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."Derian flicked his ears back in puzzlement, realized what he had done, and said a bit more brusquely than he hadintended."Such as?""Such as what defenses the Nexus Islands might have once had in place," Harjeedian said."From several people,I have heard tales that the waters were said to be populated with sea dragons.If this was true, might they still be there?Might this have been a metaphor for some more mundane form of defense? We of Liglim have had occasionalproblems with ambitious pirates who think the settlements surrounding our main bay are temptingly defenseless.Theylearn that underwater chains do unpleasant things to the hulls of ships forced to rely upon narrow channels.""Interesting thought," Derian said."What if chains like those are stored somewhere? Even if we couldn't deploythem, we might be about to turn the metal in them to some other purpose.I think some research is in order.Ynamynet?""I agree," she said, "especially using those Harjeedian has mentioned."Harjeedian had remained standing, so Derian asked him."Something else?"'"I thought I would remind you that while I am not as skilled as Doctor Zebel in medical matters, I do have somesolid training in that area.I would like to offer my services in teaching elementary medical techniques, and offermyself to Doctor Zebel as an assistant."Derian blinked in surprise.As an aridisdu and, quite frankly, as one of the conquerors, Harjeedian had a great dealof status among the Nexus Island community.To have him publicly offer to subordinate himself to one of theconquered in any capacity was a tremendous gesture, and one that should humble any number of those who mighteven now be contemplating how to jockey for status."Thank you.Harjeedian," Derian said."After this meeting.why don't you speak with Doctor Zebel about how tobest arrange your schedules."Verul, who had been one of the first Nexans Derian had met, back even before Derian had known that there wereNexus Islands, now signaled for attention.Once the ruddy-skinned, fair-haired man had been a bodyguard, equal toSkea in every way.These days he walked with a crutch much of the time, lamed in a fight with Firekeeper.That thewolf-woman had disabled him without taking his life had not made Verul exactly grateful to her.Instead, he resentedher reputation among the Nexans, and never missed an opportunity to cast doubt on her prowess."I was wondering if anything had been heard from Firekeeper," he said."We all know she and Blind Seer left hereto return to their homeland.I know she said she was going to scout for some information that might enable us toprevent querinalo from attacking any newcomers, but it seems to me she has been gone for quite a long time.""She's only been gone a bit over a moonspan," Derian protested."Still, didn't she take a gate right to where she needed to go?" Verul said.His tone was guileless and the straight, square lines of his face innocent of malice, but Derian hoped no one wasfooled.Probably some did share his curiosity, though.Derian suspected that many of the Nexans had no real idea whatwas involved in traveling long distances.The gates had spoiled them for that, for even though the gates did not removeall need for travel, they did tend to eliminate awkward, time-consuming tasks like crossing mountain ranges.Derian schooled his voice to patience."The gate did not take her 'right where she needed to go.' It took her to acity east of the mountains she would need to cross to reach her destination.Even if she found a cure almost instantly and returned that minute, I doubt she could be to us for a moonspan ormore.""But you are certain she will return," Verul said. "Absolutely," Derian replied.But he wondered, even as the meeting turned to other matters, if when Firekeeper did return would there beanyone to open the gate for her, and if the gate did open, would friends or enemies wait on the other side.***"I'VE TOUCHED ISENDE," the Meddler reported with some triumph."She spoke to Derian, and together theyhave gone to Truth.The Nexus Islands will not face invasion unwarned."Firekeeper stretched, paws turning into hands as she awoke from dreams into that strange place wherein theMeddler drew her for their conversations.They were sitting on what might be very thick green moss or rather dense,tinted clouds.The light was indirect, and the mood deceptively restful.Deceptive because although Firekeeper knewher body continued to sleep, this interlude would tire her as if she had not slept at all."I have had," she said, "a very long and busy day.We have taken one of Virim's pack, and learned that this packis not such a pack as we had thought.Now we must find a way to turn this to our advantage."The Meddler, fully human in this vision, perhaps to match her, nodded.Disappointment touched the shape of hiseyes, and Firekeeper thought that he was unhappy that she had not praised him.She considered, decided