The Stranger in the Forest

By

Wilber Arron

Scene 0: Introduction

This is a rewrite of my original story that hopefully takes out the problems encountered. I would like to appeal to my fellow readers, I could really use some comments on this story to let me know if you like it, hate it, or don't give a damn about it. I ask you to make these comments because I really need the guidance since I am still so new at this. For those of you who have not seen this story before I include part of the original introduction below. Thank you for any help you can give me.

Introduction

In his original story, Felix Salten set Bambi in the German woods and Bambi and his friends are roe deer. I am scrapping that idea and putting Bambi in as a North American Whitetail somewhere in the forest of the Southern USA. Time period is the 1930s to 1940s. There is no specific real place I have in mind for the story. It is a mix of locations I have visited during my life. I am doing this because I think most of my readers (assuming I get any) will be American and therefore might relate more to this setting then some story that took place in the late 1800s in a location that most likely got chopped down ages ago. In this story I am relining on both Walt Disney's story mixed with a lot with Salten's original work. His books were favorites of mine when I was between 6-10 years old. Whereas every kid in my generation saw Bambi the movie as they grew up, I doubt if many of us read the books. I am hoping the capture the flavor of both with this tale.

Chapter1: A Chance Meeting

The Stranger walked silently through the early spring forest. The ground was clear of snow and the first shoots of spring grass were coming through the light brown soil. That was a relief. Although there is usually little snow in these forests, it had been a bad winter with three major snow falls. The grass and leaves had died or been buried under so much snow, they were hard to get too. He looked at his long thin body covered in shaggy brown fur he was shedding. His heavy muscles usually bulging at the shoulders and neck were wasted; his weight was down, and he felt weak. He was still lucky; he had made it through the winter. Many of the deer and other animals had not. The forest was littered with their remains the scavengers had picked over. He looked through his deep recessed gray eyes at the meadow in front of him just now starting to turn from brown to green. Although he knew the killing did not take place until The Season, he was still reluctant to put himself in the open in the increasing light of a new day. He found a bare spot free of trees and pushing up new grass and warmed by the new day. He chewed it and swallowed it quickly. His stomach was delighted.

He looked around at this new place. He had come over the hills from another forest; another place he was not wanted. The other herd had not chased him out, he was far too strong for that, but the herd leader had asked him to leave. He was odd, he was different, he was The Stranger. As soon as the snow allowed him to pass over the hills, he left and came here to a whole new world. There were other deer here, he could smell them. There were also other animals like raccoons, possums, porcupines, bobcats, baggers and one or two large bears. Only the bears concerned him. They could easily kill him. The others he could deal with. He bent over and eagerly swallowed more of the first spring grass. He ate quickly, not wanting to stay in an unfamiliar place for a long time. He could chew his cud later.

After eating for sometime he felt satisfied. Getting his weight and strength back would be his first task. He was not going to let himself get run down by a black bear or slashed by some bobcat. As he was finishing, his nose caught the whiff of fur followed by the scent of a male deer. He lifted his head and turned his large body around in a snap. An equally large and imposing male deer walked into the small opening. He was about his height and built, but perhaps a bit larger. From the new bumps on his head he could tell the male have a large rack by the Season.

"Greetings," the male said in a deep powerful voice. "I am Bambi, the leader of this herd."

"You are very quiet," he answered studying the male carefully. They were still a long way from the time of the Season, so there was no need for fighting. Still that did not stop some deer from pushing their weight around.

"So are you, I almost did not hear you except for the chewing," Bambi said eyeing him carefully.

"It has been a hard winter," he went on. "I need to gain weight and strength before the bears decide they want to eat me."

Bambi shook his head no. "Not too many bears around here. Most have been killed by Man."

"All it takes is one and you end up in someone's stomach," he went on.

"True," Bambi said. "Still I have not seen you or smelled your scent in this forest before. Your scent is different, not like any deer in my herd."

"I come from over the hills and far away from there," he said.

Bambi still looked at him closely, sizing him up. He knew what Bambi was thinking; was he a threat? "You will be strong by the Season, will you challenge me?"

"No," he said flatly. "Most herd leaders I know usually end up inside Man-caves. Besides I do not need to be a leader to get my doe, they come to me during the Season. If someone challenges me for them, I may have to hurt a few of your herd males."

Bambi stepped back looking at him with a puzzled stare. "Man-caves?" Bambi repeated.

Did this herd leader not know about what Man did to them? "Places where Man lives," he explained. "They are like caves but larger and more comfortable. After they kill us, they cut off our heads, put them on wood, and they put them inside their caves. Then they eat the rest of us."

Bambi looked shocked, "How do you know this?"

He did not know why, but he felt compelled to answer the question. Something he usually didn't do. "I lost my mother when I was young, too young to live on my own. Before some fox, coyote, or the crows could find me, I was found by the keeper of my forest, He was a Man. He took me in and raised me with this own family. I learned many things living with Man. Most would disgust you as it did me. When I was old enough, I escaped to live on my own. I have been wandering ever since."

"You have no collar," Bambi added. "I knew a deer raised by Man. He wore a collar and thought Man was his friend. Man later killed him."

That sounded about right to him. "That is why they take us in so they can raise us until we are large and then kill us. I have no use for Man. In fact I hate Man."

"Hate is not the way either," Bambi said. "Are you planning on staying in this forest?"

"For a while at least," he answered. "Why, do you object?" Was he going to be told to leave this forest also?

"No," Bambi said quietly.

"Good," he said almost with relief. He wanted to walk away before Bambi reconsidered. "Perhaps we will see each other again," he said pleasantly. "Hopefully there will be plenty of food this season."

Bambi stood rock steady; he was not done with him. "Do you have a name?"Bambi asked.

"No," he said bowing his head. "My mother died before she could give me one, and I do not know who my father is. Most of the other deer simply call me The Stranger."

Bambi said nothing yet continued to study him carefully as if looking for something. "Are you alone?" Bambi continued.

