Brodie stopped to catch his breath at the road, looking to see if there was any traffic. The night was quiet though, no headlights on the road, or signs of human presence anywhere.
After a moment, Brodie straightened up, his breathing starting to ease. He glanced back toward the lodge, starting to feel a bit like an idiot. Then, he heard something ahead of him, and whipped back around. In front of him was the creature he'd been chasing, as if it had waited for him.
It held its black head high, long antlers gleaming in the lights of the aurora. Something about its fur looked strange and unnatural. Brodie's breath caught in his throat, and released again in a quick gasp as he realised that the stag's fur wasn't actually fur, but instead tightly packed black feathers.
The stag blew out a breath, the air steaming around his nostrils. Then it turned and ran again.
After a moment, Brodie straightened up, his breathing starting to ease. He glanced back toward the lodge, starting to feel a bit like an idiot. Then, he heard something ahead of him, and whipped back around. In front of him was the creature he'd been chasing, as if it had waited for him.
It held its black head high, long antlers gleaming in the lights of the aurora. Something about its fur looked strange and unnatural. Brodie's breath caught in his throat, and released again in a quick gasp as he realised that the stag's fur wasn't actually fur, but instead tightly packed black feathers.
The stag blew out a breath, the air steaming around his nostrils. Then it turned and ran again.
J.O. Phael: I really like this passage of The Stag God because, up until this point, we only have a vague notion that Brodie is experiencing something out of the ordinary.
He's seen flashes and glimpses of something that may or not be real. Maybe he's just seeing things, maybe the case is just getting to him.
This moment, though, this moment lets us know that something real is happening to him, that some underlying force has to be behind what's happening on the Isle of Skye. Plus, I just really love the image of Brodie's stag. I was picturing the look and sound of an elk, which I don't think exist in the UK, or doesn't anymore, which kind of makes the stag's appearance even more fitting.