Angara had already circled the island, and was sitting on the bow of the empty skiff when Birdie finally arrived, landing with a thump on the branch of a driftwood log lying along the shoreline. She sat slumped, catching her breath and raising her wings to cool herself after the hot, long flight. It had not improved her temper one bit.
Finally, she caught her breath enough to ask "Did you see them?" Angara shook her head, then gestured wordlessly up the beach. The light footprints of three halflings, one with webbed toes, led up the sand and into the interior of the island. Looking to the right, Bird saw another set of prints coming out of the woods and leading back down to the shore, where they disappeared into the waves.
"Oh, no," sighed Birdie. Stretching herself one last time, she flapped her wings wearily and dropped into the waves, changing into dolphin form once again. Angara lifted above the water, then dove like an arrow after her.
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