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Guardian of Winter Roads

It was getting late in the afternoon as Arianna hurried home. The doe barely managed to get on the highway before the first snowflakes started to fall, signaling the beginning of a blizzard set to blanket the area. The worry she experienced on the flight in about whether she would make it back in time to spend the holiday with her husband dissipated as the familiar route home stretched in front of her.

Soon, her exit came and she turned off, taking a two-lane, narrow road that wound its way through a mountain pass to the town she called home. Already, snow began blanketing the area, giving a romantic scene for the Winter holiday.

She hoped she would be able to spend the holiday at home with her husband, the two cozy inside, watching the storm outside, exchanging gifts, and making love in front of the fireplace. It was also her hope that he believed the ruse that she would not be able to make it home in time, amplifying the surprise her arrival would bring. So far, the chips were falling into place perfectly.

"Shit, I just need to make it home, give me ten more minutes," the doe pleaded with the elements, as she gripped the steering wheel. The sun had already set, making the drive perilous as the wind blew stronger, causing almost whiteout conditions. As if somebody was listening, the winds subsided, the snow drifting down softly as her view ahead cleared.

Arianna sighed as she turned down a side street, relieved to almost be home. More than anything, thanks to the adrenaline of the hectic drive, she decided to pounce her husband right at the door, and take him in the hallway, right then and there. She might not even close the door, giving her neighbors a show if they could see it through the snow. Giggling at the thought, she pulled into the driveway, right behind his car.

Bracing herself for the biting cold, she shut her car off and quickly opened the door. The frigid wind whipped her face as the thin fur tried its best to keep the cold at bay.

"Cold, cold, cold, cold!" was all she could say as she quickly grabbed the bags from the back seat. Hastily trotting to the front door, she unlocked it and rushed inside.

Shaking the powder off her brown hair, she was getting ready to call out her husband's name when she heard a noise, a voice that was very out of place. Her ear perked up, trying to focus on the source of the sound. Without taking her boots off, Arianna entered the living room. The TV was on and a movie was going on with a particularly saucy scene playing.

"That perv," she chuckled to herself, knowing her husband was no doubt in the mood now.

Arianna shut off the TV, but something else gave her pause. Looking over at the wall, she noticed a pair of boots that belonged to neither her husband nor herself. Walking over to investigate, she heard the sounds of a young female in the throes of passion coming from their bedroom. The pounding of the headboard against the wall indicated it was no movie.

"No... no... this can't be real..." she whispered to herself as the unthinkable became more and more apparent, her eyes growing wider.

Her legs were weak and tears began to trickle from the corners of her eyes as she slowly approached the door to the bedroom that was supposed to be her domain. Afraid to confront the obvious, she hesitated to open, instead listening through the door. The grunts and dirty talk were clearly her husband's, but it was unlike anything he had said to her. It was as if two strangers broke in and used their bedroom for their dalliance.

Taking a deep breath, the doe opened the door with a shaky hand-paw to see a scene she neither wanted nor was even prepared for. Her husband's bare back was to the door, but the table lamp spread shadows from his antlers against the wall.

A young cat she recognized as the nineteen-year-old cashier from the local convenience store was bent forward as he pushed his full weight into her with each thrust. Arianna noticed she had eyes for the buck, but thought nothing of it, thinking it was endearing that her husband could still be a heartthrob. It wasn't as if she didn't notice the eyes coming his way. However, the security she had that he would never act upon these impulses melted away as she watched this stranger in his fur now in bed with another.

"M, M, Mitch?" she weakly called out, her voice piercing the trance and the pair scrambled on the bed to cover up, in a panic at having been caught, not having heard the doe arrive thanks to their heated lovemaking.

"A-Ari! Baby, uh... I can explain!" The buck quickly stammered out, the cat awkwardly shifting to just hide her body with their bed sheet.

Tears were plainly rolling down her brown fur, dripping off her cheeks to the floor, her vision was clouded and her heart was pounding in her ears. She wanted to be furious, she wanted to scream, but all she felt was a deep betrayal. The infallible buck, the male she'd put above all else, and this was how he repaid things, on the eve of the yule holiday to boot.

She couldn't muster words, her vision blurred more as she jerked her gaze from the scene and started storming away without a word to say to him. Her husband quickly pulled his pants on and chased after her, but by the time he got to the front she was already back in the car, the torrent of snow swirling and slamming into his bare chest.

"Ari, wait!" He screamed out to her as the car tires spun in the snow, the doe simply leaving the whole thing behind and starting to drive through the storm once more.

Arianna felt numb as she just drove for a few minutes, as if on autopilot, just seeing that scene playing fresh in her mind again and again. She thought of their wedding, their vows, the talk of rearing fawns together. All of it cast away for some flight of fancy with that teenager from the store.

She had stormed out and left her purse at the door along with her cell phone, so even if her husband had tried to call her it wouldn't matter, she'd just had the keys to the car in her coat pocket.

"Mitchell, how could you?! You bastard!" She finally screamed out to the nearly whited-out view of the window, only able to see a few feet past her headlights, the anger finally catching up to her before giving another sob.

There was no destination to be had, what was she even doing? Would she just drive around for a few hours and go back? She was already on the road back to the other side of the mountain where the airport was. It had been nearly half an hour now of driving and she already knew it was probably impassable at this point.

Should she just turn around and go home? Was it even home now? How could he possibly explain? The thoughts whirled in her brain as the storm rolled outside. She was just starting to come around to what she was doing, climbing up the roads of a mountain in a blizzard with the sun already set.

"Holy gods!" She yelled out as the headlights from another car were just atop her coming downhill, clearly having lost their own traction in the ice on the road. The doe jerked the wheel to avoid the collision but the other car just nicked the edge of her back bumper. The snow chains on the tires didn't stand a chance once the wheels locked and the whole car just drifted right off the side of the mountain pass. The barricade offered little resistance as the sedan tore through it and plummeted down the side.

Arrianna screamed and clenched her muzzle teeth together, having just let go of the wheel and shielded her head as the world spun from the car bouncing and tumbling down the mountainside. A small miracle she'd at least put the seatbelt on despite her anguish, then again it didn't hurt the car wouldn't shut up until she put it on.

Eventually, the tumbling subsided and a few heartbeats later her vision did as well. She groaned as she blinked her eyes open, the cabin of the vehicle filled with several pinging alarms that vehicles might give off for things like tire pressure, and who knows what else.

For better or worse the belt had done its job and kept her alive it seemed, she didn't feel anything was broken but she sure felt banged up. The doe fumbled with the keys in the ignition around the airbag, knowing to cut the engine off if it was even still running just to keep a fire from starting.

Pulling her keys out she gave a resigned sigh, rubbing her head, awkwardly and tilted to the side in her seat, the car obviously not level. The snow was everywhere and she couldn't even see much out the windows, but she knew there was a rock wall on her own side of the car though.

