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 Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 3:20 pm
It had been some time since Finley had met the white calf, but the stag had returned to this part of the lowlands and now he was passing by the grazing grounds of the FireBringer herd. He was sure to keep his distance, although his thoughts strayed to the time he came across the young white calf The day he learned that he was not alone. It was something he looked back on fondly and with hope.
His hooves trod upon the ground, moving through the leaf litter with ease and care, so as to be noticed as little as possible. It wasn't long till he came upon a trickling brook. It was here that he paused to drink, and looked about. There he saw a familiar tree stump. The stag chuckled to himself, remembering this place all too well. It was where he had met Tegwen that day.
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:07 pm
It seemed like only yesterday that her whore of a mother had left her and Drystan to fend for themselves in a herd of strangers. Bitter thoughts had only grown in severity over the time since the hind's departure, and it had only caused Tegwen to brood over such things with unhealthy consistency. Though, since meeting the white stag on that fateful day, she had lost some of her anger and self pity. She did have a lot, she had come to realize, but nothing, it seemed, could pacify her hatred towards her birth mother. If only she and Drystan had been birthed by Dyani... Life would've been so much better. It was a sad thing for anyone who had watched her grow to a healthy doe, a sad thing that she had grown from a carefree fawn to a bitter doe. Perhaps by the time she reached hind-hood, she would be even more blackened by the circumstances of her early life, or perhaps she would be more pure of heart? Who was to know? Perhaps some event would take place that would ease her emotional trama.
So, it was with another topic to brood over that the doe sought comfort in her favorite place in the whole world; the home of the otters. She trotted slowly to the location, listening somewhat peacefully to the babbling brooke, and wondering what the fishes were up to. It was a fascination she had not lost in her growth, and she still enjoyed talking to them, even though they could not understand her and they never talked back. With a slight sigh, she broke out of the trees into her little sanctuary and froze. There was a stag in /her/ spot. She stood stock still for a moment's time, until the familiar coat came into recognition. "F... Finley?"
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:23 pm
Finley suddenly looked up as he heard someone break through the foliage. And there they stood... Stag and doe just staring at each other in bewilderment for some time until she broke the ice. Blue eyes blinked once, "Tegwen? Is that you?" he asked with unmasked amusement. My how she had grown! She was becoming a very lovely young hind. Her white pelt perhaps only going truely appreciated by an equally white stag. He had to marvel for several moments, before he shook his head.
It seemed to be fate that they would have happened upon each other again in this very spot. The stag himself looked little different from when they had first met, being that he was fully grown and not enough time had past for his antlers to shed and regrow. He took a step forward, seemingly delighted to see her. But then he remembered himself, and stepped back once more. "It is good to see you again."
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:46 pm
Not holding to a moral code as any stag would, Tegwen lifted her front legs a little in excitement and bounded towards the older male, nuzzling into his neck. Her short stature compared to his made it so the tips of her ears just barely touched his chin before she pulled back. All of her fowl thoughts of her mother were whiped away in a mere second as she gazed admiringly at the deer, pleased to see that he was doing well. "It's so great to see you, Finley! It's been so long..." She trailed off, looking over to the brooke. It was ironic that they should happen upon each other in the same place that they had first met, when she was just a little thing. She remembered how scared she had been of him at first, as he was so large. Now, however, he did seem a bit shorter, but she knew it was due to her growth.
There was something else, though, something different. Perhaps it was looking through a does eyes, but she suddenly found Finley rather attractive. He was, after all, a healthy stag with a goodly sized rack of antlers on his head. It was more interesting to her, however, that she thought anything of him. She had grown to not trust males, and this distrust had kept her seperated from a good portion of them. It had a bit to do with the fact that her mother had run off with a stag, and a bit to do with her fear of following in the family foot steps. Prying her mind away from the topic, however, she recovered and stirred up a conversation. "How have you been?"
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 5:57 pm
Finley was... well... surprised to say the least as Tegwen bounded up to him and nuzzled his neck. The stag blushed... and being that he was white, it was far easier to see... especially on his nose and the insides of his ears. Ever since he left his heard, the stag hadn't had any sort of physical contact with another deer. And well.. he was not only surprised, but inwardly touched as well. Not sure what to do, he simply place his nose inbetween her ears in a friendly gesture for a moment then pulled back as well.
"I've.. been well" he said at last, nodding his head... his mind still tripping over the fact that she had nuzzled him. XD To say that he wasn't attracted to her in some way too, would be a lie. But he was an honorable stag, despite how life had treated him. She seemed... so much different now compared to the timid little calf she had been. But it was different in a good way of course. "How about you? I hope your herd is treating you kindly."
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:12 pm
"Glad to hear it." Her excitement over seeing Finley again clouded his hesitation in stating his being. Instead, she positively beamed, and moved over to the water for a drink. The fish, now used to her nearly constant presence, hardley flinched at her ripples, and went about on their fishy business. Most unfortunatley, the otters were not out and about, probablly busy with their own young ones. Her mind drifted for a moment to the younger twins, the ones she helped care for. It was an exciting business, truely, and it put the idea into her head that she might enjoy having her own young ones some day.
