Welcome to Gaia! ::

After swallowing a mouthful of raspberries, she explained, "I tend to stay around this area if I can. I know it well and find that comforting. I've never gone too far out of the swamp. I hear stories about big ponds and the desert and even huge rocky hills topped with snow." She shook her head. "But I like it here. I know how to live here."

As the lost doe settled on a fallen log, Pad joined her and sat near the cracked stump on the moss. It was getting darker and the frogs and bugs were beginning to sound their nightly serenades. Pad closed her eyes and listened with a small smile on her face. "The sounds of the night." She said softly, swaying her head.

"If you don't want to head out now. I guess the dimness of the swamp can hide time's passage to the unfamiliar." She paused as a frog chirped its love song. "Did you hear that? That tree frog only comes out while the sun is setting. Even though I cannot usually see the sun, the swamp tells me what time it is." She got up and shook her coat. "I've got a nice mossy nest by the pond. I think it'll be nicer to sleep on than that log." She kept quiet about all the animals and bugs that lived in and under the fallen tree, not wanting to freak the pretty doe out.

Pad waited patiently for Dust to finish her dinner and start to follow. "Which songbird is this? There are a few here in the swamp." As she picked her way through the roots and rocks, she watched around her, smiling as the lightning bugs started to come out and join the night. They blinked and flitted about, cute yellow lights in the twilight.

After a small trek around a few trees, past a pond or two, and into a grove of weeping willows, they finally came to Pad's, well, pad. She had made her nest under one of the larger willows that sat near the water. Under it's drooping, Spanish moss covered branches were patches of healthy soft moss, a few knick nacks and found items, a small stock pile of snack food, and many fireflies.
"Well, this is my home." she said shyly, moving a few leaves off of the moss. "Make yourself comfy."

Pad half smiled. The comment wasn't terrible, but it had a sound of superiority to it. What had she been expecting? "Thank you. I try to keep it clean and tidy, but moss sometimes has a mind of it's own." She walked up to Dust. "See something interesting?" The fish were still a bit active and a few water beetles were zipping around in the shallows. Dragonflies were settling down in the reeds as the frogs came out to sing. Soon an entire chorus of chirping frogs could be heard.

As the fish nibbled the mud off of the Acha's hoof, Pad chuckled. "They're pretty friendly. I don't eat them, I'm not a fish lover, so they don't seem to mind me. They like you too I guess." A big round speckled fish swam up, bumping the others out of the way. "That's Tubs. He's the boss of the pond, as you can see. He's my favorite.

Pad watched her fish and Dust. Hopefully her small patch of life would make her feel more at ease. The entire swamp was alive, but to an untrained eye, it was often hard to see. She was sure the desert would probably be similar. Her eyes closed as a small yawn took over her face.