Author's Note

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This is a revised addition of Herd Life with the graphic sex scenes removed or toned way down. The story still contains graphic depictions of births and gore. Because of this, it is still tagged as"Mature".

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Chapter One. A Fatefull Encouter

Life in the herd was hard and oftentimes short lived for many ponies. Traveling from place to place, seeking out fresh grazing lands to feed their numbers was a hard life, especially for the foals who had to follow after their mothers. Every day was a continuous struggle for mothers to care for and feed their young foals, who were entirely dependent on them.

In the vast, wild lands, in the world that still had not been named by its simple denizens, there was a rugged mountain range whose snow capped peaks still had never felt the hoofprint of any mountain goat. Running along the base of the great mountain range was long chain of foothills that supported a vast forest whose dense foliage hid ancient things never before seen by pony eyes.

Running out from the foothills, rich grasslands and light forests peppered the rolling land all the way to the horizon, with rivers and streams cutting through the lands to provide much needed water to those downstream.

Within one of the numerous pastoral fields that dotted the land, a large herd of ponies were settled in to graze upon its rich springtime grasses.

Little Celestia bent her head down and sniffed at the grass and grimaced. Why must she eat this? It tasted horrible!

"Go on, sweetie, just a little bit," her mother said, urging her on.

Celestia looked up at her mother, and pouted. "But it tastes so bad! Why do I have to eat it?"

Her mother gave her a loving and patient smile. "Because, sweetie, I can't nurse you forever. I’ve already nursed you well past when you should have been weaned. You must learn to eat grown up food," she explained.

Celestia sulked and kicked at the ground. All around her, a gathering of mares milled about, gossiping among themselves as they ate at the soft grass. Many of them had foals tucked up close to their side. Others had older foals that were allowed to run off and play together a short ways off, always keeping sure to stay under the watchful eyes of the mares at all times. There were dangerous beasts out there, who would be very eager to snatch up some unwary foal that wandered too far from the safety of the herd.

Bending her head down, Celestia gathered her courage and grabbed a mouthful of grass, and started to chew. Her little face scrunched up in distaste at the sour taste that filled her mouth. With a mighty effort, she managed to swallow her tiny mouthful.

"There see, that wasn't that bad, was it?" her mother said, nuzzling her neck.

Celestia leaned herself into her mother's comforting touch and smiled. Her mother gave the best nuzzles.

“Okay. I did what you told me,” Celestia said with a sulk. “Can I have nummies, now?”

Her mother looked down at her and sighed with a amused smile as she shook her head. “Fine, but I want you to take two big bites of grass tomorrow, okay?”

Celestia grimaced at the thought of eating more of that disgusting grass, but nodded up at her mother anyways. Tomorrow was a long ways off and she wanted her nummies now!

“Okay,” her mother said and opened her stance to allow Celestia to run under her to latch her little mouth onto one of her teats.

Mindful of her teeth, Celestia suckled greedily, until her mother's milk flowed into her mouth. Swallowing, Celestia hummed her pleasure as she suckled more milk into her mouth. Why was this being taken from her? It was so much better than that yucky grass!

As she nursed, Celestia flicked her ear back as she heard one of the other mares approach her mother.

"Still nursing your filly, I see," a mare's stern voice said to her mother.

"She's still having trouble eating grass," Celestia’s mother replied.

"You're much too soft with her, Meadowlark!" the mare scolded. "You should just kick her off, and let her go hungry until she learns that she can't always have the teat. That is what I did for my colt. Let me tell you a story about what happened when Pebble Stream refused to wean her colt."

Without releasing her mother’s teat, Celestia looked out. From just beside the mare, a little charcoal brown colt shyly looked back at her. He looked about the same age as her, but Celestia wasn’t sure. He was so thin it was hard for her to tell. Along his sides she could see his ribs pressing out and his cheeks looks gaunt.

