The moldy, waste-dripping ceiling that stretched far into the dark labyrinth made Bambi realize just how much he missed the sun. He wiggled himself under the crevice, stepping down into a wet corridor that stretched as far as Bambi could see. The water underneath them moved like a stream, traveling off to its exit point, however far it happened to be. He was grateful, at the least, for the numerous tiny suns that seemed attached to the wall, shining down their sunlight to banish the darkness.

"Woah," his vision captivated by the light, as he shook the mulch out of his tail, "I thought there was only one sun." The bright object brought such wonder to him that he briefly forgot he was slathered in wastewater.

Shaking the wet sludge off himself, Drexel gave the deer an odd look. "You mean the... lightbulbs?"

"Bulb," Bambi said slowly, staying on the light like a moth.

"Are you okay?"

"Uh, I think," the deer quickly snapped out of it, shaking his head. "This is all very new to me." It took great effort to block out the festering hot stench in his nose, and he prayed in time he would grow used to it. The fascination with the lightbulb was a feeble attempt to find something else to focus on, in addition to whatever cold muck his hooves were dipping in. "So uh," he stopped with a cough forced up his throat, "what did you say this place was?"

"A sewer," Drexel noted, leaning over the deer's shoulder to look at the water, "it's a system of tunnels that take people's waste for them."

"People?"

"Another word for Man, remember?" The dove chirped as they walked, "they really have it made in the cities. If they want something, they get it. And if they can't get it, they make something that does."

Bambi started the long journey, walking as he followed the grey river. A part of him was slightly interested in learning more, for the sake of understanding his surroundings. He had millions of questions, yet debatable how many of them could be efficiently answered. "How long are these tunnels? I'm worried about Ronno."

"Honestly," Drexel winced, "they go on really far, but if we follow the stream we should find the exit."

Keeping his head down, Bambi looked feverishly at the clumps of soiled gunk piling in the water, "I think I could've gone my whole life without knowing any of this was here."

The dove nodded in agreement. "It's a gift to live far away from the city. The farther, the better."

"City?"

"We birds call it the 'breeding grounds,' heh. Cities are like towering shadows, trophies meant to enforce the power of Man." Drexel shuddered, "I'm lucky to be a bird, we mostly go unnoticed in the city, or they just don't care."

"You've been in one?" Bambi went wide-eyed as he listened. "And they don't try to hunt you?"

"I guess not. Maybe they just don't do it there, but they're still the most dangerous creature alive."

The young buck grimaced as he stepped over a cluster of mold and blackened waste, "you seem to know a lot about those things."

"Oh totally, birds have been core witnesses to some of the craziest events in history," Drexel said, a hint of pride in his voice, "most people know they cannot catch us, so they ignore our presence. This allows us to get close to them, not too close, but close enough that we see and hear what they do." He chuckled. "Sometimes they even feed us."

"Feed you?" Bambi narrowed his eyes, "I thought Mans- uh," he corrected himself, "people... were bad."

"Well sure they are, but I've seen plenty of nice ones who are actually quite kind," said the dove, "I've known some birds who are kept as pets by them, and it's surprising, but people aren't all violent."

"Hmph," the deer scoffed, pressing ahead on the path, "they can rot for all I care. They've done enough damage, I've seen it all for myself." A glint of anger rose in the frail deer, his mouth curving into a grimace so faintly Drexel would never have seen it.

"People can be nice, Bambi," the small bird gave a shrug, "it's just... hard to find them." After a moment of Bambi not answering, Drexel crept forward a little and looked over at the deer's face. "Hey, are you alright?" He asked, noticing the almost disgusted look on the buck's face. Harsh thoughts had taken the deer by storm, even as he fell silent he was unable to hide the pained grimace on his face.

Bambi's answer was sharp, "fine."

Despite the clear indicator that the conversation was over, Drexel noticed immediately Bambi's switched tone. "Uh... did I say something?" The dove tilted his head with a worried expression, anxiously awaiting an answer that never came. He gently gripped Bambi's cheek with his beak, climbing his way onto the buck's head. "Seriously, if I said something, I'm sorry." He bent over to look directly into the prince's hazel eyes.

