ORIGIN

The stag slowly made her way down the incline, bugling to draw their attention. They raised their heads to face her, going still.

She reached flat ground, and stepped towards them, grunting. One, a male, grunted, stepping forwards. And then it was rushing her, and she attempted to jump out of the way, but stumbled on her split knees.

And pain.

She was bowled over by the reindeer, his antlers tearing a gash in her side. The deer crashed to the ground with a groan, dully hearing the rest of the herd scatter.

Something was snuffling at her face.

Artume groaned, opening her eyes. The bold Reindeer from the first herd was nudging at her head, beady eyes somehow concerned. She grunted, and rose to her knees with a strangled gasp of pain, as rocks and twigs dug into her split knees, and then into the open gash on her side.

She stood, then, carefully.

The rest of the first herd was scattered nearby, looking around. A blow of air drew her attention, and she turned her head, startled to see the third herd staring at her from the trees.

Artume took a deep breath, observing the herd. They seemed wary, staring her down, looking between her and the gathered herd.

She groaned, but bugled a greeting, stepping forward and grunting. The herd stared at her, but didn't balk - although they didn't approach her, either.

Her ears twitched back, listening for the other herd. Life would get so much harder if they decided to run off.

The bold reindeer stepped forward when she did, and she turned her head, meeting its gaze. What was it doing?

As their eyes met, her Magic reached out, and she was barely aware of it. At least, that was, until it lashed out. Pain lashed into her head, and she screamed, collapsing to her knees in a kneel.

The reindeer, too, staggered, balking and racing back, being stopped as it collided with the steep incline they had had to skid down. Its sides heaved, and it stared at her in alarm.

Slowly, the throbbing pain began to filter from her head, although a light pain still lingered in her temples. She shivered, slowly standing, confusion on her face. What had that been?

Was that a spell? She hadn't known she was capable of it, but she doubted that was what was supposed to happen. She knew what a backfiring spell felt like, and that was quite similar.

Stumbling forward, she pushed, attempting to aim her magic at the bold Reindeer, but nothing happened. It panted, staring at her, still clearly alarmed, but beginning to calm.

Artume frowned.

She knew she wasn't wrong - she had felt the spell go through her, and it had hurt. And she wanted to know what it did.

She stopped approaching the bold Reindeer, fearing scaring it off. It stared her down, ears twitching. Thankfully, it no longer seemed in pain. She grunted, lowly, a friendly sound, while attempting to throw her magic again, but it refused to respond.

One of the other reindeer nipped at her side, seemingly attempting to groom her black fur.

Artume allowed it - she couldn't remember the last time someone else had groomed her, it felt rather nice, actually. She grunted at the bold Reindeer, while attempting to draw on her Magic. But it was quiet, not doing a thing.

The bold Reindeer stepped forward, grunting curiously.

She twitched her ears, sighing as another reindeer joined the other in grooming her. Now that she was standing still, it seemed, she was no longer such a source of alarm. They were treating her like herd, comfortable enough with her to groom her. And it felt good.

The deer looked at the bold Reindeer, as she had deemed him, focusing on him. Surely, her magic couldn't falter forever. She called on it, trying to will it to act, but it was as silent as a dry stream-bed.

Her hoof was beginning to throb - her Magic was wearing thin. One more attempt, she decided.

Ignoring the two - no, three - reindeer that were now grooming her, she locked eyes with the Reindeer. Her Magick began to whirl, her hoof-gem gleaming.

...?

The bold Reindeer went still, looking as startled as she was. She got a feeling of confusion, and if she had to put words to it she would say it said What was that?

"Hello." she grunted, eyes wide, the reindeer grooming her balking as she spoke.

She got a rather distinct feeling of Hello in return as the bold Reindeer grunted, leaning forwards to sniff at her muzzle.

"A name? Do you have one?" she asked, brain rather scrambled. There was a feeling of confusion, and he shook himself.

"I'll call you Bold, then. I've been calling you that already." she decided, nodding her head.

He grunted, and she rather thought he agreed Good name.

They're back. Bold seemed to say, sounding relieved.

She looked back over her shoulder, seeing that the herd from before had returned, after scattering at the sound of her scream. They were observing her and the others, seeming tense.

And Artume got an idea.

"I need to get them to come with me, can you help me?" she asked Bold, looking back at the reindeer.

They will follow me. he bugled, nodding his head. She watched as he approached the herd, grunting and bobbing his head. Some of the body language was alien to her - she had never spent much time with other deer - but when he turned back to her, the others followed.