Well hello! Here's a new chapter of The Forest's Princess-fanfiction, inspired by The Liong King-movie, and the Lion Guard-series, which I do not own the rights. See you in the next chapter.
"Morning, Friend owl", Clarice said, as she walked out of her father's cave towards the tree, that Friend owl was sitting on, then looked at her sleeping father.
The sun was rising.
"Good morning, Clarice", Friend owl said.
"Could you tell me about my father's wolf friend? How did my grandfather feel about it?" Clarice asked. "Was my father's wolf friend a vegetarian?"
"Well, wolfs foods is primarily composed of meat, but it can also include vegetation. So the wolf has revealed that not all wolves only eat meats", Friend owl said.
"I see. By the way, what was my father's wolf friend like?" Clarice asked.
"Why did you ask that?" Friend owl asked.
"I asked this before, but wasn't father ever afraid that, that wolf might have tried to eat my father?" Clarice asked.
"Well, the other owls were afraid of that wolf in the beginning, and that was the main reason why some of the owls avoided your father", Friend owl said.
"How did my grandfather feel about it?" Clarice asked.
"Well, he was a little worried about your father. By the way, a deer wants to see you, and your father to the Tree of Life", Friend owl said.
"Really? Were there other reasons, why grandpa was worried about my dad?" Clarice asked.
"Yes. Your grandfather was worried, that he would get killed by a hunter, surprise traps set by the hurter, animals that could hurt him", Friend owl said.
"I see. What was my grandmother like, when she was my age?" Clarice asked.
"She was curious about everything, and happy", Friend owl said.
"I see. Thank you", Clarice said.
"Please", Friend owl said, flying away.
Suddenly, Clarice looked at her father, to see her father waking up:
"Morning, father. Friend owl came here recently, and said, that a deer wants to meet us at the Tree of Life".
"Before we go, we should eat", Gallant said.
Clarice started eating grass, and when she, and Gallant had eaten enough, they started walking towards the Tree of Life.
"Father, have you ever led any wounded animal to the Tree of Life?" Clarice asked walking up behind her father.
"Yes, and there were animals that were very far from the tree", Gallant said.
Clarice followed her father.
Finally they arrived, at a small meadow with a large tree in the middle.
Gallant walked towards the meadow, and then looked at the meadow, and when birds landed on the meadow, he looked at his daughter, who was standing near the trees near the meadow:
"It's safe".
Clarice walked into the meadow, and then looked at her reflection in the surface of a nearby pond.
"You've grown", A familiar voice said from her right, and then Clarice saw the image of a smiling Tinker Bell appear on the surface of the water, and then looked to her right to see her mother whose belly had grown a little.
Clarice startled, and then started running towards her father with Tinker Bell running behind her:
"Daddy!"
"What now?" Gallant asked, as Clarice hid behind her father's front legs.
"Let's go back home! The Tree of Life is haunted!" Clarice screamed.
"Whose ghost did you see?" Gallant asked looking at his daughter.
"Mom!" Clarice shouted while looking at Tinker Bell, who stopped in front of her father.
"If Ronno and his father bully us again, they've gone too far!" Clarice screamed.
"Clarice, your mother is alive", Friend the owl said after flying over, then sat on a branch of the Tree of Life as Gallant looked ahead, then saw Tinker Bell.
Gallant nervously swallowed in disbelief as Clarice calmed down, then walked in front of her father while looking at her mother in disbelief.
Clarice looked at her father to see Gallant shaking a little:
"Dad, are you cold?"
Clarice looked at her father, who looked like he couldn't believe, what he was seeing, and that he was going to pass out at any moment. But then Gallant looked sad, and cried a little.
Clarice felt bad to see her father sad, so Clarice rubbed her head against her father's front body, comforting her father.
Gallant felt, as if he had had a bad dream, and as a result he passed out, and fell to the grass.
"Dad! Dad! Dad!" Clarice cried out in worry.
At last Gallant awoke, and stood up:
"You're right, about not eating too much before going to bed so you don't have a bad dream, Clarice".
"You are not dreaming, sir. Your wife is alive", Friend owl said looking at Tinker Bell.
"What do mean? I saw her get shot she wasn't moving", Gallant said.
