A Treefox and a Watersnake

Part 4: Together

They met every day in the same spot, and Thalas carried Mist away from the shore to practice being in the water. As long as Mist brought home fish every time, nobody questioned where he spent all his time. As a cub past 5 years he was expected to bring home food, so it was only natural that took most of the day.

The biggest obstacle to learning was Mist's over-eagerness and the subsequent feeling down when things didn't go right the first attempt. After concluding that trying to swim just like Thalas - moving his body back and forth - would not work, Mist got pretty good in paddling with his hands and feet while securely lying on the watersnake's tail to keep him afloat.

Good enough, as a matter of fact, that his next idea was to leap away from Thalas and try to swim on his own. Without his support he stayed on the surface for less than five heartbeats before sinking like a rock.

Thalas calmly dove after him and once back on the surface, put the miserable-looking treefox down on his tail again.

Mist just stood there, dripping water. "Stupid water..." he muttered.

"It's not the water's fault."

"Then why won't it support me like it does you?!"

"It will eventually," Thalas spoke softly and caressed Mist's head. "Swimming doesn't come as naturally for you as it does for me."

"Really?" Mist asked, his ears perking a little.

"I'm certain of it." 

Mist smiled his innocent, child-like smile again and completely on the whim of the moment licked the watersnake's cheek, one long lick all the way from his jaw to the corner of his eye. Just like his own species licked family members to show affection. Then he licked his own lips. "You taste kinda like a fish." 

Thalas chuckled. "Really?" Then he slowly ran his tongue over Mist's cheek and pondered on the taste. "You definitely do not." 

Mist jumped from his tail to his arms and onwards to his shoulders, nuzzling one aquatic ear affectionately. "But I'll swim just like one soon! You'll see!"

Thalas just smiled. "I look forward to it. In the meantime, would you like to go see what the wetlands are like?"

"That sounds fun-" he stopped abruptly as he heard high-pitched howling echo through the forest. "Father!"

In his hurry he completely forgot he was still far out in the river and in the end only Thalas catching him mid-leap saved him from another close experience with drowning.

"What about your father?" the watersnake asked.

Mist was practically squirming with excitement. "He's coming home! I remember that sound! Everybody's fathers are coming home!"

"Oh...I guess you should get going then."

Mist gave him puppy eyes. "Would you help me catch a really, really big fish first?"

Thalas chuckled. "Of course."