There was no need for the god or the Boatman from the story to explain why Shade differed from the other "travelers." Only Shade was not in animal form.
Shade had no intention of explaining either, and instead said in a relieved tone:
"Luckily, I have a boat of my own."
"But unfortunately, the traveler beneath the moon does not."
The god smiled as he reminded him, giving Shade no chance to muddle through:
"Travelers, you may choose to abandon this companion of yours, or think of another solution. Or perhaps try to challenge the Boatman and gain control of the boat."
"Challenging the Boatman is impossible."
The witch spoke rationally, her golden eyes glittering in the firelight:
"That Boatman reminds me of another Relic. This is not something we can deal with. Even if I had not turned into a Unicorn, I still could not handle such a thing. And we cannot possibly abandon you."
She looked at Shade:
"Though I do not know what you really are, having you with us will make us safer if we encounter combat. Before the journey ends, everyone has their use."
"Perhaps we could think of another way. Could we negotiate with the Boatman again?"
The old knight gathered his courage and spoke, but the god shook his head:
"The stubborn old horse tried to persuade the Boatman, but it was useless. The Boatman has his own rules, and they cannot be broken under any circumstances."
"So as long as I become the same as them, I can board the boat?"
Shade asked. The god smiled without speaking, which was confirmation enough. The witch then gestured for her maid to search through the clearly abnormal pocket, only to shake her head regretfully:
"Though I prepared many things for all sorts of situations,