The Lives of Ants

[Swede]

Patches of snow still lingered upon the ground around her, and the exposed earth beneath her was damp and cold. However, sunlight filtered down among the bare branches of the aspens, warm rays that firmly rejected the notion that winter still had any power over the land. Tiny insects skittered past her face on even tinier legs, hurrying along in their tiny lives and dodging around the massive dark obstacle in their path. Not much further away, a patch of grass boldly peeked up from the moist soil, vividly green and eager to greet the sun, before the aspens budded out and their leaves cast the ground into verdant shadow. Far above her head, a bird sang its finest song, perhaps in an attempt to court another of its kind, or simply announcing the new and beautiful season.

Pharaoh was able to take note of all these little details, and appreciate each in turn; to her, nothing was more precious than life, and the woods were alive with it. But then a much stronger contraction racked her body, and her muzzle thumped back against the mildewed leaves of last year. Not all signs of spring had been witnessed in these woods yet, and if there was to be life, she too had to do her part.

The little bird in the trees never stopped singing, and though she was wiser than to believe that its song was meant for her, Pharaoh still pretended it was warbling as encouragement to her. With a final effort, her task was done. For a few moments she remained motionless, catching her breath. Another ant marched past her face, an unnecessary reminder that sometimes we must continue onwards despite our own weariness for the sake of others; luckily, Pharaoh didn't have an entire colony depending on her. A newborn foal was more than enough.

Heaving herself upwards, she shook the wet leaves out of her mane. Then, she lowered her muzzle, running it along the spine of the dark little creature. It seemed impossible that such a tiny and helpless thing could possibly survive in this world; and yet they always surprised her by growing into strong young adults in the end. Even Chakra had grown- though still clearly a youngster, the solemn and silent colt was a strong yearling, glowing with health, and he seemed a little taller every day. So it would be with this one as well... this one. It was a female, dark as the midnight sky, with a band of white on her foot that lit up her coat like a crescent moon. Much like her mother, if Pharaoh could be permitted to say so. "Aurora," the dark mare breathed, running her lips along the filly's sides.

~

Chakra grazed near the main body of the herd. Though few yearlings are pretty to look at, one could tell he would be quite the handsome fellow once he was done growing. His chestnut markings gleamed like burnished copper, contrasted against the ivory white of the rest of his coat. He was not a particularly talkative individual, nor was he really heavily inclined to playfulness and such tomfoolery, but that didn't mean he was against it. He could join in on some rambunctious fun now and then, if he was wanted in the game; but Chakra could just as easily amuse himself with long walks in the woods, or just by watching the others run about. He was aged far beyond his years, as seemed to be a prevalent trait among Pharaoh's offspring; but unlike Zodiac, whose solemnity was the result of the burden of responsibility at a young age, Chakra's was a thoughtful and curious wisdom. It would be many years before he would grow into his maturity- after all, he really was still just a colt, and had plenty of coltish aspects. However, his quiet nature and placid attitude could fool the eye at times- he never squabbled over petty things like others his age might do.

Lifting his head, he pricked his ears thoughtfully, before glancing towards Sapphique. "I think mama's had her baby," Chakra said slowly. How he knew, he wasn't certain; it was an odd bond that seemed to lace Pharaoh's family together, and it wasn't anything concrete, just... a feeling. But those feelings often proved to be correct. Besides, she had been gone for a while now. "Do you think we should wait for her to decide to come back, or should we go see?"

~

Kachina had gone far, as far as she dared to go without being too near the uncertain borders. When Whisper was born, Seldom had been in the vicinity for simple reasons of safety; a mare in labor outside the protection of a territory was an easy target for any predator. And when Breeze was brought into the world, he had been there, every step of the way, her beloved and the one who was the missing half of her soul. Not a day went by that she didn't pine for him in the secret depths of her heart; had she not been needed to care for her daughters and for Takoda, then she might have simply wasted away with grief and become one with the dust of the earth. Then at least she would be closer to him. But others relied upon her, so Kachina soldiered onwards, coating her soul with iron. It made her cold, and repellant to others, but it was the only way to keep it from falling to pieces.

A guardian was not needed this time, not here, and Hawkeye could not be beside her. In the absence of need or of love, she preferred to be left alone in this. She did not consider this a betrayal to his memory; Kachina had chosen life, and to go on, and this was a part of that process. She had no guilt over her actions, nor resentment of the herd or the stallion she lived with. This foal would be just as wanted as her other daughters, and she knew that Hawkeye would not have had it any other way.

So why, then, did it feel as if the hounds of hell had surfaced within her to torture her for some unknown sin? She had slipped away quietly from the others when it first started up, and presumed everything to be going its natural course, but the furious force which drove her to her knees in this isolated part of the woods was unlike anything she had ever felt. No tears had left her eyes since the day she had been forced to leave the body of her beloved, but she could feel them burning in her eyes now. Kachina's body contorted in agony; she knew that holding back for too long could be a lethal decision, but whenever she attempted to help things along, the pain intensified until she could barely prevent herself from crying out loud. Her vision was hazy and the trees above her swam in and out of focus as they heartlessly gazed down upon the struggling mare. Her breath was harsh and ragged, gasps of air whenever she could snatch them before the paralyzing pain struck through her, again and again and again.

Either it would end, or she would die; Kachina could not see how it could become any worse. And yet, it did: one isolated moment of excruciation, before at last it was over. And then, blissful unconsciousness flooded through her, numbing her existence into nothing for a few moments. It lasted less than a minute, but when her eyes opened, she felt at least somewhat certain that she might be able to come out on the other side of this nightmare, though the aftershocks still lanced through her. Rolling up onto her knees, she looked across her shoulder. A pair of shining dark eyes gazed back at her, half hidden beneath her tangled tail. "You," she said, breathing heavily, "You are a... a lot of work..." The dark eyes blinked once. Then suddenly they multiplied, four, eight, the trees divided into a thousand splinters, and Kachina's head hit the earth as she lost consciousness once again.

~

Though shy and reserved as always, Whisper was not quite so timid as she used to be. The three year old had become accustomed to the others in the herd now, and learned to trust them better; they were almost as much family as her actual family was. Quiet, yes; gentle, yes; but afraid? Not so much anymore, she wasn't. Well, not usually, at least... Right now, though, the sooty buckskin was quite nervous indeed.

