Author's Notes:

I've been writing up a storm over the last few weeks and got a lot done. Three chapters so far in just two weeks! I've been in a rut for a while and needed to switch things up for a bit. The next series of chapters will focus on characters other than Celestia and the main group. It was fun and I needed to do something new or I'd burn out. Try writing on the same story for two years straight. I guess that's why I like to switch to new characters periodically. It keeps it fresh for me. Sorry to those who don't like that. It couldn't be helped.

"Okay. Try it again," Starless said.

"We've been at this for most of the day," Grand complained. "Just face it. I don't have this special magical talent you’re searching for."

Starless had started working with Grand that morning, with the desire to find her magical talent. Taking her out into the nearby clearing, she had her running through every exercise she could think of. All of them so far had failed.

"Please. Just one more try," Starless pleaded. "Just look into the water and cast the spell I showed you."

Scrying was one of the more difficult forms of magic. How did she expect her to do it? Staring down into the water filled gourd, Grand focused what magic she had and cast her spell into the water. The water swirled for a brief moment before becoming still again. Another failure.

"Did you do it just like I showed you?" Starless asked.

Grand nodded. "Yes."

"And you had your target clearly in your mind?"

Grand let out a weary sigh and nodded again.

Starless turned and started pacing back and forth. "I don't get it, one of them should have worked."

"Can I go now?" Grand asked. Suddenly her ears perked up when she heard galloping hoofsteps approaching through the woods.

"I got it!" Starless whirled around. "We’ll try Spirit Magic!"

"Starless! Grand!" Ground shouted as he burst into the clearing. "We need your help!"

"What is it!?" Starless asked in alarm. "Are we under attack!?"

Ground skidded to a stop. "No. Precious Rose fell down by the fields and she gone into labor!"

Grand instantly started running, her hooves kicking up dirt behind her. Ground and Starless quickly following after her.

This was Precious Rose's first foal and she wasn’t due for another month. Delivering a foal this early was going to be dangerous. "How long ago did it happen!?"

"About half a hoof-length of the sun," Ground answered, pacing her stride.

"How fast are her contractions?"

"They're coming really fast; one on top of another." Ground swerved to avoid a tree. "She's also bleeding really bad out of her… ah... birthing parts."

Grand cursed and ran faster. For the last year, she had been assisting mares deliver their foals, learning what she could from Dove, and later from other mares with similar experience. She loved birthing foals. There was that special moment when the mother sets her eyes on her newborn for the first time, that just fills her heart with happiness. It was during her first time in helping a young mother that Grand got her cutie mark, a generously rounded heart with a tiny heart nestled inside.

Coming out of the trees, she saw a gathering of ponies around a prone form under a tree. Bolting across the field, Grand forced her way through the crowd. "Everypony that doesn't need to be here, please clear away!"

"You heard her!" Ground shouted, looming as big as he could. "Find something else to do and let her work!"

As the crowd dispersed, Grand quickly assessed Precious Rose's condition. She was lying on her side with her head resting on Meadowlark's lap. Her swollen stomach heaved as he moaned and panted. Her tail and the grass surrounding her rear was soaked red with blood. A lot of blood.

"How are you doing, dear?" Grand asked Precious, brushing her sweaty mane back from her eyes.

"I'm scared," she gasped, breathlessly. "Is my foal okay?"

Using her magic, Grand pulled Precious Rose's tail back to look at her marehood and frowned. It was stretched open and covered in blood and birthing fluids, with more leaking out. "Ground. Go back to my hut and look in the garden behind it. You'll find a plant with little white flowers and strangely angled fruit. Gather enough to fill a basket and bring it back."

Ground nodded and ran to do as she asked.

Precious Rose's mate, Comet Tail, was anxiously trotting back and forth, his face contorted in worry. "Is Precious going to be okay!? Please, I don’t want to lose her!"

"I need you to do something for me," Grand said to the worried father. "I need you to fetch some water for me. As much as you can."

"Water!?" Comet nodded. "Yeah! I’ll bring it all!" He quickly hurried off to fetch the water.

"What's the water for?" Meadowlark asked.

"It's a good way to get a fussing stallion out of the way while also making him feel like he's useful," Grand answered, returning her attention back to Precious Rose.

"It hurts! It hurts so bad!" Precious Rose moaned out as her body convulsed with another contraction.

"I know. I know," Grand said with sympathy, softly patting her on her shoulder. "You’re doing great. Let's see about getting this foal out of you. Okay?"