"Yes," he answered almost with a moan. "I am always alone."

"That is not good," Bambi said with certainty. "We deer exist better in a herd where there are many to warn of danger. Alone you have no one to look out for you. Most deer do not live long when they are alone. You have done well to live this long."

He didn't ask for Bambi's approval. He stood up straight and looked directly into Bambi black eyes. "I am not so easy to kill," he said slowly and deliberately. He was starting to get tired of the questions.

Bambi seem to nod slightly. "I can see you are large and strong. You must also be very wary to have lived this long. My herd could use a strong male like you."

That was different, most places they were eager to get rid of him. "All the herds I ever tried to join wanted nothing to do with me," he told Bambi. "Besides, I will not go to a strange herd until my strength returns."

This time Bambi openly nodded his approval. "That is wise, Stranger. When you are ready, come visit my herd."

He had never been invited to a herd. This Bambi was different. He was not just a deer who kept his position through sheer strength, but with wisdom also. He was intrigued with the offer. "I will think about it," he said cautiously.

"Very well, Stranger, stay safe," Bambi said and started to walk away.

It was obviously Bambi was not repelled by him, nor was he afraid of him. He was not like the other herd leaders he knew. Maybe this place was different.

 

Chapter2: The Herd

It was late spring. The forest by now was in full bloom. The trees had their coverings of leaves; the bushes and grass were sprouting in abundance. There was food in plenty for all. By now he no longer resembled the haggard half emaciated deer that had come here at the end of winter. His summer coat was a dark hazel brown with a white ring on his long nose and a patch of white fur on this chest. His muscles were completely restored to full strength. Already his rack was growing in. It would be as big as it had been last year.

He walked to the edge of the meadow. Inside its large expanse, it was filled with the local herd. Males were congregated together in the meadow already mock sparing with each other. The females and new fawns were together mostly trying to stay out of the way of the antics of the males. He had deliberately stayed away from them up to now not wanting to meet the others until he was sure he was up to taking care of himself. The other reason he stayed away was because he wasn't sure if they would reject him as the others had done.

He tested the air with his nose. Flowers, deer, squirrels, raccoons and other familiar scents came to his attention. Not a trace of Man, yet he knew there was a herd of Man by the lake near the Man-cave the forest master lived in. That was far over the hills. The breeze was softly blowing into his face. The ground was still cool from the evening. There were no shrill noises or calls to warn of any danger. It all looked safe. As he studied the large herd below him, two things stood out. First, there was a young doe standing well away from the herd. She made no attempt to approach. That was odd, doe normally stayed together at this time of year. She was also without a fawn yet she looked old enough to have one. Second item was he saw Bambi along with a doe and young fawn enter from the woods. At once all the deer stood to attention. He must be the leader of the herd. That made him wondered if he should try and meet the herd now.

"Why not," he said to himself. After all, Bambi had invited him. Other than Bambi, he did not see a deer that looked strong enough to attack him.

He walked into the open of the meadow. Almost at once the males looked up to see him. He walked up toward them but stopped well short so they could study the new deer before them. He bent over and started to fill his stomach with the young spring tender grass. It tasted delicious. Although he did not look directly at the herd of male deer, he kept an eye on them. Sometimes strangers were attacked, but usually that was the job of the herd leader. He was sure Bambi saw him, but the herd leader didn't seem to care if he was here or not.

By and by one of the larger deer in the herd started to walk toward him cautiously. Body puffed up showing off his large muscles and growing rack. He approached him with his head down, but not in a threatening position. He was being cautious. He liked caution in deer, you tended to live longer. He went on eating until the deer was about three lengths away, then he stood up and faced him.

"Can I help you?" he asked the deer.

"I am Ronno," the deer said respectfully but firmly. "I have not seen you before. May I ask your name?"

At least he was polite. "Most call me Stranger. I really have no name of my own. My mother died before she could give me one."

"That is strange," Ronno said. "Are you going to join our herd? You must ask permission of the herd leader Bambi if you want to do so."

"I have already met Bambi," he told him. "No, I am not joining your herd" he said calmly. "In any case I do not seek permission from anyone to do anything I like. For now the grass is all I came for."

Ronno took a step back looking at him like he was something that had just fallen from the sky like rain. By now a younger deer, but one just as big as Ronno approached. This one was brasher, more assertive in his step. He had seen the type before, a young male trying to prove his place in the herd. "I say there, you are not polite," he said harshly. "This meadow is for our use only; we did not give you permission to enter."

He got up and turned facing the new arrival, his gray eyes squarely fixed on the white and brown spotted face. "I did not ask permission from you or anyone else to come here, and this meadow belongs to all the creatures in the forest. It is you who are being rude and not me. Now go away and have your mother teach you some manners."

Without a word, the male lowered his head and charged forward, forgetting his antlers were only partly grown and covered in a sensitive and thin coating of velvet. He stood there motionless not even bothering to put his head down. It looked to all he was going to let the charging male have an open lunge at his chest. He waited until the male was four lengths from him and then he jumped right, planting his front feet hard in the dirt and bringing his rear legs around catching the male at his knees in mid-charge. The other male did not have time to react. He tripped, fell forward with a crash, and buried his face in the dirt. As the male tried to get up, he leaped over, and again planting his front legs firmly, he kicked the side of the male deer hard with both rear hoofs. The male toppled over on his side like an old tree falling over. He moved quickly in front of the now struggling deer. This time he planted his back feet and brought his right front leg up to catch the deer in the face. That knocked him senseless to the ground. In an instant he was on him planting his right hoof squarely on the neck of the down deer.

"Listen fawn," he growled, "I do not like rude deer with more brashness than sense. I can kill you now easily, and it will not bother me a bit. Now leave me alone and go away, before I scatter your body across the meadow."

With that he took his hoof off the neck of the down deer that was glaring at him wide-eyed with terror. He quickly backed up two full lengths and then let the down deer get up slowly. As he staggered to his feet, he caught his balance, and in seconds darted across the meadow into the forest his voice bleating in fear. He turned and faced Ronno again who went into a defensive stance, head down.

