Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was a calm sunset when the Mallards and their friends started celebrating their time in Jamaica. During the celebration. Dax, Mack and Pam's son and eldest duckling, approached Kim, his first crush.

"Would you like to dance, Kim?"

"I love to!" Kim eagerly replied.

Dax and Kim met at Dax's home pond, and the two immediately hit it off. She suggested that Dax and his family joined them on their migration to Jamaica, but Mack, out of fear of losing his family, rejected the offer.

Dax and Kim reunited sometime after that, and they were hardly separable. Dax needed to spend every quality time with his first crush before next spring kicks in.

Dax and Kim immediately started dancing. Dax twirled her around a couple of times, much to her joy, and he dipped her down with his wings, which are mended with the wings of a Scarlet Macaw named Delroy.

Dax injured his wings while he tried to save some ducks from an evil chef from New York City and he was rendered flightless because of it. Fortunately, he was able to mend his wings by inserting some molded feathers from Delroy.

Dax and Kim continued their dance, but then, they were interrupted by his little sister, Gwen. Gwen met Kim alongside Dax, and she was a little rude compared to Dax. She didn't trust Kim, out of fear of being 'psycho killed', and Dax had to keep her in line.

Gwen silently asked the two for a dance, and Dax, desperate to get rid of her, grabbed her wing and he twirled her around and flung her away, so he can continue his dance with Kim.

While the two continued their dance, they noticed Dax's parents dancing their hearts out. "Wow! Your parents are good at dancing!"

"I know!" Dax replied. "They got caught in a Salsa Tuesday session at a restaurant, and they danced in order to escape it."

"Wait," Kim said in confusion, "you guys were at a restaurant? What exactly happened during your migration?"

"Well..." Dax began nervously. He was nervous of sharing the story of his adventure with her during a social event. "I'll tell you about it tomorrow. You see, it's kind of long and embarrassing. And scary, too."

"I'll tell you what," Kim began, "We'll go out on a date tomorrow, and you can tell me all about your adventure. Sound good?"

Dax gasped. "A date? Really?"

Kim nodded. "Mmm-hmm. You know, when I left your pond, I was a little devastated because I really wanted to spend some time with you. But it doesn't matter because you're here now, and we can date as much as we want!"

Dax smiled. "Sounds like a plan and a half!"

The two continued their dance, and they watched Delroy and Dan dance a tango session. When Delroy failed to hoist Dan up, and they fell down, Dax and Kim chortled heartily.

Dax finished the dance by dipping Kim down for a long moment, and then he lifted her back up to her webbed feet. After that, Kim surprised Dax with a kiss on the cheek and an embrace.

"Oh, Dax! I'm so happy that you came to Jamaica! We are going to have a grand time until the spring comes."

Dax smiled as he returned the embrace. "I can't wait, Kim," he said softly. "I can't wait."

Chapter Text

The next morning, Dax woke up in the family nest, and he began to head out. Pam stopped him, unfortunately.

"Dax, where are you going?" Pam asked her son.

"To meet with Kim," Dax replied. "We're going on a date."

Gwen, who was having berries for breakfast, suddenly choked on her berries before speaking. "A date?! With Kim?! Oh, boy! Can I come?!"

"No, Gwen!" Dax immediately shot her down.

"Oh, please, Dax?" Gwen whined.

"Gwen, sweetie," Pam said firmly "dates are usually gone on their own, without anyone interrupting them. I'm sorry, but you cannot go with him."

"Aw, man!" Gwen whine more. "I want to see how Dax'll convince Kim to have babies with him."

"GWEN!" Dax angrily shouted in embarrassment.

"Hey, hey!" Pam interjected, getting between her two children, and she turned to Dax. "Dax, please do not shout in the nest. You can go. I'll deal with Gwen."

Dax sighed in both relief and annoyance, and he left the nest. As he is outside, he encountered his father.

"Hey, son," Mack said. "Where you off to?"

"To meet with Kim," Dax replied. "We're going on a date."

"Ah!" Mack reacted gaily. "Excellent, excellent. I remember my first date with your mother. I was treated by our flock like an ugly duckling, and she treated me like a prince and--"

"Yeah, yeah, sounds interesting," Dax flatly interrupted. "I need to get going."

