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 Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:18 am
A brown hind was weaving her away across a small hilltop, not too far away from where another group of females were scratching at the snow in search of the dying grass. She moved with high dainty steps through the snow. So… another winter was here.
Maysa let out a breath and watched the steam she had created dissipate. It made her smile. Winter was a nice time, when everyone would huddle together and tell stories. A number of her friends had white coats, and the snow reminded her of them… well, a little. Her friends were certainly a lot warmer than this.
The snow was coming down softly now, speckling her brown coat with white. With kind green eyes she watched them fall, lifting her pink nose to catch a few.
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Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:29 am
 ((URL thing won't work on tthis comp....sorry.))
Engill was laying atop on of the hills surrounding the herd. He was on duty, to his dismay. He would have rather been with the herd, begging Iris to tell him a story. But he was there, on some desolate hill, watching for trouble that wouldn't come.
A scent blew his direction. "Oh," he gasped in his softspoken voice, "Um...who's there?" The newcomer smelled of the herd, so it wasn't a threat. Engill stood and shook the snow from his pelt and awaited the answer.
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Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:37 am
The soft, wet snowflake touched her upraised nose, lived for a moment and then melted. Maysa would have laughed aloud with delight had a sudden voice not caught her attention. She shivered a tiny bit in her surprise but settled down quickly as the Outriders comforting scent drifted her.
Not one to deny some company, Maysa searched for the owner of the voice and quickly found his form not far away (and was much surprised that she had missed him in the first place. The around her was deep and had to walk through so she decided on a different path. Bunching her back legs she leapt across the snow, nearer is position. When she landed she sent up a cascade of snow.
“Ah, sorry.” Maysa giggled softly. “My name is Maysa.”
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Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:44 am
Engill shook the snow spray from his coat and smiled. "I'm Engill. Nice to meet you Maysa." He bowed his rust colored antlers in respect. He scanned the snow one last time before giving up on danger. "That was some leap," Engill marveled. Hinds were amazing. He was kicked by Iris once and he would never forget it. She kicked like a stag!
He snorted in laughter and pawed at the snow. "How are things in the herd? Ive been on duty forever," he graoned wishing he could return with her. His childish blue eyes sparkled from under his white mask. "Wait a second? Why are you wandering alone? Wolf risk is at a high these days...." He shivered. Wolves, bad furballs with teeth. He had never seen one, but some stories were plain nasty.
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Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:59 am
Maysa smiled happily at the praise, a blush rising across her nose. “Thank you, but I’m sure that you could jump twice that distance.” He was a stag charged with protecting the herd, so she immediately assumed that he was capable of doing anything better than her.
“It’s lovely to meet you Engill.” She gave him a respectful bow of her head. “The herd is well. They’ll be gathering together soon I hope. I would like to hear some stories.” Maysa flicked an ear, dislodging a cold snowflake that had just landed there.
“Wolves?” Green eyes widened in astonishment. “Oh dear! I didn’t mean to wander too far away… there are a few other hinds not too far away.” She gave a sheepish smile. “I guess we lost track of things while searching for food.”
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Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 12:00 am
Engill laughed, a booming noise. He shook his antlers. "I could never jump like that. I'm more of a thinker than a fighter. Brychan just doesn't see this," he sighed trying to catch his breath. The cold air wasn't doing anything good for his system. He began to wonder how wolves could even think of hunting in these conditions.
"I can escort you....wait! You like stories?" he started to say before changing the subject. His blue eyes brightened and his strawberry stained mouth smiled widely. He almost pranced in place he was so happy. Another grown-up who enjoyed stories? He wasn't the only one!
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Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 10:49 pm
Though his laugh was startling loud, even with the muffling effect the snow seemed to have on sound, Maysa found she rather liked it. Ears pricking forward she watched his expression for a moment before smiling sweetly. “As long as you do your best, right? I’m sure some day soon you’ll find something that suits you better.”
At his next words Maysa nearly jumped for joy. “Oh yes!” She exclaimed, positively beaming. “I love stories. I want to be a storyteller when I am older. One of the storytellers, Cledwyn, is a good friend of mine… he taught me so many wonderful stories about Starbuck and Herne and –“
The hind suddenly fell silently and stared at the ground in embarrassment. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to go on so.”
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Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 12:11 am
"So, you want to be a storyteller?" he mused moving to side at the hind's side. He nosed one of her ears in a playful manner. "The new storyteller, Iris, knows me. I think we're friends. She belongs to another stag though and I would never dream of fighting another stag for mating rights. I just wish I had a female to share stories with. Maybe younglings too. I know a few stories, not as much as Iris or, I bet, Cledwyn." His head drouped in shame.
Dragging a hoof in the snow, he muttered, "If you wish, I can escort you back to the herd. My time is almost up."
