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 Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 7:35 pm
Princess was starting to wonder just how long the foals within her baskets were going to remain inside. The pregnancy itself had been rather long, so logic would seem to dictate the foals would need the basket for a shorter span of time. And yet they remained inside...it seemed they were going to prove every bit as stubborn as their parents.
It was wearying to nudge this basket everywhere, though. Her usual charge was the one that most resembled her mate, a reminder of him even when he wasn't nearby. So focused was she on getting the basket to a fresh grazing spot, that she wasn't aware of the cave she was drawing near to.
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Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 8:29 pm
Nostalgia gave a heavy sigh as she glanced over towards the two remaining baskets. They had stopped their wiggling, for the moment, and had fallen deep into slumber, and she watched them with tired eyes.
It was lonely, being the sole caretaker, now that Jean had fled, taking a part of her with him. She had been left with the eldest and the youngest of the foals, and she wasn't about to allow anything to happen to her darlings.
It hurt to look at them, however, with both of them taking after their father as much as they did. The wounds were still fresh in her heart, and thinking about him angered her more.
She dragged her legs towards the cave's entrance, to get some fresh air and clear her mind of thoughts of her former lover. She would raise the foals and love them, after all, they were her children, but it would be hard, seeing them day after day looking like Jean-Claude. She was slightly worried at their late bloom... neither seemed willing to leave their baskets just yet. It would take time, and she was patient.
Her ears detected the rustle of movement, coming from nearby. Was there something out there in the forest? Her nostrils were weak when it came to smelling out creatures, but her lavender eyes searched the area, looking for any signs of movement.
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Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 9:16 pm
Deciding she'd gone far enough for now (it'd be a chore getting back as it was), Princess paused, lifting her head. Nostrils flaring she took in the scents of her surroundings, making sure nothing dangerous lurked. If there was danger, she'd not back down without a fight...but it seemed there were no kalona, no skinwalker wishing for what seemed like an easy meal in the vicinity. She did catch an odd scent though...like a Soquili, and yet there was something...other about it. A soft snort rattled through her nostrils. "Someone there?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 9:30 pm
She heard the voice before her eyes spotted the voice's owner. There, hidden by the shadows of one of the trees, stood a mare. She was beautiful, standing there almost regal like, looking around as if she was searching for something.
Nostalgia took a step out from the cave's entrance and into the sunlight. She typically stayed as far away from the daylight as she could, for the brightness of the sun hurt her sensitive eyes, but her loneliness overwhelmed her worry for her eyesight.
"Good day!" She called out to the mare, hoping to give off a pleasant, welcoming feeling.
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Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 10:41 am
The basket next to her hooves rustled slightly, as if the foal within were waking and wondering who this new voice belonged to. Princess allowed her eyes to rest on the basket a moment, before looking up at the one who had called out a greeting. "Hello," she replied, eyes measuring. This stranger seemed almost spectral, and wore some of those two-legger garments...but strange as she might appear, she didn't look malevolent.
And there was that about her which gave the impression of a young mother, wearied from too many nights awake and wary. "I am Princess...might I know your name?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 4:10 pm
The rustling beside the mare caught Nos's lavender eyes, and that's when she spotted the coloful basket lying by her hooves. So she was a new mother as well! Perhaps this mare might have some tips to share about raising foals that Nos could learn from?
Taking a step away from the cave and towards the duo, the alicorn bowed her head in greeting, the glow from her horn dimming.
"My name is Nostalgia, and it is quite a pleasure to meet you, Princess. I'm afraid my manners are a bit coarse, since I live by myself with only two newborns as company, so please, forgive me."
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Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 7:17 pm
"Don't worry, Nostalgia," Princess replied, smiling a little to put the other mare at ease. "Almost everyone in the herd's got baskets or foals at heel right now, so I've had to learn to deal with distraught mothers or anxious fathers." She opted not to mention just how small the herd was right now...since she was counting on at least a few new members with the additions of these baskets.
"But may I ask why you are alone? Baskets and foals are not an easy charge, especially alone. I know it's possible, but many prefer to share the burden."
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Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 3:43 pm
"Some may prefer, I agree, but others have it forced upon them after... unfortunate incidents."
She turned her head, looking ashamed, and stared down at the dark-colored basket by Princess's hooves. "The one who helped create my little ones... he was always gone, and never truly did I have his heart... nor, do I suppose, did he have mine." Glancing back up, her lavender eyes met with the other mare's gentle ones. "Perhaps it wasn't the best route to turn to for the foal's sake, but I have to do what I must do for MY sake as well as their own...wouldn't you agree to that?"
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Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 5:33 pm
Princess almost growled softly as she heard Nostalgia's tale, for males...or females, for that matter...to abuse the trust, the emotions of their partner...that struck a nerve with the mare. "I have not been so unfortunate myself...but one of those in my herd has also had ill luck, if not two. So we keep in touch, and support each other if we need it." She shook her unruly mane, tossing her forelock from her eyes. "Sorry...don't mean to sound like a recruiting speech."
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Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:46 pm
Nostalgia chuckled. She hadn't laughed in so long.. it felt good to do so again.
"It doesn't seem that way to me at all," she said, pushing away the mental image of her former lover that had begun to creep back into her mind, "In fact, you seem very proud of your herd. Is it a big one?"
Nostalgia had never been social in a crowd of more than three or more Soquili at a time, so the concept of a herd was fascinating. She herself had always been used to the life of being alone, but pre-foals she had toyed with the thought of what it would be like living with another. She had discovered the feeling, to her disadvantage, and now lived as leader of a herd of three... and not by choice, but by fate. Wishes came true, but not always how you expected them to.
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Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 11:58 am
Princess tilted her head, mentally tallying the count of Soquili and baskets. "Four Soquili, and at least...four or five baskets, if not more. With our current size it's more like...a loose confederation instead of a group we spend all our time with. And while one or another might wish to take especial care of a basket, for the most part the babysitting's made a little easier on everyone. As for the foals...they will be able to make their own choice to remain 'in' the herd or no, but I have an idea of who may stay and who may go."
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Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 3:16 pm
"How interesting!" Nos commented, trying to picture almost half a dozen baskets and Soquili watching over them. "I imagine I'll have a handful to deal with myself, when my two decide they want to leave their basket."
Looking down towards Princess's basket once more, she smiled. "I see you have a little one as well.. may I ask, how old are they?"
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Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 3:30 pm
"I'm not quite sure..." The bay mare's brow furrowed as she thought. "...About a month, maybe two? Though I've seen that isn't quite an indication of when they'll emerge, they seem to choose their own time. Stubborn that way." She shook her head with a snort, but faint amusement could be detected. "But yes, foals are a handful with their energetic ways."
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Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2007 3:45 pm
The silver mare laughed gently. "I hope mine aren't too energetic. I am, I afraid, a new mother, and have never raised any foals before, especially not on my own. And it's interesting, the wait you say you've been having for your foals to emerge.... my own have taken their time and are rather late bloomers. I can't seem to get them to take courage and explore the world outside of that woven home of theirs."
Pausing, she shook her head, "but then again, that may be due to the noise their father and I made the other night, when he left. Things... didn't go as nice and pleasant as I had hoped for."
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