The Stranger: Visitations(Wilbur Arron) The Stranger: Visitations

by

Wilber Arron

Chapter One: New Beginnings

Year 6

"Are you alright?" he asked looking down at Carie.

She was resting and covered in perspiration, but she was alive and looked healthy. He leaned over and put his nose next to the quivering bundle of white spotted brown fur that was still fidgeting. He smelled the fur, still wet from birth, and took in a deep breath both to commit the scent to memory, and also to detect if he smelled any sickness or deformity. Thankfully, he detected neither.

"I am fine, Stranger," she said, her voice still weak. "It was difficult, but everything is alright. You have a new son. I was thinking about the name. I like to keep the St names you had for Claris' children, but I want it to sound differently. I was going call your son Stuben."

He nodded his head in approval. "Stuben sounds like a fine name," he said and nuzzled his son along his tiny face. The fawn looked up and started to lick his face repeatedly. His eyes became misty. It had been done. He was able to have other children other than Stabo and Stena. Now here was another to carry on after him."

"The best within us continues," he said repeating the comment the bear had told him.

With that he put his nose under the little mound of fur and bones and very gently tried to lift him. The little legs extended and the young male fawn staggered on his feet. He held him up carefully until he got his feet under him. It seemed to take an effort but soon the fawn stood upright on his long, thin legs and looked around. Carie got up and moved over to him and showed him where he could get the nourishment he would need to live. He thankful it took eagerly. Stuben found what he needed most and soon started to nurse at his mother's rear legs.

He stood back up and rubbed Carie along the side of her mouth nuzzling her gently. "Thank you for this greatest of all gifts," he told her gently.

She returned the gesture while Stuben filled himself from her. She then looked into his black eyes and said, "I am just glad you have a new son who will follow you. I want you to teach him as you taught the others. I want him to follow you as herd leader one day."

"Perhaps," he said. "That is something no one can foresee now, but when the time comes I will teach him."

He then looked around; he saw no sign of any predators were drawn to birthing site. "I will stay nearby for a while until he can run and you are ready to take him to the meadow. I do not think any scavenger will bother him, but until he is stronger I will remain near here."

"Thank you," she said and remained standing. Carie looked about as sure on her feet as Stuben. He did not say he wanted to stay because he was also worried about her. The birth took more out of her than it did for Claris. At least the fawn was healthy and there was only one. He walked out of the little clearing and stood nearby. A short while later he heard another deer approach very quietly. He caught the scent, it was Claris. She walked up to him and nuzzled the side of his face.

"How is she?" Claris asked.

"Weak, but alright," he answered. "I have a new son, Stuben."

Claris' face brightened. "That is wonderful, Stranger, I knew you wanted one," she said. "I just wish I…," and then her voice trailed off and she turned away.

She still felt the pain of not being able to make his fawn. He walked over to her and nuzzled her neck. "There are many things even a herd leader cannot do. I would gladly have you provide me with children if you could. Did you see Stena?" he asked.

Claris smiled again. "Yes, she and Balo have a son that they named Delon. He looks healthy. Balo is almost beside himself with joy. He cares about older daughter Delene, but like you, he wants a son to follow him."

"What about Delene?"

"She has gone to her own place in the forest. I suspect some male will want her when The Season comes again."

"Very well," he said. "I will stay near here in case a scavenger comes looking for an easy meal. With me here they will think twice about that, or have my hoof put into their face."

"I understand; I will go back to our clearing." Claris said and walked away. He watched her go with a mixture of sorrow and pity. He knew how much she wanted his children, but from some reason she could never have another fawn. He still felt as strongly as ever for her, but he needed a doe to have his children and that would never happen again with Claris.

He then went around the area near Carie and marked it with his scent in several places. Any scavenger who did want to come near would know who protected this place. He ate when he could and slept when he was able for several days until Carie was ready to bring Stuben out onto the meadow.

It was still early spring when they all walked onto the meadow at night. The Man cave was still dark and there were no problems. He was saddened to note four doe that had given birth, but came out with no fawn." Either they were born dead, or died soon afterwards. He left them alone; it was easier on all that way. Most doe two seasons or older had fawns, and almost all of them looked healthy.

He saw his daughter Stena and Balo walking onto the meadow with their new fawn. Delene was walking behind them. He walked up and nuzzled their fawn that then looked up and licked his face. "He seems healthy and fit," he said to Stena.

"And hungry," Stena added.

He stood up and looked at the fawn's father. "I am glad you have your son Balo, what are you going to do?"

"Teach him as you and Bambi taught me when the time comes," he said looking down at his child who seemed excited by all the attention.

"Good, that makes me feel happy," he told them. "We may need all of our children."

They then looked at Stuben and the two male fawns immediately started playing with each other as fawns will do. By the way they ran after each other he could see there was no sickness or weakness in either of them.

"Now that the birthing is over and we are all healthy, I am going over to visit the Man path forest to see how Veron and Stabo are doing. I will go tomorrow after we eat. I will be gone only three days. Carie I would like you to stay near Stena and Balo while I am gone. Balo I do not think any predators will be around, but I like you near both fawns in case someone get a foolish idea.

"Yes, Stranger," Balo said.

"That is a good idea," Carie told them.

"If you do not mind, I will go with you," Claris said.

"That will be fine," he said.

They ate quietly on the meadow. There were a couple of more paired deer, but mostly the deer separated into groups with the senior males in one group, the herd males in another group. the yearlings in still another group, and the females and fawns in their own group. It was late enough in the spring where bear would be out of his den and certainly too early for anyone else to be with him. He decided he might visit him after he came back from the Man path forest. By now could see the first hint of the new day. Balo called to the herd to leave the meadow. He was halfway across the meadow when he heard the noise. It was like a roaring noise that came from the Man path forest. He looked at the path and saw movement. Then suddenly two huge bright eyes blazed bright at him, catching him in their glow.

He bolted back to his side of the meadow. "Run!"he yelled as he ran.

The herd fled from in front of him. He started running at full speed. The Man machine did not stop near the Man cave, but came onto the meadow. The white glow was lighting him up as bright as day. He darted for the woods and started changing course remembering never to run in a straight line from Man.

"WHAMMMMM," he heard behind him. Something that sounded like an angry bee went by him close to his head.

"AAAAHHHHHHOOOOOOOO," he heard from the Man machine.

He changed direction again and was almost to the forest when his hoof fell into a soft spot of earth and he stumbled. He went forward almost burying his face into the dirt. There was a sudden and intense pain from his right front leg.

"WHAMMMMM, he heard at the same instant as another bee went over him. He was stunned, but he had to move. He got up and stumbled into the nearby forest. He dodged behind some trees and went on, but he was limping badly from the front leg. He was slow. His leg felt twisted and would not take any weight. He limped on three legs in pain until he was far enough into the woods where he could not see the meadow any more. He stopped and lay down on his side, his right leg hurting intensely.

After a while he found he could move it, but the moment he put any weight on the leg, it hurt like being hit by Man again. He looked around his body. He was not hit. He was not bleeding. He decided to rest and try going back to his clearing later. He lay on his side to take pressure off his leg. Since he had not grown much of his rack yet, it was easy to do. He lay there and hoped Man would not find him.

During the day there was a lot of shouting from the meadow. Several Man voices were yelling very loud, as if having a good time. Then as the greater light was overhead he heard their call. The Man voices got louder and louder. He heard trampling noises through the woods toward where the Man cave was. These Men were much noisier than the others. They also kept shouting to each other in the wood. A fawn could avoid them. Occasionally he could hear "WHAMMMMM," in the forest. Finally there was more shouting and the voices went back to the Man cave.

As soon as it was dark he hobbled mostly on three legs until he got near the oak trees near where he Claris and Carie had bedded during The Season. By now his front leg was throbbing. He had to rest here. He ate some leaves and again lay on his side. He was exhausted from the effort. Even though it was still night he was tired. He found a soft spot of grass and lay flat on the ground. He fell into a deep sleep. During this time he thought he heard someone call his name, but he was not sure. He woke up in the early morning. His leg still hurt. He tried to stand, but the leg still would not take much weight. It was easier to move, but there was no way he was going to run.

He rested until night and slowly, and painfully, made his way toward his clearing. As he was moving slowly through the forest, the wind started blowing from the meadow. The odor that came to him was the smell of burning deer flesh. They had managed to kill some deer, but he had no idea who. It should have been easy to avoid them. He stopped to rest many times and finally got to his clearing after the lesser light was passed overhead. There was no one there at the time. He found some grass and ate it, but he did not want to walk any more. No doubt the others were eating in the forest tonight since the meadow was not safe. He rested on the ground and waited for the others to return. It was nearly morning before he heard something from nearby.

"He was not where Oswell said he was" he heard Stena say almost sobbing.

"I did not smell any blood although I could smell his scent," Balo said. "Maybe the Men took him."

"That smell from the meadow," Claris said and then her voice trailed off.

"There should still be blood," Balo added. "We did not see or smell any. If he was hit, it was not bad. You think he could have tried to make it to the bear's den?"

"No," Claris said. "It be too far. Besides I did not see him run that way. He was almost to the forest on our side of the meadow when I saw him fall."

"Then where is he?" Carie said.

"If you are talking about me, I am here," he said and stood up still favoring his right front leg.

The was a collected gasp. The male and three doe looked at him as if he fell from the lesser light. After a few moments of stunned silence, Claris stammered out. "Stranger, are you alright?"

"I twisted my right front leg so I cannot walk well or run, but yes I am alright," he told them.

Claris ran up to him and kissed him on the mouth. "We thought you were hit by Man," she said. "We saw you fall as Man used his killing sticks on you. Oswell said he saw you lying on your side and you did not move when he called you. He thought you were dead."

"We went looking for you," Stena said also nuzzling his side.

"You went looking for me with young fawns?" he asked thinking how foolish that was.

"No Stranger," Carie said smiling at him. "Stena left her fawn with me up in the hills and I stayed with them while they looked for you."

"When we smelled the burnt deer meat, we thought it might be you," Stena told him with relief.

He could not believe they went after him. He took a deep breath trying not to get mad. "Well right now I suggest you find some grass to eat, drink and then rest for the day. These Men are not like the others. They seem wilder, more ignorant of the forest. We need to avoid them."

He was surprised at what they had done. He had told his family for many seasons that one day he felt it would be him who would be gone and they would have to go on without him. He certainly did not expect nor want his family to risk themselves looking for him. He told himself they did it because they cared for him, but that was no excuse. One dead deer was bad enough. To have more die looking for his remains was much worse. Even through his leg still hurt he got up and faced the others.

"Listen to me," he said firmly. "What you did was still foolish. You should have never gone into the forest to look for me even if you thought I was gone. Stena you have a young fawn to look after. Balo, if I am gone you will have a herd to look after. None of you can do this is if you are gone with me. If I am hurt and can come back, I will. If I am hurt and cannot come back, or worse, then your lives will go on without me. Risking yourself to find me accomplishes nothing. If this ever happens again, and one day it will, you are not to do this. You go on and do the best you can without me. "

"But Father . . .," Stena started to say."

"No but Father," he interrupted loudly. "One deer is not as important as the herd. You must think about what is good for the others. That is what Bambi taught me and what I have tried to teach you. You must not do this again. Am I understood?"

He looked around at his family who seemed more in shock at his outburst. He gazed sternly at the others. "You know I care about all of you and I know you all care about me. For that I am grateful. Coming after me was still bad. If you had to come after me, only one of you should have done it, not all of you. The herd can survive the lost of one of us. It cannot survive the loss of all of us."

Stena and Balo said nothing, but just turned away mostly in disgust and walked slowly back to their resting place with Delon right behind and Delene close by. He knew he hurt their feelings, but he rather hurt their feelings than see them dead in the forest. He suddenly felt very weary.

"It is late and I am tired. Let us rest," he said to them

Claris said nothing but also turned and walked away with tears in her eyes. Carie remained next to him with Stuben..

"I agree with what you said, Stranger," Carie said, "But they really were afraid you were gone and wanted to know for sure. They care about you."

"I know," he said nuzzling her, "But they should not care as much as to risk themselves. Now, let us rest."

"Right after I feed your son," she told him and then presented her underside to the fawn who needed little encouragement. He eagerly reached up and drank at his Mother's side. He lay down on his hurting leg and watched. He was glad of one thing. His son looked strong. He was eager to drink and at times eager to play. He waiting until Stuben was done."

"I will be back shortly," Carie said. "I need to drink."

He got up, "I will watch him." He told her. She went off and he lowered his head. Stuben recognized the offer to play and immediately charged into him. He pushed back slowly, but forcefully. Even though pushed back, Stuben came at him again and again. He was not weak, of that he was sure. Finally the little fawn stopped and emptied himself on the ground and then walked up to him. He reached over and nuzzled his son who looked at him affectionately with two coal black eyes and licked the side of his mouth. He realized in that moment just how much he wanted to stay around in the forest and raise his son and teach him what he knew. Inwardly, he felt the intense desire to show him everything so one day he could be a better than him and one day perhaps become herd leader himself. That was something that would happen long after he was gone from the forest, but he did not mind.

He found Claris already bedded down, her face turned from him. He nuzzled the back of her neck and then Carie lay on the other side of him and finally little Stuben who wiggled between him and Carie. He fell asleep thinking how wonderful it is to have a family that cares, and how bad it could be if they cared too much.

The noise from the forest continued the next day. Again well after the greater light rose the Men went stumbling through the forest. There was no noise from the killing sticks. That night there was more loud shouting. And again the smell of burnt meat, but this time is was not deer they were burning. The deer remained off the meadow and nibbled on the grass they could find in the forest. By now the herd knew if they heard Man sounds from the meadow, they were to stay off the meadow even at night.

The following day near the rising of the greater light he heard something different. First there was a strange noise like a huge bird calling very loudly. It called high and low and it sounded like there was more than one of them. Then there was loud shouting from the direction of the Man cave. Next he heard the sound of killing sticks, but these were not as loud as the ones he normally would hear. After that he heard nothing for a while and then more of the strange bird calling and more yelling. Then after some more loud noises, he heard nothing.

None of this he had heard before and he looked to Carie who also seemed puzzled. There were no more noises, no more sounds of Man walking through the forest. It was as quiet and peaceful as before.

"What was all that noise?" Carie asked.

"I do not know, but if I hear nothing else, I will go look at the meadow after dark. Until then, if I hear or smell nothing, I am going to try and get some sleep."

After dark, he went alone to his viewing place. His leg was better, but still bothered him. In a few days he would be fine. Both Balo and Claris were there already and together they watched from their normal viewing place. The meadow was empty, the Man cave was dark, and there was not a hint of the scent of Man."

"It looks safe to me," Balo said looking it all over carefully. "I see no trace of Man."

"Nor do I, but watch." he told him.

He walked out into the meadow near the trees and called as loud as he could. He did not call for anyone, just wanted to call out and see if anything happened. After a while, nothing moved on the meadow. There was no one around. He then called for the rest of the herd to come to the meadow. In twos and threes they came until the entire herd was there. They all started eating the fresh grass on the ground and drinking from the stream.

"He was eating when he saw a young doe come up toward him. He did not recall her name, but she looked upset at something. She walked forward looking afraid. Balo, Stena and Claris walked up toward him looking to see what was going on.

"Herd Leader," the doe sobbed, "My fawn is gone. Man took her."

"Man took her," Balso said looking at her strangely.

"When Man came into the forest, I hid my fawn and then ran trying to lead Man away. Man did not follow me but instead went near where my fawn was. I head the killing stick so I did not go back until after dark. Where I left my fawn, there was the smell of Man and a pool of blood. My fawn's scent was in the pool. My fawn is gone."

Balo took a deep breath. "First Gerta and now this," Balo growled.

Now he knew where the burnt smell of the deer meat came from. Man killed an infant fawn and burned that. What pleasure could anyone have killing a defenseless fawn for enjoyment? There was nothing that any of them could do.

"I am sorry," he said to the doe in a low voice. "You are right, your fawn is gone."

The doe turned and walked away obviously upset. Maybe the doe hoped that he could give her some good news about her fawn, but there was none to be had. He felt pity for the doe. There was always next year he hoped.

"I so much wish there was something we could do to stop this," Stena said.

"Not any more than I do," he said and walked away suppressing his own boiling anger. There was the herd to take care of.

Chapter Two: Unusual Guests

It was several days later in the afternoon of a spring morning that he heard noise coming from the meadow again. It was the voices of Man, only these sounded differently than before. He raised his head. This awaken Claris on his left and Carie on his right, who both raised their heads along with him. Little Stuben remained asleep. He continued to listen. There was no banging of things together. There was no loud shouting of voices. These Men were not carrying on like the others did. These Men that did not have the deep menacing voices they had heard before. These voices were quieter and sounded much different. There was the sound of only one barking dog instead of many. There was a fire on the meadow his nose told him, but no smell of burning meat. This was different behavior and he needed to know what type of danger Man posed this time.

"Both of you stay here," he told them "There is something strange going on with Man on the meadow and I need to see what it is."

He would not normally move about in the daylight with Man around, but the noise was stationary and nothing alerted him to danger. There was certainly no movement of Man through the forest. He moved down to his viewing spot and looked.

He saw two Man animals lying still near the Man cave. Outside there were several Men, but not the same kind as before. These were not tall, there were smaller Men, almost tiny. They were also running around together playing like new fawns. He saw one dog running after the smaller Men, but this was a small dog, hardly a threat even to a fawn. There were larger Men there, but these were also different. They wore outside skins that did not cover their bodies, and they did not have killing sticks. From here he could not pick up their scents, but from his time living with Man he could recognize these were Man doe and Man fawns. It did not look like they were getting ready to hunt. They were just there in the Man cave.

He caught a brief scent of Balo and Stena behind him with young Delon. He got down on his knees and lay looking into the meadow. The others came up to him.

"I heard the noise," Balo said, but it was different so I came to look with Stena."

"I heard it to," he said. "Come over and lie down next to me," he said to them. "I want to show you something I have not seen for many seasons."

"Can we stay also," came Claris's voice from a distance.

He did not know what bothered him the most: that Balo brought Stena and Delon in daylight to something they knew nothing about, or that his own mates had come even after he told them to stay where they were. He let out a deep breath.

"Well you are all here now so yes, please come in and lie down. There is no danger here, I think," he told them trying to keep any trace of anger out of his voice.

As soon as they all lay down and relaxed he turned to Balo. "Very well Balo, now what do you see?"

Balo looked over the scene carefully. "These Men are different. They look differently, they wear different skins. They seem to be more playful this time. Some of the Men are small. Not like the others were have seen. The dog also looks different."

He waited until he was sure Balo was finished. "What are they carrying?" he asked him.

Balo looked carefully and then he finally saw it. "They do not have killing sticks," he said.

"Correct," he told them. "I have seen this before when I lived with Man. The shorter Men with the longer fur from their heads are Man doe. The small Men are Man fawns. What you see is a Man family."

All of them looked at him in amazement. None of them have ever seen anything like this. Usually only the Man males came into the forest with killing sticks. These Men did not look they had any intention of killing deer or anything else. If not here for killing, then why where they here?

"Why would they bring their doe and fawns into the forest?" Claris asked him.

"I have no idea," he told them. "However these Men are not here to kill and that little dog is of no threat. I think we can still use the meadow at night. We will watch them to make sure no more join them."

"You do not think of Men having families like us," Stena said looking curiously.

"The Man fawns run around like our own fawns," Carie added.

"Yes, that is true," he told them. "Yet, Man has families. I lived with one family as a fawn. The small Men were fine. They played with me much like our own fawns play. However when they get older they like to fight. When I was with Man, the older Man fawn often fought with me. He would trip me and then hit me. Sometimes he hurt me. I think he thought it was fun to hit a deer. I then learned from him and started to hit back and that is when they made me live outside in a small meadow so closely pack with vines that I could not get out. One day I managed to get away and run into the forest. Until now, I have never seen Men fawns except near that Man cave." He put his head back on the ground. "Since we are all here and there does not appear to be any danger, I plan to sleep here today. We can see more tonight."

Everyone nodded their approval. The others were curious like him about the Man family. First both Stena and Carie fed Delon and Stuben and then walked them both around a while so they would empty themselves before leading them back. Stuben like his brother and sister before him would get between him and Carie and go to sleep almost immediately. Little Delon would do the same between Stena and Balo. He lay on the ground and watched the small Men run and play and noted how close they looked to Stuben and Delon playing. He finally just fell asleep.

It was the smell of a fire that woke him. He looked across the meadow. The wind direction had shifted blowing the wind into his face. With the wind came the smell of burning meat, but it was not the odor of deer, birds, or even bear. This odor came from meat, but a different meat. He remembered the odor from when he was a fawn. One thing he was sure of, these Men did not kill anything during the day. So if they have meat, they had it with them. The others woke up and looked at the scene.

"I do not care," Stena complained. "I do not like the smell of burning meat. It brings back painful memories."

"Yes," Balo agreed and started to walk away.

"These Men should go into their Man cave later on," he told them. "I do not see any killing sticks so after the Man cave goes dark, it should be safe to eat on the meadow."

"We will come back then," Balo told him and led his family away.

He could not blame them. He did not like the smell either. He turned to Claris and Carie. "Both of you should go with them. I will be back tomorrow night. I want to look at something."

Carie stared at him, a look of worry on her face. "Be careful please?" she asked. Claris said nothing; she knew better.

"I am always careful, but something here needs to be looked at closely and it is best if I do this alone," he said and walked off down the other side of the meadow.

