The simple action of Ashamin’s response to my presence was surprising for me. He said my name and a thank you as my muzzle reached his velvet neck. When I pulled back and spoke with the other mare, I couldn’t help but to feel a bit of awkwardness as I tried to figure out how to tell the Haruspex the news while the other mare and her companion was here. I flickered my ears as I debated on what to do, but when the mare responded to me with a smile it seemed to grow on my own features as well. The smile I carried on my lips filled up into my eyes as well as my gaze drifted to the two companions. I struggled to figure out how to make small talk without being completely obvious. My sides were slightly swollen and if you hadn’t known any better you’d just consider it bloating of some sort.

Deep down, I thought that Ashamin knew already though. If it weren’t for this I probably wouldn’t have seen him so soon again. We seemed to have spurts in our friendship of going without speaking for quite some time only to result in meeting for things that resulted in our jobs. It was sad, really. I knew that I should have visited him more often but it grew difficult to find the time as there were places to see, people to meet, people to hopelessly fall in love with only to get heartbroken in the end. Perhaps this would prove to be different as time moved on. If the foal made it, perhaps we’d grow closer as friends – that is if he wanted such a thing – and maybe one day something more. Or it could completely backfire. The child could completely ruin our relationship, but neither of us would know until it happened. My heart yearned for a living child with true parents, unlike my own upbringing.

So then I turned to Ashamin, eyes tearing away from Lochan and the two other cerndyr. I held jealousy in the back of my mind since I had increasingly felt more and more alone, but it continually washed away with the new life within my barrel. “There’s something I need to talk to you about…” I began, briefly cutting it short from remembering the first time I had come to Ashamin for advice. This time, I came as a friend with something we carried in common. Before, I came as a hopeless romantic confused about which path to take. This path was one that was unexpected, but one that I hoped I didn’t have to walk alone.

"Talk."

— that i'll talk to you,

and I can't speak.