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 Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:08 am
The stallion had remained around their forested home. Shaitani was getting rounder now, and she had said it would be anytime.. He would not miss the arrival of their babies.. Not again.. He had miss Nostalgia bringing the three lovely baskets into the world.. He would not be far this time.
He had only taken a few steps out of the forest-y den, making sure to also hang around in case something should try and get at Shai.
He was only out now, getting her food that she so desperately wanted. But she was getting tired lately, and the brood inside her was making it increasingly hard for her to get up and move.
He snorted, and grabbed a mouthfull of the finest grass he could find, placing them in the basket he had snatched from Micah's two legger.
He stretched his legs, aiming for a couple of green winter apples, and also placed them in the basket.
As soon as he thought he had grabbed enough...
He continued to grab more, just to be sure that she had everything she needed.
He would do it right this time.
He would have the life he dreamed this time.
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:33 am
After what seemed like ages, the mocha-toned mare had three baskets tucked close to her, each different from the next though all of them similar. Her bright blue eyes stared down at them with the joy only known to parents at the birth of new children, and though she was weary, a smile lingered upon her face. Tired, hungry, and with a great lack of energy, she awaited the return of her beloved. He had a surprise waiting for him, though she wondered how he would take missing it. He had been waiting around, barely leaving her side for days – and she had sent him to gather the food. Just as well, she supposed, for she preferred to have done it alone. There was little he could have done, other than fret or worry, and she didn’t want that sort of stress around her during the trial.
With a soft sigh, she lay her head down, body curled around the baskets as best as she could manage, waiting for the return of her lover and the food he would bring. She should have slept, though the emotions coursing through her veins would not have allowed it, even with the weariness creeping in her bones. She would wait, to rejoice with her mate, and to eat what little she could to regain some energy. Then sleep would come – but for now, it was kept at bay.
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:46 am
Jean ambled back,swaying his basket to and fro as he came close the his forested home. He could smell the musky scent of sweat, and his eyesbrows rose.
But he shrugged,and continued forward, carrying his basket of goodies to his mate.
Upon walking into the little area they called home, he saw his mate, curled up. He smiled, expecting her to be sleeping. The home smelled different, and he wasn't sure why, but he didn't think too hard on it.
"Ma petite, I have brought you some goodie-"
He started, walking closer to her back,and noticing she was curled around three baskets.
His eyes widened.
He had missed it again.. He had abandoned his mate in her time of need.. It was happening all over again, and he had no way of stopping it.
"Oh.. Ma petite..."
He whispered.
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:56 am
Shaitani looked slowly up towards her mate as he entered the entrance to their forest home, her eyes following him along as he came closer. She saw the slight widening of his eyes, the surprise that lingered there upon seeing the baskets. He seemed almost disappointed that he hadn’t been here – she felt the immediate urge to cure him of that. “Don’t look so disappointed, Jean-Claude, my love,” she said with a small smile upon her mug, “would you really have wanted to be here while I was so irritated and moody? You have put up with enough of my mood swings through the pregnancy alone, it is better that you were off in peace while I brought our foals into the world.”
Her tail flickered, her eyes shifting up to stare into his, “I have done what Mother Nature required of me, and all is well. Birthing is a time for a mother and her foals, a sacred time, and it is just as well that you were doing something that I did need instead of standing around like a worry wart.” She chuckled, softly, for her energy was sapped and she hadn’t the strength to laugh too loudly. Her eyes shifted towards the basket of food, knowing that that was precisely what he had intended to bring her.
“Set that down here,” she said quietly, “and come take a closer look.”
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:07 pm
Jean moved much like a foal would to take a closer look at its new siblings. He ambled closer, his eyes wide and innocent, but his smile pasted on fast.
He had felt horrible that he hadn't been there with her, but her words, made him look deeply into her eyes, and he saw truth there.. And he was sure she saw apologies.
He placed the basket of food down beside her head, so she could reach without moving much. He didn't want her to waste her energy after all.. She was so tired already, and he was so proud.