that he haddone something admirable, and that she would be rude to withhold thanks."And from what you say, you have had some busy times since last we spoke," she went on."I am glad youmanaged to reach Isende.The Nexus Islands should not go unwarned.I only hope that they can hold until Blind Seerand I can return.""Do you really think two of you would make such a difference?" the Meddler said."We would not be two alone," Firekeeper said, "or not for long, not if we could be certain querinalo would notharm those we might convince to help us.That would certainly make a difference.""Thinking ahead," the Meddler said, and Firekeeper truly could not tell whether she heard mockery or approval inhis voice."What of it?" she challenged."Wolves may not be squirrels, but still they know that winter is coming.""Meaning, I suppose," the Meddler said, "that just because wolves don't store food in advance to get them throughthe thin months, doesn't mean that they are incapable of advanced preparation.""That's what I said," Firekeeper retorted.An odd vision touched her then.She was certain it had been generated byher own imagination, not created by the Meddler.She saw a world very like the one in which she now lived, only inthis world Royal Beasts did not live separately from humans, but rather employed them to do tasks for them.Thesituation was not at all like that in Liglim, where the relationship between humans and Beasts was religious in nature,but more like the way humans dealt with humans in places like Hawk Haven or New Kelvin.In her imagination she saw a wolf dragging a freshly slain deer to a human's house.A human came out andexamined the deer, exclaiming in awe and appreciation.Then he hung the carcass from a tree, speaking to the wolf ashe went about the process of draining the blood and removing the organs as humans did before preparing the meat.Although the wolf could not speak the human's language, it had learned a series of signs that enabled simplecommunication.Through these an agreement was reached.The human would keep the deer's hide and some of the organs and bones.The wolf would immediately consumeother organs, and enjoy the marrow in some of the thicker bones.The human would then prepare the meat, drying aportion of it and holding it until the wolf returned for it.Firekeeper thought this would be quite a mutually beneficial situation.Humans were not nearly as good hunters aswolves [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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."Derian flicked his ears back in puzzlement, realized what he had done, and said a bit more brusquely than he hadintended."Such as?""Such as what defenses the Nexus Islands might have once had in place," Harjeedian said."From several people,I have heard tales that the waters were said to be populated with sea dragons.If this was true, might they still be there?Might this have been a metaphor for some more mundane form of defense? We of Liglim have had occasionalproblems with ambitious pirates who think the settlements surrounding our main bay are temptingly defenseless.Theylearn that underwater chains do unpleasant things to the hulls of ships forced to rely upon narrow channels.""Interesting thought," Derian said."What if chains like those are stored somewhere? Even if we couldn't deploythem, we might be about to turn the metal in them to some other purpose.I think some research is in order.Ynamynet?""I agree," she said, "especially using those Harjeedian has mentioned."Harjeedian had remained standing, so Derian asked him."Something else?"'"I thought I would remind you that while I am not as skilled as Doctor Zebel in medical matters, I do have somesolid training in that area.I would like to offer my services in teaching elementary medical techniques, and offermyself to Doctor Zebel as an assistant."Derian blinked in surprise.As an aridisdu and, quite frankly, as one of the conquerors, Harjeedian had a great dealof status among the Nexus Island community.To have him publicly offer to subordinate himself to one of theconquered in any capacity was a tremendous gesture, and one that should humble any number of those who mighteven now be contemplating how to jockey for status."Thank you.Harjeedian," Derian said."After this meeting.why don't you speak with Doctor Zebel about how tobest arrange your schedules."Verul, who had been one of the first Nexans Derian had met, back even before Derian had known that there wereNexus Islands, now signaled for attention.Once the ruddy-skinned, fair-haired man had been a bodyguard, equal toSkea in every way.These days he walked with a crutch much of the time, lamed in a fight with Firekeeper.That thewolf-woman had disabled him without taking his life had not made Verul exactly grateful to her.Instead, he resentedher reputation among the Nexans, and never missed an opportunity to cast doubt on her prowess."I was wondering if anything had been heard from