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“Great,” I managed. “Car.”

We started making our way back to my vehicle. I kept myself between her and the deer still standing rigid at the tree line. We were almost there—then it charged.

“Go!” I shouted. “Go go go!”

Larissa shrieked and bolted for the door. I stood my ground and stomped to give Larissa a chance at getting away. The doe pivoted and circled around to make another pass, white tail in the air. I grabbed a handful of dirt and pebbles off the ground and threw it like useless shrapnel. The deer jumped back a few feet, huffing.

I watch Larissa scramble into the front seat. As soon as she was safe, I made a run for it. I dove into the driver’s side and slammed the door, gasping for air.

Larissa looked over at me with a hand on her chest, wide-eyed.

We watched the baby wobble over to its mom, who nuzzled and licked it. The doe took one more evil look at us, and then they disappeared into the woods.

I collapsed against the steering wheel.

“Oh my God…” Larissa breathed, still panting. “Chris, that was—”

I started laughing. I couldn’t help it. It was one part relief and one part post-panic delirium.

She blinked at me from the passenger seat while I laughed so hard my stomach cramped. Then she started laughing too.

A half hour later we were at a twenty-four-hour diner.

“I think your girlfriend is going to be so impressed with what you’ve done here tonight,” she said, talking to me but looking at the menu.

“Which part? And what girlfriend?”

“Saving me from Bambi. Kendra Watson from third grade.”

I gave her an amused smirk.

“You were very brave,” she said. “You saved a baby deer and you’ve beaten the final deer boss.”

“You know, all we’ve done tonight is strengthen their numbers.”

She rolled her eyes. “If anything, this whole adventure discredits your deer theory,” she said.

I looked at her. “And how is that?”

She shrugged. “If they’re as smart and cunning as you say, why did they need us to get that fawn out of the fence?” she asked innocently.

“Unless it was a trap meant to lure us to our deaths,” I said. “And you ran right in.”

She gave me a playful gasp and I smiled.

The server came over and poured us coffee. Larissa still had leaves in her hair. Her flower clip was hanging by a few strands. The woman ignored that and the dog face on our clothes. “I’ll give you a minute,” she said, her tone bored, and she left.

I went back to the menu. “It was pretty cute,” I said under my breath.

Larissa lowered the corner of her menu. “I’m sorry, what?”

I raised my eyes to hers. “The baby deer was cute.”

She grinned. “And the mama deer was terrifying.”

“So you admit it.”

“I admit it. Deer are terrifying.”