SPLASH!
Ronno hit the water. It took him a moment for him to finally raise his head but when he did he saw Bambi stand on a cliff in triumph as Faline is nuzzling against him. Ronno put his head down again, he obviously lost. He shouldn't have tried to challenge a prince…even he knows that.
…
Ronno walked through the forest with his head and antlers down. "Maybe I try too hard," he said to himself in a low voice.
The thing was he wanted what Bambi had. He wanted to be the prince of the forest, wanted all the other deer's respect, wanted as many friends as Bambi had and he wanted Faline….
Ronno never liked Bambi ever since they first met as fawns. When Ronno first looked at Bambi he thought he was a big coward and bullied him for that but in reality Ronno was really the cowardly one. He once left Bambi and a doe named Mena from being killed by man's dogs even when it was his fault that the dogs were coming and if it wasn't for Bambi the dogs would of tear her apart.
One might not see why he hated Bambi so much. Bambi is very kind and never showed off like Ronno did when he was young. But Ronno couldn't see that's why a lot of animals liked him.
If there was only a way to show every animal in the forest that he was better than Bambi, that he was the one that should have the title of "The Prince Of The Forest." Something, anything…little that Ronno knows that he is just trying to convince himself that more than any other animal in the forest.
Crack
Ronno heard a noise that made him lift his head towards the direction he where it came from. It was a strange noise that sounded like crackling of fire.
Ronno sniffed the air, something was burning.
Was there a fire?
Ronno turned to follow his nose and saw smoke in the distance. Ronno walked towards it but came to a complete stop when he was what it was.
There, not too far from him, was a camp with man and his dogs.
Ronno felt his heart stop, fear had stopped him from moving a muscle. There were trees and bushes covering where he was standing so the men didn't know he was there and it seemed that the dogs didn't pick up his scent yet. There was a chance that he could get away. Ronno quickly realized this and was about to turn around and run as fast as he could…but when he took his first step he stopped…
Ronno slowly turned his head towards the camp again. Maybe this is how he could prove to every animal in the forest that he is better than Bambi, by driving man out of the forest!
Without even thinking Ronno out of his cover and ran straight towards the camp. He got the men completely off guard and Ronno charged and put his antlers down to first man he saw. But before Ronno got to him the dogs went on him and bit him as hard as they could. Ronno screamed with pain and was now trying desperately to get the dogs off of him.
One of the men quickly got out his gun and took a shot at Ronno. Fortunately for Ronno it was a bad shot and the bullet barely touched him but it still hurt a lot.
Ronno screamed again and finally got the dogs off of him.
Oh, this was a bad idea, Ronno thought, this was a very bad idea!
More and more of the men were getting out their guns now to try to kill the stag and the dogs tried to get on him again.
Ronno just ran in a random direction. He knew he should get away no matter where that direction took him. He chose a direction that had one of the men's tents and Ronno smashed it as climbed on top of it and jumped to the other side.
Ronno heard the men yelled angrily as he ran out of the camp though it couldn't understand what they were saying. Little that Ronno knew the men were going to try to hunt him after what he did to their camp and in danger all the animals in the forest.
…
Ronno ran up a hill, not too far from the camp, and looked back. He saw all the men got their guns now and were spreading out, in all different direction, into the forest.
Ronno put his head and antlers down, he felt like crying. "Oh, this is all my fault!" He yelled to himself, "I was trying to protect all the animals in the forest but ended up putting them all in danger! When will I ever FUCKING learn!"
Yes, Ronno should have known better then anger man, he wasn't even sure have many were there all he knew that there were a lot of them. About twenty or even more!
Ronno began to open his eyes a little. Maybe he wasn't so great, as he kept telling himself since he was fawn, after all. Ronno couldn't see Bambi ever doing such a thing.
"Oh!" Ronno yelled again, throwing his head back up.
Ronno was too distracted to see that one of the men spotted him in the distance and quickly pointed the gun at him. Likely it missed Ronno by a couple inches and startled him.
Ronno snapped out of it and said, "Oh, I need to run, I need to run right now!"
