Moonbeak stood on the sidewalk outside the psychiatrist’s office, the warm morning sun shining on and warming her fur and feathers. She had been stood there for some time, summoning and losing her nerve over and over again in a seemingly endless cycle. Ultimately, just before her appointed time, she drew on her nerve for the umpteenth time that morning and took the first step through the door. It helped that Zephyr was starting to fuss on her back and Athena was getting antsy by her side.

Strangely, once she had taken that first step, the next step wasn’t so hard. Nor was the third and then the fourth. Before she knew it, the thirty four year old griffon was stood before the desk of the receptionist, a particularly pretty dark green pegasus by the name of Leafblown. “Greetings Moonbeak,” she looked up from her paperwork with a pleasant smile on her face. “You’re right on time, and oh, you have a second kitten!”

“Good morning, Leafblown.” Moonbeak smiled at the nice mare and, for what felt like the first time in forever, she managed to make it a genuine smile. “This is Zephyr.”

“Hi there cutie!” Leafblown quickly abandoned her desk and she came around to pet and fuss the little brown furred bundle that was currently going all shy. The receptionist knew not to pursue a fussing that wasn’t wanted. She tried a different tack. “Athena, would you like to show your brother the play room?”

Athena squeaked happily. “I can! C'mon Zephy!” Smiling a very motherly smile, Moonbeak helped her young kitten down to the floor and Athena, going into 'Big Sis' mode, showed him where the crèche was.

The moment he was down and Athena had shepherded him off to the play area, Moonbeak’s smile faded and she sighed deeply. “He's like having a miniature Goldie.”

While she wasn’t a psychiatrist, she had been around her friend and boss long enough to recognise the sigh. She nodded, but that was all she did by way of reply or response. “The doctor is ready to see you now. Hoofpaint has duty in there and we'll let you know if there is any issues.”

Moonbeak bowed her head, a gesture she wasn’t accustomed to with anypony other than Brightstar. “Thank you, Leafblown, I appreciate that.” That done, she walked to the white painted door of the doctor’s office and she knocked before entering, feeling the weight of Equestria pressing on her shoulders.

Rethink, a pale grey unicorn stallion who looked every day of his fifty five years, even down to his white beard, smiled as his patient entered his office. “I hope it is a good morning for you, Moonbeak.” He pushed his glasses up his nose and stood up. “Please have a seat,” he said, motioning to one of the two pads nearest her.

“It is a morning, and I am alive in it, so it is good enough.” Moonbeak answered in the way she knew how, honestly. She took the nearest seating pad and settled down on it while the doctor sat in the other, foregoing his desk for a more comfortable setting. “And yours?”

“Better that you are here.” He levitated over his clipboard and he surveyed his notes through his half-moon glasses. “It has been…six months and two weeks since you last appointment. Six months since the last one you missed.”

Moonbeak glanced away, unable to look at the unicorn’s stern but friendly gaze. “I've been...occupied. I didn't mean to not come, I met somepony. It was, is, good with him.”

“Another griffon?”

Relaxing just a little, Moonbeak shook her head. “A pony. A unicorn, actually. Although he may as well be a griffon.”

Rethink just smiled his trained smile. “That is another step to help integrate you into the society you've chosen to live, but first words are the truest. Was?”

Moonbeak smiled sadly, all her insecurities flooding back. “Brightstar is from Canterlot. He's nineteen and he's spent time at Stormclaw Academy in Griffonstone. He asked me to be his Mistress as well as lover. We played the same game that Goldie and I played, doctor.”

For a moment, all the unicorn could do was blink as he was presented with this little verbal waterfall. Playing for time, he cleaned his glasses. “Ah, yes, the griffon aggression game to again help you into this pony society without doing a pony any harm. Goldcrest told me about your play. I thought it was dangerous, but better than lashing out at a pony. So, did this pony, that is almost a griffon, not live up to the play?”

“At first, yes, it was everything I could have hoped for.” Moonbeak answered after a second’s thought. She considered not answering at all. But, here she was. No point being coy now. “Then, we played last week. It went...wrong. Badly wrong, doctor.”

“How so?”

“Goldie was indifferent, inattentive when we played, to get a reaction from me.” Every word she uttered was an effort but, she forged ahead. “Brightstar...he didn't mean to, I want that clear, he was...mean. Almost nasty. He stared at a young thing, a minotaur, and stated I was a washed up old buzzard, amongst other things.”

Gears turned in Rethink’s head, dots connected to other dots and they made a mental picture that made sense to the doctor. “Ah. So that reminded you that you are not nineteen, correct?”

Moonbeak looked around the very clean, well ordered modern office. At the fuchsia in the corner, the plaques on the wall, even out the window to Fillydelphia outside. Anywhere but at the unicorn. “It reminded me that there's a decade and a bit between us, and that he's right. I am an old buzzard.”

Rethink looked over his notes and nodded. He was aware of his patient’s deep rooted issues. “As opposed to an old lioness?”

The griffon smiled very briefly. “It's not just that. The ones he looked at were so young, and pretty and hateful!” she spat, her anger rising like a coiled cobra waiting to strike.

“I noticed you changed was to is, why is that?”

“Afterwards, we discussed it, when I had calmed down enough not to tear him apart.” Moonbeak explained, her voice deadened. “We are intended to be bonded, the griffon way. He asked me first, asked me better than any griffon could ask, then I asked him after the disaster and he said yes.”

“While he may act like a griffon to you, is he a griffon?”

“No. He is a sweet young pony who is older than he looks.”

Rethink nodded carefully, addressing his notes as he did so. “You've been a griffon for more than thirty years and he has been around griffons for a few years. He may play his part well, but it is a play. If you really want this pony to be your griffon, you much teach him griffon ways. I would guess you're doing that?”

“Yes doctor, I am indeed. He is a quick study…” she shuddered, “That's the other thing, he's joined the police force here in Fillydelphia.”

Rethink again consulted his notes, a little wry smile creeping across his face. “Moonbeak, who do I work for?”

“The police.”

“What do you think all new recruits have to do when they join?”

Moonbeak shrugged at that. She wanted to bite back her innate sarcasm. She failed. “I don't know, sign their life away when they get shot and killed by a ganger?”

“Yes,” Rethink chuckled, “that could be an issue, but as it is, they have to see me.”

Now, things started to slot into place for Moonbeak. Everything began to make a little sense. Of course Rethink would’ve interviewed and spoke with her pony. “Really? Brightstar saw you? He never said.” Even as she said that out loud, it made sense to her.

Rethink shrugged. “This is his privilege, as I cannot discus with you what we talked about. I have his file. I do pry a lot, don't I, Moonbeak?”

Moonbeak snorted out a laugh through her nostrils. “That you pry is an understatement, doctor. Stormclaw herself couldn't keep her secrets from you.” She sighed deeply. Very deeply. “Then you know about his family. He is dear to me, doctor. I love him and I don't want to lose him like...like...”

When his patient faltered, the psychiatrist stepped in and interrupted, carefully. “Moonbeak, I'll not make you any promises that Brightstar won't lay beside Goldcrest. You know this to be true, but you also know he is the top of his class. He will do what he can to stay with you. Do you have enough faith in him that he will?”

