Author's Note

WARNING:

FEELINGS ON THE WAY. You've been warned.

story gets a lot faster after this chapter too.

IF you see any errors feel free to point them out and i'll fix em as soon as I can!

Through Pain We Remember, Through Laughter We Love.

To my one and only Rose,

I am so sorry to hear what happened to Gabby. She's a good hen, and I know from your interactions with her that you care about her a lot. I hope that bond never fades. Never lose sight of your close friends. Never fail to try and gain new ones. The strength of nations sometimes depends on those very bonds as we've seen in Equestria.

I hope she finds the perfect partner as well. You and her deserve only the best. While I can't say I know this fear she has personally, I can say it's relatable. Fear of the unknown can snowball through a griffons life, causing all sorts of pain. Take things slow with her, and let her come to you. In time, I'm sure she will open up to you.

I can say it's good to know that my gender is not a negative factor in this situation. I feared it might be for a long time. I suppose in saying that though, it gives it away huh? I might as well say it then.

Yes, I am a hen. You are one of the Pillars of Griffonstone now, and I feel I need to live up to your standards. You have been nothing short of an inspiration to me, and I feel it necessary to return that in kind. Additionally, let me compliment you on your rose buns, they are delicious. I wonder where that inspiration came from...

The windows look fantastic and make your shop feel warm and inviting. I even heard some of the griffons around town saying positive things about it. They like feeling safe in your shop, and a few are talking about donating to you. I'm not sure what, but that can't be a bad thing. Booths sound like a wonderful idea. I know I would fall asleep if they were present.

I am doing okay I guess. I have my own troubles on my end I have to deal with. Some pesky ponies were hanging around town asking about your brother. I told one of them to stop inquiring, as it was rude to butt in on someone's private affairs. He told me that anyone's business was his business. In response, I promptly dropped him into a nearby trash can.

He didn't seem to like that particular griffon's recent business suddenly.

The jewelry box is something worth waiting for. I set it up specifically for you. It's not hard, just take your time, and closely listen. I know you are good at both of those things when you feel determined. I have faith you will love what I hid away.

As for meeting up...I don't know. Fear plays a heavy part in my decision to hide. Past memories, and we live in a city of griffons, many of which are not too keen on the idea of same sex pairings...I don't want to damage your business or your reputation.

I have visited your shop many times, and I have purchased at least one of every item in your confectionary cases. You and I have been face to face on multiple occasions, and every time I see you smile, or laugh, it's a like a rainbow swept away my cloudy thoughts and let the golden fur of your pelt warm me like the sun.

Give me some time, I need to work things out internally before I can safely externalize them.

--Your lover.

P.S: I enjoy a good bite every now and then, particularly my nape.

Gilda read the note over for a fifth time, while rocking back and forth in her chair in her bedroom. Gabby had popped in the very next day and excitedly exclaimed it's arrival. Several of the guests had given them odd looks but she shrugged them off. The letter had both been what she'd expected, and not. The nice little touches Gabby put into the letter to show she cared. Mentions of events, even from difference perspectives, had given Gilda more insight, into the way Gabby felt.

The surprise came when Gabby openly stated her gender. Gilda hadn't expected that yet. She should have, but she honestly didn't. Having to feign surprise as she read it had been hard. Gabby seemed less enthusiastic about it herself. In fact as Gilda read it aloud to her in their living room, her friend got really quiet.

After talking with her about it, Gabby had professed the same thing, only in person. That she too felt it would be kind of dangerous for the business. She didn't want to see Gilda fail, and that meant a lot to her.

Gilda then boldly proclaimed that if Griffonstone didn't want their patronage, then they could move somewhere else. She hadn't actually thought of where or how, and Gabby delighted in picking holes into her idea. Over dinner they came up with more than fourteen ways she could elope from Griffonstone with her lover without getting caught.

Gilda now sat at her desk, with the letter in her claws, and a newly fresh rose petal on the desk. At one point after opening the new letter, she'd tried to eat it, wondering if it tasted good. She instead found out that the enchantment preserving the petal made it taste absolutely horrid. So she spat it back out instantly, and right on to Gabby's face.

The two hens had started laughing and Gilda decided to playfully try to 'kiss' her again to remove it. She'd never heard Gabby squeal before. She'd never seen the hen move so fast either, even while injured.

Until then.

They'd ran around the apartment for a solid twenty minutes with Gilda proclaiming she just wanted a nibble, and Gabby screeching emphatic 'no's' before Gabby had cried out and collapsed. Her leg had given out underneath her weight. It had scared the crap out of Gilda. She'd followed Gabby around like a worrying mother for an hour before the smaller hen batted at her with her good wing, telling her she needed space.

She sighed and leaned back into her chair. That had brought up another little issue. Gabby had to go to the doctors office to get her body checked up on. The appointment had been set for today. Gabby had asked Gilda to come with and of course she was gonna say yes to that!

That had meant the shop would be closed while they were away, and many griffons had not been happy about that. They'd cried foul, and said she should hire another griffon to work the shop while she was away, and at first it seemed like a sound option. Then she found that barely any griffons in town, tom or hen, knew even the basics of baking. She'd held a two hour long interviewing process at the town center and while half the town showed up, not one griffon stood and showed they knew any usual cooking skills she could apply to her business. She knew Greta, the Griffonstone Ambassador, was kind of aware of the process, but not to any extent where she'd do it correctly. She also was super busy and almost always out of town at social functions.

