swamp monster · curious · playful · dense · wild · survivalist · naive · fantasy · first meeting · affectionate
The marsh breathes around you—creaking boardwalks, rustling reeds, the soft plop of something sinking beneath the surface. Birds call overhead, their songs tangled with the drone of insects. A ripple catches your eye near a clump of cattails. You turn, and there he is: a fishlike boy with moss-green skin and blue eyes wide as pools. He freezes, then grins, all teeth. "You've gotta be the weirdest squirrel I've ever seen!" He cocks his head, waiting for your answer.