rj.eyeoftheworld-第89部分

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　　　　　　　Shaking；　he　lowered　himself　to　the　ground　slowly。　He　tried　to　speak；　but　his　mouth　was　too　dry。　After　a　minute　he　managed　to　work　up　some　spit。　〃Was　that　what　you　were　afraid　of？　Why　didn't　you　say　something？　Why　didn't　the　wolves　see　them？〃
　　　　　　　〃Wolves　don't　look　up　in　trees　much；〃　Elyas　growled。　〃And　no；　I　wasn't　looking　for　this。　I　told　you；　I　didn't　know　what　。。。〃　Far　to　the　west　a　black　cloud　rose　over　yet　another　grove　and　winged　southward。　They　were　too　far　off　to　make　out　individual　birds。　〃It　isn't　a　big　hunt；　thank　the　Light。　They　don't　know。　Even　after。。。〃　He　turned　to　stare　back　the　way　they　had　e。
　　　　　　　Perrin　swallowed。　Even　after　the　dream；　Elyas　had　meant。　〃Not　big？〃　he　said。　〃Back　home　you　won't　see　that　many　ravens　in　a　whole　year。〃
　　　　　　　Elyas　shook　his　head。　〃In　the　Borderlands　I've　seen　sweeps　with　a　thousand　ravens　to　the　flock。　Not　too　often　…　there's　a　bounty　on　ravens　there　…　but　it　has　happened。〃　He　was　still　looking　north。　〃Hush；　now。〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　felt　it；　then；　the　effort　of　reaching　out　to　the　distant　wolves。　Elyas　wanted　Dapple　and　her　panions　to　quit　scouting　ahead；　to　hurry　back　and　check　their　backtrail。　His　already　gaunt　face　tightened　and　thinned　under　the　strain。　The　wolves　were　so　far　away　Perrin　could　not　even　feel　them。　Hurry。　Watch　the　sky。　Hurry。
　　　　　　　Faintly　Perrin　caught　the　reply　from　far　to　the　south。　We　e。　An　image　flashed　in　his　mind　…　wolves　running；　muzzles　pointing　into　the　wind　of　their　haste；　running　as　if　wildfire　raced　behind；　running…flashed　and　was　gone　in　an　instant。
　　　　　　　Elyas　slumped　and　drew　a　deep　breath。　Frowning；　he　peered　over　the　ridge；　then　back　to　the　north；　and　muttered　under　his　breath。
　　　　　　　〃You　think　there　are　more　ravens　behind　us？〃　Perrin　asked。
　　　　　　　〃Could　be；〃　Elyas　said　vaguely。　〃They　do　it　that　way；　sometimes。　I　know　a　place；　if　we　can　reach　it　by　dark。　We　have　to　keep　moving　until　full　dark　anyway；　even　if　we　don't　get　there；　but　we　can't　go　as　fast　as　I　would　like。　Can't　afford　to　get　too　close　to　the　ravens　ahead　of　us。　But　if　they're　behind　us；　too　。。。〃
　　　　　　　〃Why　dark？〃　Perrin　said。　〃What　place？　Somewhere　safe　from　the　ravens？〃
　　　　　　　〃Safe　from　ravens；〃　Elyas　said；　〃but　too　many　people　know　。。。　Ravens　roost　for　the　night。　We　don't　have　to　worry　about　them　finding　us　in　the　dark。　The　Light　send　ravens　are　all　we　have　to　worry　about　then。〃　With　one　more　look　over　the　crest；　he　rose　and　waved　to　Egwene　to　bring　Bela　up。　〃But　dark　is　a　long　way　off。　We　have　to　get　moving。〃　He　started　down　the　far　slope　in　a　shambling　run；　each　stride　barely　catching　him　on　the　edge　of　falling。　〃Move；　burn　you！〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　moved；　half　running；　half　sliding；　after　him。
　　　　　　　Egwene　topped　the　rise　behind　them；　kicking　Bela　to　a　trot。　A　grin　of　relief　bloomed　on　her　face　when　she　saw　them。　〃What's　going　on？〃　she　called；　urging　the　shaggy　mare　to　catch　up。　〃When　you　disappeared　like　that；　I　thought　。。。　What　happened？〃
　　　　　　　Perrin　saved　his　breath　for　running　until　she　reached　them。　He　explained　about　the　ravens　and　Elyas's　safe　place；　but　it　was　a　disjointed　story。　After　a　strangled；　〃Ravens！〃　she　kept　interrupting　with　questions　for　which；　as　often　as　not；　he　had　no　answers。　Between　them；　he　did　not　finish　until　they　reached　the　next　ridge。
