CHAPTER SEVEN: WANDERER
He was standing alone near the edge of his forest. He had been alone now for several days since he killed Toradas. In that time, whenever he walked on the meadow, he felt the cold stares of other males and doe upon him. Despite the reason he gave for this actions, most of the others in the herd did not like what he did and did not accept his explanations. The other deer made sure he knew about it. None in the herd would speak to him. No one would stand near him. They looked at him more in fear than respect. The only deer that talked to him were his parents, Bambi, and Galene. Even Juon and Kena avoided him. What hurt the most was Allia who complained bitterly to the other does about how he had abandoned her and her sister leading to her death. At times she did this with him standing close by. Rufo also complained to Bambi about his killing of Toradas. He told the herd what he did was not right. He said to the herd leader and other Toradas would never have killed Nalene and that she was killed because of her foolishness.
He said nothing to Allia about her complaints and would never do anything to hurt a doe, but he certainly made sure Rufo did not complain about him within his hearing. He took exception one time and told that male openly he was a liar. The fight that followed was short and painful for Rufo which only caused the herd to avoid him even more. Several times he saw groups of males and doe talk to Bambi, each time with him not nearby. Bambi would not tell him what they said, but he could guess what they asked. He was no longer welcomed here and it was mostly his fault/
He stared into the open space that separated his forest from the old forest. The forest his grandfather lived in. He was waiting. He had asked Stabo to bring his father here after the greater light had gone. He had made up his mind what he was going to do. It was not long after the greater light disappeared that he heard two deer approach.
"I am here," he called out.
Both Stabo and his father walked into the clearing. Both looked concerned. He turned and faced them.
He spoke solemnly and as sincerely as he could. "I asked you to come here to tell you of my decision. I am going to leave the herd and go elsewhere."
"Stafen, no," his father pleaded. "If that has anything to do with Toradas, do not let it worry you."
"It is not just Toradas," he explained. "You have seen how the deer, all the deer, avoid me on the meadow. None of them will come within several lengths of me. Even Allia and Dala will not even get close to me. I have heard some have even asked Bambi to chase me out of the herd."
"Bambi will not do that," Stabo added. "He knows this was not your fault."
That was nice to hear, but not much comfort. "You are wrong, uncle, this was my fault. I abandoned my doe to help the herd and they suffered for it. Allia was right; I did care more about the herd than them. I always thought that if anything bad happened while helping the herd, it would be me that suffered. Now others who had no part in what I do for the herd have suffered. The other deer think I am a killer, and they are right. I am not sorry I killed Toradas. I'd kill him again if I could, but it has made me an outcast in this herd, and I should leave. It will be less trouble for Bambi and the rest of you if I was not here."
"That is not true," his father said. "You are a senior male of this herd and we need you."
"No you do not," he countered. "I understand better since I killed Toradas. All I ever wanted was to become a senior male in this herd, and now that I am, I find that wish empty inside. I think I spent my time trying to please you two and Bambi that I have forgotten I need to please the other deer in the herd. That I have not done. I thought that by helping the herd, I could become a respected senior male and the herd would at least respect me if not appreciate me. I now know that I was wrong. The herd only cares about what I did to Toradas, not what I have done for the herd leader and herd. The others do not care about me. Those that did care about me, I let down and now one of them is dead and the other two hate me, and with good reason. I think understand the depth of Garris's fear of letting down the herd because I have done that. This herd will never trust me again. It is time that I leave."
Stabo took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Where will you go?"
Past the top of that hill in the old forest, there is a large open space and then a large forest in the distance. You have told me, many of our family have gone there. They do not know me, I am going there."
"That is several days in the open, Stafen," Stabo told him. "You will never live through it."
"Others have and so will I," he said calmly. "I need to go now before the first snows come and tracking me will become much easier. I just wanted to let you all know. Say goodbye for me to mother and the others."
There was nothing more he wanted to say. He turned and ran out of his forest across the open space to the old forest. Behind him, there was just silence. He ran on changing direction often and soon came to the burnt-out remains of the old forest. He moved inside the ruined trees until he came to the stream between the hills that he saw before. He then followed the stream out in between the two hills of the old forest, past where those who came before him lived. He stopped by the edge of his forest and looked out. He would stay here until tomorrow night and start the rest of his trip then. He knew following the stream would take him to the other forest.
