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Tarnsman of Gor :: Норман Джон
Страница: 57 из 145I made mistakes. It. knew it. There was no tarn-goad."
I gestured, and Nar removed his mandibles from the girl's throat.
"We were somewhere over the swamp forest," said the girl, "when we flew into a flock of wild tarns. My tam attacked the leader of the flock."
She shuddered at the memory, and I pitied her for what must have been a horrifying experience, lashed helpless to the saddle of a giant tam reeling in a death struggle for the mastery of a flock, high over the trees of the swamp forest.
"My tam killed the other," said the girl, "and followed 3 it to the ground, where he tore it to pieces." She shook with the memory. "I slipped free and ran under the wing and hid in the trees. After a few minutes, his beak and talons wet with blood and feathers, your tam took flight. I last saw him at the head of the tarn flock."
That was that, I thought. The tam had turned wild, all his instincts triumphant over the tarn whistle, the memory of men.
"And the Home Stone of Ar?" I asked.
"In the saddle pack," she said, confirming my expectation. I had locked the pack when I had placed the Home Stone inside, and the pack is an integral part of the tarn saddle. When she had spoken, her voice had burned with shame, and I sensed the humiliation she felt at having failed to save the Home Stone. So now the tam was gone, returned to his natural wild state, the Home Stone was in the saddle pack, and I had failed, and the daughter of the Ubar had failed, and we stood facing one.j another on a green knoll in the swamp forest of Ar.
Chapter 7
A Ubar's Daughter
THE GIRL STRAIGHTENED, SOMEHOW PROUD but ludicrous in her mud bedaubed regalia. She stepped away from Nar, as if apprehensive that those fierce mandibles might threaten her again. Her eyes flashed from the narrow opening in her veil. "It pleased the daughter of Marlenus," she said, "to inform you and your eight-legged brother of the fate of your tarn and of the Home Stone you sought."
Nar's mandibles opened and shut once in annoyance. It was the nearest to anger I had ever seen the gentle creature come.
"You will release me immediately," announced the daughter of the Ubar.
"You are free now," I said.
She looked at me, stunned, and backed away, being careful to avoid Nar by a safe distance. She kept her eyes on my sword, as if she expected me to strike her down if she turned her back.
"It is well," she finally said, "that you obey my command. Perhaps your death will be made easier in consequence.
I gestured, and Nar removed his mandibles from the girl's throat.
"We were somewhere over the swamp forest," said the girl, "when we flew into a flock of wild tarns. My tam attacked the leader of the flock."
She shuddered at the memory, and I pitied her for what must have been a horrifying experience, lashed helpless to the saddle of a giant tam reeling in a death struggle for the mastery of a flock, high over the trees of the swamp forest.
"My tam killed the other," said the girl, "and followed 3 it to the ground, where he tore it to pieces." She shook with the memory. "I slipped free and ran under the wing and hid in the trees. After a few minutes, his beak and talons wet with blood and feathers, your tam took flight. I last saw him at the head of the tarn flock."
That was that, I thought. The tam had turned wild, all his instincts triumphant over the tarn whistle, the memory of men.
"And the Home Stone of Ar?" I asked.
"In the saddle pack," she said, confirming my expectation. I had locked the pack when I had placed the Home Stone inside, and the pack is an integral part of the tarn saddle. When she had spoken, her voice had burned with shame, and I sensed the humiliation she felt at having failed to save the Home Stone. So now the tam was gone, returned to his natural wild state, the Home Stone was in the saddle pack, and I had failed, and the daughter of the Ubar had failed, and we stood facing one.j another on a green knoll in the swamp forest of Ar.
Chapter 7
A Ubar's Daughter
THE GIRL STRAIGHTENED, SOMEHOW PROUD but ludicrous in her mud bedaubed regalia. She stepped away from Nar, as if apprehensive that those fierce mandibles might threaten her again. Her eyes flashed from the narrow opening in her veil. "It pleased the daughter of Marlenus," she said, "to inform you and your eight-legged brother of the fate of your tarn and of the Home Stone you sought."
Nar's mandibles opened and shut once in annoyance. It was the nearest to anger I had ever seen the gentle creature come.
"You will release me immediately," announced the daughter of the Ubar.
"You are free now," I said.
She looked at me, stunned, and backed away, being careful to avoid Nar by a safe distance. She kept her eyes on my sword, as if she expected me to strike her down if she turned her back.
"It is well," she finally said, "that you obey my command. Perhaps your death will be made easier in consequence.