Almuit Rune Herd

Sauntering in with a touch of arrogance, Nhosh paused a moment to scent the air. He gave a faint grin and continued on, leading three bucks and a hind. All of them, like himself, had defects that were very striking. It is true that almost every living creature contains some sort of genetic mutation, but it isn't often that these mutations actually present themselves physically or mentally. But this odd bunch, brought together by the red deer stag, were lucky or unlucky enough to have such defects.

Nhosh paused in a clearing choked with heather and small shrubs. The group set to browsing straight away while the large stag looked about. A very good friend of his lived around her somewhere, but with him lay a dark secret that Nhosh wasn't too fond of being let known.

Huyen and Solange, brothers with the same father, fed side by side. Solange had a very strange set of antlers which came in more bizzare each set. His brother was melanistic, just the opposite of being albino.

A younger stag, also being melanistic but no relation to Huyen, trotted towards the two, switching his tail about. He was just a pricket, having very small antlers. "The white moose lives here, they say. I've heard Nhosh talking about him." Guadalupe hedged, very curious to see such a creature.

Solange looked down at the younger stag, raising an eye, "Keep your voice down. Nhosh doesn't like us to speak of the white moose. But yes, he does live here. His name is Avalanche."

Wycliff grazed further away from the males. She had a defect known as being piebald. Over fifty percent of her fur was white. Normally red deer hinds lived in herds with other hinds and younger fawns. But now she was traveling with Nhosh and the three whitetail bucks. She often questioned Nhosh about letting other hinds join the herd, but the stag was adament that they not be normal deer. It was desperately hard to find deer such as themselves.

Free Spirit

One of the horses, Free Spirit, of the Horse Clan, had gotten lost after he was shot by a human. Located near his rump but further down on his hind leg was where he had been shot at. Blood leaked steadily from it and every step he took he took in agony. He tried to stay off of it but that wasn't enough speed to keep up with the Clan. He had gotten lost anyway.

He stopped after he caught the scent of the unknown deer. He quickly moved forward, his curiuosness getting the better of him. He wondered what these deer were. He wasn't one to figure out what kind of species a deer was.
His ears faced forward as he carefully stepped over the mangled brush that grew around, wincing every time he made a slight mistake and stepped down on his wounded leg. Finally eyeing the deer, he let out a low nicker to them to get their attention.

Almuit Rune Herd

Nhosh brought his head up quickly, turning dark but curious eyes to the wounded equine. Instantly, Huyen and Solange were at their lead's side. Wycliff and Guadalupe dropped their heads slightly and stayed where they were.

With his two white-tail escorts, the red deer approached Free Spirit with his spear-like antlers held high and proud. His nose twitched and took in the scent of the other, firstly looking to make sure no humans were about, which were the stag's greatest fear. "I'm Nhosh, the leader of the Almuit Rune herd." He announced, then snorted again as the scent of blood came to his nostrils, "You're wounded. What happened?" Huyen eyed Free Spirit cautiously but with no anger. He just wanted to make sure this horse meant no danger to the herd.

Wycliff drew closer now, very curious about this horse who was larger than any of the deer. She had seen horses before, but never in the wild.

Gaudalupe, the young pricket, had never seen a horse in his life. The size of the creature awed him, "He's an Aras.. and a Hummel at that?" The ebony deer questioned Wycliff in a whisper. She nodded, "Yes, an Aras. He's called a horse. And they are all Hummels. None grow antlers." Gaudalupe was amazed to here this because he had assumed that all 'deer-like' animals had antlers.

Free Spirit

Free Spirit didn't hold his head high. He had learned not to from his lead. His ears twitched slightly as he listened to the lead's words. "I am Free Spirit, a member of the Horse Clan." he announced. He was proud to be part of the Clan. He had been a part of it all his life. "I had been shot by a human. Why, I do not know." he said, looking around to make sure none of the two-leggeds had trailed him. He had left a nice little trail of blood behind him. His ear turned this way and that to listen to all of the new sounds. He stood on his three good legs and continued to look at the deer. "I do not know why the two-leggeds are starting to hunt wild horses. No animal has ever been really safe, and now horses are in danger." he said, getting a bit quieter because of being in deep thought. He shook his head angrily at the bad thoughts but soon gave all attention back to Nhosh. He could remember the lead stag of the Red deer herd that was in the prairie. Free Spirit was still rather curious of these new deer despite the fact that he seen them before. He couldn't understand the unusual looks, though, that he wasn't at all used to seeing.

