tg.wizardfirstrule-第40章

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s　branched　out；　and　Richard　felt　small　in　the　deep　shade　of　the　old　trees。　He　had　always　been　at　ease　traveling。　He　did　it　often；　and　the　familiar　places　they　passed　made　it　seem　to　be　just　another　trek；　but　this　trip　was　not　the　same。　They　were　going　'places　he　had　never　been。　Dangerous　places。　Chase　was　concerned；　and　had　warned　them。　This　alone　gave　Richard　pause；　for　Chase　was　not　a　man　to　worry　over　nothing；　in　fact；　Richard　had　often　thought　he　worried　far　too　little。
　
　Richard　watched　the　other　three　as　they　rode：　Chase；　a　black　wraith　upon　his　horse；　armed　to　the　teeth；　feared　by　the　people　he　protected　as　well　as　the　ones　he　hunted；　but　somehow；　not　by　children；　the　wisp　of　a　wizard；　sticklike　Zedd；　unassuming；　hardly　more　than　a　smile；　white　hair；　and　simple　robes；　content　to　carry　nothing　more　than　a　bundle　of　fried　chicken；　but　wielder　of　wizard's　fire　and　who　knew　what　else；　and　Kahlan；　courageous；　determined；　and　keeper　of　some　secret　power；　sent　to　threaten　a　wizard　into　naming　the　Seeker。　The　three　of　them　were　his　friends；　yet　each　in　their　own　way　made　him　uneasy。　He　wondered　who　was　the　most　dangerous。　They　followed　him　unquestioningly；　yet　led　him　at　the　same　time。　The　three　of　them；　all；　sworn　to　protect　the　Seeker　with　their　lives。　And　yet；　none　of　the　small　pany；　singly　or　together；　was　a　match　for　Darken　Rahl。　The　whole　of　their　task　seemed　hopeless。
　
　Zedd　was　already　into　the　chicken。　Periodically　he　would　toss　a　bone　over　his　shoulder。　After　a　while　he　thought　to　offer　a　piece　to　the　others。　Chase　declined；　as　he　kept　up　a　continual　scan　of　their　surroundings；　paying　particular　attention　to　the　left　side　of　the　trail；　to　the　boundary。　The　other　two　accepted。　The　chicken　had　lasted　longer　than　Richard　thought　it　would。　When　the　trail　widened；　he　brought　his　horse　up　with　Kahlan's　and　rode　next　to　her。　She　took　off　her　cloak　as　the　day　warmed；　and　smiled　over　to　him　with　the　special　smile　she　never　gave　anyone　else。
　
　Richard　had　a　thought。　〃Zedd；　is　there　anything　a　wizard　can　do　about　that　cloud？〃
　
　The　old　man　squinted　up　at　it；　then　peered　back　at　Richard。　〃That　idea　has　already　e　into'　my　head。　I　think　there　might　be；　but　I　want　to　wait　a　while　longer；　until　we　are　farther　away　from　Chase's　family。　I　don't　want　to　lead　a　search　to　them。〃
　
　In　the　late　afternoon　they　came　upon　an　old　couple；　woods　people　whom　Chase　knew。　The　four　brought　their　horses　to　a　halt　while　the　boundary　warden　spoke　with　the　couple。　He　sat　re　Taxed　on　his　mount；　leather　creaking；　as　he　listened　to　them　repeat　rumors　that　they　had　heard　about　things　ing　out　of　the　boundary。　Richard　now　knew　them　to　be　more　than　rumors。　Chase　treated　the　couple　with　respect；　as　he　did　most　people；　nevertheless；　they　were　clearly　afraid　of　him。　He　told　them　he　was　looking　into　the　matter　and　advised　them　to　stay　inside　at　night。
　
　They　rode　until　long　after　dark　before　making　camp　for　the　night　in　a　stand　of　pine；　and　were　on　their　way　the　next　morning　as　the　sky　lightened　behind　the　mountains　of　the　boundary。　Richard　and　Kahlan　both　yawned　as　they　rode。　The　forest　thinned；　with　open　patches　of　meadow；　bright　and　green　and　smelling　sweet　in　the　sunshine　as　they　traveled　through　the　hill　country　on　their　journey　south；　the　road　taking　them　temporarily　farther　from　the　mountains　of　the　boundary。　Occasionally　they　passed　small　farms；　their　owners　making　themselves　scarce　when　they　saw　Chase。
　
　The　land　became　less　familiar　to　Richard；　who　rarely　traveled　this　far　south。　He　kept　a　sharp　lookout；　making　note　of　the　landmarks　they　passed。　After　they　ate　a　cold　lunch　in　the　warm　sun；　the　road　began　angling　steadily　closer　to　the　mountains；　until　in　the　late　afternoon　they　were　so　close　to　the　boundary　that　they　began　encountering　the　gray　skeletons　of　trees　killed　by　the　snake　vine。　Even　the　sun　did　little　to　brighten　the　dense　woods。　Chase's　demeanor　became　distant；　harder；　as　he　observed　everything　carefully。　Several　times　he　dismounted；　walking　his　horse　as　he　studied　the　ground；　reading　tracks。
　
