"Raymond E. Feist - Riftwar Saga 1a - Magician Apprentice" - читать интересную книгу автора (Feist Raymond E)

him. He swallowed hard, to force down the choking panic rising within him. He knew he was in danger
now, for the storm was gaining in fury far beyond normal for this time of year. Great ragged bolts of
lightning lit the dark landscape, briefly outlining the trees and road in harsh, brilliant white and opaque
black. The dazzling afterimages, black and white reversed, stayed with him for a moment each time,
confusing his senses. Enormous thunder peals sounding overhead felt like physical blows. Now his fear of
the storm outweighed his fear of imagined brigands and goblins. He decided to walk among the trees
near the road; the wind would be lessened somewhat by the boles of the oaks.
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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 boy's 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. Suddenly the pig was upon
him, and Pug had no time to stand. He thrust 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 close 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, cloth-yard arrow protruding from its side. Pug looked toward the
forest. A man garbed in brown leather was standing near the edge of the trees, quickly 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, тАЬAre you 'right, boy?тАЭ as he lifted the dead boar easily from Pug's legs. тАЬBones broken?тАЭ