She knew this pain and it scared her because she knew it. Katniss wasn’t a fool, she knew that this was a likely result of what had occurred in autumn but she was cursing herself as she paced back and forth - willing the foal to wait until she figured things out. This wasn’t fair to Tiphon, was it? She had only just arrived back in the Dale, she hadn’t even settled in or joined the ranks, and now she was giving him another foal. What if there were twins again? Fear was gripping her, the same fear and it was making her want to do the same thing she had done last time: run.
But maybe this time would be different.
That hope finally caused her to settle down in a secluded area, worrying that perhaps she should have found Tiphon. But no, he had things to tend to. He was important in this herd and would undoubtedly be busy. If the foal was healthy, and when it learned to stand and walk, they would go find its father and the two of them could be introduced.
It did not take nearly as long as it had with her twins but this time it was only one and it did not struggle, as though it were eager to enter the world, and - Katniss could have sworn - there was less pain this time as well. The entire ordeal was over and she was left feeling relaxed, as she lay there with her head hidden in the grass and the spring wildflowers. A warm afternoon sun overhead cast soft shadows through the maple trees over her head. The peace that she felt in that moment made her want to transform right there - to become a maple that could spread its boughs toward the sun and soak up everything she could.
There were responsibilities to attend to first. Raising first her head and then her body, she looked after the foal and fell in love with the daughter she now had. She was a crisp white, a replica of her father’s coat, but her points were a softer gold that shimmered when the dappled sunlight touched it. In place of a fuzzy mane she had a small woody vine braiding in and out of her skin and it ran down her spine to the base of her tail.
And those eyes! A rich hazel that combined perfectly both the gold of Tiphon and the green of Katniss. “Isilya.”
