Chapter Two.
Mena stayed with his highness and her late friend's son for the rest of the day. She never let Bambi out of her sight. Even though he'd proven himself strong by dealing with the canines who would have painfully and slowly killed her, and survived his fall from the cliff, this had only made her more protective of Bambi. A big part of Mena still wanted to adopt Bambi, he was all that was left of her best friend since childhood. Bambi even had his mother's eyes.
When sunset arrived, The Great Prince said, "I guess you'll be heading home now Mena."
"Actually sir," Mena began carefully, "I…I was wondering if I could stay the night with you and Bambi. It's been a while since I've been with you both. I'm not ready to say goodbye just yet."
"You can stay as long as you want Mena, can't she pops?"
"Yes, Bambi, she can."
The two bucks beamed at the doe, who gratefully returned their expressions.
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The night was dark and quiet, the only sound being the soft rustling of leaves and the distant hooting of owls. Bambi, the Great Prince, and Mena had settled down for the night, their bodies warm and cozy smushed together.
Mena, however, couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had been growing inside her all day. She lay on her side, her eyes fixed on Bambi's peaceful form, her mind racing with thoughts of the dangers that lay ahead for him. She thought about the humans, with their nets and snare traps that were hidden in the brush, loud guns that pierced the air and any animals or plants unfortunate enough to be in their path, vicious dogs who tore prey apart for their masters, and who would stop at nothing to capture or harm him. She thought about the predators, the wolves, bears, and coyotes, who would see him as a vulnerable target. And she thought about the risks he would face as he grew older, dealing with the burden of ruling the forest and facing challengers in the form of rival bucks.
As she lay there, her thoughts consumed by worry and fear, tears began to well up in her eyes. She felt a lump form in her throat as she stared down at Bambi's gentle form, feeling a deep sadness wash over her.
"My poor sweet Bambi," she whispered to herself, her voice trembling with emotion. She nuzzled his forehead gently, her tears falling silently onto his fur. The Great Prince, sensing Mena's distress, stirred beside her. He opened his eyes to find her staring down at Bambi, her face etched with worry and sorrow. He reached out with his nose, nuzzling Mena's gently in an attempt to comfort her. Mena felt a sense of relief wash over her as the Prince's gentle touch soothed her worries. She nuzzled him back, her tears slowing to a stop as she felt a sense of peace settle over her.
The three friends lay there in silence for a long time, surrounded by the darkness of the forest. But despite the dangers that lay ahead, they knew that they would face them together, as a family bound by love and loyalty.