wilbursmith_warlock-第48节

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　　He　watched　the　human　creature　with　yellow　eyes；　and　his　upper　lip　lifted　in　a　silent　snarl。　As　a　cub　his　dam　had　taught　him　to　feed　on　the　dead　flesh　that　they　scavenged　from　the　battlefields。　He　did　not　have　the　natural　repugnance　that　most　other　carnivorous　animals　feel　for　the　taste　of　human　flesh。　Over　the　years　he　had　killed　and　feasted　upon　this　meat　whenever　the　opportunity　presented　itself。　He　saw　this　creature　e　towards　him　through　the　low　scrub　as　natural　prey。
　　
　　Mintaka　stopped　fifty　paces　short　of　where　he　lay；　and　looked　around　her。　The　instinct　of　the　lion　during　the　stalk　was　to　avoid　the　direct　gaze　of　its　prey。　He　kept　his　head　low　to　the　ground　and　hooded　his　eyes　to　slits。　This　was　not　the　moment　for　the　attack；　and　his　tail　was　held　stiff　and　low。
　　
　　Mintaka　stepped　behind　the　trunk　of　one　of　the　trees；　crouched　down　and　voided　her　bladder。　The　lion's　snout　creased　into　deep　wrinkles　as　he　picked　up　the　sharp　scent　of　her　urine。　It　quickened　his　interest。　Mintaka　stood　again　and　let　her　torn　skirt　drop　back　around　her　thighs。　She　turned　away　from　the　lion；　and　started　back　towards　where　Nefer　waited。
　　
　　The　lion　slashed　its　tail　back　and　forth；　the　prelude　to　the　charge。　He　lifted　his　head；　and　the　black　tufted　tail　whipped　against　his　flanks。
　　
　　Mintaka　heard　the　rhythmic　swish　and　thud　of　the　tail；　stopped　and　looked　back；　puzzled。　She　looked　straight　into　the　yellow　gaze　of　the　beast。　She　screamed；　a　high…pitched　sound　that　struck　Nefer　to　the　heart。　He　whirled　round　and　in　an　instant　took　in　the　situation：　the　girl　and　the　crouching　beast　facing　her。
　　
　　'Don't　run！'　he　shouted。　He　knew　that　if　she　ran　it　would　trigger　the　feline　reflex　of　the　lion　to　chase。　'I　am　ing！'
　　
　　He　snatched　his　bow　and　quiver　from　the　rack　on　the　dashboard；　and　raced　towards　her；　nocking　an　arrow　as　he　ran。
　　
　　'Don't　run！'　he　repeated　desperately；　but　at　that　moment　the　lion　growled。　It　was　a　terrible　sound　that　seemed　to　vibrate　in　Mintaka's　bones　and　make　the　ground　tremble　under　her　feet。　She　could　not　control　the　terror　that　overwhelmed　her。　She　whirled　and　ran　back　blindly　towards　Nefer；　sobbing　with　each　stride。
　　
　　Instantly　the　lion's　mane　rose　like　a　dark　aura　around　his　head　and　he　launched　himself　into　his　charge；　ing　straight　after　her；　a　dark；　tawny　streak　through　the　trees。　He　overtook　her　as　though　she　were　still　rooted　to　the　earth。
　　
　　Nefer　stopped　dead　and　dropped　the　quiver　to　free　both　hands；　and　he　threw　up　the　bow。　He　drew　the　fletching　to　his　lips　and　set　his　aim　on　the　massive　heaving　chest。　Even　though　the　range　was　short；　it　was　a　difficult　shot。　The　beast　was　ing　at　an　angle；　so　the　deflection　was　critical；　and　Mintaka　was　in　the　direct　line　of　his　fire。　On　top　of　that；　he　knew　that　a　wounding　would　not　save　Mintaka。　He　must　drive　an　arrowhead　through　the　beast's　vital　organs　to　pin　it　down；　and　give　her　the　chance　to　get　clear。　Yet　there　was　no　time　for　precise　calculation；　the　lion　was　almost　on　top　of　her。
