The first day of Summer...The sun was high in a cloudless sky lighting up the whole meadow. Tall grass swayed in a gentle breeze that blew through the valley bringing cool air up from the river onto the field giving the deer some relief from the hot afternoon. A small creek, that emptied into the river, babbled near the edge of the forest. A few young fawns jumped into the deeper parts of the creek trying to cool off with their mothers watching carefully from the distance.

Kumiko stood at the edge of the forest with her tail wagging in excitment. She hopped with joy along the border, waiting for her mother to let her join the other playful fawns. "Can I go now, Mama?" She asked as she stomped her hooves.

"Yes, dear, go and play but stay within my sight," Serenity watched as Kumiko darted into the grass. Her light tan coat matched the grass perfectly except for the white spots that helped Serenity point her out. Her small legs carried her quickly to the creek. With a smile on her face, Kumiko pounced into the crystal clear water as Serenity joined the other does in the distance. There they grazed while taking turns on watching the field and the fawns.

The fawns ran around in circles, jumping in and out of the creek. Kumiko laughed each time she made a splash. With her fur drenched, she stood knee deep in the water allowing the breeze to cool her. She smiled with her eyes closed, enjoying the relief. A chill over came her. She climbed out of the creek and sat in the sun to dry off. For the first time in her life, she was given an opportunity to mingle with the other fawns of the herd.

During the Spring months, Serenity kept her close to the den. Just as the other does had done with their fawns. Since most of them were now a few months old, they were now given chances to explore a bit. A couple of the fawns had already made friends and were now chasing each other wildly through the grass. Kumiko tried to get their attention but they were too caught up in playing tag to notice her calls.

Sighing, Kumiko got to her feet. She watched sadly as some of the other fawns disappeared into the field. "I wanted to play too..." she said out loud to herself. She jumped forward and yelled, "Hey, guys! Wait for me!" But no one answered her.

"Oh boy!" a voice said out of no where.

The sudden sound startled her, "Whoa! Who's there?!" She stood on her hind legs and kicked her front legs forward in defense. Just in case someone was trying to hurt her. For a moment, Kumiko stood there alone. She did not see anyone around her but she knew that someone had said something. "Hello?" she cautiously said.

Out from behind some cattails, popped the head of a male fawn, "Come quickly!"

Cocking her head to the side, Kumiko stepped forward to the edge of the creek. There she saw the fawn crouching in the creek examining something in the water closely. She stepped into the water beside him, "What are you looking at?"

"That red thing in the water," the fawn pointed forward. "My dad says it's called a crayfish. He told me a lot about the animals in the forest before my mom brought me here. I want to see them all! I can't believe I saw a crawdad on my first day; I can't wait to tell him!" The fawn looked up from his subject at Kumiko. "Hi. I've never seen you before."

"Neither have I," she said while still looking at the crayfish. It scuttled across the creek bed using its small pinchers to collect particles of food and ate them.

"What's your name?"

"Kumiko, and yours?" She returned his gaze.

"Constantine, but everyone calls me Constant."

"Constant," she repeated, "You from around here?"

Constant got out of the creek and pointed with his nose, "We live that way in some brush. What about you?"

Kumiko got out as well, "I'm from over there. We live in a small cave. Come on, I'll show you it!" She started to prance towards the forest.

Constant gasped while jumping in front of her, "Are you crazy?!" His eyes were full of worry. "Shouldn't we ask our moms first?"

She snickered, "Nah, Mama knows that I know my home and we won't be gone long." Kumiko trotted past him; Constant followed. He was full of doubt though and was full of fear. The only thing that kept running through his head was what would happen if his mother found out he was gone. Yet, whenever he looked at Kumiko and saw the conference in her step, he felt slightly better. So while they mothers were looking the opposite direction, the two of them slip into the shadowy forest.

Some time had passed by. The sun was hanging low in the sky, slowly approaching its bed below the horizon. Kumiko and Constant had been wandering the unbeaten paths of the forest. Both were growing tired and both were growing scared. The low sun cast long shadows across the ground as if demons were reaching out to grab the two fawns and drag them to damnation. Strange noises began to pick up as creatures moved all around them.

"Er...Kumiko?" Constant asked with a shaky voice, "Are we there yet?"

