Choices

With The First Breath Ever Drawn Also Comes The First Step In The World.

Screams filled the room as Angel lay on her back in the bed with two mares with here, one at her left holding her hoof, the other at the end of the bed. "You're doing wonderfully, child." The mare at the end of the bed said. Angel was in the final stages of labor and giving birth to another child. She took deep yet shallow breaths in between pushes while looking down over her swollen belly to the mare at her belly. If only her husband Zuro could be here to see this was her only wish right now.

Zuro was forced to flee from home due to rising suspicions of changeling activity, so he took their first child and left to where not even Angel knows. She was alone with the only friends she could possibly trust at this point in time. She knew this child would be another changeling hybrid like her last child, so she could not take the chance of having her family discovered in a hospital. She too would have to stay in hiding until her new child could transform at will before she could go back.

The cover story they could best come up with is Zuro left for a long business trip nearly across the world, which was a bit odd since he was merely a volunteer weather pony, but it paid off. Her cover story was to leave for a vacation where the baby could be born in a healthy environment, but she'd have to explain why she never came back until the child was much older. She would think of something later, For now, all she could think about was giving birth and the amount of energy she was losing through this process.

"One more push!" The mare stated. Angel scream out as she pushed again. Soon enough, she took deep breaths of relief as the pain began to subside. The mare at the end of the bed immediately gets to work cleaning a newborn, cutting the umbilical cord, physically separating the child from the mother. She stood with a bundle in her arms and a smile on her muzzle. "It's a boy" She smiled at Angel, earning a smile from Angel. She wished Zuro were here now more than ever.

The bundle was quiet and still for a long time, gradually increasing the concern in the three mares. Angel already had enough horrors in her life since she met her husband, a stillborn in these hard times would only cause more heartbreak than ever before. "Give him here." Angel said. The mare brought him over and passed him into her arms. She looked him over as he lay in her hold, eyes closed and body still. "Come to me, my child." She pleaded.  The foal twitched. A spark of hope flooded her heart. "Come on, child." The foal gasp and began to cry, Angel's heart exploded with joy as she held her new son against her chest. The two mares smile at the two. They all look at the foal.

The first distinguishing feature about her son was his blue color. His scaly body was the exact shade of blue Zuro used as his original ponysona back when her first lived in Ponyville many years ago. His legs had no holes, which helped to feed the elusion he was more of a deformed foal at this stage instead of a changeling. His eyes were golden instead of the traditional changeling blue bug-eyes. His fangs were barely visible at all, almost non existent.

He looked up to her and cooed while reaching for her face. She leaned in with a tear-filled smile. "Hi, baby." She sobbed joyfully. He felt her muzzle curiously. After a couple seconds he cooed with what she could tell was a smile.

"What will you call him, darling?" The mare at her side asked. Angel looked him over a few times as she thought about the answer. She could call him Zuro Jr. after his father. She liked the idea, but somehow it didn't ring true for the foal in her arms. She thought about it for a few minutes as she held him up against her. He found what he was guiding him to and he latched on vigorously. She smiled at him as he started feeding.

"Perhaps we can call him, Fortem." Angel said. The mares smiled.

"Perfect." The first said.

"Very." The second agreed. All three of them smiled at Brave as he fed from Angel's teat.

Angel's only wish was for Zuro and their first child to be here to witness this. She knew and understood why it was not meant to be, but that did not change the fact.

~~)oOo(~~

Meanwhile in the mountains, where Zuro was with his family while they thought of ways to end this currently cold war against the ponies, and hopefully though peaceful means, Zuro looked out the window in the distance. The moon was full and bright, filling the horizon with Luna's beautiful work of art. But, surveying the scene was not the reason he tore his eyes from his planning with his parents and sister. It was at this moment he suddenly felt a warmth. Something that put a smile on his face. The first thing to come to mind was his wife, Angel, and at that moment he knew what had just happened.

He turned to the others. "Guys." He called. They all turn to face him curiously. He can't help but smile. "It's happened!" He said. At first they look confused. "She's given birth!" He clarifies. They smile before they cheer and embrace each other in a hug.

Angel had just given birth.