Silence
He called for his brother but he was met with silence. He knew he had to investigate the animal, so he left the boat. He confirmed that the mysterious animal was not a seal.
It didn't matter what species of animal it was, it appeared to be dangerous. He just prayed that his brother did not make a mistake by trying to aid the animal. He could not believe his eyes when he saw his brother come back with the animal in his arms.
Northern Swan
On a frosty morning in Labrador, Canada, Mallory Harrigan, Cliff Russell, and Alan Russell boarded The Northern Swan to see what they could catch for the day.
The two brothers, Alan and Cliff shared a love for fishing and they were both fishermen alongside their friend Mallory. They belonged to the Northern Swan Crew. They were ignorant of what the morning would bring.
Brothers
Alan and Cliff were from Newfoundland, Canada and they loved the ocean. They were awestruck the first time they saw their father ice fish and wanted to follow in his footsteps.
It was because of this seemingly insignificant inspiration that the two decided to take up fishing. They had no clue, however, where their enthusiasm would take them.
Dreams Coming True
Their passion for fishing only grew as the years went by. They eventually saved enough money from their summer jobs to purchase a boat and named it The Northern Swan.
They encouraged their best friend Mallory to join them on the Northern Swan. They needed the help and they wanted it to be someone they enjoyed spending time with. But everything would change one day for the crew.
Normal Day
Now, years later they found themselves searching for fish during one chilly morning. This was a normal day for the crew.
But if only the three had known what they'd be up against towards the end of their journey.
Living The Dream
They loved their jobs, it did not feel like work to them. They were living their dream life and they could not have been happier.
They also believed that nothing could ruin their day. They were, however, mistaken.
Taking The Edge Off
Alan always had a beer or two on the ship as that was his means of relaxing. Cliff enjoyed sharing a beer or two with his brother after a long day's work.
Mallory also join in the tradition and enjoyed laughing with her two best friends. However, what was waiting for them was no joke...
In The Distance
The three were enjoying the peacefulness of their day when Mallory suddenly saw something moving in the distance. It looked like an iceberg, but there was something else too.
It looked like a seal was stranded on the iceberg! When they saw what it truly was, they wished it was as peaceful as a seal...
Investigation
They moved closer to inspect the situation. It was common knowledge that orcas would trap seals on icebergs and the team knew they had to step in and help.
But what they would end up finding made their blood run cold.
Seeing It
It was apparent that something was stranded, but they could not exactly identify what. They were under the impression that it was a small seal, but they were horribly wrong.
It has sharp claws and teeth and appeared to be quite menacing. They felt as if they were the ones who needed to be saved.
The Creature
It was something out of this world, its fur was matted and wet, and it started growling as they got close. What started as kindness now ended in fear. Had they made a grave mistake?
Before they could help it they had to know what it was, so Alan climbed onto the ice to get even closer. His brother would be begging for him to come back, but he knew he had to help whatever it was. But he should have known better
Anticipation
Alan left the boat into the mist and didn’t immediately. Mallory and Cliff feared the worst. Had he found out what it was? Had it cost him dearly?
Whatever it was, he knew it had claws and sharp teeth, he just hoped his brother wouldn’t have to pay dearly for trying to help it. But when he saw him come back to the boat with the animal in his arms, he couldn’t believe what it actually was. An Arctic fox!
Hungry And Tired
The poor fox immediately curled into a ball in the corner of the boat once Alan got aboard. They fed the poor animal crackers which it immediately wolfed down.
They marveled at the animal, to think that they were scared of it a few moments ago. But they had good reason, arctic foxes can be dangerous when frightened. But thankfully it ended well.
Getting Back To Shore
Once the crew got back to the shore Alan set up a bed of sawdust for the fox, “Once we got him in his makeshift bed he fell fast asleep.” They were worried for the foxes' safety still as they didn’t know if it would survive.
The icy waters can be harsh and for a mammal like a fox that isn’t designed to swim in the water, they can catch their death in the icy water.
Happy Ending
Alan was just happy that they had decided to help the fox after all. A few hours and the fox would have drifted further out to sea where they wouldn’t have seen it.
The fox never wanted to leave humans after it was saved so it now lives on an island where dogs for dogsledding used to be. It has fully recuperated and is as happy as ever.