Watch Out For Symptoms

Come on, says Nerida. You can do it!

It's not that, says the pobblebonk tadpole. 

I thought you were stuck, says Nerida.

I'm not stuck, says the pobblebonk tadpole. I'm considerng.

No time for considering! says his father. Get in! The future awaits you.

Yes, get in! cry the other two pobblebonk tadpoles. The future awaits us.

The first pobblebonk tadpole swims into the springwater bottle.

The other two follow.

Yay! says Terence. This is the prize for the winner.

Do you hope to win it? asks the pobblebonk.

Yes! says Terence.

What would you do with it? asks Nerida.

Terence doesn't know.

You must take care of them, says the pobblebonk. And watch out for symptoms.

Like coughing? asks Terence.

No, like growing legs and losing their tails, says the pobblebonk. When you see these things happen you should let them out of the bottle.

Okay, says Terence. If I win it.

They have returned to the campsite.

It will soon be morning. Birds tweet in the treetops.

Nerida goes to her tent. She hasn't yet thought up her blessing.

Not that she wants that dud prize.

But she should make an effort.

What blessing would Taylor Swift come up with?

She has now got her head in the tent. It's dark. She smells chocolate. 

She hopes Freddy's not melting. 

She withdraws her head. She should have wriggled in backwards.

She starts wriggling in backwards when someone says Hey!

It's Arthur. Returned from whatever he stayed back for in Gladstone.

Arthur! You're in my tent, says Nerida.

I don't have my own tent, says Arthur. 

Yes you do, but Gaius put the supplies in it, because you weren't here, explains Nerida.

So, what's been happening? asks Arthur.

Why do you smell of chocolate? asks Nerida. Oh no! Have you eaten Freddy?

Merde! says Arthur. Looks like it. 

He spits out a bead.

They look at the bead.

It has a Y on it. 

It was indeed Freddy.