This time, Moonbeak didn’t falter when she answered. “I have seen him in action, as it were. I have faith in what I saw.” She couldn’t help but think all the way back to that one evening when that ganger pegasus attacked them and tried to mug them.

“He is not a griffon, he is a pony.” Rethink asserted gently, “You need to do more than show him the griffon ways. You need to communicate to him your expectations. Your griffon aggression play would have worked out better if you did that at the start. Still it would not be what you remember, as Brightstar is not Goldcrest. You must not forget that.”

How could she forget that? The fact that Brightstar wasn’t her murdered husband was never very far from her mind. “No, he isn't.” she said quietly, her mind wandering to all the months in which Brightstar had proved himself worthy of her family. “Nor, to his credit, has he tried to be, either.” She gave the doctor a ‘look’. “I am well aware the conversation we had after the play should have taken place before the play.”

Rethink returned the look he was given with one of his own. “You are aware after the fact, because you thought it would be with him now like it was. Assumptions will always do that to you.”

Moonbeak went back to staring out of the window, at the ponies, minotaurs and griffons out there just going about their everyday business. “Bite me in my fat ass you mean?” she asked, without looking at the unicorn and his ever-present clipboard.

Rethink merely lifted an eyebrow and scribbled notes on his clipboard. “Ass size preference is in the eye of the beholder. It bit you both, that I do think. And not the bite on the ass you'd rather have.”

With a roll of her green eyes, Moonbeak’s wings fluttered a little. “He does love it when I bite his anywhere…”

The pale grey unicorn chose not to answer that. Instead, while he took a moment to – unnecessarily - clean his half-moon glasses, he chose a different approach. “I'm going to make an educated guess that you didn't tell Brightstar you were going to see me.”

Moonbeak laughed at that, finding the doctor’s discomfort highly amusing. “It was he that suggested I seek professional help, as it happens, when we were snuggling.”

Rethink saw that his change of direction wasn’t quite doing the trick. He got up and walked over to the watercooler to get them both a drink. He could’ve levitated it, but the mundane act bought him more time. “It should have been no surprise that you didn't know he saw me. If you had told him, he would have told you. All of us keep secrets, Moonbeak. Try as we may to not do so. Usually it is for silly reasons. It-doesn't-matter reasons. I would like to see you together.”

“You are right, doctor.” Moonbeak relented in her teasing as the unicorn set the glass of water down on the low table between them. “Reasons do not matter. I do agree though that we need to see you together.”

Checking that off as a minor victory, that he got Moonbeak to agree with him, he celebrated by taking a drink of his water. “Since he suggest you do this, I'm sure he will want to come. You can drop my name if you wish, or not. Of course when you come to this office, he will know.”

“I believe I will, drop your name. Now,” she paused, taking a moment to gather her thoughts with a drink of her water, she said, “if you could only solve my mother, then my problems would be done!”

“I sense a high level of griffon stubbornness, Moonbeak.”

The griffon took another sip of her water and snorted. Just because he was right didn’t mean she had to be happy about it. “Your sense is correct, doctor. She was talking of our upcoming binding ceremony. She wants it to be in Griffonstone. I do not.”

Yet more gears turned in the psychiatrist’s head. Many dots connected and drew many pictures, not just one, all connected to each other. “Not an unreasonable request. That is where you married Goldcrest, after all. Where do you want to be married, and for that matter where does Brightstar want to be married?”

Moonbeak blushed very hard indeed. “I um...I haven't ah...exactly mentioned it, with him, as such. Or at all. I really feel no ties to the old country. This is my home.”

Rethink simply nodded, his pen moving like a blur in his magical aura. “Your mother spent over half her life in Griffonstone, you spent most of yours here. Brightstar is from Canterlot, and that is where his mother and sister is. First you need to decide between yourselves, and then show a united front to your mother. Of course, be warned. Your pony spent time with the griffons over there. What if he likes that idea before you even tell him about your mother?”

Moonbeak thought about that, just like she had thought about it over and over since they had announced their intention to be bound. “To be honest, I had considered he would want Griffonstone. Were that to be the case, then I'd agree. Honestly I can't see him wanting Canterlot. The city seems to hold nothing but bad memories for him of late. I anticipated him wanting Fillydelphia, if anywhere.”

“Communicate, and be prepared to swallow that ugly word, compromise.” Rethink stated calmly, sensing the turmoil within his patient. “If you like you can talk about your wedding plans here, but I think that isn't the best idea. Better you talk one on one, and if there is any tension, then come in right away. Otherwise I'd like to see the two of you in two weeks.”

“Very well doctor, thank you so much for your time.” Moonbeak said as she downed the last of her water and stood up from her seating pad. “You've really been a help.”

“I listen a lot, talk a little and give you another to open your thoughts too. You know more than most how unfair life is. Make the most of what you got.”

“I shall,” Moonbeak, on her way to the door, offered the doctor a friendly platonic nuzzle of thanks, which he gratefully accepted and returned. “I thank you.”

“You're welcome Moonbeak. Don't be a stranger. There is a pony that needs your support.”

Moonbeak nodded. “I won't be. Again, thank you, Rethink.”

“Would you like me to call and have Athena bring out Zephyr, or do you want to get them?” Leafblown asked in her usual calm carefree manner when Moonbeak left the psychiatrist’s office for the lobby.

Moonbeak thought about it and smiled. She knew her kitten. “Let her bring him out please, Leafblown. She likes to ‘Big Sister’ him.”

Leafblown laughed, her voice filling up the lobby. “All big sisters do, it’s a sister thing.” She picked up the phone and called through to the crèche. “Hoofpaint, please have Athena bring her brother to the lobby. Her mother is ready to go.” She hung up, a giggle ready in her eyes. “She will be right out.”

“Thank you.” Moonbeak knew just how to reward a well-behaved kitten. “I believe a diversion to the ice cream parlour on Fifteenth Street is in order.”

~ ~ ~

Two days after her visit to the psychiatrist, Doctor Rethink, Moonbeak was relaxing in her treehouse. ‘Relaxing’ was a relative term, seeing as how she had Athena busy playing with her building blocks, stacking them up and pouncing them down while Zephyr was taking a rare nap. She was laid on her couch enjoying her favourite trashy sitcom on her television. She sighed as she tried to hear why CJ was breaking up with Hunter while Athena was playing. ‘Mares of Our Lives’ was her one guilty pleasure she indulged in during the day. It passed the time until Brightstar came home. Her expression soured, as that wouldn't happen until Friday evening. With a deep sigh, she returned to the program.

It wasn’t even a good programme, but it was bad in a good way. She liked the inanity of it, the banal lifestyles of the characters, the dramas and the comedies. It went very well with a hot cup of coffee and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Just as it was getting to a good part, where it was revealed that Hunter was dating Sky and he was really CJ’s cousin, her phone rang. It rang and it rang and no matter how long she seemed to leave it, it kept on ringing. Eventually, having had enough, she got up and walked to her phone.

It was one of those times she regretted not having horn to bring it to her, that or not leaving her phone closer in the first place. Oh well. With an eye on the television watching her guilty pleasure play out its latest unlikely family feud and fight, she answered the call. “Hello?”

On the other end of phone, a mare’s voice replied. “Is this Moonbeak?”

