How the Forest was Created, a theory told by scaredypants Epon (a response to Quadraptor's post 'Forest Fables')

Oh goodness gracious young fawn, you did give me a fright! I'm sorry that I shrieked like that-- now, now, no need to cry, you just scared me that's all! What's that? You're lost? Well I'm sure your mother and father are looking for you so stay in one place and it'll be easier. Don't fret about it, I'll tell you a story to pass the time. How this amazing forest you got lost in was created, I must of heard this from my father was I was as young as you...

Long ago, before anything was anything, the mighty Twin Gods swam slowly through nothingness. The nothingness held the Twin Gods and that was that. But not for long. The Twin Gods actually got quite bored of swimming through nothingness all the time, but there wasn't any time. Because it was all nothingness. Anyway, one day the Twin Gods created sound and thought, so then they could plan to turn nothingness into somethingness.

Then they created something. A rather large, multicoloured ball. The nothingness was shocked at first, however it quickly grew used to it. The Twin Gods were rather happy with what they had done, and left the ball with knowledge. They continued to swim, watching the ball fondly. Very, very slowly, so it wouldn't scare the nothingness, the ball began to unravel. It uncurled three, long feather like tails, that were as flexible as any snake (although snakes hadn't been created then), many hundred legs that were tall and strong and slim as trees unfolded and finally the four-headed creature lifted it's four heads. Oceans and waves ran over it's belly and grass grew down it's neck. It wore a mask of leaves and feathers, and behind the mask were eyes that saw. Small balls orbited the creature, each with a marking for life, fire, water, earth and air. It was a World Deer.

The creature was perfection itself and the Twin Gods were pleased. They rode on the deer's back, which was grateful for it's own creation and was a humble servant. The deer gave life, beauty and light to the nothingness, and it begged for more. All of a sudden, one of the deer's heads crumbled into dust. The dust scattered, covering the nothingness with stars and sparkles. Another head began to shine so brightly it floated away with the stars. This head became the Sun. A head next to the Sun followed upwards, and began to shine it well. It became the moon. The creature did not use it's forth head for anything.

Next, the deer threw the waves on it's belly over half of the nothingness. It had created a huge ocean. The Twin Gods had an idea and whispered in their friends ear, and with a mighty jump the deer tossed the ocean upwards. The waves became as light as air and as they curled over, clouds were formed. They had created the sky.

The deer continued creating. It shook the grass on it's back, throwing seeds and pollen onto the nothingness below. Then it planted most of it's legs into the ground (of course leaving four to walk on) to make the trees. It used it's smallest waves to make a pond, and it's antlers dropped off, leaving a statue for the Twin Gods to be worshipped by. Then the Twin Gods saw a problem. The trees and grass and flowers, as grateful as they may be, could not worship them. The deer then pulled off it's tails, one for birds, one for fish and the last for many many creatures. The Twin Gods thanked the deer for it's hard work and labour, and created many smaller deer to live in forest in it's image. The nothingness had been filled, and surely that must be the end of the story.

But it isn't. Many years later the World Deer got angry. The new deer that were being born had no gratitude for their lives, for the forest, and few didn't even pray for the Twin Gods, that had worked so hard and even gave the deer beautiful pelts, masks and antlers to display and powerful magic that could manipulate the forest. The World Deer grew sick with rage, and the anger had reached it's heart. It's love for the Twin Gods was great, and why wouldn't the other deer it it's image feel the same? It thundered over the land, killing many creatures that lived in the forest in harmony. It ripped down trees and smashed rocks, scaring many animals away. It grew so angry that flames licked the land and many tree spirits were burned to death.

The Twin Gods could not stop the World Deer, for one it was their friend and they did not want to hurt it, and also because they didn't want to risk the entire forest of destroying the demonic creature. The deer, decided to fight for the entire forest, using powerful magic to destroy the creature that had looked after them for so long. The war was long and hard, and many deer lost their lives, but as World Deer fell to the ground, it left one more creation. Tears ran down it's mask, and rain fell down on the forest.

The Twin Gods then removed all powerful magic, to ensure that any incidents would not harm the forest any more. The World Deer had died, but it's love for the Twin Gods and the forest was not forgotten. Now all the deer worship the Twin Gods, and even wear pelts to honour the deer that lost their lives to save the forest. The moral of the story is that even things that seem perfect and work hard, can be angry and sad inside.

Oh, little fawn, did you hear your father? What are you waiting for call back, call back! Is that him? Go on, run up to him, he won't be able to see you in this grass! Goodbye little fawn, it was nice talking to you. Tell no one I was here, they scare me sometimes...