A Frog's Invitation

It had been a short trip from the moment the Toxicroak collected you into his arms to carry you through the bog. Jackal had caught up, but you both went over that the frog meant no real harm, and where you were going. The Typhlosion wasn't entirely convinced however, especially since the last stranger nearly blew him up. He keeps his distance behind the recent savior but ensures that he keeps an eye on you at least.

The frog notices this and smiles from over his shoulder. "You can walk faster and closer, you know. I don't bite~"

"I think I'm good where I'm at right now." Jackal huffs in response, leering to you right afterward. "Is his leg that bad?"

"Uncertain until I thoroughly examine it within my hut." The Toxicroak states. "But he should be fine with the right medicine and time to heal. We're approaching my home nonetheless."

You shift in his hold and state, "I can walk the rest of the way then." It was telling your carrier that you preferred to walk the rest of the way, for Jackal's sake...and partially your own.

"Hm?" The frog peers down at you. He picks up on the notion and simply sighs, "Very well then, we are at least out of the water for now. But I wouldn't put too much pressure on it from now on, understood?" He pauses in his trek to then lean you back onto your own hindpaws, but he gestures for Jackal to step over. "Come, act as a brace for him to lean against you."

The fire-type perks up. "Oh, uh...sure."

He was making your injury sound worse than what it felt like, and you certainly didn't want Jackal thinking you couldn't hold your own for a simple walk. You wave him off. "I don't think that's necessary, I walked all the way here, I think I can walk a bit longer just fine-"

The Toxicroak suddenly grip up under your jawline, squishing your cheeks in from the hold that awkwardly purses the front of your lips out. His giddy smile dissipated into a more confident and...assertive smile. His throat sac even croaks in and out more pronouncedly. "I obliged to set you down on request. Now I'm asking you to _oblige _my request~" He murrs. You had a feeling he wasn't really asking a request though...

"F-Fine." You answer back and give in to his demand. He grins wide and releases your face, patting your cheek even for good measure.

"Good boy~" The Toxicroak sneers before pivoting around and continues to lead. You lean against Jackal as the two of you slug an arm around the backs of each other's shoulders, aiding you into not having to walk too hard on your leg with a limping motion forward. The two of you follow the frog to his home, where hopefully things could have a far better outlook.

Jackal whispers over to you, "Hey, you trust this guy any? He seems...weird." While the Toxicorak certainly had a demeanor that you weren't used to, you doubt he has any ill-intentions. This is very well the individual you had been searching for, and if he wanted to pull anything nefarious, he certainly had his chance before. He even helped rescue Jackal from the infected.

"I do." You assure him as you watch the Toxicroak's rather mused strut from behind. "But with how much he'll help us learn what to do about this infection, I'm guessin' we'll find out in his home. Just keep an eye out for me though."

"Got it." The Typlhosion answers back. Something else appeared to be on his mind however. He looks into the swamp's distance to recall the prior event as the two of you walk together longer, all until he finally decides to bring it up. "I fucked up."

You flick your ear, "Huh, how so?"

"The infected from before." He growls when thinking about it. "You knew something was up, and that bitch still managed to sneak up on me. It's like she came outta nowhere."

"Jackal, it's fine. A feral got the best of me too during that." You try to relieve him of any guilt. "It's hard to see anything in this foggy swamp, and I didn't notice her either until it was too late. Hard to see a feral when they can just grow leaves off their body and hide in dark water."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It was just...scary. I mean, in the way of like, dying. But also, like..." He wanted to say more on it, but he shakes his head, "Nah, I'll let it go, nevermind."

You open your mouth to ask him what was up, but the frog's voice picks up before yours. "Home sweet home, boys~!" The pair of you gaze forward to see the Toxicroak's arms are wide open, bestowing before him a large twisted tree with a bulging lower half and clay caked around to it. Vines and foliage help cover the entire structure, to which you notice that you can actually go through a current of hanging moss to entire the spacious tree interior. Perhaps it would be more obvious with more light, but considering the dimming atmosphere, it was going to be late soon. Maybe morning light and less fog off better visibility, but the tree itself was near surrounding water. The frog most likely used it to help shroud his home in the constant teeming mist.

The Toxicroak pivots around to walk backward to his home while keeping his focus on you two, "It won't be much inside admittedly, but I'm sure the couple of you men don't prefer a drab environment as this."

Jackal grunts, "You can say that again. It's way too damn dark and muggy here, like it's all grime. You really live out here by yourself in this creepy place?"

"For the most part." He answers, crossing his arms behind his back. You wonder what he meant by that or if he was just being playful, but he then adds, "But I quite like the humidity and enclosure. Stops me from drying out and offers camouflage for the occasional beastie. That, and it stops any pervasive traveller from deciding that I should be their next meal when they're too afraid to even bother adventuring in a place like this~" He chuckles. Why would he laugh about something so sinister? Then again, you've come across plenty of people who wanted to dine on a Lucario before, perhaps it was warranted to get to state such an avoidance with pride.

The Toxicroak swings back around and arrives at the hanging moss curtain to conceal a wooden door he had built into the massive tree at its basin. "So this place has its benefits. It reminds me of my childhood home a lot too~" He reflects on his last statement before peeling the foliage to the side, offering his door to the two of you. "But my home can be your home too, for a time. So please, come in~"

Getting to relax your leg however sounded quite nice, and while you should still be wary of what the frog's intentions were, you wouldn't fair well going back now or staying outside with ferals about. You nod to Jackal and he helps guide you to the door...