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 Posted: Tue May 02, 2006 3:51 pm
Sheridan huffed lightly, his ears pressed back against his head as Ardia pressed against him in a painful spazim. He wanted desperiatly to help her through her labor pains, but the need to get to the safty of the teepee's was a driving force. He nudged her gently and pleeded with her kindly to continue even though he knew every fiber of her being would be trying to make her halt.
"We're not too far off, we can make it if we keep a strong pace..."he tried to tell her reasuringly. His tail lashed against the ground, why hadnt he come to see her sooner. Perhaps if he had been here they wouldnt be in such a rush now. His children and his love where both at risk and he couldnt bare that feeling. "Hurry, Please..I know it hurts but we have to press on."
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 10:27 am
Ardia's ears remained flat against her head as the walked at a pace. She let out a quiet snort at his words; he knew it hurt? She didnt see how...but she knew it was the discomfort making her think like this and held her tongue.
Finally they reached the outskirts of the Village, and Ardia circled around, heading for Kaliska's teepee which was on the edge of the Village, backed by trees. Ardia whinnied loudly and Kaliska came hurrying out of the teepee, quickly noting her rolling eyes and sweat covered pelt. Kaliska motioned Ardia to the place where she had put down dried grass, branches tied into a shelter. The mare walked under the branches, and knelt carefully before laying down.
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Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 10:35 am
Sheridan walked with Ardia closely, fighting back all doubts and fears that crossed his mind. He had no idea that what he had said had stuck a nerve with her, after all he was only trying to be encorageing. He smiled as the village came in sight. "Just a bit more..." He nickered softly as they cirlced around the village to where Ardia's two legger had made shelter for her. Sheridan stood back out of the way of the shelter, for even as he wanted to be near her he knew that this was something she had to do on her own. Nervously he pawed at the ground, beside the teepee, well within sight of his love, for he didnt truely want to leave her side.
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Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 9:40 am
The labour was long and painful; Kaliska often wiped Ardia's pelt with cool water to keep her from over-heating. Ardia lost track of time, but as the night birds began to call and her first foal pushed into the world, she regained a semblance of her self. The first was shown to her and she tenderly washed it a little before Kaliska cleaned it properly of the birthing fluids and placed it gently into a woven basket, sealing it with grass ties.
Ardia's eyes rolled back in her head as the contraction kept going and eventually another foal slithered into the world, was shown before being cleaned and secured into a second basket..
'Two foals,' she whispered, pleased beyond measure before...
'Another?' she panted, her sides heaving with exertion. She glanced at the hovering Sheridan before a contraction hit her again. Kaliska had only made a third basket just in case...she had heard that Soquili did sometimes have three foals, but had not thought that Ardia was showing enough for her to be one of those. The third, and final foal was bought into the world as the moon rose high in the sky and Ardia lay in exhausted silence as the third basket received its precious contents and was sealed with the grass ties. Kaliska arranged the baskets near to the mare and slipped away to leave the parents some time alone with their new family.
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Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 12:34 pm
Sheridan whickered softly from his distance spot, watching with a mix of worry for his love and excitement for the new born foals. The first one caught him by surprise, so wet and wriggly, creening as it cought its first breath. The two legger placed the little one in a basket before he had much time to look it over. His ears swivled back and forth as the soft muffled sounds from within the basket reached him. He wanted to nudge the basket to let it know he was there..he took a step forward pawing lightly at the ground.
As he took a step forward it seemed another foal was out and placed into the basket..two wonderful new borns. His eyes flicked to his love, laying down on her bed of straw. Her body still spazemed in pain and a sheen of sweat covered her like a blanket. He loved her now more than ever before, the mother of his children, willing to endure this pain for them. To bring new life into the world... Their children.
He couldnt understand why she still labored so, shouldnt there only be two children at the max? And yet the two legger still had an empty basket beside her. This was un heard of to him..and yet..recalling back some soquili had three children at a time..would they have three foals to look after.
As the moon light washed over the teepee and the shelter that Housed Ardia the final foal was placed into the basket and sealed shut. Sherdian whickered soothingly from his place to both Ardia and his children. How tiny they had been...the basket seemed more than large enough for them, But how they would grow before they came out.
