(First writing of my new baddie, Nekumbra. Just wanted to try out a short story featuring her.)

The Grotto of Sorrow was a place tucked away into the deepest parts of the forest. It was a place where many elder deer knew not to venture, for it was aptly named and well avoided.

It was a place where those who were foolish enough to venture in would not be seen again. Many have claimed to hear screams come from the trees there, and that alone was enough to send them running away. Countless times, the does warned their young not to go anywhere near it, and fortunately most of them obeyed and stayed away.

There were many times, though, where the fawns disobeyed, and went into the Grotto. Those were days of mourning, the loss of a young was always a deep pain to bear.

The elders had never considered exploring the Grotto as a team - the fear of death there was much too terrible for them. Therefore, many myths were spoken as to what was in the Grotto. Some believed that there was a pit that those who ventured in would fall into, plummeting eternally into the center of the land. Others thought that perhaps it was the home of Iugulare, the terrible stoat that fought against the Talux of the Endless Forest. There was not an answer, and none of them wanted to find out the truth.

On a particularly warm day, a fawn wandered around the forest, looking for his mother, calling out to her. He was tired, and walking into a clearing, he sat and rested his legs. Looking around, he did not really know where he was. This place was completely new to him.

"Hello there, little one.", a voice said nearby. The fawn looked to see a lovely doe standing there, standing out of the sunlight. The shadows from the leaves above danced on her brown and white fur, and her dark eyes stared at the little one without blinking.

The fawn stood, "Can you help me find my mother?", he asked. "Of course. Come this way, I will lead you to her.", the doe replied. The fawn felt relieved, obeying the doe and walking deeper into the clearing. The two walked into a gap in the trees, and soon they were in a strange den. The place was darker than normal dens, and the fawn had trouble walking - the ground seemed sticky.

"I don't like this place, I want to go...", the fawn began to say, when he looked back at the doe. No longer was she standing on her hooves, she seemed to be floating in the air. But then he saw that she was being supported by several long, twig-like legs that were connected to the sides of her body.

"Little one, I am your mother now, and you are my meal.", the doe said, and immediately positioned herself to where a small opening on her belly shot out a string of webbing. The fawn was too terrified and confused to run, and the sticky silk caught him and tangled his legs. He watched as the doe walked toward him, placing two of her long legs onto his side and spinning him while more of the silk wrapped around him. His heart was racing, and he cried out to anyone who could hear him, but it was too late, he had been wrapped up in the cocoon and could no longer see or speak.

The creature pressed the tangled fawn up onto her belly, the hoofed legs holding onto him as she lowered her head. "Rest now. Your life is over.", she said, and opening her mouth, she bit into his shoulder. The fawn tried to scream in pain, but felt his body go numb, and he fell into a deep sleep.

He would never see daylight, or any other living creature again. The youngling's body was carried deep within the lair, and placed in a chamber where the doe could feed on him later.

She returned to the entrance to the Grotto of Sorrow, and tucking her spider-like legs under her belly, she appeared again to be a doe to any others who saw her. She waited for another unsuspecting victim to cross her path.

Nekumbra...what are you? A creature from another world? A demon from this realm? Maybe it will never be known, but it does not matter to those who meet her. Either way, she is their eternal slumber...