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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Fairy Tales & Fantasy
- Subject: Serial / Series
- Published: 05/08/2018
The Way of the Forest Part 4
Born 1956, M, from Orlando/FL, United StatesCHAPTER SEVEN: PARTNERS
It was tense on the meadow.
Bambi stood at the edge of the open field and watched the other deer of his herd. Before the fight, the deer were talking to each other, running around playing, males sparred with each other, and the deer mixed easily. Now the deer ate quietly, only the fawns were playing, hardly any sparring went on, and the deer stayed in their places. Mostly, the place they stayed on was on the other side of the field from him. It had been a few days before the herd went back to the meadow after the fight. It took that long for the scavengers to finish with Ronno. There were also two other groups of vultures and other carrion eaters circling in the forest near the meadow, no doubt taking care of the two deer Geno had fought. He felt the difference. Before, the other deer looked at him with respect, as they did with his dead Father. Now they looked at him in fear. This was not how he wanted to lead the herd.
Poor Geno was not doing better. The yearling males avoid him as if afraid his son would turn on them. After the death of Wesal, and the killing of two deer here, his son felt bad enough. This was getting to be too much for him. The other deer still respected his son, but it was the kind of respect given to someone you feared rather than liked. It was almost as if the herd expected him and his son to turn on them. Only Filon talked freely with either of them. Celon told him the herd felt uneasy around both of them. He needed to do something, but he was not sure what. He only wished his Father were still alive. He would know what to do.
Finally, he gave up and just asked Celon, Atlan, and Delno to talk with him. He asked them what the matter was.
Celon and Atlan remained silent, but Delno spoke out. “You and your son killed three deer. Not only did you kill them, you both killed them easily. Will you do the same to us? Bambi, you and your son scared us like a bear or Man would.”
He took a deep breath and tried to answer as calmly as he could. “My son attacked only when it became obvious that Ronno and the others were not out to challenge me, but to kill me so Ronno could be herd leader. After they killed me, they certainly would have killed Geno, Faline, and my twin daughters. Was I supposed to do nothing about it? If those other deer would have stayed out of the fight, none of this would have happened and they all still be alive.”
“I saw that fight,” Delno said. “You are right. Ronno was out to kill you after you did not run Filon out. I have known for a while that Ronno hated you and your family. That still does not change the fact you easily killed the three of them and chased the other two off. Your Father never did anything like this and now the deer are scared of you. They are also scared of your son.”
Atlan finally spoke up. “Bambi this is not like before when Man killed one of us, or the bears or coyotes killed one of us. These are dangers we all know about. They are part of the forest and this has gone on as long as the forest was here. This is not the same. Deer are not used to having deer kill other deer. This has upset many. I have heard many deer say they may just leave the herd and try to find another herd someplace else in the forest.”
“I have never forced myself on the herd,” he said. “I have only spoken up when I saw some danger or threat to the herd. I only fought now because neither my son nor I had any choice. If I had let Ronno go, he would have attacked my family or me unexpectedly. He would have hurt or maybe killed them. I was not going to let that happen.”
“I am not sure about that,” Celon said carefully as if afraid his comments would offend him. “I hear what you say, but I am not sure I accept it. In any case, it is far too late now to worry about. ‘Things are what they are,’ your Father used to say.”
“I remember those words,” he muttered, “And you are right. My question is what can I do about it now?”
“Wait and hope things work out,” Delno said.
The others remained silent. This was all he was going to get out of his senior males. “Thank you,” he said to the others and walked away.
He went back to Faline’s thicket and looked in on her. She and the two fawns were doing well. Both fawns were big and growing bigger. Both were healthy. He looked around for his son and did not see him.
“He left right after we came back,” Faline said. “He is hurting, Bambi, not from the fight, but from what happened with Gurri. He feels bad and the herd does not help.”
“I know,” he said. “I cannot believe I frightened my own herd."
“What are we going to do?” she asked.
“I was thinking,” he said tenderly. “The fawns are older now, they can travel. All of us should go away for a while. Maybe to the hills and live in my Father’s old cave. If the others do not see us for a while, maybe the herd will relax. It is certainly better than staying here.”
“When do you want to go?” Faline asked in her smooth voice.
“Tomorrow after dark,” he answered. “It will take us less than a night to get there.”
“I suppose that may work,” Faline said. “That sounds like a good idea. Will Geno go?”
“We will all go,” he said.
It was late the following night when all of them stood by the edge of the lake. Their journey was slower than normal. The fawns were still too young to keep up with them, and needed to rest more, but they were here now. They stopped to both eat and drink. Geno took in the air and then went forward. They were mostly in the open, but it was still late. There was no smell of smoke. He saw Geno looking around when suddenly he stopped and started sniffing at the ground. Bambi saw his white tail come up. His son then ran quickly back.
“Father,” he said with excitement. “I am sure I smelled Gurri’s scent in the grass. She is also not alone. I smelled another male; a male I do not know.”
“Gurri,” Faline repeated and started forward with the twins following closely to their mother.
He followed his son into the open area next to the late and smelled around. At first, there was nothing and then he smelled it. It was faint, but it was her scent. Geno was also right about the other male.
“Gurri,” Geno called out.
He would have preferred he stayed quieter. Others could have heard that call. It was then he saw a male step out from the trees up ahead. They all slowly walked up to the male. He was three season male with a nice rack growing. He looked strong but was not as big as he was. He was a little bigger than Geno, which was expected.
“I am Bambi, the herd leader,” he said firmly. “I can smell my daughter. I want to know where she is.”
“I am Kelo,” the male said. “Gurri is resting near here. She was hurt in a fight with two males from your herd. She is getting better but she had a problem moving around freely.”
“Take me to my daughter,” he ordered.
Kelo led them back into the trees. There was Gurri lying on some leaves hidden well behind some bushes and trees. As he got closer, she started to get up. He could see she was obviously in pain.
“Lie down, daughter,” Faline called out.
“I can stand, it just hurts,” she said.
Geno walked up to her and looked at her side. He sniffed at her left side.
“Who did this to you,” Geno said looking angry.
“It is a long story,” Gurri said. “Maybe we should all lie down.
Faline lay down with a fawn on either side of her. He lay down next to the fawns and Geno lay down across from Gurri. He noted Kelo lay down next to Gurri, something that also Faline and Geno noticed. Once they were all comfortable, Gurri told them her story of how she traveled into the deeper forest, and then met the other herd. Then, how the coyotes chased them and ended up here again. Then she told them about the fight. He felt bad he had let those two deer get away. She then told them about how Kelo had chased one off and how she had cut the other open. It was all too familiar a story. When she finished, Geno asked one question.
“Are those two still around here?” Geno asked looking ready to go after them.
“We have not seen them since the fight,” Kelo said.
“Good,” he said. “Daughter I want to look at your injury closely, you do not have to get up.”
He got up, walked over and smelled along his daughter’s flank. He did not pick up any smell of injury or illness. The wounds were starting to heal. He also felt her head. There was a slight fever.
He stood up and explained. “When I was a little older than Geno, Man struck me with a killing stick, but not bad. My Father showed me leaves that grow near here that helped cure me. I will get some for you. They are bitter to eat, but the will ease the pain and make the healing faster.”
“Yes, Father,” she said.
“I also thank you, Kelo, for defending my daughter. I am sorry I was partly the cause of this. I never thought those two males would try to hurt you. I do not think they will come back.”
“They better not,” Geno said.
“Father, what happened and why are you all here?” Gurri asked.
“That is a long story of my own,” he said and told Gurri and Kelo the story of Filon, Kragus, Ronno, and the others. He also told her what had happened with the herd. It was not a pleasant story to tell. When he finished, his daughter seemed to relax.
“So that explains it,” Gurri said. “Now I know why they wanted to kill me.”
He looked up above him. “The great light will come soon. The leaves are near here. Geno and I will get you some. If you do not mind, we will rest here with you today.”
With that, he got up and motioned Geno to follow him. He went to near the other side of the lake where his Father had shown him what leaves to eat after Man hit him. He took some in his teeth and so did Geno and went back quickly. He had Gurri eat them. They made her tired and as the great light rose, they all fell asleep.
That night Gurri felt better so after they all ate, he showed her and Kelo where to find the leaves. He was glad his daughter was doing better, but inside he felt cold. This was another consequence of his fight with Ronno; one he did not expect. It was bad enough his own herd was afraid of him, but to have his daughter suffer because of it was getting to be too much to bear. Too many were paying the price of him being herd leader. Maybe it was time for him to think about doing something else.
That night he and Geno left the others there and went into the hills. He climbed the hill on top of which was the old cave of his Father. They found it. They also found a light scent of a bear that had lived there, but now gone. From the top of the hill, he could look down at the large open meadow below him that Man sometimes lives in when they come to the forest. Right now, it was empty of Man and quiet, but it would not stay that way for long. The light from the lesser light shined down and in the field, he could see a herd of deer. There were not as many as in his herd, but there were many.
“Do you know that herd, Father?” his son asked.
“I knew it was there from my Father,” he said. “I do not know anything about them.”
“I think maybe we should meet them,” Geno added.
That was not a bad idea, but there were other matters first. “After your sister gets better,” he said.
From this place, he could see the whole forest. It was like the hill near where he was born, only higher. Also, this place had not been touched by the fire.
They went back and stayed near his daughter. The others had already eaten. He and Geno ate in the open finishing just as the first glow of the greater light appeared.
