"Let's take the clearer route. Whatever made it is big enough that we should be able to see it from far away and remain free from danger....also saves us from having to clear the path as we go." Amara said, turning Thunderfoot to the new path Salen discovered.

Sand Fox swats vainly at a cloud of midges that have enveloped his head and swings his Bison in behind Amara

"We need to find a shaman who can sort out these damn flies...A fetish of some sort, though I've no idea how or who."

With a grunt Bamled nudges his mount onwards, scratching at his neck, the wound having opened twice more on the trip, each time healed by Hoskar.

Following along down the large trail Ohanzee speaks up ”I wasn’t joking about the plant, Morocanth’s Piss. It’s a reed that you can find by the river so I don’t think we’ll spot any until we get closer.”

“It smells disgusting but it works so I suppose it depends whether you rather the smell or the bites.”

Riding behind Bamled he notices the re-opened wound and says ”That should have healed by now, at least better than it has. You should get that seen to before it gets really bad, especially in this stinking place!”

The warrior taps the healed wound "It's been fine since Hoskar healed it this morning, just itches. But you're right I should."

Despite the wideness of the trackway it's hard going, with the Rangers having to navigate their way around fallen trees, patches of mud, small streams filled with scuttling things and snakes...lots of snakes.

And always the buzz of flies.... accompanied by the screech of birds and occasional crash deeper within the bush.

It's hard to keep an even temper, what with the heat and insects, but the Rangers keep pushing on and It's not long before they loose sight of the Western cliff.

Somewhere ahead is the river, and thanks to the occasional open patch of grass they keep their bearing, also aided by the thin plumes of smoke that drift up lazily into the sky.

An hour passes, then two and no place to camp has shown up, when somewhere close to hand comes a scream.

It's a girl, young and obviously terrified.

It's coming from somewhere off the track to the left. It's thick bush that a Rhino or Bison could push it's way through for sure, though far easier for someone on foot to scramble through. It looks as if there's an open space of grassland behind and then trees and possibly mangroves.

A loud splash comes as if something has fallen into water and then another scream, this time a boy.

"What?" hisses Nixa as he hears the noise, suspicion written clearly over his face. He's been quiet since wandering into the valley and now reckons his worst fears have come true.

"Could be a trap" he mutters, fingers splaying out towards the noise as he casts a detection charm.

"No way I'm heading in there."

Henal looks intently towards the direction of the screams but is unable to clearly see anything through the bush. He starts trying with detection spells to see if he can find anything out before charging in.

In reply to Nixa (msg # 20):

"Tsk" comes the reply from his brother, who is already sliding down off his Bison "Take my reins then" and without waiting for a reply he looks for a way into the vegetation, sword hacking at vines and branches. Then spying a route he pushes his way through intent on helping who ever had screamed.

"Girls...They'll be the death of me." he mutters just as a spray of magic passes over head, accompanied by the barely heard magical scrap of bone rubbing on bone. The detection spell, cast by Henal, comes back negative...Thank the great spirits!

Amara threw caution to the wind, dismounting before Thunderfoot had stopped, she ran weaving her way through the brush to make her way towards the sounds of the screams. The sharp whistle told thunderfoot to follow Amara even as she quickly left her mount behind. Amara leaped through the brush drawing inspiration from the tales of Vinga as she moved as quickly as she could towards the screams.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:10, Thu 23 Oct 2014.

Nixa grabbed the thrown reins and says to the rest "I'll stay with the mounts"

Oberon was already tied to Sand Fox's Bison and Yado's to his own.

Hearing the scream Ohanzee tries to urge Wihakayda through the thick growth intent on doing what rhino riders know best, namely charging whatever it is that is causing the girl and now boy to scream.

Hearing the screams Salen weighed up his options, and then jumped down from Kohana and activated his Mobility spell. Indicating that Mordy should follow he sped off into the brush in the direction of the screams, weapons in hand.

Tarnessh immediately followed the others into the brush on his Bison, and took a rock and his sling out of his pack, ready to stop whatever was attacking the children.

In reply to Sand Fox (msg # 15):

"If I was given permission" He looks towards Amara, "I could try and ask Grandmother Spider to help."

When he hears the scream, he is still at the back of the group and when most of the group go through the bushes, he follows the track past where they went and waits to see if anything is flushed towards him, sling at the ready.

