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 Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 11:48 am
Her worst fears were realised in the instant that the familiar informed her of Nagual's situation. It was an understatement to declare that Yei's blood was boiling, she was positively furious and was fighting back the urge to shake the mare into informing her of what stallion could have possibly done this to her.
"Nagual, do not move!" Yei ordered sternly, her tone harsh as she tried to contain her own anger. She couldn't possibly comprehend who could have been so cruel, but, as she caught sight of the leathered wings of the kalona stallion she had to remind herself that there were some very, very cruel individuals around.
"I'll kill him." She hissed to the familiar as she placed her own form in front of the mare and shook her head, "Nagual, you need to lie down and rest, you will make yourself worse if you keep moving." Yei murmured gently and flashed a look towards the two stallions. Grencia could not afford a nod due to supporting most of the mare's weight with his head, but Venom did respond with a grunt and unfurled his leathery wings to act as a shield against the sun light for the mare - despite appearances, it seemed he could still be a gentleman sometimes!
Meanwhile, Achak could only raise a brow at Sanika's reply. He was fairly certain that like women, soquili mares and their foals would be birthed at differing times...after the nine months was up at least. Nevertheless, with a grimace he rid his face of the expression and glanced briefly at the soquili.
He was unsurprised to see Yei mothering the pregnant mare, but the fact that both stallions were still here surprised him - perhaps Yei had more influence over the pair than he had given her credit for.
"I believe I may have a few things that would encourage her to start." He said slowly, musing over the various balms and tonics hidden in his teepee, "I know they work on humans, I could only make the asumption that they may work with soquili as well - they are reasonably potent."
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 12:04 pm
Nagual froze and shook a little bit by the tone in Yei's voice. She so didn't need her friend mad at her right now. When the command sunk in, the mare was a little regretful. Moving was her freedom, and she was always a free spirit. She was going to say something, but decided not to.
Kislin ruffled his fur. "I could only agree, especially if the stallion is one one I think it is...."
The mare recovered when Yei's voice turned to a more... gentle tone. Her head drooped, she took in a deep breath, trying to get any scent. She caught whisps of scents of the area, the stallions, and Yei. They were all mingled, and Nagual couldn't get them all apart. "Can I lie here?" Her voice had relief in it, she really would like to lie down.
Sanika listened to the man. She chewed her bottom lip nervously. "They won't harm her, will they, or the foals? If I could help her, I would try anything... but not at her expense."
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 12:23 pm
"Yes, you can." Yei released a sigh of relief as the mare finally did as she was told and offered a slight nod to the stallions. They would 'stagger' their release so to speak and Venom requried very little encouragement as he gave another slight snort and pulled away from the mare - it was more for her self preservation than his own.
With a shake, Venom then tossed his mane and stalked away from the mare. A deliberate move designed to give her plenty of space and enouhg time for Grencia to react if he should lose control and decide to 'intervene' should there really be blood.
Nevertheless, after Venom had completed his move away from the mare and was out of the way, Grencia then took his chance to 'ease' away from the mare's weight. His nose was quickly replaced by Yei's and with a nod he slipped towards the kalona...better to be safe than sorry, and this was something that Yei was to deal with, not him.
"Will she be alright?" Grencia enquired uncertainly and Yei shot him a somewhat critical stare - something she simply couldn't help, she really did dislike winds for some reason.
"Yes, she will - just keep watch for predators." She ordered and gave Nagual a slight nudge of encouragement, "Now you can lie down Nagual, the ground is soft here." She cooed softly.
"It would not be detrimental to her health or to the health of the foals." Achak was fairly certain of that, confident enough to even use it on Yei if she required it but as of yet, she seemed to remain alone and even though a certain stallion expressed interest in her...well she snubbed him every single time.
Silly, fussy female.
"I doubt she will trust me though, you will have to feed her the tonic yourself." He added, ducking into his teepee briefly to retrieve a sealed ceramic bottle and a covered jar - both had a rather putrid smell to them, one so bad that Venom gave a squeal of protest and flicked his gaze to the human...well that was one way to mask a scent.
"If you feed her the tonic, it will dull the pain somewhat, while the heat from the balm will cool the muscles and make them tense. If they convulse enough it should encourage her to give birth." He added before furrowing his brow briefly.
"Perhaps you should put both of these on while I attempt to find another balm to soothe the aches afterwards." He added somewhat hesitantly and held both jar and jug out.
