The Wooden Sea (Dual Contract Search)

[Okada Kaji]

A wooded sea with surface roots tall enough to host shelters beneath them. It was a sacred spot with no name given by man, in the deepest reaches of a forested territory not far from the shrine of The White Stag. A dense canopy of treetops cluttered the sky, dancing in soft breezes and creating vast shade with spots of daylight shining through to spots where nature flourished. The wealth of nature’s mana coursed through this place, creating vibrancy; bringing the forest alive in a symphony of wildlife and fauna. Birds sang, joined with the rhythms of frogs and crickets along a riverbank which divided it into halves.

Time was still early in the morning as a human man by the name of Kaji Okada strode through the deep woods. Each pace he took was with fleeted feet, hardly leaving boot prints in the grass in his wake. Kaji came upon a patch of wild bergamot growing in a meadow. This drew him out from the shade and into the halo of light pouring in from the treetops. His wiry shape strode: strong, sleek, and firm with squared shoulders built to carry burdens. Raven hair with strands of gray was bound in a loose knot behind his head. Keen eyes observed his surroundings with sharp emeraldine coronas that had a subtle glow. His features were angular and fine, though a bit of fatigue and age showed in fine lines under his eyes. His usual stubble had grown into the beginning of a beard. For weeks now, Kaji had been in the Kaminari wildlands, riding horseback on a journey with his beloved Yuii and newborn daughter Umeko. They were on a getaway of sorts, romanticizing running from Yuii's scornful family, the Kagetsu clan. The morning chill hardly bit Kaji even though he sacrificed his jacket to swaddle their child. He roamed in a pale green scarf, black sweatshirt, and charcoal trousers. His sword-belt was sagging with his blade Eelspine holstered, hanging horizontally at the small of his back.

The tail of his sheath swept the grass as he bent down to pluck a few samples of the wild bergamot and added it to a leather pouch on his belt. While the find was a good one, Kaji wasn’t wandering the deep woods just to search for ingredients to his salves and elixir remedies. No, he was doing some light scouting ahead of where the Okada trio settled for camp just a day prior. Traveling into unknown territory could easily turn into diving headlong into traps and waiting dangers in that savage land. So Kaji moved ahead just to study the lay of the land for about a few kilometers. He would scale the tall trees and get a view lasting for miles. Their journey was going so far that Kaji was certain they could no longer be followed by his wife’s opprobrious clansmen. Most city assassins were more concerned with finding their ways back would have given up long ago. Instead, the scouting was to discover any dangers native to the White Stag’s domain. It simply wouldn’t have been like Kaji to traverse these lands without finding someplace to mettle or help if you believed those tales about him. There are rumors about Kaji, stories of him being some kind of whisperer of the wilds. Tales of his heroism were growing in number: Okada the Hunter, The Ranger, and Sage, were becoming traded stories in the most obscure provinces of the Lightning Country.

Perhaps it was about more than a duty; it was the heart of an adventurer that drove Kaji during those long treks. In the lands of the Thousand Scaled One, they referred to him as their Guardian, yet Kaji upheld his vigilance wherever he went. And as he wandered this land, it also came into his watchful purview. Instantly, he knew a chance encounter was upon him as some devastation was left in a plot of forest in the clearing just ahead.

-- Kaji Okada has entered the thread.
-- Dual Searching with Yuii Kagetsu.
-- Using Contract Discovery of Random Choice Card. (Link to Reward Claim)
-- Thank you Secret Santa.

 

[Kagetsu Yuii]

They said that amongst the hundreds of miles of forest that carpeted the land between the monolithic and lofty mountains protecting Kumogakure and down into the heartlands, there were the domains of beast and leaf that held more danger to man than the jagged, airless, frozen peaks they had lost sight of some hours before. Every denizen of Lightning grew up hearing the tales of deep, magically places that no human dared to tread if they wished to survive, no matter their strength or station. They told of thorn bushes which could grow overnight to entrap an entire camp, of pathways, could merge until one was forced to walk circles for miles and of all manner of predators lurked waiting in hunger. It was said that few foolish, determined, emboldened individuals that saw these ancient shrines to nature as something to be conquered rarely returned, and that those who did were changed to babbling half-men. Drained of life and 'not all there'. The rest left behind moss-covered ruins and bones amongst the trees; warnings to them all.