Precious nodded her head in Meadowlark's lap.

"Good. Now, let's get to work.

Sitting back with Celestia and Luna, Starless watched as Grand started to probe Precious Rose's pregnant belly.

Moving her hooves gingerly along Precious's gravid body, Grand frowned. The foal wasn't turned right. It was sideways. Melodious told her about this and how dangerous it could be to both the mother and foal.

"Precious. I know this is going to be hard, but I need you to try and not push," Grand told the struggling mare. "Your foal is lying sideways and I need to shift it around." Calling on her magic, she began to hum softly, weaving her magic into her melody.

Starless' eyes widened in surprise as she watched Grand's lullaby sooth the distressed mother.

Precious' breathing became more regular and less strained. Grand felt around until she found the foal's rear. She'd only done this a few times before, but never to this extent. Fixing in her mind the position of the foal, Grand closed her eyes and sent her magic delving into Precious's body, enfolding it carefully around the foal. Once she was ready, she gently began to urge it around.

Precious groaned and whimpered in torment as Meadowlark tried to comfort her. Slowly, Grand worked, shifting the foal's little body around. She could feel it squirm in her magic as its tiny heart raced in terror. Pausing a moment, Grand shifted to the foal's head. "Okay. You're doing great dear. Just a little more," she assured the mother. Working patiently, she gently adjusted the foal's head around.

Ground came running back with a basket held in his mouth. "I have what you wanted."

"Good. Set it by Meadowlark," she ordered without stopping her work.

Little by little, the foal turned, until finally it was facing back the proper way. Good. Now the rest was up to the mother. "Okay. I need you to start pushing again. I need you to push hard!"

Precious Rose cried out as her body clenched with another powerful contraction. Gritting her teeth, she grunted as she bore down and pushed.

"Good! Keep going! You’re doing great!" Grand urged.

With a gasp, Precious fell back, panting for breath. Meadowlark rubbed her neck as she murmured encouraging words to her

"When the next contraction comes, I need you to push really hard!" Grand ordered. "As hard as you can!" She felt Precious Rose's body starting to stiffen as another contraction seized her. "Okay. Now! Push, push, push! Keep going! Harder. Harder. That's it! You’re doing it!" As she spoke, her horn continued to weave its magic into her voice, adding power to it.

Starless had never seen anything like it. She'd never imagined such magic before. She doubted that any Unicorn had. And yet Grand used it without even thinking about it. A new way to use magic. Starless wondered why she even felt surprised anymore.

Shifting around to Precious's back end, Grand pulled her tail out of the way to look at her marehood. Through the mess of blood and birthing fluids, she watched as her marehood slowly widened as something started to push out. "The foal's coming. You're doing great!"

Precious wailed as she pushed, her body shuddering with the effort. Her marehood spread open as a tiny honey-tan snout appeared.

Huffing with the effort, Comet arrived, bearing a pair of carved water logs on his back. "I brought the water."

"Put it down and go replace Meadowlark," Grand commanded without looking up. "I'm going to need her help."

"What do you need me to do?" Meadowlark asked, passing Precious' head over to her mate.

"Go around to her stomach," Grand directed her. "Place your hooves there, and when I tell you, firmly push in and back."

Meadowlark looked startled at this, but did as she was directed.

Precious groaned as another contraction gripped her womb. "Okay, Precious, you're almost there. Now Push! Push! Push! You too Meadowlark. Push!"

Meadowlark leaned in and pushed back on her contracting belly. The foal's snout slid forward as the rest of its head emerged, exposing a gorgeous light and dark streaked mane. Advancing all the way up to its shoulder, the foal stopped when Precious dropped back into her mate's lap with a tired sigh.

"This is no time to rest!" Grand snapped at the exhausted mare. "Just one more to go! Take a deep breath and push!"

Precious mustered her flagging strength and pushed. With Grand’s hooves under the foal to support it, the foal slipped the rest of the way out. Feeling the sudden release, Precious Rose exhaled and collapsed back down onto her mate's lap to gasp for air.

Catching the foal in her hooves, Grand smiled as the foal began to wail, kicking its little hooves. "It's a filly!"

Watching ponies all cheered. Comet looked dumbfounded as he blinked in astonishment at his newborn daughter.

