Peace, harmony, and enlightenment in all things.

Live in the shadows.

Failure is not an option.

Know your surroundings.

Focus. Focus!

"What'cha doing?", a calm and curious voice interrupted the ninja's train of thought. Kinsha's blood went cold as he realized his hiding spot was discovered. The two stood in the stonework of the Ruins, which was always one of Kinsha's favorite places to practice his ninjutsu.

Zephyr tilted her head, a slight smirk on her face. She rarely ever saw a deer creeping around or being sneaky like Kinsha was. To her, he was just playing some weird game.

"Err...I...", Kinsha scrambled to think of a response, "Hey what's that over there?", he questioned immediately.

The naive doe turned her head and saw a lone fawn playing with butterflies. "Just some kid being funny like you...", she tried to say, but turning back, Kinsha was gone. The doe tilted her head once more and then shrugged it off. "Well, whatever you're doing, you must have good reason to.", she spoke to seemingly nothing, turning and wandering off.

Kinsha got the message. He let out a sigh. That was close..., he thought, If that doe was a real threat, I probably would be dead.

The ninja stood and surveyed the area. The beluga doe was enjoying the butterflies with the fawn. Other deer slumbered quietly in the area. The Forest was at peace today.

Kinsha slipped into his hiding spot once more.

I am the shadows. I am the ninja., he thought

~~~~~

"Did you hear that another fawn has vanished?", Blixt spoke to a nameless stag.

The stag shook his head, "That's horrible! Does anyone know where they are disappearing to?"

Blixt lowered his head, "No, but there's a few places that haven't been investigated. I'm sure they'll turn up eventually."

"I really hope so. Those poor mothers, I couldn't begin to think what they must be going through.", the nameless replied.

The conversation went on another minute before the two bowed, the nameless walking away. At this moment, Blixt said to seemingly no one, "You can come out now. I can see you from here."

Irk!, Kinsha croaked. My cover is blown again? I must be having bad luck today!

The ninja slowly stood and revealed himself from the tall grass. Blixt nodded, his mood slightly irritated, although that was hidden behind the green mask he wore. "Do you know anything about these fawns disappearing?", he interrogated Kinsha.

The ninja shook his head, "This is the first I've heard of it.", he admitted.

"Hmph...", Blixt grunted, "Well, you seem suspicious when you sneak around like that. If I catch you doing it again, I'm coming after you.", he said, turning and walking away.

Fawns are disappearing..., Kinsha thought, Maybe this is my chance to put my ninja skills to use! He smiled just slightly, And I know exactly where to start!

~~~~~

"What do you mean by that? I don't eat acorns!", the pronghorn shouted at a tree. "You must be crazy! I've never been more insulted in my life!" He stomped his hooves and snorted, turning and kicking up dirt at the bark of the tree before storming away. "Who would do such a thing? Eat acorns, bah! I'd rather eat poppies than eat acorns!", the infuriated pronghorn argued with himself.

Bingo!, Kinsha thought as he located Pent. Even if the pronghorn didn't know where the fawns were disappearing to, his trees surely would know. The ninja made a cautious approach toward Pent, who had stopped to talk to a birch tree. As he approached, he noticed Pent's ears perk a little, but the pronghorn didn't turn to see him. Instead, he continued his conversation with the birch tree, "Wait what do you mean by that? Deer aren't made of tree sap."

Kinsha was a little thrown off by the odd conversation, but he cleared his throat and tried to ask, "Do you know anything about...", but was cut off by Pent ignoring him and saying, "Well I know antlers look like branches but we're not made of wood!"

The ninja shook his head. This is stupid. Why would I ever think this character would know anything?, he questioned himself, but as he was turning, Pent seemed to be talking to him, "You're looking for the fawns, right?"

Kinsha stopped and looked to Pent, who was now looking back at him. "The trees say there is a secluded area near the Playground where an odd doe keeps picking up fawns with her mouth and taking them in. They are always talking about mother does calling out to their fawns but not finding them."

"Where is this place you're talking about?", Kinsha questioned. He was surprised - the pronghorn actually gave him a lead on the case!

"They call it 'The Grotto of Sorrow'. It's an old tunnel that opens right by the great boulders. They say the doe is always going in and out of it.", Pent explained.

Kinsha got a sense of direction and ran off toward the Playground. Pent shrugged, "What a crazy deer.", he said to the birch tree.

Within moments, Kinsha found the tunnel. He had never seen it before, and just as he was about to examine it, he heard someone coming nearby. Ducking into the tall grass, he watched as a golden doe seemed to hover in the air, a fawn gripped firmly in her mouth. Kinsha was shocked to see eight spider legs holding her up and walking with fluid motion. The spider doe surveyed the area before entering into the tunnel.

Kinsha gulped so loudly that he was afraid that it gave away his hiding spot. This was an actual mission, one of danger and stealth. He would jeopardize his life to discover the truth about the fawns. Gathering what courage he had, he emerged and approached the tunnel.

