"One day, I'll be just like him!"

The great stag sat up at once. I feel asleep!, he thought immediately, and looking around he found himself alone by the willow at the pond. His father as well as Wafiya were long gone, though a pool of blood stained the ground where the old stag had lay.

Quad sat up, looking off to the Pond. He's gone, isn't he?, he thought, I failed to protect him.

He walked away, going deeper into the Forest, looking for others to talk to. All he saw were fawns playing. Fawns playing...

"Come play with me, dad!"
"Not today, son. I have to take care of something."
"Dad, don't go! Don't..."



The old memory played in his head, haunting him. His father once played with him when he was younger, but he started to remember that he was often doing other things. Quad always thought he was just a busy man.

He kept going, past the Ruins, and stopped at his old sleeping pillar.

"He got into another fight...I can't get to sleep...I can't stop seeing him hurting that other deer..."



Quad snapped out of it. He shook his head sadly, remembering that night as well. Continuing on, he found an old spot where he remembered helping others with pelt spells. Another vision seemed to pop into his head there.

"Take that ridiculous pelt off! You look like a pervert!"



I just wanted to look like Dad..., Quad thought to himself, I just wanted to be like my idol and mentor.

He kept going, running, getting away from the memories.

Chapter Three – Resented and Rejected

Much to Jergen's protests, the old woman insisted that she be a hostess to him for the night. After washing the inch thick layers of filth off his body, the old woman had treated him to a lovely meal of rice pilaf and zucchini. During said meal, Jergens learned a bit more about the woman. Her name was Irene Whittington, and she was best known for her community service. “You ain’t the only down-and-out rascal livin’ round’ here boy. Nor are you the only who’ve I’ve invited for a night or three.” She had told him a bit more than once.

When the table had been cleared, Irene and Jergens slowly migrated over to the living room. “So…” Irene began as she plopped carelessly onto the couch. “I told ya what ya needed to know about me, now how about you?” Jergens put a hand to a forming beard on his chin, stroking it a little in thought. Could he really trust her? Hm, yes, he thought he might. He didn’t have much to lose anyway. “Where do I begin, lady?” he leaned forward a little on the couch, staring at the hardwood flooring. After a while, he began.

“Well… My parents kicked me out when I was twelve. Don’t bother asking me how old I am now. I can’t remember my birthday anymore, but by the year I can only tell that I’m either nineteen or twenty. Couldn’t tell ya which. Anyway, they kicked me out when they found that I’m a… um… well…” he faltered a bit, trying to find that right words. The old woman gave him a sharp, wise glance.

“Yer a queer, ain’t ya boy?”

Jergens was taken aback, “Well… yeah… Should I leave now?” he looked at her sadly. It had happened before; many nice families letting him stay, only to throw his ass right on out when they discovered that he was a homosexual.

The old woman crackled loudly at this, thinking of it as a great joke. “Leave?! Ho, boy, don’t you think yer special?