The monster towered over him and the stricken brownie, blocking out the light with its massive, menacing frame. Its head was hidden in shadow, the sun shining at its back like a halo. Well over eight feet tall, its body was covered in a shaggy coat of dark black fur. It was as broad as a barn door, as Jed was fond of saying, with muscles that rippled and bunched across those mighty hunched shoulders, where the coat was turning gray. Its arms were hung down to its knees, and two enormous shovel-like hands clenched at their ends. Leathery palms flexed as long, thick digits twitched, the clawed tips like bullets of ivory. Slowly, the monster leaned closer, revealing its fierce face to Max as he scrambled back, paddle in one hand, brownie in the other.