Small piece for Christopher Scott's March challenge: Springtime Magic.

A Time for Blooming Things

Bambi stopped by another sapling to rub the velvet off his new antlers. He paused first to see if he would disturb anyone by doing so and, finding none, proceeded to scratch his antlers vigorously. A shower of buds fell on his head and, sneezing, he shook them off.

Smelly things, he thought. Getting people twitterpated.

Already he had seen Thumper being caressed by a ball of fluff girl rabbit. Bambi thought it all very silly how people could be so easily swayed by a sigh or even a glance in their direction. Never would he succumb to the power of those big eyes and looong eyelashes. He was about to take his antlers to the branch and shake off all the buds when he heard a soft noise behind him.

He turned and spotted a doe peering out of the bushes at him. He caught a glimpse of those large, limpid eyes, and he froze. When he realized what was happening, Bambi shook his head and bounded away.

The next day, Bambi went back to the same tree. It had a nice crook in it where he could scratch those hard to reach places on his antlers. This time, he approached the glade with more caution, wary for any female dangers. He saw the doe stretching her neck out to the tree branches and smelling the buds then bending down to smell the flowers. Bambi started to leave; he had no wish to be tempted again. His plans for a silent retreat were ruined when he stepped on a twig. The doe's head shot up but upon seeing Bambi she relaxed. She turned, flicked her tail at him, and walked away. Bambi stayed where he was until he was sure that the doe would not return. Certain that the danger had passed, he walked towards the tree and smelled the flowers that the doe had smelled.

Perhaps, they don't smell so bad after all…

Bambi wasn't even sure why he was going back to the glade. It wasn't as if his antlers needed scratching; they had finally stopped itching after a whole week. It wasn't because the doe might be there. No, that most certainly was not the reason. He marched through the bushes, intent on reaching the tree with the crook in it. Maybe his antlers would itch. He stared at the tree, willing for his antlers to itch when he noticed the doe was already there next to the flowers. Bambi wasn't sure what to do. He looked around then reached up his tree to pick off a small twig with flowering buds. Slowly, he walked towards the doe and gently set the twig in front of her.

"Hello. I'm Bambi."

She sniffed the buds then picked a flower from the ground and set it in front of Bambi.

"Hello. I'm Faline."

Once again she turned to leave. Bambi bent down to smell the sweet flower then looked up.

The flowers actually smell really sweet, he thought and he decided to follow after the Faline.

Springtime is, after all, a time for blooming things.

Reviews always welcome.