With no one around, he ate well during the day, something that he would never do normally, but he felt protected here. He lay down after eating his fill and rested. As soon as it was dark he followed the stream out of his forest and into the open. He moved carefully testing the wind constantly. There was nothing around him. The stream led him on all night until he caught the first glow of the greater light. He found what looked like a good place to stop to rest and lay down."
The grass grew higher here. There was no one to eat it. He could hide here as long as he did not stand up. He looked around and saw little. As the day came, he heard the roar of a Man animal off to the side of him. The Man animal moved back and forth across the open area. In front of him, the grass was open as far as he could see. He could see the hill of the old forest now further away. The place he was going to was larger, but still a ways away. After the Man animal went away he slept until it was night.
He followed the stream during the second night. He drank and emptied himself in the stream, so any hunters could not find his scent. He heard the scattering of field mice running underneath and other small animals he did not know. There were no big animals about him. He could smell or hear nothing around him so he continued his journey. Again as night faded, he found another spot with high grass and again bedded down.
There was no Man animal noise today, but later he heard light footsteps near him. He caught the scent of an animal. It was like a dog, but not the same. It was a fox. He waited and saw the fox stick his head through the grass and drink at the stream. As he drank he suddenly stopped and looked up at him lying there.
"A deer," the fox said sniffing the air. "I see few deer out here."
"I am traveling to the other forest," he explained. "I will not be here long."
The fox gazed at him intently. A fox could kill a fawn, but not anything close to his size. Still, the fox looked him over as if sizing him up to see if he was a meal.
"I am far too big for you and I have my rack and hoofs. I would cut you open if you tried it," he told him.
"Oh no," he said and backed away. "I would not think of attacking a prince of the forest."
He remembered what his uncle said about foxes. "There is only one thing to believe about a fox; they are always hungry."
"There are field mice and other small animals nearby. Try hunting them," he suggested and glared back at the red and white creature before him.
"Yes, prince, I will do so," the fox said and went back into the tall grass.
He slept again until nightfall.
On his third night the clouds blew in and he could see fire in the sky. It rained and it was a cold rain. His winter coat had begun to grow out but he was still cold. The rain and wind slowed him and continued until near dawn when it finally stopped and moved away. He was very close to the other forest; if he rushed he could make it after the greater light rose. He decided not to. All it takes is one Man with a killing stick and he would be as dead as Toradas.
The grass was shorter here so he could not hide as well. He slept as best he could. The air was much cooler this morning. The sun was still warm and he lay in the sunlight all day and that comforted him. Again he saw nothing around him. No Man, no bear, no large animals at all. It was all open; neither hunters nor hunted could hide. Because he felt exposed, he slept uneasily, but motionless. He was ready to go when the greater light left. He got up and moved cautiously into the tress of the other forest.
He made it.
The first thing he noticed was the size of the forest. The forest looked bigger, the trees looked taller, and there were many scents from deer he could smell. There were also other animals here: foxes like the one he met, coyotes in packs, he even smelled a bear. He walked alone through the forest following the stream until he finally came to a lake, around which many, many deer were eating. It was a meadow at least three times bigger than his meadow. This forest was huge.
He walked to the lakeshore near where the stream ran into it. The grass was still green despite the late season. He reached over and started eating. It still tasted good. He ignored the other deer around him, and they mostly ignored him. He then drank by the lakeside and watched the antics of the other deer. The season was over and so were the fights and other posturing by males. Now was the time to store up fat before the first snow. He ate his fill and then looked at the herd around him. They went about their lives not seeming to have a care in the world. They took no notice of him. He was curious he saw no signs of senior males. They should be out keeping watch over the herd. This went on until late night when he heard a large male call out.
"Leave now," he bellowed.
