Post by Rea on Jul 2, 2013 21:31:47 GMT -5
Arkidos was veiled in the light of the evening sun, and silence had fallen over the verdant treetops. The creatures of the forest retreated to their homes, seeking shelter from the night. The summer air was cooler as the sky grew dark, though the forest was humid as always. Deep in the woodland to the east, the underbrush rustled and the birds grew quiet. A single voice rang out through the twilight, and the speaker’s fellow creatures gathered around to hear.
”My herd. On this day, I stand before you not only as your Empress, but as your solemn general. Never before have we faced such dire odds, but never before has deer-kind been so strong! I have seen our fellow doe and stag alike fall to the beasts within these trees, and yet we stand defiant against those who would seek to destroy us.” The speaker, a stately doe, stood on a fallen log, and before her stood a great herd of deer. She paused, looking over her subjects, before continuing. ”Another day has passed, and our family still stands tall. And as the sun rises tomorrow morn, shall we cower away from our predators? Or shall we rise up in defiance?”
Hooves beat on the mossy earth, and antlers were raised to the sky. The doe lifted her chin in pride as she looked down upon the herd. They were so young, so naive… but they would fight, and that’s all that mattered. Some of them were scarcely out of fawnhood, and her veterans were barely old enough to have fawns of their own. Still, this was no small army. She had lost many, but where the few fell, many rose up to replace the departed. ”No, my herd! We will stand strong against our foes! Tooth and claw will be crushed under hoof and antler, and a new dawn will rise for the Nerazi of Arkidos!”
The tumultuous response was enough to make Vira smile, though she had already turned from the herd to find solitude in the woods before they could see her expression. Yes, they would follow her tomorrow. And the next day. And their children would bow to her. Deep lavender eyes glinted with bitter delight. This war would be hers, and no cost would be too great.
All for the good of the herd.
Cloven lavender hooves stepped daintily through the dense foliage as Vira made her way to a more secluded part of the forest. Her herd would sleep, watched over by a select few, of course, and they would move the next day. It had been too long since the last tiger had attacked, and she was growing concerned that they were planning something. It was time to find out what vile plan their feline neighbors were devising against them.
