Bambi's Forest

"Well... We're ready." Birch's voice sounded tight with anxiety. Ronno, Bambi, Calemvir, Herla, and Campion fell silent and they turned to him. He'd never let on fear of any kind before. "I just hope with everything in me, Bambi... you keep my daughter away from those monsters. I've heard from Yew and Faline what it's like for a doe in that herd. And let me just say..." he hesitated. "No buck will be taking Maple there. No, we're ready."

Calemvir nodded. "Let them come. The young bucks are getting restless and the rut's coming on, now. They'll be wanting a fight soon enough."

"They'll have it," screeched a familiar voice. The red-tailed hawk lighted down on Ronno's shoulder. "I've just recieved word that Trar's making his final preparations for battle. They'll be coming on within the week, I dare say."

"Alright, then," Bambi nodded. "Calemvir, you get Clover and start making what plans we can. Herla, you devide the bucks into squadrons and clashes. I trust you can keep them all in good groups."

"Of course, sir," Herla nosed Bambi with a smile before taking off, tail flashing. He seemed more light-hearted now than he'd been since he got there.

"Campion, you go find Huckleberry. See if he's strong enough to fight, then devide the does into their dens. Run them through drills, make sure their fawns - no matter how young - can identify their mother blind. Then you get Korin to scream at them, and be sure they can identify them blind, deaf, and frightened. We can't risk losing one of them." Bambi turned to his old friend, red eyes clear and strong.

"I can do that." Campion nodded. "And if I need to... Bambi, I don't care what my antlers are like. If I can use my hooves, I will fight." He leaped from the boulder and called for the does. All around the clearing were large thickets of thorns and nettles, with saplings forming walls, tunnels into the thickets. They were up against rock falls, mostly, with small back exits should the does and fawns need an escape route. They began immediately.

Nearby, Kaiser sat with Noir, Maple, and Skander. Their antlers were now coming out of velvet slowly. "Well," Maple began, "Looks like we're ready, then. I'm really afraid of what's going to happen here. What if...?"

"Don't even start," Skander cut her off, smiling reassuringly. "Maple, we'll be fine. You just wait."

She nodded, not looking convinced. "Don't forget," Noir added, "Kaiser and Skander are sons of the buck who is said to have killed elk. And Herla's here, too, and I've heard great things of him..." she looked spirited, if not slightly with forced cheer. "I'm sure we can hold them off. Don't forget we still have Korin."

"I'm not fond of Korin," Maple bleated, shaking her head. "I mean... really. She's strong enough now to hunt on her own, and she hasn't smelled of deer yet, but..."

"Maple," Kaiser turned. "Hey. She won't hurt us."
"How could you possibly know?"

Kaiser hesitated. "I... I don't know. I just trust her." He looked up. "And... I don't want to... but I feel like I'll be able to fight as her ally. Honestly, I think this might be it, guys. We've lived are entire early life in fear. Our first year... I don't even think most of the does our age will be well enough to breed. Stress has been so high. But this could be the end. I think we'll be able to do this."

They lapsed into silence, lost in thoughts of what was to come. Every deer in the herd seemed convinced this battle would be the last... no matter which way it went.

"Kaiser," Herla called, cantering up. "I want you, Leaf, Burr, and Sumac in a clash with Sycamore and Calemvir." Kaiser's heart rose a bit. Burr, Sycamore, and Calemvir were no slouches. He personally was never able to even think about standing in battle against them. Sumac was light but he was compact and quick - some buck would have a go of it trying to even keep his head in the same place as Sumac. But Leaf... He shook away the thought of the rebellious buck. He was strong - and loyal. That was all that mattered. "And you, Skander - I want you with Birch, Huckleberry, Fleetfoot, and Stormfoil. I trust that Trar's not thought of putting some light-footed bucks in the troops - he never did." He flicked his ear. "Gather your clashes, would you?"

