"Dan Parkinson - Dwarven Nations 02 - Hammer and Axe" - читать интересную книгу автора (Parkinson Dan)

Once he slipped, causing him momentarily to lose his balance. Spreading his
great wings, he recovered easily, but the incident only served to increase his
irritation further.

The morning sun lit the mountain peaks, touching the dragon, causing his blue
scales to shimmer golden in the clear light but doing little to warm his blood.
The dragon shivered again, stamping his feet upon the chill ground. Winter was
not for the blue dragons, nor was travel in this abyssmal country. With that
thought in mind, as it had been in his mind all the long, bitter night, Skie
looked about for his master.

He found the Dragon Highlord standing upon an outcropping of rock, an imposing
figure in horned dragonhelm and blue dragon-scale armor. The Highlord, cape
whipping in the chill wind, was gazing with intense interest across the great
flat plain far below.

"Come, Lord, return to your tent:' And let me return to the hot springs, Skie
added mentally. "This chill wind cuts to the bone. Why are you out here anyway?"

Skie might have supposed the Highlord was reconnoitering, planning the
disposition of troops, the attacks of the dragonflights. But that was not the
case. The occupation of Tarsis had long been planned-planned, in fact, by
another Dragon Highlord, for this land was under the command of the red dragons.

The blue dragons and their Dragon Highlords controlled the north, yet here I
stand, in these frigid southlands, Skie thought irritably. And behind me is an
entire flight of blue dragons. He turned his head slightly, looking down upon
his fellows beating their wings in the early morning, grateful for the hot
springs' warmth which took the chill from their tendons.

Fools, Skie thought scornfully. All they're waiting for is a signal from the
Highlord to attack. To light the skies and burn the cities with their deadly
bolts of lightning are all they care about. Their faith in the Dragon Highlord
is implicit t. As well it might be, Skie admitted-their master had led them to
victory after victory in the north, and they had not lost one of their number.

They leave it to me to ask the questions-because I am the Highlord's mount,
because I am closest to the Highlord. Well, so be it. We understand each other,
the Highlord and I.

'We have no reason to be in Tarsis:' Skie spoke his feelings plainly. He did not
fear the Highlord. Unlike many of the dragons in Krynn who served their masters
with grudging reluctance, knowing themselves to be the true rulers, Skie served
his master out of respect-and love. "The reds don"t want us here, that's
certain. And we're not needed. That soft city that beckons you so strangely will
fall easily. No army. They swallowed the bait and marched off to the frontier:'

"We are here because my spies. tell me they are here-or will be shortly" was the
Highlord's answer. The voice was low but carried even aver the biting wind.