“Speaking. Who's this please?”

“This is Nurse Blue Star, at Fillydelphia General Hospital. A neighbour found your mother, Astraea, collapsed in her apartment. She gave us this number when your mother was admitted about ten minutes ago. I can tell you she is in stable condition at this moment.”

“What‽” Moonbeak squawked in utter panic. That had been the last thing she expected to hear. Suddenly, all thoughts of her television show were gone from her mind. “By the Grey spires! What do you mean 'collapsed', pony? Is my momma okay?”

Blue Star sounded nothing if not sympathetic, which wasn’t entirely helpful. “I can't give some information over the phone. She is resting in Room 542. I was told she is stable. I just wanted to let you know there is no limit to visiting hours for immediate family. We also have a day care that is open twenty four hours, but if the...ah, kittens are well behaved, you can have them with you in the room.”

Moonbeak was processing multiple things at once. All at once. Her mother, what had happened, her mother, what might happen, the kittens, her mother, it all ran around in her head at once. “I'll be there as soon as I can, thank you pony, for letting me know. My kittens will enjoy the day care, I'm sure, ah, thank you, again.”

“Fillydelphia General is on the corner of Seventh and Main.” Blue Star explained, just in case Moonbeak didn’t know. “Day care is off the main lobby to the right. Elevator to the fifth floor is in the lobby. Please check in at the fifth floor nurses station.”

Of course Moonbeak knew where the damned infernal hospital was! She had been there when Goldcrest had…had…when what happened to Goldcrest happened. “I will, I will, ah, thank you, again, thank you...ooh momma!” she fretted like a kitten on her first day of school as she put her phone down, her trashy show by now long forgotten. ‘Brightstar’, she thought, ‘I need to call Brightstar...’ she fumbled with her phone trying to call the police academy.

“Police academy, Sergeant Brass.” Came a familiar stallion’s voice down the other end of the line. “How my I direct your call?”

“I need Brightstar,” she was straight to the point. Glancing around her treehouse, looking at Athena playing with her blocks and Zephyr sleeping in his crib, thoughts of Brightstar, her love, made her get to the point. “I need him now. It's Moonbeak.”

“Do you know what class Brightstar is in?”

Just like that Moonbeak was stumped. She hadn’t been ‘there’ when Brightstar had spoken about what he did at the academy. It was easier to compartmentalise everything and just not listen once her pony said the word ‘police’. “Ooooh...um...I'm not sure, he's with the Shadowbolts?”

“May I ask the reason you need Brightstar?”

“Family emergency!” Moonbeak squawked, that familiar panic rising in the pit of her stomach. She was afraid and she didn’t like feeling afraid. “My mother's collapsed, she's in the hospital, please put him on!”

“One moment, please.” From the sound he made, he had put his hoof over the phone receiver. “Prancer, look up Brightstar, may be special ops. Yeah, he, okay have him call post one for a call transfer.” Just like that, his voice was back to normal. “We are getting him now, please wait a bit longer.”

“Thank you, Brass, I'll wait.” Moonbeak was amazed at how level she had kept her tone so far. Of course, she was really very pleased that Athena was playing and not making a fuss while she did this. That made it easier.

At least two or three minutes went by before Moonbeak heard Brass’s voice again, muffled like it had been before. “That him?” he asked somepony who Moonbeak couldn’t see or even care about. “Female calling about family emergency, Moonbeak. Her mother. Transferring you now.” All of a sudden, his voice was back to normal. “Putting him on the line now.”

Another second and Brightstar was on the phone. “Hello, Moony, what's happened?”

Brightstar’s voice was like a welcome soothing balm across her fevered brow. She felt like a duck swimming on the water. Calm above, frenzied motion underneath. “Momma is in the hospital! A neighbour found her on the floor! I have to go there now, but I need you now!”

Brightstar processed this information in a second, police training kicking in to keep him calm. “I'll be home as soon as I can, Moony. Don't panic, it'll be alright, I'm coming.”

For once, Moonbeak was pleased of her pony’s training. She could count on him to keep a level head. A level head that she needed right now. “I'm going to the hospital now! You meet me there!”

“Moonbeak. Calm down. Which hospital?”

She kicked herself, only mentally, of course, in the momentary pause. “Fillydelphia General, on Seventh and Main. I have the kittens, I'll drive safe, just please hurry.”

“I'll hurry. Be there in the blink of an eye. I love you, I'll see you soon.”

Satisfied, Moonbeak hung up. She knew that if Brightstar said he would be somewhere at some time, he would be there. “Athena we are going, you may take a book with you. I'll get Zephyr.” As it happened, Brightstar had teleported to the hospital in a series of jumps, waiting in full uniform at the hospital entrance, outside, scanning the parking lot for sight of the white van.

At the treehouse, Athena had scooted to her room to get her book, her favourite book ever. “Momma,” she asked curiously when she came back, “where we goin'?”

Moonbeak had just got Zephyr’s things together and she looked at her eldest kitten, grateful she was so ‘together’. “I'm going to visit Nana in the hospital. You need to come with to watch Zephyr while I see nana. Be the special big sister.”

“Why nanna in the hopital?”

“I don't know kitten, and that is why we are going now. You have your book?”

“Yes momma!” Athena squeaked proudly, holding up the Grim the Griffon fairy stories book as proof.

Moonbeak carefully placed Zephyr on her back, skilfully so as not to wake him up. It struck her how well her kitten spoke Equestrian these days. She was proud, very deep down. “Now you get up there and keep Zephyr safe on the way to the van.”

Athena was so proud to be asked to do such a special task. “Yes momma!” Eager to show how useful she could be, she buzzed her little brown wings hard and she lifted up, landing on her mother’s back behind her little brother.

Locking her door, Moonbeak left her treehouse in Horsehead Square and she flew down to her white van, her deceptively rusty looking white van. Only a few knew that the ‘rust’ was painted on. She put Zephyr safely in his car seat, and Athena in her booster. “Please be alright, Momma…” she said to herself as she drove as quickly as the law and traffic would allow to let her to the hospital.

On the ride from her house to the hospital, Athena made sure to be a good kitten and set an example for her brother. She played with Zephyr and she ensured he didn’t fuss. She saw her beloved stallion the moment she entered the parking lot. Fillydelphia General was nothing as grand or modern as the marble edifice in Canterlot, but it would suffice.

Moonbeak let out a very deep, very heartfelt sigh of relief as she pulled up, parked and killed the engine. She just knew that everything would be alright now. Brightstar was here. She opened the door and got the two kittens out of the van and onto her back. The moment she was out, Brightstar walked over and nuzzled his betrothed. “I got here as soon as you called. What's happened love?”

“I don't know, and I want to know.” Moonbeak was all business, now that her pony was there. She could focus. Concentrate on what was important. “Follow.” Kittens on her back, she marched into the hospital like she owned the place. Once through the door of the faded white building’s door, paint chipping everywhere and the H and S missing from the word ‘hospital’, she soon spotted the day care where Blue Star told her it was. “My mother is here and I need to drop off my kittens.” She said by way of announcing herself.

A white earth pony mare with a name tag of Sliver Shoe looked up, a practiced smile on her muzzle. She was used to family like this. “Do you know her room number?”

