"I'm feeling ok. Right now anyway" Dixie said as she leaned again West. "I'll just be more clingy " she grinned then lowered her head to graze a bit. +our foal. Hopefully I'm actually pregnant. +

West smiled, a little worriedly though. "Good. And how can you get more clingy?" He joked, looking around, already a more protective air about him. Nothing was going near Dixie now without facing West.

Dixie flicked her black tail, swatting him in the process. "Calm down mister. You know I can get more clingy. Don't test me" she giggled and upped at his mane with a smile

West was now tense, his sharp gaze surveying the land one way, then scanning back the other. When Dixie nudged him he glanced over. "I'm not calming down for a whole year. Not until the foal is born. Then I won't calm down until the foal is all grown up." He huffed back. "You get as clingy as you want." He turned his gaze back to the forest.

"Oh West." Dixie shook her head. "I'll be ok. Promise" she said with a smile, her head dropping into the grass and her teeth chomping away.

West glanced at Dixie again with a small sigh. Naw. It wasn't gonna be completely okay until he was dead, because he couldn't worry when he was dead. He didn't graze, instead checking over the rest of the herd with his gaze. Ghost wasn't here, was he? West didn't notice the stallion, but Ghost tended to wander a little, plus they were their own horse. They could go wherever they'd like.

Dixie snorted then flicked her tail. She stepped up and grazed a little then raised her head. She rested her hoof with a sigh

West shook his mane slightly and walked a couple steps away, his head lifted as his gentle brown gaze surveyed the line of trees and grass that reached as far as the eye could see.

-

Ebony came running up, towards West and Dixie. "Hey you two! Aren't you glad Mystery is back? How are you both doing? Dad why do you look like if I get any closer you might eat me?" She chirped with a grin, bouncing closer.

-

West glanced down as Ebony came running up. "Yes I'm glad Mystery is back, I'm doing fine, and I do NOT look like I might eat you." He answered with a snort.

"Oh Ebony" Dixie laughed "you do look like you would eat ANYONE who walked up" she smiled. She knew the reason for this sudden protectiveness.

Ebony tossed her mane. "You totally do! I agree with Mom! But you DON'T look like you want to eat Mom. That's a good thing." She snorted jokingly, prancing over to stand beside Dixie and staring at West. The gears in her head turned.

-

West rolled his eyes. "I don't." He retorted with a flick of his tail, going back to staring at the trees.

-

Ebony watched him for a moment more before grinning widely. "I know what's going on. Dad, just 30 minutes ago you weren't like this, a couple months ago you and Dixie got back from that trip and you weren't like this, you are being awfully protective of Mom only, and only your normal level of protectiveness of everyone else- which if I must add is still too high- and Mom looks happier than a horse in the desert that found water." She paused with a triumphant snort. "Mom, you're pregnant, aren't you."