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// Chapter 8: Expecting Mother 
// Story: Silver and Foals 
// by dracone 
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															Expecting Mother



Silver and Lightning had been married for almost seven months, during that time she had spent most of her time in pony form. She had even decided that she would remain in pony form for their foal making sessions. This morning when she woke up she felt like something was different. She figured she was hungry so she went to the kitchen and made herself a few fried rice patties, no matter what she was determined to only eat vegetation (it was a decision she had made when she had lost her father, one she intended to stick regardless of circumstance).
She noticed she was much hungrier than usual after downing six of the twelve patties she had made. She brought a hoof to her stomach and a new sensation hit her, she smiled and said in a soft maternal voice, “hello there, I hope you're healthy because nothing would make me happier.” After downing the rest of patties and gulping down a few glasses of milk (the only non-vegetarian substance she was willing to consume) she wrote a note for Lightning Twist and left it in a place she knew he would see it before gently opening and closing the door on her way out and locking up. To be safe she was traveling with her new saddlebags (a wedding gift from Star Tome), the bags were a bright green with latches modeled after her pearl (Star Tome she had commissioned somepony in Cloudsdale to make them) and they were really comfortable. The only thing in them was her pearl, but that wasn't unusual.
She made the flight to Mustang, as wonderfully competent as the medical staff in Cirrus General Hospital were she was worried about  their ability to treat or examine anything about her... unique physiology. She would feel much more at ease with with somepony that was confirmed to be comfortable with what she was, and she figured a unicorn with medical spells was far better equipped to answer the questions she was mulling over in her head.
After landing in Mustang she was given a warm welcome by Cider Press and her filly of almost a year, Apple Juice. “What brings ya here taday” said Cider, that mare was talking more like her husband as of late, not that something like that was a bad thing.
Silver Fall came over and ruffled the bright orange mane of the apple red filly known as Apple Juice, or Juicy as Silver and Cider had taken to calling her, before saying, “wanted to see the doctor. You know how I'm able to influence how I look?” Cider nodded, Juicy just gave her a look of interest, “well I think I felt something that might be a foal growing inside me, but I want somepony who knows their stuff to confirm it.”
“Yah 'ear tha' Juicy,” said Cider, “yer abou' ta have a new friend.”
“For a few years at least,” said Silver Fall, “Lightning says the big wings at Weather Control are all changing out, who knows what that could mean for us in the future, not to mention since this is such a low priority area if somepony says they need more weather ponies in a higher priority zone then that's it we might have to move. I'll really miss Juicy when that happens, I helped raise her daddy and I really don't want to miss out foal-sitting her, she's first real case of me being excited about foal-sitting.
“Ah'll miss loo clue mis Silba Vaul,” said Apple Juice. The mare and dragoness smiled at the filly.
After giving Apple Juice another mane ruffle Silver Fall wished them a good day and made her way to the hospital. Mustang Medical Center was clean little rustic hospital that showed signs of being overworked by an understaffed group of medically talented ponies. She met the receptionist, a white mare with red mane, and explained the reason for her visit, fortunately the hospital wasn't very busy at the time. And a female doctor pony named Heart Touch greeted the disguised dragoness. Heart Touch had red coat and white mane with bright blue eyes and the image of a blue heart with green cross overlaying it.
“So, you came for a checkup?” she said in gentle caring voice, “any reason why here and not Cirrus?”
“I think I might be pregnant,” said Silver Fall flatly once they were in a private room with closed door.
Heart Touch did a little happy dance before saying in a professional voice, “let's check on that then,” before lowering her horn to Silver's stomach and lighting her horn in a gentle orange aura before pulling away, “you are indeed with foals,” she said with a beaming happiness, “you're carrying twins, and my spell tells me they're exceptionally healthy. Congratulations you're five weeks pregnant.”
Silver stared at the mare in surprise, if she had been in her dragon form her horns would be making a set of brilliant yellow lightning designs course all around them. After staring at the mare for a few minutes Silver Fall said, “that's wonderful news, but in most cases of hybrids I've been told they are amazingly healthy prior to birth and after birth they have a much weaker immune system than a pure pony or dragon. I want them to be healthy after birth, but I'm afraid of what's to come. These are my first children, I only want them to be healthy and happy.”
Heart Touch beamed with joy on her face as she led Silver Fall out before saying, “that's the most any parent could want for their children, I'm glad you don't have great expectations for your foals like many of the higher society families.”
“Considering that I was foal-sitting your grandparents and parents long before I met my husband,” said Silver Fall, “I've found that a strong desire for the well-being of the child without imposing our desires for what we were as children or designs for having children act as more of a proxy for us in social advancements is always a good way to alienate your children almost everything that they should be enjoying or cause them to alienate you from their lives. I probably will have to hide my children during their early years, for fear of how others would react them, and probably only let them out on Nightmare Night due the holiday allowing for their natural appearance to not cause adverse societal reactions. Their grandparents and aunt will be permitted to see them shortly after they're born, their uncles however will not since they didn't take the whole 'a dragon is joining the family' thing.”
“The way you say it only Lightning Twist's family will get to see them.”
“That's because my father died over two centuries ago and I haven't seen my mother since I was exiled by her clan,” said Silver with a sorrowful voice.
Heart Touch stopped Silver at the door and nodded the receptionist, who took a hint and left her post for a presumed coffee break, before saying, “you never told anypony about that part, did you?”
