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 Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:02 pm
 Echo's Song groaned with exhaustion as she lay on her side. The young mare had been with foal before but she had forgotten how it felt to carry extra weight around for any period of time. Her gaze took in the interior of the cave she currently resided in and wondered briefly how she'd cope with Drad's return. Her mind turned back to the meeting during that dark and stormy night. Dradneos had not left her side since that night. It made her feel cherished but she knew the feeling could disappear as quickly as it arrived.
Rising to her feet Echo traveled to the mouth of the cave and looked outside before eying the tender shoots of grass nearby. Her stomach rumbled as she shuffled awkwardly to graze. Lowering her head the mare ripped the shoots from the ground and began to chew. She and her foals needed the nutrition. She knew Drad was in the area but a quick glance up confirmed that she was alone for the meantime.
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Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 11:59 pm
 He was ever present, ever watchful of the mare. Ever since he had smelled her with child, Dradneos had been... different. Not different in that he was happy go lucky all day long now that he would be a father, but in a quiet, watchful way. He wasn't sure how to act, now that he would have children. Truth be told, he'd seen what happened to Duskai and her daughters - his neices - and he worried if that would happen here.
Worry was a strange emotion for Dradneos to have. It was always keep the prey calm and collected, as to not scare it away. Never before, however, had he kept a wench. Never had the wench gotten pregnant by his seed either.
That might have been why Dradneos was different than normal. He was... scared almost, of having children. He would have to abide by his father's teachings. The ones with his markings would be taught in the ways of his father, and the ones without would be the victims.
He shuddered in his spot in the trees. Like his sister, they would be victims. His sister, who he adored and loved beyond belief, hated him and feared him because of what his father made him do. He shuddered again and looked at Echo's Song. The mare mimicked Duskai is so many ways and not just the hair color. The way she was fidgetity, and scared all the time around him. Or the way she seemed to shy away from him.
Dradneos sighed. It wasn't compleletly his fault she did this. Had he had his way, she wouldn't be scared of him. Or so yearned the sane part of him. He was attracted to her, and she would produce him good foals, but that didn't seem to be the reason why he was so... so... out of character for himself.
The black stallion stood in the shadows a little longer, and seemed to sigh her name, her real given name. "Echo's Song...." He continued to watch her, curious as to why he felt compelled to do so with such a caring gaze.
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Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 4:35 pm
A twitch of her ears alerted Echo to the presence that Dradneos was probably nearer to her than she thought before. The mare left the succulent grass alone as she raised her head to take in the vista around her. The horizon beyond the cave was still clear of others so that meant that someone was probably watching her from behind. A brief sense of vulnerability overcame her before disappearing. If the stallion was indeed watching there was nothing to be afraid of.
Turning as gracefully as she was able to in her condition Echo glanced among the darkened shadows above the cave before barely spotting the Soquili in question. One hoof pawed at the ground as she deliberated why he chose that specific location to watch over her from. Obviously the vantage point was working in Drad’s favor. But there seemed to be something else too. Tail swishing idly from side to side Echo continued to watch the stallion. If only she knew the thoughts running through Dradneos’s mind … perhaps there would be confusion.
Another shiver went through the mare’s body as the foals in her belly shifted position once again. Soon they’d arrive in the world and Echo believed that she was prepared once again to be a mother. Going as gently to her knees as she could the mare returned to a laying position. The sun gently warmed her flank as she contemplated thoughts of her own. The wind gently stirred the hair of her mane before she let her eyes close. Her ears continued to swivel - catching all the sounds around.
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Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 8:38 pm
The dark stallion continued to watch her for a moment before walking out of the trees. He approached her slowly, and then nuzzled her neck gently. It was an oddly affectionate movement, strangely loving for him, but felt... nice.
How odd.
"How are you doing, Little Mouse?" he said, not saying her true name in her earshot. He wouldn't give her the happiness of calling her by her name. Not yet. He needed to wait and see... see how their children were like.
Only then, would he call her by her name, to her face.
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Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 8:59 pm
Echo's ears caught Dradneos's return even before the stallion nuzzled her gently. The mare still was feeling the effects of her pregnancy and she stirred wearily before glancing at the stallion as he asked how she was faring. For some reason, unknown to even the mare, the name that Dradneos kept using to address her had become almost endearing in a way. The thought rocketed Echo's thought process for a moment as she tried to figure out when this would have happened.
Maybe there was no set time although if the mare had to guess it was when she found out that she was with foal. It seemed a like a logical solution.
Knowing that Dradneos still needed an answer the mare spoke softly. "I'm tired. Carrying foals around is not exactly the easiest task," Echo stilled her words for a moment. That last comment seemed harsh even to her and so the mare chose her next words carefully. "They do seem rather active lately. I do believe this may be a sign that they're ready to see the world in which we call home in a short while."
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Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 6:14 pm
Dradneos nipped her cheek. He cooed in her ear. "I'm sure you'll do fine, Little Mouse. You are strong," he said, standing over her. He nipped at her mane gently.
