rj.thegreathunt-第57部分

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r　it。〃　That's　what　Rand　said。　Light；　I　wish　I　were　home　working　Master　Luhhan's　forge。
　　　　　　　〃These　wolves；〃　Ingtar　said；　〃they　will　track　the　Darkfriends　and　Trollocs　for　us？〃　Perrin　nodded。　〃Good。　I　will　have　the　Horn；　whatever　it　takes。〃　The　Shienaran　glanced　around　at　Uno　and　the　others　still　searching　for　tracks。　〃Better　not　to　tell　anyone　else；　though。　Wolves　are　considered　good　luck　in　the　Borderlands。　Trollocs　fear　them。　But　still；　better　to　keep　this　between　us　for　the　time。　Some　of　them　might　not　understand。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　would　as　soon　nobody　else　ever　found　out；〃　Perrin　said。
　　　　　　　〃I　will　tell　them　you　think　you　have　Hurin's　talent。　They　know　about　that；　they're　easy　with　it。　Some　of　them　saw　you　wrinkling　your　nose　back　in　that　village；　and　at　the　ferry。　I've　heard　jokes　about　your　delicate　nose。　Yes。　You　keep　us　on　the　trail　today；　Uno　will　see　enough　of　their　tracks　to　confirm　it　is　the　trail；　and　before　nightfall　every　last　man　will　be　sure　you　are　a　sniffer。　I　will　have　the　Horn。〃　He　glanced　at　the　sky；　and　raised　his　voice。　〃Daylight　is　wasting！　To　horse！〃
　　　　　　　To　Perrin's　surprise；　the　Shienarans　seemed　to　accept　Ingtar's　story。　A　few　of　them　looked　skeptical　…　Masema　went　so　far　as　to　spit　…　but　Uno　nodded　thoughtfully；　and　that　was　enough　for　most。　Mat　was　the　hardest　to　convince。〃A　sniffer！　You？　You're　going　to　track　murderers　by　smell？　Perrin；　you　are　as　crazy　as　Rand。　I　am　the　only　sane　one　left　from　Emond's　Field；　with　Egwene　and　Nynaeve　trotting　off　to　Tar　Valon　to　bee　…　〃　He　cut　himself　short　with　an　uneasy　glance　for　the　Shienarans。
　　　　　　　Perrin　took　Hurin's　place　beside　Ingtar　as　the　small　column　rode　south。　Mat　kept　up　a　string　of　disparaging　remarks；　until　Uno　found　the　first　tracks　left　by　Trollocs　and　by　men　on　horses；　but　Perrin　paid　him　little　mind。　It　was　all　he　could　do　to　keep　the　wolves　from　dashing　on　ahead　to　kill　the　Trollocs。　The　wolves　cared　only　about　killing　the　Twisted　Ones；　to　them；　Darkfriends　were　no　different　from　any　other　two…legs。　Perrin　could　almost　see　the　Darkfriends　scattering　in　a　dozen　directions　while　the　wolves　slew　Trollocs；　running　away　with　the　Horn　of　Valere。　Running　away　with　the　dagger。　And　once　the　Trollocs　were　dead；　he　did　not　think　he　could　interest　the　wolves　in　tracking　the　humans　even　if　he　had　any　idea　which　of　them　to　track。　He　had　a　running　argument　with　them；　and　sweat　covered　his　forehead　long　before　he　got　the　first　flash　of　images　that　turned　his　stomach。
　　　　　　　He　drew　rein；　stopping　his　horse　dead。　The　others　did　the　same；　looking　at　him；　waiting。　He　stared　straight　ahead　and　cursed　softly；　bitterly。
　　　　　　　Wolves　would　kill　men；　but　men　were　not　a　preferred　prey。　Wolves　remembered　the　old　hunting　together；　for　one　thing；　and　two…legs　tasted　bad；　for　another。　Wolves　were　more　particular　about　their　food　than　he　would　have　believed。　They　would　not　eat　carrion；　unless　they　were　starving；　and　few　would　kill　more　than　they　could　eat。　What　Perrin　felt　from　the　wolves　could　best　be　described　as　disgust。　And　there　were　the　images。　He　could　see　them　much　more　clearly　than　he　wished。　Bodies；　men　and　women　and　children；　heaped　and　tumbled　about。　Blood…soaked　earth　churned　by　hooves　and　frenzied　attempts　to　escape。　Torn　flesh。　Heads　severed。　Vultures　flapping；　their　white　wings　stained　red；　bloody；　featherless　heads　tearing　and　gorging。　He　broke　loose　before　his　stomach　emptied　itself。
