When Birdie smacked the creature with her tail, Sam had sunk farther down in the water, so he was now below the skin-changer. The spiny imp did an end run around the dolphin, and grabbing the halfling by one arm, immediately started to swim away.
Just as Birdie took off in pursuit, the small being turned and, pointing a ball-like object at her, ejected a black, inky substance, which washed over Birdie's face.
It stunk! Birdie had never smelled anything so terrible, and her eyes were burning! Shaking her head wildly, Birdie backed away from the fleeing creature, trying to rub her eyes with arms that were not there. By the time she was able to clear her vision, both Sam and the sea-imp were gone.
At that moment, Pio swam up, accompanied by of all people, the Mer-Man.
"I might have known you'd show up again." said Birdie ruefully. We were supposed to be going home. We were all going to have an eigth interest in a real sailing ship, and be rich! And instead we've lost three halflings and we're bumbling around underwater again."
"Four halflings," said Pio. "Angara took Child, apparently to the same place Rose, Frodo and Sam went to."
Birdie whirled on the Mer-Man, who was floating next to Pio with an admiring gaze. "Alright then. So what exactly WAS that thing?"
"A Hobrim. Or that is what we Mer-Folk call them." said the Mer-Man distractedly. He swam up to Pio and extending a finned, emerald green hand, stated, "By the way, I don't think we've been formally introduced, my dear lady. I am Levanto."
"So what, exactly, is a Hobrim?" Birdie rolled her eyes. Apparently, she was going to have a hard time keeping the Mer-Man's mind focused on the situation. And why hadn't he ever told his name to HER?
"Hobrim. Literally a combination of "Hobbit" and "sea". Although technically they seldom stray into the deep ocean. What the little nixie is doing so far from the shore waters is beyond me. 'Piosenniel'." He turned back to the Elf-Maiden "That is a lovely name. Are you a Silvan Elf?"
Birdie interrupted again. "Now wait a minute. "Hobbits are related to Men in some way. Just what is this thing related to?"
"To his parents, I presume!" said Levanto irritably. "I generally don't delve into Halfling genealogy." he smiled at Pio. "Not really my forte. Now the Elf-Folk, I have always found them to be a particularly facinating race..."
"Uh, 'Levanto' said Pio, trying to sooth the waters. Birdie was never much of a diplomat, and she knew that they were going to need Levanto's help in this new adventure. "That's an interesting name. What does it mean?"
"I was named for the warm, dry winds that blow across the the mist-shrouded island of Tofalas, in the Bay of Belfalas. My mother was always very fond of that part of the sea."
"In other words," muttered Birdie, "his name means 'hot air'."
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