like a deer in a pool of acid

In the forest, stories have been told for multiple generations about a mountain that appeared one day, splitting the animal population into two pieces. On either side, every animal, no matter his species, is told to never try to cross the mountain. Horror stories are passed around of the few who have tried being eaten alive by the lake at the foot of the mountain, acting almost like an animal itself. Between the two sides, seemingly oblivious to the conflict, is a deer who can never quite be figured out by the rest of the population, leaving them to speculate while watching from afar.