She didn't get too much time to mull over things before a scent of burning wires and oil started to reach her nose. Blinking a few times she hissed out as she realized there were small flames lapping at the front of the car.

"Gods! You can't be serious! What did I do to deserve this?!" She gasped out as she hastily pulled her seatbelt free and opened her drivers side door, the metal groaning and only giving a few inches before pushing right up against the wall of rocks. Clenching her teeth she looked to the other door which just had white showing through the window, not even able to know what was on the other side.

The flames erupted in a loud pop of who knows what going up in the engine block, now feeling the heat from them and the cabin starting to fill up with choking fumes of smoke.

"Fuck sake!" Arianna shouted out as she scrambled over to the other side of the car, actually slumping up against the door from the tilt of the vehicle, fumbling to get the door handle open. Unlike the driver's side, the door swung open rather easily, which the doe wasn't expecting as she fell right out of the burning car.

Apparently, she wasn't quite at the bottom of the mountainside as she found her world spinning again as she tumbled through the snow, coming to rest muzzle down in the grass. Groaning once more she picked herself up, feeling battered but nothing felt broken as she slowly found her shaking legs.

She looked back and up at where she assumed she'd come down from, then gave a startled yelp as a loud boom signaled the end of her car, a massive fireball erupting from it before subsiding to just a nice roaring inferno of flames along the frame.

"Well... that certainly took my mind off that cheating asshole for a few minutes..." She sighed out to nobody in particular, flames the only thing illuminating her surroundings.

She stood there for a few minutes, mulling over her situation. Would anyone see the fire from down here? She didn't have a phone or anything to light her way. Would the other driver even say anything if they didn't end up crashing further down and having to wait for rescue for a few hours? If they saw her car go over the edge, most likely not.

Arianna cursed herself at that, she was so stupid for storming off in a blizzard, but what else was she supposed to do? Let him talk things out? What could he have said? He just slipped and landed in bed with her? She screamed out as she pulled her wedding band off and threw it into the snowy woods, "Fuck you, Mitchell!"

Fueled by her renewed rage, she clenched her teeth and surmised her bearings. She knew the mountain base would circle around to the city eventually, so as long as she traveled along the edge, she'd be going in the best direction. As she began trudging through the snow, the acrid smell of the burning wreckage stung her nose as if a symbol of her burned-down marriage.

Rage can only take you so far and the concept of traveling around the mountain is good enough if the sun were up and it wasn't dumping snow. Soon she found she was essentially walking in pitch darkness, even her eyes which normally could make out things decently enough at night were failing to afford much more than a few feet of vision.

"Ha... why not? He probably went back to finish what he started with her after I stormed off..." She huffed out in the bitter cold, having long since lost the view of the mountain's wall, not even sure how to find it again. Each fumbling step just seemed to lead to more trees but no rock wall or incline.

After over an hour the numbness was starting to get through to her fur and clothes, her jeans wet from the snow and the coat having never been intended for this kind of use. Walking in snow is very laborious to boot, and she was beginning to feel exhaustion set in.

The doe found a small gathering of trees that at least somewhat kept the snow off her head as she sat down to take a rest, feeling completely drained from the trek. She thought about the ring she cast off and sighed as she leaned against the tree.

"Why?... I was faithful, body and soul. He was all I thought of, my heart and my mind never wavered from my duty as his wife..." She hissed out bitterly, tears clouding her vision again before she simply shouted out as loudly as she could muster, "Tell me! If there are gods among me, fucking tell me! Why am I being..." She spat out a sob and shook her head.

"Whatever... I'll just rest a little, if I don't wake up, at least I won't have my ring on, he can give it to his little cat girlfriend..." Arianna sobbed the words to herself as she closed her eyes, shivering as she let what she assumed was the sleep of death take her.

--*--

The sound of a crackling fire was the first thing Arianna was aware of as she came to. Her exhaustion-addled mind slowly began to clear as the scent of food reached her nose.

With a weak groan, she cracked one eye, seeing a small fire before her that looked like it had a spit over it, various vegetables being roasted. The scent of them made her stomach growl because naturally, she would have burned through all her calories from earlier.

"You awaken at last, do you?" A deep calm voice filled her ears, making them perk as she widened her eyes and started to raise from where she was laying, wincing as her body reminded her of the aches from before.

"Easy now, your body is still weak..." The gentle voice called out again as she slowly finished sitting up. Sighing out as she blinked a few times, her vision cleared as she saw the figure sitting across the fire from her on a large stump.

He easily had another head on her husband given his stature, which meant he probably had close to two on her. At first, she thought him another deer, given the antlers, but then it dawned on her they were much more robust, clearly those of an elk.

The stranger had a soft white coat that seemed to sport spots of tan and even bluish-white areas along his throat. The large antlers were covered in velvet still, not having been scraped off as most males did for the aesthetic that it gave. Despite the weather outside, he appeared to be dressed very casually, in jeans and a t-shirt that strained against the well-defined arm muscles and broad chest of the elk.

She took a few more moments to assess him, biting her lower lip at the view. He was gorgeous with lovely platinum hair that was longer than her own, but his face had a faint roundness to it, gentle looking in nature as opposed to the strong tone of his body.

The butterflies in her stomach seemed to scatter as it groaned once more, the elk offering her a show of bright teeth before he pulled a skewer from the spit that had been resting in an area not quite atop the fire.

"This one should be warm but not too hot to eat. Still, mind yourself." He leaned forward, presenting the small shaft that was lined with various winter vegetables, all of them roasted, the scent smelling absolutely divine given how famished she was.

Arianna had many questions for this stranger, but right now the simple desire to eat something won out as she nodded and began to happily work on the vegetables. The elk smiled as he watched her eat, a deep hum filling his voice as he reposition the current skewer on the spit, relaxing and seeming perfectly content to just watch the small doe ravenously eat.

At first, she was eager to get the food in her, but soon enough she was happy to just enjoy the flavor. She could taste they were only seasoned with salt, but when one gets lost in the snow for a few hours and nearly dies of hypothermia, it makes food taste all the better when it comes to them.

Once she finished he had already set aside a second to cool in anticipation. "Another?" He offered the skewer to her.

"Yes, please... and thank you." She took the food and offered a shy smile at the lovely elk that had apparently happened upon her to rescue her.

"Of course, I was happy to do it. It has been some time since I've had a visitor. I was surprised when you called out so earnestly, but when I arrived, you were already at death's door in slumber, so I brought you back to the fireside as quickly as I could."

"Called out? You heard me shouting?" She frowned at that, but couldn't resist getting started on the next skewer she had in her paws.

"Hearing is a subjective term..." He showed her an amused grin as he leaned back slightly to relax. She glanced around seeing she seemed to be in some sort of cave. Looking out to the mouth of the entrance, she could see nothing but white and angry snow all around, but it did not come into the opening, as if some sort of barrier or sheet of glass prevented it.

