A storm cloud, drifted across Low's usually bright, sharp features. She stared intently at a pile of particularly uninteresting rocks near the cavern mouth, the ones she'd dislodged during her explosive entrance. The silence around them, which should have felt peaceful after their ordeal, was thick with the weight of her unspoken sorrow and confusion. Leonotis, sensing the shift in her mood from simmering anger to a deeper, more unsettling quiet, tilted his head.
"Hey," he began gently, his voice soft so as not to startle her. "That whole 'blessing of the water' thing… I know it cured the werebear part, but did it, uh… not completely fix everything?"
Low's gaze snapped up, a flicker of something akin to frustrated defiance in her amber-brown eyes. Without a word, she stalked over to a boulder that looked as though it had been misplaced from a small mountain range, its surface slick with moss. She wrapped her arms around it, her lean muscles bunching and flexing in a way that seemed impossible for her frame. With a grunt that sounded suspiciously like a bear's huff of exertion, she heaved the massive rock above her head. It hung there for a long moment, seemingly defying gravity, her knuckles white with the strain. She then let it drop with a ground-shuddering thunk. Dust puffed up around it like a tiny, disgruntled cloud.
"No," she stated flatly, her voice a strange mix of lingering sadness and raw, undeniable power. "The blessing worked but the curse isn't gone. This… this strength… it's still here. And I'm still prone to unexpected growling fits and have been craving raw salmon at inappropriate hours."
"Right, point taken," Leonotis said quickly, taking a cautious, involuntary step back. "Boulder-based communication received loud and clear. No more questions about the… furriness."
"The capital," Low continued, turning from the boulder and brushing dust off her surprisingly delicate fingers as if she hadn't just lifted a rock that weighed more than all three of them combined. Her voice regained some of its usual sharp resonance. "That's the goal. The King's library there is supposed to be the biggest in Liptus, so big you could get lost in the 'A' section for a week. If there's a dusty old scroll or a forgotten book detailing how to deal with… leftover werebear-ness, or how to control it, that's where it'll be."
Jacqueline, who had been observing this exchange with a thoughtful, analytical frown, finally spoke, her voice calm and measured. "While I admire your… directness, Low, and your strength is truly remarkable, my path lies south, towards the sea. The capital is a significant detour north. Perhaps this is where our roads must diverge."
"Detour, shmetour!" Leonotis declared, his mind already several steps ahead, piecing together a new plan. "That's not a problem, it's a logistics puzzle! Gethii and Chinakah drove to the capital in a truck. Once we find them, we could convince them to drive you south, Jacqueline. It would be way faster than walking! Or," he added, his eyes lighting up with a fresh, wild idea, "with the… uh… *funds* we relieved from those bounty hunters, we could even charter a fancy bird-drawn sky-coach for your trip back south! Think of the aerial views! No more dusty roads for Princess Jacqueline!"
A beat of silence hung in the air, broken only by the distant drone of a particularly industrious bee. Then, Leonotis' eyes widened, as if a brilliant, world-changing idea had just hatched fully-formed in his brain. He gestured dramatically towards the tranquil pool within the shrine, which fed a stream that flowed out of the cavern and down the mountain. "What are we even waiting for? We need to get off this mountain! River journey, anyone?"
"A river journey?" Low echoed, skepticism dripping from her tone. "And where, exactly, are we going to conjure a vessel from, oh captain of our imaginary fleet? Going to ask the trees for a canoe?"
Leonotis, completely undeterred, skipped over to the edge of the pond, where several small, plate-sized lily pads floated serenely. He eyed them with a mischievous glint, a plan clicking into place. Closing his eyes, he focused, feeling for the familiar green energy of the world around him. He laid his trusty root-sword flat on one of the smaller pads, pushing it gently underwater until it was fully submerged. He poured his will into it, not commanding, but asking, picturing the lily pad growing, its fibers strengthening, expanding. A moment later, the water bubbled, and a colossal lily pad, easily large enough to comfortably seat all three of them and their meager supplies, bobbed back to the surface, its curled edges thick and surprisingly sturdy, its surface smooth as polished jade.
"Behold!" Leonotis announced, a wide, slightly manic grin spreading across his face as he gestured with a theatrical flourish. "The 'Lily-Liner'! My aquatic engineering skills, ladies and… well, ladies, at your service! I wasn't entirely sure that would work, to be honest. Just a hunch based on… well, the vines and roots I usually make grow?" He cautiously stepped onto the giant leaf, testing its resilience with a tentative bounce. Then, growing bolder, he started jumping and rolling around, finally striking a triumphant pose with his hands on his hips. "Seaworthiness… mostly guaranteed!"