　　　　　　　Ordinarily　…　if　anything　about　the　journey　could　be　called　ordinary　…　they　would　have　gone　around　this　one　rather　than　over；　but　Elyas　insisted　on　scouting　anyway。
　　　　　　　〃You　want　to　just　saunter　right　into　the　middle　of　them；　boy？〃　was　his　sour　ment。
　　　　　　　Egwene　stared　at　the　crest　of　the　ridge；　licking　her　lips；　as　if　she　wanted　to　go　with　Elyas　this　time　and　wanted　to　stay　where　she　was；　too。　Elyas　was　the　only　one　who　showed　no　hesitation。
　　　　　　　Perrin　wondered　if　the　ravens　ever　doubled　back。　It　would　be　a　fine　thing　to　reach　the　crest　at　the　same　time　as　a　flock　of　ravens。
　　　　　　　At　the　top　he　inched　his　head　up　until　he　could　just　see；　and　heaved　a　sigh　of　relief　when　all　he　saw　was　a　copse　of　trees　a　little　to　the　west。　There　were　no　ravens　to　be　seen。　Abruptly　a　fox　burst　out　of　the　trees；　running　hard。　Ravens　poured　from　the　branches　after　it。　The　beat　of　their　wings　almost　drowned　out　a　desperate　whining　from　the　fox。　A　black　whirlwind　dove　and　swirled　around　it。　The　fox's　jaws　snapped　at　them；　but　they　darted　in；　and　darted　away　untouched；　black　beaks　glistening　wetly。　The　fox　turned　back　toward　the　trees；　seeking　the　safety　of　its　den。　It　ran　awkwardly　now；　head　low；　fur　dark　and　bloody；　and　the　ravens　flapped　around　it；　mote　and　more　of　them　at　once；　the　fluttering　mass　thickening　until　it　hid　the　fox　pletely。　As　suddenly　as　they　had　descended　the　ravens　rose；　wheeled；　and　vanished　over　the　next　rise　to　the　south。　A　misshapen　lump　of　torn　fur　marked　what　had　been　the　fox。
　　　　　　　Perrin　swallowed　hard。　Light！　They　could　do　that　to　us。　A　hundred　ravens。　They　could　…
　　　　　　　〃Move；〃　Elyas　growled；　jumping　up。　He　waved　to　Egwene　to　e　on；　and　without　waiting　set　off　at　a　trot　toward　the　trees。　〃Move；　burn　you！〃　he　called　over　his　shoulder。　〃Move！〃
　　　　　　　Egwene　galloped　Bela　over　the　rise　and　caught　them　before　they　reached　the　bottom　of　the　slope。　There　was　no　time　for　explanations；　but　her　eyes　picked　out　the　fox　right　away。　Her　face　went　as　white　as　snow。
　　　　　　　Elyas　reached　the　trees　and　turned　there；　at　the　edge　of　the　copse；　waving　vigorously　for　them　to　hurry。　Perrin　tried　to　run　faster　and　stumbled。　Arms　wind…milling；　he　barely　caught　himself　short　of　going　flat　on　his　face。　Blood　and　ashes！　I'm　running　as　fast　as　I　can！
　　　　　　　A　lone　raven　winged　out　of　the　copse。　It　tilted　toward　them；　screamed；　and　spun　toward　the　south。　Knowing　he　was　already　too　late；　Perrin　fumbled　his　sling　from　around　his　waist。　He　was　still　trying　to　get　a　stone　from　his　pocket　to　the　sling　when　the　raven　abruptly　folded　up　in　mid…air　and　plummeted　to　the　ground。　His　mouth　dropped　open；　and　then　he　saw　the　sling　hanging　from　Egwene's　hand。　She　grinned　at　him　unsteadily。
　　　　　　　〃Don't　stand　there　counting　your　toes！〃　Elyas　called。
　　　　　　　With　a　start　Perrin　hurried　into　the　trees；　then　jumped　out　of　the　way　to　avoid　being　trampled　by　Egwene　and　Bela。
　　　　　　　Far　to　the　west；　almost　out　of　sight；　what　seemed　like　a　dark　mist　rose　into　the　air。　Perrin　felt　the　wolves　passing　in　that　direction；　heading　north。　He　felt　them　notice　ravens；　to　the　left　and　right　of　them；　without　slowing。　The　dark　mist　swirled　northward　as　if　pursuing　the　wolves；　then　abruptly　broke　off　and　flashed　to　the　south。
　　　　　　　〃Do　you　think　they　saw　us？〃　Egwene　asked。　〃We　were　already　in　the　trees；　weren't　we？　They　couldn't　see　us　at　that　distance。　Could　they？　Not　that　far　off。〃