Mack was a little annoyed at being interjected, but he let it slide. "Okay, well, have a good time, and stay out of trouble."

"Yes, sir," Dax replied and he took off to the pond where he reunited with Kim the day he and his family came to Jamaica.

Dax already spotted Kim talking with her parents, and she gasped as she spotted him. She swam up to him in excitement.

"Hi, Dax!" Kim said as she embraced him. "Are you ready to go?" Dax nodded. "Okay, let's go!"

"Ah, ah, ah!" Kim's mother interrupted the two from leaving. "Remember to be back here at sunset, sweetie."

"You better keep that in mind, Dax," Kim's father said to the Mallard boy.

"Yes, sir," Dax responded.

"Relax, guys," Kim said, slightly annoyed. "I'll be back in time for supper." She grabbed Dax's wing. "Come on, Dax, let's go!"

At last, Dax and Kim left her nest, and they are venturing throughout the pond. Dax already became anxious on what to do first.

"So..." Dax began, "Where do you want to go first?"

"The waterfalls, of course," Kim replied with excitement in her voice. "I want to get cleaned up first." She noticed Dax blushing and began talking to him seductively. "What's wrong? You never cleaned in front of a girl before?"

Dax blushed even harder, and he shook his head. This is already starting to become the best time of his life.

Kim led Dax to the waterfalls that are not far from the pond. The two got under the waters, and they began cleaning up their feathers like how a human bathes in a shower.

Dax watched Kim bathed herself, and he couldn't stop blushing. He looked away when Kim glanced at him.

"Hey, Dax--"

"I didn't see anything!" Dax panicked. "I swear!"

Kim giggled heartily. "You're so funny, Dax!" After a few more seconds of giggling, she stopped. "I wanted to ask you about your journey. What was it like?"

"It was... thrilling," Dax admitted. "We started out by staying at a heron's nest for shelter from a bad rainstorm, and then we arrived at a big city called New York."

"New York?" Kim repeated the name of the city. "I've heard of that place. Too many of those humans."

"Anyway," Dax continued, "we met some pigeons, and they led us to a Scarlet Macaw named Delroy who lives here. He was kidnapped by a human we dubbed 'The Chef', and we rescued him from the evil chef. After that we met some pekins at a duck farm and we ran into the chef again. He stepped on my wings, and I was damaged badly."

Kim gasped. "That's why you had to use those colorful feathers?" Dax nodded his head glumly. "I'm so sorry."

"What's worse is that my father yelled at me for almost getting myself killed when I was trying to save some pekins," Dax said, reminiscing his argument with Mack. "I was bummed and angry. I'm sick and tired of being treated like a baby."

"Dax, I'm sure your father wasn't trying to treat you like a baby," Kim comforted her new boyfriend. "He was just worried about your well-being. That's what I'd do."

Dax looked at Kim and he sighed. "I guess you're right, Kim. Anyway, the chef followed us on his helicopter, and he captured my parents, my Uncle Dan, Delroy and the pekins." Me and Gwen were the only ones who escaped. Using these feathers, I led Gwen after the helicopter, and we saved my parents from falling to their deaths on a cage."

"Ohh!" Kim reacted. "How brave of you!"

"Thanks," Dax replied. "Anyway, Dad and I reconciled, and we made it to Jamaica with no further problems."

"Wow!" Kim reacted happily. "That is quite a story. So eventful. Not like my migration."

"Huh," Dax chuckled. "If my father agreed for us to go with you, we wouldn't have had to go through that nonsense."

"It doesn't matter Dax," Kim said firmly. "You're here now. That's all that matters."

"Yeah."

"Well, now that we're clean, and I had a good story to clean to," Kim began. "Want to go eat some bananas?"

"Heck yeah!" Dax replied eagerly, and he and his new girlfriend flew to some trees to find some bananas.

Chapter Text

Dax and Kim continued their date on the banana trees which are not far from the pond. They plucked one banana for themselves. Dax savored the taste of the banana.

"Mmm!" Dax reacted with a yummy sound after one bite. "This is good. This is definitely better than the berries at home."

