Bambi's forest

bambi hadn't anticipated a charge so suddenly, and barely had the time to turn himself sharply and lowering his antlers. Immediately came the impact and it jarred his neck painfully. Birch shook his head, throwing Bambi around violently. They broke apart and Bambi reared up, kicking at Birch, who rose to match him. He fell back and rolled, standing up and charging again.

This time, Bambi was prepared.

He locked with Birch, pushing back feircely and throwing the enemy's neck and head about. Birch didn't resist, but when Bambi stopped, he threw him over, making Bambi land on his flank. Birch reared up to stomp him, and Bambi rolled his way out from under the attack and stood. Birch immediately attacked again, ramming Bambi. He was a rough buck, and didn't seem to mind that all his rack-shaking and whatnot was giving Bambi a major headache. Birch threw him back, and rammed him again.

This went on for several minutes, unseizing. Before a very long time, Bambi was exhausted. That was when Birch rolled him, throwing him down the hill. Bambi laid panting, staring up. He didn't want to stand. He quivered and stood, but collapsed, staring as Salvia was herded off, unwilling and nipping at Birch all the way.

Bambi had lost, and had failed to protect Salvia.

Trar's Forest

Ronno looked around, feeling restless. He could sense that Trar was up to something, and the buck could bet that there were spies in the herd. He even knew of several - but there was nothing he could do. He couldn't protect himself from their watch, much less protect Faline at all.  She was no longer allowed to be without an escort; at least, not until it was clear she had taken to Nacht. Anger rose inside Ronno. He knew very well he wouldn't dare challenge Nacht. No buck did. They had already seen one buck approach a doe of the third-top Captain, and he had been gored in the side so badly that he currently couldn't stand, and infection was setting in. Things were not well. He remembered what had happened soon after. He had thought about how awful that had been.

Stars above forbid some idiot buck attempt to force himself upon a captains - or worse, Nacht or Trar's - doe.

But it had happened.

The buck had soon after been seized and it had been then that all the High Captains' - Nacht, Huckleberry, and two others - harems have guards. Trar had announced that when the sun reached its high point this day that the buck would be, in his words, "Made an example for the herds." Ronno shuddered, not wanting to think about what that might mean.

But it wasn't Ronno's choice. He along with all the other second-year bucks, as well as all the older ones, were required to attend, and a few of the more rambuncious first-years and does as well. Ronno and the others were not looking forward to this occation. Rumours had begun to circulate, bringing even more fear into the herds - there were claims that Nacht would be executing the buck and beating the body and that he had killed two others simply for glancing at or talking to one of his does.

And at first, Trar had wanted to object to them in an attempt to keep it from raising rebellion. But Nacht had other thoughts - he let his herdlord see that it wasn't anger these rumours were causing. It was fear. Pure, distilled fear. And that in itself would stop a rebellion.

Thus, there was no confirmation of what was true and what was false.

"Ronno!" A voice snapped. It was Huckleberry, Trar's left-side Captain and second most trusted in the herd - and oddly, Ronno felt some sort of sympathy for him. He seemed more than a bit guilty of his tasks from time to time, but not enough to stop. "Your presence is required at the flat-topped boulder. The exhibition is about to start." Ronno simply swallowed, laying his ears flat, nodded, and followed.

Once he arrived, all the bucks and a few does were standing around a decently high rock, with a very good sized, flat top. It was here the dumb buck stood with flattened ears, as well as the looming and terrifying figure of Nacht. No deer dared speak. They stared up at the rock, which was just high enough that all could see what would happen. Trar walked up to the front, the sun outlining his terribly deformed antlers. He was hideous as ever.

"Bucks of the herds!" he called, his voice carrying. "On this day you will all be required to attend and see what will become of you should you ever attempt to breed the doe of a high-ranked Captain. Know and bear in mind that should you ever attempt what this buck has done, you will share the same fate - should you succeed and that doe takes... well, it gets worse." His voice changed to a snarl toward the end. Ronno's ears flattened and he lowered his head.  "This buck will either prove he deserves that doe, or he will not breed again. He is to fight Nacht..." Gasps of absolute terror broke out, matching the sound of the wind. "...To the death." Ronno's eyes widened. That buck was going to be dead in moments.

