Broken Antler Fen I want to watch wisteria grow right over my bare feet

I'm gonna say that Bridget's call sounded when Ibis was in her den, and she missed it. For... reasons.

As Maia made her slow but steady emergence, Ibis felt a pang of regret for having disturbed her. She looked tired; more than that, she looked — well, there weren't really words. Beautiful and glowing were often thrown around for pregnant women and new mothers; there was an aspect of that, but a darkness too. As if for all her glowing, there was an even greater shadow to lend a deep pall to her face.

I—... I should have waited. I'm sorry to disturb you, Ibis rambled, her tail thwacking at her hocks once or twice before stilling, curling at the end. Ibis knew the difficulty of the birthing process well by now, she had some empathy.

And to make matters worse, she had hoped the call would draw forth the woman's husband if he was hidden inside the den, not the new mother. I was looking for Eljay — but he isn't here, so, where had he gone? He seemed the kind of man to devote himself wholly to his children and his absence disturbed Ibis, which was selfish of her.

But Maia looked harrowed by grief. Ibis slunk closer, concern upon her face. Are you alright? Did everything.. go well? She didn't know how to ask after the children, not faced with such a familiar, dreadful look like the one upon Maia's face now.