Duck Lake if you be my soft and sweet

“I’m really fixin’ to go with you and see the world, sugarplum,” his mother had said as he offered her a nudge to the side of her face, and the sentiment lit up the boy’s face like the aurora borealis that danced above them from time to time. “Take care o’ yourself, son,” had said his stern father, to whom Honeybee gave a strong smile and a nod. His brothers were not here to see him off, and had instead gone out to hunt for the family, but he didn’t mind. They had always teased him and called him soft anyway.

“Bye-bye now, sugar!” was the last thing Honeybee had heard as he turned his back on his family and set out on his grand adventure. That had been nine days ago, when he had passed over the borders of the Canadian forests and found himself in the American ones. The distinction between the two forests meant nothing to him, though. It was all forest and open plains as far as he was concerned.

He had eventually found his way here, alongside a most picturesque lake littered with duck feathers, the shattered remains of long-hatched eggs, and ducks themselves. Aspens lined the far side of it, but he was not interested in hiding amongst more trees. He was in the open now, and the sun on his brown-smattered back was a comfort he rarely felt in his own dense home. Honeybee drew in a deep breath and let it out in a whoop, sending a few startled ducks scattering from the reeds at the edge of the water.

He was finally on his way to an adventure that would make his ma and pop proud!

Kisu pounced, but, before he could capture any of them, the ducks took off from the edge of the wood and landed in the lake. He panted a smile onto the cool air and hunkered as low as he could, all attention focused on the birds in front of him. He inched forward slowly and froze when a duck looked at him with one eye and shot out a curious "quack!" Kisu did not like his accusatory tone and the second the duck's scrutiny dissipated, he flew forward and dashed into the water. The only thing his jaws scooped up was water and he cursed loudly at what would have been his meal.

His body dripping water he shouted "Stupid birds!" and a few moments later, he noticed more of them quickly wading their way toward his direction. Kisu craned his neck and noticed a golden brown wolf mixed with lighter and darker variations of said color. He sighed as he realized that his yells would have only gone unnoticed if the wolf was deaf, which was highly unlikely.

The tranquility of the lake had been broken the second Honeybee opened his mouth, but even before that, it had been a noisy kind of tranquility. Ducks were not renowned for their silence in the mornings. Amongst them, the young wolf spotted a loon, but before he could skirt the lake in an attempt to get closer to the bird with the most ghostly of songs, his attention was abruptly snatched by a nearby voice.

With ears pinned tall, the boy located the source of the frustrated shout: a grey wolf, certainly older than him, with points of rust and the look of a veteran loner. He wasn't sure that was something to compliment another wolf on, since being a veteran loner was a little bit like being a hobo, but Honey wouldn't have mentioned it even if Kisu had seemed to be in high spirits, which he certainly did not. Perhaps all he needed was a dose of good old-fashioned kindness!

Little did Honeybee know that he wasn't exactly the expert on that particular subject.

"They don't understand insults," he called out cheerfully as he began to trot in the direction of the other wolf, full of faith that he would not be taken unkindly; how could anybody not smile upon meeting him? His mother had always claimed he was very gentlemanly. "I'm Honeybee!" he then said by way of introduction, with tail swaying amiably, almost playfully, in his wake. "Who're you?"

Kisu let out a small "tch" at the young wolf's comment about insults. What was his business in him catching food? The white and grey male narrowed his brow when the toasted marshmallow then started in his direction with a friendly disposition. Kisu decided to put in his two cents.

"You'll end up dead if you act so familiar with everyone. You have no idea what sort of wolf I am." He spoke with a certain sternness, though he himself was not a threat. He paused a moment before continuing. "I am Kisu. Who gave you such a ridiculous name?" The words were spoken with a bit of condescension, though he didn't mean to. Why was he so cranky? "Sorry," he began, taking back the words he spoke, although the damage was done. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just--well, 'Honeybee' isn't really a name you expect a wolf to have..." Feeling a bit sheepish, Kisu decided to stop talking for now. He shook his dripping underbelly and sides off, sending out a spray of water.

ooc: ugh, I feel like my writing with Kisu has gone downhill compared to Vilocity D: