Edge of the preserve, Wednesday Late Morning

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

Robin stood waiting for Gwynn wearing a hip pack, slung across his chest like a bandoleer. It held a compass, and some trail mix.

Comments

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

Gwynn showed up and smiled at Robin. "Hi there."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"Hi Gwynn? Are you ready for your swamp adventure?"

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

Gwynn nodded. "I'm ready to experience this new adventure."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"Yay adventure!" Robin giggled. "This way." He led her to one of the trails. "It's not far, even by frog standards."

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

Gwynn grinned and followed him. "So this place, is like the home you are from?"

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"It's a little cooler, even in the summer. The swamp back home is in the southern hemisphere, so it's a lot warmer there."

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Is this a good thing?" Gwynn thought here was awfully warm sometimes.

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"Well it's about the same for me." Robin said thoughtfully. "But I'm told that for humans who aren't used to it, the warmer a swamp is, the less pleasant it is. I think it's the humidity."

Up ahead could be heard the sounds one would hear in a wetlands environment. Birds, water softly lapping at the shore, and of course, frogs.

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Oh, is that what the heaviness in the air is sometimes?"

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"Yep. It's a lot of moisture in the air from evaporation." And of course the smells of the swamp mixed with the smells of the forest. Wet earth, decaying wood, fortunately no stinkweed.

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

"It kind of smells like home near the lake."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"Where are you from?"

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Briton... uhmmm... 1199..."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"Wooow." Robin breathed. "I've always wanted to go there. Maybe not to 1199, but, I bet the woods were cleaner."

And there they were, at the edge of the swamp.

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

"My home is really nice. Maybe you can come visit."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"Oh I'd love that." Robin bounced. "If you ever came to visit my home it'd be better in the winter, cause it's not so hot then."

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

Gwynn smiled at Robin and then remembered something. "Robin? I heard that the Principal said you shouldn't be here. I want to make sure you know that none of us will allow her to make you leave."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

Muppets can be emotional creatures. That's why he hugged her calf. Well that and it's as far up as he could reach. "Thank you." he said, his voice tight.

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

Gwynn kneeled down so she could hug him.

"You're our friend and we won't let her do that to you. You belong here with us." She smiled. "Wanna know a secret?"

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

Robin nodded. "Yeah okay." He leaned close for to hear secret.

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

"I laid snare traps all throughout her office and she ended up hanging upside down."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

Robin burst into giggles, and nearly fell over. "That's great!" he said. "She didn't find out it was you did she?" he whispered.

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

Gwynn shook her head. "No, but I did tell Mr. Cooper what I did and he said if she finds out he'll do his best to keep me safe."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"Oh good." he sighed with relief. "I wouldn't want anyone to get hurt. I hope Miss. Zoe comes back soon."

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Me, too, Robin. She's going to make that lady regret everything she's done."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

Robin nodded, then, to change the subject to happier things, "Are you wearing good boots?"

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

"I always wear good boots," she said with a grin.

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"It's shallow here for a long ways. The water is anyway, I don't know about the mud. Hang on." He let out a loud ribbit, and soon enough a large bullfrog (regular, not Muppet) hopped out of the reeds.

//Yo, sup Robin?//

"Hi Mark, are there any navigational hazards hereabouts?"

//For humans? Nah. No sinkholes cept way out in the middle. No quicksand either. If the water starts getting higher than her knees I wouldn't recomend it but otherwise the mud should be fine. I'll spread the word around she's cool.//

Robin turned to Gwynn. "He says the mud's fine and we shouldn't have any problems."

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

Gwynn watched him with a big smile and maybe a little bounce. What? She loved adventure.

"That's terrific."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

A little ways into the swamp, the bullfrog came ashore on an island where there were ruins of an old dwelling. The young teens of the swamp used it as their hang out.

//Guys! Robin's bringing a human into the swamp!//

The turtles bolted, but a few of the frogs and all the dragonflies were curious. And the salamander'd never seen a human.

Meanwhile, Robin led the way into the water, At it's deepest, it would only come up to Gwynn's shins.

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

Gwynn was having fun wandering the swamp with Robin. "This place is really neat."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"I like it." he said happily. "Ooh!" He stopped and pointed to a patch of pretty swamp flowers and water lilies. "The leaves make great seats. Well if your light enough of course."

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

"I am not light enough, I'm afraid."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"I'm just barely, but they have to be full grown. Back home we'd sit on them, or on logs and watch the sunset."

And now he was feeling just a little homesick.

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

"You should gather some friends together and have a party watching the sunset in the preserve or on the beach."

It made sense to her.

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"Hey that's a good idea." Robin agreed. "It'd have to be in Selkie Cove I think."

[notafairmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Let me know and I'll be there."

[robinthefrog.livejournal.com]

"I will." he nodded.