"Mmm-hmm," Kim agreed. "They are definitely better than the seaweed my flock and I eat whenever we travel away from home."

Hey, Kim," Dax began to ask a question, "can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Where are you from? Where's your home?"

"Oh," Kim responded gaily. "My flock and I live in a beautiful lake up in Canada."

"Canada, huh?" Dax asked, and Kim nodded her head. "I've heard of that place. I heard it's always snowing there."

"It mostly snows on the northern parts of Canada," Kim corrected. "We live on the border between Canada and the U.S. I'm pretty sure your pond is not far from our lake. I mean, your pond is our very first stop for rest and food."

"Oh, well," Dax said as his face brightened. "That's great!" Dax chuckled nervously.

They continued their eating and when they're done, they spent most of the day swimming in the river and flying around the trees. They rested at an area where they are greeted by Delroy and his parrot group.

"Hey, Dax!" Delroy said to Dax. "I see you have your girl with you!" Dax blushed while Kim giggled. "Are you enjoying Jamaica, mon?"

"Yes, Delroy, I am," Dax replied gaily. "Thank you for leading us here."

"No..." Delroy began. "Thank you. If it wasn't for you, I would've still been locked in that cage."

"Oh, yeah," Kim chimed in. "you're the one Dax was talking about. So, you were locked in a cage?"

"Yes, my dear," Delroy replied solemnly. "I was captured from this place and was locked in a cage in the hands of a lunatic cage." His tone brightened suddenly. "But then, I met this brave fellow and his family. Dax is the one who wanted to rescue me in the first place."

"Oh, Dax, you're so brave!" Kim said to Dax with pride.

"Yes, he is," Delroy agreed. "Well, I'll leave you two lovebirds alone. Tell your family I said 'hi', Dax!"

"You got it, Delroy!" Dax promised, and Delroy flew away to rejoin his group. "I like that guy."

"Me, too," Kim replied. "He's so full of life!"

"He is," Dax responded. He and Kim continued their swim in the river. Dax was thinking of something. He wanted to ask Kim something, but he's too nervous to ask.

Kim noticed how gloomy Dax looked and stopped swimming. "Dax, is something wrong?"

"Huh?" Dax asked, snapping out of his gloomy trance. "Oh, uh... Nothing. I... Uh..." Dax noticed that Kim is looking at him as if she can tell he is lying. "Well, it's just..." He sighed, knowing that he has to take the hill now. "Kim, I've been thinking of something, but before I tell you what it is, let me ask you something."

"What is it, Dax?"

"Kim..." Dax began, feeling mighty nervous. "Do you ever think about the future recently?"

Kim widened her eyes, and she looked down on the water. "Yes, I do," she replied. "Dax, I have a confession to make. Ever since I first met you, I'm in love with you."

Dax's eyes widened. "You're in love with me?"

Kim nodded her head silently. "I told you that when your father rejected my father's request at your pond, I was devastated. I really wanted to spend some time with you, because I'm in love with you."

"Kim, I--"

"Please, let me finish," Kim interjected. "Dax, I know this is too fast, but when I grow up a little, and my parents let me fly away free... I want to fly to your pond and spend the rest of my life with you."

Dax froze; his eyes widened, and his heart is beating like crazy. "Really?" Kim nodded her head. "Kim, I'm glad to hear you admit that because I'm in love with you, too!"

Kim gasped in surprise. "You do?! REALLY?!" Dax nodded his head. "Then you don't mind if I..."

"No, Kim, I don't mind," Dax answered. "I will wait for you in my pond, and when we reunite, we will be together forever!"

Kim jerked tears of joy. She has never been happy since she first came to Jamaica. She and Dax have agreed to meet each other when they grow up and become a mated pair.

"OH, DAX!!!" Kim cried, and she hugged Dax tightly.

The two love-ducks spun around as they still cling to each other. Seconds later, Dax put Kim down on the ground and he kissed her when they separated from each other. Kim was stunned at first, but she immediately returned the kiss afterwards.

After the kiss, Dax spotted someone, who immediately ducked behind a tree. "What the heck?!" Dax sputtered, for he recognized who the someone is. He flew to the tree, and he caught Gwen hiding. "GWEN!!!"

