uplift4.brightnessreef-第72部分

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g　time　to　map　the　web　of　alliances　and　enmities　within　the　band。　After　that；　the　procedure　was　to　choose　some　promising　middle…ranked　males　and　help　those　candidates　perform　a　coup；　ousting　the　formerly　dominant　group　of　bully　boys；　whose　interest　lay　in　keeping　things　as　they　were。　The　new　leaders　were　then　easy　to　persuade　to　〃e　home。〃
　　It　was　a　time…tested　technique；　used　successfully　by　others　faced　with　the　task　of　retrieving　wayward　human　clans。　Ideally；　it　shouldn't　prove　necessary　to　kill　anybody。
　　Ideally。
　　In　truth；　Dwer　hated　this　part　of　his　job。
　　You　knew　it　might　e　to　this。　Now　you　pay　for　all　the　freedom　you've　had。
　　If　gentle　suasion　didn't　work；　the　next　step　was　to　call　in　militia　and　hunt　down　every　stray。　The　same　hard　price　had　been　agreed　to　by　every　sept　in　the　mons；　as　an　alternative　to　war　and　damnation。
　　But　this　time　things　are　different。
　　This　time　we　don't　have　any　law　on　our　side…except　the　law　of　survival。
　　Instead　of　bringing　illegal　settlers　back　to　the　Slope；　Ozawa　planned　to　take　over　Rety's　band。　Guiding　them　toward　a　different　way　of　life；　but　one　still　hidden　from　sight。
　　Only　if　the　worst　happens。　If　we're　the　last　humans　alive　on　Jijo。
　　Dwer's　mind　reeled　away　from　that　awful　notion；　as　his　innards　wrestled　with　the　remnants　of　his　meal。　If　this　keeps　on；　I'll　be　too　weak　to　win　a　wrestling　match；　or　however　else　Jass　and　Bom　settle　their　tribal　ranking。　It　may　e　down　to　Lena　and　her　tools；　after　all。
　　Throughout　the　journey；　the　stocky　blond　woman　carefully　tended　one　donkey　carrying　the　gadgets　of　her　personal　〃hobby〃…a　human　technology　passed　down　since　the　first　ancestors　landed　on　Jijo；　one　so　brutal　that　it　had　been　seldom　used；　even　during　the　urrish　wars。　〃My　equalizers；〃　Lena　called　the　wax…sealed　wooden　crates；　meaning　their　contents　made　her　able　to　enforce　Danel's　verdicts；　as　thoroughly　as　Dwer's　muscle　and　physical　skill。
　　It　won't　e　to　that！　he　vowed；　manding　his　body　to　shape　up。　Dwer　touched　several　fingertips　whose　frostbite　damage　might　have　been　much　worse。
　　I've　always　been　luckier　than　I　deserved。　According　to　Sara；　who　had　read　extensively　about　Earth's　past；　the　same　thing　could　be　said　about　the　whole　bloody　human　race。
　　That　was　when　the　glowing　ember　crossed　the　sky；　streaking　overhead　while　Dwer　sat　at　the　makeshift　latrine。　He　would　never　have　noticed　the　sight　had　he　been　facing　another　way　or　engaged　in　an　activity　more　demanding　of　his　attention。　As　it　was；　he　stared　glumly　after　the　falling　spark　while　the　rumbling　thunder　of　its　passage　chased　up　and　down　nearby　canyons；　muttering　echoes　in　the　night。
　　They　faced　more　stream　crossings　the　next　day。　It　was　hard　country；　which　must　have　influenced　the　sooners'　ancestors　to　e　this　way　in　the　first　place。　Guarded　first　by　the　Venom　Plain；　then　ravines　and　whitewater　torrents；　the　Gray　Hills　were　so　forbidding　that　surveyors　checked　the　region　just　once　per　generation。　It　was　easy　to　imagine　how　Fallon　and　the　others　might　overlook　one　small　tribe　in　the　tortured　badlands　Dwer　led　the　party　through…a　realm　of　sulfurous　geysers　and　trees　that　grew　more　twisted　the　deeper　they　went。　Low　clouds　seemed　to　glower　and　sulk；　giving　way　to　brief　glimpses　of　sunshine。　Green　moss　beards　drooped　from　rocky　crevices；　trickling　oily　water　into　scummy　pools。　Animal　life　kept　its　skittish　distance；　leaving　only　faint　spoor　traces　for　Dwer　to　sniff　and　puzzle　over。
