Sleepy Fox Hollow mafic

no posting order! <3

in the hollow of dozy foxes, @Pippin Twofeather made his loud and lusty-cried entry into the equine world of mares thus far.

selenia had not retreated too distantly when her trials began; she stayed close to fancy and the new filly, forcing herself to remain alert until the very last.

in a bed of pine needles she strained and snorted, her sigh weak when at last the colt debuted himself in the hollow.

a dark boy; she stripped the membranes from his mouth and nuzzled the wet little mane, encouraging him to stand.

"look, @Fancy, oh look. a brother."

when the buckskin could catch her breath again, she looked seriously at her friend. "i think we'll need to rejoin the bison. for safety."

his ears twitch first—oversized, floppy things that flick at the sound of his mother’s voice. then his nose wiggles, catching the newness of air and pine and mare. a sneeze, then a huff.

pippin stretches his long legs out with a dramatic flop, little hooves slipping on the pine needles. a tiny grunt escapes him. he tries again—wobbly, uncertain, one leg buckling beneath the other. but he’s determined.

up he goes. halfway.

then—plop.

back down.

but his tail gives a hopeful flick. he’ll get it next time. maybe.

It took all of her willpower to remain still- relatively still, anyway- while Selenia went into labour. In between contractions, she would roam a bit, maintaining a border around the pine grove where Selenia's efforts began in earnest. When she heard her friend's breath catch, she would stop and wait for the telltale grunt that meant she'd pushed again. The filly at her side kept up with her mother's movements, though she didn't understand why it was that her feedbag was occasionally pulled from her grasp. 

She heard the sacred whicker- the first greeting from mother to child, and the sweet coltish grunt that meant the foal lived. She realized as soon as she was invited to see the foal that she didn't truly care that it was not a filly- a healthy baby boy was just as welcome, and equally adored; he would secure Selenia's bloodline in the future, no doubt. 

She drew in a sharp breath at the sight of him. Well lookit that! She whispered. Oh, Selenia, he's gorgeous, look at those legs! She had to squeeze her vocal chords shut to keep herself from squealing. Knees on him like an oak tree- he'll be a fine dancer someday, that's for sure, She affirmed. And true to her observations, the colt began to lunge. Already! Selenia you make 'em strong, girl! She whickered.

It took her a moment to remember that her friend had made a request- the foal himself proved to be quite a distraction. She might normally have flared her nostrils or made some remark about the smell of the bison- but she was easily swayed in the joyous moment. Bison, sure, Came a reply that was somewhat flippant, though she gave a bob of her head to ensure that she seemed sincere. Better bison than elk, anyway. Colosseum might have something to say of it, but she didn't consider him, in that moment. Pippin Twofeather was too frickin' adorable for her to think straight.

she panted a little, lashes fluttering over her dark eyes. but in the exhaustion was a laugh, as much to encourage the colt as to greet her friend. the young horses were so close in age they might as well have been born together, raised as siblings even in maplesmoke's absence.

fancy accepted her idea, even as the band stallion announced himself. selenia whickered in message to colosseum, wondering what he thought of the idea. he was capable, and the hollow had proven fruitful, but proper grazing couldn't be had here. could it?

they would have to move.

selenia tugged on the boy's little mane. "a dancer. an oak. pippin," she decided, "pippin twofeather. a sapling now. a tree later."

she was happy, deliriously so, and nudged her son to begin again.