He traveled down the bear's side of the meadow taking care not to make a sound. He stopped when he was directly below the bear's den. He let out a single low bleat and then stopped. As expected in a short while a large black animal came down the hill.

"I heard you and the Men. Why are you so close to them?" the bear asked.

"I do not think there is danger here," he said. "That is a Man family and the small Men are Man cubs. The long hair Men are females."

The bear stared with interest. "This is the first time I have seen Man cubs. They look small enough. They may make a good meal."

That gave him a sinking feeling in his stomach. "If you kill one, others Men will come and they will bring the big dogs and the big killing sticks," he told his friend. "It is up to you, but I would look for something else to eat?"

The bear started at him and the Man family for a while. "Yes, you are right," the bear said with regret. "I will eat a Man later when I can find one alone."

He nodded and added, "Just make sure he does not have a killing stick. Also if you notice, none of these Men have killing sticks. I do not think there are here to kill animals."

"Then why are they here?" the bear asked.

"I do not know," he answered. "I was going to take a closer look to see if I can find out."

"I will go with you," the bear said. "You can tell me how you and your family are. I hope things are better this season than last season."

"They are much better," he explained as they walked inside the trees. He told the bear what had happened to him over the winter and spring."

"So you have a new son," the bear said. "And your daughter now have a son and daughter. Your family is growing."

"Yes, and thankfully they are all healthy this time," he said. "Now we are getting close, we should try and be quiet."

The bear just nodded his big black head. They both approached the Man cave from above the while still in the trees. Something neither of them would ever try to do if Men was present, but those were Men with killing sticks. There were no killing sticks here. Something however was still bothering him. He had seen Man come into the forest before. Every time he had seen them, Man was there to kill something. These Men did not seem interested in killing. He still wondered why. When he lived in the Man cave, there were long times during the season when killing did not happen and the Man fawns would play with him. They all seemed interested in was having fun. Then at other times, other Men with the killing sticks would come and there was no more fun, only killing. What was the difference between the two? Why did Man turn from playful fun to deadly killing? The bear and the others killed for food. What made Man kill for pleasure? It was always the one thing he never understood and he wanted to know more than anything else.

They found a spot where they both could watch the Man cave. Outside the Man cave, the Man fawns were still running around shouting. The small dog and the large Men and Man doe would chase the small Men. There was laughter and they seem to be having fun.

"Besides that they have no killing sticks, look at the Man fawns and Man doe down there running around playing. This is something I seldom see. Like I said before, I do not think they are here for killing."

"That is odd," the bear said in a deep growl and continued watching with him. Both of them remained silent. The Men had no idea they were there.

"I smell they are still burning meats, but I do not know what kind. Certainly not my kind or your kind," the bear went on.

"Remember when I told you that Man has others kill his meat and then gives it to them," he said quietly.

"Yes," the bear remembered. "I was always curious about that." The bear's fat and meat smell were almost worse to his nose than the burning meat below him.

"Well that is the smell when they ate that meat. I never knew who the meat came from."

It is not like any creature I have smelled in the past," the bear said.

He got a good smell of the scent and it reminded him of his travel to Bambi's forest last season to bring back Claris and Carie. In the open space he had met many large animals on the journey over. Like him they were grass eaters with smaller racks. They were not interested in talking to him. He never knew if they did not talk because they did not care, or they were too dumb to speak. The scent from the burning meat smelled something like them.

"I think I know who they are burning," he told the bear and then quickly explained.

"I remember you told me about those animals just before last winter. I have never seen animals like that before," the bear said. "You travel more than I do," the bear said with a smile.

He laughed and then looked at the scars the dogs had made on his back. Yes, that trip was a lot of fun he felt like saying.

Both he and the bear continued to watch the Men. After they finished eating it became fully dark and the lesser light rose. The large Men made the fire bigger and the small Men and dog played near it. Soon after it was fully dark they all set together just like Claris, Carie, and his children would. They all sat close to each other near the fire and started to yell the same thing together like other Men do. They seemed to care for each other. They all ate and drank. After the lesser light rose, the small Men went inside the Man cave and the larger Men stayed outside. It was then they started to light themselves on fire and drink like all Men like to do. They continued talking to each other for some time. When the lesser light was overhead, the Men finally put out the fire and all the Men walked into the Man cave. Soon the Man cave went dark and all was quiet. By now he too was hungry.

"Well that was interesting," he said quietly. "I am going to eat some grass over by the spring. Then I think I will stay here until tomorrow."

"I am also hungry," the bear answered. "Since I cannot eat the little Men, I will go to the top of the hill. There are some early berries that are coming ripe. Then I will go over the hill and will mostly likely stay there until late summer. That was interesting Stranger. I have never seen Men behave like that. It is curious, but I am still going to avoid Man as much as I can."

"That is wise" he said, "But it tells me one thing. If you see no killing sticks, then Man is not dangerous. That is something I will remember. Stay well bear. I hope to see you before The Season starts."

"If I am not with a female of my own kind," the bear said. "You will smell her and know to stay away."

With that the bear turned up the hill and vanished into the darkness. He moved quietly over by the spring and found lots of fresh grass uneaten by any animal because it was so close to the Man cave. He ate there and then took a long drink from the spring. The water from the spring tasted fresher to him than water from the stream. After he ate and drank his fill he went as deep in the forest as he could and still be able to see the Man cave. After empting himself, he lay down as the first light of the new day started to light the sky.

He slept for a while and soon he could hear Men coming out of the Man cave. They started a fire and started to burn other things on it. Soon the small Men came out and started playing around the Man cave. Then they all ate from what was on the fire. The two Man fawns started playing with the small dog. They kept throwing a stick that the little dog would pick up and carry back. Everyone, especially the small Men, seemed to be having a good time. He wondered if they were just here for fun. He continued to look for killing sticks, and did not see any.

It was as the greater light was rising that the wind began blowing over his tail. Soon afterward the little dog stopped playing and turned to face him. The little dog barked loudly. Then the dog quickly started to run away from the Man cave and toward him. The dog must have smelled him. He thought about running but decided not to. He did not feel in danger here, and he was curious. One of the small Men ran after the dog. He had no fear of one dog that size or the small Man, so he stayed in place and watched the small dog run toward him. The little dog came into the same clearing as he was and stopped. The little dog looked at him not knowing who he was. It then started barking at him in a high pitch voice.

"Here, Here," the little brown dog barked just like the larger dogs that hunted them. He stood still. The little dog made no attempt to try and attack him. He was far too big for that, but the barking did make a lot of noise. He saw the small Man run toward him. It looked like a small doe fawn to him. She came into the same clearing as him and the dog. The Man fawn looked up at him standing there and backed up a step. The doe fawn was wearing an outer skin like all Men, but this one was a different color that he had not seen before. It was like a red, but not the same. He stood still. He still felt no danger.

"Dar nar deeer," it said.

He wondered if she was asking if he was a deer. He nodded. The fawn came up and looked at him, but did not get too close. This Man fawn did not look like she wanted to hurt him. She was too small to carry a killing stick. She had no claws or anything else that looked like it could hurt him. She even looked happy he was there. He put his head down until it was only as far above the ground as the Man fawn stood. She took a step closer and then another. She reached up with her small front hoof and touched him on the head. She rubbed her hoof on his face like she was a fawn of his own. The Man fawn seemed even to get even happier. She started to laugh out loud and run around the small clearing. The little dog followed her. He realized there was no desire to kill him in this creature. She just wanted to play like his own fawns would.

"I am Stranger," he said to the Man doe fawn.

"Nee da Iane," she said calmly almost as if she understood him.

"Iane," he said out loud. "That is a pretty name. Is that your mother and father there?"

"Pa Pa," she said pointing to the Man cave.

He had no idea what that meant. It was funny, he never understood Man before, but he had only known the Men fawn where he grew up in the Man cave. Those Men fawns were not nearly as small or as young as this Man doe fawn was. The little doe fawn kept looking at him as if she expected him to do something.

He bent over again and again the Man fawn came up to him and this time she tried to put her hoofs around his neck. For a moment he felt she was going to attack him and he started to pull back. Instead she pulled his face close to her and she rubbed her face against his. Just like a fawn would do. She then put her mouth against his and licked him. He did the same to her and she again laughed out loud. She liked him, as strange as that sounded to him, but she did like him. In turn he rubbed the side of her face with his and again she laughed out loud. He actually liked this Man doe. There was nothing to be afraid of. If not for the large Men nearby, he would let Stuben play with this doe fawn. Why were Men not like this all the time?

"Iane," he heard one of the large Man doe call from near the Man cave.

"Aye Aye," the doe fawn said and picked up the little dog before running out back towards the Man cave. He watched her get close to the Man doe and then point with her front hoof toward where he was. Was that Man doe her mother? The Man doe called out something and soon a Man male showed up and she pointed toward him. The Man male went into the man cave and came back out holding what he thought might be a killing stick. He decided then he had seen enough. It was time to leave. He quickly ran back into the deep forest and far away from the Man cave.

He circled around the edge of the meadow and made his way back to his clearing. There was no one following him. There were no Men in the forest, so he felt safe to moved in the day. The greater light was well past overhead before he got back to their clearing. The others were already bedded down for the day. He did not want to disturb them so he lay down by the small pond and slept until the greater light was down and darkness fell across the forest.

He met the others in the small clearing that night and after they fed, he told them the story. Almost none of them believed it. He had a hard time believing it himself. Man was always the killer, yet this Man fawn did not want to kill him and in fact seemed glad to be with him.

I never heard of any Man who wanted to be friends with us," Balo said.

"When I was small at the Man cave, some of the Man fawns would play with me, but that did not last. This Man doe was small and maybe that is the difference. Maybe they only get to be killers when they become older."

"And you said that this Man doe fawn played with you," Claris added.

"She seemed to want to play with me exactly like Stuben does," he told them. "She acted exactly like one of our own fawns. There was no desire to kill me or any animal in this doe fawn. I have no idea why small Men act like this and the larger Men only seem interested only in our meat. This little Man doe did not want to hurt me. She only wanted to play.

"If that is the case Father," Stena asked, "The what makes Man change?"

He looked toward the Man cave. "I wish I knew," he muttered. All he did know was that Man was even stranger than he ever thought.

Chapter Three: The New Deer

It was two nights after the Man family left that they first appeared on the meadow. He first noticed them as they ate together on the meadow: a small group of deer eating in the open about half way to the Man cave. Balo was also paying attention to them. There were two males and several females. The light breeze was blowing across the meadow so he could not get a good scent smell on them, but they did not look familiar. Soon others started to notice them and shy away. Finally Marco, a three year old male, came over to him with Balo and Duro just behind him.

"Stranger, do you know who those deer are?" Marco asked politely.

"No," he had to admit. "They are not from our forest. I do not think they are from the Man path forest either."

"They look a little thin," Duro added. "Could they be from Bambi's old forest?"

"I know several of the deer in Bambi's forest," he said studying them closely. "They do not look familiar."

Duro was right; both the males and the females looked thin and there were no fawns which at this time of year was unusual. Something was not right here. By now the rest of the herd was gathering around them.

"One way to find out," he said out loud. "Balo, please come with me, the rest of you stay here."

With that he walked slowly toward the group of deer. Balo was behind him looking intently. "Do you expect trouble?" Balo asked.

"A herd leader should always expect trouble," he answered. "The males do not look old enough or heavy enough to fight us. Approach closely and use your nose. Smell for sickness. If they are sick, I do not want them near our herd."

"Understood," Balo said and walked behind him.

As they approached, the doe stopped eating and stood behind the two males who came forward. He got within several lengths of the larger male who stopped and turned to face him.

"I am called Stranger and this is Balo", he said formally. "We are the herd leaders. May I ask who you are?"

The second male came forward. They looked nervous, even a bit afraid. It was then he noticed it, there were scars on the smaller male's flank, old scars. Some male had slashed his side with his rack some time ago. The first male looked scarred in his front as if in a fight during the last Season. Both males started to turn and walk away.

"Stop!" he ordered. "I will not harm you as long as you do not try and harm my herd. I can see you are thin and you have been in fights. I will not fight you unless you force me too. Now please tell me your names?"

The deer looked among each other not seeming to know what to do. Finally the larger one stepped forward. "I am Relno," the bigger male said in a meek voice. "This is my younger brother Rasno. The females are Kelane, Kelris, Lacine, Nalene, and Geran. We have come to seek shelter from our old forest. We are hungry and food is not as abundant in our old forest as it is here."

"What forest do you come from?" he wanted to know.

The male pointed his nose toward the bear's den. "Over that hill is another forest. In that forest are many deer and not as much food. We came to find a better place to eat."

"That is understandable," he said looking them over. Again he wondered about the lack of fawns. He could clearly see some of the doe were nursing. "I do not see any of your fawns," he said.

"We were not sure we would be welcomed, so we left our fawns hidden," Relno said.

Balo walked up to him and whispered in his ear. "They seem safe enough and I do not smell any sickness, do you?"

"No," he said in a low voice. He then slowly walked over until he was within three lengths of Relno."Very well, you may stay here if you wish. If you want, you can join the herd here. In the meantime, please fill yourselves and feel free to eat with us. I recommend staying on this side of the meadow. Man sometimes visits the Man cave there and on the other side lives a large bear and he may go after your doe or fawns.

He could almost see the relief on the faces of all the deer. With that he turned around and walked back to his own herd. He called the older males together and any of the doe that were interested and explained the situation. No one seemed to care much. In this forest there was food enough for all.

They stayed on the meadow until he saw the first hint of the greater light and he called the herd away. Even the other deer left the meadow going back to their bedding areas. As he, Claris, Carie, Stuben, Balo, Stena and Delon left the meadow and walked past the little clearing he stopped and sniffed the air making sure no one was about.

"Something is not right here," he said in a low voice. "I used to live in that forest before I came here. There were many deer that lived there and there was always plenty of food. Now suddenly there is no food there. Some of those deer were close to starving."

"You think they are lying?" Balo asked suspiciously.

"No," he said. "They had the scent of the deer that live over there, and I did not detect any falsehood in their talk. No something has changed in the other forest and changed for the worse. If it is that bad over there, I am afraid these may only be the first to come to our forest."

"If too many come over here, there will not be enough food for us!" Stena realized.

He nodded his approval. "You are correct my daughter. We must keep a close watch on this. Tell me if you see or smell any new deer on the meadow. Do not discuss this with the others."

"Do we do anything now?" Claris asked.

"No, for now we watch and see," he told them. "Now it is getting light and I am tired. Let us get some rest while we can."

With that they parted and he went back to their bedding areas. Carie fed Stuben and walked him around the forest until he emptied himself. Then they all bedded together with Stuben again slipping in between him and Carie. They all soon fell asleep and rested until the greater light had almost set.

That night on the meadow the seven new deer came back, each doe had a small fawn. When he looked at the fawns he was shocked that they were all so thin. It was still late spring. There was still plenty of time before The Season and winter to have them gain weight. They came early and ate for a long while. He waited until they looked finished before he and Balo went over to Relno again. He seemed to be more relaxed more this time.

"I am looking at those fawns," he said sounding concerned. "They need to put on weight or they will not survive the winter."

"I know," Relno said. There was not much grass in the forest where most of the deer eat so there was not much milk."

"Well you will find plenty of grass here, so eat hardy," Balo added.

"Thank you," Relno said with a bow of this head. "Some of the doe are already starting to look better and there is more milk for the fawns."

"I used to live in your forest and there was plenty of grass," he said to Relno, but loud enough to be heard by the others."There was a big open meadow with a large stream that ran through it. There was lots of grass there."

"I know," Relno said. "I remember hearing the older doe talk about the strange deer that lived with us before disappearing over the hills. That is when Hilgas was herd leader. That was in the better seasons."

"What happened?" he wanted to know.

"Razor came and killed Hilgas and several other deer. Then he and several larger males took over the herd. He had grown up alone and bitter. His mother Dorla did not like him and chased him away when he was not yet a yearling. After that time Razor and several males went into the deep forest and stayed there until two seasons ago. After they had all grown, they all came back. After they all killed Hilgas, Razor chased down his own mother and killed her along with her fawn. He then told us that he was now herd leader and that only he and his senior males and their doe could eat on the meadow. Everyone else had to make do with what they could find. When my brother was caught on the meadow, although only a fawn himself, he was slashed by one of the males."

He was suddenly horrified. He knew Dorla. She was one of the does he bred in the season before coming here. She just bred with him and then left. She had no interest in him, and it looks like she had no interest in Razor. If Dorla was Razor's mother then Razor could be his own son. But what if he was his son? Razor had killed Hilgas and this his own mother. He sounded worse than Tarro.

"It all sounds stupid. What kind of a herd leader would kill his own herd?" Balo asked.

He swallowed and tried to look as if there was nothing wrong. "Yes it is stupid, but many deer have more muscles than head just like Tarro Well we do not do that here."

Relno looked happy they were accepted. He and Balo walked back to his herd. He suddenly had the desire to be alone.

"Balo, something Relno told us has gotten my attention. Take the herd off the meadow. Tell the Claris and Carie I will see them here tomorrow."

He left in a hurry before Balo could say a word and disappeared into the forest. There he spent and uneasy day thinking what he should do, if anything about this. He decided that as long as Razor and the others stayed in their forest, he would do nothing. He would also not discuss this with anyone. This was deeply personal and he knew he had to solve this problem by himself.

The next night he saw four new deer on the meadow. They were in the same shape as the others. One doe had newly made wounds on her side. When he questioned her, he was told she had been kicked by one of the lead males for trying to leave the forest. The following night two more new deer came. Now he was getting concerned. It seemed like the entire herd would find its way to his forest. The new deer mostly stayed together, but they did move closer to his herd. Once they knew he wasn't going to chase them out they relaxed and became friendlier. All told him the same story. Razor and several males were trying to control the entire herd over there. It was flee, and maybe get killed, or die of starvation for sure.

That was the last of them. Over the next few nights no one new came to the meadow. He kept watch, but he saw no new signs of deer. Two nights after the last group showed up Balo finally said.

"Do we do anything about this?" he wanted to know.

"As long as we do not get any more coming over, I would say no. He knew his herd had many deer. His herd numbered two for every three deer on the meadow. It would mean using most of the meadow and that meant eating closer to the Man cave which made him nervous.

Although he kept his eyes open for new deer, he saw none. Slowly Relno and the other started eating closer to his herd. It was not very long before they started to fill back out and the fawns looked much healthier. It was several nights later he got a surprise. Veron walked out of the forest and onto the meadow. It was the first time he had seen him in this forest since he left. Both he and Balo walked quickly over to him.

"Veron, I am happy to see you," he said and nuzzled his forehead.

Balo did the same and Veron returned the gesture of friendship. He then looked around and seemed to get very serious. "Stranger I need to talk to you and Balo alone."

Balo and he looked at each other, both of them concerned at Veron's serious tone. Something must be wrong. "Come with me," he said and ran into the forest not stopping until he got near the old Oak.

He smelled around and satisfied they were alone, he nodded. "Veron, what is wrong?"

"Have you had any new deer come into your herd recently?" he asked.

"Several," he told him. "They all come from over the hill in the other forest. There is a group of males making life hard for the rest of the deer."

"I have had many come to my forest. I am concerned about that. If too many deer come, it will bring more of Man. Right now the herd is small and so Man does not bother with us. If there are many deer, we will have Man all over the forest come The Season."

Veron was right. Man did not hunt in places where there were few deer. "How many have come?" he asked.

"About as many that went with me when we started," Veron said.

"What about food?" Balo asked.

"We have plenty of food; all we have to do is go deeper into the forest to get it. It is not the food that I am worried about. It is Man."

He thought about this for a while. What could he do? If they chased the deer back over the hill, they most like die in the next winter. If they stayed here, then what Veron was afraid of could easily come to pass, not only in the Man path forest, but here as well. He thought about it and decided it did not matter. No matter what, he would not send deer away to die of starvation.

"Veron, I do not know how to stop this," he said. "You have seen those deer, they were starving. It was come or our forests or die. If we send them back they may all die and I will not be responsible for that. Your Father would not allow it either. You will need to spread the herd out more so not all of them live close to our forest."

"That is where I sent them," Veron explained, "But deer like to be together so they are always coming into the area where we live in. And that is not all," Veron added. "There have been sightings of large males in my forest. So far neither Stabo nor I have seen them, but others have. They seem to be looking for these deer."

That got his concern. If the other males were coming to their forest, would they just come for the deer that left their herd, or would they come for all of them. "Most likely the males in charge of that herd," he told them. "This may mean trouble if many of them come around. We might have a big fight in our forests; a fight we will be outnumbered in."

"That is what Stabo told me," Veron went on. "I need your advice Stranger. If my father was near I would ask him."

"I know," he said letting out a deep breath. This was serious. Those males could come here and kill all of them. He could fight well, but he knew he could not fight that many at once. Could he fight his own son? If he tried to hurt his herd, than yes he would fight them. He would not be like Bambi and get beaten by his own son, because he cared too much to fight back. He thought about who could help him. Stabo, Balo and Veron while good fighters could not fight that many either. If more than four or five came at once, it would be hard for them to beat these males. If they all came at once they could easily kill all of them.

It was then he smelled Claris approach from the meadow. She was walking in a hurry. He bleated once so she could find him. She trotted into the small open spot looking out of breath.

"Stranger there is a very large male standing at the other edge of the forest across the meadow. I am sure he is not from our herds and he looks too healthy to be trying to run away from the others."

"It starts," he said. "Claris get the others off the meadow. Go now!"

