each other at this time. It was the way the Season put its hold on everyone. He did not want to do that with Bambi. He walked up and yet stood several lengths away from Faline because Bambi had come up to block his movement.

"Bambi, I feel the Season coming on," he told him.

"Yes, I feel it too," he said.

"I think it may be good if Claris and I were to rest at some other place else until it is over. Would you and Faline be offended?"

Bambi seem to think about for a second before answering, "No, I think that is a wise move. We are coming to the time when we want to be alone with our doe."

He looked back and stared at Claris who heard everything. She just smiled at him.

"If you need me, call me," he said and bowed his head.

"I will and call me if you need me, my friend." the big deer told and turned away from him.

He went back to Claris and nuzzled her along the side of her face, "Come with me," he said and without a word she did.

Over the next days he spent a lot of time with Claris. They selected a spot near the large oaks where Claris use to lie alone before he came to the forest. They bedded there during the day mostly because there were no other deer nearby. It was close enough to the meadow where they could easily feed and drink, yet far away from the others where they could be alone. Already he could see the herd starting to break up, especially the males. He could hear clashes of antlers in the forest. The fight for doe had started. Unlike last Season he felt no urge to join the fight or to go after any other doe. In fact the only urge he felt was for Claris. She started giving off scent indicating she wanted to be with him. He followed her around waiting for a sign from her. Occasionally they saw other male deer. They would look at him, and then walk quickly away. Most of the herd males wanted nothing to do with him. Even Ronno avoided him. Kragus he never saw, although he smelled his scent in several places.

One day just after they left the meadow before the start of day, there came loud noises from where the Man animals had been. It sounded and smelled like Man. The noises were got louder and were unfamiliar to him, but man was doing something on the meadow. He dared not go look during the day. He knew his rack was full and the Season was almost here. That meant that Man had come for them this time.

It was mid day and they were sleeping when the noise started again. Claris was lying close against his side. He was feeling warm and comfortable, but now he knew there was danger. He did not want to move around in the forest during the day at this time. He looked over and saw the large oak of the Old Owl. He got an idea.

He got up and moved over to the large oak of Friend Owl and kicked the trunk with his hoofs. "Friend Owl," he called out loudly.

The large grey owl staggered out of his hole and onto the branch looking at him crossly. "What is it, Stranger? First there was all the noise and now you."

"Friend Owl, I need you to do something. It is very important. The noise is from Man, and I think he is here to kill deer."

"That brought the old bird to attention," Yes it is the time," he squeaked. "What do you want me to do?"

He explained carefully to the old boy. "I like you to fly to the meadow keeping very low in the trees and see what man is doing. Then I want you to find Bambi and have him meet me at the place where we saw the Man cave before. I will meet him there tonight.

"Oh, alright," he groaned, "But do not wake me again during the day."

With that he flew off toward the meadow. He looked back to Claris standing behind him. "We will stay here until dark and then go to the place Bambi and I saw the Man cave."

"I understand," she said "You want to see what Man is doing."

"You are learning," he told her with a smile. "Are you afraid?"

"Not with you and Bambi near me."

Just before the day became dark, the Old Owl returned.

"Friend Owl," he called to the old bird. "What did you see?"

"There are many Men by the edge of the meadow," the bird reported." There are four Man-caves near where the first one was at. There are many small caves along the edge of the meadow near the Man path. I saw many Men there."

"Thank you," he said. "I am sorry I woke you."

"Just please do not do it again," he squawked

After it was fully dark, they walked slowly through the forest, testing the air often for the scent of Man. The wind was blowing down the hills toward the meadow and he could not pick up a scent in that direction. They moved quietly around taking the long path to the part of the forest that sticks out into the meadow.

They walked slowly down the stream until he could see part of the meadow, then he circled around the way Bambi had showed him until they came to the place where the forest sticks out into the grassy field. They walked quietly to the location as the lesser light rose filling the meadow with a dim light. Suddenly there was a noise from behind him. He turned and saw two deer, a male and a doe; the light breeze brought their scents to him.

"Come with me," Bambi told them, "I know the way better."

The four of them walked close to each other being careful not to make any noise. As they got closer to the spot they had been before, the breeze brought another scent, the putrid smell of Man. This time there were many scents. Then they heard a dog bark. They all froze in place. Then slowly they walked forward until the trees became thin enough where they could see the entire length of the meadow.

The owl was right; there were many lights that shinned brightly. He could also see several dogs sleeping outside. He saw the smaller caves that were just on the edge of the meadow, almost in the trees. Man was back.

"Man is here for us," he told them.

Bambi nodded, "We must go deep into the forest until Man leaves. I will tell the others."

"I agree," he nodded. For some reason something was starting to make him feel angry. It had to do with the scent Bambi gave off. He wanted to speak up, but stopped himself. He needed to leave with Claris. He would have taken Faline if she even seemed slightly interested even though she belonged to Bambi. The feelings coming over him were different this time than before. He wasn't sure what he felt, but he did not want to remain near Bambi.

Bambi looked at him also showing anger. He could tell Bambi did not like the way he was looking at Faline. Bambi was about to say something when he caught an image of something racing across the meadow. He turned and looked. There was a male deer running across the open space at full gallop about halfway between them and the Man caves. Immediately all the dogs started to yell making a huge noise. Lights came on quickly at the Man caves. He knew what that meant.

"Run," he called out and an instant later the four of them took off in two directions

Once Claris and he had run far enough as to lose sight of the meadow they stopped. Bambi and Faline took another path. They were alone and soon would come the start of day.

"What do we do?" Claris wanted to know.

He looked around. He did not want to move about the forest in the light with Man nearby. "We go up the hill and stay there until night; then we go back to our place."

They walked up the hill and looking for a place to sleep where they be hidden. As he walked around a new scent caught his nose. It was weak and smelled of fur and meat.

"There is a bear nearby," he told Claris. "He is not here now, but he has been. We must be careful of him also."

Claris caught the scent. "It is the same scent as the bear that chased those two doe and fawns," she added.

They did not go further up the hill where the bear scent was stronger but walked around the bottom of the hill until they found a small glade under some pine trees. There they lay down on the grass and leaves and went to sleep.

"HHHHAAAAYYYAAAAA." he heard just after daylight. It was a Man noise; then he heard the same loud noise, but another direction. HHHHHHAAAAYYYAAAA." It was like no animal sound he knew. Then he heard the yelping of the dogs, still far away. There was shouting, and all sorts of other noises. None of it seemed to be coming their way. The shouting went only for what seem the entire day. The dog barking noises first got fainter then got louder again.

"Stay still," he told Claris. "Man is in the forest, but not near us. If we stay still and the dogs do not come we should be alright."

She snuggled up even closer to him, which made him feel even better.

Then there was more yelling from far away. It seem like the yelling was moving toward the meadow. "BAMMMMM" he heard followed by "BAMMM, BAMMM" Those were the killing sticks. By the louder noise he knew these were the big killing sticks Man used to kill deer. They got as low to the ground as they could and waited. No unusual scent came to them.

"Do not make a noise," he told Claris. "Man cannot kill us if he cannot find us."

"Crash," he heard like something was smashing its way through the forest. He heard louder crashing of broken branches and twigs. Who was ever running was fleeing not taking care how much noise they made. Then he heard a voice "AHHHHH. . . AAHHHHHHHH." It was a deer. He got up and listened, the crashing noise was in front of him and seemed to go past him up the hill.

"One of us," he called to Claris. He smelled the air. It was now coming from the

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