Despite the prior events of the evening, the current situation made for a cozy environment. As she ate and surveyed her surroundings, she began to wonder about the stranger that rescued her. He was certainly a very good example of a cervine male, but there seemed to be more to him.

"Subjective? I mean hearing is hearing unless you have some kind of sixth sense," she said in between bites of food.

"Well, you could say that, but I would find it hard to describe," the elk said as he stoked the fire.

Looking over the elk, she could feel something stirring inside. "I know something else I'd like to see hard..." she whispered to herself, then gasped as she realized she had said what she thinking out loud. She was never one for such crude language so it shocked her it even came forth.

The elk chuckled in response to her mutterings. "It's ok. I can have that effect, sometimes."

Clearing her throat, Arianna decided to change topics, "I really have to thank you for the food... uh... what was your name?" she asked.

"You can call me Eryi, what is your name?" he asked, in turn.

Swallowing the last piece of food on the skewer, she answered, "Arianna."

"Well, it is certainly nice to meet you Arianna," the elk spoke warmly as he stood up to stretch. His muscles were on full display through the material of his shirt, making Arianna take notice.

"Uh, yeah, nice to meet you too!" she responded, in awe of his impressive physique.

Shaking her head to bring her back to reality, she tried to regain her composure as she looked around the cave, seeing no signs of any winter-weather gear. "So, why are you dressed in a t-shirt? It's absolutely freezing out and you look like you're out for a summer stroll. What's going on?" she asked.

"Well, the weather doesn't affect my physical comfort. I wear these for fashion, mostly. Any other time, I'd be skyclad," he responded.

"Skyclad?" she asked, somewhat confused.

"Yes, in other words, I wear no fabric," he nodded.

"Y-You mean, naked?" she said, titillated by the thought.

"Yes. A being such as I have no practical use for clothing. I wear it so as not to attract attention to myself if I feel I should be near mortals."

"Mortals? No need to care for the weather? You sound like you're one of the gods," she said with a laugh.

"I am the spirit of winter. Some would refer to me as a god, but I take no lofty title," he answered as he sat down next to her.

She felt his warmth as he settled next to her and offered a grin as she perked her ears. "Okay, okay... I get it, this is all a fever dream, right? I'm still dying in the cold in the woods, that makes more sense than me being saved by a magic winter fairy spirit."

"This is no dream, I assure you. You are quite alive and relatively well, well once you fully heal, anyway, also, I am no fairy, those are completely different spirits," he responded, taking her hand-paw into his own. She could feel a warm energy begin to course through her body, any soreness from the accident melting away.

"How do you feel?" he asked in his warm, gentle voice.

Blinking her eyes, she felt her energy renewed. Her mind cleared and she became fully aware of her surroundings as if rousing from a long restful slumber and feeling refreshed for the day.

"Oh wow, how did you do that?" she asked in awe.

"I just let my energy flow into you. It heals the sick and injured. I have helped many that were lost, leaving before they became aware of my presence."

She looked over and was keenly aware that they were still holding paws, the spirit having not released her grasp, but not holding her forcefully either. She felt her heart flutter as she glanced up at the larger elk, seeing him smile down upon her with eyes of sky-blue, something she'd never seen another cervine sport.

"Now I wish to ask a question, Arianna." He spoke out gently as she felt a squeeze to her paw.

"Of course, what is it, Eryi?" She felt her cheeks growing warm, the scent of him filling her nose. It was nothing like Mitchell's. It was heady, wild, and feral in a way like a wolf's might be.

"What brought you to such a dire position? You were clearly not dressed to be in such conditions. Shall I assume the crashed vehicle that fell to the earth from the roadside was yours?"

She frowned and looked away, giving a sigh before she nodded. "Yes, I wasn't sure if I should count myself lucky for surviving that or not, as I started to fade, I felt the fiery explosion might have been the real blessing, versus freezing to death."

"Why even be out on a night such as this? I usher in the seasons, but how angry the winter gets is rarely within my control, surely mortal technology would have warned you of such hazardous conditions and to avoid them?" He tilted his head curiously.

"Oh, yes, I was too busy crying and screaming. I didn't think about it until it was too late. All I could think about was-" She clenched her teeth, feeling him squeeze her paw as the memories flooded back in, still fresh as if she'd just walked in upon him, seeing his body there, hearing the sounds he and the cat were making.

"Ah, so it is a matter of the heart. I should have known. You have suffered betrayal and it's a bitter pill to swallow." He nodded to himself as she looked back at him with a shocked glance.

"Eryi! H-How can you know that? Are you reading my mind as well?"

"Nay, I simply feel your emotions while we touch, it is clear to feel why you anguish. Tell me... what happened, Arianna?" He released her paw and rested his on her knees.

"I'd... rather not... I don't want to talk of it..." She folded her ears and looked away once more.

"Come now... you must confide it if you wish to move on, yes? I can be here for you as more than a savior of your mortality. I can bend an ear to your woes and offer advice if you'd like it."

She glanced back at him, her brown eyes meeting his shockingly bright blue ones before she swallowed a lump in her throat and spoke out in a weak voice, "My husband, I found him in bed with another, after I had braved the storm to be in his arms for the holiday to come."

Eryi nodded at that. "I thought that might be the case, yet I see no ring upon your paw. Do you mortals not use them as a bond?"

"I cast it away into the snow after the car crash, I offered him years of my loyalty and he spat in my face for it. Let him keep his cat, I've no husband..." She hissed the words bitterly, feeling her vision once again fill with tears, making the firelight blur.

"That is a bold declaration to make, is there no room for forgiveness?" the elk asked.

"It is a matter of trust! It was bad enough that he did what he did in the first place, but to do it in our own home, in the bed we shared..." she cried, holding her face in her paws.

Eryi put his arm around her shoulder, holding her paw with the other in comfort. She needed someone to cry to and the doe buried her face into his chest, letting it all out.

Holding her in a warm embrace, the elk began stroking her hair. Her scent wasn't as feral as his, but was sweeter, owing to a combination of her own natural scent as well as various soaps and lotions she used. Still, it was a scent that belonged to her.

The pair stayed like this for a time, even after the doe's sobbing eased off, she clung to his shirt, sniffling and just shaking her head. She was still aware that her face was buried in the chest of another male, but right now, she needed that sense of touch and comfort. However, she couldn't deny that her emotions were stirring a primal urge from within her.

Eryi could clearly sense her emotions and gently cupped the side of the smaller doe's muzzle, lifting her face from his shirt. She blinked up into his blue eyes, tears still showing in her own. He knew what was about to happen, but let it play out as Arianna pushed forward, her lips pressing intently, almost desperately to his own.

He accepted the small deer's kiss, both their heads tilting to deepen the embrace that ensued. She gave a shuddering sob and then pushed the emotions away and focused on his maw, her tongue pushing forward, the elk's answering it.

Their tongues lavished one another in slow rolling motions as she shuddered and then gave a blissful sigh at the emotions that flooded forth. Was it petty revenge, or adoration for her savior? She didn't care, she just wanted this with every fiber of her being.

