rj.thegreathunt-第47章
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e the Darkfriends scattering in a dozen directions while the wolves slew Trollocs； running away with the Horn of Valere。 Running away with the dagger。 And once the Trollocs were dead； he did not think he could interest the wolves in tracking the humans even if he had any idea which of them to track。 He had a running argument with them； and sweat covered his forehead long before he got the first flash of images that turned his stomach。
He drew rein； stopping his horse dead。 The others did the same； looking at him； waiting。 He stared straight ahead and cursed softly； bitterly。
Wolves would kill men； but men were not a preferred prey。 Wolves remembered the old hunting together； for one thing； and two…legs tasted bad； for another。 Wolves were more particular about their food than he would have believed。 They would not eat carrion； unless they were starving； and few would kill more than they could eat。 What Perrin felt from the wolves could best be described as disgust。 And there were the images。 He could see them much more clearly than he wished。 Bodies； men and women and children； heaped and tumbled about。 Blood…soaked earth churned by hooves and frenzied attempts to escape。 Torn flesh。 Heads severed。 Vultures flapping； their white wings stained red； bloody； featherless heads tearing and gorging。 He broke loose before his stomach emptied itself。
Above some trees in the far distance he could just make out black specks whirling low； dropping then rising again。 Vultures fighting over their meal。
〃There's something bad up there。〃 He swallowed； meeting Ingtar's gaze。 How could he fit telling them into the story of being a sniffer？ I don't want to get close enough to look at that。 But they'll want to investigate once they can see the vultures。 I have to tell them enough so they'll circle around。 〃The people from that village 。。。 I think the Trollocs killed them。〃
Uno began cursing quietly； and some of the other Shienarans muttered to themselves。 None of them seemed to take his announcement as odd； though。 Lord Ingtar said he was a sniffer； and sniffers could smell killing。
〃And there is someone following us；〃 Ingtar said。
Mat turned his horse eagerly。 〃Maybe it's Rand。 I knew he wouldn't run out on me。〃
Thin； scattered puffs of dust rose to the north； a horse was running across patches where the grass grew thin。 The Shienarans spread out； lances ready； watching in all directions。 It was no place to be casual about a stranger。
A speck appeared … a horse and rider； a woman； to Perrin's eyes； long before anyone else could discern the rider … and quickly drew closer。 She slowed to a trot as she came up on them； fanning herself with one hand。 A plump； graying woman； with her cloak tied behind her saddle； who blinked at them all vaguely。
〃That's one of the Aes Sedai；〃 Mat said disappointedly。 〃I recognize her。 Verin。〃
〃Verin Sedai；〃 Ingtar said sharply； then bowed to her from his saddle。
〃Moiraine Sedai sent me； Lord Ingtar；〃 Verin announced with a satisfied smile。 〃She thought you might need me。 Such a gallop I've had。 I thought I might not catch you short of Cairhien。 You saw that village； of course？ Oh； that was very nasty； wasn't it？ And that Myrddraal。 There were ravens and crows all over the rooftops； but never a one went near it； dead as it was。 I had to wave away the Dark One's own weight in flies； though； before I could make out what it was。 A shame I did not have time to take it down。 I've never had a chance to study a …〃 Suddenly her eyes narrowed； and the absent manner vanished like smoke。 〃Where is Rand al'Thor？〃
Ingtar grimaced。 〃Gone； Verin Sedai。 Vanished last night； without a trace。 Him； the Ogier； and Hurin； one of my men。〃
〃The Ogier； Lord Ingtar？ And your sniffer went with him？ What would those two have in mon with 。。。？〃 Ingtar gaped at her； and she snorted。 〃Did you think you could keep something like that secret？〃 She snorted again。 〃Sniffers。 Vanished； you say？〃
〃Yes； Verin Sedai。〃 Ingtar sounded unsettled。 It was never easy discovering Aes Sedai knew the secrets you were trying to keep from them； Perrin hoped Moiraine had not told anyone about him。 〃But I have … I have a new sniffer。〃 The Shienaran Lord gestured to Perrin。 〃This man seems to have the ability； also。 I will find the Horn of Valere； as I swore to； have no fear。 Your pany will be wele； Aes Sedai； if you wish to ride with us。〃 To Perrin's surprise； he did not sound as if he entirely meant it。
Verin glanced at Perrin； and he shifted uneasily。 〃A new sniffer； just when you lose your old one。 How 。。。 providential。 You found no tracks？ No； of course not。 You said no trace。 Odd。 Last night。〃 She twisted in her saddle； looking back north； and for a moment Perrin almost thought she was going to ride back the way she had e。
Ingtar frowned at her。 〃You think their disappearance has something to do with the Horn； Aes Sedai？〃
Verin settled back。 〃The Horn？ No。 No； I 。。。 think not。 But it is odd。 Very odd。 I do not like odd things until I can understand them。〃
〃I can have two men escort you back to where they disappeared； Verin Sedai。 They will have no trouble taking you right to it。〃
〃No。 If you say they vanished without a trace 。。。〃 For a long moment she studied Ingtar； her face unreadable。 〃I will ride with you。 Perhaps we will find them again； or they will find us。 Talk to me as we ride； Lord Ingtar。 Tell me everything you can about the young man。 Everything he did； everything he said。〃