Twitching his ear as the bird's tail tickled it, Bambi looked aside and continued his trek through the wastewater. "You didn't, don't worry about it." He mumbled, "I just... really hate people."

"Valid standpoint," Drexel said with a feathery shrug, "it just looked like I offended you there."

"Where could Ronno have possibly gone?" Bambi suddenly derailed the conversation, leading into an entirely new one. "I just," there was a noticeable tick of nervousness in his voice, "I just think we should've seen him by now."

For a long moment, they walked in an uncomfortable wet silence. The deer was clearly troubled, shuffling along in the water as he moved over piles of muck and grime-covered trash. On his head, the dove silently paced in his head, anxious that he had done something wrong. Even though Bambi had clearly stated earlier that he hadn't said a thing to offend him, Drexel couldn't seem to let it go that he may have hurt his friend. The loving warmth of the sun was only a fading memory, as for hours they trekked in clouds of smog and thick waste. Through strenuous effort their bodies became used to the horrid hot stench that radiated around them, although Bambi couldn't help but gag whenever he strayed too close to a pile of foreign sludge.

"So about Ronno," Drexel trailed his gaze along the wall, growing sick at the sight of wriggling leeches infesting its surface.

"What about him?"

"He seems like a jerk."

"Oh believe me, he is," the deer perked up, "I'm pretty sure he's been jealous of me being prince ever since we first met." He sighed, lowering his ears slightly at the memory. "So he makes it his personal mission to make my life hell. He won't miss a chance to belittle me or say something offensive, we even fought once."

"And we're rescuing him, because...?"

It was a real question, and the dove waited patiently in anticipation of the answer. Bambi opened his mouth to reply but closed it suddenly, rethinking his response. Darting his gaze around, he carefully tried to put together an answer in his head, but no pieces fell into place. "I..." he started to say, hoping that an answer would form if he just began talking. His voice awkwardly faded out, and he hung his head defeated.

The dove raised an eyebrow, "no comment, huh?"

"Look, I don't know why I make so many attempts to befriend him when he's always close to biting my nose off." Bambi looked up at his companion. "Maybe deep down I want more deer friends, preferably someone I can relate to."

"Are there any other deer where you live?"

"Oh, plenty, I'm sure. But it's always Ronno who just happens to be around. I swear, I think he personally sticks around just because I'm there, it's annoying."

"Maybe he secretly wants to be your friend." Drexel chuckled at his joke.

Bambi almost scoffed at the statement. "Oh sure, because nothing says friendship more than verbal abuse and wanting to beat me up twice. Maybe saving him from this... place will open his eyes a little."

They continued walking until they hit a dead end. The river still moved but moved through a grated opening in the lower wall that barred anything from passing. The rest of the wall was obstructed by metal bars, completely closing off the hallway with no chance to proceed.

"Ah damn," Drexel paled.

"Wait, what?" The puzzled deer walked up to the gate, "how is this- how... why isn't-" a multitude of words left his mouth as he paced anxiously, voice rising. "H-how?!" Slowly he hyperventilated, peering through the bars for any sign of the darker deer. "Where- if this a... where is he?!" Confusion hit Bambi like a wave of leech-infested water. They had been following a one-way path the entire time, so presumably, Ronno would be here just as stuck as the rest of them, yet he was nowhere to be seen. "This... doesn't make any sense, where is he?"

Hopping off his carrier's head, Drexel landed on a piece of floating metal. "Alligator could've gotten him," he muttered.

"Wha- don't you say that!"

"Hey, it's possible!" The dove argued, glancing back at the deer. "People flush lizards and stuff into here all the time, you'd be surprised by the crazy things that end up down here." He turned back to the gate, still confusion spreading across his beak. "But it's still... weird."

Thinking for a moment, the bird stretched his neck out, perfectly passing between the bars. He was just small enough that the barricade completely unaffected him. Bambi caught wind of the revelation, widening his eyes and lowering his head for a closer look.

"Okay, you're gonna hate me for this." Drexel turned back to him, "but I'm gonna scout ahead and try to find him."

"Wait, you're gonna leave me?" The deer was already going pale.

