Midge thanked the gypsy couple and headed off towards the Palace.

The land she was in was very peculiar.  It looked like every forest you see painted in a childs story book.  The ground was grassy under the trees and there were no dead branches.  All the forest creatures were either very cute or very scary.

No one paid any attention to her once she entered the city.  The clean streets were very clean, and the dirty street were very dirty.  People were either good looking and friendly, or deformed and mean.  As the couple had said, there were no children visible in the streets.

Midge kept going at a swift trot.  She was a dog on a mission.  She would find Nicholas, then track down the book, then get the Good Fairy to send her home.  Luckily she did not know of a little girl named Dorothy and her dog named Toto.  Otherwise she would have checked her feet for ruby botties.

The palace was not hard to find.  It was up on a hill that overlooked the city.  It was a decrepit stone castle that was overgrown with vines.  The moat was pond green and was covered with a layer of sludge.  There was a drawbridge that looked like it could hold her weight, but there were two beastial guards stationed on the near side.  Midge decided that she would take the gypsy couples advice and use stelth and trickery rather than fangs and teeth.

He circled the moat until she came to a part that was in a wooded area. She sat down on the bank and considered her options.

The moat was not inviting.  Apart from the horrible stink of stagnant water, there was a subtle movement on the surface that suggested that there were aquatic preditors lying in wait.

"Did you want to cross the moat?"

Midge looked around for the source of the voice.

"Down here, to your right."

Midge looked down.  All she could see was a very slimy frog.

"Yes, I'm the frog."

# Why are you speaking human? #

"Because I'm a cursed frog.  You know the type."

# There are types of cursed frogs? #

"Right, you're a dog.  Ok, I'll give you the low down.  I'm a minor prince from a minor kingdom.  I pissed off a witch, only I didn't realize she was a witch at the time, you know? Anyway, she laid the standard frog curse on me:  I was cursed to live  as a frog until I could find a maiden to kiss me.  I get to keep my ability to talk, otherwise convincing those maidens to kiss me would be real hard. So, I've been a frog for quite some time.  The problem is that fewer children come here.  And those that do are taken by the boogeyman."

# So you need a girl to kiss you? #

"Got it in one, sister."

# What does that have to do with me crossing the moat? #

"Well, I can get you across the moat and into the palace --  if that's where you want to go."

# That would be great! #

"But, you have to promise me that when we reach the other side that you will kiss me."

# I'm a dog, not a girl! #

"Techincally you're a girl dog.  I think that counts to.  I'll probly end up as a dog, but that's better than being a frog.  Dogs get to go inside sometimes!  Even if it doesn't work, you'll still be accross and I'll have something to do for the afternoon.  Is it a deal?"

Midge looked at the frog.  It wasn't even a nice looking frog.  It was lopsided and definately sticky.  She weighed that against rescuing Nicholas.  At least it was a chance.

# Ok, deal. # Midge raised her paw.  The frog raised a foot.

"My name is Chip."

# Mine is Midge. #

"Ok, there is a sewer system under the palace. You can get to it via the moat.  What part of the palace do you need?"

# My boy is trapped somewhere in there and I need to find a book in the library. #

"Your boy is in the dungeon.  That is where all the children go before they are turned into monsters. I'm not sure where the library is."

# We will sniff that tree when we get to it. #

"Well said.  Here's the plan, I'm a better swimmer than you.  I'll go in and distract the moat monsters.  You can slip in once they are gone and head to the right against the current.  Around that corner, you will find a grate.  Hold your breath and you can slip under the grate.  Easy, right? "

# Right #

Chip entered the slimy water and started splashing.  The shadows under the water started snaking their way towards him. Chip did his best froggy paddle away from Midge and away from the entrance.

"Go for it Girl!"

Midge bolted and lept into the water. She kept her nose as high as possible to avoid the stench coming from the moat.  She was no water retriever.  She splashed and thrashed her way towards the gate.

One of the moat monsters turned to investigate this new intruder. Chip saw it and did a 180 degree turn and started swimming directly at the moat monsters. He dipped under the surface and then [broched] and landed on one of the moat monsters.  All the moat mosters now converged on Chip.

"What I'll do for a dame."

During the distration, Midge arrived at the gate. She closed her eyes and plunged under the gate.  Water tried to rush up her nose.  She expelled the air in her lungs as she wriggled to get to the other side.  She got free and rushed to the surface.  She climbed onto the sewer's edge and shook herself off from  nose to tail.  When she looked up, Chip was sitting and looking at her.

"I'll take my kiss now, darlin'"

Midge bounced over and gave Chip a big slurp.

Chip went into spasms.  His mouth opened and he turned inside out.  His fesh pulsed and throbbed and grew silky yellow hair.  It expanded.  Legs came out the top and folded over.  Now he looked like a deranged four legged spider.  With a big heave, the rest of his body came out of the top like a sweater being turn right side out.