The Fianna were loud, like a storm on the horizon. On every side of Fionn there were warriors and dogs and all of them were running.

Occasionally they did other things besides hunt. When the land was in danger, the Fianna were the warriors who did not answer to any king or clan, who could rise to protect everyone. And on cold and long winters the Fianna were poets and storytellers, entertaining the hosts who opened their home to the heroes.

But on peaceful summer days like that one the Fianna were hunters, a force of hunters thousands strong with shouts and leaps and thundering steps on all sides.

Fionn had two hunting dogs who ran beside him. Their names were Bran and Sceólang. They were the best, with the intelligence of humans combined with the loyalty of hounds. They were bright white with reds and purples, marked with the colors of the otherworld.

Sceólang caught the scent first. Her head dropped lower to the ground, and she switched from the broad looping circles to running along a single straight path. Whatever trail she was following led her away from the thundering noise of the Fiana, deep into the untamed wilderness of the land.

Soon enough Bran caught the same scent as her, the two of them followed along leading Fionn further into the woods.

The trail led to a lone deer, a doe to be specific. She took fright as soon as she heard Bran, Sceólang, and Fionn behind her. It was incredible to watch her run, she had a certain grace around her, the way she moved, it was beautiful. Fionn was almost sad to be about to kill her.

Sceólang ran up to her while Fionn readied his spear, but to his surprise Sceólang did not bite at her or try to trip her any.

Bran ran up to her as well, but again did not attack. He ran between her legs and barked, but did not bite.

Fionn knew his dogs well, and to him it looked more like they were playing than hunting. Bran and Sceólang both were running and barking but neither would attack the deer.

Fionn also trusted his dogs just as much, so he slowed his pace and put away his spear. If they weren’t attacking, they had to have a good reason.

Only after Fionn slowed to a stop did the deer turn to look at him.

Fionn finally understood why his dogs did not attack. Something in the deer’s eyes looked profoundly human.

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When they crossed the threshold into Fionn’s fort, and she turned back into a woman instead of a deer, the first words out of her mouth were “I need your help.”

Fionn listened with attention as she, Sadhbh, explained about the evil druid that was after her. His name was Fear Doirich and he had attempted to pursue her, seeking marriage. When Sadhbh rejected his advances, he cursed her to become a deer. He said she would only turn back if she safely entered the dwelling of the best deer hunter in the land.

Fionn had never fallen in love before.

Sure he had known many women, he was a great and handsome hero after all, but it was never really love. He never felt compelled to set an example for the Fianna of marrying without taking a dowry, and never saw a need to have another helper with the many children he fostered.

Sadhbh changed that.

She was of the otherworld, as brave as him and as wise as him when she needed to be.

Fionn would’ve sworn to protect her from the evil druid who pursued her either way, he was the lands protector after all, but there was something different, a heaviness in his heart, when he promised to Sadhbh to protect her.

And the best part was Sadhbh loved him too.

They lived together for a year.

The Dord Fiann sounded on the horizon. It echoed to all corners of the land, signaling to the great heroes that it was time to rise.

Fionn left in a hurry, he had to get to his warriors, but he did say goodby to Sadhbh before he went.

Bran and Sceólang and an army walked behind him as Fionn made his way to the fight. An army of invaders had landed on their shores. Fionn made swift and bloody work of them, inspiring a few stories to tell next winter.

On the way back from the great battle Fionn did not travel with his warriors, instead he rushed to his fort as quickly as he could travel.

And he arrived to find it empty.

A quick taste of the wisdom of the otherworld told him about Fear Doirich. It told him how Fear Doirich disguised himself as Fionn, with hounds made of smoke and shadow where Bran and Sceólang would run. It did not tell him where Sadhbh was.

And for seven long years he searched, even as his Fianna told him to move on, to remarry. Fionn did not hunt any deer, for fear that he would strike his Sadhbh.

He only stopped his search when one day his hounds led him to a little boy alone in the woods. He had the same bright blond hair as Fionn and the same grace as Sadhbh.

When the boy eventually learned to talk he spoke about his childhood in a valley. He spoke of his mother, a deer, and the evil druid who tormented and eventually killed her.

Fionn named the boy Oisín, the little deer.