Wither Wander You

      Lokanta was returning from a party when she noticed something strange: a slick of green floating on top of the water. The camouflage Krawk followed the trail through the swamp to discover it had made its way from the Haunted Woods, where it seemed to originate, until it left Bogshot headed for the bucolic environs of Meridell. She didn’t know what it was, exactly, except that it wasn’t good. As a healer and resident of Bogshot, she took the health and welfare of her home and community very seriously. She would see about cleaning up the toxic slime; depending on how that went, she would try to offer assistance to Meridell if she could.

      For now, she had work to do. The camouflage Krawk returned to her swamp shack already planning her strategy on how to deal with the mystery slime. She suspected it wouldn’t be an easy fix and anticipated a long night ahead.

      Meridell was on its own.

     ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

      A baa of alarm made Frecklezz look up as Ramble, his Babaa, raced towards him, spooked. They were in a quiet meadow that they liked to frequent. Ramble was relatively confident for a Babaa, so to see him now hiding behind his legs was odd. Frecklezz had last seen Ramble wandering towards the river, so he decided to do the same. What he saw made him take off his straw hat and give a low whistle.

      There was a sickly green trail floating atop the water with no idea of where it had come from or how it had got there. Stranger still was that the grass close to the bank had yellowed and blackened, as if scorched.

      “Well, I’ll be,” the Spotted Kau murmured, placing his hands on his hips. “What coulda done this?”

     ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

      “Mr. Yubby! Mr. Yubby!”

      Upon hearing his name being called, the old Yurble ambled over as quickly as he could. His young neighbours had asked to pick berries in his berry patch, and they sounded frantic. “What is it?”

      “We saw a monster in the water!”

      “It was almost invisible but had glowing eyes and a slimy tongue!”

      Mr. Yubby frowned. This was new. He didn’t want to discount their story as they weren’t prone to tales, but it was hard to believe. “Well, let’s go see.”

      They tugged him along urgently, going into further detail before coming to a halt at the water’s edge. There was nothing there now, save for a sickly green tint over the once clear water.

      “It was right here, Mr. Yubby,” Nelson, a little Kau, insisted.

      “Well, whatever it was, it's gone now, but I’ll keep an eye out,” Mr. Yubby told them. “For now, let's finish up our berry picking so we can have some with our lunch,” Mr. Yubby said.

      His young neighbours readily agreed to this plan. The Yurbleson berry farm and berry treats of all kinds were well known across the region. But while they were readily distracted, Mr. Yubby’s mind stayed on the strange incident. He could only hope that it didn’t mean a new danger had come to Meridell.

     ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

      The barking of his Doglefox drew his attention. He looked over at his best friend, Russ, who he was helping to load a wagon to deliver to the Good Barn, a local pub. “I’m gonna go see what Wes is barking at. I’ll be right back.”

      Russ nodded and continued working.

      Skip, the Burlap Ixi, left him to it. It took him a few moments to find his Doglefox at the water’s edge. He was barking at the water and hopping around, clearly excited by-

      “What are you barking at, Wes?” Skip called.

      Wes perked up and barked at him as if to say, “Come see!”

      He didn’t see anything at first, but as he peered closer, he saw an unfamiliar face staring back at him. He yelped in alarm and stumbled back.

      “Skip, are you alright?” Russ came jogging over.

      Skip pointed to the water. “There’s a Mutant Flotsam in there!”

      “A Mutant Flotsam? Here in Meridell?” Russ frowned. Skip could stretch the truth at times but not like this.

      The red Kyrii looked in the water but saw nothing there.

      Wes sat at the water’s edge, panting happily. His now relaxed demeanour seemed to confirm that the excitement had passed.

      “Tell ya what, let's get this load to the Good Barn and then see what we can find out about any newcomers,” Russ decided.

      Skip nodded, seeming recovered from his momentary fright.

      “If anyone knows what’s going on, we’ll find out there.”

     ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

      Fairwaters sat on the bridge playing his lute. He had a light, playful melody but had yet to work out the words. That’s usually how it went with him. The music came first, the words came after. That’s what he was doing now, playing the tune and just letting it flow to see what the day brought him.