“I told Lightning, but as far as I can tell he hasn't told his family yet. I started a memorial painting of dad last week, it should be done by month's end, I might also start some work on one of mom, but without confirmation about her state it'll be an unfinished piece.”
“You should go and see her before the twins are born,” said Heart Touch.
“It's not that easy,” said Silver, “the clan has rules for the treatment of exiles, and they don't take well to hybrids at all from what I can remember.”
“What makes you say that,” inquired Heart Touch.
“Because,” said Silver pausing with what could have been emphasis, but was actually shame at what she was about to tell the medical pony, “I'm a mixed blood, to you that doesn't sound all that bad since the pony tribes have been intermingling their lines for centuries now, but for my mother's clan it's an expression that means that I'm not truly a dragon in their eyes. A mixed blood is what dragons call a dragon that has parents from two different kinds of dragons. If a Wyvern and Terra-Claw were to have offspring it would be called a mixed blood, the difference being Terra-Claws and wyverns don't really see anything wrong with intermingling bloodlines. A number of fire drake clans, including my mom's clan, look down on intermingling the bloodlines with none fire drakes. My father was a dragon from outside of the territories known to Equestria, and I like to think his personality would mean he and Princess Celestia would be good friends after just meeting each other.”
“So most of your personality traits come from your father,” said Heart Touch, Silver nodded.
After a few minutes Silver said, “my choice of diet is my doing my best to emulate my father's diet and mannerisms. Although he did have habit of pontificating long winded philosophy laden speeches, which I have no interest in duplicating. My mother, as odd as it may sound, was much more practical and preferred to keep things simple as possible. I suppose I get many of my sensibilities from her, she's probably the main reason why I fell in love with a pony.”
Heart Touch then said, “You are going to need to return to see your mother eventually, exile or not, she needs to know about the children you're having. Also you need to stop coming up with excuses as why your happiness has to be fleeting.”
“I'm not,” said Silver with sorrow in her voice, “my father and my mother's clan told me of instances where dragon hybrids didn't make it to year one, the way dad put was that the energies of two different species isn't always properly synergized in most cases and the conflicting energies prove dangerous for the children. I will say this, if they are born with health difficulties I will do everything in my power to make them survive. I have already resolved to have them as a pony and raise them in their first month as a mare, after that I'll be weaning them and having them get used to my natural state.”
“Don't you think that's a little rushed,” said Heart Touch.
“Maybe,” said Silver, “but I don't want them to get so used to my pony form they wonder where their mother is when I am in my natural state.”
“Makes sense,” said Heart Touch with a smile, “I've heard the first three months are the most important for a mother's bonding with their foals. I take you're going for a home birth, I hope to someday see what your little ones look like.”
Silver said, “maybe, but I'm worried about how other ponies could react to them, after all they're only going to be half pony. I hope they're better received than I was.”
“I told you how mixed bloods aren't well liked amongst most dragon tribes or clans in Equestria,” said Silver Fall, “how do think any would take the news of hybrids being born? Especially those that carry the blood of clan that does not take well to a mixed blood.”
“Point taken,” said Heart Touch opening the door for Silver Fall, “you'll have to face that part of your past at some point, the longer you wait the harder it will be. Your mother didn't exile you, she probably cares about you more than ever, the ones that exiled her were the family that she didn't have the strength to defy after the loss of your father.”
“It also means she was torn up when I had to leave,” said Silver Fall, “she couldn't bring herself to tend dad's garden when he passed on, she probably couldn't bring herself to even enter the cavern chamber that served as my room after I left. She probably was so torn with heartache that she felt like something was tearing her heart apart,” she started to cry, “and I was so cold back then I didn't do anything other than give her a compassionate tap on the head and ask for some of dad's gardening seeds before I left, I'm a terrible daughter and will probably be a...”
“Yah stop right thar,” said Cider Press looking the disguised dragoness in the eye, “ya may be many things, but a terrible anything ain't one ah them,” Silver walked out and Cider nodded to Heart Touch who just closed the door and the two walked, “ya've watched over the ponies in this community fer a little over a century and were just what everpony needed in ah sitter at tha time, a compassionate friend who was cold and stern with the foals so they didn't get full ah themselves or try ta get the best of yah. Yah were beyond ah wonderful sitter for me and mah family. It was 'cause of the lessons ah learned from yah that I met mah husband and had mah daughter, as far we're both concerned yer an honorary member of the family and will always say so to tha rest of the family.”
“Thanks,” said Silver, “I gave you a few good kicks in the flank when you were young, it's only fair you did the same to me every once in a while.”
Cider Press nodded with a smile as Silver took wing.

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One flight to Cirrus later and back home showed her that Star Tome was once again visiting.
“Star, why are you here? I was just out for a few minutes.”
“To see a doctor in another town,” said Star Tome, “that only means that it was something you thought would cause a panic in Cirrus, are you sick? Is it serious?”
“No, I'm not sick,” said Silver Fall, “I wanted to confirm something with a unicorn so that blood work wouldn't be needed to be run, it turns out it was good idea because I'm with foal.”
Both ponies looked at her before Star asked, “how far along?”
“Five weeks,” said Silver, “and it's twins,” at this Lightning actually fainted while Star Tome gave an excited shriek.
“I'm gonna be an aunt, oh this is so exciting, isn't it Lightning?”
“He fainted a few seconds ago,” said Silver, “he'll be back to working order in a few minutes or couple of hours.”