"Roland Green - Conan at the Demon's Gate" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Roland)

a chance of victory.

Or perhaps that the battle not be to the death? Kubwande knew that Idosso had

enemies among the kin of those he had slain. Those kin might not fight Idossa

themselves, but some of them had the ear of greater chiefs. Kubwande was no

mealie-bearer girl but a seasoned warrior more useful to the Bamulas alive than

dead.

It would all be as the gods wished, of course, but Kubwande was one to go about

his life as he wished until the gods told him otherwise. Today he wished a good

hunt, with a fine boar at the end of it, and a feast of roast pork whose flavor

not even Idosso's presence would be able to spoil.

Kubwande licked his lips at that thought, aimed an imaginary spear at an
imaginary boar some fifty paces off to the right, and sank the spear deep

between the shoulder blades. The boar took two steps, then went to its knees,

rolled over on its side, and died kicking in the dead fernsтАФ

"Kubwande!" Idosso called. "Are we at peace with the Fish-Eaters?"

Kubwande did not start, but knew shame, and moreover, that the shame was just.

His attention had not been where it belonged.

"The Fish-Eaters are no great peril even when they are enemies," Kubwande said.

"Nor do I think they have much stomach to be so, after our last battle with

them."

Idosso grinned, showing front teeth bearing the ritual carvings of one who had

slain a lion with a spear. It was Idosso who had led the last Bamula war party

against the Fish-Eaters, and slain with his own hands six of their warriors.

Kubwande thought that any man who could be so easily turned by flattery was not

a good choice for war chief, but the vice had its uses. Keeping peace among the