A petal bowl trembled ever so slightly in Julian’s grasp, slick with dew and magic. It was from some cave flower with a name they couldn’t remember—or perhaps refused to remember out of spite. Didn't matter. They'd find more later and give it a proper study.

"Stupid humidity," they muttered, voice like damp moss scraped over stone. “Sticks to my toes. Makes my hat wilt. Ain’t no dignity in dampness.” Said the frog who was, unfortunately, damp-dependant.

They adjusted the bent sprig of lichen that passed as a hat, scowling under its droop. Their bulbous eyes peered at the hollow they’d carved out with a claw—no bigger than a teacup saucer, lined with quartz chips and spiderweb filaments. A trap, if one could call it that. To Julian, it was high sorcery. To anyone else, it looked like glittery trash.

They set the petal bowl down gently within, letting a single droplet of cave condensation roll from its curled edge into the waiting pit. The drop landed with a plink, oddly musical, like the cave itself was listening.

“There,” they croaked, rubbing their webbed fingers together. “Sweetwater from that pissy little river, right. That oughta lure one of those fat-winged beetle bastards. Big shiny one, with the eyes like burnt amber. Thinks I don’t see it. Thinks I ain’t hungry.”

Julian hunched beside the trap, their skin a violent red against the backdrop of the green growing everywhere else; but they hid there too, in the shadow, like a vandal. They were barely longer than a chalk stub, but their presence had the weight of a gnarled old oak. One that bit if you leaned too close.

A glimmer-shape buzzed in the distance like the wingbeats of a war drum. Presuming it was some sort of bug attracted by that gargantuan tree, the tiny frog had to believe in themselves and their wits if they were going to get what they wanted.

Julian grinned.

“That’s right,” they hissed. “Come sniffin’. I got stew with your name on it, you overgrown candle-butt.”

This would be easier with some magic, they thought. If only they had - well, they weren't sure. A wand would be preferable but it did not come to mind because they had never seen one, or seen anyone use one; maybe runes, which they went to trace in the air with a long finger - not that it accomplished anything besides being habit.

“Come little beetle, come dance for the dew.
Come, crawling fool, to your hot-pot stew.”

Julian folded their arms. “Now we wait. And when you fall in—oh—I’ll season you with mushroom salt and cackle 'til my throat gives out.”

Their tiny belly rumbled.

A small, furry creature slid out of blue chrysalis, small legs pulling them out and into the world. For a moment, he just blinked a few times, letting his eyes adjust to the change in light, squinting slightly. Interesting. This place was pretty, curious but a bit scary. He'd probably come back later to explore, as right now? Well right now he wanted to figure out where he was and learn more about this body he found himself in.

Ears perked up when he caught the voice of another, his eyes sparkling and his face smiling. Another! Quickly he bounded, a tongue flicking out of his maw, his paws landing lightly even as he ran happily over. Well, no one could say he was didactic at least, his joyful expression and excited form coming out of the shadows as he rounded the corner.

He came to a stop as he looked around, not seeing anyone at first before finally his gaze landed on a creature smaller than him. His eyes widened and for a moment he took a few steps closer, aiming to lower his head and sniff at the thing. What are you? He couldn't help but ask, cocking his head to the side like a curious dog.

Their tiny belly rumbled.

And the soil beneath their feet gave a rumble of its own. The carefully filled and placed petal bowl gave a shudder, the water droplet shivering ominously. This didn't look right, it didn't feel right - and then the world seemed to quake in earnest! Julian ducked down and huddled against a stone embedded near a root to the single tree growing here.

Had their magic been so strong that a whole swarm of beetles was thrumming their way to them? Maybe their little chant had called for cave cicadas! Maybe breakfast would be centipoedal worms drawn up through the dirt? In any case, something approached and within moments the puny 40mm frog-person was forgetting about food and focusing on this earthquake they were certain now transpired.

Then, as swiftly as it began, it ended.

A blue-black shadow crossed over Julian's hiding place. The shaking had ceased, and so they lifted a hand from where it draped across their head; one bulbous eye popping up from their red head, then the other. A glimpse towards their water drop, which had fallen from the petal and which Julian watched be swallowed by the grass. "Oh no, no no no!"

They rushed to it, reaching out and grasping as if their rubbery skin might stop this moment; but it was over so quicky. Julian turned their attention up through the shadow, seeing this monstrous blue creature looking down upon them; and the question billowed like a gust of wind: "What are you?"

Light haloed around the beast and caught in the blackness of Julian's eye, as they angrily gathered their magic and focused it with the intent to blast this creature in the face, or in one of their massive eyes as they stared down to them.

"I'm -- HUNGRY! You.. y-you, thing!" The shadows pull from around Julian and collect behind them, seemingly rising up like a dark plasma rooted to their position. Shaped to look like a mimicry of themselves - but rivaling the other creature in size, trying to intimidate and warn them backwards.

@Nebula

Suddenly the little creature yelled at him and he pouted, falling back to sit on his butt, tears springing up in his eyes. He didn't know what he did to cause the small thing to yell at him. I'm not a thing... He muttered sadly, though he actually didn't really know what he was to begin with. Let's just hope the question wasn't asked.

However, even with sniffles, he cocked his head to the side, noting that the thing was hungry. He was kinda hungry too. His eyes lit up slightly as he pulled himself to his feet, doing a bit of a tippy tapping with his front paws. I can get you food. Yes, that would heal the situation right? Let's go hunt together! What a wonderful idea that was, a brilliant plan if he did say so himself.

And so, with a renewed sense of excitement, he would lower his head for the creature, clearly expecting the thing to hop onto his head. How else would they hunt together of course.

The creature's expression shifted in to something pinched. The tiny frogwitch did not feel bad about their reaction, nor should they! The giant beside them had disrupted everything and likely cost them their lunch. The offer to hunt together was met with a wave of one long-fingered palm. "I am perfectly capable of feeding m'self, you big oaf! Or I would'a had some soup-stuff by now, if you hadn't broken my concentration."

The petal-bowl had by now wilted, no longer able to hold its concave shape. The bead of water that Julian had perilously gathered and preciously placed, having been absorbed in to the dirt a little bit earlier, had taken whatever glimmer of magicka with it.

Julian attempted to cross their arms over their chest, as they were standing there upright; but something about their anatomy made this a little more difficult than expected, so they gave up and hoisted them on to would-be hips instead. They sniffed the air as if that would glean for them some information about this giant blue monstrosity - but any vestige of good humor had vanished from Julian the moment they themselves had hatched, and that had been cycles ago by now.

Taking a deep and steadying breath, the frogwitch kicks off the dirt and like a flea, they launch off the dirt and land on the tip of the dragon-thing's nose. "You owe me soup!"

He didn't really understand why the small thing was so mad. He had offered to find him food, and they could be friend, go out and explore together. What was there to be mad about? He just couldn't wrap his head around it. The little frog certainly wasn't laconic in his speech, taking the time to bitch him out before suddenly jumping onto his nose.

Only a bit of a flinch showed his shock, his eyes widening for a moment before crossing to look down his nose at the little guy. He started to cock his head to the side in curiosity, but righted his head before he could accidently throw the little guy off. However, his brows did furrow slightly in confusion. A soup? He didn't understand what that was and, found himself asking in a very confused voice. What's a soup?

@Julian