The sun’s rays blazed against the swamp; the trees looked like they were dancing in all this haze. Despite the heat of the morning light, the alligator lazed about on a log adrift in the shallow waters. He picked at a tooth with a claw for a bit until he noticed a figure in the distance standing on the soil. Of course, he initially ignored them. But as time ticked, the figure remained. The alligator could continue to wait—it was what he was best at. However, for once, he felt compelled to approach first. So, Allister Gator used his tail to propel the log to the shore.

“Hey.” Allister sat up on the log once it was close enough to the land. He took a second to yawn before addressing the critter further. “You lost?” The alligator didn’t budge from his seat as he made this inquiry. Instead, he just sat there, waiting for a response.