　　They　lost　several　donkeys　crossing　the　next　rushing　stream。　Even　with　a　rope　stretched　from　bank　to　bank；　and　both　Lena　and　Dwer　standing　waist…deep　in　the　frigid　water　to　help　them　along；　three　tired　animals　lost　their　footing　on　slippery　stones。　One　got　tangled　in　the　rope；　screaming　and　thrashing；　then　perished　before　they　could　free　it。　Two　others　were　carried　off。　It　took　hours；　sloshing　through　shallows；　to　retrieve　their　packs。
　　Dwer's　fingers　and　toes　seemed　to　burn　the　whole　time　with　a　queer　icy…hot　numbness。
　　Finally；　drying　off　by　a　fire　on　the　other　side；　they　measured　the　damage。
　　〃Four　books；　a　hammer；　and　thirteen　packets　of　powder　missing；〃　Danel　said；　shaking　his　head　over　the　loss。　〃And　some　others　damaged　when　their　waterproofs　tore。〃
　　〃Not　to　mention　the　last　fodder　for　the　beasts；〃　Jenin　added。　〃From　now　on　they　forage；　like　it　or　not。〃
　　〃Well；　we're　almost　there；　ain't　we？〃　Lena　Strong　cut　in；　cheerful　for　once　as　she　knelt　butchering　the　donkey　that　had　strangled。　〃On　the　bright　side；　we　eat　better　for　a　while。〃
　　They　rested　that　night；　feeling　better…if　a　bit　guilty…　with　the　change　in　diet。　The　next　morning　they　marched　just　one　arrowflight　east　to　face　a　mighty　ravine；　with　sheer　walls　and　a　raging　torrent　in　its　heart。
　　Dwer　headed　upstream　while　Lena　struck　off　to　the　south；　leaving　Jenin　and　Danel　to　wait　with　the　exhausted　donkeys。　Two　days　out　and　two　back；　that　was　the　agreed　limit。　If　neither　scout　found　a　way　by　then；　they　might　have　to　make　a　raft　and　try　the　rapids。　Not　a　prospect　Dwer　relished。
　　Didn't　I　tell　Danel　we　should　wait　for　Rety？　I　may　be　a　tracker；　but　she　came　out　through　this　desolation　all　by　herself。
　　More　than　ever　he　was　impressed　by　the　girl's　un…swayable　tenacity。
　　If　there　is　a　second　party；　and　she's　with　them；　Rety's　probably　chortling　over　me　falling　into　this　trap。　If　she　knows　some　secret　shortcut；　they　may　reach　the　tribe　before　us。　Now　won't　that　screw　up　Danel's　plans！
　　Even　moving　parallel　with　the　river　was　awkward　and　dangerous；　a　struggle　up　steep　bluffs；　then　back　down　the　slippery　bank　of　one　icy　tributary　after　another。　To　Dwer's　surprise；　Mudfoot　came　along；　forsaking　Danel's　campfire　and　Jenin's　pampering　attention。　The　trek　was　too　hard　for　any　of　the　noor's　standard　antics；　ambushing　Dwer　or　trying　to　trip　him。　After　a　while；　they　even　began　helping　each　other。　He　carried　the　noor　across　treacherous；　foamy　creeks。　At　other　times；　Mudfoot　sped　ahead　to　report　with　squeals　and　quivers　which　of　two　paths　seemed　better。
　　Still；　the　river　and　its　canyon　tormented　them；　appearing　almost　to　open　up；　then　abruptly　closing　again；　narrower　and　steeper　than　before。　By　noon　of　the　second　day；　Dwer　was　muttering　sourly　over　the　obstinate　nastiness　of　the　terrain。　Fallon　warned　me　about　the　Gray　Hills。　But　I　always　figured　I'd　get　to　go　through　the　old　man's　notes　and　maps。　Pick　a　path　based　on　the　trips　of　earlier　hunters。
　　Yet　none　of　them　had　ever　found　any　trace　of　Rety's　band；　so　maybe　they　relied　too　much　on　each　other's　advice；　repeatedly　taking　the　same　route　in　and　out　of　these　badlands。　A　route　the　sooners　knew　to　avoid。　Maybe　all　this　horrid　inaccessibility　meant　Danel's　group　was　getting　near　the　tribe's　home　base。
　　That's　it；　boy。　Keep　thinkin'　that　way；　if　it　makes　you　feel　better。
