mouselet's teepee

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Paul Revere and Moltres help rescue Wyrsa's baskets from her  

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Special post for....BASKET!



I'm in yer teepee, stealin' yer posts.  

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Elena meets Lady Luck  

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Somnium and Ruadh Wolfbane are born!

It was dark - oh, so dark - and cramped. He hated that. He just had the feeling that he should be out and about, anywhere but here!

Nagual was resting in the tent, near the baskets. It was so unlike reality, to see them there. It was obvious that they were related to her. No one could see that pattern and not think that. It wasn't easier to accept, though. In fact, did it just make it worse? One of the children she never wanted, with a stallion she felt nothing for.... and now that part of her 'family' was growing. She was restless, and as it was during her time with Tlocatl - the mare was sure that her own fitful sleep was due to the foals. One in particular concerned her - the one that had that firey band, which reminder her so much of Tlocatl. And he had never been anything but heartache and torment.

With a final sigh, giving up on the sleep that would not come, Nagual lifted her head and looked at the baskets. She wanted so hard to feel something other than worry and shame from those two baskets...but it would not come. At least there wasn't the pure emotion of resentment eminating from them.

And one started to move. Nagual started and crept closer the basket and nudged it with a nose still scarred from Tlocatl's bite. The basket stopped moving, but she just knew that the time was nearing.

The mare leapt to her hooves, and carefully moved them outside. Nagual didn't know much but Tlocatl - and even that Cursed Wyrsa - were both creatures that preferred the night. With the clear sky and bright moon, she figured that they might prefer that.

Tlocatl was outside, watching the stars. Ever since the rescue, he refused to leave the area for long. He knew it wasn't safe, Wyrsa knew where this place was located, but there were no other options. As he heard movement behind him, the stallion turned, only to see his pathetic mother struggling with the baskets.

The kalona jumped to her, his ears plastered to his skull and teeth bared. "Just what do you think you are doing!?"

Nagual shied away, even grounded he was still a scary sight. "They are moving - I think it's time."

Tlocatl hissed, "Then I will see to them, not you!" And with that, the kalona brought them out with a tenderness generally not reserved for his breed. His left wing bristled protectively towards the basket, as if he could protect them from the outside world - or more so just Wyrsa.

Now both baskets were moving. The one with the flame-colored band twitched and shuddered almost like it was having a seizure before calming again. A small black nose lifted the edge of the lid, as if the foal inside was too cautious to come out right away.

But no, the baby was merely resting, as indicated by the speedily dilating nostrils. Once it had regained its strength, it pushed upwards again, revealing a fiery red mane, bright yellow eyes, and grey patterns on its black body. Lastly, a pair of sharp, Kalona horns came out as the foal rested its head on the side of the basket, wide eyes staring at the moon, the stars, and the two large figures hovering nearby.

Tlocatl was silent as the first baby struggled to escape the basket-y cage. But, as he saw the horns and... yes!... those were wings. With a trumpeting, victorious cry the stallion dropped his head to look proudly at his first son. For he was a son, and a kalona! He could not be more proud - and was worth the pain and agony from before.

Nagual watched from the shadows, though interest sparked in her eyes. While Tlocatl was with his dark son, he didn't seem to notice that the other was also coming out to meet the night.

He knew his brother had succeeded, there was just that whisper in his mind. The youngling prodded more carefully, looking for weaknesses in the basket. He instinctively knew that if one poked long enough you could make something weak and thin enough for triumph. So, as the colt nudged here, poked there, and prodded above, the basket became weaker and weaker.

Finally, it was too a point of no return. The basket could no longer contain him, and the colt flopped out quietly and gracelessly. He looked up, the moon shining off his gray and scalish-spotted coat. His own wings were tiredly at his side and his legs splayed. With barely a sound, he collected one foot, tested, and then another until he was on his feet. There was a bit of a sway, but his persistence was rewarded. The colt's slow method allowed him more strength than his tired brother.

Nagual took a step forward, and it was that movement that alerted Tlocatl.

Reluctantly, Tlocatl tore his fatherly gaze from the first colt and turned to Nagual's position. But his eyes saw something else, something not quite right. Alarmed, he snapped his head, and looked at the defiant sight of.... another kalona!

With a laugh of delight, the proud father looked to his sons. They needed names. Tlocatl looked down to the first with a toothy smile. "Somnium - the dark dream of fire, of a flaming sunset above low-lying clouds, a flash of bright color in the darkness, of a yellow eye peering at you gauging your power, your skill, your life...."

He looked to the other colt, the one who stood in the moonlight, the red tips of his wing feathers glinting menacingly. "And you... Ruadh Wolfbane - may the moon be at your back as you strike fear on the creatures of the land. No one is ever above you, and may all understand that you cannot be brought down."

Nagual shivered where she stood. The naming of the colts had a dark tone, one that did not agree with her own nature. She wanted to protect life, but it seemed Tlocatl only cared for the life of him and his own...how far would he go? The mare pondered, she would try to teach the boys some goodness, the joy of love and caring.

