Reposted, please feel free to retrack



Official Themesong


Please note, this story will take place before Quad's transformation story, so it will not interfere with his current situation

Warning - a few graphic moments, please be advised before reading

-------------------------------------------------


Chapter 1 - Separate Ways


The air was a bit humid on a summer's night, and while the deer and fawns slumbered away, a gathering was taking place in the deepest parts of the Birch Forest.

Anirapio swooped down through the trees and landed with a thud at the meeting spot. As she looked for her allies, Nekumbra crawled down from the canopy, giving a bow to her friend.

"Where's Iugulare?", the Daog asked at once.

"Not sure, dearie. Are we at the right spot?", the spider doe wondered.

As they spoke, the stoat appeared before them, she was hiding in the soil beneath their feet. "Good, you came. I have been preparing our new wave of minions for the attack on Quad, I wanted to see your progress.", Iugulare spoke to them.

"Well, erm...", Nekumbra started, "I have found a few others for you to infect, they are cocooned and sedated on the outskirts of the Forest, you'll find them hanging in the trees. I...well...the biggest one was a challenge, but you will be pleased when I found him.", she gives a nervous nod here.

"Good, good. And you, Ani? How is your progress?", the stoat looks to the alien dragon now.

"Mrhh...I don't have any for you, I...", she hesitated, "Hunger got the best of me, you know.".

Iugulare scowls here, the irritable little stoat letting out a light hiss, "You mean to tell me you have been slacking off? I swear, Ani...I expected better of you. You are supposed to be my right-hand servant, and the fact that you have done nothing toward this plan--", she starts, but the Daog interrupts her here.

"Now hold on, I'm getting a bit tired of this! Why Quad? Why are we constantly trying to get him? We could easily overtake the Twin Gods, or go hunt the Humans, something...anything toward your world domination goal than just trying to 'get Quad'.", Ani snorts here, her frustration rising.

"You dare question me? Who was it that brought you here? Who was it that overtook you so easily? Me! Now I expect your full servitude on this plan or else I won't even bother sending you back to your miserable waste of a homeworld!", the stoat snaps at her.

At this point, Anirapio bounded onto Iugulare, pinning her down and staring into her eyes, "Your plans are foolish and you continue to waste my time! I have more important things to worry about than trying to get you hooked up on your love interest!", she snarls at the stoat, who blushed a little there. Ani knew exactly why the stoat kept going after Quad, it was a two-fold reason - he was a threat to her global domination, but in a twisted way, Iugulare was madly attracted to the antelope.

"Now now, sweeties, let's not do this!", Nekumbra pleaded.

Iugulare's liquid body slid out from Anirapio's grasp, reforming before them. "Hmph! So be it then. I don't need you, Ani. You're on your own. Come, Nekumbra!"

"Fine! I hope you continue to fail! Nekumbra, I'm done wasting my time with this fool, if you've got any sense, you will be too!", Ani snorts.

"I--", the spider doe was absolutely speechless. With her lack of words toward either of them, the two huffed and went their own ways, leaving her there alone.

"Is...is this the end of our trio?", she asked silently to herself.





Chapter 2 - The Perfect Bait



"Come quick, Quad! It's Zephyr!"


It was later in that night when Quad was awoken by a nameless stag. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and looking to the other deer, "Wh...what? Zephyr? What's wrong?"

The stag reared up in anxiety, "She's in trouble! Iugulare--she's infecting your daughter!"

Quad was on his hooves immediately, "Lead the way, hurry!", he spoke, his four white wings bursting from his back. He caught a whiff of Iugulare's infection close by, but his mind was elsewhere, focused solely on his daughter's safety.

"This way, Quad!", the nameless spoke, and began to lead him. He wouldn't notice the white infection that was dabbed on the nameless' belly, it would have looked as harmless as the usual brown and white pelt any nameless would wear. He had no idea he was being led into a trap.

They went close to the outskirts of the Forest, where Quad had physically left the safety of the land to the world outside many times before. The deer motioned for him to go through the portal to the outside forest. He obeyed, without a consideration. Zephyr was all that was on his mind.

He went through the doorway and out the other side. He looked back, waiting for his friend to come through and guide him, but after a few moments, he became anxious. As he started to go back in, he heard a sound that made his heart skip a beat, "Awaooooooo!!", a wolf howled close by. A split second later, a twig snapped, but as he looked the other direction, he caught a glimmer of eyes in the treeline. The foul stench of the infection was much stronger now, he knew he was surrounded.

