jr.shapechangers-第32章

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；　conjuring　visions　of　herself　in　die　shape　of　any　animal　she　wished。　Then　she　frowned。
　〃I　have　no　lir。〃
　You　wed　none。　Stoir　told　her…　That　is　what　the　Old　Blood　means。。。　freedom　to　speak　with　all　lir　and　assume　any　shape。
　〃By　me　gods！〃　she　whispered。　〃How　is　it　possible？〃
　Others　have　also　asked　that；　Storr　said；　sounding　suspiciously　like　Finn。　But　they　have　not　been　the　get　of　the　gods。
　She　slanted　him　a　sharp　glance。　〃No　one　else　in　the　clan　can　do　this？〃
　No。　It　is　a　thing　long　lost　to　us。　for　the　Cheysuli　have　taken　Homanan　women　to　increase　their　numbers。　It　has　weakened　the　gifts。　Storr　paused。　It　is　for　you　to　bring　the　Old　Blood　back。
　〃We　begin　again；〃　she　said　suspiciously。　〃You　have　said　this　before。〃
　That　does　not　make　it　less　true；　Cai　mented。
　She　craned　her　head　to　stare　up　at　the　hawk。　〃Then　teach　me；〃　she　said。　〃Show　me　what　it　is　to　shapechange。〃
　First　you　must　decide　which　of　us　to　bond　with。
　She　considered　it。　〃Flight　must　be　difficult。　Perhaps　it　would
　be　better　if　I　remained　earthbound；　this　first　time。*'
　You　are　wise；　Uren。　My　Ur　near　broke　his　arm　his　first　time　in　the　air。
　Alix；　struck　by　a　vision　of　Duncan　having　difficulties；　laughed　aloud　and　nodded。　〃Then　I　will　be　a　wolf。〃
　Stoir　approved。　Then　listen；　Uren。　He　paused。　Your　sight；　while　good；　has　bee　secondary　to　your　ability　to　smell。　Allow　yourself　to　judge　the　world　by　scent；　Uren。　The　earth；　trees；　insects；　worms；　birds；　leaves；　pollen；　breezes。　And　more。　Do　not　depend　solely　on　mere　sight；　for　if　can　fail。　Think　with　your　nose。
　She　concentrated；　closing　her　eyes　and　dying　to　separate　individual　scents。
　Now　you　must　feel　the　damp　earth　beneath　your　paws；　mud　clinging　to　your　claws。　Be　wary　of　sharp　stows　that　can　trap　themselves　between　your　pads；　and　thorns　that　pierce　the　tender　webbing　between　toes。
　Alix　put　her　hands　to　the　moldy；　leafy　ground　and　felt　me　dampness。
　Winter　is　ing。　Your　coal　must　be　thick　and　warm。　A　heavy　layer　of　fat　forms　beneath　your　skin；　thickening　your　undercoat。　It　itches；　but　you　know　it　will　mean　added　warmth　in　the　coldest　season。　Your　tail　grows　bushier；　more　luxuriant；　and　you　are　lovely；　Uren。
　She　was。
　You　nave　the　endurance　to　travel　many　leagues　in　a　single　day；　without　food　and　little　wafer。　Your　sinews　and　nerves　are　strongly　knit　and　your　heart　is　large。　You　are　young　and　strong　and　joyous　in　Ufe。
　Alix　fete　warm　blood　pulsing　through　her　veins；　felt　the　vi…brancy　and　exhilaration　of　youth。　She　opened　her　eyes　and　met　Storr's　on　a　level；　realizing　she　knelt　in　me　leaves　like　any　four…footed　creature。
　The　world　spun。　It　picked　her　up　like　a　leaf　on　a　whirlwind　and　turned　her　upside　down。
　AKx　put　a　band　out　toward　Storr；　silently　asking　his　help；　but　she　saw　only　a　padded；　furred　paw　with　black　nails。
　She　cried　out；　and　heard　her　voice　echoing　in　the　woods　like　tie　howl　of　a　lonely　wolf。
　Disorientation　took　her。　Dizzily　she　clasped　her　head　in　her　hands；　conscious　they　were　human　once　more。
　〃Stoir　she　said　weakly。
　　A　was　too　fast；　Urw。　You　must　not　fear　the　shapechange。　You　^…'。cannot　harm　yourself　in　Ur…shape；　but　it　is　not　wise　to　shift　too　　auickty。　The　mind　cannot　adjust。
　　Stowly　her　stomach　settled　itself。　Her　eyes　saw　clearly　again　…　id　the　ache　in　her　head　died　to　nothingness。　She　smiled　wearily；。　triumphantly；　and　looked　into　the　wolfs　wise　eyes。　〃I　have　done　it。〃　it　will　be　better；　after　this。
　Perhaps；　Cai　said　gently；　you　will　amaze　even　my　lir。
　Chapter　Six
　Alix　sat　hunched　on　the　broken　stump　of　a　felled　tree；　toes
　digging　through　die　velvet　of　her　court　slippers　into　the　soft
　'　ground。　The　slippers　were　torn　and　stained；　nearly　useless；　for
　'　they　had　been　made　for　Shame's　palace　and　not　the　wikmess　of　a
　Cheysuli　Keep。　Her　ruined　gown　had　been　changed　for　a　woolen
　dress　of　palest　orange；　her　ragged　hair　trimmed　so　that　it　did　not
　。　straggle　so　much；　but　she　had　returned　the　slippers　to　recall　her　brief　moment　of　glory。
　The　glory　had　gone。　Only　in　her　dreams　did　she　recall　me
