Cedar Bark had always been close with her parents, learning from her mother about herb collecting, and using the herbs and flowers to make medicines and healthy tonics. She had been preparing, and had been prepared to go out on her own for the last few months, making sure that she had every bit of crucial knowledge she needed from her mother. She suspected that she may not come back to where she was born once she had found her own place to call home, and the young doe was confident in setting out into the swamp. She was leaving with nothing, nothing but what she knew and her keen sense of direction. Hopefully that would help. Many Kimeti leave their homes and don't bring anything with them, and Cedar wasn't really too worried.
On her final day home, Cedar said good bye to her parents, and her younger siblings that had just been born, none of them had even spoken their names yet. She would miss them, they were cute, and their curiosity of the world inspired Cedar in ways that nothing else could. She aspired to be a kind and loving mother like her own some day, but she knew that her immediate worry was to find herself a place to settle. The beautiful rust-colored young doe had all the rest of her life to be a mother, she would need to work hard right now to find a suitable place to live, and she was planning to look for somewhere that was close to an abundance of herbs, perhaps she could collect and set up somewhere for others to visit for help. Weary travellers, lost little ones, those seeking medicine far and wide, and for those who might need help locally. Cedar certainly had big ambitions as she set out into the unknown vastness of the swamp.
A chill passed over her, and she shuddered, turning to look over her shoulder for one final goodbye to her family. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she had a determined look on her face. She nuzzled her mother and father gently. She knew that their special relationship was rare amongst Kimeti, but she hoped deep inside that she would one day find such a special companion as well. Cedar knew many does who raised their children on their own, in fact she even knew some bucks that did, not many chose a mate to stay with for the duration of their lives. All these thoughts swirled in her head as she travelled into the swamp.
Cedar Bark had been walking for hours now, despite her keen sense of direction, she wasn't entirely sure which way she had headed, though she supposed any direction was likely to yield a home just the same. It depended on how you interpreted it, she supposed. As the sky began to darken, Cedar had started to lose hope. She was feeling as though she had done the wrong thing, perhaps she hadn't been ready to leave. Were all Kin successful finding their own home on their first try? She wondered.
As she stood, staring out across the rippling reeds and tall grasses, the scent of fresh wild mint came to her nostrils, and she looked about fervently, sniffing for the herbs. The young doe followed her nose until she came to a trail that led away from the field, into the trees. She could see a small rocky outcrop not too far off, and it seemed as though the scent was coming from that direction, so off she went, tracking the fresh scent. As she climbed the rocks, she saw it, a small pond, some hunched over cedars, and huge wild mint bushes, hiding beneath the drooping boughs. The longer she stood there, the more emotion she felt. Then she spotted the others, nettles, wild roses, plenty of mosses, fawn lilies...this was it. This had to be the place she would make her home...She could sleep beneath the cedars, it made perfect sense...
Cedar Bark had found herself a home. She stood there proudly, grinning to herself as she sauntered over to the mint bushes. She breathed their scent deeply, followed by a sigh of relief and happiness. The young doe had made good on her attempt, and just in time as the sun began to balance on the horizon to signal the end of the day...