Quad knew to fight, he knew it was the best way to survive. But his primal fears got the better of him. All the training, all the lessons on how to fight, all went to waste this moment. The blackbuck suddenly sprinted aimlessly, his heart racing just as fast as his legs was taking him. He glanced back to find he was being pursued by more than one kind of animal - three wolves, a snow leopard, and a white tiger began the chase, but a moment later others joined in including a horse and a fox. He was baffled and had no time to think, he kept his eyes forwad and running.

Soon others attacked him from all sides. A swan swooped down upon him, her infected body crashing into the back of his head and making him topple over. As he was on the ground, a snake coiled up his hind leg, spreading more of the white substance on him. He kicked the serpent off and mustered to his hooves, those chasing him very close now. The horse was the first to catch up to him, and immediately crashed into him on the side. Quad fell for a moment, but immediately his wings burst from his back and caught him from being fully subdued. He tried desperately to get away, as the snow leopard behind him pounced and scratched his back. He cried out and fell to one knee, but stammered and fought to stand.

They were around him, all ready to take him down. The antelope's body was burning with the infection they had gotten on him, and he was gasping for air. As the predators began to approach and pounce, he shut his eyes and created a light burst that made them hiss and shield themselves. It wasn't effective enough to cleanse them fully, but it gave him enough time to get some of the infection off of his body and theirs, and make a run for it.

He looked back, trying to make heads or tails of all of this. He should have kept his eyes forward.

A polar bear lunged at him, swatting him in the head with his great paw. Quad flipped in the air and landed with a thud, sliding and laying motionless. His body shivered in shock as he tried his best to get back up, but the bear was on him at once, pinning him down and infecting him on the side. He cried out about the time the others caught up with him, the fox was the first to bite into his leg, the wolves nipped him in the stomach, soon others were rubbing and infecting him. His eyes were blurring, and he slowly closed them while they had their way with him...

A gust of wind, unusually strong, coming from above. He opens his eyes to see an angel swoop upon him. The infecteds hiss and try to fight, but her wings are strong as she beats their heads and shoves them off of the blackbuck. Quad only sees a blur, but soon he hears her voice, his heart skips a beat... "You're going to be okay, Quad, just hang on! I'm getting you out of here!", Anirapio speaks into his mind, as the smaller infecteds have fled, she only had the bear left to deal with. The Daog concentrates her telepathy into the infected's mind, sending a screeching sound that makes the bear cringe and topple over. It was the best opportunity for Ani to pick the nearly white Quad up, gripping him close to her breast as her wings spread and took flight.

Iugulare appeared as soon as she saw the two depart, "No, dammit! After him! We're so close to capturing him!", she pouted, but Nekumbra was there as well, "Dearie, why don't we go get the Forest first? If Quad's not there...", she suggested.

The stoat sighs, "I suppose you're right, good thinking...", she says, but in reality, knowing she nearly had Quad all to herself was frustrating. "Move out, everyone! The Endless Forest is ours!", she ordered her infecteds, who had converged together and were now marching the other direction...



Chapter 3 - Sanctuary



"How long has he been out?"

"A few hours, I believe."

"And this disease, you're sure it can be burned off with light?"

"I'm sure, I know it too well..."

Quad's eyes barely opened, his vision was blurred, and his body was burning. He lets out a gasp as the pain returns to him.

"Shhh, Quad, you need to stay still, we're trying to get the infection off of you.", Ani puts her arm on his antler, trying to hold his head down while the infection still nearly covered his body.

He opened his eyes a little more, more light entering into his eyes as they open the blinds of the room. He now realizes where he is, a large metal table, with his head resting on a pillow. "V-vet? Are y-you a...a v-vet?", he manages to speak, remembering how to speak English again.

The doctor blinks, surprised the antelope is speaking to her, but she nods and caresses his neck, "Yes, I am a veterinarian. And you're going to be just fine."

Quad closes his eyes, as the light enters into the room, the infection slowly starts to burn away. "A-Ani? Where...where are we?", he musters.

"I don't really know, Quad...it was the first human civilization I found...", she sighs, shaking her head.

The veterinarian bends close to Quad's ear here, "Relax, you're in good hands here in Kenmare. Your green friend here brought you to Ireland."

