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Chapter five: all things too must come to an end.

Rapunzel burst out of the woods and into the open field.
Her eyes wide as she saw the figures of Varian and a doe running through the waist high grass.

"VARIAN!" She called, running after him." WAIT"

They had almost crossed the field when he heard her.
Skidding to a halt he whirled around, eyes wide at Rapunzel.

"PRINCESS!?" He called out, his voice laced full of surprise.

But what happened next surprised him even more.
He almost collapsed at the wave of pain that flooded him.
He let out a cry, which stopped Meara in her tracks.

She ran back to him, worry written on her beautiful face.
She ran in front of him, stomping her hoof in warning at Rapunzel and the two animals.

Rapunzel gasped at seeing Varian in so much pain and went to steep forward, but the calls the aggressive doe made stopped her.

Ruddiger chittered at Rapunzel and she nodded her head.

Max started forward, the coon sitting on his back.
The doe snorted and huffed at them, stomping and jumping up, bringing her front legs down harshly against the ground.

"STAY AWAY" Meara yelled in warning.

"We're his friends " Max said, slowing his approach.

Meara snapped at them,her ears laying flat against her head.
Ruddiger popped up from where he was and called out to the boy, who was slowly standing on his feet.

"Varian!! It's me Ruddiger! Your little pal"

The doe, recognizing Ruddigers name, started at them, then looked menacingly back at the human behind them.

"Guys " Varian said, happy but confused " how'd you find me?"

"You know them?"
Meara glanced back at him, her eyes looking into his for an explanation.

"That's what I was going to tell you before-"
Varian stopped as the wind picked up.

He glanced above them, looking at the dark rumbling clouds that rolled their way.

"Do you know the human too?"

"Yes " he replied " I do. And she's the sweetest human, she'd never hurt us or any other animal."

Meara stomped her hoof again, as Max tried to get closer.
She was still weary of these so called friends.

But the next words Varian said, had her at a loss.
"Please Mother " he said softly " they mean us no harm."

She looked back at her fawn, and smiled.
He looked so beautiful. She'd come to love him as her own.
She went to move towards them, when she suddenly stopped.

A glint of light in the forest infront of them caught her attention for the brief second it flashed.

Her head shot up, her tail standing on end, and Varian looked at her confused.
"RUN!"

With that she nipped at Varian, turning him to run to the side, urging him to get to the woods that lay so close.

Max called after them in confusion, but the Swang! of a missed arrow flew past the horse.

Max reared on his hind legs, whinnieing as Rapunzel ran towards them, crying out in fear a shock.

She swung up on Max, Ruddiger holding into the saddle as she spurred Maximums towards where the hunter must be.

She let her hair loose and held it in ready, and the white stallion galloped across the field.

No Arrows were flying at them, and she glanced over towards the two deer.