( Yes, after a long wait it's finally here. I don't think it will be too long because I haven't wrote anything long in a while aand it's probably full of fail because I feel ill today. )

I'm adding in a bump because at the rate these threads go at, the chapter will end up on the next page. =x

Edit Changing '21' to 'Twenty-One'

-------------------------------------------------------------------

"Whadda'ya see, mate?"

"Nothin'. Why?"

A sudden thump of the wood beneath Tuna caused her to tumble from the branch she had perched herself on. Landing on her back and slowly opening her eyes, she gave a lopsided grin to the other doe hovering over her, expression quite glum. "Yer lazy, do ya' know that?" Her retorted. "Yer meant to keep an eye out for treasure but ye' slack on the job!" Tuna rolled over and back onto her hooves, shaking the long elegant peacock feathers around her neck back into place.
"So? I was only sleeping."

"Only!"


Elsewhere, Vipin stood as per usual beneath the grand Oak. His face was grave with impatient worry- Quamar had not seen Twenty-One on the night he last spoke to her, meaning that there was a chance the killer had struck again. Luckily, by chance, as Tabitha had pranced by with Darcy a few hours ago, he was swiftly informed that all was well and Twenty-One would be arriving later. "Thank the Gods." He had muttered under his breath, whilst watching Tabitha return to her dancing frolic with her newfound stag friend. His wait lasted long enough for the shadow of the trees to twist from the west to the south, when finally his eyes set upon two deer approaching from the clearing about the pond. Quad was leading the pair, his head held high and proudly with the gleaming monochromatic pelt and crimson antlers. Following him was indeed Twenty-One, looking much to the relief of Vipin, calm and safe.

"So what happened?" The trio had gathered under the shelter of the trees together to talk, although with Quad's basic understanding of the situation, he simply let his foster mother talk. Twenty-One began to explain the events of the night, although she refrained from mentioning Walter. "After the creature knocked me down I blacked out. Tabitha woke me up." Lying seemed the most suitable course for the brown doe as she recalled; noone would believe her story, except Quad, who seemed to be more curious at what she had told him beforehand. "And that was all? This could prove useful." Vipin stated once Twenty-One's story had concluded. "This could mean the murderer does have a sense of perhaps mercy, or wisdom. This could be used to our advantage." Quad nodded in agreement, although his eyes lingered on his mother. She had fallen silent and almost trance-like, deep in thought. Should she tell Vipin it was Walter? She had trusted Quad with not divulging the information to anyone save they think her crazy or wrong.

"Yo-ho, m'hearties!"

"Oh no." Vipin's eyes beneath the magpie mask shut briefly and he shook his head with a sigh. He had planned that they wouldn't be disturbed, but that was going to prove hard with the sudden appearance of two doe's head popping around the entrance of the hollowed Oak. "What're you doing in here, ladies?" Tuna snickered, delighting in her absurd fashion of referring to men as opposites. The odd pair's eyes both landed on Twenty-One at the same time and Tuna whooped with glee. "That's her, mate!" Her nodded at her companion, before looking back. "We got a message for ya', mate! Lieka sends word!" Often befuddled by Her's odd choice of dialect, Twenty-One politely excused herself from Quad and Vipin, and followed Her outside of the oak. Tuna vanished behind the old tree, seemingly taking the long way around. "What did she find?" Twenty-One slowly inquired, beginning to walk alongside the pirate-like doe. "A ghost, mate!" At the same moment, Tuna seemed to perform an odd type of roll out from a tree they had been approaching, save her face was hidden behind a long tribal mask which was well-known to scare many fawns. "Boo!" Tuna cackled, her eyes barely visible in the small holes provided in the mask. Her rolled her eyes. "What does Bale see in ya', mate? Honestly.." Turning serious, Tuna fell back in step to walk alongside the pair. "Well, anyway, yeah. Lieka said she's met someone who can talk to ghosts and they keep mentioning angry spirits and stuff. Load'a voodoo if ya' ask me."

As the typical wooded clearing gave way to golden birch forests amass with tall stalks of grass, Twenty-One noticed Tuna seemed to be limping. "Are you hurt?" The female questioned, eyes concerned. "Nah. I'm fine. This idiot here.." Tuna playfully butted Her, sending the doe askew with a replied 'Hey!', ".. Decided it would be funny to make me fall out of a tree whilst we were lookin' for ya'." Her rolled her eyes. "Ye' deserved it, mate."

"Yeah, well wait until I tell Renojack about it!"