      It wasn’t long before he noticed a ripple in the water. The current wasn’t visible here, and he supposed it was some Aquatic Petpet on its way somewhere. Until he saw the horn pierce the surface. It hovered there for a moment, as if the lurker were uncertain of their reception. The Quigukiboy Quiggle continued to play, and he smiled down in encouragement; he loved an audience!

      Another moment passed before a…Flotsam peeped up from the water, listening to him in clear wonder. Fairwaters looked back in wonder of his own. For this was the strangest Flotsam he’d ever seen: dark blue and grey with jagged spikes, a row of three eyes on each side and jagged jaws.

      Fairwaters finished playing and rested his hands on his lute.

      The Flotsam surged up from the water with an eager cry. “Play again? Please?”

      Fairwaters stared for a moment. The Flotsam’s request had revealed a long, forked tongue and green slime oozing from his jaws. He regained his composure quickly, however. “Tell ya what, friend. I like to get to know my audience. For every question you answer, I’ll play you a song. Deal?”

      “Yes!”

      Fairwaters played a quick little tune before asking his next question. “My name is Fairwaters. What is yours?”

      The Flotsam gasped. “That’s like my name! I’m WitherWater!”

      Fairwaters played another tune on his lute, giving him the opportunity to think. While names could mean something, they weren’t always meant to be taken literally. But the toxic, green ooze dripping from the Flotsam’s jaws made Fairwaters uneasy.

      “Where ya from, friend?” Fairwaters asked.

      “The Haunted Woods.”

      “What brings you to this fine country of Meridell?”

      “I wanted to see the ocean!” WitherWater exclaimed, spewing flecks of ooze in his excitement. Then, he dipped low in the water, looking sheepish. “But I got lost.”

      “Ah well, that’s easy to do, I’m sure, with no landmarks and no one to point the way. But-” Fairwaters winced as he felt a burning sensation on his leg. He looked down to see a fleck of WitherWater’s spittle had landed on his trousers, burning a hole through them. Well, that answered his earlier question…

     The best way to go about this was to get the Flotsam to where he needed to go so that he didn’t further contaminate Meridell’s waterways. Then, they would have to backtrack and hopefully purify the water WitherWater had already passed through. He even knew who to ask, but he was getting ahead of himself.

     He refocused on WitherWater. “We can get you where you want to go.”

     “Really?” WitherWater asked with his strange gurgling voice. “OK! Let’s go!” The Flotsam fell back into the water and began to swim downstream but paused when he realised that Fairwaters had not joined him. He turned back with a puzzled look. “Aren’t you coming? The water’s great! Hop on in!”

     “Er, well, actually…” Fairwaters winced, uncertain how to tell the Flotsam that they weren’t going to be swimming to the ocean.

     As a Quiggle, he was just as comfortable in water as he was on land. But, after seeing the negative effects of WitherWater’s ooze, the last thing he wanted to do was get in the water. But, transporting a Flotsam on land presented its own set of challenges. He debated for a moment on the best way to go about it when the decision wound up being made for him.

     The familiar rumble of wagon wheels drew his gaze up the road to see a loaded wagon with Russ and Skip on the seat with Wes wedged between them.

     With a glance at WitherWater, Fairwaters rose to his feet to hail the wagon. “Hey there!”

     Russ drew the wagon to a halt, but before he could speak, Skip gasped, pointing at WitherWater. "I told you I saw a Mutant Flotsam!"

     WitherWater swam in a tight circle while Fairwaters glanced between them. “So, you all have been introduced?”

     “Not exactly,” Skip muttered.

     “They just got off on the wrong foot, is all,” Russ explained.

     WitherWater gurgled a laugh. “I don’t have feet. I have flippers! See?” He did a quick flip in the water and flicked water at them with his tail fin before bobbing back up with a grin.

     “That’s just a figure of speech. He didn’t mean it literally, of course. But, in that case, let me introduce you!” Fairwaters interjected. “WitherWater, these are my friends, Russ and Skip. Russ and Skip, I’d like you to meet WitherWater.”

     “Howdy,” Russ drawled with a tip of his head as Skip gave a curt nod.

     “Hi!” WitherWater exclaimed with a wave of a flipper.

     “What brings you out this way?” Fairwaters asked Russ and Skip.

     “We were just headed to the Good Barn to drop off a load of supplies,” Russ answered.

