Body Heat

by InTheStands

Rating: mature
Tags: Romance, Sex, Braeburn, Slice of Life, Little Strongheart, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 4525

Little Strongheart and Braeburn turn a stargazing date into something more.

After the events of 'Over a Barrel', Little Strongheart and Braeburn have gotten close, which came as no surprise to anypony who wasn't blind.
One night, on a stargazing date, the stallion and cow (read: female buffalo) find themselves giving in to their increasingly overwhelming affection for one another...
Inspired by a comment on my user page by Dr-J33, and a recently piqued interest in the HeartBurn pairing. Critiques are accepted.

Published 2012-08-13 04:14:02 UTC
Last updated 2012-08-13 04:14:02 UTC

Making a Cold Night Warm

I claim no ownership of "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic". All characters and properties are copyrighted to Hasbro and Lauren Faust. I claim ownership only of the following story.

Far out in the desert of Equestria, there exists a town that shouldn't be. A small town that, for all intents and purposes, should not still be habitable. All purposes, that is, except for its enormous apple orchard, providing a major source of food, drink, and for a short time, hostility.

Appleloosa was barely established for a year before the settling ponies began to come into conflict with the buffalo who used the land for stampeding grounds. Despite outside help, the conflict grew into a full-on fight within the town itself. That is, until the buffalo leader, Chief Thunderhooves, took an apple pie to the face and tasted it.

The event led the ponies and buffalo to an agreement: In exchange for the land that Appleloosa rested on, the buffalo would be given the baked apple goods and a road would be paved in between the town's enormous apple orchard in order for the stampedes to continue. With that, peace and harmony was restored between the two species.
And made way for several more exchanges between them.

Ever since the agreement, one male pony and one female buffalo were being seen together more and more. Nothing official had come up in the beginning, but rumors then began to spread of a possible romance between the two - especially since the same pony and buffalo were said to have been willing to talk out an agreement long before the fighting began.

Before anypony could ask the two themselves, though, Chief Thunderhooves was the first to make an announcement, to the chagrin of the pair: Braeburn Apple was courting Little Strongheart.

The general reaction was a similar one to being told that water is wet. But to the couple, they realized that thanks to the chief, the suspicions were quelled and their relationship did not need to be hidden.

Now, however, came the questions of how far along their relationship was. Again, these questions were quieted, but this time under the threat of being cited for harassment, giving the couple not only a sense of privacy, but time to fully think out an answer themselves.

§§§

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" The red-orange coated female buffalo asked the earth pony next to her. The white, black-tipped feather in her purple headband gently writhed in the softly-blowing wind.

"I'd say so," The yellow stallion sporting a vest and cowboy hat nodded, shaking his light orange mane along with his head. "I gotta admit, I never really stared up at the sky until now."

The two were just outside the town limits, having set up a campfire. Night had fallen a short while ago, giving way to the clear white moonlight and the twinkling of countless stars. Little Strongheart, the buffalo, and Braeburn Apple, the stallion, were laying in a mass of blankets that Strongheart had brought for the night out, allowing them to create a sort of bed on the desert ground as they stared up at the cosmic ceiling that was the sky. Feeling the cold wind around them, they sank deeper into their blankets for warmth.

Strongheart spoke again. "It's almost impossible to believe. Princess Luna, banished high up there for a thousand years."

Braeburn nodded again. "M-hm. Bet she had a perfect view of the night, though."

The young cow turned to her companion. "The best spot to watch the stars doesn't mean anything if you don't have a loved one to watch with you."

The stallion turned to her in response, looking into her eyes before smirking. "Like how you're watching them with me?"

This instantly caused the buffalo to blush. "In a way," she answered.

Braeburn smiled still. "Now don't get all bashful on me. You, me and everypony in town knows what's going on with us. And the ponies I see say we had a lot in common. Most mares I knew were either too stuck-up or too unwilling to work." He sighed. "But then I heard about you. How you took charge whenever you could to help your herd. How willing you were to compromise and plan. How ready you were to talk with a pony - especially one like me."

Strongheart scoffed. "And what's wrong with you? Just like me with your ponies, you were the one willing to settle differences and speak with me, a buffalo. The same buffalo who belonged to a herd that..." She trailed off, but finished her sentence with a whispered, "That tried to drive all of you away."

"You and your herd wanted your land back," Braeburn reassured her. "You were entitled to every last acre, but we didn't know anything about you 'til it was too late."

The buffalo sighed before looking back up at him, sadly. "Braeburn...? Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Do you...do you have...doubts about us?"