He could not see the male who made the call, but he could tell where the voice came from. He walked over to where the thick woods began and started to walk inside the woods toward where he heard the bellowing. He kept walking until the greater light was up. Then he found an empty place and lay down. He slept until night and started his trip again. He walked among some doe and herd males. They looked at him but said nothing. He kept walking until he heard something, something very faint behind him. It sounded like the rustling of the newly fallen leaves on the ground. He turned and walked with the wind to his tail. Sure enough, the wind blew the scent of a male deer to him. He smelled like a big deer. He walked on until he came to some tress he could use for cover. He waited and saw a large deer, maybe the size of his father walk up. He was young and had a full rack. He walked right by him. He was not that careful.
"You have to be quieter than that to sneak up on me," he called out loud.
The deer raised his head quickly and turned toward him as he stepped out into the open. The large deer walked up to him. He was maybe a four-season male at least and looked big and strong enough to be a senior male.
"What do you want?" he asked.
"I was going to ask you the same thing," the other deer said.
"I am a visitor," he said. "I came from the old burnt forest over the far hill. I came to see what this forest was like."
"Is that all you came for?" the male asked rudely.
"What else, it is too late to breed any doe. The Man hunts are over. I just wanted to see what was here. Now may I ask your name?"
"I am Striko," he said, "And your name?"
"I am Stafen, from the Man Path forest."
"What!" he heard another voice call out from downwind of him. There was a breaking of branches and ever a bigger deer came up. This one was tall, sleek, and heavily muscled. He had a huge rack. If the other one was a senior male, this had to be the herd leader.
"May I ask your name, herd leader?" he asked respectfully.
"I am Gerro," he said and studied him closely. "I am not the herd leader, my father Galin is"
That was a name he remembered from his mother. He walked up closer to the tall male and smiled.
"I have heard of your father's name from my mother and Uncle Stabo. I am Stelar's and Helos' son."
Gerro looked shocked. "I have heard of Stabo. My mother is Stabo's daughter," the big male said. This one here is the son of Koren and Garla."
"And Koren is Stabo's son," he said and looked to the other one.
"Now I know why you were so quiet," Striko said nodding his head. "Stabo and Young Bambi trained you."
"Yes along with my father Helos," he added. "I heard this one behind me, but I did not hear you approach," he said to Gerro.
"Like you, my father trained us too," the big deer grinned. "Come, we will take you to my father," Gerro told him.
He followed both of them who led him through the trees. "This forest is so big when compared to mine. Your father is herd leader over all these deer?"
"Yes, before Stabo, Stranger, and Old Bambi trained my father, there were several herds here that just ran around. Man killed many every season. After my father and the others finished their training, they came back here and started their own herd and beat anyone who opposed him. Koren and Garla along with Garten and Faline helped out. Now that we are old enough, we help too."
"That is good," he said. "Bambi and Stabo have my father and Juon to help him."
"What about you?" Striko asked.
"That is a long and unpleasant story," he answered. "I do not want to burden you with it." With that, the two males stop questioning him as he followed them to the end of the lake. They travel into the wood beyond; as they did, they came to another open meadow with many deer on it. This herd was huge compared to his herd.
"Here we are," Gerro said. "This is the area we keep for the senior males of the herd. It allows us to move quickly to either meadow when needed."
He could smell other large deer around him. Soon they started to appear.
"This is Tufan, my younger brother. Datlan, who is behind him, is Garlan and Koren's younger son. The big deer behind him them is Lanco, a deer from this herd who is strong enough and smart enough to be a senior male."
Then he stopped and stepped aside so all could get a look at him. "This is Stafen, a visitor from the Man Path forest. He is Stelar's son and was taught by Young Bambi and Stabo, the same deer that taught my father. He is also trained."
He bowed and looked at all of them. "I thank you for welcoming me here."
"Why are you here," Tufan asked eyeing him carefully.
"I had heard about this herd from my Uncle Stabo, the herd leader Bambi, and my mother. I decided to come to look for myself."
"Is that the only reason," he heard a loud voice call from a distance. Behind them, all walked a very large deer with a large rack. The other deer deferred to him. This must be the herd leader Galin his mother talked about.
He swallowed hard, but he was not going to lie. "There was some trouble with the herd and I thought it would be better for me to visit other places."