With the leaves and rest, Gurri was better in three days, but the cuts along her side would leave a scar marring her beauty. However, Kelo did not seem to mind and he accepted the fact that his daughter had most likely found a mate. At least this male was not weak or small. After he was sure Gurri and the fawns could make the journey, he led them by the hill to the cave and through a path at the bottom of the hill. The path showed many signs of use by Man, but he was not present now. They came down a small rise and into the open field. It was night and several deer were still feeding. The herd noticed the presence of so many new deer.
They had started eating when he large a large deer approach. He was slightly bigger and older than he was. The way he walked reminded him of his Father. The large deer approached.
“I am Relnor, herd leader here,” he announced.
“I am Bambi, herd leader of those that live on the other side of the hill. I saw the other herd and decided to come over and meet you.”
“I have heard of you,” the deer said. “Your Father, The Great Prince of the Forest, told me about you. He came here many times, but I have not seen him since last winter.”
“My Father is gone,” he said.
“I thought so,” the big deer said. “This is my herd or what is left of it.”
He looked around. There were several doe with growing fawns and some yearling males like Geno. He noticed there were only a few larger males. Not even many herd males. There were several yearling doe. He could understand how this happened.
“Man had been here,” he said as a fact.
“Yes,” Relnor said with sadness. “Many of the males died when Man came. Most did not know what to do so they ran into the open.”
He felt like asking him why their herd leader did not teach them what to do but decided to skip it. He noted Geno walked into the meadow and drew the attention of a few yearling males. One came up and put his head down in an invitation to spar. Geno did not look interested, but put his head down and let the yearling charge him. The yearling tried to push him back, but between Geno’s strength and his teaching, the yearling male could do nothing. A simple shift of Geno’s weight to his back legs and a rapid lung forward forced the young male back several lengths. That ended the contest.
“Your son is strong, yet seems reluctant. He is also skilled like your Father was,” Relnor told him.
He explained to Relnor what had happened in his herd and what Geno had done. Relnor did not criticize either of them and did not seem afraid. Instead, Relnor nodded with a grim understanding.
“It is bad for one so young to have to kill. Still, I can understand why. However, he seems to have drawn the interest of others.”
He looked over and saw several of the yearling doe talking to Geno. Some even came up close to sniff him. Geno took it all in stride. If he wanted, he knew his son could have the pick of those doe.
This seemed a nice place to stay until things got better at his herd. “If the herd leader does not mind, I and my family would like to stay for a while?” he asked. “I will have to get back. Soon Man will come and I have to prepare my herd.”
“You are welcome here,” Relnor said looking happy. “Perhaps I can ask you some questions on how to prepare a herd for Man.”
They ate in the meadow. His fawns played with the other fawns in the field running and chasing them around. Over the following days, it became apparent that both Gurri and Geno were different from the deer here. They knew the skills on how to survive with Man and the other threats that the others did not have. That drew the attention of the yearlings and three season deer. It was obvious that with the training both he and his Father had given them, both of his children were looked up to here. They also acted differently than the others: more carefully, walked more quietly, especially when in the open. After three days with the new herd, Relnor came up to him.
“I had heard how wise your Father was,” Relnor said looking at both Gurri and Geno showing the other deer what they had learned. “I wish he could have trained me like he trained you and your children. Now I am too old and I fear I see no one from my herd to replace me when my time comes.”
“Both my children can help you if you wish, especially Gurri. Most males will not listen to a doe, and in the past, this has angered Gurri. She actually left my herd because no one would listen to her. Sadly, that was true even with me. I now see I made a mistake with her. If your males do not mind learning from a doe, she can help you. My son is also smart, but he is still too young for a senior male. In another season perhaps he will ready, but not now.”
“What of the other male with Gurri?” Relnor said.
He smiled, “That is Kelo and he has never been trained. Gurri found him on her travels through the forest. He is learning the same as your deer.”
“I will ask my herd males what they think,” Relnor told him. “Then we will talk again.”
It was like when he was a fawn and yearling himself and following his Father around. Only now, the other deer followed him around and he showed them some of the ways to vanish. The biggest thing he told them was if Man came again, to go deep in the woods and not to go near the big open meadow. Most of the males listed to him and Geno, but there were still problems when it came to learning from Gurri. The yearlings would speak to her, but none of the older deer. As one of the herd males, Tino told him: ‘Doe are meant to be bred, not to learn from.’
It was two days after later after the great light rose; he heard noise from near the large open meadow. It sounded like Man noises. A little later, Geno ran up to him. He could smell the sweat on his body and two other faint scents of doe. Geno had been spending time close to two doe. He could only smile and realize his son was growing up.
“Father, Man is on the meadow. I saw them, there were many,” he said.
“Did you see any dogs?” he asked.
“No, but there were more Men coming so I am not sure,” he said.
He looked at Faline and the two fawns. “Take the fawns and go deep into the forest away from the meadow. Man will try to chase us into the meadow where he will kill us.”
“I understand,” she said and got up. The fawns followed her away from the meadow.
“We need to find Relnor and your sister,” he told his son.
“I know where Gurri and Kelo like to sleep,” his son said. “I do not know where Relnor is.”
“Tell your sister to go deep into the woods. Man must not get behind us and chase us out into the meadow.”
“I understand,” his son said and ran off.
There was no time to search the forest for the herd leader. The only thing he could do was call out and hope the big deer heard him. He bellowed three times and then started toward the deep end of the forest himself.
Occasionally he would call out again as he traveled into the deep woods. Finally, he saw the big deer with his three other senior males standing next to some tall oak trees. He ran over to him.
“Man is in the meadow,” he told them. “If he is hunting, he will try to drive us into the meadow where Men with killing sticks will be waiting. We need to go deep into the forest so Man does not get behind us to chase us.”
“I understand,” the herd header said and the let out a bellow of his own. “GO!” he called out. “Go into the forest.”
He and the herd leader than ran until they could hear nothing. Then they stopped and listened. It was not long before they heard it.
“HEEEEEYYYYYYYY, HEEEEEYYYYYYYY,” Man shouted in front of them. Man also banged on something to make a lot of noise.
“They are trying to drive the deer to the open meadow,” he said in a low voice.
The yelling when on for a while and then he heard it. “WHAMMM, WHAMMM, WHAMMM, WHAMMM,” came in quick succession from the meadow. Man was using his killing sticks on something. Then everything was quiet again.
They waited a while and nothing more happened. He hoped Faline, the fawns, Geno and Gurri were all right, but he was not going to call out again with Man so near. He would wait until night. He spent the rest of the day sleeping with Relnor and his males until it was past dark. Only then did he call out.
First Faline and the two fawns appeared. All seemed fine. He nuzzled her gently along with the fawns. Both fawns wanted to play and he allowed them to play with him for a while.
“We hid in the forest. We heard the shouting from Man,” Faline told him in her smooth voice. “That danger did not come near us.”
A while later Geno appeared with two yearling doe with him. “By the time I got there, both Gurri and Kelo were gone,” Geno told him. “I followed their sent for a while and it went into the woods. I found some other deer running around and told them to run into the forest. I think they all did it, but I did not stay to find out. I took my friends here and we went into the forest and hid near some pine trees. No one came near us. We stayed still until I heard your call.”
Geno went to lie down and the two doe lay next to him. Faline smiled at him and he had to admit his son had found two nice looking yearlings as his companions. It was only sometime later that Gurri and Kelo showed up. He could tell she looked disgusted.
“As soon as I heard the sound on the meadow I knew it was Man,” she told all of them. “I knew what to do so I fled into the forest with Kelo. We came across several deer and I told them to flee. Some of the males did not listen to me, but most did.”
“One of the males told her that he did not take orders from a doe,” Kelo said. “He told us there was no more danger now than before. We left him and two others.”
“You can only warn,” he told his daughter loud enough so all could hear. “If they do not want to listen to it, you cannot help them.”
He then turned to Relnor. “I think we should stay in the deep forest until we are sure Man is gone,” he told him.
“I agree,” Relnor said and called his herd together.
In ones and twos, they all slowly showed up. Soon, around them became crowded with deer. When everyone seemed to gather Relnor spoke up.
“Man is in the forest. As long as they say in the meadow, Prince Bambi from the other herd thinks we should stay here so Man cannot chase us. I agree with him. Does anyone have any questions?”
There was silence from the herd. Then Relnor spoke again. “Is there anyone missing?”
He did not know the herd and did not know. The other deer milled around for a while before someone called out. “I do not see Tion, Gurion, or Roon.”
Relnor looked at him. “Those four males always stay together. I think they were waiting for something to happen to me so they could take over the herd.”
“I do not think that will be happening now,” he said remembering what Tion had told him.
“Those may have been the deer Gurri tried to warn,” Kelo said.
“Maybe they should listen sometimes to a doe,” Gurri said. She did not smile, but he could see inwardly she felt no regret at what happened.
“I think maybe we should all listen more to some doe,” Relnor said aloud.
“Doe can learn too,” Geno spoke up. “Just look at my Mother and Sister,” he said. He did not try to hide his grin.
“Geno is also right,” Relnor said. “It would be good to know what Gurri and Geno know. Prince Bambi must soon return to his herd; however, I would ask if Geno and Gurri could stay for a while. What they know can help us.
Gurri looked at him. “Father I can stay here for a while. Kelo can stay with me if he wants.”
The larger male moved in close to Gurri making it clear to the others of his claim for his daughter. There was no argument.
“If you do not mind, Father, I can stay a while also; at least until winter,” his son said. He looked at the two doe next to him. His son started to smile and the doe began nuzzling him.
He fought the urge to smile openly. It would seem his children had found partners, at least for now.
“I do not mind,” he said, “But Relnor is right. As soon as Man leaves the meadow, I must return. I do not think I will have any problems back in my herd.”
The rest of Relnor’s herd agreed.
The smell of burning deer meat from the meadow that night only made agreement more certain.
