Felt like doing a story for this, though don't count on that happening for future art won from raffles.
"Trust me, it's fine!", Bambi said as he smacks a hoof against the clay-rich quicksand, splattering some around. Faline still wasn't so sure, looking down at the indentation Bambi had made. "I don't know... We're always told to stay away from things like this..."
"Relax, I've actually sunk here before, and I've never even gone under. We can get out no problem!"
"...Alright. I suppose you would know." Faline hesitantly steps into the quicksand, and Bambi happily follows her in. They both go to about the middle of this fairly small pool before they stop, looking down as they begin sinking. Bambi smiles at Faline, who begins to warm up to the situation. "...This feels better than I thought it would!" Bambi nods. "I know! The first time, I didn't expect it to feel this good!"
The two continue slowly sinking, the cool quicksand taking in more and more of each deer's body; knees, thighs, torso... Almost too soon, all that was still above the surface were Bambi and Faline's necks and heads. As even that started to change, Bambi looks down at the quicksand. "...I think, this time, I'm gonna go under. You should come with me!" After a moment to think, Faline smiles and nods. "Sure! I bet it'll feel even better!"
As the quicksand passes their necks, they tilt their heads back to get one last deep breath, before finally being fully submerged in the quicksand. This was actually Bambi's first time needing to hold his breath, although Faline had done some swimming in the past. Bubbles leave the duo's nostrils, though neither see them, having their eyes closed. They both smile between puffed cheeks, and allow themselves to slowly sink deeper...
Minutes pass, the air in each deer's young lungs being slowly used up, and bubbles gradually becoming more common. As nice as the quicksand still feels, the need to breathe was making it harder and harder to relax, and muffled whines can eventually be heard as a burning feeling forms in Bambi and Faline's chests. Finally, after just over 8 minutes of breath holding, Faline decides she's had enough, and starts scrambling for the quicksand pool's surface, bubbles trailing from her lips. With how thick the quicksand is, especially because of how much clay is in it, she has some trouble swimming, but gradually gains height.
Nearly a minute and a half later, she nears her limit, the last of her breath sputtering loose and cheeks deflating. But, managing to hold off inhaling for just a few seconds, Faline surfaces just in time, heavily gasping and coughing. Panting hard, she struggles her way to get fully up to the surface, standing on the quicksand again and starting to make her way to the shore. Once she gets there, she sits down and wipes the quicksand from her face, breathing heavily for a bit longer. That was WAY too close, but she was okay. Faline giggles at how filthy she is, and heads off to go clean herself up, having forgotten all about the friend she'd sunk with, and not even noticing a large cluster of bubbles popping on the quicksand's surface.
Half a minute prior, Bambi struggled harder and harder, not yet going to the surface, thinking he's not far from it. He blushed purple and eventually blue as his body shook all over, pushing himself to his absolute limit... Finally, a cloud of bubbles gushed from his mouth as he lost the fight to hold his breath. With barely enough air left to even whine, he finally started swimming up, doing everything he could to keep from breathing until he'd surface... But, about 10 seconds later, and with the distant surface still not reached, Bambi no longer had a say in whether his lungs would be staying empty. He shuddered once more, and his mouth opened wide again, this time to flood his throat and lungs with quicksand! He thrashed aimlessly, choking and gagging while still trying to swim up, though he was unaware he'd gotten turned around in his struggles and was actually now swimming back down.
The drowning deer rapidly weakens as what little oxygen he has left in his blood is used up, and in only about 20 seconds after his first gasp, he goes limp, now lacking the strength to move. The very last of his entirely used-up air gurgles free in a few bubbles, and he hiccups as he twitches, still trying to swim, barely able to feel anything... Until he feels nothing, losing consciousness, eventually finally reaching the bottom of the quicksand pool he'd enjoyed so much.
The next thing Bambi knows, he's on dry land, hacking out quicksand in big globs. When he can open his eyes, he can see his parents standing over him. "S...Sorry...", he manages to wheeze out between coughs. His dad just shakes his head. "You can't let yourself drown in a place like this quicksand. If you truly want to experience it, stick to somewhere where you can be seen, like water." Bambi looks up at him, very much confused at his lack of concern. "...What?" His dad looks to his mom. "Did you not tell him? I thought he did this because he knew."
"I've never said a word about it to him, I didn't think he was ready to know!"
"Then we should explain. He's old enough to understand." Bambi's dad crouches down to be closer to Bambi's level. "You, I, and your mother have no need for air. We still feel like we do, and pass out like anyone else if we go without any for too long, but it's never any danger." Bambi's mom nods. "It runs in our family. I remember my granddad had it too, and he said his did as well."
"So... Drowning will never hurt me?"
"Not on its own.", Bambi's dad says. "But something could still happen to you after that, and you wouldn't be able to do anything about it. In the future, don't let yourself drown unless someone is around to help after, okay?"
"...I'm not sure I even want to do it again at all, it hurt so bad..."
Now fully recovered, Bambi gets up and heads with his parents to get the quicksand cleaned off of him, eventually finding Faline again, who profusely apologizes for forgetting about him.
"They've been doing fine, they and Faline actually came out to sink with me a while back! We had a friend pull us out, so we all got to sink together for once!"
"They've been doing fine, they and Faline actually came out to sink with me a while back! We had a f
Bambi: "Well, there's two actually, just one wasn't strong enough. I don't think you've met them... Oh, I think I see them, actually! Hey Thumper, Flower!"
Thumper: "Oh hey, Bambi! Oh, he's that Will guy, isn't he?"
Bambi: "Well, there's two actually, just one wasn't strong enough. I don't think you've met them...
to be honest, i think he likes holding his breath cuz of the thrill it adds. many other friends i have enjoy it too, even i dblo. (mouth dipped under at the last word. (Thumper and Flower decide to be brave and join us under)
to be honest, i think he likes holding his breath cuz of the thrill it adds. many other friends i ha
With his air having been refreshed by you, Bambi's lungs feel as if he'd just gone under, and he's perfectly fine with staying down cuddling you longer.
With his air having been refreshed by you, Bambi's lungs feel as if he'd just gone under, and he's p
"Alblwaybls niblce tblo hblave yoblur hblelp!" With that, Bambi's lungs are entirely empty, but he doesn't really mind even though he's starting to struggle some.
"Alblwaybls niblce tblo hblave yoblur hblelp!" With that, Bambi's lungs are entirely empty, but he d
As he starts sucking in mud, Bambi is a bit surprised that the rubbing on his chest is helping quite a bit with the pain. He's almost able to breathe normally, but he does still cough a lot.
As he starts sucking in mud, Bambi is a bit surprised that the rubbing on his chest is helping quite
Quite a bit earlier in his drowning than normal, Bambi is actually able to stop coughing, just breathing mud like it's air. He gives you a hug as thanks for your help with that.
Quite a bit earlier in his drowning than normal, Bambi is actually able to stop coughing, just breat
![[NMA] Tiny troubles](https://va.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/4869/4869476_lolboy4_1705892554.wild-deer_4ce36829-57c9-4a2a-8bd7-1e86c4d88123_noncustom.jpg "[NMA] Tiny troubles")
