Taken from the journal of the self-proclaimed expert on the so-called Masquerade Deer of an even stranger place called The Endless Forest, Professor Phudd Aylmer [Editor's Note: Run on sentence? By the way, as editor, I will not correct Prof. Aylmer's typos. The genius should know how to write. >_>]


~The 7th of January~

I am world renown expert on all things Cervinae. Expect to learn something from my legacy--my journals. Cryptozoology has turned a blind eye to these odd creatures, these mysterious creatures of the woods, but while others refuse to believe, I know these creatures exist. I have seen them. I have photographed them. Continue to be a skeptic if you wish. Or even call my photographical evidence a fake, a mere trick of some super computer program. But I am here to say, as loud and as clear as any boom of thunder, that the Masquerade Deer exist.

Here is their tale.

On viewing the Forest for the first time, one can get a sense of its grandness. Running and exploring for hours can feel like you're just running in circles. And on my first day, I discovered a young fawn barely an hour old. The little guy was a tricky one to track. One moment there and the next...poof! Thus I dubbed him "Ghost."


I think he saw me. I wonder what I look like to him? Can he really see me? Is-is he laughing at me? That little bas-- No. I must refrain. Must be professional about this.



It soon became apparent that Ghost had a younger brother. I called him "TNT," for obvious reasons. In my later investigations, it is a sad truth that TNT is rarely seen. The stag has a maturity about him which is sorely lacking in his older brother.



Dreams? We do not know if these strange creatures can dream. But if they could, what would they dream of?



As with the shifting of the seasons, all fawns eventually grow up. I had a perfect photo opportunity of these two, but something spooked them. Did I forget to shower today?


Today was an interesting one in the Forest. First thing I noticed was that Ghost had stumbled upon one of the few maidens in the Forest, Bell. Being the flirty, playboy stag he is, Ghost trotted over to greet Miss Bell. However, she was with [Walter]Demon, an intimidating stag who had been known to cross antlers with the strongest of the Forest. He never backs down from a fight, and poor Ghost didn't know what he was up against.



Not one to back down, as well, Ghost placed some distance between them to recompose himself. The confrontation even knocked off one of his pelts.



After more confrontations, a chase broke out, eventually turning into a stampede, wrangling in nearly 7-10 deer. What a sight it was!


But throughout all of the chaos, Ghost never lost sight of Bell. What got into this Stag? Along with being the flirty playboy, he's also a nomad, socializing with a few then moving on to another group.



This chase has to end soon. Both were looking very tried from all of the running. And in the long chase, Demon vanished.


Finally, they rested. But it wasn't long until Bell was on her feet again and leading the chase once more.


But Ghost soon took the hint. With head hung low, he backed away, leaving Bell to rest by the Ruins.


Back to his normal routine, Ghost spotted Demon "playing" with a fawn. Is that Ghost laughing? I do believe it is. Maybe he was tickled by the sight, or it was the stray pelt spell that slapped him?


Later in the day, the elusive TNT appeared to restore Ghost to his former glory. But who is this I spy laying near them? Is that Demon? What are these two scheming? I fear for all deer in the Forest when these two are together.


Ah. I see. Retaliation.



Even with TNT vanishing once more, Ghost continued his scheme.


Nearly thirty pelts spells later, Ghost felt the spells aftereffects and needed to rest.

It was a wild day today. I wonder what tomorrow will have in store for these mysterious Masquerade Deer of The Endless Forest.

Professor Phudd Aylmer

(EDIT: My quotation marks were turned to code. Apparently the site doesn't like "smart quotes" from MS Office Word.)