Gwen looked up at her outraged brother, and she chuckled nervously. "Hello."

Chapter Text

"GWEN, YOU LITTLE FEATHERY WART!!!" Dax yelled at his sister, who was spying on his date with Kim. "Mom told you not to come with me!"

"I'm sorry, Dax," Gwen apologized, "but I wanted to see if you could get some action, and from the look of it, you not only got your first kiss, but Kim wants to have babies with--"

Dax interrupted his sister's talking by placing her underwater like he always does. He, then, turned to Kim. "I am so sorry. I cannot believe this wart would spy on us like that."

Kim got close to Dax and she made him let go of Gwen. "Dax, it's okay. My little brother can be a wart, too. Let's just go home and tell your parents what Gwen did, okay?"

"No, please don't tell Mom!" Gwen pleaded. "I'll leave you guys alone."

"Too late, Gwen." Dax said with firm finality.

"I'll deny it and tell them you tried to drown me!" Warned Gwen.

"Not if I tell them first," Kim remarked.

"Oh, please, guys!" Gwen pleaded, and a few seconds later, she breathed in and did her trademark pleading. "PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE!!!

Kim looked at Gwen with wide eyes, while Dax rolls his eyes. Gwen may be able to sway Uncle Dan with her "Please!" bid, but it won't work on her brother.

At last, an exhausted Gwen collapsed and almost drowned, but Kim helped her over the water. "I'm sorry, Gwen, but we have to tell them because we have to teach you a lesson not to be prying on anybody else's business."

Gwen began sobbing a little bit as she and Kim swum back home while a happy Dax followed. He is happy that Gwen is going to get what she deserved.

Suddenly, a growling can be heard, and that startled the three ducklings. "What was that?" Gwen asked.

"I don't know," Dax replied, and he began to look around, trying to find the trace. He looked at a bushy pile of grass blades, and he noticed something funny.

Moments later, a ferocious crocodile moved through the grass blades and tried to snap its jaws at Dax, who screamed like heck. Gwen and Kim also screamed like heck.

"Kim!" Dax screamed at his love interest. "Take Gwen and run!"

"No, Dax!" Both Kim and Gwen simultaneously cried.

"GO!" Dax yelled insistently. "Go get Dad!"

With Dax distracted, the crocodile, suddenly, swiped his tail at Dax and he fell hard to a log. He is now in a daze.

"NO!" Kim cried out.

"DAX!" Gwen screamed, fearful for her brother. She, then, looked at the crocodile in anger, and she charged at it.

While Gwen charged at the crocodile, she picked up a giant stick and she began banging the crocodile in the head. with it. The crocodile looked like he is in a daze.

"Slay the DRAGOOOON!!!" Gwen yelled and she began hitting the crocodile in the head with the stick repeatedly. After the stick broke, Gwen quickly picked up a long piece of vine, and she tied it around the crocodile's neck. She picked up another piece of vine and she began whipping it. "HYAH! Ride 'em, Cowgirl!"

The crocodile ran wildly, trying to shake Gwen off, but she held on tightly. Kim, who was looking after Dax watched in pure shock and amazement. Dax came to, and he too is amazed at how his little sister is battling a crocodile with no problem whatsoever.

At last, the crocodile got tired, and Gwen jumped off and looked at the exhausted crocodile in the eye. "Listen, you're mine now," she said dominantly. "Got that? You are now my pet, and if you give me or anyone any grief, and you will answer to me! Got it?!"

The tired crocodile is now afraid of his little nemesis. He nodded his head in agreement.

"Excellent!" Gwen said happily. From now on, your name is... Toothpick!" She turned to Dax and Kim. "Problem solved. Can we go home now?"

Dax and Kim stared at Gwen in shock, and they gazed at each other. They are contemplating whether or not they should tell Gwen to let the crocodile go.

Later, Dax, Kim, Gwen and her new pet crocodile, Toothpick, returned to the pond, and all of the ducks that spotted Toothpick screamed like heck and they all flew away. When the group is all alone, Kim leaned to Dax.

"This is going to be a long day," Kim said, and Dax nodded his head in agreement.

