Duck Lake in the belly of the beast

The female had already eaten a large portion of her kill, and as he met her pretty gaze he saw a couple of things. Annoyance, for sure, but something else - pity - which he was not sure whether he liked or not. As much as he hated to be pitied, perhaps his bedraggled state would sway her to share with him. His ears lowered and lifted again and his head canted to one side. She was very still, and as he watched her he realized that she was larger than most females he had seen beforehand. In this weakened state Jagoda found himself in, he thought perhaps picking a fight with a canine who matched him in size was not the best of ideas.

When she finally spoke it was to offer him a portion. A small one, only the head and part of the neck. She quickly and skillfully snapped this part off of the carcass and tossed it to his side. His face followed the flying head until it landed beside him, and then he looked at her from the corners of his eyes, as if to say, that's it?

"Thank you," was what he said instead, and picked up the head with his jaws, moved it in front of him and set it down, where he began the task of finding any and all edible bits. He would not push her further, nor would he pick a fight. In the moments that followed, he ate and felt guilty. Little though the meat was that she spared for him, sharing showed that she had a heart, and he hated himself for thinking of hurting her (or trying to). He finished his small meal and though his belly ached for more, he knew there were other ducks in the lake.

"My name's Jagoda," he told her, licking his muzzle, the white fur there stained pinkish red for now.