'Why?' she said. She wished her heart would quit trying to leap up through herthroat.

'Because making them requires energy, and it's more effective to make a lot oflittle spiders and costs less energy than to make a few big ones. There areother reasons which I won't explain just now.'

'Look out!' she cried, far louder than she should have. But it had been sosudden and had taken her off guard.

Smhee whirled and slashed out, though he hadn't seen the thing. It bounded overthe web, its limbs spread out against the dimness, its great round earsprofiled. It came down growling, and it fell upon Smhee's blade. This was noman's-head sized spider but a thing as big as a large dog and furry and stinkingof something -monkey? - and much more vital than the arachnid. It bore Smheebackwards with his weight; he fell on the earth.

Snarling, it tried to bury its fangs in Smhee's throat. Masha broke from herparalysis and thrust with a fury and strength that only fear could provide. Theblade went through its body. She leaped back, drawing it out, and then lungedagain. 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 taillessmonkey. 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 notgregarious. Our word for them, translated, would be the solitary ape.' Mashawondered if one of Smhee's duties had been teaching. Even under thesecircumstances, he had to be pedantic.