[[Pffft. If you say so. xD]]

I ignored him at first, blocking out his words of apology. Apologising was pointless now. If he were a true prince, and if he had any right to be in the forest, he would know that you should never regret anything you do, no matter how badly things turn out. You should not do things you'll need to apologise for later.
As he kneeled down next to me, I locked my gaze on SmallPaws' lifeless eyes. They had been beautiful in life, a deep, dark brown that spoke of the great wisdom he knew for his little time alive. They were beautiful still, but that wisdom was gone.
''SmallPaws was not 'my' cub. He belonged to the forest, just as the trees and the grass do, just as the dirt beneath your feet does, just as SilverMoon and all the other animals of the forest do... And just as I do. If that does not answer your question, then yes, I live here. I belong here.''
I said, my voice betraying slightly the anger I felt, but not much. I tightened my grip on the now-bloodied dagger, standing up and giving a short, low yip.
The sound could have come from any of the wild wolves of the forest, but it was really a call I'd learned to mimick to keep SilverMoon feeling at ease when he was stressed. I suddenly wanted to leave and find GreatHoof and GreyWing, just to be sure they were safe, even though I knew they were.
I couldn't just leave with that man in the forest, though. Who knew what he would do if left alone, how much destruction and chaos he would cause. No, for the sake of the forest, I had to wait until he had left.

I glared at the man, who was suggesting I could need anything other than my precious forest. I needed the company of no one but the trees, animals and wind of the forest. Something about the way he was speaking made me feel like he thought I was crazy or something.
''No. Animals are all I need. They don't lie, trick or stab you in the back. Listen to me, 'Prince'. Contrary to your belief, I am not crazy. I do not need you to just waltz in here and be the great hero, saving the poor nuts lady.'' I fixed a stony ex
pression upon my face, as I turned and started to walk back into the forest.
''Leave, 'Prince'. Run back to your grand palace and all your servants, all your worthless things.'' With that, I howled to signal to the wolves of the forest that I was coming, so they wouldn't be alarmed, and sprinted into the depths of the forest.

[[Mwahhaha. And her name shall be... Uhhhmmm... Chrysanthium. >:3]]

Life continued as normal after that stupid prince left, or as normal as it could be without SmallPaws causing trouble. I felt a little empty, not having to worry about what he was doing all the time. Stil, life had to go on, and I had to continue looking after the rest of my family. GreatHoof had grown since I'd last seen him, and was now the size of a good horse, so I decided I'd have to try and make a saddle and see how else he was like a horse.
While I was stroking him, though, I suddenly heard a noise from far within the forest. It was the cry of a roe deer in pain, followed by alarmed calls from her herd. Clenching my teeth, I slung my quiver over my shoulder and grabbed my bow. I'd warned them once; they wouldn't get the luxury again.
Running bare-footed through the forest as usual, I reached the outskirts of a clearing. Quickly climbing up a rather tall tree, I glared as I saw four men within it. There was a young roe deer, and I couldn't understand why she wasn't running. She wasn't very hurt.
Looking down at her feet, I saw a fawn with an arrow through it's shoulder. It disgusted me, those monsters, hurting a young animal like that without remorse.
As one of them shot an arrow at the mother deer, I felt something snap, and pulled an arrow out from my quiver. The mother deer had been struck through the heart and was dying quickly, but they would not kill that fawn.
Drawing the arrow back, I released it, pulling out three more arrows and firing in quick succession. I smirked as I heard the startled voices of the men- why were they always so loud?- and grinned as I saw all of my arrows had hit their mark. The one who had fired the killing shot now had two arrows embedded in his shoulder, one in his leg, and there was one that had gone straight through his hat, which was now pinned to the ground.

