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A heavy rain falls today. You stay home for the day, listening to the sound of thunder that shakes your home. You sit in your chair, holding onto the plush deer. Vito lays on you, his little plastic eyes seeming to look up to your lovingly.

The rain lures you to sleep, relaxing in the chair and resting as you hear it hit your windows. You awake to find yourself someplace you have never been before - an isolated desert landscape surrounds you. You look around to see small hills, desert shrubs, and small cacti. Above you see birds of prey that circle around, and a slight breeze brushes past. You are surprised at how warm the place is.

"Mommy, you're awake!", you hear Vito say to you. You notice he is standing there with you - he has grown significantly since you remember. He is no longer a child but a young buck.

"Hello Vito...", you say, and then looking around, you ask, "Have you seen my friend, the other deer, who always is with us?" The little one shakes his head. It's just you two this time.

"I woke up here and found just you. I kept calling to you but you didn't hear me.", he said.

You look around, "We need to figure out where to go. It's going to get hotter out here soon.", you say. Instinctively, you notice a lone rock nearby, and see your deer's pictogram has been etched into it. "This way!", you say, and you start to walk in the direction that the pictogram seems to point to. Vito follows closely, his eyes wide open.

The two of you walk for a while. The landscape seems to be the same for miles, and the sun continues to bear down on you with heat and light. As you are walking, you see Vito collapse next to you. You turn and look to him suddenly, "Vito?", you ask.

He isn't speaking. You reach down and pick him up, holding him on your shoulders like you have before. He is still breathing, but you can tell he is exhausted. "Come on, we've got to find water around here...", you begin to say, but then remember where you are.

Looking around, it seems hopeless to find any water here. You carry Vito in the direction you were going. He is much heavier than you remember, and you feel your hopes of getting him somewhere safe begin to fall.

"He needs something to drink.", you hear an unfamiliar voice say to you. You look around, trying to identify the owner of the voice, but you don't seem to see anyone else but you and Vito around.

"Down here.", the voice says. You look down to see a snake looking up to you with beady eyes.

You step back, startled that the little creature had crawled up to you. You've heard a lot about snakes and how dangerous they are, and wonder if you can trust the animal.

"You...you're talking to me?", you ask the snake. He gives you a little nod, "Your little one needs some water.", the snake replies.

You look around, "There's no water here.", you say. The snake shakes his head, "My friend, there's plenty of water here, you just have to look harder."

You then notice that there are several cacti in the area. You remember that they keep water within them, but you don't know how to tap into their water reserves.

The snake knows you are concerned, so he says, "I'll open it for you." You watch as the reptile approaches a cactus, crawling upward and wrapping around it. He is very careful at keeping the barbs from piercing his body, and when he was in a comfortable position, he bites into the cactus.

His fangs are long enough to pierce into the plant and open it up, creating a tiny reservoir of water that seeps out. "Quickly! It won't last!", the snake tells you. You immediately go to the cactus, finding a small rock nearby that was luckily concave like a bowl. Taking it, you let the small amount of water fill it, and holding it to Vito, you watch as he licks up the liquid.

"It's sticky...", you hear Vito say, but he finishes up the little bit of water and falls asleep wrapped around your neck. The snake nods happily, he was glad he could help you.

You look to the reptile as he uncoils from the cactus. "Why did you help us? I thought snakes were evil or something.", you say. "Evil? Oh no, we're not evil. Misunderstood, maybe, but we're seen as friends and nobles in this land."

You nod, with a pleasing answer coming from the snake's lips. "I was told wrong, thank you.", you say, parting ways with him. He goes on his own way, smiling and feeling accomplished himself.

Vito slumbers on your shoulders, and as you continue to walk, you see something in the distance. A small cluster of tropical trees sit isolated in the landscape. "That must be the place, Vito.", you say. The deer opens his eyes and looks to the distance, "It looks lovely.", he replies.

It takes a few moments to get there, but you finally make it to the oasis. There you find a small spring, cool water that you and Vito immediately drink from. Satisfied with the drink, you notice the palm trees block the sunlight, and the area seems much cooler as desert grasses are lush here.

"Paradise in a land of death.", you hear nearby. Your deer is there, who steps from the trees and smiles at you, "Well done, my friend. You saved your child from certain death by listening to the natives of the land. You followed his instructions and found hidden resources available in such a hostile place.", they say.

"Was this a test?", you ask them. They nod, and you realize that you were one step closer to understanding your goals.

"Vito is safe now, I will take him back to a land where he can sleep without fear. Tomorrow we will have another test, though it won't be so dangerous, it will be a challenge for you. Be prepared to answer some tough questions.", your deer says.

You wake up suddenly, the rain still continuing outside. You look down to the plush animal, who once again has grown. He is nearly half your size now, and you see that small antlers are on his head.

You lean back in the chair, enjoying the air conditioning and listening to the rain. You begin to realize how lucky you were that water was abundant here.