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The great beast of the winter woods has often been compared to an ancient oak or a monstrous wolf but even the most ancient or monstrous of wolfs or trees once started out as saplings and pups; And so too did the beast.
To meny years ago for any mortal to recall the beast was no beast but a sprite little thing, tiny nubs instead of the current mental of antlers and light grey fawn like spots speckled his back. He wasn't more then a sapling, a fawn or a pup back then. He had kinder eyes filled with nieve wonder instead of the cold jaded glare he carrys currently. Back then there was no hunger, no lantern, no wayword souls just him and his small Grove. He was a strange thing, a rare thing. And we all know what humans like to do to strange and rare things.
It was easy to catch him, after all he was too young to know caution when around humans. All it took was a well placed trap and good timing.
He was sold. A high price no doubt, rare and exotic creatures and cryptics normally are quite expensive. A zoo bought him first, called him a strange new species of deer. Then a few different rich nobles and curious mages, either wanting to improve their own standing with their peers by having such a strange creature or, unfortunately, they tried to figure out what he was, though experiments, tests, or questions.
Lastly he ended up with a circus, just another oddity. Though they were probably the worst if he must be honest, he was with them the longest. He was 'trained' to do tricks and to bellow out songs for them, like they would any other animal they caught. He was still young then but his mind was no longer nieve, he knows who the real monsters are. Kind, curious eyes turned jumpy and distrusting, he may have still been not much more then a pup but the chains that bound him stole any of the child like wonder he used to have.
It was a accident, not his fault (though he wished it was) he still doesn't know really what happened.
He remembered the flames that burned the tents, the embers then singed his hooves and the smoke that hide his excape. He can't remember how he had removed his shackles, when was the last time he'd been free from the chains? He couldn't really recall. However he did recall the countless scars and the horrific were of his rists from wearing the shackles for so long. Days blurred as he ran, slept, ran, slept, until he reached the Grove, his grove, home.
He dragged himself into the old burrow that used to be he bed, though a few years of disuse rendered it filthy and covered with bugs and webs. It was smaller too or maybe he was just bigger, he didn't know or care to think about.
He idelly watched a large spider gingerly move across the burrow, he'd probably woking it up form their hibernation. his expression was cold as if he was still in shock from his previous experiences. It didn't feel real to him. He couldn't help but fight sleep as if the moment his eyes closed he'd wake up in chains.
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Beast startled awake, he felt something wrapped around him and for a moment terror consumed him as he looked down expecting cold iron chains, though he breathed out a sob of relief when he saw only ribbons. He felt a stray ribbon brush against his cheek, wiping away the tears he hadn't noticed start to fall; looking up he say Enoch looking down at him a understanding concern ebbed onto his features.
"are you alright, darling?" his voice was soft, the kind of soft that just made the beasts heart ache with love for the larger worden. Beast subconsciously leaned into Enochs touch as he spoke "yes, I'm fine now. Just a dream, nothing to fret over" but even as he spoke his voice still wavered, threatening to crack.
There was a moment of silence as Enoch regarded the smaller warden, obviously not really believing the other but after a long moment he silently wrapped every spare ribbon around his love and pulled him against himself, he wasn't constricting just gently holding.
The winter worden scoffed quietly at the tallers concern "I'm fine, Enoch. Really, you don't need to be so worried" Enochs only response was to tighten his hold and start to gently sway, rocking the two.
Stray ribbons would brush up against old scars and long sense healed wounds as if trying to take away the pain that shouldn't be there in the first place but remands regardless. At his lovers gentle petting beast couldn't help the lerch of his heart as he felt fresh tears slowly start to trickle down his cheeks, he quickly moved to hide his face among the masses of ribbons as he aloud them to get soaked up by the fabric.
"y-you really needn't wor- hic- ry about this. Its not like there's a-anything that can be done" his voice was horse and muffled as he spoke, again Enoch seemed to ignore his weak protests and continued his conforting.
Eventually after a while of this the beast felt himself start to drift off again to sleep while be cradled against his partner, as he felt his eyes close Enoch gave him a small reassuring squeeze.