to our forest. We now think that was a mistake. If we wait that long, I do not think there will be enough time to form a herd and get the ready for the hunts. For this reason, we are all going to leave tomorrow night and travel before our fawns grow so large as to hinder the movement of Charlene and Galene from traveling. It is winter; no Men are around so now would be the perfect time."

"It is also colder and you may have snow fall on you," Stabo said showing concern. "That would make you too easy to track."

"Father I have looked the last two nights and have seen nothing on the open space between the forests," Koren told them." There should be nothing to slow us. The weather looks clear. I agree, we either go now or wait until next summer and I agree that may be too late."

He thought about it for a moment. He saw the wisdom in the move. If they went now, they would be there in the spring when the fawns were born. It would give Galin time to form a herd. There was a risk.

"The weather can change; things can happen in an instant. You should have gone after the first snow fall. We are also getting into the coldest part of the season. It is a risk. If it works, what you say is true; you will be in a good position to form a herd. If it does not work, you could all end up dead."

"We can all end up dead tomorrow," Koren said. "I have known that since you trained me. We have discussed it among ourselves and decided this is what we are going to do."

Looking at them closely he realized they had made up their minds to go. More of his family he would never see again. It was then he noticed someone was missing from their group.

"Do what you think you have to do," he told them. "I was looking around for Stelar, have you seen her."

"She was talking to some male in the yearling herd just after the second snow, Bambi told him. "I have not seen her since."

'Nor have I," he said. Then he turned back to the subject. "If you want to go, go. Go fast, take a direct route. If possible follow the stream from our old forest. Empty yourselves in the stream and eat the grass along the side of the stream. That will help hide you from predators. "

"I am sorry to see you all go. I like you and your sister," Young Bambi said to Galin. "I will also miss Koren who has been like a brother to me, and Charlene, who is my sister. I wish you all good luck."

"I have also grown to like you," Stabo said. "I will miss greatly my son and daughter, but we must all follow our own path. Do what you can to make your forest better. I hope to see you all again before I pass on."

"That will not happen for a while," Koren told his father and rubbed his head. The he rubbed his mother's head. Charlene did likewise.

"Take care of yourselves," Gena told them with misty eyes. "I will miss all of you."

They spent the rest of the night and the day talking over the past and remember those who have gone before them. He knew he would not see any of them again. He was too weak to travel there now and if they came in two seasons, he knew he would not be here to greet them. When night fell they all went to the old forest and watched them disappear down the stream leading to the past his old clearing. He then turned and slowly walked back to the Man path forest and lay close to Claris that night. There were tears in many eyes.

It was several days later that he heard Stabo call out to them all. He wondered what it was now. He went to Stabo's clearing and there stood Stelar with a strange deer. He was a yearling male the same age as her.

"Stabo looked up. "I wanted you to hear this. I do not whether to be angry or glad for my sister."

By now Young Bambi had come with Karene and the eight of them lay in the clearing while Stelar and the male stood.

"Where have you been?" he asked poignantly

"I took a long walk," she said. "I went deep into the forest looking for Balo, Stena, and the others."

""That was foolish," he said loudly. "In fact it was stupid. You want to end up like your sister?"

"Perhaps," she said, "But I made a choice of my own. Besides what you taught me protected me."

"You should have discussed this with your father," Claris blurted out also showing her anger. "

"Well I did it": she said also letting her voice rise. "I do not argue with you when you and your bear friend spend time together, or you go off looking for something."

"I have been doing this a long time," he told her. "Not all the time successfully as I am sure you noticed. I have already lost one daughter there; I do not want to lose a second."

"Well you did not lose me and I was able to find out some things. Most are bad, but some good things I learned too."

"I assume this will also explain your friend, here?" he asked looking at the male who looked timid and confused.

"My friend's name is Helos, and he is from the deep forest. He lost his mother at the same time Stena and Balo were killed. I found where they died, Father. It was not pretty, but I do not think they suffered."

"How do you know that?" Bambi asked.

"Because I found where Man killed them," she said plainly. "Man drove them into a clearing with the wind at their tails. Man was in front and the deer could not smell them. They killed several deer. The pools of blood even though they were old, stained the ground heavily. They were very large. I remember Bambi what you said when Gurri, Jolo and Gerta were killed. It was the same."

That silenced everyone. She seemed sure of what she was saying, but how could she be he wondered? "You know a lot for someone who was not there."

"No, but I talked to those who were there and lived. That is the good news. You see Delon, Young Faline and Alana all survived."

That brought them all to their feet. "Are you sure?" Young Bambi called out."

"Yes, because I talked to all three of them. When man went to chase them Balo and Stena led the herd. He sent Delon and Young Faline to the back to make sure no was left behind. When Man used his killing sticks, they were far enough away where they were not hit. They all ran in another direction and got away. I met them and Helos along with many other deer. Helos' mother was also killed. There is a large herd there, they had no leader. Balo was trying to get them to listen to him when Man came. Balo tried to lead them away, but Man was ready for him."

"Why did not Delon and Young Faline return?" Stabo asked.

Stelar answered quickly and without hesitation. "Because they did not think they were welcomed back here. Besides, the members of that herd started listening to Delon. A couple of the older males did not like that and tried to push Delon aside, but with what you taught him, he beat them. Now they are looking to Delon as herd leader."

All he could do was shake his head. He was not happy his daughter went off on her own, but she had found out what they needed to know. She had come through and brought back a young male.

"Very well Helos, what do you want?" he asked.

Helos spoke clearly and did not seem afraid, but still a bit unsure of himself. "I saw what Balo did with the herd. I then saw how easily Delon beat the other two males who were making the others in the forest follow them. Delon, Faline and Stelar all told me it was because of what you taught them that they could do that. I asked Stelar if you could train me the same way."

That was interesting. "You want us to train you?" he asked. "Why should we do that?"

"So I can be of help to my herd," he said calmly. "I need to know so I can help."

He looked at Bambi and shrugged asking him silently what he thought. Bambi spoke up. "You know that this training is difficult. It is at times dangerous. What we teach you can allow you to be of help to the herd. It can also cause you to end up dead like Balo and Stena. Have you considered that?"

He could see the young male had not considered it and looked a bit taken back. Finally after a few moments he spoke up. "Since I am going end up dead in any case, I like to learn so I can stay alive as long as I can."

That made perfect sense to him. This male was not stupid, but was he strong enough? That he could only know in time.

"Very well Helos, we must talk about this among ourselves in private. I like you to leave us for a while," he said.

"Of course," Helos said and left, Stelar started to follow him.

"Not you, young doe," he said loudly.

Stelar froze in place while Helos left the clearing. When he was convinced he was far enough away he spoke up letting his anger show. He walked over to his daughter and looking her into her black eyes. "What you did, Stelar, was stupid. You could have been killed easily. You have not been fully trained."

Stelar did not back down. "Yes I could have, just like Balo and Stena who you did fully train. Father the training helps, Father, I can see that, but it does not work all the time as I am sure you know. I did what I thought was right. I have not changed my mind. I leaned enough to travel to Bambi's old forest and return. I have learned enough to travel past the Man Cave. Do I know everything, no, but I know enough or I would not be here." She then stopped talking and glared back at him.

Claris spoke up. "She is stubborn, at times reckless, and perhaps too fearless for her own good. In short, Stelar, you

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