　They　crossed　a　stream　that　flowed　out　of　the　mountains；　the　water　churning　sluggish；　cold；　and　muddy。　Chase　stopped　and　sat；　watching　off　into　the　shadows。　The　rest　of　them　waited；　looking　at　one　another　and　toward　the　boundary。　Richard　recognized　the　dead　smell　of　the　vine　drifting　in　the　air。　The　boundary　warden　led　them　a　little　farther；　then　got　off　his　horse　and　squatted；　studying　the　ground。　When　he　rose；　he　handed　the　reins　of　his　horse　to　Zedd。　He　turned　to　them　and　said　simply；　〃Wait。〃　They　watched　him　disappear　into　the　trees　as　they　sat　quietly。　Kahlan's　big　horse　shivered　flies　off　its　hide　as　it　nibbled　grass。
　
　Chase　returned；　pulling　his　black　gauntlets　on；　and　took　the　reins　from　Zedd。　〃I　want　you　three　to　keep　going。　Don't　wait　for　me；　and　don't　stop。　Keep　to　the　road。〃
　
　〃What　is　it？　What　did　you　find？〃　Richard　asked。
　
　Chase　turned　back　and　gave　him　a　dark　look。　〃The　wolves　have　been　feeding。　I'm　going　to　bury　what's　left；　and　then　I'm　going　cross…country；　between　the　boundary　and　you　three。　I　need　to　check　into　something。　Remember　what　I　said。　Don't　stop。　Don't　run　your　horses；　but　keep　up　a　good　pace；　and　keep　your　eyes　sharp。　If　you　think　I'm　gone　too　long；　don't　you　dare　to　think　to　e　back　looking　for　me。　I　know　what　I'm　doing；　and　you　would　never　find　me。　I'll　be　back；　with　you　when　I　can。　Keep　going　until　then；　and　stay　on　the　road。〃
　
　He　mounted；　turned　his　horse；　and　urged　it　into　a　run；　its　hooves　kicking　up　clumps　of　sod　〃Get　moving！〃　Chase　yelled　back　over　his　shoulder。　As　he　disappeared　through　the　trees　Richard　saw　him　reach　up　to　a　short　sword　strapped　over　his　shoulder　and　pull　it　free。　He　knew　Chase　was　lying。　He　wasn't　going　to　bury　anything。　Richard　didn't　like　to　let　his　friend　go　off　alone　like　this；　but　Chase　spent　most　of　his　life　alone　out　here　by　the　boundary；　and　knew　what　he　was　doing；　what　was　necessary　to　protect　them。　Richard　had　to　trust　his　judgment。
　
　〃You　heard　the　man；〃　the　Seeker　said；　〃let's　go。〃
　
　As　the　three　rode　on　through　the　boundary　woods；　rock　outcroppings　grew　in　size　and　twisted　their　route　one　way　and　then　the　other。　The　trees　became　so　thick　that　the　sunlight　was　all　but　banished　from　the　still　forest；　the　road　a　tunnel　through　the　thicket。　Richard　didn't　like　how　close　everything　felt；　and　as　they　moved　quickly　along　they　all　kept　watching　the　deep　shadows　to　their　left。　Branches　hung　across　the　road；　forcing　them　to　duck　under　as　they　passed。　He　couldn't　imagine　how　Chase　cold　travel　through　a　wood　this　thick。
　
　When　the　way　was　wide　enough；　Richard　rode　up　to　Kahlan's　left；　wanting　to　keep　himself　between　her　and　the　boundary。　He　kept　the　reins　in　his　left　hand　to　leave　his　sword　hand　free。　Her　cloak　was　wrapped　close　around　her；　but　he　saw　she　kept　a　hand　near　her　knife。
　
　Off　to　their　left；　in　the　distance；　came　howling；　something　like　a　；wolf　pack；　only　it　wasn't　wolves。　It　was　something　from　the　boundary。　
　
　The　three　jerked　their　heads　toward　the　sound。　The　horses　were　terrified　and　wanted　to　run。　They　had　to　keep　reining　in；　but　at　the　same　time　let　them　have　enough　freedom　to　trot。　Richard　understood　the　way　the　horses　felt。　He　felt　the　urge　to　let　them　go；　but　Chase　had　said　explicitly　not　to　let　them　run。　He　must　have　had　a　reason；　so　they　held　back。　When　the　howling　was　punctuated　with　bloodcurdling　shrieks　that　made　the　hair　on　his　neck　stand　on　end；　it　became　more　difficult　to　force　himself　to　prevent　the　horses　from　running。　The　shrieks　were　wild　cries；　cries　of　the　need　to　kill；　demanding；　desperate。　The　three　rode　at　a　trot　for　almost　an　hour；　but　the　sounds　seemed　to　follow　them。　There　was　nothing　they　could　do　but　continue；　listening；　as　they　went；　to　beasts　from　the　boundary。
　
　Unable　to　stand　it　any　longer；　Richard　pulled　his　horse　to　a　halt；　and　faced　the　woods。　Chase　was　out　there　alone　with　the　beasts。　He　couldn't　bear　any　longer　to　let　his　friend　face　it　alone。　He　had　to　help。
　
　Zedd　turned。　〃We　have　to　keep　moving；　Richard。〃
　
　〃He　may　be　in　trouble。　We　can't　let　him　do　this　alone。〃
　
　〃It's　his　job；　let　him　do　it。〃
　
　〃Right　now；　his　job　isn't　to　be　boundary　ward