all we are is all so far; birthing, any

[Karris]

i'm waiting for this sky to fall, i’m waiting for a sign.
i know you're out there; somewhere out there.

And, somehow, here she is again. 

She gives in to instinct as labour pains wrack her body, working to bring her second child with Elysium out into the world. As her body works, her mind detaches, passing hazily through the past few months. 

She hadn’t expected to have another child after Portia. She’d been lucky to have that one, intimate moment with Elysium, and their resultant wonderful, unusual daughter. But to have a second? That would require someone to well, by interested in her in that way agin. And as strong as her friendship with Elysium has become, she hadn’t really expected that of him. Once had been enough.

But then it had happened again, much to her surprise. Another affectionate moment between the possibly two oddest horses in all of Beqanna. And now, one winter later, it’s time for her to get herself acquainted with their second child. 

Karris hoists herself up onto her feet, black eyes seeking out the little bundle at the water’s edge. She peers in closer and, just as she had for Portia, uses her tail to clean the foal off with little splashes of river water. When most of the muck is gone, she peers in closer. 

It’s a girl. A lovely, mottled grey and brown girl. She peers in closer, and lets out an audible gasp.  The girl has inherited her mother’s vicious-looking toothy mouth. She sighs, and nudges at the girl, trying to encourage her to stand. She’s not sure how to feel about the mouth … Portia had managed to escape that trait, only inheriting Karris’ gills, along with Elysium’s eyes and wings. But her mouth … it’s the reason others that others shun her, fear her. It concerns her that the same might happen to her daughter. 

But there’s nothing she can do about it. 

She sighs again, and her head swivels, trying to see if Elysium is anywhere nearby. It’ll be nice to introduce the two of them, and perhaps even talk about the girl’s toothy mouth … 

Karris

all we are is all so far.