((The Fawn's entry is from a few days ago. The Priest's is a combination.))

Ulh
The stag stands up unsteadily. He has been sleeping for awhile now, after his long, dark journey. His slitted yellow eyes take in the landscape with a look of untamed wildness.

This is the place that they'd said he needed to find. His herd is far from him now. This is his new life. He runs joyously, testing his new legs and trampling everything in his path. He runs through groups of deer, ignoring their angry shouts. Or were they angry?

The customs here is different than what he is used to.

He continues tearing through the forest, almost madly. The joy of freedom surrounds him, wind brushing through his pelt. The forest bows beneath him in his insane joy. He hears his hooves pound the ground, feels its give. For him, wild joy is the only way to live.

He stops suddenly, pulling up right before he crashes into a stone wall. He laughs, exhilarated. His wild joy stays with him, warming his heart. This is to be truly alive. A wild glint flashes across his eyes. He is untamed. Nothing will hold him back.

His ears twitch. There is another deer nearby. He stands, eagerly, ready for a fight. Fights are fun, fights are wild and untamed, like him. The two go side by side. The white and black war paint on his pelt is a stark contrast from his usual golden. He's ready.

A deer with ram horns and a pelt of purple, perhaps, is standing there. He is visible angered. Ulh smiles wildly. Just the kind of fight he's looking for. His slitted eyes flash as he runs forward.

The deer lowers his antlers. Ulh gladly obliges, rearing, edging nearer. Soon they're locked in combat. Each scratch down his pelt brings him more of the mad joy. Each mark of his antler on the other's pelt brings him more alive. Taunts are thrown and he laughs in the exhilaration of the fight. He laughs insanely, the rush of the fight overtaking him. Soon the other deer is fleeing.

He chases him, though he is feeling the wounds now. The other stops, sensing him. He taunts him and gets results. The stag is after him again. The mad smile flickers across his face as he attacks. However, he knows that he has more important things to do. More things important to him than this old fool who thinks that he can beat him.

Ulh turns his back on the stag, proudly, smirking. Then he sets off to explore, sure that he is no worse for the wear.

He is wrong. As soon as the wild glory of the fight dulls, the pain takes its place. Not so bad. He catalogs his wounds.

Scrapes down his side. A few bruises as well. A headache. A somewhat painful long scratch down his right front foreleg that causes him to limp. He grins. Proof of his war. He limps off, proudly.

A doe is nearby. She comes up to him and he smiles, though it comes out as a bit of a grimace. He enjoys the company of does. Plus, his foreleg is getting to be an annoyance. Ulh sits down and she next to him. The warmth is enjoyable. The wild gleam in his eyes dulls a little, becoming little more than an occasional glint.

Soon, the pond is calling. He stands up and limps towards it. The doe is following him and he smiles mildly. He walks into the shallows and rests by her until he falls gently asleep.

Tomorrow promises more entertainment.

The Priest

It was a normal day until that doe showed up. Abominations. How do they even exist? I suppose they might not have been born here. Or perhaps they are just stags who will not face up to what they are. I shall remain civil, of course, though it can be hard.

Although...

I awoke in peace. I had realized lately that I could not lay here forever. My strength had been coming back and was finally at its full. The time to seek out that demon was coming. Is coming. I shall find him soon. He cannot hide in this forest.

This day was the day I finally realized that my rest was over. I stood and made my way up the bank. That's when I met her. That foolish doe.

Of course she was taunting me, trying to get a rise out of me. I bowed curtly. She proceeded to jump around me and act like a fool. Of course, what else could I expect of a doe? Of course she was foolish.

So I simply walked off.

Of course I saw her again, playing like the child that she is. She was with another, who I just watched, refusing to bow to. Instead, I walked off, frustrated.

I found myself in the Birch Forest. I paced and pawed at the ground, vaguely angry at the doe who was corrupting my brothers and trying to humiliate me. Of course, I am ashamed of my anger now. It was foolish; it will not happen again.

