Faline

Faline stayed as far from the center of the herd as she could. Ever since the new doe had come into the herd, she had been very frightened. It was this doe's scent. It was different and forbidding to Faline, and she hadn't even had the courage to ask the strange animal's name. She had gone to Nacht and played it to her advantage that the buck admired her very much and desperately requested her own two guards. She remembered the exchange now:

"Please, Nacht," she had begged. "I cannot stand being near that doe, and she hangs around your harem all the time. I can't do this, Nacht," She had even whined at him some, and the buck had seemed irritated with her.

"No," he had snapped, over and over, however much she begged. "No, Faline, I told you. You do not get special treatment as part of my... harem," he had hesitated sourly, as he was convinced Faline had managed to disallow him to mate with her. Luckily, Faline thought, she was not yet come into season. So she resorted to what she had to, if only to get away from this new doe.

"I will allow you to mate with me should I get my own personal guard," Faline said shakily. This had convinced Nacht to allow her to have her own guards. Three of them, who she had grown rather to like: Despite following Trar, and being very willing to kill for him, they were very pleasant to the does and quite personable to Faline.

Now she looked at the eight-point guard, Herla. "Herla," she asked, "What is the name of the odd doe who has joined us? What do you know of her?"

"That's Lihua, Miss Faline," he addressed her. "She says she came from a very far place. Trar seems to be very fond of that doe, actually," he added, almost nervously. "I'm worried that might be an issue with the low-bucks. They all cloud her."

"Indeed," said a five-pointer, Clovar. "Even..." he lowered his voice. "Even Nacht seems interested in her."

Faline froze. Nacht? "There are... rumours," Faline slowly bleated, "Is it true that he's...."

"...Well, they say he's crazy," Clovar replied quietly. The other two bucks glanced around in hopes that no one would be listening. "I've heard that Trar recruited him after he displayed a huge strength. He killed a family of elk, they say," Clovar hesitated. "He was confused once Trar started talking. I've never seen it in him myself."

Faline nodded slowly. "That you, Clovar, Herla," she said quietly, frightened. "So you think...?"

"I think that doe might make him go absolutely insane if he's as interested in that doe as I'm worried he is..." Herla stopped. "We shouldn't talk about this anymore. You never know who's listening these days."

The other two bucks nodded wisely, glancing around to make sure no deer grazed too close. "Yes, Herla's right," the third deer spoke up. He sported six points and went by the name Bankfoot. "Look there."

Nearby a buck was grazing. He had a distinctive scar on his shoulder and a strange white blaze running a straight line up his nose, slightly biased to the left. The three bucks all knew who he was - so did Faline. "Oh," she said softly.

"Vervain." Clovar's voice was sharp and harsh. He hated this buck, for he was one of those deer who would report anything and everything to Trar, attempting always to be trusted and promoted by the Overlord, embelishing all he could to make every minor conversation mutinous. No deer liked him, in fact he was rather a buck that did not even have a doe in his harem who cared for him.

The deer rose frome where he had been grazing and walked over slowly. His harsh looking face was longer and narrower than many, and so he looked rather like a weasle, Faline thought. He looked contemptuously at Clovar, then turned to Herla, who was considered a higher rank than he. "Herla," he said, with an icy voice, "I'd suggest you be careful what you say about that buck. Captain Nacht is a very important figure in this herd, you know, and speaking il of him could have very, very bad consequences." Herla looked down at the smaller buck - for he was a very muscular one, fine-formed as any doe could want.

"You should be careful yourself, Vervain," he snapped. "You should know well speaking to a trusted rank as myself ill will have consequences. Besides," he added, "Who is Trar more likely to trust: The lower ranked weasel who may as well be a clingy shadow..." He put his head threateningly close to Vervain's. "....Or me? A high ranked, respectful and may I add very sturdy buck who has kept many a rebellion from occuring without having to involve Trar? Believe me, Vervain, it shall sound like you're telling him the rocks have planned an assassination."