The night wind whistled through the air as the couple fell silent. Braeburn pursed his lips.

"What kinda doubts are you having?"

Realizing he saw right through her, Strongheart's ears fell low. "I've never met any pony or any buffalo like you, Braeburn. But some nights ever since we began seeing each other, I've wondered where we would be today if things gone differently. Would there still be an Appleloosa? Would we have still hated each other - maybe to the point of a more serious battle?" She shook her head as she felt her eyes mist over. "Would we....even know each other's names?"

Braeburn grew worried. "Strongheart...what are you getting at?"

The buffalo put a small hoof to her trembling lips before continuing. "I...I don't know if...if all of this is just coincidence. Were we just at the right places? At the...right time?" She felt the tears in her eyes growing. "I don't know...if we really belong together."

That was all Braeburn Apple needed to hear. He grabbed Little Strongheart by the shoulders and gently made her turn to face him. He could see the tears beginning to run down her face. He spoke clearly and firmly. "Now listen good, Strongheart. I want you to take whatever doubts you have, and throw them clean out of your head. If this was coincidence, you'd just be another dainty mare. But this...this is something else. A pony? With a buffalo? The two of us able to get past everything else and see what's really there? This ain't coincidence, Little Strongheart." He leaned in towards her. "This is love. I love you."

More tears began to leak out of Strongheart's eyes. But they were falling as she smiled up at him and his words. "I love you too, Braeburn."

Smiling back at her, he pulled her in for a hug. As he rubbed her back, he whispered to her. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I just didn't know how you'd react," She replied. "You were always so happy with me, and I didn't know if asking that would get you upset."

Braeburn laughed and shook his head. "I was happy 'cause you were happy. Any problems we might have, you know I'd do what I can to fix them. But I gotta know what the problem is, first. And keeping the problem away from me for that long only hurts us. Hurts you." He broke away from the hug to look at Strongheart again. "Now do you feel better?"

The buffalo nodded her answer immediately. "Yes. Thank you."

"Any time."

They spent the next few seconds looking into each other's eyes. Before either of them knew it, they were leaning into each other and their lips connected. Soft moans were exhanged between their mouths as they pressed into each other more and wrapped their forelegs around each other once again. The kiss lasted for a while before the two broke off. Smiling at each other, Braeburn plucked his hat off of his head, letting his mane free. Strongheart smiled at this, but then grew nervous when she realized he removed his vest as well, leaving him completely naked.

"Braeburn?" She asked loudly, earning a concerned look from her companion. "Are...are you..."

"Am I what?"

"Is this what I think it is?" The buffalo scooted away from him, growing scared. "Are we about to...mate?"

Braeburn's eyes widened. He was letting his instincts get the better of him. Blushing a bit, he picked his vest back up. "I'm...I'm so sorry, Strongheart. I didn't mean to scare you like that at all." He nudged away as well, looking for his hat. "I...oh, horseapples." He sighed and bowed his head. He blew it harder than perhaps anyone had ever blown it. He kept this position for a moment until looking back up at her. "At least you snapped me out of it before it really got out of hoof." Putting down his vest, he looked at Strongheart more intently, noticing she was calming down slightly. "Please don't let this get between us. I don't have the slightest idea what I'd do if I lost you. Especially if it was my fault."

Strongheart grew saddened, causing her to move closer to him. "You don't have to worry about losing me, Braeburn. It would take more than that to drive me away." She noticed no change in his mood, recongizing his face as the face of a pony mentally kicking himself. Now it was her who grabbed him and made him look at her. "I just...didn't know you felt for me that much, is all. That you were willing to take the next step and...make love to a buffalo."

Braeburn smiled slightly. "You're talking as if you're not worth it. But now that I think about it...it would be our first time. I have no idea if it's gonna be any good, and if it ain't, then I'd be taking away your innocence just for the hay of it. I'd feel even more selfish then."

Strongheart listened intently to Braeburn's lamentations. But then she felt her face growing warm as she realized something. "Braeburn. Have you ever...pleasured yourself?"

Braeburn immediately blushed along with her. "Masturbated? I, uh...yeah. Quite a bit, too," he confessed, not wanting to lie to her. Strongheart nodded, smiling a little.

"Well...so have I. Ever since..." The buffalo shrank back shyly. "Ever since I...met you."

Braeburn didn't know whether to feel surprised or flattered, but he let her continue. Strongheart looked back at him. "I know you're getting uncomfortable, but let me say this: We both know how it feels. If we can...maybe...guide each other...then it won't be so bad."

