It seemed to take forever, but the island finally grew closer. Serena paused to look at it sometimes and give herself a brief break. Thomas had gone ahead as a fish, intending to ensure it was a safe haven.
Not that it mattered. Even Thomas was starting to show signs of exhaustion. Buffy had slipped off twice, but at least she could swim until one of them grabbed her.
The island looked like paradise. A small paradise, but it had golden sand and green trees. There might be food ... after they slept.
She swam again. Onward. Rest soon. Just get --
Something grabbed Serena by the arm. She twisted --
"It's me," Thomas said. "We're there. You can stand and walk from here."
Selena lowered her legs and tried to stand, but they felt like jelly, and walking would not happen. Thomas kept her moving, and as soon as the water only reached her ankles, Buffy jumped down, hissing and growling all the rest of the way.
"It's a good thing I don't speak cat," Thomas said. Serena wondered how he could still be in a good mood. "Just a bit farther. We don't want to be too low on the beach when the tide comes in."
Serena wanted to protest, but they didn't go too much further. Thomas carefully lowered her to the beach, and then he fell face-first into the sand. Serena turned his head so he could breathe and not just so she could see his face.
Buffy walked between them and plopped down, looking straight into Serena's face.
"Enough of this human silliness," the cat said, staring straight into her eyes. "Get control. We have a lot of work to do."
"Yes," she agreed. "After a nap."
Buffy purred at that idea.
Resting in the sun while she dried out was wonderful - right until the storm hit.
Buffy was on her feet and yowling at the clouds before either human stood.
"I was afraid this might happen," Serena admitted. The breeze was cool, but no rain fell yet. "All that magic stirred things up. Buffy, stop yelling. We must find cover, though I suspect we'll still be wet."
Thomas nodded in agreement and stared out at the clouds. "The storm could also be cover for a sensor spell, though. It's good we've all been too tired to use magic."
Buffy walked back to them. "Someone is going to be sorry I am this miserable."
Serena didn't doubt it.
They retreated to the line of bushes growing on a slight incline of sand, rock, and dirt. They had to make their own path, but they did so carefully, hoping no one looking around would notice. Serena wasn't surprised to see no sign of people on such a small piece of land, but they did have enemies. She just didn't know who they were.
They soon had enough plant life between them and the wind that it didn't feel so cold. Even the rain got diverted by the tall, leafy trees. Serena couldn't name them, but they were welcome. Somewhere around the middle of the island, which was only a few minutes from the shore, they found a tall, broad tree wide enough at the base to shelter them.
They sat there as the storm raged over them and passed on. Birds of many types had gathered in the limbs, and Buffy eyed them with a bright gleam in her eyes. Then she yawned and went back to sleep.
Serena tried to straighten out her ruined dress and wished she had a way to fix her hair until Buffy climbed up on her lap, put both paws on her shoulders, and stared her in the face.
"If you don't stop, I am going to bite you on the nose, and that will put an end to your primping."
"I am not primping! No one could possibly primp in a place like this. Besides, I've never primped in my life, and you know it --" She stopped protesting because it had only set Thomas laughing.
"You two are wonderful," Thomas said. "So much better than your cousins."
Buffy sat down and purred for a while. It helped. Serena and Thomas had a serious discussion about what to do next. Recognizance by sea and air seemed the best idea.
"But if Buffy is flying and you are swimming, what will I do?" Serena asked and tried not to sound annoyed.
"Assume that neither of us will spot anything," Thomas answered. "Come up with what we should do next."
There was a daunting task.
Serena went with them back to the shore, though she stayed under cover. Buffy spread her wings with a sigh of contentment, took a running leap, and took to the sky. Thomas waded out into the waves and disappeared.
Serena didn't like being left alone, but it made sense that she stayed out of notice. A spell to make her invisible would have helped, but the magic alone would have drawn attention. If neither found anything, it might be time to use magic to get them out of the area, if not to safety.
How could they find safety if they did not know who worked against them? How could they find Mom, Dad, and the others?
All her new clothes had gone down with the ship. Even that horrible book on Royal Linage was gone. It angered her to tears.
She fought that useless reaction to an end. Time to think this through. Maybe looking for safety wasn't as wise as looking for their enemy. If they knew that person's location, it could keep them from blundering into there.
Serena thought she at least had an idea of the direction.
They were gone for hours. Serena paced the area near the shore and scanned the sky. She did not curse, but she wished strongly for both of them to return now.
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