"I will cause you no trouble unless you start it," he said calmly and once again tried to appear like a seemingly normal deer. "You were at least polite, unlike that thing," and motioned his head toward the fleeing male.

Ronno just shook his head in bewilderment. "I never saw a deer fight like that."

"I know," he said. He then glanced at the approach of an even larger deer, but this deer held his head up high. This one wasn't looking for a fight, but he was not afraid of one either.

"Greeting, Bambi," he said and dipped his head in respect. "I am sorry if I caused any trouble." He noted the doe and fawn had stopped about ten lengths away. No doubt they did not trust him. Again caution and wisdom was showing in this herd.

"There is no trouble," Bambi uttered in a normal voice. "Kragus has been pushing his weight around the herd. Either I or one of the larger males would have needed to put him in his place soon. You just did it first. What I want to do is to ask is if you wanted to join the herd. You are big, you are strong, you fight well, but strangely, and you do not seem to be a bully."

"I try not to be," he answered. "No Bambi, I have no interest in the herd, they are yours. I prefer to live alone. It works better that way for me."

"Suit yourself," Bambi said looking back at the doe and fawn.

"Yours?" he asked.

"Faline, my mate and Veron, my youngest son," Bambi said almost in passing

"You may tell them they can approach me if they want. I do not attack doe and I never strike a fawn. They are safe with me."

Bambi nodded his head in appreciation. "Thank you. May I ask where you learned to fight like that?"

"While living with Man," he replied. "Man taught me many things. Most of them would sicken you. A few things like my fighting can be of use at times.

Bambi and Ronno said nothing for a second. He was sure they did not believe him. Finally Ronno said, "You are very, very strange."

"Yes I know," he repeated.

Bambi motioned to the doe standing alone in the meadow "That is Claris. She is another strange one like you," Bambi said sounding regretful. "She told me she does not like the company of other deer. Last Season was her first and she took up with no male and had no fawn this spring. She said she just wasn't interested. I was thinking maybe you should talk to her. I think you may be alike."

"Strange like me," he answered and looked the doe over carefully. "She is not a bad looking doe."

He wondered what Bambi was getting at. Herd leaders care nothing about who talks to whom unless it is to their own doe. Her behavior was not normal, but then neither was his. That intrigued him and raised his interest. Still what did he have to lose by talking to her? "Very well I will go over and introduce myself."

Bambi nodded his approval.

"Good luck," Ronno said shaking his head. "Most of the males in this herd tried to do that. They all have sore sides from being kicked."

"That is also interesting," he said. "I bid you both good day," he told them and walked away toward the doe.

She certainly was not a bad looking doe. She was not sleek, with a shinny coat, or perfectly shaped body like Faline. She was shapely, had a beautiful face, and a bushy white tail. Her legs were larger than most doe and more heavily muscled. She looked fast, hard, and ready to run or fight.

It was the way she stood that he noticed first. Most doe are timid and shy away from the males. The way she stood, it looked as if she didn't care what others did and that is what drew his attention. He liked that. Most deer were herd creatures, or at the very least liked being around other deer. The moved with each other, ate with each other, fought with each other, and thought like each other. The only exception was during the Season when tempers and feelings got the better of them all.

He walked slowly toward her and stopped about five lengths away. She continued eating, but he could clearly see she had her eyes on him."Greetings," he said. "The others told me I should not try and talk to you if I did not want to be kicked in the side."

She raised her head and turned to fully face him. "That is good advice," she said looking him over carefully. Her voice was smooth, yet slightly aggressive. She was concerned about him standing there, but she didn't look afraid. "Most of those males in the herd I have kicked to keep them away. They do not interest me. They are all alike. You I can see are different. Bambi already told me there was a new deer in the forest. A strange deer, like me. Your scent tells me you are the new deer. I can see you are strong and fight well," she told him while carefully studying him. Then after she had a thorough look at him she added, "The others pay me no mind, why should you?"

"Direct and to the point like Bambi; not your typical doe," he thought. "That is true," he replied. "You see I do not care what others think of me either." He paused before adding, "I think you are the same way. For a doe, that is very unusual and I was curious."

"Along with being cautious," she said noting the distance between them.

"May I get closer?" he asked?

"As long as you do not try to do anything else except talk," she said and seemed to relax a bit.

He slowly walked up until they were separated only by a length. He brought his head down as not to look too pretentions. "Thank you," he said. "If I may ask, why you do like to be alone?"

She snapped back, "I do not like being around the other deer, they dislike me. I think it is my scent they dislike." Then she looked him over carefully again. "Why do you like being alone?"

Again she was forceful and direct. It then occurred to him she spoke more like a herd male rather than a doe. He gave pause before he answered taking in a deep breath through his nose. It was filled with her sent that smelled like thick black soil. "Like you most deer do not care for me; I am too different from the rest. I was raised much differently than the others. I do not wish to bore you with the story however. By the way, I think you smell fine."

She actually seemed to smile. It was then he noticed her green eyes, they almost glowed even in the daylight."I have time," she said

He was just about to speak when suddenly the forest was filled with two loud thunder claps. The vibration shook the trees and the ground under him. The noises were distant, yet close enough to be dangerous. He knew it was the sound of the killing sticks of Man.

Chapter 3: Starting Point

"Come with me!" he barked and starting running toward the closest part of the forest. An instant later Claris was right behind him. She was running as fast as he was. He glanced into the meadow, Bambi was already telling the others to get out of the open. They were all making for the cover of the forest. The two of them bounded six times before they made the closest line of young Oak trees. He wanted to go still deeper into the cover of the forest. He knew their only protection against Man and his killing sticks was the concealment of the deep forest. He ran dodging around the tress until he could see no sign of the meadow in the distance. He saw a thin spot of trees where some thick bushes were growing underneath. He stopped behind the green brush to let him and Claris catch their breaths.

