The raft nosed around into a broad channel that curved lazily into a cavernous maw in the cliff. The walls and roof glowed with a soft light and the choraling of Toka's name came clear and stronger. Toka let the raft drift.
"The river is certainly slow enough in there," Roya mused.
"We could pole our way out easily enough," Elees reflected.
Old Ledo looked at these impetuous ones. "We could not come back another time—when Sandcliff would know where we were going!"
"But what can happen?" Rok protested. "We've got our battle-axes—even Elees and Roya have theirs!"
Old Ledo's unimpressed glance went to mid-raft. There were three great black battle-axes and two smaller ones.
In that instant Toka weighed the pro and con. "We'll go in a little way."
Roya and Elees swiftly placed each man's battle-ax handy then balanced easily in mid-raft with their own light weapons. The lazy current guiding the raft, the men shipped their poles.
Roya suddenly pointed over the side of the raft. "Look! glowing fish—in all colors!"
"But how vicious looking!" Elees exclaimed.