"Such pain...such beautiful pain...", the voice seemed to speak from the shadows. Eyes gleamed toward the God-Child, a flash of grey illuminated within the darkness.

"Tell me, little one, what is it I could do to ease that beautiful pain? Do you wish for a way out from this world? I could arrange it...", Iugulare spoke coldly, her face slightly emerging from the shadows, a slick, rounded snout with an intrigued, toothy grin...

The stoat stepped out more, seeming to reveal more of her slender, drippy body. She circled around the fawn, studying her closely.

"Tell me, why do you cry then?", she questioned intently. The fawn intrigued her now, a slight sound in the back of her throat much like a purr, which was unusual for a creature that looked more like a weasel rather than a cat.

The stoat listened to her questions, and sitting, she answered. It was only polite to answer, even if she had the power to overtake this one.

"It simply is a matter of perspective to what you would call 'good' and 'evil'. I don't consider myself 'evil'. No...'evil' is the Twin Gods, my child. They are the ones who force your species into doing favors for them. They are the ones who destroy at will when they choose. They are the ones who refuse to let creatures like you be free. I am not like them at all, I offer a dream to those who seek it, in return for possession of their body. Think about it, what would you rather have? This painful, dramatic, terrible world you live in here, or a safe world where everything you've ever wished for came true? Now what is 'evil' about offering that?", she spoke.

Readjusting and hearing the other questions, she answered them as well, "My child, I am not killing anyone. They simply are killing themselves. I offer them a peaceful escape in return for their body, and they refuse my gift, retaining their precious bodies until the infection eats them to death. It is their choice to die, not mine.

No...no I need them to be alive...because I have plans...", she looked up to the sky here, "Yes...plans...and these powers of yours which you cannot control, I see they are damaging you. Why do you continue like this when you could be free? What is there to life you cling to so dearly?", she spoke, a smug smile on her face here.

This will be too easy...but why am I bothering speaking to this one when I could just pounce on her?

[[Ahh, poor Phion. :c I'm really quite interested in her...My Priest has a connection to the Gods as well, so I'll have to have him meet her someday! Fight, Phion, fight! D:]]

[[I have to touch off a little plot I've got going on for him and then perhaps they'll be able to meet. 83 I hope soon! <3]]

Iu, If you never tell me about your home planet, I cannot learn why you want to take our bodies. I amy be young, but I am not ignorant. And plus, why would you even want to go back when you could stay here? We don't really worry about that kind of stuff here, you know. She smiled, rising to meet Iugulare. The fawn nuzzled her, then kissed her on the forehead, using her light to burn away the infection that was left on her skin afterwards.

Maybe Mom and Dad would give you a new body, Iu... one that could be nuzzled and would not fall away when you walked. You could enjoy sunlight. You could teach me things, and I would teach you things. She offered, eyes fading as her fur did.

Iu, I think my gifts tell me you can not hurt me by your self, and I can incinerate any of those wolf-things you can send after me. Now, I know I am just a fawn, but do not think for a moment that I am ignorant.

((Not a problem. And I think you just found Phion's weak spot. She hates being called stupid.))

Phion seared away the infection as if it were nothing. Just because they would rather learn than kill, Iu? She asked, tilting her head a tiny bit.

And yes, Iu. I think you could just live here peacefully. Nobody would condone you for what you have done if you just leave it like it is. I mean, you could be without all that pain that you carry, if you just ask. Just like me, you could get rid of it. Not hard at all. She smiled, tail flicking behind her. The stoat wanted more than anything. She wanted everything.

Iu, you already have this universe to yourself. Everyone already lives within their own universe, did you know that? She asked, laying down again to become level with the stoat. Iugulare was really a mean person, Phion was starting to think. The ethereal fawn rested her head on the grass, and blew a little bit of the Endless Forest dust in to the air. It whirled and glittered away on the wind.

I just would rather see you not get hurt in the end. Both of us will, and neither of us want to. A little compromise is all that needs to happen, I think. Toads! If I am stuck being your mother and you a new fawn with an old mind, I think that would be enough of a compromise for the both of us! Plus, you could start new. YOu already have the whole universe.

The fawn looked startled. Revenge? How could she not understand revenge or the fact that the world is not all lillies and doves? Her smile returned, and she walked proudly over to Iugulare, looiing her directly in the eye and almost nose-to-nose with the stoat, she spoke.