The filly was small for a Earth Pony. Cutting its cord with a quick spell, Grand pressed her ear to the filly's chest to listen. There was a slight rattle in her breathing that she didn’t like. Examining the filly’s tongue, she found it looked healthy and pink. “Please hold her.” Grand gave the wailing filly over to Meadowlark, who held her close and started crooning to her.
.
Things weren't over yet; Precious was still bleeding. Checking her marehood, she saw that blood was still trickling out. "Comet,. I want you to have Precious eat all those flowers Ground brought. They'll help her to clot." She extracted the rest of the birthing sack and tossed it to the side. "Ground, we’re going to need a litter to carry her back.”

“I’m on it!” Ground rushed off.

Taking a gourd, Grand filled it with the water that Comet so diligently brought her, and returned to rinse out Precious's bloody marehood. She didn’t know what else to do. If her bleeding didn’t stop....

“Starless?” Grand turned to look back. “Is there something you can do? A spell?”

Starless shook her head. “I’m sorry. Such magic is beyond me.”

Grand felt her heart sink. Precious was pouring out her life and there was nothing that could be done.

“But,” Starless continued. “I believe your magic can.”

Grand felt her anger rise. “This is no time for that foolishness!”

“I’m speaking the truth,” Starless pressed. “Remember what you did with the foal. Remember how you turned her in the womb. Use it again. Use it to save the mother.”

Grand thought back to what she had done. Was she right? Could she use her magic to save her? Closing her eyes, Grand lowered her horn to Precious’s belly. Focusing her mind, she let her magic flow out. Her horn glowed brighter as it began to hum softly.

Through flesh, muscle, and bone, her magic sank into Precious’s body as she searched for the source of the bleeding. She wasn’t sure it was working until she felt her magic come across something that wasn’t right. A tear along the wall. Frowning, Grand thought about what she should do.

Gathering her magic around the tear, Grand carefully pulled it together. Precious cried out in momentary pain. Sealing the tear back together, Grand loosely tied off her magic to keep it in place until it naturally dissipated.

Opening her eyes, Grand sagged back, exhausted. She had done it! A check on Precious showed that she was asleep.

Despite her best efforts, the foal continued to whimper and fuss in Meadowlark’s cradled hooves.

“Here, let’s get her back to her mother.” Grand carefully lifted the little foal out of Meadowlarks hooves and brought her down to Precious’s full udders. Tickling the filly’s lips with one of her teats, Grand enticed the filly to latch on. The filly mewed and twisted in complaint at the strange offering until at last, she latched on and suckled on her mother’s teat, eagerly drawing milk into her mouth.

Smiling, Grand nestled the filly against her mother and sat back. Both mother and foal were alive! Standing she moved to the water to start washing her hooves.

"I've never seen anything like it!" Starless exclaimed, coming up next to her. "You were amazing!"

Grand's hooves were shaking as she washed them in the trough. She had been absolutely terrified throughout the whole ordeal.

"Are you alright?" Starless looked at her with concern.

“I’m fine,” Grand assured her. “It’s just that I’ve never had so much depending on me before. I could have lost them both.”

"Thank you!" Comet said, suddenly catching her up in a hug. "Thank you for saving her! Thank you for saving them both!"

Grand struggled to breathe as the stallion crushed her in his grasp. Why did Earth Ponies have to be so strong!?

With Luna riding on her back, Celestia walked over to Precious Rose to get a closer look at her filly. "What's her name?"

Comet let Grand go to return to her mate. Lightly brushing his hoof along his nursing foal’s cheek.. "We decided that if it was a filly, we'd name her Opal Rose"

“That’s a pretty name," Celestia said.

Meadowlark picked up Luna and held her to her chest. “I am so happy for you two.”

Luna pointed down to the nursing Opal Rose. "Me have numnums now too?" she asked her mother.

“In a little bit,” Meadowlark said. “Just as soon as we get them back home.”

Luna’s lower lip jutted out as she pouted.

Soon after, Ground returned with a litter. Padding it down with hay, Starless used her magic to carefully place both mother and her foal onto it. With them settled into place, Ground pulled the litter toward the settlement.

Walking alongside the litter, Starless gazed down at the sleeping filly with a deep longing in her heart. Smiling next to her, Meadowlark leaned over and whispered something in her ear that made Starless flush all the way to the end of her tail as her eyes jumped to Ground. Will there come a day when she'd have one of her own? The foal from her dreams suddenly flashed across her vision and her body tensed. No. It would have to wait until she's finished with the Unicorns. Only when it was safe for her foals would that be possible. Ground would understand. She hoped.