"You should get out of the sun... They will come soon," he said to her, nudging lightly before stepping into the shadows.
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Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 6:28 pm
Few just a few more minutes the mare let the sun warm her flank before she thought about what the dark stallion had said. Concern for the safety of her children did come first now these days over her own comfort. It was because of this that she stirred before sighing.
Echo sluggishly moved her bulky frame into a standing position and followed Dradneos silently. The mare glanced to the interior of the cave where a few empty baskets resided. Those would be the new home for her foals until they were old enough to emerge. The fact that Drad had actually gone to fetch the baskets for her had given Echo a reason to re-evaluate the relationship that they shared. Nickering softly Echo swung her head towards her belly as a ripple of pain/pressure rocketed through her.
~~~
It was now all over. Echo lay on her side with three baskets nestled against her frame. The mare still could not believe that she had three new children. It was like a dream that she did not wish to wake up from. Already some of the markings on the baskets were appearing and the mare gently nosed the one that seemed to have only her coloring. A feeling of extreme protectiveness washed through the mare as she let her eyes close. Her children ... and Dradneos's were here at last.
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Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 8:14 pm
Dradneos nuzzled her gently before peering at the baskets. Pride went through him as he saw one fully taking on his markings. Another only had some, but he wasn't too worried about that one.
It was the one that didn't seem to have any markings at all that worried him. He was hesitant to give that one any look at all. But... Echo had given him some good heirs, besides that one, so it was passable for now.
And that one could have markings. You never were truely sure with these things, or so he had been taught.
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Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 7:33 am
That had been a few days ago. Echo knew from experience that her foals would emerge when they were ready. The mare felt relieved to be free of the excess weight as she paced to the cave entrance before poking her head out and eyed the skies. A wistful expression came over her as she stood at the entrance of the cave and watched an early spring downpour provide the nourishment for the grass beyond.
The dampness from the storm provided Echo with a cooling breeze and she glanced back at her baskets before sighing softly. The one basket still didn't seem to have developed any markings and the mare was worried for the foal inside. Did it mean anything that Dradneos seemed to ignore it altogether? Oh, he'd been coy about it, but being as observant as any mother was - Echo knew the signs of avoidance. It worried her but they could only play the waiting game now.
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Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 12:43 pm
Days passed and Dradneos waited paciently for the foals to emerge. He was quiet the entire time, giving Echo a nuzzle every morning when he woke up, and every evening when she went to bed. He stood watch, mostly, not saying much.
There wasn't much to say until the foals actually arrived.
And then they did.
Oddly enough, the youngest one was the first to tumble out of his basket. Dradneos was oddly surprised at the little colt, who shook his purple mane out and huffed as he tried to get up. He had come out of the basket that had the least markings on it, but his markings consisted of a line of them down his back. The stallion didn't question anything... yet.
 The colt looked up at his father and blinked. That was one glowy stallion... The stallion bent down and the colt reached up with his head. The pair touched noses for a moment.
"He certainly is my son by smell... Still... Still I won't make judgements just yet. We must see what the others look like," Dradneos said softly, mostly to himself. The colt blinked and shrugged, not knowing exactly what his father meant. But the glowy stallion was indeed his father, so the mare over there must be his mother.
Good to know.
((note to self: resonance's color = #50405F))
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Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 1:16 pm
Echo watched on silently as the first of her children emerged first from his basket. Another son. The mare smiled warmly at the colt before moving closer to nuzzle him. Drad's words puzzled her briefly before a creaking sound interrupted her thoughts. Her attention shifted to the basket that held most of the markings and watched it intently. What would emerge from this one?The dark basket that held most of the markings was shifting back and forth as something fought to emerge from the confines of the tiny space. A hoof attached to a dark leg shot out from the side before the rest of the basket fell into ruin. The foal inside looked just like her father. Except for her mane and tail.
The filly glanced around the cave in which she found herself before stumbling to her feet. Two large figures, her mother and father, stared down at her. There was also another figure nearby - a brother perhaps?
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Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2010 10:45 am
The basket that had none of Dradneos markings was all that remained. It lay completely still for several minutes after the little filly had emerged, almost as if the foal inside knew that it might not be completely welcome in the world that awaited it. Then it shook, just a little before being still for a minute. Then again the basket wiggled and rocked a little before tipping over and popping open, the colt with in rolling out onto the cave floor though not hard enough as to get hurt. He sat there a moment, curled up with his front legs under his chest. The little one looked like his mother in every way. The only thing he seemed to have of his fathers was his eyes. The way he lay hide the markings on his legs, the ones his fathers body was covered in. Lifting his head he shook it a little before looking up and around the cave. Four figured where there. Two large and two his size. This must be his family. 
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Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 4:53 pm
Dradneos looked over his children, scanning them. His daughter was the most like him, but the youngest son seemed to emulate him as well. The eldest, however, did not seem to look like him at all. His nose twitched and he fought to keep from passing judgement until the trio stood up and were looked over.
The young colt looked around. He had a sister, and another brother. The colt stumbled up and trotted to his mother.
"Momma?" he said softly, curious about the large mare.
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