Chapter 1 - The Twisted Tail

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“Are you sure you won’t come back with us?” Air Raid asked the royal blue unicorn stallion out of the driver’s side window of her white racing Fiesta for what felt like the millionth time. “I’m sure Darkie’ll be missing her brother by now, you’ve been gone four months, hun.”

“Nah…” Brightstar shook his head, while his right forehoof scratched his black mane, ignoring the wind that blew it this way and that. “You guys go on ahead. I want to keep looking for Wily a little while longer.” He smiled as he pictured that griffon in his mind, “besides, you’ve been gone three months too, Raid.”

Seated beside Air Raid in the Fiesta's passenger seat, Slingshot playfully nudged the lime green mare in the ribs and whispered, causing the champion race driver to snort out a giggle. “Yeah…what you mean is, you wanna go look for that griffon again, right?”

“I…but, well I…see the thing is, but…” Brightstar spluttered as he was caught off guard, he didn’t even know why it was he was protesting, he knew Air Raid and Slingshot had him well and truly nailed to the wall. “Yes, yes ok? Yes, I want to find that griffon again, whatever her name was…”

“Oh, as if you don’t remember what her name was?” Slingshot asked, his brown eyes sparkling and with glee all over his pink muzzle.

Of course Brightstar knew. Moonbeak. Brilliant, beautiful, sexy Moonbeak. Wonderful, sexy, talented and sexy Moonbeak. The young stallion had been infatuated with her since the very second his yellow eyes had met her emerald green ones in the pit lane of the Fillydelphia speedway stadium. Instantly he had fallen in love with her, and why would he not? She was perfect. Utterly and completely perfect. From the snowy white feathers on her head and chest to the mid-grey fur of her body to the dark grey of her wings, she was perfect. Not to mention the rounded sexiness of her very pregnant belly.

The second she had introduced herself at the Fillydelphia five hundred speedway stadium the day after they had arrived in Filly, Brightstar had been hooked. That Moonbeak was the official team photographer for Air Raid’s team was a happy coincidence. From the tip of her gleaming yellow beak to the point of her grey tail, Brightstar was in love. Completely and utterly in love.

“Yes!” Brightstar exclaimed, “I remember her name, I remember everything about her, alright!?” The royal blue unicorn let loose again, earning himself another snigger from Air Raid and Slingshot in the car, not to mention looks from the other racing teams leaving the hotel.

“Even her very pregnant belly?” Air Raid asked with a grin.

“Especially her sexy belly, right, Bright?” Slingshot teased.

“Esp…ecial…ly…belly…” Brightstar murmured, a tiny amount of drool leaking from his mouth.

“Yeah but c’mon, Bright,” Air Raid sniggered as she fired up her car’s engine, “she’s gotta be at least forty. I knew you liked griffons, I just never knew you liked them old…”

“Shut up!” Brightstar yelled with a stomp of his hoof, his racer friend finally having reached the end of his long rope. “Shut. Up! You aren’t one to talk, Raid, what are you, twenty four, how old was Wily when you eventually decided you wanted her, eighteen?”

The colour drained then from the lime green mare. “Don’t you mention Wily! Don’t you dare!” She gunned her throttle with her right hoof and spewed exhaust gas from the car’s rear. “Just remember why you’re out here, okay?” And, not giving the stallion the chance to reply, Air Raid floored the gas pedal and sped off in a cloud of tyre smoke.

Brightstar watched them leave with mixed feelings. On the one hoof he was sorry to see his two friends leave. On the other hoof however he was pleased that he was now able to pursue Moonbeak away from Air Raid’s incessant teasing. Because, deep down in his soul, he doubted whether or not they’d ever see Wildfire again. In the four months he’d been here in the south eastern coastal town of Fillydelphia, he’d not seen any hint of Wildfire. Not the slightest hint of the diminutive yellow mare anywhere, nor was there anypony who recognised her.

Even deeper in his being he suspected Cold Front to be messing them about. A lot. But, you just didn’t voice those concerns to Air Raid. Unless you wanted an Equestria sized chewing out.

So, with that thought in mind, the royal blue unicorn turned and walked back to the hotel, in no rush whatever to check out of the luxurious suite he had shared with Air Raid and Slingshot.

“Air Raid!” Slingshot called out for the third time, “Air Raid, slow down, for the love of Luna slow the buck down!” They had been driving roughly an hour, and in that time they had accrued four thousand bits in automatic speeding fines doing as they were close to ninety miles per hour through fifty five limits.

“Uuugh!” Air Raid grunted as the camera flashed a fifth time on the four lane highway that led out of Fillydelphia back towards Canterlot, signifying yet another charge of a thousand bits coming her way in the mail. In sheer frustration she pulled over to the side of the road and gladly accepted the bottle of cold water that Slingshot offered her. “Stupid unicorn!” She exclaimed, slamming her forehooves into the steering wheel, which caused the horn to jam on for a solid minute.

“Hey…” the pink earth pony stallion said quietly once the horn was thumped into behaving and Air Raid had calmed down, “it’s not Bright’s fault we haven’t found her yet. You should really call him and say sorry.” Then he nudged her in the ribs with a sly grin on his muzzle. “I want you to at least remember you aren’t on the racetrack now…or shall I show you how to drive proper?”

“Yeah right!” Air Raid snorted the mouthful of water over the inside of her windscreen. “Show me how to drive. You. You’re gonna show me how to drive?”

“If I have to, yeah I will.” Slingshot turned to face her in the car. “Look Raid, we all miss Wily, okay? But…but I’m not about to let you fritter away our winnings on speeding fines just because you wanna get home quicker because you feel guilty for leaving her in the hospital.”

“Tartarus do you care?” Air Raid asked sullenly, “I made sure you got your cut, I always do don’t I?”

“Hey!” Slingshot fired back, his hackles up, “it’s never been about the money Raid, you know that! I can pick and choose who I work with and I chose you, dammit!” Now, that much was certainly true. He knew it, and more importantly, he knew Air Raid knew it too. It was just something they didn’t need to talk about. This week alone he had turned down several requests from Windcharger to go ride with her, and several more again from Skyfire’s team.

Air Raid slumped in her driver’s seat, defeated. She knew Slingshot wouldn’t have gone ‘there’ without good cause, and she’d given it him on a plate. “Look…’Shot…I’m sorry alright?” The lime green mare rubbed her temples with both hooves, taking deep breaths through her nose. “I’m just…just wound up tight I guess, I, well I miss Wily, and Darkie, not to mention Cy…even Dusk too. I just want…” she sighed, collecting her thoughts, “I just want things to be like they were at the fun fair y’know? We were, I dunno, happy then.”

“Raid,” Slingshot said with a hoof on her shoulder, “I get it, really I do. But, what’s done is done. Now, take a minute and then ring Darkie, she may have found something by now.” Offering her a quick nuzzle, he smiled, “then I want my friend back with her head on straight, or do I have to return Windcharger’s call?”

“Okay, ‘Shot, I get it.” Air Raid grinned as she nuzzled him back. “Besides, you’d never call her back, you hate Windcharger.”

‘Maybe…’ he thought solemnly as she sat back with her eyes shut for a moment, ‘But she gets results at least and she doesn’t have this extra crap on her shoulders…’ Slingshot did not give voice to that however. Instead he reached into the glove compartment and retrieved Air Raid’s phone. “Call Darkie.” He said simply. “Put your mind at ease.”

“Fine. ‘Boss.’ You win.” Air Raid took her phone and dialled Darkstar’s number, hoping she’d have good news.

One thousand four hundred miles away in Canterlot, Darkstar had re-taken her seating pad outside of the gang’s favourite café. Lounging in the afternoon sunshine she was just about to take a large – and thoroughly un-ladylike – bite out of the wonderful donut she had just licked when her phone rang. Seeing she was alone in her spot, nopony even sat next to her on the adjacent tables, Darkstar answered her call with her magic, automatically switching it to loudspeaker when she saw whom was calling. “Y’hello Raid, what’s up?” She asked, her tongue still a little heavy from the sticky caramel.

“Let me guess. You, Café Diem, salted caramel donut and a macchiato?” Air Raid’s amused voice sounded from the speaker.

“Uh…how’d you know that?” Darkstar answered with her own question as she floated the coffee to her lips in an attempt to wash the caramel from her tongue. Strange how it tasted slightly ‘odd’ this time.

Air Raid looked over at her partner. “’Shot…you want this one?”

A stallion’s voice came across the phone, just as Darkstar heard the sound of a powerful engine brought to life. “That’s your caramel voice Darkie.”

“I do not have a ‘caramel voice’ thank you very much Slingshot!” The unicorn tried to sound indignant and failed, so contented herself with another sip of her sweet coffee.

“Sure you do Darkie,” she could practically hear the smile on the pink earth pony’s muzzle, “It’s the same lusty voice Raid uses when she describes your dances…hey! Oow!” He grunted as Air Raid nudged him hard in the ribs with her hoof.

Giggling like a filly she set her mug down and wiped her lips, “Raid just dig you in the ribs sweetie?”

“Yes…and it totally hurt!” Slingshot whimpered like a terminally injured ninety year old.

“Aw…you poor abused stallion. Darkie kiss it better when you get back, promise.” Darkstar purred in the best sexiest ‘bedroom voice’ she could make, smiling to herself at the imagined effect it was having on the pony holding the other phone.

“Y-you’d better promise.” The semi-aroused whimper was evident in his voice, even a thousand miles away.

“Down boy,” Air Raid sniggered at the wheel of the car as she re-joined the highway. “Just letting you know we’re starting back now, we should be back in Canterlot in roughly eighteen and a half hours, assuming the highway’s clear.”

“Hmm…so one in the afternoon now, you should get back say oh…seven thirty tomorrow morning then.” Darkstar quickly worked it out in her head. “Hey…you driving now? Isn’t that dangerous Raid?”

“Nah…I got it on the hooves free Darkie,” Air Raid chuckled as Slingshot let out an indignant ‘hey!’

“I don’t think ‘Shot likes being called your ‘hooves free’ Raid.” Darkstar laughed as she took another lick of the caramel from her donut ‘still tastes a little funny,’ she thought, but paid it no mind. “So hey, how was Filly?”

“Filly was awesome!” Air Raid cheered as she shifted up a gear, “We totally rocked it! Ten wins from fourteen races we got joint first over all in the tables!”

“Yes, I saw, very nice Raid well done and all that; I’m sure your trophy is very shiny and lovely.” Darkstar dismissed off-hoofedly, “That’s not what I meant. Any sign of Wily?” She asked eagerly, taking a nibble of the donut and not noticing the taste anymore.

This time Slingshot answered. “No Darkie, not a whisper. We thought we saw a small yellow pegasus the other week when we had some down time, but that was just a half look from our car, that’s why we called you then. Just like the ‘sighting’ we all thought we got that made your brother come out her the month before us, except we didn’t expect Brightstar to come out here as well just on a hunch.”

“Ugh…fine, I guess. What’s Brighty doing anyway?”

“He’s staying out here a bit longer hun,” Air Raid said with a suggestive tone in her voice. “He says he’s still looking for Wily, but me and ‘Shot think it’s got more to do with this sweet looking lady griffon he met while we were in this pub a couple of nights back.”

“He’s chasing a griffon?” Darkstar asked, taking another slightly larger bite of her now half eaten donut and washing it down with the last of her macchiato. “I’ll never see him again!” She exclaimed with a giggle.

“She’s nice; Moonbeak I think her name is. She was our official photographer for the team. We were lucky to get to hang out with her after work hours. I got a picture of them both on my phone, I’ll get ‘Shot to mail it you in a sec.” Air Raid grinned as she overtook a couple of slower electric cars. “Hey…how’s the search going back home?”

“Yeah…yeah it’s going alright…” Darkstar shook her head, fighting away a sudden feeling of room spinning nausea that washed over her. ‘Weird…’ she thought as she shook her head again. “I uh…I chased up that nurse, what’s her name, Eirene…well she put me onto this pegasus that works in the hospital cafeteria. I spoke to her and she described this purple unicorn that Wily’s dad met with. I did a little digging and she runs this care home in Canterlot. Raid I think I’m close, real close.”

“Darkie…be careful babe,” Air Raid subconsciously rubbed her muzzle with her free hoof while the other held the wheel, “Remember what happened to me before we left for Filly?” She asked, referencing the occasion a week and a half before Hearths Warming Eve when they had both pounded on Cold Front’s door demanding to know exactly where Wildfire was, just to get the door slammed in their faces, Air Raid getting a fracture of her muzzle as she was standing slightly closer than her friend.

“Raid…oooh…” The unicorn stumbled her words as the café spun again, “I uh…I’ll be fine…I, I got this sw-sweetie.”

“Darkie?” Slingshot asked with concern at the sudden slur in her voice, “You alright?”

“I…I think so…I’m gonna go…home I think, too many…donuts.” Darkstar found her hooves were shaking as she stood up from her spot.

Slingshot gave Air Raid a look from his passenger seat, a look of ‘what’s she into now?’ A look that did not go unrecognised as the pegasus put her right hoof down, once more speeding up her Fiesta. “I’ll call you later hun when we stop for a break.”

“Yeah…yeah ‘Shot…sure thing…” Darkstar hung up the call, floating her phone into her bag with her yellow magic, which for some reason began fizzing as she tried to maintain the levitation. “What the buck’s wrong with me?” She asked aloud, shaking her head again.

“Ah!” Java exclaimed with a wide smile as he appeared at the side of the table. “I’ll just take your tray if you’re done Darkie, unless you’d like another, on me?”

“Uh…n-no, no Java…I um…I’m gonna go home I think.” Darkstar staggered like she’d had three glasses of Luna’s best moonshine. Which she hadn’t of course, not since Dusk had elected to shut himself away from the known universe.

“Hey…” the cream earth pony said gently, reaching out a hoof to steady the young mare, “You okay Darkstar?”

“Y-yeah…yeah I’m fine…” she murmured as the world spun again, making her feel sick. “I’m f-fine. Thanks for the coffee…and thanks for the caramel donut too…”

“Donut?” Java wondered out loud as he watched Darkstar stagger away, “What donut?” He gave a shrug of his shoulders and thought nothing of it, ‘probably just one of her pranks,’ he thought with a smile. Well, she wasn’t getting him this time.

Stumbling along the street Darkstar leant against the wall as the world continued to spin; she swallowed hard, breathing through wave after wave of nausea that threatened to overwhelm her. Another step and her vision swam again, the sidewalk and the street blurring together to be indistinguishable from one another. “Wh-what…what’s wrong with me?” Taking a further step she tripped over the curb and landed in the gutter, her head in her forelegs in order to steady the world and stop it from spinning.

“Ugh…bucking hell…wh-what…” So preoccupied was she with keeping the world in the right axis and the contents of her stomach on the inside rather than decorating the street that the stricken unicorn didn't notice the white transit van that pulled up alongside her with a screech of tyres…

~ ~ ~

‘Ah!’ Brightstar thought to himself, somewhat triumphantly. ‘This looks to be a good place!’ The place in question just happened to be a two storey bare brick building with dark blue doors and window frames. Of course the name of the pub – The Twisted Tail - helped too. The sign outside, which promised the best whiskey this side of the Delamare River, made the place seem just what he needed.

Not that he was down or anything, far from it, he didn’t mind leaving the Twin Stallion hotel over on Fetlock Avenue, he’d found that place too pretentious (even for a pony from Canterlot). Instead, when Air Raid and Slingshot had left, he’d taken a look at a tourist travel board and came across a likely offering. Indeed, the royal blue stallion had found the Wandering Pony Hostel in Horsehead Square, a mixed race neighbourhood of Fillydelphia, eminently more to his liking, especially as Darkstar and himself lived in the lesser suburbs of the Residential District back home, about as far away from the nobles as you could manage and still be on the mountain.

No, far from being ‘down’, Brightstar found himself just in need of liquid inspiration. At a thorough loss as to where to go or what to try next in regards to finding Wildfire, and with rapidly diminishing funds, and with a certain sexy griffon haunting most of his waking – and sleeping – thoughts, he decided a night off with whiskey to be just the thing he needed.

Looking through the dark blue framed window at the clientele inside, he saw the long blue topped bar being propped up by a huge crimson minotaur, and three other tables scattered about, two of them had four griffons sat around them while the third had three laughing earth ponies openly leering at a scantily dressed female griffon who for her part was teasing them with a shake of her hindquarters as she walked away to the kitchen.

As a frost blue male griffon came staggering out, clutching his belly as he fell face first in a nearby bush, Brightstar made up his mind and entered the pub, making a beeline for the bar and sits at the bar. Almost instantly he felt many eyes glare his way for a brief moment as the established crowd looked over and judged this strange face, then the hubbub of background noise resumed as they went back to what they were doing. All except the hulking great minotaur, who continued to stare at him for a good few minutes until the bar maid, an amply breasted jet black griffon, demanded his attention. “Hello Pony, whatcha drinkin’?” She asked, an appraising smile on her beak as she surreptitiously glanced at a selection of Canterlot wines behind the bar.

Looking over the selection, Brightstar grinned a wide grin. He knew full well she expected him, as a unicorn, to request something from the wine list and, looking the selection on offer over, he was a little impressed they had a Prench Pinot noir from eighteen fifty three. “Ah…” the very second he opened his mouth he could feel all eyes on him again as they too expected him to order something prissy. Thankfully, for just such situations as this one, Brightstar knew Air Raid. “I’ll have a shot of Dalwhinny single malt, please.”

As he expected, that earned him a few raised eyebrows, even a few cheers from the griffons that this pony with the Canterlot accent knew what a ‘stallion’s drink’ actually was. He even got a nod of approval from the crimson minotaur whom, while the jet black bar maid served up the drink, Brightstar finally realised was a female and going by her tattoos, a cage fighting champion to boot. “Get ya somethin’ ta eat, luv?” She asked, eyeing the royal blue stallion up with a tiny amount of respect as she slid over the full shot glass and Brightstar hopped up on the bar stool. While not as comfy as a seating pad, it did offer perfect views of the griffon’s ass.

“Sure,” Brightstar grinned as he lit his horn and, lifting the shot glass in his yellow aura took an unflinching sip of the whiskey. “I’m a loveable kind of pony.”

Having quickly finished her appraisal and judging the stallion as ‘okay’, the jet black griffon reached under the bar and retrieved a folded menu which she placed in front of the unicorn. “Да у нас тут комик.” She commented in her native Griffonian, earning herself a gale of laughter from the griffon and earth pony table.

Looking over the menu which he now held in his glowing yellow magic, Brightstar smiled to himself. He could of course speak griffonian fluently – languages being one of the gifts he shared with his sister – but of course they didn’t know that. He also noted that while the bar maid had called him a comedian, the minotaur wasn’t laughing. ‘Hmmm…what to have…what to have…’ he thought to himself. A couple of options stood out to him, the pub served a mix of pony and griffon food, and it was in Equestrian only.

Being a port city Brightstar wasn’t surprised to see fish dishes prevalent on the menu as well as meat, eventually he made up his mind. “Excuse me miss?” Brightstar got the bar maid’s attention, “I’ll have the flame grilled tofu cheesesteak please.”

“Hmhmm, good choice luv.” She smiled in approval of his order and she put in a screen for the kitchen. “First time here in Filly?” She asked as he paid over the necessary bits for the meal.

“Hmmm,” Brightstar answered noncommittally as he gave the scantily clad waitress a long hard look as she sashayed past him to the kitchen. “Yeah,” he said in a more firm tone as he returned his attention to the bar maid, “I came to visit Fillydelphia, and now I’m on an extended trip, of sorts. Just…looking around.” He didn’t feel the need to fill in what he was looking for, or whom.

“Well honey,” the bar maid smiled, wiping down the bar top with her cloth, “not much ta see round here, more in the city proper, over the river.” She gestured with a clawed hand in the vague direction of the centre of Fillydelphia.

Brightstar was about to finish his shot of Dalwhinny when he leant forward on the barstool and grinned, “I don’t know about that; the view I have right now is pretty good.”

“Sure it is.” The bar maid snorted a laugh when she saw Brightstar’s yellow eyes fixed on her flank and swishing black tail. “Ya looking ta walk on da wild side, pony?”

Grinning, Brightstar finished his first drink. “Maybe.”

The bar maid watched the unicorn place his empty glass on the bar top. “Another luv?” When Brightstar nodded his agreement, she made it a very large, slow effort to bend over and get a glass from the bottom shelf at the back of the bar, enjoying every second that the royal blue stallion stared at her rear. Finally standing up she poured him another drink. “Here ya go.”

“Hmhmm…” Brightstar nodded, “very nice view.”

“Пони про клюв или хвост?” The jet black bar maid said with a grin on her yellow beak as she leant her arms on the dark blue bar top and winked at the unicorn, waiting expectantly just in case he did not speak the language.

Brightstar was about to lift up his drink, instead he paused and blinked once then again a second time. “Pardon?”

“T’ain’t nothin’ honey, just me flappin’ me beak.” She shrugged her shoulders as she moved over to serve the minotaur her requested drink. “Here ya go, Brass, stout straight up.”

The very attractive and scantily clad sandy brown griffon waitress came out from the kitchen then, carrying Brightstar’s food on a tray over to the bar. “Here you go sir, please enjoy.”

“Thank you, Miss.” Brightstar smiled appreciatively both at her and at the food she had delivered. After four months in Fillydelphia he had taken quite a taste to the city’s famous grilled tofu cheesesteak, although he understood griffons had it with meat instead, which he wanted to try but hadn’t had the nerve yet. As she swayed sexily away to wait tables he took a deep inhale of the food. He had to admit it looked and smelled as good as the bar maid stood in front of him cleaning glasses. “If you were trying to tell me how pretty you are I’d have to agree.” He grinned as he swallowed a small mouthful.

"Мой муж с тобой согласится.” She replied with a cheeky smile as she cleaned the last glass in the tray. “But, me an’ youc’n flirt all night till ya run out of money or close’n time, whichever comes first.”

“Really, Ma’am.” Brightstar took another quick bite of his cheesesteak, “I mean the beak, the feathers, and that flank. All sexy.”

Laughing, the bar maid got to stacking the clean glasses back on the shelf. “So, ya come down here ta find a griff?” She asked over her shoulder.

“Maybe,” Brightstar nodded thoughtfully as he ate another small bite, his expression softening to that of a mooney eyed colt at the thought of ‘her’. “But, one in particular.”

“Ya a copper?” She asked sharply, and several pairs of eyes snapped simultaneously in the unicorn’s direction.

“What? No!” Brightstar exclaimed in protest, catching the knife and fork he dropped in his magic before it hit the floor, “I’m a few months fresh from university if you must know.”

“Hmm…” the bar maid made the noncommittal sound and turned back to lean on the bar as the suspicious eyes turned back to their business. “Want ta be sure, ta be smooth like tan ya is.”

Brightstar nodded and smiled, “I can be smooth.”

“Sure ya can,” the bar maid laughed a shrill tinkling laugh that the unicorn found immediately cute and sexy. “как полированный клюв.”

Brightstar chuckled, “maybe you’ve heard of her.”

“Sure, maybe I have,” she grinned back at him as she watched him eat, “but a tiny city with one or two pony in it.”

“Her name is Moonbeak,” Brightstar supplied eagerly. “She’s a photographer. She worked with my friend recently.”

The bar maid whistled, “Ya sure aim high ya does, pony.”

Unexpectedly the immense minotaur turned and smiled at them both, and in a voice far softer and far more feminine than Brightstar would’ve suspected, said, “Air Raid. Your friend is the Canterlot racer, yes?”

Turning to the minotaur, Brightstar nodded, “she is. You know her, Miss?”

The hulking creature smiled softly down at the royal blue stallion. “Indeed so. I follow the circuit when I’m not fighting. She made me a lot of bits from winning the Filly Five Hundred Motorcross that has just ended.” She extended her large hand in a fist to Brightstar who in turn bumped it with his hoof. “Brass Knuckles has decided Air Raid is a friend. She will follow her and bet on her again.”

“Um…thank you, Miss Knuckles,” Brightstar smiled somewhat awkwardly, eager to get back to his conversation with the bar maid.

“No. You call me Brass.” She smiled again as she drained her whole pint in one swallow. “You are friend also now.”

“Uuuh…thanks, Brass,” Brightstar smiled up at the mountainous figure. He made a mental note to catch the next cage fighting event on the cable network. Surely she must break any opponent in half. Easily. With a polite nod he turned back to the bar maid. “So, Moonbeak, you know her?”

“Этот жеребчик хочет оседлать Мунбик.” She replied loudly to the pub in general, a wide smile on her beak.

Hearing that, one of the griffons at the nearest table looked up from his conversation with his mate and called back, “Сними-ка с него пробу!"

To the male, who had just been elbowed hard in the ribs by his mate, the jet black bar maid laughed, “Я с ним не настолько хорошо знакома..” Smiling a wide smile as the rest of the pub erupted in laughter, she served up Brightstar a refill to his Dalwhinny. “Tis be ya lucky day stally, as she be in tonight in a few minutes or so.”

“Really?” Brightstar looked to the door so quick he almost knocked his half empty plate to the floor.

Another griffon seated at the same table as the first one to comment, this one a copper colour with a long scar running the length of the left side of his face, called out, “Приятно, когда такой сладкий жеребчик приходит сам!”

The bar maid patted Brightstar’s shoulder with a sympathetic clawed hand. “Finish tha food, pony. Ya got time.”

Doing as he was told, Brightstar returned to his – by now considerably cooler – vegetarian cheesesteak. As he ate he still spun around and checked out the door every time it opened to see whom had entered, much to the amusement of the bar maid who took every opportunity to tease the lovestruck unicorn every chance she got. He was almost finished with his food when for what felt like the millionth time the door opened and… “Мунбик, этот пони хочет тебя в постель затащить, и говорит у тебя отличный клюв, перышки и зад!” The bar maid called out by way of a greeting before the heavily blushing Brightstar could utter a word.

Moonbeak gave the royal blue unicorn a thoroughly dismissive look, like she was inspecting a poorly developed negative that was bound for the trash. “До или после того как я откушу ему член?” There was lots of laughter from the patrons of the pub at that as the pregnant griffon padded her way over to the table by the bar that was hers and hers alone. “What are you doing here, didn’t your pony friends leave after the race back to Canterlot?” She asked.

Amidst the general laughter that thankfully died away, Brightstar, who was imagining that sexy beak torturing his rock hard shaft, crossed his hind legs and tried to think of something else as he gathered his nerve. “You didn’t leave.”

Moonbeak shrugged her grey furred shoulders as she shifted a few times to get comfortable at her table. “I have a kitten and another on the way.”

Brightstar downed his third shot. For courage. “That’s hot.”

Flashing him a slightly annoyed look – annoyed with the seat being tight against her swollen belly, rather than the admittedly cute stallion currently admiring her. “You stalking me, pony?”

“Ты меня покусаешь за неправильный ответ?” Brightstar asked, displaying his fluent griffonian, by way of reply.

“Да.” Moonbeak replied as the bar maid gave a long loud laugh before turning to serve Brass Knuckles once more.

“Then no,” Brightstar smiled over at her, inclining his head respectfully, his tidy well-kept black mane momentarily hiding his yellow eyes. “But, I would have if I could. Luck had me here and you walking in.”

Moonbeak wanted to scowl, but instead she smiled. It had been three months since Goldcrest had left her and Luna above knew that she had needs. “You are a crazy pony.”

Brightstar smiled, seeing that he was in, at least for the time being at any rate. “Crazy for you, Moonbeak.”

Finally getting comfortable, Moonbeak kicked the seating pad opposite hers out with her leonine legs and pointed to it with her clawed hand. “Он купит мне выпить.” She said to the bar maid.

Grinning, Brightstar got up and walked over to the seating pad. “Охотно, госпожа.”

‘Willingly, huh?’ Moonbeak thought to herself with a sly smile. She liked the ‘my lady’ part too. Liked it very much indeed. ‘This pony seems like the sort I can have fun with…let’s see how eager he is to please me…’ she watched the unicorn stallion approached the seating pad she had kicked out and she waited until his royal blue butt was an inch away from it until she interrupted him. “What are you doing?” She asked sharply, her shrill voice getting his attention like chalk scraped on a blackboard.

Brightstar froze an inch from sitting down. “I…am sitting, Moonbeak, you did invite me to do so.”

“I did invite you to sit, pony,” Moonbeak seemed to hold him suspended with her emerald green eyes. “Но я сказала сесть сюда, не так ли?” She asked with a smirk as she pointed a clawed finger to the pub floor in front of her table beside the seating pad. ‘Let’s see what he does…’ she thought as by now she had drawn some attention from the other tables.

Brightstar’s yellow eyes flicked down to the floor for just for the briefest of moments. However, in that short time he was aware of the griffon of his dreams watching him, judging him, gauging his reaction. He was also aware of the other stallions and mares watching the scene intently to see what he would do. It only took the tiniest second to make up his mind. In the end there wasn’t really an option.

With a little smile, Brightstar shifted to the right of the seating pad and sat on his haunches on the floor. The top of the table reaching his chest, the lower angle making him look up into her triumphant emerald green eyes as the rest of the pub whooped and cheered. One of the earth pony mares called out, “he knows his place already, Moony!”

‘My place?’ Brightstar thought to himself with a little blush. He’d never considered himself particularly submissive before, but for her, he’d happily do anything. Besides, Wildfire enjoyed the game when she had played with Air Raid. As he settled onto what was doubtless not the cleanest bit of floor in Fillydelphia he nonetheless felt a warmth blossom through him generated by the satisfied look she was giving him. He had made her happy, and that made him happy. ‘Yeah…this is my place. I’m good with this.’

Watching him, Moonbeak’s smile was almost ear to ear. ‘Sweet Luna he’s actually done it!’ In her heart she knew then he was a keeper. ‘Но сначала с ним можно и поразвлечься...’ smiling her warm smile that definitely reached her eyes, the griffon said, “very good, pony. Though I expect to be obeyed quicker next time...” she fished in her memory for his name, then continued, “Brightstar?”

“Да, Госпожа.” Brightstar answered straightaway, and Moonbeak’s smile almost went wider than her head.

Turning her grinning beak away from the obedient unicorn, Moonbeak called out to the bar maid, whom as it happened she knew very well. “Selene, что пил этот молокосос?”

Hearing her name called, the jet black bar maid looked up from the conversation she had just started with Brass Knuckles at the bar. “He was drinkin' th' Dalwhinny, Moonbeak.”

“Impressive.” Moonbeak spared Brightstar a courteous nod. “He'll buy himself another and a Salty Dog for me.”

Prepping the order Selene giggled behind her clawed hand as she saw Brightstar sitting on the floor like a good little colt. “It’s okay honey, I got it covered for ya.” She said with an amused grin, stopping the royal blue unicorn in his tracks as he opened his mouth to speak up. ‘She’s got him wrapped around her claw already.’ Selene giggled.

“Is the pony comfy?” Moonbeak asked the stallion sat on the floor in front of her.

“Yes!” With her attention wholly on him, Brightstar fidgeted a little on his haunches, the very hard very unyielding floor numbing him slightly, “yes I'm very...comfy, thank you.”

Selene carried over the two full shot glasses, one with whiskey and the other with vodka, on a tray. “You wanna watch the pony, Moony, he's a flirt.” She said with a smirk playing on her beak.

“Really, Selene?” Moonbeak commented with a raised eyebrow, her emerald green eyes holding Brightstar as still as any rope. “I was commissioned to photograph Air Raid, yet this pony photo bombed every picture I think.”

Selene set the tray with the drinks down on the table between them. “Hmhmm, smooth as polished beak he is, t' be sure.”

Brightstar shifted uncomfortably on the very hard wooden floor. “Uh...well I um...I was checking out the perfect curves of your flank,” he said, trying for the smoothness that had so impressed the bar maid not all that long ago.

Moonbeak grinned, “yes, Selene does have a nice flank.”

“Попался.” Selene giggled as she walked away towards the bar, playfully wiggling her leonine flank and swishing her black tail provocatively.

“Yes…she does...” Brightstar murmured out loud, his yellow eyes tracking the bar maid’s wiggling rear. “Oh um, no, I meant yours, I was checking yours, Mistress.” He quickly attempted to correct himself, a very deep blush colouring his cheeks.

Moonbeak gave Brightstar a long, long hard apprising look, scrutinising him for any sign of duplicity. ‘He does have a very honest face,’ she thought to herself, ‘and those beautiful eyes…’ she had to remind herself she was going to have some fun, lest she get lost in those beautiful eyes. “I'm a bit too round to have pretty flanks.” She said evenly as her kitten kicked inside her.

Looking at the griffon’s swollen pregnant belly, Brightstar licked his lips and answered before he could stop himself, “Это как раз подчеркивает их красоту.”

Moonbeak grinned, deciding to go with it. “Ты глупый пони, но хотя бы милый.” She said bluntly, earning herself a gale of laughter from the other griffons who had started a game of poker between themselves, a mountain of bits already adorning their table.

“'Милый' меня устраивает.” Brightstar smiled, lighting his horn and taking the full shot glass in his glowing yellow aura.

“Ah,” Moonbeak grinned mischievously, “you feel you must earn the rest then?” Still smiling, she reached for her glass of Salty Dog with her right clawed hand and lifted it to tap the one Brightstar held in his magic.

With his glass in mid-air Brightstar paused and watched the sexy white and grey griffon tap his glass with her own. Momentarily mystified, he completely misunderstood the gesture’s significance. “Um...no magic?” He asked, already lowering his full glass to the table.

In turn, Moonbeak misunderstood Brightstar’s question, and pointed a clawed finger to her forehead. “No horn, score one for you earning that title.”

Still a little oblivious, Brightstar lowered his glass in his aura to the table-top and, believing he was doing what Moonbeak had implied said, “um…okay Mistress.” And, lifting his forehooves, took the glass in them instead.

Moonbeak frowned as she tried to ascertain just what this pony was doing. “Did I say you couldn't use magic?” She asked sharply, her already shrill voice raising up a whole octave. ‘Пони решил, что умеет читать мысли...’ she thought to herself, ruffling her feathers in annoyance.

“I’m uh…I’m sorry, about that…” Blushing intensely at his error, Brightstar lit his horn and once again lifted his shot glass full of Dalwhinny whiskey.

Almost immediately that Moonbeak saw the unicorn’s horn light up with it’s yellow glow she reached over the table and fast as lightning took his horn in her clawed hand, curious to see if it tingled.

“AaaAH...” Brightstar, concentrating on his glass, didn’t see the pregnant griffon move until she had a firm grip around the base of his horn. “Oooh…”

Fascinated to discover that yes, a unicorn horn in the process of casting a spell did indeed vibrate, Moonbeak called over to her friend behind the bar. “Selene, you need to feel this!” Keeping a hold of his horn, she tightened her grip just a little.

Straightaway Selene saw what her dominant friend was doing, and a wide grin spread across her beak. “Oooh that looks like fun!”

“Aaah…” at any other time Brightstar would’ve agreed that yes it was fun, but here in the pub, surrounded by gawking onlookers and on his way to a very public horngasm, he wasn’t sure how much fun it was. “Aaaah...” he moaned again as his aura flickered around the hovering glass.

As curious as her friend, Selene came over and gripped Brightstar's horn in her left clawed hand, just above where Moonbeak was holding it. “Oh!” She squealed in surprise, not bothering to keep her voice down so the whole pub heard her, “I got a toy from MiAC at home that feels just like this!”

“It does feel nice…” Moonbeak commented as she moved her talons gently up and down the captured horn, feeling every ridge along the smooth conical appendage.

“Gaaa!” Caught in the grip of the two griffons, Brightstar couldn’t help but pant a little, his forehooves planted on the table to steady himself.

Selene tapped her friend on the shoulder with her free clawed hand, “Moony…Moony I think he's liking this!” Grinning, the jet black griffon stroked Brightstar’s horn in time with the larger female’s ministrations.

Keeping a close watch on the levitated shot glass, Moonbeak nodded as she moved her hand a bit faster, but with a feather light touch to her claws that Brightstar couldn’t believe he was experiencing. “Oooh...ooh...” he was barely managing to hold up his glass, his horn vibrating a little harder the faster Moonbeak and Selene stroked him.

A sly impish thought occurred to the dominant griffon, and without warning, Moonbeak lowered her head and licked Brightstar’s already excited horn, for no other reason than to see what it tasted like. She was pleasantly surprised to find out it tasted sweet. Very sweet. Moonbeak liked sweet things. Sweet things like this very cute stallion in her grasp.

“Oooh Luna!” Under the new, unexpected stimulus, Brightstar’s eyes crossed and just for a split second his magic flickered as bright glowing yellow sparks flew harmlessly from the tip of his horn, lighting up the pub like the fireworks of the Summer Sun Celebration.

“You could sweeten your coffee with this.” Moonbeak licked her beak with a satisfactory grin. “Have a taste Selene.”

Giggling, Selene dragged her tongue very, very slowly up Brightstar's horn, causing ever more sparks to erupt from its tip, turning the royal blue unicorn into a sunshower candle. “Hmm!” The jet black bar maid’s eyes went wide at just how sweet it was, causing the watching group of earth ponies at the table to snicker loudly amongst themselves. “You think he does one lump or two?” Selene asked as she licked his horn a second time.

“Hnnnng!” Brightstar moaned in utter bliss, his tongue by this point lolling out of his mouth, a strand of drool dripping onto the table past the glass that he was struggling to keep floating.

“Two I think,” Moonbeak commented dryly. Watching the state of Brightstar’s drink closely for signs of spillage, she saw he was barely keeping it up, so she decided one last test was in order. Giving her friend a wink of her emerald green eyes she leant down and took the very tip of the horn in her beak, suckling gently but firmly on the tip.

“Ooooh!” Brightstar’s yellow eyes shot open. His magical aura began to flicker and sputter out. “Pl-please...” he gasped out the whimpered noise, “please don't stop...” lost in the sensory overload of the stroking and now the suckling of his horn the unicorn finally lost control of the glass and it fell to the table, upending itself and sending its contents spilling over the table and the floor.

Immediately Moonbeak and Selene both pulled away from the moaning pony. Very quickly, while he was still lost in his sensory haze, the white and grey griffon gave the glass a close look with her eagle sharp eyes for any signs of breakage. Seeing none and therefore deeming it safe to carry on, the pregnant dom positioned her beak an inch from the pony’s ear. “Such a waste!” She screeched, “lick that up now!”

“But…” on the very edge of a wondrous horngasm, Brightstar whined at the sudden loss of contact. “B-But...” Taking one look at Moonbeak’s severe look however silenced any further protest and he hastened to obey her command, licking the table top clean as the tan earth pony mare passed the orange stallion next to her a small bag of bits. A moment later and the royal blue unicorn sat back. “Th-There…” he looked up at both of the griffons hopefully, willing them to continue.

The tan earth pony mare noticed a large spill on the floor and in a not quiet at all voice said to her mate, “fifty bits says he licks the floor.”

Grinning, the orange stallion replied, “A hundred says he does the floor and her paw.”

Spitting on her hoof the tan mare bumped hers with the stallion’s. “You're on.”

Also noticing he had neglected the floor, Moonbeak purposefully dipped her paw in the puddle. “All of it, pony, now!”

Blushing so hard he threatened to combust, Brightstar leant down to the floor, his cock emerging hard and erect from his sheath as he pressed his muzzle into the spilled Dalwhinny whiskey and started to lap it up. Seeing a bit of the liquid on her paw, he dragged his tongue along the hardwood floorboards and licked there too.

“Whoop!” The earth pony stallion cheered in triumph. “Ha! Blossomseed, that’ll be a hundred bits, thank you!”

“Fine, Forge.” Blossomseed grumbled as she reached into her saddlebag with a tan hoof and passed over another bag of bits, this one bigger than the first.

Very pleased indeed, Moonbeak said to the bar maid, “another round Selene if you please, seems this one is not as wasteful as I thought.”

“You got it sugar,” Selene replied, scooting behind the bar, “be jus' a tick.”

Giggling at the poor pun, Moonbeak used a wing tip to rub and caress Brightstar’s still-vibrating horn while he licked diligently away the floor and the digits of her paw.

“G-GAaaaAAAH...” Brightstar moaned into the pregnant griffon’s paw, his voice full of lust and desire as once again his horn was stimulated.

Seeing her chance to win her money back, Blossomseed said, “two hundred bits says he horngasms down there.”

Forge grinned, thoroughly enjoying the free entertainment, “you're so on, 'Seed.”

Noticing that the royal blue stallion’s cock was fully erect, Moonbeak used her other wing to move under his belly from and stroke him from his balls to tip of his flat head, which was already dripping pre on to the hardwood floor.

Brightstar paused in his licking and shuddered, “OoooOOH sweeeeet LunAA!”

Over at the bar, Brass Knuckles, who had been silent all this time, downed her twelfth pint and said, “five hundred bits he cums from both.”

Both of the earth ponies looked at each other with smirks on their muzzles. “You're on, Knuckles!”

Hearing the bets being made around her, Moonbeak herself began to become aroused, the spectacle she was helping to create turning her on greatly. It was almost like the old times with Goldcrest before…before… ‘No!’ Moonbeak chastised herself, ‘You are not a kitten! He’s gone and he’s not coming back…besides thinking of him now is not fair to this very cute pony lapping at your paw. Time and a place, Moony.’ Smiling as her sex became hot and wet, she applied some gentle beak action to his horn while his tongue licked her paw clean.

Under her, Brightstar worked his tongue deeper in between the digits of Moonbeak’s paw, whimpering at the tangy taste of the whiskey mixed with the griffon’s sweat as he got very, very close indeed to his climax, intense sweet sparks shooting from his tip of his stimulated horn even as his rock hard cock threatened to explode.

As the crowd of earth ponies and the minotaur watched on eagerly, Moonbeak draped over the excited unicorn and added a surprisingly tender claw to his horn while at the same time she rubbed the back of her clawed hand over his flared head.

All the stimuli proved too much for the poor Brightstar. “LUUUUUNAAAAAA!” He screamed aloud, his Canterlot accented voice resounding around the pub as he climaxed from both his cock and his horn, bright glowing harmless fireworks erupting from his horn as rope after rope of his sticky white cum spurted out and hit the clean floor, the griffon’s claw and her extended wingtip.

“Awww dammit!” Blossomseed and Forge moaned as they both got pouches full of five hundred bits each out from their bags and placed them on the table.

“Knuckles wins!” The hulking crimson minotaur veritably skipped over on her cloven hooves and scooped up her winnings. The easiest thousand she’d made that week. “That is how it is done, ponies!”

Not yet finished with the show, Moonbeak kept up the pressure of her beak on Brightstar’s horn, but was prepared to immediately let go if he showed signs of pain.

“AaaAAAH!” With the continued contact of the beak on his horn, Brightstar kept on climaxing from it, the bright yellow light show lighting up the pub like mini exploding suns.

“Holy crap, pony.” Brass Knuckles commented as she shielded her blue eyes from the intense light.

Selene set another tray bearing more drinks down on the table as Moonbeak, finally satisfied with a job well done, moved back a bit and watched the gasping unicorn ride out his dual climax. Idly she wondered how long it had been since he had last experienced either. A while, judging by the mess he had made.

After a good few minutes, Brightstar’s euphoric crescendo started to subside, at least to the point to where could speak and string two thoughts together. “Aah...” he panted, his brow covered in sweat, “wow...”

Amidst the cheers and whoops from the griffons who had paused in their poker game long enough to comment, Moonbeak merely looked on impassively – inside though she was performing backflips of joy – and, keeping her shrill voice as even as she could, said, “you've made another mess. Lick it up.”

“Huh...” Brightstar rested his head on the table, “I…I did...what?”

“You think he will?” Blossomseed asked her mate in a whisper loud enough to be heard by those around her.

Forge grinned, “'Seed, he'll do whatever the Tartarus she orders him to do.”

“Drink piss?” The tan earth pony asked with a raised eyebrow, hoping against hope that would be next.

Forge nodded, “even that, no more bets now, just watch the show.” He replied as he draped a foreleg around the tan mare’s shoulder and hugged her tight.

In a steady voice that rose in pitch, Moonbeak repeated herself. Something she hated doing. Something this pony would learn. “Lick it up!”

‘Lick it up, right...’ Brightstar’s addled brain, aided by the severe stare from Moonbeak’s emerald green eyes, processed this command and compelled him to slowly slide from the table once more to the floor. “Да, Госпожа, сию секунду, Госпожа.” Getting his muzzle down to his cum, the royal blue unicorn did his best to shut out the chanting crowd as he stuck out his tongue and proceeded to slowly lick up all of his sticky mess.

“Daaaaaamn!” Propping up the bar, Selene had a claw deep in her dripping wet pussy. “That's so hot.”

“Knuckles agrees.” The minotaur was breathing heavily, her legs squeezed tightly together as she watched. “Very hot.”

“You got some on my claw too.” Moonbeak said imperiously when her unicorn had once again cleaned the floor with his tongue.

“Простите, Госпожа,” Brightstar humbly apologised, crawling on his knees to the clawed hand that his griffon extended to him. “Позвольте мне очистить Вас.”

Five solid minutes of having her hand licked clean later and Moonbeak casually inspected her dark grey wing where some of the stallion’s semen had spattered on her feathers. “It seems you have some on my wing too.” She extended the stained wingtip to him for cleaning.

Hurriedly, not wanting to waste any time, Brightstar sucked her claw clean, and then without question he moved on to drag his tongue slowly along the cum stained feather of her wing.

This did draw some gasps – mostly from the poker playing griffons - as it was common knowledge that most griffon’s didn't like having their wings touched. Watching him very closely, Moonbeak evaluated his preening skills, which to her very great surprise was more than satisfactory.

Delicately, Brightstar licked and caressed the dark grey feathers long after the semen was cleaned from them.

“Wow…” Blossomseed breathed in Forge’s embrace, her hoof clopping away at her marehood.

“Wow...” Selene gasped, two taloned fingers sawing in and out of herself.

“MmmMMmmm!” Moonbeak nodded and moaned, her beak half open as Brightstar took a dark grey primary in his mouth and sucks it straight, dragging his tongue gently along the leading edge, cleaning off the few feather mites he found there in the process.

Blossomseed and Selene both orgasmed at the same time, one wetting behind the bar while the other soaked the pad she was seated on.

With her wings flared, Moonbeak waited patiently until Brightstar was done. When he was, which wasn’t long, he scooted back around the table and resumed his position sitting on the floor. Smiling a very, very wide smile, Moonbeak lifted her glass in the cleaned claw half way towards him. “До дна!”

Getting it right this time, Brightstar magically lifted his glass up to meet hers. “До дна!”

In one smooth gulp, Moonbeak downed her glass of vodka. “You may have the honour of walking me home.”

Likewise, Brightstar swallowed his Dalwhinny, though now he thought it tasted better mixed with the taste of griffon, “thank you Mistress.” Standing to his hooves, he bowed low in order for her to get on his back.

“Проверишь его выносливость?” Selene asked as she licked her talons clean of her juices.

“Возможно.” Moonbeak replied before looking incredulously at the bowing stallion. “What in Equestria are you doing?”

“Giving my Mistress a ride to her home,” Brightstar replied, his muzzle pressed to the hardwood floor. “If it pleases her, that is.”

With a gale of laughter from the other griffons, Moonbeak frowned. “It does not.” She said firmly. “To walk me home is to escort me. Your back is very narrow and looks quite bony and uncomfortable.”

Blushing, Brightstar stood up. “As you wish.”

“Get him a saddle Moonbeak,” Forge called as he hugged a now happily snoozing Blossomseed, “then you can ride him around Horsehead Square all day long.”

Passing by their table, Moonbeak winked at the orange stallion. “We haven't advanced to the riding part. See you tomorrow Selene.”

Behind the bar, Selene prepped Brass Knuckles another pint. “See ya, sugar.”

Smiling, and with a nod from his griffon, Brightstar obediently lit his horn and held open the door for her to leave ahead of him.

Outside the Twisted Tail pub, Moonbeak waited in the harsh glare of a lit street light for the royal blue unicorn to catch her up, seeing as she had left ahead of him. When he was alongside her, she stopped him with a claw to his chest. “Why are you here, Brightstar?” She asked simply.

Brightstar blinked once then twice. “Because…because I want to be with you, since the first moment I saw you in the pit lane of the stadium.”

“Hmph…” Moonbeak snorted through her nostrils as they began to walk again, the griffon leading the way along the sidewalk back to her house. “What do ponies know about griffons anyways?” She asked over her shoulder.

Brightstar grinned, “you'd be surprised what this pony knows about griffons.”

“I'd be surprised if that pony knows anything.” Moonbeak retorted. While she found this unicorn cute and very easy on the eyes, she was deeply apprehensive and mistrusting. She decided to see how far she could test him on the short walk home to her treehouse.

Brightstar chuckled, making sure to stay a pace behind the dominant griffon as they walked along. “Well, according to Stormclaw Academy, which was named after the first Queen – Aureli Stormclaw who was joined to King Grover the first, the first King to successfully unite the warring tribes with the Idol of Boreas and create Griffonstone seven hundred years ago, I know quite a bit.”

Hearing that, Moonbeak actually turned her head to look disbelievingly at the young unicorn. “Stormclaw is a very prestigious institution, and they don't take ponies.” She said, instantly mistrusting him and suspecting him of lying. “Raid said you went to university at Canterlot.”

“Yes it is,” Brightstar agreed straight away. “And normally no, they don't, but while I was at university in Canterlot, two years ago when I was seventeen, there was a cultural exchange going on. I was volunteered to take part as I was on a hardship grant to pay for my classes.”

“Volunteered,” Moonbeak caught on to the key word immediately, “so you didn't want to go.”

“Oh Luna no, not at first.” The royal blue unicorn smiled at the memory. “I hated it. Then after the first month or so I started to learn the language. Attitudes changed towards me after that.”

“Weren't you afraid you'd be eaten?”

Brightstar’s smile became a long loud laugh, that drew the attention of a few passers-by as they walked from one street light to the next. “Of course I was, but you can get brutally attacked anywhere, trust me I know, so I kept my head down, learned Griffonian and after the mandatory one semester was done I stayed for a second.”

‘You stayed for a second?’ Moonbeak was quietly impressed with this pony. Stormclaw Academy wouldn’t just let anypony stay for a second term if they weren’t worth it. “Some griff attract your eye?”

With a bright blush that could be clearly seen in the moonlight, Brightstar nodded. “The aah…the teacher was very cute.”

At that, Moonbeak made an odd snorting like noise as she exhaled sharply through her nostrils. “Why me?”

Again Brightstar blinked as he considered his answer. “You're a beauty, and I liked the way you bossed Raid about in the photoshoots.” He smiled, recalling the few times the dominant griffon had taken control of his lime green friend. “Then you became beautiful and sexy.”

“Beautiful?” She asked with an arched eyebrow.

The unicorn nodded solemnly. “Словно восходящая луна в ночном небе, прекрасная и очаровательная.”

Moonbeak shrugged. Goldcrest had used these words, and more besides, and look where she was now. She had no need of fancy words. “You use fancy words that say nothing.”

“That's Canterlot for you.” Brightstar smiled then chuckled, “but yes, Moonbeak. I find you very beautiful.”

“And you say nothing as well in Equestrian.” She remarked somewhat coldly.

“What more can I say?” Brightstar pleaded desperately. Despite how well it had gone in the pub, he couldn’t help but feel he was losing his case out here. “You are an attractive griffon. I fell in love with you the moment I saw you. I love how strong and commanding you are, but most of all love your eyes.” He walked alongside her and nudged her gently to stop, which she obligingly did. Looking into her emerald green eyes he smiled. “The greenest green I've seen, and looking into them I can see you've lived.”

‘Oh sweet Luna those eyes…’ Moonbeak almost swooned into those beautiful yellow eyes, before she hitched up her walls, her shields firmly in place once more. “Pfft, so we get down to it.” She said derisively, “like your teacher, you only like me because I'm old.”

“No,” Brightstar started indignantly, “no, not at all, I love you because you're you. Age doesn't concern me in the slightest.” Taking a deep breath as they walked, he carried on, “I really liked how dominant and aggressive you were in the pub too. That was…that was something else.”

Turning her attention back to the sidewalk ahead of her, she replied, “your inexperience was like a beacon.”

“Was it that obvious I've never subbed before?” Brightstar asked as he chuckled nervously. “I'd very much like the chance to do it again, though.”

“Would you, pony?” Inwardly Moonbeak was performing somersaults and backflips. Outwardly she tried to reinforce her aspect of supreme indifference. “You said you liked my fat belly too.”

“I would,” Brightstar nodded, wondering what in Equestria he had to do to get through this sexy griffon’s barriers. “But, I would ask you not to refer to yourself like that. You're pregnant, not fat. And that is sexy too.” He said genuinely.

Moonbeak stopped completely, scrutinising this pony as if for the very first time. “So, you like them pregnant?” She asked harshly, before continuing, “then again I have a kitten at home. Is it me or my kitten you really want?” She asked with a sneer, at once determined to push him and to protect her kitten.

“What!?” Brightstar paused so suddenly he almost tripped up on the sidewalk. “No!” Indignantly he stomped his hoof firmly into the pavement. “I want you for you! I'd never ever do anything to hurt your kitten!”

She held his gaze a few seconds longer before smiling and continuing walking along her way. “I believe you. So, pony, you swing both ways? You say you love me, what of my kitten's father?”

“As it happens, no I don't.” Brightstar replied shortly, his hackles still up from the insinuation that he’d interfere with a foal…‘no, kitten…ugh, whatever!’ he thought angrily, then he told himself she was the mother, she had to be sure, didn’t she? “I assumed you were single as you've never mentioned the father.”

‘No, because Goldcrest is none of your business, pony…’ Moonbeak thought, although her shields had come down a little with his assurance he wasn’t after Athena. “You might look good in grey,” she snickered, “were the griffons at Stormclaw so open to you that they gave their life's story?”

“Hmm…” Brightstar thought, “maybe I would...” he blushed intensely as he realised he’d just thought that out loud. “Um, I mean ahh...no, no they didn't.”

“But you have my life story and I told you nothing till today.” Moonbeak continued with an amused smirk on her beak. “What made you think I was single at the photoshoots? The fact I only shot you with a camera?” She asked in a demanding tone of voice as they turned onto a very large square, a wooded area, and there were wooden houses both around the trees at ground level and up off the ground.

“Oh...oooh now these are cool!” Brightstar took a moment to look at and admire the houses. They were treehouses yes, but to dismiss them as just treehouses was to do them a disservice. These were not a foal’s plaything, these were as well constructed and sturdily built as any house he’d ever seen. “Well...” he said presently, turning his attention back to the pregnant griffon, “you've been with someone, there's a groove on the ring talon of your left claw that says you wore a joining ring for a long time, but not anymore.”

Moonbeak shot him a severe look that made him shrink back a little step. “A detective pony.” She said, spitting the words from her beak, then she sighed, her shoulders slumping. “If I had a job were it wasn't safe to wear a ring I could shrug that off, but photography is a ring friendly job…” suddenly her emerald green eyes misted up, threatening tears. “I shouldn't have took it off...”

“I’m an observant pony, that's all.” Brightstar corrected her as he offered what he hoped was a sympathetic smile. “Um…from my cultural studies I know there's only two instances where it’s permissible to remove a joining ring. Where your life-oaths were cast aside, or um...or the partner dies.” He went silent for but a moment, “forgive me Moonbeak, I didn't want to pry.”

“You pry like a talon!” Moonbeak snapped, hastily wiping dry her glistening eyes with a loud sniff. “He was murdered saving us from…” just as suddenly she stopped, cutting short her explanation and saving it. She’d already revealed far more than she’d intended to this quickly. “And this is my home. Can you teleport?”

Brightstar looked up at the treehouse – tree mansion would be a better term, it looked like two very large hexagons joined together end to end and built around four huge oak trees on a single level, reminding him of a cloudhouse except it was made from expertly crafted wood rather than cloudlets. “I can teleport that far, yes.”

“Someday I'll have to invite you up, but not today.” Moonbeak nodded. “I'm doing a photoshoot at Celestial Park at ten a.m. tomorrow. Be there.” She said commandingly.

“Count on it.” Brightstar replied, already making a mental note to be there early at nine forty five. “Are you open to hugs?”

“Not yet.” She lifted her left claw. “You may kiss a talon.”

Smiling, Brightstar placed a very gentle tender kiss on the tip pf the extended index talon. “I had a most pleasant evening tonight. Thank you, Moonbeak.”

“Tomorrow.” With that, Moonbeak spread her wings and flew up to her perch and entered her impressive treehouse without a backwards glance, leaving the love struck unicorn stallion to make his way back to the hostel where he was staying.

Chapter 2 - Love's Bindings

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The next day promised to be a very good one, if the mid-morning weather was anything to go by. The bright sunshine shone through the branches and leaves of a cedar tree that overhung a wrought iron bench that had probably been there in the Celestial Park since Princess Luna’s banishment it was so old. The lone occupant of the bench sighed happily, and placed his royal blue forelegs behind his head and closed his yellow eyes against the dappled sunlight.

The teenage unicorn stallion had been sat on this particular bench for the past hour since his arrival in the park at nine a.m. While it wasn’t the warmest of mornings, it was at least better in the park than it was at The Wandering Pony hostel where he had been staying. Indeed, Brightstar assumed the minotaur that ran the place had taken attitude lessons straight from Nightmare Moon herself. ‘Heh…she’s old enough…’ he thought with a laugh. ‘Moonbeak said to be here for ten, I wonder if she’ll be on time, or what she has in mind?’ Thinking about the possibilities made his sheath twitch.

Brightstar didn’t have to think about it for very long however, as five minutes later on the second chime of ten according to the clock tower that rose from the centre of a nearby water fountain, Moonbeak pulled up in her white transit van and parked at the sidewalk next to where the pony was sitting. The griffon stuck her head out of the open window. “Did you sleep on that bench?”

Hearing her shrill voice, Brightstar got up from the old bench and bid a silent farewell to the spider that had been his companion for the past hour. Smiling, he approached the van with a stretch of his legs. “I believe the bench would've been more comfortable than where I did sleep.” He inclined his head in a polite bow. “Good morning to you, Moonbeak.”

Returning the nod, Moonbeak got out of her van and, walking around to the back she opened up both doors. “We are shooting over there by the water fountain. You didn't say where you were staying, though I didn't ask.” With that the pregnant griffon began moving her equipment from the van to the sidewalk. Athena, her little one and a half year old kitten, was awake and watching from her car seat.

“For now, I have a room at the Wandering Pony hostel not far from the Twisted Tail.” Brightstar replied and smile at Athena in her seat. “Your kitten is cute.”

Moonbeak shrugged her grey shoulders. “It is how kittens survive.” She carried a metal case holding her camera from the van. “Unless this is too heavy for you, you may help.” Removing her tripod next she placed it a few feet away from the clock tower fountain.

“Of course,” Brightstar, very eager to impress his potential mate, smiled. “What do you want moving, and where do you want it?”

Moonbeak, absorbed with her task of checking her spare battery packs for sufficient charge, pointed a clawed hand without looking up. “If it isn't part of the van, over there where I put my tripod.”

“You got it!” Brightstar lit his horn and in his bright yellow aura lifted up two of the containers. Happy he was doing a good job, Moonbeak left the rest of the moving out to the royal blue unicorn. Odd times she would glance up and note that everything was stacked nearby to her in neat lines and numerical order. Idly while she was setting up she wondered if it was an OCD thing.

“Almost done, Moonbeak!” Brightstar called out when there was just three containers remaining. The white headed griffon nodded appreciatively, wearing a very pleased look on her face as she was at least half an hour ahead of her normal set up schedule. The royal blue unicorn floated over the last three containers. “There you go.” He cast a look back at the van and saw Athena watching him intently. “Your kitten looks bored. Does she like jugglers?”

Putting her camera down, Moonbeak looked around and found she couldn’t see Athena on the grass. “Did my van have some sort of griffon hood ornament?”

“Um, no, not that I noticed,” Brightstar answered, confused.

Moonbeak rolled her emerald green eyes. “What part of 'if it isn't part of the van' did you fail to understand?”

“Ah…” Brightstar blushed a very bright red. “I’ll be right back.” Quickly he scooted over to the van where the little white feathered brown furred kitten reached out to him with tiny grasping claws. “Hey little one, wanna pony ride?” He asked as with his magic he unclipped the straps of the car seat and levitated the little kitten up. She gurgled happily at the sensation and Moonbeak watched him like a hawk out of the corner of her eye as Brightstar floated Athena to his back and, using his magic like a magnet, kept her in place as he pranced over. “Your most important package, Ma'am.”

Moonbeak looked nonplussed. “Did you forget something, pony?”

“Ah…oops, I ah, do apologise…” Brightstar lit his horn an even brighter yellow as he layered another spell on top of the one he had already cast and levitated over the car seat that Athena had been sat in from the van.

Moonbeak simply shook her head at his perceived foalishness. “When no-one can carry her, she is comfortable in the seat. She likes to play on the grass.” As the photographer said that, right on time, two unicorns – a yellow stallion and a sky blue mare - entered the Celestial Park and walked up to the griffon, whereupon they started talking shop. The stallion was asking about backgrounds whilst the mare was taking notes.

Her attention diverted by the arrival of the two ponies, Moonbeak pulled out a contract and began to make last minute pen and ink changes as they talked, the yellow stallion signed it with a smile and Brightstar very gently set Athena down from his back in the grass next to him and sat down with her.

Freed from the strange pony’s back, Athena rolled onto her belly and spent a few moments clawing around in the grass, content to pull up some blades and tossing them in the air. When the little kitten found a worm, she immediately picked it up in her talons and popped the wriggling juicy treat in her beak and snapped it shut. Brightstar chuckled at her antics. “You are a cutie!” An idea came to him and he used his illusion magic to create a little ball of energy and rolled it to her to play with.

Distracted by the new shiny thing, Athena tried to crawl on it and bite it. Three mares then entered the park, a fuchsia unicorn, a teal pegasus and an orange earth pony, all dressed in fetish gear straight from the local Mi Amore Cadenza store. The orange earth pony mare was happy to meet Moonbeak and after a hug that lasted a few moments the griffon led the three over to where Athena and Brightstar were playing.

“Taste nice, little one?” Brightstar asked with a smile as she found a second worm and snacked on that one too.

“This is my kitten sitter, Brightstar.” Moonbeak led off and the earth pony got down low on the ground to nuzzle Athena who recognised her and reared up to hug her.

The fuchsia unicorn grinned. “Don't know how you can find time to work and have a family, Moony.”

The teal pegasus smiled down at the little kitten. “She is a cute one alright.” She then nudged the unicorn, “so is the sitter.”

Brightstar looked up at the three ponies and bowed his head in greeting. “Hello to you all,” he said politely, “I must say I like your outfits.”

The moment she heard the royal blue stallion’s Canterlot accent the earth pony laughed out loud and gave Moonbeak a wink. “How far did you have to go to find a sitter?”

“Nobility doesn't usually 'sit',” the unicorn teased, her Fillydelphian accent jarring completely with Brightstar’s own.

The pegasus giggled like a gossiping filly. “I wonder if the kitten is the only griffon being sat?”

Brightstar smiled an easy smile and giggled at the fuchsia unicorn. “I assure you Miss, I'm not nobility.”

“Ah…that is information you might or might not find out.” Moonbeak blushed a faint red blush. “The light is right,” she changed the subject, determined to get the conversation back to where she was comfortable. Work. Work was easy. Work she could do without having to think about it too much. Brightstar…well he was complicated – a good complicated, but complicated nonetheless. “Let's get started. Photogenic, were you briefed on the changes?”

Photogenic, the fuchsia unicorn, replied. “Yeah, no big deal, right Tulip?”

Tulip, the orange earth pony, stood and playfully fussed with her purple mane. “I'm not paying for getting my mane fixed, so I'm good with it.”

With that the four walked off to the clock tower water fountain, while the unicorn stallion and the mare that had made the alterations to the contract were stood behind Moonbeak's camera. Naturally, Brightstar was very curious as to what was going on, but he kept up the ball spell for Athena to play with. ‘Kitten sitter…’ he grinned, ‘I like that. I like that a lot.’

The three fetish mares took their cue and gathered around the water fountain and Moonbeak was the professional behind the camera. She took many photos as the three interacted playfully. The unicorn mare behind the camera used her magic to make the water fountain spray higher and farther than it otherwise would have, making sure that the three mares got very wet.

‘Cool trick…’ Brightstar thought with a smile and went back to kitten sitting, creating a second ball with his magic. Athena however was distracted by another worm she had dug up, which she promptly ate. Then the little kitten was uncertain what to do as she looked curiously at both balls. Smiling, Brightstar gently rolled the ball slowly between his hooves then he rolled it over to her.

At the fountain the three mares played with each other in the water that sparkled in the morning sunlight. There was no 'sexual' contact per se, but the poses they were making were very sensual and suggestive. While he was playing ball with the very cute bundle of white feathers and brown fur that was Athena, Brightstar would look up every so often and spare the mares a glance. ‘Very nice, ladies,’ he smiled and once again turned his attention to the kitten. ‘I wonder if you like fireworks.’ Leaning down close to the grass, he shot a couple of multi coloured sparks from his horn.

Athena, who immediately saw the bright green and red and yellow sparks, forgot about the two balls and crawled over to Brightstar’s head and reared up, reaching for the pretty spark emitter with her tiny claws. “You like sparks, cutie?” He asked with a smile at her uncoordinated attempts to grasp his horn, and he cancels the spells that maintained the balls, vanishing them with a little ‘pop’ sound.

Immediately Athena noticed the balls disappear. “Ba! Ba!” She cried, wondering where her toys had gone.

Brightstar giggled and, before the confused little kitten could cry, lit his horn and cast the illusion again, creating a third ball. “Here you go!” He nudged the bright red sparkly creation over to her.

“BA!” Athena cried joyously and pounced it. As she made contact, Brightstar added a layer to the spell so that every time she hit it the ball changed colour. Now it was bright blue. Athena, completely distracted by the new toy, whiled away the thirty minutes that the photo shoot took up by seeing what colour the ball would change next.

“It looks like Mommy's all done little one.” Brightstar thought out loud as he saw the unicorn stallion step out from behind the camera and collect the fetish gear from the three mares, leaving them to dry themselves on the grass in the warm late morning sunshine. The unicorn mare behind the camera finalised everything with the pregnant griffon before following the stallion out of the park. As they dried, the unicorn and pegasus model chatted for a short time before they too took their leave. Once everything was taken care of, Moonbeak and the earth pony mare came over to where Brightstar and Athena were playing. The royal blue stallion smiled at their approach. “Did you have a good shoot?”

“Mama!” Athena saw her mother coming and immediately threw up her arms.

“You have fun?” Moonbeak asked as she picked her up and gave her an affectionate nuzzle.

The orange earth pony mare snickered. “Should have with the royal sitter.”

At that, Moonbeak let out a rather girly giggle. “This is Tulip.” She introduced the earth pony, and Tulip duly performed a slight bow.

Brightstar chuckled, “I'm pleased to meet you, Miss Tulip.” He held out his hoof for a bump of greeting, which the model quickly returned. “We had a lot of fun.”

Tulip shot her friend a suspicious look, knowing as she did of her recent bereavement from her husband, and what had happened to Goldcrest. “Moony I'm a bit surpri...”

Moonbeak swiftly cut across her friend before she could finish her sentence. “He did a fine job. My only fear is Athena will pick up his accent.”

Tulip paused at that, giving a forced little giggle. “Of course Moony, but there are worse things.”

“Thank you Moonbeak, she's a well behaved little kitten.” Brightstar nodded and smiled up at Tulip, wholly missing the interaction between the two. “There certainly are worse things to pick up in Canterlot.”

“If Moony found you then it can't be all bad.” Tulip commented, returning the stallion’s smile.

“Remains to be seen,” Moonbeak replied, stroking her kitten’s cheek with a clawed finger, “but he listens well.”

Tulip smiled, aware of her friend’s idea of ‘fun’. “Makes them easier to train.” The orange mare put her forehoof on Moonbeak's shoulder. “You going to be okay?” She asked gently. In response Moonbeak glared at her, making the earth pony laugh. “Use that stare on him. It might just work.”

Softening up her look, Moonbeak sighed. She knew her friend only meant well. “I'll be fine, Tulip, thank you.”

Brightstar smiled as she nodded and walked off into the park. “Would you like some assistance packing your things away?” He asked helpfully.

“Let me pack my cameras while you play with her,” Moonbeak nodded, “and then you can see if you remember where things go in the van.” She nuzzled and cooed Athena’s belly fur and set her down in the grass.

“Alrighty.” The royal blue stallion smiled at Athena who was looking at him expectantly. “Athena, want another ball?”

“Ba!”

Grinning, he lit his horn and cast the minor illusion spell that creates the magic colour changing ball. “Here's your ball!”

While they played, Moonbeak was quick to put every piece of her camera equipment back in their respective cases, and with everything stacked neatly on the grass she came walking back over to where Brightstar was playing ball with her kitten. “I see magic does have its uses.” Without another word, Moonbeak got down on the grass to play with Athena, rolling the magical ball to her.

It was but a moment later that Brightstar realised this was his cue, and he glanced over to where the packed cases were waiting on the sidewalk to be packed away. Getting up, he trotted over the grass past the bench he had been sat on to the cases and, fully appreciating the value of some of the equipment – he knew some of this stuff could range into the high thousands of bits - starts to very carefully levitate them back into the van in their exact positions they were in before.

With the time approaching eleven in the a.m., Brightstar trotted back over once his appointed task had been completed. “That’s everything back in the van, Moonbeak.”

Moonbeak looked up from her little game of ball. “Thank you.” She said simply and stood, taking Athena in her arms to the van. Quickly she made sure the car seat was secured in place and then she secures Athena in it. “Can I treat you to lunch?”

“It was my pleasure…” Brightstar started but was interrupted by his rumbling belly. “Now you mention it, lunch would be amazing, thank you.” ‘And bound to be tastier than what the Wandering Pony’s kitchen can produce…’ he thought quietly to himself. His only concern was bits at this point.

“No recent missing relatives?” She asked as she got in the driver’s seat.

Brightstar got in the passenger side and shook his head. “None that I'm aware of.”

“Good,” Moonbeak’s beak twisted up into a smile. “It's bad form to feed a pony a blood relative.” She giggled and floored the gas, driving off down the street.

The royal blue stallion laughed at that. “So your shoot went well?”

“Yes.” Moonbeak nodded. “They agreed to a water damage rider, but the unicorn was good with the fountain. I get picked for a lot of shoots because I don't mind last minute changes. Wouldn't think that would you?”

“Well,” Brightstar considered his reply. “I admit I don't know a lot about your business, but I imagine it pays to be as flexible as you can. That way they come back to you.”

Moonbeak laughed at that. “I'm sure you found the griffons in the kingdom very flexible.”

“Hmm…they were okay, once they started talking that is,” Brightstar laughed as he recalled his time spent in Griffonstone. “It helped that I went out of my way and learnt the language.”

“You too seem flexible.” Moonbeak commented as she drove through an intersection that Brightstar thought he recognised. “Athena had fun. Better than being stuck in a car seat.”

“Oh, that, well as it happens I have a tiny bit of experience looking after foals,” Brightstar explained, glossing over the whole ‘Cyclone wearing nappies and acting like a foal thing’. After all, that was a fourth date kind of revelation. “And Athena loved playing ball with me.”

“You didn't panic when she ate those worms.” The pregnant griffon observed, “Did they try to gross you out in the kingdom?”

“Oh Luna above, yes!” Brightstar laughed out loud. “At Stormclaw Academy I had the whole raw bloody meat hazing thing in the cafeteria for a good week or so, they thought it was funny to serve the pony meat. I shut them right up when I ate it.”

“Impressive.” Moonbeak, Brightstar noted, actually did sound impressed. “I have pony food for my friends.”

“Thank you,” he grinned. “Steak Tartare and Carne Apache are often served in Canterlot restaurants.”

Moonbeak actually glanced across at the royal blue stallion for a split second as she drove, to see if he was joking with her. “I thought you ponies gave cows equal rights.”

“Canterlot is...different to the rest of Equestria.” Brightstar led off, debating internally with himself just how much to share at this early juncture. “My ah, my mum used to take my sister and I to the upmarket restaurants as a treat until she uh, she wasn't able to, anymore.” He said, rather glossing over the exact reasons as to why his mum couldn’t take them anywhere anymore. That was definitely sixth date stuff.

“I find all ponies strange,” Moonbeak said as she pulled her van into Horsehead Square. “But, I like strange.”

“Then I have never been more happy to be strange.”

A few moments later Moonbeak turned her van into the Big Tree neighbourhood of Horsehead Square, and after passing two large treehouses the griffon pulled into the carport located behind her tree that Brightstar hadn’t noticed in the dark of the previous night. “My storage area and darkroom are at the base.” Moonbeak pointed with a clawed finger. “Once everything is put away we can go up in the house proper and I'll make lunch.”

“That sounds like a plan, Miss Moonbeak.” Brightstar smiled as they both exited the van. “May I please be of assistance?”

‘So very polite…I like you but, we’ll see.’ Moonbeak thought to herself with a satisfied smile. “You may. You do carry things quite well.” She marched up to the door of her storage / darkroom, disguised to look like part of the tree. Indeed, if you didn’t know there was a door there you wouldn’t know. When she began putting her stuff away in the tree the unicorn could see it was very well organized and extremely high end.

“Thank you, Miss.” Brightstar lit his horn and with a series of simple levitations he used his magic to help the griffon put the camera equipment away. “Well organised, I see.”

“Order guarantees success.” Moonbeak commented once the things had been put away and the wooden door securely closed.

“I like order.” Brightstar smiled. ‘My OCD likes order anyway…and that tree door is uncanny, it’s so well disguised!’ He trotted back to the van. “When you cast a lot of illusions, order helps to ground you in reality.”

“I cast very few illusions.” Moonbeak replied nonchalantly as she retrieved her little kitten from the car seat and she put her on her back. When she felt Athena’s little claws dig in to her fur she took off and flew around the tree to the entrance.

Brightstar followed her around to the front of the treehouse and before common sense could stop him said aloud, “you certainly cast a spell on me.”

Hovering in place just next to her front door, Moonbeak performed an exaggerated roll of her emerald green eyes so that the stallion below her could see. ‘Oh by Grover’s Talon he’s so adorable!’ Shaking her head though she flew through her door and left it open.

Chuckling at the picture perfect eye roll he had just been given, Brightstar saw that there was in fact no stairs leading up to the large expansive treehouse that was built around the three huge oak trees. The only way up was flight or magic. Gathering himself he lit his horn and concentrated very hard. Disappearing in a flash of yellow light he reappeared an instant later perched on the doorstep. Straight away he saw an area of the living room marked off with toys for Athena. Moving through the treehouse he saw everything was natural wood and the room was well appointed like a Canterlot home. Athena was already in the play area.

Brightstar took a brief moment to collect himself and make sure he was all there after the teleportation. It wasn’t that he was scared of teleporting, he just preferred not to. Splicing hurt. “Wow...” he whistled appreciatively, “very nice house Miss Moonbeak.”

Moonbeak’s shrill voice sounded from the kitchen at the end of the treehouse. “I enjoy it. Make yourself at home. Lunch will be about ten minutes.”

“Uh huh,” Brightstar murmured as he walked around. He saw a hallway leading off to one side of the treehouse, he assumed the bathroom and bedrooms were down there. “So...you had this built around the oak trees? I love it!”

“A dead tree is a useless tree.” Moonbeak commented from the kitchen, accompanied by the delicious smell of grilling fish.

“But I do love how the design works with the trees.” Brightstar commented as he looked around. The large round circular rooms looked for all intents and purposes like extensions of the trees they were built around. “Did you design it?”

“No, an earth pony architect from Manehatten did it. Flank Wright his name was.”

“Well he did a great job.” Brightstar sat on the couch in the living room and was very pleased to discover it was a soft and comfortable as it looked. “Aaah…” he sighed in comfort.

Alas, the ten minutes passed by all too quickly, and Moonbeak walked in to collect Athena for lunch. “We will eat in the dining room.”

“Yes Miss,” very reluctantly the royal blue stallion got up from the world’s comfiest couch and followed the pregnant griffon through the treehouse to the dining room. The unicorn paused upon entering the dining room. On the large slab of smoothly sanded and lacquered wood that was the dining table were arranged three substantial wooden platters each filled with various grilled veggies, bread & butter and grilled sardines respectively. Two glasses of white wine completed the delicious looking meal. “Something else to drink?” Moonbeak asked as she placed Athena in her high chair.

“Oh no Miss,” Brightstar waved his hoof dismissively, “white wine is perfect, thank you.”

Moonbeak sat and poured the white wine, indicating Brightstar to sit as well. As he did so she poured Athena a beaker of water. “Eat what you like.” She put a generous helping of grilled veggies and fish on Athena's plate as well as a serving of everything on hers.

“I thank you Miss, for this lunch.” Having not eaten at all that day, Brightstar eagerly levitated over a small mound of the bread and the sardines.

Moonbeak ate a sardine, her sharp beak viciously snapping the fish in two. “What are you looking for, Brightstar?” She asked unexpectedly while her kitten messily laid into her own fish.

“Love,” Brightstar replied quickly once he had swallowed the mouthful of bread and fishes he had been chewing. “But I'm not looking, I found it already.”

‘Bless him, he’s cute!’ Moonbeak smiled back at the young stallion. “There,” she pointed a clawed finger at Athena, “is half my life. Do you know where the other half is?”

“I'd expect no less, Miss.” Brightstar chewed some more fish and took a sip of his white wine as he considered his answer. “You mentioned last night he was no longer with you.”

“Ha!” Moonbeak barked out a shrill laugh. “Little do you know.” She rubbed a clawed hand lovingly over her very pregnant belly. When she spoke next her tone was considerably softer. “The other half is in here. Why should I make each of them give up one sixth to you?”

Brightstar didn’t need to think of his answer. “Because I love you, Miss Moonbeak.” The royal blue stallion answered honestly. “I'd stay here for you all.”

“Love is pain and sorrow.” Moonbeak’s emerald green eyes met his yellow ones. “Do you want me to share that with you?”

“Of course.” Brightstar nodded. “As I would wish to share mine with you, then we become stronger with the sharing.”

“I will give you a chance.” Moonbeak smiled and snapped at a couple of sardines. “You did very well yesterday, and again today. Athena likes you. Your magic is also useful. What is it you do other than chase griffons?”

“Thank you.” He smiled and ate a slice of bread with a grilled sardine. “I have just graduated Canterlot University. I'm fluent in Zebran, Griffonian, and a few other languages including Minotaur, and I'm good at illusion spells.”

“You want to be an ambassador?”

“Hmm, that was my first idea when I went to University, yes.” Brightstar replied with a sip of his wine. “And you? Did you always want to be a photographer?”

“Yes, from a very young age.” Moonbeak replied with a proud smile. “I'm learning to paint also.”

“Oh really?” Brightstar looked up, very interested at that. “What things have you photographed?”

“Mostly individuals. Griffons, ponies, dragons, and others.” Moonbeak answered, “Now I mostly do fashion and magazine covers.”

“If you ever wanted to photograph landscapes, you don't get much better than the views from Canterlot Mountain.”

Moonbeak laughed her high shrill laugh. “After the eyries of the Griffonstone Mountains you think of Canterlot.”

“What can I say?” Brightstar laughed, “home is home. I'm due back soon to visit my mum, I'd rather do it with you.”

“A little soon to introduce me to your mother.” Moonbeak commented shortly.

‘I’d rather not do it at all, but you deserve to know,’ Brightstar thought as his smile fell from his face and he looked down at the table. “Yeah, you have a point.”

Moonbeak immediately caught the change in the stallion’s demeanour. Instantly she regretted what she had said. “Stay the night with me.” She reached her claw over the table and squeezed his hoof. “I miss the warmth beside me.”

Brightstar perked up straight away and smiled a wide smile. “Anything for you, Miss.”

Moonbeak gave his hoof another tender squeeze. “After lunch, when Athena takes her nap, we can share interests. I liked the sharing yesterday.”

“As did I, Miss.” Brightstar grinned broadly, recalling all too well the events of the previous night at the Twisted Tail. “The sharing was a lot of fun.”

Moonbeak decided to change tack. “You do any photography at that university of yours?” She asked curiously as Athena’s eyes began to droop in her high chair. She could tell her kitten wasn’t far away from her appointed nap.

“A little,” and when Brightstar said a little, he meant it. “I contributed to the university paper.”

“Oh, I remember those days.” The pregnant griffon giggled, watching Athena comically nod her head. She estimated another ten minutes before she was out face first in her three quarters empty plate. “Blurry pictures of moving trees.”

Brightstar laughed, making Athena jerk her eyes open before she closed them again. “That's right. The one thing Canterlot does rather well is scenery.”

Just before her kitten’s face hit her plate, Moonbeak slid from her seating pad and caught her daughter in her arms. The little kitten murmured once before she curled up and pulled her brown wing around her. “While Athena naps I get my work done.” She whispered, carrying her through to her crib and flicking on the monitor. “Join me in my darkroom, I have etchings to show you.” She said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

“Indeed?” Brightstar smiled as he too stood up. “Then, I would be only too pleased to see your etchings.”

Wafting her long grey leonine tail under the royal blue stallion’s nose, Moonbeak walked past him and out of the open front door and flew around to the carport.

Walking out to the ‘doorstep’, Brightstar looked down at the street a good forty feet below him. He knew the only way down was the way he got up. Gathering his concentration, the young stallion teleported himself down to the ground in a bright flash of yellow magic. “I'm all here!” He exclaimed gleefully as he checked himself over.

Moonbeak paused at the hidden door to her darkroom. “What would happen if you left your horn behind?”

Brightstar flinched involuntarily. “It is called splicing, leaving behind a body part.” He could easily recall the magic classes at the university, when Professor Sinistra had had to summon several of the nurses to attend the results of the inexperienced teleportation accidents. Thankfully nopony had died, though there was one poor mare who needed a wheelchair ever afterwards. “It would be immensely painful, and I would doubtless embarrass myself by passing out.”

Bowing her head, Moonbeak looked under the stallion, inspecting his sheath closely and breathing in his rose scent. “Seems you didn't leave it behind.”

“Aaah,” he gave a somewhat embarrassed chuckle. “That horn I can't live without, I'm afraid.”

Using a hidden keypad, Moonbeak opened the disguised door. “You have your priorities.”

“Indeed so Miss.” He stood aside politely, “after you, please.”

With all the camera equipment lining one side, there wasn’t an awful lot of room in the base of the largest oak tree that made up the darkroom. Even less when Moonbeak closed the door behind them. On the back wall were arrayed a variety of developing fluids next to some rolls of film in a bin. Brightstar had a look around the well-ordered workspace and smiled as he saw the computer and printer. “You have digital equipment, I see.”

“Yes,” Moonbeak nodded, “a lot of my commercial work is digital. High end customers will pay for real film, and then I do real film for my own self sanity.”

“Hmm…digital is still a rarity in Canterlot,” Brightstar commented, “then again they still have gas street lights.”

Moonbeak turned to hold the young pony in her steely gaze. “Old doesn't mean useless, but it does take a lot more maintenance. Things looked a lot different in Filly when they used gas, I find the electric lighting is so harsh, then that gives you yet another look.”

“I understand.” Brightstar smiled and saw an opportunity for one of Slingshot’s pickup lines. “Myself I prefer the older methods, I'm quite prepared to maintain you...” his yellow eyes shrunk in horror when he realised he had messed up the line. Badly. “Ah, I mean, um, them.”

“Smooth compliment.” Moonbeak rolled her eyes sarcastically and held her belly as the kitten gave her a kick. “I'll have to beat you with my walker.”

Brightstar chuckled, “please forgive my lines, they are as smooth as a cobbled road.”

“Yes,” she giggled, “you win many points for bringing up my aged status of an elder statesgriffon.” ‘He does make me laugh though, and I don’t feel thirty when I’m around him.’

“A beauty of a statesgriffon, I might add.” The royal blue unicorn said quickly, eager to make up for his earlier slip.

Moonbeak snorted out a shrill laugh. “I warn you though I am high maintenance.” With that she proceeded to turn on the computer, the printer and she plugged in the camera from the photo shoot.

“As all ladies should be.” Brightstar said with a perky little smile. “I assure you I can accommodate your every whim, my lady!”

“Bold words, pony.” Smiling to herself, she printed out a proof sheet, and clawed it over to the unicorn along with a photographic magnifying glass. “Pick four for me to toss and four I must keep.”

“Indeed they are, then fortune favours the bold.” Using his yellow magic, he took the shot glass shaped magnifying glass and the sheet of photos. “Hmmm...” he looked at each of the eight pictures for a good long time, fully aware he was being given a test of his honest opinion. He looked them over for a last time. “Well, going on subject content, background...I'd say toss these.” He highlighted the pictures with a few passers-by bombing the photos in the background.

But for two of the pictures, it was the three mares in a variety of poses, states of wetness, and some with 'photo bombers' and the two other pictures were of just the water fountain, but Brightstar could note the shadow of the clock tower had moved. “I rather like this one of just the fountain, but here the shadow seems too long.”

Moonbeak snickered. “Do you think a fashion magazine would publish a picture of a fountain?”

“Aah no, your point.” Brightstar flushed a cute shade of red, “then I would suggest those four with the fewest bystanders to keep, those that focus on the subject, here these four for instance.”

Moonbeak looked over the ones he had selected with his yellow magic – the unicorn mare taking water in her mouth, the pegasus mare shackled while her long mane splattered the other two and the earth pony mare cross eyed as the water hit her nose. “I can agree with your choices, I'll keep those for their review. They tend to like motion captured. so, what are the lonely fountain ones for?”

“Thank you,” Brightstar smiled, “I'm glad you approve of my choices. I rather like the one of the shackled pegasus mare…” his yellow eyes lingered on the photograph, something that did not go unnoticed by the griffon. “I ah...” he decided to change the subject. “I just like the fountain. My mum likes fountains...the touch and sound of running water soothes her.”

“My start and finish photos to judge the natural light placement.” Moonbeak tapped a few keys on the keyboard and printed off a separate picture. Brightstar saw it was one of the mare getting the shackles put on her and was not part of the photo shoot. “I like to take extras in case something catches my eye.”

“Aaah yes, of course, that's what the fountains are for.” He smiled a blushing smile, somewhat embarrassed that he’d almost said too much too soon. “I will assume on your performance last night you are good with shackles?”

Moonbeak merely smiled and busied herself putting the package together on a disk. “After Athena wakes we will go shopping and I'll drop this off. So, you have plans for today?”

“No Ma'am, not at all.” Brightstar replied. “When we were done I was going to enjoy the park before going back to the hostel, why do you ask?”

Right then, an intercom speaker that the unicorn had not noticed until then crackled to life, “Mama?” Came the kitten’s tiny voice.

“Okay, it is time to go.” Moonbeak said, standing up. “I'll have to show you my ancient photography another day.” She proceeded to quickly shut down the systems, “You go first, I have to activate the security.”

“Alright,” Brightstar had stood to the side to let her leave ahead of him, but he quickly trotted out of the dark room. When she left, Moonbeak activated the security in her dark room and shut the disguised door behind her and upon exiting the carport, flew around and up to the front of her house. ‘Oh…here we go again…’ he lit his horn and once more teleported up to the treehouse, clutching his belly when he reappeared. “Uuugh.”

“I thought all unicorns can teleport to the moon and back.” Moonbeak commented when she walked out of Athena’s room with the kitten on her back.

“N-Not so, Ma'am.” Brightstar smiled as he swayed a little. “All unicorns can levitate. Teleportation is a harder skill to learn and master. Think of it like squeezing yourself through a hosepipe.”

Moonbeak had sudden thoughts of squeezing the unicorn through a hosepipe. “Oh…” she lowered herself to the floor and Athena clambered down her side to the floor. Straight away she went up to the stallion.

“Ba!” She squeaked loudly, causing her mum to snicker.

Smiling, he used his magic to once again create a bright yellow ball. “Here you go, Athena!”

Athena was simply overjoyed. “Ba!” She demonstrated this by immediately pouncing it.

“How far away can you be to maintain that?” Moonbeak asked curiously.

Brightstar made the ball change colour from yellow to green as Athena pounced it, making her squeal with joy. “I have an average range of thirty feet on direct illusions.”

“So, not line of sight then.” The older griffon said thoughtfully, “She could play with it in the van an you don't have to look at her playing?”

“That's right,” Brightstar nodded in agreement. “Line of sight does help but it’s not necessary.”

Moonbeak nodded her understanding as she left the living room for the kitchen and started looking through cabinets and adding items to a shopping list. Content where he was, Brightstar played with Athena, batting the ball gently to her with his forehooves. He noted that Athena was very good at pouncing, but now once she had it she left it to see where the stallion would move it next. Crouching low to the wooden floor he levitated the ball and rested it on his muzzle.

Athena stopped in mid pounce and stared at Brightstar, entirely not sure what to do. Moonbeak looked in from the kitchen. “You can make it blue with a white star and she will learn to pounce your butt. Might keep her fed later in life.”

The unicorn chuckled and magically changed the ball’s colour, makes it a royal blue with a single white star. Athena’s bright green eyes went very wide, but she still didn't move. Her mother giggled, “You ever deal with yearlings?”

“This is my first time.”

“When she was younger she would beak individuals,” Moonbeak explained, “so I trained her to not do that. As long as the ball is on your nose she will leave it be.”

“Aah I see.” Brightstar moved the ball with his yellow aura to sit just in front of his nose on the wooden floor.

As soon as the ball touched the floor Athena attacked it and in the process bopped the pony’s nose with her wing tip. Once she had it well away from the stallion she moved off to watch it intently. Brightstar took the boop with a giggle and kept the colour of the ball, making it bounce gently on the floor.

Seeing the ball bounce once then twice, Athena timed her pounce and took it down.

Having completed her shopping list in the kitchen, Moonbeak came back into the living room. “Shopping!”

Athena immediately lost interest in the ball. The little kitten knew what shopping meant. It meant ice cream! “'ream!” She squeaked happily.

“Fly.”

At her mother’s command, Athena tried really very hard, flapping her little wings until they were a golden brown blur, but only her hopping on her legs got her any air time.

Brightstar’s heart melted at Athena’s determined efforts. Completely and utterly melted. “Aaah bless, that's so cute!”

Satisfied her daughter had tried her best, Moonbeak nodded. “Ice Cream!”

Athena stopped trying to fly and clapped her little talons together. “'Ream!”

“She should have it down at two years old,” Moonbeak smiled proudly, “some a couple months sooner, some a couple months later.” She smiled as she reached down and put Athena on her back. “You teleport more than one pony?”

Brightstar stood up from the floor and said proudly, “I can, yes Ma'am.”

“I'll have to see you do it sometime.” She left the treehouse out of the front door and flew around to the carport and to her white transit van.

Brightstar took a moment, swallowing hard and he concentrated, teleporting once more to the ground. By the time he had walked over to the van, Athena was secured in the car seat in the front back row, and Moonbeak was waiting in the driver's seat. Holding his belly, and praying the griffon would please drive smoothly, he got in the passenger seat. No sooner had his flank touched the seat than Athena squeaked, “Ba!”

Putting the van in gear, Moonbeak snickered. “You have only yourself to blame.”

Brightstar chuckled and happily created the blue ball with white star for the kitten to play with. “Anything to oblige.”

“So I've noticed,” she commented as she pulled out of the carport and headed into town. “Then again you do have a fast mouth."

“You didn't complain about my mouth in the pub last night.”

“Your tongue is nothing to complain about.” Moonbeak said as she overtook a slow moving Chevy Colt. “Your off the paw remarks...”

“Hopefully they'll earn me a spanking?” As he said that, Moonbeak drove the van past a strip mall that contained the Fillydelphia MiAC store – he could’ve sworn she actually slowed down as she passed it – and a smile spread over his royal blue face. “Hmmm…MiAC's always a good place to shop, isn’t it?”

Silently Moonbeak pulled into a nearby parking spot, “They do carry a nice variety.” Once she was out of her seat she got Athena out of her car seat and onto her back.

“I was imagining myself in a grey collar.” Brightstar smiled eagerly as the pony and the griffon walked up to the very, very pink façade of the adult shop.

Moonbeak let out a very happy giggle. “You're a pony that knows how to drop a hint.” At least he was direct. She liked direct.

“What can I say?” He grinned as he held open the door in his magic and she walked in ahead of the stallion. “You roused a side of me last night I hadn't really explored before.” They entered the shop, and as they didn’t ask for any help nopony bothered them and they were left alone to browse. For Brightstar the burgeoning submissive, it was like Hearths Warming morning. “When a sexy griffon tells you to sit on the floor, you sit.”

“Your momma taught you well, then.” Moonbeak commented as she walked along the aisle with collars. Every combination of width, length and colour was accounted for. After a few moments she found a collar that was just the right shade of grey that matched that of her fur and her wings. Picking it up, she twirled it in her claw. “Like?”

Brightstar, who was about to suggest a white one for the colour of her head feathers, instead nodded with a smile. “Yes Ma'am, I like very much!”

Holding the collar in her claw she moved to another spot in the store, this wall mounted rack held cloth cuffs with buttons, sturdier cloth with Velcro and lastly fur lined iron shackles with lock and key that looked like they came straight from Nightmare Moon’s dungeon. They could have, were it not for the fur lining padding the insides for comfort. “Wow…those mean business don't they?” The unicorn indicated the iron shackles, testing them with his hoof. “Nice weight to them.”

Moonbeak simply nodded, but Brightstar caught a gleam that twinkled in her emerald green eyes. He knew which ones he needed to get, if only to show her he was serious. “I'd like a set of those I think.”

“And what will you do if I ‘accidentally’ toss the key?” Moonbeak asked seriously.

“Well, any flat headed screwdriver will open the lock.” Brightstar replied, showing her the screws.

“You can spend your bits where you want.” Moonbeak said with a shrug of her shoulders, feigning a disinterest that was purely for show. Internally she was very happy indeed.

Brightstar paused for just a moment. While he wanted very much to impress the griffon with him, the one thousand two hundred bit price tag had him thinking twice. Ultimately, with Moonbeak tapping her claw, he made his choice. Even though this purchase was a third of the money he had left, if it didn’t go well it just meant he was going back to Canterlot a few days early. “Very well, I'll get these ones.”

“I have in my claw what I'm getting today.”

“As have I.” He levitated a full set of the iron shackles, for both his front and hind hooves, from the rack. Following after Moonbeak, who headed to the service counter and paid her three hundred bits for the grey collar, Brightstar paid for the set of iron shackles and floated them into his saddlebags.

Next up was grocery shopping. This went very quickly as Moonbeak was armed with her list and she knew how to use it. “I can cook up some weird pony food if you pick it out.” She said over shoulder as she went efficiently round the aisles.

“Oh I’m not squeamish Ma'am,” Brightstar replied, “whatever you normally eat is perfectly fine.”

Moonbeak snorted and after getting the groceries paid for she went next door to the ice cream shop, where Athena got very excited indeed.

Brightstar chuckled, “it looks like someone likes ice cream.”

Athena confirmed this assertion. “Ream!”

“What kind?” Moonbeak asked.

“Traarrery!”

Giggling, Moonbeak approached the counter and addressed the mint green earth pony with a vanilla coloured mane. “Double Dip, you got any pony flavour in yet?”

Double Dip nodded to his best customer, well, the mother of his best customer anyway, and said, “I can always put a hoof in yours.”

“Hmm no thanks, I know where that hoof has been.” She joined in the stallion’s little laugh and put in her order. “A foals strawberry and a double chocochip in a waffle cone.”

Brightstar was scanning the menu, and found the flavour he wanted. “Salted caramel in a cone, please.”

Moonbeak put up her clawed hand. “I got the unicorn with the out of town accent.”

Paying the seventy five bits, Moonbeak found an empty table complete with a booster pad for Athena to sit on, and once she was secured in place the little golden brown kitten went to town on the strawberry ice cream. After Moonbeak sat herself down, Brightstar seated himself and delicately licked at his caramel ice cream with a contented sigh. “Hard to beat good ice cream.” She said.

“You are quite right.” Brightstar smiled, “my sister would love this salted caramel.”

After Brightstar finished his ice cream a few moments later, Moonbeak lead off with a change of subject, deciding to test her potential Pet. “My saddlebag is heavy, will you help me carry something?”

Brightstar nodded with a smile. “Of course, it would be my pleasure.”

She reached into her bag and pulled out the grey collar and she leant over the table to buckle it around his neck. “There,” she said as she adjusted the fit, making sure it wasn’t too loose or too tight, “my bag is much lighter now.”

The royal blue unicorn’s smile widened, “hmm...it feels better too.” The other ponies in the shop did notice what was going on, but none said or did anything beyond looking.

Wholly ignoring the watchers, Moonbeak leant forward. “Like to have those shackles on?”

“MmMmm…” he bit his lip, breathing all excited as he tried to control his arousal. “Yes please, Mistress.”

‘Gotcha!’ Even though she knew there was little doubt in any case, the putting on of the collar, his willing acceptance of it, and his calling her ‘Mistress’ all but sealed the deal. “That's good to know.” Moonbeak stood up and placed the cleaned Athena on her back. “Need to get those groceries home.” She then proceeded to trot out of the door, knowing full well she was leaving him still wanting them on. ‘Moony you are such a tease.’

Brightstar was still smiling when he got to the white transit van and sat in the passenger seat, and his smile got wider when Athena cried out for another ball. Moonbeak was also smiling but chose to say nothing on the way home, while Brightstar lit his horn and created another royal blue ball with white star for the happy little kitten to play with.

Once they neared the treehouse residence, Moonbeak activated the car phone. After two rings a young female voice answered; “Hello?”

“Ceres, it's Moony,” Moonbeak spoke up loudly into you the speaker. “You free to sit tonight?”

“Well, I was going to do my claws with my crappy polish.”

Moonbeak grinned as she drove, she saw her kitten happily batting her claws at the royal blue ball that was floating just in front of her. “You can use mine.”

“What time?” Ceres asked, eager to get hold of her older friend’s far superior makeup kit.

“Seven to Midnight.”

“See you then!” Ceres hung up her phone, sounding just as excited as Athena was in the back of the van.

Moonbeak pressed the button that shut off the car phone as she pulled into her car port at the base of her treehouse. “Plans for tonight?” She asked, killing the van’s engine.

Brightstar smiled, “none to speak of, other than perhaps visiting the Twisted Tail again, to see if I could make a pint last all night.”

“Well,” the pregnant griffon smiled, toying with the stallion as a cat would with a mouse. “I wouldn't want you to interrupt your plans, I'm sure I'll be fine for dinner.”

“But, plans can change, can't they?” Brightstar amended quickly, unaware he was being played, albeit in a good natured way. “I'd happily accompany you for dinner.” ‘I’d accompany you anywhere, anytime…’

“Hmmm,” Moonbeak decided she’d played with him enough. After all he really was a pleasant well-mannered young stallion.
“It’s a good thing I found a sitter for tonight. I think I'll invite you along.” She giggled like a griffon half her age, heaved her bulk out of the driver’s seat and got Athena on her back. Spreading her wide powerful grey wings she flew them both up to the house.

Getting out of the van, Brightstar looked up at the treehouse forty feet above the street. “Uuugh...” once more he cast the spell and in a blinding flash of yellow light he teleported up to appear just inside the front door. As his vision returned to him, he saw Athena was busying herself playing with her building blocks while Moonbeak was in the kitchen putting away the groceries. Automatically the unicorn went to check himself over but stopped with a blush. “Can I help?” He asked, trotting through the living room to the kitchen.

Noticing the blush, Moonbeak asked with a sly grin, “Double checking both horns?” She giggled, “Sure, canned stuff in the pantry.”

Brightstar nodded and smiled a weak smile. “I ah…I just think I've teleported more today than I have this year so far, that’s all.” He cast the simpler levitation spell and floated four cans to the pantry.

“Is that an issue?” Moonbeak grew very serious, she even rested a clawed hand on the stallion’s shoulder. “I can have steps put in...” she caught herself and removed her hand with a cough, “you know, ah, if you are going to visit often, that is.”

‘Aww she does care!’ Brightstar smiled to himself, “not at all Moonbeak, it's good for me to practise...but thank you for the offer, as I'd love to visit more often.”

Now it was the griffon’s turn to blush, the faint red tinge colouring her cheeks. “Err, yes, that might happen...” hurriedly she turned her back and she continued to put stuff away.

“I'd like to think it would.” He floated more of the cans to the pantry.

Moonbeak simply smiled, and gave up on the pretence that she wasn’t at all interested in the attractive, polite young unicorn that made her feel younger than she had in a long time. Her shrill voice softened, “you can join me in Athena's story time.”

“I'd love to.” Brightstar was a little shocked at first, upon realising exactly what a momentous thing this was that he was being offered. He was being allowed in. “What stories does she like?”

“High literature of course!” Moonbeak replied with a flourish. “One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, or The Sneetches...”

“Aaah, the giants!” Brightstar chuckled, “I'm told as a colt I enjoyed the Hungry Caterpillar.”

Moonbeak giggled, “'Thena thinks caterpillars taste bad.”

“Ah well, I can't attest to that. I'll have to take her word for it.”

“I know what to read,” Moonbeak said assuredly, “it is one of Equestria's exports. 'Thena,” she called to her kitten, “story time!”

“Tory!” Athena scattered her half assembled tower of blocks in favour of the promised story.

Brightstar walked over very interested as the kitten sat herself on her little pillow on the couch in the living room. Moonbeak selected a book from the bottom shelf of several built into the walls of the circular room and began to read the ‘high literature’, 'Green Eggs and Ham'. “A classic indeed!” He chuckled, and when she got to the bit in the story about a house and a mouse he magically created them, and then he did the same with the box and the fox and so it went on. Athena took great joy in naming the objects that were created, or at least getting close to their names.

He smiled when the story was finished. “You're a clever kitten, ‘Thena.”

As Athena giggled and proudly sucked on her talon, Moonbeak spoke up, “Soon she will become the one thing every kitten becomes.”

“Oh?”

“A lawyer.”

“I'm sure you can’t wait.” Brightstar grinned as he ticked the little kitten’s chest fur.

“I look forward to her talking my ears off.” Moonbeak giggled as she watched Brightstar being so natural with her daughter. ‘How can he be so perfect without trying?’ She wondered to herself. “Play Time, ‘Thena!”

“Caa!” Excitedly, Athena slid down from the couch and crawled on over to her toy box. “Caa wace!” The kitten dug around for a few moments and when she turned around, her mother could see she had retrieved her toy cars. Three toy cars, where usually it was two.

“Looks like a new racer has come onto the track!” Moonbeak’s heart almost leapt when she noticed Athena had chosen for herself a blue car with a white stripe, whereas before the green one that she passed to her had always been her car of choice.

“I am honoured indeed.” Brightstar nodded to the kitten when a golden brown one was set in front of him.

Athena had put both of her claws on her car and she proceeded to run around the living room, Moonbeak was barely keeping up with her, she had one claw on the car, the other under her wing. In last place in the race, Brightstar was spending too much time giggling like a colt to keep up.

Out in front, Athena seemed to race in random directions as and when it suited her and she giggled like mad when her mom tried to pass and she rather expertly cut her off. Brightstar laughed as he pulled alongside the pregnant griffon. “I think Air Raid has a future contender in your kitten.”

“Yes, or my driving.” She agreed.

“Or that too,” he chuckled and tried to keep up, and was about to pass the green car when Athena crossed her imaginary finish line and started jumping up and down like she had won the Equestria Rally cup. Certainly Air Raid’s victory celebrations had been remarkably similar.

“Win! Win! Win! Win! Win!”

“Whooo!” Brightstar clapped his forehooves and made a little harmless firework light show to celebrate the win.

“Retty!” Athena cooed at the light show. A loud knock on the door distracted her attention once more. “Cere!”

“She is used to story time before sitter time.” Moonbeak explained as she walked over and got the door. “Hello Ceres, Athena is waiting for you.”

“Like always,” came the chipper reply of the sixteen year old griffon. “Ohhhh, so who's the stallion?” She asked, almost sniffing gossip as she walked into the living room.

Moonbeak rolled her green eyes and made the necessary introductions. “Ceres, Brightstar, Brightstar, Ceres.”

Brightstar stood and as he nodded his head in a polite greeting to the young frost blue furred female, he noted her white head feathers had red tips on them. “Рад встрече с вами, Ceres.”

Ceres smiled, impressed he knew the griffonian language. “Это гладкая говорун вы встретились вчера.”

Moonbeak nodded, “да.”

Brightstar smiled, happy that he had been spoken about. “At your service.”

“I doubt that,” Ceres flicked her feathers with her manicured talons, “but by what I see you're at Moony's service.” She giggled and pointed to the grey collar he was wearing.

“Good thing that too,” Moonbeak grinned and shot Brightstar a look. “Your father would kill him and eat the evidence.”

“Then it is good I am at Moonbeak's service.”

Ceres was about to reply to that when Athena crawled over and began begging for attention from her sitter. “Hi there Athena.”

“Cere pay.” The kitten demanded with a cute look on her face.

“Pay what?” Ceres asked.

Athena pointed to the scattered remains of her block tower on the wooden floor. “Bocks!”

Ceres giggled, “Her majesty has spoken! Have fun Moony, and you too Bright.” She went off with Athena, allowing herself to be led by the claw as if she’d never been here before, to play with the multi coloured blocks.

Brightstar smiled as he stroked his collar with his forehoof. “I rather think I might.”

“Did you make reservations for dinner?” Moonbeak asked, standing by her front door.

“Aah…I'm afraid I haven't had the chance,” Brightstar blushed. ‘Not to mention I can’t afford anywhere that requires a reservation in any case.’

Moonbeak treated the blushing stallion to a picture perfect eye roll and he could hear Ceres giggling over in the corner of the living room. “Then it’s a good thing Filly Cheese Stack doesn't need reservations.” She opened the front door and, mindful of what he’d said earlier about teleporting, asked; “Do you need a ride down?”

Brightstar did a little happy dance at the invitation, pleased he didn’t have to teleport. “I'd like a ride just this once, please.”

“Piss on my back and I'll drop you.” Moonbeak warned as she squatted down low to allow him to mount her.

The unicorn let out a little eep as he walked over and very carefully climbed up onto her back. “Never, my lady.” Once he was on her grey back, his hind legs resting on her wide flanks he got a loose hold around her chest.

Happy that her passenger was secure, Moonbeak performed a drop take off and, flying around the tree, she landed on the passenger side of her white transit van. Getting off, Brightstar gave her a grateful nuzzle of thanks for the brief ride. “Filly Cheese Stack caters to the locals, but they do have a lot of non-ponies for the ingredient list. Did you bring your shackles?” She asked as she got into the driver’s seat.

“Yes Ma'am,” Brightstar replied as he too got in the van. “I have them here in my bag.”

“Good.” Moonbeak giggled, “they may come in useful later.”

Brightstar smiled next to her. “Oh, I do hope so.”

The journey to the Fillydelphia Cheese Stack eatery was short and uneventful, and when Moonbeak parked up alongside it Brightstar saw that it was a lot like Gino's Grill except Gino's was a tourist chain, while the Cheese Stack was clearly a local place. When they entered, Brightstar as always opening the door for his lady, the unicorn saw just how diverse it was. It was a busy place too. Ponies of all tribes were sat at long tables next to zebras, griffons and minotaurs. Behind the counter were griffon, zebra, and unicorn workers.

As they waited in line, Brightstar perused the large menu that was above the counter. There was a list of twenty vegetarian items, five meat items and two gem items along with four types of cheese, and four types of bread. “Hmmm...” the royal blue unicorn looked over the meat items, which included; pork tenderloin, pork bacon, tuna, locust and millbug. “I do like the sound of those.”

“Blackie,” Moonbeak addressed the jet black unicorn stallion with a familiar smiles, “the works, hold the stones.”

“Got it Moony,” Blackie confirmed the grey griffon’s order. “Your shadow want sumtin?”

“Pork bacon please,” Brightstar spoke up, “oh and some locust as well.”

“Veggies or cheese?” Blackie asked, slightly exasperated at these tourists not giving a full order. “You want pumpernickel like Moony?”

Moonbeak caught the look on the black unicorn’s face and laughed. “First time out, and I think the menu has overloaded his little brain.”

Brightstar laughed easily, the dig flowing off of his back. “The cheese and pumpernickel bread, please.”

Moonbeak shook her head. “You say works on cheese then pick of the four. Good choice in bread though.”

“Aah,” Brightstar stood corrected. “In that case, I shall have the works on pony mozzarella cheese, with the pumpernickel bread.”

“No. Stones!” Moonbeak slammed her clawed had onto the counter and glared at Blackie emphatically.

Blackie merely chuckled and got to work. “Next street over from my place has a Diamond Dog den, that’s why they have gems on the menu and the pranksters behind the counter slip them in unless you say no.”

“I see,” Brightstar chuckled, that was something his sister would do if she worked here. “Then yes, I agree, no stones.”

“Bush Tail,” Moonbeak got the attention of the terracotta coloured zebra, “two ales.” Once the zebra had poured the beers and put them on the counter, the pregnant griffon took one and made her way over to a small empty table while Brightstar took up the other in his glowing yellow magical aura and walks over to join her at the table. “You might guess I stop by here every once in a while.”

“I had guessed,” he looked around the modest eatery, somewhere between a café and a restaurant. “I can see why. I like this place already.”

“If you can get past the service. Good for locals, has no stars on Trip Adviser.” Moonbeak giggled as the large male griffon silently dropped two plates on the table and walked off without a word. “Just like back home.”

Brightstar chuckled and leant in to take a deep sniff of his plate. “Hmm…this does bring back memories of Stormclaw Academy.”

Moonbeak took a beakful of her food. “Did they ever sneak raw meat into your food?”

Brightstar nodded and swallowed the mouthful of bacon he had been chewing. “Oh yes, a few times in fact. As well as having me sample some bloodwine.”

Moonbeak looked up at that, “Did they at least serve it warm?”

“After I sent it back and asked for it to be served properly, yes.”

“It's okay, but I'm not a fan,” Moonbeak commented, her respect for this pony increasing a few notches that he had taken the hazings at the Academy. “And raw flesh isn't my cup of tea either. I rather like most pony food, but some of the flowers you use are just too sweet.”

“Agreed. When I was at the university in Canterlot I sampled Zebran cuisine.” He thoughtfully ate another mouthful, this time digging in to the cheese and locusts. “But...I have a question for you, Moonbeak.”

“Zebrans can cook!” The griffon smiled as she made her tenderloin disappear with a few snaps of her beak. “I don't tend to question what I eat. Ask.”

“You asked me earlier what I wanted.” He took a hefty swig of his beer. “I would ask you the same question.”

Moonbeak didn’t answer straight away. That was a good question, and it deserved a good answer. Thoughts of Goldcrest wandered into her head, however she found that when she was with this unicorn, those thoughts weren’t as painful as they were. “Peace.” She replied eventually.

Brightstar smiled. “Then, I hope we both find what we're after with each other.”

She gave a shrug of her shoulders. “The bacon here is very crispy.”

“Yes it is, just how I like it.”

Moonbeak nodded. “Is one enough for you?” She asked, indicating his half empty beer glass.

He nodded quickly. “For now.” The royal blue stallion levitated a mix of meat, cheese and bread to his mouth and he ate with a euphoric smile. “I'm curious though, Moonbeak, have you always been dominant?”

“Dominant?” She asked in return, “A pony thing, and I have taken to pony ways. For griffons it is last push, and yes, I tend to push last.”

“I think it suits you.”

“I can play questions too,” Moonbeak said as she leant over the small table and ran a talon along the grey collar she had bought for him. “How long have you longed for a collar?”

Brightstar smiled, “I'm not sure when it first started. I'd say about a year ago now, when me and my friends were at a funfair in Canterlot.” He recalled the time when Cyclone had him on his knees with his muzzle pressed up against the nappy she had been wearing.

“Your friends were the ponies at the race track?”

“Air Raid and Slingshot,” Brightstar lead off, “along with four others you haven't met yet.”

“Maybe the opportunity will come up to do so.” Moonbeak said as she finished her food and her ale. She waved a claw over at the counter and got an immediate nod from Blackie who had been watching them. “Come, I have another place to take you.” Without another word she got up and left.

Quickly Brightstar got up and followed after the grey furred griffon. “I've never thought of myself as particularly submissive,” he spoke up when he caught up with her, “but last night with you, it seemed right, it felt so very right.”

“Good, I will try to give you that 'right' feeling again tonight.” Moonbeak laughed and stopped the unicorn at the passenger door. “I need to borrow your shackles.”

“Of course, they're in my bag.”

Opening the passenger side door, Moonbeak reached into Brightstar’s saddlebag and got out the set of iron shackles and, crouching down, she put all four securely above his hooves, locking each with the key which she kept in her clawed hand. “They look nice against your fur.” Her tone changed a little with the wearing of the cuffs, becoming a little colder, more commanding. “Get in.” She turned and moved around to the driver's side.

