Oh the Stories They'll Regale

Featuring Temeluch
Mentioning: Basically 90% of Haven- mostly mentioning the King of Haven/Family Daddy-Dru
Year 766 of the New Age, late Spring
Earrann's Meadow, Haven, Glenmore

Word Count: 1,333
+2 imagination
+4 Innocence
+2 speed
+2 crash test dummy

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It wasn't obscenely hard to find Teme sitting still- at least no more than it was hard to find him running around and exploring. There were simply days where he didn't want to explore or stray too far from his mother but he wasn't tired. Instead those were the days it was easiest to find him curled up in the nook of tree roots around the edge of Earrann's Meadow, staring calmly as the day passed him by. It was almost frightening how still he would become, his eyes and flank being the only things that moved. Yet he watched, noticing almost everything. Putting faces to names. Learning how certain family members walked. It was also notable when he spotted someone he knew such as his siblings- his lips would quirk just enough to be registered as the ghost of a smile,

This happened to be one of those lovely days. He had his legs tucked against him loosely as he leaned on the thick root of the tree that gave him shelter from the heat of the day. Gentle moss and lush grass made his bedding. His ears pricked forward to watch as the herd flowed about in their patterns. The flow of daily life interested him- the interactions that flowed between them. For him it was hard to imagine that this wasn't just a little show just for him. That the beings before him, walking to and fro, had entire lives they lived outside of the spare moments he knew of, had experiences, had lived through things he'd never know personally outside of stories- the very thought sent his mind for a whirl. That there were stags and hinds, bucks, colts, and fillies who he had never known or looked at- entire herds of them by the dozens- where they had experienced so much! Oh the thought was too much!

Yet despite what many would call a frightening head-twister of a thought, it electrified him and made him want to do things. His need to know about the experiences, his need to experience it himself- it was insatiable. It was like a pang of hunger that never went away. He wanted more, he wanted the exciting, the sorrowful, the painful, the happy- he wanted it all. He wanted it all so that one day when he was old and had fawns of his own he could spend the rest of his days telling them all about it so that the stories never went away. That the moments were never forgotten. That the ones who had lived through it were honored again.

For now, though, he was content in Haven. The draw to leave as his elder siblings had done just this past year, and would again come the autumn, was a dull throb but one he could put up on the top of a tree and leave be. For now he was content making his daddy and his papa proud of him through becoming a guard. Teme hummed as the thought of his dad came to the forefront of his mind. The stories he'd heard already- the creation of Haven. His minds eye allowed for him to 'see' it before him, the earth and the grass flowing around his knees. An oak greater than any other he had seen before in his short life, reaching towards the sky in a seemingly infinite stretch for the heavens. Two of his siblings, the ones with the bark and the plants growing on them, dashing out into the herd of faceless stags and does.

The rumble of noise like thunder, rising like a tide and washing over the lands like the sea. Booming threats, whirling horrible words. His father with his chest puffed up, standing before them and commanding the guards that would listen to their king. The ones who remained loyal. Fighting against the crowd as it tried to wash his father away. The great red stag who's coat was as red as blood with a mane as thick as a tree and legs like trunks, a rack like the tines of barren trees in the winter- standing before his father as he tried to at last get away to follow his family. 

His favorite part. The great gollum. The broad chested creation of earth itself, rising from the depths and from the forest. Willed to life by his father, the King. The perfect image of the former Captain of the Guard, the fallen ruler of the Guards, his fallen grandsire. He could picture it perfectly- his coat made from the short grass, his mane made from moss. His body sculpted rocks, rippling with the muscle so near to it's makers. The trees like veins, branches twining together to form a tail. Rearing it's head back, crying out it's great power and might. Larger than any fawnling he had ever seen it would tower over the herd, defending it's master from the red monster and whomever else sought to harm his family.

The running, running that would not cease until they could no longer go. The finding of the blessed home that was Haven. Pooling together their strength to create the great barrier that thus protected them from any hunters who had kept up. Teme sighed heavily and pulled his head up, looking at the world around him that he had known as home his whole life. Yes- it was stories like that in which interested Teme so. The stories that told of heart-break, of strength in family, which in the end pooled into a great lesson that family kept beside family through anything. The stories that ended up as masterpieces of beauty which would be kept alive for generations.

Teme hummed to himself. His daddy might not be the King of Glenmore, but he was certainly a King. The Great King of Haven and, more importantly, the King of Family. Teme quivered a bit with delight, getting to his feet and bouncing off in his normal prance. He was a prince after all, and therefore needed to look and act like one! He could not let his dad down. One step, second step, head held high, third and fourth. Tail fanning like a flag, a banner of his family, behind him. He was charging now- there was a great war. The King of Haven was leading the charge, he could see it now- the pale hide half sweaty already from the voyage to meet their enemies in battle, strong hooves beating like a steady song to the call of war. Igniting passion in those that charged behind, does and stags alike. Racks pointed down, teeth bared, fire in their eyes. 

Long and short legs stretching out to overtake ground, eating it up as they sped through open lands. Grass flowing like water around their knees, a great tree in the background. Their enemies- spanning like a great mountain endlessly in either direction. There were streams, though, streams of does and stags racing forward to join the Great King of Haven. The thrum was getting louder. The enemies were being led by a dark colored, pale chested stag with a vile look in his eyes. The distance was closing between them, they were getting closer. The thrum was reaching it's maximum- washing against his ears with every breath. Every perfectly timed step. It jarred in his bones, calling to him. Helping him increase his speed to keep up with his great father.

The daydream ended abruptly as he ran chest first into a tree. The thrum left him as he crumpled into it's roots- shocked and trying hard to regain his breath which had been forcefully shoved out of him. It took him a few seconds but he could breathe. When he could though, he lost it again as he was lost to peals of tinkling laughter, pure and innocent. Oblivious to the darkness of the war he had imagined. Only seeing the greatness of his father. His daddy was simply the best.

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Author's Note: 

Omfg this was beautiful to write. To finally tap into what I feel is Teme's true ability to imagine things. Every last bit of him can get lost to a daydream, his senses leaving him vaguely until something knocks him forcefully out of it. Also no- this isn't a prediction. Or at least, as far as I'm aware of it's not. To my knowledge it's just a daydream where Teme's idolizing his daddy, Dru, as a great strong king who will do absolutely great things because he's great. Teme won't actually balance out his adoration of his fathers until he's a fair bit older and appreciates the calm nature of Mael. Don't worry though, he adores papa just as much as he does daddy. 

Also Teme's a lot braver in day-dreams than in the reality of things. Put him in a situation like that when not daydreaming and unless he absolutely has to stay he will be running the other direction.