Fell knows when the time comes.

Kohelet is quiet when she departs from him and their son, but Fell tends to sleep with one eye open, and he rouses to see her painted rump disappearing into the trees. Khoshekh continues to sleep, and Fell debates whether to wake the colt or to let him rest.

As Kohelet's footsteps fade into the soft insulation of the trees, Fell nudges his yearling son awake. Kho is on his feet quickly, heeding the shush from Fell's otherwise silent lips. The colt is on alert immediately, casting about for his mother with confusion on his sleep-puffy face. Fell cannot explain, but he doesn't have to; as he moves to follow Kohelet's trail up the mountain, the boy catches on. He may not understand fully what is happening, but he smells his mother, and is accustomed to following his father on patrols in the early mornings.

Though he is tense with anticipation, Fell does not crash into Kohelet's chosen space this time. He lingers on the outskirts, barely close enough to hear her through the trees, not quite close enough to see. Kho watches his father with the innocent curiosity of a child, though Fell can see that he is picking up on the tension. Usually an energetic and rowdy colt, Khoshekh now holds still, his wide eyes following his father back and forth as he paces.

Finally, soft voices drift out from the clearing. Fell cannot make out the words, but he understands the quiet call that follows. The Marwari halts his pacing and casts a glance at Khoshekh, who takes a tentative few steps forward and then lingers at Fell's hip. The Bay stallion presses cautiously forward, head held low, the curled tips of his ears touching above his head as they cup forward with alert.

A daughter.

Before him, his painted mate stands with a tiny carbon copy of herself at her side. Pride wells slowly but unrelenting in his breast, for both mother and filly; she is healthy, as far as he can tell, and Kohelet is unhurt. His most loyal friend and lover has now brought into the world two healthy children, an accomplishment Fell can hardly comprehend, but for which he feels an unwavering and immense pride. The black stallion steps forward, his movements uncharacteristically reserved, nearly shy. Any sour feelings that may have remained after the conflict with Solomon and the Peak are well and truly forgotten as Fell curls around Kohelet, his gaze running over her to make sure she is unharmed, his attention sensitive to any flinch or limp she might display, as well as any visible marks or injuries.

When he is satisfied with his findings, Fell ducks his head down to inspect the tiny Kohelet where she lies bathed in the morning sun. Khoshekh inches closer, and although Fell's immediate instinct is to kick out at anyone encroaching, he holds back. His ears pin briefly at the approach of his yearling son, but it is little more than an empty warning - behave. His attention returns to the filly, and Khoshekh jogs over to his mother to bump his velvet-black muzzle against her in greeting. The colt does not take his father's warning seriously; as much violence as Fell displays with such threats and warnings, he has never actually harmed Kho, a corrective nip being the worst of any conflict the two might have experienced.

While Fell inspects the newest member of the Bay herd, Khoshekh leans in to join him, and this time the black stallion simply ignores the colt. The two of them stand in comically identical positions, though Khoshekh's legs must splay to make up for his yearling lank and allow him to bow down as low as Fell.

FELL

stallion. 16hh. black. marwari x. Rougaru x visurix.