HA and this is the first thing I post when the site comes back up. Well enjoy~

Black Ear

De Drinkplaats, a mystical new appearance in the Endless Forest. Deer from all around had flocked to this fountain in order to experience the new magic. It was a new place for deer to gather, for them to socialize. But deer weren't the only creatures to gather here. Animals of all kind came, doves, ravens, bats, frogs, squirrels, and rabbits.

The exquisite fountain lay atop a smooth, flat rock with a slight indent in the middle, where the water collected. The rock was surrounded by full, thick blueberry bushes, their fruits sweet and ripe in their endless season. Faint, sparkling lights arose from the mystical water, visibly showing that it had powers given by the Twin Gods. Around the area was a fairy ring, extremely large in circumference. Blue mist emitted from the large mushrooms, and it had the power to change the deer that entered the circle. The deer became basic, natural. Their magic spells and special pelts melted away, their masks disappearing, and their antlers becoming that of a true deer. This place was indeed filled with magic.

This place is my home. And this is not a story you will hear from the viewpoint of one of those deer. I am not one of them. I am not a spirit, nor a passer-by. I am but a simple rabbit, by the name of Black Ear. My name was given because of my obvious mark, my left ear which is darker than the rest of my body. All rabbits are named either for what their parents' first see or by any birthmark on their body. My mother's name was Willow Leaf, my father's Red Patch. My size is decent, though I may be large to some. And I have an ornament on my left ear, given to me by a strange goddess.

I've come to tell you of my experiences in this little area of the Forest, and where I find myself today. I have had an interesting time here, and I have no recollection of what my life was previous to finding the Endless Forest. And because this place is indeed endless, I find no reason to find a way back to my previous life. Nor do I wish to. I'm perfectly content where I am now, in my little burrow, right beside a magical fountain.

1

I'll start with my burrow. It's a cozy little home that I wouldn't give for the world. Somewhere behind the fountain is a little patch of dirt next to where the rock ends. Growing over that patch of dirt is a particularly thick blueberry bush. The day I found the spot, I was delighted to see that the rock made a wall and floor, the perfect size to be my home. Not only is it under a blueberry bush, but a patch of tall grass hides the entrance. It's as if I'm hidden from the world here, in my own little place where no one can find me. I had always been afraid that someone would steal it, someone too big or strong for me to fend off. I always kept an eye on it just in case.

Expanding on that fact, I never actually left the dusty fairy ring that encircled De Drinkplaats. I always explored within the area, keeping close to my burrow. But it wasn't just for fear that someone would steal my home, it was because I was afraid. I've seen the large deer come in and out of the fairy ring. Their colorful pelts and masks and strangely shaped antlers had all disappeared. And when they drank from the fountain, they became a smaller creature, a bird or a squirrel, even another rabbit. But I observed that when they left the ring, they became deer again, looking just as colorful and strange as they did before.

That was my fear. I feared that if I left the circle, I too would change. I didn't want to change at all, I was perfectly happy with being a rabbit. If I did leave, what was I to become? A deer? That would mean that I was never a rabbit in the first place, that I was born a deer and lived as a deer until that one day where I woke up here, and my memory was gone. That wouldn't be logical though. I have vague memories of my past, and the scapes that I remember do not resemble this forest. I couldn't be a flat-faced deer. But what if I was to be a frog? Or a squirrel? Or a bird that had lost it's way and accidentally drank from the fountain?

Again, illogical. I've drunk from the fountain many times and have not changed. Even though I have these thoughts in mind, I still can't bring myself to cross the line of mushrooms. I'm often ridiculed for it, being called a coward by the other rabbits. I've seen them leave many times and they haven't changed. Maybe I don't leave for the other fear of someone stealing my perfect little burrow. I'm not quite sure what keeps me here.

Perhaps it's the stunning magic of the place that keeps me from leaving. I've seen many strange things happen. At first they startled me, but I have gotten used to the effects of the strong magic that resides here. There's always been the occasional lightning bolt, or a rock falling from the sky. But those are mere trifles, there are more beautiful things than dangerous. Giant balls of flowers that grow in the air and then dissipate, sending a shower of petals to the ground. Rainbows appearing from nothing. Sparkling stars hanging from strings that go infinitely into the sky. It is indeed a wondrous place to live, that is certain. The more I see, the more I love it. I often find myself sitting outside, watching the creatures pass and chat among each other and seeing the occasional effect happen.

It's an understatement to say that I love it here. This is where my heart belongs. My perfect burrow, the beauty of the Twin Gods' magic, the friendliness and togetherness of a gathering place. No matter where I end up, my heart will always lead me back to De Drinkplaats. It is where my home truly lies.

2

I suppose you're all wondering how I got here. As I mentioned before, I don't have much memory of my past life. It's all a vague blur to me, the only images I remember are certain trees and... Maybe a river. I'm not entirely sure. One day I just woke up and found myself within the circle of De Drinkplaats.

Now you must imagine that I was quite confused and frightened, and I really had no desire to move away from where I had awoken. I knew there was water and food here, so the most logical thing to do would be to make myself a new home nearby. While finding the spot which would soon be my beloved haven, I spent a long while trying to remember what had happened previous. It would never come. It still hasn't dawned on me yet. Perhaps it never will.

After digging my new burrow, I decided to explore a little. This is where I discovered the strangeness about the fairy ring that has kept me inside all this time. I noticed several other animals of all different sizes, chatting about with each other in their own tongue. Most of them were my size, but I noticed a gathering of strange looking deer as well. They had flat faces, which seemed to help them stretch their mouths in exaggerated ways to show emotion.

As I studied the deer, I noticed that when they drank the water, they changed into the smaller creatures! I was absolutely astonished. I had never been in contact with this kind of magic before, and it struck me dumb. Yet I was fascinated, and sat there still, watching them change into different animals every time. But as soon as I figured that part out, I wondered how they changed back, if they changed back at all. To answer my question, I followed a particular raven flying towards the edge of the fairy ring. Head tilted, I followed the raven until it reached the edge, and I clearly saw that it changed back into a deer in a puff of smoke. I was even more fascinated now.

I must have looked a bit odd, sitting there in the middle of nowhere, watching ravens fly about. A larger rabbit came to me and greeted me. His fur was thick, with patches of black over both eyes. He spoke with a robust voice, one that couldn't be much ignored. He asked me where I was from, and why I settled in here.

“I don't know,” I answered to his first question, “I just woke up here. But it seems safe, so I dug a burrow for myself.”

“You must not know about the magic here.” He replied. He clearly noticed me watching everything happen. “The dazed look on your face gives it away.”

If I could blush, I would have been stark red. “No, I don't know. Do you know where it comes from?”

“The deer of this forest have a pair of gods that entertain them and provide them with magic. They recently created this spot to entertain their children further. But they also made it for the other animals who live here. It's a social place.”

A pair of gods for the deer. But why just the deer? Oh, so many questions, yet I couldn't count on just one rabbit to know. We don't understand what the deer say. I found it better to accept his explanation without further inquiry. Besides, I have a natural love for figuring things out on my own. By the end of the day, I knew that this particular fountain was called De Drinkplaats, and that if I drank of its water, I would remain a rabbit. Comforting news to someone as cautious as me. But this was only the basic information. I would have yet to know the other strange things that happen here.

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To be continued