It's Pouring Down Rain[e]

[sibber-chow]

The mare’s orbs widened as she saw Raine going into labor. Immediately, she stepped up to the mare’s foaling form. As the foal began to come out, Indukala nudged on the form of the little one. She could tell Raine was in pain. However, the mare wasn’t that concerned with her pain. Afterall, rage was boiling within the dun. But, the foal didn’t need to have his first breaths filled with anger. She would be sure to get her lashings out on the mare when the foal was safely not around to hear, or so she thought…

She soon realized the mare was dying. She attempted to nudge at Raine’s barrel, hoping to push some breath into her. Grimacing when she wasn’t able, she moved on to tend to the foal. Her maw pushed at the foal’s bodice, manuevuering it so that she could groom away the afterbirth. Hurrying, Indukala began massaging the foal’s chest to give it breath. When she finally noted the little one to be breathing, her crown raised. Glancing over Raine, she shook her head. This dun had no regrets for what she had said or done. In her mind, she had right cause for all of her actions. The only fret she had was that Raine left this Earth not understanding why Indukala was being 'mean' to her. Indukala didn’t dislike Raine, even though she was angry with many of her actions. Shaking it off, the dun’s orbs peered at Lassan. “What should we do with the little one?”

Anil stepped around the inactive stag he had thought he would have to battle. Snorting, he looked to the mare who'd just given birth. His eyes closed in remorse for the mother's death. Then, his peering orbs went to the little foal, and next he looked to Lassan.

[Vel]

Lassan stood quietly and observed as Raine's last breaths came. The world seemed to be moving in a fast, noiseless blur around him as he stood like a statue. Raine's crimson blood pooled around his daggers and splattered on his ebony pillars. He still stood, not even looking at her, but hearing every word she could manage to get out. The first words he heard were 'I'm sorry'. To say that during her last few minutes of life, Lassan knew that it was true.

He glanced down to her form now. His ptics trailed along her bodice. By her tail was Indukala trying to save the foal. Anil and the other stag were now standing back a bit. Raine then said to the group that they would regret this day.

Her next words then struck him. He knew she loved him. He knew that he did too. Their love had been during hard times for the herds on Isola Dei Dei, so Lassan never got that much time to love her back. He had been too busy trying to keep the rest of his herd, and alliances safe from the Darks. He had loved her, he had just neglected to show it. He figured that Raine going off and breeding without his permission was a sign to him from her, telling him that she accepted that he didn't love her. Lassan had been furious beyond belief when he learned about Raine mating to a Dark and then running away.

After ten minutes of silence, Lassan started to speak. "Indukala. Night." he said addressing the vixen and beta. "Take the foal back to Liberta. Indukala shall be it's gaurdian until it's safe in Liberta. Make sure no harm comes too it." the whole time he had spoken he had been gazing into the distance. "Anil." he called out to the warrior of Rocas. "Go inform Fiana and Torchwood of this."

He remained silent for a few more minutes and then addressed the leader of the land that they were in. "I'm sorry fellow stag for intruding on your lands. We will be leaving." He glanced down to Raine's form once more and whispered "But I did love you."

He finally moved his crown as he looked to Anil, Night and Indukala. "Go." he said rather sternly, almost yelling the command in anger. First River left, the love of his life, gone. Then his good friend Saratoga left, he could only hope to see her again. Now it was Raine, dead and gone for good. He would never see the vixen again in his life on earth.

He looked back into the woods and said, so Indukala and Night could hear him, "Flame. Name the foal Flame." With that he broke into a gallop. He didn;t know where he was going, he was just running. When ever he felt like it, he would stop running and return to Liberta, but for now he needed time alone; to think.

[Magic]

The stag was about to explain to Lassan what had happened, but up until this point he didn't know that Raine was slowly fading away. Crimson flowed out of her like a over-filled bucket of water.

Heaving a sigh, Night looked at the uniquely coloured vix and listend to some of her last words. She had always been carefree, and until this moment Night hadn't been sure of where this mare would make a turn in her life. In the start she was a light and gleeful little vix, but as time wore on so did some of her decisions. The onyx brute never thought it would come to this, and it pained him dearly, to see her in such a state. And as Indukala tried with all her might to revive her, Raine's body became motionless. It was a dreadful occurance, and too see the petite thing without her spirited eyes was even worse.

Indukala took charge of delivering the foal, and it soon appeared, body and all. With a few nudges, the rise and fall of the colt's chest could be seen. Relief spread through the Friesian, besides the fact that some of him felt numb. After minutes of thoughtful silence, orbs moved to Lassan as he listened to what Indukala and he were supposed to do. While his Lord spoke, it was clear that the grief had hit him the hardes't. Lassan stared out into nowhere with an empty expression masked onto his face.

Night glanced at Indukala then walked closer to the foal, encouraging it to stand. Nudging gently, it was a worry that he would hurt the youth. His nudges became gentler and gentler and he was stroking the bundle. It was an amazement how one could attach himself so easily, but to part took so much more effort. And heartbreak.

[.r e e d.]

The vixen felt her spirit rise, as she saw her own body. It was clear she wasn't going to heaven. The phantom whispered in her love's aud, "Lassan, my true love.." Two pair of running hooves pounded though the forest. Slowly, she fading back, the palomino looked as if she were alive. "Don't be afraid love, it's me. I may not be hole, but I'm still here with you..." the words whispered in his auds....