CHAPTER 7 - CARDBOARD BOATS

Orlando, Florida, Saturday, 8:47 a.m.

It was a brisk Saturday morning, thin flakes swam in the fogged sky. The pack walked on the frosted footpath, huddled in puffy hoodies protecting them from the weather's harsh conditions.

"Where are we heading to?" Quackity whined, George winced as the cold thrashed against his ears, prickling icicles.

"It's too cold for anything now." Dream breathed, halting and staring at the now deserted streets.

"I have an idea!" Karl burst. Freely running through the streets, leaving the group to follow him with questions.

"Shit!" Sapnap's words hitched. He glided across a section of ice. His arms flailed with panic before his legs fumbled beneath him. Sending him flying forward landing with great force on his stomach. Everyone's eyes forcefully widened. 

No one said anything, all frozen in shock. "Sapnap you idiot!" George broke the silence. Skidding to a stop and bending beside the wind-blown panda. Sapnap inhaled sharply as if he forgot to take his breath back after he fell.

"I'm fine." He chuckled, heaving himself up. Everyone now huddled around him.

"Where were you even taking us, Karl?" Dream raised a dog ear. The wolf had paused and was making his way back to the group.

"Well, you know that man-made lake around there?" Karl signaled behind him. "We could've bought some cardboard and had a cardboard boat race." The wolf hoped the others would agree.

"It would be frozen too," Sapnap mumbled from off the ground. The pack grinned but Quackity darted away. "C'mon then!" The duck called, and the rest joined him with the same energy.

——

The battle had raised like scorching fire on a jungle. It was Quackity and George versus Dream and Sapnap. Karl remained the judge. The Omega and the duck hung back while the other two continued to the lake. They decided to create their boat beside an aging bench halfway to the lake.

Time had passed with much concentration, straining the boy's eyes. Russells shook the bushes, and the duo glanced over. Their eyes squinted into slits from the rising sun. George flattened his ears, wondering if Sapnap or Dream were spying. To their surprise, Karl erupted from the shadows.

"Karl? What are you doing?" Quackity nosed, the wolf had his head down. He was drowning himself in a worried scent.

"Sap and Dream wanted me to join your team because…" Karl shifted, something was bothering him to the core. "To make it even." George glanced at the duck with confusion, furrowing his eyebrows.

"They only have two, dumbass" Quackity chuckled. Rolling out a sleeve of tape before breaking it with his teeth. George nodded at the duck's words.

"They said to join you because they had three members now." The time traveler had his eyes on his shoes the entire time. Like he couldn't bear to see the others' faces.

Skeptical, George shared a glimpse with Quackity "Who was the third member?" Quackity urged, increasing the strength of the cardboard with more tape.

"I… I think it was Fundy." Karl finished. George felt like even the forest froze in shock, besides the bone-chilling temperature.

George strained his eyes to the grass below, he felt like fumbling down and crashing his thoughts then and there. "Why would he be here?" He hissed in a rage. Karl jerked back at his outrage, Quackity peered up, flinching.

George knew he may seem dramatic to those who never thought about what power Fundy had against him. His tail lashed side to side, he cleared his thoughts that were fogging his actions.

"Sorry." The Omega sighed, "I just don't like Fundy." He reasoned with Quackity.

"let's just… Continue." The duck rasped and moved his eyes to the boat, staring through the cardboard.

George felt a pang of guilt as he had ruined the mood. The trio now moved a little less productive than before. But at last, an intact cardboard boat lifted above their heads and was slowly carried to the man-made lake that was promised up ahead.

The sun peaked at its highest sending its rays to create an effort to warm the melting environment. 

The three saw competition awaiting them. They exposed themselves, the trees slowed to a stop. Only a few scattered around as if they were scared of the blue lake. Confident and pleased scents filled the air. They approached the others and their boat.

George grits his teeth when he saw Fundy and his perked ears. The fox didn't deserve the smile that was plastered on his face. But how did he know the pack was spending the weekend in the city? Any thoughts of the fox made him want to pluck out his hair more and more.

"See you've cheated and suddenly added a third member." George choked out. Dream huffed.

"Fundy just wanted to join, it's even anyway." He explained. Fundy shot a warning glance at the Omega with his amber eyes.

"C'mon! Let's just start!" Karl saw the tension and interrupted. He hauled their boat towards the start of the gentle slaps of the lake. The water wasn't too deep, not too long either. Each group took their places around their pathetic boats. 

George was sat at the front, with Karl behind him. Quackity was gripping the end of the boat, ready to give a powerful boost. George placed his hands on the ground outside the boat, ready to accelerate.

"Ready?" Karl howled, and everyone yelled in agreement.

"3.." George's muscles tensed, bunching up his biceps.

"2.." He sensed the opposite team was on edge too.

"1.." Karl's voice in the seat behind the brunette cracked with tension.

"GO!" He, Quackity, and Karl pushed and freed the boat from the grass, and onto the kitten-licking water. The three paddled with flailing arms, the water lapped the side of and their cardboard, their boat was rapidly breathing and soaking in the water.

Sinking wasn't an option, and neither was winning apparently. He glanced at his competition.

They built a goddamn paddle.

George put his mind ahead, racing his thoughts away about Fundy. His began hands slapped against the water that was slowly swallowing their boat. The Omega cringed at the freezing temperature of the lake. But one by one George brought his hands only for them to melt into the frost-biting water again. He couldn't help but look where his competition was. They were way ahead of them. They had already made it to the halfway point. And turning around to head back in the opposite direction. 

The rough actions from his hands slowly drained him of strength, they were approaching the land ahead only to go back to complete the race.

"Dude there is no way we can make it back!" Quackity fret from the back seat. George flattened his ears at the thought of sinking and getting his clothes wet. He quickly called above the slashing water.

"Get out when we reach the grass and just follow what I do!"

At last, they made it to the land and crawled out of the boat. Onto the steady ground. Looking back at the boat, it was crunched and sinking second by second.

"Karl stay held in the boat I have an idea." George ranted. The wolf's eyes could only hold trust in his friend's words.

"Quackity help me pull it." As Karl settled into the falling boat, George and Quackity grabbed the side of the boat and ran on the grass beside. Karl must have felt two worlds pull him into two, the water below or the open forest beside him.

The bitter winds blew in the boys' faces as they were making more ground. The water was making an effort to restrain the cat and ducks yanking. The trio was only a couple of their boat lengths away from victory, but howls had already signaled they lost.

"Hey, you guys are cheating!" Sapnap blurted. George strayed his grip from the boat telling Karl to get out before the water engulfed him.

"It doesn't matter we won!" Fundy puffed. The three walked over defeat shadowing their faces. But they soon regrouped and chatter flooded George's ears. His hands tingled with frost, stinging when he balled them.

"You idiots built a paddle!" A voice cracked with Quackitys tone.

Smiling, Dream spoke. "Yeah? There were no rules about making other items"

"There were no rules about getting out and tugging your boat to winning either." George laughed "As long as the boat makes it you win!" The group laughed it off

"Fundy? You have anywhere to stay?" Dream perked after long moments of chatter, the fox shook his head. George scraped his tongue across his fangs in annoyance

"Why not hang out with us for a while?" The Omega felt Karl stiffen at Dream's words beside him, it seemed like Alpha was against him. His tail lashed, biting the insides of his cheek.

"Thanks, Dream." Hearing Fundy's tone of voice made him want to vomit.

I'm going to be stuck with someone who can share my secret. Were all George's thoughts punched him with?