　　　　　　　Above　some　trees　in　the　far　distance　he　could　just　make　out　black　specks　whirling　low；　dropping　then　rising　again。　Vultures　fighting　over　their　meal。
　　　　　　　〃There's　something　bad　up　there。〃　He　swallowed；　meeting　Ingtar's　gaze。　How　could　he　fit　telling　them　into　the　story　of　being　a　sniffer？　I　don't　want　to　get　close　enough　to　look　at　that。　But　they'll　want　to　investigate　once　they　can　see　the　vultures。　I　have　to　tell　them　enough　so　they'll　circle　around。　〃The　people　from　that　village　。。。　I　think　the　Trollocs　killed　them。〃
　　　　　　　Uno　began　cursing　quietly；　and　some　of　the　other　Shienarans　muttered　to　themselves。　None　of　them　seemed　to　take　his　announcement　as　odd；　though。　Lord　Ingtar　said　he　was　a　sniffer；　and　sniffers　could　smell　killing。
　　　　　　　〃And　there　is　someone　following　us；〃　Ingtar　said。
　　　　　　　Mat　turned　his　horse　eagerly。　〃Maybe　it's　Rand。　I　knew　he　wouldn't　run　out　on　me。〃
　　　　　　　Thin；　scattered　puffs　of　dust　rose　to　the　north；　a　horse　was　running　across　patches　where　the　grass　grew　thin。　The　Shienarans　spread　out；　lances　ready；　watching　in　all　directions。　It　was　no　place　to　be　casual　about　a　stranger。
　　　　　　　A　speck　appeared　…　a　horse　and　rider；　a　woman；　to　Perrin's　eyes；　long　before　anyone　else　could　discern　the　rider　…　and　quickly　drew　closer。　She　slowed　to　a　trot　as　she　came　up　on　them；　fanning　herself　with　one　hand。　A　plump；　graying　woman；　with　her　cloak　tied　behind　her　saddle；　who　blinked　at　them　all　vaguely。
　　　　　　　〃That's　one　of　the　Aes　Sedai；〃　Mat　said　disappointedly。　〃I　recognize　her。　Verin。〃
　　　　　　　〃Verin　Sedai；〃　Ingtar　said　sharply；　then　bowed　to　her　from　his　saddle。
　　　　　　　〃Moiraine　Sedai　sent　me；　Lord　Ingtar；〃　Verin　announced　with　a　satisfied　smile。　〃She　thought　you　might　need　me。　Such　a　gallop　I've　had。　I　thought　I　might　not　catch　you　short　of　Cairhien。　You　saw　that　village；　of　course？　Oh；　that　was　very　nasty；　wasn't　it？　And　that　Myrddraal。　There　were　ravens　and　crows　all　over　the　rooftops；　but　never　a　one　went　near　it；　dead　as　it　was。　I　had　to　wave　away　the　Dark　One's　own　weight　in　flies；　though；　before　I　could　make　out　what　it　was。　A　shame　I　did　not　have　time　to　take　it　down。　I've　never　had　a　chance　to　study　a　…〃　Suddenly　her　eyes　narrowed；　and　the　absent　manner　vanished　like　smoke。　〃Where　is　Rand　al'Thor？〃
　　　　　　　Ingtar　grimaced。　〃Gone；　Verin　Sedai。　Vanished　last　night；　without　a　trace。　Him；　the　Ogier；　and　Hurin；　one　of　my　men。〃
　　　　　　　〃The　Ogier；　Lord　Ingtar？　And　your　sniffer　went　with　him？　What　would　those　two　have　in　mon　with　。。。？〃　Ingtar　gaped　at　her；　and　she　snorted。　〃Did　you　think　you　could　keep　something　like　that　secret？〃　She　snorted　again。　〃Sniffers。　Vanished；　you　say？〃
