The Priest
I wonder. I wonder how it is possible to gain so many enemies so quickly. Perhaps they are blind to what I am doing for them. They always are. Perhaps this is why...

Not a single deer can understand what has gone on tonight. Not one. I was harmless, courteous to her until she reopened old scars without reason. The scars were healed until she became insulting, proving exactly why does do not belong here. It is quite easy to see how it went from there, her insulting words simply making it so that I could not ignore her if I wished to keep my honor.

So I awakened this morning to snow coating the ground. White, the color of innocence, of purity. Yet, she was there, defying the purity of the forest, soiling it with her dark word. Of course, she brought reinforcements, but at least he knew enough to stay back.

That Gods-forbidden doe made the first move. I, after all, am more honorable than she. What followed was the longest battle that I can remember. However, the winner was quite clear, even from the beginning. This doe could not stand up to me. She seemed to flag early on, but always came back. What a foolish little fawn. I lost track of the time as we struck out at each other, running, breathing...Everything mixed together into a haze of red, her hooves, my hooves...

“Have you finished here, doe?” I would call, and she would answer something in her stuttering voice. Or nothing at all.

Then Amary came along. I worry for her, injured as she is. She attempted to stop us, but I knew that if I were to admit defeat, my honor, my duty to the Gods would be sacrificed. I continued...but so did Amary. She got in the way of our battle several times, earning her several injuries. I regret each one, for she is innocent.

The snow...

I suppose I looked down once. The snow was coated in dots of red blood, mine and hers. It dripped down both of us, down my antlers. It did not matter to me at that time. I was focused.

Of course, she resorted to her black deeds. She decided to wear the pelt of my brothers. I suppose this was simply to get to me. Gods, the impertinent little fawn! To wear the pelt of my brothers on her worthless hide, dirtying it, disrespecting them.

I redoubled my attack. She would get what she deserved, indeed. She backed away as I came for her. Perhaps she was finally showing signs of intelligence. I still came, forward and forward, Amary trying to stop us.

Then Amary was gone. I knew not where.

“If you have harmed her, so help me Gods, I shall...” The sentence trailed off as a hoof raked down my side.

She tried to get to her reinforcements. I blocked her off. After all, this was a fair fight. Two on one? Not quite what we had agreed to, little doe.

Luckily, Amary came back. Good. If she had not...Gods help me. Gods help me. The fight continued until I had that Gods-forsaken doe on the run. Of course, it seemed to me that she constantly wanted more of a fight. I gave it to her. She fled to the old altar, which I dually defended. My Gods would be quite proud, I assumed.

Then finally, she surrendered.

The winner had been obvious.
The doe had been foolish.

I went away to the pond, wounds suddenly aching as the rush from the fight faded slowly. A trail of blood dripped behind me. I developed a limp, discovering some gashes and more on my sides. Some were quite deep. I, however, believe that she is in much worse condition. Perhaps she will not challenge me again.

The cooling waters of the pond seeped into my pelt, washing the darker red from it in little eddying swirls. How strange that red was against the pure white, almost like a blatant contradiction. The snow continued to fall, nestling as points of cold in my fur.

After a time, I noticed Amary and Bastilion a bit away. Of course, I went to see them. The disapproval was plain in their eyes, the scorn blazing from their pelts. How I shall miss their friendship. How strange that things can change so swiftly.

As I stared Amary in the eyes, I could tell she was asking for an explanation.

“You would not understand. It is for the greater good of the forest to chase from it this evil. I am sorry, Amary. You cannot understand this. Please then, for your sake, stay out of it,” I said plainly. No matter...I shall miss the fawn who brought my sanity back.

I traveled to the Twin Gods next, to explain to them my victory. I am not sure what happened. Perhaps an aftershock of the battle, but a sudden jolt ran through my body as I prayed.

I swear I heard someone whisper, “You are no servant to us, Priest, if this is your choice...”, close, nearly in my ear. I walked away then, feeling rather sick. Battle shocks, that was all. I was just exhausted.

I fell asleep by the pond, then, quietly.

And the white continued to fall, covering the red.

((No, these views are not necessarily mine.))