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The change had begun slowly, the very slightest expansion of a toned belly, so faint that at Xolani thought it only a trick of the light. Then she began to wonder if perhaps she had eaten too much clover of late. It took her several months to realize that it was not, in fact, her fault that her sides were swelling, but that of a certain teal-touched stallion. For some reason, the realization did not fill her with joy, but with fear: though her heart longed to celebrate, she could not help but panic when she thought of the challenges that faced her. After all, she was a mute equine with no particularly interesting skills; how would she fare as a mother? It wasn't like she had been given a good example as a foal! So anxious had she become that a dark, dull teal was an almost constant presence on her pelt, often taking the shape of tiny, winged foals or just-budding flowers. She tried to find a distraction, throwing herself into her day-to-day duties as an Apostle of the Sun... and yet still, in every moment that she took pause, that terrified whisper in the back of her mind appeared yet again. To add to her nerves, she had seen little of Ilios since that day in the caves, and she could not help but wonder if he had merely been interested in siring a child rather than in the relationship that she had wanted (had she?). Or, worse yet, had he only wanted the sex? She wasn't sure how he would react to the news of her pregnancy, for she hadn't told him yet - partly due to fear, and partly because she simply could not manage to find a trace of him. (Not that she tried very hard, to be honest.) And, if she was really truthful with herself, was it him that she wanted, or simply the idea of him? It was a question that she could not answer, and one that made her certain that she was not ready to be a mother. The mare had stayed in the Dragon's Throat ever since the day in the Caves, and it was there that she could be found on the blistering morning of her birthing. The heat was awful; sweat had long since soaked the mare's coat through, turning even the brightest of hues upon her pelt into dull stains. She had taken shelter beneath a copse of palm trees, hoping that their scant leaves might help her avoid the sun's warmth. Unfortunately, it did no such thing, and the mare found herself miserably swatting at flies despite her best efforts. The first contraction was a mere annoyance; the second was alarming. If she had been able, she might have cried out. As it were, a flurry of colors appeared in sudden, rapidly changing splotches across her coat, as though there was no shape to describe the mare's thoughts. Teal fear, yellow joy, and blue insecurity warred for their place upon her pelt as she sank to her knees, instinct taking over in the absence of coherent thought. It seemed to take hours before her firstborn lay in the sands behind her, a silver dapple buckskin colt that looked so much like Ilios that for a moment, a painful hand seemed to squeeze the mare's heart. Even so, despite all of the mare's worries and fears, she felt the blossoming of a pure new love that could only be described as unconditional; and in that moment, she felt truly blessed to be a mother. It was with a smile that she reached for him, trying to nuzzle his tiny forehead and begin to clean him, trying in vain to decide on an appropriate name (it wasn't like she could share it, anyway). Before she got very far, however, she felt the contractions begin anew. What? she thought, disoriented and confused but nonetheless succumbing to nature's whim. Before long (not nearly as long as the first), another foal had been forced onto the sands. This one was a beautiful grey filly; Xolani was surprised to see that brilliantly colored markings, similar to those dancing across her own pelt, adorned the girl's face. Various yellow-green hues of joy and love flared like fireworks across the new mother's coat as she breathed gently into the tiny nares of her children, introducing herself in the only way she knew. Maybe, just maybe, her love would be enough. |
@ Ilios
@ Kolr
@ Patrick
Surprise, baby time! :D
@Sikeax - feel free to jump in any time now that the babies have posted! :)
Please tag Xolani in all replies.
Use of force and/or magic (with the exception of death) is allowed at all times.
Want to plot with Xolani? Visit her plot page here!
Use of force and/or magic (with the exception of death) is allowed at all times.
Want to plot with Xolani? Visit her plot page here!
