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Inter Spem et Metum; Between Hope and Fear
Topic Started: Oct 7 2012, 06:09 AM (301 Views)
mysterious_blue
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The very first stages of labour had started even before they had reached the shores of the Quarry, making the journey all the more uncomfortable and much more urgent. The process of foaling terrified the pony mare; not just the pain, but so many things had gone wrong before that Phillipa almost dreaded seeing the outcome. She hadn’t mentioned it to either Kalevi or Marlowe, but the foal hadn’t been making any noticeable movements over the last few days. This, coupled with her history of miscarriages, still-borns and unhealthy offspring, was a devastating development.

Nonus was rising as the pair of equines lingered at the boarders of the woodlands; Phillipa stood with her head lowered, her breath coming in short spurts as she tried to recover from an earlier contraction. Most of her dappled pelt was already laced with sweat with steam rising from her petite form into the cold night air. The ground beneath her hooves was practically frozen solid, though the boughs of the timbers had kept it blessedly free of snow. Foaling in the middle of winter was risky… even with its dam’s hardy breeding, the foal would have to be delivered quickly and be standing as soon as possible just to prevent it dying from the cold.

The whites of her eyes flashed in the blue moonlight as she threw a glance at Kalevi. She’d never considered asking him to accompany her to the Quarry before and she still wasn’t entirely sure how comfortable she’d be with him standing over her while she tried to deliver their offspring. Marlowe’s stubbornness had been the catalyst; the speckled colt had refused to remain in the Valley while his dam travelled alone, which had driven Phillipa to accept her claimer’s offer to accompany her here … though even she would eventually admit that she felt safer with the stallion at her side.

The mare hesitated briefly, before taking a few shaky steps towards the spotted stallion. Her muzzle extended a short way, seeking some form of comfort or reassurance from the handsome male. It might have been out of character for the Shetland, but the discomfort and worry were almost too much for the pony to cope with alone. Kalevi hadn’t been around for much of the gestation, leaving the mare to look after Marlowe unaided while still carrying their child. She didn’t resent the stallion for his time away, she wouldn’t dream of it, but that didn’t prevent her from wishing that he had been there. It had been a huge relief to have him home again, especially since he managed to get back before the child arrived.

It wasn’t long before another contraction gripped her form. Delicate lobes were lost in the mare’s silver mane, her teeth gritting together as she struggled to cope with the pain. She resisted the urge to pace, instead remaining close to the stallion, even as the spasms began to pass. The mare knew that she wouldn’t have very long before she had to settle and try and deliver this foal; her thoughts now plagued with terror at the prospect of doing so. She so badly wanted to be a mother, and produce a healthy foal … she just didn’t know if she could survive the heartbreak of potentially losing another child.
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devotchka
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WELL SWEET MOTHER TERESA ON THE HOOD OF A MERCEDES BENZ
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you said you could let it go and i wouldn't catch you hung up on someone that you used to know
The blue stallion had been on alert ever since Philly had notified him that the birth could happen any minute. He was very anxious about the birth of their second foal, and whilst the appaloosa hybrid was not going to give the mare what she desired, he was very aware of the complications that affected Marlowe to this very day. When the speckled colt had stubbornly made his point that the Shetland should not be travelling alone, Kalevi had stepped up and offered to escort her to the quarry. It was a journey he had never done before, but the stallion liked to think he took a more active approach in parenthood than either of his own parents had. None of his mares had ever asked him to go with them, which made Kalevi a little nervous. He had been present at the foaling of his late sister, and that had been an unpleasant experience. Looking back on it, that incident was probably why he took a while longer than most males to find himself a herd.

They had left Raven’s Valley without anyone noticing, and had made surprisingly quick progress. The appaloosa was confident his family were safe. None of his mares had any worries the last time he left for a period of time and the valley was so concealed it would be hard for any intruder to find them; even more so in the snowy seasons. Needless to say the snow was much thinner down on sea level than it was up in the Loftlands, and the hybrid was merely enjoying the fact it wasn’t clumping to his feathers. With his thick winter coat the stallion looked more of a throwback to his dam’s draft breeding despite his colouration and stature, his roan coat considerably lighter than his usual hue because of the thickness of the hairs. He was not tired, he had kept pace with the Shetland mare and had not hurried her, and although she was clearly progressing through labour at a healthy rate, Kalevi remained dry and warm; although just as nervous as she.

