Long ago, the forest was simply trees.
The deer played among the falling leaves and swaying grass. There was nothing within the forest, for the world need not exist outside of its greenery.
There was the trees, and a world beyond was unthinkable.
In the middle of the forest, where its bounties were thick, the poppies and dandelions grew around a massive oak. The tree rose like a beacon, calling to the deer to take shelter from the rain among his hollow belly. While he whispered softly to them with the voices of the spirits of the forest.
The goddess looked upon the forest, and the deer. She wept, for the deer knew not of the lovely sound of water. Of the trickling of a stream upon the stone.
She stood upon a hill within the forest, and her tears brought forth a stream. Within its waters, dragonflies sprung to live and willows grew with whispering fronds that tickled the water's surface.
Now the goddess wept, but wept in joy as the deer she once pitied frolicked within her waters.
The stream turned into a pond, and the forest's deer swelled with pride.
As the stream widened, a bridge connected its banks, and the deer found the stones to be warm and cool all at once. They napped upon the stones.
New deer, visitors from another forest began to frolic within the forest's endlessness. These deer carried the mark of the god. hey frolicked and played and while they rested, the native deer played around them, enjoying the bounty of the stream and pond that came from the goddess' happy weeping.
Soon, the world expanded, a dark, mysterious standing of stone rose from the soil, exposed as trees fell around it. The ruins of what might have been another being within the forest. A new deer came to this place, bringing with it the spirits of others. New stones rose to follow the deer, and the forest deer danced in glee.
The god and goddess stood upon the tallest hill. They oversaw the forest they had protected, and as they stood and watched, their feet and forms turned as to stone. They stood as a pair, protectors and blessing-granters upon the forest hill, listening to the sounds of the pond that flourished, and the frolicking of the deer among the stone.
With the blessings of the god and goddess upon the forest, new trees sprung from the soil. Upon their bark mushrooms as flat as leaves and strong enough to hold the forest spirits grew. On others delicate pine cones, crunchy and sweet.
Within these new trees a deep seed of magic bestowed upon the deer who feasted upon their fruits.
Companionship yielded coats of many hues for the deer, the mushrooms awarded them new faces and voices, while the pine cones gave unto them magnificent racks of antlers never before seen in the forest. The spirits joined within the fun, granting new abilities within the dancing rings of mushrooms that lay among the forest floor.
Deer became rabbits, bats, doves, and crows. They were surprised, but not unhappy with the new magic running through the roots of their forest. Meanwhile, the god and goddess looked on and smiled from their stone forms.
Happily the deer ran through their forest, ever expanding as it was, and enjoyed the bounties given them by the god and goddess.
They lowed and bellowed, they made their strange noises through mushroom changed faces and danced to the music of the forest.
New trees sprung from the ground, berries followed, with butterflies and new flowers. A ring of stones to spring from grew from the soil, and the deer rejoiced.
Strange things appeared on the stones, made of bees' wax and shining like stars and the sun. The deer found they could set the things upon their antlers, and light the darkest night.
Among the stones danced a new terrifying deer. Who smelled of death, and whose bellow echoed through the very bones of the deer. His antlers were wide, the colour of deep berries, and his face the sun bleached bone of the long dead.
Yet he brought no harm, he danced, and lowed, and the deer accepted him, playing strange games and bringing presents.
A wellspring rose, bringing quiet retreat from the excited forest, the waters lapped upon stone and reminded the deer of a simpler time, before the magic of the forest surrounded them, when it was merely trees, and the water.
The forest continues to thrive. With deer whom roam and dance among the trees. They live on, with their glee and pride, while the goddess and god look in upon them now and then. The blessings continue, but the forest, as ever it has been, is truly Endless.