Matt’s answer tells Kira and Thomas nothing—clearly he’s exaggerating, or even lying altogether, about the beasts. Even so, Matt’s behavior is endearingly courageous here—like Kira and (at times) Thomas, he’s always eager to go exploring. Perhaps it’s another indication of Matt’s courage that he can seemingly walk in and out of the Edifice whenever he wants. In part, Matt can do so because Kira “cleared” him with Jamison. At the same time, Matt’s freedom within the Edifice seems to be a product of his independence and indifference to the Council’s authority. This suggests that the Council wields as much power as the villagers allow it.