After he stopped he breathed in the cool air until he felt better. He then turned back to Claris who was now standing only half a length away. "Are you alright?" he asked trying to sound concerned.

She nodded and then spoke while trying to breathe in, "Were you hit?"

"No, I do not think Man was after us today. He has other creatures he uses his death stick on. He has one death stick to kill birds, one to take fish out of the water, one to kill smaller animals, and the biggest one to kill us. The noise was too far away to be for us. Besides, if Man wanted to kill us, at least one of us would be lying dead in the meadow and I saw no one hit."

"You think it is safe to go back?" she asked.

"I am not sure," he said looking back the way they came. "I would not go now. It is safer to wait for dark. Man does not like going out into the forest after dark."

She eyed him curiously as if she was suddenly not sure about him. "You seem to know a lot about Man," she said.

"Before we got interrupted, that was part of the story I did not want to bore you with," he told her.

"Well we have time now," she said and got down on her knees to lie down and rest.

He lay down near her but not next to her, as he didn't want to seem too forward. "As you wish," he said. Then he did something he had never done before in his life. He told her his whole story. By the time he was done, and answered all the questions she asked, they both were tired and both of them went to sleep.

It was night when he awoke. He was hungry, thirsty, yet he felt warm and comfortable inside. It took him a second to realize he felt warm because Claris was lying against his side. She must have moved closer to him for comfort while he was sleeping. It was a new feeling for him to lie next to a doe. He felt a liking for this doe, something also he never felt before. During the past Seasons doe had approached him and he had bred them. Usually that only consisted of a few moments of coupling, grunting, and then a rush outward of himself into the doe. Following that the doe went one way, and he went another. His part of the Season was done. Although he felt a base pleasure in having coupled with the doe, he never felt the inward warmth he did now. He wasn't sure what to say or feel. He also felt inward pressure from his rear.

He got up slowly as not to disturb her and moved away to an empty part of the forest many lengths away from where he lay. There he passed what was inside him. He then moved back to the clearing and saw Claris was gone. For a few seconds he wondered why she had left, before she appeared gliding silently into the clearing from the forest. From the strong scent in the air he realized she had done likewise and yet the odor was different. The scent was like what a doe gives off when the Season was near, yet they were still a long way from that time.

"I am . . . am sorry," she said stammering. She dropped her heard in shame. She was embarrassed about the scent she gave off.

He walked quickly over to her and lifted her head with his until he could look into those deep green eyes. "You do not have to be sorry," he said showing affection. "I like the feeling of you next to me, I like the scent of your body, and I like you. Thank you for listening to my story. You are the first one I ever told it to. I hope I did not bore you or scare you with it."

"Did all of that really happen to you?" she asked.

Yes," he said knowing his tale was a bit much. "It is the truth as best as I know it. Does it make you frighten of me?"

"No, I am not frighten of you," she answered immediately. "If all of that happened to you, I feel more sorrow for you than fear. I also understand why you are so strange." Then she stopped for a second as if unsure about what she wanted to say. "You are not like the others. No male has ever said he liked me. I think that is because like you I am so different. Stranger, I like you too," she said and rubbed her muzzle against his returning his show of affection.

He was taken back for a second. No doe had ever done that. He wasn't sure what to say. He finally stammered out a simple, "Thank you."

"I did not mean . . ." she said and then trailed off.

He hoped he hadn't put her off for some reason. He wanted to change the subject. "If I may ask you a question, what did Bambi tell you about me?" He was curious about why Bambi looked to be so interested in getting them together.

"He told me you were strange, and not like the other deer in the herd. He told me I might not feel the dislike for you the way I feel about the other males. Then he said I should listen to you." She then stopped for a moment before adding, "I am glad I did."

Again he wondered why Bambi should care. "Does Bambi often do this?"

"I do not know," Claris said. "I do know Bambi is one of the few deer who will talk to me. I found him to be strong and wise like his father the Old Prince. My mother told me that Bambi's father was the wisest deer that ever lived before he passed on. Bambi is like his father."

'Interesting," he muttered. "This is certainly a different type of herd."

Claris looked up at the dark sky. "We should be getting back. Not that anyone would care if we came back or not."

"I do not know, maybe Bambi or Ronno might care, but I doubt if anyone else would," he said grimly. "I will follow you this time."

Claris knew the woods better than he having lived here all her life. He followed her back, but she did not go the way they had come. She followed a path around the meadow, yet still deep enough in the forest that no one could see them from the large clearing. She took him around huge oak trees. Around them he heard the sounds of the forest: ferrets sneaking through the grass, mice scampering about, the sounds of crickets and frogs, birds above them, and screeching of the bats. All hunting for food while trying not to become food. That was the Way of All Things; all became food in the end.

"Hooo," he heard from above. He looked up and saw a great owl looking down at him. He was old, grey, had a pale face, with wide gray eyes. His feathers were ragged and white with age.

"Hello Friend Owl," Claris said looking up at the darken shape.

"I see you are both alive," the owl said looking them over carefully as if not believing it. "Bambi was concerned." His voice was high pitch almost like a scream.

"Thank you," Claris replied. "Where is he now?"

"Him, Faline and Veron are all by the stream with some of the other deer. I sure he won't mind if you both show up."

"Is Kragus among them?" he wanted to know. He had his fill of fighting for one day.

"No one has seen that deer since you wiped his face in the ground," the owl went on. "I'd be careful about him, Stranger. Kragus has a mean streak as wide as the meadow. I would not turn my back on him."

"I do not intend to," he said. "However, if he leaves me alone, I will do likewise."

The owl seemed to shrug his wings. "We can only see what happens. In the meantime, please excuse me. The mice will not catch themselves," the owl said and flapped his wings. He was gone as silent as a light breeze.