The bucks nodded. "Be safe, Noir," Kaiser whispered. He nosed her. Over the weeks, he'd become very close to the doe, and hated the idea of her being hurt or taken away.

"I'll be fine," she replied briskly, nuzzling him in return. "It's you I'm worried about."
"I'm not off to war just yet." Kaiser smiled weakly and bounded off to look for his clash.

"Good, good. You fawns are very quick, hm? Well, Korin will fix that." Campion nodded to the mountain lion, who lounged on a boulder, watching the fawns scramble to their mothers, eyes closed. She seemed impressed. "Go." Suddenly a loud scream split the air, but the tension failed - she was no threat. All the same, it had the desired effect, fawns slowing down, some ending up with the wrong doe, some freezing up all together. "Okay," Campion nodded. "It's understandable that you'd all be very scared. Korin may be our friend, but her kind is our natural enemy. Don't forget that. Trar's our natural enemy, too. He will take you, and force you to become just like him if you can't get to shelter." The fawns' ears flattened at that idea. "Again!"

Braila's Herd

"...This will be our victory!" Trar yelled. The troops barked and reared in anticipation. "We will attack them, overthrow them! Think of the does - fresh new does, healthy and fat, just waiting for you. We will have so much land, every animal will fear us! And you know what? We will overthrow any herd that dares appose us! We can rule all!" The roar became louder. "Braila, Nacht," Trar turned, looking at his two captains. "You go find Vervain. Divide the troops into their clashes. We will win." They took off, sifting through the bucks and muttering to them. They nodded in return, turning to call names. "This will be my personal victory over the bloodline of the all-mighty Great Prince of the Forest." Trar sneered. "Prepare to die, king Bambi."

Three Days Later

"They're coming!" the bark of Fleetfoot rang through the meadow, and the does looked up. "Don't panic, we have at least the rest of the day. The hawk just came to me - he says they have only just left!" The deer began making their way into position, bucks taking up poise in front of tunnels, does hiding in dug-out hollows under trees, in thickets, in warrens in sheer dirt drop-offs. Bucks were everywhere, bracing themselves already. "Be careful, bucks. The storm's about to break here. Don't break yourselves." He added grimly before taking off.

Bambi stepped forward, just out of the undergrowth. He stared over the windswept field before him, the faint smell of the oncoming bucks hitting him. He let out a shuddering breath. He had to be strong... for Faline. For Salvia. For Clover. "Hey." Bambi turned, seeing Ronno, his torn ears back, his scarred face determined. "You lead well, prince. Even if you have a girl's name." A slight smile played at his lips, and Bambi saw his eyes soften. "You know, I only ever hated you 'cause... honestly, I was jealous. And scared. And... I wanted to be what you were." Bambi's eyes widened.

"What?" He asked quietly.

"Bambi, my dad died when I was a fawn." Ronno looked away. "All I did was me trying to look like I was okay for Faline. For Gobo. I wasn't that strong though."

"But now's your chance," Bambi replied. "You are that strong, Ronno. You got away. You took the blame for Gobo. And Ronno... now that I'm  here... When we get through this, I have to stay here. It's my home now. And someone's got to go to my father's herd." Ronno turned back to Bambi, green eyes wide. He opened his mouth, but a great bray went up. The enemy was drawing near.

"Wait," Kaiser turned, stopping Noir. "I'm... I'm sorry."
"Why?" Noir frowned.

"Because I won't be able to tell you why after the battle. If I don't come back... I died fighting for you." He didn't wait for a response. Kaiser turned and bounded off, joining his clash.

"You're lucky, boy,"  Burr said. "You fight for her this year, and you've got a life with her. You already won the biggest battle," he added.

"Huh?" Kaiser blinked. "I don't..."

"You've got her heart, boy," Burr replied, turning, "But let's go. If you we don't win this, it won't matter anyway."

Herla's ears pinned back. He'd been going over Korin's position with her when the call came. "You have it, right?" He asked.

"Yes, of course," Korin replied. "We've only done this half a million times."

"Good," Herla