From the depths of that inky pool - if the fish who escaped was peering up and out at the alien world which nearly abducted her - she would have seen a smeared, distorted silhouette of her predator against a venom pink sky. Frito, sitting back on his haunches, had thrown his empty jaws to the dawn sky. With the fringe of his black lips parted in an "o," he released a cry so mournful that even the spring time tweety birds and their perpetual twittering happiness were frozen with chills. As he announced to the world the gravity of his loss, his hackles sank in grief. His soft, fuzzy white ears laid back against his skull which momentarily emptied all other thoughts to make room for the tidal wave of anguish.

When every last aching bit of air was emptied from his lungs, he fell to the cool, wet stone. He stared at everything and at nothing as he replayed the capture, the struggle, and the escape over and over again in his torment ridden mind. That fish... The one that got away... The one that would forever haunt his memories... He was torn from his self pity by a cautious but familiar voice, but he did not flinch. He laid petrified - as one with his rocky grave. The only evidence that he was still alive was the gentle, rhythmic pulsing of his chest. He could have died there, and one day hopefully he would, but today was not that day.

He drew in one last breath, and let his heartache float away as he exhaled. He rolled his eyes up to find Dragonfly nearly hovering over him now. He sighed, "Just bruised," and then with painstaking effort drew himself to his feet. His soaking wet fur left a puddle beneath him, but he didn't want to shake and get Dragonfly all wet. So, he rolled his shoulder a few times and grimaced slightly. It would just be a little sore. He managed a half-smile as he continued, "Hi, Dragonfly." There was friendly affection in both his voice and his golden eyes. Still, the best fish of his life had just eluded him. He stood before the beautiful white wolf with sad, wide eyes and the fortitude of a wet cat.