The sewers had been filled with trials and turns that threatened to take the lives of the three lost inhabitants. An alligator was dodged, empty stomachs growled, arguments were spat, and nearly every worst fear imaginable had materialized in some way within the corridors. After solid day of trudging through foul liquid mixed with substances none of them dared to guess. They were following a moving current of water, a path Drexel swore led somewhere that would help them. They rounded a corner within a circular cavern and spotted something that made dove light up.

"Hey, I see grass out there!" Bambi asked, looking ahead with his curious eyes.

The dove on his head was filled with elation, quickly flapping his wings and soaring forward. "A drainage pipe! We're free!" He flapped with all his might, gliding out of the circle-shaped and disappearing into the outside.

"Wha- wait for us, jeez!" Ronno pushed Bambi aside as he sprinted ahead, kicking up water in his wake. "Drexel you can't just- wahh!" He yelped in surprise as he jumped out of the pipe, then promptly fell five feet into a river below.

The dove flew over, perching on the top of the drain. "Oh yeah, most sewers drain out into city rivers. I probably should've told you that..." he blinked to himself. "You spend your whole life with wings you sometimes forget others are fixed to the ground. But hey, freedom is freedom!"

"I just remembered why I hate birds." Ronno grumbled, once again soaked in foul water.

Peeking his head out of the drain, Bambi looked down and spotted his defeated adversary. "Maybe you should've looked before you jumped!" He said, genuinely trying to be helpful. Looking up across the river, a beautiful sight was waiting for him. "Ronno, I see grass!" The prince jumped for joy, springing out of the drain. He landed in the river, causing a massive splash that completely assaulted the darker deer sitting in the water. Oblivious to his attack, Bambi frolicked over to the dry ground, laughing and prancing at the grass below.

Drexel watched him dance around. "Is he... always like that?"

"You have no idea." Ronno stood up, shaking the water out of his fur. "Hey idiot, save some for me, we'll all starving here!"

For the first time in what felt like forever, the two fawns were able to enjoy a solid meal. With their triumphant escape from the sewer, there was nothing they truly needed more than some real food to fill their bellies. Their bird friend watched from above, circling above. He was more than welcome to just fly away and take back his own life, but he didn't, there was something so endearing about his new friends.

"Ew," Ronno twisted his face, chewing a large bite of plants. "This grass tastes weird."

"Maybe it's like, man grass!" Said the lighter fawn.

"Man grass?"

"Like its grass, but," he paused to swallow his food. "But it's like, I don't know, changed because of all the mans nearby!"

"People." Drexel fluttered down, coming to a rest on Bambi's back. "The correct term is 'people,' you're getting there."

"Yeah yeah, man, people, all that." Bambi said, his mood noticeably playful. "I'm just happy to be out of that disgusting place."

Ronno disdainfully pulled up some weeds to eat. "The second we see a clean river, we're taking baths."

"I thought you hated being wet." Said the prince, tilting his head.

"I mean yeah but look at yourself!" Ronno nearly gagged at the sight of the other fawn. "Your fur is almost completely black! Probably half the sludge in that place has collected on us!"

"Eh, not entirely." Drexel scanned the fawn up and down. "I can kinda still see his fur, a little."

"You aren't helping, Drex."

They ate their fill of the odd-tasting field, clearing out a small patch of grass they had eaten away. A full stomach was an incredible feeling, soothing away all the pains they had endured and providing much needed comfort after such a twisted experience. The only option now was to continue forward, taking to the full unknown of the forest before them. Drexel was their navigator, swearing to lead them on the path to home. Nodding to one another, the trio set off on their new journey across the land.

They travelled a while before coming across a small cave that dipped into the ground, barley hidden under a canopy of trees. The moon wasn't up yet put progressively getting there, only a little sunlight left before the night shrouded the forest. "We can stay here for the night." Bambi chirped, already ducking inside before anyone could even open their mouths.

"Is there even space in there?" Ronno poked his head in.

"Just enough for two! And Drexel's super small, so he won't take up any space!"

"Kinda cramped in here."

"Well, it's warm, what else could you need?"

They bickered over the size issue for a while. There was more than enough space for both of them to wiggle in, but to Ronno the idea was like poison. He preferred sleeping alone, Bambi liked having company, there were already conflicts in order. Drexel flew down in the middle of their debate, poking his head in the cave. "Hey guys, there's a river over there." He chirped. "Pretty clean... relatively. Doesn't look that deep, water's moving nicely, you could clean yourselves up in there."

