The Demon Deer

Chapter 4

           Tinley loped excitedly through the snow drifts, laughing loudly everytime he managed to catch a snowflake on his tongue. The air was cold and crisp but he liked the way it burned his lungs when he breathed.

          "You really think you're something don't you?"

          Even if Tinley hadn't recognized the low angry voice, there was only one deer other than him that would be out in this weather if they didn't have to be. He turned to find Dietrich leaned against a tree, arms crossed over his chest in what his mother would refer to as a defensive posture.

          Dietrich was a spike three summers older than Tinley, and three hands taller, working his way into adolescence, his antlers long since starting to come in but had yet to slit into three points. One side of his mouth was curled up in his signature perpetual sneer.

           Most of the other fawn avoided Dietrich because he was always angry and spoiling for a fight, using his size to intimidate and bully, but he did not scare Tinley. Tinley was his father's son, and his father had taught him how to see. He saw the lack of a wrap, how Dietrich fought off the cold with nothing more than the heat of his anger, the holes in his boots and how they were stuffed with rags. He saw the bruises left by an abusive buck who loved his drink more than his fawn.

          "Too good to even answer me?" Dietrich said, suddenly fuming with anger, reaching out to grab Tinley by his wrap and yanking him up on his toes. "How about I show you---"

          Tinley ended the rant by gently pressing the blade against the inside of Dietrich's thigh, right over the femoral artery, looking up into his eyes as he did so. When he spoke it was calm and quiet, in the voice of a leader, in the voice of his father.

          "Dee... Listen to me and I mean really and truly listen because it is the difference between life and death... Your life and death." Tinley told him softly. "If you ever touch me again... I'll kill you and leave your body for the wolves. I pray to the forest that you don't think I'm lying because I would hate to do so. I will need strong Young bucks like you in my Vanguard when I lead."

          Dietrich's ears pointed up at that, not believing he would ever be worthy of such an honor, then down in shame as he looked at his fist, clinched in Tinley's wrap, releasing him in embarrassment. Smarter than the strongest. My father's son indeed.

         " You need a new wrap and boots. I don't want you getting sick so come by my hut at first light." Tinley said over his shoulder as he walked away, knowing charity would be viewed as an insult to someone like Dietrich so he spoke it as a command instead. "Be there in time for breakfast. It would do my mother good to have another buck in the house." He smiled to himself as Dietrich reached up to touch his antlers, cheeks flushing, and then , surprisingly enough, dipped his head.