“Aw!  You know Ludge gets his kicks out’a burstin’ bubbles.  Don’t let it get to ya.” Rover grumbled to himself as he leaned against the bridge railing and watched the forest and water far below.  The sun was slowly setting and the light that snuck through the trees sent shafts of light that rimmed everything in pink. He fiddled with a twig for a moment, bending it and plucking off a few leaves before tossing it over the edge and watching it shrink as it descended down toward the water.  “Don’t let him get to ya.”    But the thought of Flyspur leaving nagged at him.  They had been insepa

    Wind whipped at Flyspur's ears and tail as he plunged toward the water, his body ridged and his upper hands thrust in front of him.  His amphibious body automatically prepared for immersion: his clear second eyelids closed, protecting his eyes from the watery impact, the long lungs that ran the entire length of his torso took in a massive breath, his nostril slits shut tight to keep water out and air in.    He used his tail to steer him through the air, toward one clear patch the debris-filled water.  If he hit anything from such a height this would be his last dive.    His thin, streamlined body shot into the water with little resistan

    The banquet hall was full again but it was far from the joyous party that had brightened the room earlier that day.  Nearly a hundred people that sat around the tables hugging whimpering children or leaning on each other for emotional support, or stared listlessly at their food.  They had lost everything. But it wasn’t all hopelessness. Jssfloon were coming in the doors with bags of clothes and other needed objects and organizing them against the back wall.    Once Kya was satisfied that everyone who had once lived on the fallen branch was present she stood up at the front of the room.  All conversations stopped as the downturned f

    “Ludge!  Hey! You’ll never guess the humdinger I’ve got to tell you!”  Rover let go of the bark and let himself drop several feet to the dock, his boots clunking on the wood.  He ran over to his shuttle that hoovered inches above the water.    The slug shut off the suction and pressed a button that began to roll up the massive hose from the water.  He rolled his one red eye in Rover’s direction. “You’re joining the Glubgarus Mudbathers cult to fix that pasty complexion.”    “Nope!  Even better!”    His eyelid lowered to the level of annoyed boredom.  “You are really a sp