Help is at Hand

"Do you think they're going to get into trouble?" Mikhail asked.

"I hope not. But look at it. They're barely making any progress against the slope of the hill."

Stefan's worst fears were realised. The yacht struck a small rock at the wrong angle, the force tipping the johnboat over and dumping the trio out. Fortunately neither Fred or Astra were hurt.

"Dammit!" Mikhail swore. "Now we have to show ourselves sooner then hoped. We must help them." He looked at Stefan. "You know the boss would require it."

They ran over to Fred and Astra who were doing their best to upright the boat trying to save some of the water. They weren't have much success, so without saying anything Stefan and Mikhail lifted the boat between them and placed it back on the handcart. There was still a bit of water left in the bottom, not enough for all three, but enough to keep the violently flapping Velus nice and wet. Mikhail picked him up and gently put him in the water.

Luckily, they'd remembered to remove their camoflauge spell, and so the shock Fred and Astra felt at these two strangers suddenly appearing was considerably lessened. They saw the two have a rapid discussion with one another, with one (Mikhail) nodding and heading towards the lagoon. He soon came back with some of the larger pots filled with water, somehow managing not to spill any. He poured the water in the boat and rushed off again, returning and emptying the pot into the boat, each time. He kept up such a brisk pace that he could no longer do it after a few more trips. For his last trip he poured the water over Fred and Astra's lower halves before collapsing nearby, exhausted.

While Mikhail recovered his breath, Stefan took over the water ferrying. Eventually, between the two of them, they'd filled the johnboat with enough water for Fred and Astra who they gently lifted up and placed them in the johnnyboat. They handed Fred the pole then smiled and waved and appeared to disappear into the surroundings.

"Wouldn't it have been easier just to carry them into the lagoon?" Mikhail grumbled, rubbing his aching arms. "We could've wheeled their land yacht back to them, and left them to it." The two of them had temporarily returned back home.

"Of course," Stefan smiled. "But that would have set them back quite a bit."

"You did the right thing, Stefan." They turned to see their boss enter. "Rest for a while. I have time to look over them now."

1. Fred and Astra had given up on ascending the hill, and prepared to travel the ridge, instead.

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