lonely in a crowded room

The cold that was coming already hinted at its existence here in the northern reaches. Already there were snow flurries and the leaves on the deciduous trees had fallen. Along wit the change of season came the change in his antlers. Rannoch was a very young buck, but even this first real set of antlers were more impressive than the biggest of the native elk. He’d shed his velvet and now as the autumn shifted to winter he felt the full effects of rut upon him. He wanted to fight, he wanted to prove himself. There wasn’t much more a young stag like him could do at this age. His heart ached to know that it would never matter. He was the last of his kind, there were no hinds to tend to his existence was near useless.

The existential thoughts plagued his restless mind even as he lowered his massive body into the golden grasses as the sun set. Rannoch chewed his cud to give himself a sense of comfort and normalcy, but his life would never be normal. He’d never meet out his duties as a stag, he would never have his own herd.

He grit his teeth as he swallowed and lifted his eyes to the stars above. The constellations reminding him of a different time. What was a constant in his life, purpose or no, was the threat of predators at his back. His whole frame stiffened as the sound of howling wolves raced with the wind. A chill ran up his spine and the deer was suddenly on high alert. Maybe there would be no sleep tonight.

"Speech"