February 5, 2009
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The fawn was growing and learning with each day. Though he really didn’t know if he had any true friends, he considered all the deer in the forest his friends. They were all such fun to play with.

Really, all the animals in the forest were fun playmates. The dragonflies were so fast and colorful. And the butterflies lazy and joyful. The squirrels loved to run and jump. The frogs were funny, sometimes they just couldn’t make up their mind. But the birds. Oh how the fawn loved the birds.

The fawn loved exploring, but the Birch Forest seemed like the best place to be. Everything was so warm and happy there. And the grass was good for hiding in. And the trees were sometimes so alive it was like they were dancing. It was the birds’ favorite place.

The Birch Forest was a good place to be when one wanted to think. The mind liked to wander there. And thought it was lonely, one could never really be alone. And it was almost impossible to be sad there. But the fawn had never tried. He didn’t like being sad.

The fawn also liked to sing. The Birch Forest was good for that too because not many people could hear you. And sometimes, the fawn was embarrassed when he sang. His voice was still a bit squeaky, and sometimes he sounded funny. But he couldn’t help it. He just loved to sing!

There were not many things the fawn hated. But… there was one thing he didn’t exactly like.

The pond.

The fawn didn’t know why. Maybe it was the dark water or the crying trees and the crying statue. Why did they have to be so sad all the time?

He liked to visit the fish there. And he really loved playing with the dragonflies. He liked to plop into the water and turn into a frog, thought sometimes he was a little afraid of swimming in the deep water. He liked standing on the bridge and he liked to jump back and forth over the stream. A lot of deer liked it there. There were always deer at the pond. Whenever he wanted to play with a deer, he would just visit the pond!

But…

It always made him feel uneasy.

Maybe when he was older he’d understand.

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The dreams had gotten clearer each night. More real. The gods were taking him back, showing him something. Why did they torture him like this? He knew what dream would come soon. He knew it. He knew it well. Why did they have to let him go through it again?

These things weren’t dreams anymore. They were nightmares. Terribly realistic nightmares.

Many days had passed since he last lay by the fawn’s side that snowy night. He had awoke to fog and mist and howls in the dark. The freezing fawn had disappeared. Since then he had spent his days playing with fawns and birds and ignoring his depressing thoughts.

But tonight. Tonight the fog had returned. The howling creatures wailed their mournful songs. It was so cold.

Chenaniah grimaced, teeth bared. He hated these nights. When it was so dark and misty that you could barely see where you were going. He had always been a bit clumsy, and when it was this dark he was often disoriented.



The playground appeared in front of him and he stopped short, surprised. He had run into the playground? Was he really that blind in the dark?

He began to grope around a rather large rock, and was surprised to see a glowing pictogram on the other side. A deer! He shrunk back behind the rock.

Then he realized… no, it was a fawn. A small fawn was cowering beside the rock, clinging to it for safety. It must be the howls. They caused a pathological fear in the hearts of many deer.

“Shhh… it’s alright…” Chenaniah whispered as he came out of the rock, walking slowly so as not to frighten the fawn.

Suddenly, a big brown deer was on top of the rock, peering down at him.

Chenaniah ran.



Same old story. Same old song.

He was running away.

Chenan glanced over his shoulder quickly. The fawn was curiously watching him run. The brown stag was nowhere to be seen, but then again it could be chasing him, out of sight. Chenaniah ran.

He slowed to a stop.

Where am I?

Everything was dark. Fog poured down from the sky, like great heavy breaths made by the gods themselves. It wafted over him, its cold damp fingers raising every hair.



He was breathing hard now. Partly from exhaustion and partly from terror. He had probably left the Birch Forest, but he couldn’t really tell. Foggy nights changed everything about the forest. There was no way to escape the dark on these nights. No, not the dark.

Many deer professed to love the dark. His little brother, Ialu, clung to darkness because of his weak eyes and affinity for “blending in.” Some deer loved darkness because they liked being sad. Some thought it made them evil. And evil was cool.

But Chenaniah did not like the dark. The dark made him angry.

Chen glanced around. The brown deer was nowhere in sight. So, it hadn’t followed him. It probably hadn’t been chasing him either. Chenaniah sighed. He was annoyed at himself. And angry.