She was probably just being stupid, right? She hadn't ever experienced the birth of a foal in her life; her mother hadn't had a new baby since Whisper was born, and they had come to Sapphique's herd after Sahara's birth. True, they had lived here when Chakra was born, but that had been a distant event that she hadn't really paid attention to, since she didn't know Pharaoh at all back then. But still... she had a bad feeling about this. You always have a bad feeling about something, she reminded herself. Whisper hesitated. Was it really worth bothering the adults about? Hm. Better safe than sorry.

Looking around, Whisper realized she didn't have too many options. Takoda was of course out of the question; no matter how dearly she loved her uncle, he would be useless in any important situation. Chakra was occupying Sapphique's attention, and she didn't want to interrupt. Ayla... Ayla looked a bit off. Maybe she would be wandering off shortly too; in any case she didn't look as if she were in the mood to be bothered right now. That left her father, or Taffy; both were quite near each other. Her doe-like eyes settled upon Taffy's rounded sides. That bump was her little brother, or her little sister; of course she didn't know what it was yet. Taffy was a nice mare though, and Whisper had to admit she liked her a little bit. She was more fond of her father of course, but perhaps a mare would be best, in this situation.

Walking slowly towards the little mare, Whisper halted in front of the pair, and cleared her throat gently. "Um, I hope I'm not being bothersome... but Taffy, well, you see, my mother wandered away a little while ago. Well, it's a long while ago actually.... and I don't know if it's supposed to be like that, or what, but I was just thinking, and maybe... we could go check? Just to make sure?" She paused and glanced down at her hooves bashfully. "I mean, if it isn't any trouble, of course.."

~

Throughout winter, Seldom had been popping in and out, as usual. Sometimes he was absent for several days at a time. Where he went? Nowhere important, really. Sometimes he just made laps along the boundaries of the territory, checking and rechecking for any signs of intruders or predators. Sometimes he would go on an excursion in the lands beyond, and return once he felt he'd been away long enough. Lately though, as Taffy began nearing the end of her pregnancy, the seal bay stallion had been staying closer to home, and now spent most of his time near her side. It was at times like this that he was most needed; if not by Taffy specifically, then by Sapphique and the herd in general- heavily pregnant mares, and newborns, were so vulnerable and could attract all sorts of unwanted attention, and that was when extra protection was the most useful.

The stallion lifted his head as his only daughter approached them. She moved slowly and shuffled her hooves as if uncertain, but he had known her all her life, and he knew that something was bothering her. Seldom waited quietly for her to gather the courage to speak up, and listened to her words without interruption. He frowned thoughtfully when she was done; Kachina was the type who would probably want plenty of time to herself with her newborn, and most likely, everything was fine, and she wouldn't want to be disturbed. However, there was always the off chance that something wasn't right, and if it would ease Whisper's mind to go looking for her mother, then perhaps that was a harmless thing to do. "Go with her," Seldom said, nudging Taffy's cheek affectionately, "I'll hold the fort, and make sure this wild pack of animals doesn't tear the place apart while you're out." Hm, Whisper usually cracked a shy smile at that sort of joke, but the young mare didn't even seem to notice now; she really must be anxious then.

~

The mighty hunter, stalking his prey; the tiny spikes of new grass were defenseless against the terror of Takoda's hungry teeth. "Sahara come try these ones, they taste really good," he said in a muffled tone. Takoda loved spring; spring was his favorite season. Except for summer. And autumn. And in winter he had said it was his favorite too; but winter now seemed like a silly season compared to the wonderful ways of springtime. Lifting his head, the friendly stallion regarded his young companion with bits of grass sticking out from between his lips. Everyone looked so funny this time of year, with half their bodies sleek with their brand new summer coat, and the other half still covered in the woolly mess of winter hair. Swallowing his mouthful of grass, he nipped at his shoulder, dislodging a thick tuft that had been itching terribly.

It was weird; Whisper had been a foal before, and now she was practically all grown up. And Sahara wasn't a foal anymore either, though she didn't look as grown-up as Whisper did. Chakra was taller, but still a bit funny-looking... not as pretty as the fillies were becoming, but not cute as a foal either. Then again, Sahara had looked pretty funny before, too. Yearlings. Such odd creatures, really. Yawning, Takoda rubbed his head head against his knee before looking up again. Half the herd had wandered off, it seemed, but some of the others were still nearby. He wondered what those two newer mares were like; he hadn't ever talked to them. "Sahara," he said, nudging the filly eagerly, "Sahara should we go talk to those mares maybe? Or maybe someone else? Or go do something? Oh, I know, you can decide!"

[Snappin' Turtle]

The dark bay stallion watched his herd, occasionally bending his head to chop off some of the green spring grass. Sapphique looked up as Chakra came over. "Oh, Im sure she's fine." he said to the chestnut overo colt. "She's strong, your mom." the barb went on, nodding. He had seen Pharaoh and Kachina slip into the shadows of the surrounding forest, surely to have their foals. Sapphique glanced over at Ayla, whose rounded sides were sticking out so far he wasnt sure how she could traverse the clearing, let alone the territory. He looked back at Chakra and nodded, almost seeming to have to convince himself. Pharaoh was strong and independent, that was for sure. It wasnt his job to interfere in the affairs of mares, though he tended to smudge the borders.

Ayla watched the clan, much like her stallion was doing. She seemed to have a smile upon her kind face at all times these days. She was going to have another foal and everything was going well. Sapphique had more mares, there were no invasions of the territory, and spring was here; at last! The medicine hat mare winced as the first contraction hit. She turned and walked into the aspens who were budding with little green leaves. The paint mare followed the path until she came to a small branch of the river that ran beside the clearing. She lay down under the shade of a larger aspen and grunted, her brow creasing. Sahara's birth had been relatively easy, though it was hard to watch her grow up. So fast, it seemed, so fast. Ayla almost cried out as the hardest pain hit, but she bit her tongue, not wanting to draw unwanted attention. She sighed slightly and she stood, looking over her... daughter. Ayla smiled, bending her neck to lick at the bay overo filly. She helped her to stand and find where the milk was. "Bitterblue.." she breathed, nuzzling her and Sapphique's new foal, Sahara's sister.

The halfinger mare looked away from Seldom as Whisper came over, obviously uncomfortable. Taffy listened to her stallion's daughter and nodded. "I'll come with you, dear. Its always better to be sure." the pony mare said, nodding. She nuzzled Seldom affectionately before gesturing with her head for Whisper to lead her. "Do you know which way she went?" the flaxen mare asked, tilting her head to the side. She knew some mares didnt like to wander far, but for some the farther the better. Taffy had no idea which one Kachina fell into.