He lowered his head to the baskets, placing his nose on first, the blue colored basket, then followed it by placing his nose on the other two.
He nuzzled them each gently, and closed his eyes.
How happy he indeed was.
"Ma amoure.. You are indeed a very strong mare.. I am very proud to claim you as my mate. And you have brought our children into the world so marvelously."
He said, lying beside her, and taking his place by the baskets as well.
He had forgotten to tell Naina of the pregnancy.. She was going to be heartbroken that he had bypassed her in all the excitement.
But she was a kind girl. She'd understand.
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:19 pm
Shaitani smiled as she watched him edge closer to the baskets, unable to swallow down the overwhelming sense of pride as she saw him get close to his foals for the first time. As he looked upon them, she shifted her body slightly so that she could eat a few bits of grass that he had brought to her and a bite of the apples that he had been so kind as to hunt down. She chewed at the food, all the while watching him from the corner of her eyes, until she had eaten at least enough to push back the weariness of sleep for a little while. Eating too quickly right now didn’t seem like a very good idea.
At his words, she let out a soft laugh and leaned across to nuzzle her nose gently against his. “I am glad to have such a caring mate, myself – one that is willing to go and get me food and do anything I ask of him when I need him.” She shifted, staring down silently upon the baskets once more, tired eyes blinking slowly as she watched them. “They will be beautiful foals, Jean-Claude.”
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:26 pm
Jean didn't seem to be able to take his eyes off the brood. They were so perfect. Little Jeans and Shaitani's. One of them even had the cross marking that had been passed to his Son Trevelyn as well. He grinned, and looked back up at Shai with a pleasing smile.
"We should name them, ma petite. Do you by chance.. Know what they are?"
He asked, cocking his head,and nosing the baskets again.
He personally wanted a little boy to name Julian. Such a fantastically regal name..
But..He wanted a little girl as well.. He would have loved to have a little girl to raise far better than he had raised Naina.
He kicked himself inside for saying it, but it was true. He had been a horrid father to the filly, and when she had grown, she had understood, and the two were able to start again..
But he hadn't been able to get her filly-hood back. But.. This was his other chance. He'd prove he was a good father, and he'd make up for lost time.
"I'm truly a gifted--"
The sentence was drawn short as he was alerted of anothers entrance to the home.
_________________________________________________
There stood the blue hued mare. Her amethyst eyes wide as she stared between Shaitani and Jean, and then at the baskets. No..He couldn't have possibly have had more..
She was his girl..
And he hadn't told her.
She looked in disbelief and hurt at him,and gave a cold look.
"Well. Congratulations indeed."
She had nothing against Shai..But her father had just had foals..And that in itself, bugged the once daddy's girl mare.
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:43 pm
Shaitani smiled at his words and gave him a nod, her tail flickering behind her, the small beads crackling against the leaves beneath her form. “I do, actually,” she said softly, her deep eyes shifting to look at the baskets curled between herself and her mate. “The one with your cross is the only girl, the other two are male.” As she spoke, there was a pride shining in her eyes, and she couldn’t help shifting that much closer to the baskets. She had never known a daughter – only sons, and for that reason she looked particularly forward to the baskets opening. She loved her sons, would love these sons, but there was just a certain bond that came between a mother and her daughter.
“Do you have any ideas for na-” she began, only to be interrupted as well by the presence of the blue mare lingering in the entrance to their forest dwelling. She read the posture, the look in her eyes, and couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for the girl. Both of her sons were well-tempered, they would take this happily, and probably be even happier that she had other children to dote upon now. However, she seemed to realize immediately that Naina was not.
“Oh Naina,” she said softly, shifting to sit up a bit straighter, looking to other female with a bit of a frown. She didn’t know what to say, for this was something that would have to be dealt with between Jean and his daughter – but it didn’t mean that she didn’t feel a little bad for it.
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:01 pm
Jean gave Naina a stern look. Reminding her to watch her tongue and to keep watch of whos company she was in.Yes, it was his fault for not telling her.. But that did not mean that she could barge in on The families home, with such stern looks.
