|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 7:46 am
The Lord liked the feeling of the sun, warm against his back, late in the afternoon. The waning rays of sunligh cast long shadows upon the ground as the majestic stag stood atop one of many hills that dotted the land, looking out over his herd. He felt his heart begin to swell with pride at the peaceful figures grazing below, and smiled to himself, especially when he caught sight of his beloved Danica grazing in the company of a couple other hinds near the edge of the meadow. Even from this far away, he could see the slight bulge in her belly, indicating her pregnancy.
The news had spread through the herd like wildfire, and so the rumors that had only just started to fade sprang up again like the tongues of a flame, reaching out and devouring anything they could get at. What had prompted the Lord's change of mind during this Anlach so that he felt the need for more offspring? And what of this absence from the fighting? Was he afraid that he would lose Danica and Dyani to another stag? Fell had to chuckle to himself at that last. He was the Lord, and he heard everything. Losing Danica, indeed. Even if he did lose any rights to keep her in his harem to another stag, he knew that a herd of stampeding undead deer couldn't make her leave his side. She would stand with him until the day her proud heart gave out, and that was the way Herne had always intended it.
Now, the Lord looked out over at the waning sun, feeling the steady hum of joy and pride in his heart. Yes, life was beautiful indeed.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 10:13 am
Brychan had recently parted ways with his own harem, although Telyn had made him promise he would come to see her and their unborn offspring when he could. Telyn was a strange hind, but certainly not in a bad way. He had come to adore her, as well as the other two hinds in his harem. There was just something different about Telyn though, something that intrigued and captivated him. Now the lovely grey hind was pregnant, as well as his current favorite, Loreena.
Ever since the realization that he would be a father, Brychan had been carrying himself a little differently, walking on patrols with greater purpose. He was proud, and he was not afraid to show it. It was a shame that Rhomae wasn't pregnant as well, but such was life. He had heard of Fell Lore's change of mind, though... and while coming to report to his captain, decided to pay the Lord a visit as well.
"I understand that you're to be a father, again" Brychan spoke as he came within range of the Home Oak. A lightly amused expression on his face as he observed the other stag, looking over the entirety of the herd below.
(( Btw... Brychan has no chance of becoming a Captain until late July. neutral ))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 9:33 pm
((How come? o.o__
The Lord turned when he recognized Brychan's voice. "Ah, but that is true," He said with a smile. He realized that perhaps Brychan might be more puzzled than most about his change of mind, since Fell himself had told the darkly pelted stag that he would not be trying for more offspring with any of his hinds this year around. "And I hear that you are, too, Brychan." He added.
((Whoops sorry for the shortness. -runs off to eat lunch-))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 9:50 pm
(( I have to RP him for six months, ontop of having atleast 15 RPs. :/ I got him in late January... so late July is when I can try for Captain. ))
He was puzzled at that, but Brychan knew it was Fell Lore's business and not his own. The Outrider approache and soon came to stand a few feet from the stag he had challenged for lordship not long ago. The starry pelted one standing a little straighter as the fact that he too was to be a father, was brought up. A nod was given, "That's right.. two of my hinds are pregnant." A bit of a smile appearing on his muzzle as he thought of harem. How fond of them, he was.
He could only imagine what their offspring would be like... but he wouldn't have to imagine for long. Sooner or later they would be born, and then the parenting would begin. It would be a first for him, but he looked forward to it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 3:40 am
"Well, congratulations," He said with a nod. They lapsed into a silence for a while, each thinking of their own offspring-to-be, until Fell interrupted it. "Danica insists one of the youngsters will be special this time around. Not that Artair wasn't," He chuckled fondly at the thought of little Artair. "Why, I don't know how she knows. But she's adamant that something will be special. I wonder how she'll react if nothing is..." He seemed to cringe ever so slightly at the thought of Danica mad. Of course, she had no reason to be angry at him, but it always helped to have someone to blame. And as it was obviously Fell who would be nearest to her at the time, if such a thing were to happen, he would be the one to take the brunt of her anger.
And of course that was the way it was with hinds, and really he didn't mind one bit. He knew there would never be another hind that would rival Danica - heck, even Dyani knew, much as he loved the spacey brown hind as well.
((Ohhh 3nodding ))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 6:14 am
Brychan blinked and lifted a brow as he turned to look at Fell Lore again. "Special?" he paused, wondering how a hind could know. "Hinds are just so... different from us, aren't they?" He sighed quietly, before looking down in the direction that Telyn was hanging out. "One of my hinds has been very emotional since she got pregnant... is that normal?" Fell Lore had more experience with pregnant hinds and babies than Brychan did. He was a first time father here.
As far as hinds getting mad.. he knew about that already. Telyn was a rather fiesty hind, but he seemed to handle it pretty well. He's a rather patient stag.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:20 am
"You got that right," He said with a grin, shaking his head slightly. He would never quite be able to understand how hinds functioned. "I suppose it's normal. It's all the hormones being thrown out of whack. All hinds are affected, though at varying levels, I suppose. Like last year, when Dyani was pregnant with the twins, she didn't become all too emotional. Although with Danica..." He paused, as if awed by the change in his beloved. "She becomes twice as protective and she'll lash out at anything if they come too close - even other deer."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 9:41 am
"Really..." Brychan said, listening intently to the Lord. The starry pelted stag chuckled lightly. "Makes you wonder what they need us for, aside for Anlach." He shook his head and smirked amusedly. Of course he knew... they had to protect the hinds and the youngsters from outside threats. But really.. a hind could be formidable in their own right. Even without antlers. "Telyn is an interesting hind, I could see her acting like Danica. She's also very curious. She keeps asking me to tell her stories about being an Outrider."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 3:51 pm
"I'll bet every stag wonders that sometime or another during his life," Fell said with a laugh. And it was a reasonable thing to wonder about. The brown stag thought of Danica and the skill with which she had learned to box with some of her other friends. Only the other day, he had heard, she had boxed the ears off a wolf that had been lurking in the forest. But fierce as she was, she was a hind after all and often pity is the one thing that lets them down. The wolf should have been killed to protect the rest of the herd. But it hadn't been killed, because of way it had stared up at Danica with respect. Respect. Fell snorted inwardly. Wolves didn't know respect, only bloodthirsty savageness.
