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 Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 5:12 pm
Helaku shifted nervously in the forest clearing, striped tail switching back and forth against his legs. Despite the nerves, the tall grey stallion practically glowed with elation. He was going to be a father! He hoped Delphia would come to see him and Olathe, he wanted dearly to let at least one of his parents know that they would be grandparents. Well...grandparents again, actually.
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Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 7:09 pm
"Excited, love?" Olathe inquired as she gently slid up alongside her mate, blinking against the sun and giving her braids a toss from before her eyes. "She -is- coming, right?"
Not that she didn't mind standing here with him, it was just that she found herself more tired than she had anticipated.
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:25 pm
Delphia's old bones didn't move so quick anymore, at least not so easily. So it wasn't with much speed that she made her way through the forest that fine day. Instead, it was the staid and steady walk of a wise and aging mare. She had come to terms with the length of her years and was at peace with the time that would come when she would walk these lands no more.
But right now she knew her son needed her. She had heard him call her from afar. So she had come, wending her way through the trees towards the clearing he preferred to meet in. She had left Jaden to his comfortable perch. The crochety old hawk was also feeling the aches of his age, and tended to spend most of his time basking in the sun. She chuckled to herself, thinking of her friend grousing at her when she woke him to tell him where she was going.
So it was that she finally came within sight and smell of the clearing, and soon stepped into the pool of warm sunshine where the two soquili waited eagerly for her. She nuzzled first Helaku, the Olathe in a warm greeting. "Well you two," she spoke softly. "What has happened?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:37 pm
Helaku's heart lifted as he saw his mother again, even as a pang of sorrow struck him at her slow pace. He feared that she might be growing old, feared that someday she would leave this world. He hoped dearly that she would get to see these grandchildren first, at the least.
"Mother," he replied, returning her nuzzle and giving Olathe one of his own. "Olathe is expecting...you will see grandchildren once again." There was a bit of a questioning lilt to the end of the sentence as golden eyes watched the mother whom he so resembled.
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:43 pm
"Delphia," Olathe said with a genuine smile, giving the elder mare a return nuzzle in greeting before tossing her head to free her line of sight from dangling braids. "It's nice to see you again."
She allowed Helaku the honors of breaking the news since it was -his- mother and had a silent pang of regret that she hadn't been able to tell her own mother. Well..that would come in time, even if it wasn't for a long...long time. As far as she knew, Lia had never told her mother either about her first foaling. She instead offered Delphia another smile and a nod to confirm her mate's words, feeling proud, yet also somewhat shy. She hadn't spent much time around the older mare and this was certainly a very important meeting.
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 8:53 am
She was fond of Helaku's sweet mate, even if she hadn't been able to spend much time with the younger mare. It always warmed her heart to see them together, for a strong bond of love clearly tied them together, just as one tied her to Sora.
The raccoon-mare's eyes lit brightly from within at this welcome news! "Oh my, how wonderful for the both of you!" She nickered happily and nuzzled Olathe again, blowing her warm breath gently. "I know you both are looking forward to this! I cannot tell you how thrilled I am!" She moved beside the blue-bellied mare and arched her neck to sniff at her belly, as if to sense the babies cradled within.
One corner of her mind was quietly bemoaning that Dyre never came to see her, and that she hadn't seen her other grandfoals in so very long. It made her heart ache. But Helaku had always welcomed her as part of his life, and she was infinitely glad of it. Maybe now she would be able to play with the foals, and babysit, and teach them the things of this life they needed to know... like how to playfully tease old black hawks!
She raised her head again and beamed at her son. She was so proud of him! He'd done well for himself, there was no doubt. And he needed to know that. "I am very proud of you, Helaku. And I wish you the best with your new family!" She snorted to keep back the sentimental tears. She wasn't the weepy sort, but when her heart was touched, the tears sometimes came. "I look forward to dancing with the foals in the flowers this spring!" she declared as a change of subject, laughing to chase away the tears.
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 11:51 am
Helaku was speechless for a long moment, overcome with emotions he could not quite name as Delphia spoke. He knew that his parents approved of him, or had at least thought so, but to have it voiced... Delphia's last words broke his silence, however.
"Of course!" Helaku exclaimed. "I would be shocked at the possibility that the foals would not know their grandmother, whether they liked her or not." He nodded firmly to affirm his statement, eyes bright with love as he looked from his mother to his mate.
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 6:17 pm
"I am very happy," Olathe admitted freely, examining her own stomach with an air of wry amusement. "Granted, I already find myself tired from simple walks in the flat grasslands, but I think I will manage just fine."
She then gave Delphia a nod in agreement and gave her mate a brief look of mild surprise, wrinkling her muzzle slightly as her gaze settled on the older mare. "I am sure the children will adore their grandmother, Helaku and I, of course, want you to spend as much time with them as you like, Delphia. I can't imagine it to be any other way."
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 8:16 pm
"On that note, then," the older mare remarked, "I think I'll jsut stay close to you Olathe until the foals are born." She leaned gently against the pregnant mare and smiled. "You may need help from time to time, and one never knows how the birthing will go." Her ears pricked forward as a thought occured to her.
"I had three humans present to help me with my foaling," she spoke earnestly. "They can be very helpful with their clever hands and soothing medicines." Her gaze shifted between the two soquili questioningly. "Will either of you have a human available? or will we be on our own?"
She nuzzled Olathe's cheek and whuffled softly. "Not that we couldn't manage without them, of course, but I just thought I'd ask." She hoped her question did not make the new mother uneasy, whether it was because of the mention of humans or the thought of needing help with the foaling. She cared very much for both her son and her adopted daughter, as well as the unborn foals. Anything that upset the delicate balance of sensibilities was to be avoided, in her mind.
She didn't want to admit it, but inside, she was a nervous granny!
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Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:29 pm
Helaku broke into a wide smile before he caught himself, but he glanced at Olathe, knowing that the decision was ultimately hers. "That sounds wonderful, if Olathe is alright with it," he said, nodding.
At the question of humans, he shifted, a sheepish expression crossing his face. "The teepee I live in...I suspect there's a human nearby, but I've never actually seen it... But I would gladly find one, if Olathe wants or needs the help." He was every inch the solicitous sire, knowing full well that it was Olathe carrying the foals, and ultimately birthing them.
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