"Almost!" Kumiko stomped her hoof in frustration. "I told you that we just need to find the rock that looks like a bird's beak. Then we'll be there."

"But you said that a long time ago!" he whined. He looked around at the trees. "That one looks familiar. I think we were here already."

"Don't be silly. This is the first time we came this way." She hurried front of him and jumped onto a log to get a better view. "Home is eh...It's..."

"You don't know...Do you?" Constant sat down; his feet were killing him.

"I do know! I'm just...trying to find the field. That's it! I'm just gonna take us back."

"Ok then, smarty-antlers! Which way is the meadow?" He stuck his tongue out at her.

"It's...this way!" She jumped off the log and started off down a path around some bushes.

"I doubt it," Constant called out to her as she disappeared behind the bushes.

"Just you wait and...see?" Kumiko cut her sentence off as she emerged from the path to find herself right back where she started. She had just ran in a circle.

Constant looked at her. His face long and his eyes dull, "We're lost, aren't we?"

Kumiko was silent. She looked away from him with a tear in her eye. She refused to admit it, but deep down she knew the truth. They were lost. Without looking at him, she just nodded then sniffled. Constant pulled his ears back as he walked up to her. He nuzzled her, putting his nose under her chin to comfort her. Then the two laid down next to each other, trying to keep their spirits up.

"Someone will come and find us," Constant scooted close. Kumiko only nodded. Some time had passed and the sky grew darker. Kumiko and Constant remained in their spot with their stomachs growling. Over head, a huge flock of birds flew wildly. Their squawks filling the forest with an obnoxious noise. A loud, thunderous noise overpowered the sound of the birds. Both Kumiko and Constant jumped to their feet in fear.

"What was that?!" Kumiko yelled.

"I...I don't know..." Constant looked around. "I don't know what animal makes a sound like that."

"Listen," she said while lowering her voice.

"What? What is it?" he asked with his voice just a low.

"Listen. There's nothing. No birds or anything are making any noises. Isn't that wicked?"

Constant stood with his head high. She was right. The forest was silent.

The noise carried out from across the field. "Humans!" A deer had cried out while running through the meadow warning the others. Commotion was started as grazing deer dashed to the safety of the woods. The does ran frantically around gathering their fawns.

"Kumiko!" Serenity stood behind the creek looking madly around. It had been awhile since she last saw Kumiko near the creek. She hoped that her daughter had joined the other fawns that were playing in the middle of the field before the gun was fired off. Yet, she did not see her among the group of fawns dispersing with their mothers. The stags had returned to field to make sure all the does and the fawns were reaching safety. Castor galloped over to Serenity who was now panicking.

"Serenity, what's wrong?" He asked with fear in his voice.

"It's Kumiko," she walked back and forth looking all around. "I can't find her!"

Castor's eyes widened with fear. He gulped, "She's missing?"

Tears filled Serenity's eyes, "She was right here...Right here, Castor..."

Castor nuzzled his wife, "Calm down. We'll find her. She couldn't have gotten far."

"What if the humans..."

He cut her off, "Don't think that way! It will only make you worry more." He looked at her directly in the eyes. "We'll find her. Don't worry."

The two started towards the forest to begin searching for Kumiko when they saw another doe panicking in the meadow calling out a name. "Constant! Constantine!" When the doe saw Castor and Serenity, she stopped them. "Excuse me but have you seen a fawn? My son...He's my son. He was last playing by the creek but now he's gone!" Stress and worry overtook the doe.

"Did you say the creek?" Serenity quickly asked.

"Yes?"

"Our daughter was playing over there and she's missing now, too. Maybe they're together."

A streak of hope came to the doe, "Yes, maybe."

"Please help us find her," Castor stood beside Serenity. "We'll help you find your son as well."

The doe closed her eyes and sighed with relief, "Thank you both so very very much. He's all I have..."

"You don't have a husband?" Serenity moved closer to Castor.
The doe looked away with sorrow in her face, "He was hit...by one of the human's crazy machines..." She looked back at them, "Please help me. Constant is all I have left."

Serenity nuzzled her, mother to mother, "Of course we will. We'll find them both." And with that, the three darted into the forest to search for them, with a raven watching from above.