Some of you may remember that I wrote a story a long time ago detailing Cloud's past and how he came about remembering it. It's been nearly two years since I wrote that story and since then Cloud's character and past have evolved, as well as my own skills as a writer.
This story is the same one that I wrote nearly two years ago, it has just been rewritten. Some things are the same, some things are different ♥



In the gloom of the trees, a doe and her fawn rested in the safety of the forest. The wind sighed through the trees overhead, almost giving the impression of a thousand tiny voices whispering to one another. Birds chirped and twittered to one another, flying high above the branches of the trees.
The doe and the fawn were both silver pelted, a unique color for whitetail deer. The doe, however, had a human face, hidden behind a mask fashioned to look like a magpie. She was clearly not from this forest. The tiny fawn, however, had the face of a normal deer.
“Mother,” He asked suddenly, “What’s the Endless Forest like?”
The doe, named Dove, smiled at her son. “Well, my dear Cloud, it is a place trapped in time, set apart from the rest of the world. There are no humans or predators. It is a place of relative peace,” She answered calmly. Her eyes seemed to stare passed her son as she remembered this place…and what had driven her from it. Dark things that only she knew of…things that she wished to never remember again.
The fawn grinned, his dark blue eyes sparkling, “I wanna go there!”
“Maybe someday,” Dove laughed, breaking from her thoughts, “Come. It is time that we went to the meadow.”

Cloud jolted awake, blinking the sleep from his eyes. He frowned and studied the memory of the dream. He focused on the doe’s face; it was strangely familiar yet at the same time foreign to him. “My…mother?” He whispered.
He’d had a mother? The thought excited and confused him. If he had a mother…where was she now? How come he didn’t remember her?
The gray buck lurched to his hooves and shook himself. Maybe it had just been a dream…a passing fantasy made up by his mind.

Cloud, now a yearling, paced outside the thicket. He was restless, worried. The winter had been long and hard, a terrible time for a pregnant doe. All season long, he had helped his mother by bringing her the best food he could find. Even if he himself had been starving, he always made sure she’d eaten first. Even so, when spring had come she had still been terribly weak.
“Cloud,” Dove whispered exhaustedly, though happily at the same time, “Come…meet your little brother.”
The gray buck peeked in the thicket cautiously, not sure what he’d find. His fears were put to rest when he saw, nestled next to his mother’s side, a tiny brown furred fawn. His little brother. A feeling of happiness swept over the gray buck and he smiled.
“What did you name him?” Cloud whispered, afraid of waking the tiny creature.
“Sky.”

Cloud stared at his own reflection in the pond, unblinking. Where were all these strange dreams coming from? Each time he fell asleep they’d play through his mind, clear and uninterrupted. Could they be…memories? If they were…why was he remembering them now?
He shook himself and set out to patrol, shoving his troubles into the furthest corner of his mind. He had much more pressing worries at the moment.

“Mother, what’s wrong?”
Even as he uttered it, Dove did not stir at the sound of her eldest son’s voice. The scent of sickness was almost choking.
“She won’t wake up,” Sky sobbed, “Help her, Cloud!”
Cloud stepped into the thicket and nudged his mother. She felt unnaturally hot. He knew it then, the sickness was taking over.
“Sky,” He said quietly, “Come away from her.”
“W-what?”
“She’s…” Cloud choked, “She’s leaving us.”
The small fawn stared up at his older brother almost uncomprehending. ”N-no. NO! She can’t!” Sky buried his face into Cloud’s chest fur, “It’s not fair!”
Cloud stayed quiet. Inside, he was breaking as well, even if he didn’t show it. He would stay strong for Sky, always.
“Cloud.”
The gray buck looked up in surprise at the sound of his mother’s voice. She sounded so weak, her once beautiful voice now barely a raspy whisper.
“Cloud…seek out the endless forest…take Sky there…please,” She whispered, “Watch over…him…for me.”
“I will,” Cloud said quietly, “I promise, mother.”
A smile crossed Dove’s lips and she sighed. With that final breath…she was gone. A strange silence settled in the thicket, broken only by the quiet sobs of two brothers. Cloud felt as though the world was crashing down on him. He was only a yearling and Sky just a fawn, the odds seemed impossible. But he couldn’t give up, he had to stay strong.
The gray buck shook his head and nudged his little brother. “Come on,” He said softly, “Let’s go.”

“Cloud?”
Cloud blinked. He’d fallen asleep again. The dream had been so vivid, so…sad. He felt his throat tighten as the cries of Sky echoed in his mind, his little brother. Were these really his memories? Cloud gazed off into the distance, making sure his friend, Virgil, couldn’t see his face.
Couldn’t see the silent tears.
“Cloud, are you all right?” Virgil repeated.
Cloud nodded slowly, “I…I’m fine,” He said as calmly as he could, trying to keep his voice level.
Virgil seemed unconvinced but pressured him no further. Cloud was glad he didn’t. Still without looking directly at the older stag, the gray buck lurched to his hooves. “I’ll be back,” He said quietly, “I need a drink.”
With that, he took off for the pond.

