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 Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:40 pm
 A cool breeze wove through the mane of the mare as she grazed silently in the field. It had been a while since she interacted with any of her own kind and as much as the love of her chosen filled a void in her heart, the feeling of being with another was well...much more refreshing and filling. Nai began to wonder how Athari put up with being on her own for so long. Her mind tousled just like the winds as they wrapped around her frame and hair sending it traveling into the skies. The wind was particularly blustery today, but then again the rainy seasons were coming and going. It wouldn't surprise Nailiah if there were to be a shower tonight. It would do the plants some good, and she was sure that it would excite Athari to see if her seedlings would take root and grow. Her chosen was much like a child too impatient and yet old enough to know better. Nai often felt like a mother to the human woman.
Which brought a pang to her heart. Oh how she wanted so much to be a mother! To raise foals of her own with a mate, and to form the perfect family. But...there would be no mate and therefore no foals. There had been a few stallions and one in particular that had been deadly close to persuading Nailiah to seal the deal but certain circumstances forced them away. It got to the point where the poor mare would bed any stallion that gave her a second glance. But then she felt the chiding voice of Athari in her mind telling her to remain patient and calm. It seemed as though the two were more alike than she admitted to give credit. Nailiah stretched her frame as she raised her head to the skies watching the clouds roll on. The mare let her mind wander as she daydreamed of the sounds of fillies and colts...
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Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 6:53 pm
 Avatre was alone. Not that she understood much about what that meant, she was far too young. She was a filly of perhaps a week. She didn't know her father had abandoned her long ago, or that her mother had been killed protecting her. All she knew was that she was cold, hungry, and alone. Stumbling on the blanket she dragged with her, her last remainder of her mother, she fell face first and right into a tree. She meeped pathetically, unable to muster more sound.
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Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 7:13 pm
The mare's ears flicked as she continued to graze in day dream. Ther were things that she was thinking about for a while and would have continued to muse over if it weren't for a sound that reached her ears. Her head immediately snapped upward, a comical sight for she took a large patch of grass - dirt still intact - with her. The mare quickly spat it out as she trotted to where she thought she heard the sound.
There in the distance was a tree. And in the distance was a very colorful blanket. A blanket! What on earth...? Nai was smart enough to know that blankets and foals often coincided with each other. Her steps were faster than she thought and soon she was right there at the tree where the blanketed foal was crying. The mare immediately whickered and cooed her greeting nudging the blanket carefully on the back and then closer to the head. "Shhh, shhh little one. I'm here. I promise." Nailiah felt a sense of worry about her as she glanced to and fro in the surrounding area. There was not an azrein to be found. Had she wandered off from home? The mare quickly lowered her head back to the foal as she kept her ground guarding the small thing. "Oh...you poor dear..." Nailiah nudged her nose against the blanket's back again making sure to let the foal know she was there.
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Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 7:35 pm
Suddenly (at least to her mind) there was something warm and comforting by her, making soothing sounds and nudging her back. Just like her mother had, once. Was it her mother? Avatre whinnied and bumped her head back, trying to butt against the other Azrein. She tried to call out momma, but all that came out was another meep. Then she tried standing, but couldn't manage it anymore - she was shivering too much.
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Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 7:58 pm
Nailiah's heart bled out to the poor thing! It was then through touching and scent that Nai realized that this baby was a filly! Her heart swelled with excitement at the anticipation of having a daughter to raise. But then Nailiah shook herself quietly out of her dream. This foal had parents, and they were probably missing their little girl. It wouldn't be Nai's place to take her as her own...
And yet, as the foal bumped and called out to her, Nai felt her heart strings tug. Couldn't she be selfish? Just this once? What would Athari say? Would she get mad? Nai began to mull things over in her head until she was distracted by the foal. "Oh little one, calm down! You shouldn't be trying to stand." The mare shook her head as she nudged the foal back down. Would there be a way to get her back to the safety of her home? Nai looked up toward the skies as the wind began to pick up a little. She desperately looked around for some short of shelter. Though the tree they stumbled upon seemed well enough, it was small and barely had any leaves. What they needed was cover. The mare flicked her ears seeing a two large trees not far off. Their branches and leaves would provide enough for them! Nailiah turned toward her charge nudging the filly carefully on her belly. "Okay little one, I need for you to stand and lean against me. Keep close to me always and follow me. I promise I'll keep you warm and safe. Can you do this for me? Will you try, little one?" Her voice was calm but on the inside she was anxious. Would the foal listen to her? Could she even stand? Nailiah took in a deep breath trying to trust in herself and the foal. This would work. This had to!
