"FEIST, Raymond E - The RiftWar Saga - 1 - Magican" - читать интересную книгу автора (Feist Raymond E)

oaks. As Pug closed upon the forest, a crashing sound brought him to a
halt. In the gloom of the storm he could barely make out the form of a
black forest boar as it burst out of the undergrowth. The pig tumbled from
the brush, lost its footing, then scrambled to its feet a few yards away.
Pug could see it clearly as it stood there regarding him, swinging its head
from side to side. Two large tusks seemed to glow in the dim light as they
dripped rainwater. Fear made its eyes wide, and it pawed at the ground.
The forest pigs were bad-tempered at best, but normally avoided humans.
This one was panic-stricken by the storm, and Pug knew if it charged he
could be badly gored, even killed. Standing stock-still, Pug made ready to
swing his staff, but hoped the pig would return to the woods. The boar's
head raised, testing the boys smell on the wind. Its pink eyes seemed to
glow as it trembled with indecision. A sound made it turn toward the trees
for a moment, then it dropped its head and charged. Pug swung his staff,
bringing it down in a glancing blow to the side of the pig's head, turning
it. The pig slid sideways in the muddy footing, hitting Pug in the legs. He
went down as the pig slipped past. Lying on the ground, Pug saw the boar
skitter about as it turned to charge again.
the pig was upon him, and Pug had no time to stand. He
thrustt the staff before him in a vain attempt to turn the animal again.
The boar dodged the staff and Pug tried to roll away, but a weight fell
across his body. Pug covered his face with his hands, keeping his arms
to his chest, expecting to be gored.

", After a moment he realized the pig was still. Uncovering his face, he
discovered the pig lying across his lower legs, a black-feathered,
clothyard arrow protruding from its side. Pug looked toward the forest. A
man garbed in brown leather was standing near the edge of the trees,
carefully wrapping a yeoman's longbow with an oilcloth cover. Once the
valuable weapon was protected from further abuse by the weather, the
man crossed to stand over the boy and beast. He was cloaked and hooded, his
face hidden. He knelt next to Pug and shouted over the sound of the wind,
"Are you 'right, boy?" as he liffted the dead boar easily from Pug's legs.
"Bones broken?"
.'I don't think so," Pug yelled back, taking
account of himself. His right side smarted, and his legs felt equally bruised.
with his ankle still tender, he was feeling ill-used today, but nothing
seemed broken or permanently damaged. Large, meaty hands lifted him to his
feet. "Here," the man commanded, handing him his staff and the bow. Pug
took them while the stranger quickly gutted the boar with a large hunter's
knife. He completed his work and turned to Pug. "Come with me, boy. You had
best lodge with my master and me. It's not far, but we'd best hurry. This
storrn'll get worse afore it's over. Can you walk?" Taking an unsteady
step, Pug nodded. Without a word the man shouldered the pig and took his
bow. "Come," he said, as he turned toward the forest. He set off at a brisk
pace, which pug had to scramble to match. The forest cut the fury of the
storm so little that conversation was impossible. A lightning flash lit the
scene for a moment, and Pug caught a glimpse of the man's face. Pug tried
to remember if he had seen the stranger before. He had the look common to
the hunters and foresters that lived in the forest of Crydee: