amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第31部分

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　　〃Can　we　help　you　turn　the　herd　back　out　of　immediate　danger？〃　Tai　asked　as　they　flipped　the　hide　from　the　legs　and　wrestled　the　carcass　over。　Rency　was　almost　as　good　as　Zaranth　as　a　helper。
　　〃We'd　sure　appreciate　it；〃　Rency　said。
　　Herdbeasts　were　as　terrified　of　dragons　in　the　air　as　felines　on　the　ground；　so　herding　them　merely　required　the　dragons　to　keep　their　shadows　on　the　beasts。
　　〃Sure。　Dragons　have　to　fly　straight　with　full　stomachs；　you　know；〃　she　said。　〃No　reason　we　can't　help　you　spook　the　herd　in　the　right　direction　for　now。〃　Today's　feed　would　last　Zaranth　a　sevenday。
　　〃Just　need　to　set　them　in　the　right　direction；　Tai；〃　he　said。　〃There's　a　ravine〃…he　pointed　in　a　northwesterly　direction…〃and　water。　Whooshing　'em　that　way　is　all　we'd　need。〃
　　〃No　problem；〃　Tai　said。　If　you'll　be　kind　enough　to　stop　eating　long　enough　to　tell　Monarth　what's　needed；　she　said　to　her　dragon。
　　He　just　told　me；　Zaranth　said；　sucking　the　tail　into　her　mouth　and　licking　her　lips。
　　〃Makes　short　work　of　it；　doesn't　she？〃　Rency　remarked　approvingly。
　　Tai　grinned。　〃Monarth　says　we'll　be　glad　to　help。　Half　the　wing　has　fed　today。〃
　　I　am　the　only　one　who　has　two。　Zaranth；　her　faceted　eyes　flickering　with　orange　pleasure；　strolled　indolently　over　to　them　to　await　her　second　course。
　　Rency　and　Tai　pulled　the　skin　cleanly　off　the　flesh。　Once　they　had　rolled　it　up；　he　went　back　to　his　mount；　which　stood　far　enough　away　from　the　dragon　to　feel　safe。　Tai；　letting　Zaranth　move　in　on　her　bloody　kill；　followed　him；　hoping　to　get　away　from　the　worst　of　the　insect　swarms。　Rency　handed　her　the　water　bottle　and　a　towel。
　　〃Take　a　good　swig　and　then　we　can　wash　off　some　of　the　gore。　Like　I　said；　I'm　not　that　far　from　water；〃　he　said　and　Tai　was　grateful　to　be　able　to　rinse　herself。
　　Feeling　somewhat　less　sticky；　they　walked　to　the　top　of　the　incline。　Though　they　had　washed　off　most　of　the　blood；　the　swarms　began　a　renewed　assault　in　waves　so　that　they　clenched　their　teeth　and　kept　their　eyes　narrowed。　Fanning　vigorously　with　his　hat；　Rency　watched　with　satisfaction　as　they　could　see　other　riders　heaving　pelts　to　their　dragons'　backs。　Suddenly　the　mass　was　whisked　away。　Zaranth　had　finished　eating　and　was　sweeping　her　wings　broadly；　scattering　the　insect　cloud。
　　I'm　ready　to　leave　when　you　are；　Zaranth　announced　with　a　final　lick　of　her　lips。
　　〃D'you　need　the　loan　of　my　rope？〃　Rency　asked。
　　〃That'd　be　real　wele；〃　Tai　agreed。　Her　riding　harness　would　secure　one。。。　but　two？
　　〃Be　sure　to　check　no　nits　burrowed　into　your　skin；〃　he　said。
　　〃I　most　assuredly　will；〃　she　told　him　through　clenched　teeth。
　　Deftly　the　two　humans　roped　the　pelts　on　either　side　of　Zaranth's　second　neck　ridge。　Flying　straight　was　time…consuming；　but　Zaranth　could　fly　high　enough…once　they'd　helped　move　the　herd…to　be　cool　and　escape　the　insects。　Tai　held　out　her　hand　to　Rency　to　thank　him　for　his　help　and　the　loan　of　his　rope；　and　swung　onto　Zaranth's　back。
　　〃My　pleasure；　dragonrider；〃　Rency　said；　stepping　back；　fanning　with　his　hat　as　swarms　tried　to　settle　to　the　hides。
　　Get　us　out　of　here　before　I　eat　bug；　Zaranth；　Tai　said；　wind…milling　her　hands　in　front　of　her　face。
　　I　ate　very　well；　Zaranth　said　smugly　and　Tai　could　feel　a　satisfied　belch　rumbling　from　her　chest；　to　her　throat　and　out。　Inelegant；　Tai　muttered　with　mock　severity　as　Zaranth　leaped　skyward。
　　Courteously；　Zaranth　dipped　her　wings；　causing　Rency's　mount　to　back　away　from　him　in　sudden　panic。
　　Out　of　here。　The　man　doesn't　need　to　be　chasing　his　runner。　Then　they　were　out　of　range　of　bloodsuckers　and　into　cooler　air。　Zaranth　circled；　looking　for　Monarth　and　the　rest　of　the　dragons。
　　Monarth　is　aloft；　and　so　is　Path；　Zaranth　told　her　and　headed　in　their　direction。　We　are　to　swing　wide　behind　the　beasts；　she　added。
　　It's　not　the　first　time　we've　herded；　Tai　said　grumpily。　She　wished　she　had　more　in　her　belly　than　cold　water；　she'd　had　no　lunch。
　　At　this　altitude；　she　had　a　good　view　of　the　bright…shirted　herders；　stringing　out　over　the　grassy　plain；　starting　the　beasts　back　the　way　they　had　stampeded。
　　It　would　be　good　to　have　a　swim　when　the　herd　is　turned。
　　It　most　certainly　would。　There　were　plenty　of　hospitable　coves　on　the　way　back　to　Monaco　Weyr；　and　trees　full　of　ripe　fruit。
　　Altogether；　Tai　thought；　apart　from　the　insects；　the　day　had　been　profitable。　It　would　take　time　to　clean　and　stretch　the　pelts；　but　once　word　got　around　to　the　traders　of　today's　kill；　she　might　even　get　to　sell　them　raw。　One　day　she　might　keep　a　particularly　fine　one…she　fancied　a　clouded　fur　with　ghost　stripes…but　in　the　meantime；　northerners　prized　whatever　was　taken。
　　
PART　2…Disaster
（Throughout　the　Same　Day）
RUATHA　HOLD…LOCAL　TIME　12：04　IN　THE　MORNING…1。9。31
　　Stepping　out　of　the　cothold；　Sharra　wrapped　her　cloak　tightly　around　her。　It　was　very　cold；　but　the　wind；　which　could　cut　like　a　knife　down　the　broad　avenue　back　to　Ruatha　Hold；　had　died　out。　She　was　tired　from　a　long　nursing；　but　relieved　that　the　weaver　would　recover　from　his　accident。　She　silently　thanked　Aivas　once　more　for　the　medical　information　he　had　left。　She　had　been　able　to　repair　the　tendon　in　Fossil's　hand…something　she　could　not　have　done　five　Turns　earlier…and　to　stitch　shut　the　jagged　wound。　She　could　honestly　tell　him　that　he　would　have　the　use　of　his　hand　and　be　as　skillful　as　ever　in　two　months'　time。
　　A　light　caught　her　eye。　To　the　east！　Startled；　because　it　was　automatic　to　be　fearful　of　anything　ing　from　the　east；　she　saw　shooting　stars；　long　straight　slashes　in　the　dark　sky。　She　stopped　in　her　tracks。　These　were　not　like　the　Ghosts　of　Turnover；　for　all　they'd　been　bright　this　year。　Ghosts　lasted　a　second　or　two。　These　were　visibly　longer；　almost　ribbons　in　the　night　sky。　One　bright　spot　seemed　to　linger；　then　exploded。
　　She　blinked。　This　could　not　be　the　result　of　fatigue　after　a　delicate　surgery。　Certainly　not　Thread！　She　told　herself　firmly。　Thread　isn't　due　to　fall　anywhere　tomorrow；　and　Thread　came　down　silver…gray；　like　rain；　in　daylight；　not　like　a　streak　of　fire　at　midnight。
　　She　didn't　realize　she　was　running　until　she　was　halfway　up　Ruatha's　broad　causeway　and　could　hear　the　fretful　whine　of　the　watchwher。
　　〃Mickulin！〃　she　called；　remembering　from　the　duty　roster　who　was　on　guard　that　night。
　　〃I'm　not　seeing　things；　am　I；　Lady　Sharra？〃　Mickulin's　hoarse　whisper　sounded　scared　as　he　leaned　over　the　top　of　the　smaller　tower。
　　〃If　you're　seeing　long　white　streamers；　you're　seeing　the　same　thing　I　am！〃　She　raced　up　the　stairs。　〃I'm　calling　Jaxom。　Go　rouse　Brand。　But　it's　not　Thread；　Mickulin；　and　it's　not　Turnover　Ghosts　either。〃　Ruth！　Ruth！　Wake　up。　She　felt　the　very　reassuring　presence　of　the　white　dragon…a　sleepy　one…in　her　mind。　Wake　Jaxom。　Tell　him　to　bring　his　binoculars。　There's　something　he　must　see。　Hurry！　And　it's　cold。
　　Mickulin　rushed　past　her　to　open　the　great　Hold　door　just　wide　enough　to　slip　through　it　on　his　way　to　wake　Steward　Brand。　Sharra　stood　with　her　back　to　the　door；　facing　east；　hoping　that　this　amazing　display　would　continue　long　enough　for　Jaxom　to　see　it。
　　There！　Another　long　streamer；　shading　to　a　yellow　tinge　in　the　trail…the　Ghosts　never　had　colors…and　another！　A　long　drop　and　then　nothing。
　　〃What's　the　matter？〃　Jaxom　hauled　the　door　open；　the　sound　echoed　by　the　opening　of　a　second　door　in　the　lower；　inner　courtyard　as　Ruth　poked　his　head　out　of　his　quarters　in　the　old　kitchen。　The　white　dragon's　eyes　began　to　whirl　as　he　stared　at　the　splashings　in　the　sky。　〃Shards！〃　his　rider　cried；　and　lifted　his　binoculars　to　focus　on　the　display。　〃What　are　they？　What　are　they？〃
　　〃That　isn't　Thread；〃　Jaxom　said　decisively；　〃and　they're　too　bright　for　Ghosts…besides　which；　according　to　Wansor　and　Erragon；　that　etary　shower　is　long　past　us。　And　they　seem　to　be　ing　from　one　place　in　the　sky。　I　think。　Hard　to　focus。〃　He　propped　himself　against　the　door　frame　and　held　his　breath。　〃A　little　better。　Here！　Brace　yourself　before　you　look！〃　He　handed　the　binoculars　to　her。
　　It　took　her　a　moment　to　alter　the　focus　of　double…eye；　they　were　a　relatively　new　acquisition；　an　instrument　that