Miracles of the Forest

Part 2: The Rut

Chapter 6: "The Does"

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Gurri stood in front of the creek and looked down at her reflection in the clear water. River was laying in the leaf litter just a few yards away, ruminating contently.

"What do you think? Should I have a flower in my fur tufts or would I look better without one?" Gurri inquired, not once taking her eyes off her reflection.

"Whatever." River grumbled. "Like it matters."

Gurri grunted agitantly and turned. She gasped upon seeing her younger sister laying on the ground.

"What're you doing?! Get up, get up!!" She bounded over and rushed River to her feet. "Are you crazy? Don't get yourself all dirty before we even get there!"

River moaned and pulled herself up. For an 8 month old doe, River was already heavily muscled and big-boned. Her dark coloration gave her the appearance of an elk. Her spots had faded away, leaving behind a big beautiful specimen.

"I don't see why I even have to go." River continued. "Probably won't breed anyway until next season."

"That's why you and Gloria have to attend today. Weanlings very rarely participate in The Rut, but you all have to observe so you know what to do next season."

River scoffed. "Well what about Raven? I haven't even seen him today. Does he have to go?"

"Of course he does. But I don't know where he is either. He's probably training with Geno." Gurri wandered back over to the creek. "Make sure you're 100% ready, River, I'm not joking. Grandma and Mena will be here any minute to pick us up. It's a good thing they're late, because Syndi and Gloria aren't even here yet."

"Grandma probably wandered off again and Mena had to go round her up." River said with a weary eye-roll.

Some russtling sounds in the forest caught the attention of both does, who lifted their heads at attention. Within moments, Gloria appeared. She had grown into a gorgeous, petite and very feminine doe. She, too, had lost her spots. She tentativly approached River and Gurri.

"Finally." Gurri sighed. "Now we can..." She stopped short and paused for a moment, eyeing the trail Gloria had just ventured from. But nothing followed. "Where's Syndica?" Gurri finally queried Gloria.

Before the timid doe could answer, more noises followed. Mena and Faline's mother were approaching. Bambi opened his home to Mena when he found out, as an adult, that the reason Mena wanted to adopt Bambi was because she was unable to have fawns of her own. Bambi pitied her, and allowed her to join is herd and help care for the fawns. Due to her inability to reproduce, Mena's body had not suffered the harsh stress of pregnancy and birth. Therefore, she had aged into a fine elder, hardly showing her true age at all. Faline's mother was a different story altogether. Once Faline and Bambi became mates, Faline's mother was privlidged to special care and protection. Because of this, she had grown to a ripe, old age. Older than any deer currently living in Bambi's forest. The quivering doe's coat had faded from rich brown to a pale tan. Her body was sunken in and dreadfully thin. Because of her emaciated appearance, one would think she had one hoof in the grave. But aside from the senility of age, Faline's mother didn't look too shabby for a geriatric.

The two does stopped on a small hill overlooking the youngsters below.

"Hello, Gurri!" Mena called. "Are you ready to go?"

"Hello, Mena!" Gurri called back, trying to contol the aggitation in her voice. "Give us one minute!"

"Who's doing all that dag-blasted yelling?!" The ancient doe croaked loudly.

"Hello, Grandma!" River shouted.

"Who's that?" The old doe whispered to Mena.

"I'm your grand-daughter! You know, Faline's daughter?" River responded.

"Oh, Faline! My dear! Have you had fawns with that nice Bambi fellow yet?" The withered deer cackled.

River rolled her eyes and shouted again. "No, grandma, I'm not Faline, I'm her daughter, River!"

"My daughter fell in a river? Oh that's so sad..." The old deer lowered her head.

Mena leaned into the older doe. "She's Faline's daughter, Mildred."

The old doe lifted her head excitedly.

"Oh, how interesting! I have a daughter named Faline, you know."

The other does simply shook their heads at the senile old deer. Gurri returned her attention to Gloria.

"Gloria, tell me where Syndica is. Is she at the meadow waiting for us?" Gurri pressed.

"Umm, well...the thing is..." Gloria hemmed and hawed before finally getting to the point. "She's not...exactly...going."

Gurri sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Oh no, not again! Every Rut she does this!"

River's eyes widened. "What? Oh, no way! If the Moose gets to stay home, I don't see why I can't either."

Gurri's browed furrowed with fury. "Don't call her that! And no, you're not staying, you're going and that's final, do you understand!?" She shouted.

River flattened her ears and jerked her head away irritably. Gloria stood quietly, watching Gurri and waiting for her instruction. Growing up with Syndica, Gloria was yelled at a lot, but became accustomed to it. She was happy, for once, that she wasn't the one being yelled at. Confident that her scolding had settled River down for the moment, Gurri took a deep breath, and released.

"Alright. Here's what we're going to do. Gloria and River, you go with Mena and Grandma Mildred to the Rutting Grounds. Find Lumi and Brooke and wait for me with them. I'm going to go find Syndica and talk to her. Okay?"

"Okay, Gurri." Gloria nodded obediently.

River snorted stubbornly, but reluctantly nodded.

"Whatever." She scoffed.

"Alright. I'll see you guys in a little while."

With that, Gurri turned and bounded into the forest, her mind and heart set on locating her friend and convincing her to attend the Rut.

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Syndica lay curled up against a burned tree stump, her eyes closed. She was surrounded by bramble bushes that grew around the trunks of ancient trees. This part of the forest was usually bleek and desolate. Very few animals liked being there, for the tree canopy was so thick, the sun hadn't touched the ground in that area for years. Because of this, the area was always cold, and the years of winter's thick ice never melted from the ground.

She lay there in solitude, regaling the wretched memories of her fawnhood. Syndica was a deer hyrbid: a cross between a White-Tailed Deer---what Bambi and his family were, and a Mule Deer--a massive ungulate that was twice the size of the White-Tails. Unfortunately, Syndica inherited the Mule Deer's size. Growing up in a herd of white-tails was not easy for her. She was oversized, had large ears and a strange erect mane of stiff fur down her neck. She was a freak, an outcast; and the young white-tails were always eager to point it out. It comes as no surprise that such treatment transformed the once shy doe into a big bully. The does who teased her unmercifully and doned her with the nickname "Moose" now quivered in terror at the big strapping hybrid. The bucks who ignored her had not broken their streak; bucks hardly even made eye contact with her. As far as she could remember, The Rut only brought back memories of her taunting fawnhood and the painful reminder that no buck would ever fight for her due to her masculine appearance. They wanted the thin, pretty does. Who would ever fight for the full-figured girl?

Syndica's thoughts were interuppted as the sound of a snapping twig drew her attention. She quickly stood up.

"It's not going to work this year. I'm not going to the Rut so save your speech." Syndica barked.

"Not going to the Rut, eh?"

The male voice caused Syndica to gasp in astonishment. She whipped around to face the source of the familiar voice. Her eyes fell upon him and she instantly shrunk back. With a smile, he continued.

"Because, as you know, it's a law that all deer be present for The Rut. If you're thinking about breaking a law, I might have to punish you for that." He came closer.

Syndica quickly recomposed herself.

"I'd like to see you try." She responded darkly.

Geno stopped a few feet away from her and flashed a handsome grin. "I was kidding. I'm not above admitting that you would probably beat the crap outta me."

Syndica finally broke and flashed a small smile of her own. She had always had a crush on Geno, but she would never admit it. Not even to