Frost Conjure was feeling mopey. He missed Rising Dusk. It had been a week since he left for his new home, and during that time, Radiant Sunset had never visited him once. Frost didn't understand her. He tried to be nice to her, but she always seemed to be angry with him. What was he doing wrong?

Rolling onto his back on the grass, Frost let out a long sigh. It was so boring being a stallion! When he was a colt, he'd been allowed to play with the fillies, but ever since he'd matured into a stallion last year, the mares almost seemed scared of him. Except for Radiant, of course. She just hated him. Maybe he could ask one of the keepers to go see if Radiant's younger sister, Dazzle, would be able to come and play today. Perhaps she could even bring their youngest sister, Vivid. He really wanted to meet her too.

Glancing up at the sun, Frost realized that it was feeding time. Climbing back to his hooves, Frost headed for the feeding area by the entrance to the old volcano's crater. All the stallions kept up in the High Stables were the prized offerings of the great High Blood families. Mingling among the lowers was just not done, at least not openly. Frost overheard a few of the stallions talking once about them sneaking down to the lower stables for a good ride with the desperate mares there, laughing at how angry their dams would be if they learned that their precious seed was being spread among the lower mares.

Approaching the feeding area, he saw that many of the stallions were already eating the food their families had brought for them. Now that he was Matriarch Astral's ward, it was her family's responsibility to feed him. If they were unwilling or unable to do that, another matriarch would be able to claim him as her ward.

A passing stallion swerved and intentionally rammed his shoulder into his. "You better watch out little rabbit, or you might get stepped on," he said with a snicker.

Another passing stallion flicked his tail into his face with a stinging slap. Most of the stallions ignored him, but a few from rival families liked to pick on him.

"There you are," one of the Keepers said, coming over to him. "She's waiting for you over there." Pushing him, she started him moving.

Frost hoped it was going to be Radiant today, but when he saw Glittering Crystal waiting for him alone, his heart dropped in disappointment. Rising told him about her. She was the daughter of a smaller High Blood family that was sworn to Astral's family, providing food and other services for them in the desperate hope of keeping themselves from declining to oblivion. Their mares no longer produced any stallions nor had any other offspring of any notable talents. There was a rumor that they had over-bred within their own line and were now slowly dying out because of it.

"Hello," Frost greeted Glittering Crystal as she lowered the basket to him. Inside was some hay, two apples and a small pile of something he'd never seen before "What are these?" he asked, lifting out one of the strange looking orange roots with his magic to look at it.

"I was told that it's called a carrot," Glittering Crystal answered him. "I know it looks weird, but it’s good. Give it a try, I’m sure you'll like it," she urged him.

Looking at it dubiously, Frost took a bite and chewed. He was surprised that it indeed was good. Returning to the basket, he munched down the rest of his meal while Glittering watched. Thanking Glittering for the food, Frost started to leave.

"Before you go, I have one more thing for you." Glittering Crystal took out, from another basket she had, a bright red strawberry, and held it out to him with a smile. "Here. Something special from me."

He had never seen such a massive strawberry before! Taking it in his magic, he thanked her for it. Watching her leave, he wondered why she was being so nice to him. Trotting off, he set off to his favorite spot along the lake to enjoy his treat.

Circling around the lake, he came out of the trees and was surprised to find Radiant sitting alone on the hill overlooking the lake. Coming to a quick stop, Frost anxiously wondered what he should do.

Suddenly, he noticed that Radiant’s body was shaking as she wept great racking sobs into her hooves. All question of what he should do vanished as he moved to go to her. Stepping softly over to her, Frost gingerly reached out and touched her back.

With a gasp, Radiant's head shot around. Her red, tear-filled eyes hardened when she saw that it was him. "Oh, its you. I want to be left alone. Go away."

"But you’re crying," Frost protested, feeling like leaving her was wrong.

"So what if I am?" Radiant shifted to the side to put some distance between them. "It's no concern of yours."

"But," Frost countered, "I made a promise to Rising that I'd make you happy."

Radiant spun on him with fury on her face. "Don't mention that dirty, good for nothing, foul smelling, pond scum of a no good brother! He lied to me! He... lied... to me!" Radiant's face crumpled and she started crying again. "How could he?" she wept. "How could he do that to me! I thought he loved me."

