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The ideal existence for semi-retired bio-mechanical engineer, Clayton Drew, was supposed to focus on a good work-life balance, creation of a low-stress environment and participation in activities he really enjoyed. For the most part this was the case however; a simple modification to routine in the regular exercise pattern with his canine companion, was about to change all that. Passionately embracing any stimulation to satisfy his rather zealous imagination he found it difficult not to go and investigate things he deemed 'out of the ordinary'. This held true when he chanced upon what he believed to be an abandoned house. As fate would have it, he encountered a bit more than he bargained for and found himself entwined in a bitter battle of wills, and we're not talking about the 'yield and compromise' kind! Clayton will have to use every skerrick of his scientific background as well as his physical, spiritual and emotional being, to free himself metaphorically whilst liberating another literally, from the chains that bind.

Leroy is no ordinary amphibian and his birthplace is no ordinary water hole. Those who share it with him have a few things to learn about survival and he is happy to teach them what they need to know, given that this place has taught him so much in his short life. No mean-spirited elder or fly-by-night visitor is going to sour his passion for his territory and look out those who try to mess with the habitat once each species has claimed their piece of paradise. Try as it might to threaten the stability of this strong and diverse ecosystem, even Mother Nature’s fury is no match for the bonds that have been established. Her weather, with its ebb and flow, drought and flood, makes little impact on a wetland sustained by the camaraderie and trust of its occupants. Could human intervention, however, be the one thing to disrupt the delicate balance of this undisturbed natural environment, placing the habitat and the lives of all creatures who populate it into jeopardy?

Being born in Nishinari - a poor district of Japan - has its challenges, and for Kiki the mouse, these were more about his appearance than a lack of wealth, so his caring mother did all she could to build resilience in him before she allowed him to take his first excursion into the outside world. Protected by her wise words and a special jacket she crafts for him, he sets off one night to see the sights with his brothers and sisters. That excursion teaches him the first in a series of lessons about survival as he and his siblings are confronted by a gang of feral rats. Kiki learns valuable lessons about different personalities and the darker side of life on the streets as he ventures further and further away from home. This leads him on a quest for enlightenment, which has him stowing away on a cruise ship bound for Australia.