None of his mares had ever foaled this late before. All of his foals had been returned to the valley well before the first snow. There must be a natural reason why this was, and neither he or Philly knew why the foal was so late. Nevertheless, it made him more satisfied that he had made the right choice in coming. He slowed to a stop, catching Philly’s gaze briefly as she looked in his direction. The easy part was now coming to a close. He swallowed, suddenly feeling his mouth and throat becoming increasingly dry. The rims of his nostrils quivered as he whickered, extending his nose to the smaller mare. It was uncommon for the Shetland to seek out physical contact, so he let his nose rest gently against hers for a moment or two, before pulling back.

The silver pony stiffened and Kalevi glanced down in worry as she appeared to be having another contraction. He remembered his dam doing the same thing, but otherwise had no experience in such things. Deciding on impulse that she wouldn’t like him to touch her again, the appaloosa busied himself in both remaining by the shetland’s side and stationing himself as some kind of lookout until the contraction passed. Glancing back to Philly, his ears flickered somewhat nervously around before he spoke. “Is it soon? What do you want me to do? I can stay out of the way if you want or get involved I-” He paused, collecting his thoughts after realising he had been babbling nervously. “I’ll do whatever you think best.” He finished, waiting anxiously for the mare to say or do something.
appaloosa hybrid . blue roan blanket appaloosa . mahogany colored eyes . 15.3hh . neutral . Raven's Valley

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The mare was almost disappointed when her claimer offered her only the briefest of touches, but having been so nervous about physical contact previously, his caution shouldn’t have been unexpected. Puffs of vapour issued from the pony’s nostrils as the contraction subsided, her attention being diverted to the stallion who stood at her side. Despite being somewhat preoccupied with the discomfort of labour, the mare could still sense the fear from her claimer. Perhaps it had been a bad idea to let him come along. What the Shetland needed more than anything else was reassurance– to be told that that the foal was going to be fit and well…whereas the spotted stallion seemed to be just as distressed as Phillipa.

A small nod of her head was the only answer she could give, but in truth she had little idea about exactly how long the foaling would take. She hoped it would go quickly, most mares did, though she was aware that she could be stuck like this for a few more hours yet. The urge to pace was getting almost too great to resist, but the mare continued to fight it for the time being. Her gaze flicked to the stallion again, trying to read his features in that brief glance. She’d already heard the notes of anxiety in his voice and his expression only seemed to quantify that. Phillipa found herself torn now; she wasn’t entirely comfortable with the idea of any equine standing over her while she struggled to give birth, but she felt safer knowing that Kalevi was there. The Shetland fidgeted briefly, though it wasn’t clear –even to her- if that was simply from the discomfort or awkwardness of the subject. “You don’t have to stay.” Phillipa couldn’t bring herself to meet the stallion’s gaze, though her words would have been just loud enough for him to hear.

Hardy hooves carried the mare cautiously forwards as she started to pace the clearing, desperately hoping to somehow sooth the discomfort. She could feel the gradual change in the foal’s position, though had yet to feel it kick or fidget of its own accord, which only amplified her fears. Another contraction swept over the mare, the agony forcing her to reluctantly lower her form to the frozen ground. The cold took her breath away, despite her thick winter pelt, but she couldn’t afford to concentrate on anything but the foaling now. Even the dilemma with Kalevi had been forced to the back of her mind; she wasn’t sure what he’d chosen to do or if he was even still in the clearing. Her head turned towards her grossly distended barrel for a brief moment before rolling back onto her side, in anticipation of the next contraction.