Iu. This world is full of Upset and Fear, those were the first emotions I woke up with here. I know they exist and they exist for everyone. I am not phased because I choose not to feel them. I choose not to listen to threats because I know I am free to be a part of this world and can deal with whatever is thrown at me. I do not have to be an infected stoat to see that. And I do not think being mean to you would help anyone. By my father, I would even protect you myself if you wanted. I would tell everyone to be nice to you or I would burn their noses or set their fluffy tails alight. Phion smiled. She wanted Iu to be her sister, so that they could play together and be friends. Iugulare really needed a friend, no matter how fawn-minded that sounded.

Backing up, the fawn peered at Iu with her big, green eyes. Woudn't you want to be free of Quad's fighting forever? Live without worrying that the Gods were going to send he and I to incinerate you at any moment? You could de-animate those hounds so that you can get your power back and you wouldn't have to worry about them. Like me, they could probably give you a healing power or something... maybe when you grow up you could even have a huge set of antlers on your head to spar with. I think you would be good at that, Iu.

Phion stared in horror for a brief moment, before looking solemnly at Iugulare. Her eyes then grew with the earth, the forest reflecting in them as her pelt brightened. If that is how you want to be, it makes me upset. I really would have loved to be your sister and see you with a pair of antlers all your own. Phion turned and stood her ground in front of the charging stag, before quickly side-stepping it. She let the thing brush her, healing the infection on that side with a gentle glow.

Phion would not let the burning tears well in her eyes as the stag rounded for another charge. She brushed warmth over the stag, incinerating the infection while barely harming the beast. Her frustration caused her pictogram to pulse and her small form to shake. All she could do now was try to avoid the antlers of the still-infected stag. Crouching low, the fawn took a dive beneath the stag, a bright light enveloping both before the stag bolted, very scared but free of the infection. Phion, however, had a hoofprint on her ear and a bruise on one thin leg. Standing, she tried not to show her pain.

You're grumpy, Iu. Who said anything about surrendering to the gods? They don't ask for allegiance. They only ask that the deer of our forest stop getting hurt. You just stopped being civil, Iu. Phion advanced on the stoat, eyes glimmering and body charged. She focussed her pictogram and sent out a plea for forgiveness to the gods in a whisper.

I am sorry, Iu. She spoke sincerely before sending a ray of light directly on the stoat's head. The trees parted their boughs to let her gain more light before suddenly stopping. The smell of infection smoldering permeated the air. Tears dripped from the fawn's cheeks, causing fresh waves of pain and little circles of burnt earth on the ground. Her voice never faltered as she spoke.

I don't want to fight anymore, but if I have to, I will. I will not let this be the fate of my forest, and you will just have to become one of us or leave this world forever... leave every planet forever. Because our minds are stronger than yours in the most important way: We don't have rage weighing us down. The fawn shook her head, sending little droplets spraying everywhere, including Iu's nose. She shrugged a sorry.

Phion stood tall, even on her injured leg, peering eye-to-eye with Iugulare.

Iugulare now understood that this fawn would be very, very difficult to control. Stepping back, she fell into desperation.

"You're much tougher than I expected. But that is good, very good...if it is not dreams you wish for, what about the universe itself? All I ask is for complete servitude, and I could give you an entire galaxy all to your own. Anything you desire, all the dreams you seek, you could do.

So how about it? This is one mere planet you wish to protect, but if you choose to obey me, I could give you countless worlds of your very own."

"You dare mock me? Why would I want to hang out with...", she began to shout, but then she stopped. "I don't have to conform to your ways. And I'm done talking with you."

She turned away, preparing to leave the area. She looked over her shoulder at the fawn, and spoke, "Anirapio or Nekumbra will come to eat you soon. I hope you enjoy the last few moments of your life.", and with that, she ran off, vanishing into the shadows of the trees.

A few moments later, the fawn was visited by another strange creature. Her body was a sleek green with a pale white underside. She landed from the sky, outstretching her great wings for a moment before tucking them in. The dragon looked toward her curiously, and it was here that Phion realized she didn't have a mouth. There was an odd-looking cut across her chest, however, that would take her some time to understand that was where she ate at. The dragon straightened up and then spoke through telepathy, "Ah, you must be the one Iugulare spoke of. She said to look for a lone fawn over here...", but then she tilted her head on further inspection of Phion, noticing the various marks on her face from the tears she cried, "Hmm...you don't look all that healthy though...I wonder if I'd get sick if I ate you."