Encouraged by his father's regard, Somnium spread his wings a bit and pushed out of his basket. Unfortunately, baskets that are big enough to contain foals are fairly high when that foal stands inside of them. FWUP. The dark colt landed facefirst in the sand, having tripped over the edge of his basket. Standing up hastily and shaking sand off of his hide and out of his wings, Somnium looked over to the towering shape of his father. Hopefully he hadn't seen that little...mess.

Shaking himself again, the colt trotted over to join his brother and father. He had seen his father's mouth move when the sounds came out...but Somnium wasn't so sure what they'd meant.

"Som...nium?" the colt tried making the sounds. He decided cautiously that he liked the way that sounded, even if he couldn't quite figure what it meant yet. He liked these sounds more than the sounds aimed at his brother, so clearly Father liked him more.

Ruadh Wolfbane? Somnium? The way those particular words were said, the colt had the feeling they were more than just sounds. The colt ruffled his wings as he watched his own brother's antics. He was very eager, it seemed. Wolfbane, for he assumed that was him now, mimicked the look of his father and lifted his mobile lips. His sharp little teeth glinted in the light.

Tlocatl saw the mistake, of course. He was watching the boys so intently there wasn't much of a way to miss them, but instead of focusing on the issue - he did as any father would. He ignored the mistake and instead focused one a single aspect.

"Somnium, my boy!" the kalona's voice dripped with pride. "Head high and wings spread. Ready to take to the skies, as any son of mine would be!"

Nagual sighed, and instead of listening to the almost sickening tone of Tlocatl's voice she went back into the tent to sleep. Now that the babies were born, her own exhaustion crept into her bones. Perhaps she was getting old.

Wolfbane saw the slight moment, and watched as the mare walked back into the protection of the fabric-area. He didn't know why she went in when she could stay out here.... but decided it wasn't as important. The colt turned his head back to peer at his brother. As Tlocatl spoke of the wonders of his sons (though he didn't understand them), the younger of the two watched and learned.

Most of Tloc's words were going right over his sons' heads. But even a newborn foal like Somnium couldn't miss the pride and approval in his father's voice. He too lifted his lips in a fierce happiness, revealing his own sharp fangs, startingly white against his dark hide.

Being much less observant than his brother though, Somnium hadn't noticed Nagual before, and didn't see her now as she crept back into the soft-looking mountain nearby. The colt whinnied happily to his father, half-spreading his grey wings again. He had gotten the idea that Father was paying him more attention, and if Ruadh wasn't going to do anything to take that focus away...that was just fine with Somnium!

color=darkred]The father-copy, with a tint of blood and scales, of a colt swished his short tail slowly. His father was making more funny noises, and while he watched Wolfbane was getting distracted - not to mention little weird noises of his own. The colt looked down at his feet, maybe they were coming from there?

Tlocatl paused and looked at the younger of the boys. He blinked a little, for Ruadh Wolfbane's stomach seemed to be demanding attention. When the colt looked up with a confused expression, the stallion chuckled. "Of course, you two must be ravenous. Come, come, follow me!"

He turned and started to lead the way from the camp.

Wolfbane looked at his father's retreating form, and then back to his brother. What were they supposed to do? Do they follow? Stay? Does it matter what they were supposed to do? Regardless, the colt made a choice. He would go - if only to see what else there was around here.

Tlocatl paused, and turned to see if they followed. He couldn't help but well up with pride at how well they walked, and so recently born!

It took Somnium a moment to realize that Father was leaving. How dare he! Nothing good could come of this, especially because there was a strange sensation in his belly, something the colt wasn't so sure he liked. But...no way his brother was getting all the attention! Somnium ran to catch up. Was it possible Father knew some way to make the pain stop? Whatever he was going to show them, it had to be good. Father liked them. Father liked him. That much, Somnium was sure of.

It was easy enough for the foal to keep his parent and brother in sight, their pale hides shone brightly in the moonlight. Whereas if either was to turn and look, Somnium's body faded into the darkness, with just his brilliant mane and pale wings to be seen. This was all lost on the foal, however, as he folded his wings to gain more speed. Being a newborn, it was simple for Somnium to trip on a small rock and tumble down a dune, right towards Tlocatl.

Tlocatl, of course, saw the fall of Somnium. And he couldn't help but laugh. "In due time, Somnium, you will fly. Until then, might want to stay on your feet," the stallion winked with a twinkle and then turned back. It was good that they were still at the edge of the desert. He wasn't sure the newborns would be up to harsh desert hunting. At least in the forest nearby there are small, less deadly animals. Plus, there was coverage if they needed it... if it would even matter.

Wolfbane followed obediently. Everything was new, and he'd have to be around someone if he wasnted to learn more. But as his hooves left sand and touched grass he was not impressed. The colt dropped his head and sniffed the dark thick stuff noisily. He lipped a bit, but spat it out immediately. It was bitter, and a little stuck under his gums!

It tickled, and Wolfbane tried to dislodge the stuff - and unsuccessfully.

Tlocatl chuckled, "No... grass isn't any good! We hunt...!"

Somnium picked himself up quickly and followed. When Ruadh tried to eat some of the springy stuff they were walking on, he watched in interest. The black colt's face fell, however, when his brother tried to spit it out. Ah well.

