then not objecting when my Son Stabo threw them out here. Is not that so, my former mate?"

"You clever conceited deer," she called out. "I hope Duno guts you slowly."

"Duno is not going to gut anyone, but then you were always too stupid to think for yourself. What you were good at is getting other stupid deer like your son and this large idiot behind me to do your bidding."

"You cannot say that about me you worthless….." Duno yelled and charged his unprotected rear.

"No. . ." Carie started to say, but it was too late. He kicked out with both legs as hard as the large male approached. He felt his two hoofs impact Duno's forehead knocking him senseless. He also heard a loud pop from inside and immediately was covered with waves of pain. His front legs collapsed and he fell to the ground. Bambi immediately charge Duno and knocked him off balance and on to the ground. The stunned deer did not move and Bambi started to pound his side hard with his front hoofs.

"I will kill you myself," Carie shouted and charged him on the ground. She hit him in the head. It stunned him and Carie reared up and pounded him on his left side. He felt everything break loose on that side. The pain was more than anything he ever felt. She then raised her hoofs again. As he did he put all his strength onto his rear legs and pushed up as she was coming down. It drove his head and his antlers deep into her chest

"AHHHHHHH," was all she said before she pulled off of him. Instantly he was covered in blood, her blood. She backed away and started to run. She bounded three times before she fell over and lay still. He fell on the ground. He felt something coming up his throat. He coughed up a large pool of blood. He knew what that meant. He sunk on the ground blood coming out of his mouth in a stream.

He tried to breath, but found it almost impossible. His vision all went blurry. In his ears he heard Bambi still pounding Duno on the side. He heard the big male's bones cracking. That deer would never get up, and now neither would he. He looked back and after being sure Duno was dead, Bambi came over and looking at the increasing flow of blood coming from his mouth.

"Stranger," he called out. "Are you alright?"

"I want you to get my son and daughter and bring them here," he told him in a weak voice. He then coughed up more blood. "Do it now please."

"Let me get some of the leaves," he said.

"The leaves will not help this time," he told him and he knew it was the truth. "Now please do what I ask."

The big deer looked at him in horror and the bounded into the trees. He knew it take time to find them with The Season. More time than he had. He did not want others around him when he died. He felt himself bleeding out on the inside, His lungs felt like they were filling up. His vision was already getting cloudy. A cold stiffness was already in his leg and sides. He looked around the small clearing with two dead deer and soon to be three.

"So this is the place," he said to himself. "I always wondered when and how it would happen."

The numbness soon traveled up his side. At least it did not hurt anymore. He also felt very sleepy like he had after he was injured and the bear dragged him to safety. He was only sorry he could not say goodbye to his large friend, but he could not move any longer. He put his head down on the ground and closed his now almost useless eyes. In front of him he could see white cloudy land again. It was cloudy again. Then in the distance a shape took form. A white dot formed. The dot got larger and larger until he realized it was the back of a doe: a nice looking young doe that smiled openly at him. She turned and smiled at him. He suddenly realized who she was.

"Mother?" he called out.

"Tilar, my son" she said in a smooth voice and came toward him. She reached over and kissed him on the forehead.

Then he felt nothing.

# # # #

Bambi came back with not only Stabo and Stelar, but the others too. He only hoped he was in time. Stranger looked very hurt, yet he did not seem concerned by it. They finally came into the clearing. There was Duno lying on his side. Eyes open and blood still dripping out of his mouth. He saw Carie still lying where she fell. A large train of blood led his eyes back to where Stranger lay still. He was still covered in Carie's blood.

"Stranger," they are here," he told him.

The old deer did not move. He leaned over and smelled and touched the face. Then he knew. His eyes began watering; a large lump was in his throat. It had finally happened after all the seasons. He stood upright and faced the others.

"Stranger is gone," he said barely getting the words out. "My friend is gone."

He felt himself losing control. He did not want to show that to the others. He turned quickly and walked away as he heard shouts from many of the others as they went up to look at the body. He walked to an old oak near where the remains of the brute Duno lay. He leaned against the tree and let his emotions out just like when he had first seen that Faline had gone before him. Now he was alone. His mate and two greatest friends had gone on before him. He heard the others wailing behind him mostly in disbelief. There would never be another deer like Stranger. Yes his friend was reckless, too daring, sometime conceited, and stubborn, but never did he ever turned his back on the herd. He simply could not believe he had gone before him.

Soon he heard and smelled other deer approaching. Cries of astonishment, even horror at what lay in the clearing. Other deer were genuinely saddened that the great deer had finally gone. It had been this way when his father died. Many did not believe. From time to time he saw the other deer stop and look closely at Stranger. It took him a while but he finally got his emotions under control. He looked back into the clearing. No one seemed to care about Carie and Duno. That was fine with him. He just hoped he would not run in to either one in the Great Herd. They were not worth their places there. If he did see any of them there he just might just pound their sides again. He stood there watching still not believing the deer that had survived so much was finally gone.

After a while when all the crying, moaning, and voices stopped, and the visitors had left, he felt the touch of soft fur on his body. It was his daughter Gena, large tears still flowing from her eyes.

"Come, Father, there is nothing more we can do here."

"He turned and kissed his eldest daughter "Yes, child, you are right," he said and walked back to the others. Now he only wanted to leave this place and never come back. He did not want to see the scavengers do their work on his friend and the others.

As he walked near Stranger's body he stopped and leaned over as to whisper in his ear.

"I hope the price was worth it, my friend" he said. "He then looked up and out across the still burnt meadow. "Take care of him, Father," he said in a low voice. "He was worth it."