Inferno swam toward the cages, staying at the edge of the fire. She swam around behind one of the cages and tapped on the bars lightly with her fingernails. Tsunami snapped around, Inferno motioned for her to be still.  Inferno quickly whispered the plan to Tsunami, who told it to Tetra and Hurricane. 

   Inferno swam slowly toward one of the sleeping traders. She could see the metallic glint of the iron keys hanging from his belt. Reaching out toward the keys, she tried to slip them off the belt. The mer rolled over, and Inferno jerked her hand back. When he lay still once more, she slipped the keys to the cage off the mer's belt and began unlocking the cages.

   Trying to unlock the cages was harder than Inferno thought it would be. The locks were covered in barnacles, and the iron key kept sticking. When the Inferno tried to turn the key and unlock the cage, all the other keys on the ring would clang together and she had to stop before the noise woke the slave traders.