"Alan Dean Foster - For Love Of Mother-Not" - читать интересную книгу автора (Foster Alan Dean)

There was also the possibility the invader might not even be dangerous. She certainly did not recognize it. In the ninety plus years she had spent on Moth, she had seen nothing like it. For one thing, there was no hint of fur any-where on its body. Only scales. That immediately identified it as a non-native. Well, maybe. Moth was home to a few creatures-deep-digging burrowers-that did not sport fur. This didnТt look like a burrower to her, but she was no zoologist, nor had she ever traveled far outside the city limits.
Yet she felt certain it came from offworld. Something she couldnТt put a mental finger on marked the beast as alien, but that didnТt matter. What did was that it had somehow penetrated to the boyТs room, and she had better do something about it before it woke up and decided the matter for her.
Get it away from him, she told herself. Away from his head, at least. Get it away, keep it occupied, then wake the boy and have him make a run for the gun under her pillow.
The broom she hefted had a light metal handle and wire bristles. Taking it out of storage, she re-entered FlinxТs room and reached past his head with the broomТs business end. The metal bristles prodded the invader.
The snake stirred at the touch, opened its eyes, and stared at her. She jabbed at it again, harder this time, trying to work the bristles between the snakeТs head and the boyТs exposed neck. It opened its mouth, and she instinctively Jerked back, but it was only a yawn. Still sleepy, then, she thought. Good, its reactions would be slowed. Leaning forward again, she reached down and shoved hard on the broom. Several of the snakeТs coils went rolling over to the side of the bed, and for the first time she had a glimpse of its brilliant coloring.
Again, she shoved with the broom, but the snake was no longer on the bed. It hovered in midair, its wings moving so rapidly they were no more than a blue-pink blur. They generated a rich, vibrant humming sound in the small room. Aghast and uncertain how to attack this new threat, Mother Mastiff backed away, holding the broom defensively in front of her. Awakened by the last shove of the broom, the boy blinked sleepily at her. УMother? What is it?Ф
УHush, be quiet!Ф she warned him. УI donТt know how this thing got into your room, but-У
Flinx sat up quickly. He glanced up at the hovering snake, admiring it for the first time in daylight, and bestowed a reassuring grin on Mother Mastiff.
УOh, that. ThatТs just Pip.Ф
The broom dipped slightly, and she stared narrowly at her charge. УYe mean, ye know what it be?Ф
УSure,Ф he said cheerfully. УI, uh, heard something; last night, so I went outside to investigate.Ф He gestured with a thumb at the snake. УIt was back in the garbage, cold and hungry. Hey, I bet heТs still hungry, and-
УIТll bet it is, too,Ф she snapped, Уand III not have some scaly, gluttonous carrion eater crawling about my house. Get out!Ф she yelled at it. УShoo!Ф She swung the broom at the snake once, twice, a third time, forcing Flinx to duck the flying bristles. Each time, the snake dodged nimbly in the air, displaying unexpected aerial agility. Once it darted straight to its left, then backward, then toward the ceiling.
УDonТt!Ф Flinx shouted, suddenly alarmed. УIt might think youТre trying to hurt me.Ф
УA guardian angel with beady eyes and scales? Mockmush, boy, it knows well what IТm swinging at!Ф
In fact, the snake was well aware the new human had no intention of banning its symbiote, for it could feel the honest affection and warmth flowing between them. It did not worry on that score. Conversely, no love flowed toward it from the new person, and the shiny thing that was being thrust at it was hard to avoid in the small, enclosed space.
УPlease, Mother,Ф Flinx pleaded anxiously, scrambling out of bed and dragging the blanket with him, Уstop it. I donТt know how itТll react.Ф
УWeТre going to find out, boy,Ф she told him grimly. The broom struck, missed, bounced off the far wall. She cocked her arms for another swing.
The snake bad been patient, very patient. It understood the bond between the two humans. But the broom had backed it into a comer, and the hard bristles promised danger if they connected solidly with the snakeТs wings. It opened its mouth. There was a barely perceptible squirting sound. A thin, tight stream of clear liquid shot forward. It sparkled in the light and impacted on the broom as it was swinging forward. As Mother Mastiff recovered and brought the broom back for yet another strike, she heard a faint but definite hissing that did not come from the snake.She hesitated, frowning, then realized the noise was coming from the broom. A glance showed that approximately half of the metal bristles had melted away. Something was foaming and sizzling as it methodically ate its way down the broom.
She dropped the weapon as if the metal handle had abruptly become red hot, her expression fearful. The liquid continued to sputter and hiss as it ate away the metal. Soon it had worked its way through the last stubble and was beginning to eat holes in the metal handle itself.
