war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第6章

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　　　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　the　animal　jumped　to　one　side　and　rolled　off；　again　managing　to　elude　the　drow's　attack。
　　　Ryld　hopped　to　his　feet；　and　the　two　opponents　faced　each　other　again。　Ryld　heard　a　voice　to　his　left　and　glanced　over　to　see　Halisstra；　bent　in　an　attitude　of　prayer；　mumbling　her　way　through　some　kind　of　chant。　The　animal　took　advantage　of　Ryld's　momentary　attention　gap　and　leaped　at　him；　clearing　easily　eight　feet　before　crashing　to　the　ground　in　front　of　the　drow。　The　creature　had　to　dodge　back；　unbalancing　itself；　to　avoid　another　slash　from　Splitter。　It　opened　its　jaws　wide；　revealing　nasty　fangs；　and　let　loose　another　series　of　angry；　frustrated　grunts。
　　　It　swiped　at　Ryld　with　one　set　of　claws。　Ryld　was　ready　to　meet　it；　fully　engaged　to　sever　the　animal's　front　leg　at　the　elbow…when　both　of　them　jerked　backward　to　avoid　something　that　whizzed　through　the　air　between　them　in　a　flurry　of　feathers；　talons；　and　turbulent　air。
　　　Ryld　followed　the　animal's　eyes　as　it　followed　the　new　player's　mad　course　through　the　air。　It　was　some　kind　of　bird；　but　with　four　wings。　Its　multicolored　feathers　blended　well　into　the　dark　background　of　the　forest；　and　Ryld　actually　lost　sight　of　it　for　a　second。　The　huge　furry　beast　stepped　back；　trying　to　look　at　Ryld　and　look　out　for　the　bird…thing　at　the　same　time。
　　　Even　Ryld　wasn't　able　to　do　that；　and　since　the　furry　animal　was　in　front　of　him　and　at　least　a　little　off　its　guard；　the　weapons　master　stepped　in　to　attack　again…and　again　the　bird…thing　flashed　between　them；　raking　the　air　with　its　needle…like　talons。
　　　Ryld　barely　twitched　away；　but　the　big　animal　all　but　fell　onto　its　back　to　avoid　the　newer。　Ryld；　already　in　mid…slash；　quickly　changed　the　direction　of　his　attack　and　was　half　an　inch　from　cutting　the　fast…flying　bird…thing　in　half　when　Halisstra　called　out　from　behind　him。
　　　〃Wait！〃　she　shouted；　and　Ryld　tipped　the　point　of　his　blade　down　barely　enough　to　let　the　bird　fly　past。　〃It's　mine。　I　summoned　it。〃
　　　Ryld　didn't　have　time　to　ask　her　how　she'd　managed　to　do　that。　Instead　he　stepped　back　three　long　strides；　keeping　his　eyes　on　the　beast；　which　was　already　back　on　its　feet。　The　bird…thing　slashed　in　from　the　darkness　behind　the　animal　and　dragged　its　talons　across　the　beast's　head。　The　creature　howled　in　pain　and　surprise　and　snapped　its　jaws　at　the　passing　bird…thing；　missing　it　by　a　yard　or　more。
　　　〃What　is　that？〃　Ryld　asked；　not　looking　at　Halisstra　but　keeping　his　eyes　on　the　furious　forest　animal。
　　　〃It's　an　arrowhawk；〃　Halisstra　answered。
　　　Ryld　could　hear　the　pride　and　surprise　in　her　voice；　and　something　about　that　sent　a　chill　down　his　spine。
　　　The　animal　looked　at　him；　grunted；　and　came　on。　Either　it　had　forgotten　about　the　arrowhawk　or　had　given　up　trying　to　see　it　ing。　Ryld　crouched；　Splitter　out　in　front　of　him；　awaiting　the　beast's　charge。　He　kept　his　shoulders　loose　and　told　himself　that　the　fight　had　gone　on　long　enough。　He　was　not　going　to　be　made　a　fool　of　by…
　　　…and　the　arrowhawk　swished　over　his　head；　missing　the　top　of　his　close…cropped　white　hair　by　a　finger's　width。
　　　Ryld　tucked　his　head　down　as　it　shot　over　him。　The　bird　flew　as　fast　as　an　arrow　shot　from　a　longbow；　and　it　was　easy　for　Ryld　to　understand　how　the　creature　had　received　its　name。　It　looked　as　if　the　hawk　was　flying　straight　for　the　furry　creature's　eyes。　Half　of　Ryld　wanted　the　arrowhawk　to　kill　it；　the　other　half　didn't　want　to　be　shown　up　by　some　conjured　bird。　At　least　not　in　front　of…
　　　That　thought　too　went　unfinished　when　Ryld　heard　himself　gasp　at　the　sight　of　the　huge　ground　animal　grabbing　the　arrowhawk　right　out　of　the　air　with　one　huge；　clawed　hand。
