Feed the Need had set aside gathering foods, it was hard to do with no light as it was and instead followed the others to tryand find answers to what was going on. Hearing the wise doe talk, explain how the strange lights seemed to be drawn to light he grew thoughtful. When a chance came he stood and began to tell his own story. To help."I think." he began slowly. He wasn't used to speaking like this in front of a crowd. Oh sure he ran a booth at the Winter Markets helping those in need, thanking those helping him with his unruly pets and all, but this? This was different. He wasn't feeding anyone. Or...was he? He was. He was feeding their need for information. For answers. For anything that could explain what was happening to them all.
"I think." he repeated more confidently. "That they're wisps of the MotherFather taken shape to help us through this trying time. The MotherFather can't help us directly, so has instead sent these motes to help us indirectly. We have to do a lot of hard work to gather them sure, but what task worth doing is every easy?" as he was speaking he noticed motes floating toward him, and he smiled a little.
"The MotherFathers motes gather because they like to hear our stories, they're entertaining for them. The motes and the MotherFather. I think favor is being shown to us by them gathering, and making it easier for us to collect. After all, those who aren't telling stories are having a much harder time collecting them haven't you noticed?"
He tipped his head a little thoughtfully as one landed on the tip of his nose and he gave a soft laugh. "These little motes have seen all the MotherFather has seen did you know that? And all they see, the MotherFather see's no matter where they are. They're visible reminders the MotherFather is with us, even when they can't directly help us. So we don't give up."
Looking around he saw a few curious looks, some thoughtful some as if he might be crazy. He realized he had told less of a story and more of an idea and he dropped his head in thought. He wasn't the best at speaking in front of others after all, and this was going to take him a moment.
"Once, there was a young buck, he'd barely grown the winter before...and he was being foolish as most young bucks are. This buck he was intent on destroying all he came across when no one was around to see him. No one could figure out who was behind the destruction. Food stores. Shelter. He didn't care. It was too much fun to stop!"
Feed heard grumbles from those around him as he weaved his story, asking how dare the young buck! He continued on. "So after several seasons of this and no answers many got together and asked the MotherFather for help knowing they could be heard no matter where They were. Their answer was motes of light, not too different from the ones we see how. Except they were a little smaller, a little darker. The better to blend in. Looking no different than little bugs that glowed around the swamp, and as the group dispersed so did the motes. As night fell, they all slept. Save for the troublesome buck. The next morning they awoke to no mess, and couldn't figure out what had happened."
He paused letting others make guesses before speaking again. "The buck was so covered in the motes you couldn't see his hide beneath them. They sat there calmly, glowing bright enough to see even in the daylight due to the number of them. They had landed on him as he'd begun and stopped him by lighting him up and making it so he couldn't sneak and hide and cause destruction. Older kin questioned him and he finally admitted it had been him...and as he did the motes rose from him and formed into a vague shape of what seemed to be like a kin, but not quite before they vanished from sight. The MotherFather had helped the kin with the motes to find the culprit, and let the kin know that They were always listening, always watching. After that, the buck apologized, and made amends, and became one of the most upstanding bucks in his area, making up for his destructive ways."
Looking around he could see some smiles now, and he took a breath, letting it out. He'd told a good story he thought. "So, that's what I think these are. The MotherFather telling us we're not alone...and helping as they can." he stepped back to where he'd been before, and lowered himself to the ground again, to wait for the next story.