Rack

Rack did not truthfully know why he was here in a land unfamiliar to him, and why he had decided to leave the good life when he had it. Had he not been truly content with his highly respectable rank in his past herd... where his brother was practically second in command and he himself a commander of of the army? Was he just craving more power? The sense of accomplishment? Independence? Who knew.

The only thing that the red stag knew was that he was here, in a barren and charred landscape where steam rose from cracks in the earth and lava sat in red hot pools. He walked carefully around this steamy craters with due caution, but apparently did not seem bothered by the strange setting. The scars along his body and the one going from the middle of his forehead and slipping up to his left ear glinted dully in the orangey light gave him enough reasons to keep his cool. The great deer paused and tilted his head to the side and swaying his impressive antlers. His ears flicked forward, fancying that he had heard something.

Sasha

The mule deer trotted over the charred, black landscape. Her and her herd had just saved some of the Almuit Rune Herd from the Shadow Haunters. While she was ahppy about that, she still knew to keep a lookout for danger. Her huge ears pricked when she heard the stag. She waited for a moment, then cautiously walked forward. "Hello, brother. I am Sasha, lead hind of the Oak Prairie Herd. Who, may I ask, are you?" She said to him in her soft, kind voice.

Rack

A colder season was on the way, and in truth, this volcanic land felt incredibly good against the already chilling air. Rack had to fight to stay completely alert as the warmth soothed his tired senses. But that sound he heard had been unmistakable. It was the muted hoof beats of another deer. His finely-trained ears honed in on the stranger's direction and he turned his antlered head just in time to see a hind approaching. She was smaller than he, and not just through the fact of being a female, she was not a Red but a Mule. He knew a little of her breed but not a lot, clearly as his face showed a curious expression as he nodded his head slightly to her greeting with his own. No matter her breed, she was a Herla.

"My name is Rack."

His tilted his head questionably and started to speak again.

"Why do you, a hind, wander so far from the herd?"

Sasha

Sasha bowed her head to the stag, then raised it again. "Greetings, Rack." She said warmly. Her head tilted in a quizzical manner when Rack asked his question. "I am searching for others of our kind. Other deer. We are a family and we only want to be safe from the Shadow Haunters. We hope to find as many friends as we can. Friends always stick together, no matter what predator we may face. Is that not true?" She replied with a nod. "You are welcome to come home with me, if you like."

Rack

Sasha's explanation made sense enough, but it didn't exstinguish the fact that he thought that she was doing a stag's job. But he's a traditionalist like that... who knows, maybe the hinds lead everything here? Rack snorted at this preposterous thought; he wouldn't stand for anything of the sort around him. He nodded to agree with her reasoning, but seemed a bit confused by something she said.

"I think I'll have to pass on the invitation. I just recently claimed my own land, Shimmer Valley. But I'll keep the offer in mind if it still stands. But I do wonder though, who are these 'Shadow Haunters'?"

Sasha

Sasha was about to speak up again, but she heard a call from her land. "Perhaps an alliance, then." She replied. "Forgive me. I have to go. It seems as if the Shadow Haunters are attacking our allies right now. If you want, you can join me in the fight or you can stop by the Oak Prairie and we can start an alliance." With that, she turned around and trotted away. She hated to be so rude as to walk away from her new friend, but her allies needed help.

Rack

The red stag's ears perked as he too heard a distant call, he started to pay little mind to it, until the doe suddenly brushed off their conversation. He was momentarily confused until he realized as she went on, that the call regarded her. Rack gave a deep huff as with a final invitation, Sasha turned and trotted away. His hunger for knowledge of this new found land was still unsatisfied and he felt the quelling urge to join her herd in a battle. An alliance may prove fruitful in the future. Throwing his head back, the red deer ran in pursuit of the mule doe.