"But the dream, the echo, slips from him as quickly as he had found it and as consciousness comes to him (a slap and not the gentle waves of oceanic tides), it dissolves entirely. His muscles relax as the cold claims him again, as the numbness sets in, and when his grey eyes open, there’s nothing but the faint after burn of a dream often trod and never remembered." --Brigade, written by Laura
09-02-2015, 11:11 PM (This post was last modified: 09-02-2015, 11:13 PM by Lea.)
She hadn’t exactly planned on having another child so soon, but one thing had led to another during the autumn and she had become pregnant yet again. It had been a bit of a surprise, but she doesn’t mind. She loves her children and adding another one doesn’t faze her at all. Not to mention it’ll probably be good for Xiah to have a sibling close to her age - there are so few children in the Tundra.
When the time comes she slips off to the same cave that she’d given birth to Xiah in. The birth is quick and easy and in no time at all, a little dark bundle is lying at her feet. She quickly sets to work cleaning the child off, chuckling aloud when she realizes that this is, once again, another daughter. Poor Errant! Seven girls out of eight children!
She continues cleaning, humming happily, until she reaches the left side of the girl’s head. “Oh …!” She draws back for a moment, shocked. There, where the girl’s left eye should be, is a sunken hole. The eye must not have developed in the socket - the skin never split, the eyelid never formed. The result is a coat-covered indent in the skull.
She recovers from her surprise and continues cleaning, not wanting the girl to notice her reaction. She doesn’t want her to know that anything is different. But, while she cleans, she burns inside. Had this been her fault? Should she have waited? Is she too old? Or has she simply had too many children? Or is this an after effect of having been dead for 12 years?
She swallows the ache and, when she’s finished cleaning, nudges at the girl’s side. “Come on sweetie, up you get.” The little dark girl is quick to respond and struggles to her feet. Once, twice she rises and falls, before finally managing to stay upright. She stumbles over to Lea’s teat and drinks her fill, then snuggles up into a dry hollow on the cave floor. Lea glances in the direction of the cave mouth, before turning to nuzzle the girl. “Kida. I’ll call you Kida.” Hopefully Errant will be along soon - his presence will be a comfort.
Ever since that fateful day when Daddy warmed the cave for Xiah, the Tundra has metaphorically warmed up for her. Instead of shying from the snow drifts which loom atop her delicate head or skirting around the foxes’ burrowing grounds, Xiah has taken the Tundra by storm. Or shall I say, by flight. Her power has not quite been perfected; yes, she often limps when forced to walk. But it’s a happy limp! With a knowing little smile and a toss of her freshly horned head, she relieves her legs of their duty and takes to flight. Or shall I say, extended hops.
No matter.
Mother has become noticeably fatter during these times, a fact which Xiah pondered and often questioned aloud. Lea certainly did not get a respite from the pesky children, but for all her peskiness, the little black is ever cuter.
Having learned Mother’s diagnosis through incessant pestering (pregnancy; yucky!), Xiah now zooms unsteadily towards the cave. Mother said it would be some time soon, her sibling’s arrival that is. Whatever that meant. Besides being utterly clueless in almost every way, Xiah finds herself highly excited. Clipping her hoof on a tall rock, the tiny unicorn relinquishes her telekinesis and ecstatically stumbles the rest of the way to the cave.
”Kida! That’s a nice name.” Xiah exclaims the moment she sets eyes on her little family (in her perception, that is). Trotting forward lamely, the yearling finds herself staring down at her sister. She decides that being taller than someone is weird. Tilting her head, the small girl investigates the puddle of pony. “I’m Xiah, your sister,” She explains helpfully to the sleepy filly. “This is Mother. Daddy should be along soon.” With a firm nod, Xiah swivels to stand guard over her sister, determined to protect her until Daddy came to say hello.
And, of course, she completely misses the fact that Kida is a cyclops. Go figure.
You won't have any friends, and I'll live in a room With flowers on the walls, and golden doorknobs
09-12-2015, 08:38 PM (This post was last modified: 09-12-2015, 08:41 PM by Lea.)
She is unsurprised when Xiah is the first to appear in their little cave. Lea can’t help but smile as the little yearling trots over to investigate her newborn sister, alight with curiosity. She laughs when Xiah announces her approval of Kida’s name. “I’m glad you approve.”
But then Xiah is right in front of Kida, peering down at the tiny girl and suddenly she can’t help but feel nervous. Will Xiah notice her sister’s difference? Will she comment on it?
But after a few moments, it becomes clear that the fact that Kida only has one eye has completely escaped Xiah’s attention. Lea relaxes and simply steps back to watch the interaction. Every once in a while she glances towards the cave mouth, waiting for Errant to join them.
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Kida wakes up at her sister’s approach, her single eye blinking away sleep. She’s awed into silence at first - she finds the older foal very impressive and intimidating. But when the girl begins chattering away at her, she opens her little mouth. “Xiah?”
She considers her sister for a moment, contemplating this new bit of information. She has a sister.
She decides she likes this.
She stands up (far more easily than she had the first time), and peers into her sister’s face with a single grey eye. “Xiah!” She stumbles forward towards the girl on shaky legs, bumping into her. Kida giggles loudly and tries bury her nose in Xiah’s mane, though it’s difficult for her to reach. “Daddy?”
![[Image: leaanderrant_zpsqa4goyjv.gif]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v202/dsl_devin/leaanderrant_zpsqa4goyjv.gif)