Celestia noticed the colt’s eyes kept glancing up at her and licked at his lips hungrily. Her heart went out to him. Releasing her mother's teat, Celestia glanced out and saw that the colt’s mother was totally ignoring him as she talked with her mother. Looking back at the colt, Celestia crossed over to him.

“Hello,” Celestia greeted him. Keeping her voice down.

The colt glanced up at his mother nervously to see if she had noticed. “Um… hello,” he answered her back softly.

“My name is Celestia. What’s yours?”

The colt glanced up at his mother again before answering. “My name is… Ash. Ash Cloud.”

“Ash Cloud?” Celestia repeated. “That’s an unusual name. Why are you named that?”

Ash flicked his eyes back to his mother. “Mama told me that when I was born, my color reminded her of the smoke that came off a forest fire, filling the air with its dirty soot.”

“Ohh!” Celestia exclaimed. “Did you know that that’s when the sunset is the prettiest!? It goes all red and orange everywhere!”

Ash’s eyes brightened. “Really?”

“My mama saw it once. She described it to me,” Celestia said. “I want to see it myself someday.”

Ash smiled. “Yeah. That sounds nice.”

Celestia leaned in closer. “Would you like to be my friend?”

Ash blinked at her a moment. With a nervous look back up at his mother, Ash nodded. “I’d like that.”

Celestia pursed her lips. “Why do you keep looking up at your mama?”

Ash dropped his eyes and shook his head. “She gets angry and yells at me when I do something she doesn’t approve of. I don’t like it when she yells at me.”

Celestia didn’t know how to respond. Why would his mama yell at him? Her mama had never yelled at her. That wasn’t right. Shaking her head, Celestia ran a circle around Ash as he watched her in confusion.

“What are you doing?”

“Playing,” she answered. Reaching up she tousled his mane.

“Hay, stop that!”

“Make me,” Celestia said, pulling his tail and skipping away as she stuck her tongue out at him.

Ash blinked at her in confusion. Was this playing? Not understanding why, Ash grinned and followed after her.

Meadowlark’s lips quirked up in amusement as she glanced behind Chamomile. It looked like Celestia was trying to teach the poor colt how to play. Her heart went out to the colt. She had never seen such a serious expression on one so young. Chamomile finally began reaching the end of her long winded discussion on proper foal rearing.

"Ash? Where have you gotten off to?" Chamomile called out, her voice filled with annoyance.

Quickly, the colt dashed around and looked up at his mother. "Here I am, Mama."

"Ash! What have I told you about running off?" his mother scolded him with a scowl. "Now come along I want to talk to Ruffled Leaf. She's been spreading wild stories about seeing winged ponies flying in the sky. I need to put a stop to that foolishness or we’ll be having ponies staring up at the sky all day hoping to see one of these foalish imaginings of hers."

Turning, the mare started to walk off, but Celestia’s mother suddenly stepped forward. “Excuse me,” she called out to her, “it may not be my place, but… well, you look like you’re going to be busy with important tasks, and I just thought that… it might be easier for you if somepony could watch your colt for you while you go and deal with everything you need to do? I’ll be happy to do so, if you would like.”

Celestia held her breath as she waited to hear what Ash’s mother would answer.

The mare tapped her hoof to her chin in thought. “That would certainly make things easier for me. I could even go and talk to Thunder Step about some things I’ve been meaning to bring up with him for quite some time.” She smiled. “Thank you. This will be a great help to me. I hope he won’t be too much for you to handle.”

Meadowlark smiled and shook her head. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep him under tight control and close to hoof. He’ll be no problem.”

“Very well,” Chamomile said with a nod. “I’ll be back to retrieve him later, then.”

“Very well,” her mother answered back. “He’ll be right here when you return. Safe and sound.”

Chamomile was barely out of sight when Celestia suddenly bound happily into the air and hugged the surprised colt. “Yay! We’ll get to play together! Thank you, Mama!”

“I thought it would be good for you share some time with your new friend,” her mother said to her before she leaned down to nuzzled her.

"Really?" Celestia asked in excitement.