　　　The　bird　let　out　an　ear…rattling　squawk；　and　the　creature　looked　it　in　the　eyes　as　it　started　to　squeeze。　Ryld　didn't　doubt　for　a　moment　that　the　big　animal　could　break　the　long；　slender　arrowhawk　in　two　with　one　hand。　It　was　half　a　second　away　from　doing　just　that　when　the　arrowhawk　flipped　its　long；　feathered　tail　up　and　pointed　it　at　the　animal's　face。　An　eye…searing　flash　of　blinding　light　arced　from　the　arrowhawk's　tail　to　the　tip　of　the　animal's　nose。　Ryld　snapped　his　eyes　shut　and　gritted　his　teeth　against　the　pain。　There　was　a　loud　rustle　of　leathers；　another　angry　squawk；　and　a　high…pitched　wail　that　could　only　have　e　from　the　big　ground　animal。
　　　Ryld　opened　his　eyes　and　had　to　blink　away　an　afterimage　of　the　graceful　purple　spark　that　had　shot　from　the　arrowhawk's　tail。　The　animal　had　let　go　of　the　bird；　which　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　A　tendril　of　smoke　rose　from　its　burned　nose；　and　the　stench　of　singed　hair　quickly　filled　the　still　night　air。
　　　Halisstra　stepped　up　to　Ryld；　and　they　shared　a　glance　and　a　smile　as　the　big　animal　writhed　in　pain。
　　　〃Not　bad；〃　the　weapons　master　joked；　and　Halisstra　responded　with　a　pleased　smile。
　　　〃Praise　Eilistraee；〃　she　said。
　　　As　if　it　understood　her　and　had　no　love　for　her　goddess；　the　big　animal　looked　up；　coughed　out　two　more　feral　grunts；　and　started　at　them。　Ryld　put　out　one　hand　to　push　Halisstra　behind　him；　but　she　had　already　skipped　back　into　the　darkness。　He　set　his　feet；　ready　for　the　charge；　and　saw　the　arrowhawk　shoot　out　of　the　darkness　again。　The　arrowhawk　whipped　its　tail　forward；　and　Ryld；　knowing　what　was　ing；　closed　his　eyes　and　lifted　one　arm…both　hands　on　Splitter's　pommel…to　shield　his　sensitive　eyes。
　　　There　was　a　sizzle　of　electricity；　the　faint　smell　of　ozone；　and　the　none…too…faint　stench　of　burned　hair　again。　The　furred　creature　growled　in　agony；　and　Ryld　opened　his　eyes。　Again；　the　arrowhawk　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　likely　whirling　through　the　forest　dodging　tree　trunks；　circling　back　for　another　pass。
　　　〃Wait！〃　a　woman's　voice　called。　Ryld　thought　at　first　that　it　was　Halisstra。
　　　〃No；　Feliane；〃　Halisstra　called　back。　〃It's　all　right。　Between　Ryld　and　the…〃
　　　〃No！〃　the　surface　drow　cut　in。
　　　Ryld　would　have　turned　to　watch　Feliane　approach；　but　the　animal　had　decided　to　charge　him　again。　Not　sure　what　Feliane　was　trying　to　stop；　exactly；　Ryld　stepped　in　toward　the　big　animal。　He　saw　the　arrowhawk　ing；　though　and　slid　to　a　stop　in　the　snow。　The　animal　must　have　realized　why　the　drow　came　to　such　a　sudden　halt；　and　when　the　arrowhawk　came　in　low　for　another　slash　with　its　talons；　the　creature　saw　it　as　well。
　　　Jaws　snapped　over　the　arrowhawk。　There　was　a　loud　confusion　of　fluttering　wings；　screaming；　growling；　snapping；　and　popping…and　the　arrowhawk　fell　to　the　snow　in　two　twitching；　bleeding　pieces。
　　　〃What's　going　on　here？〃　Feliane　called；　her　voice　much　closer。　〃What　in　the　goddess's　name　are　you　doing？〃
　　　Its　long；　fang…lined　jaws　dripping　with　the　arrowhawk's　blood；　the　animal　looked　fiercer；　more　dangerous；　and　angrier　than　ever。　Ryld　smiled；　spun　his　massive　enchanted　greatsword　in　front　of　him；　and　ran　at　the　thing　head　on。
　　　Behind　him　and　off　in　the　underbrush；　Halisstra　and　Feliane　were　talking　in　urgent　tones；　but　Ryld's　trained　senses　put　that　aside。　They　were　allies；　and　the　only　opponent　of　note　was　the　furious　beast。　Whatever　they　were　discussing；　they　could　tell　him　about　it　later；　after　he　had　dispatched　the　vicious；　cunning　predator。
　　　The　creature　reared　up　again　as　Ryld　came　in；　and　the　drow　slipped　Splitter　in　low　in　front　of　him；　slicing　a　deep　furrow　in　the　beast's　exposed　underbelly。　Blood　oozed　from　the　wound；　and　quickly　soaked　the　matted；　dirty　brown　fur　around　it。　Ryld　spun　his　greatsword　back　around　and　pointed　it　forward；　held　in　both　hands　above　his　head；　for　a　final　impaling　stab。
　　　The　forest　predator　again　proved　it　wouldn't　go　down　easily。　Before　Ryld　could　plunge　Splitter　home；　the　thing's　huge；　handlike　claw　wrapped　around　his　right　arm；　digging　into　the　space　between　his　pauldron　and　vambrace　to　puncture　the　skin　of　his　underarm。
　　　Ryld　tucked　his　right　arm　down；　pressing　the　claw　against　his　armored　side　to　keep　the　beast　from　tearing　away　his　pauldron…and　a　good　portion　of　skin　and　muscle　with　it。　That　had　the　unfortunate　effect　of　tipping