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Author's Notes: O_O Mein Gott, I can't believe I'm posting this now. It's 5am, and I just now finished this chapter. XD Please forgive any mistakes you find; I didn't bother to proofread. I wouldn't've done a good job on that anyway. *feels slightly insane from exhaustion* I now present to you

Origins
Chapter 4

~*~
Her son had been rather quiet lately. Much of the time she found him looking through things more than at them. Even when he ate it seemed mechanical. It was beginning to concern her.

Normally, he would be spouting questions about different things they might see, or what someone else had talked about earlier.

He was even spending less time with the other fawns.

She didn’t really blame him in that area, but he’d usually make an attempt to talk to them when it was playtime.

He’d been like this ever since she’d noticed he had snuck off from the herd. She’d searched for him for a good while, but he had ended up finding her instead. Strangely enough, he’d come from the direction of the brook. Had something happened while he was there?

She watched as he grazed listlessly not far from her. He didn’t seem harmed, so what could’ve caused this change?

So many thoughts were swirling through the young deer’s mind. To go, or not to go?

If he went, he’d be away from the stares, insults, and whispers they thought he couldn’t hear. He’d be with deer like him, with flat faces, who wouldn’t think him strange for it. There would be acceptance, for he would no longer be the different one.

He may even meet his father.

But…he would be leaving the most important being in his life behind.

His mother.

She’d given him life, sheltered him from harm, and loved him unconditionally. It would be difficult to just leave her like that.

…except he’d never truly felt like he belonged in the herd. He didn’t even have a name yet.

His gray eyes suddenly widened.

‘My dad’s from the Endless Forest…but he’s able to leave.’ He raised his head slowly. ‘I might be able to visit. Unless…could Mother come with me?’

But wait…she wasn’t a flat-faced deer. Only flat-faced deer lived in the Endless Forest. That’s what the dragonfly said to him. And they were “mystical”, whatever that meant. Would she even be allowed to go?

He frowned.

When he went to give his decision, he would ask.

But first he had to find a chance to get away.

Glancing at the sun, he could see the herd would be bedding down for the night soon. He would slip away when his mother fell asleep. It didn’t seem right, especially when he’d been told how dangerous it was to wander around alone at night, but he couldn’t think of another way. It had been two days, so it was either go tonight, or not at all.

With a slight nod to himself, he reached a decision.

He would slip away.



The sound of crickets and night birds filled the air, as well as the glow of tiny firefly lights.

It was creepier at night then he thought it would be.

Sneaking away hadn’t been easy, with every movement he’d made seeming a hundred times louder than it was. But his mother had stayed asleep, not stirring once. His mom must be a heavy sleeper, he thought.

He stumbled a few times along the way. The moon was barely bright enough to light the way. He just hoped he was going in the right direction.

It wasn’t too long before the scent of water reached his nose.

He sped up, minding any stray rocks or roots in his path.

‘This is it!’

Finally, he spotted his destination – the brook.

Gray eyes scanned the area before his form broke free from the tree line. Didn’t hurt to be cautious when you could potentially become someone’s meal.

He didn’t spy the swarm of dragonflies this time.

Ears drooping, he started to turn back. Looked like sneaking away had been a waste.

“Hold on a second.”

He paused. Looking back, he spotted iridescent blue.

Eyes widening, his hooves took him to the brook, finally seeing a single blue dragonfly sitting on a stalk.

Only, it wasn’t alone.

There was another dragonfly sitting on another stalk, this one a bright pink. It almost seemed to glow in the pale moonlight.

Strange chuckling drew his attention back to the first insect. “You certainly waited until the last second, didn’t you? I almost thought you had forgotten our deal,” it teased him good-naturedly.

The fawn had to smile at that. “No, I didn’t forget. I just had a little trouble coming back.” His voice had a sheepish tone.

It “chuckled” again. “Well, all that matters is that you made it here safely. Have you reached a decision?” All joking was put aside as it asked that loaded question.

“I think so…” He took a deep breath before releasing it. “But I have one question to ask before I give my answer.”

“Oh?”

Looking down at his hooves for a moment, the young deer finally asked. “Would my mother be allowed to go with me?”

The insect was silent for a long time. It and the pink one shared a glance.

It was the rosy-hued dragonfly who answered. “At the present time…no.”

“No?”

It seemed to shake its head. “No.” He swore it sounded regretful.

“Why not?!” he almost shouted in disbelief.

“It would…be complicated. I’m afraid that’s all we can tell you.” The blue one sounded just as solemn.

His ears lowered. “Is it because my mother isn’t a flat-faced deer?”

“No. There is…a different reason. One we’ve been asked not to say.” Noticing the buck’s dismay, it continued. “But she may be able to join you later.”

That seemed to perk him up a bit. “She would?”

Both insects nodded.

Casting his gray eyes to the side for a second, he looked back at the pair. “Alright.”

“You’ve made your decision then?”

“Yes.” There was a pause. “How do I get to the Endless Forest?”

At once, the pink dragonfly took to the air, landing on his ear. “You must follow me for a moment. There is something that needs to be done for you to reach the Forest, but it can’t be done here.”

He tried tilting his head to face the insect while talking to it, but ended up just turning this way and that. Giving up, he settled on just shifting his eyes towards his ear. “Why do we have to leave though?”

“Mostly because it may attract the herd. That would complicate things.”

He blinked. “What would attract them?”

“Uhh…” it stuttered, looking to the other of its kind for help.

The blue one took over. “I’m afraid that’s something else we can’t tell you.”

A sigh. “Fine…” he said grudgingly.

The insect on his ear took to the air again. “Come along then. It’s not too far.” It flitted a distance ahead.

The fawn went to follow, but stopped, looking back at the other dragonfly still sitting on the stalk.

It noticed his stare. “What is it, young one?”

“Well…it’s just…” He scuffed the ground awkwardly. “I probably won’t see you again and… I never learned your name…”

There was that chuckling of its. “Truthfully, I don’t really have a name. But you may call me “Blue” if you like,” it finished, sounding like it was grinning.

The fawn smiled in return, bowing. “Goodbye…Blue.” He hurried to catch up with the pink insect waiting ahead.

“Took you long enough,” it teased when he reached it.

“Heh,” he smirked. A thought occurred to him then, seeing the dragonfly flying. “I thought dragonflies always had to be near water?”

“Hm?” It glanced at the deer. “Oh…well, I’m not like most dragonflies. I can be away from the water for a time. I come from the Endless Forest, in fact, and most things there aren’t normal…”

This caught his interest. “Really? You’re from the Forest? What’s it like there?”

It chuckled. “You’ll find out soon enough. Ah, here we go.” They had reached a clearing. It went to land on the fawn’s ear again. “Now, just wait a moment. Oh, and close your eyes.”

“Why?”

“Uhh…that’s just what I was told to tell you. Now.” It tapped one of its strange feet on his ear. “Close them.”

“Alright, alright.” Grudgingly, he closed eyes, and waited. “What happens now?”

“Magic,” a deep voice said from somewhere in front of him. He opened his eyes in surprise to see a bright light, dazzling him, before blackness took over.