Denature (Oneshot) by 8 Bit Berry

 

I pushed open the door, it was hot as shit. Summer was rolling around, and I despised the heat. Just something about getting sweaty and itchy and not being able to cool off was infuriating. I couldn't afford to run air conditioning in my house, and the rusted portable fan would make a sheet of paper waving back and forth look like an intense gale.

 

I chucked my bag onto the couch and opened the fridge, grabbing a can and a bag of chips from the counter. It was another boring day at college, another grueling afternoon at work, another night of absolutely nothing to do. I rolled over onto my stomach and reached for the bedside table to grab my laptop.

 

I started it up, running through my normal routine, checking all the sites I regular for messages and updates. I browsed 4chan for a while but left early when there wasn't anything interesting going on. Stupid time zones meant that I had to get on at the crack of dawn to catch the American guys, which made up almost the whole community. I sighed and rolled back over, staring up at the ceiling with my headphones still on.

 

I could play videogames? Nah couldn't be bothered.

 

I was shot for ideas on what to do. Every day it was the same thing. Go to class, go to work, get home fuck around for an hour or two, jack off then go to bed. It was grating at my nerves with monotony.

 

I needed college to make my dreams of being a concept artist take off, I needed the job to pay for my shitty apartment, and I had just run out of interesting things to do in my spare time. I downed the rest of my drink and let out a large belch. I squished the can with my palms and threw it at the trashcan, missing by about a meter. I groaned and flopped backwards again, the springs in my mattress squeaking as they always did.

 

My phone buzzed, showing I’d gotten a text from Nick. It read:

 

“Oi Muzza, you keen for Friday?”

 

“Yeah, I’ll be there, gonna get fucking smashed. Did Jennie say she was coming?”

 

“She said she would, you’d better not wear trackies, you’ll be sailing full mast all night.”

 

“Fuck you, I'll see you then.”

 

I dropped my phone to the side and let out another sigh. I didn’t actually want to go to that party. It’d just be loud music, booze, drugs and obnoxious assholes, and that definitely wasn’t my thing. I still wanted to go, but only so I could see Jen. Fiery redhead, smart as all hell and the biggest rack I’ve ever seen. She was a bit squishy around the edges but she wasn’t overweight, just smooth and supple. I’d had my eyes on her since the start of the year but I’ve never said anything, and a party probably wasn’t the best place to ask, but still, spending time loosens the awkwardness a bit.

 

I was interrupted by my thoughts by my Skype alert tone. I craned my neck over to investigate. No one should be messaging me, my online status was set to invisible, and even then I don’t really have anyone I regularly talked to on there. On the little popup I could see I’d gotten a contact request from some guy named “Denature”.

 

I furrowed my brow, I didn’t know anyone on Steam with that handle, and none of my friends used Skype. I rolled over and put my hand to my mouse, opening up the chat window. The little introductory message read:

 

"Hello recipient: 'Murray Griffiths', the transportation has begun; do not leave your residence. It is of utmost importance. We will see you tomorrow morning.

 

Regards Denature co."

 

Well that was unnecessarily cryptic and kinda eerie. I wasn’t planning to leave at any point tonight but that message made me a bit anxious. Mysterious guy you have no knowledge of suddenly messages you, knows your name, and tells you he’ll see you tomorrow? That’s some overly creepy shit.

 

I accepted the contact request in the hopes to ask the guy some questions, but when I did ‘Denature’ was offline. “Well I guess I’m not getting any answers then.” I muttered to myself, closing my laptop and shifting it onto the table. I glanced at the clock to see that it was 12:54. Holy shit! Time had passed way too fast to be normal! All I did tonight was browse a bit! I got home at around 7!

 

I clocked it up to me dozing off, and started preparing myself for bed. I didn't quite know what to think about all this, but it didn't seem worth it to panic. It was just a cryptic message, probably a prank, and a bit of a space out. Nothing to be worried about. I still had a bit of a nagging feeling in my chest, but I was too tired to bother with it any further.

 

I lay down on my bed naked, with a thin sheet draped over my legs. It was way too hot to be covered up; I wouldn't sleep if I was. I succumbed surprisingly quickly, and I was soon bathed in the soothing blanket of sleep.

 

I had some troubling dreams that night. I dreamed of pain, sickening sounds and unintelligible garble. And also... Horses? It didn't make any sense really, and I couldn't actually feel the pain I was dreaming of, I just knew that it was pain, even though I didn't know how I knew that.

