Cherry's Adventures of the Princess and the Frog

chapter 9

The next morning, the frogs were still in their hideout to get away from the gators and take shelter for the rainy night. Naveen was turned on his side. The shine shone from outside as the prince kicked gently in his sleep as he and the others were forced to spend the night in the bayou. He had a giant leaf over him to use as a blanket. He then flinched as he heard a loud bark which made him shake awake suddenly.

"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty!" Patch told the prince. "Gators are gone!"

"I can't wait to get back to normal." Darla said.

"Same here." Atticus agreed as he yawned and stretched.

Patch went into the water and decided to carry the frogs on it. "Come on, guys, I can dog paddle us back to New Orleans so we can maybe find a way to undo this spell."

"Yeah." Atticus said.

The frogs climbed onto Patch's back and he then paddled with them aboard. Naveen then made himself a banjo to play a little music as they waded into the water. Little did they know, an alligator was swarming up right behind them.

"Does anyone else feel like there's something coming up from the bayou?" Darla asked.

Tiana turned around and gasped. Patch yelped as he saw another gator. It looked like they were all donefor, until...

"I know that tune!" the alligator exclaimed. "Dippermouth Blues!" he took out a tiny trumpet and started playing the same melody as Naveen did.

"Huh?" Patch asked in confusion.

The others looked curious and bewildered as this gator didn't try to attack or eat them.

"Play it, brother!" Naveen cheered and played his banjo once more, jamming with the gator.

"This is strange." Darla said.

Tiana was lost for words.

"Ah, where have you been all my life?" the gator laughed.

"Where'd you learn to play like that?" Naveen asked.

"Why, the bayou's best jazz school in the world," the gator replied. "All the greats play riverboats. Old Louis would give anything to be jamming up there with the big boys."

"Why don't you?" Atticus asked.

"Oh, I tried once," Louis replied before frowning as he remembered the last time. "It didn't end well."

"Uh-huh," Tiana walked over. "It has been a real pleasure meeting you, Louis. And thank you kindly for not eating us, but we best be on our way."

"Where... Where y'all goin'?" the gator asked.

"To find somebody to break this spell." Patch said as he paddled with the frogs on his back.

"What spell?" Louis asked.

"Oh, me and my adopted little sister and friends here are not frogs; we're humans." Atticus said.

"What?" Louis asked, then broke down laughing. He thought it was joke, but then he looked back as the frogs were flowing away with Patch as their ride. "Wait, y'all are serious?"

"I am Naveen, Prince of Maldonia," Naveen introduced himself. "And she is Tiana, the waitress," he then looked back at her and whispered to Louis. "Don't kiss her."

"I'm Atticus, the younger frog next to me is my adopted younger sister, Darla and the Dalmatian that we're using as a boat is my pet dog, Patch." Atticus said.

"Anyway, Naveen here got turned into a frog by that voodoo man, and--" Darla started.

"Voodoo?" Louis jumped back. "You mean like the kind Mama Odie do?"