By the time the royal family reached the glade, many other deer have assembled there. Young males were practicing fighting and young females watched them. The adults were lying in shadows of the trees or feeding on the fresh grass, keeping an eye on the fawns, who were running around in joy. The sighs of other children having good time playing made Lato rush at them to join the game, leaving his sister and parents behind.
–Lato, wait! –cried Lila, as she ran after her brother. But he wouldn't listen. He noticed a small group of fawns his age. Two of them were charging at one another, and the others watched and cheered for them. Fighting! That's what males find exciting!
Just as Lato reached the group, one of the fighters, a grayish fawn with green eyes, made his opponent fall on his back and stood upon him with a smirk. He won.
–Wow! That was fast! So cool! –Lato cheered.
–How can you enjoy such brutal games? –Lila asked. She hated violence.
–Does anybody else want to challenge me? –the winner fawn turned to his audience, looking very self confident and proud. Lato stepped forwards.
–I do! I do! –he yelled happily. He was more than eager to make use of his endless amounts of energy. The green eyed smirked at him.
–You? Are you sure?
–Yes! Absolutely yes! –the young prince started jumping, being unable to stay still. Meanwhile, Lila was worried. That green eyed fawn was clearly older than them. He had his spots missing and already small horn on top of his head. Poor Lato was going to loose.
–Okay then! Fight! –the two fighters charged at each other. As Lila expected, One hit was enough to make Lato loose balance and fell on his back. That didn't scare him of though. He quickly stood up and charged again. He was more lucky this time, for he made his opponent take a few steps backwards.
–Seems Lato has a new friend. –Bambi noticed. He and Faline were lying in shades nearby, watching their son's fight from safe distance. The Great Princess nodded.
–Bambi, doesn't he remind you of someone?
–Wha..? Hmh… Let me think… yes, he kinda looks like that fawn who picked on us when we were children. Wait, what was his name… oh, I remember: Ronno. Coincidence?
–I don't know… I haven't seen him since he lost to you when fighting for me.
–Hmh… I am not really despaired to see him again. I only hope he got smarter and doesn't act as if he was the hub of the world anymore.
–You nailed it perfectly, my dear. –meanwhile Lato was doing his best not to loose again. He tried to surprise his opponent by jumping aside and then charging from the right, but the grayish fawn remained alert. He jumped back before Lato could reach him and hit the prince's left side with his head. Lato fell on the ground again.
–Lato! All you alright? –Lila cried. She was afraid of her brother getting hurt. If he was hurt, she suffered with him. But Lato was more than fine. He really enjoyed the game.
–One more time! Please one more time! –he plead the winner. The green eyed laughed at him.
–Determined, aren't you?
–Yes! You are so strong, it's so cool! –Bambi's son cheered. He was starting to admire the stranger, and the stranger was very pleased about it.
–Well, I am, I train a lot you know. –he tried to sound humble, but puffed his chest. The other fawns cheered for him.
–Yeah! Roga is the strongest of us all!
–I fight him everyday, but I never once defeated him!
–When I grow up, I want to marry him!
–I don't want to get married! –Roga protested.
–Tag! You're it! –Lato couldn't stand staying still any longer. He pushed Roga and jumped back quickly.
–Tag? –Roga seemed surprised.
–Yes! Chase after me and catch me! Then I'll chase after you! –Lato explained.
–Okay! –Roga charged at Lato. The young prince run away happily, glad he found a good friend to play with. He ran eights around the trees nearby, with Roga right after him. Chasing after somebody sure was fun.
Lato lead a very complicated path. Around the trees, through the clovers, he even jumped over the adult deer, lying in the shadow. His parents were no exception. Finally, Roga noticed an opening. He chose a shorter path around some tree and jumped right in Lato's face.
–Tag! You're it! –he yelled with satisfaction and started running away. Lato followed. Roga didn't have as much invention as his opponent while choosing a path. He run straight or made single turns from time to time, wanting to reach a faster tempo. But as he got into the game, he decided to make it more interesting and run right at the group of female fawns. They jumped right and left making place for Roga to go, but Lila didn't make it in time. She closed her eyes and curled in fear of being hit, but Roga simply jumped over her. She still was scared.
–How bout being more careful! –she called after the grayish fawn.
–Tag! You're it! –Lato hit his sister, deciding she was an easier target to reach than Roga and ran after his new friend. Lila felt touched.
–I'm gonna get you! –she ran after the boys. Since she was still fresh and rested, she reached them quite quickly. The three ran together on top of a hill nearby. With a powerful jump, Lila charged at the two young males. All of the fawns lost their balance and fell down on the other side of the hill, laughing. They had so much fun!
