It may not have been winter but the bay stayed forever cool. Just another reason why Ace loved the cooler climate here on this island; she felt so at ease here. Taking a break away from the other mares and soljor, the tall mare took to walking along the shoreline, watching as the waves crawled up the sandy beach towards her and then slowly withdrew. Her steps are slow and for good reason too. Her large barrel swung side to side, mighty uncomfortable with the movement her foal was doing inside of her. Walking seemed to ease some of the pain, but as she continues her pacing for a another minute it is clear to her that her foal was attempting to find its way free of its mother, and the wetness that trickled down her back legs just added to this new development. Coming to a standstill she can feel the pains that run a course along her sides, and she felt rather stupid she hadn't noticed it before, but Ace was a new mother and was slightly clueless.

Shaking her head, she turns from the ocean and heads back into the bay, walking at quite a snail pace. The herd was farther inland, and she had strayed to far. Lifting her face she calls out into the wind before another wave of pain crashes into her and has her down on her knees. Seems her child was ready to meet the world. Carefully she rolls to her side, still keeping her head off the ground and straining to listen to the sounds around her as well as tuning into what was going on with her body. She couldn't afford not to keep an eye out for predators but also can't risk anything going wrong with this birth. She groans softly, clenching her teeth to bite back any more sounds that would attract other animals.

(~30 minutes later~)

A couple more contractions hit the paint mare hard and with each one she pushes hard, gasping in relief at that final push when something wet slips from her body and plops onto the soft grassy ground. Lifting her sweat drenched neck off the ground her eyes find a dark shape huddled near her tail. Reaching over she begins to lick at the child, taking note of its smoky black skin, which reminded Ace of her mother's black coating and as she licked even more at the wetness along its back she takes in the white blanket that coated it's rump area. Ace couldn't be more happier for her little filly, pleased to raise a girl than a boy as her firstborn.

The little girl's head lifts, dark eyes looking curiously up into its mother's face before squeaking rather loudly as the mare licks at her face and ears. Snorting, even though it sounded more like a sneeze, the filly turns here and there and then decides she doesn't like being on the ground, placing each leg outwards in an attempt to stand.

After a careful nudge from Ace her dark daughter now stood leaning against its dam's neck, her mouth firmly latched onto brown and white locks. Ace chuckles, tilting her head slightly to watch her girl concentrate on placing her hooves right.

"Watch shall we call you little one?" Ace croons softly, catching those dark orbs looking at her. "Perhaps Luana?" It was a name she had thought long and hard on, and with nighttime being her favorite time it was perfect. The filly, now deemed Luana, shakes her head and shuffles in closer to her mother as a cold wind sweeps by, keeping Ace's thick mane in her maw.