Clover Autrey Upon Eagle's Light (pdf)

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

flung her senses out to Tyalan, attempting to see what was
happening. Abruptly her sight merged with the eagle's. Long
wings stroked through the warm air, climbing higher. Fear, on
the cusp of panic rolled into Hydeia, emotions she'd never
before felt coming from Tyalan.
Hydeia's pulse banged in her ears. What is it? She couldn't
see what was pursuing Tyalan. She tried to grasp onto any
mental images in the bird's mind, but Tyalan was too full of
fear, blocking Hydeia's ability to search for any distinct
thought. Where was Uloki?
"Tell her to stoop!" Ammah shouted. His image was
blurred behind Tyalan's sight, lean and hazy. "Lead them
close to the ground." Grabbing up his pack, he shook the
contents out on the ground. "Shred it! There has to be
something in here."
"What...?" Hydeia shook out her own pack. Everything she
owned spilled out onto the summer grass while she relayed
the directions to come in on a fast stoop to Tyalan. She
grabbed up a length of rope, flicked it out and tied a sliding
knot in one end then slung it over one shoulder so she could
pull out her knife. That was all the weapons she and Ammah
had left between them after crossing the tanglevines. One
blade and a rope. And the tanglevines. Her gaze flicked out
across the deceptively quiet blue field.
Her heart stilled when she felt Tyalan plunge and her
pursuers came into the transparent view.
143
Upon Eagle's Light
by Clover Autrey
A handful of massive blotchy brown and gray birds turned
on the wind to follow Tyalan's downward stoop. The smallest
was easily four times the eagle's size, with a curving gnarled
beak and long outstretched talons.
Hydeia's heart roared to life. She pulled all her senses back
to herself, focused and ready. This way Tyalan. Bring them
here. "What are those things?"
"Gortures." Ammah searched the skies. He'd unfurled his
bedroll. "There!"
Uloki soared out from between a cleft in the hills, a sleek
black dart soaring just ahead of three larger, thicker forms.
Their wide wings were thrice the width of their leathery
bodies. Sweet sun, how many of those things were there?
Hydeia was seriously beginning to not like this land very
much. Rage lions, teethworms, plants that tried to hold you,
now these vile gortures. Let her go back to the untamed lands
of red canyon and forest and dark sea. At least those dangers
were familiar.
Tyalan swerved low to the ground. Her lithe form ruffled
the tall grass and sent colorful blossoms spinning into the air.
The loathsome gortures glided just behind her. Long three-
toed talons stretched toward her as a gorture arched her
wings in the air.
Twisting agilely, Tyalan slipped sideways and rolled beyond
her reach. Hydeia and Ammah raced forward to meet the
great birds.
Tyalan shot past them just as Hydeia went low to her
knees. Using both hands, she shoved her blade up into the
vulnerable exposed throat of the closest gorture. The impact
144
Upon Eagle's Light
by Clover Autrey
and momentum jarred the knife hilt deep into the fluffy breast
feathers and dragged Hydeia backwards beneath the bird
while the blade tore a sharp slice down along the underbelly.
The rope across Hydeia's shoulder burned the skin on her
back as it dragged between her and the ground. Crunching
bone and tearing flesh vibrated through the knife into
Hydeia's arms until she was ripped away, sliding across the
grass. Fluff and ropey strings of blood flew all around her,
coating her face and lashes.
Squealing like the yelps of a thousand dogs, the huge bird
skidded beak first into the grasses. Its neck twisted
awkwardly.
Ammah had a second gorture's head tangled in his bedroll,
wrestling it to the ground while the sharp talons snapped
open and closed, trying to latch onto anything it could reach.
It hopped several feet off the ground, lifting Ammah with it,
but he somehow kept his hold and they went down, rolling in
the grass.
Terror slammed into Hydeia as Tyalan banked a tight bend
and came at her again, a giant beak nipping at her long tail
feathers.
Hydeia pulled the rope from her shoulder, swung around,
waited a heartbeat as the eagle soared a finger's breath
above her head, and let the rope fly. Koric favored them both
that the gorture flew right into the wide loop. Hydeia leaned
back, bracing her body, bracing her hands on the rope for the
sliding knot to tighten upon the gorture's neck. It snapped
tight, hurling Hydeia to the ground with unexpected force,
cutting across her palms as the rope streamed through her
145
Upon Eagle's Light
by Clover Autrey
groping grasp. She clenched it tight, pulling back on it with
every fiber of strength and muscle she possessed. The bird
jerked in the air then whirled end over end to the ground.
The air exploded in a riot of angry brown and gray [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Archiwum