At Last

Chapter Six

Unedited.

"What?" Sophie asked slightly nervous. Sandor sent her an annoyed look over his shoulder. "Of course I have a plan." He said.

As he waded forward, towards a dead tree sticking up from the middle of the marsh. Sophie felt a wave of relief in her, before she watched Sandor all but snap the tree in half.

Crunch!

The top half of the tree hit the water with a splash, the rotting trunk stubbornly holding on to the dry other half of itself. Sandor hit the tree once more and it came loose. Guiding the tree over to them he held it still. "Climb on." He said. Sophie wanted to ask questions, but seeing that the tree would at least get her out of the murky water, that who knows what was hiding in, she silently pulled herself onto the floating log. It sifted under her but Sandor held it steady, as Fitz pulled himself up next.

"What's the plan?" Sophie asked. "We'll go farther down the banks and find a clear spot." Sandor said, as he climbed onto the back. Sophie clutched the tree as it lifted out of the water slightly. Fitz scooted closer to her, go even out Sandor's weight. A crack sounded behind them and Sophie liked back to see Sandor holding a thick branch and hiding the makeshift boat past the crocodile. Sophie watched the reptile as they glided by smoothly.

"It's pretty impressive." Fitz said. Sophie nodded, "Yup, I once read that the-" Sophie's words caught in her throat as the snout closed and gold green eyes opened. Staring right at them. With a fluid movement of it's back legs and tail, the reptile slipped into the water. Sophie pulled her boots out of the water as Fitz did the same. "Uh...Sandor?" She asked. "I saw." Was Sandor's calm answer, as he continued to guide the log forward. Sophie watched the waters for any sign of the crocodile, as her nails dug into the trunk of the tree, getting small splinters under her finger nails. "So just a quick question." Fitz said his usual deep voice sounding slightly pitched with fear.

"What's the best way to get out of the death roll?" He asked, before Sandor could answer Sophie saw it and it was to quick for Sophie to cry out warning. The back of the crocodile brushed under the tree testing it's strength, it's thick tail snapping a small swirl of water, before it dived deeper. Everyone braced as the tree rocked, musky stagnant water spraying them. "You don't need to know that Fitz." Sandor said as calm as ever. "Because no one, is going into the water..." Sandor trailed off as the crocodile it the tree with more force.

Sophie grabbed tightly to the trunk, "Of course not." Fitz agreed, his knuckles turning white as he clutched onto the trunk with equal force that rivaled Sophia's grip. The crocodile hit again, hard enough to send Sophie's boot splashing in the water, she yanked her leg back up, as she was sure she had hit the back of the leathery skin. Every muscle tensed, every sense was on high alert and every nerve was twisting. Just then this water stilled, the tree stopped rocking. The trio looked near the edges of the banks. Had it given up? Was it just following them? Was it about to attack?

Fitz yelped and pitched backwards as a wide open snout raised out of the water, snapping near the side of him. The sound of the solid jaws clamping shut made Sophie's stomach churn, she watched as the loose white skin on the neck quivered, as water leaked out. Cold eyes opened and stared at the three as the large creature sank back into the water.

Nerves were strung tighter than tight ropes, the feeling of electricity ran through them like some kind of phone lines. Nothing.

The water didn't stir, the tree wasn't rocked and the crocodile didn't surface again. Anticipation mixed with a bit of fear made everyone on edge. They made it to the banks, and they scrambled up to more solid ground. Sophie felt relieved to be back out of the water. Only a few miles away from the marsh she found a gnome standing as still as a statue, it stared up at the sun, letting the rays wash down on it.