Paprika stared up at the small treehouse, which was tucked away in the boughs of a huge ash tree. The ladder had been drawn up and the windows were dark; Ringa's parents must have gone to bed already. Which was a good thing, in Paprika's opinion. Not that she didn't like Ringa's parents, but they were just... too much like Ringa. All bright and peppy and full of well-wishing caring. Paprika could handle that from a thirteen year old, but not from thirty year olds. Of course, Paprika knew that if she ever told Ringa that, she would probably be faced with a red-faced tirade from the younger girl, and probably a couple teaspoons of tears.
Carefully, Paprika moved the reeds that had been covering the front of her raft, then poled herself forward. The still waters of the swamp rippled around her, silent and dark. There was a slight wind, but it gave Paprika no trouble as she poled her raft to land. Carefully, her footsteps as silent as the night around her, Paprika tied her raft up to the small dock that the Softbrush's had built on the edge of their property, then walked through the yard to stand underneath the old ash tree. Stretching back, Paprika contemplated her next step. There was a 50% chance that Ringa was sleeping, and if that was the case, there was a 100% chance that she wouldn't wake up until morning. Banking on that other 50%, Paprika reached in her pocket and found a nice, smooth pebble. Taking aim, Paprika squinted at Ringa's dark window, then chucked the rock up, watching it arc and hit the center of Ringa's window. Right on target.