Amphibia: Of Gold and Tree Frogs

Meeting Mantscythes!

The sun started to rise, changing the color of the sky to a nice orange. The light shined over 4 hollowed out logs... Each holding a frog creature as well as a human person.

Skye wakes up in her log with a smile on her face and moves to Hershel's own, yelling, "GOOD MORNING NEW BEST FRIEND!"
Hershel wakes up surprised, hitting his head in the hollowed out log, "Wha! What! Rachael, what!" He then starts groaning, realizing where he is, "Oh, so it wasn't just a dream." He looks down at his beeper, seeing no new messages, which is strange of course. He then looked at his phone for the time, seeing that was 6:30 AM.
The boy wearing black growled at her, "Why did you wake me up so early?"
Skye smiles, "Early? Haha, you're lucky we didn't wake you up sooner. My mom let us sleep in, haha!" Hershel groaned as she continued, "Also who's Rachael?"
Hershel's eyes opened wide in surprise, he then shifted his position inside the log, "Just... Someone I know back home. Nothing you need to concern yourself with... Anyway, why did you need to wake me up so early?"
The small blue frog starts to pull him out of the log, hopping up and down, "Because I wanted to show you all there is to see in this here forest! It's so dangerous but so fun to live here. My dad said it's my job to let you know what's what around here!"
The dark haired boy rolled his eyes, "Really? What do I need to learn to live in this particular forest that isn't different from what I already know?"
The golden haired frog frowned, giving him puppy-dog eyes, "Aw.... Why not? Please Hershel, I promise we'll have fun as I teach you! Please! Pleaaaase!"
Hershel started to stretch, "Okay okay, you can show me. Just let me get my shoes on, gotta wear them if you're going to drag me around the forest all day. Besides, they'll help me if we get into any danger."
Skye looks down at Hershel's shoes, "Really? What's special about these old things?" Hershel smirked, "I'm glad you asked! These are no ordinary shoes or regular feet, these are steel-toed shoes! See, step on my foot. I won't feel a thing."Skye shrugged, "Are you sure? Well... Okay then." She then jumps on Hershel's foot with both feet, the tall boy didn't even flinch. Skye then stepped on his foot again, there was no reaction from Hershel whatsoever.
Skye gasps, still jumping on his foot, "Woooooah, those shoes really are the real-deal! Cool!" Hershel's smirk grew bigger, "I know right! These shoes are the best!"
The small frog then chuckles, "Really now? I'm sure there not better than the animals of the forest. A Mantscythe could easily bust through those shoes no problem."
Hershel scoffs, "What? No way! It's a bug! It can't rip through steel!"
Skye puffed out her chest, "Yes it can! I bet you that it can!"
The boy smirks at his little frog friend, "Oh yeah? I'll take you up on that bet! If my steel-toed shoes aren't ripped up by some Mantscythe thing, I can wake up whatever time I want. If they do get ripped up, you can take me wherever you want, whenever you want for the rest of the time I'm here."
The blue frog nodded at him, spitting on her hand and shaking his, "Deal! Our bet is set, let's go!"
The dark-haired boy looked down at his now spit-covered hand, "...Ew, oh gross! Never to that again!"...
Eventually, the sky started to darken. The pair had been out for most of the day looking for the elusive Mantscythes, giant praying mantis that are said to have scythes in the place of their normal arms. The two seemed to be getting irritated as they had yet to find the creature, especially since Skye would jump on Hershel when her legs got tired from walking. As the two talked, suddenly there was a rustle in the nearby bushes...A small creature emerges, it was purple and looked like a praying mantis. Only giant and with.... Scythes for hands! They had found it!
Skye then smirked at her human friend, "Well go on now, Hershel. Show me how strong your steel-toed shoes are."
Hershel started to sweat, "Yeah, guess I better get to that. I can win this bet."
The small monsterous creature looks at Hershel as he came closer and raised it's scythe-like arms, hitting down on Hershel's foot.... Only for him not to feel anything, which makes Hershel laugh.
Hershel raises his arms in excitement, "Yes! I knew it! Steel-toed shoes for the win! Haha! ...Uh, Skye, why do you look like that?" He sees Skye's shocked face and turns around, "Oh shoot." There is a bigger, scarier mantis-like creature right there, ready to pounce on Hershel to eat him.
Skye jumped in front of Hershel, whistling at it, "No! Bad! Mantscythe! Bad!" This was to no avail however, as the creature then started to swing it's giant scythe arms at Skye!
Hershel jumps in the way, using his knife to block it's arm, then using his other hand to block the rest of the arm from moving, "SKYE! Figure out how to lure this thing away!" As Skye looks up at him, she sees his eyes start to glow a golden color before disappearing. She then looks around, noticing a certain purple plant.
"Lavender! The scent of lavender calms these guys right down! Stay right there, Hershel!" She then hops towards the plant, struggling to pull it out of the ground.
Hershel noticed that he was starting to get pushed back by the bug, "Like I have a choice!"
The small frog then holds the lavender plant up, "Hey! Come here, big guy! I got some lavender here for you and your baby! ...Hershel, it's not working!" Hershel looks around himself before deciding to let go of the claw and jump upwards, kicking the creature in the face with his steel toed shoes. His kick made the creature look at the lavender, causing it to solely focus on the plant. It started to walk towards Skye, it's baby slowly followed it.
Skye shouts, throwing the lavender deep into the forest, "Yeah? You want it? GO GET IT!" The two creatures then ran, chasing after the plants so they can eat at the sweet flower and relax.
Hershel breathed heavily, relaxing his muscles after the whole ordeal, "That was probably the most terrifying thing I have done in my entire life." Skye nodded as she jumped on his back, her sticky fingers and feet keeping herself on his clothes, "Same... Can we go home now?" Hershel nods at this.
The boy then sighs, "...Let's never do that again, Skye." She yawned, closing her eyes while still holding onto Hershel, "Aaaagreed." Hershel yawned as well, "Oh yeah, Skye?"
"Yeah?"
"...I won."
Skye scoffed at him as Hershel laughed at her. The pair start their long-ish walk to Skye's home... Wanting to have their next adventure another day.
Meanwhile a certain brown haired girl is currently living in the town surrounded by that same forest. Having adventures with her own frog family, unaware of Hershel's existence in this world.