“I was told she is resting in Room 542, pony.”

A few well-placed commands on her keyboard and Silver Shoe checked her terminal. “Astraea, ma’am?”

“Yes!” Moonbeak squawked, “Astraea, yes, now let me see her!”

Brightstar, sensing his betrothed and Mistress on the verge of losing control, nuzzled her cheek. “Love, calm down.”

Silver Shoe smiled, “No, it is fine, these times are stressful.” She turned that pleasant professional smile to the agitated griffon. “You can check the kittens in for four hours, if you need to stay longer you just sign them in again. Please write their names here and sign there.”

Moonbeak shot Brightstar a 'don't tell me to be calm' look and she wrote Athena and Zephyr on the paper before signing the sheet. “There.”

That done, Silver Shoe took the sheet and passed Moonbeak a card. “Thank you. Here is your pick up card, that way the unicorn can pick them up if needed. I'll keep the kittens safe for you.” When they were passed over, the hospital crèche worker took control of the kittens and she led them through a door to the play area where there were six foals playing already.

“Love, she'll be fine, let's go find 542 and you can see for yourself.” Brightstar did his best to calm his partner down, though he knew nothing of the argument between her and her mother.

They walked in silence through the hospital until, on the fifth floor, they came to the nurse’s station which was the first thing they saw after leaving the elevator. A black unicorn mare was the nurse in charge and she greeted them. “Good morning to you. I’m Black Lace. You must be Moonbeak. Your mother is resting now, but she is not sedated so you can go in and see her.”

Sighing deeply, Moonbeak remembered her breathing exercises and forced herself calm. “Thank you, Black Lace.” She turned to her pony and, on the way, she decided to fill him in on the argument between her and her mother so that he was at least forewarned. Wisely, he nodded quietly as they got to the door of the room. Now, he more or less understood.

Together, Moonbeak and Brightstar entered the private room and they saw that the older griffon was sleeping. The machine she was connected to beeped softly and steadily, and she had an IV inserted in her left rear paw. “Momma...” Moonbeak almost whispered, walking up to the bed and sitting down on one of the seating pads by the bed. Quietly, Brightstar sat next to her and held his partner’s clawed hand.

Laid in the bed, Astraea stirred slightly before settling back to sleep. A polite knock at the door announced a stallion’s presence there wearing a white doctor’s vest. As soon as she saw him standing in the open door, Moonbeak squawked, “Doctor! How is she? What happened?”

The cream coloured pegasus pony entered the room, careful to not wake his patient. “I'm doctor Featherstone and I specialize in griffons. She is severely anaemic and that has to be due to bad diet. The IV is working on restoring the iron in her system. She should be fine to wake, but she will be groggy.”

“Anaemic?” Moonbeak repeated, her feathers ruffling in panic, for she knew nothing of things medical. “Is she going to die? How bad is it? Tell me doctor!”

Brightstar couldn’t resist rolling his yellow eyes. “She isn't going to die, Moony…”

Moonbeak silenced him with a scathing look. “You are no doctor!”

“Untreated, it would leave her weak, and over time it could lead to a comma.” Doctor Featherstone answered her question, walking up to and standing by his patient’s bed. “She is out of danger. I will recommend some iron supplement pills. Mostly her diet must have been low iron. I don't know what she is eating at home, but you should follow up on that. The supplement will help a lot, but it is best solved by diet.”

“I understand,” Moonbeak nodded solemnly, instantly regretting the argument between them. It had kept them apart this past week. “I'm not sure what she's eating, she doesn't say, and we haven't been talking much lately.”

‘Griffon stubbornness…’ the doctor shook his head. He could – and had – written books on the subject. “You're here now, so I think you are willing to talk. We will release her around nine tomorrow morning. You can spend the night, but we aren't much for accommodations. We can give you a discount coupon for the hotel across the street.”

“Thank you doctor, I appreciate that. I assume Brightstar can sort that out for me while I talk with her?”

Brightstar recognised a cue when he saw it. He also recognised where he could make himself useful. At the same time, he wanted to be a million miles away when Moonbeak and her mother began talking over their issues. “I'm on it, love.” He kissed his partner and prepared to valiantly beat a retreat. “Sort it out. Compromise. Offer a ceremony in Griffonstone as well as Filly.”

Gratefully, Moonbeak gave Brightstar the claim ticket for the kittens. “Once you have a room, bring the kittens there. Leave me a note at the front desk. I don't think we'll be long, and I don't want to upset momma anymore.”

“You got it, love. Leave it to me.” he kissed her once more and took his leave.

Moonbeak waited until she was alone and with her sleeping mother before she ran a taloned finger along Astraea’s clawed hand. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to get the older griffon to wake up. Her eyes fluttered open, slowly, once before she was properly awake. “Mo-Moony…”

“I can't lose you momma.” Moonbeak hated how weak her mother sounded. It wasn’t griffon. Griffon’s weren’t weak. They were strong. “I-I just can't.”

Astraea laughed weakly, her daughter a bleary outline that was rapidly becoming distinct. “I'll outlive you yet, kitten.”

Again, Moonbeak got straight to the point. “Doctor says you aren't eating right. They are going to keep you till morning. You want to see the kittens before I send them to bed?”

“I'm eating just fine,” Astraea waved a claw dismissively in the air, choosing not to comment on her daughter’s accusation. She didn’t want to fight anymore. “I'll see them tomorrow, I'm tired.”

Moonbeak sighed, “Momma, they are going to give you some pills, not medicine, but a vitamin. If you don't take it I'll tie your wings and shove it down your throat. Understand?”

“You wouldn't dare.”

“Try me, momma!” Moonbeak cried, snarling as her temper rose, her feathers ruffling. “I have something else to tell you too!”

“Hmmm…maybe later, I'll try you.” She smiled softly, Moonbeak’s anger serving to make the old griffon focus. “What is it, kitten?”

Moonbeak glanced around the white clean hospital room. Searching for the words to say what she had to say. “I love you momma, and I want you to know that me and Bright are getting married here, but! We want a reception in Griffonstone, after the wedding.”

Astraea narrowed her eyes like she was hunting prey on the Plains of Blood. “You've been talking to the pony.”

“Yes, I told the pony about our argument. He wants us to compromise. I'm Equestrian, momma. But I know there are those you want to show me and the pony off too. A reception party is easier than a wedding.”

“I think that pony has a sensible head on his shoulders, Moony. You did well getting him.” Astraea managed a smile, for she did like that pony her daughter had chosen. It wasn’t what she wanted, perhaps, but it was better than fighting with her daughter. “A reception in Griffonstone is a good idea.”

Leaning forwards, Moonbeak tapped her beak to her mother’s in a shameless show of affection. “We will be here to join you for breakfast and take you home.”

Astraea, though she rolled her eyes, tapped her daughter’s beak with her own. “Thank you, momma…”

“You be a good kitten for the doctor.” She sensed this particular battle in the long war was won, so her mood improved accordingly. It looked like being a good Wednesday after all. “Says he specializes in griffon, so he will know your tickly spots.”

“And if he didn’t, I bet you'd tell him, too.” Astraea groused, though there was a smile in her voice. This time, she leant up a little and tapped her daughter’s beak. “Don't worry, Moony, and...I'm...sorry, we argued.”

