Runaway

Featuring Éliot, his father Éilias (NPC) and his mother Calliope (NPC)
Summer, Year 754 of the New Age
Within the main herd, Westhaven, Windborne

 In the sparse light of a sun that was lingering behind the mountains and forests, just about to break out and start a brand new day, two stags were chasing a doe. The dawning dark of the forest painted a strange pattern of blue and green on trees and stones, on the ground and on the fawnlings’ coats.
 With swift, soundless strides, the doe made her way through the thicket, ears pinned back, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and absolute determination. Each step and each jump brought her nearer to the edge of the forest, nearer to her destination, nearer to freedom. The doe was a rebel - on her way to join the other does at Point Danger.
 Not far behind, the two stags chased through the dense wood. One was slightly smaller; his coat had a full, dark shade of chestnut. The other one, a light bay, had to duck sometimes to avoid his big antlers getting caught in the thicket. 
 It seemed to be a hopeless undertaking, to catch that nimble figure, but the two Guards knew every brook, every rock and tree of their territory by heart, which was an advantage for them. But apart from their duty to catch yet another runaway rebel doe, something else was driving them to an impossible speed. After all it was rut - and most of the does hadn’t been claimed yet.
 “Take the Path!”, the light bay hissed to his companion, who didn’t need more words to catch the other one’s plan. Their ways parted.
 His head held very low, the liver chestnut jumped over a log and into something that looked like a tunnel, formed by trees. It was a secret shortcut, and the stag knew that his companion would drive the doe in his direction, so that they both would be able to lock and stop her. 
 He was breathing heavily, less by exhaustion, but more because of the mere thought what the other would do to the rebellious doe. He was disgusted of the ways stags would claim does during rut - and they were on duty after all!
 Finally, he could see the two fawnlings running far below him. He knew the narrow place that was a bit ahead - rocks and stone walls framed a little path, where nobody could escape from, and if he managed to reach that point before they did, the doe was as good as caught.
 He darted forward, but rested his eyes on the slender figure a little longer. A play of blue light and shadow almost made her look like an otherworldly appearance; if there hadn’t been those movements that seemed almost familiar…
 At the right moment, the stag jumped down a rock and into the narrow pass. The doe suddenly saw her way barred, slid to a stop and tried to escape into another direction, but it was too late. The massive body of the bay Guard locked hers and pushed her back to the stone wall.
 His companion hurried to the place where the doe had been captured. It was still dark, and he at first thought the shadows were playing tricks on him, but when he recognised the rebel, he couldn’t hide his shock. “Calliope?”, he whispered with a faint voice. 
 The beautiful roan struggled for words and didn’t dare to look in the stag’s eyes. Her chest swell with every exhausted breath and her eyes, apart from fear and shame, showed certain anger. She hadn’t time to say something, though, she only let go of a faint squeal, when the bigger stag pressed his body against hers, unmistakably making clear his demands.
 The chestnut woke from his freeze and lowered his head to present his antlers. “Let her go!”, he said and took a few steps into the bigger stag’s direction. “Let her go, she is mine, and you know that!”
 The other bent his neck and did a step in the chestnut’s direction. “She is?”, he snorted and - after the other already had expected the sound of two skulls crashing together - turned away from him. 
 The doe didn’t dare another attempt to flee, so they led her back to the main herd of Windborne. Just the liver chestnut stag didn’t manage to understand what just had happened.
 “Calliope, why did you flee? Why don’t you care for your fawn...? Our fawn…”

 What strange things the sun did today! This was little Eli’s first thought when he opened his eyes in the morning and looked into a sea of yellow and orange that was so bright that he had to close them again. 
 He didn’t know anymore what had awakened him - the chattering of some birds outside, a dew droplet that had placed itself on his nose or his parents’ voices, but that was okay. He wouldn’t have remembered anyway.
 Strange silhouettes were dancing over the cave’s stone walls, surely the nasty sun that was playing tricks on his little eyes! Drowsily, the fawn’s head swayed back and forth as he watched the dancing shadows the sun painted on the stones. Funny how they resembled the shapes of his mama and papa! Little Eli grinned and wanted to get up and on his legs, to join their little morning dance. He giggled of the thought of his beautiful mama dancing with the sun, but before he could imagine how the sun would look like, something made him hesitate.
 Angry words! 
 He could hear the raspy voice of his papa, but it was louder than usual. The big stag that he usually heard saying sweet things now angrily spoke to his mama, who replied in a similarly upset tone. From time to time, both tried to lower their voices, remembering their sleeping fawn in the cave, but Eliot already was wide awake. 
 Forgotten was the sun and her playful picture of sunbeams! 
 Calliope was the first to notice the fluffy chestnut fawn that had recently turned two years. She stared at her offspring for an endless moment, then she turned around and went out of the cave. His father followed. 

 When Eliot woke up the next day, there was a great turmoil.
 His mother was gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Backstory time! D: please read the story to understand the picture!
forgive me, my writing is awful ._. I'm German, and I die of envy everytime I read your perfect stories *bows to everybody* |D
If something isn't right with the story, content-wise, please tell me! D: (For example the fact that Guards have to catch runaway rebels, I made that up - though it seems reasonable )

+ 1 adorableness *snort*

(edit: 1037 words: +2 speed for Éilias)</small>

Art, Eli (c) by me, no ref used
(c) by Ehetere!