No. The sound of clashing hooves in combat and splashes of murky water broke out through the night, breaking the silence of the swamp that surrounded the white doe and her assailant. She was struggling to get back up from a sharp hit to the face but she couldn’t quit now. To give up would mean losing and that was the last thing she would let happen to her. She grunted as she pulled herself upright, entire body shaking as she breathed in harshly. Not yet. Don’t you dare pass out. Anything, anything that she could say to keep the blood flowing to her brain was good enough.
Her opponent, a black buck, was wobbling on his feet. She could see the cut above his eye from where she’d head-butted him was bleeding continuously, the red fluid practically gleaming in the light of the full moon. She smirked. Just a little bit longer and even this guy would be groveling at her feet. Just like the others. Once she was crowned victor of the duel he would have no choice but to admit not only was she beautiful but also strong. I can do this! I’m better than him, better than everyone else!
Her vision started to blur and she released a little laugh, spitting out some of the blood she could feel pooling in her mouth. It hurt. It hurt so freaking much. The cuts and bruises she’d sustained brought her so much pain but that was nothing in comparison to the wild burning she felt in her heart. The butterfly-flecked doe charged forward again and reared, striking downward with her forelegs to knock her challenger into the muck. When he crumpled beneath the blows to his side and shoulder, then started pleading for mercy the white doe laughed again, her long tail flicking mud directly onto his face.
“Come back again when you’ve actually learned how to fight.” Walking over to the center of the clearing, the parts of her coat not matted with blood or grime seemed to glow in the moonlight. It was so bright, but she tilted her head up and released a piercing noise. It was not a wail, a song, nor a scream. It was a howl. A howl to the silver moon to say she was on top of the world.