[FIN] An Unexpected Secret (Calixte & Kenton)

[xo maho]

Preggo

Calixte wandered nervously through the nesting grounds, wondering if anyone could tell she was... different. Here, where everyone slept, there was a distinct lack of civilization - they were all off doing their various chores. Feeling a little sick, she'd put a brave face on for the first half of the day, then had told Faye that she needed time to think and took off toward the forest, through the nesting grounds. The forest comforted her, and she couldn't wait to stand under the strong, protecting boughs of the trees again.

Stepping over the threshold of the forest, she sighed relief. Finding a stream to sit by so she'd be hydrated, Cali rested her head on the ground. She was panicking, she was scared. No one knew her secret except Faye, who had planned with her. She was all alone in her isolated world, putting on a happy and strong mask for the members of her herd, when in reality, she felt like crying. She didn't know whether to be ashamed or overjoyed. She'd never had dealings with children before, especially not ones of her own. Oke was back at camp, but he didn't exactly qualify as a foal. Moping a little more, Cali got up and stood in the stream, hoping to sooth her fraying nerves. The birds chirped consolingly around her, and her butterflies had stopped their fluttering to gather, concerned, in her mane. Sighing again, she wondered if anyone was looking for her.  

[sbuggy166]

Kenton walked walked silently through the forest. his patrol was almost finished and he was excited to get home. his herd was in no harm today, all of their boundaries were clear and secure. in the begining of his patrol he had stopped to watch the training of foals and new recruits. this little herd of his wasent so little anymore. it was astonishing how many members they had, and he couldnt be happier.

Kenton turned and followed a small river that ran close to the nesting grounds. he liked to take this path home, the river always made him feel at peace. after a few minutes of walking he saw someone a bit further down the way. standing in the water was a beautiful mare with wild vine hair. he smiled at the sight of his friend Cali. they had both been so busy that finding time to just sit and talk was hard. he picked up his pace a bit till he reached her. "hello Cali, mind if I join you?" he smiled and nodded.

 

[xo maho]

Cali heard his hoofsteps as he approached, but still jumped a little when he spoke. Turning her neck, she gave Kenton a weak smile. "Of course you can join me," she replied, her voice quavering a little more than she would have liked it to. Sighing, she looked down at the water she was standing in - a lazy summer stream, seeming almost bored in its slowness. She knew that it was probably obvious that something wasn't quite right with her, but Kenton had stumbled upon her at a rather inopportune moment. But then again, he was a friend - her first real friend, really. If anyone could help, it was him. He was also a father... Maybe he would understand.

Turning her neck to address him again, she said, "How has your patrol been today?"  

[sbuggy166]

Kenton stepped into the water next to her. he had obviously interrupted some deep thought of hers. as a matter of fact she wasent looking too good. "it was good, nothing too exciting to note, but..." he nudged her, "how are you? not that im one to judge, but you look a little sick." Kenton looked at her suspiciously. he knew that Cali wasent the kind to sit and whine and complain about her problems, but it isnt healthy to hold everything in. he looked her right in her lovely glowing eyes, he was concerned, but he did not want to make a big deal if there really wasent anything going on.

 

[xo maho]

Cali laughed quietly. "I feel a little sick," she said, pondering if she should just drop the news on him like a rotten apple. It wouldn't be very nice, she supposed, to give him the burden as well, but mood swings had plagued her lately and she didn't know what to do. Pawing at the water a little, she sent up sprays in her anxiety. Even her mane was beginning to rustle - but there was no breeze. "Kenton..." she began, trailing off.

Looking up at him, she knew some sort of desperation probably shone in her eyes, or her expression at the very least. "I think I should tell you something with which I can only trust you." She groaned mentally. Her formal edge had caught up with her again.  

