| Time Stamp: 12 Spring 505 |
Her brother had not come home the night before. As her mother packs the bag of jerked meat she gives Doelli a few more reminders.
"Don't go too far. The pastures are just down the way. Don't leave the safe areas." Doelli does not roll her eyes although she normally would have. She is too excited to witness the birth of a new Strider to risk agitating her mother.
"Yes matrin," Doelli replies like a good daughter and her mother frowns suspiciously but hands her the bag anyway. She gives her daughter a quick pat on the head and the sends her on her way.
A shrill whicker rends the air as Doelli makes her way towards the pastures. She hears a curse and then a low grunt. Picking up the pace, she hurries along toward the noises. As she comes around the corner, the loud scream pierces the air again. She gasps at the sight before her.
The mare is pacing, her entire body trembling. She is tossing her head and grunting as she attempts to pass the baby. From her dangles the upper body of a foal. It is red right now, but even Doelli's untrained eyes can see that it will be a beautiful foal.
"Come on Semekhe! Push!" Her brother's voice is strained as the mare gives another scream and the foal at last falls to the ground. With a whoop, her brother breaks open the birthing sac and clears the nostrils. The mare noses and begins to clean her child as her brother begins to praise the gods for their intervention.
The corners of her eyes are wet as she watches the mare clean her child. She takes several steps toward her brother and both mare and foal whip their heads to meet her eyes. She stops in her place.
Mine a voice in her head cries. Yours.
Hers.
"Don't go too far. The pastures are just down the way. Don't leave the safe areas." Doelli does not roll her eyes although she normally would have. She is too excited to witness the birth of a new Strider to risk agitating her mother.
"Yes matrin," Doelli replies like a good daughter and her mother frowns suspiciously but hands her the bag anyway. She gives her daughter a quick pat on the head and the sends her on her way.
A shrill whicker rends the air as Doelli makes her way towards the pastures. She hears a curse and then a low grunt. Picking up the pace, she hurries along toward the noises. As she comes around the corner, the loud scream pierces the air again. She gasps at the sight before her.
The mare is pacing, her entire body trembling. She is tossing her head and grunting as she attempts to pass the baby. From her dangles the upper body of a foal. It is red right now, but even Doelli's untrained eyes can see that it will be a beautiful foal.
"Come on Semekhe! Push!" Her brother's voice is strained as the mare gives another scream and the foal at last falls to the ground. With a whoop, her brother breaks open the birthing sac and clears the nostrils. The mare noses and begins to clean her child as her brother begins to praise the gods for their intervention.
The corners of her eyes are wet as she watches the mare clean her child. She takes several steps toward her brother and both mare and foal whip their heads to meet her eyes. She stops in her place.
Mine a voice in her head cries. Yours.
Hers.