Another OOC note for me. I broke up with my boyfriend recently so this chapter is probably going to be full of venting emotion. I'm sorry if it's suckish in quality and I'm sorry for it taking so long to finally be released. But I hope you all enjoy it.

I also added in a few random deer because I needed some extra fillers. I'm ebil.

Bumped for people who haven't read it yet! Also correcting any minor mistakes I've spotted.

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Vipin didn't have time to waste. With the information he had been given by the five stags, he had come to realise that if the creature was to attack again during the night, it could mean -any- night. It could mean tonight. He had to confront the killer as soon as possible, and put an end to this nightmare, before another lost their life. He had counted the fawns and deer who died or had come close to it, and already there were too many lives lost. The killer had to be stopped.


The darkness of night which engulfed the Forest the following night was darker than usual. Cloud cover was high, so not even a single ray of moonlight could penetrate through the trees. No stars were visible, but it seemed as if they had fallen about the flower patches in the form of the fireflies. These limited areas were refuge to many deer this night; each seeking out the comfort of the dim glows which would maybe reassure them that they would be safe. Safe from harm. Mothers and fawns gathered in a group as usual in the Blue Bowl, where the young would be well-concealed from predators whilst their mothers could protect them. Stags and does curled up against each other amongst longer grasses and within the ruins, hoping the tall structure would conceal their visible forms. On occasion a single stag or perhaps two would slowly make their way between the trees, ears constantly flicking on the alert for danger. The entire Forest was a single herd in times such as these; each deer would look out for their fellows.

Although not usual to have some deer remain awake during the night, it was not surprising to see many staying awake in troubling times. However, despite the worries constantly affecting so many of the Forest's residents, two deer seemed to be enjoying their night-time frolics in the shallow end of the Pond. Nem and Dim, two of the more clownish deer, cackled and giggled in glee as they splashed one another with the water and took turns to try and sit on the fallen log located there. Neither seemed to be very good at it, since as soon as one of the pair sat their rump on the wet wood, they would topple over backwards with a happy shriek into the shallows and mud waiting below. It would have amazed any other deer to see Nem and Dim happily prancing around without care. Without realisation that they could be in danger. That they were in danger. Hovering beneath the cover of a weeping willow, the giant bulk of Walter's tormented body lingered, waiting to strike.


Across the Forest, Vipin walked alongside two others. Draak was the first, a secretary bird-pelted stag with a flurry of feathers cresting his head. He was mate to Mitra, the sister of Quamar. He had heard from her of how Ephra had not arrived to Quamar on the night of her vanishing and so, curious, he had joined Vipin that night to find more information.
The other deer walking alongside Vipin was Kaoori, a doe. Coated in a tan and brown gazelle pelt and oddly bearing antlers found usually upon a stag, although coated in candles to light up the darkened surroundings. She often stumbled in her clumsy ways, but it seemed only because her mind was wandering with worried thoughts. Kaoori could sense the fear that many Forest residents seemed to have, and she often lost her concentration through concern.

The trio talked very little as they took their patrol of the Forest. Draak and Vipin would exchange words when the white stag needed information to satisfy his curiosity, and Kaoori would perhaps comment occasionally on the feelings of any sleeping deer they would pass. Although doing his best to remain concentrated on the conversation, Vipin couldn't help but let his focus remain elsewhere. He had to do this tonight, whilst he had the chance. If he failed, who knows when he would get another chance!
After the three had performed a successful round of the Forest, Draak bid the pair goodnight and set off towards a sleeping Mitra curled up beside a tree. Vipin and Kaoori carried on alone until she too retired. Allowing the pleasure of Vipin to escort her to her sleeping location, she bid him a goodnight and curled up amongst the tall grass of the Birch Forest.
Alone and yet as alert as ever, Vipin walked on alone, his eyes wandering wildly through the gaps in the trees. The Forest had been so quiet that night that he had begun to doubt if the killer would even strike that night. It was when the joyful shrieks coming from the pond caught his attention, was the exact same time when the hammer fell.

Walter's roaring bellow, loud and enfused with a pained-like screech, filled the air surrounding the pond. Nem and Dim, both still rolling about in the mud, paused and jumped to their feet, ears raised in alarm. They were given enough time to shriek again, although more in terror this time, as Walter's huge mass bolted at the pair, curved and spiked Kirin antlers lowered to strike his targets. Nem and Dim turned and fled, shrieking in an almost amusing fashion, dashing madly between the trees in an attempt to lose their follower. Walter paused briefly behind, scenting out the direction they had left the pond to. His growling was loud, his jaws working furiously as his teeth grinded together. He caught the scent. About to take off after the pair again, he did not expect that someone in turn had seen him.

And indeed they had. Vipin, having been quickly drawn to the source of the shrieks, found himself face-to-face with a similar looking stag. Catching his breath as fast as he could, he had little time to prepare as his eyes followed Walter's partially-hidden form, which in turn turned to face the newcomer. Snarling loudly and grinding a heavy hoof through the mud of the pond, Walter threw his massive head downwards towards Vipin and screamed a challenge.
Life or death.
Vipin returned the bellow and tossed his head down too, preparing to charge. Fury swelled inside the younger stag as the memories of the lost fawns and adults filled his mind. He would avenge them right now and save the Forest from this tyranny.

He charged.

