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There was no other way to say it; Elizabeth was glowing. Some of that glow might have been due to the bright sunshine, but most of it was due to the mare herself. Everything about her radiated happiness and contentment; if asked, she would cheerfully tell anyone how wonderful her life was, right at this moment.

Sure, there were some things she would happily change. The morning sun on the Lowland meadow was beautiful, but it was a far cry from the sweeping majesty of the Summit. It was a shocking truth, but this proper Lowland mare had fallen in love with the mountains, and everything about them. She missed the home she and Ambroise had made in the Summit, missed seeing the other members of the herd, missed seeing her beloved sons. She missed her work and her responsibilities, and she missed running up to chat with Yei, or down to see Azzinoth when she wanted a medical opinion. Yes, she missed the Summit...

But she was pretty darn happy right here. Liz might be a Summit mare now, but the Lowlands had been her home for a long time before that. She had learned so much during her time with the Kawani people, and she had loved the abundance of grasses, fruit, and flowers that she'd always taken for granted. She had loved Cajji.

A small shadow crossed Elizabeth's face as she thought of the friend who had meant so much to her, who had done so much for her. Elizabeth had been a possession before Cajji, but the Kawani woman had treated her as a friend and companion, not an object. She had let her do as she would, even when that lead Elizabeth to the high slopes, far away from the Kawani village. She would always be grateful to Cajji, and she would always miss her.

It was because of Cajji that she had left the slopes, even if she was too late to do more than provide her friend with a proper burial. But what she had seen in the Lowlands had filled her with a sense of determination she hadn't felt in years; a determination to be of USE. Elizabeth knew she was a valued member of the Summit, but they didn't need her right now, not like the Kawani did. Not like the innumerable Kawani and Soquili, harmed in some way by the drought and fire. So she had resolved to stay on and help as she could, and she had...

With one small factor making it all wonderful, and leading to her current state of happiness. It had been months now, and she still found herself in awe of that one fact: he had come after her.

If Elizabeth was the malicious sort, or the type who enjoyed watching someone be uncomfortable, she would have had numerous opportunities for amusement at Ambroise's discomfort. While being in the Lowlands again had given Elizabeth purpose, it was clear that Ambroise's purpose was exclusively linked to Elizabeth; she didn't doubt that he'd be off like a shot the second she mentioned returned to the slopes. But she hadn't, and he hadn't pushed the point; that, in and of itself, was the remarkable thing. She had never once expected to see this side of her mate; in the years they'd been together, she felt she'd learned just about everything there was to know about him. So having him not only come down from the Summit after her but stay there had been astonishing!

As it was, she was not the sort to take pleasure in another person's upset. Instead, as she watched Ambroise begrudgingly haul things around, help pull things up, and otherwise work for the good of the Kawani settlement, she was filled with both awe and amazing gratitude. She had always known their relationship was one more of convenience than sentiment, but in the times she'd soothed children Ambroise had scared, watching him stalk away grumbling, she'd come to realize that there was clearly more to it.

Why else would he still be here?

She knew that Ambroise was ready to return to the Summit; indeed, that he was ready to return to the Summit from the moment he'd arrived. And perhaps it was time for her to start considering a return; the rebuilding was going well, the injured were well recovered, the deceased had been taken care of. There were plenty of native Lowland Soquili around, as well as the Kawani themselves; surely there was nothing to require Elizabeth and Ambroise stay any longer.

Well, that had been her thought, anyway, but nature had a funny way of complicating things sometimes. The signs had been subtle at first, and Elizabeth had dismissed them as nothing, as side effects of the work they'd been doing, or the richer, more varied food she'd been eating. But eventually, she had come to accept the truth, a truth that caught her completely by surprise: she was pregnant.

Thus, the glow.

This morning saw Elizabeth removed from the hustle and bustle of the camp, trying to figure out the next step. She had sought out the privacy of a small spring and she was standing there, scrutinizing her reflection with a keen eye. Based on the water, she wasn't showing yet, at least not in any substantial way, but she KNEW. The signs were all there; it was due to her own distraction that she hadn't figured out sooner, but now that she knew, she was elated! She adored her sons, but due to her more advanced age had wondered if they were the only children the spirits had destined for her. Clearly not, she thought with a satisfied smile. Maybe this time, there would be a little girl!

However, as wonderful as this news was, she knew it would throw a wrench in things. There was only so much she could do while expecting, after all, up to and including traveling. And, of course, she needed to tell her mate. That was why she'd come out here; to figure out the best way to do that. She was reasonably sure he would be happy about the children, but the location? That was a whole other story.

"Perhaps, if we were to start back to the slopes now, we might be able to make it in a safe, timely fashion?"