Something New By Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this work are purely fictional. Any resemblance to people alive or dead is purely a coincidence. They are the original and rightful intellectual property of their creators. Some of them are depicted as underage. I use them with permission and respect. You have been warned.
“When I let go of who I am,
I become who I might be.”
-Lao Tazu
There is a time in every person’s life when it comes time to try something new. Of course, the tried and true habits of the past would be a welcome repetition for many. However, each one of us must spread our wings in an effort to do something altogether different. It is in the little things that character is developed, especially when in the sprawls of our youth when things are not yet as set in stone.
Dakka was a young boy who lived on the outskirts of Montreal. Originally from Eastern Europe, the wolf cub had been moved there for the reasons of education as part of an exchange program. As a ward of the state, his home country had been looking for an outing for the boy to experience the world. Dakka was very hesitant at first but after some coaxing by his social service worker, he finally agreed to go along with it.
It had already been several months since the move and things weren’t really getting easier for him. While he spoke pretty good English, his thick accent was difficult for most of the local kids to understand. Many of those in his class shunned his arrival as often children do when a new kid arrived. As such the young cub was finding himself isolated and quite homesick despite not really being there that long.
Each day he made a conscious effort to call his parents quite early in the day to make sure the time difference didn’t catch them late at night or asleep. When he did he was usually pretty upfront about his issues with his new home. Often he went a bit too far in his stories and exaggerated just what he was dealing with. His social worker continuously tried to reassure him that things would be alright and promised him that if by the middle of the school year, if he wasn’t happy, that he would be brought home.
Dakka realized that no much he complained about it, that his stay would at least be short term. He decided that he needed to make the best of it and continue to hang low. Every day at school, the black wolf pup didn’t really go out of his way in order to make friends. Most of the other kids were ignoring him now, and he was pretty happy that he wasn’t being picked on anymore. The cub had even gone as far as to acquaint himself with one of the teachers who had taken a liking to his studious attitude.
The woman was a Science teacher at the school and had been vested into tenure for some time. The tall sea lion of a woman was well known and liked by her students, despite her no-nonsense attitude. She was one of the few staff members who stuck her nose in the business of the students with the mind that she would discover and uproot any bullying before it happened. There was one thing she disliked more than anything it was that.
Over the past month, Dakka had been opening up to her. She was a foreigner, much like himself and she was able to sympathize with his plight having also moved here at a young age. Coincidently the woman came from one of the neighboring countries near his own and the two even reminisced about the old world. One day one of the women noticed the disheveled cub by himself and tried to do something about it, since it wasn’t the first time he’d been seen alone.
She explained that she had seen the cub by himself on a few occasions. The teacher knew that he was a transfer and had heard about him through the grapevine of rumors through the other kids. The information she had was warped but it was enough to give her insight and figure that he was having a difficult time assimilating into the new place.
The man thought about it a few seconds and considered providing the kid service. However, he knew that psychological aids didn’t always work out on kids and decided to go with another strategy for the ordeal. He shared the plan with the teacher, which was to recruit another kid to show the new one the ropes. The hopes being that eventually, they would befriend each other. The woman smiled, believing she knew a good choice to conscript for the matter.
She left his office in hopes that she found her choice in his usual locale. The woman headed straight for the science department of the school asking around until she found her pick dallying around in one of the school labs. The cub in question was a boy one year older than Dakka and one who was keener on his academics than socializing. She figured he could use the companionship just as much as the foreigner could.
She approached him as the small arctic fox kit seemed to be examining a slide through the top of a microscope. The sea lion tapped him on the shoulder and the boy looked up with a smile. The teacher proceeded to share the story with her pupil and the student was more than willing to take up the task. The fox promised to do so once he was done with his experiment. She giggled and was on her way, feeling good about herself believing she had done it for both of them.