Bellows of anger were joined by the crashing of heavy sets of horns. Although larger, Walter's body was shoved back a metre through the dirt from the powerful collision between the two stags. At such close distance, Vipin was easily able to realise the scent of the stag he was fighting and he became dumbfounded. "Walter!? Alive!?" his thoughts cost him a valuble second as Walter's heavy form shoved himself back against the smaller stag, throwing his weight upwards and de-tangling their antlers. Disengaging for only a brief second, the two stags observed one another before Walter returned the charge, his heavy weight easily knocking Vipin downwards flat against the floor. Playing fair would not be an option here, not when his life was on the line. Vipin snarled and shoved his head forwards and upwards, causing his antlers to strike Walter in the area that joined his neck and chest. Walter bellowed out in a brief pain as his blood matted his fur, but it did not seem to bother him. The old stag retaliated by rising his form up onto hinds, and striking a heavy hoof down against Vipin's head. The strike was true and Vipin cried out in pain as the cloven foot smashed against the side of his muzzle, pinning it against the mud. He struggled against the weight being applied and finally pulled free, swinging his antlers again at Walter to encourage him to pull back.

The Demon Gazelle did indeed pull back, snorting and tossing his own head in disapproval. Vipin barely had time to clamber to his feet before Walter came charging in again. His defence was weak and Vipin was knocked skidding backwards once again. He couldn't keep letting this charging to repeat, otherwise it would only be a matter of time before Walter's strength knocked him down to the point he couldn't get up. Vipin quickly stumbled backwards as the other stag followed through with another small charge, and took the moment to dive sideways in a leap. Bolting around Walter and into the water, the elder stag skidding to pause as Vipin darted past him and turned. He threw his antlers down and charged after Vipin again, who knew now a tactic in his mind. As Walter drew no more than a few feet away Vipin darted again, causing Walter's hooves to skid through the thick mud of the shallows. With a bellow he fell and rolled onto his side, splashing through the water. Vipin took advantage and charged in again, using his own hooves to strike the old stag in the ribs. A loud crack sounded and Walter's roar seemed more like a scream; now joining the blood already polluting the pond, a fresh incision tore across Walter's flank where the sharpened points of the hooves had cut deep into his skin. Vipin pulled back sharply as Walter forced his bulk upwards, hissing in pain where the blow had crushed one or two of his ribs. Although little of his face could be seen beneath his mask, it was clear that the monster seemed infuriated with the more damage inflicted. Vipin panted as Walter threw himself forwards for another blow, their antlers clashing again. Would he never run out of energy!? Vipin's thoughts were short as his weakened guard fell again, and his hooves were forced backwards through the sticky mud. Walter continued with his drive and soon Vipin took his turn crying out in pain. Thrown aside by a forceful thrust, Walter had took his turn to embed the spikes on his horns deep along into the younger stag's flank.

Blood from the pair's injuries gushed freely out into the glistening water, coating it in a deep shade of ruby. Their battle carried on for minutes, hours. All through the night each took their turns on inflicting pain and injury on the other, each accompanied with a roar or scream of pain.



Ephra, who had long since thought about speaking with Vipin, was stirred awake by the bellows. Knowing Walter's deep voice and recognising it that night, she had been fast to her feet and hurrying through the trees towards the source of the battle, secretly hoping that neither would be harmed. Despite hoping, however, she knew that she would be mistaken.

Alongside Ephra, on the borders of the Birch Forest, Lieka was also stirred awake by the sounds. She stood high on the rocky perches of the playground with her ears constantly flicking, awaiting to see perhaps a sign of where the fighting was happening. She too, hoped that noone would be harmed.



The fighting between the stags remained on an equal level for the longest time throughout the darkest hour of the night, until finally Vipin siezed an advantage. With Walter's heavily bleeding body pulling itself upright, the younger stag charged forwards with a furious roar, putting all of his remaining strength to deliver a final blow. The powerful strike knocked Walter back down and his cries of agony rang through the air. By know his form had sustained serious injury: the broken ribs were evident now, part of one protruding from the cut on his flank. His neck and chest were littered with cuts, and his horns were chipped. His mask had cracked down the middle, his fur had been torn and was now missing in places.
Vipin's share of the damage was just as equal at this point. One of the bones in his hind leg had been fractured, if not broken. Not being able to stand properly had given him a weakness which later led to several gore marks from where the sharpened points of Walter's antlers had pierced his neck. He was aching in several places from where they had merely thrown weight at one another, but it altogether made the two stags equals in damage.

As Walter struggled up again, Vipin pulled back, panting hard. He was aware that neither of them would be able to hold out much longer. "So close now.. If I can just.." Vipin's thoughts were broken as Ephra's voice rang through the air; a cry for the pair to stop. Turning his head to see the brown doe come dashing in to cease the conflict, Walter took his chance to turn and flee. Still able to pick up an impressive speed, he was quickly galloping away between the trees towards Deermuda. Ephra skidded to a halt beside Vipin and cried out after him, but it was too late. Walter had already gone. "If he dies now.. We can't save him!" Vipin's eyes widened in alarm at Ephra's words, and his weakened body became support for the doe as she collapsed against him, reduced to tears.
Why didn't she tell him!?

"E-Ephra.. I'm sorry.." Vipin replied, unable to prevent his own tears.
"I'm just as much of a monster.. I'm no better than him.."