Her mother laughed. "Of course.” She then looked over to Ash her expression softening, “but first, I think he needs something to eat. I can't stand seeing a hungry foal. Not if I can help it."

Celestia blinked up at her mama and smiled. She had the best mama ever! Dashing under her mother, Celesta poked her head out and motioned for Ash to join her.

Standing nervously, Ash took a hesitant step closer, his stomach growling.

“Go on. Don’t be shy now.” Celestia’s mother said, nudging the colt around with her muzzle.

Moving over to make room, the colt slipped under her mother and joined her. Glancing up at her mother's teat, Celestia smiled and nodded her head for the colt to take it.

With a grateful look, Ash eagerly reached up and latched his mouth onto Meadowlark’s teat and loudly started to suckle. Seeing the colt happily swallowing the milk that now flowed into his mouth, Celestia pressed herself against his side and took her mother’s other teat, joining the colt for their afternoon meal.

As they both nursed closely together, Celestia found she didn't really mind that the side of his mouth would rub against hers or that his warm breath would tickle the side of her muzzle whenever he exhaled. She wondered if this what it was like to have a sibling. The feeling of his soft, warm side against hers was surprisingly comforting.

A short time later, Meadowlark sat in the shade of a tree, watching her daughter and new friend play together.

“They appear to be enjoying themselves,” a silvery colored mare commented as she walked up next to her. “Do you mind if I join you?”

Meadowlark looked up at the mare. She didn’t recognize her, but that wasn’t unusual. The herd was rather large with the occasional mixing with other herds when they come across each other. Much like the meeting they had just last fall, and Meadowlark figured that she probably joined with them then.

“No, I don’t mind at all,” Meadowlark replied politely, gesturing to a place in the grass next to her. “Are you new to the herd?”

The silvery mare looked thoughtful at the question for a moment. “You could say that, yes,” she said as she settled herself down.

“My name is Meadowlark and the filly, there, sitting on that colt, is my daughter, Celestia, and the colt under her is her friend, Ash,” Meadowlark greeted the new mare with a friendly smile.

“Well, it is quite a pleasure to meet you all,” the silvery mare said pleasantly. “My name is…” she paused for a moment, “Wellspring.”

“So, how long have you been with the herd? I haven't seen you around, before,” Meadowlark asked.

“Oh, not long,” Wellspring answered. “I am only here to perform a certain necessary task.”

Meadowlark was confused by her answer. What did she mean by that? “Task? What task is that?”

Instead of answering, Wellspring let out a laugh as she watched Ash suddenly turned things around on Celestia and was now chasing her around with them both squealing in ruckus laughter.

“Today is a beautiful day, is it not?” she suddenly asked, letting out a pleased sigh. “The air is warm, the sun is bright and the grass is fresh and green. All in all, a pony couldn’t ask for a day any better than this.” She took a long breath and let it out with a smile. “Days like this are rare. So many countless things have to come into order for a day like this to happen. And today… today is an extra special day. Today, out of all the random outcomes for everything throughout the entire age of this world, three things will happen on this fine, beautiful day, that the world has been waiting for, for a very long time.” Wellspring paused to smile down at the two playing foals. “The first has already happened. Those two met and became friends.” She then turned and looked at Meadowlark. “Such a simple thing, don’t you think? Who would have thought that such a meeting would shake the entire world.”

Meadowlark was speechless. She didn’t understand what Wellspring was saying to her. Shake the world? What did she mean by that? They were just foals.

“I am going to tell you a few things,” Wellspring continued meeting Meadowlark’s eyes. “You won’t remember what I say, but my words will stay within your heart and I hope that you will heed the guidance I leave within you.”

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Celestia panted for breath as Ash collapsed to the ground, spent. The two had never played so hard in their young lives

The sound of heavy hoof falls coming up behind her drew her attention. Turning her head, Celestia looked up at the massive form of her father as he bent down to nuzzle her nose affectionately.

"How is my little darling Celestia doing today?" he asked, smiling down at her.

