That's right! You get two posts from me today. Why? Because I needed to put this up eventually and now is as good as tomorrow. That and I haven't done a creative post for a long time. To explicar, (don't even comment on that, bluebird) patrolling is obviously lifeguarding. We have an "under 9 rule" that says all kids under 9 must be with someone 15+. However, kids can get "duckie passes" if they are 6-8 and prove their swimming capabilities. So, I commence.
Blistering heat battered the ocelot's neck and sweat trickled between her fur follicles. The river patrolling had been particularly draining that day, but in sooth it had only begun. Foolish fishes flopped across the waters carelessly. This only added to the ocelot's poor mood. How she wished she didn't have to watch them from the land! But that was not the current matter.
Reverting her eyes back to the fledgling finch in the river, she held in a sigh. The little thing could hardly keep her head above water. Not that she was in any great danger. There was a sizeable stone jutting out of the water to grip should she truly begin to drown.
The ocelot was rather put out with the mother finch at her side. One of the rules of the patrollers was that particularly small animals must be accompanied in the waters by an animal capable of taking care of them. However, they had exceptions. If young animals should prove themselves able to take care of themselves, the patrollers would let them do so unsupervised. The finch mother thought her fledgling was ready for such a challenge. However, by the looks of it, there was no possibility that the ocelot would let her wander about alone.
Tiny squawks cried out wordlessly. The fledgling was pleading for help. The ocelot's muscles tensed and adrenaline tried to force her into the water. But for a moment, she paused, wondering if the fledgling would notice the rock beside her. But the small bird was too frightened to take any heed of her surroundings. The ocelot plunged into the current.
Swimming to the small ball of feathers was no difficulty, and soon she was beside the bird. The little thing had noticed--just before the ocelot reached her--the stone and was clinging to it desperately. Coaxing her gently, the ocelot placed the orb of damp feathers on her head and swam calmly back to the bank. It could have been far worse, but under no circumstances was such a feeble creature going to be allowed to play in the waters alone.
Pulling her bulk out of the flow, she put the fledgling back on firm ground next to her mother. The ocelot raised her eyes to meet those of the larger finch, saying with her eyes and the placing of her lips what she thought of the young one's swimming capabilities.
"Did she pass?" the mother finch asked pragmatically.
It was going to be a long day for the ocelot.
This happened sometime last week-ish. I don't really know. All the days just sort of mush together.
5 comments:
orb of damp feathers? hmmm. okay...
yeah, some mom's are kind of..what's the word? pretentious of their child's abilities. i'm not sure if you or the child needs the pity more.
I was sick of calling it the fledgling, 'kay? And I couldn't use "ball" again. I just used the Thesaurus function on Word. So sue me.
I don't know. So long as she doesn't let her kid wander, the kid should turn out okay. I had to talk to the mom for almost half an hour. She even asked if one of the lifeguards could teach her how to tread water. Hello, what do you think we get paid to do? We are not swim instructors. If you want instruction, try swimming lessons. I realize that isn't possible for all families, but lifeguards have a job to do, and it isn't teaching.
mass is the word i would've used.
*sigh* yeah, i can understand dealing with difficult people.
Mass works. I think I'll change it to that. You see, I wrote this on the spur of the moment as the flying squirrel asked me to write something about my life right now, but in story form. So I sorta got this, but I wrote it in about three minutes.
i wrote my phoenix on a whim in about a minute. :) yea for showtunes saturday night! i love guys and dolls! and into the woods! even with it's risqueity. hmmm
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