The small dark stag was ever the mare’s shadow. As careful as she watched her kicks, so too did he keep his antler tips pulled away. He rears and bucks taunting and teasing all the same. His heart was racing now in his chest and lungs beginning to burn with the exertion. Oh but he wouldn’t trade it for anything for it. He was young and carefree. His strengths were endlessly reaching and striving, the world in this moment at this place, a warm sunny eden of play. But those moments never last long.

The attention of the girl is stolen for a moment and the young stag follows her gaze to the gold down the beach, just coming up onto the sands. His large ears lean forward, but moon eyes turn back to her, ready to continue their game and forget the gold. Yet instead he sees her gaze linger, before tossing at him in invitation. Large ears fall back for a moment, hesitating, questioning, what was this an invitation for? When she takes off though his smile continues and he chases after her, tearing up the sands beside her.

A gold hark lifts in their direction to hear the oncoming skittering of sands. His head turns slightly to see them coming in a rounded way back to this part of the beach. The gold snorts, and looks away. He wanted to slip away, or at least hide under his cloak so he could lay in the sand and be still and quiet. The playful games of the other two were no interest. “Keep to the other side” His hisses in some exhausted breath to his bonded. He didn’t want to be pulled in. His mind was now too heavy for that, weighed down by memories and disgruntled notions that he had helped someone be happy. Grauwh, terrible.

Haldir slowed slightly at the voice and he calls to his friend as he turned slightly to the side to try and convince her as well. But her longer legs had carried her farther and beyond his call, and one of her playful kicks of sand flies well in his direction…and face.

The gold hears the noise continuing closer and pauses, looking up just in time to see the flash of the doll’s petite frame come sliding in. Sand flew up from her halt and comes showering on the gold’s back and neck. When it settles he is seen ears pinned, eyes shut, with tasseled tail flicking and switching. Haldir comes trotting up slowly as the girl’s laughter echoes, his joyful merriment halted for a moment. Moon eyes wide, and even mouth open slightly in amazement at what had happened, and a shiver for what was to come.

If she wanted annoyance, she got a little more than she bargained for. A growl rumbled somewhere deep in his throat as his dark earth eyes opened. With the slow movements of arresting anger he turned to look at the girl, his contented mood gone in complete irritation. She begins to speak but he isn’t listening. Instead he snorts, and crowned head begins and shakes his body, sending sand scattering in a cloud. Yet still the sand clung to his wet body, and he hated that feeling. It felt like he had just rolled in mud, and it felt dirty from hoof to hark. Never mind that it being sand and not dirt, it actually made his coat glimmer a little more, he didn’t care. He was the vain and proud golden, and even on his low and mellow days, his appearance was carefully kept and guarded.

Haldir, his head hanging low at the obvious irritable signs of the gold comes quietly to heel. He stands by the light doll, but with a much more guilty face. He can feel the string of curses and harsh truths lining up to lash out at the girl, as she questions him on where he was going. The stag, was not the gold though, nor was he ever completely swayed to his side. So he stood beside the girl and his little heart races with a coming decision.

Teeth chew, ready to spit out at her some dark insult, when the dark stag barks from beside the doll. “Leave her alone” Angered head snaps to the stag and the war between the two began. “She is a foolish child who learned not.” ”You have no right to teach her that.” “Who are you to say she should not learn that all is not as it appears?” “Who are you to yell? She is innocent, it was in play.” “She is a blind idiot. The Basin will destroy her.” “It will not, nor will you.” Teeth bare at the stag but his head tucks slightly in masked threat. Snorting again, the gold turns away. Even he who was about to lay the doll low could not lash out openly at the stag in front of her. Too messy. Too  tiring. Besides it would invite a lot more questions than he wanted to answer. So instead, with ears still pinned and head set low in annoyance, he glances to the girl (in one last thought of telling her off) before he begins to walk off, hoping the girl would simply take the hint and leave him be.

The stag watches with heightened intensity, his chest bulging out and head high. Yet when the gold steps forwards and away he lets out a sigh ( relief? Sadness?) and looks up to the doll beside him. His face was no longer pure light and play, but lined with the tension of the moment. Each on their side had hurled with the words imagines of memories, and the deer had been just as harsh as the gold. Still he tries to assure his new friend, not wanting her to think this tense and possibly awkward moment was…what it was. So instead he paints a pleasant fake smile upon his lips as he looks to her. Only his skills were not as good as the gold’s and his moon eyes give way the changed mood.




OOC:: Feel free to do what ever, kick him, throw more sand, chase him, or let him go. =]

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we live like thieves
     kings among men