For those who paid the proper respect for wood and leaf, tooth and claw, however, the ancient forest was a sanctuary. A whole separate and dangerous world filled with bountiful life beyond measure. Emerald cascades of oak leaves offered sweet shade. Fruit, fungus, root and greens to nourish the body. Shelter could be found beneath roots, in caves and under canopies of broadly branched trees. Bubbling streams and early rivers offered water clear, sweet water to sate the greatest of thirst. All without the complication of human society, imbued with harmony, free for the taking. There was real peace to be discovered. If you could respect and survive.

A shrine to the horned forest god, a human construct created presumably by one such lucky soul had marked the transition of Yuii Kagetsu and Kaji Okada and their newborn daughter into one such place. For Yuii, there was no prickling of the skin, no rush of feeling as their travels drew them into the shadows of redwoods so tall they rivalled the towers of Kumogakure; only a gentle awe that welled up in Yuii's chest for the majesty of a place she knew by legend and sense of being watched. All forests were homes to a thousand eyes, but this was different. It reminded her that they were the interlopers and to be cautious as they sought to move on to the future.

At least Yuii was.

Kaji was magnificent, she had reflected as they travelled deeper into the green ocean. Yuii had spent much of her life on the road or hunting in the forests in the trail of her tigress friend. She'd slept under the stars, eaten from the bounty of nature and walked deer paths lost to man. Then life and obligation had taken hold and the woman she once was, who could barely sleep without a late night breeze, was lost to soft beds, indoor plumbing and office hours. While she'd had feather pillows every night and lavished on frozen meals, Kaji's work had brought him out into the world, kept his primal edge tempered. The forest respected him back because it knew him. For Yuii, it was a feeling of returning to one's old home only to have been forgotten.

The desire to go back and be the person that had made her happy rattled in her chest as she followed in Kaji's wake. The sensible, maternal part of her knew that now was not the time to address these feelings; not while she carried their days' old infant in her arms, while her clan's influence darkened their future, while all the problems of the human world sat before them. But soon.

In their first kilometre she had recognized and acknowledged the fact that if they were going to make it through the great forest, she would need to follow Kaji's lead, by the second she began to linger back in safe alcoves greenery to watch as their safe paths were assured. Because Yuii may have lost her connection with nature, but her ability to read Kaji was absolute. You could call her an expert.

And so, like a doe following her buck, Yuii Kagetsu stepped from the shaded safety of a group of pines as Kaji stooped to pluck a herb. The soft leather of her boots rolled silently against the leaf-litter scattered through the tall grasses in practised strides, proving that she had not lost all her cat-like skills. It was spring in the valleys unlike the lands from whence they'd come which clung to winter with icy talons. She had long since shed her own jacket as they'd left the last snowy field behind that morning to replace it with a soft knit sweater of slate and fitted inky black pants.

Then she paused, rearranged the fabric of the dark leather men's jacket against the cheek of her swaddled, sleeping, newborn, and found her partner with her sapphire gaze. The tense square of his shoulders was all she needed to see to know that something was not right ahead.

- Topic entered.

 

[Suika]

OH DEER! The Okada family has stumbled upon the Ungulate Contract. Do you both accept?

 

[Kagetsu Yuii]

The Okada Family says yes!

 

[Suika]

As the Okada family trailed down the tranquil forest, their senses would be directed to an open field. The entrance of this grassy, woodsy area was tightly secured by a multitude of trees. Although hard to track with the naked eye, the familiar audible clanging of metal and the scent of crackling fire opened an obvious pathway. If the trio ventured toward the commotion, they would soon behold a type of... sight. What kind? It was open for interpretation.

Four identical fawn, each boasting their own unique color, were working on what appeared to be a poor-man's obstacle course. It didn't look like one for giggles and show; it would be clear that the intent of their creation was for battle training purposes. Multiple traps were set up the brown-coated deer was carefully configuring a tiny log trap. The honey-colored deer was seen by a small campfire as it blew into it with sheer determination. Was it trying to perform fire ninjutsu? The green one, which wore small spectacle frames with no glass, continuously waved a pendent in the air. Finally, the pink deer, beautiful as it was, gritted a rusty kunai between its flat chompers as she collected a pile of dangerous tools. This was a death grounds.