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 12:44 pm
Nagual nodded slightly in thanks to the stallions, even if one didn't seem right. With another deep breath, the mare steeled herself for the pain that would follow as she tried to lie down on the ground. She buckled her knees and bent her back legs. In one fluid -though precarious- movement, Nagual lied down and rolled onto her side with a grunt. The mare sighed. It didn't feel any better than standing, but at least she didn't have the bad feeling of falling.
Kislin jumped from Yei's head and landed on his feet. He went immediately to Nagual and stood in her stringy mane that was splayed on the ground. He buried his nose in her neck, offering what little comfort he could.
Sanika took the objects from the other human and stared at them blankly. She walked over with the tonic, balm, and baskets. The woman knelt and then sat down by Nagual's head. As she lifted the soquili's head, and put in on her lap, Sanika stroked the mare's cheeks and sang softly in her native language.
Nagual allowed the touching by Sanika, and as the words sprang from the woman's mouth she nickered in her throat and her eyes mostly closed. Via their bond, she knew the song was about a man who went out to find his spirit animal but could never find him. It was only when he was on his deathbed when the animal actually came in search for him and they reunited in glory and love.
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 1:01 pm
From that moment on, Yei wasn't entirely certain of what she was meant to do and nickered tentatively towards Achak. For all her maturity and experience, she had never been present at the birth of a foal before and was no better than a lost soul in the mists. To say the least, Yei was completely terrified for her friend and her wide, pleading eyes only served to emphasise this.
"Shhh." Achak murmured softly as he drifted the fingertips of his free hands along the mare's jaw line. Luckily, his body language and muscles were relaxed and he held an air of control that served to reassure her just a little. "Stand back Yei, let me through." He added as he gave her another pat and slipped round her towards the mare, another jar in his hands.
"Umeko?" The kalona interrupted her thoughts, his expression somewhat bewildered as he remained behind the wind soquili, if only so the wind could become a barricade at any given moment.
"Are you hungry, Venom?" Yei murmured cooly as she turned her gaze towards him, her eyes suddenly cold...
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 1:14 pm
As Sanika finished with the song, she unstoppered the tonic and brought it to Nagual's mouth. The woman tipped the soquili's head so it was easier to drink. She felt the mare swallow and then jerk in surprise.
Nagual was not impressed, the stuff tasted horrible.... not like that was any different from everything else she ate recently. Her bonded's fingers help settle her back down. "That stuff tasted bad..." she mumbled almost sleepily. Sanika's song had had the desired effect, but she was slowly becoming completely aware again.
The woman took off her jaguar cloak and as she moved out from under Nagual's head she put in in her place. The fur was soft, and would help cushion the mare's head.
That done, she got up and went to the mare's back. She reached over, and tenderly rubbed the balm on Nagual's stomach. Under her fingers, she could feel the foals moving. Sanika looked over to Kislin, "grab the baskets and bring them here." She knew he would do it.
Kislin snorted but didn't argue. He went straight for the baskets and drug them over. They were heavy for his small body, but he did the best he could.
Sanika hummed as she spread the balm around. Nagual released a sigh of pleasure, feeling at least somewhat comfortable - the first time in months.
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 1:26 pm
Venom thought it best not to reply to her question, particularly when Grencia had flicked a gaze that resembled a 'do not dare' towards him. It seemed that during times when Yei was vulnerable she became rather irrational and the kalona supposed it was a rather good thing that someone, a mediator, was there to keep things in check - god only knows what would have happened if he were not.
...Mainly because the kalona was extremely hungry.
"Yei, you should rest as well." Grencia advised in a gentle voice, choosing to ignore the critical glare he received from the mare who apparently...couldn't believe that he had said those words. Then again, she was the mare who yelled at him for standing in a certain spot for no apparent reason, he was beginning to grow used to it.
"I am not leaving her." She snapped stubbornly and narrowed her eyes, causing the wind stallion to release a sigh.
"Then rest at least, lie down and stop pacing!"
"I'm not pacing!" Yei continued, despite the fact that she was. Perhaps she was unaware that she had moved from one spot to the other.
"Then look at where you are now." Grencia replied coolly, the words were enough to make her look and with a startled 'oh' she stopped and shook her head. "Now please, rest." The stallion continued and nodded towards Venom, "Perhaps you should keep watch of the skies, this is not the best of locations for you to stand." He added, thus dismissing the Kalona who was more than happy to 'vanish' so to speak. That said, he then fell silent and scarcely even acknowledged the mare as she slumped nearby - it was better that he pretended she wasn't there.
