As most living in Equestria are well-aware, griffons eat meat. It’s a fact of life. They are omnivorous creatures, and thrive on both vegetation and equine alike. Griffons are often looked down upon in Equestria, even ones who’d lived there for years and are well-known to not engage in being carnivorous. Punishment for eating an Equestrian is taken very seriously, but this doesn’t stop even the friendliest, veggie-lovingest of griffons from avoiding the stigma sometimes.

But what a lot of ponies don’t realize is the reality that sometimes, ponies eat ponies!

Cream Caramel is a short, wide earth pony from Fillydelphia with a chocolaty-brown coat of fur covering most of her form. Her underside and hooves have a lighter cream-colored shade to them, which matches the stripe racing down her tail. Her mane and tail are otherwise predominantly colored with a golden-brownish flair, and kind turquoise eyes will greet you when you enter the candy shop she owns and operates in Ponyville! She’s obviously chubby and openly enjoys the sweets and snacks she sells, which is only an endorsement for the family business she now has her own hoof-hold in. And unbeknownst to most in Equestria, she, in fact, likes to eat ponies!

She was born into a loving family, with a jovial earth pony of a stallion, and a large-and-in-charge griffon of a mother. While her two younger siblings – sister and brother respectively – took to the maternal side of the gene pool, Cream had her father’s eyes, coat colors, and species! But her wide, omnivorous nature came from her mother’s side, and neither habit was discouraged as she was raised. From an early age, Cream got to enjoy the sweet taste of equine, coached and encouraged by Mama, who protected her family while simultaneously enjoying a good meal. While Papa never engaged in the sort of cannibalism Cream did and does, he was right there beside Mama, the parents always looking out for their young and enjoying his time with the griffon.

With her siblings being griffons, far fewer heads would turn if they, too, indulged in any meat-eating. Cream’s sister was often right there with Cream, gobbling up equines for supper and thinking nothing of it. The youngest brother? It didn’t take him long to fully embrace the a pony diet: All vegetarian, all the time. Despite encouragement and even liking the taste, he wound up preferring food that didn’t squirm or fight back; food that he could enjoy at any time, public or private, and gradually grew out of craving pony entirely. It took a little getting used to, but in the end the whole family was behind him in his decision, and he was never left out of whatever feasts or other occasions the family would have together.

Cream sometimes thought back to one of the first meals she’d ever secured fully on her own. She was a young adolescent and, like her parents, protected her family whenever the need arose. The youngest was undergoing a bully problem, teased and taunted, called pony-eater, monster, worse things. If only that bully knew, Cream reminisced, thinking how her brother was the one who abstained from such delights. Oh how the bully cowered before the larger eldest sister, who’d cornered her one day during lunch at the schoolhouse, outdoors, nopony else around. Cream remembered the shock registering on the bully’s face when not a griffon, but a pony, ate her up without a second thought.

Nopony ever knew what happened to the bully, though there was a definite lack of griffon-pickings-on around the schoolhouse from that day onward.

The candy store in Fillydelphia, run by her parents, was a modest establishment. Like other sweets purveyors in Equestria, they always had plenty of business, and Cream’s family thrived. Most in town knew of the pony/griffon family, and not a one suspected them of falling into griffon stereotypes of omnivorous behavior! Cream loved working there, and couldn’t think of what else she’d like to do for a career, even earning a very thematic cutie mark – three candies of her namesake, two wrapped, one open – one day when she ended up having to run things on her own. Papa in particular was tickled pink when Cream declared that she wanted to be a part of the family business and open up her own branch, by the time she was nearing adulthood. When of age, she’d moved out and the family fronted the resources to set her up in a separate town: Ponyville.

To the family’s amazement, griffons seemed to be even more accepted here than elsewhere, though it definitely seemed to be one of the more diverse places in Equestria. The School of Friendship was no small contributor to this fact, they figured, and Cream’s parents had no qualms with her setting up shop here. And just like that, Cream Caramel was on her own, running a new candy shop, settling into the new community easily. She approved of the ponies and other creatures she got to know, and found that the extra sweet flavors of ponies in these parts were quite tantalizing indeed!

One day, in fact, she was feeling particularly famished, and resolved to have herself a would-be customer for lunch. A few ponies trickled in and out, none looking appetizing to the plump mare. She was wondering if she would have to settle for mooching off her own wares when another pony entered: A rather chubby pegasus, sporting a blue coat and purple mane and tail. He greeted Cream with a friendly wave. Cream waved back, fighting the urge to drool at the sight of the stallion that approached. The rather friendly pony immediately recognized her as a newcomer, introducing himself as Blue Thrush and offering the obviously hungry-looking pony if she wanted to grab a bite (that’s why he was there, after all). This welcome set Cream back on her hooves and she could stop herself, said yes! The two shared a friendly chat while chowing down on typical pony fare in an outdoor restaurant, all the while Cream thinking to herself I can save him for supper on repeat. Before she knew it, though, lunch was finished. She returned to the shop, and had let the big blue pony go… but not after she hastily asked if he’d like to get together some time! Blue had reacted rather shyly but agreed, and just like that Cream Caramel had not a meal, but a date!