Claris took off at a run heading for the meadow. He turned to face Balo and Veron. "You two come with me, but stay on this side of the meadow. I will see for myself what this male wants."

He led them away at a trot and came into the open of the Meadow. There across the meadow stool a large male. He was just about his size, slightly bigger than Balo or Veron. He had a good rack that was growing out. He motioned to Balo and Veron to stay there and he walked over alone. As he got closer the deer noticed them and started to study him closely. The male didn't move, he didn't say a word, and just stood there and stared at them. When they got more than halfway across the meadow the large male turned and slowly walked back into the forest without a sound. This deer knew how to move.

He followed the other deer until they were several lengths into the forest. The large male then stopped and turned. He got close enough to get a good smell of his scent. It was close to his own. He now knew the answer to his question.

"Greetings, Son," he said calmly.

"So I was right," the large male answered. "You must be Stranger my mother told me about. That is before she died."

That got him angry. "Why did you kill your mother?" he growled. "What harm did she do you?"

The other deer tensed up. "Harm," he spat out. "She chased me away because she wanted to be the mate of Hilgas. Hilgas wanted nothing to do with a doe with a half grown fawn. She chased me away and left me to die. But I did not die. I found other fawns like myself and we formed a group in the deep woods. We all grew up together and when we were old enough and big enough we came back and I killed both of them."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Dorla should have not treated you like that. I wish I could have been of help, but Hilgas asked me to leave. Even so, you had no right to kill her. Challenge Hilgas for the herd, that I can understand, but why did you kill him?"

"He was weak and old. He also cared about his herd too much," Razor told him. "I care only about myself and my fellow senior males. The others are also weak and so they do what we say or else."

"And starving them to death is part of your plan," he angrily replied. "What kind of herd leader are you?"

"The kind that rules," Razor answered with spite. "Those deer came here and I am taking them back."

"No you are not," he said simply. "If you try, you will have to get by me, Son."

Razor laughed out loud. "Then I will come back with the others. I have seen your deer, they cannot fight us. We will kill all of you and I will take your herd, and the herd in the other forest near here."

"You have not seen all of my deer," he said. "As for fighting me, you can do that right now."

Razor laughed again. "Fight you when you have the advantage? No, Father, I will come back with the others and kill you all at once. Goodbye."

With that Razor turned quickly and ran up the hill toward his own forest. If he chased him, he be lead into the other forest where Razor and the others could easily kill him. If it was a fight they wanted, then a fight they were going to have, but it would be a fight on his terms like with Tarro. He needed a plan."

He walked back out of the forest and across the meadow toward Balo and Veron. "What was that about?" Balo asked.

"He wanted to know if this herd was defended. Now he knows for sure it is and by how many. He will go back and tell the others."

"Do we go after him?" Veron asked cautiously.

"No, not now," he answered "Did you see how he disappeared without a sound which means he is experienced. The wind is also blowing the wrong way for us to follow him. For now we have to let him go." With that, he told them everything except the fact that Razor was his son. That he leave for later.

"So we are going to have to fight them," Veron said.

"Correct," he said. Now he was sure there was going to be some kind of a fight. Only he did not know how many and how big they were. He did not like where this was going and he did not like their chances. They needed a plan.

"Veron," go back to your forest and stay with Stabo. I will come in a few days and we will discuss what we can do. One thing for sure, if we try and fight them in a stand up fight, we will lose."

"Thank you Stranger," Veron said. "I will ask Stabo to think of something."

He hoped Stabo could come up with something because right now he had no idea what to do. He watched Veron trot off toward his forest. He looked over and saw the first sign of the rising of the greater light.

"Go back to Stena," he told him. "I need to think."

Balo left silently. He went back to his clearing and again lay between Claris and Carie. He found he could not sleep and got up when the greater light was overhead.

He left the others and walked into the woods by the old Oak tree and tried to think of a way to beat these deer. It was not long before he heard a voice from above.

"Stranger," he heard Oswell call. He looked up at the young owl and someone new. There was a female owl with him in the big tree.

"This is Sofora, my mate for this season," he told him. "We are raising a brood in the old tree."

"That is good," he said with gladness.

Oswell and Sofora seemed happy. "What brings you here? You deer normally sleep in the day like us."

"Oh I have a problem I need to think about," he said.

"Maybe I can help," Oswell said.

It could not hurt to tell him so he explained the whole story about the new deer, why they came, and the possible threat from the other forest. It took a while to explain.

"So I am trying to figure out a way I can fight the other deer if I am forced too. We will be out numbered."

Oswell seemed to pause for a second and whispered to Sofora. They chirped together and finally he said. "My Mother once told me that some small animals run together to form a pack when I hunt them. They believe that by being all together they will scare me off or confuse me so much I will not attack them. My Mother told me in that case just pick one out and attack it. The others will still be there when you get back."

He thought about it for a moment. He had many deer coming for him, and only Balo, Veron and Stabo to fight them. Could they just pick one or two out and fight only them? If Razor and his males stayed in a group, he could not, but what if they split up looking for them. He could fight one or two together and not be out numbered.

"Thank you Oswell," he said showing appreciation in his voice. "You have given me an idea."

With that he hurried back to his bedding area, happy for the first time in days.

Chapter Four: A Welcomed Guest

Two days after talking to Oswell, he was sleeping during the day with Claris, Carie and Stuben. He heard the branches on the bushes snap as some large deer came noisily into their small clearing. Both Claris and Carie were awakened. Even little Stuben got up. A breeze of wind brought him the scent. It was Sinno a four year male from the herd. He got up and walked out into the clearing. Sinno was looking around for someone.

As Sinno walked past him, unaware he was there, he walked out into the open behind him. "Can I help you Sinno?" he called out.

The deer turned quickly. He was frighten by his sudden appearance. "I am sorry to disturb you Stranger," he stammered, "But something unusual has happened. A new deer has entered the forest."

"Where?" he wanted to know.

Sinno seemed taken back. "Over by the stream that runs into Bambi's Forest, in front of the hill I saw Geno on."

"Did you talk to him?" he asked.

"No, it looked like he was looking for something or someone," Sinno said. "He was sniffing at the ground looking for scent trails. I do not think he saw me, so I waited until he went past me and came searching for you. He seems young, maybe a two year old, but he is big. One thing for sure, I have never seen him around here before."

Thank you Sinno, I will look into it," he told him.

Sinno nodded and took off back down the stream. It was easy to follow his path by the noise he made. He made almost more noise that Stuben did when he walked. Not the brightest deer in the forest. He could feel the others walking up almost silently behind him.

"Have they come," Carie asked, her voice showing fear.

"No, more than one would come and they would not come from that direction," he said.

"What are you going to do?" Claris asked.

"I am going to find this new deer and find out what he wants," he told them. "I don't think there will be any problems."

"Should you take Balo with you?" Carie asked."In case there is trouble."

"No, a single two year old does not bother me; I do not care how big he is." he told her."Just in case, you two stay here. I will be back shortly."

Before either could object, he took off at a trot going down the hill. He circled around into the forest near the bottom of the hill just before the stream. He kept well inside the trees while sniffing the air. The wind was blowing from his side of the meadow. He quietly walked along the forest floor until he felt the wind in his face. That is when he heard noise downwind of him. He heard two voices. It was two male deer talking. He could not understand what they were saying. These were not the actions of someone who might want to harm him. He approached as carefully as he could until the wind brought their scents to him. He stopped and took in a deep breath through his nose. It was then he caught the scents. He recognized them and was surprised.

The first scent he knew. It was Duro who he knew liked to bed down around here. There were lots of eatable bushes and the grasses along the stream; many were delightful to eat. It was the second scent that he found surprising. He walked slowly forward making no noise and with the wind in his face so the other two deer could not smell him. He finally saw the two deer over by some trees. Both were talking, no threats and no shouts. They just looked to be having a pleasant conversation. He walked toward them before the smaller one looked up and saw him.

"Stranger," he said. "I was looking for you."

"Gorro, I am surprised," he said. "Is your mother and father with you?"

"Excuse me," Duro said politely. "You two have things to talk about." The five year old male turned and faced Gorro and bowed his head slightly. "Glad to see you again, Gorro, and please give Bambi my regards."

"I will," Gorro said politely.

With that Duro walked away. That was done with remarkable courtesy from a deer that rarely showed a high level of courtesy to anyone, except himself.

He walked over to the large two year old and embraced him. "What are you doing here?"

Gorro looked around to see if anyone could overhear them. "Stranger, I am here for several reasons. The first was my father and mother wanted to be alone. Even Eta is out on her own."

He looked at Gorro. He could tell something was wrong. "What has happened Gorro?"

Gorro took a deep breath. "My mother lost her fawn. It was born dead. Now she is telling father that like Claris, she does not think she will be able to make another one."

He just dropped his head and hit the ground with his front left hoof. This was getting to be too much. "I am truly sorry to hear that," was all he could say.

"I know," Gorro said sadly. "You and Claris of all deer would know how they feel. Afterwards father lost interest in most things. He doesn't even train me anymore; he is just too sad. The loss of that fawn really hurt him. That is my second reason I am here. My father cannot train me now, I was wondering if you would?"

He smiled, "Of course I will help."

"Thank you," Gorro said. "There is also one final reason, and for me perhaps the most important of all. I came here to try and find a mate."

That stopped him cold. It was certainly a surprising thing to hear. "Why, there are many more deer in your forest than here?"

"I know," Gorro said with a drop of his head. "My mother and father think I am foolish too, but all those deer know me as Bambi's son and for that they respect and in some cases fear me. The doe look at me the same way."

He looked into Gorro's deep black eyes. They were like his father's. He was obviously still troubled by something. "I am sorry, but I do not understand you," he told him.

Gorro nodded and looked lost in thought for a moment. "I am not sure how to put this, but the deer in that forest see me as Bambi's son. They do not see me as Gorro. They treat me as Bambi's son. They do not treat me as Gorro. I want a mate who wants Gorro. Not a mate that wants Bambi's son. I cannot find that in father's forest."

He nodded with understanding. "Yes, I see now. None of the deer know you here. They will judge you as you without your father. Very well, you are free to look, but I cannot promise anything. Best place to meet deer in on the meadow when the herd eats at night."

"I then ask permission of the herd leader to stay until after high summer when I will go back to help my father."

"Stay as long as you like, you are always welcome here. Does Bambi know you are here?" he asked.

"I told him and mother of my plans. My father was not happy, but I think he understands. My mother did not want me to go, but father said under the circumstances it would be best. I think he understands better than my mother."

"Your father understands a lot," he said.

"There is also one other reason. I have always wanted to meet my older brother and sister. Once I become herd leader that, will be difficult."

He certainly understood the last reason and he agreed. "I can help you with that."

He looked the deer over. Although he was a two year old, he was almost as big as Balo, in fact almost as big as him. He would have a nice rack. He could not believe he had any trouble finding a mate no matter what forest he was in. He would also be exactly the kind of deer Man would want to kill for his rack.

"Come with me," he said.

As they walked he asked, "Did you have any problems coming here."

"No," Gorro said simply. "I ran into those large animals you told me about. You were right, I think they are too dumb to talk. I did see a Man on a horse, but I was well hidden. He never saw me. Fortunately, there were no dogs about."

"Good," he said. "Have there been any more problems from your father's herd."

Gorro laughed loudly. "There were no problems against my father from any member of the herd. Those bones are still in the clearing where you and father fought. They act as a reminder. The seniors males are still too scared of my father to challenge him. They also remember your words about coming back. I think they are as scared of you as of father. I had a small problem however."

"Oh, what happened?" he wanted to know.

"After mother lost the fawn and father stayed with her, one of the three year old males decided to push his weight around with me. We fought in the open with the herd watching. I easily beat him, using the ways you and father taught me. I knocked him down and then stomped lightly on him as not to hurt him too much. I then let him get up and flee. Since then I have had no problems."

"Good for you," he told the young male. "Although we will never say this in front of other members of the herd, but sometimes to have to stomp on a deer to get him and the others to listen to you. Male deer respect strength and fighting ability."

Gorro stopped and laughed again. "You know that is almost exactly what father told me."

"Your father is the wisest deer I know," he said and led Gorro on.

He took him up the stream past Bambi's old cave. As they went by Gorro stopped suddenly. It was like the place brought on a memory

"This is where your father and mother use to live," he told him thinking he might be interested.

"This where my two older sisters died?" he asked his voice showing some pain.

"Yes," he said simply. Gorro said nothing more and went on following him.

As he got to the small pond he bleated loudly enough to be heard by others. Stena and little Delon came out followed shortly by Balo. Both looked over the new male for a second before Stena blurted out, "Gorro," she said and ran up and kissed him. Balo did likewise and the two males both rubbed their foreheads. Claris, Carie and little Stuben came up from the clearing. Claris embraced Gorro like his mother would and Carie just simply bowed.

"I am glad to see all of you again," Gorro said. He was very happy and it showed.

"What brings you here?" Claris asked.

Gorro head just dropped again and said nothing. He stepped up and said in a low voice, "Let us all lay down in the clearing. This is not going to be an easy tale to tell," he told them.

They all went back and lay down. Gorro told them the reasons he was here. When he was done there were obvious sobs from Claris and Stena."

"Poor Faline," was all Claris could say. "First me and now her."

"There is nothing we can do about that," he said in a low voice "We might be able to help with other things like trying to find Gorro a mate. I will present him to the herd tonight. I doubt if there will be any problems. I will then take him to meet his older brother and sister in the Man path forest. I never did get there before. After that, Balo, Gorro and I will start with lessons. We need to get ready." He then turned to Gorro, By high summer, I expect you to be as big as your father and be about as strong."

'I would be pleased to help teach,' Balo told them. "It will help me get ready for our friends when they come back."

Gorro looked confused. "I will explain later," he told him "For now let us rest, it may be a busy night."

When the lesser light rose they all went over to the meadow and ate. The Man cave was still dark and no smell of Man on the meadow. All ate comfortably. After a while Delene, Stena's first child, came over to feed next to them. She was also filling out as a yearling. She was getting as big as her mother. She came over and met the new deer. Several of the yearlings and two year old doe came over the meet the new male, but most had fawns and so were only partly interested. He could see that Gorro was causing some upset among the two and three year old males who were use to getting the attentions of the younger doe. After a while Stuben finished feeding from his mother and then starting playing with the other new fawns. He kept a close eye on the meetings and playing. He showed Gorro around to the doe. Many looked interested, but then Gorro was as hansom as his father. All the while he kept sniffing the air for any sign of danger. Thankfully for once, all passed in peace.

As the lesser light went down he called Gorro and Balo over. "Very well young male, show me what you have learned. Now push me back," he told him.

"They locked at the shoulder and he pushed with all his might trying to push Gorro back. "Gorro did likewise. He found himself under considerable pressure by the two year old. He shifted his weight that Gorro countered. Then Gorro tried to get lower underneath him to lift him. He was able to shift around to stop him. They Gorro broke and jumped back and tied to bring his rear legs around swiftly to trip him. He jumped straight up to avoid it. Gorro was not just strong, he was fast. They kept this up for awhile all under the watchful gaze of the herd. He was sure it was obvious to even the older males that they better think twice before taking this two year old on. He could also see why he easily beat that older deer. He also noticed Delene was taking an interest in their activities.

"You have gotten stronger since last season," he had to admit. "I would say you are almost as strong as your father. You are certainly as quick as he is. There might not be much I can teach you."

Gorro walked up to him, with a big smile. The he looked at him and spoke in a low voice. "You can show me how you and my father beat those four males last season."

By now Balo came over. Balo had overheard and was looking at him too. "I will need to know that too in case the others come back."

Balo was right, both of them needed to know this. "I suppose you both need to learn that just in case there is real trouble. That is possible now. I will show you both after we get back from the Man path forest. We will need to do this in private. No sense teaching the other males in this forest. As Bambi and I have told both of you before, you can kill another deer with this. Other deer can also use it to kill you. You must never use it unless you have too."

Both deer nodded an understanding of what he said.

The next night he walked over to the Man path forest with Gorro. He had Balo stay behind and told him to call if anything happened especially if new males came to the forest. There were no men or dogs around so their journey was short and quick. As he walked through the forest he started to pick up on scents. He first found Veron's trail and followed it to his small clearing.

"Veron," he called. "It is Stranger. I have a visitor I like you to meet."

Veron walked out of the clearing. He was now fully grown and was showing signs of a large rack. Alana was behind him and a new doe fawn. Veron looked over the strange deer and sniffed the air a few times.

"You smell familiar," Veron said studying the new male carefully.

"Because he is your younger brother." he explained. "He has come from your father's forest to visit."

With that all hesitation vanished and Veron embraced his brother as did Alana. "My name is Gorro," he told them and I am pleased to meet you."

"It was then he noticed the hoof marks on Veron's chest and a few scratches along his side.

"Who have you been fighting with?" he wanted to know.

"Most likely the same group of deer you told me about," Veron said. "Three new deer came here looking for some other deer. When I told them they were not wanted here they started to push their weight around. Stabo and I had to put them in their place."

"Are you and Stabo alright?" he asked.

"Yes, they were not much of a problem. One did not go back. When I and Stabo fought two of them, the other tried to charge Stabo from the rear. Stabo kicked out hard with his rear hoofs and hit the deer solidly on the head with both hoofs. The deer went down and did not get up."

So it begins, he told himself. "Where is Stabo?" he asked.

"In the woods, healing," Veron told him. The other deer manage to hit him hard a couple of time before Stabo knocked him down and started to stomp on him. The other deer rolled away got up and ran away with the other one. Last time we saw them they were running toward the other side of your meadow."

"The side of the meadow where the bear has his den?" he asked to be sure.

"Yes," Veron answered looking at him. "I thought these might be the deer you told me about?"

"I think they are," he said. "I need to talk to you and Stabo. If I am right, this is only the start. There may be many more of them coming."

"We cannot fight many more of them," Veron told him flatly.

"I know," he muttered. "Look you stay here with your brother and I will get Stabo."

Before any of them could answer he took off and left them there. He moved quickly through the forest until he came to the next clearing. He passed several deer who were feeding. They looked up as he went past. He came to the clearing and immediately Gena came out and met him.

"How is Stabo?" he wanted to know.

"I am fine Father," a voice came from beyond the clearing. Stabo came out walking almost normally, but favoring his left side. He went up to his son and looked him over carefully. There were two hoof marks still in his side. He went back and smelled along the side and thankfully smelled no sickness or injury. Stabo was sore, but not hurt.

"Veron told me" he said to both of them.

"I killed one of them," Stabo said in a low moan.

"Sometimes that is necessary," he said still looking his son over. "Do not feel badly. They have caused a lot of pain and suffering to other deer."

"You think the others will come?" Stabo asked.

"I think so, but I am not sure. Gena, your younger brother Gorro has come from your father's forest and wants to meet you."

It was only then he saw the two new doe fawns come out. Both were cute and both looked at him wondering who he was. He learned over and nuzzled both of them. It was then he noticed one had green eyes just like Claris."

This one is Karlene and the other is Charlene," Stabo said.

How are Claris and Koren?" he asked.

"Both are fine," Gena said. "Although Claris is starting to worry me, she takes no interest in the males around here."

That is a problem for later," he said. "Right now there are more important things to deal with.

They all lay down in Veron's clearing and Gorro told about what had happened first in Bambi's forest. Both Veron and Gena were saddened by the news. Then he told his story about the new deer in his herd.

"I am sure these deer must be those from over the hills," he told Gorro. "We have run across males trying to force themselves on everyone else. They are like Tarro and his group. They tried it in your father's forest and paid the price for it. What I think has happened is that Razor wanted to see if there were any males defending this forest, Now he knows how many deer will fight him in your forest and mine."

"What do we do if they come back with more of them?" Stabo asked.

"First, do not try and fight them. Get your families together and leave. If you try and fight them, you will all be overwhelmed and killed. One of you call us and we will meet you in the clearing near the edge of your forest closest to my forest. Balo and I will join you."

"I will come too," Gorro interrupted.

He looked at Gorro. He was only a two seasons old and still growing. Balo had one seasons on him, Stabo had two seasons, and Veron had three seasons, Still he was strong; he felt that when they were fighting. If there were three season or younger deer with Razor, then Gorro could certainly fight them. He have to be careful to make sure Gorro would not be over matched.

"Very well," he answered. "We will gather there and then try and hunt them down two or three at a time. That way we will have the advantage. We do not fight them in a single group. There is one other thing you all must remember; these deer have hurt and maybe killed many other deer. It is going to be necessary to hurt or kill them. This time it is no game. If we do not kill them, they will certainly kill us."

He saw the look of shock on Gena and Alana's faces and their worry. He turned to them. "I am sorry, but this is one of the prices we have to pay for herd leadership. Someone is always looking to become leader in your place. Some deer rather kill than drive off weaker deer. I have seen this before."

He decided he would not tell them who Razor was. It might interfere in their judgment about what to do with him and the others. Razor had chosen his path. If would be up to him now how this would come out.

"I understand, Father," Stabo said. "Veron and Gorro just nodded.

"Now let us all rest here and talk things over. Then Gorro and I will return tomorrow night and get ready. Veron, Stabo, for now you two should practice often especially the things Bambi and I taught you about fighting. "

"I was waiting for Stabo to get better," Veron said.

"Start now in any case," he told them. Our best hope is to be better than Razor and his group. They never had any training except what they did among themselves."

Everyone nodded their agreement. Now he had a plan.

"Now for the hard part," he thought.