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devotchka
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WELL SWEET MOTHER TERESA ON THE HOOD OF A MERCEDES BENZ
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you said you could let it go and i wouldn't catch you hung up on someone that you used to know
He had honestly thought he had been alright. After all, this wasn’t his first foal. The unborn foal inside Phillipa was going to have numerous brothers and sisters, all happy and safe back home. Perhaps it was because he was actually going to be present at the foaling, or the fact the Shetland had problems birthing before; or a combination of both. Furls of hot air trickled from his dark nostrils as he regarded the pony mare before him, his mouth growing dry. His ears remained forward, trained to the mare, as she fidgeted before him before speaking back to him. The silver pony’s gaze did not meet his, and Kalevi instantly felt a pang of shame. He had been dithering so much he had almost forgotten why they were here. This was not about him, it was about making sure Phillipa was safe and comfortable, and delivering the foal.

His words caught in his throat, watching the smaller form leave his side and pace around the clearing. It would be cowardly and the wrong thing to do to leave, he had no choice to stay. The blue roan appaloosa did not like the idea of Philly having to struggle home in the cold with a newborn foal, with no protection. The spotted stallion coughed, his dark tail whipped round mottled hocks. “I’m staying Phillipa. My priorities right now are you and the foal.” His voice wavered. He had sounded much more confident in his head, but he knew he had to voice what he was thinking. The Shetland didn’t seem to be taking much notice of him; she had lowered herself to the ground. The blue male could see now in the moonlight how large her barrel was, grossly spread across the ground as she considered it a moment, before flopping back to a flat out position on the cold ground.

Although he had decided to remain, Kalevi wasn’t sure what to do now. He hadn’t participated in Fearne’s birth, but that had been different. That had been his dam, who didn’t become nervous at anything that was thrown at her. He remembered the whole process being quick and a little messy, but this was one of his own mares. She might want him to get involved. Kalevi took a nervous step in the silverish mare’s direction, hovering in the shadow. “I’m here if you need me.” His voice was low and quiet, his form poised in case he needed to spring in to Phillipa’s aid.

appaloosa hybrid . blue roan blanket appaloosa . mahogany colored eyes . 15.3hh . neutral . Raven's Valley
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The whites of her eyes glinted in the blue-ish light from the moon far above. Her dainty lobes twitching as her claimer drew closer. She wasn’t able to acknowledge it at the time, or to the stallion who stood close by, but the Shetland was grateful that he remained. It had taken years before she could say with any honesty that she trusted the speckled male; she felt safer when he was around, a little warmer despite the biting cold. But with another contraction washing over her, she couldn’t so much as consider voicing her thoughts.

Lobes pinned to her poll again, hidden away in the depths of her thick silvery mane. Lids closed over the mare’s eyes as she started to add her own efforts to her body’s natural desire to remove the foal from her womb. Phillipa’s hooves raked though the thin layer of snow as she pawed for some form of purchase, though soon fell still again when she found none. The icy ground beneath her added another dimension to the pain she felt, stinging at her pelt while the labour contorted her from within. Had the gestation ended sooner, she could have foaled in autumn; it would have been easier, more comfortable and certainly warmer, but no mare could dictate just how long they’d have to carry their offspring for.

To the Shetland, it felt as though hours has passed before she felt any real progress. Several times she’d hauled herself back onto her hooves, only managing to pace a short way before the pain brought her back to the ground. Nothing she did could sooth her discomfort, and she eventually resigned herself to the planet-surface permanently. Even then, progress was slow and the Shetland was deprived on any respite making her ever weaker as the minutes ticked by. When it came to passing the foal’s shoulders, Phillipa couldn’t help but voice her agony as she desperately continued her efforts to deliver the child. The dappled pony clamped her jaws shut, cutting the sound off as she blew heavily through her nostrils in an attempt to counter the pain. Never before had it hurt so much and, had she been in any state to consider it, the mare might even have regretted consenting to bear another of Kalevi’s children. Yet she still feared for her unborn foal, and for her own life, though there was nothing she could do to reverse it now.

Eventually she felt it move, just a little, and the mare instantly committed to pushing with every last scrap of energy she had left, desperate to bring an end to the unbearable ordeal. Finally, it slid free of her form. The Shetland relished in relief for several moments following; her eyes closing as her head flopped back to the frozen earth in exhaustion and completely oblivious to the world around her. It was impossible for the pony mare to tell just how long she remained in this state but eventually, she was groggily drawn back into consciousness. The pain remained, dulled and no longer coming in spasms, but still there. Phillipa did her best to ignore it, shakily raising her head to try and catch a glimpse of the child she’d endured all this for.