"And why was that," Galin asked looking at him harshly. "Some seasons ago I had to get rid of Stuben and Carie before they came here. I threw them out before they could cause me trouble, I will do the same to any deer that causes trouble."
The harshness of his voice was insulting and made him angry. There was no way he would show weakness here. He walked up past the other deer until he was three lengths from the herd leader. "What happened to me was personal and did not concern my herd or the herd leader. If the herd leader here really wants to hear about it, I will tell it to him, IN PRIVATE!"
Galin nodded, "You act like Young Bambi and Stabo young male. Very well we talk in private then. Now come with me. I also want my son Gerro and my mate Charlene since she is Stabo's daughter."
"As the herd leader wishes," he said and followed them.
He walked on and out of nowhere appeared a doe of several seasons. She was handsome and must have been a real beauty in her youth. "You are Stabo's daughter?" he asked.
Immediately he started to kick himself because now he has to tell another of Stabo's daughters her mother was dead. This was all getting too much. They went on and came to a nice clearing through which the lesser light showed.
Both Galin and Gerro stopped and lay down with Charlene lying close to the herd leader.
He lay down too.
"So what is your story?" Galin asked.
So he told them. He told them everything that happened from the start of spring until now. It took a while and the greater light was shining down on them before he finished and answered their questions.
"In a way, this is a relief," Galin started. "I was afraid you had tried to take over the herd and got thrown out. I do not need deer like that in my herd."
"I understand especially after Balo, Stena, Stuben, and Carie. I assure you I am not here to take the forest. Looking at your senior males, I doubt if I could have done it in any case. You, your son, and the others look like large and powerful deer. They have all been trained it looks."
"Then why did you come?" Charlene asked him.
"Because I felt I could not stay with my herd. After I killed Toradas, the other deer shunned me. I know some asked Bambi to run me out, but he would not. I just felt the herd no longer trusted me and I was more trouble to Bambi than I was worth. I thought leaving would solve most of those problems."
"For Bambi, it did," Galin said. "It did not solve them for you, however."
"That is my problem and I will solve it myself," he said flatly.
"That is not true, Stafen," Charlene smooth voice said. "But it still does not answer Galin's question. Why are you here?"
He thought about that answer for a few moments and then had to admit he did not know.
"I do not know for sure. I knew I did not belong there. What I am not sure about now is if I belong anywhere."
Galin and Charlene broke out into laughter. For a second he was angry because he thought they were making fun of his trouble. "That is funny?" he growled.
"No, it is not," Galin said still smiling. "What you just said is about the same thing Stranger said to Old Bambi when he first came to his forest. According to Old Bambi, Stranger did not know where he belonged either. He did find out, although it almost killed him several times. I think Grandfather and Grandson share a common lifestyle. As for wandering, a lot of us have done that, even I wandered when I went to Stranger to learn how to become a herd leader. Stranger wandered for several seasons. Stuben wandered about and finally woke up and settled down with Bambi's son Gorro. My father wandered into here and had a family. You are not the first from this family that has traveled, and I doubt if you will be the last."
"Then I assume I have the herd leader's permission to stay for a while," he asked tersely still smarting about when they laughed at him.
"Yes, stay as long as you want," Galin answered. "As long as you do not cause trouble you are welcomed. Besides, with Young Bambi's and Stabo's training, you are a young deer I can use."
"Thank you," he said coolly and got up. He dipped his head in respect and turned quickly to leave. As he walked out of the clearing he heard Charlene say. "He has a temper like my father when he was young."
He walked out to the meadow and ate his fill. Other deer came close, but no one bothered him until a male his age came up and dropped his head, but did not charge. It was an invitation to spar. He accepted and lowered his head and they started. This deer was serious and tried to push him around, He had to use several tricks Bambi and Stabo showed him to get position and push him back. He drove the other male into the ground and then pulled back immediately. He then went to the lake and drank his fill. When he turned there was Gorro several lengths away.
"Yes, Gorro," he said.
"You got mad in my father's clearing, why?" he said with an edge in his voice.
"Because when they laughed at me; I thought they were making fun of my problems," he explained. "That angered me."
"Hmmmmmmmmm," Gorro muttered. "Very well, I understand, then."