CHAPTER EIGHT: SEASON
Man hunted in Relnor’s forest for three more days, but they were not able to kill any more of the herd. They all hid in the deep forest and Man could not find them. At least he did not bring dogs this time. After the hunting stopped, he carefully looked out onto the meadow and found it empty. He, Faline, and the twin fawns then all ran across the meadow the next night leaving Geno and Gurri with Relnor. They never did see Tion and the males around him again. He did notice that as soon as Tion disappeared, the males started to listen to his daughter and his son with more attention.
His return back to his herd went coolly. The others were still reluctant to come near him. There was nothing wrong with the herd he could see, but he was certain the herd had not missed him. They did look a bit more relaxed with him around. That was nothing more he could do and went back to being herd leader. He patrolled around the meadow at night looking for signs of Man. He could not find any. Other than Filon, no one else looked for danger. It was almost as if the herd decided that Man was no longer a threat here.
Over the next few days, his rack started to itch. That meant he soon scrap off the velvet exposing his rack. The Season would follow that. The sparing between herd males increased in intensity as all males fought to set their place within the herd. Serious fights were few, but there were several cuts, broken racks, and other injuries. The doe took it all in and started making their choices as whom they would partner with. Strength, size, rack, were all part of what the doe looked at. There were never enough doe in the herd to go around, and the lesser males usually did without. Some would never be strong enough to breed. That was the way of the forest. He did not care personally, the only doe he had interest in was Faline, and no one was strong enough to challenge him for her. He started to sleep near the meadow again to make it easier to watch.
On one morning, he had just laid down to rest when he heard a yelping noise in the distance. It was a single dog. The yelping got louder and soon the putrid smell of Man blew from the meadow. Man was on the meadow, but there was only one scent. When they hunted, there was always more than one Man. He thought there was no danger.
“WHAMMM,” he heard. After the noise of the killing stick, the dog started barking loudly as if chasing after something. A short while later he heard another “WHAMM.” Several more times he heard the killing stick during the day. There were also sounds of killing sticks from further away. Each time he heard the killing stick, the dog would call out. As the great light started to set, the noise on the meadow went away.
That night he walked around the meadow looking for traces of Man. He smelled him and the dog near the fallen oak tree at the edge of the meadow. He looked and there was a Man print on the ground like Filon found before. There was also the track of a dog. He followed it and it led toward the larger lake near where his old home was. As he got closer to the large lake, he started to smell smoke. In the smell of the smoke were the scents of burnt birds. Man must be there in greater numbers. He did not want to get any closer so walked back toward the meadow. As he did, he came up to the tree of the Old Owl. He called and Oswell came out.
“Did you see what happened,” he asked the owl.
“It was Man,” Oswell complained. “He was using his killing stick to knock birds out of the sky. He even got his dog to run through the field and scare birds into flight and then he brought them down too. He then got his dog to pick up the dead birds and took them away with him. I can smell their dead bodies in the air. It is disgusting. I do not burn the animals I catch for food.”
“Did Man use his killing stick on anyone else?” he asked.
“No, just birds,” the Owl answered.
“He likes to burn deer too,” he said. “We must be careful; it is the time for hunting again.”
“I do not plan on leaving my tree hollow during the day until the first snow,” Oswell said looking toward where the scent was coming from. “Man will be after you deer next,” he told him. “You need to be careful.”
“I plan to,” he said.
He walked back to the meadow. It was almost empty. All the noise kept the deer away. He saw Filon in the field.
“I found a Man print over by the fallen oak where you did before. All of us need to be off the meadow before the first show of the great light. Man is back.”
“That is bad,” Filon said. “In my old forest Man use to hunt birds and then a little while came back for the deer. I think he may do that here also.”
“You are likely right,” he said. “Just stay off the meadow during the day.”
“I will,” he said and went back to eating.
He ate some of the fresh grass at the edge of the meadow but was gone before even the first hint of the great light appeared. He took a different path back to Faline’s thicket. It took him off the meadow and toward the smaller lake. In front of him was Thumper’s tree trunk. He had not seen him for a while. He leaned over.
“Thumper, it is Bambi,” he called into the log.
There was no reply. Thumper was never far away from his borough. He called out again only louder. There was still no reply. He put his nose into the log and took in a deep breath. At first, he smelled nothing unusual, but then he picked up a faint odor. It was like the smell in the meadow after Kragus died.
“Thumper,” he called out again.
All was quiet. Sadly, he closed his eyes tightly and took in a deep breath. “Goodbye my friend,” he said into the trunk and walked away.
He went back to Faline’s den and saw her and the two fawns nearby. They were eating the leaves on the bushes growing among the trees. There was no sense bothering them about his friend. They hardly knew him. By now, his daughters were losing their spots and starting to grow their winter coat.
“It has started again,” he told Faline. “Avoid the meadow in the light.”
“I will,” she said. “I have been teaching both Lina and Eta about going near Man. They were asking about you also. I think it is time you started teaching them. They are curious and you are their father. They also know Gurri has learned from you and they want to.”
He felt like saying the main reason he taught Gurri was because she would never stay back when he taught Geno. She was always there with him asking questions. In the past, he felt like the other males that it be a waste of time to teach doe. Gurri had forced him to see that was a mistake. He would not repeat that mistake with his other daughters.
“Very well, as soon as The Season is over and the hunts end, I will start teaching you,” he said to all of them. He could only hope they were as smart as their older sister was.
“Thank you, Father,” Lina said looking at him with a huge smile. Eta kept quiet as usual.
The next two days passed quietly. He finished scrapping the velvet off his rack. Faline smiled and told him it was larger than last years. He felt good about that. Faline also started to give off the scent of a doe getting near The Season. In the meadow at night, the sparring was turning into serious fights. Celon challenged Filon and lost so that made Filon the new head of the senior males. Filon was more interested in the three or four season doe. The other three senior males took many of the three season doe. The herd males took up the rest of the elder doe and a few of the yearlings, As usual, the yearling males and the weaker herd males got only what was left, if anything. It made him wondered how Geno and Kelo were getting along. Most of the senior males in Relnor’s herd had managed to die stupidly and thereby increasing the chances for the smarter males to breed. None of the males here showed any interest in Faline although he thought she was still the nicest looking of all the doe. No one even attempted to challenge him for her. They all knew better.
The next morning he heard noises from the Meadow. The wind carried the odor. It was Man, this time many of them. There were noises coming from the meadow and from all around the meadow. He saw birds flying away in fear from all around the meadow. He could guess what frighten them. He looked around and saw nothing near him, but the noise was getting closer.
“Listen, we have to leave,” he told Faline and the fawns. “Man is getting too close. We are going to run into the trees and run away from the meadow. I will go first. The rest of you keep quiet. If I say run, you all run and do not look behind you.”
Faline and his daughter nodded they understood. “He slowly stood up and looked around. There was a crashing noise near him. Something was trying to move through the forest. It was very noisy. It must be Man.
“Go,” he told Faline who led the twins out and leaped into the bushes. He thought he saw something move in the distance. He put all his strength into his legs and ran after Faline. He leaped three times and then quickly changed direction like his Father taught him to do near Man.
“WHAMMM,” came from close behind. He heard something pass near him like an angry swarm of bees.
“Run,” he yelled. He leaped to the left trying to get whoever was behind him to follow him and not Faline.
“OOOOYAAAHAAAHHEY,” he heard from behind.
He kept running and changing direction as he went. He ran until he could hear nothing from behind him. He stopped near a thick grove of trees. He sank down to the ground and looked at himself. Nothing looked hurt. He looked carefully at the forest around him while taking in great quantities of air through his nose. The burnt smell came. He also heard many Men banging on something and yelling loudly. It sounded like they were trying to drive deer toward the meadow. The noise went on for a while and then stopped. He heard no more sounds of killing sticks.
He did not move from his spot. He stayed still all day until it was well after dark. He had not heard any sound from the meadow since the great light was overhead. Only when it was completely dark did he get up and move back toward Faline’s thicket. As he moved back, he called out to her. He got back to her thicket and waited. Thankfully, she and both fawns showed up a little while later. None of them looked hurt.
“Are you alright,” Faline asked sniffing him over carefully.
“I am fine,” he said. “Man tried to surround the meadow and chase the deer into it. It did not work because I heard only the one sound of a killing stick. The others must have run far enough away to avoid Man.”
“That is good,” she said. “I hope Geno and Gurri are alright.”
“We taught them well enough,” he told her.
“Will Man be back?” she asked.
“We will know in the morning. This time at the first sound of Man in the Meadow, we will leave. In the meantime, we will eat in the forest and avoid the meadow until Man goes.”
The next morning and the morning after that, they had to run again into the forest as Man tried to chase deer into the meadow. Each time they hid deep in the woods where Man could not find them. During this time, he heard only three sounds from the killing sticks, so Man did not find many deer to kill. After that, Man left. He waited two days with no sound on the meadow before he went back to feed there at night.
He saw Filon there along with Celon, Atlan, and Delon there and most of the herd males. All were standing apart. Fights were breaking out all over. The smell from the females was strong and that made him uneasy around the other males. As he walked through the meadow, he came to a spot that had lots of blood and the scent of a dead deer. He smelled the scent, but other than the fact it was a male, he could not recognize who died.
“Man did not find many deer,” Filon told him from a distant. He was formal and direct. He also looked agitated as all males get at this time. “Running away from the meadow worked well. Man could not get behind us to chase us.”
“I am glad so many listened to what I said,” he told him with relief.
“I think the herd will break up after tonight,” Filon said. “The scents from the doe are getting stronger. The fights are getting fiercer.”
