"Tara K. Harper - Wolfwalker 5 - Silver Moons, Black Steel" - читать интересную книгу автора (Harper Tara K)

forced herself to focus, to see the man, not the prey. Forced herself to
strengthen the mental wall until she closed off the taste of dirty hair and raw
muscle that came to her with the packsong. She licked her teeth and
reaffirmed the tiny serrations of human enamel, not the curved fangs of the
wolves. She flexed her hand and felt thumbs, not dewclaws, let her legs feel
the weight of her knee on BatayonтАЩs pelvis. Withdraw. She formed the word
mentally. Wolves growled in her mind. She shuddered, but pulled back.
Control, she snarled to herself.
The ten adult students who ringed the wide mat watched the two teachers
silently, and she knew that most did not understand what they saw. Batayon
said nothing as she gave up the depth of her grip on his throat and artery.
She did not quite let him go. Instead, she turned her head to look at the
students on one side, then the other. Their attention was riveted as they tried
to grasp the intensity that even now was evaporating. Her voice was more
of a growl than a human tone, but her words were clear. тАЬIf you are weak,
become strong. If you are strong, seem weak. Either one will get you the
kill.тАЭ
No one mistook the predator that glinted in her eyes.
She released Batayon suddenly, as if she could not continue touching him
without also completing the strike. Calmly, he rolled to his feet. Dion rose
fluidly with him, and they saluted each other to complete the ritual. Batayon
gestured for the students to resume their exercises, guided by the other
teacher. As they walked from the main training room, a few students
watched Dion surreptitiously, and Batayon hid his amusement as one man
was caught unawares by a partnerтАЩs ridgehand to the neck.
The brown-haired teacher turned and snagged a towel to wipe some of the
sweat from his brow as he walked with her. тАЬI enjoyed that, Dione,тАЭ he
said. He used her formal name deliberately, as if that would give her
another human structure to cling to.
Dion gave him a crooked grin. тАЬAs did I, BatayonтАФa bit too much.тАЭ
He pitched his voice so that only she would hear. тАЬYouтАЩre close to the
wolves, DioneтАФcloser than IтАЩd heard. It makes for interesting sparring.тАЭ
Her lips tightened, as aware as he was of what neither one said. She dipped
a towel in the water basin and pressed the cold cloth to her neck, while
Batayon slung his over his shoulder and wondered absently why womenтАФ
especially scouts like DioneтАФnever dripped with sweat like men. Dion
file:///K|/eMule/Incoming/Tara%20K.%20Harper%20-%2...ker%205%20-%20Silver%20Moons,%20Black%20Steel.html (11 of 439)22-12-2006 2:33:23
Silver Moons, Black SteelтАФHarper, Tara K - Wolf 05


chuckled suddenly, and he followed her gaze to a young man trying to
throw another student. The victim student used the wrench-out that Dion
had shown with Batayon, but the attacker was more successful. He
managed an uppercut to his partnerтАЩs gut as the other man missed the
reverse. The victim student suddenly found himself on the floor, whoofing
for his air.
тАЬIt seems we taught them something,тАЭ Batayon commented.
тАЬYouтАЩll have to show them the counter now, or youтАЩll have cracked ribs by
the dozen.тАЭ
He grinned. тАЬThey already know the counter. If theyтАЩve forgotten it, they