"Not leaving you, it's just a..." he paused, fidgeting his wings for an appropriate response, "temporary... split up?"

Bambi's reaction, to the dove's surprise, was complete panic. He sprang up on all fours, rearing back like he just received the worst news anyone had ever heard. "No! No no no no! You can't leave me here, you can't!" He shoved his face right up against the bars, causing the bird to jump back in surprise.

"Bambi, calm down. I'm not-"

"How do I know you won't come back!?" The buck's tone was accusatory, but a faint crack in his voice struggled to hide a great surge of fear climbing up his throat. A wave of anger leaked from the fawn, a deep resentment that seemed explicitly sparked from being left behind.

"I will! I-" Drexel hopped up again, landing on Bambi's nose. "I will, I'm not just going to abandon you down here like a human would! But I'm the only one who can fit through the bars, and if Ronno got through... somehow, then maybe I just need to find him!"

"There's no way he fit through a squeeze like that," the deer narrowed his eyes, flicking his ear at the bars, "I'm surprised he could fit anywhere dragging an ego like his around."

The dove bit back a chuckle. "Well, you don't see him here, do you?" Although Bambi didn't answer, he pressed forward, "I won't leave you, I promise. I'm just going to... scout ahead. Okay?"

Bambi looked at him for a long moment, seemingly scanning the bird's small frame with his eyes. His ears remained flat with hostility, yet his eyes softened with defeated sadness. "Okay." He said simply, muttering his words, "just come back soon. I really hate being down here."

"Of course," the dove bowed, "just try to keep yourself together, I'll be back before you know it."

Drexel jumped off his companion and slipped through the bars with ease, then flapped his wings and took flight into the murky air. He sailed at high speed down the tunnel for what felt like an hour, until he passed under an archway into a completely new area. The floor under him ended completely, the water rushing off into a dark abyss he couldn't see the bottom of. The room expanded out in all directions, revealing a path's edge that ran along the wall, connecting to other tunnels and passageways all surging out water.

"This must be where it all drains to," he thought aloud, "at least there's more space to fly." Looking up, he was met with an incredible revelation. High up in the distance, he spotted the faint glow of sunlight peeking into the darkness.

It was an exit.

There was a manhole directly high above him, a passageway the humans used to access the sewers. As it lead to such a devastating drop, it was likely chained or sealed closed, but the peeking sunlight revealed small holes in the metal cover. Drexel could wedge himself through them with ease, and within seconds he would be free to take to the skies again. To call the passage tempting was an understatement, freedom was calling him, just a few flaps of the wings away. Out of instinct he tried to follow it, only for his mind to fall back on a helpless deer trapped in the depths of the sewers.

Sighing to himself, he knew he would regret staying, but a promise was a promise. Ignoring his instincts, he dipped his head down and nose-dived down the drop, following the waterfalls as they drained down below. As doves were without night vision, Drexel was completely blind to the fast-approaching body of water he was flying towards. With no warning, he crashed headfirst into the lake of trash, complete with a small splash.

"Ack!" He surfaced, dazed from the impact, "ack- ich!" Spluttering out water, he frantically flapped his wings to remain afloat. His ruckus caught the attention of another animal nearby, a creature Drexel assumed was just a dead carcass floating aimlessly in the water. He was taken by even further surprise when the "corpse" suddenly picked its head up and stared straight at him.

"What the- you?" the creature emerged from the grimy water, standing on spindly limbs. "How did you get down here?"

"Wh- who is that?" The dove shook the water off his head, "who's there, I can't see!"

"Ugh, birds," the animal scoffed, "I hate birds, of course I'd see you down here."

"Ronno, is that you?"

"In the flesh," Ronno gave a sharp pose, ignoring the decay soaked into his fur, "just enjoying a nice soak," he trailed off, faltering as he tried to form the rest of his sentence, "in... all this." The boast in his voice almost completely hid the wrenching disgust on his face. "Anyway, what do you want? I'm busy being the prince of human waste."

Drexel was not amused, "hilarious. How did you get down here anyway?"

"Eh, I kinda slipped," Ronno looked up at the waterfalls surging out of the many tunnels high above. "Ran a little too fast, I guess. It's fine," he shrugged, "I wanted to die anyway, this a good place."