"I supposed I should explain this at length", Tinker Bell said:
(Flashback)
"Faster, Clarice! Don't look back! Run, Clarice! Run!" Tinker Bell, like Clarice, ran towards the edge of the forest to escape from the hunter.
Bam! Tinker Bell fell flat on her stomach in a snow project in the meadow after being hit by a bullet from a hunter's gun, and after passing her hind leg, fell into the snow while Clarice ran to safety in the forest, running right past her father, causing Gallant, who was frozen in place in fear, and then took off running into the forest.
"Get up! Get up! You must get up, and find Gallant, and Clarice!" Tinker Bell commanded himself, and managed to stand up, even as blood dripped into the snow from a wound on his hind leg.
Tinker Bell heard footsteps behind her, and realized it was a hunter, so Tinker Bell immediately started running into the forest. He ran, as fast as he could, not caring whether he had to run through the thorn bushes or not, for he had to get back to the forest at once.
Finally the sun had set and it started to snow, as Tinker Bell realized she was safe.
After starting to walk, the exhausted Tinker Bell wandered in the forest for a while until Tinker Bell saw Mena, and Ena talking in the forest.
"Mena, Ena!" Wandering in the snowy forest, a seriously wounded Tinker Bell said falling to her knees in the snow, as she saw the females in question talking in front of her. His left kneecap was bleeding a little into the snow, and he was exhausted, for he had been running all evening in the forest.
"You're bleeding! What happened?!" Mena asked worriedly, as she ran to her friend, who was wounded like Ena.
"I'll tell you later. Will you take me to Three of life?" Tinker Bell asked.
"Alright. It's on the other side of the forest, so we need to get there as soon as possible, and we'll probably be there first thing in the morning", Ena, and Mena helped Tinker Bell to her feet, then started walking forward, all the while walking on either side of their wounded friend to support her as he walked forward.
"It's been a long time, since we visited the Tree of Life before", Ena said.
"Yes", Tinker Bell said.
"What are you going to do, when you're properly healed?" Mena asked the wounded deer.
"I should sort things out with two deer, that are very close to me. Now that will have to wait, as my leg wound needs to heal first, and I'm not sure where the deer I just mentioned are now", Tinker Bell said crying, as she worried about the safety of said deer.
Suddenly, Tinker Bell, Mena, and Ena saw a Friend owl flying in the sky that seemed to be exploring the forest.
"Friend owl!" Mena, and Ena screamed, and as a result, that owl saw wandering deer.
"What's wrong?" Friend owl asked.
"Our friend is wounded, so we're taking him to the Tree of Life to heal", Mena said.
"Could you not tell my husband, and my daughter about this?" Tinker Bell asked.
"Why don't you want him to know?" Friend owl asked.
"Well my leg needs to heal first, and my daughter clearly wants to spend time with her father", Tinker Bell said.
"I'll come with you", Friend owl said.
"Thank you", The deer, and the owl continued on their way.
"I hope my daughter, and my husband are alright", Tinker Bell said, worried about her daughter, and her husband.
"Your daughter is now with your husband in your husband's cave", Friend owl said with a smile, relieved that the newly found deer, was perfectly fine except for one wound.
"Thank you", Tinker Bell said.
"Please. Today was hard for them, and I believe your husband cried", Friend owl said.
"Did Gallant really cry?" Tinker Bell asked in disbelief.
"Yes, she cried. I saw clear traces of crying on her face, when I just went to her cave after Gallant took Clarice there", Friend owl said. "The following situation ensued:
(Flashback)
"I came as fast, as I could, sir", Friend owl said to Clarice's father, as the Friend owl flew to the spot, then perched on the branch of a fallen tree near Gallant's cave.
"Friend owl", Gallant said, when he saw his friend.
"I'm sorry for, what happened to your mate Tinker Bell today. It must have reminded you of your mother Amara. Your daughter is now in the same situation, you were in after going through, what your daughter went through today", Friend owl said.
Gallant looked at Clarice sadly, while thinking of his mother Amara, and Tinker Bell.
"If I could help you somehow?" Friend owl asked, and turned around to go home. "I told Clarice earlier about your father Julius, and about what happened to your mother Amara, your daughter will ask me about it".
"Wait", Gallant said, causing the Friend owl to turn around again to look at Gallant.
Gallant walked forward a little, then stopped in front of the trunk of a tree under Friend owl's feet.