If the couple would approach the quadruplets, the pink-colored one would catch notice as she made her way to acquire more weapons. She'd frown as she attempted an intimidating growl. “Who dare approach the Fawntastic Four!” Although high-pitched and dainty, her tone carried heaps of pride. She continued. “State your purpose, two-leggers, or face our wrath!” If they'd observe the female deer's demeanor, it would be clear to them that she was pretty serious with her threat. She didn't appear dangerous, but her words held an aggressive intention. At this point, the other three members of the Fawntastic Four perked up their ears as they joined their sponky protector. They appeared less worked up, but were ready to follow their leader's cue.

“Exceptions can be made...” she spat as she shifted her eyes away, almost embarrassed, “...if you brought us snacks. The sugary kind that humans eat!” She poised herself and tried to look down on the small family, even though they towered over her. “I am merciful, after all, and the Fawntastic Four is quite hungry!”

 

[Okada Kaji]

The torn down trees and uprooted earth Kaji found weres actually much more than meets the eye. It was the product of construction, where the denizens of this forest had to cut lumber in order to build contraptions. Kaji was first to enter the site and began following hoof tracks left in the mud. The guardian was perturbed by the finding, knowing that destroying their own land must have been a sacrilegious act by any elk-kin; the living children of his deity, the White Stag. Once Yuii caught up to Kaji in that site, she’d discover him running a hand over the stump of a downed tree, determining how the creatures might have cut it down without hands. They must have been capable of jutsu, Kaji knew. “The balance is skewed in the forest” Kaji said as he recognized the sound of his beloved Yuii approaching him from behind. “Forest beasts typically treasure their habitats; something must be wrong if they are laying waste to the trees.” And with his concern so genuine Kaji left the stump and strode to his wife, planted a hand on her shoulder and set eyes upon the child she carried. “It’s high time we take Umeko on her first adventure, dear. ‘We cannot pass through these woodlands without restoring peace— it is the white stag’s will.” The baby awoke and cooed as if she understood, forever so attentive to her loving parents. In all the time the newlywed Okada pair knew each other, they had never discussed this White Stag which Kaji seemed to revere so greatly. On the night when Umeko was born, Kaji foretold that the Stag blessed the birth, and now he was going on about his holy deer again. Just what was this White Stag? Kaji took Yuii by the hand softly, intending to share the walk with her along the trail of tracks where the fallen lumber was dragged away.

And so, the thickness of the wooded sea gave way to an expanse of flat land with unfettered grass combed by the wind. Contraptions hewed from wood were rising tall yet incomplete still, in progress towards completion. Kaji led the trio in coming to this place and took in the sight with a quizzical expression. Four deer fawn with assorted coats ranging from colorful pastel hues stood to meet the humans, hardly recognizing them as guardians or even allies. The pink-coated fawn pawed the earth and growled before berating the shinobi with a warning and a proposition. With a potential conflict as the opposite of Kaji’s intentions, he knelt before the small-hoofed deer in a show of humility. “Pardon our intrusion into your kingdom, deer-kin,” said Guardian Okada, who treated the fawns the same as would treat the most elder of his Lizard Clan. “We are allies to the forest from the Hidden Cloud, passing through your territory when I discovered the products of your labor in the forest.” Kaji knew Yuii would most-likely have the sugar needed to make peace with the fawns, but it was his priority to restore order. He looked to Yuii, awaiting her to make a peace offering— hopefully, she was willing to part with some of the good stuff she was savoring the night before.

Kaji’s attention swept the fawns’ creations once again, growing ever so curious of the cause for their work. He said “we wish to understand why you’d tear down the trees who take eons to grow so tall… What troubles the deer of the Wooded Sea?”

 

[Kagetsu Yuii]

As Yuii approached, balancing on a thin deer path which bridged the sea of raging ocean soft moss that had been torn and disturbed by ripped roots like water in the wind, her eyes traced over the prints. With the eye of an expert, he was divining their shape and meaning; deciding the course of action. Yuii's attention flickered to the disturbed forest surrounds, over fallen trees that were like lost ships amongst the waves, patiently watching for the dangers Kaji could not while he worked. She didn't have to wait long.

"Of course," she answered, smiling brightly as the electric delight of physically connecting sparked from her shoulder. Umeko stirred, as if aware of the change in the air, the close presence of her father, and the soothing tone of his voice. Perhaps the baby knew what was to come, who could tell how much she innately knew? Or perhaps it was the tense way that Yuii realised she was holding herself as her newfound instincts wrestled with the need of the many? Yuii gave her daughter a fond smile, knowing that her parents were the only thing she could still yet see clearly in the sea of green and tried to divorce herself from the hormonal spurred worry.