He followed Claris for a while before they came across a small brook. The frogs were especially noisy here. They both stopped and drank their fill of the cool water. They also stopped to nibble on some plants. That got rid of his immediate hunger. They followed the stream until his nose picked up the scent of several deer. As they got closer he could see the outlines of Bambi next to Faline and Vernon in the glow of the lesser light. Ronno was standing in the rear. While they were still many lengths away, Bambi tuned and faced them.

"Well, well you both managed to live through it," he said and seemed happy about it.

"Thanks to our Stranger," Claris said.

By now the other deer there: a collection of three males, several females, and their fawns were pulling back away from them, as if they had some illness they could all catch. They wanted nothing to do with either of them. He was sure Claris noticed it too. By now he was use to it, but other than being different, neither of them had done anything to deserve such scorn.

He walked over to Bambi who stood his ground like a rock. "Today Man was not after us," he told him.

"I know," Bambi said. "Do you think it will be safe in the meadow tomorrow?"

"It is not the Season yet," he answered looking into that hard yet calm face. "Man usually waits for the Season to come for us. It is something about our racks, he wants. He wants them full and at their peak and that happens only during or after the Season. To be certain, I would suggest we all go into the meadow now and feed. If we are in the forest when the day comes, Man will have nothing to see. He has a much harder time finding us if we are not out in the open. That is why he uses dogs. They can smell us, Man cannot."

"How can you know anything of this?" one of the males called out. "How can you know about Man?"

Claris turned about sharply. "He knows that and a lot more," she rebuked the male. "If you listen to him maybe you might live longer."

In his entire life, that was the first time anyone ever stood up for him. He suddenly felt the same warm glow inside himself that he felt earlier when she lay next to him. The male did not like be dressed down by a doe and started to rise up. He turned quickly and stepped forward, his side rubbing against hers.

"NO!" he said flatly.

He looked deep into the eyes of the male who was smaller and weaker than him. The male backed away and into the cover of the forest. He then looked down into Claris' green eyes and openly smiled. "Thank you," he said.

She said nothing only rubbed her muzzle against his. The warm feeling suddenly got much stronger.

"He told me part of his story," Bambi said loudly to get everyone's attention. "I believe him and will follow his advice. We will feed now and leave for the forest before the start of the day."

With that Bambi lead the way. He and Claris stayed behind until the others had moved into the meadow. They followed and stopped near a place covered with a rich layer of grass. When they bent over to feed, the other deer moved away. They ate alone and in silence. After they had their fill, Bambi came over to them.

"I am sorry about the others," he said.

"It is their fault, not yours." he told Bambi.

"It is still rude," Bambi went on. "Even Faline is uncomfortable around you both."

What was there to do? Even Bambi could not change what others felt. It was then he recalled what Claris had told him about Bambi and his father. Maybe he had an answer to his question. He wanted to ask then, but was afraid others would laugh at him if they heard it. "May I speak to you alone," he asked the large deer.

Bambi seemed puzzled at his request but walked away and motioned him to follow. "I will be back shortly," he told Claris who also seem puzzled.

He followed the large deer to the end of the meadow before he stopped. "We are alone," he said still wondering what he wanted to say.

"I cannot say what I am about to tell you in front of Claris or any of the other doe. I am ashamed of this, but you must know if you are going to allow me to stay here."

"You do not owe me any explanation," Bambi said in a friendly tone. "I can see into you. Yes, you are strange, but you are also good, despite the deep hurt you carry inside you."

"That comes close to the matter," he went on. "Bambi, in all my wandering, I have never had anyone close to me. I lived apart, only taking part in the Season because something inside me told me I had to. I could not control it Yes I enjoyed it. I chased them and fought the other males who wanted them. I won most of the fights I was in. I lost a few, especially when I was younger."

He stopped for a second, he was having trouble saying this and his chest was tightening up. "Go on," Bambi encouraged.

"With the doe it was always just the feeling of the Season. None of them ever followed me around. None of them had the slightest interest in me afterwards. I never had any of them who cared for me like Faline cares for you. It is easy to see you both feel for each other. No one ever tried to say they cared for me until today, and I do not know what to do. I am also frightened that I will do the wrong thing. You see I did not grow up among my kind like you did. I had to learn as an adult what a deer was: how we spoke, how we lived, what we ate, how we even breed. You are the herd leader. I hear you are wise like your father. What do I need to do? How should I act?"

For moments Bambi looked at him stunned. He wondered if Bambi even understood what he was saying. How could he? How can any deer feel like he did?

Bambi stood there motionless for what felt to be a long while. Then he said in a hushed tone, "My father once told me there was One above us and Man. That One put you here for a reason, but what that reason is, I do not know. There is nothing wrong with you. You grew up your way. I grew up my way. I had my troubles growing up too. My father had to raise me after my mother was killed in a meadow like this. I was awkward, I was slow, Ronno kicked me around a few times before I finally put him in his place when I took Faline. I did not think about it with Faline. I let it happen. That is my advice, let it happen and enjoy what you have together."

All he could do was nod. Had this deer finally understood him? Most deer just jump around, eat, and play. He felt there was more to his place in the world than that, and maybe so did Bambi.

"Thank you for telling me this. It explains much," Bambi said and rubbed his own flank against his in a show of friendship. Bambi looked at the increasing light. "We need to leave in case Man comes back."

"Agreed," he said.

"Bambi barked out a deep loud command to the herd. "Go into the forest now."

He trotted back to Claris who was standing next to Faline saying something. As soon as he approached, Claris broke off whatever she was saying and came after him. Once they passed into the forest and they were alone he stopped and looked back. "Will you come with me?"

She seemed shocked for some reason. "No, not now," she said turning away. "It is still too soon. I have to know you better before I will do that."

He felt deflated, but then he remembered the words 'let it happen.' She was right' they had half a day and a night together. More time was needed.

"I understand," he said in a low voice. "Can I at least see you again on the meadow or in the forest?"

She turned and walked up to him again and muzzled him on his lips. "Of course you can," she told him in a soft airy tone that brought back that warm feeling.

She turned away and quickly vanished into the trees.

