A few days pass from when I finally get the antidote to the poison. I'm feeling much better than I did before. I'm still very weak, but at least I know that I will get better. I just have to wait a little before I can be one-hundred percent. I am grateful to have my family surrounding me, giving me their support.
On this day, despite my weakness, I am finally strong enough that we can continue on our journey. However, I'm not at full health yet. So, until I am stronger, Ellie has me ride on her back for the duration of the journey. Taisley, mom, dad, and the kits ride with me. The kits sleep for the majority of the time.
I look up at the sky, watching the clouds float by. I smile, while feeling the cool breeze ruffling my fur. I look to my left, where Taisley and my parents are sitting. "'ey, 'ow are ya?" I ask them while sitting up.
"We should be asking ya that," dad points out.
"'m fine. 'm still a li'l weak, but I'll be fine," I reply.
"Ya should get some more rest. Ya need ta recover from that poisoning," dad suggests.
"'m fine, dad. I don't need any more sleep," I argue.
Dad's face takes on a sterner look. "Buck, get some sleep. 'm no' taking no fer an answer," dad tells me.
"'m no' some li'l kit, dad. I don't 'ave ta sleep if 'm no' tired," I glare at dad, annoyed.
"No, but ya are actin' like one! Just sleep," dad pushes me back down for emphases.
I sigh through my nose. "Fine," I relent. I curl up in the warmth of Ellie's fur. I yawn, disregarding my previous claim to not be too tired. I close my eye. I fall asleep within a few seconds.
Maybe a couple of hours later, I begin to wake up. My eyelid twitches and flickers open. It takes a little while before my vision clears up. I yawn, sitting up from my position. I rub at my eye tiredly, trying to get rid of the sleepiness. I see my family to my left. They are looking at me. I smile. "'ey, wot's up?" I ask.
"Oh, nothing much. 'ow was yer sleep?" Dad asks.
"I slept well enough. Please, before ya say anything, I don't need any more sleep. I got enough," I start, knowing that dad might try to 'persuade' me to sleep again.
"I know, Buck. Don't worry 'bout 't," dad replies.
I nod my head while looking around. "Dad, where are we goin' next?" I ask.
"Well, Diego said that we're goin' ta th' Crystal Waters next," dad answers.
"Finally! A place that won't bring th' risk of getting killed!" I sigh, relieved at finally getting a break from taking dangerous risks. I know that I used to be crazy, but I have gained some sanity over the years that I've spent aboveground.
Taisley laughs at me. "Oh, Buck, I though you like danger," she says.
"I do, but I've 'ad ta deal wi' enough pain fer a while. I need a break," I reply, sighing.
"I see what you mean. Well, we're almost there. When we arrive, we can go fishing," Taisley suggests.
"Yeah. I bet that I'll catch more fish than ya!" I smile with excitement.
"Is that a challenge?" Taisley asks.
"Yep! Sure is!" I confirm.
"Then, yer on!" Taisley and I shake paws on it. We lay back in Ellie's fur, our arms wrapped around each other. I don't know this for sure, but I believe that we will get to the Crystal Waters in no time at all.
When we finally reach the Crystal Waters, we stop. I slide myself off of Ellie's back. I watch as our kits leap down and start running around. "'ey! Don't wander too far!" I call out to the kits.
"'kay, daddy!" Raska, Talo, Frost, and Whisper answer back to me at the same time. I watch as they go to play in the shallow water, splashing each other, laughing all the while.
I go to Taisley, who is standing beside a large rock in the water. "C'mon, Tais. Remember our bet? Let's catch that fish!" I laugh. We go off at separate points of the water, watching out for the fish swimming under the surface.
I stand on a flat stone, crouched forward, waiting for the fish to swim to me. One comes up beside my stone. With one swift move, I grab the fish. I string a needle through the top of its mouth and tie the string around the stone. I leave it trailing in the water. I go back to watching for more fish to come.
After about an hour, I have a catch of five large fish. I make my way to the others. Taisley is waiting for me, four fish beside her. When she sees my catch, she frowns. "You beat me! Nice job. Now, what should your prize be?" Taisley asks.
I sit beside her. I lower my face to whisper into her ear. "Well, maybe tonight, I can get my prize," I wink, which is kind of hard to do with one eye.
Taisley blushes. "Buck, how will we even get away from everyone?" She asks.
"We can find an excuse. Don't worry 'bout that," I smile. We go over to the fire that Sid built. We begin to prepare the fish. I can't wait for the romantic possibilities that tonight will bring.
Later that night, when everyone is getting ready for bed, I go to my parents. I have a request for them. "Mom, dad, I 'ave somethin' ta ask ya," I begin.
"Wot is 't?" Dad asks.
"Well, Taisley an' I want ta go off fer some 'alone time', if ya get wot I mean. I was wonderin' if ya would make sure that no one follows us," I request.
"Sure, Buck. No problem. Just…don't stay up too late. Be careful," dad replies.
I nod my head. Thanking my parents, I leave to get to Taisley's side. After I reach Taisley, we head off into the forest area nearby. I can't wait for us to finally be alone.
When we get a fair distance away from the others, Taisley and I get down on the ground. I roll Taisley over, myself resting above her. I kiss Taisley on the lips, massaging her behind her left ear. Taisley moves her paws behind my head, pulling me closer. We move like that, kissing all the while. Taisley breaks away briefly. "Do you want to, you know…?" Taisley asks.
I know what she's saying. "Do ya even 'ave ta ask? I love ya so much," I moan with pleasure as we continue on with our activities. We keep moving in a rhythmic motion, Taisley still under me. We continue kissing.
After an hour of these romantic activities, we lay, side by side, gasping for breath. I wrap my right arm over Taisley. There is blood on the ground, but it's the good type. This blood is shed from pleasure.
Taisley snuggles into my embrace. She smiles. "That was fun," Taisley whispers into my ear.
"Yeah. 't sure was, Tais," I whisper back. We make our way to the water and clean ourselves up in it. Then, we make our way back.
When we get there, we're startled to see my parents waiting for us. "So, 'ow was 't?" Dad asks.
I gulp a little, embarrassed. "Um…uh…'t…'t was nice…." I stutter.
"Yeah, I bet 't was. Now, it's time fer you lovebirds ta get some sleep," dad smiles at the embarrassed look on my face.
"Um…yeah…c'mon, Tais. Let's go," I pull Taisley away. We lay down on our nest together. We curl around each other. I wrap my arm around Taisley. I watch as she falls asleep. I close my eye. It isn't long before I fall asleep as well.