Hoskar is somewhat preoccupied when the scream occurs. Having missed the best trail and had little luck looking for food so far, he's been scanning the surroundings for a likely looking snake for lunch. Maybe this hauberk will attract them after all. Never seen so many damn snakes. It's only when he hears a hiss from his cat that he sees the constrictor watching from a log. It's not the biggest: probably enough to eat a familiar at a stretch, but not the sort of massive reptile that would make a good fight. It's eyeing Four-Paws hungrily enough to make it a good target though; and a nicely aimed slingtone at least stuns it.

It's just as he's jumped down and beheaded the thing that the screaming begins. Not wanting to lose a meal, he hastily treads on the reflexively coiling serpent, which doesn't quite seem to know it's dead yet, and peers round cautiously for surprises; sling back in hand.

When the deceased snake quietens down, he slings it in a bag on Ram's back, head and all, then mounts back up with a whispered word to Melock and Nixa If they get ambushed, I'll be a little surprise for the ambushers, I reckon and rides cautiously and quietly down the path through the brush Tarnessh's bison has cleared, muttering a cantrip and gesturing to Fourpaws to stay out of trouble.

Henal relieved that his spell detected nothing readies a javelin and prepares to follow the others far enough behind that he can watch for any ambushers.

Those on foot jump, slide and smash their way through the dense vegetation, emerging in chest high grass, whilst behind those on mounts are momentarily stalled by Wihakayda, the Rhino outright refusing to move.

Tarnessh and then Henal surge past, the latter brave holding back slightly to ensure no one attacks from cover.

Out in front Amara and Sand Fox are neck and neck, thrashing at the grass with arms and swords, but barrelling past comes first Mordy and then Salen, his feet pumping magically so that he literally flies past to reach the line of trees and tangled mangroves way ahead of his companions.

Just visible through the trees is the sparkle of water.

Back on the Dinosaur trail Hoskar, Bamled, Melock and Nixa watch and listen anxiously, whilst Ohanzee has to give up on his Rhino going anywhere for the moment...

Meanwhile Salen finds that there's a gap in the trees, with a shallow bank dropping down into a small creek, where there are two small boys waving sticks towards a flailing child in the water. It's a young girl and holding onto her by it's long mouth is some sort of amphibious creature a metre or so long, it's tail splashing the water as it attempts to drag the girl into deeper water.

Riverfolk for sure. There's woven reed baskets filled with shellfish and a trap of some sort half submerged in the water near where the girl struggles. By the feet of the boys are two large mud crabs, pincers tied.

The two boys turn as Salen and then the others arrive, startled looks on their faces

"Help us!" cries one, whilst the other drops his stick and legs it...

In reply to GM (msg # 31):

Tarnessh spun his sling around and tossed a rock at the monstrous predator. After whispering a quick spell to throw multiple stones at once. "Get away from the water!" He called to the children in Praxian.

Amara used her charm to help her javelin and guide it true to the creature. She figured that if nothing else, the big stick in it's side would stop it from taking the girl into the river. "Stay away water. We fight" Amara said in tradetalk to the children. Even as her javelin sped through the air, Amara had drawn her axe moving to get closer to the beast.

Taking but a fraction of a second to assess the situation Salen drops all his weapons bar his spear/javelin and his enchanted dagger. He activates a charm and then hurls his javelin at the creature, and then runs as close to the creature as he can get before diving into the water to fight it, or at least distract it enough that it frees the girl.

Javelin attack
Then close quarters with magic dagger

Mordy will stay on dry ground.

Henal arriving later throws a javelin before the others have closed, then dismounts and takes up Basmol's spiked club to try that against the water beast.

The combat is fast and furious with the sound of zipping stones and whooshing javelins.

Amara's javelin lodges deep in the hindquarter's off the beast just as Salen comes up underneath, enchanted dagger stabbing repeatedly at it's legs. There's splashes from sling shots hitting to either side and then Amara is running through the shallows, axe arcing down to land in the top of the creature's head. It doesn't even have time to thrash.

Dead.

The girl still in it's jaws begins to sob, luckily not badly hurt, or so it seems.

"Barra!...Barra!" it's the remaining young boy shouting as he splashes through the shallows towards them. Of the other there is no sign.

On top of his Bison Tarnessh sees several ripples further down the creek, coming towards those still in the muddy, blood filled water. Fins appear, the same as the one that runs down the dead amphibian's back.

"More Mudsharks!" gasps the boy as Henal arrives"Quick on to the bank, they can come on land!"

Withseveral well placed digs into his rhino's sides Ohanzee finally manages to get himmoving and after pushing through the sh he charges lance down at any targets he observes.

Henal not seeing an immediate target waits till one of the creatures exposes itself from the water before casting a bone javelin at it. Then he stays mounted and uses his lance to strike down at any that come ashore.