Duck Lake Lakeside View

"No," Bones replied, "it was those loudmouthed ducks!" She winked. She knew it was the stranger's approach that had upset the feathered creatures but this was her way of removing the blame from the fair stranger. Besides, she wasn't at all upset to have been woken.

"What's your name?" she wondered. "And what brings ye to the lake?" young Bones added conversationally, her tongue lolling from her grayish muzzle as she regarded the larger wolf while respectfully avoiding making direct eye contact.