Elder Witch Zahira | Blackwood | Elder Witch | Doe

Zahira was born as a true blessing to her mother, an elderly doe. The doe had intentions for this fawn to be her last and was delighted when she got a filly after having so many sons. It seemed that the filly, despite the green eyes she bore, was a true blessing. However, the old doe never got to see her daughter grow up. One day Zahira wandered a little too far away- though still in eye sight of her dam. A golden eagle saw an opportunity and swooped in for the attack. It slashed open the filly's chest and shoulder. Both hearing and seeing her daughter's situation the old doe darted in. Although dealing with a golden eagle wasn't usually a huge task, the doe was old and slow.. The eagle slashed into her before it escaped. At first, it seemed that everything would be alright... But, the old doe used all of her herbs on her daughters wounds and eventually succumbed to infection in her own. 

Zahira was found shortly after her mother's demise, fortunately before the wolves caught onto the sickly-sweet scent of death. She was found by a stag, who took her in and quickly set about searching for a foster dam for her. One doe by the name of Laul took the filly in, despite already having one to raise. Zahira was raised alongside Maul- Laul's daughter- and never truly remembered anything about her mother. As time passed she completely forgot of her mother and stopped grieving. Zahira thinks nothing of her mother's absence now. 

As they aged, Zahira became increasingly jealous of Maul. At first Zahira seemed to be the apple of Laul's eye, having inherited the rare magic of illusions. But, Maul just had to out-do her. Her adopted sister was not only much more beautiful than she was- she also developed a magic even rarer than Zahira's own- enthralling! Zahira became envious of her sister,even though she loves her dearly, and is still quite jealous of her.

Her first love was a dark young buck by the name of Kerras. It was a young, stupid love in which was completely one-sided. Kerras, dumb of her feelings for him, never spoke of any romantic love towards her. However, succumbing to her emotions Zahira gave into the dark buck's respectful but obvious advances. She became in fawn to him not long after passing her coming of age trial as a five year old. The hind passed her coming of age trail without too much trouble, despite the fact that the wolf she hunted managed to tear some flesh from her hindquarters. Fueled by anger and pain she'd finished the job and brought back a wolf- a elderly loner, but a wolf still. After many visits to an herbalist her wounds gradually healed, though they inevitably became scars. It was a stupid decision at such a young age, but not she doesn't regret it now. She, luckily, had her adopted mother to help her along the way. 

After she became pregnant, she decided to tell the black buck of her feelings for him... He did not share them. She accepted the truth as it was- she'd already known it was coming- and continued on with her life. She stayed friends with Kerras and had another fawn with him eventually, but the fawn was not the product of love. 

Then, one day, Kerras came to her with a young fawn in tow. He stated that the filly's mother was deceased and that she was his daughter... The fawn's mother had been Kerras' mate- a doe Zahira had felt much, much envy for for a very long time. Zahira took the fawn in and raised her alongside Hemlock. Due to having to share his milk with his sister, her son's growth was stunted and instead he took on a medium build rather than heavy as he should be. Both fawns likely wouldn't have survived had Kerras not provided them with herbs that he had collected from Glenmore to help encourage her milk production. More time passed and, eventually, Zahira became a mother two more times, welcoming Diyari and Valerian into the family. 

Zahira decided that it was time to step up her game, before she came out of her prime completely. She became a warrior-in-training. Also, during this time, she decided to try one last time for a fawn. She hooked up with Hagen in the last days of winter and hoped that it worked. However, the pregnancy seemed to have failed to her great dismay... Well, it came as a huge shock to her when she suddenly gave birth late in the summer... and the fawn itself was even more of a shock. He was white-splotched... a curse. She abandoned him immediately, believing Uir was angry with her for giving birth to a Blackwood fawn in another kingdom.

Currently Zahira is still undergoing her raider training. She's decided that she will try with Hagen one last time, for one last fawn, and pray that it doesn't come out the same as the first one did.


Timeline:

Year 745 of the New Age: born

Year 747 of the New Age: orphaned and then taken in by Laul; attacked by golden eagle; gains chest and shoulder scars

Year 751 of the New Age: passes coming of age trial; becomes a scavenger; conceives Hemlock

Year 752 of the New Age: gives birth to Hemlock; takes in Nightshade

Year 753 of the New Age: battles with cougars and gains neck scars; conceives Valerian

Year 754 of the New Age: gives birth to Valerian; conceives Diyari

Year 755 of the New Age: gives birth to Diyari; gains the rest of her scars from wolves

Winter, Year 762 of the New Age: becomes a warrior; becomes raider-in-training; conceives Zeek

Summer, Year 763 of the New Age: travels to Glenmore; gives birth to Zeek and abandons him

Winter, Year 763 of the New Age: conceives last fawn

Summer, Year 764 of the New Age: retires to a Witch; gives birth to a very unique filly

Winter, Year 765 of the New Age: Becomes the Elder Witch