Welcome to Gaia! ::

The wishing star had blessed Shania and Dhiren with two beautiful baskets. Shania silently said a sincere and heartfelt thank you to the star as she lay next to them, listening to the sweet cooing of the foals inside. She had never felt such joy as to the feeling of becoming a mother. She couldn't wait until they emerged from their baskets so she could welcome them to the world with all the love she had to give them. She looked up at Dhiren, a smile never leaving her face. "Dhiren, love, can you believe how lucky we have been? First, that we found each other, and have such a wonderful love to share, but now we have two little ones that we can extend that love towards as well." Shania's cat Fancy and familiar Carson were excited about the baskets as well. The little cat and racoon had stationed themselves on top of the baskets and both were curled up asleep. It was such a cute moment to behold.

Bear skulked through the woods, nursing her wounded pride. A pittiful whine escaped her as she stumbled through the dense undergrowth. Once again, her siblings had stolen her kill. The prey she had spent hours stalking. Tears threatened the edges of her eyes. How could they? She was a purewalker! And yet, she hadn't even managed to defend her kill. Anger and defeat surged through her weary body. As though to add insult to injury, a deep grumble rose from her stomach.
Up ahead, a fallen tree bridged the gap between two sides of a narrow stream. In her dejected state, Bear decided that getting her paws wet was the last thing she wanted to ruin her day. She scrambled up the roots of the log, hauling up her bulky mass. Her small muscles strained from the effort, but soon she made it. Breath heaving, she surveyed her surroundings from the top. Forest, forest and more forest. Letting out a growl, she dug her claws deep into the rotten wood. She could feel it give way to her strong gauges. Her anger rose, giving fire to her motions. She clawed more furiously, imagining the faces of her stupid siblings. Die, bear number one! Die, bear number two! Splinters of wood errupted in all directions from her. And suddenly, the log gave an unexpected lurch. A loud groan filled the air as half-rotten wood gave way to her violent efforts. Terror filled the foal-cub's eyes as the trunk shattered beneath her. Crashes exploded around her as she found herself momentarily airborne. And then she fell, down towards the cold water, chunks of putrid wood raining down around her.

Sophia's gaze swept over Giuseppe as he arrived, her maddening red, eyes widened with interest at his greeting words. They were the ones she had been longing to hear. Her dear half brother would suspect little. For her vendetta had expanded to her siblings. Her children had been stolen and brainwashed...
Her eyes fluttered close and a smile spread across her delicate features as Jo kissed her cheek. She reveled in the thought of the chaos that would ensue, then stepped soundlessly from the mouth of their dark dwellings. "Let us go seek our revenge, my love."

Shania's attention was caught by the sudden noise as well. "What was that?" her voice full of fear. She huddled closer to her baskets, expanding her wings over them in a protective gesture. Her eyes darted from Dhiren, to outside, and back. "Careful love," she whispered.

She listened intently after he left, for any signs of danger that might come her way, or that Dhiren might be in danger. She nudged Carson and Fancy awake. "Darlings, please wake up." She wanted them to be awake should the need arise that they would have to run. She had faith in Dhiren that whatever was going on, he would take care of it. She nuzzled against the baskets again, whispering sweetly to them. "It's alright dears. Daddy's going to take care of us." Her own words did little to subside the fear she had, mostly for her children, and for Dhiren.