Chapter 1
Eyes open...briefly.
A voice that sounded so gentle and warm spoke...
The foal fell from its mother, a tangle of shiny limbs in the tall grass, spindly and delicate, covered in its amniotic sac. After a brief pause Amara his mother turned, bending that neck right down to her newborn, but finding that even her neck wasn’t quite long enough. She splayed her front legs outwards so that she could nuzzle and lick. The calf stirred as if brought out its post-birth shock and it raised its head, leaning against mother’s legs. After more nudges he tried to stand, the first two times collapsing in a heap of disorganised legs, rolling, struggling. But on the third attempt he rose to standing and soon Amara was pushing him gently along to encourage him to take some steps.
Mother and Child doing well.
“Welcome to the world little one you are my son and your name is Twig, come on now it is time to get your legs moving before the sun comes up and we are seen”
Twig stands up and looks around as if to welcome the morning sun, warming himself and melting his mothers heart.
“Come on Twig let’s get moving before we end up as a meal for a lion”
Twig leaned his long neck over toward his mother, resting his head against her silky fur and half closing his eyes in bliss. The pattern covering Twig was like a rich chestnut painted on golden cream and his head was a unique art in itself. Amara watched Twig, ears like cuddly fluff balls moving according to his mood.
Twig couldn’t quite get over his legs, they looked so stretched but strong at the same time. Then as if right on cue Twig looked up into his mothers eyes, his eyes a rich brown colour and Amara whispered down to him...
“I love you and I will protect you Twig” and then she nuzzled his face and instantly Twig knew who his mother was and that she loved him.
Over the baked golden grass trod the hooves of Amara and Twig as they joined their herd, their legs as slender as stilts with wide knees. From their withers their backs sloped down to their tails that flicked in the morning sun. Higher still were the necks that stretched upward into the sky, heads tall enough to reach for the leaves in the boughs. There was something lazy about their motion, like inside their hearts beat a steady rhythm unless a lioness should prowl close by.
And so Twig begins his journey in life walking gently by his mothers side and taking in all the sounds, smells and wildlife that is now stretching and bathing in the glory of the morning sun.
