Rou had no idea how many days she spent within the Hollow Oak, the place of her birth, the place she witnessed her parents' deaths. All she knew was hunger nawed at her belly and the purple flowers that her father gave her were looking on the sad side. The night before, she had noticed the flowers' sad appearance and guessed that they were mood-flowers, either going limp when she was sad or stretching their petals wide when she was happy. But today, the beautiful flowers' petals were drooping. Rou's tired body shook as she struggled to control her crying fits that seemed to come at random now, even though she did her best not to think about her parents, but nothing was there to fill the void of their deaths.

Mamma...pappa... Rou shivered and lifted her head, peering out from the hollow space that created her den. The sounds of laughter filled the air, followed by the blissful sound of birdsong. Nothing, not even seeing other fawns playing, would draw her from her place. Her thoughts dwelled on her mother and the words that she had spoken. Instead of watching the other fawns play, Rou let her gaze drift to a bright yellow flower that stood in front of her. Though, the sight of something so beautiful didn't drive the memories of her parents away. Soon, the sun's position changed until it was high in the sky. Rou, sleepy and hungry, wasn't paying attention until she heard the sound of hooves over the ground. With her ears pricked and hope bubbling in her chest, Rou leapt to her hooves and hurried out of the entrance, staying right there as her gaze swept around the surroundings. "Pappa?!" She called hopefully. But the familiar white and black pelt that she recognized as her father wasn't there.

Instead, her eyes fell on a strange buck. He had a skull mask covering his true face. Standing tall and proud above his head were antlers that were fleshy and crimson red in color. And his pelt...his pelt was the thing that intimidated the young fawn the most. His pelt was like a zombie deer, with flesh and bone visible through the fur. No, this buck was definitely not her father. But, before she could duck back inside her hollow, the buck's head turned toward her. Feeling rather small as the buck slowly approached, Rou lowered her ears and clamped her tail between her legs. The buck stopped several lengths in front of her, just staring at her through his mask. Then, the oddest thing happened. The buck bowed to her and, when he straightened, he spoke, his voice as gentle and caring as her father's. "Hello, young one. I am called Farron." Rou swallowed hard and timidly returned the bow. "H-Hello, F-Farron. I-I'm Rou..." She managed to force the words from her throat, though they were broken because she was still so young.

Farron, immediately worried for the young doe, looked around them, his ears alert for any sounds of this fawn's parents. "Where are your parents, Rou?" At this question, Rou immediately closed her eyes and hung her head, her body beginning to tremble. "They...they...mamma and pappa...." No matter how hard she tried, the young one just couldn't tell him that her parents were dead. Instead, she shook her head and said nothing. Farron, thinking he understood, just nodded and stepped close to her. "It's alright-Rou, is it?- You don't have to tell me." Rou, not meaning to, instinctively pressed herself against Farron's chest and gave it a nuzzle. Farron returned the nuzzle and glanced down at her when a loud noise that sounded like thunder rose. Rou, embarrassed, lowered her head and closed her eyes. "I'm hungry.." She complained, looking up at the buck with beautiful blue-violet eyes. Farron, feeling a pain stab his heart, looked around. He wasn't a doe and couldn't give the little fawn what she needed most. She's just too young to be without her mother. He thought before he spotted some long grass nearby. "Come, young one." Farron moved toward the long grass and glanced back to find the young fawn following him.

When he stopped, he lifted a hoof and pointed toward the grass clump. "Try this, Rou. I know you're still young and you need your mother's milk to help you grow, but, without her, you need to try something other than milk to try and help you grow." Rou, skeptical, bent her head and nibbled a few stalks of grass, getting her tastebuds familiar with the strange substance. After a few moments, the doe began to nibble some more of the stalks and, with each nibble, her belly began to feel less hallow than it had. Satisified, Rou swallowed and looked around her. Farron, guessing her next need, gently herded her toward the pond, where the water-lillies bobbed up and down gently. Farron watched over the young doe while she drank from the pond, his eyes watching her carefully. So young to be without a mother... Farron heaved a sigh before he watched as Rou, sleepy now, walked over to him. I'm going to have to look after her, even though I've only just met her. Farron decided as he walked her back to the Hallow. Slipping inside with the young fawn, he watched as Rou settled down and fell asleep. Farron, noticing a spot right behind the doe, laid himself right beside her, watching her as she slept. "My young friend...you are too young to be without your mother....From now on, I will protect you." Farron declared, making the promise to the young doe, though she was asleep. Farron nodded and gave the fawn's head a gentle lick before he began to watch the scene outside the Hallow space.