amccaffrey.theskiesofpern-第26节

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r　a　trundlebug　could　also　be　perpendicular　to　the　ground。　They　had　been　observed　maneuvering　up　to　the　crown　of　a　frond　tree　and　down　the　other　side。　Right　now；　a　very　large　trundlebug…the　creatures　could　bee　quite　large　if　no　natural　hazard　ended　their　existence…was　under　intense　draconic　surveillance。　This　one　had　no　fewer　than　five　young　still　attached　behind　it；　in　various　stages　of　maturation　in　the　trundlebug's　peculiar　reproductive　process。　Their　bodies　collected　pollen　from　low…growing　shrubs　and　vines…also　the　occasional　tree…and　shed　it　in　their　progress　to　whatever　unknowable　goal　trundlebugs　had。　What　other　purpose　they　served　Tai　did　not　know；　but　they　were　less　of　a　nuisance　than　some　crawlies　and　rather　curious　to　watch。　Single…mindedness　was　exemplified　in　the　trundlebug。　It　had　been　suggested　there　was　only　a　female　of　the　species。
　　Trundlebugs　were　a　good　reason　to　sleep　in　a　hammock。　Humans　used　sticky…goo　tapes　around　the　trunks　of　hammock　trees　and　the　base　of　any　living　acmodation。　Most　buildings　were　on　stilts　as　another　deterrent　to　invading　creepy…crawlies；　in　low…lying　coastal　areas；　stilts　also　kept　dwellings　above　high　tide　floods。　Tai's　little　house　was　just　beyond　her　hammock：　all　its　shutters　were　open　to　let　in　what　wind　there　was；　the　fine…net　screens　preventing　the　entry　of　airborne　insects。　The　afternoon　breeze　generally　wafted　away　those　clinging　to　the　material。　The　diurnal　ones　departed　at　dusk；　the　nocturnal　ones　were　noisier　but　photosensitive。　A　tall　spire　of　solar　panel　provided　Tai　with　what　power　she　needed：　for　lights；　the　warmer　plate；　the　cold　box；　and　for　the　occasional　hot　air　during　the　worst　of　the　cold　weather…which；　to　her；　was　never　as　cold　as　it　had　once　been　in　Keroon's　foothills。
　　In　the　Southern　hemisphere；　some　dragonriders　preferred　to　live　in　panionable　clusters　or　with　their　mates；　but　Tai　loved　seclusion。　She　had　handcrafted　such　furnishings　as　she　had；　shelves；　bedstead；　worktop；　hooks；　and　the　chest　where　she　kept　her　clothing。
　　Zaranth　knew　Tai　was　awake；　but　the　green　dragon　was　watching　the　trundlebug。　Abruptly　the　inexorable　path　of　the　trundlebug…which　would　take　it　into　Zaranth's　left　nostril…ended。　Tai　blinked。　Had　Zaranth　exhaled　from　the　victim　nostril；　tumbling　the　trundlebug　and　her　offspring　away　from　her？　Movement　out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye　showed　her　that　the　trundlebug　was　now　marching　in　an　easterly　direction；　an　exact　forty…five　degrees　from　its　original　course　and　at　least　a　full　dragon…length　from　its　previous　path。
　　How'd　you　do　that？　Tai　asked；　not　sure　she　had　seen　what　she　had　seen。
　　I　did　not　care　for　it　to　crawl　into　my　nose。　I　moved　it。
　　Just　like　that？
　　Just　like　that。
　　Do　you　do　it　often？
　　Now　and　then。　That。。。　and　Zaranth　moved　her　chin　slightly　toward　the　redirected　trundlebug；　does　not　belong　where　it　was　going。　The　dragon　lost　her　pose　of　indolence；　her　eyes　were　wide　open；　and　she　was　magically　on　her　feet。　Felines！　We're　needed！
