Pestil | Art + Screenshots
March 25, 2025 - 2:56am — Hoodie
In the depth of the forest, where shadows curled like fingers and silence felt heavy with watching eyes, there lived a doe mottled black and white like a decomposition stain amongst snow. Her name was Pestilence.
That was what her mother called her- Pest. Not in affection, but in frustration, a scornful hiss through clenched teeth. And then one day, she just stopped calling her at all.
Pestil was left behind not long after she once stood on four legs. No goodbye, no reason– just a morning where the warmth beside her was gone, and the forest felt much colder. She didn't remember if she cried. The feelings were cloudy. Most were.
Because Pestil was cursed.
Somewhere in her earliest days– maybe when she was born, maybe when she was left– a creature found her. A beast with too many teeth, a thing that crept along the seams of thought and memory. A scaley creature, with a forked tongue and slits for eyes. Limbless. It fed on warmth. On happiness. On hope.
And Pestil? She never even knew she had been cursed. To her, she just felt a barrier between her and other deer.
She could make memories, sure. She remembered the faces of deer who showed her kindness. Remembered games in the fields of flowers, soft words, gentle laughter. But all of those moments were dry and hollow. She recalled what happened, but not how it felt. Her heart never fluttered with delight. Her eyes never welled with happy tears. It was like reading someone else’s story, written in her ink.
The only emotions that ever clung were the dark ones. Cold nights curled in a thicket with no one. The sting of hunger when food was scarce during the winter. The ache of staring at a happy pile of sleeping deer, or even a mother with her fawn, and wondering why her chest felt so empty. Those stuck. Those never faded.
Still… Pestil tried. She tried, really, really hard.
She smiled at strangers, even if it didn’t feel right. She laughed, a little too loud, a little too late. She told stories and made silly voices and pranced like no one was watching– because most of the time, no one was.
She introduced herself a few times, brightly, as “Pestilence!” or “Pest!” —and the other deer recoiled, their ears flattening, their eyes turning away in embarrassment. After that, she shortened it. “Pestil,” she would say now, while feigning a grin. It sounded softer. Less like a disease. Less of a nuisance.
She didn’t understand body language well. Touch felt confusing. Herd life was full of subtle signals– twitches of an ear, the angle of a tail– and Pestil often missed them. She often spoke when she shouldn’t. Stood too close. Asked far too many questions. Lingered when others were trying to leave.
But she meant well. She always meant well.
Sometimes, when the moon was high and sleep wouldn’t come, Pestil would try to piece together what was wrong with her. Why happy things felt so far away. Why she couldn’t remember her mother’s voice, only the way it felt to be unwanted. Why every smile she gave came with an echo of longing, like a facade of the joy she’d never known.
She wondered if maybe she was broken.
But each morning, she would rise. Shake the dew from her fur. Press forward. She would find someone to talk to. A frog to chase. A snake to sun with.
She told herself she was happy. Even if she didn’t know what that really meant.
Because Pestil didn’t need joy to keep going.
She only needed the stubborn hope that one day, the feelings, the memories, would all come back to her.
+excitable +empathetic +extrovert
-distracted -clueless -sensitive
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screenshots ! ! !
Pestil, Mewe, Eris - 4/25/25
Aaaa she's so cute!!! <33 I
what a beauty! Pestil is
Signature by Fernelescent
Oooh those ribbons looks very
Art made by Saater
I love the addition of the
signature by Atlas
forever sleepy
Rindea, thank you so very
Saater, Fern, Fjara, you guys are such sweethearts, thank you my dears!!! <33 i appreciate endlessly how all of you, Rindea, and Widmung too, and many others, being so welcoming to me in this space, allowing me to create characters with you all, and letting my deers have a cuddle with yours. <3 it's hard sometimes to find a space where you are so welcomed and equally cherished. you all have such beautiful souls. i'm very happy i met you all.
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totally unrelated but posting this here so i dont have to create a new comment/blog <3
Signature by Saater
Wonderful concept! She is
We are grateful for having Pestil join in to our company. ^^
Signature by petaldance
Aaaaa!!! Oh my gosh, the new
Also, regarding Rindea's feathers, thank you so much!! <3 I am so happy to hear that!!
And aaa of course you are always welcome!!! I bet I can speak for everyone here that we are always so happy whenever you and any character of yours joins us! <33 But yeah that is very true, it is sometimes really hard to find a space where you feel like you belong.
I feel like I went way off course with this I'm so sorry but aNWYAY-
Keep being awesome, and I hope to see you in the Forest again soon! <33
The white spot is such a cute
Signature by Rinniekins
Rindea, i'm so suprised you
Eris, I took some screenshots from that day too!! it was so much fun, I had such a blast casting spells, don't worry!! i've been there before, pressing load when you meant to press save! and it was a joy to meet your friend! Pestil quite enjoys your duo!
Signature by Saater
I didn't write because I
Signature by Fernelescent
Not me tearing up here while
Also I adore the screenshots!! So adorable, especially the last one haha.
And that is so sweet and touching Saater, Pestil being in the same corner that Saater used to hide in when he was a fawn. ;; <3
Ahhh, the screens! I didn't
Signature by Rinniekins
ahah thank you Eris!!! i love
i had to keep that screenshot from last night! i laughed SO hard when we left a perfect spot between us for Mewe and he sat backwards LOL
Signature by Saater
Pestil's new design is
Sulawesi shrimp!! That is so
signature by Atlas
forever sleepy