Turning around, she smiled again before answering. "I've been alright. The herd... Well, I don't bother with most of them. I pretty much stick to the family." She wasn't at all bothered by this, and hoped it wouldn't concern the stag. "I don't feel so lonley all the time anymore, thanks to you..." She was truely grateful for that day she had first met him, and had been reassured that she really did have a lot in her life. Now, however, it had been replaced with bitterness. "I've come to realize, though, that my mother was..." She paused, trying to find a word to use that might make her sound a tad cheery. "She was the root of everything that went wrong in my fawnhood. I think it was her fault that I was so insecure..." She looked hard at the ground, scrambling together her thoughts. She had yet to even discuss such matters with her twin, so she was unsure of her wording. "But it's of little matter. What brought you this way, anyway? So close to the herd and all."
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:29 pm
The stag smiled warmly, "Well, I'm glad to be of help in someone's life, atleast." And he truely meant that.... for being herdless, he had almost no contact with most of his kind. He felt useless a lot of the time, especially before he had met Tegwen. He had feared he would die alone. Now there was the possibility that he wouldn't. He certainly did hope that he wouldn't. As she spoke about her mother though, the stag's brows creased in concern, "I see.." he said softly. He didn't want to push the matter, and so, he didn't question further. "I am glad that you've found some happiness."
What brought him this way? "Well... wandering I suppose. I've been looking for others like us, but I've not had any luck. Also... I guess I just wanted to see you again." He chuckled at himself for saying so. "I was thinking... wouldn't it be grand if there was a herd of only deer like us." They wouldn't be outcasts anymore... free from judgement and fear. If only.
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:45 pm
Tegwen looked away, slightly embarassed, but brandishing a million buck smile. She couldn't think of anyone who had really ever tried to see her, save for her family, and they were supposed to be anyway so it really didn't mean as much. She wasn't sure if he was joking or not, but didn't press it. At his statement about the herd, however, she was, for a moment, horrified. That would mean no more Drystan, wouldn't it? Drystan was the opposite of a white deer. Slowly, however, she realized that, with age, the pair had grown slightly apart. In time, they might even rarely see eachother. Perhaps moving on wasn't such a bad thing? It would be sad, though, wouldn't it. Never seeing her beloved twin again. And Dyani, too. Since she had been adopted, she had grown fond of the hind for all her weirdness. There was a tenderness in her heart, and that was what mattered.
After a few moments of thought, however, she came to realize that perhaps a herd of just white deer would be useful. No more ridicule, no more taunts, no more gossip. Not only that, but a bunch of white deer would know how to hide eachother as best they could. It might actually be nice. "That might be nice, yes... I wonder, would a herd of white deer have white fawns and calves? Neither of my parents were white, yet the had me, so I've wondered often if deer like us are randomly born?" That wouldn't really be a comforting thought, if it were true. In fact, it might be rather uneasy, as it would mean that they really weren't supposed to be.
ooc hahaha, i love plays on words. at the beginning, she has a million buck smile instead of a million dollar one. xDDD oh man, that just cracks me up.
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Posted: Mon Jan 08, 2007 6:58 pm
(( XDD You're so silly. X3 ))
At her question, Finley had to stop and think for a moment. But the truth was... he really had no idea. "I don't know..." he admitted at last. There was certainly no knowledge of genetics in the mind of any deer. Finley personally had never witnessed a pair of white deer giving birth to any calves. Tegwen has been the only other one he's met. "I guess.. there's only one way to find out." And it wasn't that he was implying anything... but well... that's just the truth. Two white deer would have to have offspring before they could determine this. Although really... the only two white deer they knew about was each other, except this mysterious white hind that Tegwen had seen.
As far as wanting to see her.. why wouldn't he? They were both two of a kind, and they seemed to be developing a fast friendship. In all truth, he wanted to ask her to come with him, but it wouldn't be fair to ask her to leave her family. He had no choice in the matter, and making her leave such a wonderful thing was all too cruel. He didn't want to press such a burden on her.
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Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 9:07 am
It was true that Tegwen herself had never seen a mating pair of white deer before. To the best of her knowledge, she and Finley were the only two alive. But then the thought struck her as odd, as there were so many brown deer. Then again, there was only one melanistic deer that she knew of, and that was her twin. Perhaps she and Finley could be considered special in some way? It was true, though, that there would only be one way to find out if two white deer would have a white calf. Then another thought occured to her, however. A more... motherly thought. "I'm not sure I would wish such a fate as to be a white deer on any of my fawns, though. It's so... hard sometimes, y'know? I don't know if I'd want to see my own children suffer through what I have."