“Nnnng...” it was a struggle, with his hooves firmly shackled together, but after a few moments, Brightstar managed to get in the passenger's side seat.

“Aaw,” Moonbeak gave him a condescending smile, relishing that feeling of power and control, as well as the responsibility for this young stallion’s well-being and care. “Are they too heavy for my little pony?”

As Moonbeak reached over and secured his seatbelt for him, Brightstar blushed intensely. “N-No Mistress.” He murmured, thrilling in the rush of comfort and security he felt at giving up his willpower to her.

With a shrill satisfied laugh, Moonbeak drove off, and presently Brightstar recognised the streets, and he had an inkling of where they were going. Sure enough, after a moments silence they pulled up outside the Twisted Tail bar. Once she was parked up and the engine was killed, Moonbeak held up a claw to her beak and raised an eyebrow. “Follow.” She said simply and got out of the van and walked up to the door.

“Yes Mistress!” Awkwardly, Brightstar got himself out of the van and walked as quickly as the chains on the shackles allowed.

Moonbeak paused, she didn’t get inside, instead she watched his progress, half amused at his struggle, half concerned at his struggle. This was after all a game. “Is something wrong?”

“Aah, no Mistress,” Brightstar replied, not wanting to show any weakness or to disappoint his Mistress. He knew how much griffons prized strength. “They just need getting used to, that’s all.”

For the fourth time that day Moonbeak rolled her emerald green eyes. “Fine, just go walking around like some thousand year old stallion.” She turned and entered the pub without a backwards glance.

Brightstar chuckled to himself and after a moment's practise he followed his Mistress inside, getting a little round of stomped hooves as he did so.

“Hey Moony,” Selene, the black griffon barmaid, looked across from her chat with Brass Knuckles who was as ever perched on her stool at the bar. “Oh, you brought the uni back. You even dressed him up for us!” Others in the bar heard her comment and stopped what they were doing to look and see what she meant, and there was some general laughter.

Moonbeak nodded to her friend as she took her regular table. “Two ales Selene, and you may need a mop, the shackles keep him from using his magic.”

“Put the non-unicorn pony's ale on my tab.” Brass Knuckles spoke up from the bar, again Brightstar was amazed at a minotaur her size was so softly spoken. “That racing pony got me some nice bits.”

Brightstar approached the table where Moonbeak was sat, he noticed immediately that there was just her seating pad present. The floor would once again be his spot, and that was fine with him. He smiled quickly as he seated himself. “The Mistress is quite right, Ms. Selene, I cannot use my magic whilst wearing these.” This was of course a barefaced lie. The shackles he was wearing went no way whatsoever in preventing his use of magic, but if his Mistress said they did, then they did. He nodded to the hulking muscular minotaur. “My thanks, Ms. Knuckles.”

Brass Knuckles had a questioning look on her face, but she figured it wasn’t worth messing with Moonbeak's game. Forge, the slate grey earth pony with the anvil cutie mark called out, “You going to put on another show?”

“Maybe.” Was Moonbeak’s only response as Selene bought over the two ales and put the drinks on the table between the griffon and the unicorn. “I knew I should have put a cover charge on for tonight.” Selene giggled and went back behind the bar.

Making himself comfortable, as much as he could on the hard wooden floor, Brightstar smiled. “Thank you, Mistress.”

Moonbeak took a delicate sip of her ale. “You are welcome, my Pet.”

‘Yeeees! There's that feeling again!’ Wholly unused to drinking or eating without the use of his magic, Brightstar at first tried using just his muzzle to get at the ale, then when that didn’t work he uses both forehooves to lift up his beer to his lips.

“It is so much fun to watch a unicorn pretend to be an earth pony.” Forge snickered from his table across the pub.

Blossomseed, his mare that was cuddled up next to him looked over the table with an interested expression on her face and she giggled, “Aww look...almost makes you feel sorry for him, don't it Forge?”

Brightstar couldn’t hide his blush, nor could he deny the taunts were getting him more than little bit aroused as he put his pint glass down so that he wasn't lifting up the iron weight for very long.

Moonbeak caught this and decided to have a little fun with her new Pet. “I think my Pet needs to steady his nerves.” She said loudly, ensuring anyone not looking at them before were doing so now. “A couple shots of Dalwinny if you please.”

Selene grinned, “Coming right up.”

Brightstar gave the pregnant griffon another smile. “You know me so well.”

This time the waitress dropped off the two shots, and Moonbeak lifted one in her clawed hand. “Down the hatch, Pet.” She downed hers in one go swallow.

The royal blue unicorn took a brief moment to sniff happily at the whiskey and, holding the smaller shot glass awkwardly between his forehooves he lifted it up to his lips. He didn’t know how earth ponies managed as he got three quarters of the shot in his mouth, while the rest spattered onto his chin.

As soon as he put the glass down on the table, Moonbeak reached across and held his chin in her sharp talons. His yellow eyes met her green ones. “S-Sorry Mistress…”

“Terrible!” Moonbeak exclaimed amid a gale of snickers and giggles from the room. “Really! If you wanted to share you should have said something.” She then did a very sensual licking of his chin to get the bit of whiskey that was still there, seeing as none fell to the table or floor.

The snickers from the watching crowd became hoots and cheers as Brightstar gave a loud aroused whimper. “Y-Yes Mistress...thank you Mistress...” He wanted to squirm in shame as he felt his shaft start to emerge from its sheath with the effects of the sensual licking.

This did not go unnoticed from the gallery. A voice Brightstar didn’t recognise called out, “Look out Moony, he might squirt you!”

“Fifty bits says he cums again tonight, you in, Forge?” Blossomseed said once the general laughter had died down.

Brightstar looked firmly at Moonbeak and the two shared an imperceptibly small nod of their heads that they understood the game at hoof, and then he stared at the table top, his red cheeks visible through his blue fur.

Brass Knuckles put her bits on the table, the wood creaking under the force of her slap. “I'm on that.”

“I say he doesn't.” Moonbeak countered and then the betting began to get furious. Looking him square in the eyes, Moonbeak moved a wing to his hard erect undercarriage and stroked it softly.

Blossomseed put her money down. “I'mma go two hundred bits!”

“No Problem, I'll match up to seven hundred and fifty bits.” Moonbeak announced to the whole room while Brightstar whimpered again as his iron hard cock was stroked by the griffon’s wing. She stared deep into his eyes as the primary feathers twirled around his shaft.

The rest of the room quickly reached the seven hundred and fifty bit total and Selene heckled from the bar, “You know she is just gonna get up and take her little pony and all your money.”

Brass Knuckles shook her crimson head. “No, Selene. That is not Moony's style.”

Realising just how much money he stood to lose tonight if things went sideways, Brightstar looked back into the eyes of his Mistress and bit his lip as he tried to think about something, anything, not sexy, determined as he was not to cum. Moonbeak saw his determined look and the smile she flashed him back showed in her cheeks. “I need another shot of Dalwhinney here.”

Brightstar winked at her smile. “Th-thaaaank you Mistress!”

The waitress set the shot glass down on the table. “If my Pet spills again, who would like to do the clean up?”

Brass Knuckles answered far quicker than anyone there in the Twisted Tail thought possible. “I could clean up Dalwhinney.”

“Me!” Blossomseed called out loudly, “I would! Um...can I, Forge, please?”

Looking at the shot glass like it might suddenly upend itself of its own free will, Brightstar placed his forehooves on the sides of the glass and really, really concentrated as he started to lift it up. He had barely got it an inch from the table however when Moonbeak leant over and put her hand over it, stopping him from lifting the glass. “Naughty Pet.”

Forge grinned and kissed his mare’s forehead. “Sure hun, looks like some fun to be had.”

Brightstar gulped. N-Naughty, Mistress?”

Blossomseed clapped her hooves together. “Yay! Thanks Forgey!”

“Hmhmm…” Moonbeak nodded. “Very naughty.” She took the glass from him in her claws, though the wing never stopped its slow torturous movement. “Remain still.”

“Yes Mistress.” Brightstar stayed stock still, not daring to move a muscle.

Shooting the panting stallion a sly grin, Moonbeak moved the glass under the table and spilled just a little bit of the whiskey onto his hard shaft. “My Pet has spilled again!” She exclaimed in an outraged tone. She pulled up her wing. “On himself and on my feathers!” She put the whiskey stained feathers under his nose. “Clean these now!”

Brass Knuckles blushed a deep purple. “Ah, were you serious Moony?”

“Yes, Knuckles.”

“Is he...”

“I made sure he was all nice and clean earlier.” Moonbeak assured the large minotaur with a gentle smile.

“Okay!” The massive crimson minotaur was off her bar stool and under Brightstar in an instant. “What I do for free whiskey.” To take his mind off of what was about to happen, Brightstar immediately began to lick and suck his Mistress’s primary feathers as Brass Knuckles licked her way along the length of his cock. She used her large bovine tongue to ensure there was absolutely no whiskey left from the spill. She even gave the throbbing shaft a quick suck to make sure.

“GaaAAaah...” Brightstar twitched violently. “Th-Thank y-you, Ms. Knuckles.”

“Now that's the good stuff,” she stood up with an exaggerated wink to the pregnant griffon. “And I see why you griffs think ponies are tasty.”

Thoroughly enjoying her Pet’s discomfort, Moonbeak lifted the glass once more in her claw while Brightstar, with a supreme act of willpower, managed to calm himself down. Watching from her table, Blossomseed called out, “Hey Moony, spill it on his horn!”

With a satisfied smile, Moonbeak inspected her wing and saw that it was clean. “Well done, Pet.” Straight away she moved it back to stroking the royal blue stallion’s cock, allowing him no respite as she took the glass up to the tip of his horn and poured some more out, watching as it trickled over the grooves. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, such a messy Pet!”

“Mmmmm!” Was all the poor unicorn could whimper, knowing full well where this was going next. “S-Sorry Mistress…”

“Me!” Blossomseed held her hoof up like she was calling on the teacher in class to get their attention. “Me! Pick me! I'll clean it!”

“All yours deary.”

“Yay!” Blossomseed was up and over her table so fast that those watching swore she teleported. “Damn this is a big horn. Moony which horn's bigger?”

Moonbeak snickered, “the lower one, and by a good bit I might add, but the upper sparkles nicely.”

Not taking her word for it, Blossomseed had a look down below at what the stallion was packing as Brightstar blushed an intense red and scrunched up his eyes with the effort of not climaxing. “Oh yeah...damn Moony he's huge!” The earth pony mare took a very long, very slow lick up his horn.

“For a unicorn,” Moonbeak nodded, “I'm sure he has nothing over your mate.”

Blossomseed giggled, “nah Forge's bigger!” She laughed as she trotted back to her stallion, leaving Brightstar a quivering wreck. He very barely made it through the hornjob, his horn pulsing a bright yellow in time with the stroking of the griffon’s wing around his hard stallionhood.

“Aww...” Blossomseed whined, “I was so close!”

Hanging over the bar, Selene had a perfect view of the action. “Moony, he's so wasted he'll spill on those chicken eggs under his tail.”

Smirking, Moonbeak quickened her wing strokes and pours what was left in the shot glass all over Brightstar’s heavy swinging balls. Not needing any invitation, Selene flapped over the bar and straight under Brightstar’s black tail. “Time for some beak action as I'm not losing any bits today.”

Brightstar, merely let out a nonsensical whimper, his mind fogged as it was by Brass Knuckles's blowjob and Blossomseed's hornjob, the pleasure addled pony didn't really realise what was going on until he felt Selene's beak and tongue slathering all over his balls. All throughout, Moonbeak never let up on the wing strokes that were caressing his member. A few more moments of that treatment was all he could take and Brightstar’s whole body went into spasm. “AAAaaaAAAAH!” He screamed loudly as he came, shooting his semen like a geyser.

Blossomseed was impressed. “Damn…look at that load!”

“It has been no more than twenty four hours.” Brass Knuckles admonished. “Moony, you should treat your Pet better.”

Once she was happy that her Pet had finished ejaculating, Moonbeak held up a semen stained feather under his nose. “Clean up.”

“Uuuuuh...” still lost in his pleasure daze, Brightstar didn’t think, he automatically started to suck her primary feather clean.

Moonbeak didn’t have the words to express how proud she was of her stallion and her Pet. He had played her game and played it very well indeed. She leant her swollen belly over the table and whispered in his ear so that no-one else heard. “You don't have two bits to rub together, do you?”

Brightstar was about to deny it, but he knew there was little point. Blushing a very bright red he shook his head. “N-No Mistress, I don’t.”

Pulling her now spotlessly clean wing back, Moonbeak gave him a very deep tender kiss. That she already knew the answer wasn’t the point. To hear him admit it was. Honesty was the one thing she valued above all others. “Two more ales, Selene.” She requested as she sat back down.

“Thank you Mistress.” Brightstar sighed, his breathing just about under control.

“Did you have fun?” Moonbeak asked as the crowd took their share of her bits and congratulated the two of them on a splendid performance.

“Yes!” Brightstar squeaked out, “yes I really did, thank you. And did you, have fun?”

“I'm feeling much better.”

“Good.” He smiled, “then tonight has been a success, Mistress.”

Following the performance, the conversation between them remained light until the clock showed it was ten forty p.m. Moonbeak slid from her seating pad and stretched her legs. “Time to go. Take care all.”

“Yes Mistress, of course.” Standing from the floor, he similarly stretched and nodded to the crowd.

“I can drop you off at the Wandering Pony,” Moonbeak lead off once they were both back in her transit van. “Or…or if you want, you can come up.”

Brightstar thought about it for a couple of seconds. “I'd very much like to come up, thank you.”

With the ride back to the treehouse being short and uneventful, especially at this time of night, they were soon pulling into the carport at the base of the three large oak trees. “Wanna ride up?”

Brightstar nodded once he was out of the passenger seat. After the ales and the whiskeys, he did not trust himself to teleport. “Yes please, Moonbeak.”

“Hop on, Bright.” She flew them both up to the front door and opened it once the stallion was off of her back. “I'm back Ceres.” She whispered.

Ceres was ready to greet them in the living room. “Welcome back. Athena has been down for an hour.”

Brightstar walked in after his griffon and inclined his head. “Good evening, Miss Ceres.” She merely gave him a cheery wave and with her stuff already gathered, left them alone in the living and flew out of the front door.

Moonbeak made sure the door was locked behind her and walked back to where the unicorn was waiting patiently. “Brightstar,” she sat down next to him, her tone tinged with sadness as she felt her kitten kick inside her. “It’s cold, and I miss the warmth and sound at night.”

The royal blue stallion nuzzled her neck affectionately. “If you're offering, I'd be happy to keep you warm this freezing night.”

“I am.” She said simply as she removed the shackles and she ran a talon along the grey collar. “Do you wish to keep this on?”

“Hmm,” he almost purred, “yes please, it’s really quite comfortable.”

Moonbeak placed a tender loving kiss on his cheek and she hooked a talon under the collar and she pulled him through to her bedroom. “You can have the left side.”

Behind her, Brightstar almost skipped along to the bedroom, and he moved around to the left side of the bed as she got in on the right side. Facing the door, she laid on her side with her back to the young unicorn. Getting in the bed, Brightstar pulled up the thick fluffy comforter over the both of them and after a moment he rolled over to give his griffon, his lady and his Mistress a spooning cuddle.

Moonbeak sighed happily, held in her stallion’s loving embrace. “Sleep well, Bright. I know I will.”

As the warmth of the comforter combined with the warmth of the heat from Moonbeak’s body washed over him and lulled him towards sleep, Brightstar murmured, “MmMmm…” he squeezed her gently and felt very sorry for anypony or anything out on this cold night. “Sweet dreams, Moonbeak.”

Chapter 3 - Hope Lost

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“WAaaAAaaAA!”

Brightstar, snuggled in the cocoon of warmth that was the large bed in the treehouse, opened his yellow eyes at the sound of Athena’s cry transmitted over the monitor. The royal blue stallion glanced over at the alarm clock. The evil device reported to him that it was three a.m. Before he could process a thought as to what to do, Moonbeak had gotten out of the bed and departed for Athena's room.

‘Ah! Sweet Luna it’s cold!’ He thought as he huddled under the thick fluffy comforter to try and regain the trapped warmth that had escaped when the pregnant griffon had left him.

He heard, over the monitor, the creak of the wooden door as it opened. Next thing he heard was Athena’s little voice, as shrill as her mother instantly stop her cry when she walked into her bedroom. “Wata Mama!”

“Potty?” Moonbeak asked questioningly, trying to ascertain just what had awoken her little kitten.

“Nuhuh.”

Brightstar heard Moonbeak say, “Okay,” and then there was a pause of a few moments where he couldn’t hear anything over the shuffling of fabric and an odd clink here and there. “Here you go.”

Another brief pause and he heard Athena’s voice from the monitor. “Tanka Mama…” then, amidst the gentle sucking sounds of a little beak on the tip of a cup, he caught Moonbeak tell her, ‘Good night.’

A few seconds after that and Moonbeak returned, padding softly into the darkened bedroom. Walking on autopilot she made it to bed and resumed her snuggling position as the little spoon with her back up to her young stallion. Brightstar wrapped his foreleg over her shoulder and held her tight against his chest. “Hmm…” he nestled his muzzle into her neck. “’Thena ok?”

Moonbeak mumbled as she once more got comfortable on her side. “Thirsty, I think Ceres gave her too many salty snacks.”

“Aah...” He kissed the back of her white feathered neck and used his yellow aura to pull up the comforter around them both as they fell back into a contented sleep together.

The peaceful sleep however was not to last. Two hours later at five fifteen a.m., with the sun still not risen, Brightstar’s cell phone began to ring from his saddlebag situated in the living room of the treehouse. Moonbeak, who was by nature a light sleeper, immediately sat up in the bed. “What is that?”

“Mmmm...” Brightstar murmured as he half sat up in the bed but slumped back down almost immediately when he felt the cold on his chest. “Ph-phone...” he tried valiantly to ignore the ringing, but Moonbeak’s left leg put paid to that as she gave him a pawed assist out of the warm bed. “Ngggg…” he shuddered involuntarily, “it's cooooold...” he grumbled and staggered his way through to the dark living room and levitated his phone out of his saddlebag - upside down - and answered it. ‘Who in Tartarus wants me at stupid o'clock?’ he thought with a grump. “H- He...” he yawned, “hello?”

A rather gruff sounding stallion’s voice came over the line. “Hello, is this Brightstar?”

Brightstar ran a royal blue hoof through his black mane as he stood in the gloomy darkness of the living room. “Yes it is, who's this?”

“This is Officer Steelhoof, with the Canterlot Royal Police department.” Came the reply of the far more awake and alert pony. “Could you please meet us at the Canterlot Royal Hospital?”

‘CRPD? What the hay are CRPD ringing me for?’ Was the unicorn’s first thought, then Brightstar yawned again. “No...no I'm in Fillydelphia...Darkie if this is a prank it's not funny.”

“Oh, one moment.” There was a pause then as Steelhoof covered the phone so he couldn't hear what was being said. “Mr. Brightstar, your sister has been involved in an accident and is in the hospital. You are the second pony we have tried to contact. Is there another family member in the area?”

Brightstar almost said his mum out of reflex but caught himself. “No, no there's not...wait, what d'you mean accident, what kind of accident?” A slight, tiny little mote of panic crept into his brain. “Hoof stuck in a caramel donut jar?” He asked, trying to make a joke of it. ‘What if it’s not a prank, though?’

“I'm sorry sir,” the gruff no-nonsense voice was in his ear again. “But I'm not at liberty to say over the phone which is why we want to meet you at the hospital. One moment.” Once more he covered the phone speaker again. “Is there somepony you trust in Canterlot that could act in proxy?”

Brightstar had to think about that. Dusk would’ve been his first choice, but he was closeted away with Vocal Chord in the castle. There was Cy, but she was away in Cloudsdale. That only left one pony he, and Darkstar – trusted. “Uuh…y-yeah, there's Air Raid.”

“Do you have a number for her, please?”

“Sure, here it is.” Brightstar proceeded to give the officer the cell number for Air Raid’s phone.

“Thank you, Air Raid will be at liberty to speak freely if she so chooses.” Steelhoof then felt a touch of sympathy for what obviously sounded like quite a young pony. He knew he shouldn’t, but he said, “Your sister is receiving the best possible care. I'll need to hang up now to contact Air Raid.”

“Huh...yeah, yeah sure thing officer ah, thanks.” Once the officer hung up, Brightstar, eager to get back to the warmth of the bed and back to the warmth of the griffon lying there, carried his phone with him back to the bedroom. Back under the comforter, he decided to leave it a good ten minutes before he called Air Raid.

On the third ring, Air Raid answered the call. “’Ello Bright, the police just called and I'm still stumbling around in the dark.”

Brightstar felt a pang of remorse for his lime green friend. She had just completed a one and a half thousand mile journey and she sounded as tired as he felt. “I’m sorry Raid...it just sounded urgent.”

Air Raid nodded in her house as she scrabbled in the dark for her car keys. Why were they never ever where she left them? Ever? “Yeah, wouldn't tell me why, just that it was an accident, and I need to get my flank over to the hospital. Hey, I'll call you when I find out something, okay?”

Feeling the pillow under the back of his head, Brightstar sighed as his eyes drooped with the pull of fatigue. “Yeah sure Raid, thanks for going to check on her. I said it was probably nothing, you know Darkie.”

Air Raid snorted down the phone, triumphant when her hoof touched the keys. “Caramel donut stuck on her horn or something like that.”

“Most likely,” his eyes closed for a second time, “or her hoof stuck in the jar.”

Air Raid giggled when she realised she could’ve turned on her living room light. ‘Stupid featherbrain…aw shaddup!’ “Yeah, go back to bed, somepony should get some sleep.”

“Raid,” Brightstar yawned, “if it’s a prank, you have my permission to kick her flank.”

“Copy that. I think I found my ass, so time to head out the door.” Knowing Brightstar could talk the paint off a wall, Air Raid hung up and trotted out of her house and into the freezing early spring morning, her breath visible in the air.

Brightstar placed his phone on the nightstand at a perfect angle to the edge of it that satisfied his OCD and leant down to cuddle back up to Moonbeak.

Moonbeak hadn’t moved all this time. “What's up?” She asked simply when she felt the stallion’s weight behind her.

Brightstar shrugged and placed his forehoof back over his griffon and for a second time he pulled up the comforter. “Oh...it’s nothing most likely. The police say my sister's been in an accident.”

“You need to go?” She asked as she nestled back into her stallion’s warmth.

“Nah,” he shook his head. “Odds are the 'police' was a pony my sister knows and that was a trademark Darkstar prank. Not falling for it.”

Content that there was no crisis, Moonbeak mumbled, “Okay…” and before the syllable had left her beak she was back asleep.

“Heh…” Brightstar smiled as he closed his eyes properly this time. ‘Good one, Darkie.’

An hour and a half of blissful sleep later and Brightstar found out that the Athena alarm and the Moonbeak alarm were both in sync at precidely seven a.m. Brightstar, vaguely aware of movement next to him and sunlight on his face, murmured, “mMmmm…” as he woke up again for the third time that morning.

Moonbeak gave him an affectionate little nip on the nose with her beak that served to properly wake him up. “Can you cook?”

“I can,” the royal blue unicorn nodded, somewhat proudly, in response. He and his sister had taught themselves to look after each other, and they’d been doing it for the past six years.

“Good,” Moonbeak stood up from the bed and began to walk out of the bedroom. “Oatmeal please, and there are kippers to put in it for me and Athena.” With that, she left to great Athena for their morning ritual.

“You got it!” With no small measure of reluctance, Brightstar left the confines of the warm bed and got up. ‘At least it’s warmer with the sun up,’ he thought as he stretched, then trotted through to the nearby kitchen. A very brief look around in the cupboards divulged everything he’d need, and he proceeded to get the breakfast prepped while Moonbeak bathed Athena. “Heh,” Brightstar chuckled as he cooked, “silly Darkie, thinking we'd fall for that obvious prank…”

After the bathing was complete, Brightstar dished out the oatmeal and the kippers into three bowls, Moonbeak preened Athena and then she preened her own wings. The pair came out of the bathroom to the dining room and Brightstar served the bowls out on to the dining room table. “Breakfast is served!”

Athena, who was placed into her boosted chair, dove in beak first. “Yum!”

Moonbeak sat and took a spoonful of her oatmeal. “A pony of many talents.” She said, before taking a kipper and dispatching it with three vicious snaps of her beak.

“I’ve had to be.” Brightstar smiled. He and his sister would take it in turns to cook back home, though admittedly Darkstar was better at it than he. “Can I get you both a drink?”

Athena looked up from her bowl, oatmeal dripping cutely from her feathered face. “Wata!”

Moonbeak smiled. ‘All he needs is a maid’s dress…hmm…’ “Water for me too. I don't have juice, but there should be some kool aid in the fridge.”

“Water it is, ladies.” Brightstar even gave a little bow before he went off to get the water. In the kitchen at the sink he was again amazed that the treehouse had running water. How it was done was beyond him, but he was nonetheless impressed. Moments later he came back into the dining room with them and a coffee for himself on a tray.

“Ponies and their coffee.” Moonbeak smiled and accepted her water. “You're lucky I keep pony foods around. I was sure you would ask for some, but you did some looking for breakfast.”

Brightstar smiled as he retook his seating pad and sipped his milky coffee. “Coffee makes my blood start in the morning. And, I only searched so I knew where everything was.”

“Didn't say you couldn't.” Moonbeak replied, an approving tone in her voice. “Resourceful pony you are.”

“Thank you love.” Brightstar took a mouthful of his oatmeal and kippers, feeling very good about everything. He’d almost forgotten about the whole Darkstar thing. That was until his phone beeped, alerting him to a text message. Levitating his phone up, he saw that it was from Air Raid. Opening it up he read ‘I'm at the Hospital, no word yet.’ Now…now he was starting to get a tiny bit worried. “She's still at the hospital?”

“About your sister?” Moonbeak asked curiously, catching the change of his voice at once.

Brightstar nodded. “Yes Moony.” He typed out a reply and sent the text. ‘No word? What does that mean?’

There was a long pause before Air Raid sent her reply. ‘Means she still in surgery. They will get me when done. If it’s a prank it is her best, whole hospital in on it.’

The panic rose in Brightstar’s voice. “Raid says Darkie's still in surgery!” He was so distracted by thoughts of what could’ve happened he had to write out the message three times, his magic was so inaccurate. ‘She has been in surgery for three HOURS. What is happening!!!!!!!’

‘Bright I know as much as you. I stop the nurses and they say wait.’

“Luna damn it!” Brightstar hit the dining table in frustration. ‘It is so frustrating. Please keep me updated.’

“Watch your mouth!” Moonbeak snapped, pointing a talon at Athena who was listening attentively for new words.

Air Raid’s reply came quicker than the last one. ‘I will Bright. Say hi to Moony?’

Brightstar quailed under the very stern gaze he was receiving. “Moony I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that.” He typed out his rather reluctant reply. ‘Sure…she is in a mood because of my mood.’

The royal blue unicorn could almost see the impish grin of Air Raid’s teasing face in her reply. ‘So let her take your mind off of it. I’ll let you know if there is any change.’ Brightstar put his phone on the dining table and slumped under his hoof. “Uuugh!”

“So, what did she have to say?” Moonbeak asked, putting her spoon in her empty bowl.

Brightstar sighed. “All she knows is my sister's still in surgery. That's all they'll tell her.” He gave another sigh and pushed away his oatmeal. “She said if it’s a prank then the whole hospital's in on it.”

Moonbeak just looked at him with that same piercing gaze, almost like she was hunting, while Athena, certain she was getting no new interesting words went back to eating her kippers with the same viciousness of her mother. Brightstar saw the gaze and swallowed. “She ah…also said you should take my mind off of it.”

‘Should I indeed…’ Moonbeak thought to herself. “Hmm, yes. Eat!” So easily she changed her tone from motherly to domineering that she knew he loved. “I'll not toss food.”

“Eet!” Athena helped as well.

“Yes ladies.” Despondently he sighed and floated his bowl back over to him in his yellow aura and with very little enthusiasm started to eat.

Moonbeak looked at her kitten, who was halfway through a kipper, with a smile and knew she was about to make her very happy. “Nana.”

Athena, caught by surprise, dropped the half eaten morsel into the oatmeal with a wet splodge. “Nana!”

“Eat.” Moonbeak said again, this time it was directed at her kitten. Athena literally attacked her food with a gusto that Brightstar found hard to match as he forced a smile over at Moonbeak and continued eating.

“Dun! Dun!” Athena announced a few moments later, easily as much oatmeal on her face as what had gone in her belly.

Moonbeak laughed, “please wait, ‘Thena.”

Athena pouted. “Nana!”

Again, Moonbeak pulled out the stern look. “Athena.” In response the kitten went quiet and gave her mother her patented wide eyed cute look.

In spite of his mood and his worry, Brightstar couldn’t help but laugh. “She knows how to fight I'll give her that.”

“Yes,” the pregnant griffon agreed, “but she knows how to win too.” She leant over to see if he was finished with his food and Brightstar, who had a mouthful left, saw her glare and quickly ate what was left. “Hmm…clean up while I get Athena ready to go.” Carefully she lifted Athena up and took her to the bathroom to clean her up after breakfast and to pack her bag.

With his breakfast finished, Brightstar took the dishes in his magical field to the kitchen and washed them up. When he came out of the kitchen, Moonbeak returned from the bathroom with Athena on her back and she set the bag in her beak on the counter. “Looks like you'll meet my mother first.”

“It does.” Brightstar nodded, a little thin smile on his muzzle. ‘Rather yours than mine.’

“Close the door behind you, I’ll meet you in the van.” Moonbeak took the bag in her beak and with Athena on her back she flew out of the front door.

“Alrighty.” Brightstar said distractedly as he walked up to the door and, closing it behind him he lit his horn and without concentrating – which upon reflection was a dangerous and not very smart thing to do – he teleported down quickly. So quickly, he didn’t consider his destination properly and he appeared six inches in the air and dropped to the sidewalk.

By the time he picked himself up and dusted himself down, Athena was in her car seat and Moonbeak was ready in the driver’s seat of her van. After his little stumble, he got in the passenger seat and Moonbeak drove off. “Are you close to your sister?” She asked.

“Very much so.” Brightstar replied absently. “We're not just family we're best friends.”

Moonbeak caught the reticence in his voice. “Why are you still here?” She asked directly.

“Because...” he didn’t really know how or what to say. “Because I have you in my life now, and I'd rather not face Canterlot alone, I've already got one family member in a hospital...” he went silent, cursing himself for letting that slip.

If Moonbeak caught the meaning she gave no sign. “You are not alone in that regard.” She said simply as she drove along.

“I'm not?”

“Later.”

“Ba!” Athena squeaked from her car seat.

Moonbeak giggled a very girlish giggle. “For some the world does not rest on their shoulders.”

“Hm? Oh, sure ‘Thena.” Distracted from his funk, Brightstar smiled and lit his horn to create the royal blue ball, complete with white star.

“Ba!” Came the excited squeak again when he levitated it to her. Watching her play with it was a strange form of catharsis to the troubled stallion.

“Some are luckier than others…” he mused out loud, although Moonbeak remained silent for the remaining five minutes of the drive. Nervously, Brightstar found himself checking his phone every other minute or so for any message from Air Raid, biting the toe of his hoof as he did so.

“Nana!” Athena called out when her mother turned onto a street she recognised.

A little further down the street, Moonbeak stopped the van and killed the engine. “Will you go in?”

Getting out of the van, Brightstar nodded. “I'd love to meet your mother.”

Moonbeak, with Athena on her back, lead the royal blue stallion up to what was obviously another griffonian dwelling. Whereas her house was singular, it was a block of condos with steps to reach up to each level. “She is in three J.” The pregnant griffon said over her shoulder.

“Aah, very nice place.” From the apartment plan, Brightstar could see it was a five floor building, with apartments going from A to M on each floor. Looking at it, he had an amused thought of many large scale birdhouses all packed together.

Moonbeak flew up to the right door, but she paused to wait for the unicorn before she knocked. About to teleport up, Brightstar instead decided to take the stairs. Once he was up on the third floor landing, Moonbeak knocked and entered and placed Athena on the floor who immediately took off like a golden brown furred rocket for a late middle aged jet black griffon with grey lion's body. “Hi momma, I brought a guest.”

Brightstar followed the griffon inside and bowed his head in polite greeting. “Good morning, Ma'am.”

“Oh, a pony is it.” Astraea got up from her rocking chair and picked up her grand-kitten. “So Moon, who is he?”

“He helps with my photography and with Athena.” Moonbeak strangely didn’t meet her mother’s blue eyes as she answered. “Very useful.”

Brightstar smiled to the older griffon. “Мне нравится быть полезным.”

Astraea laughed at that. “So you have to be careful of what you say with this one.”

“Not really.” Moonbeak replied.

Astraea looked the royal blue unicorn over, scrutinising him as one would prey. “Это объясняет воротник.”

Brightstar nodded with a smile. “Это удовольствие носить его.”

Astraea, having completed her examination to her exacting standards, gave him a nod. “Вежливые также.”

“His sister is in the hospital so I may take him there.” Moonbeak said, wanting to get to the point of their visit, plus she had to, as Air Raid so eloquently put it, take his mind off his troubles. She had an idea how to do that. A sexy idea.

Astraea nodded, “So you want me to watch Athena for a bit?”

“In Canterlot, mother.”

“So, for a long bit, then.” Astraea giggled as she played with the little kitten.

“Thank you, Ma'am.” Brightstar spoke up, grateful his griffon’s mother was so accommodating on such short notice, then again, he mused, if she was anything like his old grandmare used to be, then Athena would be pumped full of sugar and then returned to them like a time bomb ready to go off.

“We are waiting on word back on her,” Moonbeak explained, “so for now I just want Athena ready if we go, but I'll be back at the house should you need me. I'll call in before we go anywhere.”

“Go,” Astraea shooed them out of her condo, “and I'll keep the little one safe. Quill will be over later so she will have a playmate.”

“Indeed,” Brightstar said as he was ushered towards the door by the black griffon. “Last word was she was in surgery, err, hooves crossed at this point.”

“Thanks momma,” Moonbeak gave her mother an affectionate nuzzle, “be good for Nana, Athena.”

Athena, for her part, was nodding vigorously from her grandmother’s arms, waiting for her mom to go so she could get an ice pop from her granny.

“Thank you, Ma'am,” Brightstar said distractedly as he checked his phone again for any messages from Air Raid, then sighed when he found nothing. Moonbeak merely nodded to the door and walked out of the condo to fly down to her waiting van. Brightstar followed after his griffon and teleported down, though this time his spell was far more controlled.

In the transit van, Moonbeak was quiet almost all the way on the drive back to her treehouse. Three quarters of the way back, just as they turned on to Horsehead Square, Brightstar looked at her driving. “You're quiet.”

Moonbeak sighed a little sigh. “Listening involves being quiet enough to hear.”

Brightstar looked out of the van’s window, he didn’t answer straight away. He was suddenly aware, acutely aware, of just how much he loved and missed his sister. “You were right when you said me and my sister were close.” He said eventually as they entered her street, “we've pretty much raised each other since we were thirteen. I…I…dunno what I'd do if anything happened to her.”

“You will do what you must, it is what we all do.” Moonbeak shot him an understanding sympathetic smile as she pulled into the carport and got out. She had a very good idea of what he was going through. “Hop on, I'll take you up.”

Getting out of the van, Brightstar smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Moony.” He said quietly as he got onto her back.

Once she was sure her stallion was secure on her back, Moonbeak spread wide her powerful dark grey wings and flew up to her treehouse, but instead of stopping just inside the living room, she carried on until they were inside the bedroom. Hovering to the floor she wiggled her wide hips. “Off,” she said in that high, commanding tone, “and get on the bed. Lay down on your back and close your eyes.”

At once, Brightstar caught the change in the tone of her shrill voice. That tone that in spite of his mood and his misgivings, excited him. “Yes Mistress.” Quickly, in anticipation of what his Mistress had in mind for him, he moved from her wide back and got on the bed, laying as he had been instructed, on his back and with his yellow eyes closed.

Seeing him laid out on the bed, Moonbeak took a moment to cast an approving, loving, eye over her obedient stallion. “Stay.” She ordered, and left the bedroom.

‘What is she going to do?’ Brightstar wondered as he lay there on the bed, perfectly still, not even tempted to open his eyes. It took Moonbeak just five minutes to find all the stuff she wanted to use, but it was five minutes that felt like five years to the young unicorn. Just as his thoughts were starting to take a more morbid turn, he heard his griffon walk back into the bedroom.

Carrying the equipment she needed, Moonbeak walked noisily up to the bed and just stopped, all the while watching the royal blue unicorn, toying with him. Just as she judged he was about to say something to break the silence, she dropped the set of iron shackles on the hardwood floor. Still she watched him silently, amused as he flinched a little with the sound of the shackles impacting on the floor, smirking as he opened his eyes a fraction and snapped them shut again. “Scaredy pony.” She said derisively. “What is your safe word, scaredy pony?”

Hating himself that he had been caught out, Brightstar blushed a bright red. “R-Rose, Mistress.”

Moonbeak giggled and drew a loving, caressing wingtip over his chest. “Who picked that? You?”

“Yes Mistress.” The feather went a long way to relaxing him. “It was...is, mother's favourite flower, Mistress.”

Deciding she had kept him waiting long enough, Moonbeak got to work. First she put the shackles securely around each of his legs just above the hooves, securing each with the lock and key. Next she placed a very short chain between the front ones so that his head could pass through as she fastened the chain to the head of the bed with a length of rope that was suspiciously the right size for its purpose. “Comfy?” She asked once she was sure he was suitably restrained.

“Comfy, Mistress.”

Nodding, Moonbeak looked between his legs to see how 'excited' he was. Satisfied his sheath was twitching, the dominant griffon was determined to get it out and hard. She used another rope to tie the rear shackles to the bottom corners of the bed leaving his hind legs spread wide apart. “You do have a cute ass, I see why Selene wanted you to spill your whisky there.”

Brightstar shivered with a smile, his shaft now beginning to emerge. “Thank you, Mistress.”

“No Magic!” She said harshly.

Under the strict command, Brightstar felt more of himself emerge from his sheath. “The shackles prevent magic, Mistress.” He replied simply, remembering the rules from the previous night’s game.

‘Such a good colt,’ Moonbeak thought as she giggled to herself. “Yes, yes they do.” She started with dusting his balls with a primary feather.

“Aaaaah…” he sighed happily as he now got very hard indeed.

“You cost me a lot of bits yesterday.” Her tone was light, but carried with it a sneering condescending dominance she knew he loved. In truth he had, but she could easily recoup what was in the grand scheme of things an inconsequential amount of bits. Wordlessly she moved onto the bed so that her other wing could reach and stroke the length of his shaft.

“Mmmmm!” Brightstar arched his back from the pleasure, “M-Mistress I tried, I really did try!”

“Really?” She asked as she held a glass of whisky under his nose.

“Y-Yes Mistress!” He squeaked, sniffing the whiskey held in front of him. He felt then, the weight on the bed shift as the wing on your shaft left him and the one caressing his balls moved to be between his hind legs. With no warning at all, he felt Moonbeak's weight drop down hard on his shaft, crushing it flat against his belly. Maddeningly though, she just sat there unmoving. A whisky dipped feather then ran along his lips. “Ooooof!” He gasped at the weight on his hard member, and without question he opened his mouth and licked at the feather.

“Hmm…” Moonbeak smiled, “seems to be some left from yesterday. That's a good stally, lick it all clean.”

Underneath her, Brightstar glowed at the praise, leant his head forward and took more of the primary feather in his mouth as he licked and sucked it clean. Once the whiskey was gone, Moonbeak pulled her wing away for a re-dipping and returned it freshly soaked to his lips. “You need to try harder.”

“Mmmm yes Mistress!” His trapped shaft twitched between the pregnant griffon’s legs as he started to lick the feather again. “I must have missed some.”

Teasingly, Moonbeak slowed her pace on his nut sack a bit, now using longer sweeps of the feathers and she began to rock back and forth at the junction of his shaft and sheath. “Yes, do a good job my Pet.”

“MmmMMM ooooh Mistress!” Brightstar whined with need, though he kept sucking at the feather. Moonbeak continued to re dip her feather when he was done, but annoyingly, maddeningly, she wasn’t really doing anything else to bring the aroused stallion to climax other than rock her weight over him. Frustrated, Brightstar let out a little whimper as yet again he sucked her feather. “Mistress please that feels so very good!” Before he could stop himself, he made an attempt to buck his hips under her body.

‘Hmph!’ Moonbeak frowned. “Oh, well, I can't have that.” Silently she got up off the bed and left the room without a backwards glance at the captive pony.

“Mistress!” Brightstar whined, the sudden loss of contact far worse than any slow teasing. He laid on the bed, his eyes firmly shut. “I'm sorry! I'm a bad Pet Mistress!”

A moment’s silence was broken when Brightstar heard the TV come on with what he assumed was some local music channel blaring out of it. ‘She can’t leave me here like this!’ “Mistress!” He called desperately, not even tempted to use his magic in the slightest, “punish your naughty Pet, Mistress please!”

He heard her mocking laughter, “Did you think this was a reward?”

Brightstar blushed. He knew then he was totally and completely in her power. He had the ability to free himself, but he knew that would disappoint his Mistress. “No Mistress.” Instead he laid quietly, cursing himself for his foalishness.

After what felt like several lifetimes, though was in fact no more than five minutes, Brightstar heard the flutter of wings approach the bed. He resisted the urge to open his eyes, or to do anything that might make her go away again. Hovering up over the bed, Moonbeak dropped down with her legs on either side of his forelegs and smothered his muzzle with her groin. “Clean up!” She ordered as she reached with the tuft of her grey tail and stroked his waning rod.

“MmmMMF!” Brightstar let out the muffled surprised gasp and immediately he started to lap at her sopping wet labia while his shaft began to rise again under her tail’s ministrations. Moonbeak simply ground herself onto his muzzle, riding him for all he was worth. ‘Sweet Luna she's wet!’ He assumed, correctly, she had been helping herself along in the living room. “Hmmmm…” he slid his tongue straight up into her dripping tunnel, lapping at the muscular walls as he went.

“Think whatever you need to think, but I want to feel your seed on my tail and back, and I want to feel it now.” Moonbeak ordered, her wings flared back to aid her tail in its work.

By this time Brightstar was so aroused, that order was not a problem to obey. With a final image in his mind he threw his head back and… “NGGGGGaaaaaaaah!” He screamed as he came, his white sticky load shooting over Moonbeak’s back and tail.

Two more hard grinds on the unicorn’s muzzle and Moonbeak's imagination got the best of her and she orgasmed messily and noisily on his face. “I…I so needed that.”

“MmmMmm!” Muzzle deep in her crotch, Brightstar could only agree as he swallows it and licked her clean.

Above him, Moonbeak rode the wave of pleasure out until she was sated. “Well, Pet,” she panted happily, “that was very good use of your imagination.” She rose off of him with a flap of her powerful wings and lightly licked his nose when she landed next to the bed. “I do taste good, don't I?”

“Hmhmm!” Brightstar gasped for air, swallowing it down as he had his griffon’s cum a moment before. “You taste wonderful, Mistress!”

“Savour it, pony.” She turned her back on him with a smile in her voice. “I'm off to the shower. You can open your eyes, but don't you go anywhere.” She ended that with a giggle and started to walk out of the bedroom, pausing at the door.

Brightstar licked his lips and opened his eyes. “I understand, Mistress.” Looking over at the door he saw Moonbeak’s tail was held very high, fully displaying her wet nethers to him as she exited for the bathroom. “Hnnnnng!” He sighed, for he was hard again.

After a very, very leisurely shower that seemed to Brightstar to last several eternities, Moonbeak returned to the bedroom with a warm wet towel over one shoulder and a dry towel over the other. “Somepony miss me while I was gone?” She asked coyly, her voice sounding a little strange now the ‘Mistress’ tone was gone.

Brightstar nodded, “the second you left the room, Moony.” Giving him a tender kiss, she proceeded to put the warm wet towel to good use, thoroughly cleaning his sheath, belly, chest and muzzle. While she dried him off with the other towel, his cell phone rang.

Brightstar’s heart practically leapt from his chest into his throat. “That's Raid!” Instinctively he tried to get up, only to have Moonbeak place her clawed hand on his chest.

“I'll get that.” She said curtly, reaching into his saddlebag and retrieving his phone. She saw from the caller ID that it was indeed Air Raid. Pressing the ‘answer’ button, she said, “Yes?” What sounded like a very tired, worn down mare a thousand years old spoke down the line, asking her if Brightstar was there. “He is,” she replied, “what do you need?”

Feeling very, very alone and far from any friends in the hospital waiting room, Air Raid said, “Can you tell him to fire up your PC? I've got some photos of Darkie I need to send him, and Moon...warn him they're...graphic.”

“Yes, hang on a minute I'll have to hold the phone.” Moonbeak’s emerald green eyes narrowed as she came near to her stallion. “It's that race driver and she has news about your sister. I don't think it is good.” Holding the phone next to Brightstar’s muzzle so he could both talk and hear, she was very sure that this conversation would not go well.

“Moon,” Brightstar mouthed, “untie me!” To the phone, he raised his voice so that his friend could hear him. “Raid, what's the news?” He was almost too scared to ask. He was even more scared to find out.

“Yeah, yeah hold your ponies…” Moonbeak, holding the cell phone in her right claw, struggled to loosen the chain from the head board.

“So, Moon took your mind off it then?” Air Raid’s tired voice sounded somewhat amused as she could hear the grumbles and the rattle of the chains. “Anyway...the surgery was six hours hun...the doc says whoever beat her...they didn’t want her to live.”

“What!?” Brightstar exclaimed, momentarily stunned. ‘Darkie was beaten!? Oh dear Luna, it wasn’t a prank…’ coming back to himself he struggled a little, trying to get free. “Did they say what happened?”

Air Raid paused. “Oh yeah, they said alright...are you sitting or lying down?”

Looking at her unicorn on the bed, Moonbeak did a picture perfect eye roll and mouthed at him, ‘Stop fidgeting!’ while Brightstar proudly, with a puffed out chest said, “Flat on my back and hooves in the air, but Moon is getting me out of the harness.”

“Alrighty, here goes.” Air Raid had to sit down herself now, she felt ill just thinking about her friend’s injuries let alone saying them out loud. “She had; four broken ribs, front and rear left legs broken in three places, fractured skull, broken jaw, stabbed in the belly by a unicorn horn...”

“Buck!” Brightstar cut his friend off, fighting and struggling against the iron shackles like a pony possessed, forgetting for the moment that he was a unicorn. With magic. “Cold Front stabbed her!”

“Hold still!” Moonbeak glared Brightstar into submission. “Have they caught him?”

Air Raid sounded broken. “There...Bright there's more, hun.”

“More?” Brightstar croaked disbelievingly. ‘How can there possibly be more?’ He thought with an anguished look on his face, ‘it's my sister...’ “Did she tell the police it was Cold Front?”

“No, because she can’t...” Air Raid gave a very deep sigh that could be heard down the phone line. “She's in a coma, Bright.”

‘A coma?’ Brightstar’s world crumbled. “Noooooooo!”

Shaking her head, Moonbeak moved back from the bed with the phone to the bedroom door, so that she and Air Raid could be heard. “How is she?” She asked gently.

On the bed, limp in his restraints, Brightstar whimpered in tears, “Darkie...” Crying, he found a little fire in his belly. “Untie me!”

Quickly losing patience, Moonbeak glared her most savage deadly glare at Brightstar, who immediately quelled before her with a quiet ‘eeep!’ “Calm down or I'll hang up!” With that hanging in the air, Moonbeak unfastened the chain so that his forehooves were free and she gave him back the cell phone. Quietly she moved to work on releasing his hind hooves.

“Raid,” Brightstar stuttered, “Is…Is she going to live?”

Air Raid took her time to answer. She didn’t know how to, but she had to tell him. She owed him that much. “Honestly they're going hour by hour right now, if she makes it to tomorrow it's promising, but...hun...I wasn't done with her injuries.”

Sat up, Brightstar slumped back onto the bed in shock. “Sweet Luna's mane...broken bones, broken skull and stabbed, there's more?” His royal blue coat was ashen and pale.

“Hun…she was raped; the doc found evidence of three different stallions and...”

Brightstar almost dropped his phone. This was too much. “Th…Three?”

“Yeah. Three…they'd, um, y’know...in her.” Air Raid was crying now, and she could hear Brightstar crying as well. “But, her horn...Brightstar they cut off her horn!”

Moonbeak heard that last and shot her stallion a pre-emptive glare. “No magic!”

“Damn it all no magic!” Brightstar lost his temper and continued his struggle briefly, until his hoof swiped through the air and knocked the phone to the floor.

“Quiet!” She screeched at the top of her lungs, her voice echoing around the bedroom. “I will see if you broke the phone.” Panting heavily, the pregnant griffon walked over and picked it up in her clawed hand. “Hello, you still there?”

All Brightstar’s fight left him then, evaporating into the air like morning dew from blades of grass in the sunlight. He slumped on the bed in floods of tears. “F-First mum left us...now Darkie's been taken...a coma…”

Moonbeak’s anger waned when she looked back at the bed, at her weeping stallion. “Okay, Bright isn't doing too well. You said she was stabbed by a horn was... ah…was it...um...”

Brightstar saw Moonbeak deflate as she heard the reply from Air Raid. She looked at the distraught unicorn and repeated simply, “Hers.”

On the bed, he merely whimpered, “mum in the asylum, Darkie in a coma...raped...” suddenly he struggled violently. “I'll KILL HIM!”

Moonbeak tried her best to ignore the now screaming unicorn and talk to the racer on the phone. “Who is this Cold Front he wants to kill?” She pulled the phone away from her ear. “ARRRGGG!” In utter temper Moonbeak kicked the bed frame hard with her paw. “Shut up or you'll be tied up till next week!” She glared deadly daggers at Brightstar.

Brightstar immediately knew he’d overstepped a mark. He knew he’d gone too far. With his hooves finally freed from the restraints he simply curled up on the bed and cried floods of silent tears into the comforter. Moonbeak sighed. Her heart broke for this young stallion. She desperately wanted to hold him, but there would be time enough for that. Instead she spoke down the phone, “Okay Raid, I'm back.”

Air Raid told the pregnant griffon just who Cold Front was, and what they had suspected him off doing. “Oh, him...” was her only reply. ‘Sweet Luna, I can't let him go kill somepony even if he is less than pond scum.’ She looked over at Brightstar, who was not even trying to speak, he was a teary mess on her bed. “Okay,” Moonbeak said matter-of-factly, “I've already got my mom looking after Athena in case we had to leave. I'll get my Pet there as soon as I possibly can…yeah, I'll tell him. Thank you Raid, for looking after his sister.”

“M-Mum…” Brightstar whimpered, “sis…”

Moonbeak moved to the bed and one by one unlocked and removed the shackles from his hooves. “She is watching over her and swears by Silverbolt she won't let anything more happen to her.”

Brightstar looked up at her, he could barely see through the tears. “Sh-She...Raid said that?” He snivelled miserably.

Finding some space, Moonbeak sat next to him on the bed. “Yeah she did, who is that?” She asked curiously, thankful the volume had returned to a normal level.

“She's the dead mother of her marefriend.” Brightstar replied, wiping his hoof across his face to dry his eyes. For Air Raid to have said that, there was no greater thing for her to have sworn by. “If...if Raid said that, then she's deadly serious.”

Next to him, Moonbeak ran a talon on her clawed hand tenderly through his black mane. “Okay, I’ll call mom and then I’ll find out the next Express to Canterlot. You will shower. Then we will get your stuff at that hostel. Understand?”

“Moony...” Brightstar rolled over and wrapped his forelegs around her, hugging her as if that alone would solve all the world’s ills. “Moony I'm scared...Darkie's all I've had for years...I...I can't lose her, or see her like mum.”

Moonbeak felt such affection for the young stallion. Not that long ago she had been where he was now, crying in her mother’s arms over the loss of her husband. “Loss is part of life. She isn't lost yet. Shower. Now.” To emphasise her point she playfully slapped his flank just west of his white star cutie mark.

“A-Alright.” Brightstar slowly got off of the bed, moving like he was sixty. “I'm going.”

Moonbeak swatted his ass again, then she set his phone down on the night stand and picked up her own. “Hey mom.” She smiled at the sound of her mother’s voice, along with the sound of crashing blocks in the background. “Yeah, not good. We're going to Canterlot as soon as we can. Wednesday, I'll be back Wednesday for sure. I don't know mom, depends on what we find if he comes back with me.” She sighed deeply when her mother began grilling her. “Mom, it isn't that...yeah kinda that. I will, love you and give all my love to Athena. Bye.”

When she hung up, Moonbeak used her phone to look up the Friendship Express schedule. She saw that the Local would be in Fillydelphia in just over three hours at one p.m. but that it would get to Canterlot at six p.m. tomorrow evening. She decided that was too late. The Express however went through Fillydelphia at eight that night and was scheduled to be in Canterlot at eleven a.m. tomorrow morning. Deciding that was the one, she promptly purchased two tickets.

Brightstar, after a twenty minute long shower in which he had absent mindedly cleaned himself three times, walked out into the living room. “Hmm…I needed that shower.”

Just to be sure, Moonbeak sniffed his neck, picking up the scent of roses on his coat. “Good. The train leaves tonight at eight and will be there tomorrow morning at eleven.”

Brightstar gave her an affectionate nuzzle. “Thank you, for getting the tickets. Is your mum okay to have ‘Thena?”

Returning the nuzzle with one of her own, Moonbeak snickered. “Yes, she is always okay to wind up Athena and claw her back over to me.”

Giggling a sad giggle, Brightstar pulled away from the contact. “I'm sorry Moon, for shouting at you.”

Tenderly she scratched under his chin with a talon of one hand while with the other she scratched behind his right ear, making him purr. “Not yet,” she said silkily, “but you will be later. It seems you lost control of a hoof there too.”

The royal blue unicorn nodded, feeling utterly and completely wretched. “That was unforgivable.”

‘Yes it was, but I did the same to my mom, so I understand.’ Moonbeak simply smiled and wafted the white tuft of her leonine grey tail under his nose. “Come, we get your stuff.” Out on the front porch she waited for him to join her. “Hop on.” She said when he did. Looking thoroughly miserable, Brightstar climbed carefully onto her back and Moonbeak flew around to the carport and she let him off on the passenger side of her van.

Once they were both inside, she drove in silence to the Wandering Pony hostel. Brightstar was also silent until she parked up outside. “It's not much, I know.”

Moonbeak gave the crumbling ruin of a building a very critical look. How it passed any kind of building safety code was beyond her. Half of it looked like it had already collapsed. “Is what it is.” She said derisively, although admittedly what it was, wasn’t much. Nevertheless she went in with him, and she even managed to hold her beak as she helped him pack his few belongings.

She couldn’t however, contain her glee when she saw that he had a Celestia Six plush, a white one she recognised vaguely as ‘Rarity’. “Ahem...” Brightstar foundered, “yes, she ah…she goes in the case, I swear...” he blushed horribly, quickly stuffing the plush in his case.

Moonbeak just wiggled her eyebrows and said nothing on the way out of the hostel. She did however make a mental note to tease him relentlessly once things were less tense. “Next stop is lunch at Cheese Stack, 'cause I don't wanna cook.” She practically had to shove the unicorn into her van.

Brightstar didn’t really realise he was back in the passenger seat until the van began to move. “Huh...food, yeah, yeah I could probably eat something.”

“Something more filling than me at least.” She put in with a smile, and she was pleased to get one back from him.

Brightstar smiled at her quip. “I doubt it'll be as tasty as you though.”

“Depends on if Blackie slipped anything in or not.” Moonbeak giggled and pulled up outside the eatery. Once inside, she ordered her usual, less the stones.

“Make that two please, hold the stones.” Brightstar placed his order while Moonbeak requested two ales which the zebra waitress quickly put on the counter. Taking her ale in her clawed hand she carried it over to her regular table. Lighting his horn, the unicorn carried his ale over to the same table as they sat at the day before. “Thank you,” he said as he sat down.

“I run a tab here,” Moonbeak shrugged. “They do autopay at the end of the month.”

“Just like Cafe Diem back in Canterlot.” Brightstar put in and lifted his glass up to his lips. “Darkie has a...a...” he trailed off and put it back down, that wretched feeling resurfacing. “I accused her of pranking us.”

Moonbeak took a sip of hers. “Has she pranked you in the past?”

‘Has she pranked you in the past?’ Brightstar thought with a reluctant amusement, “ha! When hasn’t she? She's famous for it!”

“Would taking her seriously have changed anything?”

Brightstar finally took that first swallow of his ale and mulled it over in his head. “No, no I don't suppose it would, would it?”

Moonbeak shook her head sympathetically. “I go with first gut reaction. Doesn't always work, but better than dithering and doing nothing.”

“I agree,” Brightstar took another sip of his ale. “Do, or do not.”

“Pony wisdom.” Moonbeak nodded sagely. “Do and sort it out later.”

“Listen, about mum,” Brightstar led off, “I should probably explain…”

Moonbeak cut across him gently. “I think that can wait till the train ride.” She put a claw delicately on his foreleg. “You taking all your stuff back, or you want to leave some at my place?”

Strangely, Brightstar found himself not having to think about that at all. “I think my lone little case can find a place in your treehouse.”

Somewhat relieved, Moonbeak squeezed the claw she had on his hoof. “I'm sure it can. It may not be safe from Athena though.”

Now, Brightstar smiled a very genuine smile. “I'll distract her with a ball.”

“Good plan,” the pregnant griffon agreed with a grin. “Are you taking some things with you, if you need to stay? I have to come back Wednesday.”

“I'll come back with you.” Brightstar answered quickly, an earnest, almost desperate look on his face. “Raid seems to have it well in hoof.”

“Gut is fine,” Moonbeak said softly, “but wait till you have experience before you decide. I wish to introduce you to someone after lunch.”

~ ~ ~

“Better with some food in you?” Moonbeak asked when the hour long food stop had finally – she’d had to almost force some of the platter down the unicorn’s neck at one point – come to a conclusion.

Swallowing his last morsel of pork, Brightstar nodded absently, not really looking at the griffon. “Hmm…much, thank you.”

Satisfied, Moonbeak waved to the staff behind the counter. Getting a nod from Blackie, she got up and exited the eatery and walked out to her transit van.

Lost in his little world, Brightstar didn't notice her get up at first, when he did, he hurried after the departing griffon to catch up. “Sorry about that, Moony.”

“Whose ass were you staring at?” She asked over her shoulder.

“Yours,” he replied quickly as he got in the van. Moonbeak merely laughed her shrill laugh by way of response and drove off. He idly watched the Fillydelphian scenery pass by the window, and he soon realised that wherever the griffon was taking him, she wasn't going home, nor where he remembered her mom to be. Seeing the river underneath them all but confirmed it. “Hey, we just crossed the Delamare...where are we going?”

“Forgotten already?” Moonbeak asked, an odd tone in her voice. “I told you I want to introduce you to someone.”

“I haven't forgotten,” Brightstar replied, “I just wondered where we were going.”

“To where…they... reside.” Moonbeak went silent as she drove the familiar route in the now midday sunshine.

Immediately, Brightstar caught her meaning. “To the cemetery?” He asked, placing his left forehoof delicately on her knee. The pregnant griffon nodded but she remained quiet. It quickly became evident however when she drove them past a cemetery and turned into the driveway of Peaceful Pastures. Deep inside it she pulled over to the shoulder.

“Follow.” She said simply and got out of the van.

Getting out, Brightstar quickly followed after her, maintaining a respectful silence as he looked around taking in the new surroundings. He noted, as they wove through the plots, from looking at the various marble stones that it was an old cemetery. Easily, with the surety of one who knew where she was going, Moonbeak moved through the well-kept grass for a further five minutes and presently she stopped before a particular grave. The royal blue unicorn stood by her side and read the engraving. “Goldcrest, Nineteen ninety nine to two thousand thirty. Father, Friend, Lover.” Brightstar reared up to his hind legs and put his left forehoof over his chest, a griffon salute he learnt while at Stormclaw Academy. “Sir.”

Moonbeak laughed out loud. “Look love, I found another idiot that will take a bullet for me. Brightstar meet Goldcrest, father of my kittens. Goldcrest meet Brightstar, he makes me smile.”

Back on his hooves, Brightstar nodded respectfully, “I'm pleased to make your acquaintance.”

A lone little tear leaked down Moonbeak’s face. “Three months ago now, we were just leaving the University City Six over on Walnut Road, we had taken Athena to see Inside Out, it was her first trip to the cinema.” She sighed with the telling. She hadn’t shared this with many, Tulip and her mother being the exceptions. “We had decided to leave the van, it was a nice day for the time of year, so we walked. Long story short, we were mugged. A gang of three teenage griffons held us up in the middle of the street. All three had guns. The leader, Blackplume, had his gun in Goldcrest’s chest while the other two searched us. Athena got scared. She bit one on the leg. There was a shout and in confusion, Goldcrest tried to fight them off. Well, Blackplume’s gun went off and the next thing I knew, my husband was laying on the floor in a pool of blood. The gang turned and ran, with nothing but an empty purse and a story to tell.”

Brightstar remained silent throughout the account of what had happened. “I ah...I hope Elysium was prepared for one so honourable. I salute you for keeping your family safe, Goldcrest.”

Moonbeak laid down in the short grass. “Love is the sharing of joy and sorrow. My friends worry for me that I would not look for love again.”

“It is indeed.” Brightstar bowed and laid down next to her on the grass in front of the grave. “I look forward to sharing with you.”

“We decided to name this one Zephyr.” Moonbeak ran her wingtips up and down her swollen belly. “Don't you want foals of your own?”

Brightstar paused and thought about that for a moment. “To be honest I hadn't thought of it much, what with university and watching out for Darkie,” he smiled, “foals would be nice, but kittens are nice too.”

Moonbeak nodded. “They are hard to raise on your own.”

“Then it is a good thing you aren't on your own, Moonbeak.”

“Smooth talker.” Moonbeak replied with a dry smile. “I don't come here very often. I hold the happy memories, but this place reminds me why they are memories.”

“I can understand that.” Brightstar commented as he nuzzled her neck and cheek. That was kind of the same reason why he didn’t visit his mum very much.

With a wider smile now, she nuzzled him back. “I'm happy Goldie, but you can still can still keep an eye out for me.”

Nuzzling up to kiss her cheek, Brightstar said, “I rather think he will.”

“Goldie was a voyeur.” She gave him a knowing wink and a tender kiss on his lips.

That certainly did get Brightstar’s attention, seeing as he himself was one. “Hmm…” he kissed Moonbeak on the tip of her beak. “Then I hope we give him something worth watching.”

Moonbeak laughed, “You are good at getting me to do that.”

Brightstar laughed with her, resting his head on her shoulder. “I'm glad I am!” He exclaimed, “I've enjoyed exploring some kinks with you.”

Moonbeak nodded, “Bondage, and public humiliation for you?”

“Hmhmm,” the royal blue unicorn smiled, “although when you slammed down on my shaft earlier in the bedroom...that was good too. It hurt but it was a good hurt. You can do that again.” He nuzzled her neck affectionately. “I like to watch too. So, what about for you?”

Moonbeak grinned, recalling some of the things that she and Goldcrest had done together. “I'm a bit arrogant at times. Maybe a lot of the time. I would accuse Goldie of chasing some tail and then I’d make a scene. It is pretty hot.”

“I like your arrogance.” Brightstar replied honestly, “it's hot. I like a good scene too.” He winked at her. “You ever use those talons?”

“I...” Moonbeak ran her tongue along her beak. “I, um, I cannot do that, Bright.”

“May I ask why?”

Moonbeak tilted her head thoughtfully, processing how best to answer him. “Most ponies don't like blood.” She said tactfully, however that wasn’t the reason why she was reluctant to indulge him.

Brightstar wholly missed the reticence in her voice. “I'm not most ponies.” He asserted with a confidence he only just felt. “The thought of you penetrating me is…it's really hot.”

Moonbeak simply shook her head dismissively. “I don't think you know what you're talking about.”

“Perhaps not,” he replied quickly, “it's something I'd like to try out if you were willing.”

Lighting fast, considerably faster than he’d seen her move so far, Moonbeak's claw lashed out at his chest, her razor sharp talons putting a shallow wound in the centre of his body just below his grey collar. “You think so?” She asked with a raised eyebrow, her emerald green eyes looking straight into his yellow ones to see his reaction.

“Aaaah!” He gasped and then let out a heady sigh as the pleasure followed the sharp pain, “ooh yeah…”

Moonbeak laughed. “Well, now you have.” She moved her head over and stuck out her tongue to lap up the blood and clean the royal blue fur.

“Mmm, please say we'll do that again.”

“Limited play,” Moonbeak said quickly, with an even quicker raise of her claw to stop him interrupting her. This was very, very important he understand. “I don't want to lose myself. You ever seen a real griffon fight?”

“Once,” Brightstar commented with a smile on his face. “When I was in Griffonstone. I was taken by a few of my classmates to see a pit fight in one of the arenas.”

Moonbeak shook her head. “Staged, no, I mean a real fight when two griffs go at it beak and claw.”

“Then no, I haven't,” Brightstar shook his head and returned to nuzzling the larger griffon’s chest and neck. “Though what I watched was very entertaining.”

“Blood is life.” Moonbeak said seriously. For her – and for most griffons – it was as intoxicating as alcohol. Tasting blood, even a drop, made her want more and more. “I've tasted blood, and not just bloodwine.”

Brightstar nodded. “I believe you.”

Moonbeak was thankful that this pony had spent the time he had in Griffonstone. She knew he was taking this issue very seriously, that he understood the consequences of what he had initiated. She gave one more slow lick to his white star cutie mark. “I'm satisfied. So, you like it to be a surprise?”

“I like surprises.”

Once more, Moonbeak flashed out her clawed hand. This time however she missed Brightstar’s chest and instead she grabbed a worm from between the blades of grass. “Snack?” She asked with a sly grin. When her stallion simply smiled and opened his mouth, she said; “You don't have to play macho with me, and I want the truth from you.” She popped the wriggling worm in her mouth, one snapping bite later and she swallowed it. “You can be a pony around me.”

Brightstar placed his forehoof delicately on her claw. “No macho stuff, I promise love.”

“I-I know you're willing,” Moonbeak led off, nuzzling his shoulder affectionately. “Just don't think impressing me will win me…” the pregnant griffon lightly pecked his nose. “Being stupid will lose me.”

“Understood,” he asserted with a snuffle of his muzzle. “I'll never be anything but myself. I may not always impress you, but I'll always love you.”

‘That’s my sexy sweet talking stallion!’ With a smile on her face, and in a rare show of vulnerability, Moonbeak rolled onto her back fully exposing herself to the young unicorn. “Belly rubs are always good.”

Fully appreciative of the display, Brightstar said, “belly rubs will always be given.” Very gently, and with utmost care, he placed his forehoof on her distended belly and stroked it with the grain of her grey fur.

“Different,” Moonbeak gave her verdict, as she had never had a hoof touch her ‘there’ before. “Not bad, but different from a claw.”

“Thank you.” He started to rub up and down a little firmer now, and as Moonbeak started to purr openly with the pleasure he was giving her, Brightstar used both hooves, alternating with up and down rubs. Fully relaxing under his hooves, the griffon’s right leg began to twitch involuntarily in the air. “You have soft fur…” he switched it up and did little figure eight motions with the belly rubs.

A very soft delicate wing tip brushed his nose. “Griffs be soft,” she giggled and arched her back, purring, “yeeeeeees.”

Trapping her primary feather in his lips Brightstar licked it with a smile as he rubbed her belly. Moonbeak sighed, “I think I'll keep you. I want to see Athena before we go.”

“I am happy to be kept.” He smiled and kissed the tip of her beak. “And of course we can see her.”

Moonbeak giggled. “Wasn't a question.” She rolled up to a sitting position and then stood up. “Till next time, Goldie.” With a last nod to the unresponsive, cold stone, she moved off to her van.

Brightstar stood and repeated the salute he opened with, and with a nod of his own to the grave, he followed after his griffon.

Once the van was moving, Moonbeak used the van’s Bluetooth. “Hi mom,” she said after her mother answered the phone call after two rings, “we're stopping by for dinner, should I bring something?”

“Yes,” Astraea answered from the speaker, “get something from Gascon's for dessert. You bringing the pony?”

“Yeah,” Moonbeak replied, “and we're going to Canterlot on the night express. Leaves at eight.”

Brightstar couldn’t resist a chuckle. “She is indeed bringing the pony, Ma'am.”

“Oh, it's still alive...” Astraea’s voice sounded amused, “Okay I'll set another plate, and make something for dinner.”

Moonbeak laughed, “Thanks mom.”

“I’m still alive,” Brightstar put in as the griffon tried to end the call, “and thank you!”

“She might...will complain, but she does love to cook for others.” Moonbeak smiled after she had finally disconnected her call. “She will try to grouse me out with pure pony like food.”

“I like your mum,” Brightstar put in, a broad smile on his muzzle, “mine used to chew me out all the time.”

“A mom can only embarrass their own.”

“And they do it so well.”

After a brief detour to Gascon’s dessert shop just over the Delamare River – in which Moonbeak purchased ‘something’ in a box but forbade the unicorn from asking what the ‘something’ was – the pregnant griffon pulled up outside her mother’s place and parked. Getting out of her van she spread her powerful grey wings and flew up to the third floor landing. Brightstar could see she was waiting for him and, concentrating hard, he lit his horn and teleported up. He giggled when he reappeared right next to her, so close he made her fur stand on end. “Practise makes better.” She said dryly with a ‘look’ over her shoulder before she knocked and entered her mother’s condo.

Walking in behind her, conspicuously admiring her wide swaying ass and even wider belly, Brightstar tried to suppress his giggles as he went about smoothing her fur with his magic. “Ooops…” Seeing the little kitten playing over by her toy box, Brightstar walked over. “'Thena want a ball?”

Athena looked up from her car with a look of joy on her face to see the smiling unicorn. He was fun. “Ba!”

As Brightstar grinned and lit his horn, he could feel another pair of eyes watching him from the serving hatch in the kitchen wall and knew Moonbeak’s mother was scrutinising his every move. A split second later and he created the illusory blue ball with its white star. “Here you go, sweetie.”

“Is that why you keep him around?” Astraea asked her daughter bluntly as Athena practiced pouncing on the ball.

“Hmm…” Moonbeak watched Brightstar move the ball around the living room, making her kitten work for her pounces, “he does have other uses.” She then followed her mother into the kitchen beyond his hearing.

Aware he was probably being spoken about, Brightstar asked, “'Thena pay bocks?”

Athena shook her little head and sent the magical ball back to her playmate. “Ba!”

“Ball it is.” The royal blue unicorn gently rolled it to her.

“You eat tofu?” Astraea called to him from the kitchen as Athena viciously pounced the ball.

“Yes Ma'am,” Brightstar answered respectfully, “tofu is fine.” From his position in the living room he just heard Moonbeak’s shrill voice tell her mother, ‘I'm telling you he'll eat anything you put down.’ Brightstar giggled to himself as he moved the ball around so that Athena had to chase it.

After a few more minutes, Athena decided she was tired of chasing and announced, “Boks!”

“Alrighty sweetie,” Brightstar smiled at her, “we'll play blocks.”

When she had gotten a couple of handfuls of the multi coloured wooden blocks from her toy box into a little pile, Brightstar found she was rather good at balancing them. She managed to stack five of the blocks into a technicolour tower and, admiring her creation, moved back and performed a leaping attack that knocked them over.

Brightstar sat on the carpeted floor and clapped his forehooves together. “Good pounce!”

“Do do!” Athena squeaked and shoved some of the blocks his way.

“Okies!” By hoof, Brightstar made a little tower of seven blocks, then he backed off and did a tiny little pounce to knock them down again. Athena clapped her little claws and she rebuilt her tower and once again pounced it, scattering the wooden blocks to the floor. Brightstar clapped his hooves as the blocks came tumbling again. “Do 'gain?” He asked.

Gain!” Athena squeaked, although this time she stacked the blocks with him, showing him where, in her expert opinion, which particular block should go where to make the best tower.

“Gain!” He agreed, and with Athena’s ‘help’ he made a bigger tower, a huge monolith nine blocks high. Once it was completed, they both pounced it to the carpet.

Full of joy, Athena clapped her claws together and squeaked, “Biggar!”

“Biggar!” Having a lot of fun, he used his yellow magic to make an even bigger tower, a monstrous eleven blocks high.

Athena, looking on in wide eyed wonder at the sheer height of the block tower, thought she needed a longer run up and, with a good few feet between her and her target she did her impersonation of the Scootaloo Chicken Dance ™. With wings buzzing, the little kitten ran on her hind paws, her little claws raised to attack. Brightstar’s heart melted. ‘Sweet Luna she's adorable!’ He timed his pounce with hers and together they attacked the tower, bringing it down.

Amidst the blocks, Athena danced a little victory dance, “Dit it! Dit it! Dit it!”

Curious to see what the commotion was, Moonbeak stuck her head through the hatch and watched her kitten dancing along with Brightstar who, she guessed – correctly – was oblivious to the fact he was being watched. “Did it! Did it!”

“Gain!”

“Gain!” Brightstar agreed and magically re-made the big tower.

Out of the corner of her eye, Athena saw her mom watching them playing. “Wach, wach!” She cried, and once more she did her running attack on the recently rebuilt tower, and Brightstar knocked them down with her, giggling like an overgrown little colt.

“Dinner is ready!” Astraea called from the kitchen.

Instantly, Athena forgot all about the blocks. “Dinna!” She zipped past her mother like a golden brown furred missile to the table in the kitchen.

“Come along pony boy,” Moonbeak giggled, reaching out her clawed hand to the unicorn, “let’s see what my mom has in store for you.”

Grinning, Brightstar rolled to a sitting position and gave her his hoof so she could pull him up, a tear of laughter running down his cheek. “Coming Moony.”

‘He’s so good with Athena…’ Moonbeak thought as she pulled him to his hooves. “You sure you don't want your own?”

“If I could have one with you.” He replied quickly, leading the pregnant griffon to give him her patented eye roll number 32, which was clearly different from numbers 1 to 31, obviously. Eagerly, he followed her through to the kitchen where Astraea was helping Athena into the high seating pad. The royal blue stallion saw a generous spread of garden salad, a platter of noodles with cheese, peas, and grilled tofu chunks and pitchers of fruit punch.

Sitting himself at the kitchen table, Brightstar eyed the tofu chunks while Astraea served Athena her helping, making sure as always that the kitten’s plate was piled high. “Help yourselves.” The jet black griffon smiled at the new couple.

“Did you make the little tofu’s suffer before you slit their throats?” Moonbeak asked with a grin.

Brightstar levitated over a little of everything, making a point to get the tofu. “Hmm...I won't suffer eating it, I know that.”

“Mom just loves to show of her pony cooking skills.” Moonbeak commented as the rest giggled.

“Didn't even have to cook a pony to do it.” Astraea put in, her smile wide as her granddaughter went in beak first to her stacked plate.

“No?” Brightstar chuckled, “I'm surprised.” To the middle aged griffon’s immense pleasure he tucked in with vigour to his meal.

Once the delicious food was eaten, twenty minutes of nothing but happy eating noises filling the condo’s kitchen, Astraea got up from her seating pad and revealed the dessert that Moonbeak had purchased from Gascon’s. With the flair of a magician revealing her trick, she pulled a…‘something’ out of the white box. Whatever it was, Athena leaned away from it. “Dessert!” She cried happily.

“Oh...” to Brightstar it looked like a charcoal cheesecake. It smelled as appetising as a charcoal cheesecake. “Oh my...Ma'am, may I ask what that is?”

Astraea set it in front of the unimpressed unicorn with ceremony as if she were serving royalty. “Dessert! Dig in.” To emphasise the point she pushed a fork his way.

Brightstar gulped, wishing then that he could manage an invisibility spell like his sister. Not wanting to insult them, he lifted the fork in his magic with a steeled resolve. “Very well then, I thank you for this meal, Ma’am.” Plunging the fork in, he took a big bit and shoved it in his mouth before he could change his mind.

Clapping her little claws, Athena cried out with joy, “Gahem gahem gahem!”

Moonbeak gave her a ‘look’, “Athena.”

Athena went quiet for a brief moment and then she burst out laughing again along with her mother. Astraea meanwhile just smiled as she watched Brightstar stuff the dark, and a little bitter, chocolate dessert in his mouth. “I use extra coco powder to give it that really burnt look.

Giggling, Moonbeak dished some out to Athena who was by now pounding the kitchen table in a desire to get some of the chocolate pudding. “You may have guessed we've played this joke before.”

Brightstar merely smiled as he swallowed what was a surprisingly pleasant dessert. “I guessed. That looked like something Air Raid cooked, thankfully it tasted much better than something Air Raid cooked.”

“Вы его показать?” Astraea asked curiously as she sat down with her own bowl.

“Да.” Moonbeak nodded, unable to say anything else as her beak was full of chocolate.

“Является ли он хранитель?” Astraea pressed the issue.

Moonbeak paused and swallowed, considering her reply. “Может быть.”

Astraea giggled, determind to embarrass her daughter, and knowing full well that the unicorn could understand her she asked, “Какой рог больше?”

Brightstar looked at Moonbeak and they both shared a knowing smile. “She knows which is bigger, Ma’am.”

Astraea raised an eyebrow at that and Moonbeak burst out laughing, which made Athena laugh too. “Я был бы доволен либо.” The pregnant griffon deadpanned, making Astraea laugh out loud as Brightstar sputtered into his bowl.

“You could have warned me.” The older griffon shot her daughter a mock disgruntled look.

“What,” Moonbeak replied innocently with a raised eyebrow, “and not prank the prankster?”

Astraea leant over the kitchen table and put her clawed hand on the unicorn’s forehoof. “Guard my daughter well, pony.” She said kindly, giving them her blessing. “When do you need to go?” She asked once the dessert had been eaten.

Moonbeak checked her phone, “Train leaves at eight so in about thirty minutes.” When her mother started to clear the table, Moonbeak held up her hand. “Brightstar will get that mom, let's take Athena out to the living room.”

Astraea looked between her daughter and the young unicorn, and Brightstar nodded submissively. “I'll get that for you, Ma'am.” Obediently he lit his horn and levitated all the dishes to the kitchen sink.

“Live in butler?” Astraea asked sardonically as the three griffons left the kitchen.

Moonbeak simply smiled, “Maybe.”

“Boks!” Athena squeaked, racing off for her toys.

Left alone in the kitchen, Brightstar very quickly washed the dishes and even wiped the table down before walking through to the living room, his OCD satisfied at a job well done. “That's done for you, Ma'am.”

Athena saw the fun unicorn walk in and didn’t give him a moment to sit down. “Ba!”

Moonbeak giggled as Astraea looked on curiously. Smiling, Brightstar lit his horn and, in the glow of his yellow aura he created the magical blue ball complete with white star. “Here you go, little lady.”

Immediately, Athena pounced the ball. “Ba!” She then moved away to stalk it.

“I think he is trying to get her used to his flank.” Moonbeak commented to her mother.

Brightstar moved the ball a tiny amount to tempt the mighty deadly stalker. “I think it's working.”

“I see…” Astraea thought out loud as she watched Athena pounce the ball again then back away.

Brightstar giggled and rolled the ball towards Athena then away slowly. “She's good at pouncing the ball.”

“How's your pouncing skills?” Astraea asked slyly as she sat in her rocking chair.

“Not sure,” Moonbeak said, inspecting the tips of her talons, “he's always tied up with something.”

Astraea burst out laughing and Brightstar proudly rubbed his chest where he was swiped in the cemetery. “Trust me, Ma’am, her pouncing skills are just fine.”

“You're bound to catch up with her, Brightstar.” Moonbeak blushed and Astraea shook her head with a mournful look.

It clicked suddenly in Brightstar’s head as to just whom the older griffon’s question was directed. “Aah...I uh...” he blushed deep enough for it to show against his royal blue fur, but smiled at her. “I've had no complaints so far, Ma'am.”

“He does tend to have to clean up a lot though.” Moonbeak smiled, recovering quickly from her fluster.

“Luckily, I like doing the clean up.”

Athena batted away the ball, having just decided she was tired of it. “Boks!”

“Blocks!” Brightstar cried, magically making the tower of blocks for her. Her green eyes glinting with glee, Athena moved back to get a proper running start and the unicorn clapped his hooves when she knocked them down. “Yay! Gain!” Once more he created the tower for the little kitten.

As she watched her daughter play, Moonbeak said, “He can cook without setting the kitchen on fire too.”

“Many talents, the pony has.” Astraea commented, not unkindly, eyeing again the grey collar around his neck.

“As I said to Moony,” Brightstar led off, “I had to be, see my sister and...my sis...” he trailed off to silence, his mood taking a crash as he thought about Darkstar laid in a coma in a Canterlot hospital.

Moonbeak laid a tender claw on the stallion’s shoulder. “Let’s go see her.”

Astraea nodded. “I have things under control here.”

“Give us a hug, 'Thena.”

Athena ran over and gave her mother a tight hug. “Bia bia!” Next, in a completely adorable move, she hugged Brightstar’s foreleg. “Bia bia!”

In the hug, Brightstar hitched up a very genuine smile to his face as he hugged the little kitten. “I’ll see you soon, sweetie.”

Moonbeak exited the condo, but she waited on the third floor landing outside. A moment later and Brightstar walked outside to join her on the landing. “I'm sorry about that, in there.”

“Want a ride down?” Moonbeak asked simply, she saw the look on his face and doubted his ability to teleport safely.

Brightstar, who was about to teleport, stopped and nodded. “Please.” When Moonbeak crouched for him to get on, he did so and she flew down to the passenger side of her van.

“We can pack what we need for a long weekend and take the cab to the station.” She said, walking around to her driver’s side.

“Sounds like a plan.” Brightstar got himself seated in the passenger seat. He had no intention on staying in Canterlot at all.

Moonbeak started the white transit van and drove away from her mother’s place. “It's okay to worry about her. Just so you know.”

Brightstar didn’t know what to say, think or do. “I dunno…I just...I think of Darkie lying there...” he started to weep. “Who'd do all that to her? She's such a delicate pony.”

“What happened to her?”

Brightstar looked out of the van’s window miserably. “You heard what Raid said on the phone. She was beaten badly, and...and r-raped by three stallions…” the distraught stallion was in tears, not even trying to pretend he wasn’t. “They cut off her horn and stabbed her with it!”

“She's not dead.” Moonbeak said simply.

“She's not far from it.”

Moonbeak nodded. “I know the difference.”

“I know,” Brightstar put his forehoof on her leg. “I know and I'm sorry.”

“No,” Moonbeak spoke up, “don't be sorry, be brave and face what may come.”

Brightstar nodded. “I've done it before with mum, I can face this...with you.”

“Yes, together.” Moonbeak commented as she pulled into her spot in the carport behind the largest of the three oak trees that supported her treehouse. “Ride up?”

Feeling all bolstered with his griffon by his side, Brightstar got out of the van. “Would you like me to take us up?”

“No, another day.” She shook her head kindly, nuzzling his shoulder and neck when she came around the van. “When you have all of your mind on me.”

“Agreed.” He returned the nuzzle, “in that case yes, I'd love a ride.”

“Pack what you need,” Moonbeak ordered gently once she had flown them both up the forty feet to her house, with a swat of her wing to his flank. “I'll call the cab.”

“You got it.” In the living room he found his little case where they had left it when they had come back from the Wandering Pony, and carried it in his magic through to the bedroom. There he added the shackles to his case, just in case. As he was already wearing the collar, he left it on and put the leash in his case too. “That's me!” He called once he was packed.

After calling for a cab, Moonbeak got her travel case together, with a few ‘fun’ items in it. “They will be here in a couple minutes, Bright.”

Brightstar walked up to her and dropped his case on the floor. “Moony, thanks, for coming with me. It uh...it means a lot.”

Moonbeak laid a claw on his shoulder. “I'm scared Bright. I've lost so much, and so I'm ready to lose you too, but you have as much to lose as me.”

He held onto her in a tight hug and cried openly into your shoulder. “Y-You'll not lose me. Having you makes me stronger to face this.”

A beeping horn from the street below broke up the tender moment. “Go clean up, and I'll stall the cabbie.”

Pulling away from the hug, Brightstar sniffed. “You got it…” hurriedly he cantered through to the bathroom and cleaned his face, before coming back out into the living room where Moonbeak was waiting for him with the two cases.

In the cab, both Moonbeak and Brightstar sat quietly. She looked out of the window at the scenery as it passed by in the evening dusk. He couldn’t think of anything to say, so he silently put his foreleg around her shoulder and held her tight until they arrived at the station, which they did with fifteen minutes to spare with the train being scheduled to arrive on time in five minutes. Moonbeak covered the cab fare and looked in a few of the tourist trap shop windows. “Your sis like anything?”

‘To not be in a coma, beaten and raped,’ Brightstar thought, but very wisely he bit down on that thought. “There's three things Darkie likes, roses, salted caramel and pranks.”

“Hmm…” Moonbeak thought out loud, “Might be better to get that when we arrive, then.”

Brightstar nodded as he heard the Friendship Express steam train enter the station. “Her second favourite place in Canterlot used to be the joke shop.”

Moonbeak approached the magnificent train. “I have us a sleeper car.”

Brightstar stepped up next to her as the guards opened the carriage doors. “Thank you Moony.”

The pregnant griffon nuzzled her stallion tenderly. “You can thank me properly later tonight.”

Entering the train carriage first, Moonbeak got out her phone and showed the conductor the tickets she had purchased online earlier that day. Satisfied, the earth pony stallion, resplendent in his red uniform, led the way to the Friendship Express’s sleeper compartment. Brightstar followed quietly, feeling a huge amount of trepidation for not only the journey but for what they would find at the end of it.

The compartment, though it wasn’t large, was more than suitable. It did have a private toilet and shower and the seating pad doubled up as a bed. There was a drop down pad to make it into bunk beds. “Thank you.” Moonbeak thanked the stallion for escorting them to their compartment. “How late is the club car open?”

“It is always open, Ma'am, and you can have breakfast as early as five a.m. up to nine a.m.” The sky blue stallion answered smartly.

“Please reserve us a spot for two at six a.m.” Moonbeak requested after a moment’s thought.

“Can do,” the conductor gave a polite nod and turned to take his leave. “Enjoy your trip.”

Brightstar walked into the compartment with a little smile, sizing up the room they’d be staying in. “At least it’s comfier than Air Raid's car.”

“It will do.” Moonbeak passed her simple judgement as she dumped the two cases into the wall mounted luggage racks.

The royal blue unicorn nodded, “it will indeed.” He had a thought then, “I should give Raid a call, let her know we're coming, and when we’ll be there in Canterlot.”

Nodding approvingly, Moonbeak said, “Yes, that is a good idea. She can recommend a place for us to stay.”

Lighting his horn, Brightstar levitated his phone out of his saddlebag and in his glowing yellow aura floated it over to him. Moonbeak waited whilst he dialled Air Raid’s number and flicked it to speaker mode. “Hey Raid...” he greeted his friend when she picked up the call, “yeah it's me, we're on our way from Filly now.”

Air Raid yawned a loud audible yawn. It was six p.m. in Canterlot and she hadn’t slept or even properly rested since the day before. “Cool, Bright. “What time shall I meet you?”

Brightstar looked at his griffon and she whispered a time to him. “We’re due to get into Canterlot about eleven tomorrow morning.”

“Alrighty Bright, no worries.”

“Oh,” the stallion said as he saw the meaningful look on her face. “Moony wants to know if you can recommend a place for us to stay?”

“My place is empty. You can use that.” Air Raid answered after a moment’s thought.

‘That is one tired pony,’ Moonbeak thought to herself grimly. “Fleas?”

Air Raid giggled, “nope…” she gave another very loud, very long yawn. “No fleas.”

“Raid,” Brightstar started, a very serious tone in his voice, “you sound exhausted, get some sleep.”

Moonbeak on the other hand was very happy. “Yes,” she smiled so that it carried in her voice, “alert ponies taste best.”

“I heard that.”

Brightstar was insistent. “I mean it Raid, get some kip.”

Air Raid groused for a moment then she relented, lest she get thrown out of the hospital cafeteria. “Fine, fine Bright, I'll try.”

Moonbeak leant in close to her stallion’s ear and whispered. “Any change?”

“I’ll ask, love.” Turning his attention back to his phone, Brightstar asked, “Raid, is there any change in Darkie?”

There was a very long pregnant pause in Air Raid before she responded. “No,” she replied eventually, reluctantly, “no hun there's no change. They’re still going pretty much hour by hour. They're letting me stay in the hospital, I'll let you know if anything changes before you get here. I tried calling Dusk, but he hasn't returned my calls.”

Brightstar asked, “have you tried Cy?”

“I called her after I spoke to you earlier hun,” Air Raid answered quickly, “but there's not much she can do, she isn't allowed in Canterlot is she?”

“What about ‘Shot?”

Air Raid snorted derisively. “Slingshot hit a bottle as soon as we got back.”

“Alright hun,” Brightstar said sympathetically. “Go get some sleep, Raid.”

“Yep.” Air Raid said simply and she hung up.

“Damn.” Brightstar exclaimed as he floated his phone back into his saddlebag.

Moonbeak moved closer to him and steered him to sit on the wide seating pad. “That was a lot of names,” she said affectionately, “tell me about them.”

“Yeah it was.” Brightstar sighed despondently and slumped into Moonbeak’s shoulder. “Well, the first, Dusk Melody, is Princess Luna and Lady Octavia's son. We went to school then to university with him. Cy, or Cyclone, she went to uni in Canterlot with us too. She recently was forced to move to Cloudsdale. Slingshot you met. He has a massive crush on Darkie. We were all tight, until Wildfire's accident a few months ago.”

Moonbeak remained silent as she listened to her stallion. “You hung around with Prince Dusk?” She asked once he’d finished.

Brightstar nodded. “I did.” Once more he lit his horn in with his yellow magic and levitated the photograph of the seven friends that they’d had taken way back at the funfair from his saddlebag. Bringing it over to them he wondered idly if any of the others had kept their copies of this picture. Holding it in mid-air he looked at the seven happy smiling faces looking back at him.

Moonbeak looked at the slightly creased picture. “Name them.”

Brightstar nodded and took a breath. “Air Raid and Slingshot you know.” He indicated the lime green mare and pink stallion respectively. He pointed to the yellow pegasus next. “That's Wildfire, Air Raid's marefriend. The black pegasus is Cyclone. The white unicorn is Darkie, Darkstar, and that's Dusk there and me next to him.”

Moonbeak took a moment to really study the photograph. It was obviously a cheap booth job, but she wasn’t about to criticise its quality. “Your sister is cute. Four pegasi, two unicorns, and an earth pony walk into a bar…”

Brightstar laughed out loud. “We were an equal opportunities group. Heh...we were...” he touched the photo with his hoof. “We had some good times, but we've drifted apart since Wildfire left.”

Moonbeak studied the photograph, her emerald green eyes settling on the jet black pegasus with the turquoise mane. “Why can't Cyclone come to Canterlot?”

“Aaah...” Brightstar paused, gathering his thoughts on that one. “See, that's a little delicate. Cyclone has an AB/DL fetish…” again he paused, and when Moonbeak gave him an encouraging look, he took a deep breath and he told her the whole tale of exactly why his friend had been banished from the nation’s capital city. He told it truthfully and honestly, sparing no detail and sugarcoating nothing. “So you see,” he rounded off, “they cut her a deal, leave Canterlot and no more would be said.”

Moonbeak’s beak hung open for a moment, then she swiftly recovered herself. “Wow! You have some kinky friends. Give me the dirt on Air Raid.”

Brightstar gave her a very relieved giggle, pleased and somewhat thankful that his griffon was so accepting of his friend. “Air Raid…heh…her biggest thing is she can't fly. She has Scootaloo's Syndrome. She thinks we don't know, but she likes peeing outdoors. She and Cy had a session once, and Cy did say she gets turned on from being humiliated.”

“I can do humiliation.” Moonbeak stated confidently. “You said your sister is a prankster, does she have some kinks too?”

Brightstar nodded. “She likes to be watched.” He blushed a little, “that's how I found out I was a voyeur.”

Moonbeak, satisfied for the moment – there would be time enough for more questions later – decided to change tack and she said to the young stallion, “Care for a night cap in the club car?”

‘It has been a long day…’ Brightstar thought and nodded his head with a smile. “Ooh, I'd love one.”

Patting the knee of his hind leg, Moonbeak got up off of the seating pad and exited their sleeper compartment and moved forward through the carriages of the Express to the dining car and then into the club car. The well-stocked and supplied bar was on the lower level. Seeing there was no beer tap, the pregnant griffon walked up to the bar. “I'll have a lager, please.” She addressed the sky blue unicorn bartender.

The stallion behind the bar paused and looked at Brightstar, awaiting his order too. He scanned what they had, and when he saw there was no dalwhinny, Brightstar placed his order. “Make that two, I'll have a lager as well please.”

“Glasses?” The bartender asked, and Moonbeak shook her head no, before leading her stallion over to a nearby empty table.

Brightstar noticed this, but believing Moonbeak had a fun game in mind, he chose not to say anything about it. “Thank you,” he said as he took his seating pad opposite her.

The stallion bartender quickly delivered the two bottles of lager and one glass to their table and departed to the bar, conspicuously remaining close enough to listen but not close enough to make it obvious. Moonbeak took a good long sip of her drink. “Pony glasses never work out well for beaks.”

Brightstar chuckled and filled his glass with the bottle held in his yellow aura. “I like your beak just how it is.”

“Just how it is,” Moonbeak commented with a sly grin, “now with some of your bits in it?” Nearby, the bartender almost dropped the glass he was polishing.

“Mmm...” the royal blue stallion caught the slip out of the corner of his eye and decided to have some fun. “I'd love you to put my bits in it.” He blushed deeply and tried to cover it with a giggle. Darkstar was so much better than him at that sort of thing. That and she’d actually had sex with another pony before, whereas he was still practising. “Oh…I actually said that out loud didn’t I?”

The stallion behind the bar, who was paid to be deaf or attentive based on conversations around him tried very hard to remain professional. Moonbeak giggled. “You did.”

Brightstar declared proudly. “I regret nothing, my lady.”

“As well you shouldn't.” She smiled as she swallowed half of her bottle. “There is time enough for regret during the long sleep.”

“Well said my love,” Brightstar paused and took a sip of his lager, swilling it around his mouth before swallowing with relish. “Mum would like you I think,” he said after a moment’s thought.

“You are a strange pony,” Moonbeak said simply, putting her bottle on the table. “But, let's get another to go and talk about that in the room.”

“You said you like strange.” He countered quickly. ‘Damn…I said too much, now she wants to talk about mum…’

Getting up from their table, Moonbeak laid the bits on the counter as the bartender put the two bottles on the bar. “There is strange and then there is 'strange'.” She commented, giving the young unicorn a look. “Make yourself useful and carry yours and the full ones. I got mine.”

“I got these.” Brightstar lit his horn and picked up the three bottles in his glowing yellow magical field and carried them with him back to their compartment.

Back in their room in the Express’s sleeper carriage, Moonbeak perched herself on the wide seating pad and silently finished her first lager and takes the second bottle from the unicorn’s magic. “Your mum.” She opened bluntly. “You either talk about her like she is next to you or like she is on the moon.”

“Yes,” Brightstar started to reply, then he paused while he took the space next to her on the seating pad and gathered his thoughts. He knew the time had come to fully open up to his griffon, whatever the consequences may be. “It's...well it's...complicated, Moony. You see um...she's crazy.” There. He’d said it.

Moonbeak smiled, “I think that comes from having kits and foals.”

‘She didn’t get it…’ Brightstar shook his head. “No, I mean she's really ‘insane’ crazy.” He slumped a little as he took a long fortifying drink of his lager.

“Oh,” Moonbeak saw the very, very serious look on the young stallion’s face. She decided it didn’t suit him. She much preferred the easy smile he had when he was playing with Athena, or helping her tease her mother. “Like, committed, crazy?” She asked.

Brightstar nodded, “yep...she's been in the Canterlot Asylum for six years now.”

‘He’s properly serious…poor pony.’ Moonbeak swallowed her lager and gave him a sympathetic look. “Oh, sorry if I was playing that off.”

To her surprise, Brightstar smiled. “My love, it's fine, really. Darkie and I were thirteen when it happened.”

“You never talk about your dad.”

Brightstar shrugged and drained his second bottle. “Nothing to talk about. He left my mum before we were born. All I know is his name, Lilac Glamour.”

Moonbeak nodded, “My dad passed a few years ago, why mom lives in a condo. Didn't need a big house.”

“I'm sorry to hear that.” With his empty bottle floated onto the little table, he wrapped his foreleg around her shoulders and pulled the pregnant griffon into a hug on the seating pad, for a moment just enjoying the sound of the train as it thundered along the track.

Hugging him back, Moonbeak rested her head on his shoulder for a moment. “Stuff happens. You talked about meeting your mom, then you say better to have met mine than yours.”

“It depends.” Brightstar sighed a deep sigh, still holding the hug. “Sometimes she's lucid enough and she knows what’s happening, other times mum can be confused, scared or even violent. Tartarus sometimes she can be all three. Sometimes she recognises us, other times she doesn't.”

Moonbeak nodded sympathetically. “Like she is next to you or on the moon.” She said again, the saying having considerably more meaning now. “Still I need to meet her, I just won't get worried if she doesn't approve of me.”

“Like she is next to you or on the moon...” Brightstar mulled it over thoughtfully. “Yeah, that's about right. Shining Star. Mum's name. She was a semi-famous illusionist. She supported Trixie Lulamoon back in the day when she toured Equestria with her magic act.”

“Ah,” Moonbeak said delicately as she could, “like you and your sister. So, ummm…hum…hmm…”

Brightstar chuckled, “you're worried I'll go the same way?”

“Humph,” she harrumphed with a smile all over her beak, “all you ponies are crazy, but I'd like to know if you'll stay lucid.”

The royal blue stallion giggled at that. “My mum's illusions got out of control. She couldn't tell what was real from what was not. I like order. Having OCD helps. Order helps to ground me.”

Understandingly, Moonbeak nodded. “Order is a very griffon thing.”

“Yes it is,” Brightstar agreed quickly. “Stormclaw taught me that. Your darkroom was very soothing, all neatly stacked and ordered.”

Moonbeak giggled, “My pantry must have given you a hard on then.”

The royal blue unicorn blushed intensely. “Um…maybe.” It did, of course it did, but he didn’t want to admit it.

Moonbeak then asked, “So which one of you mainly took care of the other? You or your sis?”

Brightstar laughed a little laugh at that. “Darkie will tell you it was her, but I took care of my sis. Mum expected me to be the stallion in the house…”

The pregnant griffon cut across him, very conspicuously looked at her stallion’s undercarriage, inspecting it minutely. “Understandable.”

“And impressive, too.” He added proudly.

Bending down, Moonbeak looked at his sheath again. “It’s adequate for a pony.”

Brightstar made a little pose next to his griffon on the seating pad. “Why thank you Mistress, I aim to be adequate!” He leant in close to her and kissed her cheek.

Moonbeak looked down her beak at him. “When it comes to that your aim better be spot on.”

“It is indeed,” he smiled and hugged her tightly to him. “Especially when you talk about putting it near your beak.”

Moonbeak clacked her yellow beak a few times. “My aim will be true,” she finished with a wink of her emerald green eye. Sat next to her, Brightstar shivered, getting very aroused by the wink, his stallionhood starting to emerge from its sheath. Grinning at the effect she was having on him, she finished her second beer. “Beds are a little narrow,” she said casually.

A thought occurred to him, “you’ll have to get on top of me, I’m sure we'll fit.”

Moonbeak stood up from the pad and nodded, “Worth a try.”

Taking the cue, and wasting very little time, Brightstar stood as well and used his magic to fold the bed down on top of the seating pad and once it was secure he hopped on the edge, his hind legs dangling down almost touching the floor, the head of his member showing. “I couldn't agree more,” he said with a wink, “Mistress.”

Moonbeak reared up, looking him in the eyes as she ran a claw along his grey collar. Hopping up on the bed, she moved to sit next to him but her legs were under her and she wrapped her right arm around him. “How many dates before you'll do it?” She asked, her emerald eyes half-lidded.

“Aaah…” in a little panic, Brightstar tried to look cool even though he hadn't actually done it before, he knew they've technically been on two already. “Aaah...um, two?”

Laughing at his discomfort, Moonbeak went to work on his black mane and his neck with her beak. “Aah...aaoooooh…” Brightstar moaned and shivered as the griffon continued to nip and lick his royal blue fur, intent on preening his fur, griffon style. “Mmmm!” His shaft fully emerged from his sheath under her ministrations, “I like that.”

Lifting up her clawed hand, Moonbeak pushed him over and onto his back in an attempt to get at his chest fur. Like pliable clay, Brightstar went onto his back easily, raising his forelegs above his head like he was tied down as she worked her way along his collar bone and down each rib in turn. “Mmmm…” he breathed little shallow breaths, his shaft hard as a rock underneath her.

Noting the stallion’s distinct lack of ticklishness, Moonbeak decided to change her attack and she moved down to his belly, letting her pure white check feathers rub along the side of his shaft as she began to preen his belly fur. As soon as she reached his belly he twitched. “Teeeheeeeeeee!” He squirmed under her.

Very pleased at the response she had – finally - gotten, Moonbeak searched out his navel to play in with the point of her beak. “NAaaAAAaa hahaha n-noooo please!” Brightstar laughed and begged her to stop.

Enjoying his squirms and his helpless laughter for a full two minutes she then moved down to turn her attention to his heavy pendulous balls. “Aaah…teeheee…” Brightstar sighed and giggled, thankful for the chance to catch his breath. “Th-that was evil…” in spite of that, the stallion had a wide smile on his face.

“Hmm…” Moonbeak assessed his testicles. “Bite size.” She judged, before taking one in her open beak and running her tongue over and around it.

“B-B-Bite siiiize...aaaaah!” Brightstar didn’t have much opportunity to process what she’d said before he was moaning happily at the feel of her tongue as it caressed his balls. Moving down a bit more, Moonbeak checked the cleanliness of his tail-hole and was pleased to find he was fastidiously clean. Using her claws to gently part his buttocks, she probed him with her tongue and rimmed him with her beak.

“Aaaaaah wow!” Brightstar gasped and spread his hind legs further apart for her.

Minutes later, after swirling her tongue sensuously around his clean hole, Moonbeak came up for air. “Pony like that?”

Brightstar nodded, “pony likes that a lot!”

“I will try to remember that.” Smiling, Moonbeak let her index talon of her left claw replace her beak as she moved back up his crotch with affectionate little nips, Brightstar’s rock hard shaft twitching adorably with the touch of her beak as she spent some time licking the medial ring. “Why do ponies have this extra bit?” She asked curiously.

“Aah ooooooh I d-duuunno…” he moaned and twitched with the pleasure she was giving him.

Moonbeak laughed her shrill high laugh. “You don't play with yourself enough.” The dominant griffon moved up his length to the flared tip. “I can guess what this bit is for.” She said as she lapped away at the sensitive tip.

“HmmmMM!” Brightstar’s back arched, “I p-play with it p-plenty...”

Monitoring his breathing, Moonbeak backed off when she judged he was getting close to climaxing, lifting her head up from his hard throbbing shaft. “Ooooh n-no don't stop please!” Brightstar whined pitifully at the loss of the contact.

“Is your penis afraid of my beak?”

“No!” Brightstar almost screamed, desperate to feel her touch once more. “It and I trust you, Moon!”

‘Aww bless him!’ Moonbeak thought as she removed her talon from his tail-hole and she moved forward up his body until she was sitting on his chest. “That is good, I do hope Zephyr doesn't bite to hard.” She moved herself back and used her claw in order to line his shaft up with her dripping wet snatch.

Brightstar, having learnt his lesson from earlier in the day, did not buck his hips upwards, instead he lit his horn and vibrated her breasts. Sighing happily, Moonbeak slid her way slowly down his shaft. “M-Many talents indeed…oh, my, so many wonderful ridges.”

“Ooh sweet Grover's Talon...” Brightstar almost melted as for the first time in his life he penetrated a mare, and it was the one of his dreams too! ‘Oh it feels so damn good!’

Slowly, savouring every little inch of his cock inside her tunnel, Moonbeak rode him up and down. “Different, but nice and filling.”

Almost lost in this world of new sensations, Brightstar played with her breasts as she rode him. “Th-this is aaaaaamazing!”

Moonbeak slowed down, “You were serious, you've not done this?”

Fighting back a heavy blush, Brightstar nodded, “v-very serious.”

Slowly, lovingly, tenderly, Moonbeak lowered her pregnant body to wrap her claws around the back of her virgin stallion’s neck and she licked at his lips. “I'm going to ride you for as long as I can.” She purred into his ear.

“OoooOH...pl-please do…” he leant forward to kiss her beak, wrapping his forehooves around her dark grey shoulders as Moonbeak continued her forward and back motion but with a very deliberate slowness to her bucking. She licked her way down his muzzle and cheek. “Hmmmm!” In return, he kissed her feathered cheek. “W-Wow...M-Moonbeak I love you!”

Right at that moment, he felt the very sharp pain of a beak in his right ear. “AAaaaAAH!” With the thrill of the sharp pain, Brightstar thrust his hips upwards into her. “D-Do that again!”

“One shouldn't beg.” She whispered huskily in his ear and lapped his ear and moved back to lick his lips as sensuously as she could so that he could taste his own blood.

“N-No...” Brightstar panted and kissed her beak and tasted his blood, his hooves wandering down her wide flanks. Feeling the need, Moonbeak moved faster and faster on his shaft, as she did so the unicorn could feel her very sharp talons on his shoulders. Caressing her flanks with his hooves, he started to move with her, timing his thrusts with hers to penetrate deep inside her tunnel. “Oh w-wow...wow...”

Lifting her head, her emerald green eyes closed, Moonbeak rode him harder, her distended belly slapping against his own she dug her talons into his shoulders. “AaaAAH…” Brightstar arched his back with the sweet pain in his shoulders from her claws. “Aaaaah'm...not last much l-longer!”

Moonbeak’s movements were now beginning to get a bit erratic as she was caught up in the bliss of her first true orgasm in a long time. Brightstar, also approaching his first proper climax, moaned as his thrusts were as erratic as hers above him. “It...it's c-cumming!”

Right at the point of her climax, Moonbeak screeched and slammed backwards hard, clenching her muscular walls around his rod for all she was worth. One talon on the right claw was so deep inside him it drew blood. “AAAAAAH YEEEEES!” Brightstar screamed, his hind legs quivering as he came, shooting his hot seed deep inside her.

Coming down from her high, Moonbeak laid her feathered head on his chest. “I so needed that.”

Brightstar smiled and had his hooves affectionately stroking the white feathers at the back of her head. “Me too.”

Moonbeak felt the wetness of his blood on the one talon of her claw. “Pony flesh is not as tough as griffon flesh.”

“That's part of what made it so great…” he sighed happily, his stallionhood still leaking ejaculate inside her. “I loved the feel of your talons in me.”

“Fine,” Moonbeak conceded, “but I need to exercise caution.”

“I know love.” He leant upwards and kissed her beak.

Laid on top of her stallion, Moonbeak didn't move, instead she allowed nature to take its course for him to withdraw from her. “Comfy?” She asked as she felt the impressive member retreat back in its sheath.

“Very comfy.” He smiled back at her and didn't move.

“Good, because I'm comfy too.” She replied, resting her head back onto his chest.

Brightstar wrapped his forelegs around her, holding her close to him. “I love you, rather a lot.”

“I'm very fond of you,” Moonbeak replied with a yawn, “and I think I'll keep you around.”

“Then, I'm a fortunate pony indeed…” Brightstar yawned as his yellow eyes drooped closed. Before very long he was sound asleep, along with his griffon beside him, who was purring her soft little snores. At some point in the night, Moonbeak slipped off of him, resting on her side with her back towards him. Somehow he knew, and he rolled over to the side, pressing his chest to her back, spooning her like he had done at the treehouse the night before.

~ ~ ~

Tuesday morning, and having been awoken at six a.m. for breakfast by the Friendship Express’s conductor, Brightstar and Moonbeak were sat in the lower level of the steam train’s club car. As it was early in the morning, Celestia had only just raised the sun, the pair had their choice of tables. Thankfully, to the unicorn’s relief, Moonbeak had chosen the same table they were sat at the night before.

Moonbeak had laid out before her a robust meal of Appleloosan Omelettes with water and toast with blueberry jelly, while Brightstar had opted for a light repast of cheesy scrambled eggs and orange juice. Looking at the unicorn, Moonbeak could tell his mind was elsewhere, judging by the way he was holding his fork in his magic and flipping it over and over. She assumed it was an OCD thing. “No coffee?” She opened to break the silence, “How will you function?”

Smiling sadly, Brightstar finally stopped flipping the fork. “Sorry, I wasn't thinking.” Getting up from his seating pad at the table, he trotted over to the service station and swapped the orange juice for a milky coffee and came back to the table with it held in his magic.

“Where was that pony brain of yours?” Moonbeak asked when she’d viciously dispatched a beakful of omelette in two sharp snaps.

“I dunno,” Brightstar unenthusiastically pushed around a forkful of scrambled eggs before lifting it to his mouth like it was his last meal. “Canterlot I think,” he commented with a sigh.

“We'll be there in a few hours,” Moonbeak said, checking the schedule on her phone. “But, I think it was more your sister than Canterlot.”

Brightstar nodded his agreement. He knew it was foolish to argue, especially when there was nothing to argue against. “I think you're right.”

Moonbeak set down her fork and put her clawed hand on his hoof, squeezing it gently, enough to dig her talons in just slightly. “Uncertainty can wear at an individual. I'll see if I can ease your mind after our meal.”

Taking a mouthful of his milky coffee Brightstar managed a smile. “Raid did tell you to take my mind off of it, which you do brilliantly,” he sighed again, feeling the weight of the country on his shoulders. He was nineteen for Luna’s sake, he had no idea what to or how to do it. Dealing with his mum had been bad enough, but this... “I know we can't do anything till we get there, and even then I don't know what we can do.”

“Be supportive.” Moonbeak said simply.

“That we can do.”

Moonbeak decided to change tack a little, coming at it from a different angle. “Air Raid seemed to be steady at the race. She the one you want watching over your sister?”

“Yes,” Brightstar nodded thoughtfully, mulling it over as he ate, “yes I trust her in this.”

“Good, that is important.” Moonbeak sipped her water. “Somepony needs to be there for her for the long haul.”

“I know Air Raid will.” Brightstar affirmed, “she's a good pony.” ‘Even if she doesn’t believe it most of the time.’

Moonbeak giggled then, “I only know she is not camera shy.”

“Oh Luna no!” Brightstar laughed out loud, “pull the victory pose before she wins, that's Raid.”

“You have a pretty laugh,” Moonbeak smiled at him, “you should try it more.”

“Hmhmm,” the royal blue unicorn finished his eggs with a murmur, “everypony says that.” He laughed again as he levitated up his coffee. “I do have a sense of humour, honest.”

“Yes,” the pregnant griffon mused once her omelette was finished and her plate emptied, “I've experienced your quips.”

“When Darkie wakes up, I'll get her to tell you about Las Pegasus.” He snickered, easily recalling the time a few years ago when they’d been ‘stranded’ in the west coast town for a week. “Heh...we all needed a sense of humour for that.”

“I've not been there,” Moonbeak commented, “then again, this is my first trip to the Capital. I do expect you to show me a good time.”

Brightstar giggled, “of course my lady!”

Sending the last of her toast the way of the omelette, Moonbeak finished her water. “Last night was a good start.”

Brightstar used his magic to scour his plate, wrapping up a few stray pieces of scrambled egg in a cheesy ball and swallowed this last morsel, nodding eagerly. “It was amazing!” He blushed hard, aware that he’d reacted perhaps a little too eagerly. “I ah, I had a lot of fun last night.”

‘Taken his mind off it indeed! Well done, Moony…and he’s very good too…’ Moonbeak smiled tenderly, putting to the back of her mind the thought that she needed to jump him right there and then. “Now that you're out of your shell, will I be enough for you?”

“More than enough.” He reached over the table with his hoof and lifted her claw to his lips, placing a gentle loving kiss upon it. “You're all I could possibly want.”

“Time will tell.” Moonbeak withdrew her claw from his hoof, a definite red tinge to her white feathered cheeks. “I think a massage would be nice.” Getting up from her seating pad, the pregnant griffon leaving the club car without a backwards glance. Straight away, Brightstar got up and followed after her swishing grey tail, admiring from behind her swollen belly and wide flanks.