　　Wouldn't　it　be　great　to　struggle　all　this　way；　and　back；　only　to　learn　that　Lena　had　already　found　a　good　crossing；　just　a　little　ways　downstream？　That　thought　tortured　Dwer　as　he　shared　food　with　Mudfoot。　Going　on　seemed　futile；　and　he'd　have　to　call　the　trip　a　loss　in　a　few　hours　anyway。　Dwer's　fingers　and　toes　ached；　along　with　overstrained　tendons　across　his　back　and　legs。　But　it　was　the　pounding　roar　of　rushing　water　that　really　wore　away　at　him；　as　if　a　clock　teet　had　been　hammering　inside　his　head　for　days。
　　〃Do　you　think　we　oughta　head　back？〃　he　asked　the　noor。
　　Mudfoot　cocked　its　sleek　head；　giving　Dwer　that　deceptively　intelligent　expression；　reminding　him　of　legends　that　said　the　beasts　could　grant　wishes…if　you　wanted　something　so　bad；　you　didn't　care　about　the　cost。　Workmen　used　the　expression　〃Let's　consult　a　noor〃　to　mean　a　problem　couldn't　be　solved；　and　it　was　time　to　soften　frustration　with　a　set　of　stiff　drinks。
　　〃Well；〃　Dwer　sighed；　hoisting　his　pack　and　bow；　〃I　don't　guess　it'd　hurt　to　go　on　a　ways。　I'd　feel　silly　if　it　turned　out　we　missed　a　good　ford　just　over　the　next　rise。〃
　　Thirty　duras　later；　Dwer　crawled　up　a　thorny　bank；　cursing　the　brambles　and　the　slippery　wetness　that　soaked　his　skin；　wishing　he　was　on　his　way　back　to　a　hot　meal　and　a　dry　blanket。　Finally；　he　reached　a　place　to　stand；　sucking　an　oozing　scratch　across　the　back　of　his　hand。
　　He　turned…and　stared　through　a　mist　at　what　lay　ahead。
　　A　crashing　waterfall；　whose　roar　had　been　masked　by　the　turbulent　river；　stretched　low　and　wide　from　far　to　the　left　all　the　way　to　the　distant　right。　A　wide　curtain　of　spray　and　foam。
　　Yet　that　was　not　what　made　Dwer　gape。
　　Just　before　the　roaring　plummet；　traversing　the　river　from　bank　to　bank；　lay　a　broad　expanse　of　rocky　shallows　that　appeared　nowhere　more　than　ankle　deep。
　　〃I　guess　this　settles　the　question　of　whether　or　not　to　proceed。〃　He　sighed。
　　Shortly；　he　and　Mudfoot　stood　at　last　on　the　other　shore；　having　sloshed　easily　across　to　prove　the　ford　was　safe。　From　there　an　obvious　game　trail　zigzagged　through　the　forest；　departing　the　canyon　eastward。
　　On　my　way　back　downstream　I'll　scout　an　easier　path　for　Danel　and　the　others　to　get　up　here。　Success　took　much　of　the　sting　out　of　his　aches　and　pains。　There's　a　chance　Lena　beat　me　to　a　way　across。　Still；　I　found　this　place；　and　maybe　I'm　the　first！　If　all　this　stupid　alien　stuff　blows　over　and　we　get　to　go　home；　I'll　check　Fallon's　maps　to　see　if　anyone's　named　this　spot　since　the　Buyur　went　away。
　　The　broad　falls　reminded　him　of　the　spillway　back　at　Dolo　Village；　a　thought　that　was　sweet；　but　also　a　bitter　reminder　of　why　he　was　here；　so　far　from　Sara　and　everyone　else　he　loved。
　　I'm　here　to　survive。　It's　my　job　to　cower　and　have　babies　with　women　I　barely　know；　while　those　on　the　Slope　suffer　and　die。
　　The　pleasure　of　discovery　evaporated。　Shame　he　displaced　with　a　wooden　determination　to　do　the　job　he　had　been　manded　to　do。　Dwer　started　to　head　back　across　the　shallows。。。　then　paused　in　his　tracks；　acutely　aware　of　a　tickling　sensation　in　the　middle　of　his　back。
　　Something　was　wrong。
　　Frowning；　he　slipped　off　the　bow　and　drew　the　string…tightening　lever。　With　an　arrow　nocked；　he　flared　his　nostrils　to　suck　humid　air。　It　was　hard　to　make　out　anything　in　the　musty　dankness。　But　judging　from　Mudfoot's　arched　spines；　the　noor　felt　it　too。
　　Someone's　here；　he