Flight to Sanctuary

Mid-Autumn, Year 762 of the New Age
Close to the New Oak’s Glade, Glenmore
Featuring: Rosalie, Aytan, Gilraen, Danzig, and Elysia

Elysia:
Elsy ran as fast as she could from the glade, hardly even glancing back to see the chaos unfolding behind her. Plunging into the darkness of the trees she raced upwards, heading for the ridge where she knew that Rosalie and the fawns would be. Her hooves skidded on the loose leaves underfoot, and she tripped on exposed roots several times, but she kept running, determined to get to her adoptive family and help them escape.

Father had talked to her days ago about the possibility of something like this happening; though Elysia could never have guessed that they would have to leave because of the strange magic of the King’s younger fawns. Perhaps the fawns were simply the blade of grass that broke the fawnling’s back? She tried not to think about it too much, though; getting out of Glenmore was now of paramount importance.

She reached the ridge quickly, and scrambled up one of the scree slopes to the top, casting about to try and find Rosie and her fawns. She couldn’t see them, but their scent was still strong in the air, and she set off North at a gallop, desperate to find her family.

Rosie:
“By Óganach..” She whispered as she saw the large rock golem of legend fight off fawnlings left and right. This was what Danzig had seen. The cacophony of the herd below grew louder, and a sense of urgency made Rosie look away from the spectacle. She needed to keep her children safe, she needed to find Elysia and Aytan. Gulping, she rose to her feet shakily, nerves on fire and feeling jittery.

Pushing off, she near lept from the ground on her sprint to catch up to her children. A small twinge on her right front ankle made her wince, but there were more pressing matters. She didn’t know what would happen to her if a traditional Lord, or anyone else for that matter, found her now. Most knew her to be connected to Aytan, and he had protected King Drustan, and they weren’t happy about it. And being a tainted commoner, now was not the time to be caught when tempers were high.

All those thoughts flew through her head as she ran. She caught glimpses of her children through the woods now. Her legs strained as they started climbing another hill. “Children, stop at the top of the hill!” she yelled to them. It would do no good if they rushed and ran around blindly.

Danzig

The moment that the herd erupted from the shouting of the false king, Danzig was napping under a tree near where his mother left him to take his nap. He woke up with a start and went to investigate the noise that woke him up. No one was near him now and seeing everyone in a panic like state ready to run, made the young stag in a state of wonderment. He saw the king with his offspring being yelled at by the other royals. He was being called names and the roar of a false king was being shouted by the royals like a viper striking his targeted meal. Unsure of what to do, he looked for where is mother and sister was at. He trotted over to where they were and saw Aytan and Jackdaw come to the aid of the king. Danzig couldn't believe how mean the other royals where to the king of Glenmore, how dare they be mean to him of all fawnlings. He felt sadness for the king, after all he was teased by the other Glenmores for his tainted blood and light colored coat. Just then the ground started to shake and a golem of a stag was forged by stones and rocks. He was amazed at the magic that created this epic work. Hearing the king, well former king shout out his real sire's name and how he and his family claim exile, shook the youngster up. He felt a nip at his hip and the word run to the hill! Danzig didn't take another look and took off after his family heading up the hill like his mother ordered.  He was frightened on what will become of them and what will happen to everyone now that the former king Drustan was now their exiled leader.

Gilraen
Mommy’s voice behind her made Gilly’s ears swivel back, and she caught most of the instructions. Starting to breathe heavily from the run, she wasn’t opposed to catching her breath at the top of the hill.

She clattered to the top with a grunt, making sure to keep Danzig in sight. There was still that icky feeling of fear and anger raging through her, and try as she might Gilly couldn’t push it away. She wanted to lash out at something, though she had no idea why. She hadn’t been angry before all this ruckus started, and there was still no reason for her to be so. Mommy and Aytan had warned them they may need to run, and she wasn’t mad at Drustan or the little weird babies she’d glimpsed.

