The Tale of Gauge Quack

It was a typical day.... I sprawled out beneath Tree and gazed up through his branches as Zleiphneir and Kafuuka chit chatted over random things. I watched the clouds roll past, the only thing holding my attention, never thinking the serenity was about to be shattered.

"Hahahaha"... The laughter of the puppet tore me from the wanderings of my mind. "Ledah... ugh...." I sat up and dug in my satchel, searching for the medication that helped to hold him at bay. Alas, I found it and quickly stuffed a frog into his britches, but it were a moment too late. Ledah had already begun to agitate Zleiphnier, and of course, Zleiphneir was not in the mood to play with this hater of Tree. Zleiph sprang off the wall and approached Ledah. I watched Ledah closely, my hand moving in my satchel in search of another frog. Zleiph tilted his head and pondered a moment, then spoke.

"I’ve not yet worked out this completely, but maybe a frog would be less bothersome to Tree” He held out his hand and looked at me. "Give me a frog" Not knowing what kind he wanted, I pulled several from my satchel and dumped them into his outstretched hand. Several fell away and jumped to safety as he held one and reached down, removing a knife from his boot.

My eyes grew wide as I realized the fate of this poor frog and Zleiph chanted the words to the spell, then raised his blade and pierced the frog within his hand. As he dropped the amphibian, my gaze turned to Ledah, who was no longer the puppet, but a Frog!

Zleiph grumbled and dumped the water from his bucket as he approached Ledah the Toad "...poison.... something wrong with the spell... catch it... “My mind raced as I realized what had happened, but before I could react, Ledah leapt away into the Gazebo of Equilibrium. I darted after Zleiph, in hot pursuit of this killer frog, scanning the feet of the people gathered there, looking for the frog.

"DONT TOUCH THAT FROG!!" Zleiph’s voice rang out over the roar of the crowd. Several watched as Zleiph tried to capture the elusive frog under his bucket, but it managed to escape. "Why such a big fuss over a frog" someone asked.. "It’s a poison dart frog! I've got to catch it before it gets away" Zleiph darted off, desperately attempting to capture this small threatening creature, and Gauge decided to follow. Every time Zleiph had nearly gotten the thing within his grasp, it would "Ribbit! Ribbit!" and spring away to its escape... Up one path and down another, we ran in circles, seemingly always a moment too late.

I followed Ledah towards the Paper cabin, and quickly obtained a basket from there, returning to the pursuit of Ledah. Suddenly, sitting in front of the gates of ages, i spotted him. Slowly, I crept up behind him and brought my basket down. Silently I cheered victoriously as I sat atop the basket. I had just begun to wonder what to do next when Zleiph, Kafuuka and Gauge wandered up the path. Zleiph knelt down beside the basket and peeked through the cracks at Ledah... Ledah ribbitted in response. I don't know what Ledah said with his noises and croaks, but apparently Zleiph did and his look of relief became a scowl. He reached for his blade again and pointed it at the basket. "Lift it just a bit" his request bothered me, but I obliged.

As I lifted the edge of the basket, Ledah sprang from his confinement and hurried away again. The chase resumed as it had before. Several times I thought I had him within reach, and several times he leapt to safety at the last moment. Up and down the paths I ran... and finally the frog stopped beneath Tree... I tiptoed up and brought my basket down with a heavy thud over Ledah. "Aha!" I scrambled to sit upon it, keeping the mischievous little creature at bay yet again. Nearly muted noises came from within the basket. "Oh hush you". I sat there for what seemed like an eternity before Zleiph returned.

He knelt down beside the basket and peeked through the weaving... “Good work" he said as he stood back up. Gauge sat, exhausted, beneath the shade of Tree, and Kafuuka returned to his place beside the wall, all clearly satisfied that this poisonous thing had finally been captured, and rested.

Zleiph debated on where the spell had gone wrong, and why it had turned Ledah into a poisonous toad when a most putrid smell filled the air... the woven constructs of the basket nearly melted away... And the Frog jumped towards Gauge! He sat perfectly still, not knowing what to do as it landed in his lap. "Don't Touch the Frog" Zleiph yelled in panic, and I sat there, not sure of what to do now...

Gauge sat there, still as he possibly could, looking at this threat that had decided to roost upon him. Zleiph, myself, and Kafuuka deliberated over the next course of action... and then I looked at Gauge.

"Zleiph, um... he doesn't look to good... "

Gauge had passed out, and when he awoke, he spoke of feeling ill. Zleiph suddenly looked panicked and barked at him “I told you not to touch it!" Gauge shook his head a bit and cringed as his stomach turned and ached for release of its contents. "Oh... “Zleiph realized that Gauge had indeed not touched this poisonous thing, but instead it had saturated his clothing with its venom. Gauge rolled over a bit, letting the accursed thing fall off his lap, and made his way to the wall, the nausea taking over. Again we debated a course of action but this time regarding Gauge's condition. I darted off to the Gazebo, and dragged Awiiya back to Tree, hoping that one of the archivists would know what to do, or at least have some knowledge of poisons.

