Since she had pulled away from Lyden, Skylar had not thought of the stallion again. Her mind had been fully focused on the child and the battle ahead but now as he creeps closer she is reminded she is not alone. Instincts react first and the mother pins her ears at the stallion, warning him away if he weren’t already frozen and unable to come any closer. Even though deep down she knew he would not hurt the foal, Skylar could not fight against the maternal feeling of fending off anything that tried to come close to the fragile thing she had brought into this world. It was also that feeling that gave her the strength Skylar did not know she had, driving her to her hooves and even though she was a little wobbly herself Skylar kept her ears pinned and jutted out her nose towards Lyden in a show of her protection over their son.


Turning her head away, Skylar dipped it down to the bundle once again on the ground. During her movement the boy had lost his balance, tipping over so that his legs few out from under him and he landed upon his shoulder to cover what would be white skin in dark mud. Despite the taste and the grit it left in her mouth, Skylar began to clean the child anyways to rid him of the nasty dirt that would dry upon his young skin. She could feel him trembling under her touch whether it is from chills or new muscles trying to work she was unsure which drove her to clean him faster. Seeming annoyed the boy tossed his head before twisting his face back so that his blue eyes could peer up at her dark face, brushing his feather soft muzzle against her cheek. A deep rumbling sound escaped Skylar and in return the colt tried to stand once more, this time managing to keep his balance.


Slowly but surely he took his first steps, making his way to Skylar’s side with encouraging nudges from the mare. Dipping his head under her flank and finding the source of what gave off such a good smell to him, the painted boy began to suckle greedily to fill his empty belly and as he did so Skylar turned her gaze back to Lyden once more, this time tipping her ears forward. “Give him a name.” she said, her voice barely a whisper. Even if she didn’t want him close just yet, Skylar did not want to run Lyden off from the presence of the new arrival.