Frost didn't know what to say to her. Nothing he could think of seemed right. He knew Rising lied to her about when he was leaving. He told him just before he left that if he didn't leave soon, he wouldn't be able to resist her advances anymore. With Radiant's breeding aproching, he requested the exchange with their mother, using the need to find a mate for Dazzle to entice her to agree. Plus, Rising confessed as he left, he always wanted to see the ocean.

Anxious to do something to help her, Frost slowly began to reach out to her. Whenever he had been feeling bad as a colt, his mother would hold him to make him feel better. He was hesitant at first, but after she failed to reject his advance, he grew more confident as he wrapped his hooves around her. It was such a little thing, holding her, but it also felt like the right thing. Slowly her body softened against his as she leaned back into him.

After a long while, her tears slowly stopped. Sitting close to her side, Frost let her lean against him as they stared out over the lake. Remembering the strawberry, Frost offered it to her. "Here."

Radiant blinked at his offering. "Thank you." Accepting it, she took a bite. Moaning in delight, she slowly chewed as she savored the fruit. Looking back down at the remaining half, she offered it back to him.

Taking it, Frost popped it into his mouth and chewed blissfully on the juicy morsel.

Radiant looked over at him. "Please tell me about yourself,"

Frost glanced over and gaped at her eyes. Were they always so blue?

"Frost?"

Frost blinked, breaking himself from her gaze. "I ah..." Quickly, he tried to recall what she had asked as he quickly swallowed his strawberry. "You want to know about me?"

"Yes," Radiant answered. "Please."

"I... well..." Frost struggled to find the words. "I'm from a small clan to the north that had just under a hundred mares and nine stallions and colts there. I the youngest. We lived in burrows and dens that had been dug out of the roots of the massive sage trees that grew in the shadow of the White Mountains. We ate moss that was gathered throughout the forest to eat, and during the summer, the mares would collect lillyberries from the nearby ponds as a special treat.

"One year, when I was a young colt, there was an especially heavy winter and the snow piled high on the mountains above us. One day, it suddenly broke loose and came crashing down at us. I remember ponies screaming in terror as they tried to flee, but the avalanche was already too close. My mother was running to grab me when I saw the snow barreling through the trees, moments from burying us all. I acted without thinking about it. I closed my eyes and pushed really hard. My magic exploded out and formed a massive shield that protected us all as the avalanche rolled safely around us."

"Wow," Radiant said in amazement. "That was really powerful magic."

"I'm an aberration," Frost said with a shrug. "Despite my low linage, I have powerful magic."

"So your mother isn't a High Blood?"

Frost shook his head. "She was just a Common Blood."

"Was?" Radiant asked.

"She died last year when a plague spread through our clan," Frost answered, his eyes becoming distant. "Fifteen mares and seven stallions died before the plague finally passed. I, myself, barely survived. There is much about that time I don't remember."

"That's terrible," Radiant gasped, feeling horrible for what he had gone through.

"With most of the stallions gone," Frost continued, "the mares were devastated. They needed stallions. It was then that your mother, the Matriarch, made the mares an offer. She had heard of what I had done with the avalanche, and offered to exchange five stallions for me. It didn't take them long for them to agree," Frost said, looking out over the lake. "When I arrived here, I was brought to your mother. She thoroughly examined me, including my... stallion parts, and told me that I was suitable for what she needed."

"To sire my foals," Radiant finished.

Frost nodded.

They both sat quietly for a time after that, looking out across the crater. Letting out a sigh, Radiant started to climb back to her hooves. "I've been here too long. I should be going now before they start looking for me."

Standing, Frost felt disappointed that she was leaving. He was surprised to find that he had enjoyed their time together.

Before she left, Radiant paused to turn to him. "Frost. Would you please close your eyes?"

Curious, Frost did as she asked. Suddenly he felt something incredibly warm and soft quickly press against his lips before vanishing. "Thank you for the strawberry."

Blinking his eyes open, he watched as she walked away, disappearing down the mountain path. Her kiss had lasted just the briefest of moments, but left his heart pounding in his chest. More than anything, he wanted to taste her again. With a loud whoop, Frost leapt into the air and bolted across the field, racing his thundering heart as his hooves carried him around the lake.

The stallion's touch sent shivers down her body. His heavy breath was hot on her neck as he pushed into her, invading her to her very core. Throwing her head back, she cried out in ecstasy as he began heaving himself into her, driving his stallionhood ever deeper as he sought to claim her as his own.

