I Almost Killed Bambi's Mother

So, I almost killed Bambi's mother today. Well, actually, technically speaking, Drake almost killed a dozen baby ducks, but it felt the same.

You see, it happened this way. We went to the lake, as we've done almost every day since Drake learned to swim. We made our way along the trail to the little beach, and I unhooked Drake's leash.

As I finished, I noticed that something was bobbing in the water, just on the other side of the massive log that floats in front of the beach. After—naturally—the leash was off, I realized it was a mother duck and what looked like a dozen baby ducklings. They were cute and fuzzy, and Drake was after them like a shot.

I said, "Oh, crap," and started to wade in after him, several beats behind. And all of a sudden, we switched genres. We weren't in Bambi, and Bambi's mother wasn't about to die. Instead, we were in a textbook nature show.

Because as soon as Drake leapt the log, the ducklings all peeled off to the right, and the momma duck swam to the left. I've seen ducks swim. They can swim faster than this. She was keeping it intentionally slow, to stay just a few feet ahead of Drake. They can also swim smoother than this, and quieter. Momma Duck was splashing as she swam, to keep Drake's attention, and letting out a continually changing stream of duck sounds.

qua-Quack-ak-ak-QUACK, mix and repeat.

Drake was hypnotized. He swam after her all the way along the beach, until the public property ended and the sand was replaced by grass and a dock. Momma Duck could have flown away at any time, but she led him all the way past the sand, turned left up the grass, and led Drake out of line of sight of the water. Only then did she fly away, up and over the bushes, and past me in the air as she headed off to the right where every one of the ducklings had successfully disappeared.
Drake spent some time looking for her, thus confirming her victory, and then eventually ambled back to the water.

That was one skilled Momma Duck. The ducklings were much slower, and far more vulnerable. And she saved each and every one of them.