No, as much as they hated her closing up for the day, it had made her realize she needed solid hours placed. Up until now she'd worked until tired and then closed up. The need for solid hours made it so no one could give her crap about it.

She folded the letter up and set it in the drawer with the others. Above it, the jewelry box sat dormant on a side shelf, untouched since she last held it in the hospital. She hadn't tried to figure it out at all since Gabby's injury and she felt kind of bad for neglecting it. She didn't like puzzles, but her desire to know what Gabby had hidden inside was very strong.

Food for thought. She mused. I gotta get downstairs. Gabby is probably wondering where I'm at right now. With a pen and small notepad stuffed in a coin purse and hidden in her chest feathers, Gilda exited her room, closed up the apartment, and went downstairs. Gabby wasn't inside the main café lounge area, and was instead outside.

She was talking with a local hen and her hatchling. Gilda recognized the cheetah pattern almost immediately and rolled her eyes while smiling. That little hen had been a useful thorn in her side ever since she found ways she could improve her chances at getting the most trash cleaned up.

I'll have to write up some rules and guidelines for them too, at this rate. Not a bad idea though, with how smart that little bird is. She closed up the shop, locking both the front and back door, and then ambled up next to Gabby as she was replying to the mother.

"Oh don't you worry, she's getting a good mixture of healthy and sweet, Gilda and I don't want any angry parents coming to our door about sick chicks. Each day there are different items they get to choose from."

The mother hen, also a cheetah hawk mix, smiled and nodded approvingly. She looked to Gilda and held her smile. "Well thank you so much for what you two have done. This town feels so much nicer to live in now that we aren't always at each other's throats." She ushered her child over and they departed.

Gabby watched them go and sighed. "Aah, it'd be nice to have the whole town think like that."

Gilda reshuffled her wings as they began walking. "Wishful thinking at its best right now. I think if this keeps up though, we'll be old crones like Gruff by the time this town becomes a proper city."

She weaved around a few hens who were walking the opposite direction and chatting about rabbit stew recipes. The three younger hens stopped and they took a moment to bow to her and Gabby.

"Good day to you, first and second Pillar." They said together, before moving on. The two hens felt a mutual amount of awkwardness eek its way out of their collective minds.

Gabby watched the hens disappear down the road and then shrugged, wincing slightly as she did so. "Oh I don't think it'll take that much time! They were nice! We might be...mid thirties before it really kicks off."

Gilda hummed, looking at Gabby with a raised beak. "Well aren't you ever the optimist, we aren't to far from that point."

Gabby nodded and fluffed out her neck feathers, practically strutting. "Always! If there are sour frowns hanging in my town, I'll yank them away, and flip em upside down!"

Gilda poked her side as they rounded a corner and the hospital came into view. "You've been spending too much time around that zebra Zecora and Pinkie Pie."

Gabby slowed to a stop, and blushed. Her bad arm lifted so she wasn't dropping weight on it, and she looked back behind her for a second. "Oh, that reminds me..."

Gilda, who had walked forward a few steps stopped and watched Gabby as she seemed to murmur to herself about something, before catching up. "I need to go visit Zecora again in a few days. Do you want to come with me?"

Gilda frowned. "Ehhh, is it for the beads?" She reached up and scratched her neck while looking away. Secretly she'd been hoping Gabby would bring it up. Her beads had stopped working too, and the urge to do things again were literally heating up.

Gabby nodded and looked away. "Heh heh, um, yeah. Mine are dead...I take it yours are too?"

Gilda shrugged and hid her increasing blush as she walked by looking to her left, away from Gabby. 'Yeah er, I guess you could say that. I didn't expect em to work as long or as good as they do, but damn, now that their out and inert? I'm feeling it."

Gabby blushed warmly and giggled nervously. Her tail flickered to and fro as she walked. She gently nudged Gilda's shoulder wit her own. "I uh...I could tell. The scent in the apartment changed the other day kind of quickly."

Gilda smirked, holding a talon to her chest in mock insult. "Oh please, It's not that bad is it? I mean your scent is fine to me, then again I haven't exactly gotten a firm whiff of..."

Gabby was staring at her with a very awkward gaping expression. Her wing was trying to leap skyward once more.

Gilda groaned and smacked her face with a talon. "What? Did I say something awkward again? I just said you smell fi-mpph!"

Gabby shot her good hand forward and muffled Gilda's words. For several seconds, Gilda glared at Gabby and Gabby simply breathed. Harder than usual, if her labored chest movements were anything to go by. After breathing deeply, and letting go of Gilda's beak, she backed off, looking around them worriedly.

"S-sorry, but yes. Just think for a second what you just said will you?" She seemed abnormally embarrassed. "We are in public, and you just casually stated you think I smell nice when both of us are just inside the beginning of our heat cycles?!"

Gilda blinked, thought about it and then grimaced. That was kinda on the nose..."Ah."

Gabby widened her eyes at the hen, her expression read as a 'are you kidding me?' look and then she brushed past Gilda. "Right, slow on the uptake but you learn, at least." She grumbled.

Gilda frowned. "Hey! I didn't mean anything rude by it." She blushed and looked away again. This time she whispered. "You just... ya know... have a nice scent is all."

"Gilda for the love of....will you shut it?!" Gabby hissed, she trilled in fear, whipping her head around even though they were alone on the path. "I don't want other griffons to get the wrong idea!"