They started off in a jingle of harness and armor； Verin riding close beside Ingtar and questioning him closely； but too low to be overheard。 She gave Perrin a look when he tried to maintain his place； and he fell back。
〃It's Rand she's after；〃 Mat murmured； 〃not the Horn。〃
Perrin nodded。 Wherever you've gotten to； Rand； stay there。 It's safer than here。
Chapter 15
（Heron…Mark Sword Hilt）
Kinslayer
The way the strangely faded distant hills seemed to slide toward Rand when he looked straight at them made his head spin； unless he wrapped himself in the void。 Sometimes the emptiness crept up on him unawares； but he avoided it like death。 Better to be dizzy than share the void with that uneasy light。 Better by far to stare at the faded land。 Still； he tried not to look at anything too far away unless it lay right ahead of them。
Hurin wore a fixed look as he concentrated on sniffing the trail； as if he were trying to ignore the land the trail crossed。 When the sniffer did notice what lay around them； he would give a start and wipe his hands on his coat； then push his nose forward like a hound； eyes glazing； excluding everything else。 Loial rode slumped in his saddle and frowned as he glanced around； ears twitching uneasily； muttering to himself。
Again they crossed land blackened and burned； even the soil crunching under the horses' hooves as if it had been seared。 The burned swathes； sometimes a mile wide； sometimes only a few hundred paces； all ran east and west as straight as an arrow's flight。 Twice Rand saw the end of a burn； once as they rode over it； once as they passed nearby； they tapered to points at the ends。 At least； the ends he saw were so； but he suspected they were all the same。
Once he had watched Whatley Eldin decorate a cart for Sunday； back home in Emond's Field； What painting the scenes in bright colors； and the intricate scrollwork that surrounded them。 For the borders； What let the point of his brush touch the cart； making a thin line that grew thicker as he pressed harder； then thinner again as he eased up。 That was how the land looked； as if someone had streaked it with a monstrous brush of fire。
Nothing grew where the burns were； though some burns； at least； had the feel of a thing long done。 Not so much as a hint of char remained in the air there； not a whiff even when he leaned down to break off a black twig and smell it。 Old； yet nothing had e in to reclaim the land。 Black gave way to green； and green to black； along knife…edge lines。
In its own way； the rest of the land lay as dead as the burns； though grass covered the ground and leaves covered the trees。 Everything had that faded look； like clothes too often washed and too long left in the sun。 There were no birds or animals； not that Rand saw or heard。 No hawk wheeling in the sky； no bark of a hunting fox； no bird singing。 Nothing rustled in the grass or lit on a tree branch。 No bees； or butterflies。 Several times they crossed streams； the water shallow； though often it had dug itself a deep gulley with steep banks the horses had to scramble down and climb on the other side。 The water ran clear except for the mud the horses' hooves stirred； but never a minnow or tadpole wriggled out of the roiling； not even a waterspider dancing across the surface； or a hovering lacewing。
The water was drinkable； which was just as well； since their waterbottles could not last forever。 Rand tasted it first； and made Loial and Hurin wait to see if anything happened to him before he let them drink。 He had gotten them into this； it was his responsibility。 The water was cool and wet； but that was the best that could be said for it。 It tasted flat； as if it had been boiled。 Loial made a face； and the horses did not like it either； shaking their heads and drinking reluctantly。
There was one sign of life； at least； Rand thought it must be so。 Twice he saw a wispy streak crawling across the sky like a line drawn with cloud。 The lines were too straight to be natural； it seemed； but he could not imagine what might make them。 He did not mention the lines to the others。 Perhaps they did not see； Hurin intent on the trail as he was and Loial drawn in on himself。 They said nothing of the lines； at any rate。
When they had ridden half the morning； Loial abruptly swung down from his huge horse without a word and strode to a stand of giantsbroom； their trunks splitting into many thick branches； stiff and straight； not a pace above the ground。 At the top； all split again； into the leafy brush that gave them their name。
Rand pulled Red up and started to ask what he was doing； but something about the Ogier's manner； as if he himself were uncertain； kept Rand silent。 After staring at the tree； Loial put his hands on a trunk and began to sing in a deep； soft rumble。
Rand had heard Ogier treesong； once； when Loial had sung to a dying tree and brought it back to life； and he had heard of sung wood； objects wrought from trees by the treesong。 The Talent was fading； Loial said； he was one of the few who had the ability； now； that was what made sung wood even more sought after and treasured。 When he had heard Loial sing before； it had been as if the earth itself sang； but now the Ogier murmured his song almost diffidently； and the land echoed it in a whisper。
It seemed pure song； music without words； at least none that Rand could make out； if there were words； they faded into the music just as water pours into a stream。 Hurin gasped and stared。
Rand was not sure what it was Loial did； or how； soft as the song was； it caught him up hypnotically； filling his mind almost the way th
