Acceptance

With fall in the air the herd begins to make their winter dens. Fauna munches on an apple as she walks, the sack slung across her back full with the first harvest of the fall. She deposits the bag and to her surprise sees Autumn walking slowly with her five foals. The herd comes to a halt as she joins them with her foals. Autumn passes Rowan, the dapple grey stallion in Raven's herd. He flicks his tail as a foal bumps into him and begins to fall. Rowan catches the foal as it falls.

"Easy there youngin... T'won't do ya any good ta go hurtin yerself." He steadies the foal on its feet as he notices the foal's coat. "Well then! You're an interestin' wee one. You got stripes and spots. That's somethin I never saw before." Autumn quickly pulls her kid closer to her and looks accusingly at Rowan. Rowan chuckles. "T'Aint got nothing mean to say ma'am. Don't matter to me how they got their coats. Just matters ta me that they're healthy and taken care of, and you're doin a swell job." Autumn looks surprised as Rowan ruffles one of the fawns heads. The fawn chirrups happily and Autumn's looks down and continues walking with her foals. Soon she reaches Autumn and Fauna and stands before them nervously.

Raven looks at Autumn and her foals, then Raven grins. "Welcome back Autumn. I look forward to watching your foals grow strong, and we are here to help when you need it." He puts a hand gently on the zorse foal while Fauna hugs her. Autumn smiles happily before continuing her walk. She soon reaches Beltain and Winter. Winter's foal peers out from behind Beltain and at the sight of Autumn she nickers and trots up to her aunt. Autumn chuckles and ruffles her nieces hair and the young palomino wags her tail at her cousins.

"Amber." The little mare perks up at her name and trots back to Winter. Autumn looks uncertainly at her sister.

"Winter-" Autumn begins. "Hush sister. You need not say anything. You and your foals are welcome anytime." Winter gently runs her hand through the normal looking foal's hair. Beltain hugs Autumn and sweeps the striped and spotted foal into the air. The foal cries out in surprise and Beltain tickles her tummy, making her laugh.

"Have you named them yet?" Beltain asks. Autumn shakes her head. "I've been thinking of names but none seem to fit." She said. "Why not Willow for the Zorse foal? Her coat reminds me of Willow branches." They turn to see Sarah, Jed and Jed's new sister Lailah come up.

"And the striped and spotted foal often spends time in the lilac bushes so why not name her Lilac. Plus her coat looks a bit purplish to me." Jed said ruffling one of the fawns heads.

"So Willow and Lilac." Autumn murmurs. She run her fingers through Willow's hair. The foal leans into her mother's touch. "But what of the other three? They are boys." Autumn jumps as one of the fawns begin to suckle. She grins sheepishly. "It is apparently mealtime." She grimaces and blushes as she lays down to feed the rest of her foals.