To this they were all silent, for Vervain knew well the truth of it. So he turned sharply and said, "Next time," then walked away.

Bankfoot breathed a sigh of relief.

Bambi's Forest

That evening, Bambi walked into the clearing to see that all three of his friends were present. As his eyes lingered, he caught sight of a startling doe: She was a milky chocolate mottled with pure, undiluted white. "Bambi," Campion called a greeting. "Good to see you. You haven't met Clover yet, have you?"
"No," Bambi replied as he bounded over. "Nice to meet you."

The doe dipped her head. "Likewise."

"What's up?" Bambi asked, noticing how dark everyone appeared.

"Something's really, really wrong, Bambi. I can feel it. I don't know what it is yet, but the others feel it too," Salvia said. Clover and Campion nodded, but Birch looked sceptical.

"How can you know? Everything's fine," he said.

"I just do, you know that." Salvia replied sharply. "Bambi, you believe me, right?"
"I do, Salvia, but.... There's really nothing I can do to help, not until we know what's going on."

"He's right," Campion said miserably. "We can't do a whole lot of anything 'til we know what's happening.

"Make a guard," Clover said suddenly.

"What?" Bambi frowned.

"Make a guard," Clover repeated. "You know, a group of bucks trained to fight and protect the rest of the herd."

"Defenders?" Campion seemed confused with the whole idea.

"Good Cerva, you're right!" Salvia suddenly burst. "She's onto something, Bambi. Organize a group of bucks to keep guard over our boundaries and they shall report any activity to you. Any deer that come near us will be known by them. That's it, Bambi!"

Suddenly the idea dawned on him. "Yes," he said slowly, "That I'll do."

"I want to be apart of it," Birch broke in suddenly, standing up.

"Okay then. You shall be one of my Captains." Bambi nodded to him. "And you, Campion."

"I'm not sure, Bambi," Campion shook his head doubtingly. "I've never come out of velvet and I'm not sure if it's good for my antlers to fight."

"I see." Bambi frowned. "Well, I'll see what I can do with you."

Salvia and Clover looked at eachother, very pleased. The Piebald doe spoke first. "Salvia and I are going to gather up some of the bucks we think to be promising recruits." The two took off immediately.

Trar and Nacht

 Nacht and Trar approached the herd, all the bucks moving away from them. Still fresh in their minds, though it happened weeks ago, was Nacht's demonstration with the buck. What cowards! Trar was contemptuous of how they acted, but did not want anything else. "Nacht," Trar said. "I would like this new doe to be in my harem. Lihua is her name. I want her to have personal guards and they must be most trusted."

"Yes sir," Nacht growled. "Who would you like them to be, or shall I choose?"

"You shall choose some of them," Trar told him. "But I know for a fact for such a beautiful, delicate doe, I want you to guard her."

Nacht's muscles froze up, though he tried not to show it. "Me, sir?"

"Yes. Ah, here she is now," Trar had an odd look of delight as the doe approached.

"Good evening, Overlord Trar," Lihua greeted him respectfully, dipping her head and turning to Nacht curiously.

"Good evening," Trar replied. "Lihua, this is Nacht. He and a few other bucks shall guard you. I shall leave you two to get aquainted and pick out your other three guards." Trar turned and padded off, without so much as glancing back.

Slightly stiff, Nacht said nothing to the doe. He wanted her in his harem but he couldn't have her, for she was a pretty doe, and her muscles strong. He would not tempt himself or even bother entertain the thought.

It was not his duty.

All the same, Lihua spoke to him. "You're  the second most powerful buck in the herd, I hear," she stated. "Under Trar, and making most the decisions, correct?"

"Yes," Nacht said shortly, not wanting to drag out a conversation. But Lihua pressed forth.

"So you shall take his place once Trar dies." Nacht stiffened and tensed, trying to hide his reaction with a stoney, harsh look. He had not expected Lihua's shortness in getting to her thoughts.

"I suppose," Nacht looked at her with his peircing, yellow-green eyes. "And? Why do you