rj.thegreathunt-第108章

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　　　　　　　Again；　it　bore　no　signature　but　the　flowing　hand　itself。
　　　　　　　〃Are　all　women　crazy？〃　Rand　demanded　of　the　ceiling。　Hurin　shrugged。　Rand　threw　himself　into　the　other　chair；　the　one　sized　for　an　Ogier；　his　feet　dangled　above　the　floor；　but　he　did　not　care。　He　stared　at　the　blanket…covered　chest　under　the　edge　of　Loial's　bed。　Think　of　the　glory。　〃I　wish　Ingtar　would　e。〃
　　　　　　　
Chapter　28
（Wolf）
A　New　Thread　in　the　Pattern

　　　　　　　Perrin　watched　the　mountains　of　Kinslayer's　Dagger　unfortably　as　he　rode。　The　way　still　slanted　upwards；　and　looked　as　if　it　would　climb　forever；　though　he　thought　the　crest　of　the　pass　must　not　be　too　much　further。　To　one　side　of　the　trail；　the　land　sloped　sharply　down　to　a　shallow　mountain　stream；　dashing　itself　to　froth　over　sharp　rocks；　to　the　other　side　the　mountains　reared　in　a　series　of　jagged　cliffs；　like　frozen　stone　waterfalls。　The　trail　itself　ran　through　fields　of　boulders；　some　the　size　of　a　man's　head；　and　some　as　big　as　a　cart。　It　would　take　no　great　skill　to　hide　in　that。
　　　　　　　The　wolves　said　there　were　people　in　the　mountains。　Perrin　wondered　if　they　were　some　of　Fain's　Darkfriends。　The　wolves　did　not　know；　or　care。　They　only　knew　the　Twisted　Ones　were　somewhere　ahead。　Still　far　ahead；　though　Ingtar　had　pressed　the　column　hard。　Perrin　noticed　that　Uno　was　watching　the　mountains　around　them　much　the　way　he　himself　was。
　　　　　　　Mat；　his　bow　slung　across　his　back；　rode　with　seeming　unconcern；　juggling　three　colored　balls；　yet　he　looked　paler　than　he　had。　Verin　examined　him　two　and　three　times　a　day　now；　frowning；　and　Perrin　was　sure　she　had　even　tried　Healing　at　least　once；　but　it　made　no　difference　Perrin　could　see。　In　any　case；　she　seemed　to　be　more　absorbed　in　something　about　which　she　did　not　speak。
　　　　　　　Rand；　Perrin　thought；　looking　at　the　Aes　Sedai's　back。　She　always　rode　at　the　head　of　the　column　with　Ingtar；　and　she　always　wanted　them　to　move　even　faster　than　the　Shienaran　lord　would　allow。　Somehow；　she　knows　about　Rand。　Images　from　the　wolves　flickered　in　his　head　…　stone　farmhouses　and　terraced　villages；　all　beyond　the　mountain　peaks；　the　wolves　saw　them　no　differently　than　they　saw　hills　or　meadows；　except　with　a　feeling　that　they　were　spoiled　land。　For　a　moment　he　found　himself　sharing　that　regret；　remembering　places　the　two…legs　had　long　since　abandoned；　remembering　the　swift　rush　through　the　trees；　and　the　ham…stringing　snap　of　his　jaws　as　the　deer　tried　to　flee；　and　。。。　With　an　effort　he　pushed　the　wolves　out　of　his　head。　These　Aes　Sedai　are　going　to　destroy　all　of　us。
　　　　　　　Ingtar　let　his　horse　fall　back　beside　Perrin's。　Sometimes；　to　Perrin's　eyes；　the　crescent　crest　on　the　Shienaran's　helmet　looked　like　a　Trolloc's　horns。　Ingtar　said　softly；　〃Tell　me　again　what　the　wolves　said。〃