The big deer walked up to him and looked down in his face showing just how much bigger than him he was. "I have heard your story and I understand you have been through a lot. If you are going to stay here you have to know some things. First and foremost is my father, the herd leader, does not make fun to hurt other deer. Neither do the other members of the senior males. We sometimes laugh when something strikes us as funny, but it is not to insult those below us. You, Stafen are a little too edgy for your own good. I could see that in the tale you told us and I can see it when you walk around. You study everything intently. That can put some deer on edge. I know that was most likely part of Stabo's training, but do not be so obvious about it. One other thing you have just seen. We have a big herd here. Many males want to be senior males. Because of that, there is a lot of sparing that goes on around here, a lot of sparing, but seldom any big fights except during The Season. The spar you just did with Blanso you did not have to push him into the ground. You should have pulled back earlier. It was obvious who was the stronger deer and better fighter. You did not have to drive him into the ground to prove your point. If you are going to stay here, you are going to have to calm down, Stafen."
He was a bit surprised. He did not think he was being excessive. "I am sorry, but I was just following my training that Bambi, Stabo, and my father gave me. I was always taught if you fight and beat a deer, that deer has to know he was beaten. It leads to fewer fights later."
"Yes, that is true," Gorro told him. "However, in this case, once you pushed Blanso into the ground, you should have pulled up. You did not have to push his face into it. That was excessive."
He stood up shaking his head. This went against what the others taught him. "I am sorry if it looked that way," he said softly. "I assure you I am not violent deer but I will not be pushed around either. No deer can do that and keep any respect in the herd."
"I know you do not want to look like a bully," Gorro said trying to act understanding. "Otherwise I would have kicked your tale all over the meadow. I am just telling you to calm down if you want to stay here. You are young, and when I was your age I was like you. I thought I always had to prove my place in the herd. My father helped me understand this was wrong, sometimes by kicking my tale around the meadow, but I learned. What he told me, I will now tell you. You do not have to impress us. You already have. No two-season male is going to become a senior male unless they are very good, or the only ones left. My father knows Young Bambi; he knows that herd leader would have never sent you out to look for trouble unless he trusted you. Believe me, after what my father told me about Young Bambi and Stabo, if they trust you, my father will trust you. If you stay here I can see no reason why you cannot be a senior male next Season. Just do not walk around looking angry at times, and above all go light on the sparing. In time, the other males will know you are a male not to be bothered, as they know about me, and the other senior males. We have a large doe herd and you will get your pick of them next Season. Do you understand me, Stafen?"
He stood there partially stunned. His father, mother, Stabo, nor Bambi ever told him that. "I do that?" he asked, "Walk around looking mad."
"Not so much mad as intensely," Gorro answered. "You look always on edge like some hidden danger is behind every tree."
"That is Stabo's teaching. He said a deer must always be alert. A slow deer…"
"Is a dead deer," Gorro finished. "Yes, I remember the lesson. I do look intently, what I do not do is show that edginess and neither should you. Watch me and the other herd males and you will learn."
"No one has ever told me this before," he said.
"I suspected that which is another reason I am here," Gorro answered smiling for the first time.
Very well," he said with reservations. "I will try to not do this; I will watch you and the others. I will especially watch my sparing."
"That is all we can ask," Gorro told him and walked off leaving him alone.
He found a concealed thicket that was not recently used near the second meadow. He went over and lay down and thought long and hard about what Gorro told him.
The night he got up and walked across the meadow and into the forest on the other side. It was thick like Fenton's forest and covered in deer trails, some were very old and well used. He avoided those. If deer used them a lot, hunters of all kinds would also use them. He moved about trying not to get in the way of the other deer. He tried to relax, but he still looked carefully around him. He went on a ways before he picked up a lingering, yet pungent scent. It smelled like a skunk. He knew skunks lived in the forest, but he seldom saw them in his forest. He went on and the scent got stronger until he found it. It came from plants near a place in the forest. There was no skunk he could see, but instead, he saw something else on the ground. It was a hoof print in the dirt, but it was no animal, it was a Man. Then a story Stabo told him came to his mind about how Man had used the scent of a skunk to cover their scent and then got close to where Old Bambi used to live with Stranger. Man surprised them and ended up killing Old Bambi's younger and older daughters. He looked out and saw from where the print was, he could easily see the herd. He looked again and saw the hoof prints of Man disappeared into the forest. Was Man trying to use the scent of a skunk again to hide from deer? This he needed to tell someone.
