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

Light from the entrance struck them. УLet me pass.Ф The people in front of Snake moved aside for their leader. She stopped in front of Snake, ignoring the satchel her foot almost touched. УWill Stavin live?Ф Her voice was quiet, calm, gentle.

УI cannot be certain,Ф Snake said, Уbut I feel that he will.Ф

УLeave us.Ф The people understood SnakeТs words before they did their leaderТs; they looked around and lowered their weapons, and finally, one by one, they moved out of the tent. Arevin remained with Snake. The strength that came from danger seeped from her, and her knees collapsed. She bent over the satchel with her face in her hands. The older woman knelt in front of her, before Snake could notice or prevent her. УThank you,Ф the leader said. УThank you. I am so sorryЕ Ф She put her arms around Snake, and drew her toward her, and Arevin knelt beside them, and he embraced Snake too. Snake began to tremble again, and they held her while she cried.



Later she slept, exhausted, alone in the tent with Stavin, holding his hand. The people had caught small animals for Sand and Mist. They had given her food and supplies; they had even given her sufficient water to bathe, though that must have strained their resources.

When she awakened, Arevin lay sleeping nearby, his robe open in the heat, a sheen of sweat across his chest and stomach. The sternness in his expression vanished when he slept; he looked exhausted and vulnerable. Snake almost woke him, but stopped, shook her head, and turned to Stavin.

She felt the tumor, and found that it had begun to dissolve and shrivel, dying, as MistТs changed poison affected it. Through her grief Snake felt a little joy. She smoothed StavinТs pale hair back from his face. УI would not lie to you again, little one,Ф she whispered, Уbut I must leave soon. I cannot stay here.Ф She wanted another three daysТ sleep, to finish fighting off the effects of the sand viperТs poison, but she would sleep somewhere else. УStavin?Ф

He half woke, slowly. УIt doesnТt hurt any more,Ф he said.

УIТm glad.Ф

УThank youЕФ

УGood-bye, Stavin. Will you remember later on that you woke up, and that I did stay to say good-bye?Ф

УGood-bye,Ф he said, drifting off again. УGood-bye, Snake. Good-bye, Grass.Ф He closed his eyes.

Snake picked up the satchel and stood gazing down at Arevin. He did not stir. Both grateful and sorry, she left the tent.

Dusk approached with long, indistinct shadows; the camp was hot and quiet. She found her tiger-striped pony, tethered with food and water. New, full water-skins bulged on the ground next to the saddle, and desert robes lay across the pommel, though Snake had refused any payment. The tiger-pony whickered at her. She scratched his striped ears, saddled him, and strapped her gear on his back. Leading him, she started east, the way she had come.

УSnakeЧФ

She took a breath, and turned back to Arevin. His back was to the sun, and it outlined him in scarlet. His streaked hair flowed loose to his shoulders, gentling his face. УYou must leave?Ф

УYes.Ф

УI hoped you would not leave beforeЕ I hoped you would stay, for a timeЕ There are other clans, and other people you could helpЧФ

УIf things were different, I might have stayed. ThereТs work for a healer. ButЕФ

УThey were frightenedЧФ

УI told them Grass couldnТt hurt them, but they saw his fangs and they didnТt know he could only give dreams and ease dying.Ф

УBut canТt you forgive them?Ф

УI canТt face their guilt. What they did was my fault, Arevin. I didnТt understand them until too late.Ф

УYou said it yourself, you canТt know all the customs and all the fears.Ф

УIТm crippled,Ф she said. УWithout Grass, if I canТt heal a person, I canТt help at all. We donТt have many dreamsnakes. I have to go home and tell my teachers IТve lost one, and hope they can forgive my stupidity. They seldom give the name I bear, but they gave it to me, and theyТll be disappointed.Ф