"Andre Norton - Witch World - The Warding of Witch World" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

Turning, and some of their sons in turn, he had brought into being a force which had easily reckoned with
outlaws and such. It was said openly that while the masters of Lormt sought so avidly for one form of
knowledge, Duratan gathered the remnants of another. He sought fabled weapons of the far past тАФ or at
least such descriptions that they might be brought into being again. Thus had come Denners arrows,
Keris was sure. But they must be hard to make, since the man from Lormt rode with so few in his quiver.

Now the Gray Ones had slunk back among the mounds while the Sarn Riders were veiled in by
thickening mists. Those by the hillock prepared for attack as the riders of the Valley began a low buzzing
chant. When that creeping mist reached toward them it was stopped by the Valley magic, plowed up and
down, side to side, forming a rolling wall of fog.
 Though they expected the Sarn Riders to burst out, there now was no change тАФ save that the
clouds overhead were very dark; it might be well into evening rather than midday. It began to rain, huge
drops striking at them as if they were blunt-nosed darts.

Simon stirred uneasily. Direct attack he could understand and welcomed тАФ for the pull on him,
drawing him forward, grew stronger with every breath he drew. But he had lived many seasons now with
magic, enough to be doubly cautious of anything out of nature which his own senses could not explain.

"Jonka?"

The Valley rider's Renthan trotted closer. Under this dull sky, that peculiarity of the Valley race
тАФ their ability to change the color of both skin and hair тАФ had now left him gray, and against the
wanness of his hair his ivory horns were agleam.

"There is a need," he said, Simons uncertainty clear to him. "A greater trouble than we thought
lies ahead."

Simon waited, hoping the other would enlarge upon that, but it was the Renthan whose thoughts
reached him first.

*Those we have faced came at a hurry. Perhaps that which we seek has not Power enough to
raise a full range of any Dark fighters against us.* He tossed his head so that the brush of hair between
his big ears flopped near his eyes. *They may trail us if we go forward, but such is their nature they
cannot hide.*

Simon made his decision. "Loose file, then, and let us ride."

Keris knew a flash of pride. That was indeed Simon Tregarth, legend alive, and in his own veins
flowed the same blood. But he must prove it so тАФ and this might well be his chance.

Even as he tightened hand upon the reins, that rolling wall of mist before them swirled higher and
then was suddenly gone, as if the drive of the now-steady rain had washed it away. Simon led the way,
heading out slowly with the expert ease of one used to many such scoutings, into the humped plain.

There was no sign of any Gray Ones тАФ except the two bodies which had been left by their
fellows тАФ and that opening in the ground from which the Sarn had erupted was gone as if it had never
been.

The Valley men took the points as they went. Simon appeared to be following as straight a
course as he could. Keris, careful not to come under his eye, rode nearly knee to knee with Denner. The