　　　　　　　〃We　saw　them　at　that　distance；〃　Elyas　said　dryly。　Perrin　shifted　uneasily；　and　Egwene　drew　a　frightened　breath。　〃If　they　had　seen　us；〃　Elyas　growled；　〃they'd　have　been　down　on　us　like　they　were　on　that　fox。　Think；　if　you　want　to　stay　alive。　Fear　will　kill　you　if　you　don't　control　it。〃　His　penetrating　stare　held　on　each　of　them　for　a　moment。　Finally　he　nodded。　〃They're　gone；　now；　and　we　should　be；　too。　Keep　those　slings　handy。　Might　be　useful　again。〃
　　　　　　　As　they　moved　out　of　the　copse；　Elyas　angled　them　westward　from　the　line　of　march　they　had　been　following。　Perrin's　breath　snagged　in　his　throat；　it　was　as　if　they　were　chasing　after　the　last　ravens　they　had　seen。　Elyas　kept　on　tirelessly；　and　there　was　nothing　for　them　to　do　but　follow。　After　all；　Elyas　knew　a　safe　place。　Somewhere。　So　he　said。
　　　　　　　They　ran　to　the　next　hill；　waited　till　the　ravens　moved　on；　then　ran　again；　waited；　ran。　The　steady　progress　they　had　been　keeping　had　been　tiring　enough；　but　all　except　Elyas　quickly　began　to　flag　under　this　jerky　pace。　Perrin's　chest　heaved；　and　he　gulped　air　when　he　had　a　few　minutes　to　lie　on　a　hilltop；　leaving　the　search　to　Elyas。　Bela　stood　head　down；　nostrils　flaring；　at　every　stop。　Fear　lashed　them　on；　and　Perrin　did　not　know　if　it　was　controlled　or　not。　He　only　wished　the　wolves　would　tell　them　what　was　behind　them；　if　anything　was；　whatever　it　was。
　　　　　　　Ahead　were　more　ravens　than　Perrin　ever　hoped　to　see　again。　To　the　left　and　right　the　black　birds　billowed　up；　and　to　the　south。　A　dozen　times　they　reached　the　hiding　place　of　a　grove　or　the　scant　shelter　of　a　slope　only　moments　before　ravens　swept　into　the　sky。　Once；　with　the　sun　beginning　to　slide　from　its　midday　height；　they　stood　in　the　open；　frozen　as　still　as　statues；　half　a　mile　from　the　nearest　cover；　while　a　hundred　of　the　Dark　One's　feathered　spies　flashed　by　a　bare　mile　to　the　east。　Sweat　rolled　down　Perrin's　face　despite　the　wind；　until　the　last　black　shape　dwindled　to　a　dot　and　vanished。　He　lost　count　of　the　stragglers　they　brought　down　with　their　slings。
　　　　　　　He　saw　more　than　enough　evidence　lying　in　the　path　the　ravens　had　covered　to　justify　his　fear。　He　had　stared　with　a　queasy　fascination　at　a　rabbit　that　had　been　torn　to　pieces。　The　eyeless　head　stood　upright；　with　the　other　bits　…　legs；　entrails　…　scattered　in　a　rough　circle　around　it。　Birds；　too；　stabbed　to　shapeless　masses　of　feathers。　And　two　more　foxes。
　　　　　　　He　remembered　something　Lan　had　said。　All　the　Dark　One's　creatures　delight　in　killing。　The　Dark　One's　power　is　death。　And　if　the　ravens　found　them？　Pitiless　eyes　shining　like　black　beads。　Stabbing　beaks　swirling　around　them。　Needle…sharp　beaks　drawing　blood。　A　hundred　of　them。　Or　can　they　call　more　of　their　kind？　Maybe　all　of　them　in　the　hunt？　A　sickening　image　built　up　in　his　mind。　A　pile　of　ravens　as　big　as　a　hill；　seething　like　maggots；　fighting　over　a　few　bloody　shreds。
　　　　　　　Suddenly　the　image　was　swept　away　by　others；　each　one　clear　for　an　instant；　then　spinning　and　fading　into　another。　The　wolves　had　found　ravens　to　the　north。　Screaming　birds　dove　and　whirled　and　dove　again；　beaks　drawing　blood　with　every　swoop。　Snarling　wolves　dodged　and　leaped；　twisting　in　the　air；　jaws　snapping。　Again　and　again　Perrin　tasted　feathers　and　the　foul　taste　of　fluttering　ravens　crushed　alive；　felt　the　pain　of　oozing　gashes　all　over　his　body；　knew　with　a　despair　that　never　touched　on　giving　up　that　all　his　effort　was　not　enough。　Suddenly　the　ravens　broke　away；　wheeling　overhead　for　one　last　shriek　of　rage　at　the　wolves。　Wolves　did　not　die　as　easily　as　foxes