Gilda relented with a sarcastic roll of her eyes. "You're too much of a prude, look around, we are alooooone. No one near us." Gabby still glared at her.

Gilda harrumphed, waving a hand at her. "Fine, whatever, we are here anyway."

They entered the main lobby side by side to find it empty at the moment of other patients. Gilda leaned in and whispered next to Gabby's ear fluff. "Look, Gabby.You may be bothered by what others may think, but I don't care, let em think what they will." She waved to the receptionist when they reached the window, and Gilda had to hide her smirk as Gabby fought to keep her blush hidden.

Gabby growled lightly as she filled out paperwork at the counter. Gilda waited patiently while the receptionist asked a couple of questions, and then they were admitted past the double doors. Led past several rooms to an unoccupied one, Gilda and Gabby were locked in and left for a moment while the doctor was sought out. Gabby gently hopped up onto the bed and curled up before huffing. She pointed a claw at Gilda.

"Well even if that is the case, maybe we should respect what your mystery writer wanted. Even they said to exercise caution. We shouldn't just go around shouting to Grover above that one of us might have a female partner." She furrowed her brow and warbled quietly withdrawing her claw to rub her bad shoulder. "It wouldn't end well...Not with how most of the griffons act here."

Gilda sighed and lay on the floor, folding her forelegs over one another. "Okay, okay, I'll back off about it."

They fell into silence as both hens did a cursory glance at their accommodations. The room had a single window, currently closed off by curtains, and a bed with two nightstands on either side. The bed was a standard hospital bed with the options to change it's posture to fit the creature resting in it. Next to the night stand was a deactivated heart monitoring machine and basic medical equipment suited for check ups.

Gilda surmised that the room was prepped for Gabby before she arrived. She looked back to Gabby to see her with her head under her good wing, preening the lighter edges of fluff that clung to her side. Gilda watched as she scowled at a particular part of the fluff she couldn't reach and then huffed and tried to bend more toward it.

A wince jumped across her face as Gabby tried to stretch farther then her injuries would allow, and she gave a defeated sigh. "I hate being injured like this. Can't even preen properly..." She grumbled, flopping her head onto her claws. Gilda was quiet for a moment,staring at the spot Gabby couldn't access. Her heart beat a little faster as she stood and came over to Gabby's side.

"I could ah...help you if you'd like..." She said quietly.

Gabby looked conflicted, a heavy blush dancing under her eyes as she gazed at Gilda and then the floor. "I...uh, it's just a little itchy fluff, Gilda, no biggie..."

Gilda nodded and nudged Gabby's wing with her beak gently. Gabby still flinched, but she didn't pull away. "Come on, Gabby, just lift your wing. If its just a little fluff then it won't take me longer than a second or two to fix it."

Gabby hissed lightly in worry, and looked at Gilda. "Gilda...I...it's just..." She fell silent and looked away. Her cheeks were beat red and her neck fluff started expanding. "I mean...Do you really want to help?" When Gilda nodded, Gabby sighed and scrunched up tighter. "B-but preening is personal..." she whined.

Gilda scoffed, "And we are practically sisters! So it doesn't matter. A mute point."

She nudged Gabby's wing again and then began nuzzling it affectionately. Maybe it was Gilda's heat turning on, but she loved the feeling of Gabby's feathers on her cheek fur. Eventually Gabby's wing slowly lifted as the hen relented her personal space to the bigger female. Gabby immediately attempted to stifle a light gasp with her claws, as Gilda's beak slipped under her wing ridge and into the unkempt fur at the base of her wing. Her beak clicked and nibbled gently but quickly, making short work of the fur tufts that sat in skewed directions to the rest of Gabby's fur.

Gabby had been sweating more, and the damp fur was coated in her scent. This close to the base of her wing too, the smell was strong and Gilda got a healthy dose of it as she worked. Her tail began flicking back and forth in enjoyment.

Mmm her fur is really soft and smells rather nice...Gilda thought with a blush as she preened the dark fur and smoothed it over with a few licks of her tongue. The licks slowly became longer, softer flicks of her tongue. She heard Gabby gasp in surprise. She was then shocked when Gabby smacked her side suddenly with the back of her claws, and hissed loudly.

"O-okay! Okay! The itch is gone! Gilda the doctor is coming!" She growled. She barely got her head out from under Gabby's wing before the hen snapped the appendage down to her side so hard it clapped. She and Gabby locked gazes for a moment, Gabby glaring at her with the reddest blush she'd ever had, and Gilda with a calm, curious expression.

She made it worse when she slowly inhaled, licked the sides of her beak, and purred loudly "Mm, I was right. You do smell nice, Gabby."

Gabby's neck fluff nearly exploded out and she had to fight her good wing from slapping Gilda to the floor as it tried to open excitedly. Gabby held it down with her good arm and leveled a shocked expression at her friend. Gilda noted how Gabby's tail subconsciously curled off to the side of her rump, before Gabby caught the movement and swept it back against her rump tightly. She warbled nervously, huffing a few times to control her breathing.

"Gilda...stop complimenting my scent!" She whispered harshly.

Before Gilda could reply, the door clicked and swung open to reveal the Griffon doctor. He wore the usual white coat with pen in the pocket and he held a clip board in one talon as he walked. The papers shuffled as he looked through them quickly.