Ghosting Kaji through the forest had left an impression on Yuii. Just as her instincts were new, she had a newfound sense of caution born with her little one. Moving with him, at his pace, her fingers entwined between his rougher ones, every step felt brash and reckless. It felt wrong to leave the forest after so many days under its cover. Yuii glanced back longingly at the trees while keeping pace with her love, her other hand caressing the curve of Umeko's face.

As the rough ocean of leaves turned to calm grassy waters and half-grown deer came into view, Yuii counted her lucky stars that Oniyuri had not showed her whiskered nose in some time. The creatures, evidently as intelligent as even her or Kaji, would have looked like a tasty snack to her tigress sister. She would have barreled towards the little pink fawn, all teeth and claws, ready for a fight. A normal deer stood no chance, so what could one with a mere weapon do?

As in all things, Yuii trusted Kaji's judgement on the situation. When he knelt, she knelt. When he did not give their names, neither did she. But there was one thing, a request made by the pink deer, that demanded prompt action only from Yuii; sweets. Kaji's gaze on her was enough confirmation; she would have to give up her stash. After so many days in the forest, the seemingly endless pockets of candy on her person were becoming, in Yuii's opinion, grievously low. Enough for a week more when she rationed, but now...

She had been too young to survive on her own, too trusting of humans, and her ghostly white flesh made her an easy target for predators. So Yuii had left her on a farm and visited when she could until the white deer was strong and fleet enough to return to the trees. Wild creatures were meant to be free.

"I have a little friend I saved that once looked just like you," Yuii chimed, reminded of the little sweet albino that she had found in the forest one fateful morning, "but she did not have such lovely colours. She was exactly the colour of snow." Shaken and covered in blood, it had approached her and Kaen of Sand out of the infantile, desperate need to be warmed and protected. They had found her mother nearby, not yet completely cold, torn and slashed to ribbons of flesh by a five-clawed beast with heavy prints. Kaji had known Pepper, as they had called her, as the fawn from their foray into Kaen's memories; a shared creature that had acted as a guide through the Sand shinobi's memories, but the real creature had done no more than curl around the pyromaniac for warmth and raided Yuii's pockets for sweets. A similar sweet, minty kind that she pulled, bagged, from the folds of her jacket.

"And I believe..." she took a careful step forward, gauging the fawn's response and body language before she dared to take another, "These were her favourite if you'd like to try?" The green candies were poured out on her palm, ready to be taken or dropped as she was instructed. Then, more brashly, "Do you want our help?"

 

[Suika]

The whole scene played out like a story Papa shared every night. The doe-eyed fawns, self-dubbed as the Fawntastic Four, stared intently at the couple before them. Most revealed a curious glint in the shine of their eyes, while the pink deer, the evident leader, glowered at the family with unyielding consistency. It was not until the offering, alongside the strange man's query, that the siblings reacted.

“Green candy?” muttered the chief of the group with a suspicious snuff. She hesitantly sniffed the goods as she fiddled them with the tip of her blackened nose. She shot an irritated glance at the man. “Bakas. We didn't tear down the trees.”</B><i></i> she retorted with an almost disgust. The pink deer shifted her head away with an expression that almost appeared pained. Her green sibling with the glassless spectacles offered his own calmed words, attempting a nasally explanation at his leader's stead. <B>“Well, you see, the Blood Moon Beast did this-”

“Quiet, Natsu-kun!” she barked with a scowl. “No need to enlighten these mortals. They're just as bad as any monster... for all we know, they're hunters!” The rest of her siblings gasped. She continued as she faced the shinobi family yet again. “Look, thanks for the sweets, but you should really scram. Things are going to get dangerous around these parts and you're obviously not equipped to handle this like us. Also, you talk funny like our old man, Scruffy.” The fawn was obviously referring to Kaji. “I thought you should know that.” She turned her nose and hoofed away. Two of the others followed as the orange one, who appeared almost bashful, lightly pattered toward the candies.

“Sorry, senpai's...” Despite her shy, quiet tone, she began guzzling up the woman's sugary offering. “Haru-chan is a bit grouchy today. After all, it is the anniversary of our mother's death.” That was all the much kinder fawn offered as she unabashedly gulped some more of Yuii's treats.