–Oh, it's so great! Let's do it again! –Lato submitted.
–Yes! This time we'll two be the tag, and Roga will have to run away from both of us! –Lila was no longer angry. Playing together unites people and deer.
–And we'll get the others into the game! Whatcha think, Roga? –Lato asked his new friend. Surprisingly, Roga seemed unsteady. He moved his nose, and if he was smelling something unpleasant and took a careful look at the bushes nearby. The wind blew silently.
–Do you feel that? –Roga asked quietly.
–What? –the both siblings got curious.
–In the bushes over there. Danger.
–Danger? What danger? –Lila was starting to fear.
–When I say three, we will all run back to the rest of the group, as fast as we can, without looking back. –The green eyed fawn announce din a very serious tone. Lila took his words to heart. Lato still hoped this may be some kind of a new game.
–Okay.
–Okay. One, two… three! –with that, the three fawns ran as fast as they could up the hill. They've heard a sound of something jumping form the bushes behind them, and that something was big. Lato made the mistake to look back. And he was the most horrible monster he could imagine: a gray-and-black creature with four paws and a fluffy tail, presenting a view of sharp teeth with pieces of meat stuck in between them. The young fawn almost got a heart attack.
–AAAAHHH! HELP! –he cried, putting even more might into running. Running for his life. The creature behind barked. The sounds alarmed the rest of the deer. As the three fawns appeared on the view, and the beast behind them, all of the deer panicked, running into the forest. Bambi rapidly rised up and ran to the rescue, his heart pounding. The predator was closer and closer. Just a meter away form his children. He won't let him. He charged at him with his horns. The beast jumped back, growling. Faline reached her children and covered them. Bambi made loud sounds, trying to scare the predator away. The dog-like animal tried to bit the deer's leg, but Bambi moved it up and kicked the beast in the muzzle. He stood on his hind legs, wanting o look bigger and stronger. The encounter attacked again, but the Great Prince was faster and send him a few meters away with his horns. The beast gave up. Snarling in pain, it ran away, back from where it came. Bambi had won. He defended his family. The alarm was over. Everything was okay again.
–Are you alright? –Bambi asked with concern. His children rushed to him.
–It was so horrible! –Lato cried.
–I thought we'll die! –Lila added.
–Shhh… It's alright. You are safe. –The Great Prince felt relieved. He couldn't bare the thought, that something might've happened to his most precious fawns. It was so close… No. don't think about it. He will protect them. No matter what, he'll always make it to come on time. That's what he had to believe in.
–If it wasn't for Roga noticed that beast, we would all be dead! –Lila still couldn't get over with the shock. Now her parents looked at the grayish fawn. He was breathing heavily, but apart form that it seemed nothing happened to him.
–So, your name is Roga, right? –Faline asked. The fawn nodded.
–Yes. Roga.
–Where are your parents, Roga? –this was a good question. The royal family were the only deer left on the glade. None of the adults rushed to help Roga, none called his name. It meant he was there on his own, without any care. And the ashamed look on his face revealed, that he came here without permission.
–I… They… they stayed home. –the fawn tried not too look guilty, but he couldn't hide the truth form the Great Princes.
–And they don't know you are here. –she stated.
–Yes. –Roga admitted, lowering his ears.
–This cannot be. A fawn your age must not go anywhere on his own. It's too dangerous. Your parents must be worried about you. –Bambi scolded the green eyed fawn.
–I know. But I didn't mean to do anything wrong. I thought if it's so many deer here on the glade, I will be safe. –Roga tried to make excuses for his acts.
–Oh, forgive him. He is our friend! –Lato defended Roga.
–And he noticed the beast and told us to run! –added Lila. True. If it wasn't for Roga, the royal fawns would get killed. The Great Prince and Princess owed him a lot. And running away? Well, he was still just a child.
–Okay. We are going to show Roga how grateful we are and walk him home. What do you think? –Faline submitted. Her children liked the idea.
–Yeah! Walk Roga home! Walk Roga home! –Lato leapt with joy. He was going to see, where his new friend lives. So cool!
–And we will tell his parents, how brave he was, so they don't get angry at him! –Lila added. The decision was made.
–Okay, everybody. Let's go. Roga, lead the way. –Bambi ordered.
–Yes, sir. Thank you. –and so, Roga lead the way. He was not afraid of going home and getting scolded, having a strong backup on his side. And, his backup was also a great company.
NOTE: I know it may sound simple, but the beauty of the movie lied in it's simplicity, so I just continue the style. Wouldn't you agree?