Unweighted by the burden of illness, uninhibited by the profound feeling of absent loss, the starlit girl danced. She twirled upon long legs, pranced across wild plans, created thunder and music and wind. She allowed her legs to carry her across unclaimed lands, traveling from mountain to sea in search for her lost daughter. She was a wild thing, unbound, untied, and she was free.

Nothing in particular had lead her to the meadows today, other than allowing her path to be guided by the the forces of instinct. She was bursting at the seams, a warm bubbling happiness, knowing that when she finally happened upon her beautiful star-kissed Vesper, she could collect her, return with her to Mesec, and carry on a new life. She almost had no desire to start off where she left off. That was impossible. But she could start a new beautiful thing, and let it grow and flourish beneath the Helovian sky.

As she breeched a small hill, a minuscule bump in the sloping back of the meadow, she saw she wasn’t alone in the meadow today. A mare, dripping in robes of copper, sleek and brilliant like liquid gold, grazed silently before twisting, staring at something upon her side. Perhaps a horsefly had nipped at her bloated flank? A small smile lit upon her lips as she remembered her own sides when blessed with pregnancy, and despite not knowing, there was a certain look that came that separated a child-filled belly from a sickly or overweight one. The mare snapped something, a statement far from a reassuring coo, but Ki’irha couldn’t help but understand. She had been pregnant with twins, after all, and she felt ready to burst open in the weeks approaching her time. The bronzed woman returned to her grazing, and Ki’irha felt a small pang of hunger ripple through her own stomach. A shared meal would be nice, so soon her hooves were moving again, and she descended the hill.

“Greetings,” she called, approaching slowly at first as to not startle the mother-to-be. “I’m guessing whoever is growing in there is testing their strength?” A lighthearted laugh left her, and she came to a stop at a respectful distance. “I’m sorry to assume, and if I’m incorrect feel free to give me a well deserved lashing if I’m wrong.” She cocked a rear hoof, settling into a relaxed stance, and was thankful that her deep midnight coat was able to absorb the dying heat of the orangemoon sun. “My name is Ki’irha,” she introduced, dipping her head in a courteous bow.

She hoped she wasn’t intruding, but she was happy to provide some distraction from the late pains of pregnancy, if the mare would allow.