The birds were singing high in the trees, telling the other creatures of the forest that spring was finally here. The only other sound upsetting the silence was the sound of a buck scraping a tree, exposing the soft, fleshy bark underneath it's outer shell. The buck's ears pricked up and soon, he bolted through the undergrowth, passing a beautiful pond covered in lily-flowers. The beautiful scent of flowers filled the buck's nostrils, putting an extra leap in his run as he bounded toward the Hollow Oak, the one place that he trusted to leave his mate. It was in between the Pond and the Twin Statues that sat alone on a hill not far from the Drinkplaats.

When he reached the Oak, the white and black buck slowed his pace until he was walking calmly around to the entrance to the Oak. He ducked his large rack inside and there, curled in the middle with a small bundle beside her, was a doe. "Well?" The buck asked, looking down at the little one at his mate's side. The doe smiled and gave the fawn's head a lick. "This is Rou, your daughter." The older doe said softly as the buck entered the Hollow. "Rou. The name fits her." He said, touching his head to his daughter's. Little Rou lifted her head, blinking her beautiful eyes several times until she could clearly see her father. At first, confused, the young doe tilted her head, one of her ears flopping to the side.

Now that her vision had cleared up, she took in the sight of her father standing before her. His antlers were big, standing high above his head. Around the smooth bone were several purple flowers that seemed to make his light violet eyes pop even more than they already did. His pelt was pure white with a black symbol on his back. Small red circles appeared only on his sides and, like the symbol he bore on his back, his legs were black. The buck smiled at his daughter and gently shook the purple flowers from his antlers until they fell around his daughter's head like a crown. "Dadda!" Rou squeaked, throwing her head back with a huge smile on her face as she looked up at him.

The buck's smile widened and he gave a small laugh. "You are such a beauty, my little Rou." Rou's mother saw past the face her mate had put on for their daughter and her eyes flashed. "Are you alright, Flint?" She asked, forcing her voice to keep soft for the little one's sake. Flint looked over at his mate and touched her with his head. "I-I'm fine, Haven. I'm just...concerned. This time of year, the year of new life, is always the time of death for many families." Haven knew what her mate was referring to. The year of New Life had proven horrible for Flint when she first met him, as fawns. While she had only lost her father, Flint had lost his mother. Feeling dread creep into her heart, Haven pressed her black and white pelt against her daughter's brown and white pelt. "I just can't imagine what will happen to little Rou." Haven confessed, closing her eyes tightly.

Flint could only lay himself down across from Rou, near her mother. "Rou will be safe, Haven. That I promise! I already prayed to the Twin Gods about this time, before you knew Rou would be born. They told me that no harm would come to her, because she is under their protection, as is every fawn and deer within this forest." Flint's words rang true, though Haven felt her heart leap at the thought of having to part with her precious little fawn after just meeting her. Though neither buck nor doe had thought that the time of death had grown closer than ever.

It hadn't even been sunset when Flint rose from his spot, his ears raised. "Flint?" Haven called, her eyes glinting like a pair of blue birds in the darkness. Flint snorted and causiously stalked toward the entrance. "I heard something. Something that sounded like..." Flint trailed off, raising his nose to the wind. "Man's here..." Flint's voice rose slightly, not wanting to wake Rou, who was sleeping by her mother's side. Now he was glad he did choose the Hollow Oak as the place Haven would have his fawn. It was enclosed and too dark to hardly see when the sun set and rose. "Stay here, Haven. Watch over little Rou." Flint froze as he looked down at his daughter. Feeling tears well up in his eyes, Flint lowered his head and gave his daughter a nuzzle before he lifted his head again, tears slowly dripping from his face. "I love you, my daughter." He said, flicking an ear toward her when she stirred. "If you don't remember anything from today, remember this: I will always love you. One day, when you've grown big and strong, your pelt will look like mine, because you are my daughter. Grow strong, Rou. One day, you will understand why I chose to do this for you." Flint said before he left the Hollow, leaving his mate in tears as she watched his gleaming pelt fade into the surroundings.

The sun sank lower and an eerie silence settled over the entire forest. Haven's ears shot up when she hard a loud crack echo through the woods. "Flint?" Her eyes quicered and her heart began to beat rapidly in her chest. As soon as she rose to her hooves, Rou woke and looked up at her mother. "Mamma?" She cooed, her eyes full of fear. Haven looked down at her daughter and shook her head, telling the young doe to stay quiet. "Rou, honey...your...your father...he won't be coming home.." Haven's words weighed heavy on the air just as the sound her mate had heard earlier grew louder. I can't let those...creatures find my daughter! I need to lead them away, or fight! She thought, nuzzling her daughter, probably for the last time. "Rou, if you remember nothing of today, remember what your father said and what I say: I love you dearly. Flint and I will always be with you, every day your heart beats. In every snowflake, in every beautiful flower, we will be there. I love you, and Flint will always love you." Haven nuzzled her daughter a final time before she exited the Hollow. "Mamma!?" Rou cried, attempting to stand on her wobbly, long legs. Haven shushed her daughter when the sound of dogs approaching could be heard.

"Hush, now, little one! Stay hidden, stay silent!" Haven said, looking at her daughter a final time before she bolted from the tree. Rou's eyes widened as she watched the beautiful black and white doe run from the Hollow. Several long furred creatures with paws and long tails bounded after her, tearing through the grass like wild beasts. Rou, frightened, flattened her ears to her head and stared after them. A tall creature, walking on two legs, stepped in front of her before following the beasts whose howls cut through the night as it fell. Her mother hadn't gotten far when a loud sound and a bright light flew from a stick that the creature held in its arms. A cry rose up before silence fell once again. When the creatures moved again, she saw a black and white pelt hanging limp in the creature's arms. Rou's eyes widened further and tears filled her eyes. "Mamma..." She whispered as the creatures left the forest. Rou stood on shaking legs and walked out of the hollow, calling helplessly for her parents, though she hardly left the shelter of the Oak. "Mamma! Pappa!!" She cried as the sky grew dark with clouds and a heavy rain began to fall. Crying, Rou gave up her cries and laid back down in the spot she had laid right beside her mother. Rou cried herself to sleep that night, the night of Death, the night her parents were viciously taken from her by the odd stick that spat needles.