Bambi grinned, moving to walk out.

"Great, I'll go first." Ronno announced, cutting off Bambi's path. The prince hesitated for a moment, but happily followed after him as they left the cave. Realizing he was being tailed, he gradually slowed down, flashing Bambi a weird look. "Uh, what are you doing?

The prince blinked innocently. "We're bathing!"

A flash of heat hit Ronno's fur. "Not together!" He exclaimed, rearing back slightly. "Wait your turn, weirdo!"

"Oh." Bambi realized, faltering for a split-second. "I'll just... wait on the riverbank, then."

"Wha- no! I can't bathe with you watching! Just-" he averted eye contact and waved his hoof at him, eager to escape the hot blush boiling inside him. "Just- just go back to Drexel. I'll come get you when it's your turn."

"Alright, alright, jeez." The fawn backed up, turning to leave. "Couda' just asked to be alone."

Making sure the prince he had left -and checking twice in case he decided to watch in secret- Ronno sighed and looked back at the river. Not clean, but not filthy, it would work, anything to get this filth out of his fur. He put one leg into the water, testing its temperature. Pleasantly cool, shallow enough to walk on, yet deep enough to clean with. It all nearly made a faint smile peel across his face. Hopping into the river, the deer giggled as he splashed around, rolling in the water and scrubbing himself on the rocks.

Back in the established cave, the Great Prince trudged himself back inside. "I honestly don't understand why he's so difficult." He said to Drexel.

"He wouldn't let you clean yourself?" The dove hopped to face him.

"No, he just wanted to do it alone. Can't imagine why, it's so fun to play in a river, and even better if you're with someone." He frowned, lowering his muck-covered ears. "I certainly would've liked it."

"You know, I can tell you're really trying," said Drexel. "But I think some deer are just more difficult than others. Maybe he just likes being alone, some animals are like that."

"But that means I'll have to be alone!" Bambi whined. "Where's the fun in a water fight if there's no one to battle?"

"A what?"

"It's a game that fawns like to play in rivers." The prince waved off. "I'm a total master at it, by the way. Faline couldn't get a single point on me. Look, if he wants to be alone, then fine, but I don't."

"Want uh..." the dove shrugged with his wings. "Want me to come with you?"

The fawn shook his head with a sigh. "I appreciate it, but no thanks." He realized how rude he sounded. "I mean- like, I'm sure it'd be fun!" Came his struggling words. "But I'd just... rather it be him, you know?"

Blinking wordlessly, Drexel uttered a half-hearted response. "Uh... okay then."

They talked for a little while, conversing about aimless things when the smell of river water hit their noises. Both turned to the mouth of the cave, watching in display as a shining, pristinely clean deer emerged through. Bambi's eyes widened, stunned in awestruck wonder at the sight of him. Ronno was almost glowing, the light beautifully reflecting off the excess water trapped in his fur. The light colors of his underbelly muzzle were twinkling with water droplets, the rest of his coat taking a warm brown. His tail was perfectly washed of all the muck that fused around it, allowing it to fluff out in the sun. Every inch of him looked as soft as a bunny's fur, bringing stars to Bambi's eyes.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Ronno said, glancing to the said in discomfort.

"Woah," Bambi breathed. A smirk pulled across his face, swaying his head a little. "Hide your sisters, hide your daughters, Ronno just came down from the heavens." He cooed, an edge of sass in his voice.

The other deer merely stared at him. "The fuck did you just say to me?"

"I'm just saying, you look good." Came the prince's sweet smile. "Can I have my turn now?"

"Yeah, whatever. Go."

Bouncing happily, Bambi zipped by him, making the darker fawn immediately veer off to the side to keep the filth off his clean fur. Watching the fawn disappear, Ronno turned to the dove who was at work building a nest. "I swear, he gets weirder every day."

The bird looked up at him, ruffling his feathers. "You know, animals are different. You don't have to be mean to him."

"Did you even hear the words that came out of his mouth?"

"I did. He was complimenting you."

"Yeah but, did he have to say it like that?" Ronno said, wearing a discontent look.

"He likes you." The bird said, coming right out to say it.

Ronno rolled his eyes, walking to a warmer side of the cave. "Yeah, cause I saved his tail yesterday. He has to like me after that, no reason to hate me still."