“I'm not,” Moonbeak sniffed, trying to sound indifferent but there was a happy tear there. “We are griffons and we need to voice our thoughts. I'm glad we have moved past the argument.”

“I have to agree. Now, go on, off with you. Let me get some beauty rest.”

“You can try, but morning will come all too soon.” Moonbeak giggled, her mood considerably relaxed now that her mother was sounding more like herself again. “G'night momma.”

“Good night kitten. Have fun with the pony.”

Standing from her seating pad, the younger griffon nodded. “It will be educational for the kittens, at the very least.” That said, she sauntered out of the hospital room before her mother could come back with a witty retort. “Nurse,” she said once she was back at Black Lace’s station, “what time is breakfast?”

Black Lace hurriedly swallowed the mouthful of coffee she had taken into her mouth so she could reply. “Breakfast is served at eight.”

“Can we take her to breakfast or must she eat in her room?”

“She is scheduled to eat in the room.” Black Lace replied, checking her notes to be absolutely sure. “I'll leave a note for Doctor Featherstone and he can change that. That would be well before eight.”

“That would be good, thank you.” Leaving the nurse with an appreciative bow, she went to the elevator and then, taking the note that Brightstar had left at the front desk, she crossed the street for the hotel. Once inside, she crept to their room and she carefully opened the door with the key that came with the note. She was quiet in case the kittens were sleeping.

As soon as she was inside the finely appointed room, with its cream coloured walls and chocolate brown flooring – it was pleasing, it reminded her of home, she saw that in addition to the two beds, Brightstar did get a crib for the room. He had also removed his police uniform, most likely it was in his bags. “Hey love…” he half-whispered, as it was pretty late-ish, the kittens were both asleep. “Zephie is empty and refilled, Athena had her favourite story and I have coffee for you.”

While her pony magically reheated the coffee for her, Moonbeak crossed the room. There were some nice landscapes on the walls, and potted plants on nightstands between the beds. One of which Athena had claimed as hers. “Momma is okay, she hasn't been getting Iron in her diet though.” She explained, flumping down on the bed that Brightstar was sat on. “I fear she is eating more pony food and less griffon food at home.”

“That we can check on tomorrow when we abduct her from the evil clutches of the doctors.” Brightstar snickered at Moonbeak’s predictable eye roll.

“That would be tomorrow for breakfast. They remove the chains at nine.”

“Hmhmm,” Brightstar murmured, sipping his coffee as his partner did the same with hers, “and have you finished blaming yourself yet?”

Moonbeak took a moment to enjoy her coffee, even though it had been reheated. “Yes, we had are real griffon talk. I didn't put her there, she did that herself. The reason I thought I put her there is laid to rest.”

Brightstar sighed. “The argument over the binding.” He took Moonbeak up in a tight hug on the bed. “A fine example of griffon stubbornness at its best, right there.”

Sipping her coffee, Moonbeak sniffed imperiously. “As long as you know I'm always right. If you think anything else, rethink it.” She grinned and, setting the coffee down, gently nuzzled her young lover’s cheek. “Thank you. Nice to have coffee.”

“Of course you're always right, my love.” He kissed her beak and coughed a cough in such a way that it sounded less like a cough and more like 'most of the time'.

‘It’s a very good thing you are handsome and sexy, pony’, Moonbeak thought to herself with a wry grin. She liked the sass he gave her. Most of the time. It was nice having a pet that bit back. Most of the time. Still, it was fun when he did, because then they could play. “I love you because you are my pony, you are as griffon as any griffon, but you do taste better than any griffon.

Brightstar’s heart almost melted when she gave him a most girly giggle. A very un-Moonbeak-like giggle. Something she only did when she was wholly at ease. “And I love you because you are my cute sexy lioness,” he punctuated it with a kiss, “and my beautiful Mistress.”

Finishing her coffee, the sexy lioness smiled sweetly. Too sweetly. “That's me, beautifully sexy cute. I want snuggles, and you can be big spoon tonight. Set the alarm for seven.”

As requested, Brightstar took the alarm clock in his magical aura and, after it was set to seven, he replaced it on the nightstand. He had no qualms about being the cuddler as opposed to the cuddlee. It had its benefits. Big sexy dark grey furry ass type benefits. “I agree to big spoon duties, because then I get to stroke your big butt!”

Moonbeak’s deadpan look was priceless. At least until she reached for the light cord and plunged the hotel room into darkness. “Stroke my butt with what you wish, but tomorrow I'm waking up horny, so you better be prepared, my pony.”

In the sudden darkness, Brightstar grinned. He felt the bed move, that told him she had gotten into position already. “You know I have it in my saddlebag at all times, right?” he asked, knowing that she knew he meant his collar, as he got into big spoon position, his yellow eyes on Moonbeak's wide ass and paws, visible even in the dark. Though she did let out a murmur of enjoyment, she was soon asleep.

~ ~ ~

Seven a.m. and the peace of the hotel room was shattered by the offensively loud beeping of the alarm clock. Moonbeak made a valiant attempt to silence it but, as it was a strange unfamiliar room, her first and second attempt missed by a mile. As she was laid in a very comfortable bed though next to her pony, she nudged his ribs. Hard.

Laid next to his lover, in a similarly comfortable cocoon of duvet and feather, Brightstar didn’t necessarily want to get up. No matter how loud the alarm was. However, a second nudge, a nudge that included claws, convinced him. Finely attuned to his griffon’s claws as he was, he magically killed the alarm and feigned sleep. Moonbeak knew how to deal with that nonsense. “Rut me like this is your last chance.”

Beside her, Brightstar chuckled. “So you did wake up horny…” fortunately, he had also woken up 'ready', as it were and, on his side, he rubbed his hard member along Moonbeak’s welcoming slit and entered her. In the semi-darkness of the hotel room, light coming through the closed drapes, Moonbeak sighed happily. She had been counting on his morning wood and was not disappointed.

Brightstar did not mess around. In two short thrusts he was in her past his medial ring, his left forehoof holding up her left hind leg. Another thrust and he was inside all the way to the hilt. He understood this was no tender gentle mating. His beloved wanted a rutting. To that end, while he was filling her up, he lit his horn and magically rubbed her stiffening teats. “Yes, pony, harder, make me flood the room and wake the kittens!” she screeched in delight.

The royal blue unicorn took that as a challenge and thrusted his hips ever harder, letting out a pleasured “MmmMMMMmmm Moooony!” as he extended his glowing yellow magic to her swollen needy clitoris and excited that as well.

“Yes!” Moonbeak cried, by the Grey Spires did she love her pony’s magic, especially when it serviced her at her command. “Let momma know you're the best lover!” Athena, thanks to her mother’s cries, was awake and watching what was going on. She was also very, very quiet. Unaware of this, and whether Zephyr was awake or not, Brightstar snorted through his nose, his thrusts getting to the point where he was rapidly tapping her cervical wall. His lover had not wanted him to hold back, and he was not.

“Y-Yes Bright, I'm so close!” Moonbeak panted, her tongue lolling out of her open beak, each thrust from her stallion making her teats and fat ass jiggle. He was even rocking the bed against the wall, really going for it. Just the way she liked it. “Bring me home!”

