amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第74部分

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　　〃No；　I　will。　It's　easier　going　down；　and　that　way　you'll　have　enough　time　to　put　the　kitchen　to　rights　after　Mirrim's　been　messing　in　it　and　then　we'll　both　take　a　quick　swim　in　the　river　which　I　suddenly　feel　the　urge　to　do。〃
　　F'lessan　knew　exactly　how　to　manipulate　her；　Tai　thought　as　she　climbed　the　ladder　to　the　roof　and　took　the　baskets　that　F'lessan　handed　up　to　her；　grinning　with　his　success。　She　heard　the　machinery　that　closed　the　roof　begin　to　whir　as　she　mounted　Zaranth。　Golanth's　eyes　blinked　greenly　at　her。
　　I　e　with　you；　he　said　and　dropped　off　the　knob　of　stone　he'd　been　perched　on。
　　She　left　the　two　dragons　on　the　terrace　and　made　for　the　kitchen。　All　the　lights　were　on　and　most　of　the　cupboards　left　half　ajar。　There　was　rather　more　of　a　mess　to　clear　up　than　she'd've　thought。　Had　Mirrim　done　this　on　purpose？　No；　Talina　had　been　with　her；　Talina　might　be　indolent　but　she　wasn't　spiteful。　Mirrim　still　didn't　believe　her　about　the　pelts。　Although　Golanth　had　now　managed；　with　just　a　little　control　from　Zaranth；　to　alter　the　direction　of　trundlebugs　only　as　much　as　was　actually　required；　that　had　been　as　much　experimentation　as　they　had　had　time　for。　Images　had　had　to　be　selected　and　prepared　for　the　Weyrleaders'　meeting　and　that　had　taken　all　their　spare　time。　Well；　almost　all　their　spare　time。　Tai　blushed　as　she　cleared　and　wiped　the　worktops　and　decided　that　there　weren't　really　that　many　dishes　that　needed　more　than　a　quick　rinse。　There　was　enough　redfruit　to　make　a　pitcher　of　juice　and　she　suspected　that　F'lessan　would　be　thirsty。　Any　more　klah　and　they'd　never　get　to　sleep。　Maybe　she　wouldn't　rest　anyway；　with　so　much　of　that　meeting　to　review；　vivid　scenes　in　her　mind。　F'lessan　would　probably　want　to　talk；　and　he　always　insisted　that　she　have　opinions　and　share　them　with　him。
　　He　looked　tired　when　he　finally　got　to　the　kitchen　but　his　eyes　lit　up　at　the　sight　of　the　pitcher　of　juice。　He　had　towels　and　two　blankets　over　his　shoulder；　and　clean　clothes…for　both　of　them…neatly　folded　over　his　left　arm。
　　〃How　did　you　know　I'd　be　dry　as　a　bone；　my　dear　green？〃　He　poured　juice　into　the　two　glasses。
　　She　pointed　to　what　he　was　carrying。
　　〃Golanth　has　informed　me　that　he　now　needs　to　wash　the　brine　of　Cove　Hold　off　him　and　so　does　Zaranth；　only　she　thinks　we　should　all　go　to　sleep。　So　I　thought；　if　we　went　down　to　the　river；　they　could　get　a　good　wash　and　we　could　watch　the　stars　for　what　remains　of　the　night。　I　really；〃　and　somehow　he　managed　to　stretch　both　arms　out　in　a　very　dramatic　gesture；　〃feel　too　elated　to　be　cooped　up！　Drink！〃
　　She　did；　laughing　between　swallows；　because　F'lessan　in　this　mood　was　not　easy　to　gainsay。　And　she　did　feel　that　she'd　knocked　down　a　few　private　walls　tonight。　So　much　had　happened。　So　incredibly　much。　She'd　been　part　of　a　special　Weyrleader　meeting；　had　spoken　up　and　given　information；　shown　examples　of　star　images　she　herself　had　taken　on　the　Honshu　scope；　and　received　mendatory　glances　from　Erragon；　Lytol；　F'lar；　and　even　Lessa。　She　felt　for　the　first　time　that　she　was　really　a　dragonrider；　not　just　a　green　rider！