“I know,” it is The Season again. “I am going to take Faline into the forest. Have you selected your doe?”
“Yes, I think I will have at least two doe that will have my fawns in the spring.”
“Good,” he said and felt himself starting to get agitated at all the males around him. “I am leaving,” he said to everyone. Be careful if Man comes back. I will see you after The Season.”
He quickly walked off the meadow wanting nothing to do with the herd. It was like this every Season. All he wanted to do is find Faline and go with her. He went back to Faline’s thicket and called the twins to him.
“Your mother and I have to go away for a while. You are big enough to be on your own. Eat in the trees near here,” he told them firmly.
“Drink in the small stream. Do not go into the meadow. There is great danger there. Your Mother and I will be back soon.”
“Yes Father,” Lina said. Eta just nodded.
“When we get back I will start teaching you about the forest,” he told them. The both smiled openly because now he was starting to treat them as big deer.
He then started to smell at Faline’s tail. “She was almost ready to breed, but not yet.
“Faline come,” he said and they both ran off into the forest.
She ran ahead of him her white tail up and her scent flowing back to him. This was the time he always felt closest to her. He watched her run occasional turning her head and smiling at him. Her sleek body and beautiful face made the urges building inside of him even greater. She stopped by a near some trees and lay down. He lay next to her. She leaned on him and her scent filled his noise causing his body to quiver.
“Thank you again for staying with me,” he whispered to her.
“You are the only male I have ever wanted,” she told him.
Later that night they got up and chased each other around the forest like fawns again. She ran from him but always allowed him to catch her. By first light, they were both exhausted and lay down in the open. When she emptied herself near him, he could smell the strong scent of a doe almost ready to breed. They lay down on the grass and rested. It was well after the greater light rose that she stood up.
“Come with me,” she told him.
He got up and she raised her tail. From her back and her legs came the overpowering scent of a doe ready to breed. He ran his nose against the soft fur of his hindquarters. As he did, she suddenly stopped and spread her legs and arched her back. It was an invitation. An invitation he immediately accepted.
Sometime later, when he regained his senses they lay down on some grass and rested. The scent of a doe ready to breed was gone and replaced by the smell of a doe that was well bred. For the third time, she accepted him as her mate and he was content. He let the other males chase doe and then forget about them. To him, this was much better. He knew over the next few days, all the doe would be breeding and so the next group of fawns would be born in the spring. Life always went on his Father had taught him. It would go on with or without him, but it would go on. All he could do was try to leave his mark on the forest as so many had done in the past and would do in the seasons to come.
It was three days later that he and Faline returned to the thicket and the two fawns. Both were sleeping during the day. Both looked healthy. Both growing fawns slept closely together. No predator had come around that he could smell. He rested nearby with Faline still lying close to him.
Now that The Season had spent its effects on the herd, it was time to start what he promised. He took both Lina and Eta out for a walk with their mother. He started with showing the young doe how to walk quietly. How to look where they put their feet so they do not step on twigs or anything else that would give their location away. They walked slowly at first to let the fawns try to walk quietly. At first, it was difficult. Both of them tripped over things and stumbled. That was how both Geno and Gurri started to learn, and even himself when he learned from his Father. He also taught them how to smell and what each smell was. There was much to learn. Both seemed eager to learn. Lina asked lots of question and even quiet Eta asked a few.
He had done this for only a few days when he smelled a familiar scent near the trees and hill near his Father’s old cave. He listed and barely heard someone coming up from behind. Even Faline did not hear it.
“You are getting very good, my son,” he called out.
Geno came out of the forest and kissed his mother and younger sisters. He walked carefully. He rack was smaller than his, but nice looking for a late yearling. He looked quite a handsome male. His appearance surprised him. He figured he stay with Relnor’s herd until winter.
“I decided to come back to help out in case Man came back,” he said. “Gurri and Kelo are staying with that herd. I think Kelo thinks he will be a senior male in that herd and I was showing him how to fight until The Season came on us. I hope it is no surprise to you that Gurri and Kelo are a pair now.”
“I am glad,” Faline said. “What about you and those two doe.”
Geno smiled and looked a bit embarrassed. “I mated with both during the Season. One of the herd males tried to push me aside, but I took care of him quickly. He will not do that again. Both doe wanted me and so I took both. It was tiring, but I enjoyed myself. It was funny, however, after The Season, they both seemed to lose interest in me. Since Gurri was teaching the herd what to do near Man, I decided to come back here. I see you are teaching my younger sisters.”
“Yes, it is time we started with them the same as we started with you and your sister,” he said.
“Good,” he said and nuzzled both his sisters. “Any there any more signs of Man?” he said.
“No,” he said, “But I do not think that will last.”
“It is still dark,” Geno said. I will go near the meadow and look. Do not worry; I will be gone long before the greater light rises.”
He thought that was a good idea. He was going to do the same thing himself after finishing with the fawns. “Be careful, my son, and remember what both your Grandfather and I taught you.”
“I will,” he said. “I do not want anything to happen to me now. I am starting to enjoy life.”
With that, his son disappeared almost silently into the forest. Both fawns seem to gape at how quiet he was.
Faline leaned over and spoke softly to both his daughters. “See, if you listen to your Father, you will be able to do that next season.”
“Yes, Mother,” they both said and he went on with the lesson.
They all stayed near the spot Gurri stayed with Kelo. They ate and he showed the girls to empty themselves away from where they slept as not to draw predators to them. As soon as the greater light showed itself, they all stopped and he found a place for them to sleep. The next night he took them back to Faline’s thicket and he went to the meadow. As he went on the field, he expected to see Geno, but did not. He did see Filon and the other senior males. As he came on the Meadow, he saw Filon walk over toward him.
“Any sign of Man?” he asked.
“I have seen nothing,” he said.
“Did you do well during The Season?” he asked.
Filon broke out into laughter. “Bambi I did better than back in my old herd. I found three doe who wanted to come with me.”
“That is good,” he said. “I also heard no sound of killing sticks when Man was here before.”
“No, the herd scattered exactly like you told them to do,” Filon told him. “Man could not find us and went away.”
“That is also good. Have you seen Geno?” he asked.
“I saw him last night,” Filon said. “He was walking in the trees just outside of the meadow. It was as if he was looking for something. Near the rising of the greater light, he disappeared. You know he has a nice rack for a yearling. It would not surprise me if he was a senior male here by next season.”
He did not agree. He did not want to push Geno along too fast. “That may be. He will still be too young, I think.”
With that, he ate in the meadow and drank in the nearby stream. He walked slowly around the edge of the meadow and then he saw it. Foot tracks of Men were walking around the meadow. He also noticed the track of a male deer. One sniff of his nose and he knew they belonged to Geno. The deer tracks followed the man tracks. It was getting late so he went back to Faline and his daughters and hope Geno was smart enough to stay out of trouble.
He did not see his son the next night either. He heard no sounds of killing sticks so there was no hunting going on. Faline, Lina, and Eta ate on the meadow that night. Unlike before, the fawns this time did not play with the other near their age. They stayed close to him and their mother while the other fawns from his year frolicked on the meadow. He continued to look around and found more Man prints on the other side of the meadow. It smelled like the same Man. Man was watching for signs of deer and there were plenty around. Celon, Delon, and Atlan took notice and the so did Filon. They all came over to see him. He could tell things were still cold between Celon and Filon after their fight.
We have seen you looking,” Atlan blurted out. “Do you see any danger?”
“No obvious danger,” he said, “But a Man has looked closely at this meadow. That concerns me. It means Man is looking for us like I look for him.”
“They could be getting ready to hunt here,” Filon said.
“That is what concerns me but I do not see. . .” his voice trailed off. Onto the meadow running was Geno. He looked around, saw them and came over. He was wet with sweat. He had run for a while. Something was wrong. He barked at his son to come over. He did so.
“Sorry for disturbing you and the others,” he said in near exhaustion. “Man is in the forest. There are many Men over by the large lake. They have killing sticks and they have dogs. They have many dogs. They may come here soon.”
“Why is that?” he asked.
“I followed the Man tracks from the meadow. I followed them staying out of sight and far behind. They led me to where other Men and the dogs are. A Man had gone from where the Men are to here and he has done it several times.”
“Are you sure,” Celon asked.
“I know that I saw more Men than I could count and more dogs than I can count. They are getting ready to hunt, but I do not know where.”
With that, Geno dropped his head and started to breathe deeply trying to get air into his body.
“They may come here, or they, may not,” he told the others. “One thing for sure, that many Men and dogs, it means they are going to hunt someplace.”
“I do not think we can take the chance, Father,” Geno stammered out.
“No, we cannot,” he said and looked at the others. “The herd must scatter. If Man does not come here, we lose nothing. If Man brings many dogs here, they can run us all down. They do not have to chase us into the meadow.”
“You are right,” Filon said. Dogs can run deer down and either tear them to pieces or hold them until Man comes with his killing sticks. I have seen this in my old forest as a fawn. My mother and I barely got away. Many others did not.”
“We must flee,” Celon said and ran off into the forest.
He called out to the other deer. “Run, Run now. Man may be here soon with dogs. Flee and do not come back here.”
He looked at his son. “Take your Mother and sisters and go back to the thicket. I will join you there shortly.
Geno nodded and staggered off still suffering the effect of his exertions.
“Geno,” Filon called out. His son turned around. “You did well, herd male.”
He looked at him with some concern. Filon noticed it.
“Next spring he will be that anyway,” he said. “That is assuming any of us live through this. I am leaving Bambi.”
Filon turned around and fled. Atlan and Delon did the dame. He turned around and saw the deer leaving the meadow quickly. The greater light would come soon, time for him to go.
