same size as last year. Jolo and Bambi had similar racks, but Claris always told him, in private, his rack was slightly larger. All that mean to him was that some Man would want to have his head mounted in this cave for enjoyment even more. They heard nothing more from either the old forest, or from Veron and his son Stabo. As far as he was concerned, no word from them meant nothing bad had happened.

His main task had been to make sure the others in the herd, especially this year's fawns, had put on enough weight to get them through the winter. With Man off the meadow, this was fairly easy to do. He himself felt built out and ready for both the Season and winter. He knew no male in the forest would challenge him either for Claris or his position as herd leader. Being honest with himself, the only two deer that could even try to challenge were Bambi and Jolo, and neither were interested.

Bambi had talked to both Jolo and Gurri and it now seemed for sure they become a pair during the Season. Balo did not seem to mind the large male deer around him and his mother. Both Stena and Gerta pestered their parents about learning more about the forest and he was glad to teach them. What made him even gladder was this time alone with Bambi. After Bambi lost his fever and his cuts healed, his strength came back. What little that may have been lost was regained during their nightly sparing matches. One of the best ways to build up strength was to have a deer as big or bigger than you try and push you down and you push back. It soon became clear to him that any weakness Bambi had was more in his head than in his body. He also worked out with Jolo continuing to show him his tricks. Although he never said anything to Claris, he felt that if anything did happen to Bambi and him, Jolo be a fine herd leader.

It was on the day his velvet start to itch that things changed. He heard noises from the meadow, Man noises. They were not very loud and it sounded like there were only a few Men there. He didn't think they had come for them, but he also heard many dogs. That night all of them visited their old location to watch the other end of the Meadow.

There only seem to be a few lights on in the Man cave and there were many dogs on the outside lying down. It be impossible to use the meadow tonight.

"Not many Men, but why so many dogs," Jolo asked.

He noticed something else. These dogs were different. They was larger, barked louder and acted differently than the other dogs he had known."

"My Father told me of dogs like these," Bambi said. "He said they were the bad dogs because they behaved more like the wolves that use to live near here. Man uses them to hunt larger animals than us."

"The bear," he said out loud. "They are here for the bear."

He remembered the time of the season. The bear might not be alone now and any other bear would kill him in an instant if they could. Yet he knew he must try and warn the bear. There was a way to do this, but last time he tried this, it almost killed him.

"Look, I want you all to go back to the cave and thicket. I cannot go to the bear now, he may not be alone and any other bear would kill a deer on sight. I am going to call to the bear instead."

"No," Claris said loudly. "Last time you called someone like that you almost died. I will not go through that again."

"Last time I didn't see all the Men, now I can. It was also day and now it is night. Man may hear me and come after me, but I will see him before he can get close to me. If they do come after me, I will need to run fast and far away from the cave and the rest of you. I cannot do that if all of you are with me, so I ask you to go back."

"I can call him," Bambi said.

"He knows my voice," he told Bambi. "I must do this. I am alive because of him. I will not let him be killed without warning."

He could tell the others were not happy with his plan, and he was not keen on it either, but he decided he had to do something. First Jolo, Gurri and Balo left and then Bambi and Faline did. Only Claris and Stena remained.

"Do not do this?" Claris asked tenderly.

"I came back to you because of the bear," he answered with equal tenderness. "I will not let him die. Now both of you leave."

Reluctantly she and Stena left. He waited a while to allow them to get far away and then took in a deep breath.

"BBBBBBEEEEEAAAARRRRRR," he called out at the top of his lungs.

He waited until he caught his breath and then called out again, "BBBBEEEEAAAARRRR."

He then waited. He called three more times. There was almost no movement from the Man cave. The dogs barked louder, but no lights went on. No one seemed to be interested in him this time. Then he saw it. He saw a large black mound running down the hill, only he was not alone. Another mound slightly smaller followed him. He ran down to near where the trees ended before the meadow. He took a chance and stepped into the open of the meadow so they could see him. The bear stopped. He did not need to see those red eyes to tell he was mad at him for disturbing him. He pointed his body toward the man Cave.

