The morning meal was made and left for Ba'atar, with the girls there to serve it. She was needed at he pens, as a mare was having a difficult time foaling. With the baby in it's basket, she carried him with her, and kept him nearby as she oversaw the foaling. It felt good to be back to her work. At one point, she caught Ciegue from the corner of her eye giving a look to the squirming creature in the basket.
After the foaling was done, she took the baby from the basket and leaned against a fence post until Ciegue approached. Extending his head, he sniffed, nostrils quivering, then he snorted. This was something new to him, something that maybe he did not understand. Some might think her foolish, but she spoke to him softly telling him about the baby, letting him get accustomed to it under his own terms. Eventually, his neck stretched again, the massive head approaching the baby, who he nuzzled gently, then she felt he warmth of his breath on her own cheek, which caused her to smile.
Leaving the pens behind her, she had an idea formulated in her head for some time to spend with Tug. Arriving at the wagons, there was no one there but Rook and Tug, not a sign of her girls, which puzzled her. Little thought was given to it, for they tended to keep busy. Birmmah came strolling up with her perpetual offer of help. There was actually nothing for her to do, but she set to re-doing things. It was irritating, and getting more so every day, but she said nothing. Instead she turned to Tug, and told him that they were going fishing. He jumped up and ran to his wagons squealing...........I gots worms!
Laughing, she gathered up her tackle, packed them a meal, and when he returned they walked to the stream to find a good spot. It took some time to find one, to get the baby settled and their hooks in the water. It was a good time for fishing, they were spawning and hungry. Several of the ones they caught were egg-filled females which were a bonus. They shared the meal talking about many things. Tug was fascinated by the baby, but did not exactly understand why he could not have part of the bosk and bread they were eating. She explained that he had no teeth yet, but he would eat plenty of bosk when he did.
After eating, Tug sat down beside her, and snuggled into her side like he had not done in awhile. All of that love that a mother has for her child flowed through her. He asked if she still loved him? Ok, this caught her off-guard. Looking down at him, there was concern in her eyes. Why would she not love him? He thought the new baby may have taken his place. Time was spent explaining to him that there was nothing that he could do that would make her love him any less. It was probably a natural thing, but it did disturb her, and she made a vow to herself to spend more time with him.
They pulled in their lines and she allowed him to go swimming, keeping a very close eye on him. As she watched, she thought about Tayco and Loch and the two boys. She also thought of Ba'atar and how good he was with them. Her life was good, for the most part. She even pushed the sadness and confusion of some of the most recent events from her mind, and just enjoyed this beautiful spring day with her sons.
Or she enjoyed until her girls came stumbling along the stream, clinging to each other and crying. Skies, what was wrong with them, this was not like them at all. They both fell to their knees, sobbing and begging her forgiveness? What the.............?
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