Herla lay shivering in the bottom of the crevice. This place was nothing but frightening to her. Cold, miserable and hostile. She’d listened in vain for any familiar sound and heard nothing. Then she’d heard the hooves of a large deer on the rocks above. Then she heard a voice. Gehirn? Could it be? She’d given up all hope. She lifted her voice, tentatively, “Gehirn?” then with more volume, “Gehirn!” she almost sobbed saying the name. She looked up in blackness. Getting to her shaky feet, she found cold hard rock all around her, she scrambled at the rock with her hooves, but they were steep and straight. “I’m down here!” she said, a note of panic in her tremulous voice.

Herla’s heart lifted at the sound of the big Irish’s voice, “Gehirn, it is you! I have fallen down here! I can’t see anything. It’s so dark! she stood with her front legs extended up on the rock wall, stretching out her neck trying to reach…anything. She tried in vain to see the giant stag in the darkness but to no avail. There was nothing but more rock above her. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I didn’t know. she said, another sob in her throat. “I never wanted to come here.’ And it was true, the little doe never had any desire to leave her forest. She’d never known anything else. It was her home.

Gehirn’s calm voice and reassurances stilled the mounting panic in the little does’ heart. If anybody could help her, it was the big Irish. She listened for the sound of sand falling as he instructed. A few bit’s of dust fell down on her from above. “Here! I’m here!” she called out. “It’s too dark though, I can’t see you. Please be careful, Gehirn, the rocks are very sharp! she said, feeling now the cuts she had on her legs and body. It had been a rough fall. "Perhaps when the sun comes up, it will be easier to find a way out." she said, though the thought of staying stuck down on this cold abyss made her heart shrink. "Just don't leave me...please." she said softly.

She heard the large Irish shuffling on the rocks above her as he laid down. His scent and near presence doing much to calm her fears. Was she alright down here? It was stark and cold, with no soft ferns to nestle in. The jagged rocks, a harsh bed indeed. The more she tried to move around in the dark, the more she scuffed herself up though. “I-I-I’ll be okay, “ she said, putting on a brave front. She tried to lay herself back down as best she could. Her cuts stinging and the rocky bed making her most uncomfortable. She was cold but she thought of Gehirn up there in the wind. She would not complain. She tried to make herself as comfortable as possible but her ears twitched around nervously at every sound.

When he remarked about not wanting to be out in the broad daylight, she caught the concern in his voice. The fact that Gehirn was worried made Herla worry. “Why? What is there…in the daylight,” she asked fearfully.

Herla looked up into the dark where Gehirn’s voice came from, she closed her eyes and tried to pretend the large Irish was sitting there next to her. “Nothing is broke. And I can stand.” she said, trying to fill her voice with confidence. “If I can see, I know I’ll be able to climb too.

When Gehirn described the creatures that walked on two legs, Herla wrinkled her nose in amusement and confusion. The only thing she knew of that walked on two legs where birds and they certainly where not something big Gehirn would be afraid of. She had no place in her mind for what creatures he was talking about. But they sounded dangerous. Especially if Gehirn feared them. Hopefully he was right and they would not be able to climb up here.

“This is a terrible place, Gehirn. she said, shivering in the cold. The forest was almost always warm, there was plenty to eat and always a soft bed to be had. This place was harsh and inhospitable. And had dangerous creatures that even Gehirn was afraid of. “Why did Virgil and Ephire ever want to come here? It’s completely dreadful.” she said, a note of exhaustion seeping into her words.

“Thank you Gehirn.” she said to the air above her, “Thank you for coming to find me.” she didn’t know what she would have done if he hadn’t shown up. She had no idea where Virgil and Ephire had gone and she would have had no clue how to find her way home again. She shuttered at the thought of being trapped in this desolate place.

She listened to the large Irish talk about his friend. Such sadness in his voice. Such hurt and betrayal. Her heart broke to hear him. Once again, she wished he were there next to her and not separated by all this rock. She wished she could comfort him. Somehow. “I am sorry,” she said as it was the only thing she could. She had not known that Virgil was unpleased with the forest and that he had come from elsewhere. It’s not one of those things she would have picked up easily on her own. There where many “different” deer in the forest. So this was Virgil’s land? All that she’d seen of it was harsh and cold, she didn’t know if she would appreciate it more when the sun came up or not. She was quite determined at this point to hate it. “I hope that dear Virgil will be able to find happiness here then. I would want that for him.” she allowed. She listened to the sound of Gehirn breathing, if she stilled her own breath and listened hard, she could hear him. It comforted her. It was so dark and lonely down here.

