The Stranger: taking Charge

The Stranger: Taking Charge

by

Wilber Arron

Chapter One: Hard Learning

Year 3

It started in spring, not long after the doe had given birth to their fawns. Man had come back to the forest and he had not come alone. He came with more man animals and many more men. The noise they made had been constant for days. The Man animals that had made the Man path the year he arrived in the forest had come back; only this time they stayed for much longer. The noises they made were much louder. The noise and the smells were so strong that only in the dead of night did Bambi dare lead the herd onto the far side of the meadow to eat. The herd ate nervously always eating with one eye on the still Man animals. He and Bambi made sure they did not move. Thankfully, they only moved when Men were in them. In the darkness of the night, they were quiet. It was only then the herd dared to feed on the rich grass of the meadow. They were all back in the deep forest before the first sign of the greater light appeared.

After many days of noise, Stanger had brought Bambi the herd header, Bambi's mate Faline, Bambi's daughter Gina, his mate Claris, and his son Stabo with him. They looked over the activity on the far side of the meadow. Already the Man animals had torn up the ground and other Men had raised what looked like thin branchless trees in the air for some reason. The Man path had been widened; from the path came a revolting smell as if the soil had become as putrid as the odor of man. Every day just as the greater light rose, the two bright eyes of Man animals brought many men to the meadow. At the greater light set, the animals took the men away. All was still afterward. On the ground pieces of wood lay everywhere. From the ground rose a Man cave as large as any he had ever seen. It was big enough to hold many men. That meant Man had come to stay and hunt from their new cave. The killing sticks had not been used so far, but they all knew that would not last. The putrid scent of Man lingered on the meadow. There was no doubt in his mind, this was a Man cave and Man had come to their forest.

"Does this mean Man has come to stay, Father," Stabo looked up at him. His deep black eyes showed fear at what that meant.

"Yes, my son," he answered quietly. "It looks like Man has come here to stay."

"Then the meadow is lost to us," Bambi said in realization.

"Unless we go only during late night," he answered.

"I meant when the hunts begin," Bambi added.

He nodded his head and reminded them, "Remember, Man only comes after us during The Season. Other than that, I hope Man will stay away. If not, then we will need to think of something else. Without the meadow, there is not enough food to feed the herd, especially during the winter. This is especially true with the new deer from the Man Path forest that have come here."

"I know that," Bambi said. "Our choice may require us to break up the herd."

"I hope it does not come to that," he said.

"We can only see," Bambi said not looking convinced Man would ever go.

"The others do not want to come onto the meadow even at night with the scent of Man around," Claris said. "I do not like even being here. I remember the last time this happen during last Season; poor Ducas and Flaco are now gone like the others."

"And with more Men next Season, how many others will be gone next time," Faline added in.

"Indeed, it will be more difficult to hide" he answered and looked at his scarred left side.

"Father, will we have to leave and go to another forest?" Gina asked the question that was on all their minds.

Bambi looked down at his daughter now just over a season old and living on her own. She looked like a stocky version of Faline. Not sleek looking, but charming in her own way. She was also as strong as some of the male yearlings. "I do not know," Bambi told her calmly. "The others will need to have a say. I will call a gathering and we will decide then."