"You’ll understand when you have kids of your own."

My parents’ words ring in my ears. Right now, I’m tempted to tell my eye-rolling past self to buckle up and back off on the attitude. But, to be fair, Past Me had no frame of reference. I hadn’t had cubs yet.

Leonie’s and Finn’s tails stick out like exclamation points, signaling their excitement. They just opened their eyes. Should they be hunting? On the other hand, this is a fantasy game world. We’ve long since established that normal animal biology doesn’t apply.

[Leonie! Finn! Don’t wander off!]

I am in Beast Dad Mode, ruling over our little tribe. Actually, a group of tigers is called a streak or an ambush. So, I rule over our little streak. Today, however, ambush seems more appropriate.

Lightning projects her voice, too. [Come back.]

The cubs don’t respond. Kids! You can’t do anything with them.

Gussie dive-bombs them. "Stop! Stop!"

"No hunt," Dag squawks.

That is the first thing I’ve agreed with Dag on. At least he’s learning. Perhaps that’s Gussie’s influence. They have been spending lots of time together.

Kasz has joined us, slashing the undergrowth with a scimitar as if it’s an attacking enemy. "No fear, Raar and Raara. Your cubs are strong. They must know how to survive."

I give a little "mrrrp," because what am I going to say? To Kasz, hunting the minute you’re born is normal. Goblins probably don’t coddle their kids. And, honestly, most animals and birds don’t have long childhoods, not like humans.

Kaline tries to catch Leonie. "They don’t need to go hunting today!"

Leonie’s scent is all over the place. Leaves and grass scatter everywhere from the cubs’ romp and from Kasz’s attack on the greenery. Birds and animals chorus their protests over the disruption. My paws brush aside soft grass and crunchy leaves. I spit out a rather bitter-tasting insect that flies into my mouth.

This hunt has engaged all my senses. But then, everything appears more vivid. My stats checks haven’t registered anything unusual, any increase in my abilities. Maybe the enhanced awareness comes from the Amulet of Beast Power? Or from some other source?

Lightning speeds ahead after Finn’s exclamation-point tail that is disappearing into the forest. [Blaze! Help me.]

But I’m too distracted by the vibrations of the ground underfoot. A minuscule tremor, but then it grows. Something is coming. It feels like hoofbeats. A deer? An elk? A horse or a unicorn? I hope not a pig, for Einswine’s sake. We will have to let it live. Pork is not seen on the Lammermoor and Riddlehoeven tables.

I put a note of urgency in my voice. [Something’s coming, Lightning! Take cover with Finn!]

Lamant shouts, "Everyone be ready! Something is coming."

Leonie! Where is Leonie? Oh. She has her paws on a tree trunk. Maybe trying to climb up? What a brave girl. However, I can’t let her get trampled. Taking the scruff of her neck in my mouth, I lift her off the ground, inspiring "mrrrps" of protest.

[NO!]

Leonie and Finn know a few words, basic words. "No" is one of them.

[Sorry, little one. Hunting might be good for you, but you have to know your limitations.]

Leonie still bombards me with sulky "mrrrps" while Lightning wrangles Finn and carries him off in her mouth. His indignant "mrrrps" come thick and fast. A united sibling front. [NO!]

CRASH. CRASH.

A big mystical bioluminescent deer strides into view. The monarch of the forest, the queen of the glade. This deer has an expression that says: What are you doing in my territory?

Suddenly, I rethink the hunt. We DO need fresh meat, but maybe we picked the wrong prey.

I connect with Kaline. [This deer looks dangerous.]

She replies instantly. [Hans and Elandior say back away. Slowly. Mother and Father agree, and Niall does too.]

Good enough for me!

Obeying the instruction, we back off, carrying our precious burdens in our mouths. Slowly, we retreat toward the safety of the glade.

The glowing deer eyeballs us, tracking our every move. Now that we’ve stepped into her domain, she has earned the right to watch us for any shenanigans.

I crouch as low as I can to appear innocuous. Lightning dips her head, but not so far that Finn drags on the ground. How far is it back to the clearing, anyway? The path seems endless.

Still, eerily so, the deer stands, watching our judicious retreat.

Gussie squawks, "Keep moving."