Celestia squealed and dashed to her father's leg and hug it. "Papa! I made a friend today!" she shouted up at him.

"You did? That's wonderful!" her father said happily, before he flipped her over with his muzzle and blew noisily into her belly.

Celestia squirmed and kicked under her father's playful teasings until she was begging for mercy with tears of laughter streaming down her cheeks.

Sitting back, her father looked quizzically at the colt. “So, what would your name be?”

“My name is Ash, sir,” the colt answered with an unusual politeness for one so young.

“Well, my fine, young colt,” her father said with a thoughtful look. “My filly says that you’re her friend. That is something that is very special to have. So make sure you never ever hurt her, alright?”

“Yes, sir,” Ash answered, his face absolutely serious.

The stallion stared down at the colt with a curious expression, apparently unprepared for the colt’s stiff solemnity with him.

“Dark,” Meadowlark called out, “stop scaring the colt.”

“I’m not scaring the colt,” Dark said defensively. Turning from the colt he walked over to Meadowlark and nuzzled her affectionately. "Meadowlark, you're as beautiful as always.".

Meadowlark smiled and nuzzled him back. "You always say that, especially at this time of the season when the heat comes on strong."

Dark smiled. "And I mean it every time," he answered with a wink before nuzzling her along her neck up to the side of her jaw where he gave her a slight nip.

“I believe that your fine, young stallion would like to spend an intimate, and potentially world changing moment with you,” Wellspring said with an amused look at the couple. “It would be best if you see to it today, otherwise you might end up with a colt, and trust me when I say you don’t want that to happen. I’ll be happy to watch over the younglings while you two have some private time together.”

Meadowlark considered Wellspring and her kind offer. They had only just met and she didn’t know anything about her, but there was something about her that felt familiar. Like she was family in some way and Meadowlark felt deep inside her that she could trust the silvery mare with anything.

“I promise you,” Wellspring said, meeting Meadowlark’s eyes, “there is nothing in this world or beyond that will be able to harm them as long as I am with them. My protection over them will be absolute,” she assured her with an unusual confidence.

Meadowlark continued to consider her offer, but Dark’s sensuous niblings on her sensitive ears was driving her to distraction. Why did he have to be so good at that? Her mind was growing foggy as her need began to take over. “Umm… Celestia, ah Ash. Wellspring here is going to watch over you while Dark and I see to something really quickly.”

“Take as long as you need,” Wellspring said with a knowing smile.

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Meadowlark let out a giggle at how Dark kept lightly bumping himself into her in an attempt to hurry her faster. They were only going a short way into a nearby, half secluded area of bushes, but he seemed unable to wait.

Her heat had begun the previous day and she was glad that Dark had sought her out before her need drove her to take any available stallion that approached her. She had already rebuffed three advances now, twice by the same eager stallion who had been hoping to steal her away from Dark.

Moving into the patch of bushes, Dark slid his muzzle along her neck as he took in her enticing scent. “You smell so…” he finished with a long drawn out nicker.

Meadowlark heartbeat thundered in her ears as body shivered under her stallion’s tender touches. Oh, she was so ready for this. Fanning her tail back and forth, she wafted her fertile scent into the air to entice her stallion even more.

Dark sniffed and let out a eager snort before nipping her softly along her flank

Meadowlark let out a pleased groan. “Oh, why did we wait so long to do this.”

Pausing, Dark lifted his head up. “As you may recall, you kept putting me off, saying that you wanted Celestia to be older before we had another foal. Then you kept holding off weaning her her well past the normal time.”

“I know, I know,” Meadowlark confessed. “I just wanted to give her the best chance at living. I see some of those mares who have a foal every single season only to lose them because they are unable to care for them properly.”

“You have been a wonderful mother to our daughter. A stallion could not ask for anything better in a mare.” His lips came to hers and they kissed.

Meadowlark felt her knees weaken as her lips meshed eagerly with Dark’s. Her body ached almost painfully with a deep need that only he could satiate.