"Alright, Miss Gabby Griffon? I'll be your..." He paused in mid step as he caught the situation he'd walked in on and suddenly the room felt very awkward. Gabby was beet red and digging her claws into the bedding with a growl. Gilda was halfway up on the bed, almost flaring her wings, her stance wide, and now she was blushing as well. Her own wings fought to open and she had to breath heavily out her beak to calm them down. Sadly it looked like she was getting defensive of Gabby and to top it all off, the scent in the room had changed rather drastically...

The doctor, the only male present, warbled nervously, sniffed the air, and immediately his face scrunched up as his nose was filled with potent pheromones. He hissed lightly as the scent of the two hens in heat smacked him in the face. His wings tried to open, and his neck ruff popped a little bit out of his coat collar. Cautiously, he took a step back.

"Hooo okay...Um...should I...give you two a moment?" He asked quietly, while glancing back at the door. "M-maybe... three or four moments?" He took another wary step back, his tail lashing back and forth as the scent tried to fight his instincts. Gilda was thankful she couldn't see what it was doing to his crotch from the angle they were standing at.

Gabby groaned and smashed her face into the bedding until her face wasn't even visible. "N-no, it's fine, doctor, my friend just was trying to get a rise out of me. Gilda. OUT. NOW." She pointed at the door and Gilda frowned, looking back and forth between the doctor and her friend.

"Wait what? Why do I have to leave?" She scooted closer to defend Gabby from the tom, "I'm not gonna leave you here alone, in heat, with a tom!"

Gabby responded by openly snapping her beak down onto Gilda's rump and the hen squawked and leapt straight for the door out of sheer muscle reflex.

"GET OUT!" Gabby snarled.

Gilda shot the now confused and disoriented Doctor an apologetic smile as she bolted past. "N-Never mind she's all yours Doc!" She grabbed the handle and swung it shut behind her so quickly it nearly slammed shut. She then promptly turned around and slumped against it with a hiss.

A few seconds went by before pain gently made itself known in her left ass cheek.

"Ow...she... she actually bit me!" She growled and rubbed her rump, thankfully finding no blood. It would totally suck to get admitted for an injury she got in a hospital room from the friend she brought to the hospital.

"Little shit head..." She groused. The bite had been firm, and none too well aimed. If Gilda had moved any closer her tail base would have been the sore spot. Still... a smile slowly formed on her beak.

I...I actually kinda liked that... She realized with a blush. Gabby is never that dominant with me...I must have really gotten to her with my preening. Her claws went to her beak, where the ghostly feeling of Gabby's fur against her beak now replayed in her mind.

I...I wanna keep preening her...damn... Gilda blushed and shook her head. Reaching up she clapped both her hands to her face several times in rapid succession.

"No! this is just my heat coming back! Y-yeah, I'm just flustered from the renewed cycle is all. I Got to stay focused!" She smacked her cheeks a couple times more for good measure, before standing and walked across the hallway to sit on the wall length bench. After no one passed down the hall for at least ten minutes, and Gabby had made no sounds from the room, Gilda slouched and groaned.

"Uuuugh, I just remembered, I forgot how boring these places are!" She hissed. Flopping onto her side, she curled up and waited. A nurse passed her by and thankfully left her alone for the time being. Gilda started making a mental check list of the things they would need before their trip to Zecora's. The last time they'd gone, Gabby had brought a romance novel. Gilda had enjoyed hearing Gabby read it, even if she'd loathed how cheesy the lines were.

It's practically a porno in written form, heh. Gilda smirked.

She contemplated bringing the jewelry box, but then realized she'd be carrying it around everywhere and that would get annoying fast. She was going through all the board games she could think of that Gabby and her had collected over the years when the door opened and the Doctor stepped out.

He was a lot calmer now, and seemed unflustered by the scent. Gilda lifted her head and raised a brow at him. He smiled cordially. "Sorry about disturbing your attempt at pranking your friend, I wasn't ready for that."

Gilda blinked and then shrugged. "Uh, sure."

He pointed down the hallway. "I have to go get new bandages and re wrap her up and then you two will be free to go."

Gilda frowned, "She still needs bandages? I thought all the wounds healed up."

The doctor nodded, "I assure you they did all heal up quite nicely. No major scars from what I was able to examine. The bandages are there to help support her limb and shoulder joint for her wing, not soak up fluids. If you'll excuse me." He padded down the hall and around a corner, before Gilda slumped against the wall again.

"Right...alone again...where was I? Ah! Board games. Now do we have scrabble and would Gabby kick my ass at it?"

They did have it...and Gabby would soundly beat her every time.

"And put the 'v' there, and there ya go! Vizcacha!" Gabby chirped happily. "That's eighteen more points for me!"

Gilda scowled and picked up the dictionary for the umpteenth time. "Ya know if you're gonna make up a word, you should at least try a little harder."

Gabby huffed and folded her arms across her chest, blowing a raspberry across the table at the golden hen "It is a real word. Look it up and do yourself a learn!"

Gilda harrumphed and turned a couple pages as she searched for the word that now covered up almost a whole row in the game board. Thoroughly being beaten by Gabby at scrabble had been a great way to destroy her vocabulary ego. It had not however, been a good way to kill time on a train ride. In the first two hours of their trip to Ponyville, They'd played eight different games, and Gabby had won most of them.