I flick my ears in acknowledgment. We’d pick up the pace if we could, but we don’t want the deer to feel threatened.

[Why do we need to back off?} Lightning asks me. [Is it because the deer is glowing?]

[No idea. Maybe.]

I loop in Demos, Einswine, Peridot, and Lobo. [Any of you ever run across a glowing deer?]

Einswine, as the most overpowered beast and the eldest of our band, knows. [One touch from its hide and you will be in agony. I had heard tales that the Eldritch Doe vanished years ago. Apparently it was just hiding.]

I shiver. [Will it let us pass through the forest?]

[One problem at a time, dear boy.] Einswine sounds almost fatherly. [First, it must see that we are no threat. Then perhaps we may reach an accommodation.]

Finally, our paws brush the soft grass of the clearing and we stay in the sun. After instructing the cubs not to leave again, we set them down. Fortunately, the romp has made them drowsy, and they fall asleep on the spot. Phew.

Einswine has named the deer. The Eldritch Doe. I ask Kaline about it.

Kaline says, "Father, Mother, Elandior. Einswine knows what the deer is."

Lamant sucks air through his teeth. "I thought it was just a myth despite all the lore. No one has seen it in ages."

Minette offers, "Seems that it doesn’t like visitors."

Elandior shakes his head, lustrous hair flying. "It is a perplexing beast. Before you ask, incapable of being tamed."

Niall snorts. "Not that it’s ever stopped some folk."

The implication lands. Tamers have died in agony because they didn’t heed the warnings about the dear’s deadly glow, or its intractable nature.

Vedette frowns. "We have to get through this forest. Either that or backtrack and be late for the tournament. To think of that main road--"

"Hush." Minette dismisses that notion. "We’re committed now. Let’s try and talk to the beast. Lobo is willing."

"So is Lightning," Hans proclaims. "And where she leads, Blaze follows."

I offer a "mrrrp" of acquiescence.

Einswine, as the senior beast, addresses the Eldritch Doe, which surveys us from the periphery of the glade and the shade of the trees. It still glows in the dark.

[Oh noble beast, we mean you no harm. Forgive us travelers stalking prey. We have provisions yet for the journey. And please, do to take umbrage at these two puny kittens learning to hunt.[ He points his snout at the cubs. [They are newborn and do not know the ways of the world. We beg your indulgence and tender our apologies.]

Finished speaking for now, he plants his hooves in the grass, not in an aggressive stance, but to show that he is not encroaching on the doe’s space. He waits for the doe’s response.

With a shake of its head, the doe appears to consider his words. I would ask System its stats, but on second thought, I don’t want to know.

The doe’s silence makes everyone hang back, uncertain. Maybe a long pause is auspicious? On the other hand, it can be agonizing if it goes on too long.

[You sought to hunt me?]

The musical voice resounds in our minds. Lightning’s body trembles with the power of it. Lobo howls. Peridot coils in the air. Gussie and Dag hover at a distance. Yes, even Dag knows to give this beast a wide berth.

Einswine is candid. [We conceal nothing from you. Yes. We heard and smelled game, and we wanted to hunt. However, we are conscientious. Moral. We respect other creatures.]

He’s a good mouthpiece, if a little pedantic. But then, he is the senior citizen of the group.

The Eldritch Doe responds. [How do I know that you will not try to hunt me? All this could be tucking me into trusting you. And I do not trust HUMANS. Or halflings, or elves. Or goblins.]

Wonderful. A paranoid beast who hates humans and dislikes carnivores. Even Gussie and Dag get the stinkeye.

Spitting out a leaf he was chewing like gum, Kasz comments, "Wish I knew what she was saying."

Einswine addresses the Eldritch Doe. [Valid. All valid points. However, we will not hurt you. After all, you have natural defenses. All we want is to pass through this forest with all due haste.]

Demos makes an "ufff" that doesn’t sound entirely civil. [And the longer we stand here talking, the longer you’re stuck with us. So, let us pass.]

Lightning licks a sleeping Leonie and Finn. [You can see our cubs are tired. They are no threat to you. We should get them back in the wagon. Please.]

Lamant addresses the deer. "Please, let us pass. We bear you no ill will."

The Eldritch Doe smells spicy with wariness. Suspicion is pungent. What will it choose?