The trip into the forest was uneventful. No sudden ambushes, no abyss to fall into, and no insurmountable wall.

He was free for once and he was going to take full advantage. The odd crawling insect satiated his hunger as quickly as it arrived. If he was to grow nice and large, he needed to make sure he was full.

His journey took him to where the food was and, the longer he traveled, the deeper he made it into this unknown territory.

He broke through the underbrush and found some kind of trail that the local fauna used. The clear ground made it much easier to move quickly compared to what the tree roots and rocks could offer.

It led him deep into the forest's reaches. The sky was mostly blocked out of sight by the thick canopy and the occasional clouds, completely unlike the permanent overcast he was used to.

He was having the time of his life exploring now that he wasn’t waterbound by necessity and he loved it. The only thing that was missing now was a nice divot in mud to sit in or a cool stump to relax under away from the heat of the midday sun

As if his prayers were answered, he found a line of animal tracks that looked to be the perfect size to sit inside with each print carved deep into the mud that made up the trail.

He took short rests between meals as he followed whatever destination it lead to.

The nice monotony of the situation lulled him into a repeatable routine. Something he had been careful of before while he was still a tadpole.

When he finally realized his mistake, it might have already been too late.

He looked around at where he found himself. Shacks similar to the one he first ran into along the bank appeared in much greater density than ever before.

He needed to flee right now. His back legs propelled him back the way he came only to stop dead in his tracks. Ahead of him stood a pair of middle-sized humans staring him down like the monsters they not so secretly were.

“Look how big that frog is.” One of the pair took another step closer with his hands out wide in front of him.

“I see it. What are you thinking?” The other one that stood slightly shorter, but also much fatter, copied the lankier creature.

He was truly stuck between a croc and a rock. They lunged forward to try and grab him with their pink grubby hands.

Their speed was far beyond was he was expecting from the sick creatures.

They ended up bumping into each other clumsily in the process, freeing Egosum from possible death.

With no other option, he hopped deeper into the city that laid before him for dear life. The bumbling oafs stumbled after him as he took off like a water skate.

The alleys between homes acted as a trap for them as the mud and muck that filled them allowed him to glide through effortlessly while the twins struggled to make it in single-file order.

The chase went on for far longer than he was happy to admit.

After taking four right turns, he managed to shake them around a row of houses.

The other humans were much less interested in him than he had expected. They would merely glance at him and continue on their business like he didn’t exist.

‘One day you shall rue not killing me while you still had the chance. Mark my words!'

He found his way out of the dense buildings of the city and finally made it to the outskirts. The buildings had caged animals ready for the slaughter like they were monster cored cretins.

The smell was foul even to him. Feces and urine coated the packed earth, showcasing the empire in decay for what it truly was.

He was finally out of danger now that nothing was actively searching for him. The animals of burden that would guard their homes and devour the pests did not have very keen noses if the town was anything to go by, leaving him alone to scamper back out into the forest.

Only a few more hops forward and he was gone from human civilization. With a final hop and plop down, he sighed in relief.

‘Freedom. Oh how sweet!’

Now began his reign of terror on the locals of the area. He was going to find out a way to begin his swampification process on the surrounding land, even if it was the last thing he would do and it all will start with his very next hop.

The small jump landed soundly on the ground only for him to get flung into the air by a rope attached to a spring-loaded stick. A jingling sound rang off from atop the limb.

He hung limply from the snare trap that grabbed him by the foot. With rapid vigor, he thrashed on the pole, bending it and causing the bell atop to rattle incessantly.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Leaf cracking noises drew his attention as he slowly rotated around like a spit roasted pig.

“Hey brother, we got something.” The heavy footsteps that followed after him were undeniable.

‘Oh fuck me.’

Through the thick greenery came two stupid-looking humans. The very same pair that he had just escaped came strolling out of the bushes to collect their prize, him.

“Hey, it's that stupid frog.”

“We got you now. You're going straight to the Alchemist. She has been looking for frog eyes and legs for her potions.” The lanky brother threw him into a small leather sack to hold him on the walk to where the alchemist was.

“Oowa Oowa.”

He thrashed for his life in the pouch, kicking and throwing himself against the sides repeatedly.

“This stupid thing is kinda strong.” He lifted the creature sack and shook it to stop the toads' struggles, only lighting its fire for freedom more.

“I mean, it is the biggest frog I have ever seen. The gleckler frog was bigger, but that was a monster. You could barely get your hands all the way around it!”

The newly formed trio walked through the town, taking unknown turns and long paths, they finally arrived at their destination.

Egosum could smell the strange scents that dominated the area. They reminded him of some of the foods the adults would throw into the eternal vernal pools for them. The familiar smells brought him back home to reminisce.

