The last few weeks were so boring for Hips, and the buck was starting to get irritated with the monotony. Normally Blue Ridge Mountains would talk about nothing but plants. The names of plants, the properties of plants, where certain plants grew, what they looked like... Plants, plants, plants. Hips enjoyed listening to the older buck speak. As long as they were moving and traveling, Hips was happy. More than anything, Hips wanted to explore the areas outside of the Swamp. Ridge often spoke of his journeys to the Plains. Though Ridge said he only went to the edge where the Swamp ended and the Plains began, it was certainly far enough to have befriended some Kiokote. Ridge had made a promise to Rose Hips... No, more like a deal. If Rose Hips provided protection to Cardamom and Blue Ridge Mountain, Ridge would take Hips to the plains.
But clearly... That wasn't happening anytime soon. Blue Ridge Mountains had hooked up with some doe. She was so awkward and quiet that Hips barely remembered what she looked like. He didn't pay much attention anyway. This doe was why Rose Hips was so agitated, after all. Four sacs had popped out of her, and Ridge, being the family man that he was, insisted that they would stay until the babies were able to walk without stumbling around. Who knew how long that would take. Blue Ridge Mountains never spoke of plants anymore, but babies instead, and it was driving Hips crazy.
Hips decided that he had needed some time to cool off, and wandered away from the area that his company was staying in, following a muddy, stagnant river that was unfit for drinking or swimming in. Being careful of crocodiles, Hips parked himself on a rock at the side of the river, wondering what to do next.
She knew nothing of the male's problems. All she knew is that being lonely was stupid and she hated the silence. It was deafening to her ears. She often stopped to talk with slugs or frogs, getting no where in her journey fast. She didn't even know where she was heading. All Tiny Star knew is that she had to be on the move to find new Kin to talk to. Talking helped calm her down and threw the aqua girl back into her groove.