 

I just let myself dream on, the visions becoming stranger and stranger, until my mind faded into blackness.

 

~~~~~

 

I woke up with a light headache; in fact everything ached. The first thing I noticed was my body seemed... Off. It felt like most of my bones were in different places, and I couldn’t feel my hands or feet at all. My eyes shot open and I started panicking. Did someone abduct me and dislocate everything? Another thing I noticed was that it felt like I was covered head to toe in a soft blanket. It stuck to my body but didn’t feel tight. It almost felt like it wasn’t there at all, like it was a part of my body. I vouched to ignore that for now to keep my sanity.

 

Turning my head to observe my surroundings, I was shaken to find that I wasn’t in my own room anymore. It was still a bedroom but not one I recognized. The walls were a muted purple, and there wasn’t really much in the way of furniture, I couldn’t make out too much in the darkness but there seemed to be a lamp to the left of the bed I was in.

 

I tried to shuffle over to the lamp to shed some light on my situation, but my muscles wouldn’t work properly. They didn’t hurt, and I could actually move them so dislocation was out of the question. It still didn't explain why I couldn't feel my fingers, and why everything felt so wrong.

Shuffling awkwardly along the bed, I eventually managed to reach the lamp, reaching my arm out to turn it on. Oh god the silhouette of my arm was just a stump, and it was bending all the wrong ways.

 

‘Jesus Christ what the hell did they do to me?’ I thought.

 

I decided to get it over with and press the large button on the base of the lamp. I squinted at the sudden change in brightness, my vision taking a few seconds to adjust. I kept my vision trained on the wall, afraid to look at myself.

 

Taking a deep breath and bracing myself, I glanced down at my body and immediately wished I hadn’t. I wasn’t human anymore, that much was obvious. I was covered in light pink fur, from my neck to my weird stubby legs. Everything was even more off than I thought it would be. My body didn’t look anything remotely like the one I’d spent 20 years of my life in. My arms looked a lot like my legs, a pink length that ended in a slightly rounded stump, actually the end looked like a hoof, similarly colored to the fur.

I was a pink furred creature with hooves, and from what I could see to the side, a blue tail. I was completely alien.

 

I screamed like a girl. I’d usually be ashamed about that but I think this scenario is an exception. My breath caught in my throat when I realized something. My girly scream sounded a bit too girly. Panic started to take hold of me. I brought an arm up to my mouth and bit down on the fur. It wasn’t a part of me; I needed to get it off. I pulled on it hard, but it hurt too much to continue, tears welled up in my eyes and I let my arm back down on the bed.

 

I started to cry, the strangled sobs sounding much higher than they should have, which only deepened my despair. Why was this happening to me? I didn’t do anything to deserve this.

 

The door to the room I was in suddenly opened. I panicked further, trying my best to hide myself. I couldn’t let anyone see me like this. They’d send me to a lab and have me dissected and experimented on.

 

To my surprise, what came through the door wasn’t a person. It was a brown horse like creature wearing a white coat. Its mane and tail were also white, and protruding out of its head was what looked like a... Horn?

 

Before I could even process what was happening it opened its mouth and addressed me

 

 

“Ah Coral, you’re finally awake.” It said in a masculine voice.

 

I tilted my head at the use of my name. How did this horse thing know my name? I’ve never met it before.

 

I did a double take on myself. Why did I have the feeling that something was wrong with my name? I’d had it all my life. My name was Coral Palette, it always had been, why did it feel so strange?

 

It was then that I realised. That’s not a normal name. My Mum wouldn’t call me that, It couldn’t be my name. But it was all that came to mind when I tried to think of what my name was. Why couldn’t I fucking remember my name?

 

I directed my attention to my new visitor, anger painting my damp face. I’d realized that my body was very similar to his, I had been turned into a horse.

 

“What the BUCK did you do to me?!” I screamed at him, immediately bringing my ‘hooves’ to my mouth in shock.

 

That definitely wasn’t my voice, I’d noticed something off about my voice before but I didn’t pay it any mind. It was much higher and softer. It sounded almost feminine. I cleared my throat, but my voice stayed as it was. Also why did I say Buck? That didn’t feel right.

 

“Buck... Buck... Buck...” I muttered it to myself. It felt like it had the same impact as the word I used to use, even though the word wasn’t offensive. So not only was my name changed, but my vocabulary too?

 

