NOVEL NEXT Chapter 12: Drunks
[How did it end up like this…] Naru thought. The feast which had begun as a sober affair was turned more akin to a frat party. Although she had not drunk much wine at all the other deer had greatly enjoyed the novelty of it.
The deer who had drunk her wine with gusto were beginning to become rowdy and wild.
They were singing songs and dancing around.
Naru began to regret her decision of giving the deer wine.
[Maybe I should’ve considered the fact that they are all lightweights…] Naru thought. Since the deer, all had never drunk wine before it made sense their alcohol tolerance was particularly low.
Naru’s father Whitehorn was busying flexing in front of a bunch of deer, showing off his impressive musculature to them. Vine was in another part of the grove tearfully talking to Naru’s mother while sitting on a table and bench grown from the ground.
Naru walked over to see their conversation
“Hic! Fern, I’ll beat you next time!” Vine said while waving a cup of “grape juice”
“There, There. I’m sure you’ll show up with something very nice next time” In contrast to Vine’s appearance. Naru’s mother didn’t look inebriated at all.
“Who did that coloring for you, I’ve never seen *hic* before. Blue? What kind of plant makes that!” Vine asked belligerently. Her face was already quite red, and it was evident she had drunk a lot.
“Ah, my daughter did it, she found it in the forest” Fern said happily.
“That *Hic* Girl… She seems too smart… not like other fawns” Vine said taking another sip of her wine.
“Mhmm, I wonder sometimes,” Fern said patting Vine’s back while smiling knowingly.
Vine began to mumble incoherently while Fern gently rubbed her back. It would’ve been a touching scene if not for the fact that Vine was drunk.
“Oh Hi, Naru!” Her mother said.
[She seems surprisingly sober] Naru thought, there was a cup of wine next to Fern and it was half empty but it didn’t seem like Fern was affect in the slightest.
[Is she good at holding her alcohol?]Naru thought.
“Did you like the grape juice?” Naru asked her
“Oh, It’s very nice, I quite like it,” Naru’s mother said
“Did you want anymore?” Naru asked her mother
“No, It’s fine I had around 10 cups already”
[10 cups!] Naru looked in astonishment at her mother. Each cup was about the size of a wine glass. Ten cups of wine should’ve been enough to take down a large deer-like Trunk.
[Terrifying, where does she pack it away] Naru thought as she looked at her sober mother
Suddenly a familiar loud voice came from behind her.
“Ah! *hic* there’s my cute daughter” Naru felt herself being bear-hugged from behind by Whitehorn
“Eek!” She said in shock but suddenly relaxed as soon as she realized who had picked her up.
“Ah, you're so cute!” Whitehorn was, for a lack of better words, absolutely plastered. He nuzzled on Naru’s cheek affectionately.
“Deer, don’t bully our daughter too much.” Naru’s mother said politely.
“Bah! With a daughter this cute it’s a shame *hic* not to spoil her!” Whitehorn said patting Naru’s head while holding her.
Naru smiled wryly. Whitehorn rarely showed this much emotion, it was very likely the alcohol had made him drop his inhibitions.
“But she soooo cute!” Whitehorn cried out.
Naru’s mother smiled and gently pushed Whitehorn's arms and made him let Naru go.
“She going to have trouble breathing if you hug her any tighter”
[Nice save mom!] Naru thought.
Naru was let down and quickly ran over to her mother’s side.
Suddenly she found herself being snatched up into her mothers embrace.
[Eh?] Naru thought.
“Besides, She’s my daughter too I deserve to hug her as well.” Her mother said while rubbing and nuzzling Naru’s head.
[Mothers acting weird…] Naru thought.
Usually, Fern would ask Naru to cuddle but this time she didn’t do so.
[Don’t tell me] Naru looked to see her mother's face and saw it was slightly flushed.
[She’s drunk too!] Naru thought. It seemed like Naru’s mother was the type of “sneaky drunk” one who could function normally while drinking but would lose their inhibitions.
“No fair fern” Whitehorn said glumly. He had no way of going against his mate.
[Sorry Papa, you’ve already lost] Naru thought sympathetically.
She suddenly felt a warm wet feeling on her head.
“Eep!” She said coconsciously. She looked back to see that Naru’s mother had turned into her deer form and was licking Naru’s head.
[My hair!] Naru thought. Every time her mother licked her head, her hair would go in all sorts of direction and get messy.
Naru tried to run but found herself bound to the ground by something.
[Ah she’s trapped me!] Naru thought. As she saw the snaking roots that had suddenly surrounded her ankles and body. Naru’s mother must’ve grown them with her life magic.
Naru’s mother ignored her protesting
*Lick*
[Somebody save me!] Naru thought.