Stopping in his nest construction, Drexel leered up at the deer, flashing him a look of complete stunned disbelief. "Did you... did you understand a word I just said? Are you terminally stupid?"

"Drex, I'm honestly too tired to yell at you right now." Ronno nestled himself, settling down for the night.

"I literally just told you something that should make you rethink everything you know about him." The dove said, laced with exasperation. "Did you honestly not catch what I just said?"

"Tell me tomorrow." The deer rolled over, fidgeting himself into a comfortable position. Left speechless at the animal he was speaking to, Drexel could only turn back to his nest, placing the final pieces. The deer laid still, closing his eyes and waiting for the drift of sleep to hit him. The sounds of the nearby dove picking at sticks was all he heard, along with a small brush of wind outside and every now and then. Despite his still frame and the inner peace he forcefully shoved in his mind, sleep refused to bless him.

Something was missing.

A hollow feeling gaped in his stomach, sending an uneasy feeling through his fur. His limbs seemed to fidget, searching the space in front of him for reasons he couldn't understand. The cave began to feel emptier than usual, even with Drexel standing nearby. Drexel was just some bird, Ronno told himself, he wouldn't work. Wait, 'work?' The deer blinked, doing a double take at his own thoughts. What did he mean by that? He was thinking in overdrive, unable to stop an endless amount of thoughts he didn't have a clue the origin of.

Grimacing to himself, Ronno picked his head up. "Where's Bambi?"

"Getting into trouble again, is the answer I am assume you're looking for." Drexel said matter-of-factly. "Cool it, he's probably just still by the river."

"He's been out for a while, think he's okay?"

"What do you mean? He's barely taking as long as you did."

"Yeah but like," Ronno stood up. "For him it's different, he's not uh-" he thought for a split-second. "Capable. He's not capable of situations like I am."

The dove looked up with a narrowed look. "He told me he outran a pack of dogs. What have you ever done?"

"Things! I've done things too!" The deer said defensively. "I've done plenty of things!"

"Like what?"

"Not important," Ronno fluffed out his fur with an irritated look. "I'm gonna... I'm gonna go find him." He snuck a look to the cave entrance, a concerned look in his gaze. "Y'know, cause like-" he said quickly, already trotting outside. "Just cause, okay? Shut up!"

"I barely said anything!" Drexel argued, shouting after him.

His words went ignored as Ronno stepped out into the night, the cool air making him shiver. "Jackass." He muttered, looking around the area with searching vision. Why did Bambi have to take so long to bathe, what was he doing down there? He frowned at his thoughts, swiftly taking a run through the forest back toward the river. This isn't weird, he told himself. It's not weird, why would it be weird? He was simply just making sure his idiot companion didn't die on the way to the water, it was a task anyone would logically take. If anything, he was the bigger deer for not wandering off so close to nightfall.

He broke through the bushes, stepping out onto the riverbank. He expected to see Bambi doing something he would snap at, but to his surprise, the other fawn was nowhere to be seen. His anger faded in an instant, concern washing through the fawn as he walked further out.

"Bambi?" He called, looking up and down the river. His fur stood on end, tensing up as he frantically searched around. "Bambi!"

He knew calling out was a bad idea, fearfully aware of nearby predators following the voice. He couldn't stay out here with the moon so high up, but his lost companion refused to leave his mind, overwriting all other rational thought. Pushing his nose into the bushes, he sniffed for tracks and looked behind every tree. Nothing, not so much as a single hoof print. "Damn it you..." Ronnno searched for a nickname to spit, but his mind couldn't produce anything. "Ugh." He shook his head, annoyed at the overstimulation.

He searched for a long time until finally striking gold up the hill. The deer traversed it quickly, laying eyes on a sight that filled him with rage.

"Bambi!" Snapped the fawn, flattening his ears.

The prince turned his head with an uninterested expression, getting himself comfortable in the grass. "What?" His fur was almost shining in the moonlight, successfully cleaned away of the wastewater that stained it and giving light to his bright coat.

"The hell is wrong with you!? You can't just wander off in the middle of the night!"

"I didn't wander." Bambi rolled his eyes, turning away from the steaming animal. "I just wanted to look at the stars, what of it?"

"Didn't you hear me calling your name?"

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't." Quipped the prince, voice filling with sass. "You never listen to anything I say, so why should I answer?"

