srdonaldson.theillearthwar-第52部分

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ngrave。　In　moments；　the　riders　entered　a　grassy　avenue　that　lay　between　two　unrippling　pools　and　angled　away　just　north　of　eastward　into　a　jungle　which　already　appeared　impenetrable。　The　Ranyhyn　slowed　to　a　more　cautious　pace。　Abruptly；　they　found　themselves　plunging　through　chest…deep　elephant　grass。
　When　the　riders　looked　behind　them；　they　could　see　no　trace　of　the　Giantway。　The　Flat　had　closed　like　jaws。
　But　the　Bloodguard　knew　that　that　was　the　way　of　the　Sarangrave。　Only　the　path　ahead　was　visible。　The　Ranyhyn　moved　on；　thrusting　their　broad　chests　through　the　grass。
　As　the　jungle　tightened；　the　Giantway　narrowed　until　they　could　ride　no　more　than　three　abreast　each　of　the　Lords　flanked　by　Bloodguard。　But　the　elephant　grass　receded；　allowing　them　to　move　with　better　speed。
　Their　progress　was　loud。　They　disturbed　the　Flat；　and　as　they　traveled　they　set　waves　and　wakes　and　noise　on　both　sides。　Birds　and　monkeys　gibbered　at　them；　small；　furry　animals　that　yipped　like　hyenas　broke　out　of　the　grass　in　front　of　them　and　scurried　away；　and　when　the　jungle　gave　way　on　either　side　for　dark；　rancid　pools　or　sluggish　streams；　waterfowl　with　iridescent　plumage　clattered　fearfully　into　the　air。　Sudden　splashes　echoed　across　still　ponds；　pale；　vaguely　human　forms　darted　away　under　the　ripples。
　Throughout　the　morning；　the　mission　followed　the　winding　trail　which　careful　Giants　had　made　in　times　long　past。　No　danger　threatened；　but　still　the　Ranyhyn　grew　tense。　When　the　riders　stopped　beside　a　shallow　lake　to　rest　and　eat；　their　mounts　became　increasingly
　restive。　Several　of　them　made　low；　blowing　noises；　their　ears　were　up　and　alert；　shifting　directions　in　sharp　jerks；　almost　quivering。　One　of　them…the　youngest　stallion；　bearing　the　Bloodguard　Tull　stamped　a　hoof　irrhythmically。　The　Lords　land　the　Bloodguard　increased　their　caution；　and　rode　on　down　the　Giantway。
　They　had　covered　only　two　more　leagues　when　Sill　called　the　Bloodguard　to　observe　Lord　Hyrim。
　The　Lord's　face　was　flushed　as　if　he　had　a　high　fever。　Sweat　rolled　down　his　cheeks；　and　he　was　panting　hoarsely；　almost　gasping　for　breath。　His　eyes　glittered。　But　he　was　not　alone。　Lord　Shetra；　too；　was　flushed　and　panting。
　Then　even　the　Bloodguard　found　that　they　were　having　trouble　breathing。　The　air　felt　turgid。　It　resisted　being　drawn　into　their　lungs；　and　once　within　them　it　clung　there　with　miry　fingers；　like　the　grasp　of　quicksand。
　The　sensation　grew　rapidly　worse。
　Suddenly；　all　the　noise　of　the　Flat　ceased。
　It　was　as　Lord　Callindrill　had　said。
　But　the　Lord　Amatin's　mount　had　not　been　a　Ranyhyn。　Trusting　to　the　great　horses；　the　mission　continued　on　its　way。
　The　riders　moved　slowly。　The　Ranyhyn　walked　with　their　heads　straining　forward；　ears　cocked；　nostrils　flared。　They　were　sweating；　though　the　air　was　not　warm。
　They　covered　a　few　hundred　yards　this　way…forcing　passage　through　the　stubborn；　mucky　air　and　the　silence。　After　that；　the　jungle　fell　away　on　both　sides。　The　Giantway　lay　along　a　grassy　ridge　like　a　dam　between　two　still　pools。　One　of　them　was　blue　and　bright；　reflecting　the　sky　and　the　afternoon　sunlight；　but　the　other　was　dark　and　rank。
　The　mission　was　halfway　down　the　ridge　when　the　sound　began。
　It　started　low；　wet；　and　weak；　like　the　groan　of　a　dying　man。　But　it　seemed　to　e　from　the　dark　pool。　It　transfixed　the　riders。　As　they　listened　to　it；　it　slowly　swelled。
　It　scaled　upward　in　pitch。　and　volume…became　a　ragged　scream…echoed　across　the　pools。　Higher　and　louder　it　went　on。　Through　it；　the　Lords　shouted　together；　〃Melenkurion　abatha！　Duroc　minas　mill　khabaal！〃　But　they　could　hardly　make　themselves　heard。
　Then　the　young　Ranyhyn　bearing　Tull　lost　control。　It　whinnied　in　fear；　whirled　and　sprang　toward　the　blue　pool。　As　it　leaped；　Tull　threw　himself　to　the　safety　of　the　grass。
　The　Ranyhyn　crashed　into　the　chest…deep　water。　At　once；　it　gave　a　squeal　of　pain　that　almost　matched　the　screaming　in　the　air。　Plunging　frantically；　it　heaved　itself　out　of　the　pool；　and　fled　westward；　back　down　the　Giantway。
　The　howling　mounted　eagerly　higher。

