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”Where exactly are we going again?” Merlin asked for the umpteenth time.

”I told you, we’re going to see something cool.” Raven sighed, also for the umpteenth time.

”I don’t know about this…” muttered Viero, keeping up the rear.

”You’re all being pansies!” Lark complained with a scowl. ”We’re just going over this ridge to see something cool. What’s so hard about that?”

As the mares climbed up the ridge, they grumbled and muttered to themselves. When they finally crested the top, Lark let out an “aha!” and the others hurried to catch up.

Down in the valley below them, they could see another herd grazing on the green grasses and clover. It looks exceptionally...ordinary.

”What exactly is so cool about this…?” Vireo asked with a quirked brow.
”Just wait!” Raven said excitedly. ”Oh, oh, there he is!”

The mare craned their necks and, in the distance, could see a horse racing toward the herd. Within seconds, he was among the mares and causing mass mayhem, neighs and whinnies audible to the watching mares. The rogue stallion cut through them, nipping and bucking as he went, trying to get a group of mares alone. Suddenly, an angry screech wracked the valley as the herd’s lead stallion roared onto the scene, coming down on the loner like a crack of thunder. The two stallions reared up, boxing and biting, as they vied for dominance. At first, it seemed as if the red and white stallion would be victorious. But something made him slip and he fell back to the ground on all fours, barely scrambling out of the way before the seal bay crashed down on top of him. In a whirl of dust, the red and white stallion took off again, yelling insults over his shoulder that the seal bay responded to with a snort.

”See? Wasn’t that so cool?” Raven exclaimed, eyes alight.

”Yeah, yeah, it was cool. But how’d you know that would happen?”

With a smirk, Lark replied, ”We caught the Red Cloud sneaking around the herd a couple nights ago. We promised not to tell Percy if he left us alone. Then we told him where another nearby herd was grazing.”

”That’s awful! You should’ve told Perseus!” Vireo cried, looking positively scandalized.

”Oh relax. It’s not like we let him on any of us, right? Nothing to be upset about.” Raven said with a flick of her tail.

Vireo blushed.

”Alright, let’s get back before we’re missed.” Lark muttered with one last glance at the other herd.

Together, the four mares climbed back down the ridge, picking their footholds carefully. As they tried to sneak back into the herd, they were stopped by the steely gaze of Crane.

”And where exactly did you ladies head off to?” she asked stoically.

”Oh you know, here and there.” Raven replied with a smug grin as she trotted past the buckskin.

Crane rolled her eyes and returned to grazing, her belly growing heavy beneath her. Merlin felt guilty about leaving and quickly joined her, munching up the grass quickly due to nerves.

Vireo and Lark made their way back into the bulk of the herd, exchanging pleasantries along the way. They all looked up as Percy came trotting into their midst, Denna close behind him.

”Good afternoon, everyone” he said with a smile. ”We’ll be heading out tomorrow morning to find better grazing grounds. So everyone get a good night’s rest. Especially those of you who are expecting.”

The mares murmured in agreement before going back to whatever they were doing, whether that was grazing or chatting. There was a buzz of excitement about them. It had been a long while since there were foals in the herd and everyone took quick glances at Canary when they thought she wasn’t looking. Though it would be a bittersweet birth due to Jensen’s abandonment, the herd still couldn’t wait for the little one’s arrival.

”Oooh, what if she has TWINS?” Pigeon whispered excitedly to Sparrow.

”Jensen was a twin, wasn’t he? Maybe we’ll get a two for one deal.” Sparrow laughed.

Anhinga and Nightingale looked at the pregnant mares with envy, their only bellies feeling quite empty. ”Maybe next time.” Anhinga sighed to her friend.

”How about a song, ladies?” Nightingale piped in, trying to cheer herself up.

The other mares all gathered around as Nightingale began to sing a beautiful, lilting tune. The herd stood nearly entranced by her beautiful voice, everyone relaxing and feeling perfectly content. As the sun began to descend toward the mountains, the crickets joined her chorus and some of the other mares offered their own voices.

Little did they know, they were all being watched...