"Watch your mouth, princess." Ronno hissed, coming closer to him. "You couldn't at least tell Drexel? I thought something got you, how do you expect me to not be worried?!"

Bambi's eyes widened, one of his ears twitching with surprise. "You... worried?" He said with a puzzled expression. "You were worried for me?"

"Yeah, I-" Ronno quickly stopped, his voice locking up at the realization of what slipped out. A hot blush swept through his fur, completely dismantling his composure. "Well... I- I just... just don't do that again!"

"Alright, fine." Said the prince, pouting with his bottom lip. "We can go."

"Well, not- not yet." Ronno stammered, refusing to make eye contact. "I mean if you want to look at the stars, you can. I was just... mad, you know? But I'm not mad anymore, so if you want to-"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, princess. What's so good about the stars anyway?"

Letting out a long sigh, Bambi absently looked back up into the night sky, somber notes playing in his mind. "I don't know, it's stupid when I say it out loud. It just looked up one night and... there they were. They're pretty, I guess." He fell silent for a few seconds, before turning back to the darker companion. "Why do you call me that?"

"Call you what?" Ronno glanced to the side.

"Princess. That's all you ever call me." Said the deer, hurt in his voice. "It's rude, and I don't like it."

"Well... it's what you are, aren't you? Perfect, pristine royalty?" Ronno grumbled, looking up at the stars with mild interest.

"I'm a prince, first of all." Bambi said sternly. "And being a royal isn't as amazing at you think, my dad never lets me do anything fun." He frowned, voice saddening in tone. "Every day is just stupid lessons about things I couldn't care less about. Every day I get to watch the other deer go run, play in the grass, disappear for the whole day then come back smiling and laughing, they're free. Free as birds," he lamented, half-expecting to be mocked for his sorrowful state. "And that's every single day, every last day spent watching everyone run off and play while I have to 'train' for something dumb."

"Eh, you'll get to rule the whole forest." Ronno commented with a shrug. "Make everyone do what you say, I don't know about you but I definitely consider that the life."

"What kind of life is that, though?" Bambi argued, his face twisting with struggling confusion. "I just want to make my own decisions and do what I please, like before I got my antlers."

Ronno puffed out his chest proudly. "Antlers are a sign of maturity," he said with a mild boast. "Shows everyone you're on track to being one of the big deer of the forest."

"And a bigger target for Man and predators, more like." Scoffed the prince, rolling his eyes. "I honestly hate it all, I just wish I could be free like you. We should switch places."

"Switch places?" Ronno stared, shock rearing on his face. He wasn't sure whether or not to feel flattered or shake sense into his companion. "What about me you consider a better life?"

"Well, you don't have your life planned out for you, do you?"

"Maybe not, but like..." the deer grimaced, trying to choose his words carefully. "I don't know, dude. Things are just rough, I guess. I think..." a lump formed in his throat, painful shame trying to keep the words from spilling. "I think I have problems."

"Problems?"

"I don't really know how to say it." Ronno settled himself down in the grass, meeting Bambi's gaze. "I just have... trouble doing things. It's so hard for me to focus on anything, I always have trouble talking to others, and I honestly don't understand why I get angry so easily. I know I'm a jerk and I honestly try not to be, I just seem to... react that way and I can never stop it." His voice quivered with insecurity, letting loose words he pushed down so long ago. "I don't know why I always feel aggressive, and no one ever really... taught me how to talk to others."

"Your mother hasn't taught you?" Bambi cocked his head. "But she spends so much time with you, she had to teach you something."

"That's-" Ronno hesitated to speak, a pained expression peeling over his face. "Bambi, that's not my mother."

The tone dropped between them, feelings of anguish enveloping them both. The stars became a passing thought, Bambi's full attention now piqued as he observed his friend's distressed look.

His eyes welling up, Ronno's voice began to crack. "I've... never seen my mom," he confessed. "Or my dad, either. I just remember being... cold, and alone." He had to physically stop to keep his composure, what little of it remained. "I don't recall a whole lot of when I was a baby, I just sorta... wandered around this giant forest. Eventually Jannah came and found me," he spat the name of his adoptive mother. "And that was that, but I don't think she really knows anything. Sure she nursed me and all that but... she just doesn't feel like a mother to me. Every time I try to tell her these things she just looks at me weirdly, she's the only one I can ask for help from and she never gives it."

