going to follow her."

Stena did not look surprised. Balo seemed resigned. Finally as young Delene came up to nurse, Stena looked right at him. "Father, I cannot go with you and neither can Balo, Delene is still too young."

'I know, I am going alone," he said.

"What of the herd?"Balo asked suddenly seeing where this was going.

"I have asked Stabo to come over to help. He will be here in high summer and will stay until I get back or until both of you are old enough to take over the duties of herd leaders."

Balo eyed him carefully before telling him, "You do not think you are coming back."

"No" Stena said as a plea. "You have to come back."

"Balo is right; the journey is long, and dangerous. If I do not come back, Stabo will be herd leader here until you two can take over. I expect you to listen to him as you would listen to me."

"Stranger, you have taught us well, we can take over," Balo said looking at him. He could see a flash of anger in those young brown eyes."

"Not now you cannot," he said. "Both of you are still too young, you need more time and more experience before you can lead this herd. In one or two seasons, yes both of you can do this, but not now."

Balo lowered his head almost in a threat. "Both Bambi and you have taught me. I can do this." He could tell Balo had read his words as him not having confidence in the young deer and it made him angry.

He walked up to the young deer that still did not come up to his height. "No Balo, you are not yet fully grown. In this season you will be mature, the Season after that you will have your full rack and you will be completely grown as will Stena. Then you will be ready. Stabo left and has helped Veron be herd leader. He has more experience than you do, but even he is still a little young. You will be a good herd leader Balo, I can clearly see this, but it will not happen now. You will need help. Stabo has already told me he wants to live in the Man path forest and not here. He will not stay, but will go when you are ready."

He could see Balo was not convinced. "I do not agree," he spat out. "I can do this."

The last thing he needed was Balo and Stabo getting into a fight over this. He had to settle this now or Stabo would have no peace here. There was only one way to do this.

He turned to face Balo and put his own head down. "You think you are ready now, young male. If so, then charge me."

Balo seem confused for a second and then lowered his head and came at him. As Balo did he ran toward him. Balo stop suddenly and turned quickly to bring his rear legs around to knock him off balance. He saw it coming and jumped away before Balo could do it. Balo turned swiftly and came at him again. This time Balo stopped short and leaped to one side and tried to kick him. He also saw it from their training and jumped aside. So his tricks were not going to work here. Then Balo just came at him. This was what he was waiting for. He slammed into the young male hard. He could see it stunned Balo, but he recovered quickly. They did not have racks so early in the year so they locked at the shoulder and Balo tried to get leverage on him. It reminded him of trying to spar with Bambi again. He countered and then he just pushed hard with all his strength. It was hard like trying to push against an old tree, but Balo gave way. Slowly he pushed him back and as Balo's rear legs began to slip he dropped his shoulder, and he got under Balo and lifted with all his might. Balo went tumbling on to the ground. Before he could recover he ran over and lightly kicked him. He then pulled back and let the young deer get up. Balo got up glaring at him.

"Consider that my last lesson to you," he said loudly. "I beat you because I was stronger than you. I am stronger than you because I am older than you. In one or two seasons I will not be able to do that to you, but now I can. That is why you are not ready to lead. Stabo can also do that to you because he is stronger, older, and has more experience. That is why he must lead until you are ready. Can you understand this?"

He looked at the young deer shaking the dirt off him. Inward he could see the rage in him. "Do not be blinded by anger," he yelled at him "That is one of the first things I taught you. Think about what has just happened and learn from it."

By then Stena came over and stood next to Balo and looked up at his brown eyes. Little Delene came with her. "Balo, do not get angry with him?" she asked meekly.

He could see the young male taking in large breaths. Frankly he was a little winded too. That was not as easy as it had once been. Balo was getting stronger. Finally the breathing slowed, then head came up, and the rage subsided. "Yes, you are stronger than me," he admitted. "At least for now you are. If Stabo comes I will welcome him, and I will at least listen to what he says."

He walked over to the two young deer and nuzzled them both. "That is all I can ask. Balo, you are like my own son to me, but just as I have to teach hard lessons to my own son, I must teach them to you. In one or two seasons you will be herd leader. All of ask of you is try and take care of the herd as well as Bambi did, or I try to do."

Balo nodded, "I will try."

"Good," he said. "Now I can leave in peace."

Chapter 3: The Journey

He stood at the edge of the forest by the stream that flowed to Bambi's old forest. Beyond a few trees it was all open space between him and the larger forest in the distance. He knew from Bambi if he followed the stream, it lead to a large lake and the deer lived near there. It was soon after dark. He wanted to wait until it was black before he left.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Balo asked. He had not wanted him to come to the edge of the forest, but Balo insisted.

"Yes," he said. "Remember what I told you. I will try and be back before the Season. If I am not, Stabo will help."

"I understand," Balo said still showing a little tension in his voice.

No sense delaying his journey. He turned and nuzzled Balo on his nose. "You really are like a son to me. If something does happen I want you and Stena to know how much I feel for both of you. Goodbye."

He turned and moved at a fast trot following the stream. "Goodbye, Stranger" he heard at his back. He forced himself not to look behind him and just moved on. Once he went past the space between the first two hills the view of his forest was blocked. He was on his own.

The grass on the side of the stream was much taller than the grass in the forest. Like the forest it was growing from the spring melting of the snow. The stream flowed with some noise. He moved quickly, but quietly. The wind was from his side. He could smell nothing except the grass and other plants. He kept close to the stream. It flowed through the hills in a low point like his meadow. He did not want to climb the hills because he was afraid he would be seen. There was no place to hide here, only the grass provided cover. He stopped to eat some. It was dryer and did not taste as fresh as the grass in the meadow. He drank and moved one. He knew if he followed the stream he would be fine. He continued to move all night. The only things he heard were the insects as well as a few frogs. The biggest animal he smelled were rabbits.

The ground around the stream was flat, but the stream ran in between hills that rose a few lengths high. From time to time he could see small shadows moving at the top of the hills. They looked like large mice. He had never seen them before, and they had an unusual scent, but they smelled like mice. Overhead he could hear owls and other birds of the night flying along with the occasional squelch of the bats. He never thought other animals could live in the open, but they did. He did hear one owl come down and grab one of the mice like creatures and carry it away. He heard the caught creature squealed in agony for a few moments. It appeared the way of all things applied here as it had in the forests. He wondered what other creatures out here could do the same to him.

The lesser light had almost gone when a powerful scent came to his noise. It came from a pile of waste much bigger than anything he had seen before. It smelled differently. He did not know this animal, but it had to be big to leave a waste pile that large. He also saw places where the grass had been eaten. He kept following the stream and as the first streak of light entered the sky; then he saw them.

There were many animals; large animals that were much bigger than him. With the way the wind was blowing, they had to have smelled him, yet they took no notice. They were as big as the bear, but these animals did not have claws. Their legs were also long like his. They had hoofs like him only much bigger. They had racks, but these were grown out even in the early spring. These racks were smaller, and lest pointed. They were eating only the grass. They paid him no mind. He got to within many lengths of them. They looked at him, but made no attempt to speak or even have an interest in him. All they were interested in was the grass. He went to the other side of the stream and walked by them keeping them closely under watch. They did nothing other than to continue eating. Their smell was a little like a deer, but it was much more striking on the nose. He moved on until the light brightened in the sky. If he went on, he could be easily seen by anyone. He went to the base of a small hill and lay down.

He did not sleep much. Every time a new sound came to his ears he immediately became alert. Other than the animals he