theworldunwinds | Deer and Dragon

Vincent's herd had only recently come into this forest, driven out of their previous one by deforestation, over-hunting by humans and host of other problems. The smaller village nearby promised less harassment and the forest was rich enough to support the herd.

He was a bit of an oddball among his people. A young buck...doe? Smelled like both, had both parts. Confused the stags. Fight or mate? He tried both options himself but neither would have him. Antlers too stubby to protect a doe and their potential offspring, likely infertile and therefore a waste of time to mate by a strong stag. And so, he was often left alone.

It was an unusually hot spring day so the herd made their way down to the river to drink and cool off. Vincent, being the klutz he was, tripped and fell in the mud. Those nearby laughed. He slunk off into the water to wash up, moving out of sight of the herd so as to avoid further humiliation. Washing the mud off his skin, he sat down on the grassy bank, hoofed legs drawn up so that he could rest his chin on his fuzzy knees.

Maybe he ought to run off and find another herd. Maybe of true deer. At least then none would laugh at him.

Scratching his ear, he sighed and got up, heading back to the herd. The forest was still too unfamiliar to stray too far for too long.

Too late though, they'd ditched him. Not a single one to be found...But they'd left in a panicked hurry according to the hoof prints in the mud and torn up grass. Which only meant one thing.

A predator was in the area.

His ears perked up, sniffing the air and on high alert now. Hunters? A bear? They'd not heard any wolves thus far...There was a scent now...but he couldn't place it. Was he just dumb or was the predator masking its scent? Maybe this forest had another kind, one not found in their old forest.

He could run. Always an option.

Alone...so alone.

Fear gripped Vincent, unable to move.

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Bored. For the dragon, it's an unproductive life of hunting, eating, sleeping, controlling the creatures throughout the forests with his presence and just waiting for things to happen. It's a long life. One couldn't hope for more than this.

There's no trace of Raul since the dragon disposed of it neatly, keeping his home clean. He doesn't make it a habit to keep the bones and pallets of his meals.

Still, the dragon sees the lack of conviction. Well, the deer is not attacking him out of anger anymore. Probably ran out of will and energy, and doesn't care to put up a fight.

He predicted that the deer would be more grateful being alive or feeling enthusiastic to returned back to his herd. Nope, the dragon sensed the feeling is not entirely all that there. And deers are a happy cheerful lot for their family. Usually.

"Why not? Weren't they your family?"

"Kind of." he shrugged weakly. "I mean, I've known them since I was a fawn but I have no blood relatives." His little sister had been taken by wolves at a young age many years ago, and his parents were dead and had no more children after her. His brothers ahead of him separated from the herd some time ago, making their own way in the world, and he had no idea where they were or how they were doing...or even if they were alive.

He rubbed his hands together and warmed them on the fire. His fur was still chilled and damp with mud and his head was starting to hurt. The stress of the last couple days and exhaustion were creeping up on him.

"You'd...really return me to them?" he asked quietly.

Oh. Nobody then. Not much of a family. "If you want to. I swear I would tomorrow morning."

Though what if the deer didn't want to? What would Abel do? Keep him as a pet or even a denmate perhaps? Abel didn't have one for a long time. There was a horse of a mare that one time, a she-wolf, a widowed fox vixen whose mate was killed by hunters, and a few humans but the humans are fragile and couldn't stand the harshness of the wilderness, and they often left back to their comfortable home in the village. He had a handful. Most of his previous mates passed away at this point as the dragon outlived them all.

"If you stay here longer with me, your herd will pick up my scent and then they probably won't accept you back." He said, a possibility.

Vincent didn't know what to do.

If he returned to the herd, everything would be as it was, and he'd either grow old and die alone with no mate and no true family, or get taken by a predator. If he went out on his own, he'd die. Lone deer, especially ones as weak as he, did not last.

Death around every corner.

Stay here longer? What did that imply?

He rubbed a temple, coughing a couple times. "I...I'm not sure." he said weakly, sinking to his knees as a coughing fit started and chills wracked his body. He'd been out in the rain and mud too long.

"I don't...feel so good." he said, wheezing a bit as the cough ceased for the time being.

In other words, nowhere to go.

Forget about humans, they hunt whatever they could and take for themselves. They build their kingdoms and their technologies to claim sovereignty over whatever they can think of. It's a cruel world and it's the world govern by humans, not dragons, not unicorns, not even the creatures of the forest. Man is slowly advancing his cities and his people to have dominion over the world they live in, not shared side by side.