Back in the sleeper car, Moonbeak laid out on her belly on the narrow bed. “Between the wings, pony.” She ordered simply, spreading her wings down to her sides.

Hopping up on to the bed behind her, Brightstar smiled as he positioned himself so that he was straddling her left leg. “Your wish is my command, my lady.” Placing his forehooves just below her shoulders he started a very gentle massage, alternating figure eights between her wing joints.

“Mmmmmmm,” she sighed as his hooves started to ease the knotted muscles, “do feel free to let your hooves wander. It has been a stressful week.”

“Tell me all about it, Mistress.” While his left hoof was doing the figure eights between her wings, he allowed the right to meander southwards, rubbing little circles just above her leonine tail.

“I went to my favourite bar just the other day,” Moonbeak lead off, a smirk on her beak, “and there was some new pony there. Quite the nuisance he was.”

“Aww tut tut...” Brightstar could almost hear her smirk, and decided to play along. “I'm so sorry to hear that.” He said sympathetically, his hooves rubbing a little harder in his massage while the hoof at her tail dared to venture a little lower.

“Yes, he was quite the show pony.” Moonbeak was pleased he was playing her little game. She liked this young pony. He was fun, in all the right ways. “Selene let me know he was very noisy and a smooth talker.”

“Oh really?” He asked with a smile and a raised eyebrow as his hoof stroked out along the leading edge of her left wing and the other reached underneath her grey tail. “And what did you do with this show pony?”

“Put him in his place of course!” She scoffed a snorted breath into her pillow, playing her part despite the fact that his hooves were turning her on in all the right places. “To think he thought he could just chat me up! Did have a cute flank though.”

“Good for you!” Brightstar exclaimed, familiar enough with his sister’s games to easily fall into his role while his hoof gently rubbed the pregnant griffon’s labia. “I'm sure the upstart pony just loved that.”

“Murrrrrrr, yes, yes he did.” Moonbeak really had to force herself to stay in character when she felt his hoof touch her lips. “Was fun to play with and he did put on a good show.”

Brightstar made himself concentrate, stifling his laughs as the hoof he was using on her wing began to tease her primary feathers while the other drew circles around her labia, going very close to her clitoris but not actually touching the hard exposed nub. “As long as he didn't disappoint.”

“Questionable.” She replied, “He did make a mess of things, but was able to clean things up after.”

“Oh,” Brightstar giggled, “I heard he loved the clean-up.” He lit his horn and started to gently vibrate her clit.

‘Sweet Aureli!’ Moonbeak almost broke her character when she felt the first vibrations. “You sure you've not done this before?” She asked over her shoulder.

“Ah...this I've done before,” Brightstar blushed, deciding now wasn’t the right time to explain just whom he’d done this to. “Just not the other.”

“I commend your teacher.” Moonbeak’s cool calm detatched demeanour was back in full force now that her curiosity was for the moment sated. “The next day was a photo shoot, and as always they wanted changes.”

“I’m sure my teacher thanks you Mistress.” ‘At least, she will when she wakes up…STOP IT! Don’t think of her like that!’ He admonished himself, pushing thoughts of a pure white flank far from his mind as he vibrated his griffon’s clitoris and massaged just around the entrance to her moistening tunnel. “A photo shoot, you say? That sounds stressful.”

“Very, and with a small kitten too.” Moonbeak cooed and relaxed under his touch. “I was very luck to find a sitter at the last moment!”

Increasing the vibrations to her nub, Brightstar dipped the toe of his hoof gently inside her vagina, seeing how she reacted. “A sitter? My you were the lucky griffon.” Leaning in, he kissed her between her powerful wings.

“More so the kit...ummmm…” her voice trailed off to a low purr as she felt the edge of his hoof enter her. “Kitten enjoyed the sitter's antics.”

Putting aside his character for a moment in favour of her enjoyment and care, Brightstar asked, “how are you liking that?”

“I'm liking it very much.” Moonbeak replied quickly, very appreciative of the fact that he had taken the time to ask. Her respect for the young pony went up a good few notches for that.

“Good.” He slid his hoof in a little further while at the same time he nipped at the dark grey fur between her wings. “I'm sure your kitten had a good time.”

“She did very much so.” Moonbeak smiled, ‘Damn he’s good!’ “He wasn't as messy with the ice cream as he was with the cream.” She giggled, though the giggle became a purr of pleasure. “Mmmmm, yeeees.”

“I'm pleased to hear that.” He pulled his hoof back and then thrust it in gently but firmly going a little deeper, his lips kissing their way down her back to the base of her tail.

“I'm happy that Athena is pleased with her sitter. I hope that Zephyr will be as pleased.”

“I'm sure he will, Mistress.” Brightstar commented, his lips now kissing her under her tail just above the tight muscular ring of her anus, his hoof inside her up to the bulbs at the back. Almost immediately, Brightstar caught the sharp intake of breath from the griffon and he felt the resistance from her vagina, dripping wet though it was. He realises then that griffon females were ‘smaller’ than pony mares, and that his attempt to hoof her wasn’t going to work. Not wanting to hurt her – and himself, griffon talons were after all very sharp – he abandoned that and instead he kissed down to her labia.

“The colt though often…oooh, yes…ponies have such broad tongues...” Moonbeak sighed, relaxing once more, “The colt is often in a bind, but I think I've shackled the issue and have him well in collar.”

‘Phew, quick save, Bright!’ He thought, offering silent thanks to Princess Cadance that he’d caught his error just in time. “HmHmmm!” Very slowly he lapped up her crotch from her clit to her tail-hole.

“He, ahhh, yessss, he can be mopey at times, but...” the griffon moaned lustfully and ground herself backwards onto his wondrous tongue, “life is never fair. For all the trouble he is, I think he is a keeper.”

Behind her, Brightstar merely smiled and licked her again, this time going downwards with his broad tongue from tail-hole to clit and Moonbeak arched her back, “Yes, ahhhhh keeper!”

“Very good to know, Mistress.” He murmured his reply then he swirled his tongue around her clit and sucked on it like it was a cherry he was trying to de-stone using just his tongue.

As Moonbeak was reduced to unintelligible murmurs and wiggles, Brightstar slid that broad tongue of his inside her wet tunnel before pulling out and going in again, causing the griffon to spread her legs as wide as room on the bed would allow meanwhile the unicorn was getting very aroused as he bucked her with his tongue, and he moved a hoof down to rub her clit.

“I'm up for something a bit more filling than your tongue.” Moonbeak stated after five minutes of this heavenly treatment. “Not that I’m complaining, mind you.”

Pulling his tongue out of her hole he glanced down and saw between his hind legs his hard rod ready to be put to good use. “Me too!” Again he cursed his eagerness. “Is ah…um, this position good for you?” He asked awkwardly.

‘Bless him!’ Moonbeak wiggled her hips. “Body, yes, empty, no.”

Inexperienced though he was, Brightstar knew what he was supposed, and expected, to do. Rearing up on the bed, he placed his forehooves on his griffon’s shoulders and shuffled forward until his flared tip rested at her entrance. “Ready?”

“Since before you were born.”

Brightstar blushed heavily. “J-Just checking, Mistress,” he said, thrusting his hips gently and sliding himself inside her, her wet muscular tunnel spreading apart to accommodate his entry.

“MmmMMMMMmMmMmm!” Moonbeak moaned as she felt herself get filled up by his veiny ridged shaft. “Good to be careful, Pet.”

“Aaaah!” Brightstar pulled out and then he slid back in to hilt himself inside her tight wet tunnel. “Y-Yeeeees it is!” He saw Moonbeak's claws gripping the forward edge of the bed tightly, no doubt leaving little gouges in the wood. He allowed himself a brief few seconds to just savour the moment of mounting another and the feeling of hilting his member inside her, then he pulled out to his medial ring before thrusting back inside. Quickly he got a firm steady rhythm going, and he leant forward and nibbled on the sweet spot between her wings.

Under the sensuous kisses, Moonbeak's wings fluttered and spread up as there was not enough room for them to spread outwards. “Mmmm mMMMmm!” He bit her a little harder, licking the bit of skin and fur as he rutted her. Moonbeak purred, but soon her breathing became shallow and her back started to arch.

“AaaAAH...” after what seemed like a lifetime, the inexperienced unicorn’s thrusts became as erratic as her breathing. “M-Mistress I-I'm clooooose!”

Moonbeak however wasn't talking, just riding it out underneath her stallion. Brightstar managed three more very hard, very firm thrusts before… “GAaaaAAH!” He thrust inside to the hilt, moaning loudly as he came deep inside her, covering her walls with his hot seed.

High on the rush of her own climax, Moonbeak's beak clacked several times and she relaxed into a purr puddle as Brightstar leant forward on her back. “You're cute when you purr.” He whispered, kissing her cheek.

“Wrong!” The orgasmic griffon had enough presence of mind to correct him sharply, “I'm cute all the time.”

“O-Of course you are...”

Feeling his intense blush, Moonbeak laughed. “You are fun, and a keeper.”

“I'm very pleased to hear you say that.” Getting up, he started to slowly pull out of her.

“Stop,” Moonbeak said quickly as soon as she felt him move. “I like your weight on me, and let nature take care of the rest.” Whether it was the large breakfast she’d had, or the very energetic rutting she’d just been treated to, or both, the pregnant griffon suddenly felt very sleepy in spite of just being up about an hour or so.

“You got it Mistress.” Brightstar saw her emerald green eyes droop as he laid back down on her back, his member sliding back inside her, and he rested his head on her shoulders, feeling like a nap right here and now was a very good idea indeed.

~ ~ ~

“Do you need to call Air Raid?” Moonbeak asked three and a half hours later when she had awoken from her nap.

Brightstar shook his head. “No, she knows when we're due.” An idea came to him though, something the griffon said to him earlier in the club car. “You want a fun time, right?” He asked, a twinkle in his yellow eye.

Moonbeak nodded. “Yes, I expect to be well entertained by you.”

“Then there's only one place to go,” he said, a wide smile on his face, “after we've seen Darkie, I'll take you to Sugarcube Corner in Ponyville.”

“Oh?” Moonbeak’s curiosity was peaked now, “Where is Ponyville?”

“It's a little suburb town at the bottom of Canterlot Mountain,” Brightstar explained, and checking the train’s schedule continued, “The Express went through but didn't stop in Ponyville while we were napping earlier. Ooh! Tell you what, we'll go there for our afternoon meal after I take you to see mum.”

“Good pony,” Moonbeak treated him to an affectionate nuzzle, “and I thought I would have to remind you of your mum.”

“Oh hey,” Brightstar smile as he returned the nuzzle, ruffling her cheek feathers, “we'll get Raid to join us, maybe Cy can make it too!” Eagerly, he levitated his phone over from the little table, “I'll call Cy, she if she's up for it.” Using his magic, he dialled Cyclone’s number as the griffon nodded.

Cyclone answered on the fourth ring, just as the phone was about to cut to the voicemail. “Bright, is that you?”

“It's me Cy.” He answered with a smile, “how's Cloudsdale treating you?”

“Um…” Cyclone looked around the bomb site that was the living room of her cloudhouse. Situated in the outskirts of Cloudsdale on Cirrus lane off of Feather drive, it was cheap, but also prone to cloudquakes. Unfortunately, as it was on the outskirts, these weren’t always repaired quickly. “Um, fine!” She lied, “has, ah, Raid talked to you?”

“She has.” Brightstar replied, “we're almost in Canterlot now hun.”

“Oh, okay,” Cyclone’s voice was almost drowned out by a flumping crashing sound in the background as her shelf fell down. Quickly she covered and before her friend could ask what that was, the jet black pegasus said, “I'm so sorry I can't come to see her!”

Brightstar put the phone on speaker so that Moonbeak could hear her Canterlot accent, “hey, Cy don't worry about that. What are you doing later, say five to six p.m.?” He asked, getting to the point of his call.

There was a definite sniffle in Cyclone’s voice when she answered, her picture of her and her friends at the funfair had smashed when the shelf had collapsed. ‘Stupid cheap cloudhouse!’ She thought miserably. “I um, I get off work at five, why?”

“Do you wanna meet up at Sugarcube Corner?” Brightstar asked, “I have someone to introduce you to.”

Almost immediately Cyclone perked up. Canterlot was off limits, but she was allowed to go to Ponyville. And Sugarcube Corner was always fun. “Oh, sure I can be there by five thirty, what time do you want to meet up?”

“Five thirty is good hun.”

“Okay,” Cyclone sounded positively thrilled. And she was. It meant she could get out of her house for a while. “I'll get there early to get us a table. How many are coming?”

“Four including you,” the royal blue unicorn answered, “I'll get Raid, me, and a very cute griffon I want you to meet.”

“Okay, Give Darkie a hug for me, and Raid too, she is blaming herself for all of this.”

“I will...” Brightstar started, then he interrupted himself, “what, why she blaming herself, that's crazy, and I'd know.”

Cyclone sighed a very deep sigh as she began to sweep up the glass from the photograph’s frame – her phone on speaker – “She says if she never left Wily, none of this would have happened. She did manage to track down Cold Front, and he is in Las Pegasus.”

A rare surge of emotion took Brightstar, “I don't care! He did it Cy!” Moonbeak put her clawed hand supportively on his shoulder, squeezing just enough to calm him down. “Anyway...it’s not Raid's fault.”

“Any luck with Wily in Filly?” Cyclone asked as she dumped the glass in her trash can, and used her very limited cloudsculpting abilities that her colleagues at the weather factory had taught her to put the shelf back up on her wall.

“...no.” Brightstar replied reluctantly. “I've been looking for four months. I reckon I've scoured the place three times over. Don't tell Raid, Cy, but I've all but given up. There's no family here in Filly.”

“Oh, okay,” Cyclone couldn’t keep the disappointment from her voice. Of course they all knew Wildfire had no family or ties to Fillydelphia whatever, but it still had to be checked, if only to sate Air Raid. “I'll have a table waiting. Bring me some good news, okay?”

“Good news. Check. I'll order a miracle too while I’m at it.” Brightstar giggled, “keep the monsters away for us.”

“I can make sure it doesn't rain on SCC for you, how’s that?”

“Can you fly that up high?” Brightstar teased his friend, “SCC's a pretty high building y'know.”

“Ha, Ha, Ha,” Cyclone responded with a raspberry that the unicorn felt down the phone. “I can fly just fine on the ground, thank you.”

“Teehee,” Brightstar chuckled, very pleased his teasing had worked. “See you later, you big foal.” When his friend said ‘bye’, Brightstar hung up, cancelling the call and returning the phone to the table. “And that was Cyclone.” He said to Moonbeak who was sat beside him.

“I remember her in the picture.” She said with a nod of her white feathered head.

“She's scared of heights.”

Disbelievingly, Moonbeak gave her stallion her patented 'stare' (which is totally different from a certain pink maned yellow coated pegasus’s stare because Moonbeak’s a griffon, and mainly to avoid copyright issues), “But she is a pegasus.”

Brightstar shrugged, “I know she is. She's still scared of heights. She hasn’t told us why.”

“And she lives in Cloudsdale?” She asked incredulously.

“Not through choice.” Brightstar said in a tone that cried out for her to drop it. “She had to leave Canterlot. Cloudsdale was judged far enough away.”

Taking the hint, Moonbeak dropped the issue, for now, anyway. Brightstar had told her the basic tale last night, but she was hoping for the full meat and two veg version. “Sounds like a good story over, um, what does Sugar Cube Corner provide? Sounds like a candy store.”

Brightstar gave her one of the laughs she liked to hear. “Candy, café, cabaret, it does pretty much everything you want.”

“Mmm…that does sound like fun.”

“Oh it is, you'll see,” ‘Especially if Pinkie’s there serving!’ He thought to himself as the Friendship Express steamed into the tunnel just outside of Canterlot station. “Whooooooo!” Brightstar cheered like an excited colt before he could stop himself.

Moonbeak shot him a very sardonic look. “I thought ponies held their breath in tunnels?”

“What?” He blushed hard, “I like tunnels.” He always had done, even back when he’d been a colt and his mum had taken him and his sister to see the new Crystal Castle in Ponyville.

“Fun to tease,” Moonbeak giggled, and giggled even more when he stuck out his tongue at her. The speaker system announced their arrival in Canterlot station as the Express exited the long tunnel. Getting up from her seating pad, Moonbeak took the leash from Brightstar’s travel case and she clipped it to his collar.

Brightstar looked down at it and smiled. “Thank you Mistress,” he took a deep breath as the train slowed to a halt. “I'll need this I think.”

“Just don't want you to get lost.” She said, and she didn’t mean directionally, either. “You can carry the bags.”

Brightstar knew full well exactly what she had meant, and nodded. “A wise precaution,” he agreed and with his phone safely in his saddle bag he levitated the two travel cases in his glowing yellow magic.

Stepping off the train first, Moonbeak tugged on the leash to halt her stallion and Pet as she surveyed the platform looking for the mare who was to be meeting them. For a brief moment she thought the she was late, then her sharp emerald green eyes caught sight of the lime green pegasus laid on one of the many benches on the now empty platform, her head propped up against a timetable sign next to it. “Raid,” she called loudly, “Over here!”

Air Raid snapped awake at the sound of her name and looked around to see who it was who had woke her up, then smiled as she found her two friends. “Hey!” She hurried over, looking very much like she hadn't slept since yesterday, or the day before.

“You look like crap Raid.” Moonbeak said bluntly by way of a greeting. “You driving us to the hospital, or are we flying?”

Air Raid raised a foreleg to her tangled blue mane and ran her hoof through the unkempt mess, snagging on a few knots. “Heh...fair enough…thanks Moony, nice to see you again too.”

“Raid can't fly, remember, Mistress.” Brightstar whispered discreetly in his partner’s snowy white ear.

“I've got us a cab waiting,” the lime green mare explained with a shake of her head, “We all won't squeeze in my car.”

Moonbeak winced at the whispered reminder, a large bright scarlet blush colouring her white feathered cheeks. “Good, I'm not that strong to fly two ponies.” She gently tugged the leash tight, “Lead the way Raid, and, ah…sorry for that.”

Air Raid sniggered at the older griffon’s fading blush. “Eh...it's no biggie, don't call me ‘Dodo’ and we're all good.” She pointed the rough direction with an extension of her left wing and proceeded to lead the way off the station. “I see you didn't waste any time getting Bright in a collar.” She added with a smile as the royal blue unicorn bought up the rear, keeping the leash slack and carrying the two bags in his yellow aura.

Moonbeak slowed her walk and spared her young lover an affectionate rub of her beak along his cheek, before playfully nipping his ear. “He spent the whole of yesterday talking about killing that unicorn. This is our compromise. I let him off the collar and he can do what he must.”

“I think it suits him,” Air Raid giggled as she checked out the grey collar. “I do like how it matches your fur.”

“Sounds like somepony's jealous...” Brightstar said quietly with a wink to the green mare…then gasped as his Dom’s left wing flexed and struck him a hard glancing blow across his right cutie mark.

“When spoken to, at least in public, Pet.” The middle-aged griffon emphasised her point with an extra tug on the leash.

“Yeah...” Air Raid watched the simple yet powerful display with an envious look in her grey eyes. She hadn’t played the Sub since that time with Cyclone and her itch was getting desperate to be scratched. Coughing she forced her wings not to pop open, it had been that long since she had preened them she doubted they even could, “Look I wanna kill him too, but I also don’t wanna end up in bed two next to your sis.”

“Yes, but he is a unicorn, and you are not.” Moonbeak stated matter-of-factly as they arrived at the cab, one of only a few vehicles in the train station’s car park, as if that simple statement explained all of the pegasus’s reticence.

Pausing for a brief second at the cab Brightstar quietly, without need for instruction, surrounded the door handle in his yellow magic and opened it allowing his girlfriend to enter ahead of him.

“Thank you my love.” She rubbed her yellow beak across his cheek and got in, still holding the leash, giving it the gentlest of tugs to get her stallion in as well, and he obediently obliged.

“My, aren't we well trained?” Air Raid asked rhetorically as she followed the other two into the cab. “Canterlot Royal Hospital, quick as you like, please,” she instructed the driver.

“We know what each other likes.” Moonbeak settled down next to Brightstar on her side of the seat that ran across the back of the cab. “Isn't that right love?” She asked, draping a wing around the unicorn, as the cab lurched into motion.

“We do indeed.” Brightstar leant into the feathery hug and nuzzled the white feathered jaw. “But, Moon's right Raid, you do look like Tartarus just ate you up and spat you out.” He grinned at the suddenly indignant look on his friend’s face, speaking more freely now they were in the cab.

Air Raid looked away out of the cab’s window, her reflection staring back at her from the glass. She really did look a proper mess. Her lime green fur was un-brushed, with tufts sticking out at all angles, there were broken feathers spoiling the line of her wings and her mane really did look as if she had slept propped upright against a noticeboard (which she had). “Darkie doesn't care what I look like…” she muttered aloud as scenery whizzed past the window.

With concern on her face Moonbeak leant forward and put a clawed hand on her hoof. “The rest of us care, and if Darkstar wakes up to that, you might put her back in a coma.”

“I...I...” Air Raid stammered, about to unleash a retort she just thought of before she again caught her reflection, especially her blood shot bagged eyes, and found her comeback died on her lips. “Fine, I'll go freshen up later.”

“I saw the photos you sent,” Brightstar said with a smile, “I dunno who looks worse right now, Darkie or you.”

Playfully Moonbeak swatted one of Brightstar’s ears, “Forgive my stallion. He tries to be funny when he's worried.” She placed a tender kiss on his cheek before asking, “Any changes since you last talked to us?”

Air Raid smile and internally ‘aww’d’ as she shook her head. “No…No, other than her going from ICU later.” The dark grey and white griffon nodded and Air Raid stifled a long drawn out yawn before her eyes went wide, a lightbulb going off in her head. “Oh wait, yeah there is, they fitted her with a stronger inhibitor this morning.”

At this Brightstar lifted his head from his girlfriend’s embrace, almost enough to pull the leash tight, his ears pricked up straight. “A stronger…why?”

“She was...'leaking'…” Air Raid began hesitantly as Brightstar questioningly mouthed 'leaking?’ she took a deep breath before continuing, “As in the whole floor of the hospital saw the walls dripping blood, 'leaking'.”

“An illusion I take it?” Moonbeak asked with a whole body shudder that shook her very feathers.

Brightstar leant further into the embrace of his girlfriend’s wing, “Damn...yeah...Darkie always was a powerful illusionist.”

Air Raid nodded, “Theory is she's reliving it, up here.” She said as she tapped her temple with her hoof.

“Perhaps she'll project the plotholes that did this to her?” Brightstar wondered hopefully.

“Maybe...” In truth Air Raid didn’t want to think about what other nightmarish visions might leak forth from her stricken friends damaged mind. If the incident last night had been any indication, Darkstar was on the road to her own personal Tartarus, trapped in the confines of her own mind. “So uh, how's little Athena?” She asked, changing the subject as much for her benefit as theirs. She really didn’t want to think about the horrors her friend endured at the hooves of the three…evil ponies, that did this to her. “Did your mom mind having her?”

“Oh, not at all,” Moonbeak laughed a shrill tinkling laugh, “She will spoil her and wait till we come back to wind her up and turn her over. Still, her love is worth the tornado that follows.”

Even Brightstar joined in the joke, his shoulders shaking as he laughed. “A hyperactive griffon high on chocolate and e numbers...and Athena's just as bad…hey!” He exclaimed as she dug her elbow into his ribs.

“It's a good thing my mom loves you, Mr. Depends on what she desires at the time.”

To Air Raid’s questioning look Brightstar sniggered, recalling when she had taken him to meet the old griffon. “Eго член, больше, чем его рога?” To the pegasus’s even blanker look he translated the Griffonian with a twinkle in his yellow eye, “She asked me if my cock was as long as my horn,” to which Air Raid clutched her barrel, erupting in a very much needed fit of giggles as she pictured the scene.

Moonbeak giggled, “It's longer, but that horn can do things his cock can't.”

“I'll bet…” Air Raid coughed and pressed a hoof to her chest in an effort to calm herself. “How's the little one in there?”

Subconsciously Moonbeak ran her free left hand over her belly, looking distinctly rounded after just three months – of course already having one kitten didn’t help either – “I don't think he has poked his eye out yet, so doing fine.”

“Got a name?” The racer asked, now genuinely interested.

“She has chosen Zephyr,” Brightstar replied as the cab rounded a series of two corners and began slowing down. “Looks like we’re here…” he grimaced and his girlfriend squeezed him tightly one last time as the vehicle pulled up to a halt.

Moonbeak’s beak hung open as she glimpsed the truly huge, imposing and ornately detailed façade of the Canterlot Royal Hospital. Easily bigger than any in Fillydelphia, she was sure it was as big as a few of the high-rises too. “Wow, this is big…”

Brightstar just smiled as he magically opened the cab door and levitated up the two suitcases.

“Hmm…I guess it is,” Air Raid got herself out of the cab and lifted a hoof in thanks to the driver, who returned the gesture. “You kinda stop noticing after your hundredth trip.”

Moonbeak nodded her understanding. “Thank you for watching over my new sister.”

Air Raid sighed sadly as she hoisted her saddlebag onto her back. “The very least I can do, Moon.” Her voiced tinged with a great amount of regret. “I'm not one for repeating my mistakes.”

Without thinking Brightstar whispered, “She means her ex-marefriend she left…”

“Silence pet.” Outside of the cab, in the burgeoning rays of the dawning sun, Moonbeak’s commanding voice had returned. “Lead the way Raid,” she said slightly softer, ignoring her pet’s meeped ‘yes Mistress.’ “I'd get lost in here.”

“You got it Moon.” Air Raid pointed with her wing, extending her primaries towards the ornately carved and decorated main doors. “It’s this way.” Having already been paid for the journey over the phone when the pegasus had made the booking it pulled off as the trio made their way over to the hospital building.

Chapter 4 - The Right In Me

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“Why are you going back to Filly with me?” Moonbeak asked bluntly once she and Brightstar had boarded the Friendship Express steam train heading back to Fillydelphia. The white and grey griffon studied her younger lover imperiously with her green eyes, gauging his reaction. She had to admit, as the train pulled out of Canterlot station and she heaved her pregnant mass up on to the cabin’s bunk, the past two days – yesterday and today – hadn’t been the easiest ever.

Brightstar didn’t answer straightaway. The royal blue unicorn sat quietly on the floor of the cabin for a long time, saddened yellow eyes just looking out of the train window, watching the scenery pass by. “Too many ghosts in Canterlot.” He said presently while at the same time he ran a hoof along his grey collar that adorned his neck. “My life is in Filly, my future's in Filly, with you and Athena, and Zephyr, when he arrives.”

Moonbeak shifted uncomfortably on the bunk, for once not because of her swollen belly, more because the young stallion was hurting and it was a hurt she knew all too well. “So, you abandon your sister?” She asked sharply.

“NO!” Brightstar exclaimed suddenly, sadness flaring to anger before petering out almost immediately. “I love Darkie!” His flash of anger gone, he started crying. Really crying. It was a much-needed overdue release, what with seeing his sister’s badly beaten and broken body in the coma in the hospital yesterday and seeing his mum in the Asylum earlier today. “I loved her more than a brother should! I...I can't help her like she is. They say she might not wake up at all, if she does she might be like mum!”

Feeling a huge swell of sympathy and understanding, Moonbeak leant forward just slightly and, seizing the back of his collar she roughly hoisted him up off the floor with exactly zero effort and pulled him close to her on the bunk. “I want to be sure you're not running away from a problem.”

Coughing just a little as his air supply was momentarily cut off by the collar digging into his neck, Brightstar allowed himself to be pulled up on to the bunk and hugged. “I-I'm not ru-running…” he cried, “It's just...I can be of use in Filly. You heard the police, everything that can be done for Darkie is being done.”

Moonbeak quietly watched the landscape whizz past the train carriage as they descended towards Ponyville, their first stop on the way back home. “Do you trust Raid to look after your sister?” She asked shortly, not one to mince her words.

After a long minute of weeping into his griffon’s grey furred shoulder he nodded and dried his yellow eyes on the back of his foreleg. “I trust her, Moony. I know she'll take care of Darkie.”

That was enough for Moonbeak. After all, whatever she had done in the past, Brightstar knew the lime green pegasus better than she. “I'll trust you in this.”

“Thank you.” With his tears for the moment abated and his eyes dry, the royal blue stallion nuzzled into his lover’s side and delicately kissed the white feathers at her neck. Draping her dark grey wing over his back, Moonbeak held him tight, making Brightstar smile. He couldn’t help but feel very safe when he felt the little pin pricks of her sharp talons at his shoulder. He was happy to stay like this for a while, especially when he felt a sharp kick from her belly. “Moony, I've been thinking. I'll need a job, in Filly.”

Moonbeak laughed, a noise that sounded like a shrill whistle, “With your skills you could wipe tables at the bar.”

Despite his maudlin mood, Brightstar actually laughed at that. As it happened he loved her laugh, and he’d had a thought about what he could do. “I was thinking…about the police.”

Swallowing suddenly, Moonbeak squeaked, in a voice even more shrill than her usual tone; “Why?”

Immediately, Brightstar picked up on the distinct change in his partner’s tone. “Because I can make a difference.” In an attempt to placate the older griffon he nuzzled and kissed up her feathery cheek. “I failed to keep Darkie safe, but I can help keep Filly safe. Make sure there's less cases like those that happened to you and me.”

Moonbeak however was not placated. In the least. “You would abandon me too?” She asked in a voice so shrill it was only going to be heard by dogs soon.

“Never, Moony.” Brightstar shook his black maned head, still huddled into his dominant griffon’s side. “I want to take care of you, to keep those I love safe…”

“That's what Goldcrest said.” Moonbeak interrupted him sharply, bringing her voice down a few octaves.

“Then Goldcrest was right.” Brightstar stated definitely. “Moonbeak, I can help, help you and help my new home.”

“I won't ask you to promise me you'll come home,” Moonbeak said with a little sigh in the timbre of her voice. She knew there was no use trying to argue. She’d used the same argument with Goldcrest, and look where he was now. She wished, as the Dom, that she could order him to not do this, but she knew better than that. “But…I will try to move on when you don't.”

Knowing what that had cost her to say, Brightstar adjusted his position just slightly and placed a little kiss on her yellow beak. “I love you.”

Smiling, Moonbeak licked the royal blue stallion’s nose. “I tolerate you, and Athena likes you. My mom will even cook for you so, I'll keep you around.”

Kissing his Mistress’s beak again, Brightstar smiled. It wasn’t the word he wanted to hear, but it was something. “I'll take being tolerated.”

With the edge of her beak, Moonbeak nuzzled her submissive lover’s cheek and neck with her beak. “We are in agreement then. Still, a cage match with Brass Knuckles is safer than police work in Filly.”

“I'll have to go watch her in action to tell for sure.” Brightstar grinned, “Sound like a date?”

Moonbeak nodded thoughtfully, “I'll wager a few bits on you to fool the rubes. Of course I'll secretly wager a lot on Brass.”

Brightstar chuckled at that. “I'd say she's a good bet.” From what he knew of the towering slab of crimson muscle that was the softly spoken minotaur, he was sure Brass Knuckles was a good bet. Then, a moment later, his empty belly rumbled loudly. Loudly enough for them both to hear. “Can I treat my lady griffon to dinner?”

“Hmmm,” Moonbeak glanced up at the clock in the cabin. It was seven p.m., it had been a long day and she was hungry as well. “Well, if I do eat one of your legs, they might at least give you a desk job.”

“A little extreme, perhaps?” Brightstar snickered, stealing a quick kiss of her beak as he got up from the bunk and stretched his legs.

Moonbeak rolled her green eyes as she flapped her dark grey wings and landed gracefully on the floor beside him. “I guess some fish will have to do then.”

“Then let me feed you lots of fish,” Brightstar smiled and kissed his way up the side of her white feathered head. “Mistress.”

Moonbeak nodded and, assuming the role of the Mistress to which she was so accustomed, she swatted his white star cutie mark, “Lead on, my little pony.”

Brightstar shuddered happily at that, the very tone of his lover’s voice making him excited. That hard edge, that little ‘something’ extra that slipped into her tone when she was the Mistress and the game began, just made his fur tingle. “Yes Mistress!” Bowing respectfully, he led the way out of the cabin and through the carriages to the dining car.

As she followed closely behind her Sub, Moonbeak unfolded her left wing and extended it just enough to allow her to casually flick a primary feather under his black tail. “Oooh!” Brightstar gasped in complete surprise, his black tail reflexively hiking upwards. Now she had a clear view, Moonbeak continued to tickle his sizeable ball sack. “Hmmm!” He moaned, walking a little funny as he started to emerge from his sheath.

“Oh!” Moonbeak snickered as she watched her stallion’s shaft grow in front of her, “I forgot about your fifth leg. If I ate that you wouldn't be stuck behind a desk.”

“N-No, Mistress, I wouldn't,” Brightstar blushed as with each step he felt himself get harder and harder. His embarrassment was only heightened when he saw the other passengers staring, openly gawking at his erection. He could easily have cast an illusion to hide it from view, but he knew that wasn’t how the game was played. He knew Moonbeak liked to own him, and she liked to be watched owning him.

He liked it too.

Behind him, Moonbeak moved a little closer, so close he could feel her hot breath on the puckered ring of his exposed anus under his hiked up tail. Unexpectedly, she reached her wing further between his hind legs. “Oooh my...” Brightstar was painfully aware, given the sniggers and whistles of those they passed, that he was very hard indeed. It didn’t help that while they were in Canterlot Moonbeak hadn’t ridden him or allowed him any release at all.

Thankfully, they were at the dining car. He thought his exhibition was over.

He was wrong.

“I'm quite proud of my stallion and I just love to show him off.” Moonbeak declared loudly, her shrill voice drawing the attention of a few of the diners already eating. “You will sit on the aisle side while I have the window.”

Brightstar’s royal blue cheeks ignited in a much deeper blush. He knew then this exhibition would carry on for quite some time. “Oh, y-yes Mistress, of course…” standing aside, he allowed the very pregnant griffon to sit down first.

Taking her seating pad, Moonbeak took a longer moment than strictly necessary to get comfortable so that more ponies could admire her Pet’s raging erection before beckoning him to sit beside her. Unlike usual though, she made him sit upright like he was on a barstool. This had the desired effect of displaying his hard stallionhood for all to see.

Once she was happy with this, Moonbeak, with the window on her right, extended the tip of her left wing around Brightstar’s shaft in order to hide his throbbing erection. Brightstar thought she was doing him a favour, only to realise his error when she started to gently stroke it with her feathers. “Nggggh...th-thank y-you Mistress…” he shuddered from the pleasure in his crotch, pleasure that had been denied for three days. “What ah...ah, um, what would you like?”

Giggling, Moonbeak leant in close as if she was going to whisper in his ear, but nipped it hard instead. “Has the loss of blood to the brain caused you to forget already?”

“F-Fish!” Brightstar squeaked, not from his nipped ear but from the torturously slow movements of his Mistress’s feathers as they caressed and gently masturbated his hard cock.

Seeing her two new customers take their seats, a rather heavy-set terracotta coloured earth pony waitress brushed her pea green mane over her shoulders and walked over to their table. “Hey honey,” she smiled generously, “What can I get ya both?”

Almost as soon as the overweight pony took out her noted pad from her shirt pocket, Moonbeak chose that moment to move her wing so that the waitress had a good unobstructed view of the veiny cock as it bobbed against Brightstar’s belly, pre-cum smearing from his tip all over his royal blue fur. “Oh wow...” the waitress was impressed, “It looks like somepony's already got her main course, huh?”

His humiliation complete, Brightstar realised his blush was going nowhere. Like his hard-on. He just wished his balls weren’t quite so blue, being the very heavy orbs they were. “Ah...um...Fish, please Ma'am.” He ordered finally.

“Grilled or fried, honey?” The waitress asked, obviously by the smirk on her face stringing it out to fully enjoy the view.

Knowing Astraea loved to grill fish, Brightstar was for a moment tempted to say ‘fried’ just to earn a punishment. What put him off that was his shaft at full mast and his heavy aching balls. Knowing his luck the punishment would be to wait another day or worse, two. “Ah...g-grilled, please Ma’am.”

“Hmhmm,” the waitress scribbled some notes on her little pad, her eyes never leaving the unicorn’s cock. Celestia he was big! She couldn’t help thinking how lucky the griffon was. “And what t’ drink, shrinkin' violet?”

Smirking, Moonbeak angled her wingtip to fondle her Pet’s blue balls. “White wine for me and water for the violet.”

“Ya got it honey.” Making her notes, the weighty earth pony took one last long hard look at Brightstar’s jewels. “Y'know, ya make a mess, ya clean it up.” With that hanging in the air, she turned and trotted off to pass the order, her hips giving a little provocative sway as she went.

“He has plenty of practice at that.” Moonbeak said loudly to the waitress, earning herself a snicker as she walked away. Smiling a little smile, the griffon nuzzled her Pet’s ear. “Did you forget to order food for yourself?”

Brightstar had to admit he wasn’t thinking about food. Not one bit. “Um...ah, y-yes Mistress, I did. I'll just call her back over,” he said, glancing around at the half full dining car.

Moonbeak however, was not about to let him off so easily. “No, you will get up and approach her with your request, and you will be polite.”

Brightstar let out a little whimper of embarrassment. The gap between their table and the serving counter couldn’t have been more than a few feet, but right then it felt like miles. He knew he could just say ‘Rose’ and the game would be done. He knew he didn’t have to do this. He also knew he was harder right now than he’d been in a while and that was part of the fun. Another whimper escaped his lips and he got up without argument, making sure to keep his tail up high for his Mistress as he walked over to the serving counter. “Ah, e-excuse me, Ma'am.”

“Well, if it ain't the violet!” The terracotta earth pony waitress smirked as she openly admired Brightstar’s very blatant erection while one truly old mare a nearby table tutted and turned away in disgust. The elderly stallion next to her meanwhile pulled out a pair of theatre glasses and helped himself to a good hard look. “What can I do you for, sugar?”

“Yes,” Brightstar shifted uncomfortably, “I'd like to add to the order, please Ma'am. A Filly cheesesteak, please.”

For a moment, she felt sorry for the humiliated stallion. Then, she decided she wasn’t. “No problem honey, as long as you keep your tail up on the way back to your seat.”

Brightstar nodded politely. “Thank you, Ma'am.” With that he turned around and, catching sight of Moonbeak’s very proud look she was giving him, hiked his black tail up even higher for the return trip. He was proud on the way back to hear a ‘Well I never!’ from the mare, as well as an appreciative whistle from the stallion. For her part, the waitress enjoyed the view of his swinging pendulous balls too.

Moonbeak wrapped her left dark grey wing around her stallion’s raging hard-on again the very instant he had sat back down. “You’re such a good colt…” she purred into his ear as her primaries stroked his meat.

Very happy indeed, Brightstar smiled, even though the predatory look on his Mistress’s face told him he wasn’t going to be cumming any time soon. He didn’t care. She was proud of him. That was almost better than an orgasm. Almost. “Thank you, Mistress.”

~ ~ ~

Several hours later, with the time fast approaching two in the morning, Moonbeak sensuously licked her hot wet tongue up Brightstar's ear. “We are about ten minutes from the station. How are you doing?”

Brightstar, who had been until that moment enjoying a very sound sleep on the cabin’s bunk bed after enjoying warm cuddly snuggles following the excellent show at dinner, jerked himself awake. “I’m…” he paused to yawn, “I'm doing okay Moony.” He nuzzled into her side, “I'm with you.”

“Yes,” Moonbeak clacked her beak in a giggle, “My emergency food ration, as long as I have something else to eat you'll always be safe next to me.”

As the steam train began to noticeably slow down, Brightstar chuckled. “I just love being tolerated.”

“Nice that you tolerate me too.” Moonbeak smiled and reached into her shoulder bag for her cell phone. Swiping through to her contacts list she dialled her mother, who despite the very late hour, answered almost immediately. “Hi momma, yes, the train is pulling in now. Sure you can hold her tonight and tomorrow. We'll pick her up in the day after. I take it you overloaded her with dessert?” The pregnant griffon laughed at the reply she got. “See you soon, momma.”

“I take it Astraea has tanked Athena up on E numbers?” Brightstar snickered as he got up off of the bed and stretched on the floor so that muscles audibly popped. “I have the bags.”

A rustle of fur and feathers, and Moonbeak was at her lover’s side. The thirty year old griffon ran the tip of her talon sensuously around the grey collar that adorned the young stallion’s neck. “Will you be a good colt or do I need the leash?”

The nineteen year old Brightstar nodded enthusiastically. “I'll be a good colt, Mistress.”

Minutes later when the Friendship Express came to a halt in Fillydelphia station, Moonbeak retrieved the keys to her van from the luggage bag that Brightstar had hold of in his glowing yellow magical aura. “Lead on, my baggage bearer.” Moonbeak ordered, delivering a swat at his hindquarters with a clawed hand for good measure.

Brightstar bowed. “Yes Mistress.” With his black tail held up high, his heavy aching balls on full display, he slid open the cabin door and exited the nice warm train into the distinct chilly darkness of the very early morning.

Once they were off the train and walking across the almost deserted platform, which was empty but for a couple of homeless ponies sleeping rough, Moonbeak rubbed her wide belly alongside Brightstar’s flank. “That waitress was a lot of fun, for a pony.”

“She was.” Brightstar nodded his agreement while he levitated a little mound of bits over to the sleeping ponies and tucked them inside their sleeping bags for them to find later, “For a pony.”

Moonbeak of course saw the gesture and giggled to cover the swell of love she felt right then. It was after all way too soon for that nonsense. “You're a lot of fun for a pony, too.”

Brightstar swished his tail just a bit higher at that. “I'm pleased to hear that, Mistress.”

Upon entering the parking lot adjacent to the train station, Moonbeak was so focussed on her young lover’s beautiful balls that she utterly failed to notice a couple of the street lights were not lit, casting much of the centre of the lot into darkness. “So, are your lovely balls blue after all that teasing?”

Brightstar, who was so preoccupied with showing off his balls that he had also failed to notice the zone of darkness they were now in, nodded quickly. “Even bluer than usual, Mistress, yes. I would very much like a release, when we get home.”

A split second later and a rustle of wings was their only warning as a blood red pegasus stallion swooped down from his perch in a nearby treetop using the cover of darkness to grab a hold of the luggage bag that Brightstar had in his magical field. “Wha...what the hay!?” Brightstar, with literally a second to react attempted to hold on to the bag.

Alas, as there was considerable momentum and added weight on the pegasus’s side as he swooped in, he was able to easily overpower Brightstar’s unsuspecting magic and keep hold of the bag in his forehooves. “No you don’t!” Brightstar instead lit his horn and instinctively grabbed hold of the stallion’s white tail in his magic and with an act of willpower dragged him back to the ground.

“Aaargh!” The stallion landed roughly on his ass in a flurry of ripped out blood red fur and white tail hairs. “Curse you to Tartarus!” It was only then, when the thief dropped the luggage and turned to face the glowing yellow beacon in the darkness that was Brightstar that the young unicorn saw for the first time the very shiny, very sharp wicked looking wingblades affixed to the leading edges of his wings.

“Buck!” Brightstar exclaimed as the thief began to charge him with a snarl on his muzzle. “Oh buck!” Out of the corner of his yellow eyes he could see Moonbeak was getting ready to take flight. “Oh buck!” He swore for the third time and, lighting his horn once more he created a shimmering yellow shield around himself and Moonbeak. Especially her belly. “Mistress no!”

The blood red pegasus, having dealt with unicorns before, had been moving randomly inbound to dodge a potential spell, and with absolute murder in his eyes he crashed into Brightstar’s hastily erected shield with all the force he could muster directed through his four hooves and both wingblades in an attempt to shatter it.

Brightstar saw the attack coming and had readied a counter attack in advance. Allowing the shimmering yellow shield to take all the force and momentum from the impact it shattered under the impetus. However, instead of casting the spell again, the unicorn took hold of the coruscating yellow shards in his aura he sent them hurtling back at his attacker like hundreds of little knives straight at his wings.

In Brightstar’s shield, Moonbeak launched into the night sky but she was too late to interfere. She watched on as her lover’s counter attack wrenched one of the pegasus’s now tattered wings causing the punk to lose control. As he came crashing to the ground though he managed to slash one of his blades across Brightstar’s shoulder.

“Ooow!” Brightstar yelled as pain blossomed across his shoulder, blood coursing from the thankfully shallow cut. “Shitting buck!” Doing his very best to ignore the wound for now, he lit his horn and cast another defensive spell, this time lifting the crashed and stunned attacker up in a glowing bubble of energy before he could recover.

Completely enraged, her beak pulled back in a feral snarl of screamed rage, Moonbeak, now free of the scintillating magical shield, her talons of her claws slashing viciously at the bubble that Brightstar had just created around the stunned injured punk pegasus. “RaaaaAAAAAAAAGH!” She screamed in a fully-fledged griffon blood rage.

“Moony!” Brightstar yelled, he found himself having to concentrate hard and pour a lot of power into the bubble just to keep it active under his Mistress’s murderous onslaught. “Stop, love, stop!”

Hitting the bubble as hard and savagely as she could, the opposing force bounced her off and she landed on her claws and paws. “I. Want. His. Blood!” She screamed, spit flying from her beak, her chest heaving.

“Moonbeak!” Brightstar positioned himself between his raging griffon and the trapped punk. He had no doubt at all that if he released the bubble, she’d tear him apart and eat what was left. None at all. However he could see ahead to where that path would lead. “This filth isn't worth it! Call the police!”

Reaching over the unicorn’s shoulder, the taller more powerful griffon scraped the talons of her left claw uselessly across the bubble and, seeing it had no effect, she raised her claw against him, bloodlust in her green eyes. Brightstar though stood his ground and didn’t flinch. “Moony! I won't let you give birth to Zephyr in a prison cell because of that!”

Heaving for breath under her temper, Moonbeak raised her claw a second time and she was about to slash him when she felt several hard kicks from the kitten in her belly. Taking a very deep breath and then another, she spat on the floor and reached into her shoulder bag for her phone.

“Moony…” Brightstar breathing heavily now, felt himself weakening under the strain of maintaining the bubble around the punk, sighed, “Th-Thank you.”

With the trapped pegasus now pounding impotently against the interior of the bubble that shielded him from the angry griffon, Moonbeak dialled the police. “Yes, I'm in the Filly train station parking lot and we were attached by a pegasus. I have one injured and the pegasus is trapped in a shield bubble. Yeah, I'll stay on the line.”

“Nggggh...” Brightstar squeezed his yellow eyes shut and concentrated hard, pouring ever more power into the spell just to keep it active, as the trapped punk was making good use of his limited vocabulary with curses and threats directed at them both. Limping over, Brightstar snarled, “Shut the buck up and stay still…” he paused, noting the grey tail band decorated with yellow diamonds that adorned what was left of his white tail.

A few long drawn out moments later, which passed in relative silence, the trapped pegasus’s cursing increased and he redoubled his attempts at escape when he saw in the distance flashing lights and they all heard approaching sirens. “Trust me,” Brightstar sighed, almost at the end of his limits, “You're safer with them than you are with her.”

As the ambulance and the police pulled up in the parking lot, Moonbeak spat hatefully on the bubble. “I couldn't have put it better…NGGGGH!” He winced as the pain from the shallow wound started to hurt him now that the adrenalin of the situation was at last wearing off.

Four police ponies armed with weapons and taser guns got out of their two cars along with a medic from the ambulance. The medic immediately went over to the bleeding Brightstar with Moonbeak's wing point. “Drop the shield, we have him.” The four officer’s ordered as they surrounded the bubble.

“He's...” Brightstar cancelled the long-held spell with a sigh and a little wobble, “All yours, officer.”

The very instant the bubble disappeared, police fired their taser guns and immobilised the punk pegasus. Removing the wingblades from his twitching body, an officer passed them to a tech support pony to scan as they hoof-cuffed him and dragged their prisoner to one of the squad cars. “Okay,” the medic started when the tech support reported there were no poisons on the blades, “When was your last tetanus shot?”

“Um...” Brightstar tried to think, but found it hard to under the magical drain. “I dunno, maybe a few years ago, I think.”

“It's every five years, but I'll give you another to be safe.” The earth pony medic advised him, “I'm going to put about ten stitches in. They will fall out themselves over the next few days, but if you have any swelling or bright redness comes straight to the hospital.”

“You're not taking him in now?” Moonbeak asked sharply as the medic began to treat her wounded stallion.

“We could,” He commented as he gave Brightstar the tetanus shot, “But it would be just for observation. You could do that at home.”

Brightstar gasped and swooned a little, “M-Moony I'm fine, just, light headed that’s all.”

“You didn't lose too much blood,” the medical pony said, thinking out loud, “Were you overdoing your magic?”

Brightstar nodded with a shaky smile. “A little, yes.”

“I could give you a booster drug, but it is better to go the natural route and let your magic restore on its own.”

“I like natural things.” Moonbeak stated definitely, as if that was that.

“Natural is fine doc, thank you…” Brightstar nodded, in no position to argue at all, not that he would anyway.

Moonbeak glared hard steely daggers at the police car that held the punk pegasus as it drove away into the early morning and the medic put in an anaesthetic and stitched up her stallion. She was still outraged. Only she could make him bleed. That was her right and nobody else’s. She knew they were headed for the cells. “Death is kinder.” She snorted derisively.

Brightstar knew full well from his time studying in Griffonstone that prison was a punishment reserved for the very worst criminals. “Maybe, my love,” he smiled, “But we aren't in Griffonstone now.”

“Sometimes I wish I was back there,” Moonbeak commented sadly once the stitches were completed. “Other times, I'm glad I'm not.” She sighed deeply as she picked up the fallen luggage bag. “Let's go home.”

“I'm with you, always.” Brightstar gave his partner a tender nuzzle, but he was surprised and a little shocked when she pulled away from him and stalked towards her white van. Once everything was quiet, and they were sat in the van, Moonbeak in the driver’s side, Brightstar took a deep breath. “Are you alright?”

“No.” Moonbeak didn’t bother to look at him. “No I'm not.” She started up her van and carefully drove the distance home in silence. As she steered the van, she tried to get a hold of the many and varied emotions running through her head. Anger, outrage, fear, to name but a few.

Then…somewhat unbidden, there was arousal. In spite of her anger, Moonbeak had to admit she was very turned on right now. Her young lover had defended her. He had shed blood to defend her. What was more, he had fought honourably. He hadn’t escalated the fight. He had done everything in his power to contain it. He had fought like a griffon, and he had stood up to her. By Stormclaw’s holy talons she was aroused!

“Would you like a flight up?” Moonbeak asked, finally deigning to look at the quietly fretting young stallion. When Brightstar nodded that yes he would, Moonbeak got out of the van and, making sure it was securely locked up, she moved around to the passenger side of the van and crouched down. Very carefully, the royal blue stallion climbed up onto her back, holding on and kissing her cheek.

With her lover safely on her back, Moonbeak spread her wide strong dark grey wings and took off, effortlessly flying around her treehouse to land easily on the small platform outside her front door. Opening the door she stepped inside and kicked it closed. Without a word, she carried the royal blue unicorn straight to the bedroom.

Inside the bedroom, Moonbeak moved up alongside the bed and tilted her body towards it, rolling Brightstar off of her and on to it. With him on his back, she gave a quick flap of her wings and in a matter of seconds she was straddling his waist, her hot wet crotch rubbing against his sheath. “I could have lost you today.” She said, looking down on him.

“Yes, you could.” Brightstar replied honestly, gazing lovingly up at her above him. He rested his hooves at her hips, loving the feel of her distended belly resting on his own. “But today wasn't my time…” before he could say anything else, Moonbeak leant down, opened her beak wide and took in his whole muzzle and licked his lips in a full on griffon kiss. “Mmmm!” He moaned, returning the passionate kiss as best he could as he ran his forehooves up her sides.

Eventually, after a few minutes, Moonbeak broke the kiss due to the need to breathe. Looking down and seeing her pony helpless underneath her just served to turn her on even more. After some more beak nuzzles and wing strokes to ensure he was sufficiently hard, she lifted herself up and lowered her sopping wet snatch over his cock. In one smooth descent she sat down until grey fur met royal blue. “Aaah....ooh…ooh...M-oon...Mistress…” further thought was taken away when she leant forward and took his horn in her beak.

With both of his horns being pleasured simultaneously, Brightstar laid there underneath her and drooled, helpless at her mercy with her claws holding his forelegs down on the bed. Rocking back and forth, Moonbeak was agonizingly, torturously slow about what she was doing. “Mmmmm!” Brightstar let out a little whine of frustration. “Please Mistress...” he begged, he almost, almost, bucked his hips but remembered just in time the 'lesson' from the other day and he laid still.

On top of the poor whimpering stallion, Moonbeak felt him tense up and she drifted her left claw up his foreleg to his heaving chest and quick as a flash she dug her claw deep into his flesh as she continued her slow pace. “Gaaah yes!” He screamed, “Oooh yesssss!” His heartbeat increased with the wonderful pain from the beautiful talons. “Yes Mistress!”

Deepthroating his horn several times in quick succession, all of a sudden Moonbeak clamped her yellow beak down hard on his horn as she neared her peak. The pace of her riding increases dramatically. Under her, Brightstar felt a hot coppery wetness on his chest from her claw.

Brightstar tensed up really hard, trembling with tiny little sparks coming from his horn. He was on the edge, he needed this so very badly. “M-Mistress...please,” he begged, “I'm g-gonna cum...please ma-may I, please?”

Hearing him beg finally sent Moonbeak over the crescendo and she released his horn as she leant back and she pulled her sharp red stained talons from his chest as she screeched out her orgasm. Brightstar, allowed or not, came at last. With a rough violent jerk of hips he shot rope after rope of his hot sticky cum deep inside Moonbeak’s pussy. He came and came until his balls were drained of their stored cum. He came so much his seed began to seep out of her.

Panting and sweating, Moonbeak very slowly came down form the high of her intense orgasm and as she did so her wingtips stroked Brightstar’s sexy flanks. Finally she saw the red staining his chest. Her brain, now working, processed where it was from as she looked at her red tinged talons. Slowly, sexily, sensuously, she licked each one clean. She watched him the whole time.

“W-Wow...oh wow...” Brightstar panted, his chest heaving, adrenalin from the pleasure and pain rocketing through his system. He steadily came down from this high, though watching his Mistress lick her claws clean of his blood, knowing that it was his blood, that kept him very hard inside her.

Still keeping him inside her, milking him for all he was worth, Moonbeak moved very slowly back and forth. “I don't want to lose you.” She purred, the taste of his hot coppery blood like a drug on her tongue. “You are a very brave pony. That is just another way of saying you are a foolish pony.”

She saw he was about to reply and she silenced him with a clean talon on his lips. “Nothing in that luggage was irreplaceable. You are one of a kind. I need no more excuses to visit the cemetery.” Quietly Brightstar nodded, very gently kissing the sharp talon on his lips.

A moment later, she removed the claw and kissed his lips allowing nature to take its course, allowing his softening stallionhood to disappear back into his sheath. “I almost lost you too tonight.” He said finally when his heart rate had returned to somewhere near normal.

Quickly, Moonbeak shook her head. “No, I wouldn't have given chase. Only when he turned around did I act.” Again, she kissed his lips. “You are my most foolish pony to stand up to my claws. Then, that is another way to say brave.”

“He wasn't worth you being arrested.” Brightstar smiled up at her, “He wasn't honourable enough to warrant death. I'd stand up to you for that.”

Still straddling him, Moonbeak playfully licked his nose. “Wouldn't have been an issue if you just let him go. Still, it is nice to have our things instead of buying new ones, but that won't get you out of going shopping with me.”

“I couldn't let him go.” Brightstar sighed, “I just couldn't.”

At last, Moonbeak moved off of Brightstar’s waist, leaving a trail of cum behind her on his royal blue fur as she laid next to him and she ran the back of her claws along the stitched cut in his shoulder. “My foolish, brave pony.”

Smiling, Brightstar rolled onto his side to face her on the bed. “I'm yours. I’m always yours.”

“Yes, you are.” Moonbeak smiled then she let out a very wide yawn. “In case rations should grow short.” She snuggled in very close to his strong warm body and yawned again. As she had stayed awake on the train, spending the time holding her stallion, she was feeling it now.

Likewise, Brightstar held her in his legs, snuggling in close to his griffon in turn. “I love you Moony.” He kissed her beak. “I love you,” another kiss, “Mistress.” Moonbeak however didn’t hear any of that as she was soon asleep in his embrace. Holding her close, Brightstar lay awake for another hour, watching her and feeling Zephyr kick every so often.

~ ~ ~

Later that same day, Moonbeak woke around ten in the a.m., while Brightstar, a light sleeper, was up an hour before the pregnant griffon. The royal blue unicorn used this time wisely. With a coffee in hoof the young stallion hopped on his lover’s internet and did a little more in depth research about his new home.

He knew how Moonbeak felt about him joining the force, and he wanted to be sure he had all his ducks in a row before he broached the subject again. He confirmed what he already suspected about Fillydelphia, that it was a very diverse community – being as it was a coastal port city – with plenty of minotaurs, griffons and zebras as well as ponies of all tribes. He was also shocked, though not entirely surprised, to discover there was a lot of gang influence in the city too, though he had stayed away from those areas so far.

After they had eaten and showered, they had collected Athena from Astraea and spent the rest of the day in the park where Moonbeak had done her photoshoot the few days earlier. As he was now aware of it, Brightstar couldn’t help but notice tail bands on some of the ponies and griffons as they walked through the park similar to the one the punk pegasus wore. He assumed most were fashion, while others were a method of identifying gang affiliation.

For that day and the next two, Brightstar found life sort of routine. A good routine though. Moonbeak worked, doing her photography job as and when needed and he kitten-sat Athena. Sometimes, he would accompany the professional photographer on the job site and sometimes she would work at home. Today happened to be a day when Moonbeak was working on site. Astraea had already asked to watch over Athena, and since the griffon’s photoshoot was stallion’s modelling for stallion fashions, Brightstar did his best to get out of it.

At the edge of the park where the catwalk had already been erected by the fashion designer who was paying for the shoot, Moonbeak checked her camera with a smirk playing over her face. “So, no mare bits means no assistant?” She giggled, “They may yet teach you some fashion sense.”

“I've got all the fashion I need right here,” Brightstar smiled as he ran a royal blue hoof over the grey collar that was permanently buckled around his neck and he blew her a kiss.

Moonbeak laughed at that. “Dinner at my mom's at seven p.m. Don't be late or we will go hungry.”

“Seven p.m.” Brightstar nodded. He had a thought, based on the research he had been doing on the Fillydelphia Police Department. “I got it. The last thing I want are hungry griffons.” His mind wandered a little, he knew from the uniforms the police ponies had worn the other night that they were from Precinct Three. His mind made up, Brightstar stole a kiss from Moonbeak. “Don't miss your pony too much.”

Shooting him a look that said he would pay for the kiss later, Moonbeak sniffed. “I'm a professional photographer,” she said indifferently, “I don't miss pony shots.”

Brightstar giggled. “I'll see you for dinner. Have a good shoot, my love.” With a flourish, the royal blue unicorn turned his back to her and with his black tail hiked up for her benefit he sauntered off in the direction of Precinct Three.

As he walked along in the warmth of the pleasant midday sun, Brightstar did feel a little guilty for not disclosing to his griffon exactly where he was going, but he knew deep down if he told her now there’d just be a fight. He wanted everything in order first.

Presently, after twenty minutes walking, he found himself outside the Police Station. Having done his research, and having the desire to join up, Brightstar took a moment to survey the building. It was a standard unremarkable brick construct that would fit perfectly in with ‘modern’ Canterlot architecture. Steeling his resolve, Brightstar squared up his shoulders and trotted inside.

Stepping inside, Brightstar immediately saw a large counter directly in front of him with two police ponies sat behind it, a green unicorn stallion with a yellow mane and an orange pegasus mare with a mauve mane. The mare, working quietly, was busy with data entry. As he stepped up, Brightstar noted the stallion’s name badge, Nail, and he coughed politely to get his attention. “Greetings Sir,” Nail looked up from his newspaper, “How can we assist you today?”

“Good afternoon, officer, I'm Brightstar,” he took a deep breath and readied himself. No going back now he was here. “I was involved in the arrest of a pegasus stallion at the train station the other night, and I'm here to enquire about joining, the force, I mean.”

Hearing that, Nail leant forward slightly and took a long hard look at the young unicorn standing in front of him. He took careful note of the wound on his shoulder. His colleagues had mentioned the incident following the punk’s arrest. From all reports, the unicorn had acquitted himself admirably. “So, you think to protect our city. Are you a resident?”

“Yes Sir,” Brightstar nodded. “I've lived in Fillydelphia for four months, two weeks.”

Turning to the computer at his desk, Nail began to access the application form and got ready to do some serious data. “Name?” He asked, aware that the stallion before him had already given it, but it was on the form, so it was asked again.

“Brightstar, Sir.”

“Turn a bit so I can get a good look at your cutie mark.”

Obediently, with that tiny little thrill he got when Moonbeak gave him an order, Brightstar turned to the right and stood up straight, showing off his single white star with the three yellow sparkles cutie mark for Nail.

“Hmmm,” Nail took a couple of photographs as well as making a note of Brightstar’s cutie mark on his form. “From where did you move?” He asked, picking up on his different accent from the Fillydelphia norm he was accustomed to.

“Canterlot, Sir.” Brightstar answered as he turned back to face the desk.

“Ah, yes,” Nail smiled genially, recognising now where his accent was from. “Current address in the city?”

“Treehouse Four, Horsehead Square, South of the Delamare River.”

Now, Nail looked up from his computer directly at Brightstar as the system flagged up a problem. “Owner of the house?”

“A griffon by the name of Moonbeak, Sir, my partner.”

“Well Mr. Brightstar, one of the requirements for the city force is to be a city resident.” Nail said, turning away from his computer to lean over his desk. “Records show you are a resident of Canterlot. Did you go to the City Hall and change your residency?”

“No Sir, I haven't thought about doing that.” Brightstar mentally kicked himself for not doing that very thing. He’d had the opportunity, certainly, but what with meeting Moonbeak and everything that had happened with Darkstar and just…everything, he had neglected that. “Things have been...ah, hectic, of late.”

“It is easy to resolve.” Nail smiled a generous smile. “Just go to City Hall over on the corner of Celestia and Main. Register with your current address. A notification will be sent there so make sure it is returned by the owner signed. Once you’ve done that you can come straight over here and we can finish up the paperwork.”

Just then the orange mare – Inkwell, going by her nametag - turned and spoke up. “Well, I guess it is my job to give the discouraging speech then, Nail.”

Nail chuckled at his front desk partner. “I wouldn't want to take away your fun, Inky.”

“Thank you Sir,” Brightstar inclined his head politely to the desk sergeant. “Ah, how long will it take for the notification to reach my current address?”

“Who knows with this city.” Inkwell answered with an exasperated roll of her crystal blue eyes. “The computer entry is immediate though and that is really what we need. I think after three months if there is no reply then it will be assumed you lied on the form and removed from the roles. Of course,” she added with just a hint of a threat, “that would be bad news for you if you are accepted to the academy.”

Brightstar couldn’t help but look a little affronted at the insinuation of his character. “I wouldn't dream of it, Ma'am.”

“Heard that one before.” Inkwell replied, completely unimpressed. “So, there is also a fitness test…” she paused, giving him a very blatant look over. All over. She liked what she saw, too. “But you do look in good shape. Also, there’s a basic reading and writing entrance exam.”

Brightstar sniffed, a teeny piece of his Canterlot vanity showing through the surface. Had Moonbeak been here she’d have spanked him for sure. “I do believe I should have no trouble with those, Ma'am.”

Inkwell snorted out a laugh. “The academy is a twelve week course for basic officer training. If you really shine you can get assigned to and advanced class, which is another eight weeks, but you don't have to take that.”

Brightstar was immediately thinking of his sister in her coma back in the hospital and preventing more like her became his motivation. “I'll shine, Ma'am.”

Inkwell just shrugged. She’d heard that before too. “Next class start date is in five weeks. Trot on over to City Hall and register and then trot back over here and Nail will do all that dull paperwork stuff.”

“Yes Ma'am, thank you.” Brightstar gave them both a polite nod before turning to leave.

“There goes another pony out to save the world…” Inkwell commented to her partner as Brightstar made his way towards the sliding door.

“Isn't that what you're trying to do, Inky?”

“Once,” Inkwell replied commented with a hint of sadness in her voice, “But I realised to save the world you have to save one pony at a time.”

Brightstar paused at the sliding doors for just a split second as he heard this brief exchange then, deciding to not comment, he carried on and instead he headed towards Fillydelphia’s City Hall at a very brisk trot indeed. Thankfully, that all went very smoothly as it was just a bit of data entry. He was warned again about fraud and informed again that a mailing would go out and that it needed to be signed by Moonbeak and returned in three months.

With all that done, Brightstar headed back to the station to complete his application. On the way back he again noted the tail bands worn by quite a few ponies. He didn’t however see a grey one with yellow diamonds, which he was looking out for. “Look what the wind has blown back in!” Inkwell greeted him as he trotted back into the station. “I see you were successful with City Hall, that bodes well for you.”

“Hello again Ma'am, Sir.”

Nail slid a folder over the counter. “I've got you in the system for a class date. Your public file from Canterlot certainly looks impressive.”

“Говорит ли пони пониже Грифф или haina farasi kusema bora Zebran?” Inkwell fired at him with no warning whatsoever. She wanted to see if he was as gifted with languages as his file said he was.

“Я люблю свою грифона, мэм, Mimi nina ufasaha katika lugha nyingi.” Brightstar answered after just a moment’s pause to collect himself. It was a pleasure to find a playmate at last.

Inkwell smiled a very wide smile. She was pleased to see he hadn’t been lying after all. “Your class date is reserved for three days. You need to have this back,” she tapped the file with a hoof, “signed. Read it. Lots of boring stuff. All dreadfully important. Je peux voir si vous pouvez prance autour avec les juments Prench.” Nail simply shook his head and rolled his eyes at Inkwell’s showing off.

Smiling, Brightstar lit his horn and levitated the file he’d been given into his bag. “Je peux caracoler avec le meilleur d'entre eux, si mon griffon permet.”

Laughing, Inkwell turned back to her computer screen and her own data entry. Dull as it was. “Okay now I'm rooting for you, if you're late on the packet you can still get in if there are slots open. Class starts are every six weeks.”

Brightstar chuckled at that. “And here I thought you were going to test my Neighponese.” He smiled, “I'll have this back in time.”

Leaning in to his partner, Nail whispered, “I can tell you won't be the only show off on the force.” Inkwell just gave the sergeant a raspberry by way of response, and Brightstar had a very, very has a noticeable blush as he turned to leave, even against his fur. Both of them waved good naturedly as he left the station.

~ ~ ~

Following his thankfully easy time in the police station, Brightstar checked his watch and saw that it was still only two p.m. He had a whole five hours to kill until dinner at Astraea’s condo. Having a bit of a walk around the city, Brightstar yet again saw two ponies with tail bands. These however were the grey with yellow diamonds. He decided to follow them but he changed his mind when they entered a part of the city he knew to be less than wholesome.

At a loss for something better to do, and not wanting to stare at modelling stallions, the royal blue unicorn instead headed over to the Twisted Tail. Hoofing open the blue door, he paid no mind to the fact he still had his collar on as he trotted up to the bar, pleased indeed to find Selene serving behind the bar. “Hello Pony, whisky for you?” The jet black griffon asked, already reaching for a shot glass.

“Good afternoon, Selene.” Brightstar hopped up on an empty barstool and took a look around the somewhat seedy tavern. Forge the master blacksmith was there at his usual booth seat, though he noted Blossomseed was not. There were two mares in the bar whom he didn’t recognise, though he paid them no mind. “A dalwhinny, please.”

Pouring out the whiskey, Selene slid it in front of her customer. “I see you've escaped your leash,” she said dryly.

“Thank you,” Brightstar took his offered glass in his yellow magic and smiled. “Only temporarily, Selene. Pony had to find work, have a look around, follow up a couple of interesting tails.”

One of the mares at table, a shockingly neon green pegasus with a very bright pink mane, leant over the table to her partner. “Селена, это свежее мясо?” She asked with a grin, speaking very fluent Griffonian as she eyed up Brightstar’s shapely hindquarters.

Selene, in response to both Brightstar’s comment and what the mare had said, cocked her eyebrow. “I'm sure Moony will be happy to know you're chasing tails.”

“Not the tails themselves,” he paused in his quick explanation to take a sip of his drink, “More what was on the tails. Bands to be precise.”

The other mystery mare, a cobalt blue unicorn with a pure white mane tied up in two ponytails, shook her head at her friend. “Лучше оставить это, если он принадлежит к Moon.”

Brightstar laughed out loud at the mare's comment. Not that he’d ever do anything to hurt his griffon in any case. “I'm sure Moony told you about the parking lot. I noticed the punk had a tail band. Seems that lots of ponies in Filly have similar tail bands.”

Brightstar hadn’t noticed that both of the mares were ‘discreetly' listening to what he was saying, taking careful mental notes. Forge, the seventy year old earth pony, lowered his pint of bitter back to the table before addressing the young stallion. “It's a fashion rage. My little Buttercup is always wearing one.”

“Really?” Brightstar asked, suddenly curious. It took him a moment to realise that Buttercup was his pet name for Blossomseed. He had no doubt the majority were worn for that purpose. However… “Fashion, or is there a further meaning, Forge?”

Forge just shrugged at that. “Works as identifiers too. Like who to not let in this place.”

“Yeah,” Selene said, drawing his attention back to the jet black griffon. “Moony called me about it.” Reaching a clawed hand over her bar she turned Brightstar this way and that so she could see where he had been cut. “She is quite proud of you, not that I'd ever tell you that.”

“Like the two colts and a filly who were mooching around outside?” Brightstar commented over his shoulder, his suspicions confirmed when Forge nodded, “I didn't follow them further than that Brownstone place.” He rather proudly showed off his cut with a smile. “I know she's proud, Selene.”

Selene inspected the stitched cut closely. She had to admit she rather liked this pony. “She would have rather left the punk a present twice as long and ten times as deep.”

“I know,” Brightstar nodded seriously before going back to his whiskey, “That's why I stopped her.”

“You looking for a specific colour of bands, young’un?” Forge asked as he swallowed a mouthful of his bitter.

Brightstar nodded quickly and, as he described the grey tail band with the three yellow diamonds on it, he was sure he saw the neon green pegasus flutter her wings excitedly. A suspicion that was confirmed when she drained the beer in the bottle she was holding and declared; “Trots!”

Caught off guard at her rather sudden outburst, Brightstar turned to her. “I beg your pardon?”

“That pony is part of the Trots.” She explained simply as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. “Pegasus?”

“Why yes,” Brightstar replied, “Actually, he was.”

The neon green mare snorted derisively. “Claim they are an art club up in the Cloud District. I don't think they let unicorns in.”

“They only take pegasi.” The cobalt blue unicorn stated in a very straight deadpan tone while Forge snorted at her friend’s comment. Just then, before Brightstar could form a comment on that, the door burst open with a very loud bang and Blossomseed came tripping over the threshold into the tavern. Had he not caught her in his yellow magic, the clumsy young mare would've landed square on her face. “You should be more careful.” The cobalt unicorn said flatly, secretly impressed with Brightstar’s quick reaction.

“S-Sorry!” Blossomseed squeaked as she dusted herself down, “I wanted to get here to watch the fight!”

“That’s what we're all here for,” the neon green pegasus snickered, “but the unicorn here hasn’t started anything yet.”

“What fight is this?” Brightstar asked curiously, only now for once noticing the large wall mounted flat screen TV that was easily the most modern thing in the tavern.

“Brass Knuckles is fighting!” Blossomseed made her way over to where Forge was sitting, tripping again as she did so and landing neatly on the seating pad next to him. “I couldn't actually go to the Pit and watch it. Much safer here.”

The cobalt blue unicorn smiled when the young earth pony mare sat down. At least now she couldn’t fall anywhere. “At least the pads here are padded, Seed.”

The neon green pegasus tapped Brightstar on the shoulder. She couldn’t fight the thought that he seemed interesting. “Do you follow the pit fights?”

Brightstar nodded, albeit a little reluctantly. “As it happens, I've watched a couple since being in Filly.” He held out his hoof in greeting to the mare. “I'm Brightstar.”

“Zest.” She answered simply, returning the hoof bump with one of her own that was surprisingly strong.

“Her name is Lemon Zest.” The cobalt blue mare spoke up in what Brightstar was quickly learning was her usual deadpan, almost emotionless tone, “I'm Sugarcoat.”

Brightstar bumped her hoof when it was offered. “I’m pleased to meet you both.”

Sugarcoat nodded, making her ponytail’s wiggle at the sides of her head. “I'm not unhappy to meet you.”

Over at their table in their usual booth, the twenty one year old Blossomseed snuggled in close to her much, much older lover and whispered in Forge's ear. “Sorry I'm a little late.” She had an adorably cute blush all over her cheeks. “I um…I broke my watch. Again.”

Forge snorted at that. Again. “You like to watch me fix it, Buttercup.”

“You know I do,” she smiled as she kissed his craggy wrinkled cheek. She also liked it when he called her Buttercup. At first he’d mispronounced her name, now it was their thing. “I just don’t know what happened…” Which wasn’t entirely true.

Lemon Zest snickered at her friend. “She is seldom 'unhappy'.” Then, she turned her attention back to the royal blue unicorn nursing his whiskey. “Nice to see such a high class pony in a dive like this.”

Brightstar laughed. “It's the nicest dive in Filly.” It was certainly one of the most civilised. Some of the ones he’d been in over the past four months even had sawdust on the floor to soak up the blood.

Lemon Zest leant forward, mischief twinkling in her eyes. “I think it is the bartender's cute tail, personally.”

Brightstar immediately found his gaze strangely drawn to Selene’s jet black flanks and her swishing leonine tail as if it were magnetised. “It’s ah...certainly cute,” he blushes slightly, “So ah, um...ah, what do you two do?”

Blossomseed placed a somewhat nervous kiss on Forge’s lips. She had something she needed to tell him, and she thought more beer would help. Maybe. “Does my stallion want another drink? I'll buy.”

“Yes,” Forge chuckled at his very young little mare, “But let’s let Selene carry it, shall we?”

“A wise precaution, Forge.” Sugarcoat nickered, earning herself a very knowing wink from said pony as she ignored the unicorn’s question for now.

Lemon Zest raised her empty glass to the heavens like she was summoning the alicorn of beer herself. “Another Maregoround for me, and some grape squeezings for Sweets, something for the one with the pointy hat…” she pointed to Brightstar in case Selene missed the reference, “And the usual for the lovebirds in the booth.”

Brightstar quickly drained what was left in his shot glass with a wince as it burned its way down his throat. “I'll have another whiskey please, Selene.”

Selene nodded and got to work filling the respective orders. “I'll have them out in a moment.”

“Thank you,” Brightstar turned from admiring Selene’s shapely flanks back to the perpetually grinning neon green pegasus. Did she always grin like that? “So, what do you two do?” He asked again, this time addressing Lemon Zest. “I haven't seen you in here before.”

“Careful, Sweets,” she grinned wider, winking very knowingly at her friend and partner. “I think this one might be a detective.”

Sugarcoat for once, for a split second, shared her friend’s grin. “He does seem the type, Citrus.”

“I'm not, I promise.” Brightstar smiled, “I gotta go through the academy first.”

“Oh?” That caught Lemon Zest’s attention. Then again, everything caught her attention, she just masked it under her rather disarmingly carefree zany façade. It usually worked. “You going military, pointy hat?”

Snickering, Brightstar shook his head. “Police.”

Hearing that, Lemon Zest dived under the table she was sat at, rocking the barstools around her. “What, where?”

“I think under the table with you, Zest.” Selene snarked with a roll of her eyes as she delivered the three drinks to their table before moving on to serve Forge and Blossomseed, who had actually fallen off of her seating pad with the very sudden movement from the neon green pegasus and was shivering when she got back up.

Taking up his shot glass in his hoof, Brightstar laughed and magically made his voice sound next to Lemon Zest's ear. “I'm not getting under there with you.”

“He means he's joined up.” Sugarcoat deadpanned, “Citrus thinks she's funny. She is.”

“I am!” Lemon Zest insisted from her hidey spot underneath the table next to an unknown unmentionable stain on the hardwood floor. “I wrote it down in my journal so it must be true!”

“Well,” Brightstar considered that as he took a sip of his whiskey that went down easier than the first one. “I certainly can't beat the journal.”

“He said beat!” Lemon Zest said as she came back up from under the table, somewhat disappointed that nopony was playing Twister with her. Then again, she couldn’t blame them, not on that floor. “He must be full of cop words.”

“You’re right, Citrus.” Sugarcoat commented while Brightstar simply rolled his yellow eyes and nickered.

“Sweets,” Lemon Zest addressed her friend and colleague, “do you think he knows the secret hoof bump?”

Sugarcoat thought about that for just a moment as she took her wine in her own magic and took a welcome sip. “I think he does. Test him, Citrus.”

“Me?” She protested, “But it’s a secret!”

Blossomseed reached for her beer, but she was shivering so much, her hoof trembling so badly she almost upended it all over the table and the floor. “Oh...um…” she saw her lover’s questioning look and she knew the old blacksmith was onto her. When that happened she knew he wouldn’t drop it. “F-Forge, I um, I need to talk to you.”

Quietly, sensing something was wrong with his pretty little mare as she was clumsier that usual, Forge sipped his beer. “Yes, my little Buttercup?”

Barely managing to sip her drink without spilling in, Blossomseed whispered very quietly. “Um…well, it’s Damia…” she trailed off to silence when she saw the dark look on her lover’s face at the mention of the griffon gang’s name. “They came round to my flower shop. Whitetail expects more money this month...I panicked...I broke my watch.”

Over at the other table, Lemon Zest's ears rotated to catch the not quite low enough whisper from the skittish earth pony. Blossomseed was completely oblivious to the fact that she was being overheard. “What am I gonna do, Forge?” She squeaked fearfully, “I can't pay that much!” She shook hard, she could barely afford the protection money she paid them as it was.

“Selene!” Forge snarled, slammed his hoof down on the table in temper. It was one thing for the gang to bother him, he knew how to handle them. It was quite another to shakedown his Buttercup. “Damia is harassing Blossom!”

“Forge,” Brightstar spoke up when he saw the frankly murderous glare that the jet black bartender was giving the master blacksmith. “What's the trouble?”

Sugarcoat, her face betraying a teeny bit of emotion when she frowned at the old earth pony, said; “Forge has just accused Selene of being affiliated with the griffon gang Damia just because she is a griffon herself. Which is horseapples.” She turned to Forge. “Selene is clean, as well you know.” She said, a sternness colouring her deadpan tone. “You should apologise.”

“Like, totally, Forge!” Lemon Zest exclaimed. She wasn’t having Selene accused like that. “C’mon, you drink here. Blossom, do you know the name of the one that tried to shake you down?” She asked as gently but firmly while Forge just blushed and mumbled an apology to the fuming Selene.

“L-L-Lynx.” Blossomseed shivered just saying his name. “H-He was scary. He didn't do anything to me,” she added quickly when she saw the look of thunder on Forge’s face, “He just told me not to say anything…which I have, just now…oh, oh dear…”

From his time spent in Griffonstone at Stormclaw Academy, Brightstar knew all about Damia. Then again, any student of recent history knew about Damia. A notably infamous griffon general, Damia had led his regiment in the First Griffon War against Equestria. Known locally as the Terror of Trottingham, he had personally taken over a hundred pony heads before Celestia had taken him down. Selene was to be the one to shake him from his reverie. “Forge isn't far from the mark. I may not want nothing to do with them, but they don't harass me for money because I am a griffon.”

“Do they give you a cut?” Lemon Zest asked the potentially volatile question, ever ready to bolt for the door. Selene was her friend, but she wasn’t by any means tame.

Selene’s anger, that had just abated, returned in full force. “Tartarus no!” In anger she snorted, her claws impacting her bar top so hard she left grooves in the hardwood from her talons.

“Citrus,” Sugarcoat magically raised her glass and took another sip of her wine. “We shouldn't anger the nice griffon. We like drinking here, remember?”

“I think I’ve proved a point,” Lemon Zest nodded to Selene, who was by now in the middle of some serious breathing exercises. “I know you don't Sel, but some others here may not have been too sure until it looked like you'd willingly take my head.”

Breathing dangerously through her nostrils, Selene poured herself a whisky and she downed it in one gulp. “I might just have, Zest.”

Breathing a little easier now he sensed the immediate tension had dissipated, “Another for me, please Selene, now we're all calm and happy again.”

“Why are you two in here instead of out there anyway?” Selene asked Lemon Zest as Blossomseed cuddled up real close to Forge, letting her strong stallion hold her tight and tell her it was all going to be okay and she dropped off Brightstar’s third whiskey and supplied refills for the rest.

“I'm here to watch the fight,” Lemon Zest replied, offering her jet black friend an apologetic nuzzle.

“If you could kindly put the television on please Selene,” Sugarcoat asked, “I have five hundred bits on Brass Knuckles to win by the third round.”

As Brightstar took his shot glass in his glowing yellow aura, the bit finally dropped and he put two and two together. “So, have you two been officers for very long?”

“Longer than you.” Lemon Zest answered snarkily as she lifted up her beer bottle.

Brightstar smiled. “Obviously.”

Raising her eyebrow, the neon green pegasus shot her partner a look full of meaning. “He must be the master of the amazingly obvious.”

“And I thought that was me.” The cobalt blue unicorn had a very rare smile on her usually emotionless face. “At least the ponies in Canterlot are observant, it seems.”

“Did you go to Celestia's school?” Lemon Zest asked, her curiosity genuinely piqued now.

“No, Zest, I went to Canterlot University.” Brightstar replied as Selene flipped on the large TV. Thankfully, the pre-fight interviews had just finished, and the commentators were attempting to justify their jobs offering analysis of them. “My sister and I couldn't affo...I mean, we didn't go to Celestia's school.”

“Why did you apply for the academy today?" Sugarcoat asked bluntly.

Brightstar nodded to Sugarcoat’s question and took a quick drink of his whiskey. “Well, my sister was attacked in Canterlot, badly attacked and left in a coma. Moonbeak and I went to see her the other day. It was...nasty.” He closed his eyes and he could see her, lying unconscious in the hospital bed. “I live here now, I can't do anything to help my sister, but I can try and help here, make a difference.”

“Do you know a Goldcrest?” Lemon Zest asked bluntly, in a very good impersonation of her friend. The question however got the other patron's attention.

Brightstar’s ears perked up at that. It was obvious to him that these ponies either knew Moonbeak or knew of her. “I do. I was given the privilege of meeting him.”

“Do you wanna join him?”

“I wasn't planning on it, not for another seventy years or so, anyway.”

“Why here and not Canterlot?”

Sugarcoat snorted and struggled to swallow the mouthful of wine she had just taken. “I swear Citrus, you beat me by one second!”

“Because my life is here.” Brightstar answered the shocking neon green mare quickly. He knew why. “My future is here. My sister is being cared for, I can't help her by moping over there.”

“Oh!” Lemon Zest was immediately distracted from the conversation she was having when, on the TV, the two fighters were led to the large eight sided cage in the middle of a wide pit. “The fight is starting!”

“Excellent.” Sugarcoat was similarly distracted, her attention absorbed by the sight of Brass Knuckles entering the cage ahead of a muscular bright blue earth pony. “C'mon Brass, third round KO! Momma needs those bits!”

Sensing he had lost his conversation partners, Brightstar got up and took his drink with him as he went and sat over at the table with Forge and Blossomseed. “Excuse me, is everything alright?”

Lifting up his pint of bitter, Forge pointedly ignored the question. Although he rather liked this young stallion, for his liking there was still too much Canterlot and not enough Filly in him just yet. It helped that he belonged to Moonbeak, but right now it was too soon. Blossomseed, as ever, took her lead from Forge and didn't answer, either, instead choosing to watch the fight as though he wasn’t there.

Mentally kicking himself, Brightstar realised his mistake, an 'outsider' asking touchy questions, and after a further moment of awkward silence, he got up and made his way back to the bar and watches the fight on an empty stool. Snickering gently, Selene pushed another drink his way and whispered, “Ponies do have some pride.”

“I know,” Brightstar took the offered drink without question and took a sip as he reached into his bag around the pack from the police station for a small picture of his mum and sister and pulled it out. “Thank you, Selene.”

“Someone has to care,” she shrugged, “But just don't expect a lot of return.”

For a short time, Brightstar just looked at his picture and smiled. “I get it, some things take time.” He knew how they felt. He felt the same about Darkstar. He felt the same about his mum in the asylum back in Canterlot. His train of thought was somewhat interrupted when Sugarcoat cheered loudly at the TV.

“Might not last past the second round!” Lemon Zest cheered alongside her friend when Brass Knuckles landed a particularly hard punch to her opponent’s gut.

“Not at this rate.” Sugarcoat agreed, her eyes twinkling as she watched the earth pony stallion fall to one knee from the female minotaur’s blow. “Not if she hits him like that again! Go on Brass!”

Looking up at the TV screen, Brightstar caught Selene sneaking a look at his picture. “My mother and sister. You have family here or in Griffonstone?”

Somewhat sadly, Selene shook her head. “They look nice. For ponies.”

“Thank you.” Brightstar found his eyes were watering when he looked at the photograph. “My mum's in a 'hospital', I visit her now and then.”

“I could visit mine the same way Moony visits Goldcrest.”

“Oh...” Brightstar knew what she meant by that. He knew what that look meant in her eyes. Conspicuously, he put the picture away. “Ah, can I ask what happened?”

Selene just shrugged her shoulders. “Some boarder skirmish with the yaks. Nothing special.”

“I'm truly sorry to hear that.” Brightstar, not knowing what else to say, looked away and over at the TV. “It looks like Brass is winning,” he said lamely, fishing for a change of topic and being grateful he found one so easily.

Selene giggled. “Someone tried to pay her to go to a certain round and she put that pony in the hospital.”

“Ooow!” Brightstar winced very hard indeed as he watched the blood red minotaur deliver a devastating right handed mid-section punch followed by a jaw breaking uppercut with her left that floored her opponent, making Sugarcoat cheer all the harder. “Did she ah…she ah…she do that?”

“Woot!” Lemon Zest cheered as loudly as Sugarcoat did, ignoring Brightstar for the moment. “Way to go Brass!”

Momentarily, Brightstar’s attention was drawn to the TV. The watching, baying crowd started chanting Gore! Gore! As the muscular blue earth pony tried to get up from the uppercut. Brass Knuckles eyed her fallen opponent like a predator would hunt her prey. Snorting through her nose, Brass got down low down on all fours and snorted in anticipation. “Um...guys...what's she doing?”

Forge actually had a gleaming glint in his eyes. “Lights out!” He cheered, his gaze glued to the screen.

“Ah...what's a 'Gore'?”

“Oh...you'll see, newbie.” Sugarcoat veritably panted with excitement as on the screen, they all watched as the earth pony finally made it to his hooves and turned around. It proved to be a mistake. As soon as Brass saw her weakened opponent turn, the slab of blood red muscle launched herself at him, closing the distance between them in the space of a heartbeat. One of her long horns pierced his abdomen and slammed him into the cage wall.

Brightstar was stunned. He knew Pit Fighting was a barbaric blood sport, but still, to see that, he suddenly felt rather ill. “Oh...oh...oh dear Celestia...she just...did that…”

The watching crowd literally erupted with noise. Forge smirked. “Gore. Brass Knuckles’s signature move.” Lemon Zest simply smirked at Brightstar’s rather extreme reaction.

Declared 'out', the muscular earth pony was immediately attended to by the present EMT’s and removed from the cage on a stretcher as Brass was cheered for her emphatic win. Quite pale, even for his royal blue fur, Brightstar rocked on his hooves. “Excuse me, I ah, I need air…” without another word he put his glass down and walked out of the tavern.

“The upchuck bush is to your left.” Lemon Zest said humourlessly as she followed him outside into the cool afternoon air and pointed to a convenient nearby bush.

“It’s not that.” Brightstar moaned, looking utterly miserable. “I told you my sister was attacked in Canterlot the other day. Whoever did it, cut her horn off and stabbed her belly with it...it’s just...seeing that on the TV just then...”

“Brass knows what she's doing,” Lemon Zest laid a comforting hoof on the young stallion’s shoulder. “But it is a blood sport, not a death sport.”

“I know, Zest, that was just a bit beyond the pale that's all.”

Lemon Zest kept her hoof where it was. “Should you get through the academy that will be the mildest thing you'll ever see.”

“I can handle it.” Brightstar’s tone turned determined as he remembered all the reasons why he was doing this at all. “It was just a bit close to home, y'know? I'm fine, Zest, I swear. What you going to do about Blossomseed?”

“What makes you think I'll do anything, and if I did, what makes you think I'll tell you?”

“You're right,” Brightstar replied, studying the ground and thinking of his injured sister. “You don't have to tell me anything, and you probably can't anyway. I just thought that's what the police do, help victims like her and my sister.”

“Yep!” Lemon Zest answered with a wild nod that shook her unruly bright mauve mane. “That’s what police do. Help. Graduate the academy with honours and look up Dusty Trails. Unless you just want to 'help'.”

Reaching into his bag, Brightstar pulled out a picture of what Darkstar looked like now in the hospital. “I want to stop this from happening to more ponies. I want to make a difference, Zest, that's what I want.”

Just then, Sugarcoat burst forth from the tavern, all smiles and excitement. “Guess who just turned five hundred bits into three thousand?” The cobalt blue unicorn pulled a particularly heroic pose, holding two tail bands in her magical aura. “This pony did! Right here!” As she celebrated her win, she saw Brightstar sat on the floor. “You're still here.”

“I gave him Dusty's name if he should make the cut.” Lemon Zest took a tail band from her fellow undercover police officer and let out a rather large belch. “Okay, now I'm ready to roll. See ya, kid.”

Brightstar’s yellow eyes strayed to the bands and again he put two and two together in his head. “You'll be seeing me. Graduate with honours. Done it once, I'll do it again. Easy.” He got up off of the floor and offered the two police mares a hoof bump each.

Unsure, Lemon Zest looked at Sugarcoat and found her look returned in kind. For a long moment, Sugarcoat looked Brightstar over as if assessing him for the first time before she finally bumped hooves with the royal blue stallion. “I believe you, Brightstar.”

Satisfied, Lemon Zest also bumped his hoof. “What she said.”

“Take care.” Smiling, more determined than ever, Brightstar turned and walked back into the tavern to finish his drink.

~ ~ ~

It was five thirty in the afternoon when Brightstar finally teleported up from the sidewalk to the entrance landing of Treehouse four and walked in through the front door. He’d spent another hour in the Twisted Tail. Another two pit fights had been shown on the TV, but neither were as brutal as the one with Brass Knuckles had been.

Walking inside, the royal blue unicorn was immediately greeted by Moonbeak’s shrill voice coming from the kitchen, and something almost as welcome. The scent of cooking cheesecake. “My photoshoot went very well.” He heard her as he trotted in to the kitchen, following his nose, “Enjoy your day in town?”

“I did,” Brightstar replied quickly, taking a very deep sniff of the cheesecake in the oven that immediately transported him back to being an eight year old colt helping his mum cook. “I had my eyes opened to Filly and I got stuff done.” He thought it best right here to not divulge exactly what stuff. He fancied he’d need Astraea as back up.

“Good, it is dangerous to walk around with your eyes closed.” Moonbeak clacked her beak as she laughed at her own joke and pointed her clawed hand at the stove. “Once I finish dessert we can go to my mom's and rescue Athena from her dastardly clutches.”

Walking over, Brightstar hugged his griffon from behind and laughed, “Who exactly needs saving?”

“I assure you it is not my mom.” Moonbeak said definitely, lifting her white feathered head back and nuzzling her young lover’s cheek, “And if we don't get there in time it will be us that needs saving.”

“Good point.” He conceded, running a gentle forehoof along her very pregnant belly, “Perhaps we should get going?”

“You can magic this cheesecake finished?”

“I certainly can.”

“Really?” Moonbeak had been joking when she’d asked that. She certainly wasn’t expecting him to say yes. As she stepped away from the stove where it was baking, she reflected on just how much she had been surprised by this young pony.

“Really.” Brightstar nodded. He caught the sceptical look plastered all over Moonbeak’s face and took a little bit of delight as he was about to show her that he could do as he claimed. “It's just about manipulating heat and adding a little power.” Smiling, he lit his horn and cast his spell, his magic directed at the stove.

“Just so you know,” she purred dangerously into his ear, “I'll be most displeased if you burn the cake.”

Smirking, for he was tempted to do just that just to see what punishment he would receive, Brightstar instead decided against it. Play time was fun and all, but this was a matter of cheesecake. Concentrating for less than a minute longer, he magically opened the oven door to reveal a perfectly cooked cheesecake to his waiting audience. “Ta da! I learned that when I had to make caramel donuts for Dark...for Dar...for her.”

“I think I remember her name was Darkstar, or Darkie for short.” Moonbeak turned and gently kissed her faltering stallion’s lips. “Never forget the ones you love.”

“Darkstar, you're right.” Returning the kiss, with a wetness on his cheeks that had nothing to do with the kiss he’d just received, he took the cheesecake in his glowing yellow aura and floated it out on to the counter top.

“I think I'll keep you around.” Moonbeak said presently after a good long minute spent inspecting the freshly baked cheesecake. She’d only just put it in fifteen minutes ago, intending it to be done for six p.m. so they could get to her mother’s place by seven. Her clever little pony had just saved her forty five minutes. Quietly she was impressed with him. Maybe sometime soon she’d tell him. “Come, does pony want to drive my van?”

Brightstar smiled proudly. “Why, I'd love to drive you, my lady.” He recognised the compliment when it came his way. In the relatively short time that he’d known her intimately, Brightstar had learned the hidden meanings of seemingly innocuous things like that. His lover didn’t give much, but when she did, it meant something. He chuckled, he’d learned to speak Griffonian, now he was learning Moonbeak too.

“Good,” She grinned, pecking his cheek lightly, “maybe I get you a fancy hat.”

“A grey one to match my collar?”

“A chauffeur’s hat,” Moonbeak smiled a wide smile at that, “But I see no reason it can't be grey.”

“You have a beautiful smile,” Brightstar smiled warmly, imagining himself in a little grey hat driving his lady around town. “I believe I'd like that.” He’d also like to see her smile more often, but, foal steps and all that.

“You ponies have lips.” Moonbeak huffed, though nonetheless she did deign to grace him with a smile as she picked up the cooled cheesecake in her claws. “You get down on your own?”

“I can indeed my lady,” Brightstar inclined his head to her, “You want me to lock up?”

“Keys are to the left of the door.” With that, Moonbeak turned and without another word the thirty year old griffon walked out of her treehouse and flew down to her van in the parking lot.

“I got this…” Brightstar thought aloud to the now empty treehouse as he stepped up and took the bundle of keys – which also contained the ones for the van - and locked the main door, checking it twice before lighting his horn and teleporting down to the front of his lover’s white van.

As was his custom, he took a moment after reappearing to ensure that he was in fact all there, and he noticed that Moonbeak was waiting patiently at the passenger door. Once he was happy that all of him had made the journey, Brightstar walked around to the passenger side first like a good little chauffeur and opened the door in a yellow glow. “My lady.”

Keeping her yellow beak high in the air, Moonbeak got into her own van without a word and fastened her seatbelt. Watching her enter, Brightstar took the opportunity – while he thought he wasn’t been seen - to ogle her paws. Her very sexy, very well-defined paws, with their beautiful toes and their pretty little sharp talons. “Where to M’lady?” He asked when he’d gotten in the driver’s side.

“The Astraea Mansion.”

“Very good, M'lady.” Brightstar had to really fight to supress his giggles as he started up the van and pulled out of the parking lot. He was aware, very aware, of how much he sounded like Parker from the Thunderponies right then. That suited him just fine, he reflected as he drove through the darkening evening towards his destination. All they needed was a pink Rolls-Royce to properly complete the look.

The drive to Moonbeak’s mother’s condo was uneventful, with not very many drivers out at this time of day. When they parked up, the grey griffon waited imperiously in her passenger seat and, when Brightstar killed the engine, he got out and opened the door with a respectfully low bow that enabled him to once more check out her paws. “M'lady, we have arrived.”

Moonbeak sniffed indifferently as she stepped out of her van to the sidewalk. “Yes, definitely a keeper.” She loved the praise and adoration that this young pony was offering to her and he seemed more than happy to give it.

Watching her fly up to her mother’s landing, Brightstar took a moment to check the doors were locked before teleporting up to join her as she waited for him. “Allow me to get the door, M'lady.” When Moonbeak gave her well behaved stallion a nod, he opened the door for her then stood aside with a low paw sighting bow.

“You are a silly pony” Moonbeak shook her head, though she still gave him a wink. Further thought on that was halted however as she just managed to save the cheesecake from certain doom as Athena tackle hugged her mother.

“Ah,” Astraea smiled as she stepped through from her living room. “You are here, and early, too.”

Brightstar gave the older griffon a polite bow. He liked her, a lot. She reminded him a little of his grandmother before she had passed. “Good evening, Ma'am.”

Astraea’s eyes sparkled with mirth when she saw the young stallion by her daughter’s side. “Ah!” She clapped her claws together, for she approved of him greatly. Not only was he good with Athena, he made her daughter smile. And, after Goldcrest, she feared that wouldn’t happen again. “Good, you brought dinner with you.”

Brightstar chuckled when he saw the pointed hungry look in the old griffon’s eyes. “It's good to see you again.”

Finally releasing her mother from her little death grip, Athena then moved on to tackle hug Brightstar just as hard. “Baw!” She demanded by way of greeting.

“Hi 'Thena!” Brightstar playfully ruffled the feathers on her head which earned him a nip on the hoof from her sharp little beak and he lit his horn, quickly creating the magical ball for her. “There you go!” Immediately, Athena abandoned the hug and pounced on the ball, which changed colour as she did so.

“I brought cheesecake and the pony helped.”

“Must be nice to have such a useful pony,” Astraea smirked very meaningfully at her daughter as she took said cheesecake from Moonbeak and carried it through to the kitchen.

Brightstar swelled a little with pride. “Magically baked just so, Ma'am.”

“Athena, dinner.”

“Dinna!” Athena immediately abandoned the magical ball – which Brightstar dispelled - and tried to fly to her high pad when she heard her grandmother call for dinner. Reaching under her belly, Moonbeak casually gave her an assist.

Brightstar’s heart melted. “Aww, she's cute when she flies!”

“She's cute when she tries to fly.” Moonbeak corrected him.

As Astraea went into the kitchen and came back with a large steaming tray in her claws she had that same mischievous glint in her eyes. “I thought you were cute when you pulled the cupboard contents on you.”

“Ish!” Athena squeaked happily as her grandmother served up rather generous portions to each of her guests. “Ish!”

Curious, Brightstar looked to see what was being served up. His belly didn’t care however, as at that point he would quite happily have eaten griffon army rations. What it actually was, he wasn’t certain, but he knew it definitely wasn’t an Equestrian recipe. It looked similar to something he’d ate in Griffonstone, though that had been meat, not fish. “Ooh I must say Ma'am, that looks delicious!” It was some sort of fish, but he couldn't tell what kind, with asparagus and lentils. Like the good colt he was, Brightstar waited for Astraea and Moonbeak to start eating before he took a bite.

Athena, not caring about being delicate, was head first into her plate getting stuck in with her claws and her beak while the older griffons were a bit more refined. Brightstar elected to use his magic on the fork with little bites. “So, how was the kitten-sitting?”

Astraea swallowed her mouthful of fish before she answered that. “You have spoiled her with that magic ball, but we went to the park and played.”

Brightstar giggled at that, “It was the first thing that came to mind the other day.”

“How was your shoot?” Astraea asked her daughter curiously.

Moonbeak shrugged as she considered her reply. It had all been business as usual, really, just with fresh meat to admire in the process. “No surprises, so all was smooth. I almost missed not having a pack pony though.” She added, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively at her stallion.

Meeping just slightly, Brightstar blushed deeply as he recognised the compliment when it came his way. “I do apologise for bailing on you, Moony.”

“I'm sure you were making sweet pony eyes at Selene.” Moonbeak said with a little smirk in her voice that had her old mother laughing.

“Only eyes I made at her were the puppy ones when I asked for a dalwhinny.” Brightstar replied quickly.

Astraea laughed harder then, very pleased that the pony she liked so much could give it back to her kitten as well as take it. “Did she rub your belly too?” Moonbeak asked as her mother got up and brought the cheesecake through from the kitchen along with dishes and served it up.

“No,” Brightstar smiled casually, “she said you'd do that for me later.”

“Very nice meal, momma.” Moonbeak said a little later once they’d all finished eating and the plates and bowls were empty. Getting up from her seating pad, she moved to clean up Athena whose golden brown fur and white feathers were anything but after consuming that meal.

While Moonbeak was cleaning her kitten, nobody moved to put the dishes away. Noticing this, Brightstar stepped up like the good colt he was. “I have the dishes!” Lighting his horn, he took up each one in his magic, stacking them largest to smallest before carrying them on through to the sink so he could wash them.

Both of the older griffons shared a smile with each other after the royal blue stallion had departed to the kitchen with the dishes. “Brass Knuckles easily won the fight earlier.” Astraea said as Moonbeak finally finished cleaning her grand-kitten.

“Did you let Athena watch it?”

Astraea nodded, “Of course I did, you know how she loves the fights.”

From the kitchen, Brightstar heard the exchange about the fight. He wasn’t surprised in the least to hear that Athena had been allowed to watch it, but his touch of OCD demanded that he finish his task before he commented on it. He made sure each one was completely clean before stacking them in size order on the draining board next to the sink and for good measure he wiped down the worktops and walked back to the living room. “I watched it at the Tail. I also learned just what a 'Gore' is.”

“Gore?” Astraea asked, misunderstanding him for a moment, “Tis a blood sport.”

Moonbeak rolled her green eyes. “He means that Brass does, when she gores her opponent.”

“Oh,” Astraea nodded, “Yes, that.”

“Yes, that.” Brightstar said quietly, “It was...something else.”

“You get a good ring side seat and you can sometimes taste the blood!” Astraea said with glee in her voice.

“Really?” Brightstar asked, though he supposed he shouldn’t be surprised at that. His yellow eyes however were wide in wonder and a teeny bit of arousal. His heart began beating faster just at the thought of it. “I'm fine with blood, it's just that move was unexpected, that’s all.”

“Yes, unicorns, and griffons do draw a lot of blood.” Moonbeak said, that same glee in her voice that her mother had. “Earth ponies tend to break bones.”

Brightstar shuddered. “The wound just put me in mind of Darkie...”

“Hmmm?”

“He means his sister who was attacked.” Moonbeak explained for her mother’s benefit. “She nearly died from blood loss.”

Astraea shook her head. “Crime is not sport.”

“No it isn't, Ma'am.” Brightstar commented, though he felt somewhat ‘detached’ from the room. He knew he’d have to tell his lover about what he’d done at the police station. He wasn’t looking forward to it, but he had to get it out of the way. “You see, she had her horn removed and stabbed with it.” He set his jaw determinedly and took a deep breath. “Moony, love, I went to Precinct Three earlier, and I signed up to the police academy…”

“You what!” Moonbeak interrupted him sharply, anger flaring in her voice.

“Daughter!” Astraea cut across her just as sharply, the older griffon not missing a step.

“But...”

“Silence!” A very long, very quiet pause, a pause as pregnant as Moonbeak herself, extended between the three adults while Athena played with her blocks. “Explain yourself, pony.”

Brightstar knew he owed them that much, especially Moonbeak. “After seeing my sister in the hospital, Ma'am, I expressed a wish to Moony to join the police department here. I'm not running from anything, I'm not trying to prove anything. Filly is my home now. I want to help keep it safe, prevent more like my sister happening here.”

“Get out!” Moonbeak screeched, an anger and vehemence in her that Brightstar had only seen in the parking lot the other night. “Out! Get out!”

Astraea however put her clawed hand on her daughter’s shoulder and shook her head. “You may toss him from your house, but not from mine.”

Moonbeak angrily shook off her mother’s hand. “He will end up just like Goldcrest!”

“Did Goldcrest die on the job?” Astraea asked, gently but firmly putting her claw back in place.

“But...well...no...” Moonbeak flustered, though this time she didn’t shake her mother away.

“So his job didn't kill him, but some punk did.”

Moonbeak’s anger suddenly gave way to a flood of very hot, very salty tears. “I...momma I can't lose another one I love!”

Astraea wrapped up her pregnant daughter in as tight a hug as she could manage. “I never thought I'd hear you say that again.” Now, she was convinced, if she wasn’t before, that she really liked this young pony.

‘Sweet Luna's teat…she just said...oh...oh my...’ Brightstar looked like he’d been poleaxed. He couldn’t quite bring himself to believe what he’d heard her say. He’d said it to her so many times, but to hear her say it back…he was stunned. “Moonbeak, I love you.”

“I know, you dumb pony!” Moonbeak said, still hugging her mother tightly, “I know.”

Still somewhat shaken from his lover’s outburst, Brightstar hesitantly moved to also hug Moonbeak and Astraea. “Die on me and I'll forget you.” She spat at him harshly. “One grave is enough to visit.”

“I won't make promises that I can’t keep.” Brightstar replied honestly. “I will do my training, I'll graduate, and I will be as safe as I can be.”

“Ponies are dumb, momma.”

“Yes they are,” Astraea agreed with a smile, “But some are less dumb than others.” Brightstar opened his mouth to say something but ultimately he decided to be less dumb and simply tightened his hug on the other two.

“Fine,” Moonbeak sniffed after a long few minutes enjoying the hug. “The pony can stay.”

“Not here,” Astraea quipped, “I need some private time at night.”

“With me.”

“Thank you, Moony.” Brightstar smiled and delivered a flowery little kiss at the back of her feathered head.

“Dinner was good momma, I think it is time we went home though.”

Astraea nodded with a smile, happy now that her daughter was happy with her pony. “You want me to keep Athena?”

Moonbeak shook her head. “No, she likes the pony too.”

“Thank you again, Ma’am, for the lovely meal.” Brightstar once more gave the older griffon a polite nod of thanks.

“You drive.” Moonbeak affectionately nipped Brightstar’s ear as she pulled away from the hug and got herself low down on the living room floor. “Athena, say by to nana. Time to go home.” Quickly abandoning her building blocks that had up until that point completely absorbed her attention, Athena hugged her grandmother and climbed up on her mother’s back.

“I'll see you later Ma'am, have a pleasant night.” Brightstar smiled before taking up the keys from where he’d left them. “I have the keys, your chariot is this way, M'lady.”

Kissing her mother on the cheek, Moonbeak flew out of her condo without another word and waited by the passenger side of her van for her chauffeur to arrive. With a flash of magical light, Brightstar disappeared from Astraea’s living room and teleported down in front of it and, after a moment, he went to open the passenger door for her. After that, he opened the rear door for Athena, and Moonbeak picked her up and deposited her in her kitten seat.

Once she was in securely, Moonbeak came back to the passenger door and, running a primary feather under his chin, blew Brightstar a kiss. “I do love you. Live with me in my home and make it ours.”

Almost giddy with the admission from his lover, Brightstar’s breath hitched. “I-I will, Moony, Mistress, M'lady...” well aware he was babbling, the royal blue unicorn blushed and shut up, deciding instead to ogle her paws before he got around to the driver’s side door and got in.

“All the grovelling and the sweet names are nice.” Moonbeak purred before he started up the engine. “You don't have to stop. I do wonder though why you keep looking at my ass. Is it the fur?”

“Mistress Moony,” Brightstar said, his voice almost a whisper at what he was about to admit, “It’s not your ass, it's your paws...ever since you made me lick them clean in the bar the other night I just can't get them out of my mind.” Blushing, he started up the engine and pulled away from Astraea’s place. “And I love your curvy ass too.”

“My paws?” Moonbeak looked down at the floor of her van and at her paws, wiggling her toes as a deliciously wonderful thought involving Brightstar, cum covered toes and said toes ran through her mind. “And I thought it was my claws.” She giggled, “Although, I think my paws could use some worship tonight.”

Athena then added her demand loudly. “BAA!”

“Ngggh...” Brightstar grunted and shifted awkwardly on his seat, trying very hard to not get himself hard at the very thought of worshipping Moonbeak’s perfect paws all night long. “Th-Thank you Mistress…” instead, he concentrated on casting the spell to create the ball for Athena, which he deposited in her little lap and drove like a Celestial Nun all the way back home to the treehouse.

Lightly stroking the back of her right claw over Brightstar’s outer thigh, Moonbeak looked out of the side window, apparently deep in thought. She was. She was thinking many thoughts. Many, many thoughts. Chief among these thoughts was how lucky she was to have a pony like Brightstar sat next to her.

As they arrived at her – no, their – treehouse, she offered thanks to Stormclaw’s sainted plumage that she had her pony, that she had a second chance at happiness with her pony and she made a silent vow on all the gold in Griffonstone that she would make her pony as happy as he made her.

Wiggling the toes of her paws playfully, she had an idea how she might do that. “Take Athena up and play with her for a bit. I need to do a few things in my photo lab.”

“You got it M'lady!” Brightstar squeaked, happy to be able to get out of the van without a raging boner that needed hiding from the young kitten behind him. Getting out of the van, he opened the passenger door for his lady and then he did the same for his little lady in the kitten seat.

Athena, overjoyed at the prospect of being freed from the prison of her seat, held up her tiny grasping claws. “Wide!”

“Yes sweetie it's a magic ride. You wanna go?” He smiled when he saw the little kitten flex her claws eagerly. Lighting his horn, he levitated Athena carefully onto his back. “You hold tight now, sweetie.”

Athena's claws, while still little, dug in surprisingly deep to Brightstar’s flesh she held on very tight. Rather adorably, thinking she was helping, she spread her wings as the royal blue unicorn cleared his mind prepared to cast his spell. Concentrating fully on his destination, Brightstar performed the most perfect teleport of his life, it was absolutely flawless, even better than the one he had cast to earn his teleportation license, to arrive at the front landing of the treehouse.

“Like the ride, sweetie?” Brightstar asked as he unlocked and opened the front door to let them inside.

“Gain!” Athena squeaked happily, bouncing up and down on her mount’s back.

Smiling, Brightstar wasn’t quite ready for another teleport just yet. He was frankly amazed the kitten hadn’t thrown up. More than half of his class had when they had teleported the first time. “Ball?” He offered instead.

Thankfully, Athena was easily distracted. “Baa!” She squeaked, reaching up her claws and getting low, ready to pounce.

“Here you go, sweetie.” Creating the magic ball, which was a much, much simpler spell to cast, he rolled it over to her.

After roughly ten minutes of playing catch and pounce with the colour changing ball, Athena finally got bored and stomped her little paw into the treehouse’s hardwood floor. “Bocks!” She demanded, with an additional pout for effect. Escorting her over to the pile of building blocks, Athena crouched low, her leonine tail swishing as she waited for Brightstar to build her some sort of tower so that she could destroy it.

Fifteen minutes later, after several successive towers had been magically built and destroyed by the furry brown menace that was Athena, Moonbeak walked in once whatever it was she had been doing in her photo lab at the base of the treehouse was finished. “Mama!” Athena squawked, she left the blocks and tackle hugged her mother.

“Have fun with the pony?”

Athena nodded energetically in the hug. “Bocks!” Acquiessing to her daughters simlatenous explanation and demand, Moonbeak joined in with their game. Another thirty minutes of play with her pony and the blocks, Athena was finally good and sleepy. Picking up her yawning little kitten in her arms, Moonbeak carried her through to her bedroom and laid her gently in her nest.

As a first, Moonbeak pulled down the 'Three Yakity Yaks Gruff', Athena’s favourite bedtime story and invited Brightstar to read with her. Straightaway, he accepted the offer, fully accepting its significance. In the right places, the royal blue unicorn even added sound effects to the story.

Halfway through, Moonbeak whispered, “You do make a good troll.” Before giggling and continuing with the thrilling tale. Very sleepy indeed, Athena was sound asleep before the story was finished, but almost like it was a ritual, her mother finished it anyway.

Playing along, Brightstar kept up with the rather excellent sound effects until the story was done. “You tell a good story, Moony.”

“Because somepony wrote a good story.” Standing up, the very pregnant griffon put the storybook back on the shelf and she checked the monitor was turned on. “My poor paws are soooo very sore from standing all day shooting photos.” She said silkily over her shoulder to her stallion. “Maybe something could be done about that?”

“Yes M'lady,” Brightstar squeaked eagerly, almost floating on air as he followed her out of the bedroom. “I can do something about that, yes I can!”