"What are you doing?", Anirapio spoke quite frankly. She had never had a fawn actually approach and rub up against her. This was certainly unlike anything she had ever experienced, even on her home planet. She was much used to her prey running away, not being affectionate.

"I don't know about that. My pouch is quite lined well. I've digested some very armored creatures on my home world...simply find a weak spot in their armor and the digestive juices penetrate through.", she spoke, tilting her reptilian head, "I'm quite tempted to test eating you and seeing about this 'incineration' you speak of. I'm not as vulnerable to light and heat as Iugulare is."

"How interesting...", the dragon spoke, before lowering her head nearly touching Phion's, "because I would love to hear you try out and die in my stomach."

Anirapio's species enjoyed eating their prey whole. It was satisfying to feel a creature struggling and writhing within their stomach. They were driven more on instinct rather than right and wrong, as they had much higher metabolisms than most other creatures, they had to eat quite frequently, so they preferred to just devour their prey as they were alive rather than spend the time killing them before they ate.

A squirrel was scurrying by when she spoke the words. The dragon locked onto the rodent, and with her tail, she quickly snared it, wrapping around and squeezing it's delicate body.

She maneuvered her tail and showed the fawn her catch, the squirrel crying out and trying to free itself from the wrapping. Anirapio immediately opened her pouch and dropped the squirrel in. Phion could see a small bulge in the dragon's white belly where the squirrel was, it moving around trying to escape, the sounds of it still crying out penetrating through her skin.

"Now listen...", the dragon spoke, and as she did, the squirrel let out a loud cry before never speaking again. The bulge seemed to compress, the squirrel's body squished and drained of it's blood and muscle. The process only took a moment, and when she was done, she maneuvered her tail toward Phion, dropping out what was left of the squirrel in front of the fawn through a small slit at the tip of her tail. A mass of fur and bones hit the ground before the fawn.

"I'm sure it would be just as long for you as well. Could you concentrate your 'incinerating' powers while writhing in pain much like this squirrel? Or would it be too easy to overtake you?", Anirapio questioned.

These words and actions of Phion's really confused and surprised Anirapio. The fawn was now at her feet, resting on her body, warming her. No creature had ever acted like this around her.

With a heavy snort, Anirapio closed her eyes for a moment and thought. She was not as difficult to sway as Iugulare was, even if she expressed this in a negative way.

"...Fine. I'll spare you, but only because I don't know what you're capable of...and you are a little cute I suppose...", she looked down at the fawn here, "...a little..."

"But don't think I will be so lenient on you next time. If I hadn't have eaten that squirrel, I would not even consider letting you go.", she turned here, the warmth of the fawn leaving her body as she started to walk away. She stopped and let out a sigh through her nostrils, "There is nothing you could offer me, anyway. Not unless you could find a food source to feed an entire planet. I'm starting to doubt that Iugulare is really helping me at all...or simply wasting precious time..."

"Grass? Mushrooms?", Anirapio tilted her head. She looked down at her feet, noticing the strange things growing from the ground. "Oh these things? No, we don't have them on my planet."

She picks up one of the mushrooms and stuffs it into her pouch...not realizing it was poisonous...

A moment later she was feeling very dizzy, and collapsed near Phion. "Urghh...never again...will I eat one of those 'maushrooms'...urghhh..." She closed her eyes in pain.

"Wh...what did you...how did you...?", the dragon sat up, surprised at how instantaneously she was healed. When Phion put the other mushroom in her pouch, she closed her eyes and absorbed the flavor of the fungus.

"...Not bad, really...hmm...", she said, actually enjoying the mushroom. "It's a shame we don't have these on Ibuzon. They would certainly help our famine problem there..."

For once...someone actually wants to help me?, she questioned in her mind.

"Hmm...possibly...but I doubt it would survive interspace travel...", Anirapio spoke, looking up to the sky. She was very desperate to find a means to save her starving species, and this mushroom would be a wonderful source of food...if only she could get it to Ibuzon.

"I'll have to look into this. It may be the exact thing I need...", she spoke, then looking down at the fawn, she said, "Thank you...I'm glad I didn't eat you now."

Her face morphed just a little...she actually looked like she was smiling despite not having a mouth on her face.