The walk back from the Threshold had been harder than the walk there. The golden and cream dove found her body aching from carrying such a weight for so long that she had so stop many times before finally reaching the safety of the herdland. The sun, the cruel tormentor of pregnant mares had finally set leaving the fem to bask in the coolness of the moonlight. It was rather ironic is a way, as the World's Edge belonged to the Goddess of the Moon after all. Her mind wandered to her children, both born and unborn as she slowly made her way to the clearing of trees she had begun to call home. Just like she had in times before, Solstice had picked out one place to stay and made it her own. Aaron and Azale should know how to find her here if they wanted to... both so grow up and not needing her anymore. not in the protective sense at least.

It was as her thoughts lingered on her unborn child... or possibly children as she was coming to wonder, that tiny hooves kicked hard into her ribs. She winced, only to cry out in pain as every part of her body tensed. IT WAS TIME! Twice before the mother had felt these powerful pains both times had brought new life into her own. Her motherly instincts took over as her legs buckled down, and she hit the dirt with a thud. At once she was on her side, clearly in labour to any that would find her. This however was the first time it had begun alone. Ata had been nearby when she gave birth to Aaron, and Aaron in turn had been there when Azale was born. The golden fem called out in a high pitch whinny, not really wanting to be alone at night to give birth. At least the one comfort was that she was within the safety of the herd. No outsiders could get to her now.

It was then that the true labour began and she could do nothing to wait. She breathed heavily, panting and wincing in the all to familiar pain of child birth. A half hour passed before she felt semi relief as the frame of a child slid from her womb to the outside world. Slowly the painted mother lifted her head not daring to stand just yet. Behind her lay a perfect cremello tobanio painted child. Gently Solstice struggled to clean the child before the pangs of labour forced her to stop. Her wondering had been correct after all.

This time was not as easy as the first. After all this child had been hiding for so long, that it seemed he or she was not ready to come out to meet the world yet. With pain filled grunts and winces Solstice steadily pushed the second child into the world. The moment the second child was born, Solstice moved to try and stand to clean both children. Twins... She and Torasin were the parents of twins! Hazel eyes took in every detail of their bodies in the moonlight. The first, and by far the largest of the pair was a cremello tobanio with light green eyes and a perfect white heart in the middle of her forehead. It reminded Solstice much of the star she held on her own. The second and much smaller was a chestnut tobanio, but on her left shoulder there was a perfect chestnut heart cut out by the white. It was this child's eyes that concerned Solstice. Her eyes were a more hazy green, but not a haze she had seen before.... Immediately her face changed to that of worry. Was this smaller child blind?

"Speech."