At one point Gabby had pulled out one of her books and excitedly asked if she could read to Gilda, who very quickly persuaded her into playing just one more game of scrabble before they did that. It wasn't that she didn't want to hear the story herself. Parts of her really did wanna hear what the characters were doing...specifically to each other. Mostly though, she liked listening to Gabby as the hen spoke in different voices and played the full theatre of characters for her enjoyment.

She loved seeing Gabby happy.

What she didn't love was being in public while Gabby did her theatrics. She might have stated earlier in the day that she didn't care what others thought, and it was true...mostly. She did care how others treated Gabby. The glares from nearby griffons and mutterings from a couple ponies on the train whenever Gabby cheered her victory or when Gilda cursed a loss, caused Gilda's blood to boil. She wanted to tell em all to screw off, but she also didn't want any conflict to happen.

Gabby hated conflict, so Gilda simply guided Gabby towards something less energetic. Her eyes found the word she sought in the middle of the four hundredth and sixteenth page of the word bible and she read it aloud to Gabby's glee.

"Viscacha....a burrowing rodent. Vizcachas are rodents of two genera in the family Chinchillidae...you're joshing me..." Gilda grumbled and slapped the book closed. "Ya beat me with a dirt loving rat..." She grumbled.

"Yup! And they are sooooo cute!" Gabby put her claws to her cheeks and smooshed the fur against her eye socket with a light chirp.

Gilda nodded with a roll of her eyes. "You think everything is cute, you traumatized that diamond dog pup at the train station this morning. Kid's gonna have nightmares from how much you warbled around him."

Gabby puffed up her cheeks and neck fluff defensively. She pointed a claw at Gilda. "Hey! He was adorable in that little business suit! He won't be traumatized, he took the compliments proudly, I even got him to bark! That's like a warble...f-for diamond dogs..." She mumbled under her breath and looked out the window.

Gilda smiled and sighed. She cleaned up the game board and stowed it back in one of their bags they'd brought before shoving it under their seat.

"Alright, alright, he was cute. Now get up and follow me." Gilda stood up, startling Gabby.

"Wha-Where are we going? The train ride isn't over for another hour or so."

Gilda swiveled around the booth and started walking to the door. "Follow and you'll find out." She exited into the section between cars and Gabby joined her. She said nothing as they made their way through several cars, passing several griffons and even more ponies, before coming to the end of the train.

Gilda slid the door shut with a firm click and sighed. Now we won't be bothering those stuck up jerks, and Gabby can be herself.

Gabby looked around the caboose they now stood in and frowned in clear confusion at the crates and luggage. "Gilda, why are we in the caboose?"

Gilda twirled around around and lay down at the door. "Well, I remember how last time you read to me, you kept flaring your wings, waving your arms around, and generally just not staying still. I figured with your injuries, you'd need a safe area to move around as you continued your porn book."

Gabby blushed "Aaww, Gilda that's so swee--" She stumbled over her words, sputtering as the last words of Gilda went through her head. She reared up onto her back paws with her good wing open for balance. She stamped a paw into the floor adamantly. "It is not a porn book it's adventure romance!" She huffed and growled lightly.

Gilda smirked. "Right, right, adventure romance, action porn, same thing."

She waved a wing at Gabby and chuckled when the hen grew more flustered. Then to Gilda's surprise, Gabby trilled happily and quieted down. She quirked a raised brow at the hen and watched as she pulled her book out and ran a claw down the side with a light blush on her cheeks. The book was pulled into her arms and hugged tightly against Gabby's chest fluff. Behind her Gilda watched Gabby's tail flick back and forth in joy.

"Still... that was very considerate of you, Gilda. Thanks."

Gilda shrugged and acted aloof. "Sure thing, Gabby. Now I barely remember anything from last time mostly cause I was trying to die from boredom and embarrassment. So refresh me, where were we?"

Gabby hummed and searched her previous spot. "last spot we were at....oh...heheheh...." Gabby started chuckling and blushing, making Gilda clench the floor.

"What is so funny...?" Gilda asked cautiously.

In response, Gabby struck a rather...well a sexual pose, there was no other way to put it! She slowly gyrated her hips at the floor. Her voice grew soft and lustful. Gilda felt her cheeks flare red and her fluff exploded as Gabby began reading. Her voice soft and filled with desperation.

"Captain Gladiant slowly pounded his cannon balls into the stern of Rose's port, making her groan as the waves of pleasure rolled over her and made her sink into an ocean of pleasure..."

Gilda's beak dropped open as she remembered her previous attempt at fleeing the train the last time Gabby had been reading to her. She groaned and smacked her head into her claws. "Oh for fuck's sake, this is totally porn, Gabby!"

Gabby laughed. "Well, the whole story isn't, but that is the premise of this particular chapter!"

She swayed her hips left and right making Gilda blush furiously through her claws as her friend basically showed off her body without really knowing what it was doing to Gilda. Gabby's dark gray perky teats and her slightly swollen vulva flashed into Gilda's view several times, and Gilda felt her blush increasing every time she caught glimpses of Gabby's forbidden areas. She firmly smashed her face into her claws to hide the furious blush and sexual thoughts that were now running through her head. Very lewd thoughts of her friend laying in her personal nest...doing things...

This was a terrible idea! Gilda thought. We are both in heat, alone, in the back of a fucking train and she's reading this to me!?