And what a memorable date it was! Blue and Cream hit it off nicely, and the evening even ended in a rather exhilarating manner. While perched atop a cloud together (Cream able to walk on clouds thanks to her griffon heritage), she toppled over the edge, plummeting back to earth! Blue had saved her from grievous injury or worse, and it was at that moment that Cream Caramel decided not only to not eat the big pony who saved her… but started falling for him as well. She rewarded Blue handsomely for his heroic efforts to save her, and from then on the two were inseparable. Many dates followed, with the two often seen walking side by side in the streets of Ponyville, enjoying each others’ company. This was the first time Cream had ever felt apprehension as to her rather unorthodox dietary proclivities, as she had not yet broken the news to her now-boyfriend. She didn’t even say that her mother was a griffon, scared at the however-unlikely possibility that Blue would break it off then and there!

Eventually, the fated day had come: The dinner date with the folks. Blue and Cream had already had it with Blue’s parents, two other pegasi who were nothing but kind to her, telling humiliating stories of their beloved son, who’d spent half the evening a blushing mess. That was a walk in the park compared to what Blue would be subjected to with her own folks, Cream knew. They were rather protective of all their children, after all, and this wasn’t the first time Cream had brought home a date. Once with a griffon, another with a mare, Cream was doing her best to talk up how charming and lovely they were under the piercing eyes of Mama. Her griffon boyfriend didn’t last five minutes, and he was quickly devoured due to how little he seemed to care for Cream (despite her being smitten with him and not seeing the faults but Papa picked up on quick). As for Cream’s girlfriend? When returning to the table after being excused a moment, she found half the pony sticking out Mama’s beak. “Mooooom!” she whined, as if she was just grounded. After her girlfriend was polished off, Mama revealed a few harsh truths about what the devoured pony had admitted to the family in private. Something she thought was hilarious, but in fact was quite the opposite!

In the end, it was for the best, but Cream knew that if Blue hinted at any sort of behavior or habit her parents didn’t approve of… Blue would be next.

Cream was a nervous wreck as she and Blue arrived at her Fillydelphia home. Just as her father opened the door, Cream realized she never told Blue her mother was a griffon! Fearing the worst, they entered, Cream not knowing how Blue would react. Relief flooded her when Blue thought having a griffon for a mother was the coolest thing ever and, like the first time Cream met Blue, caught Mama off guard with how kind he was. He even did a proper griffon greeting, wings splayed, hoof across the chest, head bowed slightly. Cream had no idea Blue studied up griffon culture. She visibly relaxed and was far less tense from that point onward, even if they weren’t out of the woods yet.

The meal was fairly easy-going. Cream thought things took a turn for the worse when Papa asked to talk to blue “stallion to stallion” for a few minutes, and when Mama asked Cream to excuse herself for a bit while she, Papa, and Blue were still at the table. But when she returned, everyone was still seated and having a good time, and Caramel was glad to not come back to find a much larger griffon at the table, and one fewer pony!

The night went great, and after that things were smooth sailing, all the way towards marriage: Several months later, Blue Thrush and Cream Caramel tied the knot, and the two were wed and happier than ever. In just under a year, Cream Caramel had moved out, got her own place, established her career, and met the stallion of her dreams. The honeymoon was a particular highlight and the two grew closer than ever.

Despite the happiness, Cream Caramel still fretted over her big secret. So, a couple months after they moved in together (the pair getting small house very close to Cream’s candy store), she got Blue alone and revealed it all: Her family’s habits, her own, and the reality that she couldn’t, and didn’t want to, give it up.

It was a lot for Blue to take in, and for a few days Cream thought her world was going to crumble, as Blue was very reluctant to accept or support her way of living. He’d even let slip a few common insults about griffons that were well-known to her family, which came very close to breaking her heart. Cream’s family was everything to her, and even though every word Blue said was true, it stung coming from him. Cream and Blue had argued over the matter, with Cream trying to bring Blue into the fold and make him realize that if a pony was prey, anything was fair game to do with them, and she emphasized that. Eventually it was revealed Blue was less upset about what she did, but what she didn’t do. That is, tell her all this before they got married. Cream apologized but knew that wouldn’t be enough, and never met to hurt her spouse in such a way.

So, Cream sought to make it up to Blue. A romantic evening was had between the two… with a third pony involved! It was then that Blue really discovered what Cream Caramel had been hinting at before when they were debating. Cream Caramel shaped Blue Thrush and really got him into her devouring a pony, the two having a most lovely time together. He’d never change his eating ways of course, which was perfectly fine in Cream’s eyes. More for her! Blue learned all about the positives of this particular aspect of Cream’s life, and the luxury he had in being able to share it with her. In the days that followed, Blue and Cream were lounging, her caramel-colored belly still working away what remained of that third party. She admitted that the first time she saw Blue, she was sizing him up for lunch. Blue couldn’t help but laugh at that, and the two kissed and formally made up, the last dangling conflict for Cream finally resolved.

Nowadays, Cream Caramel and Blue Thrush live together in harmony, supporting each others’ dreams, desires, and goals, and working together as a team. The shop they ran together was nearing the success her family’s business sees in Fillydelphia (Ponyville citizens have a real sweet tooth). Cream herself carried on living like she always has, and is looking forward to a long, healthy life, with many scrumptious meals ahead!