     “That’s great! WitherWater is on his way to the ocean, but he needs help to get there. Do you think you could help us out and give us a ride to the train station?” Fairwaters asked hopefully.

     “Oh, we can’t swim to the ocean?” WitherWater asked doubtfully, tapping his flipper on his snout in uncertainty.

     “We’d get there a lot faster by train than we ever would swimming or even on a boat.”

     “Hmm…I’ve never been on a train. Is it fun?”

     “It can be and, in a few hours, we’d reach the ocean whereas it would take a few days to get there in the water.”

     “We can go to the ocean today?” WitherWater perked up at this news. “Then yes, yes, yes! Let’s go on the train to the ocean!” He swam in an eager circle and splashed the water with his flippers in his excitement.

     Fairwaters laughed, and Russ smiled.

     “Alright, let's see what we can do,” Russ said.

     Skip groaned. “Russ, it took forever to load this wagon. Now we have to unload it, load it and then unload it again when we finally get to the Good Barn?”

     “Yep, that’s what I’m sayin’.”

     Skip pouted as Russ finished driving the wagon across the bridge and onto the bank of the river. His mood didn’t improve until Russ took him aside to talk to him for a moment. Then, he seemed to get over it and helped Russ at his usual, sluggish pace.

     Fairwaters kept WitherWater entertained while they worked and took the time to get to know the Flotsam a bit better and told him more about taking the train. At last, they had cleared a space for two more passengers.

     “We’re ready when you are, WitherWater,” Russ said.

     The Flotsam nodded and clambered onto the bank. It was a short distance to the wagon where Russ had even put a ramp into the back. WitherWater made his awkward way over and up before settling in the back of the wagon.

     “Sorry for the tight quarters, but we’re gonna stop at the Good Barn first to unload since it’s on the way to the train station,” Russ said. “That’ll give you a break from the wagon and give me a chance to make it more comfortable to ride in before going to the station.”

     “How long will that take?” WitherWater asked.

     “Only an hour or two,” Russ said with an easy shrug. He gave the Flotsam a reassuring smile. “You’ll be on your way to the ocean before you know it.”

     Fairwaters hopped up on the back of the wagon. It was the only place he could fit on the overloaded wagon, but it wasn’t too long a ride to the Good Barn; he could manage till then. As Russ got the wagon moving down the road once more, a thought occurred to Fairwaters, and he turned to the Mutant Flotsam.

     “Have you had lunch yet?” Fairwaters asked WitherWater. “The Good Barn is known for their great food. We could eat first, and then we won’t be hungry on the train.”

     “Food would be great! I love caviar!” WitherWater answered.

     Fairwaters laughed at his enthusiasm. “I don’t know if they serve that, but whatever we end up eating, I know it’s gonna be good.”

     He adjusted his lute and started up a lively tune to accompany them on the journey. It took almost no time at all before they arrived at their destination.

     “WitherWater, you can rest in the stockroom while we unload,” Russ said.

     “OK!” WitherWater agreed readily, making his way down the ramp and into the stockroom. It was spacious and cool and-most importantly-the stone floor couldn’t be harmed by his toxic slime.

     Working together, Russ and Skip unloaded the wagon while Fairwaters went upstairs to the main floor to check in with the Barnwells, get some food for himself and WitherWater as well as spread the news of their visitor.

     “They say they saw a monster in the water,” Mr. Yubby, an Elderly Yurble, was telling Brick Barnwell, the proprietor of the Good Barn.

     “Here in Meridell?” Brick raised his eyebrows. “Well, it’s not unheard of but nothing recent.”

     “It sounds incredible, I know, but I can’t explain the sickly green colour of the water, either.”

     “I think I can,” Fairwaters interjected. When the old Yurble and Meerca turned to look at him, he quickly shared his part in the events of the day.

     “You brought him here?” Brick asked, pointing a finger down for emphasis.

     “Well, Russ did since he offered to give us a ride. It made more sense to stop here first, and I thought it would be a good idea to eat something before we left. Everyone that comes through these parts has to try the food here,” Fairwaters said with a broad smile before turning earnest again. “Someone has to help him, or else he’ll just roam Meridell’s waterways indefinitely.”

     Mr. Yubby and Brick exchanged a glance.

     Brick sighed. “I suppose so.”

     “And it does seem to be the best solution overall,” Mr. Yubby added.

     “Go rejoin our new guest. I’ll be down shortly with something for ya’ll to grub on.”

     “Thanks, Brick!” Fairwaters exclaimed before darting back down the stairs.

     It wasn’t too long before Brick and Mr. Yubby made their way down to the stockroom to join them with food in tow for all of them. They took some time to sit and eat, Russ and Skip especially thankful for the break from their hard work. As Fairwaters knew it would be, the meal was delicious, and the company was even better.

     “I’m glad we could help you out, WitherWater. If you’re ever back this way, you be sure to stop by, ya hear?” Brick invited the Mutant Flotsam.

     WitherWater nodded his head enthusiastically. “Oh, I will! I will!”

     Brick and Mr. Yubby headed back up the stairs after the meal, having wished the Flotsam luck on his journey.

     “Are we going to the ocean now?” WitherWater asked, looking at Fairwaters and Russ.

     “We’re ready when you are,” Russ said.

     WitherWater headed for the wagon, far roomier now that it was almost completely empty, save for a fine layer of sawdust that Russ had thought to layer the bottom with. It was both softer than the plain wood of the wagon and more absorbent of any spills. WitherWater and Fairwaters settled into the back.

     Russ had his foot on the sideboard, ready to climb onto the seat when he paused as he realised that his best friend hadn’t joined him. He looked over his shoulder at the Burlap

     Ixi. “You comin’, Skip?”

      “Actually, I thought I’d stay here and just wait for you to come back,” Skip answered.

      “If you stay, you’ll have to help Brick inventory all of this,” Russ said with a wave of his hand at the boxes they’d unloaded from the wagon.

      “On second thought, I’ll come along for the ride,” Skip said.

      A self-satisfied smile spread across Russ’ face as he climbed into the wagon. It was well known that Skip was the laziest ‘pet in Meridell; he would do anything to get out of working.

     It was a short ride through the village to the train station. ‘

     WitherWater entertained himself by waving a hello to those they passed. “I’m going to the ocean!”

     Villagers would stop and stare at the strange Flotsam, exchanging looks of befuddlement as the wagon passed them by.

     When they arrived at the train station, Fairwaters hopped down first to buy their tickets while Russ helped WitherWater down from the wagon. A short time later, Fairwaters and WitherWater parted ways with Russ and Skip for the next (and hopefully last) leg of their journey.

     They settled into their seats on the crowded train. Neopets from all over took the train, so neither of them received a second glance here. As the train began to move and they were underway, WitherWater looked eagerly out the window. Fairwaters managed to keep the Mutant Flotsam entertained by talking about the landmarks they passed, funny anecdotes about life in the country and what to expect from the ocean.

     “Wait, you’ve never seen the ocean?” a striped Scorchio with a Neopia Central accent sitting in the row behind them asked.

     “No, never!” WitherWater answered.

     “But you’re a Flotsam!”

     “He’s coming from the Haunted Woods,” Fairwaters supplied.

     “Have you seen the ocean?” WitherWater asked the Scorchio.

     “Of course, I have! Neopia Central isn’t that far from the coast, and I’ve been to Mystery Island a few times on vacation. I mean, I don’t like getting my feet wet, but the ocean is pretty, and I’m sure you’ll love it more, being a Flotsam and all,” the Scorchio answered.

     “Oh yes. I’ve been wanting to see the ocean for ages!” WitherWater exclaimed. He looked over at Fairwaters. “Are we almost there?”

     “Just a little while more,” Fairwaters assured.

     WitherWater settled in, and Fairwaters did his best to keep him entertained, even playing a little tune on his lute. The other train passengers were also appreciative, and almost before they knew it, they had arrived at their destination. They disembarked from the train, and they made their way just a short block and over a rise to see the ocean.

     “We made it!” WitherWater exclaimed, racing down the slope and into the waves. He frolicked with joy, and Fairwaters grinned at the sight.

     As a bard, he stayed close to home, telling stories of others’ adventures. To be able to see his own adventure through to the end was new. What a song this would make!

     A Flotsam wandered

     Through the countryside

     Looking for the ocean’s tide,

     Floating back and forth

     Trying to find his way

     But it wasn’t till he heard

     The song of the Quiggle play

     That he found someone

     That could lead the way

     To where the land meets the sea

     And he could frolic free

     The End.