　　Tai　scrambled　from　the　hammock；　leaping　into　her　quarters；　pulling　on　trousers；　stomping　into　boots；　shrugging　into　her　riding　jacket…and　bother　a　sleeved　shirt…and　carrying　the　dangling　safety　straps　out　to　slip　the　harness　over　Zaranth's　eager　head。　It　was　as　dangerous　to　hunt　felines　as　to　fly　Thread。　Zaranth　shrugged　the　leathers　to　the　base　of　her　broad　neck　and　lifted　her　leg　for　Tai　to　clip　them　together。
　　Who　sent　for　help？
　　Cardiff。　Fire…lizard　message。　T'gellan's　called　half　the　wing。
　　Tai　vaulted　between　the　last　two　neck　ridges；　and　clipped　the　safety　harness　onto　her　broad　belt。
　　I　know　where；　the　green　dragon　said　and　took　off　so　quickly　Tai's　head　snapped。　They　were　barely　above　the　trees　when　Zaranth　went　between。
　　They　were　back　in　the　moist　southern　air；　a　half　dozen　other　dragons　erupting　nearby。
　　Cardiff　herder　spotted　the　pride。　A　big　one。
　　They　had　e　out　low　above　the　rolling　highland　plateau　where　the　Ancients　had　turned　loose　their　grazers　and　ruminators；　unable　to　transport　more　than　breeding　stock　to　the　north。　The　herds　had　multiplied　over　the　centuries　and　mutated　slightly　from　their　northern　relatives；　affording　them　some　protection　against　the　local　parasites　and　poisonous　plants。　The　MasterHerder　had　found　the　alterations　〃fascinating。〃　Right　now；　a　huge　herd　of　mixed　varieties　was　stampeding　from　the　edge　of　the　jungle　where　the　predators　lurked　to　ambush　the　unwary。
　　As　a　relatively　new　southern　Hold；　Cardiff　did　its　best　to　oversee　its　grasslands；　but　the　hundred　or　so　herders　could　not　always　protect　the　far…ranging　stock。　Watched　by　no　more　than　three　or　four　men　or　women；　the　beasts　covered　wide　tracts　in　their　search　for　edible　grasses。　Thunder；　lightning；　or　the　occasional　jungle　fire　could　send　them　into　terror…stricken　stampedes；　which　occasionally　ended　with　masses　of　them　falling　over　cliff　edges　or　into　ravines。　Now　they　had　been　spooked　by　felines。　The　southern　continent　had　a　lot　of　problems　with　the　big　predators；　the　product　of　an　ill…advised　zoological　experiment　by　one　of　the　Charterers。　Like　the　abandoned　herdbeasts；　they　had　flourished；　too；　and　ranged　freely　through　the　jungles；　grasslands；　and　up　into　the　southern　foothills。　Humans　avoided　the　felines　whenever　possible；　dragons　were　thrilled　by　the　challenge　of　hunting　them。
　　Zaranth　was　gliding　silently　and　speedily　toward　the　nearest　herdbeasts；　which　had　obviously　been　split　off　from　the　main　herd　by　the　canny　felines。　The　predators　were　as　apt　to　injure　beasts；　rendering　them　lame　enough　to　attack　later；　as　to　kill　outright。　Tai　had　seen　the　result　of　such　tactics；　a　wide　pasture　dotted　with　bleating；　moaning　animals；　awaiting　the　pleasure　of　the　cubs　that　the　felines　hunted　for。
　　There！　A　tawny　spot；　one　of　the　fast　ones；　Zaranth　cried。
　　Tai　caught　the　merest　glimpse　of　the　yellowish…brown　form；　bounding　after　the　terrified　herdbeasts。　She　grabbed　her　straps　instinctively　as　Zaranth　turned　on　a　wing　tip　that　just　cleared　one　of　the　stunted　trees　that　dotted　the　grassland。　A　shape　leaped　from　its　shadow；　barely　missing　Zaranth's　wing；　and　in　spectacular　leaps；　made　for　the　cover　of　the　jungle。　To　flush　a　feline　was　unusual。　Neither　dragon　nor　rider　would　have　seen　it　lurking　in　the　shade。　Of　course；　neither　would　the　herdbeasts　who　were　obviously　the　intended　prey。