Tranquil woke, her heart thundering in her ears and her body damp with sweat. Her dreams of Dusty were growing more intense recently. They usually consisted of kissing, or touching of their intimate areas. Sometimes, he would even lick her marehood, but this was the first time he had mounted her.

Lying on her mat, Tranquil let her mind reminiscence on her dream, recalling the feeling of Dusty as he joined his body with hers. Suddenly, she felt a strange flutter in her marehood, followed by a deep yearning to be filled. Sitting up, Tranquil found her eyes being drawn to the sleeping form of Dusty.

Tranquil didn't understand why she felt so hot. Waving her hoof, she tried to cool her sweating body. Glancing around the hut, she saw that everypony was still asleep. Mama Grand was sleeping in her normal spot next to her, with Dusty's mother sleeping along the wall behind her. On the other side of the hut was Dusty, with his mate, Skye, lying along his back with little Lightning Flash curled up in her little cloud-nest next to her.

Tranquil found her gaze once again settling on Dusty's slumbering form. She knew she was hopelessly in love with him. Even now, she ached to crawl over to him. The desire to go to him grew too powerful to resist. Climbing softly to her hooves, Tranquil, silently crossed over to Dusty. In the low light of the burning embers of the fire, she examined his sleeping face.

Mumbling in his sleep, Dusty suddenly shifted more onto his back. Feeling her heart racing in her breast, Tranquil lowered her muzzle to his sheathed stallionhood and slowly drew in a deep breath. Taking in his musky scent, Tranquil felt a tingle rush through her body at his scent. Moving up to his lips, Tranquil ached to know their embrace and taste their sweetness. She could feel his hot breath as her lips came down to his. With a lightness of a butterfly, her lips brushed up against his.

Her tail flagged high as a wave of fire suddenly surged through her body, leaving her marehood throbbing with a sudden need to be claimed by him. Unable to resist, Tranquil pressed her lips firmly onto his and kissed him fully. His lips were warm and soft against hers and she felt like her heart was about to fly away.

Suddenly she felt his breath huff out and she realized what she had done. Opening her eyes she quickly pulled back, breaking their kiss. Dusty's eyes were looking at her.

"Tranquil?" He sounded confused.

Skye leaned up from behind him and looked over at her sleepily. "What's going on?"

Tranquil stepped back in horror. What had she done!? She loved Skye. She was the sister she never had and she had kissed her mate!

"Tranquil?" Skye asked, her expression becoming for serious. "What's wrong?"

Unforgivable! She had betrayed Skye! She had trusted her, taken her into her home and family! How could she have done this to her!? Unable to face what she had done, she turned and bolted out of the hut.

Waking, Grand sat up. "What's happening?"

Skye climbed to her hooves and collected Lightning from her nest. "It's happened. We need to find her."

Grand jumped to her hooves and moved to the door with Skye to follow after.

Sitting up, Dusty looked after them in confusion. Suddenly he sniffed the air and his eyes shot wide.

"Son. Before you go after her, I want you to carefully consider what your feelings for her truly are." Pebble said. "She's a sweet filly and I don't want her to be hurt."

Sleeping in her hut, Mustard was suddenly awakened when Skye burst in. "I need you to watch Lightning for me!" Skye said, shoving the filly into her hooves. "She'll want to nurse soon. Okay. Thanks. Bye!" She then shot back out of the hut.

Blinking sleepily at the filly in her hooves, Mustard tucked her against her chest with Peach Kiss before curling her head around the pair and closing her eyes.

"Did you say something?" Morning muttered, sleepily from beside her.

"No. Go back to sleep."

The horizon glowed with the approaching morning as Skye flew high up into the air. Looking down, she searched for Tranquil. She and Grand had been worrying about this. Suddenly, she caught sight of the russet colored mare as she dashed across the field to the east.

Quickly, she flew back down to Grand as she waited below."She's heading east!"

The two hurried after Tranquil. Crossing the fields, they worked their way east until they came to the river as it began to swing south. There they found Tranquil weeping along the shore.

"Tranquil?" Skye called to her.

Tranquil flinched and hid her face deeper into her hooves. "I didn't mean too."

"I know," Skye answered, stepping closer. "It's alright."

"I couldn't help myself," Tranquil wailed, tightening herself into a ball. "I didn't know what I was doing."

"It's alright," Skye repeated, touching her hoof to Tranquil's back. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Tranquil's head spun around, her eyes bloodshot from crying. "But I kissed him! I kissed Dusty!"