How he missed the warm water, good food, and constant companionship.

His memories were rudely interrupted by a set of grimy hands pulling him out of the leather pouch.

“Hshhhhhh!” A strange hissing noise escaped him as the light hit his eyes and fingers pressed into his sides.

“Stupid thing can hiss. Maybe it'll do it again if I squeeze it.” His fat, grubby phalanges singled close to his face.

“Stop damaging the product!” A rough and elderly female voice spoke to them harshly causing Egosum to acknowledge the new enemy.

Before him stood a creature he wasn’t sure how to describe. Was it youthful with ancient wrinkles? Was it a human mixed with a hobbit? Was it going to eat him right now?

The monster before him reached out and grasped him with its long claw-ridden fingers.

Where the boy's grip felt tight and rough, hers just felt strong like iron. There was no room to escape her unlike the lumbering oafs he had just been snatched from.

“Good job. I’ll give you twenty copper for it.” The hag reached for the purse at her waist and extracted some rough greenish-brown coins.

“But you said two silver for frog eyes!” The chubby boy protested while the lanky one merely stuck his hand out to accept the money.

“Maybe if you brought me a true frog and not a toad, you would get the full price. You’re lucky I can use it for something I’m making in a few days.” The witch dropped the money into his hand and turned around to enter the building behind her.

The smells that pervaded the outside of the building only intensified inside. They were a hundred times more powerful and he saw where the smells all came from in their full glory.

Shelves dominated the dimly lit room. Hundreds upon hundreds of jars and hanging herbs filled the space. Small creatures and strange moving slimes were housed in glass boxes on one side while the other consisted entirely of various dried meats or organs.

The hag unscrewed the lid of a large jar with one hand and unceremoniously dropped him deep into the glass jail.

“Oowa oowa.” His common complaint filled the jar, hurting even his ears as the noise bounced back and forth for what felt like an eternity.

He despised how clammed up he got when he met things that could actually understand him. He fluently spoke common like the humans did and far better than them too. He was just a little…nervous.

Yeah, that was it.

He surveyed the room more now that the hag had entrapped him and left him all alone while she toiled in a back room

The smells of food and poison intermingled strongly. It was invigorating. He hadn’t felt so alive in a long time. The adrenaline he got from the terror of death only came to a close second. He couldn’t decide what it was about the strange smells that attracted him so greatly.

Sure, they had a foody quality to them, but there was something more that drew him in. An intense desire to devour everything in his vicinity overwhelmed him. He lunged forward, smacking into the glass that entrapped him and shaking the jar slightly.

‘Ah. Damn urges overtaking me again. Argh. It's just so tempting.’ Egosum calmed his nerves. He was really starting to lose it being cramped in a wet jar with no access to the delectable food around him.

He looked up at the lid that held him captive. The old crone had not tightened it too hard when she secured it originally. His back legs craned him upwards and gave him purchase on the lid.

With all the might contained with his toadlet body, he twisted the top, budging it ever so slightly.

‘hah . I shall be free in no time.’

And so the grind to unscrew the cap began. His finger pads became sore from the strenuous activity, but he finally did it after several hours of intense work. The cap sat on top of the jar loosely, resting on the lip.

A loud blaring noise sounded off from the back room that housed the crone. Shuffling noises startled him into action. He wasn’t going to be able to hide in her house. He needed to act like he was perfectly innocent.

He stuck his finger pads on the lid and turned as if his life depended on it. The stopper seeded back into place and the blaring in the back stopped just in time for the old hag to walk out into the room.

She scanned the shelves and walked over to the door. The small animals around Egosum flinched back with each step she took. Her door was magically unlatched and thrown open for her to look around and find the cause of the disturbance.

“Ah stupid alarm system. Constantly messing up. One more time and I swear I am disabling it permanently. She stormed back inside and disappeared into the back room. Loud clunks and bangs dominated the air for the next minutes mixed in with some abhorrent swears commonplace in any adept crone's vernacular.

Egosum sat to reflect on how he would escape. If he could optimize the annoyance the alarm could cause while remaining undetected, he could probably find a way to truly escape from captivity.

His calculating mind went to work. He might just have the perfect plan. All it required was some time.

He hunkered down in his glass and hoped the witch would not return before his plan went into full swing. He closed his eyes and waited for night to come and the hag to go to sleep. After all, who didn't love being rudely awoken mid dream to the loud blaring of a false alarm.

‘Muahahaha…… I am just laughing to myself now.’ Night arrived silently as the sun hid behind the trees and then the planet, yet the women stayed up.

She worked in the back room tirelessly. The strange smells emanate stronger and stronger as time went on. The hours of toil she performed left him with nothing to do but silently bide his time in the jar.