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Winter 8, Year 3

With the farm production going smoothly thanks to almost three years of experience, and a several huts of some friendly Junimos for help, Beep didn't have much excitement going on. Thank fuck for that. Magnus was still trying to figure out portal stuff for Beep, with a brief intermission to note some odd magical readings a few times a month ago. When the strange bursts never showed up, he dismissed them as disturbances caused by the unique magic of Beep's portal spell. The egg, which Beep was extremely protective over, bordering territorial, seemed to have magical properties neither Magnus nor Marlon had ever seen before. That curiosity would have to remain unsatisfied; Beep had snapped at Magnus's hand when he tried to touch it. Two was too many people who knew of it's existence. Neither dared to find out what would happen if more were made aware of it.

Due to the hilarity of the previous year, Lewis allowed Beep to participate again. Perhaps he hoped it was a fluke, but the more of a lead Beep got over the other contestants, the less likely that seemed. Once more Beep was declared winner, and received the second place prize of a prize ticket. (This was fine with him.)

Afterwards, as he strutted off the ice, Beep noticed a lot of the adults were watching Beep carefully. Some more than others. He wasn't sure of the intent at first, concerned it was borne of distrust since fishing was very much not something deer did, which further solidified his Wrongness, but when he made eye-contact with them, they didn't look away. Demetrius and Haley looked away when Beep challenged their gazes, but neither ever liked Beep. When Jas and Vincent started running around, and Beep did an excited hop as they passed close to him, he saw the way multiple people's heads snapped to watch him. He cowered, concerned he had acted too boldly near the children, but no adult herded the kids away from him. When Beep stood still on their return path, no eyes stuck to him.

What were they watching him for? Was this about last year? When Beep turned his head back towards the ice, where nobody was standing on it, Marnie came over and gently guided him over towards a tree surrounded by snowmen. Soft kind words, a promise to come back with a snack for him.

They were making sure he wouldn't fall under the ice again.

Last year had been an accident, a loss of traction and freeze response to panic. The holes in the ice had to be a certain size to allow for fishing, which was unfortunately still deer size even this year. While nobody said anything to him, almost everyone seemed to have unanimously agreed to make sure he stayed safe. When Marnie came back with a warm scone for Beep, helping him get the ticket unstuck from his tongue, she tucked the prize in his cape and held out the scone for him. She didn't hold her hand flat, like you would a horse or cow. Her hand didn't shake or snatch away when Beep's teeth came within an inch of her fingers to take the scone from her. As Beep ate the pastry (as gracefully as a deer could), Marnie kept a respectful distance from him as she would any other person.

Beep let his haunches drop into the snow, folding his front hooves beneath him. Was this what it felt like to belong? Would they mourn him when he left?

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Things different from canon; (AU???)
Gramps never had an heir, or they never show/ed up.
Stardew Valley Expanded; new maps, new NPCs, new events, a LOT of new stuff.
The new “Farmer” is just a Weird Ass Deer. NPCs will respond/react accordingly.

This is my first time playing Stardew Valley Expanded. Please no spoilers if you play SVE.