"I know," Skye wrapped her hooves around Tranquil's shoulder and hugged her. "Going after another mare's stallion without her permission is bad, but I love you and I forgive you."

Tranquil suddenly threw her hooves around Skye and started weeping again as she clutched her tightly. "I don't know what came over me. I couldn't hold myself back. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"It's all right," Skye assured her. "There's nothing to be sorry about."

"That's right," Grand added, stepping up to add her hoof around her shoulder.

Tranquil tears slowly stopped as she calmed down. "What's happening to me?" Tranquil asked. "Why do I feel this way?"

"What's happening to you is completely normal, and nothing to be afraid of, " Skye said, wiping at Tranquil's tears. "It happens when your body is ready."

"Ready?" Tranquil asked. "Ready for what?"

"Ready to take a mate," Grand answered.

Tranquil looked stunned. "Do you mean that...?"

"Yes." Grand nodded as a smile came to her face. "You've started having your heat."

Tranquil shook her head. "But that doesn't happen to me!"

"Grand and I talked to Starless about that," Skye said. "She's seen other mares with the same condition and she thinks it might be because of their living at near starvation rations. She was hoping that with an increased diet and rest their bodies would recover."

"And it looks like she was right!" Grand added with a smile.

A look of wonder came over Tranquil's face. "I can have a foal? My very own foal!?"

Smiling, Skye nodded. "As many as you want. Though I do recommend having them one at a time, but two would be okay."

Tranquil began laughing. "I never dared to dream of ever having my own foal."

"Well, you still have to have a stallion do a certain something to you first," Skye added.

Tranquil's smile faded as the implications of what Skye said came to her. "A stallion… to breed me…"

Skye watched Tranquil's face and knew of who she was now thinking of. "You’re in love with Dusty, aren't you?"

Tranquil's eyes flashed over to her. "I didn't mean too! I couldn't control it and it just... happened. I'm sorry..."

Skye smiled and tightened her hug around the young mare. "I've known you've been in love with him since the moment I saw you with him. It was all over your face. It's quite understandable. He's a great stallion! This herd isn't like the Unicorns you left. We don't dominate and barter our stallions like they do. We bond with them into a family!"

"Family?" Tranquil repeated thoughtfully.

Suddenly, Tranquil blinked as her face grew intense, her nose flaring as she huffed at the air. She smelled a stallion nearby. Behind them, they heard the sound of approaching hoofsteps as Dusty appeared out of the trees. Seeing them, he stopped with a snort.

Skye smiled back at her mate. Of course he would have followed her scent. Turning back to Tranquil, she considered her seriously. "Do you want him?"

Tranquil nibbled her lip and nodded. "I do. More than anything"

Skye then kissed her on her cheek. "Then I accept you into my family-herd. You are now my sister-mate. My mate is now our mate."

Grand leaned over and kissed Tranquil on her other cheek. "I am happy for you, my dearest child."

Standing, Skye and Grand walked over to Dusty. Pausing before him Skye kissed him on his lips. "Do you love me?"

"Yes." Dusty answered without hesitation.

"Do you love Tranquil?" Skye then asked.

Dusty's eyes shifted to the waiting mare. "I do."

"Then go take her." Skye stepped to the side.

Dusty let out an eager snort before slowly walking down to Tranquil. She was standing now with her head turned back to watch him approach her.

Watching, Skye suddenly let out a light laugh, causing Grand to look over at her. "What is it?"

Skye nodded her head out at the pair. "I just realized that that’s the same spot I met Dusty."

Grand blinked for a moment and smiled.

Tranquil felt her body shivering as Dusty drew closer, his scent filling her senses as she watched his stallionhood lengthening below him. A stallion had come to take a fertile mare. Her. And fill her womb with his foal. She wanted this. Every fiber of her being craved this.

Stepping up to her, Dusty suddenly stopped. His breath heaved in his chest and his eyes were glazed with a powerful need, but still he resisted and held himself back. "Tranquil. Before anything more happens, I want you to know that I love you and I never want to hurt you. If you don't want this..."

Before he could say anything more,Tranquil mashed her lips against his and kissed him thoroughly. It was like a lightning bolt had shot through her body and her heart leapt in joy at their joining. The light touch of his tongue brushing along her lips made her moan with delight. She had been wanting this for so long. With a wet smack, their lips broke apart and she gazed up into his eyes. "I've loved you since the moment we met. I want you to take me and make me yours."

