"Laurie Marks - Elemental Logic 02 - Earth Logic" - читать интересную книгу автора (Marks Laurie)

feast of carrion. They stalked up to the deerтАЩs remains, sprang nervously up into the air, and landed
again. After this silly ritual of caution they began to bicker over the best pieces.

The woodcutter, having selected a tree, unslung her ax. As the sharp blade bit into the trunk, clots of
snow were shaken loose from above. The ravens paid no heed, not even when the tree fell with a
spectacular crash.

The woodcutter gazed with satisfaction at the fallen trunk. Her cut had revealed the treeтАЩs sick center, the
rot that would have soon killed it. Breathing heavily, she took off her bright knit cap to cool herself, and
her wild hair sprang up like the tangled branches of a thicket. тАЬItтАЩs cold enough to freeze snot,тАЭ she said.

The ravens, apparently easily amused, cackled loudly.

The woodcutter let her gaze wander upwards, across the tree-tops, toward a distant smear of smoke,
nearly invisible against the heavy clouds. тАЬScholars! TheyтАЩd die of cold before they noticed they were out
of firewood.тАЭ

тАЬArk!тАЭ protested a raven, as another stole a tidbit right out of his mouth. They scuffled like street
children; feathers flew.

тАЬUncivilized birds!тАЭ The woodcutter struck her ax into the stump.

The birds looked up at her hopefully as she approached the dead deer. Using a knife that had been inside
her coat, she trimmed back the deerтАЩs stiff skin and sliced off strips of meat, which she fed to the
importunate ravens. The birds were not yet sated when she abruptly rose out of her squat and turned
toward the northeast.

She was tall: a giant among the Midlanders. Still, she could not see over the treetops, yet she seemed to
see something, and her forehead creased. A raven flew up to her shoulder. тАЬAnother storm is coming,тАЭ
the raven said.

тАЬOf course,тАЭ she replied. тАЬBut thereтАЩs something else. Something strange. And terrible.тАЭ

тАЬIn the village,тАЭ said the raven, as though he knew her mind.

тАЬSomething has come,тАЭ she said.
тАЬNo, it has always been.тАЭ

тАЬNot always. But a long time. Longer than IтАЩve been alive.тАЭ

тАЬWaiting?тАЭ croaked the raven. тАЬWhy?тАЭ

She shrugged. тАЬBecause some things wait.тАЭ

тАЬThe Sainnites came thirty-five years ago. Is this thing theirs?тАЭ

тАЬYes, they brought it with them.тАЭ

After this firm declaration, raven and woman both were silent. Then, she took a deep breath and added
heavily, тАЬIt is my problem now.тАЭ