Zhaenn

Here is my bid for #10; Featuring Brismor with LadyBrael permission


Sit back and enjoy:

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Early Autumn, Year 752 of the New Age
Widows Hollow - Blackwood

The woods hung dark and silent around them, there was no sound other than the soft footfalls of the small scouting party. It wasn’t often that Oakferns would come this deep into the Blackwoods, but need had driven them. Their supplies of Moondrop Mushrooms were dangerously low. So the small group had been sent to gather some, they numbered five in total, four seasoned scouts and one herbalist, Zhaenn was her name. She was a fair gray with flecks of darker grey spattered all over. Her mane was long and silken and her tail was its equal, she had not a scar on her hide, which in the pale light of the moonless sky over head seemed to glow.

Zhaenn’s skin twitched, she was used to the eerie quiet of the tunnels that where the home to all Oakferns, but the silence that enshrouded these woods was almost unnatural. Even their hoof falls seemed to be muffled. Zhaenn pushed her fears aside, she was a veteran of several such gathering trips, spooky woods or not they would complete her task. Even with her determination the doe couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something else out there in the darken forest.

Shortly the party reached a low laying area in the Hollow that was known to be the best place for the mushrooms to grow. They decided to split up, each one breaking off, with one scout reminding with Zhaenn. Despite the fact that Zhaenn had a single antler herself the leader of their party thought it would be best if the healer had a stag to protect her. Since she was still on edge in the spooky forest Zhaenn wasn’t entirely ungrateful.

Zhaenn and her escort padded softly over the moss, all around them the gnarled trees stood silent witness to their passing, cloaked in hanging mosses and mist. Zhaenn swept her head from side to side, and scenting the air, she was looking for a particularly rare mushroom that was known only to grow in this part of the Widows Hollow. The mushroom was highly valued by Oakfern herbalists, it contained a highly potent toxin but when combined with the common lichens of their tunnels it had the ability to grant the herd’s shaman a very deep trance to commune with Gealach. Only a small amount was needed to grant this trance and only the most powerful shaman were granted access to this valuable herb. Even the herbalists didn’t know the exact mixture needed by the shamans.

Zhaenn had been on several trips to gather above ground with the scouts, but this is the first time she had traveled so far into Blackwood territory, or to be sent to gather such an important herb. She took it as a sign that she was doing well in her training. It showed that her mentor believe her fit for such an important, if dangerous task.
Just then her delicate nose caught the scent that could only be that of the Moondrop Mushrooms. Zhaenn turned to the scout, “This way.” She lead him through the woods to where a rotted log lay, and over it grew tiny white mushrooms. Carefully Zhaenn laid the small pouch she was carrying on the ground and with a stick in her mouth she gently knocked some of the mushrooms off and pushed them onto the pouch. She took great care not the touch the dangerous herbs, they could cause paralysis and death.

Once Zhaenn had gather enough mushrooms to fill the pouch she pulled the drawstrings shut and with the help of the scout returned the bag to its normal resting place, around her neck. Just before the scout was going to make the owl call, to signal the other to return to their meeting point a scream of pain broke the still air. Startling both Zhaenn and the scout, both stood still, alert. Straining their senses to learn anything, to catch a glimpse of their enemy or scent it on the wind, for without question that call was of one of their companions. To call out now, to signal for the rendezvous could bring the enemy down on them.

Zhaenn and the scout exchanged a look, but before any words could pass between them three large stages stepped out from their hiding places and glared down at them. Both Zhaenn’s and the scouts eyes grew large. The stag in the middle was impossibly large, the biggest of the three by far. He was a dark grullo with baring across his legs and rump. His antlers spanned a distance nearly as wide as Zhaenn was long, or so it seemed. Without a word the three stages leapt forward, and Zhaenn and the scout both pivoted and dashed off into the forest.

The thunder of the blackwood stag’s chase filled Zhaenn’s ears, she knew that they would never outrun them. Their legs were much longer and stronger, and they knew these woods which gave them a distinct advantage. Still if they could somehow make it to their tunnel entrance they would be safe, the larger Blackwoods would never fit into the tiny hole, that scrapped even tiny Zhaenn’s back as they slipped out into the forest. Without warning the scout, who probably had realized the same thing that was crossing Zhaenn’s mind, slowed. Just so he was in front of the Blackwood stags, then when it seemed they would catch him, he darted off in a different direction, leading them away from Zhaenn, but also taking him farther away from the tunnel and safety.

Zhaenn didn’t have time to question the scout’s actions, she just kept racing forward, she dared to glance over her shoulder since it had gotten quiet, but behind her was the large grullo stag. He ran surprisingly silent for his size, and he was slowly gaining on her. Zhaenn just put her head down and ran as fast as her fine legs could carry her. Just hoping she would be able to find away to shake the stag’s pursuit.

Her hopes were answered, she spied not too far off a thicket of fur trees, Zhaenn knew she would be able to pass under the tangle of branches, the the Blackwood stag would surely get tangled up, his impressive antlers would ensure this. Zhaenn darted and jinxed, and raced into the thicket. She had to slow her speed since the trees pressed close here and even she could get tangled if she didn’t keep her head down. The branches grabbed at her antler and her sides and tugged painfully at her mane and tail. But she feared more being run down by the stag then a few torn hair and some scratches.

Zhaenn burst from the thicket into a small clearing, here the ground was rocky and moss grew over everything, she would have to run careful here or she might lose her footing. As the doe observed her situation she realized she still had a great way to go before she reached the tunnel. It seemed almost an impossible task to outrun the massive grullo stag. The doe sighed at the hopelessness of her current situation.

