Chapter 4: A Welcomed Guest

He heard the bushes creek as some large deer came into the small clearing. Both Claris and Carie were awakened. Even little Stuben got up. A breeze of wind brought him the scent. It was Sinno a fourth year male from the herd. He got up and walked out into the clearing. Sinno was looking around for someone.

He appeared suddenly in front of Sinno and partly him. "I am sorry to disturb you Stranger," he stammered, "But something unusual has happened. A new deer has entered the forest."

"Where?" he wanted to know.

"Over by the stream that runs into Bambi's Forest, in front of the hill I saw Geno on."

"Did you talk to him?" he asked.

"No, it seemed like he was looking for something or someone," Sinno said. ". He was looking for scent trails. I do not think he saw me, so I waited until he was past and came searching for you. He seems young, maybe a two year old, but he is big. One thing for sure, I have never seen him around here before."

Thank you Sinno," I will look into it," he told him.

"Sinno nodded and took off back down the stream. It was easy to follow him. He made almost more noise that Stuben did when he walked. Not the brightest deer in the forest. He could feel the others walking up almost silently behind him.

"Have they come," Carie asked her voice showing fear.

"No, more than one would come and they would not come from that direction," he said.

"What are you going to do?" Claris asked.

"I am going to find this new fellow," he told them. "I don't think there will be any problems."

"Should you take Balo with you?" Carie asked."In case there is trouble."

"No, a single two year old does not bother me; I do not care how big he is." he told her."Just in case, you two stay here. I will be back shortly."

Before either could object, he took off at a trot going down the hill. He circled around into the forest near the bottom of the hill just before the stream. He kept well inside the trees while sniffing the air. He walked along the forest floor when he came upon noise downwind of him. He heard two voices. He could not understand what they were saying. This was not the actions of someone who might want to harm him. He walked around quietly until the wind was in his face. He stopped and took in a deep breath through his nose. It was then he caught the scents. He was surprised.

The first scent he knew. It was Duro who he knew liked to bed down around here. There were lots of eatable bushes and the grasses along the stream; many were delightful to eat. It was the second scent that he found surprising. He walked slowly forward making no noise and with the wind in his face so the other two deer could not smell him. He finally saw the two deer over by some trees. Both were talking, no threats and no shouts. They just looked to be having a pleasant conversation. He walked toward them before the smaller one looked up and saw him.

"Stranger," he said. "I was looking for you."

"Gorro, I am surprised," he said. "Is your Mother and Father with you?"

"Excuse me," Duro said politely. "You two have things to talk about." The five year old turned and faced Gorro and bowed his head slightly. "Glad to see you again, Gorro, and please give Bambi my regards."

With that Duro walked away. That was done with remarkable courtesy from a deer that rarely showed a high level of courtesy to anyone.

He walked over to the large two year old and embraced him. "What are you doing here?"

Gorro looked around to see if anyone could overhear them. "Stranger, I am here for several reasons. The first was my Father and Mother wanted to be alone. Even Eta is out on her own."

He looked at Gorro. He could tell something was wrong. "What has happened Gorro?"

Gorro took a deep breath. "My Mother lost her fawn. It was born dead. Now she is telling Father that like Claris, she does not think she will be able to make another one."

He just dropped his head and hit the ground with his front left hoof. This was getting to be too much. "I am truly sorry to hear that," was all he could say.

"I know," Gorro said sadly. "You and Claris of all deer would know how they feel. Afterwards Father lost interest in most things. He doesn't even train me anymore; he is just too sad. That is my second reason I am here. My Father cannot help me, I was wondering if you would?"

He smiled, "Of course I will help."

"Thank you," Gorro said. "There is also one final reason, and for me perhaps the most important of all. I came here to perhaps find a mate."

That stopped him cold. It was certainly a surprising thing to hear. "Why, there are many more deer in your forest than here?"

"I know," Gorro said with a drop of his head. "My Mother and Father think I am foolish too, but all those deer know me as Bambi's son and for that they respect and in some cases fear me. The doe look at me the same way."

He looked into Gorro's black eyes. He was obviously still troubled by something. "I am sorry, but I do not understand you?"

Gorro nodded and seem lost in thought for a moment. "I am not sure how to put this, but the deer in that forest see me as Bambi's son. They do not see me as Gorro. They treat me as Bambi's son. They do not treat me as Gorro. I want a mate who wants Gorro. Not a mate that wants Bambi's son. I cannot find that in Father's forest."

He nodded, "Yes, I see now. None of the deer know you here. Very well, you are free to look, but I cannot promise anything. Best place to meet deer in on the meadow when the herd eats at night."

"I then ask permission of the herd leader to stay until after high summer when I will go back to help my Father."

"Stay as long as you like, you are always welcome here. Does Bambi know you are here?" he asked.

"I told him and Mother of my plans. My Father was not happy, but I think he understands. My Mother did not want me to go, but Father said under the circumstances it would be best. I think he understands better than my Mother."

"Your Father understands a lot," he said.

"There is also one other reason. I have always wanted to meet my older brother and sister. Once I become herd leader that will be difficult."

He understood the last reason and he agreed.

He looked the deer over. Although he was a two year old, he was almost as big as Balo, in fact almost as big as him. He would have a nice rack. He could not believe he had any trouble finding a mate no matter what forest he was in. He would also be exactly the kind of deer Man would want to kill for his rack.

"Come with me," he said.

He took him up the stream past Bambi's old cave. As they went by Gorro stopped suddenly.

"This is where your Father and Mother use to live," he told him thinking he might be interested.

"This where my two older sisters died?" he asked his voice showing some pain.

"Yes," he said simply. Gorro said nothing and went on following him.

As he got to the small pond he bleated loudly enough to be heard by others. Stena and little Delon came out followed shortly by Balo. Both looked over the new male for a second before Stena blurted out, "Gorro," she said and ran up and kissed him. Balo did likewise and the two males both rubbed their foreheads. Claris, Carie and little Stuben came up from the clearing. Claris embraced Gorro like his mother would and Carie just simply bowed.

"I am glad to see all of you again," Gorro said. It was the first real smile he had seen on the male.

"What brings you here," Claris asked.

Gorro head just dropped again. He stepped up, "Let us all lay down in the clearing. This is not going to be an easy tale to tell," he told them.

They all went back and lay down. Gorro told them the reasons he was here. When he was done there were obvious sobs from Claris and Stena."

"Poor Faline," was all Claris could say.

"There is nothing we can do about that," he said in a low voice "We might be able to help with other things like trying to find Gorro a mate. I will present him to the herd tonight. I doubt if there will be any problems. I will then take him to meet his older brother and sister in the Man path forest. I never did get there before. After that, Balo and I will start with lessons. By high summer, I expect you to be as big as your father and be about as strong."

'I would be pleased to help teach,' Balo told them. "It will help me get ready for our friends when they come back."

Gorro looked confused. "I will explain later," he told him "For now let us rest, it may be a busy night."

When the lesser light rose they all went over to the meadow and ate. The Man cave was still dark and no smell of Man on the meadow. All ate comfortably. After a while Delene, Stena's first child, came over to feed next to them. She was also filling out as a yearling. She was getting as big as her mother. She came over and met the new deer. Several of the yearlings and two year old doe came over the meet the new male, but most had fawns and so were only partly interested. He could see that was causing some upset among the two and three year old males who were use to getting the attentions of the younger doe. After a while Stuben finished feeding from his mother and then starting playing with the other new fawns. He kept a close eye on the meetings and playing. All the

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Next page