[sbuggy166]

Kenton knew right away that this was serious. Cali was normally very level headed, to see her like this was something new for him. he stood looking at her for a moment. whatever she was about to tell him was surely not good news. did he want to hear it? sometimes, he reasoned, secrets are better left secrets. he thought for a moment longer then shook his head. not only as the protector of the herd, but as Cali's friend, it was hid duty to know and help were he could.

he took a deep breath, then smiled at her. "Cali, am i not your best, and oldest friend? we have been through a lot together, and we have accomplished much. you know that i am always here for you, and i know that you will always be there for me. please, what ever it is that is bothering you, you can tell me. i am ready to listen."

 

[xo maho]

She took a deep, shuddering breath, looking back down at the water. He's a father, Cali thought, repeating it over and over in her head. This is nothing new to him. He can help me.

"I'm pregnant," she blurted, and bit off the rest of the sentence that tried to come out with it. They're Faye's, I don't know what to do with them, I'm not ready for this - It could go on and on. She turned to look at him, to see his reaction. She had no doubt that he'd be at least a little surprised. Feeling subconscious, she looked at the water again, searching her reflection. There was no other way to put it. "I'm terrified," she added, sighing. Cali was resigned to whatever fate brought to her, but she was worried - how could she possibly be a good mother when she couldn't even keep hold of a stallion? She was all for the empowerment of single mothers, but she didn't think that she herself could raise foals on her own. Annoyed with her helplessness, Cali splashed a hoof through her reflection.  

[sbuggy166]

Kenton's mouth dropped open. standing before him was his friend, and inside his friend new life was stirring. it took him a moment to regather his thoughts. Cali was not the kind to fling herself about, but he was jumping to conclusions. she never said that she was alone, just that she was pregnant. naturally his response for his conclusion was to be happy for her. but something pinched inside him, it was an odd feeling, but he let it go.

after closing his mouth he gave her a big smile. "Why Cali, congratulations. having children is a wonderful thing." he paused for a moment and gave her an encouraging nudge. "and im glad you are terrified. it is the appropriate response the this sort of thing. with that said though, there is nothing to worry about. the first steps are always the hardest. May i be so bold as to ask who the lucky father is? im just curious because you never mentioned a boyfriend before, and i havent really seen you with anyone. i guess i have been kind of busy though." Cali was going to be a mother. the thought kept running round his mind like a horse on a race track. who was the father? he felt that odd pinch inside him again. he was happy for her, but was she ready?

 

[xo maho]

Cali swallowed hard. He was happy for her. That, at least, was a good thing. He wasn't horrified. A small wave of relief swept through her. Now, though, was the part that was a bit more difficult. "There is no boyfriend," she said in a small voice. "They're for the herd. They're Faye's. We had a plan, but... Well, we don't really talk about it anymore." She had a strange urge to lean on him, to shelter her head where his neck met his shoulder and hide from the world. Instead, Cali turned and walked back to the bank, feeling desolate. She should be happy. Babies were miracles.

But she wasn't happy. Was something wrong with her? Kenton said that the first steps were the hardest... Maybe she was just overreacting. She didn't have any way to tell, though. All she felt like doing was laying down in the grass and staying there for the rest of her life - not that that was exactly possible, she knew, but it sounded great right then. "What do I do?" she asked, more herself than Kenton, but she had no idea. She was out of plans.  

[sbuggy166]

Kenton's mouth almost dropped again, but he was able to restrain himself. but he could not hold back the frown as he watch Cali walk back to the shore. so the worst was to be assumed. by the sounds of it, Cali had been played and now was left to face the consequences on her own. this was a very sad situation, one that had to be handled with care. Kenton knew how unstable pregnant mares were. despite the circumstance, he had a good head on his shoulders. he knew better than to make things worse than they already were.

He walked back and joined Cali on the bank. she look awful, he felt a pinch in his heart. without saying anything he stepped up beside her placed his head on hers and pulled her in for a hug. he held her close for a long time. "i could never even imagine raising children on my own. thats why i stayed with bella for as long as i did. i would never wish this on my worst enemy." he paused for a moment. "Cali you dont need to raise these on your own. you have a whole herd behind you, and you have me." he loosened his hug allowing her to step away if she wished, or to stay in his embrace.