“I can’t imagine ever wanting to leave the forest.” she said to the air. “Everything I love is there.”

In the direction of home... it sounded fair enough. Some things one just knows. If someone at this very moment had asked him in which direction his own home would be he could have answered in a heartbeat.

He nodded at the hart's question. "No. They cannot. I'll be back. See you there", he said. With a sharp turn and a couple of strong wingbeats he rose and flew back towards the place where the portal was.

When he came closer he heard faint voices. Gehirn? That was strange and worrying. As he continued he could discern Herla's thin voice too. The black-pelted irish was hard to see in the dark, and it was pure luck that made him see a glinting eye somewhere in front of him. There was also the little silvery buck from before -- he was much easier to locate. Herla was nowhere to be seen.

He croaked quietly before landing on a rock beside them.


((Sorry for slow replies, been very busy, and will be for a couple of days more, very little computer time :c ))

Herla listened to the sound of Gehirn’s voice. Can't say never. She cocked her head at this, a gesture that of course was unseen by any. She had lived fewer years, her world was made up of many more definites and blacks and whites. She had a hard time understanding what Gehirn meant.

When his voice abruptly halted and she heard the shuffling of someone approaching, she held her breath a moment, fearful of what had come. Was it the two-legs that Gehirn had warned her of? Her ears pitched forward, straining for every sound. Then she heard Gehirn speaking again. Ephiré. It was Ephiré, apparently. And somebody else was there, perhaps the white stag? Gehirn spoke calmly, he didn’t sound concerned, she let out a relieved breath she had been holding.

Shifting her position on the sharp rocks, she craned her neck forward, trying in vain to see through the darkness to those above. Not even an outline could she discern, so trapped in black she was in the crevice. How long until daylight, she wondered? She longed to be free of this prison. “Is everything alright?” she asked to the air above her.

((Yes, take your time, there is no rush! ^^ ))

"Yes. Ephiré", the raven answered the irish' question. If birds could frown, he would have, when Gehirn told of Herla's situation. He nodded, hoping that she wasn't hurt. "I hope it will go well. Good luck." He felt sadness over these three who unknowingly and unwillingly had followed them into this barren land; looking at brd and Gehirn and thinking of Herla, he hoped they would go back to the Forest without injury.

At the next question he was silent for a moment. His gaze never left Gehirn's.
"I will. Him..." He looked out over the slope, in the direction where their friend had went. "...I don't know."

Another moment of silence. Then he seemed to gather his thought, shook up his feathers, and gave a nod. "Must go. Farewell – we will meet again." A bird's bow; lowered head and slightly open wings. Then he took off was disappeared into the night.

A dark bird in the darkness. Raven shadow over the rocky slopes, gliding on the cold night winds. Yes, this was very much like his home, he thought, when he searched the ground for the trees the Hart had headed for.

It didn't take the large stag long to get back to the crack. He looked around, where had the young buck gone to now? A deep sigh emitted from his throat. Had they gone off to? His antlers were adorned with grasses, ferns, all things he could carry in them that seemed soft to him. A few berries in his mouth.
"Herla?" He asked. "Are you still there?" Looking at the crack he was sure he had left before. His eyes wandered around the landscape for a moment. Still quiet, still no danger. Good.

The giant frowned. What was going on? With a simple toss of the neck, the ferns, grasses and moss fell on the stone ground next to him. "Herla?!" Now more forcive. Had something happend whilst he was gone? And where was that other stag?
He huffed. Lifting up a leg, stomping it down again immediatly. A big thud on the ground. "Answer me! What is going on?" Was the doe even still down there? "Where is that other stag? STAG!?" He still didn't know Brd's name. But it was worth a shot. His head lifted up quickly, turning around to view the landscape. They couldn't have ran off that quickly without him hearing, he never went far!

The red located Ephiré near immediately once the distinct raven's deep croak went off. He looked up to the sky and down as his friend landed on the earth beside him. He quickly pondered before lowering his head respectfully; he did not want to see Ephiré below him.

He was actually really glad when his raven companion took flight to perch upon his antlers. Sure it was a fair bit more weight, but it was nothing the Hart could not handle.