"Oh don't talk like that," the dove waved off, agitated, "hey, did you see a gate on your way here? Like, some kind of metal bars?"

"I don't know what that is, bird."

"It looked like a bunch of..." Drexel narrowed his eyes, trying to find a comparison. "Really hard... thin sticks. Did you see those?" He wasn't even sure Ronno was listening, as the deer had already turned around and carelessly laid down in the water.

"Maybe," Ronno said with a shrug, "I thought I was trapped at first, but I found a small passage underwater that took me underneath it. Really tight fit, but that's how I got here." He let his gaze rest on a blackened wall, resignation in his voice. "I'm trapped down here though. The only way out is right there, but it's blocked." He flicked his ears at a small tunnel which the water was draining into, although a massive cluster of dried sludge and fecal matter had clogged the way.

The dove looked up and prepared his wings to fly, "I'll have to get back to Bambi and tell him, do me and favor and don't move."

"Move? I'm trapped down here, just let me die!"

"I'm sure there's a way we can get you out, there's always a way!" Drexel called as he flew upward, swiftly returning to the other deer left behind. Ronno opened his mouth to protest, but the bird was already far out of sight.

The dove's hopeless optimism was so intoxicating Ronno felt he would choke. His muscles ached to raise his hooves and crush the bird into the water to silence his obnoxious high-pitched voice. Being just a weak fawn, Ronno growled to himself and turned around to his makeshift trash nest. Grumbling obscenities in a low tone, he kicked aside a slushy wad of cardboard in annoyance. He suddenly tensed his face and shouted up, his voice bouncing off the metal walls. "Just leave me!" The echo swirled around him until it faded to nothing, and once again Ronno was alone.

"All as planned," he muttered, stalking around the spires of mold, "all as planned, all that was ever planned." He stopped, walking up on a pile of trash infested with roaches, "I have no idea what I'm saying, but who cares?" Malice in his eyes, he leered up where Drexel had disappeared. "Go tell Bambi, tell him how weak and trapped I am, make sure he's included in everything. I can't even lie down and die without the alarms being raised!"

"What am I saying?" He raised an eyebrow, looking to the side in confusion, "don't know, but don't worry. No one ever listens anyway, why should I even make the effort to say something genuine when all I ever get is..." He searched for a colorful word to punctuate the sentence but ultimately came up with nothing. "I know you aren't coming!" Came the shout up the abyss, his body heating up beyond the freezing water. He bared his fangless teeth, flattening his head, "I know you're leaving me! I know it, I always know!" He stomped his hooves as flared anger filled him with energy, causing large splashes of murky water to soak his fur.

"I know you don't care!" The deer shouted as loud as his voice would allow, a welling sting overcoming his face. "Is this your revenge, great prince?!" Ronno said, briefly managing to stand up on his hind legs. "Why didn't you just-" a splitting voice crack cut his voice, breaking his spirit as the anger drained from him. "Why didn't you," he lowered his rear in the water, sitting with a hung head, "why didn't you just throw me to the dogs?"

As much as he desired to go out fighting, he had been sinking in his own defeat ever since he cowardly ran away from the dogs. Bambi jumped into action, outrunning them and leading the dirty animals over a cliff. Ronno ran too, although in the other direction, crying, with his tail tucked away in fear. Any attempt to maintain his own dignity was shattered after that because now Bambi officially had the ultimate bragging rights over him, and in the end, he was just an angry deer in a river of garbage.

If Bambi had made the decision to use him as bait and toss him to the dogs, deep down he knew he wouldn't have fought. He was better off dead than walking in his own shame, he just needed a way to do the deed. Perhaps that was the true reason he fell so easily out of the tunnel and into the rancid abyss, the water at the bottom was just a cruel savior. Now pacing at the bottom of the fall, the sludge that wet his fur was the perfect thing to conceal the tears streaming down his face. Only now he couldn't control it, his breathing tightened as he broke down completely.

