The two girls headed to a swamp. The croaking of frogs enveloped the air, creating a surreal choir in the heart of the place. Jar Guard's attention was momentarily captivated by a hopping frog that crossed her path, marveling at the peculiar rhythm they brought to the mystical environment.
Nevertheless, she knew she couldn't be too distracted and kept a watchful eye on her precious jars.
Susie, on the other hand, couldn't resist the temptation and caught a frog, showing it to Jar Guard with a mixture of nostalgia and affection in her eyes.
"Mildred's magic often created frogs," Susie shared, "we had to live with frogs every day – bathe with them, eat with them, sleep with them..."
Jar Guard observed the frog in Susie's hands, and to her amazement, the little creature seemed to communicate with her in its own froggy language. It croaked back, and Jar Guard couldn't help but smile.
"They do have a certain charm," Jar Guard agreed, reaching out to pet one of the frogs. "I wouldn't mind having them as companions."
"You haven't seen them before?" Susie asked.
Jar Guard shook her head, "There's nothing like these in the Frozen North. The only creature that I came across was a white wolf. He tried to steal my jars, which led me to fail into the ocean. I almost died there."
Susie's eyes widened, "Wait, so you're not... immortal?"
Jar Guard nodded. Susie gave her that concerned expression again but she heaved a sigh of relief.
"I'm glad to have you here," she said.
***
As Susie led Jar Guard through the eerie swamp, the air felt thick with the presence of lingering spirits.
Jar Guard couldn't help but shiver, expressing her unease, "This place is lousy with ghosts. I hate ghosts."
Susie looked back at her and smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, these are just echoes of memories and regrets. I burp them out occasionally because I'm immortal."
Jar Guard's eyes widened in surprise, "You burp out memories and regrets? Is that what being immortal does to you?"
Susie nodded, "When you're immortal, your memories and regrets sometimes slip out when you burp, as ghosts. The more traumatizing ones stick around, but the lighter ones will just evaporate."
As they continued walking, Susie began to speculate, "You know, I believe Mildred might be immortal too. She must have drunk my immortality potion. That could be why she still looks so young, like you."
Jar Guard looked thoughtful, "If that's the case, it would explain a lot. But what if immortality comes at a cost? What if by any chance the immortal could never be alive again?"
Susie paused for a moment, considering Jar Guard's question carefully.
"I'm not sure," she finally replied, "being immortal is both a blessing and a burden. It grants you time to see and experience incredible things, but it also means you have to witness loss and say goodbye to those you care about. Perhaps, in the end, the true test of immortality is how one chooses to live with it."
Jar Guard looked at the ground while hearing Susie talking about immortality.
"I understand. It must be a lot to carry," she said.
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