The bay tobiano two year old looked over as Takoda spoke. She laughed, shoving him over playfully. "I'll try it, then." Sahara said, taking over the patch of grass from the kind stallion. She took a bite and chewed with a thoughtful look on her face. "Its pretty good." she agreed, nodding. Sahara followed his gaze to the two black mares Sapphique had brought back in fall. She glanced at their sides, they had to pop sooner or later. "If Daddy likes them they have to be pretty cool." she said, nodding. "Race ya!" Sahra bellowed, shoving past Takoda and racing over to Noah and Skyler.

[minerva]

Skyler's head was up and alert. She still did not really trust these other horses and she did think about her other herd she had grown up in often. Her sides were large and swayed with every movement. She glanced at Noah who seemed content. Then her head popped up when she saw the others racing towards them. She took an unsteady step back and let out a worried nicker to her friend. She would not be able to run far without getting tired but she was a type of mare to try.

Noah was pulling at the new spring grass savagely, she could feel her friends nervousness but she was tired of trying to calm her. It seemed that was what she did for most of the hours of her days. Noah did not show her pregnancie at all she was skinny and slender but sure ate enough for an army and then some. The black mare raised her head at the sound of Skyler's nicker " please Skyler it's just our herd coming to talk to us." Skyler shot Noah dagger " no you made us leave our herd." Noah let out a sigh and walked forward leaving Skyler to stand alone.

[Swede]

Whisper exhaled slightly in relief, glad that it had been possible to find someone to come with her. Oftentimes it was just as likely that she'd be brushed off; the young mare had a tendency to fret over things more than necessary, and just as often, her fretting really was for nothing and there was nothing to be worried about. Still, you never knew when there was a genuine issue, and she preferred to be safe rather than sorry. "Um, she went this way, I think," the buckskin said softly, turning and looking to the left through the trees. "Yes, it was this way..." Whisper nodded to herself, and then moved at a swift walk. She was glad that most of the snow had melted; it was easier to travel in the woods then, even though the earth was still quite damp and slick.

Chakra nodded slowly. "She is," he murmured, looking away. That much was true, he knew; Pharaoh had the strength to pull through anything, it seemed. Perhaps, without her memories, she had forgotten how to fall, and only knew the art of always moving forward and never looking back. Still, he was eager for the future to come more quickly; Chakra was burning with curiosity to know what his little sibling was like. He had others, he knew that, but the only one he had ever come face to face with was Zodiac. Instinctively, the colt was aware that that would change soon, but for now...

To breathe, to blink, to move, to stand, to nurse; the filly had not done any of these things before, and yet somehow, like all other foals in the world, she learned those actions within the space of an hour and without being taught. For some time, Pharaoh simply enjoyed Aurora's presence, letting the filly experiment with the basic concepts of living, as mother and daughter became intimately acquainted with each other. However, though the dark mare was quite comfortable being on her own, Aurora was born into a herd, and therefore should meet the herd as soon as possible so she would consider herself a part of it for the time being. When she was older, her life would be up to herself, but as a foal she would need the others who lived here. Lifting her head, Pharaoh narrowed her eyes, losing herself in thought for a few moments. Time passed by her, so quickly it might as well have been a flash, and she still hadn't found what she was looking for. Whatever these aspens had to give her, it was already received, and no more progress was to be made here. Like trying to remember a dream after waking up, she knew that it lay out there just around the horizon, somewhere. Perhaps it was time to continue the search. But first, Aurora's life must be cared for; and that, too, would take some time. Nudging the filly, Pharaoh began walking slowly beneath the aspens, with Aurora tucked so closely to her side that she almost seemed to meld with her mother's equally dark coat, as they approached the place where the herd had been clustered earlier.

Takoda blinked at Sahara's sudden challenge, getting completely left in the dust as she took off. With a clump of grass still hanging from his mouth, the pinto stallion took off after her, though it was difficult to gather too much speed between the trees, especially considering that the two mysterious mares were not particularly far away. It wasn't long before he had to slow to a stumbling halt to avoid crashing into Sahara from behind. Stepping around to stand next to her, he quirked his ears in curiosity towards the mare who had come forward. "My name is Takoda," he said breezily, "What is your name?"

Across the way, Seldom watched the proceedings from the corner of his eye as he nibbled carelessly at the spring grasses. Heh, it was a good thing Kachina wasn't around; she cringed whenever Takoda introduced himself. To spread one's true name willynilly to just anyone was considered bad form, even dangerous, in their former homelands. The general opinion was that it was what had caused Takoda to be the way he was; perhaps some malicious stranger had used his true name in a wicked way, and cursed the poor stallion to his current state. Seldom didn't know much about that sort of thing, though... and everyone called Takoda by his name now, since nicknames just confused him.

[Snappin' Turtle]

The haflinger mare nodded and followed after Whisper. She hastened her step to match the mare's but soon she was wheezing. "Can you slow down.. dear? A fat, pregnant lady cant keep up with young spry ones like yourself." Taffy asked, slowing. It took her a few minutes but she eventually caught her breath and continued at a slower, more easy pace. "I know you're worried about your mother and I am too Im just a little tired these days." "I do hope Kachina is okay.." the flaxen pony mare whispered, knowing that birth complications were a very real danger and she wouldnt wish it upon anyone, you could lose the foal or your own life.

The dark bay stallion nodded, shifting on his hooves slightly. Sapphique looked up as movement out the corner of his eyes caught his attention. "Oh look, there she is now.. with the little one." the barb stud said, smiling broadly. "You want to go see them with me?" he asked, looking at the colt. Sapphique trotted over to the dark pair, stopping a little ways away from them and nodding. He looked at the black filly, smiling down at her. "Whats her name?" he asked, head tilted to the side as he turned his gaze upon Pharaoh. Sapphique swished his tail a little, looking in the direction Ayla had disappeared in, she should be coming back soon, too.

The bay tobiano filly laughed, skidding to a stop int front of one of the mares, she thought her name was Noah. But then again, both the dark mares looked so much alike it was pretty hard to tell. "Everyone knows you, you lump." the paint and barb cross said, nipping Takoda's shoulder cheekily. "Im Sahara." she added, nodding to Noah and looking past her at Skyler. "Are you guys gonna have your babies?" she asked, head cocked to the side. "You look like you're ready to pop." she added to Skyler. "I think mom has had hers, though I dont know where she is.." Sahara said, looking around the clearing with a slightly worried expression.

