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！
ied to whip free of the one on his tail and kick off the third which had bitten into the fold of his flesh between rib cage and hip； to buck against the others racing in from the thick shrubs that bordered the river。 Feline jaws clamped harder； determined to retain their hold。
Then others used Golanth's body as stairs to attack Zaranth； talons outstretched； heads angled to sink fangs in whatever flesh they could reach。
F'lessan moved so quickly that； in throwing the blanket from his legs； he entangled Tai in its folds。 Springing forward and then vaulting over Zaranth's hindquarters； he launched himself at the nearest feline； brandishing the knife a rider always carried； though it was a blade that was shorter than the fangs of the nearest beast。 Zaranth； too； reared； sending the one attacking her head spinning through the air。
These are NOT trundlebugs； Zaranth cried。 THROW them away！
Golanth had torn the one off his face with one forepaw； but it turned in midair； legs at full stretch； and its right front paw raked down F'lessan's back。 Its momentum took it to the ground where it instantly gathered and leaped toward the rider。 F'lessan ducked； plunged his knife into the chest of the beast； and rolled away； the feline snarling with rage and trying to get rid of the knife lodged in it。 F'lessan grabbed a loose rock and； with it as a weapon； ran to help his dragon； despite the blood flowing from the claw marks on his back。
Trapped on one side by the terrace； Golanth had no way to unfurl his right wing。 With his rider in peril； he would not go between where he could have shed the felines in the great black cold。 Nor； in such close quarters； for fear of searing their beloved riders； could either dragon summon residual flame to deter their attackers。 One feline was attempting to shred Golanth's left inner wing sail and others； sinking talons deeply into tough dragon hide； climbed all over him。
Not just over Golanth； Tai realized； frantic to get free of the blanket。 Tawny bodies were flinging themselves at Zaranth as well but didn't seem able to do more than leave long bleeding furrows。 The beast biting the soft part of Golanth's flank was flung into the river where it sank instantly。 Zaranth howled； shaking her head as if ridding it of a burden； kicking out with a hind leg though Tai saw nothing but a darker green liquid oozing down the green leg。 A tawny streak came at her from behind and disappeared。 The one trying to run up Golanth's back was suddenly in midair； all limbs spread as if something had picked it up by the belly and punched it violently away。 The one with jaws sunk into Golanth's left hind leg was similarly torn from him。 Ripping at the blanket； Tai got to her feet； clutching it in one hand； wishing it had been any sort of a hard…edged weapon； wondering how she could get to F'lessan who now had two large felines circling him。 Blood poured down his back。
The next thing she knew； she was beside F'lessan； the blanket billowing in the air behind her from the force of her arrival。 Cracking the blanket like a beast whip； she hit the face of one of the felines who retreated； snarling； before she flung the blanket over the next one； catching the folds on its claws。 F'lessan pushed her down and the second beast leaped on him。 During the split second before the animal reached him； Tai could only think one thing： I've lost him！ I've lost him！
Suddenly the air was full of dragons； wings spread； and flame spouting from their mouths。 Tai was horrified lest the dragon fire sear them。 Human flesh would shrivel…that powerful fire could char through dragon flesh。
WATCH ME！ Zaranth's voice was like a thunder in the innermost part of Tai's skull。 FLING THEM！ was answered by even more powerful external shrieks。 Beset by fear and terror； by the horror of losing F'lessan and Golanth； she was utterly unable to absorb the strange things that were happening。 Why was Zaranth telling the other dragons to watch her； to fling them？ Zaranth never hurt the trundlebugs she moved！ Now felines were spinning through the air without dragons touching them。 Why had that one exploded into fragments？
Abruptly the creature struggling out of the blanket at Tai's feet was no longer there； just the blanket sinking emptily to the ground。 The predator who had been positioning its hind legs to disembowel F'lessan was gone。 Badly wounded； F'lessan turned toward Golanth； his body stretching out； yearning； but unable to rise and go to the bronze。 Over the sound of dragon and feline roars and snarls； Tai could hear him calling Golanth's name！
Tai staggered to F'lessan； to help him to reach Golanth； staggered again as her eyes were blurred。 Or was it because her legs buckled under her？
That was when she saw the predators launching themselves…all four at full stretch…from the terrace on which she and F'lessan had been sleeping。 They must have crept around behind； concealed in the thick vegetation。 Zaranth lifted her torso at precisely the right moment…as if she'd seen them from one facet of her red whirling eyes…and reacted。 Three crashed into her body and were deflected away。 The fourth was still in midair： it would land right on Golanth's shoulders； by the last neck ridge； where there was nothing to protect the dragon's spine。 If jaws or talons connected； a single tear could end Golanth's life。
NO！ NO！ Later Tai would wonder why her throat was raw。 She knew she pointed； unable to do more than that； aghast at what would happen if that predator made it to Golanth's back。 The bronze dragon would die！ F'lessan would die！ She would die！ 〃NO！ NO！ NO！〃 She'd lose them both！ A blur of gold across bronze。
TIME IT！ cried Golanth。
That shriek seemed to course along her bones； in her blood until her body trembled violently； and her head seemed ready to burst。 Certainly her heart did。 A huge blur of gold again rippled across bronze。 She had one second to see its claws hooking briefly into Golanth's withers； tearing strips away。 Then the feline burst into pieces； gore； entrails； shards of bone and pieces of hide splattering as far away as she stood； across F'lessan's inert； bloodied body。 She saw Golanth staggering。 Golanth dying？ F'lessan would surely wish to die； too！
She dropped to her knees； bereft with the realization； staring at the green ichor staining Golanth's body。 He was still swaying with the impact； his left eye oozing a green mixed with red beast blood。 Yet he wasn't falling。 Did a dragon fall down dead？ Too shocked in that moment to go between！ Somehow the predator had missed the vital spot。 Golanth's head was hanging； canting to the left to favor the damaged eye。 Could she cushion his fall？ She couldn't even get her knees to work。
Then there were only dragons hovering！ Bewildered she gazed up at the wrathful semicircle hovering； wing tip to tip； just above the uppermost terrace： huge golden Ramoth； Arwith； Mnementh； Monarth； Gadareth； Hem； Path； Ruth； and other dragons she did not recognize。 She stared at Zaranth； stretched high on her hindquarters； wings spread glistening with smears of ichor…Tai felt the pain in her green's mind。 As one； the dragons stretched their heads and bugled in fierce triumph at something she did not understand。
They live！ A chorus assured her with such conviction that the devastated Tai collapsed； wondering and grieving at that response； crawling toward F'lessan before she lost consciousness。
She drifted in and out； aware of men and women； conversing in urgent whispers； of the coolness of numbweed easing the pain in her legs and other parts of her that had just started to be sore。
〃No； leave him here until he's been seen by Oldive as well as Wyzall。〃
〃Then the green won't leave。 But we should move her rider。〃
〃It's not far to a proper bed in Honshu after all。〃
〃How many dragons will we need to shift him？ He cannot be dumped on bare rock； you know！〃
〃Do we need all these people here？〃 Tai recognized the Benden Weyrwoman's caustic tones。 〃At least the dragons have the good sense to stay out of the way until they're needed。〃
When they lifted her； to bandage her clawed legs； pain roused her。
〃No； no； Tai； don't thrash about。