensure that they do get published for everypony to read and enjoy. We so adore seeing what ponies think we get up to in our little paradise.

Author's Note: Congratulations on making it this far in the story. If you're interested, you now have the opportunity to join the Clocktower Society Community by clicking here.