“Miss Palette, please, there’s no need for that kind of language.” The Brown horse said to me, his expression remaining neutral.

 

Realisation flooded over me at the use of the word ‘Miss’. I franticly reached my hoof out to feel for the familiar manhood I’d had all my life.

 

It was gone.

 

While I was desperately feeling around for any remnants of my pride and joy, my hoof brushed against something down there which caused me to flinch and sent shivers down my spine. I craned my neck to get a better look at where my manhood was supposed to be, only to come face to face with a very horse like vagina. I froze and moved my head back into a lying position. It was all too much for me to handle.

 

I did my best to curl myself into a ball with my new four legged body, letting the tears flow once again. I had cried more that morning than I had in the past year. I chalk it up to either hormones, or the fact that I was turned a BUCKING PINK ALIEN HORSE.

 

I felt something rest on my shoulder, making me turn my head to see what it was. It was the brown stallion... Stallion? I assumed that’s what it was called, I guess that would make me a mare. He was wearing a sympathetic look on his face, and tried to reassure me that everything was going to be ok.

 

I shrugged his hoof off my back

 

“G-get the h-hay offa me...” I said with a shaky voice. My eyes were stained with fresh tears and I was shaking all over.

 

I heard the ring of a doorbell outside the room, the brown stallion turning toward the door.

 

“Ah, that’ll be him. I’ll just go tell him that you’re ready”

 

‘Ready?’ I thought, ‘Ready for what?’

 

He wasn’t gone for long, he re entered the room with another stallion in tow. As soon as I laid eyes on him my heart rate increased. An all white stallion stood in the doorway, watching me with his ice blue eyes. His mane and tail were a brilliant cobalt, with lighter highlights streaking through. What struck me most though, were the wings. He had two wings furled on his back, much like a Pegasus from those old Greek stories I used to love so much. On his flank was what looked like some sort of bird of prey, but I couldn’t tell from that distance.

 

I caught myself staring at his muscular behind. Why was I so captivated by this new stallion? So what if he had beautiful eyes... and a great build... And powerful wings...

 

GAH! I mentally kicked myself. I did NOT find an alien horse attractive! I was a straight human male! I loved boobs... And pussy! And... Ass. As I thought about ass my gaze wandered back to the flanks of the new stallion in the room, a wave of warmth spreading between my legs. My mind was going a mile a minute. All the things that used to turn me on weren’t doing anything, and this alien horse that I’ve never seen before is making me hornier than I’ve ever been before!

 

“Wow,” the newcomer spoke up, “She’s even more beautiful than I expected! Excellent work Soul.”

My heart fluttered at him calling me beautiful. Why did that make me happy? I should have been disgusted, and I was... But this stallion, everything about him was amazing.

 

“Oh don’t praise me; the appearance is the work of the gap. I merely conducted the transport.” The brown one replied.

 

I was confused. Was I a product? A lab experiment? This didn’t seem like a facility. Why was the white one talking to the brown one as if he did a good job on... Me?

 

“W-what’s going on?” I asked, uncertainty gripping my voice, reducing it to almost a whisper.

 

“Oh wow that accent! I’ve never met a Horsetralian mare before!” The white stallion said as he smiled at me, “It’s damn sexy I gotta say.”

 

I couldn’t help the blush that rose to my cheeks, I turned away trying to hide the fact. I turned back, regaining my resolve and raised my voice.

 

“T-tell me what the buck you did to me! Why am I here?!” I tried and failed to sound confident.

 

The brown stallion spoke up, “You’ve been re-purposed.”

 

When I cocked my head in confusion, he continued.

 

“Eagle eye here paid a pretty penny for me to fetch him the perfect mare for companionship. It is the purpose of the Denature facility. So here you are.”

 

“B-but where is here?”

 

“You are in Equestria. And you will stay in Equestria.”

 

“I didn't want this!” I yelled, anger becoming present in my voice.

 

“Yes, but I have to get the soul somewhere, and it makes more sense to take creatures that technically don’t exist, if a pony were used, friends and family would question.”

 

I stared at him in shock. “I HAVE friends and family! What the buck is wrong with you?! Change me back!”

 

He kept his calm demeanor. “You don’t anymore; you didn't exist here before, now you don’t exist where you used to be, you never existed. Planar travel affects events in mysterious ways. Technically someone could pull you back, but your universe contains no magic, and the power I use can only take souls from other planes, it cannot send them back.”

 

I looked down at my hooves, the reality of my situation crashing down on me.

 

“W-why me?” I managed to murmur.

 

