uplift4.brightnessreef-第7部分

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ghts　away　from　the　secret　sacred　hollow　of　the　Holy　Egg。
　　The　people　of　the　Six　Races　came　before　us；　moaning　dread。
　　〃Oh；　sages；　shall　we　flee？　Shall　we　hide；　as　the　law　demands？〃
　　Indeed；　the　Scrolls　so　mand　us。
　　Conceal　your　tents；　your　fields；　your　works　and　very　selves。　For　from　the　sky　shall　e　your　judgment　and　your　scourge。
　　Message…casters　asked…〃Shall　we　put　out　the　Call？　Shall　villages　and　burghs　and　herds　and　hives　be　told　to　raze？〃
　　Even　before　the　law　was　shaped…when　our　mons　had　not　yet　congealed　out　of　sharp　enmities…even　then　our　scattered　outcast　bands　knew　where　danger　lay。　We　exiles…on…Jijo　have　cowered　when　survey　probes　from　the　Galactic　Institutes　made　cursory　audits　from　afar；　causing　our　sensor…stones　to　light　with　warning　fire。　At　other　times；　shimmering　globe…swarms　of　Zang　fell　from　the　starry　vault；　dipping　to　the　sea；　then　parting　amid　clouds　of　stolen　vapor。　Even　those　six　times　when　new　bands　of　misfits　settled　on　this　desert　shore；　they　went　ungreeted　by　those　already　here；　until　they　burned　the　ships　that　brought　them。　〃Shall　we　try　to　hide？〃
　　Recall；　my　rings；　the　confused　braying　as　folk　scattered　like　chaff　before　a　whirlwind；　tearing　down　the　festival　pavilions；　hauling　dross　from　our　encampment　toward　nearby　caves。　Yet　amid　all　this；　some　were　calm；　resigned。　From　each　race；　a　few　understood。　This　time　there　would　be　no　hiding　from　the　stars。
　　Among　the　High　Sages；　Vubben　spoke　first；　turning　ah　eyestalk　toward　each　of　us。
　　〃Never　before　has　a　ship　landed　right　in　our　midst。　Clearly；　we　are　already　seen。〃
　　〃Perhaps　not；〃　Ur…Jah　suggested　in　hopeful　Galactic　Seven；　stamping　one　hoof。　Agitated　white　fur　outlined　her　flared　urrish　nostril。　〃They　may　be　tracking　emanations　of　the　Egg！　Perhaps　if　we　hide　swiftly。。。〃
　　Ur…Jah's　voice　trailed　off　as　Lester；　the　human；　rocked　his　head…a　simple　gesture　of　negation　lately　fashionable　throughout　the　mons；　among　those　with　heads。
　　〃At　this　range；　our　infrared　signatures　would　be　unmistakable。　Their　onboard　library　will　have　categorized　us　down　to　each　subspecies。　If　they　didn't　know　about　us　before　entering　the　atmosphere；　they　surely　do　by　now。〃
　　Out　of　habit；　we　took　his　word　for　such　things；　about　which　humans　oft　know　best。
　　〃Perhaps　they　are　refugees　like　us！〃　burst　forth　our　qheuenish　sage；　venting　hope　from　all　five　leg…vents。　But　Vubben　was　not　sanguine。
　　〃You　saw　the　manner　of　their　arrival。　Was　that　the　style　of　refugees；　treading　in　fear；　hiding　from　Izmunuti's　stare？　Did　any　of　our　ancestors　e　thus？　Screaming　brutishly　across　the　sky？〃
　　Lifting　his　forward　eye　to　regard　the　crowd；　Vubben　called　for　order。　〃Let　no　one　leave　the　festival　valley；　lest　their　flight　be　tracked　to　our　scattered　clans　and　holds。　But　seek　all　glavers　that　have　e　to　browse　among　us；　and　push　those　simple　ones　away；　so　our　guilt　won't　stain　their　reclaimed　innocence。
　　〃As　for　those　of　the　Six　who　are　here　now；　where　the　ship's　dark　shadow　fell。。。　we　all　must　live　or　die　as　fate　wills。〃
　　i/we　sensed　solidification　among　the　rings　of　my/our　body。　Fear　merged　into　noble　resignation　as　the　mons　saw　truth　in　Vubben's　words。
　　〃Nor　shall　we　scurry　uselessly；〃　he　went　on。　〃For　the　Scrolls　also　say…When　every　veil　is　torn；　cower　no　more。　For　that　day　es　your　judgment。　Stand　as　you　are。〃