Nonus was close to setting, its light dimmed somewhat as Kormada entered the brief period which lingered between night and day, leaving scarcely enough light for the exhausted mare to pick out the form of her child. The floor of the clearing was still covered in a thin layer of snow, making her child’s pale form all the more difficult to detect -though the patch of dark liquid sitting behind the mare was all too easy to see. Despite this, Phillipa carefully tried rolling onto her stomach, wincing at the pain from applying pressure to her damaged innards. Short limbs were drawn closer to her form as her soft muzzle was stretched out; as if desperate to touch the fidgeting foal and confirm that it was, indeed, alive.
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devotchka
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WELL SWEET MOTHER TERESA ON THE HOOD OF A MERCEDES BENZ
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you said you could let it go and i wouldn't catch you hung up on someone that you used to know
He realised now she needed space. His hooves took his spotted body away from his mare, still in her vision but giving her more privacy. Kalevi knew how nervous Phillipa had been. Throughout the entire gestation she had worried over the health of the foal, and part of the appaloosa knew it would have been wiser to not put her through pregnancy again. They already had Marlowe, who was strong and healthy save for his moon blindness. But they had both wanted this so much. She had been his first ever mare, and had been his side as his herd had grown and expanded. Both of them had come in leaps and bounds, and although the roan didn’t know much about Phillipa’s past, he felt a sense that he was trusted in the mare’s eyes. The whites of his eyes flashed, watching the Shetland getting down and up time and time again. Of course, he wouldn’t tell her, but the stallion hated the sight of her in pain.

It was as gruesome as he remembered. This time, Kalevi felt more fear. This was the first of his foals he had seen being birthed, and forgot the awful process that went behind it. Should any of his mares have more foals, he would never feel the same again when they were presented to him, clean and rested. Perspiration gathered under his ebony mane as he paced, his feathered hooves churning up the blue tinted snow until it became a greyish mush. He had been scared before, but his dam had never given any inclination of fear or doubt. He trusted Phillipa as a good mother, but this was a side of her he had not seen in this harsh a light. On some moments he nearly darted forwards to her side, but steeled himself not to. She might be struggling, but as a mother, the silvery mare knew what she was doing. At least Kalevi hoped this was the case.

His eyes strained in the darkness, taking a step towards the mare. Two figures lay on the ground, one definitely Phillipa, the other so small Kalevi almost missed it at first glance. The stallion snorted, lingering near enough the mare should she want assistance, but he felt it was her right to be the first to interact with their foal.

--

The colt’s first impression of the world was chilling cold. His fragile form hit the ground, his gangly legs curled under him in a foetal position. Covered in fluids, his damp coat made the impression it was even colder than usual, and his eyes blearly opened to almost darkness. His first breaths were gasping, like ice stabbing his lungs. His palomino form almost blended to the snow, and the foal’s primal instincts were for warmth. He didn’t like this harsh world. He didn’t understand why he was here, or who was supposed to be looking after him.

Glancing around him he could see another form on the ground by him, and another a little way away. The colt squeaked indignantly. He was cold and hungry. The figure by him stirred, extending it’s nose towards him. He squeaked again, tiny ears pricked as he thrust his own tiny muzzle towards the mare. Although he was lively now, he would have to get up from the ground quickly if he had any chance of survival.

appaloosa hybrid . blue roan blanket appaloosa . mahogany colored eyes . 15.3hh . neutral . Raven's Valley
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The pony strained forwards again, desperate to confirm that the foal was alive. She could just about make out its form from the dim light thrown by the moon, but her vision was blurred. The metallic scent of her own blood was almost impossible to ignore, but she did all she could to keep her focus on the foal. Phillipa’s held breath was suddenly released in a sigh of relief as her muzzle brushed against her newest offspring. Her fatigue caused her to immediately withdraw, her head dropping to rest on the frozen ground while she took another moment to try and recover.

