“Hold the cage open for me,” Finn said. “And don’t freak out if he’s wriggling when I shove him in, I guess. You’ll be fine. You were cool with Buttercup.”
“Okay. Ready when you are.”
Finn nodded, grabbing his pocket knife and leaning over the edge of the bank to where the otter was still lying, breathing steadily but too fast, and with a little whine at the end of each breath that told Finn it was in pain. “You’re okay, buddy,” he said in his most soothing voice. He had no idea whether a calm tone was the kind of thing otters could recognize, but he figured it couldn’thurt.
Unfortunately, when he reached out to cut the net the otter was tangled in, he noticed a problem.
“Dammit.”
“What?” Nolan asked, immediately alert.
“I can’t reach.” Finn sighed, then pushed himself to stretch just a little further. He was still a good hands-width away from even nicking the net, though. And if he leaned over any further,he’dend up in the river, which wouldn’t help anyone.
Crap.
“I have an idea,” Nolan offered. “If you’re feeling confident.”
Finn backed off from the edge, giving the otter a sympathetic look. He wasn’t about to leave it there.
“I’m all ears.”
“I’m thinking if you held my ankles so I didn’t fall in, I could lean further over the edge. I doubt I could hold your weight, but I bet you could manage mine.”
Finn looked between Nolan and the otter, unsure about this plan. “Kinda risky,” he said, though he wasn’t ready to dismiss it outright.
“You got a better idea?”
Finn sighed again. He didn’t haveanyother idea, let alone a better one. Nolan was right, too—it had to be him, because he was a whole lot lighter than Finn was.
“Nope,” he admitted. “I just don’t wanna have to fill out the paperwork if you drown.”
“I can swim,” Nolan said. “More or less.”
“You’re really inspiring a lot of confidence here.” Finn moved out of the way, giving Nolan space to lean over the edge instead.
“It’ll be fine.” Nolan got into position, laying flat on his stomach with just his head hanging over the edge of the bank. Now wasnotthe time to appreciate what a cute butt he had, but Finn filed the image away for later consideration all the same.
“You’re a superhero, remember?” Nolan said. “You’ll protect me.”
The way Nolan said it, like he was a hundred percent sure it was true, hit Finn right in the center of his chest. He didn’t feel like he’d reallyearnedNolan’s quiet faith in him, but he knew he had to prove himself worthy.
“I will,” Finn promised. “You’ll be safe.”
Even if he had to dive right into the river after him. Which he would have done anyway. Nolan was the first new friend he’d made in a while, and definitely the first he could callhis.
He’d look after Nolan. Whatever that meant he had to do.
“Gimme your pocket knife,” Nolan said, holding his hand out.
“We’ve gotta get you one of your own,” Finn replied as he handed it over, already planning to do so for next time.
“Just… don’t let go, okay?” Nolan said as he scooted further over the edge, barely giving Finn enough time to grab his ankles.
Once Finn had a solid grip on him, he squirmed even further forward until he was hanging over from the waist up, sack in one hand and knife in the other.
“I’m really gonna need you to cooperate, here,” he said, and it took a moment to realize he was talking to the otter.
“Sing it a lullaby,” Finn suggested.