He turned and hurried back to the ruins. Back to that little fawn.



The ruins looked so deep and big and black in the night. Like great mammoth beasts ready to swallow anything in their path. They had once been warm and welcoming as the rays of the sun danced over their backs. Strange how the darkness could change everything.

Birds still hopped merrily across the large, black stones. They were so joyful. They just didn’t know…

Chenaniah found the fawn still inching it’s way around the rocks. He approached, and the fawn cowered.

Chen wasn’t sure if the fawn was afraid of him or of the howling beasts in the distance. He was never very good at interpreting other deer’s body language. He had been away from other deer for so long… and even fawns confused him sometimes.

He nuzzled the fawn, and the fawn smiled and nuzzled back.



They exchanged greetings, and Chenan wasn’t sure what to do after that. The fawn seemed very well-versed in the language of the forest. Sad that a fawn would have more social skills than the old stag…

Chenan climbed to the top of the rock and stood, waiting for the fawn to follow if it wanted.



Chenaniah clenched his teeth. The sight of the Birch Forest covered in fog turned his stomach. It was so unrecognizable. What had become of his warm and happy haven?

The fawn cocked its head. Why was this strange stag so motionless? That’s no fun…

Chenan looked back at the fawn and gave a weak smile. He began slow-walking around the rock. The fawn walked slowly too… and they formed a little parade. Just the two of them.

The brown deer!

Chenaniah leaped off the rock in a single bound and went dashing down the hillside. The brown stag had returned! He was running franticly… and then he remembered the fawn. No. No!

He slid to a stop.

He turned to go back to the fawn, and realized that the little deer was running after him. He breathed a sigh of relief: half because the fawn was okay, and half because it was willing to follow him. He nuzzled it tenderly.

They began to play, and Chenaniah’s mood lifted. He realized that he had a small spell ready, and cast it upon the little fawn. He laughed when the fawn acquired the same pelt as himself.



The fawn walked in circles around him, and he began to follow, so that they were soon circling around and around a small rock. Then they ran. And then they jumped.

Chenaniah laughed, his heart so much more light. Even the darkness can be lifted by merriment.



The two deer calmed down and approached each other again. The fawn nuzzled Chenaniah. Chenaniah nuzzled the fawn. Bats fluttered overhead.

“Let’s run.” Chenaniah asked quietly.

He took off at a run, then a trot, then a run again. He wasn’t sure if the fawn would be able to keep up.



But it did, and when Chenaniah trotted it would zigzag behind him. It began to bound around his legs like a newborn after its mother. Chenaniah laughed.

They ran deeper into the Birch Forest, surrounded by creeping, crawling mist. Chenaniah was desperate for some of the warmth the birch trees had always offered him. There must be some remnant of that left in this forest…



As Chenaniah slowed and waited for the fawn, another deer raced to its side. Chenaniah panicked and ran a few paces away. But the deer only offered the fawn a spell, and then ran off into the mist.

Really, old stag? Are you that cowardly?

What if the deer had meant to hurt the fawn? Would you have run then?

The fawn ran to his side, smiling at his new colorful purple pelt. Chenaniah tried to smile back, but managed only a half twitch.

They continued to run through the forest, but the stag’s hooves dragged. They were so much more heavy now. The fawn trotted merrily along, blithefully unaware.

A shape. A shape in the mist.

Chenaniah stopped. The fawn continued running.



It… it was the brown stag. Chenan waited, unsure.

But the stag moved off quickly. Chen sighed. He was sure the deer really meant no harm. But he was just so… just such a coward.

Hm. Maybe the blue bowl would cheer him up. The blue bowl would never surrender to this foggy darkness, would it?

The loyal fawn returned to Chenan’s side, once it realized he had stopped. Chenaniah smiled.

He began to sniff out the blue bowl, but the air was damp and musty. There was really no good way to find it in this mist, except by instinct. He walked in the direction he thought best, and the fawn followed curiously.



There it was! But… but it wasn’t the same. No… no. It had allowed the mist to cover it as well.

Chenaniah slowed and stopped. Totally lost. There was no place to hide. No place to hide but in the company of a fawn. But that was always the best place.

He turned to the fawn, ready for anything. There was nothing left to do.

