The smell all too familiar burned the insides of her nares. Tangy and metallic against her tongue like a harsh bit. The golden mares ears pressed so hard against her crown she wasn’t sure if she would ever get them up again. Ripples make their way over the swell of her abdomen each one flooding her nerves with the agony. Please be alive or this is going to be a worthless way to die. The gold mare had slipped away early that morning as she could feel the weight of her foal slip down lower in her belly. The first signs of how her day would pan out. Things had moved along quickly since the turn contractions had gripped her insides as she tried to make the climb to her den. Sweat dampened her chest and shoulders as she paced the packed dirt of her lair. Winter had tried to make a point to the roan of the snow but she did not think it got through his thick skull. Her icy blue eyes rolled back showing the white to match the pain ripping though her hips. That stupid stallion thinking we are just baby machines. The world outside had begun to fade from her vision, all outside sounds and the bite of the wind just dissipating. The bone faced mares form heaved every few moments the sounds of her gasps and mewls bounced off the walls of her cave. Winter squeezed her eyes closed the tendons sharp against her extended neck. She shuddered the emptiness of her den for once scaring her. She felt like she wanted someone around to offer comfort and encouragement. For the second time in her life she was alone for the torture. Too bad TBP wont be here this time to watch over us, to pull us from the edge. She could hear the soft cracking of the past healed fracture to her pelvis and a soft plea for help escaped her lips. Winter ground her teeth and made the final effort before her world went black.


She had a light chestnut coat with the bald face of her mother. Her white stockings went all the way up and coated her underside and up a thin chest. The small bundle shivered on the cold ground still sopping wet from her entrance into the cold world. A snort blew away some of the fluid threatening to drown her out of a white nose. Her long pale eyelashes swept downwards as she tried to blink. Vibrant blue eyes searched the cave floor for the source of milk her instincts told her should be nearby. Grunts escaped her lips as the filly wiggled her hips in attempts to untangle herself and rise up, even at birth the little paint had a determination and after several tries she managed to get shaky white limbs to support her weight. Walking just followed suit and a squeal of delight bounced off the walls as her delicate nose made contact with the damp coat of her dams side. She frowned when the mare gave no response and prodded again. Each nudge of her nose was harder and more insistent. The filly wanted her mother and she wanted her now.


What is that irritating noise? Her head was so groggy with the sharp sounds of whinnying and thumping of hooves piercing her senses. Gold ears flicked back as the gold opened her eyes to the face of her filly only a hairs width away from hers. Winter jerked her head back her limbs instantly scrambling to push her up and away. Oh. Searing pain yanked her back down. Winter glared at the foal frowning at her. “So. We are both still here.” The bone faced mare sighed and pulled herself up her teeth grinding together as she hobbled closer to the wall to lean against it and rock her weight into her front hooves as best she could. A waggling tail swished happily as the pink nose of her daughter found her udder. Winter craned her head around to perhaps a bit roughly nose the filly closer to her side so she could start on cleaning her. The mare thought her eyeballs would pop out of her head as she took a sharp breath when the filly jerked her head up to encourage more milk to be released. The birth of her filly hardly softened the mare and she nipped the white speckled rump. Hopefully the quick pulling in of her fluffy tail was a sign that that sort of thing wouldn’t happen again.


I feel crunchy, and disgusting. The gold frowned as the sweat quickly dried leaving her fur sticking up all over her neck and chest a light dusting of the dried up froth covering the strands. Winter would shudder but fear it would black her out kept her still. Blue eyes took surveillance of her, their home noting the deep ruts in the floor and the damp layer of dirt. Ill fix it later, I cant be asked to leave this sturdy wall. Such a nice wall, strong and supportive. The mare was so tired. Her brain going silly with the emptiness of zzz’s. Winter sighed and gazed at the strawberry offspring carefully, she could see the beginnings of the white hairs that would take over most of her torso when she shed her baby coat to roan out. It was evident in her light pinkish coppery tail and mane fluff that she had inherited her sires less then desirable roan coat. A frown pulled at her lips, she was undecided about when she would introduce…I suppose I ought to name the babe. She looked at her filly once more, her strong white limbs folded up under her and her milk swollen tummy rose and fell steadily in sleep. My mam didn’t name me till I was a few days old when I had earned a name for myself. Winter inched closer to the sleeping form along the wall and dropped her nose down to wuffle her short mane. As far as she was concerned, the golden would be content to stay isolated with the filly until she was able to fend for herself. The duties of Alpha Mare were the only reasons why she considered leaving her den in a few days when she was able to walk more than a few steps. A smile softened the mars face, the stirrings of motherly affection in her heart towards her new world maybe softened a few sharp edges. maybe





"Speech looks like this."