It took several minutes for Drexel to finally convince Bambi to squeeze through the claustrophobic crawlspace. The fawn took one look at the underwater tunnel and reared back in disgust. Convincing someone to almost drown in an enclosed space just to get behind a gate was not a fond experience. Terrified of the action, Bambi resisted heavily but the revelation that Ronno lived gave him an unsuspected motivation. As the deer gave a hopeful breath and vanished underwater, Drexel felt brief panic realizing he may have likely sent his friend to die. To his relief, Bambi emerged on the other side with an abrasive gasp of air. Oblivious to completely splashing Drexel, Bambi coughed and retched out a cluster of liquids that had leaked into his mouth. The gentle light brown of his fur was slathered grey, dripping waste as coils of a foul substance wrapped around him.

"I am never doing that again!" Bambi cried, hyperventilating.

His pained breathing echoing off the walls, Drexel shook himself off. "At least you're on the other side now."

Continuing down the path, Drexel made sure to warn Bambi ahead of time of the massive drop hastily incoming. As the sound of rushing waterfalls approached, they slowed their speed and came to a stop at the edge. Peering over into the abyss, Bambi was careful not to lose himself to the water rushing around his thin legs. "Ronno?" He called down.

The sound of the prince's voice instantly snapped the darker deer out of his silent hysterics. He quickly shook himself off and peered up, desperately grabbing his composure together. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," Bambi squinted his eyes, trying to see through the darkness. "What are you doing down there?"

"Plowing your girlfriend, what else would I be doing?!" Came the trapped buck's fiery response.

The prince blinked and uttered his daft response, "I don't have a girlfriend."

"Shocker."

Rolling his eyes, Drexel quickly jumped back down, rejoining Ronno in the sewer chute. He didn't know how to respond to the two deers' bickering, a part of him wanted to retort, and another wanted to laugh. Remembering the water below, he glided in and landed skillfully on a floating piece of wood. "Didn't you say there was a way out of here?" The dove tilted his head, praying Ronno would hold his lashing tongue.

"Right there," The deer refused to look at the dove, hiding his face and instead using his tail to point toward the wall. "Tunnel or something there, but it's blocked. I'm going to die down here, so leave me."

"How blocked?" The dove ignored that last part, flying to the blockade to see its stability. "This doesn't look too bad actually, did you try pushing it in?"

"I did, but I'm not stro-" Ronno immediately snapped his mouth shut, catching himself in what he was about to say. "I... I just know it won't move."

"I think it will, we just need more strength. Bambi, get down here."

The older buck whipped around in surprise. "What, no! Just leave me."

Adjusting his stance, Bambi peered down for a spot to land on. "Coming down!" It wouldn't be too healthy for friendship if he landed on Drexel or Ronno, so he explicitly aimed for a pile of sludge in the water. He was already repulsed knowing he'd have to dip himself back into the wastewater, but for now he needed to put on a brave face. There would be plenty of time to violently throw up later, and repeatedly in his head he told himself it was all just grass and river water.

Ronno looked up with wide eyes, "what're you- aahh!" He jumped aside in a flash as the muck-covered deer came crashing down, the impact of the landing sending moldy trash and water in all directions. Upon landing, the force of Bambi's body broke open the dried upper layer of the sludge pile. Instantly a foul, musky odor reeking of mold and rot filled the area.

"Oh-" Drexel ruffled his wings, recoiling at the stench, "oh go- ugh." He made a considerable effort to block his nose, although Ronno was audibly retching.

Almost staggered in his step, Bambi slowly stood up, a sticky black substance fighting to keep him attached to the surface of the water. It was like a disgusting glue, groaning as it snapped, and pieces remaining stuck in the prince's fur.

"You're an idiot," Ronno hissed.

His comment went ignored, Bambi splashing past him and approaching the blocked tunnel. Lowering his head, he pressed his antlers up against it and gave a sharp push. Grunting from the effort, the waste was visibly contorting, but one deer alone wouldn't fracture it. "Eng- Ronno can I-" he grunted, "can you help me here?"

"Why."

"Wha- because I need your help!" He insisted, further pushing his head against the mess.

"There's no point in trying, you know. We're stuck."

"Stuck, maybe." Bambi pulled away, his antlers now slathered in rotten food, "but I really think we could not be stuck if we pushed this together. I'm quite sure of it."

