Legend

He was three years old now, and carried the strong build of his sire, Nhosh. Most noteable were his nearly tineless antler beams, rising up like a pair of three-foot long swords about his head. But unlike his father, Legend did have two brown tines spiking from the base of his antlers, almost six inches long each. They wouldn't offer much protection in any case, but they were two more points to inflict damage with.

The rich, chocolate-red coated stag made his way to a high knoll, carring his head high. After a silent moment to gaze about the frozen land around him, Legend sent out a series of deep, rumbling bellows. Calling out in challenge to Wardell, or any other stag that wished to challenge in him return.

Chido

Chido who had five tines on his antlers and he stood not to far away when the other sent out hte bugle.He let out his own to the male.He then moved toward him.Ill warn you Sasha won't stand for anyone challenging for lead.He spoke but prepared himself.He would fight this stag and hopefully he'd win before sasha found out legends recklessness.

Legend

Legend looke down at Chido from his place on the knoll, "I am not challenging her position, so it doesn't concern her." he replied steadily, eying the other up. "Don't try anything foolish Chido, you're my friend." He could see the other readying for action, and he didn't want to get tangled with the smaller buck. Lacking the usual tines on his beams, he couldn't lock anterls as most deer did. Instead, his deadly tines would simply slip past the antlers of others and drive straight into the flesh and bone of their heads. 'Killer Stag' was the general name given to deer with this form of antler mutation, and for good reason.

Chido

He snorted and shook his head.You realize that Wardell is basically her mate which is why he is lead stag.She refused to let another stag challenge for the title cuz it means losing the herd to her.I'm sorry Legend you are my friend as well but I can not sit around and watch this herd be disrupted. It is peaceful and you really do not know how the others will react if you defeat wardell. Do you really want to risk upsetting the peaceful balance sasha has established here?he questioned.

Rosco

Rosco, now nearly adult, stood a short distance from the stags. "Father has not been around for a long time. Sasha simply didn't want a stranger barging in and acting like he owns the place. She would not mind a trusted member challenging Father for his place." He was a bit nervous about letting somebody take his father's place as lead stag, but he knew that was the way nature went.

Chido

He listened to rosco.He sighed.fine then i'll let you challenge legend but i still will be forced to challenge you if this place becomes unsettledHe spoke.

Blitz

The silvery chocolate stag walked up cautiously to the three other bucks. He didn't want to cause a stir again, feeling bad for what he had said earlier that had offended the entire herd. He stopped a few feet back, and waited a moment before saying, "Umm, Chido, Rosco, I...I wanted to apologize. I only wanted to be part of a herd. I have been traveling for a long time now, all alone. It doesn't feel good, always having to be on the alert at every minute of every day. I needed some company, but I guess I screwed up, making that comment to Sasha." He waited, his eyes, tail, and head low. He hoped that they wouldn't run him away.

Chido

He now turned his attention back to the stag who had made that rude comment. Chido wasn't one for accepting apologize either he lowered his head therefore lowering his tines.Why should we accept an apology from you?

Sasha; Rosco

Sasha smiled at the stag for once. She turned to Chido and said, very calmly, "Chido, please calm down. I will handle it." She then looked back at Blitz. "I accept your apology. Would you still like to be a member of the herd?" She asked warmly.

Blitz

Blitz lifted his head at Sasha's forgiveness. He nodded thankfully to her. "Thank you very much. I will, if it doesn't cause trouble, very much like to join your herd." He smiled, glad to have been forgiven.

Sasha

Sasha, being the motherly type, took all of her herd members under her wing and protected them to the best of her ability. "You are now a member of our herd. Welcome." She said with a kind smile.

Blitz

Blitz smiled gratefully and bowed to Sasha. "Thank you ever so much." He glanced at the other's faces to see their reactions.

WARDELL

The lead stag had been away for quite some time indeed, but not too far away as to not be able to return easily. In fact, he wondered if he even should return at one time. He would always push the thought aside and continue on his trek, searching out new places, as he once did when he was younger. Well, sorta did...

