The car's engine hummed in sleepy drones that might have put Christy to sleep if the deer that had come from the bushes near the road had not attempted to cross in front of the car. It dashed across the road as her father brought the car to a halt with a sudden jerk. The straps that held her in safely dug into her shoulder and she was thrown forward by the motion.

Her father held the car steady while he directed it safely to the side of the road. Christy looked out the window and into the frightened eyes of a yearling. The deer lay panting, half hidden in the ditch that ran along side the road. They had hit it, despite her fathers heroic efforts.

"It's hind leg has been clipped by the bumper," her father said as she stood along side the car with his hands on his hips. It was small and in pain. "We're miles from civilization. There is nothing we can do now but let nature take its course," he said sadly.

Her mother climbed out of the car and stood beside him, her hand on his shoulder. "You did everything you could. It just ran out beside you."

"Will it die?" Christy asked. She was worried about the frantic-eyed creature in the ditch.

"Probably" her father answered as he stood there quietly.

"Can't we fix it's leg?" she said as a glimmer of hope broke through the somberness. "Peggy's dog got hit by a car and they took it to the vet. It had a cast on its leg and she was fine in no time."

"This is a wild creature. I doubt there is anything we can do for it. Even if we could, it wouldn't let us near. It would try and run away if we tried," he explained in that fatherly voice he often used to answer her numerous questions.

"We can try, can't we?" she said as she pulled the first aide kit from the back seat.

"Here, let me have that," her mother said. Christy handed the heavy metal box to her mother.

Her father turned to look at his daughter. A brief smile crept upon his face as he saw the trust and pleading in her eyes. He was her father and she adored him. He must do something. But what? He would try.

He squatted down upon the road and watched the deer silently. He looked at the leg, at the frightened eyes, and the rapid breathing. He talked to the deer softly, in a voice so quiet it was almost unheard. He whispered soft reassurances that he was only trying to help.

"Slowly," he addressed his wife as she stood next to him, "hand me a role of gauze and a gauze pad from the kit. Move slowly and say nothing. I don't want him to become agitated." Her mother handed him the items and said nothing. Christy held her breath. "There now, little one, I won't hurt you," he crooned softly, never taking his eyes off the deer's eyes.

His hand reached out slowly, steadily. He inched forward. The deer's eyes blinked but never wavered as they watched each other. Christy saw her father's hand reach the deer. He barely grazed the soft fur with his hand. The deer twitched, but did not bolt. It waited, as if it knew he had come to help.

Her father's hand was running along the injured leg, feeling for injury. There was a spot of swelling near the knee. There was no open wound, no sign of break, but he could not be sure. His fingers gingerly laid the clean white pad around the knee. He unrolled the gauze and began to wrap it around the animal's leg. The deer watched nervously, but held still for the gentle touch.

He tore off a piece of tape and secured the bandage, then keeping his eyes on the deer, he began to move backward, slowly and effortlessly. He was soon standing near his wife again, watching the deer.

The deer wiggled a bit and then tried to stand. The injured leg was weak but it managed to struggle to its feet. It looked at Christy, then her father, and then turned and hobbled into the woods near a farmers pasture. She caught a brief spot of white as it flicked its tail and it was gone.

"There now, we've done all we can do for it. We need to get back in the car and get going. Mother nature will do the rest." He sighed and walked around the car to the drivers seat.

Christy's mother helped her back in the car and adjusted her straps and then climbed back into the front seat beside her husband. She smiled at him as he started the car and brought the car back onto the road.

"Thank you, Daddy," she said as he put the car in gear and stepped lightly on the gas peddle.

He smiled back at her in the rear view mirror and went back to watching the road.

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