"My lord! Rose gasped," Gabby giggled and sat down sweeping her arm over her brow in mock exhaustion. "Y-your ship's cannon is so large and weighted! Will you be able to keep steering it through my sudden storms? Rose panted as his sails billowed against her back." Gabby snickered and continued, unaware that Gilda wasn't staring at her face or the book.

Her teats...gods I...I want to....nnngh no! Bad Gilda! Gilda dug her claws into her cheeks to try and pull her mind back into the safe zone. It sort of worked.

It mostly hurt. Gabby didn't seem to see Gilda's reaction, too lost in the book.

"Gladiant stood proudly over her, his sword buried in the heart of her treasure, and nodded, nipping her ear. "Aye lass, ne'er there been a port I couldn't land in perfectly! As sure as my hull has gold, I'll be filling your port's chest with it until the coins flow over the edge!"

Gilda groaned and grumbled into her claws. "Kill me kill me kill me..."

Gabby flipped a page and Gilda couldn't take it. Before Gabby could continue the next line of dialog, she leapt forward and smacked the book from Gabby's claws suddenly. Gabby gasped and backed up.

"What...what the heck Gilda, why would you..."

Gilda was panting heavily. Her eyes were slits of feral need...glaring at the floor with her claws clenching into the wooden beams...and her tail. her fricking tail was bent so far to the left side of her ass that if a male had been behind her he probably would have gotten an erection just from the clear view she was giving. Gabby blushed, her cheeks fluffed up and she backed away a step.

Gilda immediately took a step forward subconsciously and Gabby hissed. Flaring her good wing out. "G-Gilda...uh...calm down....It's me...Gabby."

Gilda hissed, and shook her head. For several seconds their stand off held. Their chest fluff puffed out and wings flexing...Gabby warbled nervously, and Gilda scrunched her face up as their scents mixed and blended together in a wonderful and terrible smell. Gilda groaned and took a half step forward before she snarled. She shook herself harshly and backed up. She shoved herself past Gabby who chirped in surprise and leaped away from the other hen defensively, curling her tail under herself. Gilda went to the back door and flung it wide open, letting air blast her in the face and air out the room. The two hens panted for a few moments as they separately attempted to reign in their bodies.

"Th-this was a bad idea..." Gilda growled. "I just hot-boxed us in a steel room while both of us were in heat...fuck..."

Gabby was quiet, Gilda looked back to find That Gabby had backed up further, to the other end of the room and was breathing hard.

"S-sorry Gabby."

Gabby quickly held up a claw for her to wait, and then after several breaths she turned and smirked lightly. The blush had not left her and the fluff around her neck was still very active, twitching and spasming as she breathed.

"S-okay, I didn't notice the scent had gotten so strong all of a sudden." She looked at Gilda with a little confusion. "That really got you riled up, didn't it? Jeez we almost had a territorial fight there..."

Gilda hissed. "I...I wasn't going to fight you, Gabby..." Her gut clenched as she realized she wanted to do something else to Gabby.

Gilda said nothing and looked out at the expanse of wilderness that passed them by. Gabby chuckled behind her. "No, it's okay even if you were...that uh, you were smart. It was a good idea to stop me...still..." Gabby's voice gained a note of curiosity to it. "Your reaction was powerful...have you never read a romance novel before?"

"No!" Gilda snarled. "I don't read those kinda stories because that's what happens to me!" She started rubbing her arm subconsciously, guilt eating at her. "I get to the sex and the breeding and...I just get all...bitchy."

Gabby slowly came closer, Gilda tilted her head so she could see her friend approach and sure enough it was in a crouched, slinking pose. Gabby was making sure Gilda's instincts didn't react by being submissive. "Oh...I didn't know, Gilda..." She carefully sat close to Gilda so their wings were inches apart, and for a moment they watched the hills and trees blast past them.

"I mean, I figured maybe you'd explored romance at least a little..." Gabby mumbled. When Gilda shook her head, Gabby frowned. "I see...um...a-are you still...you know..." Gilda raised a brow at her and when Gabby pointed a claw to her lower area Gilda scoffed.

"Yeah, I'm still a virgin." She rubbed her arm more, blushing. "I mean, I've used toys and done...personal stuff...but that's it." She shuffled her wings. "You too I assume?" She asked, expecting a similar response.

"No." Gabby said in a shuddering whisper. Gilda blinked in shock.

Wait...what? Gilda felt her beak open in shock. "You...wait Gabby...you've had a partner?"

Gabby's brow furrowed rapidly and she gripped her arms tightly and then folded her wings around herself as best she could.

"Partner?" Gilda watched as Gabby's face contorted in what looked like genuine fury. "I...I will never give them the pleasure of being called that... He doesn't deserve such a lofty title..."

Gilda felt a roiling wave of anger and anguish wash over her as Gabby suddenly bared her beak to the sky and snarled into the wind. "He doesn't deserve anything from me!"

Tears started trickling down her cheeks as Gabby snarled and dug her claws into the wood. Gilda backed up, staring in awe as the hen vented rage Gilda didn't know was inside her.

She'd hit a nerve. something hidden, that Gabby had never shown her before...

"It wasn't love!" She screeched. Slash marks gouged into the floor boards beneath her. "It wasn't kindness! You TRICKED ME!!!!" Her bad wing tried to force itself out of the bandages and Gilda gasped. Leaping forward to stop Gabby from hurting herself, she flinched when the hen whirled on her and brought her claws down.