　　
　　It　came　grunting　at　each　bound；　clods　and　pebbles　spurting　up　under　the　drive　of　its　great　paws。　The　yellow　eyes　were　terrible。　Nefer　swung　just　a　touch　ahead；　allowing　a　hand's　breadth　for　the　drop　of　the　arrow　in　flight　and　he　yelled；　with　all　the　urgency　he　could　muster；　'Down；　Mintaka！　Clear　my　shot！'
　　
　　They　had　developed　a　close　accord　over　the　weeks　in　which　they　had　hunted　together；　and　she　had　learned　to　trust　him　implicitly。　Even　in　her　transport　of　terror　he　could　still　reach　her。　She　did　not　hesitate　but　from　full　run　she　threw　herself　flat　upon　the　stony　earth　almost　under　the　jaws　of　the　onrushing　lion。
　　
　　In　the　same　instant　that　she　went　down；　Nefer　let　fly。　The　arrow　sprang　from　his　bowstring。　To　Nefer's　fear…crazed　eyes　it　seemed　to　move　across　the　gap　that　separated　them　with　the　leisurely　flight　of　some　overburdened　bird　of　prey。　It　passed　over　where　Mintaka　lay；　already　beginning　to　drop；　seeming　tiny；　slow　and　ineffectual　against　such　a　massive　animal。
　　
　　Then　it　struck　soundlessly　and　Nefer　half　expected　the　flimsy　shaft　to　snap；　be　thrown　aside　contemptuously　by　the　grunting；　bounding　animal。
　　
　　Just　as　the　lion's　mouth　gaped　wide；　showing　the　full　array　of　ragged　stained　fangs；　the　flint　arrowhead　disappeared　into　the　thick　coating　of　dark　hair　that　covered　its　chest。　There　was　no　sound　of　the　impact　but　the　slim　straight　shaft　of　the　arrow　slid　in　after　it；　until　only　a　hand's　span　of　shaft　and　the　bright　feathers　of　the　fletching　protruded。
　　
　　Nefer　thought　that　he　had　struck　the　heart。　The　lion　leaped　high　in　a　monumental　convulsion　and　its　grunting　changed　to　a　barrage　of　continuous　roars　that　shook　a　cloud　of　dried　leaves　from　the　thorn　branches　over　its　head。　Then　the　beast　spun　in　a　circle　snapping　at　its　own　chest；　chewing　the　projecting　end　of　the　shaft　of　the　arrow　to　splinters。　Mintaka　lay　almost　under　his　flying；　slashing　paws。　'Get　away　from　him！'　Nefer　screamed。　'Run！'
　　
　　He　stooped　and　grabbed　a　second　arrow　from　the　quiver　at　his　feet；　and　ran　forward；　nocking　the　arrow　as　he　closed　in。　Mintaka　sprang　up。　She　had　recovered　enough　of　her　wits　not　to　impede　his　aim　by　racing　to　him　for　protection；　and　dodged　behind　the　trunk　of　the　nearest　thorn　tree。
　　
　　The　movement　was　enough　to　draw　the　wounded　lion's　attention　back　to　her。　Now　in　pain　and　fury；　rather　than　in　hunger；　it　lashed　out　at　her。　The　hooked　yellow　claws　tore　a　slab　of　wet　bark　from　the　tree　trunk　behind　which　Mintaka　crouched。
　　
　　'e！　Here　I　am！　e　to　me！'　Nefer　yelled　wildly；　trying　to　pull　the　lion　off　her。　It　swung　its　huge；　mane…shaggy　head　towards　him；　and　Nefer　drew　and　shot　the　next　shaft　with　one　desperate　movement。　His　arms　were　shaking　and　his　aim　was　hurried　and　wild。　The　arrowhead　took　the　beast　too　far　back；　lancing　deep　into　its　belly；　and　it　coughed　at　its　sting。　It　left　Mintaka　and　hurled　itself　towards　Nefer。
　　
　　Though　it　was　mortally　wounded　and　already　slowing；　there　was　no　chance　for　Nefer　to　evade　this　fresh　charge。　He　had　shot　his　last　arrow　and　the　quiver　lay　on　the　hard　ground　well　out　of　his　reach。　He　reached　down　and　drew　his　dagger　from　the　sheath　on　his　belt。
