I still spent my day not tagging along with my friends but keeping a close eye.

I still needed time to think of my move before it takes action. But it could be a very risky mission. One wrong move and she'll die and maybe me too.

What will Gill and StraitTail do? What will they say? Most importantly, I can't let them know. Nothing. Not one little thing.

All I needed to do is figure out how to get out of this territory and lure Princess into doing the plan, without her knowing.

If someone knows then how would I explain? A duck luring his love into a harmful "trap"? No- that sounds awful but thinking about the results... I have a good feeling it may work. But I can't hold her in for long. She's so small, so delicate.

Well, it's now or never.

" Princess. Have you ever wondered what was outside our home?" I started. I shifted on my big feet, hoping my response was worth the question.

I was thankful it was me and her right now.

" Of course. I always wanted to explore these borders" She said.

Yes! Perfectly as planned! Let's see how the rest would go.

" Did you ever wonder where the owners go?" I asked.

" No.."

" They go in that big earth lump over there" I explained. I gestured to the big earth lump.

Princess's eyes widened in shock and she gazed at the " big earth lump"

"Woah!" She exclaimed.

Princess flapped her wings and started to tilt on the side from her surprise.

" Ay! Careful there" I caught her in my wing and pulled her small body closer.

" You could've fallen" I warned.

I hoped she would be thankful for my quick catch but she pushed away from me slightly... angry? Frustrated? I didn't want to anger her more so I hesitated as we walked to the food section of our home.

She mumbled something like: " Ducks these days, always keep me safe..."

I ignored her but what she said rang in my ears.

We continued to talk and walk on until I realized we went around our territory twice so I tried to cut our conversation quick.

" I'm thinking one day we can go there together and explore," I said.

I knew she didn't need a second to think about it when she leaped in the air in joy.

" Like- right now?" She asked excitedly.

" Sure!"

With that, the plan was going to work as beautifully and smoothly as her feathers on a rainy day. I had no idea what the quacking heck I was going to find in the owner's home. Hay? Grass? Sun? More ducks? Something inside me couldn't wait but I was holding back fear at the same time.

But there was no doubt I'm going to cancel it.

- *************************************************************** -

" Okay, on the count of three we are going to push, alright?"

" On my count of three" Princess corrected.

We are at the gigantic opening and closing door the owners come in by. Being this close to it, I feel like it's going to fall on me.

" Wait. I have a better idea" She turned around and waddled back and gave a fierce look at the door. A look that you won't see on a beautiful tiny duck, like her.

She suddenly charged head-first into the door, the sound sending me backward and tripping over the food bowl. Princess fell to the ground. Panic rose inside me and I scrambled up from the bowl to her.

" A-are you alright?!" I quacked.

I lifted Princess carefully so her soft feathers wouldn't be messy and I pulled her right up.

" Obviously!" She said, rolling her eyes.

Stupid- stupid me I thought

There wasn't time to waste. I could feel her getting mad and I couldn't wait for the feeling of being a hero.

" Look over there!" She called.

She pointed her wing to Willus, the meanest, most annoying chicken ever.

He scratched at the dry dirt on the ground. He was in a corner of shade and had a determined look on his face that he was going to get a bug.

I couldn't tell what she meant at first until I peered under his feet, a small gap!

Princess walked casually over. I thought she'll ask politely when I was surprised to hear Willus yelp loudly. Princess had a good grip on his golden-brown neck and Willus tried desperately to beat away. Quick as a flash, Princess had him running away.

" Cmon, we can't stand here all day" She grunted.

I quickly shook back into reality and waddled to the gap between the fence and the dirty ground.

" You'll go in first and I'll in second. I can push your fat butt in easier that way" She explained.

" Hey! I don't have a fa-"

" Hurry up" She demanded.

I forced myself not to travel into an eye roll and took a deep breath and squeezed my head through. It didn't feel bad until it got to my chest.

No matter how hard I pushed or how much I squirmed my big body was stuck. I started to quack in alarm until I felt a mighty punch in my rear-end.

I quacked loudly.

" Don't be a big baby, I'm just helping!" She grunted and gave me another big shove.