At this point, watching the deer falling ill, Abel realized the deer have gotten ill from the storm, and won't be strong enough to make it back to his herd.

Abel made up his mind as he recalled his friend, the old monk's lectures where they exchange knowledge of religion to philosophy the monk garnered from his travels across continents that the dragon didn't have the chance to visit. The dragon hasn't seen him in years though, and Abel came to his conclusions that the old man passed away just like the rest. That particular lesson is, "You reap what you sow." He has taken a life, and now he must give back in return.

"Were you upset that I killed your friend of a buck? I have to eat because I must. I'm a carnivore." With a heavy sigh. "Well, in that case..." Abel picked up a few of the extra furs to cover up the deer for warmth. "You can stay here with me, even if it's just for a little while."

The previous cruelty Abel expressed toward the deer earlier has slowly eroded. That was his mask of ire. Actually, Abel learned to be less cruel over the years, as the concerned monk told him the state of his soul, and Abel believed the monk. That he too have a soul and held onto the belief that he is more civilized than men.

Vincent wasn't sure what to feel anymore. Fear, anger, mourning, all turned upside down, and now through a fog of illness, he was even more uncertain.

The thick fur he had to admit felt good, but he was sick and would need looking after. Would the dragon keep his word? Or let him die and then eat him? If he stayed, the dragon's scent would rub off on him and he might be shunned even more so should he return...Maybe even rejected outright and blamed for Raul's death.

He didn't know what to do, and for the time being, couldn't comprehend much. More coughing and he lay down where he'd plopped, tucking his legs up as he passed out into an uneasy feverish sleep.

The dragon observed the deer collapsed where's he's at. At this point, no conversation is necessary or needed. He allowed Vincent to rest on his pile of furs as the poor deer must be exhausted from the events, having his emotions ran high and enduring much from the unstable stormy weather.

The next morning, the storm ended. The dragon woke up to find his new friend still with him, dozing in his feverish sleep. His body is running hot. To keep his body cool to reduce the fever, Abel used a fresh cloth soaked in the cool rainwater that was gathered in a mineral bin pool from the depths of his cave to placed it on Vincent's forehead. Eventually, the dragon felt bored and thought Vincent will much better if he's cleaner, so he washed up the rest of the dried mud that caked around his face, shoulders, and neck, so Vincent can sleep better.

Before high noon, the dragon went out to hunt to eat, leaving Vincent alone to rest. By the time the dragon came back in the evening, he came back having found a collection of medicinal herbs from the forest. The dragon went to his kitchen to ground the herbs, crushed them, cut them up, mixed it up, and boil it into a drink. Once he finished concocting the brew and wait for the elixir to cool down, he poured it into a goblet and waited for Vincent to wake up.

Vincent slept uneasily, likely thanks to the scent of predator all around him but also due his illness.

In between his unconscious moments, he felt himself be moved, coolness on his face and then getting washed, which even in his current state felt good after the damp and the mud.

He finally hauled himself out of sleep for a little while, though still ran a fever and was both hot and cold at the same time.

"Why are you helping me?" he asked hoarsely not refusing the goblet of medicine that was given to him. If it was poison, so be it. If it was a cure, why? Tasted awful but he'd had worse.

Since he's accepting the medicinal brew, the dragon kneeled to tip the goblet better to his lips. The brew is bitter so the dragon put honey in it to sweeten it. The taste is awful, but the medicine will work. Give it a day or two depending on how fast his body wanted to recover.

The dragon thought about it when he was out. "I thought about it and changed my mind." He answered. "If you have nowhere to go, you can stay with me and be my denmate."

Abel hoped he made the right choice. Deers don't live long and they're not preferable mates for a dragon and were considered fragile in terms of lifespan. He gave it some thought because he was lonely and he felt guilty for robbing his herdmate, but he's not sure if his offer would make things better or it's a good solution in the long run, but it's an offer nonetheless.

Vincent drank the medicine and then lay back, the offer stunning him.

Live with a predator?

Was it better than living alone? If the dragon decided to kill him, he suspected it'd be quick and clean. Wolves and bears were messy and sometimes made their prey suffer for the fun of it or to avoid further confrontation.

He couldn't go back. It was better he didn't. He'd be less of a burden on the herd if they just believed he was dead.

Still too feverish to decide he said, "...I'll think about." before dropping off to sleep once more.

Two days passed, his fever finally breaking early morning, allowing him to sleep in relative peace until the afternoon when he rose at long last, gazing around, getting his bearings.