Dusty’s will broke and he let out a primal whinny, warning off all other challengers to his mare. Dropping his muzzle to her neck, Dusty drew in her enticing scent with a deep breath, his stallionhood throbbing below him as it dripped with his ready seed.

Tranquil's body was burning with her need to be mounted. Flagging her tail high, she turned herself to him and presented her marehood to his lavish attention. His tongue delved deeply into her soaking marehood, tasting her fertile nectar. Pleasure never before felt, washed over her at his fervent ministrations of her inflamed nethers.

She needed more! Her body ached to be filled by a stallion! "Take me! Take me now!"

Dusty's weight suddenly came down on her back as he mounted her. His hooves tightened around her barrel as he positioned himself at her entrance. Tranquil threw her head back and gasped when she felt him starting to push in. Tranquil could hardly breath as she felt her marehood stretching wide to take him in. His lips came to her ear as he lightly nibbled it, whispering tender words of affection and love.

It hurt, but she bore through it as her body slowly adjusted to his presence. Slowly, he drove himself deeper until, at last, Tranquil felt him press up against her rump as their bodies joined fully together. She had never felt so full! It still hurt, but it was slowly starting to fade. His muzzle moved along her cheek as he nuzzled her. Turning her head back, she took his lips with hers. The intensity and passion of his kiss nearly made her swoon.

Breaking from the kiss, Dusty returned his lips to her ear. "Are you ready?"

Tranquil quickly thought about it. There would be no turning back after this. She was about to be bred by her stallion and have her womb filled with his foal. A foal that would be hers! Hers and Dusty's. Her heart raced at the thought. She loved Lightning Flash and relished the times she got to cuddle with her, having her nap against her body as she sang her a lullaby. Only one answer was right: "Yes."

Tranquil cried out when he pulled himself back, leaving her feeling so very empty. He surged back into her with a thrust that pushed her hooves into the moss. His pace was slow at first, letting her savor the growing pleasure. His cheek was pressed alongside hers as their panting breaths intermingled together.

With each thrust, their bodies melded together with a soft slap as Dusty drove himself repeatedly into her fertile depths. Pleasure upon pleasure slowly built within her as she was taken by her chosen stallion. Dusty's thrusts were growing more intense as he gently gripped her mane in his teeth.

The pleasure that had been building within her suddenly grew beyond her endurance. Tranquil threw her head back and let out a long moan as waves of pure bliss suddenly surged her body. Her marehood began to quiver and grip along Dusty's throbbing stallionhood as he thrusted ever more fervently into her, her love juices splashing along his length. Dusty's grunts were growing strained as Tranquil felt his stallionhood starting to flare deep within her.

With a final powerful thrust, Dusty plunged himself deep into her, sealing his flared stallionhood to the entrance to her fertile womb. Quivering in her throes of pleasure, Tranquil felt Dusty's stallionhood begin pulsing as a surge of his seed suddenly erupted deep into her fertile womb, filling every part of it with his warm virile essence. Groaning in pure bliss, Tranquil languished under the assault on her body. Never in her life had she ever imagined she could experience such pleasure. Panting for breath, Tranquil felt a powerful sense of contentment and happiness settle over her as she felt Dusty release the last of his seed into her.

Feeling his hot breath on her neck, Tranquil turned to look back at him. "You were amazing my love."

Dusty answered her with a deep kiss that left her breathless.

Watching the two lovers nuzzle and kiss, Skye let out a contented sigh. Her family was getting bigger. Soon there will be more little hooves scampering around.

Next to her Grand fanned her hoof to cool herself. "After that. I feel rather hot and an itch I've not felt in years."

Glancing over, Skye smirked. "Your part of our family too. I'm sure Dusty has enough stamina left to help alleviate that itch."

The older mare blinked in surprise before laughing. "I can't say that I'm not tempted, but it would be a terrible shame to waste his seed on a barren mare like me."

Skye softly touched her hoof to Grand's shoulder. "Don't forget that we love you too."

Grand smiled and kissed Skye. "You are a sweet child."

Dismounting from Tranquil, Dusty's stallionhood slipped out of her, releasing a deluge of their love fluids onto the ground. Moving around, Tranquil nuzzled and rubbed her cheek against Dusty's neck as couple slowly walked back to the waiting Skye and Grand.

Hopping excitedly in place, Skye leapt into the air and flew down to the new lovers to throw her hooves around Tranquil's neck. "I'm so happy! I have a sister now!"