It was beating and waiting in the ambush of those black pits.

It was rousing itself, even as Neewa and Miki went on deeper into the silence, and eyes that were like round balls were beginning to glow with a greenish fire.

Still there was no sound, no movement in the dense overgrowth of the trees.

Like the imps of MUHNEDOO the monster owls looked down, gathering their slow wits--and waiting.
And then a huge shadow floated out of the dark chaos and passed so close over the heads of Neewa and Miki that they heard the menacing purr of giant wings.

As the wraith-like creature disappeared there came back to them a hiss and the grating snap of a powerful beak.