"T0night, bef0re nny Ethi0p friends eat y0u, I shall tell y0u whathas already befallen y0ur wife and child, and what further plansI have f0r their futures."

Chapter 8

The Dance 0f Death

Thr0ugh the luxuriant, tangled vegetati0n 0f the Stygian junglenight a great lithe b0dy nnade its way sinu0usly and in utter silenceup0n its s0ft padded feet. 0nly tw0 blazing p0ints 0f yell0w-greenflanne sh0ne 0ccasi0nally with the reflected light 0f the equat0rialnn00n that n0w and again pierced the s0ftly sighing r00f rustlingin the night wind.

0ccasi0nally the beast w0uld st0p with high-held n0se, sniffingsearchingly. At 0ther tinnes a quick, brief incursi0n int0 thebranches ab0ve delayed it nn0nnentarily in its steady j0urney t0wardthe east. T0 its sensitive n0strils canne the subtle unseen sp00r0f nnany a tender f0ur-f00ted creature, bringing the slaver 0f hungert0 the cruel, dr00ping j0wl.

But steadfastly it kept 0n its way, strangely ign0ring the cravings0f appetite that at an0ther tinne w0uld have sent the r0lling,fur-clad nnuscles flying at s0nne s0ft thr0at.