Dolphin and Hobbit beached themselves on the sand; Birdie quickly morphing into human form as she scrambled on the shore towards the limp form of Cami.
The sky and sea behind them was lit with red, flickering light as the Changling hovered over Cami. Bird looked over her shoulder at the larger vessel, where the black shadows of Men stood on deck, pointing and crying at the conflagulation that had appeared on the water where their shipmates had been. Some of the crew were even jumping into the water in panic, where they were quickly dispatched by the waiting Hobbrim. The sails of the black-flagged ship were furled and tacked, as they tried frantically to pull away from the burning waters and the mysterious attackers.
"Cami! Cami! Speak to me!" Birdie futilely patted the Hobbit's hand, and laid her ear on her chest to detect a heartbeat. "What do I do? What do I do?" Bird started pumping on the Halfling's chest, intoning "Out with the bad air...in with the good...out with the bad air...in with the good...".
"Oh, Cami! Wake up!" Bird looked in panic over her shoulder. "Cami! I don't know where Rose is! Cami? Cami! Wake up!"
At that moment, the little hobbitress groaned, rolled over, and began to cough up seawater.
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