"Being an Outrider is an honor, after all," He nodded understandingly, quickly placing Telyn. There was never a deer mentioned that the Lord did not know by sight, although it often took him some time to remember their face.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:22 pm
"It is... I agree" Brychan replied with a nod of his head. He hadn't heard anything of the wolf incident with Danica.. atleast not yet. If he did, it would likely bring about a lot of questions from him. Like.. where were the Outriders when this happened? Maybe that's why he hadn't heard about it, they were all too ashamed of themselves... whoever was on duty at the time.
"I do hope that atleast one of my hinds gives birth to a calf." Of course... what stag doesn't wish for a son? A little Outrider to look up to him and seek his advice when he starts to come of age? Brychan was no different in that respect. Fell Lore already had a son, and who knows... he may be getting more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:15 pm
Fell had wondered about the same. Why had the Outriders not seen the wolf? But after some careful obsevation, he had realized that the wolf had been completely shielded by the leaves from the watchful eyes of the stags. So he had slowly let it go, with the extreme relief that the wolf had encounted Danica, and not some defenseless hind or young doe.
"Ah, is there any stag alive that doesn't hope for sons?" He said with a chuckle. He knew the feeling well enough. Seianna and Maysa were gorgeous young fawns, obviously, but he did have a special liking for sons. Perhaps this year Danica would birth a calf. Perhaps that was the special thing she kept mentioning. And it was all because at least with a son, they could still meet and bond when it came time for the buck to join the Corps. But with fawns, more often than not they would grow into beautiful young does hardly knowing what their father looked like.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 9:01 pm
Brychan nodded contemplatively. Also, had he known about Danica's meeting with the wolf... he would have wondered why she would have tried to fight it. Seemed like tempting fate... and she was pregnant to boot. But that's none of his business anyway. Brychan truely did hope for sons... hopefully both his hands would birth one.. he'd certainly be lucky if that happened. Calves tended to be a little rarer than fawns.
"Telyn wants me to give attention to our offspring... be it fawn or calf." He tilted his head, knowing that it was an unusual request and then looked to Fell Lore with furrowed brows. He wondered what the Lord would think of such things. Would he say that its not the place of a stag to be around young ones? Many would think that... and he didn't know what to think himself. He had promised Telyn he would, though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 2:33 am
Fell frowned a little, although it was more out of amusement by the strange request than anything. "Well, I could see how she would want that," He began. "Especially if it's her first fawn or calf. Although with a fawn..." He thought back to how much harder it had been to help with Dyani's fawns than it had been with Artair. Stags tended to have little in common with their offspring to begin with, and if said offspring was of the opposite gender, it did nothing to remedy the fact.
"But I will say that it is much easier with a calf. At least with a calf... You know you aren't bonding too much with a deer you'll probably never see again after they're grown. With calves... it's so much easier." There was a hint of sadness in his voice, for he did so love the two little fawns that he often saw Dyani traipsing around the place with. But he had never wanted to get too close with them, because he knew that once they became does, the distance between them would draw farther and farther apart. And that was just heartbreak he wasn't ready to experience.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 6:52 pm
Atleast he hadn't thought it was ludicrous... although Brychan didn't think Fell Lore that type of deer anyway. That chat during the spar had been quite enlightening for the starry pelted stag. Fell Lore seemed to be a reasonable fellow... although Brychan didn't agree with everything that the Lord did... they did seem to be alike in many ways.
"That's very true.... I could definitely connect more with a calf than I could with a fawn." He sighed lightly... remembering that Telyn wanted him to be there, even if the offspring would be a female. He could try his best... but Telyn would likely be the greatest influence in the life of a fawn.
Then the stag switched gears completely, "Did the captains tell you about the wolf attack on the other side of the valley yesterday? That white wolf... the big one, appeared again. We lost a pregnant hind. I believe he was the same one that took another hind just before Anlach. I may be out of line for saying so... but perhaps we should consider moving the herd again sometime soon." After all... herd migration wasn't an uncommon thing.. and if wolves were closing in around them, it would probably be best.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 10:18 pm
Fell simply blinked, and it would have seemed that he had hardly reacted to the news. Of course, Brychan was on his left side and the Lord could hide any emotion behind his one fierce amber eye. But had the dark stag been on Fell's right, he would have seen the shock that was portrayed plainly in the orb of blue. "We lost a hind?" He echoed quietly, his brow furrowing. He had heard of that white wolf from the attack just before Anlach, and the image of the white Varg was starting to make the Lord angry. He shook his head and pawed savagely at the earth. "Were there Outriders out there then?" He finally asked. "We could first try strengthening the security on that side of the valley, and if there is another sighting of wolves, we'll have to consider a move."
But moving the entire herd was something much easier said than done. If it was publicly announced that two hinds had been taken, it would cause panic and he could not risk a stampede at a time as critical as this. It would be a disaster to have an entire herd mostly populated by pregnant hinds stampede. "But we'll have to work fast. If the hinds give birth, there is no way we can move the herd." Fell shook his head. Those damn wolves.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