He had raised her better.. Or..
"Naina,come welcome your little sister and brothers to our family."
He said,glancing at his mate, and nuzzling her gently. She felt bad, and he could see it, but he was trying to wipe that away.
Shai had just given him a miracle,and he wasnt going to let it be ruined by his jealous daughter.
He felt bad for Naina..Felt bad that he had done so little for her, and he could have done so much..But he had made up for that by being a good father now.. By loving Naina,and Naina loved him as well.
"Shaitani, Naina. We have just extended and combined two families."
He said, trying to lighten the mood.
______________________________________________
Naina almost wanted to cry.. Her daddy had just had more babies..When his first babies had been so hurt by all the troubles.. But yet he had more.. When she needed him the most.
Her and Ciro had been trying for babies as well..She wanted little butterfly babies.. And she had been so unsuccessful that she felt like a failure.
Her eyes traveled to Shai,and she gave her an apologetic look.She had forgotten where she was.. And this argument was best suited for another time. Even Naina wasn't so cold hearted all the time.
She loved Shai, almost like a mother.. But this had come so suddenly, and she hadnt even known h er father had been expecting again.
She took tentative steps towards her father, and her step-mother, and looked at the baskets at her hooves. They were so pretty.. They carried their fathers hues so well..And she even spotted a blue basket..Well that was different. But she felt a beam of pride almost..Almost... Cause she had been born blue as well..
And one had her fathers cross. These were indeed his children.
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:13 pm
Shaitani breathed a sigh of relief, glad that the argument would not be taking place in the here and now. Sure, she was aware of all the problems that Jean-Claude had had as a father before, all the issues he had with his children, and the feelings that Naina felt. All that aside, she was a mother who had just given birth and had little to no energy to referee a fight right now. She smiled as Jean-Claude nuzzled her, letting the feelings wash away until she was back to her previous joy and pride over the three new baskets laid between them.
“The blue on that basket, it is from my mother,” she said quietly as she saw Naina’s eyes pause over it. Neither of her two sons before had born that color, and it alone was special. It was its birth right, a unique one, and it made her proud to see that her flittering mother would live on in her foal. She had no idea where the woman was now, but she had a sense of being near to her with the new little boy.
“We have brought more of the family together than I could image with these three,” which was the honest truth. They did not look solely like either parent, and they even carried traits from other generations. They truly were a bond between Shaitani and Jean-claude and the two families the pair had brought together. “I only wish my boys were here to see, so that they too might know their brothers and sister,” she said softly, though a smile still lingered. She knew they would come home soon enough.
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 1:22 pm
Jean-Claude was silently applauding Naina for her very grown-up action. His little girl was indeed growing up, and he saw it in every movement she made.
He too,saw her linger over the blue basket, and he grinned, his fangs present in the smile.
"Look Naina. Seems that blue is still running in the family." He said, reaching out to nuzzle her nose as she bent to look at the three baskets.
He looked to Shaitani and grinned.
"Be happy I see none of my parents in these three." He said, thinking of Belle-Morte'. Sure, he had named Naina after his mother.. But he had been required to.. It was his mothers only wish, and even though she had been a harlot to the extreme, he had granted such a wish.
"Naina, come sit with us, and discuss names. Im sure your input is appreciated."
He said, trying to get her into the sister role, and feel as if she had some control in the situation.
He turned once more to Shai.
"I like the name Julian for our creme little boy." He said,nuzzling it gently.
"What do you think?"
______________________________________________
Naina had been silent the whole time.. But she cocked her head, and just stared at the baskets..
She was carrying the look Jean had given when he had first wondered in here today. It was amazing how innocent and young one could look when they were possibly the opposite.
She looked like a new big sister, who was still too young to really know what a big sister was.
"I like the name Renaud.."
She said, thinking back to some of her french words that flushed through her head.
"And..I have a long name.. So.. How about Julian Renaud?"
She asked, lying beside the two Soquili, and gazing at their baskets.
"What do you think, mom?"
