I sure hope this is what we're supposed to do... xd
Once upon a time, there was a herd of wild elk. Majestic and strong, they braved the land in winter, feeding off of what grazing they could find under the snow. In the spring and summer they flourished, raising their young. When fall came, heralded by rustic colors over the land, mating season came and the most powerful of the elk would clash in the eternal battle for the right to dip their antlers in the pool of genes.
This was a glorious fall, for it was the season in which a brave, strong, magnificent stag would conquer all the competition that stood before him, and take to his side the most beautiful of does in all the land. The two were made for each other in every way, and from the moment they laid eyes on one another, their destinies were forever entwined with the elegantly supple ropes of love. It was clear to see, and as such all opponents for her attention became insignificantly minor obstacles in his quest for the right to walk by her side.
Once together, they treated each other with the respect, love and trust that every other elk wished and dreamt of. And one day soon after, they walked together to the deep and mysterious pool of genes, and together they dipped their brows in the water, passionately joining their souls together forever and becoming one complete heart, held in two bodies. From this mystical union they returned to the herd, and come spring the doe, guarded and supported by her valiant and loyal mate, walked the sacred path to the tree of life, and together they pulled a strand of sparkling, delicate life. The strand that called to them was full of vigor, sparking with vibrant activity, tinted with the warm red of strength, courage and vivacious power. The couple, bonded by love, knelt respectfully before the tree of life, and upon standing, they reached high into the branches, only able to reach through their combined efforts, to this glowing strand of magic that called to them. The barest touch of their muzzles on either side of the burning string of light, and the tree of life creaked and twisted, opening from its trunk ripple upon ripple of deep blue bark, which gave way to a deep, dark rift that inched slowly open. When the great tree slowly revealed it's innermost heart, from the black cave came a tiny cry.
The couple, gentle eyes open wide and searching the darkness inside the trunk, moved forward as one to the edge of the light, and peered within. And from within, a small form uncurled, slowly stretching lanky legs out, rising tentatively from the ground on shaky limbs. The newborn elk's head turned ever so gently towards the pair of grown elk before it..from behind his eyelids, he could see the warmth they shared, the single soul they held between the two of them. Such warm symbols of love..he took a tiny step forward, and another..he inched his way into the marvelously warm light of the sun, and lifted his head to his mother and father. The calf's eyes eased open then, a fluid motion, an eternity of grace held in one brief moment..the eyes hidden beneath were the most glorious shade of brown imaginable. The glowing intensity of life held in this newborn calf's eyes shined brightly upon the blessed couple, and for one instant they rejoiced, for in the instant their eyes connected with his, all their love joined with his and they became in that moment a family, and they saw in their new son that he had in his heart and soul a magnificent power that would lead to wisdom, compassion, true love and respect for all the world around him.
But the moment could not last. As the moment of connection was barely completed, and crack! shot forth in the forest, and where the loving couple had stood, only a burst of blood marked their fall to the ground, their lives ended instantly by the cold bullet of a cruel hunter. So connected they were that death came instantly to both through the death of one. And there were his parents, so briefly bonded to him by the ties of family and love, suddenly gone, and as the calf blinked in shocked horror, he saw their soul hover loosely above their silent forms. A cry started forward from his heart, but just as quickly lodged in his throat as the tree itself, still standing around him, creaked and wailed it's grief that such a perfect couple were taken. The still pair's soul rushed suddenly up into the boughs of the shaking tree, and the triumphant hunter suddenly stared in wonder as the huge tree before him glowed in the full golden glory of the fallen elk pair's perfectly bonded soul. The strength of their love urged the tree to save their new calf who they had loved for such a short instant, and the tree responded to their only wish. Gold light grew from the tree and enveloped the frozen calf, and all his parents' knowledge, strength and promise filled every inch of his being. The calf became a glowing beacon, and the blinding light threw the entire forest into a bath of eerie light as the calf magically grew within it. The cry dislodged from the small calf's throat and ripped loose, and as his glowing form grew and expanded, the cry became a bellow of sheer pain, rage and loss. The hunter watched in fearful awe as the elk became huge, more so than the largest he'd ever seen, with a marvelously dangerous rack of antlers branching up from his crown. Eventually the form of the now mighty elk stilled, the bellow lived its last echoes among the surrounding trees, and the golden light faded as if it pulled within the elk himself.