“You were selected at random, as they always are. Your plane is ideal as our worlds are not overly different and adaption during and after the gap is more streamlined.”

 

I hung my head in defeat. There was nothing for me to do, I was stuck here, I’d never see my friends again, and I’d never see my Mum again. My eyes blurred as tears once again began to fall. I did my best to hold them back, not wanting to show weakness in front of the ones that did this to me.

 

I jumped when I felt large hooves wrap themselves around me. I turned my head to see the white Pegasus stallion Eagle Eye, sitting on the bed with me, a concerned look on his face. I wanted to shove him off me, but I didn’t think I had the strength. Everything was wrong; I didn’t know who I was anymore.

 

Everything was too much for me to handle, and I broke out into sobs, burying my muzzle into his chest. I could feel and hear him stroking my back, whispering comforting words into my ear. I just let out all my emotion into Eagle’s soft fur, gripping at him with my hooves.

 

I knew in the back of my mind that he was the one responsible for this happening to me and I should hate him for it, but I didn’t care. His embrace was warm and secure, his voice was soothing. Eventually my sobbing died down, and I was left just basking in the powerful stallion’s embrace. I looked up at him, gazing into his beautiful eyes. He gave me an encouraging smile and squeezed me a bit tighter.

 

“Better?” he asked.

 

I looked down a bit, another blush rising, “Y-yeah.”

 

I heard ‘Soul’ cough and address us. “I’ll give you two some time alone.”

 

As he left, the implications of this sunk in. ‘the perfect mare for companionship.’ I was going to be this stallion’s mate. I knew I should have been disgusted but instead I was unbelievably aroused. Eagle Eye spoke up, “So the doc never told me what name you ended up with, what’s your name Darling?” I could feel the bass in his voice, being pressed up against his chest. It made me want him even more.

 

I hesitated before answering him, uncertainty still lacing my voice. “My name is... Coral... Coral Palette.” Eventually the uncertainty faded away. That name WAS my name, it was too familiar to deny.

 

He smiled, “A beautiful name for a beautiful mare.” The butterflies in my stomach went full force, the blush on my cheeks deepening.

 

Eagle surprised me when he shifted, pulling me off him and lying me down on my back. I could have fought against it, but I trusted him. He radiated security and I couldn’t help feeling hugely attracted to him. His attractiveness didn’t bother me in the slightest anymore. I was still straight.

 

I didn’t even notice how warm my genital region was getting at this point, all I knew was: I’m in bed with the most handsome stallion in the world, and he’s likely going to buck me. ‘oh,’ I thought, ‘that’s why it’s a swear...’

 

Eagle loomed over me, his front hooves on either side of my shoulders. His wings were spread wide in display, and it definitely worked. He looked so powerful, his toned body giving off an aura of health and strength. He’d be the perfect stallion to have foals with.

 

My mind came to a halt, and my blush flared up again. Not even an hour after meeting this guy and I’m already thinking about kids?! What the buck is wrong with me?!

I could see a look of realization grace his beautiful face. He smiled knowingly at me.

 

“I know those feelings are strange, but you’re in heat, that’s completely natural.”

 

“I-in heat?”

 

He nodded, “Yes, but don’t worry, we’ll use protection until you’re ready.

 

I turned my head away, my mind racing. “B-but I do want to! I want to have your foals!”

 

He chuckled, “I know Coral, but sorry, we can discuss kids off season. Don’t worry honey, I’ll still make you feel amazing.”

 

I shivered as he bent down to bite softly on my neck, my hips grinding against the air. I noticed the smell now, it had been there since Eagle Eye came into the room, only now did I know what it was. It was the scent of my arousal.

 

I moaned at his teasing, desperately needing release, The warmth in my marehood had escalated and I could think of nothing but Eagle mounting me. He was pressed up against me, my muzzle buried in his shoulder. He continued the teasing, whispering in my ear and rubbing against me. His hoof brushed across my burning sex, making me gasp. He didn't go past there, and left me even more aroused than before.

 

“Eagle p-please!” I moaned, my voice dripping with lust. “I need you!”

 

I squirmed under him, panting and whining occasionally. My scent in addition to my noises must have had an effect on him, as I felt something large and warm against the fur on my stomach. I couldn't look down, but I knew what it was.

 

He pulled himself off me a bit, coming face to face with me, his eyes half lidded with arousal. I had a clear view of his throbbing cock now. It was huge! Almost as big as one of my forelegs! My eyes widened at the sight of it, and my arousal only grew.

 

