The Four Treasures

Croak stared incredulously at Lireal as she turned back to talk to Seraph. He had been suprised that the drow would be so friendly, but what had really scared him was how pathetic her joke was. At the same time, Croak couldn't help but be taken in by her exotic beauty. Elves were known for being elegantly attractive, and somehow Learil's large, almond-shaped, purple eyes, full of confusion and trouble, made her even more beautiful. Croak had not seen many girls in his life, and most of them just ran away screaming before they ever got this close. But Learil didn't seem to even flinch at his frog-like face, mottled grey and green with splotches and warts all over. There was a fearlessness about her that Croak couldn't help but admire.

Croak wondered how old this dark elf was. Elves lived for hundreds of years, so this girl who looked no older than he was could actually be many times his age. Croak blushed, realizing that he was staring, and looked around quickly to see that no one else had noticed. They were all occupied with other things. Croak sighed. In the face of such beauty, he couldn't help but remember how much he wanted to just be a regular human. Heck, even if he became a halfling or something, he would be happier than being such a hideous frog-man.

Some day...

"gaaah, i cant get this at the moment, its magic, but i never have used it or seen it used this way before; i need to take a break. So seraph, whats on your mind?" i said as we began to cross over an old wooden bridge, its boards creaking and threatening to break.

Just as we were about to finish crossing a plank broke and i, who was sitting on the edge of the cart, fell in. I panicked, because they were rapids and i couldn't swim, luckily i could breath water so i would have a few minutes before i hit the huge waterfall i had seen off through the woods or got smashed to death on sharp boulders. "Morgana!" i telepathically called even thought i knew she too could not swim.

seeing lireal fall off into the water and knowing she couldnt swim i leapt out of the cart into the raging water, swimming as fast as i could while using my telepathy to bring her towards me. After grabbing her i began to swim back to shore, my strength fading fast, for the swimming and the task of bringing her towards me inch by inch against the strong current of the water. Fearing i would not be able to make it i pulled lireal adn myself onto a flat rock in the middle of the river less thatn 20 feet away from the waterfall. I looked to see if she was ok and then collapsed out of exaustion breathing heavily.

Croak, seeing the two drow stranded in the middle of the river, jumped into the stream and swam quickly towards them. He went under the water for a short time, and when he came up he was a giant red frog. Motioning for the drow to get on his back, he waited.

slowly dragging myself and lireal onto croacks back i muttered "thanks"

Croak leapt to the shore in a single bound, then quickly reverted back to his normal, diminutive form.

"You know, if you hadn't jumped in, I could have saved her without being forced to waste my energy by transforming," Croak said, panting.

I cuold only cuoph up the wate i had breathed in, even if i coud breath water i had trouble returning to air. When we got back to land i had felt mild shock and just sat breathing deeply for a moment.

"that could have been usefull to know; and its just the thing you would do for someone you love, you would risk anything to save them."

Alex who just woke up and saw the commotion. "What the heck is going on", he sighed. He saw Seraph cleaning his armour he looked at his weapon and his new dagger tale. It was a elegant peice of weaponery with ridged spike running across the side of the blade. He then looked at the back of the cart embedded in the back was a shuriken, he then saw more coming. Alex jumped out "I've just gotta do something he drew his sword and went to kill the attacker."

After regaining me breath i first turned to Croak, who wuold be easyer to deal with. "What is your name? Anyway thankyou! you saved our lifes. You are extreemly brave. I am in your debt. Also forgive me for being so rude but how did you turn into a frog?" i turned and looked at Diz but only cuold blush at my stupidity.

Croak blushed, then chuckled. "Name's Gregory Thal'dokk, but you c'n call me 'Croak.' As for how I c'n transform... I have my secrets..."

"don't we all have out little... secrets" i said turning over on my side to look at the others.

~Thaden Ma'lar~

I landed nearby. I saw Driznarden and Croak pull the Female Dark Elf out of the stream. While they did this, I related to Seraph what I saw. His face told his reaction, he listened in grim concentration as I described some of the fortifications I had seen and a lot of the things that I hadn't seen.
"Without a doubt, we are heading into one of the most dishonest places in the world," I finished. Driznarden and Croak walked past us with the female dark elf and helped her onto the cart. I detected a faint tension in their movements, but I decided not to mention it at this point. Alex, who had woken up believing he was under attack, had since calmed down, before going on to show the Old Man his new knife. The female dark elf began talking again, this time about something light-hearted. I looked at her and then at the Old Man.
"I don't trust either the elf or the Old Man. She seems too wild, where the Old Man seems too calm."
"Do you think they pose a danger?" Seraph asked in a low voice.
"No," I turned to Seraph, "I don't know what to think about them. That is why I don't trust them. Too many secrets," I muttered.

(Let me know if I got the characters wrong, so I can edit the post. Hopefully, I'm understanding them better.)

I nodded at Greggory called croak then turned to Diz i faltered, "I am... Thank you, you risked your life to save mine. I suppose i shuold not kill you now" i forced a weak awquard smile, I felt like i was going to be sick, "maybe you have not changed." I held out my hand stifly to him for a handshake.