Swishing her leonine tail high in the air, and sauntering with her paws making very deliberate treads on the hardwood floor, Moonbeak led the way to their bedroom and made sure to check the monitor was working before she rolled into the wide bed with surprising grace for her current size. “Oh…I do hope so…” she purred as she laid on her back in the middle of the bed and, lifting up her right leg wiggled her toes teasingly in the air.

“Aaaah...” moaning at the tempting display, Brightstar got up on the bed, his yellow eyes locked on her delightfully wiggling toes. He even started drooling as he put out his tongue and delivered a lick from her heel all the way up her to the ball of her paw.

As he wasn’t holding it, the paw jerked away from him and Moonbeak squawked out an unexpected laugh at the touch of his hot wet tongue. “Ahh, so that is how it is?” She asked playfully as she returned her paw to his face and she booped his nose with her largest toe.

“Oh...oooh y-yes M'lady, it is...” Brightstar held his lady’s leg in his forehooves and gave it another long slow loving lick up the length of the paw and planted a sensuous kiss on the underneath of each toe. Moonbeak still giggled, and her paw jerked a little, but not enough to escape her stallion’s gentle grip. “Mmmm...” he moaned, in heaven, as his cock began to emerge from his sheath as he licked right in between her toes, relishing the sweaty taste.

On the bed, Moonbeak just laid back, her green eyes closed, and purred happily. She had her clawed hands gently tracing up and down her sides, caressing her ribs and her moans of pleasure deepened. Sighing in delight, Brightstar sucked on each toe in turn, lingering on them to draw out her pointy claws, then he licked up each on before sucking each toe for a second time.

Moonbeak's other paw moved up Brightstar’s body to gently caress his neck up and down slowly from his shoulder to his cheek and back again. “Oooooooh!” The unicorn smelled the deliciously sweaty scent of that paw and took it, holding both together in front of his muzzle so he could lick up between them.

There was a little bit of jerking at that, but now Moonbeak was running both of her claws all along her ribs and her cooing intensified as a result. As he took both of her 'big toes' together in his mouth and sucked on them hard, he drew out the claws and he lit his horn to magically massage both of Moonbeak’s wing joints and especially where her claws were running along her belly.

Giggling, Moonbeak opened her green eyes. A sharp claw touched her sides and then she waved a ‘no, no,’ but her wings stiffened as they spread out ever wider to her sides. A talon simply pointed at her wings and she nodded before closing her eyes again. Understanding, Brightstar made his magical massage leave her sides and move further out into her wings, starting with the primaries. “You like that, my Lady?” He asked as he delivered little flowery kisses all over both of her hot sweaty soles.

Unable to form coherent words, Moonbeak cooed and nodded. “I could worship these sexy paws forever and ever…” Brightstar vowed as he started to lick between the toes of the other paw. “They deserve to be worshipped forever…” he sucked each toe hard between each word.

A second later, Brightstar detected a definite musk coming from Moonbeak’s sex. He sniffed, breathing deeply of the scent that was more potent than the sweat of her paws. He wasn’t sure if it was the worshipful words or his tongue that was getting her all ‘hot and musky’, but whatever it was it was making him all the harder. “Oh...so a certain lady likes to be worshipped?” He asked rhetorically as he kissed up her leg and down towards the heady musky scent, his magic now caressing the secondaries of both wings.

Brightstar let go of holding Moonbeak’s legs preferring instead to kiss all the way down the left one until he reached her hot damp inner thigh. “I could worship this too…” he vowed, adding generous licks and gentle nips all around her labia.

Moonbeak gave a delightfully soft moan and a wiggle. “Oh yes…I could be your willing slave for a lifetime, Mistress.” He licked and kissed wet sloppy trails all around her glistening slit. “I'd be your slave for life to worship you.” He purred, licking delicately up her musky entrance as his hooves caressed her breasts.

Under her lover’s ministrations, Moonbeak's breath grew shallow and rapid. “I…I-I want y-you in m-me!”

“Your wish is my command, my Goddess.” Brightstar moved himself up between her spread open legs, the flat tip of his hard throbbing shaft ready at her wet entrance.

“Fill me Bright...” she moaned, full of needy lust, “Fill me all the way.”

“At once, my Goddess.” Needing no further encouragement, Brightstar thrust his hips forward and slid smoothly inside her tight muscular tunnel, going past the medial ring to hilt himself in one fluid motion.

As Brightstar pulled out and thrust back inside her, spreading her with his girth, Moonbeak worked her inner muscles, concentrating on bringing both her and her stallion to an Equestria shattering climax. “Aaah...oooh m-my...” Brightstar panted, his hooves playing with her breasts and nipples as he got a firm but steady rhythm going.

Wrapping her strong powerful dark grey wings around her pounding, rutting pony, Moonbeak pulled him forward as she bucked her hips up to meet his hard thrusts that speared her to the hilt each time. “Nggggh aaah M-Moooony!” He went with the pull of her wings, his strong thrusts getting harder and quicker.

“Сейчас!”

“Я люблю тебя любовница!” Brightstar gave a particularly hard thrust of his throbbing cock as he felt his flat head flare out. He carried on bucking her hard until he tapped the muscular wall of her cervix and he hilted with a moan, shooting rope after rope of his hot sticky cum deep inside her, his seed splashing against the sealed entrance to her womb.

“Brightstar!” Moonbeak’s eyes shot open and she screeched his name as she came, “I love you too, my little pony.”

Panting, the royal blue unicorn laid on top of his griffon, nuzzling and kissing his way lovingly up and down her neck. “Я твой, всегда и Форевер Ярс, любовь моя.”

Smiling, Moonbeak licked his nose. “Or until I need my emergency food ration. You'll only be with me about twenty for hours then.”

Brightstar kissed her beak. “Either way, I'll fill you up.”

Coming down from her orgasmic bliss, Moonbeak nodded. “That you will, but I like it this way better, so you can fill me up more than once.”

“So do I,” he replied, still hard inside her cum-filled snatch. “As long as I can worship your paws, and the rest of you.”

“I could agree to that,” Moonbeak tapped a claw on her beak, apparently deep in thought. She’d had Pets before, but a Slave? That was something new. Still, new could be good. Very good, indeed. “Yes, I could definitely agree to that.”

“And, calling you my Goddess?” Brightstar asked hopefully, “I assume that's alright too?”

Moonbeak gently kissed her stallion’s lips. “I could grow used to it. Now snuggle me, pony, for it has been a long day of surprises.”

“I can go for a snuggle.” Brightstar laid beside Moonbeak on their bed and held her tight as he lovingly kissed her beak over and over again. “My Goddess.”

Chapter 5 - Better the Griffon You Know

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~ Four days before, Canterlot Royal Hospital ~

Twelve forty nine, forty nine minutes after midday and Air Raid was still snoring away, her consciousness away in the Dreamscape. A Dreamscape created of her own mind, her own desires and dreams. A Dreamscape where she didn’t leave Wily, where she gladly gave up her career and stayed with the pony she loved, where she cared for her marefriend like the loving mare she was supposed to have been all along. And she was happy. So very happy. The happiest pony in Equestria, because she had her Wily, and Wily had her. Air Raid and Wildfire, like it was always meant to be.

The way it should have been all along.

Then the clock on the wall clicked its long minute hand to the next number along, reading twelve fifty and the wondrous Dreamscape shattered; falling away from her desperately grasping hooves in a swirl of colour and a blinding flash of light. At twelve fifty her phone rang, the discordant noise shocking her rudely awake in an instant.

“Shit! Shit, my phone!” Air Raid sat bolt upright in the hospital bed next to Darkstar as she snapped fully awake. “Shit where’s my phone!?” She panicked, launching a futile search of her bed for the ringing phone.

Smiling smugly Brightstar floated her phone out of her saddlebag and moved it over to her.

Plucking it out of the shimmering yellow aura with an almighty pout the lime green mare flicked the green button to receive the call. “Yes?” She asked, a little more tersely than she had wanted.

The voice on the other end was the perfect Canterlot accent of the officer from earlier in the cafeteria. “This is Detective Hoofbeat, are we still on for a one O'clock meeting?”

In reply Air Raid let out a huge yawn that split her face. “Yes!” She exclaimed as soon as she was able, “Yes we are, definitely.”

“Is Mr. Brightstar still with you?”

“Yeah, he's still here,” Air Raid confirmed as she attempted to straighten her mane.

Hoofbeat seemed genuinely pleased with this, “Good will he be there with you then?”

“Yuppe....yeah, he will…” Air Raid almost said one of ‘Wily’s words’ but managed to catch herself at the last moment.

“Hopefully you got a note.” Wherever he was Air Raid decided it was probably the car park as there was traffic in the background. “I have conference room one twelve reserved. See you there in a few minutes.”

Absently Air Raid nodded her agreement. “We did indeed, see you in room one twelve.”

“You may want to take a brush to your mane.” Moonbeak suggested as the pegasus hung up the call and tossed her phone back in her saddlebag.

Brightstar sniggered behind his hoof, “More like a chair, a whip and a lion tamers manual.”

Air Raid raspberried her friend as she once again delved into her bag, fishing about for her brush. Once again she pouted when Brightstar smugly floated it up from the nether regions of her other bag entirely. “He always this helpful?” She asked ruefully.

“Oh yes,” Moonbeak smiled, stroking a claw delicately over her stallion’s foreleg. “Even more so when he is needy.”

Taking the brush to her mane, a mane that hadn’t seen whisper of a brush in at least two days Air Raid tried to brush her unruly mop into submission. “When he...OOOW! Wants his sheath lock off...NGGGH! You mean?” In a temper at hitting two knots in a row she threw the brush on the bed.

“Oh let me...” Brightstar rolled his yellow eyes in mock exasperation and surrounded his friend’s blue mane in his magical field, using it to separate all the knots, tangles and even this tough little colicky bit that tried to deny him but failed.

Moonbeak looked on amusedly as her pet prepared the mane for brushing. “He does do a very nice job of preening too. Did you and the girls teach him that valuable skill?” She asked, genuinely interested as Bright’s preens were very good.

Air Raid smile with a brief nod as Brightstar obediently began to brush out her mane, using long slow deliberate strokes to finally get the mane under control. “He used to watch...very closely.”

“I'm still studying horn care…” Moonbeak replied, her shrill voice almost a husky whisper, “Very thoroughly I might add.”

“Oh...she's very thorough,” the royal blue unicorn smiled happily as he started braiding Air Raid's mane. As he worked the braid into her mane he cast a critical eye over her wings. Wings that hadn’t seen a preen in as many days as her mane hadn’t been brushed till now. “Hmm…no time for a proper preen, but I can get these looking like actual wings again, at the very least.” He lit his horn, his yellow magic encapsulated both of the pegasus’s wings, and a rippling shimmer later had all the broken and misshapen feathers lying in a heap on the bed.

“You look like you're among the living again Raid.” Moonbeak smiled as Brightstar completed the five minute makeover. “Let's get moving.”

Air Raid chuckled as she slid off the bed to stand on her hooves with a quick stretch. “Any more of that and he'll turn me into an actual girl.” She giggled as she fell into step alongside the griffon.

“Heaven forfend that should happen, Raid.” Brightstar said as he dutifully fell in line behind his girlfriend and his Mistress.

Moonbeak giggled as they made their way down the short flight of stairs to the reception. “Good thing he didn't braid your tail or your marehood would be showing.”

Air Raid returned the giggles on the stairs, “I’m willing to share, but not right now...thanks Bright, you did a good job here mate,” she said appreciatively as she shook her wings and found all the feathers actually pointing the right way.

“For five minutes, yes.” He agreed from behind them as they exited the stairwell and walked over the white marble floor up to the reception.

“Hey Pure, where are we going?” Air Raid called out as they neared the ornately carved area and saw there were no ponies queueing up to be seen.

Without looking up from her small stack of paperwork she was currently entering into her computer, Pureheart pointed with her left wing down the adjacent corridor. “Down there first left second door on the left.”

Air Raid lifted her hoof in thanks before she realised the nurse hadn’t looked up. “Thanks Pure. Will we see you in the cafeteria later?”

“Maybe Raid,” the nurse replied, still not looking from her screen but with a detectable smile nonetheless, “Depends on what those ponies out there decide to do to get in here.”

“I'll get you a coffee if I see you?”

“Deal.” Pureheart agreed, moving the stack of completed paperwork further aside to make room for more.

Giving the nurse a smile she didn’t see Air Raid led the way down the corridor that the nurse had indicated to her on their way to the conference room assigned to them for the duration of the forthcoming interview.

“New friend?” Brightstar asked from his position behind them.

“Pretty much, Bright yeah.” Air Raid lead them around the left turn and up to the second door. “Pureheart’s pretty cool, got this ‘Shrink to the Stars’ sister in Manehatten she wants to go live with.”

They found the door to conference room one twelve open and a grey unicorn stallion with a turquoise mane and tail and wearing a police jacket already in the room waiting for them. As they entered the room he turned to face them, briefly showing his cutie mark of a horseshoe pointing up with a white quarter note inside.

“Detective, hello.” Air Raid greeted him as she walked into the room and around the desk, taking the seating pad furthest from the door and nearest the wall.

Hoofbeat stood and nodded respectfully to them, “Greetings Ms. Raid, Mr. Brightstar and…” he paused for a briefly, checking his extensive meticulously written notes, “Ms. Moonbeak. I'm Hoofbeat and I wish this meeting was under better circumstances.”

“At least I'm not being arrested this time.” Air Raid attempted a smile as Brightstar waited for his Mistress to seat herself on her chosen seating pad before sitting himself.

Once they were all sat the detective seated himself, flashing them all a warm reassuring blue-eyed smile. “We don't have a lot to go on so far, which is why we're having this interview. Ms. Darkstar was found in the warehouse district on 3rd Brick Way. Have any of you been there or know of Darkstar going there?”

“No sir,” Brightstar replied with a shake of his head.

“Not the Warehouse District.” Air Raid agreed, “She'd never go there on her own, and especially not in the freezing morning.”

Hoofbeat consulted his notes, flicking from one page to another. “She was found between an empty building, which was searched and hasn't been entered in months. The other building belongs to Office and More. I show no record of any of you working there.”

Brightstar’s temper flared just briefly, “No, look, we know full well who did this to my sister detective!” He exclaimed.

Hoofbeat shot him a quick look, “And whom might that may be?” He asked in his perfect Canterlot accent.

The royal blue unicorn leapt to his hooves, suddenly very irate, he raised his voice to a low yell. “Cold Front! Who else?”

“Wildfire's dad.” Air Raid supplied, “It was him.”

Holding his pen in his blue magic Hoofbeat began taking even more notes in his little book. “Probable cause?”

Air Raid sat up in her seating pad, her grey eyes meeting the blue. “Before Hearths Warming, he discharged Wildfire from here. He told us she was in Filly...”

“Which we know is rubbish!” Brightstar interrupted his friend, still on his hooves. “We all started to look for her.”

Air Raid sighed, “I looked in Filly, I had some races out there. We came back Saturday.” Hoofbeat listened in silence, taking note of every word the pegasus and unicorn spoke. “I thought I saw her out there, little yellow pegasus, and I told Bright, who went out as well to look.

Brightstar lowered himself back to his pad next to Moonbeak, “That's how it happened, detective.”

“Saturday, midday, Darkie called me from Canterlot as we set off to come back from Filly.” Air Raid elaborated, “She was excited; she said...she was close to finding Wily.”

“What motivation would Cold Front have to lie about his daughter's location?” Hoofbeat asked, his pen poised on a clean piece of notepaper.

“Because he's scum!” Brightstar yelled before the pegasus could answer.

“I don't know, detective.” Air Raid said, struggling with the memory of the last few days. “Darkie said she'd dug around here, and this orange pegasus in the cafeteria, must be Autumn Burst, told her how she saw Cold Front meeting with a purple mare from a care home.”

Hoofbeat’s ears pricked as she gave him more details. “Which care home? Do you have the name of the mare?”

Reluctantly Air Raid shook her head. “I don't know, just that she's a unicorn and runs a care home in Canterlot.”

“You have Cold Front's address handy?” Hoofbeat asked, his ever-present pen at the ready.

“Of course, Sir,” Brightstar quickly gave the detective their old friend’s address.

“There's something else, detective. When Darkie called she was at Cafe Diem, when she hung up, she sounded off...weird, like.” Air Raid told the detective.

“What time was that call made?” Hoofbeat asked, ready to take more notes. “We didn't find a cell phone on the victim.”

“It was about one p.m., here, you can check my phone.” Air Raid offered her phone to the detective to check and verify her claim.

“We are in the process of getting a court order for her phone records and to search her place.” Hoofbeat commented, quickly scrolling through the pegasus’s recent records and making another note. “Even with your permission Brightstar, we still need the court order. We will be doing that search tomorrow. Do any of you wish to be there? Also the location is taped off in case any of you wish to go there today.”

“No, we'll be back in Filly, sir.” Brightstar supplied.

“I'm not leaving her side.” Air Raid stated in a manner that suggested it was not up for debate. “Yesterday, I spoke to Java, from the Cafe, he said Darkie had thanked him for a donut he didn't give her, and she seemed, drunk, she was staggering as she left there.”

Hoofbeat noted that in big with bolded letters. “Does Darkstar drink?”

Air Raid shrugged, “No more or less than the rest of us, but...when she started the call she was as sober as a priest on Sunday.”

“I'll have officers check all locations for probable cause so we can get search warrants. Did Darkstar have any enemies other than Cold Front?”

“No!” Brightstar exclaimed indignantly. “Outside of a few pranks, everypony loved her.”

“Any gambling issues, debt, and / or any illegal actives you may know of?” The detective asked, watching the two ponies for their reactions.

Air Raid shook her head, “Nope. Definitely not, no way.”

Hoofbeat sighed deeply, breathing out through his nose. He hated interviews like this. Family and friends were always emotional and unpredictable. “The job seems very professional. No fur or wing dander. Except for being raped. Even then we can't tell if that was from the same ponies that hurt her, or even if it was before or after the damage was done.” He paused for breath and turned the page in his book. “We do know it was to send a message. She wasn't meant to be found alive. Are any of you in possible trouble? Are there other friends of Darkstar that may have problems?”

Now it was Brightstar’s turn to shake his head. “We aren't, over in Filly, and Cyclone is in Cloudsdale.”

Air Raid leant forward on her seating pad, an action that immediately caught the detective’s attention. “I...well I...” she was about to tell him about the time Wily’s dad had broken muzzle but...she sighed a defeated sigh. “No...I'm fine, detective.”

Brightstar turned on his friend disbelievingly. “Raid, tell him!”

Air Raid shuddered as she relived the incident a few months ago. “Cold Front...before we left for the races in Filly, he broke my muzzle, slammed his door in my face…”

“And he used to beat Wily!” Brightstar put in, on his hooves once again.

“Cold Front assaulted you?” Hoofbeat asked, his pen ready.

Once again the lime green mare shook her head. “I-It was...an accident.”

“Bullshit Raid!” Brightstar slammed a hoof on to the table’s surface. “Tell him!”

“Did you or him file a police report on the incident?” Hoofbeat enquired.

“No, no I didn't, and I don't want to now.” Air Raid stated clearly.

“WHAT!?” Brightstar screamed, his horn firing multi-coloured sparks in anger. Moonbeak hooked a claw into Brightstar’s collar and pulled him down hard to his seating pad giving him a vicious stare.

“You've given us some leads. I'll try to get a court order before we interview Cold Front, but probable cause of 'Keeping you from asking about his daughter' may not carry much weight. We'll run a check for any abuse reports to help back it up.”

“Wily never pressed any charges, detective.” Air Raid explained, “She was too scared.”

Hoofbeat lifted himself off of the pad he’d been sitting on and straightened his jacket, a signal the interview was almost over. “I'll still run his name for something, and maybe he has a file. We are treating this case as attempted ponycide and maiming of a unicorn's horn. Both carry very stiff penalties. I'll keep all of you informed of our progress, most likely in a weekly report.” He took his notepad in his blue aura and floated it away. “Thank you all for your time. I'm sorry to have taken you away from your sister for the short time you have here.”

Brightstar stood as well, “You're welcome, detective. Please, please find who did this.”

“We will put every effort into this.” The detective offered a hoof to the two ponies and the griffon, who each bumped and shook his in return, before making his exit from the conference room.

“Why didn't you press charges Raid?” He asked, rounding on his friend almost the moment they were alone.

Air Raid looked him in the eye, not flinching as she stared him out. “Because what happens if I do, huh, Bright?”

“He'll get caught, that’s what!” He yelled back, stomping his hoof on the floor in utter frustration.

“No, Bright!” She yelled back, “I'll get put in a coma in the next damned bed, or perhaps even a damn sight worse!”

“You can't run her life Bright,” Moonbeak said gently as she laid a comforting clawed hand on her stallions shoulder, squeezing just enough for him to feel her talons. “But, I'd expect more from you Raid. Still you have a lot to lose, even more now.”

“You heard him, the detective!” The lime green mare exclaimed, stomping her own hoof at her friend with a snort of fury. “Darkie was a message Brightstar! STOP LOOKING. And, it’s received and understood.”

“Hopefully he has screwed up and the police will take him down.” Moonbeak reasoned. “Now both of you stop shouting or I'll treat Dark to a spanking of you both.” She added with a twinkle in her emerald eyes.

Brightstar opened his mouth few times, “I...I...” he fell to his haunches, defeatedly crumbling. “I'm sorry love.”

“Yeah, me too, Moon.” Air Raid said quietly.

Moonbeak chuckled, “And I thought you'd both keep yelling. Let’s go back upstairs At least Dark won't talk back.”

~ ~ ~

~ Four weeks later, downtown Fillydelphia ~

“How’s your cheesesteak, darling?” The griffon asked pointedly, her shrill voice – usually calm and collected – almost high enough so that only dogs would hear it clearly emphasising each syllable. Narrowing her emerald green eyes she cut into her own cheesesteak, her knife poised to take a slice of the beef and melted cheese.

“MMmmm…” Brightstar murmured in reply, his attention clearly elsewhere, a tiny bit of drool leaking from his mouth to land on his own cheesesteak as he gazed off to the distance to the nearby bar.

Following his faraway stare Moonbeak saw to where he was looking and her powerful dark grey wings spread slightly in anger. Not only was he very plainly ignoring her and the expensive food, her date was busy ogling an attractive young-looking mare in a crimson dress who was currently commanding all the focus at the bar as she overly delicately sipped the glass of whatever it was she was drinking.

‘Hmmm…she’s gorgeous…so pretty…’ Brightstar thought as he stared, carefully taking in every inch of the pegasu’s flank hugging dress; the way it followed the curve of her back, the precisely placed holes for her perfect wings, the shimmering of the sequins as they flowed down over her flanks and around her mint green tail. So perfectly proportioned, everything just where it should be to excite the imagination and, Brightstar’s imagination wasn’t the only thing excited.

‘Perfect, pretty, hateful bitch!’ Moonbeak thought, glaring sharp pointy daggers at the utterly unsuspecting pegasus who was obviously deep in a flirtatious conversation with the middle aged earth pony stallion beside her. ‘Whore!’ The griffon stared hatefully at the mare from her seating pad at the table which had taken a month of waiting to acquire, and it wasn’t even one of the better tables at Gino’s Steak House, subconsciously she couldn’t help but compare her body to her own – especially as her date was undoubtedly doing the same. Slim and attractive in a dress that should’ve been outlawed as a dangerous weapon, Moonbeak couldn’t help but feel deep pangs of jealousy as she glanced down at her own seven month pregnant body. Already not as slim as she’d like to be from having had one kitten, she was starting to show the rounded distended swelling of her second pregnancy, which she knew wasn’t going to do her figure any favours. Add to this the fact that this mare was clearly at least ten years younger than her and the griffon was fantasising about beating the pegasus to a pulp, closely followed by her date.

After another fifteen minutes she decided she’d had enough. “Brightstar…hello…Equestria to Brightstar!” Moonbeak’s high pitched voice squeaked in frustration as she waved a clawed hand in front of the royal blue stallion’s yellow eyes. “Hey! Brightstar I’m over here!” Again the older griffon waved her hand in front of the distracted unicorn’s face, this time reaching over the restaurant table with a heaving groan and slapped his foreleg hard.

“Wha…what, oow Moonbeak what was that for?” Brightstar rubbed his foreleg where he had been slapped, his wandering attention turned wholly back to his date; when it did he couldn’t help but shrink back on his seating pad and away from the very furious look he was now receiving.

“What was that for?” She squeaked, her beak hanging open in stunned fury, her sharp claws digging small trenches in the dining table’s surface. “We have been in this restaurant for an hour and a half and you have spent eighty of those ninety minutes staring at that orange pegasus over there in the crimson dress!”

Brightstar blushed a faint red against his blue coat at having been caught out. He had indeed been staring, though obviously not as subtly as he had first thought. “I wasn’t staring…” he defended lamely, his yellow eyes unable to meet his date’s emerald green ones.

“Not staring, really?” Moonbeak bristled, some of her white feathers standing up on end contrasting with her grey fur. “You were drooling into your cheesesteak for Luna’s sake!” The fuming griffon pointed out the little bit of drool currently on the top of the food.

“You’re imagining it, Moony.” Brightstar replied, a confident smirk on his muzzle. “You’re probably hormonal or something like that,” he said dismissively with a wave of his hoof as he picked up the cheesesteak in his magic and instead of cutting off a little refined piece proceeded to take a huge bite, his cheeks bulging outwards with the quantity of food he was eating.

‘Hormonal?’ Moonbeak almost choked on the steak in her mouth. Struggling to swallow she was so angry she bent the knife held in her right claw. “How dare you! Do you have any idea how hard it was to arrange tonight?” She pounded her fist into the table top, rattling the plates and cutlery, nearly sending their wine glasses crashing to the floor.

Brightstar actually deigned to look at his furious date, turning bored yellow eyes upon her. “Yes I know, by Celestia’s sweet fetlocks do I know!”

“What’s. That. Supposed. To. Mean?!” Moonbeak asked, struggling to keep her voice as even as she spoke, her temper simmering just under the surface, ready to explode as she carefully enunciated out each word.

“Well,” the unicorn sighed, putting down his cheesesteak and wiping his muzzle purposefully with the tablecloth, not the napkin. “I’ll tell you, shall I?” He asked dismissively. “How can I not know ‘how hard it is to eat here’ when all you’ve done for the past week solid is bang on about coming here? Every time you open your beak it’s ‘Gino’s this’, or ‘Gino’s that’ or ‘hey guess where we’re going?’ every day counting down like a Luna damned Hearths Warming advent calendar!”

Moonbeak had heard enough. Suddenly planting her balled-up claws on the tabletop the pregnant griffon thrust herself upright to her paws, looming over the dinner table with her distended belly resting upon it as she leant over and with a swipe of her right arm delivered a resounding slap to the left side of Brightstar’s face, the sharp points of her clawed fingers leaving little trails that began to bleed straight away. “Bastard!” She screeched, her already shrill voice practically inaudible, utterly uncaring of the other diners in the restaurant putting down their knives and forks to watch the unfolding scene that had been brewing for the past ten minutes. “I’m going home!” Leaning forward so her beak was inches away from her date’s nose she gave him the barest flicker of a wink just for him.

Sneering back at her Brightstar rubbed his hoof along the shallow cuts at his cheek and laughed, "Dear, do sit down you’re making a scene; ponies are looking at you.”

“Пусть смотрят!” Moonbeak yelled, her rage evident as she reverted to her native Griffonian, "Я так теку, что хочу тебя прямо сейчас!” By now the whole restaurant, including the staff, had stopped whatever they were doing to watch the drama as the irate griffon slapped her date’s right cheek – her second strike equally as hard as the first – before leaving him sat there alone at the table as she angrily stomping out of the building.

Gradually the other diners returned to their own food and conversations in the aftermath of Moonbeak’s eruption. Sighing happily at a job well done Brightstar lifted the remaining half of his cheesesteak in his magic, this time taking a more reserved bite, he didn’t know whether to be aroused or scared so he settled somewhere between the two.

Fifteen minutes later having finishing off his drink, and being grateful Moonbeak didn’t throw it over him like last time, Brightstar took care of the bill and left the restaurant to walk the three quarter of a mile back to the treehouse he now considered home.

He laughed out loud as he walked. ‘Treehouse’ was doing it a disservice, it really was; Moonbeak’s Fillydelphia house was a large open plan single storey four bedroom log cabin supported by the branches of three large oak trees. Larger than the house he had shared with his sister in Canterlot, Brightstar had fell in love with the treehouse ever since his girlfriend had taken him home after their first date at Gino’s Place three months ago when Air Raid had took the last photo his sister had seen before her attack. ‘Three months ago…’ Brightstar’s cheerful mood turned morose at the thought of his sister. His walk, already slow to give Moonbeak sufficient time to get home, slowed to a virtual stand-still and he leant against a nearby wall, doing his absolute best to fight back the tears that threatened to pour down his scratched cheeks.

Moonbeak had gone with him to see her the first Saturday after her attack. They’d only been together a few days, not even a full week. There had been no question, no argument. As soon as her mother, a griffon in her late fifties – Brightstar had been too polite to ask her exact age – by the name of Astraea had been able she had gladly minded her daughter's one year old kitten Athena. Sitting by his side in the hospital room, Moonbeak hadn’t said a word, she just gently placed her clawed hand on his hoof and sat quietly while he had openly wept at his sister’s condition. Nineteen years old he hadn’t cried like that since the age of fourteen when his mom had been committed to the asylum; he had cried that day though. For hours he’d cried; he’d begged Darkstar to get up, pleaded with her to wake up, he’d even screamed at her, anything to get at least some sort of reaction from his comatose sister and through it all Moonbeak sat without a word, just holding his hoof. He’d known then that evening on the way back to Filly he was going to grow old with her. She was a keeper for sure.

Thinking of Astraea cheered him up almost instantly. She had the unusual combination of razor sharp intellect and wit sitting happily alongside a foalish sense of humour and absolutely zero shame. She reminded him of an older lewder version of his sister and Cyclone put together in one glorious package. They had been dating for one month when Moonbeak had taken him to meet her mother. Brightstar had been so nervous, right up to the point she had opened her beak. Instead of introducing herself like any normal being she had spoken straight to Moonbeak in their native Griffonian, ‘Его член длиннее его рога?’ Astraea had asked, which from his languages major at Canterlot University he had understood to mean ‘His cock - longer than his horn?’ Brightstar knew he was going to like this wonderful old lady. Of course, his reply to her of ‘Ни на один она не жаловалась,’ had all but sealed the deal, once she had stopped laughing long enough to welcome the unicorn into the family that is.

That had been the only time he had made Moonbeak blush, in fact she’d still had a blush visible through her white feathers in her car on the way back to the treehouse. He laughed at the memory of her swatting him between gear changes. “Did you have to tell my mother that ‘She does not complain when I use either of them’?” She had groused at the wheel of her van.

Chuckling, thanking Celestia for the gift of Astraea and her ability to lift his spirits, the stallion started walking down the street towards home once more. He hadn’t taken more than a few steps when it occurred to him that he hadn’t called Air Raid for a few days – true Moonbeak’s photography business had kept them double busy, what with everypony wanting to get married in May - but still, no excuse for not thinking about her and Darkie. Lighting his horn as he walked Brightstar levitated his iPhone out of his saddlebag and dialled his friend’s number, confident she’d be up in spite of the hour nearing ten O’clock at night.

Air Raid answered by the second ring. “Uh…wh-what’s up, Bright?” She asked, her voice heavy with weariness like she hadn’t slept in days and a distinct sniffle that betrayed a hastily recovered bout of tears.

“No, what’s up with you Raid?” He asked, his left ear perked up at his friend’s tone. “You sound like you’ve driven through Tartarus the long way round. Twice.”

Air Raid sniffled and choked back a few barely held tears. “I’m fine. Totally absolutely fine.”

“Bullshit Raid. Tell me what’s up or I’ll get Moony to come and spank you again.”

Air Raid had to admit that prospect was tempting. A griffon’s spanking was like being flailed by several tiny knives, sharp enough to make you bleed but not too sharp that they caused lasting damage and, under any other circumstances the lime green mare would’ve jumped at the opportunity. “Oh…it’s, it’s nothing really, I’ve just had a falling out with Slingshot that’s all.”

Brightstar almost dropped his phone. ‘A falling out with Slingshot?’ He thought incredulously. “No Raid, that’s not ‘nothing’. What happened?”
“Um…well, ‘Shot, he um, paid a visit earlier; wanted to know why I haven’t been racing when we’re only a quarter way through the season. He was pissed we’d missed eight races off the Canterlot circuit, said the sponsors were gonna drop us, well me, if we didn’t start entering some. I said there was no way I was leaving Darkie’s bedside. We uh…had a ‘disagreement’. He said Darkie was nothing but a transparent attempt to make up for abandoning Wildfire. I um…I yelled at him to get out, and he did. He just left.”

“Oh Raid…Raid I’m sorry,” Brightstar comforted, “Hey, it’s Wednesday now, how about we drop Athena with her nan and come up on Friday for the weekend, give you a bit of a break?”

“I don’t need a break. I need to be here for Darkie.” Came the ever stubborn reply.

“Raid…I’m willing to bet you haven’t been out of that hospital in three months.” Brightstar asserted firmly. “At least Darkie doesn’t have to endure the food. We’re coming up on Friday, you’re going to go home and rest, even if Moony has to hoof-cuff you to your bed.”

"Bright I…thanks Bright.” Air Raid’s stubborn defence crumbled before the weight of her tears, like an old dam struggling to hold back the weight of the water behind it.

“Get some rest Air Raid, before they put you in a bed next to my sister.” Brightstar said kindly as he hung up. “We’ll see you soon hun.”

Brightstar rounded the corner onto their street and cancelled the call, floating his phone back in his saddlebag as he approached the base of the treehouse. Looking up he noticed all the lights but one were turned off, namely their bedroom. ‘Uh oh…that’s trouble…’ he thought, remembering the way Moonbeak had stormed from the restaurant. Suddenly he wasn’t sure if he’d left it too long coming home. Oh well…only one way to know for sure. Lighting his horn again he began to charge up his magic, igniting it in a bright yellow mini corona as he concentrated precisely on the treehouse, specifically the small circular area in the entrance hall reserved for teleportation, brought the image to his mind’s eye and imagined himself occupying that exact spot in space. Channelling his raw power she thought of the words of activation for the spell and the familiar sensation of being squeezed through a narrow pipe overcame the unicorn as she disappeared from the spot at the base of the largest oak tree with a bright flash of yellow light, leaving behind him a slight smell of ozone in the air.

“Ложись. Сейчас же.” Moonbeak’s high pitched voice sounded the instant Brightstar materialised and his shining yellow aura had dissipated. Despite there being a good forty five minutes since they’d seen each other there was still a spark of anger in her voice that sent chills down the unicorn’s spine.

Stepping forward from the entrance hall into the darkened main room of the treehouse Brightstar felt the thick quilted carpet beneath his hooves – one of the reasons the treehouse was so warm – he hastened to obey his lady and laid down right there like she had ordered. That she was still talking Griffonian meant she was still pissed.

“Хороший мальчик. Теперь копыта.” Moonbeak ordered with a quiet authority, unwinding a thin length of red silk in her clawed hands, though the colour couldn't be seen in the dark. Flapping her powerful dark grey wings she hovered over to the obedient stallion laid on the floor. “Good boy.” She smiled, her sharp yellow beak glinting in the half light as Brightstar raised his forehooves up in front of his head like she had requested. Hovering above him she slowly lowered herself down until she was straddling herself across his chest. Leaning forward she quickly looped the ribbon of silk around his forehooves, loosely tying them together. “You've been a bad boy tonight though, haven't you?”

Brightstar shivered with excitement as he felt the ribbon snake around his hooves. He could break it of course; as a restraint it was more symbolic than it was effective, which of course was entirely the point. He saw the shadowy shape of Moonbeak sitting on his chest, he felt her warm sex pressed against his fur, rubbing wet and moist against his skin. Slowly she ground herself against him, her labia leaving slick trails on his fur marking her passage. Every time she rubbed against him his sheath twitched as his member reacted to the stimulus, already the flat head was starting to emerge, followed by the rest of him as the griffon continued to tease him.

“Who was a naughty boy?” Moonbeak asked sternly, leaning back and sliding her wingtips along his inner thighs.

“I was…I was naughty Ma’am.” Brightstar answered immediately, the stern tone of his girlfriend’s tone making him harder by the second.
“What did you do?” Moonbeak writhed around on his chest, sliding lower to his belly where he felt her distended belly pressed to his flatter one, his now erect stallionhood resting against her buttocks.

“Nggh…I…I took my beautiful griffon out for a meal Ma’am…and I spent the night ogling a young pegasus.” Brightstar gasped as she raised herself up and moved backwards over his erect shaft, hovering her hindquarters just above it.

“Hmm…you are bad aren’t you?” He could hear the dominant sneer in her voice. “What do you say?” She asked as she rested her dripping wet sex against the underside of his penis.

“S-sorry Ma’am…” Brightstar whimpered pitifully. “I’m sorry for eyeing up that young mare! I truly am Ma’am!”

“Oh…you will be, жеребенок.” Without warning Moonbeak thrust herself downwards but instead of lowering herself gently onto his throbbing shaft she used her bodyweight to force it flat against his belly earning her a very satisfying yelp of surprise and pain then needy desire from her stallion as she rubbed herself along his length.

“AaaAAGH…AaaOOOW! I…I’m s-sorry Ma’aaaam!” Brightstar screamed as she crushed his erect stallionhood to his body a second and third time, the last time Moonbeak ground herself onto his balls, rolling herself around and bouncing her weight up and down on his tender pained nuts. His forelegs flexed instinctively, millimetres from snapping the delicate ribbon, but he knew that wasn’t allowed.

“MMmm…you know what?” She asked rhetorically, “I think you are sorry.” The griffon smiled in the half-light of the main room as she ground against his throbbing hard member one last time, drawing another pained whimper from the poor unicorn. “Would my little boy like a reward now?”

“Aaah…aah…y-yes, Ma’am…pl-please, reward me.” He groaned in delightful agony.

Frowning Moonbeak raised herself up fractionally and landed on his testes again, harder this time, making him almost break the ribbon. She knew he never would. “Stupid little pony. Ask me properly.”

“Ngggh…AAAAAGH!” Brightstar shook with pain under his griffon, he knew what she wanted and he knew she loved making him beg. "Прошу, наградите меня, Госпожа!!” He begged for her in her native tongue.

“That’s better, much better.” This time when she lifted herself up she gently took hold of his abused stallionhood, gripping it carefully in her sharp clawed hand Moonbeak guided the flat head to her wet vagina and slowly, very slowly started to lower herself down upon it. “You’ve earned this, for being such an obedient pony.”

“HmMMmmm…” He moaned lustily as he felt rather than saw her purposefully slow descent. After his torment she was trying to get him to buck his hip upwards, but the unicorn knew better than to try it. She would deal swiftly and painfully with any such attempt. ‘Luna above she’s so tight!’ He thought as he felt the moist walls of her tunnel stretch and expand to accommodate his length and girth within herself.

Moonbeak stopped at his medial ring and placed both of her clawed hands on his broad firm chest. Like that she held herself semi impaled on his throbbing cock for a whole five seconds, until she was sure her stallion was a heartbeat away from bucking his hips before she lowered herself the rest of the way to hilt herself upon him. As she did so with a malicious smile on her beak she dug her claws into the flesh of his chest.

“YEeaaARGH!” With the pain in chest causing wonderful endorphins to course through him and the sudden hilting inside his girlfriend Brightstar almost came right there. “Th-thank y-you…” He gasped as she started to ride him, pulling herself up over his ring then sinking back down to hilt herself once more.

“S-say…hmmm…say my ooooh…name!” Moonbeak groaned, the coppery scent of her stallion’s blood driving her almost to her peak, as well as from her grinding and teasing. Again and again she hilted on his shaft, her overdue climax starting to build in the depths of her core. “Say it!”

“M-Moon…aaaah…b-beaaaAAAK!” The unicorn screamed in pure ecstasy as he was ridden, already he could feel his balls begin to tighten, he knew his own orgasm wasn’t far away.

Leaning forward so her distended belly was touching his she lifted her claws from his bloodied chest and slid them up his body to close them around his neck. “Fuck me.” She snarled in his ear as her claws dug past his blue fur and pierced his skin again. “Трахни меня!!”

“Uuh…aaah…uugh…” Brightstar gasped and struggled for breath as her claws tightened around his oesophagus, robbing him of air and making white stars explode in eyes as with her blessing he finally lifted his hips, bucking them hard to ram his cock into her, easily matching her rhythm. With each exhalation Moonbeak squeezed tighter, preventing the next breath he so desperately needed while at the same time heightening the sensations he was feeling with each deep thrust inside her.

“Ooh…B-briiIIIGHHHT…MMmmm…y-yeeEEES!” Moonbeak screamed her climax in her lover’s ear, her claws still tight around his neck as she sank down on him, riding out the tidal wave of pleasure she was feeling all through her body, her wings outstretched and fully erect.

“Ga…gaaAAAAH MOOOONY!” Finding valuable breath from somewhere Brightstar expelled it in a scream of his own as his penis erupted deep within her, coating her insides with his hot semen as it mixed with her own ejaculate that started to leak from her. “I…l-love y-you…” he gasped, the multi-coloured stars still blossoming against his retina as his intense climax subsided. One thing registered in his oxygen starved brain; she wasn’t letting go. He was really starting to choke. Really properly choke.

“R…Rose…”

Immediately he felt the claws lessen their hold around his neck and as he gulped down the delicious much-needed air the ribbon was removed from his hooves. His ear tingled as he felt warm breath of his girlfriend still above him; felt the affectionate nip of her beak at the tip of his ear. “You did so very well, my lovely amazing stallion.” She cooed, giving his ear a tender lick that made him shiver with prideful excitement. Still breathing deeply Brightstar drank in the sweet air, his body starting to tingle and itch as feeling slowly returned to him.

Dimly he felt Moonbeak lift herself off of him, he heard the wet ‘schlopping’ sound as his spent stallionhood came free from her. Wondering exactly what she had planned next for him the royal blue unicorn whimpered as he felt two strong arms slide under his back and lift him up, pulling him close against a feathery chest.

“I think the bath will still be warm for you my love.” Moonbeak whispered in his right ear, the back of his head supported by the crook of her left arm as her right arm held him at the knees of his hind legs, his back resting just above her large belly. Nestling in her strong comforting embrace Brightstar felt them both rise up as her wings flapped, propelling them through the treehouse to the large bathroom.

As she opened the bathroom door with a kick of her right leg Brightstar couldn’t help but stir in his girlfriend’s arms at the sight that greeted him. The lights had been dimmed and almost every free surface – the sink, windowsill, the shelves, the large flat-topped sides of the bath – were covered in strawberry scented candles, creating a warm glow that permeated the spacious bathroom. As they neared the large double bath another scent tickled the back of his nose.

“Strawberry and kiwi?” He asked with a surprised smile, looking lovingly up into her emerald green eyes. “When did you have the time for all this?”

“Shh, hush now my love.” Moonbeak cooed gently as she lowered them both carefully into the heavily scented still-warm bathwater, the smell of strawberry and kiwi oils even stronger. Still taking the lead she pushed him gently backwards until his head rested against the bath, his bottom of his black mane floating in the water. Scooping up a handful of the water she poured it over the claw wounds on his chest, making him hiss slightly as she bathed him. “You've earned your favourite oils and scents. Enjoy them.”

“I earned them?” Brightstar asked with a grateful smile as he felt his tired muscles soothe and relax in the warm bath. “What did I do?”

“You, my clever blue lovely, played your part wonderfully at the restaurant that's what you did and,” she purred, stroking a claw delicately down his cheek to his neck, “You were a very good pony when you came back.” She finished, kissing her beak tenderly to his lips.

“Yeah…about the restaurant, Gino had a word after you left, he wants to know if we can knock it off for a while? Says he's getting tired of watching the show after the fifth performance.” Brightstar chuckled at the memory of the irate stallion as Moonbeak continued to wash his fur.

“Oh…I suppose we could,” the griffon smiled, “You need to heal before the next time anyway.” She said, kissing him again just as tenderly as before. “Bright…you um…you weren't really ‘looking’ looking at that pegasus, were you?” She asked, suddenly uncertain. At thirty five she knew she wasn't exactly a chick anymore, and that she was lucky to have a young toycolt like Brightstar.

“Moony…baby, there’s only one heart for me, and it beats in your chest. I won't deny that pegasus wasn't pretty,” he said as his lover’s face fell, “But you’re beyond pretty, you’re beautiful, and you're mine.” Brightstar smiled and pulled her into a cuddle next to him in the bath.
"Really? You were ages coming back, I um, I thought…maybe, y’know…maybe….”

“What?” Brightstar smiled up at her in the embrace, “That I’d rather be with a vapid depthless mare just because she’s young rather than be with the world's most perfect griffon?” The stallion smiled warmly at his girlfriend. “Besides, didn't you hear what Athena called me yesterday?”

Moonbeak looked down and blushed for only the second time since they’d been together. “Она называется тебя ‘папа’.”

“Exactly my love. Your little kitten called me ‘daddy’. You think I’m really gonna swap that for anything?” Pulling her back into the tight embrace the unicorn and griffon snuggled and kissed until the water turned cold.

Chapter 6 - Say You'll Be Mine

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Brightstar sighed deeply as the Friendship Express steam train steamed its way into Fillydelphia City Station. Even in the dark, the multi-coloured carriages seemed to light up the night brighter than the lights. The royal blue unicorn sighed again, preferring to look out of the window of their compartment than look at the very pregnant griffon laid on the bunk bed next to him.

Upon reflection, he supposed it had been a hard, trying five weeks since their date at Gino’s Steakhouse. The time had flown by, thanks in no small part to his hectic, arduous police training at the Fillydelphia PD Academy. Long hours there meant he had hardly seen much of Moonbeak and her eighteen month old kitten Athena. Added to that, the fact he was worried about his sister in Canterlot…well, he’d had a lot on, of late.

For the third time, he sighed. He hardly noticed the train starting to slow down for the station. He hated himself for the way he had left Darkstar in Canterlot with Air Raid. All the way back he had tried to justify it in different ways. Ultimately he knew, following her suicide attempt, that Darkstar was better off in Canterlot with specialist help that he just couldn’t provide for her.

Still, it didn’t make him feel any better.

“Let's visit Selene before we go home.” Moonbeak spoke up, finally speaking after being silent for the whole journey back from the capital city. The dark grey furred griffon shook her white feathered head as she got up from the bed. At first, yes, she had been angry with Brightstar; so angry at the wasted trip to Canterlot that she could’ve spanked him and she wouldn’t have stopped spanking him until her sharp talons had stripped the fur from his hide.

When her young lover nodded absentmindedly though, still looking out of the window, she felt such a surge of love and sympathy for him she couldn’t put it into words. Having met his mother in the asylum, Moonbeak couldn’t even begin to guess what Brightstar was going through. All she knew was, she had to be there for him, as a friend, lover, soulmate and Mistress. “Momma has Athena for another night as we couldn't be sure when we got in,” she continued, hoping that he would at least look at her.

Finally, the steam train came to a halt and blew its steam across the station platform. Hesitantly, expecting to see…what? Resentment, hate, anger, in his griffon’s green eyes, he looked at her and instead was greatly surprised to see affection, love, understanding. He nodded to her as he stretched his legs, “Moonbeak, are you alright?” he paused after asking that as after so long being quiet, his own voice sounded strange in his ears. “You um, you haven't said much on the way back…”

Delicately, Moonbeak ran her clawed hand over her vastly swollen belly. Ordinarily, yes, she would be upset with him but she just couldn’t bring herself to. Especially not when Athena had started calling him ‘daddy’. “What is it with me to not be alright about?” she asked kindly, laying her claw on his shoulder, “you, pony, you are the one that is not all right.”

“I'm sorry.” Brightstar hung his head, knowing full well that he had apologised to her for what felt like a million times on the train back from Canterlot. He felt so guilty for dragging her straight back here. “I just...I couldn't stay in Canterlot. Darkie was...she was so...she was like mom was…”

Moonbeak sighed, “will any of this change your love for her or for your mother?”

“No,” Brightstar shook his head, “Moony of course it won't.”

“And me?” Moonbeak asked gently, her claw squeezing her lover’s shoulder, “what about me?”

Brightstar smiled, actually smiled, for what was possibly the first time since the train had departed Canterlot. “I love you more than I can properly put into words.”

“So,” Moonbeak smiled, apparently satisfied with that, for she knew he spoke the truth of it. She knew he worshipped the very ground she walked on. Now, after almost three months, so did she for him, though she’d be hard pressed to admit it. “Does the pony want a drink or two, or shall we just go home?”

Brightstar was amazed. ‘She's really not mad at me?’ he thought, a tremulous smile playing over his lips. He had anticipated being ripped apart on the train ride here, both literally and figuratively, but no, here she was comforting and understanding him. “I ah...” he rubbed his grey collar with his hoof, “the pony could use a dalwhinny or two, please, before we go home.”

“Good,” Moonbeak smiled as she slid open the door to their compartment. The guard had gave the last call for disembarkations and she didn’t fancy a mystery tour. “We need to depart before they take us to some strange pony city.” With that, Moonbeak gathered up her unused luggage and walked out of the compartment and left the train.

“Allow me, Mistress,” Brightstar, a step behind her now on the floodlit platform, which would have been dark but for the lights, lit his horn and levitated her bags up in his glowing yellow aura.

Moving off of the short platform, Moonbeak looked cautiously around her. The parking lot beside the station was mostly in darkness. Darkness that could easily be hiding a thug like last time. “It seems the city can't keep the parking lights working.” she amazed herself that she managed to keep the unease from her shrill voice. “Will somepony be able to help me find my van?”

“I would be honoured, Mistress.” Not knowing where exactly she had parked, for he had made the ill-fated journey to Canterlot alone ahead of her, Brightstar nodded and scanned the parking lot. Thankfully there were only two white vans there, and only one had the signature patch of scuffed paint above the left rear wheel arch.

Brightstar, his ears perked right up, walked through the darkened lot towards the van. Every step he took his ears swivelled, alert and ready for any and all unusual sounds. For good measure, as per his police training, he had his horn pre-lit with a defence spell ready. Seemingly without concern, Moonbeak followed her pony, but she had her beady eyes ready for any sign of another ambush attack. “Here, Mistress,” Brightstar announced as he stood by her van, “your ride awaits.”

Moonbeak was pleased they got there without incident. She assumed, correctly, that if there were any bad ponies watching, they would think that they were both too diligent to bother with. “You have found my van!”

“I have, Mistress.” Brightstar nodded briefly, though his guard was not let down in the slightest. “She appears to be where you left her, safe and sound. As are we.”

Running a condescending claw along his jaw, Moonbeak patted his head like a teacher rewarding a pre-schooler, or an owner rewarding her pet, and silently she got into her driver’s side. Conspicuously though, she left her door wide open. “Allow me, Mistress.” Using his hoof, not his magic, he closed her door for her before putting the luggage in the back of the van and getting into the passenger side.

Starting the van up, with its spluttering engine coughing into life, Moonbeak pulled out of the dark parking lot and drove off. “You may have two of your dalwinnies in the bar, while I enjoy a club soda.”

“Thank you Mistress,” Brightstar replied quickly, now she had said it, he was rather looking forward to his brand of whiskey. “You are most kind.”

“It has been a hard couple of days.” Moonbeak stated in a manner that didn’t invite any argument. The past few days – and weeks for that matter – had been hard for all of them, especially since her lover had started at the police academy. “I want my stallion relaxed in bed, but not snoring.”

“It has, yes.” Brightstar nodded, his left forehoof resting gently on her right leg.

Moonbeak grinned, her grin reached her bright green eyes and made them sparkle. “Do you want to put on a show for the locals, or keep this low key?”

Brightstar’s smile could’ve split his head it was so wide. “I do fancy a show, Mistress. It has been a good week since the last one we put on.”

“Good pony.”

Brightstar chuckled as he noticed the direction they were going. Straight towards the Twisted Tail. “Might your pony suggest we put on a show at Miss Selene's?” he said with a wry grin, seeing as they were going that way anyway, “I think we need to give Gino's Steakhouse a break.”

Quietly, without answering, Moonbeak steered her van through the dark streets until she pulled into the bar’s parking lot. Killing the engine, she reached over and ran a talon of her right claw along the edge of his collar. “With this, you cannot use magic in the bar.” It wasn’t a question.

“I understand, Mistress.” Brightstar’s breath hitched a little as he replied, “no magic in the bar.”

“Such a smart pony you are.” Moonbeak smirked before turning and looking at her unopened door. Immediately catching on, Brightstar got out of the passenger seat and, trotting around to her driver’s side, he pulled it open for her. “I will credit your slowness to the train travel.” she let out a shrill little giggle as she imperiously got out of the van and headed for the faded weatherworn blue door.

“My apologies, Mistress.” Brightstar said quickly, trotting along behind his Mistress’s wide swaying ass and swishing leonine tail all the way to the door then, just before they entered, he paused. “Before we put on a show they'll surely talk about for many days, how're you and Zephyr doing?” he asked, his yellow eyes directed at her distended belly.

Moonbeak laughed – not a condescending, superior laugh, but a natural, kind laugh – and ran her clawed hand delicately along her belly. “I have sent him an eviction notice, but I'm not sure, he either read it or he ate it.”

“Knowing your kitten,” Brightstar chuckled, looking at her belly he was sure he saw a kick, “I'd say ate.” Smiling, he got himself back into his well-practised submissive role now that he was sure his griffon was alright and comfortable. “Allow me to get the door, Mistress.”

Nodding, Moonbeak allowed her lovely pet to push open the creaking door and walked in. “Hello Selene,” the dark grey furred griffon greeted her friend behind the bar, “two double dalwinnies in bourbon glasses for the pony please, and a club soda with ice for me.”

As she walked over to her regular table, she looked around the two-bit bar. Slummy in a nice way, the Twisted Tail had its own rustic kind of charm about it. She noted there weren’t many in tonight, Forge and Blossomseed, the old earth pony blacksmith and his much, much younger earth pony marefriend, were in their usual booth while a pale green earth pony stallion with a red mane that she didn’t know propped up the bar nursing a beer.

“Welcome back, Moony,” Selene greeted her old friend as she got busy pouring the drinks out. “I thought you'd be gone longer.”

Entering and closing the door behind him, Brightstar trotted over to their regular table. “Good evening, Miss Selene,” he nodded to the jet black barmaid and smiled at Blossomseed who was cuddling Forge in their booth.

Sitting at her table, Moonbeak let Selene deliver the drinks, which the diligent griffon did in short order. “Our trip to Canterlot was sadly cut short,” she said by way of explanation, with a look in her eye that said right now that was all the explanation she would be getting, “and you know how much my momma spoils Athena.”

“Isn’t that what moms do?” Selene smirked as she set down the two bourbon glasses with very generous double shots inside them and a large club soda with ice on the table.

“Indeed so, Miss Selene.” Brightstar spoke up, taking his usual spot sat on his haunches on the floor – pets didn’t get to sit on seating pads - opposite Moonbeak who, thanks to her belly, barely fit anymore and he took a long slow sniff of the whiskey in front of him.

For a few moments, Moonbeak didn’t move a muscle. Then, and only when she saw her pet reach a hoof for his shot glass, did she move. Quick as lightning, she shot out her clawed hand and sunk her razor sharp talon deep into his hoof. “Aaaah!” Brightstar hissed with the pain of the stab, the talon still embedded in his foreleg. “Ha-aaave I displeased you?”

“You have, my pet.” Moonbeak’s green eyes never left his yellow ones as she removed the talon from his hoof and dipped it into the glass before lifting it up and holding it in front of his lips. Two little drips left the tip of her talon and splashed onto the table top. “You know what to do.”

“My apologies, Mistress.” Brightstar leant forward and, sticking out his tongue, he carefully licked and sucked her talon until it was dry.

Over in the booth, Blossomseed whispered in Forge's ear, “they're doing it again!” the young earth pony flower seller nudged her coltfriend, pointing out to him the couple of whiskey splashes that had landed on the table. She couldn’t hide her giggles when, obediently, Brightstar lowered his head and licked the drops off of the table top, leaving it clean in the wake of his tongue.

“Good little pony.” Moonbeak smirked and, patting his black mane with her recently cleaned claw, she dipped a primary feather of her right wing into the glass and she left it for a moment to soak before lifting it up high, forcing her pet to stand up on his hind legs in order to reach it.

‘Oooh yeah, I'm a good pony!’ Brightstar thought, purposefully leaving the feather to drip for a moment before finally rearing up to stand on his hind hooves. He was only aware, when he had done that, that his somewhat throbbing sheath was on display for everypony to see as he sucked on Moonbeak’s wet feather.

The moment he reared up and placed his forehooves on the table for balance, Moonbeak extended her other wing and very gently stroked his sheath. For encouragement, of course. Her smirk did widen when Brightstar let out a “Hmmmm!” and trembled, his tail flicking up high as his mottled shaft started to emerge.

When Brightstar finished sucking her feather dry – and making her pussy wet – Moonbeak looked down pointedly to where the drops fell and motioned with her green eyes. Brightstar, seeing where the drops landed, sat back down on the floor and bent his neck to lick them up, hearing as he did so Blossomseed giggling in the background.

No sooner had Brightstar once more licked the table clean than Moonbeak adroitly placed the fluffy tip of her dark grey tail into his glass. Brightstar, noting the skilful use of her tail, was ready and as soon as it emerged from his glass, having soaked up a good amount of whiskey, took the tufty bit in his mouth and sucked it dry. Appreciatively, Moonbeak ran a claw lovingly through his chest fur. “You are learning well. Such a good pet.”

Brightstar’s cheeks flushed and, he noticed, he was quickly getting hard thanks, in no small part, to his lover’s praise. “Thank you, Mistress.”

Nodding silently, for she loved this game as much as Brightstar did, Moonbeak picked up the almost empty shot glass in her claw and she held it up to her now swelling teat and then she rolled back so the remains emptied all over her.

Seein this, Blossomseed whispered excitedly to Forge, “That’s new!” Forge, smiling, just ran his heavily callused hooves through her mane. He was far more concerned with his young mare’s lips kissing his belly and her hooves caressing his heavy balls.

Quickly scooting around the table, Brightstar made a rather good show of licking up her dark grey fur around her pregnancy swollen teat with a loud “Hmmmm!”

‘Oh yeah, right there, pony!’ Moonbeak thought, letting out an involuntary little purr. ‘Damn he’s good with that tongue!’ she had to really focus to maintain the ‘Mistress’ façade and not give in to the pleasure coursing through her body. “Stand while you lick,” she ordered sharply, “I don't want anything crushed.”

“Yes Mistress!” Brightstar knew full well his lover just wanted him on display. He was quick to oblige her. Standing up, he made sure his legs were bodywidth apart and, he even lifted up his tail for good measure as he licked and sucked her hard erect teat.

Selene whistled from behind the bar. “I knew the whisky was good, but wow!” she had stopped serving, her right claw dancing deftly between her leonine legs as she watched avidly as Moonbeak took the other glass of whiskey and dip her beak in it. The unknown pony at the bar had, by this time, moved to another spot for a better view, leaving Selene and her claw to get busy.

“Mmmm, tasty, Mistress!” Brightstar passed his judgement, popping her hard nipple out of his mouth with a loud smacking noise before moving up her body and licking her beak, even going so far as to steal a kiss from her.

With speed belying her size, Moonbeak dipped a primary feather into the shot glass while Brightstar kissed her and she ran it, dripping whiskey all over his hard shaft. As she broke the kiss, Moonbeak finished anointing his rod with the cold moisture, the griffon went all dramatic with a claw over her forehead. “Oh my! With my pregnancy I just can't drink alcohol! How will my pet ever get clean?”

Brightstar, who was about to answer that he'd rub it dry, was quickly interrupted by Blossomseed, prompted by a nudge on her head from Forge. “I could clean him for you, Moony?”

Moonbeak, still in her overly dramatic voice, declared to the tavern, “Thank Celestia for coming to my pet's rescue!” she beckoned the young earth pony mare over to her and, as she came over, she whispered in her ear, “I'll have to reward you if my pet comes.” she then looked pointedly at Brightstar. “And I’ll punish you if you do come. Good luck to you both.” with that, she leant back to enjoy the show.

“I want a proper show, Buttercup!” Forge called out his young mare’s nickname from his booth, his old hoof straying to his semi hard cock.

Blossomseed wasted no time at all. Moving forward, she wrapped her lips around Brightstar’s hard cock and slowly, very slowly, she bobbed her head all the way down the royal blue unicorn’s shaft. “Mmmm oo-ooooh oh my!” Brightstar whimpered, his hooves caressing her mane.

“Twenty bits on Buttercup!” Selene called out huskily, her talons moving like a blur between her legs.

“I'll cover all bets on Buttercup up to a hundred bits,” Moonbeak announced as her own claw found its home between her legs.

Selene quickly changed her mind. “I'll raise mine to fifty, then.”

“I'll go fifty on my little mare!” Forge added his bid to the mix, very confident as he saw Blossomseed was giving Brightstar her very best, very sloppy wet blowjob. He knew from past experience that the poor young unicorn wouldn’t be able to stand much of that. His Buttercup was a pro at this.

“Mmmmm AaaaaAAAH!” Brightstar groaned loudly and, after several moments of sheer torturous bliss at the mercy of Blossomseed’s mouth, his black tail hiked up sharply and his balls tightened. Sensing her prey was close, Blossomseed went harder and faster, now deep throating the royal blue unicorn. Each downward thrust of her mouth sent his flaring head deep into her throat and had spit and drool pooling on the floor between them.

It didn’t help any that while Blossomseed was treating him to a world class blowjob, Moonbeak was rubbing her soft wingtip along his balls. “GAaaaaAAAH!” Brightstar couldn’t last under that, and a moment later he had climaxed, shooting rope after rope of his sticky white seed deep into her mouth.

Before her lover could fill too much of her young friend’s mouth though, Moonbeak pulled her off and smirked at the puddle of cum and drool on the wooden floor. “Such a bad pet you are, making such a mess.” she then smiled at the young earth pony. “Let me help you, Buttercup,” she said, slowly licking the pony’s face clean.

Blossomseed, just happy that she’d gotten to taste the unicorn’s semen, moaned as Moonbeak finished licking her face clean. She was especially proud of herself when Forge started applauding her performance. Brightstar however, still a little stunned in his post orgasmic bliss, groaned, “Luna's mane...that was…wow...”

“You may finish what is left in the glass yourself while I think of your punishment.” Moonbeak said in her calm, dominating tone as she quickly paid Selene and Forge their fifty bits. Quietly, she slipped Blossomseed an extra one hundred bits for her fine performance.

Letting out a delighted little squee of excitement, Blossomseed gratefully took the bits and, with a nuzzle to Moonbeak’s cheek, she pranced back over to her booth and to Forge, who rewarded her with a long hard passionate kiss.

Brightstar, once he was ‘recovered’, gave his Mistress a polite little bow. “Y-Yes Mistress, I’m sorry, Mistress.” Thoroughly admonished, he picked up his glass and took a long sip. ‘Damn,’ he thought to himself, ‘that was hot, an amazing, and awesome! I’m so lucky to have Moony…’

Once the payments had been meted out, Moonbeak leant back on her seating pad and finished off her soda. “Naughty pet. Naughty, naughty pet.” She couldn’t help but giggle and, when Brightstar had finished what was left of his dalwhinny, she had decided on her lover’s punishment. “We shall not leave a mess,” she stated authoritatively, “you may clean the area with your tail.”

At that, Brightstar looked all around at the floor around their table, seeing the cum stains and the drool spattered all over the hardwood floor. A blush, a wonderful heated blush, coloured his cheeks. It was going to be humiliating and embarrassing, and the exhibitionist in him couldn’t wait. “The ah, the whole area, Mistress?”

“With. Your. Tail.” Moonbeak repeated clearly. She grinned a sly grin as over in their booth, she saw Blossomseed was now enthusiastically blowing Forge like she had done to Brightstar. This was too wonderful for words! “If you are too slow, there may be another area for you to clean.”

“Y-Yes Mistress…” Brightstar, playing his part well, even managed to have a convincing blush that showed up even on his royal blue fur as he got into position and, using his black tail, started to sweep up the mess.

“Mmmmm my lil’ B-Buttercup...Mmm darlin' I'm close!” Forge panted and moaned, his old hooves buried in her mane as he thrusted his length deep into her mouth.

Although it wasn’t a big area, to be sure, Moonbeak ‘helpfully’ slowed him down by pointing out and directing him to non-dirty spots on the floor. “Thank you for your assistance, Mistress.” Playing the game, Brightstar went over a spot that he previously thought 'done', his tail all dirty and stained.

Minutes later, Forge let out a loud pleasured groan and the old stallion climaxed, ejaculating deep into Blossomseed’s mouth. She did, of course, spit out a good amount of her coltfriend’s semen and she made an even bigger mess over their side of the tavern.

“Pet!” Moonbeak screeched the moment Forge came, “I should not be surprised, but I am. Your powers are well known to me, but to have sprayed all the way over there…” she pointed a talon over to where Blossomseed was licking Forge’s cock like it was a popsicle, “Forge, please excuse my pet's mess. He will be over directly to clean up. Maybe you can use this table,” she indicated the one she was sat at, “while he does.”

Forge grinned a wide grin that split the master blacksmith’s muzzle as Brightstar’s blush just got warmer and warmer. “My pleasure, Moony!” lovingly kissing his young marefriend’s lips, the old earth pony got up and made his way over where Moonbeak was sat while Brightstar walked over to the mess on the floor. Still rather aroused, he didn’t even bother trying to hide his erection as he used his now filthy tail as a mop to clean the floor. “You got the young officer there well trained, Moony.”

“I try,” Moonbeak replied to her friend, “though sometimes he slips up.”

“Admit it, you love him slipping up,” Forge commented with a wry grin as he watched his young mare blowing Brightstar kisses while he dutifully tail-mopped the floor.

Moonbeak smiled, “I might admit I love him. Even when he slips up.”

“High praise from you, Feathers,” Forge retorted as Brightstar, now with a very, very dirty tail indeed, walked back over to the table he shared with his griffon.

Moonbeak took one look at him, and then at his filthy sticky tail, and she held up a clawed hand. “You ride in the back of the van.”

“Yes Mistress,” Brightstar breathed out a sigh of relief that he wasn’t being made to walk all the way home with his tail like it was.

“Thanks, Selene,” Moonbeak said, heaving herself up slowly from her seating pad. “I’ll see you later this week. Take care of Buttercup, Forge,” she continued, placing a friendly kiss on the earth pony stallion’s cheek, “so that you always stay on my good side.”

“Always,” Forge smiled, returning the kiss with an affectionate nuzzle, “you know that.”

“I do,” Moonbeak nodded, “but it is always good to be sure.” With that, and another round of kisses and nuzzles, the dark grey furred griffon left the Twisted Tail without a backwards glance. She didn’t need to look to know that her special pony was following close behind her. She also didn’t need to look to know that the shame he was feeling was keeping him very hard between his hind legs.

“Please stay standing,” Moonbeak stated, opening the doors at the back of her van, “I don't want what is on your tail on my van.” she didn’t give him much time, as soon as he was in and standing in the back of the van she swung the doors closed and got in the driver’s seat.

Brightstar scoffed, “Easy, Mistress,” though he had to steady himself in the back once the engine coughed and spluttered into life.

“Did you have fun, pet?”

“MmMmm, yes Mistress.” Brightstar replied quickly, bracing himself as the van steered around a corner in the road. “The scene we played was perfect, and I enjoyed entertaining our friends.”

“Is that why you came?” Moonbeak asked with a grin on her face, “to give Blossomseed a good time?” she knew of course that there was no way at all he wasn’t not going to climax, and she had to admit it was one of the hottest things she’d ever seen. Idly she wondered what it would be like to watch her stallion properly mount the young mare.

Hot, if her wet aching pussy was anything to go by.

“Sometimes it's good to be a bad pony, Mistress.”

“So true, and then again, I was pleased with your performance, so I'm pleased to administer the correct punishment for your 'failure'.” Moonbeak giggled, though in her head she had worked out exactly how she was going to get herself rutted senseless by her pony, first things first.

“Oh...” Brightstar made an exaggerated look, deciding then to be really naughty, “was that the punishment, Mistress? I assumed it was the reward...”

“That was clean up.” Moonbeak replied after several moments of silence and a few corners. Looking in the rear view mirror, she made sure her lover saw her dangerous eye roll. “Do you want fun time punishment or not fun time punishment?”

Seeing the eye roll, and correctly deciphering its meaning, Brightstar decided not to push his luck any further than he already had. “Fun Time punishment, please, Mistress.”

“The pony shows wisdom!” Moonbeak shot back as she pulled at last into her parking spot by her treehouse. “I will come and let you out,” she announced before getting out of her driver’s seat and opening the back doors for her passenger.

“Thank you, Mistress.” Taking care not to smear the gunk on his tail over the back of the van, doing so would earn himself a not-so-pleasant punishment from his partner, he disembarked onto the dark parking lot. At least here, the street lights were working.

“Follow me.” without waiting to see if he was following her or not, Moonbeak turned and walked a little ways away to a nearby grassy area.

‘What in Equestria is she up to?’ Brightstar thought, puzzled as to what his lover had in mind. He was hoping, given the revolting state of his tail – which was now starting to smell just like it felt – that whatever she had in mind involved a bath. Unlikely out here though. “Yes Mistress!” he said, obediently following her onto the grass.

“Stay,” Moonbeak whispered dangerously in his ear, “and stay standing. If you can.” Giggling dangerously, she went back to her treehouse and entered the studio that she kept at its base.

‘Stay? Easy...’ Brightstar thought to himself. On the grass he stood perfectly still, though the giggle from his griffon sent a shiver all the way down his spine that reached his flaccid shaft.

“Oh, my pet is so naughty!” Moonbeak called from inside her studio. Thankfully, she quickly found what she was looking for. “Makes a mess and has to clean the mess, now I have a naughty messy pet!” she grumbled away noisily, making sure he heard every word. “What in Equestria should I do?”

Brightstar, hearing every word, like he was supposed to, flicked his ears in the direction of the treehouse. It was only then that he realised where he was standing was in the middle of the streetlights. “You ah...you should um, clean, your naughty pet, Mistress?”

“Yes!” Moonbeak screeched as she flew out of her studio carrying a hose she held in her claws. “The naughty, messy pet gets the hose!” giving him no time at all, she turned it on and with full force blasted the rather unsuspecting unicorn with a jet of very, very cold water.

“GAaaaaAAH!” Brightstar, who had been expecting a warm bath, or something, jumped a clear few inches in the air at the freezing cold water, his legs trembling uncontrollably.

Somewhat sadistically perhaps, Moonbeak now aimed the jet of water at his black tail, specifically, for what was under said tail. “Are we having fun, my pet?”

Doing his very best to lower his tail, without much success, Brightstar shivered and dithered under the freezing torrent. “F-F-Fun...l-lot's, Mistress!”

Laughing hard, Moonbeak made sure to cover every square inch of his coat with the deluge of water. “You can tell the truth, pet.”

“N-No Mistress!” Brightstar stuttered, unable to keep up the pretence any longer. “I-It's b-b-bucking cold!” he spat, though when his hind leg slipped on the now very wet grass, his tail hiked up even further.

Aiming one last jet of water straight at her lover and pet’s unprotected stallionhood, Moonbeak shut finally off the hose. “Starry, do you know a spell to dry yourself?”

“Yes, Mistress,” came a very sodden reply.

“Use it then, so we can take a bath together.” Moonbeak requested as she turned her back on her soaked partner. “I'll just put the hose away.”

“Yes, Mistress,” Brightstar watched his griffon fly away back to the studio area under the treehouse and he muttered a little unsavoury ‘something’ under his breath before he lit his horn and, surrounding himself in a glowing yellow aura, he proceeded to cast a variation of the spell he used to speed up Moonbeak’s cooking, in a moment he was bone dry.

“Ahh, such a sour face, Starry.” Moonbeak giggled when she returned to the sodden grass. “Your face when I first hit you with the water was priceless.” She was concerned however that she had gone a teeny little bit too far, even though he hadn’t used his safe word. “Shall I give my pony a ride?”

Brightstar pouted, somewhat playfully, though a little bit not. “It was cold.” He said, a little grumpily as he walked over and nuzzled her cheek. That said, he did prefer a little ride over teleporting right then. “Yes please, Mistress.”

“I made sure it was cold.” Moonbeak stated with a roll of her eyes like she was explaining something very simple to somepony very simple. “Punishment for a naughty pet, but now a reward for a loving pony.”

“I can live with that.” And, just like that, Brightstar decided he wasn’t all that grumpy with his lover after all. Of course, the fact that she had obligingly lowered her head and raised up her very wide, very sexy ass for him to get onto her back. Once he was on and securely in place, he leant forward and kissed her white feathery cheek.

Spreading her powerful dark grey wings, Moonbeak took off and flew up to their treehouse. Opening the main door, she walked in and, closing it sharply with her hind paw and marching straight into the bathroom. “Could you start the bath going love, while I set up some candles for ambiance and aroma.”

“Of course, I can, my love!” Quickly, Brightstar got busy turning the faucet on, and even after living in this house for a few months now he was still constantly amazed that there was plumbing and everything in a treehouse of all things. “That scene in the Tail was amazing fun, by the way.”

“I thought my pet was getting ahead of himself,” Moonbeak grinned, setting the first of ten scented candles around the sides of the large oval bath, “And a bit randy, though I'm sure the hose put that to an end.” She laughed her shrill, high pitched laugh and kissed her way delicately along Brightstar’s cheek and jawline. “Now, my lover can join with me in each other's sweet embrace,” reaching his lips she placed another tender kiss, “besides, you can deliver a note to Zephyr that it is time to leave.”

Brightstar returned each kiss he received in kind, “In my defence, it has been four days since we did it, so yeah, I’m kinda randy.” He kissed the tip of her beak, “would my sexy like the note delivered in the bath?”

“Bath, yes.” Moonbeak lit each candle, “Bed, yes.” She poured scented oils into the steaming hot bath, “Wake up call, double yes. Is my pony up for that?”

“Moony,” Brightstar’s stallionhood instantly emerged from its sheath and stood at half mast, “I'm in the mood to take you as many times as you please, wherever you please.”

Lighting the last jasmine candle, Moonbeak reached up and flicked off the light switch. Instantly, the wood-walled bathroom was thrown into darkness, lit only by the light of the many candles arranged strategically around the bath’s edge. Stepping up and over the edge, the very pregnant griffon heaved herself into the hot water, candlelight dancing off of her wide belly. “I'm very much in the mood,” she said, laying on her back and displaying herself, “I have been since Buttercup locked her lips on you.”

“I know, my love,” Brightstar replied, getting in the bath with her, his cock still showing, “I recognised that look on your face,” he smiled, kissing his way passionately up and down the white feathers of her neck, “The one like you've just sighted prey.”

“You are the tastiest pony I know.”

“Sweet talker.” Very gently, Brightstar pushed his lover a little further up the bath so that the sloping sides of the tub were better supporting her back and, in the slopping hot water, kissed his way down over her swollen belly to pay some attention to her engorged teats. Once there, he started to suck one after the other until they were standing hard and erect. In response, Moonbeak lightly ran her claws along his ears and through his black mane.

Sucking her bullet sized nipples, Brightstar didn’t stop until she let out a delightful little squeak, whereupon he moved upwards, finally prodding his now-hard tip at Moonbeak’s sopping wet entrance. Moonbeak, fully relaxing in the tub, allowed her wings unfold, adding them to the gentle caress on his flanks. “Mmmm…” Brightstar moaned lustily, bucking his hips forward, he entered her in one fluid motion.

As his erect member entered her and stretched her pussy, the royal blue stallion reached down and lifted up his panting griffon’s leonine legs so that her paws were positioned either side of his head. Adjusting himself just a little, he licked all the way up the sole of her left paw while he thrust himself deeper inside her.

In response, Moonbeak’s claws flexed out, and though she tried to keep them in, she failed when she felt his wondrously rough tongue lap all over the pads of her toes. “Hmm, sexy feet on a sexy griffon,” Brightstar grinned before he took the largest toe in his mouth and sucked on it hard as he got a steady rhythm going.

“GAaaaAAAH!” Moonbeak screeched in pure pleasure when, with a particularly hard thrust, her pony inserted his medial ring inside her. Her wings, already spread wide, were fully erect as she was spread open all the more. “My very sexy pony!”

Brightstar simply smiled and he thrust himself into her a little harder, just a little more and he would be tapping her cervix. He could tell, by the contractions of her muscular tunnel, that she was close. “My sexy griffon!” he cried, holding both of her legs together he sucked the largest toes together at the same time.

Moonbeak’s green eyes rolled in her head. “I'm-I'm going to come!” she screeched as loudly as she could. She loved the fact she could get him to heel just by flashing her paws at him, but she hated the way he could get her like a mewling kitten just by licking them. Right now, she loved it! “Take me, take me hard!”

“M-Me too!” Brightstar cried, thrusting himself harder and harder, deeper and deeper. As he used his magic to vibrate her feathers, his flat throbbing head tapped her cervix.

That did it. Arching her back and thrusting her distended belly into her lover, Moonbeak screamed, “Ahhhhhh yeeeees! Brightstar!”

A second later, the royal blue unicorn hilted himself inside her as came as well with a loud, “I love you!”

Feeling his hot sticky seed blasting through her tunnel, splashing against her cervical wall, Moonbeak clamped down on his throbbing stallionhood with her inner muscles for all she was worth. Lost in her orgasmic throes, her claws came up to hold onto his shoulders. So tight did he hold him, she drew blood from ten little wounds.

“Gaa...aaaah!” Brightstar moaned. He was coming down from his climax when the pain from the talons digging into his flesh made him squirt all the harder. “AAaaAAGH YEEES!”

“My pony is a very good pony,” Moonbeak purred, pulling her young pony lover in close for a sloppy kiss.

Brightstar returned the kiss and nuzzled into her embrace, “My griffon is a very sexy griffon.”

Moonbeak, noticing where her claws were currently imbedded, removed them and then she licked at the minor puncture wounds. “Hmm, still best tasting pony.”

Brightstar chuckled as his partner passed her judgement on his edibility. He was in no doubt, after having spent the year amongst the griffons in their home city-state, that she could, if she so chose, dismember him in no time flat and feast on what was left. That was part of what excited him about them as a race. “Still the sweetest talking griffon,” he kissed her beak, “You want round two in the bedroom?”

“Yes,” Moonbeak smiled up at him warmly, “after we clean, I still have train sweat on me.”

“Then, allow your best tasting pony,” he lathered up his hooves with the scented shampoo she had set out for their use and started little circular cleaning motions on her neck and chest.

Moonbeak nodded graciously, “I shall, but I get to do the same to you.” She said with an appreciative purr when his gentle hooves reached just above her belly. Obligingly, she moved in the flickering candlelight as needed for him to wash her completely and thoroughly.

“Deal, my sweetheart,” Brightstar paused and sniffed after a few moments of diligent cleaning, “You smell better now anyway.” Moonbeak gave a snorted breath through her nostrils and treated him to a happy eye roll, “Of course, after I've bent you over the bed and mounted your cute ass from behind, I'll have to clean you all over again.”

Playfully, Moonbeak tapped his nose with her primary feathers, “Yes, but it will be a tongue bath, then.”

Quickly, Brightstar sucked on the feather that had tapped his muzzle, “You got it, oh clean and sweet smelling goddess of mine.”

“My turn,” Moonbeak purred, taking the shampoo up in her clawed hands. “I don't think the hose got everything out of your tail. You did do a good job though, that floor was cleaner than when we came in.” she giggled as she began to spread the jasmine scented shampoo over his hind quarters, though she made sure to spend a little extra time with his mane and tail as she just loved to play with the long hair.

“Mmmm…” Brightstar purred and lifted up his tail to allow her better access to his crotch, “To be fair though, that's not hard,” he giggled, thinking of the state of the Twisted Tail’s hardwood floor after they had left. Once his griffon was done with his mane and tail, she skilfully cleaned his balls and his sheath. “Hmmm…” as she worked to clean him, he gently and lovingly stroked her white head feathers, “You are good at that.”

“I found a sweet tasting pony to practice on.” Moonbeak replied, “He is a cute thing with a horn.”

“You forgot handsome, witty and obedient…”

“I'll stay with cute.” Moonbeak interrupted him sharply, that flash of the ‘Mistress’ returning for just a moment. “Don't want him to bump his ego going through a door.” Giving him a tender peck on the cheek that ended in an affectionate nibble, Moonbeak stepped out of the tub to the insulated floor. “Drain that please,” she asked, turning on the dryer, “and join me in drying.”

~ ~ ~

Following the very sexy bath, and with all ten candles safely extinguished – treehouse fires were very real hazard – Moonbeak lead the way to the master bedroom, provocatively swaying her wide ass as she walked along the wooden floor. Reaching their bed, which was wide enough to fit five ponies, Moonbeak dimmed the lights and climbed upon it. “However can my pony top that performance?” she asked, giving Brightstar her best bedroom eyes over her shoulder.

Getting upon the bed behind her, Brightstar smirked, “Spread your wings and find out…” he purred, leaning in close to her and placing a solid kiss on 'that' special spot between her powerful dark grey wings.

A moment later, in which Moonbeak purred and her wings fluttered, the pregnant griffon rolled over onto her back, seeing as being on her belly was uncomfortable after a little while and once more she spread her wings out wide. “I do have a feeling I'm going to enjoy your follow up.”

All confident, Brightstar moved to kiss his way along the arm of her left wing, “I have a feeling you will too.” Once he reached the tip of her left wing, the royal blue unicorn began to kiss and lick up and down her secondary feathers. Spreading her wings to their fullest span, a good eight feet, Moonbeak closed her eyes and many happy ‘Mmmm’s’ came from her beak as her lover preened her. “Told you so,” Brightstar smirked as he made his way up to her fluttering primaries, gently sucking and teasing feathers back into alignment and even tugging a broken one out.

As he worked to lovingly preen her left wing, Brightstar noticed, as his lover’s chest gently rose and fell, that his plan may have had one rather minor drawback. Namely that Moonbeak was relaxing so much that she was falling asleep. Finishing off her left wing, Brightstar grinned at her drooping eyelids. A plan of action formed in his mind and, lighting his horn, he sent a series of vibrations rippling through her feathers. “Sleepy, are we, sweetie?”

“OooOOhhhh,” Moonbeak moaned on the bed, writhing in pleasure under her unicorn’s ministrations, especially the vibrations coursing through her feathers, “keep that up, it was a long train ride.... mmmmm!”

“Weeeeell...seeing as you ask nicely,” Brightstar smiled, increasing the vibrations now in waves so that it rippled all the way down from her wing joints to the very tips of her feathers.

In response, Moonbeak gasped and fidgeted her leonine legs, “Ohh, yeeeess, there, right there!”

“There, or how about here, instead?” Brightstar said, using the toe of his hoof now rubbing wide circles around her aching pussy as he increased the vibrations in her wings.

“Ohhh, oh yeeeees!” Moonbeak squeaked in sheer pleasure, she was amazed her wings could feel that good. It was as if the vibrations rippling through her dark grey wings were straightening and aligning her feathers one by one. They were. It was literally the most magical preen she had ever experienced in her life. “There! Mmmm right therrrree!”

His hard tip rubbing against Moonbeak’s wet and ready entrance, Brightstar smiled, “Ready for round two now, my love?”

“RawR!”

“Your wish is my command.” Taking a moment to carefully fold away her freshly-preened wings, Brightstar rolled his lover over onto her side facing away from him and he spooned alongside her and, with a gentle thrust of his hips, he thrust his hard cock inside her once more.

“Oh, yes,” Moonbeak’s beak hung open and her tongue lolled out as she felt his impressive length fill her up and spread her open. “Fill me, my beloved pony, fill me!” Immediately, once he had hilted himself in her sopping wet tunnel, Brightstar got a thrusting rhythm going, kissing and biting the back of her feathered neck.

At first, Moonbeak was happy to allow Brightstar to do the work but, after a few minutes, she was soon adding resistance and pushing back against his deep plunging thrusts. “Hmm…Th-There's my sexy griffon!” he cried, pleasure blossoming through his core from his cock as he bit down hard on and licked her neck. “I thought you were asleep!”

“It is improper to... Muuuummmm! That is good!” she screeched as Brightstar reached his hoof around her body and played with her milky swollen teats, “To sleep with some pony is soooo attentive. Ahhh, yess!”

Brightstar, thrusting hard inside her, moaned with wanton lust as he bucked his hips ever harder now. He didn’t have the words to describe how he felt. No, he did. He had just the right words. “I...aaaaaaahn...ngggh I love you!”

Moonbeak finally reached her peak and one last hard thrust from her young lover sent her over her edge. “I love you enough to eat you!” she screeched at the top of her lungs, clamping down with her pussy muscles as hard as she could, squirting around his hard cock as she came. That little manoeuvre served to send Brightstar over his crest too and with a hard jerk of his shaft his head flared and shot his cum deep inside her. “Y-You are m-my dream come true!”

“You are my dream, my waking moments, my everything…” Brightstar whispered when he at last released the bite he had held on her neck to kiss up her head, especially in that sweet little spot that he knew made her purr like a kitten.

“Love you,” she smiled, “but I want to be the big spoon to snuggle.”

At last getting soft as his orgasm receded, Brightstar chuckled, “Well, you are bigger than me at any rate.”

“You best not be calling Zephyr fat.” Moonbeak said, her tone warning and her green eyes narrowed dangerously.

In the little spoon position, Brightstar smiled. He just adored that predatory look on his griffon’s face. That look that just screamed he was an inch away from being food. “Not at all, light in my darkness, I just meant you're taller than me.”

Moonbeak simply rolled her eyes in response to that. He was cheesy, but he was a good kind of cheesy. And she loved cheesy. “I'm sure that is what you meant, pony.”

Chuckling, knowing his luck was pushed as far as he dared, Brightstar nestled deep into his griffon’s feathery embrace and tilted his head back. “Depends if I get a spanking or not.”

Seeing her opportunity for some fun, Moonbeak leant in just so and took his horn in her beak. Deep throating the appendage, she bit down ever so slightly, the very tip of her beak clamping at the base of his forehead. Hearing him whimper, she lathered his horn with her tongue, “Tasstie raock canda!” she slurred, feeling every little cylindrical ridge.

“Uuuu...aaaaaah!” Brightstar trembled and shuddered, helpless to do precious little else under the circumstances. Slathering her tongue all over his horn, Moonbeak was determined to make it spark again like before. “Ooooh...” he murmured as little multi coloured sparks started shooting from the tip, making him look like a roman candle, and a moment later dim little lights began to pulse upwards.

Grinning in satisfaction, Moonbeak slowed down on the biting and eventually she stopped with that, but she continued her long slow licks of his horn. “You are my safety nightlight when troubles come,” at that she planted little kisses all the way up his horn, “you graduate soon, yes?” she asked, referring to the police academy.

Brightstar, who was thoroughly enjoying having his horn sucked and licked, didn’t answer straight away. As the pulses sped up in time with the licks he was receiving, he found it was quite hard to answer, especially as he was drooling into the fluffy duvet. “Gaaaa y-eea-yes...ah, yes, end of next week,” he replied, wary though due to how he knew Moonbeak felt about the police.

“I…I worry,” Moonbeak admitted with a reluctant sigh, letting go of his horn, “Don't make my worries become true. I love you too much to lose you.”

“I ah...hmmm, I know my love,” Brightstar replied, somewhat grateful that she’d released his horn – not that he hadn’t enjoyed it, mind you, “and I won't say don't worry, or that there's nothing to worry about, but I'm doing well in my training,” he smiled proudly at that, “I’m in the top five in the class.”

Affectionately, Moonbeak nuzzled his left ear, “Starry, when I go to your graduation, I don't want a big deal about me being there. Okay?”

“MmMmm, w-well, if you're sure, my love.”

Moonbeak let out another heartfelt sigh, a sigh that ruffled the back of his neck, just above his grey collar. “Why I seldom visit, they all want to remind me of Goldie,” she said sadly, all of a sudden thinking of her dead husband, Goldecrest, who had been killed on duty by a ganger. “Like I'd ever forget him. I have you now, but he will always hold a place in my heart.”

“As he should, and I understand completely, Moony.”

Pulling him closer into her embrace, pressing her belly into his back, Moonbeak wrapped her left wing over her royal blue lover like it was a protective feathery blanket. “Sleep well, my pony, for tomorrow you have Athena to deal with,” she giggled into his ear and kissed the base of his horn.

“MmMmm!” Brightstar squeaked as a series of larger sparks shot off of his horn, and he nestled even deeper into his feathery furry blanket. He even felt a kick from Zephyr. “Sleep well, my griffon.”

~ ~ ~

The next morning, a Sunday, and Brightstar awoke to warm sunlight streaming through their bedroom window. Try as he might to hide beneath Moonbeak’s wing, the sun still roused him from his slumber. About to go back to sleep, he remembered his lover’s request from the night before. ‘Wake up call, double yes’, he thought with a grin and, after carefully disengaging himself from her warm, loving embrace, proceeded to kiss his way down her swollen belly to her teats. “Good morning, my love,” he whispered. Moonbeak didn’t wake up, but she did roll over onto her back.

Licking his hoof until it was slick with his spit, Brightstar began to rub his hoof gently around her pussy as he alternated sucking each nipple in turn. Twitching, Moonbeak snorted but still she refused to wake up. “Hmph...challenge accepted,” the unicorn muttered, going lower and licking up her crotch from her tail hole to her clit.

Suddenly, with Brightstar’s hot, wet tongue slathering up her crotch, Moonbeak’s leonine legs clamped tightly together, effectively trapping her young lover’s head with his lips at her pussy. “What‽” she exclaimed in surprise, her green eyes flying open as she tried to process what was happening. “Oooh…” literally a second later she realised it was her ‘wake up call’, “I think I like this alarm clock…” she purred, releasing her death grip she had on the unicorn’s head so that he could continue waking her up.

“Th-Thank you,” Brightstar gasped, “for allowing me air.” he snickered and wasted no time at all in going back to slurping his hot wet tongue all over her puckered tail hole, licking around the edge of the ring as his hoof began to rub over her hard exposed clitoris.

Reaching forward around her belly, Moonbeak ran her claws gently around the cylindrical ridges of his horn, “Yes,” she giggled playfully, “though I'm not sure how well you're breathing now.”

Taking a welcome lungful of air, Brightstar couldn’t help but inhale a waft of his lover’s crotch. He smelled her scent, her arousal and her tail hole, a heady mixture of scents that combined in a dirty cocktail of aromas he was determined to remember forever. After giving said tight hole one last lingering lick, the unicorn delivered a lick straight up her slit. “Better now.”

‘Oh sweet Stormclaw’s sainted talon!’ Moonbeak thought, though vocally, she just let out a pleasured murmur. Internally, the pregnant griffon was running photo illumination calculations in her head in order to prolong her stallion’s excellent work at her crotch. Noticing her quivering legs, Brightstar snickered for he had an idea what she was up to. Lowering his horn to her slit, he rested its tip at her clit and determined to test her resolve by vibrating it.

“Ten thousand Lums!” Moonbeak screeched just as Brightstar’s skilled tongue entered her slit at the same time as the vibrations from his horn rippled through her core.

Grinning, the unicorn reduced the vibrations but increased the rate of which he tongued her, now entering into her tunnel proper before pulling out. “I hope you aren't going to cum so soon.”

Moonbeak tried hard to concentrate. She didn’t want to climax too quickly. “Distance equals Guide Number over FStop at ISO 100!” Chuckling at her efforts to stave off the climax he knew was coming, Brightstar once more started up the vibrations on her hard exposed clit, this time he gently caressed her labia with his hoof.

Losing all concentration, in the throes of her ecstasy, Moonbeak reached down around her belly and grabbed the horn that was tormenting her and exciting her in equal measure, the goal to force him deeper inside her. Turning up the vibrations, Brightstar did just that, sliding his horn into her dripping wet pussy.

“GAaaaaAAAAH!” Moonbeak screamed, arching her back upwards from the bed as she allowed his horn to slip from her grasp in anticipation of where it might be heading. Pulling out half the way, Brightstar slid it back inside, rutting her with his vibrating horn again and again. Writhing, Moonbeak held her belly. “H-Here comes the light show Zephyr!”

At her sopping crotch, her pussy swollen with desperate need, Brightstar had a brief thought to tease her by stopping but then he went faster, the vibrations harder as is horn filled her up to the hilt. “AAaaaAhhh, I can't hold it anymore!” no sooner had she said that than she screeched the loudest yet, her cum gushing out around his horn.

After a few moments, in which his lover climaxed yet again, Brightstar decided to pull out. “Good morning, my love.” He greeted her once her green eyes were open and focussed on him, “Your wake up call, as requested. Was it to your liking?”

In response, Moonbeak seized his collar in her clawed hand and pulled him forward towards her as she rolled onto her side for a deep kiss. “Yes,” she replied simply.

“Hmmm!” Brightstar moaned into the kiss, wrapping his legs around her larger body and hugging her tight.

“Are you free today?” Moonbeak asked once she’d released the kiss and again allowed him to breathe, “I'm going to call momma to make sure Athena is ready for pick up.”

“Tis a Sunday, my love.” Brightstar smiled, thinking immediately of the tiny excitable bundle of golden brown feathers that was, for all intents and purposes, his daughter. She had after all called him ‘dada’, the other day. One of the proudest days of his life. “I'm not back at the academy till tomorrow. Today my body is all yours.”

“Kitten sitter extraordinaire.” Moonbeak affectionately pecked his muzzle and, when he smiled, she continued, “What do you think of taking my momma out for dinner, with Athena?”

“As long as I'm not on the menu,” Brightstar replied quickly, “I'd say it’s a great idea, love.”

Moonbeak chuckled at that, reluctant as she was to let him go from her embrace. “Times are good, though you are still our emergency rations.”

Brightstar giggled, playfully kissing the curved tip of her yellow beak, “Can I leave the collar on today?”

“Yes,” Moonbeak agreed, then a thought occurred to her, “but then you need to wear something with it. A jacket or a shirt.” She did so love him in a uniform, and admittedly her stallion did look good in a shirt. “You may choose which,” she paused before looking at the time. Seeing it was already past ten in the morning, she reached for her cell phone on the nightstand.

“Hi, momma,” she greeted her mother when the older griffon picked up, “No, we're back early. Yes, I’ll tell you about it when we get there. Is Athena ready? Okay, about an hour then.” She paused for breath, grinning when she heard her little kitten in the background. “You free for dinner tonight? No, you don't have to cook! Okay, we'll pick you up about six this evening then. Okay, see you in an hour or so.”

Brightstar, his head in the closet looking through his shirts, couldn’t resist a dig. “Last time she cooked she threatened to cook her neighbour!” he called out loudly, making sure he was heard on the other end, “There's only one griffon I want to eat tonight!” with that, he levitated out one of his pale blue police shirts from the closet.

Moonbeak snickered when she heard her mother’s reply. Helpfully, she relayed it to her stallion, “She says she isn't on the menu.”

“Aww...” Brightstar whined playfully, fully prepared to duck for cover behind the closet door as he used his magic to dress himself, “I was hoping she'd teach you a few things too!”

“No, momma,” Moonbeak deadpanned, “you still can't cook him. Yet.”

“No!” Brightstar exclaimed, “She said I was for emergency rations only!” Moonbeak just laughed at that, and the royal blue unicorn, now dressed in his plain pale blue shirt, fancied her could hear Astraea laugh over the phone. “How do I look, sweetie?” he asked, closing the closet door.

“Tasty!”

“Excellent,” Brightstar chuckled, hearing more laughter over the phone, “I hope I'm as tasty as you!”

Hanging up the call, Moonbeak put her cell phone away. “We can do some shopping before we pick up Athena. Any place you'd like to eat at? Momma is pretty open to food choices.”

Brightstar cocked his head, apparently deep in thought. “Well,” he started, an idea occurring to him from his supervised police patrol practise last week, “I noticed there's a new griffon place opened up just over the Delamare river, do you want to go try that?”

“I love your adventurous spirit.” Moonbeak nodded her approval as he heaved her bulk off of the bed and stretched her arms and legs, getting a welcome pop from her muscles and bones, “Please see if they take and then make a reservation for, hum, with traffic, let’s go for seven p.m.”

Nodding, Brightstar got his cell from his bags that had been dropped beside the bed the night before while his griffon went to make use of the bathroom. “I'm curious to see how they serve the blood wine,” he commented as he called up the restaurant and made the reservations. He knew from his time spent in Griffonstone that you could always tell the quality of a griffon eatery by the quality of the blood wine. “Anything you want while we're shopping? We can drop by the MiAC store?”

We can, if you'd like to browse.” Moonbeak recognised the hopeful sounding tone in his voice and, while admittedly she was still learning this whole ‘Mistress and pet’ thing, she also had to admit it was a lot of fun. Especially the way Brightstar liked to play. It was her kind of game. “Maybe I'll buy you something. Hum, yes, maybe. Does my pony need a ride down to the car?” she asked, coming out of the bathroom.

“Only if my griffon is asking,” he replied, rubbing an appreciative hoof over her wide ass.

“It was an offer,” Moonbeak said with an affectionate smile, her clawed hand caressing his cheek, “as I'm unsure if your magic is capable after such a rigorous challenge of playing alarm clock.”

“Then, I shall avail myself of your kind offer,” Brightstar smiled, gratefully climbing upon her back. Now she mentioned it, it probably was a wise idea to ride. “I don't want to be splinched…” Moonbeak looked over her shoulder, a puzzled expression on her face, “What we call teleportation accidents. These occur either from lack of concentration, lack of power, or both. In my examination, one mare teleported and appeared without her forelegs.”

Carrying him through the treehouse, Moonbeak nodded. “Hind legs are tastier,” she snickered, closing the door behind her and taking off for the short flight down to the van waiting in the parking lot.

Brightstar shuddered at the memory of the teleportation exam, and the bloodbath that had been the result of the poor mare’s splinching accident, but he smiled, feeling his lover’s warmth under him. “The worst I've ever had was leaving my tail behind one time.”

Moonbeak laughed at that. “Did somepony pin it back on you?”

“As best they could, yes,” Brightstar laughed, “until it grew out naturally a month or so later.”

“I can see the foals playing pin the tail on Brightstar,” Moonbeak commented, she was still laughing when she landed by the driver’s side of her white transit van. Conspicuously, she tapped her claws expectantly on the pavement.

Blushing a little, Brightstar replied, “Darkie thought it was highly hilarious,” he said, obediently opening the driver’s door for her to get in, “for ages afterwards she'd cast her invisibility spell on my tail and tell everypony I'd lost it again.”

Moonbeak grinned. From what she’d heard of her lover’s sister, she could easily believe that prank. “Now, that is familial love.”

“Just Darkie and her pranks,” Brightstar muttered, though for a split second his face darkened over but that quickly passed and, as soon as Moonbeak was seated in her van, he trotted around the front and got in the passenger’s side.

As fast as the shadow passed from his eyes, Moonbeak still noticed it. When he sat next to her, she rested her right claw on his shoulder before she started up the van. “I hope she will be able to prank you again and we can all laugh over it.” She said kindly, turning the keys and forcing the van’s engine into spluttering life.

“She will.” Brightstar managed a passable smile and rested his hoof on her leg as she pulled out of the parking lot, “I’m sure of it. Air Raid's looking after her.”

“Do you know where this MiAC store is?”

Brightstar nodded, “Yes love, we found it over the other side of Horesehead Square a few weeks ago, remember when we got my collar and shackles?”

Moonbeak kicked herself. Inwardly she cursed her memory and blamed the hormones. “Oh, yes, that princess pony store.” Making sure she was going in the right direction now she had been reminded of where they were going, she attempted to cover her error. “I think I was distracted that day.”

“Distracted by a cute black tail?”

“A cute, attached, black tail.”

Brightstar actually laughed at that. “And it's stayed attached ever since, too!”

Moonbeak laughed along with him, “Maybe Zephyr will pull harder than Athena.”

“Maybe he will,” Brightstar agreed, “You ready for him coming?”

Moonbeak responded with eye roll number seventeen, the one she reserved for special occasions. ‘Am I ready?’ she thought, “Only for weeks now.”

Brightstar moved his hoof from her leg up to her very pregnant belly. “Shame, I'll miss this.”

She utilised eye roll number twenty five now. “I could wear a pillow for you.”

“Would you?” Brightstar clapped his hooves together, “That'd be great!”

“It will definitely kick less,” Moonbeak grinned before pulling into the MiAC store’s parking lot. “So, here we are, now for some fun shopping.”

“You're sexy no matter what shape you are,” Brightstar chuckled before getting out of the van and, without being asked, he quickly went and opened her driver’s door for her to get out, adding, with a little bow, “Mistress.”

“Pet,” Moonbeak said in her haughty, imperious tone, “lead on.”

Brightstar smiled, immediately and easily sliding back into his submissive ‘pet’ role. A role he very much enjoyed assuming, especially for her. “Thank you, Mistress. This way, please.” Leading the way to the bright gaudy pink storefront, he used his hoof to push open the door and, once it was open, he stood aside for her.

Without warning, Moonbeak landed an open-clawed slap across both of Brightstar’s cutie marks, a slap that landed with all of her talons fully extended. “I did say lead!” she admonished him, “What if there was strange perverted pony into griffons just beyond the door, hmm?”

“Uuuuh...” Brightstar shuddered happily from the slap, his black tail hiking up a little, “S-Sorry Mistress!” the warning in his mind, he promptly led the way into the store, ears alert for such a pony.

Suppressing her giggles, Moonbeak quickly followed him inside. She was glad that at least inside, it was a regular store. Bare white walls and black shelving. The gaudy almost neon pink exterior was starting to hurt her eyes. In front of her, Brightstar made sure to keep his tail well up, an act she appreciated as it gave her an unfettered view of his ass and his balls as he scanned the many shelves, taking in the wares. She heard him breathe out ‘I love this place’, whereas Moonbeak found it amusing. Back in Griffonstone, these implements were not meant for fun. “It is...interesting,” she agreed, finally.

“Yes Mistress, it is certainly...interesting,” Brightstar replied, though his focus was directed to the shelves. Looking about, he had thoughtfully levitated a basket in his glowing yellow aura and paused, seeing the assorted riding crops hanging on the wall. Moonbeak, on the other hand, was looking around at everything, trying to take it all in at once.

Noticing her looking here, there and everywhere at once out of the corner of his yellow eye, Brightstar asked, “Having fun, Mistress?” she nodded when he saw the selection of sheath locks next to the crops and he smiled, bringing one down to look at.

Moonbeak smiled her approval at the device her lover and pet had selected. “That may be useful for some role playing.”

Brightstar, who was looking at the lock, ignored the other ponies in the store as he showed it to his Mistress. “They do a white one, like your feathers, Mistress.” He supplied, knowing full well that it would stand out against his royal blue fur. “What about a sturdy crop, or a cane?”

Moonbeak eyed the crops warily. This was all still pretty new to her. “You wish to save some of your precious blood? If you do, I'd like something with more heft,” she declared, pointing her dark grey wingtip at a rack of paddles with holes.

“Not at all, Mistress, I love having the honour of bleeding for you.” Brightstar replied quickly, floating over the sheath lock as well as a grey paddle and a crop to the basket he was holding, “Although I approve of the paddle. I was thinking they would be safer to spank my crotch with than your claws.”

Moonbeak's eyes narrowed at that. “You want me to slap your balls?”

“Yes, Mistress,” Brightstar answered with a definite blush, “Remember the time after Gino's, when you had me tied in ribbons? You kept crushing them under you, it hurt, but it was a good hurt.”

Moonbeak shrugged. While she had enjoyed crushing his balls and his cock under her weight, was he was suggesting was something else altogether. “There is a difference between squeezing and slapping, but I'm willing to give it a try,” she said with a loving nuzzle along his cheek, “for my pet.”

Smiling, Brightstar returned the nuzzle, “I love you…ooh look, blindfolds!”

“I approve, but make it grey.”

“Of course Mistress!” still smiling, Brightstar levitated a dark grey blindfold into the waiting basket before he moved onto the next rack of items, something that interested him very much. “Would you like ropes, to go with the ribbons?”

“Ropes?” Moonbeak questioned, all of her hackles raised up at once, “That is serious play, I've never done that. Ribbons were just fun. Do you know about ropes?”

“Not personally, Mistress,” Brightstar admitted. He knew Air Raid had tied up Wildfire, and his sister had tied up Cyclone, even Cyclone had tied up Air Raid, but he didn’t have first hoof experience. Still, he appreciated her reluctance. “Look, they sell guide books as well, and I trust you to take this step.”

‘Trust?’ Moonbeak thought, a huge swell of love and affection for the nineteen year old stallion before her. Her lover, her friend, her pet, he trusted her. ‘By Stormclaw’s talon I love you!’ she took the guide book, one of many from the shelf beside the ropes and looked at it. “Oh, it even has pictures! For both stallions and mares, too. Yes, get the book and you get the ropes as well.”

Grinning, Brightstar made sure to get several lengths and thicknesses of dark grey ropes along with the beginners and intermediate guide book and deposited them in the basket. “Anything you'd like, Mistress?”

Moonbeak rubbed her chin thoughtfully, “I hear they have flavoured gels here.”

“They do, Mistress.” Quickly, Brightstar led the way around the MiAC store past an actual pony-sized full latex isolation suit, a suit designed with no eye pieces, no mouth and covered up ears. Next to it was a separate mask piece with detachable coverings over the eyes and mouth, “Oooh...” he shuddered at the very thought of it, “I ah, I don't think I could enjoy that, Mistress.”

Looking over the latex suit, Moonbeak had to agree. “It would be hard to lick you in something like that.”

“Agreed, Mistress,” Brightstar shrugged as they reached the gels, “but to each their own, I suppose.”

“I want one that is spicy like a chili, and on that is sweet, like a melon.”

“Hmhmm…” Brightstar muttered, scanning the selection of gels, reading their various flavours until he found two that fitted the bill. “Aha!” he bought down a habanero flavoured one and a melon one into the basket.

“Now I can have an even tastier pony,” Moonbeak purred into Brightstar’s ear as they navigated the store over to the checkout to pay for their purchases. Doing so, they passed the fancy dress aisle.

“You know, Mistress,” Brightstar said as he paused at a particularly long black cape with a bright red lining that would easily reach the floor when worn, “I think you'll look rather fetching in that cape.”

“Really?” Moonbeak raised her eyebrow, though she did admire the cape. It was very…regal, looking. “How's that?”

“Well, it's rather royal looking, isn't it?” he bought it down off of the rack and waved his hoof over the red lining in particular, “Why, you could be Queen Aureli Stormclaw herself, Mistress!”

Moonbeak’s eyebrow was still raised. She didn’t look or sound convinced but, the cape was very ‘her’. “Right. So, you want to do some different type of role play?” she giggled, seeing the appeal of playing Stormclaw. “Are you buying a pointy hat and fake beard for yourself?”

“I could indeed!” Brightstar saw the Starswirl the Bearded costume hanging on the rail a few items along from the cape. All in all, it was a very good imitation of what the famous wizard wore, hat and all. Oh yes, he could see himself wearing that. “After all Starswirl attended the Griffon Kingdom many times over his lifetime. You'd need that cut-out bra to complete the look though,” he chuckled, “Oh yes, very Stormclaw.”

Moonbeak, halfway to reaching for the cut out bra that her pet had pointed out, paused and turned to him. “Wait a minute. I'm onto your game pony. You just want others to stare at my teats! My big. Milk. Swollen. Teats!”

Brightstar hung his head in utter fake abashment, making a very good show of being ashamed and embarrassed at being caught out. “Guilty as charged, Mistress.” The voyeur in him absolutely loved the idea, “It ah...it would be so hot, to see you being looked at and...admired,” he explained, his breathing noticeably quickening.

Moonbeak giggled at that. As much an exhibitionist as her lover, the griffon did love that idea. A lot. “As if you won't be looking as well. Yes to buying, but not to wear today. One of our walk in the park days.”

“Your pet agrees, Mistress. And, I will be looking, and trying to walk straight with the sheath lock on.”

Now that, Moonbeak did most certainly approve of. “Oh, yes, something I can enjoy looking at.”

“If I may, Mistress, one last and final purchase,” Brightstar requested after the cut out bra, the cape, the pointy hat and beard were safely stowed in the basket along with everything else they had taken off of the shelves on their trip, while Moonbeak simply gave him a questioning look. In answer, Brightstar levitated over a set of stockings made specifically for griffons, which had open claws on the front legs and open toes for the leonine legs. “I've been imagining you in these, Mistress.”

“You have a perverted mind, pony.” Moonbeak took the stocking set and personally added it to the basket. “I'm liking that.”

“Thank you, Mistress.” Brightstar chuckled, “Is there anything else? If not, we can go pay for this little lot.”

Moonbeak shook her head. “I'm good.”

“Well, I know that, Mistress.” Brightstar turned and, with a flounce of his black tail, he led the way over to the checkout where he used his police allowance to pay for the bill. “So,” he announced once the sale had been rung up and their purchases were secure in his saddlebags, “on to my second favourite griffon's house, Mistress?” when Moonbeak nodded and gestured for him to proceed, Brightstar walked ahead of her, his tail well up, back to the white van. Like a good pet, he did of course hold the driver’s side door open.

“Well done my pet.” Moonbeak looked on appreciatively at how well her lover had performed for her. Although, now was not exactly the time for a pet. She needed her lover, especially when she felt Zephyr kick inside her. “Pet time is over for now. Let us see what my daughter has gotten into, shall we?”

Brightstar smiled a wide smile at that. “You know, I still can't believe 'Thena called me daddy the other day.” He closed the door for her and got in the passenger side once more.

Somewhat nervously, Moonbeak rubbed her pregnant belly. She didn’t want to admit it, but she was scared – although, she was less so now that she had Brightstar in her life – of how she would raise her kittens. “This one will call you daddy too.”

Settling into the seat, Brightstar rested his hoof on her belly too, getting a hard kick for his trouble. “It is an honour I will strive to live up to.” And he meant that, with every single fibre of his heart and soul, he meant it.

“You are daddy for both of them,” Moonbeak said softly, far more softly than Brightstar had ever heard her speak before, “but I'll not let them forget their father.”

Brightstar smiled, “I wouldn't let you.” Not just because Goldcrest was a fellow police officer, but because it was the honourable thing, the right thing, to do.

“I love you, my pony.”

“I love you, my griffon.”

The drive from the MiAC store over to Astraea’s condo building was one of reflective silence. Moonbeak was happy to drive in the relative quiet, the silence broken by the spluttering of the van’s old engine. Brightstar, sat next to her, was reflective for an entirely different reason.

Today was going to be the day.

In spite of everything going on with his sister in Canterlot, he knew today was going to be the perfect day. For six weeks he had planned this, ever since Moonbeak had told him she loved him enough to eat. Ever since that day that Athena had called him “dada”, he had planned this.

Now, with the necklace finally made, Moonbeak completely clueless, and the reservations made at Gustav’s new place over the river, he knew the time was right to ask ‘the’ question. As his lover drove on and pulled up at her mother’s condo, he grinned, imagining the blood joining ceremony in his head.

Once Moonbeak pulled the hand brake and killed the engine, she brushed his hind leg with her wing tip. “Now, Brightstar, time for you to face the music.”

Brightstar smiled, his thoughts brought back to the here and now. “I'm ready, my love, with you by my side.”

“Ride up, or are you teleporting?”

“I should teleport up,” Brightstar replied as he got out of the van and helpfully opened his partner’s driver’s door for her. “I haven't done it for a few days…” Moonbeak silenced his fretting with a quick kiss to his lips and flew up to the landing outside her mother’s front door. Lighting his horn, Brightstar concentrated very hard and, with a loud crackling ‘popping’ sound, he left the place he was occupying and appeared next to the pregnant griffon waiting for him. To his great pleasure, he discovered he had avoided the dreaded splinching.

As soon as he arrived, Moonbeak gave him a welcome kiss before pushing open her mother’s door to find said mother waiting for her in the hallway beyond the door. “Right on time, Moon!” Astraea greeted her with her easy going smile, Athena bouncing around her nana’s paws.

Athena, in mid-bounce, saw Brightstar on the landing and squeaked happily. “Dada! Ba!” the little bundle of feathers reached up her grasping little claws, earning herself a giggle from her mother as she asked for her favourite toy.

Quickly recovering from the teleport, Brightstar grinned, “who asked for a ball, huh?”

“Me!” Athena squeaked ever louder, her little voice going higher pitched than normal as she fluttered her golden brown wings, “Me! Me ask!”

Smiling a very proud smile indeed, Brightstar lit his horn and fashioned the illusionary ball from his glowing yellow aura. Once it was made, he rolled it over to his excited little kitten who pounced it as soon as it was within range. “Here you go, sweetie!” Brightstar’s smile only grew wider when Athena giggled as the ball changed colour with every pounce she made.

~ ~ ~

Several hours later, Brightstar once more found himself in reflective silence sat in the passenger seat of Moonbeak’s van. The afternoon, after the collection of Athena from her nana’s, had been spent at the park in the middle of Horsehead Square. While the little kitten had spent a lot of time on the swing sets and roundabouts, all she had been really interested in was her really cool magical ball.

Brightstar had smiled at that, a lot. While she was a good kitten, and had learnt not to peck, claw or bite, she was still very griffon, as was indicated when a young colt wanted to play ball with her. There was no way in the world Athena was giving up the ball to anypony.

After an hour or so spent at the park, it was back home for her nap when she had gotten tired, while Moonbeak and Brightstar had relaxed on the large fold out couch / bed in the treehouse’s living room.

“I had fun today,” Moonbeak said, finally breaking the pleasant silence as she drove them – Brightstar and Athena, who was in the back with her ball – on the way to pick up her mother so that they could go to Gustav’s for their dinner reservation. “From the wake up, to shopping to watching you play with Athena. Now we can have a nice evening out with momma to seal the day.”

Brightstar smiled, subconsciously making the ball change colour from red through the primary colours, which earned him a gleeful squee from Athena. “I agree, it has been a pretty perfect day, my love.” He thought then, of the package that was in his bag, he thought of presenting it to his lover at the restaurant. “I'm sure it will be the perfect night, too…”

“I will agree,” Moonbeak commented, laying a claw delicately on her pony’s hind leg, “But then you enjoy griffon cuisine. I don't think Forge or Blossomseed would care for this meal.”

Brightstar snickered, “Forge is so set in his ways I'm sure he was old when Celestia was young!” *

Moonbeak nodded, “Somepony had to make her regalia.”

Laughing at that, Brightstar patted her claw with his hoof, “Don't tell him I said that, I just got on his good side.”

“Blossom is his good side!” Moonbeak snorted and dissolved into a fit of giggles before putting her van into park. “Wait with Athena and I'll get momma, I’ll be about ten minutes.”

“You got it, love.”

Stepping out of the van, the pregnant griffon flew up to her mother’s apartment. She didn’t have the slightest concern leaving her kitten with Brightstar. She trusted and loved him so very much. Brightstar, sat in his seat, watched her fly, very much admiring her swollen curvy body from his vantage point in the van. Thinking of the evening to come, he was even more excited, today he’d propose, knowing from booking the reservations they have a modest little orchestra at the restaurant. “This day is going to be perfect...”

Ten minutes later, and the van’s side door slid open. Athena, who had been happily playing with the ball that Brightstar had created for her, looked up with joy all over her face when she saw Astraea. “Nana!”

“Hello, little one,” Astraea greeted her favourite – for now, only – little kitten with an affectionate little nip of her beak as she got in the back of the van, “Did you miss me?”

“Uh huh!”

“Dinner time!” Moonbeak declared once she seated herself back in the driver’s seat and firing up the engine.

“To dinner!” Brightstar then smiled to the back of the van. He liked Astraea, a whole lot. “And a good evening to you, momma.”

“Oh, so, Moon, we aren't eating pony then?” Astraea asked, a look of faux disappointment all over her face, though her eyes which were as green as her daughter’s were alive with twinkling mischief.

Putting the van in gear and pulling off, Moonbeak shook her head. “Not today, momma.”

Brightstar gasped, raising a hoof to his chest in mock alarm. “I'm the emergency rations, for emergencies only!”

Astraea laughed. She was again reminded why she liked this young pony. She didn’t know how he did it, but he was older than his years when it was required, sensible, down to earth and reliable but at the same time he had a mischievous streak that she adored. “Ah…so this isn't an emergency then. That is good, right Athena?”

“Dada taty!” Athena passed her judgement as she showed her nana her latest ball.

Moonbeak sniffed indifferently as she took a left then a right, “I taught her that.”

“Aaah,” Brightstar blushed very hard indeed. This was still so very new to him. Pet was one thing, partner was another. Being called a daddy was something he hadn’t been prepared for in the slightest. He had to admit though, he liked it. “Aaah, yes, tasty, that's me, tasty…”

“Yes,” Astraea snickered, seeing the opportunity for teasing to be had, “I've heard that pony milk is very good for you. Right Moon?”

“You know it, momma.”

“I've not had any complaints about my milk so far,” Brightstar sniffed with pride, though a part of him loved this banter. It reminded him of the sort he used to share with his mother and sister, and later with his friends. “Nor do I expect to receive any,” as Moombeak and Astraea both giggled, he continued, “Especially not when I'm Moony's alarm clock…”

Astraea snickered, noticing the very deep blush all over her daughter’s face, “Yes, my Moon is a heavy sleeper.”

“Really?” Brightstar grinned over at his lover, “I found she awoke rather easily this morning.”

“Sneaky pony,” Moonbeak muttered, earning her a delighted giggle from her mother.

Brightstar chuckled, “Not my fault it was horn o'clock.”

Lightly, ever so gently, Moonbeak laid her right claw on Brightstar’s hind leg. The squeeze was a simple gesture, but one that let him know the banter was a little too personal. Sadly, this was lost on her mother. “Yes, the longer horn?” she asked indelicately.

“No, momma,” Brightstar answered quickly, searching in vain for something, anything, to change the subject. He had a big something in his bag, but now wasn’t the right time. “Aaah…no, not that one.”

Astraea laughed again and, as she was about to ready another snarky comment, Moonbeak turned into the small parking lot beside the very upmarket griffon restaurant. Brightstar hadn’t been this far north into Fillydelphia as of yet, so far he hadn’t strayed much past the Delamare River. It certainly was a splendid looking place. “We are here,” she announced, killing the engine.

“Oh!” Astraea’s comment died on her beak. As griffon restaurants went, this was by far the most upmarket. “This is a nice place!”

Brightstar admired the restaurant from the passenger’s seat. ‘Posh’ for griffons was rustic utilitarian by equine standards. In Canterlot this restaurant would have been seen as low end. However, from his time spent at Stormclaw Academy, Brightstar appreciated the understated simplicity. It had a charm all its own. “It's new, only opened up the other week. Thought you might like it.”

Astraea nodded. She too was reminded greatly of the eateries of her homeland. Gustav, the owner, was authentic to say the least. “I have read the reviews and I saw it on the telly.”

Moonbeak shrugged, “The pony found it.”

Astraea nodded appreciatively. “Good work, pony.”

“Thank you, momma,” Brightstar got out of the van and, like a good little pet he was, he trotted around the front of the van to open the doors for Moonbeak and Astraea, making sure to take his little shoulder bag with him draped over the shirt he still wore from earlier.

“Did you tell them we are not brining the entree?”

“Not sure,” Moonbeak answered her mother as she busied herself getting Athena from her kitten seat, “The pony made the reservations. So they should know.”

Brightstar laughed, “I did forewarn them, momma, just in case they mistook me for a 'bring your own meal'.” He turned once more to the restaurant as Moonbeak and Astraea both broke out into fits of giggles. As he was the one who made the reservations, it was his duty to lead them in. Griffons were funny like that.

Stepping up, the royal blue unicorn led his little party through the gold oval archway with its stylised feathered that was reminiscent of the grand entrance to Griffonstone itself that formed the entrance to the restaurant. The building itself was entirely wooden, with white walls and a sloping yellow roof. It was very much in the style of the Griffonstone eyries, just bigger.

Inside, the restaurant was like stepping back into Griffonstone. Bare wooden floors, sparsely painted white walls and exposed beams. Various hunting trophies and skins adorned the walls here and there. Brightstar noted chimera, manticore and hydra hide amongst the decorations, with the skulls fashioned to hold the lights in macabre chandeliers.

Had Brightstar not known any better, he would have assumed he had left Fillydelphia altogether. Even the metallic tang of blood in the air was authentic. No sooner had they crossed the threshold than the Maître D, a middle aged griffon male wearing a very sharp black suit appeared from nowhere to greet them. “Good evening…” though his greeting was arrested sharply when he noted that the party leader was in fact a pony. This was new. “Sir,” he said as politely as he could, “you do know we only serve griffon cuisine here?”

“I do hope so,” Brightstar replied with a polite smile and a nod. The griffon’s reaction was, after all, understandable. “We have reservations for seven, Brightar, party of four.”

Quickly, disbelievingly, the Maître D looked down at the list he carried. He was even more disbelieving when he saw that ‘Brightstar’ was indeed there. “Yes sir,” he expertly covered his hesitation as he ushered them inside. Conspicuously, he steered the party towards a table that was not decorated with pony furs. “This way please. Madam, do you need a booster or high chair for the kitten?”

Moonbeak looked around at the décor, grateful that they had been led past the table with the unicorn hides hanging from the exposed rafters. She did have a suspicion that they – the pony skins – were at least fake. Hopefully. “Chair would be best.”

“Thank you,” Brightstar smiled as he followed the smartly dressed Maître D to their table. “I say,” the royal blue unicorn said, standing aside while the others were being seated, “I see you have an orchestra. Might I trouble you for a request?”

The Maître D paused while the waiter appeared, carrying the drinks and the meal menu. “As long as it is a griffon piece, then yes, you may.” Though he highly doubted this pony would know any griffon musical pieces. He didn’t even know what this pony was doing here, of all places.

Brightstar smiled. He recognised that sceptical look on his face. He’d seen it before in Griffonstone and more recently with Moonbeak herself at the Twisted Tail over two months ago now. “I would like to hear "Griffonstone Falls No More", if you please, in its entirety.”

To say the Maître D was surprised was an understatement. Stunned would be more like it. He actually did know griffon opera! ‘Wonders will never cease’, he thought to himself with a wry grin. “At what point during your meal would you like it to start?” he asked, his claw out.

“When we have the menus, please. I'm aware it's a long piece, and I'd like to have dessert when the climax hits. Grover and Stormclaw uniting the kingdom in marriage is rather stirring…” Brightstar noted that the Maître D hadn’t said anything, he just stood there with his claw out and an expectant look on his face. Understanding, Brightstar levitated a pouch of bits from his bag into his waiting claw.

Bouncing it once in his clawed hand to test its weight and judging it adequate, the Maître D gave the unicorn a polite bow. “It shall be done, sir.”

“Thank you, I appreciate it,” Brightstar thanked him kindly as he turned and bustled away to talk to the griffon female leading the orchestra. Said orchestra, who had been playing verses from the Skylar Waltz, stopped when they saw him take his seat at the table.

Moonbeak, her senses tingling, looked at her lover suspiciously. “What were you talking about?” she asked, the white feathers at her head standing up when she heard her favourite opera starting up. She did so adore “Griffonstone Falls No More”.

“Oh...” Brightstar examined his hoof casually, “just arranging a surprise, love. You like this one, right?”

Moonbeak, equally casually, flexed her claws, her talons popping out. “You only hold so much blood, pony.”

Astraea, on the other hand, beamed at her daughter and her lover. “Oh, I like this piece, very traditional!”

Moonbeak snorted, “I ordered the blood wine for you since you talk about it so much.” Though her tone was shrill, she had a mischievous glint in her green eyes, “I'm having the chicken and salmon gumbo.”

“I'm having the hydra chop,” Astraea interjected, passing Brightstar the menu to look at, “It has been moons since I last had that.”

“Thank you,” Brightstar took the menu in his glowing yellow aura and smiled at his lover, “I'll have the manticore heart, I think.” He didn’t even have to look at the menu, he knew that dish was a delicacy.

“I find that a bit gamy for my taste,” Astraea commented while her daughter nodded.

A couple of minutes later and the waiter reappeared at the table carrying their four blood wines on a silver tray, one of which was in a kitten cup. “Are you ready to order?” he asked politely, though surreptitiously he shot the unicorn a ‘look’, wondering if he was here on a dare.

“Ish!” Athena declared, squeaking as she banged the tray of her kitten chair. “Ish!”

“Yes,” Moonbeak snickered, “salmon for my kitten.”

Brightstar passed the waiter the menu, “Chicken and salmon gumbo for the madam, hydra chop for momma and manticore heart for myself, please.” He indicated each recipient in turn as he gave the waiting griffon their respective orders.

As the waiter took their orders and disappeared from the table, Brightstar noticed that Moonbeak was keeping Athena's cup away from her and at the same time he noted that neither of them had tried the wine yet, mother and daughter both looking expectantly at him. ‘Of course!’ mentally, Brightstar face-hooved. Taking up his glass in his magic, he took a sip of the blood wine. All at once the warm coppery tang hit his tongue. “Hmm! That really is perfect!”

No sooner had he passed his judgement, than Moonbeak gave Athena her kitten cup and ladies took delicate sips of their glasses. “Yes it is,” she smiled, before leaning into her lover and whispering, “Athena's wine is fifty percent water.”

“Very good, love.” Brightstar approved. He smiled and took another sip of his wine, relishing the warm metallic taste as it slid down his throat. “Mmm…so nice to have it how it should be served. I hate it chilled.”

“Yes,” Moonbeak rolled her eyes, not at her partner but at what she was about to say next, “and in Canterlot they put some type of clear whisky in it too!”

Astraea looked disgusted, “Ew, that sound terrible.”

“Oh, it is,” Brightstar agreed, “it’s quite revolting, momma.” In his opinion, there was only one way to serve blood wine. Filtered and fresh from the source. If he had to hazard a guess, he thought this particular vintage was chimera, due to the kick and the aftertaste.

Suddenly, Moonbeak placed her claw on Brightstar’s hoof. “Most ponies I know are pretenders at our food, but you are not.” She paused and kissed his lips, “I love how real you are.”

Smiling, Brightstar raised up and kissed the back of her claw. “Only my talent is illusions, I am very real, my love.” Two seats away, Astraea put her claw over her beak as she smirked like a teenager and Brightstar kissed her claw a second time before lowering it down to the table.

Fifteen minutes later and their meal arrived and the waiter took care serving each of them what they had ordered. With a delighted squeal of ‘Ish!’ Athena dove into her salmon beak first.

“That is magnificent!” Brightstar’s yellow eyes were wide indeed, looking at his manticore heart in blood sauce. He swore it was still beating, it was that fresh. “That takes me back to my last day at Stormclaw Academy. They served us this in the feasting hall.”

Astraea, wholly curious, set aside her foul smelling hydra chop. “Pony,” she said affectionately, “may I try a piece?”

Brightstar nodded, “Of course you may.”

Astraea reached over and took a small bite from the manticore heart, selecting the fifth chamber. “Hmm…nice, but still too gamey for my taste.”

In return, Brightstar took a sample of her hydra, and the chop smelled even worse when he cut into it, just like he remembered. “Yes, well,” he smiled, swallowing the rare meat before taking a bite of his own meal, “Back at the academy it was served still in the body of the manicore that donated it, but yes I take your point, momma.”

After that, the meal went really well. Moonbeak leant in and tried some of the manticore heart and, having found it to her liking, she tried some more. Then again, she liked the smelly hydra chop too. Brightstar and Moonbeak ended up sharing each other’s plates and, much to Astraea and Athena’s glee, they even fed each other.

Copying them, Astraea and Athena also fed each other, the little kitten and the nana both making loud kissing noises with each mouthful, which earned them both an eye roll from the adults at the table. “Does the pony recommend a dessert?” Astraea asked, once all the plates were cleaned.

Brightstar, who noted that the part of the music he was waiting for was still a good five or so minutes away, nodded. He wanted to time his proposal when the dessert arrived, for maximum impact he wanted it just when the opera got to the bit with the wedding. “The pony does indeed recommend dessert, momma.” He squeezed his pregnant lover’s claw, “You know, I rather like this opera.”

Impressed with the pony’s knowledge, Astraea was again reminded how much she liked him, she nodded enthusiastically, “Yes, it is truly a classic, tragically lost to the younger generation.” She giggled playfully while Moonbeak gave her mother’s comment the eye roll it deserved.

Brightstar chuckled, “It certainly is lost to most ponies.”

Moonbeak sniffed indifferently, “Momma likes her music and I like my art.”

“Yes,” Astraea snickered, “you like silence and I like sound,” sat next to her nana, Athena looked back and forth between the two, not sure who to side with.

“If I may say,” Brightstar spoke up, effectively ending the argument before blood was shed with some equine diplomacy, “I'd say the bit coming up, depicting King Grover proposing to Queen Stormclaw is its own art form. It really is beautiful.”

Just then, noticing their plates were empty, the waiter seemingly teleported beside the table. “Might I interest your party in dessert, sir?” he enquired politely as he cleared up the plates into a neat stack so they could be removed.

“You may indeed,” Brightstar replied before turning to the table. “What would everyp...one, like?”

“Something with chocolate.” Astraea answered almost before the unicorn had stopped asking the question.

“Yes, lots of it,” Moonbeak agreed quickly, “and an Irish Coffee too, love.”

Astraea nodded, “Oh yes, one of those.”

Moonbeak pointed her clawed hand at her kitten, “Water for Athena.”

Taking a moment to peruse the menu, Brightstar smiled when he saw they had one of the best griffon desserts available, the main ingredients of which were; chocolate cake, sour cherries, whipped cream, and Kirsch. “We'll have the black forest gateau, please, with three Irish coffees and a water.”

“At once, sir.”

“I can see why this place has such good reviews,” Astraea commented as the waiter took their order and bustled off with the dirty plates.

Two other parties, a seven and a five, arrived then as Moonbeak looked around at the restaurant. She had to admit this was one of the best places she had been taken to in a long time. “I will agree that pony made a very good choice.”

“Thank you, my love.” Brightstar smiled, for he too was soaking in the atmosphere. For him it was a step back to his university time. “I'll admit, it's pure Griffonstone, even down to the chimera and manticore skins on the walls.”

“Yes,” Astraea agreed, “just like the old country.”

Moonbeak chuckled, “more like a frat house in Griffonstone.”

“Yes,” Brightstar snickered, pointing his hoof over to the far wall, “though here I think the pony furs over there are fakes.”

“Hmmm,” Astraea tapped her beak with her index talon, “I’m not so sure about that.”

Taking a look herself, Moonbeak squinted at the hanging pony furs. “Could have been donated from a science lab after med school teaching?” she offered.

“Hmm, I think you're right, sweetie,” Brightstar commented and, when he noticed the tempo of the orchestra pick up, he quickly drained the last of his wine, for courage. “Either way, I think we'll eat here again.”

Giggling, Astraea pointed to the bare white wall behind them. “That area there could use a touch of blue…”

“Momma!”

“Hmm...” Brightstar muttered thoughtfully, “but who would be your emergency rations then?”

“Tish and tosh!” Astraea snorted through her nostrils, “we do have a freezer, pony!” she giggled while Moonbeak simply face-clawed at her mother’s comment.

“Your dessert, sir.” The waiter announced as he came and placed a single large bowl with four spoons in the centre of their table along with the three Irish coffees and the water in the kitten cup down as well. “Enjoy.”

“Thank you,” Brightstar nodded to the waiter as he turned and walked away. ‘Okay...’ Brightstar summoned his nerve, ‘here goes nothing!’ the royal blue unicorn, about to ask the most important question in his nineteen year old life, found he had to speak up as the music increased in volume right at the moment that Grover joined with Stormclaw.

“Moonbeak!” he spoke loudly, getting the pregnant griffon’s attention – as well as her mother’s and her kitten’s as well - as he levitated the package out from his bag, “Would you join your blood with mine, and grow stronger from the joining?”

Whatever Moonbeak had been expecting, that was most certainly not it. ‘What?’ she thought, though her yellow beak hung open. As she blinked once, then twice, Astraea clapped her claws together in sheer joy that this pony whom she liked so much had taken this step. Little Athena simply covered her ears to guard from the noise of the music.

Seeing his potential mate pause, her beak still hanging open like he’d dropped ice cream down her back, Brightstar took his cue to magically open the package. Once it was opened, he revealed the ritual object of griffon courtship, a hammered gold necklace complete with his mother's horn ring on it.

For the fifth time, Moonbeak just blinked. It had been several long seconds since she had done anything else. Astraea, far more animated, clapped her claws and looked expectantly at her pole-axed daughter.

Several seconds stretched into twenty and then thirty seconds. Still, Moonbeak hadn’t said or done anything other than blink. Just when Brightstar was worried that he would be refused, Moonbeak slowly, very slowly, lowered her head to him.

Breathing a very deep sigh of relief, Brightstar adjusted his magic and levitated the hammered gold necklace – plain to most species but perfection to a griffon - out of the package and placed it reverently around her white feathered neck. Silently, Moonbeak lifted the ring on the necklace to look at it. “When ah…” she at last found her voice, “when shall the binding be done?”

“Woot!” Unable to contain herself any longer, Astraea jumped out of her chair and danced around the table. “Woot!” she screeched loudly, to the amusement of the other diners. Athena saw her nana was dancing happily and she clapped her little claws. At least until she realised the music was still playing and she immediately covered her ears again.

Brightstar giggled, “We have two happy younglings,” he smiled and turned to his still stunned looking mate. “I was thinking, we will go to the Court Eyrie in City Hall and proceed with the binding ceremony at the day of the second next moon.”

Slowly, Moonbeak nodded. “I accept your offer and I shall bind my blood with you.” No sooner had those words left her beak than the unicorn was wrapped up in a smothering hug, courtesy of his soon-to-be mother in law.

“Aaaaak!” Brightstar gasped after a few seconds once his air had run out, “M-Momma! C-Can’t breathe!”

Finally releasing her favourite pony, Astraea moved on to hug her daughter just as tightly. “I believe that momma approves,” Moonbeak smiled once she too had been released from her mother’s death grip.

“Y'know,” Brightstar chuckled, “I got that impression, too,” he smiled at that, for she was still dancing around the table, “you have made me an exceptionally happy unicorn this day.”

At last, Athena picked up her granddaughter and hugged her, both of them dancing around the table now. Taking advantage of the distraction, Moonbeak leant forward and lovingly nuzzled her new mate’s cheek and whispered, “there is always room in the heart for love, Starry.”

Brightstar thought of his own mother and his sister back in Canterlot, his heart swelling up. “Yes, there is. When we are joined, our hearts become one and I shall truly be yours.”

“You are mine now, pony.” Moonbeak smiled, a glint in her eyes, “but then I shall be yours, too.”

“There's that dangerous glint I love…” Brightstar placed a tender little kiss on the curve of his lover’s beak. “I do have a second proposal for you.”

“Oh?” Moonbeak asked, her eyebrow raised. Beside her, at last sat down, Astraea was listening intently.

Brightstar again summoned his nerve. “Well, we bought some interesting things earlier,” he paused long enough to kiss her beak, “we should use them to celebrate our intent to be joined.”

Casually, the dark grey feathered griffon waved her wing in the air, “those we can always use any time, but yes, I will indulge you this night.”

“Oh,” Astraea interrupted, her ‘mother’ senses for gossip and dirty details tingling, “and what are you indulging the pony with?”

All of a sudden, Brightstar blushed. The way momma called him ‘pony’ just then sent shivers down his spine straight to his core. “R-Ropes, momma…”

“MiAC,” Moonbeak explained to the blank expression on her mother’s face.

“Oh!” now Astraea really liked this young pony. Handsome, brave, honourable, reliable and kinky. “The pony sex shop. Who ties who?”

Reaching up with his hoof, Brightstar pulled at the collar of his pale blue shirt to reveal the grey collar buckled around his neck underneath. “Mistress Moony ties me, momma.”

“Oh my,” Astraea giggled, idly wondering if her daughter would be willing to share sometime, “how cute!”

Moonbeak shuffled her claws on the table, “I ah, I still need more practice…”

“Thank you, momma,” Brightstar smiled, very grateful that they had Astraea’s seal of approval for this aspect of their relationship. “Mistress Moony is excellent when we play.”

Chapter 7 - Beneath her Paws

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Silence reigned in the large single storey treehouse that was Moonbeak’s and Brightstar’s Fillydelphia home. Blessed, wonderful, sweet silence. Silence that could only mean Athena was at last in her bed and the very excited kitten was finally asleep. Laid out almost at full stretch on her three seater couch, Moonbeak was casually looking at the horn ring on the necklace around her neck.

The inch and a half diameter ring was priceless. Moonbeak knew little of such things, but she could tell quality when she saw it. The platinum ring was inscribed on the inside with silver, and with gold on the outer surface. It truly was a masterpiece. The bonding necklace, by comparison, was hammered gold. It looked simple on the surface, but this was griffon gold, mined from the Greyfeather Mines. Practically impervious to magic, only a few smiths in Equestria could work it. She recognised Forge’s work. “How long have you been planning this?”

Brightstar, who had taken up residence at the end of the couch, where he could use his magic to gently massage his mate’s beautifully swollen paws, glanced up from admiring her clawed toes. “Since the first time you said you loved me, six weeks ago. My mum's ring looks good on you.”

“It does give this necklace a pony feel.” Moonbeak replied, her dark grey wings fluttering when her mate applied just the right amount of pressure to her paws. It was all she could do to not drool. While it mystified her why he liked her paws so much, she couldn’t deny when he worshipped them, it was utter heaven. “I would ask how you knew, but you did spend a lot of time with griffons. Have you ever seen a binding request?”

Brightstar nodded thoughtfully, smiling when his magic slid between all her toes at once and made her purr like a cat. “I was invited to observe one while I was on the cultural exchange. The full ceremony was...different, to say the least.”

“I look forward to licking your wound.” Moonbeak let out a giggle that was more of a purr than a giggle. After all, her stallion was very good with his magic. “Then I'll truly know if you are a tasty pony.”

“It will be an honour to bleed with you, my love.” Brightstar bowed his head and kissed the tip of each of her cute and sexy toes. “I suppose I got a thing for bleeding after I visited Griffonstone.” That was a huge understatement. You didn’t live among griffons for a year and not develop a ‘thing’ for blood. It was as ingrained in their culture as honour and bits.

“So, what shall we do for the rest of the night?” Moonbeak asked, though in truth the heavily pregnant griffon could’ve stayed where she was forever and a day, the way he was now kissing and licking the soles of her paws. “We did get a variety of items at your 'pony sex shop'.”

“Hmm...” Brightstar murmured, pulling his attention away from the toes he was sucking on to look over his fiancé’s swollen belly. By the look on her face, she was as likely to move as the house they were in, but he had an idea for the night. “I want to show off my intended. I think we should go down to the Tail.” He smiled, “we can use some of the new toys, like the sheath lock, for instance.”

While Moonbeak certainly didn’t want to move, the exhibitionist in her relished the idea of putting on a show. She liked the idea a lot. “And the cape and bra for me?”

Brightstar nodded enthusiastically. “Oh yes, I think so. Will you wrap me up?”

Moonbeak shot her lover a curious look, wondering what he meant by that. “Wrap you up?”

“In the ropes, sweetie.”

“Oh!” the griffon had to fight the urge to facepalm, hard. “Oh, um, I can try. Let's look at the book together and see what the best way is to, ah, wrap you up.” She giggled, reaching over to the low table by the couch where the three books; Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced Rope Work, lay in a stack.

“Alrighty!” Brightstar couldn’t hide his eagerness, not that he tried very hard. “We should probably start right at the beginning of the first book, I imagine they're easier, for you and for me.”

With a truly momentous effort, Moonbeak heaved herself up to first a seated position and then, after three attempts, to standing up. Feeling like she was smuggling a rather hefty beach ball, one that weighed several tonnes, she picked up the Beginner’s book and moved it to the centre of the wide circular living room. “Yes, let's.” she nuzzled his cheek, loving the fact he didn’t laugh at her awkward movements.

As he moved to stand next to her, Brightstar returned the nuzzle to his mate’s cheek before sitting down. He looked on eagerly, utterly failing to hide his excitement with each page that was turned over. While they were basic, yes, each picture was more beautiful than the one before it. It helped that the models, both stallion and mare, were clearly into it as well. “Some of these look really hot, don't they? Imagine me wearing those in public!”

Moonbeak could imagine it. Oh by Stormclaw could she imagine it! The rather strong musky scent emanating from between her legs said how well she was imagining it. She pointed to the fourth picture in with her clawed hand. “This one doesn't look too hard. It will cover you from chest to tail.”

Brightstar looked at the picture and it was all he could do to not to stand at full mast immediately. The model in question was wearing an intricate lattice work of rope, diamonds digging into his fur just slightly. “Ooh, I like that one a...tortoise shell, huh?”

Moonbeak nodded, her mind made up. “Did you buy a rope this long?” she asked, pointing at the recommend twenty five foot length on the page of the book.

“I did! I wasn't sure,” Brightstar lit his horn and, in his glowing yellow aura, he floated out several different lengths of ropes, all of which were grey, from the MiAC bag. “So I got a few different ones.” He soon saw there were different coloured threads at the ends and middle to help to find the rope length. “Ah, here we are, the twenty five foot. That's the one, sweetie.” He laid the others down in a coil by the couch.

Moonbeak, however, was studying the book intently. “Hmm, these knots don't look too hard. They write a lot about appearance of the rope.” That had certainly been a surprise to her. Contrary to her belief, it wasn’t just a case of tying any old knot. These knots were special, formed so as not to dig painfully into the wearer’s skin.

“They do make it look very elegant, don't they?”

“Stand up and I will try.” Moonbeak ordered, finding it easy to slip into her ‘Mistress’ persona, the one she knew her partner loved – the one she loved, too. Then, a line on safety caught her sharp eye. “It says here you need EMT sheers. Did you get those?”

Without a moment’s pause, Brightstar floated out the shears. “Safety first, my love. At first, I wasn't going to bother, as you have your talons, but I thought get them, better safe than sorry.”

Moonbeak nodded, again reminded, if any reminder was necessary, why she loved this pony so much. “True, then this is a book written for ponies.” With that said, the pregnant griffon took up the long twenty five foot rope in her clawed hands. She started at his chest and, after referring to the book a few times for instructions, soon had the handle of this bondage. She admired each diamond she made, each knot she crafted, each loop. She marvelled at how everything had its place and served a function. “The ropes stand out nicely against your fur.” She commented as she admired her work, “They look loose, are they loose?”

“Yes, they are a bit loose,” Brightstar smiled, for there was a good half an inch of play on all the ropes that now encased him. “I'd say you're a natural at this, love.”

Moonbeak raised a sardonic eyebrow at that. “Of course! I'm a griffon.” She giggled, as if to say that was that. “Okay, now to tighten you up…” With that sentence hanging in the air, she tightened the knots on his back so that the ropes were now pressed into his royal blue fur against the flesh. “How's that?”

“Oh...oh I say...” Brightstar wriggled a little, his breath hitching up and he even sounded more 'pet-ish'. “Th-That feels good, like, it feels really good!”

With a critique’s eye, Moonbeak walked around her pet, scrutinising her work. Here and there, she straightened up a diamond, or adjusted a knot, especially those that rested over his anus and around his heavy balls. She resolved to have fun with those later. “It looks really good. Good enough to show off, at any rate.” She glanced down at the necklace and the ring she wore around her neck. “And to show off this, too.”

Brightstar was actually blushing under his Mistress’s scrutiny. “Y-Yes Mistress,” he wondered, when the two words left his mouth, why he was sounding so timid. He realised, as he was snugly tied up, and he was once more the pet, that he wasn’t worried about it or anything else. He loved his Mistress. His Mistress loved him, and he trusted her to take care of him. “I ah, I'd really like that.”

“I will take you to the Tail to show off then.” As she picked up the cut out bra that she knew would show off her swollen teats, she giggled, for she knew the Twisted Tail would be busy tonight. Saying that though, Forge and Blossomseed could always be counted on to be there. “But, they might not see your ropes once they see the gloriousness that is me!”

“You are glorious, Mistress, of course.” Brightstar bowed his head, in part to hide his smile. “You ah, could use the lock, Mistress.” He didn’t want to appear pushy, but he also didn’t want her to forget it, either.

“I forgot about that!” Moonbeak exclaimed with an over-exaggerated gasp – which was to cover the fact that she had indeed forgotten – and she delved into the MiAC bag. Once she had the sheath lock in her hand, she applied it and locked it up. She loved the way it had a little padlock, it was so cute! As soon as she was sure he wouldn’t be getting an erection unless she allowed it, she seemed to be having a hard time with the bra, giving her pet several gratuitous angles to watch her put it on. “Finally!” she exclaimed, once it was on and her heavy teats squeezed through the holes. She gave her pony a sly look. “How are you holding up?”

“Aaah…” All the time he had watched her ‘accidentally’ fumble with the bra, Brightstar’s jaw was hanging open, drooling from the corner of his mouth. “Aaaah...” strangely, finding words was a tough undertaking, “ngggh...f-fine, Mistress!”

Moonbeak’s considerable ego was nursed a lot by the way her pet was openly staring at her hanging teats and her paws. She loved the way she could affect him like that without even having to say or do anything. “Help me with the cape and we can go.”

“At once, Mistress.” Doing as he was told, he magically floated over the long travelling cape that, once on, concealed the cut out bra nicely. Except when she walked.

Casually, the dominant griffon walked a complete circle around him again, though this time she had her leonine tail held high as she inspected both her work and his straining, twitching undercarriage. That alone sent a thrill straight to her snatch. “Do you need a ride down?”

“Ah...y-yes, yes please, Mistress.” Brightstar bowed his head. The question, “Do you need a ride down?” meant, “You aren’t allowed to use magic once we leave”. He caught the undercurrent, he knew what it meant. He was easily capable of teleporting down, should he choose to, but that wasn’t part of the game, was it? He was his Mistress’s pet, now.

Moonbeak just adored the way his ears were slicked back like that, the way his tail hiked up just so. Command given and accepted, she moved so that he could climb up on her back. In doing so, though, she booped his nose with her wide fat ass. “Ooops! Okay, get on and I'll take you to the van.”

Thanks to having his fiancé’s ass in his face, complete with her musky scent, Brightstar made an adorable little mewing noise as he got on. “Thank you, Mistress.”

Deciding she had teased him enough, Moonbeak exited her treehouse with a flap of her powerful wings – passing her favourite kitten-sitter on the way down - and she flew down to her old battered white transit van. Landing on the driver’s side, she gave him a moment to get off. She could’ve bought a new van ages ago, but she loved the dents, scratches and rust that ‘decorated’ hers. Goldcrest bought her this van, and it meant far more to her than its base value. Still. “That sheath lock feels interesting on my back.”

Brightstar snickered once he had alighted from his Mistress’s back. “It feels interesting on my sheath, Mistress,” he admitted as he obediently opened the driver's door for his waiting fiancé, purposely by hoof, instinctively not using his magic.

Once seated in the van, Moonbeak fired up the ancient engine. Three times, it sputtered into life. With a rather loud bang and a cloud of exhaust smoke, Moonbeak pulled out of the driveway, leaving the darkened square behind illuminated by the street lights. “I do hope there are a few at the bar tonight.”

Looking out of the window at the darkened streets as they whizzed past, Brightstar chuckled. “You know Forge and Blossomseed will be there. I'm sure his shop and the Tail are the only two places in Equestria he knows…” at that, he went quiet, stroking his ropes and once more looking out of the window.

Moonbeak used the opportunity granted by shifting from third to fourth gear to rest her clawed hand from the gear shift to his knee. “I love you and we don't have to do this, Bright.” She said comfortingly, misunderstanding his apparent apprehension.

“Oh,” Brightstar smiled. Not many would associate the high shrill voice with ‘comforting’, but he was able to detect the subtle inflections she used here and there. He knew she was worried about him, that she cared for him, she loved him and that she wouldn’t force him to do this if he chose not to. He understood it was his call, and his alone. “I want to do this, I really do, it's just...it's new, it feels wonderful, and scary, and sexy, and...and...”

Moonbeak laughed. She loved how honest he was. It was one of the many things she loved about him. She prized honesty. A lot. She also appreciated the communication that was happening between them right now. “I'm with you. I'll always be with you. I can do this, so can you, yes?”

“Yes Mistress.” Brightstar sighed, “Truth, I'm aroused, turned on, a lot. So much of a lot…” he trailed off, suddenly aware he was rambling as the van made its way through the streets. He was quite unprepared for the feelings he’d experience being tied up like this. He had wanted it, yes, but experiencing it was something different altogether. “My head, it's...I can't concentrate, to use magic, right now. I...I need you.”

“I need you too.” Moonbeak paused at a set of traffic lights and ran a taloned finger around the edge of the grey and white collar that her pony had worn since she had put it on him. “It is a good thing then, that this stops you from using magic in the bar.”

Brightstar nodded solemnly. He needed this, he needed somebody else to be in control. He needed her to understand. “It is, Mistress...you see, I've never not been in control. I've always had to be in control, since mum left, I've had no choice but to be in control. I...I give that control to you, my love.”

As she drove along, turning down street after street, Moonbeak thought on what her lover had just said. She was quiet all the way to the car park of the bar, not taking lightly the responsibility she had been given. “Brightstar, I love you, and I will try all in my power to not abuse that control. Now, to see what they see first. You in your ropes or me wearing a necklace.”

“I trust you, Moonbeak.” Brightstar leant over and kissed his fiancé’s beak before getting out and walking around to open the driver’s door for her. He had his duties, after all. “I'm sure they'll see you first.”

Moonbeak snickered, “Ponies see what they want to see, but I'll bet Selene screeches.”

“I'm not taking that bet, that's easier than Brass Knuckles beating down a newbie.”

“Proceed me, pony.” Moonbeak commanded, pointing her claw in as grandiose a fashion as she could manage at the battered weatherbeaten blue door of the Twisted Tail bar. Through the partially covered windows they could see there were a good few patrons inside. “Least they not see you at all.”

Brightstar bowed low to his Mistress. The way she had commanded him, she was well and truly in her role now, as was he in his. The time for insecurities was past. They were left in the van. Now, he loved and trusted his partner just as she did him. It was time for the show. “Yes Mistress.” As he walked up to the door, his breathing was all shallow and excited, his black tail was up very high. ‘I can do this, I can do this...’ he repeated over and over in his head.

Two things happened when Brightstar hoofed open the door and walked into the Twisted Tail. The first thing was that everypony in the bar; Selene and a griffon waitress whom he didn’t know, as well as Forge, Blossomseed, Lemon Zest, Sugarcoat and even Olive Branch – a unicorn stallion he knew by sight from the police academy – a stallion called Tinsel and a mare named Lemon Drop, an earth pony couple he kind of knew, all stopped what they were doing.

The second thing, Brightstar noticed, was that every single thing stopped. As nine sets of eyes all turned in his direction, with varying looks on their faces ranging from shocked all the way to amused, one could hear a pin drop. Normally the voyeur loved to be the one watching. “Mmmm!” he let out a pained whimper as his sheath strained against the lock from all the attention, his mouth dry as a bone. “Ah...g-good evening, to you all,” even Blossomseed had stopped snuggling Forge and she was looking hard. “I'd like to announce my Mistress, Moonbeak.”

Forge was the first to find his voice, the grizzled old earth pony blacksmith grinning a particularly toothy grin in Brightstar’s direction. “Looks like you lost at the rodeo, Star!”

At their table, near to the bar, Lemon Zest nudged Sugarcoat. “That is a new look, Rookie, you wearing that at the graduation?” Sugarcoat simply pointed a hoof and laughed. Loudly.

“I ah...I was thinking about it, Lemon, yes,” Brightstar discovered, just, that he still had a tongue. “Under my uniform, of course.”

Blossomseed kissed Forge’s ear and whispered, “You should tie me like that, might make me a bit less clumsy.” Forge, the young earth pony mare’s dominant, simply laughed and kissed her back while Moonbeak made her grand entrance.

“That's good rope-work.” Sugarcoat commented as Moonbeak strutted into the Twisted Tail in the same manner as Celestia entered the grand throne room of Canterlot Palace. Like she owned the place. “Sunny Flare would be impressed, I think.”

‘Oh thank Luna Moony's here, for a second I thought she wasn't coming...’ Brightstar thought the worried thought, then he immediately chastised himself for even thinking that his mate would abandon him. Had he been thinking clearly, of course she wouldn’t. But, that was the thing. He wasn’t thinking clearly.

Moonbeak however, wasn’t happy. Seeing as her lover and pet was frozen, standing just inside the entrance, she decided to get him to move the only way she knew how. By applying a clawed hand to his heavy balls and squeezing just a little. With an adorable squeak of pain, the unicorn walked into the bar proper, needing no further 'encouragement'.

Watching the spectacle, along with everypony – and griffon – else, Sugarcoat erupted in a fit of giggles. “So, that's how we get the star rookie to move.”

“Yes,” Moonbeak commented, her hand still squeezing Brightstar’s balls, “but hooves are not quite the same.”

Just then however, as Sugarcoat was about to say something to her partner, Lemon Zest, Selene managed to once again silence the bar with an ear-splitting screech that was somewhere between a squee and the girliest squeal of delight that Brightstar had ever heard. All the eyes that had been on the unicorn upon entering the bar now turned to the jet black griffon and the waitress beside her who almost dropped her tray. “You're wearing a necklace!”

The others in the bar very suddenly took note of that, though it was clear by a series of confused faces that only Forge, Lemon Zest and Sugarcoat understood the significance of it. Olive Branch, Lemon Drop, Tinsel and Blossomseed were oblivious. Brightstar, his nuts now freed from Moonbeak’s grasp, had an enormous blush as he approached the bar. “Aaah, my Mistress accepted, Miss Selene.”

Selene was in a state of shock. “You are marrying a pony‽” she exclaimed, pointing her claw at Brightstar like she was denouncing a heretic.

Quietly, while Moonbeak held the necklace and the horn ring in her hand, Forge explained to his Blossom just what the necklace meant. For the sixth time. The pregnant griffon stared down her old friend, holding her gaze like she was prey on a plate. “Binding with a pony.” She corrected her, far more calmly than she felt. She was sure Selene blushed at having used a pony term, it was hard to tell with her black feathers.

Brightstar nodded to Selene, “It is my honour to bind with my Mistress.”

“It looks very nice on you, Moony.” Sugarcoat commented, going back to sipping her beer now that the initial shock had all died away.

Lemon Zest however didn’t go for her beer. “Moony, you're really going to bind with a pol...”

“If I may,” Brightstar interjected very quickly, the moment he heard Lemon Zest start to say the word ‘police’, because he anticipated what the rest of her sentence was going to be and he didn’t want his fiancé upset, not tonight of all nights. “Miss Lemon, she is binding with the pony she loves.”

“Yes, binding with a pony?” Lemon Zest completed her question, only shooting Brightstar the slightest of scowls for his timely intervention. It didn’t help that Sugarcoat had kicked her under the table. Hard.

Moonbeak, who was many things but stupid she was not, knew what the Shadowbolt was going to say, but she chose to let it slide, this once. “This pony has opened me up to new possibilities.” She said, affectionately stroking her pony’s black mane. “He did the binding request as well as any griffon could.”

Selene wanted details. “When?”

“Earlier this evening, Selene.” Brightstar snickered in response as Selene was ignoring Olive Branch’s request for more beer in search of her gossip, “I made the request after dinner at Gustav'

“Not heard of it,” Forge said, ignoring the fact that nopony had asked. When the old blacksmith had something to say, he said it, and that was that.

“The pony is a big spender.” Lemon Zest was impressed. She resolved to take Indigo Zap somewhere nice. She didn’t want to be upstaged by a rookie of all ponies. “I'd have to save up forever to go there.”

Brightstar answered the blacksmith first. “It's a new place, Forge, over the river, just been open a week...”

Helpfully, Sugarcoat came to the stallion’s aid. “Special occasion calls for a special place. You remember when Sunny Flare took Sour Sweet to Rainbow Falls for their seventh anniversary this year?”

Lemon Zest laughed out loud, almost choking on her beer, “Yes, and that involved less flesh eating.”

“It is an acquired taste.” Forge grinned, giving his ditzy little mare a wink.

Selene, now recovered from her initial shock, had served up a free round of drinks for all her patrons – a rare feat in and of itself – which her waitress made herself busy with in serving up. “Yes,” she giggled, “and pony is the sweetest meat.”

Moonbeak shared a wink with her old friend Selene. “Yes, he’s a very sweet meat indeed.”

Entirely missing the point from where she was sat at her booth with her dominant lover, Blossomseed asked, “Am I an acquired taste, if Selly says all ponies are sweet?”

Brightstar laughed out loud, mostly because Forge had just choked on the mouthful of beer he had just tried to swallow. He blessed Celestia above that the young flower seller had to sense of timing, or tact. She was priceless! “I've had no complaints thus far, Seed,” he giggled, finally starting to feel a little at ease, given he was wearing a suit of ropes.

Drinking her complimentary beer that Selene had provided, Lemon Zest at last noticed the grey ropes that adorned the police recruit. Now they had the business of the binding out of the way, she was curious about his get up. “So, what is with the new look, recruit?”

Moonbeak was too quick for her pet. “He thought ribbons were to girly for him.”

“We were at the MiAC store,” Brightstar answered, “getting supplies, and I just couldn't resist the ropes, amongst some other things.”

“Star’s in a bind again!” Forge barked out a loud laugh.

“Two binds,” Blossomseed interjected quickly, cutting across what Brightstar was going to say in retort to her dominant lover, “By the look of the cock lock he's wearing and oooh, Moony, I love the bra!” the young earth pony mare licked her lips, not knowing who to ogle the most. She settled on Moonbeak’s exposed teats.

Stood by the bar, Moonbeak had a huge red blush colouring her white feathered face at having been caught out so quickly. Her attention caught all the more than it already was, Selene scooted out from behind the bar for a closer look at her friend’s attire. She wasn’t disappointed. “Somepony like milky titties?” she asked, prompting Moonbeak to stick out her tongue at her.

At the same time, Blossomseed and Brightstar answered as one entity, “Yes!” Now, Blossomseed took her turn to blush heavily as more than a few sets of eyes turned to her, for once, as opposed to Brightstar or somepony else.

Sugarcoat sipped her beer and adjusted the way she was sat to enable her to get a better look at the griffon’s teats, swollen by her milk as they were squeezed by the cut out bra. “It's a good look on you, Moony,” she said, not looking anywhere other than Moonbeak’s hind end.

Moonbeak, ever the exhibitionist at heart, was loving the attention. She adored the fact that even though it was her fiancé and her pet wearing the ropes that she had – masterfully, if she said so herself – applied, she and her simple cape and bra were garnering the focus. Yeah, she loved that. “It’s the cape, of course.” She giggled, before tapping Brightstar’s ass with a claw. “Sit pet, so we can converse and have a drink.”

Selene though saw straight through her friend’s guise. “So you can sit and hide your teats more like it.” Again, her snarky remark earned her a stuck out tongue for her trouble.

Glancing around the rather ‘rustic’ bar - it really was disgusting by Canterlot standard – the royal blue unicorn saw that the seating was quite limited, so he gathered pretty quickly that they’d have to pick a table to share. Each of the tables seated four comfortably, but they could fit five at a push. “Yes, Mistress, at once.” He gave a little bow and, knowing full well that Blossomseed was checking them both out, he went over to Forge's table. “Excuse me, may we join you?”

Forge snickered, the dominant old earth pony leant in and bit his ditzy mare’s ear. “We're already joined, but there is some free seating pads, Star.”

Flicking her bitten ear, she loved the way he bit her, Blossomseed laughed and kissed Forge's ear. She was careful to not use her teeth. Biting back was naughty. Very naughty. “Aw, you joker!”

“Thank you,” Brightstar said and, deciding that since he had been naughty already – after having had his balls squeezed in the entrance to the bar - to dare and sit on an actual seating pad as opposed to the floor which was his usual designated spot.

Taking her own seating pad, Moonbeak did take notice of Brightstar's seating choice. She also noted that this was the first time he had done that in this bar. Adjusting herself just so, she sat a little bit sideways. This served two purposes. I alleviated the pressure on her large pregnant belly and it gave Forge and Blossomseed a nice view of her undercarriage. Without a request, Selene set a double shot of Dalwinny whiskey and club soda on the table. “Thank you, Selene.”

Blossomseed was looking at Moonbeak's exposed teats without trying to make it obvious that she was staring, though she wasn’t doing such a good job of that. She was practically drooling, just as her tail was flagging. “Ah...can I ah, get a beer, please Selly?”

Selene nodded, and as she turned to go back to her bar, Lemon Zest, Sugarcoat, Olive Branch, Tinsel and Lemon Drop all went back to what they had been doing before Brightstar and Moonbeak had entered the Twisted Tail. “Yep, that’s two beers coming up.”

Lemon Zest raised her hoof, getting Selene’s attention. “I'll try one of those whiskeys that the bondage pony likes.”

Straightaway, Brightstar extended his hoof to reach for his drink, the whiskey looking so enticing sat there in its shot glass, but, well he’d done that before and as far as he was concerned that was just whacking the hornet’s nest. There was being naughty in a good way, and then there was just plain naughty. The glare from his Mistress’s green eye led him to his decision. He knew what he should be doing. “May I have a drink, Mistress?”

With a smile spreading over her beak, the griffon lightly tapped her pet’s hoof with a claw. “Good pony, you may have your drink.”

“Thank you, Mistress.” Permission given, Brightstar took his glass in his hoof and treated himself to a little sip of the burning hot whiskey. Damn if that wasn’t the best thing ever. The drink was one of his top five favourite things about Fillydelphia. He was sat next to his favourite thing.

With an enormous act of willpower, Blossomseed somehow managed to drag her eyes away from Moonbeak's teats and she saw the ornate horn ring hanging on the hammered gold necklace. “I like the ring, Moony.” Of course she recognised Forge’s signature craftwork on the necklace.

Glancing down, Moonbeak ran a taloned finger around the edge of the gold inscribed platinum horn ring. “It has meaning to the pony, so it has meaning to me.”

“You griffs are big on history.” Forge commented off-hoofedly, sipping on his beer while the griffon in question just nodded, not letting go of the ring.

Brightstar lowered his glass. “It was my mother's, Blossom.” He chose to leave it at that, not going into the whole ‘Mother-left-it-to-me-before-she-went-insane’ thing.

“I think it's pretty!” Blossomseed passed her rather simplistic judgement on the two hundred year old ring that has been in Brightstar’s family for generations, which happened to be one of the few things that Darkstar and Brightstar hadn’t pawned to pay for their upbringing. Of course, she had no idea of any of that. To the somewhat simple-minded mare, it was just, pretty.

“It is a finely made horn ring.” Forge passed a slightly more detailed judgement than his mare, while Moonbeak nodded her agreement. “Tis worthy of a binding.”

Brightstar helped himself to a second drink of his whiskey. “Thank you, Forge, I appreciate that.”

Not wanting to be left out of the fun on the other table, Lemon Zest and Sugarcoat both rolled over onto their sides, both of them exposing their teats so that Brightstar could see them and what they were doing. What they were doing, was slowly and sensuously rubbing their nipples. Very slowly. “Hey Moony,” Lemon Zest called out, “how long do you think he’ll last with that lock on?”

Moonbeak saw what they were doing and a wide smile split her face. A smile that sent chills down Brightstar’s spine. “Is there a time limit?”

Brightstar, his yellow eyes wide open, almost dropped his shot glass as his jaw fell open. To say he didn’t know where to look was an understatement. “Aaaaah...” was all he could think of to say as his sheath and the lock holding his stallionhood twitched, hard.

Forge smiled and, seeing the way the evening was going, the old earth pony stallion nudged Blossomseed’s shoulder. “Oh...ooh!” While it may be true that she was slow on the uptake in a great many things, here, she got it straightaway. Grinning, she too rolled over and exposed herself just like the two police officers were. “Hey, Starry!” As soon as she had his attention, she began rubbing her nipples in a figure eight with her hoof.

Deciding it was about time to punish her pet for his daring naughtiness, Moonbeak casually extended her dark grey wing between Brightstar’s hind legs. Once her primary feathers found their mark, she softly rubbed her feathers all along his locked up sheath. She adored the way it strained like that, the way her pony’s cock was trying to get hard, but it wouldn’t unless she allowed it to. “I'm sure my pony can easily last out the night.”

Beside her, Brightstar shuddered, “Aaah...th-the ah, the whole night, Mistress?”

“Or longer.”

Selene, at the bar, almost felt sorry for the shuddering unicorn. Almost. The way her old friend had said ‘or longer’ was just deadly. “Or ‘till closing time when I kick the lot of you out of here,” she said in an attempt to come to his rescue.

“Moony?” Blossomseed asked gently, although Moonbeak, who had finished her club soda, didn’t hear her.

She was too busy seeing if her pet had finished his whiskey. She grinned when she saw him lift the shot glass to his lips and down what was left. His hoof was shaking a little as was he. The pregnant griffon knew full well that looking from the four of them was driving him horny. Moonbeak twirled her empty glass and said softly, “If are going to be here awhile, maybe I should have another?”

Brightstar didn’t want to be here for a while. The cock lock was sweet torture. He knew, were it not there, that he’d be iron hard by now, thanks to the show he was receiving. Still, his Mistress was in control. If she wanted to stay, they would stay. “Aaa-aaas you wish, Mistress.” He was busy thinking of many dull language lessons to keep his mind off his straining sheath.

“Moony?” Blossomseed repeated, a little louder this time, “um...are you really milky?”

Carefully, the griffon squeezed a nipple. “Soon, but not yet.” She replied before turning to the bar. “Seems my pony is in no hurry to leave. Selene, another soda please.”

Blossomseed was again transfixed on the teats and the cut out bra. “Could I have a lick, please?”

“M-Mistress!” Brightstar whimpered, a glance at the very teasing figures of Lemon Zest and Sugarcoat, as well as the thought of watching Blossomseed lick his fiancé’s nipples had him straining harder than ever. “Please...please can we go?”

Unfortunately, for him anyway, Selene chose that moment to deliver the second soda that Moonbeak had ordered. She also bought a second whiskey for him. “After I finish this and you finish your drink.” She nodded, thoroughly enjoying his discomfort. She then turned to the young earth pony mare. “Of course you may, Blossom! Nothing like sharing among friends.”

“Yay!” As soon as Moonbeak gave her permission, the ditzy earth pony mare immediately scurried under the table and started to very slowly lick and suck her nipples, suckling like she was determined to draw milk from her.

Brightstar didn’t know if he was in heaven or Tartarus. The voyeur in him loved to watch, but the sheath lock was a pain he hadn’t anticipated. “Oooh....ngggggh sw-sweet Luna!” he gasped, somehow managing to take a sip of his whiskey.

By contrast, Moonbeak calmly drank her soda and ran a clawed hand through Blossomseed's mane. “My compliments to you Forge, she sucks very well.”

Forge nodded. He had trained his mare to take him all the way to the hilt, so he knew she sucked well. “It is all about practice.”

“I practice a lot!” Blossomseed squee’d, her muzzle not leaving Moonbeak’s hard nipple. She was very enthusiastic and sloppy with her licking, just the way she knew her Master liked it. She did flick her tail up at Forge to afford him a good view while she rubbed herself.

Brightstar looked to Lemon Zest and Sugarcoat, but he found no escape there either. While Sugarcoat was still playing with her breasts, her colleague had leant over and was alternating licking the left then the right. “That is the table with some action,” she stated obviously as Forge reached out a hoof to stroke under his pet’s flicking tail.

In spite of everything, Moonbeak was keeping a wary eye on the level of Brightstar’s shot glass. She could tell by the whimpers and his pulled back ears that he wouldn’t last much longer. “Oooooh Forgey!” Blossomseed moaned around the nipple in her mouth, lifting up her tail so that her owner could get better access.

As Brightstar got his glass down to just one more sip required, Lemon Drop stroked Tinsel's shaft. She wasn’t even trying to be subtle about it, casually masturbating her lover at their table. “Ready to go, love?” she asked. Tinsel nodded, standing and proudly showing off his erect member. He was more than ready to go, in more ways than one. Laughing, they both left the bar for home.

At his table, Olive Branch glanced at Lemon Zest and Sugarcoat. He liked what he saw. “Will I be getting lucky tonight? He asked of the two Shadowbolts.

“Depends,” Lemon Zest said with a shrug of her shoulders, “do you have a lucky hoof?”

Sugarcoat snickered, “You'll get lucky if I do.”

Brightstar very quickly downed the last of his whiskey, the poor stallion not knowing where to look for the least stimulation. “I'm done, Mistress.”

Snickering, Moonbeak lightly pinched Blossomseed’s ear to get her attention from her teats up to her eyes. “I’m sorry, but it’s time for this milky tittie to go, my dear.” She had, after all, teased her own pet more than enough for one sitting.

Forge withdrew his hoof, which was coated in his young mare’s juices from her marehood and wiped it all over his sheath. “You can milk me for a bit, love.”

“Alrighty!” without any need for further encouragement, Blossomseed immediately turned and nuzzled all the way up and down Forge's sheath. She loved tasting herself on her old lover’s crotch. “Thanks for letting me have a taste though, Moony.”

“Aw,” Lemon Zest couldn’t resist a tease, “pony going to explode?”

“Yes!” Brightstar was trembling now, teeth clenched with the almost unbearable pain in his sheath as his stallionhood strained hard to get erect and couldn’t. “Yes, the pony is!”

Sugarcoat booped her colleague’s nose. “Don't tease the recruit, Citrus.”

Lemon Zest instead moved a hoof towards Sugarcoat's tummy. “Shall I tease the veteran, then?”

“Yes please!” Olive Branch said loudly, earning himself a raspberry from both police ponies.

Finally, Moonbeak decided it was time to get up and go. It took a few moments though, for her to heave her vast swollen pregnant bulk off of the seating pad and stand on her paws. “Come, pony. Let us continue our binding celebration elsewhere.”

Selene shot her friend a wink. “Thanks for not leaving as big a mess as usual, Moony.” It was such a refreshing change to not have to mop up semen stains after they had done playing in her bar.

Moonbeak gave Selene a rather sanctimonious bow until her belly touched the floor. “Always happy to help.”

Brightstar was so eager to get out of the bar and get the lock off his sheath that he almost jumped to his hooves, “Thank you, Mistress, and thank you, Selene, for the whiskey!”

As Selene waved them goodbye, Moonbeak led her whimpering pet out of the Twisted Tail and across the car park to her waiting van. It was the work of seconds to unlock and open the big rear doors. She pointed a taloned finger inside. “In. Now.”

“Yes Mistress!” Brightstar yelped, hopping up straightaway without question into the back of the van which was, for once, devoid of any photographic equipment, the extremely clean and well-looked after inside quite the opposite of the rusted and battered outside.

“Stand still.”

“Yes, Mistress, I will, Mistress.” Brightstar at this point, with his back to his Mistress and his black tail hiked up like he was in heat, was silently begging Luna for the release of the lock.

As soon as she had climbed up into the back of her van, Moonbeak fumbles a bit in her haste to remove the constraining sheath lock. “Make this van rock,” she ordered simply as she turned around and lifted up her tail, “Or the lock goes on for the whole weekend, pony.”

The very instant the lock had been removed and discarded to the spotlessly clean floor, Brightstar’s tortured cock emerged from its sheath and stood very, very hard indeed. Turning around, the lust-addled unicorn, ropes and all, wasted no time whatsoever in mounting his fiancé. He placed his forehooves at the base of her wing joints as he entered Moonbeak in one smooth, hard, thrust. “I love you so much, Mistress!”

Moonbeak let out a half purr, half growl. “I need a really good rutting, and I need it right now.”

“My pleasure, Mistress!” As he was already inside her up to his medial ring, Brightstar snorted and pulled out, almost all the way, tugging hard on her powerful wing joints for leverage before thrusting back inside. Spurred on by his Mistress’s command, he hilted in her, his ring spreading her pussy apart.

Brightstar hadn’t been at it more than a moment when a familiar voice could be heard from outside. “Sweets,” Lemon Zest said, “do you think we have probable cause to search that van?”

“By the way it’s rocking,” Olive Branch observed, “it may be full of Parasprites.”

Quite lost in the moment, Brightstar didn’t take any heed of the voices at all. “Oooh yeeeeah!” he grunted, thrusting as hard as he could manage, spearing his lover so hard that his hips smacked her ass over and over again.

“We should search it,” Sugarcoat deadpanned, in agreement with Olive Branch, “who knows what'll happen if the Parasprites escape?”

Lemon Zest giggled, “Good call, Sweets.”

Olive Branch waved his hoof to the two Shadowbolts, and amused grin on his face at the rocking van. “I can take the back door, if you to handle the side doors.”

“On it.” Sugarcoat took up her position on the left as Lemon Zest went to the right door. Inside, Brightstar was rutting Moonbeak so hard his hind hooves were practically leaving the floor. He didn’t give two feathers that there were ponies just outside, he had a service to do.

Moments later, all three of the van’s doors opened up and three flashlights shone on Brightstar and Moonbeak inside the back. “Careful Olly, that pony is packing and might shoot you in the eye.” said Lemon Zest, her flashlight not moving an inch from the thrusting unicorn’s ass.

Olive Branch found himself eye to eye with Moonbeak, though the griffon didn’t really see him, her green eyes were rolled up in her head from the pleasure she was getting. “I was really hoping they were facing the front of the van, too.”

Sugarcoat was impressed, both with Brightstar’s equipment – she could tell with each withdrawal he was endowed – and his pace, which was threatening to force Moonbeak into the floor of the van. “The recruit is skilled, I'll give him that.”

“Nggggh...” Brightstar moaned, all the while his thrusts were getting harder and more urgent, spreading Moonbeak's ass cheeks, his broad flat head just a few millimetres away from bottoming out against her cervix.

Lemon Zest however was quite happy where she was. “The view from here is fine!”

Lost in her world of pleasure, each hard thrust of her lover’s hard cock filling up her sopping wet tunnel, Moonbeak playfully licked the tip of Olive Branch's nose and reared up on her muscular legs supported by her leonine paws, determined to make her pony work for it. Behind her, Brightstar really was going for it, he wrapped his forelegs over her swollen belly as he finally tapped her cervix.

Sugarcoat watched, deeply envious of Moonbeak and the blissful pleasured squawks she was making in time with each stiff thrust that spread her apart. “Almost makes me want one of those.” she commented, her eyes never leaving the scene in front of her.

“A battered old van?” Olive Branch quipped, to which Lemon Zest laughed.

“Ha. No, I meant the pony, of course.” Sugarcoat answered, just at the moment when Brightstar, after several hard thrusts and a tap of Moonbeak’s cervix, climaxed. A lot.

“AAAH…BU-BUuuuuuUUUUUCK! AAaaAAAAAH!” Brightstar screamed and, as his seed splashed all over the muscular walls of his Mistress’s pussy, he pulled her onto him, further impaling her on his ejaculating cock as he filled her up. Having not had a release for a few days, he kept cumming and cumming, to the point where it leaked from her stuffed hole.

Lemon Zest at last stepped away from the van. “No Parasprites. Looks like a twinkie filling operation going on here.”

Sugarcoat gave her colleague a half-lidded look from the left side of the van. “I'm horny after watching that.”

“Me too.” Lemon Zest agreed, “Come along Olly, this may well be your lucky night after all.”

“Well done rookie, and nice work on the ropes, Moony.” Olive Branch closed the rear doors just as his officers closed the ones at the sides, now that the show was apparently over with.

Brightstar was completely oblivious to all the outside everything at that moment. He was still riding his tidal wave of a climax. “D-Damn...oh damn...oh wow...” he murmured somewhat nonsensically, still holding onto Moonbeak’s belly.

“Well done, my pet…” Moonbeak gasped, desperately trying to get her breath back after the Equestria shattering orgasm she had just experienced. “Now, time for you to do some clean up on aisle ass so I can drive us home.” Obediently, Brightstar flipped himself over on the floor of the van and, breathlessly, he began lapping at the griffon’s fat puffy pussy.

While he did that – Moonbeak found the fact that her stallion would readily lick up his own discharge so damn hot! – the pregnant griffon moved herself so that they were laid in a sixty-nine position, with her on top, naturally. “Don't want you to mess up the passenger seat, either…” she said slyly.

With her swollen paws either side of his head digging into the floor of the van, Moonbeak got to work licking her pony all around his crotch and sheath. This earned her a most rewarding “MmmMMPH!” from between her legs. She was sure that this was in no small part due to her having his not so small parts in her very sharp beak. “Hummm,” she murmured when she was done, “it is fun working around the ropes.”

“Mmmm,” Brightstar, on his back, had to agree. “It certainly is fun to wear them, my love.”

~ ~ ~

Roughly twenty or so minutes later, and Brightstar was once again in his favourite position. The position in question being under his Mistress’s paws while she was stretched out on the couch. After the drive home, Moonbeak had insisted upon removing the ropes that her pet was wearing. She judged that he’d had them on long enough for a first run out.

Now, after the kitten-sitter had been paid, and they were alone, he was once again massaging her swollen paws, not with his magic, of course. Like Moonbeak had said, the collar he wore prevented that until she said otherwise. What he especially loved, as he delicately ran the soles of his hooves over the pads of her paws, was that because the inside of her van was so well kept, he didn’t need to wash her paws first.

He remembered asking about that, not long after they had gotten together, why the outside had a few dents, scrapes and scratches on it while the inside was like it was from a showroom. The answer was that the ‘poor’ looking state of the exterior made it visually a bad target for carjackers and thieves, of which there were many in Fillydelphia. Plus, she wouldn’t put her very expensive camera equipment in it if the interior wasn’t fresh off the line.

“Wouldn’t you prefer to use the shower, Mistress?” he asked as he carefully ground her paws with his hooves, taking great pride in the pleasured little whimpers he was making her make. He was doing that. Him! He loved the way she yawned and stretched, the strong muscles underneath her grey fur rippling as the tension visibly due to his massage. Darkstar always said he should’ve been a masseuse.

“Hmmm. Not yet, my lovely pet,” she said simply, casually extending her leg and flexing her taloned toes apart. She even gave them a playful wiggle under the entranced unicorn’s nose. He had a look on his face like he was hypnotised by her paws. While she didn’t understand it per se, she knew she should be worshipped and adored, it was her right! And, if her pet chose to worship her paws, then she would allow it. “Besides, I thought you liked them sweaty?”

Brightstar sat in stunned silence as his Mistress casually threw out his biggest fetish. He watched her lean back and shove her left paw in his nose. He wasn’t even looking at her crotch, her wonderful pussy and her teats under her large belly. Her right paw was caressing the left side of his face and every time he inhaled, he breathed in the scent her sweaty paws. Without the lock on his sheath, his cock was already starting to show. “You may indulge yourself, pet. Your Mistress needs a nice paw massage after all that walking.”

‘All that walking…’ Brightstar had to fight to not laugh. ‘All that walking’ had entailed walking from the Twisted Tail to the van. That was it. Seeing as her left paw was pressed against his snout, he stuck his tongue out and lovingly licked all the way up from her heel up to her toes. He adored the leathery padding. He loved the smell, the feel of it on his tongue and the taste in his mouth. It was utter, utter heaven.

Brightstar focused on the task at hoof. His tongue found its way absolutely everywhere. He licked and sucked every last little centimetre of the sole of her paw. Moonbeak let out a throaty purr as her stallion tongue-worshipped her body. Her leonine tail wagged happily between his hind legs, tantalisingly rubbing against his hardening cock. She was doing that. Her paw was doing that. Damn if that didn’t turn her on.

Her left paw done, the royal blue unicorn gently laid it down and moved onto the right one that had been so lovingly caressing his face but a moment ago. He repeated the same process from before. “Mmm, you’re pretty good at this, pet,” she moaned, shuffling slightly on the couch. “So much better than cleaning my own paws.”

He blushed heavily at her praise. It was such a blush that it showed through even his royal blue fur. The layer of sweat on her paw that had built up between her toes had seeped onto the surface. It was a strong heavenly smell that infested his nostrils and all his senses. His cock, already at half mast, stood a little harder by the second as he slathered his tongue all over the sole of her paw.

It didn’t help that with each and every lick he performed, her claws flexed and wiggled under his ministrations. Once he had licked the whole surface twice, he decided to go a step further and grind his strong hooves into them, applying pressure around the edges and center. Moonbeak’s purring grows in pitch and volume, her chest heaving. “Sw-Sweet Stormclaw’s Talon, pet…” she panted. Her tail slowed in its wagging, trailing down his body and rubbed against his now rock hard cock.

Moonbeak paused, her eyes widening. A wicked smirk grew on her beak as she sat up on the couch. While he was exceptional with his tongue, and she was admittedly loving this far more than she thought she ever would, she couldn’t resist a tease. “You’re getting off to this aren’t you?” she asked, to which he immediately nodded his head. “Who knew my pet was so kinky?”

Before he could answer her, she rubbed the paw he had cleaned first up his snout, over his muzzle and all the way up his face so that her toes rubbed over his forehead just under his horn. Moonbeak then spent a good few minutes smearing her paw all over his face. While she was making sure he knew his place with one paw, a furry toe from the other was shoved into his lips. “Get cleaning,” she demanded, cold, confident green eyes boring into his soul.

Brightstar’s erect cock twitched happily in response. He opened his mouth and he didn’t so much as allow the clawed digit inside as it was pushed inside. The unicorn’s mouth was filled with the tangy taste of his griffon’s sweat. The sharp black claw poked at his tongue, forcing him to wrap around and avoid it.

The position, while slightly awkward, wasn’t anywhere near painful. As he licked and sucked on and around his Mistress’s toe, the cold sweat trapped in her fur was squeezed out by his inquisitive tongue. He gratefully swallowed it down, enjoying the salty flavour of hard work like a pony stranded in the desert swallows down his first draught of water. Moonbeak had started purring again, a sound he was very quickly coming to enjoy no end.

He sucked the middle toe and its claw dry, before popping it from his mouth and moving onto the next. Each subsequent toe and claw was equally drenched. He gently held her by her ankles and, with a loud squawk of pleasure from her beak, he took the two remaining toes in his mouth at once, his tongue going everywhere across all the paw’s surfaces.

His tongue began to probe everywhere else. He started with the dips between each toe, tickling his Mistress by giving light lashings before moving in for the kill and really cleaning out every pore and hair. The sensation of hair in his mouth wasn’t exactly the best in the world, but what he was getting out of it more than made up for it.

Unfortunately, after a few wondrous moments, Brightstar soon ran out of paws and toes to clean. Sensing that the gig was over, Moonbeak laid lovingly caressed her lover’s broad chest with her now cleaned paws. She was purring like the world’s happiest cat right then. She even managed to hold his face in between her paws. “Pet, that was amazing…” she whispered breathlessly. “I never knew that could feel so good!”

She glanced down from her vantage point on the couch and saw his raging erection. “What do we have here?” She asked quietly. “I think it’s only fair that your Mistress should pleasure her pet like I have been pleasured, hmm?” The question, however, was a rhetorical one. She lowered her left paw to his member and rubbed the inside part of it up and down its whole length, painfully slowly.

Brightstar couldn’t believe what he was being treated to! He was sure he had died and gone to paw worshipping heaven. He was convinced of this when Moonbeak brought her other paw into play and she wrapped them around her stallion’s throbbing member. The sharp tipped claws dug in slightly and applied just the right amount of pressure. The moment the paws seized him, his cock twitched between them, leaking a copious amount of pre down onto her paws. “Ugh, pet, you got them messy again!” She observed, not actually annoyed about the prospect of another cleaning.

Moonbeak, while she clearly didn’t know what she was doing or how to do what she was about to do, she hesitated slightly before slowly moving them up and down. The pads supplied a good amount of traction, tugging at the skin of his cock. The moment she began to move her paws, he let out a groan of pleasure and leant back as Moonbeak rubbed him slowly.

After a few moments of this, the heavily pregnant griffon grew in confidence, slowly picking up the pace as the soles of her paws became lubed up from the pre leaking from the head of her fiancé’s swollen cock. Though she was new to this, she learnt quickly, judging by the pleasured moans the unicorn was making. Moonbeak jerkily caressed his member with her paws, experimenting with different amounts of pressure and speed.

Not ten minutes later, and Moonbeak’s paws were moving at a blinding pace, alternating from a death squeeze to light pressure to going fast to moving slowly. She dearly wished she had her camera to hand so she could record the beautiful faces her lover was making.

Alas, the faster ad firmer she masturbated his stallionhood, the closer he found himself to his much-needed climax. “Mistress…Mistress please,” he whimpered, right on the edge, “please may I cum?”

“Hmm…” for a moment, she was tempted to tease him and edge him for a little while, to see him beg and beg time after time to cum only to have her deny him and stop until he calmed down, only to repeat this over and over again. She wanted to. But, given she wasn’t used to this, her thighs and calves were aching. She wanted to stop and by the looks of it he couldn’t hold it if his life depended on it.

“Mistress pleeeeease!” he begged once more, the tip of his cock flaring dangerously with each motion of her paws over it. He was so close! So very close!

“Who do you love, pet?” she asked, tightening her grip just a little.

“Y-You Mistress!”

“Who do you worship and adore?” she sped up, putting one last effort into her paw-job.

“You Mistress!”

“Show me. Cum for me, pet. Cum now!” she ordered, using her clawed hands to dig into the couch and provide leverage as she moved her paws ever faster till they were a blur of grey fur.

Brightstar was only too happy to oblige. “GAAaaaaAAAAAAH Thaaaaaank yoooou Mistreeeeess!” he called out, his cock flaring as a torrent of semen erupted from him. The first spurt landed directly on Moonbeak’s swollen belly. Seeing this, and not wanting a shot in the eye, she hastily pressed her left paw over the flared cock head. Casually, she had her other paw resting against his balls.

He shuddered through his climax as rope after rope of sticky white cum landed all over her paws. He came so much it obscured the grey fur. Idiotically he thought it reminded him of icing a cake, especially the left one that was curled protectively over his ejaculating member.

Once the semen volcano had died away, Moonbeak released her pet’s softening shaft from between her paws. Curiously, she held them up in the air, a mere inch away from his face. Smiling a very sly smile, she separated the toes to show off the thick strands of white cum that connected them and dripped between them.

“You got my paws dirty, pet.” she said with a wink. “Be a good colt and clean up your mess.”

Chapter 8 - Zephyr

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“I want pickled herring and I want it now!”

Situated in the living room of their large treehouse, Brightstar simply rolled his yellow eyes at his fiancé’s demand. Especially as he had spent the last hour and a half of his Friday evening since Athena had been put to bed magically massaging her swollen paws. Not that he minded that bit. “Coming right up, my love,” he snickered before trotting through to the kitchen where a whole host of exotic 'things' were waiting in case they were called upon. “You have some strange cravings, Moony.”

“Not me!” Moonbeak protested, though she didn’t protest much. Laid out on the couch, the beach ball smuggler wiggled her toes, wanting her massager back. “It is the kitten that demands these things!”

“Riiiiiight...” Brightstar said from the kitchen – the safety of the kitchen – and moments later he came back into the living room carrying a plate full of the pickled fish. He honestly didn’t know which was more intensive, the months’ worth of police academy training he had been doing or the months’ worth of looking after his heavily pregnant partner and her cravings. He knew which he preferred though. “And was it the kitten's fault you ate coal last week?”

Moonbeak blinked as she watched the plate get closer with hungry emerald green eyes. “It wasn't coal, it was bituminous, there is a difference.”

‘Whether there’s a difference or not,’ Brightstar thought with a grin, ‘You were certainly chowing down on the soft black stuff like it was going out of fashion…’ the royal blue unicorn chuckled as he bowed and served the plate directly on her very round belly, her love for the coal had led to him calling her a boiler, an extremely short-lived nickname ended with sharp claws around his balls and a threat of castration. “I assume you'd like your paws attended to again, my lady?”

No sooner had the plate touched her belly than Moonbeak selected a herring and popped it in her mouth. One snap of her sharp beak later and it was gone, dispatched with the ruthless efficiency of a deadly predator, of pickled herring and coal, at any rate. “Maybe you could whisper to the kitten that it is time to go?” she asked, casually popping in another herring.

“I'd be honoured to service my lady!” Brightstar declared, though not too loudly, he didn’t want to wake Athena up and her room wasn’t very far away. He got down on his knees between her legs on the hardwood floor, his head disappearing below her belly. “Not that I'm complaining about the coal, at least it was better than the durian fruit the week before that…”

Spreading her ‘well-padded’ grey furred legs wide, Moonbeak banished her living room with a closing of her eyes. She had learnt, being with her pony, that there were things a mouth with lips could do that a beak just couldn’t hope to match. Gone was her widescreen TV, stereo system and library’s worth of books on the shelves. “Not my fault this kitten has unusual tastes. Maybe from somepony that whispers to her, hmm?”

Faced with fiancé’s perfect pussy inches from his muzzle, Brightstar chuckled. He could look at that sight for hours. “Not that I’m complaining, Mistress.” He exhaled, breathing out a long breath all up the centre of her slit. He absolutely adored the way her clit got hard almost straightaway. Getting to work, he kissed his way all around her labia then, after a moment’s teasing, went in full snout first, sticking his tongue out and swirling it around her moist muscular walls.

“Mmmm, yessss,” Moonbeak purred like an overgrown kitten the instant her lover’s muzzle made contact with her snatch. “You do sooooo well, mmmmmy speaker to kittens…”

“MmmMMM!” Brightstar tried his best to agree with her, alas his mouth was full of griffon vagina, his lips playing over and toying with hers. Again, not that he was complaining. He loved the way it got all slick and wet with just a couple of well-placed licks.

“MmMmmmMMPH!” he murmured, trapped in heaven between Moonbeak’s thighs as he licked as far in as he could reach, swirling his tongue all around the wet interior, tasting the sweet musky scent of her obvious arousal. While he was doing that, he used his magic to again massage the pads of her paws which were now resting on his back.

The effects of using his magic so close to his lover’s pussy while he was eating her out – doing a world class job of it too, if he was being honest – had a most desirable effect. The tingling aura from his horn excited her hard throbbing clit enough to tip her over the edge of her rising orgasm.

Seconds later, still licking his way up and down the roof of her sopping wet tunnel, slurping up her squirted cum, Brightstar was treated to something he hadn’t ever experienced before. One moment he was determined to bring her to a second climax, the very next, ‘something’ splashed all over his face. Something that tasted rather like Gater-aid with a touch of fetal urine thrown in for good measure. Lost in the throes of her pleasure, Moonbeak did not notice the sack break, but Brightstar did, as she had never squirted that much, ever. “What in Luna's name? Mistress, you've never ever squirted that much!” he announced as he came up covered in the fluids that were dripping from his jaw.

Now, confronted by the visual clue, Moonbeak understood what was happening. Finally! “Call momma, it is time. At least you will be evicted!” she had a giggle in her voice as she gently rubbed her belly with a clawed hand. It was about time, too, this kitten had seemed determined to take up residence inside her until it left school.

“Y-You got i-it…I’m on it!” Brightstar was surprisingly more calm than he thought he would be under the present circumstances, though of course he knew it would be here at some point. Part of his brain put his lack of panic down to his solid month of intense police training as he concentrated his magic and levitated his phone over from the coffee table. “What do you need me to do?”

“Get ready to catch if momma is slow getting here,” Moonbeak supplied helpfully while her pony dialed her mother’s number.

“Sure, I can play catcher,” Brightstar chuckled and rubbed her belly with his hoof while he waited for Astraea to pick up. As usual, his ‘momma’ was not fast in answering. She was the same with the door. “Are you comfortable, my love?”

“Hello,” Astraea answered her phone on the seventh ring, having just paused her favourite soap opera she was watching in her retirement condo. “Is this the pony?”

“Yes momma,” Brightstar answered with an eye roll in his voice that he knew his momma could detect. They had been known to hold whole conversations with each other just with varying degrees of eye roll. It was a skill. “This is your emergency rations calling. I’m letting you know, Moony's finally evicting her stowaway.”

That changed everything. “Oh, well, let me put my pony gravy back in the freezer and I'll be right over!” she joked, knowing full well her new favourite pony had just rolled his eyes at her down the phone. She liked him, for a pony he made a damn fine griffon, and there was no higher praise than that. “How long since her water broke?”

“About five minutes, momma.”

“Okay, I'll get ice cream on the way. You make me some tea.”

When Astraea hung up, Brightstar levitated his phone back to the coffee table out of the way. “Well then, I have my orders from momma. Tea. You want anything, love?”

Quietly, Moonbeak passed him back the now half full plate of pickled herrings. “Tea would be good, but...” she pulled a very pained face as a contraction rocked her body. “Nnnugggg! Aaaaaah, aaAAAH! For after…”

Like a good waiter, Brightstar took the plate in his yellow magical aura. “At least the smell of durian fruit has finally gone, so momma will at last come inside the house…” he left that hanging in the air and he trotted on through to the kitchen to make the tea while his fiancé blew him a rather long and loud raspberry.

Fifteen minutes later – the old griffon must have flown all the way at full tilt from her condo to the treehouse to make it here so quickly - Astraea let herself in and, immediately she placed the gallon tub of ice cream in the freezer. She was pleased to see the pony making her tea just the way she liked it to be made. “Where is Athena?”

Brightstar looked up from his tea-making duties, stirring in the milk clockwise as he stirred the water counter-clockwise, he knew his momma was particular in that regard. It was best not to argue, especially with one who possessed sharp claws. “She’s asleep in bed momma, dreaming of the Billy Goats Gruff, I think.”

“I'll go check on Moony, please bring my tea. We can let Athena sleep until it is closer.”

“You got it, momma.” Once the tea was finally made, brewed and stewed properly, Brightstar carried it and one for his partner through to the treehouse’s living room on a tray held in his magic. “How are you doing, love?”

Astraea answered first before her daughter had the chance. She had given her heaving, sweating child a hardwood block of 4x4 to claw, though he was sure he didn't see her bring it in. “Still not left yet,” she reported from her position on the floor between Moonbeak’s legs. “Looks good, I think an hour or two at the most.”

“Is that good? Um, normal?” Brightstar asked as he settled in beside Moonbeak on the couch. “Can I do anything, something?” he asked, trying very hard to not feel like the proverbial third wheel. He wanted to help in some way, any way, there had to be something he could do.

Astraea let out a bright little giggle, sounding a lot like a griffon of twenty rather than not far away from sixty. “I'd say hold her claw but, we all know pony flesh is soft.”

Moonbeak interrupted her mother via the well-timed use of eye roll number two. “Be here, Brightstar, please, it is enough.” All she wanted was her future husband with her. She was stronger with him there with her and after several months with him in her life, she no longer hated to admit the fact. He was her pony and she loved him with all her heart.

Brightstar held out his hoof. Yes, pony flesh was soft, but there were ways and means around that. Grinning, he lit his horn and he cast a medium strength shield spell upon his foreleg. While he was already proficient in his general shield magic, he had learnt and perfected the localised shield spell, designed to protect just a certain body part rather than the whole body, from his FPD training. “I'm here for you, my love. Always.”

Immediately, and without waiting for a second invitation, Moonbeak dropped the lump of hardwood and took a rough hold of her young lover’s hoof. “I love you.” And she did, too. As she gripped his foreleg hard, a grip that would’ve rended flesh from bone were it not for the protective shield flaring to protect him, she had never felt such love for him.

“AaaaAAAAaaAAAaaaAAAAAAAH!” she let out a piercing scream as an extremely painful contraction wracked her body. Again, she clawed Brightstar’s foreleg. Again, his shield saved him from harm. As she panted and breathed through the intense pain, Moonbeak felt vindicated in her choice to have a relationship with the young stallion. Her friends from the photoshoot had all said that the unicorn, who happened to be sixteen years her junior, wouldn’t stick around, that he was good for a fumble but nothing else.

She though had known different. Yes nineteen was young, but in every which way that mattered he was so very mature. She knew that was more than likely due to his mother’s insanity and commitment to the Canterlot Asylum and having to care for his sister.

“I love you too, Moonbeak.” She knew when he said that he would never leave her side, that he would always be there for her and her family. Their family. Her pony was more of a griffon than most griffons she knew way back in her homeland.

~ ~ ~

“AAaaaaaAAAGGGHhhhhh!”

“You're doing great, Moony, now, steady breathing. In, out, just like we practised.” Astraea, eminently calm in between her daughter’s grey furred legs, advised her sweating child as she drank her second tea of the evening. The old griffon thanked Stormclaw’s sainted talon that the kitten had waited ‘till a Friday night to arrive, though she knew Brightstar would’ve come home from the academy at any time.

"H-How’s it going now?" Moonbeak managed to gasp out as the pain of the contraction faded away.

“You are five and a bit centimetres dilated, doing brilliantly.”

“Five? Still?” She didn’t hear the ‘and a bit’ part. “I was five an hour ago!” Sweat poured down the white feathers on her forehead, soaking them slick to her head.

Brightstar, sat beside his pained fiancé, had to strengthen the shield spell he had cast upon his foreleg. Thirty minutes ago he had to upgrade it from medium to strong. Just in case, as he held her clawed hand. ‘Hold’ was generous. She was clawing him with each contraction, as she had been since the labour began. “You’re doing great, love, just brea…”

Moonbeak shot him a stare that was vicious enough to shut him up, “you tell me to ‘breathe’ one more time and I'll eat your face!”

Any further comment was silenced as his yellow eyes went wide, another contraction was coming, he could tell by the way she panted. They were only a few minutes apart now, the pain from one rolling into another, each one more intense than the one before it. Moonbeak panted as she was shown, performing the exercise that supposedly lessened the pain by breathing through it.

“Huh, huh, huh,” she clamped her hand down on Brightstar’s foreleg, his shield glowing yellow from the strain of warding against the impact, causing the royal blue unicorn to wince as the contraction peaked. “Hu, ho, HO HOLY STOOOOORMCLAAAAAAAGGGH!” For good measure he lit his horn and added another layer to his shield. Just in case.

Moonbeak slumped back into the sweat covered couch, she was exhausted, she wanted to sleep. Most of all she wanted this torture to be over. She had of course been through all this before with Athena, but that felt like a whole lifetime ago now. At least the three hours she had been in labour this time was better than the eleven she had experienced before.

“AAAAAaaaaaaggGGGgghhHHH!” Moonbeak threw her head back and screamed, feeling the muscles around her cervix straining to push. She lashed out with her claw, seizing her lover by the collar he always wore when he was at home from the academy, dragging his face to within an inch of her own. “Get this kitten out of me NOW!”

Astraea came to his rescue, thankfully, by holding up her empty tea cup and silently asking for a refill. Extremely quickly indeed, so fast one would’ve thought he teleported, the unicorn was up, cup in hoof, and gone to the kitchen to prepare the tea.

“Here's your third tea, momma!” Brightstar announced minutes later as he walked back into the living room with said tea held in his yellow aura. Thankfully, when he got back on the couch and held Moonbeak’s claw, she didn’t seem quite as ‘on edge’ as before he left. He suspected the ever-serene Astraea may have had a claw in her daughter’s change. “How's the eviction going?”

“Didn't read the notice!” Moonbeak half whined, half moaned with the pain of yet another contraction while Astraea just giggled and confirmed the unicorn’s suspicion by giving him a knowing wink.

“Just waiting for the door to open.”

Rather grateful that his lover no longer desired to eat his face, Brightstar chuckled and squeezed her talons, to which she instantly responded by grinding them against his shielded foreleg. ‘If nothing else,’ he thought with a wry grin, ‘my shield’s getting some training…’ “How are you doing, my love?” he asked tentatively, lest her mood swing once more.

“Clawing your hoof is most enjoyable, but it does prove you may be too tough to eat.” Moonbeak, who was properly put in her place by her momma while her lover was in the kitchen with the tea, demonstrated this toughness by further clawing said hoof as another contraction rippled through her. Astraea simply giggled some more.

Almost as a reminder, Brightstar reinforced the shield with yet another layer, just to be safe. He liked his right forehoof, it did all his favourite things. “Sugarcoat said I needed to practice my shield, I don't think this is what she had in mind, though…”

Before he could continue with that thought though, however, Astraea interrupted him with a click of her claws. Her daughter was at last seven centimetres, adequately dilated. It wouldn’t be long now until the kitten was here with them. “Please get Athena, she needs to see this. Quick now!”

“Yes momma,” as Moonbeak let out a rather triumphant “Finally!” Brightstar lit his horn and the unicorn teleported from the living room to Athena's bedroom with a flash of yellow magic and a loud crack, leaving behind an ozone smell in the air. Once he was in the bedroom and had his bearings, he walked over to the little kitten’s bed and gently nudged her awake. “Hey sweetie, it’s time to get up.”

Athena rolled over with a snort through her nose, “I no wanna…”

Brightstar could understand her point of view. It was late in the day, pushing eleven p.m. Athena never usually saw this eleven of the clock. Still, this was an occasion she needed to see. “C'mon,” smiling, he lit his horn once more and lifted her up in his magic. “The kitten's coming, you wanna come see?”

That got Athena’s attention. The sleepy kitten blinked a few times and then she held out her tiny grasping claws. They might’ve been tiny, but they were no less sharp than her mother’s and grandmother’s. Nodding, Brightstar floated her over to him and he rested her on his back and he trotted back into the treehouse's living room. “Here we come! Athena delivery!

Astraea held her claws out for her granddaughter Athena and Brightstar trotted over to the old griffon. “Here you go, momma.” Once she had taken Athena from his back, he went back over to the couch so he could hold his fiancé’s clawed hand.

“Help Moony get up on all fours, please pony.”

Moonbeak, on her back, grumbled, “I hate this part!”

As Moonbeak begrudgingly and slowly rolled over onto her side, Brightstar wondered that if she hated this particular part, then it must be really bad given her mood during the rest of the labour. He decided to do as his momma suggested. “I got you, my love.” He lit his horn and he used a very careful levitation to set Moonbeak up on her claws and paws on the couch.

Now situated behind her daughter, Astraea pulled Athena close to her, pointing out to her the relevant parts of her mother’s anatomy. “Your sibling will come out of that big hole in your momma, and we're going to catch 'em.”

Athena was watching with rapt attention, looking where her grandmother was pointing. “’Der?”

“Yes, ‘Thena.”

“Dat hurt?”

“Yes, but the pain goes away when you see the kitten, just like when your momma saw you.”

At the top end of his sweating, heaving partner, Brightstar couldn’t help but snigger. “I wouldn't have called you a ‘big hole’, sweetie,” he said, gently stroking the pure white feathers at the back of Moonbeak's head.

This time, when Moonbeak screamed with the force of the contraction, it was more of a squawk than a scream. Brightstar had never heard anything like it, even having spent the year in Griffonstone. “I…HNNNG! I-I just can't wait…aaaAAAAH! To get that view of Athena…”

Astraea giggled from behind her daughter. She could see she was so very close now, by the way her vagina was wide open like it was. “I only hope I'm here to watch you enjoy this view, Moony.”

“I’m sure you will be, momma.” Brightstar commented. He was absolutely sure the old griffon would live forever. He lovingly stroked Moonbeak’s arm and her feathers. “You’re nearly there, sweetie, not long now.” Not by the anticipation all over Astraea and Athena’s faces, anyway.

Moments later, Athena pointed a clawed hand, her tiny talon aimed straight at her mother’s crotch. The anticipation on her face was replaced by awe. “Look!”

Astraea looked, and she saw what had her granddaughter. She could see the head of the forthcoming kitten. Around all the bodily fluids she could see its feathers were sandy brown, very reminiscent of Goldcrest. “I see the head, Moony! Breath, push, breath push, come on now, not much more to go.”

“Grrr! You do it, then!” Moonbeak growled, her former mood coming back.

Entirely unruffled, Astraea snickered, “You said that last time, too.”

“Were you that difficult then, too, love?” Brightstar asked, very glad that right then she was too busy supporting her weight and occupied with the business of giving birth to take a swipe at him with her sharp talons.

“Momma's right, after Athena was born I for...” Moonbeak trailed off to silence then, a second later, she clenched her green eyes shut tight. “Unnnnnggggggg aaaAAAAAAAAAH! I forgot about this pain...”

Helpfully, or in an attempt to be helpful, Brightstar went back to caressing her sweat covered neck feathers. “Going good, the head is out, just a bit more Moony.” Astraea reported with a happy sound in her voice. Obligingly, Moonbeak performed the biggest push yet, which just coincided with the loudest screech she had ever made in her life. “Got 'em!” her mother crowed, “Okay, tis male, now let me tie the cord.”

Brightstar was beside himself. And, not just with relief that the squawking and the screaming might at last be all over with. “You did so well, love! We have a colt!” He was aware, as he kissed her cheek, that it was technically a kitten, but he didn’t care. His panting fiancé had just given birth, and he was there!

Astraea saw Moonbeak try to move and rested her free claw on her ass. “Just keep her there ‘till the afterbirth, pony.” She then turned her attention to the bundle of sandy brown feathers and darker brown fur she held in her arms. “Now, squawk for me little one…” she very carefully scratched his tiny lower leg – nowhere near enough to draw blood – and she was rewarded with a very shrill cry. “He is going to be a claw full!”

Brightstar caught the triumphant, almost gloating tone in his momma’s voice, what he could make out of it around the loud high pitched cry. He was in no doubt she was right. He also didn’t care about that. He was busy kissing Moonbeak's cheek and all around her head. He was a dad! “I mean um, we have a kitten, sorry.”

With the newborn kitten held securely in her arm, Astraea placed a frying pan right under Moonbeak's swishing leonine tail. The old griffon turned to face the questioning look of her puzzled granddaughter. “Here, help me hold your brother.”

Athena beamed a wide happy smile, proud to be given such a grown up job of helping her nanna. “’Kay, I help!”

“Zephyr,” Moonbeak almost whispered into the back of the couch, “I'll name him Zephyr.”

Astraea adjusted her aim on the frying pan. “Is a good name.” In her heart she knew that Goldcrest would’ve approved. Not just of the name, but of the pony that had come into hers and her daughter’s lives.

Brightstar, as he had witnessed his first birth and all that went along with that, was practically moved to tears by his partner’s side. It was just starting to sink in that he would be the daddy and father to a second kitten. “Good name, my love,” he said supportively.

“Th-Th-Thaaaankkkk UNNAANAAGGGG!” Moonbeak screeched and then, quite suddenly, a rather sickening wet splat heralded the arrival of the afterbirth into the frying pan, which Astraea held like a catcher’s mitt.

Athena, frankly, was more stunned by this arrival than she was by the birth of her brother. She wondered what else was going to plop out of her mother. “Wat dat?” she asked curiously, pointing to the reddest thing she had ever seen in her young life quivering like jelly in the pan.

“Snack,” her grandmother answered quickly.

“Yay!” Suddenly, as she clapped her small claws together, Athena wasn’t bothered about what it was now she knew she could eat it.

“Get her cleaned up and I'll fix this and you can join us in the kitchen.” Astraea spoke to Brightstar when she saw Moonbeak’s inner thighs and legs were covered in various bodily fluids that had no place at a kitchen table – or any table, really. “Be quick though, this little one will be hungry soon.”

“I'm on it, momma.” Brightstar was just pleased, as he kissed his lover’s cheek, that Zephyr for the moment seemed content to nestle in Astraea’s arm, purring to show how at peace he was. “Come on, I'll fix you a quick bath…”

“Just a shower and a scrub.” Moonbeak cut across him, she was suddenly very aware of how bad she smelled. “You scrub, I get wet.”

“As you wish, my lady.” Corrected, the royal blue unicorn proceeded to lead the way through from the living room to the treehouse's bathroom and, once there, he turned the temperature of the power shower to just lower than Tartarus as he knew Moonbeak liked it. It wasn’t to his taste, but thankfully for once he wasn’t the one being boiled like a lobster.

“Go easy back there, it is a bit sore.” There was a gentle pleading tone in Moonbeak’s usually dominant voice which Brightstar admittedly wasn’t accustomed to hearing as he turned the shower on. Even her normally shrill voice was softer and more delicate. He put this down to the birth and wisely elected to not say anything about it.

“I got it, love.” Brightstar smiled and, while the tired griffon luxuriated in the hot steamy water splashing off of her feathers and her fur, the dutiful stallion used his magic to take down his Canterlot rose scented shampoo from the shelf that was groaning under the weight of all the lotions and potions.

Once he had covered a sponge with the scented shampoo, he started at her lower legs and worked his way up, slowly and carefully washing away the sticky smelly fluids that clung to her grey fur. “You did good, Moony.”

“Now the next fun part,” Moonbeak sighed in the hot water, so very glad that her lover knew his way around a sponge. She knew he was worth keeping! She parted her legs to give him better access back there, bracing herself for any pain that might come. True to form though, there was none. He was as careful as could be. “A beak on my teats…”

“You'll be fine, Moony,” Brightstar put on his best reassuring voice as he brought the sponge up to carefully wash all around her crotch. Her cleansed fluids stained the bathtub for a moment until they were washed away down the drain. “I'll help, as much as I can, not with feeding, obviously...um...” realising he was going nowhere with that, he went quiet and washed.

“Being fed, you mean?” Moonbeak asked with a giggle in her voice. She sounded a lot like herself, thanks in no small part to the hot water, the rose scented shampoo and her gentle fiancé washing her. “Momma should have the placenta ready by now, you going to join in?”

Brightstar nodded solemnly. “I shall await my turn on your glorious teats, Mistress!” he declared as he magically turned off the shower while at the same time he reached a hoof for an extremely fluffy towel. “And yes, I'll join in. Placenta is possibly the one thing I didn't try while I was in Griffonstone.”

“It is a personal family thing.” Moonbeak explained as she took a step out of the bathtub and kissed Brightstar’s lips. “You are family now, to Athena, to me and to momma.”

Brightstar blushed heavily as he dried Moonbeak off as carefully as he had washed her. “Aah, um...um, th-thank you…”

“Is good,” Moonbeak found the blush her stallion wore all over his cheeks to be thoroughly adorable. Then again, he had earned what she had just said, hadn’t he? Over the past several months he had been there for her, he’d been to every hospital scan, he’d stood by her, he’d been a daddy to Athena and a loyal committed partner to her. “I thank you, pony.”

“You're welcome,” he smiled as he placed the towel back on the heated rail. “Do you need help getting out?”

“You offering pony back rides?”

“I am indeed Mistress, for my wife-to-be.”

“You are silly at times, but I will take your offer.” With a bright little giggle, Moonbeak carefully climbed up onto Brightstar’s strong young back and she nuzzled the base of his horn, just where she knew he liked it. “Onwards, my faithful steed!”

“Mmmm! Mo-Moony!” Brightstar whimpered, his horn glowing a bright yellow thanks to the well-placed nuzzle. Mercifully, she refrained from doing anything else right then and there and as such he was able to trot on out of the bathroom to the kitchen.

Astraea heard the clopping of hooves against the hardwood floor of the treehouse. It was perfect timing, seeing as she had just finished lightly frying the placenta and had cut it up so that there were three portions for them. “Just in time. Eat up and regain your strength, child.”

“The pony will have some, too, momma.” Moonbeak announced, taking her seat next to Athena at the kitchen table.

Astraea simply looked at Brightstar, her eyes blinking once then twice. It was a big thing, what her daughter was offering. Nonetheless she approved. He nodded as he too sat next to his partner. “I will have some, if you please, momma.”

With a nod of her head, Astraea cut slices from hers and Moonbeak’s portions and set them on a fourth plate for the unicorn to eat. Zephyr, for the moment, was curled up and snoozing in a little basket. “Let us celebrate this beautiful life.” None of them, once that had been said, used utensils, instead they dived in beak first.

“A new life born under Luna's divine moon.” Brightstar added and, like the others at the table, he went in muzzle first to eat the placenta.

“Okay, here is Zephyr!” Astraea said once the honoured meal was completed. The old griffon carefully lifted the snoozing kitten from the basket and passed him to her daughter to hold for the first time. “You curl up and give him a good feed, I'll go change the covers on the couch cushions.”

“He's a proper little smasher, Moony. He's got your feathers.” Brightstar smiled, “Want some support while you feed?”

“I would welcome that.” Moonbeak nestled down on a pile of old cushions and bean bags that her mother had arranged for her as a feeding station of sorts, the tired but happy griffon unable to keep the smile from her beak. “Come over here, too, Athena.” She called to her kitten who walked over to her. “You like your new brother?”

“Yeah momma!” the little kitten beamed, bouncing up and down with joy as she clapped her claws together. Moonbeak placed Zephyr on her teat, the newborn kitten instinctively began to suckle from his mother’s milk filled teat as Brightstar arranged himself so that he was the cushion for Moonbeak to lean on as she nursed.

~ ~ ~

Brightstar was tired. No, actually, scratch that. Brightstar was exhausted, worn out, weary, bushed, whacked and a whole load of other synonyms that meant knackered. The royal blue unicorn had just spent the whole of the last week at the police academy intensive assault course complex up in north Fillydelphia.

Able to simulate almost any scenario imaginable from terrorists in control of an airship dock to a full on street riot, Brightstar had spent the last two days running a sewer assault course. It had been sheer Tartarus, Olive Branch and Sour Sweet had made sure of that.

Now, as he rounded the corner onto the street where he lived with Moonbeak and their two kittens, he was only vaguely aware it was seven thirty in the evening. He knew it was Friday though, only because he was at last allowed home for the weekend. That in itself was an issue as Sunny Flare had assured him and all the other recruits that the next week would be worse.

Doubly so for him, because Brightstar wasn’t just a police recruit. His A+ results thus far during his intensive training had marked him out as a possibility to join the elite Shadowbolts, the team that got the really dangerous assignments. So, here he was, stumble-down tired as he approached the base of the expansive treehouse. Looking up he noticed all the lights but one were turned off, namely the living room. That probably meant he had missed dinner. Then again, it was seven thirty. Couldn’t expect his family to not eat just because of him.

Lighting his horn, he began to charge up his magic, igniting it in a bright yellow mini corona as he concentrated precisely on the treehouse, specifically the small circular area in the entrance hall reserved for teleportation, brought the image to his mind’s eye and imagined himself occupying that exact spot in space. Channelling his raw power he thought of the words of activation for the spell and the familiar sensation of being squeezed through a narrow pipe overcame the unicorn as he disappeared from the spot at the base of the largest oak tree with a bright flash of yellow light, leaving behind him a slight smell of ozone in the air.

A split second later, there was a loud crack flash of bright yellow magic, followed by an ozone smell in the air. Brightstar opened his eyes and found himself in the wide white teleportation circle in the entrance hall of the treehouse. It was a safe space. Nobody and nothing ever went in the circle. The smell of ozone was very closely followed by the smell that closely resembled Zephyr's day old nappy.

It was him. Now in the confines of a house, he could smell, well, himself. It was disgusting. “Uuuuuugh...” the tired unicorn slouched in from the entrance hallway. His EVERYTHING was filthy dirty. His royal blue fur was matted and caked in what he hoped was just mud, though he couldn’t be sure. His police uniform and his hooves were muddied up, each step he took towards the living room leaving a perfect hoofprint behind him on the wooden floor. “Hey...”

Moonbeak, who had, up until this point been enjoying watching Athena play with her new duplo building blocks – she had progressed from simple blocks - while a sleepy Zephyr idly suckled from her teat on the couch, suddenly squawked when the ungodly stench of the new arrival hit her nostrils. “Stop right there!”

“Huh?” Brightstar staggered to a stop, on the threshold of the living room, with a little swaying in the process. Honestly, he could sleep right where he was. That’d be okay, right? Instead, he asked, “Um, what?”

An exasperated Moonbeak rubbed a clawed hand up and down her beak, for good measure she breathed through her mouth. “I'm having a flashback, and you've just made me smile. Now, step back out the door, and strip off that uniform and toss it over the railing.”

Right then and there, Brightstar didn’t care what flashback he may or may not have triggered. He was dead on his hooves. “Love, I just really want a shower...” Any protestations however, especially the whine in his voice, were silenced almost immediately at the look on Moonbeak's face. “Fine,” he accepted defeat and dropped his saddlebags at the door. “Oh, I remembered those 'things' you wanted me to pick up.”

Moonbeak knew that the ‘things’ that her filthy lover was referring to were a new little duplo set for Athena and a cuttlefish beak sharpener for Zephyr, not that he needed it, and she blew him a kiss as he went back outside. When he was gone, she waved Athena over and whispered in her ear.

“Melly?” she asked and, when her mother nodded, the little kitten giggled, knowing what she had in mind. “’Kay, momma!” That agreed, Moonbeak moved a sleepy Zephyr to the centre of her back. Full of milk, his little claws dug reflexively into her back. With Athena walking by her side, Moonbeak went to the front door to see if her pony had done as she asked.

In the darkening outside, Brightstar had obediently stripped off his dirty police uniform and threw it over the railing. There it hung like a particularly smelly flag. He was about to come back inside when Moonbeak held up a claw so as to keep him at his distance. “Oh no, you don’t!” She declared as Athena, now a giggling ball of brown fur, ran off into the house. “Don't you remember last time you came home filthy?”

Brightstar shrugged helplessly. “Honestly? No, I can only just remember my name...” Just then, however, a giggling Athena came running back beside her mother, only this time she had a little something tucked under her wing. That something being the toilet bowl brush. The unicorn saw the brush and he immediately knew what was going to fill his short term future. “Aah, I see. I am to be cleaned out here again, aren’t I?”

Moonbeak nodded solemnly, somehow not breaking character even though Athena was giggling maniacally like a cheap B-movie villain. “Okay, Athena, fly to my back. You, smelly colt, go stand by the van.” Taking the toilet brush handle in her beak and, with a lot of effort and determination, the little kitten flew up to land behind Zephyr on her mother’s back.

For a moment, Brightstar was on the point of refusing. He’d had a Tartarus of a week and all he wanted was a shower. Still, the part of him that wasn’t dog tired saw his family and the week with them he had missed. So it was that he made a half-assed grumpy face and ignited his horn. Taking a step back to ensure no-one's too close – he didn’t want to risk a splinching – he teleported back down with a bright yellow flash of magic.

‘Stormclaw, I love him!’ Moonbeak thought as she flew down to her studio door in the base of her home. She appreciated, as Athena hopped off and sat looking at Brightstar with a smile, that he was exhausted and he was playing along. Moonbeak soon emerged from her studio carrying the hosepipe in her claw.

Brightstar gulped. How did one manage to make a hosepipe look threatening? Moonbeak did. “I think you're even dirtier today then you were then. That time you just mopped up the place with your fur. Now it looks like you rolled around in a garbage dumpster.”

The unicorn was amazed, mostly because, surprisingly enough, he had done exactly that in the evasion training during the week. “Not my fault!” Brightstar protested, “Sour Sweet was an absolute bi...” he caught himself just in time as he caught the glare from his fiancé and the innocent look from Athena, “I mean, mean pony, on the assault course! And we had to shoot at targets too!”

Sour Sweet – and the rest of the Shadowbolts, for that matter – had been utter bitches during the training week. Though not all of them had been present at the same time all week as they all had their own undercover assignments, Wednesday they were. Wednesday had been torture. Because he had the highest test scores of all the recruits and was marked as a potential Shadowbolt, they went to town on him. By the end of Wednesday, even Indigo Zap respected him.

“At least you're not covered in cum this time, my pony.” Moonbeak snickered and she waited until Brightstar stuck his tongue out at her to turn on the hose. The very cold, cold hose. As soon as the water erupted from it, Athena laughed and rushed in, getting wet as she began scrub her daddy’s hooves with the toilet brush.

Brightstar only had a second to process this however, before the cold water splashed over his filthy coat. “Gaaaaaah!” he squealed like a colt, “it's cooooold!” The unicorn made a playful attempt at squirming away, more for Athena’s benefit than any serious attempt at escape. The moment the devious little kitten got his muddied hooves with the brush, he was laughing like a mad pony. “Hahahahahaaaaa! Tickly!”

Moonbeak was wielding the hose like it was a deadly weapon. She had a good aim with it too. Once her pony was sopping wet, she went in after him with a long handled bath brush. She soon proved to be as deadly with the brush as she was with the hose.

It was then that she unleashed her deadliest attack yet. “Scrub the tummy, Athena!”

Athena, sadistic bundle of brown feathers when she was holding a brush, made sure she had all four of her daddy’s hooves cleaned before she attacked the giggling unicorn’s belly and sheath area. Brightstar lost it. “Aaaaah n-noooo!” he begged pointlessly under the kitten’s assault, “no-not the bee-he-heeeee-lly!”

It wasn’t very long at all that he was writhing and squirming on the grass by the treehouse, his belly exposed, completely helpless under the furious assault of a one and a bit year old armed with a brush. While he giggled and tried to get away from his tiny tormentor – an act alone that spurred her on to tickle him all the more – Moonbeak delicately cleaned his muzzle before giving him a very tender kiss. “I've missed you, my Star. It has been a long week.”

“I miss ouu!” Athena squeaked happily, abandoning her torture implement and jumping on Brightstar’s belly so she could nuzzle his cheek.

“I've missed my two girls, too!” Brightstar beamed, giving them both a kiss on the beak, though he spared a rather longer kiss for Moonbeak. If coming home was going to be like this, he reasoned with a smile, then being away wasn’t so bad after all, even if it was for a week.

“Athena you scrub his tail and I'll get the mane,” Moonbeak ordered, seeing that there was still pony to clean once she had finished kissing him. “After you roll back over.” Brightstar chuckled and, playing along, he rolled over, using a hoof to flick water at them both in the process. Over his shoulder he could see Athena trying to scrub his black tail, so he swished it from side to side out of her way.

Athena stood for this behaviour for all of a few moments before the little predator pounced her daddy’s tauntingly swishing tail. “Don't eat it until you clean it!” Moonbeak called out the moment she saw her kitten pounce, “I don't think daddy knows where that tail has been.”

“Aah! Oooh oouch...” Brightstar gasped while Athena giggled in her success and scrubs hard. The royal blue unicorn ceased in his tail swishing the moment he was pounced. “I've been gotten! Someone help!”

Moonbeak had precious little sympathy for her fiancé. Swish your tail in front of a griffon, you get everything you ask for, as far as she was concerned. “I will see if there is any pony left after you are clean to help,” she said dismissively.

“Not my fault!” Brightstar protested, which made Athena giggle all the harder as she scrubbed his tail clean. “We had to crawl through the assault course!” Though he protested and tried valiantly to defend his filthiness, he wasn't putting up much resistance as he was thoroughly cleaned.

“Goldie got dirty,” Moonbeak laughed as she cleaned his mane, “but he never stank like one of Luna's moon pies.”

“It was a sewer assault scenario! Through the pipes!”

“Oh yeeeeees,” Moonbeak rolled her green eyes rather noisily in her pony’s direction, “lots of criminals in the sewers, I'm sure.”

Brightstar shrugged his shoulders, unwilling to argue. “I dunno why we had to do it, Olive Branch ordered it, so we did it. I did get a perfect score though…” he offered in his defense, while Moonbeak gently and skillfully applied her claws to his back in an attempt to see if he was as tense as he sounded. It wasn’t long before she found plenty of knots between his shoulders. “Aaaaah ooh yeah I missed your claws, Moony…”

“It’s your own fault.” Moonbeak commented as she massaged the unicorn’s back in the darkening evening.

“I miss ouu dada!” Athena added, the little kitten hopped up on his back just below where her momma was working his tired muscles.

“Mmmm…” Brightstar couldn’t argue that either. He was in no doubt it was all his fault. Right now, as the sky was getting darker by the second with the eventual lowering of the sun, he was content to enjoy the dual massage that mother and daughter was giving him. Athena’s though was accidental, seeing as she was dancing on his back. “I know it is, I really missed you, kitten.”

“You hungry?” Moonbeak asked once her massage was complete.

“I’m hungry for something that's not academy food, love.”

“I'm fresh out of pony. My emergency rations went and snuck off for the week.”

Athena, still ‘helping’ her mother by dancing on Brightstar’s back, squealed, “Ish!”

As she watched her kitten playfully dig her tiny claws and all her talons in her pony’s back, Moonbeak laughed. “Yes we had fish for dinner and there is some left for you.”

Brightstar felt a teeny bit wretched at that, though it wasn’t his fault he had been away for the week. “I'm sorry I missed dinner, I did try to get back…”

Moonbeak silenced him with a taloned finger pressed to his lips. She wasn’t angry at all, in fact she knew it was necessary sometimes. “You, um, do you think you can teleport back up to the house with Athena on your back?”

“I can, my love.” Yes, Brightstar was tired and exhausted, but he knew his limits. He gauged, correctly, that he had enough magic left within him for one more teleport, especially a short range one from the ground to the treehouse fifty feet above them. “You want a magic pony ride, my little Princess?” he asked over his shoulder.

As it happened, Athena did. “Pony wide!” she squealed happily, “Pony wide!”

Though Moonbeak had a distinctly worried look on her face, she smiled, trusting Brightstar implicitly with Athena’s safety. She knew he’d sooner splinch his leg off than risk her, as it should be. “Race you, ‘Thena!” The grey griffon didn’t give any more warning. Once she had checked that Zephyr was in place, she was in the air right away.

Brightstar grinned ad lit his horn, concentrating the last of his magic for the day on this one final picture perfect teleport. It wasn’t just that he cast, he also formed a shield spell around his little girl, just as a precaution. The teleport cast, they disappeared in a flash of bright yellow light, only to reappear instantly on the spot just outside his front door where he had discarded his dirty uniform on the rail. “There!”