 

[xo maho]

Cali leaned into his hug, grateful for the warmth of his big body and the comfort that practically poured off him in waves. "You can't tell him I told you," she said. "No one can know, though I suppose it will be obvious when they're born." She closed her eyes. She hadn't had a good night's sleep in a while, and she was tempted to just fall asleep on him. Of course, if he moved, she'd probably end up toppling over. Laughing a little to herself at the thought, a new idea popped into her head. Why couldn't he act as their father? He'd be around the whole time as they grew up. She definitely wouldn't make him if he didn't want to, but it was something to be considered...

"Kenton," she asked, "would you mind being their foster father?"  

[sbuggy166]

Kenton took a while to think it over. this was a big thing that she was asking of him. but of course she would not know that because she has never been a parent. it was for that reason that he pondered accepting. it wasent fair to the mother or the foals to have to live without a father. another point to consider was, what would people think of them? he reasoned that people would just accept the fact the two friends decided to have foals, after all, didnt that sort of thing happen often?

Kenton sighed. of course he would accept. Cali needed him, and if he thought about it any more he would have realized that he needed her. it would do no good to reject her and ruin their friendship. he smiled because soon he was going to be a father. "Cali, you have my word that no one will know the real origin of your foals, and..." he paused for a moment, "I promise that as their father i will let no harm fall on them, because they are my children, and you are my mate." he smiled as he hugged her closer.

 

[xo maho]

Cali grinned. She couldn't help it. Hearing him say that - it sounded right. And it gave her butterflies. Figurative butterflies, anyway. Her actual butterflies were so busy celebrating around Kenton's head that they wouldn't have noticed a spider if it tried to eat them. Her heart gave a tug and she laughed elatedly, her happiness suddenly returning. Was this what she had needed?

"Thank you, Kenton," she said, returning the embrace. "And, um, for the record, you're my mate," she added, playfully shoving him toward the water with a hip-check. Not that it could possibly move him much - she was petite. Hormonal mood swing in full gear, she giggled and ran to play in the stream. "Doesn't this kind of remind you of when we met?" Cali asked, looking at him with a moment of clarity in her foal-like mood. "The river and the summer, minus the dehydration episode?"  

[sbuggy166]

Kenton gave her a smirk. then ran into the river making as much of a splash as he could. "dehydration, pregnancy, its all the same to me." he laughed and splashed more water her way. they did not need to pretend to be mate, if anyone saw them right now it was obvious that these two were together. Kenton pranced forward and playfully chased Cali's butterflies around her head.

"we've accomplished a lot since then. including forming a herd and now children." he looked at his rippling reflection in the water. he had grown a lot since then. large proud antlers topped his head, and a fit body that would make any challanger think twice. Kenton looked at Cali. she had grown a lot since then. her small petite body held wisdom and grace in its movements. her mane grew lush and full, and her eyes sparkled brighter than ever.

 

[xo maho]

Cali laughed and splashed him back, giggling and squealing a little when a wave of water hit her. She didn't mind that she was now soaked - it felt good in the heat. She looked up at him with a bit of adoration when he stopped to glance down at his reflection. Looking at her own, she studied herself, standing next to him. They were stronger together, and that tiny bulge that showed just a little on her belly was finally something that she wasn't ashamed of.

Moving to lean against his shoulder a little, she looked up at him. "We have accomplished a lot... Now look at us - who'd have thought?" she asked, smiling. She was ecstatic to have found someone so perfect, who just maybe thought she was perfect, too. Nothing could compare to her happiness at this moment. Contemplating something, she nudged him. "What do you think the herd will say when they see us coming back together from your patrol together, giddy as foals?" she said, raising an eyebrow conspiratorially.