laughed.

Even Bambi couldn't help but laugh at that one. Thumper shot the Prince an angry glare.

"I expected a few giggles from him, but I expected better from you!"

"Lighten up, bunny." Flower laughed. "We're just messing with you. Go, have fun running away from your fat wife and kids."

"I did NOT say FAT! And besides..." Thumper pointed to Bambi. "He's running away from his wife and kids, why not chew him out?"

Bambi laughed. "He doesn't get it, Thumper. He's not a real parent."

Flower now shot an angry look at the Prince.

"I beg your pardon! I am a parent, thank you very much! He bears your namesake, or have you forgotton?"

"I haven't forgotton. But that's the whole point." Bambi stamped his hoof. "You only had one kid."

"Yeah." Thumper chimed in. "You're not a real parent unless you have more than one at a time. There's a huge difference."

"Oh yeah? How so?" Flower asked, curious.

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"Please explain it to me." Blossom demanded with crossed paws.

Lola and Faline exchanged knowing glances.

"Would you like to, or shall I?" Faline asked the female rabbit while trying to hold in a laugh.

"Oh, hunny, let me." The old, chubby rabbit insisted. "I'm great at explaining things like this."

Lola took a few strained hops foreward to Blossom. The peach-colored bunny was a truly magnificent prize back in her day. But years of birthing and rearing countless babies took its toll on the lagamorph. Now, her once brilliant coat was dull and flecked with white. Her once toned figure was now spilling over from years of eating the leftovers from the kids so as not to waste food. But despite the evident change in her appearance, Lola was still a saucy as ever, even thoug her voice had grown tired and raspy from all the years of yelling at her numerous offspring.

She approached Blossom and put her paws on the female skunk's shoulders.

"The difference, my dear, is simple." Lola pulled Blossom closer. "When one kid cries at night, you put him back to bed and you're free to enjoy the rest of your night. But when all 67 kids start crying all at once...well, you can forget about sleep for the rest of the night. What I'm trying to say is, when multiple kids start crying and you finally quiet one of them down, you have another one who starts in his place. Can you see the difference?"

Blossom sighed and gave a defeated nod.

"I suppose. But it's not like I didn't want to have another baby. I still ask Flower about it every night." She ended with a smile.

Lola tilted her head curiosly. "And what does he say?"

Blossom's smile faded. "Well...one of two things. Either "Try adoption" or, my favorite, "Stop doing that, I'm asleep"."

Lola and Faline snickered.

"I'm personally done with fawning." Faline sighed.

"Speaking of fawning..." Blossom interrupted. "Will Gurri be breeding this season?"

Faline groaned with uncertainty. "Well, she really, really wants to. I just hope Geno doesn't spoil her fun. He really should find a nice doe during the Rut, there's so many to choose from."

"I don't understand." Blossom shook her head. "Why won't he let Gurri mate?"

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"It's a macho-thing." Thumper shrugged. "He wants to mate before his sister, otherwise he'll feel inadaquet if she beats him to the punch, you know what I'm saying?"

"That's ridiculous." Bambi huffed. "Geno's not like that. He's just over protective. Besides, I'm sure he'll behave, this is their 3rd Rut after all. There's no way he'll possibly try to stop her 3 seasons in a row."

Thumper laughed heartily.

"For his sake, I sure hope so!"

"What do you mean by that?" Flower asked. "You don't think she'll be upset with him, do you?"

"Upset? She'll be furious! You can't stop a female from breeding while she's in estrus! You can't stop a female from doing ANYTHING while she's in estrus! You're dealing with a ticking time-bomb! If she's left unsatisifed this season..." Thumper shuddered. "...I pity Geno."

Flower and Bambi stared intently at the proud gray rabbit, their eyes wide with curiosity.

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Faline and Blossom exchanged worried glances.

"Do you really think Gurri would...injure her own brother for the want of mating?" Blossom whispered.

There was silence for several minutes. Even the dark forest around them was devoid of any sound whatsoever, almost as if the entire forest was pondering the query. Suddenly and without warning, Lola threw her paws in the air.

"Heck, I would!"

Blossom gasped loudly with her paws over her mouth. Faline grimmaced at the snide old hare.

"Lola!" Blossom choked out.

"What?" She asked innocently. "C'mon, ladies, don't tell me you forgot what it was like when you went in to estrus!" Her eyes became distant. "Your inability to control your basic instincts...your hunger for any handsome fellow with a pair of long ears...waving goodbye to your ability to use the word 'no'..." She stopped upon feeling the judgemental eyes of the other two females glaring down on her.

Lola gave a nervous laugh, straightened up and shrugged. "I guess that's just what I was like."

Blossom cleared her throat and turned to Faline in a desperate attempt to change the subject.

"Anyway, Faline, where's Gurri now?"

Faline smiled, happy to talk about something else.

"The Rut is being held in the Western Meadow this season. Gurri is in the woods outside the meadow with River. They're waiting for my mother and Mena to escort them to the Rutting Grounds."

"She must be so excited." Blossom giggled.

"Gurri is. River...not so much." Faline gave a weak grin.

"How about Raven?" Lola inquired.

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"Yeah, good question." Thumper nodded at Flower before turning to Bambi. "What's with Raven? I mean...will he ever be able to participate in the Rut? You know..."

Bambi snorted and tossed his head. "Of course he will! What, you think because he hasn't lost his spots yet that he'll be impotent or something?"

"You said it, not me." Thumper shrugged.

"He'll be fine. He's just a late bloomer." Bambi grunted.

Thumper rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say. He's probably training with Geno right now."

"Yes. Well, maybe. I'm not really sure. I didn't even see Raven at all today." Bambi looked up at the sky. It was nearing noon. "Listen fellows, we have to go now. See you next spring."

"Alright. Talk to you then, Bambi!" With that, Flower scuuttled off into the deep grass and within moments, he was gone.

Bambi turned to call Rags.

"Bambi, wait." Thumper's voice became a whisper.

Bambi lowered his head and pricked his ears forward.

"What is it?"

"Can I say something to you?" Thumper asked in an almost coy manner. "I mean, as your best friend?"

"Of course." Bambi smiled.

Thumper did not smile back. His face was like stone.

"Bambi, what you're doing here is a mistake."

Bambi's grin disappeared immediatly, but Thumper continued.

"Ever since you rescued that creatu---Rags, well, you've been ignoring everyone else in the forest. You've been ignoring your duties as Prince. You even put Geno in charge of the Rut this year."

Bambi rolled his eyes. "Uh, yeah...broken antler. Remember?" He responded snidly. "I wouldn't be much use defending the forest with a broken antler, now would I?"

"You wouldn't have that broken antler if you'd have just stayed out of it." Thumper shot back.

Bambi flattnened his ears and lifted his head. "We're done here. RAGS!"

"No, we're not done here." Thumper snapped. "You've lost it. You are sacrificing everything you love for something that's none of your concern."

"That's enough, Thumper." Bambi warned.

"I'm coming, Daddy!" Rags' distant voice hit