Later on that day, Dakka was walking through the halls minding his own business until he arrived at his locker. His space was on the lowest row so he had to bend over in order to get to it. As he was exchanging out his stuff for the last class for the day, his shoulder was tapped. The wolf cub's heart stopped for a second out of fear for some level of mischief waiting behind him. The black wolf looked behind him and sure enough, another boy holding a book stood in front of him with a smile.
“Hiya, what’s your name?” The white fox asked as he extended a paw to help the other to stand up.
The wolf hesitated a bit before answer and dropped some of his supplies. “Uh…Dakka. Who are you?”
“I’m Pent and I heard you recently moved here. Need someone to show you around?” The kit bent over to help the other cub to pick up his stuff.
The smaller cub smiled at the helpful boy. “Sure, okay. That sounds good.”
Once his stuff was gathered up once again, Pent helped to stuff it back in Dakka’s bag. The parcel was stuffed with stuff and the fox took some of the stuff out of it in order to reduce some of the weight.
“You don’t need everything at once. That’s why you have a locker.” The bigger boy said before storing the selected items back in the locker.
Dakka nodded feeling a little bit silly about hoarding so much in his bag. “Yeah, I guess I’m just not used to it.”
“It’s alright. Now you know. Come on.” Pent stood back up and walked next to the other cub.
The two began walking together down the hall. The same female teacher who had arranged the meeting couldn’t help but smile as the two new friends walked down the hall.
Pent showed the way through each of the halls. Many of them Dakka had already visited but there were some areas he had never been formally introduced to. The fox proceeded to show him to the clinic as well as the front office, where he already walked through every day when he entered the school. The kit made sure to make a stop by the science classes and showed him the lab he was working in earlier.
Dakka’s tail was wagging slowly behind him as his own science class hadn’t done a lab yet. He wasn’t as keen on the subject as Pent was but still, all of the shiny equipment in the room was alluring to him. The fox even went as far as to show him the microscope he was checking out earlier. The bigger boy shoved a stepping stool over so that the smaller one could step on it in order to look down.
When Dakka got a chance to look through the lens, his reaction was one of utter surprise. Pent smiled as he could see his new friend enjoying the view and then got an idea for after school.
“So, you’re from Eastern Europe right?” The fox asked as his friend popped his head up from the scope.
The wolf nodded. “Yeah, why?”
“I was thinking. Do you know how to skate?” The kit scratched his chin while positing the question.
Dakka shook his head. “Nope. We’re you planning to later?”
“Yeah, maybe. It’s not quite late enough in the winter for outdoor skating but we could go to the rink and I could show you if you want?” Pent figured he would have enough time before hockey practice to show the other boy the ropes.
The smaller cub hummed in thought. “Sure, if my foster parents say it’s alright.”
“Cool, can I get your number then?” Pent pulled out a small piece of paper and handed it to the wolf.
Dakka filled out the slip and handed it to the fox. “Here you go. What time are you thinking?”
“I dunno. I guess like 5?” The kit shrugged as he wanted close to practice but not too early for dinner.
The wolf's tail wagged behind him and his ears perked up. “Alright, sounds good.”
Dakka hopped off the stepping stool and Pent moved it to the side before they made their way out of the lab. The bell rang shortly after which meant the short-lived tour of the school was over. But it didn’t matter since the wolf had seen most of the school. They returned to their separate classes and sat together during lunch. The rest of the day went normal until the final bell rang and they went their separate ways home.
The wolf got to his temporary home and shared the news with his makeshift family. His foster mother also happened to be a wolf and she was happy to see that he had a good day for once. When Dakka asked her about going out to learn how to skate, she was happy to oblige. The pup was glad he was being permitted to go. It wasn’t long before Pent called and the wolf was happy to announce that he could participate.
Pent informed him of the address of the location and the time was set. It was a little over an hour until their arranged time of meeting at the rink. Dakka had asked his foster mother to drop him off at the place. The fox had done the same with his older brother who arrived a little bit earlier to get settled. By the time Dakka walked into the building, Pent had already changed into warmer and more flexible clothing to show the other cub the activity.