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Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 8:11 pm
Avatre sighed as Nai pushed her gently down. She panted, resting after her exertions, knowing with a baby's blind trust that she would be safe doing so. Then the mare nudged her again, and her instincts told her to try and stand again. She whinnied a protest even as she planted her front legs and heaved herself back to her feet, still shivering with fatigue and cold. Even then, she had to lean against Nai to stay upright. An older Azrein would have recognized the feeling in her left front leg as a sprain, but all Avatre knew was that it hurt to stand on. She wondered vaguely why it hurt.
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Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 2:09 pm
Nailiah slowly guided the small filly toward the trees. Her ears perked as she turned to look at the way the small one walked. Instinctively Nailiah saw the lame leg and wondered how on earth the foal could have made it this far with an injury. She would definitely have to have Dark take a look at it. The mare shook her head keeping a slow and steady pace. "Yes, little one. You're doing so wonderfully!" She continued to coo and encourage nudging her gently and making sure her blanket would stay on. Finally, after what felt like forever they managed to get to their shelter. By this time, the wind had become even stronger as it howled through the trees. All that was left to wait on was the rain.
Nai settled the foal in between the two trees as best she could so that the base could be used as a wind breaker. It was then that she noticed one of the trees had been hollowed out and dug into for a shelter. She recognized the work as human. It was big enough for a foal, but not for the both of them. "I'm going to move you to someplace warm, little one." Nailiah whispered to her gently as she attempted to fill the little hovel with dry leaves and grasses that were around the area. She made sure to leave out any sticks or bristles that seemed to be there. The mare then carefully used the blanket as a bag so to speak to move the foal over into the little shelter. Luckily, the filly fit well and with her blanket she would be warm and dry. Nailiah then settled her body in front of the entrance as if to further hold in the heat. "Is that better little one? Now don't move too much! You hurt your leg. Just keep it still and rested." Nailiah whispered sticking her head in to make sure that the blanket was comfortable around her. It was then that Nailiah finally noticed the patterns on the blanket. The hues were quite pretty much like a setting sky. There were even little clouds on it. Nai tilted her head wondering if she already had a name. And if her parents would ever come find her. Would she even know her name already? Nai simply shook her head. It would have to wait until the storm was over and there was more time to talk.
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Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 7:43 pm
Walking was hard. Luckily she didn't have to move far. Avatre's understanding of language wasn't good but she got the sense of it, the encouraging words bolstering her flagging efforts. The sound of the blustering wind was scary, but it wasn't as scary as her scarce-remembered dreams, of blood and darkness and screaming. And even that memory was held back, fading in the presence of the mare. As Nai lifted her in her blanket into the hallow of the tree, she felt calm for the first time in days. Her young mind did not comprehend the difference between this mare and the one that had birthed her, and she felt safe. So despite the wind, despite her hunger, despite how sleep scared her, Avatre felt herself slipping into sleep. With a little sigh, she stretched her neck out until her nose was touching Nailiah and drifted off. It was going to be okay. It was finally okay again.
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 6:13 am
Nai finally calmed herself down as the little filly slept. It was finally a way for her to study the small one's leg. It looked bruised, but she would probably heal with time. She hoped it wouldn't be serious enough but she still wanted Dark to look at it. The mare gave a gentle snort watching her sleep, her nose right against the other's. Nailiah couldn't stop from smiling tucking the blanket around the foal in efforts to keep her warm. Her body told her that the storm had finally come as droplets began to mar her coat. Nailiah only lifted her head to see if she was in any immediate danger but to her pleasure the trees did provide enough cover for her and definitely the foal.
It didn't take long before Nailiah drifted off to sleep herself, her head still resting on the little shelter right beside the filly's. Nailiah's eyes fluttered open to see the small foal sleeping soundly. The mare wondered what her dreams were like, but let the small one sleep. She was undoubtedly tired and her foal strength could only last her for a little while. Nailiah watched her sleep for a few minutes before slipping her head from the tree to look around. It was obvious they survived the storm as bits of trees were strewn about in places. During her sleep she had to get up ever so often and make sure that nothing was coming toward them. Thankfully the storm passed without much more of a problem. Nailiah tried to gauge the time of day as she kept close to the mouth of the shelter in case the filly started to awake.
Then there was the question of breakfast. What would they have for breakfast? The mare wondered if she would be strong enough to make the trip back to her and Dark's home.
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Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 7:54 am
In her dream Avatre saw her mother, hiding her in some bushes, murmuring calming words even as tears fell from her eyes. Then, as always, she left her, and she could hear a loud and angry stallion yelling.. Then her mother screamed.
