Fox and Bird

Featuring Starling and Fox
Spring, Year 760 of the New Age
Windborne, Main Herd

Wordcount - 1011

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„Fox! Please! We don’t need to do this!“ the chestnut stag cried, followed by a gasp, when the other stag's hooves already came flying at his face, ready to strike. Starling reared up, managing to catch the other male, when suddenly a strong gust of wind grabbed him from below, almost throwing him off his feet as it ripped him backwards, Starling only barely able to counter with a gust of wind of his own, landing on all four of his legs, while the two gusts whirled away to both sides in the shape of sandy whirlwinds.

There they stood, face to face, their coats red with blood, covered in cuts and bruises. Starling tried to talk to him, he really had tried, but Fox would have none of it. He had only laughed at him, laughed him straight in the face and then he had attacked, leaving Starling no chance, but to defend himself. Why would he not listen?

“Fox! Please!” he said, breathing heavily, like his opponent. Fox was strong, very strong! Starling was not sure, if he could stand his ground for too much longer.

“Please, please, what are you? A little doe? Ha, finally someone to actually make me call this a fight and then he turns out to be nothing, but a begging weakling, like all those whimsical little idiots, from the so-called-Alliance, who tried taking me on. Really, Starling, it is a shame you are just as weak as them in the end, I could use a stag of your kind in this war!” the general scoffed.

Starling would have none of it, he just shook his head, “Listen to me, this war doesn’t even have to exist! The Alliance never meant to hurt anybody! Their believes never hurt anybody! Why can’t there be a queen? There is a queen equal to the king in Blackwood and it works just fine! Why can’t there be a god of the wind, to those, who want to believe? In Silverthorne there are 5 gods even and they are a huge, prosperous kingdom! There need to be no war!” Starling yelled.

“Pff! There really needs to be no war, because I will crush the Alliance and all those who are with them.” The general just returned.

“Listen, I know what you did to your daughter! I spoke to her. I know what you did to those fawns! I don’t know what you and the king are planning, but this is cruel, it is foolish, it is pointless!”

“Weakness is pointless!” Fox bellowed, then he smirked, “You know who also is weak? Your pretty friend Einin. I thought she was quite a striking doe, but she is just a weakling like you and your Alliance friends are. Did you know her fawn is by me? Hm, I might also take him from her, to raise him to be a proper stag, yeah, I might just do that and there is nothing you can do about it.” The stag spoke with the confidence of someone, who had hardly ever lost in his life.

Starling’s eyes went wide, he felt his blood starting to boil, not because Einin had had a fawn, not because Fox was its sire, but because the stag considered ripping away his own son from his mother and Starling saw it in his eyes, that he meant what he said.

“It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence.”

He heard the wind whisper in his ears and he knew it was right.

Before the other stag knew what happened, Starling already launched himself forward, their bodies meeting with a loud thud. The wind began to blow violently around them, Starling feeling it tug and push at him, but countering every attack with one of his own. He had clearly taken Fox by surprise with his sudden charge, the experienced stag apparently not used to being thrown into defence by an opponent and so trying to fight his way back to attack, making him go lax on his footing. He still would not let him out of his grasp easily, Fox knowing well to use Starlings bad side to his advantage, but the wind was with Starling, who waited for Fox to bite down at him, before throwing a cloud of dust into the other stag’s face, who ripped his head up with a cry of agony from the sand in his eyes. Starling used the opportunity, dived down underneath the slightly shorter stag and collecting all his remaining strengths bucked up, throwing him off his feet and into the dust. Starling immediately sinking down on him, pressing him down with his weight, one hoof right at the other’s throat, the sharp edge drawing a thin line of blood from the general’s skin.

“Good. Good.” The general croaked after a few coughs, “Now end it. Do it! End me! End the king next! End the war! Do it!” he mocked, “Haha, what a shame, what a great shame you are as weak and mislead as all the others in the end. A great shame ind . . .” the stag gave a gurgling sound, when Starling pressed harder.

“Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary.”

The wind suddenly whispered in his ears, Starling heaving a deep breath. No. It was wrong. The wind was right. It would make him no better.

“Leave.” He spoke lowly, stepping back and letting the general return to his hooves. He saw him smirk and just frowned.

“NOW!” he bellowed, before Fox could say a word, the other stag just smirked, then nodded his head in an odd gesture between mockery and true respect, before turning around and trotting off.

Starling just stood for another long moment. He had learned a lesson. Not everybody could be talked to, but this only meant, he had to talk to even more people, to make sure to reach those that could be talked to.

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So, you all thought Starling would get beaten up by Fox, didn't you? 
And, yes, I mislead you on purpose.
Obviously chance is in favor of love and peace, for this fight was rolled and Ladies and Baconlings, this is the first time Fox actually is defeated in one of the skirmish fights! And that by the Nr.1 Hippie of TWI. Lol.
Mahatma Ghandi of Windborne intesifies! ;3 #loveandpeace4windborne
Fox was used with permission and beta-read by the awesome - his respectful owner - thanks for letting me use your boy!
MAIN HERD PEOPLEZ! We need you in the skirmish fights! Fox is doing all the work! Get ur lazy behinds together and fight for ur herd!
Also, yes, Ghandi quotes. Wat U want wind though? Make up ur mind!