My wings were pinned behind me, if they were free, I'll be flapping the heck out of them right now. And that's when I stumbled into the cool wet grass.

I stood up to look around me. Trees! Fresh, fresh grass! My whole life experiences were dumping me somewhere new. The betrayal of the promise to never leave. Someone tapped me on the side.

" Hello!" Princess chirped.

" Gah!" I yelped.

" How- how- did you get-"

Before I expected her to finish my sentence, she took off waddling to the big earth lump.

The big earth lump was greyish white and was finished with big brown rectangles lining on every side. It was oddly shaped and could hold so many secrets... dangers. I saw how Princess acted but I wasn't so sure if I wanted to go in anymore. A breeze rattled my thoughts back and I hurried up with Princess.

" Do you think this is a good idea?" I asked trying to sound fearless.

" Of course! Best idea ever!" She squealed.

I thought more and looked at the towering earth lump then I looked back at our home. From the distance, I was right about my white feathers being a light in the dark. StraitTail's feathers were the first thing anybody would see first.

The gate, the fence. How- small it looks from this distance. The sun presented the grass and reflected on our coop's roof. Is this what the owners see? Do they think we are some little colored ( and speckled) dots roaming around our grass plains?

A feeling of concern lurched inside my stomach. Thinking it was a sign to not go farther, I stopped and stayed back. What have I gotten her into?

I waited for Princess to turn around.

" What's wrong?" She asked a slight sign of disappointment in her voice.

I shifted my big orange feet on the new texture of grass and raced an idea through my smart brain.

" Hungry"

Princess gave me a funny look and nudged my wing.

" Are you- scared?" She sputtered.

A loud quack of laughter escaped from her little beak. I didn't know how long I stared at her beak opening so wide. Her chest puffed in and out as she finished off her echoing laughter with wheezing.

" Wow! You have to be kidding me-" She exclaimed in disbelief.

We walked on and I couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Sometimes I wonder if Princess might lead all the ducks one day, instead of me. When we travel in a group Princess runs to the top to take lead, leaving me behind her.

Some days I let her take lead while other days I quickly go in front of her. It's for two reasons. One: I want her to be safe. Two: Well- I want to lead.

I wish my name was " Lead"

We continued our stroll when we both realized how close we were to the earth lump. That's when I heard a familiar sound I sometimes hear back at home.

I know it wasn't an owner sound. The ways owners speak are so... complicated. It has all these turns and twists with its language. Sometimes I hear them repeat "words" but I don't know the definitions.

The grumbly and sharp cries of the sound nearly rattled my brain of how loud it was. Is it coming from the earth lump? I think it is.

I glanced over to my side to see Princess tilting her head to the sound. Her feathers tingled. I think she senses danger.

" Nope" I blurted out.

I turned to race back to our home when Princess squeezed my neck and shoved me forward. She didn't release her grip and kept her eyes locked sternly on the earth lump.

She didn't let go of my neck until a little crack of the earth lump opened up, like the door back at our home. I took a quick glance at it if I should decide to turn back. As the door opened more, a tall thin figure, two legs, wait... owners!

" Owners..." Breathed Princess.

My heart dropped when I saw- another owner? Between our owners towering legs, there was something smaller. Maybe it was a little taller than me? The creature looked thickly wrapped in a fuzzy blonde layer that left its black nose and eyes revealed. Its surprisingly long tongue lolled playfully out of its wide mouth.

The thing whimpered.

It growled.

When the owner closed the door, the four-legged and its overgrown feathery fuzz monster lunged at us. A weird flabby part of the monster's skin was on the side of its head. As it ran to us the flappy part bounced up and down like an ear-splitting quack... or whatever it is echoed the area.

Woof!

A cry escaped my beak as I waddled as quickly as I could away. Almost forgetting Princess, I snatched her easily away and we both dashed for our lives.

" Dunkin! What is that thing?" Princess cried.

I tried to push my hammering heart aside for a moment to respond.

" I- huff puff d-don't huff-huff know!" I panted.

I turned to Princess for comfort that I wasn't alone in this when she disappeared from my sight.

And when I mustered up my courage to look behind me, I knew how she felt when she disappeared from my sight; I got pulled backward.