Moss took charge and directed the females to collect the logs they would cut down from dead trees, and carry them to the waters edge.
Many admiring glances came their way as they swung the razor sharp blades, the trees crashing down one after another, to be cut into suitable lengths later.
Some vines were cut from a nearby clump, and the work of tying the logs into a platform began.
The Greater Sun had almost climbed to its midday height by the time the raft was completed, and was much larger than they had initially intended. They took a break to eat and drink, and then explained again to the females why they must go on with their journey.
It was plain to see that the females were disappointed at their imminent departure, but on mention of the fact that they may well return this way cheered them up a little, none of them realizing the impossibility of the two lads making their way upstream against the river flow.
It took all the available hands present to push the log raft to the waters edge, and then slide it down the bank and into the water. A vine had been attached to the raft to prevent it from floating away, and several eager hands held the floating log mass close to the bank in a last desperate hope that they wouldn’t really go.
Moss and Kel jumped onto the raft, called for the vine to be released, and using the long steering poles they had thoughtfully cut, pushed the craft out into deeper water.
At the last possible moment, Kel’s companion of yesterday ran forward and leapt across the intervening gap, landing safely on the raft.
‘You can’t come with us,’ Moss shouted, struggling to hold the raft steady with his pole as the current took hold, ‘you are only a female, and this is a man’s journey.’
‘I with you now. I no go back, I no swim.’ she said smiling, and quickly untied one of the spare poles which had been tied down to the raft’s surface in case of emergencies.
The departing cries of goodbye from the females on the bank soon faded as the trio poled the raft into the middle of the water flow, keeping it away from the rocky canyon walls which were looming up ahead.
‘Now that you are with us, and we can’t put you back on the bank, you must work as we do,’ Moss said.
‘I will, I will. I just as strong as you.’ she replied, smiling.
‘I’ll bet she is,’ thought Kel, ‘and just as smart, I wouldn’t wonder.’
As they entered the gap between the towering cliffs, the raft gathered speed as the waterway narrowed, and they had their work cut out trying to keep it in the middle of the flow.
Several times the raft drifted towards the sharp rocky edge of the gorge as the river turned and twisted its way through, and the female proved her worth as she bent to the pole and helped keep the raft on course.
The Greater Sun began its long drift down towards the horizon, and the light was lessening a little as the team frantically poled their raft around yet another tortuous bend in the now darkening canyon.
As they cleared the bend, the river opened out to nearly twice its normal width, and the flow slowed down accordingly. Ahead was a small beach of sand, and they poled their way towards it, longing to take a much needed rest from their exertions.
The raft ground to a halt against the gently sloping bank of sand, and Kel jumped ashore to secure the vine to a nearby rock. If the raft drifted off now, they would be trapped here forever, as the cliffs above them were just as steep as those at the beginning of their journey through the gorge.
‘We may as well stay here for the night.’ Moss said, as he sat down on the soft sandy bank. ‘I doubt we’ll find a better place.’
The food supplies were brought out, and they had their evening meal as the last rays of the Greater Sun lit up the sky in streaks of yellow and red, heralding a good day on the morrow.
‘We don’t know your name.’ said Kel, turning to their female companion.
‘I’m called Jaylec,’ she responded with her usual smile, ‘but I like Jay better. You call me Jay.’
With little else to do, after they had made sure that the raft was still securely tied to the rock, they prepared to settle down for the night, Moss volunteering to take the first watch.
Kel scooped out a depression in the soft sand and settled himself into it, curling up for sleep, but hardly had he closed his eyes when he felt another little body cuddle into his back, an arm slide around his chest, and he was held captive by his admirer.
During the night, something large and sounding very angry thrashed about in the deep water just off shore, and Moss was thankful they hadn’t encountered it while they were afloat.
While they were changing over shifts, a small shower of rocks crashed down from high up on the cliff face, fortunately missing them and landing in the water downstream.
‘Not so safe as it looks,’ commented Moss as he lay down to sleep, ‘I wonder what caused that?’
Kel had no answer, so didn’t say anything as he strained his eyes in the pale light of the Lesser Sun, looking for movement high up in the rocks.
Nothing further disturbed the travellers during the night, except the odd dream, one of which brought Moss out of his sleep and bounding to his feet before he knew what he had done. After a quick snack and a chuckle about the incident, he was peacefully back in his slumbers.
The Greater Sun broke the horizon in a blaze of glory, lighting up
