up.

"Stena and I have discussed this between ourselves and Delon. We all agree it would be best if we two went temporarily to your forest Bambi. Delon has agreed to stay here and start training in the spring. I must tell you I am very reluctant to do this, but we see the need to help Gorro until he and Delene can get established."

"Thank you," Both he and Bambi said together.

"I wish to know one thing, Bambi," Balo went on. "What exactly do you want us to do? I know you made Gorro herd leader so we will not take over the herd, but I am unsure exactly what you want us to do."

"Stena, do you remember as a fawn how your Father would help me," Bambi said. "Every time he had something to say to me about the herd, he would tell me in private. Gorro is smart, but Gorro and Delene lack experience and you two have it. Share that experience with him like Stranger use to share his experience with me. Advise him and answer any questions he has as best you can. I do not think there are any more Tarro's there to make trouble, but having two large males there who are trained to fight can stop some deer from getting ideas too big for their antlers. When you do advise him, do so in private. If you question him with other deer around, it will diminish his authority in their eyes and that is one thing a herd leader must never allow."

"Understood," Balo said.

"Thank you again," Bambi said. "I promise you in return both Stuban and Delon will be trained as well as we trained you two."

"We will do what we can," Stena said with a smile. "Just like we were taught Now Bambi what do we need to know before we go there?"

That stated a long conversation about the conditions in Bambi's forest that went on for the rest of the night. They barely had time to feed before the greater light rose again. They all lay together as a single family during the day. The conversation still went on until they were too tired to continue.

That night all of them stood by the end of the forest looking down the stream that led to Bambi's old forest. He watched his daughter and her mate walk off into the darkness. At least it was clear overhead. It did not look like snow. As they disappeared around the first hill he turned back and walked toward his meadow and the darken Man cave. Most everyone walked in silence. All of them knew this was another major change in their lives. He wondered just how many more he would see.

"Stranger," he heard Delon call from the back.

"Yes," he said turning around.

"How do you think they will do, my Mother and Father?" he wanted to know.

"They will do the best they can," he told him like he would his own son.

At least that question he had an answer to.

Epilogue

Both he and Bambi stood in the meadow in the early spring evening. In front of them stood several deer each looking eager to begin. Felon was on the end. Standing next to him was Young Claris. Stabo's other daughters Karene and Charlene stood next to them and Koren his son stood to the side. Young Bambi stood in the middle, with his older sister Young Faline. Balo's child Delon stood next to her and his son Stuben stood at the other end. He turned to face Bambi.

"It begins again my friend," he said affectionately.

"Maybe for the last time," Bambi uttered.

"That no one can say," he told him. He then turned to face the others.

"You have all come here to learn how to be herd leaders," he told the group. "Some of you have already had some training; others of you have had none. It does not matter. We will teach you all the same. Being herd leader is the greatest responsibly any deer can receive. Most deer cannot do it. Others try and rule through might alone without any thinking and the herd suffers for it. What we will teach you will be hard and long. If you learn it, you can be a great help to the other deer in the forests."

"That is the important thing, you will be a help to the other deer," Bambi went on. "This is not about you or even your family. It is about the rest of the deer. That is why Balo and Stena went back to my forest, to help, not to be leaders."

With that Bambi stopped and got extremely serious. "What we teach you may end up causing you pain. It may even cause your death." With that Bambi stopped for a moment to swallow hard and took a deep breath. "You must remember it is about the other deer, keeping them healthy, keeping them alive."

With that Bambi paused for a second before adding, "If this is what you want to do, Stranger and I will teach you for as long as we can. You in turn must teach those who come after you because Stranger and I will not last forever. If there are any of you who have doubts, let me hear them now."

They all stood mute. They looked ready.

"Come with me" he said and walked to the far end of the meadow to a certain spot.

"All of you turn and face the Man cave," he ordered them.

They all did it immediately.

"Now what do you feel…?"

The lesson went on until late and the lesser light was ready to set. By then he could tell they were tired. Well soon they would be more than tired. "Very well but I want to show you one more thing tonight. I know what most of you have learned. You must be ready to unlearn many things like this."

He bleated once and immediately a large back mound moved quickly down the hill. The scent of a bear was soon evident. The deer in front of them took off into the meadow with the exception of two. Young Claris and Stuben stood still in place seeming to invite death with Bambi and him. The bear stopped about five lengths away and looked at the two young deer.

"You did not run from me. That is foolish," he growled.

"From any other bear except you, yes," Young Claris said and actually smiled at the bear.

Stuben also smiled broadly. "Besides, if there is one thing I have learned, is that my Father and Bambi are not going to stand still and let a bear eat them. My Father told me stories about you. I know you are his friend. You are my friend if you wish it."

"Intelligent," the bear said with admiration. "Then again I do know your Fathers and your Father's Fathers. I am not displeased. All of you be gone for now. Perhaps we will meet again, but ask Stranger and Bambi before you come to see me."

The two of them took off to join the others only now coming together on the other end of the meadow.

"I was right about your purpose here," the bear said with affection."You are here to teach others how to make life better in the forests. I wish I could do that."

"My friend, you just have," he said to the bear with his own smile.

With that the bear went back to his den and Bambi and he crossed the meadow to talk to the others. It was going to be a busy season.

The End

For Now

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