He left the forest and went toward where the senior males were. He was no longer a senior male so he just could not walk up. Instead, he looked around and saw Striko standing near him and he was alone. He walked up and as soon as Striko saw him he bowed.
"I am sorry to bother you," he said in a low voice. "When I was walking around, I found the scent of a skunk on the ground just inside the trees across the meadow. Around the smell I saw a hoof print of a Man. I think Man has been looking at your meadow."
"We know about it. Man was watching our meadow before the hunts just after The Season," Striko told him tersely. "We did not think it was important enough to tell the herd. You will not tell the herd either. It would only upset them."
He paused for a moment to make sure he heard that correctly. Upset them," he repeated. "I do not understand. How can warning the herd about Man upset them? Isn't that what the herd leader the senior males are supposed to do?"
Striko looked down his long nose at him. "That may be what your herd does, but Galin had found warning the herd too often causes the herd males and doe to become upset. They ask too many questions. Keeping the herd calm is better and allows the senior males to control the herd better. We know better when to warn the herd than they do. Please do not mention this to the other deer. Galin will get angry at you if you do."
He just stood there stunned but recovered himself quickly. He nodded his head and walked away. He did not think Stabo and his father would agree with Striko. This was not the way to control a herd. Instead, he went back to his bedding area and thought long and hard about this all day.
The next night he woke up and decided he have as little to do with the other deer as he could. After what Gorro and Striko told him, he was not sure he would fit around here. He did not want to take action like before. All that would do is get this herd as mad at him as his old herd. The best way not to offend anyone is to stay away from everyone. He ate the grass and when satisfied, walking well inside the trees so he was concealed from the herd. He tried to relax, yet he would always look for danger. He tried not to stare at anyone, and walk around with at least a smile on his face. Maybe the others would think he was friendlier, although he never considered himself to be unfriendly. His parents and Stabo never told him about these things before. They certainly did not run their herd like this. He was not sure of himself here and that concerned him. He was beginning to think he had no place here either. He walked for the rest of the night and found a new bedding area near the end of the second meadow.
The next night he moved on again. There was another cloudy night and the rains came. It was a cold rain and it turned cooler in the morning. He found a spot just inside the trees where the lesser light could still shine on him. It kept him warm. His winter coat had not yet fully come in so he felt cool, but he was comfortable.
"YAAROOOO," he heard call out from behind in the meadow.
For a moment he thought it was dogs again, only this did not sound like dogs. He wondered if it was a coyote or a pack of them. He had never heard them before in his forest He wasn't going to take the chance. He stood up and started to move slowly. By now it was full light and the meadow was empty. He moved quickly within the trees but did not run. That would only make more noise.
"YAAROOOO," he heard again and this time it sounded a bit closer. If they picked up on his scent, they chase him. He moved until he came to the end of the lake and saw the small stream that came from the large lake here. That gave him his idea. He remembered how to get dogs and other animals off your scent. He needed to run in the stream. Dogs and other animals cannot follow your scent in water, but it was in the open. He took a large breath in his nose and smelled nothing. He decided to wait until the coyotes got closer.
He waited for a while until he heard several calls from the coyotes. They were near where he had bedded. They must have picked up on his scent.
He ran.
He ran toward the stream and then into it. The water was cold, very cold, but he kept moving through it emptying himself as he went. He moved on but he could not run. He saw fish in the water but did not stop. He continued forward until the numbness in his leg became so bad he could almost not stand. He ran out of the stream and into the forest on the other side. He wanted to get to a place where the wind did not blow his scent behind him. The wind came from the flank so we went deep into the woods until he could see nothing of the stream and waited.
He waited until the greater light shone overhead through the branches of the pine and oak trees. There were no more sounds from any animal.
At least for now he was safe.