Chapter Text

Dax and Kim spent months dating and talking about what a life thy can have in the future. But now, Spring is just around the corner and it is time for the two to say goodbye as they get set to return to their respective homes.

Dax and Kim are at the beach, and they are standing next to Kim's family. They are sad because the time has come for them to part for now.

"Canada will feel small compared to this," Kim said sadly to her boyfriend. She jerked a tear.

"Dax is trying her very best not to cry. "I will miss you, Kim," he said.

"And I will miss you, too, Dax."

Kim's father walked up to the two. "Please do not worry, young man," he said to Dax. "This is not goodbye forever. Kim told me all about your little commitment and my wife and I believe that you are a perfect match for our daughter, even though you are not the same species as us."

"Thank you, sir," Dax said gratefully.

"When Kimmie is mature enough in about a year or so," Kim's mom began, "we will let her fly free, and she will be able to find you in your pond."

Dax smiled at Kim's family. He is happy that they are granting permission for the two to become a mated pair when they are old enough. To be on the safe side, he decided to lay down some promises.

"I promise that when Kim and I become a pair, she will not starve," Dax promised firmly. "She will be well taken care of by me and my family. I will protect her with my life, and I will treat her with love and care."

"Oh, Dax!" Kim squealed in tears, and she hugged him tightly.

"I know you will keep your promise, Dax," said Kim's mom. "She made it clear that she will do the same for you. Isn't that right, Kimmie?"

"Yes, Mother," Kim replied. "Dax, I love you. I promise that I will keep loving you and treat you with care. I'll protect and guard you with my life!"

Dax smiled.

"Okay," Kim's father announced. "It's time to go home."

"Okay," Kim said to her father, and she gave Dax a long, passionate kiss on the beak. "I love you, Dax. I'll see you in a couple of years."

"Goodbye, Kim," Dax said.

"Goodbye, Dax!"

And with that, Kim and her family flew off the island with their flock and they are returning home to Canada. Dax sadly watched Kim go until she is finally out of sight.

When Kim was out of sight, Dax began to cry a little. Even though he knows he'll see her in a few years, it really pained him to watch her leave him.

Uncle Dan approached his sad great-nephew. "Don't cry, kiddo," he said. "It's not forever. You'll see her again and you are going to have a loving family with her."

Dax smiled at his great-uncle. "Thanks, Uncle Dan."

"Come, we better get ready to go home," Dan demanded.

The two walked to the shore, and they spotted Gwen pleading with her mother tearfully to let her bring Toothpick, her pet crocodile, with her to their New England pond. The two are wide-eyed at the scene.

"I can't believe your sister wants to bring that... THING back home with us," Dan sputtered.

"We both know it's not going to happen," Dax began, "I just hope Mom doesn't go for that 'Pleeease' bid."

"Oh, boy, me, too," Dan replied.

As soon as they stopped talking, Dax and Dan can hear Gwen and Pam's voices.

"Pretty please?" Gwen pleaded with a tear in her eye.

"No, Gwenny!" Pam answered, putting her foot down. You cannot take Toothpick back home!"

"But Toothpick wants to come!" Gwen pleaded again, clinging to her leash that's tied around Toothpick's neck.

Pam looked up at Toothpick's face, and she can see him waving her off. He is obviously begging her not to bring him along.

"My goodness!" She thought in her head. "How did this one duckling place so much trauma on this crocodile?"

"Thank goodness the crocodile doesn't want to come home with us," Dan softly said to his great-nephew.

"Hear, hear," Dax replied.

"Mmm..." Pam hummed, and she grabbed Gwen gently, forcing her to let go of the leash. "I think it's time to let him go. Okay, honey?"

"Okay," Gwen finally relented, and the two walked away from Toothpick, who in turn runs away back into the Jamaican jungle.

Dan and Dax sighed heavily in relief. They are glad that Toothpick is not coming with them to Moosehead Pond.

Chapter Text

It has been a couple of years since the Mallard family left Jamaica. Only they did not go home, they helped a flock of penguins get to the South Pole.

It took them some time, but the Mallards were successful at reaching the South Pole. After that, they went back to Moosehead Pond.

