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Time passed by. The days grew longer and warmer as spring slowly transformed into a pleasant summer. While the evergreen trees did not change much in reality, it seemed as though they looked even more vibrant and green, bathing in sunlight. The heather grew lustrous, and little purple flowers popped up between their tangled branches, spreading a sweet smell through the forests and the hills. The colours of the landscape looked like a painting, bright and positive.

But while the season became more vibrant, Charlie became more gloomy. More and more often he spent his days either working himself to utter exhaustion or sitting on a rock and staring into the distance, lost in his own doubts. The eagles didn't like either mode, and they grew worried.

Until, on a particularly sunny and beautiful day, Hazel got an idea. For the past few months they had been teaching Charlie how to swim and, although his mindset was far from healthy, he had shown great progress. Hazel told him that too. Charlie shrugged it off. But despite his reaction, she pointed with a wing to the lake at the foot of the mountain and said, 'Come on, let's take a swim.'

Charlie had to admit that the lake looked pristine and welcoming in the afternoon light, and that he was feeling very hot. 'Okay then,' he said. Hazel called her husband, and the three of them set off towards the lake.

There was a place where the ground sloped gently into the water, almost like a tiny beach, and the there they positioned themselves. Normally, Hazel would carefully grab Charlie by the nape of his neck, while Chuck would take a hold of his tail. Using this method, they were able to help him stay afloat, while Charlie himself worked on his doggy-style paddling technique. Now, however, Charlie objected. 'You said earlier that my swimming has improved, so can't I try swimming without you two this time?'

Chuck prepared to answer, but his wife stopped him. 'Let's try with just one eagle,' she said, giving him a sly wink.

Charlie nodded, though he felt a pang of disappointment. Of course one eagle was better than two, but the faster he could swim, the better. He trotted down the little beach until the water came just below his muzzle. 'Let's go!'

As soon as Hazel had a good grip on Charlie, they were off. Charlie paddled as hard as he could, while his living life jacket was flapping her wings in a regular rhythm while keeping a firm hold on the swimming wolf. Charlie could feel how it was more difficult to swim with only one eagle. His legs had to paddle harder to stay afloat and move forward. He focused his attention on his technique. Today, he wanted more than ever to improve.

The farther he went, the harder he had to work. Charlie figured his muscles were already getting tired, but he did not complain. Instead, he said, 'Let's go a little further, okay? Then we can turn around.'

No answer came. Hazel probably nodded, or maybe her voice was lost in the chorus of splashes and panting breaths, Charlie thought. In any case, he kept on going. His gaze was constantly aimed at the opposite side of the lake, and he imagined himself standing and cheering on the other bank. The picture filled him with the warmth of fulfilment, and it distracted him from the cramps he was starting to feel in his legs.

He did not reach the other side. His body did not let him. The pounding of his heart and the lightness in his head told him he had to return, or otherwise he might bring himself in danger. So he turned until his muzzle faced the beach. Far ahead, two brown specks fluttered up and down and waved their wings.

Two brown specks, not one.

The shock of this discovery threw Charlie completely off balance. His head dipped below the surface just as he wanted to gasp. His muzzle streamed full of water. Charlie swung his legs about, splashing, trying to get his head above the water so he could cough his lungs free. His concentration had shattered like a wave crashing against the face of a cliff. Now he was no longer focused on showing off his swimming skills, but on simply staying afloat.

A loud screech bounced over the surface of the lake, but Charlie didn't hear it. He went under again. This time he couldn't reach the surface, for his legs were too tired to aid him. To his own surprise, his panic got pushed aside by a grim thought: Well, this is a stupid way to go...

_ _

But he did not die. Two eagle shadows sped towards the bubbles on the surface, then four claws broke through the surface and snatched Charlie up as if he were a huge salmon. All the way back to dry land he kept coughing, his face red from overexertion and shame. Once his paws touched down on the ground, Charlie shook himself dry, let out a sigh that ended in a moan, and lay down. The eagles shared a worried glance, then checked if they had left any claw marks on Charlie after their hasty rescue mission. 'Charlie, are you okay?' Hazel asked.

'No!' Charlie said with a growl. 'I'm not okay! I totally messed up today. How can I ever become a real wolf if I can't even swim?!'

'Well, actually you didn't mess up, and you swam like a pro today,' said Hazel.

Charlie frowned. 'I couldn't make the return journey.'

'You had some trouble getting back, sure, but that's because you did not pace yourself properly,' said Chuck, joining in on the pep talk. 'And pacing yourself is something you can learn, you know? We are more than willing to teach you that too. We'd love to, don't we?'

To that, Hazel nodded.

But the kind words did not find their way towards Charlie's heart.

Hazel tried something else. 'Charlie, did you know I let you go long before that turn? You swam quite a long distance without me. This is the first time you swam completely by yourself, and isn't that a great achievement? You should really pat yourself on the back for what you managed to do today.'

'Like so.' Chuck hopped towards Charlie and flapped his wings against his back. The impact of the mighty wing knocked the air out of Charlie's lungs.

_ _

OOF!

_ _

'Hehe, sorry...'

Charlie took a deep breath. 'I don't deserve that pat. I wasn't strong enough to swim back. What good is it if I can only reach halfway and then drown?'

'I think you're pushing yourself too hard, little dude,' said Chuck. 'Actually, I am one-hundred percent sure you're pushing yourself too hard. You made a giant leap towards your goal to--'

'It doesn't matter how big my leaps are!' Charlie exclaimed, jumping to his paws and stamping on the ground. 'If I can't get to where I need to be, I'm still a failure. Maybe less of a failure than at the beginning, but still a failure.'

This conversation was going in circles. The more the eagles tried to ease Charlie's mind, the more aggravated he became. Still, they did not want to give up so easily. 'Charlie, please,' Hazel tried one more time, 'you gotta snap out of that negative mindset. There is no need to be hasty. If we take the time and work hard, together we can help--'

'But I can't keep relying on you two. Sooner or later I will have to do everything by myself, and the sooner that day comes, the sooner I can prove I'm a big bad wolf and return to my family.' And with that, Charlie turned around and sprinted away, leaving his heavy words lingering in the air.

Chuck unfolded his wings, ready to give pursuit, but his wife halted him. 'Give him time. He'll see what we mean eventually.'

A nod, but that piece of wisdom did not entirely ease Chuck's worried mind, or Hazel's, for that matter. Both eagles had a bit of a of déjà vu, an uneasy feeling that kept haunting them for the rest of the day.

And many days onwards.