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Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 12:39 am
Maysa’s ear gave an involuntary twitch when Engill nosed it gently, causing her to give a small giggle. She nudged up against his side, glad for the extra body heat. Since she had always been a deer that enjoyed contact with others, she hoped the stag wouldn’t mind her being too close.
“Maybe we can share some stories then? I know quite a few but I’m afraid I don’t have a wonderful voice to tell them with, not like Cledwyn.” She gave a small smile. “My voice is very soft.”
Maysa looked towards where the herd was, though right now they were out of view. “Well… if your time is nearly up… you could stay and talk, right?”
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Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 12:54 am
Engill blushed under his thick pelt. He stared blankly at the small brown female with sky blue eyes. "Um....sure. I can stay if that is what you truely wish," he stated. He took a moment to look out at the snow covered wasteland.
"Have you heard the story of when Starbuck took pity on a wolf because of Herne?" he asked without thinking. That was one of the few stories he had memorized. His bluch deepened. He liked this female, almost as much as Iris.
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Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 1:23 am
Maysa’s pink nose crinkled as she smiled and her green eyes sparkled as she looked up at him. “Yes please, I would love to have your company.” She decided that she really did enjoy talking to him, though to be honest, she enjoyed to talking to anyone and everyone.
The hind gave an enthusiastic nod of her head. “Oh, I have heard that one too. I love it!” A light blush covered her nose; though this time she kept talking and didn’t drop her gaze from his face. “My favorite is the one when Starbuck meets the eagles… do you, remember that one?”
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Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 1:34 am
Engill crinkled his nose. "No, I don't believe I do," he admitted. He pawed the snow trying to think. That didn't help any. A large snowflake fell onto his nose causing him to snort loudly. "Um...tell me a bit about it please," he asked with an embarressed chuckle.
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Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 2:00 am
“Oh…” Maysa tilted her head slightly to the side as she thought, getting the story in her mind. She felt a little nervous. This would be her first time telling a story to another. Every other time she had simply listened. Of course she could simply tell him what it was about, but she wanted to do it properly.
“Once…” She began in her soft, melodious voice. “… during Starbuck’s travels, he decided to rest beneath a tall oak tree. As he lay there he felt a prickling along his back and he knew that somebody was watching him. Being the brave stag that he was, Starbuck rose to his feet and demanded whoever it was to show itself.
There was a chuckle from the tree above him. Looking up Starbuck saw the largest bird he had ever seen. It peered down at him with the golden eyes of a hunter. ‘What are you?’ He demanded. “What can I call you?”
There was another chuckle. ‘You do not recognize me? When you see me I am small but now I am before you. I am large and I am dangerous.’ The bird answered.
‘You are no danger to me.’ Starbuck said, but he knew that this creature was indeed powerful. ‘What can I call you?’ He repeated his other question, his voice becoming quieter.
‘I am the eagle.’ It spread out tremendous wings and let out a mighty shriek that made the smaller birds and animals run for cover when they heard it.
Starbuck felt a deep awe. He dipped his antlers in acknowledgement.
‘I am wise, though not as wise as the owl, and I am powerful. My large wings carry me where your four legs cannot. With my eyes I see more than you ever will and I live in glory as king of the sky.’
With that proclamation the eagle leant forward and he told Starbuck of all he had seen. He spoke of the great waters, of the humans, of the Lera and of his life amongst the clouds.
That day Starbuck learnt much and some of those lessons would later aid him later on in his life. When the eagle finished speaking, the sun was beginning to go down.
‘Farewell yound creature, run fast and never be caught. Find the majesty that is of the eagle. I must return to the high peaks.’ He eagle said and then laughed. It launched itself from the branch, swooped over Starbuck’s head and was gone.
Starbuck never met the eagle again, but he watched the sky for many seasons later.”
Maysa stopped talking and waited, hoping she had done the story justice.
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Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 12:02 am
Engill gasped quietly, "That was a great story. I really liked it. His bushy tail wagged slightly, a twitching movement. His eyes blazed in a childish manner. His breath came in excited clouds. He had a yearning to gift her with a story in return.
"Have you heard of the story of Herne and the pack?" he asked her, "The time Herne was angered by a wolf pack who questioned his greatness as a god?" That story was not really for children, but the hind wasn't a child anymore and Engill thought she could handle it.
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Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 12:19 am
Maysa was delighted. “I’m glad.” She nuzzled the side of his neck affectionately with her nose. “Maybe I would make a good storyteller one day?” Speaking more to herself, her voice was hopeful. It would be wonderful if her dream could come true.
“Hm.” The hind searched her mind and then gave an excited shake of her head. “No, I haven’t! Please tell me!” Green eyes looked up at him pleadingly.
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