Forums » General Roleplay » The Forest Discovery (Closed)

The morning sun filtered through the canopy of the ancient woods, painting the mossy floor in dappled patterns of gold and emerald. For Molly, this was the best time of day to forage for wild berries—the air was crisp, and the forest felt alive with the chatter of squirrels and the distant song of a thrush.

She hummed a soft, wordless tune as she walked, the hem of her dress brushing against the ferns. It was a melody she often used at the library to settle the children down for storytime, and it seemed to work just as well on the forest itself.

A sudden snap of a twig broke her reverie. Molly paused, her hand resting gently on the rough bark of an oak tree. Ahead, partially concealed behind a thicket of briars, something moved. It wasn't just a deer grazing; the silhouette was too tall, the posture too upright.

Slowly, a figure stepped into the small clearing. It was a doe, yet she stood upon two legs, her movements graceful and hesitant. Her large, liquid brown eyes darted around nervously, and her long ears twitched at the sound of the wind. She looked lost, clutching her arms to her chest as if she were cold, despite the warmth of the season.

Molly didn't gasp or flinch. Instead, her heart swelled with that familiar, warm ache of empathy she felt whenever she saw someone—or something—in need of a friend. She crouched down slowly to appear smaller, smoothing her skirts beneath her, and offered a warm, welcoming smile.

"Oh, please don’t be afraid, little one," Molly cooed, her voice slipping into that sweet, melodic register that felt like a warm hug. She extended a hand, palm up and open. "You’re safe here. My name is Molly."

Lizbeth was finally free, finally out of that hideous place where pain and fear are ‘normal’. She had found a way out, she ran, she hid, she found wildlife. Once she were part of that wildlife, now she’s an anthropomorphic deer, half human half doe.
Wilderness has changed for her, she’s maybe still accepted but yet she’s not part anymore of that wildlife.
Lizbeth resigns to get back to the human world, humans might help her, humans are barbarous and inflict pain. No, never humans anymore, but still maybe her last chance.
So that deer wanders until first signs of ‘civilization’ appear, if ever one could call humans ‘civilized’. The fear persists, wary behavior has to be. -Beware of humans Lizbeth, beware-

A clearance, some nice plants, all is calm. Lizbeth gives herself a moment of calm, a moment to eat, food is not only survive, but sometimes it can be pleasure and those berries look absolutely delicious. In these moments those human hands are of such advantage that they are almost inevitable to have. Lizbeth picks herself some berries, her deer senses are soothed and she didn’t hear that human close in on her.

A voice, yet calm and soft, still a voice, human voice, Lizbeth shivers, all muscles tense and are ready to give once again all to move that frame far away from here, far away. A stare at that being calling herself Molly, a hide holding her arms in front of her bare chest, no, flee little doe. You are not safe here…
The lended hand, the tranquil demeanor of that woman, nothing helps to get rid of that fear. For Lizbeth humans mean pain, whatever human, none of those were ever a help, always disappointing misuse of her smallest sparkle of hope.
The doe runs away, away from that human, she has to hide, somewhere, somewhere nobody will find her. In her despair she enters a barn, first time she since her flee she has again a roof over her head. This was maybe a mistake, they could just close the door and lock her up…. again

Molly blinked, her hand still outstretched in the empty air. The creature was fast—startlingly so—disappearing into the underbrush with a frantic energy that tugged at Molly’s heartstrings. She hadn't meant to frighten her. She had seen the terror in those wide, liquid eyes, a kind of deep-seated fear that Molly recognized from some of the darker fairy tales she read, the kind where the protagonist has faced monsters before.

"Oh, dear," she whispered to herself, pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders. "Poor thing."

She didn't run after the doe; instinct told her that chasing a frightened animal would only make things worse. Instead, she followed the disturbed leaves and broken twigs at a gentle, walking pace, humming her melody softly to signal her presence. She wanted the creature to know she wasn't hunting, only existing nearby.

The tracks led straight toward her property, past the vegetable garden and toward the old, weathered barn she used to store firewood and dried herbs. The barn door was slightly ajar, just as she had left it earlier, and the darkness within seemed to have swallowed the fleeing figure.

Molly stopped a few yards away. She knew that for a trapped animal, a closed door was a cage. She moved with deliberate slowness, making sure her steps were audible but rhythmic, not sneaking.

Reaching the doorway, she didn't step inside immediately. She leaned against the frame, letting the sunlight pour in behind her so she wouldn't block the exit or cast a looming shadow.

"I’m sorry I startled you," Molly called out, her voice pitching low and soothing, like a lullaby. She peered into the gloom, her eyes adjusting until she saw the trembling silhouette huddled in the corner behind a stack of hay bales. "I promised the squirrels I wouldn't disturb the peace today, and look at me, breaking promises already."

She slowly lowered herself to sit on the step of the barn door, keeping her distance, showing she had no intention of coming closer or closing the door. She set her woven basket down beside her.

"You ran so fast, you left your breakfast behind," Molly said gently, picking up a handful of the sweet, dark blackberries she had gathered earlier. She placed them on a flat stone just inside the threshold, then retreated to her spot on the step, turning her gaze slightly away to give the doe privacy. "You’re welcome to stay as long as you like. It’s dry in here. And I promise... no one locks doors in this forest."

“Unfortunately this RP will not continue, Molly isn’t present anymore, her creator took the decision to leave, I think for good this time. I will not play this without Molly. Thanks for reading”