Chapter Five: Training

As they walked back into his forest Gorro finally broke his silence. "So you think this will end up in a big fight?"

He shook his head in frustration. "I do not see how we can avoid it unless Razor and his males stay where they are. I do not think that will happen. They want control and they think strength and force are the only ways to get it. You can get control with strength and force, but it will never last and it will vanish as soon as there are those that are not afraid of it."

"How do we stop that?" Gorro asked.

"If they come seeking only a test of strength, we will have to meet it," he said. "They may be big and powerful, but are they wise? From what I hear, they are not. If they were wise, their herd would not try and run away from them. Unfortunately, they will not make this into a test of strength, but instead just try to eliminate everyone in their path that opposes them. They will be ruthless, and therefore we will have to be ruthless as well."

"So we beat them with our heads and not with our racks," Gorro added. "Like you and father did to Tarro."

"Correct," he replied, "And starting tonight I am going to show you how. First we eat."

They all walked into the meadow where the rest of his herd was eating in peace. He saw Claris, Carie and Stuben and went to eat by them. Balo went to eat with Stena and Delon, and Gorro ate alone for a while. It was not long before Delene walked up to him and they were talking. None of the other males or females seemed to mind.

"What do you think?" Claris asked him.

"I think we are going to have a fight much like we had in Bambi's forest and I do not think we can avoid it," he said.

Carie stopped eating for a moment. "Can you beat them like you and Bambi beat Tarro?"

He shook his head no. "In numbers no, there are too many of them. However we are smarter than they are. That is the only way we will beat them. I will start with Balo and Gorro tonight privately."

They continued until they had eaten their fill and drank. He then called to Balo and Gorro and led them away from the herd. He did not want other males learning what he was going to teach them. He took them to his small clearing and stopped.

"Most deer fight with their racks; however except during The Season, our racks are growing in skin and we cannot use them. We have other things we can use and they are our hoofs and our legs. Our hoofs are very hard and the edge is sharp like a claw that we can use to cut into other deer. We also have our leg muscles so we can kick hard. If you kick into a deer hard, you can hurt him on the inside. Now watch me.

He walked up to Balo not showing any sign of a threat; then he brought his front hoof up quickly. Balo saw it coming and tried to jump back, but it was too late. He hit Balo under his mouth, but not very hard.

If you hit a deer under the mouth it will hurt. Another place to hit them is in the side of the head. A hard kick to the side of the head can kill a deer. This is very useful if you first trip them using your legs that I have taught you before. Remember this, once you get a deer on the ground you cannot stop to let him get up. On the ground a deer is nearly helpless. It is then you use your most powerful attack, the stomp."

He went into the clearing and raised his front quarter high in the air and as he came down he hit both his front hoofs on the ground. The combination of the force he used in his leg muscles and him coming back down make a loud thud in the ground.

"Do that to the side of a deer several times and you will also kill him. Remember the other deer can also do the same to you. If you do get knocked to the ground, you must not stay still; you must roll and get back up no matter how much you hurt. If you do not, you are dead."

He looked at both Balo and Gorro and they both looked to understand. He went on with the lesson. "Another trick is this. Balo, pretend you are attacking me from the rear. He turned his back slowing Balo his while furry tale. Balo put his head down and came after him. When Balo was close he kicked out with both rear hoofs hitting Balo lightly in the chest.

"I have seen Bambi kill a deer doing just that," he explained. "If a deer is charging you, and you can kick out and hit him on the forehead, you can kill him. The same can also happen to you if you are not careful."

He got them to practice on each other for a while. He did not have them kick hard and he had them kick slow. Speed would come with practice. The lesson and practice went on until the greater light had risen. He then sent both Balo and Gorro away to rest. As he walked out of the clearing by himself he caught the scent of a doe. It was Delene. He turned and went over in that direction. Sure enough she was walking away from the clearing.

"How long have you been watching?" he called to her.

She froze and turned quickly. "I am sorry; I wanted to see what you were teaching them."

"How did you stay here and yet I did not smell you?" he wanted to know.

Delene looked like a little fawn that had done something wrong. "I stood away from the clearing with the wind in my face, just like you taught me."

He wanted to scold her for intruding in things that did not concern her, but he had to admit she had fooled all of them. He just looked at her. "What I was teaching your father and Gorro was for males only," he said sternly.

Delene looked right at him. "Stranger, doe have hoofs too," she told him and walked away. That put him in his place.

He could not make up his mind if he was angry or not with Delene, but he had to admit to himself she had a point. He went back to Claris and Carie to rest. He had no problems sleeping that day.

The next night he showed them more things and then he had them practice. The trick was to teach them to practice without hurting each other and yet still be able to attack fully. He had both Balo and Gorro kick trees to toughen their hoofs and strengthen their leg muscles. Each night for the rest of the spring they fed on the meadow and then practiced until light. He noticed each night Delene would eat with Gorro. During the lessons from time to time he noticed she was watching from a distance. He could have told Balo to stop her, but he did not. Maybe Delene was right. Time would tell.

After practicing for several nights, he could see the two of them improve. Balo was stronger than Gorro, but he was older and more developed. However, Gorro could hold his own in a fight. Gorro was also more aggressive than Balo, and would always attack. That was his father's teaching. Bambi was never one to wait and let the fight come to him. He always go after his enemy knowing the deer that got in the first good hit, usually won. Balo was more stay back and rather let his enemy make a mistake and then hit hard. After sparing with both, he could tell they were all getting stronger as the spring went on.

Besides kicking he also had them practice with normal fighting. That was mostly locking either racks or shoulder with your enemy and then getting position and throw them to the ground. That fighting when used with the kicks could be deadly, as Tarro and the others found out. Merging the two types of fighting together took practice. That was something Bambi and him did while he and Bambi had recovered from injuries they had suffered. It took a while, but both of them caught on. One night after he sent Balo and Gorro back after the lesson, he stayed around and searched for Delene. She must have seen he was looking for her for she came out of the forest near him.

"Well you have been watching long enough Now show me what you learned," he grunted in anger. He put his head down and charged her. She turned quickly and started to run, but he caught her or so he through. As he got close she kicked out with both rear legs. If he had not been expecting her to do that, she would have kicked him in the head. He stopped and she turned around again.

"Good," he said, "Now what about this?"

He quickly lunged at her which caught her partly by surprise. He got next to her and tried to use his greater weight to force her down. He was pushing her onto the ground when she shifted her weight and brought her front hoof up and kicked him lightly in the side of the head.

"That is also good," he said. "Now listen to me because your life may depend on this. These tricks I show you can help you fight someone who is a little stronger and bigger than you. It cannot defeat someone who is much stronger than you. Most males are much stronger than doe. That is just that way it is. You use these tricks if a large male is trying to hurt you. It will allow you to stop him and maybe stun him for a short while. Then you can get away. However you cannot defeat a male with these tricks. He will simply over power you and kill you. What I teach you can help you get away, but it will not help you fight a male, especially a big one. Do you understand this?"

"Yes, Stranger I understand," she said in a voice that reminded him of Claris.

"Now one more question," he asked. "What do you feel about Gorro?"

She seemed surprised about his question, but did not back away. "I like Gorro very much and I think he likes me. He has told me so. He is kind, strong and brave like his father and you. If he asked me, I would be his mate if that is what you want to know."

She guessed what he was looking to find out and told him. She was smart, and to the point, like her mother and he hoped like him."Have you told your mother and father about this?" he asked.

She nodded. "I have told my mother, she seems happy for me," she answered.

"Gorro is a good male; you both could be good for each other. He will also be a herd leader one day. The mate of the herd leader needs to be smart so she can help him. You are smart like your mother, and could be of great help to him. There is one thing. You know Gorro will need to go back to his forest before The Season comes."

"Yes," she said, "And if he wants, I will go with him."

He wanted to make sure she understood what that meant. "That means leaving this forest and perhaps never coming back."

"I know that," she said. "I would like to be around mother, father, you and Claris, but I also want to be happy. I do not see a male in this forest that I could be happy with."

"Has Gorro asked you to be his mate?" he asked Delene.

"When we are alone together we have talked about it, but he told me he will not ask until after the fight with Razor," she answered.

So she was sleeping with him. That was a good sign. Usually deer that slept together, stayed together. That answered his questions.

He walked up and nuzzled her forehead and she returned the favor. "I feel for you like I feel for your mother and Claris. I wish the best for both of you."

"Thank you, Stranger," she said. "She then walked off quietly into the forest.

It was on the next night during their feeding that he walked over alone to Stena and Balo. "As herd leader I try to notice things. I notice Gorro and Delene are becoming a pair. How do you feel about that?"

"I just wish she was older," Balo said.

"You mean like her mother and father were?" he replied.

They both stopped eating and looked at him. They both started to laugh. "Thank you Father," Stena said. "You always know how to put things. Yes, I think they will be a pair."

"You know she will have to leave the forest with him, if he asks her?" he went on.

"Yes, Stena said, "And I will miss her, but she has her life to live and she must make the choice. Let her be happy now, because how long it will last we do not know."

That made good sense from his daughter. "Good, I recommend you telling that to Gorro if you get a chance. When you are done we will continue."

With that he finished eating then went over to Carie and Claris. He started playing mock charges with Stuben. He was strong, as strong as Balo or Stabo was at his age. He decided he had to start teaching his own son. Delon was also doing the same thing with Balo who also enjoyed pushing him back. He watched him while playing with his son and suddenly he noticed something unusual. Instead of lowering his head and charging into his father, Delon rose up on his rear legs and kicked out hard with his front feet. He hit his father in the chest. He was not yet strong enough to hurt Balo, but he had never seen a fawn do that. In playing with other fawn yes, they did it all the time but it was always in fun and never when practicing to fight. He went over and looked at Balo who was looking at his son with a mixture of anger and astonishment.

"Delon, where did you learn to do that when you fight?" he asked.

"I do not know, Stranger," the fawn said showing fear he had done something wrong. "I heard father talk about it so I just did it. Why, was it wrong?"

"No, but you must be careful with your hoofs," he explained. "You can hit and hurt someone, especially another fawn."

"I am sorry, did I hurt you Father, I did not mean too," he said not wanting to anger his father.

"No son, you did not hurt me," Balo said in an even voice. "But Stranger is right. When you are older I will teach you to use your hoofs, but you must be careful like Stranger says. Now run and play with the other fawns, your Father has to go with Stranger and Gorro."

With that Delon ran away toward the other fawns. As the three of them walked toward their clearing he asked. "Did you see the way he kicked; it was exactly the way I just taught you." he said in a low voice to Balo. "That was not a play kick. That was an attack kick."

"Yes, Stranger, but I did not show him. I only talk to Stena about it. I only show that when I am here with you and Gorro," Balo answered looking a bit confused.

"Well he picked it up," he said. "That is problem as for later. Tonight I will show you want to do if you are knocked down. The lesson continued until the lesser light had set.

As he lay next to Claris and Carie he noticed Stuben was sleeping away from them. Not far away maybe five lengths, but he was sleeping by himself. He looked at Carie, who looked right back at him knowing what he was thinking.

"Yes he is growing up," Carie told him directly."It is time you started teaching him in the same way you teach Balo and Gorro."

"That I can see," he said, "Only right now my concern is what to do if Razor comes back. When I am done with that, I will start teaching Stuben and Delon."

"You son needs to be taught if he is to follow you one day as herd leader," Carie told him.

This conversation he did not like. "He will follow me as herd leader if he is wise and strong enough and if the other deer in the herd accepts him as leader. No one has a right to be herd leader. He has to be chosen by the herd unless you want to do it the way Razor and Tarro did it."

"He is your son, and he should follow you like Gorro will follow Bambi," Carie added.

"When the time comes, Bambi already told me he will present Gorro to his herd, but they will say who will lead them. I will train Stuben the same way, but Balo is older and has more experience, so I will present him first."

Carie nodded. "Yes that is right," she said. "Balo is more ready, but your son should come next."

"Again, the herd will decide who will be leader when the time comes. Besides, after Balo, I will most likely not be here."

He could see he angered Carie who shifted her weight away from him and turned her head the other way. He noted that Claris had heard everything, but had wisely said nothing. He lay against Claris and went to sleep.

Chapter Six: Intruders

It was a high summer evening when they all heard it. It was just after the greater light sat when the loud sound came from the Man path forest. A loud call from a male. He recognized the voice immediately as Stabo's. So did the others standing next to him. He turned to Balo and Gorro standing there.

"It has come," he said with resignation, "As I expected it would. Neither of you have to go with me. There will be hard fighting here. We are going to have to beat these deer badly for them to stop bothering us."

"I will go," Balo said. "If we do not beat them now, they will surely come here next."

"That is my brother they wish to hurt," Gorro told him. "I know Father would not stop and neither will I."

He looked back at the doe standing in the forest with the fawns. "You must all stay here," he told them. "No questions this time."

There were concerned looks but no comments. They moved quickly toward their prearranged spot. They crossed the open space between their forest and the Man-path forest quickly and without incident. Once inside the Man-path forest they traveled to the clearing near the edge of the forest. Veron and Stabo were already there along with Gena, Alana, Young Bambi, Young Claris and the fawns.

"You all go over to my forest by the pond," he told them. "You know the way. "Wait there for us."

Gena nodded and lead the way. Alana was hesitant, but said nothing and followed. He waited until they were well on their way toward his forest before he looked around.

"Stabo, how many are there?" he needed to know.

"I saw the one we beat the last time and several more. There is one deer as big as you, Father."

"I know that one. Where are they now?" he asked.

"I saw a few of them going out to round up my herd and bring them to Razor," Veron told him.

He thought for a second. They would be in several groups group then. That would work in their favor.

"Look, if we try and fight them together, we will lose because there are more of them than us. What I want to do is to find them in small groups so there will be more of us than them. If we can destroy them in small numbers, we will win. Do you understand?"

The four others nodded. "One other thing, they have come here to kill Veron and Stabo and will kill us too if they get the chance. This is no practice fight. We are not just going to have to hurt these deer, we will have to kill them. As Bambi said with Tarro, it is the only way to stop them from ever coming back. Otherwise if we just run them off, they will be back and may attack our doe and fawns. "We must show them no mercy, because we will not get any from them. If any of you think this is wrong, speak out now."

"I remember when you and father took care of Tarro, "Gorro said. "You are right, it is the same thing."

"That is correct so we must stay together and find them in small groups. That means we need to go to a place where we can smell them without them smelling us."

"Wind is coming from the stream that leads to my Father's forest," Veron said. "We need to go into this forest away from the meadow where we can walk around to where they are so the wind will blow their scent to us."

He nodded, that was a good idea. "Very well, let us go and keep quiet," he told them.

With that they moved noiselessly through the trees. They came across other deer who told them these new deer were trying to gather all the deer in this forest forcing them to come with them. Veron told them to flee deep into the forest and wait for his call. They moved carefully around until they were close to the Man path. There they stopped and waited. By now the greater light was starting to rise bringing light to the forest.

"I can smell several deer," Stabo said." A few scents I recognize, but there are two scents I do not."

That is what he expected. "Very well we walk toward them slowly with the wind in our face. Spread out and keep looking behind you. We do not want them sneaking up on us."

They walked slowly toward the increasing scents. Stabo and Veron went first because they knew this forest the best. After a while Stabo stopped and motioned all of them to come near him. "I think there are at least two on them in a small clearing up ahead. Veron and I will go forward and look and you stay behind us in case we are attacked. They are expecting to see us, they are not expecting you."

He had to admit that too was a good idea. He nodded and Stabo and Veron went ahead. He Balo and Gorro followed several lengths behind. As they got closer he could hear voices. There were two males talking to a doe and her fawn.

"You come with us," he heard a haughty male order the doe. The voice was loud and sounded very sure of himself.

"Who are you," he heard a doe call out. "You are not Veron."

"Veron ran away. Razor is now herd leader here. Follow us or we will hurt you and your fawns," the male threaten. By now both Veron and Stabo had gotten there without notice.

"I do not think so," he heard Veron call out and saw him gallop forward along with Stabo.

The two of them rushed the clearing and saw the two males from Razor's group putting their heads down and charging forward. As they did both Veron and Stabo stopped, leaped to the side, and quickly turned and brought their legs under the two charging males. They did not expect it and had never seen a move like that before, and were going too fast to stop. Both went flying onto the ground. Both Veron and Stabo rushed forward and kicked out hard with their front hoofs. Veron hit his deer square in the side of the head with both hoofs knocking him senseless to the ground. Stabo missed with one hoof and hit with the other so his deer was only knocked sideways. His was also the biggest deer. Stabo stopped and looked at the deer who was stunned for a moment. Stabo turned quickly and looked to be ready to run away. The big deer thinking he had won started to get to his feet. He could see he was enraged and bolted after Stabo who ran only a few steps. Instead of running on Stabo stopped and kicked out with both rear hoods as the big deer was just getting close to him. Both hoofs hit the deer right on the forehead. The big deer turned almost over his back in the air before hitting the ground. Stabo was on him in a moment stomping him hard with his front hoofs. Verson's deer wasn't moving at all. That fight did not last long. Neither of the two dead deer knew very well how to fight.

He quickly ran forward to look at both deer. He could see Veron's deer was dead. The impact from both of Veron powerful legs had smashed in the front of his head. He then walked over to Stabo's deer who was alive but bleeding from the flank and mouth. He would not be getting up again. He looked at Stabo, he could still see the rage in him.

"That was the one who kicked me before," he said letting his anger clearly show. "Well he will not kick me again."

He looked around for the doe and fawns that were in the clearing. They had run off when the fight started.

"Some other deer come," Gorro said quietly.

"Back into the forest with the wind at your face," he said in a low voice to them all. In an instant they were clear of the meadow. Once hidden in the forest, they stayed close enough to see the clearing They waited for the others who were walking toward them. There were two scents, good. He could hear Veron and Stabo breathing heavily; they were tired. A few seconds later he could hear sticks breaking as two more deer hurried forward and into the clearing. Both were young males, both were Gorro's size, and both looked healthy and strong. They both almost stumbled onto the bodies lying in the clearing and froze.

They both looked in shock over the two down deer. One let out a call to bring in the others. The other sniffed the ground. He nodded to both Balo and Gorro these two belonged to them. They both crept forward noiseless until they were just hidden. He bleated loudly to draw the two's attention and then yelled, "NOW!"

Both Gorro and Balo charged ahead quickly. Before the other two deer could react, they hit both of them in the flank. Both deer went flying forward and hit the ground. Then, just as he and Bambi had taught, they both ran up and instead of trying to hit them while they were on the ground, came up and hit them hard in the faces with their front hoofs. Both again went flying to the side.

"Turn and kick hard," he said loudly.

Both deer spun around and kicked out as hard as they could with their rear legs. Both of the deer were still stunned from before. Gorro hit his deer in the neck below his velvet covered antlers. It tore a gash in his neck that started bleeding like water flowing in a stream. Balo hit forward on the head. He could hear the head of the deer cave in and also blood start to gush out of the side of his face. Gorro's deer got up and started to run away. With that bleeding he would not get far. Balo's deer just fell still on the ground. He ran other to him. The male had a shocked look on his face as he died. So far it was all easy. In fact it was much too easy. These four deer had just blundered ahead, no sense, no thinking, just muscle, threats, and nothing more. They were like Tarro was. None of them knew what real fighting was until it was too late.

He looked at the three bodies lying in the small clearing. He pulled back and kept the five of them together. Off in the distance he heard a male call, but it sounded weak, almost feeble, and then stopped suddenly. It would also certainly call the others toward the sound.

"How many are left?" he asked Stabo and Veron.

"Three or four and Razor," Veron said still breathing hard.

"Very well, relax and rest," he told the others. "You have all done fine. Bambi would be proud of all of you as I am."

With that he pulled them back from the clearing until they could barely see it. "Keep close watch behind us, otherwise they might be able to do the same to us."

"Listen," Gorro said quietly and pointed his nose in the direction the wounded deer had run.

They head some more branches breaking Who ever this deer was he sounded big and he was not quiet. An instant later he heard a loud bleat from in the forest from where he heard the weak call before.

"Now quiet," he said in a low voice.

A little while later he could hear more footsteps, more branches breaking. There were light scents in the air. Maybe three or four deer were running toward where the call had come from. Again they were not quiet, they were just moving like they did not have a an enemy in the forest. After a while he could hear voices, but they were too far away to make them out. A loud bellowing voice that sounded angry he could hear.

"Of course he is dead," Razor's voice rang out through the trees. I told you those deer did not run away. Find them and then call out. The rest of you stay together this time. Find the others and stay together."

"Get closer and hide behind trees," he said in a very low voice. "I am going to try and come in on their flanks."

He crept away taking special care not to make a sound. The other four walked forward until they were just hidden by the trees and waited. It took him a short while to get around to the side. As he did he could pick up a fresh smell of a deer coming closer. Not going into the clearing, but directly toward him. One of the deer was doing the same thing he was, trying to get into place to charge the flanks. There was one deer that was not stupid. He froze hid behind a large oak and looked. Sure enough there was a large deer walking toward him. It was Razor. With the wind at Razor's tail his son could not smell him yet. He could hear other deer getting close to the clearing. As they broke into the clearing, there was a call of alarm.

"The others are dead," a deer called out loudly.

"I know," he heard Veron call out. "We killed them."

Just then he heard the smashing of branches and the running of feet as Veron, Balo, Stabo and Gorro charge forward into the clearing. There was an immediate sound of bodies colliding. He did not know how many other deer were in the clearing, but he did not think more than four. The numbers were now the same. He now had the advantage.