He never pushed for more, but always returned the gestures at a pace she made. She pushed a paw to his chest, and one of his own moved to cup at her breast. She broke the kiss with a small gasp, feeling another male touch her for the first time ever. Mitchell had been the one to take her virginity and he was all she knew, all her body had experienced.

"The fabric you wear does well to conceal their size, they are rather plump aren't they, Arianna?" He whispered into her perked ear, the doe leaning closer, sighing at his touch, eager to hear him speak and feel his breath against her.

She nodded and bit her lower lip, feeling the excitement building in her, her body screaming for attention, wanting the carnal bandage to the wound on her broken heart. "Ah... do you think so? W-would you like to see them, Eryi?" She asked somewhat timidly.

"If you would allow me the honor, I'm sure that your beauty compares to no other," he said, gently.

The doe gave a quick nod and shrugged out of the open coat before hastily grasping the shirt she had worn. Her paws lifted the fabric up, letting her bra come into view, the swell of her breasts clearly showing, her coat turning to a lighter shade of brown along her throat and chest, almost looking blonde.

With the practiced precision of a wife that undressed for her husband, she hastily unfasted the back of the bra, showing the spirit a bashful grin as the fabric slacked, giving just slight glimpses of the hard dark peaks of her breasts, then she peeled the rest off, fully revealing the full roundness of her chest to only the second male in her whole life.

Eryi gazed in wonder at the doe's beauty. She still exhibited some coyness, but she started to become more confident as the elk's gaze made it obvious he was in awe at what he saw.

"You could not be more beautiful if you were nature's very own child. I have not seen such a perfect form in some time. To be cast aside is such a waste," he said, in a deep tone.

Coming closer to her, he gently caressed her peaks, causing them to rise at his touch. Her breasts were firm, but supple, and he took his time exploring her flesh with his paws.

Arianna treated the buck to a soft blissful moan, her own paws exploring his body, one gripping the hem of his shirt, tugging it upwards to see the rigidly defined slope of his abs, the other already fervently unbuttoning the front of those jeans, the bulge within them clearly evident.

"Huff... you smell so good, your touch is amazing... I want you, I need you, Eryi... call it piety, call it gratitude, or maybe I'm just eager to return the favor against that cheating bastard, but I am yours!" She cried out almost frantic at the confession, pushing to the elk's chest, kissing at his throat as her small hand-paw pushed into those open jeans, finding no undergarments to inhibit her as she grasped that length, starting to pump it gently.

"You are quite the eager one!" the elk responded, his head tilting to the side as the doe kissed along his throat. Feeling the gentle but firm grasp of his length brought pleasure to the elk that he hadn't felt in quite some time. He relished the sensation as Arianna slowly pumped, letting the pre drip forth, coating her paw. Eryi groaned at the attention he was getting then smiled into the doe's face who returned the gesture as she was taking good care of her rescuer.

"My own desires aside... I'll thank you properly right now, my loving spirit..." Arianna practically moaned the words as she slipped between the elk's legs, pulling the pants down enough to get that length fully free, biting her lower lip to see the size difference between this new male before.

"Gods... you're quite sizeable, aren't you?" The doe sighed the words as both paws rubbed up and down the long throbbing length, then she licked her maw before rising up and pushing the head of his cock right into her mouth.

She had always been praised by her former husband for her skill, but she wasn't sure if he was just being kind with the words. He watched those brown eyes blink up at him, almost looking innocent as she skillfully moved her head back and forth, tasting the heady precum that gushed on her tongue, happy to swallow it down before continuing.

Eryi's muzzle slacked as his tongue lolled out from the pleasure he received. She pulled back, pumping his length as she looked into his eyes with a look of pride at her well-honed skills. Her mouth coated his length as she glided along with her tongue, before taking him back into her maw and progressively taking him deeper and deeper into herself.

"Your prowess is incredible. Words can't..." he gasped as he could feel a familiar sensation well up, not felt in some time.

Arianna sighed at the praise as she pulled back, rolling her tongue at his head, lapping a bit more pre up before looking upon the larger elk while licking her chops. "In truth, I hope you don't think me an eager or easy deer, Eryi... I simply cannot take your beauty or scent anymore, you were driving me mad not to touch you."

As she was explaining things, the doe was intently tugging and peeling her own jeans down, curvy full hips coming into view, a surprisingly skimpy pair of panties beneath as she had intended to surprise her husband with them. She made a show of shifting to her knees, hiking her fluff of tail and peeling the fabric down just enough to expose her glistening petals to the elk, then she shifted to her paws, in a prime position to be mated. "Is this a proper position for you? I assumed you'd like something more... natural, Eryi?"

Eryi took in the display and began to caress her thigh, running his paw along the inner side. The curve of her hips framing her display was more than he could take. He could smell her scent as her entrance gave forth its wetness, enticing him to partake.

"Yes, Arianna, this position is proper, but I would gladly accept any you offer," he said as his tongue gently bathed her jewel.

The elk took long, languid strokes of his tongue, gliding it over her prominent jewel. He wanted to return the same attention the doe afforded him. Her scent was intoxicating and he relished being so close to her.

"Ah! E-Eryi... I did not... expect you to use your... ngh!" She folded her ears, that cute fluff of tail springing forth as the doe gave him the first real taste of her honey, along with her blissful moans.

"Oh gods... oh gods... I can't believe... I'm doing this... but don't stop there, my lovely elk! I want more!" She frantically moaned the words while panting and looking over her shoulder, biting her lower lip as she felt him lapping at her petals again and again.

"Then more you shall have," the elk responded to her calls. Taking a finger, Eryi began circling around the doe's petals, applying gentle pressure. More of her honey flowed forth, coating his digit. Looking up from between her thighs, Eryi looked into Arianna's eyes as he slowly pushed into her entrance.

Enveloped by her soaked walls, the elk began applying gentle pressure upwards, finding the doe's sensitive spot. He gazed into her face watching her expression change as she felt him coaxing her love forth.

Arianna looked stunned by his skillful paw, her teeth clenching as he stoked her flames higher and higher. "So much... with just your paw?" She panted out then he heard her give a small gasping moan as he felt her walls crush those digits in her, more honey spilling forth all over the elk's hand-paw.

She saw stars from the back-to-back orgasm's so soon and collapsed onto her elbows, panting in fatigue, her hips still swaying, that full round backside on full display, honey dripping from her petals. "Gods... gods... I need a sec... I've never had them that close together before..."

The elk wasted no time and gripped the doe from behind. She could feel his hardness against her petals, still dripping down her thighs. He rubbed the head of his cervine cock, letting his pre mingle with her honey and she could feel his weight behind her. It was as if she were truly experiencing things for the first time with a proper dominant male. Her husband had been no slouch, but the sheer presence of this elk made her whole body melt for him.