For the first time since he was a fawn, he was afraid of what was going to happen.
The Way of the Forest Part 4(Wilbur Arron)
CHAPTER SEVEN: PARTNERS
It was tense on the meadow.
Bambi stood at the edge of the open field and watched the other deer of his herd. Before the fight, the deer were talking to each other, running around playing, males sparred with each other, and the deer mixed easily. Now the deer ate quietly, only the fawns were playing, hardly any sparring went on, and the deer stayed in their places. Mostly, the place they stayed on was on the other side of the field from him. It had been a few days before the herd went back to the meadow after the fight. It took that long for the scavengers to finish with Ronno. There were also two other groups of vultures and other carrion eaters circling in the forest near the meadow, no doubt taking care of the two deer Geno had fought. He felt the difference. Before, the other deer looked at him with respect, as they did with his dead Father. Now they looked at him in fear. This was not how he wanted to lead the herd.
Poor Geno was not doing better. The yearling males avoid him as if afraid his son would turn on them. After the death of Wesal, and the killing of two deer here, his son felt bad enough. This was getting to be too much for him. The other deer still respected his son, but it was the kind of respect given to someone you feared rather than liked. It was almost as if the herd expected him and his son to turn on them. Only Filon talked freely with either of them. Celon told him the herd felt uneasy around both of them. He needed to do something, but he was not sure what. He only wished his Father were still alive. He would know what to do.
Finally, he gave up and just asked Celon, Atlan, and Delno to talk with him. He asked them what the matter was.
Celon and Atlan remained silent, but Delno spoke out. “You and your son killed three deer. Not only did you kill them, you both killed them easily. Will you do the same to us? Bambi, you and your son scared us like a bear or Man would.”
He took a deep breath and tried to answer as calmly as he could. “My son attacked only when it became obvious that Ronno and the others were not out to challenge me, but to kill me so Ronno could be herd leader. After they killed me, they certainly would have killed Geno, Faline, and my twin daughters. Was I supposed to do nothing about it? If those other deer would have stayed out of the fight, none of this would have happened and they all still be alive.”
“I saw that fight,” Delno said. “You are right. Ronno was out to kill you after you did not run Filon out. I have known for a while that Ronno hated you and your family. That still does not change the fact you easily killed the three of them and chased the other two off. Your Father never did anything like this and now the deer are scared of you. They are also scared of your son.”
Atlan finally spoke up. “Bambi this is not like before when Man killed one of us, or the bears or coyotes killed one of us. These are dangers we all know about. They are part of the forest and this has gone on as long as the forest was here. This is not the same. Deer are not used to having deer kill other deer. This has upset many. I have heard many deer say they may just leave the herd and try to find another herd someplace else in the forest.”
“I have never forced myself on the herd,” he said. “I have only spoken up when I saw some danger or threat to the herd. I only fought now because neither my son nor I had any choice. If I had let Ronno go, he would have attacked my family or me unexpectedly. He would have hurt or maybe killed them. I was not going to let that happen.”
“I am not sure about that,” Celon said carefully as if afraid his comments would offend him. “I hear what you say, but I am not sure I accept it. In any case, it is far too late now to worry about. ‘Things are what they are,’ your Father used to say.”
“I remember those words,” he muttered, “And you are right. My question is what can I do about it now?”
“Wait and hope things work out,” Delno said.
The others remained silent. This was all he was going to get out of his senior males. “Thank you,” he said to the others and walked away.
He went back to Faline’s thicket and looked in on her. She and the two fawns were doing well. Both fawns were big and growing bigger. Both were healthy. He looked around for his son and did not see him.
“He left right after we came back,” Faline said. “He is hurting, Bambi, not from the fight, but from what happened with Gurri. He feels bad and the herd does not help.”
“I know,” he said. “I cannot believe I frightened my own herd."
“What are we going to do?” she asked.
“I was thinking,” he said tenderly. “The fawns are older now, they can travel. All of us should go away for a while. Maybe to the hills and live in my Father’s old cave. If the others do not see us for a while, maybe the herd will relax. It is certainly better than staying here.”
“When do you want to go?” Faline asked in her smooth voice.
“Tomorrow after dark,” he answered. “It will take us less than a night to get there.”
“I suppose that may work,” Faline said. “That sounds like a good idea. Will Geno go?”
“We will all go,” he said.
It was late the following night when all of them stood by the edge of the lake. Their journey was slower than normal. The fawns were still too young to keep up with them, and needed to rest more, but they were here now. They stopped to both eat and drink. Geno took in the air and then went forward. They were mostly in the open, but it was still late. There was no smell of smoke. He saw Geno looking around when suddenly he stopped and started sniffing at the ground. Bambi saw his white tail come up. His son then ran quickly back.
“Father,” he said with excitement. “I am sure I smelled Gurri’s scent in the grass. She is also not alone. I smelled another male; a male I do not know.”
“Gurri,” Faline repeated and started forward with the twins following closely to their mother.
He followed his son into the open area next to the late and smelled around. At first, there was nothing and then he smelled it. It was faint, but it was her scent. Geno was also right about the other male.
“Gurri,” Geno called out.
He would have preferred he stayed quieter. Others could have heard that call. It was then he saw a male step out from the trees up ahead. They all slowly walked up to the male. He was three season male with a nice rack growing. He looked strong but was not as big as he was. He was a little bigger than Geno, which was expected.
“I am Bambi, the herd leader,” he said firmly. “I can smell my daughter. I want to know where she is.”
“I am Kelo,” the male said. “Gurri is resting near here. She was hurt in a fight with two males from your herd. She is getting better but she had a problem moving around freely.”
“Take me to my daughter,” he ordered.
Kelo led them back into the trees. There was Gurri lying on some leaves hidden well behind some bushes and trees. As he got closer, she started to get up. He could see she was obviously in pain.
“Lie down, daughter,” Faline called out.
“I can stand, it just hurts,” she said.
Geno walked up to her and looked at her side. He sniffed at her left side.
“Who did this to you,” Geno said looking angry.
“It is a long story,” Gurri said. “Maybe we should all lie down.
Faline lay down with a fawn on either side of her. He lay down next to the fawns and Geno lay down across from Gurri. He noted Kelo lay down next to Gurri, something that also Faline and Geno noticed. Once they were all comfortable, Gurri told them her story of how she traveled into the deeper forest, and then met the other herd. Then, how the coyotes chased them and ended up here again. Then she told them about the fight. He felt bad he had let those two deer get away. She then told them about how Kelo had chased one off and how she had cut the other open. It was all too familiar a story. When she finished, Geno asked one question.
“Are those two still around here?” Geno asked looking ready to go after them.
“We have not seen them since the fight,” Kelo said.
“Good,” he said. “Daughter I want to look at your injury closely, you do not have to get up.”
He got up, walked over and smelled along his daughter’s flank. He did not pick up any smell of injury or illness. The wounds were starting to heal. He also felt her head. There was a slight fever.
He stood up and explained. “When I was a little older than Geno, Man struck me with a killing stick, but not bad. My Father showed me leaves that grow near here that helped cure me. I will get some for you. They are bitter to eat, but the will ease the pain and make the healing faster.”
“Yes, Father,” she said.
“I also thank you, Kelo, for defending my daughter. I am sorry I was partly the cause of this. I never thought those two males would try to hurt you. I do not think they will come back.”
“They better not,” Geno said.
“Father, what happened and why are you all here?” Gurri asked.
“That is a long story of my own,” he said and told Gurri and Kelo the story of Filon, Kragus, Ronno, and the others. He also told her what had happened with the herd. It was not a pleasant story to tell. When he finished, his daughter seemed to relax.
“So that explains it,” Gurri said. “Now I know why they wanted to kill me.”
He looked up above him. “The great light will come soon. The leaves are near here. Geno and I will get you some. If you do not mind, we will rest here with you today.”
With that, he got up and motioned Geno to follow him. He went to near the other side of the lake where his Father had shown him what leaves to eat after Man hit him. He took some in his teeth and so did Geno and went back quickly. He had Gurri eat them. They made her tired and as the great light rose, they all fell asleep.
That night Gurri felt better so after they all ate, he showed her and Kelo where to find the leaves. He was glad his daughter was doing better, but inside he felt cold. This was another consequence of his fight with Ronno; one he did not expect. It was bad enough his own herd was afraid of him, but to have his daughter suffer because of it was getting to be too much to bear. Too many were paying the price of him being herd leader. Maybe it was time for him to think about doing something else.
That night he and Geno left the others there and went into the hills. He climbed the hill on top of which was the old cave of his Father. They found it. They also found a light scent of a bear that had lived there, but now gone. From the top of the hill, he could look down at the large open meadow below him that Man sometimes lives in when they come to the forest. Right now, it was empty of Man and quiet, but it would not stay that way for long. The light from the lesser light shined down and in the field, he could see a herd of deer. There were not as many as in his herd, but there were many.
“Do you know that herd, Father?” his son asked.
“I knew it was there from my Father,” he said. “I do not know anything about them.”
“I think maybe we should meet them,” Geno added.
That was not a bad idea, but there were other matters first. “After your sister gets better,” he said.
From this place, he could see the whole forest. It was like the hill near where he was born, only higher. Also, this place had not been touched by the fire.
They went back and stayed near his daughter. The others had already eaten. He and Geno ate in the open finishing just as the first glow of the greater light appeared.
With the leaves and rest, Gurri was better in three days, but the cuts along her side would leave a scar marring her beauty. However, Kelo did not seem to mind and he accepted the fact that his daughter had most likely found a mate. At least this male was not weak or small. After he was sure Gurri and the fawns could make the journey, he led them by the hill to the cave and through a path at the bottom of the hill. The path showed many signs of use by Man, but he was not present now. They came down a small rise and into the open field. It was night and several deer were still feeding. The herd noticed the presence of so many new deer.
