She is more aware now, her attention on her son but she still listens to Lyden’s movements and words. Her ears swivel in his direction as he lays his head over her, questioning why she though the boy wouldn’t make it. She pauses her cleaning efforts to respond which gains an irritated look from the pale colt, wondering where his warmth had gone. ”They are supposed to move sooner.” or so she’d been told/ ”He was not responding. I thought….” she trails off, looking at the boy who had begun to nose about her hip. ”It does not matter. He is fine now”

She does not guide the boy to nurse, letting his instinct lead him instead. When he finally locates milk, he suckles greedily and then curls up at his mother’s hooves. Being born, standing and feeding is tiring work. Yawning, his left ear twitches as the adults speak until the sweet sleep overtakes his tiny body.

While she watches her son with wonder, she listens as Lyden speaks her name and then goes on to speak of his need for a lead mare. Even if it had not been her that he asked, she agreed with his thoughts. The forest needed a lead mare. He could not be expected to handle everything himself and it is undoubtedly confusing for the mares not knowing which mare to turn to. She had all but already taken up the duties however, even without being given an official title. ”Of course. I would be honoured to rule by your side”. It did not come down to whether she liked the job or not. It was in her blood.