"Right now, Clarice needs a female-deer to take care of her, and train her to adulthood, so could you find a suitable deer for her?" Gallant asked.
"Well, food is scarce in the winter, and during that time the females can hardly take care of themselves, let alone their calves, so it's not very likely. How about you be Clarice's mentor for a while? Clarice is the future queen of our forest, so who could be a better example for her, than her own father to make her an excellent queen, for she wants to be like you? Who could raise the young princess better than The Great Prince of the Forest himself? Remember, how your father Julius did with you yourself, in the same situation, as your daughter is now. Try to imitate your father Julius, when training your daughter. I know how much Clarice admires you. Clarice is much more grown up than you can even imagine", Friend owl said, thinking about that.
"Me as a mentor? I'll never be like my father. And it's the females'z job to take care of the fawns", Gallant said. "What happened to my wife today is my fault. What kind of prince can't even protect his own wife, but freezes in place in fear before he even arrives at the meadow after seeing something like, that prince's own mother experienced long ago? Clarice needs a mother. A prince should NOT raise a child!"
"It wasn't your fault, that the hunter was in the meadow today. Why on earth do you even say such a thing?" Friend owl asked.
"Well, when I ran towards the meadow, and I saw what happened to Tinker Bell, I froze in fear at the edge of the forest before I ran into the forest myself to look for Clarice", Gallant said.
"I told Clarice, that you were told it was a female's job to take care of the fawns. I didn't say you should be like your father. Have you forgotten, how your father told you to listen to others? You wanted to be like him a long time ago like your father. Your daughter might feel like an outsider, if a doe adopted your daughter. My father once told me that one of our forest queens, Anne, accused her father of abandoning Anne, when Felix tried to find an adoptive mother for her. Anne was your grandmother, sir. However, Anne managed to make up with her father. Give me until spring to sort things out", Friend owl said.
"Until spring", Gallant said.
"Thank you", Friend the owl flew away, and Gallant then went to his cave to sleep after checking on his daughter.
(End of the flashback)
Gallant clearly blames himself for, what he believed happened to you today, Tinker Bell".
"Too bad Gallant has to take things so seriously", Tinker Bell said. "Amara's case was difficult for my husband. Maybe it's only good for my husband, if he can spend time with our daughter. Clarice really admires Gallant, and maybe Gallant could become more open, when he spends time with our daughter".
"Hope so", Friend owl said. "You know, what your husband is like, Tinker Bell".
Tinker Bell nodded.
(End of the flashback)
Mena, and Ena brought me here to heal. I am aware of what happened between you two, because Friend owl told me about it. Gallant, what made you blame yourself for, what happened to me, and Clarice, what made you leave your father's cave on your own?" Tinker Bell asked.
"I tried to be independent, and take care of myself. I didn't want to end up in the situation, that Princess Anne got into long ago, when her father, Felix's friend, got Anne an adoptive mother. I might have said something to my father, that I would have regretted later. And I would have just felt like an outsider, if some female-deer had adopted me. What if she had already had a fawns, who didn't like me? And I didn't want dad to be the subject of nasty gossip. If I had found an adoptive mother, I would have been even worse glad, I heard the conversation between dad, and Friend owl, because that topic didn't come to me out of the blue, although after finding my grandfather's secret cave, I felt betrayed and lied to. My main thought was, that I needed to be able to walk on my own two feet", Clarice said. "I've been planning, it since I first heard the gunshot. I was trying to protect you, mom. That's why I tried to get you to avoid going to the meadow, the day you got hurt while we were in the meadow. I'm sorry".
"I see. Gallant, why did you blame yourself for, what happened to me in the meadow last winter?" Tinker Bell asked while looking at Gallant.
"Yes, father. What did you blame yourself for?" Clarice asked
"I just stood there frozen in fear just like, when my mother was shot by a hunter. I feel ashamed for not doing anything for you", Gallant said.
"I don't blame you. I'm embarrassed by, how I couldn't defend myself, when Champ tried to force me along. That's a bit embarrassing for one of the fastest deer in our forest. My leg is better now, and Mena, and Ena brought me food while I was here. I'd like to go home already", Tinker Bell said.