Encouraged by her moans, Brightstar extended his vibrating magic to the soles of her paws and her asshole too, tapping her cervix now with every hard thrust he made. “I'll take you, Moony, I bucking love you!” he exclaimed, sweat matting the fur of his forehead and his black mane swishing about his shoulders.

Several moments later and Moonbeak clamped down hard on his shaft as she orgasmed hard. She let out a really high pitched shriek of pleasure that, while it didn’t quite succeed in breaking glass, it did wake Zephyr up. Athena, watching avidly, covered her ear tufts as her little brother let them all know he was now awake. Almost triggered by her climax, Brightstar came almost a few seconds later, the unicorn adding his moan of pleasure to his griffon's shriek.

Athena was mystified. “Momma, you okay?” she asked, worried her mother had been hurt. It had looked like they had been fighting.

“I'm very okay,” Moonbeak managed to focus her green eyes on her kitten, though her body was still up in the clouds, “and nana is okay too. Love,” she addressed Brightstar over her shoulder, “change Zephyr and bring him to me for a feed. After that we all go see nana.”

Behind her, Brightstar spent a few seconds panting before he recovered his wits enough to do or say anything at all. Zephyr’s squawking cries urged him in this regard. “O-Okay...” once ‘back’, he took the little brown griffon over to the changing station and swiftly took care of the chemical waste plant that had settled in his nappy before passing him to his mother. “Phew...someone was stinky this morning!”

While Zephyr was still not happy about being woke up, if his shrill cries were anything to go by, he nonetheless settled down once he had a teat in his beak. “Momma agreed with you.” Moonbeak said to Brightstar as he shooed Athena into the shower in the hotel room. Thankfully she was old enough to wash herself. “We will have the wedding and reception here, and a second reception over in Griffonstone.”

“See?” Brightstar called out as he watched Athena shower from the open bathroom door – while she could wash herself she was not exactly ‘neat’ about it. “I is a smart pony! There's a reason you keep me around,” he walked over and kissed her beak, “beyond emergency rations.”

“Yes,” Moonbeak sighed, grunting when Zephyr nipped her with his beak, “besides that.”

“I'm pleased momma agreed to our suggestion,” Brightstar chuckled. Dealing with griffon stubbornness was a gift in and of itself. He wondered if he should have a cutie mark in that. “Darkie can travel, and I can't wait to see Air Raid come to Griffonstone.”

Moonbeak laughed, fully aware that there was a good chance that Air Raid would get herself eaten if she wasn’t careful. “That depends, does Raid taste as good as you?”

“Well, Wily did say she was sweet,” Brightstar chuckled as he went back to the shower to help Athena get out and towel herself off, though he ended up using his magic to blow dry her fur and feathers. “We should warn her not to be so blunt...so...'Raid', all the time. I'd hate for her to be someone's dinner!”

When they came out of the shower, Moonbeak rolled her eyes. “You can warn her, I'll hold a fork in case it goes sideways. At least we’ll have snacks on the way home.”

Athena’s eyes lit up at the mention of food. “Momma, I hungry.”

“We will have breakfast with nana after your brother eats.” Athena just nodded at her mother, though she did look more than a little jealous of her brother.

Seeing that, Brightstar whispered to his lover, “I think 'Thena wants to join in, love.” A little louder, he said, “Do you want a coffee, before we go over?”

Again, the griffon rolled her eyes when she whispered back, “There is a reason I weaned her, you know.” A sharp beak was chief among those reasons. A little louder, she said, “Zephyr is almost done, so we can have a coffee at the hospital.”

“You're the boss!” Brightstar saluted her, “I remember rule one, ‘you're always right’!” while he giggled, the smile didn't quite reach his yellow eyes.

Of course, with eyes as sharp as hers, Moonbeak caught the downturned sorrowful look immediately. “What’s wrong, my pony?”

“It's not important…” he tried to wave it off but, when he saw the very dangerous 'look' he was being given, he let out a most defeated sigh. “I thought about Wily...about Wildfire. It occurred to me that I haven't thought about her in almost a year. Some friend I am, huh?”

Adjusting how she was laid so that Zephyr could still feed, Moonbeak wrapped Brightstar up in her wing. She had heard the stories of this Wildfire. From Las Pegasus to her time as a reserve firefighter in Canterlot. She very much wanted to meet her. “She brought you to me. I will always think fondly of her. Till the two of us meet here again here and on the Grey Spires.”

Brightstar was eminently grateful of the wing that held him tight. He could feel the strong muscles that made him feel safe. “I'd have loved to introduce you to her, Moony.” He sniffed a little and sighed, feeling very guilty indeed. “Well, wherever she is, I hope she's doing alright.”

“As alright as a non-griffon can be.” She nuzzled her sad pony, determined to lift his mood. “We have the now. The future can wait till tomorrow.”

“Yes!” he smiled, “Wherever she is, if I know Wily at all, she'll have her nose in a chocolate muffin and a black coffee, enjoying life and a poetry book.” He kissed her beak. “There’s nothing I can do about it, so I'll worry about you and my kittens.”

“You may also worry about momma, your mother and your sister.”

Smiling genuinely, Brightstar kissed his partner’s yellow beak. “Raid said she hasn't had a serious incident in two weeks now. She just might be getting better. And of course I will worry about momma.”

“Good, you can hold momma down when I shove a pill down her throat.” Moonbeak gave her pony the straightest of straight looks that she could muster. “And this one is finally happy again,” she said, stroking Zephyr’s brown feathers, “We can check out later when we break momma out of the hospital.”

“Sounds like a plan. I'll hold her down, but you better rescue me if she tries to eat me!”

“I'll put some mustard on you. She isn't a big fan of mustard.”

“At least you're a fan of the mayo I put in you,” he giggled like an overgrown colt and got ready to duck a possible swipe that might come his way.

Unfortunately, the unicorn wasn’t quite fast enough. Moonbeak’s swipe came and, though she was aiming for his horn, she clipped his ear instead. “Good thing I love your mayo, sexy pony.”

Brightstar hissed a little, his ear bleeding from the swipe but not enough to spatter onto the hotel’s bedsheets. Which was good, he didn’t fancy having to pay to get them cleaned. “Mmmm...ahem, shall we go see momma before we carried away?”

With an amused look on her face, Moonbeak made a show of thinking about it. “Okay,” she grinned, a rather predatory smile, for she did like the taste of pony blood. Her pony’s blood. “I can skip a pony breakfast and have a pony buy breakfast. After we’ve showered.” Once they had both been in the shower and washed off the smell of sex and bed sweat, Moonbeak placed Zephyr on her back. “You going to ride, Athena?”

Looking from Brightstar to Moonbeak, Athena made up her mind and, buzzing her little wings, landed on her daddy’s royal blue back. “Pony wide dada!”

“My girl loves me!” Brightstar exclaimed proudly and, while Moonbeak led the way out of the hotel room, the hotel, and over the street into the hospital, the unicorn was more than happy to follow along, prancing way more than necessary to give Athena a good ride, loving the way she giggled and laughed. He also loved the way his lover’s swishing leonine tail teased him, another reason he was happy to follow.