　　　　　　　〃I've　told　you　ten　times；〃　Perrin　muttered。
　　　　　　　〃Tell　me　again！　Anything　I　may　have　missed；　anything　that　will　help　me　find　the　Horn　。。。〃　Ingtar　drew　a　breath　and　let　it　out　slowly。　〃I　must　find　the　Horn　of　Valere；　Perrin。　Tell　me　again。〃
　　　　　　　There　was　no　need　for　Perrin　to　order　it　in　his　mind；　not　after　so　many　repetitions。　He　droned　it　out。　〃Someone　…　or　something　…　attacked　the　Darkfriends　in　the　night　and　killed　those　Trollocs　we　found。〃　His　stomach　no　longer　lurched　at　that。　Ravens　and　vultures　were　messy　feeders。　〃The　wolves　call　him　…　or　it　…　Shadowkiller；　I　think　it　was　a　man；　but　they　wouldn't　go　close　enough　to　see　clearly。　They　are　not　afraid　of　this　Shadowkiller；　awe　is　more　like　it。　They　say　the　Trollocs　now　follow　Shadowkiller。　And　they　say　Fain　is　with　them〃　…　even　after　so　long　the　remembered　smell　of　Fain；　the　feel　of　the　man；　made　his　mouth　twist　…　〃so　the　rest　of　the　Darkfriends　must　be；　too。〃
　　　　　　　〃Shadowkiller；〃　Ingtar　murmured。　〃Something　of　the　Dark　One；　like　a　Myrddraal？　I　have　seen　things　in　the　Blight　that　might　be　called　Shadowkillers；　but　。。。　Did　they　see　nothing　else？〃
　　　　　　　〃They　would　not　e　close　to　him。　It　was　not　a　Fade。　I've　told　you；　they　will　kill　a　Fade　quicker　than　they　will　a　Trolloc；　even　if　they　lose　half　the　pack。　Ingtar；　the　wolves　who　saw　it　passed　this　to　others；　then　still　others；　before　it　reached　me。　I　can　only　tell　you　what　they　passed　on；　and　after　so　many　tellings　。。。〃　He　let　the　words　die　as　Uno　joined　them。
　　　　　　　〃Aielman　in　the　rocks；〃　the　one…eyed　man　said　quietly。
　　　　　　　〃This　far　from　the　Waste？〃　Ingtar　said　incredulously。　Uno　somehow　managed　to　look　offended　without　changing　his　expression；　and　Ingtar　added；　〃No；　I　don't　doubt　you。　I　am　just　surprised。〃
　　　　　　　〃He　flaming　wanted　me　to　see　him；　or　I　likely　wouldn't　have。〃　Uno　sounded　disgusted　at　admitting　it。　〃And　his　bloody　face　wasn't　veiled；　so　he's　not　out　for　killing。　But　when　you　see　one　bloody　Aiel；　there's　always　more　you　don't。〃　Suddenly　his　eye　widened。　〃Burn　me　if　it　doesn't　look　like　he　bloody　wants　more　than　to　be　seen。〃　He　pointed：　a　man　had　stepped　into　the　way　ahead　of　them。
　　　　　　　Instantly　Masema's　lance　dropped　to　a　couch；　and　he　dug　his　heels　into　his　horse；　leaping　to　a　dead　gallop　in　three　strides。　He　was　not　the　only　one；　four　steel　points　hurtled　toward　the　man　on　the　ground。
　　　　　　　〃Hold！〃　Ingtar　shouted。　〃Hold；　I　said！　I'll　have　the　ears　of　any　man　who　doesn't　stop　where　he　stands！〃
　　　　　　　Masema　pulled　in　his　horse　viciously；　sawing　the　reins。　The　others　also　stopped；　in　a　cloud　of　dust　not　ten　paces　from　the　man；　their　lances　still　held　steady　on　the　man's　chest。　He　raised　a　hand　to　wave　away　the　dust　as　it　drifted　toward　him；　it　was　the　first　move　he　had　made。
