((In case Yurei/Ren/Baal or any other deer was wondering what the heck that fawn was doing (the one who was standing between Baal and Yurei/Ren after the fight). She thought Baal was being hurt. ^^ Also, Baal, this is the fawn that you attacked. XD Sorry for the misunderstanding on my part! D:))

The Fawn

I stand. Everything feels better today. Well, at least my body does. I think I can run again, like a normal fawn should. So I get up and walk, up and out of the lake.

The mist is really scaring me. Everything is quiet, too quiet. My hoofsteps are muffled. Instead of clip-clomp, I hear tha-thump, that-thump. Like the beating of a heart.

My heart?

That's when I realize that, every time I have awakened, it has been in my dream forest. I quiver a bit, but soldier on. I'm brave. Very brave...for mommy. I miss my mommy.

I catch a scent on the wind. It seems...familiar, but I can't place it. I just can't. So I walk towards it. I wanna know who this is.

A stag is sitting next to a rock. Red pelt. Dark black ram antlers. Pure white mask, with blood-tears coming from it. I don't recognize him, but I walk up and sit next to him. He doesn't move. I am almost drawn to him. It's a strange feeling. The stag falls asleep. Others come up, quickly...but they stay away. I'm glad.

He stands up quickly and backs away, but I bow. I suddenly find myself...forgiving him. Forgiving him for what? I'm not sure. I nuzzle him and he seems surprised and sad. So sad. He walks away, limping. I notice scars down his sides, everywhere.

Can that happen in my dream?

Suddenly, those...deer with antlers...are in front of us. The red-pelted stag is fighting them. They're wearing bones. Is it paint...or...? I'm scared of them, really scared. But I swallow my fear. The stag runs towards me. His flanks are heaving and he's bleeding a bit more. The others come running up. They're scarier now, almost like they want this stag's blood. But I swallow my fear.

I stand between the two groups.

I'm shivering, a tiny little fawn between a group of bloodthirsty antlered deer and my...friend? No, the stag I'm drawn to. Maybe they just look bloodthirsty to me. It doesn't occur to me that...maybe it's the other way around.

“Stop! Stop! Please stop!” My voice is a tiny little bleat. They're confused, worried because I'm standing by this stag. Or... But I hold my ground. They're so scary and I have to protect that stag. A little fawn...trying to stop her nightmare...

“Please! You can't! He's...You can't!” It's pitiful, but they're listening. They come up to sniff me...or perhaps the stag behind me. Either way, it makes me feel sick. But they're not threatening me. They're bowing and I'm bowing. The fight (Was it a fight? Either way, it was scaring my...friend...) seems to have stopped. My friend runs off and I run after him.

“Wait!” I call. I think he's gone, but then he's still standing there. I nuzzle him more.

“I don't want them to hurt you, whoever you are...friend...” He's nuzzling me back. I feel warm inside, for the first time since I got here. The other deer come running up, but they're not threatening him. I nuzzle them gladly, happily, and bow to the fawn that is with them.

“Thanks...” I say in each of the antlered deer's ears, but I'm still really scared of them. My friend looks okay now and runs off. I see another deer going to him. I let them go and dance with these stags.

I'm dizzy, so dizzy. I lay down and stop dancing. Their pelts look like whirling skeletons. Death...I cry out, but they're gone. Stupid deer...They've probably hurt my friend...but did he hurt them? It..seems like he did. But I can't help thinking they deserved it...

I walk slowly back to the pond, collapsing every so often as dizziness comes again. But I'm curious when I come to the hill. I walk up it.

Statues.

They're glowing. I sniff them, and another deer is standing there. Something makes me sick about them, so sick. I start backing away. The other deer bows to them.

They're gods to these deer.

And somehow, I know they're what's keeping me here.

I rear at them. I'm angry, so angry. They're why I haven't awakened in my real home! They're why I'm stuck here! They're false gods, keeping me away! I run off in a torrent of tears.

Stupid idols, stupid, stupid, stupid. But something is in the back of my mind, waiting to come out.

I'm dizzy again. I stop, then look around.

Ruins....graves.

I walk up to one and stare at it.

That something in the back of my mind finally comes out.

It's death.

I'm screaming at the gravestone, screaming, “No! No!”, over and over again. It's not right, I'm just dreaming, dreaming, dreaming...

Not dead.

I yell and run.

I'm still alive, just dreaming.

Then why can't I get out?

I crash into the pond and curl up. I won't be sleeping tonight.