　　　　　　　〃Yes；　Verin　Sedai。〃　Ingtar　sounded　unsettled。　It　was　never　easy　discovering　Aes　Sedai　knew　the　secrets　you　were　trying　to　keep　from　them；　Perrin　hoped　Moiraine　had　not　told　anyone　about　him。　〃But　I　have　…　I　have　a　new　sniffer。〃　The　Shienaran　Lord　gestured　to　Perrin。　〃This　man　seems　to　have　the　ability；　also。　I　will　find　the　Horn　of　Valere；　as　I　swore　to；　have　no　fear。　Your　pany　will　be　wele；　Aes　Sedai；　if　you　wish　to　ride　with　us。〃　To　Perrin's　surprise；　he　did　not　sound　as　if　he　entirely　meant　it。
　　　　　　　Verin　glanced　at　Perrin；　and　he　shifted　uneasily。　〃A　new　sniffer；　just　when　you　lose　your　old　one。　How　。。。　providential。　You　found　no　tracks？　No；　of　course　not。　You　said　no　trace。　Odd。　Last　night。〃　She　twisted　in　her　saddle；　looking　back　north；　and　for　a　moment　Perrin　almost　thought　she　was　going　to　ride　back　the　way　she　had　e。
　　　　　　　Ingtar　frowned　at　her。　〃You　think　their　disappearance　has　something　to　do　with　the　Horn；　Aes　Sedai？〃
　　　　　　　Verin　settled　back。　〃The　Horn？　No。　No；　I　。。。　think　not。　But　it　is　odd。　Very　odd。　I　do　not　like　odd　things　until　I　can　understand　them。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　can　have　two　men　escort　you　back　to　where　they　disappeared；　Verin　Sedai。　They　will　have　no　trouble　taking　you　right　to　it。〃
　　　　　　　〃No。　If　you　say　they　vanished　without　a　trace　。。。〃　For　a　long　moment　she　studied　Ingtar；　her　face　unreadable。　〃I　will　ride　with　you。　Perhaps　we　will　find　them　again；　or　they　will　find　us。　Talk　to　me　as　we　ride；　Lord　Ingtar。　Tell　me　everything　you　can　about　the　young　man。　Everything　he　did；　everything　he　said。〃
　　　　　　　They　started　off　in　a　jingle　of　harness　and　armor；　Verin　riding　close　beside　Ingtar　and　questioning　him　closely；　but　too　low　to　be　overheard。　She　gave　Perrin　a　look　when　he　tried　to　maintain　his　place；　and　he　fell　back。
　　　　　　　〃It's　Rand　she's　after；〃　Mat　murmured；　〃not　the　Horn。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　nodded。　Wherever　you've　gotten　to；　Rand；　stay　there。　It's　safer　than　here。


Chapter　15
（Heron…Mark　Sword　Hilt）
Kinslayer

　　　　　　　The　way　the　strangely　faded　distant　hills　seemed　to　slide　toward　Rand　when　he　looked　straight　at　them　made　his　head　spin；　unless　he　wrapped　himself　in　the　void。　Sometimes　the　emptiness　crept　up　on　him　unawares；　but　he　avoided　it　like　death。　Better　to　be　dizzy　than　share　the　void　with　that　uneasy　light。　Better　by　far　to　stare　at　the　faded　land。　Still；　he　tried　not　to　look　at　anything　too　far　away　unless　it　lay　right　ahead　of　them。
　　　　　　　Hurin　wore　a　fixed　look　as　he　concentrated　on　sniffing　the　trail；　as　if　he　were　trying　to　ignore　the　land　the　trail　crossed。　When　the　sniffer　did　notice　what　lay　around　them；　he　would　give　a　start　and　wipe　his　hands　on　his　coat；　then　push　his　nose　forward　like　a　hound；　eyes　glazing；　excluding　everything　else。　Loial　rode　slumped　in　his　saddle　and　frowned　as　he　glanced　around；　ears　twitching　uneasily；　muttering　to　himself。
　　　　　　　Again　they　crossed　land　blackened　and　burned；　even　the　soil　crunching　under　the　horses'　hooves　as　if　it　had　been　seared。　The　burned　swathes；　sometimes　a　mile　wide；　sometimes　only　a　few　hundred　paces；　all　ran　east　and　west　as　straight　as　an　arrow's　flight。　Twice　Rand　saw　the　end　of　a　burn；　once　as　they　rode　over　it；　once　as　they　passed　n