The large deer crept forward looking to approach unnoticed and get a good flank hit in. As he turned his back to him, he called out.

"You have lost, Son," he said.

The other deer spun around quickly and lowered his head. 'You think so," Razor grunted.

"I know so," he answered with certainty. "You see four of your males are already dead. They did not know how to fight, we do."

"I suppose you want me to run away?" Razor said as a challenge.

He shook his head no. "No, Son, you are not going to run away. All you will do is get other deer and come back here next season. There is only one way to deal with you and I will do this myself. For better or worse, you are my responsibility. I wish I could have gotten to you a few seasons ago. I could have trained you like the deer that are currently killing all your males. You could have been of use to your herd instead of starving them."

"You are weak," Razor spat out. " Just like Hilgas and just as bad as mother. I will see your guts hanging from the trees and the rest of your males next to it."

"No, you will not," he said almost in sorrow "The only thing you are going to do is die here."

Razon dropped his head and charge. He hesitate and allowed him to build up speed. He charge one leap and then jump to the side and brought his legs around. Razor could not stop or change direction. He was just like Kragus that first day. Razor had gotten to his position on strength and threats alone. He never really had to think about a fight. That is how most male deer fight. Both ways were useless when faced with someone who knew how to fight.

He tripped Razor in mid step. The big male went flying face first onto the ground. Before Razor could stop rolling he ran over and kicked him hard in the face. Even through stunned, Razor kicked out with his feet hitting him in the side with a glancing blow. It unbalanced him and before he could regain balance, Razor was back on his feet. This deer was fast. Razor dropped his head and changed straight into him hitting him as he got set. The impact knocked him back and left him dizzy for a moment. He spread his rear legs, shifted his weight and pushed forward pushing Razor. He then leaped back and kicked out with both front hoofs hitting Razor under the chin, cutting him open. The blow knocked Razor sideway and he rolled on the ground and shook off his impact and got up in an instant. Razor was also strong.

""Well Stranger," Razor grunted again. "Not as easy as you thought."

"None of my children are weak," he said. "Other than you, all of them are also smart. I have a daughter that can beat you."

He saw Razor eyes flash red, but he did not charge when taunted. That is what he hoped he do, but Razor stayed back. Instead he stayed still, in a guard position. Razor was stalling until his other males could come to his aid. There was a loud crash from the clearing and heavy grunting from many voices. There was yells of pain from strange voices. He heard nothing that sounded familiar.

"Your males are not coming," he told him with a smile on his face. "You see I have friends too and they also know how to fight because I taught them."

There was another loud yell. This yell was one of agony. There was the sound of heavier fighting and the pounding of hoofs. The suddenly, there was no noise from the clearing.

"Now all you have to deal with is me," he said with a grin and dropped his head and charged.

Razor saw it as a test of strength which he gladly accepted. Only he was not that foolish. Razor charged back and when he was in three length, he leaped aside and turned around. Razor reacted quickly but could not turn as fast as him while running so fast. He kicked out with both his rear hoofs and landed both hoofs hard in his flank. Razor manage to get a front hoof out and hit him on the shoulder as he went by. The impact was hard and pain ran all up and down his side. Razor went sideway into a tree with a crash. It took him only a second to recover from the blow. By then Razor was almost up. He leaped up bringing both feet up. He was off balance so it was not a hard kick but the impact knocked Razor back into the tree. Before he could get up, he turned around quickly and hit him hard with his rear legs. As his rear legs came down, Razor front hoof came up and hit him in the belly. He felt it cut into him, and there was a sharp pain from his underside. He kicked out again from his back legs, this time on Razor's head. That blow knocked him senseless. Before he could recover he turned and pounded Razor on the head until he felt it crush under his impact. Razor would not move again.

He stepped back and saw a pool of his own blood on the ground mixing with that of Razor. He felt it was serious wound, but not fatal. His left front shoulder was also bleeding. He had to stop the bleeding from his belly. He had seen Man put skin on bleeding cuts to stop the flow when he was in the Man cave. He did not have more skin to use. If he lay down his legs would be under him. If he could not put skin against the wound, could he put fur? He moved away from the dead deer until he found a patch of soft grass he lay down in and then adjusted his legs until he felt his leg press against his cut. Then he lay still. He knew the bleeding would stop or he would die.

By now there was no noise around him. It was quiet in the clearing. He looked at his dead son lying still in front of him. He felt cold on the inside. He also felt anguish. If he could have only taught him like the others. There was no regret however. He also decided he would never mention this to anyone. As far as anyone would ever know, Razor was no more than another Tarro and suffered the same outcome. No one else needed to know any more. A short while later he saw Gorro walking alone through the forest as if looking for him. He let out a low bleep and immediately came over

"I found him," Gorro called out. Shortly both Stabo and Balo came over.

"Father," what happened, Stabo said excitedly.

"Razor and I fought and I killed him, but he injured me. I am cut in the belly. I am trying to stop the bleeding. I dare not move or it will start bleeding again."

He then looked around and saw only the three deer. "Where is Veron?" he asked.

"Lying in the clearing," Balo told him. "One of the large males managed to kick him hard in the side. Veron said it hurts when he tries to stand."

"The other males?" he asked.

"Dead," Balo said with a grin. "They were strong, but they could not fight the four of us."

"You and father taught us well," Gorro said with some pride.

They were learning. Now he felt better. If something did happen to him now, he fell fine turning the herd over to Balo, assuming the herd agreed. This was the final test for them all. Not a formal challenge like when deer fight for mates or leadership. This was for survival. There were no rules for that. It was kill or be killed. The fight was over, but there was one thing that had to be done.

"Listen, Veron has to move," he said. "With all the dead deer in that clearing, the scavengers are sure to come. If Veron is lying down there, helpless, they will kill him and eat him too. Bring him here and we will all stay close together for tonight. The scavengers will not attack us with dead meat so close."

"We will get Veron to move," Balo said. "If we have to, we will try and lift him up."

They left and he waited for a while alone. The forest had gone quiet as if it knew what had happened. He hoped Claris, Carie, and the others would not worry, but he did not want to try and go back to his forest. He looked up and noted the greater light was just past overhead. It had not taken long at all.

"He heard like crashing through the grass. There was stumbling. He saw Veron walking slowly toward him with Stabo and Gorro on both sides and Balo in the back. Veron made it over to him and lay down on the ground.

"My side hurts a lot," Veron told him.

He did not see any blood from the mouth. He smelled at Veron side and smelled nothing unusual.

"You will be sore, but that will pass," he said mostly to make Veron feel better. "For now let us all stay here."

"Too bad the bear isn't here," Stabo said. "He might enjoy what is left in the clearing."

"Yes he would," he said. "Only he might not be alone right now. I would not go and see him."

"Well at least we won the fight," Gorro said with relief.

"No," he said. "We survived the fight; that was the best we could do. Now let us rest."

That night the scavenger did come and although they smelled all around them, the creatures spent their time with Razor and the others. In a few days they be nothing more than piles of bones. It still did not make him feel good when they started eating Razor.

Chapter Seven: Interlude

He sent Gorro and Balo back to his forest to tell everyone they were at least alive. He and Stabo stayed and tried to help the injured Veron. Over the next two days they managed to get him up and walking about, but he could not run and he was in no condition to fight. He found some of the healing plants he and Bambi had used and fed them to Veron. They helped his pain, but they could not heal any damage inside. He knew it would be awhile before Veron was back to normal.. His only concern was that some large male might use this opportunity to challenge him for Alana and herd leader. He pulled Stabo aside and out of hearing from the others and he talked to him.

"Veron is in no condition to be a herd leader for now, Stabo. You are going to have to do it for a while."

"I know, I am afraid one of the males from the other forest might challenge him," Stabo added. "There is only one deer that I think has a chance of doing it, but he seem uninterested. That deer was of no help when Razor and his males came here." Stabo sounded a little disgusted at the fact.

He could not blame any deer about not helping. It was not normal for a deer to be that aggressive outside of The Season. "It could be he does not know how to help. It is not something that comes naturally for a deer. It has to be taught like I taught you, and Bambi taught Veron."

"I know," Stabo said. "I just hope no one takes advantage."

"You cannot allow that to happen," he told him flatly."You must step in. I have seen the other deer here. They are not cowards, but they are not as strong and wise as you. You must see they come to you. This is what it means to help out the herd leader."

"I understand, Father. I never wanted to be herd leader, but if I have to, I have to."

Stranger smiled openly seeing how his son had matured. "My Son, I have always been proud of you, but lately I have seen you grow into a fine male with a fine mate and good family."After that he rubbed his Son's forehead as a sign of affection.

"Thank you, Father," Stabo said and rubbed his head.

"Speaking of training, Koren has asked to be taught," Stabo said. "I think this fight has awakened him to the needs of learning how to fight. Even Young Claris is showing interest which is good because she shows no interest in any male here."

"The training is much more than that," he said.

"I know, Father, but for now he understands this," Stabo said as if teaching him. "The rest he will understand in time. I will start teaching him and Young Bambi. I could use your help."

That would mean pulling him away from his forest with Stubin and Delon needing to be trained. That would mean turning the herd almost over to Balo to allow him to do it."We shall see, my Son," he said. "For now I have to be getting back to my forest. The Season will soon be here and you know what that means."

"Yes, Father," Stabo said looking back to his clearing. "We need to get ready in this forest also."

"Call me if you need my help. It will not take long to get here," he told Stabo.

As soon as Alana, her fawn and Young Bambi were back and settled, he too left. They rest could take care of Veron until he was healed His trip back to his forest was uneventful. He came up into his clearing. He was greeted by Claris, Carie and little Stuben. It was late but he did play with Stuben again and this time he noted Stuben seemed more aggressive, more prone to attack. He had to push back harder on the fawn to keep him at bay. Then like Delon he reared back on his legs and kicked out with his front hoofs. He was able to avoid it, but it did make him concerned.

"Did Delon show you that?" he asked.

"Yes, Father," Stuben said in a high pitch voice. "Delon said we needed to be careful and that you told him not to do this unless you or Balo taught him."

"Then why did you just do it?" he asked sternly.

"To show you I can learn too so would you please teach me? Balo is also telling Stena how you, Gorro, and he beat the other bad deer."

He decided not to scold his son, but he had to know this was not a game. "What you say is correct, My Son, however as I told Delon and now I will tell you; never try to use that unless I am with you. You can hurt someone with that. When you are older, I will teach you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Father," he said. "I will not use it, I just wanted to show you," the growing spotted male said.

"Good, now it is getting late, we will rest now," he told the others and he lay down. Again Stuben slept by himself a few lengths away.

"You son is ready to learn," Carie told him.

"Good," he said. "I will teach him some over the winter, but I will start in earnest next spring. He will be old enough and developed enough to learn along with Delon and Koro."

Carie came and nipped him playfully at his ear. For now she too was happy. There were more and more to train and he had fewer deer to help. This will be a problem.

That night they all ate on the meadow. It was then he noticed the first itching of his antlers. The Season was nearly upon them. He ate with Carie and Claris and for once there were no disturbances. He did notice both Delene and Gorro entered the meadow together and started to eat together. He looked up at Claris.

"That stated right after Gorro and Balo came back from the Man path forest," she said.

"Did Stena and Balo say anything?" he asked.

"No, Claris went on, "Only that I saw the four of them walk off the meadow together the second night after they returned."

"We never heard any objections," Carie added.

"Very well, let me talk to them alone," he told his two doe and walked over. As he got within several lengths they both stopped eating and looked at him.

"Gorro, it is getting close to The Season. If you are going to go back to your Father's forest before the hunts, you will need to leave soon."

"I know Stranger," Gorro said with a huge smile. "I was waiting for you to come back. I will be going back tomorrow night and Delene is going with me."

"He turned to the young doe that was almost beaming. "Is this what you want?" he asked.

"Very much," she said and stood next to Gorro their flanks touching.

By now he saw Balo, Stena, Claris and Carie walking toward them. "I see these two are a pair," he said out loud before turning to face both of them. "I am happy for both of you. When the time comes, train your fawns like Bambi and I have trained you"

"That I will do," Gorro said.

With that he nuzzled both Gorro and Delene to show them he too approved. Not that it mattered. As Bambi taught him, pairing of deer makes the herd stronger, but the herd leader had little control over it.

"Stena and I are happy about this also," Balo repeated. "Gorro is a fine male and Delene will be happy with him."

"Then there is nothing more to be said. Both of you will be welcomed here as long as I live" he told them. "Now let us finish eating and all sleep in the clearing as a family this last time. You two have a long journey to make."

After a day of much talk and little sleep, they all got up when the greater light set. They all went to the edge of the forest where the stream leaves his forest and flows to Bambi's forest. They saw the new pair off and they both disappeared into the night and behind the hills. There was a tear in his eyes as well as everyone else's. He wondered if he ever see them again. "And so it begins again," he muttered to himself. He went back to the meadow and called everyone in the herd together.

"Most of you already know this, but Razor and his males are dead," he reported to the herd."They will no longer cause you trouble in the forest over the hill. If any of you wish to go back, please feel free to do so. I will not stop you. If you wish to stay here, that is also fine with me. The choice is yours."

At that point Duro, Sinno, and three other males from this and the other forest came forward. "Stranger, there is one thing we need to discuss." Duro's tone was direct and showing of little respect.

"That is?" he asked.

"Soon The Season will be upon us," Duro told him as if he did not know." Are you going to hide the herd like you did last Season?"

"Yes, that was my plan. I was also going to send the new fawns to the small clearing for safety while the Season is here. Claris can watch them."

"We think sending the herd to one place is not wise," Duro went on speaking with authority. "I and several deer from here and the other forest have decided to hide in the hills to the right of the stream that leads to Bambi's forest. I ask any other deer who wants to join us there to let me know."

That was a direct challenge to his authority and they all knew it. Balo looked ready to stomp Duro's tale into the ground when he shook his head no.

"Very well," he said. "Duro you may leave for your hiding space Now!," he said with an edge to his voice and a slight lowering of his head as a threat. "Anyone else who wants to go with Duro is free to do so, only do so now! For those who stay, we will hide again in the same place as we did before. Either Balo or I will call to you when Man comes."

He stepped back and allowed his herd to move freely past him if they wanted to. Four smaller males and that many doe followed Duro out of the meadow and toward his hiding area. Most of the herd stayed with him. He smiled as he watched Duro's small group walk off.

"As for the rest of us," he said loudly, "As soon as The Season is here, I will call the fawns to the clearing. When Man comes back, pay attention to my call. We will all meet in the clearing to decide what to do. Does anyone have any questions?"

"Do we know how many Men will come?" an older doe asked.

He shrugged, "No I do not. I will know only when they set up their caves at the edge of the meadow. The more caves, the more Men. I hope to be able to tell you that before we leave for the hills. Are there any more questions?"

There were none, so he walked away. Claris, Carie, Stena and Balo followed close behind him. As soon as they were far enough away as not to be overheard Balo stopped. "Stranger, why did you allow Duro to speak to you like that?"

He smiled openly. "Because I needed to learn how many were with him. Now I know. Duro also knows that most of the herd supports me and not him. Hopefully that will shut him up. If not, and if I have to put him in his place, then I will."

"But he has others," Carie said. "They could try and come at you like Razor did."

He continued eating. "True, but Duro is no fighter and neither are those other males. I am not nearly as frighten of Duro as I was of Razor."

"I still like to stomp his face into the ground," Balo said.

It worried him Balo was so quick to do to Duro what they did the Razor and his group."No, Balo that is what they want. That would show the herd we were more like Razor and less like Bambi. Besides with the Men coming I would not mind having them on that hill. Man has chased deer from that hill before. If Duro and the others are there, I rather have Man chase them than chase our own herd. It will give the Men something to do instead of looking for us." With that he smiled again and went back to eating.

"That sounds cold hearted," Stena added looking at him.

"Get use to it, mate of the future herd leader," he told her calmly. Then everyone stated at him. Not everyone in his family agreed.

In the last few seasons, Man came with large dogs to hunt bear and other large animals at this time. This season they did not. They were allowed to pass the moment in peace; however he did hear the sound of killing sticks in the distance in the forest over the bear's hill. He could also hear the same sounds in the forest he could see from the top of the hill near his clearing. Man was hunting, just not here during this season.

The itching in his Rack also became greater and he and Balo scrapped their velvet off. Again both Claris and Carie told him his rack was full and was larger than any other male in his forest. Balo's rack was also full and looked impressive. He doubted any male would dare to challenge either of them. He heard nothing more from Duro and his males and so left the matter alone.

As soon as his rack was fully out of the velvet he noticed Carie starting to give off the scent of a breeding doe. Again, poor Claris gave off nothing. He did see fighting in the meadow at night. These were regular mating fights that he did not interfere with. Most doe and males did not pair year round so it was only at this time of year they were together. Some males even made a point of trying to breed several doe, but there were not that many doe to go around. As usual the larger males had their pick and the smaller males did without. That was part of the 'Way of All Things.'

On the night he finished scraping off his velvet, he heard a roar from the far side of the meadow and he saw two back mounds running down the hill toward the meadow. He barked a warning and immediately all the deer ran off the meadow to safety. He stood near the far side of his meadow away from the two bears, but in the open.

"Greetings," he called out before leaving. The smaller female looked at him. He had no doubt what was on her mind: fresh deer meat to eat. His bear just shook his head before going back up the hill. The bear should have known better. Perhaps they could catch one of Duro's group, maybe even Duro himself. That was not his concern other than not to have one of his herd feed the two bears. It also meant if they were hunting here, then something was stopping them from hunting over the hill in the next forest. That was the bear's favorite hunting location. He made a mental note not to visit the bear any time soon.

As he walked back, he started to feel the pressure starting to build up inside of him. The Season was now close at hand. As he came in he noticed Balo's scent and started to feel angry that he was near Carie. Although Stena put out a strong scent, being his daughter he never felt any desire toward her. He went back to his clearing where Claris and Carie were waiting. He noticed Stuben was gone. Carie noted his interest.

"Our son came to me and said he was feeling different inside. I think even though he is too young, I think he is may be feeling some of The Season inside him and did not want to be around us."

"I understand, it is difficult the first season, he will know better next time," he said and lay between his doe.

"Man will come soon," Claris said.

"As he always does," he answered. "We will be ready for him. All we can hope for is that the hunts will not be too large and last too long.

They heard the crash of racks down the hill from them. Two males were tossing it up hard.

"More fighting this year," he said.

"More males and doe this year," Carie added. "Two of the males were sniffing near me, but ran off as soon as they saw you."

"Claris tomorrow I will call the fawns together and you take them to the clearing as before," he told her.

"Yes, Stranger," she said and looked sad. This was the hardest time of the whole season for her. She had to let another doe breed her male and he knew it hurt her inside. There was nothing he could do about it. He slept feeling Carie sliding very close to him so her scent fill his nostrils.

The next evening after eating he called all the fawns together and sent them to follow Claris. He saw doe and males pairing off and going toward their areas. He motioned to Carie.

"Come Carie, it is time for us to go too."

"Yes, Stranger," she said in a soft voice and lead him off the meadow toward the large oak trees where they had their place.

Chapter Eight: Tragedy

The Season spent it urges on them and again passed on. They had felt those urges and once more had satisfied themselves until they had passed. Lying there together with Carie, he felt more spent than in the past. He was once again pleased he had lived to make another fawn. A fawn he hoped would also follow him like most of his past children. After Razor, he had made himself a promise he would never make another fawn and then have nothing to do with their upbringing. Carie seemed pleased and slept soundly next to him. Her scent and the scent of a bred deer coming from him were the only smells that filled his nose. He only hoped that his other children and children of Bambi felt the same way as he did.

"CLANG!" he heard loudly coming from the meadow. He knew what it was immediately.

It started again exactly like before. "Clang!" he heard again from the meadow. It was loud enough to wake every deer in the forest. This was followed by more Man shouting and more banging filling the forest with the announcement that Man was back in the forest to kill.

"Stranger?" Carie asked eyes filling with dread.

"Yes, Man is back for us," he said. "After dark I will go to the viewing place to watch and see if we can understand what Man will do this time. In the meantime stay here and stay still."

The noise got much louder as if coming from in front of them. The shouting also seemed louder as if more Men were on the meadow. The noises were closer and they did not sound the same as before and the difference bothered him.

"The fawns," Carie said almost as an afterthought.

Claris is wise; she will keep them in the clearing until night. We must not walk around in the forest during the day. Man can be anywhere. For now we stay still and stay hidden.

They spent the rest of the day in their glade trying to rest among the increasing clamor of Man's building in the meadow. Every time he almost fell asleep, some new sound would force him wide awake. As usual, as the greater light set, the noise stopped. He waiting until it was completely dark before he got up.

"We will go first to the clearing and get Stuben. Then I want you to take him and Claris and go up to the place we hid from Man last season. I will send the others up soon. I will join you there. I need to see what Man is doing and I do not want many deer around me."

"I understand," she said. She looked relieved he hadn't asked her to go with him.

They went to the clearing, already most of the fawns had gone back to their mothers. Stuben was there and went immediately to his mother. Delon was gone.

"Where did Stena go?" he asked Claris.

"She was going with Balo to see what all the new noise was about," she said.

That was exactly what he did not want to happen. There was something different this time and until he knew what it was, the fewer deer nearby the better.

"Tell all the deer that come here I told you to tell them to go to the place we hid last year," he told her. Claris. "You go there now. I will see you when the greater light comes."