Before the hunter stood the most magnificent animal he had ever seen, an elk of glorious proportions, the most regal beast to walk the forest. Then the fantastic creature opened his eyes, and the light that had created him shined unflinchingly from his eyes. The light was golden in that first moment, but then it bleached to a blinding white–the light of awareness, and with it, rage so powerful it threatened to destroy anything in its path. A single graceful bound followed by a deadly sweep of his antlers, and the hunter lay dead in the path of this wondrous, bright-eyed elk.
CARL.
With pure anger in his eyes, he viewed the pitiful body of the slain hunter. It was not enough. There was only one thing Carl could do to avenge the death of his loved parents. He lowered his head and feasted upon the still-warm flesh of the hunter. As blood ran and he consumed the meat before him, he gained the strength and knowledge of man. When he had finished, he stepped back and touched the blood-soaked earth with his glorious rack of antlers, and a tree sprang forth, bestowed with deep red bark the color of the darkest blood, and stark white leaves the color of bleached bone. And there, next to the tree of life, was now the tree of death. Branches reached towards one another, from the tree of life to the tree of death, and as the emerald leaves entwined with the bone white leaves, peace came over the clearing, and the still bodies of Carl's parents slipped into the ground. In the spot where they had been, flowers of the most spectacular colors sprouted up and spread to cover the entire clearing, surrounding both trees. Carl stood and watched, his fury simmering unswervingly. He strode forth out of the forest, and all the world beheld his magnificence. The elk bowed their antlers in respect, and the humans quaked in terror and awe. And well they should, for one thing consumed Carl's mind, that there should be no human left alive, no humans allowed to take from another creature that which he had just lost. But from within himself, the gentle, compassionate voices of his parents spoke to him. Carl, they said. Carl, do not destroy the humans. There are very few who would harm us. Many mean well, and will live in wonder of you. Do not kill all of them. Walk amongst them and learn, our son.
Learn, our beloved son.
Once upon a time, there was a herd of wild elk. Majestic and strong, they braved the land in winter, feeding off of what grazing they could find under the snow. In the spring and summer they flourished, raising their young. When fall came, heralded by rustic colors over the land, mating season came and the most powerful of the elk would clash in the eternal battle for the right to dip their antlers in the pool of genes.
This was a glorious fall, for it was the season in which a brave, strong, magnificent stag would conquer all the competition that stood before him, and take to his side the most beautiful of does in all the land. The two were made for each other in every way, and from the moment they laid eyes on one another, their destinies were forever entwined with the elegantly supple ropes of love. It was clear to see, and as such all opponents for her attention became insignificantly minor obstacles in his quest for the right to walk by her side.
Once together, they treated each other with the respect, love and trust that every other elk wished and dreamt of. And one day soon after, they walked together to the deep and mysterious pool of genes, and together they dipped their brows in the water, passionately joining their souls together forever and becoming one complete heart, held in two bodies. From this mystical union they returned to the herd, and come spring the doe, guarded and supported by her valiant and loyal mate, walked the sacred path to the tree of life, and together they pulled a strand of sparkling, delicate life. The strand that called to them was full of vigor, sparking with vibrant activity, tinted with the warm red of strength, courage and vivacious power. The couple, bonded by love, knelt respectfully before the tree of life, and upon standing, they reached high into the branches, only able to reach through their combined efforts, to this glowing strand of magic that called to them. The barest touch of their muzzles on either side of the burning string of light, and the tree of life creaked and twisted, opening from its trunk ripple upon ripple of deep blue bark, which gave way to a deep, dark rift that inched slowly open. When the great tree slowly revealed it's innermost heart, from the black cave came a tiny cry.
