"Andre Norton - Yurth Burden" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

he wilds very long ago. So far in the past that the land had accepted it back
, laid its own seal upon it. She could sense the trail of a sand lizard, the
paw touch of a bander; what lay behind those in time was nothing she could se
ize upon.
The pavement itself headed for the mountain she must climb, and to use the f
aint traces of it would lighten her way a little, aid to save her strength f
or the more difficult task ahead. Deliberately she turned into the roadway.
Once a way of importance, it must have been sealed, forgotten, and the falle
n monolith set to forbid entrance. Who had done this and why? The curiosity
of Yurth minds possessed her; as she went she kept looking for any hint of w
hat had been the purpose of this road.
The farther she advanced along the vestige of highway the more Elossa marvel
ed at the skill and labor which had gone into its making. It did not take th
e easiest way, twisting and turning, as did the game trails and footpaths of
the mountains she knew, or the clay-surfaced roads of the plains, rather it
cut through all obstacles, as if its stubborn makers would tame the land to
serve them.

She came to a place where slides had, in a measure, covered what had been a c
ut into the side of the mountain itself, picking her way over the debris left
by those slides with a stout aid of her staff. Still the road headed in her
direction, and, because her curiosity was now aroused, she determined to see
where it might lead. Though it could be, that before its goal was reached, sh
e must turn aside to fulfill her own quest.
There were no more of such worn-off stones as that left below, but at interv
als she did sight small ones, several still upright. On those there were tra
ces of carving, but so worn that the markings were only shadows. None of the
se gave her the feeling of discomfort as had the one below. Perhaps they had
been set another time and certainly for other purposes.

It was in the shadow of such a one that Elossa sat to eat at nooning. She ne
ed not even use the liquid in her water flask, for only a short distance awa
y a rill from some higher mountain spring had made a runnel for itself. The
murmur of running water was loud enough to be heard. She felt at peace, at o
ne with what lay about her.

Then-that peace was shattered!

Her mind-seek lazily reaching out to engulf the freedom and quiet, brushed
upon thought! One of the clans on the same Pilgrimage? There were other c
lans cross mountain with whom her own people had little contact save durin
g wintering. No, in that short touch she had not caught the familiar recog
nition which would have signaled Yurth-even Yurth traveling with a closed
mind.
If it was not Yurth, then it was Raski. For no animal registered so. A hu
nter? She dared not probe, of course. Though the Raski hatred was dampene
d by fear, who knew what might chance were a Raski, away from his own kin
d, to encounter a single Yurth? She remembered now those on the Pilgrimag
e who had never returned. There were many explanations-a fall among rocks
, a sickness away from all help, yes, even perhaps death by intent from s