“We need another contraction like that,” she whispered. She glanced over her arm to Cain’s brothers. “On my word.” They nodded. Another contraction began. “Now. Slowly, steady,” she said, guiding the body until the foal slid free. “Yes,” Ella cried. The bairn was heavy and slippery. Bàs jumped forward to help her lower the foal onto the hay.

Ella leaped toward the foal’s head, tearing away the white sack. “A rag,” she cried, and Gideon threw one before her. She wiped at the foal’s nose while he rubbed the body, but it had gone still. Had it been too long without air? “You were kicking.”

Cain came around to kneel with her in the hay, wiping his large hands over the small light-colored wet body. “Her breath is gone,” he said, his voice solemn.

“Damn,” Gideon cursed, dropping to open the foal’s eyes one by one.

It was a baby girl. “No,” Ella said, not ready to give up. “She was just kicking.”

Joshua grabbed the little back legs, working them, trying to wake her up, but she didn’t move.

“Rub her with towels again,” Cain said, and Gideon began to rub her, jostling the horse. She didn’t stir.

“We need to get air into her,” Ella said, grabbing her mouth, pulling it open. There was fluid inside that she wiped out with the rag, sliding its tongue side to side to clean the mouth. “You need to breathe,” she said and lowered her mouth, blowing into the little horse. She felt air come back out through the nostrils and covered them with her palm. She blew again and again into the baby horse’s mouth.

“Ella,” Cain said, his hand on her shoulder, but she didn’t stop.

“The hoof,” Joshua yelled. “The hoof moved!”

Ella rolled back onto her toes, wiping her hands all over the foal’s face, tickling the nose and inside her wet ears. “That’s it, sweet babe.” The newborn’s eyes opened to view the world for the first time.

“Aye!” Bàs yelled as the little horse lifted her head.

Ella squeezed her eyes shut, clearing the tears from her sight, and blinked. She looked down when she felt warm fingers cover her sticky hand and turned her face to Cain. He smiled broadly, his eyes alive with joy, the lines and furrows of worry completely gone. He was…splendid. She met his smile with a joyful one of her own.

“Ye did it, Ella,” he said. “Bloody hell. Ye brought her to life.”

Ella turned her hand to hold Cain’s hand back, fingers sliding between fingers to squeeze. “Bringing life to this world is a woman’s specialty.”

Joshua snorted, making her glance his way. His smile was sharp, almost predatory. “Ye are also damn good at dispatching life from this world, like our father’s.”

“Joshua, hold your tongue,” Gideon said, shoving a hand against his chest.