Disney's Wondrous Secrets

The Northern Battle

Sarah wasn't too fond of the idea of the weasel being forced among the group, and Bing Bong's own anxiety over the situation was obvious. Even Gurri had grown uncomfortable, as had Geno. It was instinctive for deer to fear predator animals, including humans- although, the way that Sarah had interacted with the elephant was starting to change Geno's mind.

Geno was a future prince, following in the footsteps of his father, who just so happened to be Bambi the Great Prince. His sister was to be a princess, and the time was approaching for her to choose a mate. However, there was little hope of that happening anytime soon: the hyenas had been ordered to create chaos amongst the deer herds, causing them to separate and making them vulnerable to attacks.

The hyenas were great in number and mightier than wolves. This was due to the influence of a spell which carried the same scent as the one that had sent Bing Bong to sleep, though this spell was much worse... It made the dog-like beasts unnaturally strong and unbelievably fast. Deer, no matter how quick, would always fail to outrun them. Ever since the escape of Mickey Mouse, the deer who occupied the High Northern Woodlands had been targeted the most frequently. The reason being was to provoke to the enemy's army, herding them into a trap. This trap came in the form of a murky, dark mist that was creeping through the trees, a dangerous spell conjured up by the Dark Fairy herself. A single whiff of the mist would lead to illness and, eventually, corruption. However, with every force of evil, there is a countering force of light, and this instance was no different. Something unseen was keeping the mist at bay.

It was happening at this very moment, as Robin was plotting the escape of his newly found band of captives. There was a battle occurring within the woods.

The three leading hyenas, Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, were urging their pack on, preparing to assault a herd of young stags. Little did they know, Bambi had been watching carefully from the shadows, and made his presence known with a graceful leap over a massive boulder. The Great Prince, crowned by his father before him, was now of great build with a full crown of sharp, deadly antlers, which he used to scoop up an unsuspecting Shenzi. With one thrust of his strong back and neck, she was sent flying into a pine tree. She rose to her feet almost instantly, appearing unscathed. That spell was strong...

Shenzi growled, squinting through the heavy downpour as she watched her attacker effortlessly throw the other members of her pack aside. He thrust his back legs into Benzai's stomach, sending him flying. The other bucks did what little they could do to fight the hyenas, leading to a few broken ribs and lost antlers. Shenzi grinned sadistically as she charged at the prince, adrenaline burning in her chest. She locked her jaws around Bambi's left antler, to which he thrashed about and sent her flying, just as he had before. Ed saw his opportunity to attack and sunk his teeth into the stag's neck, causing Bambi to buck and kick wildly. Banzai joined in, wanting to deliver the fatal blow- until, much to his dismay, Bambi threw himself into the grass and rolled, crushing both hyenas beneath him. Shenzi was preparing to charge, while Bambi stood, bracing himself for the impact. As they collided, they took notice of another predator racing through the tall grass.

Actually, make that two... one being a human!

As this new predator readied his claws, the man gave a whistle and drew his bow. He was extremely awkward-looking, this man, but his arms, resemblant of tree trunks, were strong. He sported a head of ginger hair and wore a dark vest, encased by a set of armor. His back and face had been burdened with deformity, but none of these physical issues got the best of him as he boldly let an arrow fly in Shenzi's direction. The pointed tip dug into her neck, causing her to howl in agony and fall off of Bambi. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see shadows leaking out of the forest, and rose to her feet, struggling to stay balanced. She was knocked to the ground yet again by a blur of razor-sharp teeth and matted fur. It was a lion! Not just any lion... It was King Simba himself... The very same cub whom, years ago, she had been ordered to kill. As the Lion King kept the ringleader distracted, another creature emerged from above...

A chill-inducing screech echoed throughout the plains as a massive shadow zoomed over the battlefield. Curtains of soaked feathers and a pair of glistening talons soared low as the deformed man took on the remaining two hyenas, one of whom was snagged by the feathered creature. He struggled against its grip, but to no avail, and was tossed into the pines below. Lightning painted the field starch white, revealing the identity of this winged predator- a mighty bird of prey, decked in tawny feathers tinged with gold. For all her glory, however, her faltering flight pattern indicated weakness, and she nearly crash-landed into the field. The pack, frozen in terror, gaped at the massive avian. In a fleeting burst of stamina, she cried out, a sound strong enough to disrupt heartbeats, and spread her wings. The hyenas exchanged petrified glances, finally aware of their loss, and began to run like cowards. Bambi delivered a final kick as they retreated into the forest, leaving behind a few shallow wounds and a thin layer of silence.

The deformed man leapt from a boulder and darted to the fatigued bird's side. Her feathers were in disarray and her wings sagged. In the distance, kissing the dark skies, was an aurora of beautiful colors- gentle blues, vibrant pinks, soft violets- marking the direction that the herd was headed towards. The curse was closing in... and time was running dangerously short.

Bambi panted deeply, feeling old age creaking in his tired bones, before lifting his head at the touch of the deformed man. The Great Prince smiled.

"This is may sound strange," came Bambi's voice, scratching in all the wrong places, "but I am thankful that you came."

"We tried to come as soon as we could, Great Prince." he replied.

"Merlin made sure that we were in the right direction," Simba added, rising to his feet.

"Until Robin returns from his scouting mission, we should watch the Border," the young man suggested, glancing towards the mesmerizing aurora.

"Maleficent... has been... running us mad," Bambi snarled. "Many of our young bucks have fallen prey. If we go any further, the spring young will never come. And my son and my daughter... Still lost. I am left with no option... Go and take my herd to the Border. I will stay behind."

"Oh... no..." The man ran a massive hand through his hair in frustration. "I don't know if I could do that, your majesty. You are their leader. They need you..."

"I need to be absolutely sure that my heirs are safe. Without them, there is no future."

"Robin should be on his way soon," Simba eased. "I spoke with my father earlier- he says that Robin isn't too far from here. He's found others, including the Blue Fairy, who has been in hiding for so long. Apparently, she has found an Imaginary."

Shock toyed with the man's misshapen features. "An Imaginary?"

"That is all I know... My father said nothing more."

"If Maleficent gets her hands on one... it would be catastrophic!" the deformed man dreaded, remembering Merlin's earlier lecture.

"This means that we have a bigger problem than those dogs," Bambi mumbled.

"That is why she is in hiding," Simba thought aloud. "She's protecting it"

"Change of plan." Bambi looked them in the eyes and stood tall. "We're going to meet Robin. Once we do, we are heading straight for the Border. We have less than a day left. By the end of it, the curse will cover the entire forest."

A rustle of movement in the grass caused the group to jump, caused only by the mighty avian. She croaked in anguish, lowering her head to the deformed man. He gently ran a hand along her beak, listening to her hum in content.

"Quasimodo... Keep in the clouds," advised Simba. "We have a long day ahead of us..."