It was a sunny day and the sky was a beautiful intense blue. A puppet was out for a wander and walked over to a river they enjoyed sitting by on days such as this. The water was a deep strong blue colour matching the glorious sky above. Puppet looked closer and saw the water move in a strange way. Something was moving in the water.

Curious by nature, Puppet poked their head in the water to see what was causing the water to ripple this way. Upon a quick glance to the left, Puppet saw the cute little axolotl swimming in the water.
"Hey Axolotl" said Puppet. "I've heard of your kind but never dreamed I would see one of you. You are known as a walking fish but you're actually an amphibian. I've also heard that you don't develop lungs and never grow up... That you remain aquatic gilled and live permanently in the water".

The axolotl heard Puppet loud and clear. Turning round to face Puppet, the axolotl smiled goofily with a big cheesy grin. It communicated a message through the water by moving its limbs.
"Yes I understand now" thought Puppet.
It was understood that what Puppet stated mere moments ago was true but some new information was also communicated. That axolotls are named after an Aztec God who disguised himself as one of them, a supposed water monster, when he thought the other gods were trying to kill him.

Puppet watched the axolotl move around playfully for a while before deciding to let the axolotl continue on their journey. Puppet inserted their right hand into the water and waved goodbye to the axolotl.

The axolotl and Puppet parted ways full of respect for each other, both feeling they had benefited from this experience. Puppet was delighted at what they had seen and moved their head out of the water to continue on their own wander. The axolotl smiled to itself about meeting a puppet for they had never seen one in their lifetime and was delighted that it had met one whose company it had enjoyed. Continuing their journey swimming into the distance thinking of the road ahead, the axolotl knew one day they would reach their destination. The destination being a fabled place where they and fellow axolotls all in a variety of different colours would swim, walk and climb together playfully and in peace.

'The Cute Little Axolotl Swimming In The Water' written for Remembrance for Lost Species Day 2020 (November 30th). Originally released as part of the following compilation: remembrancespecies.bandcamp.com/album/remembrance-species-2020

All proceeds from any downloads of this track will be split between Umbral Axochiatl, an axolotl conservation charity in Xochimilco, Mexico City and Scottish Seabird Centre, a seabird conservation charity in North Berwick, Scotland.

Huge thanks to the Axolotls of the world, Tonegarden, Nora, Ceylan (Bell Lungs), Laura (Of Lunetario Editorial), all the artists and musicians who were also part of the compilation and online exhibition and anyone who has ever supported me in creating and playing music.