But what was this? Father knew something they could eat? Somnium trotted to catch up, and stopped again. There was...something...moving in the shadows around the base of a scrubby bush. Curious, the young Kalona advanced, brother and father momentarily forgotten.

Well, Wolfbane was not to be so easily forgotten! While still struggling to get the nasty taste from his mouth - among other things - he crept up to his brother. Gray ears were perked and his dark tail twitched with interest. He didn't know what his brother watched so intently, but he wanted to find out, that was for sure. Wolfbane was at his brother's side and watching the bush which had Somnium's interest. Well, he didn't get it, he was already adverse to much that is green.

Tlocatl stayed behind. The pride swelled in his chest as he watched his sons. Kalonas well bred, and at least they did not appear tainted from Wyrsa's now bad blood. His notstrils flared, testing the air for her scent. There were animals talking and chattering about, so he wasn't as concerned about that Skinwalker...the animals were generally good indicators.

The shadow was still moving, and Somnium watched it with a child's intensity. It moved this way, then that way, then this way again...the colt decided to catch it. Just to see what it was. He lunged forward awkwardly, and the shadow jumped towards him! A rabbit, with tufts of winter-white fur still marking its body, scampered out from under the bush and froze in the middle of the small area, nose twitching in fright as it registered the scents of three hunters.

Somnium had been so startled that he landed on his rump, trying to back away from the rabbit fleeing towards him. Now, he sat, stunned, watching the little creature that so confounded him. Why had it jumped at him? And why did its scent make the pain in his belly even worse?

Wolfbane had watched but as his brother investigated and pounced, he merely stood back. He wasn't being lazy, just wanted to see and calculate what would happen when Somnium made his move. So the colt was back when the creature 'attacked' his brother. And as Somnium sat on his rump, Wolfbane took off, confident that he could master whatever creature this was. He was like 100 times bigger, anyways!

The creature (aka, a rabbit) found an opening and bounded for it. It veered to the side of Somnium and off to the forest, and Wolfbane was on its heels (pretty for just being born).

Tlocatl walked forward and looked down at Somnium. His eyes sparkled, although he wasn't disappointed in the least. He didn't have time to think of what Wolfbane was doing - he couldn't be in two places at once. And it was easier to stay here instead of running after the renegade son-and-rabbit.

He cocked his head to the side, a slight grin on his face. So... what was his son going to do? Tlocatl had in mind what he'd like to see, but wasn't going to sway any decisions his dark son made.

And it didn't appear he'd be able to. Not long after, the rabbit came streaking by again, and followed closely by Wolfbane. While the small creature was tired, it almost seemed like the lighter son was playing with it. In fact, he was. Wolfbane was testing the rabbit to its limits, and given his own stamina would have chased the creature until it dropped without life.

But Tlocatl wasn't going to have that. It wasn't the point of the exercise - and what was that kid running off? Air? To be young again.

"No, Wolfbane." the stallion rumbled, and just as the rabbit ran past his hooves he struck out. The rabbit twitched but didn't make any other moves. "Hunt, not chase. You can chase later, after you've been fed."

Wolfbane looked at his brother and up at his father, then down to the rabbit. His nostrils flared from the running, and his stomach still rumbled for food, but he was rather enjoying himself. What was he supposed to do with the dead animal now? It wasn't any fun anymore.

Somnium pouted a bit as Ruadh took off with his toy. Hadn't he found the thing in the shadows first? That made it his! The dark colt was still trying pouting when Ruadh and the rabbit returned. The foal opened his mouth to say something when Father lashed out with his hoof. So fast! And just like that the creature was still on the forest floor.

Somnium looked up at Father in wonder, before returning his full attention to the dead creature whose scent filled his nostrils and made his belly ache. He wasn't even sure what was going on anymore as he obeyed the overpowering instinct and took a bite.

Oh. My. This was...this was AMAZING. This was so wonderful, the newborn had no real way to describe it with his limited vocabulary. Somnium fell to with a will, trying to guard the precious stuff from his brother. Ruadh could go scare up his own. Somnium had found this one, and Somnium was going to eat it. And not share. It was his!

Wolfbane crept closer, his stomach growing and pitching a fit. It didn't seem that Somnium was not likely to share. He looked to his father, who was so intent on his brother and obviously not going to help him out. But he had seen what he had to do.

The colt snuck off in search of some other creature for a meal. It didn't take long, seemed like there was quite a few out and about. He found another one of those fast creatures, but instead of chasing it around - which was much fun! - he snuck up on it quietly.

A twig snapped, and it sounded /loud/ to him. Wolfbane froze, his head low and ears perked; but the creature didn't seem to notice. He leapt, literally, and his sharp hooves struck with fur. The rabbit was dead, and all his!

Wolfbane returned, and saw that he had actually finished before Somnium. His mind thoguht a little smugly that he finished his first, but who knows what really happened. It wasn't like he was going to say anything anyways.

Tlocatl didn't even notice that his younger son was gone until he turned and saw him walking back, his lighter muzzle streaked with blood. "Where were you?" he arched a brow, curious.

