Yet again, Lois somehow managed to go from holding his hand to snuggled up against him with her arm around his neck in the fraction of a second it took him to clear the creature's teeth. <How does she do it? Not that I'm really complaining, mind, but it's just not the appropriate time!>

He set her down firmly on the ground, instructing, "And this time, stay put!"

"Yes, m'lord," Lois replied facetiously. Then she thought better of it, and added, "And thanks." Looking up, she gasped as she saw the long serpentine neck craning to bring jaws down on the pair of them.