Don't you notice how I get quiet

In the dappled light of the willow grove, the young brute moved with purpose, his senses keen and alert. His vermillion fur did not quite blend seamlessly with the earthy hues of the surrounding foliage, but he kept to the shadows in an effort to not be such a contrasting figure amongst the willows as he stalked silently through the underbrush. The tepid waters of the nearby hot springs whispered softly, their gentle currents mingling with the rustle of leaves overhead. He hadn’t been here before, but it reminded him of the willows that Insomnia had claimed last season.

Redrum was following a trail, a musky scent that had led him to a grouping of tracks – cloven hooves with their telltale two ‘toes’ that formed an upside-down heart-shaped print on the soft mushy ground. A deer. As the boy investigated the trail, his eyes flicked up as he heard a deep grunting noise. A buck. But where?