|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 8:13 am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 8:35 am
Take a step. Nudge one basket forward, then the next, and the last too. Take a step. Nudge them all forward again. Another step followed by more nudging. The young mare stopped this process and glared down at her basketed children. "Ya couldn't get up and walk could ya?" She asked nudging the white and dark one in the middle.
It didn't move.
She sighed and bowed her pink head again to resume the pushing. 'You'll be fine' her dad had said before she had headed off with her baskets at dawn. The sun was directly overhead now and she could still see the small grove that she had come from. "Lazy ol' man..." She grumbled. He had been lucky only having to carry her around. She had three to move and couldn't carry them all.
"I hope ya have to deal with a buncha kids sometime soon! Then I'll laugh an say 'gee maybe if ya woulda helped me when I had kids I'd help ya out now." She laughed almost triumphantly as the scenario played out in her mind. She was brought back to reality when she nudged the white one a bit to hard knocking it over earning a very startled squeak.
"Sorry!" she exclaimed nudging it back upright. "I didn't mean anythin by it!" She sighed again. Getting them all to the forest where she had last seen Tavarii was seeming hopeless.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 12:48 pm
Tavarii didn't stray far from the forest where Carmine and Dark had left him, his body constantly on watch, ears pricking every time a squirrel hopped off a tree, making the sound of a hoof on branch.
But it would always be just a squirrel.
The violet stallion grazed in the forest, he drank from the nearby stream, and practically became OCD over returning to the same spot to sleep every night. Carmine would come back to him...
And then, one morning, he heard it. Hoof, hoof, scrape, scuffle. Hoof, hoof, scrape, scuffle.
Tav's head jerked up and hit a branch, giving a squawk of pain as wood slammed into his braided forehead. Up on his feet, he rushed to the edge of the forest, praying to see his big-bellied girlfriend.
Only to see something completely different!
"Angel!" he crowed happily, prancing out from the treeline like a parade horse. He didn't seem to notice the baskets she was scooting along, instead focused on her tummy. "You got skinny! But...the babies?"
His head swiveled around, looking for a wobbling foal or two and instead seeing nothing. "I missed you!" And he promptly thrust his muzzle against her neck.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 1:57 pm
She looked up startled and automatically scolded herself. Once the kids were out of their temporary homes she was going to have to retrain herself as a thief. She was far to easy to sneak up on, it was ridiculous. She could not deny that this was a very pleasant shock.
"Goof!" She cried a wide grin spreading on to her face. It changed to a slight look of irritation as he brought her now trim figure up. "Yeah...now never say anythin like that again." She said in a sweetly warning voice. She blinked when he asked about the kids.
Did he not see them? It occurred to her then that he really didn't see them and she panicked. She did her best to nudge him backwards without moving.
"Well if ya aren't careful you'll squish em." She said trying not to sound frustrated. She liked Tavarii but if he squished on of her kids she was going to kill him. She was not above murdering cute boys if she really needed to. She nodded down to the baskets and smiled proudly. "All three of em."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 2:32 pm
Tav didn't mind that his girlfriend was a thief. Hell, if he could, when the babies were all grown up, he'd aid her in a raid! Talk about adrenaline rush!
"Angel," he smiled to himself at the fond nickname. He couldn't escape the mare's easily-shifting moods, though as a slightly dim-witted stallion, wasn't sure what she was mad about. But then, stallions didn't talk about their weight, nor did they mind it.
He stepped back, picking his feet up high and being careful not to knock over the small baskets. The baskets... What little surprises held inside? He lowered his nose down to snuffle at one with feathers, like Carmine's wings, and he heard a small sneeze from the inside.
Eyes widened and he took another few steps back. "A-Are they...in there?" he asked, incredulous. "Our...babies?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 3:11 pm
Carmine shook his head. Either he didn't remember coming out of a basket like this himself or he didn't know a thing about kids. She was betting it was a combination of both.
"Yes, they're in the baskets. Safe from most things the world can throw at em. Most not countin their dad who nearly squashed them." She gave him a pointed look at this point. If they hurt one of these baskets it was game over and there was no way she was having kids again any time soon. Of everything she had heard about children no one had ever bothered to tell her that it hurt to give birth to them.
It was enough to make her consider stopping her boy chasing ways. Not enough to make her give up though, no that was still to much fun and she still wanted her harem. You couldn't get a harem by sitting on the sidelines. Besides, no one ever got anywhere without dealing with at least a little pain.
"So...which do ya want t'watch?" She asked rather suddenly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 3:36 pm
"My bad!"
He grinned sheepishly up at his girl at her words, then slowly lowered himself to his knees, laying beside the trio of like-colored baskets.
One was the color of the night sky, a violet and white with sparkles, just like his. The second looked like Angel, red butterflies trailing up to the lid. And the third was the most random, a splash of red with black feathers. The one who'd sneezed on him.
He let his muzzle brush the gems on each basket, breathing in their scent. They were beautiful, although just baskets, they would be wonderful foals soon enough! They were...peaceful this way. And although they couldn't walk, which made them difficult, they would. And maybe they'd run.
With a goofy grin plastered on his face, he didn't bother standing. "They're so wonderful, Angel!"
But which would he watch...
"I can do these two," he said boldly, pointing to the Carmine-esque basket and the random one. "You've already done alot, carrying them and all! And then dragging them here! I can help!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 4:11 pm
She watched him with a smile as he examined the baskets. Now that he knew what they were it seemed he was being careful. What a relief. She let out a silent sigh and continued to watch him quirking an eyebrow as he started to smell them. She had been there when they had each been placed inside the baskets so she never really smelt them. She was almost curious what they smelled like.
