Paladin (adjective): defender of a noble cause

The day was successful!

Hurriedly limping to her nest, the mother duck was excited to feed her children at last.

Its foot was so sore from looking around all day, and the sharp, red circle that caught around her toes didn’t make the pain any better.

But hope was not lost! The red circle must be a small plant, a bit broken in one spot but still edible. Although it looked weird, the duck was able to find some more, and a few bowl-shaped parts as well. The red plant was a little hard to chew, but it could fill their bellies for another day.

She quickly pushed her fatigue aside, greeting the symphony of little chirps from her hungry ducklings.

One by one, she fed them her new findings. As they nibbled on their food, she lowered her tired head.

Suddenly, several pairs of hands shot out from nowhere, instantly seizing her and her ducklings.

No! What are they doing?! The hands were cruelly taking the red plant out of her duckling’s mouths! She worked so hard for that!

The bigger creatures ignored her desperate quacks, but she kept fighting. She had to defend her children!