The Adventures of Me and Bambi

Chapter Thirty-Two: a Friend in Brightbill

The forest was quiet that afternoon, with only the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze and the soft crunch of dirt beneath Luke and Bambi's feet as they wandered through the familiar trails. Luke was in better spirits today, enjoying the calmness of the woods, while Bambi trotted happily beside him, his tail flicking with excitement.

"Look!" Bambi suddenly exclaimed, his eyes wide as he pointed with his nose. "There's something by the lake!"

Luke followed Bambi's gaze and squinted. Near the water's edge, a small figure waddled awkwardly, its sleek feathers shining in the sunlight. It was a goose—gray and white, with bright eyes and a proud little stance. Luke smiled at the sight, feeling a spark of curiosity. He hadn't seen many geese around here before.

"I wonder who that is," Luke mused, his tone playful.

Bambi perked up, his interest piqued. "Let's go say hello!"

The two made their way toward the lake, careful not to startle the goose. As they got closer, the goose turned its head and spotted them. For a moment, the bird hesitated, then straightened up, as if deciding it had nothing to fear.

"Hello there!" Luke called out gently, giving a friendly wave.

The goose tilted its head, its beady eyes watching them closely. "Hi," it replied in a surprisingly soft voice for such a bold-looking bird.

Bambi smiled brightly. "I'm Bambi, and this is my friend, Luke. What's your name?"

The goose looked between them, a little guarded at first but slowly relaxing under their kind expressions. "I'm Brightbill," the goose said, stepping a bit closer to the two. "I don't usually meet many visitors around here."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Brightbill," Luke said, crouching down a little to be on the same level as the goose. "Are you from around this lake?"

Brightbill nodded, ruffling his feathers. "Yeah, I live here with my family. But today, I came down by myself. Sometimes I just like to explore on my own, you know?"

Luke smiled, understanding the feeling all too well. "I get that. Sometimes it's nice to have a little space to think."

Bambi nodded enthusiastically. "Luke and I were exploring too! What do you usually do out here?"

Brightbill hesitated for a moment, glancing back at the lake. "Mostly swim and fly around. But I also like watching the sunset over the water. It's peaceful... calming."

Luke noticed a certain quietness in Brightbill's voice, as if the goose was sharing something more personal, something special. He smiled warmly, sensing they were going to get along well. "That sounds amazing. We'd love to see it with you, if you don't mind."

Brightbill blinked, clearly surprised by the offer. "You'd want to watch the sunset with me?"

"Of course!" Bambi chimed in eagerly. "It sounds beautiful. And we'd love to have a new friend to share it with."

Brightbill's feathers puffed out a little, clearly touched by the sentiment. "I... I'd like that," he said, his tone softening.

The three of them settled near the lake's edge, sitting quietly as the sun began its slow descent toward the horizon. Brightbill's wings fluttered gently in the breeze as he gazed out over the water. Luke and Bambi sat side by side, feeling the calm settle over them as the sky turned shades of gold and pink.

"Thank you for sharing this with us, Brightbill," Luke said after a while, his voice low and peaceful. "It's really special."

Brightbill looked over at them, a small smile forming on his beak. "I think it's even more special now... with you two here."

The sun dipped lower, casting a warm glow across the lake. In that quiet moment, Luke, Bambi, and Brightbill sat together, three unlikely friends bound by a simple, shared experience. And as the last light of day faded into twilight, they knew this was the start of something new—a bond that would only grow stronger with time.