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 Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2014 1:07 am
Kagali sat in the grass breathing heavily. Her pain started to subside, but the trauma of the event had still left her tired and out of breath. She looked up to see three baskets next to her, and Betula, her mate, nuzzling them up to her side. The baskets were starting to take on the colors of the new born foals inside of them. Kagali smiled at her good work and then lay her head back down. Betula came up beside her and lay next to her.
He looked over the baskets and nodded his approval. Kagali had a long pregnancy and despite them knowing that the baskets were due soon, they did not have time to find someone to help with the birth. Betula had wanted to help, but Kagali refused to let him near until the foals were in the baskets. Now that everything was over with he focused on comforting Kagali. He nuzzled up to her side and rubbed a bit of sweat off of her neck. He wish there was more he could do, but he did not want to leave her side to get anything.
Kagali let him pamper her. She was starting to calm down as the pain subsided. The birthing had been incredibly painful, not to mention that she had pushed out three foals. She had come from a family of only two foals, so she was quite surprised when the third one came. The pain of the birthing was going away faster than she had expected it to, so that was good. She thought for a moment about how she wishes her mother was here to help coach her through the birth. That thought was quickly pushed out of her head though. Her mother left her so long ago that she cant even imagine why she would come up at all. It must be natural though, to think of ones mother at the time that you yourself become a mother. Kagali smiled adn looked at the baskets again. Betula had pushed the baskets over so that she did not have to sit up to look at them. She was a mother.
Betula calmed down a bit now that Kagali seemed to be in less pain. for a brief moment he was glad that he did not have to give birth. He gently kissed Kagali's cheek and said, "It is done."
Kagali nodded, her eyes still fixed on the baskets. She was a mother now. "It is done." she responded.
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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 4:47 pm
Over the next few days Kagali anxiously paced around the baskets. Inside of anyone of those three bundles of joy could hold a terrible secret. Kagali and Betula kept nothing from each other. It was this that made their relationship so special. Kagali by trade was a spy and information gatherer. By nature it makes her not willing to trust anyone, but Betula had her heart and she knew that she could, and does trust him with everything. Even so, she has never been able to bring herself to reveal her deepest and darkest secret. She passed faster as her thoughts ran faster. She had been pacing ever since she had gotten her strength back after the birthing. She felt guilty for not having trusted Betula enough to tell him her secret. She Felt ashamed of her secret. She felt an urge to run away and not have to face the truth. Past memories were being dragged to the surface of her mind that made her cringe. All she could do was pace.
Betula had no clue what to do. He had tried everything to calm Kagali down, but nothing seemed to work. He simply sat and watched her pace. Occasionally he would leave to bring her food or water, but she paced on. There was a small pile of apples next to the baskets that she had left untouched. Some of them had deep bruises from her accidentally kicking them in her pacings. Betula would dutifully return them to the pile just incase if she still wanted them. What could be bothering her so much? Was it the baskets? Was this natural for a new mother to do? Betula felt helpless, even more helpless than when Kagali was in labor. He wanted nothing more in the world than to help her, but he simply sat and watched. He knew better than anyone that the best way to gain someones trust is to be patient. He would sit there and wait till the end of time for her.
Finally, after almost two days of sleeplessness, Kagali sat down next to him and took a deep breath.
She broke into a heavy sob and lay her head into his side. She simply could not bear it anymore, she simply had to tell him. He had to know. Even if the baskets turned out normal, even if nothing went wrong and nothing happened to make her reveal her secret, she had to tell him. In all of her pacings she realized that it was not her shame for her secret that made her hide it, but rather it was her fear of Betula's reaction. Would he really want to be mated to someone who was half monster?
Betula let her cry. It had been apparent that whatever was bothering her was causing her pain. He let her sob into his side and he nuzzled her, comforting her. It seemed as if she was ready to talk. Even if she did not talk he was glad to be there for her, to help her and support her.
Once she calmed down she sat in silence for a bit longer. What she had to tell him was not easy, so she wanted to make sure that she could say it right. One thing that she admired about Betula was his neverending patience and respect for the intimate silence that sometimes spoke louder than words. "I have a secret for you, can you keep it for me?"
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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 6:35 pm
Betula recognized the request as a formal one that others tend to use with him when they need a secret kept. If accepted then he was bound by his own continence to never speak of the secret. He would accept her secret, and it would never be spoken of again. He could decline her, but that would forever break her trust in him. It was obvious to him that the secret had something to do with the baskets, or with him, could this secret of hers put the baskets in danger? thoughts like this ran around his head. He looked Kagali in the eye and his mind cleared instantly. Nothing mattered more than her. "I accept your secret."
Kagali knew he would accept, but still it warmed her heart to hear him say it in such an irrefutable way. She met his eyes, tried to hold them, but looked down and started into a story that she had never told anyone in her entire life.
