Ronno slid his tongue across his teeth, sucking on them as he stretched in preparation for the race.
"Must you do that?" Bambi questioned, smiling at the other buck.
"Do what?" Ronno asked dumbly, his odd accent causing his words to drawl.
"Make that sound with your mouth? Where it sounds like you're sucking your teeth? It's kinda gross man." Bambi pointed out, bluntly.
Ronno stared blankly, his front legs stretched out before him as his back arched upwards like a cat. "Buh?" A moment passed, then the older buck went beat red. "I- Uh!" Before he could stutter out a response, a voice caught the crowd's attention. The two stags jumped into position as the Great prince announced the stampede's beginning. "Heheh, I'm gonna kick your flank princess." Ronno whispered.
"Somehow I doubt that, drama queen." Bambi retorted with a roll of his eyes, a grin plastered on his muzzle.
"Wha?" Before Ronno could finish Bambi had suddenly jumped passed him, and just like that the race had begun. Ronno gaped for a second, grit his teeth, and roared competitively as he charged ahead.
Stags and bucks of all shapes and sizes sped across the meadow, the stampede ran in a steady circle around the large open plains as their lead majestically pranced in front of them. Bambi gave it his all, his muscles working as he pushed himself passed familiar and unfamiliar faces alike. Ronno was hot on his tail, grunting and gritting his teeth as he shoved himself forward. The bright sun shone down on the glistening backs of the racing herd, the summer heat proving a challenge for the various bucks and stags as they panted and ran onward.
Soon enough Ronno was side by side with Bambi again, the darker bucks hot breath trailed behind him as he fixed his emerald eyes on his rival. "You gettin' tired yet Bambi?" Ronno spit the last word out with emphasize, grinning wide, his teeth glinting.
"Nope, I've got agility for days!" Bambi shouted back, and to prove his point he swiveled to the side and jumped impressively over a large rock the herd ran past. He pushed himself back into place and and trailed his eyes up Ronno's lithe form.
"Haha okay!" Ronno leaned his head down and charged at the broken branch of a tree, with a grunt he head-butted the large obstacle out of the way and proceeded to jump over it once it smashed into the ground in front of him. "You might be fast but I'll always be stronger!" Ronno stuck his tongue out at Bambi, but when he looked back he gasped. The young prince had darted passed him and was now in the lead, a few paces between Ronno and Bambi's father.
"And while you played with your wood I took the lead, eat my dust termite!" Bambi blew a rasberry back at Ronno, who screamed in return.
The race continued on like that for another fifteen minutes, the two bucks swerving around each other and dodging or clearing various obstacles in attempt to out impress one another. Soon enough the herd was slowing down and the two adults were panting as they came to a steady trot. Bambi had been the winner, he'd even managed to speed past his father and take the front of the race.
"H-How did you get so FAST?" Ronno panted as he marched up to his companion, Bambi himself was resting in a soft patch of grass as he drank cool water from a pond.
The younger buck looked up at the older, smiling. "I'm the new prince of the forest, I have royal blood running through my veins..." Bambi blushed, then continued. "Also my fathers been teaching me, haha."
Ronno let out a deep and heavy breath, sweat dripped off of his forehead as he closed his eyes. Then, without any grace, he plopped face first into the pond.
"Gah!" Bambi jumped back as he was splashed by the resounding wave of ice cold water. A few bubbles broke the surface, before Ronno finally sat up in the crystal waters and gasped.
"Ronno! Are you okay?" The young prince asked in concern.
"Guhh! Yeah, I'm fine I promise. Just uh, tired." Ronno pulled himself out of the cool pond, relief painting his face. He shook off violently like a dog, which caused Bambi to back up a bit more, then the darker colored buck stepped out of the cool waters and sat down next to Bambi. "But yeah seriously, dude, you are MUCH faster then I remember!"
Bambi smiled and puffed out his chest with pride, then the Great Prince's voice caught both of their attentions.
"Bambi." The white tailed deers father stepped up to the pair, nodding, then he glanced at Ronno. "Ronno."
The aforementioned deer nodded back, nervously. The Great Prince was silent for a moment, than looked back at his son. "Bambi, come with me, I need to talk to you about something."
Bambi frowned, standing up and meeting his father's gaze. "But it's only noon, don't you have more stuff to do? And I haven't told Faline goodbye..." Bambi trailed off under his father's stern gaze.
"This is important, son, follow me." He turned and began walking away.
"I'll tell Faline you had to go." Ronno assured, smiling confidently at his friend. Bambi pursed his lips, but ultimately smiled back.
"Sure, alright." He turned and followed his father, the two soon disappearing behind the tree line. Ronno couldn't help but watch Bambi's tail swish as he left, then after a moment he blinked, blushed, and then shook his head violently. Pull yourself together Romeo! He's got a girlfriend... Then Ronno collapsed.