"As you wish." The dragon said, and didn't enforce anything else.

For the next two days passed, there isn't much of a change or a difference in the dragon's life. He flies, he hunted, he spend his days flying around the woods. Pretty mundane and dull life for a dragon, for one who lived so long.

The only difference is his spontaneous decision in taking in a deer for a denmate. Deers are just as fragile as humans, but hopefully, his new mate don't make much fuss as the humans do and they're less complexed and complicated, and mates mean taking on a friend, a companion, and a family member, and the dragon admitted inwardly he has been lonely as of late.

He returned later in the evening, with Vincent awaken, armed with what he thinks is "deer food", and assembled them in a wooden bowl in his kitchen. "Here." He said, offering. "I don't know what deers eat, but I found berries, mushrooms, fresh grass, and those leaves are herbs."

Vincent's ears flattened at the sight of the dragon but he relaxed soon enough. This would take some getting used to...

He looked at what the dragon had brought. Not bad, though the herbs he found were a little tough. The berries were especially welcome as he felt parched, but he took his time with the bowl of goodies so as not to sicken himself as he'd not had much to eat the last few days.

As he bit into a mushroom he looked to his savior.

"Thank you." He said quietly. "This is good...but...You didn't really answer my question about why you want me to stay with you."

Seeing that the deer wanted something to drink, the dragon fetched water from one of his drinking springs deep within the cave and handed him a cup of water to help wash down whatever he's eating.

"I think I told you. I thought about it and would like you as my denmate." Of course, the deer is asking for why. "I can't think of a good reason other than I was looking for a companion. There's few of us dragons in the world, and when mating season comes, we have no one to mate with or share our lives with. So often, I would take on a mate outside my own species if the arrangements are under fortunate circumstances, and there's an agreement between the both of us."

The dragon drank his own cup of water. It's hot, and summer season. Rutting season is usually late summer or when the weather gets cooler in the autumn when the leaves fall.

"In your case, I took the life of your herdmate instead of you. I wasn't selective who I eat, really. I'm nearsighted, so I can't see targets from a distance when I was flying in the sky. It's that...or I'll return you back to the herd, if you wish."

Edited Date: 2017-06-15 04:53 pm (UTC)

Vincent drank, the fresh cool water tasting delicious, washing down his meal.

Though he nearly spit up at the dragon's words.

When he meant denmate, he really meant it.

He wanted a companion and thought why not this deer? So strange.

"If you're so spread out, why not come together and make more dragons?" he asked, needing a moment to think on this strange turn of events.

The dragon was offering him a place here, with him, on the condition he become his mate. He'd apparently done this before in the past as he seemed very nonchalant about it all, though Vince wondered if he was the first deer or not. Probably not, he was never the first anything.

A life where he didn't have to fear anymore...Or, go back to the herd.

"If I stay...w-will you promise to never eat a deer again?" Maybe he could form some sort of deal, protect the herd from at least one predator forevermore.

It was strange for a predator type species to take on a prey for a mate. After all, why befriend someone that you can eat at any given time? Still, not far of a stretch as Abel is no longer picky. And he had done this before, with mates, so Vincent isn't the first. Just the first deer.

At his question, the dragon answered quietly, almost sad with emotion, if the dragon has any emotions left to call it that. "There's few of us in the world. We're almost on the brink of extinction because of humans."

Deers don't live for that long, so the dragon can't promise 'forevermore'. But at his plea for the terms and condition, the dragon thought about it. Is that all? Such a simple request.

Still, if he's willing to stay with him? Really? Maybe there isn't much left for him in the herd then, as Abel is curious about that, but choose not to inquire further. "If you want to stay here, then I promise I won't eat any more of you." Abel stated.

Edited Date: 2017-06-16 03:07 am (UTC)

The deer still wondered why the dragon didn't try to find a dragon mate even more urgently in that case. Perhaps to lower the chances of wiping them out entirely? There had to places where humans weren't that dragons could scratch a living and up their numbers. Perhaps they didn't reproduce easily as deer could.

Vincent quietly finished his bowl of food and the water, feeling better all around, though his cough would likely linger for a few more days.

This would be an exceedingly hard change.

Deer were social creatures. And while the herd had gotten colder towards him since the death of his parents, he was still used to herd life. He'd also have to get used to the dragon eating meat around him...

Oh and the mate part.

