Duck - Final Instalment

He arrived at the nest, a low circular mat with low twig walls, resting on a bed of dead reeds which he had patiently collected from around the river. Never too many from any one place. Always the cautious one, it took longer but he knew it was worthwhile. It was a good solid nest which had endured many a stormy night and would endure many more too.

She was looking at him as he dumped the food on top of the nest wall in front of her. She had, of course, been aware of his approach before she had seen him. Together they gave the food to the four young ducklings gathered around her flanks. This had been his fifth time going out to look for food today and they gobbled it down voraciously. He felt that they were growing fast, much faster than he had grown as a young duckling.

He had retained a small piece of greenery for her and himself which she took from him gratefully for she was hungry. He looked at her for a moment, their heads close and nuzzled the feathers on her neck gently. Then he turned and paddled back down the path to begin again his search for food. He looked back and was pleased again to note how well hidden the nest was.

It had been a good idea to move here after their other nest had been destroyed by that big, fast, false thing. It had been too hard and smooth to be an animal, although he thought that he had seen animals on its back or were they inside its belly? It had churned up the water so much that a great surge of water had picked up the nest and smashed it against a tree root.

It was lucky that she and the ducklings had been swimming further up the river when it happened. He had been the only one to see it. Still this was a good place to live, for a while anyway and...he stopped, “where are all the fr?” CRAAACK!

The smoke from Jimmy’s rifle was blue in the heat haze. “Go boy” he urged his Labrador and the dog obediently slid into the water, swam to the other side and returned with the dead duck in his mouth. Jimmy examined the carcass. “Got him in the neck. Good, nothing worse than duck meat tasting of lead shot.” He threw the duck into the heavy canvas bag at his side and turning, tramped away, calling the dog to heel.

She waited anxiously, wondering where he was. Hoping that that loud sound and the bark noise didn’t spell trouble. The Ducklings were getting hungry again, but still she waited..... She waited.