Almuit Rune Herd

The stag shook his head dismally, "They cause so much trouble! But this is the first I've heard of them purposely shooting horses. Normally it is your kind they ride on to hunt us." Nhosh pointed out and looked a bit fearful the way that Free Spirit had come. "Do you think the humans were following you? This is the last place humans need to be led..."

Huyen and Solange looked at each other, exchanging a knowing, troubled glance. Solange pawed the ground nervously and dipped his odd, velvetine antlers towards the ground. They were nearly full grown now, but it would be a while before he could scrape the velvet off.

Wycliff sniffed gingerly at the horses wounded limb, careful not to get too close. "Maybe we could help you back to your herd?" The hind looked to Nhosh though, seeking his acceptance of the offer first.

The stag gave a nod, "Yes, we'd be happy to help you out. But if you would like our help, we must wait here in the bog for at least a day."

Gaudalupe raised his ebony head, crowned with the two small spikes of antler. "Stay here over night? Why's that?" He questioned meekly, thinking of the great white moose again.

Nhosh looked down at the young buck, "If the humans are trailing Free Spirit, we don't want them to catch us out in the open. We can ambush them from the cover of this thick foliage." He turned once more to Free Spirit, "I've forgotten myself! This is Wycliff, Huyen, Solange, and Gaudalupe." The stag said, introducing the members of his small herd.

Free Spirit

Free Spirit listened to the words being said. He looked behind him again and seen nothing. "I don't know if they were following or not... The wound is the reason I lost the Clan. They probably aren't at the prairie anymore, which is where we live. They might have gone to a high, steep place such as the canyon." he said. He hoped there were no humans following him. He really had no defence, except for hooves and a strong body that could rampage them. But he was still nothing, being only one horse. "It would be nice to have some help, but I am guessing it would be a bit tough. The first place I would go is the canyon. It is usually safe and clear of humans." He pounded his hoof on the ground. "I want to get back at the humans for what they did; Scaring off the Clan and giving me this wound. They will pay though. I was always curious of the ones on two legs, but now they have forced me to do something I never really wanted to do. I might attack them, or something. Damage their livestock supply? I don't know how it is all possible but I will find a sure way." he said. He looked as the lead introduced the herd. he suddenly thought back to his own herd. "There are only eight of us in the Clan, of course including myself." He flicked his tail and listened to the nature around him. He wondered what the deer would say.

Almuit Rune Herd

Nhosh listened closely, quite interested in the horse's talk of revenge. "We will head to the Canyon then, first off. Solange, take up the rear and be sure no one tracks us. With our luck, they'll send dogs after the trail." The stag turned in the direction of the Canyon, knowing precisely where it was while the rest of his herd had still to get accquainted with the land.

Solange fell minced past Free Spirit and disappeared into the brush behind him. His thick, awkard antlers made it a pain to travel through thick areas, but he had least had a normal-colored coat that would help hide him from human eyes. His antlers too were deadly and carried far more tines than any normal deer.

Nhosh pressed on then, heading for the Canyon. Wycliff fell in behind the stag. Huyen came slightly to the side of his lead. The yearling buck traveled near Free Spirit, curious in the large creature and very much relieved to be getting out of the Bog. "Is it true that none of your kind has antlers?"

Huyen glanced back at the pricket and shook his head, signaling Gaudalupe to keep quite and not be so foolish.

Free Spirit

Free Spirit nodded and turned slowly, heading in the Canyon's direction. He limped along but was going fast enough to keep up. He looked to the buck that had asked the question. "Yes, it is true." he said and continued on.