[Swede]

(OOC: Skipping past mouse for now to keep things rolling, I’ll do Takoda after she replies)
Whisper surged through the trees like a shy doe, swift but silently so. Not until Taffy spoke up did she pause and glance back with a deeply apologetic expression. “Oh- I am sorry, I didn’t mean to rush you,” she mumbled abashedly, checking her pace down to a more manageable level. Glancing ahead among the aspens, she added, “I think we’re pretty close, I know she went this way, and we aren’t too far from the boundary now so she shouldn’t have gone much farther…” The young buckskin slowed down a little more, this time to be able to be more thorough in scanning her surroundings so that she didn’t miss anything. A few dark tail hairs had been snagged on a low branch nearby; flaring her nostrils as she inspected the hoofprints below, she decided that her mother had most definitely come this way. Whisper moved forward carefully, making sure not to lose the trail in the old leaves that coated the forest floor.

Not long afterwards, she glimpsed a familiar patch of white and black and beige up ahead. “Mama?” she called out softly. It only took a few moments to reach the spot, and she took in the scene instantly. “Mama,” she muttered in terror, nudging the older mare’s head roughly, “Are you okay? Wake up, come on…” After several repeat attempts to rouse the mare, Kachina groaned something unintelligible. “Come on, talk to me,” Whisper pressed anxiously, nudging her again.

“Dark eyes,” the buckskin tobiano muttered. Whisper was not at all convinced that her mother was even conscious, perhaps spouting incoherent thoughts out of some sort of fever dream. “Mama… listen to me, come on, you need to get up…”

Kachina cracked one eye open slightly. “Later… Dark eyes… now…”

Whisper shook her head in confusion. “I don’t understand, mama…”

Kachina remained silent for a moment; perhaps too exhausted to speak, or perhaps attempting to think through her fog. “Baby,” she grunted eventually, closing her eyes again.

“Oh, right… well you have to get up if you are going to take care of it. Please get up, mama…”

“Tired,” came the answer in a muffled and distinctly grouchy tone. “Later. You… do it.”

Whisper eyed her mother dubiously. “Taffy… you think she’ll be okay? I mean, I guess if she can at least talk to us… maybe it is best that she rests a bit then…” The young buckskin shifted her attention to the newborn instead, knowing it was probably wisest to follow Kachina’s orders, and also curious about this new sibling. It was a bay tobiano filly, with big round intelligent eyes. Dark eyes; so maybe there was at least some sort of basis behind Kachina’s semi-conscious mumbling. Whisper knew that the foal needed to get some TLC soon, at least some basic post-birthing care until Kachina had recovered her strength enough to nurse her, but she wasn’t quite sure what to do. She was a young mare, never had a foal of her own and was not the sort who had very strong maternal instincts naturally. Whisper glanced up at Taffy helplessly. “I.. what should I do?”

Chakra looked up eagerly as he spotted his mother approaching. He quickly followed after Sapphique, pausing next to him and reaching out his muzzle curiously. The filly looked quite a bit like her dam, though certain characteristics of her physique hinted towards her sire. The colt looked up expectantly at Sapphique’s question, curious as to what this little sibling had been dubbed. Chakra was no longer the youngest in his family; he had still yet to meet some of his older siblings, but it was nice to know that he would be with this one from the start.

“I named her Aurora,” Pharaoh said softly, lowering her muzzle to nudge the newborn forward a few inches. “Go on Chakra, you can greet her… you too of course, Sapphique.” The filly did not seem to be particularly shy, and after only a brief moment of hesitation, carefully stretched her neck forward while still maintaining her wobbly balance. Her muzzle rested against Chakra’s for a minute, taking in this stranger’s scent and quickly assimilating him into her circle of trust.

[Snappin' Turtle]

"Its okay, sweet girl. I know your only worried." the flaxen mare replied, starting after the young mare again. Taffy didnt know how Whisper was finding her way through the trees, apparently following her mother's trail. She herself couldnt see anything that were apparently beacons like a lighthouse to the dark female. The halflinger amre slowed to a stop a couple feet behind her as she rushed towards the form of Kachina, who was laying on the ground. Her face crinkled in worry but she kept her distance, giving the two space. Taffy's ears pricked forward and she took a small step forward. "Rest is a good idea, let me see the little one." she said, her motherly instincts coming out. She nuzzled the bay tobiano mare and nickered softly, running her tongue over the filly. "Its a miracle a wolf or something didnt find them." she muttered, nudging the foal to her hooves.

A broad grin crossed his face and he nodded happily, as a young kid does when their mother asks them if they want to start opening presents on Christmas. Sapphique was a loving stallion, the sweetest you could ever hope to meet. But, if you crossed him, he posed a dangerous and tough enemy. It was sometimes ahrd to imagine the soft hearted north african barb baring his teeth in anger or lashing out with his hooves, but let me assure you: it has happened. "She's gorgeous." the dark bay stud muttered, his dark eyes twinkling with an inner light. He stepped forward to nuzzle his dark daughter. "Hello, sweetie." Sapphique cooed, lipping at her tuft of a mane playfully.

[Swede]

Whisper shuddered at the thought of predators attacking her mother and her newborn sister while they were in such a vulnerable state. "Sapphique and Seldom scare the wolves away for the most part I guess," she mumbled, looking over her shoulder nervously. At least, she hoped they did. But it was always possible some sneaky individual would dare to skulk within the territory's borders. Lowering her muzzle, she took a closer peek at the newborn filly. The same patchy appearance as her dam, only with Sapphique's darkish brown color contrasting against the white... and the way she looked up at the older horses around her was utterly fearless. The filly didn't fuss in the slightest as Taffy tended to her, and though just as wobbly as any newborn, seemed to be almost contemptuous of her shaky legs, flicking her tail brazenly.

Whisper's attention was distracted by a muffled 'hoomph' from nearby. She quickly turned and nosed at her mother again. "Are you okay mama? Do you need any help?" she said fretfully.

