:: Mare : 16 : Mixed : Champagne : 14.2hh : The Bay : Ref ::

She had a lot to think about the past couple of days. Not only did she have the issues with Liland to think about, but there was also what Zjeena had said, and her unborn baby to think about. All this stress was taking its toll on her body to the point where Sabela didn't feel well lately. There were a few times since her last talk with Liland that food was hard to keep down. She worries her baby wasn't getting enough nutrition, but soon her foal would be born and maybe her stomach would settle.

Sabela feels bad that she hasn't spent much time with Rayna lately. Her daughter was better than she could imagine she would be, but watching her grow up makes her wonder what Ysabel was doing right now. She wishes she could tell Rayna about her and ask Liland to find her. She often wonders if Ysabel has made her a grandmother yet. She then wonders what would happen if Ysabel's father ever showed up in the Bay. She imagines Liland and Zevulun would get along fine, both had friendly personalites. Of course, Liland's recent attitude change would cause some issues.

It was odd for her to think about Zev when he hasn't been in her mind for some time now. It might be because their relationship never truly got an ending. They knew each other very little when Ysabel was conceived and he disappeared from the Bay with his family shortly after. The only thing she remembers about Zevulun was how sweet he was and how attractive he was. Sabela wonders if his personality held a dark side like Liland's did. Seems one could only be so nice before they exploded.

She sighs heavily as she paces among the trees. On this night, Sabela could not sleep so she walks the length of the Bay. It takes hours, but she soon realizes why she would get no sleep tonight. The foal was quiet and Sabela remembers Ysabel going quiet before she was born. She felt queasy, but she was deep in the woods when labor finally began. Sabela was already restless by now, but hours later she felt even worse. She was still pacing trying to get the strength to keep going. This foal just wasn't trying to be born!

Sabela had a sinking feeling that something was wrong. This labor was painful and exhausting, but she tries to pull herself today. You can do this Sabela, she thinks. Her eyes close and she takes a deep breath to collect her emotions. A few tears drop from her brown eyes and slid off her delicate cheeks. She tries again to push out the foal, but only pain follows. This goes on into the morning hours when the sun was just rising over the sea. Sabela had walked to the shoreline, but with no luck there she moves back to the cover of the trees.

She has been at this for hours and she was finding her strength nearly gone. The amber champagne lowers herself to the forest floor where she tries one last time to push. Sweat layers her body and causes the pines and snow to stick to her as she pushes. Finally, she feels some progress. She was so tired she didn't want to go on, but as she finally felt something was happening she got a second wind. She pushes again between heavy breaths, but this time she feels a warm liquid pour from her body. She didn't have the strength to see what it was, but the smell of blood filled the air.

She squeals through the agonizing pain and kept pushing until finally, she felt the release. She could feel the body slide from her hind end and reach the snowy floor. My baby my baby my baby, she thinks this over and over in the silence. She doesn't have the strength to raise her head and look at the foal so her eyes just frantically zoom left and right in panic. Then, a squeal fills her perked ears. Alive. A smile spreads over her pale lips as her eyes finally close.

And Sabela exhales for the last time.