Chapter 1 - Rememberance Day

Her name was Eva. She was a lovely little newborn fawn. Her eyes looked to the sky, watching the cloud-filled atmosphere as snowflakes fell from them. The forest was enveloped in the cold, white substance, and the newborn's soft white fur was a perfect camoflauge for the area.

Sadly, she was too late. The newborn gasped as blood seeped from her wounds. Her fur was lined with several lines of blood that ran down her belly-up body and stained the snow she lay upon. Two beasts stood before her, two large hunting dogs, that both smiled in pleasure. They mauled her when she was discovered, the newborn was absolutely helpless against them. But she held on, her life was slowly ending before it even started.

"Brutus, Killer, no!", a voice came nearby. The newborn turned her head just slightly to see the new creature appear, a two-legged monster that approached and kicked one of the dogs. The dog yelped and ran, the other following behind. The human knelt next to the fragile little deer, taking a cloth and wrapping it around her body to stop her from bleeding.

Eva looked just past him to see another creature. It almost looked like a pile of snow, but she could see it. Her mother lay there, her eyes closed and her face deeply saddened as she rested in the soft snow. She was already dead. The newborn did not understand anything, and writhing a little more, she cried out for the first time as the cloth was tightly knotted.

The man lifted the little creature and held her in his arms. She lay helplessly, crying and gasping much deeper now. The man carried her away, calling for his dogs, who followed from a distance.

Eva's eyes closed. She shivered and buried her face into the man's sleeve. She slowly relaxed and fell into a soft slumber.

She didn't understand...

-=|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|=-

Mother? What's wrong, Mother?

Why are you crying?

Get up, Mother...

Mother...it hurts so bad...

Mothe...please...help...

Moth...

"Zephyr!", a voice interrupted her thought. The young doe stood, staring off toward the Pond. The cold winter rain pelted her body, freezing her just a little. Every breath of hers was hard, and steam expanded from her mouth as her mind returned to reality.

Another doe came toward her, a much older one. "Zephyr! Come out of the rain, honey! You'll get sick out here!", Mazey scolded her. The daughter stared at her mother for a moment, and looking back at the Pond, she replied, "I thought I heard..."

"Hmm? What's the matter?", Mazey asked her. Zephyr shook her head, "I guess I was imagining things.", she said. "Well come on. Axie and I were worried sick about you. You'll warm up at the Old Oak.", Mazey said, who turned and began to walk back the way she came.

The daughter doe looked at the Pond one last time. "Why does the sky weep, mom?", she asked. Mazey looked back, "Maybe the world misses your father...", she began, "Or maybe it's just nature doing it's job." Mazey continued on, not looking back.

Zephyr looked up to the sky. The cold rain now penetrated the holes of her mask, but she kept her eyes open, staring up at the rain. "What are you trying to tell me?", she asked the sky. She thought she saw something before her, and for a brief moment, time stood still. The rain seemed to hover in mid-air, and the world was silent. Zephyr's breath was the only thing she could hear, as her heart paced faster.

A figure appeared before her, hovering with four great wings. Zephyr's eyes widened as her father appeared, his eyes fixed on her and a soft smile on his face. "Dad...?", Zephyr asked. He didn't answer. "Dad!", she exclaimed, her eyes beginning to tear up. Quad slowly nodded.

"Zephyr!", Mazey called to her daughter again. The doe looked at her mother, then turned and saw...nothing...but rain. It was like it never happened. "Your father is...", Mazey tried to say, but she stopped. Zephyr shook her head, "I know.", she said, "I know."

The young doe finally followed her mother back to the Old Oak, though she looked back for a brief moment. "Dad...", she said again.

-=|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|=-

The following day was much dryer than before. The deer were about in the Forest, doing their normal things as if nothing had happened. The air was musty from the rain and cold, an odd feeling for them as the Forest was normally hot and dry.

Zephyr awoke to see that her mother and brother had already left. She stood and stretched, walking out and shaking the water on her head. The sunlight blinded her for a moment, but her eyes adjusted quickly. She was used to sleeping out in the open, not within the Old Oak.

The doe ate a little and then wandered to the Ruins. Her father's old pillar had become his memorial - vines had covered it, and poppies grew around. Zephyr stood, watching the monument sadly, as tears formed from her eyes. She missed her father dearly.

"Quad wouldn't have wanted you to mourn.", someone said nearby. Zephyr looked to see Laruna and Jen there, both smiling at her. Zephyr wiped her eyes, replying, "I can't help but to miss him. He's my father."

Laruna shook his head, "Hold your head up high, and live happily.", he said, and looking to the monument, continued, "That was what he told us to do. He didn't want us to cry."

Zephyr looked back at the old pillar. "I wish he was still here..." "We all do.", Jen agreed, "He was a good friend." "Come, your mother is looking for you.", Laruna said as the two older stags began to walk away. Zephyr shook the tears from her face, and mustered a little smile...for her father...

To Be Continued...