Duck Lake now that i'm old, i sing for it

between ragged pants indra thought she heard laurel -- and then blondine. she cocked her head to the side and listened as the silence settled around her heavy and thick as the snow. until laurel's voice raked the woods -- followed shortly by blondine's chirping calls.

she threw up her head again in a hoarse call and once more rallied, breaking through snow with laborous gasps. it was exhausting work and fatigue settled in her limbs, but she was rejuvenated in her efforts as blondine's ears and head crested through the snow -- followed by laurel and xan.

"hey! over here!" she cried, trying to crest another thick wave of snow. "laurel! blondine! xan!" she was overjoyed to see them, for she had truly thought she would see nothing but snow for the rest of her short-lived days.

they saw her -- and, joyfully reconvening with abundant whines and gleeful wags of their tails, made for home. one bounding in front of the other, step by step. a band of friends. a pack. a family.