Maple shifted uncomfortably on the examination table, its crinkly paper rustling beneath her. She was back at the clinic they had visited months earlier for a checkup. The same kind doctor was there, busying himself with laying out towels and instruments.

"Remember your breathing," he coached gently. "Nice and slow."

Maple tried to focus on her breath, but it was difficult with the contractions coming one after another. She grimaced, sucking air sharply through her teeth.

Summer blotted Maple's forehead with a damp cloth, her face etched with concern. "You're doing so good," she offered, though her voice betrayed her worry for her dear friend.

Winter stood at Maple's other side, holding her hoof tightly. As she cried out in pain, memories of another life flickered through his mind. A human life, hands gripping a hospital bed instead of hooves. The echo of a woman's anguished cries. A child lost before its time.

He squeezed his eyes shut, pushing the visions away. Not now. Maple and their foal needed him present.

The doctor slid his stool over and lifted the sheet. "You're fully dilated. It's time to push."

Maple bore down hard, her face reddening from exertion. The contractions were an all consuming force now, her body working to expel this foal on its own timeframe.

Maple's screams mingled with the memories, but Winter clung to her hoof. "Breathe," he urged. "You're so strong."

"One more big push," encouraged the doctor.

Digging deep, Maple funneled every ounce of strength into bringing her baby into the world. Her cries mingled with that of the foal as it emerged in a rush of fluid and blood.

The doctor briskly cleared the tiny nostrils before a resounding wail filled the room. "Colt!" he proclaimed, placing the foal on Maple's heaving chest.

As the adrenaline rush subsided, Maple found herself awash in a sea of new sensations and emotions. The colt's wet warmth against her, his cries triggering some primal instinct within her. She counted his delicate hooves and took in his downy coat, still matted from the birth canal. Love overwhelmed her.

When the foal emerged, joy flooded Winter's heart, yet melancholy still lurked beneath. He should be elated meeting his son, but grief over his past life colored the moment.

Still, gazing at the tiny colt filled him with hope. This was a new chance, a new world. He would be the father this child needed.

Summer looked on, enraptured by this new life. "What's his name? Ya never told us."

As Maple whispered "Spruce", Winter made a silent promise to them both. He would leave the shadows of his old life behind and walk fully into this new dawn.

They all quietly absorbed the gravity of this moment. The intense process of bringing forth new life, now settled into calm stillness.

"Welcome home, Spruce," Winter offered, choking back tears. Their family was now bigger, bonded by this shared experience of ushering in a new foal.

The doctor wiped his brow with a swipe of his fetlock. "You did quite well. You barely needed me." He looked pleased at his report, nodding. "Ideally, that's how it should always be. Do you have a doula?"

Summer perked her ears. "A do-what?"

"Doula?" repeated the doctor. "Birth coach. They give tips on what to do to prepare for things, and how to do the process. Think of them, in a way, like an assistant midwife?" He could see the clueless looks on both mares, one heavy still. "My apologies, thought you might have had one. Maple's looking far more fit than the last time I saw her, and that birth went so smoothly. Hm. You did an even better job then. That fitness and preparation made all the difference. I'm impressed!" He began tidying up his supplies. "Let me know if you need anything else. Get some rest."

Maple cradled little Spruce, heart swelling with pride. The doctor was right, all that exercise had paid off. She had never felt so strong and capable.

Planting a gentle kiss on Spruce's tiny muzzle, she sighed contentedly. Their family was now a little bit bigger, and her body a little bit stronger.

Summer took her chance to approach the doctor. "'xplain one thing to me! Ah'm very proud and happy fer Maple." She inclined her head towards the joyfully recovering mother. "But why? Ah'm bigger!" She pointed back at her bloated midsection. "Ah'm pretty sure ah got my foals first! Why did she pop them out before ah did?!"

The doctor tensed at the angry, tired, plea of the mother. "My apologies, but you're both dealing with hybrid children, which complicates things... Not to mention..." He waves over Summer's great midsection. "You have twins, another layer of complexity that can throw off dates easily. Look on the bright side."

Summer raised a doubting brow. "There's a bright side?"

"Oh, yes." He smiled as brightly as he could manage. "Now that she's recovering, you'll soon have two ponies that will care for you gladly."

Maple giggled at the doctor's words. "He ain't wrong. Ah'll be glad to lend a hoof. Um..." She gently jostled Spruce in her arms. "But ah may ask fer help in kind with Spruce." The foal wriggled against her. As if by magic, Maple knew. "Are you hungry, little guy?" She conjured a bottle of milk without thought, just making the motion of passing the bottle over and the bottle was there by the time her hoof arrived at Spruce's waiting mouth. The foal slurped and gulped down the fresh, warm, milk eagerly.

Maple started suddenly. "Oh! Am ah still fat? Somepony check!"

Summer turned towards Maple, sweeping her eyes over the prone new mother. "You look like you did before we started this. A full recovery."

"Yes!" Maple pumped a free hoof, looking quite happy for the news. "I love you forever, Winter, but you make your mares fat. Glad that's temporary."

Winter colored darkly at the accusation, but he couldn't think of a way to argue it. Each mare he had put a child into had indeed swollen up, unlike normal ponies. "Sorry. Did it hurt?"