　　So　clear　was　his　wisdom；　there　rose　no　dissent。　We　gathered　then；　tribe　by　tribe；　did　we　not；　my　rings？　From　many；　we　coalesced　as　one。
　　Together　our　mons　turned　toward　the　ship；　to　meet　our　destiny。
　　
　　Dwer
　　THE　WEIRD　NOOR　STILL　DOGGED　HIS　HEELS；　leering　down　at　him　from　tree　branches；　being　an　utter　pest。
　　Sometimes　the　sleek；　black…pelted　creature　vanished　for　a　while；　raising　Dwer's　hopes。　Perhaps　it　finally　had　tired　of　dusty　alpine　air；　so　far　from　the　swamps　where　most　noor　dwelled。
　　Then　it　reappeared；　a　grin　splitting　its　stubby　snout；　perched　on　some　ledge　to　watch　Dwer　hack　through　thorn…hedges　and　scramble　over　upended　slabs　of　ancient　pavement；　kneeling　often　to　check　footprint　traces　of　a　runaway　glaver。
　　The　scent　was　already　cool　when　Dwer　had　first　noticed　the　spoor；　just　outside　the　Glade　of　Gathering。　His　brother　and　the　other　pilgrims　had　continued　toward　sounds　of　gala　music；　floating　from　the　festival　pavilions。　But　alas　for　Dwer；　it　was　his　job　to　stop　glavers　who　took　a　strange　notion　to　leave　the　cozy　lowlands　and　make　a　break　for　perilous　freedom。　Festival　would　have　to　wait。
　　The　noor　barked　high…pitched　yelps；　pretending　to　be　helpful；　its　sinuous　body　streaking　along　at　root　level　while　Dwer　had　to　chop　and　scramble。　Finally；　Dwer　could　tell　they　were　gaining。　The　glaver's　tired　footprints　lay　close　together；　pressing　the　heel。　When　the　wind　changed；　Dwer　caught　a　scent。　About　time；　he　thought；　gauging　how　little　mountain　remained　before　a　cleft　led　to　the　next　watershed…in　effect　another　world。
　　Why　do　glavers　keep　doing　this？　Their　lives　aren't　so　rough　on　this　side；　where　everyone　dotes　on　them。　Beyond　the　pass；　by　contrast；　lay　a　poison　plain；　unfit　for　all　but　the　hardiest　hunters。
　　Or　tourists；　he　thought；　recalling　Lena　Strong's　offer　to　pay　him　to　lead　a　trip　east。　A　journey　whose　sole　aim　was　sightseeing…a　word　Dwer　had　only　heard　in　tales　from　Old　Earth。
　　These　are　crazy　times；　he　thought。　Yet　the　〃tour　organizers〃　claimed　to　have　approval　from　the　sages…under　certain　conditions。　Dwer　shook　his　head。　He　didn't　need　idiotic　ideas　clouding　his　mind　right　now；　with　a　quarry　just　ahead。
　　The　noor；　too；　showed　signs　of　fatigue；　though　it　kept　snuffing　along　the　glaver's　track；　then　rising　on　its　hind　legs　to　scan　with　black；　forward…facing　eyes。　Suddenly；　it　gave　a　guttural　purr　and　took　off　through　the　montane　thicket…and　soon　Dwer　heard　a　glaver's　unmistakable　squawl；　followed　by　the　thud　of　running　feet。
　　Great；　now　he's　spooked　it！
　　At　last　Dwer　spilled　from　the　undergrowth　onto　a　stretch　of　ancient　Buyur　highway。　Sprinting　along　the　broken　pavement；　he　sheathed　the　machete　and　drew　his　pound　bow；　cranking　the　string　taut。
　　Sounds　of　hissing　confrontation　spilled　from　a　narrow　side　canyon；　forcing　Dwer　to　leave　the　old　road　again；　dodging　amid　vine…crusted　trees。　Finally　he　saw　them；　just　beyond　a　screen　of　shrubs…two　creatures；　poised　in　a　showdown　of　sable　and　iridescent　pale。
　　Cornered　in　a　slit　ravine；　the　glaver　was　obviously　female；　possibly　pregnant。　She　had　climbed　a　long　way　and　was　pulling　deep　breaths。　Globelike　eyes　rotated　independently；　one　tracking　the　dark　noor　while　the　other　scanned　for　dangers　yet　unseen。
　　Dwer　cursed　both　of　them…the　glaver　for　drawing　him　on　a　profitless　chase　when　he　had　been　looking　forward　to　festival；　and　the　meddlesome　noor　for　daring　to　interfere！