Gilda was no slouch though, and her reflexes were far more in tune then Gabby's were. She caught the talons with her own and locked claws with the smaller hen. Gabby, lost in rage, snapped her beak at Gilda in a flurry of territorial snarls and clicks.

"Gabby! Gabby calm down it's me!" It was no use. Gilda had accidentally dredged up something deep and Gabby was drowning in her feelings. The hen started kicking, sliding her legs forward so she could snap closer to Gilda and Gilda responded by sweep tackling her to the floor. The hens crashed down with Gilda on top and Gabby gasped. She looked panicked and scared suddenly. Her eyes instantly shrank to tiny dots in her eye sockets.

"No..." Gabby whispered. "No not again!" She screeched in terror and tried to pull away.

Gilda was so lost now.

What...what the hell, Gabby? Gilda thought. What has you this afraid?! It was the same fear she'd seen in Gabby's eyes when Gale and her daughter had been in the shop during the festival. Abject fear, primal and terrified, Gabby thrashed beneath her friend as if Tartarus itself was on her heels.

"GET OFF ME! GET OFF! I DON'T WANT IT!" Gabby screamed.

"Gabby please! It's just me! it's GILDA!" She yelled. Her claws dug deeper into Gabby's hands and Gilda feared she might make things worse if she held on any longer.

"Gabby please breath! You need to calm down!" She leaned in and hissed desperately.

Nothing. Gabby thrashed harder if anything else.

Bear the weight... Gilda blinked as she heard Grandpa Gruff say those words from long ago. He'd said it to her the one other time she'd seen Gabby scared and crying. She hadn't come out of her room for three days straight and even when she did all the color and joy had vanished from her. Grandpa Gruff had sat down Gilda at the table and told her.

Bear the weight of her pain and be there for her. She's been through hell and back, and needs a friend. You're the older sibling. Be there when she needs you the most.

Gilda did just that. Gabby was smaller than her by a head or so, and Gilda used her physical weight to keep pinning Gabby down. Gabby fought back, trying to wrench her claws free in a bestial snarl, but Gilda dug her claws into the back of Gabby's hand more, keeping her there. Blood gently trickled down Gabby's arm into her fur, and Gilda winced.

Sorry, but you need me right now. you're not going anywhere. She pushed, screeching back dominantly, and Gabby slowly but surely lost the will to fight. She slumped into Gilda's arms, tired, shivering, and crying. Gilda panted hard, heavy gasps of air as she lay atop Gabby.

For several minutes they simply breathed. Chests heaving, loose feathers fluttering around the two hens as they calmed down. Gilda slowly let go of Gabby's hands, grimacing as blood dripped from her claws. Gabby whimpered and shrank against Gilda. She blinked rapidly, looking around. When she caught Gilda's gaze she looked confused. "Wha...G-Gilda? How did you...Where'd...where'd he go..." She started to try and move but Gilda held her down with her weight.

Gilda frowned. "Whoa whoa, stay still Gabby...Who? It's only us in here, Gabby..." She tried to nuzzle Gabby to comfort her but the hen flinched and whimpered away. "N-No I saw him! He was...he was here...had...had me cornered...he wanted me to...to..." She froze up, her eyes jolted into tiny slits, and then buried her head into Gilda's chest feathers suddenly with a cracked stutter of screeching cries.

Gilda slowly blinked as the pieces fell into place. Gabby wasn't a virgin...she'd had someone previously...She disliked males as much as Gilda did...and Gallus said she'd gone through something traumatic a long time ago...It had taken everything Gabby had just to feel safe enough to tell Gallus...

Gabby was....O-oh no...Gabby... Her eyes fell to her friend and pain blossomed in her chest as Gabby's claws dug into her chest feather. Her arms slowly gently wrapped around Gabby and held her.

"Shhh...shh it's okay, Gabby...you are safe. It's alright..." Gilda whispered. Tears gently touched at the edges of Gilda's eyes and she blinked rapidly to try and block them.

Gabby cried harder. "I...I hate him...I hate him so much..." She hissed, clenching Gilda's feathers.

She nodded, gently and slowly sitting up with Gabby in her arms. The hen slumped into her in exhaustion. She rocked back and forth with the hen resting in her chest feathers. "It's okay to feel that way, Gabby." She whispered. "It's okay, they did a horrible thing...you hate them as much as you want to, as much as you need to..."

She carefully wrapped her wings around the smaller hen and nuzzled her cheeks, she purred as hard as she could muster, and the action seemed to help Gabby somewhat. They stayed there with the wind roaring out the caboose door, and Gilda felt like she should close it. She reached for--

"L-leave it...it helps..." Gabby whispered. "I...did I e-ever tell you I dislike c-closed in spaces?"

Gilda shook her head, nuzzling Gabby. "You have claustrophobia?" she asked gently. Gabby nodded. She started nuzzling back.

"It...it helps that the door is open...don't feel trapped." She sniffled.

Gilda crooned lightly, drawing Gabby's eyes up to gaze at hers. A tear fell from Gilda's eye and dropped onto Gabby's cheek. The hen flinched and looked surprised. Gilda gently cupped Gabby's cheek with her claws, and wiped it away.
"I...I'm so sorry...I didn't mean for this to happen, Gabby... I didn't know you--"

Gabby gently stopped her with her own claws on Gilda's beak. They looked at one another for a few moments before Gabby looked down and sighed.

