out," she said.

"Why are you asking me this?" he wanted to know.

"There is a young male in the herd. His name is Juon and he asked me. He told me he was at the gatherings and saw how the herd treated my family. He had heard the stories about my Father, Young Bambi, Old Bambi and you. He wants to learn how to be a leader. He says he feels he has the strength and the head to be a leader, but when we were alone he told me he did not know if he could have done the things you and the others have done. He did not know if he had the courage. He made me promise I would not tell any of the males. To them he tries to show he is strong and unafraid."

"Typical young male," he said. "At that age to show yourself to be strong and fearless is important. It is important when it comes time to find a mate or to show your place in the herd. Many males think that is the way to gain respect. I have found out you gain respect by what you do, not with what you say."

Kena stopped suddenly as if thinking. "Could you tell if either Juon or I can do this? You and Bambi are the wisest deer in the forests. Father says so and so does mother."

"No, only you two could show me that. We can only give you the skills to help you do it. You must use them on your own."

Kena nodded he head and smiled. "Then can I bring Juon to talk to you and Bambi?"

He smiled openly at her. "Of course you can. If you want and if we can find Bambi, I will ask him to come to the clearing with me where I know you like to sleep. Bring Juon there tonight when the lesser light is over head."

She came over and kissed his cheek. If reminded him of how Claris use to do it. "Thank you," she said and ran off her white fluffy tail raised in the wind.

He walked around looking to find Bambi's scent. It took a good part of the day, but he found him in the forest resting alone. He was asleep when he walked into the clearing.

"Stranger," he said wondering why he was there.

"Yes, my old friend. I have had a request for you and me," he told him with a smile.

"I do not feeling like seeing anyone," he said and put his face on the ground again.

"Neither did I, but it beats waiting alone to die," he told him. "How would you and I like to try one more time to teach someone how they can help the herd? Who knows they might even listen to us this time."

"Who?" he asked, "No one came to me."

"Kena has a new friend, another two year old male that says he want to lean, but is not sure if he can do it."

Bambi raised his head up again. "Well that is new. Before they were all so sure they could be herd leaders. "

He lay down about three lengths from the old deer. "Kena and Juon the male do not know and they sound a little afraid to find out."

"That does sound different," Bambi said. "You know they may not like what they find?"

"I do not like what I have found out," he said in a hushed voice "After Stena, Balo, Carie, Stuben and Delon, I am getting a little afraid myself that we do not know what we are doing."

"Then what do you suggest?" Bambi asked as if knowing the answer.

"We find out and they find out just how much all this training is worth. And like I said, it sure is better than waiting to die."

"When do we start?"

"Tonight, when the lesser light is over head," he answered. "Until then, mind if I rest here?"

"I don't mind," he said, "But I am tired."

Later that night they both walked into Kena's clearing when the lesser light was high overhead. There stood his daughter and a larger two year old male. He had a respectable rack on his head. He seemed strong.

"I understand you like to see if you can help with the herd," Bambi said studying the male carefully.

"I like to try and learn," he said. The voice was clam and clear.

"Very well, young male, put your head down and try and push me back," Bambi ordered.

He watched carefully along with Kena. Although old and not nearly at his full strength, Bambi had no problem in pushing Juon around easily. Juon would push ahead like most males making it a test of strength. Bambi shifted his weight and balance and kept getting position on him. After a while he stopped.

"Do you know how I beat you," Bambi said.

"You shifted position on me and then pushed me off balance," Juon said.

"Correct, now let me show you how I did that."

They spent the rest of the night showing Juon how to shift position. Juon took it all in. He seemed eager to learn. They as they were finishing he showed Juon how to walk quietly through the woods. Like anyone else, the first few times Juon made a huge racket. He looked somewhat disappointed he could not walk as quietly as Kena who he had already taught as a yearling.

"It takes time to learn," he told him. "Soon you will walk like a light breeze through the forest. Practice trying to sneak up on other deer. When you can do that, you will be ready. It is getting near light, if you want, we can continue tomorrow."

"Yes, please," he said beaming. "Thank You."

Both Bambi and he walked away. When they were far enough way he asked, "So what do you think?"

"He may learn, we will have to see," Bambi said. "Now let us find someplace near to sleep."

The training continued just about every night for the rest of the summer and into the fall. Again their antlers grew out and started to itch. Again they stripped off the velvet. Bambi's rack was smaller and so was his. Neither of them minded. They had no doe to chase. Juon rack was of nice size. He still seemed to take in everything they told him and Kena kept up her learning. This all continued until near the time of the Season. That night both Stabo and the Younger Bambi visited them in the clearing.

They approached downwind of them and so kept their presence concealed until Kena smelled them.

"It is Father and Young Bambi," she called out.

At that point both large males walked into the clearing. Both were still a head taller than Juon and their racks were larger. Stabo looked at his daughter and her friend and said abruptly. "Will you two excuse us?"

Both of them left in a hurry without a word. The two then approached Bambi and him.

"You have been training them," Stabo said flatly.

"Yes, we have, why is there a problem?" he wanted to know.

""I am concerned," the Younger Bambi said. "You are training an unknown deer. Before it was in the family or someone we at least knew. We know nothing about this Juon."

"He seems a good male," the elder Bambi said. "He could be of help to both of you and in case you have not noticed it, your daughter likes him."

Stabo let out a quick and aggravating snort out of his nose. "My daughter is old enough to like who she pleases. I am just concerned about this Juon. I ask myself what happens if he starts behaving like another Delon?"

"Then you will handle him like another Delon," he told them. "Stabo, Juon is a large male, but he could not begin to fight you or Young Bambi if that is what you are worried about. He will never be your size or strength. We started training him because he came to me questioning whether he could even be a help to you and I found that reassuring. With the others, and even you two, you were all so quick and all so sure that you could learn this and be herd leaders. I found it refreshing that for once someone was not sure of themselves. I am also surprised at this conversation. When did any of you fear anyone we taught?"

"Afraid of Juon, nonsense," his Son spoke clearly. "I am concerned we will have another bad deer in our forest and after what happened to Delon, we do not need this"

"Are you asking us to stop training him?" he wanted to know.

"No, I could never order you two around, I just want to know if you are sure about Juon," he said.

He was about to answer when he heard the clash of antlers follow by a cry of alarm. It came from Kena. The four of them stopped and ran toward the sound with him lagging back as usual.

He made it to a nearby clearing and saw Juon locking antlers with a male a year older. The male thinking he was stronger, made it into a test of strength and tried to force Juon's head onto the ground. Juon shifted his weight and pushed hard with his rear legs. That forced the other deer off balance and he stumbled back breaking the lock on their antlers.

"You fight funny," Juon said mocking the male to get him angry. "It had the desired effect. The older male put his head down and charged with rage. This time Juon met the charge, but instead of bracing his feet, he pulled back quickly. The bigger male being faster and heavier went right by him. As he did, Juon brought his head down and scrapped his antlers across the flank of the male causing painful, but minor cuts. "

"Aieee," he should and almost fell to his knees. Juon waited until the male had gone by him and then charged his rear before the male could recover. Again he hit the male hard, but did not try and gore him as he could have. The male yelled again and ran into the cover of the forest. Juon did not follow.

Juon then went over to Kena standing there. "Did he hurt you?" he said looking deeply into her eyes."

"No, he never touched me," she answered in a soft voice. "He just tried to push me down. I was going to kick him when you came in and he charged

Previous Page

1 2 3 4 5

Next page