Along the borderline

Cal eyes his fishing net, frowning in thought when Nico’s words suddenly pull the pup’s attention out to the rolling waves. Icy blue gaze flicks back the coyote pup and he simply says, “Fish.” Everyone knows that there are fish out there! He has seen and smelled them since the moment he came into the world and, when he was allowed out, he had spent all of that first day watching the adults hull in nets full of the wiggly creatures. The bigs had offered him the name and even let him eat one!

Maybe the net can catch one of those yummy morsels again… but first he needs to make sure it won’t get lost. Jack is able to dig out a length of rope and suggests a rather big rock to help keep the net from floating away. Gathering the equipment, the patchwork pup trots after his friend, stopping near the water’s edge to deposits the items on the black sand. Eyebrows lift in quiet wonder as Nico plunges his head into the rolling water before jerking back out and exclaiming that it stings.

Looking to Nico, Jack cocks his head and scoffs slightly while saying, “Ya don’t open your eyes under water. The salt burns ‘em. What kind of water do you have?” Curiosity tugs at his mind but he pushes it away to answer the coyote’s next question. With a small chuckle, the patchwork pup shakes his head in the negative, saying, “You don’t toss the rock with the net. The rock stays up here with us and the rope keeps the net from being pulled out too far. Here, come help me.”

Figuring it is easier to show then explain, Cal waves Nico over to him begins to loop the rope around one end of his net. He had seen the adults do something similar and the pup tries to replicate what they had done. Instructing Nico on what to do and where to put his paws, the pair manage to sloppily tie one end of the rope to the net and the other to the large rock before shoving the rock closer to the water’s edge.

Looking to his friend, Jack says, “Okay, now we just toss the net out into the water and come back later to see if we catch anything! Ready?” Moving to one side of the seaweed net, Cal gathers the side in his mouth and directs Nico to do the same on his side. Counting down, they swing the net back and forth, preparing to toss it out onto the gently rolling waves.


"Calico Jack"