The royal blue unicorn, all completely dry now thanks to the teleport spell, noted he appeared before the door just a few seconds before Moonbeak and Zephyr. Dutifully he opened the door and stepped aside for her to enter first. “We win, Princess!”

Athena clapped her tiny claws together in glee at winning as her mother walked in past them and through the open plan interior of the treehouse to the kitchen. “Have a seat, Star, I'll have it out in a bit. Then you can tell me about your week.”

“Thanks love…” with a sigh, Brightstar carried Athena through to the living room – skillfully navigating an obstacle course of scattered building blocks, stuffed plushies and other played with and abandoned toys. He very nearly almost stood on a lego brick. Mercifully, as he remembered the unholy pain from last time, he just missed it and deposited his kitten on the couch. “Now, miss tickly...” he chuckled, tickling Athena's tummy with his hooves.

“Eeeeee! Heheheeeee!” Athena screeched, her little body squirming to get away from the evil hooves that were tickling her ribs and belly, “no tiky! Dada, no tiky, I wanna Baaaaall!”

“Ball?” Brightstar asked, taking pity on his victim and relenting in his vicious tickly assault. “Okay, sweetheart, here we go.” As it was only a minor low power spell he easily creates the illusionary ball for them to play with. “Have you been good for mommy?” Immediately, Athena nodded vigorously. A second later there came a well-timed cough from the kitchen. Athena nodded somewhat less vigorously.

Brightstar laughed, not surprised in the slightest. “I see. You been nearly good?” he asked playfully, rolling the ball for her to pounce. As soon as it got close to her, the little predator in the making pounced the magical ball and rolled it back. With the process of roll and pounce repeated, he noted she was getting some decent air with her pounces now. “You been practicing flying huh? Who's a clever kitten?”

“Me, me!” Athena sang, bouncing around the living room on the ball like it was a space hopper, “me, me!”

In the kitchen, Moonbeak had set the reheated fish on the table. “It is ready, and you can have some more too, Athena.”

“Ish!” And, just like that, Athena forgot all about the ball and raced for the kitchen table.

Recognising he was no match for food, Brightstar sighed and cancelled the spell, the ball evaporating away into the ether. “My love you are balm to a weary soul…” he breathed, walking over to the table far slower than his kitten and taking his seat. “Thank you.”

“I’ll sleep better tonight.” Moonbeak purred, her clawed hand stroking his mane.

“So will I, in my own bed for a change!” Brightstar grinned and, just like Athena, he divedmuzzle first into the plate of fish he had been presented with. Utensils were for ponies in Canterlot, after all. Moonbeak, who wasn't hungry, still took the opportunity to spear a few bits from his plate. Brightstar playfully snapped his jaws at her hand to ward her away. It didn’t work. “Love, this is soooo good!”

Moonbeak snickered. She had a sneaking suspicion that after a week of academy food, anything would be ‘soooo good!’ but, she had a secret ingredient. “I ah, may have used some special sauce.”

“Oh? How special?”

Now, there was a glint in Moonbeak’s green eye. “Zephyr doesn't drain me yet, love.”

“Hmmm!” Brightstar moaned, his mouth full of fish, it was rather obvious he was getting aroused by that thought and the idea that popped into his head, just by the way he shifted on his seating pad. Thankfully, Athena was too engrossed in her fish to notice. “I ah, I do love that sauce…”

Moonbeak whispered teasingly in his ear, “Maybe you'd like to sample some straight from the tap?”

“Ooh...oh yes please!” he blurted out quickly, it had after all been a week since he had had any kind of release. Moonbeak had forbidden him from pleasuring himself while he was away, on the grounds that only she could grant him his orgasm. With that in mind, he asked, “Aah, Moony, is my collar still on the nightstand?”

“Yes, it wasn't tasty enough to eat. After you're done, it is play with Athena time and bedtime story.” Playfully, Moonbeak nipped his ear just hard enough to draw a tiny bead of blood. “Then, afterwards, we can look into a ‘different’ sort of book.”

~ ~ ~

After the impromptu dinner, Moonbeak was true to her word in that they had a play time with Athena. Brightstar, in spite of how tired and worn out he felt, made the time to play ball and building blocks with the excited little kitten. She particularly loved the building a tower and charging it to knock it down game. He resolved to always, no matter how tired he was, to make time for his kittens. During the play time, Zephyr woke up, roused by his laughing and giggling sister, to make his contribution to the fun and fill his nappy. While her pony was playing, Moonbeak busied herself by changing the sewage plant in his behind. “Oh,” she said casually, “I had a photo shoot on Thursday, and Athena was very good at watching Zephyr.”

“Am!” Athena proclaimed proudly as she rolled the magical illusionary ball into the latest tower of building blocks, scattering the multi-coloured shapes in all directions, which were restacked by her daddy.

“She wanted to change Zephyr's nappy for me,” Moonbeak continued as she changed the week old kitten, “but I wouldn’t let her on the site.”

At that, Athena shook her head and, in a very good imitation of both her mum and her nan, she rolled her green eyes at what she saw as her mother’s foolishness. “Ugh, mama!”

Moonbeak giggled, for her daughter was being completely adorable. “I let her do one at home, and what mess it was!” She gave an exaggerated flourish of her claws now that Zephyr was all clean and the smell had been banished away, while Athena hid guiltily behind the ball, which had turned bright green.

“Were you just wanting to be a helpful lil' kitten, sweetie?” Brightstar asked with a laugh in his voice before magically rolling the glowing green ball away from Athena so he could see her making a valiant attempt to hide behind her wings. “I see you! Did you make a mess?”

Athena resolutely shook her head and pointed a claw at her brother, making Moonbeak laugh out loud. “True, he made it, but she certainly spread it…” she trailed off from what she was about to say next however, when Athena looked she was about to cry. She quickly and deftly rescued the situation. “”Athena will be a great big sister. She needs more practice when it is safe to do so.”

“Ooooh, I see!” Brightstar, well used to mood swings from Cyclone as well as Air Raid, not to mention his sister, chuckled and picked Athena up in his hooves, making sure to tickle her fur. “Well, your auntie Cyclone makes bigger messes in her nappy, doesn’t she? You a good kitten?”

When Athena nodded, Moonbeak silently thanked Stormclaw herself for sending her pony to her and she counted herself blessed that he was so good with their kitten. Mother ran an affectionate claw along her daughter’s cheek. “She has been a big help with you away for the week, Star.”

Athena looked happy again, smiling like a shining beacon almost instantly, while Brightstar had a bit of a blush at the reminder of being away for a full week. It wasn’t by choice. “I'm sorry I had to be gone that long, love. Olive Branch had us physical training on site at the North Filly assault courses. I'd have much rather been here with my girls!”

Straightaway, Athena hugged her daddy, fluttering up and seizing the unicorn in a vice-like grip around his neck that made it difficult to breathe. In a good way. “Just makes this weekend all the better with you here.” Moonbeak purred in his ear, “I just hope I wear you out so your Monday training is very, very difficult.”

Brightstar hugged his kitten very tightly indeed, until she began to use her claws to push away. Athena decided how long was long enough for hugs. He knew enough from experience to let her go lest he get a light but determined clawing. “You can wear me out all you like, love, I aced the test earlier so I don't have to crawl through pretend sewers again.”

Just then, when it was completely dark outside save for the moon and stars, little Athena rubbed at her eyes, though she tried very hard to disguise the manoeuvre. Brightstar though wasn’t fooled, not after being trained on shenanigans by Cyclone. “Hmm, it looks like a little lady's all tired out.”

Moonbeak nodded, her beak still close to her pony’s ear. “I think it is story time.”

“What story would you like, sweetie?”

Athena raised her claws to be picked up and, despite being a very big little kitten who was very grown up and helpful, Brightstar picked her up and placed her on his back. “I wanna Bunny Hunt!”

Brightstar chuckled as they all – Moonbeak carried Zephyr on her back – walked through the treehouse to Athena’s bedroom. The royal blue stallion was just familiar enough with griffon literature to know the story. It was a good kitten story of a young griffon hunting rabbits. “Bunny Hunt it is!”

Once the unicorn had settled her down in her bed, only her daddy could do it just right like she liked it, Athena quickly fell asleep before he was even halfway through the storybook, let alone before he could finish. Since Moonbeak was snuggling next to him on the bedroom floor though, she motioned him to finish the story. “Aaah,” he smiled, “I thought I was reading to 'Thena, but I'll finish it for you.” He lovingly kissed her beak and he continued to read until he was finished. He had an idea why.

“I like the story,” Moonbeak said with a defensive little shrug, “Did you have rabbit in Griffonstone?”

Brightstar nodded and, as he levitated the storybook back onto the shelf in Athena’s bedroom, he grinned. “I did. The 'cool' guys stopped trying to gross me out when I ate this sheep's stomach stuffed with heart and other things on a dare. So, my lovely griffon, would you like a story later? I know you have this in the bedroom…” though, the copy Moonbeak had was rather older and far more ‘loved’ than the one he’d just read.

The dark grey griffon giggled quietly, so as not to wake her sleeping kitten. “Once is enough, besides, I don't think you'll sound like momma if you read that one.” She then leant in very close and licked his inner ear, her breath teasing his fur, “It’s time to put you out so you can sleep well. I'm sure Zephyr will want to play with you very early in the morning.”

Brightstar, emboldened by a number of things, namely the close proximity of his fiancé and the blueness of his balls, decided he wanted to play. “Well, only if you think you can, I mean, this pony might be too much for you. Could've gone soft over the past week...”

That did it.

There was a little bit of steel in Moonbeak’s emerald green eyes as she adjusted her position ever so slightly and, with her clawed hand, took hold of her pony’s heavy, swollen balls. “Soft you say, pony?” she asked dangerously, though she could tell just by the feel of the testicles that he had been a good pony and not pleasured himself all week.

The very instant he felt the sharp talons of Moonbeak’s left hand close around his nuts, Brightstar tried and ultimately failed to hide a bitten lip and a low needy moan. “So-Soft…”

Moonbeak had a look on her face that was best described as predatory. The steely glint in her eyes hardened as her buttons were pushed. “Seems the only thing soft around here is what I'm holding and the cock attached to it, hmm?” she purred dangerously, licking her lover’s cheek up to a point where she could nip his ear. She pulled back and the tip of her sharp beak had a spot of blood on it.

“Ooooh yeah,” Brightstar whimpered with barely suppressed need. “Mmm, that's the stuff, right there!” He almost forgot he was still stood in his kitten’s bedroom, the sting of pain from his Mistress’s beak had his sheath twitching and his shaft already showing. “I-I'm sorry, Mistress.”

“Not yet, you’re not.”

Playing along nicely, Brightstar gulped. “I'm sure I will be, Mistress.”

She gave his tender balls a gentle but firm squeeze, but not enough to draw blood. Moonbeak knew the pain of torturing his cock and balls turned him on, and it was fun for her, too. Pulling her hand away, she gave the swollen orbs a slap, loving the groan that followed. “Follow.” She ordered simply before she left Athena’s bedroom for hers where she placed a sleeping Zephyr in his crib on her side of the bed.

“On the bed, pony.” Moonbeak ordered, not bothering to turn around to see if he had in fact followed her or not. She knew he was right behind her. Her back still towards her pet, she reached for a jar and put a claw in, swirling it around inside.

Brightstar, who had obediently followed his Mistress through to the bedroom, pondered very briefly on the pros and cons of whacking the hornet’s nest like he had just done. Still, his aching balls said it was going to be fun, and therefore worth it. “Yes Mistress!” he said quietly and, quickly he was on the bed, on his back, he could smell the scent of cherries from the jar on the nightstand.

Moonbeak held a cherry lube covered claw in front of her pet’s muzzle, so close the lube dripped onto his lips. “Taste!” Obediently, he leant his head upwards and stuck his tongue out, licking the offered claw clean. As it happened, he rather liked cherries. “A present for both of us.” She smirked, pushing him onto his back. “I've been so busy this week, I haven’t had a shower in two days…” she left that hanging in the air as she laid on her side facing her pet in a sixty nine, placing her left paw over his muzzle.

Brightstar had just a second to process the heavenly sweaty scent coming off the sole and between the toes of the paw that was pressed into his face before he felt his Mistress’s claws delicately stroke his sheath with something cold on them. When the scent of cherries grew strong, he guessed she was working the lube all over him. “I think I may be a bad griffon,” she said with a giggle.

“Oh no, Mistress, you are a perfect griffon…” he answered quickly, his balls tightening with the touch of her claws, the paw in his face had his cock out, especially when he took a deep sniff and breathed in her scent. He so wanted to tongue-wash them forever and a day, but he knew he had to wait for permission. “M-May I, Mistress, please?”

Playfully, tauntingly, Moonbeak wiggled her sweaty toes all over his mouth. “You will as I demand!” Her paws blocked the unicorn’s view, but she knew he could feel her claws, her beak, and her tongue on his shaft and balls. Permission given, the very first time he popped a toe in his mouth and sucked on it, Brightstar got iron hard, his hips quivering just a little as his tongue went to work. “You best not cum, my pet. I've left your collar off so you can uses some magic to enhance 'my' experience.”

“No Mistress.” Brightstar’s reply was muffled by Moonbeak’s toes, and after a delicious moment he was onto the next one of three. Hint given and taken, he lit his horn and, concentrating on his Mistress’s pussy in a yellow light, he vibrated and rubbed it gently.

Thanks to the glowing yellow aura working her wet pussy, there was a hesitant pause in the dark grey griffon’s ministrations to her stallion’s rock hard cock as she purred and then went back to sensuously licking up and down his shaft. Brightstar resolved to take his time, playing with her labia and entrance before moving up to excite her hard clit. “HMmmmmm!” he moaned around her paw as his shaft throbbed hard, it had, after all, been a week since his last release.

Moonbeak determined to just toy with him, gently and lovingly licking and sucking all up and down his cock until he either finished his paw worship, or he begged for release, whichever would come first. Moments later, Brightstar finished up with the second paw, his tongue hanging out and panting. “M-Mi-Mistress...please, please, can I cum now?”

The moment he begged, Moonbeak stopped what she was doing, namely, keeping him hard. “Scoot backwards so you are propped up by the headboard.” That done, she gathered some pillows to prop herself up with. Once he had moved into position, he could see her facing him on her back. She placed her hind legs over his, forcefully spreading them wide apart. At the same time, she spread herself wide, giving him a great view of her wet glistening crotch.

Her tail tuff swept over his balls and, while his cock was lubed and smelling of cherries, she delicately placed her paws on either side of his shaft and moved to jerk him off with them. When the strong paws with their leathery soles began to move up and down his thirteen inch length, Brightstar let out the most brilliant of submissive little whimpers. “Oooh...ooh Mistress tha-thank you!”

Now she had started to masturbate his cock, Moonbeak went to work with much more skill than the first time she had done this for him as she used both her paws and her tail tuff to the best of her abilities. She was determined to continue until he begged her for release. As he hadn’t climaxed in a week, it didn’t take long. After a good few moments of this, his magic attention at her crotch faltered. “Mistress please, can I cum, please?”

That devious little glint was back in Moonbeak’s eye. “Open wide, pet.” Her aim, with her pony propped against the headboard like he was, was that she may actually get some on his face and in his mouth, though she knew most would wind up in his chest fur. “Cum for me, pet!”

Now he had been given permission, Brightstar thrust his hips in time with his Mistress’s beautiful paws and released his seed. His first couple of shots did actually go that high as to land on his muzzle and in his mouth, the rest spattered all the way up his belly. “AAAaaaAAAH th-thank you Mistress!”

Casting an eye to Zephyr, who was mercifully still asleep in his crib despite Brightstar’s scream, Moonbeak used her tail tuff to mop up the flared head of her pony’s penis and as much of his belly and chest as she could. She had a sudden idea and she was going to try something new that they hadn’t done before. “Oh, my tail looks a mess because of you. Turn so you can clean it!”

For a split second, Brightstar had a puzzled look on his face before he turned and obediently started to suck on the end of her leonine tail. So eager was he to obey her that he hadn’t even cleaned his face yet. Moonbeak was pleased with that, as she had plans for that. ‘Huh...’ he thought with a mouth full of furry cum-covered tuff, ‘this is…odd, different, but okay...'

Moonbeak loved the way the taste of his own semen kept her pony hard as a pole. “Your muzzle is a mess, my love.” She pointed to her sopping wet crotch. “I have a wet nap here for you to clean that up.” She was hoping that he would make her squirt. Like a good colt, he went in muzzle first like one would attack a blood pie, slathering his tongue all around the walls of her pussy before licking straight up and sucking on her clit.

She was already aroused, now, she was really turned on by all the cum spattered on his face that she didn't last very long at all. Several long hard thrusts of his tongue was all it took to push her over her edge. Moonbeak arched her back and she soon sprayed her cum all over Brightstar’s face, her juices joining his in a smeared mess. Her screech of pleasure did wake Zephyr up though.

After slurping down the sweet juices that had spurted all over his face and, with his muzzle drenched in both their cum, Brightstar backed up and chuckled just as Zephyr began crying in earnest. “Naughty Mistress!”

Moonbeak spared her lover her most potent eye roll, now that the scene was well and truly ended. “Please levitate him over to me. I'll nurse him down, and he may as well get used to the smell of me being rutted.”

“Got it, Moony.” said Brightstar, who stepped away from and out of character for a moment as he lit his horn and levitated a crying Zephyr up out of his crib and across to his mother. “So,” he grinned, wanting to talk about what had happened, “your tail thing was new.”

“Yeah,” Moonbeak said, a little sheepishly as she placed her youngest kitten on her teat and he began to suckle, “I wasn't sure about it, but my paws are furry, and my tail tip is a big ball of fur, so I thought, why not? What did you think? For me it was just weird and really kinky. I could feel the vibrations all the way to my ass.”

“It was okay,” Brightstar replied after a moment’s thought, “it wasn't unpleasant or anything. I'd be happy to do it again, If you like vibrations in your ass…” he finished with a dirty wink.

“Yeah,” Moonbeak started before wincing as her teat was nipped by a tiny little beak, “I think we can try again, but I want you to pull it tight. Momma would probably laugh at me for that.” She then gave her pony a sly look. “You know I do have a second teat?”

Now, that certainly did surprise the royal blue unicorn. “You want your tail pulled?” his giggle died on his lips when Moonbeak nodded and blushed. “Oh I don't know, that might be a kink too much!” When she stuck her tongue out at him, he chuckled and started to suckle on the other teat.

“I’ve missed you,” Moonbeak purred while one claw held Zephyr and she ran the other through his silky black mane, “but you are home now, and all is right with the world.” As he sucked on her teat and drank her warm milk, Brightstar used his magic to massage 'that' spot between her wings on her back in the hope that translated as ‘I missed you too’.

While he didn’t say anything, Brightstar didn’t need to. Moonbeak knew what he meant by the little massage. She purred to show her approval, though she did nothing ‘till Zephyr finally let go. “He is back down. I'll put him in the crib and get us some drinks. You change the linen.”

When she turned back around from laying Zephyr down, Brightstar was ready with a kiss. A particularly milky kiss that allowed her to taste herself. “Alrighty, I got the sheets, love. Then we can go for round two.”

Moonbeak simply laughed softly as she adjusted Zephyr’s position in the crib and walks out. After five minutes, just as her stallion had changed the sheets, she walked back in with a double shot of whisky and a half glass of wine. “You can wake me up with round two, love.” She grinned, passing him his whisky, “For now I need a warm furry body to snuggle with.”

Brightstar chuckled and, taking his whiskey, he settled on the bed and got comfy. “You really are a big soft kitten. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone.”

Moonbeak granted her lover a little bow and she drank half of her wine. “You, my pony, have gained wisdom.” On the bed, she lovingly licked his muzzle. “You do taste nice though.”

Laughing quietly, so as not to wake his sleeping kitten for a second time, Brightstar drank his whiskey in one shot. “That was hot, by the way, making me shoot on my face like that. I could just see you taking me for a walk with my face all messy for ponies to see.”

“I can to, at least down to the Tail.” Moonbeak’s suddenly flared wings just screamed how much she could see them doing that little fun game. “I'm sure Blossomseed would ask to help clean you.”

“We're so doing that next time. And yes, I can see her offering, just as much as I can see you and Forge allowing it.”

Moonbeak finished her wine, trying hard not to think of Brightstar rutting her stupid in the bar while they watched Forge rutting Blossomseed. “I'll be the little spoon tonight, Star.”

As Brightstar flicked off the bedroom lights, he wisely showed his wisdom by refraining from mentioning the kitten fat that was still there in a joke in his mind about 'little'. He didn’t fancy a not-very-playful swipe of claws across his face. That, and he found the ‘rounded and padded’ look really sexy. “Your wish is my command, my love.” He whispered in her ear as he held her from behind.

Chapter 9 - Blood & Honour

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Seven days later, which was a Saturday, found Brightstar, Moonbeak, Athena and little Zephyr enjoying a quiet day in Fairmount Park situated in Fillydelphia’s north-west, away from most of the gang activity rife in the city. Both unicorn and griffon needed this weekend to recharge, and the summer sunshine in the park was just the ticket. Brightstar had again been kept at the police academy for the week, as the Shadowbolt training had intensified now he was close to graduation.

Moonbeak, likewise, was wound tighter than a new spring. The dark grey griffon had spent the week not only caring for her two kittens but she had also conducted three photoshoots for her business. One of which was for the mayor who had publicly opened Rarity’s new clothing store in Fillydelphia, named Anthropologie, a Boho-chic store aimed at mares. That had been a toughie.

Now, snuggling in the long grass by the shore of a crystal clear lake, Brightstar breathed in the clean air and sighed happily into Moonbeak’s fur and white feathers. This was what life was all about. After a solid week of Olive Branch’s advanced combat techniques, which Lemon Zest and Sugarcoat were only too happy to test him on, he needed the gentle quiet time in the park.

Sadly, the peace and quiet of the family weekend was not to last. Saturday evening and Sunday disappeared in a blizzard of almost non-stop nappy changes as Zephyr decided to conveniently have an upset tummy. ‘Upset tummy’ was rather an understatement, as it happened. Fountains spurted out of both ends of the two week old kitten. Brightstar was frankly amazed at the sheer pressure that could build up inside a body so small. Indeed, at one point the unicorn had to use his shield spell to avoid getting splattered by bight neon green kitten poo.

Moonbeak thought this was highly amusing, as did Athena. Especially when, after lowering his shield, Zephyr was suddenly and astronomically sick. It was as if the kitten was re-enacting that scene from the Exorcist movie. Brightstar didn’t stand a chance. When Zephyr had finished, it was dripping from his muzzle and chest.

Several very long showers later and the unicorn still smelled of vomit.

Consequently, when Monday rolled around, Brightstar was rather looking forward to going back to the academy. Especially with Moonbeak unsympathetically laughing her feathers off at the way he had been spattered the night before. Brightstar did have to admit, after his tenth bath, that it was quite funny after all. Unfortunately, as Brightstar was to discover, this week at the academy was affectionately known as ‘Tartarus Week’.

Tartarus Week, as it turned out, more than lived up to its name. Two days in the Everfree Forest, Two days in the Badlands and one day in Ghastly Gorge. The simple aim, survive all three locations. The rules, such as they were, were even simpler. Use whatever skills and techniques you could to get out in one piece.

Teleported en masse by the police academy instructors into the heart of the Everfree Forest, the recruits faced their first challenge. As it turned out, manticores didn’t like it when twenty five police recruits were suddenly and without warning dropped into the heart of their nest. One, a minotaur bull by the name of Garrus that Brightstar rather liked, was bitten almost immediately. Brightstar had to use his shield to save them both while he was being medevaced out by two instructors to Ponyville hospital.

Ghastly Gorge was no better. One earth pony mare, Revolver, was seconds away from being lunch for a quarray eel had Brightstar not leapt into the monster’s jaws and again cast his shield before teleporting them both out to relative safety.

By the end of Tartarus Week, not only was Brightstar still at the top of the academy teat scores, the royal blue unicorn had earned himself two commendations from Olive Branch for his heroism and bravery, not to mention resourcefulness. Still, when Friday afternoon came, in spite of everything, he was more than looking forward to getting home to luxuries like hot running water and cooked food.

It was very late in the day when he had got back to the treehouse on Friday, though thankfully he was far cleaner than the week before, so there was no need for a hosing down outside. There was, as it was a Friday and Moonbeak had no photography to do over the weekend, time for a late dinner and then mercifully it was bed.

Saturday morning came with Moonbeak biting Brightstar’s ear to wake him up from his peaceful looking slumber. The griffon let him know, in absolutely no uncertain terms, that she wanted to ‘play’ with him later on that night now that he was finally home. Brightstar was up for that now he was home. They laid in bed together talking about where they should play.

Names of places were offered up and subsequently refused. Gino’s Steakhouse was a no because, as Brightstar pointed out, Gino was tired of their shit, at least for a little while after the last time. Gustav’s was definitely a no, because that was their Binding Place, and was to be kept sacred. Eventually, finally, they picked a place. Chora’s Den, just over the Delamare River, was a place they had both discovered quite by accident on a magical mystery tour a month ago.

Thus it was decided. The rest of the day was spent playing with both of their kittens ‘till it was time to drop them off to Astraea for kitten-sitting duties under the pretence of enjoying a ‘quiet night in’ with each other. Back at the treehouse, they were getting ready together for their night out. “Before we go to Chora's,” Moonbeak asked as she opened the master bedroom door, “should we wear clothes or really dress up?”

“For Chora's Den?” Brightstar asked, his mind racing, thinking. Chora’s Den was located up over the river, in an area that the Fillydelphia PD affectionately called The Citadel due to the whole area being a neutral ground for the city’s gangs. It was a decent part of town. “Yeah, we can dress up, my love.”

Moonbeak raised an eyebrow at that. She of course knew of The Citadel’s safe upmarket reputation. While it was by no means Canterlot, the area was nice, for Filly. “Anything you'd like to see me in, in public?” she asked as seductively as she could manage.

Brightstar answered so quickly that his fiancé had barely finished her question. He knew just what he wanted to see. “That cut out bra is a must, and those bright pink stocking you have would look amazing on your legs and...they'd ah, make your paws even sexier.” He could picture the look in his mind even as she delved in her closet. “What about me, love?”

“Something smart, but no sheath lock.” Moonbeak said once she had emerged from the closet with her bra, stockings and, for good measure, her cape. “I want them to see you at attention. The collar is a must, of course.”

“Of course it is!” Brightstar smiled and, once Moonbeak had her chosen things laid out on their bed, the royal blue unicorn took his turn in the closet. It wasn’t long before he settled on an option, one he knew his lover liked. “Aha, tux, do we think?”

“What about your cadet uniform?” Moonbeak offered instead. While she did like her pony in a tuxedo, there was just ‘something’ about him in his uniform.

“Even better,” Brightstar agreed, as he much preferred his police uniform to his tuxedo, “Although I think you just like a pony in uniform, Moony.”

“I like you in uniform.” Moonbeak gently corrected her lover. Once he had emerged from the closet with his uniform held in his glowing yellow aura, the thirty three year old griffon decided it was time to get dressed. The pink stockings went on easily enough, as did the fingerless gloves that went over her talons. However, when it came to the cut out bra, she began having trouble.

Brightstar found that the more she struggled with getting her heavily swollen teats into the bra, the less he was able to concentrate on getting his uniform on. “Aaah...” he couldn't help but stare at the scene that Moonbeak was making with the bra, indeed it seemed she’d never quite get it on at all. “Ooooh my, Mistress...”

Try as she might, Moonbeak soon realised her teats weren’t going to fit as they were. “I don't think Zephyr did his job in draining me today,” she purred.

“Gaaah n-no...I ah, I don't think he did…” Brightstar found it was hard to comment at all, seeing as how his jaw was hanging open like it was, and how he was definitely showing between his legs. He hadn’t even thought before now that he had a fetish for teats and milk and drinking it from the source before he had tried it. Now it was a firm favourite.

“Whatever will I do?” Moonbeak purred, turning her most dangerous bedroom eyes to her lover, thoroughly enjoying the effect she was having on him. “Maybe we should cancel?”

“No!” Brightstar squeaked, “no, no we definitely shouldn't cancel.” He both hated and loved the fact that he was so mesmerised by his fiancé’s milk swollen teats, as well as her paws, which were close to them. “I ah, I could always help you out there, if Zephyr couldn't drain you, Mistress.”

Moonbeak nodded, a sly look on her face. “If you think you're able. Help would be good, then I could squeeze them into this bra.” Her unicorn didn’t need any further encouragement. He practically galloped over, closing the distance between them in the bedroom and he started suckling on her heavy teats like a hungry kitten, making sweet little ‘hmmm’ noises as he did so. “Mmmmm,” as she had come to realise, “Your pony lips are much softer than griffon beaks.”

Ten minutes later, Brightstar did make sure to drink his fill, taking his time to empty both heavy teats so that they were even, the royal blue stallion at last pulled away with a lick of his lips. “I suppose I'm just your soft pony, Mistress.”

The dark grey griffon considered that for a moment. “You were pretty hard during the birth. Happy you've tendered up!” she said with a giggle. “Now, let me see if these teats of mine will squeeze into this thing…” she tried again to put on the bra. This time, with her milky teats emptied, she managed it with little effort, but she still put on a good show.

Brightstar did indeed applaud the good show that his Mistress put on, aware that it was entirely for his benefit. Once she was dressed in her cape, he then levitated over his pale grey collar to you so she could put it on him. He was careful to not actually touch it, though. “Last thing to put on, Mistress.”

Solemnly, Moonbeak took the collar from the glowing yellow aura and, for a moment, she played with it, turning it over in her claws. It was such a nondescript, plain, simple thing, really. ‘Strange’, she thought, not for the first time, ‘the power this thing has’. That thought in mind, she carefully placed it around Brightstar’s neck, buckling it in place. “I'm expecting a very bad pony tonight, and that you'll be good at it.”

“Of course, Mistress.” Brightstar stood once he felt the weight of the collar around his neck – he had bowed for easy access – and smoothed his black mane with a hoof. One thing was niggling at the back of his mind. “Are you sure we won't get away playing with another griffon? This is Filly, Mistress.”

For a response to that, Moonbeak carefully selected eye roll number one. The one she reserved for very special occasions. She deemed this one of them. After all, she knew perfectly well that her pet knew exactly why they couldn’t play with another griffon. “You can put a griff in Filly, but you can't put Filly in a griff.”

“I know, I just thought the usual fight-to-the-death-honour battle might be reduced to a light maiming, seeing as we aren’t in Griffonstone.”

“You want to be police. Why do you think so many griffs live in Filly?”

Brightstar knew the answer, of course he did. He wasn’t the star of his class for nothing. “Why, it's because Tribal laws stand up in local courts, as per Interspecies Law subject five paragraphs seven, eight and nine, Mistress!” he answered in much the same way as he did in the academy teaching rooms.

“So,” Moonbeak nodded, “if you did something that would warrant death in Griffonstone, would the courts here be much upset if you were killed by a griffon?”

“Point taken, I'll be careful whom I chose to play with, Mistress.”

“Again you show wisdom. Momma may be okay with frozen meat, but I like mine fresh and warm.” She affectionately nuzzled her fiancé, lover and pet before kissing his lips. “Need a ride down to the van?”

“Yes please, Mistress.” Brightstar kissed the tip of his Mistress’s sharp yellow beak. “I am unable to cast with the collar on, after all.” At that, Moonbeak simply shrugged her shoulders and turned so he could climb up on her back. Once he was in place, she walked through the treehouse, turning off the lights as she went. Outside, she locked up her front door and flew down to where her van was waiting. She was certain this night was going to be perfect!

As soon as Moonbeak landed on the sidewalk by her driver’s side door of her battered looking white van – really though all the rust patches were merely paint effects made to look like the van was a thousand years old – Brightstar hopped off of her back and, illuminated by the street lights, he hastened to open the door for her. Straightaway she got it and waited for him to get in before firing up her engine and setting off. “Just so you know, I may bloody you up a bit tonight.”

Brightstar bit his lip, the promise of the pain to come arousing him greatly. “D-Do you promise to, Mistress?”

Steering from Horsehead Square onto one street then the next, Moonbeak moved her clawed hand from the gearshift to her pony’s leg and poked at his fur until she pierced the skin underneath. She held it there until she drew a bead blood, which she duly licked clean. “You are a sweet pony.”

“Aah!” Brightstar gasped and shuddered with pleasure that the pain provided. “I'm your sweet pony, Mistress.”

After that, Moonbeak drove on the rest of the way to Chora’s Den in silence, but she certainly did have a happy contented look on her face all the way there. Even when she pulled into the parking lot, she had the look of a kitten on the Feast of the Long Night which, Brightstar knew, was the griffon’s winter solstice festival celebrated on the longest night of the year.

The unicorn knew from his studies and his time in Griffonstone that the Feast of the Long Night most likely stemmed from a community need to share resources during the leanest hunting season; although in modern times the holiday was marked by a large feast, exchanging of gifts and a tradition of charitable giving. Moonbeak looked that happy as she parked up and killed her engine. “Last chance to safe word out, Star.”

“Thank you, Mistress, but I want to play as much as you do.” Brightstar replied, and while he appreciated the concern and the opportunity to not do this, the exhibitionist in him really wanted to be the centre of attention. No sooner had he said that though, than Moonbeak rolled her eyes and glanced at her door. “Oh!” he immediately scooted out and around to the driver's side to open it for her. “Forgive me, Mistress.”

Moonbeak exhaled a very deep and heartfelt sigh as she got out of her van and she motioned for her pet to lead on. Brightstar, taking his cue, gave her a little bow and obediently he led the way inside the Den. Inside, it was very much like Trixie's Place, with; dancers on the central dance floor, a number of private booths along the sides, there were bars and tables situated along the edge of the dance space. It was 'fun', though it was far more neon and techno than Brightstar cared for. “There’s much eye candy in here.” Moonbeak observed, casting an eye around the mixed species in the Den, “I don't think you said anything about that. Make sure we get a center of attention table.”

Brightstar blushed, just enough so that the griffon could tell. “Oh, didn't I, Mistress?” the young police recruit grinned and, as he led the way inside, the whole dance area looking rather like a Countess Coloratura performance with all its gaudy flashing lights, smiled and flicked his black tail up to give her a good view.

When they were seated at a table at the edge of the dance floor, not too far from the bar and in a prime position once the play started, Moonbeak snapped her talons to summon the attention of a passing waiter. “Menus.” She requested simply of the earth pony stallion. “Draft beer for me, and something for the pony.”

“I'll have a dalwhinny, please.” Brightstar placed his order for his favourite whiskey, though he affected a disinterested tone as he did so. To further aid him getting into character, he turned and scanned the crowd for likely candidates. He did spot a couple of likely young mares over at the bar, but he discounted them. They’d used ponies before. Turning to the dance floor, he found his target, an attractive, electric blue minotaur cow, her hair done up in dreadlocks and possessed of rather impressively sized breasts.

Moonbeak caught the tone of her pet’s voice and, knowing what it meant, she tracked where he was looking to see which one she should be most offended by. Her emerald green eyes went wide as saucers as she beheld the young, pretty, big breasted and young specimen he had chosen. She leant over the table, and whispered, “Dare you…” she let that hang in the air, her claw tapping at some minotaur dishes on the menu the waiter had left.

Brightstar smiled conspiratoriously. In kind, he leant in and whispered, “I do dare, hmmmm, those dishes to look young and tasty, don’t they?”

Moments later, the earth pony waiter returned with their drinks and set them on the table. Before he could speak, or do anything else for that matter, Moonbeak spoke up to place her order. “I'll have the eggplant, tripe, and goat cheese dish. The fried okra as a starter.” She gave a steely eyed look to her partner.

Glancing down the menu, Brightstar made his choice. “I'll have the Filly Cheesesteak, Minos style please.” It had been a week or two since he’d had a cheesesteak, and he’d never had one Minos style before. He figured one in the style of the minotaur’s homeland would wind up his partner.

Nodding, the waiting pony took menus and departed. “Not all that adventurous, but a good try.” Moonbeak commented, casually inspecting her claw. She knew what he was doing, and she hated to admit it, but it was working. “Have you had tripe?”

Once the waiter had departed to fill their orders, Brightstar’s yellow eyes wandered freely back over to the shapely electric blue minotaur. She was certainly attractive, the way she danced and her parts jiggled and bounced the way they did was most appealing. ‘Hmmm....she’s not as muscly as Brass...Moony would rip her apart I bet.’

“I asked you a question.” Moonbeak stated coldly, ice in her tone bringing Brightstar’s attention back to her, albeit reluctantly. “So,” she said, “you ignore me to stare at some other slut?”

“Yeah well, when you say something worth listening to, I'll listen to you,” Brightstar replied snidely, idly waving his hoof dismissively at her as he stared at the bouncing breasts of the dancing young minotaur.

‘How dare he ignore me‽’ Moonbeak snarled silently to herself. The fact that he was doing what she had wanted was neither here nor there at this point. Did he have to stare at a cow so…‘endowed’ as that one? In one gulp, she downed half of her beer and slammed the glass down. “The only thing you listen to is the ringing in your ears.” She said in an even voice.

Brightstar took a much more delicate sip of his whiskey and, not bothering to turn around, answered. “Love, do calm down, I'm trying to enjoy the view here.”

Annoyed, Moonbeak tapped her claws on the table but, for the moment, she said nothing. Presently, the waiter arrived with their food. “Is everything alright, ma’am?” he asked, having been a waiter for many years he could sense the underlying tension between the two diners.

“Soon yes,” Moonbeak replied with a very forced smile plastered on her face. “Let me see what your chef has turned out for us.” In contrast, Brightstar’s attention was firmly focused on the pretty young minotaur, he even gave her a most salacious wink, not even bothering to look at the food. Suddenly very jealous indeed, Moonbeak jabbed at his fetlock, hard enough to draw blood. “Your food is getting cold.”

“Oow!” Brightstar exclaimed, not expecting the very sharp pain lancing through his leg so soon into the play. He was unaware of the real jealousy coursing through his fiancé. “What the hay is your problem? I'll get to it, ok?” he asked, a little bit grumpily, he picked up his utensils and delicately picked at his food, though he looked solely at the minotaur as he did so.

Moonbeak glared pointy daggers at the electric blue minotaur cow, at her flat belly and her perfect breasts and pictured her without any skin. “I have no problem,” she fought to keep her shrill voice even. “I was just deeply concerned your food would grow colder than the hot number you are looking at!” she said, purposefully loud enough for the minotaur to hear.

Brightstar laughed and took a bite of his cheesesteak. “Heh, already happened, she's hot. You should take notes, love.”

The minotaur in question, having heard the strange griffon talk about her, turned to look and was treated to a trademark glare for her troubles. “You do fall for big tits, don’t you?” Moonbeak shot back, resentment colouring her voice as she ate her food.

“Hmhmm, yeah, if you say so…” Brightstar commented, though he made a show of not listening as he went so far as to blow a kiss to the minotaur who looked like she was unsure if she was confused or flattered. Although it was just a game he was playing, the unicorn was imagining sliding his hard cock in between those delicious looking breasts.

‘You hateful, hateful bitch!’ Moonbeak thought with a barely concealed snarl. She doubted at this point if her pet would hear her anyway over the techno music, the strobe lighting and the hypnotising sway of the cow’s hips. Feeling her temper rise, along with gouging little grooves into the table top with her talons, Moonbeak reached over and grabbed his jaw, turning his head to face her. Angrily, she squeezed. As soon as his mouth opened, she stuffed a clawful of tripe in there. “I thought I'd be nice and share!” A claw did slice his lip as she stuffed the food in. Once that was done, she let go.

Brightstar struggled to not spit the tripe out and, after a moment’s effort, he swallowed it, licking his lips to taste the blood. By Luna he was so turned on right now! The other dancers as well as a few diners were looking at them, as was the cute minotaur. ‘Oh blessed Stormclaw preserve me for what I'm about to do...’ he summoned all his nerve for what he was about to say. “Love please, thank you for sharing, but do you have to be so hormonal? It's most unattractive in you older griffs.”

‘He said WHAT to me? To me‽” stunned and amazed, Moonbeak narrowed her eyes dangerously, like she was sizing up her prey. Not bothering to suppress a snarl, she hooked a talon straight through his left ear and pulled sharply upon the new piercing, so that he had to come forward or the ear would tear. “Sorry, in my old age I've grown a little deaf. What. Did. You. Say?”

Brightstar winced in pain, a proper erection quickly forming between his legs both from the pain in his ear and the dancing he was watching. “I said,” in as confident and derisive a voice as he could muster, “old buzzards need to be careful lest a younger specimen take their place!”

“That’s what I thought you said.” Moonbeak’s voice was even and calm, dangerously so. With a deadly glint in her eye, she removed her claw without tearing her lover’s ear any further and she sat back down. While outwardly she was the picture of serenity, inside she was crying, broken and devastated. ‘Ho-How c-could he say that?’ Moonbeak thought sadly as she took a bit of food and a drink of her beer. ‘Goldie never said things like that when we used to play…’

“That's what I said,” Brightstar said loudly, ensuring that all the eyes within a few feet were focused on them. “Now, why don't you calm down, hmm? Don't want a scene do we?” That said, he was perfectly aware that they were the scene. Just as he liked it. He sat and returned to very obviously ogling the dancing minotaur, even whistling and unashamedly cheering her on.

Moonbeak, breaking apart on the inside with every mouthful she took and with every second that passed that her stallion cheered the minotaur. She had never ever felt so small and belittled as she did right then. This was so far outside what she had been expecting, she didn’t even know if they were playing right now. ‘Why does he have to leer at her?’ she thought miserably.

She did nothing but eat until her food was nearly gone and she had finished her beer. She was about to say the safe word herself to end the game, but unfortunately Brightstar had just whistled and shouted something quite lewd at the dancing cow.

That did it.

Pushing herself up to rear above the table, she reached across and, as hard as she physically could, she slapped Brightstar with an open claw straight across his muzzle. The sheer force of the slap, delivered with all her might, rocked the stunned unicorn in his seat. Before he could fall from it, Moonbeak grabbed his collar with her other clawed hand, jerking him back.

With the grey collar seized in her claw, she sliced it clean in half with her exceptionally sharp talons. “Fine then!” she screeched at the top of her lungs, her voice heard even over the pounding music. As angry as she was, and she was very, very angry, she couldn’t disguise the hurt, sadness and pain in her green eyes. “Maybe your minotaur slut will clean your wounds!” With all the ire in her, she tossed the collar at the minotaur.

“I'm sure Brass Knuckles would love to hear about tonight!” With that, Moonbeak slapped him a second time, this time with the back of her claw. The force of the slap on the opposite side of his face to the first, which had started to bleed, knocked Brightstar from his chair. Without a backwards glance, Moonbeak stormed out of Chora’s Den.

Thanks to the sheer force of the slap, Brightstar landed on his back on the dance floor. To say he was stunned would be an understatement. Moonbeak had never hit him like that before, then again, she hadn’t ever looked at him like that before either. He knew he’d bucked up. Badly. After several moments, during which the watching crowd went back to what they were doing, the minotaur wandered over to see if he needed some help. “Hey there, cute stuff. You need a place to sleep it off?”

Looking up at the frankly beautiful cow, and her perfect breasts, Brightstar was suddenly worried. ‘Ooh...I hadn't considered this...’ This had never happened before. All at once, he really wanted his fiancé back. He resolved to get out of here sharpish, and to let her down as easy as he could. “Ah, no, thank you that's quite kind of you to offer though, miss.”

“What?” the minotaur’s nose flared in anger. That she had been used began to dawn on her. “I'm good enough to look at and leer at, but I’m not good enough to touch?”

‘Aaah horseapples!’ Brightstar thought, frantically he tried to fish in his mind for a non-offensive way of getting out of this in one piece and without being gored to death. Unfortunately his brain had deserted him at that point. Now that she had gone, all he could see was Moonbeak’s hurt face. “Um…ah, may I at least buy you a drink, miss?”

Since the unicorn was still on the ground, the minotaur placed a cloven hoof squarely on his chest, right in the centre of his uniform shirt. “Does she really know Brass Knuckles, pony?” she asked with a sickly sweet smile.

“Yes, she does, rather well, in fact.”

Just like that, the cow’s sweet smile turned into the most unpleasant thing that Brightstar had ever seen in his young life. “Well, so do I!” She then used the unicorn as a stepping stone to step over him and continue on her way to the stairs and the upper floor. “Maybe I can get you a ticket for your ride to Tartarus!”

The earth pony waiter chose that moment to appear at Brightstar’s side. “Your bill sir, I'm sorry, but we are fresh out of all desserts.”

“Ow...” Brightstar rubbed his chest, sure there would be a bruise there tomorrow. ‘Well, I suppose I earned that, didn’t I?’ he thought as he looked up and took the bill. “Thank you, I think I rather got my just desserts. Whiskey for the road?”

“Only at the bar.” The waiter did help the fallen unicorn up to his hooves. “You can pay that and get the whiskey there. There is a good hotel two doors down, I think you’ll need it.”

“Thank you,” Brightstar took the bill he had been given to the bar, he resolved to pay that up and get a whiskey to steady his raging nerves. The sliced collar he chose to take home as a souvenir.

~ ~ ~

Moonbeak walked out to the van and stood by the driver’s side door. She shook her head as she remembered no pony was going to open it for her. Once in the van she looked at her left claws. The blood on them had already dried. She licked at the blood as she waited. ‘What if he really was attracted to that cow? She did have huge tits.’ Her claws cleaned she started the van. Even dry his blood still tasted sweet. A soft sigh escaped her beak as no Brightstar followed her out of the bar. Moonbeak put the van in gear and headed home.

Once in the house it seemed even lonelier that it did during the week. With both Athena and Zephyr over at her mom’s it was quiet. Moonbeak sat on the couch and looked at the front door. ‘He is right about one thing. I’m old. So much older than him. He speaks well, and even acts like a griffon. Even griffons can grow tired of a mate and cast them aside.’ She closed her eyes to hold back the tears. The thrill of the moment at the restaurant was gone, now replaced by uncertainty.

‘We’ve played this game many times, and he always came home.’ With another sigh Moonbeak got off the couch and went into the kitchen. There the ice cream called out to her. With a bowl full, she returned to the couch to wait. ‘How long has it been? Gino’s is a lot closer than that Chora’s is. Maybe that is why it is taking so long.’ She ate the ice cream and waited.

The spoon rattled around in the empty bowl. ‘He still isn’t home. I’ve been on my own before, so I can do it again. Momma will kill him though.’ Moonbeak put the empty bowl in the sink. ‘I love him.’ Another sigh escaped her. ‘I love him enough to play this game. Do I love him enough to share my insecurities?’ Moonbeak laughed out loud. “No, I’m the Mistress and he is the pet. Live with it.” She debated waiting on the couch or going to bed, and then the door opened.

~ ~ ~

The cool chill of the night bit into Brightstar's fur as he left Chora's Den. The royal blue unicorn rubbed his chest where the minotaur - who he had learned was named Liara - had stepped on him. He was in no doubt there'd be a bruise there. Not that he didn't deserve it. All in all, as he shivered, his police cadet uniform precious little protection from the chill wind coming from the Celestial Sea, he supposed he was lucky Moonbeak hadn't done more than pierce his ear.

The first thing he noted in the dark, almost empty, parking lot was that his Mistress's white van was not there. 'Of course it's not,' he thought grimly, 'Why would it be?' He had waited the allotted twenty minutes before leaving the Den, now he was faced with a thirty to forty minute walk home.

Brightstar quickly abandoned the dark parking lot for the relative safety of the sidewalk. At least there it was well lit with street lights. Ever since that gang pegasus had tried to mug them that one time a little while back, he innately distrusted parking lots. As he walked along the street, not unusually devoid of life seeing as it was almost ten, he reflected on their 'game'.

'I did everything Moony wanted,' Brightstar thought, thinking of his ruined collar in pieces in his saddlebag, 'So why do I feel like crap? She even gave me the opportunity to back out and I said no!' He kept telling himself, with every hoof step that bought him closer to home, that he had just done what Moonbeak had requested of him, that it had been her who had pushed to play the way they had, just like all the times before tonight.

So why did the young unicorn feel like utter garbage?

Deep down, he knew why. Now that the thrill of the scene they had played out in Chora's Den had worn off somewhat, he was able to look back with the perfect 20/20 vision of hindsight. He saw, in his mind's eye, the hurt and sadness mixed in with the shock and anger that had clouded Moonbeak's perfect face.

That wasn't the face of one enjoying a consensual roleplay. His fiancé, lover and friend had seemed genuinely hurt by the unkind things he had said to her. He hadn't meant a word of them, of course he hadn't, he only said them because that had been what his Mistress had wanted. Even the whiskey he had drank afterwards hadn't been able to wash out the bad taste in his mouth from uttering those hurtful things.

What was he to do, though? He was at a complete loss. He did know, as he turned onto Horsehead Square, that he never ever wanted to be the cause of those anguished tears again.

Brightstar wanted to call Air Raid, but he knew that she and his sister were in Cloudsdale visiting Cyclone for the weekend. Air Raid had thought the time away from Canterlot to be a good idea since Darkstar had made yet another attempt on her life.

'They're probably all asleep by now...' he thought as he approached the dark treehouse. Still, had he called them, he knew what Cyclone's advice would be.

"We need a conversation," he said aloud to the air as he prepared his teleport spell.

~ ~ ~

Brightstar’s arrival at the large single storey treehouse was heralded, as it usually was, by the bright yellow flash of magic, the loud cracking noise that was, in fact, a tunnel being ripped through space linking where Brightstar was and where the unicorn was now. ‘Oh buck…’ he thought as the smell of ozone wafted up his nose, ‘the lights are off...this isn't good...’

Hesitantly, after taking a moment to collect himself on the specially marked teleporting circle, Brightstar hoofed the front door open and he took a step inside the dark interior. It was as he feared. Everything was dark, pitch black. There were no sounds, nothing, except the unmistakable smell of chocolate ice cream. “Mistress?” he asked, his ears were sharp and ready for any swooping attack.

In the dark, at the open bedroom door, Moonbeak paused. Turning to face the main door, the night and the stars barely illuminated the pony who had entered. Softly, almost inaudibly, she said, “You came home.”

‘That's not her ‘Mistress’ voice…’ was the first thought that entered Brightstar’s head. The second thought, that very nearly broke his heart, was the soft, timid and scared nature of that voice. If any more confirmation of just how badly he had bucked up was needed, that was it. “Well, but…of course I did.” Was all he could think to say.

“I...” Moonbeak didn’t know what to do or think. She had been convinced, while she had been comfort eating the ice cream, that her pony would’ve wound up in the arms and breasts of that minotaur. Now he was here, at home, like they were still playing that infernal game. “She...by Stormclaw’s Honour, you did.”

“Moonbeak,” As Brightstar lit his horn for an illumination spell, seeing as it wa still dark in the treehouse, he put a name to the tone of her voice. Hurt. “This is my home, with you, of course I came home.”

“For...For how long?” Moonbeak asked tentatively, not wanting to hear the answer.

With his horn lighting up the treehouse interior as he walked up to the stricken griffon, he could tell she had been crying when he nuzzled her cheek. That just served to make him feel even more wretched than he already was, if at all possible. “Until my mortal vessel withers and dies, and my soul enters the Grey Spires, Moonbeak.”

That gave Moonbeak cause for pause. For Brightstar to swear on the afterlife for the griffon honoured dead, where all true warriors went after they died to fight an eternal battle against their greatest enemies, was no small thing. Still, that didn’t erase what had transpired at Chora’s Den. “Tonight...Goldcrest and I did this, but tonight, your words cut me like the sharpest talon. I...You spoke truth.”

Now it was Brightstar’s turn to be cut like the sharpest talon. A talon straight to his heart. “I spoke dreadful, hurtful lies to you, because I thought that was what you wanted. I cannot describe how sorry I am for making you feel that way…”

There was remorse in his voice. Moonbeak’s sharp ears could detect it a mile away. “No, I could hear truth in your words. Goldie didn't...” she trailed off as she sniffed back another tear, “When we played this game, there were no insults, just his eyes would wander and I'd get his attention till I grew tired of it and let him know in sharp terms. He liked the pain and I liked giving it, but he...he didn't hurt me with words, and I'm sorry.”

Brightstar realised what he said next would determine everything. Namely, everything he stood to lose. “Moonbeak please, there was no truth in what I said to you. I sincerely thought it was part of the game. I am to be blood bound to you. You and the kittens are my life. I love you all more than my next breath…”

Suddenly, Moonbeak interrupted him by walking past, her tail brushing against his lips. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe him, but words meant little to her right then. All that mattered were actions, and she was determined to see what mattered. “Come with me, then.”

Silently, Brightstar nodded and turned to follow after his fiancé, extinguishing his light spell once he was outside in the dark night. ‘I've dishonoured her…’ he thought miserably with every step he took.

Without bothering to wait for him, Moonbeak spread her wide powerful grey wings and flew down to the van but, once there, she did wait at the driver's door. Outside, Brightstar teleported down and he obediently – more from habit than anything else - opened the driver's door with a bow. Once Moonbeak was in, the royal blue stallion got in the passenger side.

As Moonbeak fired up the old engine, and they had listened to the regular backfire and belch of exhaust smoke, the old griffon drove off, remaining silent while she negotiated the dark Fillydelphia roads. After a few minutes of travel, it soon became apparent to Brightstar that they weren’t headed for Astraea’s place.

The fact that they weren’t going to Moonbeak’s mother’s calmed the unicorn somewhat, at least he wasn’t going to become food. Tonight, at any rate. As they drove along though, he did have a sneaky idea where they were going. “Moonbeak,” he said, his mouth dry and unable to stand the overbearing silence any longer, “I have dishonoured you. I will do what you demand to remove that stain.”

Resolutely, Moonbeak said nothing, instead electing to stare out at the road ahead. Thankfully, there wasn’t much traffic at eight in the evening. Though she was quiet, it soon became apparent to Brightstar where they were going. Judging by the route, there was only one place she was going. ‘The MiAC store?’ the unicorn thought, ‘huh...I hadn't expected that...’

Still not saying a word, Moonbeak parked her white van and she just sat there in the very empty parking lot. She offered up a silent prayer that the MiAC store was still open. After a few moments of complete and utter silence, Brightstar suddenly realised what he should be doing. He shook his head and, cursing his foolishness, he got out and opened Moonbeak’s door for her.

As soon as her door was opened, Moonbeak got out, but she didn't wait for her partner. She walked directly into the store without looking back. Brightstar, after closing the driver's door, followed her rapidly disappearing rear into the store, immensely curious as to what his penance will be. Inside, the griffon went directly to the collar section and she selected a gray collar.

Holding the almost perfect replica of the collar she had sliced in half, she turned to face her lover. “Brightstar,” she started, summoning what remained of her nerve and her dignity, “would you join your blood with mine, and grow stronger from the joining?”

Whatever he was expecting, Brightstar was not expecting an abridged version of the Binding Ceremony. He answered without a thought with the correct response. The same response that she had given him at Gustav’s. “I would be honoured, Moonbeak, that my blood may be strengthened with yours.”

‘He said yes!’ Moonbeak fought to steady herself, to keep up her façade. Still, she couldn’t keep the giddy thought from her mind, ‘He said yes!’ While internally she was performing several backflips, she forced herself to remain calm as she placed the new collar around his neck. That done, she leant forward to nip at his ear. She lapped up the spot of blood there then she looked at his horn. “Your horn is rounded at the tip, not too good for drawing blood.”

“Aaaah...” Brightstar hissed at the sweet pain that lanced from his ear straight to his head and all the pleasure centres therein. He knew perfectly well his horn couldn’t draw blood as it was but, over the course of his police training, he had learnt a few things. “If I may be allowed magic, Moonbeak, I can do something about that.”

Moonbeak touched the index talon of her left claw to his throat. “This collar has no rules. Yet.”

With permission given, Brightstar lit his horn and, after a second's concentration, he formed the glowing yellow light into a solid cone around his horn, a cone with a very sharp point at the tip. This was a spell of Indigo Zap’s own design, that had been approved by the police department, as a last resort when a unicorn found themselves in a combat situation. “Now it has a point, Mistress.”

Impressed, Moonbeak held up her forearm to her fiancé’s now sharp horn. Brightstar moved his head slightly, so that the magical tip pierced her arm. The moment a bead of blood appeared he lapped it up. The griffon sighed deeply, “I love you, Brightstar, but I'm so unsure of my own worth.”

“I love you, Moonbeak, and you are worth so very much to me.” He kissed the tip of her yellow beak. “But I am aware my words are cheap unless my actions back them up.”

“True.” Moonbeak nodded in agreement. “Let me pay for that and we can test your words back at the house.” She licked his cheek. “My tasty pony.”

As she headed for the counter, which was staffed by a very disinterested earth pony stallion who was watching the clock for nine p.m. when he could finally close up and go home, Brightstar followed after her, deep in thought. ‘That look she had back in the Den, I know where I've seen it before, on Darkie's face when they took mum away from us. Later...we really need that conversation…’ as he thought that, he resolved to comply with whatever penance she deemed fit. It was the least he could do.

Honour demanded it.

Moonbeak paid for the new collar that didn't need to be wrapped as her pet was willing to wear it. She motioned for him to lead the way to the van which, obediently, Brightstar did, at once. He even made sure to keep his black tail up high, as he knew his Mistress liked, so that she had a clear view of his undercarriage. The royal blue unicorn led the way out of the store and to the van where he opened the driver's door with a low bow. “Thank you,” Moonbeak granted him a smile before getting in and starting her van.

Brightstar quickly got in the passenger’s side and, as soon as his seat belt was on, they drove for home. With the van in motion, he ran a hoof along his new collar. “Thank you Mistress, for my new collar. It felt…strange, coming home without it.” On the drive back home, Moonbeak was as quiet as she was on the way to the MiAC store, although she looked a lot happier than she did before.

~ ~ ~

Once she pulled into the parking lot at the base of her treehouse, Moonbeak didn’t say a word, not one word, when Brightstar opened her door for her. As quietly as she had been on the whole drive back, she flew up to the house but she did deign to wait for her pet to open the door. Brightstar, checking the van was locked up tight – this was Filly, after all – teleported up and, after opening the door, followed his Mistress inside.

Flicking on just the living room lights, the grey griffon walked straight over to her couch and flopped down on in with a somewhat tired groan. She felt she had earned the exhausted sigh she let out, it had been a quite difficult day. Moonbeak took one look at her pet stood in the doorway and wiggled her toes at him. “My paws are sore.”

“I can do something about that, Mistress!” Brightstar knew he shouldn’t appear too eager, but he couldn’t help it. There was no way in Stormclaw’s Grey Spires that he could ever resist those toes. Kneeling before her, he took a moment to feast his eyes on those wondrous paws and then, as sensuously as he could, he rubbed his hooves over her leathery soles.

Moonbeak slumped into the comfortable couch cushions, another sigh leaving her beak. This one though was one of pleasure. Her pony did know how to treat her paws. Still, she knew she had to talk to him. She owed him an explanation. “One day, years ago, Goldie told me he wanted to earn his bleeding. I asked how, and he said he should do something that would earn it back in the homeland.”

She felt Brightstar tense up ever so slightly when she began speaking, but he didn’t pause in his massage, instead he listened, really listened, as he pressed his hooves to her soles and her heels. It was heaven. “I thought of many things he could do for that, but he wanted it public. So it had to be something I wouldn't outright kill him over, but still enough that I would punish him in public.”

Brightstar, very gently massaging the balls of her paws, muzzle so very close but not actually touching, breathed in her sweaty scent. “I do understand, Moony....aaah, Mistress.” He corrected himself, but she didn’t seem to notice. “I too enjoy the public aspect of our play. I like being watched.”

Moonbeak continued as though he hadn’t said anything. “He suggested inattention. Letting his eyes wander to another, but when I did something to chastise him, he'd apologize, only to let his eyes wander away again. It would get to the point where I'd publicly humiliate him, and he'd be all apologetic, but I'd storm off.”

“I'd wait at the van while he did damage control, and paid the bill.” Moonbeak sighed, somewhere between pleasure and regret, for Brightstar’s hooves were literally magic on her paws. “I'd only wait five minutes though, after that he had to find his own way home. I don't think I ever explained to you just what we did, and why.”

Moonbeak paused a moment before she spoke again, steeling herself and collecting her thoughts. “He wanted to be bloodied, and I liked the taste of his blood.” She giggled at that. “I like the taste of yours too. Goldie was never mean or insulting, but always apologetic. He did egg me on though as he looked at the eye candy.”

“But…with you...” now, when she paused, the silence was almost deafening. “Brightstar, I'm a decade and a bit older than you, and the eye candy you look at is really very nice. It…Understand, it was your attitude today that put me in a bad place.” She leant forwards and ran her index talon of her left claw along his new collar, a collar that did not have rules, yet. “This commits you to me,” she then ran the same talon along her griffon gold necklace. “And this commits me to you.”

Brightstar did understand. He got it, very clearly. “Aah, no, I don't think you have ever have explained all this,” he paused for a moment and rubbed his nose over the sweaty soles of her paws. “Moonbeak, I put you in a bad place because I didn't think. I will apologise again, and submit myself to the blood penance for my thoughtless actions. Mum would be ashamed of me. That look in your eye, I've seen it before, just one time.”

“I was ready to carry on without you.” Moonbeak giggled at the touch of his nose to her paws, though she was curious to what her pony was referring. “My only fear was what my mother would have done to you when she found out.”

“By griffon law I should go to her, confess my actions and take her judgement,” Brightstar said before taking a long, slow lick up her whole left paw from heel to toes. “I saw that look on Darkie's face, that day when they took mum away from us. Hurt, confused, scared. She didn't know what was going on. I cannot believe I was the cause of that look in you.”

“I was confused, as I thought you were rejecting me.” Moonbeak confessed as the unicorn licked up her other paw. Stormclaw, but he was good! “This went a lot further than it had before. I had doubts before, but not like tonight.”

“I could never reject you, Moonbeak,” said Brightstar as he paid very close attention to licking the pads of her toes. “I love you with all of my being.”

The soft sigh that came from Moonbeak was almost a sob. “So did Goldie, and he is gone. Now you're here, and Athena does love you. I'm sure Zephyr will too, as do I. I'll not stand in your way, but I will worry.”

Brightstar didn’t want to guess what that admission had cost her. More than a lot, for sure. “I'm here,” he licked in between each toe, before sucking on each one in turn, largest to the smallest. “I will always be here, 'till I journey to the Grey Spires. I know my words must sound cheap, but I will prove with my actions. Forgive me, please?”

Noting his swollen lip, a gift she had left him with, Moonbeak leant in for a kiss and then quickly she nipped his lip and lapped at the fresh coppery blood. “You are still the tastiest pony I love.”

The royal blue unicorn shuddered happily, with an aroused sigh thrown in for good measure. “Bloody me, please Mistress. I do so love the feeling of your claws in me.”

“You are far too eager to pay your penance, Brightstar.” She scanned him with her sharp green eyes, her griffon in a pony’s clothing. “Seems you want to be rewarded rather than punished, hmm?”

“I definitely need to be punished Mistress. I was such a bad, bad pony…”

Moonbeak interrupted him by licking him all over his face, dragging her tongue over his muzzle, his nose and everywhere else. “You were, then I wasn't the best griffon either.”

“The fault was mine, Mistress.” Brightstar insisted on taking all the blame for this, as he sucked on the toes of her other paw, taking one claw-tipped digit in his mouth after the other.

Leaning forward once more, Moonbeak nipped at his ear where her claw had poked a hole clean through it and she lapped hungrily at the blood with her warm wet tongue. The taste was most arousing. “Yes, yes it was, pony.” She didn’t argue as she moved over a bit to run her beak along the ridges of his horn and, reaching the rounded tip, she took it in her mouth.

“Aaaaaah...” Brightstar shuddered with a little barely contained excitement as his horn disappeared into her beak, wet tongue and hot breath making it tingle. Although, when one horn vanished, a second appeared between his legs, his arousal impossible to hide.

As Moonbeak deepthroated his horn again and again, all the while slathering her tongue around the ridges, she delighted in the adorable little whimpers her pet was making. She was determined to keep it up until she got to see the light show she had seen in the past. Thankfully, given her unicorn was already aroused, it didn’t take long. “Ooooh...aah M-Mistress...” he moaned, his tongue hanging out of his mouth and, after several moments, his horn started to vibrate and glow, shooting off the fireworks of an impending orgasm.

With a very, very satisfied look all over her face, Moonbeak removed herself from Brightstar’s horn and sat back on the couch. “Know what? My toes feel neglected.”

As she sat back on the couch, Brightstar had a devastated look on his face as his light show faded away like a cock softening with the loss of stimulus. “But...M-Mistress...I was close!” Still, he went back to licking her toes, he pressed both paws together and he sucked on both of the largest toes at once.

“Oh, yes, you are very close to my paws. I like that.”

“Ooooh...” Now the bit dropped, Brightstar pressed her paws together and swirled his tongue around and between each toe. In response, Moonbeak unfurled her powerful grey wings, reaching up with her primary feathers to stroke and caress his warm tingling horn.

“MmMMmmmm!” Brightstar moaned, his horn quickly starting to glow and vibrate with each stroke, so much so that after a few moments he stopped licking and kissing her toes and he moaned when a few drips of pre-cum appeared at the head of his iron hard cock.

Again, Moonbeak continued to fellate his horn until it started to spark just like before. Again, she pulled off and smirked, watching the multi-coloured light show fade away. “Oh, my poor forgotten toes…”

Brightstar let out a very strained whimper as once more the sparks died away. While one faded though, his erection was throbbing painfully between his legs at being edged for a second time. “Mi-Mistress please,” he begged pitifully, “please can I cum?”

Smiling cruelly, Moonbeak said nothing, but she did wiggle her toes tauntingly at her pet. The way he begged made her pussy so very wet and slick. Brightstar took the hint and, after another whimper, he went back to worshipping her wiggling toes with a vengeance. Moonbeak started to pant, she was very much enjoying this! That, and she got so turned on from teasing and edging him.

“Please Mistreeeeess!” Brightstar begged. He kept on begging and begging and, after the fourth time of almost achieving his much-wanted orgasm had been denied him, the royal blue unicorn was grovelling on the floor kissing her toes in order to earn his release.

Moonbeak took the worship as was her due as a Mistress. She did however see the very desperate state her lover and pet was in and knew he wouldn’t last much longer. Either he’d pass out from having the pleasure centres of his brain overloaded and denied or he’d cum. It was time for the endgame, as it were. “Fill me pony,” she commanded imperiously, “I want you in me belly to belly. Now.”

“Yes Mistress!” Brightstar didn’t need any further encouragement to heed his Mistress’s command. He didn’t even bother to wipe away the drool from his edgings as he surged upwards from the floor. Getting into position straightaway on his hind hooves, the very horny and aroused stallion entered Moonbeak, his throbbing erection sliding neatly into her sopping wet pussy as he lifted up her legs so that her paws were either side of his head.

Once he was inside her, Moonbeak used her wings to stroke her lover everywhere she could reach. Brightstar let out a low highly pleasured moan as a wingtip stroked under his tail, the primary feather dancing around his asshole as he gave a thrust of his hips and he hilted inside of her, medial ring and all. “AAaaaAAAH!” Moonbeak screeched, her head lolling on the couch. “Not t-too soon, pony. Make me cum and then you too can cum!”

“Ha...haaaahmmm y-yes Mistress!” Brightstar moaned, his voice full of lust, though, as he thrust inside her hard, he tried really very desperately to think of police process and parking violations in order to stave off the climax he knew was not very far away.

With each hard thrust, his medial ring stretched her pussy, making the griffon wail and screech with pleasure, especially as his flat head was exciting her G-spot every time. Already on the brink, aroused so much by edging her lover and hearing him beg for release, Moonbeak didn’t take long to climax. Several deep thrusts, one that tapped her cervix later, and she shouted out, “Briiiigghttttstaaaaaaaaar!”

When Moonbeak came, squirting around his plunging cock, Brightstar pressed her paws together and he got both of her large toes in his mouth and he sucked on them hard, at the same time he magically vibrated her clit as he thrusted inside one last time, cumming like a geyser released. His hot sticky seed splashed all around her vaginal tunnel, painting her insides white and swelling her belly. “MooOOOOOoony!”

Silently, as she was still panting from her orgasm, Moonbeak wrapped her pony up in her wings and she placed her claws on his ass to hold him deep inside her. Brightstar let out a pleasured whimper as he continued ejaculating inside her, further swelling her belly. “Hmm...mmmm... Mistress...” he couldn’t help but moan, her very sharp talons were close to his asshole and close to piercing his skin.

“You are forgiven, as long as you forgive me for my foolishness.”

“I-I Hmmm I f-forgive you, Moony, a-always!”

“You are a wise pony.” Moonbeak placed a light, delicate kiss on the stallion’s nose before letting go of his ass. “Now it is time to snuggle in bed. I'll be big spoon tonight, I think.”

Brightstar was in no way going to argue with that. Given how the whole night had gone, he was just pleased to have a fiancé to snuggle with and not the couch or a park bench. “Th-Thank you, I ah, I think I need a snuggle tonight, Moony

Moonbeak placed a talon on his lips. “I need to snuggle,” she corrected him gently. “Holding you holds me together.”

Standing up on his hooves, Brightstar insisted on carrying his lover through to the master bedroom in the treehouse, magically turning off the living room lights as he went. Once in the bedroom, the royal blue unicorn got into position on the bed. “Um,” he could tell the time for ‘that’ conversation was at hoof. He ran a hoof along his new collar for nerve. “About that, love. I know you have issues, maybe it would be an idea to see someone about them? A professional someone?”

Moonbeak chose not to say anything to that, but she did scoot over on the bed and she held her pony close and tight from behind, her wings extended over him in a feathery blanket. Brightstar shivered, fretting that he had overstepped his place. “There's no dishonour in seeking help, love.” He decided there was nothing to lose by trying though. “After mum was taken away, Darkie had to see a counsellor for a few months. She didn't take it well and I couldn't help her that way.”

Again, Moonbeak didn’t answer, not straightaway, anyway. “Will you go with me?” she asked after a long few moments of silence.

“I will be at your side, Moony.”

“You are a silly pony.” Moonbeak said, though there was a giggle somewhere in her voice. She appreciated him opening up to her. “You are part of my life, so you need to be there as what I feel has a lot to do with you.”

I'm your silly pony, Moony. I will be with you.” He promised, nestling deep into her warm grey fur.

Moonbeak lightly nipped Brightstar’s left ear, a gentle, affectionate nip. “I'll be with you, too…” following that, she was soon asleep, snoring soundly, hugging her pony close to her like she was guarding the sacred treasure of Griffonstone in her arms. She was, he was worth more than all the bits in the world. Brightstar too was soon in the land of dreams, aided by the strong steady heartbeat behind him.

After all, it had been a stressful day. He was hoping tomorrow spent with Athena and Zephyr in the park would be considerably easier than this day had been. He had completely forgotten about the minotaur going to see Brass Knuckles.

~ ~ ~

Following the dramatic eventful Saturday, the rest of the weekend couldn’t hope to match it. The whole of Sunday passed by in a slow uneventful haze of happy familial bliss. Brightstar, Moonbeak, Athena and Zephyr spent the whole day at Fairmount Park. Moonbeak, still reeling from the events of the night before, even allowed Brightstar to drive her van.

The park was as fun as ever. Brightstar spent most of the day massaging Moonbeak’s paws and creating the magic ball to play catch and pounce with Athena. Moonbeak busied herself with nursing Zephyr and thoroughly enjoying her pony worshipping her paws.

All in all, it was a most excellent Sunday. Even with Athena changing her little brother’s stinky nappy and somehow spreading the whole mess over five square feet – Brightstar was amazed the tiny kitten had that much waste in him in the first place – it was still an excellent time. Fortunately they were able to swim in the lake and clean Athena off and make her presentable.

Moonbeak floated on her back with Zephyr safely placed on her belly while Brightstar took the opportunity to play shark and chase Athena around the shallows by the shore. This game went on for a good hour, until Athena began yawning, which gave Moonbeak the idea for them all to have a nap on the picnic blanket under the shade of a large tree.

Monday saw Brightstar heading back early in the morning to the police academy, while Moonbeak had a photoshoot for a friend of hers, Snapshot, in her studio. Not a big job, she still had to get her mother to kitten-sit for her. This wasn’t an issue though, as Astraea loved having her grandkittens. Mostly she loved filling them with sugar and E numbers then sending them back to her daughter.

It was just after two in the afternoon when Moonbeak, her photoshoot complete, shoved open the door to her mother’s retirement condo and walked in. It was days like this one she missed her pony. Granted he knew next to nothing about photography beyond the basics, he was good for carrying, fetching and setting up her equipment, as well as opening doors for her. She liked that.

Astraea was laid on the floor with Athena, who was busy drawing with her crayons. Judging by the stack of paper beside her full of her artistic creations, some more abstract than others, the kitten had been at this for some time already. “Did the job go well, Moony?” Astraea asked, looking up from Athena’s ‘art’.

“Yes momma,” Moonbeak smiled as she walked into her mother's condo and she slumped on the soft couch that threatened to swallow her whole. Her paws ached and she had no sexy royal blue pony to massage them for her. “Snapshot sent some competent models this time and the weather was nice. How's it gone here?”

“Our young artist is doing well.” Astraea smiled warmly at her grandkitten, playfully ruffling the white feathers at the back of her head.

Athena beamed a very wide smile and she held up her creation in her tiny clawed hands. “Look momma I drawed a pony!” she proudly showed off what may have been a unicorn, though there was equal chance it was a hippo, or a dragon.

“Zephie is napping,” Astraea smiled as she heaved herself up off the floor and beckoned her daughter through to the kitchen where she put the kettle on. “But, he wasn't at all fussy.”

“That's a very good pony Athena! I think that can go on the fridge at home.” Moonbeak smiled a wide smile when she saw Athena full of pride and joy at her picture. Her kitten immediately started another, intent on drawing a family picture set in the park. Walking through to the kitchen, she was grateful her mother had the kettle boiling, she was in the mood for a coffee.

“You set a date yet?” Astraea asked, her back to her daughter as she made the coffee.

“A date?” Moonbeak had to really think about what her mother was talking about and then, after a few moments time, when a fresh steaming mug of coffee had been placed in front of her, it dawned upon her. “No, not yet momma, I haven't spoken to Brightstar about it.”

Astraea shrugged, “That's okay, I just need enough lead time to get the tickets and the invites sent out.”

Moonbeak blushed heavily, her white feathered cheeks turning bright red. The events of the last two days were still at the forefront of her mind. She hadn’t even thought of the binding ceremony. “We've had other things to talk about, over the weekend, momma.”

The older golden brown griffon let out a giggle more suited to a kitten of Athena’s age than her own. “I could guess that when you had me kitten-sit for you on Saturday. Quiet night, my old behind! Still, not saying I'm packed or anything, because I am, but I'll be ready to go when you are. Not getting any younger by the way.”

That threw Moonbeak for a complete loop. She had her beak open, ready to tell her mother that she was at last going to see a psychiatrist about all her deeply sown issues, and that she had the number of a Doctor Rethink here in Fillydelphia ready to dial, when she blinked, slowly processing what her mother had said. “Ready? Ready to go? Go where, momma?”

As she took a long sip of her coffee, Astraea gave Moonbeak her patented eye roll number three. “To the wedding of course.” She couldn’t believe her daughter was being this dense. “Did you want to take the steam ship, or the air ship? I guess it is a matter of cost versus time.”

Again, Moonbeak blinked, once then twice. It slowly dawned on her what her mother was on about. She had hoped to avoid this particular conversation for as long as she could. Now it was here and she couldn’t just fly away from it. “In my van?” she said dumbly, though she had meant to say ‘limo’. “It's not that far to City Hall, momma.”

“What?” Astraea’s eyes were wide with shock. She almost dropped her coffee. “You'd never turn your back on the old tradition. You and Goldie got married in the homeland.”

Moonbeak shook her head. This was precisely why she wanted to avoid this conversation all together. Yes, she and Goldcrest had gotten married in Griffonstone, that was entirely why she wanted to do it here in Filly. This was her home now, tradition be damned. “Momma, please, Goldie was then. Brightstar is now. Equestria, wherever he is, is my homeland.”

“You can't be serious!” Astraea hissed, trying to keep her voice as low as she could so as not to disturb Athena who was busy colouring in her family scene in the living room. “He is more griffon than some griffons I know! The binding ceremony? Are you just tossing that away?” she demanded, not surprised in the least that she was defending Brightstar. She did like him.

“No, momma,” Moonbeak sighed, “we'll do it according to tradition, the binding will be done, just, here in Filly.”

“What about your cousins?” Astraea tried a different route to get through to her. “Think of the bits! The cost to bring them here is...it’s huge! My sister too, she isn't in good shape, Moony!”

Moonbeak hated this. Hearing her mother beg like this was not high on her list of fun things to do. “We'll bring them over, momma. The cost doesn't matter. I have bits, you know that. Star's friend has bits…” she let out a deep sigh, knowing full well that Air Raid would be happy to help with any costs they couldn’t cover. “Brightstar's sister, she wouldn't be cleared to travel that distance. She's on suicide watch, you know that.”

As it happened, Astraea did know that. She had met Darkstar a couple of times now, when they had all gone over to Canterlot for a few days away. She took to the sister just as easily as she had taken to her brother. Though she was loath to admit it, Astraea cared a lot for the troubled unicorn. “Maybe getting away from here will do her good. I'd even travel with her.”

“Maybe, and I know you would, but I've made my mind up, momma. Filly is my home.”

“Filly is where you live.” Astraea corrected her loudly, “Home is where you're born.”

Athena heard that. She couldn’t not, really, seeing as how her grandmother wasn’t caring to keep her voice down any longer. But, as her drawing was now finished and she really wanted praising for her latest art, she walked with it to the kitchen. “Me, nanna?”

Astraea smiled, beaming at her grandkitten. “’Thena, you're equestrian, and I'm good with that, but your momma is griffonian.” She looked pointedly at Moonbeak, almost daring her to argue with her.

Moonbeak didn't flinch, at all. She was though concerned now that her kitten was stood by the kitchen table, soaking up every word and the mood like a sponge. “Momma please. Can we not do this now?” she asked, draining what was left of her coffee in one swallow before setting the mug down on the table. “I don't want 'Thena to see us argue. Please, accept my decision.”

Astraea was indeed about to argue. Vehemently so, but she caught sight of Athena hopping from paw to paw with her drawing and sighed internally. “We can talk about it later. I'll go get Zephyr for you.”

‘Oh...I was going to tell you about the therapist...’ Moonbeak thought sadly as her mother walked on through to her bedroom to get her boy. She really wanted her mother’s input and advise too, especially as she had been pushing her for ages to go see a professional about her issues. ‘I suppose I'll tell you later…’ “Ah, thank you, momma.”

When Astraea came back with an awake, but sleepy, and not at all fussy Zephyr on her back, Moonbeak was waiting in the living room, most of Athena’s artwork safely in her bags. “He is such a good kitten!” the older griffon beamed with pride.

“Me?” Athena asked hopefully, tugging at her nanna’s arm.

“You're an extra good big sister!”

Instantly happy, Athena jumped up and down and buzzed her wings hard, getting a good foot and a half off the floor. “Yay! I extra good!”

Moonbeak’s heart almost melted with joy at her kitten’s antics. “Yes you are 'Thena, a very good big sister. Thank you momma, for sitting for me.”

“Any time.” Astraea leant in and kissed her daughter’s cheek, just to show there were no seriously ill feelings between them. “Talk to your pony about marriage location.” She still wasn’t quite prepared to let this go though, as she handed Zephyr back to his mother.

Moonbeak rolled her eyes, selecting eye roll number seven as she made sure Zephyr was secure on her back. The last thing she wanted was to restart the argument so soon. “Up you get, 'Thena.” She nudged her kitten, “Say bye to nanna.”

“Bye nanna!” Athena squealed, getting herself a hug before flapping her wings as hard as she could and landing on her mother’s back, just in front of her brother, who had his claws latched on.

“I still love you all, but think about it.”

Moonbeak made sure to hug her momma, at the door. “I love you to the end of the Grey Spires, momma, always.” With one last kiss to her cheek, a sigh and a reminder to herself to call Doctor Rethink when she got back to her treehouse, she flew down to her waiting van.

Chapter 10 - What We Do For Love

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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.

Chapter 11 - What We Do For Family

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It was just after ten forty-five that Thursday when Brightstar arrived back at the treehouse. The ride back, while short, felt longer because Moonbeak had been so quiet. Getting out, she placed Zephyr on her back while Athena, who wanted her pony ride, fluttered up onto her daddy’s back. Grinning, Brightstar teleported up to the outside landing pad and held the door open, which his partner promptly walked through when she flew up. “You still taking the day off, Bright?”

“I am!” Brightstar replied, walking inside and closing the door behind him. He got as far as the kitchen and shrugged off his full saddlebags. “I'm yours all day, sexy.”

“Good, because you have a kitten to entertain.” Moonbeak laughed, “I will make sure this couch doesn't wander off.” First though, she snatched up the dropped bags and went to put away the fish and pasta they had bought from the grocery store on the way back.

That suited the royal blue unicorn just fine. Playing with Athena was infinitely preferable to Sour Sweet’s training methods. “I believe I can entertain a kitten, my love, while you make sure the couch doesn't float away.” he chuckled at the eye roll he received at that. “You wanna play, 'Thena?”

As it happened, Athena did want to play. The little golden brown kitten bounced on the natural hardwood floor, her claws and paws thudding with each bounce. “Ball!” she demanded eagerly.

Obliging his kitten, Brightstar lit his horn and he created the illusionary ball, the dark blue one with the white star on it that changed colour when it was pounced. No sooner had it been created then Athena began to work at her pouncing skills, sneaking up and attacking the ball. After ten minutes of this play, she got a little bored. “Blocks and ball!”

Moonbeak, who had settle back on her couch-shaped throne and was enjoying a catch up episode of ‘Mares of Our Lives’ with Zephyr, looked up. “She wants you to defend the ball with blocks so it’s harder to pounce.”

Straightaway, Brightstar understood. He levitated over a few of the multi-coloured wooden blocks. Smiling, the unicorn created a small wall two blocks high in front of the ball. Athena, crouching low to the floor, crept around the wall and pounced the ball, utterly delighted when it changed colour. “Got it!” she screeched with joy.

When she backed away, Brightstar created two little walls. “You did!” he congratulated her. “You're a smart kitten!” Time and again, she crept up on the ball, and he built the walls ever higher, making more and more complex barriers every time. The play went on like this for half an hour, until it got to the point where Athena had to fly to get the ball. Brightstar had an idea. “Want to try a new game?”

Curious as to what her daddy had planned, Athena nodded her head. “Okay!

Relighting his horn, Brightstar made the ball jingle like a bell when it moved now, and he rolled it side to side to demonstrate. “You have to close your eyes and listen to pounce it, 'kay, sweetie?”

For the moment lost, Athena looked at her mother, her head to one side. Moonbeak tore her eyes away from CJ and Hunter’s millionth break up and make up to explain. “Night hunting.” Nodding, she closed her eyes. A side effect of having her eyes closed was that her butt was extra wiggly. Moonbeak had to clamp her claw around her beak to prevent herself laughing.

Likewise, Brightstar found he had a need to jam his hoof into his mouth to stop from laughing as he slowly rolled the ball, the bell jingling loudly. Eyes closed, little Athena tracked the sound and crept forward and pounced when she thought it was right and landing short. Snorting, she charged forward and ran into the ball. She then sat down and opened her eyes. “Hard.”

“Not point in practice if easy.” Moonbeak commented from the couch.

“It's hard sweetie, but you did good! Try again?” Athena didn’t answer her daddy, she just stood and closed her eyes, ready. “That’s a good kitten!” this time, he rolled the ball left to right in front of her. “You can do it!”

Listening, Athena pounced at the end of an arc and missed, but at the last moment she spun and pounced again landing on it. Like she was hunting on the Plains of Blood, she sunk her claws in and opened her eyes. “Got it!”

Brightstar cheered, “Well done, kitten!”

Athena did a well-earned victory dance. “Again, dada!” Brightstar duly rolled the ball, not too quickly, towards Athena this time. Eyes closed, the little kitten backed up at first and leapt forward, almost over the ball as her hind end landed on it. Rolling forwards, she stopped to listen as the ball jingled right behind her. She spun and pounced it. “Got it!”

Brightstar clapped his hooves. “Good Kitten!” When Athena squealed ‘again’, he did so and this play went on for a good twenty minutes until she was bored of it. The unicorn shuddered, “I'd really hate to be the one you're hunting, 'Thena.”

Now she was bored of the ball, Athena let loose a reasonable attack screech designed to put the fear of Stormclaw into her enemies. “Park!”

Realising that she wouldn’t be watching her television program that day, Moonbeak sighed in defeat. “I'd like some sun on my feathers.”

“Oh my, it seems my ladies have spoken!” Brightstar chuckled and struck a most heroic pose on his hind legs. “To the park!”

Athena shook her head and playfully nipped at her dada’s hoof as he playfully ruffled the white feathers on her head. “Pony ride!”

“I have Zephyr, and I will lock up. Don't forget the bucket and spade.”

Brightstar winked at his kitten. “You know where they are, 'Thena?”

“I do!” Nodding vigorously, Athena rushed off to her room and, while Moonbeak switched off the television and Brightstar levitated away all the used toys back into the toy box, she came back with the bucket and spade held under a wing. “Got em, dada!”

“You clever kitten. Up you get, sweetie.” When Athena held out the bucket and spade for him to hold, she quickly buzzed her wings and flew up on the unicorn’s back. Moonbeak busied herself with getting Zephyr’s travel bag together and Brightstar passed the bucket and spade back to his passenger.

While her mother was busy getting some supplies together, Athena playfully swatted the pony’s ear. “Park!”

“Alrighty, let’s go!” Once he was sure everything was in order with his kitten, Brightstar teleported them both down to the base of the tree. He realised that five or ten minutes had passed and Moonbeak still hadn’t joined them. Wondering what on earth she was doing up there, he called up, “Everything alright, love?”

“Packing a lunch!” came Moonbeak’s hollered reply. Moments later and, once she had locked up, she flew down with two hamper bags held across her back. One had the food while the other held Zephyr’s supplies.

“My passenger is ready,” Brightstar smiled, nuzzling his griffon’s cheek. “I think we'd better get going before she tries to eat me.”

On cue, Athena nipped her daddy’s ear. “Tasty!”

Moonbeak giggled, “I agree.”

Flicking his ear, Brightstar laughed and, when Moonbeak chose to walk to the park, quickly fell into step at her side. He reflected, as they all walked along, enjoying the warm noon day / early afternoon sun shining on his face and fur, as well as the gentle breeze, that everything was right with the world. “It is a very nice day, isn't it?”

“It has become a better day.”

Brightstar did enjoy summer days like these. It made him think of all those summers in Canterlot with his friends. “Yes it has, though present company has made it so,” he agreed, walking a little closer so he could nuzzle her cheek and wrap his tail in hers. “I love you too, you know that, right?”

Moonbeak nodded but, lost in her own thoughts of her mother, what had sent her to the hospital and the upcoming binding ceremony, she walked in silence the rest of the way to the park. As soon as it was in sight, Athena began bouncing excitedly on the pony’s back. “Sand! Sand!”

“You wanna play in the sandbox, sweetie?” Brightstar asked and, by way of reply, Athena tossed the blue castle-shaped bucket to the ground so she could fly down. Spade held under one wing and the bucket held by the handle in her beak, she zoomed off for the sand box without a backwards glance.

Brightstar watched her go, scanning the park for any dangers. There were a few ponies already there, most of them he recognised, playing with their foals. Those adults he didn't know were with ones that he did. However, as he sat on the grass under the shade of an overhanging tree, he was more concerned with his partner. “Alright, what's wrong?”

“What was it momma didn't want me to know?”

The royal blue unicorn had been expecting that. He was just surprised it had taken her that long to ask. “Before I tell you, she asked me not to. However, honour with you outweighs honour with her.” He sighed, having weighed up his options, and continued. “Her rent was put up. She was struggling. Pony food is cheap. She doesn't want you to worry.”

Moonbeak looked straight ahead, not really ‘looking’ at anything. “She can out stubborn me. So, what do I do, and what should I do? You advise, pony.”

“For the moment, nothing.” Brightstar tried very hard to ignore the stern glare he received from his partner and forged ahead. “She says she can get by on the vitamin supplements and the food she's getting. All we can do is take her at her word and keep an eye on her. Anything else and she'll dig her claws in and put her head in the sand.”

“And the doctor?”

“The doctor's happy with her. He'll check up on her in a few months’ time.”

“It is good you are a pony.” Moonbeak commented, “Your words are like the breeze, they ruffle my feathers and no more. I will visit momma tomorrow and know nothing she doesn't tell me.” She affectionately nipped Brightstar’s ear and whispered, “Thank you for listening to her.”

“I worry about her too, Moony,” said Brightstar, playfully flicking his ear as he watched Athena playing in a corner of the sandbox. If he didn’t know any better, he’d assume she was constructing a sand Griffonstone. “I love my family.”

Moonbeak smiled, her lover’s words warming her heart as much as the summer sun. “You are family. Now, Zephyr and I will catch some sun. You will watch Athena.”

It turned out to be a very nice day in the park. There were no issues, standard issues ranging from Athena losing a toy, or her spade, or fighting with another foal who wanted to play on ‘her’ bit of sand. That didn’t happen that day. She even came from the swings the first time of calling when it was lunch time. Brightstar, who was using his magic to help set up the picnic blanket, saw the reticent look on Moonbeak’s face. “Hey, now that's all sorted and behind us, do I need to play that radio station again?”

As she was passing out some tuna sandwiches on plates, Moonbeak snorted. “Sorry, there’s too much on my mind today to spank you.”

Levitating out a bowl of maggoty cheese, a delicacy in Griffonstone, Brightstar considered that for a moment. “You're right, as always, my love.”

“It was a good get-a-way though.” Moonbeak grinned, reaching into the food hamper and pulling out a box of crackers to go with the cheese and a bottle of fruit juice.

Athena only had eyes for the cheese. She liked ‘hunting’ the live maggots. “I help nana!”

Brightstar grinned once the picnic was all laid out. He made extra certain the salted caramel cake was out for dessert. “Yes it was, and you did help nana, sweetie.” Athena, now set free to demolish the food, continued to prove that she was a messy eater. “Messy little kitten.” As she had learned from her mother, Athena ignored the pony when it was good to do so. “I'm glad you agreed to the wedding here and the reception in Griffonstone,” he commented, eating just as messily as his kitten.

“Agreement is overstating it.” Moonbeak commented as she, by comparison, delicately ate her sandwiches. “We came to an understanding. I wasn't budging on the wedding. She gets to show off the horned griffon to her sister and her friends.”

“I could have thrown a spanner in the works and demanded Canterlot as a venue,” Brightstar swallowed a tuna sandwich and chuckled, knowing full well that Moonbeak knew he'd do no such thing. Canterlot may have been where he was born, but it wasn’t home.

“I'd rather marry you before I eat you.”

“I'd rather you do that, too.” Brightstar shot back and, as soon as she had swallowed her piece of the maggoty cheese, Athena ran over to the slides to play again now she was recharged with food.

Moonbeak hadn’t eaten her last beakful of tuna and cheese when little Zephyr woke up, crying that he was hungry. The old griffon sighed, shifting her youngest kitten down to her teats. “At least he waits till after I eat to demand to eat...” she cast her lover a look. “Worried your pastry will run out of cream filling?”

Brightstar watched Athena play on the slides with her friends, shielding his eyes with a hoof against the glare of the sun as it streamed down. Thoughts of the binding had him very worried, and with good reason. “Worried, yes, but not about that.”

His partner rested a claw gently on his foreleg, squeezing ever so slightly to let him know she was there for him. “Worry about what you can control. I'll try to not worry about what you cannot.”

“It's mother…” the royal blue unicorn looked down at the red and white checked blanket, studying it very hard like it held the answers to life, the universe and everything. His mother was one of many worries he could not avoid. “I know Raid can and will bring Darkie. I...I'd...I'd really like my mother to attend, if it’s permitted by the asylum doctors.”

“Then she attends.” It really was as simple as that as far as Moonbeak was concerned. It didn’t bother her in the least of Shining Star’s condition. “My mother will be there.” She giggled, in her mind imagining Shining Star and Astraea together breaking Equestria. “Who do you trust to supervise her visit?”

“It's likely the asylum will send her orderly with her.”

“I already know you don't pass out from the sight of blood,” Moonbeak giggled, still affectionately holding her lover’s foreleg, “so that should go well. How many of your friends will run out of the room when we do that, I wonder?” A thought struck her then, something they had not discussed yet. “How much time off can you get after you graduate the academy?”

“Olive Branch says I can have as much as I need,” Brightstar casually inspected his free hoof, “something about being a star pupil...” he chuckled when his leg was squeezed until it hurt slightly. “Cy is the only one I can see being squeamish. You know she's a very girly mare.”

Now it was Moonbeak’s turn to gaze of into the middle distance. She knew she couldn’t get away from that particular elephant in the room much longer. “It is okay if the police come, but they best not make a big deal about Goldcrest or there will be extra bloodletting.”

Brightstar smiled and, coming back to the here and now, he nuzzled her cheek. “I don't think you can keep the Shadowbolts away. Lemon Zest and Sugarcoat have been decorating my locker for days now. I will make sure they behave, love.”

“I have some models and clients to invite.” Moonbeak thought of her favourite ponies from her rolodex, “the whole bar will be there, of course, then that is some of your Shadowbolt friends too. And I know for a fact that momma wants her bridge club invited.”

“I'm not fool enough to deny momma what she wants…” he smiled a little sadly, his thoughts now meandering along a somewhat lonely road. It was painfully evident to him that he wouldn’t have as many guests coming as his partner. “As long as mother, my sister, Raid and Cy are there, I'll be a happy pony.”

“Well,” Moonbeak snarked as she reached for a glass of fruit juice, “if you don't need me for happiness, then let me know how it goes. I could spend the day on the river catching fish!” she nudged Brightstar’s shoulder, her mood lifted considerably since earlier at the hospital. “We should think of party games. I like spank the pony. It is a good party game. I like clean the floor and hose the pony too.”

Now, Brightstar really laughed, the slightly maudlin mood banished for the moment. “And what about under your paws? I like that game too.” He was certain that, should the reception or graduation party be held at the Twisted Tail, they would be playing some of those games.

“I'm okay with some strange pony sucking on my toes. I’ll admit it was really odd at first, but now I've grown to expect it.” Moonbeak stretched out on the grass in the shade of the tree and gave her lover a very meaningful wink.

“Hmmmm!” It wasn’t the wink that made him bite his lip and whimper, it was the fact that she was stroking her hind legs together. If that wasn’t enough, she even wiggled her toes! He glanced around at the park, saw that nopony was paying them any mind. That was good, as that lewd display was certain to get him showing. “Oooooh, they are beautiful, like the rest of you…”

Giving him 'the look', Moonbeak just wiggled her toes all the more. Brightstar very much got the idea and, panting with excitement, he shimmied around on the grass and lowered his head to her delectably wiggling toes, not caring in the slightest who was watching. Once in position, he trailed a slow lick up the left then the right sole.

Stretching out fully on the grass, Moonbeak watched Zephyr as her kitten decided it was a fun game to dig up worms to eat. She also made sure to keep a sharp eye on Athena as Brightstar trailed another slow wet lick up her paw, tasting grass and the sweat of her leathery sole. He licked the paws again, this time sucking on her toes. So aroused was he by this that he had already slipped out of his sheath just as Moonbeak’s claws had slipped out of her toes.

“MmmMMMmMMMm!” in sheer heaven, Brightstar moaned and, getting into it, he sucked on each toe, running his tongue slowly and sensually around each exposed claw. Thoughtfully, as she was laid on her side facing him, Moonbeak extended a wing to cover his boner while at the same time extending a claw to play with it.

Brightstar let out a surprised and aroused meep, running his tongue along and between the toes of Moonbeak’s left paw. At the other end, the dark grey griffon wasn’t working to get anything out of him, she was just playing. After several long, pleasure-filled minutes, the unicorn pulled off of her toes, leaving a trail of drool in his wake. “Mmmm Moony that's sooo good!” he gave her paws a last, long lick to show her how much he loved them.

Moonbeak, who had been thoroughly enjoying having her paws worshipped – as was her right, she was her pony’s Queen, after all – sighed happily and with a twinge of longing once he finished. Nice as it was, they had things to plan. “Check for available dates with your friends. Now, do you have a day of month or day of week that has meaning to you?”

“The fifteenth.” Brightstar replied very quickly, his brow furrowing sadly. “That day in March was when mother was taken to get the help she needs. It is…significant.”

There was a look of understanding that passed between them. “You think there is enough time to plan for May fifteenth?”

“I do, love.” With a smile now, he licked his lips, still tasting her wonderful toes, “that gives us just over a month to get ready.”

That was good enough for her. “We can do the Griffonstone reception on June thirteenth then. Enough time for that and to get us there.”

“I think that sounds like a plan!” Brightstar agreed as he glanced around at Zephyr ferreting in the grass and earth for worms and at Athena playing over on the swings and the slide with her friends and he was filled with a love for them that strengthened his spirit to do what he knew he had to do. “I'll call Raid and then the asylum while the kittens are occupied.”

Snickering, Moonbeak looked under her wing that was still draped across her lover’s crotch. “I'd suggest you call from where you are, or you’ll scare the foals.”

“I blame your paws and claws!” Brightstar laughed, though he bit his lip when those paws and toes wiggled once more. Lighting his horn, he levitated his phone from his saddlebag and dialled Air Raid's number, chuckling to himself that even she should be awake by now.

A sleepy voice answered him down the phone line, the sound of a mare for whom sleep was a foreign thing. “What's up, Bright?”

Brightstar couldn’t resist. “Celestia's sun.” he laughed when his friend raspberried him. “And you, it seems. How are you doing over there?”

Air Raid sighed, the lime green mare forcing herself to sit up in her bed. She had been so close to sleep, too! “Could be better. Darkie says the nurse did something mean to her when I was at the track. Unhappy Darkie means no sleep for me. I'm thinking of getting a spy camera.”

“Mean?” Straightaway, his ears pricked up and his voice went all serious. One thing he wouldn’t countenance was anypony doing anything to his family. “What do you mean, 'mean', Raid?”

“She says she did something to her food.” Air Raid sighed as she let out a wide exhausted yawn. She didn’t want to bother Brightstar with this. Jewel Joy had been an exemplary nurse, but… “Of course it is all cleaned up when I get back. I just don't know any more, Bright. Why I think I need a camera. I want to believer her, I do...”

“You're doing the right thing, Raid.” Brightstar interjected kindly. “Of course believe her, even though she's crazy. Get a camera, get proof. That’s the important thing, evidence. What's her state of mind whenever you come back after the nurse has cared for her?”

“Angry,” Air Raid admitted, “but that is better than suicidal. I took her for some greasy food and unhealthy donuts, and that calmed her down. She wanted to talk most of the night, so we did. She is sleeping now, and I am sleepy.”

‘You certainly sound sleepy,’ Brightstar thought, though he diplomatically didn’t say that. He could only imagine what her mane looked like. “Well, I have some good news to give you and her.” He took a deep breath, “You know I asked Moony to bind with me? We set a date. The fifteenth of May.”

“Let me check the calendar,” Air Raid muttered, rubbing sleep from her eyes and putting her phone on hold for a moment while she checked her calendar for any upcoming dates. Thankfully she was free until the last week of May. “Okay, I have no races that weekend, so it is a go. I'll work some greasy food into Darkie so she is a happy unicorn.”

“And...Raid...” Brightstar was suddenly uncertain, all his old doubts and worries flooding back, “I wondered, if you don't mind, would you be my best mare?”

Any sleep in Air Raid was gone in a flash. “I am best mare!” she cheered and whooped, until something occurred to her. That something being ‘why her?’ “Um, you sure you don't want Darkie?”

Brightstar felt wretched. All the warmth and heat of the summer day seemed to evaporate. “If…If I could be sure of her state of mind, yes. I can't think of anypony else qualified better to deliver an embarrassing speech about me than you though.”

While it was true that Air Raid knew everything there was to know about Brightstar and his family, she felt duty bound to offer an alternative. “There is Cy. I think we should plan for all three of us up there. Best Mare and Groom's Maids.”

“I think Darkie and Cy will make excellent Groom's Maids.” Brightstar made up his mind. “You though, I trust you Raid.”

“Life has taught me to grow up.” Air Raid replied solemnly. “I think it has done it to you, too. Copper.”

Brightstar raspberried his friend down the phone in response to the slight about the Fillydelphia PD copper coloured uniform. Not that he was going to join the regular police department. He was going to be a Shadowbolt. Undercover Ops. “I take it that's a yes?” he then sighed a little, already knowing the answer to what he was about to ask. “Have you heard anything from Dusk, at all?”

“You sure you want to know?”

“Sure, I’m sure.”

Air Raid took a breath and steadied herself. “After a race the other week, we went to a nice place for a bit of celebration. We walk in, the pit crew and I, and Dusk and Vocal are there. Two biggest snobs in Canterlot. Not sure which was egging the other on, but both were nasty. Then Ratchet was going to respond, so I dragged her and the team out with them laughing at us. I wanted to put a hoof through his face. Again.” Her sigh deepened, “I'm just glad Darkie wasn't with us. It would have turned really bad real quick.”

“Ah. I see.” If he was honest with himself, he had been expecting something like that. He was just glad that his sister hadn’t been caught up in it. “I only ask because he stopped returning my calls months ago.”

“I stopped calling after my muzzle was broken. He is the past Bright. I've moved on.”

“You have the right of it Raid.” Brightstar went silent for a long moment, unsure how to ask what he wanted to ask. He knew his friend would be resistant to the idea. “Raid...if I send you an invitation for Wildfire, would you put it through her dad's door? He may pass it on to wherever she is.”

There came a very, very long, very pregnant pause from the other end of the phone line. “Okay,” she answered at last when Brightstar was worried she had gone, “I may get somepony else to do the delivery. Bastard might see me through a window and do something,” she offered, thinking that Ratchet could do it for her.

“Thank you Raid. I know it’s a longshot, but it’s a shot.”

“It is hard, but we don't plan on giving up on her either, but you have a griff there to take care of. That is mission one.”

“I know hun, I know.” Brightstar sniffed up a tear. “Again, thank you. I ah, I better call the Asylum. I need to arrange for mother's visit.”

“I was going to ask if you would have Shining Star there,” Air Raid commented, her thoughts now turning to her friends’ mother. “Darkie wanted to see her so we went. I'm not sure who she thought we were, but Darkie left happy...well morbidly, happy.” The lime green mare could see it in her head. Darkstar had been happy to see her mother. She had laughed, said that could’ve been her someday but not now as she had touched the remains of her horn.

Brightstar shrugged, “Morbidly happy is still happy. Take care, Raid.” When the royal blue unicorn cancelled the call, he kissed Moonbeak and dialled the asylum, cuddling for nerve.

“Cloud Nine Hospital, Sunshower speaking, how may I help you today?”

He didn’t recognise the receptionist who had answered the phone. He assumed she was new. She sounded like she had a typical Canterlot accent. “Hello, ma’am, this is Brightstar. I'm calling in regard of Shining Star in Room 359. I'm her son.”

Sunshower checked her computer and saw that what he had said checked out. “Do you wish to speak to her, the ward nurse, or her doctor?”

“Her doctor, please ma'am.”

“One moment while I see if he is available.” There was then a pause of almost two whole minutes while the receptionist placed him on hold. “The doctor will be in his office at two p.m. That is in two and a half hours. Can you call back then please?”

“Yes ma'am, I will, thank you…” He was about to say something else when Sunshower hung up. Again, he reverted to what had become his default position, nuzzling and snuggling with Moonbeak and her toes. “I have to call back in two and a half hours.” He chuckled, “Want to hear a girly mare squeal?”

Moonbeak gently stroked her pony’s face with her paws, as he readied Cyclone’s number. “I wonder if we can hear her wet her nappy?”

Brightstar considered that for a moment. “She should be at work. I so want her to do it there!” he dialled his friend’s number, a mischievous twinkle in his yellow eyes.

Over in Cloudsdale, in the offices of the Weather Factory, a very unhappy, very bored Cyclone failed to look at the caller ID of whomever was calling her. “Severe Weather Planning Office, this is Cyclone speaking. Can I get you a thunderstorm today?”

As the phone was on speaker, he winked at Moonbeak who nodded. “Only if you deliver to Filly, filly.”

Immediately, like a light switch being flicked on, Cyclone brightened up when she heard her friend’s voice. For once, she was paying attention at work. Enough to stop playing solitaire on her computer, anyway. “Brightstar, you have brightened my day! So, what is the stallion up to?”

Brightstar glanced under his lover’s wing and saw, thanks to her paws under his nose, that he was still hard and erect. “Well, I'm 'up' in the park playing with Moony's toes, but I didn't call to brag about that.”

“You need me to come over and pee on them so they taste better?”

“Eww Cy!” Brightstar wrinkled his muzzle in distaste. He had a few kinks, who didn’t, but he just couldn’t bring himself to enjoy watersports. That was just beyond him. “No! Anyway, ah, what are you doing on the fifteenth of next month?”

The jet black mare’s bored voice was back in full force. She shifted on her chair, her nappy squishing and crinkling as she moved. “Severe Weather Planning Office. Same thing I do every day, what else?”

“Sooooo you don't fancy a trip out to Filly, then?”

“I got a little vacation time owing,” Cyclone answered, her voice still sounding bored. She only ever used her vacation time to attend the Buffy Slayercon, the Power Pony conventions or any comic book convention that was going on at the time. “Are you willing to put me up?”

“Sure, I mean, I have to look after my Groom's Maid, right?”

“SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” Cyclone’s squee went on and on for five minutes until she ran out of breath. She would’ve gone on longer if she could have. She coughed once then twice, trying to calm herself down. She failed and had to could a third time. “I ah, I may be able to make, yeah.”

Brightstar had to laugh at her attempt to play it cool. “I mean, if you want to be a Groom's Maid, you might not want to...”

“Does Moony need a maid?” she asked, interrupting her friend. “Zephyr and I could have matching nappies!”

“Um, hang on,” he glanced down at a very giggly griffon.

In between her giggles, Moonbeak whispered, “Did she wet her nappy?”

“I think so,” he whispered back. A little louder, he said, “So Cy, how's the nappy holding up after that squee?”

“Why does Mr. Eww want to know?”

Brightstar rolled his eyes loud enough that Cyclone could hear it down the phone. “Moony wants to know.”

“Tell her I'll mail the one I'm wearing now and she can test it herself,” Cyclone offered, a fiendish smile plastered all over her face. “Maybe you can do a comparison to Zephyr?”

“She says she'll mail it to you.” Brightstar said to his lover, chuckling when Moonbeak rolled her eyes as he had done. “Cy, are you allowed to send hazardous materials in the post?”

Unconcerned, Cyclone shrugged her shoulders. “I'll be sure to seal it real good. Um, she may want to open it outside, just in case.” She giggled, “Yes, you silly pony, I'll be your Groom's Maid. I assume your sis going to be the best mare?”

“I asked Raid to be best mare. Darkie will be Chief Groom’s Mare.”

“So she will get to boss me around...” Cyclone didn’t sound all that impressed at that, having Darkstar in charge. Her track record with the Las Pegasus incident and Wildfire’s eighteenth birthday when she had been tied up next to Air Raid was not the best. “Gee, that will be fun.”

“Oh, like she's never bossed you around before?”

“Well, once, when she was sleeping, she just mumbled me around,” Cyclone giggled, ignoring several email notifications on her screen from various departments in the Weather Factory. They could wait. “You going to get the train tickets?”

“Then there was that time she tied you and Raid up in pretty red ribbons!” he laughed, mostly because he knew Cyclone liked that story deep down. “Yes, we'll get the tickets, Cy. Ponyville to Fillydelphia, return trip.”

“Good, I’ll put in for vacation.” She was already filling in her application form. “You guys coming back this way anytime soon?”

“Sure Cy, we should be able to spare a weekend to come over and see you before the binding, say two weeks’ time?”

The bored tone was back in the jet black mare’s voice. “I'll be here, I’ve got nowhere to go.”

“Alright Cy, we'll see you soon hun, don't work too hard. We don't want Misty Morning thinking you've been replaced by a changeling!” Brightstar was rewarded for his snark by Cyclone giving him a long raspberry until he hung up. “That was easy. Now I just hope the asylum agrees to the visit…”

“You broke momma out of the hospital,” Moonbeak said supportively, “you can break your momma out of the hospital too.”

The early afternoon passed by with Brightstar playing with Athena on the swings, the slide and the roundabout as well as the merry-go-round and the climbing frame. Moonbeak chose to spend the two and a half hours sunning herself as Zephyr napped beside her under her wing. When he judged the amount of time had elapsed and, with a look of trepidation on his face, he called the asylum back, this time calling the doctor’s number. “Doctor Foresight's office,” his secretary answered, “how may I help you?”

“Hello ma'am, I'm Brightstar.” He introduced himself and was grateful that Moonbeak reached over and squeezed his foreleg. “I called earlier regarding my mother, Shining Star. I was told to call back at this time to speak to Doctor Foresight.”

“One moment, please, and I'll transfer you.” The line went quiet for that moment.

“Greetings Brightstar,” Foresight, a tall well-built aquamarine unicorn stallion with a dark purple mane, took up the call when his secretary transferred it to his office, “how can I help you today?”

Brightstar took a breath and steadied himself. “Hello Doctor, I was wondering if it was possible to arrange for my mother to come to Fillydelphia next month, please. I'm getting married you see.”

“It is possible,” Foresight answered straightaway with no hesitation, “will you be escorting her?”

Brightstar was amazed it was that quick and easy. He had anticipated some resistance. “Oh thank you! I'll be with her at all times over here, but she'll need an escort to get here.”

“If the hospital sends an escort, than that escort will be with her at all times. You, of course can be with her. Does your bride understand your mother's condition?”

“She does,” Brightstar lovingly nuzzled Moonbeak’s cheek. “She's met her twice over the last few months.”

Foresight cleaned his glasses and consulted his notes he had bought up on his screen. He did like Shining Star though. She was a nice, pleasant mare. Back in the day her illusions had been legend, as had her shows with Trixie Lulamoon. “It seems she has settled into three main rolls, but there is still a dozen others that can appear, to include herself.”

“How is she doing, Doc?”

“She is functioning fine.” The doctor replied, though he suspected that wasn’t what he meant. “The only role that is difficult is Empress Autumn. She can be very short tempered if her commands are not met. She needs the most attention then. The other roles vary, but she is self-sufficient in all of them. She is often on the grounds greeting ponies for the first time, and the other residents enjoy that.”

The royal blue stallion smiled and laughed a little at that. “The last time we visited her, she was the Duchess of Maretonia.”

Foresight scrolled down his notes, that title flagging up when he typed it in. “That role has fallen to disfavor. Princess Platinum is her most stable role. She is closest to the mother you remember. The last favored role is Madam Red Light...she is still self-sufficient, but she does try to recruit for her brothel.”

Catching Moonbeak’s twinkling eye, Brightstar nodded, the sage nod managing to carry into his voice. “Aah yes, Madam Red Light. She was present the first time I introduced my griffon mate to mother. It was an...interesting meeting, to say the least.”

“What I cannot foresee is what will happen on the train to Fillydelphia.” Doctor Foresight explained carefully, “It is a long trip. The attendant is one she is used too, and blends in well with what personality she is portraying at the time. To be clear, there is a fee for the service, plus per diem for both the attendant and your mother.”

“I understand, Doctor. What will that be, please?” Brightstar asked, though he didn’t really care what the fee was, he knew they had the money to cover any cost. And he only intended on getting bound once.

“Per Diem for both is two thousand bits per day, plus lodging and round trip train tickets. I would recommend that lodging be at least what she has here.”

“We can arrange that, Doctor, thank you.”

“I'll ensure the attendant texts you any changes in your mother so you'll be able to greet her with no issues.”

“We'd need at least three days, but we'll be in touch to sort the details, Doctor, thank you.” Brightstar smiled, breathing easier now it seemed to be sorted out. His mother was coming to his binding! “The binding is on the fifteenth of May, so I was thinking the fourteenth through to the sixteenth.” He hesitated though for a moment. “Ah, may I speak to her, please?”

Foresight had been expecting that. “Let me check with the ward nurse…” he placed Brightstar on hold, and music that sounded like it came from the last century came over the phone. “Your mother,” he said, on the line again, “Moonstone, is walking the grounds handing out candies. I'm sorry, but the attendant can only do outgoing texts. The ward nurse expects her back within the hour and can have her call you, if that is acceptable?”

“That's very fine, thank you Doctor, I'll talk to her then, then.”

