Big Salmon Lake Preface

“Oh, come ON!”

Cassian’s one and sole encounter with the Big Salmon Lake could’ve been written about as a Greek tragedy. Time and time again the wolf dove into the water in an attempt at garnering a meal and, time and time again, the fish continued to evade him. Every time the wolf got within snapping distance, they propelled away in the blink of an eye! It’d become a bit of a repetitive cycle born out of sheer defiance by this point. Cassian learned, over time, that fish truly did not really deviate from their original positions even after a disturbance. Over time, they congregate back to where they once were. So, every half hour or so, the wolf got wet again and came back up fruitless once more.

This cycle was no different. Yet, the tenacity in the man’s brown eyes shone like none other. There was annoyance that coated his voice, yes, but it was more so the type of annoyance that came with enjoying and perfecting a craft over any other. This was going to be the sixth plunge of the day and, this time, Cassian was certain victory would be his.

“Okay. Big breath on one….two….three!”

A sharp inhale was taken and this time instead of the rich, crisp air a pungent odor wafted its merciless path into the poor bystander’s nostrils. Awful, awful, awful! Bleck! After a brief coughing fit, Cassian’s eyes sharpy turned to the left, then to the right, and finally laid right down the center and found….

Someone.

She wasn’t here the last time he’d dunked himself into the lake. So, she must’ve passed through between his current failed attempt and the making of the new one! A tiny thing which made all the more sense on how she’d gotten the jump on him. Albeit, really, anything could get the jump on Cassian if it wasn’t shouting. The man’s attention tended to be a bitter scatter-brained on the best of days.

“You would not BELIEVE how slippery the fish are today! I’ve been here all day and haven’t been able to catch one. I was taking some nice, calming breaths to center myself and hype me up, but now it reeks! Sheesh, you need some more water in your diet. Less salty things! Luckily for you, there’s a giant bed of water here! Why don’t you hydrate and watch a REAL master catch his first ever salmon, hm?”

He spoke as if they were long lost acquaintances, vesting the benefit of the doubt in everyone and anyone. Duly unaware of how foolish such an approach could be.

Folly, at best, but yet he still proudly boasted. To impress her? No, never. Cassian was just hopeless as hopeless could be but in equal parts confident in that eventually the tides would turn in his favor.