They had started eating when he large a large deer approach. He was slightly bigger and older than he was. The way he walked reminded him of his Father. The large deer approached.
“I am Relnor, herd leader here,” he announced.
“I am Bambi, herd leader of those that live on the other side of the hill. I saw the other herd and decided to come over and meet you.”
“I have heard of you,” the deer said. “Your Father, The Great Prince of the Forest, told me about you. He came here many times, but I have not seen him since last winter.”
“My Father is gone,” he said.
“I thought so,” the big deer said. “This is my herd or what is left of it.”
He looked around. There were several doe with growing fawns and some yearling males like Geno. He noticed there were only a few larger males. Not even many herd males. There were several yearling doe. He could understand how this happened.
“Man had been here,” he said as a fact.
“Yes,” Relnor said with sadness. “Many of the males died when Man came. Most did not know what to do so they ran into the open.”
He felt like asking him why their herd leader did not teach them what to do but decided to skip it. He noted Geno walked into the meadow and drew the attention of a few yearling males. One came up and put his head down in an invitation to spar. Geno did not look interested, but put his head down and let the yearling charge him. The yearling tried to push him back, but between Geno’s strength and his teaching, the yearling male could do nothing. A simple shift of Geno’s weight to his back legs and a rapid lung forward forced the young male back several lengths. That ended the contest.
“Your son is strong, yet seems reluctant. He is also skilled like your Father was,” Relnor told him.
He explained to Relnor what had happened in his herd and what Geno had done. Relnor did not criticize either of them and did not seem afraid. Instead, Relnor nodded with a grim understanding.
“It is bad for one so young to have to kill. Still, I can understand why. However, he seems to have drawn the interest of others.”
He looked over and saw several of the yearling doe talking to Geno. Some even came up close to sniff him. Geno took it all in stride. If he wanted, he knew his son could have the pick of those doe.
This seemed a nice place to stay until things got better at his herd. “If the herd leader does not mind, I and my family would like to stay for a while?” he asked. “I will have to get back. Soon Man will come and I have to prepare my herd.”
“You are welcome here,” Relnor said looking happy. “Perhaps I can ask you some questions on how to prepare a herd for Man.”
They ate in the meadow. His fawns played with the other fawns in the field running and chasing them around. Over the following days, it became apparent that both Gurri and Geno were different from the deer here. They knew the skills on how to survive with Man and the other threats that the others did not have. That drew the attention of the yearlings and three season deer. It was obvious that with the training both he and his Father had given them, both of his children were looked up to here. They also acted differently than the others: more carefully, walked more quietly, especially when in the open. After three days with the new herd, Relnor came up to him.
“I had heard how wise your Father was,” Relnor said looking at both Gurri and Geno showing the other deer what they had learned. “I wish he could have trained me like he trained you and your children. Now I am too old and I fear I see no one from my herd to replace me when my time comes.”
“Both my children can help you if you wish, especially Gurri. Most males will not listen to a doe, and in the past, this has angered Gurri. She actually left my herd because no one would listen to her. Sadly, that was true even with me. I now see I made a mistake with her. If your males do not mind learning from a doe, she can help you. My son is also smart, but he is still too young for a senior male. In another season perhaps he will ready, but not now.”
“What of the other male with Gurri?” Relnor said.
He smiled, “That is Kelo and he has never been trained. Gurri found him on her travels through the forest. He is learning the same as your deer.”
“I will ask my herd males what they think,” Relnor told him. “Then we will talk again.”
It was like when he was a fawn and yearling himself and following his Father around. Only now, the other deer followed him around and he showed them some of the ways to vanish. The biggest thing he told them was if Man came again, to go deep in the woods and not to go near the big open meadow. Most of the males listed to him and Geno, but there were still problems when it came to learning from Gurri. The yearlings would speak to her, but none of the older deer. As one of the herd males, Tino told him: ‘Doe are meant to be bred, not to learn from.’
It was two days after later after the great light rose; he heard noise from near the large open meadow. It sounded like Man noises. A little later, Geno ran up to him. He could smell the sweat on his body and two other faint scents of doe. Geno had been spending time close to two doe. He could only smile and realize his son was growing up.
“Father, Man is on the meadow. I saw them, there were many,” he said.
“Did you see any dogs?” he asked.
“No, but there were more Men coming so I am not sure,” he said.
He looked at Faline and the two fawns. “Take the fawns and go deep into the forest away from the meadow. Man will try to chase us into the meadow where he will kill us.”
“I understand,” she said and got up. The fawns followed her away from the meadow.
“We need to find Relnor and your sister,” he told his son.
“I know where Gurri and Kelo like to sleep,” his son said. “I do not know where Relnor is.”
“Tell your sister to go deep into the woods. Man must not get behind us and chase us out into the meadow.”
“I understand,” his son said and ran off.
There was no time to search the forest for the herd leader. The only thing he could do was call out and hope the big deer heard him. He bellowed three times and then started toward the deep end of the forest himself.
Occasionally he would call out again as he traveled into the deep woods. Finally, he saw the big deer with his three other senior males standing next to some tall oak trees. He ran over to him.
“Man is in the meadow,” he told them. “If he is hunting, he will try to drive us into the meadow where Men with killing sticks will be waiting. We need to go deep into the forest so Man does not get behind us to chase us.”
“I understand,” the herd header said and the let out a bellow of his own. “GO!” he called out. “Go into the forest.”
He and the herd leader than ran until they could hear nothing. Then they stopped and listened. It was not long before they heard it.
“HEEEEEYYYYYYYY, HEEEEEYYYYYYYY,” Man shouted in front of them. Man also banged on something to make a lot of noise.
“They are trying to drive the deer to the open meadow,” he said in a low voice.
The yelling when on for a while and then he heard it. “WHAMMM, WHAMMM, WHAMMM, WHAMMM,” came in quick succession from the meadow. Man was using his killing sticks on something. Then everything was quiet again.
They waited a while and nothing more happened. He hoped Faline, the fawns, Geno and Gurri were all right, but he was not going to call out again with Man so near. He would wait until night. He spent the rest of the day sleeping with Relnor and his males until it was past dark. Only then did he call out.
First Faline and the two fawns appeared. All seemed fine. He nuzzled her gently along with the fawns. Both fawns wanted to play and he allowed them to play with him for a while.
“We hid in the forest. We heard the shouting from Man,” Faline told him in her smooth voice. “That danger did not come near us.”
A while later Geno appeared with two yearling doe with him. “By the time I got there, both Gurri and Kelo were gone,” Geno told him. “I followed their sent for a while and it went into the woods. I found some other deer running around and told them to run into the forest. I think they all did it, but I did not stay to find out. I took my friends here and we went into the forest and hid near some pine trees. No one came near us. We stayed still until I heard your call.”
Geno went to lie down and the two doe lay next to him. Faline smiled at him and he had to admit his son had found two nice looking yearlings as his companions. It was only sometime later that Gurri and Kelo showed up. He could tell she looked disgusted.
“As soon as I heard the sound on the meadow I knew it was Man,” she told all of them. “I knew what to do so I fled into the forest with Kelo. We came across several deer and I told them to flee. Some of the males did not listen to me, but most did.”
“One of the males told her that he did not take orders from a doe,” Kelo said. “He told us there was no more danger now than before. We left him and two others.”
“You can only warn,” he told his daughter loud enough so all could hear. “If they do not want to listen to it, you cannot help them.”
He then turned to Relnor. “I think we should stay in the deep forest until we are sure Man is gone,” he told him.
“I agree,” Relnor said and called his herd together.
In ones and twos, they all slowly showed up. Soon, around them became crowded with deer. When everyone seemed to gather Relnor spoke up.
“Man is in the forest. As long as they say in the meadow, Prince Bambi from the other herd thinks we should stay here so Man cannot chase us. I agree with him. Does anyone have any questions?”
There was silence from the herd. Then Relnor spoke again. “Is there anyone missing?”
He did not know the herd and did not know. The other deer milled around for a while before someone called out. “I do not see Tion, Gurion, or Roon.”
Relnor looked at him. “Those four males always stay together. I think they were waiting for something to happen to me so they could take over the herd.”
“I do not think that will be happening now,” he said remembering what Tion had told him.
“Those may have been the deer Gurri tried to warn,” Kelo said.
“Maybe they should listen sometimes to a doe,” Gurri said. She did not smile, but he could see inwardly she felt no regret at what happened.
“I think maybe we should all listen more to some doe,” Relnor said aloud.
“Doe can learn too,” Geno spoke up. “Just look at my Mother and Sister,” he said. He did not try to hide his grin.
“Geno is also right,” Relnor said. “It would be good to know what Gurri and Geno know. Prince Bambi must soon return to his herd; however, I would ask if Geno and Gurri could stay for a while. What they know can help us.
Gurri looked at him. “Father I can stay here for a while. Kelo can stay with me if he wants.”
The larger male moved in close to Gurri making it clear to the others of his claim for his daughter. There was no argument.
“If you do not mind, Father, I can stay a while also; at least until winter,” his son said. He looked at the two doe next to him. His son started to smile and the doe began nuzzling him.
He fought the urge to smile openly. It would seem his children had found partners, at least for now.
“I do not mind,” he said, “But Relnor is right. As soon as Man leaves the meadow, I must return. I do not think I will have any problems back in my herd.”
The rest of Relnor’s herd agreed.
The smell of burning deer meat from the meadow that night only made agreement more certain.