Firekeeper," he said."We all know she and Blind Seer left hereto return to their homeland.I know she said she was going to scout for some information that might enable us toprevent querinalo from attacking any newcomers, but it seems to me she has been gone for quite a long time.""She's only been gone a bit over a moonspan," Derian protested."Still, didn't she take a gate right to where she needed to go?" Verul said.His tone was guileless and the straight, square lines of his face innocent of malice, but Derian hoped no one wasfooled.Probably some did share his curiosity, though.Derian suspected that many of the Nexans had no real idea whatwas involved in traveling long distances.The gates had spoiled them for that, for even though the gates did not removeall need for travel, they did tend to eliminate awkward, time-consuming tasks like crossing mountain ranges.Derian schooled his voice to patience."The gate did not take her 'right where she needed to go.' It took her to acity east of the mountains she would need to cross to reach her destination.Even if she found a cure almost instantly and returned that minute, I doubt she could be to us for a moonspan ormore.""But you are certain she will return," Verul said. "Absolutely," Derian replied.But he wondered, even as the meeting turned to other matters, if when Firekeeper did return would there beanyone to open the gate for her, and if the gate did open, would friends or enemies wait on the other side.***"I'VE TOUCHED ISENDE," the Meddler reported with some triumph."She spoke to Derian, and together theyhave gone to Truth.The Nexus Islands will not face invasion unwarned."Firekeeper stretched, paws turning into hands as she awoke from dreams into that strange place wherein theMeddler drew her for their conversations.They were sitting on what might be very thick green moss or rather dense,tinted clouds.The light was indirect, and the mood deceptively restful.Deceptive because although Firekeeper knewher body continued to sleep, this interlude would tire her as if she had not slept at all."I have had," she said, "a very long and busy day.We have taken one of Virim's pack, and learned that this packis not such a pack as we had thought.Now we must find a way to turn this to our advantage."The Meddler, fully human in this vision, perhaps to match her, nodded.Disappointment touched the shape of hiseyes, and Firekeeper thought that he was unhappy that she had not praised him.She considered, decided that he haddone something admirable, and that she would be rude to withhold thanks."And from what you say, you have had some busy times since last we spoke," she went on."I am glad youmanaged to reach Isende.The Nexus Islands should not go unwarned.I only hope that they can hold until Blind Seerand I can return.""Do you really think two of you would make such a difference?" the Meddler said."We would not be two alone," Firekeeper said, "or not for long, not if we could be certain querinalo would notharm those we might convince to help us.That would certainly make a difference.""Thinking ahead," the Meddler said, and Firekeeper truly could not tell whether she heard mockery or approval inhis voice."What of it?" she challenged."Wolves may not be squirrels, but still they know that winter is coming.""Meaning, I suppose," the Meddler said, "that just because wolves don't store food in advance to get them throughthe thin months, doesn't mean that they are incapable of advanced preparation.""That's what I said," Firekeeper retorted.An odd vision touched her then.She was certain it had been generated byher own imagination, not created by the Meddler.She saw a world very like the one in which she now lived, only inthis world Royal Beasts did not live separately from humans, but rather employed them to do tasks for them.Thesituation was not at all like that in Liglim, where the relationship between humans and Beasts was religious in nature,but more like the way humans dealt with humans in places like Hawk Haven or New Kelvin.In her imagination she saw a wolf dragging a freshly slain deer to a human's house.A human came out andexamined the deer, exclaiming in awe and appreciation.Then he hung the carcass from a tree, speaking to the wolf ashe went about the process of draining the blood and removing the organs as humans did before preparing the meat.Although the wolf could not speak the human's language, it had learned a series of signs that enabled simplecommunication.Through these an agreement was reached.The human would keep the deer's hide and some of the organs and bones.The wolf would immediately consumeother organs, and enjoy the marrow in some of the thicker bones.The human would then prepare the meat, drying aportion of it and holding it until the wolf returned for it.Firekeeper thought this would be quite a mutually beneficial situation.Humans were not nearly as good hunters aswolves [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]