He did not wait for any more comments and hurried quickly away. He took the long way around avoiding the stream that ran down the hill. He walked carefully and noiselessly through the dark woods. The wind was again blowing across the meadow where he could not smell anything from the Man cave. He called out in a low voice several times when he smelled other deer. He told them all to go up to top of hill and wait. As the lesser light started to rise, he got to his viewing place. As he expected, Balo, Stena and Delon were already there.

"It is different this time," Balo said out loud as he approached.

He stood next to Balo and looked at the meadow. As before the Man cave was lit with bright light. There were small Man caves along the ground nearby. The small Man caves that they usually put up across the end of the meadow so they could look along its full length had been moved. They were now standing along the long side of the meadow. They were in a row along the edge of the forest on his side of the meadow. That was different than he had ever seen it before.

"There are also dogs this time," Balo said. "I saw some running around behind the Man cave. Big dogs."

That had not happened before, now he was sure Man had changed his plans, but to what? "Man is going to do something different this time," he said, "But I do not know what it is."

He thought about it for a while. "We will hide in the same place as last year. It is still hard for Man to climb it from the meadow. Stena you should take Delon and go there now. I am going to call the herd. Balo I think you should go with her and watch the others."

"Yes, Father," his daughter said and she left with Delon. Balo stayed back looking concerned.

"I will be fine," he said.

"Balo took off. He came around the forest toward the small stream that led to the clearing. He called out loudly several times and then went to the clearing. Immediately he heard dogs barking loudly, but they did not sound as if they were running toward him.

He ran quickly toward the small clearing and waited. In twos and threes most deer came. He explained quickly what he wanted done and where they should go. Fortunately there were no arguments. He did note that Duro and Sinno did not appear along with the three and four year old males and females that went with him. All the five year old males came to him for instructions, It was just as the greater light first appeared that they all managed to get to the top of the hill and bed down. He found Claris, Carie and Stuben bedded down behind some rocks. Balo, Stena and Delon he was told was at the far end of the group. He lay down with his family and waited. It was not for very long.

First came the smell of fire and dead meat burning, but it was not deer. Then he heard the noise of several Man Machines that seemed to be moving away from them. He then waited for the shouting he knew would come as Man tried to get behind them and chase them onto the meadow only this time that did not happen. A little while later he heard faint shouting, but it was coming from far away toward the Man path forest. He also heard dogs barking and chasing something. As they rested the shouting and the barking got louder. Then he heard it.

"PHAMM, PHAMM," went the killing sticks only these were close. In fact they sounded like they came from the edge of the meadow near them. There were other sounds of killing sticks, but these were farther away in the Man path forest. It was then he realized what was happening.

"Man is not hunting here," he told Claris and Carie. "Man is hunting in the Man path forest. He is trying to get behind Veron and his herd and push them out on this side of the Man path forest. It is not far from there to our meadow. As they run into our meadow the Men in the small Man caves will kill them."

He listen to the noise go on until the greater light had almost set. Then it stopped. After dark he could hear the shouting from the Man cave. Again there was the smell of burning deer in the wind. He almost vomited because the smell was so strong. Some deer did throw up some of their cud. Man was burning several deer.

After it was fully dark he found Balo and talked it over with him.

"They went after Veron's herd today," Balo said. "Veron was afraid if too many deer join his herd it would bring Man. It looks like he was right."

All he could do was nod his head in agreement. "I am afraid he was. I heard several sounds from the killing sticks inside our meadow and the Man path forest."

"I hope Veron and Stabo are alright," Balo went on.

"They both are wise, they will be alright," he answered. Then he looked around the forest near them. "Have you seen Duro and the other deer?"

"No, not a sign of them," Balo said anxiously. "They did not come up here."

"Well I am not going to go looking for them," he said. "Right now we need to get the herd fed and have them drink. We will do that now before the greater light rises."

Balo nodded and went away. He got the herd to eat the grass in the large open area between his forest and the forest he had chased Geno to. After they ate, he led them down to the stream that flowed into the small pond and clearing near where he lived. As soon as everyone had eaten and drank their fill, he got them all back hidden well before the greater light rose and it started again.

Man hunted in the Man path forest that day also. Only this time Man used more dogs. He could pick up traces of barking dogs on the wind. What he heard plainly were more sounds of the killing sticks. None of the killing stick sounds came from his meadow. Instead they came from the Man path forest. He heard several during the day. In his meadow he heard more clanging noises from where the smaller Man caves had been. Between the dogs, killing sticks, and clanging noises, no one got any sleep that day.

That night he let Balo take the herd to feed, while he went back to his viewing place by himself. As he looked again he could see the brightly lit man caves, and the fire, and the Men smoking and drinking, but the smaller Man caves had been moved back to where they usually were. That told him they hunt in his forest tomorrow. He turned and left his viewing place. Immediately he picked up the scents of four deer near him. There was Duro, Sinno, and two others he did not know.

"I know you are there," he said out loud.

"A moment later four male deer came out of the forest near him lead by Duro. The others stayed behind him.

"How are things going here?" he asked.

"Thing are all well here," Duro said sounding like he himself was a herd leader." Man is getting too clever in finding us. We need to go someplace else."

"Suit yourselves," he said. "It is your lives."

"We do not think you are right," Sinno stammered.

"That is nice," he said now talking firmly like he would to a misbehaving fawn.

"We also think you have been herd leader too long," Duro added. "We need new deer, with newer plans."

"Like who, you Duro?" he spat out.

"You could do worse," Duro said.

He took a deep breath and seemed to relax before leaping ahead quickly until he was only a short distance from Duro. It caught Duro and the others off guard. He looked long and deep into Duro's eyes.

"Anytime any of you want to challenge me, please come on," he said tersely. "I would wait until Man left the forest, but I certainly do it while you still have your rack. You know where to find me. Anytime you are ready, Duro. Now are there any other questions."

No one said a word. He nodded. "Very well, Man will be here tomorrow. He will try and get behind you and chase you into the meadow where you will die. Where you hide and what you do is up to you? I am waiting with the rest of the herd on the top of the hill. I hope to see you later. That is if you all still alive."

He turned and walked away silently, all the time listening just in case one of them wanted to charge him from the rear. None of them moved a muscle.

He ate near the edge of the forest and drank from the stream before empting himself out. He was thinking while he walked. Could Duro be right? Things had not gone as expected this year. This was two seasons in a row he had to fight and kill deer. He never did that in the past. Was he losing his abilities? Was he getting too old? He certainly felt older. He knew he could not be herd leader too much longer. Maybe it was time to ask the herd to accept Balo.

He then climbed his hill and found Balo and told him what happened. He did not include his doubts, as least for now.

"You don't think they would try something like Razor?" Balo asked.

"I do not think they have the courage," he answered with distain. "Still keep a watchful eye on them. In the mean time Man will hunt here tomorrow. We need to get ready.

"I have been telling the others about not running into the meadow," Balo said. "I also reminded them not to allow Man to get behind them."

"Good," I want to discuss something with you, Stena, Claris and Carie when this is over." With that he left and went back to his family.

He found them standing just outside the forest looking at the other forest off in the distance.

"I have often wondered how the deer there live," Claris said.

"Most likely much like us," he answered. "We can think about that later. Right now Man will hunt here tomorrow. We must be ready."

He spent the rest of the time before the greater sun rose going through his herd, telling them what would happen. All found good hiding places. Then all they could do was wait.

Man did hunt in his forest the next day. Many Men did come up their side of the meadow almost to the top of the hill they had hid before, then starting to yell again and banging things. They went down the hill, but he did not hear any killing stick sounds. That means they were not driving any deer downward. After the greater light was overhead, he heard man going up the hill in the far end of his forest near where Duro and Sinno lived. Again there was shouting and this time he heard dogs running loose. Soon he heard the dogs barking loudly as if chasing something. The noise moved from the end of his meadow across the far side near to where the bear lived. He heard one dog yell out and then another as if in pain. A little while later there were Man noises near where the bear lived and this was followed by many noises from the killing sticks. All he could think about was the bear. He knew bear might be there, or he could be over the hill. He just did not know. He could not do anything about it now. All he could do was save the others in his herd. As the greater light went down, again the Men went back to the Man caves and started shouting once again. He walked alone to the edge of the meadow and looked. It was too far away to see plainly, but there was meat burning and some of the scents smelled like it came from a bear. He swallowed hard.

He went back up the hill quickly. He was thinking of moving the herd, but it was too close to the rising of the greater light. Instead they stayed where they were. The next day there were no sounds of killing sticks or barking of dogs in the forests. All passed in quiet. At that point he decided he go see the bear. As soon as the greater light set he found Balo standing next to Stena and explained what he wanted.

"I need you to take over the herd tonight," he told him." I need to go find the bear."

"I heard the hunting sounds over there also, Stranger," Balo said. "You want me to get the herd fed and watered and be back here by the rise of the greater light."

He was learning. Soon he would be ready. He leaned over and nuzzled Balo on the nose. "You will make a good herd leader," he told him. "And you will make a good herd leader's mate," he told Stena.

They both smiled at him and Stena licked the side of his face like a fawn would. "You and Bambi have taught us well," she told him. "You want me to go with you?"

"No," he told her. "Your place now is with Balo and the herd. I will do this. He is my friend and I will do this alone."

Stena looked disappointed but nodded her pretty head. "I understand," she said. "The herd comes first."

"Now I must go," he told them and went on down the hill.

He stopped quickly at his viewing place. Although the Man caves were still there, there were no fires, no barking, and no Men. The herd was safe for now.

He circled around the far side of the meadow being as quiet as possible. The wind was blowing from the Man caves so he knew the dogs would not smell him. He waited until he got below the bear's den and started to climb cautiously upwards. There was more than one bear scent. A female was with him. As he approached the den he called out while still at a distance, but there was no reply. He heard no sound of a bear going through the woods. As he got closer he picked up the one odor he hated to smell, the earth like smell of blood. It was deer blood. He also smelled other blood. This smelled like a bear. He stopped and cautiously approached the den.

Near the den he smelled a large pool of blood. He took in the scent through his noise. It did not come from his friend the bear but from another. The smell of deer blood was nearby. He followed the odor and found it led to a deer laying dead on the side of the hill several lengths from the den. He got closer and he could see it was Sinno, but he was not killed by Man. He had huge claw makes on his neck and side, and his insides were spilled out onto the ground. Sinno had been killed and partly eaten by a bear.

"This idiot and the others lead Man right to my den," he heard from in front of him.

The scent of the bear he knew filled his nostrils. The bear was down wind of him so he could not smell him. "What happened?" he asked

"The dogs came. My mate knocked two of them away, but Man came with his killing stick and killed her."

"I saw it and smelled it on the way over here," he said. "I am sorry she is dead. You killed Sinno?"

"Yes, that idiot and his two friend brought Man here and now my mate is dead. I wanted revenge so I took it. I will finish eating him later. Where the other two are I do not know, but I got their scents. I know they are part of your herd, and if I smell them again, I will kill them."

"They are not part of my herd," he explained, and told the bear what had happened.

"So if they would have listened to you, everyone would still be alive," the bear growled "The fools," he repeated.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes, the dogs never found me. They smelled Ura and went for her," the bear went on.

"Can I approach you?" he asked.

"You did not cause this, I will not harm you," the bear said and came into the open.

He walked up and smelled the bear. He smelled fine. "The deer you want is named Duro. He approached me and told me he should be herd leader. I told him he could challenge me at any time. Then he left."

"If I find him, he is dead and will not challenge anyone," the bear growled. "Ura was the only female in my territory. I am getting too old to go out and fight for a new one."

"I know, we are all getting old," he said.

It was then he caught another scent. It was a deer and it was approaching up the hill. The smell was familiar and he realized it was Stabo. What was Stabo doing outside the Man path forest?

"You son is coming," the bear said with equal astonishment. "What is he doing here?"

"I do not know, but something must have happened. Can I call him here?"

"Yes, again he did not cause my pain, I will not harm him." the bear answered.

He bleated once loud enough to be heard close by, but not loud enough to be heard in the meadow. Stabo bleated back and came up the hill. He stopped at the den and he could see and took in the odor of the blood. Stabo walk up to them and saw Sinno's body on the ground and looked at him and the bear.

"I am sorry to disturb you," he said in a low tone. He could tell there was something else. Something had upset him greatly and it was not this. He dropped his head. It could only be one thing.

"Who was it this time, Stabo?" he asked.

"Father, Veron is gone," he said choking up. "He was killed by Man two days ago. I told mother and Balo and they told me you had come this way. I knew this is where you be."

"What happened," he demanded to know.

"You know after his injury he could not run as fast. He was getting better, but he had not fully recovered. Man brought dogs and they managed to get behind us. We were fleeing away from the end of our forest that is near the Man cave. We knew Man would be there. Man had dogs, the big dogs and they started to chase us. Veron could not keep up. He stopped and two of the dogs attacked him. He told Alana and his son and daughter to keep running. He managed to fight them off, but before he could run away Man came up. Veron tried to get away, but he could not run fast enough. Man used his killing stick on him. He died quickly."

"Did you see this?" he asked.

Stabo shook his head, "No, Alana did and she told me. There were others that got chased into your meadow and died. Most of those who were killed came from the other forest. It was not a good day. Between Man and the dogs, several of us are gone."

He dropped his head and almost started to weep. Veron had been right. The many deer in the Man path forest had brought Man.

Stabo looked around and saw the dead Sinno and then looked at the bear. "I smelled the bear blood on the way up. I did not think it was you, but I was not sure."

The bear quickly explained what had happened. Then he explained what had passed between Duro and him. He could see Stabo get angry.

"Duro and Sinno again," he grunted in anger. "If I find Duro, I will kill him myself and then you can have what is left," he said to the bear.

"That goes for me too," he said. "Duro knew better than to lead Men to others. Duro is one deer I will gladly let you have. That is if you can stomach eating him."

"Thank you both," the bear said. "I am truly sorry about Veron. I know he was a good deer like you two and Bambi."

"And I am very sorry about Ura," he repeated. "It has been a bad day for all. Forgive me, but I must go with Stabo. We need to make plans."

"I understand," the bear said. "I will see you later."

Both Stabo and him left the bear's den and hurried back down the hill. Veron's death would be bad on the Man path forest herd. He need a plan to at least try and correct matters the best he could.

Now all he had to do was think of something.

Chapter Nine: Picking Up the Pieces

It was just after the greater light rose that Stabo and he made it back to the clearing. Young Bambi, Young Faline, Gena, Young Claris, Koren, Charlene and Karlene, Claris, Carie, Stuben, Balo, Stena, and Delon were all there. He was surprised at the gathering. It had been many seasons since the family was all together in one location. All were looking sad. He went to each and nuzzled them and then spoke. As the oldest here he spoke to all of them together.

"Stabo has told me about what has happened. I am sorry it had to be Veron. I watched him grow up; he was like another son to me. He died protecting his herd and his family. Now he is gone. We cannot replace Veron, but we have to go on without him. We must make a plan for the Man path forest and we must do it quickly. He then turned to Gena. "How is Alana doing?"

"Not well," she said. "Alana saw the whole thing. Although there was nothing she could have done, yet she partly blames herself for Veron."

"There was nothing she or anyone else could have done," he said. "That feeling will pass from her in time. One of the first things we must do now is have a herd leader for the Man path forest. Stabo there is only one deer who I see that can do that."

"I know me," Stabo said grudgingly. "I do not want to be herd leader. If I did, I would have stayed here."

"I know," he said. "I never wanted it either; I got it just the same after Bambi left. You have it now and you will have it for a while because there is no one else to do it."

"What about the herd," Young Bambi said. "They need to be told and the new leader should do it."

"Young Bambi is right," he said looking at Stabo. "What I think you should do is call a gathering of the herd and explain what has happened and then ask them to accept you as herd leader. There is really no one else to do it and if there is a deer who objects, I am sure you can handle him."

Stabo took a deep breath. "You are right of course, Father. I just wish I had help."

Young Bambi turned quickly and looked harshly at Stabo, but he was just a yearling. He would be in no position to help a herd leader for at least a season, nor could he be a herd leader for several seasons."For now you have Balo and me," he told his son. "But you are right, we do not have a lot of deer that have been trained to be herd leaders except you, Balo, Stena, and Gorro. Young Bambi, I do not know how much your Father was able to teach you."

"He was teaching me," Young Bambi stammered, "But with the other deer coming and his injury, I did not get much training. I am not ready to become a leader if that is what you mean."

"No, you will not be ready for at least two seasons so you have time to learn," he said."Delon and Stuben also need to start learning."

He could see Carie nodding approval in the back. She had asked him several times to start training their son. Until now he was too young.

"I would also like to learn more," Young Claris spoke up. My Father has been of great help, but again he and Veron were busy this year."

"I also would like to be trained," Koren said. "My two younger sisters are also interested."

"There is also my younger sister," Young Bambi saidking at Young Faline. "Father told me she had been asking all kinds of questions about how to live in the forest. She seems to be interested in learning to be like Stena."

"One more," said Stabo. "One of the deer that came from over the hill is a large three year old male named Felon. He has said that since his herd now has no leader, it will need one quickly." He saw how Veron and I acted leading our herd. Especially, how we took care of the others that came from his old forest. He asked me if he could learn from us and then go help his herd."

He lost the count of how many he would need to train, but it was more than he liked to teach with just him and help from Balo and Stabo. It would have to do because that was all the deer he had to teach. The winter was no time to start. Besides, many were still barely fawns. They need to grow more. He needed the grass and other plants to grow muscle and that did not happen in the winter which was fast approaching. There was also a need to start soon. He had to admit to himself he was getting older and soon he might not be able to train anyone.

"Very well, this is what I think we should do," he said. "Right now I will start on some things which we can do in the winter. Come the spring we will start. I will teach all of you who want to learn. I will tell you it will be difficult, but we must have more deer ready to become herd leaders or help out the current herd leaders. I rather train deer I know, and other than this Felon, I know all of you. In the meantime Stabo, you and Young Bambi go back to your forest. There should not be much danger now that Man is gone. Soon our racks will fall out and that will be the end of it until the next Season. I know, Stabo, you do not want this, but for now you are herd leader in that forest."

"What about my Mother," Young Bambi asked.

He did not hesitate, "If your mother wants to come here to live along with your youngest sister, that is fine with me. She will be welcomed in this forest for as long as she wants. If she wants to stay there in your forest, that will be up to your new herd leader," he said and looked at Stabo.

"Alana is welcomed to stay where she likes for as long as she likes," Stabo answered immediately.

Young Bambi nodded his appreciation. There was one more thing he wanted to say and he wanted it off his chest.

"There is one thing you must all know. During the hunts, I was approached by Sinno, Duro, and some of the new deer. All told me they did not want me to be herd leader anymore. They all through Duro should be the leader. I told them they could challenge me any time they wanted. When Man went into the forest with his dogs, they panicked and led Man and the dogs to the bear's den. The bear's mate was killed there. The bear escaped, but he was enraged. The bear killed Sinno and is out looking for Duro's blood. He can have it as far as I care. I want nothing to do with Duro. If I see him, I will run him out of the forest or kill him. As far as I am concerned he is already dead to this herd."

The others were shocked. "You did not tell me they wanted to challenge you," Balo said. "I would have stomped their tales into the ground."

"No," he said loudly."If they would have challenge me openly and alone, no you will not do that. An individual challenge must be fought by the individual. That is the way it is done. Otherwise we become as bad as Tarro and Razor. The only time that has not been done was when Bambi lost his temper with Krono. Other than that, I will fight them one to one if that what they want. If they want to come at us in a group like Tarro and Razor did, then we will treat them like Tarro and Razor. Only then will we stomp their tales. Do not worry, I can take care of Duro. He is neither strong, nor wise, and he is no longer welcomed in this forest."

"He is not welcomed in my forest either," Stabo said showing some anger. "I do not need a deer who will lead Man and his dogs to others. Duro is worthless. If any of you see him, tell Father or me and we will take care of him."

"Is there anything else," he wanted to know.

"Yes," Gena said with a sob, "One more important thing. Who tells my Father about his son?"

He suddenly felt very much deflated. Gena was right. Bambi had to know and there were only two of them who should do it: Gena and himself. Gena might have a fawn growing inside her so that was out. Stabo would also want to go with her if she went and he was needed here. That left only him and he knew the way.

"I will do that," he said calmly. "I will go myself because I do not want any of the doe going. I need Stabo and Balo here to take care of the forests. Besides, I have already made the trip."

"And almost died for it," Claris said loudly. "I am carrying no fawn so I will go with you."

"I will go also," Young Bambi said.

"No," said Stabo. "I need you here. You are the only help I have and I might need you if Man comes back or we have other problems. In this case I think my Father knows best what to do."

Young Bambi looked disappointed but nodded his head. "Very well," he said in a low voice.

When will you go?" Balo asked.

"Tonight, I need to get there and back before the first snow. It is too easy to track a deer with snow on the ground. Also, there are more hungry mouths to feed the deeper into winter we get. I need to get there and get back quickly."

Everyone agreed with him. "Balo, I will leave the forest herd with you. You will be herd leader until I get back," he said. "I am trusting you now. You are almost ready to be the herd leader here. If something happens to me, you will have to lead the herd, but only if they approve."

"I understand, Stranger," he said trying to reassure him. "I will lead the herd along with Stabo if it becomes necessary."

He looked up and the greater light shinning above them. "It is too late to go anywhere today. I suggest we all stay here and rest. We all have journeys to make tonight.