Wolfbane only looked up and watched his father intently, what did he say?

Finishing his meal and trying to lick the blood off his nose, Somnium turned at the sound of his father's voice. There was his brother, coming back from...somewhere...with a reddish streak on his nose. The black foal wondered what, excactly, Ruadh had done, but decided it didn't matter. If it did, Father would have said something.

The young Kalona trotted over to his father, yawning as he went. Why did his legs and wings and eyes feel so heavy? He hadn't been on his feet very long at all, and he wanted to go lie down. Just, not in the basket. He was NOT going back in there again. And nothing in this world could make him. Not even Father. But he didn't think Father would ask him to do something like that...

Somnium bumped up against Tlocatl a second time that night, this time because he was too tired to know when to stop walking. A full stomach and the excitement of the night made him quite ready for bed.

Wolfbane chose it might be better to simply ignore his father. His stomach was content and his dignity intact. He walked to the side of the clearing and curled up next to a tree off to himself. With a wide yawn, the colt fell asleep to dream of something other than the blackness of before.

Tlocatl saw quickly that he was not going to get any answers from either son. They would learn, and probably at a rate faster than any other colt! For now, he would watch over the after-meal nap.  

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Paul Revere & Zahara welcome Blossom to the world  

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Somnium goes looking for Wyrsa  

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Somnium makes it back home  

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Sangra meets Phobia  

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Some months back...

The mountain passes had been clogged with snow for a few months now and a steely grey sky reflected the grey stone where it wasn't completely covered with hard-packed white snow. A purple figure, red mane and tail whipping around in the harsh wind, made its way slowly through the pass.

It was a fairly clear, if cold day - not that the Angeni perched on the mountainside minded the cold - and snow was on the breeze again. Moltres sighed. Winter was not his favorite time of year, when everything clammed up and went dull. He didn't care about the temperature - his own flames kept him warm - but he wasn't at all fond of the colorlessness of the season.

The stallion was scanning the mountain ranges out of habit when his gaze was riveted to a purple speck. Since he knew of nothing native and natural to the area that it could be, the Soquili launched himself off the rock and dove down to see what it could possibly be.

The purple mare doggedly making her way though the mountains shivered and shook with every step. Her breath steamed in the cold air and her sides were streaked with sweat, obscuring her white markings. She was so cold...and her body was so heavy...but she kept plodding through the snow. There had to be an end to it. Somewhere...

She didn't even know where she was going anymore, or why. She only knew the mechanical effort of picking up her feet and putting them down again. And the hope that somewhere was a place where she could rest and sleep...

No! No sleep! A shred of instinct protested loudly, reminding the Soquili that to sleep now would be to sleep forever. And she couldn't do that yet. So, the mare continued moving forward, one foot at a time.

Now he could see that the purple figure was indeed a Soquili. At first he thought her purple with white, cloudy markings, but as he came in closer Moltres realized that the mare was actually drenched with sweat. A wave of concern washed over him as he took in her exhausted appearance and her too-thin body. This mare was on the brink of death!

With no further thought the Angeni landed a yard in front of her, flames making the snow around him begin to steam. "This is no time to traverse the mountain passes," he told the stranger. "You should come with me and get out of the cold."

It took a few moments for the presence of the brightly colored stranger to penetrate the mare's mind. By the time she realized he was there and stopped walking, she was within a foot of him. She would have backed up if she had the strength, and desperately wanted to. His flames and feathers were such bright shades of yellow and orange - far too bright for her snow-accustomed eyes. She winced away, trying to avoid looking at his brightness.

Then she realized he was talking to her. "I...what?" she managed to reply in a hoarse, roughened voice before her throat closed up. The mare was shocked at the noise that was her voice...she wasn't supposed to sound like that! How long had it been since she last spoke? She couldn't think of it...couldn't really think at all.

The more he saw of her, the more concerned Moltres grew for this strange mare. Who she was, why she was here...none of that would matter if he didn't get her into some shelter and quick. Starvation, exposure, exhaustion...any of the three would kill her if he didn't act quick.

A few moments and the Angeni had positioned himself beside the purple mare. Extending his wings over her back to warm and push her, he spoke again. "Come on, we must get you somewhere warm, and soon. That's it, one step, another step..." he crooned to the strange Soquili, coaxing her towards a cave he knew of, not too far from where they stood.

A shock of warmth on her back, a gentle pressure and a soft voice...these things got the purple mare moving forwards again. She could barely focus on what the gentle voice was telling her, but she felt sure she could trust it. As it was, she couldn't do much but trust it - she was in no condition to do anything else.

But then she saw it, a dark hole in the white snow and grey rock ahead of them. A cave of some sort. Shelter. A place to hide from the merciless wind. The mare leaned into the strange Soquili as they came ever closer to the shelter.

Moltres moved as fast as he dared, and even so it seemed to take forever to reach the cave. His perseverence was rewarded, however, and they finally gained the shelter promised by the cave mouth. The Angeni turned towards his companion to say something when he saw that she'd collapsed once they'd made it in. She was still shivering uncontrollably and Moltres swallowed nervously. There really was no other way. The stallion knelt down beside the mare and curled around her, unfolding his wings over her, willing her body temperature to rise.

