Miracles of the Forest

Part 1: Messing with Destiny

Ch.4 "Welcome Home, Rags!"

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The deer walked silently up the densly forested mountain towards the thicket. Faline led the way, her ears pinned aggitantly against her skull, her brows furrowed over her cerulean eyes.

Faline was no longer the sweet-natured, bubbly, playful fawn she was when she and Bambi had first met. Her face was once taunt and young and full of spirit. Now, a permanant scowl took the place of her once youthful face. Dark bags sagged below her eyes, an obvious side-effect of many sleepless nights. Her once shimmering coat was now dull and unkempt, a sign that vanity no longer ruled her heart. Only the love and the instinct to protect her children reigned; her appearance meant nothing to her. Indeed, motherhood had altered the fine doe. She was no longer Faline. She was a Mother and a Wife. The light streaks of stress-induced silver hairs throughout her pelt was a sign that she was doing it right.

Syndica and Gurri followed behind, their heads hanging so low their noses were almost burried in the dirt. Syndica kept cautiously bringing her gaze to the edge of Faline's face, but the moment the doe would shoot her a glare, Syndica dropped her eyes again. There were very few things in the forest that frightened Syndica, and Faline was at the top of the list. Clearing her throat, Syndica spoke.

"I'm sorry, Faline..." Syndica squeaked.

"Take Gloria and go home right now." Faline snapped.

Syndica flinched at the words. She and Gurri locked eyes for a moment.

"Sorry, Gurri." Syndica whispered.

"I said go home!" Faline barked again.

Syndica jumped at the harsh words. She whirrled about and started trudging up a different hill. Gloria followed at her heels. Raven watched sadly as they began to ascend. Suddenly, the dark buck fawn took a few leaps towards them.

"Raven!" Faline called. "Get over here!"

Her call caused everyone to stop and look at Raven, who stopped in his tracks. Gloria turned, her violet-colored eyes gazed into Raven's chocolate ones. With a nervous gulp, Raven whispered.

"Good bye..." He said in a coy manner before flashing a small smile.

Gloria smiled back at him, but left it at that. She turned and ran to catch up with her cousin and within moments, they were both gone. With a sigh, Raven turned and walked back to his mother. River nuzzled her twin gently.

"River, Raven..." The fawn looked up as their mother said their names. "Go back to the thicket. I'll talk to you in a moment. I need to see your sister alone first..."

The fawns wasted no time in skulking off to their den. River took one final glance over her shoulder at Gurri. Seemed they all knew what was going to happen next.

Once they were alone, Gurri lowered her head even more.

"I'm sorry, Mother..." She whimpered.

"Sorry? For what, Gurri? For bringing your little brother and sister into a dangerous and forbidden Man-place or for getting caught?" Faline spoke with a hint of sarcasm in her voice, though she had her back turned to her rebellious daughter.

"For bringing them. I shouldn't have done it."

"You're damn right you shouldn't have done it!" Faline whipped around to face the accused, who shrunk back in fear. "And tell me, daughter, the wonderful reason you had for risking their lives. I'm dying to hear it."

Gurri looked away, her eyes flowing with tears. She bit her lower lip.

"Answer me." Faline demanded. "What was so important that you just HAD to take them with you?"

Gurri answered reluctantly.

"Some of the stags were sparring down there. Me and Syndica went to watch." She finally coughed out.

Faline narrowed her eyes in fury.

"Stags? You risked the lives of my babies so you and your friend could watch a couple of muscle-heads toss each other around?" Faline snorted and reared up on her hindlegs. "Of all the ridiculous reasons!!!" She began striking out with her front hooves. "Don't you EVER do that again, understand me???!!!" Faline harshly boxed Gurri in the head with each syllabol.

"I'm sorry!" Gurri cried as she tried to pull away from the blows. "Please, Mother! I'm sorry!"

Faline finally relented and dropped down on all fours again. She was a bit winded from the attack and still angry. But she quickly calmed herself down and even softened her voice.

"You are my daughter. And I love you now like I did when you were their age. But...you're an adult. And as much as I love you, if you wish to flirt with danger, I can not stop you. But you have no right putting your baby siblings in such danger. I'm going to tell you this only once, Gurri. Don't bring them with you ever again. Do you understand me?"

Gurri sniffled a bit and nodded, her head pounding from the thrashing.

"Yes mother. I promise."

Faline nodded and began heading for the thicket.

"But, mother, that Man..."

Faline stopped, but did not turn.

"Your father must not know what happened today. You will not speak a word to him about the events that transpired this afternoon. It is forbidden to look upon Man's face. So do not tell him what happened, understand?"

"Yes mother...but, that Man..." Gurri bounded forward and leapt in front of Faline, blocking her path. "Wasn't it strange? A Man who looks like Geno?"

Faline dropped her gaze. She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. Even she couldn't deny the amazing resemblance. She was about to respond when a scent filled her nostrils. Then came the call.

"Faline! Faline!" It was Bambi.

Faline picked up her head and walked past Gurri.

"Your father is home. We will not discuss this anymore today. Come. Let us greet him."

By the time Faline and Gurri reached the edge of a small clearing, River and Raven were already there, bouncing around their father and big brother. But Faline came to a sudden stop as she approached, her eyes wide with shock.

"Bambi! For goodness sake! What happened to your antler?!"

Gurri gingerly stepped out into the clearing and gasped upon seeing what her mother had just seen. Bambi smiled coyly and gave a small chuckle.

"Don't worry about that, my love. I'm fine." He said cheerfully.

"Oh I'm sure your as a giddy as a yearling doe during her first rut, but I still refer you to my last question." Faline snapped aggitantly. "What happened to your antler???"

Geno looked at his father and they both sighed. Bambi turned as though he were going to scratch his own back but instead, returned with a large gray wad of fur in his mouth. The fur was attached to a small animal with sparkling green eyes. Faline watched, jaw to the ground as Bambi walked over to the edge of the forest, where Gurri still stood and watched in astonishment, and sat the little bobcat kitten in the leaf-litter between the 2 surprised does. Once she was safely on the ground, Bambi returned to Geno's side. The two stags eagerly looked at the does to see their reactions.

Rags smiled contently at Faline, who simply stared down, confused, at the small creature. Gurri, on the other hand, grew a tremendous smile as she looked at the cute little critter. It was certainly something refreshing to meet a new creature in the forest. But at the same time, Faline found it oddly unnerving. Not wanting to seem rude to the new creature, Faline lowered her head and spoke kindly to it.

"Welcome, little one." She forced. "It's nice to meet you. Now..." She fixed her irritated gaze on Bambi. "...if you'll excuse me, I have to talk to Bambi alone for a moment."

Bambi cringed a little inside. That look and tone of voice told him many things---for one, Faline was obviously upset. 2, she didn't seem to be in a very good mood in the first place, and 3, the gaze and angry tone also informed the Prince that he would be sleeping alone in the woods tonight. With a nervous gulp, Bambi nodded and followed the wife to the other side of the clearing.

Geno rolled his eyes and approached his sister's side.

"Well...mom is sufficiently pissed today." He chuckled. "What'd you do?"

Gurri gasped and shot an angry look to her twin.

"And what makes you think I'm the cause of mom's attitude today?"

"First off, the lumps on your head are a dead give-away." Geno laughed observing Gurri's sore head. "But I have to say, the fact that you smell like fresh turf also brings me to the conclusion that you went somewhere you weren't supposed to go, like...for arguments' sake...Northern Point? Strange, though. I wouldn't have expected mom to react so harshly to your visit, but wait!" Geno leaned in closer. "Didn't someone have baby-sitting duties today?"

Gurri winced and