The sun hadn't quiet kissed the horizon when a soft silvery glow announced the arrival of Maxine into the glade that Peach shared with her beloved.
"Archdruidess Peach?"
The small unicat called softly into the cool morning air not wanting to wake the herd's matriarch if she was still sleeping but hopeful that she was awake.
Head wings stretched out, as did ankle wings where they could before the ankle wings fluttered. It was closely followed by the owner of said head and ankle wings stretching her neck out, then shifting just right to start stretching other parts as she woke. There was a grumbling beside her, and she turned to nuzzle the source with a chuckle. "Sleep, love." In a swift motion, she was up on her hooves, doing the last of her morning stretching before she went to don her cape of feathers. "You may enter, Maxine. What brings ya here so early, love?"
Bowing her head in thanks, the slender unicat came closer, "I am sorry to be disturbing you so early mistress, but..." Here she hesitates a moment knowing her lady wouldn't be happy but also that she needed her mother.
"I believe that Freddie needs you and your counsel though she will be quite cross with me for coming to you. Nothing is wrong" she hastened to reassure her before the mare could work up a panic, "but I feel she needs you...she needs her mother." Maxine hoped she would get that it wasn't a herd issue but of one of family.
That got Peach's attention. The mare turned, the feathers at the end of her cape brushing the ground, and asked, "If there's nothin' wrong why is she needin' my counsel as her Mam?" There was concern in her eyes before she turned to look at her beloved. Though sleepy-eyed, she got a returned look of concern, as well as a nod. She turned back to the unicat, then started out of the glade. "Come, I know ya said nothin' is wrong, but I still worry." What could be going on with her daughter? Biologically she only had the one, at the moment, though her worry would still be up for any of her children, blood-related or not.
She passed by where Hari made his den with Moina, smiling just a hint to herself, even with her concern. The young stallion, raised with her children as if her own after the tragedy of his parents, had been a wonderful companion for the poor fox. He'd brought her out of her shell more, and as he'd been raised by Peach and her beloved as one of their own, he'd raised Moina's kits as his own, gladly taking the title of 'dad' with them.
The other nesting space she'd passed was Mickey and Kel's, so similar in being protective of their siblings. She knew somewhere nearby were Mickey's mischief-filled sisters and the curious rabbits they'd brought back to the swamp, but for the moment she didn't concern herself with them. It was part and parcel as the head of the group, she knew where everybody slept, who might be where at any given time, besides any young foals running around. They were unpredictable, after all, not set in any kind of habits yet, and enjoying a carefree life.
She soon found her way to where Fred and Uriel had set up, a space that was befitting somebody the size of the stallion with his large double wingspan. "Freddie? Are ya alright, dove? Maxine says ya needed me..."
Maxine hesitated again before sighing softly padding along at Peach's side, "Forgive me mistress but, I believe it is best for you to see for yourself. I have my suspicions but if I am wrong, she will already be upset that I have broken her confidence in bringing things to your attention before she is ready to speak of them, yet I feel I must."
As the two passed through the swamps that they all called home, some figures stirred while others slept on. Kel lifted his head from where it had been resting across Mickey's back, his attention turned towards his mother intently but he settled back at a soft word from her. Still awake and alert, but content where he was.
Rosalva nodded her head in respect as she passed the pair heading towards her garden. True the winter may have begun but there was still much to do so the land would be bountiful in the year to come.
"She what! Maxine! Why in the blazes ya distrubin mam so?" Fred's voice rang out before the mare appeared. The first thing that likely caught Peach's notice was the change in the crystals that lined Fred's body. Gone was the vivid rainbow hue and instead, they glowed a brilliant silver outlined in soft orange. Even the horn that graced her brow had gone the same orange-outlined silver. Secondly, Fred hadn't gotten up from where she was resting in the soft nest structure that Uriel tended to make wherever they bedded down.
In her concern, Peach had noticed the fact Fred hadn't gotten up yet first. She did see Uriel lurking nearby, watching her with his feathers just a bit puffed up. Curious reaction... She'd never seen the stallion like that before, his tail curling to and fro while his own feline companion lay across a branch above. Only when he nodded did Peach take a step in, looking her daughter over. "I was already just wakin' up when she came to me. It's not too early. Are ya alright? You're still layin' down? You're usually up already."
As she took another step closer, she heard Uriel shift and she stopped. She didn't doubt he'd do anything to defend Fred, even against her own mother, and she shifted her gaze to the stallion. "Easy, lad...." Then she looked at Fred and, for the first time, noticed the change in her horn and crystals. Her brow furrowed for a moment, processing the colors before her eyebrows went up. The pieces clicked into place. "Freddie... Are ya...?"
For a moment the two mares locked eyes before Fred huffed and looked away towards her mate, "And why are ya stamping at me, mam? Pluck ya like a chicken she might and well deserved she'd be too! " Her gaze softened some as she shook her head, "Ah come give me a kiss love, and then go collect Kel for yer morn patrol. Go on now."
Huffing and letting out little hoots, Uriel went over and nuzzled Fred, his wings brushing across her as his tail curled to wind through some of her crystals. He shot another look at Peach, then clicked his beak at Tiddles before leaving.
Watching the stallion go, Peach hummed, relaxing her head wings. "Didnae think him the type to act like that, almost like he's started goin' feral." Still, there was a touch of a smile on her muzzle. It reminded her of Pepper and how he got sometimes. Kelpies were highly intelligent, but that didn't mean they weren't prone to being menaces. Actually, made her think of Aiden more, the young stallion was far more volatile than any kelpie that associated with the herd she'd ever seen.