With time, she finally stopped shivering and Moltres sighed with relief as she slipped from a half-conscious state into true sleep. But he didn't leave her without the warmth of his flames. She was still in danger, she still needed his help. Eventually, he too fell asleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She'd had this dream before. This daydream of actually being warm. So, when the purple mare opened her eyes, she was stunned to realize two things. Firstly, that she actually was warm and not just imagining it. Secondly, that there was a strange Soquili with flames all over him curled up around her, sleeping.

Panicking, Gemmae stood up and looked around wildly. She was in a small cave of some sort, and beyond the open mouth was a painfully white world; the same one she'd been travelling through for so long now. Heart racing, she turned her attention back to the stranger stallion who was now waking up, staring at him in incomprehension.

The unexpected and sudden force pushing his wings up woke Moltres from his sleep. Blinking and confused, he looked around, not remembering at first where he was or why. Then his eye fell on the purple mare looking wildly around before staring at him. Shaking his head to clear it, the Angeni looked up at the mare calmly.

"You were dying out there," he told her slowly. "I found you and brought you to this shelter, and warmed you up so that you wouldn't freeze to death." He waited a few moments, and when she didn't respond, didn't even change her expression, the stallion continued. "It'll be at least a month before the snow melts enough for you to get through the mountains. You should stay here until them."

Slowly the sense of the stallion's words penetrated. Gemmae sank to her knees, thinking. For so long she had only thought of going forward, giving no thought to the where or the why, and now he was telling her to stay here for a month or more.

But he was right, at least about how close to death she'd been. Standing, even for so short a period of time, had almost taxed her completely and she'd felt how weak her knees were. Gemmae knew she had to rest and recover.

"I...suppose you're right," she admitted. It came out a whisper, though she hadn't intended it to. She simply couldn't raise her voice above that level. The mare looked up and met her rescuer's gaze. He had saved her life, for no reason at all that she could fathom. "Thank you," she whispered.

Moltres blew out the breath he'd been holding in. He'd been so afraid that she wouldn't be thinking enough to see the wisdom in waiting for the thaw, that she'd march right back out there and to certain death. This was going rather well, he decided.

"Don't worry about it," the stallion told her, brushing off her thanks. "I was simply in the right place at the right time to help you out." He settled his wings and focused on her. She really was a striking mare, now that she'd rested some. Her scarlet mane and tail, accented with braids, draped gracefully over the deep purple of her hide. Those darker colors then allowed the white of her markings to show up beautifully. He looked aside, embarrassed for seeing only her beauty when he knew nothing of the Soquili. "My name is Moltres," he told her. "What's yours?"

The purple mare smiled shyly. "But you didn't have to rescue me," she pointed out softly. How did one react to a handsome stallion rescuing them from certain death? She stared at him, transfixed by his flames. She listened still, but her attention was caught by the gently moving flamelets.

"I am Gemmae," she replied, returning her attention to the stallion's face. "I am travelling to the Kawani lands-" Gemmae broke off, coughing as her speech robbed her of more breath than she could spare.

Eyes wide as Gemmae began coughing, Moltres hurried to surround her with his warm body again. Slowly, too slowly, her breathing eased. He frowned. "You're still fairly ill," he told her "so you shouldn't try talking again for a while Gemmae." He got no verbal confirmation, but he saw the mare nod out of the corner of his eye, and felt her snuggle into him.

Leaning over, the stallion gently nibbled on her neck. "Never fear, beautiful Gemmae," he whispered. "I will protect and keep you as long as you need it."

Her only reply was to lay her head down on his knee as she fell asleep again. Moltres spread a protective pair of wings over her once more and settled himself to watch her sleep.  

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Slightly fewer months back...

If Gemmae had had her way, she would have been out of the mountains and into Kawani territory as soon as the snow melted enough for her to get through easily. Unfortunately, it seemed that the universe was not aligned properly for things to work out in her favor. Several items and events had escaped her careful calculations.

Firstly, the purple mare had not realized how close to the brink she'd come, and thus had underestimated the time it would take her to recover her health. Gemmae made as if to snort at the thought, but a tightness in her chest warned her against it, reminding her of the permanent damage she'd done to her body. The reminder of her new-found frailty grated and the Soquili gritted her teeth. That fact had made her second miscalculation almost inevitable.

The second mistake was that she hadn't counted on Moltres' attachment to her. Yes, the stallion had saved her life in more ways than one, but it had made him very protective of her. The mare glared at an offending patch of dirt at the thought. The Angeni had refused to let her leave the cave until the last trace of snow was gone, but even then, he hadn't let her leave the mountains until the passes were no longer slow-moving rivers of mud. His overprotectiveness made Gemmae bristle and stiffen even now as she remembered it. She didn't need him taking care of her! She was fine on her own! (The Soquili's memory conveniently overlooked the times she'd tried to leave without Moltres' guidance or knowledge and ended up stranded, weak and helpless, until he found her and brought her back to the cave.)