Kachina coughed and shifted a little, flicking her ears back dismissively. "Calm down," she grumbled. With a mighty heave, she rolled up onto her knees, sitting still for another moment to regather her strength. "Just got a little woozy for a bit. Little bugger wasn't so easy this time." Whisper stepped forward to help as Kachina attempted to stand, but the older mare waved her away with her muzzle. "Enough burrs in my tail, don't need you clinging on me too," she muttered. Whisper hesitantly but obediently took a step back, watching as her mother heaved herself up to her hooves. Kachina stood motionlessly for a minute, breathing deeply and testing her balance, making sure she wouldn't pass out again. Once she was satisfied, she turned and stepped towards Taffy and the filly, decisively nudging the foal closer to herself. The baby tilted her head in mild confusion, but this mare seemed insistent on keeping her close by; this one must be mama then. Once she discovered the mare's milk and began nursing, the filly shed her doubts contentedly. As long as she was fed, life was good. Only then did Kachina look up and give Taffy a reluctant nod. "Thanks," she said gruffly, before turning her attention back to her daughter. It was good that someone had taken care of the filly, but there was no need to confuse her about who her real mother was; Taffy may have stepped in for a moment, but this was Kachina's foal, and she was not going to have anyone forget that.



Pharaoh's black filly sneezed when her sire nuzzled her, wrinkling her tiny muzzle in bewilderment at the odd sensation. Why did her nose do that!? Life was a strange thing, Aurora decided; so many other entities around her, colors and shapes and sounds, and even her own body did odd things. She looked up at her mother, who still seemed calm; nothing bad then. Nudging her way carelessly between the big brown thing and the smaller reddish-white thing, Aurora squiggled past the others into the center of the clearing, where she stopped and stared up at the trees in wonderment. What was on the other side of the big blue thing, she wondered? She tried to go up, but there was nothing to stand on, and to her surprise her feet went straight back to the ground and plonked her flat on her belly. Aurora lay among the leaves with a befuddled expression. There were just way too many things to figure out.

[Snappin' Turtle]

The halfinger mare watched as the buckskin pinto brushed away her daughter's offer to help as your tail does a fly. Taffy shifted on her hooves slightly, watching as Kachin heaved herself to her hooves, once more ignoring Whisper's concern. She nudged the little filly over to her real mother slightly, taking a step to the side to ensure the filly went to Kachine. She nodded and offered the odler mare a small smile as she thanked her before a pain-filled grimace crossed ehr kindly face. "I muse be going." she said softly, wandering into the trees. She walked back towards the clearing, not wanting to be too far from the herd, before she layed herself down in the center of a tiny clearing, a huff coming from her.
Soon it was over, nothing too hard, and she nudged at the small form before standing, weaving slightly on her hooves. Taffy steadied herself, shaking her head slightly before lowering it to lick off her.. daughter. A grin spread across her maw- a filly! "Come on.. Dove.. come on." she cooed, helping the liver chestnut foal to stand.

The medicine hat mare guided her second daughter through the trees, stopping to look over the horses in it. Her stallion, Sahara, Takoda, Chakra, Pharoah, ooh, Pharaoh's filly. Ayla smiled and stepped forward, bitterblue tucked safely into her side as she did so. She let out a soft nicker to Sapphique, walking over to him, glad she wasnt waddling anymore. "Her name is Bitterblue." she said proudly, nipping at his mane affectionately. "Sahara!" she called, her bay tobiano daughter trotting over with Takoda not too far behind. "Meet your sister, dont be too rough." Ayla said, her voice business-like.

[Swede]

Kachina nodded as Taffy excused herself and wandered off, leaving the buckskin pinto and her two daughters alone in the little clearing. "I suppose we had best get back to the others, then," Kachina muttered, glancing down at the newborn filly who nestled beside her. She was a bay tobiano, with loud patches of white lighting up her sides and streaking down her face, but her eyes seemed to offset her body pattern and dim the overall effect. The filly stared boldly up at her mother, meeting her gaze squarely; had Kachina not known better, she would have imagined that there was a layer of mischief in the cheeky stare. Shrugging, Kachina set off at a walk, and the filly promptly fell in line behind her, struggling a little bit with her balance but overall appearing to be quite confident. Whisper glanced over her shoulder in the direction which Taffy had gone, and then quietly trotted ahead a few paces to catch up to her mother.

Looking up as Ayla called to Sahara, Takoda eagerly followed along. Oh, two new foals! A silly grin spread across his face as his gaze flicked back and forth between Aurora and Bitterblue, wanting to look at both of them at the same time but not quite having the breadth of vision to accomplish the feat. "They are really cute," he commented happily. When it came to foals, Takoda considered himself an expert; they always seemed to be cleverer and make more sense than most adults did. Sometimes these days even Sahara seemed to get ahead of him a bit, and while he didn't mind- there were few things which he genuinely minded- it was exciting to see some new foals.

Pharaoh smiled gently upon seeing Ayla. "She is lovely, Ayla," the black mare commented, nodding to the painted mare's newborn filly. There was no doubt in her mind that Sapphique would be pleased with Ayla's new foal as well; she knew how fond the stallion was of his lead mare. Her curiosity aroused by the arrival of more strangers, Aurora clambered back up on her hooves and took a half step forward, peering at the newcomers with pricked ears. Another big one, but also a little small one like her....

[Snappin' Turtle]

Soon the little filly was suckling happily, the warm liquid filling her small stomach up quickly. The liver chestnut foal pulled back, squeaking at her mother as she trundled away. "Dove, stop." Taffy chided, moving after her daughter to cut her off. "Seems like you're ready to go back." the haflinger mare added to herself, a light chuckle emanating from her. She nudged the mustang cross ahead of her, the pair slowly making their way back to the clearing where the rest of the herd was gathered. The flaxen chestnut mare let out a soft nicker for Seldom as she peeked through the trees at the rest of her herd, wondering if her mate was out patroling or sticking around- unseen, as always.

The bay tobaino filly bucked up her back legs playfully before trotting over to her mother, peering down at the small filly curiously. "Bitterblue." Sahara repeated, nodding once. She nudged at her sister cautiously, earning a indigidant squeal from the newborn. She laughed, looking over as her father wandered over. "Hey, dad." Sahara said brightly, nipping at his shoulder. Sapphique snorted softly at Sahara before nuzzling his youngest daughter gently. "She's perfect, Ayla." the dark bay stallion said, smiling at the medicine hat mare.
Bitterblue looked up at the large forms surrounding her, though she didnt back down or retreat. The bay overo filly looked back between all four of the faces as they spoke. From tall male, to smaller male, to mother, to other female. The barb cross spotted the other small horse and unsteadily made her way towards Aurora, a gleeful expression lighting up her face at the other one like her.