"I don't think you truly want to wait and so, I will be giving you that which I know you've been waiting for," the elk said in a deep, resonant voice. The timbre awoke something inside Arianna and the doe desperately wanted him to do whatever he desired.

Eryi huffed as he pushed himself into Arianna's willing entrance. Her soaked walls enveloped his girth and hugged it, not willing to let it go. She could feel every thrust and the weight behind it.

"Yessss... whatever you want, Eryi!" She moaned out as she felt him starting to push into her. For just a brief fraction she felt a twinge of guilt, letting another male have what had always been her husband's, but once the elk bottomed out snug to her core and she collapsed to her chest upon the earthy floor of the cave, all her thoughts scattered.

Arianna lolled her tongue slightly, panting against the floor, feeling Eryi climb fully over her, his elbows resting near her shoulders. He had her in a proper breeding position now and had wasted no time, pumping that thick throbbing length deep into her clenching walls. He'd already made her crest again just from entry, her honey dripping off his sacs while he gave his own dominant grunts into her ears while taking her, as if he were her alpha and she his bitch in heat.

The sounds of the feral lovemaking echoed off the walls of the cave. Eryi tensed up, indicating that he was near his peak as he began to increase his rhythm, pushing deeper and deeper into Arianna's core. He could feel her cervix rubbing against his head with every thrust he made; her walls clenching tighter and tighter along his girth.

"Eryi! Oh, my, gods! Eryi just like that, right there!" Arianna moaned out, feeling absolutely drunk on this elk. Perhaps it was his divinity, perhaps she was just happy to be alive or maybe she even fell for him at first sight, all that mattered was she was his in this moment and would happily do whatever he wanted.

Deep grunts came from the elk until finally after several more strokes, he succumbed to his own carnal urges. He bottomed out in the doe, and she gave a loud lustful groan as he started filling her with his seed. He gripped her tight as his length pumped his essence into her womb again and again.

His grasp on her own wrists, holding her down, filling her without hesitation, it all felt perfect in this moment. Arianna gave another slurred moan, feeling held down and dominated by this elk who was now finishing inside her, something she'd only let her husband do when she knew it was safe, but she didn't even question and he didn't even ask.

The doe trembled and then gave a weak soft moan as the last rope was milked in, resting her forehead to the dirt of the cave, panting in relief, coming down from the almost supernatural high of making love to a veritable deity. "Eryi... Eryi... Gods above..."

Her body was still a bit worn out from the ordeal she'd been through and the wonderful lovemaking, so it was no surprise she felt ready to collapse. She felt the elk move in to nuzzle the side of her jaw as she sighed happily.

"That was splendid, rest, for now, my doe... I'll be here when you awaken." Arianna hummed blissfully, her heart fluttering at the 'my doe' part and was happy to let the sleep take her right there on the floor of the cave.

--*--

Arianna felt herself stir from her exhausted sleep. She wasn't sure how long she'd been out, but between recovering from the ordeal and the divine sex, she felt it had been some time.

Divine sex? Spirits, an elk, was she dreaming all that? She shifted under heavy warm blankets as she slowly blinked her eyes open, finding herself in a massive soft bed, a roaring hearth fire several feet away. His scent was in the bed, she instantly recognized it and knew keenly it wasn't a dream. She could even smell it on her, in her fur, her body aching from the feral sex a little.

With a soft groan, she sat up in the bed, the blankets spilling down, revealing her breasts to the firelight as she realized she was fully nude beneath the rest of the blankets.

"With me again, are you? You slumbered for quite some time there. If you say it was due to my lovemaking, I may grow overconfident." She heard him call out in that gentle voice, his tone sounding jovial as she realized Eryi was just there, no approach just there with a hot mug cradled in his paws.

"Ah!" She gasped out, then bit her lower lip as her eyes widened, seeing the buck was 'skyclad' as he put it, every bit of him fully on display, his length still shamelessly hard but not at full.

He offered her a knowing smile and presented the mug to her. "It's tea. I don't have any of the coffee you mortals are so fond of these days."

The doe smiled at the offering and took in the fragrance of the drink. As she took a careful sip, childhood memories were recalled and for a moment, she relished in a better time, before the world became a harsher place.

"This tea is wonderful, thank you," she said, smiling as she savored the hot drink.

"You are quite welcome, my doe. It seems you are enjoying more than just the flavor of your beverage. May I ask what is on your mind?" Eryi inquired as he sat on the bed.

"My family used to visit my aunt during the holidays when I was quite young. She wasn't really much of a coffee drinker herself, but she loved her tea. There were nights when I'd come downstairs from the guestroom and see her in her living room reading a book and sipping a mug of hot tea. We would talk and more often than not, I'd fall asleep down there. I'd always wake up in the morning back in bed," she recalled.

"That is a treasured memory. It sounds like you have quite a loving family," he replied.

"Yes, they were quite loving. They adored my husband as well who was also... quite loving to me." She hissed out as she looked away while grasping the mug.

Eryi perked his ears at that and tilted his head, both his large paws resting on his knees. "What we did aside, do you truly feel you cannot reconcile with him, Arianna?"

She glared down at her half drank mug of tea, thinking back to that scene before her, the sounds the other female was making, the almost unfamiliar talk that spilled from his maw as he took her. "As my ring is lost to the snow, so is my love for him. What I saw was not my husband... Should I really return to what was simply a pretty lie, Eryi?"

"I question not your dedication to your course, simply put, I wished to ensure you were set in it, not still clouded by the rage or sorrow that came from it." The elk rested a paw on her knee through the heavy blanket.

Arianna took a pull from her mug, looking over at the fire, then back to the elk before her that loomed over her smaller form, a look of calm patience on his face, showing he had no intention of guiding her in this matter, but support what she chose.

"May... I ask a question, Eryi?" Arianna finally spoke out with some hesitation.

"Naturally, ask away, my doe." He showed her that brilliant smile, his blue eyes looking like they sparkled in the firelight of the room.

She swallowed down the lump in her throat, feeling those butterflies return in her belly before she shook it off. "Uh... am I yours? Or is it a fond thing you simply say in the moment?"

"Hmmm... well, we spirits have no real need for possessions, so to call you mine in earnest would seem uncouth. I especially harbor no will to call another my own in such a matter," the buck replied in thought.

"I see... that makes sense, I suppose," Arianna said, an inflection of disappointment in her tone.

He noted her disappointed look and continued, "However, that is not to say I do not-"

"Eryi. Do you tend to have sex with those that you rescue like that?" She asked point-blank.

"No, I cannot say that I do," he answered.

Arianna looked down at her now empty mug and fidgeted a little before shaking her head. "So what is going to happen now? What's going to happen to me? To... us?"

Eryi took his paw and set it on Arianna's chin, guiding her face to meet his own. Looking into her eyes, he gave his answer, "I cannot say what will happen to us, suffice it to say you are quite welcome to stay. I would love nothing more than to be your partner in all things in love and life. I wish to make sweet and cherished memories for us to look back fondly upon and to head into the unknown future with determination."

