#flowerbear

Despite the discouragement and bullying from his peers, Adam would dawn horns he made from tree branches. He did what he could to present himself as the stag he knew he was, but acceptance was never given. Some still bullied and others only tolerated him.

One day, Adam wept deep within the woods. He never doubted who he was, but he began to feel his existence to be cursed. He hated his body. He wanted to tear off his breasts even if it meant bleeding to death. He would at least die with some satisfaction.

Suddenly a beam of light broke through the trees and a spirit descended before Adam. “Little one, why do you despair?” asked the entity.

“Because,” Adam said, “Look at me. I am cursed with this body of a doe, but I feel in my mind, heart, and soul that I am a stag!” He began softly crying again. “I just want to be accepted for who I am, but the others cannot see past my body…”

Feeling sympathy, the spirit leaned forward and touched Adam’s lowered head. The dying twigs mended together and solidified as horns which sprouted small flower buds. Adam’s body hair grew and thickened and he felt his body change.

Adam stopped crying and looked at himself in astonishment. “I’m… I’m -”

“Your true beautiful self…” echoed a voice off into the distance.

All Adam could do was cry, but this time out of happiness. He wrapped his arms around himself and just sat there absorbing the situation. Once he gathered enough of himself, Adam rose and walked off.

A snap of a twig alerted Adam’s ears and he stopped to scope his surroundings. “One of those bullies?” He thought to himself. “Perhaps…a hunter…” He squinted his eyes and saw a large figure slowly walk out of the shadows. This stranger was the same as him. A stag, but with a large build and mighty horns. Where Adam looked at him with a hint of fright, the stranger smiled back warmly.