I actually liked this, but maybe i'm just a sucker for angst. Remember kids, just because a relationship doesn't mean much to you doesn't mean the same for your partner!
Honey Badgers and Honeyguides share a semi-symbiotic relationship where the Honeyguide catalogs and remembers the local beehives and will lead the badger to the richest ones in return for the leftovers. The fanart is probably based on that.
That sad thing is that the first Professor seems to have died (or sand-starred if you want to be literal) and Wolf has to live knowing that the Professor that basically raised her doesn't remember her.