The sooty female now moves silently through the forest, the pain in her stomach forcing her to move forward, diving into the dark woods that now made her almost invisible to the careless eye. She lays herself by an old tree, propping up her aching body to rest for a moment, her blue eyes nervously shooting across the white expanse, she stands up again to keep moving, the searing ache that kept stinging her for weeks was slowly becoming numb now, the pain subsiding with each step she took, she felt that it was time. The mare's pitch black legs dragged her languidly over the soft snow, the first layers now appearing as the lands were thrown into winter, violently covering the green grass and land with thick, heavy snow, no creature in sight; a desolate white land, a relief burning inside of her.
The small mare lays hushed on the ground, her hot body melting into a snowy mould, her body now relaxing on the white sludge, she was still quite nervous, this would be her first foal and she did not want to fail as a mother, especially in this crucial moment.
Suddenly the contractions became stronger but shorter, she could feel it was most definitely time now, her head placed carefully on the snow below.
Her child was almost here, with one more push the black foal is born, gasping for air behind her as she lifts herself, shuffling her frail body toward him, hovering over him like a shield, her blue eyes stream over his small, delicate body, coal-black like her with the exception of his socks. His bright blue eyes stare back at her as she smiles, licking the foal quietly as she lays beside him, she doesn't know what to say to him, the quiet is peaceful and holds the moment for an eternity until she speaks "Castaneis" her words hover over the child sheepishly, still unsure of whether her choice of name was the correct one, but it does not matter now, she holds the child close as it falls asleep, holding him forever as they slowly fall asleep.
Finally the foal seems to wake, his strong blue eyes staring at Anninux as she raised her head to meet him, she nuzzled his head as she stood, heaving her small body into the air with one push, never letting her eyes wander away from the foal. Anninux now stands above the foal, watching it attempting to stand, his legs trembled as he launched himself around the snowy terrain, his legs wobbling and collapsing each time he stood.
The mare smiled as she approached him, her nose now gently drifting toward his petite body, pushing against his underbelly, helping him upward. Castaneis is now standing, his legs still trembling as he looks up toward his mother, his coat still wet and mostly covered in snow. The foal now attempts to walk, his small legs bounding forward as he attempted to collect himself, falling many times in the process.
Anninux can't help but smile as the foal begins to walk, after a few hours he is already able to move toward her, hiding himself under her shadow as he began to suckle, the mare happily standing above him, her eyes wandering around the blissful forest, her world was filled with joy for now, a joy she would do anything for.
— those who have courage and faith shall never perish in misery —