And Avatre jerked awake. Her eyes pined as she looked about wildly. She focused suddenly on the mare, going completely still as she remembered what had happened. She whinnied urgently, wanting very much to be reassured. She didn't want her momma to leave again. Avatre tried to stand up, not noticing that there wasn't really enough room in the little shelter to do so.
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Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:46 pm
Nailiah's ears perked her out of a sort of thought trance, her head immediately turning over her back to face the little hovel. She couldn't help but chuckle standing up to turn her body toward the entrance to the hovel. She lowered her head and gave a gentle snort. "Oh little one if you try to stand you'll only hurt yourself. Come, out of the tree." The mare flicked her head as if to direct the filly out. The mare snorted again trying to give gentle noises of encouragement, her tail flicking behind her. Her eyes looked over the form of the foal with detailed precision wondering how her ankle felt today waiting for her to shuffle out.
Nailiah was still confused as to whether or not they should go seek out the foals parents. She was also confused as to what to name the poor girl. Did she already have a name? If she did, how on earth would Nailiah figure it out. She absently snorted blowing a lock of hair from her face as she wracked her brain for the questions that the foal probably couldn't answer. She was still in her blanket, and would probably remain so for a while. And by the time she was a foal... Nai shook her head. There was no way that the filly could remember everything as she grew up. Her ears flicked behind her grunting toward the foal again to come out.
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Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:25 pm
((Holy crap, just noticed you replied here. xD Could you please tag me next time so I don't lose it? Thanks! )) Avatre grunted, pulling herself slowly out. She yelped when she planted her front legs to gain traction, having forgotten the leg was hurt. Instinctively she lifted the leg off the ground and opted instead to hop awkwardly on her other three legs. Though it took a good minute, she finally made it next to Nai. Then she butted her head trustingly into the mare's side and tried to nibble her. Now that she was calm and rested, she was hungry, and since she'd never had anything but her mother's milk, she figured that was what she had to do. She didn't really understand why it wasn't working.
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Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 3:19 pm
[[ Works for me. ]] Nailiah watched her carefully backing up to give her space. Her eyes immediately went to the injured leg wondering whether or not she could make it to her home. Athari would surely know how to splint the leg at least so it could heal. If it wasn't treated soon, there was a chance that the poor foal could become a lame.
Lost in thought, Nailiah nearly jumped when the foal started to nibble at her side. She moved quickly tilting her head in a questionative glance toward the blanketed foal. It took the mare a moment to realize that she was probably still nursing from her mother...Oh dear. The mare took a breath before speaking in gentle tones. "Oh sweetie, I can't give you milk. You're a big girl now. Try the grass." Nailiah made sure that the foal was watching as the mare bent her head down to graze, her tail flicking forward to guard her hips and side from the foal. The filly would just have to learn to eat solids from now on. Nailiah genuinely felt a tinge of sadness, but there was no way she could give milk.
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Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:16 pm
It took a few more moments of trying to nurse for Avatre to realize it just wasn't working. The mare had backed slightly away, making soothing noises and putting her mouth to the ground, but flicking her tail at her every time she came near. Another few minutes passed before the filly understood that she was supposed to do the same. Confused, she brought her own nose down to the ground and made the same chewing motions. To her surprise, she got a mouthful of grass, the taste of it unlike anything she'd ever tried before, startling her into sneezing it out. But it wasn't a bad taste, and Avatre soon tried again. This time she managed to swallow some, and she decided upon reflection that though this grass stuff didn't really compare to the milk she knew, it was pretty good. Her belly was getting full. She wondered if the little grove was her new home now.
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Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2012 1:46 pm
Nailiah tilted her head as she ate watching the foal closely and carefully. She hoped that the filly would take to the grass or else Athari would have to go to the markets each morning for fresh milk. Her ears flicked forward slightly as the filly ate. Nailiah felt a sense of relief as she continued to graze with the foal, her eyes keeping an eye out for anything threatening much like a vigilant mother. It was then that she felt the mind tug of her bonded, Athari, calling to her. Nailiah lifted her head toward their home as if trying to strengthen their communication. She felt an affirmation wash over her mind knowing that her bonded would be here soon.
Nailiah took a stride next to the filly and nudged her gently. "Come. We shall meet a friend. She will take care of your leg, little foal." Nailiah nipped at the foal's ears, neck, and back in affection and in reassurance. "Lean on me, dearling." The mare kept still waiting for the foal to steady herself against her own frame so they could meet Athari. Hopefully her leg could be saved.
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