　The　other　Ranyhyn　broke　and　bolted。　They　reared；　spun；　pounded　away　after　their　fleeing　brother。　The　jerk　of　their　start　unhorsed　Lord　Hyrim；　and　he　only　saved　himself　from　the　dark　pool　by　a　thrust　of　his　staff。　Immediately；　Lord　Shetra　dropped　off　her　mount　to　join　him。　Sill；　Cerrin；　and　Korik　also　dismounted。　As　he　jumped；　Korik　ordered　the　other　Bloodguard　to　protect　the　Ranyhyn。
　Runnik　and　his　rades　clung　to　their　horses。　The　Ranyhyn　followed　the　injured　stallion。　As　they　raced；　the　howling　behind　them　faded；　and　the　air　began　to　thin。　But　for　some　distance；　the　Bloodguard　could　not　regain　control　of　their　mounts。　The　Ranyhyn　plunged　along　a　wide　path　which　was　unfamiliar；　the　Bloodguard　knew　that　they　had　missed　the　Giantway。
　Then　the　leading　Ranyhyn　crested　a　knoll；　and　blundered　without　warning　into　a　quagmire。　But　the　rest　of　the　great　horses　were　able　to　stop　safely。　The　Bloodguard　dismounted；　and　took　clingor　lines　from　their　packs。　By　the　time　Korik；　Cerrin；　Sill；　Tull；　and　the　Lords　reached　them；　the　free　Ranyhyn　were　busy　pulling　their　trapped　kindred　from　the　quagmire。
　Seeing　that　the　other　Ranyhyn　were　uninjured；　the　Lords　turned　to　the　stallion　which　had　jumped　into　the　pool。　It　stood　to　one　side；　champed　its　teeth　and　jerked　its　head　from　side　to　side　in　agony。　Under　its　coat　all　the　flesh　of　its　limbs　and　belly　was　covered
　with　blisters　and　boils。　Blood　streamed　from　its　sores。　Through　some　of　them；　the　bone　was　visible。　Despite　the　determination　in　its　eyes；　it　whimpered　at　the　pain。
　The　Lords　were　deeply　moved。　There　were　tears　in　Hyrim's　eyes；　and　Shetra　cursed　bitterly。　…　But　they　could　do　nothing。　They　were　not　Ramen。　And　they　could　find　no　amanibhavam；　that　potent；　yellow　flowered　grass　which　could　heal　horses　but　which　drove　humans　mad。　They　could　only　close　their　ears　to　the　stallion's　pain；　and　try　to　consider　what　course　the　mission　should　take。
　Soon　all　the　other　Ranyhyn　were　safe　on　solid　ground。　They　shed　the　mud　of　the　quagmire　easily　but　they　could　not　rid　themselves　of　the　shame　of　their　panic。　Their　eyes　showed　that　they　felt　they　had　disgraced　themselves：
　But　when　they　heard　the　whimpering　of　their　injured　brother；　they　pricked　up　their　ears。　They　shuffled　their　feet　and　nudged　each　other。　Slowly；　their　eldest　went　to　face　Tull's　mount。　For　a　moment；　the　two　spoke　together；　nose　to　nose。　Several　times　the　younger　Ranyhyn　nodded　its　head。
　Then　the　old　Ranyhyn　。reared；　he　stretched　high　in　the　ancient　Ranyhyn　expression　of　homage。　When　he　descended；　he　struck　the　head　of　his　injured　brother　powerfully　with　both　fore　hooves。　The　younger　horse　shuddered　once　under　the　force　of　the　blow；　and　fell　dead。
　The　rest　of　the　Ranyhyn　watched　in　silence。　When　their　eldest　turned　away　from　the　fallen　horse；　they　nickered　their　approval　and　sorrow　softly。
　In　their　own　way；　the　Bloodguard　were　not　unmoved。　But　High　Lord　Elena　had　given　the　need　of　the　Giants　into　their　hands。　To　the　Lords；　Korik　said；　〃We　must　go。　The　mission　waits。　Tull　may　ride　with　Doar。〃
　〃No！〃　Lord　Shetra　cried。　〃We　will　take　the　Ranyhyn　no　deeper　into　Sarangrave　Flat。〃　And　Lord　Hyrim　said；　〃Friend　Korik；　surely　you　know　as　much　as　we　of　this　force　which　forbids　us　to　cross　the　Flat。　Surely　you　know　that　to　stop　us　this　force　must　first　see　us。　It　must　perceive　us；　and　know　where　we　are。〃
　Korik　nodded。
　〃Then　you　must　also　know　that　it　is　no　easy　matter　to　sense　the　presence　of　human　beings。　We　are　mere　ordinary　life　amid　the　multitudes　of　the　Sarangrave。　But　the　Ranyhyn　are　unordinary。　They　are　stronger　than　we…the　power　of　life　bums　more　brightly　in　them。　Their　presence　here　is　more　easily　seen　than　ours。　It　may　be　that　the　force　against　us　is　attuned　to　them。　The　Despiser　is　wise　enough　for　such　strategy。　For　this　reason；　we　must　travel　without　the　Ranyhyn。〃
　〃The　mission　requires　their　speed；〃　Korik　said。　〃We　lack　the　time　to　walk。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Hyrim　sighed。　〃Without　mishap；　we　would　spend　at　least　one　full　cycle　of　the　moon　at　that　journey。　But　to　ride　around　the　Sarangrave　will　take　too　long　also。〃
　〃Therefore　we　must　ride　through。　We　mu