Description
”Where exactly are we going again?” Merlin asked for the umpteenth time.

”I told you, we’re going to see something cool.” Raven sighed, also for the umpteenth time.

”I don’t know about this…” muttered Viero, keeping up the rear.

”You’re all being pansies!” Lark complained with a scowl. ”We’re just going over this ridge to see something cool. What’s so hard about that?”

As the mares climbed up the ridge, they grumbled and muttered to themselves. When they finally crested the top, Lark let out an “aha!” and the others hurried to catch up.

Down in the valley below them, they could see another herd grazing on the green grasses and clover. It looks exceptionally...ordinary.

”What exactly is so cool about this…?” Vireo asked with a quirked brow.
”Just wait!” Raven said excitedly. ”Oh, oh, there he is!”

The mare craned their necks and, in the distance, could see a horse racing toward the herd. Within seconds, he was among the mares and causing mass mayhem, neighs and whinnies audible to the watching mares. The rogue stallion cut through them, nipping and bucking as he went, trying to get a group of mares alone. Suddenly, an angry screech wracked the valley as the herd’s lead stallion roared onto the scene, coming down on the loner like a crack of thunder. The two stallions reared up, boxing and biting, as they vied for dominance. At first, it seemed as if the red and white stallion would be victorious. But something made him slip and he fell back to the ground on all fours, barely scrambling out of the way before the seal bay crashed down on top of him. In a whirl of dust, the red and white stallion took off again, yelling insults over his shoulder that the seal bay responded to with a snort.

”See? Wasn’t that so cool?” Raven exclaimed, eyes alight.

”Yeah, yeah, it was cool. But how’d you know that would happen?”

With a smirk, Lark replied, ”We caught the Red Cloud sneaking around the herd a couple nights ago. We promised not to tell Percy if he left us alone. Then we told him where another nearby herd was grazing.”

”That’s awful! You should’ve told Perseus!” Vireo cried, looking positively scandalized.

”Oh relax. It’s not like we let him on any of us, right? Nothing to be upset about.” Raven said with a flick of her tail.

Vireo blushed.

”Alright, let’s get back before we’re missed.” Lark muttered with one last glance at the other herd.

Together, the four mares climbed back down the ridge, picking their footholds carefully. As they tried to sneak back into the herd, they were stopped by the steely gaze of Crane.

”And where exactly did you ladies head off to?” she asked stoically.

”Oh you know, here and there.” Raven replied with a smug grin as she trotted past the buckskin.

Crane rolled her eyes and returned to grazing, her belly growing heavy beneath her. Merlin felt guilty about leaving and quickly joined her, munching up the grass quickly due to nerves.

Vireo and Lark made their way back into the bulk of the herd, exchanging pleasantries along the way. They all looked up as Percy came trotting into their midst, Denna close behind him.

”Good afternoon, everyone” he said with a smile. ”We’ll be heading out tomorrow morning to find better grazing grounds. So everyone get a good night’s rest. Especially those of you who are expecting.”

The mares murmured in agreement before going back to whatever they were doing, whether that was grazing or chatting. There was a buzz of excitement about them. It had been a long while since there were foals in the herd and everyone took quick glances at Canary when they thought she wasn’t looking. Though it would be a bittersweet birth due to Jensen’s abandonment, the herd still couldn’t wait for the little one’s arrival.

”Oooh, what if she has TWINS?” Pigeon whispered excitedly to Sparrow.

”Jensen was a twin, wasn’t he? Maybe we’ll get a two for one deal.” Sparrow laughed.

Anhinga and Nightingale looked at the pregnant mares with envy, their only bellies feeling quite empty. ”Maybe next time.” Anhinga sighed to her friend.

”How about a song, ladies?” Nightingale piped in, trying to cheer herself up.

The other mares all gathered around as Nightingale began to sing a beautiful, lilting tune. The herd stood nearly entranced by her beautiful voice, everyone relaxing and feeling perfectly content. As the sun began to descend toward the mountains, the crickets joined her chorus and some of the other mares offered their own voices.

Little did they know, they were all being watched...