"Wait, wait," The stallion tried to follow her. "You're saying...you want to do this? Right now?"

Strongheart noticed he was growing just as scared as she was getting earlier. She remembered Braeburn's earlier advice, then let her expression harden. "You told me to throw away any doubts I had about us. I have no doubt that I love you, Braeburn. And I love you enough to try this with you. If you don't want it, then I don't want it. But I'm ready."

Braeburn flashed a full smile at his companion, deciding to press his nose against hers in a nuzzle. "I love you too, Little Strongheart. And...I'd be honored to show how much I love you."

The two of them realized that Braeburn was already unclothed. Strongheart gently removed her headband and rested it with the stallion's hat and vest. They now wore only the fur they were born with.

The two embraced and kissed again, this one deeper than before. They allowed their forearms to travel up and down each other's spines, pausing to take in the feel of each others' fur.

They broke away, backing away from each other to take in the view of each other. Braeburn smiled as he let his eyes take in the sight of his lanky buffalo lover. Strongheart's eyes, however, traveled down and stopped. Following her line of sight, Braeburn looked down between his legs.

"I take it you never saw one on a stallion, before," Braeburn observed. Strongheart shook her head and answered negatively. Braeburn smiled in understanding. "Strongheart...D'you mind if I...uh...touch you?"

She fully understood just what kind of 'touch' he meant. She leaned back, resting her head on the rolled-up blanket that served as their pillow for the night. Braeburn moved up until he was laying by Strongheart's side in a semi-spooning position. He wrapped a foreleg around her and placed his head on the small of her neck, nuzzling it gently. Strongheart embraced these tender shows of affection until she felt a sudden burst of pleasure.

Looking down, she saw his other foreleg going around and resting on her cowhood. She bit her lip as she felt his hoof slowly and carefully slide up and down in her most sensitive of areas.

"Tell me where," Braeburn whispered to her. "Where you want me to touch you."

"Lower," Strongheart moaned out. "Higher." She reveled in both giving orders to the stallion and in the instant gratification she recieved as he carried them out.

Her moaning was interrupted by a sharp gasp as she felt him go faster. She even began to feel his erection pressing against her back as Braeburn began rubbing himself against her. She vocalized louder, realizing what was soon coming next.

A few more seconds passed before Strongheart felt the familiar tingle; The growing buildup of pleasure that acted as a harbinger of what was to come. "Braeburn!" She called out his name, her cry intermingling with her moaning. "I'm almost there!"

"You wanna get there?" Braeburn smiled as he kissed her neck. "Do you?"

"YES!" She was growing impatient. She knew he was teasing her. His response was to give her neck a lick and fondle her gentials even faster. The result were instantaneous.

Strongheart's cup had run over almost immediately. She screamed out as she felt her lower half spasm, her back legs bending and partially holding his foreleg in place. They kept the position for a good few seconds until she went limp. Even though her back was turned to him, with the leg he had wrapped around her, Braeburn could feel her inhaling and exhaling, trying to catch her breath. Taking a loose piece of one of the blankets, he dried off his now-soaked hoof. He then stood up, treaded carefully over her, and laid back down so that they both looked right at each other. "Take your time, darling," Braeburn reassured her. "I'll be right here."

She motioned for him to edge closer to her, allowing the two of them to embrace each other. After a moment, Strongheart patted his back. "I...think I'm ready."

He broke the hug as they sat up at the same time. She looked back down between his legs. She asked, "Do you want me to touch you as well?"

Braeburn thought as Strongheart waited for her answer. "Once I come, it's gonna be a while before I can get fired up again."

Strongheart simply nodded. "Just tell me when to stop, and I will."

The male pony laid back, propping himself up on his forelegs. Strongheart crawled up to him until her head was almost right over his member. Hesitating for a moment, she reached out a hoof to lightly stroke the two orbs beneath his shaft. She looked up as he closed his eyes and let his mouth hang open slightly.

She stopped rubbing, and instead placed her hoof right on his penis. She slowly let it trace its length down, then up, prompting Braeburn to exhale loudly. Strongheart continued her up-and-down pattern, drawing back slightly when she felt it move and throb.

She looked up at him, taking note of the ecstasy visible on his face. "It's up to you. Faster? Slower?"

Braeburn glanced down at her, the pleasure delaying his comprehension of her question. Finally, he decided, "Faster."

He finally laid flat on his back, letting Strongheart service his stallionhood. In an attempt to do his part to increase the pleasure, he began bucking upwards slightly, quickly finding a rhythm with her strokes.