Quad sat up, weakly, to open his eyes more. The light was strong here, it took him a moment to adjust. Ani approached and helped him to his hooves, "Come on, Quad, let's get you outside so you can heal up.", she spoke

They led him out into the countryside, his eyes looked upon a beautiful land where sheep grazed and simple people worked. As his heart warmed, so did his body, and the white virus on his fur fizzled and evaporated.

"Oh gods...this...this is beautiful...", he spoke.


---------------------

The Forest was overrun with infected animals. Many were cut off trying to flee to the Twin Gods' hill, others were trapped at the Ruins and the Old Oak. Soon a group was brought before Iugulare, the stoat cackling as she watched the deer helplessly kneel before her.

She paced back and forth, looking at all of them, before asking, "Let's have some fun before I infect you all. Who thinks they can stop me?"

A few moments passed, the prisoners looked to one another, and then one by one, they all stood up.

"Oh? You think together you can save your precious little Forest?", she chuckled, "Very well, fools! Come at me!"

Eyestrike was the first to step forward, the mule deer scratching the ground before charging antlers-first at Iugulare. With a wave of her paw, the deer slammed and locked antlers with a moose close by. The two wrestled and struggled to overpower the other, the deer at one point making the moose fall to his knees. Huffing, the larger beast let go, backing away.

Eyestrike looked back to the others, with a nod like he was saying, "I'll take care of this...", but he wasn't paying attention, and with a charge, the moose rammed his antlers into the deer's side, making him topple over. The mule deer scrambled to his hooves, but the moose quickly pinned him down, the white infection on his belly smearing and burning Eyestrike. The mule deer cringed and struggled, but with no chance of escape, his body shivered stiffly and then relaxed, the virus getting into his system quickly and shutting his brain down. The moose stood and backed up, and the mule deer stood, eyes glazed over, body covered with the virus, walking next to his rival and standing next to him. The first fighter had fallen, the stoat pleased and looking back to them, asked, "Whose next?"

Rutilus approached next, "Stop this, now!", he cried out. As he spoke, Iugulare sent her next infected at him, a fox, who charged at the confident stag. Rutilus held his ground, ready to sink his antlers into the fox, and as it got close, he shut his eyes, expecting the connection. But then...silence. He opened his eyes, the fox was nowhere to be seen.

"Behind you!", someone called out. He turned back, not sure who spoke, hoping someone caught a glimpse of the fox. He didn't realize it was a trick, one of the infected deer of the Forest had spoken to throw him off, and as he turned away, the fox pounced from a patch of tall grasses nearby, it's body latching onto his side. The deer jumped and kicked, using his antlers to try to knock the fox off, but it gripped into his skin and bit his back tightly. "No...not like this...not like...!", Rutilus cried out, and his legs suddenly felt like jelly, he collapsed, the fox's infectious bite broke the skin. Soon the deer stood, the same fate as Eyestrike, and joined the army of infecteds.

Fawn shivered, watching the first two fall so quickly. She backed away, hoping Iugulare and her minions would not spot her as she bolted and fled. She got away from the area easily...almost too easily... Turning, she looked back, not seeing any of the infecteds following her. She slows, catching her breath.

The young deer looked up, catching a glimmer of something in the air. There was a bird circling overhead. She ignored it, couldn't be a threat, it was too high. She kept going, trying to get to the Twin Gods without alerting any of the enemies around. She nearly ran into a snow leopard, but freezing, the infected cat didn't spot her. She moved silently around the predator, and was soon out of view. She spotted the Twin Gods' hill, and was about to sprint to the sanctuary when she looked up again. The bird was still up there, but it had gotten bigger. She stared up at it as the bird grew in size, "Oh no...", she gasped, and ran as fast as she could to the hill. She was nearly there, but soon she saw the shadow beneath her as wings descended upon her. The infected swan slammed into her, knocking the deer off her hooves, sliding on the grass. She stared up, weakly, trying to stand, nearly there...

The swan was quick to prey on her, the white feathers covered in infection, even the beak dripped of the virus. The bird rubbed and bit the doe's body, making quick work of turning her into the third victim.

While this was going on, Donnovan charged at Iugulare, but as the elk neared the stoat, he was cut off by the next infected minion, a horse, a Clydesdale stood in his path. The elk huffed, backing off, but then running to the side, hoping he could outrun the equine and get to the alien. But the Clydesdale was too quick for him, it's instincts incredibly heightened from the virus, it got in his path and reared up. The hooves nearly slammed into the elk's skull, he barely avoided them as they crashed into the ground. Donnovan took the opportunity to strike with his antlers, piercing into the horse's body, but the infected was unphased by this, the tines seemed to go through it's skin as if it was jelly. Pulling out, his antlers were covered in the virus, it dripping onto his head and burning him at once.

