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Burying her face further into the grass, Mirage shivered. How he knew her greatest fear, she did not know, but it chilled her, hearing it out loud. Dying alone...

"Better to be alone than to be the emotional plaything for others.." She muttered.

Panic flooded her veins like icy water as the buck stood and made his leave. She scrambled, trying to get her legs up under her, only to fall, sprawling in the grass. Anger followed and mixed with the fear, resulting in her pawing at the dirt, trying to get up while shouting at the buck. How dare he just leave her like this!

"I knew it! You are all alike, leaving a helpless doe to die in the mud, just because she refuses to give you what you want! Heartless!" She screamed at him, her voice cracking under the heat and pressure of her fear and pain.

Breathing heavily due to panic, Mirage lay, heart racing, in the grass. Her eyes darted about, praying not to see yellow eyes staring back at her. Her ears pricked high, listening for howls, or grunts, or slithering... The white doe shivered and willed herself to sink as far into the grass as possible. Maybe even disappear.

"No... No, no no...." Her barely audiable whimpers escaped her lips.

Mirage was once again frozen. Fear crippled her, sending her whole body into shivers of terror. Eyes wide and slightly glowing, she took in the horrible creature sent to finish her off. It was long and scaly and icky and EWWW! She couldn't help but cry out agian, trying to fling the little garter snake off of her.

"Get it off! Kill it! Eeeehh!!" She whimpered, wiggling in horror.

Mirage gave a little whimper until the cursed creature was smooshed. She gave her fur a little shake, it rippled an almost glowing white in the early dawn light. With a deep breath released, the cold-eyed doe had returned.

"...It was bigger than it looked. Honest." She looked away, ears pressed down. If she could blush, her face would be as pink as her spots! "...Thanks, I guess. I mean, I would have done it myself, but my hoof..."

Mirage looked up at him, peeked really, gauging the honesty in his eyes. Did he really want to help her? He seemed so. She gave a sigh and gingerly stuck out her injured leg.

"...If you hurt me, I'll kick you." She said.

Mirage sniffed at the bark. It smelled very similar to that of the tree under which she had hidden earlier that day. After giving it a small lick, she began to nibble on the soft inner bark. The juices, paired with the stressful events of the day, made her sleepy, subduing her attitude. So, without much thought, the doe spoke her true name.

"Distorting the Light is what the swamp calls me. I prefer Mirage." She spoke quietly, wincing slightly as he moved her injured leg.

Through out the hours in which the buck worked, Mirage fought sleep. Exaustion tugged at her as she struggled to keep her eyes opened. By the time he was finished, she had lost. The doe lay with her head on her good leg, resting in the morning light.

"...Stay..." a barely audiable murmur passed through her lips as she slept onward to recovery.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

A moon or so later, the doe was grunting, taking small, ginger steps along that same clearing, leaning her shoulder agianst the side of the buck. Her break had just about healed, much with his help. The buck had never left her side, much to her relief.

"Ahh..." Mirage barely winced as she stepped down on her injured leg, "It really does feel so much better. You did well, buck." She said with a small smile.

The white doe's smile hung contently on her lips. As they walked, her eyes watched his face in peeking glances, remembering the past month that they had spent together. But now that she was pretty much healed... Mirage's smile faded and was replace with a sigh.

"What happens now?" She wondered to herself in a quiet voice.