The crackle of the sky and the flash of light caused the jungle to quiet down for a moment. The Catoblephar raised his head, his ears twitching, picking up a low rumble. He froze, craning his neck, and then slowly crawled to the side, where an orange glow was making its way through the foliage.

The fur on his back stood on end, not from fear, but from alertness. Each step was soundless, soft paws touching the ground without breaking branches. He moved in a circle, not approaching immediately, measuring the distance, watching the human's escape capsule cool down.

When the capsule subsided, he froze a few meters away. His nostrils flared, inhaling the scent of metal and alien things that the jungle did not know. The Catoblephar growled softly, low, almost inaudible, as if checking to see if the darkness around him would respond. There was no response.

He lay down on his belly, flattened out in the grass, and began to watch. The tail moved slowly from side to side, like a pendulum.