Donnovan held his ground while the horse reared at him again, a hoof connecting with his snout. The elk was knocked back, and as this happened, the infection on his antlers dripped into his eyes. He cried out in pain, shutting his eyes and cringing as he was temporarily blinded. The Clydesdale mercilessly seized the opportunity to slam into him and throw him to the ground. Pinned by the horse's weight, the infection covered the elk's belly, and soon he stiffened up and then relaxed when the virus attacked his brain. The elk stood and mindlessly stood next to the horse, staring back at the others left.

While this was going on, Nathaniel caught eyes with Nekumbra, and the two approached one another. "Hey, Nek...", he greeted the spider-doe. Nekumbra bows to her friend, "Hello, dearie...", she says with a bit of a sigh. "Did you need any help?", Nathaniel asks. The doe looks to him, "Well...I do not know exactly what Iugulare's plans are, but...if you'd like to come along with this, I'm sure she wouldn't make it too painful...", the doe spoke.

"Nekumbra! What are you doing over there?", Iugulare shouted. The doe gulped and looked over, "He...He wishes to surrender.", the doe spoke. The stoat chuckles and stares at Nathaniel, "Is this true? You want to join my ranks as an infected?", she asks.

"I'm already on your side though, why is it necessary to infect me?", Nathaniel asked. Iugulare blinked at the question, "Erm...well...let's just say that I prefer to be in control of the situation, and besides, you'll have a nice dream while this is all going on...", she tries to explain. Nathaniel chuckles, "Whatever, as long as I get a kinky party in this 'dream' you speak of." The stoat immediately points to one of the others close by, a kangaroo, and says, "Very well, give yourself to her and you will give yourself to me.", while rolling her eyes at the joke. She leans over to Nekumbra, "I'll never understand Earthlings..."

Nathaniel approached the marsupial, who opened up her infected pouch for him. He looked back at the others one last time before stepping into the pouch, the infection immediately burning and covering him, and after a moment he rested his head on the kangaroo's chest and closed his eyes, surrendering his mind to the virus.



Chapter 4 - A Distant Memory



"And here are the fields, take a look.", the veterinarian led Quad and Anirapio over a hill to where they could see far into the distance. The land opened up, and they saw countless sheep and rams grazing on the grass. The blackbuck had never seen such a place, and was taken aback by the sights of Ireland. "Wonderful...simply wonderful...", Quad spoke, his body shivering in wonder. As they continued, they heard a commotion close by. A tractor had broken down, the locals trying to lift it up to replace the wheel but with no luck.

Ani blinked and waddled over. The humans continued to try to lift it, and suddenly they felt the tractor lift up effortlessly. They gasped and stepped back as Anirapio held it up with little strain. "Come on, quick, let's get the wheel on!", one of them said, and after a few moments, the wheel was replaced. Ani dropped it, and stepped back, tilting her head, "What is this thing, by the way?"

The humans looked back at Quad and the other local, who both laughed. "Your friend is strong, I'm sure she'd be useful to the farmers here.", the vet said, while the Daog listened with deep interest as they explained what a tractor was and what it was used for. As this was going on, a sheepherd approached and said, "Have any of you seen my little Brandyn anywhere? I can't find her."

Quad looked to the vet before looking to the sheepherd, "I'll help you find her. What does she look like?", he asks. He walks with the human, getting the details of the missing sheep. As the sheepherd finishes the situation, Quad's wings burst from his back and he takes flight, scanning the hills and quickly seeing one lone speck of white in the distance. He descends and lands near the sheep, leading her back to the rest of the herd...


---------------------


The deer, still surrounded and slowly losing their numbers, looked to one another, wanting to know who would make the next move. Zergarikiaka slowly backed away, not wanting to see any more of this. Iugulare caught this, and sneered, "Another runner. You-", she points to a coyote, "Go have some fun with that one"

The coyote snarled and raced after Zerg. "Oh gods...oh gods!!", the doe cried, and soon was sprinting away. She looked out of the corner of her eye, the coyote was hot on her trail. She kept her eyes forward, running as fast as she can. "Blue bowl...", she thought, she could disappear in the tall plants, maybe mask her scent. She raced for the familiar place, looking back, the coyote wasn't there.

