Welcome to Gaia! ::

The young native had stayed beside the spring green mare throughout the night. This birthing had been easier for her than the last. She knew what she was doing now... How to go about bringing a foal into the world. She also had Tsisqua with her, heating water and keeping blankets warm.

As each foal was drawn from its mother it was cleaned off before being carefully set in baskets that she had been working on since her friend had told her that the mare was expecting. They would be safe in there... Safe and warm until the sun's touch moved close enough that night's were warm as well. Soon. It would be soon. She could smell it in the air.

She reached out, gently running her fingertips along the mare's muzzle. "All will be well, Ama. Three beautiful, healthy foals. Rest, Ama. Tsisqua and Ayatas will keep eyes on them."

He had been walking through the woods after finding some of the sweet grasses from the plains that Rogue liked with the intentions of bringing them back to her... But something had gone wrong. He could feel something that he had only felt once before and it caused him to run as fast as his legs could carry him. Something was happening and he was missing it.

He burst into the clearing by the lake, leaves from the bushes fluttering around him only to fall to the ground. Fiery eyes surveyed the scene before him. Two natives; one kneeling beside Rogue and the other standing off to the side. He knew them. All was well there.

Next came the three baske--- His eyes widened for a moment as he blinked before slowly moving closer. No, they hadn't been there before... And even though they were new he could see the colors begining to appear on them, just as they had the baskets before. Green, blue and all of the fiery colors of sunrise. They were... His. Three more foals.

She started when she heard the noise coming from the forest, eyes narrowing as she caught sight of the stallion. She had not seen him as often lately and she assumed that was because he was spending time with the pretty mare and their three foals. It was only now that it seemed to make sense where the foals that the mare had birthed looked so... Familiar.

"Gata'utana, are these children yours? If they are you have much explaining to do."

She stood, taking a few steps away from the mare in order to move closer to Tsisqua so that the stallion could make sure that the mare was alright. She knew that Gata'utana had come to trust her but it was always better to be safe. She gave her friend a gentle nudge on the side with her elbow. "We should rest, Tsisqua. It has been a long night. The moon is high and the sun will arrive soon."

He leaned his head down, touching his muzzle to her neck before brushing his nose against her cheek. "Ah know... Ah knew tha moment it was happenin'..." He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he remained close to her. "Y'alright, chere? Littl'un's alright too?"

Whereas a few moons ago the brave's touch would have made her tense or pull away she simply turned to him and smiled. "Asehi." With a soft nod she pulled away from his touch, making his way into the teepee that they'd been sharing since the first snowfall.

"Ah'm glad everythin's alright, Rogue... Ah got worried when Ah felt somethin' change. Couldn't get back here fast enough... Had ta drop that bit o' grass Ah was bringin' back for ya though." He turned his head towards the baskets, letting his gaze linger on each one for a moment before he turned back to his... "Rogue... Y'know y'ain't evah gettin' rid o' me now, right?"

The night had faded away into the colors of dawn, bringing light to the forms of the two Soquili who had been sleeping. He stirred only slightly when the male two-legger emerged from the teepee to start playing with pots over a fire. He'd heard those sounds before and there was no true need to go about responding to them.

It was only when the camp fell completely silent after the sun had moved higher in the sky that he stirred. He took a deep breath, opening his eyes only to release the breath slowly as he saw Rogue beside him. He stretched out his neck, touching the tip of his muzzle to her neck. Yes, she was real. He wasn't dreaming... The mare was still there and so were the three baskets resting close to the glowing embers of the fire for warmth.

He turned his head to give her a light nuzzle before falling still once more. Yes, he would stay beside her keeping watch as she slept. He wouldn't dream of leaving her side now; especially since neither of the two-leggers were around to keep an eye on her. Even then, he wouldn't leave her side until she was awake.

She had no idea why she'd agreed to playing such a stupid game with her brother now that they were older. No idea whatsoever. He was still big and stupid and she was, obviously, smarter than he was. She wasn't getting herself lost in the woods.

"Sedi! This whole... Come an' find me thing is dumb!" She wandered through the woods, trying to follow the path of broken branches and bent bushes that he'd left behind him. Stupid brother. Aparantly while his body grew his brain still remained small.

She paused for a moment to listen... And then there it was. The sound of hooves beating against the ground. She'd catch him now! She wove her way through the trees, letting loose an excited whinny when she found the path that her brother had taken off onto. Not long and she'd show him she could play his stupid game!

The scent of someone approaching touched his nose followed by the sound. His ears swiveled towards it as he moved to gently displace Rogue's head from his neck before standing. He coudn't defend her lying down like that. No, he'd have to be prepaired for whatever was coming towards the lake. He'd...

He snorted softly, eyes narrowing as he pawed at the ground with one of his fiery forehooves, that stern look fading only when he reconized who it was. The voice, although older, was still the same as was the body. His children had grown up before his eyes and only now did he realize that his son was nearly even with him in height. "Whatcha doin' 'ere, Sedi?"

He remained close to Rogue least something other than his son come bursting out of the woods next. If he was still close to her then maybe she'd just stay asleep or at least remain relaxed. He didn't want her getting up when she'd already made it clear that she'd rather keep still.

"Ah'm right where Ah'm supposed ta be, Sedi. Where'd ya think Ah should be?" His tail gave an almost annoyed flicker behind him as he tossed his head, gaze returning to his son afterwards. "Y'gonna have ta talk ta her when she's awake, Sedi. She's restin' now."

She slowed as she heard the sound of voices as she neared the clearing that held the lake. She knew both of the voices. One of them belonged to Sedi and the other... "Da..." Her pace picked up once more, bringing her out of the woods only for her to pause as her eyes caught sight of something that her brother wouldn't have been pleased about; the green mare.

Of course, she only let her gaze linger there for a moment. Something else had caught her eye... Three baskets not far from her father and the mare. Baskets. She remembered those vaguely. Hadn't she.. Hadn't she crawled out of one? What was her Da doing?

He took a deep breath, feeling it rattle throughout his body as he struggled to remain calm. This was his son standing before him... Not some stallion that he could snap at and easily dismiss. "Y'don't stay mad at people y'care about. You forgive your sistah, don't you? Ah listen to the two of you fight all tha time an' then Ah hear you laugh not long after."

His tail gave another flicker following a second deep breath as his son caught sight of the baskets. "She's fine. Jus' a little tired an' that'll pass. Y'gonna be tha one ta wake her up, Sedi? 'Cause Ah was gonna let her sleep."

It took her a moment to come to terms with the three baskets sitting by embers that glowed the same color as her father's hooves. She didn't know what they were... But her father didn't seem to mind them so they had to be alright. Even grown she realized that there were some things he still knew more about than she did.

When her brother yelled she started, heart skipping a beat as she stared at him. Why did he seem so upset? He must not have seen this in the same light as she did... If there were new foals around; new brothers and sisters, it meant that their father would be busy keeping an eye on them and she could have more freedom! No, from the looks of things, Sedi definately didn't see it that way.

She moved slowly towards her brother... Or, rather, towards her brother and if she made it that close, maybe towards the baskets. She wanted to know more about them. Would any of them look like her? "Sedi, don' yell at Da. Y'ain't supposed ta yell at Da."