He smiled and approched his love, nuzzling her softly. "we're parents." he said quietly, looking at the three most beautifull baskets he'd ever seen.
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Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 11:02 am
'Yes we are,' Ardia had managed to shift, resting in a more upright position, as she tried to regain her energy.
'They all looked beautiful,' she said sleepily. She wanted to rest a while, just looking at the baskets, but her eyes became heavy and she fell into sleep where she was, safe in the knowledge that the foals were secure, and Sheridan and Kaliska were keep a watch.
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Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 11:03 am
The next morning Ardia gingerly sat up, her whole body feeling sore as though she had been pounded with rocks or something. The pain was tempered with the joy of knowing that her foals had been delivered healthy, and were now safe inside the baskets. The baskets - Ardia shifted so that she reach where they had been placed, pressing her soft nose against each one and sniffing. She could smell each one, and as she lay quietly getting together the energy to stand up for the first time since the birth, she realised she could hear their little noises; breathing and shuffling around inside the basket.
'Mother is here, waiting for you to emerge, and so is all the world,' Ardia sang gently, her voice low.
'When you are ready to come out, I will love you more then anything.'
She lumbered to her hooves, standing a little unsteadily, and then slowly staggering out from the birthing area into fresher air. Kaliska had been waiting, and she stood as Ardia walked out, bowing her head in greeting, and letting the mare wander off. Ardia needed a drink, and a leg stretch, and she knew the human would watch over her baskets so felt no worries about leaving them for that little while. Whilst she was gone, Kaliska moved the baskets into her teepee, carrying each precious load one by one, and then dismantled the birthing shelter, carrying it away to be burned in a clearing so that the stained grasses wouldnt attract predators with their scent.
Ardia returned, thirst quenched and legs feeling less wobbly. Her head felt a little clearer as well from being in fresh air. She wondered briefly where Sheridan was, but as he wasnt around it would give her quality time to be on her own with the baskets. Ardia knelt near Kaliska's teepee, and the human bought the baskets back out, placing them next to the mare before making herself absent. She had hunting to do anyways or she would go hungry again that night. Ardia curled around the baskets, drawing them close with hooves and singing songs, and telling tales of the area, the people, and how she and their father had met, and how much they were loved.
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Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 11:04 am
Ardia shifted, legs moving as she felt something stir beside her, disturbing her sleep. She blinked, yawning and turning her head as she struggled to see what was going on in the murky dawn light. The basket beside her was moving, shifting about the ground rapidly.
The beat of her heart quickened as she watched, listened to the faint snorting and occasional whinny that issued from within the woven nursery. The lid moved up and down in rapid movements, and finally the thin ties securing the lid closed snapped, worked thin by the upwards kicking from within. She watched, breath held as a hoof slid from the basket, on the end of a leg that looked terribly fragile. Another joined the first and then a velvet nose poked out as the filly slowly emerged, blinking in the faint light.
'Hello little one..' breathed Ardia, nosing the basket lid away, struggling onto stiffened legs as her second daughter finally came out into the world.
The filly blinked, ears moving as it listened, wobbling on as she stood for the first time. Her legs buckled and she collapsed next to the empty basket with a noise of pain.
Ardia winced, going over to the filly, nosing her gently and lipping her body to make sure she had not hurt herself. The filly butted noses with her mother, and Ardia felt such a warm joy at this moment, a perfect one that she alone was experiencing.
'Meena..' she gave the filly the name she had waited to give her all the time that she was growing inside the basket.
'My beautiful Meena.'
Meena flicked her downy soft tail, letting out an almost bleating noise of hunger. She stood again, limbs splayed out at severe angles to keep her balance and staggered under Ardia, seeking out the teats and clamped on, suckling for all her worth. Ardia stood, patiently whilst Meena fed, and when her belly was round with her mother's milk, she led her slowly out to meet her father, and her two siblings.
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Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 2:48 pm
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Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 2:51 pm
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Posted: Sun May 14, 2006 2:53 pm
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Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 1:40 am
Reserved - Mahavir arrives!
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Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 1:41 am
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 1:38 am
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 1:39 am
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