"David Eddings - The Dreamers 01 - The Elder gods" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eddings David)

fin, and the oyster opened its shell for us.тАЩ
тАШHow very peculiar,тАЩ Zelana said.
тАШThe old whale told me that the oyster wanted me to have the pearl, so
I took it. I did thank the oyster, but IтАЩm not sure it could understand me. It
was a little hard to swim and hold my pearl at the same time, but the old
whale offered to carry me back home.тАЩ
тАШCarry?тАЩ
тАШWell, not exactly. I rode on her back. That is so much fun.тАЩ Eleria held
the pearl up. тАШSee how it glows pink. Beloved? ItтАЩs even prettier than the
ceiling of our grotto.тАЩ She nestled her pearl, which was about the size of
an apple, against her cheek. тАШI love it!тАЩ she declared.
тАШDid you eat today?тАЩ Zelana asked.
тАШI had plenty earlier today, Beloved. My friends and I found a school
of herring and ate our fill.тАЩ
тАШDid the whale have a name, by any chance?тАЩ
тАШThe dolphins just called her тАЬmotherтАЭ. She isnтАЩt really their mother, of
course. I think itтАЩs more like a way to let her know that they love her.тАЩ
тАШShe speaks the same language as the dolphins?тАЩ
тАШSort of. Her voice isnтАЩt as squeaky, though.тАЩ Eleria crossed to her bed
of moss. тАШIтАЩm very tired, Beloved,тАЩ she said, sinking down onto her bed.
тАШIt was a long swim out to the islet, and mother whale swims faster than I
do. I had trouble keeping up with her.тАЩ
тАШWhy donтАЩt you go to sleep, then, Eleria? IтАЩm sure youтАЩll feel much
better in the morning.тАЩ
тАШThat sounds like a terribly good idea, Beloved,тАЩ Eleria said. тАШIтАЩm
really having trouble keeping my eyes open.тАЩ She lay back on her bed of
moss with the glowing pink pearl cradled to her heart.
Zelana was puzzled, and just a trifle concerned. It wasnтАЩt natural for
whales and dolphins to associate with each other in the way Eleria had
just described, and Zelana was almost positive that they wouldnтАЩt be able
to speak to each other and be understood. Something very peculiar had
happened today.
Eleria appeared to be sound asleep now, and her limbs had relaxed.
Then, to ZelanaтАЩs astonishment, the glowing pink pearl rose up into the
air above the sleeping child. Its pink glow grew steadily stronger and the
glow seemed to enclose Eleria.
тАШDonтАЩt interfere. Zelana,тАЩ a very familiar voice echoed in ZelanaтАЩs
mind. тАШThis is necessary, and I donтАЩt need any help from you.тАЩ
 Eleria awoke somewhat later than usual the following morning, and
she had a puzzled look on her face as she sat cross-legged on her bed of
moss with her pearl in her hand. тАШWhy do we sleep, Beloved?тАЩ she asked.
тАШI donтАЩt,тАЩ Zelana replied, тАШand IтАЩm not sure exactly why other creatures
seem to need to sleep every so often.тАЩ
тАШI thought you and I were of the same kind,тАЩ Eleria said. тАШWe look very
much alike - except that your hair is dark and glossy and mine is sort of
yellow.тАЩ
тАШIтАЩve wondered about that myself. Maybe IтАЩve just outgrown the need
for sleep. I am quite a bit older than you are, after all.тАЩ It was a simplified
answer, but Zelana was quite certain that Eleria wasnтАЩt ready for the real
one just yet.