Zhaenn was thankful her velvet had shed early this year, and her single horn was hard and sharp, and she’d need it. The doe had an idea, it would cost her dearly but it would be worth it. If she was to die she wanted to take the Blackwood stag with her. She had bought herself some time by cutting through the ticket, he would have to run around to get where she was at now, still she had to move quickly. Quickly she dropped her pouch full of the Moondrop mushrooms and tore at the string gently with her teeth, careful not to ingest any of the dangerous mushrooms. Quickly she began to rub the tip of her antler with the toxins. One, two, three strokes, she needed to get as much on. Then she heard a crash behind her and she knew her time was up.

Off Zhaenn dashed, she could hear a thunder of hooves as the dark stag spotted her and raced after her.

***
At some point Zhaenn must have taken a wrong turn. Not only had she gotten turned around and was unsure of which way the tunnel was, but now she found herself boxed in by large moss covered boulders. She tried one to leap up and over one, but the mosses proved to be slippy and she came crashing back down to the ground. Zhaenn heard something behind her and turned to face her pursuer.

The waters of hatred boiled in her eyes. Her brows furrowed and the doe lowered her head, to mirror the stag, leveling her tiny single antler at him. He had her cornered, he may have her beat, but she was not going to go down easy. Even if he ran her through, she would get close enough to strike, even just the smallest prick from her single tinged antler could prove fatal, and if the the toxins from the Moondrop mushroom didn’t kill the stag, the infection that would follow would. Or weaken him for a predator to finish him off. The black stag towered over the small Oakfern doe, he dug his heels in and growled at her.

"Oakferns," the colossal stag said with an unpleasant sneer, like the very word carried a bitter taste. He was eyeing her closely with his fiery eyes, taking in her small stature and the fact she was very much trapped. "Whatever brought you here, but it was your last mistake."

The stag roared the last words as a battle charge as he surged forward towards the little doe, his horns leveled at her. Zhaenn rushed forward to meet him, her hind legs had been coiled like springs and let them snap lose, propelling herself forwards. She had leapt high, and the stag was coming in low. Zhaenn’s plan wasn’t to meet the stag head on, where his antler width and greater size would give him an advantage. Instead she had intended to leap over his deadly points. And land somewhere on his shoulders and neck, however she misjudged the distance and instead of leaping over the stag’s deadly points, she came crashing down on his head. The stag twisted his head as she fell trying to catch her in the belly, to tear her apart. Fortunately for Zhaenn he caught her in the stifle, she could feel muscle and skin tearing as the stag shook his head trying to dislodge her. Meanwhile Zhaenn was trying her best to kick him in the head with her tiny, cloven hooves while trying to maneuver her poison coated antler to make the deadly strike.

Finally the stag was able to free himself of her, with a great toss of his head, throwing her like a piece of grass in the wind. The pale doe hit the rocky ground hard, knocking the wind out of her as bounced. Zhaenn quickly scrambled to get to her feet, she had never spared before but she knew to be caught on the ground would be the death of her. As she struggled to get her legs working Zhaenn found the her hind leg that the stag had caught refused to work right. Pain racked her body when she was finally able to stand. Before she could look up, the doe heard the thundering of cloven hooves on the stoney ground and half leapt, half fell out of the black stag’s charge, just barely missing getting gored as he rush pasted her.

The stag skidded to a stop, his great hooves struggled to get a good grip on the mossy rock ground that was their battlefield, but as the stag turn around preparing to rush her again, Zhaenn got an idea from his skid. Now he was cornered in the box cannon, her back was too the exit. Freedom was just behind her, her instincts told her she should run, flee away from the dangerous stag. Zhaenn knew she’d never make it, not with her leg torn as it was and with the larger stag’s greater stamina, he would catch her again and she would just be all the more tired. So Zhaenn ignored instincts which screamed at her, and turned to face the stag for one final desperate bid to defeat her foe. She dug her hooves in, trying to get a good firm footing.

The stag lip curled in a morbid sort of amusement.

"Really?" he mocked, in feigned surprise.

Zhaenn held her ground as the black visage of death thundered down on her. She kept her head lowered, aiming her deadly point, waiting. She waited until the last second, just when the stag was about to crash into her Zhaenn leapt to the side. She had hoped to avoid getting caught by the stag again, but he apparently was a seasoned fighter and was able to adjust as she leapt catching her in the side.

Zhaenn cried out in pain as fur, skin and muscle tore as the stag caught her grazed past her with his antlers, but the doe kept her goal in focus despite the pain racing down her side. The grey flecked doe lunged forward as the stag raced past, running his razor sharp antler through her side, and pierced him deeply with her single sharp antler. The stag grunted as he took a stride past her, kicking out with his hind leg as he past, catching Zhaenn in the jawn and sending the light doe flying.

Again Zhaenn came crashing to the ground, her head swimming in pain. She had a hard time focusing and she lay in a daze, her body bloodied and hot with fire. Zhaenn knew she needed to get to her feet, needed to keep fighting but her body refused to answer her orders. The best she could manage was rolling her head to one side, just in time to see the Blackwood stag looming over her. Grinning down at her, his kill. Zhaenn struggled to rise again.

"I don't know how you thought you had a chance," he said flatly, almost more to himself than to her.

Zhaenn was able to spy the stag’s blood soaked shoulder as the stag shifted to aim his antlers at her head. The doe heart fluttered as she realized she had landed her blow, and that now the toxins from the mushrooms were already working their way in his blood to his heart. Her elation was short lived, as the stag brought his antlers down, tearing the skin on her face and ripping her eyeball from its socket.

She was plunged into darkness and fire, as she cried out and just before the doe lost conscience, she heard something large crash to the ground next to her. 

Art and Story by me
Brismor belongs to LadyBrael (and his dialog)
Fawnlings are creations of Ehetere