"Adams, Robert - Horseclans 01 - The Coming of the Horseclans" - читать интересную книгу автора (Adams Robert)

to five!

Then Ax-Hoof spoke. "That, Aldora, is a Blackfoot. Added to the fact that they are ever-hungry, they are as fast as a cat for short distances and strong enough to drag off a full-grown horse. And, they are very hard to kill. Years ago on the Plains, I saw one so filled with arrows that he looked like a porcupine, and still not dead! None have been heard of since we crossed the Great River. Everyone had hoped that their kind did not inhabit this land."

By that time, they were up to Beti, who had seen them coming and was sitting Morning-Mist, waiting. "Well, Horse-King, what took so long? Did you have her horse-oath half your tribe?"

"No, Chiefs-wife, she oathed only me and an old mare and a filly of my get," he answered her curtly. Aldora had discovered that he took all things seriously and had little sense of humor.

Bed's eyebrows rose. "You exchanged horse-oath with our Aldora? I thought that you retired after Chief Djahn of Kahnuhr was killed?"

"Djan was my brother, Chiefs-wife. So close were we that we might have been dropped by the same dam on the same-day. Until today, I had never thought that there would be another two-leg for Ax-Hoof; but this one is different from most of you. Her mind is different. I have spoken but one other like it, so she is now my oath-sister, care for her well... or fear you my hooves and teeth!"

"Threats are unnecessary, Horse-King," Beti reassured the serious stallion. "She is as dear to her clan as to you." When Aldora had slipped down behind Beti, the big horse advised both woman and mare. "Go not near the flowing water. One-Fang fears that a Blackfoot is about. He and one of the cubs smelled where it had been, below the lip of the cut."

Smiling, Beti slapped her bow case. "Never fear, Horse-King, though no longer a maiden, still I can draw a bow."

Though he was galloping toward a knot of young stallions, he beamed back, "Be not oversure of yourself or the value of your bow, Chiefs-wife. You have never hunted the Blackfoot as I have!"

Chapter 14

Body to body, mind to mind, Horse and rider shall be as one. Close as blood, the oath shall bind, Till death has come and life is done.

ЧFrom "The Couplets of the Law"

At the very moment Beti had been first greeting the Horse-King, Milo, Mara, the Chief of Mercenaries, Hwil Kuk, and Horsekiller were closeted with four other mercenaries of Milo's following. It had taken days to find three of these men, as Aldora's mind retained no clear image of them, and the fourthЧDjo-Sahl MuhkiniЧhad, at the time, been too drunk to remember to whom he had traded his Ehleenoee child-captive. Finally, after each and every man of one hundred-fifteen had denied any connection with the incident, Milo and Hwil became mildly exasperated and commenced subjecting the mercenaries to the Test of the Cat. They so tested twenty-eight before they struck pay dirt. Now they had them allЧPawl and Deeuee Shraik and Hahnz SahgniЧthree northern barbarians from the Kingdom of Harzburk and former troopers of the Theesispolis Kahtahphraktoee. Inseparable, they referred to themselves as "The Triple Threat" (though no man could remember ever having seen them in the van of any charge or battle).

"Now heed me well!" Milo commanded. "Despite the fact that when you swore oaths to me, you placed yourselves under the jurisdiction of Tribal Law, I'll not quote it to you here; there's no need to invoke it, asЧso your chief informs meЧin all lands, sexual abuse of children is as heinous an offense as it is with us. You must have known that what you did was wrong, else you'd not have lied when Hwil and I questioned you.

"My wife and Hwil would like to see your bloodЧhere and nowЧbut I am going to free you. On this table are four purses of silver, your wages for the time you have served me. You may retain your armor and gear and weapons, but not the war horses you now use. Outside are a number or horses and mules who are anxious to return to the dominion of man. They cannot stomach true freedom and slavery appeals to them. Of them, you may take your choice. By the time that the sacred Sun goes to rest, I expect you all to be a long day's ride from this place."

Shortly, the fourЧsecretly happy to have escaped with even their livesЧclattered out of the citadel-barrack and trotted their animals through the city streets. All were well mounted, even though the horses they bestrode were not war-trained, and Djo-Sahl led a fifth animalЧa mule, on which were packed their food and waterbags, plus a small tent and cooking pot. Even the youngest of them had been a mercenary for nearly ten years and all had long ago learned to accept the bitter with the better, so no recriminationsЧself or otherwiseЧwere voiced.

They left the city by way of the south gate, passed through the charred ruins of the outer habitations, and wove a way between the haphazardly located tents and wagons of the nomad encampment. When they were finally clear of the camp, they cut cross-country in a westerly direction, so as to strike the north-south Trade road. All were familiar with the road, having often patrolled it as Kahtahphraktoee, and as they were headed for Kara-leenos to enlist under Lord Zenos' green and crimson banner, it was the logical road to take.

After about a half mile, Djo-Sahl's mount began to limp. Cursing, the brown-bearded trooper dismounted and, finding a pebble firmly lodged between hoof and shoe, began to work at its removal, telling bis companions to ride on ahead. It was for this reason that he was not with the three northerners when their path crossed that of Beti and Aldora.

The Triple ThreatЧPawl, Deeuee, and HahnzЧdid not need to communicate, nor did they hesitate!

Only Aldora's frantic pleas had prevented the adventurous Beti from riding the creek bank in search of the mysterious animal. Grudgingly, the nomad woman turned back toward the camp. Nonetheless, she continued to grip her strung bow, a barbed hunting-shaft nocked and ready.

Morning-Mist had crested a low, rolling hill and was loping down its eastern face when the three scale-armored men came into view. Few of the nomads liked or really trusted any of Milo's renegade mercenaries, so Beti urged Morning-Mist slightly northward, out of their path. They had been riding abreast, but when Beti's course deviated, they extended their interval, cantering in file with the obvious intention of cutting her off.

Where another might have waited or even ridden on to see what the men wanted, BedЧnomad-born and bred and trusting nothing, especially a male not of the kindred Чwhirled her little mare and galloped back to the crest she had just crossed. There, she turned her left side to the oncoming men and extracted two more arrows from her case, clenching them with the fingers of her bow-hand.

"Aldora," she said urgently in a tone that brooked no argument, "I will hold them here for as long as I can. Run! Back to the horses. Mindcall Ax-Hoof. He will protect you. Now, go!"

Obediently, Aldora slipped from the mare's low crupper and raced down the western slope, broadbeaming, without being aware of it, a mindcall for help.

Old Hari sat in a sun-drenched court of the citadel. Beside him was a small brazier in which were heating a half-dozen short daggers. Horsekiller and Old-Cat with him. Employing Old-Cat's eyes, the hot daggers, and a pair of tiny pincers, the bard was engaged in removing ticks from the Cat Chief's hide, having just done the like for Old-Cat.