There's no need for a god or the boatman from the stories to explain; everyone knows why Shard is different from other "travelers" because Shard is the only one not in animal form.
Shard did not intend to explain but said with a tone of relief:
"Fortunately, I have a boat of my own."
"But unfortunately, the travelers under the moon do not."
The god smiled and reminded, leaving no room for Shard to bluff:
"Travelers, you can choose to abandon your companion, or you can think of other solutions. Or, you can try to challenge the Boatman and gain control of the boat."
"Challenging the boatman is impossible."
The witch spoke rationally, her golden eyes shimmering under the firelight:
"That Boatman reminds me of another relic, something we cannot handle, even if I didn't become a Unicorn, I couldn't deal with such a thing. And we cannot abandon you either."
She looked at Shard:
