Before setting out from the village, the members of the expedition visit the compound of Mauro Carías, who is rumored to be ruthless in pursuing wealth, even though “it was never proved that he had blood on his hands” (100). Carías treats his guests to an extravagant lunch and Alex especially appreciates the familiar imported food. While discussing Nadia’s education, she claims that she can speak with animals, which most of the guests do not believe. Carías suggests that she might be able to talk to one of his pets and takes the group out to his patio to view a restless black jaguar in a cage. 

Alex is immediately entranced by the jaguar. When he gets close to its cage, he has a vision of being alone with the animal on “a vast amber plane surrounded by lofty black towers” (104), with six moons in the sky. He hears the jaguar speak his own name and answers it with the word Jaguar. While Alex is lost in his vision, Carías has a monkey thrown into the cage as prey for the jaguar. Alex attempts to free the jaguar and save the monkey, but before Alex can open its cage,

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