He wanted to follow in the worse way. His body urged him on, but instead he turned around and walked the other way toward the nearby hills. There would be other days.

Chapter 4: Man Path

It was only a few days after his first day with Claris that it started. The herd was feeding in the meadow near the start of day. By now the grass was at its full and would be this way until after the start of the Season. Eating your fill was easy, and all the deer and other animals were putting on weight and muscle. The heat had increased. It was hot in the open when the greater light was overhead. To go into the open even for a short while meant your body was covered with sweat. It was best to spend the days under cover in the trees and come out only in the cool of the evening and early light.

Most of his visits with Claris took place in the meadow. They kept to the far end away from the others who ate by the stream. After dawn she would go back to her place in the forest and he would go to his. They had just finishing eating when suddenly there was a huge roar. Much louder than the Man killing stick. Much louder than anything he ever heard. The whole world shook with the noise. He saw trees in the distance start to fall down. A column of smoke rose as if from a fire. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. Instantly birds took off into the sky. Squirrels and other tree animals scurried up the branches to the top. Even Friend Owl was shaken from his new sleep and he flew deep in the forest. The noise almost knocked him off his feet. He was paralyzed for a moment along with all the other deer. Then he smelled it on the wind. Acrid, putrid like spoiled fruit. He knew the scent.

He turned and faced the herd some only now getting to their feet. "Man," he bellowed out as loud as he could. He turned to Claris. "Run," he yelled. She took to her heels running like a bear was after her. He ran after her slowly gaining. She slowed to turn her head.

"Do not look back," he yelled out loud enough to be heard across the meadow. She dug in her heels and ran even faster. She was first in the trees, he was right behind her. They both ran as fast as they could until they reached the place they had run to the first day he met her. She stopped and fell sprawling on the ground. He was standing next to her, head down panting, trying to get air into him. There was soon another huge roar, and another one like the first. The ground, trees, and even the rocks were shaking. He thought it might be the end for all of them. He could see even more smoke in the sky. Then he smelled the scent of burning wood. There was fire in the forest. Claris smelled it too.

"What do we do?" she tried to say through her wheezing.

"If the fire smell gets stronger, we will have to flee deeper into the forest toward the hills," he panted.

"I have never been that deep in the forest," she said looking scared."Are we going to die?"

"Not now we are not," he said to reassure her. "What happens later, I do not know. If there are more huge roars the whole world may end."

"Then I am glad I am with you," she said. Then she looked away toward the far end of the now hidden meadow. "I hope the others are alright."

"Bambi is wise, he will guide them. For now rest," he said and lay down beside her. "Try not to sleep, but keep your nose in the air. At the first scent of Man we run into the deep forest as fast and as far as we can. Do not look back after me. I will be alright."

"No," she told him."I go with you."

They lay awake until the greater light was directly overhead. There were no more loud roars. Soon he could hear the birds again, and saw the raccoons and possums come down from the trees. Even the insects came back to buzz around their ears. Then there was another noise, not as loud as the roar, but constant like a huge animal growling about looking for food. The noise did not get louder and the scent of Man did not get stronger. Soon even the smoke smell vanished. Both of them spent the time chewing their cud from this morning. After that they were both so tired they could not hold their heads up any more and they lay on the ground asleep. After the setting of the greater light, the growling stopped. All was quiet once more in the forest.

It was near dark when they woke. After they relieved themselves, they started back toward the other side of the meadow where they had met Bambi before. The air was still and no scent could he smell other than those familiar to him. A possum mother carrying four babies asked if they knew what was happening. He had to tell her no. Claris made for the big oak tree and the owl. Maybe he would know. He was there looking like he was waiting for them."

"Greetings Friend Owl," Claris said again. "You know what is happening?"

"Never in all my days have I seen anything like it. Huge animals are at the edge of the meadow. They seem to be eating rock, dirt, and trees. Men are with them in fact Men seem to be in them.

"These creatures are eating Man?" he asked. That made no sense to him. Man only ate, he was never eaten.

"No, no," the owl said with a hoot. "They seem to be getting in and out of the huge animals."

He nodded, that was familiar. "Yes, I have seen that before. Man has some animals that move. Men get in and out of them, but they are not eaten. I saw it, but never understood how."

He could see the owl has no idea what he was talking about. The owl listened then spoke out. "Bambi has called for a gathering in the deep thicket. He wants to see you. He even asked me to come."

"I do not know this place," he told the owl.

"I do" Claris, cut in. "I will take you, but I do not think they will be happy to see us."

"Bambi will be happy," the owl said poignantly, "and so will I. I cannot be expected to know everything that happens."

"Lead on," he said to Claris and the owl." Inwardly he had a bad feeling about this.

The trip to the deep thicket took until the lesser light was high in the sky. The thicket was much smaller than the meadow and it was crowded with deer, rabbits, raccoons, possums, and a collection of the other forest creatures.

"I brought them," the owl called out from above. "I brought the Stranger and Claris."

"Come forward," Bambi called to them. "They both walked close together through the herd. He saw the look on their faces that ranged from disapproval to disgust. The deer parted around them like they did not even want to be touched by them. He took a deep breath and kept reminding himself they were here for Bambi and only for Bambi. Claris walked straight ahead not turning to face any of them. They walked up and both dipped their heads as a show of respect for the herd leader.

Bambi stepped out into the middle of the group and spoke loudly. "I know what you think of these two, now we need them because there is a great question to be answered. That question is can we go back to the meadow?"

"Why is that a concern?" one of the larger males called out. "We have plenty of food in the forest. We can eat that."

"And what of the snow," Bambi added. "We eat the meadow grass because it is in great supply in the summer until it is covered by the snow, or dies in the winter. Then we eat the grass in the forest because the snow does not cover it as deep. If we eat that grass now, what do we eat when the snow comes?"

Distant murmuring came from the others. Most did not think that far ahead. "No we need the meadow grass and we need it soon. We have to know if the meadow is safe."