Sometime after the trip home, Uncle Dan has sadly passed away. The passing hit the family hard, especially Dax and Gwen, who admired him as much as Mack and Pam do. The family buried Dan in his nest, and they would sometimes visit it during their free time.

Right now, Dax visited Dan's grave alongside Gwen and her new boyfriend, a young drake named Drake. Dax and Gwen dropped off sunflowers on their great-uncle's grave and they did their prayers.

When they left the gravesite, Gwen initiated a conversation with her older brother. "You know, Dax," she began. "It has been several years since we last saw Kim. Do you really think she'll come for you?"

"I know she will," Dax replied.

"Who's Kim?" Asked Drake.

"She's Dax's beloved, a duck of a different species," Gwen replied. "They met here a few years ago, when they were migrating to Jamaica, and we followed them there. After that, the two made a pledge that they will marry when she comes to this pond again." She paused for a moment before continuing in a solemn tone. "Question is... will she--"

"She's coming!" Dax angrily interjected. "I just know she is. She promised."

A long pause followed Dax's claim. Drake decided to give privacy.

"Well, I guess I'll be heading home now," said Gwen's boyfriend. "See ya, Gwenny." He gave his girlfriend a kiss on the cheek, and he swam away.

"Bye, Drake," Gwen returned and she turned to her brother. "Come on, Dax. We should be heading home."

Dax silently nodded his head, and he followed Gwen to the tree stump where they are living with their parents. When they entered inside, they noticed Mack and Pam playing with their new twin sisters, Jill and Lil.

The twin ducklings spotted their siblings and they rushed to them, wanting to play with them. Gwen obliged, but Dax shook his head no, and he went to his feather bed and ate his berries for dinner.

"Still sulking about Kim, son?" Mack asked his son as he walked up to him. Dax nodded his head. "Well... I'm not trying to force you to forget about her, but sometimes these things can be forgotten. There's a chance that she'll--"

"Dad, please!" Dax interjected his father. "I do not want to hear it. I just know she is coming. I'm not giving up on her, and that's that."

Mack stared at his son for a while before he spoke again. "I understand, son. I know what it is like to fall in love and stay that way. Look at me with your mother. When I first saw her, I would try to be very persistent. I thought I wouldn't have a chance with her, since there was a drake who was better than me."

Dax listened to his father's story thoroughly. He is intrigued at this. He's never heard of a story like that before.

"I went and did my piece with your mother, and, with a little luck, she chose me."

Dax smiled. "That's great, Dad. I guess I know now where I got my determination from." He and Mack laughed. They stopped suddenly whenb they heard a female voice being screamed out from the nest.

"DAAAAAX!!!"

Dax's eyes widened as he heard his name. Not only that, but he recognized the voice. He immediately left the log, and he spotted a blue female duck swimming around the pond.

"DAAAAX!!!" The female duck screamed again.

Dax immediately recognized her as none other than his beloved Kim. Smiling extensively, he swam into the pond to greet her warmly.

"KIM!!!"

Kim gasped as she heard Dax's voice, and she turned to face him. "Dax! Oh, Dax, you're here!"

Dax and Kim embraced each other for a long time. Their first encountered in years, and it is very blissful.

The rest of the family watched the scene from the entrance of the nest, and so did the other Mallard ducks who live in the pond. They all seemed to enjoy what is transpiring before their eyes.

"Oh, Kim," Dax sighed lovingly. "Of course I'm here. I told you I'd wait for you."

"Thank you," Kim replied as she began to sob. She separated herself from her boyfriend. "Oh, Dax, I love you so much! Let's become mates right now!"

Dax happily nodded his head, and they embraced once more. After that, the two went to Mack and Pam and they announced their improved relationship.

"Welcome to the family, Kim," Pam said. She and Kim hugged.

As Pam and Kim, hugged, Mack took Dax aside and spoke softly to him. "You'll have to build a nest for Kim and yourself. I'll help, but you'll have to do most of the work since you are now responsible for taking care of your new mate. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," Dax replied.

The next morning, Dax stayed true to his word, and he began to build a nest for himself and for Kim. When the nest is complete, Dax and Kim started living their, and they immediately got busy in mating and making babies.

Chapter Text

Crack!