The last, and greatest mistake Gemmae had made was in encouranging the Angeni. It had only been once, during a powerful thunderstorm in the spring. She'd tried to leave the mountains and make it down into the desert, but a sudden downpour had frozen her and sent her to her knees, coughing too hard to move. Moltres had brought her back to the cave and warmed her with his body, just as he had done months before. And, well, she hadn't been a complete invalid this time and natural progressions had followed.

The mare sighed at the memory. Yes, it had been pleasant, but that act, more than any other on her part, seemed to have cemented the idea in Moltres' mind that he could be her protector and companion.

Feh! She needed no one, much less some Angeni stallion. And that was what brought her to today, carefully setting down each hoof on a rugged switchback path down the mountainside. The scrubland below was getting close now, and Gemmae could almost taste her freedom from Moltres.

Soon now, she'd reach the bottom, where she'd be staying the night. The mare had already learned how delicate her health had become the hard way, and knew she'd be in no shape to continue on once she got there. If she was to reach her goal without having to rely on the generosity and good will of anyone else, she'd have to be careful of her health.

Gemmae sighed. Things had seemed so much easier when she first set out on this journey so many months before and so far away. Then she went back to placing one hoof at a time on the mountain path.  

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Not too long ago...

It had taken weeks, but finally the horizon ahead of Gemmae had darkened and almost blurred - the forest was finally in sight. Those long weeks had been spent skirting the desert, staying where there was browse, keeping ever watchful for dangers like coyotes, as well as for positive signs showing that she was going the right way.

The mare would be much more pleased to note the trees in the distance as she drank from a small creek if she hadn't just noticed something that changed everything. Her reflection in the gurgling water was somewhat distorted, but there appeared to be a distinct bulge in her midsection! Gemmae craned her neck around to investigate and found, to her surprise and dismay, that the water had indeed told her true.

The shock withered in the face of her anger. It had only been once that she'd lost control and allowed that stupid stallion...how could he!? The mare tried to calm herself with large, deep and slow breaths. She was sorely tempted to go all the way back to the mountains to find him and verbally rip him to shreds, but it just wasn't practical. Or feasible, she admitted to herself, knowing that her...condition...would make the trip even more dangerous for her health.

Gemmae sighed. Her only choice, still, was to go on. So she left the small creek behind her and continued on her journey once more.

Namid was on a hunting trip out to the scrubland bordering the desert when something purple moved across her line of sight. Blinking, the woman sat back on her heels and took a better look. Ah...the world made sense once more. A purple Soquili. Absently, the Kawani tribeswoman noted the lovely colors of the mare's mane and tail as contrasted to her body, as well as the delicate markings she bore. And, surprise of surprises, she was pregnant!

The human frowned in thought as she watched. The mare was, save for her belly, on the thin side, as if she hadn't eaten well in a fair number of months. She also moved forward at a slow and steady pace, every line in her body screaming her determination and focus.

Namid looked at the young foxes, martens and other animals hanging from her belt and grimaced. It couldn't be helped, though the Soquili was sure to dislike the scent. Rising from her crouch, the human began making her way steadily towards the mare, trying to keep from startling her.

It had begun to seem that she would never reach the Kawani village, somewhere on the other side of the forest in the distance. Gemmae hung her head as she walked, fearing that she would fail in her task, the one that had sent her on this journey so many months ago.

More than that, now she was pregnant, and having children would certainly slow her down, if not stop her all together. The mare's eyes teared up at the thought of how her own body was betraying her.

Suddenly, Gemmae stopped as an unfamiliar scent alerted her to someone or something nearby. Blinking to clear her eyes, she saw the two-legger making its way towards her. Unsure of whether to try and retreat back the way she'd come or push onward, the mare locked her legs in place, her earlier problems forgotten in the face of this new one.

Lessons in dealing with Soquili rose from the depths of Namid's mind as she came ever closer to the purple mare. She moved slowly and steadily, holding her arms out from her body so that the mare could easily see her empty hands. She also began speaking in a soft, gentle voice.

"Well hello there, you little beauty. What are you doing all the way out here? There's not much browse for you to eat out here near the desert you know. And you look a bit on the thin side for someone who's expecting baskets soon..."

The more she spoke and the more she saw, the more concerned Namid became for the mare. She looked fairly young, this had to be her first pregnancy. And as far as the human could see, she had no mate around. Well, Soquili being born out of wedlock was nothing near the problem it was with humans, in fact it was the norm. But it was still disconcerting to realize that this young mare was so totally alone.

The mare made no move to flee, and so the hunter finally came close enough to realize that this was no ordinary Soquili. This was a Uni! Namid studied her all the more closely, remembering the tales of the power of that healing horn. Unlike the Soquili said to have the greatest healing powers, this mare had an ordinary horse tale and solid hooves. Still, the spiral horn rising from her brow marked her as a Uni. Which made it even odder that she was so thin. Shouldn't she be able to heal herself?

Namid considered the problem. No, she decided, healing powers couldn't really make up for a lack of food. In fact, it was possible that such powers were reduced by a sparse food supply.