Awiiya left to the paper cabin, bringing back a book on poisons when he returned. We waited, on edge, as he scanned the pages..."well... there's not much here on an antidote..." That was all I could bear to hear, and darted off again, in search of someone who might know. My pleas fell upon the ears of Stormrunner, and he followed me back Tree. He stood there silently and observed situation. Kafuuka suggested that Gauge’s form be altered to accommodate for the poisoning, and to prevent it from harming him further, hopefully rendering him immune, and Gauge obliged, desperate and scared. Zleiph was pacing around frantically, worried that the spell would mess up again. Finally, he convinced himself to go ahead with the suggestion to change Gauge into a frog and nearly hollered “give me a frog!” I tried to put one in his hand, but by this time he was nearly running in circles. I grabbed his arm and put the frog in his palm; he reached for his knife and hesitated. Concern was evident upon his face, but finally, we managed to convince him to continue with it.

Zleiph closed his eyes, raised the blade, spoke the spell and pierced the frog, then dropped it to the ground. My gaze darted from Zleiph, to Gauge and I was shocked at what I saw. In the midst of the pile of clothing Gauge had been wearing, there was a frog! The spell had worked! Gauge appeared to be no longer ill and made a noise as if trying to speak. I was astonished at what came out.

"Quack?" Gauge jumped on his little frog legs towards myself and Zleiph. Apprehensive and unknowing of the difference in the species I looked at Zleiph. Zleiph looked at Awiiya. Awiiya volunteered to obtain a book from the Cabin about the new species of frog to either affirm or dismiss the possibility of danger.

“Hmm…” Zleiph tilted his head and looked at Gauge. “How interesting… a quack frog”

A Quack Frog? What's a Quack Frog?" I asked.

Zleiph pointed at Gauge and said dryly “That is a quack frog”

Awiiya returned with a book about frogs and read to us a bit. “The quack frog is not dangerous, it’s only distinguishable characteristic is that it quacks much like a duck”

With that said I knelt down and scooped up Gauge and looked at him. “Are you ok? I mean, do you feel ok?” Gauge leapt from my hand and landed on my shoulder. “Well... I suppose that’s a yes” I turned and looked at Zleiph “So now what?” Gauge wriggled and moved about on my shoulder as Zleiph, Kafuuka and myself, along with input from Awiiya, tried to decide what to do next.

Finally, the movement of Gauge caught my attention, and I removed him from my shoulder and looked at him. “Whatsamatter? Are you hungry? I know of a spot not far where there’s lots of froggy treats” Gauge quacked again and I took it to be a yes, so I carried him off to Willow’s Walk, where I gather my frogs, where the gnats and mosquitoes are abundant, and let him down in the reeds at the bank to dine to his little heart’s content. After some time, he hopped over to me and I carried him back to Tree.

Apparently, in our absence, not much was decided. If Gauge was returned to his prior form, then there was a risk of the poison returning in his system. Awiiya commented that it would take about a week for the toxin to work itself out of Gauge’s system, so, with that in mind, we tried to figure out a way to cure the poison and Gauge as well. They day grew on… many ideas were passed about and dismissed, either because they were near impossible, or because they had the chance of causing more harm then good. As time passed, I grew tired and decided to return to my hammock in the forest for a while as they continued to discuss matters. While I rested, Gauge took it upon himself to wander the lands, looking for help, ever cautious of the trampling feet of the crowds, and made his way into Loreroot.

His small body entered the door of the Pub located there, and he greeted those within with a hearty “Quack!” Sagewoman turned; a look of surprise evident on her face as she asked “What on MD is THAT?” Flamewarrior, only listening while occupied with other things, assumed there was a duck in the room, and tried to communicate back “AFLACK!” Phantasm, knowing a little of what had happened earlier that day, told Sagewoman and Calyx of how Zleiph had turned Gauge into a quack frog.

Gauge nodded his little frog head in agreement and hopped over to Calyx. “Quack quack quaaaack?” Sage thought on the matter at hand for a moment, then turned to Calyx, “This may take both of us, poison is not an easy thing to cure.” Sagewoman attempted to communicate with Gauge, but her duck was a bit rusty, and she ended up sounding more like a Canadian goose then a duck, let alone a quack frog. Somehow, Calyx and Sagewoman managed to understand the seriousness of the situation. Flamewarrior offered his assistance and held up a small vial of Phoenix tears.

Calyx thought for a moment before speaking again and turned to Sage “Well, I figure, between Earth Mother, Isis, you, me, Siala’s herbs, and Flame’s alchemy, we can beat the dart frog poison… as a matter of fact, it almost sounds like overkill!”