He blushed a tad. He'd get a mate?...Nah, once the dragon saw his strangeness then he'd likely change his mind...Perhaps he ought to tell him to spare the shock and possible abandonment later.

"There's...something you should know about me." he said "I'm...I have both mating parts." One was obvious, the other not so much, so he shifted about on the pelts to lift a leg and show the dragon. Indeed he was both male and female. Behind his balls were his folds. He put his leg down, ears flicking back, expected to be yelled at or immediately thrown out. Or of course killed and eaten.

That's a story saved for another day as Vincent's inward inquiry is really digging deep into Abel's past. But long story short: Abel simply stopped trying after his twin brother killed his primary mate, and kept on killing the others, and Abel has no choice but to stop him. He didn't successfully kill him, as Cain escaped from the last fight and he is still alive somewhere in the world. So much of Abel's energy now, old as he is, in the present, is saved and conserved for the final fight, that fated day where one shall fight to the death to finish what happened 50 years prior.

The dragon stood there and observed him demonstrating his "parts". At first, for a few moments, perplexed, and then reached the conclusion he was born like that. None of Vincent's expectations came to fruition as the dragon said, with a shrug of his shoulders and a sigh. "Come Fall during the rutting season, I just hoped that you could take my size when I'm in the mood."

With a yawn, the dragon curled up on his bed of pelts, getting ready to sleep. He pats on the empty side of the bed to invite him. "Come lay with me and sleep beside me." The good news? With that invite, the dragon doesn't seem so much as nonchalant as before, and he seems accustomed to Vincent's company.

The dragon didn't care what he looked like. That was a first in a very long time.

Vincent however was not quite ready to sleep beside him, still thinking over what this new life would mean.

If he stayed, he'd get a mate, someone to care for him the rest of his days. A mate he...could possibly grow to love. He didn't rule anything out. If he stayed, the herd was safe. They wouldn't miss him and they'd likely move to a different part of the forest in hopes of putting some distance between them and the dragon.

The dragon.

"Do dragons have names?" He asked. He always thought dragons hoarded shiny things and lived in mountains or stolen castles. Here, he seemed to live simply despite the rich feeding grounds...

It didn't bother the dragon if the deer don't feel like coming to him. After all, he got enough worries on his plate. He made it clear the deer has a choice whether to move or stay without worrying about being his next meal.

With a yawn, the dragon curled about, his tailed around his body, his wings folded in a relaxed state, his heavy body settled on his bed of furred pelts. The dragon heard his question. "I'm Abel." The dragon answered, with eyes closed. "And that's all you need to know to call me by."

The curt reply had Vincent a little alienated. He hadn't even asked for his name...He tucked his legs up and rested his chin on his knees, watching the fire awhile before getting up and going to the entrance of the cave. It was still hot out, even at this late hour, but not as oppressive like before he'd gotten sick.

He didn't stray too far from the cave, just enough to get a lay of the land nearby. There was a good amount of deer food near enough that he'd be able to forage close to the cave for a little while. But as soon as he was entirely back on his toes, he'd be eating a lot more than just the small bowl the dragon...Abel, had brought him to bulk up for winter.

But considering he was likely the only deer within a mile or so of the dragon's cave, keeping himself fed would be easy compared to traveling in a herd and devouring everything they could find. When he was a fawn, father would always manage to bring home honeycomb, unafraid of bees and seemingly impervious to their stings. Vincent always got the first sweet taste, then mother, before the rest was divided among the rest of the fawns and their mothers. He hadn't had honey in years, and his fur wasn't thick enough like his father's or Raul's to resist the bees' awful stings.

Vincent collected more berries before returning to the cave, knowing that if he didn't get them now then the birds would. He ate a few then set the rest aside. It started to rain again, just a drizzle this time, though between it and the crackling fire, Vincent drifted off to a comfortable sleep on his own little pelt pile.

He woke first the next morning, the smell of dragon still unsettling his senses and making sleep still uneasy. He watched the dragon snooze, eating the rest of the berries he'd picked.

A strange beast he was, fiercesome and yet smart enough to keep his appetite in check. Wolves traveled in numbers but between all of them they had little brain. They only thought of having more pups and killing every fawn they could with no regard to making sure there'd be numbers in the future. Bears were little better though at least they were mostly single problems and dared not fight a strong bull. Abel was a lord of the land, keeping the balance. Vincent supposed if any predator was going to take him in, the dragon was best.

He wanted to mate with him was the confusing part still. He wanted to actually be with Vincent. Wouldn't provide him any offspring, just relief from his rut he supposed...He hoped the feeling was mutual because he also would go into rut around the same time as Abel would.

