Rivaini

The seasons were not as easily separated from one another on Atlantis as they were on most of the other islands. Without snow to melt - or frigid winds to warm - who was to say when winter had taken its leave, and when spring had truly arrived? The changes were so subtle that each day was almost indiscernible from the one before, and blended seamlessly into the one that followed. In fact - were it not for the cycles of night and day - then time on Atlantis would have had no visible portrayal of its passing at all.

Yet in the uncanny way of a beast with their sixth sense of instinct, Rivaini knew when her time was drawing near. The changes in her had been far less subtle than those of her home, of course - the burden she carried with her was evident in the swell of her belly - but pregnancy was new to the silver bay. She shouldn’t have been so certain that the restlessness of the unborn foal was an indicator of its impending arrival, but somehow she was. Unfortunately, lack of experience also led her to question this conclusion. So when Faolain made a passing comment about doing a circuit of their home’s borders, the other Guardian was supportive of the suggestion. Rivaini hated that her pregnancy had left them both trapped in the Ridge’s upper meadow - she because she was no longer agile enough to negotiate the steeper trails, and the black ‘Teke because she insisted on staying by her beloved companion’s side.

And of course shortly after Fae had left - at the Andalusian’s own encouragement - the first stages of true labor began.

At first, it was easy for Rivaini to ignore the contractions - they were subtle enough that she could blame it on indigestion. That she hadn’t eaten anything that day was an inconvenient truth that the minimal tobiano also chose to ignore. The prospect of not just eventual, but imminent motherhood was simply too frightening for her to face - particularly alone. Pacing a listless circle around the edge of the clearing did help to keep her thoughts in check, but every now and then she’d feel another cramp and her strides would falter. And - in what was perhaps the most frightening truth of all - these moments were becoming more numerous, and with less of a pause between them.

If only Siobhan or Çiçek were here to soothe away her fears with their experience. If only she hadn’t sent Faolain away, too full of doubt and fear to accept that she would soon need the comfort only her beloved could offer.

After nearly an hour had passed, Rivaini could deny the truth no longer. As the discomfort increased to something that was almost pain, growing patches of sweat began to darken the red hairs of her neck and flanks. And though there was the chance that someone else lingered nearby - especially Rougaru, the foal’s sire, or her brother Iscariot - she only wanted one creature at her side, and that creature was Faolain. Calling out desperately to the slender black mare, the muscular mare waited for a few minutes in the hopes that her fellow Guardian was near enough to hear and return to her side. But when the ‘Teke did not come, Rivaini determined that there was only one other course to take, and set off in pursuit of her.

It was not easy navigating the Ridge’s jungle with an oversized belly and hooves that seemed determined to find every single obstacle. Fortunately - or perhaps unfortunately, given her condition - the one that Faolain had chosen led away from the densest of it. Her companion had chosen a trail that climbed a small portion of the mountain’s spine, ending in a flat expanse of grass and bare stone that they referred to simply as the overlook. It was a place to which the Ridge’s residents often retreated not only to admire the beauty of their home from above, but also to reflect on the things that troubled them.

Impelled by the strength of her desperation, Rivaini was surprised to find the climb less difficult than she had anticipated. To be certain, there were moments when she had to dig deep into the wellsprings of her strength. Once when she threatened to slide back down a scree-covered slope, and again when she face the final - and steepest - section of path. During that grueling struggle, the silver bay felt something within her give, and a rush of warm wetness gushed down the insides of both hind legs. But with a final lurch, the determined mare made it up onto the plateau. With a glad cry, Rivaini greeted the shadowy mare just in time for weariness to drag her down - first to her knees, and then onto her side.

Undoubtedly she’d be in for a scolding when this was all over - but for now, the silver bay was relieved that they would share these first moments of the child’s life after all.

mare / six / silver bay tobiano / andalusian mix / 15.3hh