His story begins in the desert, a buck born on desert sands, hatched with a dream of a journey that would take him to the end of his life. With the Ache settling early in his chest, he set out for the swamp and found a home there. But his desire to travel was unquenchable. He was determined to set forth and see every inch of land and collect every story. From the flatlands, to the sea, across the marsh, up the hills and back again. Ceaselessly he wandered, meeting many faces along the way. 

In some places he found love, a pale doe under her feather-laden tree who bore him four children. But he couldn’t stay and so he wandered further, found another pale doe, whose heart chimed with his own. It was to her he returned time, after time, after time. But even that was not enough. The ache seemed to be ever present in his own soul and there was no place he could settle.

When the call came from Swarm to join the expedition to the mountains, Journey knew in his heart that it was time. He was ready. He sallied forth with the others, following his dream to the mountain-top and the fractured obelisk that awaited them. In an effort to repair what was broken, he put his life on the line.

In the bitter snow, he fought a shard-maddened eaglehound to the death, his throat torn in the process, blood splattered across white. But he rose and continued onwards regardless, into the talons of the eagle and with the others helped free the great creature from sorrow. It seemed then that his mission here on the earth, given to him by the MotherFather in his naming dream, was done.

And yet - he lives?
Journey returned to the swamp, lost and confused. It had never occurred to him that there would be more. He was going to climb the mountain and step into the light. He was going to die and he had been ready. He was bone-weary, growing older, tired of constantly turning around in circles within the swamp.

A time of confusion and loss settled upon him, as he sought out a new meaning. He spent time with tribes and families, hunting parties, solo travellers who revelled in feral abandon. In one place, he found only nightmares and guilt. He felt like a soul not quite severed from the body and doomed to roam endlessly.

And then they were called to the caves.

Beneath the earth, Journey was finally given answers.

The MotherFather spread out her wings and showed him all that was already there and what he had failed to appreciate. In visions, he finally saw and understood that simple truth that had eluded him for so long - he could just be.

He could stop, he could rest.

He could take joy in the small things and not chase every story and every path.

His dream was done and now it was his time to move on.

Eagerly he entered the obelisk and followed the shadowed path back to the desert, ready to begin anew. 

By Lolternative

By Lolternative

By Jun

By Ryuukishin

By Scara (Not counted as Jun is using for Shroud but wanted to show it off anyway <3)