[Swede]

Aurora flicked her fluffy tail eagerly as she reached her muzzle out to sniff at the other foal across from her. Maybe this was someone she could play with! Excitement bubbled up in her chest until she felt as though she might explode with it; suddenly, almost unconsciously, she made a little jump straight up into the air. Surprised by her own actions, she looked down at her unsteady legs thoughtfully. Then, she experimentally and tentatively orchestrated a small buck. Ha! She didn't fall down! Her confidence increasing exponentially at this revelation, and she took a few steps out into the clearing, making bigger and bigger leaps with greater frequency. At one point she lost her balance and bellyflopped on the ground, but it wasn't enough to put a damper on her spirits; standing up, she shook off the dust and nickered to the other foal, inviting her to join in the fun.

Pharaoh watched quietly as ever as Aurora began to explore the world around her. It was nice to see that her daughter would be able to grow up in such a peaceful place; her memories of the early years were faint, when Zodiac, Peril, and Mosaic were growing up, but she did know that they had been terrible times, filled with fear. Though she often longed for her memory to return to her, to gain an inkling of who she had been for so many years, that chapter of her life was something she could gladly forget. Nonetheless, Pharaoh was a wandering soul by nature, always seeking answers to a question she hadn't figured out yet; soon it would be time to continue onwards. To stay in the same herd for the rest of her life was not her destiny. But not while Aurora still needed her; once her daughter was self-sufficient, it would be time to go.

Chakra, too, occasionally felt a little restless; he had met his eldest brother Zodiac for a brief time, but he had other siblings out there. He felt strangely connected to them, despite never having seen them face-to-face, and he wanted to get to know them properly and explore that connection. Something called to him out there somewhere in the world; he didn't know what. Perhaps it was just the natural instinct of a young colt to make his own mark in the world. Perhaps it was something else. He didn't know. He would be two years old this spring.. maybe then he would make new plans for his future. For now, he was contented enough to spend the winter here, to continue to grow and gain new knowledge, and to spend time with this adopted family.

It wasn't too long before Kachina could hear the voices of the rest of the herd up ahead. Whisper slunk up beside her, unwilling to be left too far behind but not so bold that she would rush ahead to the others. In contrast, Kachina's patchy bay filly seemed to be quite unconcerned by all the new things around her; her sharp eyes drank in the sights, her ears flicking back and forth to take note of every sound, but she showed no fear, or even really much childish wonder like one might expect. She observed the world, accepted that it existed, and that was that. Emerging from among the trees, Kachina could see that both Pharaoh and Ayla had foaled, and their youngsters apparently already forming ties with their new family. The sight of the other foals did seem to attract a little more attention from her own filly, who watched them analytically. Kachina gave her a gentle nudge, and without further ado, the filly trotted forward, halting a couple steps from Aurora and Bitterblue. She watched Aurora skipping back and forth for a moment; then, with a light nudge, carefully aimed at just the right spot to produce the desire effect, she offset Aurora's balance mid-bounce and sent her tumbling back into the leaves. Aurora blinked and glanced up almost a little irritatedly, but her attitude rapidly shifted back into playful joy when she spotted the mischievous twinkle in the new foal's eye.

The rest of the herd was busy integrating the new foals into the group, and thus Seldom melted into the shadows, silent and watchful as always. There was one foal in particular which was not with the others in the meadow, but which was the one he was most eager to meet. Lifting his muzzle, he scented the air carefully, and then slunk off along the edge of the trees. Yes... there she was.

And there she was...

Seldom nickered softly, announcing his presence to the lovely haflinger mare. "Hello Taffy," he said in his deep velvety voice, nuzzling her neck when he came up beside her. "And who is this lovely little one...?"

[Snappin' Turtle]

The bay overo filly watched curiously as the black jumped around, obviously giddy on the newfound knowledge that she could work her stilts of legs with professional accuracey. A doubtful expression crossed her youthful face before finally giving in and ottering forward, looking down as she struggled to gain experience with them. It was amazing that Aurora could work them like she did; completely awe-inspiring. Bitterblue gaze the newcomer a glare as she upset her friend's practice, but decided to let Aurora take retaltiation into her own.. hooves and continued striding around the two other fillies as she attempted to sort out how best to move her long painted legs.

Sahara watched the three fillies for a while before looking at her parents. "Can me and Takoda go?" she asked hopefully. She knew she didn't have to ask -she was rpetty much an adult now- but it was still common courtesy: something her father obsessed over. Sapphique looked at Ayla for a moment before nodding. "Go have fun, but don't go to far." the dark bay said. "Thanks! C'mon, Takoda." the two year old said, nipping at the stallion's shoulder cheekily before bolting off.

A content smile crossed her face as she watched the three fillies playing, and then looked at her own daughter. Surely Dove would be eager to play with the others, but she had to meet her father first. Taffy's grin grew broader as his deep voice reached her ears and she leaned into his touch as his nose met her neck. "Seldom." the pony mare replied simply, burying her face in his mane before pulling back to nudge their daughter forward. "Dove." she replied, smiling. "And.. and she has more to her name, too." she continued, nodding slightly. She'd wanted to take onto her stallino's beliefs and rituals and traditions with an open mind, and if Dove was to truly be their daughter, she'd need the full name.

[Swede]

Takoda glanced at Sahara, and then back to the foals. For a moment, the painted mustang hesitated, but then he caught Kachina's stern glance at him from across the clearing, and relented. "I guess they're still too little to play with," he sighed. It was so fun to get to be the babysitter, and he felt so proud whenever Kachina had trusted him to keep an eye on Breeze and Whisper when they were little, but right now didn't seem like an appropriate time; and at this age, it was a bit risky for just regular play with them, he knew. He tried to be careful but he could be clumsy sometimes, and it would be bad if one of the babies got hurt. But soon they would be old enough... oh, it was so hard to be patient! "I'm coming Sahara, wait up!" he called, picking up a trot to catch up to the young mare. "Where are we going?" he added breathlessly once he was caught up, looking around the trees with interest. Winter would be on its way in no time, it looked like. Time flies, Seldom would say sometimes... Takoda didn't really get that. How could time fly? Did it have wings? It didn't make much sense to him.

The dark brown stallion smiled at Taffy's words; he knew many considered it a foolish habit, but a secret full name was vital to his kind- not having one was like not having a soul, to be exposed and vulnerable to the world. As long as you had a true name that few others knew, you could never be truly defeated, never truly broken down. Takoda's name had been lost, given away as a foolish foal and misused by a stranger, and he had never been the same since; Takoda was all he was now, nothing more, nothing deeper than the surface. Lowering his muzzle, Seldom breathed softly against the newborn filly, inhaling her scent and memorizing it instantly as he gave her a careful, affectionate nuzzle. "Dove... as beautiful and soft as her namesake. May she live a long and happy life."