When they got to the hospital, Moonbeak bypassed the day care facility and took the elevator straight up to the fifth floor and stopped at the nurse station to announce themselves. Thankfully, it was the same nurse, Black Lace, from the day before. “Did Doctor Featherstone say we can take my mother to breakfast?”

Black Lace cast a cursory glance over her notes and nodded quickly. “Yes he did, ma’am, as long as you go to the cafeteria on this floor. He wants her to stay in the hospital till she is released. Your choice though if she uses a chair to get there,” she giggled, “She will have to use one to get out.”

Brightstar turned pleading eyes to Moonbeak, sensing an opportunity to tease the older griffon. “Please let me tell momma she has to go everywhere in a chair. 'Thena can help me push!”

“I push!” Athena bounced on her daddy’s back, unwittingly digging her tiny claws into his flesh, “I push!”

Moonbeak grinned a very sly grin. She was not above a prank or two. “Yes, that is best.”

Black Lace saw the grin and replied with one of her own, pointing a hoof to the wheelchair next to her station. “The chair is right there.”

Chuckling like an overgrown colt, Brightstar got the chair and pushed, before looking over his shoulder at his kitten. “You gonna help? You gotta be a big strong kitten though!” Straightaway, Athena fluttered from his back to the floor and she got between the rear wheels and pushed. Surprisingly, she pushed hard enough that Brightstar had to hold on. “Whoa! I knew you was a strong kitten!”

When they all got to her room, Astraea appeared to be asleep in her bed. Moonbeak though saw that her mother was laying a little too still, and that her snoring was a little too forced and fake. Walking over beside the bed, she nipped at her mother’s ear tuft. A nip that got immediate results, though the older griffon didn’t open her eyes. “I'm asleep. Can’t you tell?”

Moonbeak snorted. “Pfft, you saw the chair!”

Athena buzzed her wings had and landed on her grandmother’s bed, bouncing on her until she finally opened her eyes. “I push! I push you, nana!”

“Yeah momma!” Brightstar was gleefully bouncing on his hooves, “We really need to use the chair, ‘cos it'll be fun...I mean, to make sure you're safe. And 'Thena's gonna push!”

Moonbeak shared a very meaningful look with her mother. Both griffons rolled their eyes in a manner that conveyed whole unspoken sentences in a second. “And you will hold Zephyr.”

Astraea sighed, realising that she had little choice. It didn’t mean she had to like it though. “Alright. One joke and the pony will try to eat griffon!” she groused, though she got out of bed herself and into the chair with no difficulty. As soon as she was seated, her daughter placed her grandson on her lap. “I hope the food is good, otherwise I shall complain to the hotel manager.”

Moonbeak couldn’t resist. “So far the pony likes eating griffon.”

“Let's go, Wheels.” Brightstar snickered, “We don't want you exerting yourself now, do we?” he was barely not laughing as he pushed her, with Athena’s much-needed help, of course.

“Was that a joke?”

“No momma,” Moonbeak fetched her giggling lover a swipe across the back of his head, “he was commenting how light you are, or how big my ass is. Not sure which.”

“Ahem...no! Totally not a joke. At all...maybe…” he giggled, “And I love your big ass, Moony.”

Now, Moonbeak turned her well-trained eye roll to her pony. “I know you worship it more than Luna's moon, or that big rock in the night sky.”

Brightstar laughed at that, though as they all walked through the hospital corridors, he knew enough to not push it any further. He was fortunate that his partner and her mother let him get away with as much as he did. However he knew the limit. “I worship every bit of you, my love.” He had to concentrate a little as they made their way past doctors and other patients on the way to the cafeteria, as Athena was pushing for all she was worth, not steering, or worried if Brightstar was also pushing. “You're doing ever so well, 'Thena,” helpfully he steered the chair around a pony in the way. “Ready for some real food, momma?”

Astraea harrumphed, “When they pulled the IV, I was hoping for that.”

Brightstar paused to let a couple of nurses carrying coffee walk past them, one disposable mug he noted was labelled ‘Black Lace’. “Moony thinks you're turning into a pony, that you're not eating right,” he said, getting underway for the cafeteria once more. Astraea, in the chair, went stubbornly silent. “I mean that's okay, nothing wrong with turning into a soft pony...”

He left that hanging in the air as they arrived at the fifth floor cafeteria with an unusually quiet Astraea in the wheelchair. Moonbeak, wondering what was up with her mother, cast an eye over the menu on the wall behind the serving counter. “They have fish.”

That was all Athena needed to hear. She abandoned her vital pushing duties and she bounced on her claws and paws. “Ish! Ish! Ish!”

Moonbeak snickered, fish it was, then. “You want fish, momma?”

Astraea snorted derisively. “I'm hungry. I'll eat whatever the pony eats.”

Brightstar, who had steered his valuable passenger over to one of the empty tables, looked over the menu for a moment. “I was hoping for rabbit, but in the absence of anything like that, I'll have the fish please Moony.” He smiled sweetly and, as Moonbeak shot him a look and went to order the food, he sat at the table.

Astraea, realising she was alone with Brightstar but for her two grandkittens, sighed. She didn’t want to talk to him, but she liked him, a lot, and she knew he would be gentler than her daughter. “Okay. My rent went up, and pony food is inexpensive. I didn't want to tell Moony, but I guess I can tell you.”

“If you didn't, you know she'd pry and pry like Sabrewing the Hunter until she found out.”

“I know.” Astraea couldn’t argue the unicorn’s point. And, he was right. “I talked with the doctor. As long as I take the supplement, and have fish at least three times a week, I'll be okay. I can afford that, so you will not tell this to Moony. You can tell her I realise pony food isn't all I thought it would be as I didn't grow any hooves or a horn because I'm already magical.”

Brightstar shook his head, only barely managing to not facehoof. “You are both as stubborn as the grishna cats that live in the Grey Mountains of Griffonstone. I'll keep my muzzle shut, but I'll keep an eye on you, if you don't mind, momma.” He rested his hoof affectionately on her shoulder. “You are very dear to me.”

Before Astraea could reply to that, Moonbeak returned to the table with a tray carrying food for them all. Athena’s eyes went big and round at the sight of the steaming boiled fish on her plate. Moonbeak set the food down. “I saw you two whispering. Not dumping me for this griffon, are you, pony?”

“Never, Moony.” Brightstar affected a far more serious tone than was necessary. “Momma was just trying to see if she'd grow hooves and a horn. Turns out pony food isn't magic after all.”

Astraea was grateful her daughter had chosen this pony. He was a good griffon. “I wanted a horn too.”

“Dada has horn!” Athena added helpfully.

Moonbeak looked from her partner to her mother, trying to discern any hidden meaning in the looks on their faces. She came up empty. “What does that mean, momma?”

“It means I'll follow the doctor's advice. I'll take the pills, and I'll improve my diet.” She demonstrated this by eating her fish. Even then, she sniffed. “They could have used a better oil…” still, she ate it anyways.

Brightstar, who had coloured up in a massive blush at what Athena had said, had a very wide smile on his face. He always did when she called him dada. “Momma was just trying some new exotic pony food that's all. Must be my fault saying how nice daisy sandwiches were. Those and caramel donuts.”

Astraea levelled a careful look at the pony. “I could carry donuts if I had a horn. You should have your pony carry donuts for you Moony. I'm sure you'd like to nibble them from there.”

