Short Stories: The Gift

Like most days Folklore found herself needing to escape into the woods away from her dull projects. She was daydreaming as usually which lead her to wander quite far before realizing she should probably head back to campus. She called her fox Rowan to head back, but Rowan ignored her quickly darting off down a side steep path. Slightly annoyed Folklore followed behind her calling once more. She found Rowan acting frantic over a puddle of fresh blood. Rowan darted off once again. Alarmed by the sight Folklore hesitated for a moment debating if she should run for help but then quickly ran off behind Rowan down the steep path afraid of loosing her. The fox became an orange blur as Folklore practically stumbled down the hill trying to keep up. The path became more bloody the further they went…

Ahead she saw Rowan had stopped and Folklore slowed herself down by slamming half of her body against a tree. She gasped for air as her lungs and chest burned. Looking down she saw how muddy her shoes had become and once again saw droplets of crimson staining the ground. Folklore slowly looked up to find an usual sight. A magnificent and very large doe. Twice the size of a normal deer. She was a stunning creature. However she laid still severely wounded and whispering her dying song…

Shocked by the sight Folklore moved very slowly towards the large creature incase to not frighten or anger it. She needed to get a good look at its wounds. As she got closer she saw how deep they where. The gashes were from something rather large, possibly the same size as the deer...or larger! "What on earth attacked you..." Folklore whispered to herself. She began to get even more worried if it was even possible for her to help this poor creature and if she could manage to run back in time for more help. Rowan who had been standing nearby would not budge from a patch of bushes. She was completely fixated and Folklore didn't even notice her again until she heard the fox yap. "Now what..." she thought and as she made her way over to her fox while still glancing over at the deer who gazed back at her looking ever so peaceful yet in great pain. As Folklore approached the brushes she saw a ball of white and soft pink shaking and then her heart felt very heavy. "Of course there would be a baby..."

The odds of saving the mother with such large gashes was very unlikely, especially without help. Folklore threw her bag down onto the ground and began searching for anything that would help. She only had a bottle of water and luckily some thick cord she could use for stitching the major wound. She also luckily enough had large enough needle that was floating in her bag. The large deer watched her silently as Folklore slowly approached. “Please I won’t hurt you. I just want to help patch you up. I won't let anything happen to you or your little one, okay!” The deer didn’t flinch at all, she only laid her head down to rest while looking at Folklore out of the corner of her eye.

Now up close to the deer’s side, she could see its blood had an usual glitter to it. Folklore began cleaning the wound the best she could with the bottle of water and began stitching up the deer. It was growing darker now and Folklore was running out of water and thread. She frantically started searching her bag again, but all she had was her sketchbook and a few pencils. She looked at the nearly empty bottle and her bloody hands as her eyes began to fill with tears. She knew this was impossible on her own. She felt helpless.

Suddenly a calm voice filled her ears “You cannot save me child. My time has come…” The deer raised it’s head and was starring directly at Folklore who was completely shocked and questioning if she just heard this animal communicate to her. “I know who you are, child. I’ve seen you wandering these woods many times before. The forest has been watching you...You’re the pure soul the forest is trying to protect.” Folklore was now completely lost for words as she couldn’t believe what was happening. The great creature spoke again “I’m fading now child, please watch over my young one and take my gift.” Folklore stuttered “Yes of course I’ll take care of your baby!” The great white doe bent her head down towards Folklore and kiss her forehead. A brilliant glowing aura surrounded Folklore for a moment and quickly disappeared. Rowan was now hiding behind the heels of her master. The deer then looked at the fox and suddenly Rowan began to grow. Folklore stumbled back hardly believing what was happening. Rowan was now twice the size of her usually scrappy self. Even the fox was taken aback by her new size.

For final time, the deer whispered “Your companion will take you back safely. Go now before it’s too dangerous here...” The great white doe laid down on her side slowly closing her eyes. The baby fawn that had been hiding in the bushes was now next to it’s mother crying. The mother was gone now and Folklore who was still lost for words didn’t want to take the creature’s warning lightly. She carefully took her jacket wrapping it around the small fawn gently scooping her up into her arms and climbed on top of Rowan. “What on earth just happened!” Folklore thought to her self as Rowan began walking back to the path. Folklore looked over he her shoulder watching the great doe’s body shattered into brilliant flicks of light flowing into the trees. She could hardly believe her eyes. Whatever that creature was she knew that she had to take care of it’s baby as she promised. But how on earth was she going to keep a fawn in the studio with her roommates…