"Let's push on. We lost time last night smoking the fish."
"we can't push for too long at night we are at a more serious disadvantage, as note many can't see in total darkness" he replied
Cole looks around at the crew, then his eyes continue to the spot behind him where the massive from erupted. Then, h grunts, a deep sound from somewhere within his heavy frame. "I don't like the idea of stopping, and I don't think many of you could press on very well."
He pauses to consider, but when he continues, it's with a hesitant tone. "If we lash the canoes together, Portforged and I might be able to try to keep going through the night while you all rest." He shrugs, obviously unsure of that idea's merit. "Or, despite the fact that most of these trees don't look sturdy enough to hold my weight, lashing our canoes together into some kind of barge and tying onto a tree may be the best way to get some rest for everyone."
He looks over at Ashshar, "Is there any way of deterring the hunting animals in these waters?"
Rehil looks out into water-covered landscape. ".. We don't know when the flood will crest. If we paddle to the river's edge and the river drops during the night we'd have to drag the canoes back to the river through deep mud or continue on foot."
Ashshar shrugs. "Hard to deter the big ones. Normally we would climb trees to escape the flood. It is a bit safer up there. But we could tie and up stay in the boats." He turns to Rehil. "The flood will not diappear overnight. We could paddle to try and find the edge of the water. But the edges are where the animals gather that have escaped the flood. We might be safer on the water."
"I think the idea of lashing them together has merit. Even a slow pace throughout the night gains us incredible ground over sleeping."
Rehil stares at Ashshar while he processes what the lizardman and the others have said.
"Not sure I'd trust the trees. There's bound to be snakes in the branches. If we're on the water it won't be any safer tying up in the middle of the river than paddling. Let's push on."
Cole looks over at Rehil, and—while his metallic features don’t register emotion the way most fleshies do—the surprise is easily evident in his posture and tone. “We just saw a halfling-hunting, horse-sized dragonfly get eaten by a frog of who-knows-what-size, and you’re concerned about snakes in the trees? Any snakes capable of hanging out in the trees have got to be smaller than I am.”
He pauses, looking at the water around him, “And pushing on sounds like a major gamble. We’re trading the threat of land-bound predators for water-borne ones … not a great trade in my book. We may make some good time. Then again, we may end up simply getting lost. Trying to navigate in the dark while the usual landmarks are obscured by flooding sounds … difficult.”
He shrugs his massive shoulders, a deep sigh resonating out from deep within his chassis. “But we’re in a race against time, I think. As much as I think it’s dangerous, I agree with Rehil. Let’s lash the canoes together, and a few of us will try to push us on through the night while the rest of you get some sleep.”
"water predators are more dangerous cause they can drag us under the water and with little or no light that would be certain death. I am not going to take that gamble. At least with land base threats we have a better chance"
"Unless we go out of our way to find a bank, we're spending the night on the water. We could tie up. We could climb a tree. We could paddle on. But we're going to be on the water."
Once again, Cole sees nothing for it than to bring it to a vote. He points to himself, Rehil, and Nalverren
"So that's three for paddling through the night. Will wants to tie up and rest, finding dry land if possible ... which we don't know how long that will take or how safe it is over the water-choice. Portforged? Wultram? Opinions?"
"I see little a priori reason to believe that the water should be any less safe than the land, I think it best we tie to something to rest on the water."
Ashshar murmurs, "Perhaps I am not being asked, but I would be concerned if we pushed on when we cannot see. The river is dangerous enough by day."
Cole shrugs, "Then let's tie up and rest for the night."
The canoes are lashed together and then a suitable tree is found to tie them to. All around, the flooded jungle is swiftly plunged into darkness as the tropic sun makes its rapid descent. Vaard and Ashshar climb the tree to find a place to sleep, sticking to their traditional ways.
Nalverren will assist with camp set-up and security as necessary.
Rehil settles himself in one of the canoes. He mutters, "Can't fight snakes in a tree. Too easy to fall out while they hold on with any part of their body. "
"Staying for the night is indeed the safest course and we have only one life. Let's get ourselves tucked in"
he says
Nalverren doesn't have a rope, so he will sleep at the base of the tree. He will take any one watch shift that needs covered.
The twilight passes into night. The travellers slumber fitfully in the canoes or in the trees above, or peer into the pitch dark for danger. The water gurgles faintly under the boats as it flows past, and there are the usual hoots, chitters and trumpets for whatever lurks out there in the jungle. Something out of sight splashes noisily for a few minutes, but doesn't come close enough to see. The sky is overcast, so there is virtually no starlight or moonglow to provide illumination.
It is dark, and the final watch. Nalverren, Cole, Portforged and Rehil keep watch from the boats, while Vaard is on guard in the tree above.
Cole—as still as a stone through most of the night—turns his head.
"Did you all hear that," he whispers. "Wings? Out in the forest."
He fishes out a few torches, "We should get some lights ready. Who has some flint and steel?"
Percept
Rehil straightens up and gazes into the dark. "I don't see anything."
He reaches for his bow. Too dark to shoot. His hand drifts to his sword.
"I do" Nalverren replies, walking over and fetching his flint and steel from a pouch on his belt, and holds it out to light a torch once the warforged proffers one. "Our enemies will be on us once we light a torch, we need to be ready to move. Rehil, you may want to wake the others. Or have the locals take a look around before we light this torch?"
The sound of wings draws closer.
Cole grunts in frustration as he holds the torches for lighting. "Whatever it is, it's on the wing. I doubt we'll be able to outrun it in the canoes."
With his other hand, he snatches up his longspear and tries to reach up to poke any still-sleeping members in the trees or canoes. "If it comes to a fight, stick together." He looks over at Will, "We don't want anyone getting snatched away."
"What you mean that flying Halfing meat lover creature had some friends that wants to eat me also " he says adjusting his shield and armor in readiness for combat.
"It's a bat. Big as the dragonfly, maybe bigger. Wake Portforged. Call Vaard. Have him wake the others."
The elf stares into the dark, straining to get a fix on the bat.
The bat swoops in to attack.
:(