splinters brushed against her as she walked past, starting towards the oak.

Splinters sat down in the oak, looking at the ground next to her for maria to sit.

night!

Splinters licked her withers like a mother would.

Splinters perked her ears, as..someone approached.

Splinters snorted, seeing a foggy moving figure walk by. " It's...a good thing it...didn't come a' near of you... " She murmered.

splinters glanced at her quickley, then watched the dissapearing figure fade into the fog. " Well, i would be...prot..ective..of you..of course.. " She said, a smile tugging at her mouth.

Splinters grunted as she stood up to shake the dust from her spiked fur. A bead fell from her fur tuft, along with the other one, making a *clink* on the ground. A solem, sad expression crossed her face. " Well, i guess....i couldn't help that... " She said.

Splinters frowned deepley. " My bead...it fell off... " She muttered.

Yeah im on it

" I have these...a' strange beads..around tufts of my hair on numerous places...hmhm. " She told maria, gentley picking the bead up in her mouth.

" This one..it mean love..im sure..ye.. " She said, uncovering a bead tuft with her nose.

Splinters nodded and lifted her head proudley. " I found them...all..ear the playground.. " She said, covering the bead tuft up again. " The one that fell...it was..blank.. " She nodded, and slowely sat back down.

Splinters bit a tuft of fur gentley, sliding a bead off of it. She tied it up in tuft of maria's neck fur. She smiled slightley. " My....love bead...take care of it... " She said, nudging her shoulder.

splinters shook her head. " Sure, so. But i want to give it to you. You MUST not lose it! " She snapped. " I...sure i can find more...there are plentiful amounts..im sure.. " She said, even though last time she couldn't fidn anymore.

" The bead...it wont...come loose until...you break the promise..wich mine did.. " She muttered. She put his leg around maria and pulled her closer.

Splinters closed her eyes, and reopened them, letting maria see the color in her eyes. They were a creamy dark brown, almost black, but bright at the most... " The promise that..i will protect you...and that...you will accept it.. "

Splinters cackled. " I..should tell...you more about me...I am misunderstood..i dont really..understand myself for that matter. " She said.

yeah i saw that! I see maria as a real-face deer with red fur and no antlers but its just the way I imagine her.

" I...dont know much. I see myself as somone noone...uderstands? I guess its hard to explain..yeh..but its easier than telling a lie. " She murmed the last few words. Her eyes shifted downwords to the ground.

Splinters moved her back foot from underneath maria and put it across her. " Lies are just another truth, the way i see it. " She said, putting her head on the ground and curled it around maria's chest.

Splinters was staring at her, wondering why she said that. Her nose twitched. " exactley. " She replied. The tone in her voice was of surprise.

Splinters lifted her head. " You actually agreed with a lie i told? The faded truth? That is what i beleive..but..you agreed with me....i... " Splinters broke the sentence off and stood up, walking out of the oak into the mist. She didn't know what to say to her own comment.

Splinters dissapeared into the fog.

Splinters had walked down to the water for a drink. She bent down, tossing the water around with the tip of her muzzle before taking a sip.

Splinters lifted her head, and slowely turned. She heard only the fog settling, and the faint sound of wolf howls.

Splinter's heard the yell and sprinted towards maria. As soon as she turned the corner of the tree, she rammed one of her horns..right through it's leg. A loud screech could be heard coming from the stag in agony.

As the stag turned to walk away, something snapped. Splinters reared and came down ontop of the stag. Her horn had snapped, and it remain in his leg.