Cloud awoke the feel of soft rain on his back. He blinked and raised his head, ears swiveling. They were in wolf country now and the buck, now two years old, couldn’t afford to let his guard down.
Beside him, another whitetail, a yearling, stirred as well. He blinked his sky blue eyes and smiled. “It’s raining.”
Cloud snorted, “Way to go, mister obvious,” He said jokingly.
Sky grinned back, “Just figuring I’d let you know, you always have your head in the clouds, Cloud.”
The two of them laughed. It had been a long year for the two, filled with trials and close calls, but Cloud could feel that they were getting close. Soon enough, their journey would be at its end and they could relax.
“Do you want to set out now or wait for the rain to stop?” Cloud asked.
Sky laid his head back down on the ground, “Wait it out,” He replied with a soft huff.
“You just want to sleep more, don’t you?”
The younger buck flashed a grin, “Darn, you found out my plan.”
Suddenly, a howl cut through the silence. Gradually, more and more voices joined with the haunting song. Both deer were on their feet in seconds, ears pricked and bodies tense. The wolves were close…and getting closer.
Cloud nudged his brother northward. “Come on, if we hurry we might be able to lose them. They haven’t caught our scent yet,” He said with an air of urgency.
Sky simply nodded in reply.
They set out at once, keeping their pace quick yet steady, staying in the sheltering shadows of the trees. An eerie silence fell over the forest and the air grew thick with tension.
Suddenly, a low howl sounded just behind them. The wolves were much closer than Cloud first thought and they found their scent.
“Run, Sky!”
The two deer took off. Their lithe forms weaved through the underbrush and the trees in a grace that only a deer could master.
“Sky, we have to split up!” Cloud shouted to his brother after some time.
“What?!”
“We have to lose them! You keep heading north, I’ll catch up with you later!”
“No, Cloud, wait!”
But Sky’s pleas came too late. The gray buck swung off to the side and slowed considerably, he was allowing the wolves to catch up. He waited, his heart pounded in his ears. Every nerve told him to keep running but he waited. Soon, he could hear the panting of the hunters. They were close enough. Cloud took off again, the hunters hot on his trail just like he wanted. He could only hope that his plan worked, that Sky could escape…even if it meant that Cloud himself didn’t.
He ran for what seemed like ages. He weaved around thick trees and underbrush, backtracked and crossed streams. One by one, the wolves dropped the trail of the gray buck. He had proven to be too strong and swift for them.
Cloud slowed, his chest heaving with exertion. He listened, the hunters were long gone. He breathed a soft sigh of relief…relief that did not last long.
A scream rang out from across the forest. Cloud’s fur stood on end as he recognized the voice.
“SKY!”

In a patch of flowers, near the ruins, a young buck with a coat the color of storm clouds lay in a feverish dream. The world passed him by, unaware of the horrors he was experiencing.

Too slow. Too slow.
“Sky, I’m coming!”
His heart pounded against his ribs, if it had the strength it might have burst right out of his chest. He crashed through the bushes with little or no concern for his own well being, his every thought, every instinct, drove him forward. Branches lashed at his coat, drawing long, bloody scratches. He was numb to their bite.
Too slow.
The howling of the triumphant hunters rang in his ears. Hot tears streaked down Cloud’s cheeks, he hoped, prayed, that it wasn’t too late. He burst from the trees, not at all expecting the vision that his eyes beheld.
“Sky…no…NO!”

Cloud’s breathing quickened and he twitched in his sleep. Some deer noticed but none moved to wake him. They went on with their daily activities, unknowing.

The gray buck nudged the lifeless body of his little brother, his chest silent and his breath gone. Cloud’s own breathing was labored, his hide marked with the wounds from fighting off the wolves. His body was numb but his chest hurt.
“Sky,” He whispered, “Please…wake up. Wake up.”
No response.
“WAKE UP!”

Cloud panted, his body ached, it wanted him to stop running but he continued on. His mind ran with his legs, ever circling around and around.
Why had he remembered everything, and so suddenly? Why now?
Cloud stumbled and fell, scraping his knees across the ground. He picked himself up and pressed on, hardly pausing to catch a breath. His heart felt as though it would burst from his chest. The visions continued to play in his mind, there was no running from the inevitable.

Cloud was lost. The forest was dark, rain poured from the heavens like tears and distant thunder growled. His body was finally succumbing to its wounds and exhaustion. The buck stumbled and fell to the earth. He tried to rise but his body refused.
“Why…why…” He whispered over and over, “Sky…don’t leave me.”
~I’m still here…~
“Take me with you.”
~I can’t.~
Cloud’s eyes closed and he surrendered himself to the darkness. The last thing he remembered was a bright light and a feeling of warmth and safety. A voice gently whispered, barely audible.

~Don’t forget me…~
“I won’t. I promise.”

Then…there was nothing. No pain, no wounds. No memories. The gray stag was reduced to a fawn, placed in a strange forest. It would be temporary, the memories would return but, for now, he could live in blissful ignorance.

Cloud skidded to a halt, his chest heaving. Yes, he remembered it all now. He’d had a brother and a mother once…both had been torn away from him. That hollow feeling he’d always felt, the feeling of missing someone, he understood it now. All along, he’d been missing them. All this time, his memories had been locked away until the time was right.
“Sky,” Cloud whispered, his voice cracking, “I remember. I haven’t forgotten you. I will never forget you.”