“You mean again?” Brightstar quipped before Moonbeak had the chance to, while Astraea nodded and got on with eating her food. Typically, Athena was stuffing it in as fast as she could. Moonbeak raised a questioning look to him, and as he went to his fish like Athena was, he gave her a reassuring 'everything's okay' wink.

While Moonbeak ate, Athena slammed her empty plate down with a victorious screech. “Done!”

Astraea offered her a very affectionate grandmotherly smile. “You are a good little griff.”

Brightstar finished his – for a hospital – very good meal shortly after Athena cleaned her plate. When Moonbeak and Astraea both ate their last morsel more or less together, she glanced conspiratorially around the table, leaning in so as to shut out the cafeteria staff working around them as well as the other diners. “Okay, team. We need a break out plan.”

“Smuggle the kittens out with momma in the chair.” Brightstar offered, “You have the getaway vehicle warmed up and ready.”

“May work,” Moonbeak considered this option. “I could take her past the fifth floor nurse as a diversion and down the freight elevator.”

Astraea rolled her eyes. “Do I have to stay in this?”

“Yes,” Moonbeak responded, “You’re the only way to keep Zephyr safe if things go wrong.”

Brightstar liked this game. He was reminded very much of his sister and his friends antics from back in the day. “Hide a kitten under each wing, make sure they get out of Tartarus safely.”

“I hide!” Athena put in, again trying to be helpful, even though she didn’t really understand what the grownups were talking about. She knew how to hide though. “I good hide!”

“And you gotta help Zephie hide too 'Thena. Can you do that?”

Athena nodded in response to her daddy’s question at a dizzying rate while Moonbeak tossed him her keys. “Here, take them, I'll be the last defence if it come to it. Bring the van around and be sure the doors are unlocked.”

Lighting his horn, Brightstar took the keys in his glowing yellow magical aura. “I got it love. I'll have the doors unlocked and the engine running. You come in hot and we'll be away!” He wasn’t sat at a hospital cafeteria table. No, he was the head of a gang of griffons who had just stolen Celestia’s ‘chocolate death’ cake recipe.

Satisfied they all knew ‘the plan’, Moonbeak nodded and helped Athena to hide under her mother’s left wing. She wasn’t all that hidden, and then she settled Zephyr under her right wing. That done, she pushed her back to the elevator. Brightstar however, made his own way out of the cafeteria all mission impossible style and he got to the van outside, in his head he was sneaking out of Canterlot palace with the stolen recipe in hoof.

Moonbeak paused at Black Lace’s nurse station. “Can I check her out, please?”

“Yes, ma’am.” She passed Moonbeak a clipboard with the relevant paperwork on it. “Please sign here for your release. Do you want staff to push you out of the hospital?”

“No,” Astraea shook her head, extending her wings to keep her grandkittens hidden, “Moony has it, thank you.”

Taking back the signed paperwork on her clipboard, Black Lace swapped it for the iron tablets. “This is a complimentary bottle of iron supplement pills,” she explained pleasantly, “There are thirty in the bottle and you take one a day. They are fifty milligrams each. After that you will need to get the one hundred milligram pills and take those once a week till your next appointment…” she paused and looked it up, “Which is in six months. They are over the counter so you don't need a prescription, but this is a reminder notice.”

Out in the parking lot, Brightstar had the getaway van ready outside, the side door open and the engine running. He was lost in his role, in his mind a host of armed royal guard were searching for him. He was determined they’d never take him alive!

“Thank you,” Moonbeak took the tablets and gave her mother a frown. “You going to take them, momma.”

Astraea was getting tired of rolling her eyes. “Yes, Moony, I'm going to take them. The pony said he would do unspeakable things to me, and I don't want you mad because he didn't do them to you.” Black Lace just giggled.

“Okay, here we go!” Moonbeak pushed the chair back to the elevator. In the van, Brightstar decided it was time to be good naughty and he turned on the radio to a punk rock station he knew full well that his partner hated. With the ‘music’ of Squeeze blaring out, Moonbeak pushed the chair out the hospital’s front door and she fell suddenly like she had been grabbed.

The chair, complete with her mother in, moved forward a little bit. “Athena,” she cried dramatically from the sidewalk, “save nana!” she smiled when Athena jumped out from under her nana’s wing and landed behind the chair. The little kitten pushed, and it actually moved, a little bit. “Go!”

A passing pegasus, wanting to be helpful, asked, “You need help ma'am?”

Looking up, Moonbeak smiled and whispered, “No, take me back in, I want my kitten to have a little fun.” The helpful pegasus glanced at the van then the chair and Moonbeak. Quickly she took in what was happening and helped her back inside the hospital.

Brightstar helped Athena get Astraea and Zephyr into the van and safely secured in their car seats. “Athena! You’re a good kitten!” it was only then that he realised Moonbeak wasn’t there. “Hey, where's the boss?”

Athena shrugged in her seat. “Don't know, dada!”

“She will be fine,” Astraea spoke up, “I saw her making for a back exit. Thank you Athena. Pony should drive before it is too late and we are caught.”

Just like that, Brightstar was back in his little fantasy. “Let's drive! Boss knows where the hideout is!” When he got in the driver’s seat, a seat he very rarely sat in, he started the getaway vehicle going, aiming for his momma’s condo complex.

He hadn’t gone beyond the parking lot exit stop sign when Moonbeak landed suddenly beside the van. With a grin, she opened the passenger door. “Going my way, Pony?”

“Quick!” Brightstar exclaimed, “Get in! The guard might be on their way!” Moonbeak changed her mind and climbed into the back of the van and Athena clapped her claws for a job well done. Brightstar then made a very fast getaway at law abiding speeds. “I think we lost 'em, boss.”

“We could stop at the grocery on the way to my place.” Astraea said once she recognised the route they were taking.

“Riiiiight,” Moonbeak smiled, “so they look for us there we won't be there.”

“What I was thinking.”

When they stopped off at the grocery store, Astraea was true to her word. The older griffon got some fish, as well as spinach, dried apricots, and some iron fortified pasta. Moonbeak, who had been watching what her mother bought, was especially pleased with the last one. While they were there, she had Brightstar pick up some fish and pasta, with the promise of making the seafood gratin pasta bake he was so fond of.

“Thank you,” Astraea said once they had dropped her off back at her condo complex. “I'm good, now. Please come by Saturday. We can talk about your wedding here, and about the party in Griffonstone.”

Though she wanted nothing more than to go in and snoop around in her cupboards, Moonbeak for the moment accepted defeat. “Okay, momma. I will bring Athena and Zephyr over at the weekend, we can plan and tell the pony what he is to do.”

Astraea leant through the van windows and she made sure to rub her beak with all four of the occupants before flying up to her condo. Moonbeak swapped the back seat for the front. “I worry, Brightstar. Drive us home please.”

“I know, love. I worry as well.” Brightstar smiled comfortingly as he got the van in gear and pulled out to head on home back to the treehouse in Fillydelphia’s Horsehead Square. At just ten thirty in the morning, with the warm early summer sun shining down, the royal blue unicorn resolved to make the most of his Thursday off from the academy with his family. Family that he loved more than anything in the world.