The foals were running about, playing as children were wont to do, with a shriek and a cheer.

Spruce was chasing the others with a silly grin. He was having fun, but he wasn't thinking about it too much. "Lunch is over!" called sharply from the schoolhouse. "Gather yourselves up and get back in here."

Spruce's smile fell immediately. He trotted slowly back towards the schoolhouse, then trotted faster as his friends joined his side. He shook his head at the whole situation. "I don't want to go."

Dawn shrugged at that. "We gotta learn."

Dusk's horn flickered with frustration. "Even the boring parts." Dusk went in and the other two of the siblings closed for a communal bumping of sides.

Spruce, though, stood outside a moment longer, looking out to the road, hoping to see something, anything.

He wanted to see Winter charging down that street, eyes flashing, and a shout upon his lips. But that didn't happen. School would be his fate for the time.

Dusk stuck his head out. "Spruce!"

Spruce snapped back to attention. "Coming." He trotted into the classroom with his usual caution, head low.

Dusk and Dawn exchanged glances as he sat at his desk. Dawn reached over and poked the despondent Spruce. "You look mopier than usual. Can we help?"

Spruce shook his head. "Can't do much now. I'm okay." He looked out the window, looking to the main road. "I miss him. Dad. He'll come around again, and I wanna talk to him."

Dusk nodded with understanding. "He has to work. I know he misses us too." He pointed out the window. "They're out there working, and they're thinking about us too. Trust me. I just know." He looked to Spruce. "So, you trust me?"

Spruce's ears turned towards Dusk. "Yeah?"

Dawn flashed a bright smile. "Then we'll see him later, after school. He's bein' strong, so we can be strong too!" She turned her head to the teacher, hooves together in front of her like an attentive student. "Sorry, ma'am, what were ya sayin'?"

Dusk looked to Spruce for a long moment before turning to the teacher to listen to her words. School continued.

Dusk and Dawn stayed near Spruce as they walked down the path to their home.

Dawn frowned, then stepped up to his side, looking up into his face. "Still mopey?"

Dusk came in on the other side. "Father will be home soon, with Summer." Having two moms, calling either just 'mom' proved to be awkward. "Maybe Maple's already there, waiting for us." He grinned hopefully. "Let's get there and find out."

Spruce started trotting, his mood perking up, just a little, just enough. "I'll race you both there."

With a chorus of cheers, all three of them broke into a full gallop towards home. As they drew close, they could all hear the cheerful chatter of a full household, and their hearts leapt for joy.

Dusk managed to reach the door first and he pushed it open. "Mom!" He didn't mean either specifically. He used the word when he meant both of them at the same time.

And he got both, both looking over with sudden smiles at the apperance of their foals. Dusk's tail swished as he stood by the door. Dawn stepped past him, grinning. "You're all back at the same time!"

Spruce walked in last, shutting the door behind him. Winter grabbed Spruce, walking past the door. His horn glowed, holding Spruce up as Winter trotted on by in a loop towards the kitchen. "Hey there, kiddo. Learn anything interesting today?"

Dusk and Dawn fell in step at Maple's side as they walked out of the room. Maple chuckled, then smiled at the foals. "I was just gettin' some food ready." She pointed to Winter. "With yer pa. Ya built up a good hunger at school? Didn't think yer snacks'd be all worn off already."

Summer grinned as they passed. "Good to see you all. Don't forget, we've got a bit of work to do soon."

Winter smooched her on the cheek. "After dinner." He nuzzled her and went to join Maple in the task of getting dinner ready.

Spruce hugged tight to Winter. "What are we having for dinner?"

"I was thinking steak, baked potatoes, and veggies." He opened the fridge as he said that. "That sound good?" He paused, feeling the hug wasn't coming to an end. He closed the fridge, floating the ingredients over to Maple. "Champ." He sat down slowly. "I don't mind that you're hugging me, but is something up?"

Spruce felt like a thousand tiny bubbles of confusion were rising from his tummy and popping in his throat. "I'm trying to decide. I love hugs."

"That I knew." Winter's ears flickered with amusement. He put one arm around the colt, drawing them closer. "And I love you, so hugs are always welcome." He patted his son gently on the shoulder.

Spruce nuzzled in. "I want a hug, but I also want to ask you a question, and I don't know which one I want more."

Winter chuckled gently at that. "Well, why not both then?" He nuzzled the top of his confused son. "Hug all you want. When you're ready, let's hear that question, and you don't even have to stop hugging."

Spruce took a deep breath, then nodded. "Okay." He leaned against Winter, relaxing, but keeping hold of him. "It's about being a kirin." He raised a hoof to make a motion over himself, indicating his different build compared to Winter. "I'm not much of a kirin." His voice dropped with the statement, almost a whisper. "You're such a good kirin, dad. Your horn, your tail. Your, um, everything."

Winter's tail swayed gently with amusement. "I see." He tilted his head. "Are you wondering how you can be a kirin if you're missing some of the obvious stuff?" He leaned in, rubbing the side of his snout against Spruce. "You are a kirin. My little kirin. You don't need a horn to be a kirin." He pointed to the scales that ran down the top of his snout. "These scales are just for show. You are a kirin, right here." He tapped Spruce on the chest.