The fox noticed the familiar black wolf walk towards the rink. Pent quickly walked over as he assumed the other boy didn’t have any equipment. In fact, he wasn’t even wearing a sweatshirt despite wearing some jeans over his legs. Luckily the kit had brought an extra with him to loan to the smaller cub. As he put it on, Pent couldn’t help but smile at how poorly the slightly baggy piece of clothing fit.
After that, the bigger boy led the smaller one over to a counter where the rentals were handled.
“Tell them what size shoe you are.” Pent handed over a small card to the attendant who nodded at him.
Dakka rattled off his shoe size and was handed a pair of figure skates. Pent nodded at the woman as he understood the ease of learning via this method rather than on hockey skates like he was wearing.
Pent lead back towards the rink itself which was somewhat dark. There were a few people around, some of them who appeared to be there for similar reasons to the fox. The bigger boy pointed to the bleachers.
“Change into the skates and put your shoes either by my bag or inside them.” The kit indicated a team Canada hockey bag on the second row of seats.
Dakka nodded and understood before complying with the request. He proceeded to change into the skates and laced himself up. It was a very similar process to tie his shoes so he didn’t need help for that.
The fox helped the smaller boy to his feet. As he did the wolf cub wobbled a little bit trying to maintain his balance just standing there.
“Alright, so for now I just want you to find your center of gravity. Stand straight and try to not let your body sway one way or the other.
Pent stood there a minute allowing his hands to help stabilize the other cub. It took a few seconds but eventually, Dakka understood that he needed to control his body to keep his posture upright.
Pent smiled and patted the smaller cubs back. “Good job. Come on.”
The fox began to walk forward rather slowly. At first, Dakka took it even slower than his friend did. With each step he took, his knees buckled a bit. The muscles he was working had never been stressed in such a way before. The wolf was feeling a little anxious as they got closer to the spot where a door was open into an arena of ice. He couldn’t help but look around noticing the large plasticized risen glass that circled the arena.
Pent eventually stepped onto the ice. He dug his feet into the area where he was standing so he could brace himself. The fox assumed that his friend would most likely fall upon entry. Dakka took a slow yet deliberate entry onto the ice. His first skate clad paw hit the ice and slid right into Pent’s waiting foot. Luckily the fox’s stance was strong enough to keep himself standing upright while the wolf essentially leaned on him for support.
Pent pulled on Dakka’s paw to guide him into the arena itself. The moment he did the cub’s forward foot slipped free of Pent’s stalwart one. The boy flopped over on his behind. Even still the boy kept a smile on his face. The fox helped him up and once again the wolf was on his feet. His feet shifted every once in a while but Pent kept his hands on his lower portion in order to assure he did not fall again.
Slowly they began moving. The fox was going backward while facing toward the smaller cub. Pent’s arms were locked forward on Dakka’s shoulder.
“Alright grab on to me and hold on.” The fox slowed down on the ice so that the other cub could lock on.
Dakka nodded and did as he was told. “Now what?”
“Make gentle strides forward as if you were walking, one paw at a time. Watch me.” Pent imitated the motion in a backward fashion.
The wolf tried to follow in suit. One after the other he pretended as if he was walking. With each step he took he was feeling more confident. On his third step forward his stance wavered a bit but Pent was able to keep him standing this time.
The fox continued to guide his friend around the perimeter of the arena. Before long they made a full circle and came to a stop when they passed by the door that led into the area.
“Now, I want you to try without holding on to me. I will still be close by to try to catch you if you fall.” Pent slowly let go.
Dakka’s body tensed up as it had grown used to relying on Pent. Within moments one of his feet wavered and the cub fell on his behind again. The wolf couldn’t help but laugh at his own slip-up.
The bigger boy offered his paw to the smaller one. “Up we go. Try again.”
Dakka nodded and took one careful stride forward. His right foot continued to stride towards Pent with the fox keeping a safe enough distance away. The wolf's left foot remained motionless as he dragged it behind.