CHAPTER EIGHT: SEASON
Man hunted in Relnor’s forest for three more days, but they were not able to kill any more of the herd. They all hid in the deep forest and Man could not find them. At least he did not bring dogs this time. After the hunting stopped, he carefully looked out onto the meadow and found it empty. He, Faline, and the twin fawns then all ran across the meadow the next night leaving Geno and Gurri with Relnor. They never did see Tion and the males around him again. He did notice that as soon as Tion disappeared, the males started to listen to his daughter and his son with more attention.
His return back to his herd went coolly. The others were still reluctant to come near him. There was nothing wrong with the herd he could see, but he was certain the herd had not missed him. They did look a bit more relaxed with him around. That was nothing more he could do and went back to being herd leader. He patrolled around the meadow at night looking for signs of Man. He could not find any. Other than Filon, no one else looked for danger. It was almost as if the herd decided that Man was no longer a threat here.
Over the next few days, his rack started to itch. That meant he soon scrap off the velvet exposing his rack. The Season would follow that. The sparing between herd males increased in intensity as all males fought to set their place within the herd. Serious fights were few, but there were several cuts, broken racks, and other injuries. The doe took it all in and started making their choices as whom they would partner with. Strength, size, rack, were all part of what the doe looked at. There were never enough doe in the herd to go around, and the lesser males usually did without. Some would never be strong enough to breed. That was the way of the forest. He did not care personally, the only doe he had interest in was Faline, and no one was strong enough to challenge him for her. He started to sleep near the meadow again to make it easier to watch.
On one morning, he had just laid down to rest when he heard a yelping noise in the distance. It was a single dog. The yelping got louder and soon the putrid smell of Man blew from the meadow. Man was on the meadow, but there was only one scent. When they hunted, there was always more than one Man. He thought there was no danger.
“WHAMMM,” he heard. After the noise of the killing stick, the dog started barking loudly as if chasing after something. A short while later he heard another “WHAMM.” Several more times he heard the killing stick during the day. There were also sounds of killing sticks from further away. Each time he heard the killing stick, the dog would call out. As the great light started to set, the noise on the meadow went away.
That night he walked around the meadow looking for traces of Man. He smelled him and the dog near the fallen oak tree at the edge of the meadow. He looked and there was a Man print on the ground like Filon found before. There was also the track of a dog. He followed it and it led toward the larger lake near where his old home was. As he got closer to the large lake, he started to smell smoke. In the smell of the smoke were the scents of burnt birds. Man must be there in greater numbers. He did not want to get any closer so walked back toward the meadow. As he did, he came up to the tree of the Old Owl. He called and Oswell came out.
“Did you see what happened,” he asked the owl.
“It was Man,” Oswell complained. “He was using his killing stick to knock birds out of the sky. He even got his dog to run through the field and scare birds into flight and then he brought them down too. He then got his dog to pick up the dead birds and took them away with him. I can smell their dead bodies in the air. It is disgusting. I do not burn the animals I catch for food.”
“Did Man use his killing stick on anyone else?” he asked.
“No, just birds,” the Owl answered.
“He likes to burn deer too,” he said. “We must be careful; it is the time for hunting again.”
“I do not plan on leaving my tree hollow during the day until the first snow,” Oswell said looking toward where the scent was coming from. “Man will be after you deer next,” he told him. “You need to be careful.”
“I plan to,” he said.
He walked back to the meadow. It was almost empty. All the noise kept the deer away. He saw Filon in the field.
“I found a Man print over by the fallen oak where you did before. All of us need to be off the meadow before the first show of the great light. Man is back.”
“That is bad,” Filon said. “In my old forest Man use to hunt birds and then a little while came back for the deer. I think he may do that here also.”
“You are likely right,” he said. “Just stay off the meadow during the day.”
“I will,” he said and went back to eating.
He ate some of the fresh grass at the edge of the meadow but was gone before even the first hint of the great light appeared. He took a different path back to Faline’s thicket. It took him off the meadow and toward the smaller lake. In front of him was Thumper’s tree trunk. He had not seen him for a while. He leaned over.
“Thumper, it is Bambi,” he called into the log.
There was no reply. Thumper was never far away from his borough. He called out again only louder. There was still no reply. He put his nose into the log and took in a deep breath. At first, he smelled nothing unusual, but then he picked up a faint odor. It was like the smell in the meadow after Kragus died.
“Thumper,” he called out again.
All was quiet. Sadly, he closed his eyes tightly and took in a deep breath. “Goodbye my friend,” he said into the trunk and walked away.
He went back to Faline’s den and saw her and the two fawns nearby. They were eating the leaves on the bushes growing among the trees. There was no sense bothering them about his friend. They hardly knew him. By now, his daughters were losing their spots and starting to grow their winter coat.
“It has started again,” he told Faline. “Avoid the meadow in the light.”
“I will,” she said. “I have been teaching both Lina and Eta about going near Man. They were asking about you also. I think it is time you started teaching them. They are curious and you are their father. They also know Gurri has learned from you and they want to.”
He felt like saying the main reason he taught Gurri was because she would never stay back when he taught Geno. She was always there with him asking questions. In the past, he felt like the other males that it be a waste of time to teach doe. Gurri had forced him to see that was a mistake. He would not repeat that mistake with his other daughters.
“Very well, as soon as The Season is over and the hunts end, I will start teaching you,” he said to all of them. He could only hope they were as smart as their older sister was.
“Thank you, Father,” Lina said looking at him with a huge smile. Eta kept quiet as usual.
The next two days passed quietly. He finished scrapping the velvet off his rack. Faline smiled and told him it was larger than last years. He felt good about that. Faline also started to give off the scent of a doe getting near The Season. In the meadow at night, the sparring was turning into serious fights. Celon challenged Filon and lost so that made Filon the new head of the senior males. Filon was more interested in the three or four season doe. The other three senior males took many of the three season doe. The herd males took up the rest of the elder doe and a few of the yearlings, As usual, the yearling males and the weaker herd males got only what was left, if anything. It made him wondered how Geno and Kelo were getting along. Most of the senior males in Relnor’s herd had managed to die stupidly and thereby increasing the chances for the smarter males to breed. None of the males here showed any interest in Faline although he thought she was still the nicest looking of all the doe. No one even attempted to challenge him for her. They all knew better.
The next morning he heard noises from the Meadow. The wind carried the odor. It was Man, this time many of them. There were noises coming from the meadow and from all around the meadow. He saw birds flying away in fear from all around the meadow. He could guess what frighten them. He looked around and saw nothing near him, but the noise was getting closer.
“Listen, we have to leave,” he told Faline and the fawns. “Man is getting too close. We are going to run into the trees and run away from the meadow. I will go first. The rest of you keep quiet. If I say run, you all run and do not look behind you.”
Faline and his daughter nodded they understood. “He slowly stood up and looked around. There was a crashing noise near him. Something was trying to move through the forest. It was very noisy. It must be Man.
“Go,” he told Faline who led the twins out and leaped into the bushes. He thought he saw something move in the distance. He put all his strength into his legs and ran after Faline. He leaped three times and then quickly changed direction like his Father taught him to do near Man.
“WHAMMM,” came from close behind. He heard something pass near him like an angry swarm of bees.
“Run,” he yelled. He leaped to the left trying to get whoever was behind him to follow him and not Faline.
“OOOOYAAAHAAAHHEY,” he heard from behind.
He kept running and changing direction as he went. He ran until he could hear nothing from behind him. He stopped near a thick grove of trees. He sank down to the ground and looked at himself. Nothing looked hurt. He looked carefully at the forest around him while taking in great quantities of air through his nose. The burnt smell came. He also heard many Men banging on something and yelling loudly. It sounded like they were trying to drive deer toward the meadow. The noise went on for a while and then stopped. He heard no more sounds of killing sticks.
He did not move from his spot. He stayed still all day until it was well after dark. He had not heard any sound from the meadow since the great light was overhead. Only when it was completely dark did he get up and move back toward Faline’s thicket. As he moved back, he called out to her. He got back to her thicket and waited. Thankfully, she and both fawns showed up a little while later. None of them looked hurt.
“Are you alright,” Faline asked sniffing him over carefully.
“I am fine,” he said. “Man tried to surround the meadow and chase the deer into it. It did not work because I heard only the one sound of a killing stick. The others must have run far enough away to avoid Man.”
“That is good,” she said. “I hope Geno and Gurri are alright.”
“We taught them well enough,” he told her.
“Will Man be back?” she asked.
“We will know in the morning. This time at the first sound of Man in the Meadow, we will leave. In the meantime, we will eat in the forest and avoid the meadow until Man goes.”
The next morning and the morning after that, they had to run again into the forest as Man tried to chase deer into the meadow. Each time they hid deep in the woods where Man could not find them. During this time, he heard only three sounds from the killing sticks, so Man did not find many deer to kill. After that, Man left. He waited two days with no sound on the meadow before he went back to feed there at night.
He saw Filon there along with Celon, Atlan, and Delon there and most of the herd males. All were standing apart. Fights were breaking out all over. The smell from the females was strong and that made him uneasy around the other males. As he walked through the meadow, he came to a spot that had lots of blood and the scent of a dead deer. He smelled the scent, but other than the fact it was a male, he could not recognize who died.
“Man did not find many deer,” Filon told him from a distant. He was formal and direct. He also looked agitated as all males get at this time. “Running away from the meadow worked well. Man could not get behind us to chase us.”
“I am glad so many listened to what I said,” he told him with relief.
“I think the herd will break up after tonight,” Filon said. “The scents from the doe are getting stronger. The fights are getting fiercer.”
“I know,” it is The Season again. “I am going to take Faline into the forest. Have you selected your doe?”