Unbidden, a memory came to the woman. One of the Kawani elders, on the day Namid was recognized as an adult, had warned her that just because she chose to be a hunter, didn't mean that death had to be her only province. The elder had reminded the young Namid of how her own mother had been a great herb-healer until her untimely death due to an accident one spring. The elder had then proceeded to tell her that until she embraced the healing that was a part of her life, she would never be complete.

The human's expression changed as did her view of the Soquili standing before her. A Uni...a healer... With no conscious thought, Namid began to walk slowly towards the mare, one hand outstretched for her to sniff.

Gemmae's head reared back slightly as the odor of the dead animals hanging from the human's waist assaulted her nose, but she stood firm due to her locked knees. A light breeze rose up, carrying the stink away and the Soquili studied the two-legger. Short, and a woman, it was odd that she should have those carcasses. In Gemmae's limited experience, human females generally had less violent tasks that were much more centered around the home.

Still, she didn't get the sense that this woman meant her any harm. It was strange though, how she stopped and stared so long at the mare. Finally though, she began appraoching with one hand held out for Gemmae's examination. One red eye examined the woman, looking for any sign of threat, before the mare finally condescended enough to sniff.

Nothing out of the ordinary was on that hand that Gemmae could scent. Yes, there was blood, but that was only to be expected and borne. The mare looked up again, noting the deep blue eyes that seemed to overflow with loneliness. Those eyes fastened on Gemmae's own and she felt a strange connection in her heart with this woman.

But...but how? This woman wasn't even Kawani, not with eyes like that! Yet Gemmae couldn't deny the feeling that the two of them were meant to be together. The mare leant her head once more and softly lipped the still-proffered hand, careful to keep from stabbing the woman with her horn.

Namid swallowed heavily as the mare looked deeply into her eyes and her heart began to pound. She was sure this was what that elder had been referring to as the mare gently lipped her palm. Slowly the woman extended her other arm to gently scratch the mare.

"So...would you like to come home with me?" she asked. "I can guarantee you'll find plenty of grazing there..." Namid paused and swallowed as she considered her next words. "I...don't really need a horse - I can walk anywhere I need to get to - so you'd be free to come and go as you chose. But...if you want to come with me...I'd love to have you."

Feeling brave, Namid ran her hands along one of the mare's flanks. Her hide was covered in old, dried sweat that had to be itchy, but beneath that it was sure to be simply lovely, she was sure of it.

"You really are a beautiful Soquili," the woman whispered confidentially to the purple ears that flicked backward to hear her words. "And I'm sure your children will have that beauty. But you have to know that this is no place to raise them."

Gemmae considered this offer carefully. It was good that this woman didn't see her as a beast of burden (or rather, that she wasn't needed as a beast of burden), and her caresses felt so good...the mare leaned into them as she continued thinking.

And the woman was right about the children. They needed a better place to grow up. Even though the mare wished she didn't have that complication to worry about, she was maternal enough to want to do good by her children, as unexpected as they were.

Still...she wasn't completely sure that going with this woman was the best thing to do, heart or not. The Soquili cocked her head in a gesture of curiosity at the woman.

Namid bit her lip as she considered what else she could offer the Soquili. The mare looked like she was giving serious thought to this, but didn't seem convinced yet.

"I live in the forest," she offered. "It's a small clearing by a pond. It's a good three day walk from the Kawani village, but it's a nice place to live. There's plenty of animals and plants around, but not many visitors. It's very private."

The woman stood back and regarded the Soquili. "What do you say? Will you come with me?"

Gemmae's ears perked forward as the woman mentioned that she lived in the forest. And a three-day walk from the Kawani village...well, that wasn't too bad at all! Best of all, this clearing sounded like a dream come true. It was decided then! Gemmae nodded firmly, then nuzzled the woman, her new friend, before looking up and nodding towards the fuzzy line of trees in the distance. She wanted to get to this new home as soon as possible!

Namid's smile was so wide it threatened to hurt her face as the mare nodded and nuzzled her. Then she had to giggle as the Soquili gestured towards the forest on the horizon with obvious impatience.

"Okay, okay we'll go already," she laughed. As they started to walk, she kept talking to the mare, trying to get to know her as best she could. "My name's Namid. It means 'Star Dancer.' And you, you've got to have a name as beautiful as you are. Shall we see if I can guess it before we get to my teepee?"

Gemmae whinnied with amusement at Namid. She doubted the human could guess her name, but the forest was still a ways away, so it was only fair to let her try.

For the first time in many moons, the mare was content. And it was all thanks to her new friend.

High above, high enough that he was only a yellow speck hidden by the bright sun behind him, soared Moltres. He had been startled to awaken one morning and find Gemmae long gone. Worried, he had spent many days flying over the mountains trying to find her, before he realized that she'd probably gone downhill as soon as possible. Weeks later, he'd finally found her, making her way slowly but steadily towards the forest lands. Now he kept an eye on her from above, still worried over her health.

There was something off about the Uni, but the stallion couldn't figure out what it was from this height. He'd been tempted to land upwind of the purple mare for a better look, but then the human had shown up, ruining that plan.

The Angeni approved of the human, from what he could see from his vantage point in the sky. From what he sensed of her spirit, she was a fair partner for his beautiful Gemmae, and they would do well together. Moltres wondered vaguely if either knew that this was a bond destined to last them their whole lives through before deciding it didn't really matter. What was important was that once he knew where the human lived, he'd be able to easily find Gemmae again.

