It was as if the Gods wanted everybody to hide and be miserable, as if it were a punishment. Although one could also look at it as an opportunity for new life to grow.

The doe gazed woefully at the forest, taking a few tentative steps forward. She could spot a few deer from this position and instead glanced toward the pond, the place she visited first every day. Her delicate hooves carried her eloquently away from the valley where she slept and toward the pond. Unfortunately what happened next wasn't as eloquent.

The doe glanced toward the Crying Idol, surprised to see that there were no deer there. Usually there was a large group but today the land around the statue was barren. Suddenly she stumbled and slid, hooves digging into the dirt as she hauled herself up, coming dangerously close to falling into the river near the statue. It was at that moment that she decided that heading to the pond would not result in anything positive.

Instead her slim legs carried her to the statue of the Twin Gods, a place she rarely visited simply because it was usually occupied by fawns that cast spells and she was not very fond of that. Today it was also empty and so the doe calmly knelt next to a nearby tree, still well within the vicinity of the statue. There was not much to do in this rain.

Suddenly a fluttering sound caught her attention and so the doe glanced over, curious. A small black bird, a crow, had perched himself beside the young doe. She tilted her head, unsure what to make of this but figured that the company of somebody smaller than herself and who was not intimidating was acceptable. She cautiously gave the crow a little nudge, as if to thank them for keeping her company before she turned her head forward and closed her eyes, relaxing in the rain that now seemed to bother her just a little bit less.

Perhaps it wasn't a punishment but rather a place to let one's insecurities drop and instead just appreciate the company.