The Antlers Call

I felt the wind on my skin, I swore I'd leave the human cage
In the forest, where I'd roam, beyond the lines they've drawn with age
The trees whispered, "Come find your place, let your hooves be free"
I ran with the shadows, shedding all I thought I used to be

But a shot rang out, shattered bones and broken pride
Crimson staining fur I never had, my fantasy denied

Oh, the antler's call, I chased it through the night
But now I'm bleeding, questioning my flight
I thought I was a creature born to flee,
Now I'm fighting to reclaim what's left of me

The lights, they flickered overhead, sterile walls held me tight
Doctors whispering, "Is he mad, or just losing sight?"
I lay there broken, caught between a lie and what's real
The bullet tore through flesh and dreams I thought I'd feel

I see the fear in their eyes, and I hear the truth unfold
A deer's life isn't freedom, it's a chain of false control

Oh, the antler's call, it lured me to my fall
I'm waking up, I'm tearing down this wall
I thought I was a creature wild and free,
But I was only lost in what I couldn't see

No more running from the man I am inside
No more chasing dreams that strip away my pride
I've seen the cost of walking blind
I'll shed the skin, leave this illusion behind

Now I speak to those who've wandered too far
You're not the forest, the beast, or the star
Come back to who you were before the lie
Trans-species dreams will only leave you dry

Oh, the antler's call, it took me to the ground
But I'm rising now, with feet on solid ground
I thought I was a creature wild and free,
Now I see, I'm who I'm meant to be... finally.