"You protected this forest from the cat from the mountain. I do not know how to thank you except for staying with you."
Man entered the forest other than to hunt. One such hunter, The Great Hunter, has a history in the forest. When he goes missi...
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Suddenly, a scream of pain halted the Great Prince. He felt something that he hadn't felt in a long while. Fear. With alarm, he ran once more. His hooves thundered on the forest floor as he rocketed toward the scream. He hoped with everything within him that he wasn't going to find another dead human on his patrol from the paws of the cougar no less.
As he thundered, he saw a small shaken fawn running without looking back. He came to a halt as did the fawn.
"Is there a human behind you?" The Great Prince asked, trying to be gentle with the fawn.
All the fawn could do was nod and shake, "She saved me."
The Great Prince's eyes widened. Another scream was heard, but a gun sounded off along with a yowl.
"The girl," He said in horror before he thundered off leaving the fawn to continue its path to the herd.
What the Prince saw made him halt with a silent gasp. He watched horrified as a girl with unruly dark hair tried to stand leaning against a tree. She looked up panting heavily. The cougar laid beside her, unmoving, shot by the very gun her father used to protect himself.
Before her, Darby could see a large, handsome, broad-shouldered buck with a large rack, counting ten points. She clearly knew who this buck was the great back. The buck walked with dignity just like a human prince would, or at least that is what the fairytales made it seem like. Everything seemed like a dream. She felt so light-headed and cold. There was snow on the ground but it will still so cold.
"My father was right. You are majestic." She fell on her side heavily as her bloody left leg gave out.
The Great Prince couldn't stop himself from stepping forward, looking down at her sadly.
"You are the one my father went to see every morning. You sure are something." The girl swallowed before rasping out, looking so pale and tired. Her eyes were halfway open. He tried to ignore her bloody back, guessing that was what made her scream the second time. "Why do you look so sad?"
The Prince couldn't stop himself from lying down beside her so the side of her face could rest beside his right leg, and nuzzled her face, not knowing what else to do. He remembered the Old Hunter, the father of this girl. Even though her father was waiting for his daughter in heaven, the Prince knew what he must be feeling. The pain, sorrow, and fear of losing a child, only for one it was true. He remembered when Bambi, his own son, fell from the cliff. He had never felt such terror again until this day as he laid nuzzling this dying girl.
"I was jealous of you." The girl cried laying a bloody hand on his shoulder, stroking it as best as she could, not knowing what else to do. The Prince looked down at the girl in shock as tears rolled down her face. "I could never make my father smile like he did when he saw you. Such joy that I haven't seen since I was a kid. He looked like he was in paradise. He was so happy."
A sadness crept upon the Prince and laid his head upon the girl's, trying to comfort her, nuzzling into her hair where there were no injuries. Before he could stop it, a tear fell from his eye as his eyes closed. Helplessness filled inside him, knowing that he wouldn't be able to save this girl.
"Thank you for listening to him." She sobbed out, moving her hand over the Prince's coat, chuckling softly suddenly making the Prince open his sad eyes.
"Thank you," The Great Prince uttered, feeling helpless as he watched the life leave this girl's eyes, trying to thank her for saving the young female doe that his son fell in love with. He knew the human couldn't understand him, and wished that she could, especially at that moment. He wanted to say so much to the girl. To let her know that her father was proud of her. As was he. She protected his forest and his herd from the only cougar to come down from the mountain. It may have been one female fawn, but it meant more to him then she or anyone would ever know.
"He spoke of you often, every day in fact. A sparkle would light up his eyes when he told me of your adventures; a glint that I see in my own son's eyes when he gets excited. He sounded very proud of you." The prince spoke sighing at the end. "You protected my forest from a cat of the mountain. He would be very proud of you for defeating a foe such as that, as am I."
He looked down at the girl, not feeling her stroking his coat nor hearing her sobs. All he saw was her unmoving chest and closed eyes. Sorrow filled his heart, distressing him greatly. He laid his head back upon her, sighing in sorrow, closing his eyes, nuzzling the girl, almost hoping with all his heart that she was just asleep.
