"Yes, my son, I will warn my enemies because even though they do not like me, I have never seen them yet ignore any warnings I give them. They may hate me, but they still have the same right to live as you, your sister, your mother, and I have. All of us have the same right to live in the forest, as long as we can survive the dangers here."

That ended that lesson, but there were many other lessons that went on all spring. It was not long before he sent Gurri away altogether. She knew enough for a doe about how to survive in the forest. Although he would still see her from time to time, his efforts had to remain focused with his son. He had to learn and learn quickly. As the spring went on, he felt the first budding of his rack and saw the first bumps of his son's first rack. Inwardly he felt pride. He also remembered when his first rack started to bud. His father and the other male deer would tease him. At the time, he felt it was his Father just making fun of him. Later he understood the jest was to get him angry so he would try even harder. He did the same to his son. No doubt, his son felt the same way he did when he was that age. If he lived long enough, Geno would come to understand.

The fawns grew fast and soon they needed no help from him. He would occasionally follow them at a distance to check up on them. They only paid attention to their mother who had all she could handle without him being nearby. He noticed that Lina seemed well focused and acted quickly to her mother's call. Eta was more fun-loving and wild as he was. Both were fast and both looked strong. When one of the foxes came near the three of them, Faline started to run and they ran with her. He had also ran and got between the fox and his daughters. The fox took the hint and left.

Overall, it was a pleasant spring.

 

CHAPTER THREE: GURRI

 

It was late and Gurri was hungry. She walked out alone on the meadow and started to eat the new spring grass. It was still dark and she knew it would be a while before the great light rose. She saw many of the herd males along with many doe and fawns eating. She ate at the edge of the meadow, away from everyone. She was tired of the other deer, especially the yearlings, wanting to get her to ask her Father some question about something that was not important. She felt resentment being a messenger. They could ask him themselves. Besides, her Father made it clear that he was training Geno to do that, not her. She was sure it was because her Father thought she was just a doe and would not do such things as a male would. She also knew why her Father sent her away. Her brother was important; she was not. This made her even angrier. She was just as smart as her brother was, she was just as fast, and understood just as much, but she had no rack so she did not matter.

She continued to eat until she felt full. She ate fast; she would chew her cud later when she relaxed during the day. As she finished, she went over to the small stream and drank her fill of water. As she did, she heard the tread of light footsteps behind her. She did not look back and instead moved off until she was downwind of the pond. The smell of a male deer came to her, but he was still behind her. It was not Ronno's or the other herd male's scents. The smell was new.

“You know my Father is much quieter when he sneaks up behind me,” she called out.

 

She then turned around and saw the new male deer was behind her by several lengths. “Filon, is it not?” she asked.

“Very good, young doe,” the male said in a friendly voice. “I can usually sneak up on other deer, but I can see your Father has taught you well.”

“I wish he would,” she said. “Right now he is only interested in teaching my brother. I guess only males with racks are smart enough to lead in the forest.”

The new male stopped about three lengths away. “That is how things are," he said. "Males are the ones that fight for doe and their place in the herd.”

“And doe are just meant to be bred and have fawns,” she said with disgust. “Well, I can think too, and I can do a lot more than make fawns. At least I will when it is time. So what do you want?”

“Direct too,” Filon said still smiling. “Nothing like that I assume you. My taste in doe runs toward older doe nearer the age of your mother. You are still too young for me, although, in one or two more seasons, that may change. You are cute.”

“Thank you,” she said formally. She still did not fully trust this male. “Now what do you want?” she repeated.

“I was curious about a yearling doe that eats by herself and not with the other yearlings,” he said. “I also wanted to give your Father a message and you see him more than I do.”

“I eat by myself because the other yearlings keep asking me about my Father. They are not interested in me, but only in my Father. I also eat alone because I do not see one of them I have any amount of respect for. All they do is boast and brag about how big a deer they will be,” she said. “Now what is your message?”

“Tell your father I saw fresh footsteps of Man near the edge of the meadow by the fallen oak tree. Man has been watching the meadow from there.”

“Hmmmmm, I do not like that,” she said. She then looked toward the place the great light appears. It was still black.

“Will you see him tonight?” Filon asked.

“No,” she told him. “He is with my brother. I will try to see him later. I will give him your message. If you are right, I think it is time to get off the meadow, I have eaten all I need.”

“Wise doe,” Filon said. “I am still hungry, I will see you later.”

With that, the big male walked away and started to eat the grass. She walked away toward the trees and her resting place. From there she could see the meadow and still be completely hidden. She lay down to give her meal a chance to digest and fill her hunger. She chewed her cud for a while and then went to sleep.

Sometime later, she awoke hearing footsteps and voices. For a moment she was afraid that Filon had come looking for her, but the footsteps were loud and the voices familiar. It was just the yearlings wandering on the meadow. She looked again and saw the first glow of light. She stood up and spoke loud enough for them to hear.

“Filon has seen Man tracks at the edge of the meadow,” she called out the group.

They stopped to look at her for a moment, and then a few of the louder males started laughing at her and moved into the open as if it was nothing. Well, she had tried. She moved off and emptied herself well away from her resting place. Above her were singing birds looking to start a new day trying to find food to feed their chicks. She thought about trying to find her Father but decided she do that tonight. She lay down again and soon drifted off to sleep.

“WHAAAAAMMMMM,” echoed loudly through the trees.  The noise snapped her awake. She froze in place.

He looked at the meadow. It was full light. Many of the deer, mostly yearlings, were running wildly off the meadow in a panic seeking the cover of the nearby trees. Some were bleating in fear. The other deer scattered in many different directions. A putrid smell of smoke filled her nose. It was the first time she had heard or smelled this, but it must be one of Man’s killing sticks. Soon there was another smell just as awful: a smell of sweat and dirt. It was new to her. She remained absolutely still; she knew better than to move around with Man in the forest.

She looked back out into the meadow. On the ground lay one deer. It looked like a yearling male from the size and shape of the body. It lay still, and she could not tell who it was. Then other motion caught her attention. Two large figures walked on the grass toward the down deer. They walked slowly carrying a long stick. One figure was bigger than the other was. It was Man. She had never seen Man before. They came up to the down deer and poked it. They took the stick and then put it through the legs of the down deer. After using some kind of vine, one man picked up each end of the stick. The picked up the deer and carried it away. She waited until the scent of Man and the smoke had gone before she eased away from her hiding place and headed back toward her mother’s thicket.

She had gone only a short way when she heard her name called out from behind her. She turned around to see and saw Filon coming up from behind her. At the same moment, she smelled a familiar scent. It was her brother followed closely by her Father. She went behind some trees where they could hide from view.

“Gurri what happened?” her Father asked.

“Man was on the meadow,” she told him. “He used a killing stick on a yearling male. Then a large and small Man came and took the deer away.”

“Were you on the Meadow?” her father asked sternly.

“No,” she said angrily. Her Father should know her better than that. “I was off the field before the first sign of the great light. I was going to come find you because Filon told me he had found a Man track at the edge of the meadow.”

Filon spoke up. “She even warned the yearlings as they went to the meadow. I heard her myself. The other deer just laughed at her and walked out on the meadow anyway.”

“Of course they laughed,” she said bitterly. “I am just a doe and a young one at that. No one listens to me. They only listen to older males with racks.”

Her comment seemed to take both her Father and Filon by surprised, but she felt she was right. If her Father had

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