A Mare's Defense

Shining Armor slipped out of the chamber and over to the awaiting group. Everypony was waiting anxiously. Shining looked up at Princess Celestia.

"She- she's. . . "

Rainbow Dash stomped her hoof, trying to mask her fear with anger.

"She's what? Spit it out!"

"She's pregnant!"

Everypony was silent, not even daring to breathe. There was no sudden outburst from her friends, no yells or exclaims. They all just sat there, contemplating what this meant.

Applejack flicked her ears back.

"Tha' means. . . "

Celestia shook her head sadly.

"Shining, please coax her out. We will than take her to the hospital. How far along is she?"

Shining Armor shuddered.

"She's in labor now!"

That was when everypony started to panic.

Shining carefully approached his sister and wife. Twilight was once again standing up, head bent low. When Shining came close, she snorted in a defensive manner.

"It's okay, Twilie. It's just me."

Twilight looked her brother over before relaxing. She leaned into Cadance's side heavily, panting. The lavender mare stomped her front hoof before she laid back down. Cadance walked over to her husband. Shining leaned over, whispering in her ear.

"The doctor's said that, as much as they don't want her to foal here, it's more dangerous to drug her to move her. She'll have to foal here unless we can convince her to come with us."

The alicorn looked over at Twilight.

"I don't think we'll be able to convince her. While you were out there, she kept begging me to not let anypony hurt her foal."

Shining Armor sighed.

"How close is she?"

"From the timing of the contractions, I'd say there's going to be a foal here any minute."

Twilight moaned, catching their attention. A quite a bit more liquid had shown up.

"Make that any minute this minute."

Cadance and Shining both ran to Twilight. Cadance held her hoof while Shining Armor knelt down in front of her back legs. He promptly jumped up and pushed Cadance out of the way.

"Nope nope nope nope and nope! You deliver!"

"Oh for heavens. . . oh wow! Breath Twilight, the baby's crowning!"

Twilight grit her teeth in pain as she held onto her brother's hoof.

"Ok, ok. Good. On the next contraction, I want you to push!"

Twilight nodded, tears streaming down her face. Her mane was damp with sweat. Shining could see the contraction send a rippling wave over Twilight's stomach. The mare groaned and bared down. She didn't scream. Most mares when foaling screamed for all it was worth. Twilight remain stubbornly silent. Cadance stared wide eyed before looking up at her sister-in-law.

"One more good push and the head will be clear!"

Twilight moaned as her upper body twisted in pain, but she followed through. She fell back panting as the contraction passed.

"Good job, Twilight! Just breath for a little bit. Next big contraction and you'll have your baby! Shining, Shining come here."

Shining let go of Twilight's hoof and peaked down at the baby. The head was completely out, but the shoulders and body had yet to breach. From what he could see, the foal was a completely black unicorn. Except for it's horn. It's horn was red.

Suddenly, Twilight screamed. It was short, but it was loud and full of pain. The lavender mare heaved, and with a rush of amniotic fluid and slight blood, the foal slid into the world.

It was a filly. A beautiful little filly. A beautiful little filly that wasn't moving.