Low and Jacqueline exchanged a look that spoke volumes of their shared, weary bewilderment before cautiously stepping onto the improbable, gently rocking vessel. Jacqueline then extended her hands towards the water, her brow furrowed in concentration. A gentle, steady current began to flow around the massive lily pad, the surface of the water smoothing and swirling, propelling them forward out of the cavern and into the sunlit river with a surprisingly smooth, almost magical glide.
"Well," Low conceded, settling down with a thump and crossing her arms, a hint of reluctant amusement in her voice, "I'll give you this, Leaf-Steerer. It's certainly… unconventional."
***
The Lily-Liner, as Leonotis had enthusiastically dubbed their giant lily pad, glided serenely down the river. Sunlight dappled through the emerald canopy of the trees lining the banks, painting shifting, hypnotic patterns on the water's surface. The air hummed with the cheerful melodies of unseen songbirds, their trills and warbles creating a natural symphony that was a welcome balm after days of tense silence. Dragonflies with iridescent, jewel-toned wings zipped and danced above the water, occasionally landing on the curled edges of their leafy raft before darting away again. The gentle, rhythmic rocking of the pad was soothing, a stark and luxurious contrast to the bumpy, dusty roads they had been traversing.
Leonotis leaned back against the curled edge of the lily pad, a blissful, satisfied smile on his face. "See, you two? I told you this was the way to travel! Forget your dusty trails and suspicious travelers. This is the life! Peaceful, picturesque, and surprisingly buoyant for something that usually hosts grumpy frogs."
Low, however, remained perched near the edge like a wary cat, her arms crossed, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery with a healthy dose of ingrained suspicion. "Peaceful now, maybe," she retorted, though her shoulders seemed a little less tense. "Just wait until we encounter a river kraken with a taste for leafy greens, or a school of piranhas that mistakes your toes for worms. Then we'll see how buoyant your 'Lily-Liner' is."
Jacqueline, seated gracefully in the center of the pad, trailed a hand in the cool, clear water, watching the ripples spread out behind them. A small, almost imperceptible smile touched her lips. The gentle rhythm of the river, the warmth of the sun on her face, and the lighthearted bickering of her companions were undeniably relaxing. "It is… quite pleasant," she conceded, her voice soft as the breeze. "A welcome change of pace from… everything."
"Pleasant?" Leonotis exclaimed, throwing his arms wide with theatrical flair. "Jacqueline, we're practically royalty, cruising down our own private, verdant highway! Imagine the looks on people's faces when we dock in the capital on this bad boy!"
Low snorted. "More likely they'll call the royal pest control and try to compost us."
"Oh, ye of little imagination!" Leonotis retorted, playfully nudging Low's foot with his own. "Think of the possibilities! We could start a ferry service! 'Lily-Liner Logistics – Smooth, Green, and Serene Sailing Guaranteed!' What do you say, Captain Low? First mate Jacqueline?"
"You're so stupid," Low muttered, but the corner of her mouth twitched upwards in a tiny, almost-smile before she smoothed it away. She grunted again, for effect, but the sound lacked its usual conviction.
Jacqueline chuckled softly, a sound like wind chimes. "I think I prefer the role of contented passenger for now, Captain Leonotis."
The tension that had clung to the three of them like river mist since their harrowing encounter in the shrine seemed to ease, dissolving with each gentle sway of their unlikely vessel. For the moment, at least, the river offered them a tranquil, sun-dappled escape, a brief, precious respite before whatever dangers lay ahead.
***
The gentle rocking of the Lily-Liner was suddenly disrupted. A series of unusual, powerful ripples spread across the water's surface, disturbing the mirrored reflections of the trees. They weren't the playful, concentric disturbances of jumping fish, but something larger, more purposeful, moving with intent beneath them. Strange, elongated shadows began to undulate beneath their leafy raft, dark shapes far too substantial to be ordinary river dwellers. The cheerful birdsong from the banks abruptly ceased, plunging the river into an unnerving silence.
"Did you see that?" Leonotis asked, his earlier cheerfulness vanishing, replaced by a wary alertness. He sat up straight, his hand instinctively gripping the hilt of his root-sword.
Low, who had been half-heartedly attempting to nap in a patch of sun, was on her feet in an instant, her body coiled like a spring, her senses immediately on high alert. "Something's down there," she hissed, her voice low and dangerous. "And it doesn't feel friendly."
Suddenly, the water directly in front of them erupted in a shower of spray and churning foam. Two monstrous fish, each easily the length of a small boat, lunged upwards, their immense bodies shockingly agile. Their scales were a dark, oily, almost reptilian green, slick with river slime, and their mouths gaped open, revealing rows upon rows of needle-sharp, interlocking teeth that glinted menacingly in the sunlight. From fleshy, grotesque stalks that grew above their dead, black eyes, dangled bioluminescent lures, pulsing with an eerie, hypnotic blue light that seemed to draw the eye and dull the senses.