said loudly. "The rest will stay here."

"Any more questions?" he asked the herd.

Again there was dead silent. He turned to Stabo.

"One more thing to take care of," Stabo said. "Bambi," he called to Veron's son. "Come with me." Stabo then turned to him and older Bambi, "May I ask you two to also come with me."

They all followed Stabo over to Carie and Stuben. The other deer were already leaving. The matter of the herd had been settled. He did notice Galin hanging back about three lengths behind them. When Stabo got within two lengths of Carie and Stuben he stopped dead and stared right at them. "Let me say this to both of you," he told them with his voice showing anger. "I am herd leader here and when I step aside I will suggest to the herd that Veron's son Bambi take over from me. If you do not like that, then I suggest you both leave now, because I will not put up with anything from either one of you."

"And just are we suppose to go," Carie sneered. "Our forest is burnt, that fool Balo and his family are leaving for the deep woods; we cannot go with them. Maybe you hope we go to the forest over our hill and die before we get there?"

"Not to my forest will you go. I do not want you there," Galin called out from behind them. "You go to that forest and when I become herd leader the first thing I will do is chase you both out. Deer like you I do not need."

"Then I suggest you go to the forest over the hill with the bear's den," he told both of them sadly. "No one knows you over there except Young Claris."

"Very well," Stuben said. "I am taking Karene with me."

"No you are not," Young Bambi said moving right up to Stuben. "She is staying here with me."

"He is right Stuben," Stabo told him curtly."I heard her myself. She is staying here."

He saw Stuben almost turn red with rage and he was waiting for him to take it out on Stabo or Young Bambi. He wisely decided not to. Instead he turned to him. "I hope you are happy, Father."

"No, Son," he said calmly. "I am not happy, but again you and your mother brought this on to yourselves. You have no one to blame except yourselves. I am pained to see you go, but it would be best for the herd if you did."

With that he walked away thinking how problems tend to work themselves out if you give them enough time. Only one more thing to see. He went back to where he slept before and ate some grass until his side started to hurt. He then found a stream and started to drink. The older Bambi Faline and the Claris all found a soft spot of grass as the greater light rose, they all fell quickly asleep.

The next night he and the others watched as Balo, Stena, Delone and Young Faline gathered together. Four males and two female also went with them. All were deer from the other forest.

"I wish you all luck," he told them.

They said nothing in returned. He felt they all blamed him for the situation they were in. So be it. He could not control anything. They just walked off into the distance and disappeared into the deeper darkness of the forest. He hoped they be alright, but from here on out there was nothing he could do. He looked back and saw Stabo, Young Bambi, Gena and Charlene standing together. He walked over to them with Claris. "You know it occurred to me, we never asked permission from the herd leader to stay in this forest."

His Son laughed out loud and rubbed his head and then his mothers. "You two never have to ask my permission to stay anywhere," he said. They all walked off to feed.