The blizzard is strong. Fallen Time, struggling to push forward but knowing she has to, kicks her freezing hooves out of the snow just to drive them back in. Onward she runs, one hoof after another it feels like her legs will freeze and break off. It's hard to see anything, the wind is intense and the falling snow makes her vision temporarily impaired. However.. what's that? she inquired. Something red in the snow...?
Oh no! Blood maybe?!
“Is someone out there, is someone hurt?” she shouted worriedly into what seemed like an endless abyss of snow, ice, and wind. Scared that someone might be alone and hurt, she plowed through the snow in the direction of the red.
"Hello!?” “Anyone!?” “Is someone hurt out there!?”

Petals, pursuing through the snowstorm, hardly able to see in the cold harsh snowy winds.
He hears a female voice call out.
"Hello… anyone?" Though faint and barely audible through the roaring winds.
At first he thought he might be hallucinating. After all, why would anyone be out in a storm like this? He thought to himself.
But wait… I'm out in this storm.
Just then he heard the girl's voice call out once more "Is someone hurt out there?"
Hoping that this voice isn't just a figment of his imagination he decided to respond.
"Uhm… hello?" He shouted in a confused manner, as he said this he saw something black headed his way.
"Something is out there!" Petals exclaimed aloud.
"Hello!?"
He ran toward the figure in hopes it’s real.

As Fallen is running she realizes the red is running toward her as well. As she gets closer she sees it's a jubilant buck.
“Oh No! Your face! Is it blee-” she paused for a second.. “That's not blood.. your mark is beautiful.” She said in awe.
She then realized what she had said out loud.
“Oh uh-  Anyway!” she scrambled to find words, as she was flustered and embarrassed.
“What are you doing out in this storm, come on, let's go find shelter.”
“There's a cave about half a mile from here, that's where I was headed until I saw you. Let's go.” “We'll end up freezing out here if we stay too long”

It is a real person! He thought to himself. A young doe, who… wow- talks quite fast.
Did she just say I'm beautiful?..

“I-”
Petals tried to speak but the doe cut him off. She wouldn't let him get a word in.
It was hard to hear her through the loud winds but he could hear just enough for her to tell him to follow to a cave.
At first Petals hesitated.
I don't know this doe. He thought.
However, she seemed trusting enough, and if she knew where to hide away from this storm then Petals is all in. It's better than freezing to death out there at least.

Fallen Time and the amicable buck, after treading through the harsh and cold terrain of the mountain, finally reached an enchanting deep cave.
It had light from rare glowing crystals that formed in the cave over years and years. Additionally it was a nice sanctuary away from the furious winds and obscuring snowfall.
At first it was pure silence. Nothing but the sounds of the ongoing winds from the outside, then, Fallen decided to ask the question that had been on her mind.
“What are you doing out here in this storm?”

“Oh! Uh! Well, that's simple-” he said hastily, then slowly put his head down, as if sulking.
“One of the forest creatures- ate most of our food supply... while I was asleep..” He got quieter as he spoke, almost embarrassed to admit it.
“So I set off to find more food… and um, got trapped in this storm instead.”
"I was traveling for miles before I saw you, and I sure am glad I did. I'm worried I would have frozen to death if you hadn't led me to this-”
Petals paused, for a second mesmerized.
"cave"...
He said in awe, staring up at the crystals emanating a dazzling shine throughout the cave.
“Which is, very beautiful”
“What is this place? And how did you find it?"
Petals had so many questions- about the doe and the cave.

Fallen Time, chuckling a bit, sat right up as soon as he addressed her.
“This ol’ cave?
No biggie, me and my best friend used to visit this cave together as kids.”
Her smile quickly turned.
“We would come here every month or two, though, the cave wasn't glowing like this back then. The crystals didn't start glowing till the day after-”
She stopped, just for a moment. Afraid to say the words. The sad truthful words.
She took a deep breath and said..
“After he died.”

“Isn't that intriguing?” she said in a more upbeat tone.
“I believe the day he died, his spirit flew into these wonderful crystals. And his soul illuminates them. After all, this was his favorite place to come.”
Fallen time smiled, remembering old times.
“Today is his birthday. I go to visit this cave every year on his birthday to remember him.”
“But half way through my journey this year, this storm hit! However!! I won't let a measly storm stop me from visiting my best friend!”
Fallen exclaimed in a very enthusiastic way with a cheerful grin from ear to ear.
She turned her head suddenly to face the buck, seeing their reaction.

Petals had his hoof over his face, in hopes not to show the smile behind it. But he couldn't hold it and laughed abruptly.
“I'm sorry! I'm sorry!” He howled as his laughter crackled throughout the cavern.
His roar finally mellowed down and he was able to speak.
“I don't mean to be rude, I swear. And I really am sorry, I didn't mean to start laughing but..
do you really believe that your friend's spirit is manifesting these crystals!?”
“Like.. WwOooOOoOooo im a ghoOooSst buckKkk”
He said mimickingly.
After a few more seconds to compose himself he spoke calmly.
“I really don't mean to offend you, I just don't seem to believe in ghost stories.
After all, how likely is it that some ghost is just deciding to make all these crystals glow just for fun.”

- accidentally double posted

Fallen let out a little chuckle with a smirk on her face. “You may not believe in it, but it won't stop me from believing that there are spirits on this world.” She said in a dauntless manner.
Fallen then got up and started walking to the side of the buck.
“I never asked your name, what was it?”

Petals was still smiling, no longer because he was laughing but because he found it honorable that she wasn't going to take back what she said or be embarrassed just because she believed something different.
Even when he laughed in her face she stood her ground. He thought.
“My name is Petals Dancing in the Light, Petals for short.”
“What is your name kind doe?”

She smiled, seeing as his attitude changed and he was no longer mocking her but respecting her.
“I like that name, it goes beautifully with the lovely marking on your fur”
“My name is Fallen Time, but you can just address me by Fall or Fallen.”
She started to walk past petals, “I'm going to go pay my respects to my friend now, but I'll be right back.” Fallen said with a warming smile.
“It won't even take a minute.”

“Alright” petals responded
Unsure what to do, he was admiring the crystals once again. Very lovely shades of blues, greens, and reds. He thought to himself
He glanced over at fallen who had been sitting down at a table-like cut rock. He got up and walked over to where she was and sat a few feet behind her.
Curious as to what she was doing.
As she was getting up he asked “what do you mean when you say ``pay respects``?''

Fallen finished and was about to get up, she looked behind her and-
“AAHHhhhhh”
“Where did you come from?! I didn't hear a single hoof trot over here!”
She was startled half to death, after a few mins of heavy breathing and calming her nerves she said-
“When I said I was going to pay my respects I just meant that I was going to talk to my friend. Tell him what has been going on since he passed.”
“I know he can't respond, however, it doesn't hurt to just talk, it gives a kind of closure.”
“I know it seems stupid but-”

Petals had cut her off "I dont think its stupid at all. It must be nice, having a way to get comfort after having someone close to you pass away.
It's admirable.
And to travel all the way through a storm just to honor the memory of a friend is very brave and kind."

He paused, unsure what to say next.

"Anyhow" Petals said her name hesitantly.
"F- Fallen- so, tell me about yourself."
Petals proceeded to ask the pretty doe questions about her friend and her life, where she lives, about her family.
He took time to get to know the doe he hoped would be his friend.