(Read part one here: http://www.endlessforest.org/community/beginning .)
(Read part two here: http://www.endlessforest.org/community/playground-0 .)

Moonlight filtered through the branches overhead and dappled Karma's already patterned pelt as she stepped lightly into the large mushroom ring. She was not the first to arrive. Across the clearing sat a stag with strange golden antlers and a smooth black face. His dark blue pelt shimmering and glistened as if wet.

"It's about time," he said gruffly as Karma approached. She smiled warmly at her brother, knowing full well he was only grumpy because he hated being away from his beloved pond for so long. Not long ago, Echo had suggested that they hold their meetings upstream at the bridge--to be close to the gods, he had argued--but of course Stella would hear nothing of it.

Stella was there too, pacing restlessly around the ring. The candles on her antlers cast eerie shadows across her orange pelt, and her eyes glinted out from her painted face with frustration. "It's about time is right!" she exclaimed. "How many moons has it been now? I've had the candidates in mind since I was practically a fawn. The forest is full of stags in their prime this season. We couldn't have had more fortunate timing. It benefits nothing to wait. And where is our youngest sister, anyway? Off picking poppies?"

"Not quite," came a muffled reply, and all three deer turned their heads to see Coriander slip into the ring. She dropped a pile of sweet-smelling brush next to her brother. "I didn't mean to keep anyone waiting, but I thought you might like some refreshments."

"Hmph," grunted Stella as she bent to sniff the pile. Echo was already nibbling.

"Don't worry. I just arrived too. However," Karma paused, glancing at her fiery sister, "Stella is right. We have a lot to discuss tonight so I'll get right to it. What have we learned since our last meeting?

(Read part one here: http://www.endlessforest.org/community/beginning .)

It was midday and two fawns frolicked through the violets on the path that led to the playground. The larger fawn went first, head held high, drinking in the fresh forest air, his tail twitching with excitement. Where the violet thinned out into yellow grass, he spun around and let out a playful roar. The lighter fawn, who had paused to soak in the sunlight as it filtered through the branches, pricked her ears at his roar and skipped over to him.

"What's the rush?" she asked.

"There's never any rush, according to you. If I wasn't around, you probably wouldn't make it to the playground until sundown, and then it'd be time to go home." He shook his body head to tail and spun around again, looking over his shoulder. "Come on. I'll race you!"

Without giving her a chance to protest, he bounded away through the grass. The young doe only hesitated a moment. Then, with a small hop, she was racing lightly after him.

The two friends skidded to a halt as the half-buried boulders loomed before them. A brief silence fell upon them as they gazed up in awe at the highest peak. The doe walked forward and pressed her cheek gently against the base of the rock. It was cool, as if the sun's rays did not reach this far down its stony mass. She guessed the top would be warmer. A scraping sound made her look to her right, and she saw her friend scrambling up one of the smaller boulders. A smile slowly spread across her face. She trotted over to join him, leaping nimbly onto the small rock and widening her stance to steady herself as she landed. She laughed when she saw her friend's surprised expression and leaped easily away onto the next rock and the next, making her way up to the peak.

Karma Elmheart

Air Weaver


This is how Karma looks in the forest:


Picto: K

Birthday: Her true birthday is December 5th, but she has been reborn many times throughout the history of the forest.

Background: Karma is the eldest of the four element weaver siblings. They are members of the ancient herd of Elmheart who possess magic powers granted them by the gods long ago. Although the Elmheart herd has disappeared from the forest many times, the element weavers have reappeared time and again to begin it anew.

Personality: Karma is generally kind and playful, although she has her quiet, pensive moments. She is wise but does not let that keep her from mingling with the other forest inhabitants. She loves to cast spells, as do all of the element weavers. Her favorite place in the forest is the playground where she can run and leap to her heart's content. She loves all the creatures of the air, the birds and butterflies especially, and she has been known to transform herself into a dove from time to time. She makes friends easily but rarely sticks around in one place long. She is a restless spirit and a wanderer.

Karma stood in the deserted playground and sniffed the breeze. She let the cool air flow through her nostrils and fill her chest. She had waited for this day ever since her eyes first opened on her beloved forest once again. That was over a month ago, and it had taken her a while to get her bearings--and to remember. Being a fawn again had toyed with her mind, but now she was grown and she had found her old spells. It was time to bring them back.

Fire must be first. Karma raced on the wind, searching the forest for a flicker. Ah, there--by the ruins. She slowed and brushed by a motionless stag with candles on his antlers, catching one of her violets on fire as she went. She walked to a nearby tomb and, rubbing her antlers across it, delicately loosened the flaming flower until it fell to the ground. Quickly, she bent and breathed out a slow, deep breath. The light wavered, but did not go out. Karma stood and pawed at the ground, forming a symbol in the dirt beside the fire. She cast her spell and stood back, listening and waiting. Had she forgotten something? But no! A blinding golden light began to seep out of the grooves she had made in the forest floor. It mixed with the flames and grew until it was almost as large as Karma herself. When the light faded, there was only a smoldering pile of ashes where the burning flower had been, but lying next to it was a newborn fawn, naked but for the candles where her antlers would grow. Stella! Her heart leaped. She wanted to lie down and wrap herself around the sleeping fawn, but she knew her task was incomplete and that there would be time for their reunion shortly. A quick nuzzle and she was off.

She must bring back Echo, and the pond was the place for that. At the water's source, she darted through the tears of the the crying statue, letting its magic wash over her and turn her pelt crimson. Without stopping to shake the droplets from her fur, she leaped into the ravine.