"THEY COME FOR YOU!" He shouted as loud as he could.

The bear looked at the camp and looked back at him. The other bear was starting to get closer.

"Thank you," he heard faintly in the wind. The two bears started running up the hill. They would know what to do. He then heard the dogs start to bark loudly. They must have gotten the scent of the bears. He saw a light come on in the Man cave. He turned and ran as fast as he could into the deep forest. He took the long way back to the cave to make sure no one followed him home. He got back near morning. The others were waiting.

"Did you warn the bear again," Bambi asked.

"Yes, and he was not alone," he said. I am going to go to the clearing and eat something. No one goes near the meadow until Man leaves," he said to Jolo.

After he finished eating and drinking the cool water and washing himself off, he came back to his thicket. By now they were all bedded down. He took his usual place between Stena and Claris. They said nothing and he went to sleep.

As the morning passed he heard dogs barking again, but this barking was louder and deeper than before. He head them move across the meadow and disappear up the hill on the far side. The dogs no doubt picked up the scent trail the bears made last night and followed it. He was sure by now the two of them were over the hill into the next forest. The bears were as safe as they could get. He dozed back to sleep for some time and then he heard the dogs bark again. The noise seemed closer this time. It did not concern him at first, but as the day went on then barking always got closer. Then he heard stick breaks and bushes trampled through. That was close near the stream as the bottom of the small hill. He got up and stood in the small opening in front of Bambi's cave.

"HERE. . . HERE. . . . HERE . . .," he heard the dogs barked. The noises were getting closer.

"Get up," he said loudly.

"Bambi ran out of his cave in moments Jolo, Gurri and Balo were near him, followed a moment later by Claris and Stena. Only Faline and Gerta remained in the cave and they were standing.

"Listen," he said. They all heard the increasing noise of branches breaking. Dogs had never come up here before.

"Wind at our tails," Jolo said out loud. "They smell us."

"Just then he saw the outline of a large dog at the edge of his vision. He was definitely coming toward them.

"Doe and fawns run to the clearing," Bambi said out loud, "Now!"

The dogs smelled them. They did not get the bear so they decided on something else. The dogs were coming here after them. The doe hesitated for a second and then Gurri bounded off with Balo right behind her. Faline, Gerta, Claris and Stena followed in short order.

"We got to give them a change to get away. We can charge the dogs and then run after the doe," Bambi said.

Jolo looked at him as if he has lost his mind, but both he and Bambi had charged dogs before when they got too close. He saw four large dogs and making their way up to them. There were other dogs further away, but these four were the closest. They had not been seen yet.

"Get you rack under the dog and lift with all you might and throw the dog as far as you can." Bambi said quickly. Use your hoofs to kick them. That hurts them a lot."

He nodded. Jolo seemed at a lost. He had never fought a dog. Jolo had no idea what to do.

"Jolo," he ordered. "Run back with the doe and fawns. If the dogs get by us, you will have to protect them," he said.

Jolo was a mixture of fear and confusion. He did not know what to do which meant he would likely die here. "GO NOW!" he yelled and kicked him lightly with his rear hoof. The brought him back to his senses. Jolo took off like a frighten rabbit.

"Two deer and four dogs," Bambi muttered. "I hope Man is not with them."

"We charge them once and then run," he said out loud. "We can out run those dogs in the forest. We run toward the Old Owl's tree and away from the clearing."

Bambi nodded and lowered his head eyes still on the dogs that were still following their scent. He did the same.

One large dog finally seemed to catch sight of them and ran directly at them. Bambi sprung forward dropping his head. The dog saw him only an instant before Bambi hit him. Bambi scooped the dog up with his rack and threw him in the air a short way. He took the second dog that came up behind the first and did the same. The impact was like

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