Boyce put both packs on, one around each shoulder and he slowly made his way up the tree and then swung his legs astride the branch when he reached it. Lloyd and Grenadine were already reclined in the nest when Boyce took the packs and set them inside the nest with them. From his pack Boyce took out his cape and electric light. With a little food and his water sack, he made his way to the butt of the branch and sat against the trunk of the tree. With the final particles of light scattering through the forest, Boyce scanned the area to make certain that no animals were in the vicinity. He looked up into the clouded tree tops and wondered about the lore of the gremlin kingdom and whether or not it was true. It was dark now; pitch and silent but for occasional sounds of night-birds whistling through the trees and, at times the sounds of rocks being overturned by large and hungry animals looking for grubs. Many hours had passed since Boyce took the first watch. He was finished slowly eating his food and keeping awake because he didn't dare risk leaving them defenceless. Hours later, Boyce crawled along the branch to the nest, having his light on it so that he wouldn't fall from it. At the nest, he was ready to call Lloyd to his turn at watch, and he came upon them when they were at the height of love making. Grenadine was obviously the aggressive one. He turned off the light and crawled back to the tree trunk, and leaned up against it, throwing his legs around the branch to keep himself stable. Something, he thought, was happening to his friend. Lloyd was behaving oddly and not like himself, and what's worse, Boyce didn't know how he could help Lloyd. CHAPTER NINETEEN Lloyd stood up in the nest, stretched and tucked his tunic back into his pants. He looked over at Boyce wrapped tightly in his dark cape, staring right back at him with withdrawn eyes. His face was pale and his lips were dry and slightly cracked from the trifle breeze that filtered through the forest during the night. Lloyd tipped his head to Boyce and Grenadine peaked over the rim of the nest and look at him, as well. Lloyd and Grenadine shared some of his rations and Boyce began to straighten up from his uncomfortable night of sleeplessness. His legs dangled off the branch while he sprinkled water on his hand then patted it over his face. Breathing coarsely and heavily, Boyce looked over at Lloyd and Grenadine setting their clothing in order, and he looked way when he saw Lloyd kiss Grenadine's hand. Boyce lifted his pack around his shoulders and then threw his cape about himself and climbed down the tree. It was an eerie peacefulness on the ground and he felt very ill-at-ease all by himself. He took his laser from his belt case and seared some marks on a few dozen trees, heading in a straight line, south from the tree in which they spent the entire night.