He ran the opposite directions that he saw the man and run like never run before. Through trees, through bushes, he leaped, not looking back but Ronno knows that the man was still behind him because he can hear the footprints still coming. But soon Ronno managed to loss him when he took a sudden narrow turn.
Ronno saw the man scratch his head to wonder where he went but likely for Ronno he went another way.
Ronno was on top of a hill far away from the camp now and he could hear animal squealing in terror as the men come to them. He can also hear a lot of gun shots and dogs barking and for every second he heard them Ronno left terrible.
"Don't be too hard on yourself, Ronno," he closed his eyes and tried to reassure himself, "man would probably still kill even if you didn't anger them…" but it didn't make him feel any better.
Ronno opened his eyes again, this time he looked more determined.
I can still drive man out of here, Ronno thought, at least I'll still look like a hero.
Ronno charged towards the sounds of the gun shots, his antlers in front of him ready to gore any man in his way. But because he couldn't see Ronno ran straight into a tree.
The impact made fell into the grass. Ronno got up and shook his head but then he found he wasn't it only….just about ten feet to Ronno's left was a man. It was the same man that chased him earlier.
"Oh, crap!" Ronno leapt to his right but it was too late. The man shoot and the bullet pierced Ronno's right shoulder.
Ronno screamed in agony as blood poured down his leg. The pain he was going through hurts like HELL!
The man raised his gun to his face again ready to shoot again.
Oh, crap again! Ronno thought, I can't die here! I haven't proven I'm better than Bambi yet…
Ronno used strength that he had left and dodge the next the bullet and ran for his life.
Oh, real clever, Ronno, he thought as he tried to run, why did I even try go near man again? I should've found a place to hide!
Ronno ran as fast as could but the pain in his right shoulder was almost too awful to bear. And it wasn't better when he ran towards a cliff. The cliff had a long fall that had a river in the bottom and sharp rocks but when he tried to go the other way the man blocked his path. Ronno was now trapped. It was either being killed by being man's prey or risk jumping and hope he will be alright.
Oh, crap, crap, crap, Ronno didn't what to do or what to think, I could die either way! And I already my share of being splashed in the water earlier. And there's no use for trying to run again with THIS shoulder! What the hell am I going to do?! Ronno kept screaming in his head but no answer came. Is it the end for me?
The man raised his gun again.
In that point Ronno sort of calmed down. Ok, so I'm not better than Bambi, Ronno thought, I never was…Bambi would never do such foolish things…he really DOES deserves to be the Prince Of The Forest…and me….I don't deserve anything….but THAT doesn't mean I can't learn from my mistakes!
With that Ronno used his last bit of strength and jumped off the cliff and into the water. The man lowered his gun, completely shocked. Even he would rather be shot than jump down there, at least that way your death would be quick and painless.
Ronno bust his out of the water. The current was too strong for him especially with his injured shoulder.
I'm ok if I'm to die, Ronno thought, but if somehow make it I'll make the best of it! I'll be better than who I was! I will be kinder and live my life to the fullest…just like Bambi…
After Ronno's head got underwater he saw he was heading for a waterfall…then everything went dark…
…
"Hey, are you alright?"
Ronno heard a soft concerned voice that immediately woke him up. He was on the muddy riverbank and saw the waterfall that he fell from….but then he saw her.
Right there in front of him was a beautiful doe, even more beautiful than Faline Ronno thought.
"Please tell me you're alright," said the doe as she rushed towards him.
Her eyes were blue with a hint of green in them, Ronno never seen such eyes. And her fur was must lighter than any doe he seen.
"I'm…..fine, miss," Ronno said as tried to get up but the pain in his shoulder still hurts and collapsed on the muddy ground.
"You can't be fine," said the doe, even more concerned, "it's like you got shot in the shoulder!"
"Yeah…" Ronno said with exhausted in his voice, "it hurts so much…"
The doe paused then said, "I'll take a look at it."
Ronno was a bit surprised when she said that. What can she do? He thought.
The doe stretch her neck down at Ronno's wound and licked it a little. Ronno blushed when she did so.
"I think I can take the bullet out," she finally said.
"What!" said a shocked Ronno.
"If you let me…." Added the doe.
"No….it's….just….how can you get it out?"
"I'll show you."
Ronno let the doe go near his wound again.