"Why not ask the Stanger and his doe" he heard Kragus called from the back. "We can send them out to talk to their friend Man."

He bit his tongue and took another deep breath. He was going to say something, but Bambi beat him to it."Enough Kragus, if you have nothing useful to say then keep quiet."

Then he understood what to do. There was a way to know if the meadow was safe. It might be dangerous, but the others would know one way or the other.

"I must disagree, Bambi," he said respectfully. "Kragus is right, we might need to ask Man or find out from him the answer."

All of them, even Claris, looked at him as if he finally lost his head completely. There were gasps, moans and looks of utter astonishment from the others at his words. He tried to explain. "The only way to know is to go out and look. If these animals are like the others I have seen around Man, if Man is not in them, they do not move. If so, we can use the meadow when Man is not there and that is at night."

"And are you just going to walk out there and ask Man?" Kragus' voice cracked again not even trying to hide his contempt. "Do you want to die, not that I care one bit?"

Claris walked up to him," NO!" she said simply, her eyes getting cloudy.

"No I do not want to die," he said keeping the coldness in his stomach at bay. "Not now at anyway," he said looking squarely at Claris "However if we eat the forest grass now, then many of us will be dead before next spring."

The thicket became as quiet as death. Nothing move or tried to speak. He then stood in the center next to Bambi. "I will need help however. Friend Owl I need your night vision from above to watch for movement of the Man animals. I will need someone to help and to act as a messenger if something happens to me. What about it Kragus, do you want come with me? You are big and brave, care to show it?"

Again there was dead silence from everyone. All turned to the brash young male halfway back in the pack. Finally the big deer backed away. "I am going to die some day, but I see no reason to charge headlong to meet it. I will not go with you."

"Did not think so," he muttered. Bambi heard him turned and smiled. Then he looked directly at him and said. "I will go with you."

A chorus of Nos filled the thicket like the roar this morning. The loudest shout coming from Faline, her normally smooth voice was a shrill as the owl's.

He looked directly at Bambi. "No, if anything happens to you, who leads the herd? You want Kragus as leader?

Bambi smiled and shook his head no. "Ronno can lead until my older son Geno is ready. Besides if we can no longer use the meadow the herd will need to break up to have any chance to live through the snow."

"I will go with you," the old owl called down. "I will fly above the end of the meadow. If I see the Man animals move, I will shriek twice."

That was something, but risking both of them could lead to much death for the herd. Why he cared about them he did not know, but he did. He wanted them and Claris safe and the only way to do that was to go out and see. He saw the old owl leave for the meadow. He walked quickly past the others, down the stream and to the edge of the meadow. Bambi was near him and walked in silence. None of the others came with them except Faline and Claris. Faline left Veron with an old doe in the thicket. The two doe were braver than most of the males.

He looked at the open expanse of the meadow. It was dark on the other side. It was hard to see if anything was moving. He could see owl circle overhead, so far silent. He looked at Bambi. "I think we circle around near the tress on the other side of the meadow. If we can get within several lengths of the Man-animals and they do not move, then it should be safe to use the meadow."

"Yes," Bambi said.

By now both Faline and Claris were standing there. The fear was evident in their faces. What could he say at this point except, "let us go, the day is coming soon. "Then he turned back to the doe. "You two go back."

At least neither Faline, nor Claris made a fuss despite both knowing what might happen. He was glad of that. Both Bambi and he moved out close to the trees picking their way carefully along the ground. Both of them moved quietly as shadows. They were walking at a normal pace picking carefully along the ground as not to make a sound. It took them some time to move around to the other side of the meadow.

Nothing he heard. The air was filled with scents. A light putrid order filled the meadow. Nothing he detected that smelled strongly of Man. Soon they got so close he could see the large animals. One was half as big as a tree. The tall one had a huge claw that seemed to stick out to grab things. The other was shorter and had some bone or heavy skin in the front that looked like a large turtle. These were not the same animals he saw when he lived with Man. The animals at the Man cave he grew up at were smaller and less threatening. They got halfway down the meadow with nothing more to see. Owl was overhead, still quiet. He motioned Bambi to go into the trees with him. Once they gone a few lengths into the woods they stopped.

"I go on alone from here," he whispered to Bambi. "If you see me fall, stay in the trees and get back to the others. They should not see you here."

"Very well," Bambi said.

With that he moved out into the open. It was quiet. The forest noise was much lower than usual. The loud noise had scared off some of the animals. It made the other noises stand out. He watched his footing carefully. This far out there was no twigs from the forest to break to give him away. He crept in closer to the end of the meadow. The animals had not moved. The only thing he felt was wetness on his feet from the dew.

No scent came to him other than fresh earth and grass. No animal smells. Then he smelled it, a trace of smoke, but he did not see from where. He crept in closer. There was a rush of air by his left ear. He froze instinctively.

"Nothing," came the voice from the old owl as he flew past.

The ground in front of him was torn up. He saw an opening in the forest. Someone had pulled all the trees up to leave the ground bear making an open path through the forest that was so wide that the whole herd could travel on it at one time. The torn up earth extended to the edge of the meadow, He knew there was a small spring there that flowed into the stream. It looked like they were piling dirt up around the edge of the meadow. There were also some tall thin trees without any branches or leaves sticking out of the ground.

Just then he caught the first glimmer of the greater light off in the distance. He saw and heard nothing, all was still. They must see him. The Man animals were either dead or sleeping. It was time for him to go. There was nothing moving around here. It looked safe. He turned to walk away. An instant later he saw light at his feet. He looked back and saw two large glowing eyes moving through the new path in the trees toward him. This was followed by two shrieks from the owl. They were after him; he ran.

It was not very far to the trees. He ran into them as the glowing eyes came up between the trees toward him. He ran along the side of the meadow just inside the trees. He finally got to where he had left Bambi. It was there he stopped to catch his breath. He looked around. He smelled Bambi, but did not see him. Then he heard leaves move from nearby branches

"You are alive," he said with relief "I thought that creature was after you."

