Rise of the Guardians: Lost

Lost.

It hurts to say and it pains many people to see it everywhere. It can happen with no telling what time of day or year or any other given answer. It was an unforgivable situation to many unlucky creatures in the world.

Even a small, injured Sitka fawn.  

She curls up as best she could in the fridge wind as it penetrates through her baby fur and bits at the skin with no mercy. The night was cruel today, bringing in a bad snowstorm that raged on for hours with her in the middle of it. Her body visibly trembled with cold as the snow builds up on her, wrapping a cold, death blanket for her as it continues to build itself. But she resisted and shook it off. It is not my time to leave this world.
The fawn curls up more to block out the cold, ears numb and barely twitching as the frost collects upon them and her hooves.

Please… spare me one more day.

For a while, she thought the storm would continue and the very thought of death starts to creep into her mind. Suddenly, the harsh winds let up and the hard flakes slowed and fell lightly, beautiful designs clearly seen in the clear sky. The fawn breathes softly and a small wheeze of cold air flies.

Another day…

~

Her ears pick up a faint sound and her eyes flutter open. The warm rays shimmered over her aching form and melt away the blanket of white. Her limbs began to work and she rose weakly. A red patch on her front left leg can be seen, but no blood. It was done bleeding out after the cold stopped it’s flow, freezing it and making a painful bandage.

But she ignores it and walks forward in slow strides. The snow crunched underneath of tiny hooves, leaving a trail behind her from the tree she rested up on last night.

Crunch

Crunch

Crunch

The sound echoes in the forest as she makes her way. She moves her small head in every direction, ears swiveled back, left right, front, everywhere to stay alert.

Crunch

Crunch

Crunch

The baby fawn halts when a small glimpse of blue caught her left eye. She faced that direction, frozen in place. She stood there, waiting for it to move again. It did not.

The wind picked up again and she faced away from the spot of the unknown thing to lift her nose. A scent filled each nostril and she blinks once.

No bear.

No wolf.

It smelled of pine trees and fresh snow. Nothing more.

She continues forward and follows the scent, sensing no danger of it. She knows there was nothing to be scared of and she wanted to be near it. To feel safe. To feel loved.

To... not be alone.

~

Jack was stunned when the fawn came up to him to say the least. Did she not fear him? Obliviously not.

He blinks and bends down so he was eye level with her when she came closer. He gasped softly at the wound on her ankle and his face scrunched up.

“Man, I should have learned medical attention with Tooth!” He pulls back and sighs, not certain with this situation. He can’t just take the fawn. What if it’s mother comes looking for it? Or does she even have a mother…

He looks down at the fawn with sad eyes. He’ll just have to let nature take it’s course. He cannot interfere with it.

Jack turns and walks away.

Crunch!

Crunch!

Crunch!

He blinks and turns back to see the little deer trailing him. “Shoo! Go find your mommy.” He coos. He starts walking again. She quickly follows in his footsteps, limping a bit.

“You can’t come with me,” Jack said sternly, “I can’t take care of you.”

She comes closer and stood by his leg, small body quivering with her ears swiveled back.

The boy sighs and clicked his teeth together, thinking. Then he glanced down at the fawn. “Okay, you can come with me, but I’m taking you to the Kangaroo since he knows about animals… considering he is one.” Jack reached out and carefully lifts the little deer off her feet and into his arms. He hooks the end of his staff to his bicep and carries the fawn to a shrub, pushing it aside to find a bald spot of dirt there. He brings his foot out and taps it, watching it open up upon command. Bunny isn’t the only one who can do this. Jack thought smugly.

He made sure he had a secure grip on the fawn as he drop down in the tunnel, closing it up as a beautiful tulip pops up from the spot.