The loud noise from them. The howling from them. They are near, but soon they will be here. My babies wrinkle their faces with fear. I usher them along, and I am also scared. Every bone in my body is steel, tough as nails. I go rigid when I hear them. Louder this time. The voices, the tall animals who walk with two legs. There are many of them, a whole herd of them, stomping on and on. My whitetail springs up and I freeze. My babies huddle near me, and we stay there for a second and then gallop away. I see white polka-dot backs and bottoms scattered all around and near me. We gallop along, until we can barely hear them. We stop. I make sure everyone is here. Then, a pair of ears spring up, and her tail goes up too. She puts her coal black nose to the ground and trots off. I follow her, and we go to two large pools of water. We eat grass and drink there, and I can not only feel my body relax, but I also feel my babies’ bodies relax. Soon I feel a small insect jump on me. Then another, and a couple more. I feel them settle into the fur on my back. I do a small kick- not at a fly, or to get them off but to say hello to my fellow passengers, who have decided to accompany me and my babies for the moment. Soon it is pitch black. I shiver, and at this moment, I wish my fur was thicker. My fawns settle down, and I curl up near them, and fall into a deep sleep
I wake to cold morning air and see a lot of shimmery and white, sticky and cold on the grass. I sniff it. I get it on my nose. I think, and sniff some more. I’ve found out what it is. It’s snow! My babies now have it all over their little noses and are dancing and playing. Today is going to be another cold, long day with the other pack right on us. With any luck, we will survive yet another grim, and freezing day day.
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