“I don't think she will ever settle on one and stay there,” Foresight said kindly, for he did sympathise greatly with the young stallion, “but you should take hope that she is able to live a good life as she is. I look forward to the details on her travel, and expect her to show me lots of photos.”

He understood that. Brightstar knew his mother was where she needed to be, in the best place to give her the care she needed. “I count her fortunate that she has as good a life as she does, Doctor, thank you for caring for her.” Along those lines, he had another thought. “Does Trixie still visit? I know you can't give me exact details.”

“She has a few regular visitors, including Trixie Lulamoon. Your sister was here just two weeks ago, with her attendant Air Raid. Stalwart has also been coming regularly.”

“Good.” Brightstar smiled, beaming out over the park at his kitten playing. He remembered Stalwart. He was his mother’s manager from when she had been one of Equestria’s most famous showmares. “I'm pleased she hasn't been forgotten. Thank you for your time, Doctor. I'll await her call.”

Leaning into her young lover’s side, Moonbeak affectionately nipped his ear to let him know she was still there and that she supported him. “That sounded interesting. I do remember Madam Red Light, and even I've heard of Princess Platinum.”

Flicking his ear, he laughed. “Yes, Madam Red Light certainly was interesting, wasn't she?”

Giggling, Moonbeak shrugged. “She paid well.” One couldn’t easily turn down seven hundred and fifty bits per day for brothel work, after all. “Seems like she will be welcome at the wedding, but we need to adjust how she is presented and how others should interact with her.” She was now thinking mostly about her own tactless mother.

Brightstar had a thought that whomever Shining Star was at the time and Astraea meeting would be the funniest thing in the history of forever. “Thank you for not flinching when he said two thousand bits per day and when I said three days.” He nuzzled her, “I think momma will get on just fine with mother.” She would either work for Red Light or conquer the land with Empress Autumn.

Kissing his lips softly, Moonbeak smiled, “Just remember this when Zephyr asks why there is no inheritance.”

Suddenly he blushed horribly and studied his hooves. “I’m sorry…”

Seconds of silence passed between them, Athena and her friends playing in the background, before Moonbeak burst out into gales of squawking laughter. “You are so easy to tease!”

Too late, he realised he had been had. “I hate you when you do that…”

“No you don't, you love me, but I can hear you groan on the inside when you fall for that.”

“You know I love you,” sitting up, Brightstar rubbed his hoof up his lover’s back, gently caressing the joint between the griffon’s powerful dark grey wings. “I love you Mistress, tease, and all.”

Taking the welcome and much needed wing rub, Moonbeak sighed happily. “We can stay here ‘till she calls. Athena is still full of energy. This one,” she gently stroked and petted Zephyr’s white feathered head, the little kitten sleeping next to his mother, “He is sleeping off the bugs he caught.”

“I wonder where Athena gets it from,” Brightstar chuckled, his hoof still massaging her broad back. “She's been on that slide a hundred times.”

“She gets it from me, of course. I feel my energy draining away.” Moonbeak giggled, feeling her energy returning by the second, thanks to the massage she was getting. “I think the sandbox is her recharge zone.”

“I think you're right,” he looked over to the sandbox where Athena was now playing again. “I do like the little sand city she built.” He smiled warmly, happy that he had his family here. “I'm pleased we've made progress. I need to make an honest griffon of you.”

“So, that means no more touching up photos?” Moonbeak shot him a look and raised her eyebrow, “May put me out of business!”

“I didn't say that, did I?” Brightstar chuckled and, leaning into her back, he nuzzled her from behind. “Now, while I may have studied at Stormclaw Academy for that year, I confess I don't know much about a binding, other than the correct way to propose.”

“We will have to find some way to give your hoof a claw. You will need to slice the palm of my claw and I'll...” she turned and looked curiously at her lover’s hoof, inspecting it all over as if for the first time. “If I slice the bottom of your hoof does it bleed?”

Without waiting for an answer, Moonbeak took Brightstar’s hoof and poked the middle of it, the sole just above his frog, with the tip of her index talon to see. The stallion hissed with pain and the sole released a tiny red bead. “Mmmmm,” he moaned, “just there...”

“Okay, so that works. I'll cut your sole and you'll cut my claw.” Moonbeak explained, her eyes still on his hoof. “Then, the elder will bind them so they bleed together. The important part is you do it in silence. So no screaming like a little filly.”

“So I can't moan like an aroused stallion?” Brightstar wiggled his eyebrows. “You know what blood does to me.”

“You’ll have to save your orgasmic moaning for later, my love.”

“I believe I can do that. For you I can do anything.” When Brightstar said that, Moonbeak went all snuggly. Fortunately, the unicorn loved himself a snuggly griffon and, while some of the others collected their foals and went home, Brightstar was content to snuggle and kiss his mate, the pair of them idly hugging away the afternoon until his mother was due to call.

An hour later, almost on the dot, Brightstar’s phone did indeed ring. When he checked, it said it the number was unknown. He knew there was only one pony it could be. Nervously, Brightstar answered quickly, his hooves and magic shaking as he switched it to speaker. “H-Hello?”

“Is this Brightstar?”

“Yes!” he exclaimed when a mare that sounded just like his mother spoke to him. At the same time though, she sounded different. “Speaking…”

“Hello!” she said, her cheery smile evident in her voice. “This is Moonstone, and Windy told me to call you. She said you've been a very good colt.”

Brightstar blushed quite hard, the stallion having to force himself to remember that he was speaking to his mother, and not to question who she may claim be at the time. “Hello Moonstone, Windy was right. I've been a very good colt today.”

Moonstone sat back on her favourite recliner in her room. From there she had a great view out of her window at the rainbows in the sky. “That is wonderful!” she beamed. She didn’t always like rainbows, but when she did, she really liked rainbows. “I'm always happy to meet good ponies. Would you like me to send you some candy?”

Brightstar wanted to cry. His mother would always bring candy back with her from a show she had put on when he and his sister had been younger. “I-I would, yes please Moonstone.”

“Okay!” she called over her attendant who had been making her a cup of tea. For some reason she couldn’t remember, she didn’t go into the kitchen area much. “I'm going to give the phone to Windy now so she can write down your address.”

Windy walked over the soft fluffy carpet – almost everything in the room was soft and soothing, from the décor to the furnishings and took the phone from her friend. “Greetings Brightstar. Moonstone is in good spirits today. I do need your address in Fillydelphia, though.”

“Hello ma'am,” Brightstar knew ‘Windy’, of course. He had met her a few times before. Her real name was Softstep, but, as his mother’s attendant, she was able to be whomever his mother believed her to be at any given moment. He always called her ma’am. “It's Number four, Horsehead Square, Griffon Plaza, Fillydelphia.”

“I have it, thank you. I'll text you mid-May if we don't speak before then. Let me give you back to Moonstone.”

“Hello again!” Moonstone’s cheery voice again came over the phone. She was eager to speak to this stallion. He was nice and strangely familiar. That, and he said he was a good colt. She liked good ponies. “I was outside looking at rainbows. I think they are beautiful. Do you like rainbows?”

“I love rainbows, mo...” just in time, Brightstar caught himself before he finished what he wanted to say. What he was so desperate to say. “Mo-Moonstone. I'd like for you to come see the rainbows in Fillydelphia.”

Moonstone thought that was a very good idea indeed. “Oh, I'm sure they are pretty there. Can we go to Fillydelphia, Windy?” When her attendant nodded vigorously, she continued, “Windy says she will work on it. My schedule is really full, but I can always make time for rainbows.”

Brightstar wanted to smile, he really did. Just as much as he wanted to talk to his mother, not this Moonstone or whoever else she may be. Ultimately, he sighed. He had learnt not to force it. “Thank you Moonstone, it would be an honour to have you stay with us so we can show you the rainbows.”

“Thank you Brightstar, it is wonderful to hear from...I...” Moonstone faltered, her vision going blurry. She swooned on her recliner, a familiar feeling of uncertainty washing over her. Why? She knew this stallion, yes… “Your voi-voice...B-Bright…”

He could barely believe it, it was his mother! “M-Mum?”

“I-I…mother…Bright?” Shining Star began to panic, Softstep was immediately by her side, soothing her and stroking her mane.

“I’m here mother!” he squeaked desperately, willing her to talk to him.

Shining Star clutched her head, seemingly grimacing in pain though there was none. “I-I…n-no…not mother…I...Clover?” Princess Platinum opened her eyes, pleased to find herself sat on her favourite recliner. However, she had no idea how she got here from the unification summit with the earth ponies and pegasi. Her assistant would know. “Clover, what is happening?”

Smoothly, Softstep assumed her new role without question, like she had always been Clover the Clever. “You remember, Princess, we went on a walk…” her voice was muffled, then louder, Brightstar guessed correctly that she was moving about as Clover's voice was now louder, “and maybe you had too much sun.”

In a soft, delicate voice, Princess Platinum answered, Moonstone wasn’t there anymore. “Y-Yes, maybe I should lie down for a bit. Some ice cream would be good, Clover.”

Clover saw her Princess through to her bed and made sure she was comfortable before she spoke again. “Brightstar?”

On the grass, Brightstar was shaking, hot wet salty tears running down his cheeks. He had been so close! His mother was right there! “Yes ma'am? Is...Is the Princess alright?”

“Yes,” Softstep answered softly, the attendant making sure the bedroom door was closed so as not to agitate her any further. “She is just going to lay down for a bit. I'm happy you talked with her. I thought for a moment she would come back as she seemed to recognize your voice. I'm sorry.”

Brightstar didn’t even know he was crying. He felt the claw squeeze his foreleg though, and that made him cry all the more. “Y-Ye-Yes, ah, um...so did I…” he managed a shaky smile, “It's enough to know she's alright and doing well, thank you ma'am.”

“You're welcome, Brightstar.” Softstep beamed, eagerly taking the opportunity to have a quick gossip. “It is good to know you're getting married. Does Darkstar know? I don't want to spill the beans.”

“Thank you ma'am, Softstep, I called Air Raid earlier, Darkie was sleeping so I left the news with Raid.”

“Okay, so I don't have to keep it quiet.” She paused when she heard Princess Platinum call from the bedroom, demanding to know where her ice cream was. “Enjoy the candy you get in the mail. I need to get the Princess her ice cream. Bye-bye, Brightstar.”

“Take care of her please…” said Brightstar, though he was talking to nothing as Softstep had already hung up. Crying freely, he dropped his phone to the grass while beside him, Moonbeak did the only thing she could think of and wrapped her sobbing lover up in a six limb hug. “Sh-She was almost there...”

Moonbeak allowed her young pony to cry, to get it all out of his system. “She is always there, love. Just locked away inside where she is safe. You know her, and that has to be enough.”

After what felt like forever, Brightstar sniffed back his tears and smiled, “Yeah, yeah it is…it has to be, right?” he nuzzled her for comfort, glad that she was there at all. “I guess I'll message Raid, see if Darkie's awake. I'd like to tell her myself what's happening.”

Checking the time on her phone, Moonbeak supportively nipped his ear. “It has been about five hours since you called, love.” She watched him get his phone, by hoof and not with his magic, and send a text to his friend. ‘Hey Raid, is Darkie awake yet? I want to call her.’ It concerned her that he was so affected. Her pony was her rock. After five minutes there was no reply. “Maybe you should call?”

“Hmm,” he agreed absently, not really ‘with it’ since he had spoken to his mother. “It's not like her not to reply, though.” Kissing the yellow tip of her beak, he dialled Air Raid’s number, biting his lip nervously.

Two rings later and Air Raid answered, sounding a lot more alert and awake than she had earlier. “Yeah?”

“Hey Raid, is Darkie up yet?”

Air Raid was about to answer that no, of course she wasn’t, when she looked at the sleeping unicorn next to her, a sleeping unicorn who had invaded her bed with demands to snuggle. “What time is...oh, it is getting late. Hey, Darkie?”

As she had been nicely asleep, cocooned in Air Raid’s duvet that she swore was softer and warmer than her own, hence the need to invade her bed and snuggle, Darkstar was resistant to the idea of waking up. “Whaaa…”

“Your brother is on the phone.” She leant over and spoke straight down her white ear.

Though Darkstar flicked her ear, she did not wake up. She scrunched her eyes shut and pulled the duvet around her. “Does he have a salted caramel donut?” she asked, as though that was incumbent on her getting up.

“I don't know,” Air Raid groused, wondering what she had to do to get her duvet back. “Why don't you ask him?”

Darkstar still didn’t open her eyes, though she felt the phone placed next to her on the pillow. “Okay, do you have a salted caramel donut?”

“Not right this minute sis, no.”

Finally, Darkstar deigned to crack open one eye. “Raid, let's go get donuts and coffee.”

“Sure,” Air Raid sighed as she went to her coffee machine in her bedroom and proceeded to make them two cups. Mostly for her friend, she guessed she could use some go-juice. “When you're done talking to Bright.”

“Oh!” she exclaimed, the promise of coffee and donuts at last prompting the pure white mare to stop pretending and sit up. “Hey Bright, I'm awake. So, what's happening?”

“You sure you're with us, sugar crash?” Brightstar chuckled, “I wanted to talk to you. Two things really. First, Moony and I are going to be bound together, we have set a date...”

“SQUEEEEEEEEE!” Darkstar’s rather predictable excited squee cut her brother off mid-sentence. In her opinion it was about time. “When? When?”

Brightstar laughed out loud, as did his lover beside him. “The fifteenth of next month, sis.”

It was as if Air Raid had injected her white friend with pure caffeine. She was up and bouncing on the bed like she was five years old. “Raid! Raid, the fifteenth of May, we're going to Fillydelphia! Can we? Can we? Pleeeeeease!”

At the coffee machine, Air Raid rolled her grey eyes as she carried the fresh drinks over to the nightstand. “I dunno, let me check my calendar…”

“Oh come on! Raid!”

“Yes, we can go, silly.”

After he was done laughing, a feat that took several moments, Brightstar said, “And I need somepony to be my Chief Groom's Maid. You up to it?”

“Sure,” Darkstar said as she sipped her coffee, “who do I get to boss around?”

“Cy. She's really looking forward to that.”

“Okay, so Raid got best mare then?”

“Yes sis, I asked Raid.”

“When?”

“I called earlier today once we had decided on a date. Raid answered and said you were sleeping…” he trailed off when he heard the unmistakable sound of a coffee cup hitting a wall, smashing into millions of pieces, then nothing. Darkstar had hung up without another words, leaving the royal blue stallion to facehoof. “I'm a bucking idiot!”

Moonbeak rubbed her beak along Brightstar’s cheek. “I still love my bucking pony idiot.”

Brightstar though was in pieces. His chest felt tight, his heart hammering away like it was about to burst free. “She was in a good mood!” he sobbed once more, despondent that he had obviously caused his sister to slip. “I-I didn't think...it just came out...wh-what have I done?”

The dark grey furred griffon shot her young lover a glare that usually bought him to his senses. However she saw this time he was so lost in his own self-destructive thoughts that it had no effect. She knew she had to act fast or she’d lose him until the mood passed. Moonbeak was determined to make the mood pass. She needed her rock. She poked his shoulder hard enough to draw a spot of blood. “Time to go, you get Athena and don't let her forget her toys. I'll pack the lunch up and get Zephyr ready.”

“You got it, love.” Though he was still distracted, the young stallion stood up and walked over to the sandbox. He had to concentrate hard to keep his focus where it needed to be and not in Canterlot at what might be happening. “'Thena, we're going now, sweetie.”

“’Kay!” pausing mid-way through constructing a sand replica of Fillydelphia, Athena emptied out her bucket and used the spade to smooth the sand. “Pony ride!”

Despite the distractions on his mind, Brightstar smiled. “Have you got everything?” Nodding furiously, Athena made a show of putting her spade in the bucket and the handle of the bucket in her beak. She then flew up and landed her daddy’s back. Once his passenger was in place, Brightstar pranced back to the little picnic site, his mind wandering all over the place from Cyclone, to his sister, his mother and back again in a loop. So out of it was he that he almost walked into Moonbeak's sexy fat ass.

Over her shoulder, Moonbeak shot him a deadpan look as she rested the two hamperbags and Zephyr on her back. “Mounting shouldn't be done here, we must set examples for the kittens.” While Zephyr was awake on her back, he wasn’t fussing.

“Oh...I wasn't, um...I ah...” as they walked back from the park to their treehouse, Brightstar shook his head in an attempt to clear it. Unfortunately, it didn't work. Now, he was thinking of Princess Platinum and Madam Red Light as well as Darkstar and Cyclone. “I’m sorry…”

“Your eagerness to please me is enjoyable,” Moonbeak said, nipping his ear. “Your head in the clouds like a lost pegasus is less noteworthy.”

The walk back from the park to the house, while short, was uncomfortably quiet. Unlike earlier in the day, like a complete one hundred and eighty degree flip, it was Brightstar now whose mind was elsewhere. So distracted was he that when they got back, he didn’t question why Moonbeak was stood by her van. He just used his hoof to open the van door, no magic, because now he was thinking that he might be the cause of an episode for his sister. “My head's fine.”

Moonbeak wasn’t buying that, not in the slightest. Evidence to the contrary was him not asking where they were going. She did have a plan in mind though as she placed Zephyr in his car seat and got in the driver’s seat. “And what of that sponge inside it?”

“That's fine too,” he replied quietly, helping Athena into the car seat. He still used his hooves, not using his magic as he didn't trust it right then. Once he closed his lover’s door, he got in passenger side. It still hadn’t occurred to him to ask where they were going. She hadn’t mentioned going anywhere else.

With a plan of distraction in mind, Moonbeak started up her van and drove off. “Do you really want to know what the binding ceremony will be like?” she asked, putting her little plan into action.

“Yes,” Brightstar nodded his head, “yes I do.” Moonbeak chose to say nothing after that, but he could tell by the route she was taking that she was heading for her mother’s condo complex. Brightstar smiled, even though she said she wouldn’t see her ‘till tomorrow, he liked Astraea. “I'm glad I still took the day off. I enjoyed the park,” ‘for the most part, anyway...’ he finished to himself.

“You were never invited to a binding ceremony?” she asked once they had parked up in the parking lot at her mother’s place. She had an ulterior motive for coming. She wanted to snoop in her cupboards.

“I was invited to watch one,” Brightstar explained, smiling at the memory as it came back to him, “but I'm afraid I wasn't paying much attention to the ceremony. I was being hunted by two griffons, a brother and sister. Both wanted to take me out.”

Moonbeak giggled, content for the moment to sit in her van and hear this story out. “Take you out for dinner or take you out 'for' dinner?”

“Both. The sister wanted to eat me.” he chuckled, “so did the brother, actually. The difference was that Silverwing wouldn't be fatal. He thought I was cute. We became friends after that. Be nice to see him again.”

“So, pony, which one was the sister?”

“Skyclaw was his sister's name.” he grinned, “We sort of became friends. She liked to attack me when I went to hang out with her brother. Said it kept the hunting instincts sharp. She only drew blood once though. She was good like that.”

Raising her eyebrows, Moonbeak snickered. “I will watch for this Skyclaw, lest she try to claim my griffon. As for Silverwing, only if I get to watch.”

Brightstar laughed at that, “I still tease him about it. Mercilessly. Darkie...” he wasn’t thinking when he mentioned his sister. His good natured easy laugh melted away, though his smile was still there, albeit strained. “Darkie teased me too.”

“All sisters tease their brothers.” Moonbeak smiled and explained her somewhat sneaky plan to her partner. “Now, you will ask momma about the binding ceremony to gain better understanding. I know she will suggest doing a practice one. I will say we should have dinner first and the pony can cook. You will then see what you need to buy for dinner. Later you can tell me what she has, but when you buy dinner for us you will bring extra. I’ll distract momma with the kittens when you return.”

“So I am to be your pony spy?” the smile very quickly returned to his eyes. “’Tis a dangerous game you play, mon capitan, you know what griffons do to captured spies.” He knew too. The old punishments for captured enemy spies in Griffonstone were messy, brutal and quite often fatal for the spy.

“Then you best not be caught. You may be too much iron for momma's diet.”

“I accept the mission, dangerous though it may be. I shall not let my commander down!” While Brightstar made his heroic declaration, Moonbeak merely looked at her door, wondering why it wasn’t open yet. The unicorn shook his head and, like a good colt, got out and opened the driver’s side door, again with hooves. “My lady.”

“As long as your mind is on the mission and not my ass, I have high hope for your success.” Once out of her van, she got Zephyr on her back and, leaving her pony the keys, she flew up to her mother’s door.

Knowing what was expected of him, Brightstar got a very eager Athena from her car seat and, when she was on his back, he locked the van up and stepped away, clearing his mind. Usually, he could do this almost in an instant. However, prepping for this teleportation took a little longer than usual. A lot of a little longer. Once he judged that he was ready, he teleported up.

Seeing that he was taking his time, Moonbeak could only guess as to what was keeping him, though she had a good guess ready. He had explained the process to her and though she didn’t understand it, she knew one had to have a clear, calm mind. As soon as she saw him disappear though, she opened the door. “Surprise momma!” she cried, “the kittens were worried about you so they want to play!”

Although Zephyr did his usual shy routine, Athena screeched with all the force in her lungs, “nana!”

As soon as he was sure Athena was all there and so was he, Brightstar grinned, “Surprise momma!” Walking into her apartment, he did a little bow and nuzzled the older griffon who had been relaxing on her couch. “Don't want you all on your lonesome. You might watch that terrible T.V. show that Moony likes.”

Athena flew from the unicorn’s back to tackle hug her nana, while Moonbeak passed Zephyr to her as well to get his hugs in. “I think they were as worried as me, momma,” Moonbeak explained shamelessly and Astraea took hugs from the kittens and then her daughter.

When Astraea looked expectantly at Brightstar, he made sure to get his hugs in as well before stepping back, ready to enact the first stage of his lover’s sneaky plan. “I do have an ulterior motive for coming, though, momma.”

Looking at each other, mother and daughter performed a synchronous eye roll. “Ponies never change.” Astraea snorted through her nostrils. “Do you need lessons on how to bring a female griffon to climax?” she asked, this time making Moonbeak snort.

“No momma, nothing like that,” Brightstar kept a straight face, though he didn’t know how. “I wanted to ask you about the binding ceremony. What was involved, what happened and when, what I should or shouldn't do. That sort of thing. Only if you're up to it, of course.”

Astraea quickly turned off what she had been watching on her old style cathode ray T.V. and cast a glance at her daughter. “Have you told him anything?”

“The basics, momma.”

“What more do you want to know?”

“More than the basics.” Brightstar replied quickly. “I want to take part in the ceremony as a griffon would, rather than a pony stiffly playing a part, if you get me.”

Astraea’s eyes lit up. “Oh, you want to do a practice ceremony now?”

Brightstar and Moonbeak both nodded. “Yes please momma.”

The older griffon sat up straighter now, suddenly very interested in the unexpected visit. “There is bloodletting, but you need a way to cut with just your hoof. A small blade may go unnoticed as you are a pony.”

“I can magically conceal a blade, or make the toe of my hoof sharper. I can hide the glow of my horn, too if needed…”

“No!” That idea made Astraea's eyes go very wide indeed. “No, any magic would be a bad thing. Griffons can't do magic. Best to just conceal the blade. I don’t want the elder to throw out the binding.” As she stroked Zephyr’s head, an idea came to her. “You can dress for this, so have four hoof decorations, and one on the left forehoof can have the blade.”

“A good idea, momma.” Moonbeak agreed, “I can wear something matching on my claws and paws.”

“Agreed momma.” Brightstar concurred, though he thought of something he wanted as well. “That's a good idea. I'd like to wear my academy dress uniform, Moony.”

Dismissively, Moonbeak waved a 'doesn't matter' claw in the air. “I will wear something that goes with the copper colour of the uniform.”

“Not the wed...” Astraea interrupted, only to be silenced by her daughter’s glare.

“I will not wear that, momma!”

Astraea tried not to look at her kitten when she had that look on her face. “Shall we do it now, pony?”

“Yes,” Brightstar, picking up on the tension in the apartment’s living room, glanced from Moonbeak to Astraea. “Yes I think we should, please momma.”

“For this practice, you may use magic.” Astraea explained to the unicorn, the older griffon getting into her stride. “You can get a blade from the kitchen.”

Seizing her opportunity, Moonbeak put the second part of her super sneaky spy plan into action. “Momma, let’s do this after dinner. I want to know if the pony will throw up good food at the ceremony.”

Astraea giggled, “Now that would be bad.”

“Make dinner pony, and you can see if there is a blade you can use.”

Astraea suddenly looked worried. Her clawed hand froze on Zephyr’s head. “I haven't had a chance to do a proper shop, there’s just the fish and pony food, maybe we can eat out?”

“My pony can shop.” Moonbeak cut across her mother, though she hated so much to hear the panic in her voice. “See what we need for a traditional meal and go get it.”

“Yes ma'am.” Thankful for something to do that would get him out of the awkward that was the living room, Brightstar kissed Moonbeak’s cheek. “I can cook, who do you think taught Darkie?” He gave them both a polite bow and prepared to fulfil his spy mission.

Task in hoof, the royal blue unicorn trotted through to the kitchen. He cast his mind back to his time in Griffonstone and the one binding he had attended to recall what was expected of a binding meal. His first call was to check the cupboards and the meat storage bin. ‘Mmm, no bloodwine. We definitely need bloodwine…’ There was also an absence of griffon things in the cupboard and meat in the freezer. ‘Grishna meat, we’ll need that…’

Once Brightstar had gone through everything, and had a mental shopping list in his mind, he walked back into the living room. “Alright, I'm going to the store. Won't be long, Moony.”

“I'm hungry so do hurry, my pony.”

Astraea saw her daughter pass Brightstar her credit card and her panic returned in full force. “Just for tonight's meal!”

Athena, ever the smart clever kitten, knew what to do. “Nana!” she held up her favourite story book she always kept at her nana’s house. “Story!” As Astraea and Moonbeak both smiled, and the older griffon took the story book from her, Brightstar walked out and teleported down to the ground.

Roughly half an hour later, Brightstar returned, teleporting back to Astraea's condo with two full saddlebags packed with food on his back. What they couldn’t see though was, hidden in a field of invisibility, were three extra bags full of things on his back, as per Moonbeak's spy orders. “Behold!” he declared, drawing all eyes to him, “the brave Hunter returns! I am Grishna reborn on the Plains of Blood!”

In the living room, Moonbeak, Astraea, Athena were all sat on the floor teaching Zephyr to destroy a block wall. Athena was happily defending the mighty construct with a stuffed Celestia plush. Astraea and Moonbeak both rolled their eyes at the ‘heroic’ hunter. “What are you cooking?”

“Something traditional.” He said casually, the glow of his horn hidden by a low level illusion spell, “Meat and blood, with extra meat, some blood for variation and maybe a couple of vegetables hidden in there somewhere…” he walked on through to the kitchen as casually as he could.

“I like traditions,” Moonbeak giggled, “some of the time.” She giggled even more when her mother selected eye roll number two. “Get that wall Zephyr, don't let a squishy pony stop you!”

As Athena made some really bad pony noises and Zephyr knocked down the wall, Brightstar just sniggered, choosing to say nothing as he quickly put away all the excess things he bought. That done, he got busy cooking the grishna meat, though he was careful not to cook it too much.

Thankfully, while he worked, the kittens were more than enough to entertain the adults until it was dinner time. It didn’t take long for Brightstar to finish, as griffons liked their meat rare if not blue, preferably they liked it raw. Or still living. Smiling, Brightstar walked into the living room with several trays of traditional griffon food held in his magic. “We have blood soup to start, followed by fresh grishna heart and roasted kree – a flightless bird native to Griffonstone - prepared in its own juices. Oh, and there's some veggies too, if you're feeling brave.”

All at once, Athena forgot all about the building blocks as she fluttered over to the table. “Dinna!”

“There is no braver griffon than I!” Astraea declared as Brightstar set the trays of food and the warmed bloodwine on the table.

“We shall see about that, momma.” Moonbeak sniffed as she gathered up Zephyr on a big fluffy raised cushion so that he could try the soup.

Brightstar waited to sit once all the others were seated first. “The heart is fresh momma, just how you like it.” Astraea served Athena a little bit of everything, while Moonbeak puts some of the soup in a shallow dish for Zephyr to try. Then, they both serve themselves. When everyone had a full plate, the unicorn delivered a traditional griffon prayer to Stormclaw before he ate.

“Is good food, pony.” Astraea commented, though she was frugal with her praise, she was ripping into the heart with no mercy.

“I am forced to agree with momma, grudgingly.” Moonbeak winked at her lover, who rolled his eyes at her in return.

“Yummy!” Athena passed her considered opinion and Zephyr just had his beak in the soup.

“I will take grudging praise!” Brightstar grinned as he happily tucked into his piece of the heart that was, just a few minutes ago, beating inside the chest of a grishna cat in the store he went to.

Astraea watched and she approved greatly of the pony-shaped griffon sat at her table. “If this doesn't make him throw up, what makes you think a binding would, Moony?”

Moonbeak noisily rolled her eyes at her mother. “It isn't this, nor even the sight of his own blood. I know that. It is when he cuts me that I have to wonder.”

Brightstar gulped and studied what was left of his food. Something in the way she said that just set him on edge. “I um...um…ah…” his thoughts wandered a long way from where he was to his clinically depressed and suicidal sister in Canterlot. “I'll do what is required, momma.”

“What colour do you want for the binding ribbon, kitten?”

Moonbeak thought of her mother’s question as she ate, Brightstar’s sudden mood swing bothering her a little bit. “Black, momma, like my pony's mane.”

“That would stand out well against his hoof and your claw.”

As they spoke, Brightstar was thinking about his mother, about doing what needed to be done, how he did before and how he could do it again... “Thank you, love,” he murmured, and the griffons all finished their meal and sat waiting for him to finish and clear the dishes.

When he did finish, he dutifully cleaned everything away, though his mind was still wandering far, far away. Moonbeak waited for her pony to return. “Did you find a blade for your hoof?”

“Yes love!” he sat on the couch and produced a small but particularly sharp looking kitchen knife.

Astraea looked at the little knife. It was pretty much still brand new. She couldn’t even remember getting it or where it was from. “You can keep that one, so it is fine to meld it to your hoof. For now, use magic, but later we can put it in some hoof decoration.”

“Athena,” Moonbeak got her kitten’s attention, “you can watch us practice the binding ceremony. You'll do this one day.” She then gathered Zephyr up so she could take him to the main room and Athena and Astraea followed her.

When they were in a wide space between two couches, Brightstar lit his horn and he used a similar spell to the one he used back in the MiAC store to make his horn sharp to make the toe of his hoof like a razors edge, it glowing a bright yellow. Astraea stood between the couches and nodded to them both. “Tradition allows the binding at noon or sunset.”

“We are not in the north like Griffonstone, so I would like noon.” Moonbeak said, them both looking to the unicorn for his opinion.

“Noon is fine. Actually it would be best, you see, mother is coming.”

“Yes,” Astraea nodded, “Moony said she wanted your mother and sister to attend. I will be happy to meet them both. It is a long time to be bound.”

“It will be interesting,” Brightstar smiled, a little sadly as it happened, “depending on which personality is present at a given moment. Her orderly will be with her as well though, one she trusts.” He had no problem with that, he knew Astraea knew his mother was in the asylum in Canterlot.

When she heard that, Astraea had an odd look, to which Moonbeak rolled her eyes with a very noticeable sigh. “She's not coming to the wedding in a straight jacket momma. As the pony says, she may be somepony other than Shining Star.”

“No...mother doesn't need the straight jacket anymore.” Brightstar smiled at the look on Astraea’s face. “I just thought it proper to give you a heads up. She could be a Princess from the old times, a brothel owner, a tyrannical Empress or maybe even herself.”

Astraea couldn’t resist. “Is she taking applications for the brothel?”

“Momma!” In spite of her exclamation though, Moonbeak started laughing as did her mother, and then Athena joined in even though she didn't know what the joke was.

“When she was Madam Red Light, she did try to recruit Moony last time we visited,” he joined in with the laughter. “So. Noon it is then. What's next, momma?”

“I will get a ribbon, it won't be black, but we will have that for the real ceremony.”

“You have blue, momma?” Astraea nodded and walked through her apartment to her room.

Now Brightstar was thinking of his mother and by extension his sister again, his mind wandering all over the place. “I um, I just thought advanced warning would be good, that’s all…”

Moonbeak reached out for him with a claw. “We will get through this, my pony.”

When she returned from her bedroom, Astraea walked to the centre of the room. “Okay we shall do this right the first time.” As soon as she said that, Moonbeak stood in front of her, to her right. Taking his cue, Brightstar now stood on the other side, in front of Astraea on the left.

“The ceremony is simple as we don't waste a lot of time. Ah, um, has pony any vows he plans to say?”

“We haven't talked about that, momma.”

“Oh, it should be short, but significant to why you will bind.”

Brightstar felt very suddenly ‘on the spot’, as it were. “I um, well, I hadn't planned to say anything other than the truth. That Moonbeak completes me, and it is an honour to become one with your family, momma.” As the words left his mouth he couldn’t help but feel woefully inadequate.

Astraea sniffed, failing completely to hide the disappointment in her eyes. “Nice words, but it needs a more personal one on one. You have your words, Moony?”

“Since he asked to bind.”

“It is the male that goes first, but you listen to Moony and that will let you know.”

Moonbeak turned to her lover, with love and adoration in her eyes. The words came free and easy, they came from her heart. “Brightstar, I bind my blood to your blood, for your blood has given my blood new life. You are not the sire of my kittens, but you are their father. My hope of a future lies in the hopes you have for our future. I shall be your bound mate till the Grey Spires carry me home.”

Hearing that beautifully eloquent little speech, Brightstar mentally kicked himself for even uttering such a lacklustre vow. He knew that his mind was all over the place, though he determined to do better. As he cleared his throat, he in his mind that his lover deserved better. “Ahem, Moonbake, when our blood becomes...”

The six words had barely left his lips when he noticed he was being looked at like he was food. “What, what is it?” With mounting horror, he realised what he had said.

Chapter 12 - Brightstar: Shadowbolt

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“Ahem, Moonbake, when our blood becomes...”

The six words had barely left his lips when he noticed he was being looked at like he was food. “What, what is it?” With mounting horror, he realised what he had said.

Mostly due to the wide eyed look on the unicorn’s face, but also because of the dangerous look on her daughter’s, Astraea broke down laughing and she had to turn away. Moonbeak tolerated this for several moments until she sighed. “Momma, you should be serious about this! At least more serious than the funny pony.”

Through spasms of laugher and with tears in her eyes, Astraea snorted, “Princess Luna's newest cooking sensation Moon Bake!”

Resorting to eye roll number one, something they shared with each other and knew what it meant, the younger griffon again sighed. “Momma, the ceremony?”

Brightstar still had a look of horror on his royal blue features. “Moony, I ah, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean that!”

Moonbeak narrowed her eyes at her pony. A slip of the tongue she could forgive. It was funny, even. What she couldn’t countenance was the snivelling apology she was getting now. It was weak and she didn’t like it one bit. “Momma?” she asked again.

Finally, though she was still giggling, Astraea calmed herself enough to speak. “Yes, my little oven muffin?” Sighing at the look of mirth in her mother’s eyes – she had a feeling she would be reminded about this for days and days to come – she gestured for her to continue. “Okay pony, some vows are in order, or maybe you need time to think on it?”

Eager to make up for his slip, Brightstar almost jumped at the chance. “Moonbeak,” he said clearly, a little too clearly, “I bind my blood to your blood for your blood has given my blood reason to live. You and the kittens have given me reason to step forward to better our lives for your life is my life. I shall be your bound mate until the Grey Spires carry me home.”

“Is acceptable,” Astraea sniffed, a little disappointed as she wanted him to slip up again.

“Well,” Moonbeak snorted through her nostrils in an attempt to lighten the mood and lift her pony’s spirits, “At least my name was right this time.” That did it. Astraea fell apart in laughter so hard she was on the floor rolling, holding her sides.

Again, Brightstar had that horrified look on his face like a mac truck was about to run him over. “Moony,” he pleaded, “I. Am. So sorry!” As he apologised for the umpteenth time, Moonbeak sighed again and he offered her an apologetic nuzzle.

This was not the response Moonbeak had been expecting. She had expected sarcasm, humour, a witty retort. That she could accept. As she didn’t prevent the nuzzle, she resolved to get to the bottom of this when they got back to her treehouse. “Not yet you aren’t, pony. But, I will make sure you are.”

Once she had recovered from her laughing fit, Astraea coughed. “Ah, yes, well, that will have to wait. Moonbeak, do you take Brightstar as your bonded mate?”

Grateful that they were at last continuing with the binding practice, Moonbeak replied, “I do.”

“Then take his blood.” Leaning in, the older griffon whispered to Brightstar, “you need to hold up your left forehoof.”

Nodding, the unicorn held up his left hoof, ready for what he knew was coming. Using the index talon of her left claw, Moonbeak sliced a gash in the sole of his hoof. She then held out that same claw, palm up. “Brightstar,” Astraea continued, “Do you take Moonba...Moonbeak, as your bonded mate?”

Brightstar blushed and looked like he wanted to be anywhere else in the world. A look that made his lover’s eyes narrow once more. “I do.”

“Then take her blood.” Obediently, Brightstar used his magically sharpened hoof to cut Moonbeak's offered palm, a thin line of deep red instantly appearing. “Blood has been taken! Athena?”

Startled by the use of her name, Athena looked up from her storybook where she had been reading the Billy Goats Gruff, “Yes nana?”

“Can you pretend to be a guest?” Astraea asked and, straightaway, the little kitten furiously nodded her head. “Say this then, ‘Blood has been seen’.”

“Okay. Blood has been seen!”

“Good kitten.” Letting her get back to her book, Astraea once more addressed her daughter and her pony. “Let the blood flow between them!” As she said that, she wrapped the blue ribbon around Brightstar’s hoof and she drew it to Moonbeak's claw, were she wrapped it around until the juncture between the two of them was hidden, but it wasn't tight so they could twist a bit in the binding. “They are now bound and shall remain thus till the rising of the sun. Then the binding will always be in their hearts as long as the blood flows.”

“Momma,” Moonbeak started once her mother had completed the practise ceremony, “it is late, can the kittens stay the night with you?” she asked, plans running through her head to make her pony truly sorry for crumbling into a snivelling ruin.

Reading her daughter’s mind, Astraea grinned. “The kittens are always welcome. Athena can read me a bed time story.”

Athena bounced happily at that, holding up her book as proof. “I can, I can!”

“I will need to get Zephyr's bag from the van.” Without bothering to remove the binding ribbon, Moonbeak marched to the door and, being dragged along, Brightstar couldn’t help feeling that he was a second away from being eaten. “Can my grovelling pony teleport us down?”

“I can, love, yes.” Standing on the porch in the darkening evening light, Brightstar took his time to clear his head before casting his teleport spell. Given what had transpired in the condo’s living room, it took considerably longer than necessary to clear his mind. Teleporting without due concentration could be deadly. More so when there was more than one traveller. They might appear inside something or worse, they could appear melded together.

When they appeared beside the van, Moonbeak had a firm grasp on her troubled lover’s hoof but a loose enough grip that they could move together. “Put Zephyr's bag on my back and teleport us back up.” She ordered simply, opening the van door with her free claw.

“Yes love,” Brightstar responded with a despondent sigh as he took Zephyr's bag in his hoof, placed it on her back and closed his eyes, once more lighting his horn. Several minutes later and they were both stood at Astraea's door. When he appeared though, he wobbled considerably, his magic reserve all but spent. “Ugh, th-there…”

Silently, Moonbeak pulled him inside with her and she placed the full supply bag in her mother's room. She had been with him long enough to recognise when he was exhausted. “Still bound?” Astraea asked, a smile in her voice. “Good. Now you see why many choose Sunset. And Moony? If it happens call me any time to invite me to dinner.”

“I will, momma.”

Truly exhausted, Brightstar was pretty much along for the ride at this point, the unicorn walking quite quickly to keep up and not be outright dragged along. Thoughts of his mother, sister, and now his slip up were running roughshod through his head. “Thank you momma, for the practise.”

“Maybe Moony will let you practice binding night.” She giggled, “or maybe not.” Moonbeak didn’t dignify that with a response, she just hugged her mother tightly and, as he was pulled along, Brightstar hugged the older griffon as well.

“Have a good night, momma.” Brightstar said sadly when the hug was released. Judging by the way Moonbeak was eyeing him up, he was fairly certain the evening was going to be eventful when they got back to the treehouse.

“I think I'll sleep very well, but first I might bake something for the kittens.”

Again, Moonbeak rolled her eyes at her mother’s sarcasm. She greatly wanted her pony to join in. At any other time she was sure he would have, too, but the conversations on the phone earlier had scrambled his brain like a free range egg. Disappointed, she sighed, “they do love your cooking, momma. Let us go, pony.”

Back outside, Moonbeak stopped his attempt at a teleport before it could fail and motioned for him to get up on her back. Brightstar, who sighed a grateful sigh, got up and held on. “I need you in one piece for the ceremony.” She said, turning her head and nipping an ear lightly. “And for fun tonight. For me.” she left that at that and flew down to her van.

No sooner had they landed than Brightstar slid off and, blushing in the dark, he opened the van door for her. “I'm going to be sore tomorrow, aren't I?” Saying nothing, Moonbeak pushed the pony into the van and climbed in after as they were still bound. “On an entirely distractionary note, momma had almost no griffon food in, so I sorted that at the store.” He said for the sake of saying something, anything, to break the silence. “She's stocked up now.”

“Momma will remind me of this day, and she will tell my grandkittens.” Moonbeak ignored what he had just said and held up a talon to his lips so he couldn’t speak. “On that day I may laugh with her.” She looked at him, staring holes into his soul. “You know you'll be sore in the morning, but you don't know how sore…” she left that hanging in the air as she started the van and drove off.

‘Ooookay...’ he thought to himself, ‘so the distraction didn't work...’ he knew well enough to not try and say anything in his defence. Instead, he chose to sit quietly and await his punishment at home. At any other time, Brightstar would have found the situation comical as Moonbeak drove with her left claw and his left hoof bound together. She had him pulled next to her so she could drive one clawed. She didn't even look at him as she drove her van.

The drive back was short, uneventful and painfully quiet. When she pulled up in the parking lot near her treehouse, Moonbeak opened the door and, in getting out, pulled Brightstar out of the van. Her talons had a strong grip on his hoof, making him wince a little as his hooves touched grass beside the van. “On my back,” she ordered, at last breaking the silence. The unicorn wasted no time at all hopping up onto his lover's back and she flew up, opened the door and entered, closing it behind her with her hind paw and headed straight into the bedroom.

“Stay,” she commanded tersely, for she didn't want him to slide off of her and walking with her. Order in place, the dark grey furred griffon walked around the bedroom so that it was easy for him to watch. She wanted him to see what she was collecting. Her port of call was the large pine toy chest inside the closet. “Feather, check, crop, check, Cuffs, not really needed...” she spoke largely to herself before addressing her passenger. “Enjoying the view?

On her back, Brightstar looked a little worried at the feather, not so much at the crop. He disliked being tickled. “Yes Mistress, I'm enjoying the view so far.”

She continued to rifle through the box until she was happy she had everything she’d need then she returned to the bed. Now was the time to adjust his attitude the only way she knew how. “Your thoughts have been half baked all afternoon today. Why?”

Sighed deeply, Brightstar prepared to admit to his lover what was bothering him so. “At first, this morning, I was worried about momma, then talking with mother then...with Darkie, knowing my slip up caused her to get upset when she was in a good mood...”

“You are a fool to think you are always in control. I will not bind with a fool.” Moonbeak snorted and, sitting down on the bed, she pulled Brightstar on the hoof so that he didn’t slip back and, without warning, the crop struck him hard high on the right flank and then low on the left flank. “I will 'not' bind with a fool!”

Brightstar could see the crop pass in front of him as she changed sides to continue her assault. Every time the crop landed on a part of him that she could reach, he let out a pained yelp. After ten strikes on each flank his hindquarters were lit up like a traffic signal, and by the fourteenth strike he was crying like a scolded colt. Both ass were bright red and bore welts from the crop. “Rose!” he said his safeword, which stopped her, “I was a fool Mistress!” he cried between heavy sobs, “I'm sorry Mistress.”

“I will not make that mistake again,” Moonbeak snorted with the effort of reigning herself in and dropped the crop to the floor. She then rolled the quivering unicorn off her left side where she inspected his angry red flanks. Proud of her work. “If anyone is to kill you it will be me and no other.”

Brightstar nodded, his pained sobs becoming little more than soft whimpers. “Yes Mistress,” he breathed heavily in an attempt to manage the pain that flourished across his ass, “I understand, I'm not a fool, Mistress.”

Moonbeak paused in her inspection. She saw that in a couple of places she had drawn blood, as was her right to do so. “A griffon can focus.” She stated, licking up the few spots of blood with her tongue, relishing the coppery taste. “There is always time to mourn, and never time to doubt. Accept your responsibility, and refuse to accept it for others.”

“Yes Mistress,” the unicorn sighed and hissed with pleasure as she licked the spots that were bleeding. Tomorrow they would be sore as anything, but for now they were turning him on. “I can focus, Mistress.”

“You didn't show that to me today.” Moonbeak said sharply. She could see the crop had made him aroused by the way he was showing from his sheath. “Don't think I forgot the music of yesterday, then you were focused. Now you are not. Your mind is a pony mind, and it is far from me.”

He knew that she was right, he knew that he had to do better. “I apologise, Mistress. It is hard to be the griffon I am where Darkstar is concerned. I forget I am not responsible for everything.”

Leaning in close to him now, Moonbeak nipped his cutie mark, the tip of her beak piercing the large white star and drawing fresh blood, which she savoured. “I was barely focused yesterday with momma in the hospital. It took all I had to control my rage, and you were my rock. I need my rock.”

“Mmmmm!” Brightstar moaned, his cock instantly hard and erect from the fresh pain in his cutie mark. He so wanted her to bite the three little yellow stars that surrounded the large white one. “I am your rock, Mistress!”

Giggling, she poked his thigh with a talon until she drew a bead of blood from his upper left yellow star. “Soft pony rock.” Now she saw his considerable length was hard and ready, Moonbeak fanned her powerful wings and stoked his upper body and face. Now they could have some real fun. Her hind legs locked around one of his hind legs and the feather was introduced to the sole of his left rear hoof.

Unable to see what was being done, thanks to her well-placed wings, Brightstar was shocked to feel the feather. ‘Oh no. She's tickling me!’ he thought. No sooner had the thought occurred to him than the feather she held in her claw was drawn over his sole and sensitive frog. “Heheheheeeee!” he burst out laughing, almost straightaway he writhed and squirmed, “Hahahahaa Mi-Miiiiistressssss!”

When Brightstar attempted a defense of his left hind hoof with his right, Moonbeak quickly slashed across it with her free claw. The right hoof started to bleed, but she was careful to not cut too deep or sever any tendons. “AaaaAAH ooooh teeheeeee yeeeessss!” poor Brightstar didn’t know whether to moan or laugh, so he tried to do both at the same time.

Moonbeak's wings fluttered over his broad powerful chest, his right forehoof and his face. She was determined to tickle everywhere at once, or as much as she could reach at once, anyway. The way she was twisted to reach the rear hoof gave her a clear view of his sheath and hard stallionhood under her belly.

After what felt like an eternity, an eternity in which he was writhing in a futile attempt to get away from the incessant tickle torture, where he was struggling to breathe and to not pee everywhere, perish the thought, he finally gave in. Suffocating from lack of air was preferable to peeing everywhere. “R-Ro-Rose!"

Immediately upon hearing his safe word, Moonbeak stopped and locked her beak on his muzzle, planting a deep passionate loving kiss on her sweat covered heaving pony’s lips. “I love you, and I can't lose you.” She said once she had savoured the kiss. “I'm not getting younger, and you've accepted me for me. The kittens love you too. Family is important, but griffon families freely argue and disagree, the love is still there. Momma will never let me forget that.”

“I-I lo-love you, Moony, truly with all my heart.” Brightstar panted deeply, hungrily drawing in breath after much needed breath. “It's just...I've been in control for so long with Darkie - I've had to be…it's difficult, even though I trust Raid to care for her.” He leant forward and stole a kiss. “Thank you for reminding me of this family, this love.”

“Your family is my family too. One I will deal with as she comes, the other I have a hind paw with claws for attitude adjustment.”

Once more, he kissed his Mistress’s beak, his shaft alert and throbbing at the mention of her beautifully swollen paws, then at the thought of her powerful legs and her fat ass. “You know I love your paws, Mistress.”

Moonbeak didn’t even try to hide the smirk of triumph. “I know and with this workout I'm sure they are really sweaty and tasty right now.”

“I'm sure they are…” he trailed off and glanced down at said paw he could see, licking his lips at the very thought of tasting the sweet sweaty flavour as well as her taste on her leathery sole. “Um, not that they aren't always tasty, Mistress.”

Playfully, she swatted his face with her clawed hand. “You are being punished, pet.” She reminded him, wiggling the paw she knew he could see, tantalisingly wiggling her toes.

“Oh ah, yes Mistress…” unabashed, Brightstar didn’t take his yellow eyes off of the wiggling toes or the paw.

“You have also been naughty in not a good way.” Her shrill voice became deadly serious. “I had plans for tonight for the music you played. If you had made a good joke after using that name, it would be a good naughty, but instead you grovelled and apologised. A bad naughty.”

“You're right, Moony. I allowed my doubts and fears to get the best of me. It wasn't very attractive, was it?”

“You will always be my sexy pony, but to not stand up for your mistakes is a weakness. Now,” she moved about on top of him until she had him on his back and she was positioned on the centre of his body, “I'm wet on the inside and I need some scrubbing.”

“I-I can do that…”

“No,” Moonbeak cut him off quickly as she lowered herself over his iron hard rod, his flat head spearing her dripping wet pussy to the hilt in one smooth movement. “You will do that.” She took immediate charge of the depth and the pace. “Be slow to cum, pony.”

“Hmmmmm,” he moaned, the stallion never ever getting tired of the feeling of entering her, whether he was in charge or she was. “I will be slow, my love.”

“You think?” Moonbeak seemed to take that as a challenge. Bracing herself, the middle aged griffon went into overdrive, pumping his shaft in and out of herself so fast that her large ass was visibly wobbling and bouncing with each thrust. At the same time, she used the feather held in her hand liberally on his balls.

Brightstar found his resolve to not climax early sorely tested. “AAaaaAAAH sw-sweeeeeet Stooormclaw!” he cried, pleasure coursing through his body. Nowhere did he regret his bravado more than in his throbbing cock and heavy tightening balls. Damn if his Mistress wasn’t skilled with that feather!

“Are you a bad naughty pony, or a good naughty pony?” Moonbeak asked, taunting her lover, her pet as she increased her efforts, the griffon now using her internal muscles to drag her sopping wet muscular tunnel over his rigid penis.

“HNNNNNG I-I aaaaaAAAH I'm a goooood naughty!” Brightstar, on the verge of an almighty orgasm, scrunched his eyes tight shut and he concentrated on police procedures and trainings, anything to keep from climaxing. “I'm a good naughty!”

Moonbeak’s shrill high pitched laugh filled the bedroom. “Fill me, pony!”

“Th-Thank you Mistress!” Brightstar exclaimed and, now given permission, it didn't take him long, perhaps several plunges, for him to cum, liberally coating his Mistress’s insides as he did so. An instant later and Moonbeak came while Brightstar was still ejaculating inside her, her juices mixing with his hot sticky seed. She then laid still, content to rest silent on his body, allowing nature to withdraw him from her. “Ooooooh,” he sighed, seeing stars after that, “wow I am one lucky pony!”

“You are my rock,” Moonbeak whispered, the vulnerability evident in her voice, “do not crumble.”

“Never, my love.” Once Moonbeak had allowed nature to take its course and Brightstar’s member had retreated back inside its sheath, she twisted herself around so that they were now laying belly to belly and head to toe and hoof, laying on her right side so her bound claw was level with his bound hoof. “I'm tired,” she admitted with an exaggerated yawn, “and my toes are aching. Do not wake me.”

Brightstar, confronted with two paws and six sexy toes directly in front of his muzzle, took the two big toes in his mouth and serviced each, licking and sucking each one slowly and lovingly, easing his lover to sleep. Presently, when she start snoring, he resolved to carry on for a short time until he too drifted off to sleep.

Unfortunately, their peaceful slumber was not to last. Hours later, when the clock had ticked over to one a.m. Friday morning Fillydelphia time – which happened to be eleven p.m. Thursday night Canterlot time, Brightstar’s phone rang in his saddlebag in the living room where he had left it. It rang and rang for minutes until the unicorn was roused from his slumber. “Ugh...uh...whu-what the...”

Bleary eyed, snuggled deep in Moonbeak’s warm soft fur, he blindly reached out for his phone until he remembered where it was. As he used the hoof that was bound, the griffon snorted at his first attempt, but she didn't awake. All the while, in the darkness of the house, the phone carried on ringing. Grunting with annoyance, he levitated it still ringing to the bedroom, bringing the bag first.

He tried again, without success, to fumble in it with his bound hoof, then, when that didn’t work, he levitated the phone out of his bag before he answers it. “Hmm? Who’s this at one a.m.?”

Annoyed, Moonbeak cracked open a green eye in the darkness of her bedroom. “If that is the hospital,” she uttered grumpily, “wake me up. If that is not the hospital, why did you wake me up?”

On the other end of the call, giggling like a filly, Darkstar said, “Oh wow, she is grumpy in the evening, isn’t she?”

Brightstar still had his eyes closed like he was pretending her was still asleep. “It's Darkie, love…” Suddenly, the moment he said his sister’s name, he was properly awake. “Hey Darkie!”

“She can bite my pony's hoof. I'll show her grumpy!” Moonbeak groused, resigned to the fact that she was awake at this Stormclaw-damned time that nobody had any business being awake at.

Darkstar though, sat on her seating pad in front of a raging fire in the house she shared with Air Raid, with a mug of hot chocolate on the table beside her, snickered. “Oh, she is Air Raid grumpy!”

Beside the white mare, nestled on her favourite couch with a good book in her hooves, Air Raid snarked, “I'm not grumpy.” She wasn’t, but she was tired. One and the same, really. Calming and cheering up her friend had taken all day.

“Hush you, you're in enough trouble.” Darkstar reached over with her hoof and pressed it to her legal guardian’s lips, effectively silencing her. “And Bright, I'm sorry we snapped earlier, but we’re still mad at you.”

“I know sis,” Brightstar rubbed his eyes in an attempt to rub the sleep out of them, though the bedroom light was still turned off, “You both have a right to be mad at me.”

“You shouldn't have told Raid to not wake me up.” Said Darkstar as she took a long welcome sip of her drink. Air Raid had even put a marshmallow in it and added chocolate sprinkles. She couldn’t be angry with her after that. “So, you're marrying grumpy beak, huh?”

“I probably shouldn't, but I stand by my decision, sis. And yes, I'm marrying grumpy beak, next month.”

“Raid said her calendar is clear,” Darkstar responded as she took another long sip of her hot chocolate. “We will visit Ponyville for a bit, Raid has a lead on a better doctor. Then we’ll come see you.”

“Sounds like a plan, sis. We can't wait to have you over,” he smiled, forcing his sleep addled brain to work as ‘grumpy beak’ buried her talons into the flesh of his hind leg. “Oh, guess what?”

Darkstar snickered, she couldn’t resist the tease that had come to her mind courtesy of Darkie. “You'll make me queen of Fillydelphia for a day?”

As the phone was on loud speaker, and seeing as she had read the same paragraph of her Audi R8 owner’s manual – her idea of a ‘good book’ - several times, Air Raid chipped in, “He'll save you two seats!”

“Raid!” Darkstar exclaimed, the white mare tossing a pillow at her while the lime green mare laughed it off.

Brightstar too laughed at that. “Get her Darkie! Get her good!” he giggled when he heard the flumph of the pillowy assault. “No, I cleared it with mother's doctor. She can come to the binding, too.”

The moment their mother was mentioned, Darkstar’s good cheer evaporated like morning mist. Softly, she said, “Oh...Oh...we, I, ah, saw her a couple weeks ago. She made me Duchess of Lower Maretonia. She does have a nice tea, and her Chamberlin told me later she was doing well.”

Just as softly, Brightstar said, “I spoke with Moonstone. She said she'd send me some candy. She seemed excited to see the rainbows here in Filly. She's doing well, sis, and she is happy where she is.”

“We must admit, she is more like an aunt than a mother.” Darkstar giggled, “That aunt you always invite, but aren't bothered if she doesn't come.”

When he heard his sister giggle, Brightstar laughed. “At least you weren't treated to Madam Red Light trying to recruit you for her brothel!”

Joining in the laughter, Air Raid put in, “She wouldn't give me a decent pay scale!”

“So we were safe from that.” Darkstar gathered her composure by downing what was left of her hot chocolate. “Can we come early? To see the city, and um, have you, um, heard anything about Wily? I still don't think she is there, though.”

Brightstar sighed deeply. Very, very deeply. “No. I mean yes, yes of course you can come early, silly. I'll get grumpy beak to clean for you.” He hissed softly when those sharp talons found their way into his leg again. “I mean no, I haven't seen or heard anything of Wily. I'm beginning to think she was never here, but then we thought that. I um...I thought about her, earlier.”

“Since this...since what happened…my...we aren't thinking either, but you went to Filly about that so, we're thinking again.”

Still with that soft tone in his voice, Brightstar said, “I didn't realise...it's been the better part of a year since I last thought about her. I'm sorry, sis.”

“Stop that!” Darkstar snapped, “I'm the downer in our group! Don't take that away.”

“I think she has a certificate to prove it, too.” Air Raid snickered, dodging another pillow that was sent her way.

“Yes you are, and yes you have.” Brightstar chuckled, the royal blue unicorn nestling his muzzle in between Moonbeak’s two paws as he spoke. They were right there, so why not enjoy them? “So. Chief Groom's maid, looking forward to bossing Cy about?”

Darkstar’s quip was so fast it must have been preloaded. “As long as I don't have to change her nappy, yes.”

Brightstar’s retort was just as quick. “You can delegate that task to nana Raid…”

“Best Mare!” Air Raid exclaimed with an air of faux indignance.

“You have experience, dear brother.” Darkstar countered and both mares giggled.

“He does!” Moonbeak offered, helpfully sliding her toes in and out of her lover’s mouth.

“Fine.” Brightstar groused good-naturedly once he removed his Mistress’s toe from his mouth. Usually he wouldn’t, but he was on the phone. “I'll deal with Cy the Ever-Stinky.”

Air Raid whooped out a celebratory cheer, “High hoof!”

The unmistakable sound of hooves clopping together came down the phone line, followed by Darkstar’s cheery voice. “In that case, we forgive you for being dumb, you are just a stallion.” Moonbeak just giggled at that, wholly unable and unwilling to argue the point.

“Hey,” Brightstar said, a warning in his tone, “If she eats something really spicy the night before and gases me out, I'll know who to blame and I will get you back, all three of you.”

More laughter was the only response to that. “Okay,” Darkstar said once she had recovered enough to string two words together, “I'll let grumpy beak go back to sleep. Raid just told me it was after midnight for you. Not sure why she didn't say something earlier…”

“Whaaaaaaat?”

While Air Raid’s tone feigned innocence, Brightstar doubted she was anything but innocent. “Oh...I think I know why. Don't think I'll forget this, Raid.” He let out a wide, deep yawn, a look at the alarm clock’s illuminated numbers in the dark telling him it was fast coming up to a quarter to two. “G'night, sis, Raid.”

“You know a lot of stupid ponies,” Moonbeak commented when the call had been ended and the phone was back in his saddlebag, the bag now on the floor.

Although the bedroom was pitch black, Brightstar could hear the smile in his lover’s voice. A smile that was evident by the way she rubbed her paws all over his face and muzzle. “I also know a sexy grumpy beak…”

“Interrupting my beauty sleep has this moon baked.”

“Like a delicious moon pie, my love!” Brightstar, with a huge goofy smile on his face, leant in and snuggled his face against those oh-so-sexy toes he loved so much. “There's still some time to sleep before the alarm wakes us again, thank Stormclaw.”

Thoroughly happy with the world, content that her rock was stable as ever and back by her side, Moonbeak snuggled against her pony’s hind legs. “You will pay later, pony. Now, wipe that silly grin that just appeared on your muzzle and go back to sleep.”

“I'm sure I will,” Brightstar tenderly kissed each of her toes good night. “Sleep well, my love.”

~ ~ ~

Moonbeak sighed. The seating pad she was sat on was stiff, straight and uncomfortable, as well as unfamiliar. She shifted slightly upon it, as it was no match for her rather overly large behind. It helped though, in a way, because it helped her to remain awake through the speeches. She hated speeches with a vengeance, she always had done. Here though, at the police academy, they were practically compulsory.

Several days had passed since the now infamous binding practise and the ‘Moonbake’ incident. They had practised it a few more times over the past week, perfectly. Thoughts of her stallion were only reinforced when she watched him take the stage and walk up to the microphone.

The dark grey furred griffon was sat in the front row of seats, there were twenty rows of thirty behind her in the packed auditorium. The orange Fillydelphia PD banner lined the wall, its emblem taking pride of place among those of the other Equestrian city police forces. She smiled when Brightstar began his speech. It was nice to hear her pony speak as the number one graduate in the class, and even nicer that he kept it short.

She let out another sigh, though this one was not as deep as the one before it. Over all, she was happy that she came to the graduation. Right up until leaving the treehouse, leaving her kittens with her mother, leaving her mother’s condo and parking up at the police academy visitor’s lot, she was changing her mind on a minute by minute basis.

When Brightstar finished his speech, something about him being proud to represent the police force as a member of the undercover operatives known as Shadowbolts, Moonbeak glanced around, desperately trying to think of anything to pass the time. A sense of dread reached her belly when she saw Olive Branch step up to the microphone. The length of the instructor’s speeches were legend.

Glancing to her right, she saw an elderly mare sat on a seating pad that was equally as uncomfortable as her own. Dredging thee depths of her memory, Moonbeak recalled the pale green mare’s name was Thistle and that she was the grandmare of one of the cadets, but the name of the cadet eluded her for now. The only thing she thought out of place in the packed auditorium was the empty seat to her left. Nothing was said, but she was quite sure it was for Goldcrest.

The appearance of somepony on the stage whom Moonbeak didn’t recognise nor did she care about drew her attention back there. Miraculously she was still awake, in spite of Olive Branch’s efforts to the contrary. The newcomer started naming names and Senior Instructor – and head Shadowbolt – Olive Branch was right there hoofing out the diplomas. First to receive theirs was Brightstar and she screeched a very loud victory screech that echoed around the large room.

A short time later, after several scrolls had been passed out, Moonbeak heard the elderly mare shout out for a pony named Silver Leaf. ‘Yes,’ she thought, ‘that was the name of her grandfoal.’ Her brief curiosity sated for the moment, the griffon settled back in her uncomfortable seating pad and determined to make it through the rest of the afternoon without falling asleep. The rest of the graduates went without notice as she watched her beloved pony still standing on the stage.

Moonbeak closed her green eyes when, with the conclusion of the diplomas, Olive Branch started speaking again. Would he never, ever run out of things to say? She remembered when Goldcrest had crossed that stage. She couldn't remember who the super intendant had been back then, but she would never forget what happened to her beloved griffon, how he had been taken from her too soon by a ganger’s bullet. She opened her eyes and stared at her pony, to be sure he was still there and hadn't vanished to the Grey Spires.

Up on the stage, gazing out at the packed auditorium, Brightstar could count only a hoof full of times where he had been as proud as this before in his life. Getting into Canterlot University was one, definitely. Graduating from it, sure. Earning the opportunity to attend Stormclaw Academy in Griffonstone, then there was the birth of Zephyr. Thinking of all that as he stood at attention even made Olive Branch's next speech bearable.

Standing at the podium, Olive Branch addressed the microphone for what many attendees hoped was the last time. “I wish to thank the Mayor for his attendance at this graduation,” he intoned, smiling at the guest of honour in the front row. “Our goal is to protect the citizens of Fillydelphia. I give you all, the graduating class of 2026!” Moonbeak stood with the rest of the audience and shouted as she clapped her claws. Though they all cheered and whooped, she cheered the loudest, for now she had her pony.

As the audience cheered, Brightstar caught the eye of the other two Shadowbolt graduates and grinned, sharing a wink with the two of them, all three very thankful that the never-ending speeches might at last be done. Watching eagerly, Moonbeak waited for her pony as the graduates left the stage. She almost growled, because, as first on, Brightstar would be the last off. She did however give a little bow when the elder mare collected her beaming grandfoal.

At long last, Moonbeak saw Brightstar coming towards her and she didn't wait. Launching herself from her stiff uncomfortable seating pad, she rushed forward and wrapped her precious, beloved pony in her claws and wings. “Hey sexy!” Brightstar hugged his lover tightly before his hooves wandered lower to her wide ass. “We survived the speeches!”

“Just barely,” Moonbeak snorted, though she did love the way his hooves gripped her ass. “I could have clawed the pony to my right.”

Brightstar laughed at that, mostly because poor Thistle overheard her and the pale green mare went ever paler. At least he knew that his partner was joking. Mostly. “The weeks of training was easy compared to having to stand at attention like that for so long!”

As soon as they each pulled away from the much-needed hug, Moonbeak reached into her shoulder bag and pulled out her pony’s cell phone. She pressed it into his hoof and gave him a serious look. “Call them, I know you need to, Bright.”

Taking his phone in his glowing yellow magical aura, the royal blue unicorn’s thoughts now turned to his sister in Canterlot. To the call he had received from Air Raid two days ago. In an attempt to be helpful and cheer his sister up, she had taken her for a night out at Trixie’s Place. The night had not gone well. So ‘not well’ that Darkstar had flirted with a group of four stallions so much that the mares accompanying said stallions had beaten her up to the extent she had been sent to the hospital. “Thank you Moony,” he said, stepping aside and dialling Air Raid’s mobile number.

Air Raid, who answered on the second ring, moved to sit beside Darkstar’s hospital bed. Thankfully the door to her private room was closed. The lime green mare had been expecting her friend to call so she wasn’t disappointed. “Hey, Bright, you make it through graduation okay?”

“Yes, I did.” Brightstar replied with a smile in his voice as he watched the other graduates mingle with their relatives and friends in the auditorium. “I didn't pass out from the speeches nor did I worry too much either.” Moving aside to a little alcove, he turned serious. “How is she, Raid?”

“Ask yourself,” Air Raid responded, though there was a harassed tone to her voice she couldn’t quite hide. All these suicide attempts were starting to wear on her nerves. She had removed all the knives from her house, but the last thing she expected was for Darkstar to try and get herself beaten to death. “I just have to hold the phone for her.”

A second later, Darkstar’s depressed voice came over the phone line. “Failed again.”

“Hey sis!” Brightstar, who had noted straightaway the lack of even a ‘hello’, knew that meant the white mare was still in the depths of her depressive episode. He forced a cheery sound into his voice, determined not to bring her down any further. “I'm glad you failed. I'd miss you, ah...both of you.”

His sister snorted into the mouthpiece of her friend and caretaker’s phone. Seeing as she was on suicide watch – again – and therefore bound to the bed by elasticated straps that only allowed so much movement, she couldn’t do much else. “Darkie is not amused,” she said flatly. “Darkstar isn't amused either.”

Brightstar rolled his eyes. “Yeah, Darkie's never amused, is she?” he then smiled, “How are you doing?” He didn’t bother to ask why, they had been over that already.

Darkstar sighed as she slumped back into the comfortable bed. “I was tired of Raid not believing me.”

For the umpteenth time that day alone, Air Raid rolled her eyes. She had lost count of the times that she had apologised to her friend for taking so long to take action over the abusive nurse, Jewel Joy. “I was wrong, okay, and you were right.”

On her bed, Darkstar smiled smugly. “We do like hearing her say that.”

“I bet you two made her say it more than once, am I right, sis?” Brightstar asked, full of concern, “Still, getting yourself beaten up, sis, that's a bit...”

“We weren't supposed to get beaten up!” Darkstar objected as she interrupted her brother. The aim of the evening had been to get beaten to death, not beaten up. Although, she had to admit, that bit hadn’t gone quite to plan.

“The bouncers kept them from killing her.”

“Hmph!” Darkstar huffed and shot her legal guardian a nasty look when she said that. She would have crossed her scarred forelegs had she been able, but the straps wouldn’t allow her hooves to meet. “Stupid bouncers!”

“I know what you wanted to do,” said Brightstar softly, “and I'll say it again, I'm glad you two failed.”

Air Raid snorted, “Don’t worry, she’s in huff mode.” The lime green pegasus pointedly ignored the death stare she was getting from the restrained mare. She was immune to it by now. “Better news is I've fired that nurse, and the other doctor. The one here suggests a doc in Ponyville...”

This time Darkstar interrupted her. “Again!”

Air Raid’s long stressed out sigh spoke volumes. Very loud volumes. “We go next Tuesday, they release her on Monday.”

“I pity you, Raid. Huff mode is not fun.” Brightstar snickered, for he had been on the receiving end of many a patented Darkie Huff over the years. These incidents were usually made better with a salted caramel donut and a caramel macchiato. “I'll assume then that the cameras got you the evidence you suspected?”

As Darkstar made her contribution known by delivering a long, loud raspberry, Air Raid sighed. She felt a hundred years old, she sounded older. She didn’t want to think about how she looked. “The second camera in Darkie’s room did, she was tampering with the one I had already installed, and well…Darkie was only getting madder at me.”

“Was it...bad?” Brightstar asked uncertainly, unsure whether he wanted to know all the details over the phone. He recalled what Air Raid had told him before, about what the nurse had reportedly done to his sister. “No, I don't think I want to know...”

“The agency is settling with me out of court.” Air Raid said, cutting across her friend with that same tired sound in her voice. “I don't have the energy to take them to court. Part of the deal is Jewel Joy doing community service at her sister – Amethyst Glory’s – care home in Canterlot.”

“We think she should be executed!” Darkstar yelled, tugging at the restraints that held her to the bed.

“I just hope the money goes to something that will help Darkie.” Air Raid stroked her friend’s foreleg in an attempt to calm her down. Of course, the piece of chocolate helped a long way towards that. She didn’t want the hospital’s staff alerted by her shouting, nor for her to be sedated, again. “Wedding still on track?” she asked, deftly changing the subject.

“Yes, best mare,” Brightstar rolled his eyes audibly down the phone line so his friend could hear him, “It's still on track. Everything's on track. Done the graduation, going to the party later and then the wedding!”

“Okay. All is on track for Shining Star, too.” Air Raid smiled, she liked her friends’ mother. Well, except for the Empress. But, in her defence, nopony really ‘liked’ the Empress. “We are going to visit her sometime late next week. Hopefully we’ll get Moonstone.”

“We don't want to visit the Empress,” Darkstar put in helpfully.

Air Raid fed her friend another square of chocolate. It helped. “Yeah, but the nurse will let us know before we leave to see her.”

Brightstar laughed at that. “The Empress is scary,” he agreed, the laugh still in his voice when he spoke again. “Besides, I want Raid to visit Madam Red Light again so she can start her new job!”

While Darkstar laughed, eating her medicinal chocolate, it was Air Raid’s turn to blow her friend a very well pronounced raspberry. Listening in, as she had been the whole time, Moonbeak said softly, “It’s nice to hear your sister laugh.”

Lighting his horn, casting his voice just for Moonbeak to hear in her ear. He didn’t cast illusions very often, so when he did, it was a bit of a shock. A shock she was determined to repay him later in the Tail. “Yes it is, she needs to laugh more…” he then turned his attention back to the phone. “It'd be worth the bits just to watch Raid dance! I'd pay to watch that.”

“I'll dance donuts with my car, how about that?”

Still laughing, Darkstar said, “Even her four left hooves can do that.”

Brightstar couldn’t resist the tease, “As long as you don't crash like you did last month, huh Raid?”

“Bad reception,” Air Raid made a very good imitation of static white noise, “I can't hear you…you’re breaking up…” Darkstar just laughed all the louder as all of a sudden – no doubt due to the ‘interference’ - the phone abruptly disconnected.

As Brightstar gave his pone back to Moonbeak, his dress uniform didn’t have any pockets, nor did he have a bag, the griffon rolled her eyes at him. “You do a good job of getting a pony off the phone.” The royal blue stallion shrugged as she put his phone away. It had made Darkie laugh. Or Darkstar laugh. One or the other. “Ah,” she smiled when she saw Olive Branch and Sour Sweet, who had been delayed by closing down the event walk up to them, “Your superiors are here.”

Olive Branch gave the griffon a well-mannered nod. “Moonbeak, Brightstar. After party unchanged?”

Moonbeak nodded straightaway. “It’s still at the Tail.” Where else would she have any kind of party other than the Twisted Tail? If Selene found out she would claim disloyalty and claw her insides to her outsides.

Alongside her boss, Deputy Instructor Sour Sweet nodded to what she counted as friends. Recently elevated to such vaunted status from mere associates. The unicorn was worthy of her respect from his test scores alone. Not everypony made Shadowbolt status, after all. “Rookie, Moonbeak.”

Moonbeak held up the index talon of her left claw to her pony’s lips to prevent him from returning the greeting. “My apologies, but my pony isn't quite dressed yet.” Smirking, like a kitten who had just made her first kill in the Trials on the Plains of Blood, she reached into her bag and pulled out Brightstar’s grey collar.

The moment his yellow eyes alighted on the collar held in his beloved’s clawed hands, Brightstar nodded to in deference to his superior. “Sour Sweet, good to see you…” he was blushing furiously as he bowed his head, he reached back with his hoof and pulled aside his black mane. “Thank you, Mistress.”

As Moonbeak placed the collar around her pet’s neck, as she buckled it tight, the royal blue stallion couldn’t believe she was doing it right then and there in the auditorium! Right there! Even though some of the ponies had gone, there was still a few there to watch what was happening. Bold as brass, though, she shared a smile with Sour Sweet. “New record, rookie!” the Shadowbolt grinned, “Written up for out of uniform on day zero.”

Moonbeak joined Olive Branch in his snicker. “I want photos of his punishment detail, Sour.”

“Can do, Moonbeak.”

Brightstar threw up his hooves. “Oh come on...punishment, Sour, really?” Though he feigned indignance, he did have a smile as wide as a Cheshire cat. “I haven't even got an assignment yet...”

Sour Sweet looked on approvingly at the tightness of Brightstar’s collar. “Toilets don't scrub themselves, do they?”

As they bantered, a thought occurred to Moonbeak, something she had found odd all throughout the day. “Was there a reason the seat next to me was empty today?”

Expecting that question, Olive Branch was fast on his hooves, faster than a speeding pegasus with the wind at her back. “Actually there should have been empty seats on both sides. Silver Leaf's grandmare showed up late and wasn't fussed about sitting next to a bundle of claws with an attitude problem.”

“Me neither,” Brightstar grinned, the stallion sensing an opportunity for some good bad naughtiness. “That's why I'm binding with her in a couple of weeks!”

Moonbeak held her pony tight in her wing so that he couldn’t escape her tight unbreakable grip of iron. She had such plans for her pet at the Twisted Tail. There would be stories told of this night to rival those of Stormclaw herself. “Come, pony. We go now.”

“Be a good lap pony,” Sour Sweet snickered behind her hoof, “see you there, rookie.”

Olive Branch laughed, “Time to go, Sour. See you both there tonight.”

“And try not to get lost, rookie!” Sour Sweet called after them as they walked.

“Lost?” Moonbeak asked curiously, her interest piqued by the Shadowbolt’s statement as they headed out of the auditorium and to her van waiting in the parking lot. This looked like being a very fun story. One she really wanted to hear.

Chuckling, Brightstar obediently followed Moonbeak to the van, being the good little pony he was deep down. He figured he’d have to tell this story at some point, whether he wanted to or not. At the van, she waited expectantly by her driver’s side door. Well trained, Brightstar opened the van door in his magic for his lady and Mistress, even adding a little bow too. “My second day of training. A bunch of us trainees were left at the very north of Filly, near the marshes. We were told to find our way back within a certain time. I took the lead, real confident like, but it was misty. I went north instead of south. I only realised when we ended up in Baltimare.”

Moonbeak had laughed long and loud, her peals of shrill laughter filling the van as she drove along. She was still laughing when Brightstar called Cyclone to tell her the news of his graduation. Unfortunately, the black mare was out, at one of her comic or sci-fi conventions, Slayer-Con, it was called. “Nice message you left for nappy pony.” She snickered.

“Yeah,” Brightstar snickered, “I hope it makes her laugh when she gets it.”

“You hope she fills her nappy, you mean!” Moonbeak retorted, steering her van through the streets of downtown Fillydelphia, over the Delamare River. “I'm looking for some fun tonight, pony.” She grinned a most predatory grin once they crossed the wide river. “The sort of fun like the night I met you at the Tail.”

Brightstar grinned, the unicorn feeling remarkably at peace while he watched the scenery of the south eastern coastal town whizz past the van. A rather devilish, fiendish idea came to him, a good bad plan to earn some quality fun later at the bar. He reached a hoof for the stereo. “Care for some music while we drive, Mistress?”

Moonbeak caught what he was about to do and reached for his hoof with her clawed hand. She seized that hoof and lightly dug her talons in, not enough to draw blood, but enough that he got the message. “You put on that punk station, you're walking, pet.”

“How did you know I was thinking that?”

“There was this crazy getaway driver that thought it would be good driving music the other day,” Moonbeak grinned, her grip on his hoof neither loosening nor tightening. “I think he said some word because it wasn't his best idea.”

“Fine,” Brightstar relented, not wanting to be bad bad. Good bad was the order of the day. “No Sex Pistols today. Don't feel like walking. Now, if it would get me a spanking, that'd be different…”

Finally, Moonbeak released her claw. Partly because she was satisfied, partly because she needed her claw to steer the van. “You get a spanking for just thinking about it, pet.”

“I was thinking about turning it up full blast. I won't do that either.”

Moonbeak snorted. “Seems my pony has gained a tiny amount of wisdom.”

“The pony doesn't want to walk, more like,” Brightstar rested the hoof that had been recently seized on his beloved partner and Mistress’s leg. “I'm glad you came today, to the graduation. Seeing you in the auditorium got me through all the speeches.”

“There were speeches?” Moonbeak asked, her eyebrow raised, “Maybe I zoned out a bit.” She then turned her attention back to the road. It wasn’t long before they arrived in the somewhat less well-kept area of Fillydelphia south of the river. Their ultimate destination soon came into view amid the desolate boarded up houses and abandoned shop fronts.

The place in question happened to be a two storey bare brick building with dark blue doors and window frames. The name plate, worn and faded, heralded The Twisted Tail bar. The sign outside, which promised the best whiskey this side of the Delamare River, as well as the best atmosphere, made the place seem just what they needed right now for the night ahead.

Chapter 13 - A Little Bit Closer

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“How did you know I was thinking that?”

Finally, Moonbeak released her claw. Partly because she was satisfied, partly because she needed her claw to steer the van. “You get a spanking for just thinking about it, pet.”

“I was thinking about turning it up full blast. I won't do that either.”

Moonbeak snorted. “Seems my pony has gained a tiny amount of wisdom.”

“Will you need a map to get to the bar?” Moonbeak asked as she parked up in the suspiciously empty lot.

“Nah,” Brightstar replied with a grin and, while his partner killed the engine, the royal blue stallion got out of the passenger side of the van and he trotted smartly around to the driver’s side door. After so long, he didn’t have to be told, it was second nature. “I'm sure I can find it, Mistress.”

Moonbeak flashed her pony a smile once her door had been opened for her. “Okay, I don't want to be late.”

Still grinning, he shut the door as soon as Moonbeak had alighted from her van. Now leading the way up to the two storey building, he paused for a moment of brief reflection at just how far he had come since he stood here for the first time. It had indeed been quite a journey. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on the point of view, his reflection was halted by some very sharp claws in his ass. This he took as a prompt to expedite the opening of the doors. With hooves, since he was wearing his collar.

The first thing Brightstar noticed upon entering the bar was it was quiet. And dark. He could hear bodies in the dark and he immediately realised it was a ‘surprise’ party. He resolved to act surprised. Since he was hesitating, Moonbeak’s claws again prompted him to move further inside. No sooner had he taken a step though than the lights came on and many voices shouted surprise!

This shout though was timed with the digging in of Moonbeak’s claws so Brightstar’s pained ‘eep!’ was mistaken for genuine surprise. On a table beside the bar was placed a large round sponge cake with 'Rookie of the Year' written on it. Adorning the top were a lone candle and the figures of a unicorn and griffon, but the colours were reversed. “I think I look good in blue,” the griffon noted as she nipped at her lover’s ear. “I'm guessing you told them the colours?”

“Hmmmm y-yes Mistress, I did, and you do, look good in blue…” he sighed happily, so distracted was he by the sharp pain in his ear that he admitted to it when it hadn’t been him at all. Blossomseed, the over excitable earth pony mare stood beside Forge, was still cheering and bouncing on her hooves. Wearing her Master’s collar, she was cheering the loudest of all until she tripped over her hooves and landed on her ass.

Standing next to Olive Branch, Sour Sweet was most surprised that Brightstar took the fall for the colour mix up and she put away a piece of paper. It seemed this rookie was full of surprises. She supposed she should stop underestimating him. At least for now. She lit the candle. “Get over here and blow out the candle, rookie, so we can start the party!”

Blossomseed got back on her hooves and her Forge rubbed his pet’s ass. Thanks to the presence of her Master’s hoof on her hindquarters, Blossomseed automatically had her dark green tail up high, making sure her ‘everywhere’ was exposed for him just like she had been trained.

Brightstar had, by now, learnt not to question things and just go with the flow. Something that would’ve been anathema to him back in Canterlot. Besides, now he knew Sour Sweet owed him one, a valuable resource. “Yes ma'am, Sour!” While he walked over and blew out the candle, Selene busied herself setting up drinks all along the bar. He was thankful went out in one blow and wasn’t one of those trick candles Darkie liked to use.

Olive Branch called out, “Speech!”

As if he knew this was coming, Brightstar sighed. He hated speeches with a passion. “Alright. Today I…”

After the word 'Today', Sour Sweet interrupted him with a shout that seemed to fill the whole bar. “Great speech! Drinks at the bar. Rookie, cut cake till everyp...everyone has a slice then you can get your drink.”

“Yes ma'am!” Brightstar blushed very hard, his tail flagging up just a little at being cut off. It was embarrassing and he did so like being embarrassed. It made him hot in a very good way. He promptly cut the cake into enough slices for them all to have two, like he planned.

A griffon waitress whom the unicorn didn’t know set out pony and griffon snacks at a table next to the one bearing the cake. Glancing around the bar, Brightstar saw, for the first time, Liara, the female minotaur from the bar they had gone to a month ago now. He saw her beside Brass Knuckles and he froze, not having seen her since 'the incident', and not having seen much of Brass either, for that matter. Summoning his nerve, he went to the bar to get drinks. “Brass, um...miss,” he courteously nodded to them both, a drink for himself and Moonbeak held in his hooves, “How are you?”

“Still winning, pony.” Brass Knuckles, the walking slab of muscle, commented by way of reply while her companion simply smiled.

Liara, by no means as muscular as Brass was, still cut an imposing figure thanks in no small part to her parts, which were not small by any means. She would have been indecent, were it not for the crop top she wore which barely contained her exceptional breasts. Giving Brightstar a wink, she looked at his undercarriage. “How's it hanging, pony?”

Brightstar could literally feel the gaze from Moonbeak burning into the back of his head, the poor unicorn blushing harder than he already was. “I ah...um...err...glad you could make it!” he eventually managed the complete sentence. “Enjoy the um...well, enjoy!” Blossomseed didn’t help, as he scurried back to his partner with the drinks, the clumsy mare was sniggering so hard she snorted her drink onto the floor.

“Moony,” Liara called over to the dark grey furred griffon, “Did you massage out that dent my hoof made in the pony's chest?”

It seemed, as Brightstar passed her her drink, that Moonbeak had developed laser eyes, so narrowed and dangerous was her stare. When her pony placed the beer in her clawed hand though, her stare lessened, just a little. This wasn’t the time or place for a scene. Her pony was hers, after all. “I left the divot though as a place to rest my head.” She answered carefully.

Standing by his lover’s side, Brightstar tactfully decided to quietly sip his drink in the hope that Liara would not pursue this, though he was thankful that Moonbeak's eye lasers seemed to have dissipated. Over at Forge’s table, Blossomseed sipped her drink and nestled into the grizzled old earth pony stallion’s side. “Want anything, Master?”

Forge ran his callused hoof along the collar that adorned his young pet’s neck. “Cake, your mouth to mine.”

“Yes Master.” Blossomseed got up from her seating pad and went over to the cake table, though the cluzty young mare tripped over her hooves on the way there. Thanks to Olive Branch, who caught her in his magic, she was able to steady herself. Once she had four slices on a plate, she very carefully made her way back.

With a wiggle of her eyebrows, Liara gave her muscular friend a meaningful look. Brass Knuckles, who was working on her third pint of stout, just shrugged, both minotaurs turning back to Brightstar and Moonbeak’s table. “Moony,” she said once the silent communication was concluded, “Do let me know if you need a hoof to put the pony in his place.”

“Good to see you making new friends, rookie.” Sour Sweet commented as she drank her beer and Blossomseed set the plate down on the table and took a bite, transferring said bite to Forge's mouth via long and sloppy kiss. Brightstar, whose blush was by now threatening to become permanent, raised his glass to the senior Shadowbolt by way of reply, the unicorn realising then just how much fun this party was going to be.

“I might take you up on that,” Moonbeak replied to Liara and, while her comment was a throwaway one, the dark grey griffon actually found herself entertaining the idea. “Why am I not eating cake?” she asked her pony sharply, the idea having sown seeds in her head, said seeds taking root.

“Forgive me, Mistress.” Brightstar bowed to his dominant partner and, a quick trip to the cake table later, he came back with four slices, one of which he attempted to pick up with his hoof to feed to his Mistress.

The other attendees, a griffon couple and an earth pony pair that Brightstar vaguely knew, were served by Selene as Moonbeak ate the offered slice of cake from her submissive stallion’s hoof. She was careful not to ‘beak’ the sole. Watching the show, Sour Sweet laughed. “Olly, remember that incident in the chow hall?”

“With Brightstar and Smoke Ring?” the stallion laughed, very nearly spilling his beer, he was laughing so hard. That the newly graduated pony coughed and dropped the piece of cake that Moonbeak was eating from his hoof only made him laugh harder. They had teased him relentlessly over the ‘Smoke Ring Incident’.

Moonbeak gave her lover a most imperious stare, her green eyes flitting between him and the cake that had just splatted onto the floor. “Who is Smoke Ring?”

“Aaaaah...” Brightstar was sure he was going to combust if he blushed any more than he already was. He briefly wondered if the other graduates were getting a hazing like this. “You see, we-well...um...Smoke Ring is a mare, a pegasus. I ah, I spilled my drink, she slipped and ran into me…” he looked down at the cake on the floor, “When we stopped colliding, my muzzle was, well…it was…” his voice went very small indeed, “between her legs. We were separated by my banana cream pie…”

Forge, who had just taken delivery of more cake via his pet’s mouth, laughed, “I like cream pie!”

While there was general laughter ringing around the bar, Moonbeak pointed a talon down at the mess on the floor – after giving it a cursory glance to make sure the floor was clean, of course. She then tipped her lover’s second slice down as well. “You eat that. Good you brought an extra slice for me.”

It was humiliating, yes, but in an oh-so-good way, for Brightstar as the young stallion lowered his head to the floor and began to lick up the fallen pieces of cake. It was strange, really how with his ass in the air and the eyes of everyone upon him, how the cake seemed to taste better. His embarrassment was only increased when he felt himself starting to emerge from his sheath.

Brass Knuckles didn’t help matters when the crimson minotaur bent down and took a long hard look at the pony’s equally hard stallionhood. “Looks harder than a banana.”

As Liara, and a few others, laughed, Brightstar had to work to get all of the cake from the floor. It wasn’t easy, using just his mouth. By the time he stood up again, he was as hard as can be. “Thank you for the cake, Mistress.”

Moonbeak regarded her lover with an appreciative smile before reaching out with her powerful wing and stroking his length with her dark grey primary feathers. “Who's the good pony?” she asked loudly.

As one single entity, the whole bar shouted out, with glasses raised in salute, “Brightstar is the good pony!”

Leaning in, Moonbeak licked away some errant frosting from Brightstar’s nose while the bar continued to cheer for her pony and celebrate his accomplishment of graduating top of his class. “Even when you're a bad pony,” she whispered so that only he could hear.

Smiling, Brightstar whispered, “especially when I'm a bad pony, Mistress.”

Blossomseed, having fed Forge the cake with her mouth, gave her Master a drink of his beer in much the similar fashion. Once the cheers from the bar had abated, a few others, individuals and couples, came over to congratulate Brightstar on his graduation. The royal blue stallion made sure to thank and nuzzle each and every one of them, he even bumped hooves, when he wasn’t distracted by Moonbeak stroking his erection.

Following the line of ponies and griffons, Brass Knuckles and Liara both came over, drinks in hand. “Good thing I didn't put you in hospital, pony.” She smiled, offering him a little bow that showed off her considerable cleavage to its fullest effect.

“It is, miss.” He replied politely as he bumped his hoof to her offered fist. “It’s nice to see you too, Brass.”

“Always available for my fans.” Brass Knuckles smiled as she too got in a fist bump with Brightstar. It amused her no end that all the while, Moonbeak had not stopped stroking his frankly impressive hard on with her wingtip. Brightstar winced as his cock started twitching. He bit his lip and let out an involuntary moan of pleasure.

The pleasured moan was not lost on the griffon – who did not stop or slow down. “Is there a problem, my pet?”

“I-I...Mi-Mistress...I'm close...”

“Ah my pony is close!” Moonbeak declared loudly, drawing any attention not already on them, to them. “Maybe I can get some help?”

Blossomseed very quickly raised her hoof, like she was trying to get the teacher’s attention in class, though Moonbeak gave her a slight shake of her head. Her earlier idea, that had taken root, was about to bear fruit. Seeing the head shake, Forge pulled his pet’s hoof down. “You have unfished work here to do, Seed.”

“I do?” she asked, though when she saw his raised eyebrow, the ditzy mare smiled, “I do!” While she got to her knees and openly began trailing wet licks and kisses up and down the old stallion’s sheath, at the bar, Selene tried to raise a claw, only for Brass Knuckles to stop her.

Selene turned a questioning look to the large crimson minotaur, who only nodded her head to her companion and smiled a very meaningful smile. Liara quickly got the message. “I guess I could help.” She tried very hard to sound indifferent, but if she was honest with herself, she had wanted to ride this pony ever since the incident at the bar almost a month ago.

As Blossomseed was busy coaxing Forge’s cock from its sheath with her sloppy kisses, Brightstar had a rather stunned look on his face like the time at the academy when the mare and stallion signs had been 'accidentally' swapped on the shower doors. “I ah...I'd love your help, miss,” he said softly, though at the same time he was wondering what Moonbeak was playing at.

Moonbeak waved Liara over to their table and, as the minotaur walked across the bar, swaying her wide hips with every step, the griffon stared a hole straight through her pony. “Do you love me?”

The noise of the bar seemed to slip away, until it was just them two sat alone. “Until Stormclaw herself returns from the Grey Spires, I love you, Moonbeak.”

“Then you won't cum.” Moonbeak pointed to the floor where the cake had completed its short journey not so long ago. “On your back.” She then addressed the bar as a whole. “I have five hundred bits that he won't cum until I release him!”

Sour Sweet was quick to take that bet as Brightstar got down on the floor, laying on his back where his Mistress had pointed. “I'll match Moony's with another five hundred!” The Shadowbolt had to work hard to not giggle when, with his forelegs behind his back, and his hind legs apart, Brightstar’s erect upright stallionhood made her think of a sundial.

“I'll take a hundred of that action,” Liara stated once she was at Moonbeak’s table. She confidently slapped her hundred bits in notes down and soon the thousand bit bet was matched. “Good luck, pony. You’ll need it.” The minotaur smirked as she straddled Brightstar’s head. Glancing upwards, the unicorn got a clear unobstructed view up her short skirt, a short skirt which she hiked up around her waist as lowered herself to her knees. The fact that she wasn’t wearing any panties only became more apparent the closer her pussy got to his muzzle. When she had finished squatting down, her crotch was barely centimetres from his face.

Soon though, the unicorn was given something else to think about other than the dangerous proximity of her neatly trimmed snatch. Liara reached back with her tail, which was thinner and more flexible than Moonbeak's. A fact that was clear when Brightstar felt it wrap around his iron hard rod. He was also aware that her tail fluff was softer and fluffier than Moonbeak's.

Smirking, Liara went to work, flexing her tail muscles she proceeded to give Brightstar a tail job, much to the amusement and the cheers of those watching. With his head between her toned thighs, the royal blue stallion looked straight up at the minotaur's crotch, with every breath he inhaled her musky scent, which didn't help his predicament in the slightest. In an effort to stave off the pleasure that flowed through his body with every stroke of her tail, Brightstar scrunched his eyes closed and he tried to think about anything, learning griffonian, anything to take his mind off it. “AAaaaAAAH...Mmmmmm!” he let out the moan, his thoughts not working.

Moonbeak saw, between Liara’s thighs, Brightstar squeeze his eyes shut. That was cheating! She wasn’t about to allow that. Carefully, she placed the talons of her left claw on the frog off his hoof. With enough pressure that he got the message. “Naughty. You will not close your eyes!”

Brightstar issued a most pitiful whimper but, obediently, he opened his eyes to be confronted by the Stormclaw-sent vision that was Liara's snatch, the scent hitting his nose hard as she stroked him. He knew at this rate he wouldn’t last very long at all. “Pl-Please...Mistress please...”

“I don't think the pony likes my snatch,” Liara huffed when it was clear Brightstar wasn’t going to orgasm straightaway. She was better than this! She shuffled backwards a little and, deciding to up her game, she leant forward. Though her tail never stopped moving, now she was bouncing as well.

Watching all this happen above him, Brightstar’s yellow eyes went very wide indeed as, after several bounces, Liara’s straining top gave up the fight and her large hefty breasts fell out, her nipples hard as pebbles. The poor pony stood this sight for a few more bounces until he let out another whimper and his balls contracted dangerously. “Pl-Please...”

Watching like the eagle she was, Moonbeak saw the signs and she lightly applied her claws to Liara's shapely peachy ass. Getting the instruction, the minotaur moved herself forwards until she was again straddling Brightstar’s head. Once room was made, Moonbeak sat astride her pony’s waist and she slid herself back, ready to receive his throbbing length. “Fill me!”

As soon as he heard the order, Brightstar thrust his hips upwards to meet Moonbeak's entrance, sliding his length smoothly inside her in one clean motion. Watching the show, Sour Sweet nudged Olive Branch with her hoof. “Is that the incident you reported about the suspicious van?”

“Close enough.” Olive Branch replied, though he didn’t take his eyes off the performance. Nor did he take his hoof away from his own erection. He wasn’t the only one. On the floor, Brightstar was able to see Moonbeak head-butting Liara's ass as her tail was caught between their bodies. The minotaur’s snatch was dripping on the poor pony’s face. She was down on all fours so he had a clear view of her massive hanging breasts, swaying like a cow’s udders with each thrust that Moonbeak made.

Over at their table, Forge exploded just from watching the show on the floor, though it was also thanks in no small part to Blossomseed deep throating him like a pro. “OOooOOOOH!” Brightstar moaned, the sight of his Mistress getting up close and personal with Liara's ass sending him over the top. “MMmmMM Buu-Buuuuck!” now, thoughts of the griffon’s ass entered his mind, him entering it, specifically. He licked his lips and tasted the minotaur’s arousal dripping from above. “Mi-Mistress...ca-can I cum, please?”

Blossomseed, the young mare slightly unprepared for her Master’s ejaculation on an upthrust, happily knelt there while Forge’s semen splattered all over and in her mouth, then on her muzzle and face as well as in her mane, until she was basted in his sticky white foal batter. Riding her pony, Moonbeak was a little confused about what part of 'fill me' he seemingly didn't understand. “Pony prefer minotaur?”

“No-Nooooo...” Brightstar definitely did not prefer minotaur, or anything or anyone or anypony other than his griffon. “MmmmmMM AAAaAAAAAAAAH!” he screamed, a scream that was muffled by Liara’s thighs, the comment from his Mistress sending him over his edge. With a last upward thrust, he erupted deep inside Moonbeak's pussy, the stallion filling her as much as he could.

When she felt her pony ejaculate, Moonbeak clenched down hard and she rode him out to the finish. “Buuuuuuuuck...” Brightstar sighed, the unicorn laying on the floor panting while Blossomseed sat up beside Forge like nothing was amiss, her cum facial still in place.

Brass Knuckles set her beer glass down and applauded. As did the rest of the bar. “Best money I ever lost.”

“I hope my tail is still attached,” Liara snarked, while behind her, the griffon rotated her head a bit so that the ridge of her beak split the minotaur’s dripping wet slit. A move that caused her to squeal in delight. “I'm not complaining!”

“Oh wow...” was all the vocalisation Brightstar could give to the sensations coursing through the core of his being. He was still hard and throbbing just from that sight alone, Moonbeak’s beak where it had been was quite possibly the hottest thing he had ever seen.

Situated behind Liara, Moonbeak had to push forward between the minotaur’s legs to get off of her pony so she could move back and free Liara's tail. Once it was free and she could move, she slid forward and stood up, stretching her toned legs as she turned to face the pony on the floor. At the bar, Brass Knuckles and Selene had their hands and claws buried deep in each other, both enjoying the performance. Like her companion, Brass Knuckles had her top down and her breasts exposed, much to Selene’s delight. And the delight of the watching patrons.

Moonbeak stood up and glanced around the bar. If the smell alone wasn’t evidence enough, then the sight of several erections, damp marehoods, Blossomseed proudly wearing Forge’s seed as well as Brass Knuckles and Selene making out convinced her that everyone – minus Sour Sweet – was ready for more. “Pony ready for round two?”

Still riding his wave of euphoria, Brightstar hadn’t even tried to get up. He could smell the amount of sex in the air though, even from the floor. It was a smell that kept him hard. “Oh yeah, pony is more than ready for round two!”

Liara was also hot as all hell. “I would like some satisfaction.”

Olive Branch caught Moonbeak’s look and, before anyone could say anything, he spoke up. “Since I'm the rookie’s supervisor, and he obviously didn't finish what he started, I'll take that task!” It helped that the Shadowbolt was horny and ready to go, thanks to what he had just watched.

“Take one for the team, boss.” Sour Sweet giggled, happy to drink her beer.

Liara didn’t think twice. Or once, for that matter. “That is acceptable.”

Since Forge had rolled over to his back, Blossomseed wasted no time in straddling her Master’s crotch, the young cum-covered mare impaling herself without waiting to be ordered. “I'm ready for round two!”

Another look around and Moonbeak smiled. At the bar, Brass Knuckles had Selene on her knees, the powerful, muscular minotaur humping her wet pussy into the black griffon’s face, her beak sliding in and out of her slit. Nice to see Selene get herself some. She made a point to ask if they were an item.

Later.

Squatting back down, Moonbeak leant back so she could get both paws on her pony’s chest and take it real slow. So slow she was barely moving. Liara stalked over to Olive Branch and kissed him hard, the minotaur easily driving her tongue into his mouth. “On your back pony. We do this cowgirl style," she said hefting her breasts.

Lost in his own little world of pleasure, Brightstar sighed happily as, with a loud “Yes ma’am!” Olive Branch got down on the floor. When Moonbeak moved slowly back and forth, slowly bucking him, the unicorn moved his hooves to caress her heavy teats. She had a happy glint in her eye. “Not as big as minotaur, even full of milk…”

Brightstar continued to rub his hooves in circles around her teats, teasing her erect nipples. “You are perfect.”

As soon as she was in place, Liara rode Olive Branch hard, like he were a bull at a rodeo. Not to be outdone, Blossomseed bounced on Forge’s cock like she was trying to tear it from his body with her marehood. Not that either stallion was complaining. Grinning, Moonbeak added her wings to her paws to shorten her pony’s willpower. “Look around. Look and bask in what you started.”

From his position on the floor, all Brightstar could do was look back and see, upside down from his perspective, Brass Knuckles using Selene’s face and beak like it was a yellow dildo. It was a magnificent sight to behold. “It's...it's beautiful, Mistress...I love you!” he flicked Moonbeak’s nipples as he started to thrust upwards haphazardly, nearing his second climax of the night.

When Brightstar did cum, Moonbeak allowed her primaries and paws take the load to the last drop. “Such a messy pony you are,” she purred softly. “I think my pony is responsible for big mess!” she declared, a statement to which several others agreed straightaway.

On his back, underneath his Mistress, Brightstar was is in no position to argue, “Y-Yes Mistress, I ah...I'm a very messy pony…”

“If my pony caused you any mess, he will clean you up. Step forward.” As soon as Moonbeak said that, an orderly line formed at the bar, made up of two earth pony mares, not including Blossomseed, who was sat next to Forge, two stallions, a pegasus and Olive Branch, Selene and her waitress and finally Brass Knuckles and Liara. Moonbeak kissed Brightstar’s nose. “You can clean me last.”

“Pony!” Forge yelled, happy to stay at his table, “You can come to us.”

While he was as eager to have fun as anyone else, Olive Branch had enough about him to be concerned, especially as he knew Brightstar wasn’t into stallions. After all, it was only fun if everyone was having fun. “You know you don't have to do this, Bright.”

Although he was uncertain at first, particularly when confronted with the stallions who expected their messy slimy cocks cleaning, when he saw the look of love and adoration on his Mistress’s face he was more than willing to oblige. He knew there was no way Moonbeak would force him to do anything he didn’t want to but, caught up in the moment, he got up on his knees like a good pony and placed his forelegs behind his back. “It's my duty as a good pony and it's my pleasure, sir.”

Brightstar had to admit, as he licked and sucked the first cock clean, that it was a little weird. It wasn’t a bad weird though. Just different. It wasn’t like he hadn’t eaten cum before, but that was his own. He did make sure to lavish some attention on Olive Branch’s shaft, almost going so far as to blow him. When he got to Liara, the minotaur patted the dick polisher’s mane. “Don't forget my tail, pony.” After he finished licking her crotch clean, she turned, squatted, and presented her raised tail.

“No ma'am!” Brightstar, ever the good and obedient pony, licked all the way along her tail from the end that had been wrapped around his penis to where it joined her body. He was only too happy to clean, basking in the honour of a job well done.

When the royal blue stallion at last made his way over to Forge, the old earth pony master smith was already cleaned up, but beside him, Blossomseed was a complete and utter mess. There was so much semen coating her face it was as if several ponies had used her as a cum rag. “Leave her be,” he held up his callused hoof to prevent Brightstar from cleaning her. “She is very pretty that way. I have a graduation gift for you, in my saddle bag.”

“Yes sir, as you wish.” Brightstar smiled, for there was more white in her coat than pale summer green fur. “She is adorable.” That said, he sat down, wondering what his gift was or what it could be. “Thank you, sir.”

“I'll get it!”

Forge turned a very withering glare to his young clumsy pet. As much as he loved her, and he loved her with all his heart, he didn’t want her laying her hooves on what he had to give. “Love, you won't touch it. You can bring me my bag.”

“Okay!” Not missing a beat, and as cheerful as ever, she went to get her Master’s bag from beside the table.

As she went to get his bag, Forge muttered, loud enough to be heard, “I fear she'd slice her own head off.” His fear wasn’t exactly unfounded, for Blossomseed returned with the saddlebag held in her mouth and only a couple stumbles, though she didn’t fall. Reverently, Forge reached into his bag and he removed an item wrapped in plain cloth, which he passed to the waiting unicorn.

Carefully, Brightstar unwrapped it and he was stunned by what he saw. What lay in his hooves was a twelve inch knife. Not just any knife. It was curved, resembling a griffon’s talon, in a black leather sheath. Brightstar slowly removed it by the red micarta handle and marvelled at the unblemished steel. “If you're lucky it will stop a bullet,” Forge smiled, knowing that Brightstar appreciated what he held. “It can and will slice through metal. It hasn't tasted blood yet.”

Brightstar had a wide eyed look of respectful awe on his face as he took the weapon in his hoof, the unicorn instantly recognising it for what it was, and its significance. “A Kizlyar knife...sir...” he bowed quite low to the floor, “I have not the words to thank you properly for this!” He was aware of the traditions regarding this knife, that it had to taste the owner's blood first, as most recipients were single. There was an older tradition, one that stated that the knife has to taste the blood of one the owner loved more than life itself.

Forge just nodded. “Outlive me, son.”

“Yes sir,” Brightstar gave the master smith a last bow before he returned with the priceless knife in his hoof to Moonbeak, who was still looking rather amused with how the night had gone so far.

Moonbeak surveyed her pony imperiously, as an empress would look at a serf coming to attend her. Of course, she saw the knife, but beyond knowing that it was a knife, she had no idea of its provenance or meaning. All she knew was that she was a mess. “You may start at my toes and work your way up to the tips of my feathers. End it with a kiss.”

“Forgive me love, but there is something I must do first,” stated Brightstar.

Moonbeak’s eyes narrowed, “What could be more important than cleaning me up?”

“This.” Brightstar held up the knife. Moonbeak looked at the knife and then back at her pony, but she said nothing. Brightstar pulled the knife from the sheath and held it in his right hoof. He set the sheath on the table and took Moonbeak’s left claw in his left hoof. She didn’t resist.

“My love, it is my honour and privilege to quench this blade’s hunger with the essence of your blood.” He drew a shallow binding cut into her claw. “I love you more than life itself.” He pressed the flat of the blade into the blood that pooled in her palm and repeated with the other side. “For you are my life!” He looked at the blade and the pattern left by the smith was clearly visible.

Brightstar kissed the blade and then kissed her beak leaving a bit of blood behind. Moonbeak was still unsure as to what just happened, but the ritual was as griffon as griffon could be. She licked the blood from her beak, “I accept your oath.”

Watching this whole exchange, Sour Sweet, who was one of the few in the bar that recognised the knife for what it was, was having an intense whispered conversation with Olive Branch, who was whispering back. Another that recognised the blade was Selene. She let out a victory scree when Brightstar kissed Moonbeak’s beak.

Brightstar set the blade on the table next to the sheath. He moved down his griffon lover and started with her toes. The stallion was very thorough in cleaning each one. He moved up her body looking for any spot of the earlier play. He paid close attention to her slit and teats, as one could never be too sure. Up her body he went and down each arm to clean the claws. He finished with a very well done preen to ensure her feathers were both clean and aligned. He could see the love in her eyes. A love reflected in his own and he kissed her deeply.

Forge was so pleased with Brightstar’s performance that he decided to give Blossomseed’s face a loving tongue bath. She would’ve walked home like that had he requested it, but he had no intentions of leaving just yet, not until Selene kicked him out at closing time.

Brightstar looked over at Forge and smiled. This was a gift that would leave him forever in debt to the old stallion. He picked up the knife and saw the blood had dried on the blade. He sheathed the blade and placed it in his bag. Brightstar hugged Moonbeak tightly. This was the best graduation of his life.

Sour Sweet giggled, “The pony does clean up well, as Lemon Zest and I well know.” The Shadowbolt was thinking in particular of the time they had pranked Brightstar by placing an out of order sign saying to use the staff showers. As it happened, she had been waiting with Lemon Zest when he entered that day.

Moonbeak hugged her pony tight to her and licked his nose. “I smell another story…” she also smelled another way to embarrass him. Which was a bonus.

Brightstar grimaced. “Let's just say stallions aren't the only ones to piss in the shower, and my fur is very absorbent.”

Sour Sweet broke out into gales of laughter at that, she remembered the rookie had been irate, almost apoplectic by the time they had finished with him. Olive Branch just rolled his eyes at her, for he had been the one to smooth it all over afterwards. “Very entertaining party. Invite me again, Brightstar.”

“Same for me, rookie.” Sour Sweet added, still laughing.

“Count on it, sir, ma'am.” Brightstar, who was well over the whole incident by now, bumped hooves with them both as they sank their drinks and took their leave of the bar.

Seeing that the party was over, Liara came over from her perch at the end of the bar and gave Brightstar a quick kiss on the cheek. “That was fun. I’m glad I was invited.”

Brass Knuckles managed to tear herself away from the bar, where she had been kissing and making out with Selene and she followed up with a kiss of her own. “You’re a good pony.” She then went back to snogging the beak off the black griffon behind the bar, allowing the others the opportunity the chance to get in their kisses or nuzzles, some were also for Moonbeak.

When the line finally ended, and most of the other party attendees had left, Forge waved them over to his table, the old stallion not bothering to get up. Brightstar walked over straightaway, not wanting to keep the pony he saw as a father figure waiting. “Sir.”

“You may kiss him, Blossom.” The young earth pony mare wasted no time at all giving Brightstar – and Moonbeak, for that matter – a lip lock tongue probe that they wouldn’t forget in a hurry. When she was finished, Forge, uncharacteristically, hugged the unicorn with all the strength he possessed. “May the blade never taste blood again, son.”

“I ah, I understand, sir…” he gasped, once Blossomseed had removed her tongue from his throat. “Thank you, again, and thank you for coming tonight.” Selene served him up another drink and, once he raised the glass in salute, Forge waved them both goodbye. Smiling, Brightstar walked with his lover back to their table. “I believe I'd like to take you and this party home, Mistress.”

“I'm in favour of that.”

“This way then, my lady.” On the way to the main doors, Brightstar paused long enough to give Selene a nuzzle of thanks for a great party. The barmaid wasn’t really into it though as she was far more into Brass Knuckles and her muscular body.

“I had fun,” Moonbeak said once they had crossed the small parking lot and reached her van. Despite now being late evening time, well on the way to night, there was still some light left in the sky, the last vestiges of day clinging on against the inky blackness of night. “Did you?”

“I did, lots of fun, my love.” Brightstar affirmed as he opened the van’s driver’s side door for her. It wasn’t even a Mistress / Pet thing anymore, it just came naturally for him to serve and obey her. “One of the best nights ever!”

Getting in her van, Moonbeak took a moment to press herself into the seat, waiting until her lover had gotten in the other side before she spoke again. When she did speak, her usual high, shrill voice was subdued, almost afraid. “I used you. Was it too much?”

Mulling that over, Brightstar was silent for a moment. It was only a short moment, but it was enough for the griffon to think she had overstepped the line. He could still taste the semen in his mouth from cleaning all the ponies in the bar. “I'll admit, cleaning the stallions was...new, but it was a nice new.” He added quickly when he saw the dismayed look on her face. Resting a hoof on her leg, he continued, “I did what I wanted to do. I trusted you, I was right to trust you, I had fun, love.”

Moonbeak let out a deep sigh. Brightstar’s assurances did little to quell the uncertainty blossoming in her breast. “I...Brass called me and I talked with Liara. She is a наемник, but she is okay. I know we need to talk so there is no misunderstanding. I still wanted to punish you, and I'm sorry to ever have doubted you.”

With a squeeze of her leg, the royal blue stallion smiled warmly. He felt nothing but love for his partner and soon to be wife. He did however appreciate the way they were talking now. “Love, really, it was and is fine. It was evident you had a thing planned. There's no misunderstanding. I love you.”

“I love you too, but I could tell that you thought she was hot.” Moonbeak leant over, closing the small gap between them that may as well have been a yawning chasm, should she allow it to be, and affectionately nuzzled his cheek. The admission was a hard one, but having him there made it easy. “That's okay, for you are mine.”

As she started the van’s engine and pulled out of the darkening lot, Brightstar smiled, though he didn’t move his hoof. Of course Liara was hot. Even a blind pony could see she was hot. “Only a fool would say she wasn't hot. I am no fool, Moony. I am, and always will be, yours.” While they drove along the darkening streets, heading towards home, he went quiet, what he saw in the Twisted Tail playing on his mind. Specifically, Moonbeak’s ass. “Love,” he ventured cautiously, “when we get back, would you be averse to trying something new?”

The griffon’s green eyes didn’t leave the road as she drove along, more careful at night than she would usually be. One never knew whom was abroad when it got dark, after all. Gang related carjacking had increased in recent weeks, and she was ready. “You think I'm hot, so your standards are high.” She giggled, “With you everything is new. I will try with you, whatever it is.”

“I don't think you're hot, I know you're hot.” Again, the unicorn went quiet a moment, seemingly summoning his nerve. Which he was. “Um, if you're willing, your pony would like to try anal, with you.”

It was the way that Brightstar squeaked the word ‘anal’, that drew Moonbeak’s attention. “You want me to put something in your ass?”