　　Doubly　cursed；　because　now　he　was　in　its　debt。　If　the　glaver　had　reached　the　plains　beyond　the　Rimmer　Range；　it　would　have　been　no　end　of　trouble。
　　Neither　creature　seemed　to　notice　Dwer…though　he　wouldn't　bet　against　the　noor's　keen　senses。　What　is　the　little　devil　doing　up　here？　What's　it　trying　to　prove？
　　Dwer　had　named　it　Mudfoot；　for　the　brown　forepaws　marring　an　ebony　pelt；　from　a　flattish　tail　to　whiskers　that　twitched　all　around　a　stubby　snout。　The　black…furred　creature　kept　still；　its　gaze　riveted　on　the　flighty　glaver；　but　Dwer　wasn't　fooled。　You　know　I'm　watching；　show…off。　Of　all　species　left　on　Jijo　when　the　ancient　Buyur　departed；　Dwer　found　noor　the　least　fathomable；　and　fathoming　other　creatures　was　a　hunter's　art。
　　Quietly；　he　lowered　the　bow　and　unfastened　a　buckskin　thong；　taking　up　his　coiled　lariat。　Using　patient；　stealthy　care；　he　edged　forward。
　　Grinning　with　jagged；　angular　teeth；　Mudfoot　reared　almost　to　the　glaver's　height…roughly　as　tall　as　Dwer's　thigh。　The　glaver　retreated　with　a　snarl；　till　her　bony　back　plates　brushed　rock；　causing　a　rain　of　pebbles。　In　her　forked　tail　she　brandished　a　stick…some　branchlet　or　sapling　with　the　twigs　removed。　A　sophisticated　tool；　given　the　present　state　of　glaverdom。
　　Dwer　took　another　step　and　this　time　could　not　avoid　crushing　some　leaves。　Behind　the　noor's　pointy　ears；　gray　spines　jutted　from　the　fur；　waving　independently。　Mudfoot　kept　facing　the　glaver；　but　something　in　its　stance　said…〃Be　quiet；　fool！〃
　　Dwer　didn't　like　being　told　what　to　do。　Especially　by　a　noor。　Still；　a　hunt　is　judged　only　by　success；　and　Dwer　wanted　a　clean　capture。　Shooting　the　glaver　now　would　be　to　admit　failure。
　　Her　loose　skin　had　lost　some　opal　luster　since　leaving　familiar　haunts；　scavenging　near　some　village　of　the　Six；　as　glavers　had　done　for　centuries；　ever　since　their　innocence　was　new。
　　Why　do　they　do　this？　Why　do　a　few　try　for　the　passes；　every　year？
　　One　might　as　well　guess　the　motives　of　a　noor。　Among　the　Six；　only　the　patient　hoon　had　a　knack　for　working　with　the　puckish；　disruptive　beasts。
　　Maybe　the　Buyur　resented　having　to　quit　Jijo　and　left　noor　as　a　joke　on　whoever　came　next。
　　A　buzzing　lion…fly　cruised　by；　under　filmy；　rotating　wings。　The　panting　glaver　tracked　it　with　one　eye；　while　the　other　watched　the　swaying　noor。　Hunger　gradually　prevailed　over　fear　as　she　realized　Mudfoot　was　too　small　to　murder　her。　As　if　to　enhance　that　impression；　the　noor　sat　back　on　its　haunches；　nonchalantly　licking　a　shoulder。
　　Very　clever；　Dwer　thought；　shifting　his　weight　as　the　glaver　swung　both　eyes　toward　the　hovering　meal。
　　A　jet　of　sputum　shot　from　her　mouth；　striking　the　fly's　tail。
　　In　a　flash；　Mudfoot　bounded　left。　The　glaver　squealed；　struck　out　with　the　stick；　then　whirled　to　flee　the　other　way。　Cursing；　Dwer　sprang　from　the　undergrowth。　Moccasins　skidded　on　spoiled　granite；　and　he　tumbled；　passing　just　under　the　flailing　club。　Desperately；　Dwer　cast　the　lariat…which　tautened　with　a　savage　yank　that　slammed　his　chin　to　the　ground。　Though　starving　and　weak；　the　glaver　had　enough　panicky　strength　to　drag　Dwer　for　a　dozen　meters；　till　her　will　finally　gave　out。
　　Shivering；　with　waves　of　color　coursing　under　her　pale　skin；　she　dropped　the　makeshift　club　and　sank　to　all　four　knees。　Dwer　got　up　warily；　coiling　the　rope。
　　〃Easy　does　it。　No　one's　gonna　hurt　you。〃
　　The　glaver　scanned　him　with　one　dull　eye。　〃Pain　exists。　Marg