Three Fish Out of Water

The 'Boss' watched as Astra and Fred, merfolk, boarded the waterlogged johnboat and pushed their poles against the sand. The cart moved forward slowly.

"Didn't think that they would do that, did you, boss?" asked the man known as Stefan.

"I did not quite know what to think," replied the dragon. "I wanted to give them time, to see how they would recover from the transformation, and whether they would simply accept it and stay in the lagoon, or whether they would fight it. It appears that they are fighting it, but in an intelligent way. They have been methodical in exploring the lagoon."

"That they have. But I see that old habits are hard to break. They want to get inland. You can tell."

"I can understand. That is what they know, and all their memories are of the land. They are good people, I think. They did not abandon Velus to the lagoon, although it would have perhaps been easier on them to have done so."

"What they are doing is a bit dangerous, boss. They are like fish out of water, if you will pardon the metaphor. They could be hurt if their cart gets upset, or into a place where they cannot move it."

"I think that they will be fine. They seem prudent. I think that at this point, leaving them alone as much as possible is still the best thing to do. I do think that there is something that I should do, though."

1. The 'Boss' sends Stefan and Mikhail out to shadow Fred and Astra, to aid them if they find trouble.
2. The 'Boss' arranges for an inhabitant of the island to leave Fred, Astra, and Velus some breadfruit and coconuts, and one other item, along the main trail inland, stacked in two small pyramids.

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