　；　richness　of　Homana…Mujhar　and　the　fine　glittering　city　surround…
　Ng　its　rose…colored　walls。　Her　days　left　her　no　time　to　think；　for
　the　hours　were　filled　with　Raissa's　words　as　she　taught　Alix　the
　customs　she　must　know。　Her　hands　were　never　still；　she　needs
　must　learn　how　to　weave　a　tapestry；　how　to　tend　two　fires　at
　ooce。　how　to　cook　Cheysuli　dishes。。。　and　how　to　prepare
　herself　to　take　a　cheysul。　The　shar　tahi　had　yet　to　see　her
　'　personally　but　Raissa　said　there　was　no　need；　the　man　spent　his
　〃　time　researching　the　birth　lines　to　trace　her　history　and　ancestors　ao　mat　BO　one　could　question　her　birth。
　They　bind　me。。。　she　thought。　They　seek　to　bind　me　tightly　within　the　coils　of　their　prophecy；　so　I　have　no　choice　but　to　do　as　they　wish。
　Alix　smoothed　die　soft　wool　over　her　knees；　fingering　me　nap。
　She　had　been　shocked　to　find　the　skill　so　evident　in　Cheysuli
　craftsmanship。　She　had　grown　up　believing　them　little　better　than
　1；　barbarians　without　the　niceties　of　Homanan　culture　and　crafts；　but　five　days　with　the　clan　had　already　altered　her　perceptions。
　Their　fabrics　were　close…woven　and　fine；　dyed　muted　dudes　of　every　cotor　and　often　beaded　with　semi…precious　stones　or　bright…ened　with　gleaming　metals。
　And　the　jewelry。。。　Alix　realized　even　the　finest　of　Mujhara's　goldsmiths　could　not　match　me　skill　of　Cheysuli　craftsmanship。　The　warriors　wore　thick　fir…bands　on　their　arms　and　a　single　earring；　but　their　talents　stretched　farther　than　that。　Already　Alix　had　seen　small　casks　filled　with　delicate　ornaments　fit　to　bedeck　any　king　or　queen。
　A　strange　thing。。。　she　thought；　that　a　race　so　dedicated　to　war　can　also　make　such　delicate；　beautiful　things。
　The　hands　came　over　her　shoulders　and　rested　mere；　one　thumb　caressing　her　neck。　The　intimacy　of　the　touch　brought　home　all　the　longing　she　felt　for　Duncan；　for　he　had　not　seen　her　except　in　passing。　Alix　lowered　her　bead　and　stared　blindly　at　me　leaf…carpeted　ground；　wishing　Duncan　would　not　play　with　her　emotions　so。
　〃I　have　missed　you；〃　he　said。
　Alix　stiffened　and　spun　out　from　under　the　hands；　leaping　up　and　stumbling　away。　Finn's　hands　slowly　dropped　back　to　his　sides。
　Her　breath　came　harshly；　whistling　through　her　constricted　throat。　One　hand　spread　across　her　neck；　guarding　it；　the　other　tangled　itself　in　her　skirts。
　〃What　is　it　you　want　of　me？〃　she　asked。
　Finn's　lips　twitched。　〃That；　I　think；　you　know　already。〃
　Alix　lowered　her　hand　and　stood　stiffly　before　him。　〃Why　have　you　e？〃
　*To　speak　with　you。〃　He　sat　down　on　her　deserted　stump　and　stretched　out　his　legs。　Thigh　muscles　bunched　and　rolled　beneath　me　snug　fit　of　his　learner　leggings。　His　face　still　bore　the　thread　of　pinkish　scar　tissue　over　one　black　eyebrow。
　〃What　would　you　and　I　have　to　speak　about？*'
　〃You　and　I；〃　he　said　quietly。
　Alix　frowned　at　him。　**I　do　not　understand。〃
　Finn　sighed　and　gestured。　〃I　will　not　leap　on　you；　meijha；　I　promise。　But　I　cannot　speak　to　you　if　you　persist　in　being　so　frightened　of　me。　Your　eyes　are　like　those　of　a　doe　when　facing　…　hunter。〃　He　smiled。　〃Sit；　if　you　will。〃
　Alix　hesitated；　still　defiant　before　him；　but　she　was　caught　by　the　lightness　in　his　tone。　He　had　shed　the　ironic　mocking　she　hated　so　much。　Carefully　she　sealed　down　in　the　leaves　and　spread　her　skirts　around　her　folded　legs。
　〃Council　has　been　called　for　this　night。〃
　She　felt　blood　leave　her　face。　〃Council。。。〃
　〃At　sunset。〃
　〃What　is　the　subject　of　it？〃
　〃AH　manner　of　things；　many　of　which　concern　you。〃
　Alix　bit　at　her　lip。　〃I　thought　it　might　be　that。〃
　〃I　have　e　to　save　you　some　trouble。〃
　Her　chin　lifted。　〃You　do　not　save　trouble；　Finn；　you　make　it。〃
　He　had　me　grace　to　color。　〃For　you。。。　perhaps　I　did。　I　admit　it。〃　He　smiled　crookedly。　〃But　admitting　is　not　an　apology；　and　I　will　never　apologize　for　following　my　judgment。〃
　Alix　stared　at　him；　growing　more　baffled　by　me　moment。
　〃Finn；　you　had　best　be　plain　with　me。〃
　He　nulled　his　legs　in　and　sat　upright　on　the　stump。　〃You　did
　not　conceive　Ч　〃
　Heat　coursed　through　her　face　as　she　went　rigid。　〃What　do　you　know　of　it？〃
　His　eyes　were　amused；