Aurora glanced over her shoulder as Bitterblue carefully practiced locomotion nearby. She liked that filly; there was a word for it, a great word: 'friend'. Yes, Bitterblue was a friend. And this other one was a friend too, maybe... she had pushed Aurora over, but she didn't seem to mean any harm by it, just having fun. And fun was always, well, fun! But wait... there was another one over there... Pricking her ears forward, Aurora stepped forward cautiously, a little wary of approaching the two unknown adults who were near the other foal, and also concerned about walking too far away from her mother. But the mischievous filly who had pushed her over had no such qualms; she trotted forward boldly, moving to the newcomer without any hesitation.

She was certainly not a shy one, this new filly of hers; entirely unlike Whisper, who had been- and still was- as timid as could be. Kachina shook her head as she watched her new daughter frolic boldly among the others. She had a keen look about her, clever and unabashed, and a little cheeky too; Kachina supposed that for now, she might call the filly Raven, as it seemed fitting enough. A proper name would come in time, no doubt, and these days she was wary of naming them too early, before they really understood to keep quiet about it; most foals managed to understand, but some of them were too careless, and then you got horses like Takoda. No, best let her grow a little. It wouldn't matter to others, they would call her what they liked, and Raven would suffice if they couldn't think of something on their own.

[Snappin' Turtle]

Sahara paused to let Takoda catch up, a happy glint in her eyes. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe around the borders- dad's having time with the babies- won't he be so proud of our help?" the filly asked, crow hopping to the side giddily. Just imagine if there was an intruder- her and Takoda could take him down and drag him back to Dad by the ears, and he'd be so proud! A part of Sahara's mind knew this was all just nonsense, but it made the world so much more fun when you had an imagination. "Let's start over there." she added, pointing with her nose before trotting forward to make a beeline for the nearest border so that they could start their inspection.

A broad grin spread across Taffy's face as her stallion nuzzled their daughter. This was perfect, Dove was perfect. "Looks like we have a visitor." the haflinger mare chuckled, looking down at Raven as she boldly trotted up to them. Dove snorted slightly, taking a couple steps forward to sniff at the other filly before backpedaling to hide behind her mother's legs. "Oh, dear, it's alright." she murmured comfortingly, though an amused grin was on her face.

Ayla watched Sahara and Takoda vanish into the woods, though a small frown passed over her maw. She was getting so big, she'd be three in spring. Surely stallions would start stopping by, attempting to woo over her daughter. The medicine hat mare lowered her head to the grass to nip off a few mouthfuls, pushing the topic out of her mind. She'd deal with that when it came. "Look, they're getting along well." she said to Sapphique, nuzzling his neck happily as their newest daughter frolicked with Aurora.

The bay overo filly soon grew confident in her ability to stay on her hooves and promptly wobbled over to Aurora to nudge her shoulder playfully before speeding over to hide behind her father's legs, peering out from behind them to see if her friend was responding to her offer of a nice game of tag.

[Swede]

Takoda breathed in deeply, his face twisting in thought. "I don't think your parents would be happy if we went too far," he said slowly, mulling the idea over. "But it is also good to be helpful. So I think it is a good idea, so long as we stay inside the borders when we inspect them, and not go outside of them." Following Sahara's lead, the pinto stallion lumbered after her through the frigid bare trees. Winter didn't seem to have struck the woods too harshly this year, for which he was happy; the first snow was always fun, but afterwards it became kind of worrisome, and caused more trouble than enjoyment. Spring was a much nicer season, anyway, and he was already looking forward to it.

Aurora eyed Raven warily as the cheeky filly pranced off to annoy the new stranger; she was curious to see the outcome of the interaction, and find out where the new foal made for good company or if she was mean or boring, but she was a little too cautious herself to just trot up and investigate. Raven didn't even seem to acknowledge the presence of the unknown adults, and just did as she liked. Crazy filly. Aurora was happily distracted as Bitterblue enticingly nudged her and then scuttled off. Aurora was game for a chase and darted after her half-sister eagerly, dodging between the adults to avoid crashing into anyone or getting tangled up in their legs- her own legs were enough to think about, thank you very much.

Raven was unfazed by the other filly's shy withdrawal and followed her doggedly around her parents, stretching her muzzle out with increasing relentless enthusiasm. The more she was deterred, the more determined she became, it would seem; in any case, she'd already checked out the other foals, and she wasn't going to just wander off and forget about this one, not until her curiosity was satisfied.

[Snappin' Turtle]

"See? We'll be helping. If there's someone inside the borders we can run back for Dad." she goes on, trotting forward. Soon they reach the border and the tobiano filly dips her head to snif around for any strange smells. There were the smells of other equines, but they were faint. Which Sahara supposed was normal. She let out a soft snort before continuing on, her head held high in the air, a sense of confidence emanating from her. She'd never known how harsh the world could be, how cruel some horses could be, nor the ways of the predators that would seek to kill her.

Bitterblue had noticed the new foal also, but was more intent on bringing Aurora into a game of tag, and Raven was going over to meet her, and there was always later. A squeal emanates from her maw and she ran around behind her father before taking off across the clearing, only stumbling once as she continued to attempt and learn how to deal with her legs. Soon the overo filly slowed and looked back for her half-sister, which wasn't a very good idea. The other filly came bounding up and Bitterblue knew she was caught, but she'd get better at this game.

The other filly apparently didn't understand that she didn't want her company and followed her around her mother's legs, her muzzle stretched out curiously. Finally Dove stops fleeing and bumps noses with Raven before taking a bold step forward to nudge ehr shoulder slightly. She glances up at her mom and dad, they didn't seem to find anything amiss, so the newcomer had to be nice. Her gaze is drawn to the other fillies that were frolicking in the clearing and soon toddled off to check them out, having already acquainted herself with Raven.

[Swede]

Magpie was feeling a tad flustered. He still hadn't found Deryn, and when he'd gone back to ask for Campion's help, the bloody stallion had disappeared, and Mist too. Had danger threatened and forced them to run off? Or had his friend gone behind his back and stolen his mare while Magpie was attending to other things? Right now, it didn't matter; their tracks led out of the territory, and as far as he could tell, Deryn was still somewhere in the vicinity. But since he was having some troubles actually locating her, he had settled for patrolling the border, looking for any sign that she might have crossed it and exited his territory.

