Dark clouds filled the sky hiding the sun behind them. The strongest rays seeped through the blackness shedding light on the earth below. Rain fell from the heavens giving life to the Forest. The tiny droplets splashed into the water of the pond shattering the reflections on its surface. The fish swam happily in a circle around the lily pads nibbling on the insects that had fallen into the water as the heavy air gave weight to their wings.

Reetno sat alone in a clearing. The cool rain fell upon him. A droplet of water ran down his beak and dripped off to the ground almost as if it were a tear. His feathery neck and fur was patted down against his body. The wind blew gently, making the long reeds sway side to side in front of him. As he listened to the water slapping against the grassy shore, he heard light footsteps behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to see Kumiko standing a short distance away.

Her head hung slightly, making her posture slum over. Her ears were pulled back to the side and her eyes were misty from tears, not the rain. She returned his gaze with a faint smile. He returned the smile; it warmed her chilled soul a bit to see it but the chill returned as her smile faded. She could sense that something was wrong, but she did not know what. Part of her feared that she had done something wrong. Maybe I made a mistake... she thought to herself as she stood in the rain just looking at him. Maybe I should not have said what I did. Perhaps his heart was too fragile to take it.

She gulped as she took a step forward, "Reetno, I..."

"You don't need to say anything," he interrupted as he turned his gaze back to the pond. "It isn't your fault."

She sighed as she drew closer, "I am still sorry though. I just...I just can't return the feelings you have for me."

"That I had for you..." he replied in a semi-cold tone' his voice showed a hint of pain. "It's ok though. I accepted that long ago and I can't ask more from you than just friendship. Something you've already given me much of." A smile flashed on his lips once again. "When things felt so foreign to me, I could at least still count on you to be there beside me."

Kumiko was now standing beside him. She looked down at him with concern and worry in her eyes. Carefully, she sat along side of him. He turned his head to look at her; their visions were locked on each other. Her eyes were soft; his were cloudy with distress.

"There's...There's something I must tell you, Kumiko," he looked away from her and hung her head. "I'm going to go away for awhile again..."

She gasped. Her lower lip trembling a bit as her mouth hung slightly open, "What? Reetno, why?"

"I'm not running away from you or Darcy or anyone. So please, don't take it that way," Reetno got to his feet and walked to the pond's edge. Sticking his head through the tall grass that bordered it, he looked down at his reflection in the water. His image was disoriented as the rain drops created ripples. Sadness over took him. He did not like the stag that stared back at him. "At first, I could not stand to look at this cursed beak upon my face, but at least I knew who I was. Now though...I look at myself and I see nothing...Nothing but an unknown stag with such a blank look upon his face. A stag that is beyond lost and does not know who he is."

Kumiko stood up once again. She walked over to his side and looked down at the reflection as well. She watched as a tear slipped from his eye. Without hesitation, she nuzzled his chest allowing his chin to rest upon the top of her head, "I cannot see inside of your mind but I can at least say this much. You're a dear friend who is loved and cared for by many."

Another faint smile came to him as he buried his head into her's, "That I do know which is why I have asked you to meet me here. I was afraid that the others would not understand why I am leaving. I would like you to explain it to them."

"But why are you going?" She asked as she silently began to whimper.

"I need to rediscover myself. I need to figure out who I am now."

Her tears came to her eyes faster, "I hope I did not bring this pain to you."

He was slightly shocked at the fact that she blamed herself. "What?" he squeaked, "Of course you didn't. If anything, you have been the only thing that felt normal to me. It's just that so much happened so fast...I don't know who I am now. I feel so empty. I'm only going away to break myself down and put the jigsaw pieces together." He took his chin off her head and pushed her chin up with his beak so that they were looking at each other eye to eye. "This is not for forever, Kumiko, and like I said, I'm not going to just run off and ignore your cries again. I shall return when I know who I am. Please be strong."

With her ears pulled back and her eyes red, she nodded, "I will."

The rain continued to fall. The sound of the droplets on the water and falling through the leaves of the trees were normally relaxing, but today, not even the soothing sounds could lift Kumiko and Reetno's spirits. A few moments passed as they continued to sit side by side. Tears streamed down Kumiko's face as she leaned heavily against him. He tried to stay strong and hold back his pain, but a few tears had slipped through.

The air grew colder as night approached. They had spent the whole afternoon sitting together in the rain. The fur on both their bodies were drenched and clung onto their bodies. Kumiko shivered as the wind blew, desperately trying to use the little bit of Reetno's body heat to warm herself. Concerned about her condition, Reetno decided that it was now time to say good bye. He shrugged her off; she sat there staring at him with bloodshot eyes. Without saying a word, he nuzzled her. She did not back away but only returned it.

"Take care, Kumiko," Reetno said in a low voice. "I'll be back one day."

"I shall be waiting," she replied while looking away. "I'll have my nose to air waiting to catch your scent once again."

A twinkle sparkled in his eyes, "I'm relieved to know that you still consider me a friend. Even after all I've put you through."

She smiled as another tear rolled down her cheek, "I hope you find yourself. And please remember, that even if you do change...I shall always be your friend."

Reetno nodded as he got to his feet. He turned his back to her and slowly started towards the Forest. Kumiko watched as a black and yellow bird took flight from a tree in the distance; it began to fly after Reetno. The two were close to the Forest's edge when Kumiko jumped to her feet.

"Reetno!" She cried out. "Don't forget me!"

Off in the distance, his figure turned his head towards the sound of her voice. "How can I forget you?" his voice echoed back. "I'll always remember you." He turned away once again and seemed to vanish into the mist.

Kumiko stood there for a few moments pacing back and forth. It took all of her mental strength to force herself not to chase after him. This is what is best for him... she told herself. It's selfish of me to beg him to stay in such a state. If I really do care for him, than I need to let him go. I just pray that he resembles his old self and still comes back as the Reetno I know and cared for. And I pray that he does not come back to look at me as a stranger...

The rain fell harder now. Stead streams ran off of Kumiko's back and dropped madly off the tip of her mask. Sniffling, she slowly walked to the Ruins. Her feet seemed to drag and her head hung well below her shoulders. Mud covered her legs and stomach as she climbed up onto the top of the broken wall overlooking the forgotten graves.

A branch of a neighboring tree hung above her head providing some shelter from the rain. She tucked her legs under her body, trying to warm herself up. Staring off into the distance, flashbacks of her and Reetno flooded her head. She saw them running through the sunny forest, dancing with their other friends, and laughing freely like they use to. Her heart turned to stone; it sank into the abyss of her soul. For the first time in ages, Kumiko laid there feeling truely alone.




This is a very short story (if you even want to call it that) telling of the final meeting between Reetno and Kumiko. In case you didn't know, Zabrath is looking into redoing her character, Reetno- a deer who Kumiko is very close to. So Kumiko is having a little bit of trouble of dealing with Reetno's absence even though she understands why he's gone; she's just very afraid that he won't remember her or won't care for her like he use to.