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 Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 5:02 pm
She had spent a week recovering from the injuries she incurred in her fall on the mountain. In those days of recovery, she was blessed to have her mother by her side, overseeing every little aspect of her journey. But her mother was not alone, for by her side was the stallion who had found her, Eclipse. She had learned from her mother that he was the Glory's patrol leader, and he had been on his way back to the Glory when he saw her falling. In time, she was well enough to stand and walk and Eclipse was there to show her around her new home. She asked him about the horn he had blown, and he told her its story and what its purpose in the Glory was. They spent so much time together that it surprised no one when Wilca started to show signs of her impending motherhood. Everyone in the Glory was excited, for this would be the first new life in the Glory since Baldur had brought them all together. On the day of the delivery, Willow was there to ease her daughter through the birth, while Baldur tried his best to keep the expectant father calm. Hours later, Eclipse and Wilca were blessed with three strong sons. Eclipse couldn't have been prouder, but Wilca was just exhausted. When she was born, her mother Willow had only her and her brother. Wilca had no idea how she was going to care for three sons.
"Mother," cried Wilca, "please! I can't do this!" Wilca was once again feeling overwhelmed by the new job she had been tasked with. "All they want to do is suckle! I'm sore! Can't you make them stop?" Her three young sons were wearing their mother's nerves raw, and there was nothing Eclipse could do to help her. She was the only one who they could depend on for the milk they needed to grow, but when he could, he tried to intervene on her behalf.
"Come here son," he said to the youngest, "Let your mother rest for a while. You are not going to starve if you don't drink for a few hours. Let's go see what Lord Mwee is up to?" He nudged his youngest son away from Wilca as she offered him a smile in return.
"There," said Willow, "now you only have two to deal with for a while. I'm sure you can handle them on your own. I have work I need to attend to. The last patrol came back with a sore leg, and I must look to it before it gets worse." Willow looked at her grandsons and said, "Try to behave yourselves boys. Your mother is tired and needs to rest, or the milk she gives you is going to taste sour. Now, go play." The two remaining brothers looked from grandmother to mother and then at each other, and finally decided the best course of action would be to follow her instructions and make themselves scarce for a few hours. They decided to go catch up with their father and brother and see what interesting Glory business they could learn. They looked up to their father, and each one of them wanted nothing more in life than to be a member of the Glory's patrol, and walk the heights of the Icefury.
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Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2012 5:57 pm
Eclipse looked back over his shoulder, as his two other sons came trotting up to him. "Wait for us father," they called in unison. He slowed his pace a bit to allow them to catch up. "Now you boys behave yourselves in Lord Mwee's presence. I don't want you making me look bad," he told his sons. "We will dad," they each promised. Eclipse had heard news that an announcement was to be made today, regarding the use of the Horn by patrol members, and he wanted to be there when it was made.
As they reached the entrance to Lord Mwee's cave, he noticed a number of other patrol members waiting around. His sons wasted no time in greeting each and every unicorn present. They had been spoiled to the extreme since their birth, by each and every member of the Glory, with the exception of Lord Baldur. He showed the boys kindness, but he refrained from spoiling them. Before too long, they would be grown, and looking to him as their leader, and not just another member of the Glory.
Lord Mwee emerged from his home in the mountainside and surveyed the gathered unicorns. He cleared his throat and said, "After the incident which brought Wilca to us, Lord Baldur and I have discussed at length the circumstances under which Patrol Leader Eclipse made use of the Horn. As you all know, the Horn was always meant to be used in the case of an incursion over the Icefury, by those how live beyond its boundary. However, we now see that having just one of you out on patrol at a time is not only unsafe, but unrealistic should some other emergency come up. Therefore we are going to implement two changes. The first is that from this point on, patrols will consist of two members and not one. In this way, should one member need to remain behind, their partner can return for help. The second change regards the use of the Horn. Over the next few days, you will each be instructed in the new messages that will be used, depending on the situation. The original three note message will remain in use for an incursion, but we have come up with others for different situations. Please see Eclipse later for your new partner assignments, and instruction in the new messages. Eclipse, if you would see me after you have freed yourself from your sons, I will go over those things with you." When he had finished, he turned and went back into this cave.
Eclipse looked at the other members, who were looking to him for an explanation. Until he met with Lord Mwee, he didn't really have one to give them, and he told them so. He collected his sons and headed back to Wilca. She wouldn't be happy with the brief bit of time she had had to herself, but he needed to meet with Lord Mwee as soon as possible.
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Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 4:36 pm
Her boys were growing, and within no time at all it seemed, they were no longer dependent on her for their meals. Now she could get back to her normal duty of patrolling the heights. She had already spoken with Eclipse about not being paired with the same patrol member every time she went out, and he had agreed with her request. Now the boys upbringing would be overseen by Chelsie and Cosmos.
"But I don't want to spend all day learning stuff," whined her youngest son. He was the troublemaker of the three. Always complaining when told to do something, or go somewhere. Unless it was going with his father. Eclipse was always finding him tagging along behind him no matter where he was going. On one occasion, Eclipse found him standing just outside Lord Baldur's cave, while he was inside in a meeting with the Glory leader. Their young son got an earful that day, and since then he has been more selective in where he follows his father.
"Well son, it's not a question of whether you want to or not. Do you think your father learned what he knows about patrolling all on his own? No, he didn't. He had to learn from someone, and that someone was Cosmos. You will go with your brothers, and you will behave yourself if you expect Lord Baldur to one day give you the honor of carrying the Horn on patrol like your father does." Wilca would brook no nonsense from her youngest son, and she made sure he knew it.
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