Still Ronno was uncooperative, the deer arrogantly turning away and lying down in a nest of trash.

"Ronno!"

"Why would I help you?" He snapped his head up, flashing Bambi a glare. "Tell me, after everything, why would I possibly want to help you?"

Drexel chimed in before the other deer could say anything, flaring his feathers as he returned the glare. "Because you're a decent animal willing to play your part so we can survive?" He quipped. "You're just being petty by not helping!"

"Whatever you want to think, bird," Ronno grumbled, resigning himself from the conversation.

The dove was about to launch an insult, but Bambi quickly nudged him with his hoof, a silent gesture to cease fire. Drexel flashed him a confused look but complied nonetheless with an angry huff. It was upsetting to see Ronno sulking in the corner, fur considered lovely now molested with mold and garbage. Bambi frowned and thought back to a pivotal phrase his father nearly shoved into his head. "You defeat enemies best by making friends with them," the exact words echoed in his mind. He knew it would be difficult and taxing, but he wanted Ronno's companionship, desperate to bury the animosity behind them. Taking a deep breath, he took a few steps toward his enemy and decided to shoot his shot.

"Ronno, please," he said, an expression of exhaustion dragging his face, "I... I need you." A massive alarm went off in Bambi's mind, realizing what his plea sounded like. He hastily shook his head and corrected himself. "Your help, I need your help."

For a few seconds Ronno didn't respond and remained still, until he faintly turned his head to the left. He spoke in a hushed, almost spiteful tone. "You're begging. Great prince of the forest and you're begging."

"Yeah well, maybe I am," Bambi admitted, taking another step closer. "Do you," he could not believe he was going in this direction, "not believe you can do it? Because if you can't-"

"Can't!?" Ronno sprang to life, jumping up out of the water and directly facing his rival, "you think I can't push a wall?" He puffed out his soaked chest, moving right up to Bambi's face until they were inches apart, "you think I'm weak, huh? Is that it? Well, watch this!" Before Bambi even had a chance to step back from the sudden invasion of personal space, Ronno jumped over to the blocked tunnel and shoved his forehead onto it. "Bring it, princess! I'll show you strength!"

It wasn't easy to quell boiling blood, but Bambi was desperate not to escalate his enemy any further. Closing his eyes and taking a somewhat restrained breath, he cooled his nerves and successfully pushed back the urge to physically defend himself. "Then... show me," he breathed, walking to Ronno's side and mirroring his position. To Drexel's amazement, both deer grunted as they pushed forward, channeling their strength into their heads. The cluster of trash held for a few seconds, until it started pulling apart with a disgusting hiss of air. With a final push, the dam came loose, crumbling into slime as both deer suddenly crashed through. They landed on their stomachs on the other side, Drexel happily flying in to rejoin them.

"We did it!" Bambi cheered, feeling a glint of happiness for the first time in hours. He looked to his companion at his side and gave Ronno a warm smile. "Thank you, for... helping me," he said with great difficulty. "I couldn't have done that without you."

To his dismay, Ronno wasn't sharing the mood. He stood up and spit out water, barely even giving his rival a passing glance. "Whatever." Without another word he automatically walked ahead, taking to the path and leaving Bambi behind. Crestfallen, the prince sighed at his failed attempt, looking to the ground as an empty feeling came upon him.

Seeing Bambi's sorrow, Drexel flew back onto his shoulder. "You know, I'm starting to think he's probably a lost cause..."

"No, no no." The deer shook his head defiantly, pushing his sadness away and holding his head high. "I want to help him, I need to." He said with firm determination.

"No one says you have to."

"I will, Drexel," Bambi insisted. "He just... needs time, and likely an escape from this sewer first of all. I knowI can do this, I'm confident I can make it work."

"Bambi, I-" the dove paused, trying to find his words. "I know you mean well, but don't hurt yourself trying for something that probably can't happen. I didn't realize how abrasive he was..."

Shrugging off the dove's words, the deer resumed the journey and followed Ronno's path. "This could be my only chance to make things right with him, I'm not going to waste it." Faint longing glowed in his eyes, "there's good in him, I know it."