"Being fat? No, just annoying... Giving birth? Yes! But..." She kissed Spruce softly. "It was a good hurt, and for a good reason... I'd do it again... But not today! Give a mare a break."

With Spruce nursed and nestled against his mother, the small family took a fresh moment to let it all soak in. The chatter gave way to quiet joy and anticipation.

"He's so perfect," Maple whispered, tracing his tiny features with the tip of her hoof.

Winter blinked back proud tears. "Just like his mother."

Summer sidled up beside them, her own heavy middle preceding her. "An' he'll have himself a little brother or sister soon enough, maybe both?." She winced, rubbing at the pronounced bulge. "Real soon, from the feel of it."

The doctor nodded sympathetically. "Any day now for you. Remember what I coached Summer through today. Breathing, motion, having support." He gestured to Summer and Maple. "You'll do wonderfully."

As they left the clinic, the sun felt especially warm on their backs, basking them in the glow of new beginnings.

"Let's get Spruce home," said Winter, already picturing the nursery awaiting its first occupant.

Summer laughed. "Yes, one down, two to go!" She bumped her swollen belly against Winter playfully. "No rest for the blessed."

They returned home, but not without being spotted. It wasn't as if they were trying to hide, just walking down the dirt roads of their town. "Winter!" There was Ten Gallon, tipping that oversized hat of his. "Look at you, all of ya!" He came closer on his small legs. "Did it go well? Guessin' it did, considering that little bundle! They're cute as a button! Um... They a colt or a filly?" Poor guy wasn't sure which they were with a pony so very young.

Winter smiled at his poker friend. "Hello. He is a colt. Say hello to Spruce."

"Maple made a Spruce?" He snorted with a warm smile. "Love it." He reared up for a better look. "Look at you... How are you doing, ma'am?"

"Tired," Maple laughed out. "Ready to get home and rest. Nice to see you though. How are the boys?"

"We haven't changed." Ten Gallon fell to all fours. "Glad we could help make this happen. I'll be sure to let all the other players know the good news." He turned to Winter with a bit of a feral grin. "But don't think this means we'll go easy on you! Bring your best poker face next game!"

Winter chuckled. "Wouldn't dream of you going easy on me."

Ten Gallon tipped his hat at Maple. "You take care now! Rest up with that little one." His smile faded a touch as he regarded Summer's ponderous middle. "And you take care too. Not much longer now..."

Summer sighed, shifting her weight. "Sure feels that way. They feel ready to join the world."

"We'll be ready when they really are." Winter moved to support Summer's back.

"You two let me know if you need anything at all," pressed Ten Gallon. "My door's always open."

With another cheeky grin, he moseyed off, leaving the expectant parents to make their way home.

"Can you believe it?" marveled Maple as they walked. "We're parents. This still feels like a dream." She nuzzled drowsy Spruce, his tiny breaths warm against her chest.

"The best dream," said Winter, blinking back emotion. Their family was growing in the most wonderful way.

The sight of their little home had never been so welcome. Another chapter was beginning.

They headed inside the two houses that had literally been brought together to make one larger one. "Glad we have this space." Winter looked around as they walked in. "Time to put it to use."

Maple walked right past him, to the nursery they had set up. She considered putting Spruce down, but ultimately changed her mind, emerging with her colt still in arm. "Nah..."

Summer inclined her head at Maple. "I thought you were rushing to put him down. What changed your mind?" She went to a couch and sank on it with a happy sigh. "Ah'm ready to take a load off and take a nap."

Winter closed to nuzzle Maple's cheek. "I'm curious too." He shared a nuzzle with little Spruce. "You don't have to... But why?" They had a lovely crib they had purchased, but there was no colt in it.

Summer bounced her little infant gently. "Because I want to hold him like this for as long as ah can right now... Ah'm so in love... Ah feel like puttin' him down... Why would ah do that?!" She smooched her new child. "Havin' him here is way better. 'Sides, if he needs anythin', Ah'll be right here to..."

She trailed off, coloring a moment. "To change his diaper," She finished, hurrying off to handle that. Nobody said being a mother was clean work.

Winter smiled as Maple disappeared to tend to Spruce. Summer was right - every moment was precious now.

"I know it won't be easy, but I can't wait for this," he said, sitting beside Summer. "Changing diapers, wakin' up at all hours...I'm ready for all of it."

Summer laughed, the motion making her swollen belly jiggle. "You say that now. Just you wait 'til your beauty sleep gets interrupted." Her smile faded a touch as she rubbed her distended middle. "But you're right. It'll be worth it to hold our own little ones."

She tensed, face contorting. "Might be sooner than we thought..."

Winter's eyes flew open. "Now? Are you..."

"Just a contraction...false alarm," Summer breathed, relaxing again. "But that felt real."

At that moment, Maple returned, gently swaying with little Spruce. "How's it going in here?"

"Just anticipating our future sleepless nights," chuckled out Winter.

"We'll be pros at this in no time" Maple let Winter take Spruce into his arms. The new father gazed adoringly at his son, heart overflowing. Their family was steadily growing, each day bringing new blessings big and small.

Author's Note

Say hello to little Spruce!

Join the special community of folks who like my stories, get updates early, and/or get your own here at atreon!

Don't want to do an ongoing thing? You could

Join my discord to chat!