The signal was stronger, but it still took a long time for the direction to start tipping to the side with any significance.  The morning went on, occupied by the usual breakfast-making, packing the saddlebags, and general preparations to go.  It wasn't a question of whether they would be leaving the river today, just how long until they debarked.<br/><br/>There was one minor incident around midmorning.  The river was still wide at this point, and they were sticking close to the south bank, the side of the river where the amulet indicated they would be finding their target.  Vorman kept them a safe distance from the shore, but most people's attention was still focused on the wild forest perimeter.  It was Kohdeki, whose sharp eyes never really stopped glancing about in all directions, and Lucca, who had the almost preternatural sensation that she was being watched, who were the first two who noticed.<br/><br/>The two humans found themselves gazing across the expanse of water at the far bank, where a thick, rotting tree trunk, a long-ago deadfall that hung over the rocks that happened to be on that shore like an out-thrust lookout tower.  Standing on the tip of that promontory was a half-naked, heavily-muscled male humanoid, his skin tinged gray, clad only in loincloth, a scattering of tribal decorations and tattoos, and a face-concealing helmet.  His straggly hair hung like ratty dreadlocks, festooned with small feathers and what looked like bits of tribal jewelry, and the broad, side-wrapping eyes on his helmet seemed dark but for a dull red glow in the internal shadows, even at this distance.<br/><br/>He stood facing them fully as they floated past, gripping his long spear at the haft, and as they drew abreast, he just crouched, as if resting, his spear butt still planted in the rotting wood he stood on.  He seemed content to just stand watch as they passed, either knowing there was nothing he could do to reach them, or perhaps warning them that he and his people were keeping an eye out for them.