The Fawn Storyteller Collection
Look man, I’m no writer. Hell, I couldn’t even read as a goddamn human. What makes you think I can tell a story? Whatever… I’ve been telling stories to fawns and fawns at heart a lot lately… Here are my experiences.
Enjoy the crappiness. Seriously, why are you here again?
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“How the Trees Got Their Bark” – A Story Told to Echria
It was still raining. I never liked rain to begin with, and I also never liked the creepy old oak thing. It was too bad that it was the only shelter around when it started raining. That weird echo noise that comes from it… ugh… it just weirds me out, you know man?
Anyway, I found myself housed with about… Man, I can’t remember… pretty sure it was like, six or seven fawns. I like fawns. I won’t admit that to everyone. Hell, sometimes I wish I could have kids of my own. Maybe adopt one of the little orphan buggers or something.
But I’m getting off topic. Anyway, all of these little fawns had one thing in common; they were getting out of the rain. I was the only adult there, so they all huddled next to me, curled into my curly red fur and whatnot. It was pretty damn cute, but I digress.
“Sir, tell us a story…” one of the little fawns asked me. Soon there was an entire chorus of them. “Story! Story!” they whined, pressing against me. Guh, that got me. These little buggers were just too cute.
“Okay…” I muttered, trying to think of something to tell them. Unlike other deer like Trees or Seed, my story-telling abilities, well… to put it in simple terms, suck. Royally. I had to try though… Poor kids…
I thought of something nice, then. Not very good, but it would do. “Alright, why don’t I tell you kids why the oak tree is hollow?” the fawns quieted down and cuddled against me, smiling.
“Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young doe princess named…” I paused here, and looked at one of the braver looking fawns that didn’t seem afraid at all. “What’s yer name, kid?” I asked. The little fawn wagged her tail
“Sterrrrre!”
“Okay… A beautiful doe princess named Sterre. She lived with her twin brother…” I looked at a little fawn next to her, one that hadn’t said a single word. Sterre bounced up and nuzzled him.
“Oiiiisss!
"Where... Where am I?"
"I feel so cold..."
"Jergens? Are you out there?"
"I'm sorry..."
"I'm sorry I got angry with you..."
"Do you..."
"Do you still love me?"
"..."
"Whos there?! Jergens?!"
"We are here."
"We?"
"Yes, We."
"Who is 'We'?"
"We... The Twin Gods of The Endless Forest..."
"You... exist?"
"Yes."
"Why are you here?"
"We've come to punish you."
"Punish me?"
"You killed one of our children. You must be punished."
"The blind deer?"
"One of our children is dead because of you..."
"It tried to kill me..."
"Our baby..."
"I'm sorry..."
"Our child..."
"I'M SORRY!!!"
"We have decided... that you shall be reborn..."
"Reborn? How is that punishment?"
"You shall be reborn into the body of a newborn fawn... Never to grow... And never to die... Your pelt shall be of white, a mockery of us. Your fellow deer will stop at nothing to kill you for it."
"I don't deserve this..."
"Your hooves shall be of solid gold, so you will not easily run away from your foes. Your eyes shall be of blood red, to represent the needless blood you have shed."
"..."
"No matter how much your body is mangled, torn and ripped, it will never die.
They were in the infirmary when Jergens had told Malware and Irene of the change in plans, and their immediate reaction was anger. “Boy…” Irene said, “Yer gonna die, ya know that, don’t ya?” her voice was unfeeling, not a twinge of sadness was in it. Jergens nodded. Malware stepped forward. “The Master is right, as ashamed as I am to admit it, he would only slow us… And I would rather be killed than abandon him here.” He looked to Jergens, his pictogram radiating a gentle golden glow. Irene looked from face to face, her eyes hard set. “Ma’am…” Faith said, his voice nothing more than a whisper, “You can still leave… I’m sorry… I’m sorry you had to get involved…” he shivered. Jergens lightly brushed back his hair. “Oh, don’t give me any of that crap boy! I ain’t leavin’. How can I? Everyone knew I was a queer sympathizer to begin with. How do I know they ain’t gonna try and take me down too? Besides, I’m old boy. I was gonna go down anyway. Why not do it with a bang?” she cackled, as if finding it to be a great game. Bartleby suddenly stiffened, his body growing rigid. “Faith?! Faith, what’s wrong?!” Jergens lightly tapped his cheek, panicking. Faith’s eyes were wide, almost unfocused as his lips moved, the smallest hush of a sound escaping him.
“Nippers…”
With Jergens cradling him in his arms, Faith began to cry.
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16:30 – Seven Hours and Thirty Minutes Left
Of course Nippers herself would never understand what was to come that night; Jergens had to try to explain it though. But how do you explain death to a simple woman such as this? He tried to sugarcoat it, to make it more bearable.
“Now, Nip. Do you know what happened to Credit a little while ago?” he was grinning at her as they stood outside the infirmary door, or at least trying to grin. She swayed back and forth, putting a finger to her lip.