　　　　　　　He　was　a　tall　man；　with　skin　dark　from　the　sun　and　red　hair　cut　short　except　for　a　tail　in　the　back　that　hung　to　his　shoulders。　From　his　soft；　laced　knee…high　boots　to　the　cloth　wrapped　loosely　around　his　neck；　his　clothes　were　all　in　shades　of　brown　and　gray　that　would　blend　into　rock　or　earth。　The　end　of　a　short　horn　bow　peeked　over　his　shoulder；　and　a　quiver　bristled　with　arrows　at　his　belt　at　one　side。　A　long　knife　hung　at　the　other。　In　his　left　hand　he　gripped　a　round　hide　buckler　and　three　short　spears；　no　more　than　half　as　long　as　he　was　tall；　with　points　fully　as　long　as　those　of　the　Shienaran　lances。
　　　　　　　〃I　have　no　pipers　to　play　the　tune；〃　the　man　announced　with　a　smile；　〃but　if　you　wish　the　dance　。。。〃　He　did　not　change　his　stance；　but　Perrin　caught　a　sudden　air　of　readiness。　〃My　name　is　Urien；　of　the　Two　Spires　sept　of　the　Reyn　Aiel。　I　am　a　Red　Shield。　Remember　me。〃
　　　　　　　Ingtar　dismounted　and　walked　forward；　removing　his　helmet。　Perrin　hesitated　only　a　moment　before　climbing　down　to　join　him。　He　could　not　miss　the　chance　to　see　an　Aiel　close　up。　Acting　like　a　black…veiled　Aiel。　In　story　after　story　Aiel　were　as　deadly　and　dangerous　as　Trollocs　…　some　even　said　they　were　all　Darkfriends　…　but　Urien's　smile　somehow　did　not　look　dangerous　despite　the　fact　that　he　seemed　poised　to　leap。　His　eyes　were　blue。
　　　　　　　〃He　looks　like　Rand。〃　Perrin　looked　around　to　see　that　Mat　had　joined　them；　too。　〃Maybe　Ingtar's　right；〃　Matt　added　quietly。　〃Maybe　Rand　is　an　Aiel。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　nodded。　〃But　it　doesn't　change　anything。〃
　　　　　　　〃No；　it　doesn't。〃　Mat　sounded　as　if　he　were　talking　about　something　beside　what　Perrin　meant。
　　　　　　　〃We　are　both　far　from　our　homes；〃　Ingtar　said　to　the　Aiel；　〃and　we；　at　least；　have　e　for　other　things　than　fighting。〃　Perrin　revised　his　opinion　of　Urien's　smile；　the　man　actually　looked　disappointed。
　　　　　　　〃As　you　wish　it；　Shienaran。〃　Urien　turned　to　Verin；　just　getting　down　off　her　horse；　and　made　an　odd　bow；　digging　the　points　of　his　spears　into　the　ground　and　extending　his　right　hand；　palm　up。　His　voice　became　respectful。　〃Wise　One；　my　water　is　yours。〃
　　　　　　　Verin　handed　her　reins　to　one　of　the　soldiers。　She　studied　the　Aiel　as　she　came　closer。　〃Why　do　you　call　me　that？　Do　you　take　me　for　an　Aiel？〃
　　　　　　　〃No；　Wise　One。　But　you　have　the　look　of　those　who　have　made　the　journey　to　Rhuidean　and　survived。　The　years　do　not　touch　the　Wise　Ones　in　the　same　way　as　other　women；　or　as　they　touch　men。〃
　　　　　　　An　excited　look　appeared　on　the　Aes　Sedai's　face；　but　Ingtar　spoke　impatiently。　〃We　are　following　Darkfriends　and　Trollocs；　Urien。　Have　you　seen　any　sign　of　them？〃
　　　　　　　〃Trollocs？　Here？〃　Urien's　eyes　brightened。