of something -monkey? – and much more vital than the arachnid. It bore Smhee
backwards with his weight; he fell on the earth.
Snarling, it tried to bury its fangs in Smhee’s throat. Masha broke from her
paralysis and thrust with a fury and strength that only fear could provide. The
blade went through its body. She leaped back, drawing it out, and then lunged
again. This time the point entered its neck.
Smhee, gasping, rolled it off him and stood up. He said, ‘By Wishvu’s whiskers!
I’ve got blood all over me. A fine mess! Now the others will smell me!’
‘What is it?’ Masha said shakily.
‘A temple guardian ape. Actually, it’s not an ape but a very large tailless
monkey. Kemren must have brought some cubs with him.’
Masha got close to the dead beast, which was lying on its back.
The open mouth showed teeth like a leopard’s.
‘They eat meat,’ he said. ‘Unlike other monkeys, however, they’re not
gregarious. Our word for them, translated, would be the solitary ape.’ Masha
wondered if one of Smhee’s duties had been teaching. Even under these
circumstances, he had to be pedantic.
He looked around.’ Solitary or not, there are probably a number on this isle.’
After dragging the two carcasses into the river, they proceeded cautiously.
Smhee looked mostly ahead; Masha, behind. Both looked to both sides of them.
They came to the base of the ridges of rock. Smhee said, ‘The animal pens are
north. That’s where I heard them as I went by in the boat. I think we should
stay away from them. If they scent us and start an uproar, we’ll have the Raggah