I looked back up into his eyes, a small smirk on his face. I was breathless and soaking wet, I needed him. I needed him to buck me until I couldn’t walk.

I suddenly moved my head forward and planted a kiss on his lips. His eyes widened for a moment, before he returned it. His equine tongue exploring my mouth. I moaned into him, the kiss amplifying my need. After what seemed like an eternity, he broke the kiss, looking down at me with a satisfied grin.

“E-eagle... I-I don’t know how much longer I can take this!”

 

He responded by kissing me again, this time rubbing a free hoof across my lubricated marehood. I gave off a guttural moan, my hips bucking against his hoof and my mouth allowing him complete control. Just as I was about to explode, he abruptly stopped, breaking the kiss and moving his hoof away from my crotch.

 

I was panting; I looked at him, a disappointed look on my face. Why wouldn’t he let me cum? After a small time, he descended on me again, his hoof rubbing at me as he bit down gently on my left ear causing me to whinny in unconstrained arousal.

 

I didn't know how long this went on for. It could have been hours for all I knew. Eagle’s dexterous hooves constantly brought me to the brink of orgasm, but held back at the last second, letting me fall back down again.

 

It was torture, and I loved it.

 

Eventually he lifted himself up off me, standing at the end of the bed, looking around in the bag he was wearing when he came in. I gave a whine of disappointment, my hips still bucking at nothing. He can’t leave me now! I need him! I love him!

 

To my excitement and relief, he wasn't packing up. He turned back around, his gargantuan cock now covered with what looked like a light film. It was barely noticeable, and made his cock look more slick and shiny.

 

He walked back over to the bed, watching me the entire time. I whined and squirmed on the bed in anticipation, muscles in my abdomen going off every now and again against my own accord. I could only assume I was winking.

 

“Turn over.” He commanded.

 

I immediately rolled onto my stomach, my marehood completely exposed to him. I knew what was in store, and the anticipation was killing me. I let out a small yelp when I felt his powerful hooves slide me back on the bed, my hind legs falling off the back of the bed and my genitals on display.

 

He gave a snort of approval and I soon felt a weight on my back. I turned my neck around to see him on top of me, his hips placed close behind my sex, and his front hooves wrapped around my hips for leverage. His head was close to mine, and he came in for another kiss. There was something about being kissed from behind that sent off fireworks in my brain.

 

I knew what was coming next, and the light pressure on my folds confirmed my guesses. I expected him to dive right in. To hilt inside me and buck me raw, but he didn’t. He pushed past my boundaries slowly and gently, making me gasp and moan with lust. He continued to penetrate me, my mind barely contemplating what was happening. It was such an alien feeling, having something so large inside me. I could feel every inch as it slowly slid into me.

 

It hurt a bit, but the pain was quickly dissolved into more pleasure. When he was almost all the way inside, he abruptly thrust forward, causing me to scream with pleasure as he was completely hilted inside me. It felt like his cock was touching my stomach, it was unreasonably big.

 

He pulled out again and thrust forward again, bringing out more moans from me. He eventually built up a rhythm, grunting as he bucked me long and hard, his hooves keeping me in place.

I was in another world. The feeling of penetration was so intense, and I was unable to think of anything but the stallion rutting me.

 

“Eagle!” I screamed, coming dangerously close to an orgasm.

 

He let out a strangled grunt, I could feel his thrusts getting more erratic and jerky, he was close too.

 

I screamed as I experienced an orgasm over an hour in the making. My small body thrashed around underneath him, the walls of my vagina clamping down on his shaft. This set him off as well, as I felt his head flare out and the film around his cock begin to inflate with his seed. Oh how I wanted that seed inside me.

 

We were both left panting, basking in the afterglow. That was more intense than anything else I’d ever felt, after a time, He pulled himself out of me, making me gasp as my extremely full hole was suddenly vacated.

 

With a wet *pop* His cock left my hole and swung down below him. The condom slipped off, sending a torrent of thick cum splattering to the ground. He exhaled and smiled at me, walking up to bring me into another deep kiss, which I eagerly accepted.

 

We ended up lying together in the bed, myself wrapped in his strong embrace.

 

“I know you can cum more than once but I think I’m spent. Sorry Coral”

 

It was true, I was definitely still aroused, but I was satisfied enough to let it slide. I nodded and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

 