That day they all heard the clanging noise again. He also heard the noise of many Man animal voices. He could tell Man was working in the meadow. He hoped that meant the hunts were over for this season. None of them got much rest that day. Between the noise from the Men and the knowledge of what he had to do, he did not feel at ease all day. He did not sleep well. The others all stayed in the clearing trying like him to sleep without much success. Stabo, Gena, and Young Claris lay together with the other side of Stabo lying against his mother. Claris smiled like she was a mother again. He and Carie lay together. Stuben, Young Bambi, and the others stayed by themselves.

As soon as it was dark they all went quickly to their viewing spot. The Man cave was dark and the small Man caves were gone. The was no trace of Man on the meadow. The hunts were indeed over. As soon as the lesser light rose they quickly ate and then all those who lived in the Man path forest departed. He sent Balo, Stena, Delene, Delon, Claris and Stuben back to their small clearing. This journey was for him to do with Claris and he did not want anyone else around. He walked with Claris to the edge of his forest.

"I rather have the bear claw me again than do this," he said to Claris.

"I know," she said and nuzzled him. "As you always say, it has to be done."

Her rubbing nose still made him feel warm inside. As they leaving his forest he caught a familiar scent near the hill at the edge of the forest. Claris smelled it too. He got suddenly mad.

"Duro," he called out loud. "Come here now!"

The five year old male approached head down and walking reluctantly. He got within five lengths and stopped.

He was barely able to control his anger. "The bear told me what happened. You lead the dogs to him. His mate is now dead because of you."

"The bear killed Sinno," he stammered out. "Two of the others are also gone."

"Yes, I know all about Sinno, I saw what the bear left," he said angrily. "As for your other friends, I do not care."

Then he stepped forward and looked into Duro's black eyes. They were full of fear. "The bear wants your blood also," he went on. "If you would have listened, none of this would have happened. I should kill you myself, but I am in a hurry and cannot waste the effort. If I were you, I leave this forest and go to the forest far over the hill across the large empty field. Your chances of getting there alive are better than trying to live here. No one wants you. No one wants you anywhere around here or the Man path forest. You are alone."

Duro looked at Claris who spat some of her cud on the ground and turned her back on him. Duro looked in shock. He had no one around him now. His friends were gone, either dead, or they had left him. He was alone. He knew what that meant. His chance of living through winter was small.

"I have to leave," he continued. "Do not be here when I get back, or I will deal with you," he said and went on his way leaving Duro struck dumb.

After they had walked out of the forest, Claris looked at him. "Do you think he will go?"

"If he wants to live he will," he said. "Now we must be quiet we can't make much noise while we cross. Try and empty yourself in the stream. Scavengers will not pick up on your scent if you do."

They moved quickly along the stream following it carefully. The air was cold and the night clear. The night light glowed brightly and the lesser light seemed bigger than before. The wind was in his face all night so he could smell everything ahead of him. There was just nothing to smell. He just hoped there was nothing behind him catching his scent. They moved on for all of the night. It was funny he noticed the grass seemed shorter than before. He also noticed none of the other large, dumb, animals he had seen before. It was quiet, even the mouse like animals he had heard before were not running around. There were few birds in the sky. It was like everything was going to sleep for the winter like the bear. As the first sign of the greater light appearing, they stopped. They found a hill with high grass at the bottom. They both lay together behind the hill and rested in the grass out of sight of everyone, he hoped.

It seemed to get colder in the open away from the trees. Both he and Claris snuggled in tight to keep warm. The greater light did not show well that day. Its face was hidden by clouds. The wind also picked up. The hill protected them against most of the wind, but it was still cold. He was glad his winter coat had grown in. They rested there until it was almost night. Then they got up.

"I want to go ahead a little and see how far we have to go," he told Claris

"I will stay here," Claris said.

He moved off quickly going to the next hill. Past that was an open space where he could see Bambi's forest. It looked like they get there in one night. Satisfied, he started back. As he rounded the hill he saw something that that shocked him. Claris was talking to another deer. She was talking to Duro. With the wind it be useless to try and sneak up on them so he just came out running trying to close the distance as quickly as he could. There was no way he would not be seen. Duro looked at him and then used his rack to push Claris to the ground in front of him. She kicked out with her leg and hit him in the mouth knocking him back. By then he was upon them and Duro took off running. He then fled across the small stream. He stopped to see about Claris.

"I am fine," she called to him.

He ran hard after Duro. He could leap father than Duro could and slowly closed the distance. Duro tried changing direction quickly trying to throw him off. It did not matter, he stayed on him. Duro then tried a sharp fast turn and slipped. His back legs went out. By the time he could recover he was on him. He charged straight into his unprotected rear. He felt his racks hit something soft and seemed to go into it. It was then he heard a scream from Duro.

"My legs," Duro yelled out and fell to the ground.

He looked, there were several small holes in his rear legs. He had slashed both of them well. They were all bleeding out but not enough to kill him. Duro tried to get up, but his rear legs were hurt and would not support his weight. He stumbled and fell. He was on him and kicked him hard.

"I told you to go and you did not listen," he yelled. "You should have listened to me because now you are dead."

"You are going to kill me," Duro screamed.

He was going to killed him, but he stopped. He looked at his wounds. Duro would not be able to run with rear legs hurt like that. It would take a while for them to heal. Too long before something out here smelled the blood and went after Duro. He calmed down and got control of himself before answering.

"No, Duro, I am not going to kill you. I am not going to do anything more to you. You are bleeding and there are scavengers out here that will smell that blood and find you. You cannot run any more to get away. They will find you and tear you to pieces just like the bear did to Sinno. It would be a mercy for me to kill you. A mercy I will not give you. Good bye Duro."

He turned and went back to Claris. All he heard was Duro yell, "NO! do not leave me."

He got to Claris and looked her over. They were a few scraps marks from Duro's rack but otherwise she was unhurt. She looked at him. "You did not kill him," she said sounding pleased.

"I have had enough death for one season," he said looking back. "Besides, there are many others who will gladly kill him for a good meal. What did he want?"

Claris looked straight at the struggling male with contempt. "He was begging me to talk to you about asking Bambi to let him live in his forest. He was afraid that alone and not wanted in any forest he would die this winter like you said."

"That is most likely true," he said.

"I told him after what he did, he would be lucky if Bambi did not kill him. He got upset and looked to try and hit me. That is when you came back."

"And he wanted to be herd leader," he grunted. "You cannot tell others what is the right thing to do if you cannot tell yourself what the right thing to do is. I am glad he is gone. Let us be off."

They traveled that night. The running had tired him and he did not move as fast as he did before. That amount of effort would have not bothered him in the past. Perhaps he was getting too old. It was almost full light and they were still just outside Bambi's forest. They could cover the distance in the light or bed down here in the open. Both he and Claris thought they should both bed down here and wait for darkness. They were close enough to run into the forest if they smelled danger. They ate their fill of grass. There was plenty of it, but it tasted old and dry. After they filled their hunger, they stopped. They emptied themselves in the stream and then rested. He fell right to sleep with Claris lying close to him. He felt very warm inside.

That day the clouds got thick, the greater light disappeared from view, and there was rumbling in the skies. As it started to get dark, he started to feel wet on his back. It was a cold rain that fell on them, but then it suddenly stopped. Right afterwards white flakes starting falling from the sky. The first snow of the season was on them.

He looked up at the sky and the falling snow. "I had hoped we get back before the snow. We have to hope it clears up soon. I do not want to go back leaving our tracks in the snow all the way back to our forest."

"There is nothing we can do about it," Claris said. "We cannot go back now. We are here."

"Yes and it is getting colder and the snow is falling," he said. "We need to get under cover. I can hear or smell no sign of Man. I think we should run into the nearest trees and stay there until it is fully dark."

Claris nodded and they got up quickly and bounded the short distance into the trees. There was nothing between them and Bambi's forest. It took them only a short while to cover the distance. They both saw the lake, but that was too much in the open. They ran instead into the cover of the pine trees at the edge of the forest and only then stopped to rest. After they caught their breath they found a spot with no snow and protected by trees. They lay down close together until it was fully dark. They then moved cautiously toward the far hill where he knew Bambi and Faline lived.

Now for the hardest task of all.

Chapter Ten: Surprising Help

They had gotten up when it was dark. They then walked most of the night and were now near the hill at the end of the lake in Bambi's forest. They had eaten and drank out of the lake. Although they had seen other deer feeding as they approached the hill, there was no sign of Bambi or his family. They went out of their way to avoid the other deer. He did not want to talk to anyone here until he had spoken to Bambi. As soon as the first light of the new day shown, the other deer left the meadow. No one had to tell them to leave. He looked around the forest and took in a deep breath. He smelled the pine trees and other animals. There was a many scents of deer, but no Man. He reminded himself he never smelled Man when Ronno and Marol were killed They continued walking among the trees noiselessly until they got close to the end of the lake. He did not catch any familiar scent there. They found the small glade that Bambi and Faline had bedded down in before, but there was only a light lingering scent. They had not been here for a long while.

"They could be in the deep forest clearing," Claris said.

That was a good idea. "Let us go there," he agreed. They walked and as he walked he felt his head itching. A sure sign his rack was getting ready to fall out. They walked quietly, wind in their faces. The closer he got to the clearing the larger the lump forming in his chest felt. He dread what he was about to do. As he got closer he smelled four familiar scents. They still approached cautiously. He saw the small clearing in front of them. He saw no one, but then they might be bedded down by now. He waited until he was close and then made a small bleating noise.

A moment later he heard movement near the clearing. Out into the open walked Bambi followed closely by Faline.

"I will do this," he told Claris. There was no argument.

The lump grew in his chest as he walked closer. Then Gorro and Delene came out. Gorro's rack now might be as large as his father's. Both Claris and he walked into the clearing. All four deer looked surprised for a moment that they were there. Bambi walked up to him looking to greet them as always. He got within three lengths of him and then stopped dead in his tracks along with Faline. His huge black eyes sank as they came closer, Bambi dropped his head and closed his eyes. Bambi must have seen it in his face.

"Which one," Bambi stammered out.

"Veron," he told him softly and then told them all the same tale Stabo had told him. By the time he was done, that lump was in his throat and even he had trouble speaking without choking up. No one said a word. All he could do when he was done was add, "I am truly sorry."

"He was afraid that was going to happen," Gorro said looking at him with tears in his huge black eyes. "Maybe if I had been a little faster when we fought those four large males, he would not have gotten hurt and he would be alive now."

He did not like where that was going and stood up straight. "NO!" he shouted. "This is no one's fault. As herd leader he defended his forest. He protected his mate, his family, and their unborn fawn. Gorro this is no one's fault, especially yours. Do not think this."

"He is right, my son," Bambi said head still hung low. "You are not to blame here. I was the one that taught him what to do and how to behave. If anyone is responsible, it is me."

"That is also not true, my friend," he said tersely. "None of us were smarter or better than Veron, only luckier."

There was dead silence around them. Even the forest seemed to have paused. Nothing else was said for a while.

Finally he offered, "If you all wish to be alone, we will leave."

"No," Bambi said barely getting the words out. "You are as much our family as my son was. Thank you for coming to tell me yourself. I know it was difficult and dangerous at this time of year."

"It had to be done," he said in a low voice.

Bambi uttered, "My son," and then turned his back on them and walked away looking like he was many seasons older. He did not follow him, he knew he wanted to be alone.

Faline looked heartbroken, sobbing. "I remember when he was just a fawn," she stammered out. "It was when you came into the forest Stranger."

"I remember," Claris said and walked up to her. They both nuzzled each other and Claris followed Faline into the forest.

Gorro also walked back into the forest without a word, sobbing. Delene followed close at his side. He was left alone in the clearing feeling disgusted at himself for being the one to bring such sadness to those who did not deserve it. His only consolation was at least they heard it from him. He lay on the ground and even though like Bambi, he disliked showing deep emotion to others, let his own emotions out and sobbed uncontrollably.

He must have fallen asleep because sometime later he felt Claris lie next to him and get in close for warmth. They lay there the rest of the day trying to sleep. For the most part they did not succeed. The greater light had already set when they were awakened by the approach of the others. They got up and silently walked out into the open area by the lake to feed on the dwindling grass still partly covered by the melting snow. The grass was wet and mostly tasteless, but it did fill the gnawing hunger in his stomach. He first smelled and then saw the other deer of the herd out feeding. They ate without talking to each other and then drank out of the lake. Bambi and his family stayed apart from the others and Claris and him did not intrude. Several deer had approached them to ask why he was here, but he put them off telling them Bambi would explain. The lesser light was overhead when Bambi, Faline, Gorro, and Delene approached them.

"We have not been kind to you two and I am sorry," Bambi said. His voice was back to normal. "This just struck us all very hard. I ask you to forgive us. I guess you will have to leave soon before the snow?"

"There is nothing to forgive, my friend," he said. "Yes, I need to get back. It is too easy for others to follow us in the open with snow on the ground. Also it is much colder in the open and I want to be back before the real cold of winter begins. I also have to prepare. It is going to be a very busy spring."

They all looked at him. "Why is that?" Bambi asked.

"There are many who have asked to be trained to become herd leaders. Veron's son and daughter want to be trained. Stabo daughter Young Claris wants to be trained as does his son Koren and his two new daughters. Stena's and Balo's son Delon wants to be trained, and my son Stuben wants to be trained. I will have a full time of it."

"That many?" Gorro asked. "Do you have any help? "I could come back after our fawn is bigger in the early summer."

"No," Bambi said. "You will be needed here." Then the big deer looked at him, "Do you have any help, my friend?"

"Just Balo and Stena, but they will have a family to take care of, as will I," he said "Stabo needs to be herd leader in the Man path forest at least until Young Bambi is old enough to take over. It will be a struggle, but I will manage. I have too. Who else is there?"

"I see," Bambi said and looked at Gorro. "Let me think about this. I am pleased so many want to learn. It makes me feel better that there will be others to come up to replace my son and us."

They talked for a while, mostly about little things. He was happy to see that Gorro and Delene were definitely now a pair. He did not need his nose to tell him they were a mated pare. In the spring she would have a fawn also. Life in the forests does change, but it does so with new life. He was happy for them. The rest of the herd left them alone. At this time of year and well into next spring there will be only winter's hardships to deal with and the natural predators. Man's influence would not be felt for awhile. Claris, Faline and Delene went off by themselves and he and Bambi did some light sparing. It was hard because all their racks were loose. It was more exercise than training, but it kept their minds off of other things. As soon as the greater light showed its first sign, Bambi told the herd to go back into the forest. He followed them back to the clearing before Bambi stopped them.

"There are things I must discuss in private with Faline, Delene, and Gorro. I know you are like family to me, but this I must do alone with my son and his mate. Please do not be offended."

That did surprise him. He looked at Claris and shrugged." I understand. We are not offended. We will bed down near your old place by the hill," he told Bambi. Then all four of them walked away to their clearing in silence.

As soon as they were well clear of the others Claris looked at him with puzzlement. "What was that all about?" she wondered.

"I have no idea, but I think we will find out soon," he answered.

They found the old place he had slept when he was in Bambi's forest before. They lay down and slept through most of the day. Around him he heard nothing. They drifted off to sleep before something woke him when the greater light was nearly overhead. He looked out onto the large clearing around the lake. It was free of any large animal. If Man was around, he had nothing to kill today. They both woke again as the greater light was setting. Both of them walked into the woods to empty themselves and eat some of the leaves near the hill. It was well after dark when he saw movement in front of him. Bambi and his family were walking into the open.

Bambi stopped and took in a deep breath. He let out a loud call. "HERE. . . HERE. . . All Come Here."

"He is calling his herd," he told Claris."Bambi didn't say he was calling for a gathering. They slowly got up and walked over. Several of the deer recognized him and greeted him. Claris was looking around and soon saw her older sister Cara; she had a male fawn near her losing his spots and growing a winter coat for the first time. They looked at each other and ran to embrace.

"Sister," Claris said and nuzzled both her and her fawn. He did likewise.

"I did not expect to see you back again," her sister said looking happy."This is little Roko, who is my son."

"The fawn looked shy and tried to move away from the strangers. All the while Claris was looking around.

"Where is mother?" Claris asked.

Cara dropped her head. "Mother got sick last winter and it carried over into the spring. She seemed to be getting weaker. One day last spring she said she wanted to walk in the forest by herself. No one ever saw her again."

"Mother," Claris muttered and turned and walked away.

"I am sorry," Cara said to him. "I did not mean to spoil your visit."

"It was already spoiled," he said, and told her about Veron.

"Poor Bambi," was all she said and walked away after Claris.

After a while the open clearing was filled with deer; some of the older deer still had their racks. There were also young fawns for whom this would be their first winter. There were more deer than he could count. Bambi's herd was at least twice as large as his. He stood in the back. After a while Claris joined him again.

"I am sorry about your mother," he told her in a low voice.

Claris looked straight ahead and said in a clam voice. "At least she died that way rather than being killed by some Man."

Bambi turned and called to them. "Come here." They both went and stood next to but behind Bambi and Gorro. It looked as if Gorro had eaten something sour. Delene looked worried too. Something was up. As they approached Bambi noticed the look on Claris's face and then saw Cara.

"I am also sorry about Ate," Bambi said and rubbed Claris' forehead. "She was a fine doe."

All Claris could do was nod

He decided to change the subject."What is going on?" he asked.

"Watch and listen," Bambi ordered.

What that Bambi walked out alone and spoke loudly to those deer around him.

"As you can see Stranger and Claris have come back to our forest. They bring the sad news that my son Veron was killed by Man during the hunts. My son was a good deer and died defending his herd. He has children, but they are far too young to take over his position."

There were choruses of condolences and well meaning talk. Bambi ignored it. "Stranger has also brought word that there are many other deer in his forests that want to learn how to be a herd leader: too many for him to teach alone. He will need help and I and Faline have decided to help him."

That got his attention. He never thought or wanted Bambi to leave his native forest. There were cries of no and please don't go. Even the older males looked shocked and a bit scared remembering the disasters of Ronno and Geno on the herd.

Bambi acknowledge the herd's reaction. "I know what you are thinking, but I have a son Gorro, and I have taught him much better than my first son, Geno. Gorro will not make those mistakes. Gorro is wise and knows what to do. He knows how to avoid Man. Both I and Stranger have taught him well. What I must ask the herd is will you accept my son Gorro as my replacement?"

That was the tricky part. If one of the senior males objected, there would be a blood fight right here. He didn't think the senior males would try to gang up on Gorro with him and Bambi there. That would not stop them after they had gone. Gorro was going to need help and he did not have anyone to send him.

"I wish to speak," one of the large herd males said and walked forward proudly. He had to be five or six seasons old and still had a large rack, but smaller than his, Gorro's or Bambi's He recognized him as Ceon, one of the senior males in the herd.

"Ceon may speak," Bambi said. Even Faline and Delene were nervous.

Ceon stepped forward and also spoke loudly. "I have seen Bambi teach Gorro much like he taught Geno. The difference between Geno and Gorro is while Geno was strong on the outside, he was weak on the inside, He gave into his feelings too quickly. Gorro is not weak on the inside and like his father, he keeps his feelings under control. I knew Bambi would one day turn the forest over to his son. I wish it could be a season later than now, but that is not to be. I have also seen Stranger come here before and help Bambi rid us of Tarro who was even more of fool than Geno. If Bambi and Stranger think Gorro is ready to lead, then I will follow. I know I cannot do it."

He stepped forward. "Gorro has also visited my forest. I too have taught him as well as I can how to avoid Man and how to keep the herd out of danger. He is like another son to me. He is brave, wise, thoughtful, and I feel he is ready to lead."

Bambi and Faline smiled openly at him. He looked around. There seemed to be general agreement among the herd. Then Gorro stepped forward until he was alone in the middle of the herd.

"I will lead you if you wish," he said loudly, "But it has to be your decision. No one can decide this for you. If anyone objects to me being leader I want them to speak up now."

"I say no," a voice called from the herd.

Neris one of the four year old males stepped forward. He walked boldly toward them. He stood in the center with three other males standing behind him. He looked at Gorro almost with disgust and then looked at Bambi.

"Your place is here and not going with Stranger," he said directly to Bambi. "I have always accepted you as herd leader, but I will not accept Gorro. He is too young. The next senior male in the herd is Ceon. If he does not want to be leader, then it should come to me or one of the other senior males."

He could see Bambi stiffen. Gorro's face also went from humility to anger. Finally Bambi stepped forward and said in a barely contained voice. "You have not been trained to lead the herd. You have never taken an interest in leadership. You have never helped when Man was in the forest. You know nothing about leading a herd. Gorro, I have at least trained and so did Stranger."

"What you say is true, but I am older, stronger and I think wiser than Gorro so if Ceon does not wish to challenge, I do," Neris called out loudly.

It was a direct challenge to Gorro. He walked slowly over to Gorro who was starting the shake with anger. Bambi also came up and stood next to him. There was going to be a blood fight.

"I know you are angry," he heard Bambi say. "Do not fight him with anger. Remember what I have taught you. Also remember your rack is loose."

"He looked Goro straight in the eye and said calmly. "Remember what I showed you. You will have to beat this male and beat him badly Expect one of the others to attack you also. If they all attack, your father and I will step in, but Neris you must do on your own."

Gorro just nodded and then put a big smile on his face and walked slowly over to Neris. The challenger looked bewildered. Neris expected him to drop his head and charge at him in rage. Gorro just walked up calmly until he was within five lengths.

"You wish to challenge me, so challenge me?" Gorro yelled out almost in a mocking tone.

