按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
What effort？ Dwer wondered。 Was the sage seeking magical aid； as ignorant lowlanders sometimes tried to do； treating noor like sprites in some fairy tale？ Did Ozawa hope to tame Mudfoot； the way hoon sailors did； as agile helpers on the river？ Few nonhoon had ever managed that feat。 But even if it worked； what use was one noor assistant？ Or would Dwer's next assignment…after dealing with urrish sooners and then Rety's band…be to run back and collect more of Mudfoot's kind？
That made no sense。 If by some miracle the mons survived； word would be sent calling them all home。 If the worst happened； they were to stay as far from the Slope as possible。
Well； Danel will tell me what he wants me to know。 I just hope this doesn't mean he's gone crazy。
Dwer crept away and found the urrish trail。 He set off at a lope that soon strained forward； pulling him with unwilled； eagerness to see what lay beyond the next shadowy rise。 For the first time in days； Dwer felt whole and strong。 It wasn't that all worries had vanished。 Existence was still a frail； perilous thing； all too easily lost。 Still； for this narrow stretch of time he pounded onward； feeling vibrantly alive。
Rety
THE DREAM ALWAYS ENDED THE SAME WAY； JUST before she woke shivering； clutching a soft blanket to her breast。
She dreamed about the bird。
Not as it appeared the last time she had seen it…headless； spread across Rann's laboratory bench in the buried station…but as she recalled first glimpsing the strange thing。 Vivid in motion； with plumage like glossy forest leaves； alert and lustrous in a way that seemed to stroke her soul。
As a child she had loved to watch native birds； staring for hours at their swooping dives； envying their freedom of the air； their liberty to take wing； leaving their troubles far behind。 Then one day Jass returned from a long journey to the south； bragging about all the beasts he had shot。 One had been a fantastic flying thing that they took by surprise as it emerged from a tidal marsh。 It barely got away after an arrow tore one wing； flapping off toward the northwest； leaving behind a feather harder than stone。
That very night； risking awful punishment； she stole the stiff metal fragment from the tent where the hunters snored； and with a pack of stolen food she ran off； seeking this fabled wonder for herself。 As luck had it； she guessed right and crossed its path； spotting the fluttering creature as it labored onward with short； gliding bounds。 In a throat…catching instant of recognition； Rety knew the bird was like her…wounded by the same man's taste for senseless violence。
Watching it hop…glide ever westward； never resting； she knew they shared one more trait。 Persistence。
She wanted to catch up with it； to heal it； talk to it。 To learn its source of power。 To help it reach its goal。 To help find its home。 But even disabled； the bird soon outdistanced her。 For a heart…aching time； she thought she had lost it forever。。。
At that point of harsh emotion； without transition； the dream shifted to another scene。 Suddenly； the bird was right in front of her； closer than ever； fluttering inside a jeweled cage； dodging a mist of golden； cloying drops。。。 then cowering away from searing knives of flame！
Frustration choked Rety； unable to give aid。 Unable to save it。
Finally； when all seemed lost； the bird did as Rety herself would have done。 It lashed out with desperate strength； dying to bring down its oppressor； the agent of its torment。
For several nights in a row the dream ended the same way； with someone's insistent arms holding her back in shameful safety while the bird fired its own head upward toward a hovering； shadowy form。 A dark rival with dangling； lethal limbs。
It seemed revenge was going to be another of those things that didn't turn out quite the same in real life as she'd imagined。
For one thing； in her heart； Rety never reckoned on Jass taking pain so well。
The hunter lay strapped to a couch inside the scout aircraft； his ruggedly handsome features twisting as Kunn kept the promise he had made。 A promise Rety regretted a bit more each time Jass clamped back another moan； choking it behind gritted teeth。
Who would've thought he'd turn out to be brave； she pondered； recalling all the times Jass used to brag； bluster； and harass other members of the tribe。 Bullies were supposed to be cowards； or so one of the tribe's aged grandfathers used to mutter when he was sure the young hunters wouldn't hear。 Too bad the old geep would never know how wrong he'd been。 That battered patriarch had died during the months since Rety left these hills。
She tried steeling her heart during the contest of wills between Kunn and Jass； one Jass was bound to lose。 You want to find out where the bird came from； don't you？ she asked herself。 Anyway； don't Jass deserve everything he's getting？ Ain't his own stubborn…headedness bringing this on himself？
Well； in truth； Rety had played a role in stiffening the hunter's resistance； thus extending his torment。 Kunn's patient； insistent questions alternated with grunts of pure glaverlike obstinacy from Jass； sweating and contorting under jolts applied by Kunn's robot partner。
When she could take no more without getting sick； Rety silently slipped out the hatch。 If anything changed； the pilot could call her on the tiny m button the sky…humans had installed under the skin near her right ear。
She set off toward the campsite； trying to appear casual in case any sooners watched from the shrubby undergrowth。
That was how she thought of them。 Sooners。 Savages。 No different in kind from those puffed…up barbarians on the Slope； who thought themselves so civilized with their fancy books but who were still little more than half…animals； trapped on a dirty world they could never leave。 To a sky…being like herself； they were all the same； whichever side of the Rimmers they led their dirt…scratching lives。
She smelled the camp before reaching it。 A familiar musty blend of wood smoke； excrement； and poorly tanned hides； all mixed with a sulfury pungence rising from the steam pools that always drew the tribe here this time of year…a fact that had made it easy to guide Kunn to this pocket canyon； high in the Gray Hills。 Rety paused halfway to the campsite； smoothing down the sleek jumpsuit Ling had given her； soon after she became the first Jijoan to enter the underground station； that wonderland of luxuries and bright marvels。 Ling had also bathed Rety； treated her scalp； and applied potions and rays to leave her feeling cleaner； stronger； even taller than before。 Only the livid scar on one side of her face still marred the mirror's transformed image； and that would be tended； she was assured； when they all went 〃home。〃
My home too； Rety mused； resuming a brisk pace until all moaning traces of the hunter's torment faded behind her。 She drove out memory of Jass's squirming agony by calling to mind those images the sky…foursome had shown her…of a splendid； jewellike city； tucked inside a steep…walled valley。 A city of fairy towers and floating castles； where one lucky branch of humanity lived with their beloved patrons； the wise； benevolent Rothen。
That part didn't quite appeal to her…this business of having masters who told you what to do。 Nor did the Rothen themselves； when she met the two living aboard the station； who seemed too pretty and prim； too smugly happy； by far。 But then； if Ling and Besh loved them； she supposed she could get used to that idea too。 Anyway； Rety was willing to do or put up with anything to reach that city of lights。
I always knew I belonged someplace else； she thought； rounding a bend in the forest。 Not here。 Not in a place like this。
Before her stretched a debris…strewn clearing dotted by half a dozen ragged shelters…animal hides thrown over rows of bent saplings…all clustered round a cook fire where soot…smudged figures hunched over a carcass。 Tonight's meal。 A donkey with a neat hole burned through its heart。 A gift； courtesy of Kunn's handy hunter…killer robot。
People dressed in poorly tanned skins moved about at chores or simply slouched through the middle of