Chapter Eight

Rather than using their rations, Pip and Plum showed the couple what plants and berries they could eat instead. Lisa tried everything first, just in case, since she was immortal and thus would ultimately be fine if something turned out to be poisonous – just miserable for a time.

Luck was with them and most of the foraged goods turned out to be pretty tasty; water, however, was slightly more of a challenge. Luke had purification tablets on him, but they still needed to find a source of running water for them to be effective.

“Like a waterfall or fast-moving river,” Lisa explained to Pip and Plum when they asked. “Still or slow water would have to be specially treated to be drinkable for us.”

Their two companions conferred in low chirps for a moment and then led Luke and Lisa through another part of the bamboo forest. The elevation was changing; they seemed to be climbing upward, but it was hard to tell being surrounded by stalks.

When they next came to a clearing, it was at the base of a mountain where a tiny waterfall in the rock created a stream of clear, clean water that rushed through a small crevasse and into a ravine.

Lisa knelt at the water’s edge and dipped her hand in, cupping her fingers and bringing the liquid to her lips.

She could taste the minerals from the stone, but otherwise it was perfectly safe. Pip didn’t mind this hill top, since the edge was far enough away.

After they drank their fill and the couple rinsed their hands, Lisa went over to the edge of the ravine – “Nuh-uh, you can go by yourself,” said Pip – and looked down.

“Luke!” she cried. “Is that the lake?”

He rushed over and stood beside her. At the bottom of the ravine was a large body of water. Lisa could see insects buzzing over the surface, frogs at the edge, and things swimming underwater.

Luke took a deep breath and closed his eyes. After a moment of silence, he said, “That’s it.” When he opened his eyes again, there was wonder in them. Another piece of the vision had fallen into place.

Plum flew ahead to find the best path down that stayed away from the high ledges for Pip’s sake. Going down was slightly more difficult than going up because of that – they wanted to keep the lake within sight so as not to go in the wrong direction, but they managed.

Pip splashed around in the shallows while they walked along the water’s edge. The sun didn’t penetrate very far down, which told them that the lake was deep in parts.

The one-eyed frogs regarded them – some with indifference and a few with suspicion. Lisa walked slightly closer so they could hear her and proceeded to introduce Luke and herself and explain what they were doing there.

The water rippled and a larger, lizard-like creature surfaced. Its skin was smooth and scale-less, with a cylindrical trunk, four limbs, and a long tail. Its head, body, and tail had a number of vertical depressions on the surface, running from the mid-dorsal region to the ventral area. When it left the water, it was about as long as Lisa was tall; its feet were broad with four short webbed digits on the front and five at the rear.

It opened its mouth and let out a vocalization much like a bark. “I am Gill of the Laketreaders. Word of your story has traveled.”

Somewhere in the distance, too far away for Lisa to make out words, a bird squawked.

Luke and Lisa exchanged a look. They recognized that sound.

“If you mean us no harm,” Gill continued, “you are welcome.” He turned and began to sink into the water. Before submerging completely, he asked, “Do you swim?”

“We do,” Lisa answered. “We were hoping to be allowed to swim somewhere.”

“You may,” said Gill. “Water is deepest where the boulder sits.”

The group looked across the water and about halfway across was a large rock covered in moss. One of the one-eyed frogs was attempting to catch its lunch from it.

“Good to know,” said Lisa. “Thank you, Gill.”

The Laketreader clicked and disappeared under the water.

End chapter eight

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