　　They　finished　the　juice；　mounted　their　dragons…F'lessan　tossed　over　her　clothes　and　a　towel…and　glided　down　from　Honshu's　heights　to　the　river　below　the　terraces。　The　pool　was　wide　enough　for　several　dragons　to　bathe　in。　It　was　deep　on　the　Honshu　side；　where　thick　underbrush　buried　roots　into　cracked　rocks；　but　the　other　side　slanted　up　to　a　wide　path　packed　down　by　centuries　of　herdbeasts　watering　there。　Three　wide　terraces　stepped　up　from　the　watering　place　before　vegetation　had　found　sufficient　soil　to　nourish　it。　Many　Monacan　dragons　had　sunned　here　after　the　Flood。　From　the　uppermost　level；　they　could　have　seen　the　slate　roofs　of　the　cluster　of　holds。　But　daybreak　was　several　hours　away。
　　F'lessan　had　brought　a　pouch　of　sweetsand。　Tai　looked　forward　to　a　quick　wash；　even　in　cold　river　water。　Cove　Hold　had　been　warm　and　she'd　been　in　a　nervous　sweat　there；　worked　up　another　in　the　crowded　control　room　while　showing　off　the　fine　clear　sky　view　that　the　Honshu　scope　was　capable　of。　They　soaped　each　other；　still　with　enough　energy　to　make　it　playful。　But　fatigue　settled　on　both　of　them　soon　enough；　and　the　dragons　splashed　in　gratefully　to　take　their　turn。　Their　antics　sent　sprays　of　water　high　up　the　bank。　Laughing；　F'lessan　moved　their　things　up　on　to　the　highest　of　the　terraces　and；　throwing　Tai　her　towel；　began　to　dry　himself。　They　dressed；　since　the　dawn　air　could　be　chill；　spread　one　blanket　down；　and　pulled　the　other　over　them；　using　the　towels　as　pillows　against　the　rough　ground　cover。
　　Tai　smiled；　listening　to　the　dragons'　happy　noises；　and　was　at　peace　with　herself　in　a　fashion　she　had　rarely　experienced。
　　〃I　don't　know　if　they　sound　more　like　fire…lizards　or　dolphins　when　they　'talk'　like　that；〃　F'lessan　said；　cocking　one　arm　under　his　head　and　reaching　for　her　hand　with　the　other。
　　〃They're　related；　after　all；〃　she　said；　somewhat　drowsily；　quite　content　to　lie　there；　next　to　him；　letting　his　fingers　twine　in　hers。
　　She　heard　him　sigh。
　　〃There　are　so　many　things　to　talk　about；〃　he　murmured；　〃but　I　think　they　can　wait　until　tomorrow；　don't　you？〃
　　He　turned　his　head　toward　her；　though　she　couldn't　see　but　a　blur　of　his　face　and　the　whiteness　of　his　teeth　in　one　of　his　so　charming　smiles。
　　〃It　is　tomorrow；　you　know。〃
　　〃Well；　a　little　further　into　the　morning；　then。〃
　　He　lifted　his　head　just　enough　to　kiss　her　lightly。
　　Why　was　it　that　the　tenderest　of　his　kisses　affected　her　more　than　the　passionate　ones…which　she　enjoyed；　too？　It　was　his　tenderness　toward　her　that　undid　her　most。
　　She　woke；　sitting　bolt　upright；　a　second　before　everything　happened；　before　Golanth　roared；　before　Zaranth　reacted　to　what　she　was　staring　at　so　intensely　in　the　underbrush。　That　moment　was　graven　on　the　back　of　her　eyes　as　surely　as　the　Fireball's　explosion：　she　and　F'lessan　on　the　uppermost　terrace；　Zaranth　just　below　them；　her　body　taut　for　something　Tai　could　not　see　and　Golanth；　head　toward　the　river；　sprawled　lengthwise　on　the　lowest　level；　his　tail　half　propped　against　a　thick　bush。