She dropped the empty mug out of her free paw with a loud gasp, feeling her heart shove right back into her throat. "E-Eryi... did you just... propose to me? I- I'm just a mortal doe, not some goddess!"

"I did. We spirits are accused of falling in love easily, but it is so. The moment you kissed me, in that moment... I fell in love with you, my doe..." He cupped her jaw, staring into her shuddering brown eyes, the small doe trying to process all of this.

Arianna felt her heart leap at the words as she quickly reciprocated them, "Oh my gods... I felt the same! I know it's horrible for me to say it, having denounced my former husband not hours prior... but I don't care! I fell in love with you as soon as I laid eyes upon you... my buck!"

"Then you have your course set before you, and your answer as to what shall become of us..." Eryi calmly spoke as he leaned down, this time pushing the kiss upon her himself. Arianna didn't hesitate to return the kiss, tilting her head to deepen it.

The elk gently pulled the small dear over him, Arianna straddling his leg while pushing her paws under his muzzle, their tongues gently rolling together as his own paws explored her small body.

They heatedly kissed for several moments before he parted from her lips with a loving smile. "If you are to be mine, Arianna... we must consummate our love in the sacred waters of the springs here in the mountains."

She nodded her head as she hugged tightly to him, pushing her muzzle under his, wanting to have his scent all over her, feeling the overwhelming adoration of this spirit for her. "Of course, my buck... my Eryi... I am yours!"

--*--

Arianna was elated to agree to be Eryi's bride, but she didn't think things would be progressing quite this quickly. Then again, he did mention spirits fall in love quickly, perhaps this was a normal course of things.

"So, this is okay? We're just gonna uh... go get married, like right now? I dated my ex-husband for nearly three years before we wed." She offered the elk a small grin while standing before the mouth of the cave, her paw in his.

Eryi lifted his chin as he spoke out proudly, "We have already affirmed our love for one another and desire to be joined in such a union, there is no need to delay things. I've already informed my mother of things and she awaits at the sacred springs to perform the rights."

Her ears perked at that as she quickly looked herself over. She was already standing buck naked before a raging blizzard, but the thought of his mother seeing her in such a way gave her more pause. "Wait, we're nude and just going to stand before your uh... mother?"

The elk quizically tilted his head at her. "You mortals put such odd fanciful ideas upon clothing. Did your own mother not birth you, bathe you? How often did she see you skyclad, Arianna?"

"Sure but not after I became an-" She was cut off as he jerked his head up to attention, as if focused.

"It seems she grows impatient, let us be off, lest I draw her ire, my love." He squeezed her paw and took a step forward. Arianna felt her muzzle clench as he pulled her out into a raging snowstorm without a stitch of clothing on to protect her.

Their hooves hit the snow with a crunch and she winced instinctively, but then realized she felt fine, not warm or cold, just a comfortable neutral temperature, despite feeling the wind blow her hair about rather intensely.

Eryi gave her a nod. "So long as you remain touching me, you will be safe from the elements, now let us be off."

"O-Okay, my love!" She called out as they both took a step, then she felt the whole world blur around her as if that single step had been twenty. It was an indescribable sensation for her, each step didn't care about terrain or obstacles. At one point she was even on a cliffside looking down into the whirling maelstrom of snow.

After only a few moments of travel, they were at their destination. Looking upon the base of a sheer cliff that disappeared into the snow fog, Arianna could see clouds of steam rising. Walking towards the spring, the sounds of rushing water running into a carved-out ravine started to fill her ears.

The spring was surrounded by a small grove of pine trees as if attempting to hide it from the view of casual observers, despite it being deep in the mountains. She approached curiously with her love letting her lead the way, small floating orbs of red and green began to flicker into view with each step she made. Small flames sprang to life as she advanced, illuminating a path toward the spring, itself. The storm seemed to be sparing this intimate area from its wrath as the snow floated among the orbs of light, giving a serene quality, much like a settling snowglobe, with just occasional flakes drifting between the flames.

Arianna took in the scene in wonderment, trying to observe all the magical detail. She reached out to touch an orb, just to see it disappear and reappear nearby. Never before had she witnessed something so magical, yet seemingly natural. This whole scene would have made her run in fear yesterday, yet after everything she'd been through, it was more curious than frightening.

"I, I don't know what to say. I didn't know a world like this could exist," she whispered, eyes wide with wonder at the surroundings.

"This world has always existed, only those who have a true love for nature could hope to glimpse into it," He spoke matter-of-factly.

As they approached the spring, a figure stood, silhouetted by the steam. As the vapors floated by, they provided windows to see a regal, female antelope, adorned in a robe of green with gold trim. She had pure white fur and her wavy platinum hair cascaded to the small of her back. Her mere presence held power enough to inspire awe and reverence as she turned to look at Arianna with her striking blue eyes.

Arianna lifted her ears, realizing the antelope sported hair and eyes that looked just like Eryi's. It was clear despite their different species, the features were there to show their lineage.

The antelope gave the two of them an annoyed look before she shifted her gaze to Eryi. "My son, why have you arrived at your own ceremony without garments upon you and your would-be wife?"

Eryi parted his maw to speak but Arianna called out first, "Wait- are you saying the whole skyclad thing isn't normal?"

The goddess before her gave an approving look to the small deer as if she liked she was willing to speak to her with so little hesitation. Her blue eyes shifted to her son, then back to Arianna as she spoke with clear amusement in her voice, "Clothing is of course not required in our day-to-day, but yes, of course, we would dress for occasions such as this or appearing before our followers."

Arianna clicked her tongue and nodded before Eryi finally spoke out, "My apologies, I just wanted to enjoy seeing my doe's beauty a while longer."

The antelope scoffed at that and then rolled her eyes. "You have time enough for that, now quickly change into your ceremonial-" She huffed and shifted a paw to her hip. "You know what? Here, I'll remove the hesitation for you to don your own robes!"

Just as the words finished, Arianna gave a little shocked gasp as she realized she was clad in an ornate robe similar to the antelopes, only of soft pink and gold. The robe was surprisingly light in weight, despite seeming to be much heavier by its appearance. The material held an almost sensual quality as it rubbed against her fur.

Arianna looked over to her betrothed to see his own ornate robes form suddenly on his figure, deep hues of blue and gold but looking similar in style, though distinctly more masculine than her own set.

"There... now I may call forth the other guests." The antelope sighed as she paced a few steps toward the spring.

"Guests?" Arianna asked with surprise in her voice.

"Of course, my soon-to-be daughter. One of the greater winter spirits finally takes a wife, on the day of the yule festival to boot? Of course, it would be an affront to the other spirits were they not invited, yes?" The antelope tilted her head curiously.

Eryi hesitantly spoke out, "I was originally thinking I and my doe would have a private ceremony moth-"

"Adaptability is not just a useful trait for the mortals, my son." That was all the antelope said as she poked her nose up, then just like that, Arianna felt the presence of several other beings around her. Even her mundane mind could easily feel the pull from so much divine power all around.

