The Friendship Story

Chapter Five

In a week's time there were no more ducks at the pond, except a forlorn Miena. With even beavers disappearing into their lodges for the winter, Dooro was truly alarmed and determined to straighten it out one way or another.

"Miena, when are you leaving? The ducks are all gone and you know it's time."

The duck's quack was something between a plea and resignation. "I'm not going," she said.

Dooro couldn't believe what he was hearing. "But, why not!"

"I just can't." And then more defiantly, "I don't want to and I won't."

To the pragmatic beaver this violated every instinctual rule. Ducks flew south for the winter and there simply was no other option. Dooro was emphatic. "You can't leave? Well, you can't stay. What would you eat? Where will you live? The pond will be frozen soon."

Miena refused to answer. Instead she turned her back on him and flew off to a tree. The worried beaver didn't know what to do. She was his friend, after all.

Dooro kept an eye on her all the following week. With each progressive day the now-freezing temperature began to have its effect. The mud the beavers had so carefully applied to their lodges became hard as cement and the pond began to freeze over starting at the shoreline. This was no problem for the beavers who could continue working underwater even in a completely ice-covered pond. Dooro was accustomed to memorizing every air pocket including the ones that always formed along the shore of the pond or the one that formed at the dome of ice above the entrance to his lodge. What he wasn't accustomed to doing was worrying about a duck who had no such defenses against winter's harsh elements. Miena looked more miserable each day.

He thought and thought about how he could help her. He even suggested to Miena that she dive into the pond before it was frozen over so she could seek shelter in his beaver lodge. But this would have meant using the tunnel passageway and Dooro only needed to see the terror in her eyes to know that answer.

Then one morning after it had snowed all night, the frantic quacking of a duck awakened Dooro, comfortably asleep in his lodge. He arrived at the surface of the pond to find Miena stuck in the ice. She had fallen asleep in one of the last clear patches of water and during the night snow and ice had sealed it, trapping her feet. No matter how hard she struggled she couldn't get free and was crying out pitifully.

Without hesitation Dooro began gnawing and clawing at the ice. In his presence Miena ceased crying and lay quiet. It wasn't long before he had freed her.

While he worked, Dooro had resolved to save Miena. He didn't consider it brave or foolish. He only knew that what he planned was against every beaver's deepest instinct. Without acknowledging Miena who followed him, he walked to his lodge and began chewing the outer wall with its mud cement casing. Even with his powerful jaws and his two-inch bottom teeth honed to a knife-like edge, it wasn't easy. The feeling of bitter cold stabbed at his gums until his teeth became numb, but Dooro was single-minded in the determination to vandalize his own fortress. He bit and tore at it for an hour until it was broken open. Then with his snout he nudged in the shaken duck and began immediately making repairs. Even with repair, he realized the protective wall of his lodge would take days to harden again. He finally joined Miena inside.