"Was it an earthquake?" he yelled.
Lloyd shrugged and they watched the rocks slowly rolling away and then digging themselves into the mud at the water's edge.
Lloyd moved over to Boyce and told him in aloud voice, trying to overcome the roar of the river, that the rocks on which they sat on must have been living rock.
Neither man had ever seen one of those strange mutations until now.
They had always thought that the stories about the strange rocks were nothing but stories, but they really were able to buck a man from off their backs.
They became calm now, and they knew that once they crossed to the other side, they would have to become more careful.
These rocks that they had encountered were passive, but on the other side of the river the beast were all but shyly submissive. In fact, they would attack their own shadows without the slightest forewarning that they would do so.
The day before, Lloyd and Boyce discussed the possible perils that they would encounter, not knowing for certain since very few men had ever successfully passed through the Dark Forest.
Now, however, no more discussions could keep them from trying to cross the river, and they knew it.
"We can't sit around here forever." yelled Boyce. "We have to cross, so I'll go first!"