"I don't understand myself," he sighed, deflating with resignation. "I know something's wrong but I don't know what it is, and the only one who could tell me is just some dumb idiot."

Thinking over the lamenting words in the air, Bambi looked to the ground as he tried to find his own. Ronno was clearly fighting back his own tears, creating a difficult situation where Bambi knew to choose his voice carefully. Crossing his legs, he looked to his companion with a mournful expression.

"I... don't have a mom either." He muttered, haunting memories returning to his mind. The sound of a snapping explosion played on repeat in his memories, a noise he would never forget again. "She died a long time ago, during one of the snowfalls." He said, thinking back to his own time as an infant. "Man killed her."

An agonizing silence befell them both, shrouding both fawns in a grieving darkness. Neither one knew what to say anymore, resting under the stars as they spoke into the night. Bambi hung his head as a depressing feeling tore into him, while Ronno refused to make eye contact again with his tears hitting the grass.

"So I guess I," Bambi started again. "I guess I know what it feels like, being alone. I'm sorry you have to live like this."

"You don't need to apologize." Ronno grimaced, visualizing the scene in his mind. "I'm not the one who was actually there when their mother died." He shook his head, angry at his own behavior. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be whining so much when you're the one who-"

"It's okay." Bambi leaned forward a little, gently nuzzling him in the shoulder. "We both suffer at the end of the day, you should be allowed to say these things."

"But I feel like an asshole, crying n' shit about how I have no one when you literally had to watch your mom... you know."

"I didn't watch anything," Bambi explained with a soft tone. "I was running away, and I heard it happen."

"You get my point." Ronno sighed, looking over at the prince glowing in moonlight. "Look, as long as we're being honest about things; the reason I'm so hard on you is cause like..." he turned away, shame in his voice. "Well, you're the prince, and one day you'll rule the whole forest. I never had anything growing up and you just... are gonna have it all handed to you."

Usually he would feel offended by him saying such things, but Bambi scooted a little closer, trying to be as sincere as possible. "It's a life I don't want. If I could give it up, I would. I think my dad will force me to marry Faline."

"What now?"

"Just this doe I'm halfway friends with," Bambi waved off. "But my dad is convinced we're 'destined to be' and I have a solid idea that he's gonna arrange us together."

"He can do that?" Ronno asked, his shock in his eyes.

"He's the great prince of the forest," grumbled the lighter deer. "What can't he do? For the record, I don't hate Faline, okay? But... I don't like her, not like that. How are you supposed to be married to someone you don't love?"

Ronno blinked with surprise, cringing at the thought. "Yeesh, that does sound awful. Y'know, I hear she's incredibly pretentious." He giggled, starting to shift the mood.

"Oh lord, don't even." Bambi couldn't help but chuckle, his tone lightening up.

"I guess if it ever comes to it," Ronno continued. "I can... help you. Maybe if you want to sneak away during your father's lessons or... I don't know, if you ever want a break from mundane royalty..." he laughed slightly. "You can come find me, and we can go cause trouble or something. I won't even call you princess."

"Oh really now?" Bambi chirped, raising a questioning eyebrow. "Well I could certainly get used to that."

"Look, I'm... sorry. About everything I did and said, I really am."

Looking aside for a second, Bambi smiled and nuzzled even closer, letting himself lean on the deer's shoulder. To his quiet surprise, Ronno didn't pull away from the gesture. "Don't be, none of that matters anyway." Said the prince reassuringly, savoring the comforting feeling of being close to him. "You'll always have me, okay? Don't feel like you have to push things down anymore, you can vent to me and I won't tell a soul."

Nearly hypnotized by the touch, Ronno hovered his snout over the prince's head, the aroma of cleanly washed fur hitting his nose. "You... promise?"

"Promise."

They huddled together for a long moment, embracing one another in a warm feeling neither of them had ever experienced before. The demanding conditions of his normal life were deafened to Bambi, almost on the verge of falling asleep with the sheer amount of comfort gracing him. Ronno couldn't stop himself, giving the prince a small nuzzle on the top of his head. Bambi's ears twitched under the tickling of his nose, only then did reality snap back into them.

"We should... get back to the cave." Ronno looked aside, his fur burning red.

Bambi protested slightly as his companion moved away. "Yeah... we probably should." They held each other's gazes for a moment, before absently turning away and traveling back to Drexel, who was already sleeping soundly in his nest.