"I see..." He murmered quietly before carefully looking up to the mountain from whence they came. He frowned an invisible frown before answering his friend's offer. "Lets." He said, turning away from the mountain. Before them, a rocky slope abundant in pine trees. They will continue to follow the spring stream as it shaped the area with small rapids down its descent to the lake. That's where they want to be for now.

The Red didn't glance back, but his ears told another story, pivoted behind him to listen up the mountain. As they passed into the trees the wind quickly died down. This place was considerably more sheltered, but also darker. However adapt the Stag was, he took every step with care.

Time passed. The call of a local tawny owl near enough to be heard over the falling water had the red looking up. It was then he noticed the man-made trail(Road) ahead, the stream they were following going below it. He paused, pondering before looking up to the raven friend perched upon his antlers. "Shall we cross?"

They were almost at the bottom now. And the area still seemed quiet.

(@ 54.524161,-3.048621 via Google Maps)

Herla could hear Gerhirn’s somewhat frantic calls from above the crevice. Her heart thudded in her chest. How she wanted to call out to him, but he would not be able to defend her from anything down here. She heard the creature come closer. Then, something touched her. She started, crying out in fear. But the touch was gentle. A warm touch to her cheek. She recognized the smell of home on the creature. A stag. A stag from the forest. Another cry now, of relieved tension, a bit of sobbing. Gentle. “ Have you come to help me,” she asked.

Looking up to the dark expanse of rock above she called out, “Gehirn, it’s okay!” she sniffled, and wiped at her tears. “ I’m sorry I didn’t answer back. I thought a two-legged had climbed down to eat me. But it’s a stag. He smells of the forest.” she said, almost happy.

For a moment, the Irish didn't know what emotion he should display now. But a pressure rose in his chest, a pressure he could not deny. Actually, he was furious. "Don't you EVER do that to me again!" His heavy voice echoed through the crack. "If I ask you something, you ANSWER!" It took a while for the big chest to rise, fall, rise, and finally quieten down again. He huffed. Ofcourse, he shouldn't be mad, she was simply afraid. Likely he hadn't just made it better. The giant shook his head for a moment, a movement that almost seemed to go in slow motion, as his antlers constantly slowed him down. Another huff. "Alright. Sorry about that, you both alright down there?" His voice was remarkably calmer, though the hint of concern and perhaps even terror were still there.

It took him a bit to realize he was still out, in the open. And going all loud and violent would surely not keep them hidden. His ears jerked up, his head following. The sound of an owl not far off. It seemed to have startled him for a moment. The giant frowned, snorting. He was still very tense.

- Refollows-

A slight nod, an uneasy shuffle of his feet. He was tired, mentally exhausted. His head swayed with his heavy body. "It is alright." He answered the small doe, the exhaustion audiable in his voice. His ears perked up at the stag's voice for a moment. Trying to look down, he could faintly see the white blur moving. Did he know how to get out? "Do you think you can help Herla out, boy?" Another way to adress the young figure. For a moment, a frown appeared on the stag's face. "What's his name anyway?" He asked the small doe, when the white stag bounded off back to where he had come from. "Maybe you should follow him, he got in there after all. I will walk next to you." His head slowly turned again, looking into the darkness where he knew the small doe was. How he wished he could get her out again, poor girl. Surely this environment was no good for her. Nor for him, he realized. His eyes wandered around the landscape, searching for sounds, scents and shiny objects he should be wary of. It was as if, the scar on his hind leg started to itch, to remind him he was not at home here. Other scars itched when he was in the Endless forest, for that matter. Gehirn's ears laid flat.

Herla could barely discern the white stag as he moved about the chasm. He didn’t appear to be having much success just yet. She climbed her way after him though, not wanting to totally lose him in the dark. She placed each hoof with care, being blind and on uncertain, uneven terrain. She heard Gehirn lay down above them. She really was worried about him up there in the open. Her ears tipped in his direction. “Gehirn…maybe you should go back to the forest. I…don’t know if we will be able to climb out of here before sunrise. We are safe down here. For the most part and you can not help us, until we get out. I…don’t want anything to happen to you.” she said, a tremor in her voice. Truth was she was still scared to death and the thought of Gehirn leaving made her heart miss a beat in fear. But she could not handle anything happening to him here because she had been foolish and selfish. “Shiro and I…will be okay.” she said. Trying to put as much confidence in her voice as possible.