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They explode out of the trees, leaping all the way over both boats with hoots of feral rage. One hurls a stone that barely misses you and thunks off the canoe, setting it to rocking. They are astonishing creatures, with cruel simian faces, eyes that glitter with bestial intelligence, and feathers the equal of any jungle bird.

The water grows choppy and turbulent, and the boats struggle to make headway. More apes appear along the shore, almost close enough to hit you with thrown stones. A few rocks splash into the water around you.

As more apes leap overhead or pursue your beleaguered boats along the shore, you realize that they're not quite ready to commit to their attack. But soon that might change.