I sat down there, feeling ashamed at my lack of cordiality. Though I despised their actions, it is my duty to be cordial, at least. Perhaps at least a bow...But I decided against that quickly. Those who were like those two were undeserving of respect. They shall simply be ignored.

I fell asleep.

Today, I awoke again, walking peacefully through the forest. It was quite beautiful today, so I lay down to enjoy the peace.

Then came a familiar scent. That fawn...from so long ago. The one who made me sane again. I smiled to myself. I would finally meet that fawn-

The fawn had grown up. The fawn had grown up into a doe. She had a friend with her, a stag who bowed like a doe. I sniffed the both.

Yes, this was that fawn. I suppose my heart broke. She was a doe, just like that other one. I thought that perhaps I could stand her.

Then she started skipping around.

I do not know what I expected. I sighed, sadly, and moved off. She followed, confused and sad. I could not bear to chase her away, but I could not bear to have her near me either. She was not supposed to be in the forest. And yet...She was kind.

I ran.

The distress I felt was painful. She was a doe...but it was her that had saved my sanity. She was an abomination...yet she was loving?

She followed me. I got up again. No rest for the...for me, I suppose. She gave up and I finally had time to think.

It was then that I began to question why I thought this.

The forest was made for my brothers when...On that day many years ago. Does did not belong here. Yet, they were here. I suppose that the forest has become open to outsiders now. That is the only way the does could have come in. They had not been there in my time. So I shall deal with them...I do not have to like them.

But I cannot help my attachment to this little fawn...doe, the feeling that I must protect her. I resolved to find her.

I did. I watched her from far away, hoping that she could not sense me. I saw her kindness to others, her calm demeanor. Only after she has gained their trust does she play with them, encouraging them. For a moment, I wondered if this sort of play is good. I shook my head. No. Play only distracts from what we brothers should be doing.

She is fairly calm...even for a female. I subconsciously smiled. I moved closer and she saw me. She came away from the now dispersing group. I let her approach. Her persistence is admirable.

She came up to me quietly, peacefully. Something that I suppose...I can appreciate. I sniff her again, being sure. She is that fawn that I remember from long ago. She nuzzled me and I smiled. I gave up. She is too kind, too soft. She needs my protection. She sat down beside me, calmly. I could not help thinking of Bastilion as well. Both dear friends, though I hesitate to use friend. They are almost like a son and a daughter, though I could never think of them quite like that. They are independent, but I do not like to admit that.

I smile. Dear little fawn, the only doe I shall ever enjoy the presence of, the Gods and I shall protect you. Both of you.

-The Priest

The Fawn

Of course I'm still stuck here. I dream of my family a lot now. I miss mommy a lot.
It's all these statues' fault. They're the ones keeping me here. I just know it. They're probably keeping the rest of my dream deer here too.

So maybe if I destroy them, they'll let us go.

All the other deer are so stupid. They don't realize it either. Can't they see it's the statues forcing them to stay? Maybe I can make them see. Maybe if their idols fall, they'll realize.

I'm thinking that they're real again. They're...not. They're not.

I woke up the other day. Still here. But I woke up with a thought.

“Maybe I'm just in a coma back home.”

The thought made me happy. I sipped some water (my voice hadn't been used in awhile, of course), then headed off. I'm getting used to being dizzy and having to sit down a lot.

I avoided the hill of the Twin Gods (I've learned that they're called that). I explored my dream forest happily...

Until that fawn shot a bolt of light at me. I became a squirrel...and my headache decided to increase because of the light. I groaned and walked unsteadily for the pond, cursing that stupid fawn.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. They'd see soon.

I became a fawn again and collapsed. The pain of transformation added to the pain from the bright light. I got to my hooves again and stumbled to the pond, where I fell into the shallows.

I hate this stupid dream forest.

I'm going to destroy those idols...Then I'm going home.

I'm sure of it.