He hadn't been far off when the call of Legend rang out across the territory, clear and booming in Wardell's pricked ears. He was just approaching the group from a distance when Chido stepped up, though that didn't last long. Evidently, by words and actions, not everyone was quite so accepting of such a fight between the two.
Giving off a snort that steamed in the frigid air, Wardell took up position across a small field in front of Legend. Of all the other stags, he would have expected Legend to be the one to challenge. Actually, Wardell wasn't anything but... Pleased. Though Wardell felt he hadn't gotten to know the other buck well enough, he knew that if Legend won this, at least the herd would be in good hooves. Or so he hoped. He still couldn't help feeling a sense of annoyance in this whole oncoming ordeal.
He lifted a fore leg and thrashed at the ground with stiff motions. His breath puffed away from his flared nostrils. "So this is how it'll be." he seemed to ask, lifting his head defiantly toward Legend. Fellow herdmember or not, a challenge was a challenge and Wardell wouldn't let it pass as anything but. He was ready.

Sasha; Rosco

Someday, Rosco mused, I'll rule this herd. The thought made him proud. He wanted to be a great leader like his father. A sigh left him when he realized how much growing he had to do.

He wasn't quite full grown, but he was getting there. His antlers were already starting to bud. He occasionally butted heads with the other fawns, but it would be a while before he would participate in the rut.

It suddenly occurred to him that he didn't know where his sister was. What had become of her? It could be that she got lost in the ranks somewhere; it would be easy for Rosco to see the huge herd of deer and not see his sister hidden somewhere inside. Or it could be that she had gone with Wardell. Nevertheless, Rosco would ask his father. "Have you seen Fleat?" He asked cautiously, not wanting to intrude on the rut.

Chido

He watched and dipped his head to wardell.good luck wardel i hope it is you that winsHe spoke.Even if he weas friends with legend he didn't like change in leader ships

Legend

With silenced patience, he listened to the talk that went on around him, and watched as the newer stag was welcomed into the herd. And just as he was on the verge of announcing himself as the new leader, Wardell had arrived on cue.

Legend lowered his head, smooth, tineless antlers directed forward. "I challenge you for leadership of the Oak Prairie herd." The red deer proclaimed, giving his reason for the challenge as he bristled out his thick, dark mane. Five-hundred and twenty-five pounds of raw muscle and flesh tensed up as he stood high on his knoll, pawing briefly at the ground. The last thing he wanted to do was engage in the last part of the battle - the violent part. But if it came to that, that is what he would do.

Slowly, Legend stalked down from the shallow hill, walking stiffly a few yards in front of Wardell. He kept his body angled to show off his greater size as he stalked in front of his friend, trying to use intimidation to make the fallow back down.

Blitz

Blitz stood silently as the great leader Wardell approached to take up the challenge that Legend had stated. His breath clouded at his nose as he watched, nervously shifting his weight. He hoped that this would not turn out to be too violent, or that someone would be hurt too badly. Fights were messy affairs, and he did not enjoy them as some did.

Sasha; Rosco; Everest

Sasha watched the stags. Really, she didn't care who won. She would accept the strongest leader, the winer of the challenge.

Rosco stood beside his mother and watched. He would keep a close eye on the stags, for one day he too would have to challenge other stags. Secretly, he was hoping that his father would win.

Everest stood a short distance from Legend and Wardell. He didn't consider himself to be leader material. He was much happier running errands for those higher in the pecking order.

Blitz

Blitz looked back and forth between the two rivals, hoping against injury...or worse. The suspense was building, and it wouldn't be long now...

Wardell

So I've noticed... the current lead stag thought to himself as the younger buck prepared for the fight. There wasn't any preparing to do for Wardell-- he was practically born prepared. He always had to be.
Snorting, he lowered his head and then gave his shovelled antlers a go at the air. They sliced through the wind, Wardell feeling the chilling air against his face as he steadied himself. With nothing more than a rumbling cry and snort, he shot forward, straight for Legend. However, once he got there, he aimed to swing his head around and simply whack the stag with his antlers. He was wary of the opposing horns of this younger buck as well, but right now they weren't of his concern. They wouldn't be till after he was bleeding, anyway.

Blitz

Blitz noted that Wardell was different from other bucks. He was a born leader, built and prepared by nature in every way to lead and protect a herd, and pass on his genes to create more strong and perfect deer.

Blitz flinched when the two rivals clashed. He backed up a bit, seeing that this would be rough.