WATCHFUL was already tied at the boat launch when the mallard appeared.

Ellis had been inspecting the launch ramp that morning. The painted center line had worn smooth from years of trailer tires. Small stones showed through where the gravel had worked loose.

He made a note to schedule resurfacing before spring.

Then the mallard came around the north reed point with seven ducklings behind her.

The line loosened once in the wake near the ramp, then gathered itself again. They were heading toward the launch.

The cove was already busy. Two fishing boats had launched that morning. A third truck was backing slowly down the gravel road, its trailer lights blinking red.

The water behind the last boat rolled unevenly across the ramp.

Ellis stepped back from the edge of the dock and stayed where he was.

Walt had already walked to the piling beside the launch lane. He didn’t block the ramp. He simply stood where the driver could see him.

The truck stopped. The engine settled into a quiet idle.

Nobody waved. Nobody spoke.

The mallard reached the shallow corner where the dock met the shoreline. The ducklings gathered close behind her. The smallest reached the corner a moment after the others.

They waited.

Ellis checked his watch. Four minutes.

The wake flattened. The mallard gave one quiet call.

The ducklings straightened into a line and followed her back around the reed point. The last duckling hurried twice to catch the others, then settled into place.

Walt stepped away from the piling. The truck eased backward again.

The launch resumed.

Ellis opened the field notebook. Mallard with seven ducklings. Boat launch cove. Ramp traffic paused four minutes. Passage completed without incident.

He closed the notebook.

WATCHFUL eased into the main channel. When they passed the north reed point again, the water was quiet.

Only a few widening ripples remained.