All the while, both Yei and Grencia continued to watch the two-leggers, one of which was tending to the mare...neither soquili was certain as to what she was rubbing the mare's tummy for though.
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 1:38 pm
Poor Kislin, by the time the baskets were on the other side of Sanika he was drenched in sweat. He then went and flopped tiredly in the mare's mane.
Nagual's eyes opened widely. She lifted her head and looked at Sanika with wide-eyed wonder. The mare didn't know what was going on, still.
Kislin lifted his head. He smelled.... the ferret sneezed, "Water broke."
Sanika patted the mare's stomach and massage a bit when Nagual turned to look at her. She smiled at the mare encouragebly. "It's time."
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 1:54 pm
It was just as well that Venom had been dismissed, for when Kislin made his statement Gren became all to oaware of the peculiar smell now intruding upon his personal space. Had he not smelt it once or twice before, he would have reeled but now... He just pulled a slight face and closed his eyes to maintain his composure.
"O-oh.." Yei murmured, stumbling back somewhat with her ears flattened against her head. It wasn't that she had seen anything but that smell was not something she liked - she didn't completely understand it either. Casting a glance towards the wind stallion, who appeared to have closed his eyes to spare Nagual the embarassment, she couldn't help but wonder...
"Um..." She began hesitantly and shuffled her feet, not the most comfortable of mares when it came to asking questions to someone she frequently insulted, "Is this a good or -"
"The smell means that she is about to give birth." Grencia replied without opening his eyes, "The strength of it simply indicates that she is not in the best of health, it is quite possibly due to the stress." He explained, evidently aware that Nagual's pregnancy had not been deliberate and that it was something the mare never understood.
"Well the foals be alright?" Yei murmured worridly. Admittedly, she wasn't happy about how Nagual had become pregnant but she was certainly not prepared for the foals to be harmed...They were afterall, almost like her neice and nephew.
"I should think so." Was all the wind could provide as assurance.
Meanwhile, Achak wasn't entirely certain of what he was meant to do either and instead of offering any assistance (as she seemed to have everything in hand), he took a seat near by and toyed idly with the jar in his hand. If anything, he would stepped in when asked or when he noticed she was...er...finished, so to speak.
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 2:06 pm
Sanika literally felt the contractions start under her fingertips. She had helped some women give birth, but never a mare. The woman was torn, help the babies once they come out, help with contractions, or offter Nagual comfort. The decisions made her falter.
Nagual shuddered, never knowing the pain she now felt before. She whispered a squeal and then grunted before dropping her head to the soft jaguar cloak and closing her eyes.
Kislin stirred almost immediately. He went to Nagual's head and petted her cheek with a soft paw.
"It hurts..." Nagual whispered from under the furry foot.
"I know, dear," the ferret nuzzled her soft nose. "It'll pass, just breathe and push.... "
Nagual grumbled, trying to respond.
Sanika watched the small animal. Well, that answered one of her problems. She decided she'd stay where she was until the foals arrived, and then she would go to immediately help them. The woman massaged, trying to help push one of the formed lumps towards the other end with the contractions. Sanika had resorted to her Mayan words, offering the mare words of encouragement and ease.
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 2:19 pm
OH MY GOD, IT MOVES!
Yei's eyes were like saucers as she watched the contractions and the shudders around Nagual's abdomen. At that moment in time she was nothing more than a young, bewildered foal again and it took all of her self control not to gasp. She couldn't help but gawk, she had never seen it before and she could always use the excuse that it was educational.
She stole a glance at the stallion who had once again opened his eyes and much to her irritation, he seemed completely unphased, he seemed to be taking everything in his stride. She furrowed her brow at this, out of the trio of soquili at Achak's teepee, he had been the one who had taken matters into his own hands - and here she was thinking poorly of him, again.
Nevertheless, he seemed to feel eyes upon him and very slowly he shifted his gaze towards Yei in a somewhat enquiring manner - if she could have blushed, she would have. But instead, she chose to mutter something incoherent and lowered her gaze once more, he could only raise a brow in response.
Achak on the other hand, was very much like Yei - although his eyes weren't wide he had ceased in his tracing of the jar's edge and was watching in a somewhat mesmerised manner as the woman (whose name he still didn't know), gently coaxed and manipulated the mare's abdomen until something inside seemed to move.
Were human births like this too?
