OOC NOTE: Set right before they actually enter the swamps. Her sister's gift had been weighing on her. It had been so meaningful, so thoughtful, and Ducky had no idea how she was supposed to go about showing her appreciation. Giving her sister a similar gift would have seemed trivial, much in the same way that responding to an 'I love you' with a 'ditto' would. She worried over the gift, fretted over it even. She tried to remember everything that Bones liked, but in the end, the cub came up short. It wasn't until she had given up, flopped herself on the ground, and huffed a sigh that she saw it, the most beautiful rock she'd ever seen in her life, half buried in the dirt beneath her paws. Slipping the rough pebble between her teeth and tasting the soil covering it, Duckweed set off in search of her sister, calling out as soon as she laid eyes on her, "Bommie!"

Boneset had been obsessively thinking about their next moves to the point that she was falling short of anything worthy of being deemed even halfway decent.  She stared into the mouth of the swamplands.  The location seemed a bit earie with all the shade, though Boneset couldn't say she minded that all too much.  Not knowing what was on the other side, if there was anything on the other side, was probably the issue.  "M' overthinkin' it." the fae mumbled, rolling over onto her back.  Guess she'd just have to figure it out as they went.   "Hmm?"  Boneset responded, watching her sister close the distance between them.  "What'cha got?" amused, the pup rolled back over onto her tummy.

Ducky's rear gave an excited wiggle as she neared her sister and another as she subsequently dispensed the rock at Bones' paws . "Here. Got this for ya. It's uhh.. it's a gift." Her dull gaze swept to the side as heat crept up her cheeks. Gods, why was it so difficult to be sentimental? Bones hadn't seemed to have an issue with it when she had been the gift giver. "It's green." Which definitely made sense. "Like our eyes." She added, just in case her prior statement hadn't been clear enough. "Seemed like you should have it." Because somehow that statement made this whole thing less.. mushy.

In all honesty Ducky could have just given her sister an ugly dead bug and Bones would have been pleased, she was just excited to see her sister showing signs of life again.  It was a nice rock though, very pretty, which perhaps added on another layer or two of happiness to the occasion.  The pup opened her mouth to comment on the surprise a couple of times, but before she could speak she'd be interrupted by her sister again who was very painfully over explaining this stone and why it deserves to be here, which didn't really make much sense to the young girl since it was such a nice rock but whatever. "Ducky.... This is the best freakin' rock I ever seen."  She grinned, leaning in closer to the gift to really look it over. "Thank you!" ”Speech” ’thought’

Ducky couldn't help but smile at her sister's reaction, allowing her mottled rear to give a final wiggle before seating herself on the ground. If Bones hadn't liked it she wouldn't have lied about it.. or if she had she wouldn't have made such an effort to sound excited. "Glad ya like it, Bon." But that was that, and she wouldn't make this whole exchange any more of a thing. "So are we headin' into the swamps then?" She asked, her eyes drifting to the wetlands. It was the next logical step if they were going to keep travelling in this direction, but that didn't necessarily mean that it was Bones' intention to do so. There were a bunch of other directions, and without a destination in mind they weren't really beholden to any one in particular.

For no reason in particular the white pup scooped her cool new rock into her maw and plopped it down next to her so that it'd be closer and nestled nicely into her fur like it was some sort of egg that needed to be warmed before it could hatch.  It was clear that her sister was over talking about the gift, so she'd allow the conversation to move along elsewhere. "Yep, I think so."    She furrowed her eyebrows, staring once more into the mouth of the swamp.  Again, they'd just have to figure it out as they went because anymore thoughts wasted on what happened next was still going to make Boneset's head spin.  "Do you wanna try goin' on in now, or should we wait till' mornin'?" ”Speech” ’thought’

Duckweed considered the swamplands, moving her head to the side and narrowing her eyes in an open and unnecessary display of suspicion. She rarely ever offered her opinions on such matters, but this time the cub felt she had no choice but to throw in her wisdom. "Let's wait 'til mornin'" The swamp itself looked dim and unappealing enough in the daytime, so Ducky had no desire to find out what that place would be like once night fell. Hopefully, if they started out in the morning they would be able to make it to the other side before it got too dark and wouldn't have to spend the night in such a scary, soggy place.

"Sounds good ta me." Boneset responded with an air of indifference.  Leaving in the morning would give the child additional time to worry all night over what the plan was going to be, decide that she's really just not going to think about it anymore, and then pick up worrying again not even minutes later.  It would also give her time to figure out how to travel with her cool new rock without having to hold it in her mouth all day, because there was no way on earth that she was leaving this bad boy behind."Yeah, mornin' it is then. Bright n' early so make sure ya' get enough sleep.  Prolly gonna call it an early night myself. "  she added before placing her head on the ground and closing her eyes to 'rest'.  Night Ducky.  Thanks again for the cool present.   ”Speech” ’thought’