Mommy. She’d yelled at mommy! Mortified, Gilly looked back down the hill, able to easily pick Rosalie’s roan form coming up towards them. It hadn’t seemed like mommy had heard her, but she still had to apologize. Just...not right now. There were more important things for them to do right now.

Elysia:

Elsy had only been running for a short while before she spotted Gilly and Danzig just ahead of her, and she skidded to a halt beside them, greeting the two of them with a nose bump on their necks. A moment later Rosalie had clambered up the slope to meet them as well, and Elysia ducked her head under the older doe’s, knowing that Rosie would be as worried for Aytan as she was.

A tremendous crash came from the Glade far below them, and all four of them turned to watch King Drustan’s golem wreaked havoc among the remaining herdmembers. The King himself -- or was it ex-King, now? -- and the group of those loyal to him were nowhere to be seen, and Elsy could only hope that they were on their way North.

“We need to go,” Elysia said quietly, turning to gaze North. “‘Head to Loch Kerr’, that’s what Aytan said,” She frowned; Aytan had never really told her how to actually get there. She knew it was North, and Aytan had once told her something about all rivers leading to the Loch, but whether that was just a tale told to youngsters she couldn’t be sure. One things she did know, though, was that the Loch was near the Mountains, which she could just about see in the distance. It was a long way away.

She flicked her tail and took a step or two away, pausing to wait for the rest of her adoptive family to follow after her. “C’mon,” she said gently, smiling reassuringly. “We’ll be there before you know it.”

Rosalie:

The final steps up the hill she labored up, her muscles protesting and her ankle starting to throb. As she crested the hill, she saw a familiar palomino figure stood with her children. “Oh, Elsy...” she exclaimed breathlessly as she slid to a stop, curling her neck over Elysia’s as the palomino tucked her own head under.

She looked to her children, before a crash from below sounded. Turning toward the ruckus, she saw the rock beast take on the herd. The ones loyal to King Drustan were nowhere in sight.

Looking at Elysia, she nodded. The sooner they were gone, the sooner they could find the small band of loyalists and Aytan. Looking over to her children, she smiled tiredly. “Elysia is right, we’ll be there before we know it.” Turning back around, she walked after Elsy, and then picked up a slow trot. Nodding her head, she ushered her children in front of her, and she took up the rear.

Danzig

He was worried now, seeing how his sister was reacting with hints of anger on and off her face, whatever was causing all the fuss he knew something really bad was going to happen.  When he got the hill he was slowing down to a trot when he saw his new sister Elysia on the hill after Gilly and himself got to the hill first.  After he got the hill, Elysia nose bumped him.  Shortly after that he saw his mother coming up to meet them at the hill   He didn’t know where this Lock Kerr was that she was mentioning.  Suddenly he heard a loud noise and looked to see King Drustan’s stag creature take on the rest of the herd.  He shivered in fear but looked on in wonderment of such a creation that the king had made.  He felt his mother nudge him, turning his attention back to his new sister and mother, he was shaking some, but intipation of what the next part of their journey.  He followed after his sister with Elsy leading the way.

Gilraen

Nuzzling her mother quickly on the cheek in silent apology - even if Rosalie hadn’t heard it, Gilly still felt bad - she listened as the others spoke. The anger was abating a bit, but in it’s place more fear was building. Gilly shivered as she looked back where Danzig was focused, and saw the huge stone creature in the midst of the herd. Fawnlings were running in every direction, trying to escape the rampage, while a few stayed to fight it.

