I saw a young buck the other day. He was smaller in stature but he had thick fetlocks around his hooves, a dark fuzzy rack, and was built like a tank. I knew that if given the chance he would be King of the forest within the next few years. Today I found rut marks along a tree and soon after I spotted this doe. The same one I watched raise twins in the ravine this summer. I wonder if she will carry on the young bucks bloodline; if the babies I spy amongst the ferns and moss next spring will be theirs. I look forward to this cycle. I feel honored to be a witness to the life that both blooms and passes between these well traveled woods. The river winds through the valleys, bringing life and taking life, hardly ever pausing. Much like my breath on the cool crisp morning air, we keep on moving. -JL
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