“I know, you did great Honey.” It felt great calling him that. He was my stallion, and I was his mare.

 

He tightened his hug and turned his head away, seemingly thinking.

 

“Are you really OK with this? Do you really want to be with me?”

 

I lifted a hoof to turn his head back to face me.

 

“Yes. And I don’t even care if it’s because of brainwashing because I’ve never been happier. You’re the most handsome stallion in the world and I can’t wait to spend my life with you.”

 

This was me now; I was completely content being with Eagle Eye. The future looked brighter than ever, and I couldn’t help feel giddy about it.

 

He seemed to relax, smiling as he stroked my mane with a hoof.

 

“I love you, Coral.”

 

“I love you too, Eagle.”

 

 

 

 

--EPILOGUE--

 

 

 

 

I stepped back from the canvas, moving the brush to the side of my mouth. I contemplated what my work needed, settling for continuing the lighting of a skyscraper in the background. A detailed view of Melbourne was coming together, fueled by my past experience. I couldn’t remember it EXACTLY but there was enough for me to come pretty darn close.

 

Many critics described my work as, “A fascinating and inspired take on metropolitan fantasy.” Which I wasn’t disappointed with at all. My painting provided decent income, and painting with my mouth was surprisingly easy to pick up. My ‘Cutie Mark’ resembled an artist’s palette with many hues of pink and blue blotched on the front, indicating art as my special talent. It fit my namesake perfectly.

 

I was distracted by the door clicking behind me. I glanced behind me to see my husband, adorned in his royal guard uniform. I placed my brush in the little jar of water beside me, turning around to face him, smiling.

 

I walked over and nuzzled him, he returned it happily.

 

“Heading off?” I asked, giving him a small kiss on the cheek.

 

He nodded, “Yeah, my shift starts a bit early today. I should be back around 4”

 

I brought him into a small kiss, savoring the feeling of being close to him. He broke it off and grinned.

 

“I’m the luckiest guy in Canterlot, you know that?”

 

I laughed, “You’re not really lucky per se. Nopony else would be good enough.” I used the pony terminology without thought. It was second nature at this point.

 

He chuckled in response, giving me one last peck on the cheek before turning to leave.

 

“You’d better wake up Silver Script; he’s still got school today and he’s not listening to me.”

 

“Of course honey, have a great day and be safe.”

 

“I could say the same for you Coral, don’t work yourself too hard today.”

 

He gave me a warm smile and with that he was out the door. I could hear the clop of his hooves on the stone pavement outside. I sighed, I felt like the luckiest mare alive. I had a wonderful family, a comfortable house. It all felt a little too good to be true.

 

I left my study, making my way toward the kitchen. A red Pegasus filly was sitting on a stool at the bench, munching away happily at her cereal. Her eyes lit up when she saw me, and she hopped off her perch and rushed over toward me, her wings flapping and giving her some leverage.

 

“Good morning Mommy!” she shouted as she crashed into me, wrapping my neck in a tight hug.

 

“Oof!” I leaned back a little with the extra weight, smiling and ruffling her hair with a hoof. “Careful Raspberry, your Mum’s carrying an extra passenger, remember?” I mentioned my distended midsection and let her down.

 

“That just means I gotta hug you twice as much!”

 

I giggled at her reasoning.

 

“Come on now, it’s almost time for school.”

 

She nodded enthusiastically, shouting something about her and her friends having something planned for today as she ran off to her room.

 

I smiled, picking up her almost empty bowl and placing it in the sink. I’d clean it up later. I walked down the hall to the door of my son’s room. Not even bothering to knock. I walked right in, dodging the mess on the floor, and tugged on the cord of the blinds, bathing his room in the morning sunlight.

 

I heard a groan of protest from the lump in the bed. It shifted to try and turn away from the brightness. I was having none of it.

 

“Up and at em’ Silver, I’m only telling you once.”

 

He merely grunted in dissent, moving the sheet to cover his head, his muzzle sticking up in the air under the cover. I took this opportunity to wrench the covers off of his bed, laughing as he groaned again.

 

“If you know what’s good for you you’ll be out the door before 8, you can’t be late again young man.”

 

I trotted out of his room, knowing that he’d get up eventually. I knew that he knew I wouldn’t let him hear the end of it if he didn’t get to class on time. I’d spoken to his teachers enough in the past few weeks for me to be fed up with it.

 

Once the kids were ready and out the door, I cleaned up the table and walked back to my study, picking up my painting where I left off.

 

I felt the baby kick and I smiled. Life really couldn’t be much better than it was.

 

END