He crept up and listened. No rustling or breathing near the entrance. He took a deep breath and entered, finding the ground was more sticky than the normal earth outside. Webbing, blood, and bones littered the den floor - he noticed many bones close to the entrance. They must have been poor souls who tried to escape but got tangled in the webbing and were killed there.

He gingerly stepped and was able to maneuver better, and venturing deeper in, he discovered more bones wrapped in thick webbing, some sitting on the ground, others hanging from the low ceiling. More of the spider deer's victims, he concluded. He saw an opening into another room, where he peeked in and saw the creature seeming to be doing her own thing, the shivering fawn nearby. This was the moment to act, he might not get another opportunity to rescue the fawn.

Creeping in, he approached the fawn, who soon saw him and tried to cry out. Kinsha motioned for the fawn to keep quiet, but Nekumbra heard the fawn and looked over. "Shh...it'll be all over soon.", the spider deer spoke calmly to the fawn, returning to her work. Kinsha had hidden behind a mass of webbing that would have been another of Nekumbra's victims. He emerged, peeking around it, his heart racing. Nekumbra wasn't looking, and as quickly as he could, he crept up and snatched the fawn in his mouth.

He felt his heart stop for a second when Nekumbra turned and spotted him. "An intruder?! How did you...?!", the spider deer shrieked, who was terrified of adult deer herself.

Kinsha panicked, and not stepping as lightly as he had been, his legs got tangled in some of the sticky webbing on the ground. Nekumbra took the perfect opportunity to strike at him, quickly moving and lashing with her fangs. She bit into the ninja deer, injecting her venom. Kinsha cringed and lost his footing, his body going numb, the fawn slipping out of his grip.

It can't end this way...

I failed...

I...

No...

Failure is not an option!

I can overcome this!

Focus!

Focus!!

Mustering all of his strength, Kinsha stood and bolted for the exit of Nekumbra's lair. His hooves were as light as air, and the ninja didn't let anything stop him from escaping with the fawn. Nekumbra didn't pursue, as she slunk deeper into her lair, still in shock that her own life was in danger. "Don't let me find you in here again!!", Kinsha heard the spider doe shriek from deep within the Grotto.

~~~

"Azure? Oh Azure!!", the mother doe cried happily when she and many others saw Kinsha stumbling toward them, fawn in his mouth. He placed the fawn before the doe before taking a step back and losing his footing, hitting the ground hard. His body was shivering much like Azure's was.

"Thief! Fawn stealer!", some of the deer nearby began to accuse Kinsha, but someone else stepped in. A red-faced stag shook his head, "Don't you know a hero when you see one?", Trunks shouted to the others. He turned to Kinsha, "Please, tell us who was responsible. Tell us where we can end the suffering of the fawns."

The ninja explained everything - that Nekumbra was the fawn stealer, as well as where the spider deer lived and what her lair was like on the inside. Many of the deer around became angry and started talking with one another about making an attack on Nekumbra's lair. The infuriated deer left and made their way toward the birch forest, and as Kinsha was about to continue, he was stopped as the fawn awoke, "...Moth...er...?", Azure spoke.

"Oh sweetie, I'm right here.", her mother wept. "Please...please don't cry...", Azure said, burying her face into her mother's chest as her body shut down. The fawn died in her mother's arms.

The others around lowered their heads in sympathy. Trunks approached the fawn and kissed her on the forehead, releasing Azure's spirit. She bounded happily around the ghost stag, and then saw her mother, "I'm okay now. I'm happy.", she assured the doe. The spirit smiled and nuzzled the doe before vanishing before their eyes.

Trunks gave a soft smile, "Don't worry. There's another fawn in your future.", he spoke to the doe before turning and walking away.

And as they all were keeping their attention on Trunks and the mother doe, none of them ever saw Kinsha run off. The deer all looked where he had been, but all they saw were hoofprints in the dirt. "What is he?", the others questioned among themselves. The doe looked to the distance, where she faintly saw a silhouette of a deer vanish into the haze.

"He's a ninja.", she spoke.

Kinsha would receive his praise for saving the fawn in his own way. He felt that it was necessary for him to disappear. It was just his way of following the ninja code - do what you need to and step out of the way.

~~~

"Oh no, I lost the pinecone.", a little fawn cried, looking around for a pinecone he had just knocked down from a tree. As he looked over toward the grasses, a pinecone popped out and rolled toward him. The fawn tilted his head and peeked into the grass, but there was nobody there. He was a little startled but politely said, "Thank you, grass!", before taking his pinecone.

A few feet away was Kinsha. He was the one responsible, and was quite proud of himself for attempting the feat without being detected. He turned and walked away, the words continuing to play in his mind.

Peace, harmony, and enlightenment in all things.

Live in the shadows.

Failure is not an option.

Know your surroundings.

I am the shadows. I am the ninja!