The Priest

I sought quiet company today. I am fully healed in body, but my spirit needs mending. So I sat amongst many quiet deer, all of whom I appreciated the company of. One gray deer by the ruins was particularly good company, quiet and peaceful. We did meet again today. I must say that I am glad to have made your acquaintance, kind deer. Perhaps we shall continue to meet, for it is a pleasure to find those who are quiet.

I am still worried about the fawn I met as well. She seemed so angered over something. Perhaps she was angered at me. I do not know why, though I tried to comfort her. It pains me to see a fawn so enraged. She ran.

“Little fawn?” I called, but she did not stop. I followed her, worried, to the ruins. She proceeded to fight other deer. I worry for her health, though I know now that she wishes me to stay away. For a time I shall. One day I shall approach her again; one day I shall chase whatever demon is within her out of her.

However, while she was fighting in the ruins, I finally discovered a solution to my problem of the Demon. Sitting next to this new acquaintance of mine allowed me to ponder and finally come up with what I should do.

I have decided that we need to talk, Demon.

This fighting has worn us down. It has worn down my mind, made me forget my past. It has made me forget everything important to me in my zealous act of faith. I have betrayed my brothers.

This does not mean that I have given up. I shall not give up, for The Gods do not wish darkness to enter their forest. No. I have simply begun to understand that violence cannot work for me. I cannot win violently. But there are other ways, ways which I shall find. Perhaps I can talk the demon out of you.

Perhaps this hunt can change forms as easily as us deer can.

Demon, we mus speak. If you will not speak with me, you must listen. If you will not listen, I will wait until The Gods will it. I am patient.

Demon, your ways are wrong. You strike out, commit evil deeds. Perhaps the Gods know why. I do not. Perhaps you know why. Striking out is not the answer. You must realize this, repent your evil deeds. I must know why you do this.

You must come to an understanding. I will wait for your explanation. I must know why you are this way so that I may rid you of your inner demon. Your death or my death is not an answer.

Demon, I want to...help.

-The Priest

Ulh

The stag awakens. He is back to normal, the wild depression and rage gone. He stands and looks down, realizing what last happened.

He blinks, quietly, staring down at his hooves. The other deer.

He blinks again. He feels no remorse...yet something within him shifts. Something tells him that what happened should never happen again. So he makes a promise to try. He cannot guarantee anything...but he can try. The snow falling seems a reflection of forgiveness.

He gets up. He will not try to control his rage. He knows that he cannot. But he will try to direct it instead, try to direct his feral instincts. He shakes off the dark thoughts, clinging like a web but broken just as easily. He runs, wind streaming through his fur.

His runs, forgetting, shedding, letting his decision sink in. He does not know why he decided this, but he has. He dashes, jumping, twisting, turning in a split second, joyous.

Another deer joins him in his wild reverie. She runs with him, butterfly pelt blown back by the wind. He runs with her, joyous that someone has joined him. This memory preserves itself within him. She soon must leave and he sighs. The sadness wears off rapidly as he runs, interrupting several more groups of deer. He stops to catch snowflakes as the fall, laughing and smiling happily when he does. He doesn't know exactly what it is, but it's fun to play with.

Then she is back. He romps with her for a time, then casts spells. He has just learned that all things edible in the forest create magic to change others. He smiles and enjoys it until he falls in the pond.

He gasps, realizing that he cannot breathe in this new face. The pond has great magic. He struggles to breathe for a few seconds more, then faints.

He notes to avoid the pond.

The Fawn

I dreamed about mommy last night. She was crying. I don't know why, though. I don't know why she'd be crying when she's always so happy.

Yes, you do know, something seems to whisper. I shake it off and wake up screaming “No!”.

Same stupid forest. Sunshine still. Too bright. How I've learned to hate sunshine.

There's a tingling sensation in my body today. Strange, though it doesn't hurt. I wonder what will happen. Maybe it'll just go away.

I go to the Twin Gods, scraping them with my hooves. Of course, nothing shows. I don't believe I can injure them. But I must. These others are stuck here too, like me. The only way out is to get rid of the Twin Gods. I just know it.

I black out afterwards, but only for a few seconds. The dizziness is back, along with a pounding headache. I stumble away from the statues and back down to the pond, where I lay quietly.

There's beauty in this forest, but it's nothing like home. I miss mommy, daddy, and home. I miss a lot, actually. But I'm stuck here until someone decides to let me go.

I guess...I miss their love the most. It was stifling back then, but now that it's gone...I miss it. There's something missing. I want it back.

But I'm probably not going to get it, so I'll suck it up.

The next day, I come back. There's snow falling all around. It's...beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. I smile for once in a very long time. I walk carefully away from other deer...

Then I attempt to catch some, whirling around and around after the flakes. They land everywhere, creating points of cold where they touch. I catch some in my mouth, on my hooves, everywhere. I nearly dance in the sudden beauty, but then my head hurts and I have to sit down.

The happiness remains.

But there's another feeling. I search for what it is and discover that it's linked to mommy. I think it's called loneliness. I can't stand the deer who shoot bright lights out of their antlers, though. Then I notice that there are some sleeping deer near the pond. I try laying next to two of them, but they disappear. I wander off to the Twin Gods.

Many deer are standing there. Now I can make my point that the God statues are keeping us here. But I can't do it. I can't harm the statues right in front of them. Instead I go around back to scratch them. I am a coward. I wander off again and fall asleep alone.

After my nap, I find another deer, still drowsy. This deer is sleeping, so I go an sit down next to him or her. It has started to rain again and I'm cold, so I snuggle up to them. They don't move and I fall asleep.

Mommy's looking at me. Everything is white in this room.

“Honey, you're awake. Well, the doctors said that they found the problem and they're going to fix it right up! You're going to come home soon, and then we'll have a party...”

She looks like she's about to cry as she turns away from me. I ask her what's wrong.

“Nothing, sweetheart. Just rest. Everything is going to be...fine...” She chokes on the last word and walks out. I fall asleep again.

I wake up with a jolt in my dream world that isn't quite a dream world anymore. I sigh and snuggle closer to the deer. This one can't hurt me with the bright flash of light right now. I fall asleep against its warmth.