“Now, the other. Don’t just glide.” Pent looked down to keep an eye on the other's skate movement.
The wolf built up the courage before pushing his other foot forward.
“Again with the other foot and rotate between your feet.” The fox continued to instruct the younger boy.
With each stride he took, Dakka’s confidence increased a little bit. Slowly but surely he was getting the hang of it.
Pent shifted himself to the left side of the wolf. Dakka occasionally reached out to lean against the other cub. The fox was glad he was learning. Soon they made a second-round circling the perimeter of the arena. As they made the full circle around it, the fox considered showing the other boy what he was capable of. He began to pick up speed leaving the side of the other boy with only a slight moment of hesitation.
Dakka watched as the fox blurred around the circular rink. He was able to make the lap in no time flat, much faster than he had when Pent was helping his friend only moments before. The kit made a hockey stop right next to the smaller cub resulting a spray of ice all over him.
“Hey, no fair! I didn’t want to get wet.” The woof shook himself in an effort to dry off but in reality, hadn’t really gotten that wet.
The fox blushed. “Sorry about that. I’m going to head to practice. You can keep working on it and I’ll check up on you after.”
“Cool, thanks for your help.” Dakka started to trudge along slowly as he continued around the arena.
Before long the fox disappeared for his hockey event which was on the opposite side of the building. In the meanwhile, Dakka continued to improve his skills and work towards the basics of movement in skating.
After a while, he was beginning to feel tired so Dakka made his exit from the rink. As he did, he almost slipped up again. Fortunately, the wall was right next to him so he was able to catch himself before he fell down again. Once he was on solid ground again, the wolf was glad he had tried it. He began to take off the skates and took them back to the rental booth. Then he heard the unfamiliar sound of slapping reverberate through the building.
Dakka traveled back to the other side of the rink and saw a number of kids practicing hockey. He wondered if Pent could be there but wasn’t too sure since they were all wearing jerseys and protective gear. The wolf watched for a short while before the players started to head in. One of the players wearing the number 22 skated over to where he was. When he took off his helmet, Dakka could see that it was Pent.
“How did it go? We’re done now. I can show you some more if you want.” The fox leaned a little bit on a stick he was holding.
The wolf shook his head. “Nah, I’m done. Thank you for showing me though.”
“No problem. Did you call your mom then?” Pent made his way out of the rink and walked over to the smaller boy.
Dakka shrugged. “Not yet.”
“My brother can take you home then. Just call your mom on the way home.” The fox placed his paw behind the other cub and guided him towards the front of the building.
Pent disappeared for a bit to change out of his hockey gear. It wasn’t long before he showed up back in his street clothes that he had been in earlier. His fur was now matted a little bit by sweat. The fox motioned forward and handed his phone to the other cub. Dakka went about calling his foster mother to let her know that he’d be taken home by his friend's older brother.
After it was confirmed to be alright the two of them filed into Pent’s brother's car, which was already waiting outside. Dakka passed on the address of his home to the older fox, who smiled seeming glad that his brother had made a friend. It wasn’t every day that he saw his younger brother with boys around his own age, so every time it happened he was happy for him. Before long the car left the lot on the way back to the wolf's home.
The distance wasn’t terribly far away but during the car trip home, Pent pulled his new friend and gave him a quick noogie. The wolf grunted a bit but still maintained a friendly smile towards his friend. They began to recount their day, much of it centering around the lessons the older boy had given the younger one. Several minutes later, they pulled into the complex and up to the house where Dakka was now living.
“See you tomorrow?” Pent said as he watched the wolf exit the car.
Dakka nodded with his tail wagging happily. It had been a good day and his heart was soaring with happiness. The cub daydreamed while in his bed, staring into the night sky giggling. He couldn’t wait to share the information with both his foster parents. For the first time since he’d moved there, he was looking forward to going to school tomorrow. Perhaps it wouldn’t be quite as bad, he thought to himself as he hugged his foster mother who had been waiting for him at the door to greet him.
