What was once a deafening silence is suddenly filled with the sound of my own heartbeat. I feel as if I am drowning as the air around me seems to thicken and my vision swirls and ripples in a haze. My teeth clench shut as if holding in air and my eyes flutter at the sensation of being so strangely disconnected with myself, while my tail beats against the ground helplessly, the only outlet for my pain as I suffer in silence. My voice had died out quickly and I am left now feeling oppressed by the shadows of the forest as they fill my vision, and longing for nothing more than Aure by my side.

It is strange to feel her touch after so long, and at once I realize that I am in company. My lover and my closest friend gather beside me, accompanied by another creature I've never before seen. As much as I long to cry out, my voice cracks and my mind reels at the suggestion of speaking. My heart pounds and I hear it above all else, but the gentle motion of Aure's lips puts me at ease for a brief moment before the contractions begin again and I am left writhing and helpless.

The child comes in a heave and a wave of pain, emerging small and weak, with knobby knees characteristic of the young and brilliant wings that match his mother's. He is black as the night during which he is born, with eyes a brilliant yellow green that seem to reflect Aure's and my own. I feel elation, but not relief. My forelegs churn at the earth and I forget my joy as pain sweeps over my again.

Arbutus is at my side in moments, crying tears of perhaps joy at the birth and sadness for my pain, but they do little to soothe me now. Confusion mixed with instinct place a pressure on my chest and make it harder to breathe. Is there something else the God of the Earth failed to mention? I can't think, not of an answer, not of anything- I can't even speak until moments later, when the pain fades quickly and the form of another colt becomes clear in my fuzzy vision.

Twins, I realize with a sudden shock as I lie upon the foothills earth and watch with wonder my two children. The second colt has a dark coat of a flaxen chestnut and small, folded wings to match. Atop his head rests a scimitar like horn of obsidian, and his eyes open and reveal the same, beautiful shade of green. In that moment, as I gaze upon my children, I know nothing but love.

My sides heave still as I gasp for breath and at last relax the tense muscles bunching up across my form. Love and loyalty washes over my expression, and weakly I lift my neck to nuzzle the two colts and look to my lover. "Welcome to the world, little ones," I whisper weakly, watching Aure all the while, an endless love in my eyes.

[[Up to you if you want to post with Adoxa or Aure next- if you do Adoxa next I'll do Alisier after him?]]