51 - 20 - River Fall

Didn't even notice the Hork-Bajir drop over the edge of the bridge above them. A strange, shrinking Hork-Bajir, sprouting feathers. Tobias. His blades shriveled. His serpent neck receded into his bird body. Just before he hit the water, his arms melted into wings. He flapped hard and just skimmed over the surface of the river.

Ax dropped from the bridge behind him, his Andalite body sharply outlined against the setting sun. He kicked. Flailed.

Kuh-SPLAT!

Belly-flopped into the river and sank.

I waited. Saw nothing. No stalk eyes peaking above the surface. No tail blade slicing through the water.

<Ax? Ax!>

The governor scanned the river. "Can Aximili swim?"

<Yeah.>

We watched. Searched the waves. Still no Ax.

"We have to do something," the governor said. "The impact could have broken his legs. Or his ribs. Maybe knocked him unconscious!"

<There!> Tobias tipped his wing.

A dorsal fin broke the surface of the water and skimmed alongside the yacht.

My heart started beating again.

<Hey, Ax-man. Glad you could make it. He's fine,> I told the governor. I motioned toward the fin. <He morphed a shark.>

"Morphed . . . a shark." The governor nodded. "That's good. I think."

The yacht had cleared the bridge and was sailing in open water.