The elder deer had survived another bout of cold and though fully recovered the energy did not come back up to the previous level. The deer of long companion not ready for the elder deer to go had limited activities to the point the elder deer nearly gave up. Roaming only with in the ruins as he reached the boundary edge he would indicate that if he went further he may not come back.

Empty shell deer was not something he wished to ever be. As mush as he loved the poppies, the stream, the rut he stayed within the framework of the ruins as if some invisible line ensured his safety. For long companion deer it made it easier. As much as he loved her so he wished not to cause any grief.

Others did not agree and began to make plans. How does one bring the forest to the elder deer? One by one deer searched long and far to find the pieces that represented the forest well. Moss, ferns, flowers, small trees began to appear on, around and in the ruins. Brought piece by piece by deer some as friends and some just participating because it looked like fun.

Within a short time different spots within the ruins had mini forest scenes. The elder deer roamed from mini-forest to mini-forest experiencing all that the mini-forest offered for him. Bringing the forest to the deer resulted in immense joy among those who visited and those who took care of the elder deer. It made the forest endless on another level. Having a weak deer body a mere inconvenience rather than a tragedy. Instead of talk of what does not work despite good health the elder deer talked of nature, cycles, plants, and love. In the dying ember of a deer life sparkled flares of joy seeding for the next generation.

Traveling through the forest had slowed to a snail's pace. After an illness survived endurance had suffered a bit. Building up had been a problem since the weather kept blanketing the ground with the white frost. Feeling one's hooves sometimes becomes difficult. Cloven hooves have to learn to dance across crystals rather than stomp. It meant slower progress. What else is an ancient deer to do?

Finding sunbeams or a warm body to snuggle up to helped much. Warm springs often helped till one crawls out into the chilled air. Where to go depends on where the sunbeams fall. More light allows one to see the path and warmth makes the legs nimble once again. Decisions on how far to go depend on how soft the ground would feel in a thud. Napping too long may mean not enough strength to get up again.

The ancient deer picked a spot that if fallen had plenty of fresh greens to munch while rolling around in the vegetation. Crawling remains an option. Young fawns coming over for stories of long ago always helped. Nothing wrong just well used parts wearing out slowly, reviving a bit in a sunbeam and then back to the inevitable.

Where do ancient deer go when all is said and down? No bones have ever been found in the forest. Not even a hint. Does the sexy swag coat deer come out of the altar and take you there where ever there is. Do you just dissipate into thin air and become part of the forest once more? The doppleganger deer seen with a sign or not is that a shell left of some ancient deer's embodied spirit visiting a favorite glen or sleep spot once more?

Never a dead deer in the forest. Deer have disappeared into thin air. Others lay upon the ground in a deep slumber never to wake. Which is better? For me it would be slow travel of any kind rather than sleep. Always challenges, each day a new one. Ancient deer get challenged but instead of another it is their own body that and energy level that makes the daily challenge. Do I breathe or chew? Do I walk or eat?

It is said it is a weapon of light.

experiment

No-legs lay on one-leg, two legs sat near on three legs, four legs got some.”

Deer (S. Aras[1]) were graceful creatures found throughout Middle-earth. Deer were loved by the Vala Nessa, and were said to follow her as she travelled through wild lands.[2]

In the First Age the Teiglin River flowed through a gorge west of the forest of Brethil.[3] At the narrowest part of the gorge was Cabed-en-Aras, "The Deer's Leap", where once a deer leaped across the river to escape a huntsman of Haleth.[4]

In T.A. 2941[5] Thorin and Company were in the process of crossing the Enchanted River when a dark-coloured deer bowled into the Dwarves. Although Thorin shot the hart with an arrow as it leaped there was no recovering the venison for the boat they were using floated away. Worse, the commotion caused Bombur to fall into the water, which caused him to fall asleep for days after he was rescued. Soon after, a white deer and her snowy fawns appeared on the path. The dwarves shot arrows at them but none hit and the deer vanished.[6]

In Sindarin, the adjective ross was often used to describe the copper colour of red deer.[7]