AN: So this is the deer-folk AU I've been writing on tumblr, inspired by a prompt and kroc's wonderful art. The general idea is this: they're all forest dwelling fauna, so expect a good deal of deer-related headcanons and vocabulary, flower crowns and courtship rituals spawned from the imagination of yours truly.
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and its characters belong to Hiro Mashima; I own absolutely nothing. Cover image by Meagan/krocatoo.
Leaves Underfoot
by Miss Mungoe
part 1: forest fae and folk
"You know, if you'd just stop glaring I'm sure they'd be amendable to letting us tag along."
Gajeel only furrowed his brows in answer, and Lily rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest as he turned his gaze towards the other deer at the bottom of the sloping hill. Laughter drifted back through the sparse copse of trees dotting the edge of the clearing where a group of does were playing in the sun.
"Summer will be over soon," he continued, ignoring his friend's glower, but the glare lessened a little at the unmasked gravity in his tone. "The days are getting shorter. Soon the leaves will be turning, and then what?"
Gajeel shifted his weight. "We'll manage."
Lily shook his head. "We've barely managed this far, and that's with luck and a mellow season on our side. We can't last another winter on our own – you know that."
Gajeel was silent a long time. "Finding a new herd–" he began, then stopped, glaring down at the small group of does.
"Is necessary. The old hurts will heal with time," Lily finished for him. The scar on his brow seemed to throb in response, but he ignored it, like he ignored the way Gajeel's gaze flickered towards it. It had taken weeks of rest and the help of a grumbling old forest fae with little patience for deer-folk to get them fit for travel, but he could still feel it with every move of his brow. He was lucky he hadn't lost an eye, although he'd have gladly given both eyes to have his mate at his side instead.
But she was gone to greener fields beyond the reach of living folk, and clutching her memory near would do them no good at present. That was a hurt better left for another time, when they weren't struggling to survive from day to day. They'd made it this far on their own, but they needed a herd come winter.
But the stubbornness of deer-folk is infamous, and his old friend's even more so. Gajeel wouldn't ask for charity if his life depended on it, and though he hadn't said the words outright Lily knew the thought of settling down with a new herd made him wary. Considering what happened to their old one–
–the gunshot rang, loud in the silence of the forest, the sound the unnatural cacophony of man-made fire and iron, but the scream that tore through the under-brush was louder still, and he pushed his legs to move faster, faster–
"Shagotte!"
Lily closed his eyes, and breathed once in and out. The pain lingered beneath his ribcage, nestled sharp like a shard, but he pushed the feeling down, piling necessity atop it until it was nothing but a dull ache. They were running out of options, and they didn't have the liberty of choosing. "Gajeel," was all he said.
The answering sigh was one of reluctant resignation, and it was followed by a nod. "Yeah. I know." Then without warning, he started on his way down the slope, and Lily followed, brows raised in interest. He'd expected a little more resistance – some more grumbling, maybe even some irate pacing, but his friend had relented with surprising ease.
He cast a glance at the yellowing leaves of a nearby tree, and frowned. Summer had been a short affair and autumn was just around the bend, and it wouldn't be long until the first frost settled over the forest. Gajeel, for all his short temper and general lack of foresight, had no doubt taken the fact to heart.
He didn't bother to be discreet, Lily could tell, and so made no effort to do so himself. They were approaching in friendship, and springing up on the new herd's does without announcing their presence would have them kicked out before they'd even opened their mouths. Lily wondered a moment at the wisdom of letting Gajeel take the lead, but didn't have much time to voice his opinion, as they came within sight of the clearing.
The laughter cut off with a staggering abruptness, and several heads turned in their direction – Lily could count eight deer-folk, but they'd followed the herd long enough to know it was much bigger. The rest must be some ways off.
As they stepped out from the treeline, a young buck cantered up, putting himself between them and the others – the action one of obvious distrust, though Lily couldn't blame him. At his elbow lingered a pretty golden doe, and a small, speckled fawn.
A hush had fallen over the clearing, and it dragged on until the buck spoke. "So. Finally decided to come forward, huh?" He squared his shoulders, brows furrowing in warning. "Was wondering when you'd get the courage."
Oh no. Lily resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. Of all the things to say by way of introduction. He couldn't see his friend's expression, but knew him well enough to know that it wasn't friendly.
"Gajeel," he warned, but it was too late,
"You wanna go, kid? Huh?" He stalked forward, throwing all attempts at niceties to the wind with the simple but hostile gesture. He had a good few inches on the smaller buck, and Lily lamented his own lack of foresight in letting Gajeel have the first word. Graces and spirits defend us.
For his part, the young buck didn't seem to mind. "You offering, big guy?"
Gajeel took another step, but the buck didn't budge. "Careful, brat. These antlers ain't just for show."
"Well then, bring–"
"Natsu." The golden doe had stepped up to his side, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I think we should ask what they want first." She cast a wary glance in Lily's direction, and he nodded in turn, careful not to make any sudden movements. The other deer gathered at their back were tense, some of them pacing restlessly. They had to be some ways off from the rest of the herd, or surely their leader would have stepped forward.
The buck – Natsu – didn't take his eyes off Gajeel. "I think it's pretty clear what they want, Luce."
Gajeel glowered right back. "Oh yeah? And what's that?"
The golden doe sighed, and Lily had a sudden sense of fellow-feeling for her. When she looked up, gaze pleading – having no doubt deemed him the sensible one, and rightly so – he took it as an allowance to step forward.