He had no idea how much time passed. He did know, however, that a familiar feeling was beginning to arise. He had told her earlier about wanting to avoid climax. But right now, he was debating whether that was a consequence he would accept or not.

He shook his head as he felt the tingling grow. He was not about to let his penis make his decisions for him. "Strongheart - stop!" He called out. He sighed as he felt the buffalo slow down her hoof to a stop. He peered down to see her looking back up at him with concern. He caught his breath as he motioned for her to lay beside him again.

Braeburn rubbed the back of his head as he laid down on his back. "I, uh...wanna give it some time to go down."

The buffalo grew confused. "But doesn't it need to...stay up if we're going to mate?"

The stallion turned to her, looking into her eyes. "That's the thing. I don't wanna come too early if we do. And that was some fine work you were doing, If you'll let me say so." Strongheart felt herself blushing at his comment as he continued. "As for getting to the actual mating...I want to be completely sure you want this. If you want us to stop, we'll stop. You want to sleep, we'll sleep. But you have to tell me. I don't want you thinking you have to do this 'cause I want to."

Strongheart listened to his words, slowly taking them in. Once she realized he stopped, she gave him her answer. "If I felt you were making me do this, I'd have been gone by now. I know I had doubts earlier...but there's not a single doubt I have that you're one of the greatest males I've met, pony or buffalo." She laughed. "I just don't know how it'll really work with our different builds, is all."

Braeburn smiled at this. "We'll make it work. We just need to find the right way to do it."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean it doesn't have to be me on top of you. Grab my hooves."

She obeyed, and let her hooves wrap around his. He pulled her up to a standing position, then moved underneath her. "Okay, now sit," he told her.

"On your stomach?"

"Just try it, I'll be fine." She carefully sat down on him, putting more weight on her hind legs than her rear.

Braeburn placed his hooves on either side of her flank. "So how is it?"

Strongheart looked around her, stopping to look down at him. "It's...strange. But I think it could work."

Braeburn nodded, then repositioned himself until Strongheart felt something hit her from behind. She immediately knew what it was. Gently, she lifted herself higher, letting him move further. She was now hovering just above his stallionhood.

Braeburn gulped quietly. "You ready, sugar?"

Strongheart looked down at herself, then down at Braeburn. She nodded and smiled.

Working as one, the two lowered the buffalo down onto the stallion's erection. Both drew in a sharp breath; The feeling was unlike anything either of them felt before. They took a moment to get used to the pressure before Braeburn spoke up again. "Okay...NOW are you ready?"

"Yes," Strongheart immediately answered.

Taking deep breaths, the stallion placed his hooves on the buffalo's hind legs, guiding her as she slowly bounced up and down on top of him. The feeling of having him inside her overwhelmed Strongheart in more ways than one.

Braeburn, meanwhile, took in the sight; Little Strongheart, the one female that managed to completely steal his heart, willingly giving herself to him while he did the same for her. The idea alone was enough to make him want this night to last forever.

Suddenly, Strongheart let out a cry. Braeburn, having felt something, quickly realized this was a shout of pain. "Strongheart?!" He asked, worried. The buffalo pressed her front hooves on his chest, biting her lip. Tenderly, he touched one of her hooves with one of his, stroking it gently. "Strongheart? Darling?"

Finally she looked at him, brow furrowed and catching her breath. Braeburn still looked on, concerned. "I...I just...deflowered you, didn't I?" He realized it was a stupid question - they were both virgins, and they knew it - but he had to make sure it didn't hurt any more than it was supposed to.

Strongheart nodded, taking in a breath through her nose. She exhaled as he spoke again. "I...I'm sorry."

The buffalo looked at him, and smiled. "What for?" She sighed, and leaned back. "I'm ready. Keep going."

Not wanting to disappoint her, Braeburn moved along with her until they found their momentum again.

The passage of time was completely ignored by the two of them as the buffalo impaled herself again and again, going faster and faster. In a short while, though, the familair waves of pleasure began to make themselves known.

"Braeburn...!" Strongheart moaned out. "I'm...not going to last long!"

"Wanna switch?" Braeburn responded, trying to ignore his impending climax. She slowed down to a stop as she looked at him in confusion. He sighed, thankful that it can be dragged out a bit longer.

"Switch?" She asked.

"Yeah," the stallion nodded. "Come on. Get up." He helped her on her legs as he stood on his. "Okay...now lay down. On your back."