“Yes, I think I will have at least two doe that will have my fawns in the spring.”
“Good,” he said and felt himself starting to get agitated at all the males around him. “I am leaving,” he said to everyone. Be careful if Man comes back. I will see you after The Season.”
He quickly walked off the meadow wanting nothing to do with the herd. It was like this every Season. All he wanted to do is find Faline and go with her. He went back to Faline’s thicket and called the twins to him.
“Your mother and I have to go away for a while. You are big enough to be on your own. Eat in the trees near here,” he told them firmly.
“Drink in the small stream. Do not go into the meadow. There is great danger there. Your Mother and I will be back soon.”
“Yes Father,” Lina said. Eta just nodded.
“When we get back I will start teaching you about the forest,” he told them. The both smiled openly because now he was starting to treat them as big deer.
He then started to smell at Faline’s tail. “She was almost ready to breed, but not yet.
“Faline come,” he said and they both ran off into the forest.
She ran ahead of him her white tail up and her scent flowing back to him. This was the time he always felt closest to her. He watched her run occasional turning her head and smiling at him. Her sleek body and beautiful face made the urges building inside of him even greater. She stopped by a near some trees and lay down. He lay next to her. She leaned on him and her scent filled his noise causing his body to quiver.
“Thank you again for staying with me,” he whispered to her.
“You are the only male I have ever wanted,” she told him.
Later that night they got up and chased each other around the forest like fawns again. She ran from him but always allowed him to catch her. By first light, they were both exhausted and lay down in the open. When she emptied herself near him, he could smell the strong scent of a doe almost ready to breed. They lay down on the grass and rested. It was well after the greater light rose that she stood up.
“Come with me,” she told him.
He got up and she raised her tail. From her back and her legs came the overpowering scent of a doe ready to breed. He ran his nose against the soft fur of his hindquarters. As he did, she suddenly stopped and spread her legs and arched her back. It was an invitation. An invitation he immediately accepted.
Sometime later, when he regained his senses they lay down on some grass and rested. The scent of a doe ready to breed was gone and replaced by the smell of a doe that was well bred. For the third time, she accepted him as her mate and he was content. He let the other males chase doe and then forget about them. To him, this was much better. He knew over the next few days, all the doe would be breeding and so the next group of fawns would be born in the spring. Life always went on his Father had taught him. It would go on with or without him, but it would go on. All he could do was try to leave his mark on the forest as so many had done in the past and would do in the seasons to come.
It was three days later that he and Faline returned to the thicket and the two fawns. Both were sleeping during the day. Both looked healthy. Both growing fawns slept closely together. No predator had come around that he could smell. He rested nearby with Faline still lying close to him.
Now that The Season had spent its effects on the herd, it was time to start what he promised. He took both Lina and Eta out for a walk with their mother. He started with showing the young doe how to walk quietly. How to look where they put their feet so they do not step on twigs or anything else that would give their location away. They walked slowly at first to let the fawns try to walk quietly. At first, it was difficult. Both of them tripped over things and stumbled. That was how both Geno and Gurri started to learn, and even himself when he learned from his Father. He also taught them how to smell and what each smell was. There was much to learn. Both seemed eager to learn. Lina asked lots of question and even quiet Eta asked a few.
He had done this for only a few days when he smelled a familiar scent near the trees and hill near his Father’s old cave. He listed and barely heard someone coming up from behind. Even Faline did not hear it.
“You are getting very good, my son,” he called out.
Geno came out of the forest and kissed his mother and younger sisters. He walked carefully. He rack was smaller than his, but nice looking for a late yearling. He looked quite a handsome male. His appearance surprised him. He figured he stay with Relnor’s herd until winter.
“I decided to come back to help out in case Man came back,” he said. “Gurri and Kelo are staying with that herd. I think Kelo thinks he will be a senior male in that herd and I was showing him how to fight until The Season came on us. I hope it is no surprise to you that Gurri and Kelo are a pair now.”
“I am glad,” Faline said. “What about you and those two doe.”
Geno smiled and looked a bit embarrassed. “I mated with both during the Season. One of the herd males tried to push me aside, but I took care of him quickly. He will not do that again. Both doe wanted me and so I took both. It was tiring, but I enjoyed myself. It was funny, however, after The Season, they both seemed to lose interest in me. Since Gurri was teaching the herd what to do near Man, I decided to come back here. I see you are teaching my younger sisters.”
“Yes, it is time we started with them the same as we started with you and your sister,” he said.
“Good,” he said and nuzzled both his sisters. “Any there any more signs of Man?” he said.
“No,” he said, “But I do not think that will last.”
“It is still dark,” Geno said. I will go near the meadow and look. Do not worry; I will be gone long before the greater light rises.”
He thought that was a good idea. He was going to do the same thing himself after finishing with the fawns. “Be careful, my son, and remember what both your Grandfather and I taught you.”
“I will,” he said. “I do not want anything to happen to me now. I am starting to enjoy life.”
With that, his son disappeared almost silently into the forest. Both fawns seem to gape at how quiet he was.
Faline leaned over and spoke softly to both his daughters. “See, if you listen to your Father, you will be able to do that next season.”
“Yes, Mother,” they both said and he went on with the lesson.
They all stayed near the spot Gurri stayed with Kelo. They ate and he showed the girls to empty themselves away from where they slept as not to draw predators to them. As soon as the greater light showed itself, they all stopped and he found a place for them to sleep. The next night he took them back to Faline’s thicket and he went to the meadow. As he went on the field, he expected to see Geno, but did not. He did see Filon and the other senior males. As he came on the Meadow, he saw Filon walk over toward him.
“Any sign of Man?” he asked.
“I have seen nothing,” he said.
“Did you do well during The Season?” he asked.
Filon broke out into laughter. “Bambi I did better than back in my old herd. I found three doe who wanted to come with me.”
“That is good,” he said. “I also heard no sound of killing sticks when Man was here before.”
“No, the herd scattered exactly like you told them to do,” Filon told him. “Man could not find us and went away.”
“That is also good. Have you seen Geno?” he asked.
“I saw him last night,” Filon said. “He was walking in the trees just outside of the meadow. It was as if he was looking for something. Near the rising of the greater light, he disappeared. You know he has a nice rack for a yearling. It would not surprise me if he was a senior male here by next season.”
He did not agree. He did not want to push Geno along too fast. “That may be. He will still be too young, I think.”
With that, he ate in the meadow and drank in the nearby stream. He walked slowly around the edge of the meadow and then he saw it. Foot tracks of Men were walking around the meadow. He also noticed the track of a male deer. One sniff of his nose and he knew they belonged to Geno. The deer tracks followed the man tracks. It was getting late so he went back to Faline and his daughters and hope Geno was smart enough to stay out of trouble.
He did not see his son the next night either. He heard no sounds of killing sticks so there was no hunting going on. Faline, Lina, and Eta ate on the meadow that night. Unlike before, the fawns this time did not play with the other near their age. They stayed close to him and their mother while the other fawns from his year frolicked on the meadow. He continued to look around and found more Man prints on the other side of the meadow. It smelled like the same Man. Man was watching for signs of deer and there were plenty around. Celon, Delon, and Atlan took notice and the so did Filon. They all came over to see him. He could tell things were still cold between Celon and Filon after their fight.
We have seen you looking,” Atlan blurted out. “Do you see any danger?”
“No obvious danger,” he said, “But a Man has looked closely at this meadow. That concerns me. It means Man is looking for us like I look for him.”
“They could be getting ready to hunt here,” Filon said.
“That is what concerns me but I do not see. . .” his voice trailed off. Onto the meadow running was Geno. He looked around, saw them and came over. He was wet with sweat. He had run for a while. Something was wrong. He barked at his son to come over. He did so.
“Sorry for disturbing you and the others,” he said in near exhaustion. “Man is in the forest. There are many Men over by the large lake. They have killing sticks and they have dogs. They have many dogs. They may come here soon.”
“Why is that?” he asked.
“I followed the Man tracks from the meadow. I followed them staying out of sight and far behind. They led me to where other Men and the dogs are. A Man had gone from where the Men are to here and he has done it several times.”
“Are you sure,” Celon asked.
“I know that I saw more Men than I could count and more dogs than I can count. They are getting ready to hunt, but I do not know where.”
With that, Geno dropped his head and started to breathe deeply trying to get air into his body.
“They may come here, or they, may not,” he told the others. “One thing for sure, that many Men and dogs, it means they are going to hunt someplace.”
“I do not think we can take the chance, Father,” Geno stammered out.
“No, we cannot,” he said and looked at the others. “The herd must scatter. If Man does not come here, we lose nothing. If Man brings many dogs here, they can run us all down. They do not have to chase us into the meadow.”
“You are right,” Filon said. Dogs can run deer down and either tear them to pieces or hold them until Man comes with his killing sticks. I have seen this in my old forest as a fawn. My mother and I barely got away. Many others did not.”
“We must flee,” Celon said and ran off into the forest.
He called out to the other deer. “Run, Run now. Man may be here soon with dogs. Flee and do not come back here.”
He looked at his son. “Take your Mother and sisters and go back to the thicket. I will join you there shortly.
Geno nodded and staggered off still suffering the effect of his exertions.
“Geno,” Filon called out. His son turned around. “You did well, herd male.”
He looked at him with some concern. Filon noticed it.
“Next spring he will be that anyway,” he said. “That is assuming any of us live through this. I am leaving Bambi.”
Filon turned around and fled. Atlan and Delon did the dame. He turned around and saw the deer leaving the meadow quickly. The greater light would come soon, time for him to go.
For the first time since he was a fawn, he was afraid of what was going to happen.
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