He cocked a brow at this thought and shook his head, clearing his throat in the process - he was beginning to suspect he was rather out of his depth right now. How the hell was ge going to do this if Yei decided to become broody?!
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 2:32 pm
Nagual jerked, something was not right! She groaned, and with a strong push, Sanika announced, "I see a head!"
The mare snorted and twirled her head to see what was going on. The human had moved to... what was she doing at her rear-end!? Another spasm went through her, and Nagual dropped her head back down onto the cloak and Kislin nudged her, "You're doing great, Nagual."
"Be quiet," Nagual said through clenched teeth; the pain was starting to fray her nerves and she was becoming irritable.
Yes, Sanika had moved and now had her hands on some pale hooves and a nose that peeked out of a membrane. With one more large contraction, the foal was completely clear, and the woman scooped it up quickly and put it safely into one of the baskets. Doing as the Kawani had taught her, the foreigner put the cap on the basket and sewed it shut. Immediately, in its safe haven, the basket changed colors and a slight flame seemed to start at the bottom.
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 2:52 pm
Grencia wasn't entirely sure how Yei had managed to make her eyes any wider than she did, but he winced as she gave an almighty shriek of horror and was forced to leap in front of her to prevent her from barreling towards her younger 'sister'. He had to admit he was rather surprised, for her age, Yei should have been aware of what was expected of her...all in all, it was a bit of an eye opener.
"Oh my, oh my, oh my..." She murmured in a shuddering voice as she tried to push passed the stallion, only to find his brightly coloured wings obstructing her from view. "Let me through, she needs me!" She howled, leaping to the left...which the stallion matched.
"No, she does not - not yet at least." Grencia replied sternly and shook his head.
Achak was very much the same as Yei for the most part, his eyes had bulged as he had seen the head and then as Nagual had given a heave he paled considerably. He had never seen anythign quite as disgusting and he had seen a lot of things - if he was honest he felt incredibly ill and the thought of trying to clean up that stuff that now lay at the mare's rear.
...Well that was enough to do it.
If the man hadn't already been ill, he certainly was now and without excusing himself he set the jar down and darted into his teepee. He was definately not coming out until this was done - he could only take so much and that was... How in the name of the gods did that mare's skin stretch so far?!
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 3:01 pm
Yei's shrieking wasn't helping the matter. Nagual swung her head, but only saw the bright stallion blocking her friend. The mare tried to get up, unaware of the basket that now sparked and flamed behind her. It sounded like Yei needed her...!
It was strange, Nagual felt a little better. Her eyes had cleared a bit as well as her ears. While she was still covered in sweat and looked horrible, she had more strength that she had had in months.
Kislin jumped onto Nagual's head, which prompty made her lay completely flat. She wasn't that strong yet, "Kislin! What's the-" and that was when more contractions started. Her words ended with a gasp of pain and her eyes closed once again.
Sanika was saying more words of encouragement, a bright smile on her face. The second foal was coming out a lot more gentle than the last. "Almost, Nagual!"
Another push, and the foal was out. The woman quickly repeated the process and set the basket aside as color came over it. While Sanika dealt with the last basket, Nagual pushed out the afterbirth, and it was over.
Nagual panted, but her breaths sounded a lot better than they did just moments before. Kislin patted her cheek happily, "It's over, it's over. You have two foals, it would seem."
"Two foals?" She murmured in complete confusion.
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Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 3:10 pm
"Now, you can go to her." Grencia folded his wing at his side once more and winced briefly. It wasn't that she had hurt him, merely winded him, but he didn't appreciate her half-kick to his shins as she barrelled towards her friend. Ah well, he supposed that in the long term, perhaps down the line when she had grown not to despise him, then she would thank him for playing the "bad guy" in this.
"Oh Nagual!" Yei whickered as she drew near the mare once more and gave her a gentle nuzzle, "You're alright and you're -" She paused and flashed her gaze towards the two baskets nearby. At that moment, she was at a loss for words and as her maternal instincts set in her eyes filled with warmth... Nagual had become a mother.
"Congratulations Nagual, I am sure they will be beautiful children." She whispered as she gave another nuzzle and glanced briefly at Kislin, as if to see if he knew whether or not his assumptions were right yet. "Do you feel better now?" She enquired in the same manner as before while Grencia went to retrieve the man hiding in his teepee.
With a grunt, Achak refused to reappear but he did call out from inside his home.
"Use the balm on the rock, it will relax her muscles!"
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