Meadowlark nearly whimpered with loss when Dark’s lips finally broke from hers. “Are you ready to become a mother again?” he whispered as he nibbled on one of her ears.

“Oh, yes.” Meadowlark moaned breathlessly, feeling Dark moving along her body. “I am more than ready, my love.”

✹☽☽✹

Wellspring lifted her head and looked back over her shoulder toward where Meadowlark and Dark had gone and smiled. “That’s two,” she said before turning her attention back to the two foals who were crawling around in the taller grass as they silently stalked each other.

Celestia laid low as she swiveled her ears about to listen for any of Ash’s movements. Occasionally, she would catch the slight rustle of dry grass or the crunch of a leaf but she was having trouble telling which way it was coming from.

Taking a chance, she shuffled forward and pushed through the grass as quietly as she could. Making her way along, she suddenly came face to face with a strange looking pile of what looked like dry grass and pebbles, except that she saw that in the midst of it was a pair of golden, slitted eyes that was looked right back at her.

Letting out an exclamation of surprise, Celestia watched in horror as a head reared back from the strange looking pile to reveal the coiled body of a snake as it started to rattle the end of its tail. “Ash!” She screamed in fright.

The rattlesnake kept its head directed right at her face as it continued to rattle its segmented tail. It looked like it was readying itself to strike!

With a suddenness that surprised her and left her with no chance to even flinch, the rattlesnake launched itself at her with its fangs held open. A blur of motion shot by her and suddenly Ash was there pinning the rattlesnake to the ground with his hoof.

“Celestia!? Are you alright!?” Ash asked, looking back at her with worry.

Celestia blinked in sudden relief. Ash had saved her! “I… I’m okay. Thanks to you.”

Beneath Ash’s hoof, the rattlesnake writhed its body around as it tried to free its head. Looking back down, Ash’s face hardened in anger as he prepared himself to kill it. Celestia saw this and held her hoof out to him forestall his action.

“Don’t hurt it!” Celestia said urgently. “He was only scared.”

“So, is that your decision then? To spare its life?” Wellspring asked, stepping up on them with a curious look directed at her.

Celestia looked up at the silvery mare and nodded. “I think he should be let go. He wasn’t trying to be mean on purpose. Life is special. Mama has always told me so.”

Wellspring smiled and nodded with a pleased look. “Hold that in your heart, always.” She then turned and looked at Ash. “And you. Jumping in like that was very dangerous. You could have been hurt very badly,” she said sternly to the colt

The colt didn’t look ashamed of his actions, instead he looked up and met Wellsprings gaze evenly. “Celestia is my friend. If she is in danger, I will always be there to save her. No matter what.”

Wellspring looked down at the colt and lifted her eyebrow at him. “Hmm… such strong words from such a strong heart. Keep true to your feelings. They will give you strength when you need it.”

Ash blinked up at the mare with an oddly serious look before nodding to her.

“Good! Now I want you both to come and stand beside each other,” she said, gesturing for them to move closer.

“But what about the snake?” Ash asked.

Wellspring looked down at the colt with a curious look. “What snake is that?”

Ash opened his mouth to answer her, but just as he was about to speak, he glanced down and paused in shock when he saw that sitting trapped under his hoof was not the snake that he knew had been there just moments before, but instead, found that he was now standing on a oddly bent tree branch!

“What the...!?” Lifting his hoof in disbelief, Ash nudged the branch to make sure that it was indeed just a oddly bent branch. Where did the snake go!? He was sure that there had been one! Or was his imagination just playing tricks on him?

“Come, come. Forget the silly branch and stand by each other,” Wellspring said impatiently, waving her hoof for him to move.

Feeling confused, Ash followed her instructions and stepped up next to Celestia.

“Now, close your eyes.”

Celestia glanced over at Ash for a quick moment, then turned back to Wellspring and closed her eyes with Ash. After sitting silently for a moment, she suddenly felt something touch her forehead. A moment later, a pleasant warmth spread throughout her body. Opening her eyes, Celestia looked up at the smiling Wellspring.

“What?... what did you do?” Ash asked next to her, touching his forehead with his hoof.

“I've given you both my blessing,” Wellspring answered simply, eyeing the two with a smile “You two are now bound together with a force that can never be broken, and can only grow stronger.” She turned and stared away. “It’ll be fun to see you two figure out what force that is, when you’re both older.”

Celestia looked at Ash and saw that he was just as confused as she was. Following after Wellspring, they found that her parents were just coming back from whatever they went off to do. They both looked a bit disheveled but very happy as they walked closely together.

Celestia was about to rush forward when Wellspring held a hoof out to hold her back. “Hold on a moment. One last thing needs to happen.”

Dark turned and nuzzled Meadowlark affectionately as she returned his affections just as tenderly.

“It’s always nice spending time with you whenever you come,” Meadowlark said. “I suppose that with spring being so nice this season, you’ll be busy seeing to those mares who have chosen you?”

“A few have been growing annoyingly insistent, but I wanted to see to you, first.” Dark stepped back as he prepared to leave. “I’ll try to come back and visit tomorrow. Perhaps play with Celestia for a time. Doesn't that sounds nice?”

“You are welcome to spend as much time with us as you like,” Meadowlark said, giving Dark a smile.

Dark turned and started to walk away, but only made it a short ways before coming to a abrupt stop and stood there unmoving as he stared off ahead.

Concerned, Meadowlark moved to him. “What’s wrong?”

Dark shut his eyes and shook his head. “I don’t want to,” he said.

“You don’t want to what?” Meadowlark stepped up next to him and touched his shoulder with her hoof.

“I don’t want to go. I don’t want to breed with any other mares. I don’t want to spend time away from you and Celestia.” Turning he looked at Meadowlark. “I am most happy when I am with you both. I don’t feel the same way with any of the others. They are cold and distant with me, while you are open and loving. You welcome me around, even outside of mating times.” Dark sighed and brushed his cheek to hers. “I’m tired of sleeping alone. If it's alright with you, I’d like to sleep by your side tonight... perhaps for every night from now on.” He looked down at Celestia. "I would like to be there, to see my foals grow. Perhaps to help in some way. Out of all the mares of the herd, it's you I want to be with. What do you say?" he asked, meeting Meadowlark’s eyes.

Tears started to flow from her eyes as she stood before him stunned. "I... I would like that very much," Meadowlark said, wiping at her eyes. "This is a new thing you're proposing, Dark Storm; a stallion staying with just one mare. What of the other mares waiting on you? Don't they need your seed?"

Dark dismissively flicked his head to the side. "There are many other stallions that can perform that task for them. I just want to be with you and our foals. That will be more than enough for me."

Meadowlark was silent for a while as she considered him. Suddenly, she moved forward and pressed her lips to his. Dark blinked at Meadowlark for a moment before he closed his eyes and kissed her back. Celestia watched this, not knowing what it truly meant. It would be later that she would learn that this was the the first ever union between a stallion and a mare.

Letting out a squeal of happiness, Celestia dashed forward and hugged both her parents’ legs.

With the colt still next to her, Wellspring smiled at the scene. “And that is the third. What a wonderful day this has been! My task here is done.” She looked down at the colt next to her. “I look forward to the next time we meet, my little stallion.” Turning, she silently walked off.

When Ash’s mother arrived later to collect her colt, she bore witness to a remarkable and shocking sight. A stallion was laughing while her colt, and Meadowlark’s filly, rode on his back as they playfully trotted around in the field.

That night, the new family settled themselves in together with Dark taking up his place by Meadowlark’s side. Celestia happily snuggled herself into the crevice the two made where their bodies came together and yawned. They were so warm!

Leaning her head into Dark’s neck, Meadowlark let out a happy sigh. Lowering his head down, Dark kissed the top of her head before he looked up at the rising moon. "If it's a filly, I would like to name her after the moon," he said, looking up at the silvery disk