Steering clear of dangerous reeds and sweet flag clusters, swatting away a mosquito that kept asserting its presence in front of them, Bartlett led his team through the Kanda Swamp.
This swamp wasn't full of muddy quicksand and foul odors. Its environment was vast and serene, with waterbirds catching swamp frogs and small fish in knee-deep water. Dawn redwoods and gracefully weeping willows met the eye, and each redwood tree was surrounded by knee-shaped breathing roots unique to these aquatic trees.
A chubby field rat stood on a breathing root above the water, holding a sour berry in its little paw, staring curiously at Bartlett and his company with round eyes.
Nearby, the water suddenly churned violently, ripples appearing and disappearing in an instant, revealing an unknown spectacle unfolding below. Not far from there, a pointed-beak sandpiper stood on a "deadwood" branch, slowly drifting towards Bartlett.