Zerg vanished into the tall blue plants, slowing, catching her breath. She waited, listening...did her plan work? The doe poked her head out, the coyote was running by, she quickly hid, shivering, hoping...

Silence. She waited some more. Her ears perked quietly. She took a step...

Snap!

A twig broke underneath.

Her heart froze, she cringed at the sound, and then...

The rush of leaves, the plants swayed quickly.

The coyote was on her, mouth on her neck, fangs sinking in. She took one last gasp and closed her eyes, opening them as Iugulare's next infected minion.

Back at the group, Ludicer was the next to step forward and challenge Iugulare, "Come on, send me the biggest, baddest person you've got! I'm not afraid of you!", the confident young buck called out. Iugulare raised an eyebrow, "Hmph...very well, I'll make you a deal, little one! You win this fight and I'll leave the Forest forever!", the stoat offered (though those who knew her personally would know the deceitful nature of the alien). As she waved a paw, the next infected charged at the deer - a raging polar bear roared, his huge paws making the earth quake with each thundering stomp forward.

Ludicer held his ground, not even the quaking dirt beneath him phased him. The bear was nearly upon him, and just as the ursine reared up to slam into his head, Ludicer ducked and evaded. Swipe after swipe, the bear's powerful arms only caught air while the deer maneuvered quickly around the huge beast. With a jab of his tines, Ludicer caught the bear in the side, antlers sinking into the infected's flesh. The bear roared out painfully, and quickly tried to slap the deer away with the back of his paw. Another miss, and another stab with his antlers. Iugulare watched with interest, wondering if this little buck could actually beat a bear.

The deer was now circling the wounded bear, who bled a little from the attack, but the infection covered and bandaged the wounds to keep him from bleeding any more. Now furious, the bear let out a deafening roar, and rearing up again, he struck the ground so hard that it quaked and radiated outward. Ludicer lost his footing and landed on his jaw, scrambling to his hooves, he was dazed just enough for the bear's infectious paw to strike him and send him flying into a tree. The now weary buck struggled to stand, but the bear was too quick for him, a huge white paw pinning him down and applying a tremendous amount of pressure to his side. Ludicer cried out while the virus seeped onto his body, and soon the Columbian blacktail fell to the infection. Iugulare cackled, "So much for that promise...next?"

While Iugulare was distracted, Sam bolted away. The stoat didn't notice, but one of her infecteds did, the okapi raced after the doe. "Go away!", she cried at the creature running after her, the infected okapi not replying but charging faster at her. She raced to the Old Oak, and squeezing her body as tight as she could, she hit the ground and slid through the tiny opening at the back of the Oak. The doe almost slid through, but her belly was too thick and got caught in the hole. The okapi was nearly on her, she cried out trying to squirm her way through the opening. She finally popped through, and just in time, as she pulled her legs in, the okapi's snout bit at her in the opening. She curled in the darkness, shivering, crying again, "Leave me alone!". Soon the infected pulled out, and she heard it run off.

The doe sighed, relaxing...forgetting there was a much bigger opening at the front of the Oak. As soon as she looked, the silhouette of the infected okapi was standing in the doorway. "Oh gods...", she gasped, now clamoring to get back out through the hole, but she barely got her front hooves through before the infected bit her hind ankle and pulled her into the center of the Oak. She let out a shriek of pain when the virus latched onto her, her mind going blank and surrendering to the infection.

As this was going on, Myszka stepped forward, who seemed like the next one to try to fight, or even try, as the deer's numbers were slowly dwindling. Sodesi was close by to him, ready to protect her brother if necessary.

Iugulare sneered, "Let's make this interesting...", she spoke, waving her infectious paw. Two mismatched infecteds approached the two - a snarling white tiger, and a skunk who climbed up on the tiger's back. The two were working together against the two deer, and before Myszka could speak, the skunk opened fire on them, it's spray now corrupted by the infection and shooting out a stream of viral toxin that splat on a tree nearby, fizzing at once. "Run!", Sodesi cried, and Myszka bolted with her, the siblings racing away. The tiger grinned as he gave chase, while the skunk held onto his back.