"Proceed."

Bambi's Forest

Bambi walked back to the clearing with a low head. He couldn't believe that he'd just let Salvia be taken away like that. Campion cantered up to him, realizing something was wrong. "Where's Salvia? Is she okay?" he asked worriedly.

"I'll assume so," Bambi replied sadly, "Birch took her way."

"What!?" Campion jumped. "How-? He didn't- I can't-- what!?" he stammered, his eyes wide.

"Birch took Salvia away," Bambi repeated. "So I assume she's okay, because Birch wouldn't hurt her, really."

Campion swallowed and nodded. He himself had trouble with the whole ordeal. Bambi was a very strong buck, Campion knew that well. He could recall every occation he had proved it.

But Birch was very strong as well. Campion was surprised that Bambi had given up - but he hadn't. Campion mentally repremanded himself. Bambi wouldn't do that - surely he did all he could. He walked off, looking around at the fights. He had never found himself inclined to join in, no matter how beautiful the doe - he just didn't wanna fight at all. Everyone - himself included - found it odd, but didn't mind too much. After all, what buck would want to fight him? With more points than any other buck his age, no one did, and even though the does all seemed interested in him, he wasn't nearly as interested. He knew that it wasn't just that he didn't want to fight, he didn't want to rut. It was rather confusing to him. What was this about, and would he ever want a doe?

A specific doe was approaching him now. A good friend of his, but by no means did she have any interest in him as a mate. She seemed irritated, and glanced back as a familiar buck was following her. She bounded the final lengths to Campion. "Good afternoon," Campion bleated.

"No time for that," she replied. "Later. See that brute there?" She brushed against him as she turned to look at the darker coloured buck, who had six points. "He won't leave me be. He hasn't for the past two days, and I'm not even ready yet," she told her friend.

"Really?" Campion frowned. "Clover, that's terrible!"

Clover nodded. "Act like I'm your doe and if he still comes over, could you chase 'im off for me?"

"Of course," Campion nosed his friend, glancing threateningly at the buck. The act was fake - the threat was real. He felt very defensive of this particular doe, as she was in fact his cousin, and didn't at all want this brute messing with her.

However, he still approached, and Campion braced himself for a fight.

Trar's Forest

 Nacht stood up casually and lowered his double-antler, not appearing to tense his muscles. Glancing at the crowd, with a flash in his eyes, the buck rushed at him with such a show that it looked like he realized he would die here, but was at least going to die fighting.

Nacht met him without even sliding back, shoving the buck and, not bothering to make a show of it, threw the deer to the ground and rearing up a foot to stomp him. The buck rolled out from under him and stood, ramming at Nacht's chest. The huge silver and black buck tripped backward, but then immediately recovered himself. He charged, the buck meeting him, and immediately jerked his head to one side. The silence was broken by a horrible noise.

Nacht flicked his head and rose it, throwing the other's antlers away from his own. The body collapsed.

Nacht had broken his neck, just like that.

Everything was silent for what was only a moment, but felt to Ronno like an eternity before Trar stepped forward again.

"Let this be a warning to all of you," he drawled, tilting his head back a bit. "There is no exception to this law, which I shall reiterate to you all: 'No buck is to attempt to mate with any doe in a Captain's harem.' Don't forget that. I suspect that it won't be so hard to remember now?" He paused, his hard eyes raking over all the deer there. No one spoke. @Good." He turned away to walk down the meadow, followed by Macht and Huckleberry.

He passed a doe, and paused to look at her. Ronno recognized her as Yew.

"She's a nice one," Trar murmured. "Have you come into season yet?"

"N-no sir," She said coldly. "I haven't."
"Good," Trar replied unfeelingly and casually. "You will join my other does."
"No!" A new voice suddenly spoke. Everyone stared at Huckleberry, who had spoken. Suddenly his eyes grew wide, realizing he had