"It's o-okay, Gilda. You didn't know. N-now you do..." She pulled her hand away, her eyes darting to the claw marks and blood before she took a deep breathe and nestled back into Gilda's chest feathers again, even going as far as to nuzzle her a couple times. The two hens shifted a bit to get comfortable and it ended up with Gabby curled up under Gilda's bigger wing, up against her side.

Silence took hold for a bit, Gabby took the time to wipe her eyes and Gilda surreptitiously did the same, before preening Gabby's neck and nape. Gabby didn't move, she simply sat there watching the floor. The touch wasn't unwelcome and after a while she was looking a lot better. Once their breathing was normal and only then did they speak.

"Feeling better?" Gilda asked, nuzzling Gabby's cheek with her beak. Gabby laughed softly and nodded. "Y-yes. Gilda...thanks." She hugged Gilda and purred heavily.

"You are the greatest friend I could ever ask for."

Gilda blushed, patting Gabby's back. "Thanks, Gabby..."

They separated and Gilda decided to try and broach the touchy subject again.

"S-so...I never like assuming anything...but from what I gathered...you have claustrophobia."

"Yes." Gabby nodded. "I try to stay out in the open, makes me feel more comfortable."

"And...you have lost your virginity..."

"....Yes, sadly..." Gabby whispered.

Gilda gulped..."F-from a tom who...forced it?"

Gabby sighed and slumped into Gilda. she sniffed, nuzzled her beak into Gilda's feathers, and growled, dragging her claws along the floor again.

"Y-yeah...

Gilda growled too... gripping her friend in protective hold. "So...I need a shovel and an address, cause i'mma find em and bury em nine feet under."

Gabby watched Gilda's expression dance between anger and determination, but she slowly shook her head. She leaned up and nuzzled Gilda right against her beak.

a kiss in every meaning of the action for griffons. Gilda gasped but didn't pull away. Cautiously, and ever so gently, she nuzzled back. Gabby chuckled and then blushed and pulled away. "S-sorry. my heat is...well you know."

Gilda nodded with a smirk. "Yeah, I do." She groaned and stretched out her legs. Gabby blushed and looked away. Gilda growled as a wing popped. "Still, don't dodge the question. where's this fucker live? I protect my family and he's about to get a rude wake up call."

Gilda felt Gabby shake her head under her chin. Her voice was softer now, sounding...sad.

"There isn't any need to do that, Gilda. He's long dead. For several years now in fact. I went to the funeral and everything too..." She pulled back and sighed, looking out at the sky as the trees blew past the rails. The wind rustled her feathers and ponytail, It was such a wonderful day, and Gilda felt Like Gabby made it all the more better.

"I hated him, but as much as I hated him, He brought me into this world to meet wonderful creatures like you Gilda...and I love that I got that chance...Plus, I feel that a child should be there in the end for their parents, no matter how terrible they were."

Gilda felt her heart drop into her stomach. "W-wait! Wait a second...you're saying your...your dad was the one..."

She nodded.

Gilda blinked several times mouth open in horror. For a few seconds, they stared at one another, and then Gilda slowly stared out the doorway. Her claws dug deep gouges into the floor. "Well...at least we have another thing in common."

Gabby blinked and tilted her head. "hmm?"

"I fucking hate your father as much as you do." She snarled. "I can't believe a dad would--" Her words were halted by Gabby's claws gently landing on her beak.

Gabby stared at her for several minutes before shaking her head with a sad smile. "Mmm, actually I'd really rather you didn't."

Gilda gasped, jumping to her feet and pulling her beak out Gabby's grasp. "What?! why?!"

Gilda was startled into silence when the sun met the edge of the caboose edge and Gabby was suddenly bathed in golden light in a dark room. In that moment Gabby was the most beautiful creature on the planet to Gilda. Gabby smiled and her face glowed. she reached up and touched her chest feathers with a blush.

"Because I want there to be less hate in the world, Gilda. Love will always be a greater force. So instead of hating him...love the life you have, you only get one, so make the most of it, okay?"

Gilda flushed red and looked away, but she warbled happily. "T-that was so cheesy it was terrible!"

Gabby blinked in confusion and then she laughed, a happy trill of joy that flowed over Gilda like a gentle song. "Maybe it was, b-but I still meant it!" Gabby laughed more. Gilda felt much better hearing that sound over the screams she'd heard earlier.

Gilda fought back a grin of her own, and faked a growl of frustration, she grabbed Gabby and started hauling the hen towards the door to the rest of the train. "Come on, lets get this stupid butt bead problem solved and then we are going right back home, and you are gonna get pampered like there is no tomorrow!"

Gabby blushed harder and laughed. "They don't go in our butts!"

Gilda growled and grinned, pulling harder. "So what! they go inside, the heat goes away, we become happy griffons!"

"W-wait! AHAHAH! M-my book!" Gabby laughed, pointing at it. "We can't leave that!" She was still laughing as Gilda pulled the door open and tried to drag Gabby through it.

"Nope! That stupid porn book is staying in here to rot!"

"IT'S NOT A PORN BOOK!"

As Gabby tried to playfully fight Gilda, Laughing and giggling all the while, Gilda felt a genuine font of mirth and joy fill her heart.

I'm gonna do whatever it takes to remember this moment...that sound she's making, it's a song... If I'm a rose...Gabby is a song...

Gilda swore she'd never forget how wonderful it was to hear Gabby happy.