Early-morning fog was coating the land around the Ruins, making the air cold and damp and almost intolerable by older bones. A single stag rose in the early morn, his domino-toned pelt ragged and covered in leaves. He cleared his head and his fur with a shake, as well as - unintentionally - the poppies from his antlers. Frowning underneath his cracked mask, he rose and stepped quietly towards a fresh patch at the edge of the Ruins.

He was slipping new flowers onto his bone-white tines when he heard a call from the mist. "Aeros!" It was quiet, but audible, so as not to wake the others but to have herself heard. Aeros turned to see Rowan darting towards him. "Morning," he murmured as she neared him. The long-feathered doe smiled and inclined her head. "Life treating you well?" "I've lived another day," he replied with a soft laugh. She smiled at him. "Whadda you say we go get something to eat? Heard some lilies are bluming around the statues."

Before he could respond, his ears perked. Faint sounds...yes. And not normal ones. Roars and yelps the likes of which he'd never heard before. The old stag turned his head to look behind him. Rowan tilted hers. "What is it?"

"Creatures. Their smell is different. Heading through."

And they were. They were very different. As soon as he set eyes on the huge, shaggy brown shapes, he knew they were something the Forest had never seen before. Wakening deer were aroused in a flash of fear as gargantuan paws slammed down into the earth next to them. Before long, a large group had gathered around the two deer, whispering in fear of the things lumbering between the trees.

"What are they?" It was Rutilus, standing just behind him as so to stay out of claw-range. Aeros shook his head slightly. "I don't know." Key snorted quietly, blowing out hot air into the cool atmosphere. "They're bears. I've seen 'em in the Otherworld. Great ugly things." He smirked, but recieved a sharp prod of the hoof by Tuna, who was standing with Bale cowering behind her. "Can it, babe. You wanna end up in one's belly?" Cal hiccuped from beside her with a giggle. "B-b-b-belly-elly! I'm h-h-h-hungry." She twitched her nose and stared at the group of bears in interest.

Key rolled his eyes and spoke quietly to Aeros. "I can talk to them, if you want. I know a bit of Common." He slipped foward before anyone could object and called out in a strange, twisted language. Aeros merely watched as the largest bear approached the youthful stag and let out a roar that shook the trees. More conversing, at a quieter tone, before Key stepped back and the huge thing plodded onwards. "Says they're shipping south," he translated to the others mildly. "Some humans - no, not the kind we can steal from - are pushing 'em and some other animals out."

"An-n-n-n-nimals? What are t-t-those?"

"Like us, but dumber."

Bale bit his lip. "More? So...what kinds?" Tuna frowned at the horizon line as if beings were going to approach at any minute. And...they were. Smaller figures darted towards them, growing closer by the second. Calamity tilted her head to an extreme angle. 'Th-th-they look like us-s-s-s. R-r-r-right?" Rutilus nodded slowly. "But...they're not. And there's more coming."

And suddenly they were enveloped in a rush of animals, big and small. Wolves, foxes, raccoons, even mice were running by them. Whitetails dashed around them in circles, just as curious, but just as on the move. Aeros glimpsed pale brown faces, some whispering something that could only be identified as a hello. And then they stopped.

A stag in his prime, with antlers towering into the air, stepped slowly forward. He stood still for a moment, then bowed to Aeros. The old stag dipped his head lightly in mild respect. Key whispered the words that followed.

"Greetings. We wish to pass through."

Aeros nodded, and Key uttered a short bark.

The herd sped away, with the other creatures at their heels. Disappearing into the fading fog.

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rofl quick chapter to get me moving. XD