YAY! I managed to update in time. I hope you like this chapter.
Chapter 7 – Mena
One spring day The Great Prince of the forest was walking out of his den with his son. The little Prince was laughing happily beside him, being very lively and energetic. "Come on sleepy head," he said, running way ahead of him.
The Great Prince sighed. "Remind me never to let you eat blossoms before bedtime," he said, shaking his head at his son's happiness.
"Wait," the little Prince suddenly exclaimed, causing the big stag to stop.
"I sense danger," the fawn explained.
"Where?" the Great Prince asked.
"Wasp's nest, antler height!" Bambi exclaimed.
The stag gazed upwards, seeing a wasp's nest in front of is antlers. He smiled and dug his head under it. "Very good," he said, recognizing the thrilling feeling that he so often felt when his son achieved something new.
"Wait," he said, suddenly getting in a very playful mood, "now I see danger".
"Where?" his son asked, looking around, not seeing anything of course.
"A rival deer, right in front of me". His son was still looking around clueless. "No," he said, "he's pretty small he shouldn't be any trouble".
"Oh yeah," Bambi said, realization finally having dawned upon him. "I can give you plenty of trouble".
"No," not you?" the Great Prince said playfully, looking at his son, who was slowly approaching him.
"Yes me," Bambi said, throwing himself at his lowered antlers. "Gotcha!"
The two deer shared a wonderful moment fighting each other playfully; the Great Prince had his son lying down on his back, tickling him in a playful manner when someone clearing his throat interrupted them.
"Hello you two," friend Owl greeted, looking very amused by the situation.
"Hello Friend Owl," Bambi greeted.
"Well I've been looking everywhere for you," he said, now speaking to the Great Prince. "I thought you'd be out on the meadow by now".
"Yes," he said, feeling slightly awkward, "but I was a little," Bambi's head collided with his leg and he uttered a sound in discomfort, "distracted".
"Yes I can see that," Friend Owl said and chuckled in amusement, which the Great Prince found slightly annoying. He felt really awkward now, probably because the old owl had seen him act so foolish with his son. He had to be a little more on guard.
"Actually I've been wanting to speak with you," he finally told Friend Owl.
"Yes well I always end up finding what I'm looking for," Friend Owl said, still amused, "and now that we're at this subject I have someone I'd like you to meet".
That got the Great Prince's and even Bambi's full attention.
"Mena," the old owl said and made a gesture with his wing towards a doe that had emerged from between the trees.
The Great Prince immediately knew what this was about. The last couple of weeks he had watched Bambi's skills develop and he was starting to show himself worthy of his Prince title. He had enjoyed the time so much with Bambi that he had actually forgotten about his original plans concerning his son. Friend Owl's search for a doe had taken so long that he had completely forgotten about it, having not heard any news from the Owl for quite some time. Now remembering it made him feel horrible. It just occurred to him that he had never mentioned any of this to Bambi. He should have. Bambi had no idea that he had planned to send him away to be raised by another doe, he was probably under the impression that he would stay with him until he was grown enough to be on his own.
"Great Prince," Mena greeted and lowered her head in respect.
"Bambi, go back to the den," he told his son gently but also firmly.
"Bambi," Mena exclaimed, moving a few steps closer to the fawn. "I've heard so much about you. Did you know your mother and I grew up together?"
"Really?" the little Prince asked in excitement.
"Yes," the doe answered.
The Great Prince of the forest had a bad feeling about where this was heading. When Bambi's mother was brought up it made it ten times worse for him. It was like he was the only one affected this badly by her loss, his son only seemed to remember his mother as blissful childhood memories and was eager to learn more about her He was completely calm when speaking or hearing about her, it was like her death had not affected him at all, like he himself was the only one left who still suffered. His son had moved on.
"Bambi," go back to the den," he tried again, trying to be a little more firm but finding that a little difficult at the moment.
"But I want to hear about mother," Bambi said, his voice still filled with excitement".
"Don't worry," Mena said, "there'll be lots of time for that once you get settled in your new home".
That was it. Now it was too late. The thing that he had feared would happen happened. This was not the way Bambi should have found out.
Bambi turned his head away from Mena to gaze at him, with shock and disbelief displayed on his face.
"You're… you're sending me away?" he asked, his voice thick.
"No… Bambi let me explain" The Great Prince tried.
"But I did everything you said, and I even listened with my hooves and…" Bambi babbled.
"Bambi," he said sternly. "A Prince does not…"
"That's all you care about," Bambi shouted, "not about me".
That accusation made his heart ache but he knew himself, deep within, that it was partly true, that had been all he cared about until just recently. But he was not going to let Bambi's words get to him; his son was going to hear him out.
"Don't you dare talk to me that way," he said harshly, maybe a little too harshly. But the words had already escaped his mouth and he could not take them back.
"I wish mother was here instead of you," Bambi spat back before running away from the scene.
That last sentence was the final straw. The Great Prince was deeply hurt but he forced himself to ignore the piercing ache in his chest. This had all been a mistake he realized. Taking Bambi in. He was a buck for crying out loud, and not just any buck, he was the head of them all, the Great Prince of the forest, he wasn't meant or cut out to raise a child.
"Oh my," Friend Owl said. "I'm really sorry about this".
"No," the stag said, standing completely still while staring stiffly into the direction Bambi had disappeared in. "This is my fault. A Prince should not be raising a child".
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