　　Whether　it　was　his　tail　which　had　enticed　them　or　not　would　always　be　moot。　Many　felines　were　hunting　that　dawn。　The　sun　had　risen　and　sun…warm　dragon　hide　exuded　a　scent　all　its　own。　Dragons　generally　sought　heights　for　sunbathing。　This　morning；　with　all　four　deeply　asleep；　the　dragons　were　accessible。
　　The　felines　had　arrived　stealthily。　Perhaps　thirst　had　initially　drawn　them　to　the　river；　only　to　find　the　sleeping　dragons。　Perhaps　Golanth's　tail　had　twitched　in　his　sleep；　attracting　attention。　Whatever　Zaranth　was　staring　at　suddenly　was　flung　backward　at　incredible　speed　and　that　was　the　signal　for　an　orange…striped　feline　to　clamp　its　teeth　on　Golanth's　tail。　At　his　roar　the　rest　of　the　considerable　hunting　party　attacked。　Spotted；　striped；　and　tawny　hides；　assaulting　him　from　three　directions；　abruptly　covered　the　bronze。
　　He　reared　to　his　full　height；　front　legs　clawing　the　air　to　remove　the　one　that　had　sunk　teeth　in　his　left　eye　ridge。　He　tried　to　whip　free　of　the　one　on　his　tail　and　kick　off　the　third　which　had　bitten　into　the　fold　of　his　flesh　between　rib　cage　and　hip；　to　buck　against　the　others　racing　in　from　the　thick　shrubs　that　bordered　the　river。　Feline　jaws　clamped　harder；　determined　to　retain　their　hold。
　　Then　others　used　Golanth's　body　as　stairs　to　attack　Zaranth；　talons　outstretched；　heads　angled　to　sink　fangs　in　whatever　flesh　they　could　reach。
　　F'lessan　moved　so　quickly　that；　in　throwing　the　blanket　from　his　legs；　he　entangled　Tai　in　its　folds。　Springing　forward　and　then　vaulting　over　Zaranth's　hindquarters；　he　launched　himself　at　the　nearest　feline；　brandishing　the　knife　a　rider　always　carried；　though　it　was　a　blade　that　was　shorter　than　the　fangs　of　the　nearest　beast。　Zaranth；　too；　reared；　sending　the　one　attacking　her　head　spinning　through　the　air。
　　These　are　NOT　trundlebugs；　Zaranth　cried。　THROW　them　away！
　　Golanth　had　torn　the　one　off　his　face　with　one　forepaw；　but　it　turned　in　midair；　legs　at　full　stretch；　and　its　right　front　paw　raked　down　F'lessan's　back。　Its　momentum　took　it　to　the　ground　where　it　instantly　gathered　and　leaped　toward　the　rider。　F'lessan　ducked；　plunged　his　knife　into　the　chest　of　the　beast；　and　rolled　away；　the　feline　snarling　with　rage　and　trying　to　get　rid　of　the　knife　lodged　in　it。　F'lessan　grabbed　a　loose　rock　and；　with　it　as　a　weapon；　ran　to　help　his　dragon；　despite　the　blood　flowing　from　the　claw　marks　on　his　back。
　　Trapped　on　one　side　by　the　terrace；　Golanth　had　no　way　to　unfurl　his　right　wing。　With　his　rider　in　peril；　he　would　not　go　between　where　he　could　have　shed　the　felines　in　the　great　black　cold。　Nor；　in　such　close　quarters；　for　fear　of　searing　their　beloved　riders；　could　either　dragon　summon　residual　flame　to　deter　their　attackers。　One　feline　was　attempting　to　shred　Golanth's　left　inner　wing　sail　and　others；　sinking　talons　deeply　into　tough　dragon　hide；　climbed　all　over　him。
　　Not　just　over　Golanth；　Tai　realized；　frantic　to　get　free　of　the　blanket。　Tawny　bodies　were　flinging　themselves　at　Zaranth　as　well　but　didn't　seem　abl