УBoy, get out of the room while ye have the chance,Ф she called huskily, staring wide-eyed at the snake while continuing to back toward her own bedroom. УIf it can do that to metal, thereТs no telling what-У
Flinx laughed, then hurriedly put a hand to his mouth and forced himself to be understanding. УIТm sorry, Mother,Ф he said apologetically. УItТs just that Pip would never hurt me. And heТs just proved that he wouldnТt hurt anyone close to me, either.Ф
УHow do ye know that?Ф she sputtered.
УYou know,Ф he replied, sounding puzzled, УI donТt know how I know it. But itТs true. Here, see?Ф He extended his left arm.
Still keeping a wary eye on the woman, who continued to block the exit, the snake zipped down to land on the proffered perch. In an instant, it had multiple coils wrapped around the humanТs shoulder. Then the snake relaxed, the pleated wings folding up to lie flat against the gleaming body.
УSee?Ф Flinx lowered his arm and gently rubbed the back of the snakeТs head. УHeТs just naturally friendly.Ф
УNaturally ugly, ye mean,Ф Mother Mastiff snorted. Bending, she picked up the remnant of the broom and inspected it. All the bristles were gone, along with several centimeters of handle. A weak crackling still came from the raw edges of the tube where the metal had dissolved, though the extraordinarily corrosive liquid seemed to have largely spent itself.
She showed the remains of the broom to Flinx, still nervous about getting too near the thing wrapped around his shoulder. УSee that? Imagine what it. would do to your skin.Ф
УOh, Mother, canТt you see?Ф Flinx spoke with all the exasperation of the young for the aged. УHe was protecting himself, but because he senses that youТre important to me, he was careful not to spit any of it on you.Ф
УLucky thing for it,Ф she said, some of her normal bravado returning. УWell, it canТt stay here.Ф
УYes, it can,Ф Flinx argued.
УNo, it canТt. I canТt have some lethal varmint like that fluttering and crawling all over the place, frightening off the customers.Ф
УHeТll stay with me all the time,Ф Flinx assured her soothingly. His hand continued to caress the snakeТs head. Its eyes closed contentedly. УSee? HeТs Just like any other house pet. He responds to warmth and affection.Ф Flinx brought forth his most mournful, pleading expression. It had the intended affect.
УWell, it wonТt get any warmth or affection from me,Ф Mother Mastiff grumbled, Уbut if youТre determined to keep it . . .Ф
УI think,Ф Flinx added, throwing fuel on the fire, Уhe would become very upset if someone tried to separate us.Ф
Mother Mastiff threw up her hands, simultaneously signifying acquiescence and acceptance. УOh, Deity, why couldnТt ye stumble over a normal pet, like a cat or a saniff? What does the little monster eat, anyways?Ф
УI donТt know,Ф Flinx admitted, remembering the hunger he had sensed the night before and resolving to do something about it soon. He had been hungry himself and knew more of the meaning of that word than most people. УArenТt most snakes carnivorous?Ф
УThis one certainly looks like it,Ф she said.
Reaching down, Flinx gently ran a forefinger along the edge of the snakeТs mouth until he could pry it open. The snake opened one eye and looked at him curiously but did not raise any objection to the intrusion. Mother Mastiff held her breath.
Flinx leaned close, inspecting. УThe teeth are so small I canТt tell for sure.Ф
УProbably swallows its food whole,Ф Mother Mastiff told him. УI hear thatТs the wav of it with snakes, through this be no normal snake and I wouldnТt care to make no predictions about it, much less about its diet.Ф
УIТll find out,Ф Flinx assured her. УIf you donТt need me to help in the shop today-У
УHelp, hahl No, go where ye will. Just make sure that creature goes with ye.Ф
УIТm going to take him around the marketplace,Ф Flinx said excitedly, Уand see if anyone recognizes him. ThereТs sure to be someone who will.Ф
УDonТt bet your blood on it, boy,Ф she warned him. УItТs likely an offworld visitor.Ф
УI thought so, too,Ф he told her. УWouldnТt that be interesting? I wonder how it got here?Ф
УSomeone with a grudge against me brought it, probably,Ф she muttered softly. Then, louder, she said, УThere be no telling. If Сtis an escaped pet and a rare one, ye can be sure its owner will be stumbling about here soonest in search of it.Ф
УWeТll see.Ф Flinx knew the snake belonged right where it was, riding his shoulder. It felt right. He could all but feel the wave of contentment it was generating.
УAnd while IТm finding out what he is,Ф he added briskly, УIТll find out what he eats, too.Ф
УYe do that,Ф she told him. УFact be, why not spend the night at it? IТve some important buyers coming around suppertime. They were referred to me through the ShopkeeperТs Association and seem especial interested in some of the larger items we have, like the muriwood table. So ye take that awful whatever-it-be,Ф and she threw a shaky finger in the direction of the snake, Уand stay ye out Сtil well after tenth hour. Then IТll think about letting the both of ye back into my house.Ф
УYes, Mother, thank you,Ф He ran up to give her a kiss. She backed off.