Normally I don't go about writing stories, and for the most part I've been in a writers block but this particular little piece flowed out so well. And it was inspired by a lovely image done by my friend Licorice on here. Most know by now that Toxic hasn't been himself lately, having to deal with an injured leg and now battling infection along with a small fever.

Yeah a lot think I'm mean to my characters but I really enjoy developing them through the bad times and the good times. This story, was just a simple writing so please don't get mad at me for it ^^;;;;; I don't want any issues with anyone. Toxic's himself in this and really, he adores Nathan as a friend, a beloved friend. Nothing more.

So, if you don't mind crazy things like this, please click the Read More and enjoy the story.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Image that Inspired this Story


The Song that Inspired this Story
Return to Me by Sparklehorse
(If anyone would like to listen to the song or hear it please feel free to ask and I can send the file)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Return to Me...
Story By: Jennifer Crenshaw
Characters: Nathan and Toxic Creed

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was just that time... dawn was rising over the horizon and Toxic had been hoveled into the small crack of the Old Oak Tree for what seemed the entire night. His mind a mess really as he twisted his head to a side, the peacock feathers crowning from the back of his mask falling limply on the ground. He'd been alone throughout the night, most didn't see him where he was and that... seemed the way he enjoyed it. The stag didn't want anyone worrying about him, friends or newcomers alike. He just hated to see those he cherished be rattled with worry over simple things.

Slowly, he crawled his way on out getting to his feet and giving a stretching motion as he frowned, his front leg... it was completely numb this morning. Really, it is no surprise. When one took a harsh fall from the rocks of the Playground it wasn't uncommon for injuries to occur, but this one just seemed far worse than the ones known. The gash, it wasn't healing properly really anyone could tell. Starting from the back base of the hoof and going up towards the back of the elbow he sighed out lowering his head down and gently licked at the yellow mess that had formed on it from the nights sleep. Clearly, an infection had gotten into the wound and he was now fighting a harsh fever if not more.

Coughing softly Toxic just let out a simple sigh, he was depressed lately. And these days, with a limp in his leg he wasn't a match for any of the finer stags around. Another cough, and then... he was slowly limping his way towards the pond. The stag started slowly at first, before he soon went to a slow trot and finally a run... reaching the cool waters of the pond in a few moments before the sound of a harsh splash was heard and it would appear that the night sky pelted stag had utterly crashed down in the water in a heap.

"Toxic?"

Ears flicking up at the voice he dragged his head out of the water only to give a sharp startled sound... Nathan, when... slowly standing up, water drenching his fur and dripping down his body he lowered his head. The other was in a humanoid form, while Toxic himself was still very much a deer. One step back, injured leg getting into the deeper water as his ears lowered down and he looked to Nathan with saddened eyes, he hadn't see the other for a few days and he'd grown worried really. Watching as a hand waved, he slowly made his way from the water, Toxic trying his best to avoid a limping motion as well as avoiding letting that injured limb gather up within sight of the other stag.

"Are you all right? You took quite a spill..." Nathan let out with a soft frown, looking to Toxic who nodded his head to the question "Leea mentioned you got hurt recently."

His ears jolted up and he took a step back, Leea? That's right she knew about the injury... huffing he shook his head violently a few times letting out a couple sounds and turning his side to the other moving along. Clearly in a statement of I'm not hurt. But, Nathan wasn't taking that... moving along Toxic made a soft bellow when one of those small blue antlers was grabbed and tugged slightly, playfully really but it did get Nathan a Don't do that look.

"Don't you act like that Toxic, if you're hurt at least let me look at it."

"Nath..." The other had slowly began to shift into his own human form, looking at the other with a soft sigh before he tugged the arm, which would be his front leg from previously, up close to his body "It's nothing... really.. just a little scar, nothing more." When fully transformed there was just a feminine air about him, it might be why many of the stags always gawked at him at times. Deep chocolate skin, with the feathers sprouting out through a layer of silky blonde hair. The two small blue antlers crowning from it, though sometimes the hair hide them, his ears were straight back at the side of his head as he sighed with a frown, Nathan... wasn't going to have no for an answer.

"Leea made it sound more serious than that, and I'd still feel better if I at least got a decent look. Or at least if I heard you explain what happened." Crossing his arms Nathan waited for a reply.

"I was at the Playground, you know having fun... playing jumping with the fawns before they left. I misjudged, took a spill from one of the large boulders. I... hit the ground cutting up my leg." Toxic wasn't allowed much more speaking after that when his arm was quickly grabbed, and turned enough so that Nathan could get quite the eye full of that horrid looking gash "I didn't want anyone to worry..."

"Yes well I am worried now Toxic..." Nathan frowned tugging the arm a bit more, before pulling Toxic over "This is infected, badly at that... come on, I'm going to tend to this whether you like it or not." Despite the protests from Toxic, the fawns that watched the two... Toxic was dragged all the way back to the Old Oak and forced to have a seat in it's hollows while Nathan knelt himself down and looked at the arm more frowning "This happened a couple days ago?"

"Erm... four... days... ago..." Toxic was hesistant about letting that out and he got a look from Nathan as he sighed and winced for a moment as his ears twitched some more, at least they were somewhat alone at the Oak Tree today, save for the passing fawn or stag "I washed it... I kept cleaning it, honest Nath..."

"The ponds water isn't a hundred percent pure Toxic, and this here is a deep gash that you should have brought to me."

"But... you was sick."

"Doesn't change a thing Toxic..." Nathan let out flatly for a moment closing his eyes, there was a worry for his friend there as he worked with the wound. Rather, working on cleaning it. Getting rid of all the infection that had collected up to reveal the injury, the gash itself didn't seem all that bad but it was rather deep "Even if I was sick, you could have hauled yourself to me. Rather than make me worry sick about you now because of this."

Leaning his head down Toxic just sighed softly before shifting and gently flopped himself out on the ground in front of the other, those red eyes staring at Nathan from under the blonde bangs that fell over his face, closing when they felt a hand on his head he sighed "You-" "Have a fever I know..."

"Toxic what are you doing to yourself?" Nathan frowned, keeping that hand placed on Toxic's head as he shook his own "Making yourself sick, hurting yourself."

"Accidents Nath, and they happen. I... just didn't expect my fall to be so severe." Keeping his eyes closed he nestled down a bit more, feeling that gentle hand brushing softly through his hair "Nor did I expect to get sick from it." The hand has left his hair and soon he felt the warmth of fur curling up behind him. Glancing to see that Nathan had resumed his elegant deer form. A nuzzle into the side of his neck, and Toxic slowly followed suit... resuming back to that dark blue and black deer he was before. Nestling slowly up to Nathan as he closed his eyes, curling up some and just allowing that sleep to take over his body, his ears twitching when he felt a lick to the top of his head, since his mask wasn't on.

"Thank you... Nathan..."