A little voice warned him that he was growing too attached to the purple mare, but he shrugged it off. It was important that he know she was healthy and safe, especially after how hard he'd worked to keep her alive through the winter and spring.

Moltres frowned again. What was it that was so off with Gemmae? He was sure he should be able to figure it out, but he just couldn't get a grip on whatever it was. Bah, he'd figure it out eventually. For now he'd keep an eye on the pair's interaction from where he soared.  

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Something new in the world...



Moltres circled aimlessly, eyes riveted on the forest clearing far below him where two figures worked tirelessly to help bring about the next step in the neverending cycle of life. If he hadn't been flying, the fiery Angeni would have been fidgeting so much that he'd probably burn a large hole in the forest. As it was, flamelets were dripping off of him even now, though they winked out of existence before doing much damage.

Still, he longed to land and offer what comfort he could to the purple mare reclining on the ground. However, and Moltres winced at the thought, she probably wouldn't want to see him right now. But oooooh! Waiting was sooo hard!

Gemmae regarded the two baskets lying next to her with a tired and suspicious eye. Already she felt a maternal attachment to them, but they'd slow her down (ignoring the fact that she was already stopped by living here now, with Namid) and they were a constant reminder of the mistake she'd made with that damned Angeni. She never should have given in to him, not even for a moment!

And well yes, it might have been pleasurable, she couldn't afford the consequences! The Uni sighed and continued regarding the baskets with mixed feelings.

Namid was brushing the mare off after her exertions, though her eyes too kept drifting over to the gorgeous baskets Gemmae had produced. She had seldom seen such beautiful baskets, and she wasn't sure why the Uni wasn't as overjoyed as most mothers were.

The human glanced upward. Yup...still circling. A very bright Soquili of some kind had been above her homely clearing for almost as long as Gemmae had been here. Namid wasn't sure what its connection to Gemmae was, but in her imaginings just before she fell asleep, the hermit liked to think it was the father of the baskets.

"I wonder," she said, not even realizing she was talking aloud, "if that Soquili in the sky watches our camp because of you and your baskets." The words came slowly, softly and in time as she continued brushing Gemmae.

The mare was tired and drifting towards sleep as the relaxing rhythm of brushing continued. She paid little attention to what the human said until she heard the phrase "Soquili in the sky." Suddenly worried, Gemmae glanced up. There, clearly visible against a drifting cloud, was a figure so bright it seemed to be on fire. Because he was. The Uni closed her eyes and ground her teeth. Moltres! Why had he followed her here? Didn't he have more important things to do, other mares to "save" perhaps? Did he constantly have to make her life more complicated? Who gave him the right?

Ignoring her weakness, the purple mare surged to her feet and shouted angrily to the sky. "Go AWAY you damned Angeni! I have no need of your help and no wish for it! Leave me ALONE!" She stood there, horn aimed at the speck in the sky as if she could somehow gore the stallion from her position on the ground, body tensed for action - and shaking slightly from her exhaustion.

The stallion had noted Gemmae's surge of movement absently, but wasn't truly expection the verbal assault that the wind carried to his ears, which went back in alarm. So cruel and vicious, especially from a Uni like herself those words were. And he'd truly thought they had something special between them! Moltres just couldn't see what it was that she held against him so! (Though really, calling him "damned" was a true misnomer - Angeni were blessed, not damned.)

Even so, being berated made the stallion even more sure that he was the father of the lovely baskets on the ground beside the mare. And he would be a good father, regardless of Gemmae's opinions about him. But...he could see that she was pushing herself to stand up to him like this. Moltres chose to fly off for now and give her a chance to rest. He'd give it an hour or two and come back while she was sound asleep. The Angeni flew off and seemed to be devoured by the sun as he left.

Namid had been startled when the mare surged to her feet and began whinnying to the sky. But as she watched, the human became as sure as the Soquili above that her suppositions had been right and that the stallion in the sky was indeed the father of the baskets in her clearing. She was also concerned for Gemmae's health - for all the mare was a Uni, her powers seemed incredibly weak and so even this put a strain on her body. Namid prayed that she would lie down again and soon.

Her prayers were answered as the shape in the sky winged away. He flew towards the sun, a fiery figured being devoured by flames in her eyes. But Namid wasted no time and turned back towards her friend, urging Gemmae to lie down and relax now that he was gone.

The mare glared after Moltres until her eyes hurt, only then acquiescing to the verbal and physical requests from Namid to lie down once more. He was planning something, she'd swear to it. But Namid was right, she was in no condition to do anything right now.

Still...he'd be back, Gemmae knew it. And next time, she'd be ready.

The mare turned her attention back to the baskets. They really were beautiful, her children. A maternal smile hovered on her long face as she finally slipped into sleep, much to the relief of her human friend.  

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Somnium talks with Tloc  

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Wyrsa pays a visit to Somnium's family (and a few other Soquili living in Sanika's teepee)  

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Gemmae and Moltres welcome Calor and his sister to the world