Chapter 5: Promises

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Man?" was all Bambi asked.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"I think Man is here to kill birds and not us," he whispered to Bambi.

"That awful smell," Bambi complained and made a face at it.

"I will explain later," he replied. "Right now we have to see the meadow without being seen."

"I know a place" Bambi said. "Follow me."

He followed Bambi around past the stream until they came to a part of the forest that intruded into the meadow by a few lengths. There they were still hidden in the trees, but could see the entire meadow, bathed in the soft glow from the lesser light. It was then they saw it. A strange light was glowing brightly from the far end of the meadow. It was outside something standing near the spring. It was something that had not been there before. He knew it at once.

"Man cave," he continued to whisper. "Man is here."

Bambi froze for a moment as he realized just what that meant "We will not be able to use the meadow again," he said looking at him with a concern on his face.

"Yes," he said, "but let us watch here for a while. Man always sleeps at night. We might be able to use the meadow when he is asleep."

They both waited. At first things only got worse. First one Man came out and sat on some sort of strange looking rock he carried. A second Man came out a while later and sat on another. Two dogs came out with them and lay on the ground near their masters. Bambi wanted to leave right then, but he knew the dogs were not hunting and so should not smell them from this distance. They waited and watched the two Men light their mouths on fire and begin to smoke. Although he had seen this before, Bambi had no idea what they were doing. "Who lights themselves on fire?" he asked.

The two men sat on their rocks for a while puffing white smoke and raising something to their lips. Finally, as the lesser light rose there was a strong breeze from behind them. A moment later the dogs stood up and started to bark loudly in their direction. Both Men rose, and one went inside the Man cave and came out with a stick. It was a killing stick. The other man went over to the dogs and made a motion with his hand. Immediately both dogs ran off directly toward them.

"Run!" he yelled and he and Bambi leaped away. Both of them knew better not to run back to their cave; the dogs and Men might follow them there. They both ran off into the forest.

"Krack," he heard from behind him. Neither of them slowed down. They both ran until the sound of dogs barking because less and then stopped. Only then did they stop running.

"Did you get hit?" he heard from Bambi.

"No," he said. "Are you alright?"

Bambi nodded and looked around. "I know another way back to my cave. It will take longer to get there, but we will not have to go near the meadow."

"Good," he said and off they walked together. It was near day before they came back to the cave. Both Faline and Claris were standing looking toward the meadow. Both did not hear them as they approached from the other side.

"Faline," Bambi called out. Immediately both doe turned around and ran over toward them.

Claris came over and licked the front of his face, "You are alright?

He nodded and nuzzled her cheek. The running had tired him and made him hungry. Later that night they ate in a small patch of grass past the cave. A few deer stopped by and asked what to do. Bambi told them not to go to the meadow that night, but to find food in the forest. He heard no more shooting that night and into the early morning.

They stayed awake until it was full light. After that he was so tired he lay down in his clearing. He closed his eyes, felt the warmth of Claris' body next to him. The only thing he felt as the darkness drifted over him was Claris lying fully against his side and rubbing his muzzle with hers. The inward warmth came back, but he felt troubled. Man would soon be back looking for them. He knew what that would mean. It was time he spoke to Claris.

They slept through most of the day time. He got up near the end of day feeling refreshed. Claris got up with him. He looked over to her and nuzzled her neck and then asked. "Would you walk with me?"

She nodded with a smile and they walked away from Bambi's cave into the dense forest. When they were far enough

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