Duck Lake Prelude I

A carcass on the verge of turning; He smelled it before they arrived, it's rancid scent strong in the wind. Its bones- once held by flesh and tendons were now strewed across the earth- bare for all, 'cept the main hollow of it's abdomen and skull. 

His parent's lectures rang clear in his mind. Stay away from kills not your own. But did he have a choice? He glanced at the woman again as she gave a short command. He thought  about it for a moment, wondering if it would make him sick, but the rumbling of his stomach broke through, and with a nod the boy approached to take his fill.

He ate fast, his teeth awkwardly grinding against bone as he pulled flesh. There wasn't much- but what was there was enough to leave him feeling satisfied.

"Thank you," he muffled between gulps. 

It was only when finished would he back off and raise a fore paw to sheepishly wipe his dirty face. "What is your name? You should eat too—"