Heron Lake Plateau the world grows older every day.

kEk

She issued a playful threat as she slowly spun to face him, still living up to her new "careful" nickname. Elwood pursed his lips in pretend consideration, then grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "You know, I like that a lot," he said, tucking his haunches beneath him to take a seat on the ice.

"I think I'll just let everyone know about my name change," he added casually a moment later, and then threw back his head and howled. "My name is Elwood 'Frog-Lover' Blackthorn!" he yelled, although the last syllable was garbled by his laughter as he thought back to the time he had similarly shouted about being called Twig.