"This will a bit," she said.
Ronno closed his eyes, pain let through his shoulder again as the doe pulled the bullet out.
"There," said the doe after she spited out the nasty bullet. "Does that feel better?"
"Y-yeah, it feels MUCH better," Ronno finally was able to get up now.
What a doe! Ronno thought, I never even seen a stag act like her!
Ronno felt his head light up with red, the doe saw it but she pretended she didn't see it…
"What's your name?" asked the doe.
"My….name?" Ronno asked as the doe nodded, "my name is….Ronno…"
"Ronno?" the doe repeated his name, "I never heard THAT name before….but I like it," she gave a smiled.
Ronno felt even warmer inside. She likes my name! he thought.
"And…..what is your name, miss?" Ronno had to choke up to say.
"My name is Rose."
"Rose?" Ronno felt his heart fluttered. Even her name is beautiful!
It took a while for Ronno to notice the trees around him and Rose were almost completely destroyed.
"What happened?" asked Ronno, looking around.
"What?" asked Rose before looking around, "You didn't know? There was fire last night!"
"What?!"
"Yes, it was caused by the man last night!"
"Man?" Ronno asked, he was now feeling terrible again. It was him angering and so he blamed himself for the fire.
"Yes," Rose continued, "I was trying to find a way out and leapt to the other side of this river and that's where I found you, Ronno. But likely I don't think animals were hurt, I think they got out in time."
"Thank goodness," Ronno sighed in relieved. He wouldn't forgive himself if some animal got hurt.
"What is it?"
"Huh?" Ronno asked.
He saw that Rose can see something is up.
Ronno sighed again, but this time it wasn't for relief. "It's just…." Ronno began, "I….was a foolish deer…"
"What do you mean?"
"Well…."
And then Ronno told Rose the entire story, in very specific detail. After Ronno was done he was waiting for Rose's hate response.
There goes another pretty doe…Ronno thought sadly.
"Well….you shouldn't had done…" Rose said surprisingly calm.
"What! You're not going to bash me and say I'm a terrible stag!?"
"Normally, I would," Rose took a breath, "but I can see how badly you feel about it so I won't bash you. After all everyone deserve a second chance if their sorry."
Wow! Ronno thought, she is quite a doe!
"Then…" Ronno choked up again, "can you help me be a…better der?"
It took a while for the doe to answer but finally she said, "I'll be happy too….Ronno…"
…
You might have guessed it by now but Ronno and Rose fell in love each other and had a male fawn. Rose liked Ronno's name so much that they decided to him Ronno Jr.
Ronno, Rose and their son couldn't be happier. It seemed Ronno kept his promise to himself, that he'll live his life to his fullest. And it shows, he was much kinder, always good to his son and mate, didn't think he was better than any deer ever again.
One day Ronno ran into three familiar faces when he was walking with son. It was Bambi, Thumper, and flower along with their children. Their children were playing with each other in the meadow.
"Oh, hey Bambi!" Ronno rushed over with his son.
"Hello," answered Bambi, he didn't realized that it was Ronno.
"I want to say I'm sorry for ALL the things I did to you and your friends," he bowed his head for the prince of the forest, "I'm so, SO sorry…"
"Um…it's ok," Bambi answered.
"Really?" Ronno lifted his head to see Bambi.
Bambi nodded. "Yes, I forgive you."
"Oh, that's great, Bambi!" Ronno actual bounced a little, "hey, you mind if my son will play with your children?"
"No, not all," Bambi smiled as he looked at Ronno's son.
"Ok, junior," Ronno also looked at his son, "go play."
"Thanks, father," answered his son, "thanks, prince."
"You're welcome," Bambi chuckled, "but you didn't have to ask…"
Ronno Jr. dashed towards the other two fawns, the four young rabbits and the young skunk. They played for a while and then Ronno and Junior said goodbye and thank you and walked away.
"Who was that actually?" asked Thumper, "Did we know him?"
Flower shrugged.
"I think….that was Ronno…" said Bambi.
"What?!" said both Flower and Thumper at the same time.
"That bully?!" asked Thumper.
"Yes…" Bambi said but then he had a smile on his face, "but how he changed…"