Blushing as hard as he did when he first entered the bar, Brightstar studied his hooves. “I ah...had thought of entering yours but...” as he stumbled over his words, he found himself emerging from his sheath again just at the thought. “Although, now you mention it, bearing your weight and to be rutted by you would be very hot.”

Wanting to make sure that she had heard everything right, Moonbeak pulled off to the side of the road, her engine still running. “My ass?”

“That was my first thought, yes.”

“I do poop, you know.” Moonbeak giggled, mostly at the way he was getting wonderfully embarrassed and humiliated without her having to do anything at all. She did wonder where this had come from though, out of the blue, as it were. “So do you. Have you done this before?”

Still studying his hooves, and his growing erection, Brightstar giggled nervously. “Once.”

“Which?”

“Both ways.” He admitted brazenly, with absolutely no shame whatsoever, as the van started moving again. He had been upfront and honest with his lover about his past. He had kept nothing from her, nor did he attempt to start now. He wasn’t shamed by what he had done. “It was when I was sexually active with Darkie. She wanted to experiment one time, so we did.”

Moonbeak just raised an eyebrow as she drove along. She knew of his incestuous relationship with his sister. She knew the reasons why it had happened. There was an honour in honesty that she appreciated about her young lover. “If you can fit a pony you can fit me. Have to find a toy for the other part, though.”

Brightstar sighed a sigh of deep relief. He was glad at least that his lover and his Mistress was open to trying what he had suggested. “I had to buy the one Darkie used too,” he said with a laugh. “Can you believe she wouldn't go in and buy it herself?”

“Oh,” Moonbeak exclaimed, “You mean that pony store where we got the collar!” She changed direction at the next junction, her new destination the MiAC store they had visited not all that long ago. She had to admit, as she parked up, that she was having mixed thoughts about what her lover had suggested. She was however as excited as he was. Brightstar was so excited that he scooted out and he got her door without having to be prompted. “You may enter first, in case some perverted pony is inside.”

When Moonbeak stepped out of her driver’s seat, Brightstar bowed to her on the sidewalk. “Yes Mistress, at once!” Like a giddy colt who was expecting his birthday presents, he walked on ahead to hoof open the door, preceding his Mistress into the store.

They were surprised, upon entering the store, that there were any ponies in there at all at this time of day. It was after all pushing eight thirty in the evening. Brightstar noted the two earth pony stallions, obviously a couple, judging by the rings in their ears. Next to them were two mare and stallion couples perusing the next aisles over. On the other end of the store were two female griffons looking adorable wearing matching feather necklaces. There was a zebra mare behind the counter and a zebra stallion, both wearing pink MiAC vests looking helpful.

Brightstar scanned the aisles, looking for what he had in mind, though he did linger a little as they had only been in the store twice. He ultimately resigned himself to having to ask the helpful looking stallion. Fortunately, or not, Moonbeak took the decision out of his hooves when she pushed past him and marched up to stallion in pink. “Hello,” she stated loudly, making sure that everyone in the store could hear her, “my pony wants to take it in the ass, but I don't have right equipment.”

The serving stallion just snickered, enjoying the newcomer’s obvious discomfort. By the blush and the bulge between his hind legs, he guessed he enjoyed it too. “I have the right equipment,” he quipped.

Moonbeak held up a clawed hand before he could offer his services to rut her pony. Amusing as that would be. “Too much equipment. Balls not needed.”

The zebra stallion grinned. “I see your point. I think what you need is down this aisle…” When he led the way down the aisle, Brightstar heard the snickers and the giggles coming from the other patrons in the store. Though he blushed with intense discomfort, it was the good kind. He walked quietly along, the snickers just making him feel worse and better all at the same time, especially when the stallion couple ogled him, enjoying the view.

“We have two models here that should work for you.” The zebra said once he had reached the strap on / dildo section. “This one,” he indicated a nine inch blue model, “the Marenomore, is strictly a strap on. Harness is built into the panties. “This one,” he pointed at another example, “the Stallionator, is a double ended dildo so you rut yourself while rutting your partner. It is really a preference for the wearer.”

“It will go into my pony,” said Moonbeak, neatly covering the fact that she didn’t have any idea which one to get, “so I'll ask my pony his opinion.”

Brightstar looked at both and grinned, his mind made up almost straight away. There was no reason his lover shouldn’t have her fun as well. “The Stallionator, Mistress.”

“I see, my pony wants to pretend to rut me too. Is acceptable. I'll take that. Would you recommend anything else?”

“Well, unless he is into pain, I would recommend some lube.”

“Lube.” Brightstar answered very quickly when Moonbeak just gave him a pointed look. “Definitely, lube, Mistress. They do cherry?” he offered, knowing how much she liked cherries.

“Yes, we do have cherry along with other floral and fruit flavours,” the zebra stallion offered helpfully. “I can check the catalogue to see if we can order a griffon flavour, should you like?”

Moonbeak smiled, highly approving of her pony’s choice. “Cherry is good, but I want to check if Hydra is available.”

“Of course. Will there be anything else?”

“Can I try on here?” Moonbeak looked at the Stallionator, at once curious of the new device and cautious of it as well. At eleven inches from base to tip, complete with medial ring, it was bigger than her own toy.

The zebra beamed, smelling a sale. “Of course! Do you need assistance, or will your pony do that?”

Again, Moonbeak gave her pony that pointed look that spoke volumes to him, communicating whole paragraphs with nothing but a furrow of her brow. Brightstar got the message. “I can assist with that, Mistress!” He was only too eager to help get it on her.

The pair of earth pony stallions, who were about to go down a different aisle, heard that Moonbeak was going to put the toy on in the store and, deciding amongst themselves that staring at the royal blue stallion’s tight ass would greatly help to pass the time, hung around and openly stared. The dark grey furred griffon did assist her pony as he worked the harness up her legs and over her wide thick thighs. “Interesting,” she commented while the straps were being adjusted to fit her.

The slimmer of the two stallions couldn’t help himself. “Need to test drive that?” he asked, receiving an elbow to the ribs for his trouble.

Moonbeak snickered at that. “May be good idea,” she then held up her clawed hand, “I can get messy, though.”

“On him!” the stallion changed his mind quickly, pointing at Brightstar’s shapely ass. A shapely ass that was taunting him with tantalising half-views of his balls and the good stuff with its swishing black tail.

The zebra stallion wearing the pink vest immediately stepped on that before anything could get out of hoof. Again. “No free shows.”

Slightly regretfully, Moonbeak sighed. “Okay, lead on to lube and we will purchase.” As it happened, the lube was nearby, just further along the same aisle they were on. The dominant griffon simply pointed her talon at the tube of cherry and looked at her pony. Then, without looking twice, she headed up to the counter to checkout.

As directed, Brightstar swiped the lube, though the thought of Moonbeak mounting him right there in the store had him hard and showing. Sensing the eyes of the two stallions upon him, he lifted up his black tail high as he could. Being naughty, he casually slipped a vibrating butt plug into the basket as well, just to see if he could get away with it.

The other patrons, in particular the two griffons, paid them no mind at all. The zebra stallion had peeled away to assist one of the heterosexual couples with a purchase. “Nice stallion in pink said we might order some griffon flavoured lube.”

The zebra mare, who had orange fur that clashed beautifully with her pink MiAC vest, beamed a wide smile. “You can. There is a choice of fish, salted or pickled. The Princess is always eager for feedback if there is a flavour you'd like added to the catalogue.”

“Order some pickled fish for us, and please suggest hydra for a flavour.”

The mare nodded to Moonbeak, her smile still in place. “I will!”

At the counter, Moonbeak turned sideways on and she lifted up her leg to show off the Stallionator strapped to her waist. It was an odd thing to feel the weight of it bobbing around while the end in her teased her. “Pony will buy this plus what is in basket.”

Right then, one of the mares, a white pegasus, turned to her tan unicorn partner and jabbed him in the chest with her hoof. “I've been taking it in the ass all this time, how about we do a switch, huh?” the stallion she was with, wholly unprepared for that, just stammered in disbelief.

“I think that's a good idea...” Brightstar tried, and very much failed, to stifle a loud laugh as the items they had chosen were taken from the basket and scanned. Once that was done, he paid for their purchases and turned to face his Mistress. While seeming to ignore what was around her, Moonbeak was watching her pony carefully get the bag on his back, making sure he didn’t use magic. She was bouncing on her claws and paws, making the Stallionator thump against her belly.

“Oh...my…” he noticed this rather straightaway, all manner of kinky, sexy, wonderful things running through his head at the sight, his own erection mirroring the toy under his partner. “Oh wow…”

“We always like a satisfied customer at MiAC!” the zebra mare smiled as she dumped the bits in her cash register. “Do you want us to call for free pick up when the lube comes in, or we can have it shipped to you, for a small fee of fifty bits.”

“I'm sure we can collect it, Mistress?”

“That is acceptable.” No sooner had they left the shop, with the gaudy pink façade of the MiAC store behind them, than Moonbeak stuck her arm out, stopping Brightstar in his tracks. So abrupt was it that he almost dropped the bag he carried on his back. “Pony,” she said, a glint in her eye, “did you know there is a coffee shop over there? I think a coffee would help my performance.”

Yellow eyes wide, Brightstar saw that there was indeed a coffee shop over the street. As rundown and weatherworn as everything else in this part of Fillydelphia – except MiAC – that was so bright pink it was visible in the dark, it nonetheless promised hot fresh coffee. “I ah, I agree, Mistress.” He muttered, his blush practically permanent at this point.

Not waiting to hear what he had to say about it, Moonbeak crossed the street, the griffon very much prancing as she moved towards the coffee shop, but not so fast that her submissive pony couldn’t pass her to the door. Brightstar, his eyes now locked on his Mistress’s new equipment, almost walked into the door, not looking where he was going. He managed to stop himself just in time though and, with the door held open, he entered the shop, his black tail still high. “Order a pastry for me, pet.” Moonbeak ordered as she walked over to a highly visible table.

“Yes Mistress,” Brightstar walked up to the counter and inclined his head to the pale grey zebra mare waiting with a practised smile on her face. “Good evening, Ms. Liqueur,” he greeted her after a quick scan of her nametag, “I'd like to place an order, please.”

Very slowly, Liqueur dragged her blue eyes off of the griffon who was sat on her side, the toy she was wearing on full display like the most scandalously randy stallions. Not that she was complaining. “Yes, sir?”

“Two milky coffees please, and two cherry pastries as well.”

“I'll have that out to your table in a moment.” Liqueur smiled, eager for an up close look of the thing that would be in her dreams tonight. Brightstar thanked her with a smile and, mindful to keep his tail up, walked back over to the table in the shabby-chic café where Moonbeak was waiting.

As soon as he hopped up onto the seating pad opposite her though, the griffon turned completely onto her side so that she was properly showing off her new equipment and she pointed to the pad next to her. “Face me.” Brightstar nodded wordlessly and he moved over to the pad in front of her. Once there, Moonbeak used her nearest paw to ensure that his erection did not wilt. While she stroked his cock, treating him to a slow paw job, the waitress came over with the drinks on a tray on her back. “Do you think I compare to him?”

Liqueur stopped at the table and looked long and 'hard' at both the unicorn and the griffon. She basked in the new thing that would be in her dreams tonight. Her new fantasy was to be the filling in their sandwich. “He is a bit more colourful,” she said presently, commenting on his mottled shaft. She set the drinks and pastries on the table in front of them. “But I'm sure you can out last him.”

“Thank you,” Moonbeak’s green eyes twinkled as she stroked her grey phallus, “I'll have to see if that is true.”

“Mmmmmm!” Brightstar whimpered. So aroused was he that a little pre appeared at his tip and slid down his flat head, his shaft throbbing as Moonbeak's paw made sure he stayed hard. He hadn't even looked at anything else other than his Mistress. For all that he was concerned, the universe consisted of just them, there, and the two seating pads.

As Moonbeak took a moment to enjoy her pastry and her coffee, the stroking of her paw along her lover’s length slowed to barely a movement at all. By contrast, the very last thing on the unicorn’s lust addled mind was his coffee. His focus, unsurprisingly, was on his shaft, his Mistress’s paw and the pleasure he was receiving from it. She saw this hesitation and grinned. “Only naughty ponies in a bad way would leave with food and coffee behind.” To emphasise her point, her claws came out of her paw, but not hard enough to scratch.

“MMmmm!” Brightstar whimpered, feeling the sharp claws on the shaft of his cock. He got the message. “Y-Ye-Yes Mistress!” With that squeak, he reached for the pastry with his hoof. Satisfied, Moonbeak quickly ate her treat. It was clear that she wasn’t going to wait for him. She expected him to catch up or choke it all down. He quickly realised this and, much to Liqueur’s amusement, he ate his pastry a lot faster, finishing off his coffee just after his partner finished hers.

Wasting no time at all, Moonbeak retracted her paw and stood up, the dominant griffon heading for the exit. She did however pause at the counter, sparing the zebra mare a smile. “Thank you, miss, for excellent coffee and advice.” Eager to get out of the coffee shop and away from the giggling mare, Brightstar trotted ahead of her. Getting to the van first, he made sure to open the driver’s side door, too occupied with thoughts of his boner, Moonbeak’s boner and his ass to say or do much of anything else.

Moonbeak marched smartly, making a beeline straight to the open door of her van. By the time she reached her door, the poor stallion was shifting eagerly from hoof to hoof. The nervous energy released by the dance amused her no end. “I wonder if I can drive with this?” she asked with a giggle as she sat down, the head of the Stallionator reaching her belly. “Time to find out.”

“It's...hmmm…” as he was looking at her crotch again, licking his lips, Brightstar found it rather hard to concentrate on the arduous task of putting two words together in a coherent sentence. Just the thought of that toy exciting his prostate had him leaking pre. “It does suit you, Mistress,” he said weakly.

Smirking, Moonbeak glanced down and then at her lover. “Everything suits me. I'm a griffon.” She stated simply as she started up the van and drove off, heading for home. While she kept all her limbs to herself, Brightstar allowed his hoof to wander until it contacted her thigh, squeezing gently in lieu of saying anything. Moonbeak was happy to allow that as long as it the hoof didn't wander to himself.

As they made their way back to Horsehead Square and the treehouse, Brightstar couldn’t help but notice that they were taking the scenic route home as opposed to the more direct route that the griffon usually favoured. The royal blue pony squeezed her thigh with his hoof, a well-known nervous gesture. “Mistress?” he asked, looking out of the window, “We don't usually take this route home.”

“Just making sure I can drive with this,” Moonbeak gestured to the toy strapped to her waist as she changed gear, ‘And,’ she thought to herself, ‘I’m making sure you don't stay hard all the way…’ Sure enough, the longer she drove, the stallion did start to soften up, his erection retreating into his sheath. Eventually though, Moonbeak did pull into her parking spot at the base of her house. “That zebra was right, I can outlast you!”

Brightstar’s blush returned in full force, the crimson red tinting even his dark blue fur. The more Moonbeak giggled and laughed, the more he felt wonderfully inadequate next to his Mistress’s ever hard length. “Yes, she was right, Mistress.”

Pointedly, she glanced at her door. Her pony’s attention was slipping. Something she reminded him of with a clawed hand and a painful squeeze of his balls. “Maybe I can do something about that.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes please Mistress!” Like a flash, he was out and had the door open for his dominant partner. Moonbeak though took her time getting out, knowing full well that every moment she took locking up was a moment of torturous anticipation for her pony. Spreading her wings, she was about to take off when… “Mistress!” Brightstar squeaked, the unicorn shuffling his hooves because, as per his Mistress’s orders, the collar he wore prevented the use of his magic.

‘Oh by Stormclaw’s talon he is adorable!’ Moonbeak thought, her heart on the verge of melting. She was so proud of him, the way he obeyed her so completely was such a turn on for her. “Pony need a ride?”

Brightstar walked up, his head bowed. “Yes Mistress.”

She gave him a last, withering look in the darkness at the base of her house, she saw his stallionhood was fully retreated into his sheath. Proudly, she displayed herself, her dominance on full show in the glow of the streetlights. “At least now you won't stab me in the back, pet.”

Brightstar, who was already feeling rather hot and embarrassed, only felt more so when she laughed at him. It was an amazing feeling. Knowing that he had to get on her back to be carried up to his house, that he wasn’t allowed to teleport up, almost made him cum then and there. Once he was on her back, she flew up and let them inside. Sauntering inside, she flicked on the hallway lights. “Hop off, take the purchases to the bedroom and wait for me.”

Moonbeak didn’t give her pony a second look as she headed for the kitchen. She expected to be obeyed. That she heard the clopping of hooves on the hardwood floor told her that he had obediently gone straight to the bedroom. Once there, with the light on but dimmed just so, the stallion laid the contents of the pink MiAC bag out on the bed. As he had been ordered, he then sat patiently by the bed. Soon enough, Moonbeak came in, carrying a tray with her with two glasses of 1979 vintage blood wine, a shot glass of dark amber liquid, and a beer. She set the tray down on the nightstand and she offered him a blood wine. “To new things.”

Taking the offered glass, Brightstar raised the slightly warm wine up and returned the toast. “To new things, Mistress.”

When they had drained their glasses, Moonbeak placed the empties next to the other drinks on the tray and, sitting on the bed, she surveyed the purchases as they had been laid out. “I see something else fell into the basket while I wasn’t looking.”

Knowing his place, Brightstar stayed on his knees on the floor. “I ah, I may have helped it fall into the basket, Mistress.” He admitted with a not-very-guilty smile plastered on his muzzle. Just the thought of her making him wear the plug out in public had him whimpering.

Moonbeak surveyed the new toy, from its pointed tip to the wide bulbous end and the base, wondering how it fit in an asshole. “Something for another time,” she decided, her attention back to the grey Stallionator. “Now, pet. Your mouth, lube, and this…” she winked at him, her clawed hand stroking the shaft of her new phallus.”

“Yes Mistress,” not needing to be told twice, Brightstar picked up the tube of cherry flavoured lube and, using his hooves, he squirted a dollop of the gel onto his tongue. Quickly, the then slathered it all over the Stallionator, licking it hard enough for the end in his partner to wiggle.

Confused at first, for it looked like her stallion was giving her a blowjob, Moonbeak soon saw the benefits of such a toy when, with a loud, “Ohhh, yesssss!” she felt it rub the insides of her now-wet tunnel. “Bed,” she started when he was finished, “centre, on your back. Now.”

Making sure to give the Stallionator one last wiggle, even taking it between his teeth to do so, Brightstar hopped up onto the bed. As he laid on his back, Moonbeak gathered a dollop of lube in her beak and then she spread his hind legs so she could prepare his ass for what was to come. “Aaaahn...” the stallion moaned, both at the cold feeling and at the tongue probing his sphincter.

While she was liberally applying the cherry lube, Moonbeak ‘accidentally’ slipped and spread it all over his sheath and balls. “Ooops!”

“Mmmmmm!” Brightstar moaned, his bslls tightened and his shaft emerged once more, swiftly growing to full mast. He sincerely doubted whether the slip was an accident or not but, right then, he didn’t really care. He was horny from the party at the Twisted Tail and he wanted to be rutted.

As it happened, a fully erect cock was just what Moonbeak wanted to see. It was like symmetry, seeing both her pony and her toy hard and a whole fourteen inches. “Ready?”

Oh sweet Stormclaw was he ready. “Yes Mistress!” Positioned between her submissive’s hind legs, Moonbeak moved up and, after taking a couple of practise attempts, she had herself centred and then she just pushed. “OooOOOOH!” Brightstar mewled in pleasure when he felt the head of the toy enter his asshole.

Moonbeak paused. She paused because it was so odd, the fact that he had obviously done this before by how easily his backdoor took the phallus she wore. She also paused because of what the other end was doing to her. She pushed in further and her wings spread wide and erect as her pussy was rubbed in the very right way. This was new. “Ohhhh, myyyyyy!”

As she pulled out and thrust inside his asshole again, she entered him all the way to the toy’s medial ring. Brightstar arched his back. “AaaaAAAH buuuuuck!” he screamed, for it had been some years since he had done this, the sensation of the insertion making him harder than ever.

After several thrusts, the last of which Moonbeak used to slip the medial ring all the way inside her pet’s glistening accommodating hole, the griffon was lost in the rhythm of her thrusts. Underneath her, Brightstar panted and moaned, “Ha-Harder...Mistress yeeeees!”

Another couple of thrusts later and the griffon’s attention was drawn back to her stallion. Reluctantly so, as she was loving the way the end that was inside her thrust into her as well as him. It was like nothing else she had ever done. “As you wish, my pet!” she declared, her shrill voice full of wanton lust. Not only did she thrust her hips harder, she lifted up the pony’s hind legs so that his hooves were resting either side of her white feathered head.

Ever harder and faster now, Moonbeak bucked her hips and thrust into her pony’s giving asshole, each motion driving her onwards with lewd schlepping sounds. “BUuuuuUUUUUCK!” he screamed, letting out a loud yelp as the head of the toy rubbed against his prostate, his hind legs quivering. She was considerably rougher than Darkstar had been when she had rutted him. Not that he was complaining. “Mmmm mmMMM!”

Now totally focused on the stallion bent almost double underneath her, she moaned as she glanced down and saw that with every thrust of the cock into his butt, the head of his own member was brushing against his lips. The idea of rutting him so hard that he sucked his own dick almost sent her over the edge. However, after a few more solid thrusts like that, he was panting hard, his balls contracted and he was throbbing, definitely 'ready' as his tip began to flare. “Open wide!” she commanded.

Obediently, without question, Brightstar opened his mouth wide, his tongue hanging out as she hilted all the way inside him. Just two thrusts later, two intense massages of his prostate later, and Brightstar came. So hard was her thrusting though that the flared tip was forced into his mouth. Brightstar’s yellow eyes went wide indeed as he ejaculated into his own mouth, though, like a good pony, he didn’t swallow it.

Seeing he had a mouthful of his own seed, Moonbeak shifted her position, allowing his hind legs to lay on the bed. She leant down, not worried in the slightest about messing her chest feathers on his cock. “Kiss me,” she ordered, wanting a taste of what he held in his mouth.

Exhausted, Brightstar leant up to meet her half way and kissed her with all the passion he can muster, complete with his loaded tongue sliding deep into her beak. With an eeep, Moonbeak enjoyed and reciprocated the kiss, both of them swallowing half of the load together. “One of your better ideas, I think, my beautiful pet.” Still buried deep inside his hole, she was content to wait while he started to soften up. “Zebra mare was right again.”

While Moonbeak giggled, Brightstar was convinced he could hear colours and taste sounds. “I-I bu-buuuuucking love you...”

“I buuuuuuking love you too!” Only slightly worried that she had broken him, Moonbeak affectionately nuzzled her lover’s cheek, licking up some of the semen that had splattered onto his face. “You look good in cream.”

“Oh...oh hush...” Brightstar sighed and happily returned the nuzzle, still a little out of it. “Th-That was amazing…”

Slowly, Moonbeak pulled out, and said, “We can repeat this.” She just adored the little gape his asshole did, the orifice gradually closing up. She wondered if that was a backstage pass. “Shower time and then some sleep. I want you to wake me with some lube to my ass, and I’ll see if this is as good as you think it is.”

“You got it Moony!” Brightstar exclaimed, though as he still though he knew what colours smelled like, he sighed again now that the play seemed to be done. He did so love being her pet. He couldn’t help but smile at the thought of what he looked like back there. “I can use a shower. Want me to get it ready?”

“Help me out of this first.”

Getting up off his back, Brightstar helped her out of the straps that held the Stallionator to her waist. As he did so, he couldn’t help but giggle. Now the heat of the passion had quelled a little, it did look pretty funny. “You had to pick a grey one?” he chuckled as he removed it, “I told you it suited you.”

Moonbeak held it up like a knight victorious on the battlefield. “That. Was a fun toy. The other toy will be fun later. If I like the first time, then you and that toy filling both my holes will double the fun, my love.”

“Now that does sound like fun!” Once she placed the toy on the nightstand for cleaning, he leant in and kissed the tip of her yellow beak. “Shower.” Sliding off of the bed, Moonbeak followed him down the short hallway and into the bathroom. Once there, she allowed her pony to get the water up to temperature before she joined him in the shower. When he had the water just so, he smiled at his fiancé. “Good to go, love?”

~ ~ ~

Once the shower was complete, and both pony and griffon were clean and smelling of cherry and rose shampoo, Moonbeak led the way back down the short hallway to the master bedroom. There, she carefully removed Brightstar's collar grey collar. “Play time was fun, but you may now use your magic, my love.” Placing the collar reverently on the nightstand, she sat on the bed and took her beer in her clawed hand. With a motion for him to take his shot glass, she lifted up her beer. “To Blood, which is life.”

With the removal of his collar, Brightstar gave a little shiver. He couldn’t help it. It was as if the pet inside was going to sleep, though he knew he would always be submissive to his partner, collar or no. Smiling, he took the little glass in his yellow magic and returned the traditional griffon toast. “Blood is everything.”

“It is,” Moonbeak agreed as she slowly swilled the beer around her mouth, relishing in its familiar taste, “which surprised me a bit when you took some at the bar. Your expression and Forge's smug look tells me there is more to that knife than cutting cheese.”

“It is a Kizlyar knife.” Brightstar said that in the manner that 'that is that, and explains everything'. He raised his glass to his lips and took a slow sip of his whiskey. “One does not wield such a blade without due care and respect, Moony.”

To buy herself a moment to think, Moonbeak sipped her beer, blinking once then twice. Try as she might though, and as much as the name was familiar, nothing would jump from the back of her mind. “I think I heard that name in school a couple of decades ago. So…is it a fancy cheese knife for fancy cheeses?”

Brightstar was certain she timed that question for when he was a mouthful of whiskey. “Ha-Hardly!” he coughed and choked, gagging as the liquid burned his throat. “Kizlyar was Queen Stormclaw's chief guard!” He couldn’t believe he was preaching griffon history to a griffon, but he remembered Moonbeak was an Equestrian griffon. Three quarters of her life had been spent here, not in Griffonstone. “The knife is named after him. During the Second Griffon War,” he referenced the conflict that had taken place on Equestria’s east coast a hundred and twenty years ago, “Blackheart the Executioner wielded a Kizlyar sword and knife to great effect in the invasion of Fillydelphia. He took seventy heads before he finally fell to Celestia herself.”

The names and references were lost on Moonbeak. She was certain her mother would recognise them though. “Will you be taking any heads?”

Brightstar laughed softly, coincidentally thinking the same thing, that Astraea would know whom and what he was talking about. “I doubt it, though I can think of a few that deserve it. Blackheart's sword and knife are on display in the Royal Canterlot Museum. I ah, I really can't believe Forge made one for me…”

“That's too bad,” Moonbeak giggled, “After Celestia took your head I'd join you in the Grey Spires trying to take hers.” She continued to giggle, then she laid her claw over his hoof. “This has more meaning than I thought. My jokes are still good, of course, but I'll not use it as a letter opener.”

Very gently, Brightstar elbowed his lover in her ribs as he laughed and levitated up his half empty shot glass. “I probably have more hooves than there are Kizlyar knives in Equestria.” He could not overstate just how rare and precious the knife was that he had been gifted. “Besides, you know I adore your jokes.”

“You are wise for a pony. Do I need to add that to the insurance?”

“Yes!” Brightstar exclaimed before blushing extremely hard as he sipped his whiskey. Never mind ‘add it to the insurance’, he knew there would be several museums and institutions across the land who would chew off their hind hoof to get a Kizlyar knife. “It's...well, I'd hate to guess at the value. The steel for the knife I have was mined in Griffonstone specifically for that knife, and it had to be shipped over. Then, a master smith, an earth pony, had to craft it over the space of at least a month.”

Apparently deep in thought, Moonbeak tapped her beak. “I have six hundred thousand bits on what I own now. I'll make it a straight million and say we have inherited a family heirloom.”

“Thank you love, I think that's best,” Brightstar agreed as he emptied his glass. How do you put a value on priceless?

Moonbeak on the claw, took more time to drink her beer. “You can get yourself a second as long as it doesn't affect your wake up performance.”

Grinning, Brightstar got up and went through to the kitchen, and a few moments later he returned with the quarter full bottle of vintage Dalwhinny whiskey. Sitting back on the bed, he poured himself a second shot. “No fear of that, my dearest.”

Moonbeak watched her beloved pony re-enter the bedroom and she was frankly amazed that his gait seemed unaffected by the recent experience. She thought there’d be at least some effect after having a fourteen inch long cock buried in his asshole. She wondered how she’d fare in the same situation. “After all, you're going to be my new butt plug, and you thoughtfully got that other toy to take care of all my holes that need plugging!”

“What can I say? I'm thoughtful like that!” Brightstar did note, as he spoke, that when Moonbeak had talked about a butt plug, that her voice had not been all that steady. There was an uncertainty in her tone of voice, a vulnerability that was at once endearing and heart breaking. He duly resolved to make her first experience the best he could.

When Moonbeak finished her beer at the same time as Brightstar finished his second glass, she placed both glasses on the tray and hesitantly, she scooted up close to her lover. She looked and felt like a barely of age kitten on her first date. She didn’t like it. “You can be the big spoon tonight so you're already in the right position.”

“A wise suggestion from a wise lady.” Brightstar smiled and lovingly, he kissed the tip of her beak.

Quietly, Moonbeak curled up on the bed. “I love you too.”

“I love you Moonbeak, more than life itself.” Getting into position on his side, he wrapped his left fore and hind hooves around her on the bed and he pulled up the duvet. Turning off the light with his magic, he nestled his head into the back of hers, kissing her neck until they were both asleep.

~ ~ ~

Saturday morning came, following Fridays as Saturdays are wont to do. This particular Saturday found Brightstar asleep, with his beloved held in his legs. Cheekily, Saturday sent the light of the sun shining through the window and onto the sleeping unicorn’s face. Once he was awake, the clock on the wall informed him that it was just after nine thirty a.m.

They had slept in!

Brightstar’s first thought was ‘who’s kitten-napped Athena and Zephyr?’ Because the treehouse was silent, but for Moonbeak’s gentle snoring and by now, the two kittens were usually tearing the place apart ‘playing’ if they were up first.

Then, Brightstar remembered they were at Astraea’s house. Then, he remembered the previous night's instruction, namely that he should wake his griffon with cherry lube and some sex. Seeing as he was 'ready', thanks to some very sexy dreams and a healthy libido, he levitated over the tube of cherry lube from the nightstand. Liberally, the unicorn applied it to himself, slathering his whole erect fourteen inches in the cold gel.

That done, he then added a very generous amount to Moonbeak's as yet untouched ‘virgin’ hole. With his horn lit, he took the time to use his magic to make sure her insides were well coated too. The touch of the chilly lube to her warm nethers woke her up but, as she was unsure about this venture, the griffon feigned sleep. She wanted to relax, but she just wasn’t relaxing.

As he was working the lube into her backdoor with his magic, which was roughly the width of a talon, very gently widening it to exercise her sphincter for the intrusion that was to come, Brightstar could feel the tension in her body. Fortunately, he knew how to sort that out. Slowly, the royal blue stallion kissed around her ear tuft before trailing his kisses down to 'that' bit of her neck he knew she liked being kissed.

The kisses did their work. They took her mind off of her ass and she did relax, as evidenced by her low murmured ‘mmmmmm's… Brightstar didn’t stop kissing her neck though. He added lots of little nips and licks to the kisses at her neck, while one hoof began circling her teats. All the while he used his magic and added more cherry lube to her ass. When he thought he had used enough, he added more to himself, just to be sure. “I'm ready,” Moonbeak said softly, “griffons are never scared,” she giggled, “much.”

“You were supposed to be asleep,” Brightstar muttered into her ear, still kissing her there, he very slowly prodded the flat head of his shaft to her puckered hole.

“And you are forgetting the toy.” Moonbeak raspberried him, giving up the illusion of being asleep.

“Guilty, my love.” Brightstar then levitated over the vibrating butt plug and rubbed it in his glowing yellow magical aura along her rapidly moistening slit as, with a very gentle thrust, he slid his penis inside Moonbeak's ass, the plug entering her pussy at the same time. With the intrusion into her asshole, the griffon stiffened up reflexively, but she quickly relaxed again. She had been expecting pain the likes of giving birth, but there was none.

Behind her, Brightstar felt his lover stiffen up and he lifted up her hind leg, his hoof rubbing her teats. “I love you,” he whispered as he kissed her ear, his shaft slid inside her accommodating, stretching hole all the way up to the medial ring. At the same time, he shoved the toy into her pussy.

In front of her lover, Moonbeak was trying to process what was going on. Unfortunately, her brain wasn’t much help in this new unusual scenario. At once, she suddenly felt the need to poop and the walls of her colon did what they could to push the unicorn out of her. On the other claw, she was trying to suck the vibrator in. Sensing her uncertainty, Brightstar licked inside her ear just as his hoof roamed over her teats. Simultaneously, he pulled the vibrator back as he slid out a little and thrust back inside till his ring touched hers.

Moonbeak, who was still trying to poop, moaned a very lewd and needy moan as her clawed hands dug into the bedsheets. As a precaution, Brightstar magically applied more lube both to himself and to Moonbeak. Just in case, because he knew well that the anus, unlike the vagina, was not a self-lubricating hole. He continued along with his diversionary tactics as with the third thrust, he pushed his medial ring inside. “Mmmmmm M-Moooony...”

The griffon’s mind went blank. She let out a screech that was ninety per cent surprise, ten per cent pain. She felt her already stretched asshole stretch even more when his medial ring was forced inside her. She was more ‘full’ than in any pain. All she knew there was something shoved up her ass, it wasn't an endoscope and this wasn’t a colonoscopy and she was awake. Fighting the rising urge to panic, she reached back with a clawed hand and, grabbing his ass, she pulled him in.

“You're amazing my love...” Brightstar sighed passionately, sliding his shaft inside her even further, now he started to vibrate the toy in her pussy and rubbing figure eights around her erect nipples with his hoof.

“I'm not scared,” Moonbeak whimpered, trying to keep herself together, “and I'm in need. Take me, my beloved Brightstar!”

Pulling out of her asshole midway, Brightstar started to rut her at a nice, relaxed, gentle pace. He didn’t want to overstress her inexperienced hole by going too fast too soon. This was a heaven unlike anything he had ever experienced before. “You are my sun, my moon, my beloved,” he said as he thrust inside her yet again.

“And...I...thought...sucking...toes...was...weird...”

“A hmmmm a...oooh, a g-good weird, mmMMmmm I hope?”

Moonbeak snorted through her nostrils at that, at the pure folly of being asked a question and being expected to answer it at a time like this, when there was a cock buried in her ass, a plug vibrating in her snatch and a hoof on her nipples. “I don't know, just buck me, pony!”

Hearing that, Brightstar picked up his pace, the royal blue unicorn sliding his cock in and out faster and faster. The bedroom echoed to exceptionally lewd shlopping sounds as he hilted inside her backdoor over and over again. As he magically thrust the vibrating plug in her dripping glistening snatch, he added his groans of ecstasy to the sexual orchestra. It wasn’t long before Moonbeak screeched, “I'm…I’m cum…cu-cumming...fill me!”

Four hard hilting thrusts later and Brightstar joined his beloved partner. He came, the stallion’s throbbing flared cock blasting her bowels and filling her insides with his hot sticky seed just as she was squirting her orgasm out as well. Neither of them said anything for a good few minutes, the only sounds were their panting breaths and the buzzing of the toy. “Y-Yo-You can turn off the plug, but keep it and you in me for a bit,” she giggled, “I fear if you pull out, I'll shit the bed.”

Brightstar burst out laughing as he turned off the toy, he found the change in language so funny right then, in that moment of riding their high. “Oh what beautiful poetic words doth leaveth your beak...eth, my loveth.”

Moonbeak snorted out a laugh too. “Griffon poetry is a fine art.”

“That's what they say about the six hour long operas, too.” Brightstar laughed, the pony snuggling deep into Moonbeak's back furry back, between her wings. “How are you doing,” he asked, concern evident in his tone. “How was it?”

“Strange? Constipated?” Moonbeak honestly didn’t know how she felt. “Hard to describe, but it didn't hurt like I thought it would.” In all truthfulness, it had been pleasurable, nice even, and he certainly seemed to know what he was doing back there, that had helped, a lot.

Leaning in behind her, Brightstar lovingly kissed his partner’s ear tuft. “Anything done right shouldn't hurt,” he chuckled, realising what he had just said. “Well, you know what I mean…”

Resisting a snicker, Moonbeak turned her head and gently she nipped Brightstar’s ear, hard enough for him to feel it but not enough to draw blood. “If you say so, beloved.”

Brightstar hissed and sighed, worried that his point had not been made. “There's good hurt, and there’s bad hurt, is what I meant. What you do is good hurt, because I allow it. Hurting you back then would be bad.”

Moonbeak saw the truth of his words and nodded. “Pony wisdom, indeed. I'm feeling less full. When you’re out take out the toy too.” As there was no rush, Brightstar was more than happy to allow nature to take care of that. When his shaft had retreated into his sheath, he carefully removed the toy. “I feel a breeze under my tail,” she giggled as he set the plug on the nightstand, “I bet I look like some tunnel back there.”

Taking a long hard look under her leonine tail, Brightstar saw her slowly closing sphincter and smiled, breathing out a cold breath onto the ring of her anus. “You look beautiful, my love. Absolutely beautiful.”

Feeling the breath on her hole, Moonbeak shivered. “Okay, that was different…” she muttered and, reaching back with a wing, she pulled him forward into a nuzzle. “We can do this again. It wasn't as bad as I feared. Um, do you need to wash up? I don't know what you took out with you, but what’s in my ass can't be good in your sheath.”

“You're right, washing up would be best. Want me to get breakfast ready when I'm done?”

“Please.” Moonbeak beamed, really quite happy with herself having said the word.

“Consider it done, my love!” Brightstar again demonstrated his wisdom by choosing not to make a big thing out of the fact that Moonbeak said please, instead, as he got up off the bed, he blew her a kiss and sauntered on through to the bathroom. Left on her own, Moonbeak took advantage of the fact that she was alone to check out her ass with a wing tip. Inspection complete, and happy that there was no blood, she thought, on the whole, that it was an experiment gone well. She was content to lay back and wait for breakfast.

After a little while in the bathroom, in which he fastidiously cleaned his everywhere and everything, Brightstar emerged, the pony once again smelling of rose shampoo. He bypassed the bedroom in favour of the kitchen, singing an old Canterlot folk song about making a little bird sing. Moments later, he got to frying meal worms and scrambling eggs with cheese and mushrooms.

Again, a little paranoid perhaps, Moonbeak checked her ass with her wingtip. Her worries of a gape so wide the Friendship Express could be driven through it were for naught as she felt her ring closing up to her normal standards. At least she was confident of walking out of her house now. Once breakfast was prepared, Brightstar walked in to the bedroom with a large tray loaded down with two plates covered with scrambled eggs, fried worms in two bowls, as well as hot coffee. “Breakfast, my lady.”

Seeing the food, especially the fried worms, Moonbeak hastily abandoned her examination of herself and rolled over, sitting up in the bed. “Well done, my faithful hunter.”

“Aah yes, the pantry never stood a chance against my daring raid!”

As Brightstar set the tray on its little legs on the bed, the griffon had an idea. “I fear you may have worn me out.” She said simply, opening her yellow beak wide but making absolutely zero effort to feed herself.

Brightstar though was very quick on the uptake. “By all means, allow me,” lighting his horn, he levitated up a small amount of worms from the bowl and he placed them in her open beak, “Mistress.”

Satisfied, both with herself and her lover, Moonbeak chewed and swallowed her fried worms. Possibly the best she had tasted. “Feed yourself, too. I can't have my hunter faint away from hunger.”

“Quite right, Mistress.” Brightstar then alternated feeding them both, Moonbeak first and then himself. “So, what shall we do on this fine…” he paused and looked out of the window to see an overcast sky with sunny spells here and there, “This cloudy day?”

As she ate her food, Moonbeak couldn’t suppress the very proud look that was on her face. She was proud that her pony had obeyed her suggestion. ‘Yes,’ she told herself, her brain chugging it over, “It was a suggestion, I didn't order him, did I?’ for a moment she doubted herself. ‘Of course not. At least he didn't expect me to feed him, maybe...’ so lost in her thoughts was she that she missed what he had said, and was only aware of it when she caught him looking at her like he expected a response. “Oh, um, well, ahh, Could you repeat the question?”

After feeding Moonbeak another small mixture of egg, cheese & mushrooms, Brightstar smiled, feeling rather proud that he obeyed without being ordered. He knew his place, and it was squarely under her talon, just how and where he liked it. “I asked what we should do on this cloudy day, Mistress?” he then noticed the look on the griffon’s face. “Is everything okay?”

Oh yes, everything was okay, alright. Moonbeak’s universe was very much more than okay. “I love you. Today, you may decide what we do. Tomorrow, do you work tomorrow?” she asked, as the graduation had been the day before, today was Saturday. She had no idea what his work schedule was or would be.

“No work Sunday. When I report in on Monday morning, I'll get my first assignment from Olive Branch himself. I don't know what it'll be, but it won't be traffic duty.” He was a Shadowbolt now, after all. “I think today I'd like to take you all to the beach, have dinner in a little eatery overlooking the Celestia Sea, and let Athena bury me in the sand.”

Moonbeak chewed and swallowed her latest beakful of breakfast, mulling over her stallion’s suggestion. “I think Athena would like that. Guernsey, Delamare, or Mareland?”

“Mareland,” he quickly made his choice, opting for the minute little coastal area on the extreme east of Fillydelphia, giggling as he did so, feeding them both. “As long as she doesn't leave me in the sand, that is.”

“Have no fear,” Moonbeak snorted, “I don't think Athena can open the van door yet from the outside.”

“Then I shall fear not!” Brightstar smiled, watching with a certain amount of pride as his lover polished off the last of the fried worms he had made for them – which meant, for her. “Were the worms to your liking, Mistress?” he asked politely, levitating the empty dishes back onto the tray.

“Brightstar,” Moonbeak’s usual high, shrill voice was suddenly soft, fragile. “We are to bind in a couple of weeks. I will share my life with you, and we well share our fantasies with each other.” Considerably more gently than one might assume possible, due to the razor sharp talons than adorned her clawed hand, she caressed his cheek lightly. “Are you truly happy with our life as it is now?”

Brightstar appreciated the tone in her voice. His love for her only grew in that moment. He looked her in her eyes, yellow meeting green. “I've never, ever been happier than I am now, Moonbeak. You are my life, my love, my everything. You are my Mistress and my soul mate. ”

Satisfied, Moonbeak nodded. She loved her stallion, she loved being obeyed and worshipped, as was her right. “We shall continue then, pony. For a pony that pretends to do what the pony thinks would please me is not a pony I want to know.” There was a glint in her eye. “You, Brightstar, are not that pony.” Leaning in, she affectionately nuzzled his cheek. “You are a good cook, so you are a keeper. Do we take momma to the beach?”

“I have never been nor will I ever be that pony. I love being your pet because I trust you with the control I choose to give up, and I know you won't abuse it. I'd stop it if I weren't happy.” He affirmed with a nuzzle of his own and kissed her beak. “I love you. Enough to take momma with us.”

Dramatically, Moonbeak lifted the back of her clawed hand up to her forehead. “The sacrifices you make for me!” she declared with a giggle in her voice, though she appreciated where he was coming from. At times, her mother was not the best passenger. Especially when placed between two kittens. “You have the dishes, I’ll get stuff ready, we’ll eat out for lunch.”

“You got it, my little Moon Pie.”

Chapter 14 - Bonded By Blood, Forever Together

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At twelve noon precisely, the Friendship Express steam train pulled in on time to the Fillydelphia Central Station. Brightstar eagerly watched the splendid engine gradually slow and eventually stop. On the platform, the sharply dressed unicorn smiled as the locomotive blew off steam before the carriage doors were allowed to open. Though he had greeted his friends off the train many times, today was different. Today was special.

As he swiped an imaginary mote of dust from his immaculate Shadowbolt dress uniform and smoothed out a wrinkle that wasn’t there, the royal blue stallion reflected on what made today special. Not only was he getting married, griffon-style, so blood bonded, to his fiancé Moonbeak, his mother was able to attend the ceremony!

Brightstar rocked eagerly on his hooves, only just resisting the urge to tear open the train carriage doors himself and get her out, he could barely believe his mother had been cleared by the asylum in Canterlot to attend, let alone that she had made the almost two thousand mile trip.

His mother was here!

At last, the doors on the multi-coloured carriages opened up. A throng of commuters swarmed from the other cars first. Ponies of all tribes, griffons, hippogriffs, even a dragon and a kirin of all things left the train and, after milling around on the platform for a moment, eventually left that as well, leaving Brightstar stood alone. Not that he minded. He had spoken to his mother’s nurse on the train. She had informed him that she would hold his mother back until the masses had left.

Just in case.

The unicorn couldn’t help but snicker. His mother, who was certifiably insane and suffering from multiple personality disorder, had been Princess Platinum on the train. ‘Just in case’, was in case she was now the Empress of Blood. That persona didn’t do well with a crowd of ponies. As it was, he needn’t have worried. The nurse alighted the train first. Wearing her trademark simple tan brown cloak and hood, Brightstar saw she was in the role of Clover the Clever. “Greetings, Captain Brightstar, may I present Her Highness, the Princess Platinum.”

If the nurse was Clover the Clever, then that meant his mother was…completely and utterly resplendent, was how Brightstar silently described the image that walked regally towards him. From the deep purple of the robes with their white trim to the silver of the crown and horseshoes she wore, Shining Star was every bit the Princess. With all the bearing of her station, she held up her hoof a little for him to kiss.

As he bowed respectfully and kissed the Princess’s offered hoof, Brightstar really had to wrack his brains to remember his Old Ponish. Gifted with languages as he was – just like his sister – a thousand year old language was nonetheless hard! “Humble greetings, your majesty. I hope you had a pleasant journey?”

“My Chamberlin, Clover, saw to excellent service.” Princess Platinum indicated her attendant with a wave of her hoof and the nurse made a small bow of gratitude to be acknowledged for her service. “It seems that the railroads have come a long ways. You are to be wed today, yes, Captain Brightstar?”

Brightstar gave ‘Clover’ a slight nod of his head that spoke volumes and he addressed his mother with as warm a smile as he could manage. It threatened to eclipse the sun itself. “That is right, your majesty, I am to be married to Moonbeak, a most beautiful griffon. You honour us with your presence this day.”

“I was intrigued when I found a unicorn was marring a griffon.” Princess Platinum beamed a smile that matched the young stallion stood before her. She could place a hoof on it or explain why she felt like she did, but she felt a surge of affection for him. “I believe it shows the true diversity of our tribe, to marry outside the pony kind.”

Very quickly, in his head, Brightstar ran his Equestrian history class back. He was grateful he had paid attention to Last Legacy’s lectures. He knew that the griffon wars hadn't happened yet, and that Queen Stormclaw had just married King Grover. “You are quite right, Your Highness…” he paused when the nurse, stood behind Shining Star, made a 'get on with it' motion with her hoof where only Brightstar could see.

Nodding slightly to the nurse, Brightstar stood aside and, with a sweep of his hoof, he indicated the rented carriage awaited its prestigious traveller. Very grand and ornate, it was decorated in a style reminiscent of Princess Twilight Sparkle’s carriage from her coronation almost three decades ago. It was theirs for the day, and worth every bit it had cost. “If you'd like to walk this way, Your Highness, your carriage awaits.”

“Finally!” Air Raid sighed with relief as she watched Brightstar lead his mother and her nurse off of the platform and to the opulent carriage. They – Cyclone, Darkstar and herself – had been instructed by Brightstar and the nurse to hang back while they greeted Shining Star. Thankfully the train driver and guard were very understanding and didn’t throw them off. “Okay,” the lime green mare checked her messages, “Bright just texted me, there should be a limo for all of us.” She said, leading the way from the train, she quickly saw what she was looking for. “Oh, that stallion is holding a sign with your name Darkie. Let's go!”

“Ugh, at last we can get off that blasted train!” Darkstar was eager to get off the train and out of the carriage’s confines. Not that the mentally troubled mare was claustrophobic or anything, but the long journey had made her antsy.

In stark contrast to her friend’s openly sour mood, Cyclone giggled and stretched her legs and wings on the now empty platform. “Still grumpy are we, Darkie?”

“Hush Cy,” Air Raid snapped before ‘grumpy’ Darkstar could have a chance to retort and possibly end or severely affect their friendship, fraught though it already was. “It was a long ride and we were all cooped up together.” Taking a deep breath, she addressed the impassive stallion. “Greetings Sir,” she checked his nametag, which read, Lighthoof, “party of three for the Brightstar / Moonbeak wedding?”

As Lighthoof confirmed that they were who they said they were, checking their names and ID’s off on his clipboard, the stallion lead them to the stretched white limousine. While not a Princess’s carriage, it was nonetheless a grand ride. Walking alongside her carer, Darkstar took several deep breaths of the coastal fresh air. She was grateful of the high strength meds she was taking, for they kept ‘Darkie’ under wraps.

“Feel free to make use of any of the amenities in the back, ladies.” Lighthoof held the door open and bowed pleasantly to each of the mares as they entered.

Cyclone, exuberant as ever, hopped in the back of the limo and flopped down on the very comfy seat while Darkstar, who was far meeker thanks to her medication, entered ahead of Air Raid. “Damn, Raid, that's good!”

“You want juice and soda water, Darkie?” Air Raid asked once they were all seated and Lighthoof had closed the door behind them. “They have orange and apple. What about you Cy?” conspicuously, the lime green pegasus was keen to keep the alcohol in the mini bar under wraps.

About to ask for a wine, Cyclone quickly remembered Air Raid's standing rules. Alcohol and Darkstar’s new high strength medication just didn’t mix. That, and the jet black mare had no stomach for a fight. She and Air Raid had only recently stopped being marefriends – thanks in no small part to the racer’s guilt over Wildfire’s disappearance and Slingshot’s departure from their group of friends. Despite their split, they were still doing the age play, something the nappy wearing mare was glad of. “Glass of orange juice, please, Raid.”

Since Darkstar pointedly didn't answer, Air Raid, in an attempt to ignore the whole load of underlying tensions in the limo and just enjoy the day, poured the white unicorn an orange juice and soda water, an orange juice for Cy, and an apple and soda water for herself. Forcing a smile in place, she lifted up her glass. “We've made it this far. To Brightstar and his wedding.”

Lifting up her glass, Darkstar managed a thin smile and said, “We survived Cy stinking out the train cabin last night. To Brightstar and his wedding.”

Recalling the very spicy food from the dining car going through her last night on the train, Cyclone thought better of arguing with her old friend and, blushing instead, raised her glass. “To Brightstar and his wedding.”

As she drank and giggled at the same time, it was a miracle that Air Raid didn’t choke. “I did think to open the window before I changed her.”

“It was a miracle she didn't melt the glass in the window...” Darkstar nonchalantly commented, sipping her juice as the very smooth limo glided along the Fillydelphia streets. Through the tinted windows she could see ponies on the street stopping in their business to openly stare at them as they passed.

“Oh come on, guys, it wasn't that bad...” Cyclone then noticed the incredulous looks on the other two's faces and the black pegasus gave up on her somewhat futile defence. “Okay,” she conceded, sipping her drink, “it really was that bad.”

Snorting her drink, Air Raid laughed, a rare sound these days. “Well, I guess it was better on the train than at the wedding.”

If Air Raid’s laughter was a rare event, the Darkstar laughing was unheard of. But, laugh she did, the pure white unicorn was laughing so hard her shoulders were shaking. “Yeah, good thing too, or Cy'd be responsible for a mass gassing!”

“Hey, I'm not starting a third griffon war!” Cyclone didn’t want to take exception to the teasing and the ribbing. She knew it was all meant in good fun and so she laughed along with the others, it's been a good long time since they'd properly laughed together like that. “So, Raid,” she said after eventually draining her glass, “do you know anything about the place we're going to?”

Air Raid shook her head, now that she thought about it. “I've been to Filly a few times, and not to site see. Bright just said it’s a griffon restaurant.” She leered at her ex-marefriend as the limo wound its way through Fillydelphia and over the Delamare river to the high end griffon restaurant, “Maybe there’s pony on the menu?”

“I don't mind being eaten…” Cyclone shot back, laughing even harder when she saw Darkstar make up her own dirty joke on the spot and they both fell about laughing in the back of the limo.

Airily, Air Raid waved a hoof dismissively, “No point in making sure you're dry then.”

While Darkstar was still laughing and trying very hard not to spit her soda everywhere, Cyclone gave the older pegasus her best pout and said, “Could you check, just to make sure?” Unfortunately though, for her anyway, Air Raid did not check on her. Instead, she took their respective dresses out of her bags and they began to get dressed for the wedding in the back of the car.

Once they were all ready, each of them wearing a simple but well made cream dress with grey, white and blue accents and accessories, Air Raid looked out of the tinted windows at the restaurant. “Apparently, it’s a five star griffon restaurant,” she looked it over. Called Lavkalavka, it may have been five stars here, but in Canterlot, it would be lucky to get two. “It does serve meat, but no pony for eating. Sorry Cy, but I'm sure some griff would be willing to beak you.”

Silently, Cyclone kicked herself. Not for the first time, she had to remind herself that they weren’t dating anymore. Like Air Raid, she looked out the window and whistled appreciatively. The restaurant was just like a Griffonstone house – she had seen pictures of the eyries that Brightstar had shown her after he had spent the year at Stormclaw Academy - only way bigger. There was even a replica of the archway into Griffonstone outside the main entrance. “Not bad at all.”

As they got out of the limo, assisted once again by Lighthoof, the three mares were greeted at the door of the restaurant by Forge and Selene, the old earth pony stallion and griffon respectively dressed in a black suit and blood red dress. Like Selene had said, a black dress would have been lost on her, as she was black all over.

Having been given their seating assignments, they walked inside. The first thing that hit Darkstar was the permanent coppery tang of blood that hung in the air like a miasma. It stung the back of her nose and almost made her pass out on the spot. “Oh...oh wow!”

“Place looks like a Ponywood horror flick!” Air Raid exclaimed once they took their reserved seats at an empty table, while not squeamish in the slightest, she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that at any moment a deranged monster in a mask made of skin was going to burst out and butcher them all.

Nervously, Cyclone looked around at the chimera, manticore and hydra skins that hung on the walls. In morbid fascination her gaze lingered on what were obviously pony hides that hung as wall decorations between the other creatures’ skins, as well as the various skulls hanging as chandeliers above the tables. “Um…those hides…those are all real, aren't they?”

Air Raid shrugged, “Maybe…” she then saw Darkstar’s flinching reaction to their current environment and hastily added, “but I doubt it.”

Taking her seating pad next to Air Raid and Cyclone, Darkstar shuddered. Every time she inhaled, even through her mouth, she was reminded of the day she was attacked, as well as all the times she had hurt herself. “I think this place would be amazing for Nightmare Night.”

Just as Air Raid was about to comment that Brightstar's kittens, Athena and Zephyr, must love this place, Blossomseed was at their table. Having ‘entertained’ Brass Knuckles and Liara, Forge’s marefriend and long-time submissive decided to leave the two minotaurs and she greeted the newcomers with a hyper cheerful, “Hi!”

Without hesitation, Cyclone immediately bumped hooves with the pleasant young earth pony. “Hi, I'm Cyclone.”

“Blossomseed!” she introduced herself like it was a statement of intent as she moved onto extend her hoof to the white unicorn pony sat next to Cyclone.

“Darkstar,” quietly, the troubled mare extended her hoof for a bump, bringing it back so quick it was like she had been burned, “pleased to meet you, Blossomseed.”

Air Raid was ready for her when Blossomseed came to her. As she bumped hooves with the cheery earth pony, her heart was breaking in her chest. The green mare may not have had wings, but the way she acted and carried herself, she was a dead ringer for Wildfire. Only because she had a year’s practise did she keep her smile in place. “You're a friend of Bright's?”

Since racing was not Forge's thing, Blossomseed didn't have a clue as to what Air Raid did. Now, had she been a cage fighter, then it would’ve been a different story. “Forge and I are,” she explained, that smile still on her face, “We hang out at the same bar across town.”

“The Twisted Tail, right? Bright's mentioned it and you a few times.”

“Wow!” Blossomseed clapped her hooves together like an overgrown filly, “Wow! That is so cool!”

It was then, looking around the restaurant’s interior one more time, that Cyclone noted the head table. The jet black pegasus had to smile. Shining Star and her nurse, as Princess Platinum and Clover the Clever, were holding court with Astraea and both kittens. If she were to guess, she’d have said the older griffon was loving being with her friend’s mother.

The other three tables were all fully occupied, two by six griffons sat at each and the last one with four ponies and two minotaurs. Cyclone snickered to herself as they all chatted amongst themselves and drinking – she was sure the griffon’s red liquid wasn’t wine – all that was missing was a dragon or two. “Wow...look at everycreature!” she then giggled and nudged Darkstar, “I see the Princess is having fun!”

“Hmmm…” Darkstar forced a smile up onto her face, “With Moonbeak's mother I don't know who's leading who, exactly.” Though she had never met Moonbeak’s mother, she had spoken to her on the phone a couple times, so she knew full well she was a mischievous old griffon.

“I bet Astraea has a position in the Princess's court before the wedding's over,” Cyclone giggled.

Air Raid sniffed as waiting staff provided them with strange alcohol free pony drinks and the rest of the guests with more of the suspiciously red wine. “I’m not taking that bet.”

“That’s your mom, right Darkstar?” Blossomseed spoke up. Unlike the others at the table, she did have the blood wine. “Your brother said she is interesting, but that I shouldn't go and bother her.”

Darkstar, just getting accustomed to the coppery tang of blood in the air had to adjust all over again when the waiter served up fresh blood wine at the table. She didn’t like it. It was waking Darkie up from her medication induced sleep. “Yes she is, our mother is very...interesting.” she sighed, for it wasn’t this mare’s fault. “She has a personality disorder. Right now, she thinks she's Princess Platinum.”

“Oh, wow,” Blossomseed accepted the abridged explanation, “she is a really good actress, isn’t she?”

“That she is.” Air Raid found if she kept her light beer near her nose it masked the blood scent.

“You're right, Blossomseed,” Cyclone, noticing Darkstar's rather sour look, decided to forge ahead before the white unicorn could say anything. Mercifully, the Fillydelphian hadn’t mentioned her friend’s broken horn. “What do you do here in Filly?”

“I'm a flower seller!” though her voice was as eager as ever, now there was a sense of pride to her. “I have a store over the river next to Forge's smithy. What about you?”

“I ah...” Cyclone squirmed, the jet black mare not wanting to go into all the details of her past and work history, abridged it a little, “I work in the weather factory up in Cloudsdale.”

Air Raid spoke up next, “I'm a race car driver. Rally cross mostly, though I do rally and stadium racing as well.”

Darkstar shrugged, “I don't do anything at the moment, though I trained as a dancer.” ‘Anything but be a burden on my friends’ was what she wanted to say, but even Darkie in her head knew not to ruin this day with one of her moods.

Again, Blossomseed clapped her hooves at both Air Raid and Darkstar. Not so much Cyclone, because she knew nothing about the weather other than rain grew her flowers. “That's so cool you guys!” she exclaimed with a giggle, “I try to dance, but I’m a bit clumsy and I trip over my own hooves.”

Once all the guests that were going to turn up had turned up, Forge and Selene left their posts at the door and joined Air Raid’s table. Forge wasted no time at all in snogging the face off his pet, Blossomseed’s collar at last making sense to Air Raid, Darkstar and Cyclone. Selene waved a claw in greeting, “Moonbeak wants me to make sure the others know you're all off the menu.” Forge paused in his kissing just long enough to give Selene a good eye roll.

“Hey, miss,” Cyclone said to Selene, “Those skins and hides on the wall, are they real?”

“Most are,” Selene was in two minds about lying and having some fun, but then she took note of the fact that this pegasus was quite cute, for a pony. “The chimera, hydra, and manticore ones are, for sure. The pony ones are fakes, just there to add flavour and atmosphere.”

“Really?” Cyclone looked around and above their heads. Anywhere really, than at the rather pretty looking black griffon sat opposite her at the table. “And the ah...um...pony skull chandelier?”

Darkstar though stymied any further chance for her friend to flirt. She knew precisely what she was doing. It was a friend’s duty, after all. “Cy, chill out. You won't join the décor...or will you?” she snickered at her squeamish friend’s face. That was the look she was going for. It made Darkie happy.

“I think she wants to drink from one of the skulls…” Air Raid laughed, happily joining in the teasing. It felt almost like old times.

Thankfully, to spare her any further blushes, Brightstar came out from the restaurant’s back room and he went around all the tables, taking the time to meet, greet and mingle with all the guests. Presently, he came to their table and Darkstar was the first to get up and nuzzle her brother in his magnificent Shadowbolt dress uniform. “Looking good, Bright!”

For a few moments, Brightstar was content to nuzzle his sister. “Thanks sis, I'm happy to see you. How...How are you doing?”

“Today's a good day,” Darkstar smiled and she tapped the side of her head with a hoof, the simple gesture holding a lot of significance. “The meds have her under control.”

“Good days, no great days, then no terrible days either,” Air Raid interjected. Over the past year, she had seen and lived through every kind of day imaginable, even the really, really bad days. “You do look sharp in that uniform.” It was a good thing she was gay, otherwise she’d jump him herself wearing that.

“Not as sharp as Moony's claws though, huh?” Cyclone recovered her voice long enough to rib Air Raid, for she knew Moonbeak had spanked the lime green mare on more than one occasion over the past year. It was fun to watch, once you got over the blood.

Grinning at Cyclone, Brightstar nodded to Air Raid. “I can honestly say you're right, Cy. Her claws are a whole other world of sharp.”

Clearing her throat, Air Raid lifted up her glass like she had done back in the limo. “You're the first of the old gang to get hitched, so do it right as an example for the rest of us.”

Almost glowing with pride, Brightstar had to try very hard to not address the three missing elephants in the room, namely the absent Wildfire, Dusk Melody and Slingshot. It was a happy day after all, one to look forwards, not back. No matter how painful it may be. “One of us has to be sensible, right featherbrain?”

Mistakenly, Cyclone thought Brightstar was talking to her. “I can be sensible...” she giggled, realising her error, “Maybe not.”

Air Raid snorted, “I'm all for sensibling a hoof right up your arse, Bright.”

Snickering, Brightstar gave his close friend a playful wink. “It struck him in that moment just how far they had come in the past year. It only felt like yesterday that he was telling Air Raid and Slingshot he was staying behind in Fillydelphia, only yesterday he had met Moonbeak in the Twisted Tail. “You'll have to wait in line. Moony's got first dibs on my arse, Raid.”

Taking a moment’s break from kissing his pet’s lips, Forge snickered at the pony he had come to think of as a son. “I think the bar floor has first dibs on your arse, Brightstar.”

As Blossomseed laughed, Brightstar chuckled at the father figure he saw as his daddy. One drunken night, not long ago, he had confessed as much to Forge. They never spoke of it again, but each stallion could tell in the eye of the other the bond they now shared. “I think you're right, Forge,” he checked the time, it was almost midday. “Not long now.”

“Nervous?” asked Cyclone.

“A bit, yes…” Brightstar had never wanted or needed his dad there by his side more than in that one moment, but everypony and creature else was there, especially his mother who was holding her court with his soon-to-be mother in law and his kittens, so it was all good.

Selene also saw that the time was at hand. “Do Moony proud, pony.”

Over at her table, Brass Knuckles called out, “Take this one for the win, Bright!”

Liara giggled at her crimson friend and, with a wink, added, “I can be your plan B!”

“I will, Selene, I’ll do her proud.” Brightstar then nodded and walked over to the two minotaurs, leaving the old gang to chat amongst themselves, he hoof bumped each in greeting. While he had to admit Liara was still beautiful, were he ever to replay that disastrous night over the river, he was sure they wouldn’t have enough to bury. “I thank you, Liara, but I think I'll have my hooves full with my plan A.”

Making his last round of the room, the other guests, which included Moonbeak’s regular photography models as well as her friends from the Feathers Whist club, all offered their congratulations, not just to Brightstar but to Moonbeak as well. When he saw Astraea move from the head table to stand at the head of the Griffonstone symbol carved into the restaurant’s wooden floor, he knew that was his cue. ‘Aright...here we go…’ now the moment was upon him, his nerves were unspeakable. He thought of Wildfire in that instant as he stepped up and took his place. ‘Nothing to it, but to do it.’

Just then, the opening bars of Moonbeak’s favourite griffon opera, which sang of Stormclaw and Grover and their binding at the Cliffs of Blood started. Brightstar knew from their practises that he now had to wait a full minute until Moonbeak made her appearance.

As it happened, it was Brightstar’s favourite opera too. He knew the piece like he knew the back of his hoof. The music went a long way to calming his nerves and, with a wide smile on his face, he turned to face the doors to the other back room in the restaurant where he knew his bride would come from, smoothing his uniform of a non-existent wrinkle in the process.

Right on time, just as the clock on the wall began to chime twelve noon, a waiter at the restaurant opened the door and Moonbeak walked out, looking utterly and completely resplendent in her white wedding dress – a gift from Princess Platinum – she walked slowly, covering the distance to stand opposite her intended. As soon as she came to a halt, there was a rather loud greeting screech from the assembled griffons that almost made Cyclone fill her clean nappy.

All of a sudden, this was just another practise. Nothing to worry about. Stood on the left of Astraea, who was conducting the ceremony, Brightstar timed his bow of greeting with the shift in the music. When Moonbeak returned the bow, his heart was still beating three times as fast.

Expectant, Moonbeak stood in front of her lover. The music hit the right spot, and it was time for the vows. Taking his cue, Brightstar cleared his throat. Now was the time. “Moonbeak,” he said clearly, a little too clearly, “I bind my blood to your blood for your blood has given my blood reason to live. You and the kittens have given me reason to step forward to better our lives for your life is my life. I shall be your bound mate until the Grey Spires carry me home.”

Moonbeak’s smile almost split her face. Now he had said his vows, it was her turn. With love and adoration in her eyes, the words came free and easy, they came from her heart. “Brightstar, I bind my blood to your blood, for your blood has given my blood new life. You are not the sire of my kittens, but you are their father. My hope of a future lies in the hopes you have for our future. I shall be your bound mate till the Grey Spires carry me home.”

Astraea couldn’t have been prouder than she was right there in that moment. She knew her role, and she performed it well. “Moonbeak, do you take Brightstar as your bonded mate?”

Moonbeak replied, “I do.”

“Then take his blood.”

As they had practised over and over, the royal blue unicorn held up his left hoof, ready for what he knew was coming. Using the index talon of her left claw, Moonbeak sliced a gash in the sole of his hoof. She then held out that same claw, palm up. “Brightstar,” Astraea continued, “Do you take Moonbeak, as your bonded mate?”

“I do.”

“Then take her blood.” Obediently, Brightstar used the small blade he had concealed blade hidden in the toe of his silver horseshoe to cut Moonbeak's offered palm, a thin line of deep red instantly appearing. The moment Astraea saw the blood appear on both partners, she issued the challenge to the room. “Blood has been taken!”

Athena, about to answer the challenge like they had practised at her treehouse, was joined in her answer by the watching Princess Platinum, who was eager on behalf of her tribe. “Blood has been seen!”

“Let the blood flow between them!” as Astraea said that, the older griffon took the prepared black ribbon from her pocket and wrapped the binding ribbon around Brightstar’s hoof and she drew it to Moonbeak's claw, were she wrapped it around until the juncture between the two of them was hidden, but it wasn't so tight that they couldn’t twist a bit in the binding. “They are now bound and shall remain thus till the rising of the sun. Then the binding will always be in their hearts as long as the blood flows.”

Watching the binding ceremony, Cyclone fainted the moment she saw the blood. She wasn’t the only one. A couple of the photography ponies also found they were suddenly squeamish, much to the amusement of the griffons and the minotaurs. Air Raid did have to comfort Darkstar though, who also hated the blood.

Helpfully, as the music of the griffon opera hit its crescendo, when Astraea bound the bloody claw and hoof together, Selene scooted around the table and bought Cyclone round with beak to mouth resuscitation. Brightstar though, looking at his hoof bound with Moonbeak’s claw, didn’t notice those who had passed out. ‘I've done it!’ he thought with a smile, ‘I’ve done it!’

After the binding ceremony was completed, the short reception at the restaurant was a whirlwind affair, complete with a buffet of griffon and pony foods wheeled out by the waiters. Not all of the attendees would be going with them to Griffonstone, after all.

Brightstar and Moonbeak, now joined together, made their way around the tables, sharing drinks and anecdotes with their friends. Blossomseed, recovered from her queasiness, was feeding her Master, Forge, from her plate. Cyclone and Selene, snuggling together at the table ever since the griffon had bought the pegasus round, were enjoying feeding each other as well. With their mouth and beak.

~ ~ ~

“Hey, Cyclone!” Selene, after boarding the Friendship Express with those few members of the wedding party that would be making the trip to Griffonstone for the celebration there, had managed to work her way through the carriages on her hunt for the black pegasus. She found her prey in the club car at the bar. “I'm the odd griff out, so I have my own stateroom on the train.”

“Oh hey,” Cyclone smiled when she saw whom it was who had caught her. She too was on her own, thanks to Darkstar being in a stormy mood following her brother’s wedding. She had no desire to be caught up in that and so she was nursing a beer. “It’s the sexy griff who bought me round at the wedding!”

“May have been me,” Selene shrugged and, taking up residence next to the young pegasus, got herself a beer. “You're new to the scene so I'm interested.”

Cyclone wondered briefly to what scene the griffon was referring, was it Fillydelphia as a whole? Couldn’t be that, she’d stopped at Moonbeak’s treehouse a few times now. Perhaps it was meeting her? Ultimately she decided it didn’t matter. What mattered was she was single and cute. And Cyclone was horny. “I'm the only other sexy black one here,” she winked, “I wasn't expecting it to be that intense, and well...bloody.”

Sipping her beer, Selene curiously poked at the pegasus’s obviously padded rump, the nappy she was wearing not concealed at all by the dress she wore. “I think you're the only well-padded pony here.”

Giggling, Cyclone wiggled her well-padded rump, the exhibitionist loving the feel of the garment as it squished and moved under her weight. “It’s a necessary accessory, I'm afraid.” She then saw that her new friend had already emptied her glass. “Can I get you another drink?”

Selene wanted that very much. Ever since she had kissed her – delivered emergency resuscitation, but whatever, who was keeping score – in the restaurant, she had been keen to repeat the experience. Sans the passing out, of course. “We can call the steward from my cabin. I tend a bar, so I seldom drink alcohol.”

“I'm up for that,” Cyclone quickly swallowed the beer bottle she had been sipping and, stretching her wings, she hopped off the seating pad in front of the bar. “Sounds like fun!”

“Have you known Bright long?” Selene asked with genuine curiosity as she led the way through the train car to her cabin.

Walking by the black griffon bartender’s side, Cyclone counted off on her primary feathers, “Um, lets’ see now, six, seven...eight, no nine years. We met on the first day of secondary school back in Canterlot.” She smiled at that, the memory was a warm one. One of the few warm memories she’d had over the past year.

“I've only known him for a year,” Selene commented, impressed at the length of Cyclone’s friendship. Nine years was nothing to sniff at, by any means. “That first day when he saw Moony in my bar.” Selene giggled, that time back in the Twisted Tail had been a very memorable one indeed.

Cyclone laughed, “I've heard from the pony's mouth it was a fun night.”

“Do you share Bright's taste in drinks?” asked Selene, thumping open her cabin door with her clawed hand and standing aside to let the admittedly pretty mare enter ahead of her. This wasn’t a wholly magnanimous act, she wanted to enjoy the view.

Walking into the lush finely decorated train cabin, Cyclone was well aware that she was being stared at. She liked being stared at and, accordingly, she made the most of her entrance. She strutted and high-stepped, swaying her padded behind all the way inside the cabin. “I'll take a light beer if you have it, please.”

Once she was inside as well, Selene called the steward from her wall mounted intercom. “Light beer and wine spritzer to cabin five please.”

“Right away, ma'am.” Came a stallion’s voice, presumably the attendant, or guard, or whatever. Selene didn’t much care. For once it was her being served instead of her doing the serving. That was all she cared about. That, and entertaining this pretty little thing in her cabin.

“Thank you, Selene. I don't drink a lot…” Cyclone blushed as she shrugged off her saddlebags and made herself comfortable on the fold down couch that took up the entire left side of the cabin. “One of Bright's whiskeys and I'll be on my back, legs in the air or swinging from the light fittings in the dining car.”

Selene laughed, sitting next to her new companion. “The first option doesn't sound too bad.”

Taking that as a challenge, Cyclone immediately dropped on her back on the very comfortable couch and, pulling up the hem of her dress, she exposed her white nappy and spread her legs. “I don't need alcohol to show off, sexy griffon.” She winked when Selene placed a clawed hand between her legs and checked if she was squishy between her hind legs. Thankfully, the pegasus had managed to just get to the bathroom on time at the restaurant.

Just as Selene confirmed that the nappy was clean, there came a knock on the door. “Enter!” At the griffon’s call, the serving stallion entered with their drinks on a silver tray. Silently he left the beer and wine on the little table and, with a raised eyebrow at Cyclone, left the pair in peace.

The stallion’s reaction to her compromising position made Cyclone swish her turquoise tail and fluff up her wings. By Cadance did she like being looked at! When he closed the door, she had bitten her lip in sheer arousal. She smiled at Selene, “Like what you see, hmm?”

“What I can see, I like.” Selene clarified with a wink as she passed Cyclone her beer. “Now, to see how tipsy that makes you.”

“Why thank you, good lady,” taking the beer in her hoof, the jet black pegasus raised up her beer in a mock salute. “The present is better than the wrapping, I promise you that.”

“That depends on if you're going to leave a present in the wrapping.”

Cyclone liked this griffon. She liked the flirting, she liked how sexy she was, how up for it she was and how unconcerned with her past she was. That suited Cyclone down to the ground. She wasn’t looking for a deep lasting relationship. She was horny and she needed to get off. Seemed this Selene did, too. “Now, that I can’t guarantee either way.”

Taking a long draught of her wine, Selene joined in with Cyclone’s giggles. She really liked this mare. She seemed up for a baggage free fumble, some sexy consenting fun. Just what she was looking for. “I'll just have to spin the wheel and see what I win.”

“I’m like dragon roulette!” Cyclone laughed and, as Selene settled in next to her on the couch and gently pulled her dress up and over her head, the pegasus downed half of beer and snuggled into her companion’s side.

“Ponies are so soft…” Selene purred, nuzzling her beak along Cyclone’s cheek and neck.

“Ever been with one before?” asked Cyclone, the pegasus boldly kissed Selene's beak and cheek. It was a sensation unlike anything else. “I do love your black feathers…”

“The two that sat with us, Forge and Blossomseed,” the bartender confirmed with a nod. “I've tasted Bright's spunk too, more than once, but Moony only shares a bit, and not all the way, either.”

Swallowing the last of her beer, Cyclone asked, “what can those sexy hands of yours do?”

With a predatory glint in her green eyes, Selene wiggled those sexy clawed hands, displaying her razor sharp talons like a butcher showing off a set of steak knives. “These hands? They can rip open a throat, render flesh from bone, and…”

Cyclone was about to ask what the ‘and’ was, when Selene demonstrated what the ‘and’ was by digging her claws into the pegasus’s sides and mercilessly tickling her ribs. The effect of this vicious assault was immediate. “Gaah! Hahahahahahaaa!” she arched her back and squirmed on the couch, though escape was impossible.

Seeing that her prey was incredibly ticklish, Selene was relentless. She continued her assault, her claws dancing all over Cyclone’s twitching writhing body. She was curious, as he enjoyed her squeals of laughter, which would come first. Would she pass out, fill the nappy, or yell out her safe word?

Five minutes later, laughing fit to burst and gasping for air, there came the tell-tale hissing sound that heralded the fact that Cyclone was peeing noisily in her formerly clean nappy. Crying from laughing so hard, she at last used her safe word. Backing off, Selene again pressed her hand on the nappy, this time she was rewarded with a definite soft squish. “What happens if you stay in that for too long?”

“I get a wicked rash and I pout like a mardy filly.”

“Where’s your stuff to change?”

Cyclone pointed a hoof to her saddlebag resting at the side of the couch. “I have supplies in my bag. Always carry at least three, in case of messy emergencies.”

“Good, I'll watch you change yourself. Make it worth my while.”

“I can do that…” In slipping off the nappy, the jet black pegasus slowly removed the tabs and slid it down her front like she was humping the material. She thrust her hips upwards, grinding the wet material into her marehood with her hoof. Once the nappy was off, she applied the talc powder around herself while holding her hind leg in the air. She made that last until Selene had drank the last of her wine.

Watching Cyclone powder herself like she was rubbing herself off, Selene blushed so hard that it showed on her black feathered cheeks. “Oh…oh by the Grey Spires…if you were a foal, I'd be ashamed of myself, because that was totally hot!”

“I sometimes play the foal, but right now…” Cyclone levelled weapons grade bedroom eyes at Selene while her left forehoof caressed her teats and the other hoof circled her moist pussy, “I wanna play with you.”

“Do you now? And how do you plan on going about that?” Selene admired the direct approach. This mare knew what she wanted, and how to get it.

Cyclone’s bedroom eyes smoldered. “Plan A is getting my face under your tail. Plan B is you on your back and I eat you out. Plan C is scissoring you. Plan D is all of the above. That is, if you're up for some soft pony fun?”

Now, it was a well-known fact known well to those who knew it, that griffons never ever back down from a challenge. Selene was all griffon. “What does that powder taste like?”

“A bit like chalk mixed with me, and I'm super sweet.”

Affectionately, Selene leant in and rubbed her beak alongside her soon-to-be lover’s muzzle. “Then, plan C to make you an even sweeter little pony.”

“I’ll go with that,” Cyclone turned her head and gently kissed her way all over Selene’s beak, “I hope you’re ready, cos this storm's gonna blow you away.”

At first, the unashamed pun eluded Selene then, with her eyes wide, she had an 'I get it' moment. Not to be outdone, she countered with, “I hope it's not too late to moon you, then.”

As they got into position, sliding their hind legs in between each other so that their crotches were pressed together, Cyclone added, “Storm warning's out in this cabin!” she decided she’d had enough of the awful puns and took the initiative, grinding herself along the griffon’s mound.

She quickly discovered, apart from the leonine tail, Selene felt pretty much like every other pony she had scissored in the past. “Now for the bump and grind, pony!” the black griffon screeched as she thrusted her strong powerful hips up to meet the mare grinding down on her.

“D-DaaaAAAAH…Damn right!” Cyclone moaned, as she rammed her crotch to the griffon’s. True to her word, she was not at all slow, gentle or subtle or slow. It had been a few weeks since the split with Air Raid, and she needed to get off.

From Selene’s point of view, it hadn’t been that long since she last did this with Blossomseed while Forge had watched, but there was no way she was going to give ground to a soft pony. Like her lover, she thrust back with gusto. In a very sneaky move, she used her paws to play with whatever she could reach.

What she could reach was Cyclone’s teats.

The moment she felt the leathery pads of the griffon’s toes rub her teats and nipples, Cyclone screamed as she came quite hard. “B-Bu-BuuUUUUCK!” she thrust her squirting pussy down and ground it until Selene gave voice to her own orgasm.

“Well,” Selene panted, “Th-That wasn't foalish at all...” she laid back on the couch, thoroughly enjoying her post orgasmic haze. She offered up a silent prayer to Queen Stormclaw in the Grey Spires that she had hooked up with this pretty little pegasus. “Seeing as I’m already on my back, you can move to plan B.”

“You got it!” needing no further encouragement whatsoever, Cyclone slid down and, in one motion, she got her muzzle deep in between Selene's leonine legs. She used her forehooves to spread the griffon’s glistening, dripping wet pussy open and she lapped at her like a dog lapping at a bowl of water.

Selene used her clawed hands to caress Cyclone’s turquoise mane while the black mare got busy swirling her eager tongue deep inside the griffon’s muscular tunnel. She tried to use her hooves to play with her wing joints but unfortunately from her present position, she couldn’t reach.

Instead, Cyclone contented herself with eating Selene out like a pony who hadn’t seen food in a week. She drove her tongue into her again and again as if it was the sweetest of treats, each time savouring her juices that flowed into her mouth by the second.

By the moans and groans the griffon was making, she was doing it right. Determined to make her – however temporary – lover cum, Cyclone switched her attention from her cunny to her clit. Wrapping her lips around it, she sucked hard on Selene’s hard nub.

After the energetic and enthusiastic scissoring, it didn't take long to push Selene over the top for a second climax. As her back arched, the griffon’s claws took hold of the back of the pegasus’s neck. When Cyclone used her teeth and sucked harder, those claws dug in and Selene let loose a loud keening screech of pleasure.

Though she was sure there was a few drops of blood now at the back of her neck, Cyclone didn’t mind. She did wince though when, licking Selene clean, those talons dug in a little deeper. “Mmmm!” pain had never been her thing, but this wasn’t so bad. “Did you enjoy that?”

Selene’s crossed eyes was all the answer she needed. “Blossomseed needs to take lessons from you…” the griffon panted and, after licking her claws clean, she held Cyclone in a tight hug on the couch, happy to enjoy this union as long as it lasted.

~ ~ ~

Getting on the train, Air Raid used her wing to hold the door open for their compartment so Darkstar could walk in first. Since the white unicorn’s mood had changed visibly since the wedding ceremony, the lime green mare had made all haste to get her friend into their cabin ever since the reception had come to an end. She had come to recognise the outward signs of Darkstar’s moods and right then she was firing off warning flares.

Without saying a word, Darkstar made her way to the fold down couch in the train’s compartment and, with a snorted sigh of indifference, the tall slender mare slumped down face first. Though she didn’t say a word, she didn’t have to. Her body language said it all for her. “Before I give you your meds,” Air Raid started matter-of-factly, “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Before you send half of us to sleep you mean?” Darkstar’s tone was morose, her mood increasingly maudlin and gloomy. Turning around on the couch, what was left of her horn glowed, however the spell was stopped by the glowing runes of the platinum inhibitor she wore almost all the time now. “You can talk to the husk that's left…” As soon as she said that, the mare whimpered, her head cocked to one side, “Darkie please, Raid's just trying to help us!”

‘Great…so ‘she’ is back, is she?’ Air Raid sighed, resisting the urge to shake her head. Rubbing the bridge of her nose, she prepared to deal with Darkie once again. Like she had done ever since she had woke up from her coma. “I know what the meds do, Darkie. So do the both of you. No highs, no lows, just the middle road. Are you upset that Bright married a griff?”

“No!” Darkie snarled, her lips pulled back and her teeth bared, “We aren't upset about that you idiot!” The brief flash of temper made the stump of her horn glow again, only to be stopped yet again by the ring. The fact that she had to wear a level fifteen inhibitor was a testament to just how unstable her magic was.

When she saw her friend begin to sob openly like a foal who had been chastised by their parent, Air Raid placed a hoof on Darkstar’s heaving shoulder. It completely broke her heart to see Darkstar like this, especially as she had helped her get through the early, traumatic months after Wildfire had left. She smiled warmly, because she knew she’d still be a mess without Darkstar’s illusions. “If I take the ring off, you promise you won't blow up the train?”

Darkstar – and Darkie, for that matter – looked up at Air Raid through teary eyes, the tracks of her hot salty tears staining her pure white cheeks. She – they – couldn’t believe what they had heard. “Y-You'd d-do that? But...you aren't allowed…”

Air Raid smiled. The lime green pegasus knew full well she wasn’t allowed to remove the inhibitor when they were out and about. After that one instance where her friend had imploded a taxi, reducing the vehicle to the size of a Rubik’s cube, Darkstar had been deemed a public threat, Air Raid knew the rules. Then again, she had never been one to follow the rules.

“I know, we're traveling, but we can pretend this is our great room.” In their great room back at Air Raid’s villa in Canterlot, a null zone had been established by powerful unicorns from Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, creating a safe zone where Darkstar’s unstable magic was dispelled and contained.

Darkstar nodded, her tears slowing into barely controlled sniffles. It wasn’t just the great room. The null zone had been created in her padded bedroom as well, but she was in no mood to be pernickety. “We can pretend, Raid.”

“So…you won't blow up the train?”

To match her sullen and very down mood, Darkstar’s ears were slicked back to her scalp. “No, we promise we won't blow up anything, Raid.”

Satisfied, Air Raid delved into her saddlebag by her side and, once she had found what she was looking for, pulled out a curious little gadget. It had been described to her exactly what it was and what it did, but the doctors had used big words that she didn’t understand. To Air Raid, it was a thingamabob or, if she was being technical, a doohickey. She touched the gadget to the platinum inhibitor and pressed a button. Coded to her hoof, it allowed her to remove the ring. “Talk to me,” she said, setting the gizmo, the ring and her friend’s medication on a small table.

As soon as the inhibitor was removed, Darkstar gasped as her magic, unstable though it was, flooded through her stump of a horn. The concentric ridges glowed with a bright yellow light and an image of Las Pegasus appeared in the cabin. The image was perfect then, with a thought, it zoomed in to Sapphire Shores at the Golden Horseshoe Rooms, and then to a troupe of dancers on a stage. “It was in the paper when we got on the train from Filly.” Darkstar’s voice was monotone, deadened. “The tour's been extended for a third straight time.”

For a moment, Air Raid marveled at the accuracy of the illusion arrayed before her. Every last detail of Las Pegasus seemed perfect, like she was looking at a three-dimensional photograph. The deadened stare from her friend worried her though. “Heh, then there was the time you and Luna tricked your friends into going to Las Pegasus while you danced.”

When she spoke, Darkstar’s voice matched the vacant stare in her yellow eyes. She waved her hoof through the illusionary image, trying to swat the incorporeal dancing ponies in their fancy dresses and ornate headdresses. “That should have been me...us...me!” she screamed, “I...we trained for that! We earned that spot!”

Now, Air Raid wasn’t a psychiatrist, but she fancied she had a handle on what was upsetting her troubled friend. Had she not been attacked all those months ago back in Canterlot, she would’ve been part of the act in Las Pegasus, she would’ve been dancing with Sapphire Shores. “I should be racing, but I'm not. You should be dancing, but you're not.” Air Raid really hoped she was saying the right things. She really wasn’t any good at this sort of stuff. “We can’t have the should have beens. Now we need to get the can haves.”

“Why did you even keep that dress that Rarity made?” asked Darkstar, pointedly not looking away from the image she had created.

“Because I'll never afford to get another one.”

“Because you have to use your money to look after us, you mean.”

Air Raid let out a snort of breath through her nose. “What did I do the last time I was asked to look after somepony who needed me?”

“You were honest,” Darkstar answered, her voice as desolate and devoid of emotion as ever. With a flash of her magic though, the illusion changed. Las Pegasus and the Golden Horseshoe Rooms dissolved, only for the magical power to coalesce into an image of the Canterlot Royal hospital.

As they moved through the halls like they were on a virtual tour of the hospital, Air Raid wanted to look away when they were faced with Wildfire's open door. She didn’t need an illusion to remind her what had happened in that room. She didn’t need a tour of her own personal Tartarus. She shook her head, unable as she was to look away. “I was only honest if I had been living a lie.”

Again, the magic flashed on Darkstar’s horn and the image changed. Wildfire was sat in her bed. The bandages that had been wound around her face fallen limp across her lap. An illusionary Air Raid was backing away in revulsion and the blind mare was silently screaming for her to come back.

Air Raid, like she was watching something unspeakable being done to a kitten, couldn’t look away. She knew she didn’t go back. “You replay this almost every night, Raid.”

“I loved her.” Air Raid said quietly. Darkstar was right. She did torture herself with this dream almost every night. Except, when she replayed it, she went back. She had gone back countless times since Wildfire had left. Countless times she had done it right, countless times, except the one time it mattered. “I really loved her and the only thing I could see was me, me, ME! I was so afraid of what I'd lose, I lost what really mattered.”

“Now she's become your own personal Tantabus…” as she watched her illusion, Darkstar began to falter. She began to lose her focus on the magical creation. As Wildfire screamed, the hospital walls started dripping with blood.

“That's enough!” Air Raid snapped. She didn’t think her friend was doing it on purpose, though. “I know I'm an asshole. That is why I'm not doing this for you.”

“I…I-I'm not...Uuuuugh...” Darkstar was sweating. The amount of concentration required for the spell finally taking its toll. Without warning, she lost it. Unbidden, a stallion’s harsh laughter, an evil sound taken from her most darkest of nightmares, echoed inside the cabin. A second later and the hospital illusion shattered, in its place, the walls of the cabin started bleeding bright red blood, screaming faces leering from the gore. “It's no-not me...”

Watching the horror show, Air Raid wasn’t scared. She had witnessed this more than once before. Once on a picnic, she had turned a clear blue lake into a stinking bloody morass. She had made fields slick with blood and had decorated the trees with decaying crucified corpses that laughed and screamed.

This was nothing.

“What did I give up trying to find Wily?” Air Raid asked, trying to focus her friend’s fractured mind. “Tartarus! What did you give up trying to find her?”

“I'm sorry!” Darkstar screamed, covering her face with her forehooves. No longer ‘in the room’, as it were, the pure white unicorn started crying and rocking on the couch. As her trauma continued, so did the horror. The scent and taste of blood in the air only made the bleeding walls more intense. “Make it stop please!” she begged as faces, accusatory, laughing, leering, faces emerged from the viscera. “We didn't mean to! We were trying to help!”

Recognising that this particular episode was about to swirl out of control, Air Raid quickly draped her foreleg over Darkstar’s shoulder and held her close. “I gave up racing, you gave up even more. I'm not going to toss away what I have for a dream I don't, can’t, possess.”

“Don't hurt me!” Darkstar pleaded with an attacker that only she could see. In her tortured mind she was replaying the last awful seconds before she was knocked out in the back of Cold Front's van. As she tasted the rusted metal in her mouth and smelled the stench of gas, a stallion's cruel mocking laughter reverberated around the cabin. “Please don’t! I won't tell, I swear!”

Just as Air Raid was about to say something, there came a sound straight from the depths of the abyss that made even her spine tingle with dread. It was a laugh, but it was as if several stallions were laughing and talking all at once, each voice overlapping and repeating until they blended into one nightmare voice. “You go to the university right?” the ghastly stallion asked, “Time to teach you a lesson…”

Silently, Air Raid just held her friend tight and tried, without success to block out the evil laughter and the sickening, pitiful screams. Those screams didn’t come from Tartarus, they came from her friend. Somehow though, the presence of Air Raid’s hoof gave her just enough wherewithal to reach out for her medication. With a shaking hoof, Darkstar took the high strength meds and she swallowed the water, crying into Air Raid's shoulder the whole time until the nightmare illusion vanished.

“I'm doing all this for me,” Air Raid didn’t let go of the tight hold she had on her friend, “I don't have many friends left. I don't even know if the pit crew will stay with me. I don't want to lose you too.”

“We...We…I-I'm sorry Raid…” Darkstar whimpered, though thankfully the medication she was prescribed was super effective and they started to work almost straight away. “I don't want to lose you, too!”

Affectionately, Air Raid nuzzled Darkstar’s cheek. “I'm not going to let you lose me by making you stay around. Do you want the ring back on now, or do you want to wait till you're asleep?”

“Please put it back on, I don't know what will come next. I might hurt some creature on the train.”

Now, at last, Air Raid giggled, the tension in the room dissipating as the blood on the walls evaporated into the ether. “I only asked you didn't blow up the train, not me. Still, I'll put it on. Just in case.” Taking up the platinum ring, the lime green mare carefully slid it to the base of what horn she had left. A twist of her hoof secured it in place. “You did okay for being away from home.”

“I...I was a scared terrified filly!” Darkstar’s tone was incredulous, “That was 'doing okay’, was it?”

“You lashed out at me, and that is okay.” Air Raid returned to hugging her friend, taking care to wipe her white cheeks clean and dry of the tears that remained there following her episode. “You took the meds on your own, and that's okay. You still haven't let go of me and that is okay too.”

Listening, Darkstar realised just how ‘okay’ she was. “I don't want to let go of you!” she sobbed, and Air Raid was straight back to gently wiping away her fresh tears. “You might be an illusion and fade away! If I hold you, you're real…” she trailed off to silence mid-sentence and laughed, “That's how mother started...”

“You know, Shining Star is close to hoof now. The nurse seems nice. Nicer than any you've had, and for that I'm so sorry.”

“Jewel Joy wasn't your fault!” Though she was still hugging Air Raid for grim death, Darkstar playfully booped her nose. She hated seeing her friend and carer determined to take responsibility for every last thing. Wildfire, Cyclone, her, the nurse, Air Raid seemed intent on carrying Equestria on her shoulders, no matter how many times she was forgiven. “Her sister, Amethyst Glory, didn't seem very happy with her when she came to collect her after you called the police.”

“After I had the camera evidence instead of just taking you at your word.”

“You needed the evidence, silly filly!”

“Thank you for putting up with me, Darkie.” Air Raid shook her head and smiled sadly, her mind wandering back to before Darkstar’s attack, when she had comforted her over Wildfire’s departure. “Those illusions gave me a reason to live, and now you give me a reason to live.”

Darkstar’s white cheeks turned a faint shade of red. “Oh hush.” She gently nudged the lime green mare’s shoulder. “It's a shame, what happened to Jewel Joy though.”

Sniffing, Air Raid didn’t think it was a shame. Yes, it was sad that she had killed herself – it had been in the newspapers, the police had found her hanging in her living room, a coarse rope around her neck – before she could be bought to trial for her crimes. “Don't think that. If she did her job, it wouldn't have happened. Better her than you, in my opinion.”

“Yeah, she was a bitch alright,” Darkstar smiled a tentative smile and, while she was hugging Air Raid, it wasn’t quite so tight as before.

Air Raid shuffled her hooves a little on the couch, unsure how to proceed. “Um, would you, ah, mind if we just snuggled, for a bit?”

Brightly, Darkstar smiled. Genuinely smiled, for the first time that day. “I'd love to snuggle, Raid.”

“Thanks, Darkie, I don't feel so lonely that way…” Although it wasn’t a long train ride, the two mares spent the rest of the trip entwined in a non-sexual snuggle that both needed.

~ ~ ~

On the platform in Fillydelphia, after the wedding ceremony and the modest reception had come to an end, Moonbeak and Brightstar graciously allowed their honoured guests to get on the waiting Friendship Express ahead of them. Shining Star, who was still in the persona of Princess Platinum, alighted with Clover as ever at her right hoof and, on her left, Astraea as her newly appointed Chief Griffon Ambassador and Supplier of the Royal Cookies, got on with her new best friend. Moonbeak shook her head as her mother winked at her. The dark grey furred griffon wasn’t sure whom was the crazier of the two. Then, with a snickered laugh, she realised she did. There was no competition, really. “On my back, pony. It will be easier.” She said once it was just her and her new husband.

Since her left claw was still tied to his left hoof, and would be until noon the next day, Brightstar had to agree with his wife’s assessment of their current situation. Fortunately, he’d had a little practice at this over the last month and, by now, it was a smooth move as he got up on Moonbeak's back, kissing the side of her head as he did so. “Yes ma'am, Mrs. Star.”

Moonbeak turned her head until she could see her lover in the periphery of her vision. “I’m telling you now, I will not be known as Moonbeak Star.”

Brightstar chuckled at his partner’s deadpan look, though mostly he was amused at the looks on the other travellers’ faces once they were on the train and walking down the aisle to their first class compartment. “Oh? How about Moon Bright Beak instead?”

Walking along, Moonbeak used her leonine tail to swat the unicorn’s behind. “I see somepony doesn't want to wait till we get to the airship…”

“You're right, somepony doesn't,” he leant forwards and he kissed and nuzzled her cheek. Why wait until later when they were here, now, and there was a marriage that needed consummating.

At their compartment, which was a first class state room, across the hall from Shining Star's state room, Moonbeak moved her claw. This had the effect of pulling her pony off her back to the floor and her other free claw was centered on his chest. “Maybe you should be Brightbeak?”

“I can go with that,” right then and there, on his back with her free claw pressing on him, she could call him anything in the world. He reached up and ran his hoof over his mother’s ring hanging from the bonding necklace around Moonbeak's neck. “It has a nice ring to it.”

Drawing her beak back into a smirk, Moonbeak flexed her claw and dug her talons into his chest. “You should be proud of your heritage, as I am of mine.”

“I am. I'm so very proud of my mother for making it here today.”

Moonbeak pulled her claw up to her beak and she licked off the blood on her talons. “No one is changing their name. Your mother was very sweet. However, I cannot say the same for your sister.”

“Darkie...” Brightstar, on his back in the finely appointed cabin, sighed with a bitten lip as the claws were removed from his chest. “You have to understand, Moony, her meds are very strong. I wish you had known her before she was attacked.”

“That is not to be,” Slowly, Moonbeak lowered her head and licked at the small puncture wounds in his chest. “You are a very tasty pony.”

“Yes, I am, Mistress. I'm your tasty pony.”

“Yes, you are,” still holding that superior smirk on her face, Moonbeak walked over to the large luxurious bed – unlike the other cabins, the state rooms had permanent beds, not fold down bunks – and, laying on her back, dragged Brightstar on top of her, wedding dress and Shadowbolt uniform and all. “Now, let’s see if you remember where to hide the ponystick.”

“Only if you remember where to hide your stick later,” the royal blue unicorn shot back and, once he was in position, he thrust his hips forwards, dry humping her by rubbing his sheath over her mound. Loving the way she purred, he repeated this for a couple of thrusts until his stallionhood emerged. Once he was sufficiently erect, he adjusted his position and probed her waiting entrance.

“Good,” Moonbeak smiled and, nuzzling her beak along Brightstar's jawline, she added little nips and licks that draw no blood but they did draw some very cute little whimpers. Brightstar, in position, gave a single thrust of his hips and, in one smooth motion, he hilted inside her, not stopping until his hips touched hers.

As both of them moaned together in unison, Brightstar pulled out only as far as his medial ring and he inserted himself once more, just as one of Moonbeak's clawed hands moved past the unicorn's cutie mark. Gripping tightly, she ‘assisted’ him by pulling him further inside her.

After the first few thrusts, in which time his hard member was glistening with her sopping juices, the stallion got up a steady rhythm - not too hard, not too gentle - just firm enough that Moonbeak knew she was being taken. He wanted this first married lovemaking to be just that. Nothing urgent, or rushed, no fetishes, no kinks, just them together.

Soon though, Moonbeak stopped nuzzling her husband and she was content to just hold her head against his as her second clawed hand gripped his other ass cheek. With each firm but gentle thrust inside her where the head of his cock tapped her cervical wall, her hind paw clawed flexed in and out.

After a few more thrusts, Brightstar had an idea. Reaching for his new wife’s hind legs, he lifted them up and indulged in his absolute favourite thing ever. He placed a paw on each side of his muzzle and, now he could smell them, picked up speed. As she was lost in the moment, Moonbeak's claws kept on flexing, enticing her lover. “MMMmmmm!” he moaned, licking right up the soles of her paws. Reaching the tips of her toes, the unicorn licked each of her toes and, after going a little harder, he came deep inside her with a restrained scream of her name.

As soon as she felt Brightstar shoot his seed deep into her womb, Moonbeak clamped her pussy down on his cock and her claws fully extended into his ass, holding him in place as, with a screech of, “Bright my love!” she rode out her own orgasm. When she squeezed him, Brightstar moaned, sucked hard on both of her big toes and, still ejaculating, he held himself inside her. “This trip has started off with a bang, and…” Moonbeak shook her left claw, “I don't have to worry about losing you.”

“No you don't, my love,” Brightstar, happy to stay hilted inside her until nature separated them, leant forward and lovingly kissed her beak. “I love you, Moony.”

Gazing up at him, her paws still either side of his head, she smiled a smile that radiated from her emerald green eyes, “And I love you too, my little emergency ration.”

“I’m only little when it goes back in its sheath.”

There were giggles in Moonbeak’s voice, “I think you have filled my hunger for now.”

“For now?” Brightstar kissed the tip of her beak and hopefully, he asked, “Did you by any chance bring our favourite toy along with you?”

Seeing the eager look on his face, Moonbeak was again reminded why she loved her strong, energetic, handsome young stallion. He was always ready for round two, or three and sometimes, in rare moments, round four. “Good question. It is in the luggage, but I don't know if that is in here or in the baggage car.”

“Mmmm,” Brightstar glanced around their finely decorated cabin and he couldn’t see the right case. That meant it was in the baggage car. Oh well. There was always later. “The baggage car is soooo far away!” he made a fake pout and smiled, “I can wait till we're on the airship.”

“While we’re waiting for ‘later’,” Moonbeak raised up her eyebrow, “I've been on my paws all day, and they need some of your loving attention…”

“I think they do too,” Smiling broadly, Brightstar got down on his knees on the carpeted floor in front of his lady and, lighting his horn, used his glowing yellow aura to hold and support her paws while he used his free hoof to massage her leathery soles.

Finally, reclining in the state room on the Friendship Express, and with her husband massaging her tired, aching paws, Moonbeak at last allowed herself to truly relax for the first time since the day began. The griffon smiled to herself, because by the Grey Spires, ‘her husband’ felt damn good to say. “The best part of the day is over, now for the in-laws…”

“That's not so bad, my love,” Brightstar countered, his tongue now replacing his hooves as he worshipped the heel and the arches of her paws. There was no way, being this close to them, that he was going to be content with just massaging them.

“Still, I'll be happy when it’s all over and I can get back to Filly,” Moonbeak giggled when she felt her stallion start to sniff her paws. Admittedly, at first, she had found his fetish odd, but now she had gotten used to it, it was heaven. “Compromise, is what I think you ponies call it.”

“Compromise is magic, sweetheart,” Brightstar commented, his muzzle never leaving his wife’s paws. As he was lavishing his attention on them, kissing her soles, sucking her toes and breathing in the heady scent of her musk and sweat he had come to associate with her paws, he was getting hard once more.

While Moonbeak just purred contentedly in response to that, Brightstar began to suck on the very sexy toes of her left paw. “It'll be interesting to see Griffonstone again,” he said, now sucking on the right paw’s toes. “I wonder how long we'll be there before I have to fight an honour duel?”

When Moonbeak spoke next, it was with a very sleepy voice, the mix of the steam train rocking along the track, the wonderful sex and now the most excellent paw worship ever, had her dozing off. “Hopefully not, or at least after the first toast at the reception…”

“I hope not too…” Brightstar agreed, although he knew only too well that Air Raid was as tactful as a manticore in a china shop, Darkstar had her mood swings and then there was Shining Star’s state of mind to take into account. All that added up, he knew there’d be a fallout somewhere. Still, he decided to deal with it when and if it happened. For right then, the royal blue stallion was happy to keep worshipping Moonbeak's paws and toes until she fell right asleep.

~ ~ ~

“Why haven't I flown on one of these before!?” Moonbeak exclaimed once she and Brightstar were stood in their grand state room on the airship, ‘The Pride of the Sky’. Grand was an understatement. The griffon had, admittedly, never been in an equine royal palace, but she guessed this suite was something like it. Dark laquered exposed floorboards set off the lush cream coloured walls. Turquoise drapes hung at the windows and there was even a chandelier! “This is traveling in style!”

“It's my first time too my love, at least on an airship as nice as this.” Looking around, the royal blue stallion, who had actually been in Dusk’s royal suite, had to say he was very impressed indeed. Ornately carved furniture and gold decorations attested to that. “It's not bad, is it?”

Like an overgrown kitten, Moonbeak spent several moments exploring the cabin. ‘Cabin’ was doing it a disservice when it was almost as big as her treehouse. The bed alone looked like six could easily lay on it and have plenty of room. “It seems all of our luggage is here too…” a devious look flashed across her eyes, “Hmm, now what to do, what to do?”

Since he was still bound hoof-to-claw with his wife, Brightstar was dragged along for the brief and excited tour of the opulent state room. In the bedroom with her, he lit his horn and used his magic to unbutton the shirt of his uniform and he winked at her, “I have been a naughty stallion, Mistress Moon Star.”

“An annoying stallion.” Moonbeak stated, rolling her eyes at him in a manner she hoped he could understand. He was, after all, good with languages. “Maybe I'll go and sit on the deck and leave you in here to stew over your misdeeds?”

As it happened, Brightstar did speak ‘eye roll’ and, with his shirt hanging open, he groveled at Moonbeak's claws. “Please don't, Mistress, I'm sorry!” the last thing he wanted, after the romp on the train, he needed to be mounted by his wife.

“Your sorry is sorry, and that is sorry!” Moonbeak giggled, “And I'm not sorry for saying that.” Still on the floor, Brightstar burst out laughing and kissed her clawed hands as if she was a Queen, which she was, to him. “A rather good kisser, for such an annoying pony. I guess I'll keep you. besides, it’s hard to leave you behind when we're still bound together.”

“And I'm your emergency food ration, don't forget,” Brightstar pointed out helpfully as he stood up and put those lips to good use on his lover’s yellow beak.

“Yes, and I must keep you edible. Tell you what, my pony. You may pick one bag to unpack.”

With a very playful twinkle in his yellow eyes, Brightstar levitated over the one bag that he knew was packed with the fun stuff. A non-descript bag, the only clue as to what it held was the collar stitched on the top. “I think...this one, Mistress!” placing it on the luxurious bed, he floated out the grey collar as well as the stallionator, shackles and the sheath lock.

Studiously, Moonbeak looked over the toys. While they were all interesting in their own right, the thing that interested her most at the moment was the large and very accurately molded strap on. “Very interesting choice, pet.” She smiled as she started to undress him and then stopped when she realised she wasn’t going to manage it. “I'm not going to be able to get that shirt and jacket off, so I guess you'll just get all sweaty in them.”

Knowing it wasn’t the sweatiest he's ever been, Brightstar smiled, the stallion virtually bouncing on his hooves at the prospect of being mounted by his lover. “As you wish, Mistress.” He knew as well as she that, bound as they were, neither of them was getting out of clothes that went over a forelimb, for at least twenty four hours, anyway.

“You can still wear this, though.” Moonbeak took up the collar and buckled it securely around her pet’s neck, making sure of course it wasn’t too tight or uncomfortable. “Now for the real challenge. Getting this,” she pointed to the stallionator, “in me to use on you.”

“I believe I can help with that, Mistress!”

Thoughtfully, Moonbeak tapped her chin. While the standing rules was that the collar prevented the use of magic, she couldn’t see any other way they were going to get the toy in her. “I will allow magic, this once, but if you tickle me with magic I'll make you sit in a corner, and I'll sit on you.”

‘Damn...’ Brightstar thought to himself, ‘that does sound like a lot of fun...’ still, as fun as it sounded, he really wanted the griffon’s weight on his back. Now wasn’t the time to be naughty. He concentrated very hard and, lifting up the toy, he levitated the stallionator into his wife’s waiting slit.

While it was unavoidable that she would be tickled to a certain degree, Moonbeak by now from experience knew what her husband’s ‘basic’ aura felt like and she knew when he was tickling her. Rolling onto her back, she displayed herself. “You may now lube it, pet.”

“Yes Mistress,” his horn still lit, the unicorn floated over the blueberry lube from the case and he squirted a load into his mouth. Looking his Mistress in the eye, he took the toy in his mouth and, putting on a show, he applied the lube like he was blowing a real stallion. Since every time he went down on the plastic shaft, he was rubbing it in her, Moonbeak was most pleased with the show.

The oral treat was so well done that he had to use another dose of lube because he had sucked it all off. Realising he had gotten carried away, he came up for air with a blush on his face. Not that Moonbeak was complaining about that, seeing as how her green eyes were slightly glazed over. Still blushing, mostly because sucking off the cock got him all hard, he said, “I'm done, Mistress, it’s ready.”

“You did that very well, pet.” Moonbeak smiled a most predatory smile as she got up and, after some considerable pulling on her stallion’s left hoof, she was behind him. “Now, to return the favor you gave me on the train!” Rearing up, she rested her right clawed hand on his shoulder and, in position, she trusted to the generous amount of lubrication on the toy and she went straight in, screaming, “Oh, yes!”

“BuuuUUUUUUCK!” Brightstar screamed loudly, from the pleasure and the intense feeling of being stuffed, filled and having his asshole spread open by his lover. The feeling of her weight on his back was a bonus.

Once she was hilted inside him, medial ring and all, Moonbeak didn’t hold back. She rutted him like a jackhammer pounding on some concrete that had offended it. So hard was she bucking him that he was sent face first into the bed, his mewling cries and screams muffled by the duvet he was drooling on.

Every time she bottomed out inside him, he screamed ever louder, pre dribbling from his cock as his prostate was excited time and again. It didn’t take very long at all for him. The moment the head of the stallionator touched his G spot he was spurting all over the floor.

Behind him, thrusting into his deflowered and stretched hole like she was paying for it, Moonbeak didn’t notice her pet’s climax as she was caught up in her own world of euphoric bliss and she continued to pound his ass with a vigour. Brightstar’s yellow eyes crossed and unfocussed as his tongue lolled out. Due to the constant rutting, he soon came for a second time, adding to the puddle on the floor.

While Moonbeak, seemingly untiring, continued to pound away at her pet, Brightstar wondered idly if this was what having his brains rutted out felt like. He was moaning like a mare with every deep pounding thrust. Then, after a few more moments, the lube started to wear off and suddenly it was not so much fun.

“Mmmm nnnng...Mi-Mistresssss…please…” Lost in her world of pleasure, Moonbeak didn’t hear his pained grunts. She had cum three times and wanted a fourth. So, she kept up her punishing pounding pace. Underneath her, Brightstar realised she wasn’t going to stop. “AAaaaah o-o-oooow Mi-Mistress!” Now, it really was becoming painful, not uncomfortable. And not in a good way.

He had no choice. He called out, “Rose!”

The very instant she heard his safeword, Moonbeak froze. His word was like a blast of cold water thrown over her. “What?”

In pain, Brightstar panted, taking several deep breaths, the unicorn all sweaty and disheveled. “Rose, Mistress,” he repeated, making sure she heard it clearly.

“Oh!” Moonbeak gasped and, now there was no doubt what he had said, she slowly withdrew. As soon as she was looking down at his gaping, tortured asshole, she picked up the scent of blood. “I may have gotten carried away, are you going to be okay, my love?”

Trying to stand, Brightstar staggered just slightly, though he was still smiling. “Yes Mistress, I'll be fine.”

Moonbeak though didn’t seem convinced. “Do we need to see a medic?”

He shook his head. While it was painful at the end, he knew he wasn’t seriously hurt. “No, nothing that drastic,” he nuzzled her cheek in an attempt to reassure her.

“That was more intense than the last time, it...it was really good!”

“Yeah it was really good,” Brightstar chuckled, “until the last few seconds anyway.”

“You know I respect your safe word, what went wrong so we can correct it in the future?”

“It went dry, my love.” Explained Brightstar simply, affectionately kissing her beak.

“Maybe I should finish a bit sooner then, next time I rut your ass.”

“Maybe you should,” Brightstar again nuzzled and kissed her cheek. “Did you finish?”

“Many times,” Moonbeak nodded. “Come, climb onto my back. I definitely need some air after that.” Albeit a little gingerly, Brightstar hopped up onto her back. The very second they left the grand state room though, the newly married couple were met with Air Raid, Darkstar, Cyclone all bearing hastily drawn score cards. All said ten. Even Shining Star and the nurse had one, Astraea having made sure her new best friend got one. To the thunderous applause of their guests, Moonbeak carried Brightstar down the corridor and out onto the deck of the airship.

Looking over the side, the took in the view of the Celestial Sea passing by a few thousand feet below them. “Now...this is a view…” Brightstar smiled as he looked left, he could see the whole of Equestria spreading out behind them. As it was a clear day, he could even see Canterlot Mountain in the far distance. When he looked right, towards his spiritual home, he was saddened that he couldn’t see Griffonstone just yet. However, the sight of Moonbeak stood by his side, the gentle breeze blowing her white feathers, that was enough for him.

It was a sight he was determined to remember until Stormclaw welcomed him to the Grey Spires.

Moonbeak caught him looking at her and she smiled, a genuine smile that lit up her green eyes. He was stunned by the sight of her beautiful smile. His friend, lover, wife and Mistress.

It was a pretty picture alright.

It was one for the picture book.

One for the Picture Book

by Dusk Melody

Chapter 1 - The Twisted Tail

Chapter 2 - Love's Bindings

Chapter 3 - Hope Lost

Chapter 4 - The Right In Me

Chapter 5 - Better the Griffon You Know

Chapter 6 - Say You'll Be Mine

Chapter 7 - Beneath her Paws

Chapter 8 - Zephyr

Chapter 9 - Blood & Honour

Chapter 10 - What We Do For Love

Chapter 11 - What We Do For Family

Chapter 12 - Brightstar: Shadowbolt

Chapter 13 - A Little Bit Closer

Chapter 14 - Bonded By Blood, Forever Together