For Terabetha's Great Jawbone Mystery Contest. Yes, this is a parody to The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs

Slight gore warning

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There was a deep scent in the air. The deer was drawn to it, unsure what it was smelling. The forest was filled with strange smells, but this seemed...exotic.

The deer soon found an open place, and saw strange sights. There were giant metal things that spun, odd things made of fabric that rippled in the breeze, and a variety of scents that the deer had never smelled before.

It didn't realize it had stepped into a human's fairground.

The deer caught a whiff of it's own kind, and proceeded to approach the nearest tent. Peeking in, it didn't see anyone inside, but instead saw strange objects such as a crystal ball and other oddities. Nearby the scent of the deer was very strong, but it did not see a deer inside. It noticed something sitting on the table near the crystal ball, and as it approached, it began to see a strange deer limb laying there. It was dried, and upon further inspection, the deer noticed it had three toes on the hoof. The hoof was bent downward strangely, it seemed very unnatural.

"I see you found the three-toed hoof...", someone spoke to the deer. It nearly jumped, and turning, it saw an old woman there, staring at it with a strange look in it's eyes.

The deer tilted it's head here, "How can I understand you?", it asked.

The woman walked toward the table, before giving the deer a glare, "I understand nature. I know why you are here - you are interested in this hoof.", she spoke.

The deer slowly nodded it's head, "I've never seen a hoof like that. It is all very interesting!", the deer replied.

"Ah yes. This is no ordinary hoof. It is a magic hoof, that will grant you three wishes. But be warned, these wishes will not be fully pleasant, for something must be given up to receive that you wish for.", the woman speaks.

The deer's eyes remained fixed on the hoof. It's heart was pounding here. "What must I do to have the hoof?", it speaks immediately.

The woman smiles here, "It's yours. I need nothing from you.", she speaks, and as she picks up the hoof, the deer notes that there is a cord tied to the end. The woman wraps the hoof around the deer's neck, and just like magic, the toes of the hoof straighten and correct as if it was alive.

"Be wary of your wishes. You only get three, and heed my warning!", the woman speaks with a strange cackle. The deer turns and walks away, it's mind only on what it wants to wish for. It leaves the strange tent, looking away for just a moment. It looks back and was surprised that the human buildings and contraptions suddenly vanished. The hoof was still wrapped around it's neck. It decided it was not dreaming.

The deer walks deeper into the forest, thinking about the wishes it wanted. It saw a doe run by in the distance, and at once it's mind was locked on one thing. It spoke the first wish: "Three-toed hoof, I wish for the biggest and best antlers in this forest!"

The three-toed hoof glowed briefly, and one of the toes bent downward much like before. The deer waited for antlers to grow on it's head, but nothing seemed to happen. Disappointed, it walked deep into the forest, where it heard a loud gunshot followed by a blood-chilling scream.

Running in the direction, the deer skidded to a halt, it's eyes widening. There, laying on the ground, was the strongest stag of the forest, who had an impressive 20-point rack, the most prongs of any deer around. The antlers were there for the taking, but they would be no use to the deer, as they did not grow on it's own head.

As a matter of fact, this grand deer was one of it's friends.

Feeling awful that it's friend was now dead, the deer slunk back and left the weeping doe to mourn. It walked deeper into the forest, and began to grow angry of the humans who had hunted it's friend. It also remembered many of it's friends being killed by wolves and other predators. Fueling it's rage, the deer spoke the second wish: "Three-toed hoof, I wish that all predators of deer in this forest were dead!"

The magic hoof glowed again, and the middle hoof bent much like the first. It was immediate that something had happened, as the deer smelled a strong odor in the air.

Fire!

It ran uphill, as smoke began to fill the forest. It heard many deer and fawns crying out in agony and terror as they were burned alive in the distance. It also heard wolves howling in pain, and even shouts of men who were trapped in the wildfire. The deer ran as fast as it could to get away from the flames, but the thick smoke was too much, and it passed out, collapsing on the ground. It gagged and gasped for air, expecting the flames to overtake it soon.








When the deer awoke, it stood, choking on the strong odor but otherwise fine. It looked all around, seeing the terrible devastation of the fire. The entire forest had burned away, and it saw the smoldering bones many creatures that had gotten caught in the fire. Deer, wolves, birds, foxes, even humans, it recognized them all. Somehow the deer had survived the fire, and looking beneath it's feet, it saw that around where it lay there were no ashes or burned ground. It was almost like magic that it survived.

The deer let out a loud, painful cry. It did not want to lose the forest, it only wanted the threats to it's kind killed. The wish backfired, and now it saw the terrible aftermath in bitter agony.

It fell into madness, and looking down at the hoof that dangled on it's neck, the deer spoke it's last words: "Three-Toed Hoof, I beg you...I wish for a fate worse than death!"

At that moment, the last toe bent much like the first two, and the deer felt it's body stumble. It walked uphill, unable to control it's body. And as it made it to the top of a grand crevice, the deer's body forced it to leap over the edge.

It plummeted down the cliff, and closing it's eyes, it waited to splatter into the ground. But instead, something much worse happened - the deer's jaw got caught on a sharp ledge, the tendons and skin connecting the mandible ripping off along with the jawbone itself. The deep gash tore down the throat, and the deer fell and crashed into the earth below.







Teradeer weakly rose, forgetting everything that had happened. It's body was painful, and it choked on blood from it's jaw being torn off of the face. It walked away, each step feeling awful until it felt nothing at all.

Left behind was the Three-Toed Hoof, awaiting the next creature to stumble upon it...