Maternal instinct had to battle against the mare’s exhaustion, though prevailed eventually. The Shetland raised her head again, eyes still a little unfocused as she flicked her gaze back to the newborn, her breaths shallow yet still producing puffs of vapour in the cold winter air. Groggily, her attention turned briefly to Kalevi who had taken a step forward. She offered the stallion a small nicker in greeting and gratitude, but she knew now that she didn’t have time to waste. Instinct was pushing her to rise to her hooves and to get the foal standing. She knew all too well that no newly-born could survive for long in the cold.

Feeling like an infant herself, the mare started her struggle to stand. The loss of blood made her light-headed, her limbs shook as she tried to place any weight on them and it took several attempts -plus some support from Kalevi- before she eventually made it onto her hardy hooves. Tender muscles practically screamed at the mare in protest against even the slightest movement; even the action of flicking her crimson-stained tail across her hind-quarters made her flinch involuntarily. Once her legs had stabilised a little, the pony mare took a few careful steps towards the pale child, instantly lowering her muzzle to it.

Ignoring the overwhelming need to lay down again and rest, the silver-dapple quickly settles into the routine of cleaning her new offspring. She wasn’t quite as careful or meticulous as she had been with either Lia or Marlowe, but she knew that she’d lose the foal to the bitter cold if it didn’t get to its hooves quickly. In her haste, the mare neglected to check the foal’s gender, though with her insistent nudging and support, the colt was soon standing and being encouraged to take the all-important first feed. The mare’s dizziness got the better of her again, forcing Phillipa to widen her stance slightly and lower her head in an attempt to prevent her form from crashing back to the ground or crushing the offspring she’d endured so much for.
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devotchka
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WELL SWEET MOTHER TERESA ON THE HOOD OF A MERCEDES BENZ
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All of a sudden the small colt felt something large and soft brush against his own nose. He snorted, the sound light and barely audible, retracting his head quickly, which was slightly too large for his frail body. His breath unfurled from his ajar mouth into small puffs in front of him, his eyes straining in the darkness as he watched the form in front of him rise up again. He could hear the sound of hooves scraping the snow, and he squealed, sticking his pale nose out once more. He didn’t want to be left behind, but the unfamiliar sound scared him also. In the meantime Kalevi had been inching forwards, trying not to focus on the mess on Phillipa’s coat and covering the foal. He could see the mare was tired, and knew what she was trying to achieve. Even the appaloosa could figure out the foal needed to get off the ground otherwise he would freeze.

Approaching the silvery female on the ground, Kalevi lowered his ebony nose, helping the Shetland mare to stand once more. She felt very light to him, and he remained close in case she fell. He whickered softly, his ebony tail swishing against his spotted flanks as he remained poised, ready to support the mare if her muscles failed her. Fortunately, Phillipa was made of harder stuff than the blue roan could believe, and she made towards their foal. Kalevi followed her, allowing her enough space to bond, but was right beside her should she require his aid again. The colt had been moving his gangly legs about him until they were stretched out in front of him. Although this was a step forwards for him to stand, he suddenly found the limbs very cold and snorted indignantly, trying to retract them back to his slightly warmer body.

Out of nowhere a warm tongue was washing him clean. The colt squealed in delight, poking his pinkish nose into the face of his mother, relishing in this delightful feeling. All of a sudden she was gone, and the colt pushed out his forelegs again, trying to lurch to his feet. With some help from both sire and dam, he was standing, and taking his first tentative steps towards the mare for food. Kalevi smiled despite the uphill struggle this all was, as the colt began to nurse. He had detected he had a son by smell and as soon as the palomino looked contended with feeding he was back by Phillipa’s side. “He’s wonderful.” He lowered his face to the tired mare, giving her cheek the faintest of brushes. “We must begin travelling. We can rest when Prime returns and the temperatures rise.” He said quietly. Kalevi was reluctant to stop at all, and would rather the mare and foal rested in the safety of Raven’s Valley, but he couldn’t force them to keep going. He remained by the Shetland’s side, silently offering her his body to lean on should she need it.


appaloosa hybrid . blue roan blanket appaloosa . mahogany colored eyes . 15.3hh . neutral . Raven's Valley
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