The journey continues.

          Dawns rosy fingers were barely brushing the morning sky as the party boarded the boats for what promised to be a long days travel.

   All had had a restless night, and the best that could be said for the Professors condition was that it seemed no worse.
    They could only hope that the days travel would cause him no further distress.

Ser took the first boat with the professor, some of their stores had to be left behind to make room.
Sophia and Junior took the second.




Moving cautiously off in the half light, the party rounded a bend in the river to find the way ahead blocked by a series of sandbars with only narrow channels visible between.

Warily they proceeded, expecting at any moment to run aground (1 or 2 on a D6)






In the shallows beyond Native cattle had been brought down to the riverbank to drink.
 A village must be nearby.
Hopefully not aggressive.


Watching the herdboys for any signs,they failed to spot a young hippo in the water.
When they did spot it, Ser began to worry.
Where was the mother?
The last thing he wanted was to be caught between mother and child.





As they scanned the surface of the river, the young hippo turned upstream, keeping pace with the boats.




On and on, it swam before them.

Where was the mother?





All eyes  scanned the water and the banks for any sign.

A native village passed unheeded as they began to overtake the hippo.




Ahead, a small herd of Wildebeast had come to the river to drink, it seemed unlikely that the parent hippo was nearby.








Laving theyoung hippo behind they increased speed and headed on, determined to make up lost time.

The jungle was coming alive with sound and many diverse animals could be seen.




Ahead the could see smoke rising above the jungle canopy.





A native village, deserted and smouldering was quickly passed.

Everyones eyes were scanning every bush and tree for danger natural or human.





Although much wildlife was seen nothing threatened the party and they motored on for several hours in the heat of the day.











Other inhabitants had not been as lucky.




 A small tributary appeared on the right, Their journey led straight on, and they passed the Juju signs with barely little notice.






A herd of Elephants lined the bank,

The old bull eyed them warily as they motored on.





But ahead in the water Ser had spotted hippo.





 They couldn't stop, but slowed and steered to clear them.


Disturbed from their midday snooze the giant beasts turned and attacked the lead boat.







To be continued.