with this."

With that he lay down as did the others. He collected his thoughts and started his tale at the beginning.

Chapter 3: Higher Education

It was late when he got back to his clearing. The light was already bright and the Man animals were busy working in the meadow. He was exhausted. His talk with Bambi, Veron, Jolo and Stabo had taken all of the night and into the day, but he had finished it. Even though he had not eaten, he was not hungry in the slightest. What little thirst he had he had quenched in the stream. Bambi had already heard most of his story, so he showed almost no emotion to his tale. When he was done, Stabo, Veron and Jolo looked almost stunned. They did not even attempt to ask a question. What bothered him the most was the way his son looked at him. It was a mixture of fear and disbelief. He could only hope they understood. He had come back alone. The four others just lay in the clearing after he was done. It must have shown on him. Faline had gotten up at his approach thinking Bambi was with him. He could see she was going to ask him were Bambi was, yet she took one look at him and went silently back into her cave.

He law down next to Claris and Stena. Even through sleep was the last thing on his mind, the exhaustion of last night and the fact he hadn't slept much the previous night weight down upon him like a great rock. He felt himself falling into a deep sleep. Even though he knew he had awakened Claris, she had said nothing to him.

He awoke well after dark, alone. He was hungry and very thirsty and he felt his insides were ready to explode. He got up quickly and moved away from their bedding area and let the waste flow out of him. It seemed particularly noxious like the poisons in his body he had created by telling his tale were flowing out of him. He then moved quickly out onto the meadow. As expected the herd was there eating. He found Claris and starting eating the grass next to her.

"I am sorry if I woke you," he told her.

She looked up from eating and looked into his eyes, her green eyes still blazing. "I was going to ask you about what had happened, but I saw the look on Faline's face and knew to leave you alone. What happened last night?"

"I told the others my whole story," he explained. "They had to know if the herd was going to split up and survive. I will now teach them all I know. Stabo can help Veron, in the new forest. Bambi will learn to see Man as I see Man, and Jolo will know what to do. . . ."

"In case something happens to you," Claris interrupted. "I hate when you think like that. It is almost as if you are already dead."

"I know, I am sorry, he said turning away from her, "but I have to start thinking about the good of the herd and that comes before me. This is not what I wanted, but it is what will happen. For that reason, they had to know, so I told them. I just hope they don't dislike me for it."

"I always felt pity at what happened to you, but I could never hate you," she said and nuzzled him on his neck.

"Thank you," he said and nuzzled her back. "I do not know what I do here without you."

He saw Bambi, Veron, Jolo and Stabo standing together off to the side. He had finished eating. It was time to start the training. He walked over to the four of them who all stood firmly in place.

"Are we ready to begin again?" he asked them.

"I will take Veron, you take Stabo and Jolo," Bambi said and walked away.

"Come with me," he told the other two and they walked off into the meadow. When they were far away from the others he stopped and turned and faced the Man caves in the distance.

"Both of you turn and face the Man Caves," he ordered.

Both did as he said and when they were looking right at them he added. "Now what do you feel?"

"I feel some fear of what Man can do," Stabo said.

"That is always a good thing, but what do you feel on your body?"

Both of them looked at him like they though he was crazy. "The wind," he said curtly. "How do you feel the wind?"

"I feel the wind on my tail," Jolo said. "Stabo nodded his approval."

"Correct and here is what to remember. When the wind is on your tale, you never approach Man, especially if you think he had dogs. With the wind at your tale, they will always smell you, before you can smell them. With the wind in your face, you will smell them, before they can smell you. You must always approach Man with the wind in your face. If you do not have the wind in your face, then go someplace until you can feel the wind in your face and approach. Never walk toward Man with the wind at your back. It is a sure way to die."

"Why is that Father?" Stabo asked.

"Because the wind carries your scent like a stream carries water. Remember how at times we can smell Man on the meadow and sometimes we cannot. It is because of the wind. When the wind blows from the meadow, it carries the scent of Man to us. When the wind blows from the hills, it carries our scent to Man and his dogs." Do you understand? This is something you must remember if you plan to live long around Man.

"What happens if the wind blows on our flanks?" Jolo asked.

Then you cannot be sure who will smell who first. Remember, Man cannot smell us, only his dogs can. Man can see us, and if he can see us he can kill us. This is why when Man comes; the best thing to do is to run deep into the forest where he and his dogs cannot find you."

"But man does not see well at night, correct?" Stabo added.

"Yes, but his dogs can see well at night and can smell well at night," he said and waited for more questions, but there were none.

"Come with me, I want to show you something," he said and led them to the place the forest sticks out into the meadow. They reached it and he took them several lengths into the trees so they could still see most of the meadow.

"If you must watch Man, or what Man is doing, do it only from a place like this. Here we can see the meadow, but it would be hard for Man to see us. Even when you stand here, stand near a tree or a bush so you are partly hidden. Never stand in the open, even inside the forest with Man about. I did that once and you see what happened."

He turned around and showed them the scars that ran along the back half of his left side. "I almost died from this. Poor Marro did die. If you have to hide, lie down behind some bushes or trees that are close together. Again it is hard for Man to see you. The only time you do not try and hide is when you hear dogs. They can find you no matter where you hide. When you hear dogs, you run deep into the forest until you do not hear them anymore. You never run near any deer with dogs behind you. You will lead Man and his killing sticks to the others and more of us will die." Do you understand what I am saying?"

"I have heard that sometimes the dogs will come without Man," Jolo said.

"Yes, that is true. If there are not many and you have a rack, you can fight the dogs by using your antlers on them, but many dogs will attack you at once. That is why they are so dangerous. One dog is not a danger. Many dogs are."

He stopped and looked at both of them wondering if either one understood. They both seem to understand. They didn't ask any more questions. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad, so he went on to another point and continued until it was near light.

By the time he had come back the light was growing. He could see Bambi walk from the open space. Faline and Claris were already bedded down with the fawns. "How did it work out?" he asked Bambi.

"Veron wants to learn, he is just too young. He has not seen enough to completely understand. It took my Father almost a full season to teach me, and I still did not learn everything. How is it with Stabo and Jolo?"

"The same," he said. "We will do more again tonight."

With that he went back to Claris and Stena and slept soundly again.

They continued, night after night for many rising of the lesser light. He told Stabo and Jolo everything he could remember. He showed them how to disappear without a trace. He showed them how to circle around a Man to get him off your trail. Also, there was how to avoid Man when they hunt in groups. He then showed them how to watch Man without being seen. Another important thing was how to run away from Man in the open which meant never run in a straight line. Night after night he showed them and repeated what he said and asked questions about what he said. He talked to them until he could tell both Stabo and Jolo were tired of listening to him and he still went on. Both Stabo and Jolo seemed to understand, but the proof would come when Man tried to hunt them. Sometimes Bambi and Veron would come with them and learn. Bambi also taught Stabo and Jolo on how to be a herd leader.

When their antlers got bigger, he showed them mock combat. Most important was how to shift your enemy's weight to force him down. Next came how to kick an enemy and how to trip him. Even Bambi listened to him. This was his odd way of fighting he saw while living with man. By the time of high summer everyone was exhausted by their nightly get togethers. Finally Bambi said it was time for them to go. He took them all into the meadow for one final lesson.

"I have taught you everything I can," he told the four of them. I will know when winter comes if your listened well enough."

"How is that Father?" Stabo asked.

"If you listened, you will be alive. If you did not, you will be dead," he told them

He turned to face them and made

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