Calyx quickly gathered the necessary herbs for a compress to counter the alkaloid poison and looked at Gauge. “Show me where the poison touched you”. Gauge looked at Calyx and tried to roll over onto his back, quite a feat for a frog, considering frogs are rarely if ever found on their backs, and tried to point at his midsection with his tiny front frog legs. Calyx dressed the area with the compress and turned to Sage. “Let’s get out our sage and cedar and smudge him thoroughly”

Sage, preoccupied with healing Phantasm, protested. “Calyx, I only have enough to heal one...Spook here is my priority” Calyx nodded, “will you lend your support then?” Phantasm shook his head and turned to Sage “I’m fine Woman, as long as you’re strong enough to take care of the frog.” Phantasm held his wounded chest and looked down at Gauge, an unseen smile in his voice “It’s alright little fella, they will help you out”

Satisfied with the conversation, Calyx turned to Flamewarrior “tell me about those Phoenix tears, I feel urged to use them.”

“Phoenix tears can cure the most lethal of poisons, even basilisk venom” Flame opened the vial and added two drops to the compress. Calyx nodded “That must have been what Isis meant, it should help enormously.” She returned to the Herb Closet, gathering her smudge pot and herbs. After preparing the contents, lit them, and blew out the flame, the smoke from the smoldering contents wafting upwards and through the room. Calyx knelt beside Gauge, using an owl wing fan, and washed him with the smoke of the Sage, White Cedar and Sweet Grass.

Windy, unaware of the goings on inside the pub burst in through the doorway, a goofy grin upon her face “Is there a party going on that I didn’t get an invite to?”

“Windy, O Thank Goddess!” Sage’s worries seem to dissipate upon seeing Windy.

Meanwhile, Calyx was focusing solely upon invoking Isis. “Almighty Isis, Mother of All living things, Hear the call of your Calyx… Send your life-giving breath to our friend Gauge, a worthy servant, oh Isis… Heal him; remove the effects of the poison.” As she spoke the words, the smoke of the smudge pot started to glow a bit, the herbs and the phoenix tears in the compress heating up. Gauge squirmed a bit, a wave of tiny pinpricks washing over his body. Calyx spoke again, but it was not her voice that was heard, it was the voice of Isis “Arise my son.”

Phantasm watched Calyx and Gauge intently. Windy, suddenly becoming aware of what was going on spoke quietly. “Um… Who is this Gauge Quack?”

Still focused upon what she was doing, Calyx spoke. “Sage, Windy, join me for one final invocation…” Sage placed her hand upon Calyx’s shoulder, her hand glowing and her energy entering into Calyx, helping to fuel her. Windy stepped forward to the pair cautiously. “What can I do?” Gauge moved a bit again, feeling something happening where he was poisoned. Calyx stretched out her arms, placing her hands upon Sage and Windy’s shoulders. “Just anchor us for one final cleansing…”

Sage’s eyes turned golden as she and Calyx begin to chant, almost as one…

“I am the Light, the Light is within me…”

“Almighty Isis, we thank you for your grace and for kissing our friend, your son…”

“Flow from your Host, into this Priestess of Isis’ Light, I ask this of Thee…”

“Arise Gauge, and feel the strength and life return to your limbs…”

Gauge suddenly began to shift form again, his bones returning to their previous size, his skin stretching painfully to accommodate for the transformation beneath it. Flamewarrior’s eyes grew wide as he realized that frogs don’t wear clothes, and the shape shifting is leaving Gauge as naked as the day he was born, quickly covers the man with a coat. Gauge let out a primal scream, the pain from the transformation overwhelming.

Calyx let out a heavy sigh and breaks the circle formed by Sage and Windy, removing her shawl and hands it to Gauge, not much, but enough to keep him decent and spoke. “Gauge, keep that compress on until tomorrow, just to make sure that the wound completely heals” She reached down, extending a hand to Gauge and helping him to his feet. Windy, exhausted from the invocation, stood limply against Flamewarrior “I feel drained, anyone got some chocolate?” Flamewarrior smiled and held up a chocolate bar. “Ooh…Chocolate!” Calyx leaned back into a chair “Flame, got one of those for me? I am drained!” Flame nodded, the smile still upon his face and handed another to Calyx and Sage.

Calyx turned to the others “Thank you all for assisting in this healing, the next 24 hours will see the remaining effects vanish… T’would have been simpler had we gotten to him sooner..”

Windy peeled back the paper covering the bar of chocolate and took a huge bite “Mmmmm… So… who poisoned Gauge?”

“Ledah” Gauge answered quietly, still exhausted from the transformation.

“Who Zleiph also turned into a frog” Phantasm added.

Calyx spoke matter of factly, “A dart frog, nasty alkaloid poison passed through direct contact… Plus the additional effects that had to be stopped…”

“Ledah!” Windy suddenly spoke up “So that’s why he wanted to trade his Magic Documents for a Vial of Poison!”

Gauge spent the next few days recovering from the exhaustion, but it is said that there is the occasional hop in his strides, a rumor of a quack being heard where ever he passed, and quite often he is still seen at Willows walk. Perhaps he only returns there to reminisce the time passed when his existence is not as it is now, or is it because he acquired a taste for the insects of the area? Was the transformation truly a complete success? Or is there still a bit of Quack frog lingering within Gauge, unseen by the eye?