The fawn yawned and lay down. Oh. Alright. Chenaniah trotted over to its side and lay down as well. He sighed. Another night guarding a tired fawn.

He sighed and glanced around nervously. Anything could be hiding in that wall of fog. The howlers wailed in the distance, causing his heart to beat chaotically. He knew they wouldn’t find him. They weren’t allowed in the Endless Forest. But that didn’t stop the deer from being scared of them.

He scanned the trees again. And then noticed that a shape lay a short distance away. The brown deer.

Chenaniah felt bad for the deer, he really did. How many times had he run away from it tonight?

But no matter his sympathy, he couldn’t help but feel exceedingly nervous with it so near. However, he was determined not to leave the fawn’s side. Not till it was safe in the Land of Dreams.

The brown deer stood, and Chenaniah’s heart beat in a flurry of panic. Don’t come closer, please don’t come closer. My nerves can’t handle it.



The deer began to walk, approaching him from the back. It was so close now. Chenaniah bristled. The deer stopped in some grass, watching them impassively.

Then, it sighed, and walked off into the mist.



Chenaniah bit his lip, wondering if he had hurt the deer. He grunted. Why must I be so emotional?

Then he was alone with the fawn again. In the rolling mist and flurries of bats and echoes of howls in the distance. He was determined to protect the little fawn. If only he wasn’t so fearful.



The night was long. The fawn eventually curled up, now deep in sleep. Yet it still was not whisked away to the Land of Dreams. And a defenseless sleeping fawn should not be left alone on a night like this. So Chenaniah stayed. He stayed and guarded. And watched. And protected. And prayed.

Oh please let the night end.



As the darkness dragged on, Chenaniah became more and more nervous. Every sound was amplified. Every branch that cracked was a prowling beast hungry for deer. Every rolling mist was the chilly breath of gigantic icy monsters.

Chenaniah stood. One cannot fight laying down. And he was certain he would have to fight tonight.



He stood on four hooves, fur bristled, eyes darting to every tree. He carefully stepped over the fawn, using his body to shield the frail child. No one was going to hurt this fawn. No one.

Footsteps. He subconsciously backed away, then realized his mistake.

A butterfly-pelted stag emerged from the mist. He was cheerful, but Chenaniah didn’t notice his friendliness. Chen stood rigid, waiting to see what the stag would do, daring it to so much as touch the fawn…



The stag layed down. Right on the fawn’s head! Oh gods, right on its head!



Chenaniah was shocked. Frozen. Furious. He tried to lower his antlers, but the stag was quickly to its feet.

Suddenly, Chenaniah was running.

What? WHAT? NO! NO! Don’t run, you fool!

The air began to ring, and a light flashed. Chenaniah’s coat changed to blue.

The… the stag had only been offering a pelt?

Chenaniah sneezed it off, then whirled around, back to the fawn. He was on the verge of tears. How could he have left it? What kind of horrible deer…



He came racing back to the fawn, and slowed when he noticed another fawn looking curiously at the sleeping one. Chenaniah slowed, afraid that he might scare this new one away.

He approached as slowly as he could. The fawn simply stood there, watching them both. He sniffed the sleeping fawn and inspected its head. No damage. None at all. The stag had not put any weight on the fawns head. Chenaniah sighed in relief and looked up at the new fawn.



The fawn cocked its head slightly. It was amused by the strange stag. Then it trotted off quickly, apparently not interested enough.

Chenaniah stood there. Aside from the occasional sound of night creatures, all was silent.

Something tickled his cheek and he gasped. He was crying.

He was not going to leave the fawn again. He was not going to let another innocent die.

Please…

Please let this night end…



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ABLAHBLAHBLAH. I reeealllly neeeedd to post these sooner. They just take so much darn time. >.<

UM. UM.

Sorry to the two deer that tried to approach Chenaniah. If I had been using any other deer I would have played with you. But Chen is just way to jumpy at night. AND SRSLY HE NEEDS TO MAN UP. >8[

Oh, and if either of you deer or the fawn is reading this, could you please tell me your gender? XD I don't like calling fawns "it" all the time and the "brown stag" may very well have been a "brown doe." T_T

DUUURRRRRR