　　Zaranth　hissed　at　so　close　a　swipe；　a　small　flame；　residue　of　the　most　recent　Fall；　escaped；　spurting　after　the　beast。
　　Watch　it；　love！　The　hide's　worth　more　unsinged；　Tai　cried。
　　Despite　being　large　for　a　green；　Zaranth　had　lost　none　of　the　agility　that　was　her　color's　most　valuable　characteristic。　She　dove；　with　a　burst　of　speed　that　took　the　breath　out　of　Tai's　mouth。　Matching　the　rhythm　of　the　feline's　bounds；　she　caught　it　mid…leap。　Tai　felt　Zaranth's　heavy　shoulder　muscles　convulse；　then　relax。　She　had　a　glimpse　over　her　shoulder　of　the　limp　spotted　body　stretched　out　on　the　plain；　its　back　broken。
　　The　other　one！　Zaranth　cried；　spinning　obliquely　to　her　left　and　heading　back　up　the　plateau　toward　the　first　predator　they　had　seen；　who　was　now　closing　in　on　a　herdbeast　and　unaware　that　its　hunting　partner　had　just　been　taken　down。
　　The　most　successful…and　safest…tactic　was　to　e　up　behind　a　feline　as　Zaranth　was　now　doing；　keeping　their　shadow　from　warning　the　carnivore　of　pursuit。　Now；　just　as　the　feline　swiped　its　front　paws　at　the　herdbeast's　galloping　hindquarters；　Zaranth's　claws　made　contact　and　snapped　its　neck　in　one　clean　jerk。
　　Not　bad　hunting；　Tai　said；　well　pleased　with　a　bag　of　two；　both　prime　specimens　and；　unless　Zaranth　had　singed　the　first　one；　quite　saleable。　Shall　we　continue？
　　Monarth　says　it　is　all　in　hand。　A　big　pride；　but　a　half　wing　is　sufficient；　Zaranth　said　as　she　circled　back　with　her　second　kill；　depositing　it　with　an　almost　disdainful　negligence　beside　the　first。　These；　and　Zaranth's　tone　was　possessive；　are　mine！
　　No　one　will　dispute　it；　but　I　get　the　skins。
　　And　skinning　was　hard　work。　Tai's　brief　elation　departed。
　　I'll　help；　Zaranth　said。
　　If　you　promise　not　to　drool　all　over　me　or　lick　while　I'm　working；　Tai　replied　with　mock　severity。　In　the　heat　of　the　day；　in　an　open　field；　there　was　no　shelter　at　all　from　the　pests　that　would　smell　blood　and　e　for　their　share。　However；　she　told　herself；　two　pelts　would　be　worth　the　disfort。
　　She　debated　throwing　the　bodies　over　Zaranth's　neck　and　taking　them　up　to　the　cooler；　swarm…free　foothills　to　skin。
　　Once　she　was　on　the　ground　beside　them；　she　discarded　that　idea。　They　were　big　brutes。　She　was　strong；　but　these　dead　weights　would　be　impossible　to　shift　onto　her　dragon。　The　first　one　was　smaller；　of　a　different　mix；　with　a　mottled　hide；　the　other　was　a　tawny　yellow…brown；　with　striped　markings　on　its　legs。　Both　were　females　with　engorged　dugs；　and　Tai　sighed　at　the　thought　of　yet　more　of　these　monsters　maturing　to　savage　herds。
　　She　removed　her　jacket　and　hung　it　on　a　low　bush；　taking　a　well…honed　knife　from　her　boot。
　　〃Lift　the　first　one　up；　please！〃　she　said；　〃and　remember；　you　get　the　carcass　faster　if　you　hold　still…and　don't　salivate　all　over　me。〃
　　I　know；　I　know；　but　Zaranth's　mouth　was　very　wet　as　she　lifted　the