Both were right to feel a disturbance. The attitudes of the forest's creatures and the torn clearing gave a clear foreshadowing for the events that would unfold this fateful day.

 

[Okada Kaji]

It was fortunate for Kaji that Yuii's sweetness rarely failed, neither in personality nor in her capacity to carry sugary candies. As she mentioned the snow-white fawn ironically nicknamed “Pepper,” Kaji recalled the creature, who was so at peace when in Yui's presence. It was the same one who delivered Kaji to Yuii that time when he followed her into the dreamscape of a shinobi name Kaen Shinku. While Kaji followed the will of the White Stag, it was Yuii who truly had a way with these creatures. And though Kaji hadn’t recognized it quite yet, there was a balance between himself and Yuii: they were an essential pair like the sides of a coin, yin and yang, creation and destruction— two kindred spirits meant to dwell in nature, together. It was only during their long period wandering the wilds that Kaji began to see the depths of their potential as a tandem, finding a bond that ran alongside the love they knew as paramours. Kaji felt fortunate to have her there and stayed low as she went forth to make the first contact with the fawntastic four.

Kaji’s ears perked at the mention of a Blood Moon Beast, something he’d not heard of before, but was a foreboding title. And yes, when the doe made her presumption that they were hunters, no part of Kaji intended to deny that claim. “If you are having trouble with a beast then it is hunters who you need to trust the most” countered Kaji, who arose from his humble kneel. “Not all humans pose a threat to your kind, in fact, we are both protectors of the wild in our own rights… She is of your forest, and I, the red valleys of the far west. We are both hunters, true and proper.”

Both Kaji and Yuii possessed pacts with the wild, however, they were aligned with predators known for making prey out of creatures like these fawntastic four. So, getting ahead of the potential cataclysm of their underlying truths being revealed, Kaji reached into a zipped pocket and withdraw an ivory knight’s chess piece. “Please, allow Kukki to vouch for us” explained Kaji as he squatted to place the wondrous token on the ground. Suddenly a burst of silvery haze plumed upwards. From the haze came an elegant creature trotting on four hooves; a sunan mare with a chocolate coat and raven mane flowing with beauty and bounce. Her powerful muscles flexed and she was standing tall and proud as she came forth, so perfectly Kukki. White glyphs were on her legs like paint, noting her status and empowering her with jutsu for swift striding. Kukki looked at the four deer with a look of mutual respect before having her attention stolen away by Kaji, who stepped beside her and pet the nape of her neck— her favorite spot. An intelligent glint in the mare’s eye insisted that she was at peace with these humans and that the deer would be erred to refuse their help. “Though I do not know your concerns, these humans can be trusted,” said the mare with a neigh only she and the four deer could understand.

 

[Kagetsu Yuii]

Yuii watched on patiently as the pink deerling sessed and lashed out verbally at them. She had had students like this, children that demanded then found issue with everything she gave them. They were looking to hurt people, to push them away, to keep strangers that could hurt them away. Often it spoke of some other emotional trauma or an event that had irrevocably damaged their ability to trust. Without knowing what spurred to fawn to be so verbally antagonistic, they'd have no hope of gaining enough trust to be allowed to help.

Luck was on their side, however, as the yellow fawn opportunistically trotted forward to taste the sweets that its sibling had snubbed. Yuii held her hand steady and flat as the fawn ate, offered a tidbit of information, then ate some more. Their mother was dead, lost to them on the same date, which explained why the quadruplets were here alone and why their sibling was so angry. "I'm sorry to hear that, little one," she consoled gently with sincere regret, her free hand wrapping protectively around their newborn, "I'm coming to understand that the bond between mother and child is very special, it must hurt a great deal to have lost yours. Your sister's grief is warranted." Umeko's tiny hand caught her finger as she flailed without coordination at the fuzzy creature just out of her unrefined sight.

The human woman settled herself back onto the grass. Kaji was set on helping the fawns, a notion that she could not argue with. They were clearly distressed, acting outside of their normal habits, and alone without their parents. She, like he, could not justify moving on without offering aide through every possible avenue. "We hunt, but we know better than to hunt in the Heartlands, and we would never orphan another creature" Yuii echoed behind Kaji's assertion, maintaining her gentle, calming tone, "The forest let us through, gave us sanctuary and safe passage all the way to you four and this meadow. I think it wants us to help you in exchange for its generosity. Proper Hunters maintain balance and respect in nature, as my partner implied. As such, he and I cannot in good conscience move on knowing that you're being terrorized by a monster."