Judging by the scents in the area, he knew he was in that grey zone between territories, not quite in his but not quite in someone else's land either; it was still a place to be cautious in, and he didn't want to meet any of the neighboring stallions in case they felt threatened by him coming so close. He didn't have time for that sort of nonsense right now. However, luck was not on his side today, he realized, as a pair of strangers abruptly came into view among the trees. He whickered a cautious greeting, knowing it was probably more rude to ignore them than to politely acknowledge their presence. One was a young mare, quite a pretty thing... the other a grown stallion, far less attractive.

Takoda followed Sahara closely, enjoying their little excursion as he always did. They rarely ran into anything dangerous, but it was still exciting, and it was fun to spy for all the little signs of spring- water dripping from the tops of the trees as snow melted, little buds appearing on the branches, birds singing more loudly than usual, that sort of thing. But today, it seemed something different would happen, as a stranger suddenly appeared ahead of them. Takoda had been told to be wary of strangers, but the aspens were a pretty safe place thanks to Sapphique's guardianship and the help Seldom gave him, and he'd been told to be nice to others too. "Hello," he said cheerfully in answer to the stranger. The other one had started it, so it made sense to carry on the interaction, right?

Magpie was almost a little startled by how blandly welcoming the other stallion seemed; there was not a trace of hostility or even much caution. Was this one really that confident of his own abilities, or was he not the territorial type? Magpie suspected the latter; he had hardly any scars or indication that he was used to defending a territory. Was this some sort of secondary stallion in the neighboring herd then? Perhaps.. heh, with such an open attitude he probably needed someone else's protection anyway. Magpie might not be a threat, but to greet everyone you met with such trust wasn't always wise. "Hello," he answered, emboldened a little by how harmless the pair appeared to be, "My name is Magpie. I don't mean to intrude or anything; I live in the next territory over. I'm trying to find one of my mares, she's been away for a while and I'm pretty worried... you wouldn't happen to have seen her, would you? Flaxen chestnut, pretty dainty, name is Deryn?"



Seldom chuckled as Dove finally relented to Kachina's daughter's stubborn insistence on acquaintanceship. The pair of fillies might not be related by blood, but they would grow up as sisters, so it was probably best if they got along and learned to be friends instead of hiding from each other. Luckily Dove's shy behavior didn't last long, as she soon made a beeline for the other fillies, leaving Raven standing between Seldom and Taffy with a look of indignation on her face. She looked up at the pair of adults; nope, these were definitely not her parents, and they weren't a fun foal either. Flicking her tail dismissively, she walked away from horses who clearly would cause only boredom.

Kachina snorted softly, and lowered her head to search for grass. From the first moment of her life, Raven had been extraordinarily independent and bold; she reminded her of a childhood friend she had had, a mare called Aerin. Hmm. Something to keep in mind for later, when time came for a more definitive name for the filly.

Time moves quickly in quiet happy herds, and Pharaoh knew her time had come. Aurora was busy playing with her sisters, and now that winter had passed, had no physical need of her mother anymore. She would be happy here for a while longer, with this family, and would seek out her spiritual family when she was ready for it. Let her be a child for now; she would not miss Pharaoh in the interim. Turning her head, Pharaoh's eyes settled on Chakra, and as if sensing her gaze, he too turned and looked at her, mutual understanding flowing through the visual contact. The dark mare turned and quietly slipped away between the trees, her eternal restless need to seek out new truths and new places tugging at her heart once again. And Chakra, well, though like his mother he had been happy here, he too knew it was time to move on in life. Their fate was not to stay sedentary in the same herd forever. Wisdom was his calling, but he had to earn that mark, and it was done only through experience. First to find his siblings; with any luck, Pharaoh would accompany him that far. But after that, no doubt their ways would part again, at least physically.

[Snappin' Turtle]

Ears flicked around as she weaves her way through the aspens, loving the scent of the new spring. Sahara paused and looked over to Takoda as a painted stallion appeared between the trees. He didn't seem hostile, and her companion seemed at ease. "Nope. Haven't seen her." the three year old chirped, shaking her head before trotting a little closer. "I'm Sahara, nice to meet you, Magpie. My friend here is Takoda." she continued, nodding her head to the stallion once, a grin on her face. She was definitely the social butterfly of the family- but, why wouldn't she be, when all she'd grown up with was kindness?

The medicine hat mare's brow creased with the first pains and she touched her nose to Sapphique's shoulder gently before slipping away through the trees to find a safe place to give birth to her latest child.
She stood up, licking off the foal carefully before pulling back to look at it. Another little filly. A smile graced Ayla's maw as she nudged the baby it her feet. "Enigma." she said as she filly looked around for a moment before toddling to her side.

The bay overo yearling chuckled as Dove came over and she pranced away, snorting. Bitterblue looked over at Ravyn before watching her mom disappear through the trees. "Wa-Wanna play tag?" Dove asked, shifting on her hooves before jerking her head to get her flaxen forelock out of her eyes. "Sure." the taller filly agreed before racing across the clearing.

(sorry this is totally sucky)

[Swede]

"Well it is nice to meet you as well, Sahara, Takoda," Magpie said, nodding at each of them in turn. Then he sighed, glancing over his shoulder. "I really hope she's okay," he murmured, "Things are kind of a mess right now... my friend ran off, and I think he took my lead mare with him, which is odd since he left his own mare behind. There might be a reasonable explanation, but right now it looks like he's just a backstabbing jerk. I don't think he stole Deryn too but I don't know for sure. Or she might be hurt or something, who knows? I just have to find her..."


Upon realizing she was about to be left out of an interesting game, Aurora wheeled around and dashed after the other fillies. Raven too was quick to catch up, and cheekily nipped at Aurora's shoulder before zooming past her. "Hey, wait up!" Aurora shouted, but Raven stuck her tongue out and continued chasing after the other fillies. Aurora frowned, and increased her speed, bowling into her half-sister from behind and tackling her to the ground. Raven did not seem to take offense, instead hooking a leg over Aurora's back and pinning her down as they tussled. "Hey, this is boring," she murmured slyly in Aurora's ear, "We should go exploring in the woods.. ask Dove and Blue to come along."

"Well do you think our parents will mind?" Aurora asked, intrigued but also a little wary.

"Naaah, they won't care. Why, you scared?" Raven giggled, and then lifted her head. "Psst- Dove! Bitterblue! Come here!" she hissed, casually shoving Aurora down again when the filly attempted to wriggle away. Aurora sighed and flopped down in the grass, resigned to the fact that Raven was going to sit on her until she was bored of sitting on her. At least she wasn't too heavy.