That is the sound of the three eggs underneath Dax and Kim cracking. They are finally hatching after weeks of incubation.

The cracking noises woke Kim up first. “Oh! Oh, Dax, wake up!”

“Huh, what?”

“Our babies are hatching!” Cried Kim, and she immediately got off her eggs to watch them hatch. “Go get your family!”

Dax’s eyes widened as he finally realized that today is the day he is about to become a father. Complying with Kim’s orders, he raced out of their nest to go find his family while Kim stayed and watched her eggs hatch.

Kim watched as one of the eggs had a webbed foot pop out of the shell. Kim gasped at how orange the foot looked. This made her wonder whether this baby’d be a male or a female because she and Dax both have orange feet.

At last, Dax has returned with Mack, Pam and Gwen. “I brought them, Kimmie! How are they?!”

“They’re getting close!” Kim replied. “What should I do, Mother Pam? Should I help—“

“No, no!” Pam quickly denied. “Let them take their time to hatch. It’s how they grow.”

“I remember when Dax hatched,” Mack began. “He had trouble getting the egg off of his head and he ran into the wall of the tree.”

“Dad!” Scolded Dax as his father snickered teasingly.

Crack!

The eggs cracked more and one of them was cracked enough for a fledgling’s head to pop out. Everybody gasped.

The duckling’s head is a mixture of mallard brown with wood duck blue. This is usually a result when a mallard and a wood duck mate together.

“Oh, it’s so beautiful!” Kim cried, and tears started streaming out of her eyes. “How can we tell whether it’s a boy or a girl?”

“By the voice of their quacking, of course,” Pam answered. “Don’t worry about it, sweetie.”

“I’d worry about how they’ll be bullied by our neighbors at how different they look,” Gwen said.

“Gwen!” The family scolded.

“What?!”

Later on, the cracking continued and the fledglings finally made it out of their eggs. Pam helped Kim clean up before they all took a look at them.

The ducklings began quacking hungrily, and Pam listened eagerly to determine which is female or male. She then pointed at the mallard with the blue head on it.

“This one is a male,” Pam said, pointing at the blue headed mallard fledgling. She then pointed at the fledgling with the mixed blue and brown. “This one is a female.” Then she pointed at the blue duckling with the green head on it. “And this one is male.”

“Ohh!” Kim reacted sweetly. “Dax, go get some food for them, please.”

“Okay, Kimmie,” Dax obliged. “Be right back.”

As Dax left the nest, Mack and Pam looked closely at their grandchildren. “So… What are you gonna call them, Kim? Or should we wait for Dax?” Mack asked.

“Dax and I already made a list of names,” Kim answered. “Since there are two males and one female, the female will be named after my mother, Sylvia.”

“Awww!” Pam reacted. “Great choice. I named Gwenny after my mother.”

“What about the boys?” Gwen asked.

Kim pointed at the blue-headed duckling. “I’ll name this one Blue.” She, then, pointed at the blue duck with the green head. “I’ll call him… Mack Junior, or perhaps Junior for short.”

Mack smiled and tears started streaming down his face. “I’m flattered, Kim. Truly.”

“It was Dax’s idea actually,” Kim replied. “He wanted to make sure we’d name a son after you. You mean a lot to him.”

Mack widened his eyes. “I do? Even though I was a little hard on him when—“

“Yes, Dad,” Dax’s cpvoice interjected. The family turned to see him enter the nest with a lot of berries and worms. “Dad, it’s true that we had complications in the past, but still, I just couldn’t leave you out of my life. You taught me to be more responsible and careful, and I couldn’t do that if you weren’t around. Thanks, Dad.”

Dax and Mack embraced each other for a while, and then, the once reckless Dax rejoined his mate and dropped food down on his new fledglings. The two mates kissed as the babies started feeding.

Gwen approached her brother. “Congratulations, Dax,” she said with tears on her face. “Can I get a hug?”

Dax nodded and hugged his sister. Kim joined the embrace. Later the two parents joined the hug.

The Mallard family have a new chapter to write in their lives. Dax Mallard, son of Mack and Pam, is now a parent alongside his girl, Kim. Life for him and his family have never been sweeter.