rj.thegreathunt-第51部分

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s　careful　to　light　lamps　or　candles；　now；　sometimes　before　anyone　else　thought　they　were　needed。
　　　　　　　From　the　wolves　came　a　view　of　men　on　horses　approaching　the　hollow　in　late　day。　That　was　the　last　they　had　seen　or　smelled　of　Rand　or　the　other　two。
　　　　　　　Perrin　hesitated。　The　next　step　would　be　useless　unless　he　told　Ingtar。　And　Mat　will　die　if　we　don't　find　that　dagger。　Burn　you；　Rand；　why　did　you　take　the　sniffer？
　　　　　　　The　one　time　he　had　gone　to　the　dungeon；　with　Egwene；　the　smell　of　Fain　had　made　his　hair　stand　on　end；　not　even　Trollocs　smelled　so　foul。　He　had　wanted　to　rip　through　the　bars　of　the　cell　and　tear　the　man　apart；　and　finding　that　inside　himself　had　frightened　him　more　than　Fain　did。　To　mask　Fain's　smell　in　his　own　mind；　he　added　the　scent　of　Trollocs　before　he　howled　aloud。
　　　　　　　From　the　distance　came　the　cries　of　a　wolfpack；　and　in　the　hollow　horses　stamped　and　whickered　fearfully。　Some　of　the　soldiers　fingered　their　longbladed　lances　and　eyed　the　rim　of　the　hollow　uneasily。　Inside　Perrin's　head；　it　was　much　worse。　He　felt　the　rage　of　the　wolves；　the　hate。　There　were　only　two　things　wolves　hated。　All　else　they　merely　endured；　but　fire　and　Trollocs　they　hated；　and　they　would　go　through　fire　to　kill　Trollocs。
　　　　　　　Even　more　than　the　Trollocs；　Fain's　scent　had　put　them　into　a　frenzy；　as　if　they　smelled　something　that　made　Trollocs　seem　natural　and　right。
　　　　　　　Where？
　　　　　　　The　sky　rolled　in　his　head；　the　land　spun。　East　and　west；　wolves　did　not　know。　They　knew　the　movements　of　sun　and　moon；　the　shift　of　seasons；　the　contours　of　the　land。　Perrin　puzzled　it　out。　South。　And　something　more。　An　eagerness　to　kill　the　Trollocs。　The　wolves　would　let　Young　Bull　share　in　the　killing。　He　could　bring　the　two…legs　with　their　hard　skins　if　he　wanted；　but　Young　Bull；　and　Smoke；　and　Two　Deer；　and　Winter　Dawn；　and　all　the　rest　of　the　pack　would　hunt　down　the　Twisted　Ones　who　had　dared　e　into　their　land。　The　inedible　flesh　and　bitter　blood　would　burn　the　tongue；　but　they　must　be　killed。　Kill　them。　Kill　the　Twisted　Ones。
　　　　　　　Their　fury　infected　him。　His　lips　peeled　back　in　a　snarl；　and　he　took　a　step；　to　join　them；　run　with　them　in　the　hunt；　in　the　killing。
　　　　　　　With　an　effort　he　broke　the　contact　except　for　a　thin　sense　that　the　wolves　were　there。　He　could　have　pointed　to　them　across　the　intervening　distance。　He　felt　cold　inside。　I'm　a　man；　not　a　wolf。　Light　help　me；　I　am　a　man！
　　　　　　　〃Are　you　well；　Perrin？〃　Mat　said；　moving　closer。　He　sounded　the　way　he　always　did；　flippant　…　and　bitter　under　it；　too；　of　late　…　but　he　looked　worried。　〃That　is　all　I　need。　Rand　run　off；　and　then　you　get　sick。　I　don't　know　where　I'll　find　a　Wisdom　to　look　after　you　out　here。　I　think　I　have　some　willowbark　in　my　saddlebags。　I　can　make　you　some　willowbark　tea；　if　Ingtar　lets　us　stay　that　long。　Serve　you　right　if　I　make　it　too　strong。〃
　　　　　　　〃I　。。。　I'm　all　right；　Mat。〃　Shaking　off　his　friend；　he　went　to　find　Ingtar。　The　Shienaran　lord　was　scanning　the　ground　on　the　rim　with　Uno；　and　Ragan；　and　Masema。　The　others　frowned　at　him　as　he　drew　Ingtar　aside。　He　made　sure　Uno　and　the　rest　were　too　far　away　to　hear　before　he　spoke。　〃I　don't　know　where　Rand　or　the　others　went；　Ingtar；　but　Padan　Fain　and　the　Trollocs　…　and　I　guess　the　rest　of　the　Darkfriends　…　are　still　heading　south。〃
　　　　　　　〃How　do　you　know　this？〃　Ingtar　said。
　　　　　　　Perrin　drew　a　deep　breath。　〃Wolves　told　me。〃　He　waited；　for　what　he　was　not　sure。　Laughter；　scorn；　an　accusation　of　being　a　Darkfriend；　of　being　mad。　Deliberately；　he　tucked　his　thumbs　behind　his　belt；　away　from　the　axe。　I　will　not　kill。　Not　again。　If　he　tries　to　kill　me　for　a　Darkfriend；　I'II　run；　but　I　won't　kill　anybody　else。
　　　　　　　〃I　have　heard　of　things　like　this；〃　Ingtar　said　slowly；　after　a　moment。　〃Rumors。　There　was　a　Warder；　a　man　called　Elyas　Machera；　who　some　said　could　talk　to　wolves。　He　disappeared　years　ago。〃　He　seemed　to　catch　something　in　Perrin's　eyes。　〃You　know　him？〃
　　　　　　　〃I　know　him；〃　Perrin　said　flatly。　〃He's　the　one　。。。　I　don't　want　to　talk　about　it。　I　didn't　ask　for　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　t