He stood quietly, gazing out over the pond, green eyes studying, surverying, tracking. With a satisfied snort he relaxed his head, large antlers glaring brilliant red in the light that filtered down through the leaves to where he sat between the two saplings.

His jet black ears flicked forward, keeping watch before one swivelled back, hearing the softest foot falls. He did not have to look to see who it was.

It was her, that was clear. The doe always came to him, no matter where it was he woke, she always seemed to appear beside him quickly.

"Good day Night"

He finally tilted his head, glancing back toward the small blue doe who approached him, moving to lay herself down at his side.

"Good afternoon" she turned her gaze upon him before looking back out over the forest where he watched the groups of deer bounding around enjoying themselves.

They were silent a long while, and he grunted gently, looking toward his side as he saw her curled up at his side. Her forehead pressed to his body, breath ruffling his fur with each breath that she took as she slept.

An unexpected warmness planted itself in the lord and he shook his head, trying to ward it off. He gave a soft growl, looking back ahead, glaring out over the forest.

This little doe, her fighting spirit and firey temper who now lay beside him so quietly, how did she ever manage to do this? He use to kill thousands for speaking back on him. Her, she had no respect for his rule. She flopped down upon his back to rest, spelled him as she pleased and faught back with him when he grew angry.

His mind flickered back to when they had met, she had tried to beat him up then too. A large smirk slid onto his muzzle and he chuckled, the deep sound rumbling from in his chest.

He was uncertain though. Along with all her irritating quirks, Night Shade was not what he had expected. She was beautiful, fiesty, challenging. She made him fight for what he wanted, and while this fact irritated the lord, he also found it refreshing.

He was finding himself more and more protective of her, untrusting of stags who looked at her the wrong way. This he did not understand. And when she smiled at him...he could feel a soft warmth.

He growled again, raking his hooves through the soil with his frustration. He could not be falling in love. That word was not in his vocabulary! He could not be...could he? His gaze flicked back to the Night Shade as his growl pulled her from her slumber.

"What are you growling about?" she muttered as she pushed herself up, stretching. He found it greatly amusing that she only just reached the top of his head when he was laying down.

"Nothing. I am just thinking.."

She made a face at him, obviously she was unsatisfied with that answer "Well think quieter!" she muttered back at him irritated, moving and flopping onto his back to sleep some more.

An irritated growl slid from him but he did not move, ignoring the warmth and flutter of his heart.