The halfling looked back over his shoulder as he partially guided the party, partially followed Hallen's lead, and nodded to Quinta. "Not so much salt as not fresh," he said. "Swamp is brackish and things sometimes cross from ocean further out that way. I am more worried about the creatures. Big, very big, and less and less afraid of us.." A short while later, Alphonse's words are proven by the discovery, not once, but twice, of venomous snakes as big around as the thigh on himself or Tak and by his showing the others how a handful of crocodiles had been shadowing and moving parallel to the party.<br/><br/>"Careful how you step," he warned, "those crocs are sizing us up."<br/><br/>After a break later in the day, the ranger looked ahead with alarm and motioned everyone off towards one of the mossy mudbars that dotted the environment. "Quick, quick! Before they smell us in the water!" He then got out some jerky from his trail rations, balled it up, and pitched it ahead into a darker spot of swamp water. The ball of dried meat broke the surface and then could not be seen for the flurry of bubbles and agitating water as what seemed to be a small school of fish that seemed to be nothing but silver scales and teeth fought over the morsel.<br/><br/>"That was a close one," Alphonse said.