She wanted to leave, now! The faster they got away from this bad place, the better! Her hooves skittering on the loose earth, she followed Elysia towards Loch Kerr.

~~~~~~~~~~

Aytan:

It was a day or two after Aytan and the King’s group had left the main herd, and he couldn’t help but worry about the location of Rosie, Elsy and the rest of his adoptive family. The way they’d come had been sealed off behind them for defence against their pursuers, so his family would have to find another way round instead, if there even was one. Still, he kept hope, and plodded resolutely after the band of fleeing fawnlings, determined to protect them if nothing else.

They were setting up a rest point for the night, and the sun was just setting when suddenly the does at one end of the group were suddenly tense, squinting off into the trees and swishing their tails in agitation. The stags took up defensive positions in front of them, but through the trees Aytan could already see their was no real threat, and rushed up to his family as fast as he could, embracing them all and holding them close, especially his two favourite ladies. He couldn’t stop smiling as they looked up at him, and he returned to the group with them in tow, a triumphant look on his face.

Rosalie:

Rosie panted as she sluggishly trotted after her children and Elysia. Her ankle throbbed and ached, though she pushed through it. The past days and nights were a blur in their rush to find Aytan and the rest of the “rebels”. The youngsters had more energy than her, being able to bounce back after only a few hours rest the other night. She felt exhausted on the other hoof. The need to find her mate what kept her going, and the fear of what would happen if they were caught, especially her half blood children. So she had pushed through exhaustion and pain to keep them going.

She remembered them coming up to a blocked river way and having to find a new way. That had been early in their journey, and she was glad Elsy was there to guide them. For she didn’t know if she’d been up to the challenge of finding a new way.

The sun was close to setting, large long shadows cleaving their way through the forest. Rosie took a breath, and recognizing the scent, inhaled and rolled her eyes around, searching for the owners of the smells. Fawnling, though if they were enemy or friend, she couldn’t tell, yet. A few more steps, and... Eyes widening, Rosie almost forgot the pain, and picked up her pace, catching up to the youngsters.

She stepped on sticks, pushed through branches, and made all manner of ruckus but she didn’t care. She could see through the leaves other does, and then the familiar red stag. Smiling and a few tears falling down her cheeks, she ran past the other does and the few stags, not caring about what they saw. Elsy and the children beat her to Aytan, though made room for her as she collided against him and them, her shoulder pushed against his chest as she embraced him.

After a few minutes of this, she finally pulled away and returned Aytans smile as he looked over them all. No words were needed, they knew they would be safe. As they walked back toward the small herd for greetings, Rosie knew this was the start of a new life.

Danzig

He was so tired. His legs throbbed and stiff from the running his family had to do to get away.  He worried over his new family members and for his original family.  It was just as bad with the time his family left blackwood.  He sighed, he had to be strong and push through.  He had to make his mother proud of him and to also keep calm for his sister’s sake.  It was all such a blur, that he didn’t know the sun was beginning her ascent into slumber.  He noticed his mother was looking for a scent, soon the scent reached his muzzle.  Aytan’s scent was in the wind. They must of made it! His energy for a brief moment it seemed as almost all gone, until that sweet smell of someone familiar was brought to his muzzle. He smiled brightly like a new star born into the heavens of the sky.  He quickly got the attention of the other youngsters and charged in the direction of Aytan.  Everyone beat his worn out mother.  All giddy from the excitement. Danzig was happy to have Aytan to protect them.

Elysia:

Elysia had been at the head of the small group for the entirety of their journey, but the pressure of being the leader was beginning to get to her. What if they never found Aytan? What if they were lost forever? What if--

She dispelled the thoughts with a toss of her head, bouncing into a canter for a few steps in order to clear her mind. Suddenly, she picked up a new scent, heavy and familiar: other fawnlings. Her ears flicked backwards, and she automatically slowed down; the fawnlings might well be Aytan and the others, but they could also be Glenmorians, coming to drag them back to the herd. Rosalie, Danzig and Gilly slowed down as well, casting about for the scent.

Then, on the breeze through the trees, Elsy picked up a faint whiff of a scent she knew better than any other: Aytan. Bolting forwards, she raced through the trees and collided with her father’s chest, burying her face in his mane. The stag hooked his neck around hers and chuckled, and she could barely hide the tears that were forming in her eyes.

When she stepped back the others had caught up with her, and several of the does that had left with Aytan and Drustan were peering at them curiously. Thankfully none seemed to hold any malice in their eyes, and Elsy met their gazes with a smile. Glancing back at her small family, she let out a breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding, and for the first time in days, relaxed.</b></b>