This is a rewrite of an old story of mine, which can still be found on my profile. I loved this story so much and after a long hiatus I decided that I wanted to make it better, hence the rewrite.


Prologue

It was winter. Nature had covered everything in a thick blanket of white snow, making the forest look pure and beutiful. No outsider could suspect how harsh it really was. The winter.

But The Great Prince of the Forest knew all about the cruelty of this season. The birds had flown away towards warmer places and most of the small woodland animals were asleep in their dens, blisfully unaware of the struggle for survival that his own kind faced; forced to peel bark off the trees to eat until there was nothing left but an entire forest filled with purely naked trees.

Yes, sometimes nature could be cruel. And it was cruelty that was on his mind as he sped towards the northern meadow as fast as his legs could carry him.

Man was in the forest again. He had come to take yet another helpless animal. He always did. He had for as long as the stag could remember. But why he did not know. Perhaps there was no reason other than that of simple cruelty. Either way it did not matter. It was his responsibility to protect the creatures of the forest against him. And someone was in danger. He had heard the sounds that he knew had come from Man's weapon.

He was almost there now. He could see the forest growing thinner as he was nearing the open field.

That was when he heard the noise. The noise that he dreaded the most.

Something had been hit.

Moments later he stepped out into the meadow. And that's where he saw it. A doe was lying in the snow.

He did not yet see any Man so he dared to move closer. He needed to see who the victim was. When he recognized the doe he felt as though his entire body was being crushed by a big bolder.

This wasn't just any doe in the herd lying lifeless in the snow. This was his doe. His mate. The mother of his son.

Oh Man was more than cruel. Man was heartless.

His beutiful mate was there, right in front of him with blood leaking out of her, colouring the snow in which she lay, dead. Her crimson eyes were lifeless, not seeing anything of the clear blue sky above her. Man had killed her. Man had taken his mate.

He heard noises not so far away and he knew that it was his cue to leave. There was nothing he could do for her now. He had no choice but to leave and allow Man to take her. He had to flee now if he didn't want to end like her and he couldn't die now.

He turned around and left in search of the fawn whose prints were visible in the snow. He had to find Bambi and make sure that he was safe.

Snow was starting to fall heavily now but it did not take long for The Great Prince to find what he was looking for. A fawn was walking around in the ticket, calling for his mother.

When Bambi caught sight of him he gasped in shock. He looked frightened.

"Your mother can't be with you anymore," The Great Prince said with a heavy heart.

He turned around and motioned for Bambi to follow him.

"Come, my son".

Bambi followed him in silence, walking with his head bowed low. The old stag thought he saw tears leaking from the fawn's eyes. He didn't say anything. He wouldn't know how to comfort him. He didn't even know how to comfort himself at the moment. The really short walk to his den seemed a lot longer now.

When they finally did reach his home he stopped outside, taking a deep breath and motioned for Bambi to go inside. The fawn seemed to be dragging his hooves through the snow as he walked into the den and laid down into the pile of rotten leaves.

The stag heard the sound of bashing wings.

It was the owl.

"Friend Owl," he greeted as the owl settled on the lower branch of a nearby tree.

"I'm sorry sir to bother you this late but I had to come," he said.

The Great Prince said nothing. No words could express his grief in this precise moment.

"Poor little fellow, too young to be without a mother," Friend Owl said, looking at Bambi.

The stag was still silent. Too young indeed. Oh, why did Man have to be so cruel!

"Well if there is anything I can do-"

Friend Owl seemed to have given up on conversation, preparing to fly off again.

"Wait," the stag said. "I could use your help".

He stepped closer to the Owl.

"Find a suitable doe to raise Bambi".

Friend Owl digested his request.

"Oh yes of course, but I don't know, there is so little food and the does can scarcely feed themselves".

The owl feel silent for a moment, thinking.

"But perhaps you could-"

"Me," The Great Prince exclaimed, surprised. Surely Friend Owl couldn't be serious.

"You know as well as I do that a Prince looks after the herd and the does care for the young".

"Yes," Friend Owl said, "but you are his father and circumstances being what they are-"

The Stag gazed up at at the sky as he digested what the owl had said. He had a good point. The does already had it difficult and it might not be a good idea to suddenly force the care of another fawn upon one when the winter was at its harshest. Perhaps it was best that Bambi remain in his care for the time being.

"Until spring," he said.

The owl chuckled in delight. "Oh wonderful, I mean who better to raise the Young Prince than The Great Prince of the Forest himself!"

The stag sighed. The fawn was in his care now. He laid down next to Bambi inside the den. Tomorrow was going to be challenging. So was pushing aside his feelings of grief so he could get some sleep.


Please review. It does make me write faster. I hope you liked it.