war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第5章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Ryld？〃 Halisstra prompted。
〃I'm…〃
He stopped； turned his head； and when he heard Halisstra inhale to speak again； he held up a warning hand to silence her。
Something was moving； and it was close。 It was on the ground； and it was moving toward them。 He knew that Feliane had gone ahead of them…the Eilistraeeans were always sensitive about giving the two newers time alone…but she was farther away and in a different direction。
Behind you； he signaled to Halisstra； and to the left。
Halisstra nodded； and her right hand moved to the enchanted blade at her hip。 Ryld watched her turn； slowly； and as he drew his own mighty greatsword from his back； he took the briefest moment to admire the curve of Halisstra's hip； her mail glittering in the starlight against the dark background of the forest。 Her feet whispered in the snow； and Ryld tracked the sounds。 Whatever it was wasn't moving in a very deliberate way； and it sounded as if there was more than one； though the lack of echoes still made it hard for him to be sure。 He didn't detect any change in the way it was moving when either of them drew their swords； so Ryld thought it unlikely the trespasser had heard them。
A spindly plant devoid of green…the Eilistraeeans had called one like it a 〃bush〃…quivered； but not from the wind。 Halisstra stepped back and held the Crescent Blade in the guard position in front of her。 She had her back to him； so Ryld couldn't municate with her in sign language。 He wanted to tell her to step back farther； to let him take care of whatever it was； but he didn't want to speak。
When the thing rolled out from behind the bush； Halisstra hopped back three fast steps； keeping her sword at the ready。 Ryld rushed at the bundle of bristly brown fur assuming Halisstra would clear the rest of the space for him。 When she didn't he was forced to stop； and it looked up at him。 The closest thing to the creature Ryld had ever seen was a rothe； but it was no rothe。 The creature was small； the size and weight of Ryld's torso； and its wide eyes were wet and innocent； weak and…
〃Young；〃 Halisstra whispered； as if she was finishing his thought。
Ryld didn't let down his guard； though the beast sat calmly on the ground； looking at him。
〃It's a baby；〃 Halisstra said； and slipped the Crescent Blade back into her scabbard。
〃What is it？〃 Ryld asked； still not ready to let down his guard； much less sheathe his sword。
〃I have no idea；〃 Halisstra answered； but still she crouched in front of it。
〃Halisstra；〃 Ryld hissed； 〃for Lolth's…〃
He stopped himself before he finished that thought。 It was another habit he would have to change or take home with him。
〃It's not going to eat us； Ryld；〃 she whispered； looking the little creature in the eyes。
Its nose twitched at her； and its eyes held hers。 It seemed curious； with a face vaguely elflike； but its gaze betrayed an animal's intelligence and no more。
〃What are you going to do with it？〃 he asked。
Halisstra shrugged。
Before Ryld could say anything else； two more of the little animals wandered out of the bushes to regard their rade and the two dark elves with a meek curiosity。
〃Feliane will know what to do with them；〃 Halisstra said； 〃or at least be able to tell us what they are。〃
It was Ryld's turn to shrug。 One of the creatures was licking itself； and even Ryld wasn't wrapped so tight that he could still see them as a threat。 Halisstra sent out a call the Eilistraeeans had taught them…the sound of some bird…and Ryld slipped his greatsword back into its scabbard。
Feliane would hear the call and e to them。 Ryld cringed when he realized that when she got there and saw the two of them dumb…rounded by what looked like harmless prey animals 。 。 。 they would both look foolish again。 At least； Ryld would。
Feliane came stomping through the underbrush。 Ryld was surprised by not only how fast the Eilistraeen was moving but by how loud she was。 He'd e to respect their ability to slip through the forest un…
He realized at that moment that what he heard crashing at them through the pitch…black forest wasn't Feliane。 It wasn't a drow； or a surface elf； or even a human。 It was something else…something big。
The thing burst out of the thick tangle of underbrush like an advancing wall of matted brown fur。 Ryld managed to get his hand on Splitter's pommel but couldn't draw it before the beast rolled over him。 The weapons master tried to tuck his body to protect his belly from the monster's trampling claws； but he didn't have the time。
The creature stomped on him； tripped on him； rolled on him； then stepped on him。 All Ryld could do was keep his eyes pressed closed and grunt。 It was heavy； and when it first punched him into the ground Ryld heard then felt at least one of his ribs snap under its weight。 It finally came off him； and Ryld rolled off to one side…any side…ending up curled under a spindly 〃bush〃 with thorns that harried at his armor and piwafwi。 Snow packed into the spaces between his armor's plates and chilled his neck and hands。
The creature stopped； rolling all the way over in the end and ing back onto its feet still facing away from Ryld。 The weapons master looked up and blinked at it。 It looked like a bigger…much bigger…version of the little animals that had wandered up to twitch their noses at the drow。 It was a clever ruse and surely a successful hunting strategy： Disarm and distract your prey with your curious young； then trample it into the ground when it isn't looking。
Still； the Master of Melee…Magthere grimaced at his having fallen for it； however clever it was。
I'm getting slow； he thought。 All this open air； all this talk of goddesses and redemption 。 。 。
Shaking the distracting thoughts from his mind； Ryld spun to his feet at the same time he drew Splitter and whirled it in front of him。 The lumbering animal turned to face him； and Ryld was ready for it。
The beast looked him in the eye and Ryld winked at it over the razor edge of his greatsword。
Steam puffed from its nostrils as it coughed out a series of loud grunts。 It scratched at the snow with one of its front paws； and Ryld saw its black claws； the size of hunting knives； at the end of surprisingly well articulated hands。 The look in the creature's eyes was a mix of slow…wittedness and feral anger…a look Ryld had seen before and had learned to respect。 Stupid foes were easy to defeat and angry foes even easier。 Mix the two together； though； and you're in for a fight。
The beast charged； and Ryld obliged it by meeting it in the middle。 When it reared up at the end of its charge； the animal was nearly three times the drow's height。 That display would likely frighten lesser opponents； but for Ryld all it did was open the thing's belly。 The weapons master brought his greatsword in fast at shoulder height in a hard slash meant to open the animal's gut and end it quickly。 The beast was faster than it looked； though； and it fell backward； rolling onto its back as the edge of Ryld's sword flashed past it； missing by a foot or more。 Ryld had no choice but to follow through with the swing； but he managed to make use of the inertia to send him dodging off to the left when the creature slashed at him with its hind claws。
Ryld spun to a halt； blade up high； while the animal continued its roll and flipped back onto its feet。 Both of them blew steam into the frigid air； but only Ryld smiled。
They went at each other again； and Ryld was ready for it to try to either trample him or rear up again。 The animal did neither。 It reached out for the drow warrior with both hands； obviously trying to grab him by the shoulders…or by the head。 Ryld slid toward it at the end of his run； stabbing up with his greatsword as he passed under the animal's chin。 He intended to impale it； maybe even behead it； but his opponent proved still more surprisingly agile。 It ducked its head to one side； and all Ryld managed to do was nick one of its ears。
The weapons master continued his slide； bringing his arms in so he could stab again and at least get the creature in the gut； but