Neris dropped his head and leaped forward. Gorro did the same only once Gorro landed on his second bound he jumped right and brought his rear legs around. It caught Neris under his feet. Neris stumbled and fell head first, his head hitting on the ground with a thud.

Gorro did not charge and attack while Neris was on the ground which he thought was a mistake, but instead stood away. "You fight funny on the ground," he said still mocking Neris.

He hoped Gorro was not getting over confident. He closed the distance until, by the time Neris got up and faced him, he was only three lengths away. Too close for a full change. He could see what was coming, Neris did not. Again Neris put his head down and came at him. Gorro reared back on his hide legs and brought up his two front hoofs directly under Neris's head as he closed the distance. He caught Neris under the chin with both hoofs almost lifting the font of the older deer off the ground knocking him off balance. In the time it took Neris to stead himself, Gorro leaped away to the right side of Neris and then drove both his hind hoofs into Neris' flank hard. He heard a loud pop from Neris' side and saw two cuts open up behind Neris' shoulder and start bleeding. The impact knocked Neris on his side. This time Gorro did not hesitate. He leaped over, reared up again and came down on Neris' flank. He stomped once and then stopped. Neris was lying still on the ground, but still breathing.

Then Gorro walked over to the other three males standing there and looked them in the faces. "Anyone else wish to challenge," he shouted at them. No one made a move.

With that Gorro spun around and walked directly away from the other deer which he thought for a moment was foolish and then he understood. Gorro had read the other deer correctly. Tuco from the group put his head down.

'Die!" he yelled out and charged Gorro unprotected rear thinking Gorro was unaware. As he came in close, Gorro once again kicked out hard with both rear legs. Tuco had his head down and did not see it. Both hoofs caught Tuco squarely on the forehead.

"Crack," he heard loudly. Tuco fell to the ground like a stone falling from the hill. Neris was still moving, Tuco was not.

Gorro turned around and faced the herd. "Is there anyone else who wishes to challenge me for the position of herd leader."

You could have heard a snow flake fall in the silence. Hearing nothing, he walked back to Bambi and him.

"My Son," Bambi called out. "That was exactly like I taught you. I also see some of what Stranger taught you."

"That you did," he told him.

By now Delene and Faline had come over to them. Delene kissed Gorro long and lovingly. Faline embraced her son. He turned and looked closely at the older males. Males do not normally like being told what to do by a younger male. After the fight he saw faces of concern. He did not see any males that had looks of dissatisfaction. For now Gorro had made it clear that he was in charge.

Bambi walked out into the herd one more time "Does anyone have anything else to say?" Bambi asked.

There was nothing but silence.

"Thank you for allowing me to be your herd leader," Bambi said finally. "I ask you to show Gorro, the same respect you showed me. I do not think I will be able to return here. I was proud to be your leader, Farewell."

With that Bambi stopped and walked away with Faline following. A few of the herd walked up to Gorro to ask what they should do.

"We will feed now and drink," Gorro said with authority. We must be off the meadow before the rising of the greater light. I do not think Man is here, but we should be careful."

There were more questions and more congratulations. He could tell Gorro was nervous, but that would change with time. Some deer even asked him about his forest and the deer in it. They talked with the herd all night in between mouthfuls of grass or drinks of water. There seemed to be support for Gorro now, but what of when Man came back during The Season. As soon as the first sign of the greater light appeared, all the deer left the meadow. He and Claris made their way back to Bambi's clearing. He found them alone.

"You did not have to do that" he said to his friends, "But I thank you for it."

"It is necessary, but Gorro should have help," Bambi added.

"I can maybe send Balo and Stena if they agree. They will have to come now before the snow comes and before the fawn Stena carries get so big as to limit her movements."

"Then we need to leave tonight," Bambi realized.

"Yes," he answered, "Tonight. Rest now, we will all need it."

"Can you convince Balo to come?" Faline asked.

"If Bambi and Stranger ask it, I think he will do it," Claris said. "Stena will follow Balo whether we like it or not."

"We can only hope," he said.

Chapter Eleven: Questions and Answers

They left the forest just after dark. There were tearful goodbyes from both Bambi and Faline to Gorro. There were no other incidents from any other members of the herd. Gorro had settled that in the same way Bambi and he had settled with Tarro. They moved quickly and by the time the greater light started to rise, they stopped to rest for the day just beyond the place he had chased Duro. There was a slight odor of dead deer, and in the distance he could see the vultures feasting on some dead animal.

"Duro," Bambi said as a fact.

"What is left of Duro is more like it," he answered. He felt uneasy because he knew he was responsible for this.

They all bedded down near each other and as before the noises and openness of the area made for a fit-full sleep for him. He also started thinking about all that had happened to him this season. That uneasiness turned into a sickness in his stomach. Finally he just gave up and lay facing the remains of Duro. There was a light breeze and the sky was overcast, but it did not look like rain or snow. He was thinking again about what Duro had told him. He had wanted to discuss it with his family, but decided against it. The last thing a lead male needs to do was to raise doubts in anyone's mind if he was a good leader. So far he had convinced everyone he was that good leader, even the bear. It was himself he had nagging doubts about. He did not want to look weak in the eyes of those who might one day replace him.

"What worries you Stranger?" Claris asked in her soft voice.

He turned his head and saw not just Claris, but Bambi and Faline looking at him with concern. They knew he was troubled. If he could not talk to these deer, who could he talk too.

"When I met Duro during the hunts he told me he did not think I was a good herd leader anymore and there should be a change. Naturally he thought he could do it, but it did make me think. Am I still a good herd leader? I did not want to say this in front of the others. "

"Why would you say that?" Claris asked showing surprise.

"Before I came to this forest, I was in many fights with deer. I beat them, mostly, but I never hurt them, and I certainly did not kill them. Now in the past few seasons, I chased Kragus into the meadow to be killed. Bambi you and I killed Tarro and the others, and now this season I killed Razor and his males. Finally, I lost my temper and hurt Duro so badly that he died. If fact I left him out here to die. How is that being a good herd leader?"

"NO! Claris said loudly. "Kragus and Duro were trying to hurt me. Tarro and his other males had hurt little Eta. Razor and his males almost starved their own herd to death so they could rule. I do not see how this makes you too violent or a bad leader."

He decide to tell them the rest. "There is one thing you do not know. In fact, I have told no one about this. Razor was my son. You see, I have killed my own son."

There was stunned silence among the three of them. "Your son," Bambi repeated slowly.

"Yes," he nodded. "Before I came to your forest, I spent two breeding season in the forest over the hill. When I met Razor he told me who his mother was and that I was his father. She was one of the does I had breed. He had grown up alone, almost without friends, and rejected by the herd. His story almost sounded like Geno's. He came back seeking only revenge and leadership. Razor killed Hilgas the herd leader, and then his own mother who rejected him. He then made the same mistake as Geno and Tarro; he thought he could get what he wanted through strength and threats alone. Like Geno and Tarro, he found out too late he was wrong. I have asked myself if I should have tried to find him instead of letting his mother raise him, what kind of deer could he have become. I blame myself for this as I blame myself for Duro. I have even taught my other son Stabo, along with Balo, and Gorro also how to kill effectively. We all seen just how well Gorro learned. I think about it all and I am sick. Now I need to train many more. Am I the right one to train them?"

There was a pause and then Bambi spoke up. "As you told me, sometimes violence is a part of being herd leader. I think what you did was unfortunate, but I think it was necessary. Anyone who hurt a doe or fawn, and starves their own herd needs to be stopped and you were wise enough to stop them."

That brought on his second and greater doubt. "Wise," he said resting his head on the ground. "If I was truly wise, maybe your son would be still alive. What I said to Gorro was true, it was not his fault. I led them into this. If anyone is to blame it is me."

The three of them looked at him in shock. He then spoke up on the one thing that bothered him the most. "I have to ask myself should I be herd leader? Should I be the one training the others next spring? Yes, I know that I have lived longer, had more experience, know more about Man. All of this is true, but does it all make me a good herd leader? I try not to show this to others, but you are my oldest and greatest friends. I need you to be honest with me on this, because I just do not know anymore. I feel lost."

Bambi did something surprising. He got up, walked over to him and lay down with the tip of his nose almost on top of his. Faline came over and lay so her nose was next to his. Already he could feel his eyes misting up. He never liked expressing doubts about himself. A herd leader can never do that and remain herd leader. Was that what he was truly afraid of, not being herd leader anymore?

"You have led your herd and because of it, many of them are alive. You have always tried to help your herd, even though it has almost killed you at times. You are the wisest deer I know," Bambi said rubbing his forehead. "Sometimes I think you may be wiser than my own Father. You have done things no other deer I have ever seen do. Mostly you are right, a few times you were wrong, but you always tried to do the right thing. A bad herd leader would never ask himself or others these questions. He would just do as he wanted. Next to my own Father, you are the best deer I have ever known."

"Next to Bambi," you are the only deer I would want to be close to," Faline said in that silky voice of hers. "I know I should not say this in front of Claris, but if I had never met Bambi, I would have gladly been your mate."

"I do not mind," Claris said to Faline with a smile before nuzzling him gently. "You are the only male I have ever wanted to be with. I am just sorry I cannot have more of your children. You are brave, wise, and you care deeply about others. A bad herd leader would not care and would not want to try to do something to help the others. We are your family, and we know you for what you truly are, and that is you are a deer that cares about his herd. Duro was a fool, we are not. You still need to be herd leader. You are still needed. Your children and their children need you still. You also know that we care about you very much."

All he could do was lie there with his eyes tightly closed and try not to lose control of his emotions again. He was only partly successful. He only hoped the answers they gave him were right.

He could say nothing more and so they all waited until it was night. It gave him time to gain control of himself again. When it was fully dark, they all followed the stream and just before the rising of the greater light, they passed into his forest. They made their way up the hill. The deer were already off the meadow so he followed the stream back to the clearing. As they got closer suddenly Balo came out from where he bedded with Stena. Both looked at him and who was with him. Balo ran out and embraced both Bambi and Faline before greeting him. A short while later Carie and Stuben came out and greeted them all.

"I did not think I would see you two again," Balo said to Bambi and Faline. "Who is leader in your forest?

"I have turned my forest over to Gorro and Delene," Bambi told them. "Faline and I have come back with Stranger to help train those who will follow us."

"Gorro is alone?" Balo asked seeing at once the problem.

"Yes," he told them.

Bambi then quickly explained what had happened and about the fights Gorro had been forced into. All listened with intent.

Balo spoke first. "I have see Gorro fight. That he beat those two deer is no surprise. However, now that you two are gone others may try and take advantage. He may need help for a while."

He nodded, and was glad Balo saw the problem. "And that brings me to a question I must ask you two."

"You want us to go to Bambi's forest to help Gorro," Stena said as if she knew it as a fact.

"You were always a very smart doe," he said and nuzzled his daughter. "Yes, I need you two to go to Bambi's forest to help Gorro. I need you to go now before the snow and the fawn growing inside of you make that impossible. That means leaving tonight or tomorrow."

"But what of this forest?" Balo asked. "What about us starting training this spring. If we go now, it will be mid-summer before our fawn is big enough to make the trip back."

"That is correct," Bambi added. "However I can help Stranger in this forest and I do have more experience in training than you. I can help Stranger and the herd best here. You and Stena can best help by helping Gorro. I am also asking you to do this because I know you are both Gorro's friend and can help him. You are also Delene's parents and can help her also."

Balo and Stena looked at each other, they looked understanding, but not convinced.

"I know I ask a lot of you and I know I am not giving you much time to decide, but the season is working against us," he told them. "We have to hurry if we are to help Gorro. Gorro will need your help and Bambi and Faline can help me out here. You two are the only help I can send him."

"Delon will need to stay here," Stena said. "Who will look after him?"

"I will look after him as if he was my own son," he answered

"This is coming too fast," Balo said. "Both Stena and I need time to think and we need to talk to Delon. We will let you know this evening what we will do. That is my final word on this."

He knew better than to argue. Balo did not put his hoof down often, but when he did there was no arguing with him. "Well then tonight we will have a family gathering," he said. "I will call Stabo and the others from the Man path forest. They need to hear this also."

"I agree," Balo said and Stena nodded her approval.

"How is Delene and Gorro?" Stena asked.

"They are a mated pair," he said. "They appear to be very happy although I think she was a bit worried about being the mate of the herd leader. Stena, she will need help in knowing what to do. This is coming faster than we expected, but we do not have much choice. You have helped me and Balo out so much, you could also be a great help to her."

"I understand, Father," she told him. "We will discuss this among ourselves and talk to you tonight."

"That is fine with me," he said.

With that Stena, Balo and Delon walked away toward their bedding area. When they were gone, Bambi came over to him.

"You think they will do it?" Bambi asked.

"I hope so," he said, "But if they do not, I will not force them."

With that he walked out of the clearing, down the small stream to the edge of his meadow. There were no light in the Man cave. He took in a deep breath. "STABO," he called out as loud as he could."COME TONIGHT"

He took several deep breath and called out the same message again. After the third time he heard a male deer call."

"WE COME," he heard from the Man path forest.

As the greater light rose, he walked back up the hill. That day he slept well and in peace in between Carie and Claris. The only thing that was said was from Carie.

"You will still teach Stuben starting this winter?"

"Yes, that is why Bambi and Faline came back so we could do just that," he told her. "I will start teaching all of them this winter about moving quietly, how to avoid Man, and how to follow a man or deer. We will do that all this winter. We will start teaching them how to fight next summer. All the deer born last spring will not be old enough until then."

"I am glad," Carie said looking pleased. "I am happy Bambi and Faline came back. I much rather have them teach the others than Balo. I think Stena and Balo will be of more help in Bambi's old forest than here."

That struck him as odd, but for now he let it go. He had enough things to worry about.

Just after dark Stabo, Gena, Young Claris, Koro, Charlene, Karlene, Young Bambi and Young Faline arrive as a group. Gena was very surprised to see her mother and father. Only Alana was missing. When he asked about her, Young Faline spoke up.

"Mother decided she rather go someplace else. I think living in our forest caused her to miss father more. She went into the deep forest taking Laurene, her latest fawn, with her. We have not seen either one since."

They spent a while catching up on what had happened during this season. That night they all gathered again back in the clearing Both Stuban and Delon were there along with the others. It was crowded with all of them there. Stena and Balo arrived last and lay down at one end of the clearing. All turned to face them. Balo looked around and spoke up.

"Stena and I have discussed this between ourselves and Delon. We all agree it would be best if we two went temporarily to your forest Bambi. Delon has agreed to stay here and start training in the winter. I must tell you I am very reluctant to do this, but we see the need to help Gorro until he and Delene can get established."

"Thank you," Both he and Bambi said together.

"I wish to know one thing, Bambi," Stena went on. "What exactly do you want us to do? I know you made Gorro herd leader so we will not take over the herd, but I am unsure exactly what you want us to do."

Bambi stopped for a moment before answering. "Stena, do you remember as a fawn how your Father would help me," Bambi said. "Every time he had something to say to me about the herd, he would tell me in private. Gorro is smart, but Gorro and Delene lack experience and you two have more of it. Share that experience with him like Stranger use to share his experience with me. Advise him and answer any questions he has as best you can. I do not think there are any more Tarro's or Neris' there to make trouble, but having two large males there who are trained to fight can stop some deer from getting ideas too big for their racks. One thing I will ask, when you do advise him, do so in private. If you question him with other deer around, it will diminish his authority in their eyes and that is one thing a herd leader must never allow."

"Understood," Balo said. "We will guide, but not lead."

"Thank you again," Bambi said. "I promise you in return Delon will be trained as well as we trained you two."

"We will do what we can," Stena said with a smile. "Just like we were taught Now Bambi what do we need to know before we go there?"

That stated a long conversation about the conditions in Bambi's forest that went on for the rest of the night. They barely had time to feed before the greater light rose again. They all lay together as a single family during the day.

"Let me say this," he said as they bedded down. "I will start training soon. Serious training will not begin until the spring. Anyone who wants to be trained, Bambi and I will train them. The training will be hard and will take well into next season. It is my hope that by the coming of the next Season, to have several of you will be trained well enough to help us out in these forests."

He looked around. All seemed pleased. Finally they all were just too tired to go on so they all slept in the small clearing until night. Then Balo and Stena and the rest of them went to the edge of their forest near where the stream runs to Bambi's old forest. All of them stood by the end of the forest looking down the stream that led to Bambi's old forest. He watched his daughter and her mate walk off into the darkness. At least it was clear overhead. It did not look like snow. As they disappeared around the first hill he turned back and walked toward his meadow and the darken Man cave. Most everyone walked in silence. All of them knew this was another major change in their lives. He wondered just how many more he would see.

"Stranger," he heard Delon call from the back.

"Yes," he said turning around.

"How do you think they will do, my Mother and Father?" the young male wanted to know.

"They will do the best they can, as we all will." he told him like he would his own son.

At least that question he had an answer to.

Epilogue

Year 7

Both he and Bambi stood in the meadow in the early spring evening. In front of them stood several deer each looking eager to begin. Felon was standing on the end. Standing next to him was Young Claris. Stabo's other daughters Karene and Charlene stood next to them with Koren. Young Bambi stood in the middle along with his older sister Young Faline. Balo's child Delon stood next to her and his son Stuben stood at the other end. He turned to face Bambi.

"It begins again my friend," he said affectionately.

"Maybe for the last time," Bambi uttered.

"That no one can say," he told him. He then turned to face the others.

"You have all come here to learn how to be herd leaders," he told the group. "All of you have already had some training over the winter; but your real training begins now. This is when you start to use the things we have taught you. You are learning how to help herd leaders and maybe one day be a herd leader. Being herd leader is the greatest responsibly any deer can receive. Most deer cannot do it. Others try and rule through might alone without any thinking about the herd. In the end the entire herd suffers for it. What we will teach you will be hard and long. If you learn it, you can be a great help to the other deer in the forests."

"That is the important thing, you will be a help to the other deer," Bambi went on. "This is not about you or even your family. It is about the rest of the deer. That is why Balo and Stena went back to my forest, to help, not to be leaders."

With that Bambi stopped and got extremely serious. "What we teach you may end up causing you pain. It may even cause your death." With that Bambi stopped for a moment to swallow hard and took a deep breath. "You must remember it is about the other deer, keeping them healthy, keeping them alive."

With that Bambi paused for a second before adding, "If this is what you want to do, Stranger and I will teach you for as long as we can. You in turn must teach those who come after you because Stranger and I will not be here forever. If there are any of you who have doubts, let me hear them now."

They all stood mute. They looked ready. They looked eager to start.

"Come with me" he said and walked to the far end of the meadow to a certain spot.

"All of you turn and face the Man cave," he ordered them.

They all did it immediately.

"Now what do you feel…?"

The lesson went on until late and the lesser light was ready to set. By then he could tell they were tired. Well soon they would be more than tired. "Very well but I want to show you one more thing tonight. I know what most of you have learned. You must be ready to unlearn many things like this."

He bleated once and immediately a large back mound moved quickly down the hill. The scent of a bear was soon evident. The deer in front of them took off into the meadow with the exception of two. Young Claris and Stuben stood still in place seeming to invite death with Bambi and him. The bear stopped about five lengths away and looked at the two young deer.

"You did not run from me. That is foolish," he growled.

"From any other bear except you, yes," Young Claris said and actually smiled at the bear.

Stuben also smiled broadly. "Besides, if there is one thing I have learned, is that my Father and Bambi are not going to stand still and let a bear eat them. My Father told me stories about you. I know you are his friend. You are my friend if you wish it."

"Intelligent," the bear said with admiration. "Then again I do know your Fathers and your Father's Fathers. I am not displeased. I look forward to watching you make life better in the forest for all animals like Bambi and Stranger have done. All of you should go now. Perhaps we will meet again, but ask Stranger and Bambi before any of you come to see me."

The two of them left to join the others only now coming together on the other end of the meadow.

"I was right about your purpose here," the bear said with affection."You are here to teach others how to make life better in the forests. I wish I could do that."

"My friend, you just have," he said to the bear with his own smile.

With that the bear went back to his den and Bambi and he crossed the meadow to talk to the others. It was going to be a busy season.

The End

For Now

Final Author Note:
This is the fourth story in my retelling of the saga of the Stranger and his world. When I originally wrote these stories, I wrote six of them. Those stories were written when I was starting out. I have since improved my skills (I Hope) and decided I should retell my tale. There were also plot holes and mistakes in the original text that I felt should be corrected. Finally, I was also a little vague in some areas of the story which I hope I have now filled out. In any case, I have always believed as an engineer, that if you are going to put something out with your name on it (even a pseudonym name), you owe it to yourself and to any others who read it for that work to be the best product you can produce. This is what I have tried to do. I must be honest and say I am disappointed at the response, or lack of. One of the few ways I can judge my work is for peer review of it, and on these revised stories, I have gotten little. Yes, I know I am not writing in a popular fan fiction area. I know I am not writing in small easy to digest bits. I know I am giving you 40K word stories and asking you to read it. I have never believed in putting out unfinished product. I put out a story when it is done, not in tiny bits. In any case the response has been underwhelming at best. For this reason I am turning my attentions elsewhere. This will be the last of these revised stories for now. I will turn my attention to other areas of interest. I fully intent to rewrite the last two stories, but not for some time. Just when I cannot say, but certainly well after the first of the year. This is not a plea for comments, it is simply a statement of explanation. After I do finish the last two stories, I fully expect Wilber Arron to disappear from view as I work other paths. For those few of you who have commented on these and my other stories, my sincere thanks. For the rest of you, so be it.

Goodbye for now.

WA

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