Her attention turned back to Fred, watching and waiting expectantly.
"As fer you two..be gone!" Fred shifted her attention briefly to Tiddles and Maxine.
"My lady..."
"Go."
Maxine sighed but nodded her head, "Yes mistress. Come along my love, let us see about breakfast." She knew Fred had a temper, she also knew that she would be cross at being 'tattled' on but this was important.
Waiting for the two caraidean to leave, Fred took a deep breath before releasing it slowly and looking back to her mother. "She didn't need to be bothering you. Lot of them just fussin over nothin. I am fine."
Tiddles stretched, then dropped down from his perch. He spared a glance at Fred and Peach, then followed after his mate.
Once they were fully alone, Peach fully stepped into the den. It was moments like this she couldn't help but appreciate the work Uriel had done on it, weaving the branches of bushes and the very trees together so they grew as he wanted them. It offered safe walls, as well as a roof of leaves to keep the rain out. There were even, in a couple places, branches large enough for Tiddles and Maxine to lounge on, as the bobcat had been doing when she'd arrived. "Oh, I'm sure ya are... But your crystals are tellin' me things."
That got her another faint huff as the younger mare's ears canted back, "Oh? And what would that be?"
"Oooh, that maybe the herd'll be growin' some. It certainly explains Uriel's protectiveness, his instincts are tellin' him to protect his mate. Tell me, has he been addin' anythin' to the nest here?" She couldn't tell, but it did almost look like there was more soft downy feathering in it. Where he'd found such feathers was a mystery since he was well beyond the down stage of his wings. Perhaps it was gathered from assorted bird nests and from the shed down of winged foals in the herd. She spotted, too, plant bits known to be soft, and a bit of fur.
For a long moment, Fred didn't speak, didn't move but after a bit she sighed seeming to droop a bit, "I have only started ta suspect myself. My coloring changed yesterday but been feeling tired more and more not ta mention I've been eatin everything I come across. Then there is this..."
Finally heaving herself to her hooves, it was clear to an experienced mother that Fred was carrying. Oh perhaps Uriel hadn't noticed quiet yet, at least consciously since he saw her everyday but now that Peach thought about it, she hadn't seen Fred about in at least a week. Given that she was already showing, it was likely too that she wasn't carrying just one though given the size difference it could just be a very large foal.
Both Peach's head wings and ankle wings flared and fluttered as she watched her daughter rise. "Oh look at ya! Yes, there's definitely gonna be more little hooves runnin' around the swamps here soon!" Excitement filled her at the prospect. How much would they take after Fred? How much after Uriel? Would some of the grandparents show through? It did make her realize she had no idea what Uriel's parents looked like, just that the mother he'd gotten his wings and bird features from lived in the Flock and he wasn't keen on visiting. "Looks like the baskets for 'em could show up soon, the way ya look right now!" It was curious, she admitted, that whenever anybody was pregnant, the baskets that the foals would finish growing in would just... Appear. And then there were the times couples who otherwise weren't physically capable of reproducing with each other would have baskets appear, and out would come little foals that were a blending of both.
Which now that she thought about it, would that happen with Mickey and Kel?
"I've no told him yet." She sighed softly easing herself back down into the nest. She stayed exhausted it seemed, well when she wasn't hungry that is. "Mam, I" Fred whined softly her ears laying back as she looked up at her mother nervously, "I don't know what ta do."
Moving around her daughter, Peach carefully tucked down to lay next to her, mindful of the crystals. She was quietly VERY glad they didn't appear until her daughter had popped out of her basket. "Ya eat, and are mindful of things around ya. If'n ya need something tested, don't test it on yerself." The older mare nuzzled her daughter's cheek, smiling. "And ya tell him. Preferably before there's baskets for him to be shocked about." Mirth reflected in her eyes at the last line, absolutely filled with amusement. "I'll be here for ya, though, through as much of it as I can be and as much as you'll have me there."
Careful of her horn, Fred tucked her nose under her mother's jaw to nuzzle in taking comfort in the older mare's quiet strength and support. After a moment she murmured softly, "Is it wrong that as happy as I am, scared too, but mostly happy that I am grieved too? Knowing how much Mick and Kel want a child?"
Peach smiled tenderly, and just a bit sadly. "You're alright in how you feel. You can be happy, and you're alright feelin' guilty about it, just know that the spirits will grant them littles of their own in their own time, no matter the method it happens." It did, of course, give her the mental image of Mickey round with foals. She did try to imagine Kel instead, but their personalities seemed more attuned to Mickey being the one.
"I don't want Kel to be upset." Oh realistically she knew Kel would be thrilled. He had been pestering her for niblets since Uriel and she had pledged, but it was one thing to face your baby sister having a child that you so badly want yourself.
Peach chuckled at that, nibbling at Fred's mane. "He'll be thrilled. I don't think he'll be upset at all with ya. He'd only be upset if ya hid it from him and waited to the last minute."
"Maaaaaaaaaam," Came the groan as Fred tried to duck away from the nibbling without having to move from her spot snuggled up with her mother. Despite the sun having finally risen, Fred found herself yawning, "Lands sake! I just woke!"
The older mare chuckled again, "Aye, that happens. You're growin' a whole new life or two there. Maybe three, who knows, we'll see. Heard tell'a some mares who had four, but they had achieved somethin' great t' get that, and I doubt ya got that many in ya."
"FOUR?! I'LL GELD HIM!"
