Words could not express how happy Xanthos had been upon Romani's release. His very soul seemed to have brightened as he slipped further into the depths of the forest, not halting in his pace until his eyes were upon the familiar hide of gold. Her barrel had swelled a great deal since she'd been taken away, and honestly, the grullo wasn't entirely sure if she would make it all the way back to the Edge.

It had been difficult for him to come to terms that their daughter would not be born into the rolling lands of the Foothills, but he was certain that the fact tore Romani into shreds even more. The Foothills had been her home since her arrival, and she was fiercly loyal to the land. However, considering the circumstances, she would be unable to assist in fighting for the land she had come to love and cherish.

The journey seemed to take forever, for Romani was unable to speed off into a gallop, and had requested several breaks during their trek. Xanthos would always accept, of course, worried that too much stress might harm their unborn child. He would do his best to comfort the mare, pressing his muzzle into the thick of Romani's neck, patiently waiting until she was ready to move on again. With the sun at their backs, it's rays unforgiving, Xanthos could only hope that they would arrive in the Edge soon.

It wouldn't be long until the child, be it colt or filly, was born, and the anxiety of becoming a first time parent was finally starting to overwhelm the stallion. Would he be a good father? Would he be able to teach the child right from wrong? What would he do if they didn't listen to him?

When they finally arrived to his own herd land, Xanthos breathed a heavy sigh, relief flooding through his every fiber. Their child would be born within the safety of the World's Edge, where she would be protected until she was old enough to handle life on her own. Xanthos wouldn't like when that day finally came, but hopefully, it would be years from now.

Xanthos was stuck to Romani's bloated side like a magnet, speaking soft words of comfort to her even as they simply stood. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that the seed of their love would be birthed tonight, and only hours later was he proved to be correct. The palomino lowered herself to the ground with eyes wide, proclaiming that it was time. Although stricken with worry and dread that something awful could go wrong, the grullo did his best to remain strong, dropping his head to lip gently at the mare's flaxen tassels. Oh, how he loathed seeing her in such a state of pain, unable to do anything but watch and give her words of comfort and encouragement.

It a matter of minutes, it was all over, and Romani's kicking stopped as only her sides heaved for breath. Lifting his head, the grullo's golden eyes found the small bodice of their child, a filly, laying with long legs folded beneath her body. Her pelt was a rich copper color, with markings similar to his own, only they were cream in hue. She was a gorgeous thing to behold, despite her currently damp, gangly appearance. One day she would be a beautiful mare, and Xanthos was certain that he would be busy warding off hoards of bachelor colts.

"She is," Xanthos agreed, pride welling in his golden eyes as he met the palomino's gaze, "Just as her mother is." When the question of naming the filly arose, the grullo's expression turned thoughtful, and he found himself stepping closer to the bundle of gold, dropping his nose to the child to take her scent in. He turned his head somewhat and lipped at the fuzz of her mane, his actions tender and loving. "I like Jasiri," he spoke up at last, sending his gaze to the Haflinger, "It means adventurous and brave; which I know she will be."

Having been watching from a distance, Azel finally sensed that the worrying was over, and that there were no longer two horses amongst them, but three. With a curios tilt of his head, the cheetah cub stood and came bounding over to the group, but not before sending an inviting look to his newest friend, Kasai. He approached the newborn with all the curiosity of the world, but kept a safe distance from her, still uncertain of the new addition. In the end, he let loose a chirp, as if awaiting an answer from the filly. Perhaps she would get up from the ground and play with him and Kasai?

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