Peace And Longevity

Letitia looks hard at the knowlesi.

The knowlesi can't hold his breath for much longer.

Huuuh, goes the knowlesi.

He's alive, says Letitia. And no straws, so his back legs aren't broken.

She scoops up the knowlesi.

I want peace and longevity! croaks the knowlesi.

Isn't that sweet, says Katherine. 

He thought you were going to cut him up, says Roo-kai.

Never, says Letitia. I just want some photos. In the old days we used to do toe clipping, hot wire branding, or tattooing. But now we have pattern recognition software.

Do frogs have toe nails? asks Katherine.

Err...no, says Letitia. We clipped the actual toes.

The knowlesi is shocked. How would Letitia like it if someone clipped her toes?

Roo-kai brushes a wing feather lightly over the knowlesi, to calm him.

Shall we take photos here in the Japanese Garden? asks Katherine. I'd like some.

All right, says Letitia.

Under those beautiful Japanese maples, says Katherine. With the leaves drifting down.

A bit arty, says Letitia. I'd prefer the knowlesi to sit on a rock.

There is a rock naturally dispersed in a random way under one of the Japanese maples.

They head there.

The knowlesi hops onto the rock.

Wait, says Katherine. A leaf is falling.

Click. What a beautiful photo. 

The brown knowlesi, with his golden iris, on the grey rock, the red Japanese maple leaf beside him.

Letitia takes a close up, without the leaf, for her thesis.

How about one of you with the knowlesi, says Katherine. You found it.

Okay, says Letitia. She sits on the grey rock.

Click.

It's a nice photo of the two of them. Letitia is smiling, and so is the knowlesi.

Letitia is smiling because she found the knowlesi.

The knowlesi is smiling because he won't be cut up.