Strongheart did as she was told, resting her head on the 'blanket pillows' once more. She observed as Braeburn stood over her, watching as he took in the sight of her in such a submissive stance. Likewise, she let her eyes snake downwards, taking in his barrel, his legs, and finally, his erection, still sticking outwards and towards her vagina like an arrow to a bullseye. She looked back up into his eyes.

"You ready, sugar?" Braeburn asked, and was met with a firm nod. He leaned downwards, and the two closed their eyes, letting another kiss connect them. As they embraced, Braeburn let his lower half sink into Strongheart's, connecting the two of them sexually once more.

They broke away from their kiss, gasping and moaning as the stallion began to slide in and out of his buffalo mate. Strongheart responded by wordlessly vocalizing, gripping Braeburn's shoulders with her hooves.

Quickly, the pony began to thrust faster, forcing the female to bend her hind legs and allow her lower half to move with his.

Braeburn shut his eyes, gritted his teeth, and allowed his lips to form a smile. This felt completely right to him, almost as if, despite differences in species, they were made for each other.

"Braeburn!" The buffalo shouted out again. "It's almost here!"

"I know, baby!" Braeburn responded, opening his eyes and watching her writhe in ecstasy. "It's comin' for me, too!"

This time, they let the pleasure build. Every movement, thrust, and groan brought them closer and closer to the inevitable end. And when it came, it came.

Braeburn, in true cowpony fashion, threw his head back and hollered as he felt himself release. Strongheart screamed out just as she did during her earlier orgasm. After their outbursts, the only thing escaping their mouths were listless moanings as they rode out their climaxes.

With a thud, Braeburn fell onto his back in a heap. He stared, mouth agape, up at the stars, not fully comprehending what just happened. But all it took was for him to roll onto his side to gaze at his buffalo mate to convince him it was real.

Almost instinctively, they kissed once more, hugging and fondling each other, letting their hearts dominate their movements.

"I love you, Braeburn Apple," Strongheart said as they broke away.

"And I love you, Little Strongheart," Braeburn replied. With a sigh, they let their heads hit the blanket pillows, their front legs touching as they pulled the covers over them, stared up into the twinkling night sky, and allowed sleep to drift over them.

§§§

Strongheart groaned, squeezing her eyes shut before opening them. What was once black with white dots was now clear blue with puffs of white lazily traveling overhead, along with the hot white sun over in the east signifying morning.

The buffalo moaned in annoyance, turning to her side. Her heart softened as she laid eyes on a still-asleep Braeburn, his orange mane ruffled and his hooves gripping the blanket.

But she also noticed that...something was beginning to cast a shadow over her and him. Sitting up, she looked to the other side of her. Then she looked up.

Then her eyes widened.

Standing over her and her lover was none other than Chief Thunderhooves, along with at least three other large buffalo behind him. She couldn't tell if it was confusion or anger that was determining his facial features.

But she could tell they were in trouble.

Stammering, Strongheart jabbed a foreleg into Braeburn's side. "Mm - whuh?" The stallion muttered as he darted upwards. As soon as he turned to look at the chief, whatever sleep remained was cast out as his mouth hung open. "Oh, hay."

Thunderhooves observed the scene before him before bellowing out, "What have you done?"

Strongheart began to stammer even more. "Chief, we...I-I mean, Braeburn was...We were watching..."

"We made love, sir."

Every single buffalo there looked at Braeburn, who returned their stares with one of determination. "We showed each other how much one of us meant to the other. One thing led to the next...and we slept together. And to be honest? I don't regret a single second of it. Little Strongheart means everything to me. And whatever punishment you have, I'll face it."

Strongheart did nothing but hug Braeburn as he finished taking his stance. Thunderhooves' look of anger changed to one of surprise. After a second, he finally spoke.

"Who said anything of punishment for...that?"

The lovers looked at the chief in confusion.

"You're...not here to punish us for sleeping together?" Strongheart asked with a hint of hope.

"If I were to be honest," Thunderhooves shrugged, "I thought you two were always mating together. I was merely asking what have you done to...my spare blankets."

Braeburn looked down at the thick blankets, then furrowed his brow at Strongheart, who merely smiled sheepishly.

Thunderhooves shook his head. "Ancestors only know what I'm going to have to do to get the stains out..." He turned to the other buffalo in his party. "Come. It's better these two are left alone. And it's better we find someone in town able to deal with removing...love stains."

The small group began to travel towards the settlement of Appleloosa, leaving behind the confused buffalo cow and stallion. Within a moment, their confusion turned to relief. Their relief turned to laughter. Their laughter then turned to another embrace and another kiss.

"I love you," they said to each other for the countless time.

THE END