The couple, gentle eyes open wide and searching the darkness inside the trunk, moved forward as one to the edge of the light, and peered within. And from within, a small form uncurled, slowly stretching lanky legs out, rising tentatively from the ground on shaky limbs. The newborn elk's head turned ever so gently towards the pair of grown elk before it..from behind his eyelids, he could see the warmth they shared, the single soul they held between the two of them. Such warm symbols of love..he took a tiny step forward, and another..he inched his way into the marvelously warm light of the sun, and lifted his head to his mother and father. The calf's eyes eased open then, a fluid motion, an eternity of grace held in one brief moment..the eyes hidden beneath were the most glorious shade of brown imaginable. The glowing intensity of life held in this newborn calf's eyes shined brightly upon the blessed couple, and for one instant they rejoiced, for in the instant their eyes connected with his, all their love joined with his and they became in that moment a family, and they saw in their new son that he had in his heart and soul a magnificent power that would lead to wisdom, compassion, true love and respect for all the world around him.
But the moment could not last. As the moment of connection was barely completed, and crack! shot forth in the forest, and where the loving couple had stood, only a burst of blood marked their fall to the ground, their lives ended instantly by the cold bullet of a cruel hunter. So connected they were that death came instantly to both through the death of one. And there were his parents, so briefly bonded to him by the ties of family and love, suddenly gone, and as the calf blinked in shocked horror, he saw their soul hover loosely above their silent forms. A cry started forward from his heart, but just as quickly lodged in his throat as the tree itself, still standing around him, creaked and wailed it's grief that such a perfect couple were taken. The still pair's soul rushed suddenly up into the boughs of the shaking tree, and the triumphant hunter suddenly stared in wonder as the huge tree before him glowed in the full golden glory of the fallen elk pair's perfectly bonded soul. The strength of their love urged the tree to save their new calf who they had loved for such a short instant, and the tree responded to their only wish. Gold light grew from the tree and enveloped the frozen calf, and all his parents' knowledge, strength and promise filled every inch of his being. The calf became a glowing beacon, and the blinding light threw the entire forest into a bath of eerie light as the calf magically grew within it. The cry dislodged from the small calf's throat and ripped loose, and as his glowing form grew and expanded, the cry became a bellow of sheer pain, rage and loss. The hunter watched in fearful awe as the elk became huge, more so than the largest he'd ever seen, with a marvelously dangerous rack of antlers branching up from his crown. Eventually the form of the now mighty elk stilled, the bellow lived its last echoes among the surrounding trees, and the golden light faded as if it pulled within the elk himself.
Before the hunter stood the most magnificent animal he had ever seen, an elk of glorious proportions, the most regal beast to walk the forest. Then the fantastic creature opened his eyes, and the light that had created him shined unflinchingly from his eyes. The light was golden in that first moment, but then it bleached to a blinding white–the light of awareness, and with it, rage so powerful it threatened to destroy anything in its path. A single graceful bound followed by a deadly sweep of his antlers, and the hunter lay dead in the path of this wondrous, bright-eyed elk.
CARL.
With pure anger in his eyes, he viewed the pitiful body of the slain hunter. It was not enough. There was only one thing Carl could do to avenge the death of his loved parents. He lowered his head and feasted upon the still-warm flesh of the hunter. As blood ran and he consumed the meat before him, he gained the strength and knowledge of man. When he had finished, he stepped back and touched the blood-soaked earth with his glorious rack of antlers, and a tree sprang forth, bestowed with deep red bark the color of the darkest blood, and stark white leaves the color of bleached bone. And there, next to the tree of life, was now the tree of death. Branches reached towards one another, from the tree of life to the tree of death, and as the emerald leaves entwined with the bone white leaves, peace came over the clearing, and the still bodies of Carl's parents slipped into the ground. In the spot where they had been, flowers of the most spectacular colors sprouted up and spread to cover the entire clearing, surrounding both trees. Carl stood and watched, his fury simmering unswervingly. He strode forth out of the forest, and all the world beheld his magnificence. The elk bowed their antlers in respect, and the humans quaked in terror and awe. And well they should, for one thing consumed Carl's mind, that there should be no human left alive, no humans allowed to take from another creature that which he had just lost. But from within himself, the gentle, compassionate voices of his parents spoke to him. Carl, they said. Carl, do not destroy the humans. There are very few who would harm us. Many mean well, and will live in wonder of you. Do not kill all of them. Walk amongst them and learn, our son.
Learn, our beloved son.