"I don't think I could fit in your cave anymore mom, because I don't have spots anymore", Clarice said looking at her mom's growing belly. "There is little food in the winter, but Mena, and Ena have clearly taken good care of you".
"You've grown up. I have something to tell your father", Tinker Bell said.
"What kind of healing source is the Tree of Life?" Clarice asked Friend owl.
"It's inside the Tree of Life", Friend owl said flying inside that tree with Clarice following, and they arrived inside the tree, where there was a small pond of brightly sparkling water.
Suddenly, Clarice turned around, and then walked out of the Tree of Life, and stopped near the root of the tree, looking at her parents, as the Friend owl flew, and landed to sit on that root.
"Gallant, is your frozen situation a result of, how the hunter tried to lure you into walking into a trap using a deer whistle, and when the hounds ran towards you while your father saved you?" Tinker Bell asked looking at Gallant.
"Yes. Tinker Bell, you're back from the dead. You don't know what this means to our daughter. Means to me. I've missed you", Gallant said walking in front of Tinker Bell, then nuzzling his neck lightly against Tinker Bell's neck.
"I've missed you, and Clarice so much", Tinker Bell said with a smile.
"Ah! Twitter painteds!" Friend owl said sourly.
"Isn't it just good, how happy my father seems now?" Clarice asked, then walked towards her parents.
"Yes", Friend owl said, flying away.
"Mom, dad showed me the place, where you met dad", Clarice said.
"I suppose it's good, that you're all reunited now", Friend owl said.
"Yes. I have a lot of questions from my parents now", Clarice said.
"Oh right?" Gallant asked.
"Dad, has the turtle really bit Champ on the nose before?" Clarice asked remembering her father saying that.
"Yes it is", Gallant said.
"Well Flower was really right, when she said turtles can be scary", Clarice said.
"That happens, when they were disturbed or spooked", Gallant said.
"Well, we saw it happen after I kicked Ronno into the ditch after his father lost to you in a horn- fight. The turtles bit them on the nose, and they immediately ran away yelling for Acacia to get those turtles off their noses", Clarice said.
"Did you get into a fight with Ronno, and his father?" Tinker Bell asked while looking at Gallant, and her daughter.
"Yes. Ronno tried to force me to join him, but dad gave Ronno a bad scare once", Clarice said.
"Oh right?" Tinker Bell asked.
"Yes. The way Ronno spoke to me, then was kind of gross", Clarice said.
Gallant looked away at the flying Friend owl:
"You are still too young to understand that matter. There is something I should tell you:
(Flashback)
"Tinker Bell?!" Standing at the edge of the forest, Gallant looked at the meadow in shock after seeing his wife fall into the snow, and Clarice running past Gallant.
"I didn't want Clarice to go through, what happened to me with my mother! I'm sorry, I couldn't protect you, Tinker Bell!" Gallant thought, glancing at the meadow once more, then took off running into the forest to find out, how Clarice was. "What kind of prince can't even protect his own wife, but freezes in fear, when he sees his wife going through the same thing, that said prince's mother went through sometime long ago?!"
Gallant ran in the forest, but inside he was still so shocked by, what he had just seen, that he fell on his stomach in the snow, and then began to cry with mixed feelings of guilt, and sadness.
After crying enough, Gallant saw that, it was beginning to snow, and that the sun had already set.
"Mom!" Gallant heard Clarice yell from the direction of Tinker Bell's cave.
Hearing Clarice's scream seemed to remind Gallant of, how he should now talk to his daughter about Tinker Bell.
Hearing Clarice's scream gave Gallant the strength to stand up, and go find Clarice.
"Mom, where are you?!" Clarice screamed.
"Clarice saw, how her mother wasn't following her", Gallant mused after realizing the situation.
"Mom! Mom! Mom! Yh!" Clarice ran, and stopped crying. Then he saw his father, and was startled.
Gallant swallowed, while trying to find the right words to speak to his daughter, but the situation vividly reminded Gallant of, how he had long ago searched for Amara in the forest after seeing her missing.
(End of the flashback)
Clarise, I was in that situation..."
"I thought you cried when we got to your cave, because I saw the marks of crying near your eyes", Clarice said.
Gallant looked at his daughter in surprise.
"I won't tell them about the Blue Fairy because they wouldn't believe me, but I'm happy!" Clarice felt she belonged in this forest.