"Margaret Weis - Dragonlance Chronicles 01 - Dragons Of Autumn Twilight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dragonlance)

path. It was a kender, one of a race of people considered by many on Krynn to be
as much a nuisance as mosquitoes. Small-boned, the kender rarely grew over four
feet tall. This particular kender was about Flint's height, but his slight build
and perpetually childlike face made him seem smaller. He wore bright blue
leggings that stood out in sharp contrast to his furred vest and plain,
home-spun tunic. His brown eyes glinted with mischief and fun; his smile seemed
to reach to the tips of his pointed ears. He dipped his head in a mock bow,
allowing a long tassle of brown hair-his pride and joy-to flip forward over his
nose. Then he straightened up, laughing. The metallic gleam Tanis's quick eyes
had spotted came from the buckles of one of the numerous packs strapped around
his shoulders and waist.
Tas grinned up at them, leaning on his hoopak staff. It was this staff that had
created the eerie noise. Tanis should have recognized it at once, having seen
the kender scare off many would-be attackers by whirling his staff in the air,
producing that screaming whine. A kender invention, the hoopak's bottom end was
copper-clad and sharply pointed; the top end was forked and held a leather
sling. The staff itself was made out of a single piece of supple willow wood.
Although scorned by every other race on Krynn, the hoopak was more than a useful
tool or weapon to a kender-it was his symbol. "New roads demand a hoopak," was a
popular saying among kenderkind. It was always followed immediately by another
of their sayings:
"No road is ever old."
Tasslehoff suddenly ran forward, his arms open wide.
"Flint!" The kender threw his arms around the dwarf and hugged him. Flint,
embarrassed, returned the embrace reluctantly, then quickly stepped back.
Tasslehoff grinned, then looked up at the half-elf.
"Who's this?" He gasped. "Tanis! I didn't recognize you with a beard!" He held
out his short arms.
"No, thanks," said Tanis, grinning. He waved the kender away. "I want to keep my
money pouch."
With a sudden look of alarm, Flint felt under his tunic. "You rascal!" He roared
and leaped at the kender, who was doubled over, laughing. The two went down in
the dust.
Tanis, chuckling, started to pull Flint off the kender. Then he stopped and
turned in alarm. Too late, he heard the silvery jingle of harness and bridle and
the whinny of a horse. The half-elf put his hand on the hilt of his sword, but
he had already lost any advantage he might have gained through alertness.
Swearing under his breath, Tanis could do nothing but stand and stare at the
figure emerging from the shadows. It was seated on a small, furry-legged pony
that walked with its head down as if it were ashamed of its rider. Gray, mottled
skin sagged into folds about the rider's face. Two pig-pink eyes stared out at
them from beneath a military-looking helmet. Its fat. flabby body leaked out
between pieces of flashy, pretentious armor.
A peculiar odor hit Tanis, and he wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Hobgoblin!" his
brain registered. He loosened his sword and kicked at Flint, but at that moment
the dwarf gave a tremendous sneeze and sat up on the kender.
"Horse!" said Flint, sneezing again.
"Behind you," Tanis replied quietly.
Flint, hearing the warning note in his friend's voice, scrarnbled to his feet.
Tasslehoff quickly did the same.