The breakaway group that hoped to save two islands travelled during the night and rested during the day, hoping this routine would ensure avoiding any search parties that might have been dispatched to find them.
Fortunately the Council of the Merlions didn’t think that the boy or the Merlion were clever enough to find their way without the map. Rather, they expected the whole group to wash up dead on some island somewhere, or to starve to death on its beach.
But the boy and the Merlion had remembered each step carefully, so keen were they to return and help- even if it were to have been alone. Both were overjoyed, therefore, to have such a large group of helpers. As they swam closer to their destination they felt unstoppable.
The boy spent most of his return journey to Singapore on the back of his Merlion’s uncle, and on that of the captain from the Council’s Army who’d helped them escape. He told them all about the island itself and the situation with the pirates as it had been when he and his Merlion had left (the latter telling them about the waters surrounding Singapore). And together they talked plans and tactics.
After discussing how to get past the pirates to the island fortress, the boy noticed the Merlion in deep conversation (for the third time) with the same female Merlion.
And he smiled a big smile. The main objective looked to be on course. Now for the trickier one.
Fortunately the Council of the Merlions didn’t think that the boy or the Merlion were clever enough to find their way without the map. Rather, they expected the whole group to wash up dead on some island somewhere, or to starve to death on its beach.
But the boy and the Merlion had remembered each step carefully, so keen were they to return and help- even if it were to have been alone. Both were overjoyed, therefore, to have such a large group of helpers. As they swam closer to their destination they felt unstoppable.
The boy spent most of his return journey to Singapore on the back of his Merlion’s uncle, and on that of the captain from the Council’s Army who’d helped them escape. He told them all about the island itself and the situation with the pirates as it had been when he and his Merlion had left (the latter telling them about the waters surrounding Singapore). And together they talked plans and tactics.
After discussing how to get past the pirates to the island fortress, the boy noticed the Merlion in deep conversation (for the third time) with the same female Merlion.
And he smiled a big smile. The main objective looked to be on course. Now for the trickier one.
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