The forest seemed to be calming down a bit. Fewer and fewer deer were going to the statue for purification. Everyone seemed to be healthy and happy. A couple more days passed, nothing really special happened. Skokey had been learning more things and meeting more deer. It was perfectly fine, until the next night.

It had been a very hot and sticky day. Most of the deer were either hanging out in the shade or at the pond. Nobody felt like doing anything because of the heat. It seemed like the pond was filled with deer instead of water. Finally, night came around, but it was still a little hot. Everyone went back to their sleeping area for the night.

Skokey and Siki were fast asleep, but something woke up Siki. He lazily shook his head and tried to see what woke him up. He suddenly went into a coughing fit which went for several moments.

Skokey woke up from all the noise. "Dad, you okay?"

Siki's heart began to beat harder. He was starting to get nervous. "Skokey, we have to go to the statue, now. We don't have time for questions, we just have to go." He got up and tried to move Skokey.

"But why?"

"I said no questions, it's important that we go now!"

Skokey got up quickly and they both started to run in the direction of the statue. They were about half way there when Siki tripped and fell. Skokey went back to help him up, but Siki had no strength. He managed to pushed himself to a large tree.

Skokey laid down next to his father, "Dad, what's happening?"

Siki panted, throwing hihs head down. He was repeating "It's too late" over and over.

The fawn started to choke up, "Dad, why can't you get up? What's wrong?"

Siki let out a large sigh, "Skokey... There's a disease that's been going around for a while. That's why everyone's been going to the statue... To keep the disease away." He looked at his son, "I was foolish.. I never took you to be purified. And for that, I'm deeply sorry. This could have all been avoided if I just.."

( TOO CHAPTERS IN WUN DAE?!?!?)


Several days passed. More and more deer kept going to the Twin Gods statue to keep the illness away from them. It seemed like the entire forest was afraid of the disease. Siki shrugged it off after a while. He felt just fine.

One day, very early in the morning, Siki decided to take a before-dawn stroll. He was getting close to the pond, when something called to him. He wheeled around to see who it was. A dove with a tiny pictogram landed on a low branch in front of him. Siki's eyes, blurred with age, couldn't quite tell what the pictogram looked like.

"What do you want?" He queried, squinting at the tiny bird.

"That boy of yours... What's his name?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I think I know where his mother is."

Siki looked at the dove in dismay. And then retorted, "You can't fool me. You're his mother." The dove gasped silently. "Yes, and it's rather unfortunate that I can't make out your pictogram. I'll have you know, I'm not giving up my son."

The dove looked down. "I thought you wouldn't... Listen, I don't want you to think of me as a horrible deer. I never wanted him to be alone, but I had no choice. You must understand."

"I understand. But what I don't understand is why you were so careless."

The dove sighed again, "I don't know... I was confused and hurt. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Well, you have to live with it now. Sooner or later, you'll want to face him. And when you do, I hope for you sake he'll understand."

Siki walked away from the dove, but stopped and looked over his shoulder, "By the way, his name's Skokey." He walked away, leaving the dove speechless.

***

The next day, Skokey and Siki sat somewhere in the Graveyard. Siki was dreading this day, but he had to talk to his son about what happens after life.

"Why are we here, dad?" Skokey asked, looking around at the old ruins and graves.

"Well.. Today I'm going to talk to you about death." He sighed.

this actually happened a couple days ago, but i was too lazy to post it.



I got to meet Vipin! we douched around for a little while, then i had to leave ^^; sorry Sarie, I only took one picture XD i had fun though. hope we can do it again sometime

i saw Fenqua again, and i got on AS FAST AS I COULD

sorry, im such a creep. i love meeting friends on TEF though. and this time we had a LOT more fun and now, some picatures.



Skokey and Fenqua runnin around in the Birch Forest. I gave her a funny pelt, which she seemed to like XD



Aww, Skokey and Fenqua in their very favorite place. And look! Even the butterflies wanna have fun *DRAMA*




just some random pics. We went to the Graveyard and I just HAD to get my poppies back. Somehow they disappeared when I was at a party (which i never posted)



This is just a really cute picture. They're such good friends. (i love how there are tiny versions of the pictos whenever you get too close XD) This is just so cute though! The only thing that would make it cuter is the flowers and butterflies at sunset. OH YOUNG LOVE *shot* I kid, I kid

anyway, hope i wasnt annoying Fenqua, I had a lot of fun

Skokey and Siki had spent many days talking about magic and the forces which control them. Skokey had been very interested in what this magic could do. So one day, Siki took him to see what his friends looked like. They went over to the pond, where most of the deer usually hang out. They sat down for a while, since none of Siki's friends were there yet, they looked at the strangers and what they looked like.

Siki looked around, then spotted one. "Okay Skokey, look over where I'm looking." He did so. "See that deer?" Skokey nodded. "Well, that deer has what's called the Peacock Pelt. A very pretty arrangment of color to look like a bird."