She grinned happily as he spoke. "I know aren't they?" One thing to be said about her family, pride ran thick in their blood. Anything that could be taken as an ego boost would be.
"Two of em?" She blinked. She had been expecting him to only look after one. The other she was going to make her dad look after as punishment for making her push them all the way out. "Seriously?!" Her eyes lit up like stars. This would make her life so much easier. Transporting one basket was simple. She could pick it up and go. She could even fly for short distances at low altitudes. It would save so much time and she would be able to pester her dad again!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 9:28 pm
"Of course!" he exclaimed, beaming at her. He felt like a child given the responsibility of hall monitor. Or something to that likeness.
With his chest puffed out, he leapt to his feet, though his hooves were aimed away from the delicate children nestled inside the baskets. "Don't worry, Angel! We can manage this. Afterall, it won't be long until they can walk on their own!"
He wasn't really sure what they ate. Or if they could eat. Perhaps he'd toss in some grass?
He'd never had kids. How was he -- an understudied new (naive) father -- supposed to know?
"You won't even miss us," he grinned with a wink.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:10 pm
She giggled at his enthusiasm. "Course we can manage." She said never really wondering or worrying about how they would take care of them. A good thief always had resources even for this type of thing. Besides, how hard could raising a kid be? After they got out of the basket you just had to make sure they didn't wander too far and get hurt.
Her wandering mind came to a screeching halt. She wouldn't miss them? Her eyebrows knit together for a moment. She knew it sounded completely different then he meant it. He was after all her goof, she knew how he was, but it almost sounded like he didn't want her around.
"Don't be sure about that goof. I'm sure I'll miss ya at some point." She said a hint of an icy tone seeping into her voice. As she realized this she smiled and laughed a bit in an attempt to cover it up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 12:46 pm
He grinned back at her, then tilted his head to one side at the bite in her tone. But he was in too good of a mood to be perturbed by it. So instead, he would cover up his mistake.
With a sheepish look, he nuzzled her. "Of course, I'll miss you. We'll rendezvous back together alot, yes?" So I don't get lonely? he wanted to add, but how would he have time to get lonely if he was watching two children?!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 1:35 pm
Her mood hadn't improved much by his comment but she supposed it couldn't be helped. She had become so used to him fawning over her that having the attention ease up even a bit was killing her a bit inside. "Course we will goof." She said the chilly bite ebbing out of her voice. "All my kids are gonna know each other after all."
She stood still for a moment looking down at the baskets. An unfamiliar emotion was stirring in her stomach. It was like a mixture of jealousy accompanied by extreme love and it was a rather unpleasant feeling.
"I'm...gonna go back to dad now..." she said sounding a bit uneasy. "I'll come back when they feel ready..." She nodded to the basket to signal what she meant before leaning down and to pick up the basket. "Bye goof." She mumbled through the woven container before spreading her wings and taking off. She wondered vaguely if it was like this every time a child was born.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 1:46 pm
Of course. The children inside the baskets would have to know one another. He'd known Koz'ka and Taiya, afterall, even if he hadn't hung around home.
All worry left him as he stood over his two children, careful not to bump or knock them over as Carmine took to the sky.
"Bye, Angel," he murmured as her form got smaller and smaller. Then, not able to see her even through a squint, he turned back to his baskets.
"Little ones... We'll make sure you hatch safely." Even in separation, their hearts would be close. Tav and Carmine were soulmates, afterall.
What he didn't know what that, in being forgetful, he might lose track of more than one child...
He just hoped he was a good father when they hatched!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:20 pm
Her wings rose and fell steadily as she rode on the breeze. There was a surprising amount on her mind that did not revolve around her job. One of the main subjects being if she really was cut out for this. Sure she could raise a kid, no big deal mares took care children from ages younger then she was. Could she handle the other problems it seemed present though?
The basket she was holding started to wiggle about and she had to resist laughing or risk dropping it. So it understood did it? Comforting her how sweet. She smiled until the basket started thrashing about more. She was getting a bit uneasy now. This particular basket had always been rather lively, they all had, but not this much. When it started to make noises of frustration she finally got it and dove for the ground.
She landed with the grace of an injured buffalo and set the basket on the ground as quickly as she could. She stood watching it for a moment as it continued to wiggle. "Ummm...uhhhh...ummm...GOOF!!!!?" She knew he was likely no where near her now but it never hurt to try. If this one was wriggling to get out then that meant the other two probably were as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:55 pm
It had taken...well...AWHILE to get to the river to drink, dragging two baskets along, but he was bound and determined to make it. And he did. He was proud of himself, too!
Once they were safely settled in the bushes beside the river, he dove in.
Wallowing in the warm water, his ears pricked at the sound of his name. Well, not just ANY name. 'Goof'. And only one person called him that!
"Carmine!?"
With a worried huff, he picked up the red-splotched basket in his jaws and took off at a lope, not quite forgetting the second one nestled in the brush but not quite remembering it either.
He slid to a stop when the lid on his basket gave a slight hissing sound, then toppled to the ground. "AIKEEEEEE!"
And out came a Tavarii look-alike.
Amethyst eyes blinked wide as he stared down his daughter. She...was...interesting. A tiny, tiny baby with spindly legs...
"Come on, little one. We have to find your mother. Just...like...stay in the basket? Please?"
And so he stuffed the lid back on and continued to run, finding Carmine only a few tree-rows over. "Something crazy's happenin'!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