Kaji had a plan, she could feel it, and Yuii watched with mild curiosity as he pulled the token that he had banished his mare with days before. She had heard from the gate guards about the way her love could summon his equine friend, though in a manner far different than their pacts with lizard and feline, but this was the first time she had properly witnessed the power. Yuii's eyes sparkled with wonder and admiration as Kukki burst seemingly from nowhere into the meadow. The horse neighed, and that was it to Yuii's ear.

"You're training, right? Trying to become strong? Stockpiling weapons? Learning to use them? Setting traps? You're readying a battlefield. I might not look the part right now, but I am a shinobi of Kumogakure and I have taught many students. At least let us help you with your preparations, and if you like our work, we can do more." The honey fawn had looked to be attempting fire jutsu, and since she had been the first willing to approach her, Yuii made the quick seals and unleashed a fireball towards the campfire it has been working at, "You see?"

 

[Suika]

The humans presented their case, and quite well, if the orange doe, Aki, had to say so herself. As she continued to shamelessly guzzle the sugary goods provided by the woman, her ears perked as Kaji and Yuii both confirmed they were hunters, but not of the malevolent origin. The deer’s eyes then gleamed in wonder as the scruffy man laid out a chess piece and, from it, summoned a valiant mare. She was so big!

“What’s going on over there?!” snapped Haru as she galloped toward the group. Upon Kaji’s introduction, both her and her sister, Aki, were introduced to the majestic horse dubbed ‘Kukki’. It was obvious to them that the large mare was well acquainted with the group, as it radiated a sense of trust and peace with the humans. With a straightforward neigh, they caught her message quite clear. Stubborn as her mother, Haru turned her nose away from the horse. “Sure, sure, and I’m assuming you’re that man’s property? Why should we listen to you?”

CHOMP!

With a spontaneous and unapologetic embrace, Aki, the ditzy orange fawn, bit her sister’s ear. Haru cried out immediately. “Haru-chan, stop being so mean to…” she thought for a moment, “to… to… what’s their names again?” Aki spaced out. Instead of reprimanding her sister, the pink deer, instead, turned away with a reddened expression. Aki was the sweetest of the bunch, but her instincts also usually proved right. Haru was both embarrassed and frustrated in this moment. Sibling disagreements. The deer were essentially children, after all, which was a concept Yuii would not be too unfamiliar with.

Speaking of, Yuii’s logical words, backed by her fiery jutsu and proclamation of their skills, really did stir the young fawns, more than she maybe anticipated. As Natsu, the green deer, and his brother Fuyu, the brown fawn, observed Yuii’s shinobi display, they both “ooo” and “aahh’d”. They were completely mesmerized by the woman’s strength and ability.

“TEAM MEETING!” cried out Haru as the deer regrouped approximately 5 yards away from the couple and their child. After a few loud whispers, grunts, and sighs, Haru finally turned toward the duo with a stern expression. “The Fawntastic Four has made their decision. As we have a voting system, it was unanimous that we will give you two…” she eyed the baby, “...three a shot! I mean, we can take the Blood Moon Beast ourselves, obviously, but a little help wouldn’t hurt. That is, if you can prove yourselves with one final task!” The fawns hopped in anticipation, as if children who were hyped on sugar. Haru continued. “As we do need to hunt the Beast, we would like to put your skills to the test with a little game of Hide n’ Seek. If you can find me and my four siblings, you can join our hunting expedition for the beast and can reap in our foreseen victory. Do you accept?”

Regardless if they did or not, the fawns dashed off. They were ready to play! Although their antics proved quite childish, they did have a mature backing for their little game. Would Yuii and Kaji be able to find them all?

(OOC: Resurrecto Threado! Hey, Kaji and Yuii! As the thread went slow in previous rounds between us all AND the fact I was on vacation/I knew one of you took a break, I, admittedly, had this on the backburner for a bit. Needless to say, I feel we are all back, so let’s do this! Sorry for the delay – if you are all down for it, I can commit to post every week to week and a half from the last post made. Thanks for patience and understanding!)

(OOC2: As for this post, the fawns are hiding around the forest! Feel free to RP finding them – I give you full creative control for this process. This isn’t meant to be difficult, but just sort of a teaser/exercise. Have fun!)