Time seemed to move quickly now, a day was hardly long enough to spend time with the quickly growing colt. Within a couple hours the child was born, standing and eating. It only took a few more hours before he was awkwardly moving about and trying to play. Months later the spindly gold sapling was feeling fairly confident on 4 pillars, galloping about and kicking up his heals. Exuding innocence and happiness, sheer joy to be alive, it was a beautiful thing to witness. The saviour to it’s mother, giving her life and meaning to the darkness.

The palomino mare was grazing in the shade of a large evergreen when the call reached her thick ears. Baby Cicero stopped in his tracks facing the direction of the sound and squealed back in response. A weak, high pitched noise. His mother smiled, gave him a little nudge and eagerly but slowly made her way towards her old friend, the colt glued to her shoulder.

It had been too long, although perfectly understandable given the circumstances. After the attack, Ashara had hidden within the safety of the kingdom, alone except for Jedi, full of shame, worry and anger. The birth had changed her around, the love for her miniature version healed a lot of the emotional trauma. Although she would never be the same, or be as trusting, if it wasn’t for the wee one she’d be a lot worse. There was a permanent smile etched across her dark maw, adoration and pride in amber eyes. There was also fear and protectiveness too, keeping him close and safe the utmost priority.

When within touching distance, the golden vixen nickered to the salmon pointed friend, and reached out her nose to the others. “Ygritte, so nice to see you.” Her gaze soon shifted to the beautifully coloured filly. “Hello there.” Her voice warm towards the little one before turning her attention back to the bay mother. “She’s beautiful! And how have you been?”

The honey-hued boy was quite intrigued with the strangers, more so the pink and ebony spotted girl. He stared rudely from brown doe-eyes, his head held high. Purple streaked flaxen scruff of a tail swishing uselessly at airborne pests.

The pride glowing from the queen is something the golden femme can finally empathize with. The pain, fear, worries, fatigue, joy, pride and youthfulness that motherhood brings is only understood to those who have gone through it. Most of the time you feel clueless trying to figure out how to raise a child as best as you can and banding together with others who are going through the same struggles is comforting and strengthening. It’s not that the two mares didn’t have much in common before, after all they had the same loyalty for the kingdom and kind, compassionate souls; motherhood was just one more thing that could bring them closer.

“I can relate to that.” she says with a chuckle, glancing at her boy. The compliment is taken with delight as if she had some control over Cicero’s appearance.  “It is so nice to see you too. I am also better now.” Although the ghost of that fated day with the lavender pegasus still haunts her, the happiness outweighed the nightmare. Jedi had adopted the colt as his own and they made an odd family but it worked. Ashara is unsure if the other mare is aware of what happened, it seemed like the king and queen were exceptionally close lately, the spotted girl is proof of that, but perhaps the spotted stallion had spared his companionship the heartache of the truth. The memory of him seeing the palomino vixen crying, beat up and full of shame causes her a little embarrassment so she quickly shakes the thought. Regardless if Ygritte knows about the attack or not, there was no need to bring the conversation down, however she does anyway. “Jedi is well. I think he is grieving over the stillborn with Sorea, and her absence but this little one, Cicero, keeps him busy. And Kreios? Is she his?” Though pretty sure of the answer she asks anyway. Amber eyes search adoringly for the spotted girl. It is so nice to see the two foals interacting with someone their own age, one can only hope they will become friends too. “And what is your name little one?” She asks the filly, returning the girls greeting better late than never.