I stopped and looked around. The trees had changed, I realized — they were shorter and more spaced out. Instead of the clutter of pools and mossy fallen logs, the ground was dry and covered with pine needles. Dense patches of tall ferns grew here and there. For the first time, it wasn’t raining.

As I stood there, the tree-’pus gave me a hard squeeze. I looked around and didn’t see any other ’puses.

“What’s up little guy? Do you need to get off?”

It looked up at me out of its oblong pupil. As usual, it had nothing to say, but it did squeeze me again.

Sadness welled up. Okay, it was an octopus. But it was my companion and provider. Now I was going to have to leave it behind. I’d be well and truly alone.

Afraid it would be too dry for the ’pus where I was, I headed back the way I’d come. After ten minutes, the ground began to slope down again, and the rain picked up. I found a big tree with a nice pool near its roots.

I sidled up to the trunk to let the ’pus transfer itself. Instead it detached several tentacles and waved them in the downhill direction. When I didn’t move, it added a few more, stretching insistently. It pretty clearly wanted me to keep walking back into the rainforest.

“Your forest is really nice, little guy, but I can’t stay there. I’m pretty sure there’s no one there who can help me get home.”

It kept waving.

“I’m sorry, buddy, but I have to keep looking. It’s either that or just give up. There might not be anyone coming for me.”

Finally it stopped waving and flowed from my hip onto the tree trunk.

“Bye, little guy. Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it. I guess I probably won’t be back this way, but I hope I’ll see you again, somehow.”

The ’pus didn’t pay any attention to my farewell speech. Instead it moved down the trunk, lurched over the roots to the pool, and plopped in. After a few seconds underwater, it climbed out, shimmering strangely. I knelt down to get a better look. It was covered with a thick shell of water.

The ’pus crawled over the ferns to my foot and started to climb up my leg. Instead of soaking into my clothes, its coat of water stayed intact. It seemed like magic to me, but it was probably a working.

“Wow, portable fishbowl. That’s some trick. So, you want to come with me? Is that it?”

It stared up at me, the water making its eye look even stranger.