"What kind of antlers does he have?"

"I believe those are the Masquerade Antlers. I was never fond of them. But Uncle Fraalch always liked them."

"Uncle Fraalch does seem like he would..."

Siki looked around again, and saw a younger looking stag. "Okay, look over there." Skokey looked again. "Now there's a deer with a complete set."

"Complete set?"

"Yes. A complete set is where you have a special pelt, mask, and antlers, so that nobody else will look like you. This one has the Magpie Pelt and the Magpie Mask."

"And the antlers?"

"I believe those are the Kirin Antlers. Boy, he looks very nice. Maybe you should go over there and talk to him."

"No... I shouldn't , he looks busy." Skokey looked around. "Ooh! What about him?"

"Him? Oh my, he's very big isn't he? Well, he also has a complete set. He has the Skull Mask, Zombie Antlers, and... well I never knew what that pelt was called. I never really knew what it went with."

The larger stag let out a cry, which frightened Skokey. "What's he doing? It's really scary!"

"Don't worry Skokey, he's not out to get anyone. Sometimes masks change the sound of your voice. And sometimes your voice will frighten little fawns." Siki nuzzled his son to comfort him.

"So... Why don't you have any special pelts and stuff?"

(there's a prologue, guys. you should read that first if you havent yet!!)


It had been about a day since Siki found the little fawn. Skokey had been sleeping the entire day, never giving Siki a chance to wander around at all. He did get out of the shelter to stretch and graze not too far away. Skokey just kept sleeping. At one point, one of Siki's friends, Fraalch, came over to him to see what was happening. Fraalch was a smaller stag, just as old and wise as Siki. But while Siki had a natural appearance, Fraalch had the Secretary Bird Pelt and the Masquerade Mask.

"Hey, Siki. Where've ya been? You haven't been by the Pond or the Graveyard at all." Fraalch got a closer look behind Siki. "Well now... Who's this little guy?"

"He's my new son." He quickly added, " Well, uhh.. Not really. I found him this morning all alone."

"All alone? No mother at all?"

"No. It was the saddest thing I'd ever seen. And you know how much I've wanted a fawn. So, I decided, why not?" Siki smiled warmly at his friend.

"What's its name?"

"Well, its a he. And I named him Skokey."

Fraalch sighed and nodded with a smirk. "I'm not surprised at all. Every time the fawn topic came up you always said 'If my fawn's a girl, I'll name her Raku; but if it's a boy, I'll name him Skokey.'"

"That's right, and you always laughed at me for saying so."

"Well... We never really expected you to mate, much less just randomly come by a fawn. But mostly we laughed because we knew you would never let go of your old man's name."

***

Several months passed since that day. Skokey had been walking around with Siki, learning to talk, meeting every deer he saw. Siki taught him something new every day. They would sit down in a flower patch normally, where it was quiet, and Siki would just let the questions come.

so close-ups... can you do them yourself or do people have to do it for you?

Okay, first question. How do you sit down? I realize this is some sort of glitch but I like the way it looks. Can anyone tell me how?

And second question, how do you half-bow? Like, instead of going all the way down to the ground, you just go halfway. Can anyone tell me that too?

I know, I'm so n00bish

my computers being extra slow today. i tried getting on TEF but it was so slow i couldnt even get up! anyone know why there are giant mushrooms all over the place?

A few yards away from the pond, in the early morning. No one was awake, except for one. A doe was laying in a bed of violet flowers. She was in labor, laying there panting and crying out softly. The sun had just started to break over the horizon. Dull streams of pink light were piercing through the trees.

Hours had passed, and finally a new fawn was brought to the forest. The mother lay there for a few minutes, then got up. The fawn was asleep. She looked at it, so small and helpless. Surely it would need parenting. Tears flowed from her eyes, it ripped her heart to shreds. She called out loudly in all directions, hoping someone would hear. She looked back one more time, trying not to think of the worst. She turned around, and ran as fast as she could away from the fawn.

***

It was later in the morning, and more deer were waking. An old stag by the name of Siki was wandering through the cool morning air. Siki rubbed against a tree and pricked his ears. What was that? he thought. He listened closely, and he heard a small cry. It was very faint, but he knew what it was. It was a cry for help. Siki ran quickly over to where he heard the cry.

He soon came upon a small patch of flowers. A newborn fawn was laying in the middle, squinting its eyes and crying out for its mother. Siki looked around. There wasn't a doe to be found. A lump came up in his throat as he looked at the poor thing. No mother to help it through childhood. No mother to teach it or nurture it. It was all alone. Siki went over to the fawn and nuzzled it, calming it down.

"You poor thing." He whispered as the fawn rubbed against his face. "You're all alone aren't you? Well don't worry, I'm here. I'll take care of you." He smiled, "I've always wanted a little fawn of my own. It seems the gods are looking out for both of us."