Go for the mermaid.

Time seems to slow down and inspiration strikes you: You were a low level monster, tiny in the grand scheme of things. You'd risen higher by carefully and sometimes aggressively fighting back and avoiding **** at all costs. You'd picked up Dana along the way, a sort of "side kick" that helped you perform the few tasks beyond your reach. In a lot of ways, she was the most **** part of your support structure.

As you watch the mermaid waving, taunting you with a pouty lower lip, you realize the creature slowly dragging Dana into the lake might very well be like you: a low level creature who'd gotten lucky, had enough smarts to lay a trap, and who used a beautiful lure to bring in prey.

Whipping your tendrils out as far and as fast as you can go, you just barely snag the mermaid by the neck. It's not a clean grab, your grip slips the first time, but the impact stuns her long enough for you to get another try. Looping a tendril around her neck, you struggle to reel in your catch. Once she shakes off the initial daze she kicks strongly, using her lower half to push down, trying to dive. She's strong and you almost lose her but as soon as you pull her close enough you lift her straight up and out of the water, where she can't use her powerful tail. Fishing for mermaids, never thought I'd see the day.

Tell it to let her go! She flails desperately, screaming out watery syllables in a language you didn't know, and the relentless **** of the tentacle falters but doesn't release. You position the mermaid opposite to Dana, as far from the water as you can lift her, IF YOU WANT HER BACK, RELEASE THE GIRL. You wince, hoping that didn't sound too demanding. You never felt particularly like cooperating when someone gave you an ultimatum, maybe you should have just asked for a polite conversation. If it can even understand you.

The mermaid claws at your bark viciously, writhing and cursing, scoring the rough material but ultimately accomplishing little. You give her a little squeeze around the human half and her breath leaves in a whoosh, eyes bugging out slightly as she quiets. You were taking a huge risk. All the thing had to do was give a hard tug and Dana would either be ripped from your grasp or re-spawning, powerless, at the nearest town. You hope it felt like talking...