Vincent got up, deciding the dragon had slept enough and lightly tapped his shoulder with a hoof, jumping back, just in case the dragon flailed when he woke up.

"My name is Vincent" he said once Abel was awake.

He completely forget to ask for his name, since he fell fast asleep, and anyway even if Vincent knew all names of dragons in existence, it wouldn't do him much good as most of them are pretty much spread wide and far, and a lot of them are very blood-thirsty and malevolent as they are depicted in tales the humans written.

Abel continued to sleep furthermore. He usually don't wake up until much later in the afternoon, but eventually when he did woke up, a draconic eye slowly open. First, confusion because he smelled deer, thinking it was food, but then it was an alive smell and not dead bloody carcass smell, and then slowly he remembered what transpired for the last few days. "Oh?" He mumbled. "That's your name, eh? So it is." He closed his eyes to steal a few more moments of sleep. "Not ready to be up yet. Later."

The lay of the land is in sight at the mouth entrance of the cave, like the dragon have chosen this place for collectible resources like the berries and fertile soil to grow a few crops. There is also some trees that contains honey close-by, and a stream with clean water for drinking and bathing, but the dragon haven't shown him how to get there yet.

It was only when the fire completely died down and it's starting to get uncomfortably cold, that the sleepy dragon woke up, gets annoyed for a few short moments. The bonfire from last night was burned and charred, "Ah, it's cold! It's raining again." And making sure Vincent is not close to the bonfire, gotten up and throw more new firewood and he took a deep breath and breathe fire to jumpstart the fire.

The dragon uncurled himself, fully awake, and feeling hungry. Vincent doesn't have to worry about the rutting business since it's not on the dragon's mind for now. "Still here?" Abel thought he ought to run and search for his herd, but it seem the deer, tentative as he is, remained with him. With a yawn, he noticed some berries stained on Vincent's lips. "Do you like the berries you found outside? I should show you some of the crops I grown." Then another thought, "Do you like to eat something sweet?" He asked him.

Vincent pouted when the dragon passed out again, but managed to occupy himself until he finally woke.

Indeed it was raining again. Vincent had plopped himself down just inside the entrance to watch the relatively gentle storm, turning when he heard Abel getting up and rekindling the fire.

He consciously rubbed his stained lips. Maybe he had eaten a few more than he intended. He cocked his head. "You grow crops?" He hadn't wandered too far from the cave so it was likely he'd missed them. But it was a surprise. Yet another connection to humans, but also the fact the dragon ate more than just meat.

He shrugged at the question. "Sure." Something sweet? What could that be?

The dragon gave himself a bit of a stretch, and then uncurled his tail and walked over to fetch water from his collective basin to drink. The dragon isn't much hungry today, as he eaten quite a lot for the past week, so today he thought he shall eat light.

"Yes, I can show you if you like. I would like to show you, but with the rain, perhaps later in the afternoon when the rain slows down and the sun comes out. I'll teach you about the crops I grow and when it's the right time to pick them." For the dragon, it's been a while since he taught a mate how to harvest crops. Has it been that long? He hoped Vincent is up for that, if he's going to stay with him through the fall and winter season.

The dragon joined the deer at the mouth of the cave's entrance to greet the cool rain coming down, with a bit of refreshing splash from the rain every now and then. When the deer show interest in wanting something sweet. "How about honey? Have you ever had honey before?"

The way the dragon unraveled himself from the sleeping position was...oddly fascinating.

A predator awakening for the day...

Vincent looked to the weather then nodded, having no desire to get sick again.

Honey? Was he...serious?

"Y-Yes...I have...a long time ago...My father used to bring it to the herd...always giving mother and me the first bites of the comb before dividing it among the rest of the does and fawns...Raul tried it once when he first took over..." he couldn't help but smile, the first time doing so since meeting the dragon. "Poor guy walked into a wasp's nest instead."

Abel merely watched the raining falling down. What a strange calming scene. To him, it was just another ordinary day though part of him hoped his deer can get used to a normal day like this. It's relaxing.

He is, the dragon is considering it. Part of it, he wanted to gather honey for himself anyway.

The dragon looked at him, listening to the deer's story about his family. "What happened to them?" As Abel recalled that the deer has no blood relatives, and that was why he's hesitate going back to the herd...to stay with him. "Your parents, I mean."

Edited Date: 2017-06-18 05:18 pm (UTC)