Eos had known childbirth would be painful. She'd borne witness to it a time or two in her life, but never had she thought it would be like
this. Never had she felt such anguish, as if her body were being rend in two from the inside out. She wished Sephiroth were here to comfort her in some way, to relieve the anxiety she felt growing rapidly inside her chest with each contraction. Both their lives were about to change and he was nowhere to be seen. It'd been a handful of days since she'd last laid eyes upon him, and prayed he would reappear soon as he had so often done before.
The moon-white mare labored quietly for what felt like hours beneath the shade of a young oak tree, tucked at the edge of the Meadow. She gritted her teeth against the pain that held a vice-like grip on her belly and choked back the distressed cries that threatened to tear themselves from her throat, hesitant to draw attention from any lingering souls. But there was no stopping the whimper that escaped her lips as she gave one final heave and finally,
finally, the pain slowly began to ebb. Eos was left breathless and sweating on the soft bed of spring grass, body slumped against the ground as she tried to recuperate.
At last she found the strength to haul herself to her feet, swaying slightly as she did. Eos turned after a moment to behold the child the gods had seen fit to bless her with. Instantly her breath was snatched from her lungs and her heart clenched tightly inside her chest, gaze turning watery as she looked down at him. His coat was the purest white she had ever seen, even fairer than her own if that was at all possible, with only the faintest freckling of color along his head and neck.
He was absolutely perfect, in every way imaginable, and any sadness Eos might have felt about Sephiroth's absence or her family's tragedy was instantly eclipsed by joy brighter and more blinding than the sun. She cleaned him with firm strokes of her tongue against his tiny body and murmured words of encouragement as he too found the strength to stand.
"Careful," she cooed as she watched him fumble, a weary chuckle falling from her lips,
"you'll get your legs tied up if you keep kicking about like that."
It took a few tries but soon the little colt was standing, all wobbly legs and wide eyes. Eos gently nudged him towards her haunches and to his first meal, trying not to flinch and kick at the ticklish feeling she got as he ran his nose searchingly along her belly. Finally he managed to latch on and Eos settled into a relaxed stance, pale lids fluttering closed in contentment and exhaustion.
four ✧ arabian x saddlebred ✧ dominant white
silver sable cream rabicano ✧ fourteen-three hands wanderer ✧ half-sister to tethys ✧ played by pippa