She asked, glancing at Shai,and warming her eyes.
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 2:32 pm
Shaitani listened to Jean-Claude’s words, laughing softly at the mention of his parents. She didn’t know anything about them, really, or not much at all. She knew they weren’t precisely the greatest apples in the bunch, but she couldn’t argue against them. “Well, I’d like to say that I don’t see much of my father there, but since I look like him, it’s a little inevitable.” She shrugged as if it didn’t matter and it truly didn’t. Intrepid had never been much of a father – just dust in the wind who had left her mother more alone once he left than she had been originally.
Her ears flickered lightly as Jean-Claude spoke up with the name Julian, a smile spread across her mug. Just as she was about to speak, however, Naina brought up another name to add on. Like his father, like his sister, the boy would have a longer, intricately beautiful name. She smiled sweetly in Naina’s direction and nodded, turning to look at the creamier of the two male’s baskets. “Yes, I like Julian Renaud very much.”
Her eyes shifted to the other male basket, a soft purr on her words as she spoke up again, “how about the name Jovan for the other little boy?” Her eyes shifted to her mate, then to the younger female. She had no idea why she truly liked it, but she simply did.
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Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:08 pm
Jean-Claude grinned at his daughters input of Renaud. It was perfect. A long name, for a long line of legendry. He flicked his ears, and came to a shock as he found Naina calling Shai, mom. She had never done that before.. But she had told him that she was the closest thing to a mom she'd ever had.
"Jovan."
He said, rolling the name about his tongue and looking up to the sky as if it might give him some clue as to whether or not the Spirit smiled upon the name.
Screw Spirits. .He liked it.
"Jovan." He said again, giving a smile and a nod.
"Almost sounds like a play on Jean."
Or it especially did when Jean used his french accent to pronounce the J. It sounded similar, and Jean made it sound all the more french.
"The little girl.."
He said, looking at the final unnamed basket. He knew how much Shai had wanted a girl.. SO he gave her the option.
"Shai, whats a good name for our girl?"
He asked, tugging gently at her short mane.
________________________________
Naina stared at the baskets, looked at the couple, then back at the baskets as if mesmerized.
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Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:06 pm
Shaitani really hadn’t known what to say to Naina after she heard her call her mother. It made her smile, but it was something so surprising that she felt she couldn’t draw attention to it without embarrassing herself or the other mare. It was welcome, at least, because she had no qualms about being a mother if Naina truly wanted to have that sort of relationship. Besides, she had never had a daughter before, and despite the fact that she knew she had one now, it was still welcome. It made her think of her boys, out in the world having their own adventures – but even the thought of them made her smile. She was much more family oriented than she ever suspected she would have been.
“It sort of sounds like your name, but only when you say it,” she said with a smirk, shaking her head in amusement. She lacked a French accent, of course, so that meant she said it as any other Soquili would have. It sounded like his name when it came from his mouth – though, she supposed that mattered just as well.
Her eyes flickered towards her mate, a soft laugh spilling as he tugged at her short mane. Then, with a small no, she turned her eyes towards the female’s basket. She needed a name that was beautiful, unique, and something that would suit her little girl. With a little smile, she turned her eyes first to Naina, then back upon Jean-Claude. “What do you think about Jiayi?”
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Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 12:53 pm
Jean smiled at the mare.
"Well yes. I guess I do have more of the accent than other Soquili shall have.. But when I call his name, he will know who his father is."
He said, looking proud and puffing his chest.
He had wanted nothing more than to be a father to a son. He had a son, and it had torn him apart that his son was one of the few who truly disliked the stallion.
But he had watched his son grow from far away, as he had with Memory. Neither of the foals had been free of him, even when they thought they had.
He had just kept watch, because they were his babies, even if he and their mother didn't seem to get along.
He listened to the name, looked to Naina, and then smiled as he saw a smile upon Naina's lips.
"Jiayi.. It's lovely."
He said grinning.
He looked at all the baskets, and his eyes were that of a truly proud father.
"Ma petite, I dont think you could have made me any happier."
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