"My mother was kind, but very young. She had a love for adventure and a curiosity that was reckless. Her name was Kawaoni Lillian. She fell in love hard and fast with a young stallion name St. Augustine. He was charming and they had foals fast. Too fast if you ask me."
As she started to talk her voice became steady. Every once and a while she would glance up at Betula to see if he had any sort of reaction, but of course he was emotionless as he listened to her secret.
"My childhood was normal. I have a brother. Neither of us carry strong physical traits from our father. It took my a long time to understand what was happening in our family. I saw my mother cry a lot. My father had a nasty temper. Only once have I heard her mention my heritage. I am Half Cerynie and half Kalona. Maybe because I carry no traits my children will be free from their blood line."
Betula listened intently. Never once had he herd Kagali mention her family. she was a steel vault in witch nothing could be taken from her. He controled his expressions as he would have if anyone was telling him a secret. Kagali has a brother. Kagali is half kalona. What does this mean? he knows that Kalonas carry a bad rep around them, but there are good in them as well. From her story though, he gleaned that Kagali's father was more of your typical Kalona. How it must have hurt Kagali to carry around that secret. He controlled a strong urge to look over at the baskets.
"My mother tried to keep it a secret, tried to keep us happy, but once my father started to turn his temper on us she realized that it would not work. she could not fend off a full Kalona on her own with two foals at her back. We left late one night and ive never seen him since. My mother went to a herd which she has ties with and left my brother there. ive never seen him since. me and my mother wandered the desert for a time. she started to slip. I left her there."
Kagali paused. this was hard to say, and it made her not only face her past, but face her actions. She was young and knew that her mother could no longer provide for her. Thats all there was to it. Thats the excuse she had told herself over and over again.
"Ive never seen her since. I dont want to talk about my past again so keep it to yourself. As far as the baskets go, they are your children as well so you have the right to know and you have the right to tell."
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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 6:45 pm
Betula turned and looked at her. He had the biggest grin on his face, for she had given him the greatest gift. He had no desire to hurt her anymore, so he would not speak of her past. She has, however, given him permission to tell the children what he deems necessary to raise them. she has given him the ultimate show of trust. She was going to let him tell the foals anything he wanted. She , in one sentence, expressed her trust in him, and her faith in them being able to raise the children together despite any heritage or conflict. Betula nuzzled her, "Thankyou." It was all that needed to be said.
Together they sat and looked at the baskets silently. In their silences they learned to understand one another. in their silences they because closer. Kagali had never felt more clear. she almost felt empty, but next to her was Betula her love, and before her lay three baskets that she would raise and love and nurture no matter what.
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Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2014 9:36 pm
It was early morning, not too many moons after their talk. Both of them stood over the baskets with silly grins on their faces. The baskets started to wiggle and crack. It was time and Betula was so excited. His renowned poker-face was broken the instant the first basket started to open. He had no desire to hide his emotions for this. These were his children and he wanted could not hold back his excitement.
Kagali was just as excited, although still a bit apprehensive. From this moment on she was going to be a parent. Her breath caught in her throat as little foal heads popped out of the baskets. Her and Betula took a few steps back to give them some room. after a few minutes of struggling the foals had emurged and were looking around curiously. Kagali just stood there and stared. Two colts and a filly. They all had very unique markings, but each in their own way greatly resembled their parents. Betula had already gone over to the foals, but Kagali hung back. The larger colt was starting to test out his legs. He took a few tentative steps, he had a snake pattern on his shoulder much like hers. It twisted around his body and extended onto his tail. His long, forked, whiplike tail. His Kalona heritage could only have been more obvious if he had burst out of his basket and taken to the sky on leathery wings.
Betula did not waist time. he went right up to the foals and nuzzled them. They greeted him warmly and he prodded them to get them to stand. The larger colt did not take long to get his balance, having a long tail no doubt gave him an advantage. The smaller colt was quick to follow and they were soon playing together. The filly was hesitant, but after some playful prodding from the colts she got up and joined the fun. Betula went back to Kagali and licked cheek playfully. Her eyes were following the larger colt, the one with the tail. Betula was not surprised by the trait. She had warned him, and he had a very good knack for being calm. "What are we going to name them?"
Kagali, turned abruptly as if Betula had woken her from a trance. She then looked back at the foals. The foals gathered around their parents expectantly. Kagali looked into their eyes and she felt all her anxieties melt away. They were so happy and all she could feel was a deep motherly love. In turn she bent down and named each foal following it with a kiss on their heads. "Banyan, Drako, Kali Lillian." Together the little family rejoiced and played. It was not long before the foals got tired and needed to rest. After some suckled dinner the family went into the woods and slept together under the trees.
In that moment everything felt perfect.
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