He looked back at the end of the meadow. The two eyes stopped next to the two Man animals. The eyes suddenly dimmed and from the side out came four Men. They walked over to the animals.

"Like the animals I saw among Man," he told Bambi. "They came at the start of day. Before that the animals were cold and not moving. That means they move only with Men in them. They will only work during the light. We can use the meadow at night."

Almost at once there were glowing eyes from the two Man animals as they began to move. "We need to go," Bambi said.

"Slow," he said. "They do not seem to be coming after us."

It was fully light before they reach the stream and followed it back to the thicket. There were a few others there. Before they could get within several lengths of the thicket both Faline and Claris rush out and almost knocked him and Bambi to the ground.

"You are both alive," the two doe squealed in happiness. Faline then yelled out, "We saw the eyes come closer and the Man animals start to move and thought they killed you."

"They came after Stranger, but he got away," Bambi explained.

The light was full, the Man-animals were roaring in their work. He was tired and it was a long walk back to his place.

"I am going to sleep near here for today," he told the others.

"Down the stream past the pond is a small cave. That is where Faline and I sleep. Across the stream there is a small opening in the forest. No one uses it anymore. You can sleep there."

"Thank you" he said and walked wearily toward the opening with Bambi and Faline. "His heart was still pounding from fright and running. He was soaked with sweat even though it had been at night. It was then he noticed he was not alone. Claris always walked away at early light toward a small grove of trees where she slept alone during the day.

"Why are you not going home to sleep?" he asked.

"I am going home to sleep," she said then added almost as an afterthought, "with you."

Bambi and Faline said nothing but looked straight ahead suppressing smiles.

This might have been worth it after all.

Chapter 5: Promises

The growling noises from the Man animals continue for several days and then stopped as suddenly as it had started. When they looked at night, the large Man animals had gone leaving the forest in peace. The Man path through the opening in the trees was still there along with fresh dirt that was piled around the small spring. Other than the fading scent of Man and his animals, everything looked back to normal. None of them knew where Man had gone.

The herd returned to its former habit of eating in the meadow until first light and then leaving for the forest. The one bad change to their lives was that a large black bear had come down from the hills. He chased a couple of the doe and some fawns, but could not catch them because the herd kept watch and warnings were given. The bear for now was content to eat the berries, nuts, and leaves from the forest. Both Bambi and he knew if the bear ever caught a deer, it be the end of them.

Another change had occurred within the herd; they seem now to tolerate Claris and him more. Whether it was because of their friendship with Bambi and Faline, or what had happened on the meadow that night, he did not know. They were still not welcomed by the entire herd, but at least a few of the herd males and doe didn't move away when they entered the meadow to feed. There was also a change with Krakus. He was ignored by an increasing number of deer. Many of the males and most of the females wanted nothing to do with him. On more than one occasion he could almost feel Krakus' eyes burning through him as Claris and he fed at night.

How long into summer this continued he did not know. After feeding and drinking, both Claris and he lay in the same place near Bambi's cave. If Bambi and Faline minded their presence, they said nothing. It also allowed Claris to mind Veron when Faline and Bambi were away. He was growing into a small buck. Very often he lower his head and try to make charges at him. This was fawn play and he did not take it seriously, but he did push back and so did Bambi when Veron tried mock combat with him. It was how male fawns learned to fight and more importantly, learned their place in the herd. He could see Veron would not be a large deer like his father, but his body was compact with heavy muscles. He was very powerful for someone his size and age. Minding him also had the effect of Claris and Faline becoming closer to each other.

It was on the morning he first noticed his velvet was starting to itch, a sure sign the Season was approaching, that they heard it.

"Krack," it sounded followed by two more in quick succession.

They were startled awake by the loud noise that clearly came from the meadow. It was not as loud as when the Man animals had appeared, but it was loud and sharp and he knew at once what it meant. He shot upward from his glade startling Claris who got up quickly beside him. He looked across the stream and saw Bambi and Faline in front of their cave with Veron standing behind. Both Claris and he waded across the stream and stood next to them.

"Man?" was all Bambi asked.

"Yes," he answered. "It is still early, our antlers are still not out and the Season is not here."

Three more loud bangs followed. "Any deer on the meadow?" he asked Bambi.

"No," he answered calmly. "They all left when we did at the start of day. That is unless someone was stupid enough to go back."

He shook his head knowing if any did go back they were probably already dead. "If they did there is nothing we can do," he said. "If we went now, they see us for sure, and then we be next."

Then they all heard it, a yelping noise carried on the wind from the meadow. He could just make it out. "Here….Here," it called out."

"Dogs," Faline gasped and sunk back into the cave next to Veron. Her cheeks turned white as snow.

Both Claris and he looked at Bambi who was also shaken. "Back with our first herd, Faline was chased by dogs. I stopped them," he sounded as if he was in pain. "It was the same time I was hit, by Man," and motioned to his right hindquarter. He had noted the scar there before, but never felt it was his business to ask the cause.

"We should wait until dark," he suggested. "Man will leave by then."

Bambi turned silently and went back into his cave. Claris and he turned and went back to the glade. He heard Bambi reassure Faline, "They are not coming here." he told her gently.

Claris went back to their bed of dry leave and lay down. "Will they come here?" she asked him, she was also afraid.

"I do not know," he whispered as he lay besides her gently licking her ear with his tongue. "Now sleep, the night may be long."

No one wanted to go anywhere near the meadow and he could not blame them. Both he and Bambi decided they would go and see if the meadow was safe after dark. As they got closer their noses alerted them to danger. The air was filled with smoke, only this was not just the smoke from fire. The scent carried another smell, one of birds, but the birds smelled burnt. He remembered from his time with Man that they put meat from animals they killed on fire for some reason. Man liked his meat burnt. He had no idea why. The fox, coyote, bear and badger all ate their meat as soon as they killed it. They never burnt it.