"I'm called Lily, and the rude one is Gajeel," he began, ignoring the muttered oath from the stag in question. "We've been on our own, and as autumn is approaching, we were looking for a herd to join." And ever one for formalities, Lily bent down in a low bow. "If you'd let us speak to the head of your herd, I'm sure we could avoid anyone butting antlers." He threw a warning glance in Gajeel's direction, and was cheerfully ignored for his efforts.
The russet coloured buck looked ready to protest, but was shoved rather unceremoniously to the side by the golden doe. She smiled, and bowed in turn. "We can arrange that," she agreed. Turning to look over her shoulder, she addressed one of the others. "Jet, you're the fastest. Run and fetch Makarov, would you?"
The one she'd addressed looked sceptical at the prospect of leaving, but nodded his head once, before bounding off beyond the treeline and into the forest.
"Oye, Lucy, what are you doing? They're obviously up to no good!" Natsu pointed at Gajeel for emphasis. "I mean, just look at 'em!"
Gajeel growled and took another step forward, before Lily could forcibly pull him back. "And what do you mean by that, huh?"
Natsu glared right back. "You look shady is all I'm saying."
Gajeel snorted. "At least I look like I can reach the bottom branches." He grinned. "Still letting yer ma get yer leaves fer ya?"
"Hey," Natsu said, in a surprisingly dark tone, pointing a finger at the taller stag. "Watch it."
Gajeel crossed his arms in a tell-tale pose that said he was one insult away from locking antlers, and Lily had half a mind to haul him away when a small shape suddenly appeared between the two, startling the dark stag quite despite himself. Lily would have laughed if the small female hadn't opened her mouth.
"Are you from up north?" she asked, peering up into Gajeel's face, seemingly unperturbed by his earlier show of blatant hostility, and Lily wondered a moment if her intervention had been to stop them from butting heads, or if she was just plain curious. She was a tiny thing, barely bigger than a fawn, with a set of dark eyes and a wreath of forget-me-nots weaved into her mane. "You look like you're from up north. There aren't any coats so dark this far south."
Gajeel shifted his stance, visibly uncomfortable at the barrage of questions. "Uh...yeah."
She smiled, and tilted her head. "I'm Levy," she said, but was nudged to the side as Natsu stepped in front of her.
"Oye," he warned. "Our does aren't up for grabs, so don't go getting any ideas."
"Hey!" The golden doe smacked him upside the head before pushing her way to the front. Her mane was longer, and she wore a wreath of marigolds. "We can speak for ourselves, thank you."
The littlest doe nodded her agreement. "Or would you like us to tell Erza you think we need your protection?" she asked cheerfully.
Lily didn't know who this Erza was, but the name was enough to instil terror in the young buck's eyes, and he grumbled, nudging the dirt at his feet with his hoof as he added, with all the petulance of a stumbling fawn, "No."
The golden doe smiled. "I thought as much." Turning to Lily, she offered an amicable smile. "I apologise on behalf of this oaf. He's butted his head against a few too many trees and sometimes he doesn't know what he's saying."
Lily grinned. "I can relate," he said with a look in Gajeel's direction.
"Hey–"
"I'm Lucy," she continued, cutting Gajeel off as she bowed her head. "I'll be your mediator in your audience with the head of our herd. You said you hail from the North?"
Lily nodded, thankful she addressed him, as Gajeel would have no doubt managed to turn even that into an insult. "Yes. We've been travelling south since spring." He paused. "It's...been a long journey."
There was more to it, and she could no doubt tell, but she only nodded, and didn't press for details. "I'm sure Makarov will be accommodating."
The little doe at her side nodded. "We've always got room for two more," she said, and Lily watched with raised brows the way her eyes kept flickering towards Gajeel, and had to stifle a grin. Well, now.
Her eyes crinkled in a pretty smile. "And we could use an extra set of hands once winter approaches."
Gajeel snorted. "No kidding. It's a wonder yer all fed with how short you all are." He grinned down at her. "We'll reach the branches for ya, shortstuff – don't sweat it."
Lily closed his eyes, but only before catching the offended expression that passed over the littlest doe's face. "Excuse me?"
Lily opened his eyes in time to see Gajeel's grin widen. "I'd heard the southern deer-folk were smaller, but you've got to be the tiniest of the lot," he continued, happily ignorant of the dark look that had settled on the blue-haired doe's face. "I've met bigger fawn back home."
"Oh dear," Lucy muttered, and there was that fellow-feeling again, but this time even Natsu seemed inclined to keep away as the little doe raised herself to her full, distinctly unimpressive height, the top of her head barely level with Gajeel's chest.
"I'll have you know, I can gather my leaves quite without your help!"
Gajeel raised a brow, and Lily wanted to gag him. "Yeah? What are ya gonna do, climb? Or fly, maybe. Yer small enough to be a fae, so maybe you've got magic wings." He chuckled, visibly amused at his own joke.
Levy seethed, but didn't seem to have a comeback – or she was just too riled up to think of one – so she simply pointed at him, mouth working though all that came out was an indignant shriek of sorts. Then she spun on her heel, tail twitching in irritation as she stalked away without another word.
"Well," Lily said, as he watched the small doe cut through the group of gathered deer, who all stepped away to allow her to pass as she made her way towards the edge of the clearing where a heavy-set buck was waiting for her. He turned to glare at Gajeel, who looked much too innocent.
"That could have gone better."
AN: So this idea has charmed me right out of my socks.
