"Dreamsnake" - читать интересную книгу автора (McIntyre Vonda N)

She wrapped her tail around the young manТs waist. He began to pull her and turn, to extricate himself from her coils.

УSheТs not a constrictor,Ф Snake said. УShe wonТt hurt you. Leave herЧФ

But it was too late; Mist relaxed suddenly and the young man lost his balance. Mist whipped herself away and lashed figures in the sand. Snake wrestled with her alone while the young man tried to hold her, but she curled herself around Snake and used the grip for leverage. She started to pull herself from SnakeТs hands. Snake threw herself and the serpent backward into the sand; Mist rose above her, open-mouthed, furious, hissing. The young man lunged and grabbed her just beneath her hood. Mist struck at him, but Snake, somehow, held her back. Together they deprived Mist of her hold and regained control of her. Snake struggled up, but Mist suddenly went quite still and lay almost rigid between them. They were both sweating; the young man was pale under his tan, and even Snake was trembling.

УWe have a little while to rest,Ф Snake said. She glanced at him and noticed the dark line on his cheek where, earlier, MistТs tail had slashed him. She reached up and touched it. УYouТll have a bruise,Ф she said. УBut it will not scar.Ф

УIf it were true, that serpents sting with their tails, you would be restraining both the fangs and the stinger, and IТd be of little use.Ф

УTonight IТd need someone to keep me awake, whether or not they helped me with Mist. But just now, I would have had trouble holding her alone.Ф Fighting the cobra produced adrenalin, but now it ebbed, and her exhaustion and hunger were returning, stronger.

УSnakeЕФ

УYes?Ф

He smiled, quickly, embarrassed. УI was trying the pronunciation.Ф

УGood enough.Ф

УHow long did it take you to cross the desert?Ф

УNot very long. Too long. Six days. I donТt think I went the best way.Ф

УHow did you live?Ф

УThereТs water. We traveled at night and rested during the day, wherever we could find shade.Ф

УYou carried all your food?Ф

She shrugged. УA little.Ф And wished he would not speak of food.

УWhatТs on the other side?Ф

УMountains. Streams. Other people. The station I grew up and took my training in. Then another desert, and a mountain with a city inside.Ф

УIТd like to see a city. Someday.Ф

УIТm told the city doesnТt let in people from outside, people like you and me. But there are many towns in the mountains, and the desert can be crossed.Ф

He said nothing, but SnakeТs memories of leaving home were recent enough that she could imagine his thoughts.



The next set of convulsions came, much sooner than Snake had expected. By their severity she gauged something of the stage of StavinТs illness, and wished it were morning. If she was going to lose the child, she would have it done, and grieve, and try to forget. The cobra would have battered herself to death against the sand if Snake and the young man had not been holding her. She suddenly went completely rigid, with her mouth clamped shut and her forked tongue dangling.

She stopped breathing.

УHold her,Ф Snake said. УHold her head. Quickly, take her, and if she gets away, run. Take her! She wonТt strike at you now, she could only slash you by accident.Ф