Sure enough, there were deities or spirits of all walks standing about near the flames. She could practically feel their various traits, such as the seasonal spirits, the one clearly governing wealth, another of love. She couldn't understand how she could discern this, perhaps she had been tainted as it were from laying with Eryi. Their species varied as greatly as their powers, feline, canine, and even what she assumed was a dragon, though she didn't know such a species existed.

Eryi's mother didn't wait on the doe to fully grasp the situation before she spoke out with authority, "Honored guests, I thank you for attending my son's union with my soon-to-be daughter." A small humble sound of applause filled the air but the scene remained very respected as if none wished to outshine her and her elk.

The soft glow of red and green light provided an atmosphere of intimacy, despite the numerous guests. Arianna and Eryi approached the antelope, ready to declare their vows to each other as husband and wife.

"We are all gathered here on this sacred day of Yule, to join these two spirits as one. They have pledged their love to one another and now wish to sanctify their union," she announced.

The goddess looked at her directly as she opened a paw, flourishing it over those in attendance. "Arianna, you have all these who have come to bear witness to your dedication to my son. Will you remain dutiful to him in this new life? Will you sacrifice everything for him?"

The words settled on her very soul, this wasn't the kind of vow she'd made with her former husband, she could feel the weight the antelope's words held, the very gravity of the question actually making the whole area feel colder for a moment.

She looked to Eryi, both their paws clasping as she stared into his crystal blue eyes, feeling no hesitation as she kept looking upon him without even looking back at the antelope. "I am already his, I always was. Everything for him, now and in the future. I could only hope my duty to him will be enough. I could hope my sacrifice for him will be worthy."

She lifted her muzzle to Arianna's words, the small doe feeling the power that had come forth with her vows, even feeling the impressed attitudes of all the other spirits before her that bared witness.

"And you, my son... Eryi of the winter seasons, the spirit of Yule. You have reigned in this position alone for so long, will you truly be satisfied sharing your life and power with this doe?" She asked, her voice taking on a level of concern as she spoke the words.

"I would not be satisfied. To be satisfied would not do justice to the love I feel for my doe. Cherishing her with all my love for all the ages to come would be a reward, in of itself," Eryi responded, confidently.

His mother parted her maw to speak, but Arianna interrupted, "Wait- Why did you sound concerned just now?" She asked, feeling butterflies swarming in her stomach over her elk's earnest words of love.

The antelope lifted her chin slightly while looking down on the small doe. "A union between a greater spirit and mortal has some tithes that must be made, but it matters little in this moment. His words and yours have already sealed your fates together, anything further is just formality. It has already come to pass."

Arianna widened her eyes at that and started to speak once again, but Eryi clenched her paws with his own, drawing her focus back to him. "Rest easy, my wife. It truly is nothing so worrying, let us go wade into the sacred waters to finish the ceremony."

The doe's heart fluttered at his words, "my wife." Never before had such words carried the weight they did. The years to come, the memory of this moment they would cherish as each others' soulmates. The words carried meaning she never thought would be so dear to her.

Looking into the elk's blue eyes, she whispered in astonishment, "your wife, my husband."

"That's right, you and I shall share our lives together from this moment on to eternity," Eryi whispered back to his bride.

Arianna reached up to kiss her new husband deeply but not too much so, taking care to respect their guests. As they kissed, she began pulling Eryi towards the sacred spring to finish the ceremony.

"Well, normally the kiss is had within the sacred waters, but I suppose it's acceptable enough." The antelope spoke out as the couple slowly waded into the steamy waters of the mountain spring.

Eryi pushed his paw to Arianna's muzzle, cupping it as he moved to kiss her once more in a slow purposeful one. A small humble round of clapping filled the air from the guests as the antelope gave another nod.

"Very well, we shall now adjourn and leave you two to your honeymoon as it were." The goddess cracked a grin at the elk and doe as they looked upon her in their now mostly wet robes. "Have fun you two..." She called out in a surprisingly playful tone as when she vanished, so did the garments they wore, leaving them 'skyclad' before one another along with the realization that all the guests were gone now as well.

"Ah... are you happy now, my wi-" Eryi gave a gasp as Arianna threw her arms around his neck, practically leaping into his arms, water splashing all about as he held her, their muzzles crushing together in a frantic kiss the doe started.

Her tongue met his, both her paws tangling into his golden locks of hair, the deer happily kissing her new divine husband, pride and love swelling in her chest as their tongues rolled together.

Feeling her naked body pressed against his, Eryi moaned as the two kissed with a mix of love and lust. The steam rose all around, providing a canopy that isolated them from the outer world. The only sounds were the sloshing of the water as they moved their foot-hooves, the rushing of the waterfall, and the moans they elicited as they kissed deeply.

Arianna flicked her tongue a few more times, then giggled as Eryi gripped her hips and took a seat in the springs, pulling his new wife right down to his lap. She sighed blissfully as the elk tilted his head, dragging his tongue along her throat, the doe dutifully tilting her muzzle, baring her throat for her new husband. "Truly I am yours now, my Eryi?"

"You are mine as I am yours if you would truly have me," Eryi responded, smiling into the doe's eyes. His length sprang to life at the sight of his beautiful bride, her ample breasts just above the water line as she sat in his lap. He could smell her scent, indicating she was ready and willing to complete their union.

"You are so eager, my buck... of course, I will have you, I'm here and we are... married now, are we not?" The doe moved her paws to push along his strong sizeable muscles, claws digging into Eryi's chest as she looked up at him adoringly. He felt her petals push to the underside of his length, grinding there, teasing herself as much as him, water gently splashing about while her breasts swayed to her movements.

The elk teased the doe, lightly brushing his tip on her pearl. Watching her face, he began to apply more pressure, before holding back. Even though he was eager to be inside his wife, he also knew time was on their side. He wanted to build up as much anticipation before he gave all of his love.

Arianna clenched her teeth, gripping his chest as her hips worked with his own, feeling him skillfully push and work her spot, the small doe's tongue peeking out as she panted, getting closer and closer. Her ears folded and she gave a protesting whimper when he halted his pace, her own hips still moving, shifting and rubbing intently against his throbbing length. "Ha... don't stop, don't tease me, husband."

"Apologies, my wife. I merely wished to build anticipation," Eryi responded to his wife's request. Taking his tip, he slowly pushed against her petals, feeling them envelop him as her body began taking him in. The heat he felt from her was more than enough invitation as he brought her smaller body down. The elk savored the moment of pushing deep inside his new wife before she came fully to rest in his lap. Her tongue showed slightly as the water splashed around the couple to her buck eagerly beginning to move his hips.

