Shae found herself tentatively wanting to approach and try to comfort Berrus, but he had spoken up before she could reach out. She found herself stifling a giggle to herself hearing Fang's gentle confusion and encouragement to participate in their endeavor and Berrus' quick response against. She'd smile softly and hold her hands in front of her, not wanting to impede on the conversation.

Though, some words would slip from her lips. "Maybe I can ask the sharks if they know what happened, maybe even help..." Shae would start to chew her lip. She felt herself almost regret saying the thought out loud. Her track record with her animal communication has never proved to be reliable.

Berrus says lowly to Shae   i canna swim

“Suit yourself” Fang says to Berrus as he stands on the raft ready to make way towards the boat in the distance. Fang happily dancing on his shoulders. 

Shae's eyes would soften when Berrus would admit that he couldn't swim. Her suggestion was more to Fang and was hoping Berrus didn't feel as though she was trying to push him to go. She figured he had his reasons to prefer land. Her perception of his bravery wouldn't waver. Shae remembered his words from last night and has witnessed him push himself out of his comfort zone when it mattered. She still believed he would do anything he could if it came down to the last resort. Her smile remained. "It's okay." Shae would reach to give Berrus' hand a gentle squeeze. "Keep those who stay here safe. There's plenty of us to go out and retrieve the boat." Or at least she thought so, looking over to Fang already on the raft to head out. She had assumed she was going, but didn't have too.

You quickly get the raft ready, with Fang up front and on lookout, the Professor to the aft and ready to stear, Shae and Maxine both ready with a paddle to propel the raft forwards more quickly. Thessalandra, Brax, and Falx all get on the raft as well, with them grabbing the remaining paddles, and it being understood that the three of them would crew the folding boat, once they righted it again.

Berrus, Bertrand and Cliff remain behind with your supplies. Bertrand quickly asks for the opportunity to practice some more techniques and get used to moving more quickly in his armour, if Berrus is up for it.

---------------------------

About twenty minutes pass, and the raft starts to glide over some shallows, where the collapsed roofs of the outlying buildings of Ishaun are a mere two feet below you. Fang is very excited to spot the first two sharks, within about twenty feet of the raft. By now, everyone on the raft can see the flocking birds that Maxine spotted before, but you can't quite tell what they're fighting over.

Berrus more than.happily agrees to train Bertrand and Cliff

As you're training the two porters, you suddenly hear Zip cry out!

As you turn around, a large animal, almost like a jaguar, but with snakes writhing around its head, has gone straight for your supplies and has torn open a pouch containing your remaining rations, whilst Zip is scrambling for his crossbow.

Roll initiative, Berrus!

Zip, Cliff and Bertrand initiative: 7, 12 and 17

Initiative. 6

 The beast, seeing Zip pointing his crossbow at it, starts to charge forwards towards him for about twenty feet, before leaping at the gnome, pouncing on it with its claws outstretched. Zip is hit, but manages to remain standing, but the snakes are biting down. Somehow, Zp is still alive and standing, though barely.

Bertrand, seeing Zip's heroic resistance, bashes his gauntlets together and his handaxe and dagger alights in holy flames. He then charges towards the beast, and starting to hack at the snakes surrounding it's head. Then in his hope to get the beast to let up and leave, he stabs at its flank with his dagger. His training seems to pay off, as both attacks find their target, and the animal recoils under the blows.

Cliff, unwilling to let Bertrand carry all the glory, he grits his teeth in anger, and in a full rage, howling and foaming, charges the creature and starts to punch it with his bare fists. His first strike lands, but the beast dodges his second.

You're up!

Berrus goes in with a battle cry swinging overhand 

41  WTH was that

anyways real attack roll  Attack: 14 Damage: 6

Fang turns to Shae, “Medic! You said you’re able to speak with these beasts. Can you do so now?”

Completely oblivious to the goings on back at the shore, Shae calmly pats her nose in thought before pausing to hold her figure up. "I realize now I should have stressed the maybe."

Shae, how do you plan to communicate IN WATER, without DROWNING or getting your FACE BIT OFF. "Heh." She'd offer a guilty grin.

Shae will take a deep breath and close her eyes. She'll reflect in on herself, imagining how in the planes she's going to be able to communicate aquatically. She simply cannot just speak from above water. Could she? Basic knowledge dictates that sharks would communicate via vibrations in the water. But what other senses could come into play? Blood. Sensitive sense of smell. Especially for blood. Visual? She'll suck air in through her teeth accepting what she may have to do for plan B.

"So... If they can't understand me from above water. I may have to go in." She'll look to Fang.

Shae will then hand off her paddle for safety. If they had a rope, she will offer to tie it around herself and give it to someone. At that point, the warlock will close her eyes to take in another breath, focusing on the sounds of the animals nearby. She'd close in on the sound of the seagulls close by before turning her attention to the graceful sharks lurking near by. She'll reach her hand out over the water, placing her whole palm against the surface of the water.

Shae will tap her fingers rhythmically for a moment, then she'd still her hand. "Hello? Hi there. My name is Shae. I know this is strange. It's different for me too." Her voice would be as low as can be, almost as if she was trying to impersonate a dragonborn or a hearty dwarf. She was focusing on the baritone rumble, hoping it was enough to vibrate through her core to her finger tips into the water. Shae would pause to wait for a response, not really sure what to expect.

Perception 20 For shark counting. 

Berrus, your blow connects with the beast's shoulder. Annoyed, it turns, and suddenly releases a cloud of gas! Cliff falls unconscious before the beast. It strikes at the resilient Zip, who manages to dodge the beast's claws, before the snakes lash out at Bertrand, one finding his unarmored calf and biting him there!

Although he remains standing, the venom coursing through his veins is causing him to cramp up in pain momentarily. He manages to stike at the creature with his fiery handaxe though. His anger seems to guide him, as he finds his target successfully, the fiery axes decapitating one of the six snakes sprouting from this beast's shoulders. He then momentarily drops back to catch a breath and focus again.

Zip, the crossbow having been knocked out of his hands by the pouncing beast, desperately grabs something in his pouch and throws it at the beast. As the vial shatters, the fur of the beast is briefly engulfed in flames. The beast looks rather rough now, with patches of burnt skin showing and several wounds bleeding quite profusely.

 
Berrus needs to make a constitution saving throw!

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Fang, you are focusing your attention on a dark shape in immediate vicinity of the raft. It takes you a couple of moments to realise that what you've been focussing on was the leaves of one of the branches you used for the raft swaying in the current.

Shae, you reach out to the water, but your attempts don't seem to work.

Give me a nature check, please.

Con save 18

Shae would open her eyes and look to Fang. "I can't sense anything from that attempt. What do you see?" She would scan the waters to see if anything has changed since she closed her eyes. Should the seagulls still be fighting over something, she'd look over there as well. Shae would also want to keep an eye out for the boat or at least keep herself oriented to what direction Maxine said it was if they can't see it.

Berrus, you manage to resist the gas! You're up.

Glasses:

Looking around while the others are searching for sharks, the Professor tries to make out what the birds might be circling up ahead.  

Perception:  12

“If none of the sharks are coming out to play right now, perhaps we should get the boat and consider visiting them again on the way back,” suggests the Professor.

Nature: 11 + Guidance: 3

Berrus swings at the creature again Attack: 20 Damage: 10

Action Surge repeat

Attack: 20 Damage: 3