The rumbling emanating from the little one, a soothing burr that vibrated through her ribs like her own personal thunder cloud. His little words pulled at her heart while she worked at the scruffy suggestion of mane along his neck. The rounded tufts of his ears with the funny white spots. He was beginning to look a bit more like a living creature and less like the half drowned scrap she had found.
When he pressed to her chest, she leaned into it. Nuzzled the soft fluff of his cheek. Kissed it with gentle hesitation. "Mama's not going anywhere." She promised, letting the title roll over her. Most mares had months to get used to the idea of motherhood. To feel the life growing within them, filled with anticipation and wonder at the child they had created. Aquaria hadn't gotten that, had seemingly skipped right to the end, and met her child fully formed. But he was hers, she knew it as surely as anything she'd ever known before.
It became truly obvious when he leapt away, chasing one of the plethora crabs that lived on the beaches there. She laughed at his antics, pride already surfacing when the sparks of determination showed themselves. He was a wonder, and already she missed him from her side. The wily crabs eluded his every attempt to nab them. Still he bounded after them, until the space between them opened too far.
He hadn't really gone very far, not more than a length or so beyond her. But his nicker of concern mare her close the space quickly. She was powerless to deny him, and when she heard him call her, she was there. "Little bossy thing." She grinned ruefully, nudging him with her shoulder softly. "I bet you're still hungry. Come on, I'll find you a coconut or two. They'll fill your belly until we figure something better out." She whickered low in her throat as she moved off toward the jungle.
He'd need lots of feeding. And coconuts wouldn't do it for long. She figured he was probably too young to have much in the way of teeth just yet, but she had to wonder how they'd come in. Blunt, like hers? Or sharp as his little claws. Only time would tell, but she hoped for the former. What would she feed a little carnivore, fish? Her dad ate fish sometimes. His teeth were sharp too... She would adapt, no matter how it came out, but perhaps a visit to her sire would help ease her mind on the subject.
@[Halcyon]