Megaera was sinking into darkness, into the cool blackness of oblivion that was so horribly unfamiliar but could not pull herself out. The fog encroached upon that beautiful scene, hiding her children from view, and only her companion’s soul followed her own as both were unwillingly pulled into the mist toward the land of death. There were muffled voices she knew from the Throat that reached her but she could not answer. Her Sultan called to her. Her mate whispered her name. Her darling little daughter called out in surprise, in fear. ’Why can’t I answer?’ the confused thought drifted through her mind, through the cold. ’Why can’t I go to them? I want to go back. I must go back!’ The fire reached her before she was irrevocably lost. All of the sudden it blazed around her, into her, and illuminated her path back to the land of the living, back home, and Megaera raced to reach it. Some might have embraced the cool comfort of the blackness, but she would always answer to fire, to light.

The air rushed into her lungs in a strangled gasp. Black eyes flew open, wide and wary as her waking mind struggled to remember what was happening. “Einarr!” The name hissed through her lips a desperate, instinctual call to her best ally that painted her heart on her sleeve. The foal, her foal, twins, where what instantly sprang forth into her mind, but there were bigger bodies around her, others who hadn’t been there a moment ago. They’re too close! Too close to my children! Half a second after her eyes had opened, Meg jerked and twisted to rise to her feet in a flash. Before she even glanced up to see who these others were, before their voices sparked recognition, the mother thought only to defend her babes. Her wings reached out closing over the two little bodies that had already begun trying to stand on wobbly legs. Revived by the Gaucho’s healing fire and aided by the efforts of the other healers, she stood ready and poised to fight off any threat to her little ones.

Thankfully nothing came rushing at her; none of the adult figures that moved about her moved toward the foals and in truth the only thing that had threatened them had been her own life slipping and that had been restored to her. She searched the faces and each one she found was familiar to her eyes. Gaucho, with his bright wings lighting the oasis, and the two dark healers, Morrigan, and Badger, all of whom she she should trust but with a mother’s caution so strong a glance at each held the message of ‘keep your distance’ in her narrowed eyes and twitching ears. Her wings stayed out, blocking the little pair from view and drawing one to each side as they shared their first meal. she flicked her feathers to take a quick glance at each before turning to the voices.

“I… I am well.” The words were a strange mix of uncertain and brusque. Gaucho, Badger, Morrigan…she craved the company of only one other beside the babes at her side and they all seemed a little like intruders. Birth was a private scene in the best of cases and Meg had nearly just proved that it was too much of a task for her. Had she really almost died? Had she really been that weak?!’They are family. she reminded herself, and they had come to help her, to save her, and that meant a great deal even if she wasn’t the best at expressing it. She tried to soften her voice, to put the gratitude above pride and looked between them. “Thank you. I will be well, truly, I…we are blessed that you were here, thank you all.”


Her eyes found Einarr then, standing much too far away from her liking until she recognized the black gunk that marred his face and understood. She smiled at him, the first true smile since waking though there was sad understanding in it that she could not call him nearer. She would not risk the sickness passing to the children they had made together and knew he would not either. For him, she lifted her wings again, so he might at least see the little ones at her sides even if he could not yet greet them properly. Almost oblivious to the others(or at least more comfortable with them near), Meg bent her head down to each nursing foal to be sure both were well and then looked up to Einarr again and spoke to reassure him. “One boy, one girl, and both are well.”


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