"All reverse full!"<em>Capitane</em>Ledude cried out, and Grogza and Moonshadow jumped to the crankshafts, forcing the paddlewheel to spin in the opposite direction. The<em>Crocodile Express </em>immediately slowed noticeably, though the current was still carrying them towards the half-sunken log. Ledude spun the wheel hard and the riverboat began turning towards the shore.<br/><br/>They were going to make it; the boat was much slowed and turned practically parallel to the fallen tree, though still drifting slowly downriver. A gentle contact with the riverbank or the log to bring them to rest would be a far cry from crashing at full speed into the obstruction. Rayne scanned the jungle on either bank, but there was no sign of an ambush as far as she could see. Then a movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention...<br/><br/>Since when did logs have a set of very large, very sharp teeth?<br/><br/>It was no log, it was a dire crocodile, and from mouth to tail it stretched longer than the<em>Crocodile Express</em>from bow to stern! Its brown-green hide was extremely rough and tough, pitted and cracked with age but none the weaker for it, to resemble the bark of an ancient tree. And, it was right next to the boat, for Rayne to look into its gaping maw, her body about the size of a cut of steak in comparison with the giant reptile.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>(Rolled a 6 perception for Rayne against the dire crocodile's stealth last post...)<br/>Surprise round: Dire Crocodile moves next to<em>Crocodile Express</em>, threatening all squares on the boat<br/>Dire Crocodile's initiative: 13 (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=59471)<br/>Rayne's initiative: 21 (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=59470), Rayne goes first<br/>Knowledge (nature): 15 (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=59473), failed to obtain information about Dire Crocodile.