Flames Along the Treeline
A doe planted her hooves firmly in the dry grass, standing directly over her curled fawn as orange flames climbed the pine trees behind them.
Embers drifted across the amber meadow, dusting the doe’s coat as she lowered her head to press her wet nose against the small fawn’s cheek.
The fawn remained tucked low to the dirt, legs folded tight beneath its spotted torso while grey clouds rolled outward from the forest edge.
The mother shifted her weight, turning her ears back toward the crackling wood as a red fire engine cut through the smoke in the distance.
Yellow gear moved through the hazy field as two crew members emerged from behind the front bumper, trailing hoses through the brush.
An Approaching Crew
One firefighter extended a heavy stream of water toward the advancing fire line, knocking down the dry stems that were catching spark.
The second crew member moved low through the grass, carrying a thick grey blanket stretched open between both hands.
The doe did not sprint toward the open field. She widened her stance, keeping her belly positioned directly above the small body in the grass.
Water droplets fell across the meadow like heavy rain, hissing against the burning patches of earth just feet away.
The firefighter in yellow lowered onto his knees in the dirt, keeping the heavy fabric gathered in his palms as he crept forward.
His gloved hands rested on the grass several feet away, giving the adult deer space to sniff the air.
Reaching for the Fawn
The doe leaned down, touching her dark snout to the firefighter’s coat sleeve before turning back to lick the fawn’s forehead.
With deliberate motions, the rescuer slid the woolen blanket under the fawn’s small chest and hind legs, scooping the bundle upward.
The mother remained inches away, pressing her muzzle against the fawn’s ear as the firefighter gathered the bundle against his chest.
The fawn’s head poked out from the folds of fabric, blinking against the drifting ash as the firefighter rose to his feet.
The second crew member maintained the water line behind them, spraying an arc of foam along the flaming perimeter to clear an exit path.
Walking steadily through the tall weeds, the rescuer carried the bundled fawn toward the open valley away from the burning timber.
Safe Ground in the Valley
The crew reached a wide meadow where green grass replaced the scorched stems, far beneath the drifting smoke plumes.
The firefighter lowered back to his knees and placed the blanket flat across the clover, gently peeling back the grey fabric.
The doe walked immediately to the edge of the blanket, lowering her neck until her nose rested on the fawn’s spotted flank.
Both firefighters knelt back in the grass behind the pair, their helmets resting back on their collars as they watched.
The fawn rested comfortably on the cloth in the fading sunlight, its mother standing over it and licking the dust from its coat.
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