Arianna treated her new husband to a blissful moan as he felt her walls clench nice and hard, her honey slicking his intruding length and spilling into the steamy waters of the spring. She moved her own hips through the orgasm, keeping herself moving, desperate to feel him throb inside her while she panted up at him. "Gods... you feel absolutely divine, my husband!" She giggled at her own bad pun, her eyes practically showing hearts for her elk, little flecks of blue drifting in the brown of them.

"You look and feel divine, yourself my love," he whispered as he smiled, the words truer than she realized in this moment. Feeling her lust for him as she gave in. The buck began making deeper movements, his tip gently pushing into her core. He could feel her body respond as her honey began to soak her walls, gripping him, as if demanding his release now, despite having just gotten inside her.

"Your body is relentless... crushing and demanding I give in to you already..." he panted as he hugged his doe closer to his muscular frame, his hips quickening the pace.

"Ngh! Ha... you may whenever you desire, I am yours, after all, my husband!" Arianna moaned out as his strokes grew more intense, impacting her with each push, her breasts now pushed to his chest, hugging him possessively, still panting up at him with glittering eyes. His strokes kept up despite her giving in again, her elk just mating her through the orgasm as her small tongue showed again in a loll.

Slowing the pace, Eryi looked into Arianna's eyes as he began to give deep thrusts, letting his tip softly nudge at her core with each stroke. The elk began to rock his hips, stimulating her deep inside, his rhythm quickening with each push. He could feel his own release building despite wanting to keep savoring the moment before he gave in.

Arianna could hear his breath growing more frantic along with his movements, knowing her buck was at his limits. She grabbed his paws in hers, moaning as she looked up at him, the elk seeing the adoration and love in her eyes. "It's... don't hold back, my husband..." She bit her lower lip and shoved her hips down as hard as she could, crying out gently as her body happily crested again, making her walls lock down in demand. "Ha! Fill your wife with your love, my Eryi!"

"Gods, I love you, my wife!" The buck gave one final thrust before he gave into his release. His length throbbed as he filled his doe with his divine seed, her walls clenching, taking in everything he had to give. Eryi had never experienced an orgasm so powerful before, his head swimming as he could see his Arianna's glittering eyes, sparks of divinity just beginning to grow as they gave in together.

She kept her tongue lolled, feeling his heat rushing in again and again, the little doe giving a small drunk little grin as her own orgasm passed just as her walls violently clenched, milking the last of her new husband's love for her inside. "Ha... oh my gods..." She collapsed right into his chest, nuzzling him as she shuddered, feeling full and warm with every drop of his love. "Oh, gods... I love you too, my husband..." She panted against his fur while nuzzling.

"I love you, my wife, now and forever," he responded as he held her close, bonded in sacred union. His paws gently drifted down her wet hair, just the tips looking blonder, as if platinum.

--*--

Twenty-some odd years later.

"That two-timing son of a bitch!" The young otter shouted out to her steering wheel. Her vision was blurry with tears, not helping her already diminished view of the road.

Her wet eyes widened as she only saw the other vehicle in a snowbank at the side of the road a few seconds too late to properly react. She panicked and jerked her steering wheel, the tires locking, the chains unable to maintain their grip since she was going downhill already.

"Oh, my gods!" She screamed out, feeling the wheel jerk out of her grasp as the car careened towards the edge of the cliffside. She shoved her arms over her face, knowing she had no control over the car and would just have to brace for the impact.

The tearing of metal and loud vicious impact of slamming into the guardrail never came, nothing came at all. She hesitantly brought her paws down, blinking at the view before her, flakes of snow scattered about unmoving, the guardrail illuminated brightly in the halogen lights, showing the sheen of ice on it, as well as the clear disrepair in the metal, that her car would no doubt handily tear through. She was on a hill, yet she wasn't moving, nothing was moving.

There was an eerie silence in the cab of the car, not even the radio playing despite she had been listening to the angriest music she could. The adrenaline rush made her much more focused as she slowly tuned into the sound or lack thereof, yet a comfort began to envelop her as she realized something had saved her.

"Quite a situation you find yourself in, and all over the bitterness you feel for an unfaithful husband, yes?" A voice called out calmly as the otter opened her eyes wider, quickly jerking to the passenger's seat of her sedan.

A deer casually sat there in the seat, as if she had been there all along. Despite clearly being a doe, she sported small pointed antlers that were dotted with holly, her hair platinum blonde, and her eyes crystal blue. She wore snug jeans that showed off her hips, along with a simple black t-shirt that hugged her chest. It was clear she was barepawed, as one foot-hoove was casually propped on the dash, her elbow resting on her bent knee.

"What... is going on? Am I... dead?" The young otter whispered out, darting her eyes from the unmoving snow to the stranger that now lounged in her car seat. She wanted to scream in shock, but the presence of comfort seemed to keep her heart at peace.

"Your time to leave this mortal realm is not at hand yet, my dear. I will be saving your life this yule-eve, as I sympathize with your plight. I have intervened on many such paths as yours over the years, but there will be a price to pay." The doe offered her a smug look as she spoke.

The otter swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. "A-Are you about to ask for my soul or something?"

The clearly divine doe giggled at that and shook her head. "Perish the thought, my sweet otter. I and my husband do not bargain in the trade of souls." She offered a grin and extended her paw to the young female in the driver's seat. "I will take that ring though."

She looked down at the wedding band she still wore, the symbol of her marriage to her unfaithful spouse, then back to the doe. "You want the ring of my cheating husband?"

"Soon to be ex-husband, no doubt. Yes, I have a collection of them, that is my price." The doe clicked her tongue as the otter realized, the snow was moving once more, as was her car, an impossibly slow movement as if things were in molasses, yet it moved towards to the cliff edge all the same.

"Come now... I can not maintain this for much longer. I'll have that tainted ring, and you, your life... if not for yourself..." The doe cut her eyes to the otter as she continued, "Then for the life within your womb."

"T-The... you mean to say?" She stammered and looked down at her own stomach, then gasped as she realized the guardrail was ever closer. She hissed through her teeth and hastily tugged the gold band off her paw. "F-Fine! Take it, I was to throw it in the woods later anyway!"

"How poetic." The doe smirked as the gold ring landed in her paw and she closed it. "Return to your parent's home, they are not far. There is one more stalled vehicle upon the descent, be wary of it and drive cautiously."

The otter barely got a nod in before everything seemed to spring back into real-time. She couldn't help but scream as the aura of peace left and her car slammed into the barricade. There was a loud smash of metal but the car impossibly seemed to just glance off the weathered steel, even realigning with the road, slowing and the wheels unlocking so the chains could find purchase on the road once more.

She quickly pulled the car to the side of the road when she had a clearing to do so. Her heart was pounding in her ears as she stepped out into the angry wind and snow. "What... was that?" She whispered, looking down at her paw, the ring devoid of it, then it rested on her belly as she remember the rest of the words.

The young otter slid back into her car a few moments later, composing herself and cautiously finishing her trek down the mountainside, her heart feeling surprisingly lighter now, her cheating husband the furthest thing from her mind.

---

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