Jared worked at the roots with her hooves and teeth for hours, pausing only occationally to drink water from a nearby puddle or rest for a moment.
As the sun began to rise, she was feeling complete dispair. She was so close! Even as she frantically dug at the wooden mesh around the medallion, she could see her future so clearly. Fall was close, perhaps already here. When the leaves changed, the bucks would come looking.
Last year, she'd given in partly out of weakness and partly out of curiosity and it had trapped her for a year. Jared wasn't so sure she could resist it again. The instincts of the doe were getting stronger. She'd known it for weeks, but only now with her renewed intensity on turning human did she really realize it.
Jared had little doubt if she became pregnant again, she'd be a doe forever, medallion or not.
With those thoughts, she stopped and laid down next to the tree. She needed some sleep.