　　
　　It　was　a　flimsy　weapon　against　this　furious　beast。　The　thin　bronze　blade　was　not　long　enough　to　stab　through　to　the　heart；　but　he　had　heard　the　royal　huntsman　tell　tales　of　miraculous　escapes　from　just　such　a　deadly　predicament。　As　the　lion　launched　itself　into　the　death　spring；　Nefer　fell　backwards；　not　even　attempting　to　resist　the　beast's　weight　and　impetus。　He　lay　between　its　forepaws；　and　the　lion　opened　its　jaws　to　full　stretch　and　thrust　its　head　down　to　crush　Nefer's　skull　with　those　terrible　fangs。　Its　breath　was　so　foul；　with　the　stench　of　rotten　meat　and　open　graves；　that　Nefer　felt　hot　vomit　rise　in　his　throat。　He　steeled　himself　for　the　moment　and　thrust　his　right　hand；　with　the　dagger；　deep　into　the　open　jaws。　The　lion　bit　down　instinctively。
　　
　　Nefer　had　the　dagger　held　firmly　in　his　fist；　with　the　blade　aligned　upright；　and　as　the　lion's　jaws　closed　the　bronze　point　was　driven　up　through　the　roof　of　its　mouth。　Nefer　snatched　away　his　hand　before　the　fangs　could　crush　the　bones　of　his　wrist；　but　the　lion's　jaws　were　fixed　open　by　the　dagger　held　between　them；　and　it　could　not　bite　down。
　　
　　It　was　ripping　at　him　with　both　its　forepaws；　the　claws　fully　extended。　He　wriggled　and　writhed　beneath　the　heavy　body；　evading　some　of　the　claw　strokes；　but　his　apron　was　ripped　from　him；　and　he　felt　the　bony　hooks　tearing　into　his　flesh。　He　knew　he　could　not　hold　out　much　longer。　Involuntarily　he　screamed　at　the　lion　above　him；　'Leave　me；　you　filthy　creature！　Get　off　me！'
　　
　　The　lion　was　still　roaring　and　the　blood　from　its　skewered　palate　blew　out　in　a　crimson　cloud；　mingled　with　its　stinking　breath　and　hot　saliva；　into　Nefer's　face。
　　
　　His　shouts　galvanized　Mintaka；　and　when　she　peered　out　from　behind　the　bole　of　the　thorn　tree　Nefer　was　a　blood…soaked　spectacle　beneath　the　lion's　bulk。　He　was　being　mauled　to　death；　and　her　own　fear　was　forgotten。
　　
　　Nefer's　bow　was　trapped　under　his　body；　and　without　it　the　quiver　full　of　arrows　was　useless　to　her。　She　sprang　out　from　behind　the　tree　and　raced　towards　the　chariot。　The　screams　and　roars　behind　her　goaded　her　on　and　she　ran　until　her　heart　seemed　on　the　point　of　bursting。
　　
　　Ahead　of　her　the　horses　were　terrified　by　the　scent　of　the　beast　and　its　roaring。　They　reared　and　threw　their　heads；　kicking　out　at　the　traces。　They　would　have　bolted　long　ago　had　not　Nefer　secured　the　locking　brake　on　one　wheel　so　they　could　only　turn　in　a　tight；　right…handed　circle。　Mintaka　ran　in　under　their　flying　hoofs；　and　jumped　up　on　to　the　footplate。　She　seized　the　loose　reins　and　called　to　the　team；　'Ho　there；　Stargazer！　Hold　hard；　Hammer！〃
　　
　　On　many　of　their　previous　outings；　Nefer　had　let　her　drive；　so　the　horses　knew　her　voice　and　recognized　her　touch　on　the　traces。　Swiftly　she　brought　them　under　control；　but　it　seemed　to　her　an　eternity　for　she　could　hear　Nefer's　screams　and　the　lion's　deafening　bellows。　The　moment　she　had　the　pair　in　hand　she　leaned　over　the