The two infecteds were easily catching up with the deer, and before they could look back, streams of the viral spray were flying past them. They serpentined to keep from getting hit, as the skunk continued to fire the infectious spray almost relentlessly. They were nearing the birch forest, where they planned to run to the Playground in hopes to hide from them, but as they passed birch trees, they were more exposed to the skunk's attacks. One more shot of infection fired at them, and Sodesi cried out and hit the ground hard. "Sodesi!", Myszka slid to a halt and began to run to his sister's side, but she shook her head, "Go! Get away!", as the infection began to envelop her body. The brother was not about to leave his sister behind, but as he began to run to her, the tiger caught up with them, standing over the doe, claiming her. The skunk continued to fire the spray at Myszka, who turned and fled. Though the tiger did not pursue him, and stayed with Sodesi, snarling at her before placing a paw on her and spreading the virus on her side. She cringed and cried out, but closing her eyes, she rested her head, and mentally spoke, "Run, brother...run..."

Myszka kept on running, past the Playground, past the Crying Idol and the Pond. He approached the Twin Gods' statues, where he slid and bowed to them, "Twin Gods, please! Please help us!"

And there he waited for a response...


---------------------


There was a nice breeze this afternoon, and Quad smiled upon the land. He had a nice chat with the sheep who grazed on the hills, even had a few laughs. They told him some jokes the locals knew, and even a few embarrassing moments they encountered with the humans. While this was going on, one sheep shrieked out in the distance. Quad and the others raised their heads, and soon the blackbuck's Talux wings burst from his back. He soared over the hill to a shocking sight.

"Ani?! What are you doing?", Quad questioned at once, as the Daog was sitting there with one of the plump sheep in one arm, the other with her pouch open. She jumped and looked to him, "O-Oh, umm...", she let the sheep go here, who bolted away, "S-sorry, I...I'm just...very hungry..."

Quad approached her, "I understand, Ani, but...I think you need to ask them permission, and not just...you know...eat whoever you want.", he spoke sternly.

Ani nodded slowly, but her stomach grumbled more, "Mrhhhh...I don't know what else....there is to eat around here...", she admitted.

The blackbuck looked around. The sheep were pretty far away, and there really wasn't much of anything close by. He looked back at her, knowing all too well what he had to do. "...It...it doesn't really hurt, right?", he asks.

The Daog shook her head, "No, sweetie...we...we make sure it's as painless as...possible...", she says.

Quad sighs, and approaching, he rests his head on her chest, "Eat me, then. You have my permission."






Anirapio carried Quad from the hills back to the house they stayed in. Bringing him in, she gently placed his tired body on a bed and covered him with the blanket. The blackbuck smiled weakly to her before closing his eyes and drifting to sleep. The Daog stepped back, sitting on the ground and watching over him.

"...Ani?", Quad asked, eyes still closed.

"Yes dearie?", the Daog responded.

"I...I kind of like it here...and...I...", he began to say, but the Daog nodded, "I know...I know...you...we don't ever have to go back to that Forest...i-if that's what you mean..."

Quad slowly nodded his head, "It's...become a distant memory...I...I can't remember all that much about the Forest...but here...I..."

Ani placed an arm on his side, "It's okay, Quad...this is our home now. We're finally home..."



Chapter 5 - Dwindling Hope


Another challenger approached the horde of infected creatures. Darkweaver had watched patiently, studying the infecteds, knowing his brute strength could easily take them down. "This has...gone on...long enough...", he spoke, his many eyes staring down the stoat, "Bring on your...strongest fighter...and I will tear them apart..."

The stoat scoffed, "Hmph! Your ego will be the death of you. No matter, you want a challenge? I have one.", and waving her paw, she seemed to order someone to fight the demon elk. Darkweaver waited, his eyes scanning her row of minions, none of them approaching him. He was about to charge at them all when his ears perked, something was coming toward him.

One eye caught sight of them - a cloud it seemed, they were small, and he couldn't quite make out what they were at first. But once they had gotten closer, he would let out a snarl, either in surprise or in denial of what was after him. A swarm of hummingbirds had descended onto the elk, their bodies fully white, carrying the virus in their beaks. The elk took a step back, and using his powerful antlers, he swatted at the air, knocking a few of the birds to the ground. There were so many swarming him that before he realized it, several had dive-bombed into him, their thin beaks piercing his skin, the virus injected into his body. He would continue to swat at them, losing energy quickly once his body was covered with the birds, and after enough of the infection had gotten in, the elk lost the strength in his legs and crashed into the ground.

"Not...not this...way...", he took one last gasp before his mind went blank, and his many eyes were glazed over. The elk stood, as the hummingbirds pulled out of his skin and flew off. The many puncture wounds in him were now seeping the white virus, as it began to cover his skin. He stared down his fellow deer, no longer controlling himself.