[[Both. xD We're so far based around the fifteen hundreds as far as I can tell, and if my memory serves me right, 'heretics'- i.e. witches- were punished quite severely around then. Henry VIII was around then, and he had one of his wives killed for being a witch, if you get what I mean. xD

Oh, and by NPC, I mean you can control anyone in the clearing. xD]]

[[Laws. Yah, she can heal stuff sometimes, but mostly using potions that taste terrible. xD]]

I watched the whole affair with curiosity. The men down there were stupid, clearly. Not one of them thought to wrap a bandage around the injured man. Not one of them thought to use the CrowsFoot herbs that were nearby to dull the pain. Hell, that kind of wound was nothing compared to soe of the things I had healed under worse circumstances. Besides, I had scars to prove my abilities at healing myself.
Still, unless one asked directly for help from me, I would not do anything. They had come in here and killed an innocent animal for no reason, and were now ignoring the fact that her fawn was dying on the ground next to it's already dead mother. There was something wrong with those people, something very, very wrong.
I remained in the trees, waiting for them all to leave so I could help the poor beast. If they didn't hurry up, I might've ended up being too late.
I was surprised to see that dumb prince person show up, and even more surprised at his reaction. So, that man that now lay almost dead on the floor was related to him? His family? I may have told myself that an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, but I couldn't help but think it right. If my family should be killed, what made his any better?
I ignored his screaming and rage, telling me to leave the forest. I had no intentions of leaving, now or ever. Not when my family was still here. Not when those hunters were going around killing for no reason.

After the men left, I leaped from the tree and to the ground, straightening up and grasping my bow tightly. I didn't give a damn whether he'd told me to show myself or not; I was only down there to help the fawn. So, without even a second glance at the pathetic 'Prince Lance', I kneeled by the small animal and untied a small leather pouch from my waist.
Opening it up, I pulled out a long, rolled-up strip of clean cloth that I would around the animal's shoulder, and a small wooden tub with powder in it, keeping the prince within my sight so he didn't try anything. Rubbing my fingers into the powder and then onto the animal's wound, I made soothing sounds to calm the frightened beast, before wrapping it up as best I could.
It would live, which was a good thing, although it might be lame for some time.

[[Trololol. We can share our procrastinating flag! :D]]

''As I told you before, I belong in this forest just as much as the grass, soil, trees and animals do. I have no intentions of leaving.'' Standing up straight, I heped the hurt fawn to it's feet, stroking it softly between it's ears.
''And you'll kill me, will you? Wouldn't surprise me. You people,'' I said, a slight note of disgust entering my voice, ''you people kill without thinking what you're doing. You kill for fun. You kill for sport. You kill merely for the glory of killing. It is unnatural and wrong to do such things, and yet, you brag about your killing skills.''

Shaking my head, I started walking in the opposite direction to the 'prince', towards my home. He could do what he liked; I was pretty sure I had faster reactions than a pampered palace-boy.

[[Trawlalawl. Sounds good to Ty. :D]]

I ignored the prince as I exited the clearing, and started walking back to my home. The little deer was struggling to keep up, so I slowed down, but I was unsure of what I would do with her. I decided she could just stay where SmallPaws used to.
That reminded me that she still needed a name, and I spent the remainder of the way back pondering over what that could be.
When I reached the edge of the clearing that signalled we were nearly home, I smiled as I saw my house. It was a simple, one-roomed cabin; it had belonged to my 'mother'- she wasn't truly of my blood- and it was now mine. The clearing had little dirt, due to GreatHoof's appetite and SilverMoon's play fights with me, but there was an area that was sectioned off into little rows using wooden slats. A spikey-looking, grassy plant grew in the first row; In the second, a soft-leafed plant with light violet flowers grew; the third held a bright orange flower that slightly resembed a sunflower. There were about eight beds in total, each sectioned off and well-looked after.
Pushing open the wooden door that let draughts in in winter, I guided the frightened fawn inside. There was a fireplace- a circle of stones surrounding a pile of sooty logs- in the center of the room, and I lit it before settling the fawn down next to it's warmth.
I warned her not to go near the shelves, with their various assortments of glass bottles and vials, as well as wooden bowls, and draped my blanket over her.
 Once I was convinced she was okay, I lay down on my bunk that was at the far end of the room, before closing my eyes and falling asleep.

[[Also, Ty has an idea. Maybe liek. Edward ain't dead, but he has a fever that the royal doctors don't know how to cure and liek. He's dying. But liek. Chrysantheum agrees to heal him and. Stuff happens. x3]]