Things had been quiet, and for that Najya was thankful.  The russet mare had remained within the borders of the the Throat once she knew, without a doubt, that she was pregnant.  Part of her thought about leaving the safety of the island and trying to find Gaal, for he had a right to know that he was to be a father.  But every time she felt herself moving towards the bridge, she found herself frozen in place. Najya was not a fearful mare by nature.  Perhaps she had been once, when she was young and hadn’t been exposed to the worse of the world.  But after the things she had seen she just couldn’t jeopardize the safety of her child, not when she knew that they’d both be safer here. At least, that was her assumption.  The protective impulse that came with the realization that she was carrying another life had been both immediate and overwhelming. It was that above all else that determined her actions.  And it wasn’t just limited to the little mare.  Najya had considered sending A’mal to find Gaal and to bring him here, but the little dragon steadfastly refused to leave her bonded. She had become just as protective over the unborn child as Najya and of Najya herself.

Najya knew that the birth of her child was quickly approaching.  She had been apprehensive, and not just for the birth itself. Her child had been conceived immediately before Kaos had revealed himself.  Najya remembered the moment well.  She hadn’t felt that helpless since the moment she had been forced to flee her home and come here.  The scene she’d stumbled upon - of bodies flying, magic rebounding, and children fleeing from the scene. The smell of blood was no longer one that was unfamiliar to her, and every night when she awoke from the vivid nightmares the scent was heavy in her nostrils.  She was nervous about bringing a child into a world facing such a threat.  They’d come no closer to discovering any more about Kaos or his weaknesses. She knew that the nightmares were as much a function of the hormones of pregnancy as the threat itself, but she was still exhausted.  Her joints ached, her back, she was exhausted much of the time and spent afternoons standing in the cool surf just so the sea would help alleviate some of the swelling in her fetlocks.

But more than anything she was so eager to meet her child. Even with all of the fears and apprehensions and aches, all that Najya had ever wanted was to have a family of her own.  And while the makings of this family were perhaps more unconventional than she had planned, the thought of becoming a mother was enough to chase all of the reservations from her mind.

Najya paid no attention to the beginning stages of labor.  In the beginning it was like any other day, filled with new aches and pains.  But then things changed, the pains became sharper and centralized and utterly unquestionable.  Najya’s breath left her lungs in a sharp exhale and the pain nearly took her to her knees.  She was pleased that she had already returned to the beach and was tucked away, safe from the elements.  From that point, Najya had no choice than to let nature take over.  She had little experience with birth and had been separated from all her maternal figures at a relatively young age.  But nature was a good teacher, and under the watchful eye of a tiny dragon the little mare’s labor continued relatively uneventfully - at least as uneventful as labor can be.  Najya was covered in sand and sweat, but with gritted teeth and a final push - the child made its way into the world.  A perfect little girl, equal parts her mother and her father, nestled in the sand at her feet.  The mare craned her neck to look at the child, smiling when she saw that the child had been blessed with wings - she’d be able to soar like Najya only dreamed of.  "Melita," the exhausted mare crooned, but her brow furrowed as the pains of labor returned.  Najya could hardly process what was happening for she had never considered the possibility of two children.  But after a few moments, the second joined the first - this one brighter in color than her sister but lacking the wings.  "Clementine," Najya breathed, nosing the second child, gently.  A’mal let out a series of quiet chirps and moved closer to the children, lulled by the sheer joy and love filling her bond with Najya.