She looked at the ground somewhat sadley for a few moments, but quickly turned her attention back to the stag. One thing she had never gathered was why he hadn't attempted to join another herd yet. Or even make his own? She knew why he had become a rogue, as they had spoke of it at their last meeting. At that age, she had accepted the answer and left it there, but now she had thought more into it. From her experiance, at least, a stag seeks few things in life to make them happy. Their antlers are their pride and joy, of course. The bigger the rack the better. But then there was also a harem, their beloved hinds to bare the healthy little outriders. Finley had his antlers, magnificent as they were, but he obviousley didn't have a harem if he was herdless. Or did he? "Finley, why don't you join a herd? Fell is very understanding. He might even accept you into his herd!" What Tegwen couldn't understand, however, was tht Fell was understanding to her because she was not only the adopted daughter of a hind in his harem, but she was also female. She had never seen the stag with any other males, and she had no way of knowing just how understanding he would be to an incomming adult stag.
ooc Tiro and I decided that the RP between her white hind and Tegwen we've been planning will have Tegwen as a fawn still. Since that's how we planned it. I'm making it after replying to this so... I suppose it would follow the timeline for doe-Tegwen to know about this mysterious 'dream hind'. I'll leave it up to you if you want to bring her up, however. Mainly because the RP hasn't happened yet, and I don't know if they'll talk about the solstice stag in it, so I can't have her tell you correctly how many white deer there are to her knowledge. x) So... Would you lke Teggy to bring her up?
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Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:39 pm
Finley listened quietly and patiently to what the doe had to say. He nodded gravely to her words of not wishing any sort of hardship on any potential offspring of hers. "I can understand that... but think of it. They would have you, would they not?" Any white offspring she had wouldn't be alone in this world, and Finley certainly didn't see Tegwen abandoning them after what she had experienced. He could understand her worry though, even if it was a bit needlessly.
As the subject turned to him, though, the white stag blinked in surprise... and then looked a bit sad. His blue gaze turning to the side, and not looking at her for several moments. "I've tried to join other herds, but I was never accepted... so I gave up." He chuckled lightly, "My dear... any knowing lord wouldn't likely allow a white stag into their herd. Outsiders themselves are viewed with ridicule... you know that. A stag such as myself, who had been shunned by various other herds, would have even less of a chance." He paused before continuing, "I'd often thought of starting my own herd, but what hind or stag would want to follow a white lord?"
(( I don't mind either way. X3 Do as you wish. I peeked at your RP already. ))
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Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:15 pm
"Yes, that's true I suppose. If I were to have little white ones, I could understand what they were going through and help as best I could, right?" She was a little unsure of the idea, but it did make a little bit of sense. Especially if Finley's dream herd came to be. In an entire herd of white deer, how could any little white calf feel lonely? For a fleeting moment, she felt envious of any such little one, for they wouldn't have to deal with anything she did when she was just a little one. It was gone rather quickly, however, as she wouldn't wish her life upon anyone. Her mind quickly turned to how rought Finley must've had it, and she felt a wave of pity for the stag. She looked at him with a hint of sorrow, but whiped it away as fast as she could.
It hadn't occured to her at first that a white stag might not be welcome into a herd. Most especially if he showed up with the lord's step daughter. No, she really couldn't see that one as going over well. She smirked a little at her own joke, but grew more serious again. "Well, other white deer might. I might." She couldn't honestly answer that, for she did, after all, have a family, and her twin might kill her if she left.
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Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:22 pm
"Of course you could" he replied with a resolute nod. He was certain that Tegwen would make a fantastic mother when she got older. He watched as varying emotions seemed to flicker across the young doe's features. An ear turning forward in quiet askance until she spoke.
Finley chuckled, "Perhaps... but there are no others that we know of." The stag shifted his weight a bit and heaved a sigh. "And I certainly couldn't ask you to leave your family." Perhaps he was just destined to a life of lonely exile as a rogue. Although it hardly seemed fair as he was born with this white coat. He never asked to be different from the other deer, no more than Tegwen had.
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Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 6:34 pm
The reaction that Finley had to the whole lonesome feel was almost too much for Tegwen. She looked sadley at him, not knowing what to say or do to help. She truely wished to tell him she would leave the herd with him, but to do that meant to leave Drystan, Dyani, the new twins... She was torn in two. Not only that, but the fact that she had somewhat gotten over her lonliness since first meeting the stag, yet he had seemed to only get worse. She couldn't come up with a way to comfort him, as the way he had pulled her out of a slump was to tell her what she had. This could not be applied, as he really didn't have much. He had his health and his antlers, yet no family to speak of. What could she possibley do? "I'm sorry, Finley." She walked up to him and nuzzled his neck again, in a deer's version of a hug. It was the only thing she could thing of doing for a time.
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Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 7:15 pm
Finley was touched by her gesture, and nuzzled Tegwen in return. "Don't be sad for me" he then added softly. "This is Herne's way. He has guided me thus far, and will hopefully continue to do so." The stag stood tall, trying to look powerful and brave once more, although she had caught him in a moment of weakness. She had no obligation to him, and he wanted to make sure she knew that. However, he truely did appreciate her company.
"I should probably go... your Outriders might catch wind of me if I linger too long." He didn't truely want to go, but well... it was probably for the best.
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