in the thick of night, as we held our positions near the wetlands, the topic of toads became our unexpected solace; their calls, a reminder of life's resilience in the face of adversity. we shared tales, omitting none, of their antecedent roles in ancient lore, marveling at nature's practice to reactivate life in the most dire of times. it's as if these toads, with their clandestine movements, knew the backdoor routes to survival, teaching us that even in war, there's a path to peace if we're wise enough to observe and learn from the smallest of teachers.