Spruce glanced down at the tap, then raised his hoof to put on the spot that Winter indicated. "So, what's the point of me looking all pony if I'm a kirin?"

Winter inclined his head. "You're a pony too. I'm not a pony at all. You're both." He brought in both his hooves to press on Spruce from either side, lifting Spruce up so they could be face to face. "You have ponies for moms. Nothing wrong with being a pony. Nothing wrong with being a kirin. You're both, a new, wonderful, amazing thing."

Spruce smiled a little at that. "Wow, yeah!" His tail flicked with excitement. "I'm not gonna be alone then." He clung to Winter with a happy hoot.

Winter hugged him back, just as tightly. "Not alone, not at all. You have two siblings that are watching us right now. They want you to be happy and safe." He flicked his tail, causing the two foals watching them from the other side of the doorway to yelp and jump back. "I think they want to spend the rest of their lives with you."

Dusk and Dawn dashed into the kitchen, taking Winter's words as an invitation to join them. "We heard you talking." Dusk stood tall and proud. "You're our brother."

Dawn bounced up to Winter. "Yeah, you're family, and family sticks together!"

Dusk pointed at Dawn. "She's my twin!"

"And I don't have the big kirin stuff." Dawn turned about, showing off how pony she appeared. "But we are kirin. So are you!"

Winter set Spruce down. "But what does it mean to be a kirin?"

All the eyes turned to Winter and the little foal cocked their heads. "Uhm?"

Winter smiled at their confusion. "Kirin are a few things. One, they are a people, with a culture. I learned about it. It's time I taught you three." He leaned in. "You're already learning the pony way, you're making friends at school, right? They're teaching, even if they don't think about it."

The three foals nodded together at that. "Yes. Yes!"

Dusk's horn flashed and the spatula flew over, landing in his magic. "I like it here. Everyone's nice to each other."

Winter nodded, his smile growing more relaxed. "Glad to hear it. So, pony way, well in hoof. Now, the kirin way." He pointed at himself. "I will teach it. Maple, you got dinner?"

"With some help," sang out Maple, working on Dinner with Summer beside her, the two casually having joined forces with winter being so occupied. She gestured vaguely with a hoof. "Yer doin' great with him, honey."

Dusk grinned. "Tell us something about yourself!"

Winter's ears twitched. "Well, the first thing, something about the culture." He spread his hooves slowly. "Kirin are all about balance, they always were. They tried to push themselves into the cold once, and it seemed to work, a little while, but they eventually came back into the center. Balance." He raised and lowered his hooves to show off each state of that balance. "Warm, cold. When a kirin gets too mad, or upset, the heat may overtake them, and then they are a nirik, on fire, full of that bottomless rage."

Dusk's eyes went wide. "Oh! That happened to you once before, didn't it?"

Winter nodded at Dusk. "It did. I've felt it a few times, more when I was still learning how to be a kirin." He inclined his head at them. "I'm not sure if you can all do that, but if you do, don't panic. Let me show you how I relax. Sit, and follow my breaths."

The three sat, doing their best to calm down with their father. Winter guided them on his breathing, in, then out. They all matched his slow pace.

After a time, he reached forward, gently touching his snout to Spruce's. "When I am upset, and I feel that fire rising in me, I sit and do that. Balance." He withdrew and tilted his head at the foal. "It seems silly, but it helps. Try it next time you feel hot, and then we can talk about the other half."

Spruce's ears danced. "The other part is cold?"

Winter wrinkles his snout with a chuckle. "Won't let me get away with it? The other part is cold, but it's the cold of quiet, of still." He brought his hooves together. "You don't see that side of me much, because seeing my little foals warms me right up, but I used to be very, very quiet."

Summer called from her cooking. "He used to not say a dan' thin' ever!"

Maple laughed. "Ya scared us at times!"

Winter's eyes narrowed a moment, then he looked at the three foals with a smile. "So, I try to be careful and not push you away." He gestured towards the door. "You are kirin, I am kirin. Together, we are all kirin."

"We're kirin." They repeated the statement and Dusk's horn flashed, causing the pot in the corner to wobble before he squeaked and released it.

Dusk blushed at his mistake. "I'm still getting used to how to do that."

Winter nuzzled with Dusk gently. "Keep practicing. You're getting better."

Dawn chirped up, "Practice makes perfect!"

"I'll keep trying!" Dusk hopped to his hooves with a growing smile.

Winter smiled. "All of us will. And that includes me." He walked over to the stove, standing with the three little foals clustered around him. "Your moms made some tasty vittles. Who wants to help carry them to the table?" With a chorus of positives, he gently floated down trays for them to dutifully carry towards their smiling mothers.

Maple giggled with a mixed in 'aw'. "Look at them! So, very, precious." She swayed left and right, waving them onwards.

Author's Note

That chapter felt warm and good to me, mmm, liked it. You?

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