"Sterling E. Lanier - Hieros 01 - Hiero's Journey" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lanier Sterling E)

zoologist would have seen nothing odd about its body at first glance, except a
larger and more rounded forehead. If he had looked, not at, but into, the
eyes, more might have been glimpsed. Bears were never stupid; now they were,
unevenly perhaps, approaching non-animal levels. It was alone, Hiero saw, and
nothing else was around.
The bear looked about half-grown and stood on its hind legs, front paws
hanging limp in front of it. /( might weigh a hundred and fifty pounds, Hiero
thought. // might weigh somewhat more and not be half-grown af all, but a new
type altogether. His mind probed at the animal, and he kept his guard
THE SIGN OF THE FISHHOOK 13
up. The thought he got in return was strong.
FriendтАФhuman friendтАФfood (a plea). FriendтАФhelpтАФ danger (a feeling of heat).
FriendтАФbear (himselfтАФidentity feeling)тАФhelpтАФdanger. This was surprisingly
vibrant and clear. Hiero was used to conversing with wild things, although
with an effort, but this animal had almost the power of a trained human. What
a lot there was in the world!
As the man lowered his short sword and relaxed, the bear settled on its
haunches also. Hiero sent a thought at Klootz and told him to stay on guard,
noting in passing that the big bull seemed to feel the bear was harmless.
Reaching into his saddlebags, Hiero brought out some dried, pressed pemeekan.
The ancient travel food of the North, animal fat, maple sugar, and dried
berries pressed into a cake, still kept its old name unchanged. As he broke
off a piece and threw it to the bear, Hiero sent another thought.
Who/what are you? What/who brings danger?
The bear caught the pemeekan between his paws in a very human gesture and
snapped it up in one bite. His thoughts were confused for a moment, then
cleared up.
Food (good/satisfying)тАФ morel Bad things comeтАФhunt-hunt humans, animalsтАФhunt
this humanтАФnot far behind nowтАФ not far in frontтАФdeath lies all aroundтАФbear
(himself) help humanl
There was a last blurred thought which the man realized was the bear giving
his own name. It was unpronounceable, but Gorm was a fairly close
approximation. Under the clear and obvious thoughts, Hiero learned more. Gorm
was a young bear, only about three years old, and relatively new to this area,
having come from the East. But the danger was real, and it was closing in on
all sides as they stood there. For a briefly glimpsed instant, through the
bear's mind, Hiero caught a flash of utter, cold malignity, an impression of
something bloated and soft in a secret place, spinning a web of terror
throughout the forest. The bear had shown him this deliberately, he now saw,
to impress upon him the danger. Leemutes, the Unclean! Nothing else caused
such horror and hatred in normal man or beast. Beside him, Klootz snorted and
stamped a great fore-hoof. He had caught a good deal of what had passed
between the two and didn't like it.
Hiero turned and finished packing, his back to Gorm. He
14 HIERO'S JOURNEY
was convinced there was no danger from the half-grown cub and that the bear
was both frightened himself and anxious to be of help. Civilized men seldom
hunted bears any longer, and the old enmity of pioneer and bruin no longer
existed.
Swinging up into his high saddle, the man sent a thought of inquiry to the